un: French revolution ❦ video

[idealisme]

[It's a day or so since he's arrived in Wyver and you'd think Enjolras might have something to say about the advanced technology, the breath-taking scenery, the ravenous creatures all determined to eat everyone-]

The honor of nations consists in being free and virtuous, in striking down tyrants and avenging reviled humanity.

[-or not.

You might mistake the age of the fiery-eyed young blond, he looks so young, except there's a gravity in his voice as he speaks and a serious set to his brow.]

I do not know you, fellow citizens, nor you me. I will introduce myself. My family name is Enjolras. I have five and twenty years and before the Storm I was a student of law in Paris.

We are from different lands, have lived different lives, pursued different goals- but now we are all here. If this is to be our home now, so be it. The Natha in their Space Ship have saved us and brought us to live here. So we shall live; we must. There are some forces against which men cannot fight and this must be one of them.

But there are other matters against which we must stand. There are, in this land, two names that are an affront to anyone who would be free. Two names that, by their very existence, threaten the life we are to lead here. They are the very antithesis of everything towards which free people strive, as they stand in the way of free people ruling themselves.

These names are 'king' and 'empress'.

[He doesn't have time to go into why these things are terrible. It's disconcerting to speak to no-one, to have no response. But he expects others will respond and it is to them directly that he plans to make his arguments. He has seen other conversations on the network, approved of this free and open means of communication. He'll use it for himself.]

There are some of you who have been awake longer than I. It may be that I am wrong in my assumptions. The names king and empress may be different from the titles I was familiar with in my former life. I can only hope it is so. I welcome all details you have. If you fear speaking of such things publicly I am willing to meet in person to exchange information.

[He gives a formal nod and cuts the feed.]

[It's been less than a week someone tell him to chill out.]

Comments

[idealisme]

Allow the people to govern themselves. What is a king that he should be so high above a farmer? They are both men, and no more than men.

[illuminescent]

A good king would recognize such a thing.

[idealisme]

[A frown crosses his face. Is there such a thing as a 'good' king?]

A good king would see the correctness of this argument and work towards the aim, that is: towards establishing a system whereby he is no longer needed.

[illuminescent]

What system would that be, sir?

Who would protect his people from those who might harm them? Who would enforce the law? Who would be tasked with the matters of state? Without a leader, sir, a country has no center.

[idealisme]

[His scowl deepens- Louis XIV's I am the state comes to mind.]

The people are the center of a nation. Without them there is nothing to defend, to celebrate.

The system to replace a monarch would be a republique, madame. Men vote for their elected officials, so that no man can say he does not have a voice in how the country is run. These officials form the government. Through them they organise the nation- so that it is the people's representatives who defend the nation, who enforce the law, who are concerned with the matters of state.

[illuminescent]

And who would lead it, sir?

[idealisme]

Any man may put himself forward, and the people may choose from among them.

[illuminescent]

I see.

[idealisme]

Surely that is preferable to a system whereby a king or ruler chooses from among his own favourites who will organise the treasury, or who will run the state.

The people of a nation have as much right as a king to influence how their home is governed.

[illuminescent]

I most heartily do not agree.

[idealisme]

On what grounds?

[illuminescent]

I cannot say in your land, but in mine, if the thrones are not occupied, the land is unprotected. And a good king will be loyal to those he serves, in any case.

[idealisme]

[For a moment he considers this.]

Are the people who live in your land not capable of defending themselves? If not, how does the presence of a ruler bring protection?

[illuminescent]

That is the way Narnia works. Magic.

[idealisme]

Magic.

[Sorry, give him a moment.]

[illuminescent]

Yes. Magic.

[idealisme]

[He purses his lips. Magic.]

Magic is the reason this nation of Narnia must have a king. Otherwise it is undefended. The people are prevented by magic from defending themselves if no ruler is otherwise present.

[illuminescent]

Yes.

[Why is this so hard to believe?]

Last time there was no king, the land was taken over by a witch who made it always winter and turned those who opposed to her stone.

[idealisme]

[Okay. He's just going to accept that what this woman says for now and not think about the magic or the witches or the turning people to stone.

He has more important points to make.]

And finding a new king was the only recourse open to the people. They could not remove her themselves by rising against her? The witch would have little to be ruler of if all the people turned against her.

[illuminescent]

She turned people to stone.

[idealisme]

And the National Guard, against whom I fought, killed those who did not support the king. That is how a tyrant remains in power.

[He stops himself before saying better for all to be stone that slaves. That's something on which he and his friends have disagreed. Without them here he must moderate his own arguments, as much as he dislikes it.]

How did the filling of the throne overcome the witch, then?

[illuminescent]

Oh, sir, I have been to war. Watching a man die and watching a man turn to stone is quite different.

[She pauses.]

Although I would never suggest that one is kinder than the other.

The two kings, and two queens, they came and led the people against her. And brought spring.

[idealisme]

[It irks him, prickles under his skin to hear this tale of kings and queens saving the people. It reeks of Royalist propaganda.]

And were these kings and queens better than the people? Why did they succeed where the people could not? Magic again?

[The more he hearts of it, the more he dislikes magic.]

[illuminescent]

Because they inspired the people. Because they put themselves in danger to save their kingdom.

un: R; pls excuse my clearly very necessary threadjack

[winecasks]

[ Grantaire has been lurking in…literally all of these conversations, with vague interest. Enjolras doesn’t really need his comments, but…well, who else is going to explain that this is just the way he’s always been? ]

I beg that you do not judge him too harshly, mademoiselle. His passion for such matters has never and will never waver.