The Chronicles Of The Council #1: The Sun's Tears

Chapter 15: Laelia - Contradictions

"Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider." – Francis Bacon

Alachna City, Ardam 947

Aedan and I are the first to arrive in the classroom. He takes two thick leather volumes from the shelf and hands me one. We sit down at our tables in front of the class.

The classroom is one of the only rooms in Alachna City that has four walls. It has an archway for a door and two small windows in the opposite wall – all to minimise distractions for its occupying pupils. It doesn't have a roof.

The classroom can accommodate twenty seated people at marble desks with benches.

I check the number of the chapter we will be taught from today on a list that I brought with from home.

I open the chapter that we are going to read and discuss today.

I start to read.

"The final battle of the Second War took place in the first year of the reign of King Ferdaid, second son of King Ardam Vaubadon. This account was written by Ludel of the family Strongwind who is the Second Leader of the Second Order."

I look up as a few of the other children come in. I spare them a glance to ascertain if Gwenore is among them. When I see that she is not, I continue reading.

"The Second War started more than a year ago, during the last year of the reign of King Friduric. I am writing this on the eve after the conclusion of the battle. The fact that I am writing it means that we were victorious. The enemy would have crushed even the mention of our existence. We took precautions to ensure that the history would remain as a witness against our enemy. But now I have to report on the final battle and the events occurring on the days before."

Francesse Cloudwatcher enters the room. We stand up and greet her.

She is dressed in a hue of light purple, with a crown and bracelet of bluebells.

She indicates that we can sit.

"You have learned about the Second War, but today we will discuss it again – with emphasis on the final battle of the Second War. I encourage you to ask questions and participate in the discussion."

Francesse is a gentle soul and an excellent teacher. We always learn a lot during our sessions with her.

She reads the introductory paragraph.

"This was approximately one month after King Friduric's death," she adds.

Elorhim says something incomprehensible.

Elorhim doesn't want to be here. His Millennium is in a few weeks. I think he reckons he already knows everything.

"Elorhim Strongwind, you can read the next few paragraphs for us."

He reads reluctantly, but with a powerful, animated voice: "The day before the day of the final battle was a dark one. The sun did not rise. The horses in the camps were restless. The humans were nervous. They thought it was an ill omen foreboding doom."

He stops: "How ridiculous!"

He continues to read: "The day passed, but the sun did not rise."

He looks up: "Who wrote this? It doesn't seem as if they did a good job."

"Your father did, Strongwind. It says so at the top of the chapter. And we all know he wrote most of everything we know about the Second War," Aedan replies with a sugary voice.