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Jaguar's Servitude
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Dwight Borges wiped his bald, bright brow for the umpteenth time that night, as he rode in his ornate carriage of silver and topaz across the country side. Even in this blanketing darkness, the glints of light reflected off of the astounding (and expensive) carriage into the night, so that Nature's children and Man's progeny could witness the beauty.
Of course, anyone who knew Dwight Borges personally knew he didn't give a damn about the people or nature. The young man with him, a fellow with a gray ponytail and green eyes, knew this emphatically, but was not in power to say so. His master had made it quite clear to him upon his entry into the priest guild, the Olacion Order.
"Hahahaha...Edgar, care for one?" The elephantine priest said, handing a petite bottle of wine to the weedy young man; The red bottle seemed insignificant in his amply fleshy hands.
Edgar Maddox replied a bit curtly, "No, thank you Bishop Dwight."
Dwight only chuckled, not noticing the edge to Edgar's words, "More for me, then."
Edgar looked away in disgust, staring at the Cuatora countryside outside the window, as Dwight greedily drank the wine.
It was true that Edgar and Dwight were both a part of the Olacion Order, but shortly after Edgar's acceptance into the priest guild, a rift had started to seed itself into the 'nest', so to speak- It was spilt completely into two separate factions. One side involved praising and maintaining the tradional mandate of the guild, but the other side involved a more political standpoint on the world, rather than the religious benefactor that the former lived by. The Traditional Faction, known as the Old Regime, was headed by Fernando Isthmus, an aged man who, ironically, was the reason Edgar joined the guild in the first place. The Poltical Faction, nicknamed the New Regime, was led by Anastasia Ryan, head of the Ryan clan, which held the crest of the Jaguar of the East.
In the early days, when Anastasia was new, Fernando did not mind, nor did High Priest Kain Torres. However, when it became more and more obvious that Anastasia was more concerned about material items, vanity, and herself, Fernando finally lost his temper. He went on a campaign in Radiata, preaching that the true way to happiness is through hard work and discipline, not money or selfishness.
To further worsen the problem and enlarge the divide, Anastasia attempted implore Kain to edit and revise the Mandate, the church's contitution, to suit a more political standpoint. Fernando erupted in a furious uproar that Edgar could hear all the way from the bridge above Jack Russell's home. While Edgar was not sure who won the shouting match (He had a feeling it was his master Fernando), Kain refused to be bullied by either of his archbishops. Kain, in spite of everything, ultimately refused to take sides, and asked that the two leaders put their bitterness aside and cooperate.
They did not. The only reason they still coincided today was that Kain supported both sides equally. Still, Fernando and Anastasia kept away from one another.
Then, something happened that put Edgar and Dwight on their current mission today: Anastasia got dreadfully sick (I apologize if that has a lack of a Vincent Price-esque horror to it).
Many measures had been taken to heal the rather hippopotamian archbishop, most of which failed (New recruit Clive only made it worse). It finally took Kain himself to deal with the problem. But even then, the message had become clear for Anastasia, and so she decided to cash in on a deal made prior to her ascension as head of the Ryan Clan.
Years ago, when Anastasia was younger, the former head of the Ryan household decided to bargain with a family of doctors, the Alvarez household. Ryan had heard that daughter Alvarez was expecting a child soon; He also guessed that he or she, like their father and mother, would be raised as doctors.
For the sake of the clan's perserverance, the elder Ryan had offered thousands of dagols to the Alvarezes: However, the catch to that was that the child would be raised as a doctor specifically to support the Ryan Clan.
It would be years before Alvarez realized he had been swindled, but the contract was binding, and so he could not do anything. He could only go forward, and raise the children best he could, praying to the dragons of Sun and Moon that the Ryans would never come and claim their end of the deal.
Edgar sympathized with the man he had yet to meet. Any affliation with Anastasia, the hoggish bishop Dwight, or even the profit-minded Grant Hilbert (Also of the New Regime) could lead to corruption. At least, that is what master Fernando had said...
Still, Anastasia decided to collect on the Ryans' behalf, sending Dwight Borges as her proxy. At the notion that his fellow archbishop was going to collect a new member of the Order and immediately place him or her into the political faction, Fernando waged another shouting battle, which Kain intervined again. The High Priest felt that Fernando should, and could, send his own proxy, in the interest of fairness. Fernando chose Edgar. And thus the large Dwight and the weedy Edgar left in a chariot of wealth.
Dwight finished his bottle rather quickly and set to gain yet another, his fourth by now. Edgar kept a forced smile, but said nothing.
Dwight Borges disgusted Edgar Maddox, simply said. As the grey-haired young man was placed in the guild by Fernando's good graces, the bald Dwight was slipped in through Anastasia's influence. He lacked little since of manners, grace, piety, or generousity. He clearly committed the sin of gluttony over and over again, day after day, as Edgar could see from his sweeping robes. He also used his position to fool clients and parishoners, as he had once sold a brain elixer to Void Community Member Alba Levinsky, which was nothing more than water tinted red. Alba tried to kill Dwight when he found out he had been fooled, and it took the aid of fellow member Pinky Pinkerton to stop him.
Dwight obviously didn't learn his lesson, or didn't care. He was a con artist, using the grandeur of the church and his position as a bishop to bambozle the citizens of Radiata. Clive Earls, a new convert to the Order, had one time purchased his 'miracle drugs' but fortunately forgot where he had put the elixer (as he had told Edgar).
"Bishop Dwight, Father Edgar, we are here." The driver said curtly, slowing the cart down.
"Ah? Oh right. Ready Edgar?" Dwight asked, corking his bottle.
"Yes." Edgar said with his pleasant voice.
The two men stepped outside of the chariot, as it halted, and viewed their destination. No one could immediately tell, upon observation, that this was the famed Alvarez house of doctors. It was not some two-story or three-floor manor, but a small, wooden house, clearly having multiple rooms, which protruded out from the pearly white home. The windows shone with gold light, indicating that someone was awake and about.
Dwight wasted no time. Betraying his ample size, the bald bishop hurried to the door, and knocked rapidly. Edgar, not liking the news they were going to bear, slowly followed.
"Who is it?"
"Representatives of the Olacion Order, coming on Ms. Ryan's behalf." Dwight shouted.
"Are you sure?" The voice, male, young, and concerned, asked.
"Oh, yes, we are. Archbishop Anastasia sent us here for the bargain."
"...All right. Come in."
Edgar and Dwight walked into the home, to find a hall of fine polished cherry surrounding them, and a rather uncomforted man standing in front of them. He had ash grey hair, cut short, and pale blue eyes, and was wearing a white suit to match his hair.
"I am Dr. Shannon Deangelo Alvarez, head of the house you tread upon today. What can I do for you tonight, Misters...?"
"Edgar Maddox and Dwight Borges." Edgar responded, motioning to each in turn.
Dwight wiped his brow and began, "Do you remember making a deal with a member of the Ryan household, some years ago?"
"I began head only five years ago, Mr. Borges-"
"BISHOP Borges." Dwight corrected.
"-Bishop Borges. My father, Amelio Alvarez was the head at that time, but yes, he made a contract with the then-head of the Ryans, though I fail to recall the name."
"Do you know what the deal says?"
"Not precisely." Alvarez said, though his clenched teeth told Edgar that he had an inkling.
"Well then, By order of the holder of the crest of the Jaguars of the East, you are hereby dictated to cough up the child of the current head of the family; That would be you, Mr. Shannon."
"That cannot work." Dr. Alvarez said.
"Oh? Why not then? If you have more than one child, then..." Dwight trailed off, looking at the younger priest. Edgar only sighed.
"You'd have to give up your eldest child, assuming they have been educated in medicine."
Emotion seemed to be repressed from Master Alvarez, as he remarked, "All my children have been educated as I have, but...my youngest child, my son Nashlay, has come down with a critical disease, and I need my eldest with me-"
"Tell me the name of your eldest son or daughters so we may go." Dwight said bluntly.
"Daughters, Mr. Borges. I had twin daughters as my first born children." The doctor all but shouted, his anger apparent.
Edgar raised his eyebrow: He certainly had not expected this. Dwight's eyes, however, glinted greedily, as he thought over this new development.
"Then," the bishop started, "we'll take them both."
"Absolutely not! My father may have promised the Ryans one healer, but I'll be damned to the Dragons if I allow both Elena and Adina to be taken from me."
"Well, Master Alvarez," Dwight said in a condescending disposition, "We can do this one of two ways. You can either send them to us, tomorrow, by your own free will. If you do not do that, then Ms. Ryan will have to use her connections. I'm sure there is a law about not abiding with contracts..."
Edgar saw the discontent and the resignation on the face of Shannon Alvarez.
"Fine." He said in a voice of despair. "I will send the girls over tomorrow. But know this: If anything, ANYTHING, happens to either of my girls, I'll kill you. You press me hard enough tonight bishop. If I ever see you again, I'll stick my foot so far up your arse, you'll need shoe polish for toothpaste. Now get out, before I decide to do it, now. Mr. Maddox," The doctor turned to the priest, "I pray you have no involvement in this, but if you are, remember I have two feet."
Edgar took the idea, and grabbed Dwight, getting them both out.
"That's another follower you lost, Dwight."
"At least we got the doctors we came for."
Edgar knew that the doctor meant what he said. Dwight would do well to avoid it.
By next night, fifteen-year old Elena and Adina Alvarez arrived at the Olacion Order Shrine, fitted to perform the duties they had been asked. Edgar could only hope that nothing bad could come out of it.
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Fin