0:01

Girl, real talk. This

0:03

whole, it's a new year, time to

0:05

reinvent myself trash, is not the vibe

0:07

for 2024. You can find

0:09

someone who loves you for you, as

0:11

you are. You don't need to read

0:13

a stack of self-help books, only eat

0:16

sad salads, or like start meditating at

0:18

5am to be ready

0:20

for dating. So yeah, my advice is

0:22

to download Bumble and find someone who

0:24

embraces you the way you are right

0:26

now. Let me know how it goes.

0:30

Birds of Empire is presented by

0:32

HelloFresh. Use code BIRDSFREE

0:35

for free breakfast for life

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at hellofresh.com/birdsfree when breakfast item

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per box while subscription is

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active. Hello listeners, be advised

0:43

that this show is an immersive audio

0:45

experience. It may seem like sounds are

0:47

coming from the sides or behind you.

0:50

Listener discretion is advised, as this

0:52

content is intended for adult audiences

0:54

only. For more details, see

0:56

the episode description. Qcode

0:59

presents Birds of Empire Season 2,

1:02

created by Jason Liu. Birds

1:07

of Empire Season

1:09

2, created by

1:11

Jason Liu. Birds

1:14

of Empire Season 2, created by

1:16

Jason Liu. Birth

1:23

is but the promise of death, so

1:26

goes an ancient proverb of the

1:28

wolves, people of the grass.

1:31

There were many times the words

1:33

would wash over Azira. Once,

1:36

while soaked in blood, lids

1:39

heavy as she knelt, asking

1:41

her sister to possess her

1:43

blade. To her

1:45

enemies, she would become the demon of

1:47

White Rock. To

1:49

her people, she would

1:51

become much more. And

1:54

now, a child of

1:56

the plains, spear in hand, the thrill

1:59

of a new world. What

4:02

you feel sick of hearing about minding her more

4:04

than. Eighty

4:09

Eight years. Almost

4:26

like music in Time was. And

4:32

for change. And yes, It

4:38

looks like a flanking around the pack. A

4:41

I didn't think the. At.

4:44

Smell what is it and think

4:46

I read that is what other

4:49

pack animals. How they

4:51

signal each other with smells. As you something

4:53

bad is happening. To

4:56

the earth through to see

4:58

ears. Patrice it

5:01

looks like. Or

5:03

hunters are scattered. No,

5:06

no was higher. Is splitting the path

5:08

to run down the stragglers is a

5:10

threat. With the woman. Now.

5:18

So. Visibly gory to the worst, To see that is.

5:27

What? She's

5:30

going in the rest of the her to. Sleep.

6:07

Hundred. Number

6:23

One. Hundred

6:44

number on the mobile Now another. The

6:58

mother was. The.

7:12

Best for your last week.

7:17

You will love you guys

7:19

with would not because at

7:21

least I have my bow

7:24

and it would. Pieces

7:27

have to your throat. To.

7:41

Lay in terms of when. I

7:44

put a seahorse my life with. Put a

7:46

saying in your. Pc

7:52

upon the threat. Viera

8:23

kill us. You make me worry

8:25

about. Going to freak out.

8:31

When north. Good.

8:53

Would overwhelm. Recommend them

8:55

of easier. For mobile.

9:00

This. You. Are.

9:23

Going to find me. All

9:44

of. the

9:55

her to have much I

10:00

know you hate me. I like it. I hate

10:02

you too. I hate you too. I'll tell you why I'm

10:04

not talking to you. You'll have to keep me in this place. I'm sorry.

10:07

I'm sorry. part

10:09

of the world. How did you know? Because

10:11

I'm a fucking- You hit your labyrinth, Richard. You're a

10:13

close one. I know you hate me. I like it.

10:15

I hate you too. I'll tell

10:17

you why. I will die with you being stubborn

10:20

cow. You'll

10:24

pack me up. You

10:26

will listen to me and I'm ordering you to pull up

10:28

as low as they're broken leg or not. I'll

10:31

tear your throat. You're ready? Yeah.

10:35

I'm gonna have to go. I'm

10:37

gonna get a zero. I'm gonna get a zero. I'm

10:39

gonna get a zero. I'm gonna get a zero. Thank

10:42

you. Brother,

10:44

I need you to leave. You'll be better at hunting

10:46

in the ground. I'm

10:49

a woman against you and what about you? Today, if I

10:51

wait for the wind to blow up, let it be next

10:53

to my mister. It's bathed in the

10:55

blood of my enemy. I

10:58

open up blood. Don't

11:01

go over the line. I'm taking off the

11:04

force. You're under the death. Fuck! Give

11:08

me your foot. Here.

11:13

Yeah. Yeah, well. Are you

11:15

ready, your boat? Brother, how much time do we have? Ready

11:17

to start? I am. I'm

11:20

just fucking cool, baby. Open the lights. Open

11:23

the fucking lights. You

11:25

here? You're under the death. Coming

11:30

in. Do it. Yeah. What

11:33

do I got now? You

11:45

fucking idiot. You're the father. You're

11:48

the father. You're the father. You're the father.

11:50

You're the mother. You're the

11:52

father. You're the father. You've been under

11:54

attack now. You've been walking back, and... I've walked back,

11:56

and... I'm coming in. Vampyre,

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kit. Alrighty,

14:52

Blood Bowl, I thank you

14:54

for keeping me upon your plane this night, cloaking

14:57

me in your glory that I might bring

14:59

some to my people and

15:03

letting me hunt. I thought I was the

15:05

only one who spoke to the Great Mother

15:07

that way. Toya, Stania, I came to

15:09

free with you. Here,

15:15

let me mark you with a blood of the Alpha.

15:22

Let's pray. Mighty

15:25

Blood Wolf, Mother,

15:28

Killer, Guide, we

15:31

give thanks to you and honor one of your children

15:33

who walks with you in the wind roll. Gaia.

15:38

Why are you invoking my sister? There's

15:41

things you don't know about us. What do you mean? I

15:44

felt things for Gaia. Res

15:46

and I, we made like we hated her

15:49

and you but truly we were jealous. She

15:51

saved me actually. From what?

15:54

Myself. Who's

16:01

there? You

16:10

have the blade in the

16:12

wrong place. Your heart's on the other

16:15

side of your chest, Kaya. Leave

16:17

me alone. You sure that's

16:19

what you want? Do

16:22

not hush. We've

16:24

a soul who wishes to leave us for the windworm,

16:27

by her own hand, no less. You

16:30

come to humiliate me again. Opening

16:33

up my face in the fight pit wasn't enough. There's

16:35

no shame in the loss. The

16:38

girl who never loses. I fight

16:40

because it's what they have us do. I

16:42

win because... I

16:44

win because? Because you're not weak.

16:48

I'm nothing. I'm just fish,

16:50

sin, eagle, dirt, tear, worm. The

16:52

fight wolf looks away each time she addresses me,

16:55

kicking my feet out like a goat before the altar like

16:57

a... It's

17:00

better I send myself to the wind world

17:02

rather than bear the slow death of shame

17:04

in the eyes of the altar. You're very

17:06

much alive in my eyes, Kaya. And

17:09

dresses. She hangs on

17:11

your every word. Moves like your

17:14

shadow. The eyes of a sterile cub. The

17:17

soul like the pig bones of a... She

17:19

loves you. She

17:22

believes I'll be queen one day. Convinced

17:25

of it since we were pack sisters. Well

17:28

because I saved her from a wild dog when

17:31

we were girls. She tells that story like you're

17:33

a hero. I am sick of hearing it. Give

17:35

me the blade. You

17:39

were aiming at a lung, you know? Not

17:41

your heart. It would

17:43

have been painful and slow. Like

17:46

a water death. How

17:48

do you know? Mother makes Azera

17:51

trail the butchers. Afterward,

17:53

she tells me of her studies. Where

17:56

organs are. What they do. We're

17:59

not animals. The butchers

18:01

cut open our people. When

18:03

illness or possession takes them. What? Why?

18:09

The shamans extract the evil. For

18:12

elixirs, healing, battle

18:14

oils. And Azera

18:17

watches all this? Mother

18:19

bids her do it. I

18:21

don't know why. She

18:23

has her heart set on hunting, not

18:25

butchering. For

18:27

twins you can be less alike. The

18:30

sun is only the moon of flame. She

18:33

hates me. And Reza. You

18:36

do much to earn it. If

18:39

I lose tomorrow, they'll carve

18:41

the mark of the crow into my forehead. I'll

18:44

be shamed for life, lucky to sharpen the blades

18:46

of my betters. I think the

18:48

mark would suit you. Not

18:50

a joke, Aya. You'd

18:52

be ready to rid the shame of the markets to survive

18:54

a blood tournament. We

18:57

know I'd never be able to. No

18:59

one is carving the mark of the crow

19:01

onto your face, Aya. They just all die

19:03

before I live in exile. I wouldn't let

19:05

them ruin a face like that, Aya. My

19:11

left side is feeling sore. What

19:13

do you mean? During

19:16

our match, I might favor

19:18

my right. I might be

19:20

weaker, less focused. I might

19:22

swing wildly, leaving my flanks

19:24

unguarded. Aya, I may even

19:27

lose grip on my spirit.

19:29

I don't need you to help me out of pity. I

19:31

never said you did. I'm just telling

19:33

you. Aya.

19:37

Aya, are you? Zula!

19:41

Calm! No

19:44

more things will you come. Lately, she spooked my frog

19:46

tree branches, this dangerous thing. She all but blocked me

19:48

off when we came upon a pile of them the

19:50

other day. The tree of the

19:52

dead. Your

19:55

blade. Still

19:57

after the wind world, then? What

20:00

are you doing this? We're

20:02

so cruel to Asi. Is this some

20:04

trick to avenge her? Send me

20:07

up to think I can best you only to

20:09

make my fall more brutal. Reza isn't the only

20:11

one who thinks you're meant for great things. Everyone

20:13

knows you'll be clean, Gaia. Your

20:15

mother favors you? The pack already follows

20:17

your every word. I don't want to be

20:19

clean. I've seen what it's done to

20:21

my mother. But she must be

20:24

ruthless, always, only to prove her

20:26

worth. Why are you doing this? I

20:30

need this kindness. A

20:34

foe made friend is like a death

20:36

undone. A death

20:38

undone? And I like

20:40

your face. How?

20:45

Who's there? If someone is there, show

20:47

yourself! Or face a blade! What was it?

20:49

Maybe an elk. A

20:53

familiar smell. Zula,

20:55

calm! You should go. All right.

20:58

Asi will be looking for me wanting to

21:00

spar. All that girl wants to

21:02

do is fight. Perhaps she'll be fang of the green one

21:04

day. Watch

21:06

my left tomorrow in the pit. If

21:09

you're still among us to fight. Gaia? Thank

21:12

you. Don't

21:14

thank me yet. You still have to

21:16

beat me, Gaia. So...

21:25

what? You loved

21:27

her. No! It wasn't...

21:29

It was only the beginning of something, but... The

21:32

next day, after a fight, she was gone. Thrown

21:35

from her horses, she rode across the plains. Reza

21:37

said her horse Zula wasn't right. That she

21:39

was spooked by something. I wasn't there, but that's what

21:41

she said to me too. They were out on a

21:43

scout and... An accident. A

21:46

flick of the gods' fingers and she was no more. Why

21:49

are you dragging this up from the bog, Gaia? You...

21:51

you what? You want to make sure that my moment of

21:53

peace and victory is marred by my greatest sadness? No.

21:57

Wait, is this some fucking trick? Who's

21:59

out there? in

24:00

a death wish. Careful, boy. We should

24:02

have left you all to die. Kaya,

24:04

the pack is waiting to soak you

24:06

in the blood of the kill. Leave

24:09

the butcher. Just wait until the

24:12

tribe hears. The tribe will hear what we tell

24:14

them and we will tell them the hunt was

24:16

a success, was it not, Kaya? I...

24:19

success fit for the gods. Shame will

24:22

take your throat, Kaya, one day. Not

24:24

before I take yours, butcher girl.

24:26

You invite your own end, Reza. Your mother

24:28

is weak and Kaya will soon wear the

24:30

blood crown. I know it burns you inside

24:32

to think of it, but it burns you

24:35

because you know it's true. Reza, enough! Azera,

24:38

Yaffa, ride back with us. We'll set aside

24:40

our anger and tell the queen you did

24:42

your share. No more, no less.

24:44

As they soak you in the blood of

24:46

our kill, remember that it should be yours

24:48

that waters the earth. It has shepened your

24:51

blade, butcher. Much work for you

24:53

lay ahead. My blade is ever sharp for

24:55

all that lay ahead. You all

24:57

right, rebel? You're not

24:59

safe, sister, and

25:05

may never engage. For some time

25:07

now. Come. Tonight,

25:09

I sleep with an eye to the gods. What

25:11

do you think Mother will say? She'll be angry we disobeyed her. Glad at least

25:14

she'll know

25:28

I'm meant for more than a butcher's flower. Much

25:31

more. Kaya had

25:33

something strange about her. I can't tell

25:35

what may be alive. She confessed she

25:38

loved her, and that Daya threw a

25:43

fight to protect her in the blood. I thought

25:46

they hated each other. I did too. What does this

25:49

have to do with her death? I don't know, but

25:53

I mean to find out. Those

25:55

two are making a move from Mother's crown. What,

26:00

the blood tolls? Maybe magical,

26:02

even though her humors are unbalanced,

26:04

Mother could slice those cows with

26:06

her eyes closed. Perhaps. Her

26:08

coughing and sick are getting worse. He

26:11

approaches. I'll make sure to tell her

26:13

it was my idea. I don't think she'll need

26:15

much convincing. Nothing will happen

26:17

to you, Mother. Much will.

26:21

No one's a god to know the nature of it. Do you

26:23

ever just answer normally? You... Still

26:26

smell like shit, you know? No, you think I can smell

26:28

all of a sudden? The queen

26:30

approaches! Blood

26:32

keeps the queen! You're unchanging

26:35

the queen! Hunter,

26:38

wait away! The queen approaches! My

26:43

queen! We pay tribute

26:46

with our offering. The hunt

26:48

was fruitful. The alpha is

26:50

dead. Our people will no longer stop.

26:52

Why are the prisoners riding free? First,

26:55

sir, my queen. Azera.

26:58

And Lappa. You mean his children?

27:00

Invader. Breakers of

27:02

pack law. Or as pack leader, do you not

27:04

know the laws of the hunt? Y-yes,

27:07

but... We

27:09

didn't know they were there until- Until

27:11

what? Until the almost goddess all

27:13

killed. We tried to stop them, but... Answer

27:16

the queen. But they got in the way

27:18

and we took mercy on them. How

27:20

were you hurt? You let the

27:23

beasts take your blood. I saved

27:25

her, my queen. She

27:27

availed herself a leader. By allowing a butcher and

27:29

a keeper to tag along on a sacred hunt.

27:32

My queen- You'll be dealt with. Later.

27:36

Then come with me. Ready to bind

27:38

them. Yes, my queen. Then,

27:45

seize her. Mother, what- The boy too. Is

27:48

this some joke? Some lesson? The time for

27:50

lessons have passed, Azera. My queen, what-

27:52

What is this? A reckoning. Mother, I'm

27:54

sorry. I just- We hope the pack-

27:56

Bind them both. This madness,

27:58

I- I know it is a- But look

28:01

at what happened. We did it. I

28:03

am a hunter. You are a prisoner and

28:05

a disgrace. A disobedient

28:07

little girl. Mother, you're

28:09

too hard on her. She saved the

28:11

whole pack from destruction. She is the

28:13

only reason they live. Save your stories,

28:15

boys. It's true, Mike Lee.

28:18

It's true that you allowed a

28:20

butcher and a blind boy to save you

28:22

from a pack of wild beasts. Beasts who

28:24

you have dedicated your life to besting. It's

28:26

not true. And now, get

28:29

off your mounds and kneel before me. Now,

28:32

all of you. Do

28:42

you think my orders are mere wishes?

28:46

I am the queen of the wolves. The

28:49

terror in the forever night of this

28:51

blood-soaked land and to disobey an order

28:53

from me is to disobey the gods

28:55

themselves. Mother, I only

28:58

wanted to help to make you

29:00

see what I can be, what I am. I

29:03

am not your mother, nor am I your

29:05

queen. Mother, what were you doing? Take her

29:07

to the binding post. Heat the iron.

29:10

I'll carve the mark of the crow into her

29:12

forehead. Mother, no. Please,

29:14

it's me. It's us. We only wanted to

29:16

help. You're not to follow us, boys. I

29:19

order you exile. Mother! Mother! You fended

29:21

for yourself once. If you

29:24

could do it again for one month, you could

29:26

return to our people. Are you this heartless? You

29:29

spent on showing your power for once. Everyone

29:32

already fears you. What more do you have

29:34

to prove? That to disobey me is to

29:36

sink into the dark, to

29:38

lose everything. Even

29:40

if, even if it's

29:42

all you have in this world. Do what you

29:45

must. Take him to the edge of the green expanse and

29:47

see that he has nothing. As an exile

29:49

from this tribe is owed nothing. Leave him

29:51

out of it. It's me

29:53

who you should punish. I promised... He

29:55

is not a child, and so he will not be

29:57

punished at once. And nor will you. Huntless

30:00

bitch! Take

30:02

the boy. Now. Japa!

30:06

Stay alive. Get

30:08

her to the ground and if she moves again,

30:10

split her throat. Japa!

30:16

Brother! Let him go! Let him

30:19

go! Hunters, much disgrace

30:21

has marred your glory. Never

30:24

forgive that. For if

30:26

you do, you will forgive too much. You

30:28

think you can hurt me any more than you have? You're

30:30

wrong. Just end me here

30:32

and now. Let me be with Gaia. In

30:35

a way from you, you old hat! Do it! You

30:37

don't deserve to be there with her. You

30:40

never deserve to be anywhere with her. Take

30:44

her to the post. And get these corpses

30:46

to the bush. We have one

30:48

left now. Unbind

30:50

me and let me fight you to the death, you fucking

30:52

bitch! Knock her out. Bitch! Knock

30:58

her out. For

31:28

me personally, therapy has really helped me with that

31:30

in my life. Therapy has helped

31:32

me make peace with my past and

31:34

helped me cope with my present and

31:37

also prepare for my future and really

31:39

be the best version of myself or

31:41

my family. And you know,

31:43

if you're thinking of starting therapy, you

31:45

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32:15

he. Comes

32:33

comes. How

32:36

one might have. To

32:38

these any one. Show

32:43

me the palace.

32:51

Young borrowers. Your

32:53

failures of love for hours

32:56

now shows. Silly

32:58

was rak to the V. Sit

33:02

With me Assistant! Oh. Hey.

33:08

I. Know nothing

33:10

of the world below. The

33:12

law lives yes, but beyond

33:15

that have you never long

33:17

to see the world beyond

33:19

like orange the over like

33:21

orange. I'm of

33:23

these to tell me that tail is a favorite

33:25

of the lowlands. You

33:29

believe it that that there's a

33:31

leak with no source out there

33:33

beyond the horizon? I do, but

33:35

I'm a superstitious old goes. I

33:38

believe that the world is wild

33:40

and great beyond our imagining. I

33:42

want believe that to. Work.

33:47

Or soft shoe young master. Life

33:54

as thought that there was

33:56

some unseen force whole the

33:58

Me: bagless nut. I'm not

34:00

just holding my arms down, but my very spirit.

34:04

I would picture it as a serpent

34:07

with iron eyes, its body

34:09

wrapping around mine, constricting, squeezing the life

34:11

out of me. Sounds

34:14

like the lowland legend of the Serpent

34:16

King, who ruled with

34:18

an amber tongue, draining the

34:20

life from whole tribes. I'm

34:24

about to use to speak of the Serpent King, inner

34:27

moments of desperation.

34:31

I thought it was an invention of her illness. It was a

34:34

tale in the old tongue, meant

34:36

to scare our children into behaving. And

34:39

is that what you were meant to do, Hephaestion? Or

34:42

you my Serpent King? Young

34:44

Master, what do you

34:46

mean? I know that

34:49

my father sent you to spy on me, to

34:52

gain my trust... Wait, wait now. To pretend to care

34:54

for me. I did no

34:56

such pretending. Oh, I do so care for you.

35:01

That was never her lie. But

35:03

you care for riches more. You care for

35:05

my father's favor. I care for food and

35:07

shelter. And

35:10

that's what he offered me when word reached him, that

35:13

you'd taken a shine to my

35:15

idiot tales. And

35:18

he asked that... that

35:21

I get closer to you, and tell

35:23

him of your mind. My mind? And

35:25

to keep an eye on you, that

35:28

you might not dream to

35:30

do things... Things that... Say it. Things

35:33

that you could not do. He

35:36

offered me a bit of extra bread and rations

35:39

and use of a stable for shelter.

35:42

For that, I betrayed you. Boy. I

35:46

can't imagine a life where those things are out of reach. You

35:49

can't imagine most lives below, young

35:51

sire. I'm

35:54

not angry. My

35:56

father has a way of pushing those around him

35:59

like gang pieces. on carrying

36:01

of the cause, replacing them as they go.

36:05

Once, when I was a child, he

36:07

watched as a group of children

36:09

slandered and struck me mercilessly. Barlin,

36:11

the cripple king of the peak!

36:15

He tied me to a horn tree, and

36:18

made me a crown of branches, and he didn't

36:20

stop them. It was only when

36:22

my mother came upon me, still bound, that he

36:25

bade them release me. Such

36:27

cruelties leave marks upon the

36:30

heart. That they

36:32

do. I

36:35

hate him. I've always hated

36:37

him. And now, I'm

36:40

done fearing him. Boy.

36:47

Festin, I

36:49

think, perhaps, I

36:51

have not been living as I ought. I

36:55

think it's impossible to know how one should

36:57

live. Or, if at all. Hey.

37:02

I was gonna end my life. My

37:04

suffering, back there in

37:07

the great hollow. But, a

37:10

vision came to me of my mother.

37:13

Our people think much of visions in the

37:15

lowlands. That they come

37:17

from the old gods, the outlawed spirits

37:20

of ancient days lost. I

37:22

could feel her face up against

37:24

mine, like when I was a boy.

37:28

She lifted my chin, and in

37:30

the vision, my arms

37:32

moved freely and embraced

37:34

her. I held

37:36

her so tight, like, like

37:39

I might never let go. It

37:43

felt so real. Something that,

37:47

I'll never feel. What

37:49

did she say? Born

37:52

in the light to lead them all.

37:55

Lead them all. And

37:57

then she drew close, and faintly

37:59

whispered, Find

38:04

me. Forgive

38:07

me young master, but isn't

38:09

she... Dead? Long

38:12

so according to what I've been told, but...

38:14

You think she still lives. I

38:16

don't know anymore. Perhaps

38:18

there's some other meaning to it. Find

38:21

something she left behind, or find

38:24

who she truly was? Do you suspect she wasn't

38:26

as you thought? My memories of

38:28

her are like fish from different

38:30

streams. She had terrors, tremors. Father

38:33

told us she had grown mad, but... Has

38:35

she appeared to me? It was like... Like

38:38

she was as she always should have been.

38:42

I can't quite explain it. Or...

38:46

If it was even real... Perhaps

38:50

I have her madness in my blood

38:52

after all and it grips me here

38:54

on this rock overlooking a sea of

38:56

tangled life. You

38:58

sound clear of mind to me, boy.

39:02

But I'm fucking crazy, so... I

39:10

have

39:13

a feeling my father's hiding something. Something

39:16

about my mother and who

39:18

she was, I intend

39:21

to find the truth. Even

39:23

if it should kill me. You think

39:25

he would kill you? He tried when I was

39:27

young, but mother always stopped him and then... My

39:31

friend grew to this ogre that you see before you

39:33

and I suppose he thought it

39:35

too much the effort. I

39:37

will protect you, boy. Let

39:40

me be your arms and hands and

39:43

fingers and elbows. The joints

39:45

that move you toward the knowledge you seek.

39:47

And I'm to trust you? What

39:51

are you doing with that blade? Holding

39:54

my hand for a blow-doh. No, no, you don't

39:57

have to... This

40:00

blade and the old

40:02

gods and as my blood

40:04

drips to the earth, I swear

40:06

to you, Barlin of Helene, that

40:09

my last breath to you will be a

40:11

loyal one. That

40:13

this broken body and simple mind

40:15

will serve you. You don't owe

40:18

me blood. I do.

40:22

I betrayed you. This

40:25

haunted me each night I

40:27

pass in that flea-infested sable,

40:30

each crust of bread choking,

40:32

fearing that you'd discover my treachery. It's

40:35

not as if you slit my throat.

40:37

Your father is worried about

40:40

how you might interfere with

40:42

his affairs. So what?

40:45

He was to have you kill me? Then this

40:47

what he tried to do when I was a helpless child? He

40:50

asked me if I

40:52

would do whatever it took to prove

40:54

my loyalty to him. I had been

40:57

long obsessed with loyalty. Now

40:59

he grows paranoid. Once

41:03

I came upon him ranting about

41:05

something to a noble, saying

41:07

in harsh tones, the seed is

41:09

not safe here. They'll come

41:12

to finish what she started. The

41:14

seed? My father

41:16

has never tended so much as a leaf. Are

41:19

you sure he said the seed? Aye.

41:22

It was as clear as dawn. In

41:25

the lowlands we call a child a seed.

41:29

Perhaps. Was

41:31

my mother with child? I wish I knew

41:33

more. But he glanced my

41:36

way and I was worried he'd strike me

41:38

down for even being so near. I

41:41

bolted. What

41:43

does it mean? You

41:46

have quite the family, young master.

41:50

Why? And I believe it's time I know the truth

41:52

about them. I need to know who

41:54

she was. And I owe it to my mother

41:56

to find the truth about her and what became of her. And

41:59

I'll be there, boy. I

42:01

fear I'll make enemies. Then you'll need

42:03

friends. And I

42:05

have one in you? You have one

42:07

in me. Then come. Off

42:11

to the stone palace to find my mother. Whatever

42:15

that may mean. Whatever the cost. I

42:18

have questions and no longer fear the answers.

42:31

Birds of Empires starts B as

42:33

Azera and Jorge Diaz as

42:35

Barlin Midstone, Gwendolyn Briley

42:37

Strand as The Keeper, Andrew

42:40

Leiner as Yaffa, Heidi Kwon

42:42

as Kaya, Meg G.

42:44

Lacey Azreza, Michelle Cifo

42:46

Mia as Nara, Jake

42:48

Hart as Hephaestion, with

42:51

additional performances by Carolina

42:53

Hoyas, Mashari Bain, written

42:57

and directed by Jason Liu, executive

43:00

produced by Jason Liu, Rob

43:02

Herding, David Henning, and Xin-Yin

43:05

Hu. Co-executive producers

43:07

Bea and Jorge Diaz. Producers

43:10

Kyle Smithers and Lawrence Zemeli.

43:13

Co-producer Nick Shanks. Original

43:16

score and composition by Darren Johnson

43:18

and Matthew Carsoni. Music

43:20

editor and additional music, Ben

43:23

Milchis. Audio engineering,

43:25

like Gabe Burch, Ben Milchis,

43:27

and Sarah Ma. Assistant

43:29

engineer, Alex Chalk. Edited

43:32

by Neely Offtering. Additional

43:34

editor, Sarah Ma. Supervising

43:37

sound effects editor and sound

43:39

designer, Randy Torriss. Mixed

43:41

by Ben Milchis. Additional

43:44

mixer, Sarah Ma. Casting

43:46

director, Chrissy Fierrilli. Script

43:49

supervisor, Jay C. Hines. Production

43:51

coordinator, Ryan Colter. Production

43:54

assistant, Alex Buddha. Production

43:57

legal, Christina Volbruch and Lindsay

43:59

Teo. Production accounting,

44:01

Finn Chen Liu. Special

44:03

thanks to Mara Shuster-Leskowitz and

44:05

Ashton Harrell. This

44:08

podcast was recorded under a SAG-AFTRA

44:10

collective bargaining agreement. Birds of Empire

44:12

is a cue code production. Sound

44:15

recording copyright 2023 by Cue Code Media Inc. Birds

44:26

of Empire is presented by HelloFresh. Use

44:30

code birdsfree for free breakfast

44:32

for life at hellofresh.com/birdsfree one

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