SWNOVELS Floortime (Chapter 23)
Giddean:
Dust motes float through the air, tickling my nose, landing on the Majority Leader’s shoulders. I stand beside him on the platform at the head of the room; a session debating park funding having just finished and my moment is now.
I’m impressed the Majority Leader fit me in so quickly, I guess he appreciates my loyalty to the party. I don’t expect him to do the same again after today; today I become politically toxic.
Light murmurs come from the few bastards who bothered to show up to today’s session. Not that I can blame them, I have skipped more sessions than I can count. It’s a rare day when almost everyone is in the Senate, usually if it is full there is a big bill is passing or there are a lot of committee meetings by coincidence. The only journalist I see mulling around is Fitzgerald Whit who looks bored while speaking to Senator Jarish. Apothen is sitting quietly by himself with a stressed look across his wrinkled face.
Looking out into the crowd, I see Kin smile a reassuring smile. I’ve been a shitty friend by ignoring him these past few months by not telling him sooner about my plan, by ignoring him in general. But I also feel guilty that he might just be putting his own career at risk by supporting me.
The Majority Leader clears his throat a few times- I hate it when older men do that- before booming in his loud voice “The next call of order is a speech from the honorable colleague to my right, Senator Hertilz”
I too clear my throat as I stand in the middle of the stage, the large window behind me. I have stood here dozens of times in my career, with the light from the large window behind me so that I can see the audience, but they can only make out the outline of my face. It’s a terrible setup; the goddess only knows what our ancestors were thinking when they designed this room.
I set my papers on the wooden podium, shuffling a few around so my speech is on top and then gripping its smooth wood.
“Thank you, Majority Leader, for allowing me the floor time. Honorable gentlemen, I come before you today to present to you evidence of the most egregious crimes committed by our most trusted institution.” I pause for dramatic effect. A bead of perspiration rolls down my back. Fuck, I’m more nervous than I thought I would be. “The citizens of the Free City of Haringshude have donated their time and money to the worship of the goddess, as indeed we should attempt to ameliorate our wrongs which have turned the immortal being against us. We have held festivals in her honor, we have ensured her temples are staffed with priestesses, and we have built many temples within our city walls- indeed we have built one of the largest temples on Pinn in her honor right here on the central market square”
I raise my hand and point towards the direction of the market square for effect. The room is shockingly quiet and all eyes are on me. None of the Senators are reading or finishing correspondence, there is no passing of notes or anyone conducting other business. Instead, confused expressions mar their faces.
I lower my hand to shuffle some papers on the podium.
“Yet today I come to you with evidence of rot within the institution which claims to devote itself to her glory- a rot that if we let continue unchallenged will mean that we will have again wronged our illustrious deity. Those that we have entrusted with our most precious institution- the priests of the goddess’ temple- have used their position of power to cause great harm to those within their keep.”
I grab a fistful of papers in my right hand and raise it in the air “I hold in my hand here evidence that the High Priest has committed the most grievous crimes against the goddess’ servants, he has used his position to freely indulge in the sickest of fantasies. He has used knives to cut their flesh, he has used fire to burn their bodies, he has deprived them of food and deprived them of all comforts due to those going about the holiest of work in the goddess’ name”
I take a deep breath, now comes the hardest part, “Not only that, but he has poisoned the priesthood, our noblest of professions. They have been party to these crimes. They have beat priestesses and they had they have tortured them independently. This is not to say all priests are evil or bad, but the nature of the power relationship between the priests who have bodily control over the priestesses lends itself to the encouragement of immorality, where the perpetrators have no restraints and the victims have no restitution.”
I look around the room, looking directly into the eyes of my colleagues, “Today, I am proposing a full investigation into the actions of the High Priest and the priesthood in general. We must get to the bottom of this. I am also asking for you to remove the priestesses from their care. They cannot be expected to testify against the priests while subject to their control.”
I take a deep breath and turn to the Majority Leader, “Thank you again, Majority Leader”
I grab my papers off the podium and stand to the side letting the Majority Leader take my place as I survey the room. Senator Jarish looks angry, Senator Weeze looks like he might have another heart attack, and the Majority Leader looks like he swallowed a bug. Whit looks like he is living a journalist’s wet dream, a giddy look crossing his face.
Fuck me.