Chapter 27 #3
“You mispronounced the word justice,” I say eventually, my voice floating through the air. “You meant violent invaders or perhaps greedy, malevolent butchers and murderers. The bloodshed and savagery your country has brought upon this city is foul and monstrous.”
“Untrue. Rouge elements—”
“You have the audacity to lie to me?” I demand, glaring down at this little man whose eyes go wide.
“I was there. I saw it all myself. Perhaps your leaders have lied to you, but I never have. The late Holy Mother deliberately and with malice supported the slaughter of our leaders, the assaults on our people, an attempted campaign of terror intended to divide and weaken our resolve. You know this to be true, even if you pretend you don’t.
While pretty little lies might fall from the lips of your superiors, deep down you know better.
You betray the truth told to you plainly by your own eyes and ears.
Cowardice holds your mind and tongue prisoner. Halice is not so foully afflicted.”
The diplomat swallows.
“Signora—”
“Maestrus,” Idris reminds him sharply, his deep voice radiating over me with the full anger of a thousand dark suns, setting my blood on fire. The diplomat nods in acknowledgement.
“Maestrus,” the diplomat restarts, “why visit bloodshed upon these people?”
“Why indeed?” I respond. “A question to ask your superiors, the instigator and would-be invaders seeking to take what doesn’t belong to them.”
“Sig— Maestrus,” the diplomat continues, “your blasphemy has robbed the people of a true connection with Fate. Your tyrannical rule—”
“My tyranny?” I bite back. I glare at him as I get to my feet. I stand tall and proud with my shoulders back. As I step forwards, sunlight floods through my dress. Colours whirl and glow with divine light, the rainbow incarnate spinning around the room as I glow.
“Listen!” I shout, and raise a hand to point at the door, where the people are still chanting as loudly as they can.
“Listen to the people. Listen to their will flowing freely from their own lips. The voices of hundreds of thousands of people deny you. Every man, woman and child is united. Each and every soul in this blessed city defies your blatant barbarism and corruption. We deny you! We defy you!”
I drop my hand and glare at the diplomat who takes a few steps back. His entire party looks around, terrified.
“Take this message back to your corrupt cardinals, and the kin-murderer Nouis Rizaro, who slaughtered his own aunt, the Holy Mother, in cold blood. We are not afraid. We are not broken. We stand tall and proud as the sun in the sky! Halice is as it’s been and ever will be, a beacon of strength, beauty and unity.
We will not bow in the face of corruption and greed.
We will not cower in the face of a bully.
We will not surrender. Not now, not ever.
Now until oblivion, Halice will stand proud and free! We are Halicians!”
I feel Idris walking closer to me. Feel him on my right, his dark presence like a smouldering anchor as his fingers wind their way around mine.
I look to him and then left to see Savino, Maggia and Leone have joined him.
I take Savino’s hand in my left, linking us together.
We stand, hands joined and, just as Idris and I did in the Great Rebellion, I lift them over our heads.
“We stand an independent, free and united Halice!”
Then before I know it, the artists and scribes set down their tools, the rich men and advisors and courtiers all join hands and raise them to the skies, everyone except the soldiers, who instead draw their swords and lift them high to the sky, their sharp blades glinting in the dawn.
“HALICE!”
“HALICE!”
“HALICE!”
The roar rings around the room. The ground trembles with its force. The walls bounce with the reverberation of the sound.
The diplomat retreats, looking at the three others as they stumble in their bid to make a hasty exit. Casting nervous looks over their shoulders, the doors are opened to release them, but they find they are met with the crowd, still shouting in tandem with us inside the building.
As they disappear from view, the entire building erupts with applause, clapping and shouting.
People ready and shouting. Their energy renewed a thousand times over.
Panting furiously, I press my hands to my heart, which threatens to explode from my throat.
Shaking, I turn to Idris as his arms sweep around my waist. I look up into those hypnotic, fierce eyes.
That familiar gold scours through the doubt clinging to the damp corners of my mind.
“You’re utterly magnificent,” he whispers in awe, his deep voice gruff and reverential. “I’ve never been prouder to be Halician, never felt so lucky to stand by your side.”
The air between us is taut. The energy fizzes and cracks, desperate for release.
His lips drop to mine as he pulls me close to him.
The kiss isn’t our usual battle, the war of bond and need playing across our bodies.
This is strong and defiant, united. His lips and mine together, where we will always belong.
United we are strong. Now and always.
To whatever end.