The Structural Silence (Book 1 of The Transition of Pinn)
Chattering fools (chapter 13)

Giddean:

It is chaos, but when is it not. The shouting, the insults. Senators standing in hopes of projecting their colorful slurs further. Somebody threw a paper ball across the room at the opposition.

The room was large with leather repeatedly stamped with the city crest covering three walls of the room and the fourth being a large stain glass window depicting the moment the city was given its freedom from the monarchy. Bits of the window had to be replaced regularly as people were forever throwing rocks and other projectiles through it- making some pieces of the glass bright, clearer than those adjacent. On the leather walls hangs paintings of important events and even more important men in the city’s history to remind us that we can never live up to the past. Large red fabric chairs were arranged in a semi-circle facing the window and the small speaker’s platform before it. Parties sit in order of their number of senators from left to right with the most important party members sitting in the front and us lesser members towards the back. This is fine; someday it will be my turn.

We are debating the waste pick-up problem again and for the life of my I cannot figure out why this isn’t solved yet. Senator Apothen from the Eastern District was standing on the speaker’s platform and giving his biweekly complaint about the uncollected trash in his district. He was again accusing my party of not providing adequate funding and seeking to purposefully hurt his district. It is utter nonsense- I did the research. The reason his district is undeserved is because he refuses to join a major party and thus has no one to band together with to acquire funding. Independence gives you some freedoms, but independence has its repercussions.

The people of the Eastern District should elect a better senator.

My district is well served. As a member of the party which has been in power for as long as I can remember, I have been able to make the necessary deals and compromises to keep the wealthy North-City district running smoothly. It also didn’t hurt that my constituents are wealthy and able to bribe their way into getting things done. Sometimes they are also a pain in my ass.

“Right well I think I’ve had enough of this” I heard my best friend and fellow senator Kin nearly shout next to me. I’ve known him since we were small kids. He is the representative for the beautiful West Bay district.

I pull myself from staring at the chaos and nod. I wasn’t needed for this. There were too many other things I needed to do to waste my day listening to the same arguments on repeat.

We make our way out of the room, weaving around enraged senators. I had to duck when old Senator Weeze threw paper at the speaker again. I shake my head, anyone else would get kicked out of the building for the rest of the day by the Parliamentarian. It wasn’t long until we were in the hallway. It was one of the best things about being a back bencher- easy escape. Now we just had to make our way out of this maze of a city hall.

Kin was yapping about some pet bill of his. He may be my best friend but he could sure be annoying as fuck when he was excited about something. I frown; it could also just be the sour mood I’ve been in for the last three days.

“Let’s take the back stairs” I interrupt him mid-speech not that he was giving me much choice. Its like he doesn’t need to breathe.

He stopped walking and looked quizzically at me and then looked in the direction of the front stairs and then looked at me again.

“Avoiding your father’s office are we?”

I just groan and start heading down the hallway with Kin almost skipping beside me. I can see the gleam in his eyes and smirk on his lips. God he’s annoying. Yes, I’m avoiding my father’s office, if I run into him now who knows what I’ll be tempted to say to him. Or punch him. My mind briefly wanders to the argument three nights ago at their dinner table. I should probably apologize for some of things I said, but I know they won’t apologize for what they’ve done.

“Soooo how is partnered life going?”

I try so hard to contain my growl but I fail. I don’t want the questions about how our relationship is progressing, how she’s adjusting, and the expectation that she’s going to pop out a baby any minute. I don’t need that shit. I hadn’t even had the chance to tell Kin yet and he already knows through the rumor mill. I need my old life back, I was content, but my parents had to go and fuck that up for me.

“Well you’ve been in a bad mood all day so she can’t be giving you any yet”

Damn him. He knows my past but he can’t stop himself. He’s like a pestering little brother that just won’t ever leave you alone.

“So when do I get to meet her?” He continues unable to contain his grin, “I’ve been thinking about getting a female for myself. Mother is desperate for grandsons and I might have to give up some of my visits to the Temple but at least its pussy available around the clock.”

“Shut up” I grumble at him. God only one more hallway and a flight of stairs and I have him off my back.

“Maybe your cousin can recommend one for me? When is he back in town? I don’t know what he does around all those females all the time though; he’s even more serious than you. Say does the Captain know yet?”

“When the fuck was I supposed to tell him? He’s out on the raids” I throw open the door to the back stairwell and quickly proceed down the spiral staircase.

I hear him softly mutter “Fuck.”

“I think they waited until he wasn’t around. It’s not like they’re fond of him” I say voicing one of the many recurring thoughts I’ve had over the past few days. I’ve also thought a lot about how fucked up this whole thing is. How parents forced this on me. How I didn’t choose her. And her wide angelic eyes. And at night I think of her perfect heaving breasts. Fuck me. I push the thoughts out of my head.

“When does he return?” Kin asks carefully.

“Tomorrow”

“Fuck”

After that we descend the staircase in quiet. Thank the goddess. I greet the warmth of the sunshine and inhale the fresh air as the sign of my freedom that it is. I need just get home and just drink this problem away.

I feel a hand on my shoulder. “Hey, I’m heading to the Temple; do you want to come with? After an evening with a couple of females you’ll forget all about it”

I grimace and I freeze. He’s trying to be nice but he knows why I won’t go. I never go.

“Hey I get it. I just thought I’d ask.” He pats my shoulder again, “See you tomorrow?”

“Yes see you on tomorrow” I manage to get out. Fuck I forgot about the dinner tomorrow.