Chapter 2
As Natonito and his brother-in-law walked into the Longbert estate, they were dressed in their noble clothes and sought to make Duke Longbert an ally in the forthcoming rebellion against the Animal Star Empire. With a knock on the door, Natonito introduced himself to the Duke.
�What are you doing here?� Duke Longbert asked.
�I am asking your opinion on the new Imperial tax,� Natonito said.
�We were curious on your feelings about imperial tyranny as well,� Oen said.
�I don�t have to tell you anything,� Duke Longbert said. �I have no intention on joining your rebellion.�
�That is a shame,� Natonito said. �After all, the Van Larkens, the Dons, and the petty nobility of Paz have all lined up in support of the rebellion against the Empire, and we thought that you would feel the same way they do.�
�Well, you thought wrong,� Duke Longbert said. �I have no problems with you, Senator Albright, but your brother-in-law is a criminal.�
�What do you mean?� Natonito asked.
�Don�t you know? He hired some worthless punk named Ve Lue, some robber baron from Bravia and one of his cronies, to go and kidnap my daughter. No one will let me know where she is, and I've got another girl here to protect. I can�t let Cherie suffer the way I am sure my dear Betzy is suffering,� Duke Longbert said. �You should choose your friends better.�
�If I see her, I will try to let you know. I am sorry about the loss of your daughter,� Natonito said.
�It�s no use. With the memory techniques that the kidnappers used she won�t even remember that she was a noblewoman, so she won�t be able to tell you who she is,� Duke Longbert said desparingly.
�What is the real reason you will not join the rebellion?� Oen said. �After all, the kidnapping of your daughter was because you sent your agents and burned down half of my estates last harvest season so your corn would get lots of money. I figured you needed a lesson in manners.�
�And you don�t need a lesson in manners?� Duke Longbert angrily snapped. �You�re lucky I don�t turn you in to the Imperial forces, or have my son go after you. He�s old enough to swing a sword now. What has the empire ever done wrong for me? They�re not going to boost my taxes, and I would rather be governed by someone whose focus is far away then someone who will take an active look at my little fiefdom. I have nothing to gain by joining you rebels.�
�Then you must have something to hide,� Natonito said. �Who would prefer tyranny over freedom unless they weren�t being tyrannized.�
�The emperor promised me the spot of Senator from Bravia once you are out of the way, Albright. Still, you have to be eliminated on the field of battle. If I take you and turn you in, then I will be of suspect loyalty,� Duke Longbert said.
�I will remember this,� Natonito said. �Who knows if the shoe may be on the other foot someday.�
�The emperor only increased taxes in Secfenia to taunt you into rebellion,� Duke Longbert said.
�So he has gotten his wish,� Natonito said.
�What was his purpose?� Oen asked.
�He wanted to rid the Senate of its most troublesome provincial member,� Duke Longbert said. �And after you are hung as a traitor to the empire, more loyal people will take your place.�
�Anyone who thinks I will fall that easily are severely mistaken,� Natonito said. �That includes you or anyone else.�
�I don�t have the time to argue with two fugitives like you. Have a nice day,� Duke Longbert said, slamming the door.
Walking away, Natonito and Oen decided to talk some and ease the pressure that was building on each of them.
�So Duke Longbert�s a today,� Oen said.
�Yes, he�s a traitor for the empire. At least he didn�t join our side and then betray us,� Natonito said. �We can treat him like an enemy, and his lands and possessions we can seize without remorse.�
�Why is that important?� Oen said.
�It is important because we are at war, don�t you see? The only way the emperor is going to leave us alone now is if I am dead,� Natonito said. �That means we have to win. However, it�s going to be rough, since it appears that Russville is now enemy territory.�
�We have to plan how we are going to do this,� Oen said.
�I agree, and when we get back to Bravia, take your wife and son to a secure hiding place,� Natonito said.
�Why?� Oen asked.
�The emperor would use them for hostages if he knew who they were. You have to put them in disguise and send them away,� Natonito said.
�It does not have to be far away, does it?� Oen asked.
�No, it does not. Have them disguised as peasant farmers and send them to a neighboring farm where they can pretend to be laborers,� Natonito said. �That way you can get close to them and make sure they are alright.�
�This is going to be serious, isn�t it?� Oen said.
�I know you are only about twenty five,� Natonito said.
�And you are only thirty,� Oen said.
�But this is going to get very serious. Many people will die. We may even die. Until the very end, whatever that end may be, we will have to keep our wits about us, because one thing about rebellions is that it divides families and makes everyone suspect. I hope to God that this rebellion will not be long and ugly. It would be better if we could win soon,� Natonito said.
�But how can that happen? I have heard that the Emperor is sending 400,000 troops to vanquish us once and for all,� Oen said. �That is a huge army.�
�Yes, it is a huge army, but we could beat them if we were able to get the Bravian people to rise up with us, and not just the nobles,� Natonito said.
�You mean make this a war of the people?� Oen asked.
�Yes, this is not just about our wealth, but about the dignity of the Bravian people. Everything we do should be for those whom we serve, no matter how humble their lot,� Natonito said. �This is their land, not just ours, and it is their fight.�
�I hope they respond to our call,� Oen said.
�I hope so too, or we won�t have the chance to grow gray hairs or have grandchildren,� Natonito said.
Reaching their personal carrier they took it to a nearby cave, where they stopped for the rest of the day, hiding the carrier in the cave.
�How long are we going to stay here,� Oen said.
�Until tonight,� Natonito replied. �If we leave before then, we will make easy marks for the Imperial carriers, which are much faster than our own, since Duke Longbert has probably made mention to the Imperial commander of our appearance at his doorstep.�
�So we just sit here until then?� Oen said.
�Yes, and pray that nothing happens in Bravia to your family until then,� Natonito said.
�Do you think we will go down in history?� Oen asked.
�We should. Depending on how brave, intelligent, and lucky we are, we will either go down as traitors to the Empire, to be laughed at forever, and perhaps mourned by our people, who would be crushed under the iron heel of Emperor Juanita, or we will be victorious leaders of a popular revolution. If we are then as wise in peace as we were in war, we will be remembered as the fathers of the Bravian nation,� Natonito said.
�And if we win the war but are not so wise in peace,� Oen said.
�It will all be for naught, as some dictator will rise up and put our beloved land under tyranny closer to home,� Natonito said. �Upon us lies the fate of our people.�
�That is a heavy responsibility,� Oen said.
�It is one that we have taken willingly. After all, you and I are involved in politics, serving the people of Bravia. Our services is not limited to debating and passing laws alone, but also demands that we be courageous in defense of our people, seeking not only our own wealth and happiness, but the security of our people so that those who follow us may know that we thought of their interests and tried to make it so that they could secure their dreams as well. Government is a contract between those who have lived and died, and whose traditions we honor, those who are living, whose hopes and dreams we try to make possible, as long as they are noble hopes and dreams, and those who have yet to be born, so they can live in a world that is better because we were here,� Natonito said.
�Noble thoughts, dear brother,� Oen said. �Will anyone recall them?�
�Only if we win, and then our fears and private thoughts will become bravery and wisdom for the world to follow,� Natonito said. �It is the outcome of our endeavor that will determine, in the eyes of others, whether we were noble or merely foolish.� After a long pause, Natonito looks outside to see Imperial troops sweeping the area. �We have to be very silent now,� he whispered.
�Okay,� Oen mouthed back.
Hiding in a nook in the cave, Natonito and Oen saw troops come in, do a cursory search of the cave, and then leave, shouting to their commander, �We didn�t see those traitors in here. They must have gone up by the river.�
At nightfall, the two of them uncovered their personal carrier, and went off towards Bravia, silently thinking about the day�s events, and how they nearly escaped being taken alive. Before dawn they had reached the palace of Oen Bravia, and could inform the family of their next actions.
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