|
Post by Sir Roland Desprez on Mar 8, 2021 13:49:32 GMT
After a week of solitude and isolation, I dispatch Jax to find Caoimhghin and Anak Sa'ir and ask them to meet me in my townhouse the following day two hours before cena. The invitation is sent Gold Day 20 of Ninth month to meet on Moon Day 21 of Ninth month. We last spoke on Moon Day 14 of Ninth month.
|
|
|
Post by Diocles on Mar 8, 2021 13:53:03 GMT
I send back. "Busy with rehearsals. Make it two hours after cena?"
|
|
|
Post by Sir Roland Desprez on Mar 8, 2021 14:02:20 GMT
I return "That is fine."
|
|
Nobody
Alexios Group
Posts: 1,409
|
Post by Nobody on Mar 10, 2021 18:17:31 GMT
I return the same message, with assumption of acceptance in case of the rescheduling.
|
|
|
Post by Sir Roland Desprez on Mar 10, 2021 20:15:19 GMT
Jax ushers in Caoimhghin and Anak Sa'ir to the peristyle where Danal is waiting for them. Danal looks a bit gaunt and has a week's worth of beard. He is wearing his typical garb but wearing a black armband. "Caoimhghin, Anak Sa'ir, welcome. Please sit. We have things to discuss."
|
|
|
Post by Diocles on Mar 10, 2021 21:44:51 GMT
I sit.
|
|
Nobody
Alexios Group
Posts: 1,409
|
Post by Nobody on Mar 11, 2021 1:29:27 GMT
I sit as well, near Caoimhghin.
|
|
|
Post by Sir Roland Desprez on Mar 11, 2021 2:13:40 GMT
"Thank you for coming. I have done a lot of searching this week both within myself and without. The first thing I have learned is that I owe the two of you an apology. I did not stop to consider the great personal risk you put yourselves in, both in identifying the murderer and then confronting him, to aid me. Each of you has as much to lose, perhaps more, than I and you risked that because of your friendship with me. I also neglected to understand that the nature of ethics differs among our cultures."
Turning to Coaimhghin, "I learned that in Elunia personal ties are more important than rules and laws and that final justice is an appeal to the wolves. You did honor to your homeland by aiding a personal tie. For that I thank you."
Turning to Anak Sa'ir "And your culture sees our country as lawless and thus would not have much concern for the way we view right and wrong. Ithatadora also prizes friendship loyalty higher than most other rules. You also were doing honor to your homeland and for that I thank you."
Turning back to Caoimhghin "And I'm particularly sorry for laying hands on you Caoimhghin."
I grow silent as I am afraid to ask for forgiveness.
|
|
|
Post by Storyteller on Mar 11, 2021 2:26:50 GMT
.
|
|
|
Post by Diocles on Mar 11, 2021 2:27:01 GMT
I wave it away. "Not a problem. Not a problem. To be honest, you look very ill. Are you unwell?"
|
|
|
Post by Sir Roland Desprez on Mar 11, 2021 2:49:26 GMT
"No, it is exactly the problem. Especially if we are to be friends. I have more to say." I motion to Jax to hand them each a scroll. "These scrolls represent the best treatise I could find on an explanation of the personal and the civic virtues of Nirrion and how they are tied to the health of the polis. I do not give these to you in order to try to convert you to my way of thinking but rather to inform you. If we are to be friends, and if we are to try to stop the civil war I must understand you and you must understand me. My honor is my very life and that honor is defined by these virtues. The very corruption that I'm horrified by, murder to further ones own ends or cover something up, intimidation to ease a path or lies to conceal, I became party to."
I scrub my face with my hand. "Again, I don't expect to persuade you but to get you to understand. I cannot be party to such things nor do I wish them done even without my knowledge to further my goals. I am aware that many see me as a fool. I am content with that. The virtue of Endurance allows me to be such. I will do what's right, and only what's right, in the furtherance of Nirrion and if my life is forfeit or my ends frustrated I can go to the gods knowing that I at least tried to live the way they have decreed. I would have a clean conscience. Hiring that murderer made us exactly like those we are trying to defeat."
I grow silent for a moment and then continue looking at the ground and with a low voice "You have no idea how close I came to battling with that assassin. I knew I would die but I didn't care. Nor how close I came to leaving Nirrion altogether. If not for the grace of Magister Judal I might have done. I don't think you really understood me but I'm hoping that you can. And I can tell you" and now I make eye contact with each of them in turn "that we must not forge our path against what is right. We can be wise and wily but we must be better than our opponents."
"Now, of course, when it comes to your own affairs I lay no burden on you for how to conduct yourself and I will aid you in any way that I can as long as it is not dishonorable. But when it comes to my affairs I must ask you to abide by my wishes. Either that or, if you choose, forego helping me. I do not wish for the latter but will understand if that's what you choose. But I will not live with skeletons in my closet for someone to threaten to parade out in the open in order to secure my cooperation. I will live a just and virtuous life even if it is short or seemingly ineffectual to others."
"You two have become dear to me. I value your friendship. But I will understand if this is too much for you to bear."
|
|
|
Post by Diocles on Mar 11, 2021 2:55:26 GMT
I shrug. "You keep talking about your affairs. That's all well and good, but surely you understand that I had the senator killed for my own sake, not yours? I was thinking of averting civil war to keep the theater seats filled, not to aid you, per se. And I said that very clearly at the beginning."
|
|
Nobody
Alexios Group
Posts: 1,409
|
Post by Nobody on Mar 11, 2021 4:25:26 GMT
I study my two friends, slightly mystified.
"I think, friend Danal, that perhaps you are imparting too much of your own cares and worries upon us. You are right to say that we have different ways. And while it seems clear that your ways are troubled by our ways, our ways are not troubled by yours. Or, put in another way, while you are troubled by our ways, we are not troubled by yours. You lay no burden on us by your speech or your virtues, friend Danal. Be at peace."
|
|
|
Post by Sir Roland Desprez on Mar 11, 2021 13:04:29 GMT
"Thank you Anak Sa'ir, that clarification is helpful. And no, Caoimhghin, I did not fully understand nor appreciate that."
I think quietly for a moment. "Caoimhgin, you mentioned that your people, your real people, are not like us. I think this may be one of those situations where you're seeing things through very different eyes. In my studies of Elunian ethics I think even the Elunian people might be troubled by your actions and your reasons. I say this not to criticize but to enlighten. The last thing I want to see is your status and station in Nirrion to be threatened. I will help you in this if you will let me."
|
|
|
Post by Diocles on Mar 11, 2021 13:42:10 GMT
I slowly stand, staring at Danal. "I pull a hair for what Elunians think of me. And as for my station among your people... I had to get my passport notarized so that I'd not be the target of the slaving Skenje! I piss on Nirrion's so-called ethics!"
And I leave, and any plants in corridors and entryways wither and die at my passing.
[8,10,8,9,1 three]
|
|