A while ago I was commissioned to do some very short stories based on the Tarot cards but the commissioner was not very pleasant and kept changing their mind, eventually scrapping the contract I signed with her which, did not please me at all. So I’ve decided to just publish my work I did, she says she isn’t using my work but we’ll see shall we?
If she is, there will certainly be legal action as I have the contract in full.
Anyway! Here are the two cards I was working on; their old and new drafts (Of which I actually ended up doing 4 times the work I was getting paid for; little tip, don’t undercharge yourself and charge them more if you do.)
The Emperor
First Draft
“All-Father Protect Us.”
A common phrase that the lower caste’s liked to ring out when they required the help of their God.
All-Father.
A name given to him by his lowers, his lessers, all under Heaven knew him as their All-Father, the Emperor of Man.
Protector of the Empire he had built and ruled.
The hordes of barbarians hammered at the gates.
They wanted to enter the Empire, they wanted to upset the structure of rule. They did not understand how the Empire worked, that all under Heaven should bow to the might and majesty of the All-Father.
All under Heaven aligned to a structure, an order of life and death. Those who ruled did so because they were made to rule, they were the betters of the lowers. Only those in a position of rule could understand the complexity of the way of the world.
Those who below were so because they were lesser, they were meant to be there. How can all under Heaven balance if the legs did not hold it in place. A mind was a mind because it was a mind, the legs were the legs because they were the legs.
It was the way it was, all under Heaven.
To reach Hegemony one must have a sold base. As one of the greats once spoke upon his lips; ‘When one treats people with benevolence, justice, and righteousness, and reposes confidence in them, the people will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders’.
Is that not how a ruler must rule? Treat your people as a Father treats his son?
The hordes do not understand this, they will learn to understand, a Father must look to his children and his children to his Father.
All under Heaven will see how the All-Father Protects.
Final Draft
The Emperor
Standing at the foot of the mountain rise, she watched the sun crest over the tips. It would be night soon.
In the shadow of the Mountains, it became night in haste.
Slowly climbing the mountain face, she knew that the fight ahead of them would be th hardest in life.
In life or in death.
“Emperor Protect Us.”
A common phrase that the lower caste’s liked to ring out when they required the help of their God.
Emperor.
A name given to him by his lowers, his lessers, all under Heaven knew him as their father, their ruler, the Emperor of Man.
Protector of the Empire he had built and ruled.
The hordes of barbarians hammered at the gates.
All under Heaven aligned to a structure, an order of life and death. Those who ruled did so because they were made to rule, they were the betters of the lowers. Only those in a position of rule could understand the complexity of the way of the world.
All under Heaven would fall today.
The crest of the mountain flattened out to a fortress-monastary, the home of the Emperor.
Slow steps brought her feet across marble and stone. No sound except the low throb.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
It resonated through the hall.
It was breathing.
The walls closed in around them, she brought themselves to the great hall, the throne room.
Curled upon the throne, the Emperor slept.
Eyes closed.
It was time for her to strike. Gripping the blades tightly in her hand and climbed the vast wooden pillars holding the high vaulted ceiling up. She stared down at the Emperor, the beast.
The Dragon.
With a long breath, she was going to do it.
She was going to kill him!
She was going to kill the Emperor!
The Tyrant!
“YAAAR!”
The Hierophant
First Draft
When does sticking to your morals turn into Subversion.
When does keeping to tradition fight the changes of the world.
To rule the known world and to bring the world under heel, one must bring unity to the Empire. Unity of the people is a priority.
And how to bring unity?
Tradition.
Only through the application of traditions and the transmissions of beliefs and customs down generations can the people learn to be one. Doctrine states that through unity will all be accepted unto Heaven.
Heaven.
But when does tradition become subversion?
When the leaders take new approaches and put aside the past.
When does the progress of the Empire negate the need for tradition.
When does the advancement of technology divert from the culture of our people.
What happens when culture is diluted? Spread to thin?
What happens when new cultures are brought into the fold? New people into our Empire.
Will their culture be adapted? Overwritten? Erased?
When does the death of a culture to sustain another be in the right?
Morals and Ethics are what guide us as we are, but when they get in the way do we cast them aside?
Do we throw away our very core to adapt to an ever changing world?
I do not know.
I am the guide to our morals.
I am the preacher of our traditions.
I am the father to our family.
Do I fight the change of our people or do I submit to a new world order?
Do I bring our faith and our traditions to those who do not want it?
Do I force our culture on those with a culture of their own.
I do not know.
These are questions for someone higher than I, but I am the highest of the High.
I do not know.
Final Draft
When is it wrong to fight for what you believe in?
When is the only right thing to do to stand up against tradition.
Standing in the middle of the courtyard, I knew that it was the only way. To stand up for what you believe in is to be part of a cause, to be the one to step up and make a difference; that makes you a leader.
Traditions are important to any culture but when the lives of the people change, the culture and traditions must change.
It is no longer one race, it is no longer centred upon the strongest. Those with a mind can be greater than those with a body.
It was a holy day today and we decided to bring forward our movement. In the pubs, taverns and halls we had met and moved out into the streets. We took our banners to the people and our chants filled the streets.
“Unity through collectivity!”
“Collectivity through peace!”
Some would say we are rebels, that we are disruptive and spreading subversion.
I only want to be on an equal level to our apparent betters.
“Reluka, are you ready?” A voice spoke to my left, I turned and found my friend and companion, my life-mate.
“I am ready Shaka. Although I am scared.” I replied, nervously playing with my shirt hem.
“What is there to be scared of?” She replied, grinning and putting her arms around my shoulders.
“Oh I don’t know, I’m about to stand in front of thousands of people and proclaim that the status quo is no longer right? That we should be treated as equal and not as a lower class.” I sighed, running a shaky hand through my hair. Reluka leaned in close and kissed my cheek.
They would not understand, the status quo was the status quo for a reason.
Tradition does not change overnight.
“You will do fine.” Shaka smiled, pecking my cheek again. “What’s the worst that can happen?”
Yea… what is the worst that could happen.