The First Whisper

THE VISITATION

Later that day Morin walked to the prison to confront Mr Luketon, where is your daughter? Is she staying with you ? He asked.

Luketon raised his head weakly, “ No”, councillor. He continued, I chased her from the house so that her mother heresy won't rub on my son. Morin stared at him for a minute before leaving the prison. Guards call all the council now, “ yes sir” the guards close to him replied running off.

Two days later after the council's investigation, the morning sun shines giving light to the community. Mara and Adele were in class receiving lectures when a council guard came to the class disrupting their lectures.

The guard came to Adele giving her a letter saying “ It's from the council house,” then left without another word.

Adele stared at the seal paper heart racing no one receives a letter from the council unless it contains something bad.

After class, Adele and Mara rushed to the back of the school yard. Her hands were trembling when she broke the seal and open the letter,

To Miss Adele Luketon,

By order of the council of the seven, your father, Mr Damien Luketon, has been detained under suspicion of treason and the possession of forbidden marking. He is held currently in the East wing prison pending judgement.

You can visit him but with permission.

Signed, COUNCILOR MORIN.

Adele’s hand drop, they are accusing her father of the same her mother was executed for. Her chest hurt so much, tears started welling from her eyes. Mara stepped closer, whispering “Adele ...what did it say?”

Adele just stared at the paper. “They arrested him,” she said, looking at Mara. “My father.. they took him”.

Mara takes the letter from Adele shaking hands and reads it herself. “ The council of the seven,” she muttered, “they don't arrest their own unless..

Adele cut her off” unless they already found him guilty. I'll go visit him. I need to know why? Tears falling from her eyes Mara hugged her, consoling her. Adele, pulled out from the hug and started moving to the direction of the council’s court.

Where are you going Adele? Mara asked. Adele didn’t respond. Instead, she drifted away from her, moving toward the direction her thoughts had already fixed on.

She entered the place where her father was kept and the guard stopped her, looking at some register he muttered five minutes nothing more than that.

Adele looked in, saw her father sitting on a wooden bench, his wrist chained.

“Father!” … she whispered, he lifted his head slowly. What are you doing here?he replied. Adele's lip parted but no words came out, tears welled up blurring her vision.

You shouldn't have come here,”he said turning his back at her, “ leave”

She shook her head. “ I just… wanted to see you.”

See me?” He scoffed, a bitter laugh escaped from his lips, “ you should be ashamed, Adele. You've brought nothing but curse and disgrace to the family.

“Because I'm a girl” she replied, tears falling freely from her eyes.

She stepped closer, her eyes filled with tears when she got closer to him she held the cold bar then all of a sudden a faint, eerie smile curves on her lips.

“How do you feel,” she said quietly, almost whispering, “ being in the same place your wife was before she was executed by you and your people”? She asked, smiling tilting her head. Mr Luketon stiffened, he opened his mouth in shock.

Behind her a guard cleared his throat.

“Time’s up”

Adele straightened herself, blinking back the last tears. “Goodbye, father,” she whispered, turning to the door.

Adele!! Come back here, he barked.

She kept walking until she reached the gate of the prison.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adele went to her father's house In search of documents she entered his study room and found documents scattered everywhere, she found her brother sleeping on the floor she took him then carried him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emilia opened the door. “Adele?” she called, surprised. “What are you doing here? Isn’t it late?”

“Is your mum around?” Adele asked.

“Yeah, she is, but she’s sleeping,” Emilia replied. “Is anything wrong?”

“I need your mum’s help,” Adele said.

“Okay, come in. You can keep the boy in that room — he doesn’t look comfortable in your arms,” Emilia told her.

Adele nodded and gently placed her brother in the room. Five minutes later, Emilia’s mother came out.

“Adele,” she said softly.

What is it?” Emilia’s mother asked.

“Ma, I need your help,” Adele begged again.

“What is it, my dear?”

“Can you please help me take care of my brother? My father has been taken by the Council, and I don’t know who else to turn to but you.” Adele’s voice trembled as she knelt down. “Please, ma’am.”

“Oh, my love,” Emilia’s mother said gently, “don’t worry about it. But what about you? Where are you going?”

“I’m going to fix something. I’ll be right back,” Adele replied, then turned and hurried out of the house.

In the evening the seven council men gathered in the chamber with Morin at the High table. “The letter we thought was destroyed years ago was found in Mr Luketon's study. His own daughter saw him hiding it.

Mr Terren frowned, that left was ordered to be burned 17yrs ago, how could it come back?

Because someone didn't follow the order,” Morin barked.

Mr Hale leaned back, shaking his head, Luketon helped us seal the box before it was burnt. Are you saying he betrayed us from the start?

No one knows Hale, Morin replied. All I can say is that this is not a coincidence, the letter coming out, a female stirring the question in the school and now finding the letter in his…

Mr Rallen finally spoke, “If he really kept that letter that means he committed heresy and we can't ignore that.

Morin gaze darken, “We won't because if the truth of that letter gets out… ,he pauses everything we've built will collapse.

Lord Ven then spoke, let's send the messenger out to inform the people about the jurisdiction of the councillor then, “we will” but don't put the crime, Morin added before dismissing the meeting

The council hall was filled with people ready for the final verdict of the once councillor, Lord Luketon, they brought him to the hall, his hands were tied and his clothes torn. Guards forced him to kneel down at the center of the chamber where the council of seven were.

Lord Morin rose slowly, “Lord Damien,” he announced, "you are accused of betraying the council by stealing from the place you swore loyalty. “Speak your defense”.

Damien looked at Morin, “You already know the truth, Morin I didn't do it. How many times do I have to say it before it sinks into your head? Mr Luketon said, raising his voice.

“ Enough” Lord Morin commanded

Another councillor, Lord Venn leaned forward “He served this community once, let's consider that, let him live with the shame till he dies.

“Lord Damien of the house of Luketon,

You are hereby banished from land, you won't set foot here on this soil from this day forth, you are nothing but a nameless, forgotten exile of a man.”

Upon hearing the verdict the crowd was glad for a total punishment, the guards took Damien away.

Adele stood far from the hall as she dug her into her palm until blood came out. She was too shocked to cry or even speak. She could remember her mother killed for something less than her father's offense, not only did they back him up, they gave him lesser punishment. Hatred for the council grew much that day, she left the hall to Mara's place.