Finding the wheel

[Anastasia]

You rest in your room after, the day's events taking their toll on you. As you do...the steady knock-knock-knock on your door stirs you, waking you from a near-nap.

[Nephrite]

"Come in." Moore calls out.

[Anastasia]

Grias floats in. The door closes behind him without him touching it, "A dragon visited and took you for a ride? Is everything well? Will we have a dragon lairing here soon? Do I need to get a new wing built for a dragon?"

[Nephrite]

"Everything is fine." Moore says with a smile. "I just was a bit too honest with the marid."

[Anastasia]

"Ooooh..." Grias audibly exhales and then goes right on, "Honesty is a virtue, but it can be a selective one, can't it? Sometimes you have to refuse to answer a question, like if a tyrant asks you where your fellow rebels are, even if it gets you hurt or worse."

[Nephrite]

Moore nods. "You're absolutely correct. I learned a lot from the experience."

[Anastasia]

"Oh! Was the marid queen like a tyrant?" Grias says, then droops, "I've heard she can be cruel. Oh, a whip of water and a yoke of storms, all on those who oppose the marid dominance!"

[Nephrite]

"I don't think she's a tyrant." Moore says with a smile again. "I think she just... mm. She's not cruel, but I think she's... mm. It's hard to explain. She reminds me of what Cresiel might've been like if he hadn't met people to soften him up."

[Anastasia]

To that Grias perks up and rises in the air, "Really? Like Cresiel?!"

[Nephrite]

"Let me try and explain." Moore says. "When I first met Cresiel, he was very serious... he didn't deviate at all from his path. He had one mission and stuck to it. She reminds me of someone who's never had someone in her life that was able to give her an alternate path -- to never be able to speak up and offer other options on how to handle something."

[Anastasia]

"Really? Well, she probably is a spoiled noble at heart," Grias admits, "Surely she came from the richest and most affluent of the marid."

[Nephrite]

"Grias, it's unlike you to say something like that." Moore says. "Xandra seemed concerned about her motives as well. I think we should believe in the possibility and hope that all people can be good at heart."

[Anastasia]

Grias colors reddish and retorts, 'Of course she could change, but the marid do have a reputation. Not as black as the efreet or dao, but they have it."

[Nephrite]

"Then it's up to us to make sure she learns from our examples." Moore says.

[Anastasia]

"Of course."

A moment and then Grias says, "...she isn't coming to visit like Lady Villisa is, is she?"