The Stewards of Reed, Volume 1: The Rise of Fallon (21 page)

The flames spread much faster than Gentry had anticipated. He had to flee the house quickly before he became trapped behind a wall of fire. He hid in the shadows beside another house across the street and watched. He could see Taylor – who by now was fully engulfed in a sea of yellow flames – attempting to stand, but the drunken man kept falling back to the ground. He could hear his agonizing cries of pain. Lamps were now being lit in the houses around him and the neighbors were starting to rise from their slumber to see what the commotion was all about. Gentry knew he must leave, but he wanted to be certain of Taylor’s fate. A few moments later there was an explosion of sorts and the entire house erupted in flames. It would burn down to the ground before the first bucket of water could even be thrown.

Gentry retreated into the night, back to the little brown shack that Luca used to call home. Luca’s mother was long gone and had been for some time, so Gentry had the house to himself. He sat in front of a small fire drinking from a nice bottle of whiskey that he had purchased in Bartow in anticipation of this moment. He had foolishly expected to be celebrating, but alas he was not in a celebratory mood. If anything he was just numb. Inexplicably numb. In truth, he was not quite certain who he was any longer, this man who could take another’s life. “I am sorry, Luca,” was all Gentry said before retiring to bed with a heavy heart and eyes full of tears. He had finally set his plan in motion.

One down, four to go.

Although the snowfall was modest, the winter had been particularly cold. So cold that few people bothered to venture out into the Village Square, and Fallon often found himself walking along deserted streets as he headed to Elder Jacob’s for their weekly Heptaday tea times. Not a soul was outside when he let himself into the Elder’s flat one frigid Heptaday afternoon.

Fallon called out for Elder Jacob, but there was no answer. He made his way into the library and found the Elder sitting in his chair, his eyes closed with a blanket pulled over him. Fallon knew immediately that the old man was dead. A gentle touch confirmed a body that was stiff and cold, and up close Fallon could see that the skin had started to gray. Fallon wept a little for the Elder, and then ran down to the Council Chambers for help. Adam’s son, Arthur, answered the door.

“Elder Jacob is dead,” said Fallon mournfully before breaking down in tears.

“Oh dear,” Arthur said, shocked and saddened by the news. He motioned Fallon inside the entry hall and sat him down on one of the uncomfortable wooden chairs. “I have just put a kettle on the fire. The tea should be ready soon. I shall find my father straight away and share this grievous news. We shall return shortly.”

Some time had passed before Adam entered the Council Chambers. “They are taking care of Elder Jacob now, Fallon,” he said. “At least he is with Bessa again, and soon his body shall rest beside hers at their home in Chesterville.” Adam seemed to be talking aloud to himself rather than to Fallon, but the boy was comforted by the thought nonetheless.

Upon hearing the news, the remaining Elders started to make their way into the Council Chambers. They were grief-stricken and comforting one another. Steward Isaiah sought out Fallon who had not yet moved from his uncomfortable chair. He brought the boy some tea. “I am sorry you had to be the one to find him, Fallon. Shall we talk about it?”

Fallon shook his head. There was nothing to be said. He knew about death. He had learned that lesson young with the passing of his mother.

“We shall have a candle ceremony in remembrance of Elder Jacob tonight, here at the Council Chambers. You are welcome to attend,” Isaiah said.

Fallon nodded. “Aye, I shall like to attend the candle ceremony.”

The Steward patted Fallon’s shoulder and left the boy alone with his thoughts.

Later that evening the Council Chambers had been transformed into a beautiful memorial site. The entire building was awash in the flickering light of candles, and the air was filled with the sweet smell of breads and pastries, which Ruth (Adam’s wife) and Beatrice and others had been busy making since hearing the news.

Once everyone arrived and had a chance to taste the delicious treats, Steward Isaiah gathered them into the inner chambers. Everyone stood in a circle, holding a glowing candle in front of them.

“Today we lost a dear friend and colleague. Elder Jacob was a gentle soul and much loved by everyone who knew him. May he find all the happiness he deserves in the next life.” Steward Isaiah closed his eyes and blew out his candle.

Each person in the circle spoke a few words in remembrance of Elder Jacob before blowing out their own candle. Fallon was one of the last to speak, and his voice wavered. “It is difficult at times to be so far away from one’s family, but Elder Jacob’s flat became a second home for me during our Heptaday tea times. I truly hope he has found happiness with Bessa in the next life, though he has left quite a void in this one.” Fallon bit his lip hard to keep from breaking down. “I shall miss you, Elder Jacob,” he sighed, and then he blew his candle out.

Soon the entire circle of flames had grown dark and people began leaving the Council Chambers. Fallon and the Steward walked home in silence, mourning the loss of their beloved friend.

*************

Upon the death of an existing Elder, the remaining members of the Council vote upon a replacement for this lifelong position. It is an honor to be selected, and history does not tell of anyone ever refusing the offer, even though the position carries much burden. Unlike the Stewards, which hitherto have only been confined to males, there is an unspoken rule of gender equity when it comes to the Elders. A male is always replaced by another male; a female is always replaced by another female.

Despite some objections from Elder Tomar and Elder Peter, Fallon had been allowed to witness the discussion of who would be elected as the replacement for Elder Jacob at the following Council meeting. Several names had been brought up, including Fallon’s Uncle Charles, which the boy found alarming as he could not imagine having to work with the man who had always seemed so cold. To Fallon’s relief, Charles was among those who were quickly eliminated for one reason or another.

The discussion soon centered on a farmer named Maxwell. Twenty years prior, Maxwell had been scoffed at by many in the village for purchasing a large tract of land in Trenton, a section of the village located in the far western reaches. Being closer to the sea, Trenton is known for having rather rocky and sandy soils that do not hold nutrients well, and many farmers before him had struggled to produce viable crops. But Maxwell was determined to prove everyone wrong, and it was not long before he became the largest producer of beets and carrots within the village.

Elder Lydia had dealt with Maxwell on several occasions and thought him to be both fair and shrewd. “He would be an excellent addition to the Council,” she beamed. “I believe he has two sons who could take over the farm, so the village – and our beloved horses – shall not go without carrots anytime soon,” she added with a laugh.

The decision was unanimous and the following morning Steward Isaiah, Elder Lydia and Elder Catherine set out for Maxwell’s farm to invite him to be part of the Council. The Steward asked Fallon if he wanted to join them, but the boy declined. He was not quite ready to meet the man who had been selected to replace Elder Jacob. Besides, he was busy transferring Elder Jacob’s library over to the Council Chambers. Elder Jacob’s nephews had sent word that his library was to be donated to the Council in accordance with the Elder’s will. Fortunately there was a decent-sized rear chamber which could accommodate the large volume of books. Fallon had been assigned the task of organizing that room. The process of unpacking the books that Elder Jacob had loved so much and placing them on the shelves in the rear chamber had been somewhat cathartic for Fallon. He took comfort in the thought of being surrounded by the spirit of Elder Jacob whenever he was in the Council Chambers.

*************

The Steward returned the following day with the good news that Maxwell had agreed to become the next Elder of the Council. Maxwell had requested a few weeks to settle some affairs with the farm, and to allow his wife Callie to find a place in the Village Square for them to live. Those weeks flew by and winter soon faded to spring.

Elder Maxwell had been informed of Fallon’s situation and the uncertainty over the mark. If he was inclined to think one way or another, he did not share his thoughts with the others. So when it came to the Tetril Council meeting, just a few days shy of Fallon’s 15
th
birthday, no one knew what Elder Maxwell would say about the issue of Fallon.

Although he was no longer filled with a sense of dread over the matter, Steward Isaiah was not looking forward to explaining his thoughts on Fallon. He was, however, curious to hear what the Elders had to say about the boy. “The time has come to share your opinions of Fallon now that you all – save Steward Maxwell – have had a year to come to know him better,” he said.

Elder Tomar and Elder Lydia went first. They explained that while they respected Fallon and could see what a bright and capable young man he was, they still did not feel comfortable with the idea that he was meant to be the next Steward. “The mark is not the same, no matter how…talented he is,” said Elder Lydia, searching for the right word to describe Fallon.

Stating that he was still pondering things, Elder Maxwell requested to hear from the others first.

Elder Catherine noted that this past year with Fallon had only convinced her of what she had already suspected: that Fallon was special and deserved to be trained as the next Steward.

Elder Anne echoed Elder Catherine’s sentiments.

Elder Peter spoke next. “I shall admit that Fallon impressed me more than I had expected him to…nevertheless, it was not enough to change my mind. Our true Steward is out there somewhere. We must wait for him.”

All eyes were on Elder Theodora now, and her timid voice reflected her unease. “It seems I may be the only one whose mind has been changed. He is special and talented for certain, and I feel those talents shall be a great benefit to our village. So I am now of the opinion that Fallon is deserving to be our Steward, in spite of the mark being different.”

“Well, my opinion has not changed,” stated Elder Graham. “I support Fallon as our next Steward as I have from the start.”

With Elder Graham’s short statement concluded, all eyes turned to Elder Maxwell. The Elder cleared his throat. “Admittedly, I do not know Fallon as you all do, but his mark is not as history dictates it should be. For that reason alone, I share Elder Peter’s belief that we must wait until the true Steward arrives.”

Once again, the group of Elders found themselves tied 4–4 in the debate on Fallon.

Steward Isaiah sighed. His moment had come. After a short pause he began to speak. “I shall not deny that a part of me is still troubled by the fact that Fallon’s mark does not resemble mine or any of the Stewards who came before me. Unfortunately, I do not believe we can wait any longer for another boy to arrive. No other has revealed himself in the two years I have spent with Fallon. Alas, I fear that no such boy exists.” Isaiah surveyed the room before continuing. “The passing of Elder Jacob was a grim reminder of my own mortality. Time is of the essence. We must have a new Steward trained before I, too, am returned to the ground from which I came.”

The Council was silent. No one – not even Elder Peter – offered an objection, so the Steward continued. “I have not yet heard anything from Lady Dinah, but in truth I do not know that her mother’s old notes shall be of any use to us, Fallon’s situation is not the same as the twins’. So I have decided to give Fallon the benefit of the doubt and complete his training. I respect the dissenting opinions, but it is time to move forward. The Village of Reed must have a Steward.”

*************

As the Council was debating the fate of Fallon (again) and coming into an uneasy agreement with Steward Isaiah to stay the course, Fallon was on his way to Littlebrook to spend his 15
th
birthday with his family.

Attawan had come to know the path well and they made excellent time. The horse was now fully grown and stood sixteen hands high. Fallon, too, had gone through quite a growth spurt recently. He now stood just shy of six feet tall. He was still fairly skinny, especially compared to the muscular Gentry, but he was getting stronger. Tobias beamed with pride as he watched his son approach the house. “You are growing into a fine young man,” he said.

Zeke had gotten taller, too, but Fallon was more impressed with the non-physical changes. Zeke was still an incredibly happy character who liked to joke around, but he had matured somewhat since Fallon had seen him last. As they were working the farm with their father, it occurred to Fallon that it was not so long ago when Zeke would have required constant correction to keep him focused on a task; now he seemed to take the chores more seriously. “I shall be a farmer like Father when I grow up,” he said matter-of-factly.

They celebrated the first of Pentay – also known as Sunner’s Day – with another lively feast and dance around the bonfire. In truth, Fallon always found this holiday to be quite curious. Sunner’s Day was a day to celebrate the return of the sun and the promise of a bountiful summer, but in a month’s time Fallon knew the sun in Reed would most likely be hidden behind thin veils of fog more days than not. He supposed it was likely an ancient holiday – from the time before the village, from a place where the days of summer were more likely to be warmed by the sun – but such things had long been forgotten, and no records told its tale.

This time it was Jonas on the fiddle, with Elizabeth’s voice filling the air as the others danced.

A Sunner’s Day to warm one’s soul

A Sunner’s Day to dance

A Sunner’s Day to feast until

One splits apart his pants!