voice;

[finisaeternam]

[There is a shuffling sound, like someone restlessly pacing back and forth in a patch of grass. Then a cold, demanding voice speaks.]

We have been here for weeks now.

What have you lot learned about this world?

Comments

voice

[finisaeternam]

It sounds like the only difference between our worlds is that mine is more honest.

Re: voice

[baldrshand]

Oh? So all of your rulers act with clear vision and good intentions all of the time? They never call honest advice "treason" and behead the giver? No one ever spins up evidence of a crime to plant on a rival so the king will do the work of eliminating them? No one ever makes a mistake that can never be undone? What a lucky people you must be.

voice

[finisaeternam]

Oh, that all happens. But we do not delude ourselves into thinking someone will decide our crimes aren't worth a severe punishment.

Re: voice

[baldrshand]

And at what point does a crime count as worthy of death, for you?

voice

[finisaeternam]

Any act of defiance is worthy of death.

voice

[baldrshand]

Ah. So you'd prefer tyranny.

That never lasts, you know.

voice

[finisaeternam]

[A long-suffering sigh.]

...Indeed.

Known many tyrants, have you?

[To him it's just a word with empty meaning. Growing up he's never known anything other than tyrants, what other type of ruler was there?]

voice

[baldrshand]

Yes. [It comes out rather flatly.] One I saw with my own eyes. He killed his father to seat himself on the throne, and then he tore his own country to pieces within a year and died.

But my homeland has it not so far back in its history, too--an empire ruled by men who made their pact with a dark god and slaughtered anyone who tried to rise against them--it took divine intervention for him to be thrown down, ultimately.