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Post by Ladorak on Jul 3, 2009 11:16:25 GMT -5
The ferret's eyes lit up at the prospect of deposing the King. "Yes...." he said, listening ever attentively to the squirrel speak. "Yes.....I have had such thoughts myself. Though I do of course see the King as a criminal since he refuses to relinquish his position. If he truly cared about this nation I believe he'd step down willingly and not have to be forced out by the populace." He once again became silent to let Sciurus finish.
It was with great joy that Cutter heard Sciurus speak the words that he most wanted to hear. Work to depose the King! "Indeed!" The ferret exclaimed as Sciurus finished. "Yes....in fact I have been planning for many months now to bring down the King. I would like nothing better than to see Rosferia as a true republic and the Constitution re-drafted to exclude his Royal Highness King Augustine XVI." Cutter spoke the King's title and name with mockery. "Such of move of course I feel would be resisted by his palace security though...could be a violent deposition if you catch my drift." the ferret said, giving Sciurus a conspiratorial look.
"I'll shelve my next question to you for the moment because I'm curious to know this. Would you be interested in helping to overthrow the King, even if it meant some violence were involved? I don't mean we'd kill him, I'm only interested in arresting him and removing him from his position. The violence would come if his guards resisted.....which I'd hope they wouldn't, but you never know exactly what that Major von Bachmann will do. One would hope he would be reasonable if a large march on the palace were organized....similar to the one that just took place but bigger." Cutter remarked.
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Post by Carrow on Jul 3, 2009 11:46:33 GMT -5
"Now, I am a pacifist, as the two of you well know," Sciurus replied. "However, that doesn't mean I will not fight under any circumstances. I am indeed willing to lend a paw in overthrowing Augustine, even if it does mean I will have to resort to violence. I really would not mind in this instance," Sciurus replied. His ears perked up whenhe thought back on what Cutter had suggested,
"A march, bigger than the one that took place two weeks ago!? That sounds like a great idea. A show of force! How many beasts were present in the crowd when we marched on the Palace, Otto? I remember it being something like six thousand creatures. What if we were to go for ten thousand, or perhaps even double our number? It would seem that the King would be shaking in his boots if such a crowd turned up on his doorstep, heheh," the squirrel remarked with a chuckle, his blue eyes twinkling fiercely now.
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Post by Ladorak on Jul 3, 2009 12:55:28 GMT -5
"Yes it was around 6,000" Otto said, nodding in confirmation. "Between five and six I believe." He was looking at Cutter, who was nodding all the while.
"Yes exactly! I was thinking in the neighborhood of 10,000 or more. The palace security consists of 1,200 guards at the very most. That would be close to ten to one odds if we could get over 10,000 into our ranks! That alone, like you said Mr. Whirlpaw, would give the King something to think about. He might step down then and there when faced with those kinds of numbers."
"We would have to start early, and look around, start spreading the word. See how the King reacts over the next few weeks, though truth be told...he doesn't seem to be changing his habits any at all, despite our march into his personal residence. I doubt the situation will improve as the months go by. I don't.....I don't want to sit here and wait for our home nation to invade Rosferia." By "home nation" Otto was of course talking about Gradvar, as both he and Cutter hailed from that region and both were draft dodgers.
"Indeed....though if worst comes to worst we'll just have to show them that we will not tolerate Gradvar interference. The King might make a good hostage too against foreign armies." Cutter mused. "As I'm not sure who we can trust. The King probably wants help in regaining his throne and yet it seems Gradvar has conquered the town of Dumont not in Augustine's name but in Frederick's, and their flags rather than Rosferia's fly over the ramparts....so it's questionable as to their intent about 'helping' our dear King."
Otto nodded, not denying that he sincerely, in fact gravely doubted that Gradvar and Kostritz had anything less than the subjugation of Rosferian lands in mind with the current war. The King, while hoping they would help, was probably foolishly misplacing his hopes and pawing over the nation to the invaders, at least in Otto's mind.
"But tell me Mr. Whirlpaw, Mr. Kurtz here said you tend to get nervous and frustrated when troubling times arise. Why would you say this occurs? What gets in your way and causes you to hesitate? What holds you back?" The furless ferret's eyes were back upon the squirrel now, once more studying him to gauge his answers.
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Post by Carrow on Jul 3, 2009 13:54:10 GMT -5
"I really have no idea," Sciurus replied honestly, "but I've considered a few possibilities. Frustration, well, that's something I feel quite rarely, but as for my nervousness, that's an entirely different matter. It would seem that I have confidence issues. I can't pawdle pressure all that well. I tried to get a hold of myself while speaking to Augustine in the salon, but that eruption of violence afterward acted as some sort of trigger. I began to feel as though I was in way over my head, and that I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Granted, that may well have had something to do with the fact that I had barely scratched the surface of what was going on at the time, but I'm fairly certain that my nervous disposition contributed somewhat to what happened. I need to get that under control, although I feel that now I have a greater understanding of what's going on around us, it has eased. By how much, I can't say."
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Post by Ladorak on Jul 3, 2009 14:44:25 GMT -5
"Well it was hardly violence Sciurus." Otto said with a bit of a chuckle. "I mean come on! There was only the threat OF violence, not violence itself. Try being there last year when an immense crowd gathered at the Fields of Mars in order to draft a petition for the removal of the King!" the otter stated emphatically.
"Yes...." Cutter cut (heheh) in. His face was a lot darker now. It seemed he was disturbed by something. "That...." he stopped himself from saying the next word. "That butcher General Elmdor. He was supposed to keep order that day. Instead his soldiers fired into the crowd. It's uncertain how many died.....probably about 50 or so.....But yes.....I'll never forget nor forgive that blatant act of suppression of freedom. If you were frightened by the threats of violence my Whirlpaw.....then I hope your heart would be able to pawdle what's ahead." Cutter's tone was still a bit dark, but it wasn't directed at Sciurus....all wrath and ire at that day was turned towards Gilbert Elmdor and the mishap that had occurred.
Paul Cutter had a score to settle with Elmdor, and had attacked him viciously in his newspaper as a traitorous aristocrat who merely pretended to be interested in the Revolution. Pushing the board back, Cutter began to climb out of the tub. Otto respectfully turned away as Cutter got out and wrapped a towel around his otherwise bare form.
Heading over to where Sciurus stood, his still wet skin dripping droplets of water onto the dry stone floor, the ferret fixed the squirrel with a very penetrating glance. "Mr. Whirlpaw....you said you are unsure of the extent that your nervous anxiety has been banished. Tell me.....you mentioned you were cowed by what happened in the King's Palace....I wasn't there, but I heard from Mr. Kurtz. Would you say that you were......frightened.....afraid?" his voice was like a hint of a breeze....low and almost death like. "And if so....what were you afraid of? Violence perhaps? Being overwhelmed?"
Otto shifted visibly, though he knew what Cutter was about. The ferret of course meant no harm, but he believed in striking at the heart of every matter, and had his own methods of doing so. He wasn't out to pressure Sciurus....he was just out to unravel everything about this squirrel, find out what ailed him, and then to try and get him to overcome it, whatever it was. Of course, whether Sciurus would know this was doubtful, but Otto would be here regardless. He knew Cutter was only trying to help.
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Post by Carrow on Jul 3, 2009 15:26:52 GMT -5
Sciurus gulped nervously despite himself, before replying.
"Er... I think you're right, sir. I was afraid. Afraid that things would kick off and I would be overpowered. My fighting skills are pretty much non-existent, and just in that split second where it seemed that things would turn violent, I bottled it, for lack of a better term. There was this pressure that had slowly been building inside me as I had been speaking to our so-called King, and at the moment I felt that I would witness an eruption, I froze. Completely and utterly. I can't explain why I did this, sir. I have what you might call panic attacks every now and then, and while I did not start panicking outright, I definitely felt nervous."
Sciurus said this in a low and timid-sounding voice. It would seem that he was becoming afraid of the ferret, although it was really just a case of him not at all having expected what he was now being subjected to. He could hardly even explain why he was this way.
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Post by Ladorak on Jul 3, 2009 15:57:21 GMT -5
"So you were afraid because you consider yourself weak, at least physically. Or if not weak then not up to the task of defending yourself." The ferret's tone hadn't changed. It remained the same as it had been. "But then....Sciurus....if you are to commit yourself to our cause....how can you possibly expect to do that if you don't believe you have the strength to defend even your own body?" Now his tone had changed, and he was back to his regular voice.
"Tell me. If I were to draw a blade on you, right here and now, let's just pretend shall we?" it was clear that Cutter had not blade, as his body was still wrapped up in the towel that served almost like a cloak around his form. "Let's say I'm a soldier in service to Augustine XVI. I've come to suppress your rights. You've refused and yet you don't seem to make any inclination to defend yourself. I advance towards you!" he lunged, but just with his head. "I take you by your arms with another comrade of mine, beat you in the streets, and then drag you off to the Conciergerie Prison or some other place because the King doesn't like you and your upstart views."
He paused now to let that sink in, and looked over at Otto, who glanced at him, and then looked down at the ground, folding his arms across his chest. Cutter smiled softly though, and spoke in lighter tones. "Mr. Whirlpaw.....would you just let yourself get taken like that? Sometimes, in situations like we are in now....where our very freedoms are at stake......you MUST fight....you MUST gather your inner strength......do you see my point at least? I can understand if you are still hesitant, but do you at least see what I'm saying?" Cutter said, that deathly quiet tone in him gone now.
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Post by Carrow on Jul 3, 2009 16:16:22 GMT -5
"Oh, believe me, I most definitely would not allow myself to be taken!"
Sciurus' reply rang out loud and clear.
"I would defend myself and do my utmost to stop any foebeast from getting their paws on me, even if I were killed for my efforts. I can certainly see where you're coming from, sir. It's just that I've never been asked to act in such a way before, so it's understandable if I don't act on these things immediately. I would definitely fight in a situation such as that. In fact, with all that has been made clear to me today, I swear that I would to my best if such a thing were to happen. I'm having to change myself because of what's occurring, change an aspect of my personality that has formed over the twenty-eight years I have lived. While that will no doubt be a challenge, I will do so if it means I am in a better postition to aid you in the times ahead, and will accept any help that is offered along the way."
Sciurus looked over at Otto and Paul. It was clear that the ferret's direct manner was having an effect on the squirrel, who was normally quite timid, but was answering the strange creature's questions without the slightest hint of hesitation.
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Post by Ladorak on Jul 5, 2009 16:20:56 GMT -5
"That's....what I hoped to hear from you Mr. Whirlpaw." Cutter said at last. "You CAN'T sit idly and let your foes strike you first! If either Gradvar or Kostritz triumphs then the King I am most certain will retaliate. Hence, we should strive to remove him as a threat first, so that Frederick and Francis have even less to go on. Once we remove King Augustine, we can focus on repelling the foreign invaders and perhaps even spreading democracy to other nations, though Rosferia's stability of course comes first."
"I'm not saying we'd be doing this right now...but in the weeks to come, we're going to most likely start planning for the permanent removal of the King." Otto continued. "You seemed like you wouldn't be the type to help us up until a few minutes ago, and that's why I wanted to bring you down here. I wanted to count on your assistance when the time came for rising up." The otter explained. "You have a darn good talent after all.....I wouldn't want you to waste it. As far as storming the King's Palace well.....we'll need all the help and paws we can get for that. The King doesn't take his security lightly after all."
"A gift you say? I believe Otto has shared this fact with me Sciurus. He tells me you have quite the speaking talent. He gave you high commendation for your taking on the King in a one on one sparring match." Cutter said, cracking a smile now. "The power of speech is indeed a very rare gift, and as Mr. Kurtz said, it would be a real pity to waste such a talent." he walked back over to his tub, stepping behind a portable folding screen he had managed to procure from the surface. "Just give me a second......" the ferret called out to them as he began to slip into his clothing. The pain in his sores had eased considerably and he was feeling comfortable enough to leave the bath for the moment. "Mr. Kurtz said he thought you'd do well in the Legislative Assembly." Cutter said by way of making conversation.
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Post by Carrow on Jul 6, 2009 14:09:32 GMT -5
"I have indeed been told this, sir. Like I've said, I'm willing to help in any way that I can, and I will certainly consider a position," Sciurus replied. The squirrel smiled at Otto, before adding, "You know as well as I do that I'll help you when the time comes. The removal of Augustine is something that I believe we should make a priority, and if there's anything you want me to do, just say the word, and I shall do my best to do it."
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