Work says *crunch*. But I can still struggle to my feet long enough to write, well, some things. Anyway, this sets up the next long series of arcs.
It struck me as I was posting this just how much this sounds like some parts of Politeia. But I haven't read that in a while.
Chapter Fifty-One
Some time, much later, Nalia returned to where the party was waiting. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but she was clearly composed, summoning remarkable strength of will to do so.
"Nalia...I just wanted to let you know...I know what it's like. My...my father - the man I considered my father - was killed two years ago," Kal said quietly.
Nalia nodded slowly. "I...it's hard to believe that he's really gone. Still...the path before me is clear."
"What is that you intend to do?" Keldorn asked.
"Overall? I intend to find the bastards behind this...and tear them apart," Nalia replied, her voice at once calm and savage. Everyone in the room suppressed a wince at the memory of what she'd done to TorGal. "But at the moment," she continued in a forced casual tone, "I need to make arrangements for Daddy's funeral. He'll be buried in the family crypt in Athkatla. I'm sure some of the guards will be willing to take him." She took a breath. "I also have to deal with some other issues. Legal ones."
"What legal issues could possibly be giving you trouble?" Viconia asked.
"I am...betrothed to a...foul example of humanity, named Isaea Roenal. He will no doubt try to press that agreement as a claim to the land, and likely succeed."
"Do you not matter?" Keldorn asked.
"He is not interested in me - or, at least, not as interested in me as he is in the gold and the territory. And even then, his interest in me is...less than romantic. Isaea is not a nice man. He would see me only as the key to his estate and as the bearer of his children, and that is not a life I care to live." She sighed. "I will leave. He will not be a responsible administrator of these lands, but if I was to be married to him, administrator he would be, anyway. All I can do is make sure that he can do as little damage as possible."
Yoshimo nodded. "How do you propose to accomplish that?"
"He wants the gold and the land. Well, I'll make sure he doesn't get the gold, at least. Kal, we'll take whatever's easily carried with us. The rest - mostly gold coins, and too bulky for us to take - I'll hand out to the farmers and the guards, as well as releasing them from their contracts of service. Isaea will have to pay dearly if he wants to keep these lands."
"I think I see a problem," Cel said. "What's to keep him from just demanding all the gold back?"
Nalia smiled bitterly. "We'll say the trolls carted it all off before we got here. He'll never know."
Kal nodded. "Sounds good. Yoshimo, I'm sure you're the best among us at figuring out what's both portable and valuable - let's go."
Yoshimo bowed. "At your service."
"The rest of us," Kal said, "will be helping Nalia move the coin out. Let's get to it."
Lady Delcia insisted on heading straight back to Athkatla, leaving immediately, being unable to stand the presence of so many "commoners" as she put it. As she'd oppose the distribution of gold to the same "commoners", they were only too happy to see her off. Four guards and Lord Arnise's body went with her.
The next three days were spent handing out the gold. The party members stood guard while the region's peasants filtered into the keep's courtyard one by one to convey condolences to Nalia, and receive a heaping package of gold coin. Kal had thought that the coin had been the greater incentive, but had been pleasantly surprised. Many of the people of the De'Arnise lands had had real tears in their eyes. Even Nalia seemed taken slightly aback. Lord Arnise had been better loved than even she had guessed.
During one of these sessions, Kal pulled Anomen aside.
"You seem...troubled, Anomen. Is something bothering you?"
Anomen sighed. "Somewhat. Although I cannot say that I share Lady Delcia's views, the thought of giving all the gold to peasants is...disturbing. Not that I find them inferior - I know many valiant knights who were lowborn - but it is my experience that most will not know how to use the money correctly. It will be spent on alcohol, or it will be wasted in gambling. I will not be one to claim that nobles are immune - my own father is testament enough to that - but I feel that the wealth is better in the hands of someone responsible."
"Who would you nominate for the position of ‘responsible', then?"
Anomen shrugged. "The Order, perhaps. While the Council of Six is the government, it is full of corruption. I often wonder why the Order does not simply take over the government. It would certainly exercise power in a more fair and equitable manner, do you not agree?"
"Anomen." Keldorn said, cutting in. "Simply having power would open the Order to all sorts of corruptions. Knights would be bribed, blackmailed, or their families taken hostage, in order to influence them. Binding ourselves up with the government would unavoidably lead to corruption."
Anomen visibly stiffened. "I do not recall asking for your opinion, Sir Keldorn. I am past the stage where I need a knight of the Order to answer my every thought."
"You will see," Keldorn replied. "The Order has its place - and governing is not it."
"I have heard the arguments, before, Sir Keldorn, and I am not convinced. What do you think, Kal? Should not the power be placed in the hands of those who can use it best to fight chaos?"
"Well...I don't think the question's that simple, Anomen," Kal said, making a frantic and obvious "go-away" signal to Keldorn behind his back. Keldorn took the hint and returned to his place beside Nalia.
"How is it more complicated? Money and power are resources which the forces of order could use to suppress chaos. Or they can be used by the masses to perpetuate it."
"I think that's quite a one-dimensional view," Kal said. "Anomen, let me ask you something. Why order? I mean, why do we strive for order?"
"Order is a worthwhile goal," Anomen replied.
"Oh, I'm not disagreeing with you. Order is a worthwhile goal, absolutely, but I wonder if you can tell me...why?"
Anomen paused for a while to think of it. He eventually settled on, "Chaos is destructive."
"Not true," Kal replied immediately, expecting that answer. "Chaos certainly isn't inherently destructive. Something existed before the order of civilization, and if it was intrinsically destructive we'd never have gotten anywhere. Chaos can be destructive, but order can be equally if not more destructive; after all, the forces of law execute many people every day, to give just one example. Destructive isn't a good enough reason, if it is a reason at all. Try again."
This time, Anomen took a longer time to think about it, pacing in a circle for a while. Kal could see his lips muttering abstracts like "Order is strength, order is important," but he kept running up against the "why" wall and having to think about it some more.
"Anomen," Kal said, cutting into Anomen's train of thought. "Let's try starting small and then extending it to a larger scope. What's a basic mechanism by which order is maintained?"
"City laws," Anomen answered.
"Sure. And what do city laws do?"
"They prevent crimes...such as thefts, or murder."
"Not quite, but let's get to that later. You're right in that the idea behind laws is to keep down the number of thefts, murders and so forth. Some things are forbidden by law, others allowed. What makes the difference?"
"Things are...forbidden, because...because they are harmful!" Anomen said. "Order is...order is important because it prevents...harm!"
"Ah, a connection," Kal said. "Warmer. Yes, order is important because of something it does, not for itself...but prevention of harm isn't exactly it."
"Why should it not be?" Anomen asked, confrontational again. In his mind, he had passed Kal's little test.
"Harmful encompasses a number of things, Anomen. Murder, definitely, and a good case can be made for theft. But then again, people harm themselves daily in a way untouched by the law. People gamble their savings away, get themselves into drunken bar brawls...even fall down the stairs and break their limbs. Law certainly can't be a solution to all of this."
"When someone falls down stairs," Anomen said, "it is an accident. Certainly law cannot guard against that! But the other things, certainly, law can and should stop them."
As outrageous as his argument was, Kal was almost pleased. At least Anomen was thinking, now, and not spitting out his prejudged conclusions. "You mean to say, Anomen, that laws should be enacted banning drunkenness? Gambling? Perhaps laws should be written to ensure that everyone is watched at all times so that they have no contact with thieves' guilds and the like?"
"Yes! People should be made to live their lives in an orderly fashion. If they will not do so themselves, then the right people should make them do so."
"The right people being...?"
"Why, the knights and priests of the Order, of course."
Kal smiled at Anomen, but not in agreement. "You know, I'm finding it difficult - in light of what you've been telling me since you joined up, and what you just said now - to understand the role of a knight of the Order."
"What is it you wish to know?" Anomen inquired.
"Well, my question's sort of twofold. Anomen, is humility generally considered a virtue? As in, the ability to not get caught up in pride, and to not believe yourself superior to others?"
"Most certainly."
"And what about compassion? The ability to sympathize with others, to forgive, to care. Is that a virtue as well?"
"Absolutely."
"And understanding? The ability to, free of prejudice, understand another's hopes, pains, reasons for actions, and so forth. To see things from another's perspective. Is that also a virtue?"
"Definitely."
"Now, knights are supposed to be shining examples of virtue, correct?"
"Correct."
"Yet you've been telling me all these stories about what it's going to be like once you're a knight. That you'll be above common concerns, that you won't have to bother caring about ordinary people, that the Order should take control of the Council and Athkatla and make all of the citizens act according to the way you think they should, no matter what. So - humility, compassion, understanding - why do they stop being virtues when you become a knight?"
"I...they...." Anomen's face turned red, but he didn't seem to be able to get a word out.
"Just wondering, Anomen, because those knightly virtues you keep preaching to me about sound a lot like callousness, intolerance, and repressiveness. I can't seem to see the difference, and I don't think that would change if I were a member of the Order. Not that I would want to be if this is what you think they should be like."
"Knights are...that is not what a knight is like!" Anomen blurted out.
"Exactly! Which makes me wonder as to what, precisely, you're trying to be." Kal fixed Anomen with a steely gaze. "Think on what a knight is, Anomen, because it's evident that you haven't really done that yet. Because if there's one thing you haven't been describing, it's a true knight."
All That Glitters...51
Started by
Guest_Tenebrous_*
, Nov 21 2003 05:49 AM
10 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_Theodur_*
Guest_Theodur_*
-
- Guests
Posted 21 November 2003 - 04:04 PM
"Overall? I intend to find the bastards behind this...and tear them apart," Nalia replied, her voice at once calm and savage. Everyone in the room suppressed a wince at the memory of what she'd done to TorGal. "But at the moment," she continued in a forced casual tone, "I need to make arrangements for Daddy's funeral. He'll be buried in the family crypt in Athkatla. I'm sure some of the guards will be willing to take him." She took a breath. "I also have to deal with some other issues. Legal ones."
Yeah. Her life doesn't promise to be a peaceful one, anytime soon.
"I am...betrothed to a...foul example of humanity, named Isaea Roenal. He will no doubt try to press that agreement as a claim to the land, and likely succeed."
She will soon be calling him names worse than that.
The next three days were spent handing out the gold. The party members stood guard while the region's peasants filtered into the keep's courtyard one by one to convey condolences to Nalia, and receive a heaping package of gold coin. Kal had thought that the coin had been the greater incentive, but had been pleasantly surprised. Many of the people of the De'Arnise lands had had real tears in their eyes. Even Nalia seemed taken slightly aback. Lord Arnise had been better loved than even she had guessed.
Hopefully the Roenalls do not find out of this act of charity.
Anomen sighed. "Somewhat. Although I cannot say that I share Lady Delcia's views, the thought of giving all the gold to peasants is...disturbing. Not that I find them inferior - I know many valiant knights who were lowborn - but it is my experience that most will not know how to use the money correctly. It will be spent on alcohol, or it will be wasted in gambling. I will not be one to claim that nobles are immune - my own father is testament enough to that - but I feel that the wealth is better in the hands of someone responsible."
Ano would have a case if Nalia was showering the money to some of those scumbags in Athkatla, but in this case she gives money to people who she knows and probably trusts.
"Anomen." Keldorn said, cutting in. "Simply having power would open the Order to all sorts of corruptions. Knights would be bribed, blackmailed, or their families taken hostage, in order to influence them. Binding ourselves up with the government would unavoidably lead to corruption."
Anomen visibly stiffened. "I do not recall asking for your opinion, Sir Keldorn. I am past the stage where I need a knight of the Order to answer my every thought."
Heh, this is from Ano-romance, is it not? I chuckled at this dialogue - and at least Ano did apologize later.
"Oh, I'm not disagreeing with you. Order is a worthwhile goal, absolutely, but I wonder if you can tell me...why?"
Anomen paused for a while to think of it. He eventually settled on, "Chaos is destructive."
Nah, chaos is creative.
As outrageous as his argument was, Kal was almost pleased. At least Anomen was thinking, now, and not spitting out his prejudged conclusions. "You mean to say, Anomen, that laws should be enacted banning drunkenness? Gambling? Perhaps laws should be written to ensure that everyone is watched at all times so that they have no contact with thieves' guilds and the like?"
"Yes! People should be made to live their lives in an orderly fashion. If they will not do so themselves, then the right people should make them do so."
Good grief. Are you sure that your Anomen isn't a bit too dumb? How narrow-minded can one be?
"Now, knights are supposed to be shining examples of virtue, correct?"
"Correct."
"Yet you've been telling me all these stories about what it's going to be like once you're a knight. That you'll be above common concerns, that you won't have to bother caring about ordinary people, that the Order should take control of the Council and Athkatla and make all of the citizens act according to the way you think they should, no matter what. So - humility, compassion, understanding - why do they stop being virtues when you become a knight?"
Heh. It is too easy for Kal, isn't it?
"Exactly! Which makes me wonder as to what, precisely, you're trying to be." Kal fixed Anomen with a steely gaze. "Think on what a knight is, Anomen, because it's evident that you haven't really done that yet. Because if there's one thing you haven't been describing, it's a true knight."
I know that Ano has a decent brain there. Hopefully he will start to use it soon as he's been irritating for quite a time now.
#4
Guest_Chantrys_*
Guest_Chantrys_*
-
- Guests
Posted 22 November 2003 - 06:49 PM
I really really liked the discussion of knighthood between Kal and Anomen. Ano does have a decent brain...he just needs to think more about his actions and motivations, and it was good to see that brought out. I'm glad Kal's sort of taken over his test preparation, so to speak. I dread to think what that discussion might have been like had Keldorn been the other participant.
I always look forward to this story, so I hope work doesn't crunch you for long!
I always look forward to this story, so I hope work doesn't crunch you for long!
#5
Guest_Tenebrous_*
Guest_Tenebrous_*
-
- Guests
Posted 22 November 2003 - 08:52 PM
Yeah. Her life doesn't promise to be a peaceful one, anytime soon.
Yep. There's quite a lot yet to go in Nalia's story.
She will soon be calling him names worse than that.
In the game, Isaea is really never more than an annoyance.
Boy, is that ever going to change.
Hopefully the Roenalls do not find out of this act of charity.
Isaea, you mean. Lord Farthington probably wouldn't care all that much. I use the characterization of him from the funeral, and ignore the split personality that comes calling when you are a fighter and take the stronghold.
Ano would have a case if Nalia was showering the money to some of those scumbags in Athkatla, but in this case she gives money to people who she knows and probably trusts.
Not really. She tries to know all the people on her land, but she can't know them all (after all, it takes three days to pass it all out). I've never said that Anomen doesn't have a valid point every now and then, and some proportion of the money probably is going to go to waste. Kal is going to explain why that does not matter.
Heh, this is from Ano-romance, is it not? I chuckled at this dialogue - and at least Ano did apologize later.
It is based on a conversation from it, yes.
Good grief. Are you sure that your Anomen isn't a bit too dumb? How narrow-minded can one be?
Depends on what you consider narrow minded, and consider especially his background. It's not as hard to get to point B from A as you think.
I know that Ano has a decent brain there. Hopefully he will start to use it soon as he's been irritating for quite a time now.
We'll see
#7
Guest_Tenebrous_*
Guest_Tenebrous_*
-
- Guests
Posted 22 November 2003 - 09:08 PM
I really really liked the discussion of knighthood between Kal and Anomen. Ano does have a decent brain...he just needs to think more about his actions and motivations, and it was good to see that brought out. I'm glad Kal's sort of taken over his test preparation, so to speak. I dread to think what that discussion might have been like had Keldorn been the other participant.
There's just too much bitterness and frustration where Keldorn and Anomen are concerned. At least Keldorn saw that and knew to bring Kal in to help, though he doesn't help his cause much by snapping at Anomen from time to time.
I always look forward to this story, so I hope work doesn't crunch you for long!
Thanks. I can only hope that the workload will ease.
#8
Guest_Ursula_*
Guest_Ursula_*
-
- Guests
Posted 23 November 2003 - 05:54 AM
Thanks for posting this. I always enjoy your well-written, well thought-out chapters.
I like your portrayal of Nalia. You've given her considerable depth.
I could've sworn you'd contributed the Kal-Ano conversation to a quiz. ::shrugs:: Anomen has much to learn...then again, don't we all?
Thank you.
I like your portrayal of Nalia. You've given her considerable depth.
I could've sworn you'd contributed the Kal-Ano conversation to a quiz. ::shrugs:: Anomen has much to learn...then again, don't we all?
Thank you.
#9
Laufey
-
- Moderators
-
- 18306 posts
Transcendant
Posted 23 November 2003 - 10:22 AM
I just want to say that I *very* much enjoyed Kal's philosophical discussion with Anomen upon the virtues of a knight. Just the things that boy needs to hear at the moment, I would say. I hope they will make him think properly.
Just the things that boy needs to hear at the moment, I would say. I hope they will make him think properly.
Rogues do it from behind.
#10
Guest_Tenebrous_*
Guest_Tenebrous_*
-
- Guests
Posted 23 November 2003 - 10:17 PM
Thanks for posting this. I always enjoy your well-written, well thought-out chapters.
I like your portrayal of Nalia. You've given her considerable depth.
Part of my mission. Valygar is also on the list. So is Cernd, though I really am not very sure what I'm going to do with him.
I could've sworn you'd contributed the Kal-Ano conversation to a quiz. ::shrugs:: Anomen has much to learn...then again, don't we all?
I did post that Kal-Ano conversation about six or nine months ago, I don't remember which. Someone asked, I replied. It just shows how far ahead/behind I am.
Thank you.
And thanks for reading.
#11
Guest_Tenebrous_*
Guest_Tenebrous_*
-
- Guests
Posted 23 November 2003 - 10:32 PM
I just want to say that I *very* much enjoyed Kal's philosophical discussion with Anomen upon the virtues of a knight.
I thought it was about time that he stopped being annoying. But "properly" isn't exactly how I would characterize it. Just thinking at all is a step in the right direction, and it's difficult to classify what comes out of that as proper or improper.
0 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users
