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Civil Unrest **TennTenshie and Eyesoffire**

Joined
Jun 6, 2011
Looking up the woman shifted slightly – there was a gathering today the festival of Horen. God of the Arcane. The one who gifted those with arcane brilliance, those at the top of society. She Shifted the white markings of Luse – goddess of Healing across her eyes, and down one side of her face. Beautiful lace work that had been marked down her face with each healing she’d done. Unlike those of the arcane, Her magic marked her skin. Like the Elementals and the blood mages and the other more natural magics. She shook her head pulling up the cowl over her face she adjusted the folds of her robes and moved on.

She moved slowly coming from the basement where she had been praying. She didn’t particularly feel like being in the festivities but the temple was about to be the center of it all. The great temple that held the entire Religious gods in massive statue form. Each one rising on a different floor, in the center all of them where depicted. And As the head of this particular temple’s Sect to Luse she had to be there. Soon she heard the music began to play outside, inside the great white marble buildings And she walked to the main floor and looked around the garish display. Flowers – ribbons and other fancy items hanging from everything. She shook her head watching the streets as candles where lit and the beginning of the parade began.

Someone came stumbling in, and she turned her head looking over. “What is it child?” she asked softly.

“Help.” Came the wheeze and she walked over, moving she waved a couple of the alcolites over to help the injured person back to the chambers so the person could be helped.

“Hurry! People will be coming soon, and they don’t want to see the ugly side of things!” She ordered.

((The injured party can be anyone))
 
The crowds weren't pushing. They were in formation, all of them, soldiers and civilians alike. Each and every human stood or moved in the same direction, towards the temple in the centre of Ezraphael, the capital. All for Horen. Crispin thought. He narrowed his eyes at the temple. What about his god? What about Pryos, the god of fire? Consumer and devourer of all things, igniter of hope and passion and destroyer of nations? Crispin looked away, there would be another time, another day in the year meant for his god, his people. At least the people were orderly, at least they knew where they belonged.

He made his way to the temple proper, pushing and weaving his way through the people. It was easier then he initially thought, there was order, he liked order, formations, strength in discipline. People got out of his was, the man could be intimidating if he wished, he was taller then average, breaking 6', his eyes, though a dark brown, had a fire buried deep within them that ached to come out. He skin was darker then most people's though his hair was the color of coal, and was neatly cut short over his angular and handsome face, the lower of which was covered in stubble. He had a muscular body though he was not big, lean and athletic, yet hardened for a lifetime of wearing armor. Yet despite all of these traits it was not his features that alarmed people, but rather the badge upon his leather jerkin. A symbol of the Ezra vanguard, fire was too dangerous to be utilized behind the front lines, so they placed him at the front. He was 'Captain of the Van,' and had first bloodied his blade at the age of 17.

The order that surrounded his was fleeting, the moment a shout went up he turned to see a group of Priests of the Land shuffling behind him. How the they get this far in unnoticed? He was nowhere near the main gates, the guard should have tended to them straight away. Their robes were red, stains and splotches of blood were caked onto them in different areas as they leaned on one another. Crispin made for them, pushing people out of the way to attend to these elemental priests.

"What happened?" He demanded as he reached their side.
"They came for the farms...small party of them...6 I'd say...no more."
"So deep...so close to Ezraphael?" Crispin raised his eyebrows when one of the priests nodded.
One of the priests, a young one, must have still been in training, seemed healthier than the others. "you there, boy! To the healer's with you, call for aid!" Crispin ordered as he moved to calm those of the crowd who had seen the state of the priests.
 
The boy had nodded and run away. And had come to the healers, the main level was theirs. They where to be easily accessed and the woman was caught. Leaving the Injured non magicer with her Priests she came out. Beautiful and lean. The head priestest was the strongest healer of them all. At least here. She was young Perhaps 24, then agains he'd been healing since she was 10, she'd started with animals, birds and mice - and worked her way to the villagers she grew up with, and at 15 she'd been moved and truely taught. But the lace work had started at her fingers on the right hand and now ran the right part of her body slowly but surely cutting across and over the left.

She came up beside The Captian and touched his shoulder. "Get your men to help them inside. To the back rooms." She ordered. She'd worry about retaliation for neglecting any form of respect later. There was no form of acknowlegement of his rank. She Showed no real Ranking to anyone. Even if they where above or below her. "Get them to help get these priests into the rooms. She then quickly touched the heads of the priests muttering a quick healing Cantrip that would sustain their bodies and their souls. The white on her fingers glowing. Under the cowel the lace gained new loops across the bridge of her nose. Little tiny delicate lines. most people wouldn't have seen it - but the woman's skin was almost the color of Caramel and thus the white stood out sharply.

Blue eyes focused on the most Injured man now she knelt Ordering the one Priest who'd come with her to the other side they set to work chanting - a real spell. This was not the way to start the Celebration to Horen, with death and fighting. It seemed like Luse would be getting more Praise than Expected this evening. She counted quickly When the one she and the one she and the other priest hovered around was stable enough to be moved she looked at the hovering Boy. "How many priests where there?" She asked. Her voice was soft - melodic.

"12 Ma'am." Came the boys response.

"and Six are here." She muttered, "Seven counting you."

"Yes." The boy whispered.

She nodded biting her lower lip. She looked at the Captian of the Van. She said nothing.
 
He pursed his lips when the healer touched him. Crispin wanted to shrug her off and just walk but he couldn't, not with a situation like this. What's more was that she was right, he had to get them out, the implications of this site becoming a common thing during a sacred festival would mean the massive lowering in morale. If the people were frightened, if they were uncomfortable in the world that the soldiers and politicians created then there would just be chaos.

Crispin called his men and then moved to get the priests out of the area once the healer had given them a spell to help with the pain. He caught her eye once the boy had told her about the casualties. The death of so many priests meant that 6 or 7 farms were easily ravaged by the raiders. Crispin had to take action, and he had to do it now. The celebration could wait, especially if the integrity of all they had worked for would be compromised by actions such as these.

"You." Crispin said, turning and pointing to the female healer before him. "Come with me. I trust you understand the severity of the situation." He said, placing a hand on her shoulder and urging her into a walk with a slight push, he kept his hand on her, pushing her forwards, though the crowd as he spoke. "I'm taking a contingent of men to these farms and I want you there incas we have injured survivors. Crispin cared not who she was or what she represented, his job was the safety of the people, it had always been, and he took it seriously.

There was but one single obstacle he did not want to encounter. General Grenn Daltran, the man in charge of the nation's armies a veteran, conservative and very, very stubborn. Crispin would have to appeal to him in order to move out with a few men. He hoped that perhaps the healer might also side with his view and relay the severity of the situation to the General.
 
Shal turned looking at the man as he caught her with a point and arched a brow watching the Wounded ones leave. "Yes I understand the severity of the situation, Captian of the Van." She agreed. One of the few ways an elementalist got as high as Captian was being good. She wondered for a moment if being headstrong and stupid helped. But she Followed him. He knew just as well as she did that it had to be handled though unlike him she had no side in this war - she healed both without question.

"We should hurry if you wish to stop them before they reach Ezraphel." She doubted that such a small contengency would actually come for the captial, but she also realized a small group had a much easier time infiltrating and as a Non magicer was in the back of the temple - she knew that they could get all the way in, no one as injured as the non magicer who'd asked for her help was a slave. She could get killed for hleping him as well. But, he'd be down into the lower levels before anyone realized it. She would make sure of it - or Lispen would.

She followed him as he headed for the General, there was steps to be taken. But she chafed. "You realize he is going to argue not to have this done during a ceremony correct?" She asked.
 
"I know exactly what he's going to do..." Crispin sighed as he walked behind Shal. "You can just call me 'Captain,' my full title is not...necessary." They eventually reached a location near Ezraphael's outer wall. It's oldest and strongest defensive structure. Grenn was overseeing the whole ceremony from a podium atop the wall, shaded by a tarp that was lavishly decorated. Crispin ascended the steps behind Shal and moved straight to General Grenn's side. He saluted and bowed his head slightly. "My lord, several priests of the Earth were seen in the crowed today, grievously injured and shaken. I've questioned them and had my men escort them to separate healers. they informed me...err..us, that it was a contingent of rebels that assaulted the farms to the South and killed several of their company." Crispin visibly straightened, stood taller and looked a little more stressed.

"I ask for permission to take a few riders and assess the situation for myself, taking this woman here...err...this...er...healer with me in case there are any survivors."
Grenn snorted but didn't look to Crispin, not even when he bowed. "Leave with troops?" he asked in a haughty, gruff voice. "During this ceremony? Never...look around you Captain....people celebrate. If soldiers were to leave if they were to be seen leaving what would that imply?"
"It would be a small troop no cause for ala-" Crispin tried to say but was interrupted.

"Absolutely not. Captain...get down there and back to your post. Everything must remain in order. I shall check it at nightfall." Grenn said in a tone that implied this conversation was over. Crispin gritted his teeth and bowed, retreating. He took Shal with him back down the steps and looked around to ensure no one was within earshot. "Go to the stables." he whispered to her. "Grab a horse and make for the main gate. It will be open. I'll meet you there."
 
Before she let him leave to get his own horse she grabbed his sleeve. "Mark this, Captian - I go to Heal. I do not care if they are Magiced or if they are not. If they are hurt, I will heal them. No question asked. Do you understand this?" She asked him. He had to realize that the oaths she made to Luse she took very seriously and an injured was an injured be them able to cast spells or not. She had never understood the slaves and she probably never would. Staring at him the woman's caramel face with its white markings across the eyes and the right half of her face was visable in the fire.

"If you do not agree with this. I will leave on my own And you're services will be rendered for knaught." With that she walked away to get one of the white horses from her own stables and go to the main gates and out - Unlike him priests could do as they wished without much question. She came and went regularly to check on the outter farms. It would be odd for the head priestess of the temple to be gone, but there where priestest there who could take care of what needed to be done.

Reaching her stables she pulled the horse from its place and mounted. The robes where split up the sides of both legs so that the woman could mount, the pants of white leather suple and smooth hugged her as she climbed up and the horse whinnied before it began. She came to the main gate and even out of it to the Right. Looking out at the procession of people still making their way in slowly. She smiled and nodded to one of them who paused.

"Where are you going High priestess?"

"There has been some who have fallen Ill - would hate for them to miss all of hte festivities." She told the person and they accepted this. She waited still for Crispin. Biting her lip again.
 
Crispin could only watch the Healer as she left, her words ringing in his head. How could he allow her to do such a thing? If he were any other man he'd have accused her of treason and taken her straight to the prisons to hold her before her trial. However Crispin was more thoughtful than that. He needed her right now and the less she got in his way the better, there was already enough riding on his shoulders at this point, his career for one thing. he didn't want to screw up with a person like this healer...even if she didn't mean much to him. He pushed the thought away from his mind and walked to the barracks where he grabbed a saddle and entered the military stables to saddle a dark brown mare before meeting with Shal beyond the gate.

He urged them to ride hard and fast, the horses were breathing heavily when they reached the farmland. crispin did a quick survey, some of the barns and fields had been burnt. "They're trying to cripple our supplies, outlast us...they're doing a poor job of it." He said, squinting and staring into the distance. "They didn't do too much damage to the crops." He dismounted, crops were not his problem, people were. Crispin drew his blade and ignited his free hand, his usual battle stance. He approached the closest house and kicked in the door. Nothing, no people, just blood stains on the floor. He sighed and moved on. The next house, the next 5 houses were all the same. He turned to Shal. "Perhaps the church? Perhaps the survivors have taken refuge in a place of peace and healing?" He didn't know, he hoped she would.
 
She looked around as they stood there. Finally she shifted some rubbing the broach of Luse upon her bussom. She smiled faintly as she moved into the house, The robes where more a dress than anything, belted under the brests, and a cowel that hung over her head blocking her face from someone who stood so much taller than her own 5' 6''. Her lips where laced with white lines on the right side. She shifted reaching down she found the ring pulling open the hidden hatch. Hidden only because there was a weak Earth Mage among this home.

"Come along Captian."

She remembered Living out here. All the villages would have an underground runway - a place to run. An escape route. Hopefully they made it to the church. "When you're attacked. You dont' stay above. Unless you can't move." She told him before she waited for him and his fire. It was pitch dark. Then again the villagers would know these tunnels. After he was down they started forward, her white robes and boots turning borwn at the base. Soon enough they found the Injured. Hidden under the church. She could tell by the smell that the church was a smoldering ruin. She shook her hea.d "Luse Forgive them, They know not what they do." She whispered.

"Priestess!" Someone shouted. "Priestess! Oh High Priestess!" Came the excited crys when someone recognized the woman.

She hurried in begining with the little cantrip she'd done the first time. "Captian - The fire if you would." She pointed above them. "Preferably before the floor falls in." She added working as quickly as possible to get enough of them well enough to move. There was easily a Dozen. She glanced at Some of the injured, most of them children, Young ones sent to hide. She shook her head. "Cowards." She muttered as she touched a child's head chanting over the boy.
 
Crispin looked up, and as she attended to those who needed to be healed he examined the fire above them. Conjuring it was one thing, extinguishing was something else. He could manipulate it easily as well, though that was not what she wanted. He was tall enough for his palms to press flat against the ceiling and once he did so the fire began to disappear...inside of him. It seemed to be receding into his body, as if his hands were sucking the flames in.

When he was done he looked to Shal. "Finished?" he asked her in a slightly tense voice. Although the fire had been extinguished, there was no telling what state it left the roof in and the thing could collapse at any moment. Crispin bent down and lifted a few of the children she'd healed, one in each arm and began to walk back to the exit. "I'm taking them out, we can't ride with all of them back, so just mount the worst of the wounded onto our horses." He called back over his shoulder as he walked back the way they came.

Eventually he came back for the other people, helping them out, both the magic users and the normal humans. Crispin couldn't tell which from which, all their clothes were filthy and torn thanks to the raid and their hideout. When they were all safely out of the runway Crispin moved to bring his horse. "Is there a cart nearby perhaps? Something we can attach to the horses and take everyone at once?" He inquired to the older survivors.
 
She helped get them out and looked over the injuries. Someo f them whimpered and winced as they where helped out, shortly after the last of them was out the church floor colapsed into the hide away and she looked back as the horses stamped the ground. Perched on her hip was the youngest child that had gotten away - a non magicer.

One of those who couldn't cast just looked at them as he sat down. "Don't bother." He said dismayed.

"Excuse me?" Shal asked as he said that.

"Our Buggy was crushed." Said the little girl. Resting her head on Shal's shoulder. Some of the woman's brown hair had come lose falling into her face, She'd yet to remove the Cowl, dressed for the nights finery she hadn't actually expected to be out in the feilds with a bunch of injured people.

"Take the girl - Her parents died. And in the priesthood she might do fine. But... they wont care if we weren't the ones who started the fire and attacked the earth priests. We're as good as dead if you take us to town." He said holding his ribs, Most of them where going to survive without extensive help. The few who weren't she had up on the horses and she looked at Crispin. "Take them to the Temple." She shifted her weight as she held the baby. "I'm not leaving these other's here. Come back with the horses."
 
Crispin stared down from his horse at Shal, he lowered his brow in thought. He was going to say something but thought better and took the reigns of Shal's horse, which also held two injured people. They trotted off to the city with much complaining as a direct result of the horse's movements. Crispin wanted to shut them up but that would by counter productive. He only bit his bottom lip, trying to bear the agony of hearing them whine. The non-magicers were not his problem, they could do what they wished for now, all he wanted was to ensure these people were secure before scouting around trying to find out how the rebels entered the lands.

He did exactly as Shal said, leaving them with the healers at the temple before riding back to meet up with her at the farms. "people gave me strange looks as I came back here." He said as he dismounted and approached her. "I think they know...or they suspect something isn't totally right about this day." He took a child in his arms again and looked at Shal. "What were you thinking of doing with these...others?" He asked, making it clear he was referring to the non-magicers.
 
"What Am I thinking of doing with...oh whats the word...?" She looked up at him. "the Slaves?" She asked him. "Well I'm not taking them to the city. They'll be hung or otherwise killed for the fact that their masters are dead." The little girl she had been holding when he left was right against her side and she was healing the male who'd told them to just leave him there. "They'll be considered Rebels and they'll be used as an example. And you know what that will do captian?" She asked him. "It'll make this stupid war worse. So I'm going to do my level best to patch them up and then I'm going to hope that the rebels find them because at least with them they might survive the week."

She shifted returnng to a chant that was knitting the man together as he winced watching the priest as she spoke to the captian. She didn't seem to care one way or the other that they where human. The Magicers where already up and moving and milling about the burned out home's land looking fo anything they could salvage of their lives. When she finished he looked at her. "Why?"

"Because I made vows to Luse that any life I can help I help." She told the man. She was exhausted and she shifted moving she sat down. Putting her right hand over her face. It'd taken her most of hte night to patch everyone up. And well, magic took its toll.
 
"You think that is they join the rebels the war will just end? That everything will go back to as it was over 100 years ago?" He snorted in contempt. "You talk as if you know exactly what will happen...yet it's far from the truth. If you want the war to end then send them back to Ezraphael and return to them the only life they've ever known, do not bolster the rebel numbers by offering these people to them." He let go of the children he was carrying. "If we both state that they had no involvement in the assault upon this place then they will not be hung. I guarantee it." Crispin was growing frustrated, the woman dallied here long enough, these people should have been on their way to the city by now, or even within its walls. He was missing the celebration and a chance to spend a night in a tavern with his close friends.

"Woman...just bring them back, they'll heal faster there..." He said, trying to calm down by rubbing the bridge of his nose. "We have enough merit to secure them a place within decent homes, where they can work without fear of another assault like this."
 
She looked at him helping the people up. "You vouch for them with the General. I'll make sure they don't get killed." She said simply. As she moved climbing up onto her own horse the Non magics following the slow trot of the horse. "And when you ralize the General is going to be out for blood, yours or theirs you come tell me waht you think." She responded easily enough. She had a history with magic and a history with the non magic. And she was definately one who didn't believe that slavery was the answer, though war wasn't much of one either.

"Ah, so the only thing their worth is labor hmm?" She asked him with his irritation as he glared at her. She headed directly for the temple when they rehit the main gate. Leading them off. "The General will want you." She pointed to the massive black horse that carried the general towards them and she cut off to the side taking them to the temples.
 
Crispin sighed and watched her leave. He turned around to face the black steed that bore the general to his location. He stood firmly to face the man. Grenn dismounted and walked to Crispin, nodding in salute, Crispin saluted fully and looked the general in the eye.

"What happened here, Crispin?" Grenn asked, looking around, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
"Exactly as we feared." Crispin stated. "The rebels came and assaulted the place, leaving no one they could find alive. We found a few people hiding in the pathways under the farms, they were hurt badly and so we helped them."
Grenn nodded as he listened. "So? Is that it? Any non-magicers with them?"
Crispin nodded.
"And? Did you kill them on the spot? I see no blood on the floor? What is this? What did you do with them, Crispin?"
"I've sent them with the healer to be helped. I couldn't kill them because they weren't the ones who did it."
"How do you know that?" Grenn was furious, he was spitting everywhere. "How do you know that they didn't help the rebels, tell them when the festival was going on, showed them were to attack?"
"I don't." Crispin simply said.
"You will find that healer and you will BOTH answer to me in the high court!" Grenn yelled before mounting his horse and riding for the city.
 
Shal was dealing with the injured rebel they had found his injuries particularly difficult to heal, then again magical injuries generally were. And she sat down, working on him. When a healer came telling her that the Captian of the Van walked in she moved standing and walked to the entryway to the private chambers, those where blocked off for ceremonies so they could be used for festival injuries and things like this.

"Captian." She said softly. The hood was down, she'd been working hard and had eventually taken it down. The dark brown hair falling around her face in loose threads, the rest of it pulled back into a french braid. That was pooled in the base of the Cowl. "What can I do for you?"

She already knew that the General was angry, she expected it. And she coudl almost guess why he was here.
 
Crispin pursed his lips as he looked down at the healer. He knew she knew exactly what was going on, she seemed to have the foresight for it. He looked at the floor in thought before looking up at her and sighing. "You can come with me to the high court...the General would like to have a word with us regarding the actions we took tonight outside of the city gates." He turned and walked out of the building. She would have to follow, if she stayed armed guards would be here within moments and they would be less than kind to both her and those she was healing.

Crispin moved swiftly through the people on the streets, weaving in and out of the crowds until he reached a grand building with impressive marble-work done on the outside with polished wood for an interior. The High Court was comprised of a single, large, round room filled with uncomfortable chairs. At the end, on the podium, stood Grenn, to his side were a few nobles, less than usual since today's celebrations took priority over their actions. One of the yawned. "I do hope this ends soon...my wife baked my beloved leamon-tart pie, and I would be most upset if it is cold when I eat it..."
"Indeed..." Grenn grunted, he gripped the wood tightly with his hands as Crispin entered and stood no less than 15 feet from them. He placed his hands behind his back and looked up at the General.
 
Shal followed. Keeping pace wasn't exactly hard - Crispin cut a pretty wide hole through the crowd so she reached the courtroom right behind him. Almost on his heels though she'd kept about a stride difference in pace to keep from walking on his heels. She wasn't a short woman. As she moved from behind him to beside him the Cowl was in place, it probably had been put back in place before they'd gotten out of the Temple proper.

"General, Nobelmen." She said with a slight nod of her head.

"Explain yourself." Came Grenn's order without much inflection beyond irritation.

"Howso?" Shal asked in return. She stood at rest. The High Priestess of the temple she wasn't someone in military standing and she did not stand stiff and nervous for anyone.

"outside the gates! Why didn't you exicute the Humans?"

"Because I took an Oath." She responded. "I took an oath to save lives. ALL lives. Be them Magicers or Non-Magicers."
 
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