Challenge #04443-L059: Imitation of Power

Making a statement - what you choose to wear can say a Lot about how you think. -- Anon Guest

Clothing has had messages behind it since one person decided to do something a little different with their garments. Or, as it may be, their decorations. Who was the first to create style, and who was the first to begin fashion. All that is certain is that the young have been using it to annoy adults since before records became available.

It's entirely possible that the first message of clothing was, I'm in charge. Or at the very least, I have more than you. The mightier hunter wore a trophy from their most difficult kill, or the most dangerous animal. The spiritual advisor wore things that matched their eldritch responsibilities. And when Elves discovered control spells, there was a new way to say I'm in charge.

A band of gold around the head. A gem on a spire above the brow. A rather lot of runes on the inside and outside... and all the servants wearing bracelets or chokers linked to the world's first crowns. All the better to punish the disobedient. It didn't take long for the disobedient to figure it out.

The hordes of the disobedient made copies that only looked like their control jewellery. Some weren't that clever, but figured out they could block the signal with cold iron. That was the first armour.

To this day, envoys to Elven territories will wear bracelets and chokers as part of a message that their homeland is upset with their actions. To this day, rulers wear embellished golden bands on their heads as a sign of the power they hold.

The punishments may be less direct, but they are all still most efficacious.

So when a King returned from an assumed death with a golden collar and the favour of the Fae... The rest of Nobility had to come up with new rules.

Just like the first crowns of Alfarell, the first chain of office was something far different to what it came to mean. The first king to wear it was a king of conquest. So the small size simply had to mean he was a king not like the other kings in that he won the title in blood and not by birth.

Not that they dared be snooty about that. Antagonising a king of conquest was a health hazard.

They had other ways. Namely, making theirs bigger and prettier than his.

They were quite the hit, and everywhere Nobles gathered after a decade or three. Something that greatly amused the Oberon attending Sparknight. She asked the first Noble who passed her what the long chain adorning their front was. "Does it have a purpose? A use?"

The answer was a long, largely improvised waffle about the weight of responsibility and the chains of servitude towards their public.

"Interesting. It has no magic gift?" said the Oberon. "No help to your wisdom or health?"

"It's a chain of office," said the Noble. "It shows everyone how important I am."

"Hm," said the Oberon. "We gave one much smaller to the Thrice-Sworn King. That one helps him restrain his Hellkin instincts. He wears it as a promise that he will not devastate Nanogh in a violent rage. May we trust that your collars contain the same promise?"

Bluster. Fluster. Babbling. "Er. Uh. Um. I can make such a promise, but I will have to confer with with my peers regarding all of us." He made his leave and the urgent conversations began.

The Oberon smirked, watching Nobles scurry from group to group. And to think, this job wasn't meant to be entertaining.

[Photo by Sarah Penney on Unsplash]

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