The death of the Chief Examiner was sudden and unexpected. Geinn was saddened as the time he had spent with him over the past months had enriched Geinn's understanding of the Guild and the importance of the Doctrine. When the senior guild members met to elevate a new Chief Examiner, they were unanimous that Geinn take the post. The old Chief Examiner had made that clear and his reasons clearer. Geinn felt unprepared but promised to guide the Guild well.
Geinn visited the message on the rock a few more times but could get nothing more from it. His last order from the former Chief, to determine if this Aeronwyn was the 'destroyer' was all he could do. How he would determine that he did not know. Clearly drugging her and putting her to the examination was useless. He had tried that already and failed. That failure still galled him.
There was a second surprise from the old Chief Examiner. "Everything we discover and do is being reported to the Spymaster of the Islander Kingdom! Find the spy. Kill them. I suspect it is one of the senior brothers but I have been unable to determine which." When Geinn asked about the treaty, the old man confirmed there was one, "but the Spymaster isn't satisfied with that so he had corrupted one of us. Deal with them!"
Geinn knew that it was common, when there was a change in the office of the Chief Examiner, for the new occupant of that office to conduct a purge. He decided he would not do so until he could be certain of who the spy was and see if they had any allies. After the long induction ceremony, Geinn made his way to the palace to be presented to the King and his Nobles. That was, in his mind, a waste of time although he did get to size up the court. Unlike the City of Spires, where the Examiner's power was feared, Ehart's rulers were less intimidated. Some of that was due to the Healer's Guild, as nominally the Examiners reported to the Guild Master.
Some of it was familiarity, as the headquarters of the Examiners was in Ehart and Ehart belonged to the King. Geinn was certain that he could easily debunk both of those ideas but realized that to test the Examiners strength without cause was prideful and useless. Unless he had a good reason he would allow the King and Guild Master their illusions of control of the Examiners. Besides, in practice they never dared interfere so why bother?
Geinn walked into the court and noticed that his arrival immediately produced a reduction in the conversations. He was formally announced then made his way to the king. King Alvir and Queen Hildr were speaking with someone but saw him approach and greeted him.
"Welcome, Chief Examiner. We are glad that you are here but regret that your arrival has come at such a high cost to our Examiners," the king said.
Your examiners? I think not. "Thank you for your kind words, King Alvir. We all regret the passing of our Chief Examiner who diligently insured the Law was revered for so long. May I do as well!" Geinn said, as humbly as he could.
"My Lord Chief Examiner, may I present my wife, Queen Hildr and my advisor, the Guild Master of the Healer's Guild." The Queen bowed and the other man, dressed in the formal robes of the Healers, nodded as to a subordinate.
"Your Majesty. Guild Master. I greet you." Geinn said formally.
"Why so formal, Chief Examiner? This is your night. Enjoy it." said the Guild Master. It was all Geinn could do to keep himself from slapping the self-righteous fool. Instead, he calmed himself and didn't allow any emotions to show on his face.
"I should meet the court, Majesty." Geinn said. The king nodded and walked with Geinn to introduce him to the king's court.
After greeting a few Earls and Barons, the king stopped at a young noble. "Ah, Barik! Chief Examiner, this is Lord Barik. He shares with you the sorrow of loss as his father recently passed away. With him is his Lady Halldora, his heir Alrek and the Lady Keri, Alrek's tutor. He has quite a tale to tell!"
"My Liege!" Barik bowed as did his entourage. "My Lord Chief Examiner!"
"A tale to tell?" Geinn mused. "May I know it?"
Barik was about to speak but the king interrupted him. "It's a grand story. Escaping assassins, betrayal by a brother, poisons. Grand. Perhaps he can tell you the whole of it some other time. We must move on."
As King Alvir spoke, Geinn was watching the Lady Keri. He was curious about her origins. He almost felt like he had met her before but couldn't place it. Certainly her skin colour reminded him of the people of the Spires but, as dedicated as Geinn was to his choice of celibacy, a woman as beautiful as her, Geinn would have remembered. Odd. He wasn't usually wrong when he felt that he knew someone. He stared at her long enough for her to blush.
"I am sorry, Lady. It is just that I feel we have met before but I cannot remember where or when." Geinn said.
"I don't think so, my Lord Examiner. I would have been honored, I am sure and well remember such an event." Keri knew where and when but she wasn't giving the Chief Examiner any hint.
He looked at her, even more puzzled. She was lying. That sense Geinn always trusted. Why would she lie to him? He nodded and said, "Ah well. I am certain I will remember. A pleasure."
After Geinn had finished politely greeting the rest of the court, he rushed back to the Examiner's hall. Finding one of the more competent junior examiners, he ordered him to investigate, very hush-hush, the Lady Keri and discover all he could about her. That done, he returned to his search for Aeronwyn.
