My father moves towards his chair, and standing against it, he says, “For clarity, explain to me again why I should care about those humans?”
“Because we Tuatha Dé Dannan are not barbarians. You know as well as I do that the growing love, and justification for violence without any benefit is happening everywhere.
If everyone’s first reaction to anything they don’t like is to kill everyone in front of them, it will only negatively impact us as a society going forward. Death has a purpose, and boosting our egos isn’t a purpose.”
My father sighs, then moves towards his chair and grabs a bottle of alcohol, then says, “Hey Setanta, do you know what this is?”
“Alcohol.”
“I hate this stuff. It is a substance that makes people stupider, and wilder than they were before. Order is necessary for survive, yet this is something that makes order harder to put in place, not to mention all of the health issues it causes.
At one point it became a problem in the providence that couldn’t be ignored anymore, so your grandfather Cethern put in place a couple of rules to curb its use. He artificially increased the prices and started disqualifying people from working certain jobs due to its use.
Finally, a ban was put on it, but overall, it didn’t actually work. More people still came to the substance and its use was curbed at all. The Faoláins during that time only had control of their own land, and all those who lived their loved and respected our house, yet they still ignored our declaration.
Cethern was deeply confused, by what alcohol could be so entrancing to the people, why were the nights of fun it brought so important? But with the help of my aunt, he finally figured it out. It is because people weren’t drinking alcohol for the reasons they said.
This was around the time that the east had destroyed us in combat, the empire seemed shaky to many, which led to an increase in many things. Alcohol was merely a mask that people used to hide the fact that they were drinking to curb their fear, sadness, loneliness, and other emotions.
Only by then addressing those issues, where we able to curb the problem surrounding alcohol in our land.
Of course, one could boil every issue down to the issues people have making them commit crime, and obviously for a functional society we can’t do such a thing. But in all things, a ruler needs to understand his people’s minds, not their words, which you are failing to do Setanta.”
“Failing to do? You’re not even making sense.”
“Setanta do you really think that most beastkin truly believe that it is ok to slaughter humans? I have already had many beastkin who served as guard during the incident with David, that have left our ranks after seeing what the humans where willing to go through for each other.”
He knew I was watching back then.
“Then why go through all of this!”
“It is because, right now it is necessary.”
“You agree with me that most beastkin don’t want this, and that our increasing violence is bad. So how can it be necessary!”
“Because the beastkin needs to kill humans, for the sake of their minds. Many abuse humans out of a need for superiority, a need to matter, a need for power, a need for control, and a fear of dominance. The beastkin as we stand is a shaky race which fears extinction and slavery more than anything.
That’s the reason they covet violence because it allows them to deal with all of there issues in a simply unstoppable way. In a world dictated by violence, the beastkin who can wield more than humans will always be more important. It inflates their existence.”
“But that is foolish!”
“Your right, but that is how it is. You cannot strongarm people into following your rules. Just like in a bad marriage, a king is supposed to read his people's minds, and act accordingly without angering them too much.”
“The people of Gorias are the most educated within the empire I am sure they will be able to understand the logic you use in your decisions.”
“That’s what makes them the most annoying to restrict Setanta. They are able to craft more intricate shields of faulty logic than others in their same position; to hide the true reason they covet violence. Knowledge isn’t intelligence or morality.
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Setanta right now they need blood to be split, it is just that simply, and if you have an issue with this, think of the policy you will implement when you’re king instead of nagging me like a child.”
“But in that time people will die.”
“Of course they will. Do you really believe a time has existed in this empire when people weren’t dying on mass? But isn’t this still the same empire you love?”
“I do love it, so I seek the best for it, and right now I believe this isn’t it. But more than that, it is because you're lying to me.”
My father glares at me, and says, “What lies have I said?”
“You know the reason I am angry is because my friend will have to be executed. Yet at no point did you even think of mentioning to leave him out of the execution, to curb my resistance.”
My father's face becomes slightly angrier, and I say, “You're far too strong-headed about this despite knowing the issue that it is causing, so father why are you still going ahead with this?”
“Setanta where does your loyalty lie?”
I laugh, but soon I see my father was serious in that question, so I say, “Is this a serious question? Because it should be obvious where my loyalty lies to anyone with eyes.”
“Yet it isn’t as clear as you think it is. Cú Culainn, a name that has been spread far and wide by now. Your latest endeavour, your achievements, and the rumours of you becoming the next high king have all fused together and have finally exploded to a point beyond our control.
You have become quite a popular icon within the empire due to all of them, and that’s the reason I put you in charge of the celebration, so everyone could see you front and centre.
But at the same time, another sentiment has been growing, which I am sure that snake has had something to do with. Which is that you have a deep love for humans.
Your association with Culainn, and your protection of Aurelius have further strengthened this idea, and now many people who have come here, are also here to see if that is true.”
“I didn’t know.”
“Of course you didn’t, you pampered little princess. That’s why I plan to make you execute the humans tomorrow.”
“WHAT!”
My father gets up close to me in an instant, and says, “You’re going to need to prove to everyone, that you are a soldier of the empire, and your one and only love is the people within it. Spill the blood of humans for them all to see.”
“THIS IS FOOLISH!”
“It is, but it is the current state of the empire, and it’s also what we need to do. So Setanta, prove to the people and to me that you are loyal to the empire.”
My father sits down in his chair, and I start to run off.
Countless thoughts and ideas flow through my mind as I run. I feel like their weight and speed are far more than even the most destructive of blows and makes me feel like I am going to fall to the ground, but I just keep running as fast as I can go.
-Break-
Location: Eastern side of the Gorias castle
Looking at him in his cage, I wave, and say, “Hi Aurelius.”
Aurelius throws a ball right out of his cage, and I quickly move the grab it with my mouth. After I do this, he turns to the rest of the slaves and says, “See, I told you he reacts just like a dog with a ball?”
I grab his cage and shake it over again, and again, then say, “WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH YOU!”
“I was just trying to have some fun. You beastkin are all partying, so we should as least be allow to enjoy our lives this much.”
Sitting down, I say, “I guess it is fine.”
“Did Culainn arrive?”
“Yeah, he came with his daughter today, and looks as happy as can be. I didn’t think that old man could smile as much as I have seen him do recently, but I guess miracles do exist.”
“That’s nice to hear. I can’t wait to come and talk to her later as well. But it is sad that it will have to be until after the party to do so.”
My body gets stiff as he says that, and I can feel my heart rate increase. What am I going to do, what am I going to say? I know what I have to do as the next king of Gorias, but still, this man in front of me is my friend. Yet my people are also important to me.
Should I tell him, that would only make his life worse, but if I didn’t tell him that would be a betrayal worse than anything else. I simply am at a crossroads and don’t know what to say.
Aurelius looking at me asks, “Setanta is there something bothering you?”
“What? No.”
“You say that, but you seem more off than usual, as if there is something you want to say but can’t bring yourself to. But you shouldn’t feel like that around me. There is no judgement and just trust here.”
“What about all the people in the cages beside you?”
Waving them away, Aurelius says, “Just ignore them, pretend like they are just air.”
“Hey!” One of the humans behind him says.
Trying my best to put on a smile, I say, “We found where Lillian is.”
“You what!” Aurelius says jumping to the edge of the cage!
“Culainn told me earlier that he was able to find out where Lillian was located with the help of his house, and she will be moving in with the Serlasracht, along with the rest of you soon.”
The humans in the cages start to go crazy, but Aurelius in contrast to everyone else collapses onto the floor, and I move over to his cage asking, “Are you alright.”
Turning over to his side, Aurelius says, “I was scared for so long. I though that she was dead for years. But finally hearing the confirmation she is alive, is more than I could have ever asked for. Thank you, Setanta, from the bottom of my heart I thank you. You’ve made all the time I spent as a slave worth it.”
I feel like I am breaking bit by bit from the inside, but I can’t let any of it show right now, so I say, “You better be.”
We continue to talk and celebrate the news until all of them become so exhausted that they start to feel sleepy, and as they take their rest I get up and walk away.
Through the dead of night with only the full moon guiding me, I say, “You bastard, you bastard, you bastard, you bastard.”
As I cry, I put my hands over my face and walk forward.
Until I hear, “THAT’S WHAT YOU GET FOR TRYING TO RUN AWAY FROM ME YOY BASTARD!”
I turn my head to the source of the voice, and their I see Uathach carrying a shovel, and beneath her feet is a deep hole in the ground with a boy tied about to be buried by the mountains of dirt she has at her side.
Looking at me, she screams, “IT’S EXACTLY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!”
“YOU IDIOTIC SHARK!”