Raine had to think for a moment. What was it like?
"None of the kids my age knew anything different. So, I guess it was normal for us."
Raine shrugged.
"We all had magic education tracks with the expectations that we would join the coven associated with that track. Kids aren't punished completely like adults are for using magic but.. The moment you're old enough to join a coven.. If you're resistant, things change."
Raine shifted in their chair, and sat up a little straighter.
"I didn't know that the Emperor emphasised coercing witches to join the covens until after I joined the Bard Coven. It made sense, though, that it's what he wanted. Belos claims he can speak to the Titan, and claims that the Titan told him 'Wild Magic-' magic used freely, without a coven-was bad."
Their eyes lingered on the red harp-shaped sigil on their arm.
"So he branded us with sigils that took away our ability to do magic that isn't part of our coven. 'Unified' us under lying about the Titan, that the covens were needed because without them we're savage. Any straying from the acceptable means you get sent to the Conformatorium, disappear, die, or you're petrified. Which is.. The same as dying. If there's magic to reverse it, we don't have it anymore."
Raine was quiet for several minutes. They hesitated to mention anything about Eda, or becoming Head Bard. Things were complicated. Very complicated.
"It's hard to know anything different when your entire life has been being fed lies by somebody who's been in power for fifty years. He has all the power, all the influence, and until right before I left? Nobody had even seen his face."
no subject
"None of the kids my age knew anything different. So, I guess it was normal for us."
Raine shrugged.
"We all had magic education tracks with the expectations that we would join the coven associated with that track. Kids aren't punished completely like adults are for using magic but.. The moment you're old enough to join a coven.. If you're resistant, things change."
Raine shifted in their chair, and sat up a little straighter.
"I didn't know that the Emperor emphasised coercing witches to join the covens until after I joined the Bard Coven. It made sense, though, that it's what he wanted. Belos claims he can speak to the Titan, and claims that the Titan told him 'Wild Magic-' magic used freely, without a coven-was bad."
Their eyes lingered on the red harp-shaped sigil on their arm.
"So he branded us with sigils that took away our ability to do magic that isn't part of our coven. 'Unified' us under lying about the Titan, that the covens were needed because without them we're savage. Any straying from the acceptable means you get sent to the Conformatorium, disappear, die, or you're petrified. Which is.. The same as dying. If there's magic to reverse it, we don't have it anymore."
Raine was quiet for several minutes. They hesitated to mention anything about Eda, or becoming Head Bard. Things were complicated. Very complicated.
"It's hard to know anything different when your entire life has been being fed lies by somebody who's been in power for fifty years. He has all the power, all the influence, and until right before I left? Nobody had even seen his face."