Chained in Servility

Chapter 4

Raven blinked as Dove handed her a tray with a warm smile. "Why don't you go eat with Jia this morning?" She gave a small nod, hearing the slight edge in her voice. After the previous evening, she could hard blame her mother. Qrow was still nowhere to be seen and she couldn't face Fallon herself after that.

She slipped away from the kitchen and to Corma's room. Her grandmother smiled as she opened the door and left, leaving Raven to shut it behind her. Jia managed a small smile as Raven handed her plate over and started eating. "Morning, Rae. Everything okay?" Raven froze mid-bite and Jia blinked at her.

"Uh, I... I'll be leaving for Beacon soon... LIke before the snows hit." That meant within the next week or two. There was no way she and Qrow would be able to travel after the snows hit since this season threatened to be bad. Normally the would have have just waited for spring, but the thought of spending time around Fallon after last night scared her more than anything. She still had to talk with Qrow over it, but she had a feeling he wouldn't object.

Jia blinked but nodded, lowering her head a little. "I see... I can't say I expected you of all people to go to an Academy, but it's a tribal thing, I guess?" Raven just cast her eyes down and felt a hand on her shoulder. Jia smiled and dug in her vest, pulling out some batted paper. After an encouraging motion, Raven opened it and her eyebrows shot up.

"I was gonna go to Haven this upcoming year, but I'm outta commission with this injury. I figure you can put her to better use." Jia's eyes flickered and Raven wrapped her arms around her friend's neck, a tear managing to slip down her cheek.

"Thank you, Jia. I'll make sure I put it to good use." She could only forge it if she got accepted to Beacon. Given their lifestyle, though, any test thrown at them would likely be child's play. She had six active seasons under her belt, the majority with the combat party. Only two of them had been with the trading part, so it had all but ensured her combat capability. Plus, she'd been in training since about four and had taken her first life at seven...

Yeah, Beacon would be a breeze for her.

She sighed and shook her head, tucking the blueprints in a pocket inside of her top. Leaving the tribe and her friend was not going to be easy, but she had no choice in the matter. She had to do what was for the tribe even if she disagreed. Would she really be able to avoid her father for a few weeks? She doubted it and her spine trembled in anticipating of the strike when she saw him next.

She just sat her half-eaten plate back on the tray and settled into her chair, knees to her chest. Jia glanced over and rested a hand on her leg, offering a reassuring smile. Unfortunately, she couldn't return it and just looked away. "Rae..."

"I should go to the infirmary. I need to check on the survivors and injured from the season." She took Jia's empty plate and headed back to the kitchen, freezing when she saw her father leave the room. Dove looked over and frowned, walking over and resting a hand on Raven's shoulder.

"Will you walk with me, dear?" Raven gave a small, reluctant nod as she sat the dishes on the table. She took one of her mother's spare coats and shivered as they stepped into the chill air, but at least the brutal winds had died during the night.

Silence hung over the pair as Dove started down the far side of the lakeshore, both of them ignoring the large Deathstalker that scurried past them. Raven felt a calm wash over the air and Dove pulled her close, prompting her to cling. A few tears rolled down her cheeks as she shook, barely able to hold back the sobs. She gave into her mother's Semblance, the worst edge slipping away, but the raw pain still remained.

Raven allowed Dove to tilt her head up and wipe her tears away after a while. "...Raven, how long has your father been abusing you?" Shame filled the roots of her hair and her throat tightened. She wanted to look away, but her mother's gentle, crimson eyes held her there. All she could do was sigh and swallow the knot in her throat.

"...It's not abuse. He just wanted me to know when I made a mistake on the tribe's behalf." It was never more than a slap across the face. Her aura protected her, so she never actually felt it, but it was always a nasty surprise when it happened. It was more the psychological fact that her own father would hit her even if the choices she made would have negatively impacted the tribe.

She felt her mother's Semblance flicker and she rested her forehead against Raven's, giving a tiny shake. "Oh, my sweet little fledgling, I can tell you're just lying to yourself. You don't have to lie to me." A tear dripped onto her cheek and Raven sighed, closing her eyes. She couldn't lie to her mother...

"...Since I was pretty small. It's only gotten worse since my first active season." She'd made so many bad calls while leading during it. The past one had been nothing short of a miracle with how she'd last until the last moment. She'd heeded the strikes and lessons well, doing her best to not repeat them for fear of repercussion.

Dove pulled Raven as close as she could and Raven just clung like a frightened child. "I-I know I'm weak for not saying anything but I... Who on the council would believe the chief was abusing his daughter?" No elder would believe that Fallon would hurt his own children. He could be cutthroat, yes, but he was respected and loved for his warm, genial nature in dealing with the tribe. She was the only one to see this side of him.

Silence cloyed for a few moments and Raven felt her mother thread her fingers through her hair. "...After you and your brother leave, don't' come back for a year. I'll invoke the silent testimony clause." Raven jerked back, staring with wide eyes. The chief's wife invoking it...? Nothing of the sort had ever been done! The scandal of a chief abusing a family member would be bad enough, but for his wife to speak up on behalf of their daughter... She could only begin to imagine the havoc it would wreak on the tribe. If the elders believed her... It would likely result in Fallon's death and Dove succeeding him as chief.

But not seeing Dove for a year...

Raven just cling tighter, feeling her breaths starting come a bit a shorter. Calm surrounded them like a gentle blanket and Dove held her closer, forcing the attack to stop before it proceeded too far. Raven just shook and pressed her forehead into her mother's, tears rolling down her face.

"Everything will be fine, my precious fledgling. Corma will back me and I'll have the ancestors' favor. It'll all be fine, my precious, precious baby bird." Dove rubbed her back and Raven nodded. She had to trust her mother was making the right choice. If she didn't, then the ancestors wouldn't be pleased. She had to trust in those that had come before to guide them...
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If you want the plaintext explanation of what they're talking about:

While not common, abuse is something that does occur on occasion. For the most part, the community is supposed to help root it out or the victim is expected to come forward. Needless to say, this model is flawed, so there is a way around it.

Enter the "silent testimony" clause.

This decree is one that allows a close friend or family member that knows of what's happening on behalf of the victim. They are allowed to speak and bring it to the elders as the victim is usually unwilling/unable to speak up. This clause is generally only invoked rarely due to the fact the community usually can recognise the signs. Sometimes things are just covered up so well they may not be able to be rooted out by outside observers which is why this exists.

To invoke this clause generally creates a lot of scrutiny due to there being no evidence than the honor of the speaker's word. It also implies a failing on the tribe's part for not noticing as well as a weakness in the victim's character for not being able to step forward. It can cause negative repercussions for the victim despite the speaker's good intent which is another reason it is invoked so rarely. The speaker and victim must be prepared for the repercussions invoking the clause will cause.

If the testimony is found to be true, then the abuser is generally exiled from the tribe for their actions. In rarer cases, they may be executed due to the severity of the damage they have caused to the person and the tribe as a whole.

Anything done with the silent testimony clause is kept extremely quiet, known to only a handful of elders and the speaker. Not even the chief will be notified until sufficient basis to bring the abuser to light is found. If it is, then it will be made public with the abuse removed from the tribe. If nothing can be found, the person is allowed to go on with their life.

I realise this is an extremely flawed system with heavy victim blaming, but they're a warrior culture; if you can't protect yourself after all of the training you've been through, then something's clearly wrong.