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Seeking Perfection
II
by Idriar
Darkness fell over Alinor. The towers and pinnacles, full of the light of the sun, dimmed as Aetherius' shine vanished. Soon only the stars, the remnant tokens of the Magna Ge, and the feathers of the sun birds returning to their aeryies shone down on Alinor. But in the first level of the palace of justice the crowd wouldn´t dissolve nor rest. Having waited for days, weeks and months before, the nightfall wasn´t able to make them leave. Their matters were far too important. Just like the matter of the gold-clad woman, staring up to the ethereal heights of the tower. She tried to spot the officials she had scared away, anathematizing her own impation and temper. She had a problem with depth perception, though. Out of her sight in an alcove of glass, breaking and bending shapes and colours into a shivering whirl, three officials hovered idle and lamented their wounded prides, plotting for justice and vengeance.
The first one raised his voice. It was the last one who joined them, offended by the gold-clad woman as last.
"My colleagues. I cannot accept this humilitation! Such is unheard of! The combatants of the standing army lack respect for us officials. How can that warrioress dare to insult us, a higher caste? We should not tolerate such indignant behaviour anymore. This very individual must be brought to reason and order!"
"Indeed", The second one, "We are holding up the order handed down to us by our ancestors. We are the order. To offend us is to tighten the lorkhanic bonds around our necks."
"I would appreciate to hear what you are supposing." The third one to the first one.
"Chastisement." The first one answered.
"Chastisement? Actually I didn´t envisioned such a... clement course of actions. Why so reluctant? Banishment is what I suppose. Our god-ancestors wouldn´t have tolerated such behaviour, too." The second one.
"We make an precedent of our coercive power and end the struggle for influence of the lower castes once and for all. Especially so called 19 RK 544 shall realize that even if she is the highest of the princes she is still lower than the Wise Ones."
"The most severe punishment? Even if 141 RK 91 (further on Andarcya) was the most audacious I have ever met, we cannot ignore the breedwinning that derives from her existence. Even if I wouldn´t want my children to breed with something like that... You seem to forget her skill at fighting, making her a valueble tool to protect Sumurset. Further on she is participating in philosophical debates, both being an admired defender of the Aldmeri standard and feared for her sharp tongue. She also preaches in the choir. In the choir! We cannot ban her." The first one.
"Engaging in debates and preaching at the temple don't turn a warrior into a philosopher neither a priest. Any of her actions beside protecting Sumurset and defeating men are inconsequential. Too bad we are too weak to end all of Lorkhan´s allies. We shouldn´t engage in a war when we can´t end our enemy once and for all." The second one
"Indeed, Andarcya chose the caste of warriors. Her caste has the duty to fight for us. And she hasn´t yet fought in this stupid war. And beside... the warriors failed. We should reconsider the concept of engaging in wars and elves under weapon. There should be a more... sophisticated way." The third one.
"Do you question the war, my colleagues? I would only question its legimation and so called 19 RK 544's personal matters with Tharn-nil. But we have to fent off the Lorkhanic threat of the north, stopping mankind to dwell even more of this world, refusing us the access to the hub and the spokes of the wheel. We need warriors, my friends. And if only ot prevent our enemies to place their defiling selfs on our shores." The first one.
"My colleague. Consider what kind of audacious words she aimed at you. And at myself. At other officials before. Banishment is far too clement for this violation of the gods given order. And rumors say, she isn´t even an elf. Daedric half-breed... have you seen those eyes?" The second one.
"Her death might restore the order, yes, sending a strong message to the lower castes. The ties between warriors, priests and princes are far to strong in my opinion. It is the Wise who should reign." The third one
Slowly the first one floated backwards away from the two officials. These ideas were too radical in his opinion. And dangerous to even witness them being spread.
"I... I can´t believe these words are uttered. Your open heresy troubles me. I hoped to discuss a reasonable course of actions with you, but you proved my hopes wrong. It will be best to simply forget the..."
He bumped into someone. The two other officials fell to silence and stared at the figure who had entered the alcove. Slowly the first one turned around looked into his supervising sapiarch's golden Aldmeri face. There was no visible emotion on it neither any recognizable body language. But he... knew that the sapiarch was... mad in simple words.
Guiltily the official winced back to his peers, all staring fearfully at their master. The sapiarch eyed them up with his emotionless, burning eyes. It was obvious that he knew every single word spoken.
Without any further word he turned to the third one.
"So you think that the warriors failed? And that the princes struggle for more influence than they should have? You seem to forget that you officials are nothing but the tool of the Wise to carry our wisdom into execution. As being tools you are even lower than the princes and warriors you are contemptuous of. They don´t seek more power than they are supposed to have. It´s you who should be careful to not claim too much!"
Turning to the second one.
"Your faith in our god-ancestors is applaudable. You would have made an excellent priest. But you are an official, not a priest. You better never forget that. And claiming somebody was a Daedric half-breed based on rumours? I expected better from my officials. Never your understanding of the gods will be as advanced as the understanding of a true priest So never again dare to say what our god-ancestors would have done and what not! For you don´t know!"
The sapiarch turned to the first one. The last one.
"And now to you. You seem only little wiser than your two peers. A citizen of Alinor hurt your pride and therefor you conceal yourself in this alcove together these two failures? Atleast you resisted the close-to-heresy words of your peers... or are just to afraid to openly revolt? However, you will not be rewarded for remaining passive.
Now hence. I will deal with you as soon as time permits."
The officials bowed to the sapiarch. Horrified yet fatalistic they accepted the reprimand and floated away to await further punishment. Also the first one, still considering himself lucky to not being banned from his his beloved position wanted to leave. But the sapiarch would make him stop with a gesture.
"Not you. You will serve the duties of the palace. This individual, Andarcya is still waiting for news concerning her father. How odd... why should she care?"
The sapiarch handed an unsealed scroll to the official. That meant he was allowed to look at it, but he didn´t dare to move with his supervisor still around.
"This individual is known for its temper and... disrespect for officials. I consider it therefor fitting that you shall convey the news to this individual. It is going to be of great value, but not in its current state. You don´t know how close it is to perfection, but unfortunately it won´t reach perfection on Sumurset, as it hasn´t yet. We hope it will find perfection outside. Still nothing could move it from Alinor beside banishment. That would entirely destroy its value. So we have to be... more subtile. Taking usage of her odd wish to see her father."
With mixed feelings the official saw the sapiarch flinching his perfect Aldmeri face for a smile. Then he was alone in the alcove of broken and bended star light. It took a couple minutes for the official to be able to move again. Returning to this Andarcya? He sighed and realized that this truly was a harsh punishment. His eyes fell on the scroll. If he had to face the gold-clad woman again, he would have to present the information in a way that wouldn´t make her too... mad, in simple words.
He opened the scroll and began to read.
"..."
"..."
"What?"
This truly was a harsh punishment.
II
by Idriar
Darkness fell over Alinor. The towers and pinnacles, full of the light of the sun, dimmed as Aetherius' shine vanished. Soon only the stars, the remnant tokens of the Magna Ge, and the feathers of the sun birds returning to their aeryies shone down on Alinor. But in the first level of the palace of justice the crowd wouldn´t dissolve nor rest. Having waited for days, weeks and months before, the nightfall wasn´t able to make them leave. Their matters were far too important. Just like the matter of the gold-clad woman, staring up to the ethereal heights of the tower. She tried to spot the officials she had scared away, anathematizing her own impation and temper. She had a problem with depth perception, though. Out of her sight in an alcove of glass, breaking and bending shapes and colours into a shivering whirl, three officials hovered idle and lamented their wounded prides, plotting for justice and vengeance.
The first one raised his voice. It was the last one who joined them, offended by the gold-clad woman as last.
"My colleagues. I cannot accept this humilitation! Such is unheard of! The combatants of the standing army lack respect for us officials. How can that warrioress dare to insult us, a higher caste? We should not tolerate such indignant behaviour anymore. This very individual must be brought to reason and order!"
"Indeed", The second one, "We are holding up the order handed down to us by our ancestors. We are the order. To offend us is to tighten the lorkhanic bonds around our necks."
"I would appreciate to hear what you are supposing." The third one to the first one.
"Chastisement." The first one answered.
"Chastisement? Actually I didn´t envisioned such a... clement course of actions. Why so reluctant? Banishment is what I suppose. Our god-ancestors wouldn´t have tolerated such behaviour, too." The second one.
"We make an precedent of our coercive power and end the struggle for influence of the lower castes once and for all. Especially so called 19 RK 544 shall realize that even if she is the highest of the princes she is still lower than the Wise Ones."
"The most severe punishment? Even if 141 RK 91 (further on Andarcya) was the most audacious I have ever met, we cannot ignore the breedwinning that derives from her existence. Even if I wouldn´t want my children to breed with something like that... You seem to forget her skill at fighting, making her a valueble tool to protect Sumurset. Further on she is participating in philosophical debates, both being an admired defender of the Aldmeri standard and feared for her sharp tongue. She also preaches in the choir. In the choir! We cannot ban her." The first one.
"Engaging in debates and preaching at the temple don't turn a warrior into a philosopher neither a priest. Any of her actions beside protecting Sumurset and defeating men are inconsequential. Too bad we are too weak to end all of Lorkhan´s allies. We shouldn´t engage in a war when we can´t end our enemy once and for all." The second one
"Indeed, Andarcya chose the caste of warriors. Her caste has the duty to fight for us. And she hasn´t yet fought in this stupid war. And beside... the warriors failed. We should reconsider the concept of engaging in wars and elves under weapon. There should be a more... sophisticated way." The third one.
"Do you question the war, my colleagues? I would only question its legimation and so called 19 RK 544's personal matters with Tharn-nil. But we have to fent off the Lorkhanic threat of the north, stopping mankind to dwell even more of this world, refusing us the access to the hub and the spokes of the wheel. We need warriors, my friends. And if only ot prevent our enemies to place their defiling selfs on our shores." The first one.
"My colleague. Consider what kind of audacious words she aimed at you. And at myself. At other officials before. Banishment is far too clement for this violation of the gods given order. And rumors say, she isn´t even an elf. Daedric half-breed... have you seen those eyes?" The second one.
"Her death might restore the order, yes, sending a strong message to the lower castes. The ties between warriors, priests and princes are far to strong in my opinion. It is the Wise who should reign." The third one
Slowly the first one floated backwards away from the two officials. These ideas were too radical in his opinion. And dangerous to even witness them being spread.
"I... I can´t believe these words are uttered. Your open heresy troubles me. I hoped to discuss a reasonable course of actions with you, but you proved my hopes wrong. It will be best to simply forget the..."
He bumped into someone. The two other officials fell to silence and stared at the figure who had entered the alcove. Slowly the first one turned around looked into his supervising sapiarch's golden Aldmeri face. There was no visible emotion on it neither any recognizable body language. But he... knew that the sapiarch was... mad in simple words.
Guiltily the official winced back to his peers, all staring fearfully at their master. The sapiarch eyed them up with his emotionless, burning eyes. It was obvious that he knew every single word spoken.
Without any further word he turned to the third one.
"So you think that the warriors failed? And that the princes struggle for more influence than they should have? You seem to forget that you officials are nothing but the tool of the Wise to carry our wisdom into execution. As being tools you are even lower than the princes and warriors you are contemptuous of. They don´t seek more power than they are supposed to have. It´s you who should be careful to not claim too much!"
Turning to the second one.
"Your faith in our god-ancestors is applaudable. You would have made an excellent priest. But you are an official, not a priest. You better never forget that. And claiming somebody was a Daedric half-breed based on rumours? I expected better from my officials. Never your understanding of the gods will be as advanced as the understanding of a true priest So never again dare to say what our god-ancestors would have done and what not! For you don´t know!"
The sapiarch turned to the first one. The last one.
"And now to you. You seem only little wiser than your two peers. A citizen of Alinor hurt your pride and therefor you conceal yourself in this alcove together these two failures? Atleast you resisted the close-to-heresy words of your peers... or are just to afraid to openly revolt? However, you will not be rewarded for remaining passive.
Now hence. I will deal with you as soon as time permits."
The officials bowed to the sapiarch. Horrified yet fatalistic they accepted the reprimand and floated away to await further punishment. Also the first one, still considering himself lucky to not being banned from his his beloved position wanted to leave. But the sapiarch would make him stop with a gesture.
"Not you. You will serve the duties of the palace. This individual, Andarcya is still waiting for news concerning her father. How odd... why should she care?"
The sapiarch handed an unsealed scroll to the official. That meant he was allowed to look at it, but he didn´t dare to move with his supervisor still around.
"This individual is known for its temper and... disrespect for officials. I consider it therefor fitting that you shall convey the news to this individual. It is going to be of great value, but not in its current state. You don´t know how close it is to perfection, but unfortunately it won´t reach perfection on Sumurset, as it hasn´t yet. We hope it will find perfection outside. Still nothing could move it from Alinor beside banishment. That would entirely destroy its value. So we have to be... more subtile. Taking usage of her odd wish to see her father."
With mixed feelings the official saw the sapiarch flinching his perfect Aldmeri face for a smile. Then he was alone in the alcove of broken and bended star light. It took a couple minutes for the official to be able to move again. Returning to this Andarcya? He sighed and realized that this truly was a harsh punishment. His eyes fell on the scroll. If he had to face the gold-clad woman again, he would have to present the information in a way that wouldn´t make her too... mad, in simple words.
He opened the scroll and began to read.
"..."
"..."
"What?"
This truly was a harsh punishment.
Category Story / Fantasy
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 120 x 120px
File Size 43.6 kB
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