II. The Hearing

“What are we to do with you, Aylesea?” Pyotr Wylock asked as he stared at me. I answered his question with silence.

I stood in the center of the council chambers, my hands shackled. The men in the council looked bored…except for Feederk Wydosk, who stared at me with disdain from the far side of the table.

“We need to throw her off at the square! She tried to kill Cedric!”

Pyotr took off his hat, wiped his brow, and then stared back to Feederk. “Not until the overseer arrives. No official judgement can be—”

“It most certainly can, Wylock! This, this wysat!” Feederk pointed a bony finger at me. “All in favor of banishing her to clouds, signify with an aye. Now!”

The other council members looked amongst themselves and then to the mayor and councilman Feederk, desperately wishing they were not present.

No one raised a hand, which caused Feederk to stand and slam his hands on the table. “Pyotr, you are aware of the impending joining of our families.”

“I am, sir.”

“My son, tells me that this wysat and your daughter are in a betrothment! This is against all bonds, our ways. Do you deny it?”

“I do not,” Pyotr said with a slight sigh.

“This cannot stand! Our houses can never bind until this matter is satisfied.”

“Your satisfaction or Cedric’s?” I asked.

Pyotr shot a look back at me, an expression pointed to me time and time again.

“My son’s, my family’s, honor will not be tarnished by this Wysax’s tainted blood!”

We all looked to the door on the far wall as voices behind it rose to a crescendo, followed by a high-pitched howl.

The door clicked open and Aysenia barged in, followed by Cedric, whose face was red and swollen.

“You son is foul-mouthed wypilli!”

Silence filled the room, except for Cedic’s whimpering.

Pyotr glared at me and then to his daughter. “This is a private matter, Aysenia.”

“A private matter that concerns my sister and best friend.”

“Is she more?” Feederk asked with a scoff.

“If I want her to be, yes,” Aysenia stomped across the room, her boots echoing across the stone floor. She grabbed onto the table for a brief moment and then her hands gripped into the air.

“I’m over here, Ayse,” I said.

She walked over to me and felt at my face. “Are you hurt?”

“Not yet,” I replied, as I stared at Cedric.

“Your daughter is not a part of these proceedings,” Cedric shouted.

“Neither are you!” I shouted back.

“Enough!” Pyotr rose to his feet, turned to me and unshackled my hands.

I at once wrapped my arms around Aysenia

“Are you mad, Wylock? She needs to be sentenced!”

Pyotr shook his head. “Not today and not by you, Feederk.”

Cedric stood by his father, and if looks could kill, then they would have had thier way with me right then and there.

“This council meeting is adjourned!” Pyotr barked. The other men scrambled and left without a sound.

“On the first day of the betrothment ceremony, you will meet your fate!” Feederk snapped as he left wth Cedric.

The door slammed shut and Pyotr sat back down.

“He is right. That is our law.”

“You can’t let her be sacrificed because of some scared little wyquio.”

“That wyquio, you speak of is to be your betrothed.”

Aysenia looked at her father. “I will throw myself off with her, and we will die together then, father. Is there not a meeting tonight with the overseer? Can we appeal to him?”

“Such men have no value or care for a race of convicted souls. They will simply state they have no care in the laws we have put in place. These. Are. Our. Laws, Ayse.”

“I don’t approve, I never have, father.”

Pyotr stared at me and pointed his muscular hands towards me. “You will accompany the family tonight. You will sit, and you will be silent. Is that clear, Aylesea Wysax?”

“Yes sir.”

“Get out, the both of you.” I guided Aysenia to the door. “And don’t provoke the Wysocks anymore than you already have!”