A truth unveliled

Rosalie knocked on the door that lead to Madeline’s desk, hoping that the woman would be available for a small talk. After what had happened with Ael, her confession and posterior incarceration Rosalie had asked permission to research the artifact that the former spy had used against her.

Her conclusions had been interesting…to say at the least. The artifact had been tweaked three times; the first time in order for it to cause plenty of damage to the victim, the second time for it to slow the damage caused and the third and last time to not cause damage at all, even it could be argued that the frequency was set to undo part of the caused damage.

It seemed that Ael had grown a conscience during the process; while it was not in Rosalie’s place to decide her fate it was a relevant detail that likely Madeline would wish to know before taking a choice on the matter.

Madeline was deep in thought when the knock on her door pulled her from her work. She looked up, recognizing the familiar figure of Rosalie through the glass. Madeline’s office was organized, every piece of equipment and every file in its rightful place, a reflection of the disciplined mind that occupied the space. Despite the interruption, Madeline was always open to hearing from her team, especially when it concerned something as significant as Ael's case.

Come in, Rosalie, Madeline called out, her voice calm and steady as she set aside the report she’d been reviewing. She offered a small, welcoming smile as Rosalie entered, though her eyes were already curious, sensing that this wasn’t just a casual visit.

As Rosalie explained her findings, Madeline listened intently, her expression shifting from curiosity to intrigue as the details unfolded. The modifications to the artifact were unexpected, and they opened up a new layer of complexity to Ael’s actions.

That’s fascinating, Rosalie, Madeline said, leaning back in her chair and folding her hands thoughtfully. The fact that the artifact was altered three times, each change reflecting a shift in intent... it’s not something we can overlook. It suggests that Ael was conflicted, possibly even trying to undo the harm she’d already set in motion.

She paused, considering the implications. This changes things. If Ael was attempting to mitigate the damage, it could indicate that her actions weren’t entirely malevolent, or at the very least, that she had doubts about what she was doing. That kind of internal conflict is important to understand before we make any final decisions about her fate.

Madeline stood up and began to pace slowly, a habit she had when she needed to think through a problem. We need to look at this from every angle. If Ael did indeed have a change of heart, it’s possible she was coerced or manipulated into her initial actions. Or perhaps she realized too late the full extent of what she was doing. Either way, it’s something we need to investigate further.

@Rosalie Rutherford

She entered into the room, smiling back at the woman before starting her explanation on her findings after exploring the artifact.

“I would say that certainly in the end she was not happy at all with the idea of hurting you. I am not going to lie and to say that what she did was good but I thing that she is not as evil as it could be assumed from her actions. “Either because she grew fond of you or because she knew that what she was doing was wrong she decided to tweak the artifact, that’s for sure.”

“While I understand that she will have to undergo through punishment to pay for her wrongdoings, if you want my opinion on the matter, I’d say that perhaps giving her a chance to make things rights would be a good idea, since she kind of tried to do that in her own way” she said, relieved of that Madeline had decided to spare Ael’s life.

“My theory is that she probably worked for someone with ill intentions and that she had done her share of bad things, because she’s not stupid thus she knew what she was doing but clearly in the end her good heart weighted over her “duty” she said as she tapped her lips thoughtfully “and clearly if someone had found out that she had tweaked the orb perhaps the consequences would have been fatal for her, yet she did it to spare you a terrible fate.”

Madeline nodded slowly as she absorbed Rosalie’s words, her expression thoughtful. The more she learned, the more it seemed that Ael’s motivations had layers beyond simple malice or deception. This wasn’t a case of black and white; it rarely was, in her experience, and Rosalie’s observations only reinforced that belief.

You’re absolutely right, Rosalie. If Ael knew she was taking a risk by altering the artifact—and she went ahead with it anyway—that suggests a moral conflict she couldn’t ignore. That’s not something a person does lightly, especially if her own safety was at stake. Madeline’s gaze softened a little, her usual pragmatic demeanor yielding to a note of empathy. She respected courage, and this decision by Ael, however subtle, sounded like a small act of defiance against her orders.

@Rosalie Rutherford