The Hour of Discontent

[DoS Archive]

From: mpolanski@aol.com (MPolanski)
Date: 21 Jan 1998 10:41:36 EST

::stepping into her apartment, Melanie shut the door, leaning back against it with a melancholy air. The moonlight shone so brightly through the open window that, without bothering to turn on the light, she quickly shed her clothing, pulling a long sweater over her head. Stepping barefoot to the window, she lit a Pedrone, puffing once, then abandoning it quickly for a more satisfying cigarette. Inhaling sharply, she glanced at the moon, hanging so
full and low that it seemed as if you could reach out and touch it. Her gaze then lowered to the skyline of RhyDin, it's buildings and abandoned streets illuminated, the moonlight lending the chaotic place an air of serenity. Sighing deeply, she began to ruminate upon the content of the arena's posting board, and thus to think::

Gads! All the bickering, whining and complaining, you'd think this was an earthly city council meeting! ::her brow furrowed heavily upon her next thought:: Actually, this really is no different from Chicago. High society cliques with no room for newcomers, lower class quiblings over abuse of power, diabolic intrigue and outright murder in the street. I could have remained at home for this! ::Her discontent with the present condition of the land
and timbre of it's voices gave her pause, making her contemplate a ticket home.:: Truly, the only difference is that, here, the participants may have pointed ears, short stature, or glowing red eyes......::snorts derisively:: or swords three times the length of thier body!
And the question of honor! ::rolls her eyes:: What the bloody hell is it anyway! A cloak to wear while all are watching, quickly discarded at a whim? But the essence of true honor........::tapping her fingernails lightly upon the sash, she began to muse the meaning of the word. Turning to her bookcase she pulled out her dictionary.::
Honor.......honor.....Here it is. ::Having found the page she desired, she plopped uncerimoniously into her favorite chair and began to read.:: Let's see.. Honor: 1. Honesty, fairness or integrity in one's beliefs or actions. Hmmnnn.... Considering the wide variety of beliefs in this land, that encompasses a great deal. Obviously it refers to one's *own* beliefs or actions, which means that, by this definition, even the lowest of the low could
be considered honorable, as long as they held to thier own beliefs. ::raises a brow:: I guess there truly is honor among thieves.... ::looking back to her book, she continued to scan definitions:: Ah, number 3.... high respect, as for worth, merit, or rank: to be held in great honor. I suppose everyone ranked higher than a commoner is honorable by *this* definition, regardless of how they treat others ::grins:: *And* I suppose that would leave us
commoners bereft of honor! ::thinking back to the posting board, her smile fades.::
Why would these people spout about honor, a concept that is different for each person, as if it has a universal meaning, holding the weilder to a certain standard? It *doesn't*. It holds them to thier *own* standard, as noble or base as they percieve thier own values. Is there some unwritten Duel of Swords definition I am not privy to? Or do they even know that what they embrace has no measurable yardstick.....
::::Scanning the dictionary, she looked up definitions of other words she had previously thought meant something, finally coming to one, where she paused, and began to giggle:: Oh dear God! ::laughs uproariously:: If they only knew...that the word they seem to be searching for is the one most would shrink from!::regaining her composure, she reads the definition to herself::
Moral: 1. Of, pertaining to, or concerned with the principles of right conduct or the distinction between right or wrong: ethical.
Everyone is so concerned about the honor of a person....when, perhaps, they should be concerned about thier morality.
::::Rising, she again approached the window, looking over the ghost of a town. The moon now hung like a ripened orange directly across the skyline of the city::
Chicago or RhyDin, we must all exist somewhere. I suppose I'll stay awhile longer.....