Scra group in front of cepni and co in resistance tunnels ready for a debrief. Ky is missing.
Farrah [sees lars mom]: Madam Paylette! How are you - why are - how -
LM: hello, student. You have made it here too, I see.
F: I got back to the Capitol and they said you were missing? And you left your book and -
LM: You found that too then? I am glad. Although when I heard you had disappeared I had not expected you to return.
F: You left after me right? Why did -
Cepni: Enough, you can catch up later. There are matters in dire need of discussion.
Ree [looking at her past teachers and classmates, the Major is leaning in a dark corner]: Well, this is weird. This is weird, right?
Cepni: We’ve been following your exploits for a while now, but it seems you’re all still in the dark on our operations here.
farrah: as they should be. What would be the point of a secret underground resistance if everyone knew about said resistance.
Scra: I don’t know, seems like everyone does know about it. How are you all here? Cepni? Hu? Major?? Have you always been in on this? And you (to brek) - you and Tiraa were best friends with the Director’s son, and you (to Del) tried to -
[Del doesn’t make eye contact, vulture and lulu watch him]
Brek: there have been…circumstances…
brekdad: Our questions first. [steps up to scra] Did you know you were the supposed missing Crow King?
S: What? no. How could I? No one ever told me anything. I didn’t even know Avarie existed. (neekia and deacon don’t look at him)
BD: So you have not returned to raise a Crow army to oppose this Resistance?
S: (scoffs) What would that even achieve? More fighting? More power imbalance? Even if that was what I was planning, why would I come here? The other Crows wouldn’t follow me anyway, come on.
cepni: we had to make sure, you understand. This is a delicate operation that needs as few outliers as possible if we are to succeed.
F: which we need to discuss, in detail.
BD: But now that the King has returned, there may be a greater chance of achieving our goal.
F: Which we also need to discuss - you will not use Scra in any way he doesn’t agree to. He is not your pawn, or martyr.
BD: there may be a time that requires -
S: I will fight with you, but I will not be your figurehead. I’m not a king. That is what I have come to say.
F: and if you want the Sparrow forces beside you, you will keep that in mind.
Major: well, there’s no arguing with that, Cepni.
C: quiet, Major. You are here provisionally, not to voice opinions.
M: evidently.
BD: We heard you had been imprisoned by the Avarie Council and set to stand trial. You managed to escape punishment, and somehow be publicly claimed as the missing king?
Ree: pretty much
BD: and the Council have just…allowed you to leave? And return to an island on the brink of implosion?
Scra: well, “allowed” is a very strong word.
Brek: so you’re on the run from a nation 100 times larger than this one, great.
cepni: I imagine they’re eager to see the king returned
ree: oh, very eager.
cepni: and I imagine they may send out some kind of force to get him back?
ree: they’ve deployed the Redguard, but his dad is probably combing the countryside as we speak.
Neekia: your…father?
Scra: yeah, remember my weird feathers growing up? turns out they were Raven.
Cepni: Raven!
LM: oh my -
brek [to dad]: the folder -
Neekia: but why would your raven dad be interested in getting you back after all these years?
Scra: Because he thinks it’s their road to redemption, and integration back into society after being banished. And he thinks he has my ear, so having a son in the highest position in the land probably wouldn't hurt. Unfortunately for him, I’m naturally skeptical of everyone trying to be sneaky about influencing me - even a long lost father.
ree: (oh good im glad you noticed that)
BD: …I knew the Ravens would try to make a comeback one way or another. And Icarus help us if they do.
capni: are they likely to -
[tiraa runs in, panting]
T: keelee’s missing. I’m requesting clearance to assemble a squad to look for her.
scra: [shocked] keelee’s miss -
Cepni: no.
T: - I’m sorry, no?
C: no, you cannot be spared.
T: but -
C: I’ll hear nothing further on it. I’m sure she’ll turn up.
T: but -
Scra: where’s ky?
neekia: we’ll take you to him [gestures at deacon]
tiraa: cepni you’re being -
[fades as scra leaves. hurrying down tunnels with N+D]
Scra: did you know?
N: did who -
D: we knew about the king thing. Cyras told us. And he also told us to keep it under wraps because everyone would be after you. And look what’s happened.
S: and, what - he was just waiting to use me himself?
N: do you think he made the two of us train you every damn night just for fun? he was protecting you, idiot.
S: so i could be useful to him later.
D: so you had the ability to do whatever you wanted to, whatever that ended up being. Cyras plans for things, but he doesn't undermine your own free will.
S: except when he makes people murder others to be in his club.
D: you don’t understand half of -
[stop at tiraa and keelee’s cave. Ky is hunched on the bed.]
S: …leave us.
[neekia and deacon leave. scra lays down on the bed next to ky and holds him.]
KY: I’ve failed…again…I keep failing…
S: then we won’t stop until you don’t. We’ll keep looking for her Ky. we will find her. I promise.
It takes me so long to write big info eps like this and I'm sure I'll end up changing it a bit, but here's this for now. I'm going away to a cabin by the sea in Scotland for a few days to hopefully finalise the rest of the comic :)))