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“The sun is a lemon,” Dido had said with a giggle, squinting into the bright horizon. “Its juice stings my eyes.”
Hyperia of the Volscia saw no difference between a suit of armor and a gown. Both were battle garb, one meant for war, the other for peacetime. A true leader understood that war and peace could be equally dangerous. In wartime, the people could rebel out of anger. In peace, the nobles could scheme out of boredom.
“Dear child, logic is the enemy of faith,”
Petros, meanwhile, looked on with the cheer of a cadaver.
Say what you would about Hyperia, but she behaved with dignity. She was also a murderer, but you couldn’t have everything.
The thought dulled her awe at once. Every amazing thing in this world had a simple explanation, one that leached away wonder. Emilia could explain everything.
They ask more of us when we have less, and why? Because someone put a flag in our village or something.”
Also, the second rule discusses temperance, how important it is not to simply conquer for the sake of conquering. Antipone specifically said that an orderly empire could only remain healthy by creating spells of peace as well as war, like the rotation of crops. Funny how no one ever remembers the second rule when they quote her.” Emilia frowned. “Besides, didn’t you hear Vespir and Lucian? Hungry people grow hungrier. Poor people grow poorer. Innocent people are burned alive. How does tearing families apart stabilize anything?”
We promise order, but we’re making the world more chaotic.”
