“I’m afraid I have to disagree with the decision, Father. I think every clan member who comes deserves to hear it directly from you. There’s also a safety issue. If there’s only a single session, I assume the hall will be packed as tight as possible. What if something happens and the hall needs to be emptied quickly or people become sick or overcome with the press of the crowd? There would be no way to get out of the building. I can also envision people wanting to show support by cheering, raising hands and arms, clapping, or I don’t know what. Being packed too tight will inhibit their responses.”
“Hmmm . . . maybe I’ll reconsider when we get better estimates. I’ll talk to Pedr and Breda.”
By the next day, it was decided—the hall would be limited to five thousand at a time, with the number of sessions determined by how many clanspeople committed to attend. Boyermen would give firm estimates to Caernford a sixday before the gathering.
Yozef was not pleased. “Hell, Maera, doesn’t your father realize how much effort we’ll lose in preparing for the Narthani because of this gathering? Tens of thousands of Keelanders will stop training, making cannons and ammunition, storing food, and God knows everything else. It’s going to be a near enough thing to survive what’s to come. It’s possible a sixday’s worth of production could be critical.” He slapped a hand on the table where they sat.
“But Yozef, consider that the gathering has the potential to urge those people producing the cannon to work all that much harder, thereby more than making up for time lost due to the gathering. You’ve warned us about how difficult the times will be. Isn’t it necessary that every clan member be as steadfast as possible to endure what we fear? I’m sure both of these factors are part of Father’s reasoning in calling the gathering, in addition to his belief in fully sharing the dangers with every clan member.”
Yozef sighed. “I understand, Maera, and you and your father might be right. You might also be wrong. I just don’t know the answer. However, it’s done, so I have to accept it and move on and hope the benefits your father believes in outweigh the costs.”
During the following days, Yozef consoled himself that he didn’t have to witness the loss of work, because the workers in and around Caernford wouldn’t have to travel to attend the gathering. He did his best not to imagine halted production in Abersford or any of the other towns and villages, training sites for Keelan men, and the clan redoubt being prepared in the Dillagon Mountains. The Fuomi had returned to Caernford and asked whether Yozef wanted to delay starting the first group of Keelan leaders who would go through the crash course to be taught by Kivalian, the Fuomi second-in-command and troop leader. Yozef insisted they begin as soon as possible, with only a two-day break for the gathering. The first group included Balwis, Sixwith, Kildorn, Denes, and Mulron Luwis. When that group was finished, Kildorn, the Oroszian major who had been with Denes on the raid into Preddi, would accompany Kivalian to Orosz City and help with the next group, which would include Hetman Stent and several of his clansmen slated for unit leadership. Denes and Mulron would attempt to repeat the lessons for men from Gwillamer, Mittack, and Hewell, who would come to Caernford.
Both Yozef’s and Maera’s workdays were dawn to dusk and sometimes longer. Many days they saw each other only when collapsing into bed, neither with the energy for, or interest in, bedroom activities other than sleep. They each tried to spend at least a few minutes each day with Aeneas—especially Maera. Yozef didn’t think the baby knew or cared at this point in his life, as long as he had women to feed, change, and hold him. Even so, he recognized Maera’s guilt about what she thought she needed to do and what she thought she was supposed to do for Aeneas.
Although Yozef’s main enterprises continued in full operation, other activities in Caernford turned more and more toward preparing for the influx of the gathering. By a sixday before the start of the gathering, boyermen estimates from all eleven districts indicated twelve thousand Keelanders from outside Caernford intended to come. The numbers were greater than Pedr and Culich had estimated, and they had to decide whether to limit the number of Caernford citizens attending the sessions. The final estimate from Caernford and surroundings was six thousand.
They didn’t apply any restrictions. There would be as many sessions as necessary. To account for more people showing up than estimated, they decided to increase the number allowed per session to six thousand and had carpenters erect a balcony around the back of the octagonal hall—where another thousand clanspeople could stand. They canvassed homes and businesses for any that could house attendees. They set up encampment sites around the outskirts of the city. They arranged for temporary kitchens and food distribution for those who came without bringing their own food. They set aside hay and grain for thousands of new horses arriving. They prepared and had ready wagons with water barrels. Medicants set up several MASH sites, because, with this many people, injuries, heart attacks, and births undoubtedly would occur.
On the morning of Godsday, the second sixday of the month of Himilton, when the sun rose over the eastern hills, Caernford was already bustling. Smoke from hundreds of campfires surrounding the city mixed with smoke from chimneys. Sounds from thousands of additional people and horses joined those of a city rousing itself earlier than normal, for this was not a usual Godsday. The abbot shortened the traditional cathedral service on this day to an hour, starting at seven bells—7:00 a.m., Yozef reminded himself when he heard the bells calling people to service. Each service would last half an hour and be given consecutively until eleven bells—to allow as many Keelanders as wanted to attend service before the gathering.
They allotted attendance in each gathering session by districts. Those Keelanders not from Caernford would go first to allow them to return home soonest. At exactly twelve bells, the doors to the Great Hall of the Keelans opened, and the thousands waiting outside poured in. Women made up about a third of the people, but no children under the age of ten were included.
On the central dais waited Hetman Keelan, Pedr Kennrick, Vortig Luwis, all eleven boyermen, Abbot Walkot of St. Tomo’s Abbey, and a scholastic brother of Clan Keelan history.
Yozef had been offered a seat on the dais but deferred, to stand on the balcony facing the speakers. “I want to better see the people’s reaction,” he told Maera, and they stood surrounded by all six of their past and current bodyguards—keeping any person from being able to touch them. The three Fuomi leaders and the Landoliner, Rhanjur Gaya, stood beside the Kolskos.
When the last of those selected for the first session crossed the main door threshold, a gong sounded, and Abbot Walkot led a prayer for God’s grace and a plea for each person’s strength.
Culich rose and spoke. “Fellow clanspeople, it has been one hundred and sixty-three years since the last Gathering of the Clan was called, apart from the yearly gathering. That it has been such a long time since Keelan hetmen called a special gathering tells you how serious a situation the clan now faces. You all know the threat the Narthani are to the free peoples of Caedellium, and I know your boyermen have tried to keep you informed of events. However, the time has come where we face our biggest challenge, one that requires the clan to put every person, every resource, into fighting the Narthani, at the same time securing those who are not directly fighting.”
Culich then called on the scholastics to give a brief history of Clan Keelan and the All-Clan Conclaves. After he finished, Culich summarized what was known of the history of the Narthani on Caedellium and what would be the fate of them all, should the Narthani win. Most Keelanders already knew much of what was said up to that point, then Culich segued into the main steps that would follow: primary fighting men had to spend most of their time with their units; every other citizen must prepare to move to the Dillagon redoubt on short notice; all prices would be frozen; and there could be no hoarding. Too many people had attended to allow for questions, but Culich encouraged anyone listening who had questions to approach his or her boyerman and local leaders.
&nbs
p; Yozef didn’t know whether the relative silence of the thousands was a good or bad sign. His answer came at the end of the session. Culich took a sheet of paper from Pedr Kennrick. It was the text of Yozef’s short speech to the hetmen at Orosz City.
Yozef momentarily cringed as Culich began reading the address cobbled together from famous Earth writings and speeches. He hadn’t originally expected the audience to go beyond the conclave attendees, and as Culich read, Yozef caught a few wording changes the hetman had inserted.
The recendering was interrupted by vocalizations: grunts, growls, amens, hisses, shouts of defiance, calls for God’s grace, and sounds deafening.
“Now, a dark cloud threatens this island.” Growls reverberated throughout the hall. “An evil force gathers itself to destroy all that you cherish—your freedom, your lives, and your history.” Hisses. “A great war has come to Caedellium to test whether the people can survive.
“The world has known little of events here on Caedellium, and what we say here today will not long be remembered. But what we might accomplish in turning back this evil could be remembered forever throughout Anyar, where other people fear and resist being consumed and forgotten.
“Before us lies a great task, one that will require the full measure of devotion from every person. It will involve the greatest battles ever seen on Caedellium, battles to dwarf even the one at Moreland City. What can each of you offer, what can I offer, what can any man or woman of Caedellium offer to this struggle? I tell you simply it is to offer every measure of blood, sweat, toil, and tears.”
Shouts of defiance precluded Culich from continuing. He let the tumult go on for two minutes before raising his hands to ask for silence.
“Let there be no pretending the way forward is not hard. There will be no victory without cost. There may be times when we will fight when there seems no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than live as slaves. There will be hard times ahead, many months of terrible ordeals, and many will die. Too many. But if we are successful, they will not have died in vain, and they will live forever in the existence of a free people, under God’s grace, who would not let themselves perish from Anyar, no matter the cost.”
This time, more shouts of defiance mingled with calls for God’s help.
“What is our purpose? I say to you it is to wage war. War against a monstrous evil.”
Hisses and curses rang against the marble walls. As Culich paused, he realized the crowding was fortuitous to inhibit spitting.
“What is our goal? Victory. Victory at all cost, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival. And how shall we obtain this victory? It is simple. If necessary, we shall fight them on the plains of Moreland and Orosz, in the mountains of Bultecki and Vandinke, along the shores of Swavebroke and Bevans, in the forests of Gwillamer and Farkesh. We shall never surrender.”
Ten minutes passed before Culich could continue. Yozef had to restrain himself from clasping his hands over his ears. The heavy stone blocks of the walls vibrated, and he momentarily feared the windows might shatter.
When Culich finally raised his hands, the noise subsided as he resumed reading.
“Today, on the second day, third sixday, month of Keforon, in the four hundred and fifteenth year of the settlement of Caedellium, a day which will live in fame, the free clans of Caedellium have committed to a great crusade. When we are victorious, and it comes to Yozef Kolsko that victory is within our grasp if we are steadfast, then this day will be remembered each year as Freedom Day. Those who live to old age will remember this day and each year will show his scars and share the tales of what happened. He will tell his sons and grandsons of the first Freedom Day, when the clans came together as brothers and sisters. For everyone who fights will be my brother or sister, no matter how vile they may be. And people everywhere on Anyar will hear the tales of how a small island beat back a great empire and will in their hearts wish that they could have been here. They will wonder if they could have measured up to the men and women of Caedellium, and your courage will give heart to those still resisting this evil.”
He stopped and looked around the room, taking time to make it appear as if he were looking each clansperson, then concluded.
“Therefore, let us brace ourselves for the great task ahead, knowing that for a thousand years, throughout Anyar, people will say of Caedellium, ‘This was their finest hour.’”
Culich made no effort to quiet the response. Only when Abbot Walkot struck the gong a dozen times and those nearest the main doors began filing out did the decibel level lower enough for Yozef to hear Carnigan.
“The Fuomi leader wants to talk to you.”
Yozef nodded, and Carnigan shifted enough to let Rintala squeeze through the guard cordon.
“An impressive display of clan unity,” said the Fuomi. “I hope it lasts and is enough.”
“You’re not the only one,” Yozef replied.
Rhanjur Gaya left with the attendees of the first session. Yozef, Maera, and their guards remained standing on the balcony through all the sessions. Though he grew tired of standing, if he had been instrumental in influencing the islanders to risk their lives, he wanted to fully witness the level of commitment of at least this one clan. The Fuomi left after a second session showed the same level of support as the first session. Maera’s arm stayed linked to Yozef’s during the entire four hours.
CHAPTER 19: RELATIONSHIPS
The Kolsko Daycare
“You’re staying home all day today?” asked Yozef, surprised. On most days, Maera spent half to a full day in Caernford at MIU, at clan headquarters, or researching in the St. Tomo’s library.
“Reese has taken Braithe to see the medicants about a toothache, and I suspect they will find it’s a cavity they’ll have to drill and fill. When she gets back, she’ll rest quietly most of the day, so I told Braithe the other women and I would look after all the children. Another wet nurse will take care of the feedings until Braithe can resume.
“Which reminds me—Braithe commented the other day that she thought Aeneas was the healthiest baby she knows of: never sick, so energetic, so good-natured. I know how the first came about. You convinced me why neither you nor I get sick, but what about the other two? Does this gift from you to me and then, we believe, to Aeneas, have other effects?”
“Other effects—” Yozef said. Both he and Maera had watched Aeneas for any sign of illness. None had occurred. But did the nano-elements have other effects? Yozef’s mitochondrial genome had been altered by the Watchers to give him more efficient energy production—to compensate for the higher gravity of Anyar. However, he shouldn’t have passed on the modification to Aeneas, because mitochondria were descended from the mother. So if Aeneas were more energetic than most babies, was it only chance, or were the nano-elements involved? And good-natured? Aeneas did seem to smile and laugh a lot, but Yozef had a cousin on Earth who did the same. He didn’t know the answer.
“I don’t know, Maera. I wouldn’t think it’s all related, but we can be grateful he’s the way he is.”
At the moment, Yozef couldn’t hear the children. The four of them were in Gwyned’s cottage, which served as a daycare for the three who could walk: Islan, Morwena, and Dwyna—daughters, respectively, of Braithe, Gwyned, and dead Mirramel. Aeneas wasn’t walking, but he’d taken to crawling with enthusiasm the last sixday.
“Gwyned and Ana are with the children now,” said Maera, “and I’ll take a turn helping, especially with Aeneas. Braithe is starting to wean him now that he’s eating smashed solids.”
“We could get more help with watching the children,” said Yozef.
“Then I’d spend even less time with Aeneas. I feel guilty enough as it is. So, no, we’ll handle them today. I can always walk to Keelan Manor, and Mother is more than willing to watch Aeneas. I could work there.”
“I haven’t asked recently, but is there any word about Mirramel’s family to
see if they would take Dwyna?”
Maera sighed. “I’m afraid I don’t want to give Dwyna to the ones I’ve located. One cousin already has so many children, Dwyna would be lost among them, and the husband bothered me by how he spoke to the whole family. Then there was an aunt, but she’s too old and in poor health to care for a young child. The other option is to find a good, unrelated family willing to take Dwyna.”
“I wonder if we should make a decision soon. Am I misreading, or is Gwyned becoming attached to Dwyna?” asked Yozef.
“No, you’re right, and maybe that isn’t the worst thing for the child. It would be better if Gwyned were married, but she has a place here with us as long as she wants. I confess I’ve hesitated to talk with Gwyned about her and Dwyna’s future for fear of pushing her to make a commitment she’s not ready for.”
“Well, there’s no immediate rush, and who knows what will happen in the next year? Speaking of the Narthani, I need to be off to Caernford. Yawnfol wants me to see the latest carronades that have finished cooling, and Kivalian has suggested that I watch the lessons he’s giving the first leadership group, to see if what he’s doing matches my talk with him.”
Mutual Confessions
Although Ceinwyn and Maera had lived in the same home most of their lives, neither had felt close to the other the last few years. Not that they deliberately avoided each other, but neither made efforts to interact. Thus, it was unusual to find them sitting together on a large tree swing a hundred yards behind Keelan Manor.
Maera hadn’t known what to make of Yozef’s comment the first time she and he had sat together and swung while they talked. He’d commented that they needed to have a smithy works under this “spreading chestnut tree.”
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