Saber

by Hyena Cub

A human boy from Fourth Earth finds some remnants of the past.

38. Council

38

Council

The council date was set in three weeks, in the summer. Saber wore boots, something he rarely wore in the summertime. He wore light breeches, and a tan vest, along with his head and arm bands. After all, he was going in front of the village council for something very serious, he had not been out of the house and yard since the battle. This would be the first time going into town. He tried to look like he was not scared, but he was. He had faced the most terrifying beings on Fourth Earth; it was ironic that he feared his own people almost as much. It would be even more ironic if he was put to death by them after having survived this far.

Even though they were not scheduled to appear before them until noon, Saber had been up at dawn, also something he rarely did in the summer. Fegreth came into his room midmorning. "You all right?" he asked the boy quietly. He knew his son did not want anyone to know how worried he was.

Saber looked up and nodded, but then changed his mind and shook his head. The boy looked down as he sat on the edge of his bed, looking miserable.

Fegreth sat down next to him and put a comforting arm around his shoulders. "Have courage, child," he said kindly. "And I know you have plenty of it." He and Saber had talked a lot while the boy was recovering, and afterwards as well while he simply enjoyed being with him family again, and began the recovery in his mind. "Whatever happens, we'll be with you the entire time."

Saber smiled at his father and returned the embrace. "Thank you," he whispered.

"You know I was angry at you for a long time for leaving, but I was more angry at myself. I thought you had left because of me."

Saber looked at his father, surprised. Fegreth rarely admitted when he was wrong, or thought that he was.

Fegreth chuckled. "Yes, Saber, I thought it was my fault. And when the demons...these Lunattacks...said that you were dead, I thought that was my fault too. I became so enraged that I attacked one of them."

Now this Saber had not heard yet, and only stared for a moment. "You...you attacked one of the 'demons'?" he gasped. None of his village would have dared do it. And the thought of Saber's death had made his father brave...or mad...enough to do it? "What happened?"

Fegreth's face was grim. "The short round one-"

"Earthquake's his name," Saber interrupted.

Fegreth nodded. "Yes. He used his strange weapon to slam me into the wall a few times. I was a while recovering from that."

Saber winced. "I'm sorry."

Fegreth smiled and gave his son's shoulders a squeeze. "Don't be. I would do it again if I thought they had hurt you."

Just then, Dannika came into the room holding the hand of a very frightened looking Drii. They both were also dressed more than usual for the time of year. "Well we had better get going if we're to be there on time," Dannika said. She looked as tense as Saber felt.

Saber and his father both nodded, and got up form the bed. "We're ready.

Maybe you're ready, Saber said silently as they left their house to travel to the town square. But I am not.

The trek to the middle of town, normally a fairly short walk, seemed very long to the family as they made their way to the council's meeting place. But even then, they arrived all too soon for the reluctant family. "Well," Fegreth said. "We're here. Let's get this over with."

Dannika nodded, and they entered.

When they got inside, the elders and members of the council were already there, and seated in their respective places. There were seven of them, two women, five men, two of them elders. Saber's family stood until the eldest, the head of the council, nodded to them, and they sat down. The chamber was set up so that everyone was at floor level; at one end there was the semi circle of a table, with a covered front, and attached chairs behind it. The council sat here, their head in the center. In the middle of the room, facing the council, were two benches, each seating four people. Saber's family sat on the front one when told to.
They remained silent.

The head of the council, an old Erthrin called Taeden, finally stood. Saber did not know about his family, but he himself felt like creeping under the bench at the elder's stern, less than approving gaze. But he showed no fear, and only returned the gaze. he did not want to seem hostile, but neither did he want to seem meek. Now, Taeden spoke. "Saber, of the Western Boarder." It was ironic, how his part of the village was called that, when the actual borders were off limits. "You have been brought before this council for your actions of the past year, leading up to the attack on this village, by the demons of the rocklands."

Not knowing if he should speak or not, Saber said nothing, only flashed his father a nervous glance. Fegreth smiled encouragingly at him, although he himself felt less than confident. Saber looked back to the elder.

Taeden continued. "Why did you go beyond the forbidden territories?"

Saber gulped, and started, "W-well, I--"

"Stand up, boy."

Rising to his feet, Saber began again, trying not to stammer again, but did not get any farther than a few words before his father also stood. "If I may speak?" he said, but was surprised to be stopped by his son's hand on his arm.

"Father...I-I must speak for myself on this."

Smiling at the boy and squeezing his shoulder, Fegreth nodded. "Good man.," He sat and let his son speak.

Finally finding his voice, Saber finally spoke. "I left because...well sir, I guess curiosity."

The elder nodded as if Fegreth's interruption had not occurred. "And this was the first time you did it?"

"Uh, well...no...I did it once before, but came back."

"Why? And what made you leave again?"

Feeling very uncomfortable, Saber looked down and shrugged. Who was he to tell the head of the village council that he did not want to be what his parents said he was to be? Who was he to tell Taeden that the rules of his people were wrong? It was easy to express this to his little brother as he had that one day, before he left. but this was not a five-year-old child he spoke to. It was the person that would likely decide if he lived or died.

Finally, he sighed. "Sir...my parents wanted me to be a scholar." He braced himself, gathered his courage, and continued. "I-I don't believe in the village's rule. I think children should be allowed to choose what they want to do." He winced at a sound of anger from one of the other council members, but did not cringe.

Taeden, who was an old man with a short, reddish-white beard, narrowed his eyes. "Is that so." It was more a statement than a question. "And you believe that a child know what he wants, do you?"

This statement made Saber feel somewhat angry, seeing it as a derisive comment. But of course, he did not say so to the elder. "No, sir. Not when they are little. But I also do not believe that someone else knows any better what they want or would be good at." For the first time, the child looked up to face the council head. "They all said I was too little and weak to be anything but a scholar. Everyone made fun of me. I left, and I'm now as strong as any other boy my age. I don't run away from what I am afraid of. I fight. I don't back down, or expect others to fight for me. Grown ups are not always right." This was bordering on insolence, and he knew it. He had honestly told the elder his beliefs...and he would not take it back if he could. If he would be sentenced today, found guilty or not, it would happen because of what he truly believed in.

Remembering he had also asked why he went back home the first time he said, "The first time, I was unnerved by a noise I heard...which ended up being a harmless race of people..."

Taeden looked at the boy for a long time, making Saber feel even more uncomfortable. After what seemed like hours, he spoke once again, on a completely different subject. "And what did you do when you left the final time?"

Saber was thrown off by this change of subject, but recovered enough to tell the elder where he went, and what he saw on his journey. When encouraged to continue, he told the council of the Berbils, of the Unicorn Guardians, and the things they had called Berbils. He recalled the story they had told, and his search for the animal fortress afterwards. Before he was done, he spoke of the Lunattacks, his ordeal at their hands, and how he had managed to make it to the great sea he had always heard about in the legends.

At this, one of the council members, the younger woman, stood up. "Elder, I think that we have heard enough nonsense from this child. I do not know what you think, but I for one have heard enough of his lies."

Lies! They were not lies! Saber turned to face her. "They are no lies! Everything I told you happened, and I can prove it! I could take you there if you wanted me to."

"Enough, whelp!" the woman growled., "How dare you speak to a council member like that, insolent brat?"

"That is quite enough!" Taeden said, speaking, to Saber's shock, to both him and the woman. "This is a civilized council, not a schoolyard. Saber, you will remember your manners when talking to you elders, and Hennish, you will refrain from speaking until it is your turn." Abashed, the woman mumbled something that Saber could not hear, and sat down. Saber himself mumbled an apology.

The elder turned to a young man, the youngest of the council, and said, "Pyren, does the child lie?" Pyren, a young mystic, with abilities of the mind, shook his head. He was one of the rare ones, who could know what others were thinking, could tell when they were lying, or when they had broken the law. He was feared by many, respected by others. "He tells the truth," he said, his low voice calm.

The elder thanked him then turned back to Saber. "Go on."

Saber shrugged. There really was not a lot more to tell, other than the villages he went through, and the people he met, and the hardship he had gone through that had strengthened him, both body and mind. He told of how he talked to people about the Lunattacks and their lord, how he told them what he believed about freedom. The last thing that happened before nearing home was the ice palace, and the swamp. More reluctantly, he talked of how the Lunattacks had found him in the woods, then gone on into the village. He did make sure to tell them that they already knew where it was; Saber had not told them.

Taeden looked hard at the boy, his expression not as hostile as Saber had expected. "And you did this because you did not want to be what your parents said you were to be?"

"Well, partly." Taeden raised a brow. "I also...I wanted to explore. I wanted to see what was beyond the Valley. I wanted to see new places, and creatures, new things." It was as close as Saber could get to explaining the fierce desire to explore, the need of adventure, instead of the limited life he led in the village. The world was huge, much bigger than the village, which now seemed very tiny to the young human. He could not even come close to telling the council how he felt when he saw the great Cat Lair, or the vast sea, or how he felt when he discovered that on the same planet, there were many other life forms other than the Erthrins and the Bruters.

"And for this, you endangered the whole village?"

Again, Saber felt indignation at the question. "Of course not, I had no idea what would happen. How was I to know that those Lunattacks were watching me, and wanted to keep us all in the valley so we wouldn't get any ideas?" Saber crossed his arms.

"Watch your tone, child. So you left, not knowing what would happen. This is why our people do not leave the valley., This is why we stay, and do as we are supposed to. One small child left his home, and look at the consequences."

Saber bit his lip. The elder was right, but still, it was a horrible thought to the child. he had a vision of his people thousands of years from now, still in the same tiny valley, still going to school and learning only a fraction of what there was to learn of the planet. saw them still selling their goods and performing their trades. He saw warrior cadets training to fight, when there was nothing to fight. What was the point? It reminded him of the Berbils, and he had to repress a shudder.

"Yes," he said quietly. "To keep on jumping every time the 'demons' tell us to. To be ordered around by their lord. To live trapped. To stay in one tiny part of the world when there's more than we could ever explore in one lifetime! There are people out there that could be our allies! The Nai, and the reptiles. The Unicorn guardians, and the other Erthrins...there are others! I talked with them! And they even came here to help fight. They saved this village."

"Saved it from your folly."

"I would do it again." It was not defiance or disrespect, only a quiet statement of truth.

"Very well. Sit down." As Saber sat, looking again at his father in apprehension, Taeden told Dannika and Fegreth to stand. "Have you anything to say in your son's defense?"

This time, Saber did cringe. It sounded so much like he were on trial, and as he thought about it, he supposed he was. Feeling the stares of the council on him, he looked down at his booted feet.

"Yes, sir," Fegreth's strong, confident voice. "I will not condone his breaking the laws of the village. But I also can not say that he did wrong. He did what he felt was right in his heart, and as a fellow warrior, I understand it."

Saber's jaw dropped, and he gaped at the words his father had just said,. His father, who had smacked him for wanting to be an explorer, or a warrior. His father, that had punished him for venturing from the Valley, was now speaking of him as if they were equals? Feeling a rush of love and gratitude for his father, Saber managed to smile.

"Furthermore," Dannika added. "Saber did his part against the mortals." She said this on purpose, emphasizing the word. "He fought as bravely as any of the warriors here, and was nearly killed for it. And he did it to defend his people and his family."

"Yes," Fegreth said. "He proved that these demons we have been hiding from are not immortal, and can be fought. And killed." He sighed. "Elder...he has found a way that we can free ourselves. He has found a way for us to be our own people, and venture from the womb we live in."

Saber looked on his father in admiration. Never could he have come up with those kinds of words, but they expressed exactly what he felt. And they called Saber a poet! Even the most courageous fighters could have a way with words.

Taeden said nothing again for a long time, then said in a quiet voice, "Then you stand by your son?"

Both nodded. "We do," Dannika said.

"Yeah..." Drii ventured, still clutching his mother's hand. "I-I...I do too..."

One last time, Taeden looked on Saber. "Saber. Do you know the consequences that are normally passed on those that venture from the Valley?"

Saber bit his lip. Yes. He knew. "Exile?"

"Yes. And an action that causes people to die, or causes people to get hurt, let alone the whole village?"

This time, Saber could not keep from swallowing hard, or stuttering in his answer. "E-execution."

Taeden nodded. "Very well. Sit, we will return with our decision." Without so much as another word, Taeden left the room, and the other council members followed. They would meet in the back room to decide what was to be done.

Saber was shaking. Now that it was over, and he was no longer on the hot seat, it came crashing down. Letting out a shaky sigh, he put his head in his hands. Dannika put an arm around her child. "Whatever happens, we'll stand by you the whole way."

Saber looked up and smiled at his mother. He appreciated the thought., but depending on the sentence... He sighed. "I'm afraid." If they were to bring down a sentence of death on him? Would he go willingly, to be killed by his own poeple after fighting so harshly against his enemies to stay alive? No, he could not do that. Everything in him cried out in protest of the very thought.

"That's all right, to be afraid. No warrior is never afraid." Fegreth looked at his son. "I have thought on what you have said. And I have to admit that I was wrong." He chuckled a little. "Yes, even a father can be wrong. I can see how mistaken we were concerning the trade we assigned you. You never were good at book studies. You never liked them. Looks like we judged our own son by size and appearance."

Saber nodded slowly; his parents always instilled in him the importance of not judging others. "Thanks," he whispered.

"You have the heart of a wolf, son. Keep your courage up. It will turn out all right."

***

In the back room, the council was arguing among themselves. "I say that we put him to death." This was the woman that had spoken out in the council meeting, Hennish. "A lot of good fighters died because of him. The village was destroyed!"

"It was not destroyed," another argued. "He's just a boy that got wanderlust. You're going to tell me you never wondered what was beyond the boarders of this Valley?" He himself had, and had, unbeknownst to his parents, ventured to the edge of the village. But not beyond.

"Of course," Hennish snapped. "But I never acted on it and endangered the whole village."

"That's because you lack the courage," another man sneered.

The woman growled, but under the stern gaze of the council head, said no more.

"Besides," said another. "He is only a child."

"He was responsible for a lot of people getting hurt," the mystic said slowly. He was one of the fairest of the council, always with a cool head. "But I was there. And the boy's parents are right. He fought to keep his brother from being hurt, and took the same risk as all those other warriors. He was also badly hurt."

"And you say he spoke the truth of his journey," said the one that had sneered at Hennish. "If this is so, he has suffered a good deal already."

The eldest, the other elder of the group and the second ranking of the council, put a hand to his chin. "Just maybe the child is right," he said. "We must ask ourselves...to remain in this rigid, never changing life, are we truly living? Or only existing? Mayhap it is time that we begin a little change and see what else is in this world that we live in."

There was a mild outcry of disbelief from some of the less liberal members at this, the ones for whom such a change was unthinkable.

This debate went for over three hours, a long session for the usually brief, unanimous decisions of the council. But finally the decision was made, four to three. And the council head made his decision of punishment.

In the chamber, Saber had been pacing back and forth as the council's deliberation dragged on. Drii had been falling asleep, Dannika stroking his hair, more to calm herself than to calm the child Fegreth simply sat, seemingly solid as the council filtered back in. Dannika woke the sleeping child and they both stood. Saber stopped pacing, and bit his lip, and hid his clenched fists behind his back. He just barely concealed his fear, and waited for the sentence.

"This council has come to the decision that you are guilty of the harm you have caused the village," Taeden began. Saber swallowed hard, and clenched his fists tighter, not feeling it when the fingernails dug into his palms. Dannika gasped quietly.

"Although the sentence would normally be death, in this case...well this situation is a little different." In the dim room, the elder paced slowly back and forth. "Your youth was a consideration of course, in which case the father or mother would take responsibility."

"And we are ready to--" Fegreth began, but Taeden cut him off.

"But we believe that although still a child, Saber is old enough to accept his own consequences."

"I-I am ready also," Saber whispered, trying to banish horrible thoughts of what they were going to do to him.

Taeden nodded. "Very well. Then this council has decreed that you will be exiled from the Valley for a period of one year, the same amount of time that you were gone." Dannika gasped at this. "You will go with no supplies but a dagger, a week's supply of food, and clothing. You will travel at least a month from the village, and will not come any closer than that until the year has passed. You must leave three weeks from today. If you fail in any of these, the sentence of death will be carried out."

After a moment of silence from those in the chamber, Taeden chuckled; Saber thought, to his surprise, that it sounded sad. "And just maybe during that time, we will take your words to heart. If you survive in that time, one year from the day you leave, you will be allowed back to live here as before."

"Elder..." Fegreth said. "Must he go alone?"

"No. If you so choose, you may accompany him, but will be allowed no more supplies than he has been allowed. If you all choose to leave, your home and belongings will be looked after by our council, or one of your choice until your return."

"May we have a moment to speak with each other?" At the elder's nod of assent, they turned around to speak.

Saber did not trust himself to say anything but this: "I-I...I don't want you to have to leave because of me."

"I want to go with you..." This was Drii, and he looked up at his brother. "I wanted to before...remember?" Saber only nodded. "Well...I'll go...if you want me to."

Saber could not help but smile at the boy, and embrace him. "Thanks," he whispered.

"Then I believe it is settled." Fegreth put a hand on Saber's shoulder. "We said that we would stand by you, and that is what we will do." Turning around, he addressed the council head. "Elder, we have decided. We will all go."

"Then it is done. The sentence thus passed, this council is adjourned."

Feeling as though he had been run down by a cart, Saber looked down to the ground. Because of him, his family would be forced to leave their home for a year...it was so long. He knew just how long a year could be.

The young adventurer bit his lip as he began to leave the chamber, having to blink back tears. When he felt his father's strong arm around him, he could not hold it back anymore, and burst into tears.

His family comforted him through the day, until his fell into an exhausted sleep.

The next day, they began making their preparations. Their closest friend, a friend of the family's for years, agreed to look after their home for that time. They packed clothing, and blankets, which were all things approved by the council. Saber was allowed, after asking the council head, to bring his parchments and writing sticks, and Drii was allowed his stuffed toy and a few other toys to amuse himself with. Fegreth took his sword, which as a warrior, the council allowed, and Saber carried the dagger that Leyati had given him. He had returned his father's dagger.

Word had gotten around as to what would happen with the family, and Saber found as he went about town, helping his parents prepare, that he got mixed reactions from the people. Many simply gave him hostile stares, some told him that he should have been executed. Yet others looked at him with pity, and he did not know which was worse. He was surprised though, there were those that told him that they respected his bravery.

He had met Iyen in one of the clothing shops andhe did not know what to say. Drett had been cremated on a funeral pyre on the outskirts of the village, in the rocklands between Saber's town and the lowlanders. "Hi..." he said, looking down at the floor.

Iyen had spent weeks mourning his father, and he knew that he always would. At first, he had felt a good deal of hostility towards Saber, blaming him for his father's death. Even now, he felt the resentment, and a small part of him was glad Saber had been banished, even for a year. But still, he had seen Saber fight. The kid did not know how, but still he fought...and even he had to admit that he showed bravery the older boy did not think he possessed. Finally he answered. "Hi. You are leaving in a week?"

Saber nodded. "Yeah. I guess you won't have to look at my face for a year. Maybe by then you will not want to smash it anymore."

Iyen sighed. "Saber..." He shrugged. Childish rivalries seemed pretty little and foolish now, and he just felt tired. Saber would have understood completely. "No, I don't want to smash you, I did, but my father died a brave death, which is what all warriors want when they die. I thought for a long time when you were gone, that I hoped you got killed a day out." The older boy shrugged. "I don;t anymore."

"You don't?" Saber asked incredulously. He hadn't mean to sound like an awed child, but he had not expected anything but hostility from Iyen. All he saw was weariness and sorrow and something that he was not sure about. But it might have been respect.

"Yeah. Maybe I don't seem like it, but I do respect courage, even from a poet." After looking on the younger boy for a moment, Iyen left the shop.

Iyen's unwitting near-echo of Drett's last words with Saber had made a chill run down his spine, and he bit his lip against the tears that threatened. His head down, he also left the shop.

Finally it came. The three weeks went all too fast for Saber, but when it was up, the head of the council came to his home, and told him that it was time. Everything having been packed, Saber and his family left the house. After the council head inspected their limited supplies, he nodded and allowed them to leave. "Good luck. Remember: one year."

A gathering of people were there to see the family off., Many had forgiven Saber for those who had died or been hurt, and others still thought he should have been put to death. But still they came to watch them leave.

Saber looked back only once as he set of towards the Western boarder, then looked forward into the woods. His intense feeling of doom slowly gave way to the excitement he had felt the first time, of exploring new lands and new worlds. He felt the rush of pleasure from standing in the warm summer sun, an exciting journey ahead of him. He did want his family to see what he had seen, to show him the wonders he'd experienced. And maybe, just maybe, the council head was right, and they would think about the things that he had said. Maybe one courageous child had been the inspiration his people needed to go beyond their tiny valley, and really start to live.

His spirits higher than they had been in a month, and looking up to the cloudless blue sky, Saber took the lead.

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