Of pure gold

- Well, I returned to my city - Aletheia said as they were escorted through the palace corridors.

- As long as we are alive, nothing is lost - slightly smiling lips smashed into the blood, said Tanais.

Nomos waited for them, sitting on a throne, and a vicious smile wandered on his arrogant face.

- Well, we met - he said, not hiding his triumph. - I heard rumors that you were very ill. But I'm not going to punish you because you speak ill of. I appoint the court, and, if you can prove his innocence, I will keep you alive.

- This is a very humane of you, - sneered Tanais.

- Your life hangs in the balance, and in your place I would not pull, so it does not accidentally break!

- The court sentences you as incorrigible sinner to the drinking cup with a drink of knowledge of good and evil, and death by beheading head. The verdict is final and not appealable. You have the right to say the last word.

Tanais rose slowly from the dock and a contemptuous glance scanned the room.

- You that, in fact, decide if you judge me? And I'm so afraid of your judgment and need a justification? What will weep and repent? Do not wait. From you I do not want any excuses or pardon. You kichites own righteousness and obedience to the law, and I tell you that your righteousness - it's your deceit and your obedience to the law - it is your cowardice. You accuse me that I had broken if some laws there. And you consider yourself entitled to kill me for this. And you ask me if I love your laws when taking them? And if not asked, and without me taking without me and follow. I do not know your laws, and I do not know. I have my own laws. They did not break, and I will not break. Because I took them in good faith, and as soon as they are no longer like me, I immediately cancel them. Here's how to deal with the law: to write them in the air and on the water. And you want to carve them in stone, to your stupidity, a time-honored, revered became even more stupid than you, descendants of the divine wisdom. But this is not enough you. You want to try and execute anyone who your laws do not like. You, perhaps, have given me life, to dispose of it? Decide for me what I should and what should not? Whom I love and hate? How do I live and when to die? I recognize only the judgment of God, and you - do not recognize and do not fear. You want to feel better and superior to others, and so they called their vices virtues, and all those who have defects different from your own, recorded in sinners. But one sinner righteous than the other, and each other is no crime better. Righteous - is doubly a sinner, because, being a sinner, wants to judge, but the stay jurisdiction. "I am holy, I am righteous, because everything that I do, holy, righteous, and anyone who does otherwise, violates the divine and human laws," - that's what you have in mind when you stigmatize someone else's "vices" and glorify their "virtue". You and laws for only invented to punish anyone who suffers in his own way, not your way. Your virtue is like a stall, in which well-fed pigs grunt. "Y, y-and! - They squeal. - We live in accordance with virtue! Who lives differently - dirty pig "stage requires hearty food and safety, so that it can smoothly fattening and multiply, and that the herd has declared:" Well just what is good for the herd "And pigs run to where sausage lives!. Sausage is very good. He feeds the pigs to the blade and protects them from the evil wolf. Pigs are very happy. "He cares for us day and night! We are becoming fatter and bring great offspring! "But once the sausage takes on a very fat pig knacker's yard, and the rest of the pigs begin to suspect that this is the price paid for a relaxed and satisfying life. We must flee to save his own skin! However, pigs have forgotten how to not only run, but walk. Even if he could, where to go? There, behind the fence of the paddock, picks always hungry wolf. He is very fond of pigs. "So, we need to accept, - says the oldest, and therefore is considered the wisest pig. - That's how the world is not for us to change it. All that is born must die: that is the law of life. So it is better to die under the knife butcher than cleft palate. This is the meaning of our life of the pig: to become ever sausage. So we will continue to live in this cozy enclosure, where a hearty, warm and safe, and sausage, and if cut, yet not all indiscriminately, and gives pre enjoy a pleasant and nourishing life. Because we must love and obey the butcher, because it is thanks to him our life so wisely and justly arranged, "- so he says the oldest and wisest pig, which not for long wait for a walk in the knacker's yard, and the rest of the pigs struck her wisdom and courage, and He chose his mentor, and began to send her to the training of young piglets. And she taught them: "You must love and adore sausage, otherwise it will drive us out of the pen, and we will have to take care of their food and protection. Pigs are so many enemies, and all of them are mighty, terrible, fanged, we never have to deal with them. And the food outside the paddock little at all would not be enough, and many will die from hunger. No, it is better to calm, well-fed life in the pen. We've no fangs, no claws, no long strong legs, no mobility, no tricks, no courage, we are unable to defend themselves, and perish to a man, because those who have fangs and claws, are very fond of us ". And understand its wisdom, pigs remain in the pen, where sleep, eat and breed in the joy and the glory of the sausage.

Her words were drowned in the deafening roar of the audience.

- What a familiar picture? - Fun baring white teeth, shouted Tanais. - Squealing louder! Besites stronger! Maybe it will go for the people! Do you think that I am very afraid of you? Is the wolf scared the pig squeal? With the wolf not cope whole herd of pigs, but the wolf is easy to cut the whole herd! Live in their pens for the pig its laws, but do not try to drive in the same enclosure and a wolf! In the wolf - its laws, and the pigs are not clear and frightening! But is all that is incomprehensible and scary pigs, has no right to live and breathe? The wolf will die of hunger rather than to hire a dog sausage! And the virtues of the wolf as little resemblance to the virtues of pigs, the wolf himself - a pig! And the louder and more angry pig will be called virtues vices wolf, the stronger and more tender, he will love his virtues! And for the defects are virtues pigs wolf! For he shall be regarded as a virtue only that distinguishes it from the pig, and only then be considered a vice, making it look like a pig! That is why the virtues of the wolf will always hated pigs more than butcher knife! But as pigs yet more in this world than the wolves, then the laws of the pig herd would be considered the same mandatory for all, and in these laws written pigs for pigs, virtue wolf will forever be called vices, and the highest virtue - the dirtiest vices, virtues for the wolf will forever reproach virtues swinish! Never reconciled wolf and a pig, and never reconciled their virtues! Run to his pigs, and tell them the worst thing that could happen with the pig, - if it is suddenly imagines himself a wolf! Then it is better to run a butcher! For it is better to become a pig sausage than a wolf!

- Court deprives you of speech! - Shouted Nomos.

- And you make me shut up!

At a sign from Nomos several guards piled on top of Tanais on all sides and shackled, at the ends of which hung heavy iron balls that led to the execution site.

When the bomber was taken out of the palace gates, the crowd gathered for a quick murmur raced and all heads turned in unison toward the prisoner, who was waiting on the platform already crossed the mighty hand on the crossbar of the sword, the executioner.

The guards remained at the bottom, and Tanais slowly ascended the scaffold.

Sitting on the dais under a canopy Aletheia tried to get up, but standing behind the chair guards held her by the shoulders.

Executioner Tanais led to the scaffold, and put pressure on the shoulder, trying to put on her knees, but she pushed him away and, looking with hatred at Nomos, shouted:

- I recognize you for the right to take away my head only if your power fasten it back!

Nomos grinned expectantly looked at Aletheia and raised his hand.

The executioner took the cup from the hands of an assistant with some brown liquid and held it to his lips Tanais.

Very straightened, head sarmatka dealt a crushing blow to the chin of the executioner. Dropping the cup from his hand, so that the drink spilled all over the dais, he flew up to half a meter, and are described in the air, a smooth arc, collapsed on the heads of spectators.

Sigh, he escaped from a thousand breasts, was so strong that in calm day rustled the leaves on the trees.

Guardians, a ring surrounding the platform, began to attack from all sides scaffold, but ran up the stairs, Tanais kicks thrown on it rises and soldiers jumped down. Advertisement Advertisement iron balls around him, so that no one could get close to it without the risk of being maimed or killed, she caught up with the chief jailer and knocking him to the ground, put her hand in his pocket. Pulling out a bunch of keys, she quickly unlocked the shackles and disarmed two mercenaries, working his way through the crowd taken from their swords, rushed ahead to Nomos.

From the palace gates she hurries to intercept a park guard, recover from the unexpected bodyguards chased behind her, and it seemed that it was doomed, when suddenly there was a shout in the crowd a man:

- People! Well, what do you see ?! Vile murderer seized power over you, and you watch calmly as he punishes innocent people! Beware! He will come and your turn!

 In different parts of the area at first dozens, then hundreds of voices took up the cry:

- Bay mercenaries! Death to the tyrant!

Nomos Aletheia grabbed by the arm and dragged him to a stretcher. Force Pushing her inside, he climbed up after him, and guarded by mercenaries stretcher began to move.

Tanais chasing their heels and at the last moment, when the slats palace gates were about to crush her, slipped inside the fence.

Outside the gates waiting for her mercenaries.

- Let me go - Tanais said. - I do not want bloodshed, but I'll get to your master, even if I have to walk through knee-deep in blood.

The mercenaries rushed into battle, and she had to kill half of them before the others laid down their arms.

- I asked you not to make any sudden movements, because in the first place is not the most favorable impact on the duration of your life, - said grimly Tanais and, without looking back, walked toward the palace.

The surviving mercenaries stared after her until she disappeared behind the doors.