Far Cry 5

The weather was amazing in the Henbane but it was easy to tell that things were changing. The usual overwhelming heat of the Henbane had been replaced with cool breezes and the crunching of leaves beneath the feet of John and Jacob as they paced around. The Father leaned against the cream colored pickup truck they arrived in. Faith stood by Lilac’s side staring off into space. Lilac stared straight ahead. Waiting and waiting. The sooner peace is made, the sooner everyone can relax and get a good night's sleep. Everyone has been tense lately with the rising power of the Resistance. Lilac can tell that it's starting to bother the Heralds and even the Father, himself. It’s why she organized this meeting. This war isn't good on anyone. It's doing no good to the people resisting or to Eden’s Gate. The violence needs to end.

At the sound of vehicles nearing, everyone stood at attention. The Resistance was approaching. 2 pickup trucks and 1 muscle car. The muscle car had to be the deputy's. The air grew thick with tension as they stopped their vehicles right before the bridge. Lilac recognized some people who were exiting the cars but it was difficult to tell from that far away. Whitehorse was there. A man wearing aviators and red. Lilac didn't know him but he must be important to the Deputy otherwise he wouldn't be here. She noticed that someone had caught Faith’s eye. A woman who had gotten out of the car with Whitehorse. She wore a hood and had beautiful dark skin.

“See someone you like?” Lilac joked to lighten the mood. All she got in return was a harsh glare from the girl in the white dress. She looked back at the Resistance and her eyes finally landed on the Junior Deputy. The cause of all this violence and mayhem. She was a tall woman. She carried herself with confidence but she looked tired. Even from across the bridge, Lilac could see that. Standing next to the Junior Deputy was none other than Joey Hudson. She heard rumors from other Eden’s Gate members that there was a romance between the two deputies but those were just rumors. Who has time for romance in the midst of this chaos?

“How is this going to go down, young Lilac?” The Father asked. This meeting is fragile and it could go wrong in the blink of an eye. Both sides are very aware of that which is why they brought backup. Lilac hopes no violence will come today. So she brought up the idea of just her starting out the ceasefire. After all, it was her idea.

“I’m going to go up there first and talk with the Junior Deputy. And if she wants to talk terms with you guys, I’ll tell you to come. This whole thing could fall apart if the wrong thing is said or people get too hot headed” Lilac looked to Jacob and John. They didn’t look to pleased with her attempted humor but they do nod.

Lilac turned towards the Resistance members. The Deputy stood staring right back at her. Hudson grabbed her arm and said something to her. The Deputy’s face remained unchanging. She was a tabula rasa of no emotions. A blank slate. She nodded her head and Hudson let go of her arm. The Deputy nodded her head towards Lilac and began walking forward. Lilac followed suit and went to go meet her in the middle. Every step forward felt like she had a ball and chain around her ankle. She had to do this. For her people. For Eden’s Gate.

“So. You want peace? Did those 4 agree with you as well?” said the Deputy before they even stood face to face.

“Yes. If anything, a ceasefire for all of winter. If we don’t make peace right here, right now, many will die.” Lilac responded. The tension between the two was heavy. So much was at stake. Maybe even their own lives.

“It seems now that more peggies are dying than my people. Is Joseph scared that he’ll lose his precious flock?” Sneered the Deputy, “So now he’s here, begging for a ceasefire?”

“He’s not here, standing right in front of you. I am. We all need this ceasefire to happen. We won’t survive the winter if we keep fighting like this. No matter the numbers, no matter the strength. We’re all losing people. And fast. Stopping this ‘war’ and putting down all of our guns is the only way we’re going to survive the Collapse” Lilac spoke.

“You know, none of us believe in that crap? Whatever Joseph thinks may or may not happen doesn't give him the right to kidnap, enslave, and kill innocent people” The Deputy retorted.

Lilac took a deep breath and kept trying, “None of us are innoce-”

“Oh don't give me that bullshit! People should not be ripped out of their homes and stuck in a chair, drowned in a river, or drugged up with some flower! It’s not right! What you're doing is not right!” She shouted, “How do you expect us to make peace if the people who you support are doing all of those things?”

“The ceasefire will have terms that both sides will have to agree to. The Father and the others agree with me. We need this peace to happen. Our people must live. As well as yours. All of this violence is pointless. We need to find a common ground and survive the winter and the Collapse. It’s coming very soon” Calmy spoke Lilac. But on the inside, she was shaking.

“The violence is pointless. But we didn't start this fight. Joseph Seed did. The second the first person was forcefully taken. He started this.” Spat the Deputy. She was obviously upset with the Father. Lilac would not lose hope. She will convince the Deputy that peace is what both sides want.

“I don’t agree with everything the Father says. You must know that. I just want this war to end. I want the violence to stop. And if you think for a second, you'll see that peace is necessary for us to survive. I used to be a Deputy. Like you. But I found my home with Eden’s Gate. And I know you found a home with your people. You and I can stop all the bloodshed. Right here, right now. Think about all the good it will do. It’s going to be hard at first for our communities to live together but eventually everything will even out. I know it will.” Lilac paused for a minute to let the taller woman think over it and continued, “Deputy. I'm not here to beg you and your people to stop fighting. It just became clear to me the danger that we’re all putting ourselves in by continuing this war so close to winter. If we can call a ceasefire just until winter’s over, I can settle for that too. It would be best to just stop the war right now. But a ceasefire would be just as good. I really think the best decision would be to let this happen. We all need the peace. To rest up, heal, grow, and have lives again. Ending this war would bring about a new time in Hope County. A danger free Hope County.”

The silence after Lilac’s final words was long and heavy. The Deputy was obviously thinking hard about what the hazel eyed girl was saying. And she thought long and hard. Lilac kept a calm composure but she was nervous. Very nervous.

After several minutes of dead silence, the Deputy sighed and spoke, much calmer this time, “I’m going to grab some people. You bring those 4 here.” She pointed behind Lilac. Obviously at the Father and the Heralds, “And we’ll talk terms of this ceasefire. I can’t promise complete peace but I can get you a ceasefire for the winter, most likely.”

Lilac visibly sighed with relief and agreed. Both women turned around and walked back to their respective groups. Lilac was thrilled. Peace even for a small time was still peace. Everyone will benefit from this. She couldn't be happier. Things were going so well. As she approached the leaders of Eden's Gate, she prepared to break the news.

Faith spoke first, “How’d it go?”

“Peace for the winter is most likely going to happen. We all just have to go make terms of the agreement and it’ll be settled. Remember, we need this to happen. So no threatening to brainwash anyone, Jacob. No drugs, Faith. John, just try and speak the least amount possible. And Father, let's pray for the best!” John scoffed and pretended to be offended from Lilac’s comment.

“Yes, we should all pray before we go make peace” Joseph spoke. The 5 of them held hands as the Father led them through a prayer. When they broke apart, Lilac turned and saw the Deputy was already waiting for her.

“Let’s go make peace and hopefully not end up in peaces!” She laughed at her own joke. No one else laughed with her. Lilac just shrugged her shoulders and kept walking.

“Just to make one thing clear, this is a peace meeting. So I have gotten all of my friends to leave their weapons back at the cars. Much to their dismay. I hope you did the same with those 4.” The Deputy spoke.

“Yes. We are all unarmed and ready to talk terms. We’ve also decided that it would be most fair for the first term to be made by you and your people as we are asking you for a ceasefire” Responded Lilac.

The Deputy seemed pleased with the response and said, “I know who you have with you. Joseph Seed and his siblings. Let me introduce you to who I have brought to talk peace. To my right, you will see Nick Rye and Tracey Lader. Two people who have been wronged by your people. And to my left you will see Sheriff Whitehorse, my boss and Joey Hudson. These people have been wronged specifically by two of yours. Faith and John. But all of them are willing to talk peace for their own reasons. So, the terms? Everything wrong the cult is doing to our people needs to stop. Tenfold. Cleansing, Brainwashing, Angel making. It all needs to stop. Our people don't want that. At all. That's our first term. Do you have one?”

“Stop blowing up my shrines” Faith.

“And my silos” John.

“Leave my wolf beacons alone.” Jacob.

“I think they just mean leave cult property alone for the time being” Lilac spoke for the group before glaring at the Heralds.

“Fine. That can be arranged. Our next term, everyone who is not already a member of your little cult will be left alone. Permanently. If they want to join, that is their choice. You will stop forcing people to join. Even if you say it's your duty to lead people through the end of the world. People still have free will. You will not take that away from them” Spoke the Junior Deputy. The Father didn't look to pleased with this next term. He and the Deputy got into a stare off. Trying to intimidate the other with just their eyes. Joseph eventually turned to Lilac and nodded.

“Okay. When you took back the packing facility, you also took a main food source for Eden’s Gate. Our next term is that your Resistance and Eden’s Gate members will share the food over the upcoming winter to ensure survival and show good spirit.” Lilac spoke with some attitude. It was clear to see that everyone was getting tense. The sooner this was over, the better. She’s trying to hurry things along.

“Fine. I’m sure we can manage that. Our last term is that when winter is over, we meet back here and discuss whether or not we will be returning to war with you and your posse. Until then, no cult stuff, leave our people alone, and try not to bother us. Do we have a deal?” The Deputy spoke and held out her hand for a handshake. A handshake which Lilac happily gave her. It was done. Peace had been made between to extreme enemies. The Heralds behind her all turned around and began walking back to the trucks. There was much work to be done now that there was a ceasefire. Orders had to be given and guns had to be turned in. Like the Heralds, the Deputy’s friends also turned around and walked away. Muttering under their breath. This was a ceasefire held together with hot glue, toothpicks, and a whole lot of hope. But it would have to work.

“Thank you for this, Deputy. We all need this peace. Hopefully it can last longer than just the winter.” Spoke Lilac, softly.

“This ceasefire is dangerous business. People are tense and this will be difficult to adjust to. You got what you wanted. This is peace. For now” And with that, the Deputy turned and walked back to her car where Joey Hudson was waiting for her. When the Deputy got close, Joey pulled her into a hug. It warmed Lilac’s heart. Despite them being enemies, love is a language that everyone can speak. And whether or not it was romantic, there was love between Hudson and her Deputy.