Regina had had a terrible day. When she sensed another slight stir in the psychic link and Tor attempting to get her attention, she braced herself for another piece of bad news to cap her horrible day off. To her surprise, it was actually good news.
Janis had woken up. She was still weak and Iseis recomnded keeping her in the base for now, and Tor agreed. In addition to the magical environnt, it was isolated. Relocating her to the capital was bound to co with additional stress, even if Janis might like to be closer to her friends and family. Regina would just have to wait a little longer to see her personally.
Also, there had been other reasons for Tor to feel slightly hesitant and anxious. For once, Janis had reported a weird psychic dream(?) that honestly left Regina scratching her head. She had apparently talked to Leian, among other things, and gotten so information. Regina knew enough not to dismiss it out of hand, but she really wasn’t sure about anything else.
She really wished Madris was still here so she could ask her. Incidents like this reminded her that, for all her power, Regina had only been getting started on advanced subjects in her eduction in this field. She simply lacked experience, evidently.
At least, whatever it was, Janis seed to have completed her soul-magic induced dream quest (or sothing) successfully. She was lucid and well enough to ask after other people and to make jokes, according to what Tor shared with her. Unfortunately, the curse (and possibly the healing) had left other scars. Janis also reported trouble with spellcasting.
Regina hoped it would sort itself out with ti; there was little else she could do.
There were other aspects of the situation she had to worry about, too. Finally, more detail about the situation had leaked to the public, and the newspapers were having a field day. Thankfully not literally; while there were apparently pilgrims coming to Leian’s temple, it was still rather obscure, and the old Hivekind base was hidden. But that just left people without a clear place to direct their emotions.
The anger was fine. In a sense, Regina was thankful at the upswelling of resentnt and anger at the Western Confederation; it could be useful if it wasn’t too out of control. The anxiety she sensed in so people when she went out was much harder for her to stomach. It made sense, of course — If the Imperial crown princess could be seriously hurt, how safe were any of them? It was probably natural to worry about that question. The incident was a reminder of the power of their opposition.
It led to more scheduled public appearances as Regina tried to assuage their concerns. Unfortunately, she didn’t really have any good options regarding a concrete plan to address what had happened, which didn’t help.
And then in today’s open court session, she had been approached by a delegation of people in weird clothes that were probably supposed to be priestly vestnts (all, for so reason, wearing glasses despite clearly not needing corrected eyesight) who had asked for … her sanction. Or sothing. Her blessing, clearly; Regina just wasn’t entirely sure about how literal or taphorical it was (though she had a feeling it was probably both).
Regina had tried to be diplomatic, assured them she was honored, and so on; and then she’d briefly blanketed them in her mana while focusing on their minds and diving into their surface, in lieu of a ‘blessing’. That might have been a mistake. I was probably too focused on at least doing right by soone and making at least one group happy today, she reflected grimly.
With her luck, they were probably collecting funds to build a giant statue of her in thanks or sothing.
Still, at least this Imperial cult was a nice problem to have, in the sense that she could probably count on them to support her, politically.
It was late, but Regina found it hard to find sleep. She’d had a long day and just when she’d tried to wind down, news about Janis had co, firing her mind up again. With a sigh, she stretched slightly, popping the cricks in her neck, and got out of bed.
Her bedroom was dark, but she hadn’t closed the blinds entirely and enough light spilled in to see. There were guards posted outside, not close enough to disturb her privacy, and she could sense their alert but calm minds. The decorations around the room looked different in the dark, and they were already eclectic. Her bed was large enough to sprawl out in, with soft and inviting sheets, but it was warm enough to get by with shorts and an open-back shirt, so she didn’t feel the need to huddle under the covers. Instead, Regina padded to the desk set against the other wall. It was less crowded than the one in her main office, mostly holding a stack of books, and whichever folders and files she’d brought along this day.
And a half-finished docunt today, with a few pens scattered carelessly to the side. Regina had been trying to write a new will, but it was difficult. For now, she put it aside and cast Spark for more light before looking through the drawers.
Finally, she found what she’d been looking for; a report on the state of organized religion in the Empire, which she’d already read twice despite receiving it only the day before yesterday. Sighing, Regina settled into her second, backless desk chair, spreading out her wings and rotating her shoulders to get rid of the lingering stiffness. Then she looked at the report again, paging through it.
Most people in the Empire still considered themselves, even loosely, adherents of the gods; what she’d co to call, privately at least, Havenite paganism. The word ‘paganism’ might imply they were ‘wrong’ to believe in them when the gods very much existed, but she couldn’t think of a better term. And Regina had no illusions about changing their religion quickly or easily; it had been entrenched here for centuries, even if people in the Empire tended to be comparatively more secular than most of their neighbors, and that wouldn’t be broken so easily.
It was why she hadn’t openly banned worship of the gods — just their temples, a thin but important line. That would probably have backfired. In her own rhetoric, she had focused, probably unfairly, more on the ‘corrupt’ temples and enemy leaders using them than on attacking the gods themselves. So far, there was also the ‘release valve’ of worshiping Alianais, and technically Leian, and to so degree Benerron; Alianais had been popular anyway.
No, it was more important to focus on secularization. Teaching another ‘ideology’, teaching the importance of critical thinking, the scientific thod, and liberal values. She’d tried her best to do that and she’d had so success.
But nature abhors a vacuum, Regina thought, her eyes slowly sliding down the last pages and paragraphs.
Being honest with herself, she had hoped that her teachings would fill that vacuum. Not just hers, but a general ‘revitalization’, a new enlightennt. And to so degree, this had indeed materialized. Discussing philosophy was quite en vogue among the court and officials and even the nobility, books and newspapers were spreading more of it, and it was trickling down into the general population. The middle class, which was still small but growing, was really getting into it. New books on topics of liberty, universal ethics, materialist philosophy, the role of the state, or even the value of art or culture were being printed and spread almost daily. (Though, the books about dashing adventurer-archaeologists and the secrets of the Progenitors were probably still more popular; surprise surprise.) Anti-religious sentints had never been higher.
Maybe it wasn’t enough; maybe religious thought (and religious superstition) was just too hard to dig out, or maybe these things just fed into each other. Regardless, new faiths were spreading rapidly, covering lost ground. New cults and sects, too.
Regina understood that it was hard to get a proper grip on them, and the report she had was barely enough, given how easily they tended to schism. It would probably take years if not decades until they properly stabilized and you had sothing of a ‘proper’ settled landscape of religions and denominations.
The most ‘neutral’ and unsurprising phenonon was an upsurge in the worship of minor spirits and gods, the kind that had been a widespread elent of folk belief already. So of it was crystallizing now. It was still very regional. Occasionally, it was even combined with the second type; attempts to revive pre-Cataclysm religions. Most of them had very limited information to work with, so the results looked quite different. Unsurprisingly, Christianity was the most popular of these religions; there were several cults that claid to be inheritors of the Church from before. Regina suspected so Delvers were involved, or others who had found materials from before the Cataclysm, since their information wasn’t actually that wrong, overall. It still wasn’t really a unified church, but it might be heading in that direction. And then there was the last trend.
It was, at baseline … a form of ancestor worship, she supposed. At least it was easier to understand that way. So people placed more emphasis on this elent than others. Regardless, revering the Ancients or Progenitors was very much trending right now. So of it was relatively harmless, and much of it secular, like with those books or new art or fashion. And so of it was religious.
Regina had mixed feelings about the whole thing.
She had especially mixed feelings about the role she herself played in their belief.
There wasn’t really a clear delineation between the people who just worshiped the Ancients, and those who consciously included and centered her (or more than that). That was sothing the report underlined and had been a bit of an unpleasant discovery for her. It was hard to see exactly how the people following this new faith or faiths conceived of her role, especially since so much was still in flux.
Regardless, there was a … not insignificant minority that considered her holy, a divine being of so sort. So of them prayed to her; built shrines; offered sacrifices. And their number was, if anything, growing rapidly.
(It would be child’s play to make them grow even more by promoting this faith in her own nation. A dark, grasping and ruthless part of her, the kind she was ashad of, was tempted.)
They were currently allowed to do as they pleased. After all, the Central European Empire was supposed to practice religious tolerance and allow all faiths so long as they weren’t actively harmful. A stance that had suffered under her decrees to ban the gods’ churches, but you could argue about the ‘harmful’ part. Regardless, there wasn’t much she could do even if she wanted to. And frankly, trying to police them wouldn’t be worth it.
Regina put aside the report for a mont and pulled out another sheet of paper. She tugged on her mandibles, then filled out the pre-printed form in quick strokes. She signed at the end, laying it aside. The Imperial internal intelligence agency was not as developed as she’d like, since they had focused a lot on external threats, for obvious reasons; but they should have enough capacity to keep an eye on these new faiths.
She closed her eyes and focused on the psychic link. Even this late, it was still humming with subdued activity. Many drones were asleep, but not all of them. Regina quickly scanned to the link, then paused when she ca to a familiar mind.
Mia was still up. Looking more closely, she seed to have been in the workshop and was only now coming back to the main area of the central base.
Tentatively, Regina reached out to her. Hey, Mia. You should get more sleep.
Pot, et kettle, she replied. She slowed down, though, and Regina could sense faint concern. Couldn’t sleep?
No, she admitted. What have you been working on?
Perfecting the last steps to make the new containers, Mia answered. I know it’s probably not going to be ready in ti, but I worry about Tim and his fighters. Better storage for explosives so they don’t go up if the shed they’re in is hit with sothing would be useful.
Regina nodded slowly. Tim was still fighting the Esen at the eastern border of the Empire. Right now, it wasn’t as much of a atgrinder as it had been, since there was a bit of a lull in the fighting. The Esen seed to have finally exhausted their capacities, sowhat. It wouldn’t last long. She knew he wanted to start pushing them back.
I’m sure it will be useful, but don’t hyperfocus on it, she said. They will manage with or without the upgrades, and you need to make sure you’re in good form for the rest of the war, too.
Yes, Mother. I will. But what about you? Janis is fine, I’d think that would help you sleep, so what’s up?
I’m worrying about her a little, but also about the situation, Regina answered after a mont. The way these new faiths are spreading … well, it’s good for us, but I’m not sure I like it.
She sensed Mia pause. Then she continued, entering one of the communal sleeping areas. I don’t really see the problem. She smiled. Are you sure you’re not just upset because they’re venerating the ‘Progenitors’ and you personally?
I think I would have reason to be upset about that.
Well, I think you might be worrying too much, Mia said, curling around Adi, but not closing her eyes yet. The way I see it, this is not too different from what’s already happening, anyway. You’re a powerful figure, but distant to most people, even if your actions can have massive impacts on their lives. What really distinguishes you from Alianais or Deirianon in that way? If a town wants to ask for extra help or a tax cut or whatever, well, if they build a new shrine and just so happen to ntion it in their letter … it probably just makes sense to them.
Gee, thanks for that comparison, Regina said sarcastically. She ran a hand through her hair. I’m not sure that makes feel better, even if it is a good insight, so thanks for that. At least it explained a few things about a letter or two she had received …
People have always wanted to understand and control the uncontrollable world around them a little, Mia said, entirely serious and still wide awake. Even in your own past. I’m not saying that ethics or judgnt in the afterlife aren’t important, but for most people, they will try to propitiate the gods to ensure a good harvest or stave off disaster. Whether that god is Thor or Benerron. And like I said, from that perspective a shrine to the spirit of the Imperial sovereign makes as much sense as anything.
True, Regina answered contemplatively. I guess that’s fair. It still feels like that’s not how it should work. Or, it feels like appropriating a position, like claiming a title that doesn’t really fit, or sothing.
Mia smirked a little, inwardly. Why, because that’s sothing entirely new to you, empress of the Romans?
Regina grinned. Touché. But that is different. I an really, I’m just following tradition.
Tradition? Mia turned over. She was still smiling faintly.
Of course. Got to claim I’m really the Roman emperor or that my nation is the new Ro, you know. That’s practically a requirent for a powerful European monarch.
Oh of course, we can’t flaunt tradition. Though I’m not sure that’s the sort of traditional stuff that’s most useful to adopt, or to tell people about. Maybe a few other legends and stuff, Mia mused, Give people a connection to the past? Like, what’s his face, king Arthur’s mythos in your mother’s holand, didn’t you say that was kind of foundational for their culture? There must be sothing you can stand for?
Well, I don’t believe Friedrich Barbarossa is sleeping under a mountain to rise in our hour of need, Regina said drily.
That’s his loss, Mia joked back. But I’m sure you can think of sothing, even if it’s obviously just stories.
Regina sighed. She suspected Mia was just trying to distract her, but it wasn’t really a bad suggestion. I’ll see what I can do. And it would be hypocritical if I don’t let you sleep, so let’s stop here. Sleep well, Mia.
You too, my Queen.
Regina stood up slowly, stretching her wings and then folding them. She should see if she had so storybooks among the texts they’d rescued or replicated with Galatea’s help … Tomorrow. She really did need to sleep.
At least she didn’t lay awake too long this ti. She dread of rushing water and a knight slaying a dragon.
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