by Kyle West
I was about to close my eyes again when someone called from above.
“Shanti? You awake?”
It was Isaru.
“Yeah,” I called back. “I’m awake.”
After a moment, he spoke again. “Well, hurry up and get ready. The hearing with the Elders is about to start.”
Already? The sun was barely up.
“Give me a minute!”
I got up, feeling a bit grumpy. I hadn’t gotten much sleep last night, for obvious reasons, though I had no one but myself to blame for that.
Once up, I washed my face and straightened my hair and clothes as best I could. I did everything I could do to get ready. I looked far from my best, but there was nothing I could do about that. Maybe the fresh air on the way to the hearing would do some good, but it was a distant hope.
I took a drink from a nearby pitcher and rubbed the last of the sleep from my eyes before starting my way up the ladder. The hearing was at the third bell, and again, I couldn’t help but notice that it hardly seemed like dawn had arrived. Perhaps the surrounding branches kept much sunlight from filtering through, which made it seem earlier than it actually was.
I opened the trap door and climbed onto the branch. When I stood up, I saw that Isaru wore a dark collared shirt, and his silvery hair was neatly combed. His eyes were gray and bright; apparently, he had gotten plenty of sleep. Isaru took in my appearance curiously.
“Rough night?”
I was starting to wonder how much he knew, when I followed his eyes to the hole I’d made in my pod. My cheeks flushed from embarrassment. “I guess you could say that.”
He looked at the scrapes on my wrists and forearms. “I want to ask, but I feel like I shouldn’t.”
“That would be smart.”
“We should get moving,” he said. “We’re already late.”
I followed Isaru along the bough, and as we moved, I took in Haven by daylight. Golden sunlight filtered through the leaves, which shimmered pink in falling sunbeams. The branches, as they were last night, were of silver bark, though in daylight a tannish hue was also evident. I could see much further through the Tree’s interlocking canopy of branches and leaves; above and below, pods hung from the branches while verandas and platforms were filled with merchants’ stalls. People strolled along the walkways, and on some of the platforms, proper buildings stood, but for the most part, the verandas were open to the elements, relying on the Tree’s thick canopy as their rooftop.
“It’s nearly the third bell,” Isaru said. “Newcomers are often confused about the time of day when they first come to Haven. The branches make it appear earlier than it actually is.”
“I noticed.” I paused. “So...what’s going to happen at this Council session?”
“A rap on the wrist, if I’m lucky,” Isaru said. “That’s what has usually happened in the past, but this time, what I did was worse.”
“What’ll happen to me, though?”
Isaru shrugged. “I don’t know, but we’ll find out soon enough.”
“That’s comforting.”
We set a quick pace for the tree trunk and followed the spirals to the very top. We passed people on the way up, but I hardly had time to look because we were moving so fast. Right before we surfaced, Isaru and I paused to catch our breaths from the steep ascent.
“Can’t make it look like we were in a hurry to get here,” he said. “We’ll need all the dignity we can get.”
We waited a few moments before stepping out onto the High Veranda surrounding the top of the trunk. We ignored the entrance to the palace on our right, instead making our way straight ahead to where a set of wide wooden stairs led down to the theater. As we neared, I saw that eight wooden seats had been arranged in a half-circle, all of the chairs impeccably carved and ornate. There were three tiers of stands surrounding them, but they were only lightly filled. The highest branches and leaves of the Tree formed a translucent ceiling through which rich yellow sunlight filtered down, casting green shadows on the theater’s wooden floor.
Sitting in these chairs were seven elegantly white-robed figures along with King Taris, who wore rich purple vestments with silver trim. His glowering expression told me immediately that he wasn’t pleased to be there. Among the white-robed figures was Elder Isandru, but the rest of the Council of Elders I didn’t recognize. The only difference in the Elders’ clothing was different colors of sashes, as well as different symbols sewn onto the right breasts of their robes. Elder Isandru’s sash was purple, for example, and the symbol on his breast was a seven-pointed star. They were all old, and only one of the Elders was a woman.
But that was all I had time to notice, because we were now descending the stairs to the theater floor. When Isaru and I came to a stop, the Elder in front of us began speaking.
“Let us begin,” he said, in a deep baritone. He was tall, white-haired, and perhaps in his early sixties. A white sash made its way diagonally from his left shoulder to his right hip, and on the right breast of his robe, a scepter was emblazoned. “Let it be known that I, Elder Arminius of the Augurs, Chief of the Elders and Guardian of the Sanctum, call this session to order. Prince Isaru, son of Taris, King of Haven, you’ve been brought before the Council of Elders for judgment regarding your defiance of the Council’s will.”
Isaru nodded, but didn’t seem too concerned. I didn’t know if he was just good at hiding it, or if he literally didn’t care.
“Also,” Elder Arminius said, “we will judge what is to be done with the Elekai he brought to Haven, her name being Shanti.”
At the mention of my name, my shoulders slumped and I looked at the planks below.
“Let the rest of the Council make their presence known,” Arminius said.
I looked up as the man to Arminius’s right spoke; he was tall, broad-shouldered, about forty years of age with a head shaved bald. “I am Elder Tellor, of the Champions.” The sash he wore was red, and the symbol of a sword had been sewn on his robe.
“Elder Draeus, of the Clerics,” the next man said, a tall man in his fifties with graying, receding hair. His sash was teal, and his emblem was a crook.
“Eldress Karu, of the Scholars” the woman said. She had high cheekbones and sharp features, and her gray hair was set tightly in a bun. Her sash was yellow, and her emblem was an open book.
“Elder Lian, of the Judges,” said the next man, one with a clean-shaven plump face and brown hair. His sash was gray, and his emblem was a set of scales.
The next who spoke wore a green sash; like the others, he was old, but also tall and lanky. His skin was gnarled, so much so that he reminded me of a tree. His symbol a sprig with three leaves. “Elder Aurelius, of the Sages.”
At long last came the only face I knew, and he seemed the oldest one of all. “Elder Isandru, of the Prophets.”
King Taris remained quiet; I supposed it wasn’t his place to speak, though he glared at his son.
“Prince Isaru,” Elder Arminius said. “In accordance with our precepts, you have the right to give an account of your actions before this Council. How do you plead against the charge of insubordination brought forth by your father, King Taris?”
Isaru glared at his father. “I did nothing wrong.”
“Then we will hear your account now,” Arminius said.
“The Council was wrong in their ruling,” Isaru began. “I set out to do what they were too afraid to. I found Jorla, and together we saved the Elekai, Shanti, and returned here last night. Though I might have gone against the overall majority of the Council, at least three of you publicly voted to take the same action I undertook yesterday.”
“That is a misrepresentation,” Elder Lian said, the Elder Judge. “Though three voted in favor of action being taken, they did not vote for you to undertake that action. Furthermore, those of the minority opinion honored the majority will of the Council.” Lian stared at Isaru sternly. “Though I was of that minority opinion, you will find no sympathy with me.”
/> Isaru set his jaw. “If I had not done as I did, then Shanti would be dead. If I must be judged for that...so be it. My conscience is clear before this Council.”
“That isn’t the question we are debating,” Elder Champion Tellor said. “You have clearly defied the will of the Council. Whatever resulted from that defiance is immaterial.”
“Is it really, Tellor?” Elder Isandru asked. All went quiet at his voice. “Is the saving of an Elekai truly immaterial to the prince’s defiance?”
“And where would your point be if the prince ended up dead?” Elder Lian asked.
“I never fail,” Isaru said.
“You see?” Lian said, gesturing to Isaru. “Defiance! Impudence! It is the same over and over. Is this the man who is to lead the Annajen? If not for that, perhaps we would be more willing to overlook his actions. Gods know we have done that in the past. But time and again the prince has shown no respect for our authority. One must learn to obey before he can command.”
“Truly, our authority must be respected,” Isandru said, agreeing. “But in cases where we are wrong...”
“Enough,” Elder Arminius said. “I would hear from other members of this Council.”
Only three had yet to speak – Draeus of the Clerics, Karu of the Scholars, and Arminius of the Sages. And these three continued to be quiet, as if in speculation. Isaru stared boldly ahead; whether right or wrong, at least he knew exactly where he stood.
“What of the Elekai, Shanti?” Elder Scholar Karu, the only woman on the Council, asked. “What judgment has she of the prince?”
“What kind of question is this?” Tellor asked. “Of course she would side with him.”
“I would still hear her thoughts on the matter,” Karu said. “Unless, of course, her opinion is immaterial.”
“It is not,” Chief Elder Arminius said.
Now, everyone was looking at me, and I wasn’t really sure what to say. If I told them that I was glad Isaru had saved my life, they already knew as much. What else could I say that would help him? I realized I had to say something, because their stares were becoming uncomfortable.
“Yesterday, I believed I was going to die because of something I couldn’t control. What’s more...everyone wanted me to die. They filled the streets. Again...all because of who I was...an Elekai.”
Everyone on the Council listened. I wasn’t really sure how to continue, but I made myself go on.
“I can still hardly believe it. I was standing on the edge of the cliff. Though my conscience was clear before Annara and the gods, it made no difference in whether I lived or died. In the end, I did step off Red Cliff to be dashed on Traitors’ Rock. No other path was left to me. But before I touched the ground, Isaru and Jorla came swooping under me and saved me from that fate. Maybe what Isaru did was wrong, but isn’t it possible to do the wrong thing and the right thing at the same time?”
My question hung in the air, and it was impossible to tell whether it affected the Council. They still looked as stern as before, although Karu’s features softened a bit.
I continued. “I know I wouldn’t be alive today if Isaru had obeyed the majority will of the Council. Maybe other times, he has done wrong...I can’t speak to that. But this time, he was right, at least in some form. Can’t you see that?”
Elder Aurelius of the Sages was quick to answer. “And what of the day when Isaru is not right? What of the day when he dies by bucking the Council’s wisdom? This cannot be allowed to occur. The High Line of the Annajen is unbroken, even back to Annara herself. If the prince were to die, so would Annara’s lineage pass from the face of the Earth.”
At this point, the rest of the Elders were quiet. Taris, who had yet to speak, merely glowered at his son. I knew there were no words that would sway him to see things differently.
“Then what is to be done with Prince Isaru?” Isandru asked.
“I move,” Elder Arminius said, “that Prince Isaru be enrolled as an initiate in the Seekers’ Sanctum. There, he will learn at the feet of the masters the rigors of our Order. When his behavior has been fixed according to the Elders’ satisfaction...”
“And mine,” King Taris quickly cut in.
Arminius nodded. “And the King’s...then shall he be seen fit to rule the Annajen.”
“Elder Augur...” Isaru said.
“Know your place!” Champion Tellor said.
Isaru fell silent, but his face reddened with anger.
“All in favor of this motion,” Augur Arminius said, “speak aye.”
Not a single Elder remained silent. King Taris looked down on his son, superiority glinting in his eyes. If anything, Isaru’s face became even more defiant.
I didn’t know what it meant to be a Seeker, but apparently, Isaru saw it as a punishment. Isandru had told me yesterday that it was a high honor.
“Furthermore,” Elder Arminius said, “I move that the Elekai girl, Shanti, be enrolled in the Sanctum as an initiate. She is to train with the Seekers until the age of twenty, at which time her position shall be reevaluated, according to the Seekers’ tenets.”
“What?” I asked. “What did I do?”
“That concludes this hearing,” Elder Arminius said. “All are dismissed.”
And like that, my fate had been decided.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
EVEN THOUGH I WAS GRATEFUL for being rescued, being with the Seekers until the age of twenty meant that the next three years of my life were as good as mapped out. I wouldn’t be able to return to Colonia and find my parents, or even see if they were safe. What did my life matter as long as theirs were in danger? I had to do whatever I could to make sure they were all right.
But how? That required returning to Colonia – something I couldn’t exactly do under the circumstances. The Elders probably wouldn’t even let me within five hundred paces of a dragon.
“Well,” Isaru said, “I apologize for the mess I got us in.”
The Elders rose from their seats, and as conversations formed amongst the Council members and the few people in the stands, Elder Isandru made his way directly toward us. Before he could get a word out, I started talking.
“How could you do this?” I asked, as if he were entirely to blame for what had happened. “I can’t stay here. I have to go home and make sure my parents are safe, and now I can’t because I have go to this Sanctum...and I don’t even know what the Sanctum is, or why I have to go...”
I trailed off, and Elder Isandru nodded understandingly, which was a bit frustrating.
“My parents live in the north of Colonia,” I went on. “In a place called the Subura. I...I think the Covenant might have taken them, but I don’t know. Not knowing what’s happened to them...I can’t go to the Sanctum. I have to go back to Colonia. I don’t know whether they’re alive, or dead, or...”
“Colonia is dangerous,” Isandru finally said. “Even for a fully-trained Seeker, and more so for someone like you. It was the reason the Council voted against your rescue. Our numbers are so few these days that the Elders hesitate to risk anything.”
“I don’t care about the risks,” I said. “I’ll go myself. I just need to know if anything can be done. That’s all.”
“Remember, Shanti,” Isandru said. “Though you understand nothing now, being selected for training with the Seekers is the highest honor in Elekai society. As for your parents, I will do whatever I can make to make enquiries and let you know about them.”
I blinked. “You mean that?”
“Never doubt an Elder’s word.”
I nodded. I supposed it would have to do. “How soon will you discover anything?”
“Any foray into Colonia is a difficult and complicated matter,” Isandru said. “I promise only to do what I can.”
“I need more than that.”
“He will do what he can,” Isaru said, breaking his silence. “Not everyone is willing to take risks like me.”
“Nor should you ever take such a risk again,” Isandru said. �
��The Covenant has learned that they are not invulnerable. Your actions might have heightened tensions that have remained dormant for years.”
Isaru said nothing to that, but I could tell that he agreed with that statement.
“I don’t know anything about being a Seeker,” I said. “I don’t see how this is even possible. How is this my life now?”
“You will learn,” Isandru said. “As an Elekai, this is your new place. You will learn to strengthen and protect all that is Elekai. Never think that we Elders would let someone of your potential fall through the cracks.” I was about to ask him another question, when he cut me off. “We will be departing soon for Nava Mountain and the Seekers’ Sanctum. I suggest you do what you can to prepare yourself.”
Before Isandru could explain further, he turned away, engaging Elder Judge Lian in conversation.
“Welcome to the Seekers,” Isaru said. “Where every question leads to three more, and nothing is ever fully explained.”
He turned on his heels to leave. Startled, I ran to catch up. “Where are you going?”
“Enjoying my last bits of freedom. I’m thinking of riding Jorla one last time and seeing what kind of trouble I can find.”
“Can I come with you?”
He shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”
“Isaru.”
We both stopped in our tracks, turning to see King Taris resplendent in his purple and silver robes.
“Where do you think you’re going? You should be gathering your things for your departure!”
Isaru stiffened, clearly doing his best not to give his father an angry retort.
“You are going nowhere,” King Taris said, “nowhere, but the Seekers’ Sanctum.”
“You speak as if I’m leaving within the hour.”
“You are,” his father said, coldly. “Along with the rest of the Elders and initiates.” King Taris’s face shifted from sternness to one almost of apology. “I’ve tried everything, Isaru. Gods know I’ve tried. The Sanctum was all I had left. I’ve come to see that the Elders are right. For years, I opposed their desire to train you, but now, with this final act of defiance...” He shook his head. “Without training, without discipline...you will never be fit to rule Haven.”
