Tea Time (ZL)

Tea Time
Criteria: Historical, town, soldier



Some people have a knack for finding strange things; strange things always seem to find Zane Legends. But the life of a British soldier wasn't filled with many oddities. Especially if you, like Zane, were station in the bright and beautiful new world.

It was mid December, in 1773. A year of colonization, a year of growth and renewal for a country so new and alive. Zane walked through the streets of that hub of a New England town that they locals called “Boston”, feeling the fresh vibe that emanated from its inhabitants. He felt the rush, the excitement, and the overall freeing feeling that most people found themselves feeling in those times. But one feeling was stronger than the rest, one yearning belittled all else on his mind: Hunger.

In true Zane fashion, he was beyond famished from a good days walk. He liked taking strolls to patrol around the new colonies. They were so new, so undeveloped, so devoid of stairs. It made his casual cruising all the easier.

But walking makes you burn calories, and it had been a whole hour since his last meal. So it was time to sit down in a quiet inn and get himself some tea and bread to sate his famished frame. But as he approached the local hot spot he noticed a huge commotion. People were running around and shouting at the guards, it was quite the hullabaloo.

“I can't believe they're doing this! Its so wrong!”
Zane turned to see a weeping brother in arms beside him. “What's so wrong?” He asked.
“Oh you haven't heard the news then?” he replied.
“What news?”
“The colonists are revolting, they are refusing to cooperate and have started rioting!”
“Oh my..” Zane gasped. “But, but are we not a soldiers? Shouldn't we be trying to stop them?”
The soldier looked up at Zane with a look of what could only be described as a mix of abhorrence and disgust. “What they do goes beyond my powers....what they do is....is....” The man made a cross with his fingers over his chest and looked around worriedly, “its blasphemy...” he said in a whisper.
“Blasphemy?” Zane whispered back. “What could the Bostonians possibly do that would be considered as such?”
Zane continued on and followed the crowds to the shipping docks. It was madness. Soldiers cowered in the corners. Mobs of farmers and merchants alike were screaming and laughing and showing complete disrespect for their superiors. What is this mayhem!?
As he finally was able to fight his way through the masses to the ships themselves he stopped dead. His feet just wouldn't carry him any further. He could not believe his eyes. The colonists were taking all of the crates of tea from the ships and throwing them overboard...Zane fell to his knees. How could they?! They are laying waste to the ambrosia of the Gods, the blood stream of every decent Englishman, the mothers milk of the Queen herself!! They are destroying the tea!
It was too much. But judging by the looks on the other soldiers faces, they were just as horrified as he was, and would be unable to do anything to stop them. Zane felt numb. His hunger was not subdued but pushed aside to be remembered at a later hour. His mind was blank. He hadn't even realized that he had walked back to the inn until he saw the same depressed man that he had spoken to before. The man had given way to hid emotions and lay in the middle of the street weeping openly. He glanced up at Zane between sobs and attempted to compose himself. “You saw then...I can tell by your face, you saw....what they did.”
Zane nodded.
The man continued to weep loudly. “They betray their queen, and the very creator who blessed us with such a wondrous beverage!”
Zane looked around to see that his small Bostonian universe had been flipped upside down. The people were celebrating their victory in every inch of spare space that could been seen. The clanking of toasting beer mugs could be heard from every corner and the cheers of the villagers were deafening. They are...happy about what they did?
Zane hadn't realized that he had spoken aloud until the man beside him responded. “They are” he said. “They rejoice in their crimes, nay, their sins against their queen and country. Their abominations against God.”
Zane Shook his head. “We can do nothing but look on and weep from a distance as they destroy our world. But they will answer to a higher law.” Zane straightened up. “You will see, my fellow arms-man, let them have their day, their celebration. But the time will come when they will rue their actions. They have sewn the seeds of betrayal and will have to deal with a greater judgment, and a swift retribution!”
“God?” The soldier asked.
“No, worse, “ Zane replied. “the BBC”