Aspect does not require experience. An Aspect is a brother or sister who best embodies the values of his or her Order.”
“ And you presume to judge yourself the embodiment of your Order’s values?” Hendrahl demanded, reddening a little, although Vaelin sensed his anger was somewhat forced.
“ I presume to judge myself in all things,” Mistress Liesa Ilnien replied. “The Faith teaches us to be our own judge, for who knows one’s heart better than oneself?”
“ Mistress Liesa,” Aspect Elera said before Hendrahl could respond. “Have you journeyed far in this Realm?”
“ I have visited all four Fiefs and I spent a year on mission to the Northern Reaches, trying to bring the Faith to the horse tribes of the great plains.”
“ A noble endeavour. Did you have any success?”
“ Sadly the horse folk tend to shun outsiders and cling to their delusions. If I am blessed by ascension to Aspect it is my hope to send more missions north. The Faith is a blessing that must be shared beyond our borders.”
“ Such concern for the outside world,” Aspect Colvis said, “would seem to contradict the values of your Order. Ever has it been the bastion of contemplation and meditation, sheltered from the many storms of our land. Would such work not suffer if you were to concern yourselves more with the harshness of the physical world?”
“ In order to contemplate one must have something to contemplate. A life without experience provides no chance of contemplation. Those who have not lived cannot meditate on the mysteries of life.”
Vaelin was impressed by the woman’s logic but could sense the agitation of the assembled masters, a subdued rumble of conversation filling the benches. Next to him Caenis was scribbling busily.
Aspect Arlyn raised a hand and the murmuring of the crowd stopped immediately. “Mistress Ilnien, why do you think your Aspect was murdered?”
The Mistress bowed her head for a moment, her face tensed by a brief expression of sadness. “There are those who wish to harm our Faith,” she said, raising her head to meet Aspect Arlyn’s eye, her previously measured tone faltering slightly. “Who they are or why they would do this is something I cannot imagine.”
Next to her Brother Tendris Al Forne spoke for the first time. “If our sister cannot imagine who would strike against us, perhaps I can.”
“ You have not yet been questioned,” Aspect Colvis pointed out.
“ Show some respect for this occasion, young man,” Aspect Dendrahl said, wheezing a little. Vaelin noted there were spots of blood on his handkerchief.
“ I offer no disrespect,” Al Forne replied. “Only truth, a truth some of us seem afraid to speak.”
“ And what truth is this?” Aspect Elera asked.
Al Forne paused, take a deep breath as if gathering strength. Next to Vaelin Caenis’s charcoal stub was poised over his parchment in anticipation. “We have been complacent,” Al Forne said eventually. “We have allowed ourselves to become weak. The Sixth Order once fought only against the enemies of the Faith, now they police the frontiers of this Realm at the beck and call of the Crown and Denier sects gather in force without challenge.
“ The Fourth Order once offered healing only to those who were true adherents of the Faith but now they open their arms to all, even the unfaithful, and so they grow strong and confident in the knowledge that they may plot against us and we will still heal them.
“ My own Order once kept records of Denier sects and practices going back centuries but not more than three months ago they were destroyed to make more room for the Royal accounts we are now required to keep. I know what I say may anger or shock many of you but believe me brothers and sisters, we have tied the Faith too closely to the Realm and the Crown. And that is why we were attacked, because our enemies see our weakness if we do not.”
The silence was palpable, broken only by the choked rage of Aspect Dendrahl who managed to gasp, “You come before us spouting this… this heresy and still expect to be made Aspect?”
“ I come before you to speak the truth in the hope our Faith will return to its true path. As for your approval, I do not require it. I am the choice of my Order. My election was unopposed and no other will come before you. The articles of the Faith state you must be consulted before my ascension, that is all. Am I not correct, Aspect Colvis?”
The aged Aspect nodded his grey head stiffly, either too shocked or too outraged to speak.
“ Then we have consulted and I thank you all for your attention. I pray you will all heed my words. Now I must return to my Order, I have much to do.” He bowed and turned to walk briskly from the chamber.
The Conclave exploded with rage, the assembly rising to their feet, shouting their anger at Al Forne’s retreating back, the words “heretic” and “traitor” loudest amongst the cries. Al Forne didn’t turn, leaving the chamber without breaking stride or sparing a backward glance. The tumult continued unabated, calls for action to be taken rising above the clamour, some masters imploring Aspect Arlyn to seize Al Forne and take him to the Blackhold. Aspect Arlyn however sat in silence throughout it all. Next to Vaelin Caenis had used up his supply of parchment and was feverishly searching his pockets for more.
“ Has this ever happened before?” Vaelin asked him, finding he had to shout to be heard.
“ Never,” Caenis replied, finding scrap of parchment he began to write again, quickly covering it in script. “Not ever in the history of the Faith.”
Chapter 7
Autumn brought the Test of the Bow. Once again all the novice brothers passed. Predictably Caenis, Nortah and Dentos excelled themselves whilst Barkus and Vaelin proved only adequate, at least by the standards of the Order. They were rewarded with permission to attend the Summertide Fair, delayed for two months due to the riots.
Both Vaelin and Nortah opted to remain behind. There were rumours that the Crows continued to nurse their grievance and it seemed pointless to invite retribution at the scene of their humiliation. Besides, Nortah had no wish to revisit an event synonymous with his father’s execution. They spent the day hunting in the woods with Scratch, the slave-hound’s nose quickly leading them to a deer. Nortah put an arrow through the animal’s neck from fifty paces. Instead of carrying the carcass back to the kitchens they decided to butcher it on the spot and camp out for the night. It was a pleasant evening in the woods, the leaves of early autumn laying a greenish bronze blanket on the forest floor and shafts of sunlight streaming through the thinning branches.
“ There are worse places to be,” Vaelin observed, cutting a slice from the haunch of venison spitted over their camp fire.
“ Reminds me of home,” Nortah said, tossing a slice of meat to Scratch.
Vaelin hid his surprise. Since his father’s execution Nortah rarely spoke of his life before the Order. “Where is it? Your home.”
“ In the south, three hundred acres of land bordered by the Hebril river. My father’s house was set on the shores of Lake Rihl. It had been a castle when he was a boy but he’d made many changes. We had over sixty rooms and a stable for forty horses. We’d often go riding in the woods, when he wasn’t at Varinshold on the King’s business.”
“ Did he tell you what he did for the King?”
“ Many times, he wanted me to learn. He said one day I would serve Prince Malcius the same way he served King Janus. It was the duty of our family to be the King’s closest advisors.” He gave a short, bitter laugh.
“ Did he ever tell you about the war with the Meldeneans?”
Nortah gave him a sidelong glance. “When your father burned their city you mean? He only mentioned it once. He said the Meldeneans couldn’t hate us any more than they already did. Besides they’d had ample warning of what would happen if they didn’t leave our ships and our coast in peace. My father was a very pragmatic man, burning their city didn’t seem to concern him greatly.”
“ He didn’t tell you why he sent you here, did he?”
Nortah shook his head. The hour was growing late and the glow of the fire shone brightly in his eyes, his handsome face sombre in shadow. “He said I was his son and it was his wish that I join the Sixth Order. I
