Meeting of the Council.
"More pressing than-" Elder Lionel began to speak but this time it was he that was cut short as the Chamberlain continued to explain.
"Yes." The Chamberlain began. "Against my advice Elder Lionel, you led this council in the decision to seal this city as I hoped that you were aware of the consequences."
"What are you insinuating?" The Elder scowled even as a dozen wary eyes swung from the sneering Elder to the perfectly calm Chamberlain.
"With every minute that goes by, the gates are becoming more unyielding than ever. That is the way of Triberias. Did you know that when bullied the rest of stopped he council into following your decision? Did you consider what would happen after that?" His eyes lifted to stare hard into the Elder's grey slits. Then,one by one he proceeded to do the same with the rest of the council, majority of whom could not hold his gaze even for a second.
"Surely the gates can still be reopened-" An Elder started but even he was shut down.
"And that is why you should not meddle in affairs you do not understand." He added with yet another sigh, speaking as one who was addressing a bunch of wayward children. For that was what they really were, all of them including Elder Lionel whose wrinkled features spoke otherwise when compared to be. He was older than all of them and as such he bore a wisdom that came with age, one that the good elder seemed to be lacking.
"If we may ask? What do you mean by that your Excellency?" Another member managed the courage to ask, but still, he hid behind the candle of the multitude, yoo afraid to be singled out or to have an opinion that would put him out for all to see and criticize.
"Cowards!" The Chamberlain thought to himself. All of them apart from Elder Tamaar were actually cowards. More scared for their own skins than they should have been for their city and the people that looked upon them to rule. In fact, it only took one bully, one who pretended to know more than the lot of them to sway them and their decisions and now, after he had finally been put in his place, the least cowardly of them began to speak and only because it seemed that their lives were at risk. A seemingly more dangerous situation than Elder Lionel posed.
"What do you know of the gates?" The Chamberlain decided to answer in a question that they all knew was directed at the Appriser.
"Why are you all looking me?" The old man responded and quite prudishly at that, so much that the Chamberlain shook his head in disbelief.
"I am asking you because you are this council's chosen Appriser. Aren't you Elder Lionel?"
"Chamberlain I-"
"Of course. You had that girl do all the work for you and so you really know nothing." The Chamberlain intoned inciting another gasp from the members who would have otherwise remained silent. On the sidelines, standing some paces behind the Appriser, Jaykob watched on with studious eyes, a confused look marring his face as he followed the proceedings of the council that was deliberating before him. It was astonishing for him, astounding even and even more confusing were the politics that seemed to control the dealings of this inner circle. The girl? Could that be his daughter Havillah that they were talking about? He perked up at the thought even as he settled himself more comfortably against a pillar in order to better observe and listen in.
For a moment a flash of guilt sliced him. It felt wrong to be listening in, but he quickly reminded himself that he was not intruding, having been summoned there by the Appriser himself in order to answer their questions.
"Well, everyone knows that they are there for protection..." The Appriser responded flippantly.
"Of course, of course you would think that." The Chamberlain muttered even as he continued to explain. And yes it is true but not entirely. You see,with the leaving of Tamaar, the inner circle is incomplete and thus the reopening of those gates will prove an impossible feat to accomplish. That is, unless one of you were to be so gracious as to hone in their First Virtue to a Chief's her level, but no...you can't. Can you?" He was greeted by silence even as they all tried to process the words that the man had just said.
"Are you trying to say that we are trapped? Here? In this city?" A female member squeaked in a shaken voice.
"Exactly. The nature of those gates is that they act as a shield and a wall. Depending on the inhabitants of Triberias, that can also mean a prison, especially within a city that is slowly destroying itself." The Chamberlain explained to a room that was now plunged in deafening silence, as each of the members present contemplated the implications and more so their own fates in the wake of this new discovery. "We cannot reopen them, not without Tamaar."
"My Lords..." a puzzled Jaykob moved forward, raising his hand as he sort permission to speak the council and the elders before him. As expected of an outsider, Jaykob did not know how this council worked and in spite of his curiosity, he wanted to make sure that he did not incur the wrath of yet another member if not all by his intrusion. Fortunately for him though,the Chamberlain nodded and he got his approval. "I do not understand." He began. "Why does it have to be only Tamaar? You are all of Elder status aren't you? Can't you do it?" He questioned.
"Because of her bloodline you fool!" An angry Elder Lionel intoned, snapping back as his pasty complexion turned purple as his blood boiled with unbridled rage.
"Lionel!" The Chamberlain chided again. Control yourself." He added before continuing to explain to Jaykob. "We all have the First Virtue, but to your wife the power presents like a gift and as such, she does not need to struggle like most of us on Triberias. That is the reason why the title of chief of First Virtue was passed to her and has always been passed on from generation to generation within her family. Unless there is someone else in her family who can take up her mantle, then it can only be her."
"What about the boys..." Jaykob offered after a moment of reflection.
"No...they are too young and you should know by now that the gift runs through the maternal side and from mother to daughter. The daughter that we so foolishly evicted, not knowing that she would end up being our salvation."
"Pssh! She had nothing! No gift to speak of for having such a heritage!" Havillah's previous mentor sneered even as he glared back at the chamberlain with eyes full of loathing.
"If you say so. Not that it would do us any good now, but imagine if you had put-" he stopped justd as a Temple assistant appeared and began whispering into his ear. "Anyway, I will leave it to you to ponder." He said after the assistant vanished. "It seems that I have other pressing Sanctuary matters to attend. I am sure you can go on without me?"
Author's Note
Everyone is acting all weird and out of sorts. The Chamberlain is irritated despite sounding calm and Elder Lionel is out of control and acting childish. It must be the tension. Their paradise is turning out to be a living hell. What to do now?