OV - The Vicar

The sixth 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 Febhal, the new vicar.

Febhal ab Mabon shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He hated the heavy ceremonial vestments of his office that ladened his body. He much preferred his cassock yet the circumstances did not warrant it. There was a game to play, appearances to present. Which had been accentuated by the letter that had just arrived from Aeron.

I will not be chided! The Council of Nine did not know the enormous task they had laid upon him. They did not envision dealing with people like the gutter-snipe Aeda. Her loyalty to Saar blinded her to the true mission they had.

Febhal glanced over his shoulder. A�fe, the court druid flashed a smile at him. He looked away, repulsed. It galled him that the House Su�bhn� still relied on the superstitions and failed philosophy of An�il. The once strong belief brought forth by the immortal Inw� was now but a group of squabbling sects. They could not see that their influence on the world was waning to the power of the words of D�a.

�But you cannot do this!�

�Yes I can.� Febhal put his palms onto his desk. �And I will.�

�There are programs that benefit many of the underprivileged. We have done much for people with these programs.�

�And I will continue them. But without your interference.�

�I beg your pardon?� A�fe looked affronted.

�One feeds a person with more than food. These programs do not do that.�

A�fe glared at Febhal. �This has naught to do with sermons but control. I will not stand for it.�

�You have no choice in the matter.� Febhal raised his hands into the air. �I am withdrawing our participation in these programs. In good conscience I cannot provide manpower, support or monies to something that does not reflect our voice.�

�But our voices are the same when it comes to helping people. Do you have any idea what this will do?�

�I do. But I cannot, in good conscience, be involved in any projects that does not help my people.�

�How can you say that?�

�You provide materialistic support only. That will not do. We must also provide spiritual support.�

�So you will only provide food to those that believe what you believe?� A�fe sneered.

�Of course not. We are all children of the Maker,� Febhal paused. �But it is important they hear our words so the soul can be nourished.�

�You mean force propaganda onto them.�

�Why am I not surprised you would not understand.�

He was not surprised by the resistance from the Order. They were trying to cling to ancient glories, unable to accept the reality of the times. Be it the militaristic Blood and Stone to the pacifists of the Followers of the Blood, An�il had failed. The old ideals were just fractured hopes.

Yet they were still the power behind the throne of Llangeinwen. It was the Order and the shadowy Taliesin that seemed to be the rulers. It had shocked Febhal recently when A�fe announced that Prince Aillil was to become the Heir Presumptive. Using gauzy words and mystery, she explained the portents were such that Princess Fr�ge�s path was in a different direction.

The words they used hit the truth that those following An�il were now relegated to reading auguries in incense smoke and animal entrails. What Febhal feared was they were starting to dabble in the dark arts; communing with evil spirits to know the future so to prop their power in Llangeinwen. The ways of the Enemy were subtle and destructive.

What frustrated him was many did not see the social malaise that had a stranglehold on the island. Immorality was running rampant, often aided by the sidh�. Even though they said they venerate the Maker, at every step their deeds were contrary to His will. The malaise lulled people into using the dark arts or allows others to do so.

�Saar has been poisoned by the insidious doctrine of relativism.� Vicar Romuld clipped a rose bud from the bush.

�He has been given too much latitude.� Febhal put down his tea cup.

�We are but Chosen. We make mistakes.�

�Which is why you are sending me to Llangeinwen?�

�Yes.� Romuld nodded. �It is time to bring them back into the fold.�

�Why not just recall him?�

�I wish it were so simple. Saar has build a following not just on Llangeinwen but also here. We have to move cautiously. We have to make sure we can discredit his words, show him as a heretic.�

�But look at his last missive on the Council and inerrancy.� Febhal grew angry. �That is heresy.�

Romuld shook his head. �It may go against our doctrine but it does not go against the Canons. Saar is careful with his words. That is why it is so important we have someone like you there.�

�What do you hope?�

�Be it his sermons or discussions, in time he will be unguarded. You will be able to give us the evidence we need.�

�But he will not feel free about me. He will know why I was sent.�

�Ah,� Romuld smiled, �he will. Saar is arrogant. I�ve seen it. He thinks better of himself. That will be part of his downfall. Yet your most powerful ally will be a woman named Aeda. She is one of us. I should know from the many letters she has sent. Together you shall catch him. And then you will be invested in Llangeinwen and bring the lost sheep back.�

Febhal was shocked when he arrived at the Refuge of the Redeemer. Many of the programs were run with the Order or the sidh�. The first time he worked at an outreach, he was stunned no words of D�a were spoken; no prayers were held. When he tried to being prayer to the outreach, Saar berated him. How could he see that feeding people was more important than evangelizing?

And the ally he thought he would have did not side with him. From the onset, Aeda was suspicious of him. Things looked dark. With Saar permission he went to the monastery near Tuaim Inbhir.

For a fortnight he prayed and fasted for a sign, a direction he needed to follow. Llangeinwen was thirsting for the words of D�a yet he did not know what to do. He stayed alone in the cell, seeking guidance.

After fourteen days, the Maker spoke to him. He told Febhal to be patient, stay true to his faith. Listen and watch, compile and document. He was alone for now. All he had to do was put his trust in the Maker, not those around him.

The words have him strength over the cycles as he watched and listened. It took some time before he was able to document enough for the Council to use. He was proud the day the letter arrived summoning Saar to Aeron.

�Aeda, will you stop your fretting.� Saar took a sip from his snifter.

The old woman stopped pacing, looking at him. �You do not have to accept the summons.�

�He has to.� Febhal snapped. He did not need the interference of the old crone. Aeda whirled around, glaring at him.

�This is your doing. Even since you arrived, you have plotted against the Vicar.�

�I am a servant of the Maker. I have my duties.�

�To spy, to ...�

�Aeda!� Saar admonished. �We all have our journeys and burdens.�

She looked back to the vicar. �If you go, you will not be coming back. Then he will become vicar.�

�If that is what the Maker wishes, who are we to argue?� Before she could respond, Saar raised a hand. �Peace, my sister. I know what lies before me. It is part of my journey. Febhal will get what he wishes. And in time, he will regret it.�

Febhal looked away. Anger grew in him. Of all people he had thought Aeda would be pleased to be rid of Saar. She was orthodox, often railing against Saar�s moderate, relativistic views. Yet now she was trying to undermine the will of the Council.

�Then I will come with you.�

�No. I need you here.� Saar looked at Febhal. �I need a voice of compassion to counter the cold words of the hierarchy.�

�Pardon?� Febhal said through gritted teeth.

�You know the words of D�a. You speak them well but you do not live them. Like many, you miss the essence of what D�a spoke of.�

Febhal shifted in his chair. The Council had detained Saar the moment he arrived in Aeron. Yet somehow he was able to escape. Febhal was disturbed by the rumours that Saar was back on Llangeinwen, living with the sidh�. That would explain some of the tracts appearing about D�n Su�bhn�.

More and more he was being painted as a narrow-minded bigot. His detractors did not understand or try. Yet they did not see the long lineage of his belief. They focused on the brief time that the Maker came to R� as flesh incarnate. They did not see the living words that stretched back to before the start of time; a fulfilment of prophecy no other could attest to.

His detractors moaned he was inflexible, unyielding in many areas. He had to be. The words of the Maker were strict, as they should be. He was the Chosen�s Father and loved them. Yet His love did not allow the Chosen to do as they pleased. As any parent, boundaries had to be marked.

�You do not understand what we stand for.�

�I do.� A�fe rose from her chair. �I know more than your faith than you know.�

�Yet you have no problem spreading lies and misconceptions about us.�

�I do no such thing.� She pulled a book from the shelves. �But I do challenge what you say. The narrow interpretation of the Canons.�

Febhal shrugged, ignoring the book the druid had revealed. �For you it is that way. As did the one who wrote that book. Esterl was just as quick to attack the foundations of what make my beliefs. I say my beliefs are just as legitimate as yours.�

�Not when you impinge on the rights and freedoms of those of this land.�

�I do not such thing.� Febhal rubbed his chin. �Yet I must stand and denounce what I see as wrong. Going against the edicts of the Maker.�

�Like the venom you spew of the sidh�.�

He was surprised by the vehemence in A�fe�s voice. �I must stand for what I believe.�

�You condemn the sidh� because they may have more than one wife or husband.�

�Marriage is for one man and one woman. So it is written.�

The druid branished the book. �Yet you have figures in your Canons that had many wives. And concubines. Figures you revere.�

�That was before the start of time. A different era. A different people. That was a time when prophecy was concealed. Once D�a came, prophecy was revealed.�

�Yet you still use the old texts.�

�Yes, but when D�a came, the Law was complete. He is explicit that marriage is between one man and one woman.�

�Is he now?� A�fe pursed her lips. �All the verses you would be so go at quoting are vague. He does not condemn having more than one partner.�

�That is how you read it.�

�And what of same-sex coupling. He never once spoke of that. But you have no problem quoting text from the old text.�

�Of course. It explicitly states a man shall not lie with a man.�

�How can you promote one part yet ignore another.�

Febhal grew irritated. �You would not understand. And to be blunt, I do not have the time to explain. I did not come here to discuss my faith.�

�Isn�t that typical! You cannot explain so you evade.�

�I do not have time for this.� Febhal said wearily. �I am here because of the shelter on Rossyln. I am not happy with the way it is being run.�

Febhal did not understand why he had to incessantly defend his faith while no one questioned the black robes. The current specious lies he had heard was that if the Maker loved the Chosen, there would be no evil in the world. He would not mete out punishment or show danger to them.

How many times had he spoke that the Maker was not the source of evil or that the Maker was their father. Love did not preclude anger. If a child did something wrong, his parent might grow angry. And have to exact punishment so the child would learn. And they have no idea how insidious the Enemy can be.

A sigh from the dais caught his attention. Some heads turned to Medyr, who looked to the floor. A faint smile came to Febhal�s face. Medyr was one of the few in the court that understood what he wanted to do. He had not yet converted but in time the Breath would seize him.

It was through Medyr he was able to meet like-minded people in the Reachtas; people who saw the canker threatening Llangeinwen. They saw the rule of one did not allow people to express themselves. As long as the Order is in charge, my voice will be muted.

There was much work ahead of him. Yet the Council of Nine did not see that as the letter he had just received attested to. It questions his methods, doubting his faith. They equated the number of people in the pews to how strong the faith was in the island.

The congregation was dwindling in. Once the cathedral had been full with parishioners, now the pews were empty save a small group. But the Council did not see many were going to cults that provided simple and quick solutions or to hedonistic philosophies like An�il.

The importance the Council attached to Llangeinwen escaped him. He had grown to love the island but could not see what was so special; enough to place this nation above others. There had never been a mention of Llangeinwen in the words of D�a.

Febhal took a deep breath. It was not for him to question his superiors. His job was to evangelize. There were many lost souls that needed to be brought back to the Maker�s fold. It was his job to be a strong shepherd and witness. No matter the obstacle.

�Where will you go?� Febhal stood between Aeda and the large open doors.

�Where I am needed.�

Febhal stared at the old woman, dressed in her austere black room, clutching a small black purse.

�You are needed here.�

�I think not. There are people in need who you are ignoring. Empty stomachs that need feeding. Torn clothes that need mending.�

�And it shall be. But this takes time.�

�It has been five turns and you have done naught.�

�You do not understand the complexity of what is before us. Soon we will have the programs in place.� Febhal grew exasperated.

�You should not have withdrawn from the existing programs.�

�I could not, in good conscience, be part of those programs. They are run by the Order. Their goals are not the same as ours.�

�Phah!� Aeda spat. �We are told to feed the people. That is what D�a commanded his followers to do.�

�But not just with bread and water.� Febhal countered. �You should know better.�

�Oh I do now!� She pushed past him. �I pray the Maker and Vicar forgive me for the things I have done.�

�I am the Vicar.�

�Only in name. The hearts and souls here still see Vicar Saar as our vicar. And in time, he will be back.�

�He is old and retired in Aeron. Times have changed.� Anger grew in him. �I will not accept this dissension.�

�That is the difference between you and the Vicar.�

�Stop calling him that! He is not a vicar any more.�

�So you say.� Aeda poked a bony finger against his chest. �There was much he and I disagreed about but he never demanded I give up my thoughts and beliefs.�

�If you do down those stairs, you will force me to make you an outcast. You will be shunned.�

�Oh, really?� Aeda laughed. �Why do you not just say it? You will excommunicate me.�

�It is in my power to do so.�

�No, Febhal, it isn�t. Only the Maker can severe His tie with me. And I feel his presences more than ever now.�

�That is the Enemy speaking.�

�If that be true, I prefer his words then.�

Febhal shuddered. The Enemy was everywhere in Llangeinwen. The battle had just begun. He lowered his head, closing his eyes. With his hands clasped, he cleared his mind and prayed to the Maker. He knew he could do what was asked of him but would need some strength. Strength that the Maker would pour into him through his G�st.

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.