Till Our Dying Breath

[xDisarray 552]

“AVE BALIAN! LONG LIVE THE RIGHTFUL KING AND QUEEN! We will net allow them to break our spirit! I will protect Balian and its people until the end!” The Balianese Knight held up a fist as he finished signing the missive. “UNITED WE STAND!”

[Haseroth 1740]

"They were kind enough to list themselves out. This will make the purge much easier."  Declared a hate driven veteran who stared at the list before scratching his chin. "Hm, so few were there though when last we went.. Surely they shall all be there the next?" A question posed unto none in particular as the old man now tore apart the missive, taking particular caution to save the list itself.

[__Stal27 2126]

As the missive of the populace did its rounds across the southern kingdom, the man who often found himself without expression these days allowed a smile to appear upon his features, assured and measured, he soon declared. "Here I am. . . Here I remain, Here I fight, with my people." 

[Travisty 1020]

Miyako sharpened her blade, the sound of metal against stone unfamiliar after all these years. Though gentle by nature and one who loathed violence, if it meant protecting her family and the friends she’d come to care for then she’d fight. Even if it cost her everything. Her eyes were steady, even if the odds weren’t. And as she prepared herself, she held onto the words her family had always lived by,

"Honor before glory."

[zuziee 4004]

Having spent many years in Sunholdt, Philippa Kovachev prayed at the edge of her bed. "For Johanna, for Esfir... for the South. Please, GOD, protect them all." 

[Trenchist 864]

A wrinkly bespectacled priest in one of the myriad labyrinthine offices of the Holy See Complex, Building 5 [nondescript] begins compiling the names.

[FireAGN 1207]

It didn't have to be this way, Malcolm thought to himself. House d'Arkent could have survived. All of them could have survived, along with Balian. But... They made their choice. 

[Cheese 8881]

39 minutes ago, Haseroth said:

"They were kind enough to list themselves out. This will make the purge much easier."  Declared a hate driven veteran who stared at the list before scratching his chin.

 

Esfir is so glad the missive did not include any identifying pictures to match the names! Who could ever guess what the signorities looked like at first glance?

[Captain Jester 238]

Patrocleia had scanned over the missive countless times but her eyes always fell on her name. Her blood ran cold, the moment when she signed her name, it felt like she had signed her death warrant.
 

Yet, her own heart soared with pride.
 

She did not fight for Haense nor for glory in the war as many did - she stayed alongside many injured soldiers and fought alongside them.

She fought for her family. That included the Novellens.
 

"What has King John, Queen Kathyrn, or Lothar ever done to me?" Patrocleia would wonder aloud, perched on top of her home's roof with her aged old cat, Honey-Patches, resting peacefully over her lap. Her fingers ran through his soft fur. She was glad that her own cat wouldn't be around much longer to face the battle. Her mismatched eyes shifted up to gaze over where the horizon joined with the ocean. "They've been nothing but good kinsman to me and my own family..."

She remembered her companion's words, 'This is suicide.' A sigh escaped the Tuvia heir.
 

"If I am ever remembered. Then may my memory be known that I fought as a loyal woman to her family, to her cousins, and not just as a foolish woman that signed death's contract." Patrocleia said to no one in particular. "If I'm a fool, then a loyal fool is who I will be."

Silence.

"Are you proud of me, pater?" She'd ask the heavens, receiving nothing but her old cat's meow.

Edited April 8, 2025 by Captain Jester
italics for a lil' something :)

[SmartScout 392]

Sir Marcel Vuiller would nod as he'd read the missive, before quickly penning on his signature "As Rev followed John the Founder into the Desert, we shall follow John the Second on to the end, whatever that end may be." He'd say, remarking to his children and grandchildren "St. Harald fought against cults and subversions beside Pontiff St. James II, and yet Cardinal Johan, Saint Harald's son, did not capitulate to the corrupt Pontiff after him, even at the cost of his titles and reputation. Sir Rev followed John the Founder, even when many of our Kin and the Imperialists were massacred in our very halls. As did Father Ledicort the First, as did the later Countess Johanne. We have always held our oaths, and kept our faith, against corruption, against tyranny, against genocide. Better we stand now with our honor among friends whether in life or death, triumph or defeat, then to forsake our bonds and our legacy for safety, for comfort, or for fear." He'd then draw his sword up in salute "AVE BALIAN! IN HOC SIGNO VINCES! CUM AQUILIS LONGE VICTORES REGNAMUS! May Saint Harald and Saint James II watch over those ancestors of theirs who stay true!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prince Alexios would read the missive sent by his people, a weak smile cracking his otherwise dour demeanor "Our people stand with us, frate...even when darkness encircles us! We cannot fail them. In Hoc Signo Vinces!" he'd remark to his brother and nephew, though his tone would be quiet and troubled despite his attempt to be reassuring, before he'd frown again in silence, thinking of the friends he may face against again, and the growing doom that haunts his dreams.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The ancient Kritai would squint through thick reading glasses as Sir Robyn de Lyons looked over the missive he had signed in a scrawl  "Well...the land that took me in faces the same dread fate as the land of my birth...the House de Lyons shall again be made refugees, more likely than not, like I was, and Elaine... Or martyrs as my Father..." he'd remark as he'd glance to the bust of Sir Arthur upon his desk "But we shall face it. For our blood, for our oaths, for our honor. And grow the stronger for it...though Elena and Adrian shall give us all an earful in the Skies should we fail our realm...If they speak to me there..." he'd mutter as he'd gaze off blankly over the hold, hands trembling with age as he'd fumble for his cane, pushing himself to his feet and shambling off to bed, muttering to himself about the ghosts of his past.

Edited April 8, 2025 by SmartScout

[Kaii 572]

Elias stood upon the Balcony of his royal apartment when the missive reached his hands. As he read, The Prince's eyes widened with each line before he would eventually offer it to his Brother, Cassiel. "The people have the right to choose who they wish to be led by and they have chosen us." The Prince commented to his Brother as his gaze was set upon the ocean view. "This is a mandate for our continued stewardship over Balian." He would soon add. "The people of our Kingdom have decided to stand with us even when it seems death is coming directly to our gates. The Church may decree our rule to be null though there is no stronger voice than that of the people. In the end, it is their will that reigns supreme and I believe they made their will extremely clear." The Prince finally stopped, looking back to his fellow Prince of the Mirror waiting to see his expression. 

@HogoBojo

[Zora_T 119]

"my morbrodir, cuzins, nephews- my kin, I hope you will not hold me in contempt for this," she whispered as she signed with the name of Colborn "but I must keep my own oaths i made. I will be with my new family through fire" she sighed

"For the good King John, for the Greyes" 

 

"Ave Balian" 

[HIGH_FIRE 5490]

An adunian lawyer came out from her self imposed exile of serenity. It was clear she must be done… for her lieges sake. “Theocracy is tyranny…”

[Lirinya 4021]

Doubt had gripped the Basrid for a time. Not of their resolve, no. The Balianese would stand and fight for their home, their Kingdom and their freedom. But just how many lives was this conflict going to take? She knew several who would go to all ends to defend the place, even if that meant their lives.

 

Is it not better to concede with your dignity, and head, in tact?

 

But as she read the missive, one she had no knowledge of prior, and of all the names scrawled below it, Isidora couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. These people she had loved, many of them at least, since she was only five years old. Friends, some she even called family. They had stood by whilst others had fled, steadfast. Stubborn.

 

They were the essence of what it meant to be Balianese.

 

"Lord God, please protect them. They fight for you, after all."

[Harald 2875]

A once young King stood on the shores of Balin looking towards the sea, perhaps dreaming of the past, or praying for a better future? His horenic hues looking to a boat arriving at the docks. Men and women all arriving to partake in the defense of the Southern Kingdom.. and by all accounts, there seemed to be quite the fight left in its people as well.