Firebird Fiction Tootfic @TootSerials@tootplanet.space

For those who don't know Lawgiver's blade is a longform fantasy stpry that I was posting as 4 or 5 toots a day

Okay, now I'm recovering from my unfortunate mental health hiccup I should get back to posting Lawgiver's Blade in the New Year.

I think on a more manageable Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule.

But I was halfway through Chapter Four when everything fell apart.

Should I:

1. Pick up where I left off
2. Start again at the start of Chapter 4 with links to the archive for 1-3
3. Start again from scratch?

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Okay, new job starts tomorrow. So I should be back posting serial soon. Sorry for the hiatus

Right, I decided to take a few days off from Tooting the serial while I prepare for my new job

Really really tired. Serial toots will return tomorrow

“The staff can,” Kadria said. “It's a way of helping people back into harmony. What I did with it during the invasion is not its primary purpose.” She smirked and held it out to Mayin. “Would you like to test it?”

Mayin bit her lip but her eyes were curious. “Is it really allowed for a peasant to...”

“Yes, of course,” Kadria said.
Mayin reached out hesitantly and touched the staff. After a moment her eyes widened and she sank to her knees. “Ugh.”

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Tamasa's eyes widened. “The Staff of the Law? Isn't that overkill? Natlin's a peasant woman not an invading Arissi army.”

“I know,” Kadria said. “So I don't expect her head to explode or anything so dramatic. I'm not planning to call the Lawgver's judgement down on her unless she forces me to. I just intend to connect her to him and let him explain it to her”

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“A good question. I don't like punishing heretics unless they are actually doing harm rather than just believing wrong things. But this… I think she is doing harm if she's making people question their own value in Rindalam's eyes.” She whiispered something else under her breath and a small wooden staff appeared in her hands. "I may have to use this."

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Kadria's eyes narrowed at that. “Does she now? That's a particularly unpleasant heresy to hold.”

Mayin gave an obviously relieved sigh. “So it is a heresy? Thank goodness!”

“Oh yes.” Kadria looked at Lilat. “Is this the same woman Vessin mentioned? The one who wouldn't let her son play with Kilit?”

“That's her,” Tamasa said. “I guess Mage Vessin was right to worry about her. What should we do?”

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Mayin gave a little sob at that. “And she's like that because she saved my husband. I'm sorry.”

“You mustn't think like that.” Kadria reached out and squeezed her shoulder. “It wasn't your fault that wave happened nor was it your fault that Imalia was overstretched. These things happen sadly.”

“But...” Mayin closed her eyes. “I'm happy my husband is alive but Natlin says Mage Imalia wasted her magic on him.”

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As they approached Mayin came running up and knelt with her head pressed to the grass. Kadria flinched visibly at that.

“Please get up,” she said. “There's really no need for this.”

“Thank you.” Mayin climbed to her feet but kept her eyes fixed on the ground. “May I ask you something,” she said hesitantly. “Is Mage Imalia well?”

“She's better,” Kadria said. “Though she's still bereft of her magic.”

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"They might," Lilat said. "If they understand what you are.saying. More likely you would just confuse them. I'm spending most of my effort on the children. It's too ingrained in the adults."

"Wise, I suppose," Kadria said. "I wish we could do better. Let's go and do this then." She offered her hand to Alidra and they walked together towards the green and the scent of roasting pig.

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"Yes, you would," Lilat said. "But they don't know that. Moderate Perfectionists put a lot of emphasis on the reciprocal nature of the Mage-Commoner relationship."

"I know," Kadria said sadly. "It's the least objectionable of their heresies but still objectionable enough. Do you think they will believe me if I tell them that the Law is about shared responsibility not reciprocity?"

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“So you'll still be staying tonight?” Denri asked.

“If you don't mind, Denri,” she said.

“Of course we don't,” he said.

"Good," Tamasa said. "Because it would be a shame if the feast the villagers have to decided to prepare for you went to waste."

Kadria sighed at that. "People do insist on such things. I wish they wouldn't."

"Well it's not for nothing," Lilat said. "They'll be hoping you'll bless the village."

"I'd do that anyway," Kadria said.

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Alidra's mouth suddenly dried up as all eyes turned to her.

"I-I ... I don't know," she said. "I want to help but I don't want to leave you."

"High mage Kadria will make sure we stay in touch," Tamasa said. "And you'll have Kilit. She must be lonely without Imalia there."

Alidra thought about Kilit all alone without her mother and it did seem like a big adventure but she also thought of her own parents alone here without her.

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"Well he's not happy, but he understands why I had to do it." Kadria sighed. "So you'll let me take her?"

“Yes, I suppose he would,” Tamasa said. "But promise you won't let the Perfectionists get her."

"You have my word," Kadria said. "I fear I have lost my own daughter. I won't lose yours."

Tamasa nodded seriously. "Then we will let you take Alidra to Keralyn as long as she agrees. She's old enough to understand."

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She sighed heavily. “I'm going to regret the concession I had to make to them to get them to stop that."

"What did you give them?" Tamasa asked.

"Control of my daughter Riat's training," she said. "I thought I could stop them turning her as she was still living in my household, but no. I don't know how they are doing it but she's turning into a hard-line Perfectionist."

"What does her father think of that?" Tamasa asked.

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