Chapter 7: We can't give up on family!
WIND CLAN – SOMEWHERE NEAR THE EAST BORDER - CHAO 149
Astrid woke up with great difficulty. She felt exhausted, even though she had spent so much time sleeping for the past few days. She heard her mum's voice out of the tent, so she got up.
She was afraid but staying alone was even more scary than bearing the tribe's gazes. She timidly put her face out. The life of the camp kept going, as if nothing had happened. Perhaps she'd become invisible?
She tried to make herself as small as possible and kept her eyes on the ground. She stopped when she saw her mother's feet in front of hers. She looked up without saying anything. She met her gaze full of worry.
Then, a huge crash met her ears. She curled up and tried to hide, terrified. Her mother took her tightly into her embrace and told her: "It's okay, honey. A defective carriage fell, everything's fine, there's no danger."
Hearing those words, Astrid looked around her. Since when was she so easily frightened? It didn't seem like her. Grandpa wouldn't approve if he came to know."Mum, what happens once we leave the earth? You said that he'd look out for me from where he is now. But where is he and how will he look out for me?"
Trying her most reassuring smile, she answered: "When we leave the earth, it is to travel our biggest journey. Our soul walks beside the Last Caravan and reaches the other side, where we meet with everyone who was once dear to us. Father-in-law can't interact with us, but he can see you and give you his love. You'll be able to feel it when you'll need it, I swear."
"I see…"
In fact, she didn't. It was far too abstract for her. She didn't grasp these concepts of soul and other side. And also… If grandpa couldn't interact with them, what was the point of seeing her?
For once, she didn't want to satisfy her curiosity. She didn't want to know. She just wanted to pretend nothing was wrong and forget everything. It was too painful to think about him. Maybe the best she could do was finding a new teacher and going back on training.
Then, a thought reached her mind. "Mum, where's Lin? I know she's really busy, but I'd really like to see her. It's really important to me. I'm surprised I haven't seen her already. She must be worried…"
"Astrid… Come, let's go back inside, I'll make some tea."
She grabbed her arm and took her inside, putting her in the bed. "We're stopping for a week, as a sign of grief for the Chief, to see him off."
She placed the boiler on the fire and asked for Astrid's father to come. She then waited, her head down, not daring to look in her daughter's eyes.
"Mum… What's happening?" A strange and insecure feeling filled her heart. It was the first time her mother behaved like this. Astrid was of an optimistic nature, but she still imagined the worst. Especially because she had sent for father.
Tears came to her eyes, her breathing sped up. She got up, anxious. "Don't tell me any other bad news, I wouldn't be able to handle it! Mum! Say something!"
She sobbed. "Please, don't turn your back on me."
Her mum hastily came back to her and stroke her head. "I'm here, honey, I'm here." Astrid noticed her eyes were sparkly, as if a bit wet.
Her father came in and took her into his arms, while her mother gave her tea and asked her to drink some.
She obeyed, but she couldn't stop herself from shaking. They scared her acting like this. Something was obviously off…
She raised her head, her fear showing all over her face. Was the nightmare still not over?
Her father sighted. "Astrid… While you were gone, the Inquisition came. They took Lin."
The words collided in her mind, they couldn't get through. She couldn't understand, she refused to understand. Impossible. Her mouth twitched in a distorted smile."Aha... Hahahaha, I didn't know you could tell jokes like that! You almost got me! Hahahaha!"
Tears began crawling on her cheeks, but that didn't make any sense. She wasn't sad. She had no reason to be sad because Lini was to come soon. "Now, seriously, dad. Where is she? I need to see her, see? She's my sister."
Her father's face hardened. Not that he didn't feel anything, but he needed to be strong for her, because she had to be too. She would be the Chief after him, she had to learn to not let her grief affect her abilities to take decisions. However young she was, however hard it was. "I know it's difficult to believe, we didn't see it coming either. They said she was a bastard, which is one of the Three Great Crimes. We had no proof to claim anything otherwise. We didn't even know where she came from. Only your grandfather knew. We're waiting for the trial's results, but don't get your hopes up. We'll already be lucky if we don't get involved."
She didn't want to listen, but he kept on. "… People getting out of those cells are few. And without any proof… She doesn't stand a chance. I'm sorry."
She got out of her mind. "Liar! You're lying! Why are you lying to me like this! You're horrible! I don't want to listen to this any more!!"
She pushed them off and ran. She ran without caring for what was around her. She just wanted to get away. She needed to keep moving or she wouldn't be able to handle the little information that got through.
… A few days later…
She had gotten out of her denial, but she still didn't want to speak to anyone. She passed her days as far from the tribe as she possibly could.
That night, her mother came to her.
"When they took her, they let her some time to… arrange her things. She didn't have much, but she let this for you."
Astrid opened the box her mum had given her. There was a wooden plate, with pawns - made of shell or slate - and cards, a book, the earrings she got for her nomination, a necklace with a silvered spiraled pendant, and a letter.
A strong emotion surged as she looked at the piece of paper. She breathed slowly and opened it.
[Dear Astrid,
The Inquisition isn't known for its patience and thoroughness, so …
It's with this game and book that I learned how to "count", as you once asked me to teach you. I'm sorry I won't be able to become your game partner,sorry for not being able to become the best tales master possible, one that would have advised you for your entire life.
Except for the tales part, Sóren seems like a good choice to replace me. Please play with him to remember me.
My earrings, I'd like you to keep. As you know, they represent everything I was to the wind clan, and I would have been nothing without you. As for the necklace.... I'm embarrassed to ask this of you, but… It's something our clan cherishes, every person has one, even the lowest farmer. It tells our personal history, our accomplishments, our values… It is engraved and shaped throughout our lives. Mine is still blank. Behind it is written my full name, Maeva Lin Neith.
I'd like you to bury it in my brother's - Orwen Vlad Neith - grave. You'll be a great Relations Master, so do it when you'll be in the water clan for your first official mission. I'm sorry for charging you with this, but you're the one I trust, and it would mean so much to me.
I was the only survivor of my family, I thought it would be my duty to keep on their memory and descendants. I felt ready to bear this responsibility. Well, I failed.
At least, the twelve years I lived were years of happiness, for the most part. Mostly thanks to you.
Thank you, Astrid
Your sister, Lin]
She read it multiple times, to be sure she would get the meaning of every word. She realized she was crying, and that her mother also was. She begged. "Can we not do something for her? The man who brought her, he could testify! Maybe he's still in the water clan, we could send someone to fetch him!"
"And how would he find him? We don't even know his name… I know your father looks peaceful and is still busy as before, as if nothing happened, but he didn't sleep for a week after they took her. He worked day and night without rest to try and find any clue, anything that would help her, until this morning. He failed, and Lin, she… she lost.
It's too late. Even if we had more time, even if we were to find that man… There would be nothing we could do. Nothing would be enough. I did ask for time, so that Father-in-Law could go defend her. He knew her identity, he might have been able to do something. Maybe, if… Well. I also told them that she was a wind noble of the second circle. As long as she didn't marry or have children, she had the right to be part of our family, and as such, they shouldn't have been able to treat her in such an executive way, but…"
Anger surged and filled Astrid's belly once again. "Who told them they had the right to do that? Who's the culprit?"
"Honey, the Inquisition is as powerful as the royalty. Officially not, but in truth, maybe they hold even more power. After the great war, the royalty itself came from their ranks. Officially, again – they have cut every relation with them, but we all know it is not as simple as that. Anyway, that means they have every right to do what they want. There are laws that protect us, but they have ways to get around them.
They chase anyone who is accused of being a heretic or "infidel", using the religion as an excuse for their crimes. Not all inquisitors are like this, but most of the powerful ones are.
We thought that, after the hundred years of wars, all the slaughters would come to an end. But they keep perpetuating them, in a more vicious way than the killings on the battlefields."
Astrid began yelling. She knew it wasn't her mother's fault, but she needed to get everything out. "Don't they have any humanity? Lin isn't some criminal! And how did they come to know of her existence anyway?"
"When she was adopted, the clan sent a report to the Capital, which is normal. That's how. Your grandfather must have had a way to prove her good birth, but for the first and last time in his life, he hasn't been careful enough. He didn't tell anyone anything. Maybe he didn't have a choice, he had to keep her secret safe from most people as a priority. I don't know."
"That's impossible. Not grandpa. It's them! They must have destroyed the proofs! And out of nowhere, after two years, they come right when grandpa isn't there? That's fishy and you know it! I won't buy it!!
Mum, bring me to her. I won't let her die alone. Please!"
Her mother seemed to hesitate, but then told everything plainly. "She will be burned in three days. Even if we leave now with the fastest horses, we won't be there in time."
"But… maybe they've mistaken…"
She was taken in her mother's arms. She sobbed."We're a family, we can't give up on family…"
She heard her mother crying with her. "Astrid, I'm sorry. We didn't get a choice. I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, Lin…"
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