12: The Sound of Politics

The small orb was precious. Alexandrie could see why taking it from their people and giving it to her might be seen as heretical. In a culture that believed it was not their task - or more, went against their tasks to interfere with the responsibilities of the Blood Bearer, handing Alexandrie this particular item was…

But she was grateful. Truly very grateful. Not just for the information she had received, but for the feeling of safety. Alexandrie had held the orb to her twice more before rejoining the others simply for the feeling of safety she hadn’t felt since…since before La Chanson. The voice was soothing and warm and her heart ached with the need to feel safe and held and warm.

Alexandrie hadn’t realised how much she missed home - Chevalier - Maman until that moment. A home that was as unfinished as the rest of the world, a home that she could do something for.

The deep discomfort she’d felt in the sewer was sickeningly wrong. The anger and confusion and willingness to destroy was palpable. Of all the things she had experienced, nothing frightened Alexa more than the faces of those who would happily destroy her if they knew where she had been born and to who.

Worse - worse was the fact that they would kill her in her own name. Much worse. The reason was…good, but the man - not Sinrou, but… As much Sinrou in thought as she was not. She understood this speech. This was the tone used to control - to persuade, to cajole, to seduce. She knew this song. She could sing this song. Maman had taught her this song before she heard La Chanson. The sound of politics.

He used his name. Not quite, but the name still meant as much to him as Donadieu to her. He didn’t deceive all these people. But they didn’t hear it all.

Not a lie, but an omittance. The people around her did not know what he wanted any more than they knew what they wanted.

They would tear her limb from limb before asking her name.

From the sewer to a campfire, Alexandrie’s evening had taken her from the most dangerous place she had been to the safest, and now…now she knew (or felt, at least) that whatever it was she was supposed to do, the calm reverence of the Luonkon was preferable to the frightening populism of the revolution starting in her name.

What she didn’t know was whether waking the maker would restart things, or if they would need to resolve what faced the world now.
And who was the maker?

It somewhat explained, she supposed, why La Chanson waited outside. Either it wanted to avoid rousing the ascended saints or it was calling out for the Prime Divinities…calling on them to finish their work.

Were the Divinities the makers? What Alexandrie knew of the Divinities and demons did not fit within this story. Hadn’t they fought? What had happened? Was she a descendent of the First Made? What if some of the Makers slept while others were awake? And what was the natural order?
As much as she wanted to say what she had seen and heard made sense, only half of the Lounkon’s words truly made sense to her.

She sighed. Prophecy. If it was specific, it would be too obvious. Either way, a path lay before her, and many people knew someone would walk it, even if they didn’t know what she looked like or how it would occur.

How many people, she wondered idly, had she disappointed? How many were angry at her pace - her hesitance to do as required? How many knew this prophecy - or a similar iteration - but didn’t think it was her?

How many attempts on her life had she not seen, thanks to the Blood Paw Guardians? Her mind cast back to Glitter Delta Cove, to the Lounkon there, Rachael Grey, who had said she was away from home for reasons unknown. There had to be Lounkon nearby - even if they didn’t know it was her - the prophecy guided them - but to draw attention to it more…

No.

They weren’t even supposed to be in contact. They were not to go into the volcano.

Into the volcano.
In.
With her.
Was anyone? Did anyone go into a volcano and survive?

Blood Bearer.

She would do something inside the volcano, then…then…what? It would erupt and…

What? Awaken the Maker? Why had she never heard of a deity called the Maker?

What was the Maker going to do after that?
And who were the First Made? The Giants? If the giants were the first, was the maker a giant?

Was she going to wake remaining Giants?