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Tranquil Waters: The Lead Crown Ch 9.4, Accountability

Despite arriving at Graddin safely Kesst still couldn't help but feel that traveling afield from Newport took him further away from his goals. He knew that Wiesen wanted him to stay close to Princess Noriene and he had faith that his creator would find him but he had almost come to think of Newport as home. He mulled that thought over in his head and realized that it wasn't entirely true; he had come to find a degree of familiarity with Newport but it was hardly home.

The trip to Graddin had gone far more smoothly than any other time he'd been on the road-- he attributed that to being in a royal carriage, of course. Other than the safety and comfort of a traveling vehicle the trip in Noriene's personal conveyance also afforded him the time to observe his fellow passengers and he found some of what he saw to be very insightful glimpses into who they really were. He had learned some time past that sitting and observing could often get as many questions answered as actually asking them... and usually more truthfully.

While Kesst didn't know as much as some about the Tribals he gained what he considered a good understanding on how Roaring-Flood handled relationships at least. Between the big black Bear and Sanmer the Dragon was convinced he'd learned enough for a lifetime when it came to taboo relationships; not only were a Bear and a Fox 'together', but they were both men. It wasn't that he subscribed to all of the dogma and edicts of the Church but he had to admit that theirs was an interesting connection that defied nearly all logic.

Enarork was another marvel of the tribal folk; the jeweler Bear had been through almost as much in the past few weeks as Kesst himself and the Dragon was fairly certain that Enarork didn't have the worldly understanding or the experience of dealing with the chaos of the settled folk and yet he seemed to roll with the punches as if none of it phased him. The loss of Julius had hit everyone hard; he was a good person-- but, other than the immediate aftermath of his loss Enarork foraged on ahead as if the Professor's death didn't bother him. Perhaps that's why the Dragon found his way to the Bears' door that night.

The party had four rooms in total: the one he shared with Theo, one for the Princess, one for the Bears, and one for Sanmer. Judging from the noise issuing out of the last door on the right he figured that Roaring-Flood must have left his brother alone. Kesst brushed the claws on one talon against his tunic, drawing them absently across the area where the hole in his chest had closed up with newly 'grown' scales. He reached his other arm out and gently rapped his knuckles against the hard wooden grain of the Bears' room.

Despite the late hour there was little delay in a response from within. He heard Enarork's footsteps as he approached the door and it opened. The Dragon bowed his head slightly, offering up one of his rarely used smiles; he preferred to be polite. "Oani, Enarork Hamah."

The jeweler Bear smiled in return, reaching out to rest a large paw on Kesst's shoulder. "Oani, Kesst Hamah.

Knowing that his grasp of the Tribal Tongue was nowhere near good enough for him to speak with Enarork in depth he switched back to the common one. "Do you have a few minutes to talk?"

The Bear moved aside and motioned him inside. "Waka'Mine is spending the night with Sanmer so the room is mine. I have as much time as you need, friend Kesst."

Glancing around the room, Kesst located an empty wooden chair and moved to take a seat. He waited until Enarork was seated on the bed across from him before he spoke. "I wanted to talk to you about Julius."

The brown Bear's ears rose slightly but his expression was almost unmoving... almost. Kesst didn't miss the way one of his eyes twitched faintly and the edges of his muzzle pulled taut. "My tribe only speaks good things of those who have joined the spirits."

Kesst held up a talon. "No... I mean... yes, of course. I... I just wanted to know more about him. When he... uh... joined the spirits... well... there was so much I still didn't know about him and he left me with so many questions."

The Dragon's hesitant and halting explanation seemed to mollify the Bear and the faint non-verbal cues of defensiveness passed. "I will answer what I can."

The two spent nearly three hours speaking on the topic of Julius Blackburn, Professor at the University of Progressive Thought and also the Shaman of the Valley Tribe. He was a man of many facets in many ways and every question Kesst asked was answered in a way that only raised more. It was only toward the end of the discussion that the Dragon finally put together the reason why Enarork seemed so conflicted and reserved when it came to letting any emotions show. "You were his apprentice, weren't you?"

Enarork was immediately taken back by the inquiry. Several expressions played their way across his face before he answered cryptically. "I might have been, but I was not."

Kesst leaned forward in his chair, not caring that his wings peeked above the folds in his cloak. "You said that he was the tribe's old shaman's apprentice and that he stayed with your tribe so you wouldn't be without a Shaman; he took over after the old shaman died."

The Bear nodded. "Yes."

The Dragon repeated the movement with his own head. "And you're the only one he taught anything about being a shaman... right? Doesn't that mean you should take over?"

Enarork snorted. "It does not work that way."

Kesst sat up a little straighter. "How does it work then?"

The Bear slowly stood. "Metal-Eyes once told me a story with a question at the end. Would you like to hear the story?"

The Dragon mimicked Enarork, standing as well. "I guess."

The jeweler Bear moved toward the door, speaking as he did so. "Legends say when the world was young before The People walked on two legs there were animals-- only animals. Among them were many tribes but I speak now of two: the Wolves and the Foxes. There was a time when the Wolves and Foxes lived side by side as family but over many years the two groups of animals went their own ways and became as strangers. One day a young wolf decided that he would join the foxes and attempt to reunite them. His own people said that if he went to live with the foxes then he would never be welcome among the wolves and they would kill him if ever he returned."

The Bear stopped at the room's door and as he did so he also paused in the story. Feeling as though it was his turn to input something Kesst simply said "That sounds like a very strong punishment for trying to bring two people closer."

Enarork nodded. "Yes. This is what the young wolf thought too but he was not willing to risk a chance at reuniting the wolves and foxes and so he said goodbye. The elders of his people only saw a wolf who would give up who he was in a desire to become a fox and so in their eyes they made him one. Yet the foxes did not see this and refused to let him be a part of their people."

"So he was an outcast from both?"

The Bear once again nodded, opening the door to the room. "He lived on the edge of lands the foxes called home, never welcome among them. One day a great danger befell the foxes and the young wolf realized that they would need help. Running with all the strength in him he returned to the wolves to plead and beg that they send aid."

Enarork gestured to the hallway and the Dragon obediently stepped out. He turned around to ask a question. "Didn't the wolves say they would kill him if he returned?"

The Bear nodded. "Yes. And after he pled his case and asked for them to help the foxes they did just that. And so the question now that we have reached the end of the story is this: was the young wolf right in returning to his prior tribe even knowing that they would kill him if he did?"

Kesst paused before asking "Did they help the foxes?"

Enarork lingered at the door for a moment, lowering his eyes slightly. "That is the precise question I asked Metal-Eyes and he said that the answer was not important to his original question... and that in asking it I had proven that I would not be a shaman. He said that we may never know the result of our actions-- only our intent."

"But--"

"Goodnight, Friend Kesst."

Before the Dragon had a chance to speak another word the door closed.