08-06-2016, 11:44 AM
Armande's mouth tightened at Martin's use of the word 'rattled'. Despite their years of friendship, despite his well intentions, condescension was still condescension. He would share none of his feelings. It had been a long time since he confided in anyone. And the day that his heart had been pierced, the day that the creature that had taken Lissandra had used her craft on him, the desire for emotional companionship had died. What was a friend after something such as that?
He peered at the man over steepled fingerrs. "I am merely disgusted as allowing perversions such as her to roam about freely, alive and unhurt." Frustration did begin to show. "She has made no progress, so far, in her assignment. And now Apollyon has exposed the Atharim to the world in the very same moment that he has claimed his godhood." It wasn't the first time the Atharim had been uncovered from their concealment. He shook his head in lamentation. "Your former predecessor Torquemada fell on his sword to cover what must be covered. But it was a different time, then. We must be more cunning."
He stood and walked to his window, back to Martin, hands behind his back. "We must be more clever. Apollyon has claimed a place in the pantheon. He must be destroyed. Not just literally. In the court of public opinion too. But we cannot be Cato and Bibulus to his Caesar, gnats biting at a giant." The analogy grated for the simple fact that Caesar- indeed the entire Julii clan- had been Atharim, descended from the great Aeneas, whose heroic exploits so long ago were conflated with that of Odysseus during the Trojan war. But Caesar, like his mentor Sulla of the Cornelia before him, had thought to seize power. Atharim out front? Ruling? Intentions did not matter. It had been lunacy.
He turned to regard Martin."We must be Caesar himself, Caesar on campaign."
He peered at the man over steepled fingerrs. "I am merely disgusted as allowing perversions such as her to roam about freely, alive and unhurt." Frustration did begin to show. "She has made no progress, so far, in her assignment. And now Apollyon has exposed the Atharim to the world in the very same moment that he has claimed his godhood." It wasn't the first time the Atharim had been uncovered from their concealment. He shook his head in lamentation. "Your former predecessor Torquemada fell on his sword to cover what must be covered. But it was a different time, then. We must be more cunning."
He stood and walked to his window, back to Martin, hands behind his back. "We must be more clever. Apollyon has claimed a place in the pantheon. He must be destroyed. Not just literally. In the court of public opinion too. But we cannot be Cato and Bibulus to his Caesar, gnats biting at a giant." The analogy grated for the simple fact that Caesar- indeed the entire Julii clan- had been Atharim, descended from the great Aeneas, whose heroic exploits so long ago were conflated with that of Odysseus during the Trojan war. But Caesar, like his mentor Sulla of the Cornelia before him, had thought to seize power. Atharim out front? Ruling? Intentions did not matter. It had been lunacy.
He turned to regard Martin."We must be Caesar himself, Caesar on campaign."