Tales of Midbar: Secret Priest

We were seated round a table in a meeting room in Laraget temple. I felt awkward and I think everybody else did. I’d tried reminding my parents that when we did things like this, it didn’t turn out well but they’d ignored me. We had managed to delay the meeting by four days, the fact Garis had had to come from Drintac had been to our advantage.

“Now,” said Winderin, the priestess, who was chairing the meeting, “we’re here to try to resolve our differences without having to go to court. We’re trying to decide how to move forward from this position rather than analyze who’s at fault. I think we should start by going round the table, introduce ourselves, say what our part is in this dispute and what they wish to get out of this. Let’s start to my right and go round.”

Of course I knew Winderin as Dad was a rabbi. She was a nibeyah but I’d never really liked her.

“Anden,” said Mum. “I’m Clindar and Attan’s mother and I want to protect my sons from being tricked into financial commitments or unwise agreements concerning their possible child.”

“Latchmir. I’m Clindar and Attan’s father and Anden’s husband. I believe I have the same objectives as her but I’d like to add that I’m also concerned for the well being of my grandchild, if Zonlaria really is carrying my grandchild.”

I felt he wasn’t being entirely honest about this but didn’t know why.

“Oh, I’m Clindar. I’m falsely accused of raping Zonlaria and getting her pregnant. I want to clear my name, particularly as I’ve been falsely accused of multiple rapes due to circumstances that are currently the subject of legal proceedings. Also, because Screld put a sex craze spell on me, I had to drastically alter my marriage plans.”

“Dwendra. I art Clindar’s wife ...”

“What?” said Mum.

“A sexual act betwixt two consenting unmarried people of opposite sexes dost constituteth a marriage under Yohoist and Winemaker law.”

“Clindar did you ..?” said Mum.

“Can we continue with the introductions and deal with our disagreements later?” asked Winderin.

“I wish to cleareth my husband’s name and I wast similarly endangered by a sex craze spell and had to altereth my marriage plans.”

“Attan. I might have fathered the baby but I didn’t actually have sex with Zonlaria.”

“Screld, I ...”

“He’s alleged to have cast a sex craze spell,” said the older man sitting next to Screld, “although I’m not sure how that’s relevant.”

“Can anybody cast Old Magic spells except members of your family?” asked Dad.

“Can we get the introductions out the way before debating issues!” said Winderin.

“Garis,” said the man next to Screld. “I’m Screld’s father and I’m here to make sure he doesn’t get into trouble. However, if we’re going to have arguments about Old Magic, then we’ll have to wait until his mother’s available.”

“Ice. Apostle of Haprihagfen. I’m here because this involves an attempt to control anavim, something my organization is very opposed to so I want to make sure it doesn’t succeed or set a dangerous precedent.”

“This isn’t fair,” said Garis. “No high ranking Benai Nibeyim can be present at this time.”

“Unless thou counteth me!” said Dwendra.

“I don’t!” said Garis, then he turned to Winderin. “This involves people who have an agenda regarding Benai Nibeyim!”

“We’ll see if that really becomes relevant,” said Winderin. “Next!”

“Ildias, brother of Zonlaria and I want to ensure that my sister’s OK.”

“Zonlaria. I got pregnant by Clindar because I followed instructions from Anden ...”

I knew she was lying here.

“That’s not true!” said Mum.

“I didn’t get her pregnant!” I said.

“And I didn’t ask her to have sex with Clindar or get pregnant by him,” said Mum.

“How did you think I could outdo the genetic fornication in a few hours, with the genetic fornication around? Also, as I suffer from Crunmensia, I probably won’t be able to get pregnant a second time. I’d like to be able to raise my child and have a marriage and live a life as close as possible to normal.”

“Gintena, I’m the mother of Zonlaria and Ildias, who I’ve had to struggle to raise by myself in poverty because my husband was imprisoned shortly after Zonlaria was born and I want what’s best for my baby!”

“Jeldini,” said the familiar lawyer who was seated between Gintena and the priestess. “I’m Zonlaria’s lawyer and I feel it’s important I’m here as Latchmir is a lawyer.”

Winderin proceeded to go through the events and asked what we disagreed on. Of course my family said we weren’t sure if Zonlaria was pregnant and who had got her pregnant. I insisted I hadn’t had sex with her at all. Garis said he wasn’t sure of anything.

“Zonlaria’s telling the truth about being pregnant,” said Ice. “She’s lying about Clindar being the father.”

“She was unconscious when he raped her!” said Gintena.

“You don’t believe that is true,” said Ice. “Also there’s the obvious question of how Zonlaria knew who had raped her, or even if she had been raped, if she was unconscious.”

“Stop!” said Jeldini, turning to Ice. “Are you a mind reader?”

“Yes.”

“Well I don’t think it’s fair having a mind reader at this table!”

There was a pause and Ice said, “I’m not the only one and at least one of the others is a central figure in this case.”

“We already know Clindar and Dwendra are anavim,” said Ildias.

“Who told them that?” I asked. “That’s a violation of the anti-korbarism law.”

“We’re not making recriminations here,” said Winderin.

“Brulin witnessed the rape,” said Zonlaria.

“That’s also a lie,” said Ice.

“Why didst she not preventeth the rape?” asked Dwendra.

“Where is Brulin?” asked Winderin.

“I didn’t realize she’d be needed,” said Zonlaria.

“We do have gimmel semen stains on Zonlaria’s underwear,” said Gintena.

“I’m not the only type gimmel male!” I said. “Attan’s another one and we’ve established that he gave Zonlaria some semen to incriminate me in a sex act with her.”

“I didn’t really know what would happen,” said Attan.

“You give somebody a bomb, what do you expect them to do with it?” I asked.

“We’re not hear to apportion blame,” said Winderin.

“How’s that possible?” I asked. “Morally and legally the whole thing hinges on who fathered that fetus and how much control he had in the matter.”

“Clindar’s right,” said Dad but seemed reluctant to admit that.

“Haprihagfen have capabilities to do quick DNA tests,” said Ice.

“No!” said Garis.

“There is also the issue that the DNA on the underwear may not come from the father,” said Dad, “and, I understand, the DNA of the fetus won’t be accessible until the birth because of Zonlaria’s medical problems.”

“Well can we agree on anything that isn’t dependent on who fathered the child?” asked Winderin.

“I would say Mum, Attan, Screld, Ildias and Zonlaria were wrong in conspiring to get me to have sex with Zonlaria,” I said. “Also ...”

“I just wanted you to date her!” said Mum. “Dwendra’s a terrible girl, can’t you see that?”

“Thou art korbarist, racist and religionist!” said Dwendra.

“It’s unlawful for psychics to have sex with each other,” said Winderin.

“If you’re going to take that sort of stance,” said Ice, “you can’t really act as an unbiased moderator.”

“How would you feel about somebody blatantly breaking your religious teachings?” asked Winderin.

“Like saying Yoho’s one of many gods?” said Ice standing up. “This entire temple is an insult to my religion as is your entire, child abusing, religion!”

“Now women!” said Dad standing up. “Winderin, Ice! Can we try to avoid religious arguments?”

The two female religious leaders stared at each other with hatred in their eyes.

“Also,” said Jeldini, “Winderin must have some relationship with Latchmir as he’s a rabbi.”

“It’s Winemakers who are the intolerant ones,” said Winderin.

“Some things shouldn’t be tolerated,” said Ice, “but homokorbarsexuality isn’t one of them!”

“Of course we tolerate homokorbarsexuality,” said Winderin.

“Not for psychics,” said Ice, “which is also korbarist!”

“We just don’t allow psychics to have sex with each other,” said Winderin. “Homosexuality should be tolerated!”

“Pedophilia certainly shouldn’t!” said Ice. “You don’t only tolerate it, you encourage and enable it! However, we should both agree Old Magic shouldn’t be tolerated!”

“I only know a few spells,” said Screld, “which my mother taught me.”