"Nothing more to say…?" I asked the Chronicler as I put her letters into my pouch at my waist.
"No…? Do you want to say sothing?" she asked back with a frown. The kind that told she would likely answer any question I threw at her, which sohow made hesitate in doing so.
It was scary when she really did seem to not have any intention of keeping secrets…
"I might not co back for a long ti… I might separate from Vim and head back north, instead," I said, mostly to see what she'd say. I highly doubted Vim would ever allow to do such a thing, even if I wanted to, especially right now with Renka and all the other threats presiding over us.
"Do whatever it is you think best. To be honest I'm a little surprised you're even here in the first place!" she said with a small chuckle.
My tail squird under my pant leg, and I wanted to sigh. At both her and myself. We were alone in her private office, so I could have pulled it out and been safe to do so… but I had left it under the pants for now. Since I planned to walk out of the office shortly and although it was still the early morning it was busy enough in the surrounding area that I couldn't risk letting any of my non-human traits get seen. There were plenty of humans out and about, praying and getting ready for their day here in the Cathedral.
Plus it was squirming like mad, and I didn't really want her to notice. Even if she might be seeing it anyway, with her unique eyes.
A part of wanted to interpret her words in a way that told that, in her perspective based on what she knew from prophecies that I should still be up north at SilverCreek… yet another part of knew she might just be stating a simple fact that anyone would have in this mont.
She might genuinely be surprised for to be here, instead of up north settling into my new ho… especially since she knew I had been so looking forward to it.
"Anything I should tell Light? Or Vim?" I asked.
The Chronicler frowned and shook her head. "Not that I'm aware of…? To be honest even the letters are not too pressing. If you and Vim end up getting sidetracked, fear not. As long as they get delivered eventually that's all that matters," she said.
Great. I almost wished she had said sothing opposite of that… now I worried for a new reason.
The fact there was nothing… pressing… happening was very concerning. Tor had just betrayed us, right? Gods were showing up, right? Hundreds of people, hundreds of new mbers, were showing up and needed new hos and attention… right?
So then why did it feel like neither I nor Vim had anything too pressing to concern ourselves with…? As if nothing was wrong and nothing new was happening? I almost felt as if I was missing sothing very important and it was bugging to no end.
How in the world were we less busy than before all this chaos…? I swear sothing was not right…! Especially so with the new knowledge that they weren't letting people travel freely… at least, supposedly, until Nory was born.
"I doubt it'll take us too long to get there. You know how Vim is, even when he does get sidetracked he doesn't let it deter him for too long," I said, opting to just… ignore it for now. As best I could. Which was barely.
She nodded. "Vim's not one to linger. He's done so more with you than he ever has before, and even then he barely does it. I sotis wonder how you put up with it," she said.
He… lingers with …? Was she saying that they've noticed he travels slower than he usually did, before I ca along at least?
I an it was probably true… but was it so blatant that it was spoken about in that way?
"Can I… ask sothing?" I asked as fidgeted with the top of the pouch I'd just put the letters in.
"Your hesitation to just do so worries . What is it…?"
I didn't like how that was sothing Vim would say in such a mont. He too found it uncomfortable when I hesitated to just… say what was on my mind.
But how could I not hesitate…?
Glancing around the room, at the tables and desks that were… far too clean in ways that made wonder if the chaotic state of the Society was just an illusion or sothing. Why wasn't there a bunch of letters and stuff on her desks? Why wasn't the map hanging on the wall over near the window littered with notes and markings? Why did this office seem… unused…? Shouldn't she, like Oplar and everyone else, be utterly swamped with work?
Maybe she was just really good at keeping clutter down. Or maybe she kept such work in her other office… the one a few floors below.
"Renn…?" The Chronicler tilted her head at in a way that told she was concerned for . Not too deeply, of course… she knew nothing ailed , but I had gone quiet. For longer than was comfortable.
But still, I hesitated.
I wanted to ask.
About the prophecies.
About what I should do. Or at least, what she and the rest thought I should do.
Oplar had said they all thought I was soon to give birth. Maybe not in a few months, but not much longer than that. They were keeping people from going to where they wanted to be, to their new hos, because of it.
It was an outlandish thing to hear, and believe, but… I could see it. Celine and the rest of them, Light and the Chronicler… they all trusted in their prophecies so deeply that they made such rash decisions without a second thought. They allowed those dreams to not just decide their own fates, but the fate of everyone else too. Even those who had nothing to do with said prophecies.
That wasn't fair.
It wasn't right.
I wasn't pregnant. My child, as much as I would love to see her as soon as possible… was not coming. Not anyti soon.
Which ant they were acting on a lie. A false prophecy. One that they had not only misread… but Vim and I had manipulated them into believing was correct.
And that was wrong. Wrong of not just us to do so, but…
Clearing my throat, I blinked a few tis as I gathered my nerve.
I had to say it. Vim had given permission. He had agreed, happily, to let do it.
To tell her. To tell them.
That I wasn't pregnant. That Nory was not going to be born anyti soon. That their prophecies… whatever they were, were either misunderstood and incorrect or were wrong entirely. So there was no point in making such huge decisions such as keeping people locked up underneath the Cathedral and not letting them go to where they belonged. It wasn't fair, at all, to them… and I didn't want to be the cause of such injustice…
But if I said it… what happened…?
My conversation with Vim concerning this had been short. Since we were readying to leave. Oplar had not told until we had both gotten a chance alone, and it had taken longer than it should have for that mont to co. I had been too happy spending ti with everyone, and because of that I had spent the whole night through with those I called friends and had neglected my duties.
Oplar had even told Vim. Before . Because she was that concerned over it… and I had, instead of addressing it and handling it myself, just laughed and hung out with a drunk Saphra and the rest of those here without a care in the world…
After Oplar had explained to what she'd heard, and the few other things that had been worrying her lately, I had hurried to find Vim. To talk to him about it. We had spent a few minutes alone, talking about these prophecies and their disturbances on our world and Society… and he had of course been kind enough to let vent about them, but he had also made a few very good points that I still wasn't sure if I should agree with yet or not.
I knew Vim wanted to break those prophecies. Because it was his nature. But I also knew from previous conversations that he did not want to do it in the way that he typically would… he didn't want to make sure that Nory was never born. He wanted her to one day co to life and enjoy the world and all it had to offer. And every ti I think of that fact, of his own excitent over her eventual existence, I always almost do sothing drastic, so I tried to not focus too deeply on it.
Yet at the sa ti… he had brought up a point just a short while ago that Oplar had not, and one I might not have realized either had he not done so.
Whatever prophecy that Light and the rest were operating under… whatever they had foreseen to make them choose to be so cautious and wary, was likely sothing serious. Sothing so serious that, even if Nory wasn't born soon, the danger of it wouldn't disappear.
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His reasoning was Nory's birth, even if very important and montous in its own way… for us, at least, was not sothing that spectacular. A child was born every minute. All over the world. A baby being born was not a world-changing event, as Vim had described it. Not even our child would be seen as such a thing.
Which ant, at least in Vim's perspective… Nory was a side-affect. An addition. She was likely being used as a marker, like one would a waystone or guidepost. Light, or Celine or whoever the original prophecy was from, likely was using our child's birth as a way to properly plan sothing.
He was basically saying that Nory's birth itself was not special to them… but the timing of it was. His thought process was that sothing was ant to happen. Sothing either really bad, or at least really important, soti before or during our daughter's birth. And because of that, if we tell them they're wrong about her expected arrival… or rather the lack of it… then we could in part directly endanger them. Because then they might not be as cautious, at least when and where concerning whatever the main and original prophecy was about.
It made a lot of sense. It really did. Especially when coming from him, a man who would usually do everything in his power to avoid or destroy any and all prophecies he could.
So I fully understood his line of thinking. His… train of thought, as he called it. He had co to such a conclusion logically, and with a lot of experience to back it up… but…
I an…
Even if he was right…
There was still a whole bunch of people suffering, or at least unhappy, because of it… wasn't there?
Even Saphra, the wonderful snake who liked to get drunk, was only still here because of it. She hadn't outright said so yet, but from what I gathered she was supposed to go east. To the Crypt. In her drunken slurry of words last night she had offhandedly ntioned tombstones and a damp forest. And out of everywhere in the Society the Crypt was what made perfect sense for such a place to be.
I wasn't sure why she'd go there, since she was not religious at all, but I knew not everyone there was. And I also knew such a thing didn't matter.
That was where she expected to go. And she'd be comfortable there. She'd not need to hide underground for months at a ti there. She'd not need to hide her lower body, or have to beg those like Mapple to bring her foods and snacks she couldn't go get herself. She'd be safe there, comfortable there, and that was all that mattered.
Yet she couldn't go. Just like so many others… and only for one reason alone.
They wanted everyone to wait. Until Nory was born.
Which ant it was my fault. Our fault. Vim's fault and mine… that everyone else was having to suffer and be patient.
Half the people I'd t lately had complained about their environnt… and now I realized why. Even if none of them had known, since Vim and Oplar had said only certain people had been told the real reason for their predicants, they at least knew instinctively… and I also knew so in fact did know, and were keeping it a secret.
How many of the people lately who had comnted that they were bored here and ready to leave knew the truth? How many who had made small comnts in passing, about how cold it was or how damp it was or how they wanted to see the sun again or whatever had been bothering them knew that their living conditions, and their issues with them, were my fault…?
It was almost enough to make want to cry, to think I'd been the cause for so much discomfort. To the point it made sick.
What if that was why Mapple wasn't willing to leave here yet…? She wanted to go north too. To join us up at SilverCreek… yet kept saying she couldn't leave yet, not until sothing happened. What if Nory's birth was that thing…?
And she wasn't the only one…! Tundra had said the sa, in Lun. As had others!
I was so terrible…! Why hadn't Vim and I just… handled it already…? It wasn't as if we didn't want children, and it wasn't as if we weren't capable…! We were both completely capable of raising a child, and… well…
But… there was no denying Vim's opinion on the matter.
Even if I didn't want to admit it.
"Renn…?"
I groaned as the Chronicler really started to look at with worry as I reached up to scratch under my hat at my ears.
"Sorry…" I mumbled an apology that almost broke my heart, since I decided to not say it.
Not yet.
What if Vim was right…?
"Is… everything okay…?" Hyacinth asked calmly.
No. Not at all. "Yes… I uh… I'm okay. Sothing weird just ca to mind, but I've settled it. I'm sorry for being weird," I said. I'd been standing here before her for longer than I wanted to admit, pondering in silence as I writhed in worry. Gosh I must have looked silly…
"Hm… you don't look okay. You look mighty troubled. I don't think you looked even this bothered back when Vim had yelled at and broke the door," she said calmly.
"Sohow I doubt that…!" I said with a small smile. I had been super worried back then. Not really over him harming her, or anyone else, but instead him making a terrible mistake. I had genuinely half expected him to step down as protector then and there!
"Is there nothing I can do for you Renn…? I know you know we are keeping secrets, but I promise you there are ways around them if the need calls for it," she said.
My ears shifted under my hat as I frowned at her. She sotis spoke so blatantly, didn't she? "I'm scared of treading too close to those secrets, though," I said.
The Chronicler chuckled. "Ah, wisdom… How about a suggestion then? One that might work out better than the alternatives?" she then said.
"Hm?"
She gestured lightly at . "You're going to see Light, dear. Talk to her. She's not just the source; she's also wise enough to know how to navigate all the drama and chaos and to do so in a way that won't cause issues. Talk to Light, Renn. Get the answers you need, not seek, from her," she suggested.
I sighed at that. "I had thought my last eting with her would have done that, yet I left with more questions than not," I said.
"Such is life. But my point still stands. I can answer questions, but can I do so in a way that keeps the peace…?" she slowly shook her head. "Likely not. Light however, can. So to her I defer," she said.
"Defer?" I asked.
"To postpone. Or as Vim would say, I took an easy escape and opted to push my problems onto another at a later ti," she said.
Ah… I smiled and nodded. "He doesn't think kindly of such things, no."
She shrugged. "Yet he does it all the ti too, in his own way. But that is what makes us human, as they say."
Human… "Were there any? From the other continent?" I asked.
The glowing eyes blinked. "Humans…? A few. They took a few dozen with them originally, family mbers and whatnot, but those left are not pure-blooded humans anymore. The only ones left are descendants, if only loosely related, to us. No pure humans ca back, no," she answered honestly.
Huh… "How many ships are left?"
"Four. I got news of one landing a few days ago. Half the people upon it were sick, but they didn't have any losses during the journey… We're hoping and praying it stays that way," she said.
"Sick…? The plague, is that thing back?"
She shook her head. "No, this is just a simple sickness. Long voyages often get such things, though it is unusual for our kind to suffer it so badly. Right now they're quarantined, and are under good care, so all should be well."
Hm… wonder where they were? "I see… so it won't be long until they're all back, will it?"
The Chronicler nodded. "The last ship should arrive a bit before the vote this winter. At least, that's our hope," she said.
Oh…? That was an interesting fact. Especially since, knowing them, that had been planned in that way…
"Are you… planning on bringing them all here?" I asked.
"Yes. For the vote. In fact here soon we will start to bring those here from locations who wish to be present for the vote, so are even showing up already. Light will undoubtedly ask Vim to start offering to pick up mbers along his route, if people don't start asking for it already," she said.
Ah…! That has indeed already begun. Not only has Vim received such requests, even I've had them to… though honestly I had offered to escort people without being asked up-front, so I wasn't sure if saying I had been requested such a thing was proper or not… "Can this place handle that many at once…?" I asked.
The Chronicler smiled at . "This place had been built with the full population of the Society in mind even from the beginning, Renn. It had been, originally, intended to be used as a last-refuge. A place to survive the wars and the upcoming disasters. Though a few plans have changed, that fact hasn't," she said.
Upcoming disasters…? "Like the volcano?" I asked.
She sat up a little at my question and I noted the way her deanor changed a little. She was suddenly not as calm. "Yes, Renn… but I dare say we should not speak of it any further than that. No matter what you know, or what you don't. That is sothing you should speak to Light about, not ."
I gulped at her very serious tone, and nodded. "Okay…"
The Chronicler then sighed and relaxed a little. "I believe we should end it here, then. Before either of us stray into topics we shouldn't," she said, rather simply.
For a mont I wanted to argue, but I quickly realized the only reason I wished to do so was because I now felt insulted… and I knew deep down that I shouldn't be.
They might have secrets… but they weren't keeping them from maliciously. At least, not entirely. I may not agree with their thods, but they weren't doing what they were doing to hurt but instead the opposite… at least in their perspective.
"Vim will be happy to hear that…" I said with a sigh as I nodded, if reluctantly.
"A day will co that his happiness won't rely on such things, Renn… we must simply endeavor to reach those days. Until we do, we must simply endure."
Won't rely…? "Okay…?" I wasn't sure what to say to that, since it could be interpreted many ways… and many of them made uncomfortable, though not always for bad reasons. After all, she might just be saying that one day Vim won't get upset or angry with talking to those like her about certain topics… because he had, finally sohow, overco his distrust and dislike of prophecies and all things concerning them. Though… I couldn't really imagine such a day ever coming, to be honest…
Or well, maybe I could…?
After all, Nory was to be a saint, right…?
Would that an he'd hate her too? Surely not, right…? Especially since Vim really didn't hate saints, he just hated the powers they possessed… but surely he'd not have any such feelings for Nory his daughter, right…?
I humd in thought, a little excitedly, at the idea. What if Nory, her existence, was what eventually made him beco a little more open-minded concerning prophecies…?
"And now you're grinning wildly again… Considering Vim too had done such an odd thing, mid-conversations, I wonder if I should start to worry," she then said.
My smile grew a little more. So Vim had acted weird too? That was good to hear. And with such thoughts in my head I decided to end our conversation here. I turned to leave, with a little more hurry than I typically would have otherwise. I now wanted to go find Vim, though I didn't plan to tell him about the lovely idea that our daughter would one day end his unjust hatred for saints… I did want to see him. Maybe even hold his hand.
Leaving her office, smiling though with slight worry… I bid the Chronicler farewell. "Better smiles than not, right?" I said.
"I suppose so…"
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