On Citizen Philip Jr. and his Wife

[PrincessSnowie 539]

The Baroness of Westfall was shown the missive in public by her husband, shortly after she ripped the cross necklace that hung around her neck, sending pearls flying across the stone roads, before tossing her gilded cross into the gutters. "The church is useless now, dear Henrik. We've chosen our rulers, my faith in GOD is not made by some old men and broke spinsters adorned in holy cloth, oust them for all I care."

Edited January 17, 2022 by PrincessSnowie

[MunaZaldrizoti 5744]

1 hour ago, MapleSunflower said:

The Doctor received the missive that was placed on her desk, breaking open the seal to read the letter inside. Upon finishing the letter, Dr. Primrose Gendik-Komnenos brought a hand over her mouth in thought. The moment of ponderance passed, prompting the woman to remove a clean piece of parchment and start writing her own letter - poor birds in the past 24 saint-hours must be absolutely exhausted. 

 

"To the High Pontiff,

 

I am sure you are getting many letters and missives these days, and without my face you may not recognize me - but we in fact have quite the history. Many years ago, you were the one who excommunicated Arlo Cooper and granted us a divorce - freeing me of the grief and pain that marriage faced me with.

 

Years have gone by since then, but our paths crossed once more at the attempted assassination in Oren. While I did not help with fighting as I was ill-equipped due to the losses of the war, I was there to treat your wound. I would like to apologize to my harshness to you or those around us, as many people talking and giving advice is very distracting and stresses me out while working - I am sorry that had happened. However, I of course write this letter out of concern and thus following if these concerns are confirmed, asking a favor. 

 

An open letter has been written to you concerning excommunication of Oren as well as specific members that had signed their names on a letter written by Anastasia I. While of course this excommunication proposal will have to be considered by you and it may not be accepted, my concerns grow more by the minute.

 

First is the question of moral. One should not harm those who follow the Crown simply due to it being their job and survival. Those who live within Oren and signed that letter should not be penalized for something they cannot control. All in all, you will be affecting those who defended you in that assassination attempt and people like Sir Jarad Munnel Vuillerian, whom you've granted great recognition to in a recent missive. 

 

My main concern is not on recognition for treating your wound, but on a specific man. One man on that proposed list - an Arthur Komnenos - is my current husband. A husband much better than Arlo Cooper. A good man who fights for the justice of people just trying to survive in this cruel world. While I am not asking for public recognition, I do ask for a favor that is owed be returned at this time. If this list shall be followed and the excommunications commence, spare my husband. 

 

No person in this conflict of missives is clean of sins, not even I. While the Emperor and Empress surely have their flaws and sins brought forth by the concerns of Charlotte Augusta Novellen, so too is this Charlotte not absolved of sin. I am appalled that this excommunication is being brought upon the people of Oren who must live with their situation and do what is done to survive and are being punished for it, when Charlotte was caught in bed with the King of Urguan during a raid on Urguan in the early days of the war. What greater sin is committing such an act - an act between a husband and wife that is so sacred - and yet was done between a human and dwarf out of wedlock? Where are the cries of outrage for them? 

 

I do not care about the outrage against Charlotte nonetheless, but wish to point out the hypocrisy of the situation. I merely bring this letter asking for a due favor. I hope this letter finds you well amongst the chaos of missive wars and that the wound has properly healed and has left you without a scar.

 

GODspeed,

Doctor Primrose Gendik-Komnenos

Baroness of St. Lothar"

 

Dr. Primrose Gendik lifted the piece of parchment from where it rested on the desk to gently blow onto the ink. Once it was dry, she folded it into an envelope as she heated golden yellow wax over a tealight. The wax had melted after a few minutes and she poured the wax over the envelope's fold before placing a wax stamp over it. The wax would harden and the seal be removed, leaving an impressed of a sunflower on the wax stamp. Finally, the letter would be sent off to its recipient - the High Pontiff Everard VI.

 

Charlotte has an archived missive dispatched to the Baroness St. Lothar, following her reading of this reply to a missive unrelated to her. Though it saddened her to think so many truly believed she had been caught abed with the Grand King, it worried her more at the perverse nature of the Orenian leadership's active imagination. Did they imagine her often, lying with multiple suitors? She was twice-widowed, and a mother. A meeting on potential peace seemed to have spiraled into nothing but some great misogynistic fantasy...that now even her fellow women seemed to perpetuate. Did they so swiftly forget all the good deeds she had done, once her husband's life had been taken?

 

She dwelled upon these eerie facts, concerned for her homeland now more than ever.

 

Spoiler

[This is what would be attached, should she opt to read it.]

 

[High_On_Math 399]

Luthriel grits her teeth, "Not that Minuvas would care.  He's probably ecstatic.  This gives him more of an opportunity to show his devotion to Malin."

[Pureimp10 5178]

On 1/17/2022 at 2:17 PM, MapleSunflower said:

snip

 

A monk in a sackcloth robe dropped a letter off at Primrose's residence. Upon inspection, the red wax on the envelope would display the seal of the Holy See, the personal coat of arms of Everard VI.

 

"To Doctor Primrose Gendik,

 

Thank you for writing Us. We are always pleased to hear from members of Our flock, and are happy to address the concerns that you listed in your letter. Before We address them however, let Us first personally thank you for your assistance during the attempt on Our life in Providence. Know that We have kept you in Our prayers since that day, and hope that you remain in good health.

 

Firstly, let Us state that excommunication is not something that We give unjustly. All who We have excommunicated have committed a great evil in one way or another. Simon Pruvia, one of Our first excommunications, was discovered to be a servant of Azdromoth. Your former husband, Arlo Cooper, was guilty of attempting to murder Cardinal Basil. Philip and Anastasia, who We have excommunicated twice now, schismed, tried to take Our life, and conspired to take the life of Philip Aurelian in order to seize the Orenian throne.

 

When We issued Our latest excommunication of Philip and Anastasia, We made it clear that this excommunication was only for them directly, and for those who cursed the Church or betrayed it for issuing this just judgement. We recognize that there are many within the Empire who remain quiet and serve for survival, not because they are willing to ignore the crimes of Philip and Anastasia. We understand that survival is a a basic human instinct, one that is ingrained within each and every one of us.

 

However, faith demands us to grow beyond Our instincts. After all, can it be instinct that causes us to believe in a God that We cannot see, or one we cannot hear unless He reveals Himself to us? Then, all Canonists have a choice: continue as they have for survival's sake, or put their faith in the same God that created us all and work to see His justice prevail. We would urge all who read this letter to choose the latter, for their reward in the Seven Skies shall be great.

 

To answer your question, We cannot rightfully judge those who choose the former, unless they do so whilst committing blasphemy or preaching heresy. There is a great difference between quietly surviving and loudly supporting the Anathemata. While We shall not excommunicate those who signed their name to that letter, We shall also keep close watch to see who has done so for survival, and who has done so to blaspheme against God or against the Church. Unless your husband has done the latter, he shall not be excommunicated.

 

As for the matter of the allegations against Charlotte Augusta, you can trust that We shall be conducting an investigation into the matter, as We conducted an investigation into the accusation of attempted murder against the Anathemata. Should Our investigation conclude that such an event occurred, then you may be assured that Our reaction shall be swift.

 

Keep God in your heart always, and know that Our enemy is and always shall be evil and injustice. May God bless you, and grant you peace.

 

Pontifex Maximus

Everardus Sextus"