Princess Tutu
~Kapitel des Vogel~
~鳥の章~
(Chapter of the Bird)
31. AKT "A Tale of Two Cities"
~ Macbeth ~
- Part 2 -
Tuck the friar was roused from his solitary morning prayers at the pews by the violent knocking on the large wooden doors at the front face of the church. Bewildered, the elderly clergyman scrambled up and hobbled toward the entrance, wondering what sort of emergency warranted such fierce hammering.
When Tuck swung the doors open, a sizeable regiment of soldiers with the red and silver Ginkan crest on their armor extended forth from just outside the entranceway, many of which were well-armed and on horseback.
The captain of the guards stepped imperiously toward the friar, making him step back in alarm. "This is the Ginkan guard. We demand that you turn over the gypsies being harbored here immediately."
"What…?" Tuck looked at them bewilderedly. "What are you talking about? This is no hiding place for anyone. A church is but a sanctuary for anyone who seeks refuge from the brutalities of life."
"Save your pious prattling for the sermons, friar," the captain scoffed. "We know from reliable sources that gypsies were spotted sneaking in and out of the town through this place. Stand aside and show them to us now."
Tuck frowned. "Even if I knew where they were, I would not give them up to you," he scolded. "You should be ashamed of yourselves! Treating these unfortunate people like vermin to be exterminated, but who are just trying to find a way to live—have you not made them suffer enough?"
The soldiers behind the captain looked at each other uneasily upon being asked the question.
But the captain turned toward them and pointed at a few of his subordinates. "Take the friar into custody."
"Wh-what?" one of the ashen-faced soldiers stuttered. "Take him… into custody? What do you mean?"
"What do you think I mean?!" the captain snapped. "Arrest him! Get him out of our way so we can search the area!"
His eyes flitting between his commander and the old clergyman, the soldier hesitated for a long moment before he stepped timidly forward and said, "I'm sorry, friar…" Then he grabbed the old man by the arm.
o-o-o-o-o
The archbishop Frollo arrived at the Ginkan cathedral to a baffling sight.
Before his eyes, the sacred ground was being raked and scavenged by a dozen soldiers emblazoned with the Ginkan crest, except for a separate squadron of them marching as a group away into the distance.
Frollo stormed into the crowd, homing in on the leader of the soldiers on horseback looking over them. "Captain! What is the meaning of this? Why are your soldiers raiding my church?!"
"We have discovered that your church is being used to harbor thieves and criminals, your Grace," the captain replied solemnly. "I ordered the friar that takes care of the church to release them to us immediately, but he refused. So we have arrested him and taken the search upon ourselves."
"You have arrested the friar Tuck?" Frollo asked in bewilderment. "What is this madness? There are no depraved souls being hidden away in my own church! How dare you presume such a ridiculous thing?"
"It is no presumption, your Grace," the captain replied bluntly. "It was seen that gypsies were going in and out through this church to escape detection."
Frollo blinked. "That's impossible! I know of no such hiding place on these grounds."
"Whether or not you know about it, your Grace, the fact remains that they were spotted here," the captain said. "So, under orders from the Ginkan Council, you must allow us to investigate the area and ferret out the criminals."
"Have none of you any sense of piety?" Frollo asked him angrily. "These are holy grounds! I will not allow it to be disrespected with such shamelessness. By my decree as the archbishop of Ginkan, I demand that you remove your subordinates from here at once!"
The archbishop had said this last statement loudly enough that all the soldiers nearby heard him, and Frollo's righteous indignant tone unsettled them, causing them to hesitate where they were. Going against a friar was one thing, but would even the Ginkan guard dare to oppose the Ginkan archbishop himself, in person and to his face?
"Very well," the captain said stiffly. "If it is by your decree, then we have no choice but to vacate the premises, at least for the time being."
He looked over toward the squadron of soldiers leading Tuck away. "However, we have every reason and right to suspect the friar of obstructing justice, and we will proceed to take him into custody regardless, until we get some answers as to why the gypsies were seen sneaking in and out of the church grounds, either from him, or you, or perhaps the gypsies themselves."
After he recalled the soldiers searching the church back in line, the captain said simply, "I bid you good day, your Grace," before marching himself and the rest of his regiment away back toward the Council Hall.
Frollo watched the soldiers leave with shock. The Council, while it liked to throw its power around, had never before dared to interfere with the activities or associates of the church. Now, though, they had grown so desperate and shameless that they would violate the sanctity of the church just to investigate some far-fetched claim of fugitives being held in the church somewhere?
Or perhaps, it was simply an excuse.
o-o-o-o-o
As Mytho and Komaro were preparing to go out for the day, someone knocked frantically at their room door. Puzzled, Komaro went over to answer it. "I thought I asked the innkeeper to refrain from sending up housecleaning…"
He opened the door, and his eyes widened. "Emma-san?"
Emma sighed with relief. "Oh, good. You're still here…"
"What's wrong?" Mytho asked with concern, walking toward the door as Komaro let Emma in.
"I have come to beseech your help," Emma said. "I realize you may not be able to do anything, but you are one of the only people I can think of who might have any hope of saving us." Her voice was calm, but her folded, trembling hands betrayed her unease.
"What has happened?" Komaro asked, placing a gentle hand on Emma's back to guide her to a chair, where she took a seat. "Are you and the other gypsies in trouble?"
"This morning, our hideout was discovered," Emma said gravely, shaking her head in dismay. "I don't know how, but they were searching for the secret passage in the church that leads to the hideout, and there's no way they would have known to look there if someone hadn't been spotted."
"Have they all been taken prisoner now, then?" Komaro asked, frowning. "You were able to escape, somehow?"
"Fortunately, the archbishop Frollo had them leave the area before they could find the precise location of the passage," Emma explained. "But the one keeping our hideaway from being discovered, the friar named Tuck, was arrested in the process. So, it is likely only a matter of time before they find a way in somehow, and then we will have no place left to run."
Emma turned toward Mytho, her folded hands clenching a bit tighter as the morning sunlight streaming in the room's windows dimmed. "It is much to ask of you, but please, is there any way you would be able to ask the Council to stop their persecution? We could not hope that they would listen to our pleas, but you are a prince—even if you are not of Ginkan, they might listen to you, or at least show us more mercy than they would have otherwise."
Komaro grimaced. "I have doubts that we would be able to convince them on our own, to be frank. When we confronted them about the questionable events in town, they…"
As Komaro explained their failure to get answers out of the Ginkan Council, Mytho sensed something was amiss as the light outside dimmed further to a gloomy twilight.
When Mytho turned toward the window, Komaro stopped and looked at him. "What's wrong…?"
When Komaro listened, he could hear ominously familiar calls in the distance. "Crows?!"
"An attack, here?!" Mytho's eyes narrowed resolutely as he hastened outside. "Komaro, keep Emma-san safe!"
"Yes, sire!"
When Mytho stepped outside the inn, he was shocked at what he discovered.
The caws of crows seemed to be coming from every direction, filling the sky so that it was impossible to tell where they were coming from. The streets were almost empty, and the few people still outside were rushing away in fear to the nearest building that could shelter them.
Mytho was about to go and assist in the escapes of any left behind, when he glanced up to the sky and saw something that made him gasp in shock.
Above the town of Ginkan, a terrifyingly pair of familiar glowing red eyes leered down from the dark opaque sky. The looming silhouette of a bird several stories high obscured the town below in its vast shadow.
"The Raven!" With a flash of white light, Mytho's swan-hilted sword appeared in his hand. He began to twirl in place, and a pink floral storm swirled beneath him and lifted him into the air.
Below, the frightened townspeople looked above into the sky with amazement, watching such a miraculous being flying up to confront the monster that threatened to envelop Ginkan in its darkness.
The crows surrounding the prince transformed into black spikes and spines, and shot toward him. He fended them off with swift swings of his sword, scattering each impacting attack into crimson sparks.
"Raven!" Mytho shouted, facing his archenemy. "How are you still alive?! What do you want with this town?!"
The giant shadow made no response, except for an eerie laugh that sounded like a chorus of countless little voices in the air.
With a determined look, the prince advanced forward toward his foe, purging the air of the black barbs that were aimed at him.
As Mytho approached the giant shadow in the sky, he realized that though the silhouette of the Raven should have become sharper and clearer as he drew near, the shadow instead seemed more indistinct as he came closer to it, and as he did so, it seemed as if the shadow was not one being – rather, it looked to be a giant swarm of ordinary crows, moving like a school of menacing fish in the sky.
Then, by some undefined signal, the Raven-shaped murder of crows scattered before him, and encircled the prince to the point where he could no longer even see the town below.
Gritting his teeth, he gripped his sword tighter and tirelessly sliced the air around him, preparing to fight for his life.
Yet, unlike his previous battles with the Raven, he found that the power of these crows, while great in number, was paltry in comparison. It seemed that instead of fending off growing waves of darkness, he was swatting away clouds of pests that were driven away by his mere approach.
He realized then—no matter how much it looked like it was, he was not fighting against the real Raven.
Though Mytho had realized the façade of this attack, to the awed and frightened people below, the prince still seemed like nothing less than a miraculous savior. What had also not been lost on many of them was his clear resemblance to the boy who had received the ire of the town years ago. Could he have been the same one who had been accused of cursing the town with his ability to commune with the beasts?
As Mytho's attacks broke the great swarm of crows into smaller clusters, the birds began to break away. The opaque clouds that had gathered with the advent of the colossal raven attack began to clear, with sunlight breaking through to light up the sky once again.
Soon, the monster that had once loomed over the town vanished, as the remaining crows scattered, like smoke would in a swift breeze.
Mytho floated down from above to a Ginkan street, with a crowd of grateful townspeople there to greet him. Within the crowd were Komaro and Emma, and Mytho landed on the ground near them and approached them.
"Are you two all right?" Mytho asked them.
Komaro was speechless for a few moments, unable to find his words at the supernatural spectacle he had just seen his master perform. His stolid sense of duty soon overcame his shock though, as he composed himself as much as he possibly could and replied, "Y-yes, sire, we're fine, but… you are all right as well, I presume?"
Mytho nodded. "Thankfully, yes."
Emma said with amazement, "So it is true… you really are a magical prince from a fairy tale."
The rest of the crowd murmured among themselves in assenting wonderment.
"A savior has come to us…"
"He's a miracle worker..."
"Here is the one who can save us all!"
From within the crowd, the townspeople parted to let someone through. The archbishop Frollo stepped out into the opening, walking toward the prince with his hands folded together respectfully.
"You have saved us all, Prince Siegfried of Kinkan," Frollo said to Mytho, nodding his head deferentially as he stood beside the prince. "I cannot express my gratitude enough for what you have done for this town."
"I only wanted to protect everyone from harm," Mytho said. "If it is within my power to keep danger at bay, I would gladly lay my life down for all."
"Why did you not use such magic before?" one of the townsmen in the crowd asked. "You were able to talk with the creatures, but all they did was attack us more. It made us think you had set them off, scheming with the gypsies against us!"
"Before?" Mytho asked, creasing his eyebrows in confusion. "I have not been here for long, and I never claimed to be able to talk with them…"
"Sire, I believe they are referring to your younger brother," Komaro whispered in an aside. "He said he had come from this place, and it seemed that something troubling had happened while he was here."
"We never caused those calamities," Emma said, frowning, but without much fervor, as if she didn't expect to be listened to anyway.
Blinking, Mytho put these ideas together, and then turned toward the speaker in the crowd and replied, "He was a different person; a kin of mine. I have not seen him for a long time, and have only been made aware he still lives in recent days.
"But I do know that neither he nor the gypsies can possibly be involved in causing the attacks on the town," Mytho said decisively. "Because I know that ravens are inherently cruel and cunning, and would cause any sort of suffering to obtain their desires."
"So, all this is happening because the ravens want to attack us?" another townswoman asked bewilderedly. "Why would they only target certain people, though? What reason would they have to discriminate against their victims?"
"As for that…" Mytho glanced into the distance, toward the direction of the Council Hall. "I believe that it is the will of another faction that has likely been cavorting with them to guard their own selfish interests."
Frollo's eyes widened and his expression turned indignant. "You mean… the Ginkan Council? They are the orchestrators behind the demonic birds?!"
"There is no decisive proof for this theory," Komaro said, stepping into the center of the crowd, next to his master. "However, when we talked with the Council a short time ago, it seemed that they avoided the topic and even were hostile when we tried to get them to respond. Such behavior suggests that they have something to hide, and likely something to gain by doing so."
"I do have, in fact, evidence of such intentions," Frollo said declaratively. "Barely an hour or two ago, one of my Brothers, the friar Tuck, was brazenly taken into custody by the Ginkan guard under the Council's orders, for some outrageous reason that he was harboring gypsies in the church. Of course, I know of no such actions being taken by him or anyone in the church," he said defensively. "But, whether or not there even were gypsies being held inside, the Council would still have no right to ravage the holy sanctuary at their bidding, and furthermore arrest a clergyman simply for trying to preserve the sanctity of holy ground. I have every reason to be suspicious of them now, and what you say, young prince, only deepens my qualms."
"Are you saying… that you no longer blame us for the crow attacks?" Emma asked the archbishop warily. "All this time, we were the scapegoats, and we were forced into hiding to avoid living the rest of our lives in chains and behind bars."
"It seemed like a reasonable conclusion for a long time," Frollo said admittedly. "But now that I've seen dubious things happen that fall out of line with that notion, I wonder now if even the gypsies were victims to the Council's schemes. Perhaps they didn't want anyone getting in the way of their influence over the town, whether they are fellow noblemen or lowly vagabonds."
"We can't let them get away with this anymore!" a townsman exclaimed. "They've tyrannized Ginkan with their rule of fear enough!"
"Even our beloved friar, who has always cared for the people of this town, has been taken captive thanks to them!" another proclaimed. "Now they've gone too far!"
"I hear you, good citizens of Ginkan," Frollo said. "It is time that we unite as a people and confront the Council about their atrocities. Let all of us show them that we will no longer stand for their despotic reign!"
The townspeople gathered around the four of them shouted approval in response.
"We shall show them our resolve!"
"Let us march!"
"Now is the time for action!"
"I will lead the way for all of us," Frollo announced, stepping forward commandingly, and then turning to Mytho. "Prince of Kinkan, will you join us against the Council?"
"Yes, I shall rally by your side," Mytho replied with a solemn nod. "I will not sit by and watch idly while innocent townspeople are caught up in a power struggle of selfish noblemen."
o-o-o-o-o
Thus, through the formerly lifeless streets of Ginkan marched a determined crowd of people that grew with rich and poor alike as bystanders joined the cause, led by a man in a black archbishop's robes and a young man wearing on his head a golden crown, with royal indigo garments adorned with white feathers.
Sensing that something didn't feel quite right somehow, Mytho glanced up at the buildings around them. Lined up on the roofs along their path were rows and rows of crows, sitting there staring down at the steadfast procession to the Ginkan Council Hall in almost complete silence. Mytho frowned, gripping the handle of his sword cautiously, but they made no movements from their perches above, as if they were merely the patient audience of an opera about to begin its performance.
The prince's attention was drawn away when the crowd's movement of the crowd slowed, and their march came to a pause while the townspeople whispered uneasily amongst themselves. Frollo stopped for a moment, spotting something ahead.
Mytho looked forward as well, and just in front of the Council Hall, he saw a regiment of Ginkan guards barricading the entrance to the building, blocking their path. They were armed with swords, spears and shields, ready to strike any who came near.
"Let us pass!" someone in the crowd shouted.
"Or else let the Council come forward and explain why the crows have been attacking us! Prove to us they're not the ones behind it!" screamed another, and at this the crowd murmured angrily in agreement.
The soldiers bristled, both angered by and fearful of the mass of people in front of them.
Astride on horseback, the captain of the city guard rode to the front of the soldiers and with his hand on handle of his sword, he shouted, "Go back to your homes! Have all of you lost your minds? Do you all want to be arrested for instigating a rebellion?"
"A rebellion? We just want answers!" accused a young man from the crowd. "But instead of facing us like men, the Council has sent its dogs out to keep us from setting foot in the Town Hall!"
"Stand aside, dogs of the city council! Stand aside!" the rest of the crowd cried out, rallying and growing bolder by the minute as their righteous anger swelled in their voices.
Seeing the crowd's agitation mounting, the grim-faced soldiers tightened their grips on their weapons, and the captain's horse paced nervously in front of the clamoring mob.
Mytho stepped forward, readying his sword to defend the procession from the soldiers, but Frollo placed a calm hand on the prince's shoulder.
He looked up at the archbishop, and gazing down at the young man, Frollo declared faithfully to everyone around him, "Calm yourselves, everyone, and have no fear. For we must not forget this: 'let he who is without sin cast the first stone'."
And in so saying, he continued marching forward directly toward the soldiers, unarmed and defenseless, but still unwavering in his path toward the Ginkan Hall.
Inspired by the archbishop's words, the townspeople's fear abated and they began to peacefully carry on with their march. Mytho followed the archbishop, allowing his sword to disappear from his hands, deciding he wouldn't need it.
The Ginkan guards looked taken aback at the actions of the crowd approaching them, led by the Ginkan archbishop alongside the miraculous savior, unsure of what to do next. The front soldiers turned to the captain on horseback in the center of them for guidance as to the proper course of action.
The captain grimaced, gripping his bridle tighter with apprehension. Then, one of his hands let go of his horse's reins and began to lift up, about to give an order to his men.
Seeing their captain shift his hand, the guards tensed and prepared to advance on their oncoming intruders. The captain's hand opened, and then he swung his arm backwards, away from the front.
"Hold your positions. Let them through."
The soldiers glanced at each other in bewilderment, but their orders were clear.
So when Frollo, Mytho and the crowd of people walked up to the line of soldiers, they went through it, past the front line and through and between the ranks of soldiers, like water flowing through a sieve, until they all had passed through the wall of guards onto the Council grounds beyond.
o-o-o-o-o
As the Council Hall doors creaked open, the procession spilled into the lobby, clamoring to finally be heard.
"Come out, you corrupt Council members!"
"Answer to your crimes!"
"You can't hide from the people of Ginkan anymore!"
Somewhere above the lobby, a door opened, and a person hurried down the staircase toward the crowd below. "What's going on? What has happened?!"
Mytho's eyes widened as he recognized the one coming down as Duncan, who was clutching his monocle over his eye, lest it be jostled off in his haste.
Frollo stepped forward authoritatively. "Councilman Duncan, you will pardon our sudden intrusion, but we have urgent grievances to discuss with the Council."
"Yes, I… can see that," Duncan said while glancing at the crowd, a little overwhelmed. "What may I do for you, Ginkan citizens?"
The townspeople erupted into a cacophony of accusations.
"—dare you pretend to serve us when—"
"—using the demon crows to terrorize—"
"—as if a gypsy and a clergyman were all the same—"
Grimacing at the verbal chaos behind him, Frollo lifted up his arm vehemently. "Silence!"
The crowd did as they were commanded and fell silent, looking to the archbishop for the next righteous course of action.
"There are many grievances of the people that should ultimately be addressed, but we should start with the incidents that have broken the camel's back," Frollo said, turning to face Duncan. "What, dare I say, no one could have ignored just now, was the dark monstrosity that this valiant young prince struck down with his magic and blade?"
"Heavens yes, I saw that," Duncan said, nodding with worry. "What a fright it had given me! At first I had wondered if a sudden storm had come in, but when I saw those giant blood-red eyes…" He looked at Mytho, a smile melting the worry off his face. "So you were the one who came to our rescue, Prince Siegfried? How lucky we are that you were here to save us in our time of need."
"I am happy to be of assistance to anyone in need," Mytho said. "However, you know that I have been here for a time before this occurrence. This was not an isolated incident, and I have had my suspicions as to its roots."
Duncan frowned soberly. "I have thought about what you had said when you had come to the Hall not too long ago. There indeed seem to be uncanny connections with the crow attacks on the town, and not only were they strangely targeted, but the fact that they were all done under my nose made me think that I was somehow not meant to know about them."
"There is another transgression that has occurred that has further led me to believe foul play is at hand," Frollo said, his eyes becoming severe. "Right before the attack by that monster raven, the friar Tuck was arrested by the Ginkan guard, by orders of the Council."
Duncan started, absolutely astounded. "What!? Friar Tuck was arrested, on our orders?! Why would we do such a thing? I can tell you for certain, I had no part in any such order!"
"Then would you know how to find out who did?" Frollo asked pointedly.
The old nobleman sighed. "Unfortunately, and this was also thanks to the doubts the young prince had voiced at our meeting the other day… I already have a good guess as to who it might be."
Duncan asked a servant to seek out Councilman Macbeth, and by leaving out the fact of who exactly was calling for his presence, it wasn't until Macbeth was at the head of the staircase accompanied by a few Ginkan guards that he realized that the hall's lobby was packed with protesters to his regime.
"What's the meaning of this?!" the bearded man exclaimed indignantly, storming down the stairs. "Why is this load of rabble crammed in here? I thought the guards in front—"
"Head Councilman Macbeth, this rabble questions the acts done on your watch," Frollo said crossly. "Just one of which is the very recent order to apprehend one of my clergymen, which Councilman Duncan says he was not involved with. Was it by your word, then, Macbeth?"
Though being stared down by the imposing, austere archbishop in black was by no means a comfortable position, Macbeth crossed his arms defiantly and replied with his head held high, "Yes, it was, your Grace."
"Then answer me this: why did you order such a thing?" Frollo said, glowering at him.
"The soldiers told you the reason when you were there, did they not?" Macbeth said, furrowing a brow. "It's because it was discovered that gypsies—"
"Since when did chasing down vermin take such priority for the Council that it would entail breaking and entering onto holy ground to do so?" Frollo said, his voice raising a little.
Behind Mytho, Emma stood next to Komaro at the front fringes of the crowd. Upon hearing Frollo speak of "vermin", the aged gypsy woman tensed up, but made no response.
"They… they were plotting against us!" Macbeth exclaimed nervously. "They were threatening to depose the Council! And look, the crows swarmed not too soon afterward, so that proves that the gypsies are the cause of the attacks—"
"We had nothing to do with the ravens," Emma finally broke in with as sharp a tone as her weary voice would allow. "Just as often, we gypsies were innocent bystanders in the attacks. Unlike the noblemen, however, we were forced into hiding because we were considered crooks and vagrants by the same people we lived among. We were hardly a threat to anyone; instead, the town was a threat to us!"
"That just goes to show that your people had a motive!" Macbeth said, pointing at her accusingly. "You felt threatened by us, so your people decided to plot to take us down! Why else were the crows always found to be targeting other noblemen, eh?"
"Surely there was a motive, Head Councilman," Frollo said, "but you place it on the wrong party. As this gypsy woman has said, their people have no power to exert on anyone, much less the noblemen taking charge of this town. No, the one who would have most to benefit from the attacks is none other than the Council itself!"
Whispers reverberated through the entry hall.
"H-how is that supposed to make sense?" Macbeth cried out, becoming anxious again. "Why would a nobleman order attacks on other noblemen? That would be… betraying his own kind!"
"Yes, that's exactly so," Frollo said crisply. "Macbeth, you are a nobleman, but you are supposedly a special nobleman, are you not? Not just any nobleman, but the Head member of the Council. And you wanted to keep it that way, didn't you?"
By now the rest of the council had made their ways down to the lobby to see what the commotion was about. Hearing this, the other nobles on the council looked at each other and whispered hushed words while Macbeth said nothing, but from his expression he was clearly furious at the accusation.
Duncan looked long at Macbeth, his graying brows furrowed together. Much as Duncan wanted to defend Macbeth from the anger of the crowd, he could not help but remember the times when Macbeth had pushed through decisions despite opposition from the rest of the council, how those who opposed him were in time conveniently removed from their posts. So it is true, then: Macbeth had been using us all as pawns in some great game of his.
The elderly nobleman let out a heavy sigh and said, "It shames me to say so, but I was oblivious to the machinations of our lead member, despite being on the Council myself. That the other members were slowly taken out of commission if they opposed Macbeth too strongly…" He shook his head. "I feel I must have been a fool to not have seen it all along."
"He fooled all of us, Duncan," another nobleman said from the crowd. "He convinced us all along that he was after our best interests, even as he was looking out only for himself."
"So now you're calling me a traitor?!" Macbeth yelled. "This kind of talk is treason!"
"I have heard enough!" Frollo said decisively. "It is clear now what must be done for the good of the people of Ginkan. I, Archbishop Frollo, deem the Council no longer fit to rule the city. Henceforth, it shall be disbanded and all its authority thereby dissolved."
The townspeople standing behind Frollo applauded heartily in turn.
Duncan nodded solemnly, stepping down from the stairs and onto the same floor the crowd stood on. "I respectfully relinquish my position. If I am not observant enough to be aware of when and by whom the town is in danger, then I am not currently suited to preside over this town."
"Always the wise, reasonable one Duncan has been," a noblewoman remarked upon Duncan's spoken resignation. Alongside the noblewoman, the pocket of other noblemen that had formed in one section of the crowd accepted Duncan back into their ranks without hesitation.
"What?! How can you just take away my authority like that?! Are you the one in charge of this town, archbishop?" Macbeth shouted, beside himself with fury.
Frollo crossed his arms. "As there are no longer appropriate figures of authority in power, I shall need to stand in charge while we rebuild the town into a brighter, more blessed place."
"So you're just taking ov—" Macbeth was about to say before he was cut off by enthusiastic cheers from the rest of the crowd.
"I think that would be a fair course of action," Duncan said with an approving nod, "seeing as his Grace was the one to bring us all together to combat the injustices that Ginkan has suffered."
"Well, unlike my feeble colleague, I on the other hand won't stand for this!" Macbeth exclaimed defiantly. "I'm not just going to take this farce sitting down. Guards!" he bellowed to the soldiers standing at his sides. "Escort these trespassers out of the premises immediately!"
The Ginkan soldiers looked at the crowd of people, then at the archbishop, and then at each other with puzzlement.
Frollo folded his hands calmly. "Soldiers, he no longer has authority to give you orders. I suggest that you escort him to his personal quarters, where he might take the time to ponder his lot before he retrieves his effects and returns to his private residence."
The soldiers glanced at Macbeth, who replied petulantly, "I most certainly will not be led away like some common criminal!"
Frollo sighed. "Take him by the arms if you must. It seems it will take him some time to get used to this new arrangement."
And with that, the soldiers took Macbeth by the arms and almost dragged him out of the room, as the irate nobleman shouted every step of the way as to the injustice of his circumstance.
"Three cheers for the new interim leader of Ginkan, his Grace Archbishop Frollo!" a townsman exclaimed jubilantly.
"Wait… is this all there will be to the matter?" Emma broke in, frowning. "Archbishop Frollo, with all the wrongs my people have endured, will you prioritize the welfare of all of the citizens of this town, regardless of their social standing?"
"Gypsy woman, you seem to be implying that I, as the head of the church, would differentiate our treatment of the people of Ginkan unfairly," Frollo said, looking at Emma disapprovingly. "All of us are God's children, and as the servants of God, we are duty-bound to watch over all as we would our own children. That would include the wealthiest of noblemen to the poorest of vagrants."
Mytho turned toward Emma with a reassuring smile on his face. "I believe he can be trusted, Emma-san. I think he truly wishes the best for everyone in this town, so there is no need to worry."
Emma pursed her lips, still uncertain, but had no ready response. Standing beside her, Komaro gazed at the woman, seeming also to harbor doubts, but like her also said nothing.
o-o-o-o-o
The revolution thus completed, the crowds began to dissipate and life in Ginkan slowly returned to normal. Frollo ordered the release of all prisoners of conscience, including Friar Tuck, who was shocked to see Frollo march into the dungeon and personally order the guards to release him.
While Frollo began making arrangements as the new leader of the city, Mytho finally was able to take the break in action to make a call to Kinkan and let Rue know that all was well. Though Rue wanted to know details of the dramatic events that had transpired that he would be calling directly from the Ginkan Council Hall, with his presence in the town now widely known in public, when Mytho asked Rue if she would rather he tell her in person, she immediately expressed her preference to ask more questions later, if he would only hurry home as fast as he was able.
After coordinating a rough estimate as to when he would arrive in Kinkan and at which gate (this part with Komaro's assistance), Mytho concluded the call and prepared to leave without delay.
As he approached the main doorway of the Council Hall, about to make his leave, Emma approached him, having apparently been waiting for him to exit the building.
"Good evening, Emma-san," Mytho greeted her as Komaro simultaneously nodded respectfully in the gypsy's direction.
"Are you returning home to Kinkan now?" Emma asked him. "I wanted to ask you a favor before you left, so I was waiting here…"
"We will be leaving soon, but I would be happy to do anything in my power for you before I return," Mytho said with a generous smile.
"Please, if there is any possible way…" Emma asked, clasping her hands together pleadingly. "Take me with you. If Trutho is there waiting in Kinkan, alive and well, then I…" Her expression grew wistful. "I have not seen him for many years. Even if I am not the same person he knew, I want to see him again, and let him know that I still care for him, even if I cannot do much for him anymore, crippled as I am."
"It would be very difficult for you to do so on your own, would it not, with your trouble walking?" Komaro said sympathetically. "Sire, what do you think…?"
"Of course you may come along with us," Mytho said without hesitation. "I think my brother would be delighted to see an old friend again."
A rare bright smile appeared on Emma's face. "Thank you very much, your Majesty! This means so much to me."
After they had returned to the inn and collected their remaining effects, the three of them finally set off for Kinkan.
As they left the gates of Ginkan behind them, the crows perched on the town wall watched them vigilantly.
o-o-o-o-o
Long after the school bells had rung, thereby liberating most students from classes for the day, Autor continued playing the piano in the music practice room, belting out his discontentment into the thundering, complicated melody.
Could he really do nothing for those he cared about? Did all of his work mean nothing in the face of indelible destiny? Was his fate to be merely a helpless bystander, regardless of his efforts to change the outcome?
Unable to find an answer these questions that he could either accept or believe, Autor danced his fingers fervidly onward onto the piano's keys, crowding out the feelings of frustration with the intensity of the music.
Having left the window open to let in fresh air, the music drifted outside, barely audible to any who passed by the front gates of Kinkan Academy…
Hardly taking note of the music from afar, Caras gazed intently upon the shard that he had obtained earlier that day as he walked by the front gates of the academy.
So this is Contempt, he thought as his eyes narrowed. I thought this had been the remaining shard, seeing as how it had come from the other town. But now I sense that there is at least one more, somewhere in Kinkan… then, where could it be? My crows have been ever watchful, but as dispersed as they are to avoid suspicion, I can only gain a vague sense of their presence, much less their exact locations.
He stopped in his path, gritting his teeth as he recalled the fact that had jostled him out of his prior complacency. The crows from Ginkan have told me that the Prince is now on his way back to this town, and he will arrive in less than a day. I had been able to seek the shards without disruption thus far by keeping a low profile and looking for them quietly. But if he returns, I doubt there is any way I could even show myself in public without him being made aware of my actions. And wretched hero that he is, once he knows of my intentions, the Prince would never let me continue my search unimpeded…
He gripped the shard tighter in his hand. The emotions that emanated from it resonated with his own, and drew out feelings of contempt… for himself.
You fight a hopeless battle, Caras heard his own words in his mind. Take but a glance in the mirror and you will witness your ultimate fate. You, who might have once been the mighty monster Raven, are now reduced to scrambling for the scattered pieces of your great power. Time is against you; surely you realize this. Inevitably, no matter how much you resist it, you will succumb to the pathetic nature of your own skin. You will lose all that defines you, and degenerate into one of the beings that you loathe most of all…
"…No," Caras muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing to crimson slits. "No!"
While I might be in a pitiful state, I am not powerless. Unlike the prince, I am able to do something about my circumstance, and not depend on another to gather the shards I need to restore myself fully. I retain some of my powers, even if it is but a fraction of its former glory. It even is strengthened somewhat by what shards I have managed to collect. Sooner or later, I will find the last one, and…
Then, as the crows congregated around him and cawed louder, he realized something, and he smirked. But, why must it be later? The only reason I have been so cautious with my search up until now is to keep from drawing undue attention to myself. However, if the Prince will come soon, and it matters not how carefully I tread that he will find me… then there is no more need for secrets.
I won't hold back anymore; I will find the last shard no matter where it is hidden. If I cannot conceal my presence from him, then instead, if he wants to stop me… he will have to fight me, just as before!
The crows that had gathered around him suddenly all took flight, and he was surrounded by a flurry of dark feathers. Before he vanished out of sight, the last sight of him was a pitch black shadow, lit only by a pair of sinister glowing red eyes.
Next episode preview
As Mytho, Fakir, Rue, and Ahiru look into the distance from the town's gate, crows swarm above Kinkan Academy.
(Fakir's voice) "What's going on?! The crows haven't acted this boldly before!"
On the Kinkan Academy campus, amidst a storm of crows, Caras and Sagi confront each other, with Sagi clutching something in a handkerchief.
(Caras's voice) "So—this time, it's you."
(Sagi's voice) "Why do you want something that could only make you suffer? What would you gain?"
Mytho, clad in his princely robe of midnight blue, clashes with Caras, who is clothed in a black feathery outfit that feigned the prince's garb. The clangs of their swords striking one another echoes through the square outside the Kinkan cathedral.
(Emma's voice) "Sometimes, the hardest thing for people to do is to realize they're fighting a battle that cannot be won."
As their swords crashed together, the two stand face to face, seeing their own reflections in the other's blade.
(Mytho's voice) "No… it couldn't be…!"
(Caras's voice) "It is I, Prince!"
Princess Tutu
~Kapitel des Vogel~
33. AKT "Faust"
~ Faust ~
All children who love stories, come gather round once more! Heheheheheh…
Extra notes:
The title "A Tale of Two Cities" is a reference to the Charles Dickens novel of the same name that takes place during the French Revolution, in which there are two characters, Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton, who look very similar to one another, and to free one from an unjust punishment, the other takes his place.
Much of the music used in this episode is composed by Giuseppe Verdi, an Italian composer well known for his opera music. Besides a few key pieces from the opera "Macbeth", which is named as this episode's music theme, the overture of "I vespri siciliani" was used in a crucial segment of the episode. "I vespri siciliani" is an opera based on a historical event called the Sicilian Vespers of 1282, in which a successful rebellion broke out on Easter against the rule of the French king Charles I, and the royal government lost control of the island as a result. Though not listed in this episode, "La Traviata" is an opera he also composed, and its overtures are used for many of Emma's scenes. In a way, Verdi's works comprise much of the musical inspiration for the Ginkan Town plotlines.
(based on information in articles on Wikipedia)
32. AKT Music List
(the time ranges listed show what part of the track is used in the scene, based either on the tracks of the original soundtrack or the source classical music; you can also listen to or download the music used in each episode at this link here: hidden-currents DOT org SLASH cotb_ost DOT htm)
"Avant Title"
Played after the first sentence during the prologue, and stops right before the title.
The mysterious music used in each episode's prologue during the series; a foreboding version of "March" from the Nutcracker.
"Morning Grace (TV vrs.)"
Played at the title screen; imagine opening sequence here.
(Artist: Ritsuko Okazaki) The opening of Princess Tutu; shortened version played in the show.
"Ballet Music from 'Macbeth'"
Played when Kamome confronts Caras over her locket.
(from "Macbeth" opera, composed by Verdi) A lively, exciting song full of action and drama.
"Songs without Words op. 19: no. 2 'Regrets' – Andante espressivo"
Played during the scene with Rue and Autor in the library.
(composed by Mendelssohn) A quiet yet conflicted and distressed piano song.
"Rondo alla Turca (Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major)"
Played when Trutho dances, reminiscing about the gypsy dances in Ginkan.
(composed by Mozart) An energetic, yet somewhat forlorn and lonely dancing piano melody.
"Arabian Dance"
Played when Fakir visits Takako.
(from "The Nutcracker") A slow, enigmatic song. Could be thought of as Takako's theme.
"I vespri siciliani: Overture"
Played at the start of when Macbeth converses with the Raven Sisters; continues when they converse among themselves, Tuck is arrested, and Emma visits Mytho and Komaro again (until 2:28); then, when the fake Raven attacks (until 3:28); then, when the Ginkan townspeople march upon the Ginkan Council Hall and face the line of soldiers (until end).
(from "I vespri siciliani" opera, composed by Verdi) A stirring, heroic piece that evokes patriotic imagery and resolve.
"Macbeth: Overture"
Played when Macbeth enters the Council Hall entranceway and his confrontation with Frollo ensues.
(from "Macbeth" opera, composed by Verdi) A song of deviousness and deceit, with an undertone of hostility and menace.
"Moonlight Sonata, 3rd movement 'Presto agitato'"
Played by Autor in the last scene with Caras ruminating over his situation.
(composed by Beethoven) An intense, powerful piano piece, full of desperate fortitude. Could be thought of as Caras's 3rd theme (three in all, including all three movements of the Moonlight Sonata).
"Though My Love is Small (TV vrs.)"
Played at the end of the episode; imagine ending sequence here.
(Artist: Ritsuko Okazaki) The ending of Princess Tutu; shortened version played in the show.
"Faust Ballet: 'Danse de Phryné'"
This is played for the next episode preview.
(from "Faust" opera, composed by Gounod) A passionate, chaotic piece with a frenetic pace and unrelenting forcefulness.
