5: This Issue
The room seems crowded.
"Oh, yes, I almost forgot, Bishop Sasarai, this is for you," Nash laughs. The sprig of purple and white wisteria he is holding out adds a sweet scent to the air.
"Flowers for His Excellency?" Dios asks skeptically.
The clever man flips the end of his scarf over his shoulder and leans over, attempting to tuck the wisteria behind my ear. Dios swats at him, muttering, "So you're after His Excellency's attention as well," with a tinge of irritation.
I decide not to intercede and allow Nash to proceed. Nika appears rather pleased with the effect and asks if Nash will bring some flowers for her as well the next time.
"Was Lena unable to come?" I question her nephew.
"You should know better than I do," he shrugs, "What the Temple's guards do relates more to you and your work."
I nod in silent agreement. Nash is correct, afterall. ...But still...
"I saw her on the way here," Dios notes, "I think Father Tjasse was asking her for some sort of assistance. He seemed a bit distressed."
"That would not surprise me," I respond slowly. Although the other priests do work with Lena and the guards, I feel like my orders should come above theirs. Even if all I want to do is talk. It's selfish of me, so I try to keep these thoughts to myself.
"Well," I begin apprehensively, "I asked all of you to come here so I could explain what has been troubling me of late."
Nash breathes deeply in relief, "I knew something was really bothering you ever since we came back from the Grasslands. I was just waiting for you to be the one to bring it up."
"Does this have anything to do with Luc?" Dios inquires.
"Let Bishop Sasarai finish telling us what he wanted to say before you ask questions!" Nika stops them.
Although she was a bit harsh on the two men for my tastes I am glad that Nika halted their flood of inquiries. I take a deep breath and attempt to pick up where I left off. "Ever since I...learned about myself from Luc I've been somewhat confused. I'm not sure where my loyalties lie anymore. His Holiness has deceived me...and I don't even think all of the other counsel members are in on this plan. It worries me because if Chief Priest Hikusaak is keeping this to himself it must be something large and dangerous. I don't want to be part of anymore attacks on our neighboring nations. I don't want to repress all the people he labeled "third-class citizens." ...It's just...I'm not sure how to go about any of this..."
I hang my head. The wisteria brushes against my face.
"Bishop Sasarai..." Dios mumbles, trying to quickly come up with a response to my dilemma.
"You know," Nika begins feebly, "I think I know what you mean. That Franz is a third-class citizen, right? He seemed like a real nice guy. ...I don't know history the way you all do, so maybe you could fill me in a bit. Who exactly decided that we should treat conquered people like that?"
"Chief Priest Hikusaak himself, who else?" Dios explained, "Circa IS 95, I believe- correct me if I'm wrong, Your Excellency- that was the first time any attempts were made for some people to break away from Harmonian rule since the nation was founded. It was some mess along the northern border with the ancient Tsurae Republic. Of course, you would never know that now. Those people never fooled around with us again. They're very assimilated. They're second-class citizens, and as Harmonian in nature as you or I."
That amount of information is probably a bit more than Nika can absorb all at once, since her history is a bit weak. I take the opportunity to summarize, "In short, the dissenters were made an example of. After that nothing serious shook Harmonia until about 230."
She thinks about this for a moment before grimacing, "How nasty of them!"
Nash and Dios both begin to smile again.
Quickly enough, Dios resumes his serious attitude concerning my dilemma. Nash, however, is somewhat more reluctant to abandon the small bit of frivolity we have just attained.
"Bishop Sasarai, the whole idea of doing anything about these matters that are troubling you frightens me somewhat, but for your sake I am willing to go along with just about anything."
"Me too," Nash laughs, "I'd even try to enlist Silverberg in this effort!"
I shake my head, "Don't tease me. You know that Albert would simply turn around just as we were getting somewhere and give all the information on what we were doing to someone like Hikami or Olia, who's dependable and owes everything to Lord Hikusaak. And that would be the end of any revolutionary notions."
Contemplating possible consequences I pause before adding, "Obviously the three of you, and Lena, if she were involved, would receive a more severe punishment than I would. ...I hate to ponder that..."
"Then do no such thing!" Dios exclaims suddenly.
Nash and Nika look at him in surprise for a moment and then begin to laugh.
I wave all three away casually, "I don't think we should talk about this anymore until I really know what I want to do. I'm still so apprehensive."
Nika shrugs, "That's just the way you are, Bishop Sasarai. As long as you don't stagnate like Hikusaak I don't see much wrong with a little caution."
I nod solemnly and turn to look out the window. It's overcast and dark outside the Temple. In the distance I can hear the roar of thunder.
"It's going to rain again..."