Chapter 6: A bell rang
HAKK'S HIGH CITY - INQUISITION PRISON CELLS – CHAO 149
To give up. That was the last resort she had. She had explained everything thoroughly, given the full names of her parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, four sisters, three brothers, six aunts, eight uncles, seventeen cousins. Of course, most of the latter had died during the war, some even before she was born. She also had fully recited the Holy Texts, half of the Morals – it had been long since she had last read them, but she was sure she had done no mistake.
She had given them her seal – which was supposed to be a guarantee of her identity by itself, she hadn't even showed it to the Hansen –, recited a part of her family's historical record, answered thousands of questions about the water clan's customs. She had even sworn using Kmir's name.
Their verdict: lies. She must admit that her story was a bit fantastic, but their explanation sounded even more unlikely to her ears. Apparently, she was a bastard of a man of the Hansen tribe and a woman of the Neith family. She had been educated with the Neith – officially as a servant girl but treated as well as the young misses (which would explain her knowledge and education. Then, when the slaughter occurred, she ran away and – knowing of her blasphemous condition – she took the seal of Neith family's third young miss, in case the Inquisition came asking questions. She then found shelter in the Hansen tribe.
Their proof? With her attitude and aura, she looked so much like a wind girl that she must have wind blood. And as a primal blood, secondary blood nature "wouldn't be enough". Secondly, if she really had been from the Neith family, she would have killed herself after the slaughter, and at the very least, she would never had fled. Hearing the latter, her throat had tightened with guilt. Their story was made-up and stupid; no one would really believe it, everyone would know it was excuses. However, they were right about one thing: she shouldn't have fled, she shouldn't have abandoned her name. For a water clan member, one's family - and by extension, one's family name - was the most sacred thing on earth. She felt like she had let down all of her ancestors. Would Kmir pardon that sin?
Of course, the Inquisition was not so biased and unethical as to make such accusations based on conjunctures only. They had taken some of her blood and tested it. The outcome was formal: the blood was impure.
Of course, she knew it was false. It was not just out of trust towards her parents' righteousness – although she did trust them – but every sensible person knew this blood-test thing was just a big joke. They wouldn't be able to tell even if she were a bastard. Purity or impurity of the blood depended on a million of factors; health, freshness of blood, nutrition, … but certainly not breeding. If mixing blood by having children with someone of another clan was a great sin, there was no definite way to prove it. Even if someone had appearance traits from another clan - which was very rare - it could be caused by that person's secondary blood nature. Only if their secondary blood nature did not match with their foreign appearance would it be proved that the great sin was committed. However, most people, especially common people, were just too eager to believe that there was a justice, that the Inquisition killed only the enemies of Kmir, that no innocent was beheaded or burned alive.
The Judge had made his theory out loud before asking for the blood test. She had known by then that it was over. Even if they couldn't find any "impurity" in her blood, they would never admit they had made a mistake, not when she had no one to support her. After saying she was a bastard servant girl, if she happened to be the only survivor of a warden's family, he would be in trouble.
The only thing that had surprised her is the attitude of the Judge, considering that he was from the water clan. Her family was only from the third circle, but that was because they didn't mingle in politics. They were wardens, which was at least as important as the prince and princess of their clan.
The wardens were charged with the memory of the clan. Originally, there were five families of them, but with the war, they were already reduced to two. And she was the last survivor of one of these two. The Judge should have been way more careful, and ready to let her live, bastard or not, for the benefits of the clan. Plus, she had proved him that she knew enough already to be fully capable of ending her formation and taking her place as a warden.
So… why? Kmir, how much did she want to have the Judge's birth name! She was only seven when she left the water clan, she was still too young to learn the name of every noble or important member, so some Priest's name… She thus had no idea who this Brother Jonathan was, but if she had his birth name, the family name, maybe…
She knew it was no use no matter what, but she wanted to know, she wanted to understand. There were so many more things that she wanted to learn…
Of course, she had been charged with one of the three major crimes, so it meant death penalty. The Neith family was already dead and her guiltiness wasn't proof enough to implicate the Hansen tribe, but for her, it would be death by fire. They perfectly knew that the Blind Followers of Kmir buried their dead, and that burning her was an insult.
Well, it didn't matter to her any more. She was relieved the Hansen tribe would not be punished. The burning or burial of corpses was a matter of honor between humans, she would join Kmir's side anyway and finally meet with her brother again.
It was cold, humid, dark, dirty, but she didn't care either. They had given her a candle, a copy of the Holy Texts, a book of prayers and a holy symbol and chain. It was more out of condescension and self-pride than out of pity for her soul, but still, she was glad.
She knew the wind clan wanted their children to choose how to pray Kmir, that was why they didn't educate them religiously but waited for them to be adults and believe for themselves. They didn't like people meddling with their beliefs or outright showing theirs. That was why for all these years, she had always prayed in silence, at night.
It was appeasing to be able to perform the rites of her childhood once again. It didn't fully calm the fear in her heart, but it helped her to forget. She had promised herself that she would be proud, that she wouldn't cry, but she was twelve, she had the right to be scared, right?
After a while, she heard the sound of keys, someone entering the cell.
"I'm your Priest and I've come here to prepare you to die."
She looked at him. Slim, straight black hair, pale blue eyes and white skin ; he was from the water clan too. He was probably in his thirties. In other circumstances, as a person with noble blood, she would have had the right to see a High Priest, but well. This was probably only the smallest insult they had made to her.
"Thank you, brother. The only sins I have to repent for are an affair between Kmir and I. Please do not take offence."
He chuckled. "Let me do my job, will you? Are you a Blind or a Clear-sighted Follower?"
"Do you even need to ask?"
"Not really, no. I heard you pray before I came." He looked at her position, the books on her knees and chain in her hand. "Your faith seems to be strong, and as you refuse me as a mediator, I won't interfere in your relation with Him. However, maybe there's something else I can do so you can die in peace?"
She hesitated. Why was he being so friendly? She did not trust him but well, she had nothing to lose anyway. "Is my brother, Orwen Vlad Neith, truly dead?"
It took him a few seconds to answer."I'm sorry to say that he is. He was killed during the slaughter, just like everyone else. He was a bright star in our sky, and his death was a great loss to our clan."
She closed her eyes. She knew it already, but it still ached to hear it. He continued. "You know, the Judge at your trial… it was Godfried Yohan Asgaut."
Her eyes flew open. "What?!"
Her mind began racing. The Asgauts! They were the one other wardens family. She had always assumed the earth clan was responsible for her family's death, but the Asgaut… How did she not think of them?! If they remained the only wardens family alive, they would be honored, cherished beyond belief.
Whether they had commanded the slaughter or not, of course their son would not let go of an opportunity to let her die. She sighted… She thought her position as a warden would have protected her, but it happened to be the opposite.
She wondered how much money this Judge had spent to be in charge with the case. She remembered her brother's words. "The Inquisition should be mighty and righteous, their cause just, but be careful. Although it might be true for some of its members, most of them are rotten, bloodthirsty, power-seeking people. Don't ever trust them without a good-enough reason." This was truer than she had thought back then.
"Well… At least I won't die without knowing exactly why."
The man grinned. "You're a smart girl, aren't you?"
She smiled ironically. "Not smart enough, apparently."
He looked at her, intrigued. "I guess so. It really is a shame."
A bell rang.
"Time has come, Maeva Lin Neith."
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