Tris Prior's Selection

Chapter Twenty-Eight - City of Ice

The train rocks gently from side to side as we speed towards the first stop on our journey; Erudite. The moonlight hits the bed I'm lying on and I watch the stars firm and constant in the sky.

I heard whispers from the staff earlier on; word of a rebellion is passing around. Before I was born, rebels once controlled much of the Kingdom. They protested the cruel Caste system, and the designated roles of the people while the uppermost class just watched on. The rebellion ended the year Caleb was born, and since then it has only been silence. Until the last few days.

Since Tobias' announcement of the trip, a bomb was set off on the outskirts of Erudite. And a symbol, a circle with cross, as opposed to any of the insignia the usual caste symbols hold, was marked upon buildings. I understand their protests, though I have already been briefed that I must condemn their acts of violence. The feeling of being trapped in a caste is crushing, and I'm unsure whether I will ever be able to readjust to the reality of Abnegation life once all the hope I have gathered through the Selection is gone. Its something Tobias will never be able to understand: the hardship of living in a caste. Four – that blue eyed, blonde boy from what feels like so long ago– he would understand.

"Lady Beatrice!" "Tris!" "Beatrice, here!" The cameras flash in rhythm with the cries of my name. Neither Tobias or Eric are here to guide me past the tower of reporters. It is a Candor profession and so, despite being in Erudite, all I see before me is a sea of black and white. Behind me is Becky, looking just as uneasy in front of the cameras as I do. In contrast, Patricia beams at all the attention she is getting. 

"Beatrice, what do you have to comment on the attack?" Someone asks, all the cameras focusing in on me. I am from the lowest caste, it is logical that I would feel sympathy towards the rebels. In a way, I do. "About the violence they are inflicting?" Something inside me shifts uncomfortably as I fail to feel internally disgusted at their violence. I understand where they are coming from, but I know I don't whole-heartedly agree with their methods.

"I condemn their actions of violence. It is never correct to cause pain in order to remedy your own." I offer a sad smile and move away from the cameras.

"But what about their views, Beatrice? Do you condemn their views?" 

I walk away.

As it is positioned on the West side of the Kingdom it rains more in Erudite than in Abnegation. We are staying in one of the apartment blocks owned by Jeanine Matthews, one of the richest developers in the area and a leader of the Faction. The rain hits the glass windows which I stand before, my eyes chasing droplets down until I can see them no longer. 

"Tris." Tobias whispers, running his hands along my shoulders. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure." I reply softly. My mind is still very much focused on my true thoughts about the rebels. If I ever became Queen I would forever have to condemn such acts. I would have to forget my roots and act like a royal forever. 

"Don't worry about Patricia, I'm here with you, okay?" Ah of course, the death threat against me is probably the more reasonable thing to worry about. 

"I'm not worried." I say truthfully. "Just exhausted, I'm not used to travelling like you are." I look over my shoulder to smile at him. "And tomorrow is going to be another busy day." 

"Don't remind me." The pillow huffs as his head hits it. "You'll be brilliant Tris, but the people of Erudite have always been the hardest to please in my opinion. They always want more, but put on a fake smile and say they are happy with what they have. At least Candor have always been honest when they want more from us." 

"Abnegation never gets anything like they have here. They should be grateful." Every window in this caste is filled with light. I remember when Caleb and I would huddle under blankets when electricity was scarce and therefore redirected to places such as this. "Do you ever imagine life without Castes, Tobias?" I ask. He sits, a thoughtful look on his face. 

"Why would I? The system works perfectly well." I don't bother to offer a reply. I'm finding that I have to pick my battles, and trying to convince Tobias of the horrors of the caste system is not one that I would win tonight. "I'm going to head to bed." He adds, kissing me gently on the cheek on his way out. Without the discreteness guaranteed with the castle, it is safer if we sleep apart and avoid speculation. 

"Sleep well."

A sharp knock. Followed by another. My bleary eyes bring the doorway into focus. With the light of the hallway, shining through the crack at the bottom, I can see a shadow out in the hallway. I leap from bed, grasping the closest object - a bedside table lamp - with which to defend myself. While Patricia hadn't concerned me earlier, the prospect of an assassin being outside of my door is a little worrying now. 

The door opens and shuts quickly, with three shadows entering the room. The lights flick on. 

"Four?? What the hell??" 

"Shh shh shh shh." He urges, crossing the room in a matter of two steps to silence me with a soft finger against my lips. "We need to talk to you." 

"And who is 'we' exactly?" I demand, looking past him towards the others.

"Matthew and Nita. From the resistance." On all three of them I recognise the features of rebel fighters. The battered fighting clothes. The white face paint on their arms, white beads in Nita's hair, and the symbol of the resistance etched into their skin. 

"So, you aren't here to kill me on the orders of Marcus?" Four looks close to giggles. 

"Since when to murderers knock, Tris?" I don't satisfy him with an answer. "Now sit.. we have a lot we need to talk about." 

Four is similar to Tobias in many ways from the shape of his jaw and nose, to his tendency to bite his lip when he thinks. However, it is the differences that stand out to me; the blonde of his hair and the bright blue of his eyes are different from the deep browns which identify Tobias. As I look at him, I wonder why I see King Marcus in him as much as I do Tobias and yet in a different way. 

"So, I am to believe that you someone rigged for my name to be picked for the Selection in the sheer hope that I would be sympathetic to your course once I was inside the palace?" All three watch me with a look that clearly says, 'yes, obviously."

"You're Abnegation, Tris, we made an assumption that you suffered hardships and would support what we are fighting for." Nita says softly. "If you became Queen, the changes you could implement would be amazing. We just wanted to allow for you and the Prince to gain natural chemistry first, and that's easily occurred." 

"I don't want to become Queen." I reply, maybe this being the first time I am truly admitting that to myself since Tobias and I started becoming close. 

"Well you are playing the game like you are. That's what this is, Tris, a game. Either you are a pawn in their hands for the rest of your life, or you are a pawn for us. I'm not going to sugar coat it, but I'd say listening to us will be better for you in the long run." She adds, with more force behind her words. 

"Look," Four takes one of my hands into his. I pull it away. "Look." He sighs. "I have a job lined up as a guard, I'm taking over from one of our own when you arrive in the next caste. I'll be your direct line of contact and tell you what we need to you do. And most importantly, I'll keep you safe, Tris." 

If I did this and Tobias found out, which he eventually would, I would fail to care for my family by securing my place as a royal. If I say no, I'm supporting a system I don't believe.

"I'll do it." 

the one yearly update is here wooooo

btw i planned for tobias and four to be the same person. but that was three years ago, or maybe even four. the plan has changed so ignore the continuity issues I have created!