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Incohesion by Kigaeno Moondancer 8 Sept 2007
kootdwagon@fastmail.fm (mail for commissions, no limit on content)
Place: Burmecia
Date: 17 April 1800 (About a month after Freya returns to Burmecia post-game)
Rating: PG
Characters:
Fratley Irontail, General
Freya Crescent, General
Puck Burmecia, King
Kigaeno Moondancer, High Priest
Claire, Moon Maiden
"Do you have like... a harem?" 'King' Puck played with the papers in front of him, rather than making so much as a vague attempt at being productive. Kigaeno, who has become more and more recognized by the Cleyrans as the new 'High Priest', sat across from him giving him a blank stare.
A blank stare like he cannot even believe he is discussing this. He answers simply. "No. I do not have a harem." He thought about explaining how he didn't like females 'in that way', but that would have probably only led to the question of if he had an all male harem.
"The last high priest had one, didn't he? How come you..." Puck didn't sound like he was in any danger of dropping this conversation, but he was cut short by Fratley clearing his throat. For a moment everyone at the highly important meeting must have believed it would become more productive, until Puck added. "I need a harem."
After receiving a blank stare from all three others at the table, Puck finally relented, sighing as he stated. "Fine! So what were we talking about again? Defense. Yeah, that's pretty important huh."
Freya was the next to clear her throat. She gave a best effort to get things back on track. It was difficult for both her and Fratley now, who felt they had to do what the King said, when the acting King is not really... old enough to be King. "It is highly unlikely that Alexandria will bother us now that Garnet is Queen, and Lindblum has long been our allies. Not to mention... they are both as damaged as we are." She faced Kigaeno for her next statement, "It has been suggested that Cleyra and Burmecia should no longer be apart. I think we should make a formal declaration of this."
"Granted.." Kigaeno's tired eyes scanned the room, "But it is important to me that my people retain their identity, and eventually regain their own city... but I see no reason this should not come to pass. Together we are stronger than apart." He pauses and then continues, "Many Cleyrans will still wish to continue their pacifist ways. They should be allowed to do this. However while peace is important... I do not feel that we should allow certain people to get away with murder. The city of Dali for instance where the menace was first created... and that General Beatrix. If Alexandria were serious about peace she would have been tried for war crimes by now."
"High Priest..." Freya countered. "Beatrix was simply following orders that she did not understand..."
Kigaeno twitched one eye. It was apparent exactly how much he disliked that defense. He mutters, "Following orders... if I were to order one of my people to kill innocents I would expect them to refuse. If they did not they would be just as guilty as me. They are lucky I am not counting every single one of their pathetic amazon soldiers as guilty, since they all followed the same orders."
King Puck looked back and forth while they spoke. He made a bit of a hrm sound and spoke up, "We don't really have enough people to go to war?"
Fratley was listening as well no doubt, and appeared to mostly agree with Kigaeno. Freya must have realized this as well, because when he started to speak up he felt her tail whip around and swat him on the bottom. He gave her an odd look, one eye arched, but said nothing. He sighed in the realization of how whipped he was.
Freya stated. "The King is right. We do not have the resources or manpower.." She snaked her tail around Fratley's waist, just to make sure he kept things in mind.
Kigaeno drummed his fingers together, "Perhaps 'manpower' is more of a problem for you than it is for me. I concede your point, however perhaps it would be better if we stay 'officially' separate for now."
Everyone at the table gave Kigaeno a look for that. Just something about the way he said it, that snide tweak to his voice. Kigaeno had an advantage they didn't. Cleyrans were dispersed in such a way that no effective retaliation could be taken if he were to pull something theatrical. Freya especially began to get the idea that the high priest had something planned and was only keeping the two cities separate because Burmecia wasn't prepared to share the consequences of his actions.
Fratley finally spoke up, not particularly wanting to disway the high priest at this point, "Food is holding out well still, we are lucky not all the stores were destroyed. The wall itself is largely in tact, since the enemies teleported inside. The teleportation is troublesome, but I do not know how we could defend against such things in the future.
Kigaeno spoke up, "The wind storm will not work, even though it could be recreated. The ground around this city wouldn't react the same way, and you would just end up with a great deal of mud."
Puck giggled at this; finally someone said something that, to him at least, was not boring.
Freya spoke up, "Our main enemy now are the dragons that have begun to make more appearances at lower elevations due to the lack of outer defenses. Rebuilding those areas is also underway."
No one spoke for a moment. Fratley coughed a little bit and moved a hand to try to loosen Freyas tail from around his waist. He was not successful. Puck started playing with his papers. Kigaeno just stared at the table in front of him, eyes narrowed in an 'I want to destroy everything' glare.
Freya finally spoke again, "Most things seemed settled then, so I suppose this meeting is over. We will each attend the peace talks in Lindblum as separate entities. We will continue reconstruction and encourage those that have fled to return, as well as give them aid in actually returning.... and Puck is too young for a harem."
"And when the hell did we settle that?!" Puck blurted out at the last part. But it seemed too late. Freya had (mercifully) released Fratley from her tail's grasps and stood up in a definitive 'this meeting is over' manner. She gave the King a respectful glance but turned to leave, hoping to all that was good and pure he wouldn't order her to return to the table. Mercifully again, he didn't.
He did, however, get up from his seat and run after her. As the conversation died out of hearing distance for the other two still seated, it did not sound like a conversation that would end well. Neither of them pitied Freya, but neither of them dared to rush to her aid.
Kigaeno finally spoke, "You agree with me. Don't you."
Fratley took a long deep breath, and answered indirectly, "My first responsibility is to the Kingdom of Burmecia, whom I will protect with my life, quite gleefully at times. King Puck has stated that we do not have the manpower to pursue such things as ... offense."
Kigaeno smiled a little and looked over more intently, "But you are curious as to what things I have that do not require manpower."
Fratley held up a hand to respectfully cut the priest off. He stated. "Do not inform me." He then stood up as definitively as Freya had before, and turned to leave. Kigaeno didn't speak further, understanding the reason Fratley didn't wish to know. Fratley had effectively wished him well, but refused knowledge in case it was something he would be expected to stop.
Claire, who had been sitting off in the corner listening the entire time, quietly got up from her seat. She walked up and put a hand on the high priests shoulder. She spoke to him, "Please do not despair.."
He replied with only one word. "Idiots." He then stood up from his seat. Not wanting Claire to feel dismissed or that he thought she was an idiot as well, he reached a hand up and affectionately brushed it against her cheek.
She managed to smile at his fatherly demeanor towards her, and nodded, "I will accompany to the meeting when it occurs. Perhaps... perhaps I should go in your stead?" Half of her was worried he would be arrested. Half of her was worried the city would not survive his presence.
Kigaeno shook his head and said, "You may not accompany me, if I do not return you are to be high priest in my stead...." He pauses and then says quite seriously, "You have sworn to uphold the plan should I be unable to... have you been practicing your magic with Mogu?"
The maiden nodded her head obediently, then started to follow him out. As he exited, she came up and took a hold of his hand, staring up at him with stars in her eyes. He paused again and took a deep breath. How do you tell a girl that is smitten with you that you see her as a daughter and not a lover? He cut his losses for now, patting her on the head and suggesting, "Go practice your spells, Claire, make sure Mogu isn't being lazy. I will be around later to help if you are having difficulty."
Claire smiled a little cluelessly, and nodded before turning and walking off happily to do as he had told her.