Chapter One: At the Great Council
“Are you certain you want to do this, Your Highness?” asked Lady Gillian of house Ana nervously, trying to match the quick strides of Lord Prince Bevin through the corridors of the Great Hall of the Assembly.
“Can you think of any one better to propose my amendment?” stared Lord Prince Bevin, slowing his pace slightly.
“Perhaps someone from one of the other houses?” quivered Lady Gillian. “Forgive me, Sire, but as the queen’s consort, I fear the Council will consider you…biased!”
“Who do you aide for, Lady Gillian?”
“My lady is none other than Lady Councillor Juliana, head of our humble yet equally noble house Ana!”
Bevin met her eyes, “Would Lady Councillor Juliana propose my amendment? House Ana was, after all, one of the houses who forbade the ascent of daughters to their mother’s positions of leadership back on A672E92 Quintus! Gurun and Miyoo never held such a rule. We have no problem with female leadership!”
“And yet you are a knight of Ten-ar and therefore subject to the tradition of your house,” countered Gillian. “How can you claim innocence on the matter when Ten-Arian blood flows through your veins?”
“I was not born of Ten-ar, Lady Gillian. My knighthood is a matter of merit, not heredity. House Balister, recognizing the prowess of female archers, stood against grandfathering this…custom into our laws. Or so the records state,” asserted Bevin, his patience with this aide waning even as he turned the corner and approached the assembly chamber.
“Then who will you represent in chambers, my lord?”
“I represent the interests of all Beinarians, as is my duty as prince consort, particularly when I appear as her majesty’s proxy. I do so now to express our royal opinion regarding the succession,” declared Prince Consort Bevin, opening the heavy wooden doors separating the corridor from the council chambers.
A herald noted Bevin’s arrival, crying, “Please rise for Lord Bevin, prince-consort of Beinan and knight of Ten-ar.” With a thunderous pound of one hundred ninety feet, the councillors all rose in Beinarian precision and unison, falling suddenly silent in their voices.
Formally Bevin processed into the council chamber, his head held high and his face stern. He bowed to the herald at the waist as he approached the podium used to address the assembly. The Honourable Lady Kalar of house Cashmarie bowed slightly to Bevin, the metallic white threads making up the sails on her green heraldic kirtle sparkling like silver upon the golden masts of the Cashmarie ship emblem, “Welcome, Your Highness, to council.”
Bevin acknowledged Honourable Lady Kalar with a bow from his neck and shoulders, “Your Honour, it is a pleasure to see you again. How fares the efforts to redact replica sailing vessels such as were used on A672E92 Quintus?”
“The efforts go well. Soon we shall master once more the ancient sailing arts, grounding ourselves in that which ennobled us long ago,” smiled Lady Kalar.
“Your Honour, may I address the council?”
“Of course,” bowed Honourable Lady Kalar, stepping aside for him.
“Wise councillors of the Great Council, I come to you now concerning the royal succession. As all of you know, five yen-ars ago, on BE 6321, beinor 1 Isabelle of house Gurun became our sovereign queen following the resignation of the crown by King Ejen. Her coronation came after our son, Anwell, legally ceded his right to become king after her in favour of our first born, Princess Anlei. This was well known across Beinan at the time of her majesty’s coronation. For five yen-ars this council has failed to solidify the succession. I come before all of you to ask for a vote to resolve this matter. Will you accept Princess Anlei as heiress to the throne of Beinan?” questioned Bevin resolutely.
Lord Esreile of house Shem approached Prince Consort Bevin, “We have postponed that vote, Your Highness, out of deference to her majesty…and her position as equal heiress to house Miyoo. High Priestess Wehe is no one to trifle with; her reputation precedes her as highly skilled in arts house Shem refuses to dabble in.”
“This matter concerns the future of Beinan. Let us not use the debate as an excuse to advance religious causes. I understand that house Shem disagrees with the high priestess on matters of religion and spirituality. However, her grace is not the focus on this discussion, nor are the differences in theology espoused by houses Shem and Miyoo,” asserted Bevin. “Rather, let us examine why a custom that predates the Great Migration and arose out of our bloody past should abide in this yen-ar of peace and diplomatic resolution of our many disagreements?”
“Very well,” conceded Lord Arthur of house Xing-li, “I am happy to entertain such debates. After all, we lose nothing by discussing the matter.”
“Thank you, Lord Arthur!” acknowledged Bevin with a slight bow to his head.
Lord Knight Eisiq of house Ten-ar rose, “I have no personal grudge against Princess Anlei. All reports regarding her indicate a highly educated and politically engaged adolescent. She is perhaps one of the best candidates among us for the throne of Beinan. House Ten-ar also approves of her bloodline among three great houses: Gurun, Ten-ar, and Miyoo. She is the logical choice to ascend the throne.”
“Perhaps,” debated Lord Arthur, “but the law is itself quite clear on the matter. No noble woman may pass her power and authority to a daughter except for among the clergy. House Miyoo refuses to relent on that matter.”
“Perhaps wisely,” affirmed Lady Priestess Alicia, younger sister to High Priestess Wehe and a councillor from house Miyoo. “War and bloodshed are the pitiable heritage we are forced to endure from a time of virtual lawlessness and savage blood feuds. Let us always put aside our violent impulses in favour of adult discussion and logic.”
“A noble goal to be certain, Lady Alicia, but perhaps not always pragmatic. Only our egos truly make us superior to the other races we encounter when we travel through the stars in our star craft. Violence is a way of life…an almost universal quality among humans across the charted universe,” observed Lord Arthur.
“Must it be? Must we remain complacent and refuse to change when change is merited? This law from our past was not even a law before formation of the Great Council of Houses. It was a tradition, a custom maintained informally across tens of thousands of yen-ars by specific Beinarian houses, an outlet of patriarchal impulses interpreting females as inferiors leaders of war,” defined Lady Alicia. “House Balister never maintained such a custom…and with good reason. Few Beinarians of any house, even Ten-ar, can match the accuracy of Balister ladies with a bow of any sort – heritage or modern.”
Bevin smiled. Alicia’s words reminded him of the long forgotten yen-ars he’d spent living with his mother, a house Balister lady of particular skill with a laser crossbow. That was before he met his first knight of Ten-ar…before he made the decision to attempt to earn his place among Ten-Arians and pursue knighthood. “My mother was such a lady. I can affirm through first-hand experience the skills of the ladies of Balister. They are truly the best archers among our people, earning them leadership roles across our culture’s history. Balister is wise to make leadership about merit, not gender.”
“No one says that women are not effective leaders, Your Highness,” declared Lord Arthur, “but that is not the question for us here and now. Rather it is whether or not this beinor is the beinor to make a dramatic change in our laws. As much as I respect Princess Anlei…I cannot find a solid legal imperative to change the law at this time. Right or wrong…this is a custom, a law, which has stood since before the Great Migration.”
“I concur,” agreed Lord Esreile. “This is not the time to change this law. Unless house Gurun can find a more pressing reason to overturn the law, I cannot endorse such a change.”
Lady Kalar took her place as council chair, “Let us vote on this matter. Shall we overturn the law as requested by Queen Isabelle through her proxy, Prince Consort Bevin? Or shall we retain the law in all its streng
ths and weaknesses? How vote you on the Gurun resolution? House Ana?”
“Nay.”
“House Shem?”
“Nay.”
“House Cashmarie?”
“Nay.”
“House Balister?”
“Yeah.”
“House Ten-ar?”
“Nay,” answered Lord Knight Eisiq.
“House Xing-li?”
“Nay,” answered Lord Arthur.
“House Gurun?”
“Yeah,” answered Prince Bevin.
“House Miyoo?”
“Yeah,” answered Lady Priestess Alicia.
“House Slabi?”
“Nay.”
“Resolution denied six votes to three. The law will remain as it was. This council will hear further debate on how to handle the extant succession crisis on BE 6326, beinor 120, shir-or 9.50,” proclaimed Honourable Lady Kalar. Bowing, Lord Prince Bevin took his leave of the council. Upon the closing of the massive wood doors, his eyes misted. Lengthening his stride, he controlled his composure until he was able to exit the building before letting his tears flow. The board was now set, the crisis now inevitable. Anlei would pay the price for the council’s decision, one way or another.