The Ealdspell Awaefe

Chapter Three

The cavern was lit from above by a thousand glowing embers, suspended in mid-air as if a hand had casually tossed up a fistful of glitter and somehow it had not yet rained back down upon them. Candles flickered in iron brackets on the stone walls, in a hundred freestanding candelabra, and in gold bowls placed at intervals on five long carved wooden tables inscribed with strange grotesque signs and symbols and faces. At four of these tables sat sixteen women in throne-like stone chairs with high backs and arms, they wore black robes and their heads and faces were hidden by long black hoods. The fifth table stood lengthwise in front of all the others, and the four women seated here on a carpet covered stone dais wore white and gold robes and heavily jewelled crowns on their smooth bald heads. These four women commanded the rapt and silent attention of the room, and with the wave of a be-ringed hand controlled the pace of the proceedings throughout.

One of the women stood, leaning heavily on a stick carved with the head of a serpent with onyx stones for eyes. Every face in the room looked up at her and waited respectfully for her to speak. She looked around the room, seeming to take in every face and every expression, before she at long last began.
“I am delighted to welcome my sisters back to council. A long year has past since we were last in this room, and I know we have both new faces and those old and familiar among us; in the course of our festivities these coming nights, I look forward to speaking with each of you. I will now ask our Heads of Coven to address you, as is customary in these proceedings, if they wish, regarding the Selection.”
She sat and at the head of one of the lower tables a woman stood and pushed back her hood, revealing an aquiline nose and a dark head of hair flecked with grey encircled by a plain gold band.
“As is customary, each tower has been Searching since the solstice celebrations. Our scouts have yet to return, although we have news that they have found several candidates and will re-join their houses before Leaf Fall.”
She replaced her hood and returned to her seat. Another woman stood and lowered her hood to reveal the same gold band over features of a more delicate cast.
“I would like to ask of our esteemed sister if there is any news yet of an Exception, which, as many of you will recall, our house predicted during our last Council.”
The first woman got back to her feet and faced her interrogator, “As my kind sister is no doubt aware, not all of our houses concurred with the reliability of the aforementioned prediction.”
“I am aware of some dissension. However, we did agree that the scouts would report any suspicions to the Heads of House.”
“Certainly. To answer your question, sister, I am not aware of any such reports; though perhaps the veracity of the vision can best be tested at Selection.”
The second woman nodded and returned to her seat, and, seeing no opposition, the first did the same.
Another woman stood and began to speak, “This year we look forward to a larger hatching than we are used in recent annums. Despite this anomaly, which we attribute to successful innovations in the breeding program, all is in hand. We are prepared and expect this annum to continue on tradition.”
A woman stood from further down one of the tables, causing a murmur of consternation among some of the hooded heads.
“Sister, if we have a larger hatching then will we be looking for candidates outside of the prescribed channels in order to fulfil this obligation?”
“Within reason, we have been required to make changes to our prescribed method of search; that is true. Our house also accepts the validity of the prophecy, and therefore we agreed last council to the proposed alterations in search pattern and criteria. We hope that the greater demand will be met by a more than equal supply, given these changes. However, I would stress that these decisions are made on a case by case basis and, in essence, the quality of our search has not been affected.”
Another woman stood from the head of a table, and addressed the council.
“My house has been concerned for some time over these breeding program alterations. Can we really guarantee the quality of hatchlings, given the nature of these changes? Can we meet the demand of a greater Candidate and Selection pool? Do we have the resources to support such an influx?”
“Alterations were made in response to the serious nature of recent prophecies. We believed then, and still do, I might add, that these changes must be made in order to meet the growing threat. However, we did not take these decisions lightly and have no reason to believe that the hatchlings will be in any way affected. I understand some adaptations will have to be made in each house in order to accommodate a greater influx, though I do not think these should prove too great of a strain. I would humbly suggest that is change itself which is proving the strain for some.”
At these words the four tables were on their feet, shouting and arguing, gesticulating. The women at the top table smiled at each other beneficently from beneath their crowns, and at length one stood and raised a hand to call for silence.

“Let us be at peace, sisters. Even in these hallowed halls, where tradition and order reign, change is inevitable. We come together here to make sense of such change, to find new ways of rising up to meet the challenges it brings with it. I would remind you that we must rejoice in a new wind, for it is a new wind which brings new life. I understand your consternation and concerns, and we share them. Yet we believe that our order is capable of great things when put to the test. We shall not fall at the hurdle, dear sisters. In that you must put your faith.”