Val-Terreur 16
Traité de Metropolis
Louée soit la Grande Mère qui, par sa grâce, réunit aujourd’hui Friderica Castus, Sybille Mère des Véniliens; ainsi que Siegbald le Juste, Alida la Déterminée, Wighard le Voyageur, Engla l’Insoumise, Harald l’Érudit, Irmlinde la Victorieuse, Ingmar le Brave, et Karl l’Enfant du très estimable Conseil des Chefs Salaciens. Inspirés par l’incomparable beauté de la sainte citée de Metropolis, les partis identifiés ont convenu d’oublier les malentendus et différents les ayant mené vers l’inexorable et malheureux conflit de la dernière décennie. Ces articles, apposés des signatures des neuf représentants divins identifiés ci-haut, constituent donc les seules conditions nécessaires au retour de la paix et seront imposés au chef du neuvième clan indépendant des Salaciens : Kirsa la Traîtresse.
Article 1
Tout Salacien se voit immédiatement retirer le droit sacré de navigation sur la mer de Neptune que leur avaient octroyé les Neptuniens en l’an de grâce 721. Les navires seront saisis par la Marine neptunienne et les Salaciens dorénavant découverts sur les navires, peu importe leur provenance ou appartenance, seront traités comme clandestins et arrêtés sur-le-champ. Le capitaine et l’équipage de navires pratiquant tout type de transport clandestin seront aussi emprisonnés et le bâtiment sera aussitôt saisi ou coulé. Les Salaciens conservent le droit de traverser fleuves et rivières, mais devront le faire à bord d’embarcations munies tout au plus d’une paire de rame et dépourvue de voile ou tout autre type de propulsion. Les chefs des différents clans pourront faire une demande officielle auprès de La Sybille Mère des Véniliens afin d’obtenir un document officiel les dispensant de cet article lors d’un voyage diplomatique ou d’un pèlerinage religieux. L’ État Vénilien se réserve le droit de refuser toute demande ne correspondant pas à ces critères.
Article 2
L’État vénilien procède à l’affranchissement immédiat de tous les Salaciens qui étaient, jusqu’à ce jour, la propriété de citoyens véniliens. Toute forme de dette accumulée par ces Salaciens est annulée et les Véniliens qui les employaient doivent s’assurer que leurs possessions leur soient rendues en plus de vêtements en bon état et d’assez de nourriture pour le voyage de retour vers la Salacie. Dans le cas où ces affranchis salaciens souhaiteraient demeurer à l’emploi de leur ancien propriétaire, ce dernier fournira un salaire convenable au quart de métier correspondant le plus à l’ensemble des tâches effectuées.
Article 3
L’Île Mère, conquise par les Salaciens au courant du présent conflit, est rendue à l’État Vénilien sans condition. Les conquérants bénéficient de deux jours et deux nuits pour retourner en Salacie avant de se soumettre à l’Article 1. Tout Salacien se trouvant encore sur l’Île au matin du troisième jour sera rendu à la mer.
Article 4
L’exil vers les dunes arides du Vikshem est imposé à l’entièreté du neuvième clan salacien. Son chef le mènera au coeur des plaines de sel où ils resteront. Cette décision sans appel s’applique à perpétuité à la descendance des membres de ce clan. Un doigt et un orteil seront retirés de chaque membre avant leur exil. De surcroît, le nombre 9 ne peut plus être parlé, représenté ou référé de quelque façon par un Salacien pour une période de cent ans.
Article 5
Les Salaciens, orphelins des cieux, frères et soeurs abandonnés de la MAGNA MATER, peuple errant; sans guide et sans mère depuis l’Implantation, sont adoptés par la Sybille Mère des Véniliens. Sa générosité ne connait aucune limite, Son instinct maternel, aucune frontière. Puisse sa lumière éveiller les esprits, puisse son Colostrum tonifier la chair. Puisse le regard réparateur cybélien unir à nouveau les Humains.
Article 6
Tout Salacien souhaitant maintenant se convertir à la foi cybélienne peut se rendre en Metropolis au Temple des Sybilles et se convertir. Un nouveau nom lui sera donné et le Colostrum lui sera administré. Le droit sacré de navigation sur la mer de Neptune sera restitué à tout Salacien converti de cette manière.
Article 7
La frontière qui sépare la ville vénilienne de Toletum de la Salacie est maintenant ouverte. Une présence militaire accrue permettra de maintenir la paix en ces temps troubles. Aucun acte de représailles d’un parti ou de l’autre ne sera toléré.
Article 8
Dans l’éventualité qu’un territoire vénilien ou salacien soit conquis entre le moment de la signature de ce traité et la livraison de celui-ci entre les mains des autorités militaires d’un parti ou de l’autre, ce territoire sera restitué sans condition.
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Kirsa and Harvey's Bookstore Scavenger Hunt Date
Chapter 35 of The Courage to Fly , "Kiwi's New Boyfriend" is officially posted after a long and unplanned hiatus!
Kirsa and Harvey are on the first (technically second) date and doing a scavenger hunt in the bookstore that Kirsa's parents own - The Literature Closet. It was a LOT of words that weren't really necessary for the chapter, but I still wanted to share them somewhere that people might find them. So here you can find their scavenger hunt and their notes about the books they chose.
Bookstore Scavenger Hunt
Rules:
Books can only be used once - no repeats.
If you pass your partner while searching for a book, you must pause to interact with them; exchange a kiss, a hug, talk for a moment, etc.
Make sure to write down the books you chose for each question so you can remember them later.
Purchase at least one book you picked out.
Find a book that is one of your all-time favorites.
Kirsa: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood – what a fascinating story that feels a little too close to real life sometimes. I loved this book because it is utterly captivating, relatable, and mildly terrifying while also being an excellent read.
Harvey: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky – while the story can be heavy at times, it’s one of the most relatable books I’ve ever read. Charlie manages to be hilarious and devastating all at once, and the book never fails to hit home.
Find a book that was a favorite when you were a child, or one that holds a special childhood memory.
Kirsa: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery – this is the first book I remember Dad reading to me. He used to read it to Leo and me all the time as a bedtime story. There’s something about searching for what’s really important in life that always stuck with me.
Harvey: The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams – Dad rarely read books to Heidi and I, but Sybil did, and this was the story she usually picked to read us when we were little. After the accident, I latched onto the idea of being loved even when you aren’t the most appealing.
Find a book featuring a main character with the career you wanted to have when you grew up.
Kirsa: The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton – a book I read in high school on Papa’s recommendation. I think he wanted me to give up the whole doctor thing, but the suspense and high stakes of this story only served to fascinate me more.
Harvey: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller – a pilot in a war novel? That was everything I ever wanted as a kid. Right up until I realized I was terrified of heights.
Find a box set of books in a series you love.
Kirsa: A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin – I actually started reading Game of Thrones when the show came out, but I never got through it because of med school and work. When I joined the military, Papa sent me the set after I said I finally finished the first one during training so I could read the others. I ended up reading the whole series before I hit my first anniversary in the air force. My set is super worn now, because I’ve reread them so many times, so this nice leather-bound set is tempting.
Harvey: The Sherlock Holmes Collection by Arthur Conan Doyle – what can I say? I was always captivated by the mystery, trying to solve it myself as I read. I haven’t seen the entire series together with these vintage style gold-foil embossed covers.
Find your favorite banned book.
Kirsa: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury – it will never not be funny that they ban a book about the dangers of censorship. I will never stop laughing about it. It’s one of Papa’s favorites, too.
Harvey: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee – I know what you said about picking this one – which is absolutely why I picked it. Because it IS banned in schools a lot of the time, but also because YOU told me we couldn’t choose it for our list.
Find a book you love to reread that is different from your favorite.
Kirsa: Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne – I’ve always LOVED these stories and go back to them a lot, especially lately. I just love reading about Pooh and his friends, even though I know most of these stories by heart.
Harvey: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien – Landon was the one who got me into this whole series, insisting I read The Hobbit a few months before my car accident. I liked it but hadn’t gotten around to the other books yet. I practically inhaled them when I was recovering, and somehow I dragged Heidi into reading them with me. Which morphed into ALL of our friends plus Sybil reading them around the same time. Fellowship was the first movie Heidi and I were able to go see in theaters after the accident – it was a whole ordeal. I’ve got at least four different sets of the series, but this leather one is incredibly tempting.
Find a book with one of your favorite tropes.
Kirsa: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – a dystopian setting with a Friends to Lovers trope? This checked ALL the boxes for me and I can never say no to those particular tropes.
Harvey: Eragon by Christopher Paolini – I’ve got a soft spot for The Chosen One stories, especially when they have an epic quest they have to go on in order to save the world.
Find a book that made you cry.
Kirsa: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes – I read this book in a single sitting, flying back from a short-term leave at home. I picked it up in the airport, figuring it would be an easy read after I finished the books I’d brought with me. I did not expect to fall so in love with the characters and be completely devastated. There I was, a high-ranking military officer ugly crying on the plane at like three in the morning, angrily shushing Hayden every time he asked me if I was ok. We got a lot of strange looks.
Harvey: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr – I was absolutely glued to this book and couldn’t put it down until I finished it. Even though it was emotional, I’ve never regretted reading it.
Find a book you HATED reading in school – or one that you were supposed to read but never did.
Kirsa: The Awakening by Kate Chopin – the ending makes me irrationally angry, every single fucking time. How does one walk ambiguously into the damn sea. God I hate this book. I’m kinda mad Papa even carries it.
Harvey: Animal Farm by George Orwell – I just never read it. I was supposed to, but the week after we started it I had a procedure on my shoulder that turned into a bigger surgery and landed me in the hospital for a little over two weeks. By the time I was back in school, we were about to have a test on it and I still hadn’t actually read it. I just read the Sparknotes and asked Heidi and Will to help me study for our test.
Find a book in your least favorite genre.
Kirsa: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn – thrillers are never my first choice. I’ve got too much anxiety for that. But I wanted to read the book before we watched the movie, and I really shouldn’t have. I was both hooked and horrified.
Harvey: Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley – If you think I’m friends with Landon without having read the most iconic science fiction book ever, I don’t know what to tell you. He insisted Will and I read it. Still a lot too close to horror for my comfort, and honestly I wish I’d never read it.
Find a book ‘everyone’ has read – except you.
Kirsa: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams – my entire squad has read this stupid thing, but I can’t get more than halfway through it. I just get bored. Gavin tries to convince me to start it again like every six months.
Harvey: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson – I skipped it as a kid because it was a little too close to home with what Heidi and I went through. I’ve heard it’s a great book, but I never wanted to read it.
Find a book with one of your favorite love stories.
Kirsa: The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks – is there any more iconic love story? It makes me believe in that kind of everlasting love even when shit’s hitting the fan.
Harvey: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green – one of those painfully real love stories that rips your heart out and stomps on it. But it’s so very relatable.
Find a book with a color in its title.
Kirsa: The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne – come on, you can never go wrong with the iconic red A. It’s a classic.
Harvey: Black Beauty by Anna Sewell – who doesn’t love a story with an animal protagonist? Besides, this horse is living his best life despite countless hardships.
Find a book whose movie or TV adaptation was actually good.
Kirsa: The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot – I fucking love this book and the whole series, but the movie makes the whole story a lot more cohesive. And the whole scene with Mia’s gym teacher where she’s like “I can’t do this, I’m a girl.” And the teacher is all “What am I? A duck?” is just perfection.
Harvey: Holes by Louis Sachar – Shia LaBeouf made the perfect Stanley Yelnats, Sigourney Weaver as a villain was iconic, and “I’m tired of this Grandpa...” “Well, that’s too damn bad!” is a scene that will never stop being funny.
Find a book BASED on a TV series, movie, or video game.
Kirsa: The Stolen Throne by David Gaider – I only started this book because Hayden wouldn’t shut up about it and he was pissy because I laughed at him for sobbing his eyes out at three in the morning when he finished it. Of course, I got completely enraptured by the story and read the entire thing in less than five hours, also ugly crying. Hayden got mad because I stole the next book from his pack while he was still in the middle of reading it.
Harvey: The Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee – I picked it up when it came out but haven’t read it yet. After loving The Last Airbender so much, I figured this would be a good read. Plus, Kyoshi seems like an avatar who would have an interesting story to follow.
Find a book with multiple points of view.
Kirsa: As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner – I think I was the only person in my class who actually liked this book. The whole thing being told by various narrators in a messy and confusing timeline made it all the more interesting to me, trying to piece the story together as I went.
Harvey: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte – we never read this is school like most people, and I finally got around to it last year. I honestly loved the whole love story recounted from multiple perspectives. I didn’t think I’d like the book as much as I did.
Find a book with a one-word title.
Kirsa: Matilda by Roald Dahl – a classic, and one about a nerdy girl trying to navigate a complicated life. I related.
Harvey: Dracula by Bram Stoker – don’t ask me why I read another horror book by choice because I don’t know. But it’s one of the great masterpieces of the genre, and for good reason. It took me ages to get through it, but I’m glad I eventually did.
Find a graphic novel that interests you.
Kirsa: Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe – I kinda forgot this was being printed now and I NEED these books. I’ve been reading the webcomic for years. I’ve gotta ask Papa to put me on the preorder list for the releases of the hardbacks.
Harvey: The Sandman by Neil Gaiman – I keep telling Landon I’ll read this series, but I keep not actually buying the book. He insists I’ll enjoy it, and I’m sure he’s right, I just keep finding other things to read.
Find a book recommended by one of the booksellers.
Kirsa: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas – you don’t understand how hard this was for me. Papa and the rest of the staff know my book preferences like the backs of their hands. They sent my whole squad care packages once a month with new books to read based on what we liked and didn’t like. But Madeline told me this is a good enemies to lovers story that’s basically a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, so we’re gonna give it a shot. It’s up my alley.
Harvey: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss – I'll be honest, I don't remember who I talked to about this, but they asked me what stories I liked most and instantly pulled this book off a shelf and handed it to me saying ‘trust me’ and after reading the back of it? A story about a fantasy hero but a Chosen One narrative that’s flipped on its head a bit? Seems like a book I’ll enjoy.
Find a book you think your partner might like.
Kirsa: Airframe by Michael Crichton – I figured a thriller set on a plane would be up your alley. Harvey: HA. It IS up my alley, but I’ve already read it and it so did not help my fear of heights. I now have a lifetime of extra white-knuckled anxiety thanks to that book.
Harvey: The Night and its Moon by Piper C.J. – based on what I’ve seen you read, the summary on the back sounded like it would interest you – lovers who will do anything to reunite? That’s all you. Of course, I opened the book and meant to read the first few pages, but snorted as I read the dedication and figured you’d appreciate the book for that alone if nothing else. Kirsa: Oh this sounds delightful. I need to read this. But also oh my God that dedication.
Find books that have titles beginning with one of your partner’s initials (3 books).
Kirsa: Heidi by Johanna Spyri – Harvey: Funny. You’re funny. Kirsa: Oh come on, it was right there. I couldn’t help myself. Walden by Henry David Thoreau. Lord of the Flies by William Golding.
Harvey: Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen – Kirsa: I fucking love this book. Harvey: I remembered you telling me she was one of your favorite authors, I thought it was fitting. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. The Martian by Andy Weir.
Find a book with a title that describes how you feel about your partner (funny, serious, silly, etc.).
Kirsa: The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain – after you telling me about your childhood and knowing you lived on microwave meals for years before I moved to the farm? It’s perfect for you.
Harvey: Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein – when the world ends, where do you go? You went to the farm and found a new path. It seemed fitting.
Find a non-fiction book about something that you’d like to learn more about or something that you’d like to learn how to do.
Kirsa: National Geographic: Birds of The Ferngill Republic – I keep seeing all kinds of different birds around the farm and it’d be neat to be able to identify some of them.
Harvey: Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson – I know a decent bit about space thanks to spending so much time listening to Maru go on about it. But talking to you about the meteor shower a few weeks ago made me curious. And it'd be nice to talk about it in more detail with you.
Find something to do together on a future date.
Kirsa: Incredible Paper Airplanes – Dad dragged me to see this kit when he finally found me in the store earlier. It’s cheesy as hell, but it actually looks kinda fun. There’s a ton of different models to make and all kinds of origami paper.
Harvey: Galaxy Watercolor – Paint the Universe – I was stuck on this question for a while and Hannah found me trying to find something you’d like. She suggested this but didn’t give me much of an explanation, so if you hate the idea – No! I love it! It looks fantastic.
Find a recipe to make together (a drink, a meal, a dessert, etc.).
Kirsa: Melon Salad – I’ve got like six varieties of melon seeds to plant this year and this recipe is just a bunch of melons in a fruit salad. I thought it sounded fun.
Harvey: Cookie Pig – I couldn’t resist the sugar cookies decorated like pigs. They look like the ones Harry had.
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