Blood of the Fold

Vema had never realized the extent of palace politics and how nearly every facet of palace life and law revolved around it. A Prelate's power was derived in part from making the correct alliances, and using duties and power carefully assigned to control opposition. Divided into factions, responsible for their own niche and given wide leeway in narrowly denned areas, the more influential Sisters were diverted from joining in opposition to the Prelate. Information was granted or withheld in a carefully controlled process, keeping opposing groups balanced in influence and power. This balance kept the Prelate the pivot point, and in control of palace objectives.

Though the Sisters couldn't remove a Prelate from office, except for treason against the palace and Creator, they could mire the workings of the palace in petty bickering and power struggles. The Prelate had to control that energy and focus it to worthwhile goals.

It seemed that running the palace, doing the Creator's work, was really handling personalities and their attendant feelings and sensibilities, rather than simply assigning tasks that needed to be done. Verna had never viewed the running of the palace in this way. She had always seen them as one happy family, all intent on the Creator's work, running smoothly on direction from the Prelate. That, she had learned, had been because of the deft handling of the Sisters by the Prelate. Because of her, they all worked to a purpose, seeming to Verna to be satisfied with their part in the scheme of things.

After the talk with Annalina, Verna felt even more inadequate at her post, but at the same time more prepared to rise to the task. She had never known the vast extent of the Prelate's knowledge about the most trivial of palace matters. It was no wonder that Prelate Annalina had made the job look so easy; she was a master at it — a juggler who could keep a dozen balls in the air at once while smiling and patting a novice on the head.

Verna rubbed her eyes as she yawned. She had gotten only a few hours' sleep, but she had work to do, and couldn't lie about any longer. She tucked the journey book, all its pages wiped clean, back into her belt and headed back to her office, stopping along the way to splash water from the pond on her face.

A pair of green ducks swam closer, interested in what she was doing mucking about in their world. They circled about a bil before deciding to preen themselves, apparently content that she had no interest other than to share their water. The sky was a glorious pink and violet in the new day, the air clean and fresh. Though deeply worried about what she had learned, she also felt optimistic. Like everything around her in the light of the new day, she felt as if her mind had been enlightened, too.

Verna shook the water from her hands as she fretted about how she was going to discover which Sisters were sworn to the Keeper. Just because the Prelate had faith in her, and had ordered it, that didn't mean she would succeed. She sighed, and then kissed the Prelate's ring, asking the Creator to please help her figure out a way.

Vema couldn't wait to tell Warren about the Prelate, and all the things she had learned in talking with her, but she was heavyhearted, too, because she was going to have to ask him to go into hiding. She didn't know how she was going to manage without him. Maybe if he was able to find a safe place not too far, she could still visit him occasionally, and not feel so alone.

In her office, Verna smiled when she saw the teetering stacks of waiting reports. She left the doors to the garden open to let in the cool morning air, and let out the stale air of her office. She began straightening the reports, shuffling the papers into order and making the stacks straight, lining them up along the edge. For the first time, she was able to see some of the wood of the labletop.

Vema looked up when the door opened. Phoebe and Dulcinia, each carrying more reports in the crook of an arm, both started when they saw her.

"Good morning," Verna said in a bright voice.

“Forgive us, Prelate," Dulcinia said. Her penetrating blue eyes caught when she saw the neat stacks of reports. "We didn't realize the Prelate would be at work so early. We didn't mean to interrupt. We can see that you've a lot of work to do. We'll just put these down with the others, if we may."

"Oh yes, please do," Verna said, holding an inviting hand out toward her desk. "Leoma and Philippa will be pleased you brought them to me."

"Prelate?" Phoebe said, her round face set in puzzlement.

"Oh, you know what I mean. My advisors of course like to make sure the palace runs as smooth as a new greased wheel. Leoma and Philippa fret over the task."

"Task?" Dulcinia asked, her frown growing.