Romance RP

The soldiers looked at Lycoris and for a couple of moments, they were silent, some of them moved by Ryan's words. But then the same one who had replied before said,

"Perhaps you're right but then how many innocents did that cruel queen kill, claiming it was to fulfill justice? Perhaps it's worth it sacrificing an innocent life to make her suffer just in the same way she's ready to make others suffer too."

Ryan turned to the soldier who spoke and he replied,

"So you're doing this all as some sort of revenge against Sia?  There's something I'd like to know.  Have you ever told your grievances to your queen?  And I don't mean in an angry rage or anything of the sort.  Have you approached her in court and told her of your concerns?"

Another soldier replied immediately, "Many of us did! But how did she reply-only by saying that this is how justice is done and order is kept! And if any of us tried protesting, he'd be at the danger of losing his head!"

Lisianthus angrily replied, "Great work at picturing me as the villain. It could turn out very well that I'm the traitor here after all, not you! I've severely punished people before, yes, but only because they were criminals who deserved it. But enough with this nonsense! You haven't made your decision yet. Make it before I make it for you and you won't like how I choose."

Ryan got a little worried as Lisianthus was slowly losing her temper.  He didn't want to ask her to calm down, though, as that would make it seem like she was getting weak from his words.  So he turned his attention back to the soldiers and said,

"I understand what all of you are saying.  I truly do.  I think that Sia isn't the perfect ruler but perhaps she may be willing to change.  If you are truly unhappy with your situation, then there are peaceful ways of asking for change.  Taking an innocent life-basically, going for an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth-isn't the answer.  There will only be more hurt and pain from that.  Why don't we try resolving things peacefully?  Would you all agree to that?"

A soldier replied, "Perhaps if she was really willing to change but why don't you look at her? Do you see that there's any hope that she could actually change?"

Lisianthus replied, "If 'change' means for you letting you go and not punishing criminals like you all deserve, then I am definitely not changing. I am willing to listen to more opinions although certainly not from the likes of you."

Ryan sighed and turning to Lisianthus, he said,

"Sia, no one's saying that these soldiers shouldn't be punished at all.  They did side with the captain and committed crimes...But it's not like they killed anyone."

He turned to the soldiers and asked, "None of you actually killed anyone, right?"

The soldiers shook their heads and some of them replied definitely not. Lisianthus turned to Ryan and replied,

"But they were ready to do it! Don't you remember how they helped the captain imprison everyone down here? And they helped him reach Lycoris and torture her, same thing with Alex! What, should I have waited for them to actually kill someone so they could be punished?"

Lycoris was quiet all the time but she didn't like hearing all of this and recalling what happened before, especially how Alex was hurt because of her, hurt too much.

Ryan sensed how uncomfortable Lycoris and instinctively, he wrapped his arms closer around her to protect her.  He turned his attention back to Lisianthus and said,

"I don't know how things work here but in the human world, the kings and queen don't go around ordering executions unless the criminals did something worthy of the punishment, like if they committed murder or something equal to that."

He turned to the soldiers and asked, "If the queen gives you mercy-and I mean that you would still be punished but the punishment would fit the crime-would you still help the captain turn over an innocent life?"

A soldier replied immediately,

"We are not going to help this queen until she actually shows us proof that she's willing to change, and by changing, treating everyone else fairly and to stop being such a tyrant. We don't care about our lives. We knew it was risky to join the captain from the beginning but we did it!"

Another said, "That's right and we know that the captain can actually put an end to her so we aren't turning back on him. If we do this, there will be many more innocent lives who suffer at the hands of this cruel queen!"

Ryan looked thoughtful and replied, "And what actions, for example, would give you proof that Sia was willing to change?"

He looked to the soldiers, wanting them to air out their grievances so he could figure out the best way to change things for the better.

It took the soldiers a couple of moments but then a soldier said,

"If she would free the prisoners she has in the dungeons, those are too young and have committed no serious crimes, and forgive them. And she would make a public statement-apologize to the people for all her past actions. Also, she will need to make the living conditions in these dungeons and other dungeons better, more human at least."

Lisianthus raised an eyebrow and the way the soldiers talked, seemed as though they were telling their conditions on her, angered her. She turned to Ryan and replied,

"Hey, Ryan, how about you get out of this? I am sick of talking with these morons. They've made it clear-they aren't going to help me. So they have to get their punishment."

Ryan sighed and replied, "Sia, can I talk to you for a moment?  I would like Lycoris and Duchess Irene with us as well."

He wanted the four of them to talk a little away from the soldiers, as he thought that the soldiers' proposal wasn't too bad of a suggestion.

Lisianthus was getting impatient but tried to calm herself as much as she could and nodding, she replied,

"Fine but make it quick."

She gave one hard look towards the soldiers before she approached the party and led them away from the soldiers then looked at Ryan, waiting for what he had to say.

When the party was far enough away for the soldiers not to overhear the conversation, Ryan took a deep breath and said,

"Sia, you're probably not going to like what I'm about to say but I think the soldiers' proposal isn't that bad.  You wouldn't have to agree to all of the terms.  They are quite a lot.  And I know you don't want to seem weak in front of them but it's ok for a ruler to be vulnerable at times."

He turned to Duchess Irene and Lycoris and asked, "What do you think, Duchess Irene?  Lycoris?"

Irene nodded and replied, "I'm with Ryan on this. Lisianthus, killing them will get you nothing but trouble. If you actually listen to them-their suggestions are good enough and some of them, you'd have done them anyways at some point. Why not use the opportunity, spare them and get them on your side?"

Lycoris replied, "Please, Sia. This is a good solution. But killing them is only too harsh."

Lisianthus however didn't seem convinced and replied, "I can't know for sure that they aren't fooling around and I am not going to do things I don't want to do just because those traitors want it. I gave them the choice-they didn't take it. I've done my part and that's it."

Ryan replied, "If you doubt that they'll keep their word, Duchess Irene could always use the truth spell to find out whether the soldiers are telling the truth although I believe they are.  And we could use a binding spell that would make the soldiers keep their promise.  If they break it, they would suffer devastating consequences.  

And Sia, sometimes a ruler has to make decisions that they may not necessarily like but they have to do because it's in the best interests of their people.  I've seen many rulers in the human world have to make difficult decisions and I'm sure they knew it wouldn't benefit them personally.  But they thought of their people and what was best for them."

Ryan's words made sense and provided an excellent solution, and had Lisianthus been calmer, she might have thought about it thoroughly. But at that very moment, she was blinded by fury and the desire to take revenge on the soldiers. Angrily, she replied,

"Enough with this! Ryan, I may have given you the right to come here and talk to the soldiers but I am the one who makes the decisions here. You come to tell me now how to rule? I've been ruling this kingdom for three years just fine and I definitely don't need you to tell me how rulers should do!

Now if you don't mind, you probably have to get out of here before things get really ugly."

(Man, even I am surprised at how angry Lisianthus is. O.O)

(Yeah, me, too.  O_O)

Ryan was surprised and saddened to see this side of Lisianthus.  He had hoped to use reason to get through to her but it was as though she were blinded by anger.  He looked at her and although it looked like he about to shed a tear, he did his best to keep calm and quietly replied,

"I'm sorry, Sia.  I only wanted to help you.  It's all I've ever wanted for you and-and I'm saddened to think that my opinion means nothing to you.  It's as though I don't matter to you."

He wished to say more but as his emotions were building up, he turned to Lycoris and put his arms around her, as though silently asking for her comfort and support.

Lycoris could feel Ryan's sadness as he wrapped his arms around and it broke her heart to see how upset he had become, and who could blame him?

She wrapped her arms around him as well and rubbed his back gently, silently telling him that she'd be always there by his side.

Irene saw the scene and glared angrily at Lisianthus, who looked taken aback by Ryan's look of sadness at her. It was though her anger was almost washed away but she couldn't take her words back now.

After a moment of silence, she said, "I-I didn't mean that, Ryan. I really didn't. But you should get out of here. You aren't going to like what will happen next. Please don't be upset at me. I'll talk to you later, when I'm done here."

Ryan looked saddened as he faced Lisianthus but kept his arms around Lycoris.  He quietly replied,

"If you're going to do what I think you're going to, I'm asking-no, I'm begging-that you reconsider.  They did commit crimes but their lives shouldn't be destroyed because they made a mistake.  Should every life be destroyed if they make a mistake?  If you believe so, then I should have been dead a long time ago.  But those close to me forgave me.  They gave me a second chance and that's what I'm asking of you now.  I know that in your heart, you can be kind, compassionate.  I know it's there.  I want to see that side of you.  I want to see the woman I fell in love with."

Although Lisianthus wanted to listen to Ryan, she was truly resolved on going through her plan. She calmly said,

"The woman you fell in love with is right here, Ryan. I can be kind and compassionate but only with those who deserve it. You don't understand. You can't compare yourself with those traitors inside. We all make mistakes in our lives but some mistakes can't be forgiven because of the damage they cause. Those soldiers could have led to this whole world being destroyed because they were helping that captain and I am not willing to forgive them for that.

Please, Ryan. Don't put yourself in front of me on this. I've been doing things just the right way and that's why order was kept during the years I ruled. I don't want to change that now."

Ryan shook his head and replied,

"I'm sure the woman I fell in love with is somewhere inside you but I don't see her right now.  I may not know everything about ruling a kingdom but I know about how to show kindness, compassion, even if those people who wronged us don't necessarily deserve it."

He took a deep breath and then added, "If you do this, then I'll have no choice but to leave the castle.  I'll take Lycoris with me to continue her training and that way, you will no longer be in any danger."

Lisianthus' eyes widened as she heard what Ryan said and even Irene was surprised to hear it. Lisianthus looked at him in disbelief and replied,

"What are you talking about? You don't mean that, do you? You're kidding, right?"

Ryan shook his head and in as serious a tone as he could muster, he replied,

"No, I'm not.  If you go through with killing those soldiers, I'll have no choice but to leave.  I'll be able to survive on my own and I'll continue to train Lycoris until she's powerful enough to face the captain on her own."

He turned to Lycoris and using his telepathy, he said,

I really hope it won't come to us having to leave but I can't stay here if Sia goes through taking more lives.

Lycoris was surprised by what Ryan said too but she understood and supported him on whatever he did, for she would be willing to follow him anywhere.

Lisianthus stared at Ryan in disbelief as he insisted on what he said. Although the common sense would have said that she delays the execution at least to prevent such a thing from happening, she couldn't believe that Ryan would abandon her like that, just to defend whom she thought were nothing but villains and traitors.

Angry tears forming in her eyes, she replied,

"Then leave! Abandon me like everyone else! I-I thought you were different. I thought you'd understand! I-I can't believe you, I can't look at you!"

Unable to remain in the party's company any longer, she ran away and back inside the cell.