Month o' Prompts - [o2o]
[o2o] Tuesday: Homonyms: Author's Choice (err/heir)
((Warning: Once again, the following story is AU. Set in the same 'verse as Seven Steps Down... and Without Fear or Favor.))
Slow Burn
The world is still burning, a slow, deliberate blaze. This is only the fourth time that the Empress and Emperor have descended to deal with rebellion, but their patience has worn thin. Not surprising, of course. This particular country has been irritatingly defiant: despite losing the bulk of their forces in that first stand, they continue to throw what troops they retain fruitlessly against the new rulers. Doubtlessly they call this 'noble', trumpeting the virtues of dying fighting for your freedom instead of living on a slave.
As if Ichigo and Dipp would change the status quo for the sake of it. Like the coup was just an impulse, a flight of fancy.
The newly crowned Empress lost her temper this time, however, and now that country burns. She didn't target the cities, however: only the crops. Fields and farms have been set aflame, along with roughly half their storehouses.
And she has made it quite clear through worldwide broadcasts what she thinks of their 'great commander'. Oh, she made a great show of noting the irony -- their leader cowers in supposed safety while sending hundreds of braver men to die at the hands of the new rulers. With a flick of her wrist, she set a small blaze above his bunker -- subtle for her, I suppose.
I suspected that was part of why she refused to allow me or any of our other cousins to accompany her and Dipp to the Earth during their little suppressions. They are forging a new legacy, and despise even the implication of weakness. The mere thought of having to lean on anyone else, to borrow their skills for a bit, even if only for a moment...
The mistakes of the Dashing Prince are still fresh in their minds. Mistakes he died for, so how could they possibly repeat them?
If they don't learn to put that behind them, their reign will likely be shorter than they think. Trust needs to be reforged between the new rulers and their kin; if those bonds aren't carefully nurtured, they will wither away, eroded by the memory of how they ascended to power.
The Dashing Prince relied too much on his family. His father gave him power passed down, taught him to coast along on the efforts of others, taking credit for their sweat and toil. His mother reinforced these lessons through her silence; though I suspect she may have planned to confront them during their vacation, clearly, that possible calling-out came a bit too late.
And we... we are not completely innocent in all of this. Even though who never plotted against him, who never dreamed of raising a hand against our Prince, our dear cousin...
We outnumbered him. If we so wished, we all could have confronted our rulers -- presented a united front and made our voices heard. In the face of our complaints, even a strike -- utterly refusing to roll, even if the Prince whined and the King raged -- in all likelihood, the Queen would have understood. She would have supported us, and put an end to the King's abuse and Prince's ignorance.
But we never did. I doubt the notion even occured to some of our kin... they went happily rolling about, unaware of how they were being used. Others smoldered in silence: in those last few months I could see barely-bridled hatred flaring in Kuro's eyes, felt the frustration boiling off of Fujio, noted the slightest shift in Odeko's sly, sarcastic comments.
Several of our cousins have fled. I know not precisely where, though I have my suspicions: there are precious few places to seclude oneself in The Great Cosmos, but beyond...? Ichigo acts unconcerned, and I admit, I can see the appeal of hoping they have simply moved on with their lives. That would be best for all concerned.
But their absences will be keenly felt as our court rebuilds itself around the Empress and Emperor. More reminders of what we have lost, what we can never regain or return to.
My own plans would not have been so disruptive. I spent years carefully positioning myself as the Prince's closest friend, as a confident, and perhaps, given time, perhaps...
Yet I don't envy Ichigo and Dipp for acting first. Perhaps, with time, I'll be thanking them. Whether they pull together and forge the future they want so desperately to reach, or burn themselves out far too soon... either way, I can wait. Patience is not her virtue, but I... ah, now I...
((Warning: Once again, the following story is AU. Set in the same 'verse as Seven Steps Down... and Without Fear or Favor.))
Slow Burn
The world is still burning, a slow, deliberate blaze. This is only the fourth time that the Empress and Emperor have descended to deal with rebellion, but their patience has worn thin. Not surprising, of course. This particular country has been irritatingly defiant: despite losing the bulk of their forces in that first stand, they continue to throw what troops they retain fruitlessly against the new rulers. Doubtlessly they call this 'noble', trumpeting the virtues of dying fighting for your freedom instead of living on a slave.
As if Ichigo and Dipp would change the status quo for the sake of it. Like the coup was just an impulse, a flight of fancy.
The newly crowned Empress lost her temper this time, however, and now that country burns. She didn't target the cities, however: only the crops. Fields and farms have been set aflame, along with roughly half their storehouses.
And she has made it quite clear through worldwide broadcasts what she thinks of their 'great commander'. Oh, she made a great show of noting the irony -- their leader cowers in supposed safety while sending hundreds of braver men to die at the hands of the new rulers. With a flick of her wrist, she set a small blaze above his bunker -- subtle for her, I suppose.
I suspected that was part of why she refused to allow me or any of our other cousins to accompany her and Dipp to the Earth during their little suppressions. They are forging a new legacy, and despise even the implication of weakness. The mere thought of having to lean on anyone else, to borrow their skills for a bit, even if only for a moment...
The mistakes of the Dashing Prince are still fresh in their minds. Mistakes he died for, so how could they possibly repeat them?
If they don't learn to put that behind them, their reign will likely be shorter than they think. Trust needs to be reforged between the new rulers and their kin; if those bonds aren't carefully nurtured, they will wither away, eroded by the memory of how they ascended to power.
The Dashing Prince relied too much on his family. His father gave him power passed down, taught him to coast along on the efforts of others, taking credit for their sweat and toil. His mother reinforced these lessons through her silence; though I suspect she may have planned to confront them during their vacation, clearly, that possible calling-out came a bit too late.
And we... we are not completely innocent in all of this. Even though who never plotted against him, who never dreamed of raising a hand against our Prince, our dear cousin...
We outnumbered him. If we so wished, we all could have confronted our rulers -- presented a united front and made our voices heard. In the face of our complaints, even a strike -- utterly refusing to roll, even if the Prince whined and the King raged -- in all likelihood, the Queen would have understood. She would have supported us, and put an end to the King's abuse and Prince's ignorance.
But we never did. I doubt the notion even occured to some of our kin... they went happily rolling about, unaware of how they were being used. Others smoldered in silence: in those last few months I could see barely-bridled hatred flaring in Kuro's eyes, felt the frustration boiling off of Fujio, noted the slightest shift in Odeko's sly, sarcastic comments.
Several of our cousins have fled. I know not precisely where, though I have my suspicions: there are precious few places to seclude oneself in The Great Cosmos, but beyond...? Ichigo acts unconcerned, and I admit, I can see the appeal of hoping they have simply moved on with their lives. That would be best for all concerned.
But their absences will be keenly felt as our court rebuilds itself around the Empress and Emperor. More reminders of what we have lost, what we can never regain or return to.
My own plans would not have been so disruptive. I spent years carefully positioning myself as the Prince's closest friend, as a confident, and perhaps, given time, perhaps...
Yet I don't envy Ichigo and Dipp for acting first. Perhaps, with time, I'll be thanking them. Whether they pull together and forge the future they want so desperately to reach, or burn themselves out far too soon... either way, I can wait. Patience is not her virtue, but I... ah, now I...