Chapter 11
"Vincent, you must go to Catherine and tell her that she is welcome here Below any time she wishes to be here," Father insisted.
Looking at his father as if the man had lost his mind, Vincent said quite clearly, "I will not!"
"You must! You were the one to tell her that she could not come Below, and you shall be the one to tell her that she is welcome!"
"I shall not!" his son replied.
"Vincent!" Father admonished.
"Father, it is over! Leave it be!"
"Your relationship with Catherine has nothing to do with this, Vincent! You banished Catherine from our world! Even Paracelsus wasn't treated so without a vote of the Council!"
At those words, Vincent paled and his defiant gaze dropped. The whispering among the community started again, but quieted when Father spoke, "If you do not do this Vincent, you know there will be dire consequences!"
"Do what you will, Father! I will not go to Catherine!"
Shaking his head in sad disbelief, Father made his announcement, "The only punishment suitable for a transgression of this magnitude is The Silence. I will call for a vote. All those in favor of enforcing this punishment, please signify so in the traditional manor."
Father watched as some quickly turned away from Vincent, those were mostly the children, who despite their love for Vincent, didn't realize the ramifications of this severe punishment. Others turned slowly as if reluctant to do so. These were the adults that had known Vincent for quite some time, if not all of his life. They understood what they were doing and almost how much it was going to hurt him. Still others waited until the last moment, hoping maybe for some kind of reprieve, but then, with tears in their eyes they also turned away from their beloved Vincent. In that group were Mary, William, Rebecca, Pascal, Jamie, and Mouse, these were the ones that understood the most what this sentence was going to mean to their friend.
Having to make clear his own vote, Father also turned his back on his son before turning again to face the group, "So be it. For one month, no man, woman, or child will speak to you Vincent. The sentence…"
"Wait! What about work details?" Pascal asked.
"Anything that must be communicated can be done through notes," Father answered.
"What about our reading class?" Samantha spoke up.
A look of consternation came over Father's face as he realized what the silence would mean to the classes Vincent taught. With a heavy sigh and a heavier heart, he said, "Vincent's classes will have to be reassigned for the time being."
The look of sorrow that came over Vincent's face as this final blow was delivered was painful for all to see. He quietly announced, "I will be going to the lower levels."
"Vincent!" Father called out after his son as he started to leave the dining hall. The thirty days of silence are only counted when you are here among us. If you go away for any number of days, those will not be considered a part of the thirty. It is not a punishment if you are not here to be affected by it."
Vincent took one more look at the grim and sad faces of the people he had considered family for all of his life and with a curt nod, he left them.
As he walked out of the room, Father said loudly, "The sentence will begin, now."
The occupants of the room burst forth into wild conversation.
Father couldn't take it, this had all been too much for him, and he needed to be alone. He quietly left the room and headed for his study. Only Mary noticed him go and quietly followed him.
Jacob slumped into a chair, not even realizing that he'd been followed until Mary leaned over his shoulder and placed a hot cup of tea into his hand. She told him, "You looked like you could use this."
Looking up at her he said sadly, "Thank you Mary."
"You did what you had to do."
"Yes, I know, but it doesn't make it hurt any less," he answered her.
"I know, but at the end of the month he'll go to her and things will get back to normal."
"We can only hope that is so."
"Unless you are planning on going to see Catherine before the month is up?"
"No, this has to come from Vincent. He's the one that sent her away."
"Will you tell Peter what has happened?"
"I'm not sure, Mary. I'll have to think on that."
"All right, Father. If you need me I'll be in my chamber," she told him and left him alone after he nodded.
To be continued….
