The Parse Among the Pigeons
Yaris 10th, 2719 | The How
At a secret place known to only a few, they were gathering.
Humans from every corner of Anaxas were there - farmers, brickburners, blacksmiths - as well as some from Bastia. Wicks and witches, who had covertly been traveling to Anaxas from all around, were in attendance. There were passives, huddled together in mutual discomfort, and even a few galdori, sitting by themselves and looking around with wide eyes. Every shade of criminal and honest man seemed to have come out of the woodwork.
The crowd was immense, and filled the enormous underground catacomb to the rafters. Many held blindfolds, a sign that they had been led there; most were tired and wet from the long journey to the How, which was well outside and under the city. Excitement filled the air as the men and women looked forward to a rousing speech, a real, tangible plan of attack; the resistance had not met together like this in almost a year, because it had not been safe until now.
As the crowd settled, chattering and whispering, those who were paying attention could see a man in a dark cloak and a tall, slender woman talking quietly near the Speaking Mound in the center. Most, however, were more concerned with finding seats.
Near the Speaking Mound, Jon Serro pulled Alyssa Pierre closer, so that no one around them could overhear.
"Is Ceres here?" He said, in a low voice.
“Of course," replied Alyssa, coolly.
"He’s keeping an eye on all the vroo. And your girl is in the back, waiting."
"Did she have to be restrained?" he said, no hint of concern in his strong voice.
Alyssa frowned. "No," She said, her blue eyes hard.
"I'm fantastic at calming people down, remember? Besides, Silk made sure she was on board back in Old Rose. She trusts her like an older sister or something." Serro ignored her glare, and the grating tone in her monotone voice.
"Bring her out on my signal," He said, and with that he climbed up onto the Mound and cleared his throat, waving to Ceres.
Ceres, who had been watching this exchange with one eye, frowned and cast a wordless spell down to the Speaking Mound. Those around him felt a watery sort of flicker in the air as the spell shot towards Serro and entered his mouth, disturbing the air only slightly.
When Serro spoke, it was in a booming voice that filled the entire How.
"My brothers and sisters," he said, as he always did at the start of these things. "Thank you for coming."
Off to the side, Alyssa watched him without amusement, her arms crossed and eyes scanning the crowd. They all deserved to hear why they were here.
Those who had left the rose deserved to know why they had risked their lives for some girl.
Alyssa deserved to know the truth about her niece, and her sister.
Serro continued, gripping his hand tightly at his chest.
"Tonight we celebrate a victory, my brethren. Not a victory of numbers, but one of morality. By now you have shed your tears for Dorhaven, for the massacre of so many innocents. Two hundred dead at the hands of the galdori. Do not believe the lies - this was not the fault of any passive spell, no Resistance work, but a deliberate and targeted attack on our people." Muffed quiet cries and angry words ruffled through the crowd. They all knew this already, but the truth seemed more real when spoken by Jon.
"I am sure this news does not bring any of you the comfort you so sorely need. But we are soldiers, my friends, and we must be always strong, never weakened. Dorhaven was besieged by tragedy, and we must mourn, but we must not turn up our noses at the opportunity the gods have given us. The public eye is on us, waiting for our response to these allegations that the Seventen throw out about us. Shall we shrink back into the shadows? Shall we allow the galdori to murder us in the hundreds?"
The crowd in the How responded with a booming reply, a voice as one.
“NO!” Up on the Mound, Serro continued. His normally passive face was alive with passion; his beetle-black eyes sparkled in the light of the blazing torches that lit the room.
"But it is not enough to rally around the dead at Dorhaven," he continued, waving his arms to calm the crowd.
"We must prove to the people of Anaxas once and for all the sickening outrages that have taken place under their rule. And how, you ask? Well, my brothers and sisters, the gods have smiled upon us in our hour of need." He stepped back to admire the effect these words had. The crowd seemed puzzled, and murmurs spread across the crowd. What did he mean?
"They have delivered to us a symbol," said Serro.
"One who represents the undeniable, unforgivable cruelty of the galdori - a living reminder of their hatred and disdain." Across the Mound, Alyssa Pierre's expression was dark as a thunderstorm.
“Many years ago,” Serro continued, his voice dropping to a calm rumble, "I knew a woman by the name of Frances Pierre," A few people in the crowd seemed to be nodding, their eyes moving to Alyssa as though in recognition; it seemed like some of the older folk remembered something. Ceres himself was nodding quietly.
"She was instrumental in the resistance - strong and brave, willing to do whatever it took to bring down the galdori. But when she went undercover as the chamber maid to an important political figure, she was defeated at last." Jon Serro's face became dark as he spoke.
"Frances was raped, and when the politician heard that she had given birth, she was killed. I thought for years that her child did not live." The man took a deep breath.
"But she did."
There were further whispers. What did this mean? Where the clock was he going with this?
Serro's hand rose, and he snapped his fingers. Alyssa Pierre’s face was a mask of rage, but at the gesture, she quickly disappeared into the shadows. This was always going to hurt her, but, the pain of one for the good of the many.
Whatever it took.
When the rebel leader spoke again, his voice seemed to fill the entire How with its might.
“I have with me, here, tonight...the illegitimate parse child...of William Azmus the Fourth, High Judge of Anax—." The sound from the crowd was almost deafening - confused gasps and shouts and yells, blending together to drown out any other sound, loud boo’s at this name. Clearly, High Judge Azmus was not popular. A few shouted "Esrehole!" and "Golly scum!". As the freedom fighters looked on, Alyssa Pierre reappeared near the base of the Mound, pushing a small person - a teenager? - by the shoulder. The girl looked a bit frightened, but her jaw was set, as though she was steeling herself.
It was too far off to see the details of her face, her cropped brunette hair loose around her head, dressed in dark trousers and an oversized coat.
"We have performed tests to confirm her parentage, and one among us can vouch for her birth with his own eyes." Announced Jon Serro. Emmie flinched visibly, searching the room for something or someone, looking back at Alyssa with wide green eyes.
“Many agents risked their lives in search of this child, and by fortune, she was found and delivered to us. She is our leverage, our stronghold over Azmus. He doesn’t yet know we have her, but he knows she is missing, and I assure you that he is fearful of her discovery. We have the upper hand now my friends, and the world will soon know of the egregious crimes done to us, the native people of Anaxas, by the interlopers and usurpers now holding the high offices of the land!" Among the shock still resonating among the crowd, there was a burst of cheers as even the most soft-hearted of revolutionaries recognized the immense importance of the discovery.
Ceres had taken off his hat, and was looking at Emmie with a curious expression.
Serro nodded once again to Alyssa, and the assassin took Emmie firmly by the arm and led her back into the antechamber. The young parse looked relieved to be out of the spotlight.
"You see now," said Serro as the hall quieted down. His voice was gentle now, but still rang with the force of Ceres' spell. "This kind of cruelty is inherent in any unequal relationship. You think it would be all that different if humans were in charge of galdori?" His strange pronouncement seemed to confuse the revolutionaries, who glanced back and forth between each other. This was rather unlike Serro's usually inflammatory tone.
"Evil is not born into us," He continued. "It comes about in small amounts, from a lifetime of privilege and ignorance. But if allowed to flourish unchecked, it consumes us. Only when we are truly equal shall we live free of fear and pain." He was speaking quietly again. All eyes were on him as he spoke to the room frankly and earnestly, lacking the fervor of a moment before; almost as though seeing Emmie had sobered him.
"More and more innocents will die if something is not done," He said finally, after a moment of contemplation. "You are all tasked with bringing more civilians into the fold. We must not sit quietly while this sort of atrocity goes on before our very eyes." There were some scattered nods and murmurs of agreement - logical and calm this time, angry, but not boiling over.
“Go, and recruit. But be wary. Our enemies are no doubt attempting to place spies among our ranks. Trust no one until they have been tested." Jon Serro saluted, and the entire room seemed to swell with pride as they saluted back. He had crossed the room and exited into the antechamber before they even realized it. Everyone was too busy clapping each other on the back and shaking hands, discussing the events of the evening.
Humans from every corner of Anaxas were there - farmers, brickburners, blacksmiths - as well as some from Bastia. Wicks and witches, who had covertly been traveling to Anaxas from all around, were in attendance. There were passives, huddled together in mutual discomfort, and even a few galdori, sitting by themselves and looking around with wide eyes. Every shade of criminal and honest man seemed to have come out of the woodwork.
The crowd was immense, and filled the enormous underground catacomb to the rafters. Many held blindfolds, a sign that they had been led there; most were tired and wet from the long journey to the How, which was well outside and under the city. Excitement filled the air as the men and women looked forward to a rousing speech, a real, tangible plan of attack; the resistance had not met together like this in almost a year, because it had not been safe until now.
As the crowd settled, chattering and whispering, those who were paying attention could see a man in a dark cloak and a tall, slender woman talking quietly near the Speaking Mound in the center. Most, however, were more concerned with finding seats.
Near the Speaking Mound, Jon Serro pulled Alyssa Pierre closer, so that no one around them could overhear.
"Is Ceres here?" He said, in a low voice.
“Of course," replied Alyssa, coolly.
"He’s keeping an eye on all the vroo. And your girl is in the back, waiting."
"Did she have to be restrained?" he said, no hint of concern in his strong voice.
Alyssa frowned. "No," She said, her blue eyes hard.
"I'm fantastic at calming people down, remember? Besides, Silk made sure she was on board back in Old Rose. She trusts her like an older sister or something." Serro ignored her glare, and the grating tone in her monotone voice.
"Bring her out on my signal," He said, and with that he climbed up onto the Mound and cleared his throat, waving to Ceres.
Ceres, who had been watching this exchange with one eye, frowned and cast a wordless spell down to the Speaking Mound. Those around him felt a watery sort of flicker in the air as the spell shot towards Serro and entered his mouth, disturbing the air only slightly.
When Serro spoke, it was in a booming voice that filled the entire How.
"My brothers and sisters," he said, as he always did at the start of these things. "Thank you for coming."
Off to the side, Alyssa watched him without amusement, her arms crossed and eyes scanning the crowd. They all deserved to hear why they were here.
Those who had left the rose deserved to know why they had risked their lives for some girl.
Alyssa deserved to know the truth about her niece, and her sister.
Serro continued, gripping his hand tightly at his chest.
"Tonight we celebrate a victory, my brethren. Not a victory of numbers, but one of morality. By now you have shed your tears for Dorhaven, for the massacre of so many innocents. Two hundred dead at the hands of the galdori. Do not believe the lies - this was not the fault of any passive spell, no Resistance work, but a deliberate and targeted attack on our people." Muffed quiet cries and angry words ruffled through the crowd. They all knew this already, but the truth seemed more real when spoken by Jon.
"I am sure this news does not bring any of you the comfort you so sorely need. But we are soldiers, my friends, and we must be always strong, never weakened. Dorhaven was besieged by tragedy, and we must mourn, but we must not turn up our noses at the opportunity the gods have given us. The public eye is on us, waiting for our response to these allegations that the Seventen throw out about us. Shall we shrink back into the shadows? Shall we allow the galdori to murder us in the hundreds?"
The crowd in the How responded with a booming reply, a voice as one.
“NO!” Up on the Mound, Serro continued. His normally passive face was alive with passion; his beetle-black eyes sparkled in the light of the blazing torches that lit the room.
"But it is not enough to rally around the dead at Dorhaven," he continued, waving his arms to calm the crowd.
"We must prove to the people of Anaxas once and for all the sickening outrages that have taken place under their rule. And how, you ask? Well, my brothers and sisters, the gods have smiled upon us in our hour of need." He stepped back to admire the effect these words had. The crowd seemed puzzled, and murmurs spread across the crowd. What did he mean?
"They have delivered to us a symbol," said Serro.
"One who represents the undeniable, unforgivable cruelty of the galdori - a living reminder of their hatred and disdain." Across the Mound, Alyssa Pierre's expression was dark as a thunderstorm.
“Many years ago,” Serro continued, his voice dropping to a calm rumble, "I knew a woman by the name of Frances Pierre," A few people in the crowd seemed to be nodding, their eyes moving to Alyssa as though in recognition; it seemed like some of the older folk remembered something. Ceres himself was nodding quietly.
"She was instrumental in the resistance - strong and brave, willing to do whatever it took to bring down the galdori. But when she went undercover as the chamber maid to an important political figure, she was defeated at last." Jon Serro's face became dark as he spoke.
"Frances was raped, and when the politician heard that she had given birth, she was killed. I thought for years that her child did not live." The man took a deep breath.
"But she did."
There were further whispers. What did this mean? Where the clock was he going with this?
Serro's hand rose, and he snapped his fingers. Alyssa Pierre’s face was a mask of rage, but at the gesture, she quickly disappeared into the shadows. This was always going to hurt her, but, the pain of one for the good of the many.
Whatever it took.
When the rebel leader spoke again, his voice seemed to fill the entire How with its might.
“I have with me, here, tonight...the illegitimate parse child...of William Azmus the Fourth, High Judge of Anax—." The sound from the crowd was almost deafening - confused gasps and shouts and yells, blending together to drown out any other sound, loud boo’s at this name. Clearly, High Judge Azmus was not popular. A few shouted "Esrehole!" and "Golly scum!". As the freedom fighters looked on, Alyssa Pierre reappeared near the base of the Mound, pushing a small person - a teenager? - by the shoulder. The girl looked a bit frightened, but her jaw was set, as though she was steeling herself.
It was too far off to see the details of her face, her cropped brunette hair loose around her head, dressed in dark trousers and an oversized coat.
"We have performed tests to confirm her parentage, and one among us can vouch for her birth with his own eyes." Announced Jon Serro. Emmie flinched visibly, searching the room for something or someone, looking back at Alyssa with wide green eyes.
“Many agents risked their lives in search of this child, and by fortune, she was found and delivered to us. She is our leverage, our stronghold over Azmus. He doesn’t yet know we have her, but he knows she is missing, and I assure you that he is fearful of her discovery. We have the upper hand now my friends, and the world will soon know of the egregious crimes done to us, the native people of Anaxas, by the interlopers and usurpers now holding the high offices of the land!" Among the shock still resonating among the crowd, there was a burst of cheers as even the most soft-hearted of revolutionaries recognized the immense importance of the discovery.
Ceres had taken off his hat, and was looking at Emmie with a curious expression.
Serro nodded once again to Alyssa, and the assassin took Emmie firmly by the arm and led her back into the antechamber. The young parse looked relieved to be out of the spotlight.
"You see now," said Serro as the hall quieted down. His voice was gentle now, but still rang with the force of Ceres' spell. "This kind of cruelty is inherent in any unequal relationship. You think it would be all that different if humans were in charge of galdori?" His strange pronouncement seemed to confuse the revolutionaries, who glanced back and forth between each other. This was rather unlike Serro's usually inflammatory tone.
"Evil is not born into us," He continued. "It comes about in small amounts, from a lifetime of privilege and ignorance. But if allowed to flourish unchecked, it consumes us. Only when we are truly equal shall we live free of fear and pain." He was speaking quietly again. All eyes were on him as he spoke to the room frankly and earnestly, lacking the fervor of a moment before; almost as though seeing Emmie had sobered him.
"More and more innocents will die if something is not done," He said finally, after a moment of contemplation. "You are all tasked with bringing more civilians into the fold. We must not sit quietly while this sort of atrocity goes on before our very eyes." There were some scattered nods and murmurs of agreement - logical and calm this time, angry, but not boiling over.
“Go, and recruit. But be wary. Our enemies are no doubt attempting to place spies among our ranks. Trust no one until they have been tested." Jon Serro saluted, and the entire room seemed to swell with pride as they saluted back. He had crossed the room and exited into the antechamber before they even realized it. Everyone was too busy clapping each other on the back and shaking hands, discussing the events of the evening.
