Completed Been to the End of that Road

[Zinnia]

Freedom was an admirable goal. A noble one, even. But...to what end? Zinnia pondered Zael's stated goal. She thought of her brethren among the Dreadlords, of the way things were under the old ways, of the way they were now. She thought of how things might be with "free" Dreadlords...and what Zinnia saw was madness.

"I d-don't understand. S-surely you mean 'voluntary?' I mean, how f-far have you thought that th-through? What does a l-legion of free Dreadlords even l-look like to you?"

Zinnia shook her head, confused by the audacity of the concept. Kristen's protestation, while it came from a place of offense on behalf of her family, bore the roots of another fine point.

"And Kristen's right...w-why blame any of this on the Republic? I've heard all the s-stories. The Republic, r-republican Anirians, didn't do the B-Bloody Graduation. 'Old ways' p-proctors did. Y-you know, the k-kind that had all the f-freedom they could ever want before the Revol-lution."

 

[Zael Castomir]

Zinnia didn't get it. She was here, in Elbion, where people with magic weren't just forced immediately into the military, and she didn't get it.

"Come on, Zinnia, cut me some slack," Zael said gently. "You know what I mean. Tell me, which one of us sittin here at this table had a choice in going into the Academy?" He pointed a finger at Kristen. "Just her. That's it."

"And the Republic is to thank for that," said Kristen, bitter of what she perceived as Zael's insinuations against the same.

"I know that. And I know damn well who did the Bloody Graduation, I ain't blamin the Republic for that at all. I'm blamin the Republic for not goin far enough. All those changes they made look nice on the surface, and they're a lot better than what we had before. But they ain't gonna last, because war has its demands. When push comes to shove, that "Reserve" shit is gonna be the first to go. Then the kidnappin's'll start again when there ain't enough new Dreadlords to replace the dead ones."

He smiled a little and looked back to Zinnia. "Hey, maybe they'll task you with snatchin up a kid from his own home and lovin family. You'll do that, right? You're a good Anirian." He reined it in after making his point and said, "You don't have to answer that, Zin. Sorry."

Zinnia

 

[Zinnia]

*Tch.*

The sound just came out, seemingly of its own volition. Zael's initial answers were irritating enough, but his last comment touched a nerve.

"Some of us d-didn't have a home or a f-family before the Academy, Zael," she spat back, extra venom being placed on his name. "The Academy, V-Vel Anir, gave me a home, let me be usef-ful. I do w-want the recruitment to be volunt-tary, but what you're suggesting is...ch-chaos!"

She punctuated her assertion by slapping a palm on the table, an act which shook the cups about on their saucers and briefly attracted a few more wandering eyes. Zinnia was almost impressed; she'd only just met Zael and she already found him infuriating. Why was Kristen sparing him the benefit of the doubt?

"So what? The D-dreadlords are all free, and th-then what happens to Vel Anir when, say, the K-Kaliti, or the Allirians start invading? D-does letting everyone die m-make me a 'good Anirian?'"

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Now it was Kristen's turn to comfort. In much the same way as Zinnia had done earlier, Kristen wrapped an arm around her and rubbed her back in return. Whether Zael meant to or not, he was bringing up pain and soreness in the both of them. And for Zinnia? Oh gosh, Zinnia. Her history of simply being abandoned at the orphanage was heartbreaking. Tragic. Awful in all the ways that burdened Kristen's heart with sorrow.

But Kristen was proud to call Zinnia family. To see in her a sister, to be connected so by a bond that went beyond blood.

And she could not help but to smile as Zinnia tore into Zael, defending Vel Anir, defending the Republic, with all the earnestness and sincerity and love that she could muster. Get him, Zinnia, get him!

Zinnia

 

[Zael Castomir]

Some of us d-didn't have a home or a f-family before the Academy, Zael.

...was that why her last name was St. Kolbe? Talking about family was incredibly rare to nil in the Academy, even post-Revolution, and Zael didn't know Zinnia all that well to begin with, but, damn, he couldn't believe he didn't make that connection until just now. He must've walked by the actual orphanage bearing the same name at least three or four times on his visits to Vel Anir city.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Zin. I am. You deserved better."

D-does letting everyone die m-make me a 'good Anirian?'

"Free to make their own choices, is what I mean. If you have magic and want to serve, that's your choice. If you don't want to serve, that's all you too. If you want to leave the military, retire like the Guardsmen can, that's all you. If you want to stay in for life, yup, that's your choice too."

Zael swept his hands around, indicating the whole of the city around them, all of the people within.

"See all this, Zinnia? This ain't chaos."

Zinnia

 

[Zinnia]

It was...nice...really nice, to know that someone had Zinnia's back. Knowing that someone happened to be Kristen Pirian was reassuring beyond what words could express. One of her hands came up and squeezed the other girl's as it rested on her shoulder, and Zinnia took a moment to breathe and center herself.

"It's f-fine. Thank you," she replied to Zael. At least he had the sense to realize when he'd overstepped.

"No, Elbion isn't in ch-chaos. And it looks pretty nice right n-now. But l-like I said: I've heard the s-stories. Elbion didn't look very n-nice when Drakormir hit it."

Zinnia sighed, staring out into the streets once more. It really did seem nice, the idea of living a normal life among regular people, reaping the fruits of society's luxuries. Maybe one day she could. But for now...she hadn't even graduated yet. Such a thing felt a lifetime away.

"You should kn-now better than I do, Zael. The R-Republic does give us a choice. J-join the reserves, serve, do your d-duty; or go into exile, and h-have all the freedom you want. You clearly p-picked the second one."

Once more her eyes fell on Zael.
"So again: wh-what's your solution? How do we g-get what you want? Because your id-deals don't mean anything h-hiding all the way out here."

 

[Zael Castomir]

Credit where credit was due. The Republic did at least offer that much, and, like he had said, that offering from the Republic was damn better than what they had before. Before, in the old way, Ruslan had his estimation of the Dreadlords spot on.

"Hiding? Who said anythin about hidin?" Zael said, unable to help the little cheeky smirk that came along with it. He had plenty of work to do around Elbion and its surrounding parts. Course, he couldn't just tell them the details about that, same way they couldn't just tell him stuff about the Republic's doings. Cordial as this tea time might be, they were both physically and figuratively on opposite ends of the table.

"And to answer your question: same way the Revolution got what it wanted."

Zinnia

 

[Kristen Pirian]

One word.

Growled dangerously in the depths of Kristen's throat.

"Zael..."





Zinnia

 

[Zael Castomir]

Zael held up his hands in a placating gesture.

"Easy there, Kris. Easy. Here. Lemme extend you a branch, alright? If the Republic signed into law somethin tomorrow guaranteeing that magic Anirians could—" with a nod Zinnia's way, "—voluntarily serve, same as the Guard can do after their year term is up, that and the rest which would take the leash off our damn necks, then I'd give this all up the same day, because my fight would be done and won. But that ain't what the Republic is gonna do, is it?"

Zael's expression solidified then into something resembling contempt. His down and away eye signaled the dredging up of a memory.

One he was soon to voice, "Did you see him, Kristen? That boy, Sven Verant, in Zettal? Did you have a chance to see him?"

Zinnia

 

[Zinnia]

Zinnia quirked a brow and folded her arms across her chest. She wanted to say that change rarely happened over night, but if Zael wanted a second revolution that was obviously what he wanted. Instead she waited for him to make his point.

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Her blood cooled some when the subject shifted away from the idea of revolution (not the Revolution, but of, as Zael was apparently implying, another revolution). Zettal was itself a subject full of tribulation to bring up...and not merely because of Zael and his involvement there.

Gods...poor Sable. No greater source of tragedy could be found than that which saw a man of once admirable character brought so low.

She entertained Zael's question calmly.

"No," Kristen said. "I saw and spoke only with his father, Octam."

Zinnia

 

[Zael Castomir]

Zael nodded.

"I wish you had, Kristen. He looked like a good kid. A good kid, and a good son." A subtle of pall of melancholy came to drape itself over his words. "His mother and father thought they had to do it, that they had to turn him over to the Academy. It's not even their fault, really, thinkin that—it's been goin on for four hundred years."

Zael shook his head, looking down at the tea in his cup as he did so.

"I stopped it from happenin, Kristen."

And with a particular glance up to Zinnia, "I thought that little boy deserved to be with his family. At least until he'd old enough to rightly make the decision to serve or not."

Back down to his tea. And a scornful character replaced that solemnity from earlier.

"The Republic? They ain't turnin away kids. I don't think they ever will. And when parents like the Verants by and large stop handin em over willingly, the facade's gonna drop, and the Republic will come and take em."

He wanted so much to be proven wrong on that. But the history of Vel Anir, with all its towering enormity, suggested otherwise.

Zinnia

 

[Zinnia]

Zinnia clutched her own arms and sighed.

"L-look, Zael, I...I do think that children sh-shouldn't be separated from their p-parents, at least as y-young as the Academy reps take them...but," she explained, trying her best to imitate Kristen's current calm. "Th-there has to be a better w-way to get what you want than s-starting another civil war. This isn't old V-Vel Anir, change can actually happen p-peacefully now."

Zael's secondary concerns had logic behind them. If need was great and worry overtook morals, the Academy's mandatory recruiters could return. That concern warranted an answer too.
"And...I think parents will be more inc-clined to send their k-kids off if they know they s-still get to see them, that the Academy isn't some...m-meat grinder. Things don't have to be all or n-nothing."

 

[Zael Castomir]

Zael bristled the second Zinnia said but. To him, it didn't get much better as she continued.

He opened his mouth. What would have come out, what was absolutely primed to come out, was this: Zinnia, what the hell is wrong with you? It doesn't have to be children. But, with an uncharacteristic restraint for his forthrightness, he stopped himself. Instead he paused. Instead he reached for his tea. Took a long sip. Set the cup back down onto its saucer.

He looked to both of them.

"I truly hope you don't see the day."

Zinnia

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Pride bloomed in Kristen for what Zinnia said. And why not? Was it not House Pirian's intention to prop her up, the Darling Daughter, as an example for the future to follow? To show how a Dreadlord could be made, how a Dreadlord could serve admirably, in this new age of Vel Anir? Kristen was to be that proof that the Academy was no longer that frightful and crude "meat grinder" so aptly described.

Zael, perhaps in his one wise move thus far, averted it. As well he should. Zinnia had him cornered and he knew it. Kristen would entertain his remark.

"What day?"

Zinnia

 

[Zael Castomir]

Zael shook his head.

"The day when you might have to choose between loyalty...and somethin worth more."







Zinnia

 

[Zinnia]

"You have to be l-loyal to  something, Zael," Zinnia retorted. In his case it was clearly his principles that he valued more than anything else. There had to be some way to get him to see what, to her, he was so obviously missing.

"Is there n-not a single person back in V-Vel Anir that you feel bad about l-leaving behind? That might m-miss you?"

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Kristen crossed her arms sternly under her breasts.

He better say somebody.







Zinnia

 

[Zael Castomir]

Not that he would know it in the immediate moment, but his answer would disappoint Kristen.

Solemnly, he looked to Zinnia. "You know I can't answer that. And you know why."

Maybe neither Zinnia nor Kristen would admit it, but the Republic was damn well capable, and damn well willing, to do what it needed to do to win. Any name Zael could say would be to put that person in grave danger—especially with Kristen's cripplingly honest mouth. But neither Zinnia nor Kristen could intentionally tell or accidentally let slip some name to be overheard by the wrong ears if they just didn't know.

Hell, the only thing protecting Zinnia and Kristen themselves now, associating as they were with a Rogue, was the fact of their anonymity here in the gigantic heart of Elbion.

Zinnia

 

[Zinnia]

Zinnia gnawed the inside of her cheek in annoyance. Whether he was doing it consciously or not, Zael was one of the most difficult conversationalists she'd ever encountered. The irony of her own speech impediment was not lost on her either.

"I'll t-take that as a 'yes,' then," she replied. Even she wasn't so socially inept that she couldn't pick up on the implication of Zael's non-answet.

"You clearly c-care enough about those people to try to prot-tect them with your silence, but if Vel Anir, our home, c-came under attack tonight, you'd be here t-talking to us, unable to d-do anything about it," Zinnia reasoned, her eyebrows furrowing. "When you could have been b-back home talking to the Republic's council--where it matters."

 

[Zael Castomir]

"The same Council that has no problem turnin children into weapons, and keepin us all as slave soldiers."

He'd come to agree with Ruslan on that last point.







Zinnia

 

[Kristen Pirian]

"ENOUGH!" Kristen shouted, yet again drawing a flock of startled, curious, and alarmed looks from the other patrons seated on the patio. She glanced around, cognizant of the scene she had for the second time made, and then with a shuddering exhalation brought her anger once more in check.

"The Republic is the greatest advancement Vel Anir has seen in centuries, cleansing the political air of the stagnation, corruption, and decadence that had come to define it! Yet Gilram in his madness seeks to undo—"




Zinnia

 

[Zael Castomir]

"Someday, you'll have children."

The abruptness of the remark caught Kristen off guard, interrupting her and giving her some pause.

Zael glanced over to Zinnia. "You too."

Then he looked between the two girls, shrugged, and said, "Who knows. They might even have magic."



Zinnia

 

[Zinnia]

Maybe it was something that was coming to Zinnia more frequently as she got older. Maybe the more it happened, the easier it was to slide back into. Hell, maybe it was just easier to let it slide when she was in this city, far from where she knew she might be crucified for letting it be seen. Regardless of the reason, it came on all the same.

Zinnia's pupils thinned and elongated, from normal human shape to that which betrayed something else. She wasn't very happy at how pigheaded Zael was being, but upsetting Kristen this many times and to this degree was a bridge too far.

"Someday much sooner everyone you know and love will be dead or have forgotten you, and the only thing you'll have to show for it is your moral grandstanding from a place where no one cares, a thousand miles away."

She glared at him with a cold fury, tempering her anger from behind blazing eyes. Internally, the quiet part of Zinnia was in disbelief she'd been able to even find the words.

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Where once there was anger, now there was concern. Worry. Even a slight touch of fear. Kristen paled not so much at the loss of Zinnia's stutter, which she was not so familiar with, as for the change in her eyes, which she was familiar with. Danger made its home in this display, and this for a variety of reasons, not the least of which being the reveal of her secret that, at present, only a scant few people even knew. Zael thought it dangerous to reveal the names of people he cared about, and for much the same reason—no, even more so!—was it dangerous for Zinnia's secret to proliferate among eyes and ears. Would Zael through some underground means pass along the truth about Zinnia, if in so doing it helped to further his goal? Kristen didn't know, especially in the light of Ganfarred Keep. She didn't know, but she wasn't going to risk it.

So, with hands upon each of Zinnia's shoulders in an embrace from the side, nearly cheek-to-cheek with her, such was the closeness with which she had come to whisper, she said quietly but urgently, "Zinnia...take care."

She looked across the table to Zael. Hopefully, he saw this small act as little different from the comforting which had taken place before it.

Zinnia