Post by twilight on Jun 18, 2021 14:43:15 GMT -5
The year is 1501. My name was Francois. I was living off the coast of France. I was 12 at the time. My parents were Marie and Pierre. We were farmers, mostly potatoes and onions. Our King was Louis XII. And we were at war with King Ferdinand of Milan.
There were so many conflicts and wars back then, it was hard to keep track of them all. We lived on the countryside and mostly kept to ourselves. My parents were childhood friends and had married when they were each 17 years old. I was born a year later. Most thought I was their brother, since they looked so young when they had me.
One day a regiment passed by and they were looking for volunteers to join up. My father declined the other, then they asked me, they said I would not be fighting but they could use strong boys to help carry equipment, like an assistant.
I was intrigued. I had longed to see the world. To escape my chains. So I agreed. My father was upset and my mother was crying. My father said it was not right that I go off to fight for a king that did not even know we existed. But my mind was set. And so I left with little time to say proper goodbyes.
As we arrived in Italy I was assigned to a general. I was his assistant. And on days where there was little to do. And rain delayed any skirmishes, there was little to do to pass the time. The general took it upon himself to teach me to read and write, taught me math and science. He even taught me how to play chess. Chess came easy to me, natural. He said I was like a duck in water in front of a chess board. I picked it up rather quickly. I was able to anticipate others moves before they thought them up. It was nice. After a while though, I began to suspect some of the players were a bit angry that they were getting defeated by a 12 year old. So I started to play down my abilities. Started to lose games on purpose. And while no one suspected that. The general did. In private he would ask why I would let up? I would say it was only a game, and if a 40 year old man could save face and feel good about himself by defeating a 12 year old in chess, then by all means. He laughed. He said any man who felt angry at such things was a petty man. I told him the world was full of petty men, and pointed to the fields down below where men were following orders from a petty man in a crown. He smiled, touche he said.
You see this is where I relate this story to Hera. Hera you are like all those 40 year old men in the trenches. Proud, an full ego. You think you are better than most. But what if I told you we were laying down for you? What if I told you that we held back all this time, we let you win. We let your ego grow. Not just you, we laid down for people like Candace, and Lucas Balkan, and many many others. We figured if you beat us and held titles you might one day call SFT home. But the said fact was, nothing we ever did for you was really appreciated. You all believe your talent was unquestionable. And that every win was showcasing your talents. But it wasnt. Most longtimers in SFT held themselves back for the better of SFT. I dont expect you to understand this, I doubt someone like you ever could. How could you love SFT? When you seem to have no love for yourself.
So I am done laying down for lesser people. Hera you have talent, but you squander it, you are not focused. And you have no loyalty. Perhaps it was your upbringing or perhaps you are so self centered that this way of being is all you know? Who knows, who really cares.
Hera is the goddess of women, marriage, family and childbirth in ancient Greek religion and mythology, one of the twelve Olympians and the sister and wife of Zeus. She is the daughter of the Titans Cronus and Rhea.
So Hera do you really consider yourself a goddess? Are you divine? It figures you would think of yourself that? Does your ego know no bounds? But Hera, the Hera from history books if she existed at all, was a divine goddess, full of love, she cared for others, and she considered all her children. You on the other hand care for no one. Your actions speak quite loudly on that.
I am sure a part of you will complain about me, how I talk to you and how you find it hard to really speak about me considering all I’ve said. My gimmick is reincarnation, yours is that of a goddess, we are all based on no real realities, so excuse me and excuse yourself. What we do in the ring is real is it not? But our characters are not real, at least not really, not in the way that it matters.
A part of me wants to slap you upside the head and tell you to wake up, but I know that would be a waste of time. You only know what you want to know. You only see what you want to see, and no matter what I do or say it wont matter. Cause you have blinders on, and nothing can remove them, not even you I would father.
Back to my story.
After a year of war, the end was near. Our forces were depleted. But our king had gained control of the seaside. And while we may lose this battle the war would have been won.
The general had become fond of me. He looked at me like a son in some ways. He asked what I would do after the war? I said I didnt know, I would return home I guess. He shook his head and said I should return to Paris with him, he would get me into the finest school there was. And perhaps in some years I could rise though the chess ranks and become a grandmaster. Fame and fortune awaited me. I asked where I would live? He said with him of course, his wife and he had never had any children of their own and would be proud to adopt him. I asked him to give me a day or so to think about it, he said of course.
I thought of my parents, and what they may think of me if I never went back home? I was never meant to be a farmer. I think they knew it too. I loved them but I knew my place wasnt. So I had resolved to leave with the general and go to Paris. I had decided to tell him the following day. But I never got the chance. That night we were overrun. My general awoke me in the middle of the night. And said the enemy was approaching and they were not offering to take prisoners, they were all being eliminated. The general took out a vile from his pocket. He said it was poison. He said if he had to leave this world he would do so on his terms and no one elses. He said it would act within a matter of minutes and he told me I was young and he said he was so sorry for bringing him into this mess of a war. He wishes he could take it back and return him home to his family. He shed a tear. He put a large amount of the clear liquid in his wine and drank and offerred me the vile. I took it, without much thought. Soon I was asleep and after that I sound found myself back in familiar lands. Back in Jeville.
Jeville is my way station. My purgatory. It is a scary place full of demons and monsters, but after a while, after so many lifetimes, I learned to live in that place. I learned to excell, and prosper. Soon I called it home. It was like SFT in some ways, a home away from home. And despise it as I first did, I understood that love and hate were just emotions, we do what we have to do in our home, and for our homes.
And that Hera, is something you will never understand or comprehend.
That is all I have to say.
Fade to light
There were so many conflicts and wars back then, it was hard to keep track of them all. We lived on the countryside and mostly kept to ourselves. My parents were childhood friends and had married when they were each 17 years old. I was born a year later. Most thought I was their brother, since they looked so young when they had me.
One day a regiment passed by and they were looking for volunteers to join up. My father declined the other, then they asked me, they said I would not be fighting but they could use strong boys to help carry equipment, like an assistant.
I was intrigued. I had longed to see the world. To escape my chains. So I agreed. My father was upset and my mother was crying. My father said it was not right that I go off to fight for a king that did not even know we existed. But my mind was set. And so I left with little time to say proper goodbyes.
As we arrived in Italy I was assigned to a general. I was his assistant. And on days where there was little to do. And rain delayed any skirmishes, there was little to do to pass the time. The general took it upon himself to teach me to read and write, taught me math and science. He even taught me how to play chess. Chess came easy to me, natural. He said I was like a duck in water in front of a chess board. I picked it up rather quickly. I was able to anticipate others moves before they thought them up. It was nice. After a while though, I began to suspect some of the players were a bit angry that they were getting defeated by a 12 year old. So I started to play down my abilities. Started to lose games on purpose. And while no one suspected that. The general did. In private he would ask why I would let up? I would say it was only a game, and if a 40 year old man could save face and feel good about himself by defeating a 12 year old in chess, then by all means. He laughed. He said any man who felt angry at such things was a petty man. I told him the world was full of petty men, and pointed to the fields down below where men were following orders from a petty man in a crown. He smiled, touche he said.
You see this is where I relate this story to Hera. Hera you are like all those 40 year old men in the trenches. Proud, an full ego. You think you are better than most. But what if I told you we were laying down for you? What if I told you that we held back all this time, we let you win. We let your ego grow. Not just you, we laid down for people like Candace, and Lucas Balkan, and many many others. We figured if you beat us and held titles you might one day call SFT home. But the said fact was, nothing we ever did for you was really appreciated. You all believe your talent was unquestionable. And that every win was showcasing your talents. But it wasnt. Most longtimers in SFT held themselves back for the better of SFT. I dont expect you to understand this, I doubt someone like you ever could. How could you love SFT? When you seem to have no love for yourself.
So I am done laying down for lesser people. Hera you have talent, but you squander it, you are not focused. And you have no loyalty. Perhaps it was your upbringing or perhaps you are so self centered that this way of being is all you know? Who knows, who really cares.
Hera is the goddess of women, marriage, family and childbirth in ancient Greek religion and mythology, one of the twelve Olympians and the sister and wife of Zeus. She is the daughter of the Titans Cronus and Rhea.
So Hera do you really consider yourself a goddess? Are you divine? It figures you would think of yourself that? Does your ego know no bounds? But Hera, the Hera from history books if she existed at all, was a divine goddess, full of love, she cared for others, and she considered all her children. You on the other hand care for no one. Your actions speak quite loudly on that.
I am sure a part of you will complain about me, how I talk to you and how you find it hard to really speak about me considering all I’ve said. My gimmick is reincarnation, yours is that of a goddess, we are all based on no real realities, so excuse me and excuse yourself. What we do in the ring is real is it not? But our characters are not real, at least not really, not in the way that it matters.
A part of me wants to slap you upside the head and tell you to wake up, but I know that would be a waste of time. You only know what you want to know. You only see what you want to see, and no matter what I do or say it wont matter. Cause you have blinders on, and nothing can remove them, not even you I would father.
Back to my story.
After a year of war, the end was near. Our forces were depleted. But our king had gained control of the seaside. And while we may lose this battle the war would have been won.
The general had become fond of me. He looked at me like a son in some ways. He asked what I would do after the war? I said I didnt know, I would return home I guess. He shook his head and said I should return to Paris with him, he would get me into the finest school there was. And perhaps in some years I could rise though the chess ranks and become a grandmaster. Fame and fortune awaited me. I asked where I would live? He said with him of course, his wife and he had never had any children of their own and would be proud to adopt him. I asked him to give me a day or so to think about it, he said of course.
I thought of my parents, and what they may think of me if I never went back home? I was never meant to be a farmer. I think they knew it too. I loved them but I knew my place wasnt. So I had resolved to leave with the general and go to Paris. I had decided to tell him the following day. But I never got the chance. That night we were overrun. My general awoke me in the middle of the night. And said the enemy was approaching and they were not offering to take prisoners, they were all being eliminated. The general took out a vile from his pocket. He said it was poison. He said if he had to leave this world he would do so on his terms and no one elses. He said it would act within a matter of minutes and he told me I was young and he said he was so sorry for bringing him into this mess of a war. He wishes he could take it back and return him home to his family. He shed a tear. He put a large amount of the clear liquid in his wine and drank and offerred me the vile. I took it, without much thought. Soon I was asleep and after that I sound found myself back in familiar lands. Back in Jeville.
Jeville is my way station. My purgatory. It is a scary place full of demons and monsters, but after a while, after so many lifetimes, I learned to live in that place. I learned to excell, and prosper. Soon I called it home. It was like SFT in some ways, a home away from home. And despise it as I first did, I understood that love and hate were just emotions, we do what we have to do in our home, and for our homes.
And that Hera, is something you will never understand or comprehend.
That is all I have to say.
Fade to light
