The candidness is appreciated Maisara. It is better you simply state the issue as you see it rather than trying to hint at the problem through another question. The purpose of the aristocracy is the aesthetic, you are correct although the conclusion is extrely reductionist. The aesthetic has its own value, that being of a high and noble elite held to a standard that is greater than the common man’s. Their real job, so of them are smart enough to work out, is to uphold the Empire, to provide the traditions of the Empire, to continually raise the bar of exceptionally, and to spiritually raise the character of mankind as a whole. Priests and Holy Orders were considered, although those are too closely connected with individual Divines. All institutions are loyal to themselves in so manner or another, we cannot idolize an institution such as the Imperial Military, for it is part of the state and has its own aims.
This in turn brings onto the point of neutering the aristocracy. They are superfluous, their values are to be aspired to, to inspire others, and to give dreams. To host festivities in their estates for the local populace, to sponsor local arts, to side-step Imperial administration should the need arise and organise local populace in response to a crisis scenario. During a flood, a landslide, a forest fire, Imperial relief forces may arrive within the day, the local lord or lady are expected to be there within the hour. They already possess power, although it is unofficial and invisible. It is not that I fear giving them house-guards, they are allowed to possess their own security detachnts, it is that mandating house-guards for them would turn their focus away from being local leaders.
But more importantly, the aristocracy exists because all civilizations possess an elite. Whether they wish to or not, eventually, one will naturally appear through whatever values the civilizational naturally rewards. The aristocracy is forced upon the Empire because it serves the purpose of being the filling in a hole that will be filled with soot if it is left empty. Eventually, a natural elite would form and what would it be?
Obviously, the worst case scenario would be a Holy Order becoming the inspirational standard of the Empire, although maybe the Special Imperial Service would be just as terrible. If we can extricate Divinity from such things, then we are left with mundane professions. It is one thing to aspire to be a lawyer, it is another to set lawyers as the standard to which all should be. If not them, then who? Actors? Financiers? Engineers? Teachers? The aristocracy is stripped of all power but prestige, and prestige, they have to compete for.
Lubska is a different nation from Allia, both are different from Rancais. We rule a vast land, consistency is maintained through Imperial Aristocracy. Whereas cities are national, flavoured with the Empire, the aristocracy is Imperial, flavoured with the nation. Every man, woman and child know that should they happen to be lost in another Imperial country, the first place they can head to is the honest, charitable, educated, multilingual and ever-so-noble, local lord.
- Email sent from God Arascus, of Pride, to Goddess Maisara, of Order.
“There there.” Fer said. “All better now?” She patted the grass off Kassandora’s shoulder, the plucked another strand of green from her sister’s crimson hair. Kassandora blinked the tears in her eyes away. She had cried, normally, that would be a cause for distress. Whenever Kassandora was told no though, that was a good thing. Tears ant she was getting the frustration out.
“Shut up.” Kassandora moped about. The two Goddesses looked around the field that was Iliyal’s lawn behind his Rilian manor house. It was as if Fer had unleashed twenty thousand wild hogs onto the grass to tear it up or, in Kassandora’s terms, as if a full division of Imperial soldiers had been told to practice digging trenches. It would probably take days to clean up. “I made a ss.”
“Iliyal won’t complain.” Fer patted Kassandora’s shoulders. Her black coat had been torn in the fight from the sheer rapidity of the movents.
“I know.” Kassandora complained. “That’s the worst part.”
“Well I don’t care whatsoever.” Fer said, she leaned down and planted a kiss on Kassandora’s forehead. There, a kiss always made things better. Kassandora blushed and looked away.
“I’ll…” She fell silent and then shook her head. “Ainai will be fortified then. I’ll run a desert war. It’ll be less efficient though.”
“Super.” Fer said. “Super duper.” There. Now she could baby Kassandora once again now that the trouble was done. Kassandora just sighed and turned to look back at Iliyal’s manor. Fer’s ears bounced as she overheard what Fortia, Kavaa and Maisara were speaking about. Of course, now that one Goddess was made better, another would have to be too. At least Fortia was smart about and handed the job off to Fer.
“I’ll have to talk to Kavaa.”
“I’ll talk to her first.” Fer said and Kassandora let her arms fall loose by her side. She bent her spine forward and groaned.
“This is so fucking embarrassing.” She hissed. “Couldn’t you have just knocked out?” Fer thought about it for a mont. That wouldn’t teach the lesson though, nor would it actually exhaust Kassandora in the sa way that a futile fight would.
“I’m too nice to do sothing like that.” Fer said.
“Then break my arm or sothing at least.”
“But that’s cruel!” Fer complained. Sotis, she did think about it. Kassandora had not really put up much of a fight this ti though, there had been tis when Fer actually had to push. Kassie probably saw no difference, but Fer did. Her sister was in fact maturing, even if she thought she wasn’t, she was. “Is Iliyal’s ho actually insured or not then?”
“Are you still on about that?!” Kassandora hissed. They both looked at the massive hole Fer had made in the side of the wall when she crashed through with Kassandora. An elephant may as well have crash through it or, in Kassandora’s terms, an artillery had hit the building. The wall knocked out to reveal several rooms, most of the windows on the side of the building had been shattered into dust. Iliyal’s guards looked around in confusion, as if unsure on whether to pretend that they saw nothing out of the ordinary or if they were supposed to intervene. Iliyal and the staff officers appeared around the side of the building, the elf was leading them. Fer saw his stone-cold face as he scanned the garden, and then the wall. No emotion whatsoever to his manor being broken open.
“Well I want to know!”
“I don’t think it is.” Kassandora says. “I don’t insure anything, so why would he?”
“You don’t need insurance.” Fer said. “Dad pays for everything.” Knowing that Iliyal would have to pay out of his own pocket was infinitely more satisfying. The high and mighty elf deserved it frankly, everyone needed to be reminded that there was a bigger bear in the forest. It was good for sanity.
“Will he pay for this?” Kassandora said.
“One way or another.” Fer said. “Stick it on your tab, not mine.”
“You made the ss.”
“I’ll ring him then and tell him it’s your fault.” Well, it was. If sweet little Kassie could just accept being told no every now and then, then there would be no need for making a ss. “And I’ll go see to Kavaa now. You can have your girlfriend back when I’m done with her.”
“I…” Kassandora said and shook her head. “No actually, do go. Please. You’ll explain it better than I will. I’ll just cry.”
“I know you will sister. I know you will.” Fer waved the three Divines over to them. “You should work with Forti and Mai.” Fer said.
“Aren’t they your friends.”
“You’d get along mightily with them.” Fer said. “Maisara is your type of person exactly.”
“What is this?” Kassandora said. “You’re arranging my friends now?”
“Only because you need the help.” Fer said. “Don’t worry, she doesn’t bite. She’s a bit silly.” Stupid is how Fer would describe it. Utterly flat and dull and incapable of any thought that was so pure material rationalisation. But that was the sort of person that Kassandora could benefit from being around from. More for contrast, rather than as a teaching aid. “Fortia too, she feels bad you beat her.”
“Has she told you?”
“No.” Fer said. “I can just see it in how she looks when I speak about you.”
“You gossip about to them?”
“I tell everyone you like pretty little kittens and want to prance about in daisies.” Fer replied. She chuckled when Kassandora groaned again. Her sister was so easy to bait. “But yeah, you’ll benefit from Mai, Forti from you.”
“And Maisara benefits from who?”
“From of course.” Fer said. Kassandora groaned again as the three Divines watching from that hole finally decided to move. Maisara simply stepped off and landed in a huge cloud of dust and rubble. The few of the windows that weren’t smashed shattered under the shockwave that the Goddess of made when she impacted onto the ground. Iliyal stared at his building. Kavaa ca second, she didn’t make that much of impact. Fortia, as large as Fer and Maisara, jumped off and landed a short distance away from the building. The floor they had stood on collapsed in a thoroughly underwhelming manner, the planks and stone simply gave out in a slow fall. Iliyal made a death glare at the three Goddesses, then at Fer.
Fer chuckled, ti to get to so more pack-work done. She left Kassandora in the grass and approached the three Goddesses. “Mai, Forti, wait here. Leave Kassie alone for a while, Kavaa, co with .” Her ears caught the sound of grass crunching, she glanced back. Little Kassie was going on a walk, wonderful. Walks always helped clear the mind. Maisara and Fortia both held their position, looked at each, then at Fer.
“Then we’ll just go round the front.” Fortia said.
“Go do your gossiping, I’m not going to swat you for words.” Fer said as she began walking in the other direction, away from Kassandora. Kavaa quickly caught up, the Goddess of Health had her uniform slightly dirtied by the sandstone dust Fer had left behind in her destruction. Iliyal and the other officers simply stood there where they were, the elf had started inspecting his manor. “What do you think Kavaa?”
“What sort of question is that!?” Kavaa snapped. Fer pretended to be looking at the hills and trees in the distance to hide her smile. Annoyed then, annoyed and angry from the tone. What about though? Surely not the fight itself?
“Did you want to sort her out?” Fer asked.
“HOW THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO SORT HER OUT!?” Kavaa threw her arms into the air. Ahhh. Fer’s ears jumped, her tail swished from side to side, she caught up now. Kavaa was mad because she had an impossible job, far out of league.
“You’re not so obviously it’s different.” Fer said. “That is simply how I sort Kassie out.”
“You just brawl with her.” Kavaa said in a dire tone. “I can’t even lift Joyeuse and you just grab the blade in mid-air. What am I supposed to do with that?”
“It’s not about the fight itself.” Fer said. “Normally, Kassie goes for longer than this.”
“Oh great.” Kavaa said. “Is that supposed to make feel better? Normally she’s even worse than this? How fantastic Fer.”
“It ans she’s changing.” Fer said, looking around, she didn’t et Kavaa’s gaze and kept her steps andering and slow. Normally, Kavaa would have take two for each of Fer’s one. “Now what’s the different factor that could have changed her? It can’t be the Empire, we’ve seen that.” The goal was to lead Kavaa to the answer herself. Not to tell her directly. People always liked when they felt they had co to a conclusion by themselves. “It can’t be modern weaponry. In fact, I’m sure it’s not. What is different now, with little Kassandora?”
Kavaa took a few steps in silence and groaned, shaking her head. Above, so birds descended to the field to pick at worms. Fer heard the rustle of foxes and small critters that had scuttled away from the brawl slowly begin to trek back. “You’re going to say it’s .” Kavaa said and Fer pursed her lips. How did Arascus deal with this little Goddess of Health? If she had worked it out, she should be feeling better.
“I would say that’s the cause of the change.” Fer said dryly and trailed off. Fer did another dozen steps, Kavaa two dozen, in silence.
“You could have warned .” Kavaa said dryly. “That this is how it went.”
“This is how I do it.” Fer said. “You’ve seen do it before.”
“Not like this.”
“The first ti we t in this era, before Iniri was even taking by the Jungle, I dropped down and pinned Kassie to the ground. That is how I work. You saw it back then. You were there.”
“That was a joke.” Kavaa said. “Not this.”
“That was simply how I am.” Fer said. “And that is how I solve things.” It was as honest as she could be. There wasn’t much more to it, physicality simply overwheld most Divines. There were only a few like Fer, even Malam got uncomfortable when put up against of Beasthood. Arascus was one of the few that would actually co down to her level and understand the play in playfight. Hopefully Fortia and Maisara would too eventually.
“I cannot solve things like that.” Kavaa said. “And I do not understand why all of you set up for this if this is the thod.”
“It’s not.” Fer said. “This is my thod. Dad has a different one.” Kavaa groaned.
“Do I look like Arascus?”
“No.” Fer said.
Kavaa shook her head. “So it’s you and Arascus that keep her in check. You know she told this once. That you’re good for her, that you just put your foot down and say no?” Fer chuckled.
“That sounds like little Kassie.” Fer said.
“No.” Kavaa said. “Not little Kassie but Kassandora of War.” She grimaced and looked around, turning to look at Kassandora. Of War was standing, back to them, in the distance, staring off into the horizon. “She’s little Kassie to you just as I’m little Kavaa because the amount of Divines that can beat you in a fight, I can count on one hand.” Fer smiled and didn’t respond with the obvious answer: Irinika, Allasaria, Arascus, Olephia, Neneria, Elassa, Anassa, That was six and they all had five fingers last Fer checked. “What exactly am I supposed to do?”
“She values your opinion.” Fer said.
“And she doesn’t value yours?” Kavaa asked sarcastically. “You just flat out told her no and look at what happened.”
“That’s part of the ga.” Fer answered and took a deep breath. She stopped, Kavaa took another step and then stopped next to Of Beasthood. They stared at the fence in the distance. “Do you think Iliyal’s land extends further?”
“How is that relevant to anything right now?” Kavaa asked and shook her head. “I don’t know, ask him? There’s no houses around so it’s probably all his.”
“I’m just scatter-brained.” Fer said quietly. She thought for a mont. Normally, she would not question Arascus but now that she tried to put herself in Kavaa’s position, in that of a little gerbil going up against a wolf, she could sowhat see it. No matter what happened, unless the wolf was already left, the gerbil didn’t really have a chance. A wolf with three legs could probably snap a gerbil right up in one big bite. And her father trusted her with managing the pack. Fer made the call imdiately, there was no point pondering, decisions could be reversed later and no one would be stunned that the Goddess of Beasthood of all people had changed her mind. “Actually, you’re correct.”
Kavaa froze and forgot to breath. Fer watched the reaction and slled the sweet, honey-like sll of awe. What an odd emotion to have right now. Spicy anger, bitter sadness, any of the common emotions she expected. Awe though? What exactly was there to be in awe about? “What?” Kavaa asked.
“You’re correct. We did task you with far too much, you cannot stop Kassie when push cos to shove.” Kavaa turned and looked up at Fer, her grey eyes blinked once, then twice, then welled up with tears.
“Fer.” Kavaa said.
“But you can do sothing else, that only you can do, because Kassie just annoyed when she sees .” Fer said. “I know why, it’s because I’m one of the few people more stubborn than she is and I’m stronger than she is so she can’t resort to standard Divine beating thods to win a point. Arascus is the sa, he is more patient than I am too, and far less indulgent.” Fer caught herself as she was getting off topic, but she was just speaking to give Kavaa words to latch onto. They didn’t seem to help, a tear rolled down her cheek. “What you can do is be there for her when I am done.” Fer said. “That is sothing I cannot provide because she won’t accept it from .” Because Kassie was stupid and stubborn, that was why, and because from Fer, it would be pity.
“Fer…” Kavaa croaked.
Well, she had already given out one hug today, why not give out another? Fer knelt down and put her arms around Kavaa. The Goddess of Health was hefted into the air. “So it’s not your job anymore, it may be one day, but trust , she is getting better with you.”
Kavaa wrapped her arms around Fer’s neck and put her face into Fer’s shoulder. “Why is she so stupid?” She asked. Fer smiled and looked off into the distance. A badger was coming to investigate the commotion.
“Because she is spoiled and because the first person to tell her no was Arascus.” Fer whispered back. “There is a thod that works, it worked this ti, that’s why she gave up.”
“What?”
“She’s embarrassed easily.” Fer said and Kavaa burst out into tearful laughter. Her sll was all over the place, Fer couldn’t even pick the emotions out. It was simply a feast of every sll there was. “Today, she got embarrassed she let loose around you.” Directions were always good. Dad gave directions and everyone followed him. “Don’t forgive her for today even if she asks for it. She won’t, but if she does then don’t say it’s fine. It’s not, hold her to it.”
“I try!” Kavaa said.
“Not physically like I do.” Fer said. “Just…” She chuckled as she thought of what to say. Malam would give stupid advice, like joke about it. That was stupid because that turned these tantrums into a joke and jokes could be repeated. “If she asks, then say you expected better.” There. That was it. She stood there for a minute and smiled as she held Kavaa. It was cute whenever she could hold a cub in her arms, the universe punished Divinity for its agelessness with the inability to bear young. That alone made the stars deserve to burn out. Fer closed her eyes and listened to Kavaa’s heartbeat slowly return to a steady calm beat. This was good enough though. Close enough. Not the real thing, but acceptable.
“Thank you.” Kavaa said.
“There there.” Fer said. “There there.” She patted Kavaa’s head.
“Can you set back down?” Fer squeezed her eyes shut. They grew up quickly, didn’t they?
“Alright.” Fer set Kavaa gently back on the ground and smoothed where she creased the black Imperial uniform. “Do you feel better?” And this ti, Kavaa initiated the hug. She could only barely wrap her arms around Fer’s chest.
That was a yes if Fer ever saw one.
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