Revolution Chapter II

"I will not have this conversation!" the shouted statement was easily heard through the large wooden door that secured the overseer's ruling chamber from the long hallway that lead to it. One of the guards posted outside looked at the other, the fight had been going on all evening, and they had been privy to some very interesting gossip.

Master Overseer, an impressive and intimidating Silurian named Da'loi was busy roaring his throat out as his daughter screamed back, sometimes matching him in volume. Throughout the night things had been tossed around the room, crashes had been heard, and the to occupants had argued and shouted at each other for over an hour, but what was most interesting about the entire ordeal was the princess's vehement refusal to enter into a pre-determined matrimony with another overseer's son.

"And I will not be traded like some piece of meat at the market!" Ka'tela screamed back, the princess added emphasis to her words by raising her chin as tears matted the silky fur under her eyes, staining it a dark brown. She straightened her arms to her side, forming small fists and spoke, "I will not let you make this decision for me" she said, in a calmer more steady voice.

"This decision” Da’loi paused for a moment “has already been made" he growled back at her, his only daughter bared her teeth and turned to walk towards the door, "Ka'tela!" he bellowed her name at her retreating back.

She reached the door and in one swift elegant motion she turned, her lower lip quivering, took a low mock bow and mouthed the words, "You are not my father" and then she was gone, the heavy door swirling closed behind her, cutting off the image of guards snapping to attention as she fled down the hallway.

For a moment Da'loi stood in the middle of his wrecked chamber, he took note of the papers strewn about, the toppled furniture, and wondered why his daughter did not understand the importance of this situation. He navigated his way back behind his heavy wooden desk, and plopped himself into the plush form chair, allowing it to relax his back muscles as he fell deep into thought. He leaned forward and cupped his chin with one hand, propping his elbow on the desk, how could he make Ka'tela understand, what would it take to show her that this was right, this is how these things were done. Her matrimony would help unite two long separated collectives, just as his marriage to her mother had done years before. He smiled to himself; of course, he would use her mother as an example, to make her see. He allowed the smile to turn into a laugh as he mentally set the problem aside, checking it off as 'fixed' as he began tidying his desk. A knock sounded solidly at his door, "Yes?'" he answered; "The delegates have arrived" said a muffled voice. "Send them in".

As the heavy doors parted again twelve Silurians in long robes hurried in, if they took notice of the wrecked room none mentioned it. He stood and walked around to the front of his desk, were he greeted them in turn. Nodding he said, "Brothers, we face a turning point in our kingdom, a proposed unity of two Collectives will undoubtedly have positive as well as negative effects on our people". A whisper of nods as he continued "What we discuss here and prepare for now will ultimately ease the transition of change", his imperial eyes locked briefly with each one of the delegates. A feeling of satisfaction swelled in him as he gazed at each one of his commanding officers, greedy and self serving they may be, they were still ready to follow him into whatever fray might oppose his will.

"Very well then, let us begin"

The debates were long, sometimes circling each other as individuals voiced concerns, ideas, revelations, sometimes everyone worked together, and then sometimes the fabric of the meeting was torn apart by different views, eventually leading to personal attacks and short recesses. Da'loi was amused by the petty squabbles and forced smiles, even laughed out loud at failed attempts to hide ulterior motives. This type of work tired him more than any of his other administrative duties, but he also understood the importance of allowing lesser creatures a sense of independence, even if that freedom was merely a believable illusion. After the third hour of debates he stood, immediately silencing a heated conversation on the religious duties of slaves. "My friends, I must thank you for joining me in this exercise, we have accomplished much and I will be in touch with each of you with future meeting dates, but for now, I wish to sleep and I urge all of you to do the same". His chosen council began to stand, still muttering back and forth about items the Seer had already forgotten. They bowed to him one by one as they began to file out his door. As the last few delegates were leaving his chamber, one of the silurians turned to him, the green piping on his robe identified him as a delegate for the worker forces.

"Seer, if I may" he spoke quietly, avoiding eye contact, not out of fear, shame possibly?

"Of course" he paused for a split second, searching his excellent memory for the creatures name, "Diek'po, what is it?"

Diek'po sighed slightly "It brings me much disgrace to make this report to you, but our mines are down six percent again this quarter, the production is still slowing." He rushed the words out as if fearing a physical retribution for delivering the negative report.

Da'loi placed his hand on the nervous delegates shoulder, "Its not your fault, the slaves are not motivated" the Overseer took a moment of thought then looked back over to Diek'po "An example must be made, you know what to do, instruct your controllers in the morning".

"Yes Seer, thank you"

"Of course, now get some rest, the hour is late".

And with that the last of the delegates left his chamber, his door closed solidly and he stretched his arms above his head and sighed. Taking the advice he had given his underling he made his way to his bed, allowing one very large un-overseer like yawn to rack his body and pull the skin sheathes back from his large front fangs. He flopped himself onto soft bed of grevelian skins and as he drew closer to sleep the memory of the fight with his daughter completely faded from his thoughts.

But that same night and in the same wing of the capitol someone was sitting awake, and they had most definitely not forgotten the argument earlier that night. Ka'tela had cried silently into her pillow until she had no more tears left to shed, now she brooded, alone with her thoughts she followed dozens of them down fanciful paths and made up destinies. She set her teeth as she repeated a silent mantra to herself "I will make my own decisions" over and over again. But what decisions did she have to make? How could she change what had been set into motion almost twenty years ago. Her father had chosen her destiny and her entire life had been a preparation for this moment, in her father’s eyes, she was a tool, and this is what he had been waiting to use her for.

She struck her pillow, and stared at the slash it had created, exposing the soft feathers it was filled with, unsatisfied with the feeling it gave her, she struck it again, and again, she let out a scream of frustration as she pulled back her arm and with claws extended she swiped at her bed post, severing the top eight inches or so from its base, then she hit her side table with all her force, tumbling it over, and scattering its contents. She watched a small stoneware drinking glass hit the floor and roll away, slowly at first, then picking up speed as it continued its wobbly journey away from the mess, to rest against a far wall. She stared at the cup for a long time, suddenly a thought came to her and her anger immediately dissipated, if the gods were true then surely this was a sign, the metaphor of fleeing the wreckage a more powerful person had caused was immediately present and understood. She stood silently, and without another thought she calmly found her traveling satchels, she changed into earth tone riding pants and a baggy hooded cloak, traveling boots and an array of daggers went on as well. Into her satchels went extra clothes, dry foods, some barter chips, a few valuables, and a bedroll. She walked to the far room and drew a short bakeli blade from her training rack, and then pausing drew a long bo as well. The feel of the weapons brought back memories of her trainer, a grizzly old silurian named Sal'den she remembered days spent with the old warrior, practicing her techniques with an array of weapons and fighting styles until she was soar from head to toe, or the wise old silurian made her stop. She turned away from the rack and walked for her door. Then stopped, remembering the guards posted down the hallway and throughout the fortress, she turned back to the room, and her eyes settled on a large window facing away from the rest of the building. She ran to the window, unlocked it and gazed down the three-story drop to the ground below.

She pulled her head back in, the adrenaline in her body kept her from fearing the drop, she gazed around her room, searching for something to use, she looked up and smiled, and began ripping the thick heavy rope tassels off her curtains. Careful to not make much noise, she drug the tassels over to a stone outcropping designed to hold a candle, she looped it over it and tossed the remainder out the window, and without looking she swung her body over the banister and began her descent to freedom. Hand over hand she lowered herself closer to the ground, her muscles groaned, and though she kept herself physically fit the descent made her arms burn. She ran out of tassel about twelve feet from the ground, she coiled her legs and dropped the distance, springing back up as she touched down. Ka'tela took a moment to orientate herself and then with an explosion of energy and fueled by an odd giddy feeling to laugh uncontrollably and hide at the same time, she took off running, setting her pace she jogged to the center of the market several blocks down, vendors were just beginning to arrive and set up their booths. The morning light was still dim, and there was a faint fog in the air, with enough chill to nip just a bit. She made her way past crates of fruits, and domestic birds. No one spoke to her, and she felt almost like a ghost, an avatar of the fog that covered the ground, and hid her passage, anonymous and ignored, sifting through the morning dew. Ka'tela preferred this reaction to the receptions she usually received when she went out and about. Now she was free, free to do whatever she wanted. Her adrenaline kept her from concentrating on the fact that the only thing she had wanted to do was escape her father.

But her legs kept her moving, kept her headed for the Overseer's imperial stables, kept her sneaking past the light guard patrols, and kept her moving once she was inside. She snuck up and down the rows of stalls, each containing a slumbering Teracoth, fast and sure footed riding animals, the beasts were domesticated and would allow her to mount them with little argument. She stopped for a second, and just listened to herself and the beasts’ steady breathing, she wanted to giggle, she had made it so far, she was ecstatic and at the same time she was afraid. She would need to find a place to stay outside the city, maybe ride for a border town, or base outpost. Whatever she wanted to do she could now do it, she had effectively cut the bonds that had bound her for so long, her life was now in her hands, and no one, not even her father could stop her now.

She made her way to a familiar holding stall were a large mottled gray Teracoth was fast asleep, she had ridden this teracoth before and knew the animal personally, it was two year old male called Striker, she reached her hand over the wall and gently massaged the animals neck, softly attempting to wake it as quietly as possible. The beasts eyes suddenly flew open and it let out a huff of steamy breath and looked over at her, then as if in panic the teracoth jerked its head back and let out a loud grunt, Ka'tela gave a short shriek and jumped backwards, slamming her head into a wooden beam mounted to the front of a neighboring stall, the teracoth behind her woke and slammed its massive flank into the side wall of the stall, she fell forward and went chest first into a puddle of mud trodden water as teracoths woke all up and down the stable grunting and panicking, she heard the double doors swing wide somewhere down the hall and around a corner as a guard came inside. She pushed herself up and cursed under her breath, slapping the ground, which did nothing but splash even more mud into her face, she wanted to cry, but instead jumped up and with wet clothes and a bump on the back of her head she bounded up and slung herself up onto the stalls side as she imagined the guard making his way down the hall towards her, she frantically reached for the riding tack kept next to each teracoth, her fingers were slipping as she hurriedly moved around the now awake and aware animal. The teracoth watched her and lifted its legs to allow her to move underneath it. The cold metal buckles were hard to hold onto, and her fingers kept slipping, She could hear the footsteps of guards approaching, she let out a soft sob as she struggled with the riding gear. Then the last clip went into place and she shoved herself against the stall door, forcing herself to hold her breath despite her rapid breathing, and her lungs burned after just a few seconds. She heard the voices of two guards, they were walking slowing and though she couldn't make out the words they were saying neither one sounded excited or worried. She carefully let out an exhalation and allowed fresh air to fill her dry lungs. The guard’s conversation came into her range of hearing, they were casually joking about a new commanding officer of some sort. As they continued on their way they passed Ka'tela's hiding space without pause and their snide remarks faded into the distance. Ka'tela relaxed letting her head fall back into the stall door, smacking the welt that was already forming, she winced and took note of the injury as well as her wet and mud stained clothing. She stood up warily and sighed, Ka'tela waited a few minutes after the talkative guards voices completely disappeared. Then she reached for the bridle and gently slid it off the hook it rested on. She moved towards her teracoth and cooed to it as she pressed the harness over its nostrils and looped it back around the neck.

"Are you ready for a ride big boy?" she whispered to him.

Striker just stared at her with his big curious eyes, and huffed again shuffling his feet.

The muddied princess strapped her bags to the animals riding tack and unhitched the stall door, slowly walking the big teracoth out into the main walkway, she hooked a foot into a stirrup and pulled herself up onto the beasts back, she took one final glance at her surroundings, and dug her heels into the animals sides, giving a loud "heecha!". The beast reared slightly and then shot forward heavy feet hitting the wet ground solidly, whisking her hair behind her, the cold air hitting her soaked clothing chilled her body immediately, but she urged the teracoth on, navigating the turns of the stables, thundering towards a set of doors that was just being opened by the gossiping guards, both had turned to look at her and she smiled at their frozen expressions as she shot past them, knocking one of the startled silurians down and into the same mud she was covered with, the animals flanks forced the doors to swing open wide. She wanted to shout with excitement as the smell of morning air greeted her and her new companion. The teracoth galloped down the narrow side streets, crossing paved and cobblestone roads, often startling other animals or silurians moving about their early morning business. She didn't let up on the speed until she charged through the open city gates along the east entrance, her animal pounded across the stone and mortar bridge and as soon as she made it to the other side, she slowed and turned the teracoth, taking a long look at the city and life she was leaving behind her. Then with a smirk she pulled on the bridle, turning towards the south road and the princess of an empire disappeared into the morning fog in search of something, something even she didn't fully understand, and all that mattered now was her new found ability to find it.