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runicloreThe Truth Can't Be Burned
Author: Amber Michelle
Rating: K
Warnings: n/a
Word Count: 883
Prompt:
Fire Emblem 10, Sephiran, history is written by the victors
................................................................
Until making his home in Begnion for the second time, Sephiran had never understood the desire to burn books. They carried history on the wings of their pages, thoughts born from great minds that would otherwise be lost to the ether when their thinkers died. Without the invention of alphabets, tablets, scrolls, codices, mortals would be condemned to repeat the discoveries of their ancestors over and over again, never to advance, never to learn.
"But if the Zunanma were human," his little Sanaki said, nibbling the scalloped edge of a cracker, "And you say they were the ancestors to both beorc and laguz, why..."
Fate had given him a chance to peruse the new libraries on Tellius, those in Begnion, the archive at Melior, the private collections in each of the provinces. He'd enjoyed the chronicles of magic advancement and exploration narratives-- and then he picked up a history book, and thought he might bend his interpretation of material that deserved to be burned.
Sephiran watched his empress frown at the page and score the corner of the leather cover with her thumbnail. He knew what she was about to ask; her down-turned lips said she didn't like it - a small comfort, but preferable to despair. He shifted to his other foot, clasped his hands at his back. Rings of overlapping crackers and cheese decorated the plate at his place, broken now by her snacking, but mostly full and bearing the brunt of her gaze. "Your majesty?"
Her mouth worked, puckered slightly. Maybe the cracker was bland. "He must mean 'beorc' when he says that, but--" Sanaki snapped the book shut and shoved it away. It thumped on the table and made her red juice slosh in its glass, frothing slightly pink. "That's a terrible use of the term. It's inconsistent."
"Indeed. The author was an ignorant man - but ignorant men often learn to project the illusion of power and knowledge," Sephiran said. Her hair swayed around her chin when she nodded. They need not reach very far for examples of such men. "It has been taught for hundreds of years that laguz are a mutation of the true race. Note Della has not cited any research on the matter in his footnotes. He relies on common belief to furnish evidence."
Again Sanaki nodded, though she didn't open the book again. She would have noticed that; he'd given up trying to hide things from her and abandoned the assumptions he'd approached her with, based on her age. The empress was nine now, and sharper with her questions than the holy guard was with their forest of swords. "You said you've studied Goldoa's histories. What do they say?"
Sephiran had written a portion of the histories decorating the shelves in Goldoa, but she was too young - and yet, too old, too intelligent - to believe a claim like that. "Zunanma resembled neither race. They did not possess humanoid forms. As a matter of fact, there are sketches of their latter generations in some of the personal accounts Goldoa's librarian preserved. They're somewhat advanced from the ancients this history is referring to, but still fitting examples. Maybe I'll request a copy for you, my lady, if that would please you."
His empress took another cracker and broke it in half. "I'd like that." She chewed the corner of one half-moon shape, staring at the red leather cover of her history volume. "But someone might try to--" Sanaki shrugged, pushed the rest of the wafer into her mouth. Somehow she managed not to sprinkle the front of her dress with crumbs.
"Burn it?" Sephiran supplied with a smile. If any of the senior senators put their hands on such a volume, they most certainly would try - and send him to the stake along with his book. But they were unobservant. Lekain told Sephiran when to take the empress out, when to smile and wave and assure her citizens all was well, but he didn't ask what Lady Sanaki studied. The library's records said certain books were borrowed; nothing more was said. "The truth can't be burned. Such primitive responses are inspired by a willingness to believe anything so long as it is written down."
Sanaki pulled her legs onto the chair and crossed them under. "You told me I should always question," she said, and waited for his nod. "So--" He lifted his eyebrows, and she leaned forward. "Did you really study in Goldoa, or are you making this up?"
Sephiran laughed before he could stop himself. Her frown was immediate, so he cleared his throat and forced his face to smoothness. "Yes, your majesty, I did. I can provide references if you like."
She stuck her tongue out. "You're the one who said I shouldn't believe everything I hear." Sanaki reached for cheese next, a small, thin square slice with holes. "Fine. You tell me the history of the world - and be sure to cite all of your sources."
Sephiran bowed. Another victory to add to the tally.
.
Author: Amber Michelle
Rating: K
Warnings: n/a
Word Count: 883
Prompt:
Fire Emblem 10, Sephiran, history is written by the victors
................................................................
Until making his home in Begnion for the second time, Sephiran had never understood the desire to burn books. They carried history on the wings of their pages, thoughts born from great minds that would otherwise be lost to the ether when their thinkers died. Without the invention of alphabets, tablets, scrolls, codices, mortals would be condemned to repeat the discoveries of their ancestors over and over again, never to advance, never to learn.
"But if the Zunanma were human," his little Sanaki said, nibbling the scalloped edge of a cracker, "And you say they were the ancestors to both beorc and laguz, why..."
Fate had given him a chance to peruse the new libraries on Tellius, those in Begnion, the archive at Melior, the private collections in each of the provinces. He'd enjoyed the chronicles of magic advancement and exploration narratives-- and then he picked up a history book, and thought he might bend his interpretation of material that deserved to be burned.
Sephiran watched his empress frown at the page and score the corner of the leather cover with her thumbnail. He knew what she was about to ask; her down-turned lips said she didn't like it - a small comfort, but preferable to despair. He shifted to his other foot, clasped his hands at his back. Rings of overlapping crackers and cheese decorated the plate at his place, broken now by her snacking, but mostly full and bearing the brunt of her gaze. "Your majesty?"
Her mouth worked, puckered slightly. Maybe the cracker was bland. "He must mean 'beorc' when he says that, but--" Sanaki snapped the book shut and shoved it away. It thumped on the table and made her red juice slosh in its glass, frothing slightly pink. "That's a terrible use of the term. It's inconsistent."
"Indeed. The author was an ignorant man - but ignorant men often learn to project the illusion of power and knowledge," Sephiran said. Her hair swayed around her chin when she nodded. They need not reach very far for examples of such men. "It has been taught for hundreds of years that laguz are a mutation of the true race. Note Della has not cited any research on the matter in his footnotes. He relies on common belief to furnish evidence."
Again Sanaki nodded, though she didn't open the book again. She would have noticed that; he'd given up trying to hide things from her and abandoned the assumptions he'd approached her with, based on her age. The empress was nine now, and sharper with her questions than the holy guard was with their forest of swords. "You said you've studied Goldoa's histories. What do they say?"
Sephiran had written a portion of the histories decorating the shelves in Goldoa, but she was too young - and yet, too old, too intelligent - to believe a claim like that. "Zunanma resembled neither race. They did not possess humanoid forms. As a matter of fact, there are sketches of their latter generations in some of the personal accounts Goldoa's librarian preserved. They're somewhat advanced from the ancients this history is referring to, but still fitting examples. Maybe I'll request a copy for you, my lady, if that would please you."
His empress took another cracker and broke it in half. "I'd like that." She chewed the corner of one half-moon shape, staring at the red leather cover of her history volume. "But someone might try to--" Sanaki shrugged, pushed the rest of the wafer into her mouth. Somehow she managed not to sprinkle the front of her dress with crumbs.
"Burn it?" Sephiran supplied with a smile. If any of the senior senators put their hands on such a volume, they most certainly would try - and send him to the stake along with his book. But they were unobservant. Lekain told Sephiran when to take the empress out, when to smile and wave and assure her citizens all was well, but he didn't ask what Lady Sanaki studied. The library's records said certain books were borrowed; nothing more was said. "The truth can't be burned. Such primitive responses are inspired by a willingness to believe anything so long as it is written down."
Sanaki pulled her legs onto the chair and crossed them under. "You told me I should always question," she said, and waited for his nod. "So--" He lifted his eyebrows, and she leaned forward. "Did you really study in Goldoa, or are you making this up?"
Sephiran laughed before he could stop himself. Her frown was immediate, so he cleared his throat and forced his face to smoothness. "Yes, your majesty, I did. I can provide references if you like."
She stuck her tongue out. "You're the one who said I shouldn't believe everything I hear." Sanaki reached for cheese next, a small, thin square slice with holes. "Fine. You tell me the history of the world - and be sure to cite all of your sources."
Sephiran bowed. Another victory to add to the tally.
.