(7) PEMDAS
At first the packed crowd in the temple maintained a solemn reverence. Whatever Saint had told people to get them here quickly had clearly done its job, maybe too well.
And the Marquis started out so strongly. He had years of experience on his side, and the trust of the villagers. They knew enough to dismiss the look of nausea on his face as a facet of his being rather than an indicator of their situation.
Likely most of the villagers were expecting a quick briefing on a hiding or escaping type plan. Although it was doubtful that the people expected anything so heavily steeped in guilt.
“We invite and encourage everyone to stay in the basement. There is plenty of room and it is meant for this purpose. It seems there is a house outside that may be alive. But the offending house is all the way across the courtyard. I want to say again this is the safest place you could be.”
The crowd visibly relaxed. So far so good. He managed to vaguely name the thing but the focus was on the safety. Everything was going to be fine.
Unfortunately, the Marquis wasn’t done yet. “If any of you are considering running then you are on your own. No access will be granted to any public or personal carriages. The risk of making noise and causing a larger problem is too great.”
Ouch. Keeping people from their stuff was certainly a choice. But a generally understandable one. The emotional temperature in the room rose but nowhere near as high as the physical one.
And yet, Marquis Roarke kept going. “We also cannot guarantee your safety if you decide to hide in your own home.” He bowed his head, “And I hope that you don’t make any choices that will require living with any consequences.”
Vaguely threatening. Wildly shaming. Quite the speech. The Marquis took a step back and held out his hand, “And now to our new Magic Keeper, Carter.”
Marquis Roarke’s face was concerned and businesslike. There was no indication that his unceremonious pass off was malicious. Careless, at best. Carter put on her best smile but the shakiness in it just served to unnerve the crowd more.
“Thank you, Marquis Roarke. I am certain no one here is at risk of waking the monster because we have everything under control.”
Carter paused. The crowd shifted wondering what else there was to say.
“Yes. Everyone here is safe and prepared to do their duty.”
Another pause and this time people started to figure out where this was going. Marquis Roarke was behind her. Eyes getting tighter. Bliss started to make a low kind of noise right around when the word duty was used. Carter continued faster now. Her words started to smash together and it wasn’t helping.
“We all have pride in this village. We will band together as always and elect those who will deal with the problem.”
A ripple of shock went through the crowd. Most of the people didn’t know anything about the situation other than ‘possible house monster that might wake up.’ Unfortunately, by all rights this was the price they had to pay to get to the safety of the basement. The villagers who weren’t here in the temple had probably already done that math and decided it wasn’t worth it.
No one ever actually volunteered to do this. Everyone knew that much. And that was on a good day.
This was something altogether different indeed. A bit of rabble rousing broke out. More than a few people tried to make their way out the exits only to be barred by the noble Lords and their sons. As always fulfilling their job of enforcing whatever rules they were told to as long as they got their precious privileges. They certainly weren’t going to be participating in the ritual.
Before they could lose control Marquis Roarke stepped forward. “We will go into further detail with the people who are elected. Beyond that it is best for you to stay safe. Do not panic. Everyone will be allowed to leave and make their choices after the ritual.”
He didn’t say the last part out loud. Everyone could leave except for the people chosen. They wouldn’t be making any choices for themselves.
The Marquis leaned over and whispered something forcefully at Carter. With a hustle she started administering the ritual. Little slips of paper started being shoved into hands. The crowd turned into something more like a river flowing around the temple.
Only then did the Marquis announce to the crowd, “Let the ritual begin.”
Carter tried to claw back some of her dignity. “Just a little ritual. We’ve all done it before.” A beat and then she chirped too brightly, “Just a moment and then we can all get to safety, everyone!”
But the mood had shifted. The already muggy air was given a light blanket of smoke that none of them asked for.
At first nothing happened. Everyone with their little papers as they crossed in front of the arbiters at the front. Villagers flowed by as they held the paper over one of the candles. The paper combusted with a white smoke. No one chosen yet.
The dense crush of people swept like a current around the outside of the aisles and towards the front. Inside the mugginess of the air there was no thought. Engulfed in the stream and just trying not to get crushed. Lords at every exit making sure no little fish escaped.
Everyone noticed when the first black smoke appeared. A new smell wove into the others, strong and acrid. There was a fuss, but the crowd was too dense to really see who it was. Then quickly again after that. Two people chosen. Then smoke turned back to white.
Riley was pinned to the floor. Pushed around by all the people being pushed around themselves. But her feet stayed planted as she stared dead eyed at some far away place.
Bliss hadn’t noticed that Riley was somewhere else. “So, you weren’t joking.”
Something in what Bliss said brought Riley back. “Would you back me up on something if it pissed off our families?”
Bliss looked at the door to the basement. She didn’t have to participate in the ritual, nor even stay in this room. The men guarding the door against people who refused the ritual would happily step aside if she went over. But she turned to Riley with a shrug of her shoulders.
“Sure, why not.”
Riley joined the dwindling flow of people with Bliss being towed behind her. There had been three more chosen making four total. There was no way to know how many would be chosen until the ritual was done. But how many more could there have even been. So, it was mostly an empty show of rebellion as Riley and Bliss joined the lower class in their service.
The look of surprise and instant anger on Carter’s face was precious to Riley as she took the piece of paper from her sister. She held her paper over the candle and watched the smoke turn white. Riley was smug. Looking self-satisfied that some sort of point had been made.
But Carter wasn’t paying attention to Riley in the way Riley wanted. She turned to follow Carter’s gaze behind her just in time to see the last of Bliss’s black smoke wafting into the air.
There were only a handful of villagers left in line for the ritual. They had been happy before to let Riley and Bliss go in front of them. Now they didn’t wait for the gob smacked Carter’s attention to return to them. They took their own pieces of paper, watched the smoke turn white in the flame, and then scurried in a clump to the door. The Lords didn’t even notice. They like everyone else were transfixed on the family drama unfolding on the small temple stage.
