Divine Charity

Twenty-Four: Family Sucks

Waiting for her brother to make his move grated on Lena. It made her grumpy, paranoid and often left her wondering if she would survive the pressing weight in her chest. To distract her, Khamuel insisted she stop spending so much time in the ovelum and learn more about running the ark. Lena asked to apprentice as a pilot under Mord, but Khamuel refused. "Until we are rid of your brother and his stench, nay. You will stay close to either Fiadn or myself at all times."

He'd prompted her several times to spill the last of her secrets to him, but Lena was afraid as she heard Fiadn's voice in her head, teaching her about the laws of sephira. Khamuel remained patient, attempting to coax her, but nothing he said or did would get Lena to speak. She clung to her girls, refusing to let them return to the schoolrooms, adamant that their guard remained doubled and took the twins to the ovelum daily, drilling into the girls different ways of protecting themselves. Forcing the twins to dig deep into the powers they were only just developing. Fiadn counseled Lena against pushing the twins so hard, which only made Lena snap at him. "I wish he'd make his move already! All this stress is making me sick!"

Finally, Khamuel interceded when Lena's paranoia concerned him. He demanded the twins return to school and doubled Lena's lessons on ruling the Ka'al.

While the stress of learning so much all at once was more oppressive than getting her ass kicked every day, Khamuel was right. She was so busy learning how to become a leader of Ka'al that she collapsed into bed, with Khamuel's big beefy arms pulling her close, asleep before her head even hit the pillow.

Even now, sitting across from him in the control room, she felt the exhaustion bearing down on her, making it difficult to concentrate. She fidgeted in her seat, trying to collect her thoughts and sort them into some semblance of sense. 

When Khamuel noticed her sour expression, he checked his humor.

"What will you do this day?" he asked as he took the last bite of his lunch.

She looked up distractedly. "Fiadn has me in the judiciary chambers. He's been making me attend every confront."

Khamuel approved. "'Tis good. There are many times when you will be called upon to pass judgement. To familiarize yourself with our laws is sound."

Lena grimaced. The last thing she wanted was to keep learning the law. "I'd rather leave that duty to someone else, but Fiadn says there's no getting out of it."

"Fiadn is wise in his council." He brushed a strand of hair from her brow. "See, it is I and my chamber who bring about the laws, yet the duty of my consort to question them and support them in equal turns. In many ways, it is you who will rule. You will temper my words and edicts as you weigh each case individually. 'Tis much responsibility, yet I know you will comport yourself well."

She rolled her eyes and scrunched her nose, but turned her attention back to the clear screen. "Can you explain this to me? I've read it like a thousand times, and I can't wrap my head around what it's saying."

He dragged his eyes away from her and read. "What do you think it means?"

She huffed and sat back. "It means that I'm frustrated, and don't want to study anymore."

Khamuel grinned. "Try again."

She re-read the line. "I think it means that, if all parties involved can bring about equal proof of wrongdoing, then each party is free from verdict. But I don't see how that can be. For one, not passing judgement solves nothing and for two, if both parties are guilty of something, then shouldn't they both be penalized?"

"And that, Farran, is where your judgement comes into play. See, our laws are more of a baseline of guidance. A jumping point, if you will. I build the bridge, yet it is you who will decide how to traverse the divide. Will you cross it? Or jump from it?"