My Dear Orp,
Silence is a wonderful thing, isn’t it? I mean, I could go on and on about the benefits that silence holds for my side. When there is silence the Enemy’s ranks usually aren’t adding to their already infuriatingly high numbers. Silence also means that His ranks aren’t using His quotes to teach, rebuke, correct, or train new enlistees into His camp. When there is silence, the vermin aren’t trying to call on Him to help them out of some jam that they’ve gotten into. When there is silence, they aren’t thanking Him for some blessing that He has supposedly bestowed on them. Best of all, silence tends to mean that the vermin aren’t asking Him to pardon them and clean them up after they’ve followed one of my suggestions.
Don’t you see why silence is so great? I mean, even the Enemy acknowledges the importance of silence.
So, why then, don’t you recognize its value? Why don’t you adhere to the lessons that your esteemed professors tried to teach you at Temptation University? How come my unmentionable employees, who watch out for indiscretions committed by my agents in the field, always write to me about how you can’t seem to keep your trap shut? How many times do I need to remind you that the lessons you learned in your Value of Silence class are very important and useful? Why can’t you understand this very basic tenet?
Now, don’t you go and try to deny that you haven’t learned the value of silence. You should know very well that if you hadn’t been running your peak, I wouldn’t have recently heard your patient’s voice at some very inopportune moments.
That’s right, you pitless idiot, I know all about the times when you got absorbed in a conversation with some colleague or interested in something else and totally forgot to mind your patient. I know all about each and every one of your indiscretions because each time you focused on something else, your cowardly patient found the courage to use her voice and bad things started happening for my side.
Of course, don’t get me wrong, your patient was silent for a good many years and that was quite a productive time for my side.
Naturally, I’m quite willing to take credit for all that productivity. Surely you weren’t thinking that I’d give you credit for my good luck, were you? What, after all, have you been doing all this time anyway? Oh yes, that’s right, you just gabbed away the time with your moronic colleague, Poliomy, and now your patient has slipped away and joined the Enemy’s camp.
But, let me backup a bit to recount your patient’s story. As I recall. she took the suggestion that I told you to give her and travelled away from the Enemy’s chosen country where she was sold into slavery shortly thereafter. Well, how did that turn out? Your patient lost her voice, didn’t she? Of course, she did.
What a fortunate day that was. The only thing that mars that day for me is your recent work. I’m telling you, you’ll certainly pay for your stupidity and lack of focus.
Well anyway, after your patient was sold into slavery, things went well enough for many years. Your patient ended up being owned by Poliomy’s filthy brat and she learned to obey without question whatever whim was on the mind of her Human varmint owner. Oh, what a productive little beast of burden she was. No matter what happened, she didn’t say a word.
Not that anyone would ask for the opinion of a slave anyway, right? Of course not.
Now, tell me, doesn’t the Enemy Himself acknowledge the importance of passivity? Doesn’t He say that the vermin in His camp should turn the other cheek whenever they get pushed around or railroaded? Doesn’t He say that unassertive vermin will inherit His creation? Of course, He does.
This is a tenet of His that I find very useful because, obviously, we both have our own agenda when it comes to how Meekness is implemented, but I see no reason for your patient to understand that.
But let me get back to your performance.
I”m telling you, it was enough to make me explode with rage when I heard your patient’s voice for the first time since she was enslaved. She has the most terrible voice, you know, but what’s far worse is the message that she delivered. First off, she told Poliomy’s dirty varmint not to kill herself—and thereby cost me a meal. Next, she invited her vile mistress to come live in the Enemy’s chosen country and enjoy it’s benefits with her.
I’m telling you, I can’t believe you let that happen.
You know, it’s such a pity that silence can never be just silence, so naturally I’ve been very concerned about your patient’s soul for as long as she has been enslaved. The Enemy has a despicable way of speaking even if there is silence. In fact, He often talks to Himself about what the vermin need, even when they don’t know what they need or how to ask for it. It’s a very frustrating thing for my side because He often tells the vermin to be still and wait for His whispering voice while He Himself is chatting away about them. I’m telling you, the Enemy is a three-faced jerk.
At any rate, you must also be careful because the Enemy says that if His ranks are silent, nature itself will shout His name and, of course, that’s very bad for my side. I should know too; I remember the stars and sun praising His name while He was singing them into existence on the first day of this horrible world.
It was ghastly.
But, I’ve digressed again, haven’t I? I admit, I do that a lot. I’m just so knowledgeable and irrepressible that I can’t help myself. I have a compulsive need to help my worthless employees get out of the jams that you find yourselves in. In fact, I’m doing that right now, aren’t I? Of course, I am.
I’m telling you, if you had any inkling about the importance of silence, your patient would not have spoken up and stopped Poliomy’s patient from coming down to my dinner table of her own accord. I bet you just can’t imagine all the letters that Poliomy has written to me, blaming you for his recent failure. My mailbox is full and my inbox is full and I don’t want to throw away any of his letters or delete any of his emails because I want to have a record of all his mistakes so that I can read them aloud before I tear his worthless hide to bits.
I also want a record of your mistakes and his mail details them even better than my unmentionable helpers who keep track of my employees’ fieldwork.
Now, before I go on, I want to warn you about making excuses. After all, even the Enemy acknowledges that a fool can appear wise if they keep their traps shut.
At any rate, the day that your patient spoke to Poliomy’s patient was terrible for your record—and more importantly the fullness of my dinner table.
Tell me, why didn’t you suggest that Poliomy’s patient would take advantage of your patient if she knew that she could talk? Can you just imagine what sort of spectacle that Human varmint might have turned your patient into? Undoubtedly, if you’d been on your talons, that suggestion would have stayed your patient’s tongue. After all, wasn’t your patient interested in returning to the Enemy’s chosen country? Of course, she was. So, doesn’t it make sense that any action that could lead to failure should not be taken? Of course, it does. Why would a varmint risk failure if success is their goal?
Does that make sense to you? It doesn’t make sense to me. Of course, I’m not familiar with failure, so I really can’t say. All I know is that many of my employees have felt the sharp stab of my teeth after they have failed.
Now, sure, I completely understand that you didn’t have much time to prepare for what Poliomy’s patient tried to do and I bet you’re thinking that it’s your colleague’s fault for not keeping you informed. Believe me, I totally understand your feeling of betrayal when it comes to him not letting you know that his patient was thinking about doing herself in, but do you think that excuse will hold my wrath at bay? Certainly not.
After all, didn’t your patient speak to Poliomy’s patient at least twice before that filthy varmint understood that it was her Equine slave who had spoken to her? Well, doesn’t that mean that you had a bit of a mulligan—or do over—as Human vermin sometimes say? I’m telling you, if that doesn’t make you a lucky little devil, then I don’t know what does. It’s just a travesty that you were too inept to take advantage of it.
And what about your patient and Poliomy’s patient’s combined lack of worldly experience? I mean really, two Female varmints venturing off into the great unknown together? What a great joke that should have been. What with the particular culture that is in the country that likes me more than the Enemy, they should have been sitting ducks for capture. If the suggestion that Poliomy’s patient might turn your patient into a spectacle didn’t work, a timely suggestion about getting caught and separated by thieves or some other varmint should have kept your patient quiet.
It’s such a shame that you couldn’t persuade your careful nervous patient that she didn’t have what it takes to return to the Enemy’s chosen country. If you’d nipped this problem in the bud right away, you wouldn’t have had to concern yourself with travelling alongside your nitwit colleagues, Nyct and Schizo. I mean, Poliomy is stupid enough, but did you really have to travel with those two other imbecilic colleagues too? I’m telling you, just about any other employee of mine who works in the country that likes me and hates the Enemy would have been better than them.
Oh my me, just thinking about your mistakes makes me want a nice hot drink of sulfur water with lots of brimstone chunks.
But, yet again, I digress. Just mentioning you worthless colleague, Nyct, makes my blood boil. I’m telling you, I don’t know if I’ve ever been more angry than I was the night that your patient met up with his much more self-assured patient. Just think about how your patient changed after she came under that varmint’s influence? Unfortunately, she started to see herself as something more than just a silent slave and, naturally, that was very bad for my side.
Now, I just have to stop right here and reassure you that I understand that this whole episode is not completely your fault. I know that the Enemy’s interference played a significant role in your sudden downfall, but again, what do I care? I’d much rather focus on your failings and thereby, with any luck, teach you to beat your patient down by suggesting that she remember all the times that she failed too.
Misery, after all, wants company, does it not? Of course, it does.
I’m telling you, you should have felt my country rumble when I heard your patient talk about how fatigued she was and Nyct’s patient heard her speak. In fact, I think I can still see the smoke rising after the fireball exploded from my mouth.
Are you really so worthless as to not avoid your patient speaking up again? Surely she could tell by the sound of Nyct’s patient’s hoofbeats that he was no ordinary ole plug. Surely she knew that he was a war Equine of very high monetary value. And since it was the dead of night, she wouldn’t have seen Schizo’s patient. How easy would it have been for you to suggest that Nyct’s patient was carrying one of those great Male varmints who lives in the land that likes me and hates the Enemy?
Wouldn’t that suggestion have stayed your patient’s tongue if it was properly administered? Of course, it would have. As I said before, the possibility of failure must always negate the chance of success. Don’t you remember learning that lesson in your Ratios class at Temptation University? The ratio of failures to successes always favors failure. I mean, it just boggles my mind how the Enemy can convince a varmint to try something again and again when failure is all but guaranteed.
But let me get back to that horrid little foursome that your patient was a part of. Aren’t they still close so-called friends? Of course, they are. Don’t you know that these Enemy-approved relationships make things much harder for my side? Why then did you let this happen?
On the other hand, don’t worry. All is not lost and I’m right here to guide you through this hole that you dug for yourself. You’re so special that I’m sure, with my awesome knowledge, I’ll have things back under control quickly.
At any rate, yes, the vermin in the Enemy’s camp tend to watch out for one another and encourage each other to obey His rules but, in your case, you could ask your colleagues to suggest that their patients railroad your timid patient and put down her ideas. It should be very easy for their patients’ to take advantage of yours because your varmint has been in the habit of not standing up for herself, even when she is justified to do so.
Go ahead, ask Poliomy for help. Ask him. I dare you. I bet he’ll jump at the chance, seeing as how your recent performance played a big part in his recent failures.
Of course, isn’t it unfortunate that your varmint’s confidence in herself grew as that wretched little foursome traveled? Didn’t she become braver and braver each day? Wasn’t it your patient’s idea to make herself and Nyct’s patient look like tired old plugs while they and the Human vermin traveled through that capitol city that is named for me? Wasn’t her bravery reaffirmed by the Human vermin, even when Nyct’s snobby patient put her idea down?
That’s the trouble with Enemy-approved so-called friends. Reaffirmation of a vermin’s worth is a powerful tool the Enemy uses against me.
And, of course, the most terrible thing that your patient’s newfound confidence led her to do was to be the first to submit to the Enemy after He visited them in the fur.
Oh my me, this whole episode wouldn’t have happened if you had any intelligence at all. Mark my words, you worthless buffon, you’ll pay dearly for your costly mistakes. I mean really, my beak still hurts from that gigantic fireball that came out of my mouth when your patient trotted up to the Enemy.
You see, the very reason that I wanted your patient sold into slavery is because she, like all worthless varmints that the Enemy creates, is a part of His plan. While she was enslaved, she couldn’t effectively work for Him because she was silenced. But now you’ve gone and really blown it because your patient has found her voice and, of course, she has found the Enemy.
But, again, don’t worry. I’m sure that I can help you get back on the right track. After all, I’m brilliant, aren’t I? Of course, I am. The best way to hold a subservient varmint back is to shut her up because she is, after all, a slave, isn’t she? Of course, she is. Well, do slaves get to dictate their thoughts and actions in a group? Of course not.
I mean really, if you have a lamp, isn’t it only natural to hide it away or turn it off? Of course, it is. I mean really, who wants to show off what they’re doing in the light?
Certainly, I, for one, work best in the dark.
Now, to go about shutting your patient down, you should start by reminding her about her years of slavery. Then, once that thought is well-established in her mind, you may move on to suggest that she is still a slave.
Of course, it’s a perfectly legitimate suggestion because, if you’ve managed the first part well enough, she will indeed be a slave to great things like Fear, Resentment, and other things that the Enemy doesn’t want her to be a slave too. Don’t you remember learning about those great things in your Controls class at Temptation University? Well, you’d better remember because that class is a prerequisite for every lower level class you took to graduate.
At any rate, if your patient is fearful and unsure about her standing in the Enemy’s camp, then she will naturally be apprehensive whenever the Enemy asks her to do something for Him and that is, of course, my goal.
I’m telling you, I really get excited when one of my inept employees is assigned to a varmint like your patient. It really shouldn’t take too many of my suggestions to turn your varmint in another direction—that is, one that leads her down to my dinner table.
It’s just unfortunate that you let things slide this far. I mean, even a frightened subservient varmint can become bold if they’re allowed to have contact with the Enemy.
I’m telling you, I’m positively livid that He was always back there, pursuing your patient and now that she has met Him in the fur, He’ll undoubtedly keep reminding her that His so-called grace is enough to pull her through any situation, no matter how many thorns I throw in her way.
I’m telling you, this little episode is a travesty of monumental proportions because your patient has encountered many so-called friends along her journey and the Enemy will use them to benefit His own camp. In fact, He encourages so-called friends to get together regularly and even promises that He Himself will attend their meetings. Remember what I said about Himself being a three-faced jerk? Well, this is one of the times when His three faces help Him help the vermin in His camp.
Of course, the most damning thing that will remind your patient that she is not a slave is the Enemy’s own covenant that He made with the vermin in His camp on the very first day of this terrible world.
That covenant has always been horrible for my side, but recently He made it even worse by reaffirming it. Unfortunately, nowadays, He can not only point to the words that He spoke on the first day to remind your patient of His covenant, He can also point to His recent actions.
As time moves on I’ll have to demand that my employees focus their attention on the younger generations because, obviously, the older vermin will have a better memory about what He has done for His camp, but that is for another era and you probably don’t need to worry about it because you’ll have come down for my dinner by that time.
At any rate, do you remember the emergency memo that I sent out just before you graduated from Temptation University and were assigned to your patient? Don’t you remember it?
Don’t you dare tell me that you decided to follow Nyct’s lead and threw out your meno. Don’t you dare tell me that. I don’t want to hear the truth from my imbecilic employees—especially one as worthless and inept as yourself.
Oh, my me, I can just feel a fireball rising in my throat. I better sign off before I blow this letter to bits in the fire and brimstone. Don’t forget to speak up or write to me if you need any more of my awesome advice. I’m always ready to help my employees and you’re so very special to me.
The Splendid, Merciless, Murderous, One and Only,
Tash
(all honor and glory to me)
Author’s Notes: Orp is named for Orphnaeus, another horse in Hades’ team. The best description of him is found, like those of his teammates, in “The Rape of Proserpine”. He is swift and savage, so I paired him with the gentle Hwin. Like in Bree’s chapter, I picked Orphnaeus to point up the covenant connection that I think Hwin has with Fledge.
As I wrote this chapter, I found it interesting to compare the relationships between Shasta/Cor and Bree and Aravis and Hwin. Bree, right from the beginning, sets up the parameters of his relationship with Shasta. But, as the book progresses, Cor is able to find his footing and, by the end, has discovered that he is a viable member of the group. On the other hand, Aravis and Hwin start out with a typical rider/horse relationship where the rider is in control and the horse is the subservient beast of burden. However, their relationship inherently must change when Hwin is revealed to be a Talking Horse, and I think things would have reached that end faster if Hwin had been less reluctant to stand up for herself.
Bible verses: Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Psalm 18:6, 34:4, 17-18; 23:1-6; 66:1-20; 51:1-17; James 1:19; Matt. 5:5, 39-42; Luke 6:29-30; Rom. 8:26-27; Psalm 46:10a; 1 Kings 19:11-13; Luke 19:37-40; Prov. 17:28; Rom. 8:1, 5:3-5; James 1:2-4; Acts 2:42-47; Jere. 29:11; Rom. 8:28; Eph. 2:10; Matt. 5:15-16; Luke 8:16-17; Rom. 8:15-17; Gal. 4:4-7; 2 Tim. 1:7-8; 2 Cor. 12:9-10; Matt. 18:20, 26:26-28; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:24-26