The Argument for Garlic Soup

Prologue
The story so far

In the beginning was the word, and the word was . . .
    Stop. We can skip ahead a bit.
    And God divided war from peace. And he saw that it was good. Between wars there was peace. When there was no peace, war raged across the face of the land and everywhere there was . . .
    We get the idea. Skip some more.
    After centuries of conflict one small corner of the continent managed to become overlooked, thankfully excluded from the belligerence.
    Not really a corner, is it? Right there in the middle—somewhere. Or maybe not.
    This enclave, this sanctuary, this little piece of heaven on earth avoided, evaded, excluded the conflicts that erupted around it. Forgotten by others by not neglected by its own, it thrived in its singular manner.
    Manoir de mes rêves.
    The people built their own way of life, found a balance that served them from day to day, learned to cope with occasional privation, and to cherish that which they had in abundance.
    Thank you, father.
    There's more.
    I'm sure there is, but I'd like to take over.
    Your want me to prorogue the prologue? I was just getting into my stride.
    I want to cut to the chase. At least before nightfall.
    In that case, posthac in latino loquar. Ubi exemplar meo Kennedii relinqui?