Chapter 29: Displeasure of the Mighty
It is yet another peaceful day in the Hall of Records.
It's been a few weeks since the disastrous news from Kuasta reaches our ears. Our Riders are currently still trying their best to manage the epidemic, though everyone is hopeful that it will be quelled in no time at all. The recent events made young Brom throw himself at his training with more intensity than before, and it's easy to sense Morzan's resentment despite the hero worship that he constantly receives.
I do not get much news today, mostly reports from more victories that the Riders got in Kuasta as they tried to heal more and more citizens by the day. There's nothing much outside of that though some of our Sentinels report some Urgal clans amassing somewhere near our mountainous outpost, Utgard. We still have no further news of Kifain, which terribly worries me. I am sure that he and Palasin are still alive out there.
I am about to head for dinner when a young messenger approaches us, a terrible look of fear on his face. "Master Lorekeeper, the Elders wish to talk to you."
"Right now?" I ask, confused. Senior Riders – especially the Elders – rarely hold meetings with anyone when mealtime is so close. We are all expected to adhere to schedules wih terrible accuracy, after all.
"Y-Yes, now." The child backs away, as if afraid that he would be subjected to my wrath. "Alone."
I exchange glances with Tryndemiel, afraid that something terrible is about to happen. His golden gaze is grim today. "Go on. I'll make sure to have some food waiting for you." His voice is as calm as a winter lake, but I can still feel his fear.
Brand sends me a mental image of the mountains on the southern coasts of Doru Araeba. I will be there as fast as I can, little one, he tells me. Even he sounds afraid though he may try his best to shield those thoughts away from me.
I nod and follow the child out of the Hall, up the stairs and through the rest of the tower. I enter the Room of the Elders myself, trying to calm my trembling. I see all of them staring at me, their gazes piercing me. I could feel some mental probes at the edges of my mind and I strengthen my defenses, wondering what this is all about. I gaze up at the high seat where my father is perched but he regards me as if I am not his daughter. I remind myself that we are Riders and our familiar bonds must not get in the way of our duty.
"You have been summoned here, Master Lorekeeper, because Wisdom Formora filed a complaint against you," Elder Vrael says. "She has sworn an oath in the Ancient Language to tell the truth before our Council, and she used the same language to say that you have ordered your Seeker to withhold some important information to her."
The day I have subconsciously feared has finally arrived, but I still find myself feeling confident, to my surprise. The ancient language is far from infallible.
"One may not lie in this tongue," I begin, confidence both true and feigned filling me. I know that I am speaking the truth, and nothing but the truth, in front of the most wise and fair Council of Elders in the history of our order. "One may not go against an oath they swore in this tongue either. But one can twist the truth, can they not?"
"And so you claim that Wisdom Formora is lying, then." Grim Elder Tana, a tall, slender human with severe features, leans forward to gaze at me with her dark eyes. I can see the evident displeasure on her face. "Are you saying that someone in your own organization is a liar?"
"Stay your tongue, Elder Tana." To my relief, Oromis is clearly irritated by Tana's words. I often disagree with my father but I know him to be fair when it comes to matters of our Order. He turns to me, his silver gaze piercing. "Now, Master Lorekeeper, we have not forgotten that you have something to say for yourself."
I tilt my chin up, trying to imitate the cool elven demeanour. "I do, as a matter of fact. I swear in this ancient tongue that I am telling the truth and shall not twist my words to conceal anything. I have done nothing but my duty to the Riders."
Elder Vrael holds out hs hands. "Then speak."
I try to comfort myself with the thought that I have done nothing wrong whatsoever. "The only time I have had a disagreement with Wisdom Formora was around sixteen years ago. I just returned from the Hatching Ceremony in Bullridge and found her arguing with my husband. She was asking for information – personal information that is not disclosed to the public, not even to my Wisdoms, without consent from the Master Lorekeeper and the Seeker."
Elder Tana narrows her eyes at me but says nothing. The other Elders nod along, urging me to speak.
The way they gaze at me lends me strength. "Of course, Seeker Tryndemiel refused to disclose any information as it is outside his scope. The Seeker is not allowed to give out any information that is not yet cleared for the public unless there is permission from the Master Lorekeeper. I am sure you know that."
The Elders murmur their agreement. Another one of them, the human Laetna, gives me a knowing look. "I was Master Lorekeeper once too. Tell me, Ash, did she reveal her reasons for this troubling request? It is not everyday that someone would ask for a very senior Rider's private information – and as brazenly as you made her sound to be."
"It is not everyday, indeed." I feel emboldened by the fact that the Elders seem less harsh now – exctept for Tana. "She refused to tell me anything outside of the fact that her House needed to know more than they should before they would deign to even meet me. I did not believe it one bit, as she was using the common tongue. I tried to probe but alas, she refused to tell me anything and simply threatened me."
"You speak grave allegations," Tana tells me sourly.
"Elder Tana! You forget yourself," Elder Vrael says, his voice still calm but laced with a steel edge. "We are holding a civil conversation with the Master Lorekeeper."
"A Master Lorekeeper who shall be stripped of her responsibilities soon enough," Tana sneers.
"Enough, Elder Tana," Laetna growls, slamming her palm on her desk. She turns to me again. "Is there anything else you wish to add?"
I slowly undo my mental defenses around the right set of memories, hoping that it will be enough. "I will let you sort through my memories so you may verify for yourselves."
Elder Vrael and Laetna quickly sift through my memories, easily locating those of my encounter with Formora. They glean everything they could with the utmost care before withdrawing – and before I know it, I am cleared of all charges. Of course, I have never done anything wrong to begin with but the proclamation still feels liberating.
Ash, I am here. Brand shows me a mental image of his perch not far from the Room of the Elders, waiting impatiently for my response. I now realize with a pang that I blocked him from my mind during the hearing. Are you done yet?
I am. I'm sorry. Come with me, I need to eat. I walk briskly through the halls, finally feeling the growling in my stomach that my earlier worries tried to push to the back of my head. I share my memories with him as I go along, and I see him focus on Elder Tana's clear dislike of me.
Tryndemiel is patiently waiting in the dining hall – the only civilian in the place that brimmed of nothing but apprentice Riders at this hour. He brightens up as I smile at him and quickly offers a plate of bread and cheese and berries for me. I ravenously eat while I use my mind to recount the proceedings to him. He seems more thoughtful about it, taking it all in with surprising calm in contrast to Brand's simmering rage.
"I do not know much about Elder Vana," he admits. "I am not sure if you have sifted through her public records already but I did, and there is very little disclosed in there."
Despite my enthusiasm for helping him with his old research, he is more of a scholar than I ever will be – and for that I am thankful.
"I wish to give her the benefit of the doubt but I must admit, I was suspicious of her," I tell him in between bites. "She seems so intent on deposing me."
"You were suspicious for a good reason, vallahin." His face darkens as he stares off into space. I am afraid that someone might overhear but I have reasons to believe that she may be resentful.
Resentful? That would be ridiculous, bellows Brand. She is an Elder. Why should she resent my Rider?
Tryndemiel rubs his forehead, trying to recall what he knew of Vana. She worked hard to get where she is, unlike most Elders who were apprenticed to or were officially endorsed by their predecessors. She had no connections, no prestige. She only had her achievements as one of our Arbiters. I must admit that it is so easy to see why she does not like you, who were apprenticed to an Elder who also happened to be your father, and whose mother was once expected to become the Master Sage and lead the scholars.
It was easier to understand her with her past in mind. I must admit, I still have no idea why I was offered this post. I have not done much to deserve any recognition.
It is difficult to see just how much you have achieved unless someone else shows them to you. He smiles cryptically and takes my hand, giving it the softest of squeezes.
"I hope you are happy now," Formora hisses in my ear the next day as she gathers her belongings in the Hall of Memories. "Did you ask your father to do something about me, you bitch?"
"Now, now," Tryndemiel says before I can open my mouth and spit out an angry retort. "There is no need to be impolite. She is still the Master Lorekeeper, Rider Formora."
Formora bares her teeth and growls at us before turning away and stalking off.
"I did not ask for her to be removed from her post," I say loudly, aware that she could still hear me. "I just told them what happened to clear my name."
"I think this would be better for both of you, though," Tryndemiel points out, his mouth twitching with distaste. "Maybe stripping her of her position as Wisdom was too much, but I must admit, working in the outpost in Lithgow may teach her something about her pride."
It's difficult to push away the fresh memory of the loathing on her face, but I try my best to do it for my own sake. I need peace of mind too.
I still dream of fire and death, separation and tears, a song and a kiss, but I recognize no one.
This time, I also see a walled city. Under it is a lone horseman charging into a group of spearmen armed only with a shining teal sword. He cries out as they lunge at him but he holds his ground, deftly holding them off despite his wounds. He kills them all and rides on. A section of the wall above the gate collapses, crushing him underneath. I try to scream but the dream chokes me, pulling me back into its velvety darkness and refusing to tell me more about these nighttime visions.
I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to be updating Bloodwar but I got a little carried away. This update made me so excited, I'm so sorry about that. Not sure how my schedule for tomorrow will go but if we're lucky I might be able to squeeze in an update for the other fic.
Anyway, it seems I'm finding my pace now that I've really, really pulled myself together so expect more frequent updates, maybe every other day or every three days.
