A/N -- I wrote this a long time ago after I wrote a letter to Katherine Kurtz asking her if Denis Arilan had gone running to the Camberian Council when Kelson and Dhugal made their appearance at the end of "The Quest for Saint Camber" and that if he had, I would love to read that story. She said that that was exactly what happened and if I wanted to read it, I should write it myself. So, with her blessings, I wrote this little ficlet. I hope that you like it.
Let there be no factions: rather, be united in mind and judgment.
I Corinthians 1:10
Bishop Denis Arilan walked quickly into the Council Chambers, slumped in his seat, and let his head fall into his hands. How could they all have been so wrong? Tiercel de Claron had known all along. Two Haldanes could hold the power at one time, and Denis knew, without a doubt, that Conall would not give up that power. Even worse, Tiercel might have had a hand in giving the power to the Haldane prince.
Denis cleared his mind, willing all disturbing thoughts to fade as he focused on the crystal in the center of the chamber. Once again he called the Camberian Council to an emergency meeting that would upset them and turn their world upside down. This seemed to be the year for such meetings. As he finished his call, Denis leaned back, gathering his reserves as he reflected on what had sent him to the nearest Transfer Portal.
He had been enjoying the sunshine of the Easter morning when he heard a commotion coming from the Cathedral. He saw the crowd moving toward the castle, many of them dressed like borderers. He had been alarmed and then slightly surprised to see Morgan and Duncan talking with two young border men -- until he recognized one of the men as Dhugal MacArdry and then, with a start, the other as Kelson. Dhugal was listening intently to something his father was saying, while Kelson, with Morgan a step behind, was trying to quiet the crowd that was forming. Denis' first thought had been one of shock and relief that the King was still alive. Denis' second thought was of the Council, and that they must be told of the news.
Denis opened his eyes as the chamber doors swung open. Laren walked in, leading Barrett, whom he helped to his seat before taking his own. Laren looked at Denis with barely concealed anger. Both men were well dressed this Easter morning. Ladies Vivienne and Kyri were close behind. The doors had just closed when they swung open a final time to admit the last member. Once Sofiana was seated, they all turned to look at Denis.
"We may have a problem," Denis began, realizing as he said this that it was a gross understatement.
He hesitated, knowing what the reaction of the Council would be when they learned of what he had just seen. And he knew that he had to get back to Rhemuth; he had to find out what would happen when Kelson confronted Conall, and how the young king would handle himself.
"Kelson and Dhugal are still alive and are, at this moment, probably confronting Conall and the rest of the court." Short and to the point seemed the best way to say it.
"What?" Kyri's voice was just barely softer than a shout.
"You can't be serious?" Barrett gasped.
"But, you told us that they were dead!" Laren's amazement was clearly written on his face.
"My God! Two Haldanes have the power!" Vivienne whispered in horror at what was happening.
The questions seemed to be coming from everyone at once, just as Denis expected. Only Sofiana was silent as she watched her colleagues and gauged their reactions to the news. Denis turned to her, looking hopeful when he saw the sympathetic look on her face. She seemed to be the only calm person in the room. Since actual speech was impossible, he spoke directly to her mind.
Sofiana, we must make them see reason. Denis looked around at the others meaningfully. This bickering will not help the King, or Nigel, not to mention Conall.
Sofiana just nodded, not bothering to answer. She turned towards Barrett and called mentally for him to bring the others to order. Once a semblance of peacefulness returned, Denis began to speak again, this time telling what he knew of what had happened and what he had seen.
"I don't know how they happened to be alive, so don't ask. Immediately after I saw them, my first action was to summon the Council. Once things have settled, I will let you know what happened, but until then we have two Haldanes with the Haldane power. It seems that Tiercel was right when he said that more than one Haldane could hold the power at any time." He stopped to take a breath, but before he could continue, Kyri spoke.
"And wouldn't Tiercel just love what's happening now. It's almost as though he's reached beyond the grave to give us this problem. But no matter, we will have to deal with Conall in our own way…"
"No, we will not," interrupted Sofiana softly. "This is something that Kelson will have to deal with himself. He has proven that he can handle himself, and this is another time that he will have to prove it. If he requests help of us, we will give it, but not until then."
"But, why not?" asked Laren
"Kelson has proved three times that he can handle threats to his crown from an outside force. Now he has another lesson to learn: how to defend his crown from a member of his own family, if defense is truly necessary," Sofiana replied. She looked around at the other members of the Council. "What we do have to discuss is the fact that more than one Haldane can hold the power, as Tiercel repeatedly told us, and to find out if Tiercel had a hand in what has happened."
"Do you think it's possible that Tiercel had been instructing Conall before the actual power ritual?" asked Barrett.
Kyri answered the unspoken question that seemed to hang in the air. "If Tiercel did have something to do with it, that means that he may have been killed by Conall to prevent him from telling anyone what he had done. You know that Tiercel eventually would have brought Conall here to prove that he was right about the Haldane power. But Conall could not afford for anyone to know how he really got his Haldane power."
"I would not be surprised if that was true," Sofiana replied.
"Denis," asked Barrett, "before you came here, did you find out anything about where Kelson and Dhugal have been?"
"Not exactly," Denis replied, "but I did learn one thing that you may find interesting. Kelson and Dhugal were being escorted by about a half dozen young men, some of whom were Deryni. I heard someone say Dhugal and Kelson had ended up at a place called 'Saint Kyriell's' and their escorts were members of a group called the 'Servants of Saint Camber.'"
Loud discussion began again, until Barrett raised his hand for silence. "Are you sure about this, Denis?"
"As sure as I can be. Once I get back, I'll have to make further inquiries about these 'Servants of Saint Camber.' I may have to reveal to them that I'm Deryni to give them a reason to trust me."
"Of course you will," Kyri said cynically. "After all, it was your Church that named their saint a heretic."
"That is enough, Kyri," spoke up Vivienne, who had remained strangely silent throughout the discussions. "Denis, could they be remnants of the original 'Servants of Saint Camber' that were established shortly after Camber's death?"
"It's possible, but again, I'll have to ask them a few questions before I can tell you anything for sure." He paused and looked at his fellow counselors. "But we diverge from what is really important. Two Haldanes can hold the power and I doubt that Conall will be willing to give it up. After all, he was more than willing to take it on -- more willing than his father was."
Vivienne answered him. "As Sofiana said earlier, Kelson will have to deal with that on his own."
"And if it comes down to the Duel Arcane -- and Kelson loses, what then? Knowing what we do, could we continue to tolerate Conall on the throne? Nigel is in a coma and will probably die and the next heir is a boy of fourteen who is not trained to be king." Denis looked around and saw the uncomfortable looks on everyone's face. "Also, if Kelson is defeated, Alaric, Duncan, and Dhugal will do their best -- and probably succeed -- to kill Conall. Think about who comes next. What will happen to Morgan and Duncan, and all Deryni, after that, even if they are justified in what they do? A cry may go up that they killed the heir to put a boy on the throne that they could control, and we'll have the persecutions all over again. I don't think any of us are willing to deal with that."
Vivienne spoke up after a long, heavy silence. "Denis, it's a risk that will have to be taken." She turned to look him straight in the eyes. "If Conall should win, would you be willing to reveal yourself in order to bring Kelson's murderer to justice and prevent the consequences?"
Denis' single nod surprised more than one person present.
"Very well," said Sofiana. "There is nothing more we can do until after we find out everything that really happened to Kelson and Dhugal and whether Tiercel was, in anyway, tied to this. Barrett, I suggest that we meet again tomorrow and Denis can report then."
Barrett nodded his agreement. "If no one is opposed..?" He looked around the room. No one was, so, one by one, they got up and gradually went out the doors to the Transfer Portal and to their homes. Only Sofiana stopped by Denis' side and briefly laid her hand on his shoulder in support and comfort; then, she too, was gone.
Denis sat alone in the darkening room, his thoughts far away on Rhemuth and the young king who was, probably, once again facing death, but this time from a member of his own family. His thoughts also brushed over Rothana, Conall's newly-made wife. With a start he realized that she and Kelson had been falling in love, and Denis himself had married her to Conall! Once again, fate had robbed Kelson of a bride, and this time Denis was partly responsible.
In despair, Denis laid his head on the table and wept -- for himself, for Kelson and Rothana, for Conall, and for the mess the Council had made of all their lives. The thought of going back and possibly finding his newly alive king truly dead was nearly too much to endure. But then, faintly, he felt a hand brush the back of his head in comfort and reassurance.
Denis jerked his head up, wondering whether one of the Council had slipped back into the room. He was sure they had left, and his startled glance around the chamber confirmed that belief, but again, he felt the feather touch and the reassurance that came through that touch gave him hope. Then the Presence was gone.
Strengthened, Denis pushed his chair away from the table, stood, and wearily approached the doors. With his hands on the great gold and ivory doorknobs he turned to look at the table once again -- the place where so much discussion of the Haldanes had taken place over the years. Then, without further ado, Bishop Denis Arilan left through the double doors, confident that he could face whatever awaited him back in Rhemuth.