Compis: Five Tribes (9 page)

“We do not mean to offend,” said Keran.

“We don't find much time to follow the old ways,” said Ryd. “And we have no Divinaris to instruct us on the holy doctrine. Perhaps that is why Iam has fallen by the wayside.”

“Iam created us all, even the tribeless. This reasoning is part of why you're allowed to be here. Someone has considered and mentioned the possibility that your group exists because Iam sensed you had a purpose that fulfilled the needs of the Five Tribes. Surely you can understand that,” said Luka.

“I do, and I am grateful, not to Iam, but to the goodwill of the Five Tribes, for extending to us a welcoming hand,” said Keran.

Luka was troubled, yet he couldn't fault Ryd's earlier statement. How could the tribeless know anything of Iam, when they had no teachers? He wondered what would happen if their application was accepted. Would the tribeless be given Divinaris to come live with them and teach them the ways of the Five Tribes?

“Well, no matter what happens tomorrow, I hope the outcome is as interesting as it was today,” said Luka.

“I'm sure we will end up here, discussing it as we are now,” said Keran with a smirk.

As Zyander took his place in the seating area of the High Council Chambers, he waited with anticipation for the debates to begin. In his mind, though the Duor served a purpose, the most interesting part of council meetings during gatherings was when the High Council made closing arguments and reached a judgment.

Most of the High Council were the oldest in the Five Tribes. Rumor was that Mordra was over 300 years old, while Adjudah was arguably the youngest at a mere 56. Each of the five High Council members would give a speech, and then they would sit, make notes, and gather their thoughts. After this, a vote would be taken, issuing a judgment, then they would know how to proceed.

In his mind, the tribeless were a boon—a treasure trove of talents that were not kept to one study or another. If he could get away with it, he would love to talk to some of the tribeless about how they practiced their magic, since it was almost guaranteed that they weren't able to use any of the Five Tribes' spells to make their trinkets and wares.

Sometimes he felt that all the old spells the Ignis had once used were now dead, and they needed to write out new ones if they ever hoped to make their magic work again. He imagined going home and telling Father that he refused to try and practice the old spells and would make his own new spells and laughed to himself, knowing what a hopeless fight that was.

The elders ruled the roost, not his father, and they would never hear of anyone breaking free of the old ways. He knew just what they would say, “The Ignis are a proud and noble tribe, Zyander, why do you seek to erase our history from the foundations of the Five Tribes?” They would huff and puff and all his ideas would come to nothing.

The Initiates were filing in and he saw his sister and Nikka sitting together again, along with the boy Luka. He shook his head. At least he and Nikka understood the transitory nature of their relationship, Luka and May were in for trouble or he was much mistaken. The couple sat next to each other, light blond and dark. He wondered how Nikka felt about his height. Luka and May were more well matched in that aspect.

He caught Nikka's eye and smiled. She returned the favor.

The room became silent as the Divinaris walked out and they made their customary speeches and said the opening invocation. The Duor would remain seated today as each of the High Council Members spoke on their views of the situation. He was sure of what his father would rule, but he couldn't begin to guess what the others would say. It was shaping up to be a fascinating meeting.

As the High Council member of the petitioning tribe, Koen would be the first to speak. Zyander felt bad for him, because even though as a Terris, he most likely believed what Duor Hama did, it couldn't have been easy to start off the judgment and voting by giving his speech.

“Thank you, Duor, Divinaris, and fellow council members, I shall keep my statements brief and to the point. While I do not agree with everything Duor Hama spoke of when he brought his petition before us, I do see the relevance of his point.

“As you know, we, the Terris, were the most reticent to become a united people under the Five Tribes. We were the last to join, and many times we are the last to come around when it means changing the precepts of our tribes. Yet, that has always been our role, and not a bad one at that. We breed caution, and breathe warning. The Five Tribes are the better for it, just as they are better for the more outgoing of the tribes, such as the Sanguis. We all have our purpose under Iam, who has created us each with strengths and weaknesses which help us to attain balance.

“So it must be that the tribeless have a purpose. No idea is brought about that Iam has not created, and if there is a tribe, there must also be no tribe at all. But what is the purpose of the tribeless? Is it to create things that we in the Five Tribes can not? Or is it that they are like a refuse bin, collecting our leavings and leftovers for us?

“To be honest, I do not know. I'm willing to concede that the tribeless may be of benefit to us, but what that benefit is, I can not say. Until I do know, I and my tribe will fulfill our obligations to the Five Tribes by advising us all to wait. Let us wait, and gauge the mettle of the tribeless before we enter in to trade agreements with them or endow them with the rights afforded by the other tribes. We can get to know their ways, slowly, and enter at our leisure into any partnerships we might desire. Then, perhaps, we will find their purpose.”

High Council member Koen bowed, first to the other council members, then to the Divinaris, then to each side of the audience watching. He then took his place with the other four and Zyander waited for the next person to take the podium.

Mordra stood, her robes swishing in elegant folds around her. Zyander wondered if that's what happened after a person lived so many years—was it a grace and sophistication that could only come with time?

She thanked everyone as Koen had done, then turned toward the four High Council members.

“Koen is well-spoken and truthful in his comments—which we appreciate—as well as being respectful to the other High Council members, in his use of time, which we also appreciate.

“I was born into the Sanguis tribe and when my Initiation came, I was glad to be chosen for the tribe of my birth. Initiation is a rite of adulthood, and in a short year, it leads to Induction, the final herald of adulthood. Much respect to Duor Lamna, but these are not children—the ones who leave their homes and their tribes. They are new adults, yes, but adults all the same.

“The most tragic part of this argument, of these Initiates who leave—where do they go? They wander, lost and alone, to die in the wilds, away from all who might help them. This has happened many years and it is a travesty. It was the reason we formed the government of the Five Tribes in the first place.

“We must remember the history of our Five Tribes. Before we were formed, if a child was born who did not seem to have the right
talents
to fit in with her born tribe, she was turned out, to seek her fortune elsewhere. Many of these died or wandered lost until they reached a different tribe, who would take pity on them.

“It wasn't until the first Compis was Initiated that we learned the error of our ways, and formed the Five Tribes, to make sure that Initiates went to their correct homes. For a time it seemed as though this would be the solution to our problems, but now we see there is another matter.

“There are those among us who, through no fault of their own, can not be a part of the Five Tribes. They are good people, our own children, whose unique skills and personalities don't lend to helping them integrate with the tribe they've been chosen for. Up until recently, as I said, it meant disaster, but then Keran decided to change that.

“He welcomed each lost soul into his group, which though some consider rag-tag, I can witness as being professional and well organized. Keran's groups has become a safe haven for these Initiates and tribe members. He has encouraged them to use their powers in a way all their own. Not only have our markets benefited, but our overall health as a country might benefit, as well.

“These tribeless fill a void—not as one of our own tribes, who though they may be struggling could never be replaced, but a hole we were unaware of until they came along. While it is true that we don't know them as well as our own tribes, we can see by their actions that they are honorable and compassionate. They could have gone anywhere or done anything, yet here they are among us, making honest trade and dealing out in the open.

“It is my belief, after discussion with the tribeless and their leader, that we should take this fledgling group and mold it into a tribe of its own, over time, as High Council Member Koen suggests, but starting now. If we take a vested interest and support this group and its members, we will be satisfied with the end result,” so saying, Mordra bowed to the Divinaris and the other members, then took her seat.

The Aeris High Council member, then the Aquis spoke next, for and against respectively. Last to speak would be Adjudah. Zyander knew that he was well placed to make his arguments; his father's talent was to use the best reasoning for both sides to sway all to his opinion. It was one of the reasons the elders had chosen him as High Council member, when one of them could have taken the position.

His father stood and addressed the room, thanking the audience for their attention. Then bowing to the groups on either side of the podium, he began, “As usual, my fellow council members do not disappoint. A more well-thought and fair set of arguments I'm sure I have not heard. I would like to announce, once again, my pleasure at serving with such moral and compassionate people. It has been a privilege serving on the High Council these 10 years, though I know I'm the most junior of the members.

“I must be honest, I find myself torn between what is right for our tribe and what is right for the tribeless. I think, judging from the words of our members that is important not to only vote on what may benefit us, but to vote in a way that will not cause harm to these innocent tribeless, however we might feel about them. Iam did create them, as we were created, for some purpose. Even if that purpose does not intersect ours, we must not hinder it.

“As I sat here, listening to each speech, I felt pulled two ways. I knew that it would not be right to fully accept and embrace the tribeless without knowing more about them. However, I also knew that it would be wrong to deny that they do us a service in accepting and welcoming those of our origin who can't live under the rules of the Five Tribes. If my own son were to decide he couldn't be Ignis anymore—and how could I blame him, we live hard lives at times—I would feel better knowing that he had somewhere to go.

“I see the merit in a trial period, I do, yet I also side with our lady Mordra in knowing that a more full acceptance will allow us to mold and shape the tribeless into being respectful and accountable to others.”

He took a breath, and almost instinctively, Zyander saw where he was going to end his speech. He looked at the other council members and wondered what they were feeling behind their impassive faces.

“Let us remember, however, no matter how the tribes began—how they were formed and became the Five Tribes, there have always been
five
. There are Five Sacred elements under Iam, and there will evermore be, until Iam comes to inform us otherwise.

“Whatever we might wish for the tribeless, under Iam's own principles, tribeless they must remain. I, as a High Council member of the Five Tribes, have sworn to uphold the rules and teachings of Iam. I must guide my tribe under their sacred element, and to protect each of the other four tribes and guard their elements as if they were my own. I can not in good conscience vote to change so deep a law.

“My vote, in closing, must be to welcome the tribeless, to teach them our ways, trade with them, send our misfits to join them, but to keep them separate, as they must be. Those who choose tribeless do so because they do not follow our ways. Asking them to join us as a tribe would be against what we believe and what they believe. And I urge you, fellow council members, to do the same.”

He bowed and left the stage and the Divinaris went to the podium.

“Based on all that has been spoken here today and proposed by the Duor yesterday, these are the votes put before us all.

“Do we accept trade with the tribeless?” he said.

All the Divinaris and High Council members raised their hands. Zyander was surprised, as he had expected at least the Terris and Aquis to vote otherwise.

The Divinaris moved on to the next question.

“Will there be conditions for trade, to be outlined by the High Council at a later time?”

Again, all the Divinaris and High Council members voted in favor.

“Do we agree that they must remain separated, tribeless, for an extended period of time, without a vote on the council, without Duor, without High Council Members?”

This time, all the Divinaris raised their hands, but only Adjudah and Koen joined them. Zyander felt shaken. He hadn't figured that so many of the High Council members wanted to give the tribeless the rights and privileges of the tribes. He knew that the Divinaris would never vote in favor of changing the doctrine of the Five Tribes, they were acolytes of Iam, but that the others were so willing to embrace them, even the Aquis, who had seemed more reticent in their arguments, was frightening. He wondered if they would seek some other option, as he had postulated yesterday, such as replacing one of the lesser, poorer tribes with another.

It was two days since the vote to let the tribeless have free trade with the Five Tribes and Luka was pacing inside the inn, trying to keep his mind on anything except what the day would bring. Keran had been jubilant at the results, saying that all he wanted from the Five Tribes was the ability to sell his wares, and an easier way to welcome the runaways into his group.