The Non-Human Society
Chapter Three Hundred and Ten – Vim – An Update and a Mapple

Well. This wasn’t good.

“Who is she, Vim?” Mapple asked with her stern voice.

Like always she was one extreme or another. Either she was furious with me, or full of lust. Never anything in-between.

“She’s just a human. One who has known Renn for years, as has her family. By all rights they’d be seen as Society members, if Renn invited them properly. They’ve supported and helped her over the years and she them,” I said calmly.

“He’s lying, Chronicler. He shows up with her on his back, covered in wounds and tattered clothes, from a fire that rages still and took the bison family from us. There’s more to this story,” Mapple spoke quickly, but firmly. Like always even when in a rage she was somewhat collected.

The Chronicler huffed lightly as she leaned back in her chair. “The bison family is not lost to us. Little Angie lives on, and is strong,” the Chronicler said, as if to remind Mapple.

Mapple shifted a little, her eyes narrowing as she glanced at me. “I suppose that is true… thanks to your wife. Since Oplar hadn’t even noticed,” Mapple mumbled begrudgingly.

“Neither had Renn,” I noted. I wasn’t going to let them use their lack of noticing to tarnish Oplar’s name or loyalty. Not when Renn and Sillti hadn’t noticed either.

“Oplar should have known better. She’s met Klamma and the rest many times,” the Chronicler though didn’t hesitate to argue with me about it.

It was my turn to shift a tad, and I wondered if I should press it or not.

I mean… they weren’t entirely wrong. Oplar really should have noticed. Angie smelled like a bison, and her stoic attitude and demeanor were only further proof of her bloodline. But at the same time I didn’t like the fact that I knew they’d use Oplar’s lack of insight against her, and soon.

I may be the only one with a vote being called for, but I was not the only one being scrutinized.

“If you’re actually claiming that woman had anything to do with the bison’s then I really wonder what you think of me. Plus if that’s the case why hasn’t Angie said anything? The two had dinner last night, yapping happily as they did,” I said. Renn and I had returned from the catacombs to find them stuffing their faces. Sillti had seemingly latched onto Link, so hadn’t returned to the mansio.

“I wasn’t claiming that human killed the bisons, or even started the fire. I’m just saying you’re not telling the whole truth,” Mapple said as she glared at me.

I sighed at her and wondered how long this was going to continue. She seemed to have a vendetta at the moment, and something told me the real reason for it was something far more mundane… and it wasn’t Cat or the fires, or even anything related to the vote either.

“Vim hasn’t lied since entering this room, Mapple,” the Chronicler said gently.

Mapple shifted and glanced at the old woman, and I could tell that Mapple didn’t like to hear the truth.

“To be perfectly honest, if you have any doubt about the woman then just go ask Renn. Renn would have dealt with the woman herself had she been an issue. She’s become extremely overprotective of those in the Society and those she calls friends. Angie happens to be one of them,” I said.

Mapple’s glare returned to me, and I knew it was because I had brought up Renn.

Which was why I had done so. To see if my assumption was correct or not.

“Your wife,” Mapple stated, and I noted the tone she had used. “Is another matter entirely.”

It was my turn to glare at her. “How so?” I asked.

Mapple’s eyebrows met as her glare turned into a full on glower. “She has no allegiances. Yet associates quite a bit with certain types and not others,” Mapple said smoothly.

So the problem really was Renn.

Was it just the fact that I had started allowing her to call herself my wife, or was this something more? Had Renn said something? Or done something? Was Mapple’s sudden offense to her serious, or just some kind of petty heartbreak?

“Mapple, I’ll not allow such talk within my halls. Rennalee has become his wife in more than just title. She has friends throughout the whole of the Society, many of which are my sisters and brothers, and neither they or I will allow you to say otherwise,” the Chronicler said, speaking calmly.

Both Mapple and I turned to look at the old woman and her dull white-eyes. “I’d not meant to insinuate anything… Ma’am…” Mapple mumbled hurriedly.

“Good. Because that girl fits our robes more than you currently do, so I’d hate to have to have that conversation,” the Chronicler stated.

I heard teeth grind and fists clench, but I didn’t turn to look at Mapple. I kept my eyes on the Chronicler instead.

“I take offense to that. I’ll… admit she loves your religion, but she’s not yet pledged herself to it,” I said, choosing the Chronicler to now be the bigger danger of the two women.

Chronicler chuckled at me. “See? Vim’s still Vim. And you may keep telling yourself that, Vim, for as long as you wish to,” she said with a smirk at me.

Rolling my eyes I turned away, to sit down.

“You’d take a wife who was religious, Vim?” Mapple asked softly as I sat.

“Not sure yet. I’ll let you know once it happens,” I said.

Mapple’s deadly glare had become a sad one, and I did my best to forgive her for her earlier accusational outbursts.

She was a pitiful woman… even if annoying. It made it difficult to be truly upset or bothered by her. I knew she’d not ever actually harm Renn, or anyone else, so I knew her accusations and bluster were mere words and noise. Yet… I still was upset she had chosen to pick Renn as a target all of a sudden.

Unlike most of the Chronicler’s flock, Mapple was not a member of their church. She was in fact one of the very few who dutifully obeyed the Chronicler yet was a pagan all the same. A fault of being raised by the Chronicler’s sister. Her real one. The one that had been the strongest of the saintly sisters.

Mapple’s adoration and loyalty to the Chronicler came purely from that motherly love which had saved and raised her. I had always expected it to never last, yet here we were… hundreds of years later, and her devotion was as strong as ever. Even when the Chronicler outright called out her lack of faith so readily, almost as if insulting her while doing so.

“I see. So it’s still something in progress. Ha…!” Mapple grinned all of a sudden, and I noticed her entire demeanor change.

She had just relaxed. Greatly.

Glancing at the Chronicler, who sighed and shook her head, I realized she had noticed too… and had understood the reasoning behind Mapple’s sudden change of heart as easily as I had.

Mapple had just assumed Renn and my relationship was still a what-if; not a destined and done-and-done thing. Like others she had just concluded, mistakenly, that I was simply indulging the woman and not taking her seriously.

“Fine. I’m going to go talk to Oplar then, I’ll get her report of what’s happened,” Mapple then said as she turned to go.

“Don’t start no fights, child. We have other concerns than to cause strife where there doesn’t need to be any,” the Chronicler said as she left.

“I know! I know!” Mapple picked up her pace, and hurried out of the room… acting like a young girl as she hurried away.

I shook my head at the woman as she shut the door and left. “Are all of your children like that?” I asked the Chronicler.

“More than I’d like to admit.”

Hmph.

The Chronicler sighed as she rubbed her temple beneath her headdress. “So much drama lately. I’d be worried terribly if not for Saint Celine’s prophecies finally coming to pass,” she mumbled.

I took great effort in ignoring what she had just said and glanced at the shelf near her desk. The one without any letters.

“I’m surprised there are no letters for me,” I said, hoping to steer her from bringing up prophecies again.

“Hm…? Why? What has happened to make you think urgency was needed?” the Chronicler asked as she sat up straighter.

“Well… Lumen’s become all weird. The plague and wars. Those fires…?” I suggested a few things that might have, or even should have, made someone in the Society need my help.

“Lumen is blooming magnificently. We’ve been given authority to open a new branch there, to be built near the guild. The wars and plagues torment the humans, not us, and those fires are a recent disaster. If any others have suffered from them we’ll not know right away,” the Chronicler smoothed some of my worries as I frowned at her.

“A new branch?” I asked, hoping I had misunderstood.

She nodded and smiled. “Brandy is doing a fine job, that girl. Plumb and a few others plan to visit Lumen soon, to aid in it.”

Closing my eyes, I kept a sigh from escaping. “What type?” I asked.

“A new dioceses. A basilica will be constructed, with the possibility of a new cathedral in time,” Chronicler said happily.

Of course.

Honestly I shouldn’t be too pissed. This was a form of protection of its own. The churches of the surrounding nations had begun to try and take over Lumen since its inception, and it was inevitable one of them took hold. If Brandy and the rest of the Church of Songs took the lead and took that position themselves, then it was a sure way to limit and control the church’s power and keep our people safe even longer.

The problem with this though…

“What do those in Lumen think of this?” I asked.

“I’m told the vote wasn’t unanimous but it was clearly in favor of allowing it,” she said with a small frown. She was upset it wasn’t unanimous.

Just great. What was I to do? There was no doubt that Lumen would split… There were many, like Merit, who couldn’t get along with those of the cloth there. Tosh was the same. They’d leave the moment Plumb or her flock came in and took over, or even hinted at it.

The only hope I had was that Brandy and the rest were smart enough to keep it separated. To not force those at the Animalia Guild to mingle and co-exist with those of the church.

Although upset, and not sure what to do or say about it, the Chronicler didn’t mind. Like usual she was not offended our bothered by my animosity to her religion, and her papacy.

“Do you even have the numbers for such a thing? Anymore?” I asked gently. It took more than just a few people to overlook a mighty church. Far more.

“We do. We have thirty six here in Telmik, I plan to send a few to assist Plumb,” Chronicler said.

Thirty six…? “You’re kidding me,” I said. We had that many members here? Since when? Or was she including the humans?

She smiled at me. “Ah. To surprise you so. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to. Yes. There are two churches in our order, belonging to the Society, which you do not know about. Most of them have decided to put their skills to use, finally,” the Chronicler said.

I slowly stood up.

Staying next to the chair, I studied the white-eyed woman who pretended to be a saint.

“Can we trust these people?” I asked her calmly.

“You know several of them, Vim. Lady Less is amongst them,” the Chronicler answered.

I blinked and relaxed a little. Enough to sit back down.

“Oh,” was all I was able to say.

Less was still alive…? I shouldn’t be surprised. She was as tenacious as Landi… and should be, being her sister and all.

Chronicler giggled at me. “How amusing. Lady Less and some of her people will arrive in a few months. I look forward to you meeting them; there are many young children amongst that number. Or well… not so much children, I suppose. They’re like your lovely new wife. Young but not,” she said.

My mind whirled at this new information. “Just how many members still exist do I not know about?” I asked.

“That’s it, Vim. My orders biggest secret all this time is them. Thirty six extra people… or well, twenty seven if you wish to be exact. You already know of those like Randle and Mapple,” she said with a small laugh.

Randle…? I wasn’t sure about that. He may not be included in that number for very much longer. We’d not talked in depth about it yet, and he had asked me to find him before leaving again so we could, but I had already gotten the feeling that he and she were on the outs.

Which was likely the very reason the Chronicler had summoned her flock. The same ones she’s kept hidden all this time. It wasn’t just because of Lumen and her church’s expansion… it was to embolster her numbers with the devout and loyal.

Sighing softly, I shook my head. “That explains those trips to the west. Let me guess, those churches I had built all those years ago?” I asked. She’s sent me to the western coastal cities a few times, though always with others like Mapple or Randle. I had always known she had a few non-humans under her command I hadn’t known of, but I hadn’t expected there to be so many. I had expected it to be just a couple. Not enough to man a warship.

She smiled and nodded.

I see. So I did know about them, in a way. I had built their homes myself. Funny… I had recently talked about those churches with Renn not too long ago. I had told her how I had built them because it had been a punishment.

“Fine. Just… let me know if you need help, or anything,” I said resentfully.

She nodded. “Of course, Vim. Though… I plan to ask Rennalee first.”

My eye twitched. “Careful.”

“Oh…? Warning me now are you?” she asked with a smirk.

“Yes. But it’s not a threat. It’s a genuine warning. Don’t think you can manipulate her like you do me,” I said.

“Hm… I’ll take that to heart.”

You better.

“Still I must say. I am rather pleased, all things considered. Yes we’ve lost a few members… Brom, Trek, Angie’s family… but considering there’re wars and a deadly plague, this season has been a gentle one,” the Chronicler then said.

“Trek’s not dead yet,” I reminded her. Later this afternoon I was supposed to take Renn to meet him. So odds are I’d do the deed tomorrow morning, during sunrise as he wished, but still…

“Hm…” She nodded. “And new members. A lovely sheep and a trouble making bird, to name a few,” the Chronicler said.

“Fly…?” I asked. Trouble making?

Chronicler nodded and reached over to a corner of her desk. She brushed aside a few papers, and plucked out a letter. One that looked a little crumpled. It was likely something older, a few months old. “Young Fly is not taking well to the Bell Church,” the Chronicler said as she held out the letter.

I stood and stepped over to her desk. Taking the letter, I took a deep breath and readied myself for bad news.

Quickly reading the letter from Plumb, I frowned. “And why did someone try to take the poor girl's bedroom?” I asked.

Supposedly Fly had gotten into a few fights with some of the members at the Bell Church. The main reason being one had tried to take over her bedroom.

“I’m not sure. Plumb is a wise woman, but regretfully her old age has muddled her sense of reasoning. Odds are there is more to the story, Vim. All I know is we must find her a new place. Or at least consider it, if things don’t change. It’s not pressing enough to send you now, but I’ve suggested that the next time you take a route that direction to pick her up, less the poor village suffers from more chaos,” Chronicler said.

I dropped the letter back onto her desk and shook my head. “That bird is a trauma victim. They should be gentle with her,” I said.

“And likely had been. Many at the Bell Church are victims of such trauma, Vim,” Chronicler reminded me.

All the more reason they should not be tormenting the poor girl. For such religious people they were sometimes very callous. I'd wonder if it was because Fly wasn't a member of their cloth but I knew Plumb and others there were not the type to be cruel to those who didn't share her faith. Not enough to cause such distress, usually at least. But there was no doubt there'd be little things that could give Fly grief. Tiny little things that alone meant nothing, but could stack and stack until they became as overbearing as a huge mountain of grief and stress.

Maybe Fly was like Merit. One who was not afraid to voice her opinions.

When Renn hears about this she’ll be furious.

“I’ll take her to Tor’s village,” I suggested. There were other birds there. Chickens, and doves, but birds all the same. Plus they weren’t as strict on their religious members. There was a mix in that village, pagans and religious devout living side by side. The Bell Church didn’t really have that, so it bred such contempt and bullying on those who didn’t conform. Just like at the Crypt, or the Summit. Some folks could ignore it outright, or live through and past it, but others like Merit couldn't. They'd rather die or bleed than just lower their heads.

“A good suggestion. Though possibly consider the Crypt or the Weaver’s hut, as well. That would be shorter trips too, for the girl covered in feathers,” Chronicler suggested.

Hmph.

“Still. I have a question to pry, if you’ll allow,” the Chronicler then said.

“What is it?” I asked as I went to sit back down.

“You claimed the creatures in Lumen were not monarchs,” she said.

“Because they weren’t?” I answered as I sat down. The chair creaked a little as I did.

“I have a hard time believing that. I’ve gotten many reports, and not just from our own people, about them. Towering monsters capable of crushing entire buildings are not things of common birth,” she argued.

“Yet they had been. I had not sensed any heart within them, even as I stood inside them. They had also died and perished upon the rupture of their actual heart, the organ. Monarchs would not have died like that,” I said.

“Some would,” she argued further.

I glanced around for the tiny little stoat. It wasn’t here.

It had been bothering Renn lately, though I blamed that on the heart she carried. It wanted to eat it, but all it could do was lick and suckle on it. Its mouth wasn’t big enough to actually devour it.

“Leave the child alone. Actually… you’re right. Where is she?” the Chronicler wondered, realizing quickly who I had been looking for.

“Who knows. But anyway, no. I firmly stand by my assessment. They had not been monarchs. Even if their hearts had been deep underground, in their roots or tentacles, I still would have sensed them. Since the pulsations would have been in their bloodstreams,” I said.

She hummed. “So strange… how often have you encountered such creatures, Vim?” she asked.

“Honestly very rarely. Maybe a handful of times in my life?” I said. Off the top of my head I thought of those like the Shadow Bear near the Owl’s Nest. Or Bray’s children.

Odds are those creatures in Lumen had been the same. Not monarchs, but simply descendants of them. Monstrosities and beyond normal reason, but just flesh and bone all the same. A large step removed from a true monarch, but outwardly almost one all the same.

“And what of your mentioning of going north?” she then asked.

I stayed still as I nodded. “A few reasons. My original route was cut short thanks to the fires, and I have a couple things I need to check up there. First is a report from Meriah. I had her look into something for me. Then I also want to talk to Crane, to find out what happened, and then of course I need to check on the locations up north I hadn’t checked on last trip. I’ll head north-east, then west and south again. I’ll be quick about it, and return here in a few months. I plan to stay near here for the next few years, unless I need to go elsewhere for any reason,” I said, informing her of my plans.

“Because of this vote…? That’s not like you, Vim,” she said calmly.

“No. Between Lumen and the plague filled wars, I just want to stay where I can be contacted as soon as possible. We have many locations that are at threat, or on the precipice of being so. I don’t want to take any routes that send me way out again, as I’d just done, to avoid complications,” I explained. Plus those locations, like Landi or Secca, would be safer than most thanks to how isolated, or how strong certain individuals at them were. They'd be fine if I put them lower on the list of importance for a few years.

The Chronicler nodded gravely. “Yes. As much as I fear to agree, you are right. Should we perchance set up a relay system?” she asked.

“That’s up to you. The few times we’ve used it never really made a difference, but you never know when it finally will,” I said.

“Hm… I’ll debate it. When do you plan to leave then?” she asked.

“I’m not sure. I’d like to leave as soon as possible… but maybe I should take a tiny detour. I could go to the Bell Church and then head north from there, to Twin-Hills. If you think Fly’s situation is that dire,” I suggested.

“I believe it to be, yes. And Plumb, even in her old mind's faultiness, mentioned that if we weren’t careful we may lose her. I’d rather not.”

Right… “Then that’s the current plan, if nothing happens between now and my departure. What we can do is if you need to alert me, is use one of the relay locations. I’ll start stopping at each one along the routes, no matter what’s happening,” I said.

Chronicler nodded as she reached over to pick up a pencil. Likely to go about writing down orders and notes, concerning what we were talking about. “Then so it shall be,” she stated.

Hmph.

I stood, deciding I could stop enduring this conversation then. If I had no requests for help, and there was nothing dire to address… then it was fine if I left.

I’d have us leave in a few days then. There was no point dawdling here.

“The fires. Are you not worried about them?” the Chronicler then asked before I could step away.

Ah. Damn.

“Yes. But I ran around in those flames for several days. Over a week. I had not seen or sensed anything odd. Unless you count running into Renn’s human friend, I guess. But that happens sometimes, it’s not like the world is very big anymore,” I said.

“Isn’t that the truth…” the Chronicler mumbled as she nodded and went to writing.

“We’ll speak again. Before I leave,” I promised as I stepped towards the door.

For a few steps she said nothing, as she scribbled whatever she found important enough to dedicate to paper.

Good. I had honestly expected more arguing, especially when I had opened the door earlier and found Mapple fuming.

Honestly this hadn’t gone bad at all. Mapple had calmed down. There had been no letters requesting aid, of any kind, and although there were a few small problems to worry about like the fires or Lumen’s expansion… all things were going rather smoothly.

Easy as it goes, I suppose…

“I’m happy for you Vim.”

Pausing before the door, I turned to look at her. The Chronicler, the fake saint, was smiling gently at me… as if I was something pitiful.

“She isn’t done changing you… but I’m glad to see what she’s done so far is for the better. I know you’re trying to keep her away from me, but make sure you let me say hello before you leave again. I’d like to see how far she’s come since last we met,” the Chronicler said.

Glaring at her, I resisted the urge to tell her no.

“She’s free to do as she wish. As you all are. And no votes, of any kind for any reason, will ever change that fact,” I said.

The Chronicler startled as I turned and opened the door. Walking out of her office and shutting the door behind me, I sighed as I stepped away.

Everyone was always scheming things. Trying to tip-toe around saying words, or doing certain things. Acting as if they knew better, or knew nothing at all… no matter what they knew or how they knew it.

It was tiring.

And I was tired of being tired.

So… let’s go find the one whose only schemes were little adorable things that made my heart beat with a real purpose. Ones without malice and scorn.

Renn’s schemes were lovable… even if sometimes terrifying.