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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ellinor" data-source="post: 5962555" data-attributes="member: 14561">30x01Twiggy felt a gust of air as Unsuku pulled her head in and pushed the giant door closed, dulling, but barely quieting, the shouts of the crowd outside.  She, Tavi, and Savina had brought Mother Satsuki back in the giant marble entryway of the Temple to retrieve Unsuku and—they had hoped—meet up with Lord Ono and the Inquisitors.  The silent grandeur of the rotunda contrasted with the roars, thumps, and scrapes of the riot surrounding them.   People were dying out there, Twiggy knew.  And she wondered whether arresting the Mother Superior would even be enough to stop it.“There’s no sign of the Inquisitors.” Unsuku reported.  “They must be tied up handling the riot. We’ll have to do this ourselves.”    Kormick and Arden returned, with a weak-looking Sister Sweet Scent following close behind. “So all we have to do is go in there,” Kormick said, pointing down the marble hallway toward the Synod Chamber, “arrest the Mother Superior of the City, and we’re done.”“You make it sound easy,” Nyoko said, as she, Mena, and Rose returned with Brother Ono Arato.“Would you prefer I make it sound difficult?”  Kormick shrugged.  “Off we go.”They had nearly reached the door of the Synod Chamber when two figures approached from the other direction.  Before Twiggy could even see who they were, Savina had stepped in front of Sister Sweet Scent.  “What is she doing here?”  Savina’s voice was harsher than Twiggy had ever heard it.Then she saw why.  Chief Questioner Mawu stepped into the light from one of the wall-torches.  Prime Inquisitor Yudai was right behind her.“Honored Heathens!”  Yudai’s voice was almost jolly.  “We’re here to speak with the Governor, Lady Aga Emi.  Lord Ono-san informed us that she is meeting with the Mother Superior.  There’s a risk the Governor may declare martial law to quell the riot.  Lord Ono-san has delegated us to warn you that this would be a grave error.  The riot is a fraud, perpetrated by the Mother Superior and the Tide.”Mawu remained silent, staring at Sister Sweet Scent, her face inscrutable.Sister Sweet Scent strained at Savina and Arden, both of whom looked just about ready to let her go.  “Let me at her,” Sister Sweet Scent muttered.“Ah!  Paperwork!  I remember you!” exclaimed Mawu, her eyes opening in recognition.  It didn’t help matters.“If we can keep this coalition intact for the next 25 feet,” Kormick interjected, “it seems our agendas are alike.”Sister Sweet Scent narrowed her eyes, but nodded.Kormick pushed open the doors and strode in.  There it was:  the Mother Superior’s Main Audience Chamber.  A small room, with intricately carved marble walls and a low conference table in the middle.  But there was no one in the room.  Past the conference table, a set of lush jacquard curtains had been pulled back, revealing an enormous sanctuary lined with enormous marble columns.  Row upon row of satin cushions lined the floors, flanking a wide center aisle and facing a large, raised dais surrounded by a railing.  On the far wall, looming over the dais, was the largest symbol of Kettenek Twiggy had ever seen.  More than a dozen Temple guards lined the aisle.  Yet more guarded the dais.  The Mother Superior and Governor were at the far end, near the symbol of Kettenek.  Brother Burnout was on the dais steps, listening intently from the railing at its edge.The Mother Superior wore a long, black robe.  Her gray hair was pulled back in a rigid bun.  Her voice echoed against the marble columns as she spoke to the Governor.  “It is of the utmost importance to put down an uprising such as this.”Bad news, Twiggy thought. The Governor is listening.  Brother Burnout is listening, too.  They might think they’re restoring order, but they’d be playing right into the Tide’s hands.“My Lady Governor,” Yudai announced, as he walked through the curtains into the sanctuary, “I bring an urgent message from the Inquisition.”  Twiggy and the others followed him into the sanctuary and down the center aisle toward the dais.  Guards flanked them as they processed down the aisle. Twiggy could hear the echo of her footsteps.  She watched the guards out of the corner of her eyes and tried—as if it were possible—to make her shoulders more narrow.  “You see, most honored excellency, this is what I’m talking about,” said the Mother Superior, pointing at Sister Sweet Scent.  “The Inquisition would rather free the wrongdoers behind the riots than keep our streets safe.”The Governor remained silent.They had reached the front of the sanctuary now.  The guards stood still behind them.  Kormick stepped up beside Yudai.  “A thousand pardons, Honored Governor-san and Brother Funaki-san,” he said, with a tiny bow, “but we really must speak with you.”  He’s getting better at Sovereign honorifics, Twiggy thought.  It’s a good thing the Governor doesn’t know <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-hour/251423-rose-wind-saga-halmae-updated-june-21-2012-a-40.html#post5637819" target="_blank">what we did to her son</a>.“Begging your pardon,” Nyoko said, from just behind Kormick, “They may be heathens, but you will find them to be just and of right mind.”Out of the corner of her eye, Twiggy saw Brother Burnout.  He looked very confused.  Mena stepped toward him, crossing in front of a row of cushions.Yudai spoke with a louder voice than before.  “The Inquisition has obtained irrefutable evidence of the Mother Superior’s involvement with the Restless Tide of the One True Path.  Mother Superior Kawazu Noriko, we are here to arrest you.”An audible gasp spread through the room as the guards looked at each other.  Some looked shocked.  Others looked concerned.  Others looked angry.  But they stayed still.  One word from the Mother Superior, and they’ll move, Twiggy knew.  Acorn burrowed deep into her pocket.  She could feel the mouse’s fear.Brother Burnout’s jaw dropped and his eyes got wide.  He looked around himself with near-panic.  Mena looked him in the eye with a look Twiggy had seen many times before.  “Brother Funaki-san,” she said, “We stand here with the other members of the Synod to enact the will of the Lord High Regent.  We have the full weight of the united Circle behind us.  We need the force of a united Synod.  We have a united Synod, but for you.  Now is the time to step forward.”    You’ve trained for this, Twiggy appended to the sentence, but she knew it wasn’t true.  Brother Burnout was completely unprepared for this.“Heathens . . . the long way around the circle . . . unheard of . . .”  Brother Burnout said, shaking his head.  “And you say you have proof?”Unsuku and Nyoko nodded and bowed in unison.  Twiggy knew this was her cue.  She waved her hand and the list of charges followed it:  their wall of evidence from the Inquisition, reproduced in glowing red.  Three-dimensional images of the wrongdoers and their links to the Mother Superior connected by shimmering lines.  The <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-hour/251423-rose-wind-saga-halmae-updated-june-28-2012-a-30.html#post5368144" target="_blank">Hillside District conspiracy</a> and <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-hour/251423-rose-wind-saga-halmae-updated-june-28-2012-a-33.html#post5410181" target="_blank">Kawazu's confession implicating the the Mother Superior</a>.  The <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-hour/251423-rose-wind-saga-halmae-updated-june-28-2012-a-43.html#post5734538" target="_blank">wrongful arrest</a> of Sister Sweet Scent.  <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-hour/251423-rose-wind-saga-halmae-updated-june-28-2012-a-46.html#post5876424" target="_blank">Goro</a>.  The <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-hour/251423-rose-wind-saga-halmae-updated-june-28-2012-a-43.html#post5728187" target="_blank">information </a>Arden had gotten from her Tide contact.  <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-hour/251423-rose-wind-saga-halmae-updated-june-21-2012-a-47.html#post5898558" target="_blank">All of it.</a>  “It is Witnessed,” said Nyoko.  “It is Witnessed,” said Unsuku.  Twiggy stepped back.Brother Burnout furrowed his brows and his eyes flitted about the room.  “Brother Ono Arato.  Sister Sweet Scent. . . . Unprecedented.  Where is Brother Trickling Fountain?”Mother Satsuki stepped toward him and squared her shoulders.  “Brother Trickling Fountain no longer speaks for Alirrians.  I am Mother Satsuki.  I now have that honor.”Beside Twiggy, Rose rubbed her arms as if she was cold.  Twiggy—falling for a moment into the comfortingly familiar role of lady-in-waiting—queried with hand signals whether Rose wanted something to put around her shoulders.  She didn’t.  “It’s the sound of the crowd.”  Rose whispered.  “Like they want blood.” Brother Funaki sighed heavily.  Mena’s eyes bored into him like spears.  Her voice hardened.  “Brother Funaki.  You know what is right.  Will you face this challenge?” He looked at Mena, and the Mother Superior, and Nyoko, and Mena again.  “As the last member of the Synod,” Brother Burnout said to the Mother Superior, “I insist you submit to arrest.”The Mother Superior scanned the room as if surveying a great vista.  “I’m afraid I must decline your invitation.”A few of the guards fled.  The rest drew their weapons.</blockquote>

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