OV - The Order

The second chapter of the second section of A House Fractured. 25 years has passed since Darkness Looming. A critical junction is being reached that will change Llangeinwen forever. Told from the point of view of Aífe, the court druid.

Familiar faces sat around the audience room. As A�fe yr Aneigin casually looked about, one surprised her. Far in the back sat a tall mane with long silvery black here. He wore the austere black travelling robes of the Order. Yet the customary four-leaved emblem was missing. That is typical of Taliesin.

A faint nod of recognition came from her Master. She had no idea why he was in the audience. Normally he spent Ogmios at Caer Eryri. Was there something he felt was about to happen?

There has been a flurry of communiques around the court and the Isle, focused on the mounting tensions. Taliesin voiced his concern that the Queen�s brother might be ready to break away from her. Such a move would precipitate a crisis; especially with the shifting landscapes of the Reachtas and the new vicar.

Many of the members of the Order frantically worked behind the scenes to prevent a conflict between the Queen and her brother. Tempers were frayed; even she had lost her temper when Taliesin suggested using Einion. She did not like defying him but she did not want such an important asset compromised when it was not necessary.

But over the past fortnight, their efforts were for naught. Neued clung to his belief that the Houses Dispossessed were preparing to attack. The Order and the Ministry of Defence had collected copious amounts of intelligence from Nico and Esg�n, showing the northern attacks were not the work of the Houses.

Neued was unmoved by the evidence that the incursions were staged by renegades and profiteers. He claimed he had genuine information to base his decisions on. They were being blinded by misinformation. Yet when the Queen demanded to see this information, Neued refused to comply.

The situation was becoming a conflagration of problems. Alone, the attacks might not infuriate Neued. He could be contained. But the growing republican movement also inflamed him. He would not abide with the Reachtas and saw any talks the Queen had with the movement as tantamount to treason.

�The stronger the Reachtas, the weaker the throne.� Neued spat.

�That is not true.�

Neued glared at A�fe. �Of course you could care less. You will back whatever power there is here.�

�The Reachtas has a purpose you cannot deny,� she lectured. �It is the civil wing of the government.�

�It is unnecessary.�

�No it is not.�

�Su�bhn� wanted a strong ruler for Llangeinwen. Not one hobbled by the myriad of committees that from the marble halls of the Reachtas.�

�It was Su�bhn� who installed the Reachtas. He wanted a system that had checks and balances.�

�Forced upon him by Myrddin.� Neued growled.

�Nothing was forced upon Su�bhn�.�

�The power of those babbling fools saps the House Su�bhn�. Llangeinwen needs a strong leader, a monarchy. Not a populous republic where vocal minorities rule. Do you wish us to become like Scid?�

�No.� A�fe took a deep breath. �You cannot dismiss what Taliesin and Llacheu did to redefine the government so another False King could not arise.�

�That was over five hundred cycles ago.� Neued dismissed. �And who supported the False King? The Houses Dispossessed. I�m tired of the fear-mongering you attempt with the past. It hobbles proper leadership. Strong leadership. Just look at the writings of Den Yeah Liu and N�ir.�

A�fe let out a soft groan. The Queen�s brother was so immersed in those writings, which formed his personal philosophy. One he believed was the salvation of Llangeinwen. His knowledge of the writings were shallow. He would quote N�ir to support his view that the best system to rule people was a monarchy yet conveniently ignored the philosopher�s assertion that the rulers be philosophers and artists, not military men.

He should have heard his grandfather speak on the subject. She had offered to share the memory with him but Neued bolted from the room. He ignored it when she gave him a transcript. He would not listen, calling his grandfather a crazy old man. But he wasn�t when S�danta was younger, addressing the Reachtas.

�Our society must not become a rigid, stratified society. We have seen from before the start of time, feudalism is a system that must be rejected. It behooves us to find a balance between the rule of one and the rule of many. We must continue to forge a society with checks and balances. Even though it has been centuries, we must never forget the Fell Season.

�Yet I do not see the future of a populace republic for it is a system doomed to failure. It all too quickly devolves to a system where the voices of minorities give sway. And I do not say this as the sovereign of this Land. I say this from what we have learned from examples about us.

�I do not stand before you ignorant of the danger of a monarchy. Absolute power installed in one person or body will lead to tyranny. Just look toward Nico and Esg�n. That is why I stand before you to say this public body is not just an artifice. Together we can forge together a society where there is justice and equality for all, not a few.

�But we must temper our hope with the realization that no society is perfect. None of the Chosen, elf, dwarf, dolphin or human have found that solution. But our duty, our obligation, all of us, is to strive to keep improving what we have for one day. So one day, by the grace of the Maker, there will be no one wanting or needing.�

A sound jolted A�fe from her thoughts. The top of Kynan�s shirt opened, revealing a yellow-orange opal. She recognized it but could not place it. It was not something she expected Kynan to wear; she found it to be too feminine. The court druid shifted in her chair, glancing about.

Most of the assembled had no idea that Su�bhn�s and the Order�s goal were the same. Guide the Chosen to find enlightenment and peace. Finding that optimal balance. Something they had been doing for over seven hundred cycles on Llangeinwen. Keeping peace and stability that was the envy of many.

Yet no matter how resilient what had been built, just one storm could knock it down. Something was brewing. All auguries lately were muddled. That only happened if the threads of time had many paths to flow.

The uncertainty had been building. She believe it started when S�danta died but few believed her. A�fe looked past the Queen to Medyr, the new head of security. In less than five cycles he rose from a mere security officer to the head of the department, reporting directly to Ochall. And now, all too often, briefing the Cabinet instead of his boss. Something is not right.

Yet she could not find anything suspicious to support her feelings. Her hopes were with Einion, now working in the department. He was not, at first happy with the assignment but he settled down. Sacrifices had to be made when part of the Order.

�At times you remind me of Neued.�

A�fe cocked an eyebrow. �That is unfair, Dryhten.�

�Is it?� Taliesin picked up a parchment. �I know court intrigue is complex but isn�t this a little extreme?�

�I think not. I do not believe in coincidences.�

�I believe Medyr is straight-forward and honest about his experiences on Nico. Personally, I am not surprised he encountered someone from the Blood and Stone. The Houses Dispossessed use them as their spies and police. Medyr was compromised the moment he landed on Nico.�

�So he says. There are links you cannot ignore. He is from Codhal ...�

�Which is near Tuaim Inbhir. I know your thesis, A�fe ...�

�Where was Cathbhadh lair found? Where was Li killed?�

Taliesin sighed. �I appreciate you wish to honour her memory but what you give me is vague conjecture. And I thought your worry of Dalldav was assuaged when we found Cathbhadh dead. Whomever killed him stopped that era.�

A�fe�s eyes grew wide. The opal. She remembered it. Li was wearing it during the MidSummer celebrations in Tuaim Inbhir before she was killed. How did Kynan get it? She remembered he was there for at the festivities.

A�fe walked to the firepit. Kynan laughed as he handed Li a ladle.

�They wish you well.�

�I miss them,� Li said wistfully. She scooped some marinade and drizzled it over the wild boar slowly rotating before them.

�Rhiannon tried to get me to go out with Gandwy.� Kynan made a face.

�Not your type?�

�No, he isn�t.� Kynan looked down to the opal between her breasts. �That is beautiful. Where did you get it?�

A broad smile came to her face. �A friend. I had one vendor in Tuaim Inbhir offer me a thousand sovereigns for it.�

�What?�

�But it is not for sale.�

�Where did you get it?� A�fe wondered.

�From R�n�n. The person I helped before I left D�n Su�bhn�.�

�Ah yes.� A�fe laughed. �He speaks highly of you. You are his angel.�

Li groaned. �Please! I do not want to hear that.�

�He is quite insistent that you are not very corporeal.�

�What?� Kynan looked confused.

�R�n�n seems to believe I was sent by his god to aid him.�

�But you have.�

Li�s eyes narrowed as she put more marinade on the boar. �Don�t you start!�

�No, no,� Kynan said quickly. �But over the past couple of turns, he has become a merchant again.�

A�fe nodded in agreement. �He opened shop and now is importing goods again.�

She nodded toward Curcog and Enid. �With a little help.�

Li looked to the two sisters. �Why didn�t Enid tell me?�

�His business is still young. I think she did not want to give you false hope.�

Curcog noticed the three looking at her. �Ooch! Enough jabbering. The beastie be in need of slathering.�

�I�m taking care of it.� Li laughed.

It was four turns later her savaged body was found, near Tuaim Inbhir. She was found in a small hut outside the tiny village of Codhal. What had happened was supposition. A week earlier, Li had sent her a note that she had found Dalldav in the guise of a magickian named Cathbhadh. She planned to investigate and then was found dead; the brutality of the attack sent shock waves beyond Tuaim Inbhir.

Cycles later, when they found his secret stronghold and the horrific examples of his experiments, she saw the linkage to Li�s murder. Yet Cathbhadh�s decapitated body was found. What happened to Dalldav�s essence? So little was learnt, in the end.

A�fe noticed a quick glance of disdain from the new vicar, in the front row. Before his eyes left her, she flashed a sweet smile. I hope that confuses you. The horrified look gratified her. She was determined to make sure that Febhal would be escorted from Llangeinwen as soon as possible. Most of the Order agreed.

They had hoped Ruardan, the chief Brehon would have found something to stop the investiture but even his sharp knowledge of the law found nothing. He and his team poured over the vicar�s sermons, finding nothing that violated laws or the Principles and Rights. His language skirted the laws. One day!

The tensions he was causing was one thing but his hard stance was hurting people. He wanted nothing to do with the Order. Programs that flourished under Saar were terminated. Febhal wanted the programs to be run only by him; a method to promote his religion.

This stopped important programs for people in need. Within a fortnight, three outreach programs serving food to the homeless were closed in D�n Su�bhn�, more across Llangeinwen. Two food counters for families in need were closed. A�fe struggled to find ways to keep them open but she couldn�t. And Febhal had yet brought forth his promised programs.

A�fe rubbed her left temple. She hoped the Queen and the Reachtas might find a compromise and then the new vicar would not be needed. At least Saar was beginning to provide her with some interesting theological arguments that let her rattle Febhal. It also allowed her to give counterpoints to certain members in the Reachtas.

�Och! Where is her brother?�

She had to fight the urge to grin. Two rows up sat Curcog, beside Einion. Her friend had no problem voicing what was on the minds of most people in the room. Einion shrugged.

The speculation about Neued was rampant. The past week he spent an inordinate amount of time with his close circle of military friends; like-minded warriors who saw plots and threats in every dark corner. It frustrated her that Neued was so focused on Nico and Esg�n.

�You do not have the same intelligence as I do.�

�Then share it with us. The more we have, the more complete the analysis will be.�

�You have no interest in the facts.� Neued sneered.

�Excuse me?� A�fe felt her temper slipping. She took a deep breath. �You are constantly deriding our information yet offer nothing to support your claim.�

���Fore knowledge is not found with ghosts and spirits, not obtained by analogy, determined by calculation ...��

��It must be obtained from people,� A�fe interrupted. Neued glared at her. ��People who know the conditions of the enemy.� I know Den Yeah Liu�s words on the use of spies. His words have naught to do with my point. You will not share your supposed information.�

�I will not compromise my sources.� Neued said, haughtily.

�Oh please, spare me! Much of the material we have from the Houses Dispossessed come from spies. Yet we have never compromised any of our sources.�

�So you say.� Neued paused, a glimmer grew in his eyes. �How many of your spies in the Blood and Stone do you not report in your analysis?�

A�fe was taken aback by the question. �What are you suggesting?�

�Did you not receive a report from one you have code named Brand?�

�What of it?� She asked cautiously.

�Did it not claim that the head of the Blood and Stone states that Llangeinwen would be theirs soon because of an alliance he forged?�

A�fe gritted her teeth. She had no idea how he came about that information about Balzar. The gloating in his eyes made her angry. She took another deep breath, collecting her thoughts.

�Balzar has made many boasts before.� A�fe�s voice was clipped. �Brand provided me no new information that was worth reporting. Or our other sources. An unsupported boast is not with mentioning.�

�What if he has an alliance here? He stated he now has two allies here. And one is in this court.�

�Two cycles ago, he stated that he had someone in Caer Eryri and it would be his by cycle�s end. That never happened.� A�fe paused. �I don�t need to quote Den Yeah Liu about how to assess information. I provide the Queen with salient and relevant details.�

�I see. So this information is not worth presenting to my sister? A breakaway sect of your religion wishes to take over Llangeinwen? And they are in collusion with the Houses Dispossessed?�

The court druid laughed. �The Queen knows of Balzar�s ambitions. She was told from the onset when the Blood and Stone arrived on Nico.�

Neued�s gloating diminished.

�She has been fully briefed. Yet she does not want to be encumbered by every boast and rant he is prone to. She wants to base her decisions on what is not what might be, like you.�

�There will be a five minute recess.�

A�fe had no idea what Neued was up to and seeing her Master in the audience room did not allay her fears. All she could do was be alert and ready.

Author's Note

This was a 12 page chapter expanded into 9 different chapters from different POVs. So it is a raw version, hot off the presses. The key issues is my use of passive voice and grammar. Please keep in mind the spelling is Canadian. Hit me with your best shot.