Ruin & Reliance

by Jeremy Dwyer

  ~~~

  Taesa walked alongside Romana as they strolled through the streets and past the shops in the Port of Reliance.

  “Is this pregnancy like your first?” Romana asked.

  “It seems the same. I’m not feeling any better or worse, except that I’m here, which is definitely better, and I know what to expect this time around, including the strain and the pain,” Taesa said.

  “You’re young. Your body can deal with it better. This is the best time for you to have children,” Romana said.

  “You’re still young and you’re in good shape. You could have kids, if you wanted to,” Taesa said.

  “Yes, when I find a man who’s right for me,” Romana said.

  “What are you looking for in a man?” Taesa asked.

  “He has to believe in God, and actually live like he believes,” Romana said.

  “That’s what’s most important to you?” Taesa asked.

  “That’s the most important part of life. Believing in God is believing in the source of life,” Romana said.

  “Understanding what life’s all about is important,” Taesa said.

  “God will give you the understanding you need. Pray to Him,” Romana said.

  “I have to believe that God exists before I can pray to Him. Otherwise, I’m just talking to myself,” Taesa said.

  “That’s not true. Pray and ask to learn. God wants you to be open to listening to Him and learning who He is. There is no time in your life that’s too soon to pray to Him,” Romana said.

  “If I don’t know who God is, and someone answers my prayer, how will I know it’s God, and not some other power, or just a telepath trying to deceive me?” Taesa asked.

  “God will give you understanding and guide you in your life. He will teach you how to use your abilities and live according to His Plan,” Romana said.

  “What about those religious fanatics – the ones who called themselves the Pilgrims of the Burning Road? They thought God was sending them to punish sinners. And those sun worshippers that constructed the temple for the ritual to sacrifice children. They believed they were following their own faith and obeying their god, didn’t they?” Taesa asked.

  “You are being very difficult, Taesa…but you are right to ask challenging questions. Some questions, however, can only be answered by God. Others can be answered by someone much wiser than I am. You have a sharp mind and need a better teacher. I’ve failed you,” Romana said.

  “You’re very smart, Romana. You didn’t fail me. I admit that I am being difficult, which is how I get the answers I need, whatever it takes,” Taesa said.

  “You are persistent in your curiosity. Don’t lose that. But you need to be more careful about your friends. Trusting the wrong person and taking their advice has consequences,” Romana said.

  “Trusting the wrong god and following its orders could have worse consequences,” Taesa said.

  “That is very true,” Romana said.

  “Judith asks lots of questions and goes wherever she wants to find the answers. Maybe we should both be more like her,” Taesa said.

  “Judith is a Chronicler, so she has certain privileges and responsibilities. We don’t live by the same kind of code of conduct. She takes her orders from Emeth. Yet, she still believes in God,” Romana said.

  “Does she really believe in God? Or does she believe because she trusts you and loves you so much? We can all see it. And you love her right back. You two should have been sisters,” Taesa said.

  “I should have chosen an Ursegan waterbinding. Then I could spend more time discussing the faith with her,” Romana said.

  “A single lifetime with your best friend isn’t enough, is it?” Taesa asked.

  “No, it isn’t. But we will have eternity with God, no matter how long our physical lives last,” Romana said.

  “You believe that. She might believe that. But I know that she will outlive both of us, like she already has, and go looking for her own answers long after we’re gone,” Taesa said.

  “Let’s go see Onora. Maybe she can help,” Romana said, nearly in tears.

  “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to upset you,” Taesa said.

  “You need to talk to Onora. She’s smarter than I am. I’ve said enough,” Romana said. She walked ahead, unable to face Taesa. She wasn’t sure if she was angry or sad or both. Taesa followed Romana toward an open area in the center of the city.

  ~~~

  Kaija awoke on the bed in the rented room of a traveler’s lodge in the Port of Reliance. She drank anew of the waters of the Elanatin Ocean from her vial to be energized with the powers of telepathy and empathy. She gathered her belongings into her backpack, exited the room and left the lodge. From there, she walked toward the city’s center and met Lady Onora. Hundreds of men, women and children were standing around her, waiting to ask questions or just hear what Onora had to say.

  “Kaija! I’m glad you could stay and visit for a while,” Lady Onora said.

  “You said you wanted me to meet a friend of yours,” Kaija said. She probed Onora’s mind and knew who it was.

  “You’re timing couldn’t be more perfect, Kaija. Here comes Romana right now,” Lady Onora said.

  Romana approached, with Taesa following closely behind her.

  Kaija immediately probed both their minds, and learned the truth about Taesa. She knew the young woman was innocent of the Sail to Me abomination, having been compelled through hypnosis by Victoria. She also knew that Taesa was working to lead others into religious doubts and cynicism because of her upbringing by her widowed mother, Caroline. She also knew of Taesa’s work to rescue children from the sun worshippers, meaning that her intentions were not cruel malice but skepticism. Kaija also knew about Romana’s intense love and loyalty toward the Chronicler named Judith.

  “Romana, what’s wrong?” Lady Onora asked when she saw the tears in Romana’s eyes.

  “I think it’s my fault, Onora,” Taesa said.

  “What are you talking about?” Lady Onora asked.

  “We were talking about God, and how to know who He really is and what He really wants, and how to figure out what’s false, so we don’t end up like the religious fanatics. I said that Judith asks lots of questions and goes wherever she wants to figure out answers. She’s been doing that for centuries, and she’ll be doing that long after all of us are gone,” Taesa said.

  “Is that all?” Lady Onora asked.

  “When I first met Judith, she was not a believer in God. She came to me when she didn’t feel appreciated by anyone else and I shared the faith with her. I told her how important she is and how God is real and has a purpose for her, even for the centuries of pain she had to witness. Because of that, she said she believed,” Romana said, straining through tears.

  “For that, God will reward you,” Lady Onora said.

  “Judith and I were walking together recently. Taesa was there with us, and she started asking questions. That got Judith curious and I don’t really know how to answer the questions. Not long afterwards, she had to leave the city to look into problems with the central bank. I can’t always be there for her, to help her keep the faith. I don’t even know how to make things clear when she has questions. I’m not a great teacher. I don’t have your wisdom,” Romana said, sobbing bitterly.

  “You love Judith with all your heart. I’ve never sensed such love between sisters before. You would die for her. You even regret your Gradaken waterbinding because it means you can’t live for centuries to be with her,” Kaija said.

  “Who are you?” Romana asked, knowing that her mind had just been telepathically probed because she hadn’t told this woman anything so intimately true.

  “I’m Kaija. I am a member of a sacred order known as the Vital Navigator of Sanctity, leading God’s Children back to him, and rescuing them from abuse and destruction by those who believe in false gods. I know that you have helped to rescue children, recently. Taesa’s Keep Our Freedom song destroyed their temple
before the sacrificial ritual could be performed,” Kaija said.

  “You know where I’ve been recently without my telling you. I guess my thoughts are yours to read. I hope you know how much I distrust all religions,” Taesa said.

  “I know that your mother has filled you with doubts and taught you cynicism rather than true skepticism,” Kaija said.

  “Kaija is the finest, wisest woman I have ever met. When I have questions, I ask her. She is a true servant of God, leading His Children back to Him,” Lady Onora said.

  “Someone else has questions. Look, here they come now,” Kaija said.

  ~~~

  “Governor Decima, Romana is up ahead, talking with those other women. And that girl is Taesa, who sang Sail to Me. She is protected by Paladins, hidden in the darkness,” Counselor Orfeo said and pointed.

  “Move in. I want to meet with Romana,” Governor Decima said. She approached the group of women whom Counselor Orfeo indicated. The ten (10) soldiers still surrounded the governor and the counselor. The Chronicler – Niels – followed them.

  “Governor, this is Romana, a Gradaken drinker from the Jenaldej Empire and close friend of the Chronicler Judith. Romana, this is Governor Decima from the central bank office in the Port of Nasharev along the coast of the Farmer’s Road land bridge. She has authority over this city, whereas you have reporting obligations with regard to the ten (10) percent share of this city held by the Jenaldej Empire,” Counselor Orfeo said when they were close enough for ordinary conversation.

  “My mind is an open book, apparently,” Romana said.

  Niels was there, recording all of this into his book.

  “Romana, how is it that you are the representative of the Jenaldej Empire’s financial interests and obligations in this city, the Port of Reliance? They are delinquent in their payments of maintenance fees and liability insurance. Are you so irresponsible as to fail to inform your superiors of the need to make timely payments?” Governor Decima asked.

  “Governor Decima, have you investigated to determine whether your subordinate officer, Counselor Teague, has received those payments but misappropriated them? Did this not enter your mind? Or are you unwilling to ask the question that might indicate your failing? Is it because you intend to claim nonpayment and foreclose on the ten (10) percent share of ownership that the Jenaldej Empire holds in this city?” Kaija asked.

  “Counselor Orfeo! Are you not able to protect the interests and confidentiality of the central bank? Why are you not guarding access to my mind against this woman?” Governor Decima asked.

  “You are attempting to steal the world, Governor Decima. Your mind is an open book to me – a book of outrageous lies and corruption. Those who doubt the central bank’s honesty and integrity are correct, because of thieves like you. You love money above all else, and you pretend to be the source of all money, which you manipulate by altering the exchange rates to defraud investors and merchants. By your oppressive labor contracts, yield pricing and transport agreements, prices of goods fluctuate under your command. This web of fraud enables you to purchase the fruits of the farmers’ labor at a lower price and sell it a greater profit, enriching bankers such as yourself quite easily by their poorly-paid hard work,” Kaija said.

  “Who are you to judge me, Kaija? You can read my thoughts but that doesn’t mean you can understand them. Harvests fail and demand for each crop fluctuates. Left alone, farmers would be bankrupted by the rapidly changing marketplace. The central bank knows how to maintain a level economy while keeping farmers around the world employed. This is not to mention all the miners, surveyors, architects, stonecutters, engineers, shipbuilders, cargo captains, clothiers, herbalists and billions of other people across every continent, land bridge and island in every ocean. Do you know how we do this? Calculus and probability are the key tools. Do you comprehend these concepts? Do you know how to measure uncertainty, integrate a yield rate curve, or price an insurance policy on a fragile crop? You may know many things, but you understand very few, if any. How many times do we have to meet like this and have the same debate?” Governor Decima asked.

  “I understand what you are attempting, Governor Decima. You’ve rejected the One True God to make money your deity. You will do anything to have more of it, when you should be searching for your Creator, who loves you,” Kaija said.

  “My creator? Why would I care about a myth? Every religion of the world promotes fables and rejects critical thinking. Money is power for good and it enables lives to be saved. The farmer eats his own yield, if his harvest produces enough, but what if it doesn’t? Even if there is enough to eat, what should be done with the surplus? Not everyone is a farmer. Food crops have to be exchanged for services and building materials. What’s a fair exchange rate? What’s a thousand (1000) pounds of wheat worth? How many houses or ships or herbal medicines will that buy? The central bank’s monetary policies answer those questions and keep everyone employed, trading goods and services across the world,” Governor Decima said.

  “If the pricing were fair, I would be willing to believe you. But you know that it’s been manipulated, by you and the other governors. God provides the food, the wood, the stones, the oceans and everything else we need. You, however, serve yourself by setting the prices too high or too low and gain by timing the market. Yet, you never work half as hard as anyone else,” Kaija said.

  “You say that God provides. Yet, you haven’t answered the fundamental question: who is God? Where is the proof that God exists? Many people believe in some kind of god – and they think their god is the true one – but what has their religion done other than practice human sacrifice? Oh, that’s right, they spread false hope in a rescue by a nonexistent deity, or cause suffering that supposedly builds character – but it does not, I assure you. What good is there in your faith or any other faith?” Governor Decima asked.

  “The One True God does not demand human sacrifice, but the false gods do. That is how to know the difference. If you are looking for the simplest possible answer that clearly exemplifies the goodness of the One True God versus the evil of false gods, there it is. God’s plan isn’t cruel and doesn’t build you up through suffering. He demands honest, hard work. For the lazy, hard work is a form of suffering, so don’t be fooled by their selfish complaints. They would rather do nothing all day and claim the yield of the harvest from everyone else. Waderav is ruled by people like that – the robber barons. They destroyed that entire continent and turned it into a land of slavery, where the laborers are abused or murdered if they don’t enrich the tyrannical lords over each territory. The central bank also enslaves people, but they’re more subtle about it, using lies and false pricing. God tells you the true price: come to Him, and see Him as the source of all goodness. The One True God provides the harvest,” Kaija said.

  “I can see the harvest, Kaija. I can see every kind of seed. I can see the farmer who plants it. I can see the water that irrigates the fields. I can see the Gradaken Ocean water the farmer drinks. I can see the many suns in the sky that warm the fields. I can see the captain who sails the ship to deliver the surplus crops to other lands. I can see the shipbuilder and the sail weaver who enable our travels. I can see the alchemist drinking the Kazofen Ocean waters to be able to purify other ocean waters so that the rest of the world can work better. But I can’t see God,” Governor Decima said.

  “You don’t depend on a single seed or harvest. You don’t depend on a single drop of any ocean water. You don’t depend on a single ray of light. You don’t depend on a single breeze in the sails of a single ship. You depend on the source of these things. Do you think that you are the source? Or that some false god is the source? As great as the oceans are, did they create themselves? The One True God is that source. When you reject or disbelieve in Him, you are rejecting or disbelieving in the source of all good things and the source of life itself, thinking that there is an alternate source that can or will provide for you. The totality of benevolence – the sum of all goodness
and life and love that exists – was created by God,” Kaija said.

  “My father was a good man who gave his life to studying and then teaching me and the other kids in my village everything he knew. If God is the sum of all goodness and life and love, why wasn’t that enough to save my dad from cancer?” Taesa asked.

  “Your father was saved for greater things. God brings His Children closer to Him,” Kaija said.

  “If my father could have lived his full life, he could be part of my life and my son’s life today. Even if I accept that we all die, why would God want any of us to die early? Why couldn’t this loving, good God allow a decent man like my father to live another thirty (30) years? Chroniclers live for centuries or millennia and God doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to kill them off or call them His Children so He can bring them closer. What do the Chroniclers do for anyone? They’re not allowed to do anything or interfere. They don’t grow food or raise families. They just watch us while we suffer. Why can’t God let the rest of us live a century. My father didn’t make it half of that. Why?” Taesa asked.

  Niels listened to all of this and recorded it into his book. He didn’t correct Taesa, even though she was wrong about most of what she said regarding Chroniclers and the Oath. A few Chroniclers did, in fact, have children, even while still serving under the Oath. In Emeth, Chroniclers were paid a modest amount of money for expenses because it was necessary to acquire some things in the course of their work which could not be provided for free. While a captain of a ship was required to give free transport to a Chronicler, a farmer couldn’t be forced to give away a share of the harvest that was going to be sold to pay taxes or to feed his own family. And a Chronicler did serve society by gathering knowledge and taking it back to Emeth. Most deaths, in his experience, were due to unsanitary conditions or human cruelty or stupidity. Whether or not there was a God – and he suspected there likely was – the tragedies of life were human failings. The Oath forbade judgment, but the irony of this young woman criticizing others was not lost on Niels. He read the recorded testimony in Emeth and knew of the Sail to Me incident during the tempest. Whether or not Taesa was acting voluntarily, she was at least indirectly responsible for millions of deaths.