Braeland

Chapter 26. Consensus Hall Meets

Prudence counted them – there were 24 Hall members, all men and many of them quite old and with long beards.  There seemed to be a party kind of environment as each of them, before taking their seats, circled around and hugged all other members, laughed and smiled.  Prudence wondered how long they would have to wait before the topic of the medallion would come up, if it came up at all.  But, after what seemed like an hour, the Hall members sat down on ordinary chairs that were placed in a circle and, even then, they chatted casually until a man who had the longest beard said, "Who is the staff holder today?"  

"Mordecai! It's his turn," several voices cried out.  At this, an attendant who sat at a side table and who seemed to have many functions including being the scribe, reached down and extricated an ordinary walking stick, brought it over to a timid-looking old gentleman.   Obviously, his eyesight was poor because the attendant had great difficulty in getting him to grasp the stick.  He tapped it on the floor three times and said, in a whiny voice, "Tonight we will continue our debate on which side of the sheep to begin the shearing.  We did not reach consensus when we left off last night.  Let's see, the majority said the right side.  We will now hear again the arguments of the minority leftians."

"Point of order!" shouted a councilor who had previously had a very animated discussion with Arliss.  

"The staff recognizes Councilor Critias," said the staff-holder.

"Actually, sir, it is Denos who speaks."  The staff-holder looked confused.  Denos then explained that Citizens Arliss and Martin were present and with him were four travelers who brought urgent news that was highly important to the security of Braeland as a nation.  They must be allowed to speak to the Hall.

Mordecai seemed to be going through immense internal torment.  "It is a great pity that the sheep debate should have to be delayed further, especially since we placed a moratorium on shearing until there was a clear policy.  But I suppose it cannot be helped.  Is there a consensus?" 

"I object.  The sheep's wool is already too matted," a councilor said, rising to his feet.  

Another councilor rose, "Oh be quiet.  Just because YOU own more sheep than any other councilor . . ."

"Oh, you keep your mouth shut.  You are always being objectionable," answered the sheep owner.

"He has the right to represent the democratic interests of sheep.  I stand opposed to the delay!" shouted another councilor.

"Baaahhh," mimicked another councilor.

There were several offers to settle the dispute outside.  All the time Mordecai was shouting, "Order, Order!" and banging his staff about so much that it endangered the councilors near him.

"This always happens," Arliss whispered to Martin.

"And yet they govern by consensus?"

"It's magic, isn't it?" Arliss said and smiled proudly.

It took another half hour for Mordecai to bring the meeting back to order and another half hour of less heated debate before a consensus was announced to hear from the visitors.  The sheep owner and those who had supported him looked sullen but they kept their mouths shut.

Then Arliss was called upon to give an account of this so-called "crisis" and he began with the history of the medallion, in past days and present.  There were many interruptions for questions and even for squabbles among the councilors, and so it took several hours before even this part of the evidence could be presented.  Prudence was introduced and asked to show the medallion to the eyes of the councilors, some admiring and others fearful.  Then there was a long debate on how it could be proved that the Jamiesons, even with the attestation of Arliss and Mortimer, were from another world.  Here Charlotte spoke up and told councilors that she hailed from Rivertown but had visited that other world and she described the great differences there were, such as television, automobiles and computers.   A sly-looking councilor asked if this other world had new weapons that Greenwold had not yet discovered and here Charlotte looked over to Jim who got to his feet.

Jim said, "We have terrible weapons of war that are so devastating that there have been times when people have feared that the whole population might be destroyed.  I would advise you not to ask us to bring any such weapons here.  The duplication and spread of these weapons, such as guns and bombs would not be controllable and would bring an end to the peace that Braeland has enjoyed for so long."  

"And yet we are now at war and at a disadvantage," said the sly councilor.  

Food was brought in and the staff-holder called for a recess. The councilors broke into several groups – those few who still thought the sheep debate ought not to have been delayed, those who were dissatisfied with the direction of the current debate, of which there were many, and those few who wanted to talk with the newcomers and find out more informally about this other world.   

When lunch was finished and the debate about to be joined again, Peter yawned and said he needed some fresh air.  Charlotte too was tiring of the debate and felt that she could be of little more use there.  Mortimer said to them, "Why not take a tour by the stream that runs nearby here?  It is the best way to see the town. Boats are on the dock for anyone to use.  Only do not go too far south on the stream."

It was a sunny, glorious day and riding along with Charlotte operating the oars over the crystal-clear water of the stream was exactly what Peter needed to calm him down and it was what Charlotte needed as well to get exercise. They soon had reached the northern limits of the town.  All along the way there were other small craft with people who waved in a friendly manner and called out a greeting.  Continuing north there were farmhouses with fields of cattle and vegetable crops to see and then they came to an area of scrubby land where the mosquitos arrived in swarms and so they turned back.  Now they passed the dock where they had commenced and they carried on towards the south.  On this other side of Middle Town, they passed by more neatly turned out yards and modest houses and, on the outskirts of town, there were new buildings (the least attractive in the town) that Peter guessed were guard houses.  Beyond that there were more farms but they seemed of more recent date, with land that was freshly-cleared and many outgrowths of scrub bush land still to be cleared away.  

While he was aware that Mortimer had warned him not to go too far south, Peter felt that, so long as they were near these new developments, they would be safe enough. Moreover, Charlotte showed no sign of tiring at the oars, even though they were going upstream.  In fact, for someone who rarely showed any emotion, she smiled at Peter when he pointed out an animal or a quaint building along their route.  Up ahead there was a widening of the water and a bend in the river.  

Around the bend, they had come to unsettled land, with large trees and a sweetness of pine and other woodland scents.  There was a quiet bay, what Peter thought would be a superb place for fishing if only he had the equipment along.  Perhaps later he could come back here and bring his father along.  Since the water was so clear Peter thought he might be able to spot the fish and he asked Charlotte to turn the boat in there.  

They let the boat drift as Peter looked down in the water.  There were indeed fish down there although Peter could not determine what species they were.  Charlotte's eye for water creatures was even better than Peter's and she pointed out to him some of the larger fish that lay there in menacing stillness close to shore.  He turned to watch her face rather than what she was pointing out.  Now they had come back to Greenwold, there were some bruises showing that remained from the beating she had had been given by Riverman George but she remained, in his eyes, the most interesting and attractive girl he ever met.

Suddenly, pebbles slid down from the ledge above them and glancing up, they saw the glint of armor.  Charlotte needed no prompting.  She struck away from the land and was heading out of the bay when a host of arrows came hailing down upon them.  One bounced harmlessly off the oars and several others flew over their heads or glanced against the boat.  "Get down!" shouted Charlotte but Peter refused, not so long as Charlotte was up and making herself a target.  And then it was too late.  An arrow tore into Peter's shoulder and he slumped down to the bottom of the boat.  

Charlotte was white-faced but kept working frantically to get the boat into the downstream of the river running north.  The bowsmen were not so good at gauging the distance now although she was afraid they might pursue them on land, especially if they had horses, or by water, if they had come down the river by boat.  At last she emerged from the bay and began moving with regular strong strokes downriver.  She looked at Peter who had stopped moving.  They passed by an area where farmhouses were near the water but she could see no one about.  She did not know what good it would do but she shouted, "Help! We need help!" with all her might.