head. Silvia and David kept their faces blank and no doubt cared little one way or the other about the reasoning. They served the Chosen Vessel and probably reckoned the move to be part of the swirling of events that centered on him, which might actually be the case. Daniel could not deny the possibility.
Martin, whose life has so far spanned over a century and a half, yet appeared to be in his early forties, leaned forward. “I understand the Maestros and Grand Maestro of Aakadon grew negligent over the years, losing track of the flute of Della Lain, along with the spells maintaining Tarin Conn’s confinement beneath Kelgotha, and also failed to secure the Crystal Chamber. Your reasons are clear enough to me,” the Ecoppian born Accomplished stated. “I admit as a former citizen of Aakadon to having once had a blind trust in my Maestro and the Grand Maestro. I believed the august leaders of our Aakacarn society held the fate of the world well in hand and suspect the current residents still believe that to be the case. As a former Oceanic of the Aqua Guild, I can tell you few Aakacarns will believe your word over that of Geran DuSorin or Efferin Tames and will only see anything we do or say as defiance.”
Jeremiah, the former Senior Soarer of the Eagle Guild, cleared his throat. “It was a bold move, one that is sure to have repercussions,” he began without a show of emotion, neither approving nor disapproving. “All of us associated with you will be considered of a feather. Our word on the failure in leadership perpetrated by the rulers of Aakadon, used to justify the acquisition, will not be regarded as trustworthy. Most anyone who is not a member of the Atlantan Guild will be inclined to believe whatever fiction Efferin Tames publishes.”
The decision to claim Shantear for the guild was made quickly, without consulting anyone, not even Sherree whom Daniel loved dearly. Martin and Jeremiah’s assessment of what the reaction in Aakadon would be only stood to reason and Daniel knew both Accomplisheds to be correct.
“You are the Chosen Vessel,” David stated as if that fact alone was sufficient to justify the move. He shrugged his shoulders, much the way Tim Dukane would have, and then added, “Anyone who does not serve in your swirl must give way or face the consequences.”
“That’s right,” Silvia voiced her hardy agreement.
Sherree’s green-eyed gaze had rarely strayed from him since awakening in the quiet room within Shantear and Daniel knew, though she had not said so, that she was worried about his decision, among a host of other things concerning him. “Do you understand why I made the claim?” he asked his wife, his lover, his friend. She was all of those and more.
Her pupils opened wide so as to give her a greater scrutiny of him, which often meant she adored him and wanted to be alone with her newly-wedded husband, a feeling he shared. Yellow gold eyebrows arched up, signaling worry with a hint of irritation, and her pink lips parted and closed as if she was about to say one thing and then thought better of it. “I understand perfectly. You do not trust the leaders of Aakadon, Efferin Tames in particular, and his actions and dereliction of duty caused you to make the spur of the moment decision,” she replied and then let out a sigh. “I just wish you had given me an inkling of what was on your mind. Did you consider the consequences of that decision? Did your idea go beyond not having enough trust in the Maestros of Aakadon to guard a chicken from a fox?”
He had used similar phrasing before when people were trying to persuade him to turn custody of the flute of Della Lain, the crescendo onto which the Da Capos for some of the remaining spells on Tarin Conn are tied, over to a Maestro in Aakadon, which he ended up doing. Unlike that development, he would not change his mind about Shantear. “I stood at what Silvia calls a pivot point, where making the right decision is crucial. The
Martin, whose life has so far spanned over a century and a half, yet appeared to be in his early forties, leaned forward. “I understand the Maestros and Grand Maestro of Aakadon grew negligent over the years, losing track of the flute of Della Lain, along with the spells maintaining Tarin Conn’s confinement beneath Kelgotha, and also failed to secure the Crystal Chamber. Your reasons are clear enough to me,” the Ecoppian born Accomplished stated. “I admit as a former citizen of Aakadon to having once had a blind trust in my Maestro and the Grand Maestro. I believed the august leaders of our Aakacarn society held the fate of the world well in hand and suspect the current residents still believe that to be the case. As a former Oceanic of the Aqua Guild, I can tell you few Aakacarns will believe your word over that of Geran DuSorin or Efferin Tames and will only see anything we do or say as defiance.”
Jeremiah, the former Senior Soarer of the Eagle Guild, cleared his throat. “It was a bold move, one that is sure to have repercussions,” he began without a show of emotion, neither approving nor disapproving. “All of us associated with you will be considered of a feather. Our word on the failure in leadership perpetrated by the rulers of Aakadon, used to justify the acquisition, will not be regarded as trustworthy. Most anyone who is not a member of the Atlantan Guild will be inclined to believe whatever fiction Efferin Tames publishes.”
The decision to claim Shantear for the guild was made quickly, without consulting anyone, not even Sherree whom Daniel loved dearly. Martin and Jeremiah’s assessment of what the reaction in Aakadon would be only stood to reason and Daniel knew both Accomplisheds to be correct.
“You are the Chosen Vessel,” David stated as if that fact alone was sufficient to justify the move. He shrugged his shoulders, much the way Tim Dukane would have, and then added, “Anyone who does not serve in your swirl must give way or face the consequences.”
“That’s right,” Silvia voiced her hardy agreement.
Sherree’s green-eyed gaze had rarely strayed from him since awakening in the quiet room within Shantear and Daniel knew, though she had not said so, that she was worried about his decision, among a host of other things concerning him. “Do you understand why I made the claim?” he asked his wife, his lover, his friend. She was all of those and more.
Her pupils opened wide so as to give her a greater scrutiny of him, which often meant she adored him and wanted to be alone with her newly-wedded husband, a feeling he shared. Yellow gold eyebrows arched up, signaling worry with a hint of irritation, and her pink lips parted and closed as if she was about to say one thing and then thought better of it. “I understand perfectly. You do not trust the leaders of Aakadon, Efferin Tames in particular, and his actions and dereliction of duty caused you to make the spur of the moment decision,” she replied and then let out a sigh. “I just wish you had given me an inkling of what was on your mind. Did you consider the consequences of that decision? Did your idea go beyond not having enough trust in the Maestros of Aakadon to guard a chicken from a fox?”
He had used similar phrasing before when people were trying to persuade him to turn custody of the flute of Della Lain, the crescendo onto which the Da Capos for some of the remaining spells on Tarin Conn are tied, over to a Maestro in Aakadon, which he ended up doing. Unlike that development, he would not change his mind about Shantear. “I stood at what Silvia calls a pivot point, where making the right decision is crucial. The
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