"Fliara understands that her duty to the clan outweighs all else. Family is important, as Sargas teaches, but it must not be forgotten that the clan is the greatest of our families. One individual may be lost, but the integrity of the clan must be maintained. Without it, all that has been built since Orilg became patriarch will collapse."
Kaz found himself wondering if Dastrun knew about the clan-in-the-making Kaziganthi. What would the elder say about that?
"I've striven to keep Orilg strong. You've not been here much the past decade." The tone was almost accusatory. "Things have changed, especially in the past couple of years. Attitudes have changed. The way things are done has changed. To survive and prosper, Orilg has had to make some changes, too."
"Yes, I've noticed," Kaz commented, purposely ignoring the look of disapproval on Dastrun's features. One simply did not interrupt the patriarch. It just was not done. "Some traditions change as well, things like how the young are trained, what honor means, and how those who rule are chosen."
"I could have turned you directly over to the State Guard," the patriarch pointed out, still angry at being interrupted. "It is what my duty to the glorious minotaur empire demands."
"Should we leave now, then? Since I'm going to be handed over to them when you're done trying to excuse yourself, we may as well get going."
Dastrun started to rise. "You impudent-" Then his anger suddenly dissipated, leaving an older, world-weary figure who looked away and sighed deeply in frustration. Kaz actually found himself sympathizing, briefly, with this vulnerable Dastrun behind the mask.
"Tell him what's been decided, Dastrun," said a clan elder on one side of the chamber. Kaz peered curiously at the new speaker, vaguely recognizing the squat, wrinkled visage as a former tutor of his, a sword master. He was still formidable, though lacking one arm.
"I will, I will." Regaining some of his composure, the patriarch eyed Kaz. "There's been some… discussion, concerning how best to deal with your presence-"
"Send me home."
"That would not be easy. Kaziganthi, you don't realize just what you've become here. You don't realize that you've become a symbol. You don't realize just how many stories of your… recklessness… have reached Nethosak. Most of the stories are sheer nonsense, of course…"
Kaz snorted, then added, "Of course."
"But such tales grow in credence the more they are repeated. You've done more to disrupt the course of destiny here than the years under the rule of the Dark Lady's warlords."
"I've already heard such words from the high priest, Dastrun. Unless you have an original point, you can forego the rest of your speech."
"Same arrogant little Kaz," snarled one of the other elders. "Never did know his proper place."
Kaz gave the elder a look. "I thought that was one of the driving forces behind our people, the fact that we have dared strive to improve ourselves and achieve greater heights… Of course, that was in the old days."
The elder muttered something about insolence, but there were many others who nodded agreement with Kaz. It was then he saw Dastrun's predicament. Kaz's father had mentioned that Dastrun's position was not a secure one; he was the emperor's designate, not the clan favorite. Perhaps things might have been different had he gained his position by the old ways, but now no one would ever completely trust his wisdom. He ruled because Polik said he should rule.
A puppet pulling the strings of a puppet, thought Kaz.
He suspected that all the strings, be they attached to the emperor, various patriarchs, the military, even the circle, led back to Jopfer.
"Very well," the patriarch grumbled. "When you were sent to the circus, there was some question as to the fairness of your sentence, but Orilg is not influential enough to change the commands of either the emperor or the state priesthood. It was hoped you would fight honorably and prove that any crimes you might or might not have committed were of no consequence. You would have been kept on the rolls of honor, forever a symbol of Orilg greatness."
"How flattering."
"Of course, you couldn't bring yourself to do what was best, could you? I was in the crowd when the chaos began. I left immediately, of course, but left word to keep track of you." The elder minotaur's tone indicated that he suspected the chaos was part of a plan to engineer Kaz's escape. "The warriors of the clan did their best to see that you were brought here rather than be recaptured."
"You seem to have forgotten my father and Hecar, who also are clan members."
Dastrun looked at the other elders. A narrow-muzzled female that Kaz thought might be an older cousin of his nodded. The patriarch turned back to Kaz. "There are others watching for them. Fliara and her group were ordered to watch for you. It's you that causes the most concern to the clan."
Kaz glanced sideways at his sister. She stood stiff and emotionless, a fine example of the sort of warrior that was being reared in the homeland these days. Did she even care about her father? Granted, much of her early upbringing was owed to the teaching prescribed by Warlord Crynus and his ilk, but the years since Kaz's departure had not improved Fliara.
"It is fairly certain now that we will request an amnesty for your father. He will even be given a chance to crew his own vessel again despite his past carelessness." A few elders muttered at the choice of words. Dastrun pretended not to notice them. "Hecar may join him as well."
They would be virtually exiled on the high seas. It would not be the first time the unruly were cast out in such a way. More often than not, they did not return, falling overboard during storms or wasting away, through no choice of their own, on some lonely island.
"And me? The high priest has already offered me a chance to rejoin the cause, to help take us further down the path of ruin." Kaz's words ought to have been considered sacrilegious, but instead he received little more than a weary stare from Dastrun and concerned expressions from the others. Even Fliara was looking at him oddly. "My apologies. I meant the emperor, of course. I wouldn't dare suggest that he followed the priesthood's commands and not the other way around."
It took the patriarch a while to collect himself enough to continue. "I've been petitioned by some within the clan to act on your behalf. There is a chance to save you, and it's a path I suggest you accept. It's believed that the emperor will permit it. There is a ship, an explorer under the banner of Orilg, sailing to the continent east of here."
"Another continent?" Now and then, there were rumors of another continent, and, despite his reluctance, Kaz's curiosity was piqued.
Observing Kaz's reaction, Dastrun pressed on. "Yes, another continent. An opportunity to expand even further. We've already made some inroads there, Boy. The few inhabitants discovered there so far have been… of no consequence. However, we've explored only a little into the interior. There's room for adventure and opportunity."
Sail to the other land and become one of those who pioneered the way for the rest of the people. It was exciting, an offer Kaz would have accepted gladly under other circumstances. But several concerns held him back. One was that he could never leave Helati and the children behind. Another was that he knew, despite whatever Dastrun and the others believed, that Polik and Jopfer would not agree to the offer… or they would send Kaz off, only to have him suffer an 'accident' once he was far from home.
Kaz wondered if Dastrun himself made the offer in good faith or was aware of what would likely happen.
"A tempting offer," Kaz finally commented, still pondering. Whatever happened to him, Kaz refused to let others assuage their guilt by sending him somewhere far away where his fate could not be tied to them and their tainted sense of honor. "But you might as well turn me back over to the circus if that's the best you can do."