05-23-2022, 06:32 PM
(Officially Former) Restricted Region
23rd May 2022
Councillor Pauline Pierre of Kerlile was led through the nameless prison which wasn’t marked on any maps. The air seemed stale and suffocating, and every so often she could hear sobs or wails. Two years ago, she wouldn’t have cared. Now, it was a harsh reminder of the kind of thing she’d spent her life supporting, and the kind of person that made her. When they reached the cell she was looking for, then gestured for the guards to unlock it and leave her.
One of them, before departing, put the chair she was carrying down for Pauline to sit on while she had her conversation. Before she could sit, however, she was hit with the stench of an unwashed human, and it took everything in her not to actually throw up. She nervously glanced towards the prisoner, who was already looking at her with a mix of weariness and despair in her eyes.
"Have you come to gloat?" Carmen Robinson croaked from the corner where she lay chained.
"No," Pauline said softly, sighing and sitting down on the chair. "I came because… Auroras are my family's pride and joy. We cared for them deeply… your family disagreed. Your grandmother, the real reason behind what happened in 1983 was her opposition to the Programme. She was killed for it."
Pauline swallowed. "But she was right. Auroras are my pride, but they're also wrong. It shouldn't have existed, we shouldn't have let that happen. Your family have suffered for that. I don't want my children's children to uphold some kind of blood feud against your family until the end of time. I want to end it."
"You'll be stripped of your title," she continued, "and your position on the Council. But I've asked for leniency. The punishment for treason is torture and death but I don't want you dead. I want this to end. You saved them, you sacrificed your own life to save them. And now I'll save you. I'll help you, you can go and be with your daughters in Zongongia. I'm sorry, Carmen. I've been wrong for so long."
The silence lasted an eternity until Carmen spoke. “Do you honestly expect me to believe you’re just going to let me go?”
“I know it seems unlikely, but you were there when I told the Council my epiphany once Olivia was returned! I’m trying to change, I’m trying to… fix things.”
“This is some kind of cruel trick,” snorted Carmen.
“It’s not, I promise you,” Pierre said desperately. She needed the other (now former) Councillor to believe her. She needed to do something good for a change, to begin trying to fix all the things she’d spent her life doing wrong. “I know you have no reason to believe me, but I…”
“You’re right, I don’t,” pointed out Carmen.
“Just wait…” Pauline said, fumbling in her pocket until she pulled out a key and tossed it towards Robinson. “Here, for those,” she gestured at the chains.
Carmen took the key suspiciously, eyeing it as if it might bite her. Nevertheless, she slotted it into the locks and the chains fell off. She rubbed her wrists and curled up in a more comfortable position, looking up at Pauline, still wary.
“Look, I don’t know what to say, Carmen,” Pierre looked down. “I’ve spent the last year trying to force them to stop… this. We keep saying we want to leave the past in the past, and then not doing so. All of us are hypocrites, but especially me. I’m just trying to do better.”
The two women sat there, and Carmen inched closer to Pauline along the floor, gauging her reaction. No guards leapt out to restrain her. She looked up at the Councillor, head tilted to the side. “You genuinely mean this, don’t you?”
“I can’t live with who I was if I don’t try to fix it,” Pauline said helplessly.
“I believe you,” Carmen said softly. And it was true. She’d never seen Pierre like this before, and she just knew deep down inside that for once, she wasn’t lying. "Pauline… thank you. Thank you so much."
The two women stared at each other for a while, then Pauline took Carmen's hand and squeezed. They sat there, tears pricking both their eyes as they, finally, came to an understanding. It would end today, their feud would end today and things could finally get better. It was a promise.
23rd May 2022
Councillor Pauline Pierre of Kerlile was led through the nameless prison which wasn’t marked on any maps. The air seemed stale and suffocating, and every so often she could hear sobs or wails. Two years ago, she wouldn’t have cared. Now, it was a harsh reminder of the kind of thing she’d spent her life supporting, and the kind of person that made her. When they reached the cell she was looking for, then gestured for the guards to unlock it and leave her.
One of them, before departing, put the chair she was carrying down for Pauline to sit on while she had her conversation. Before she could sit, however, she was hit with the stench of an unwashed human, and it took everything in her not to actually throw up. She nervously glanced towards the prisoner, who was already looking at her with a mix of weariness and despair in her eyes.
"Have you come to gloat?" Carmen Robinson croaked from the corner where she lay chained.
"No," Pauline said softly, sighing and sitting down on the chair. "I came because… Auroras are my family's pride and joy. We cared for them deeply… your family disagreed. Your grandmother, the real reason behind what happened in 1983 was her opposition to the Programme. She was killed for it."
Pauline swallowed. "But she was right. Auroras are my pride, but they're also wrong. It shouldn't have existed, we shouldn't have let that happen. Your family have suffered for that. I don't want my children's children to uphold some kind of blood feud against your family until the end of time. I want to end it."
"You'll be stripped of your title," she continued, "and your position on the Council. But I've asked for leniency. The punishment for treason is torture and death but I don't want you dead. I want this to end. You saved them, you sacrificed your own life to save them. And now I'll save you. I'll help you, you can go and be with your daughters in Zongongia. I'm sorry, Carmen. I've been wrong for so long."
The silence lasted an eternity until Carmen spoke. “Do you honestly expect me to believe you’re just going to let me go?”
“I know it seems unlikely, but you were there when I told the Council my epiphany once Olivia was returned! I’m trying to change, I’m trying to… fix things.”
“This is some kind of cruel trick,” snorted Carmen.
“It’s not, I promise you,” Pierre said desperately. She needed the other (now former) Councillor to believe her. She needed to do something good for a change, to begin trying to fix all the things she’d spent her life doing wrong. “I know you have no reason to believe me, but I…”
“You’re right, I don’t,” pointed out Carmen.
“Just wait…” Pauline said, fumbling in her pocket until she pulled out a key and tossed it towards Robinson. “Here, for those,” she gestured at the chains.
Carmen took the key suspiciously, eyeing it as if it might bite her. Nevertheless, she slotted it into the locks and the chains fell off. She rubbed her wrists and curled up in a more comfortable position, looking up at Pauline, still wary.
“Look, I don’t know what to say, Carmen,” Pierre looked down. “I’ve spent the last year trying to force them to stop… this. We keep saying we want to leave the past in the past, and then not doing so. All of us are hypocrites, but especially me. I’m just trying to do better.”
The two women sat there, and Carmen inched closer to Pauline along the floor, gauging her reaction. No guards leapt out to restrain her. She looked up at the Councillor, head tilted to the side. “You genuinely mean this, don’t you?”
“I can’t live with who I was if I don’t try to fix it,” Pauline said helplessly.
“I believe you,” Carmen said softly. And it was true. She’d never seen Pierre like this before, and she just knew deep down inside that for once, she wasn’t lying. "Pauline… thank you. Thank you so much."
The two women stared at each other for a while, then Pauline took Carmen's hand and squeezed. They sat there, tears pricking both their eyes as they, finally, came to an understanding. It would end today, their feud would end today and things could finally get better. It was a promise.
LIDUN President 2024 | she/her | Puppets: Kerlile, Glanainn, Yesteria, Zongongia, Zargothrax