Dawn of the Unconquered Sun (Part 8 of the Ignaius-Saga)

When in Aurora...

At first Tanier was somewhat pensive during the ride, the excitement he had felt when preparing for the feast and when Vis had offered him the band had been very effectively been crushed by the realization that there was no way to not make this painful for Variel, himself or both of them, as it was not possible that they both got their way. Yet the longer he thought about it, the more he came to the conclusion that this didn't go so bad, eventually. The lighthearted excitement was gone, but he knew better what Variel really felt and feared. And the more Variel relaxed, the more he started to get excited again. He didn't have to put on an act when they arrived and he entered with Variel at his side. The doors to the great hall stood open, and many people were already inside, sitting on benches or at tables. The atmosphere was tame for the time being, as food and drink had not yet been served - aside from a few platters of appitizers - and the man for whom the party was being thrown had not yet arrived. Naturally, there was a stir when the king and his entourage entered the hall, as many who were present had not yet seen him. Tanier recognized some faces from the night before, so after everyone got a chance to stare and he got a chance to look around (and sometimes outright stare back), he started to greet people individually, familiarizing himself with the setting and the people before the more formal part would start. There were clear similarities with almost any formal event he had attended so far, yet also a few striking differences, aside of the much more sensual and revealing style of dress. In a strange way it almost seemed like Apricia combined the loud, outgoing, individualistic approach of the west with the refined culture at court. He felt is slightly difficult to concentrate on the conversation, as there was so much going on around him and this was all very new to him, but as he was mostly exchanging pleasantries, he could hardly mess up. He did try to pay attention whenever someone was introduced to him, of course. And if all of this wasn't enough, he tried to make sure that Variel would not feel lost. He was glad that there was Vis and a small group to assist him, or else this would have been a very taxing evening already.

When it was time for the ceremony to begin, the doors into the feast hall were shut, giving the room more of a sense of privacy from the outside world, even if everything would be on full display within thewalls. The councilman's son arrived, walking in between his parents. His father gave a speech, welcoming and thanking everyone, and then began to talk about his son and his growing up.

Next, a table was carried in by four servants and placed in the center of the floor. Upon it rested an assortment of objects, though even at a distance one could tell they were all ornamental. They were all made of silver and polished to a bright shine. The councilman stood before the table and began to speak. While he did so, Vis - who had been translating - began explaining.

"Each of those objects represents a path the boy can choose to follow as a man. The sword represents the path of a soldier, the hammer is for a craftsman, the staff is for a physician, the book is for a scholar, the
scales are for a government leader, and the sun is for a priest. His father will already know what he is to choose, and once he chooses, he will be presented with a gift from his parents that fits with that
choice as a show of their blessing."

Silence fell over the hall as the young man began looking over the objects on the table, as if he were making the choice right then and there. He did rather well at making the act look convincing.

"The choices do somewhat depend on the individual's birth," Vis continued. "He is a nobleman, so while he has choices, there are some roles it would not be proper for him to fill. For example, someone of the working class would be presented with the option to be a musician or to work at a brothel, while they would not have the option of the scales, or even the staff if they are not educated."

When Vis stopped his whispering, it seemed the young man had 'made his decision.' He chose the sword and held it up for everyone to see. A round of thunderous applause and cheering went up in response. Vis
joined in while Variel clapped politely. The young lord had been watching this scene with fascination; the other boy's choices were still limited, but it looked like he was given more than many people in the
realm. He wondered if it was somewhat of an illusion in some ways. He could imagine that children were still pressured into taking certain paths.