Warrior Priest of Dmon-Li - Brian Pratt [62]
Many braziers are situated around the tent, giving light to the proceedings. James sees the ten members of the council sitting in a semi circle on the ground. A fire burns within a ring of stones before them. His eyes widen slightly when he begins to feel the prickling sensation. Looking around, he sees the warrior priest sitting beside the Chief of the Grey Wolf Clan.
“Bring him forward,” Therin’s father says once they’ve entered.
Therin gestures for him to follow and they walk forward until they’re standing before the assembled chiefs. He sees Therin give the council a bow, so he follows suit.
“Here is James, the bearer of the Token from the Lake Lady,” he announces to them. Turning to James, he says, “Show them the Token.”
James opens his pouch and brings it out, holding the Token up so all can see. He shows it first to the chief on the right then slowly moves it around to the chief on the left so all are able to see it clearly.
“How do we know this came from the Lady?” asks the Grey Wolf Chief.
“Tell them,” Therin says to James.
James then relates how they were camped on the shore and the manner in which she came to them. How she had brought them to her home and fed them. Then he speaks of finding the Token the next morning. Once he’s done explaining how he’d come to be in possession of it, Therin takes the Token from him and hands it to his father. After examining it, he hands it to the chief sitting next to him.
As it passes from one chief to the next, James stands there under their eyes. The eyes of the warrior priest never leave him and he can feel nothing but malice coming from him. Twice he feels the prickling increase momentarily as the warrior priest engages in magic, but he’s unable to tell just what he’s doing.
When all the chiefs have finished with their examination of the Token, Therin’s father asks, “Is there still any who doubts that this came from the Lady?”
All the chiefs shake their heads and voice their agreement that it did indeed come from the Lady. The Grey Wolf Chief seems to almost deny it, but with all in opposition to him, he concedes.
“So, now what to do with him and his companions,” he says. Gesturing to the warrior priest, he says, “Abula-Mazki here has laid claim to them.”
Standing up, the warrior priest says, “They are criminals of the Empire. They’ve laid waste to cities and have killed hundreds of its citizens. They have moved through the Empire like a plague, killing and destroying as they go. In the name of justice, I demand them!”
They turn their eyes to James who begins to sweat. What he’d just said is basically true, just not exactly in that context. He’s about to say something when Therin says, “But would the Lady have given men such as he just described her Token?” He looks around at the assembled Chiefs. “We all know her to be good and kind, a friend in need who has never harmed a soul. It doesn’t stand to reason that she would do such a thing as give her Token to such.”
James is relieved to see more than a few of the chiefs nod their heads at his words.
Then Abula-Mazki says, “They belong by rights to the Empire for all that they’ve done. You cannot deny the Empire in this!” He glares defiantly at the assembled chiefs as if daring any of them to oppose him.
Therin’s father stands up and turns to face him, “According to the Treaty our forefathers signed with the Empire, we can.” Face to face now with the burning intensity of the warrior priest’s anger, he continues, “As long as it is in effect, the laws stated therein will hold true. In exchange for the Tribute and a cease of hostilities, the Empire will leave us alone. Our laws govern here, not the Empire’s.”
He gives Abula-Mazki a