Glacia, Kaeleer, Thursday Evening Fandom Time
Karla stood in front of her entire army, expression formal and solemn. Those who had been left behind to train had been recalled, as had those who had gone ahead to scout. It had taken several days, but Karla had not been willing to begin until every person who followed her was in attendance. Behind her were five shrouded boxes; small ones, not full-sized coffins. One each for the five dead, Blood, landen, enemy, and ally alike. Here, in death, they made no distinction. They were all the same now. All dead and gone.
No matter who they were or what they had done, they were probably leaving behind someone who would miss them, someone who loved them.
"We have faced the first attack on our army," she said softly, Craft making sure her words reached even the farthest ears. "And it was not without cost. Three members of the Blood ambushed and attacked a group of hunters in the woods. They thought I was among them, but even so, they gave our people no chance to surrender, no opportunity for quarter. In spite of that, they did not survive their attack; three of these boxes belong to them." She gestured to her left, two the three boxes covered under a plain gray swath of cloth, a necklace draped over the front edge and a ring placed on top. Each Jewel was shattered, dull, and lifeless.
There were a few scattered cheers at the announcement of their deaths, but they were quickly hushed. Karla did not acknowledge them. "They took a toll on our people as well. Two of our own died in the fight, Joakim and Lief, Blood and landen, experienced hunters and fighters. They will be missed and remembered well. Their loss weakens us, even as it draws us closer together in grief. They were good men, loyal and brave, and we owe their sacrifice much."
She spoke awhile longer, sharing stories of the men she'd learned from their comrades, spoke of the families they left behind, mentioned honor and integrity, and the ultimate price that freedom can cost. "So why then," she continued, "why do I have these other three boxes here, sharing the same space as these heroes to the true and free Glacia we want to see restored? Why do I make their victims share a space with their murderers?" Karla paused, letting the murmurs that echoed those sentiments swell a bit in silence.
"Why do I honor them so?" she repeated, and this time she did raise her voice to answer. "Because they are Glacian, too." She scanned the crowd, giving the illusion that she was locking eyes with each of them. "Because they, like us, believe they're doing the right thing. It goes against what we believe, but that does not make it any less true for them. Perhaps they believe the lies Hobart has spread, think that I am an impostor clamoring for something that I have no claim to. Perhaps they think that my choice to have a Court that includes landens makes me weak and unfit. Perhaps they believe that females need to be controlled and the Rings of Obedience are good things." She shook her head and spread her hands. "We cannot know, because they are dead. We cannot ask, because they are dead. We do not agree with any of those beliefs, but we cannot talk, learn, or understand them, because they are dead. Nor can they learn from us, see the error of their ways, come around to realize they were wrong. Because they are dead."
"Death teaches nothing, it can learn nothing, it solves nothing." Karla made a mental apology to Didi there, but didn't stop her speech. "I cannot ask you not to kill the people who are against us. It is unfair to ask when they will not offer you the same courtesy. You have agreed to rise your lives for me because you believe in me and I will not ask you to throw them away. But what I will ask from you is compassion and understanding, both for the living and the dead. I ask that you remember that many of the people we face are just as Glacian as you or I. They are not our enemies, they are our brothers and sisters, hurt, misguided, and unsure of the future. Kill them when you must, but be mindful that they are little different from you and behind each of their deaths is someone left to mourn. We are not oppressors, we are fighting against oppression. And when we win, I don't want it to be over the corpses of our enemies. Because we are one Territory and when this war is over, we will need to learn to be so again. So take a minute to mourn what these men could have been, even as you mourn the people they took from us. Be strong in the face of those who oppose us, but remember that they once were and will be again, our brethren."
Once her speech was done, Karla stepped away from the hastily-constructed dais and gave permission for anyone to come up and make their final goodbyes. Their two dead would be returning to their homes, along with several hundred goldmarks for the family. The other three would be sent off with another group, to see if their families and identities could be found. Black Widows ambled through the crowd to see if anyone needed help with their grief, and, further away, a warm and hearty meal was waiting. Karla thought that her army would want food and company tonight.
[For folks what are in Kaeleer. NFB. SP for date night and general blah.]
No matter who they were or what they had done, they were probably leaving behind someone who would miss them, someone who loved them.
"We have faced the first attack on our army," she said softly, Craft making sure her words reached even the farthest ears. "And it was not without cost. Three members of the Blood ambushed and attacked a group of hunters in the woods. They thought I was among them, but even so, they gave our people no chance to surrender, no opportunity for quarter. In spite of that, they did not survive their attack; three of these boxes belong to them." She gestured to her left, two the three boxes covered under a plain gray swath of cloth, a necklace draped over the front edge and a ring placed on top. Each Jewel was shattered, dull, and lifeless.
There were a few scattered cheers at the announcement of their deaths, but they were quickly hushed. Karla did not acknowledge them. "They took a toll on our people as well. Two of our own died in the fight, Joakim and Lief, Blood and landen, experienced hunters and fighters. They will be missed and remembered well. Their loss weakens us, even as it draws us closer together in grief. They were good men, loyal and brave, and we owe their sacrifice much."
She spoke awhile longer, sharing stories of the men she'd learned from their comrades, spoke of the families they left behind, mentioned honor and integrity, and the ultimate price that freedom can cost. "So why then," she continued, "why do I have these other three boxes here, sharing the same space as these heroes to the true and free Glacia we want to see restored? Why do I make their victims share a space with their murderers?" Karla paused, letting the murmurs that echoed those sentiments swell a bit in silence.
"Why do I honor them so?" she repeated, and this time she did raise her voice to answer. "Because they are Glacian, too." She scanned the crowd, giving the illusion that she was locking eyes with each of them. "Because they, like us, believe they're doing the right thing. It goes against what we believe, but that does not make it any less true for them. Perhaps they believe the lies Hobart has spread, think that I am an impostor clamoring for something that I have no claim to. Perhaps they think that my choice to have a Court that includes landens makes me weak and unfit. Perhaps they believe that females need to be controlled and the Rings of Obedience are good things." She shook her head and spread her hands. "We cannot know, because they are dead. We cannot ask, because they are dead. We do not agree with any of those beliefs, but we cannot talk, learn, or understand them, because they are dead. Nor can they learn from us, see the error of their ways, come around to realize they were wrong. Because they are dead."
"Death teaches nothing, it can learn nothing, it solves nothing." Karla made a mental apology to Didi there, but didn't stop her speech. "I cannot ask you not to kill the people who are against us. It is unfair to ask when they will not offer you the same courtesy. You have agreed to rise your lives for me because you believe in me and I will not ask you to throw them away. But what I will ask from you is compassion and understanding, both for the living and the dead. I ask that you remember that many of the people we face are just as Glacian as you or I. They are not our enemies, they are our brothers and sisters, hurt, misguided, and unsure of the future. Kill them when you must, but be mindful that they are little different from you and behind each of their deaths is someone left to mourn. We are not oppressors, we are fighting against oppression. And when we win, I don't want it to be over the corpses of our enemies. Because we are one Territory and when this war is over, we will need to learn to be so again. So take a minute to mourn what these men could have been, even as you mourn the people they took from us. Be strong in the face of those who oppose us, but remember that they once were and will be again, our brethren."
Once her speech was done, Karla stepped away from the hastily-constructed dais and gave permission for anyone to come up and make their final goodbyes. Their two dead would be returning to their homes, along with several hundred goldmarks for the family. The other three would be sent off with another group, to see if their families and identities could be found. Black Widows ambled through the crowd to see if anyone needed help with their grief, and, further away, a warm and hearty meal was waiting. Karla thought that her army would want food and company tonight.
[For folks what are in Kaeleer. NFB. SP for date night and general blah.]