A Doomed Kingdom

THREE: THE COUNCIL

If what we fear is what we get

 and hope we must for joy to get,

then to be brave is to be happy, strong and free,

but to tear is faster than to repair.

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Tara woke up in front of her door, she couldn't quite recollect why she was there or what had happened that evening. She half remembered she had come back from teaching at the school, a little afraid to meet her mother and had rushed off to buy potatoes. Her clothes looked rough like she had rolled on the ground and she had no money, and equally no potatoes. There was a soreness in her ankle, but it didn't really hurt and she wondered what could have happened to it. Still confused, she lifted her hand and knocked softly.

The door flew open and she was at once gathered in her mother's embrace. ''Tara.... You were caught in the hunt, I thought... I.'' Her mother was crying softly as she hugged her. Tara was still half lying on the floor and her mother bent over her a bit awkwardly.

''What hunt Mama?'' She could remember being afraid, very vaguely. She could remember something about hiding under a table, but she had never been outside during a hunt before, she didn't know what that was like.

''Come.'' Her mother said standing up, her eyes looking around to see if any person of the lore was lurking by -- It was of no use though. If someone from the lore was close by and wanted to hunt, all it would take would be a second and they would both be lying dead and bloodied on the floor.

They both came in and her mother shut the door and latched it. Moey and Starc were staring at her, their eyes large with fear then they both ran and embraced her, Moey with the utter abandon of a child and Starc a little bit reluctant, as he tried to hide the fact that he had been crying.

Tara bent down and picked up Moey.

''Oh Tara! You were outside when we started hearing the screams and we knew the hunt was on. I thought...'' Moey's voice broke and she buried her head in the crook of Tara's neck. ''I thought you were going to die like Papa.'' She finished quietly.

'' That's because you are a girl and girls always worry!'' Starc scolded. He had removed himself from the embrace, but he was still shaken and because he did not know how to vent his anger, he spoke harshly to his kid sister. ''And Mama said not to mention Papa again because he was taken in a hunt so the creatures of the lore might not think we are rebellious, but you always get away with doing anything.''

''Starc!'' Tara bent a bit so that she was his level. '' I'm home, I'm okay. Nothing happened okay!''

Starc nodded a bit. ''Just don't get caught in a hunt again.''

''We made an early dinner.'' Her mother said. She had been standing quietly beside her, trying also to stop crying.

''But Mama, then they'll be hungry before night fall and there's little food.''

'' I thought if they were busy eating, they'll have little time to worry. I was wrong.''

Tara drew in a breath. She couldn't understand why her family was going on and on about a hunt. She remembered being afraid and she thought it was strange that she could not remember what had happened that evening but surely that didn't mean she had been caught in a hunt. Food had been set out, but no one had agreed to eat and so the food remained open and untouched. Farah was sitting with his back to the food, beside the place where the fire used to be in the past, when they had enough money to buy coals simply to keep the room warm. She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

''And you too Farah, are you also bent over with worry?''

When he spoke, his voice was hoarse. '' You know the worst thing? It's the fact that you don't remember so I don't know if it's your mind trying to forget a very difficult experience or if....''

'' If what Farah?''

He drew in a breath. '' It's only Raig Swain that has the power to make people lose their memory.''

Raig Swain Tara couldn't understand why his name kept ringing a bell. Of cause, everyone knew Raig Swain was the keeper of the lore himself, the dragon. But why did it seem as if...

''Farah, you should know better than to mention that name in front of the children.'' Their mother scolded. Under normal circumstances, she would have been far angrier with him but she had other things on her mind. She turned to Tara. ''You have a summon from the council, Tara -- to explain your conduct at the school. The messenger mentioned you were instigating heresies.'' She raised her palm when Tara started to speak. '' I'm not done talking. According to the messenger, you have been stripped of your position as a teacher in the school. I would not originally say this in front of the children, but you all need to learn. I don't want any more guessing in this house, no more what- ifs. Whatever fate Mistera gives to you is what you will accept.''

''But Mama, I wasn't spreading any heresies. Benadryl only asked if copying out the symbols I was teaching them to read meant she was writing --''

''And your answer was?''

'' I told her to follow her heart.''

Her mother drew in a breath, resigned. '' Perhaps it is my fate that I give birth to a daughter so bent on destroying herself. Sit Tara let us eat supper. Tomorrow, you face the council.''

Tara sat down quietly, trying not to cry. If her own mama felt that way, what might the members of the council say?

The next day, Tara washed and wore a regular frock. Nothing good had come from wearing the fancy frock with the lace frills yesterday. She released her hair from the braids it had been kept in and brushed it out with the last of the scented oil she had, and tried to brace herself. She knew that fear attracted bad luck, but she couldn't stop being afraid. She had once heard of a girl who had faced the council after being accused of a heresy, she had been banished to the outlands to live with the wild animals. No one knew if she had learned to live with them or had gotten eaten by them.

'' Go well Tara.'' Farah said as she stepped out. She turned to him and he nodded, silently telling her that he understood, and she nodded back.

There were guards at the door of the council and they escorted Tara into the meeting room. She felt like she had already been condemned, walking in-between the two very tall and powerful looking guards into the very large hall. The council members were seated on seats that looked like thrones were arranged in a semi-circle and she was led to the middle of them.

''Tara of Waif street, do you now the crimes you stand accused of before this council?'' A fat man with heavy beard asked, he didn't look like he was interested in the trial, but he just had to participate.

''I am aware that I have done wrong councilor, but I do not know what I have been accused of.'' Tara replied, trying to control her breathing.

''You have been accused of instigating heresies in the minds of our little children through your position as a teacher in school. What do you have to say for yourself?'' This time, the person that spoke was lean, he had an intelligent face and was dressed only in black. He was watching her intently.

'' It has not been my wish to do so councilor.'' Tara was staring at the floor.

'' We are not asking what you wished to do Tara did you ask a young girl sent to school to have her mind molded into submission to follow her heart?''

'' Yes councilor.'' Tara answered then they were all speaking at once, asking questions she could not answer.

''Tara would be thought submission when she comes to live in my house.'' A councilor said and immediately everyone kept quiet. He was tall and lean with blonde hair and looked like he was about fifty summers old. Even though many in Mistera would consider him handsome, there was something so eerie about him that made Tara shiver. She knew instinctively that he was Mogo Sho. ''My wife has been unable to open her eyes or breathe for the past three days and the healer says she would not be with me for long. Since Tara is my future wife, it is my duty to teach her discipline.''

''But she must face some form of punishment first -- to serve as a deterrent so that the young girls of Mistera do not follow her lead and go about starting up heresies.'' Another councilor said and for some reason, Tara wondered if he might be Justin's uncle, they did have the same colouring.

'' A day alone banished to the outlands after which she can go live with you Mogo.''

''But you know that is like a death sentence, she may not survive it'' Mogo Sho replied, he didn't look pleased at all.

''All in favor of banishment for a day say 'Aye'' The former said, and majority of the councilors said 'Aye''. He nodded. ''That's settled then. Mogo, you can get her if and when she survives it.''

Tara tried to be brave as the guards led her away, through the streets as people watched and out of the gates of the city. As the gates closed behind her, she finally let herself cry. It was no use being brave. After all, to tear down was faster than to repair. She was still trying to control her subbing when she heard it, the very quiet howling of a ware wolf. She raised her head and found herself starring into the cold eyes of one. Fear gripped her heart and she forgot how to breathe.

The wolf started towards her slowly, pinning her with his cold stare and Tara didn't know if it was a creature of the lore or an ordinary ware wolf. The wolf pounced and Tara screamed, her voice lonely and pathetic in the vast outland.

She didn't quite know what happened but one moment, the wolf had pounced, and she was sure she was about to die, the next, the wolf was lying dead beside her. She raised her head from her knees and saw him.

Raig Swain was standing just in front of her and her heart knew him, could remember him.

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   A glimpse of chapter four

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From the ends of the Earth, I have sought you.

Your beauty, your intelligence and your bravery

in a world of pretense, you have stayed true.

You are more than lovely, you are beautiful.