For Shiro Cao had not merely been misguided. He had been the right hand of these men, these invaders, warlords like his own father. They were to seize the island, topple the Khanate, usher in the new era of prosperity that Haranu deserved. A goal that his father had tried to achieve, and whose failure had cost him his life. No longer would Har***'s people toil in poverty, no longer would they fear their neighbors.
*What makes you think you could achieve any of this? What about the seasingers, the soothsayers, the Khans?”
“Haranu has a resource that is very rare, very desirable. Many parties would like it, pay much, though it is most difficult to come by.”
*What, cherrywood? You can find that anywhere in the Scythe.”
“Ah, no, I am thinking of more human resources. Maybe subhuman resources.”
“The sea orphans.”
“Your father, ah, such a stupid man. A stupid, vindictive man. He made Haranu into a target. He made every single person on the island pay, for what? To protect these degenerate animals? How many times were we targeted by occultists looking for exotic sacrifices, hmm? How many times did we fight off purists who wanted to raze everything, all of it to the ground? How many good people lost their lives in his bloated armed guard just so these vermin could go around sleeping in the streets?”
“We could capture them, breed them, sell them to the occultists like, ah, fancy cut of meat. Or, hmm, maybe we sell them to slavers. They always need slaves in the west. And do you know how many sickos there are in Falling Blossom who want nothing, no, nothing more than to spend an evening with an oiran who's got a few extra tentacles under her kimono? This wealth belongs to the people,yes, and it belongs to me. This kingdom owes me at least this much after it took away my manhood.”
The room darkens, and Shiro is gone. In his place are half a dozen assassins, Death Lotus. The three have no choice but to fight for their lives.
____________________________
19-Mar-2015 10:16:38
