'Blind Justice' 2: Chapter 5

"The purpose of all wars is peace."
- Saint Augustine

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"Blind Justice"

Card 2: Jester of Diamonds
Chapter 5: Rebel Propaganda</i>
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I seemed to be doing alot on my own lately.
Even now I was walking alone down the streets of the downtown capital city, generically called Spades.
With the passing od Harlequin Day came the season of autumn and I admired the mess the large festival had left on the streets. At least the people were celebrating. At least we weren't at war against each other.
I also couldn't hide my joy that I would be seeing Maria again.
Despite everything that had happened since our vacation at Aunt Cosette's manor I would never give up my vow to see her. She'd beome my driving force above all things, espeically when it came to things like my life at home and the problems with my brother.
I sat down on one of the benches facing the street, clutching her latest words.

Dearest Maria ~
"Your an only child right?
Perhaps you wouldn't understand that sort of bond with someone then, espeically a twin. I've felt for all my life that my brother could never do one thing to make me hate him.
Do you think love out-weighs hatred?"
- Sequi


"Love cannot be measured, for it is too great.
So yes, love out-weighs hatred in my opinion Sequi. You surprise me though, for you only look at people's good points and not their faults. Maybe that's why everyone loves you, including myself.
But don't you let those city girls get a hold of you while i'm not there! You made a promise to me remember? See you soon.
- Maria


I couldn't stay mad at Capu, no matter what he did. I'd loved him more than anyone for the longest time, he had been the only one I could talk to or cling to when I was afraid.
Yet now now he and Father got along so well and he lied to me about not lying to me. I kept wondering if things were only going to get more complicated. I couldn't think of anything that could possibly fix my situation.
The silence in the streets made my thoughts louder in my head, as the workers of Halrequin got a week's vacation after the summer festival. I got up from the bench and would pass a person or two and they'd smile brightly, just as happy as ever. The string that contained my country's happiness dangled too closely to scissors, yet few people knew so.
Capucine was spending time with his three potiental wives so I was alone and couldn't confront him about our conversation on the beach. What had he meant? Oh that I wasn't sure.
But I realized I hadn't kept much focuse to where I was walking because I found myself knocking shoulders with someone as a large amount of papers flew into the air. A young man, about my age, flew to the ground to pick them up and and panicked for my rudeness and scrambled to help pick them up. "I'm sorry!" I reached for a piece of paper just as he did.
"No! Don't!"
I already read the print before he snatched it away. "This is..." I looked at him, alarmed. "Rebel propaganda."
Quicker than my mind registered the young man shot off down the street with propaganda flyers clutched in his hands. On instinct my mind scrambled for the right words. "Somebody! Somebody stop that man!"
The small amount of people around reconized me and panicked, taking sudden action. Two burly policeman shot towards the youth while other men in the area subdued the man themselves.
I regretted what I did immediately, as for the first time I saw the brutality of my country.
The policemen bludgened the young man with their nightsticks and I winced at the sight of cruelty.
This was Harlequin? This was the place I loved?
"Stop!" I found myself screaming at the policemen. The people around me whispered and stared at me with surprise as I ran to protect the young man. I stood between the beaten youth and the clubs of the police. "Stop. Please stop."
They backed off when they noticed my rank and who I was. They looked just as shocked as the other people had been.
I turned and offered my hand to the young man as the police left. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking when I yelled. Please forgive me for getting you into such a predicament." His callused hand slid into mine and I helped pull him to his feet.
"Yeah," He laughed in good-humor. "Well I wasn't 'spectin' you's to help me neither. So thanks, no problem." He hid the flyers in his jacket quickly. "Name's Franco. Your Sequi right? The good prince? Well I guess you is 'wise I wouldn' be standin' here." He took my hand and shook it roughly. "Good meetin' ya."
I was sort of stunned. I'd never been adressed by my first name by anyone in a lower suit than I, not even the Diamonds dared call me by my name. But here was Franco, the lowest suit of Clubs, and speaking to me like a childhood friend or brother. "Y-Yeah. You too." I was at a loss for words and he gave me a wide grin. "I like ya Sequi. You's not like them other royals huh? Ain't cha brothers with the crown prince? We don't really get much news up in the north ya see. I just moved here to the big city to uh....well ya' know." He patted the side of his jacket he'd concealed the propaganda in.
This man was one of them! One of the people who wanted to hurt the people I loved! They wanted a war on the soil it was my sole duty to protect!
But why....Why couldn't I let him get beaten up? Why couldn't I leave him to be killed or thrown in prison for spreading rebel propaganda?
This muscle-bound, shaggy brown-haired northern boy with chocolate eyes and a wide grin.
Why did I want to ask him questions for hours about his cause? Why did I show him my sympathy? Why did I, a prince, in the pit of my heart, believe in the cause?
"Ya see Sequi, oh geez, can I call ya Sequi? Well Sequi, you's not like them other royals right? Ya saved my butt back there with them policemen. So you's got some sense yeah? Maybe them you's could hear us rebel's out yeah? You's could make a difference in this whole thing!"
My chance?
Franco, no matter how he put it, was right. I could make a difference.
The image I'd kept of my country was shattered. I wouldn't allow my country to suffer, and now that I'd been shown it has been, I wouldn't take it any longer. I wouldn't let my country suffer under the person I called Father any longer.
I would become something new. A rebel fighter.
I'd fight for a new era in Halrequin history.
I smiled at Franco. "Yes...I supose your right." I heard the words pass my lips and bit my lip in surprise of my own actions. "But where are they all meeting?"
Franco laughed and clapped my shoulder. "You are a good guy ain't cha Sequi! Thing is, the rebellion based here ain't got no exact meetin' place."
An organization without a meeting place? They really weren't organized as Gilbert had said. But an idea came to the front of my brain and I nodded to him. "I'll meet you here Franco. But I do have an idea of a finally meeting place."
Franco let his grin widen. "Haha! We's got a smart one! See ya then Sequi!" Franco ran off down the street and I couldn't help watching him as thoughts swirled in my head.
He was a rebel. I had converted. I would be fighting against my family.
Was I doing the right thing now?
The early autumn winds blew the smell of the sea towards me.
"I hope....with all my heart...I won't regret this."

One Day Later</b>

Dearest Maria ~
"I'm sending this letter ahead of me by one day.
Its autumn now, i'm coming as quickly as I can for you.
Your letters have given me new resolve, a new confidence that I didn't even know I possessed.
You are my guiding light always.
Also. Please don't be alarmed when I arrive with such a large party. Im bringing along a few new friends who just plan to settle nearby for awhile.
All my love."
- Sequi



Card 2: Jester of Diamonds.
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