But I also wanted a life with Byr. A chance to build something special. Maybe one day, even a family. I'd come to care about him very deeply and I worried that if we decided to go to war with the rebels, one – or both – of us might not come out of it alive. That small, selfish part of me wanted to grab Byr and go somewhere far away – to another planet entirely, and build our life together.
I'd never felt more conflicted about anything in my life.
Chapter Four
We sat together beside the stream for quite a while as Manyr gathered herself. When she finally felt composed enough, we got to our feet and walked back toward the encampment. By the time we got into camp, Manyr seemed more like herself again. She was a tough, strong woman and I had to believe that emotional outbursts like the one I'd witnessed were rare for her.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
She nodded. “I'm fine,” she said. “Thank you for asking.”
And that was it – with those few words, she'd made it clear that she didn't want to speak about it again. Perhaps, it was that she was viewed as a leader within the rebellion and didn't want others to see her crying or upset about something. It was an impulse I could understand – there were more than a few times I'd had to stuff down everything I was feeling. That wasn't how a “proper” Unduthian lady behaved. A “proper” Unduthian lady bore her emotions with a stoic grace and never let others see them distraught or otherwise upset.
Which wasn't the healthiest way to go about things.
“So tell me,” I said. “When this grand rebellion of yours succeeds and the Ministry falls, what then? What will you do?”
She looked at me, her expression serious. “We will give the power back to the people,” she said. “Where it should have always been.”
“And how will you do that?”
“By electing a truly representative government,” she said. “Drawn from the people, who will work on behalf of the people to ensure that we all prosper. We will do away with things like the Academy – because no young woman should ever have to endure something as terrible as that. The people will be free to build their own lives in the manner of their choosing – not because of the family they happened to be born into.”
It was a little speech that really spoke to me. Really tugged at my heart. I agreed with the goals of the rebellion – I just wasn't sure how I felt about the methods they were using to achieve them. Terrorism? Bombing government buildings and possibly killing innocent people? I didn't know that I could ever be on board with that.
“Do you really believe it's possible?” I asked. “That we can have a government that truly does work on behalf of the people?”
“I wouldn't be fighting this war if I didn't believe that, Hatare,” she said.
A young girl ran up to us and threw her arms around Manyr. She couldn't have been much older than Pysh and in some ways, reminded me of my little sister. The girl had long white hair shot through with streaks of light blue, a pale blue skin tone, and dark eye markings. She was a pretty girl and had that air of innocence, sweetness and vulnerability that my sister had. It was as if living in an armed encampment, surrounded by war, hadn't diminished the light inside of her one bit.
And it made me smile.
She looked up at Manyr with something like reverence in her eyes. It was clear that she worshiped the woman. Not that it was surprising that a young girl would look up to Manyr – she was a woman well worth being admired. But when the girl looked at me, her eyes widened and her smile grew even broader.
“Vyla,” Manyr said. “This is Ha – ”
“Hatare,” the girl finished. “I know who she is. I mean, who doesn't?”
Manyr laughed and I could feel the heat rushing into my face. I didn't like being the object of so much attention. Living in my father's home, I had always managed to exist on the outskirts, never calling attention to myself, content to be left alone. The only time their attention was on me, was when I was being groomed to go to the Academy and boost the prestige of my family.
And I hated every last second of that attention.
“H – hello, Vyla. It's nice to meet you, ” I said – not really knowing what else to say.
She reached out and took my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze and then looking at it – as if she couldn't believe that she was actually touching me.
“It's an honor to meet you,” she replied. “I've heard all the stories about you. When I get older, I want to be a freedom fighter just like you and Manyr.”
“Hopefully, by the time you get to be our age,” Manyr said, “there won't be anything you need to fight for.”
“Stories?” I looked over at Manyr questioningly – but the woman wouldn't meet my eyes.
“You know, like the one about you and Byr single-handedly taking on and beating those Ministry soldiers when you were on Optorio,” she said, almost breathless with excitement. “What was it like? Killing all of those evil men? I mean, twenty of them? By yourselves? Were you scared?”
My head was spinning and I was feeling incredibly embarrassed standing there in front of the girl, getting credit for a story that wasn't true. Who had told her such a blatantly false story? Byr and I hadn't done anything. We'd defended ourselves when we'd been attacked by the rebels on Optorio, but it was Vink and his men who'd done the actual fighting. The only thing Byr and I did was act as bait in Vink's ambush for the rebels.
“I – I think there's been – ”
“Let's give her a little space to breathe now, Vyla,” Manyr cut me off. “She can tell you all about her adventures later. We're on our way to go talk to Yurat.”
The girl looked a little disappointed, but smiled wide. “Okay, but I really want to hear about all of the things you've done,” she said.
“I'll make sure she does,” Manyr said. “Run along now, Vyla.”
The girl turned and ran off, a lively bounce in her step. I turned to Manyr, my eyes wide and my mouth hanging open. Manyr was still refusing to look me in the eye, which told me that she knew something about what the girl was talking about.
“What did she mean?” I asked. “What stories was she referring to?”
Manyr shrugged and looked out into the encampment. “You're a hero to some of these people, Hatare,” she said. “A living hero. You should be flattered by the attention.”
“Flattered by stories that are completely untrue?” I asked. “Byr and I did nothing that girl was talking about. We were nothing but bait in a trap for some rebels on Optorio. We certainly didn't kill twenty men.”
“The way I understand it, you killed a few of them,” she said.
“Out of absolute, desperate measure self-defense,” I replied.
She shrugged again. “Stories sometimes get exaggerated by people in the telling.”
“And who is doing the exaggerating, Manyr?”
She chewed on her bottom lip and still wouldn't look me in the face. It was then that I knew what was happening and why Byr and I were being fawned on like we were the most important people in the universe – because they were being spoon-fed a pack of lies.
“I think we should go and see Yurat now,” I said.
Manyr nodded. “Perhaps, it's best.”
We walked in silence through the camp and I kept my eyes on the ground before me, determined to avoid contact with anybody else now that I knew their adoration of me was based on fabricated stories. After what seemed like an eternity, we reached the main building and stepped inside.
The corridor was quiet and there weren't many people milling about. It was surprising. Given that this was where their war was discussed and planned, I'd expected it to be a hive of activity. Instead, it was virtually empty – or at least, it seemed to be.
As our footsteps echoed around the corridor, I glanced into the rooms we passed and found some people engaged in various activities. Some were seated at tables wearing headphones and seemed to be listening intently, jotting down notes on pads before them. Others seemed to be stud
ying vid-screens intently – though I didn't catch exactly what they were looking at.
“These are our offices of monitoring and surveillance,” Manyr said, as if reading my mind. “We keep tabs on the Ministry as well as their troops. It helps us plan more effectively.”
I nodded and we walked on a little further until we reached an office door. Manyr touched the chime-pad on the wall beside the door to announce our arrival. A moment later, the door whooshed open and we stepped into Yurat's office.
Byr turned and looked at me, giving me a smile – though I could tell it was somewhat forced. When I saw Yurat seated behind his desk, I felt a wave of anger wash over me.
“Come, come,” he said, his voice full of cheer. “Welcome. I trust you two had a nice afternoon?”
Manyr looked at me for the first time since we'd been stopped by Vyla and I could see the apology behind her eyes. We did have a nice afternoon – one that was relaxing and enjoyable. I thought that we'd grown a little bit closer and in her eyes, I thought I could see a genuine fondness for me. But I knew that she was more committed to her cause than anything – even friendship.
“It was a lovely afternoon,” Manyr said. “I had a very nice day with Hatare.”
I nodded. “I enjoyed Manyr's company,” I said. “She's a remarkable woman. But I think it's time we had a talk, Yurat.”
He looked at me with an incredulous expression and then glanced over at Manyr. But she looked down at the ground and said nothing. Yurat sat back in his seat and took a sip of a dark blue liquid and looked at me. Byr looked at me with questions in his eyes.
“Okay then,” he said, setting the glass back down. “I suppose it is.”
“I'll take my leave then,” Manyr said, sounding relieved to be able to get out of there.
The door slid closed behind her and I took the seat next to Byr. He was holding a glass of the strange blue liquid but didn't seem interested in actually drinking it.
“Is everything alright, Hatare?” Yurat asked. “You seem upset.”
“Well, I've just found out the reason Byr and I are being treated like conquering heroes around camp,” I said. “Why people are heaping praise on us.”
“Oh?” Yurat asked. “And why might that be?”
“Because they're being lied to,” I said. “They're being told stories about us that just aren't true.”
Yurat looked at me and I could tell that he was not surprised – which told me that he was one of the people responsible for those stories in the first place. Byr looked from Yurat to me, a thousand questions swirling in his eyes.
“Did you know, between the two of us, we killed twenty of the Ministry's best soldiers when we were on Optorio?” I asked. “You remember, the night you were almost killed.”
Byr's eyes widened in surprise and he looked back at Yurat. “Is this true?” he asked. “You're telling stories about us that you know aren't true?”
Yurat shrugged. “It's a matter of perspective, I suppose.”
“But why?” Byr asked. “Why would you make up stories like that?”
“Because it's effective propaganda,” I said. “It's a way to make people believe in their cause to get them to join.”
“It's a way to keep people inspired,” Yurat corrected.
“If you have to resort to lies to inspire people, I think your rebellion is already lost,” I snapped.
“I think you're seeing this the wrong way,” Yurat said.
“Oh? And what other way should I be seeing this?”
I was outraged and angry. Perhaps, more angry than the situation actually warranted. I was aware of that and yet, couldn't seem to rein in my emotions. I realized that it was because there was a significant piece of me that believed in this fight. Believed in these people. And to find that they were using lies and distortions – pure propaganda – to draw people to their side felt wrong. More than wrong. It felt like something the Ministry would do.
And for me, it hurt a lot to believe that this movement that had captured my imagination was founded upon lies. Not to mention the fact that it called its legitimacy into question in my mind. Because if they were going to use Ministry tactics, how were they any better than the Ministry itself?
“The sentiments are absolutely true,” he said. “The fact that you two found each other and have formed this bond despite your social and economic differences is inspiring to a lot of people. It makes them believe that they can have a world where there is true equality. There's nothing untrue about that.”
“How inspiring can it be if you have to make up lies to sell it?” Byr asked, finally setting his glass down on the edge of Yurat's desk.
“I think you're focusing on the wrong things,” Yurat said. “Okay, yes, we did alter a few facts to lend your tale a little more weight and substance. We wanted people to see that you were risking everything and were as committed to the fight as they were.
But the reality is that people are inspired by you regardless of what you may have done. You two embody the very spirit of this rebellion. You two – just by virtue of being who you are – wield a lot of power and influence. More than you even realize. I can't even begin to tell you the difference around camp I see since we brought you here. The people are energized in a way I haven't seen before. Inspired. They really believe we can win this fight.
So, if I had to stretch a few truths here and there along the way to give these people strength and a belief in this cause – well, I'm not going to apologize for that. Nothing I ever said was an outright lie – it was merely stretching the facts a bit as I knew them.”
Byr and I exchanged a look. “If your cause was so just, why the need to lie to inspire people, Yurat?” I asked.
He sighed and ran a hand over his face. “I do not mean this to sound condescending – ”
“Which means this is about to sound really condescending,” I cut him off.
A rueful grin touched his face. “Perhaps. But that it not how it is intended. Just know that,” he said. “The both of you are young. Fiercely intelligent, don't get me wrong, but there are certain things you come to know only through age and experience.”
“Things like what?” Byr asked.
“That people want their heroes to be bigger than life,” he said. “And believe it or not, that's what you are to these people – heroes.”
I shook my head. “We're not heroes though, Yurat,” I said. “And I think these stories – ”
He raised a hand and cut me off. “The stories are nothing,” he said, pointing at both of us. “You two defied the Ministry. You defied a system that oppresses and crushes them. Whether or not you choose to acknowledge or accept it, the two of you embody the hopes and dreams of every person in that camp right now.”
Byr and I shared a look and sat in an uncomfortable silence. I didn't know what to say, and it was apparent that he didn't either.
“Join us,” Yurat said. “Be part of this. Be part of us. We could really use your help.”
I cleared my throat. “And if we choose not to?”
Yurat shrugged, but looked almost distraught by the prospect. “Then you'll carry on with your lives while we fight for a better world, I suppose.”
“So, you'll just let us walk out of here?” Byr asked.
A small, grim smile touched Yurat's lips. “You've never been prisoners here,” he said. “You've always been free to come and go as you please. Just like everybody else in that camp out there. You're free to make your own decisions – that's the world we're fighting and dying for.”
I looked at the floor beneath my feet, a strange and sudden feeling of shame washing over me. These people were sacrificing everything to make a better world – the kind of world I wanted to see Unduth become – the kind of world I'd long talked about from the safety of my pampered existence.
And one question continued rattling through my mind – what was I willing to sacrifice to see that world come to be?
Chapter Five
Byr
I rode in the back of the darkened transport, Hatare by my side. With no windows in the passenger compartment, I couldn't get my bearings. We had no idea where we were going, just that Manyr showed up before dawn and told us to get dressed and ready to move out. There was a knot in my stomach that was tightening almost painfully, and a sense of foreboding that had settled down over my shoulders.
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Hatare whispered.
Not that she needed to whisper – we were alone in the back of the transport. Manyr and another man I didn't know where piloting the vehicle to where ever our destination was.
“Yeah, I'm not feeling too sure about this myself,” I replied.
We rode for more than an hour before the transport slowed and I felt it settle to the ground. Hatare and I shared a look, not knowing what to expect. I stood up and moved to the rear door, my body tense and ready for whatever came next. Hatare crowded close to me, looking equally as ready and determined to face the situation.
The ramp on the back of the transport lowered with a hiss revealing nothing more sinister than Manyr and the other pilot. Hatare and I walked slowly down the ramp and I looked around, still expecting to see some looming threat.
“Did you two really believe we'd bring you all the way out here just to shoot you or something?” Manyr asked, a smirk on her face.
I looked over at Hatare and then back at Manyr, giving her a sheepish grin and a shrug. She just shook her head but smiled.
“Paranoia is a bad thing, my friend,” she said.
“Where are we?” Hatare asked.
Manyr looked over at Byr. “You'll see,” she said. “Come with us.”
We followed Manyr into a forest – one that didn't look all that much different than the one where their encampment was. But we'd been traveling for more than an hour and couldn't have been anywhere near the camp. Which showed me how little I actually knew of my own world – I hadn't realized how much of it was covered in such thick, lush forest before.
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