Insurrection

CALAIS, LEGION

Autumn, 1E78

All Legion houses were built in the same fashion, generally leaving one with three basic options when purchasing a place. The upper-class aristocrats bought three-story townhouses whilst the lower-class workers rented single floors of the very same townhouses broken into flats. Merchants, however, found themselves in a middle-ground, sometimes buying two-floor homes, such as the one Robin presently found himself facing. The aristocratic homes were painted in lavish colours and the windows often overlooked beautiful gardens past the thick velvet curtains that decorated them whilst blocks of flats were plain coloured and with shared backgardens. Edwin and his neighbour's houses were more basic however, though still more decadent than the lower-class cottages and blocks of flats of the poor. The houses were built alongside each other as was the style of Legion towns and they lined the street in rows.

Knocking on the door of the house, Robin was greeted by Edwin's neighbour; the man introducing himself as Mathias. He told Robin that Edwin had come to him prior to his departure from the city and that he had given him instruction to keep Robin safe on his mission. Mathias had not been told what the quest at hand was, for there had not been enough time, but with Robin’s arrival he sought the answers to his burning questions. Upon entering the house, Robin found himself in a very comfortable and elaborately decorated room with two sofas, a table and chairs, and a bookshelf spanning the expanse of the sitting room before him. The room he was in had bright yellow walls with intricate white moulding running along the bottom, two feet tall from the ground and carved with designs in it. Taking a seat upon one of the sofas whilst Mathias sat upon the other where they formed an L, the two exchanged the information they had and after some time Robin trusted the man enough to make plans with his newfound ally and friend.

He wished to free his son that very hour, but Mathias told him it was foolish and stupid to be so hasty. The imperial capitol was a powder keg waiting for a spark to ignite the explosion of anarchy that would burst forth if he acted without thought. The Ahglorian-Legionnaire told his Northern companion of the insurrectionists movement and of the rioting in the towns of East Legion. They could use the rebels as a distraction at the very least; with their help they might even be able to orchestrate a mass outbreak and free the whole of the prisons. Mathias also warned Robin that it would be best for him to avoid the streets as he hadn’t the proper documentation allowing him visitation to the country. He was an illegal immigrant as long as he was there and so he had to stay out of sight of the guards, lest they capture and imprison him in the King’s dungeon.

Over the passing days, Mathias introduced Robin to the fellow members of the underground revolutionary movement. Robin was not surprised to discover that it had been his dearest friend, Edwin, who had plotted within the safety of his home against the King and his armies; he'd recruited the entirety of those who proclaimed themselves revolutionaries and insurrectionists in that house. Edwin was one of the several key persons involved in the underground revolutionary movement. He took advantage of his wealth and position within Legion society to gather like-minded citizens and recruit them into the ranks of their organisation. It was all done out of the spotlight, however, and the majority of their actions thus far had been to provide the poor with food and fight back the growing poverty amongst the lower-class.

With Robin’s arrival in the capitol after the kidnapping of his son, however, the revolutionaries saw it as a turn for the better. They now had the catalyst they’d previously been lacking. This would most certainly be required on their part if they truly hoped to incite the general public to an open rebellion against King Louis Delaunay IV. His soldiers were far superior to the townsfolk and the only advantage they held over his armies was in their numbers. If every Legion man stood and bore arms against their liege, then the people under his reign might rise up and overthrow his tyrannical rule. However, the majority of his subservient slaves were afraid to strike down their oppressor, fearing the loss of life and property that was inevitable in any rebellion against the more powerful elite.

So it was that the people of Legion continued to whisper, despondently, the words of insurrection to only their most trusted of friends; hiding away on the sidelines whilst the brave fought for the rights of the weak on the frontlines. There were public executions of the Kingdom’s traitors that only further weakened any chances of an uprise within the capitol and Robin took the news with restrained frustration. After his explanation of the situation was concluded, Mathias brought in three others to introduce to the Northerner; two additional Legionnaires and an Ahglorian like Robin. The five of them spoke amongst themselves of what was to be done and Robin felt his rage overflowing with each passing statement.

“I know it seems stupid, but we need the majority on our side before anything can be done. Right now the rebels are weak, broken, and isolated. We need to unify them before we take any action, lest we suffer more unnecessary casualties of war.” one of the members of the circle spoke up; Claude, a golden-haired Legion man of middle age.

“If we wait for the masses, what’s left of this pathetic insurrection will be wiped out and you lot will still be waiting even as the King’s men break into your houses and rape your households!” Robin was on the verge of shouting in his frustration.

“If what there was of us marched upon the castle ourselves we would all be wiped out by his soldiers in a bloody mess on the streets; is that what you would have us to do, barbarian?” Edwin’s wife, Louise, snapped back in Legion. The use of her native language and blatant insult to his heritage only further enraged the man.

“That’s enough! Arguing amongst ourselves is only a further aid to our enemy. You are all right; we are too weak and too few to do anything openly against the King, however, Robin is right and something beyond what we’re already doing must be done.” Mathias said with authority.

“Well, what idea has sprung into your mind to summon us all here so suddenly then?” the woman replied with a sharp edge in her tone to their ringleader and fellow conspirator.

“That was exactly why I brought you all to me, here in my own home; to discuss what must be done and make plans. If you have more pressing matters or if you’ve changed your mind as to what must be done, you can leave now. We don’t need spies of the King here within our movement and any who would slow our progress are unwanted and unneeded, so please stay silent unless you have something of value to be said.” Mathias held back his own annoyance at the wife of his good friend, Edwin.

“Well, obviously, a full-on assault is disregardable at best, but what is there that can be done realistically, to halt or even slow their forces, at the very least?” the only other Ahglorian present, Stefaan, asked in his turn...