Cantrell: The Early Years, Part Four

The Incident, part two, a Cantrell: The Early Years, Part Four Update

 

“Come,” T’Lar said, expecting T’Pran and the child.  Turning from the window, she found herself greeted by the High Councilor, T’Pau, instead.  For a moment the Matriarch looked stricken, leaning more heavily on her rod than ever before.  At once T’Lar gestured her superior inward. “T’Pau?”

 

“There has been an incident,” the High Councilor began.

“Yes . . .” T’Lar nodded. “I have sent my assistant to assess the situation. It was an encounter — from all appearances.”

“Of which my great-grandson begs forgiveness.” T’Pau said. “It was unintentional.”

 

“So he claims. Perhaps it is Kiftiri — Destiny, the will of the All. We shall see what is truth.” T’Lar waited for her sovereign to take a seat before taking hers, receiving a short nod from T’Pau for her to do so. She eased herself into the chair thinking the High Councilor looked more aged tonight. Her long black hair, now fully white, bundled at the nape of her neck, her hawkish features, pinched.Decades of rule had since bent her wraithlike form, the weight of her responsibilities suddenly dampening the fire in her dark brown eyes.  They were both beyond their years, T’Lar mused, having been girls together.  She, too, felt her age.

 

“So,”  T’Pau clipped the word, “you also felt his thoughts?”

“The entire Corridor echoed with his admission,” T’Lar said.  “He did not close off his thoughts, nor narrow his transmission.”

“It is possible he was still seeking contact with the girl, however unconscious the act,”  T’Pau concluded.

T’Lar nodded in agreement.  “Such is the risk whenever humans are involved.” 

“This is not about the girl alone.  My great-grandson is himself half-human.”

“Of course.”

 T’Pau got up, walking around the chair, keeping her back to the cleric.  She gazed at nothing in particular.  The room, still bathed in the semi-light of dawn when she came in, had gradually taken on more light.  “Then there is no way to keep this a private matter?”

 

“Already speculation abounds.”  T’Lar got up and walking over to the sideboard, poured two small cups of steaming tea.  She came to stand next to her longtime friend, handing her one.  “An encounter of this nature has not occurred in generations.”

 

“If it had been anyone else . . .” T’Pau gripped her carved rod, her knuckles losing their color.  “This does not bode well for the House of Talek Sen Dene.” 

 

“As you stated, it was unintentional.  Will you convene a hearing immediately?”

“Yes.  It is necessary to clear up the matter at once.  Complete the assessment.  And conduct your own investigation into this matter.  Spare no one.  Then we shall see what must be done.”  With that T’Pau set aside her teacup and left the room.

 

==/\==

 

“Child?” T’Pran questioned her again.

 

Brianna couldn’t breathe, let alone speak.  The void was so intense she felt as if she had been kicked in the stomach knocking the wind right out of her lungs.  How was she to go on another minute without him?  How?  Could somebody tell her how?  Anger and grief occupied twin spots in her belly.  She wrapped her arms tightly about her waist and rocked gently back and forth unable to utter a word, deep in thought.  Tears ran down her face like an endless waterfall.  She wiped at them with her hand.  They would not be abated.

 

The maiden’s words rippled through her, haunting her, teasing her in her sudden failure.  ‘It is done,’ she’d said.   What was that supposed to mean?  What was done?  Her test?  Couldn’t she see something more important had happened?  She could take this test at any other time — or had her indiscretion disqualified her? For a moment panic joined the party in her stomach but just as quickly it vanished.  She didn’t know and she didn’t care.  She just wanted him back.  That’s what mattered.  Shoving aside the free strands of hair that escaped her headdress, she leaned over and sobbed bitterly into her hands.

 

After only a moment, T’Pran touched her shoulder, and she gazed into those familiar eyes.  “Where have thee been?” she asked.  Concerned added another furrow to her brow.

 

“I don't know!” Brianna seethed, in her overwhelming shame.  In another breath Brianna decided it would be better to let the matter rest without discussion.   Struggling for composure, she mopped her face, blew her nose in the kerchief from her bag and drew in a ragged breath.  “Nowhere, I guess,” she said, “I was nowhere.  You startled me, is all.” 

“A lie?”  T’Pran said, eyeing her suspiciously, wiping the tear from the girl’s delicate cheek. 

 

“A need for privacy,” Brianna countered.  Taking in a cleansing breath, she stood indicating she was ready to follow after the temple maiden to the ceremony.

 

“Thee must concentrate on the moment at hand,” the older woman chastised, drawing herself up.  Brianna avoided the eyes of her governess.  The bell banners rang out clear and crisp, demanding attention.  Brianna hesitated.  T’Pran was right, her concentration was completely shattered.  Again.  What did it mean, Kiftiri — Destiny? Whose destiny?

 

Who was this soul, this entity she had ‘bumped’ into and what did he want from her?  And why now?  She had to go in there in a minute for the test of her life and she was a mess.  How could she allow herself to be sabotaged like this, to be put off her purpose?  She had worked far too hard, had trained against her nature for too much of her young life to allow her ambitions to be derailed now.  She needed the validation she would receive should she be successful today.  Would he want her any other way?

 

Swallowing around the congealed emotions in her throat, she decided she would sort this all out later, at a more appropriate time — should one arise. Finding it most difficult to let any thought of him go, she assured herself, that she would make time, later.  Haunted by the incident, by him, she just couldn’t let him go and followed behind T’Pran just as preoccupied as the day before when she arrived.  She was not at all prepared to complete her Test.