[A small smile. Anyway, he brought a couple teas. He isn't a tea guy, but Caduceus is, and these are ones he's picked out before, so Caleb feels fairly confident they'll be good?]
I'm sure they will be. [She made them wtf. What a waifu. These are my thoughts not Caleb's he doesn't know what a waifu is.] Uhm. This tea is of a type a gentleman I know to have quite good taste prefers, so perhaps you will enjoy it.
[understandable. she'll enjoy the tea and carefully hold it in her hands for the entire duration of this thread because someone (viola) hates touchy week.
the chocolates themselves have different types of filling and flavors - milk chocolate, dark chocolate, cherry filling, coconut, even a spicy one, wow!]
I suppose we all were nothing more than just text and stickers on a screen for a time there. Do you feel more comfortable speaking to all of us now?
And I feel like I was given a raincheck on many things I'd like to ask you - but you're still welcome to ask about me in return, if that topic still interests you.
There's so much I want to know. You mentioned an interest in politics and restructuring power systems? Or your evaluation of yourself in comparison to your friends? Though I suppose you'll have to stop me in case I wish to know anything too personal... I'm simply fairly curious.
[Quiet for a moment, not sure how to start. And not sure how actually interested she is in this, or whether she's just being polite. Also, it's all personal, but he does want to try.
Anyway, he speaks in an even more halting, slightly shaky voice than usual, but he doesn't seem to want to stop or change the subject.]
. . . When I was a student, I became mixed up with some ugly things. And people. One of them was sometimes a teacher at the Academy, but he also held a powerful political office. He is the sort who is - I don't think many know exactly his methods, but they know he recruits promising young students to train with him and serve as his spies and enforcers, and they know that his methods are harsh and many fail to. . . complete their studies.
For a long time, I thought that something had to be done about this man, but recently I have been thinking that - others in similar offices, and his superiors, must tolerate this. Because he is useful to them and to the king. So it is. . . it is thought that what he is doing will keep the Empire safe, will protect the people of the Empire. But the people whose lives he is destroying are also citizens of the Empire. And I think. . . he is probably not the one who started doing things this way, and he has proteges who would take up his position if he fell. Simply removing him will not. . . be enough to prevent this.
very funny how viola hates touch week so much but admittedly this much vulnerability wasn't something she was expecting right off the bat - so her hand leaves her cup of tea if only to just let her fingertips brush against the back of caleb's. a small acknowledgement of the shakiness of his voice and how much he's sharing with her.]
.... I'm sorry you endured that. That wasn't fair to you, or anyone else - but I think that's rather clear, isn't it...
.... you're right, I think. That there are too many situations in which people will turn a blind eye to such behavior because there's a net benefit that lets people in power maintain their cycles of cruelty, keeping their comfortable lives as the expense of the people they have a sworn duty to protect.
It'd be nice if removing just one terrible person was enough - but in many times, an entire system needs reform. [ . . . ] I hope you pursue change, if that's what you wish to do.
[He looks a little uncomfortable at the touch, aware maybe he revealed too much. He didn't exactly say he was a victim of what he described, though context makes it very obvious. Still, he's been trying to get better at talking about these things.]
I think that's what I would like to do. It's no small task, but we've had the ear of the king before, and Beauregard is well regarded in the Cobalt Soul. It may be possible.
[ah - awkward. she pulls her hand back quickly, her expression turning a bit apologetic.]
Please forgive my forwardness. [anyway - ]
But that sounds like an opportunity as good as any. I imagine that much of the work worth doing would never come simply, but it sounds like an important cause to me. I hope that the king would be willing to lend you his aid, and you run into few roadblocks to reform.
[He reacts to that too, because he is fundamentally just an awkward guy; he realizes he maybe flinched a little and regrets it, doesn't mind the friendly gesture. He just felt very exposed by her sympathy suddenly.]
Ah, no, it's alright. You weren't forward.
[. . .]
Anyway, it interested me to hear of your studies because of my interest in this topic. I am a little, uhm, uneducated about such things, I do not know so much about the inner workings of politics.
she gives him a small smile of acknowledgement before her head tilts, thoughtful]
Well... the inner workings of it is not pretty. From what I understand of systems based on bloodline, it is especially less so because people find positions comfortable due to tradition. Even here, the high society in the capital is... well, I'm rather happy to be away from it, even if I know I must return and negotiate in order to advance my personal agendas.
Often what I believe works best is building coalitions of people who can work together to advance small but important agendas one by one. Against corrupted systems, every victory counts.
[Smiling back, more comfortable now talking in the abstract.]
There is the king, of course, but the Empire is held together by various coalitions. I want to. . . take down, or reform in some way, the Cerebus Assembly. It is a council of, uhm, powerful practitioners of the arcane. They advise the king, technically, but the arrangement is, uhm, it exists because each individual member is incredibly powerful. It would be madness if they were to challenge one another, nor would the crown wish to face any of them as an enemy, so there is an agreement to cooperate but to stay out of one another's affairs.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[she will wander in that direction! tea time, tea time]
Good day, Caleb.
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[A small smile. Anyway, he brought a couple teas. He isn't a tea guy, but Caduceus is, and these are ones he's picked out before, so Caleb feels fairly confident they'll be good?]
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I hope you don't mind if I brought some sweets that I made. I hope they're to your liking.
How are you? Better since I saw you last, I hope.
[since that's when a teenager just fuckin died]
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Better, certainly. And you?
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[she'll move to take a cup and tilt her head a bit at his question]
Better - and busier. I'm not a duck anymore, so I'd call it an overall net benefit?
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[The tea really is extremely good. Ask me no further questions about it.]
Much better. Odd how they made you wear those. It's difficult to know how to read someone you've never met face to face.
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the chocolates themselves have different types of filling and flavors - milk chocolate, dark chocolate, cherry filling, coconut, even a spicy one, wow!]
I suppose we all were nothing more than just text and stickers on a screen for a time there. Do you feel more comfortable speaking to all of us now?
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I did miss sitting quite a bit.
And I feel like I was given a raincheck on many things I'd like to ask you - but you're still welcome to ask about me in return, if that topic still interests you.
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[Try being the operative word.]
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I'll appreciate each attempt then.
There's so much I want to know. You mentioned an interest in politics and restructuring power systems? Or your evaluation of yourself in comparison to your friends? Though I suppose you'll have to stop me in case I wish to know anything too personal... I'm simply fairly curious.
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[Quiet for a moment, not sure how to start. And not sure how actually interested she is in this, or whether she's just being polite. Also, it's all personal, but he does want to try.
Anyway, he speaks in an even more halting, slightly shaky voice than usual, but he doesn't seem to want to stop or change the subject.]
. . . When I was a student, I became mixed up with some ugly things. And people. One of them was sometimes a teacher at the Academy, but he also held a powerful political office. He is the sort who is - I don't think many know exactly his methods, but they know he recruits promising young students to train with him and serve as his spies and enforcers, and they know that his methods are harsh and many fail to. . . complete their studies.
For a long time, I thought that something had to be done about this man, but recently I have been thinking that - others in similar offices, and his superiors, must tolerate this. Because he is useful to them and to the king. So it is. . . it is thought that what he is doing will keep the Empire safe, will protect the people of the Empire. But the people whose lives he is destroying are also citizens of the Empire. And I think. . . he is probably not the one who started doing things this way, and he has proteges who would take up his position if he fell. Simply removing him will not. . . be enough to prevent this.
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very funny how viola hates touch week so much but admittedly this much vulnerability wasn't something she was expecting right off the bat - so her hand leaves her cup of tea if only to just let her fingertips brush against the back of caleb's. a small acknowledgement of the shakiness of his voice and how much he's sharing with her.]
.... I'm sorry you endured that. That wasn't fair to you, or anyone else - but I think that's rather clear, isn't it...
.... you're right, I think. That there are too many situations in which people will turn a blind eye to such behavior because there's a net benefit that lets people in power maintain their cycles of cruelty, keeping their comfortable lives as the expense of the people they have a sworn duty to protect.
It'd be nice if removing just one terrible person was enough - but in many times, an entire system needs reform. [ . . . ] I hope you pursue change, if that's what you wish to do.
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I think that's what I would like to do. It's no small task, but we've had the ear of the king before, and Beauregard is well regarded in the Cobalt Soul. It may be possible.
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Please forgive my forwardness. [anyway - ]
But that sounds like an opportunity as good as any. I imagine that much of the work worth doing would never come simply, but it sounds like an important cause to me. I hope that the king would be willing to lend you his aid, and you run into few roadblocks to reform.
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Ah, no, it's alright. You weren't forward.
[. . .]
Anyway, it interested me to hear of your studies because of my interest in this topic. I am a little, uhm, uneducated about such things, I do not know so much about the inner workings of politics.
no subject
she gives him a small smile of acknowledgement before her head tilts, thoughtful]
Well... the inner workings of it is not pretty. From what I understand of systems based on bloodline, it is especially less so because people find positions comfortable due to tradition. Even here, the high society in the capital is... well, I'm rather happy to be away from it, even if I know I must return and negotiate in order to advance my personal agendas.
Often what I believe works best is building coalitions of people who can work together to advance small but important agendas one by one. Against corrupted systems, every victory counts.
no subject
There is the king, of course, but the Empire is held together by various coalitions. I want to. . . take down, or reform in some way, the Cerebus Assembly. It is a council of, uhm, powerful practitioners of the arcane. They advise the king, technically, but the arrangement is, uhm, it exists because each individual member is incredibly powerful. It would be madness if they were to challenge one another, nor would the crown wish to face any of them as an enemy, so there is an agreement to cooperate but to stay out of one another's affairs.