vor: (Genes generating monsters)
Emperor Gregor Vorbarra ([personal profile] vor) wrote2012-06-24 07:06 pm

Fourth Cream Cake: [Action/Voice]

[It has been some time since he did this.

Tonight, Gregor is behind CH7 with two large aluminum bowls. He places them on the ground.

One, he fills with sweet-scented bark and sage leaves. The other, with twigs and dried paper.

His hair has grown too long anyway. Carefully, he snips two locks of raven-black hair from his head. One for each bowl.

He kneels in front of the second bowl, the one filled with ordinary fuel, and tosses a tuft of hair in. Then, he strikes a match and sets fire to the contents. As it burns, he quietly adds a slip of paper with his signature written on it in his best handwriting. His official Imperial signature.

He says nothing as the death offering for his father burns. He's done this many times, at the guidance of Lady Alys. There had been no funeral offering for Prince Serg but the one which had filled the sky of Sergyar.

He returns to the first bowl, tenderly adding the lock of hair, a slip of paper with an invisible kiss, and, of all things, a child's shoe. As the offering burns, tears glisten in his eyes. When he's sure no one is around, he curls to the ground and quietly weeps.

He's aware of the limited privacy, but he'll whisper a few words over each offering. Anyone clever enough to sneak up would have to come very close indeed to hear them.

It is supposed that the burning of these offerings helps to drive away ghosts.

When that's over, he simply sits with his back to the wall and speaks into his journal. It's soft and hesitating--he's certainly not the "inspiring speeches on a dime" sort of ruler back home, but writing in the dark is ill-advised. His voice is somewhat rough.]


On Barrayar, we burn offerings for the dead. People died on the draft, but generally, the usual rites don't apply if they're coming back. It's limbo. What do you do?

Um. Could...someone give me a haircut?
fleurdesel: left, tired, serious, confused (Time. I need time.)

[Action]

[personal profile] fleurdesel 2012-07-15 06:12 pm (UTC)(link)
A few scattered conflicts aside- mostly induced by shifts or experiments, there is not much by way of crime here. Yet. There may be in the future; not having arrangements for them is unsettling. I know of a handful who would suggest we simply kill the offending party repeatedly until they've so many penalties from returning from death that they cannot be a danger to anyone.
fleurdesel: right, tired, sad (just a breather)

[Action]

[personal profile] fleurdesel 2012-07-15 06:16 pm (UTC)(link)
If such actions can be justified, they will be, and carried out unless someone acts as a voice of reason. There are individuals in the village that are respected enough for them to work but...I do not know what their stance is on this. It's not something most give thought to as we have a fairly well behaved populace.

Of course that only makes me worry more. When something happens, and it will be when rather than if considering the luck this village has had as of late, it has the potential to divide the village.
fleurdesel: left, smile, smirk, confused, sarcastic (The punchline is...?)

[Action]

[personal profile] fleurdesel 2012-07-15 07:08 pm (UTC)(link)
We do not even have a Democracy, not truly. We've groups that defer to particular individuals and little else.
fleurdesel: right, confused, serious, angry (and then...?)

[Action]

[personal profile] fleurdesel 2012-07-15 07:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Then urge someone to step forward and take lead, arrange for a council- I do not know much of these things. I defer to Law in matters of the clinic and the Jedi in matters of war. I do not even know who it is you could go to in order to suggest this without others assuming you mean to make some form of play for power.
fleurdesel: center, serious (tense)

[Action]

[personal profile] fleurdesel 2012-07-15 07:49 pm (UTC)(link)
I do not think you've much of a reputation to begin with in this village, and that is all that most individuals care about. Unless you've a reputable and long history of murdering innocents, at least.
fleurdesel: center, angry, serious (Repeat that.)

Re: [Action]

[personal profile] fleurdesel 2012-07-15 08:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Clashing systems, interpersonal politics, or perhaps again the fact that it is impossible to guarantee any kind of permanence here. If the Malnosso saw that we ere thus organized I know I would at least wish to see what happened if we took all of those people out of the equation for some time.
fleurdesel: left, irritated, tired, confused (Irritated)

Re: [Action]

[personal profile] fleurdesel 2012-07-15 08:44 pm (UTC)(link)
And then it's a mad scramble for favor, and we're left with a worse mess than if we'd left well enough alone.
fleurdesel: left, serious, sarcastic (Right. Whatever.)

[Action]

[personal profile] fleurdesel 2012-07-15 10:58 pm (UTC)(link)
[Adele snorts.]

And then we have a war of clans and groups in the middle of the village. Fantastic.
fleurdesel: right, smirk, angry, confused, sarcastic (Forgive me if I don't trust you)

[Action]

[personal profile] fleurdesel 2012-07-15 11:04 pm (UTC)(link)
And how well does that work on Barrayar?
fleurdesel: left, smile, smirk, flirty, serious, sarcastic (I see your mouth moving...)

[Action]

[personal profile] fleurdesel 2012-07-15 11:14 pm (UTC)(link)
If you think such a system could be put in place here with minimal conflict- by all means. Make an attempt to lay it out. I'd even be willing to assist if you need extra hands.
fleurdesel: left, irritated, tired, confused (Irritated)

[Action]

[personal profile] fleurdesel 2012-07-17 03:36 am (UTC)(link)
It keeps them comfortable. [Adele shrugs and pinches the bridge of her nose.] Or as close to it as one could be, here.