Káli, as was customary, took a deep bow, and leapt from the dais so that Monra might speak. The head Watcher held her arms outstretched to silence the Sisterhood.

"Sisters of the Agratyrda!" Her gaze swept the congregation. "I have had a vision!" Sister Ûran piped up from the crowd.

"Oh, go boil your head, Monra, we don't want to hear of your ludicrous dreams." Káli chuckled quietly to herself. Ûran, being a cynical, relatively young Thilian of a good humour, was the only one who could get away with speaking to Monra so impertinently.

Monra wrinkled her nose at the offending speaker. "Young ripsnort. I will have you know," She inclined her head to appear mysterious and mysterious. "That this is a vision from the Agran Goddess herself!"

The courtyard burst into chatter as each individual member began to gossip about what this could mean. "Silence!" Screeched Monra, waving her hands wildly. "Before I continue, I must ask the junior members of our order to remain outside!" This caused an even larger commotion, which in turn, demanded further screeching. After all had calmed, she spoke up again. "Lisabeiru, Marla, Farú and Káli! Oh, and Ûran, you young reprobate! All of you, go to your quarters!" Káli frowned. It was unheard of that members of the order would be asked to leave. On occasion, some would leave of their own accord, but she could think of no reason that the newest members would be asked to take their leave.

It seemed unlikely that the material being discussed was obscene in nature, and besides, she was sixteen years old, yet wise for her years.

Her caretaker, Jila, seemed like she would have championed for Káli in this situation.

Unable to restrain her curiosity, she waited until the other girls had left, and ran up the sandstone steps to the walltops. She ducked down a stone rampart, and peeked out from it.

There, she saw, to her disappointment, that the majority of the meeting had passed. Whatever news Monra had, it had been brief.

However, to her puzzlement, the old Watcher was having a heated discussion with Jila, of all people. Jila was largely a very agreeable sort, more of a friend to Káli than a motherly figure.

The younger Thilian was gesturing animatedly as she spoke, and Káli tuned her aural receptors in to their conversation. "-don't want to do it."

Monra nestled deeper into her vestments and calmly stated, "It was your destiny, youngling. This has been known since the beginning of time." Her tone carried with it an edge of steel.

Jila bit her lip, directing her gaze to the flagstones. "But... you know her! M-monra, could we not..." She trailed off, choking back tears.

Monra grew incensed at this. "Are you suggesting that we defy the Goddess? That we throw away the fruit of our lifetimes?" She snorted. "Selfish child. You must learn that bringing peace to the universe is more important than her life."

Jila fell to the ground, sobbing. Monra bent down laboriously, and whispered something in her ear that Káli could not divine.

Then, the old Watcher shambled away, her ragged white robe trailing behind her. Káli sank back behind the parapet, and mulled this over. A cauldron of noxious thoughts was stewing inside her.

Firstly, she was alarmed, for it seemed that someone within their order was to be killed, and all in the name of the universe's supposed salvation. Káli, being what many would call an idealist, did not believe that anything was more important than life. Secondly, she was certain it was one of the junior members. Why, besides their age, would they have to leave the meeting for? She peered back over the rampart.

The courtyard was empty, save for Jila, who was sitting by the edge of the oasis. Káli acted on her first instinct, which was to go and comfort her caretaker, however, she reconsidered the decision halfway down the stairs.

It would certainly give away the fact that she'd been listening if she were to be honest with Jila, and, while she'd likely be forgiven, she had the strangely forceful feeling that she should play dumb.

Quickly noting the decision, she continued on her way.

When she reached Jila, the Thilian was drying her tears, humming dejectedly to herself. Káli crept up to her, acting mildly surprised to see that she had been crying. "Are you alright, Jila?"

Jila looked up, and was genuinely surprised to see Káli there. She motioned to the banksand beside her, as if to tell Káli to sit down. When her charge had situated herself, she cleared her throat. "What are you doing here, Káli?"

The Cyrathilian pretended to look admonished. "I was just... curious. You know. But, more importantly, what exactly happened in that meeting to make you cry?"

Now it was Jila's turn to look chastened. In fact, she looked quite guilt-ridden. Turning away, she murmured, "You can't know."

Káli frowned sympathetically. "Why can I not?"

"It's just not for you to know, Káli."

The Cyrathilian took her caretaker's hands. "Remember what you told me? What you said long ago, when I first started working to excavate the library?"

Jila nodded, wiping a tear from her cheek. "Oh, Káli, we've had this conversation before..."

Káli finished her sentence for her. "'It's never bad to know something.' If that is the case, then why are you withholding knowledge from me?"

Jila burst out crying anew. "Oh, Káli. I was wrong, alright? There's just do much at stake here. I dearly wish I could tell you, and yet..." She trailed off, and stood up. "It's just so much better for the both of us if you don't know this, alright?"

Káli nodded, and stood up. As they padded across the soft sands, Jila stopped abruptly. "Káli?" She turned to her charge with a strange forcefulness. "Never speak of this again."

As they went back to their chambers, Káli could not help but feel the slightest bit betrayed.