As Father – Aristocles – was putting away the Nomos scroll, all the knowledge I had gained came rushing back to me. I am the Mind of Humanity made flesh and brought into the material world. It was such an epic revelation that I lost control of my own body. I dropped the pitcher, which shattered, as I fell to the ground. I am the wisest and most intelligent person who will ever exist. I am to be the fulcrum upon which history will turn. All of this was kept from me.
Aristocles turned at the sound of the pitcher breaking and seeing it failed to spill any blood he asked, “Did you obtain the knowledge you sought after?” Knowing the blood had been used as payment.
I answered, “Yes, and more.” I rose and said, “I have learned that the war we fight with the Sahalia is for a purpose grander than mere land and wealth. I have learned that there are more gods and races. I have learned the name of the man you wish for me to marry,” I did not hesitate to bring up my biggest issue, “and I have learned that you are not my father.”
“I am very much your father,” Aristocles argued, “just not in the traditional sense. I am still responsible for your creation.”
“How?” I asked.
“After I had discovered the World of Forms, I wanted to bring Humanity into our world,” he explained. “After many speeches and dealings behind closed doors, I secured a majority and everyone in Sofia gave a portion of their blood. I had hoped it would be enough to bring all of Humanity through, but it wasn’t. I had to give up all but the Mind, and even that didn’t come through untouched.” He seemed distant as he remembered, “When I found myself holding an infant, I was very confused. I was expecting a general or a philosopher. Of course you have since blown away those expectations.”
“You still lied to me,” I accused. “Keeping the truth from the Mind of Humanity seems like a grave offence.”
“I wasn’t looking to become a father when I stepped through the scroll that day, but I’m glad I did,” Aristocles said, his tone almost pleading. “My hesitation was in fear of no longer being your father.”
“Perhaps, you should not be so cross with him.” Suggested Eth.
“Yet without me you would still be a father,” I pointed out. “Are my so-called siblings not enough?”
Aristocles winched as if in pain at ‘so-called’. “Oh, I do love them,” he assured me, “but they aren’t you and you are still my first-born.”
After a moment of awkward silence, I asked, “How did you know that Maximos, the Body of Humanity, is in Polemos?”
“Because I made him as well,” Aristocles explained. “A year after the Siege of Sofia, I gave a speech in the Forum promising another miracle child. I was granted another portion of Sofia’s blood, and the result was Maximos. I thought it would be better for Maximos to be raised in Polemos than here, so I rode there with him to bargain for an alliance.” He shook his head. “However, there was an issue which I should have foreseen. The Polemians didn’t believe that Maximos was anything special. I tried using the victory at the Siege of Sofia as proof, but they dismissed this as ‘exaggerating events’. Finally, I just gave Maximos to the king in hope that you two could secure an alliance where I could not.”
“Then we must be off to Polemos,” I declared.
“Very well,” Aristocles sighed, “I will ask the Forum for a diplomatic mission to Polemos when it meets in three days.”
“You can do that. I am leaving now,” I said, turning to leave.
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“Think this though Philena,” he begged me. “While Id would be able to find Maximos and ensure a safe travel, how would you get near him? You are a woman from a rival city – the Polemians won’t let you near him.”
“You accuse me of lacking mental discipline,” I huffed. “You, who refused to tell me the truth of my birth until he had no other choice?”
“I have never claimed to be without flaw, and neither should you,” warned Aristocles. “Don’t forget that I paid a finite amount of blood to bring you into this world. Do not succumb to hubris.”
“It’s not hubris when it’s true,” I stated flatly. “I will know exactly what to say for them to permit me an audience with Maximos.”
“Eth might,” he allowed, “but by my understanding, Eth refuses to cooperate in those matters.”
“Eth?” I asked her.
“Not happening,” she answered.
I sighed at her stubbornness and Father’s knowledge of my other parts. “Very well, I shall be patient,” I yielded.
“Things will go a lot easier if I help with the speech,” offered Id.
“How?” I asked.
“There will be a back and forth after the speech is given,” she pointed out. “I can preemptively give answers to the questions and counter arguments that will come up.”
“Id foresees that you will be successful if you accept my help in the speech,” I told Aristocles, who nodded his acceptance.
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“…After the loss of Maximus, I find it hard to trust any proposal you make Aristocles,” came the first objection from a portly Patron. “Half a cup of blood from every able-bodied Sofian, down the river.”
“I am not asking for blood, or even gold,” Father argued, using our prepared answer. “I am requesting a small guard and some authority with which I can bargain.” He shook his head. “Besides, I do not believe the creation of Maximus was a complete waste. I hear Polemos has been making great use of him,” he added. “Have you not noticed that Sofia has not been besieged since the one eighteen years ago? Maximus has been keeping the Sahalians occupied.”
The man stepped down, satisfied, and another took his place. “What do you think there is to be gained by an alliance with Polemos?” he asked. “A unified humanity certainly sounds nice, but what have we to learn from those brutes?”
“Spoken like a man who is more familiar with paper and ink than grass and the open sky,” a chuckle moved through the crowd at Aristocles’ retort. “What a lot of us seem to forget is that there is knowledge that can’t be gained by candlelight.” He pointed to the distance, adding, “It must be gained out there, and the Polemians have spent a great amount of time out in the world. As ignorant as they must seem to us in the areas of academic inquiry, we must seem ignorant to them for lack of understanding of worldly things. Their understanding of war far outstrips ours, and I hope to learn in what other things we fall woefully behind.”
The second man stepped back down, mollified, and a third rose. “There seems to be an issue everyone is forgetting,” he announced. “Aristocles, why you? With you gone who will educate our sons? Why not send someone we can spare?”
“As has been clearly demonstrated, I have the highest opinion of Polemos of everyone here,” Aristocles said. “Someone else would certainly antagonize them, whether by design or by happenstance, thus making the mission moot. Secondly, Philena will be integral to the success of this mission, and as her father, I must go along.”
“Then you are not only asking for a guard and authority, but also for a stay of the studies of the next generation,” the Patron pointed out. “I believe I speak for all of us when I say that I would rather you have asked for blood again.” There was a murmur of agreement through the forum.
“On the contrary, I ask to increase their education,” Aristocles replied.
“Explain,” the skeptic demanded.
“If you would permit me, I would take the sons you have entrusted me with along on the diplomatic mission as well,” Father explained. “I will still teach them the subjects with which we are all familiar, as well as the ones Polemos will teach us. With Philena disaster is impossible, and they are all of age at any rate.”
The third man stepped down; he still seemed discontent, but he at least had no further arguments.
After a period of silence, Kentro spoke.
“Are there any more objections?” When none came, he said, “By show of hands: all those in favor of sponsoring Aristocles’ diplomatic mission to Polemos.”
Most, yet not all, hands raised, but enough to pass the motion. “The forum has granted your request,” Kentro announced. “You are bequeathed a guard, your students – whose lives are your blood – and the following power: to bind Sofia to an agreement involving military support, material support, and trade.” He looked Aristocles in the eye as he added, “May Gravity grant you success.”