Some of the soldiers go alert, hands to their weapons, but Barik and Verse wave them off.

"That's what breaking the Edict looked like. They'll be back soon."

She just sighs in relief. Tallboy's posture reflects her body language to an extent, the shields droop a bit as she unclenches her fist.

Kohl strides back out. Amelia is visible behind him and the mages, cradling her daughter in her arms.

"The Storm I called is ended, the line of the Regents with it. In the names of Kyros and Tunon, I claim Sentinel Stand as Governor of Stalwart. And I place it in the care of the Captains of the Unbroken. The war for the Blade Grave is over; let the rebuilding of Stalwart begin."

He removes the Steadfast Insignia from his cloak. "Captain Mattias, if you would." Mattias steps forward, and Kohl pins the insignia to his cloak.

"I trust you will be as wise in governing as you were commanding. Keep Kyros's law, but keep your traditions, too, so long as they're within it."

He inclines his head in a small bow. "I'm no king nor regent, but we can do without a throne. I think a council of captains. With the Insignia as the badge of the First Captain."

Kohl nods in approval.

Amelia steps forward, her baby still in her arms.

"I'll join you, if you'll have me. Straydus the Younger showed me the honor of the South, and I'd like to rebuild his country, your country, with you."

Mattias frowns. "I don't want to refuse good help. But I don't want to offend Graven Ashe, either. He dearly wanted you returned, but he didn't know you'd changed your loyalties. I don't think I can accept until I know his opinion on the matter."

She nods sadly. "Then I'll stay in these quarters until he passes judgment."

Kohl looks it over. "Best deliver this news in person, I think. Barik?"

He nods. "The General won't be happy. Best not tell him by bird." Hopefully merely displeased; more likely, furious.

Then they'll get ready to leave.

"I'm just glad mercy has some catch in this whole sorry mess." And she didn't really do much, it feels like, though the initial... Assault (She shudders)... Did seem to go a bit easier with her presence sowing chaos? And that was the goal, be here, be impressive with an iron giant. 

Success. 

Yay.

"Whatever mercy we bring to it. And they'll remember that."

"...Is it urgent to return to Lethian's Crossing immediately? I feel like I ought to help clean up. Anything particularly difficult to shift about, at least. Any large debris. More of a test of the machine too..."

"It isn't. Fixing up Stalwart - here or by the Ocean Spire - is a good thiing to be doing. I think that road being clear will let a lot of other work come in. Anyone else I'd say it would be much more than they could do alone, but I'm not going to underestimate you."

"I'm never going to feel like I truly have enough to work with. I left a few laborers working on clearing out the tower entrance... Probably some of the metal will vanish, and if the cutter breaks down that'll stop too, but progress towards opening the ocean spire should still be going. None of these places make - intuitive sense to me, where it would be best to build a road or dig a well. But there's pulleys in this thing, with an hour to set up and a few people or animals to turn cranks, I think I can clear away some of the worst debris from the road. Call it a day, maybe. Show off and talk about industry while I'm at it."

"Sounds good, do as you think right. I have to go make sure we have peace. I'll have to report back to Tunon after that; should I pick you up for that?"

Would Tunon be like MacArthur? Like the Queen or a noble?

She feels a flash of squirming terror and loss.

"...I don't have a practical argument but I do not want to." She says in a slightly quiet voice.

"You don't have to decide yet. We can speak about him later. He's - straightforward. No secrets. Unless I'm very blind to them, I suppose."

"Then I won't decide yet. I'm going to- That is, my plan absent a reason to change it is to work on clearing paths and debris here for a day, and then go to the exit of the Ocean Spire and see if we can't get through it by now- The sky was visible in places when I left, if not a proper path cleared- And then either long way or short way back to Vendrien's Well and see about filling out my workshop some more, and then working on something for farmers."

Pause.

"Oh, and I can now attempt to free Barik with the same tool that's cutting through the Spire's debris. I don't know when the timing works out- It'd likely be a full day of careful adjustment."

"That makes sense. I'm sure I can spare him a while, I'll check when he wants to try it. For me, I'm going to live up to the 'Peacebinder' name again."

"I don't envy you the job..."

She'll get started on that, then! Put up a good show of the power of lightning and iron, get a couple of idle hands to turn a crank that lets her keep the Tallboy going, to push and lift with incredible force and clear out fallen rubble, pry apart bits of broken landscape and twisted metal. The jobs requiring heavy lifting, the kind of thing that would need a whole team fussing with ropes and pulleys but can be managed in a few minutes of mechanically assisted force.

She feels like she should see the aftermath of battle, anyway. Remember the cost, or something.

She procures a better than average tent, claiming the need to maintain her gear, and hangs out somewhat morosely that evening with the new garrison and Stalwart's... Survivors? Defectors? She's sad and a bit bitter. That doesn't just go away from a quick pep talk. She'll even have a couple of strongish beers, which is a very unusual sign to those who know her preferences.

"The complications never end, but we'll pull through. Skill and fortune to you."

Most of the leadership of the Unbroken is leaving with Kohl, and a woman who wasn't in the attack, Captain Elia, has come in to direct the cleanup. The foot soldiers are in good spirits. They're tired of war, and most of them were ultimately angrier at the Regent than at Kyros - Kyros is practically a ghost story, and the Regent was someone they'd heard about secondhand, if not personally seen. They're not happy about probably signing away independence, but they trust their captains and want to rebuild and hopefully go back to farming some time this decade.

Iron Walker Kleobis begged off following Kohl back to Iron Hearth. (Amelia went with them. If she'd stayed, they wouldn't have let him stay, because he might lose his temper and spill technically-Disfavored blood.) Officially, he's going to escort Engineer Waltana wherever she's headed next. Unofficially, well...

He catches up with her when she's getting the second tankard. "You didn't strike me as much of a drinker."