Sorry this is late, yesterday was one of those days where lots of little things kept happening and demanding my attention so it felt like nothing was getting done until late, when it all finally pulled together and stopped :) [Also, I think I'm only just over the word limit, but it's easier to split it over two posts than try and shave words off at the moment]
Golden "If you weren't counting," said Gray, "that's three Security Alerts." The King stepped up to the table and leaned on it as well, puzzling Samual slightly. "There are currently five Security Alerts," said the King, and a faint white glow limned his hands now. Gray stepped back from the altar. "One is probably concluded but we are waiting confirmation for that. Nonetheless, it is fair to say that this mission to Carcosa has resulted in Us nearly doubling the number of Security Alerts. It could be held that Our course of action was therefore wrong and has exposed the country to unnecessary danger." The King had barely finished speaking before Lord Martial Redstone was at the altar and laying both his hands on it. "It is the job of the Head of the Martialled Forces to determine new threats, their source and direction, and a likely response to them," he said. His hands burned so whitely it was hard to look at them. "This has been held true for two centuries, and is true still today. We find no fault." Verbilious was next: "It is the job of the Theurge to look to the spiritual wellbeing and preservation of his people," he said. The glow around his hands was ivory and somehow comforting to look at. "This can involve locating sources of anxiety and worry and preventing them from taking root so that they cannot grow. While we remain unconvinced of the necessity of contacting Carcosa we are confident that the threat of demonology is real. We find no fault." Vileburn approached next, leaping lithely from his seat and gesturing to Elizabeth to sit down. She did so, a little warily as though uncertain about being seated amongst all these high-ranked people. "It is the job," he said clearly, "of the Archmage to determine likely magical threats and opposition and to deploy his forces so as to prepare for them and defend against them. We were of the opinion that Carcosa was a fool's errand-" he paused, looking around the room. His hands were glowing whitely liked Gray's had been. "and we were proven wrong. We find no fault." Lord Vileburn stepped away from the altar, and Samual realised that he was holding his breath. He let it out as gently as he could, his chest burning, feeling slightly light-headed as he realised that he'd seen the King held to Account -- practically put on trial -- for his actions over the last week. "Derby?" said the King. Lord Derby approached the altar looking thoughtful. He hesitated a moment, and then leaned forward and placed his hands on it.
"It is the job of the Inquisitor to inquire," he said. He looked down. The glow around his hands was golden. "I was sent with no knowledge of what had happened or what might be happening, I was sent to learn. And that I have. It is the job of the diplomat," and here the glow intensified, "to understand other people and reach a means of communication, if not agreement. And inasmuch as it is possible to understand the King in Yellow and its inhuman desires, I have probably reached further than any other." The glow around his hands turned white. "I find no fault with the outcome, but I find fault with the process. The means are not justified by the end." He stepped away from the altar and Gray returned to it. The initial white glow returned to the room. "All of you have spoken truthfully," said Gray. "Derby has spoken sincerely and truthfully. The finding of this tribunal is that the King acted appropriately and has not endangered the Realm. Though," and an odd smile appeared on his face for a moment, "given that Sincerity was registered, it is this tribunal's recommendation that his most Excellent Majesty take to heart the maxim that the ends do not justify the means."
Greg - I think you should know better by now not to ever apologize for being late to a post. I set the standard for lateness around here :P
Also: never feel like you need to shave your writing in order to fit it into one comment. I'd much rather you write that's needed than what you think would best fit in the space.
Anyway. Onward!
Ah, this is good stuff. A fitting step closer to a conclusion. Really enjoyed the way you handled it. It's hard not to wonder sometimes how this story would have played out differently if you'd not had to conform / deal with my prompts as you wrote it.
3 comments:
Sorry this is late, yesterday was one of those days where lots of little things kept happening and demanding my attention so it felt like nothing was getting done until late, when it all finally pulled together and stopped :)
[Also, I think I'm only just over the word limit, but it's easier to split it over two posts than try and shave words off at the moment]
Golden
"If you weren't counting," said Gray, "that's three Security Alerts."
The King stepped up to the table and leaned on it as well, puzzling Samual slightly. "There are currently five Security Alerts," said the King, and a faint white glow limned his hands now. Gray stepped back from the altar. "One is probably concluded but we are waiting confirmation for that. Nonetheless, it is fair to say that this mission to Carcosa has resulted in Us nearly doubling the number of Security Alerts. It could be held that Our course of action was therefore wrong and has exposed the country to unnecessary danger."
The King had barely finished speaking before Lord Martial Redstone was at the altar and laying both his hands on it.
"It is the job of the Head of the Martialled Forces to determine new threats, their source and direction, and a likely response to them," he said. His hands burned so whitely it was hard to look at them. "This has been held true for two centuries, and is true still today. We find no fault."
Verbilious was next: "It is the job of the Theurge to look to the spiritual wellbeing and preservation of his people," he said. The glow around his hands was ivory and somehow comforting to look at. "This can involve locating sources of anxiety and worry and preventing them from taking root so that they cannot grow. While we remain unconvinced of the necessity of contacting Carcosa we are confident that the threat of demonology is real. We find no fault."
Vileburn approached next, leaping lithely from his seat and gesturing to Elizabeth to sit down. She did so, a little warily as though uncertain about being seated amongst all these high-ranked people. "It is the job," he said clearly, "of the Archmage to determine likely magical threats and opposition and to deploy his forces so as to prepare for them and defend against them. We were of the opinion that Carcosa was a fool's errand-" he paused, looking around the room. His hands were glowing whitely liked Gray's had been. "and we were proven wrong. We find no fault."
Lord Vileburn stepped away from the altar, and Samual realised that he was holding his breath. He let it out as gently as he could, his chest burning, feeling slightly light-headed as he realised that he'd seen the King held to Account -- practically put on trial -- for his actions over the last week.
"Derby?" said the King. Lord Derby approached the altar looking thoughtful. He hesitated a moment, and then leaned forward and placed his hands on it.
"It is the job of the Inquisitor to inquire," he said. He looked down. The glow around his hands was golden. "I was sent with no knowledge of what had happened or what might be happening, I was sent to learn. And that I have. It is the job of the diplomat," and here the glow intensified, "to understand other people and reach a means of communication, if not agreement. And inasmuch as it is possible to understand the King in Yellow and its inhuman desires, I have probably reached further than any other." The glow around his hands turned white. "I find no fault with the outcome, but I find fault with the process. The means are not justified by the end."
He stepped away from the altar and Gray returned to it. The initial white glow returned to the room.
"All of you have spoken truthfully," said Gray. "Derby has spoken sincerely and truthfully. The finding of this tribunal is that the King acted appropriately and has not endangered the Realm. Though," and an odd smile appeared on his face for a moment, "given that Sincerity was registered, it is this tribunal's recommendation that his most Excellent Majesty take to heart the maxim that the ends do not justify the means."
Greg - I think you should know better by now not to ever apologize for being late to a post. I set the standard for lateness around here :P
Also: never feel like you need to shave your writing in order to fit it into one comment. I'd much rather you write that's needed than what you think would best fit in the space.
Anyway. Onward!
Ah, this is good stuff. A fitting step closer to a conclusion. Really enjoyed the way you handled it. It's hard not to wonder sometimes how this story would have played out differently if you'd not had to conform / deal with my prompts as you wrote it.
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