Of Poppies and Tulips
Prologue
Distant gallops of horses came for the people on the old Rose Road. The main road for restaurants and other similar businesses for the aristocracy to gather and socialize. Never a glance came amidst the night then, even as two men soaked in blood journeyed into one tea shop, traversing father down into the basement for a meeting between malcontents.
Weaponless, the men uttered their code phrases. Looking as though twins with brown hair, brown eyes, and the most plain of faces, they were greeted similarly by other men who shared the face. Together, they walked in line and perfect pace, showing order amongst the organization until finally they came into a back store room that held about two dozen men standing about already, at their front the only man who did not wear the face that others had. Scarred, missing one eye, and with enough anger set into his features that it was unsure what his age was other than well beyond his prime, he began to speak;
“Brothers, dear sisters. Today the Collective will take our first steps against our own kind. No longer will we work to sway the masses through legislation and word-of-mouth alone! We will move forth, attacking those who wish to remove the freedoms and prestige of the Noble class! We will make examples of these traitors, and will leave not even their families peace, for they are but conspirators with them. Tonight, I ask you all to start making hits. Targeting those that we despise. To make examples of them. I will be hosting the ball for the Loyalist faction tonight. I hope to see many of you there.”
With the message over, the crowd cheered. The faces they wore showed homogeneity while all manner of voices sang out, celebrating, “For The Elastrian Collective! For Captain Soregartner!”
Swiftly filing out, the people took to the streets, quickly hiding in alleys to remove the enchanted face masks and resume their independent duties once more. Taking carriages, horses, or simply walking home.
Orange filled the skies, threatening to shift into an ugly red from the city’s smog. Quietly, the last masked member stood upon a roof, wondering which would be more red, the streets tonight or the setting sun.
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