Siesta was in high spirits as she led the assembled group through the streets of Tristania, leading them to the western edge of the Merchant quarters. It had been awhile since she had visited her uncle, but not so long that she couldn't find her way through the city towards his inn. It had taken a bit of convincing to get the three nobles to go to the inn first, but she had pointed out that her uncle was a willing source of information, and it wouldn't take long to check what he knew.
In the meantime though, said nobles behind her were discussing what they were going to do afterwards. "I'm telling you, the 'Skiver' gang in the western part of the city obviously must be the ones responsible." Louise insisted. "Out of the ones the captain presented us, they are clearly most violent and deranged. Who else would be mad enough to aid in an attack on the princess?"
Kirche was not convinced however. "Did it ever occur to you that perhaps they didn't know what the weapons would be used for? Not to mention the fact that they have never dealt with weapons before. No, clearly the most likely contender is the one lead by the man who goes by Stone. Not only have they smuggled weapons before, but this Stone character sounds just like the mysterious and decisive sort who would be willing into plot of the assassination of a princess!"
For her part, Tabitha was remaining quite, her head buried in her book. Siesta didn't have much to add to the conversation either. Not that she wouldn't help, mind, but the maid could safely say that she didn't have much experience when it came to violent gangs and the like. Not unless you counted all of the novels she had read over the years. There were plenty of plots involving intrigue and murder and dashing heroes uncovering conspiracies (they were also the reason the country girl even knew how fire arms worked). Still, it was exciting! Her first real adventure, to find the truth behind an assassination plot! And she got to be a part of it because...
Well, to be honest she entirely sure why Lady Zerbst has decided to bring her along, though she had her suspicions. And all of them revolved around that man that appeared in all of their lives a little over a month ago. Almost everything that had happened since then seemed to involve Georgius, and they had been pulled along with him. Not that Siesta was complaining as, well... She hid a small blush behind her hand as she thought of the two of them talking about how he wanted a farm someday. She knew that perhaps her feelings towards him were perhaps just a girlish infatuation, but how could she not feel as she did for the brave and noble knight?
She certainly wasn't the only one if her impression of Lady Zerbst was correct, though that made it more confusing as to why the noble would bring her along. Well, the red head certainly seemed to go out of her way to spend time with her 'rival' Lady Vallière, so maybe this was something similar. If so, Siesta could work with that. Her novels had prepared her for that sort of thing too.
There was a lull in the argument behind her, and fortuitously it was the same moment that they arrived at their destination. "Ah! We're here!" Siesta announced, just loudly enough to interrupt the two before they could start arguing again. The building of the Charming Fairies was a large if mundane looking structure, with two stories of windows facing out towards the street. She was a little surprised at how quiet it was though. She saw why a moment later when she saw a 'closed' sign on the front door. Odd, even though it's still early afternoon, the inn has always been a popular spot no matter what time of day, she thought to herself. Maybe recent events have caused a lack in patronage.
Regardless, the door was oddly unlocked, so she pushed her way inside. After all, even if he wasn't having customers, her uncle wouldn't turn her away. A sure enough, the numerous tables scattered around the common room were empty. "Uncle Scarron! It's Siesta!" She called out as she walked farther into the inn, rounding the partition which blocked the her view of the rest of the common room and the stage which some of the staff performed on. "I've brought a few… friends, and we need to talk to you about-"
Whatever she was about to say next died one her lips as she rounded the corner and laid eyes on her uncle. The man was much as she remembered him from the last time she had seen him, a large, well-muscled man with dark hair and a thin mustache with goatee. While some might have questioned the small belly revealing shirt and brief shorts he wore, anyone who knew him would quickly focus on his flamboyant and over bearing personality.
However, at the moment he was neither of these things, as he was currently up on the stage with a knife held to his throat, the man holding it standing behind him gripping his shoulders tightly. There were four other men at that end of the common room as well, every one of them fitting a description of some kind of rouge, a motley group that ranged from large to thin, young to old. "Well now, what's this?" One of the closer one's said, a slim man in a dark cloak and oily brown hair. The smile he gave her sent shivers down Siesta's spine as he started to advance on her. "You never said you had such a pretty little niece, you old bugger. And what a pretty little thing she is." His smile started to show teeth. "Think we'll put her with the girls upstairs before taking her with us."
"Siesta! Run!" Scarron yelled at her.
Siesta managed to pull back a few stepped before something blurred into view from behind her, and a moment later there was a sudden drop in temperature and the man's lower half was completely encased in ice. Tabitha's face remained emotionally as she stared down the thugs in front of her.
"Shit! Mages!" One towards the back yelled, right before he pulled out a pistol and leveled at the blue haired girl. Tabitha made a quick mutter and gestured with her staff, and a wall of ice sprung up between them just before the gun fired. Siesta saw cracks form in the ice in front of her, but the wall held. She heard shouting from the other side of the wall, and Louise and Kirche rushed forward to stand next to Tabitha. The blue haired girl glanced at the other two before she gestured with her staff, and the ice wall shattered.
When she got sight on them again, Siesta saw everyone burst into motion. The greasy one frantically hammered at the ice encasing him to free himself, while the largest among them jumped off the stage and charged at the women, the brute hefting a large club. Siesta let out a scream and jumped to the side just before Tabitha flicked out her staff again, and shackles of ice formed around the large man's legs causing him to trip and fall. Kirche leveled her wand at two of the other brigands and launched a small burst of fire in their direction. They both tried to dodge out of the way, but one was more successful than the other, the slower of the two having his pants ignited as he tried to roll out of the way.
The young man that managed to dodge it completely stumbled to his feet a short distance away, using a table to steady himself with one hand while pulling a dagger with his other. He rounded the table to get back into the fray, but drew up short when he nearly ran into Louise, as the girl had moved to reposition herself. The young mage started and, out of pure reflex, she leveled her wand at him and shouted in panicked surprise. "Repel!" There was a loud bang and burst of light, and Louise was thrown onto her backside. The thug however was propelled back with such force that he flew through the air, clipping a table which sent him spinning before he slammed into the opposite wall upside down. He hung there for a moment before he collapsed to the ground with a thump.
Louise sat motionless on the floor, her eyes flicking between the now unconscious thug and her own wand. "That… worked?" she asked herself.
"Yes, and we're all glad you're finally pulling your weight, but if you don't mind helping a little more…?" Kirche called out as she pursued her target across the room with several small steams of flame, the otherwise plain man dodging and rolling furiously to put out the flames that already covered him. He managed to grab a stein off a table before flipping it for cover, and with a splash he put out most of the flames covering him (lucky for the man it was merely beer and not something stronger). A second later he climbed out of cover and his hand dived into his coat pulling out a second pistol.
However, Kirche was ready for this, and with a flick of her wand and a sharp word the gunpowder in the pistol ignited while the thug was still in the middle of his draw. The weapon thundered as the bullet slammed into the floorboards and the man let out a curse. "Fuck it, I was not paid for this!" He shouted, before he simply hurled the empty gun at Kirche's head. She yelled in surprise at the unexpected tactic and flinched, bringing her arms up to protect her face just as the gun struck her. It put her off balance long enough for the man to rush her and bowl her over.
Though the red head was knocked to the ground, the man did not attack and instead continued past her, heading for the front door. Tabitha attempted to stop him with a blast of ice, but the hulking brute managed to recover and lunge at her from the ground, forcing her to skip away and throwing off her aim. Ice sailed past the fleeing thug and he disappeared through the door and out of sight.
The man holding Scarron remained where he was, but his demeanor became panicked as the situation started to spiral out of his control. "S-Stop or I'll kill him!" He shouted as he looked at the mages. "We have someone waiting upstairs with the serving girls too. I give the word and he starts chopping them to-"
That was as far as he got, for in that moment his attention was turned away from Scarron. The much larger man reached up and grabbed the arm holding the blade to his throat, a thin line of red appearing on his neck before he wrenched it away. The thug screamed as there was a sickening snap, and Scarron threw him roughly against nearby wall. The man tried to pick himself up a little before the inn owner grabbed his head and slammed it into the wall again and again. "You! Do not! Threaten! My! Girls!" Each word was punctuated with the thug's head being slammed into the wall with a crunch, until finally Scarron let go and the man collapsed into a heap and growing puddle of blood at his feet.
The man breathed heavily for a few moments before he stood up straight just in time to get knocked by the larger thug barreling into him, the man screaming in rage as the two sprawled onto the ground. "Please! Get Jessica!" the innkeeper shouted as the two punched and clawed at each other. "They tied her up in the kitchen! Save her!"
Siesta felt her breath catch in her throat at that. Her cousin! She quickly scanned the room, and to her horror she saw the one with greasy hair dart thorough the door leading to the kitchen, trailing shards of ice from his now broken prison. She didn't hesitate, not when her cousin's life was on the line. Siesta bolted across the room after dodging behind Louise as the smaller girl let loose another small blast, somewhat gracelessly vaulting over a table before she made it to the doorway.
She ran down the hallway to the kitchen, and on entering it didn't take long to find what she was looking for. The long kitchen had a row of sinks on one side and several sacks of food goods on the other, a long table taking up the middle. At the other end of the room was Jessica, her serving clothes torn and long dark hair in disarray, bound and gagged on the floor as she struggled to free herself. And in front of her was the greasy one, trying to get a hold of her so that he'd have a hostage of his own. Siesta burst forward, snatching a frying pan of the counter as she ran at him screaming. He had just enough time to turn around in surprise before the iron cooking utensil smashed into the side of his head and sent him sprawling.
Siesta knelt and tried frantically to undo her cousin's bonds, but she only got halfway through the knot before she heard a growl from behind her, and a pair of rough hands grabbed her and threw her back sending her sprawling across the floor. Before she could get her bearings the man fell on her, his face a bloody snarling visage as he pinned her to the ground and his hands wrapped around her throat. Terror surged through Siesta as she choked, her arms flailing as she tried to hit her assailant. But she was too weak, whatever feeble blows she could land the man simply ignored in his rage.
As the crushing pressure increased on her throat and darkness started to creep into her vision, Siesta had a realization: she was going to die. She was going to die! Terror gripped her being as something deep and primal welled up inside of her. This isn't supposed to happen! I don't want to die! No! NO!
Then as her head rolled, she saw something within the open folds of his cloak. The handle of a pistol, holstered at his side. There was no time left to think, the raw need to survive overriding all else. With desperate burst of strength, her hand lashed out, grabbed the pistol, and jammed it underneath his chin.
There was a flash and a deafening noise. Siesta felt something warm splatter against her face before the man collapsed on top of her. She convulsed as the grip loosened, coughing and gasping for air as she tried to get her senses back. After several long seconds she finally found the strength to push the bo- man off of her, stumbling to her feet. She looked around the room until she spotted Jessica. It looked like she was saying something, but Siesta's ears heard nothing but some ringing noise. She blinked in confusion for a second before she absently reached up to wipe her face. When she pulled back her hand she saw-
Siesta shook her head and stumbled forward before kneeing in front of her cousin. She could only use one hand with the pistol still grasped in the other, so it was awkward going to undo the rest of the knot. She got it eventually though, and by the time she did her hearing had started to come back. She heard Jessica asking if she was alright. "I'm fine, I'm fine." She muttered as the last of the ropes came loose.
She got back to her feet and walked over to the counter. She stopped and just... breathed. She focused on breathing. That was all she had to do. After a few moments she started as she felt something touch her, and turned to see Jessica looking at her worried. "I'm fine." She said reflexively. She eyes traced downward to see her cousin's hand wrapped around her own, still gripping the pistol. Jessica tried to get her to drop it, but Siesta couldn't. Eventually Jessica managed to pry her fingers and the gun clattered to counter.
The two stared at each other for a long moment before Jessica moved in and wrapped Siesta in a hug. Siesta didn't get it though.
She was... fine.
"Oh, this is horrible. Horrible!" Scarron said as he sat on the stage his head buried in his hands. Though the man had been somewhere between panicked and engaged a short while earlier, he had calmed down considerably. It helped that the supposed man with girls upstairs had legged it out a widow himself when he saw one of his compatriots bolting down the street. The serving girls themselves had been a bit roughed up, but apparently the brigands didn't have the time to do anything… worse.
In fact, A few of the more resilient girls had gotten over their personal ordeal and were setting about fixing up the place as best they could, righting furniture and sweeping up debris. Some of the damage was beyond them to repair, but Louise did have to admire their diligence. Even if their outfits of bright frilly maid clothes were far too scantly clad for her liking. Even as she watched them she was slightly uneasy as she wondered just what kind of establishment this really was.
"I put so much effort into turning this place into a friendly safe place for everyone and those horrible men had just had to go and ruin it!" The man continued in a very effeminate (and quite frankly terrible) Gallian accent. "Oh, if this gets out there won't be any more cute girls coming here anymore! I knew I should have gone and told someone about this sooner!"
Of course, that wasn't the only thing throwing Louise off. During the fight the man had been, well, angry and brutal, and not unreasonably so. He had managed to wrestle the larger one in to a hold around and neck, and then there was a loud crack. Needless to say the man was not going to get up again nor was his first captor, if the pinkish blood dripping out of his ears was any indication. Louise felt her bile rise as she accidentally glanced over at the body but she forced it down as she shook her head. Her mother would be disappointed if she letter herself get rattled by a few bodies.
In any case, after the fight, when Scarron was making sure that his daughter and niece were alright, he was calm and quiet (Louise still wasn't certain what had happened involving the maid and that last thug, but judging by the gun shot it wasn't pleasant). But now that he knew that everyone was safe he was... less than masculine. To be honest, the whole situation threw her off so much all she could think to say was "Err, sorry?"
"Oh no no! You don't need to be sorry!" The man insisted as he waved her off. "Truly, thank you noble ones for gracing my establishment when you did! Oh, I will give you all sorts of special treatment as thanks!"
The man started to babble about food and drinks, and Louise started to get uncomfortable when he started to mention that he had outfits that he thought would fit Louise perfectly. Luckily, she was rescued when a voice broke in. "So, if I may be so bold to ask, just who were those gentlemen?" Kirche asked, finally getting the conversation back on track. "You said something about needing to tell someone something?"
Scarron hesitated for a moment, clearly not wanting to speak on the matter. While she knew that this whole fiasco was possibly unrelated to their mission, Louise could not let the opportunity slip by if there was even a chance this was the info the Knight Captain was looking for. She drew herself up to her full height (ignoring that he was still taller than her while sitting on that stage) and said "We are on an important mission to gather information for the Crown. It's your duty as a citizen of Tristain to tell us everything you know!"
Kirche's mouth twitched and she leaned towards Louise and whispered. "It's probably also our duty not to talk about our covert mission." Louise felt her face redden a bit at that, but she remained staring intently at the man in front of her, unwilling to show any indecision.
Besides which, it had actually seemed to work, as Scarron perked up. "Mission for the Crown you say? Hmm, and you are with Siesta…" a frown crossed his face before he let out a breath.
"Alright, I suppose I can trust you. Those men work for a man named Stone, he's one of the bigger players when it comes to crime in this city."
"Told you so." Kirche said with a smirk.
"Doesn't prove anything yet." Louise bit out before she turned her attention back to Scarron. "What can you tell us about this Stone?"
"A nasty piece of work, that one." The man said with a shake of his head. "He's had control of his gang for about two years now, and in that time he's become the biggest dealer in contraband in the city, not to mention a few nearby towns. Mostly he deals with drugs and stolen goods, though he also has a number of bookies and loan sharks under his thumb."
"He also deals in weapons, if I am correct." Kirche remarked.
Scarron's mouth twisted. "I had thought it was merely daggers and swords, but those pistols proved otherwise. I mean, blades are one thing, but firearms? Stone is ruthless and unrelenting (part of how he got his name), but he's also practical. He has to know that the Crown wouldn't stand for letting a gang run around with firearms in the capital city. He's always known not to draw too much attention from the authorities before, so something must have changed, something that made him think it was worth the risk dealing with such illegal goods." The innkeeper looked to the side in thought. "Perhaps he thought to make a final push and take out his rivals? But where is his source…?"
Louise frowned at this. "Just how do you know all this?" She questioned, before he tone turned suspicious. "I find it dubious that a man like yourself could acquire this knowledge without doing something illicit."
"My Lady, you wound me!" Scarron said as he theatrically put a hand to his chest. "I am no criminal, and I assure you that I don't do any-"
"Information broker." Tabitha said softly from a short distance away, still not bothering to look up from her book.
Scarron turned to Tabitha and started to protest, but she glanced up at him and her gaze stopped him cold. He stalled for a moment before he gave the blue haired girl a sour look. "Has anyone told you that you talk too much?" She of course didn't respond as she looked back down at her book, and he let out a sigh.
"What are you taking about?" Louise asked in confusion.
"Perfect establishment for it." Tabitha said as she flipped a page. "Friendly environment, alcohol, the foolish persona. Serving girls are likely prostitutes." As she said that Louise noticed one of the nearby girls sweeping the floor, a pretty blonde thing a little younger than herself, flinch at this, and she clenched the handle of the broom tightly as she shook a little.
Scarron noticed it as well, and his eyes suddenly narrowed at Tabitha. "My dear girl," he said, his tone suddenly much colder than it had been a second ago. "Savoir or not, if you upset one of my girls again, you'll find just how easily I can put aside things like rank and title."
Tabitha looked back up at him again, and this time he held her cool gaze with a steely one of his own. The two looked at each for a long moment before the mage gave a small nod. "Former." She muttered to herself before she looked back down.
"Wait, she's right?" Kirche asked in surprise.
The man shrugged helplessly as he started to relax. "It was… something that fell into my lap over the years. This inn, part of the reason I reason I made it was to give a place for the girls, you know? There's too many in this city with no place to go, forced into a bad place, forced to do…" he trailed of and made a gesture. "So, I made the Charming Fairies Inn, a place of fairy tales where cute girls could be safe from all that nastiness out there, a way out." His expression turned morose. "Though I can only save so many…"
He quickly shook it off and refocused. "In any case, most of the girls know how to talk to men, how to listen to them, especially when they've had a few drinks. And my dears, nothing will loosen a man's tongue like the combination of drinks and pretty girls. Bragging about a windfall merchant contract, complaints about a political rival spreading rumors, all sorts of things. When the girls started bringing it to my attention I tried to ignore it at first, but… in the beginning it was hard making ends meet, keep the more unsavory groups in the city away from my staff. So I made some deals."
He leaned back and smiled. "And once I got started, I found I had a talent for it. Things became easier at the inn, and I was able to take on more staff. It may not be 'proper', but…" he trailed off glancing at a pair of his serving girls who were chatting nervously as they glanced at the assembled mages. "I'll take this over proper any day."
Louise scowled at that. Part of her wanted to chastise him for participating in such a skivvy business, but even ignoring his supposed reasons she was forced to admit her family had use people like him in the past. Information on other houses was always useful in the Great Game of politics, and the Vallières knew the value of proper information. Instead she said "That is all well and good, but what about Stone?" She had still yet to hear anything of use.
"About a week ago one of the girls was severing a minor noble, who had many a glass of his favorite wine. He let it slip that he knew that the princess would be in dire trouble with Germania soon. This was before the new of her infidelity broke."
Louise stood up straight at that. "What?! How is that possible?"
"Something I was wondering myself, so I treated him to some VIP service the next time he showed up to see if he would reveal his source. After many drinks and some light correction, he revealed that he worked as an solicitor in the Ministry of Finance, and that he had overhead a discussion between one of his bosses and a 'shady individual' that certain damning information was going to be revealed about the princess, and that something even bigger was to follow. Something that would change the politic of the whole nation."
Kirche frowned at that. "But, that's practically a warning about the assassination attempt. Why wasn't the princess warned?"
Louise on the other hand had already realized why, and a deep burning anger welled up inside of her. "Because whoever was being told that is a traitor…" she hissed out.
"Really? How can you be sure?" Kirche ask, her eyebrow raised.
"Think about it, the Ministry of Finance is responsible for trade, both with other nations and inside the capital city. If a smuggling ring wanted to get things in and out of the city easily they could try bribing a few guards… or if they were more ambitious, getting themselves a corrupt noble who had control over said guards. For something as big as firearms, it would have to be someone high ranking in the ministry."
The red head started to nod in understanding. "Someone who would stand to gain from the princess's death. And the smugglers gain easier access to more valuable goods in exchange."
"Unprofessional." The two turned to look at Tabitha, who was looking over the pistol dropped by the one who fled. "Should have gotten rid of these when the assassination failed. Too conspicuous."
Louise grunted, but turned back to Scarron as she brought the topic back to the person at hand. "So, who is this stooge you talked to and where can I find him?"
Scarron shook his head, and she knew what he was going to say before he said it. "His name was Clarence Wilhelm, but it won't do you much good. He was found dead yesterday. I spent a few favors to find out who did the deed, and Stone was the answer. No doubt the noble was tortured and told of his loose tongue in my establishment in the process. I was about to approach the city guard with what I knew, but his goons caught up with me before I could." Kirche shot him a questioning glance and he sat up straight. "I may work in a grey area my dear, but I can't stand the idea of someone trying to harm our lovely princess."
Louise made an annoyed sound. "I guess they aren't completely incompetent. They know when they need to clean up their messes."
The innkeeper nodded. "I was certain that they going to do the same to me shortly before you arrived. They were just trying to find out how much I knew first."
"Well, that means for now that our best lead is Stone, and I don't suppose that you happen to know where we can find him?" Kirche said, her question directed at Scarron.
The man shook his head. "No, I try to avoid as much contact with his sort as possible. And even if I did, I certainly don't think that he would care to talk to nobles such as yourselves."
The redhead sighed. "Well, that leaves us with one option then." She said as she turned her head towards the tied up body they had pushed into the corner. The youthful thug was still out cold, the only member of the gang left that hadn't fled or was killed in the fight. "The boy is bound to know something about where his boss might be found, and I am sure that I can be… persuasive enough to get him to tell me." She said, her finger toying with her neckline a little.
"Oh my!" Scarron said as he put his hand to his face. "While it warms my heart to see a girl like yourself so comfortable with her own body, I'm not sure such a thing would work on an… uncultured sort like him. Not unless you were willing to go all the way." He waved his hands. "But, we are getting ahead of ourselves. The boy needs to be awake first, yes? I shall take care of that."
Before anyone could say anything else, Scarron wandered over to the tied up thug and grabbed him, dragging him back to the others. He stopped when the boy was at their feet and Scarron looked at him for a long moment. The he bent over and slapped him several times in the face. "Wake up, dammit!"
That woke him up. The boy blinked a few times before he stared up at the lot of them and grasped his situation. Unfortunately, though he needed no prompt to start speaking, what came out of his mouth was a completely unintelligible mix of syllables and sounds. Given the volume and viciousness in which he said it though, everyone could at least tell that what he was saying wasn't pleasant.
"What even is this?" Kirche asked in confusion. "It sounds like a bastardized mix Tristain and Germanian with a few bits of nonsense thrown in as well."
"Ah, that would be Eastern Street slang." Scarron clarified. "Bit of a jumbled mess of every language that has ever passed through this city, favored and cultivated by a number of the less cultured that live here. It's possible that it's the only thing he knows." The man shifted awkwardly. "I… could see if any of my girls knows enough to translate-"
"No need." Louise said, standing up straighter. "I can handle this." Before anyone could question her, she flicked out her wand and started to chant. She paid no mind to how Kirche and Tabitha had started to back away from her, or to the innkeeper's curious stare. She focused only on the words of her spell and the feel of her magic rising in her. And as she finished, she realized that she was feeling an emotion that she had never felt casting a spell before: confidence. "Translate."
"-and after I'm done pissing on your corpses I'll get my dog to piss on them too!" The boy's words suddenly flowed from nonsense into something understandable mid-rant for better or worse.
Louise turned back to the other two mages, a smug smile on her face as she looked at their stunned expressions. "Why so surprised? It's almost like you expected it to explode or something." She said before looking back at the thug, a vicious grin forming on her face. "That said, I'm sure something suitably damaging can be arranged if you don't tell us what we want to know."
The young man intended to insult her some more, but found that as he looked at the sadistic fury behind those pink eyes, all he could do was gulp.
"…and so, Brimir cast his final spell, using his own life force to power it." Cardinal Mazarin said, his oft spoken tale winding down to a close. "Forevermore empowering mankind's magic and binding it to the will of God, so that his mages can enact his will on Earth."
The priest had to admit, when the man before him had asked for a sermon, he had expected that he would grow tired of it quickly. However, Georgius had listened very intently throughout the whole thing. Sure, he had spent the time to dress himself, but otherwise he had been silent. And he continued to be silent several long moments after Mazarin had finished speaking, his weight shifting as he sat on his hospital bed in thought. Mazarin sat back in his chair in turn, waiting for the man to sort out his thoughts.
When he spoke though, it was not what he expected. "And what role does your church play in this?"
Mazarin raised an eyebrow, but he answered "We act as agents of god's and Brimir's will. Though all mages bear the divine gift of magic, one still must dedicate themselves to Founderism fully if they wish to understand and help others understand. We are that guiding light, for both nobles and commoners."
"So, you are a mage yourself?" The man asked.
The priest nodded. "Just so, as is much of the clergy. Which is not to say that a commoner cannot dedicate themselves to God if they wished," he said quickly. "But they could only become friars or nuns. After all, it is only though the touch magic that true salvation can be found."
Georgius's mouth twisted at that. "And why is that? What is it about your magic that makes it so valued?"
"It... is magic." He replied, feeling strange for having to explain it. "Wait, let me back up for a moment. At the beginning of my tale I said that humanity was almost helpless in the face of the world we lived in before Brimir showed us the way. To elaborate further, this world belonged to monsters."
Georgius blinked at that. "What do you mean?"
"Orcs, goblins, rampant behemoths, magical beasts of massive power, elves, and an empire of demons." The priest said solemnly. "These are but some of the things that plagued the world in the past, when the land was wild and untamed. It was said that even the animals were more vicious and primal back then. Humankind would have surly been wiped out if not for our mages, even before Brimir enlightened them."
"That… does sound difficult." The other man said after a long pause. "Does this empire of demons still exist? I would have thought I'd have heard of it by now."
Mazarin shook his head. "No, praise Brimir, though it is not surprising that you have not heard of it. The empire was so wicked and bent on our destruction that Brimir annihilated it from existence, and we have removed all trace of them ever since, lest they creep back into our world. Talking about it is… discouraged to say the least." He gestured. "But I digress. My point is that once Brimir showed mages what they were truly capable of, we realized the responsibly we had to make sure that humanity not just survived but thrived."
He opened his arms in front of him. "We mages pushed back against the dark, against the monsters. We lead our people to a better life where they didn't have to roam as barbarians. With Earth we grow food for everyone and build cities. Water frees us from sickness and pestilence. Wind carries us across this great land. And Fire scourges all that threatens humanity." He let out a breath as he settled down. "Of course, the world is much calmer now than it used to be. A testament to both the efforts of man over millennia and of Brimir himself while he was alive."
"Did Brimir really kill that many monsters?" Georgius asked in curiosity.
"I said he annihilated an empire, did I not?" The priest remarked. "Though it is not just that. He performed a number of rituals and spells during his time to seal off and weaken other sources of magic, the wild and primal powers that were used by the inhuman. A pity that he was not able to take away the elves' power as well." A hint of bitterness crept into his tone at that last comment.
The knight was silent for a long moment before he said "Regardless, like you said the world is much safer now than it used to be. Is mage rule strictly necessary anymore?"
"Oh my, you best not let any nobles hear you say that or they might throw a fit." Mazarin replied, though he said it with good natured cheer. "Even putting aside nobility, a look at society shows that it functions best when those that wield magic are in control. Does not a lord know what is best for his land? And does not a mage understand his magic better than a non-mage? Therefore, to truly use magic to its fullest potential it must be wielded with authority and certainty. And those that lead are always tasked with both being educated and (more importantly) learning responsibly, which is necessary for the proper use of magic."
Georgius hummed at that before he replied "That… is actually an interesting point." He leaned back on the bed and looked to the side in thought. "Mages in my homeland were most often not a part of society, and as such many felt they were beholden to none but themselves. If they were trained from an early age to have such a sense of responsibility… And I suppose changing the civil power structure after so many years, and in such a way that won't destroy much of what you've created, must be a monumental task." He looked back at the priest. "That said, from what I've heard the Germanians seem to be managing with non-mage nobles."
The priest couldn't help but snort at that. "If you consider a barely unified mess of thirty or so small kingdoms ruled by a barbarous Kaiser 'managing', then sure. I tell you, such bought for 'nobility' is not just arrogant in the face of God, but it causes far too many people thinking that they deserve to be in charge. And it's not like those little kings of theirs don't in-fight enough as it is."
The other man was about to respond before he caught himself. "I am sorry, we are getting off topic. For now, I will take your word for the more… practical aspects we discussed. But by your very words, you have admitted that there is more to magical rule than just the practical."
"Ah, yes." Mazarin said. "You see, magic is not like more mundane forms of power, because with the power to shape the world comes the essence of nobility."
"And what do you consider to be nobility?"
Mazarin blinked at that before responding "Well, obviously it belongs to one of noble blood-"
"No, I mean beyond the physical." Georgius interrupted. "What does 'nobility' mean? What values does it uphold? Why is it not something that anyone can have?"
"Ah," The priest said. "It is the proper way of acting and carrying out one's life, the exemplary form of human existence. As I said before, magic is the grace of God, and from it do the best qualities of man flow. Without magic, a man can never be as just, as virtuous, as... well, noble as he could with it." He gave a small smile. "Do not despair though, for there will always be mages to lead the common folk."
"I have met several mages thus far I would not want leading anyone." He remarked flatly. "And many commoners who are among the most noble I've had the pleasure of meeting."
The priest had to keep from sighing. "Not disparage your own experiences, but few are willing to admit that those they know and care about aren't perfectly virtuous. Some commoners may seem capable on their own, but in the end they will fall to sin and barbarity without the guiding hand of magic." He gave a small gesture. "I will admit there are nobles that stray from their noblesse oblige, but these individual failures are corrected by their more virtuous brethren. After all, wouldn't those truly noble refuse to stand for improper conduct amid their own?"
The knight did not give up however. "The nation I came from did not have mages rule. They were barely a part of society at all, and civilization managed to remain civilized."
"Really? No mages were noble? How dreadful." Mazarin said, and he meant it. He knew that Georgius was foreign, but he didn't know that his homeland was that bad. It sounded even worse than Germania. "Oh, I am sure it seemed perfect to you, it was all you knew after all. But give it time here and you will see that I am right. The magic of the Founder will make it obvious that the hierarchy of civilization is its greatest virtue."
Georgius's brow furrowed, and he opened his mouth to speak, but he closed it after a moment and continued to consider things. Mazarin could tell that something was bothering him greatly, but wasn't sure what exactly it was. It was clear he was focused on the magic aspect of Founderism, likely due to his own misconceptions about his curse. The priest had hoped that this perception could have been easily corrected, but if his 'resistance' had proven as useful in the past as he claimed, then it was no surprise that he was still struggling with what he had been told. The priest was imaging that the poor man was trying to come up with an argument to counter this.
He wasn't quite expecting what he said next though. "Can I tell you a story?" Cardinal Mazarin blinked in surprise, but he nodded and Georgius continued. "A long time ago, God saw that his people needed guidance, and he sent them his own son..."
What followed was an... interesting tale to say the least. He spoke a man who was the son of God, who performed miracles and preached the unity of man. Who gained followers, but in the end was executed for his teachings and defiance of those who ruled. Who rose again to give his followers faith so that they could continue his teachings forevermore, before returning to his Father's side in heaven.
It was also very heretical if Mazarin was forced to admit it. As blessed as he was Brimir never claimed to be God's son, and the man described was clearly not the Founder. Still, considering the quiet conviction with which the man told his tale, the priest felt a sinking sensation in his gut as he started to realize something.
Cardinal Mazarin was no stranger to discussing theology, particularly with those whose faith had waned. He did not look down on these people, for life could be hard and cruel, and it wasn't fair to expect everyone to handle it gracefully. However, it was clear that a lack of faith or damaged faith was not the issue. There was no deep seated anger or regret of a man who had experience loss or tragedy or anything like that.
Georgius had faith. It was just wasn't in Founderism.
"Do you see what I am trying to say?" The man asked as he wrapped up his story.
"I… am not sure I do." Mazarin said cautiously, wondering what (if anything) he should do about this. It certainly wasn't crime not to worship Brimir (they put up with their cousins in Germania after all), but that came with the general understanding that that those who found other sources of faith kept to themselves and didn't stir up trouble. So what kind of man was Georgius?
"My point is that Jesus Christ preached love and forgiveness, and that all men are equal before God." Georgius said. "The very idea that God would hold someone with magic in favor over someone who doesn't is blasphemy. It doesn't matter if your nobles are mages, but they are not entitled to that rule simply because they are mages."
Oh dear Lord he's a Protestant, Cardinal Mazarin thought in horror. Or if he's not, he's close enough to one. This could cause so many problems if it got out that the hero of the princess was... "That… is a very dangerous view to have." He said carefully. "You mean well, but you can't possibly say that a carpenter has the same moral quality as a king. And I know that such equality sounds appealing, but going against the hierarchy of magic will invite nothing ruin and despair."
Strangely, Georgius smiled at that. "Trust me, I am familiar with such hardship. The path I walk is not easy, but I will do it for my faith. God may have given us different origins, different advantages, different blood. But he gave us all the same souls." His expression grew determined. "Now, I ask of you, will you at least consider what I have told you? Will you accept that all men are equal before God?"
Cardinal Mazarin was silent for a very long time. Eventually, he finally said in a very quiet voice "No one from the Church will accept that. Including me."
Georgius sighed, but he did not look surprised. "I am sorry to hear that. For what it is worth, thank you for speaking with me on this. If nothing else, it has convinced me of what I must do."
The knight started to rise, but the priest grabbed his hand. "If you go down this path, you will be choosing death." He said, almost pleading with him.
Georgius smiled again. "If I must. Though I am hoping it will end differently this time around." Mazarin tilted his head in confusion before Georgius changed the subject. "Now, can you tell me where I can find my armor and weapon? I feel bare without them." He gestured to his plain robe.
"Ah," Mazarin hesitated for a moment before he regained his wits. "I believe Captain Agnès is in possession of them."
"Well, I was going to have to see her anyway. Farewell Cardinal Mazarin." The knight said, and with that he turned and left the infirmary.
The priest stayed where he was in his chair, worry filling him as his thoughts turned inward. He knew that Georgius's 'faith' would be dangerously enticing to the common folk, and could easily lead them astray from the proper path, and he had no doubt in his mind that the knight wanted to spread it. Worse of all, he seemed to be a genuinely good man who believed in what he was saying. That alone might be enough for people to listen to him.
The priest wrestled with his own thoughts till he lost track of time, trying to figure out the best way to handle the situation. By the time he resigned himself to bringing it up to his fellow priests, a voice snapped him out of his brooding. "Cardinal? Is everything alright?"
Mazarin gave a start as he turned in his chair, and was surprised to find a man standing next to him. The priest did not recognize him, but the windcloak draped across his shoulders and sword wand at his hip marked him as a knight of one of the Orders. "Oh, you gave me a fright. I am afraid that you caught me amid my own thoughts."
The man's expression became one of concern, and his eyes flickered to the empty bed next to him. "I see. I had come here to see the man who was injured in defense of our princess. Was… I too late? Did you administer his last rites?"
Mazarin blinked before he let out a small chuckle and shook his head. "No, no, nothing like that. As a matter of fact, he has made an almost full recovery. He really should stay in bed, but he is a stubborn sort."
The knight brightened at that. "Ah, good! It would have been a tragedy for such a man to have fallen. Especially before I had the chance to meet him!" He said, his tone joking. "There is so little information about man I find that I must know more. If he is not part of an Order already, I would not be surprised for him to be offered one after this." The man paused in consideration before he refocused on Mazarin. "Say, you have spoken with him, have you not? What can you tell me of this mysterious savior?"
Cardinal Mazarin paused for a moment. While he was not exactly part of the loop of the bits of political intrigue around the palace, he was aware that Dame Agnès was trying to keep knowledge Georgius's presence to a minimum. He briefly considered holding his tongue before he decided against it. The knight clearly already knew about him, so any information the priest had would be found out soon enough anyway. "Well, I can tell you that his name is Georgius, and he is one of the most willful men I have ever met. Not loud or forceful, but he has conviction. And belief." His face pulled into a scowl. "Though that belief is misplaced."
The knight tilted his head. "Oh, how so?"
"It… would be best if you asked him about it." Mazarin said after a moment's pause. "It is not my place to say."
"Oh, I can already tell this shall be interesting." The other man said as he stroked his short beard. "Well, I suppose I shall simply have to go hunting for him. Do you know where he was headed?"
"He should be looking for Dame Agnès. If you find her you'll find him." Mazarin said, and knight thank him before turning to leave. Before he did though, Mazarin had a thought and called out. "If he happens to come back, who should I say is looking for him?"
The man turned back to look at the priest, adjusting his wide brim hat with a small smile. "Tell him that Viscount Wardes would like to talk to him."
A/N: Well that took a while didn't it?
I find that I tend to go back to focusing on characters when I don't feel there is enough plot for a chapter and that's kind of what happened here. Hopefully with all that setup and out of the way the ball will roll a bit faster for the next chapter.
Also, I tried to do Scarron's faux-French dialog, but I found it difficult, annoying, and not fitting with what he was saying, so I ditched it.
Here's to hoping it won't take another half year for the next Chapter!