The Discworld Tarot: The Princess of Swords
Another quick drabble. I may do multiple versions of the court cards as they cover a lot of ground and have alternative interpretations. This one represents fire, pride, determination, anger harnessed to a cause, and artistic creativity: it takes time and motivation to complete a sculpture, for instance, and the artist can't get bored and walk away halfway through.
The Mayor of Quirm followed Sam Vimes' gaze across the office. He had the good grace to look shifty.
"Mais oui, mon Duc. But there must always be a Marie-Eclaire. Some things are traditional, vous comprendez?"
Vimes shook his head. The mandatory statuette of the spiritual embodiment of Quirm was, in this case, lacking in the stern haughty grace the role required. Yes, she had the decollétage the role demanded. She had this and to spare. Together with the dishevelled look and the artistically disarranged chemise that really needed to be tucked up a little. Apparently the original Marie-Eclaire had been so intent on storming the Bastille that she hadn't noticed the little wardrobe malfunction. She had had other things on her mind, evidently. But this Marie-Eclaire appeared to be fully aware her chemise had slipped and was conveying the impression she wasn't bothered. Get an eyeful, boys. Her toothy grin made Vimes feel it was following him around the office.
The Mayor adjusted the set of his tricoloured sash of office.
"We are aware we need to audition for a new Marie-Eclaire. Periodically, a woman of outstanding beauty is selected. Une actrice, peut-être, or a beautiful model. We take the point of view that if a likeness is to be disseminated across Quirm, it should be such a one who is easy on the eye, ne c'est pas? "
Vimes nodded. That made sense, to a Quirmian frame of mind.
"And it has now been nearly fifty years since the esteemed Leonard of Quirm sculpted this Marie-Eclaire for us. This is the original, of which we are proud. The model is apparently Marie-Eclaire d'Ogg, a... remarkable beauty... in her day."
"Certainly remarkable." Vimes agreed. The Mayor swelled with civic and national pride.
"Just so, mon Duc. I believe in Ankh-Morpork, you have Morporkia, whose likeness graces the City as its patron spirit? And that your wife, the most gracious and striking Lady Sybil, is the life model? We do things a little differently in Quirm."
Marianne is the embodiment of the national spirit of France. Her likeness, in the form of an idealised revolutionary often with one breast artistically bared (think art and lengths of gauze here), is everywhere, on stamps, on the currency, and as a bust in every civic office. All mayors get one. Periodically the image is refreshed, always with an outstanding beauty, usually an actress or model. Famous Mariannes have included Brigitte Bardot and Catherine Deneuve. The current post-holder is model and actress Laetitia Casta. This certainly beats having a poet laureate...
It occurred to me Quirm should have one. And staid old England, by contrast, has Britannia, depicted as a stern Roman matron of mature years with both breasts emphatically covered – none of that French decadence here, thank you very much. And we know in canon that Morporkia is the local version of Britannia – it can be deduced the life model for Morporkia is, if not Sybil Ramkin, one of her esteemed ancestors. Look at the artwork in Monstrous Regiment.
One edit: Typos eradicated and very minor changes made.