Theft of Decks 4, CH 44

“I keep believing that there is more I should be able to do with the Keepers. Watching and listening is all well and good. But what if my Keepers or their wards were to collectively rebel? What if they decide to aim them all at me, one after the other? Maybe I should find additional ways of keeping my chosen ones in check?” He had them chained up and their tongues cut out, and he still wanted to control them harder? I am so glad we killed him! (Book 3, Page 6.)

Salvation – Serafine

“No. I do not see how we can wait any longer. We have already listened to the reports. You have all had the chance to estimate for yourself how well they are handling the influx. The hopefuls are not doing well and they need help.” Serafine’s voice was calm, collected and reasoned, just like she had been taught. Inside, however, she wanted to rail and curse.

“But we’ve got the Keepers – I mean, Guardians - arriving soon, don’t we? That should be able to reinforce them. There’s no need for our defenders to risk their lives for something that is already well in hand.” The voice from among the gathered crowd was loud, reasonable, and so very recognizable. Dante was a local mind, quite extraordinarily handsome, and likely the loudest proponent for the higher-Tier wielders to take over and rule Liberty, ‘for the good of all.’

Sera wanted to punch him.

She walked among all those gathered, sharing a smile here, a touch on the shoulder there. She’d been surprised that they had actually chosen the floor of the Savior’s tower as the place to agree on their future government. Only, everybody, old as new, saw reasons to keep their discussions there, even if they were mostly symbolic.

They were down to about a hundred participants now. The huge crowds of the first days had somewhat dissipated, now that people understood how much work was involved in actually steering the country. There was no way it would work in the long run, but at least for now, those present were solidifying into a mass that would be able to get work done, and not stall in eternal squabbling and bickering over details.

She reached the center of the large, open tower, where she was able to clearly see Dante and his hangers-on. A group of about fifteen, all clustered up at one side, making no secrets of their affiliations. There were two more of them than the day before. Not a good sign. She took a spot where most people in the room would be able to see her and shook her head gently. “No, Dante. The new Guardians will most definitely not be able to reinforce them. You have all heard the messages from the Keepers we have been able to contact out near the borders. We have updated the map room with the actual changes, so you can see what it means for yourself in a moment. For now, let me just tell you this: in the long run, the new Liberty Guardians may prove sufficient. They will aid your defenders and be able to help them survive and grow against hostile Guardians and beasts. But for now, they are getting pushed back on all sides. If we ignore our defenders, we risk the Liberty lands being completely overrun.”

At least they had finally erected the original Liberty Wellspring. They still hadn’t agreed on how the rest of the decks should be shared out, or even if – but the Liberty Wellspring stood proud, right next to the Dark Wellspring, flanked by Kith’s horribly ostentatious statue. She couldn’t fault their choices in erecting it either. The improved overall strength to their Guardians, along with its minor boost to Toughness for all inside the radius of the Wellspring in Salvation would make life easier. Eventually.

“Well, that is all well and good. Easy for you to say. You are safely ensconced here in Salvation, and will not have to risk your life. Meanwhile, it will be Liberty lives on the line.” Dante snorted. “Typical outsider attitude.”

A low murmur rang through the gathering. Most disapproving, though. This would have worked better for him during the first couple of days. Now, most present had heard about her and the others.

How to tackle him, though? Sarcasm? No. The people of Liberty were not accustomed to sarcasm. Also, they were starting to develop an intense resentment against any high-handed behavior and authoritarian behavior. Simple honesty, then. “Were I not ready to invest everything in Liberty, I would be long gone. My husband-to-be is currently risking his life against the Lightborn army, and we have invested all the decks we have earned over time here in Salvation. I have one thing in mind, and one alone. The growth and well-being of Liberty.”

Sera noticed his grimace and met his eyes. Damn. He was aware he had misstepped. Unfortunately, he wasn’t stupid – merely untrained at public debate. He might become a dangerous opponent in the long run. For now, though, she grasped onto the murmurs of agreement and tiny nods throughout the tower and ran with the momentum. “I believe everybody here who has not had the chance already, should move to the map room and see the situation for themselves, where the hopeful and outmost villages are falling back as one. Then, we should reconvene here in an hour to vote on what to do about that.”

“Agreed.” Lucille spoke up quickly. “I will lead anybody there straight away. For all those who have already seen the evidence for themselves, we have the latest news from our Keepers right here for reading.” She waved people over.

Sera nodded and added, with a polite smile. “Anybody who requires any sort of clarification about this news or additional information, do come to me. I would love to share the situation as we know it.” Competence and momentum. They were hard to defend against. Unless he actually had any evidence she was making mistakes, Dante wouldn’t be able to counter any of it, and they should be able to enact their plan.

Because the hopefuls on the borders were failing. It was hard to dispute. It wasn’t because they were untrained, unprofessional or were failing to defend Liberty because their Savior had died. They were simply unable to stand against the pressure without the Prism to defend them.

The power games among Lightborn nobility were not like these. There was, typically, a person like the lord of Isarn who had the ultimate authority over the city, whose decisions were, by all rights, law. However, that didn’t mean he could just do what he wanted. Any decision that seemed unwise or unfair would weaken his position to the point where, eventually, he might be sidelined or punished by public opinion or, in extreme cases, even ousted by those in charge in Stradeburg. Hence, there were always discussions, debates and struggles going on regarding any edge cases. Sera had spent enough time looking pretty at the noble court, such as it was, in Isarn, taking in the discussions, to understand how to get what you want. Competence, momentum and a good plan. It didn’t need to be a perfect plan. You would ask for input along the way and thank anybody who could improve on the general outline. That would make any helpers seem like they were on your team, and any outright detractors would have to present a markedly better plan to be able to compete.

To be entirely frank? Sera did not believe they would be able to manage that. Not in the limited time she was allowing them.

She knew very well that she was manipulating them. Twisting the situation in order to obtain the results she preferred. Yet, at her core, she believed she was doing the right thing. The more she talked to Liberators, the more she found herself liking them. Most held an ingrained sense of community, a deep-set willingness to do their part, even at personal cost, and an impressive tolerance for change. Yet, they were far from perfect. The long years under the Savior’s rule had made them passive – too passive – and unless prodded in the right direction, they could spend ages debating back and forth instead of acting. She would not let them do that against their own people.

“What do you think we should do, Blessed Mind?” The question came from somebody she barely recognized. A young woman, a member of the mass, and, unless she’d missed her among the crowd, not somebody who had been here before yesterday.

“Sera. Just Sera, please. My mind feels far from blessed.” She smiled softly to take any sting from her rebuke. “What I believe would be the wisest course? I believe that, even though it is going to be a lot of work, and costly to those involved, we should pull back everybody in the most outlying villages and towns at least a hundred miles. Then, with the added influx of defenders and capable hands, we would be able to fortify and reinforce a band of towns and cities further toward the heart of Liberty. Also, we would be able to cycle any wielders inside those fortified villages back a little at a time, in order to grant them all cards from all five decks. With them returning back to the villages and cities, their increased strength should be able to fend off any hostile Guardians.”

The woman opened her mouth in shock.

Sera had her arguments prepared. Yes, it was a far-reaching decision and a logistical nightmare. But the numbers and threats justified the move. Yes, a lot of people’s lives would be affected. But if it was that or death? Yes, the new fortified border would also be at risk, but the border would be shorter, easier to defend.

Only, when the Liberator open her mouth, what emerged wasn’t a protest. “If we want to fortify these towns, shouldn’t we reroute the builders straight away?”

“I—what?”

“The builders. The Blissful Lands are constantly under construction. Salvation itself and… everywhere else.” She shrugged. “My husband is a builder. They’re used to working according to very, very specific plans, but that’s no reason why they wouldn’t be able to work on defensive walls and the like, as long as they know what is needed. Besides, they travel the lands constantly, for when towns and villages need larger work done to a proper standard. I would think that, as long as the need is strong enough, it would make a lot more sense to have them working on our defenses out in the lands, than continuing the current expansion of Salvation.”

Sera gawked, then picked up her jaw. A moment later, she found herself smiling, nodding along, as she prompted the young woman to continue elaborating on her thoughts. She was really starting to like these people. They were no shirkers.

“How are we doing?” Lucille’s question made Sera realize she had been lost to her own thoughts for several minutes.

The vote was over. The message was reaching out across the lands through means of all the summoners who had agreed to come back and work —properly— with the Keepers, in order for them to reestablish communication throughout the lands. Shortly, hopefuls would be pulling back, building up defenses in select villages, towns and cities, and preparing themselves to strike back.

“Acceptably.” Sera nodded curtly. Over the past few days, the two had built up a good repoire. Sera had tested her on various occasions, and by now she believed without reservations that the former pillar wanted nothing else than to build a wonderful home for her kin. They did not quite work in lockstep, but it was close. Lucille, more often than not, provided the knowhow, local solutions or contacts that were needed to handle some of their issues, or avoid any blunders, while Sera provided the political savvy, the personal touch and, she grudgingly had to admit, the pretty face. “I still believe that there is a risk Dante will end up causing trouble – yet, he is too overt in his reach for power, and continually makes mistakes. At this rate, he will either sideline himself with his own actions or wind up doing something drastic to try to make himself the next Savior.”

Lucille nodded. “Then we simply avoid making any errors. Easy.” She smiled wearily, letting Sera know that she was joking. “We will have our work cut out for us, handling the logistics for our plan for pulling back the border, but for now we’ve done all we can. Is there anything else we should focus on? I don’t think we’re making any obvious mistakes.”

Sera grimaced. “There will be some explosions at some point. How could there not? Only… I have heard nothing obvious hinting at future threats. Our choice to open the rooms of the Savior and those of the Keepers to the public, for all to see, is paying off. Any truly outspoken religious opposition is guided to read a bit from the Savior’s diaries and… that is usually the last we hear of that.”

“Is that Cilia girl of yours still monopolizing those diaries?” Lucille asked drily. She was less enamored of Cilia than of Sera, for some reason.

“Yes. Any waking moment that she is not crafting or working with your local crafters. She still believes there are secrets waiting to be exploited from within his writings.” Sera smiled. “Mind you, if anybody is able to wring secrets from a dead man’s writings, it will be her.”

“As long as she gives them back afterward. I am not sure she understands the sense of understanding, of belonging, my people will derive from those.”

“I am sure she will. Oh. Two details. First, as you know, all public kitchens should be up and operating again soon. We do have some issues with some Hearts and minds who believe they are still entitled to their servants, special treatment, food and the like-“

“Give me names, and I’ll handle them.” Lucille said. Her half-sneer said she was going to enjoy it, too.

“I appreciate it. Also, a few of the guards spoke up yesterday, about people being attacked in the streets. No solid facts, but I believe them. What appeared like random attacks, but always when anybody was, through action or word, denigrating the Savior. Nobody has been killed, but…” Sera trailed off.

Lucille frowned and nodded. “Disturbing nonetheless. I’ll ask a helper to make the rounds and ask all guards. If we have anybody still loyal to the Savior, this could very well lead to deaths in the street. We need to look into that.” She turned and wavered on her feet.

Sera immediately leapt forward and caught her arm. Her arm flashed and a Warmth of the Circle engulfed the older woman. “Are you all right?”

Lucille sent a wry smile at her. “I appreciate the sentiment. I’m not injured, though. Just tired. And ancient – at least, so it feels. I will enjoy the small boost to Toughness for as long as it lasts, though.”

Sera shook her head. “Please look after yourself. What’s going to happen to us all if you drop dead from overworking yourself?”

Lucille snorted. “Oh, I am far too busy to die. I have work to do. Anybody standing between me and a better tomorrow had better bring explosive cards.”