by Kris A Hiatt
“You mean to side with Shamir and move the order to Kadenton?”
“And save the lives of every acolyte in Kadenton by doing so? Yes.”
“I don’t begrudge him that decision in the least,” Yelsn admitted
“Then why didn’t you follow him to Kadenton?”
“Because Shamir doesn’t get to rob Haven of its faith!” Yelsn said vehemently, slapping his hand on the desk as if for added emphasis.
“So you’ll have a bishop here in Haven that will have direct ties to Vrindel in Kadenton,” Drevic surmised. Vrindel would remain the Archbishop, seated in Kadenton, and a bishop would be here in Haven. Prior to the move there was a bishop in Kadenton. Only the location of the actual seat of power would change. He didn’t see what the issue was.
“While I appreciate your rationale, that won’t happen,” Yelsn told him, seeming much more in control of himself.
“Why?”
“We have no bishop here, and there are no plans of bringing one either. In fact, everyone is supposed to join Vrindel in Kadenton.”
“Vrindel wouldn’t leave his people behind, would he?” Drevic asked. The man may have sided with Shamir, and had only done so due to lack of options, but he didn’t seem the type to leave members behind.
“He would. And I must admit, I had originally only stayed behind at Vrindel’s request. It was so that I could ensure we took all of our religious artifacts and preserved our order as best as we could.”
“Originally? That means you’ve changed your mind?”
“Yes, I’ve decided to stay in Haven. Permanently.” Yelsn confirmed. “As I said, Shamir doesn’t get to decide which cities are allowed to have faith.”
“Yet by going against your Archbishop’s orders, aren’t you the one making that decision?” Drevic asked. He knew Yelsn kept referring to Shamir simply because he blamed the man for forcing Vrindel to make that awful decision. In Drevic’s eyes, though, they shared equal blame. If Vrindel was a man of God, why would he abandon an entire city?
“You act as if I’ve moved into a faithless city and erected a temple. The people of Haven already have their faith. To deny them that is to deny what I’ve spent my whole life believing in. War is coming, Drevic. Surely you see that. And when it does, the people of Haven will need to hold strong to their faith. To do that, there needs to be someone here to listen to them and to reassure them.”
“You are correct. The people of Haven will need you,” Drevic agreed. “But there’s something else you should consider.”
“First, the people of Haven will need us, not just me. Second, what am I missing?”
“Not missing something as much as ignoring. I fear you are placing full blame on Shamir and leaving none for Vrindel,” Drevic answered honestly.
“You said it yourself. You would have made the same decision as he did.”
“And in that situation, I would have,” Drevic conceded. “But I would have only moved myself and left my best people in charge in my absence. I wouldn’t force families to move and leave a city without people of faith to support them.”
“But you don’t know if Shamir forced his hand,” Yelsn contended. “You were at the meeting. Shamir made it clear that if the Archbishop didn’t side with him, then all acolytes in Kadenton would be killed. Is it so hard to imagine that he threatened to do the same if Vrindel didn’t agree to move the entire order there?”
Drevic had thought of that, but it didn’t make sense that Shamir would bring Vrindel to Kadenton just to kill him. The people there undoubtedly would not take the destruction of the Church lightly. Would Shamir threaten Vrindel into moving the entirety of the Church to Kadenton? Absolutely. Would he follow through with it if Vrindel didn’t? He doubted it. “I don’t think Shamir would destroy the Church after gaining its leader as an ally. The people of Kadenton wouldn’t stand for the destruction of the Church.”
“So you’re saying it was just a ruse then?”
“A ruse? No. I think Shamir simply manipulated Vrindel into believing that he was saving his entire order. Think about it,” Drevic told him. “If Vrindel believed Shamir’s threats, which he sure seemed to, then it would leave Haven without the Church to support it. Clearly Haven would be weakened. If Vrindel called his bluff instead, it didn’t matter. Vrindel had already openly sided with him. It would leave mud on the Church’s face if Vrindel then recanted and moved back to Haven. I think Shamir knew that and was just taking advantage of the man.”
“So either way, Shamir came out ahead,” Yelsn said, nodding his head.
“Yes. Either Shamir gained Vrindel and the entire Church, or he only gained Vrindel. In the end, he would still have the leader of the Church on his side,” Drevic went on. “He had to assume that some may stay here in Haven, but how long would the Church remain in place without its leader?”
“So this is all going right along with Shamir’s plan then?”
“For the most part, yeah, I’d say so. Except Shamir couldn’t have predicted one thing,” Drevic told him.
Yelsn mulled it over for a few seconds before shaking his head. “Which is?”
“You. He may have convinced Vrindel that he was saving the Church by moving it to Kadenton, but he didn’t take into account the faith of the men and women left behind. The Church in Haven will not fail with you here to lead it.”
“I’m no leader, Drevic. I assure you.”
“You sound like one to me,” Drevic countered.
“I know what I’m capable of. So does Kaden. It’s why he brought the two of us together. I can’t speak in front of others and you are adept at it.”
“I don’t think you’re giving yourself enough credit,” Drevic told him. In the few short months that Drevic knew Yelsn, the man seemed to be grounded and meant well. The fact that other acolytes stayed behind with him gave Drevic the impression that Yelsn was a better leader than he thought. Perhaps he couldn’t speak in front of others now, but someday he would be comfortable doing so. Was he ready to assume the role of leader of the Church right now? Probably not yet. But someday? Certainly.
“And I think you’re giving me too much.”
“Fine, lets agree to disagree,” Drevic relented, letting that subject drop for now. “But, you have to see that Shamir isn’t the only one to blame. Vrindel played a hand. Albeit reluctantly and out of fear and in haste, but he still played a part.”
“You may be right, he may deserve some, but most of it rests solely with Shamir.”
Drevic thought it was best to stop there. Yelsn might not think he’s a leader yet, and he might not be, but he did get the man to admit that his Archbishop had a hand in the current state of the Church. Had Vrindel not moved the entire order to Kadenton they wouldn’t be in this predicament. It was good for Yelsn to admit it. Now that he thought about it, Drevic realized he still hadn’t answered Yelsn’s original question. Would he speak on their behalf? He was reluctant to do so, but he knew the people of Haven needed, and deserved, to have a stable Church to assuage their fears. “I’ll do it. But,” Drevic said, raising a finger as a large smile instantly formed on Yelsn’s face. “I’ll only be helping until you get to the point where you will take over.”
“I’m no leader,” Yelsn said again.
“And I’m not of the Church either,” Drevic replied. “But I am willing to help you if you are willing to try.”
“Agreed,” Yelsn said after a long pause.
“Good. Now do you have a history course I could review?” Drevic asked. If he was going to do this, he wanted to at least understand what it was that he was saying.
“We do have some required reading for new acolytes, but it’s quite lengthy. While most items have been sent to Kadenton, I’m sure I can come up with something.”
“Get me what you can,” Drevic bade him. “I want to sound plausible when I’m up there.”
“I’ll see what I can find,” Yelsn said, getting out of his seat.
“Thanks,” Drevic told him.
He looked back down at his desk and at all the papers he was working on. He still had to figure out how he was going to maintain the College without any of the books or resources that were in Kilindric. He had to start over from scratch.
“And Drevic?”
Drevic looked up to find Yelsn in the doorway, looking back over his shoulder at him. “Yeah?”
“You already have the most important thing.”
“The ability to speak in front of others?”
“Faith,” Yelsn said before walking out.
Drevic smiled at the thought. He hoped faith would be enough. He was about to get back to work on recreating some of the lessons from memory, but decided he should visit Liernin to ensure he knew about the Church’s new situation and also to let him know about his newest endeavor. He wondered how the baron would take it. He was also a man of faith.
~~~
“So with only a handful of acolytes with him, Yelsn has asked that I help him and the order. He’s asked that I temporarily stand in as the leader of the Church here in Haven,” Drevic told Liernin. He wanted to get a sense of the man before telling him that he had already accepted the position. He glanced around the baron’s office, not because he thought someone might hear him, but because he was nervous.
“And you feel that this is the best option?” Liernin asked skeptically.
“I’m not sure there are many other options,” Drevic replied. It didn’t sound like the baron was too keen on the idea to him.
“But this is the best one?” Liernin pressed.
“Yelsn told me he’s not ready to lead and the Church will need a leader to have some semblance of stability within its ranks, not to mention with the people.”
Liernin didn’t offer a reply. He simply raised an eyebrow and continued to tap the thumbs of his folded hands together.
“You’ll continue to train men and prepare them for battle. That alone will give people pause, and for good reason. The mass exodus of all but a few members of the Church has to be weighing heavily on their minds as well. I would only be taking over temporarily, until Yelsn is ready. For now, I think this is the best option,” Drevic admitted.
“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?” Liernin asked.
“You. Yet I will admit, it was a difficult decision,” Drevic said. He realized the baron was right. He wasn’t fully certain of his decision until just now. Saying it out loud made him understand just how important this was for the people of Haven. It would be a lot of work for him and he would be uncomfortable doing it at first, but it was for the greater good. If Liernin couldn’t accept that, then so be it.
“So you’ve agreed to it then?”
“I have,” Drevic admitted.
“Good. I’m glad to hear that.”
“You are?”
“Of course. I wasn’t certain you’d accept, but Yelsn and I both hoped you would. The people of Haven need you.”
“Wait. You knew already?” Drevic asked. How could he? Drevic left directly after Yelsn. There was no way the man could have beaten him here and talked to Liernin.
“I did. Yelsn and I spoke at length about the subject,” the baron told him.
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
“That would have been nice to know.”
“Don’t blame Yelsn,” Liernin charged. “His deception was of my doing, not his. I asked him not to let on that I knew.”
“Why?”
“I hoped you’d accept. I believe it might be the most important decision you’ve ever made. But, with that said, I wanted the decision to be yours and yours alone. I didn’t want to influence it in any way.”
“If it was so important of a decision,” Drevic said. “Why not influence it?”
“You’ve been through a lot recently. You’ve lost a mentor. You’ve lost your home. You are the leader of your order, yet you are at odds with another who claims to be the leader. You’re rebuilding from the ground up and taking in members of the Church as if they were your own. There’s much turmoil in your life. Against all of that, the strength you demonstrate on a daily basis is unbelievable. I couldn’t possibly ask any more from you than what you are already doing. This had to be your choice, not mine.”
Drevic knew he was dealing with a lot, but not until he heard someone else say it did he realize just how much. The fact that Liernin recognized it was not lost on him. To hear that the baron didn’t want to affect his decision made him think that much more of the man. He had Liernin’s support, but would he have the people’s? “I wonder if the people will be so understanding?”
“They can be fickle. Either you’ll be seen as an outsider trying to take over the Church, or you’ll be seen as its savior,” Liernin told him.
Drevic didn’t care for either of those outcomes. He was trying to help, surely, but to be seen as a savior? It wasn’t something he was interested in. “Great, can’t wait.”
“I’ll help as best as I can. I’ll make a show of supporting you. For the most part, I’m in their good graces. I think the people will follow my lead. It’s an odd thing to think about, eh? Being the savior of the Church.”
“There has to be some middle ground. I just want to help out and walk away when the time comes.”
“I don’t think there is any middle ground my friend,” Liernin told him. “I fully believe it’s one or the other.”
“I’m going to regret this,” Drevic said to himself as much as the baron.
“Nah, you’re a talented speaker. Don’t worry about it. Word of your eulogy is out and you’ll have plenty in your flock, Archbishop.”
Drevic didn’t even think about that aspect of this charade. Was he really going to assume the mantle of Archbishop? He felt his face go flush and he thought Kaden may strike him down at that very instant. An imposter was now leading the Church in Haven.
Chapter 19
As if the forced march, bound and led by a horse, wasn’t bad enough, the contemptuous looks being shot their way by the people of Kadenton made Treace wonder what it would be like for someone who had actually committed a crime. There were hundreds of people lining the streets. Every one of them wore a hateful look and cursed them as they passed.
“Why do they keep calling us traitors?” Kiril asked.
Treace had no idea. Nothing remained of their mental and emotional connections. Whether it was due to the length of time or from the arduous march, he couldn’t be for certain. But it was gone. In a way he was glad, but now that he heard the fear in her voice, Treace wished he could tell what she was thinking or feeling. “Do they have us confused with someone else?”
“No,” Moff told him. “They know who we are. Well, at least who I am. I’ve recognized several people.”
“Me too,” Kiril added.
“How are we traitors?” Treace asked. He wasn’t worried about Jass roughing one of them up for talking anymore. At some point yesterday Jass stopped caring whether or not they spoke openly. In fact, the woman seemed much more normal the last two days of the march. Treace wasn’t in a position to be appreciative, but he was anyway. At least that she stopped flirting with him and no longer made any insane comments. She did still hum her tune, but at least she stopped singing it.
“You’re from Haven,” Moff explained. “We’re from here. I’m assuming somehow that makes us traitors.”
“That’s a stupid assumption,” Treace told him.
“Don’t get mad at me for it,” Moff protested.
“Not from your point of view,” Treace clarified. “From theirs. It’s stupid to assume we’re traitors simply because we’re from different cities.”
“You aren’t a traitor,” Moff corrected. “We are. You’re just the enemy.”
Treace didn’t know how that made any difference. All three of them were tied up and being led through the streets to some undisclosed location. He guessed it was Shamir’s palace, but it could very well be a jail somewhere in town. He didn’t think the distinction between traitor
and enemy made much difference right then.
“Then we’re doomed,” Kiril said dejectedly.
“I should have known,” Moff added. “Disdane even called us traitors when he attacked. It didn’t register at the time.”
“Traitor, enemy, so what?” Treace asked. “We’ll pay a fine or spend some time in a cell. I’m sure we will work something out.”
“Sometimes I wish I was as naïve as you,” Moff told him.
“Not a good time to joke,” Treace scolded. Moff’s timing was terrible. Under normal circumstances Treace might have played along and said that he was sheltered, but now was not the time.
“I said it in earnest,” Moff argued. “I wasn’t being derisive.”
“What are you talking about?” Treace asked, confused.
“He means that since you’re an enemy of Kadenton,” Kiril explained. “You’ll be executed. As traitors, we’ll be tortured, then executed. Most likely publicly.”
Executed? The only executions in Lake City or Haven that he knew of were for murder. They executed people for lower crimes in Kadenton? Treace hoped they were simply playing an elaborate joke on him. One look at their faces told him they weren’t. He found it difficult to breathe. He suddenly felt the urge to vomit.
“Easy there,” Moff told him. “Don’t give them the satisfaction. Hold it together.”
“At least I’ll get to see my dad soon,” Kiril said grimly.
“But we didn’t do anything wrong!” Treace pleaded. None of this made sense. They came to Kadenton to talk to Kint. They didn’t want Shamir’s men knowing that they were here, but surely just talking to a citizen of Kadenton was not a crime. Disdane started the fight between them and he walked away from that fight. Granted he did have some wounds, but he was alive. Treace didn’t see how he could be called an enemy with no war declared and he had no idea how the other two could be considered traitors.
