LogFAQs > #952993084

Maria all but spills the beans during Morgana's birthday party. Morgana quickly excuses herself. Maria encourages Jacopo to give her the necklace when she returns, and that telling her how he feels is all he has to do, nothing more.

The raid goes down, and Jacopo desperately searches for Morgana. A bandit stabs him, and when he comes to, Maria is sobbing bitterly over him, thinking him dead. Jacopo thinks power is the answer to these sorts of tragedies - this wouldn't have happened if he was in a noble position. He goes to meet with the old Barnier maid who claimed to be his mother - it was a con. She claimed it bc Jacopo was the correct age and they looked plausibly related, but really because of the possible success and poetry of it all - Jacopo leading the revolt a few years back. He's in on the con, and starts spreading the fake 'lineage' info to his revolutionary cohorts. Maria begs him not to follow through with it.

Sure enough, the revolution is successful and Jacopo takes his place as the Lord of the land, assuming the name of the previous lord. He starts off by trying to make good on his promises - bolstering the local economy, making improvements, letting it be known that anyone from anywhere is welcome. The poor people that had helped his revolution, however, were not very affected by these improvements. They didn't trust him any more. Even when Jacopo met with one of his old friends to talk things over, it ended up as an attempt on his life. All threats had to be eliminated.
Jacopo heard of the witch with magical blood, and thought up a money-making scheme. The Swordsman brought her in, poured her out of the burlap sack, and Jacopo saw what he had done. Morgana. Morgana hadn't remembered him - she remembered the lord who had tortured her mercilessly before. Jacopo couldn't risk correcting her - no one must know of his past, to protect himself. After all this, who would believe him anyway?

Michel needs the real man, takes him by the arm and pulls him out of the darkness. Mell and the Swordsman did not see what they saw in the darkness. Michel is fairly certain the White-Haired Girl is Morgana. Michel points out that Jacopo could have stopped at any time. Jacopo doesn't want to believe it. The Swordsman steps forward and says the girl he didn't kill on the slave caravan was Morgana, and that she loved the time she spent with Jacopo and Maria at the br o thel. Mell points out that Morgana talked about parting ways with the people that taught her that humans are capable of kindness.

Jacopo insists that he already planned to let Morgana go during the festival, but Michel insists that it's too late. Michel pushes for an immediate release, especially if Jacopo has already decided on doing so. Michel hands over the necklace, and Jacopo leads the way to the tower.

Michel calls out to Giselle in his mind. Still no response.

The four men approach the door at the top of the spiral staircase. I don't know if any of y'all have ascended a spiral staircase up a tower before - it's generally pretty tight quarters. I did one time, and you feel like you're right on top of the people in front of and behind you, even though you occupy your own space. Not an experience I'd recommend to people who are afraid of heights or small spaces - it's pretty cramped and the occasional tall, thin windows are only too happy to remind you how high up you are. They hear voices inside - but it should only be Morgana trapped inside. Michel shoves past and opens the door.

Morgana is telling herself a story to keep herself hopeful, and responding negatively to it. She continues a conversation with herself. This is the White-Haired Girl. Morgana tells herself that her letters sent by dove worked and reached someone, and replies that she never sent any letters. Michel says he's here to set her free, and asks Jacopo to unshackle her. This illustration of Michel and Morgana is a gorgeous pieta [compare to the OG Pieta by Michelangelo if you haven't in a while].

Michel begins to explain that she can live, that no one has any malice towards her, and Morgana keeps calling him 'angel' in a soft voice. After having dismissed any claims of being an angel, knowing that Morgana's life is slipping away, Michel embraces this role. He tells her that God the Father is very proud of the work she has done in His name. Morgana's small body goes limp, and she dies.

Michel immediately demands to know why they didn't care for her, why they let this happen? He asks each man to tell her what they were going to tell her in the first place. Jacopo tells her that he wanted to show her the wide world, and that he failed to do that. Mell offers to make amends for how much he hurt her. The two of them each say they will give their own lives in recompense. The Swordsman gives a brief apology, saying that although he is a cold-blooded killer, he did not want her dead.
Jacopo places the necklace around her neck, and they take Morgana's body outside. Jacopo notes that once the girl is brought outside, they'll be made to pay for their sins. No one shies away from this. Mell thanks Michel for his guidance, and takes one last piece of advice - don't look away.
The Swordsman still suspects that Michel is not a regular man, but an angel of some kind. Michel assures him that he is a regular man. The Swordsman takes to heart - he needs restraint.
Jacopo is dismissive of Michel, but Michel offers up a piece of advice - be more open with yourself. Express your feelings and don't leave things left unsaid.

Michel says he is praying for a better turn for the three men in their next lives. They open the door, and it's noon the next day. Everyone is dying, dead, or being killed in a swirl of violence. The weight of Morgana's body is gone from Michel's arms.

Michel realizes he is in the realm of the dead, where the mansion resides. None of it was the real past, merely a projection of the souls' memories. He sinks into darkness. Someone beckons him to open his eyes - it's the White-Haired Girl. She thanks him for helping her remember everything she had forgotten, including her identity. She offers him a sword, and asks him to extinguish her soul.

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Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself...: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?
-Marcus Aurelius