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Gallia Falling, part 1 - The Death of Kings (IC)


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“France is deep in the blood of innocence, the land and its people are sick because of the last King. It is unfortunate but he had to die, a sacrifice to a new age. But those that have replaced him are no better, only a king may kill a king without consequences.†There was a subtle underlying anger to her words as if was all an affront to her personally “With the Prince to hold up as a symbol of a new start we can gather people under one banner to restore the monarch and start a new golden era for France.†As she spoke she had a wistful look about her.

Beside him Constance stiffened slightly, if Rene hadn’t been so close he wouldn’t have noticed her reaction; in the short time Rene had known her she had normally managed to conceal her true feelings. But then again wasn’t her true loyalties of the Republic the Countess opposed?

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Rene squirmed. The lady in front of him was so persuasive, so magnificent, he wished with all his heart to agree with her. How could she be wrong. He felt his throat dry and his skin prickle.

But....

Something about it rankled. A Monarch? But then, the terror, the blood of the revolution...perhaps....

He felt the stiffening of Constance beside him. She seemed as conflicted as he was.

He frowned and massaged his temples, trying to reconcile the two halves of his heart.

"A Golden Era for France...." he muttered, clinging to the one shared goal.

He turned to Constance. "I...think...we should plan that escape..." he grunted, his normal eloquence lost.

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Picking up on Rene’s faltering prose Constance took over the conversation “If it pleases the Countess myself and Rene have a good idea on how to recover the Prince.†She gave her a little curtsy, her tone didn’t chance one iota as she added “But I believe the cause would benefit greatly if you were to lead the rescue of our future king.â€

As she spoke she to be spending as much time watching Rene’s reaction as she was watching the Countess.

“I don’t believe this place will remain secure for much longer, I believe the Committee of General Security already suspect that you are hiding here. It would be best if we carry out our plans within the next day or so…â€

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The mission, the mission....the mission... mumbled Rene to himself in his head, trying to focus his head on the words that had pushed him to this maze of politics and intrigue.

He knew one thing in his beating heart - he had no taste for the Countess to face the guillotine. She was...magnificent. Surely there would be some way to serve her...

...

...for the good of France, of course!

He did not like putting her in harms way, but Constance clearly had a plan.

"Trust my companion, Countess! she has a soldiers heart and a politicians mind! if she says we can get the regent out, we can!"

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The Countess considered Constance’s word for a few second, it really did seem that she was in charge of this organisation.

“You seem to give good council. We will relocate to the city at nightfall, and attempt an assault on the Temple.â€

She nodded to the man who had bought them in, who left the room to rally the troops.

“If it pleases you Countess I wish a few moments to confer with my colleague.†Constance asked, granted permission she subtly moved Rene to a nearby empty room.

“Are you okay Rene?†there seemed to be genuine concern on her face “You’ve been acting strange since you met the Countess…â€

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“Are you okay Rene? You’ve been acting strange since you met the Countess…â€

Rene slumped into a chair, his face sagging into one hand as he leaned to one side.

"I am overcome, Madame...the Countess, seems a force of nature. I confess I feel my spirit siding with her. A leader, a nymph, a fury all in one. I would follow her to the gates of Inferno....such a woman could lead France to greatness..."

"And yet, she is does so by Regal machinations. How so? Why does she need such despotic forces...France needs no figureheads....It needs her...."

He croaked, and fought back a welling tear.

"Tell me Madam" he asked earnestly, all pretence and defence gone. "Did you not feel overcome by her too?"

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Constance leant against the room’s dresser and looked thoughtful for a minute.

“It would make sense if she is as she claimed Gallia, you noticed the weird sound to her voice†she looked at the still confounded Rene “I guess not. Gallia is the spirit of France and the spirit that flows through the blood of all Frenchmen.â€

She look a little sad for a moment “It is a shame that she is so committed to the old order, if she does make her strike it will tear the Republic apart. If she could talk to all France then there may be a chance, but alas.â€

She looked at Rene with concern. “Will you be able to do this? To betray the Countess, in all her terrify glory, to save the Republic from ruin?â€

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“Will you be able to do this? To betray the Countess, in all her terrify glory, to save the Republic from ruin?â€

Rene Frowned.

"Of course!" he replied, with as much conviction as he could muster and fully aware it was not true.

Could he...?

The answer was impossible. He doubted he could. But then, things where never as dichotomous as the Madame had presented. There were grades of betrayal, grades of saving, and grades of ruination. All things balanced and subtle. He would try to save them all. His heart ached for France, and shuddered to wreck the Countess.

"But Mercy on her body and soul, Madame" he implored "the Guillotine has drank enough noble blood for this Century!" he said, with emphasis. And in this he was firm, for what was France to become if it was forged by murder?

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Constance gave him a serious look and for the first time Rene was almost certain she was telling the truth

“I will do everything in my power to make sure that the Countess isn’t harmed. But it is important that the spirit possessing her is entrapped within, if Gallia escape she will just inhabit another poor woman.†She managed a small smile “I know this must be new to you and seem strange but I have a little experience in these manners.â€

She paused a little a seemed saddened, could she be feeling some kind of kinship with the Countess.

“Eventually Marianne could absorb Gallia into herself, after all they are both part of the spirit of France. But right now Gallia is too strong for this to happen, the Countess will probably have to be imprisoned for the rest of her natural life.â€

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Rene looked aghast at the suggestion.

"But...what of liberty...what has she done? what is so insidious about Gallia? I..."

He stopped, considering the effect the Countess had had on him. Dammit...that she still had on him.

"Please. I am no stranger to forces mysterious and arcane. I have read, I have studied, and, in some cases, I have felt, the spirits and the dreams that bind the worlds beyond. Do not grant me complete ignorance. But yet, I am still a blind man stretching out in the dark..."

He was pleading with her now, his heart twisted by the events and the tides of power.

"What is Gallia? What is the Countess? What...what have I gotten myself into?"

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“I’d warn you about dealing with power spirits like this, they tend to entwine themselves around other fates. But I’m afraid that Robespierre and myself have dragged you into this world. The worst you could do is understand the world you’ve been pushed into.†It sounded like she was trying to convince herself as much as him.

“No one knows exactly what they are, they don’t exactly seem keen to tell anyone and the scholars know little about them. It’s probably why you’ve not read about them. But every country seems to have one and they twist and change, grow and shrink in number, with the fortunes of their lands they inhabit. At time of crisis they offer to bond with a host giving them certain abilities to aid the women, and it’s mostly women, in completing a task.†She leaned forward a hint of anger in her voice “But Gallia is wrong somehow, her time has gone she should have surrendered to fate. And that voice of hers I suspect that she not just inhabiting our poor Countess she controlling her.â€

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Rene sat back, relieved at both the honesty of Constance and the falling into place of his fractured heart.

"I see...a spirit of France is it? well, if such thing's twist and flow with the spirit of the country, it has every right to be as mad and bloody as our land has been. Our land is changing, and change is always painful. So, is Gallia insane?" he asked, musing to himself.

"I hope for one that we can free the Countess from her grasp. Aristocrat she may be, and perhaps one that courted this disaster, but to be the puppet of such forces...this is slavery of the worst form!" he pronounced, his spirit flaring once again, with one hand smacking into the other to emphasise his point.

"Now! seeing as you have parted the veil, and I presume Robespierre is wise to the machinations of this, what is the plan? how do we deal with Gallia? how do we found out who or what she is?"

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Her face darkened for a moment “There are rumours that Revolutionary Council created a replacement for Gallia, it may have bought her back as she is and even driven her insane. Her influence had already faded among the King; he preferred his own divinity over Gallia’s assistance. I wouldn’t trust Robespierre’s judgment and his time in command may soon be coming to an end.â€

She gave a dismissive gesture and carried on “But we are not here to discuss politics, we both agree that we must try to help the Countess. The room that the Prince is kept in also has wards to protect from supernatural assault. If you can get her to enter the room the wards should prevent her from leaving. You’ll have to take the lead with that, she wisely doesn’t seem to trust me…â€

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"It seems Robenspierre and the government of France have some arcane tendrils, then" he replied, referring to the Prison of the prince.

"The Prince is the bait, and his jail, the trap? I congratulate you on your plan. It is not only plausible, but poetic...although I fear Gallia, or the Countess, I am not entirely sure which I am addressing, has more than ample wits. This could me a most dangerous game...."

Summoning his bravery he ruffled down his clothes and strode back to face the Countess.

"Dear Countess!" he started, filling his lungs and words with as much formal confidence as he could muster. "The night begins to fall and thus the hour of our strike! M'lady and I can sneak a small retinue in to see the Prince, and a small retinue out. A matter of guile and bribery. M'lady has contacts and influence in the most reputable, and disreputable of places!"

"But let us make haste to Paris, where we can make preparations to steal the Prince away under dark night!"

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The house they choose in Paris was in the 3rd Arrondissemtnt near to the Temple itself. They just picked a house that suited there need and the Countess talked to the owners. Who after listening to her just allowed them all to take residence for the night.

“That’s why we had trouble tracking there progress, there only mistake was staying at the Tavern to long.†Whispered Constance

They house owners gleefully provided food and wine and the mood was generally buoyant, everyone seemed confident that tomorrow they would strike a blow against the Republic. As the evening drifted into Evening people drifted away on various task and Rene somehow found himself alone with the Countess. She smiled at him and gestured for him to sit beside her, before speaking to him in her strange double voice.

“Ah Rene our newest recruit. You have such vibrancy so much life about you, more than enough for several lifetimes. You have questions? Well ask away, I shall answer as truthfully as I can.â€

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“Ah Rene our newest recruit. You have such vibrancy so much life about you, more than enough for several lifetimes. You have questions? Well ask away, I shall answer as truthfully as I can.â€

Rene coughed slightly, somewhat lost for words.

"Countess, I do not wish to pry. A woman's business is her own, to share with as he feels fit. But, I confess I would like to know more of you. Where to start..."

He drummed his fingers.

"...perhaps you could tell me why you take up such a dangerous goal. You are filled with patriotism, I am sure. The times of France change, perhaps too quickly, and certainly with too much blood. Maybe that is the nature of France, a land steeped in passion, not blind passion, but passion nonetheless"

"Would you mind if I paint you whilst we wait? Just some sketches, it will not take long? I am a student of art and I profess you would make a fine subject..." he asked politely.

"And perhaps then you can share your vision of France..."

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The Countess gave a smile “A painting of myself on the eve of a great challenge, that could made the difference to our cause. Yes I think that would be an excellent idea. They say a great artist captures apiece of the soul of the sitter. Are you that good Rene?â€

She stared into space for a few seconds, lost in thought.

“Why am I doing this? Sometime it’s in revenge for the King… or for the loss of place in the world… my place being stolen by another… and sometime it’s for a village stolen by a greedy Revolutionary.â€

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"A village?" asked Rene, sketching away. A proper painting would take days and weeks of painstaking oil work, but if he could capture the woman in sketch, he could fill in the blanks later. He knew he was good, but still young. It would be a good painting, but not masterful. And he doubted he could capture the woman's soul, either literally or metaphorically.

Her soul is too strong to be captured.

"Many villages have been lost, one way or another. Such is the way of revolution and war. But why would a Countess be moved by the plight of a village? Forgive my impertinence, but I would have thought your eye would be on more mighty pieces in the game. But perhaps pawns can become kings. Or queens. Or even Countesses"

"What is this village that moves your heart?"

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“Ah but a pawn that makes it to the other end of the board become a Queen.†She seemed to be lost in thought and as she spoke her voice lost it strange echo

“A simple village, a girl named after its most famous inhabitants. We cheered when the Revolution came, the corrupt noble overthrown a new start for us all. But the new regime was worst, cruel more violent drunk with power. The girl called on aid to stop those corrupting the values of the revolution.†Again her voice took its strange tone

“So we came and aided the village, we did not oppose this change, countries always change, such is the nature of such things. But those here in Paris feared us, so they created another cut us off from the spirit of the land and the people we protected.â€

She seemed back to her normal self “So I must overthrow this Revolution, regain my place in this world, release the upstart and begin anew.â€

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Rene nodded sagely. Truth be told, half his heart agreed with the Countess. The change was necessary, but it had been bloody and rebellious. The savagery of the gullotine towards the aristocracy had disturbed him. They were hardly innocent, but not always guilty.

And what of the new rulers? What of the man who had sent him to investigate the Countess? Power corrupted many a noble heart.

But then, could France afford another change? It was bleeding from the last one.

He sketched on in silence until his eye and hand grew weary, forcing him to stop.

"I think that is it, Madam. I shall finish it on other days, happier ones..." he said, stretching.

"For now, I think it is time to rescue a Prince..."

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The Countess seemed to agree with Rene as she summoned the rest of the crew to discuss the plans for invading the Temple and freeing the Prince. It was amazing to watch the Countess question Constance; it was obvious that she didn’t trust her completely, and for Constance to answer the question without revealing anything important.

Eventually it was decided that they should keep the numbers downs to avoid drawing two much attention to their rescue. Constance along with two others would disable and subdue the few guard stationed at the Temple, whilst Rene and the Countess herself would rescue the Prince.

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"Well..." said Rene to Constance, once the plans where laid down "the first layer of plans is down, but there is a layer below that, is there not? what are our plans?"

He thought for a moment of the Countess, and the sketch he had done of the lady. Somehow he did not have the heart to finish the sketch he had done of the woman. Perhaps he would give it to one of the other pupils to finish. It had promise, the sketch, he felt he had captured her...but somehow he felt a betrayer. He did not know if he could flesh it out.

"I feel guilty, Constance. The Countess...is well meaning, I feel. Perhaps the spirit behind her is, too. France...is going through a change. Necessary, but painful, like all change. And somehow she is aware of this. Is the spirit truly malign?"

He shook his head.

"No matter. We are set on this road now, come what may. My powder is dry, and my sword is sharp" he said, patting his rapier and flintlock. "I would prefer no bloodshed, but it is a bloody business, no doubt. What machivellian tentacles have you in play that can get us to the Prince?"

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Rene had spent a little while around Constance and was beginning to be able to pick out her subtler facial movements, the advantage of a painter eyes, a could see a flash of something. He wasn’t quite sure if it was regret or even sadness but it was there.

“I might not be able to have much influence on what happens to the Countess, I’m just an agent of the Republic. But l will I’ll try to stop them doing harm to her. Gallia will survive in some form whatever happens, I’m more concerned about the woman she inhabits.â€

She gave a small smile, her face a mask again.

“But as you say the time for words is over let’s do our bit for France.â€

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"In that case Madam, lead on...."

Rene carefully dressed, packing his flintlock into his waistcoat, and a rapier to his belt. He debated carrying a knife, but such scullduggery seemed...inelegant to him. He had no illusions that in war, noble gestures all too often lead to a slit throat. But something about the Countess had inspired him too...grander gestures.

He polished his boots and dusted his clothes. Busying himself felt the right thing to do. Maybe it stopped him thinking about what was happening at to deep a level.

"Let us away then...to the prison, to the iron bars that imprison the Prince. And let us hope the fates are with us tonight..."

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The people of Paris were still waking up when they started making their way through the streets of Paris. The Temple was a dark looming shadow against the pre-light of dawn, from the street the place was an imposing structure.

As planned Constance when first, leading the guards away from the gates, with what Rene knew was the authority of the Committee of General Security. Soon the two guards followed to help Constance to subdue the guards.

This left Rene and the Countess free to make their way to the room where Rene knew the young Prince was being held.

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