ROSARIUS
SARASINIA
THE BASTION
Rosarius had hoped for an easy victory over Dannis and Tavaris, however Fate, it seemed, had other ideas. Borrego’s boycott idea proved popular with the students, but it was soundly rejected by the Bastion’s administrators. He was shocked when none of the teachers or ancillary staff rallied to the rebel banner; a scant few whispered words of encouragement, but otherwise they lacked the balls to cross their employers. And although rumour had it that Chancellor Loedus himself harboured pro-student views, he was careful to say nothing of the sort in public. No one, it seemed, dared gainsay Eusebio and his wretched son.
For a month, no student attended any classes held by Dannis or Tavaris. The Bastion responded by closing the kitchens. The atmosphere on campus grew very tense, and then Loedus made the situation infinitely worse by announcing the dismissal of all staff and teachers except for Dannis and Tavaris. A nonsensical move, and for the students, the final straw.
Drillmaster Minten’s parting words hinted at having left the keys to the armoury in his room. It was a mystery, he said with a wink, how he’d become so forgetful. Rosarius and Borrego wasted no time in finding them. Chancellor Loedus reacted poorly to the students arming themselves, and so did the president of the Bastion Student Council, who wrote a letter demanding the immediate return of the armoury’s contents. Borrego let his anger get the better of him, and stormed the Council’s headquarters alone. By the time Rosarius got there, the president was missing his front teeth and Borrego had been forcefully restrained. Rosarius threatened every member of the council with arrest unless they let him go. They did, at which point Borrego denounced them as ‘massive fucking traitors’ and promised to slit their throats if they didn’t leave the Bastion. They left.
The same day, certain students smashed their way into the suite shared by Dannis and Tavaris, intending to smear them on the walls. Unfortunately, the pair had already fled. Rosarius tried to find out who might have tipped them off, but his inquiries went nowhere. They left behind dozens of suitcases filled with belongings, one of which included the infamous Healing Stone. It was presented to Borrego who flung it against a wall, breaking it in half.
When Rosarius later received a message that the chancellor was considering having Borrego taken into custody, the boys broke into his quarters and took him prisoner instead. Loedus strongly denied planning any such action against Borrego, but they searched his office and found documents suggesting otherwise. Rosarius ordered a huge bonfire built, and the chancellor was made to stand next to it while the entire Bastion hurled abuse at him.
“You stupid old fuck!” shouted Borrego, inadvertently spitting on Loedus’s forehead. “You think we wanted things to go this far? All we wanted was Dannis and Tavaris gone!”
Loedus sighed. “I’d have obliged you if I could, Master Borrego.”
Borrego held a fist to the man’s beard. “You could have done more. You did nothing to save this place, you miserable son of a whore! I hope you’re proud of yourself.”
“If you say so.”
“If I say so? Don’t get smart with me, old man–I’ll shove you into this fucking fire!”
Loedus sighed again. “I don’t doubt your resolve, Borrego.”
Borrego, red with fury, grabbed the chancellor by the scruff of his neck. “You clearly don’t understand, do you? All we want is those two pricks gone from this fucking academy, never to return! That’s all! You could still make it happen, if only you had the balls to stand up to Eusebio! So, do it. Say you’re with us. Help save the Bastion!”
Hundreds of students waved swords and spears, thunderous in their agreement. “Save. The. Bastion!” they chanted. “Save. The. Bastion!”
“I cannot,” said Loedus, hanging his head. “There was an executive order. I can’t just refuse. I don’t have that kind of power. No one does!”
Behind Rosarius, Andreas repeatedly crashed the pommel of his blade against his shield. “Dannis, Tavaris!” he yelled. “Out, out!” The Bastion gradually stopped their old chant and took up this new one, yelling it at the top of their lungs.
Loedus mumbled something and tried to pull away, but Borrego laughed and shoved him at Carranza with instructions to bind the man and find him somewhere to sleep.
Rosarius watched as Loedus was led away. If only they’d been able to capture Romelo as easily. He’d been hoping to settle the score with his cousin once and for all, but he’d apparently escaped the Bastion ahead of Dannis and Tavaris. Perhaps he’d even been the one to warn them of their intended fate. Romelo had hated the pair as much as anyone, but frankly, it wouldn’t have surprised him.
“We have Loedus, brother,” said Borrego. “That should get Eusebio’s attention, don’t you think?”
“Yeah,” said Rosarius. “Should do.”
The next step was to remove anyone who would not stand with them. With the chancellor under arrest, the Bastion was now theirs.
Three days later, the Bastion rebels received their first official envoy. The man rode in through River Gate, the wall above the entrance having been decorated with a pair of tailor’s dummies dressed in some of Dannis and Tavaris’s captured gowns. Both were peppered with arrows and crossbow bolts.
“Urius Borrego, I presume?” asked the envoy, dismounting.
“Yes, sir,” said Borrego. He took the man’s hand in his huge grip. “Welcome to the Bastion, General Thaller.”
Thaller smiled. “It’s truly a pleasure! I’ve heard quite a bit about you.”
“Sir,” said Borrego, nodding.
“Ah, yes,” said Thaller, turning to Rosarius and shaking his hand. “And you must be Rosarius?”
“I am, sir,” said Rosarius.
“I’ve heard quite a bit about you as well, cadet.”
Rosarius nodded. “And I you, general.”
Thaller looked at him. “Have you?”
“Yes, sir. I’m keen to ask you about some of your most recent exploits, actually. We all are.”
“Ach!” said Thaller, laughing. “We have much to discuss then, I think.” He moved past Rosarius to the one student he hadn’t yet greeted.
“General Thaller,” said Riva, extending his hand.
“Wes Riva of Herena,” said Thaller, his eyebrows going up. He took Riva’s hand between both of his own, a gesture that Rosarius noted he hadn’t done with him or Borrego. “An honour.”
“I’m honoured to meet you too, sir,” said Riva.
“No. The pleasure is all mine, believe me.”
Something about Thaller’s tone struck Rosarius as odd, though he couldn’t say exactly what. Was he the only one suspicious of the general’s cheerful demeanour? “Can we interest you in some refreshments, general?” he asked, gesturing at the door of the building behind them.
“Indeed you can,” said Thaller, allowing himself to be guided away.
The night before, Rosarius had ordered some juniors to prepare a room in which to receive their visitor. Though he was not exactly a décor specialist, he reckoned they’d done a pretty good job. Thick woollen carpets, freshly beaten, covered the floor. Cushions lined the walls. Hanging above them, half a dozen lanterns bathed everything in a soft, welcoming light. There was even a silver tray heaped with fruits and nuts in the centre of the room along with a small wheel of cheese, two pitchers each of wine and water, and half a dozen pewter mugs.
“Won’t you?” said Borrego, indicating a conspicuously large cushion in one corner.
“Well now.” Thaller glanced around. “This all looks very comfortable, doesn’t it? Very nice.”
“It was an old storage room,” said Rosarius. “Until yesterday.”
“A cosy space indeed,” said Thaller. He sat, resting an arm over the back of his cushion. “I like it.” He accepted a mug of wine from Riva with an almost imperceptible nod. All three students took up places around him.
“How are things going in the western provinces, sir?” asked Borrego.
“Well enough.” Thaller pulled on an earlobe. “It seems as if every generation or so the Romelians forget who’s in charge, eh? We’re almost done reminding them, I think.”
Borrego and Riva chuckled darkly along with the general. Rosarius, however, again found something troubling about Thaller’s tone. “And when should the Bastion expect its reminder of who’s in charge?”
Thaller smiled at him. “Ah. My joking should not be construed as a threat. No, in fact you’ll find in me a man quite sympathetic to your cause, actually.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Rosarius gestured. “No one cares that we have Loedus? That we’ve taken this place for ourselves?”
The general cleared his throat. “By the way, I trust he’s still in good health?”
“He is.”
“Good. And I wouldn’t say no one cares about what’s going on, exactly. After all, you have chosen a particularly… forceful… way of expressing your discontent. You can’t expect that to be to everyone’s liking, can you?”
“And to whose liking isn’t it?” asked Borrego.
“I think you already know.”
“Meaning the Assembly?” Rosarius looked at the man. “See here, everything we’ve done was done out of love for the Bastion.”
Thaller nodded. “I understand that.”
“We couldn’t stand by and do nothing,” said Borrego.
“Yes,” said Thaller slowly, “and I appreciate all that. However…”
The boys just looked at him, waiting for him to continue.
Thaller steepled his fingers. “There are all sorts of rumours flying around the city at the moment. Look, I’ll be very blunt because I think it’s for the best, eh? Certain political factions are calling you separatist traitors.”
Rosarius coughed. “Wow. That is blunt.”
Borrego, predictably, got his back up. “What? That’s ridiculous! We’re not separatists!”
“Which factions do you mean?” asked Riva. “Who’s saying we’re separatists?”
The general raised an eyebrow at him. “Who else but Eusebio’s staunchest supporters? The diehard traditionalists, that’s who. They’ve denounced your rebellion, citing the prominent role that you, Riva of Herena, have been playing in it. It’s triggered debates over whether or not the Bastion has been seized as part of a separatist plot.”
Riva laughed. “That’s crazy. All that separatist business is coming out of the Romelias. Do I look Romelian to you?”
“Right,” said Rosarius. “It’s utterly insane. All our families are loyalists. We’re loyalists. We have absolutely nothing to do with the Romelian insurgency.”
“Look,” said Thaller, “I know how tenuous the connection is, but it has been established in the eyes of some. Insurgency is all anyone’s talking about right now. And for a few, any and all rebels are enemies of the state. Allow me to be very frank with you, gentlemen, all right? I know what you set out to achieve here, but I’m afraid it has the potential to end quite badly. Certain factional heads have strong opinions about what’s happening here… and also about how to solve it. Let’s just hope cooler heads prevail.”
“You’ve got to be shitting me!” Borrego snorted. “What does that mean, exactly? Is someone planning to take action against us or something? Send in troops, maybe?”
“No one is planning anything at present,” said Thaller, shaking his head. “Or at least I don’t think they are. It’s all just talk. Rhetoric. And sending troops in would be too drastic a step, so you needn’t worry about that. You have the blood of practically every noble family in Sarasinia here in the Bastion, and I think it would be a very bad idea if that blood were shed.”
“However?” asked Rosarius, sensing there was more to it than that.
Thaller rubbed his chin. “Well, what you’re asking for is the reversal of a decree made by the Grand Magistrate’s office. He cannot possibly accommodate your wishes without looking weak. Your conduct has embarrassed him greatly.”
“Eusebio’s office has embarrassed itself greatly with this bullshit,” said Rosarius, shaking his head. “And since when does he rule by decree, anyway?”
To that, Thaller offered no reply.
“What did they expect, though?” asked Borrego. “Were we just supposed to roll over and let the Bastion die? Centuries of tradition gone just like that, and all because of some shit bureaucratic decision that should never have come to pass? No, fuck off. This is an outrage.”
“It is an outrage,” said Rosarius. “How could destroying the Bastion be anything but a disaster for Sarasinia? Or for the League? How can one man simply dismantle us when it’s clearly not good for anyone except his idiot son and his idiot son’s putrid friends? What about us, the students? This is our home! How could Eusebio have not seen that this was a terrible idea? And why would anyone be blaming us for what we’ve done, when it was his actions that triggered ours?”
Thaller nodded. “I understand your frustration. And these are all good questions. But I cannot answer them. The political climate is extremely turbulent at present. The war in the north was supposed to quell the troubles in Romelia. It was expected that the provinces would come together, that we would all join spears against a common enemy. But instead, the flames of rebellion burn hotter. And now this, with you.”
“We get it,” said Borrego. “But do you know what Dannis and Tavaris actually tried to do here, general? I mean, do you really? Do you know how they turned this place upside down? I went to this one class where they were teaching us how to apply eyeshadow. Eyeshadow lessons. Right here, would you believe, in the fucking Bastion? On my say so, the entire class walked out in protest. It earned us double demerits.”
Thaller nodded. “You’re every bit as hard-headed as they said you’d be, Borrego. I could use a man like you in Romelia, you know.”
Borrego appeared not to hear him. “That’s not all they’ve been doing though, general. Did you know they were trying to make a kind of harem out of the first-year students?”
“A what?” said Thaller, frowning. “Did you say harem?”
“Yes,” said Riva, his mouth pressed into a flat line. “It was despicable some of the things that were happening here.”
“That was it for me, when I came to know that,” said Borrego. “We’ve vowed to burn this place to its foundations rather than let those two ever come back here. If the Bastion must die, let it be a mercy killing at least.”
“The Bastion is united in this, general,” said Rosarius. “The likes of Dannis and Tavaris have no place here. They were sullying our reputation, making us a laughingstock. We have all taken oaths that they will not return as long as we hold these walls.”
Riva cleared his throat and poured four mugs of wine. “It’s well known,” he said, “that I didn’t come to the Bastion of my own free will. I was sent here because of a treaty my ancestors signed. But over the years, I have come to see the men here as my brothers, and this place as my home away from home. I’m most offended to hear that people are talking of what’s happening here as if it’s some kind of separatist plot. It isn’t.”
Thaller held up a hand. “Gentlemen, look. I am truly sorry for everything that has happened here. As a former student of the Bastion myself, I am angered by the things I’m hearing. Even I didn’t realise things were so bad.” He looked at the tray of food with sudden interest. He chose an apricot, stripped the flesh away in two bites, and tossed the seed aside.
“Is it true,” asked Borrego, “that Dannis and Tavaris are the jumped-up sons of a pair of merchants who paid to be introduced to Colton?”
“I don’t know,” said Thaller. “Maybe. What I do know is that I’ve no wish to waste your time. Or mine, for that matter. Therefore, I will now convey the information I was sent here to convey.” He paused to clear his throat. “I have been instructed to extend an offer to each of you, and it’s conditional on your walking out of here within a fortnight. The offer is that each of you will graduate immediately and with full honours. You will be given a choice of elite units in which you might gainfully serve the League, and you’ll go to those postings in the coming year.”
Borrego and Rosarius exchanged glances.
“That’s the offer?” asked Riva.
“It is,” said Thaller. “What do you think of it?”
“Not much,” said Borrego.
“Right,” said Rosarius. “It’s ridiculous. I mean, give us commissions? By right they’re ours anyway! Besides, we didn’t start this rebellion for ourselves. We started it because we truly believe that a place like the Bastion cannot be surrendered to the likes of Dannis and Tavaris. I, for one, won’t ever allow anyone to say that I sold this place out.”
“Right,” said Borrego. “If we took your offer, we’d be selling out the Bastion. It would destroy our reputations forever. Our careers would be over before they even started. We’d be jokes in our new units.”
Thaller looked at Riva expectantly.
But Riva shook his head. “I’ve nothing to add,” he said. Rosarius thought he sounded regretful.
“I fully understand your decision,” said Thaller. “And I respect it. Of course, certain people won’t be happy about it.”
“Too bad,” said Rosarius. He passed a fresh mug of wine to the general. “So, what happens now?”
“Mm,” said Thaller, accepting his drink. “A good question. Nothing? As I said, you have a fortnight to consider your options. I should be completely unsurprised if, after that, every student in the Bastion receives an offer of clemency.”
“Clemency?” Rosarius narrowed his eyes. “Clemency implies we’ve committed a crime. And what crime would that be, exactly? Defending the Bastion?”
A prolonged silence descended on the room. Rosarius contemplated the next two weeks, competing strategies for dealing with Eusebio whirling about in his head. All of them were bloody and unrealistic. Without Loedus and his administrators, the Bastion’s supply of money would soon dry up. They couldn’t hope to hold out here for long without coin. What would they do for food? In another two weeks, everyone would be hungry. And bored out of their skulls, too, probably. What then? How many would take the Assembly’s offer of clemency and leave? Even if they didn’t, what realistic hope did they have of keeping their rebellion going? He hadn’t really discussed the Bastion’s long-term future with Borrego and Riva.
Thaller watched him, impassive, drinking his wine. “Look, I really wouldn’t worry about it. All the fiery talk from politicians aside, I doubt anything serious will happen here. It’s just bluster, I suspect. Forget about it. And I’ll be sure to put in a good word for you with Eusebio, all right? He’ll listen to me, I guarantee you. Sit tight, and the Bastion will be back the way it was in no time.”
“If you say so.” Rosarius wanted to believe him. Deep down, though, he didn’t. Something about the man’s quality and his overall manner spoke to Rosarius of deception.
“I will say one thing,” said Thaller with a contented sigh. “It’s good to be back in the city.”
“How much longer will the Romelian campaign last?” asked Borrego.
“It’s basically over.” The general said it with a shrug. “Otherwise, I don’t think they’d have asked me to come and have this chat with you, eh?”
“Is it true that the rebels staged diversions in an attempt to get their main force into Alinall?” asked Riva.
Thaller nodded. “It is. They hoped to take over the arms factory there.”
“Clever,” said Borrego.
Thaller nodded again. “It was quite impressive, actually. Good leadership, solid planning. But even if they’d succeeded in taking Alinall, they’d not have been able to hold it for long. No, the Romelians made a good go of it, I think, but without proper arms and training it was never going to work. And the battle, such as it was, was an absolute bloodbath.”
“And what of Jurl?” asked Rosarius. Despite his misgivings about the general, it was difficult not to get swept up in the excitement surrounding the war with the Romelian insurgents. And, after all, Thaller was a celebrated veteran who no doubt had some interesting stories to tell.
“Missing,” said Thaller. “Dead or gone to ground.”
“You think he’ll regroup and try again?”
“Not if he’s dead, he won’t!” Thaller laughed. “Either way, it doesn’t matter. It’ll be another decade at least before the Romelians recover, so unless the man figures on leading another rebellion when he’s seventy, I don’t see it happening. There are still more than a few armed bands around, though, so I suppose we’ll have work for the rest of the season at least.”
“I’d like to hear more about your campaign,” said Riva. “Are you planning to stay the night with us, general?”
Thaller raised his mug. “Is that an invitation?”
Borrego, Rosarius and Riva all looked at each other and shrugged. “Of course,” said Borrego. “We’ve got plenty of wine. Girls too, if you’re interested.”
Thaller flashed his wedding band. “I don’t think my wife would like that.”
“Fair enough,” said Rosarius.
They all paused to watch Borrego devour half a cheese wheel and chase it down with two mugs of wine. “It’s your loss, general,” said the big man. “Because I can’t even begin to describe the sheer quantity of eager young pussy that’s been climbing this hill since we took it over.”
As if on cue, a half dozen girls skipped into the room, their quivering tits on full display. The general’s eyes went straight to the plumpest one, settling on the rolls of fat bunching above her too-tight skirt. “On the other hand,” he said with a grin, “I never did much care for my wife’s opinion.”
____________
An excerpt from On Philosophism, author unknown
The Gerich Show Trials
Though ostensibly held for the purpose of ending the street fighting that had broken out between Philosopher and Philosophist, the Gerich trials only served to fuel tensions. Out of the dozens of participants who were charged with murder, theft and rape, it was chiefly Philosophist leaders who were found guilty. While a small number of influential Philosophers were indeed convicted of capital crimes, almost none had actually partaken in violent acts. If this was not an attempt by the Philosopher leadership to divest itself of troublesome individuals both within and without its ranks, it was certainly seen that way. One notable Philosopher victim was the moderate Ayule of Gemia; part of his testimony survives and is reproduced below.
Ayule of Gemia:
Well, one interpretation is that of the individual Philosopher, whose method reveals truths that have value for all those who agree they have value. The other is that of the Philosophist Collective, whereby individual practitioners engage in an exhaustive exploration of as many roads of thought possible in order that the “true path” be exposed for the rest to follow.
Hubo of Pluers:
Yes, and it’s who decides what the “true path” is that worries me.
Ayule of Gemia:
I share your concern, of course. But as I was saying earlier, I object to Philosophism not so much because of its methodology, but because its practitioners appear to have dedicated themselves to an altogether dangerous path.
Ampine of Thry:
I am afraid that I must interject.
Hubo of Pluers:
So interject, then.
Ampine of Thry:
Ayule of Gemia, do you mean to say you’ve no issue with Philosophist methodology?
Ayule of Gemia:
I didn’t say I have no issue with their methodology.
Ampine of Thry:
Then why won’t you condemn them and be done with it?
Ayule of Gemia:
I have, have I not? Many times.
Ampine of Thry:
Why not say it again now so we can all hear it?
Ayule of Gemia:
I hereby condemn the violent activities of certain members of the Philosophist Collective. There, does that satisfy you?
Ampine of Thry:
Not at all. This court expects you to condemn not only their actions, but each and every one of the Philosophists themselves. And their vile methodology. Or need I remind you that they’ve no small amount of blood on their hands?
Ayule of Gemia:
You need not, sir. They do indeed. Of course, our own side is not exactly innocent either.
Ampine of Thry:
Oh? What’s this? So you’re defending the Philosophists now?
Ayule of Gemia:
No, of course not. Let me repeat what I said: I condemn the violent activities of certain members of the Philosophist Collective. Why do you insist that I condemn their methodology as well? Why, when there’s nothing terribly controversial about–
Ampine of Thry:
Are you sure you’re not one of them, Ayule of Gemia? Are you a secret practitioner, perhaps?
Ayule of Gemia:
I am quite sure I am not one of them. And what a thing to say, Ampine of Thr