Black Earth

[Caelia]

Patriarchs Palace, Kyiv, Kyiv

"Your Beatitude, it is an honor you could grant me an audience on such short notice."

The Patriarch chuckled "First Marshal Petrovych, I may be old but I am not such a fool."

There was truth in the old mans words. Even the Patriarch of the Rus would not dare to refuse the First Marshal. He may defer to the Patriarch out of tradition and faith but there was only one leader in this room.

Kostya ignored the Patriarches barb "Your Beautitude even I would not be so presumptuous as to demand an audience" a lie "so I am eternally grateful that you could accommodate me so swiftly. I take it you know why I am here?"

The Patriarchs face darkened at those words be careful you do not sell our nations soul marshal "I am Marshal. I am fully aware of what you have come to ask of me."

"Good" the mask of deference was slipping "Your beautitude there must be unity among the Slavs. This can be our time if we only reach out and take it. The Rus, the Sarmatians, the Zalnorus and the Denisovans are brothers Patriarch and it is time we buried our axe. Arcane disagreements should will stand in the way of the glory of the slavs."

"Arcane disagreements Marshal?" Helladius would have lept from his chair were he still able "The Sarmatians, the Zalnorus" he spat "heretics! dogs! If you want to know who stands in the way of our glory than look no further Marshal! This house suffers because it has rejected God! If you want Glory send your armies to bring them back to the faith by the sword!"

"Patriarch" there was no deference now "do not spout foolishness. If they wish to be cast into the outer darkness it is not our concern. With you as our guide Kyiv will keep the cross, that is beyond doubt. But the inflexibility of the Holy Church is intruding on affairs which are not it's concern. You are the spiritual leader of this land but you are not it's temporal lord"

Helladius sighed. He had known this was coming and he had resigned himself to it already, but he could not have obeyed silently "Petrovych... you are of course correct. If you wish to pursue this course I will acknowledge it... the synod will acknowledge it. But if I am to agree to this there is one thing you must promise me: If the church will not stand against the eastern heresies than the army will. Do not allow the flock to stray."

Kostya smiled "Your beatitude you have my word. If the Holy Church does not interfere in our cooperation with our Slavic comrades no heresy will be allowed to take root in this land. The rule of the cross over Kyiv will be as unyielding as iron."

See that it is, First Marshal.

 

[Caelia]

???, Interrogation Room, Kyiv

It was cruel thing. A girl was dangling in the center of the room naked and covered in blood. She was suspended from a long chain wrapped tightly around her wrists, her legs had been shackled and her eyes blindfolded. Her body was emaciated, she had not had a full meal in a long time. And she was bleeding.

The blood was pouring from the wounds criss-crossing her back. It flowed down her back, around her waist and down her legs, dripping to the floor. Thoughtfully someone had covered it in a thick layer of sawdust which had been stained bright red beneath her feet.

Two men were in the room with the girl. They wore fatigues with no markings. It hardly mattered though because there was no mistaking it, this was a military prison. One of the men was big and stocky, with muscular arms. Standing behind the girl he held the knout. There was sweat, and blood, on his forehead.

The other man was pacing slowly around the room. His look was disinterested, bored even. He spoke to the girl though he did not even bother to turn to face her. "Why do you inflict this on yourself little girl? You know it changes nothing. We have the others, do you really think none of them will cooperate? That they haven't already? How do you think we found you?"

There was no response. But the man continued unperturbed. "Put on a brave face if you want, but I know you are suffering. I'll let you down you know. You just need to be a bit more cooperative."

Still no response. The pacing man sighed and nodded to the big man.

The whip cracked once, twice, three times. It cut deep into her back spaying blood into the air. The girl bit her lip as she resisted the urge to cry out, but the pain was almost unbearable. She could feel her tears soaking the blindfold again.

The man spoke again. "You betrayed us. Your people, your fatherland, your savior. For what? The unity? They don't even care about you! They sold you out to us you know. Do you really think they'd risk our wrath just for a bunch of confused children? No one is going to help you. No once cares about what happens to you. Not the Zalonarus, your comrades, even your family. But the First Marshal is merciful. You can still leave this place. You can still be forgiven for your treason. You just need to tell us what we want to know."

But she still said nothing.

"You aren't a very bright girl are you? We'll make you understand then."

Outside the room, separated by mirrored glass, two more men were watching the proceedings unmoved.

"So there is no evidence they were able to make contact with the Zalonarus?"

"No sir. We have obtained no evidence to suggest they ever realized they were corresponding with our agents or that the Zalonarus even knew they existed."

"Command will be pleased to hear that lieutenant. I assume then there has been no progress locating this 'Sofiya'?"

"Regrettably not sir. Taking into account what we've gathered and what we have learned from the prisoners I do not believe any members of this cell knew anything substantial about her or who she answered to."

"That doesn't surprise me. Continue with the interrogations though, command is adamant we squeeze them for everything they have. Tell your men not kill anyone before the tribunal can deliver a verdict though. Including her."

"Of course sir." he turned on the intercomm. "Roman, Petro, that's enough for today. She's going to bleed out at this rate."