The Chronicles Of The Council #1: The Sun's Tears

Chapter 47: Laelia - Evidence

“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We're no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It's simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we've been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.” - Carl Sagan.

“The beds aren't very comfortable,” I say as I enter Aedan's room, finding him in bed, staring at the roof.

He turns on his side and looks at me. “It beats sleeping on a tree branch.”

“It is a more comfortable, but also more restricted - and the view isn't nearly as charming.” I sit down next to Aedan. “Faolan and the Order will be here for two weeks?”

Aedan nods his confirmation. “They are also recruiting in the next few days,” he says lazily.

“I remember them talking about sending out notices a few months ago.”

The recruitment of new members for the Order is always a big deal. They send notices out whenever it has been decided that recruitment should be done. It doesn't happen very often - only once every few decades, and always with the blessing of our sovereign. When a human wants to join the order, and no recruitment has been announced, they can just write their name on a piece of paper and leave it in a shrine or temple of the Second One. In contrast, an announced recruitment is a big, spectacular event to showcase and celebrate our power.

“Do you think we will be allowed to attend?” Aedan asks me.

“I don't see why not, but our priority is to build a relationship with Prince Pa'Drig.”

He sighs.

“Do you want to join?” lI have harboured the suspicion that Aedan wants to join the Second Order for a while now. He hasn't said anything directly, but I know Aedan better than I know my own desires.

Aedan evades my question. “You are right, Mother has given us this mission. It is our most important goal at the moment.”

“Then we better get dressed and join Prince Pa'Drig for breakfast,” I tell Aedan when standing up from his bed. I want to tell Aedan about the secret passages, but now is not the moment.

Aedan and I meet each other outside our rooms half an hour later, looking as presentable as we can muster. We head towards the only other place we know in the castle - the study where we were received yesterday.

Pala, the maid from yesterday, meets us in the hallway - eyes wide and cheeks pale. “Your highnesses, the Prince sent me to gather a team to wake and dress you.”

Aedan and I give her smiles. “We are early risers.”

She gives an apologetic smile. “The Prince is in the Great Hall. If your highnesses have no objection, I will accompany you to the Great Hall.”

“Thank you, Pala.”

We enter the great hall of Raven's Peak. The members of the Second Order are all seated in the hall. The maid leads us to a platform at the end of the hall with the main table - the table decorated more lavishly than all the others.

“It has always been the tradition when receiving visitors that the highest ranking among them would join their host at the main table. Those of lower stand dine on the floor.”

“At our feasts, the tables are spread out through the venue so that anyone can access the food and dine themselves,” I share with the Prince, because I reckon that he is as curious about us as I am about them.