The Strongest Ferrum

[Setsuko_ 308]

In Redenford, Cillian O'Rourke stood alongside a small group of Adunians. Most were women and children, their men off working or similar. He stared a the cobblestones in the sidewalk, his arms crossed, as he listened to the desperate questions slung towards his father, who of course tried his best to answer them. He glanced up to Ricky O'Rourke, and though any outsider would see a man of steel composure and impregnable judgement, Cillian knew it was getting to him. He looked back down, pursing his lips as he listened to the murmuring and questions from the downcast crowd.

"Are our children safe, Mr. O'Rourke?"

"Will they hunt us down again, as they have in the past?"

 

"What will we do in response to this madness?"

 

From the back of the crowd came a small voice. Up until now, each question thrown had been laced with desperation and despair. Everyone present knew what was at risk of happening. Generations of hard work, honest patriotism and good ol' fashioned family spirit were threatened. However, the stark difference in this voice drew everyone to silence as it echoed over the walls of Redenford's buildings. It was not despair or worry that laced these words. Accompanying the voice of a child was pure and unadulterated sadness and regret, heartbreaking and sullen....

"Mr O'Rourke? What did we do?"

Cillian looked towards the voice's origin. A little girl, neigh older than five, stood at the back of the group. Her clothes, while not poor, were not fancy or decorative. Practical, sturdy, useful. Just as the Adunian's liked it. Some in the crowd stepped to the side as the girl stared up at Ricky, her hands folded together in front of her. The stains on her clothes, and the dirt on her hands, told Cillian she had been working in the fields prior to this. A farming family, and a girl with a few chores, as any farmer's child would have. After a moment, Cillian looked back up to Ricky. For the first time in Cillian's life, Ricky looked over to him and gave a nod. To others this seemed mundane, a nod between father and son. To the O'Rourkes, this was the sign that trust was shared.

Cillian stepped over to the girl, uncrossing his arms. As he lowered himself to a kneel, he grabbed the girl's shirt collar, gently adjusting it into it's normal place. She gave him a half smile as he ended up lower than her, looking up to the sad eyes of a child who believes they were in trouble. "We didn't do anything, little one." Cillian's voice was low and fragile, though everyone around was listening intently enough to hear.

"So why do they hate us?"

Cillian heard the rustling of feet behind him as some turned away, not wanting to witness that even an innocent child was not free from the harsh reality their kind now faced. Even Cillian, who like Ricky had seen a great deal, felt a genuine frown cross his face. "Sometimes, people do bad things." he starts, pausing to think for a moment. "They want to be better then others, so they lie and they be mean. We didn't do anything wrong. We, like you..." He pokes the girl's belly, producing a minor half giggle, drowned by a saddened state. "Have done our chores and behaved ourselves."

He raises, giving the girl one last smile as he stands. He looks to Ricky, who motions for Cillian to stand beside him. Cillian makes his way through the crowd silently, none speaking as the watched him step over. When he turned around, he found all eyes on him. He cleared his throat, glancing about.

"We did nothing to provoke this." he starts, emphasizing his words. "I cannot tell you what the future will hold. I cannot give you the answers you desperately want to hear." his glances were met with looks of crestfallen sadness, and a few pointed glares. "What I can tell you is what you all already know to be true." He gives a half smile of his own as the eyes staring back at him glimmer with the faintest sparkle of hope. He takes a breath.

"We're a family, and by GOD families stay by each other. We will not turn our backs to you." He motions to Ricky at his right. "Whatever plans this man has, Iblees has snuck into his heart. Men of the cloth, damning fellow Canonists." Cillian felt his face grow more serious. "They say our blood makes us impure. They say we are weak and shy from GOD's grace." He brings his hands up in a shrug. "Our blood is what binds us. It's the reason when any other descendant would roll over or give up, we continue on. When everyone around us waivers, we stand strong. Our blood is not our weakness. It's our strength." Some of the heads at Cillian's front raise slightly as they look on. "I don't know what the church or the others will do. I can't control that. I know what we will do though. We will persevere, as we have time and time again." He recalls something he had told his late Brother in Law. "The strongest Ferrum is forged in the hottest flame." He looks around as some hold a confused look. "We're stronger for the hardships we face."

Cillian gives another small frown as he looks down to his ISA uniform, the breastplate dented and scratched from combat. "Keep each other safe. Look out for one another, as we always do." he looks each person gathered in the eye, ending with the little girl from earlier. "That, is the Adunian way."

[gurlpirate 316]

Jane Hartcold-Rourke, in a heavy black mourning dress, watched as her brother and father did their best to calm the crowd from across the street. An infant in each arm, young boy at her ankles, and housekeeper beside her, Jane listened with great interest and concern. As Cillian finished his words, she looked to the tiny faces around her. 

"We'll be alright. We stick together, just like we always do. Together, we can rise above the hate."

At that, Jane hurried forward to speak privately to her kin. 

[Pyrite 192]

Calahan O'Rourke peers down at his fellow Adunians, family, and friends that had gathered in the street. His view from Cassia Hall blotted out the noise but he himself grew weary. As he watched the proceedings he could only murmur to himself and to the three living dolls that bent to his command "What's going on? Why're they gathering?" He pondered with fear in his tone.

[Mescaffier 6197]

Some cloaked giantess glanced through shuttered windows in some slowly crumbling building, as protests struck the capital and news spread on the Orenian's new . . . Rather, rediscovered Anti-Adunian sentiments.

"First it vas the Highlanders, and now the Adunian - next the Farfolk. They're purging every kind o' 'folk til' it's just them righteous Heartlanders."

A few crowded in behind her as they fled the city - of course, she was still banished. The sound of steel against stone shuttered the silence as they broke into a sprint along the roads, cloaked by night.

"Justice has been forsaken."

"They ought te' be put in t'eir place."