A Dangerous Destiny: The Pure One Book I

Chapter Two

Fiona

It was an unfortunate occurrence. The Nita of the Senmin should not have become impregnated. This was, unsurprisingly, the Council's general assessment of the situation before them. Fiona had said little since the start of the Assembly, acting almost as an outside observer. In fact, the announcement Fiona had so dreaded presenting had ultimately been wordless. The image of her rounded belly was more than enough to set the Council of Elders buzzing like an angry hive of bees. Though purity had never been a requirement of the position, Fiona's child would present a variety of complications, and the men in the room were intent on highlighting each one.

She was far too old, they railed, as if her age of thirty-three years somehow made the question of motherhood entirely untenable. How could she have allowed this to happen? Was she aware that the child she was carrying could never truly belong to her? Did she realize that she would be expected to raise the future Nita as if she herself had been barren? Of course, their interrogation only vaguely hid their true questions. Was she a traitor? Would the story of Astar be repeated once again?

Fiona listened to the discussion with a strange detachment that seemed to match the Council's tone. Having barely acknowledged her attempts at explanation, the councilmen were now conferring as if Fiona was not present, discussing the baby inside her as a tactical misstep and poor choice in leadership. Perhaps they were right. Fiona found her hand self-consciously resting on her protruding stomach.

The irony of the situation was not lost to her. She was the Nita, leader of the Senmin people and supposedly, the most powerful person in the room. Yet amongst the great Council of Elders, even her own body was not within her jurisdiction.

It was too late of course. They could no longer simply demand that she terminate the baby. Not with the pregnancy so advanced. She had hidden her condition long enough. Loosely fitted clothing and general hermitage had achieved the desired effect. The bulge of her midsection had indeed gone unnoticed for six and a half months. The surprise of the Council members present seemed to confirm that at least. As for any chance that she would find allies amongst the General Assembly however, Fiona felt her hopes dropping with every passing moment.

Although they had not said so outright, it seemed the idea of a child of the Nita was too much for these men to respond with anything less than veiled condemnation. Of course, she had expected such a response and feared much worse. But though they had not demanded her immediate arrest, nor outwardly suggested drastic measures to remedy the problem presented by the unborn child, Fiona was nonetheless dismayed to see how little her reputation and position could stand against the stories of the Great Book.

As the councilmen spoke all but their true fears, she felt her frustration growing at the barrage of questions she was expected to hear and not answer. But Fiona knew she could not allow the Council to shake her, and the longer they were given to discuss the issue the more likely her most vocal critics would demand some sort of action be taken. She needed this conversation to end before any true accusations were made.

Withdrawing to her mind, Fiona split her focus to feign interest in the councilmen's words while directing her thoughts towards her teacher. If only Manna could understand, there was hope that she didn't need the approval of these fools. For them she could fain a meek façade of remorse and obedience, the face they wanted from the leader she knew many viewed as hardly more than an ornamental figurehead. She would swallow her pride and do whatever was necessary to save her child and her position. But Fiona knew her teacher's reputation could speak more than her own. Manna could make them listen. She could stop their speculations and put the matter to rest, if only temporarily, buying Fiona time to deal with the inevitable repercussions of her news. Time for the councilmen's tempers to cool before they made any rash decisions.