Warcry

better.”
    “Still, it is . . . unsettling,” Atira said.
    Iain nodded. “Each has his own way. Who is to say which one is right?”
    “The Archbishop,” Othur said.
    Iain glanced his way. “True,” he said. “The church establishes our doctrines, and every faith has its rituals. I’ve been reading some older texts in the chapel archives, and I’m learning fascinating things about—”
    “The ceremony,” Keir interrupted with an apologetic smile. “Can you tell me of the marriage ceremony?”
    The lad drew a deep breath and went through the marriage ceremony word for word, with Keir listening intently.
    Finally, Keir leaned back in his chair. “Those pledges seem little different to me than any promise between a bonded couple.”
    “What words are spoken in your ceremony?” Iain asked.
    There was some stiffening at that question. But Keir raised a hand at the silent protest. “The words of a bonded couple are private. Not to be shared easily with others.”
    “I understand your desire for privacy,” Iain said. “But if you wish to be certain that there is no conflict, I’d ask to hear that pledge before making a final decision.” He hesitated for a moment. “I would treat those words as if I heard them while bells were ringing,” Iain said slowly, in the language of the Plains.
    That brought muffled laughter and an outright smile from the Warlord. “Under the bells,” Keir corrected the young man.
    “Ah,” Iain nodded, then continued in Xyian. “For now, let us assume that the promises are the same.”
    “Except that they are said in a stone tent and witnessed by people,” Atira pointed out, the laughter gone from her face. “What matter the ceremony? The pledge is between two. Their words are enough between them.”
    “There are reasons, good reasons, for a marriage to be sanctified by the church, beyond the binding of two souls,” Iain asserted. “Among our people, it establishes the rights of the offspring and aids in the determination of property and inheritance. Further, we track our bloodlines through the male line, with the distaff a secondary consideration.” Iain continued, “To some, the emotional considerations of marriage are outweighed by the legal considerations. In this time, it seems almost more of a contractual method of doing business than the bringing together of two souls. This has not always been the case.”
    Othur watched as a few pairs of eyes got a glazed look.
    “The role of the church in our world is an important one. The church is a source of learning and education,” Iain continued. “We clerics have the time to seek out and preserve knowledge. Not to mention that the church deals with many of the problems of the poor, the sick, and the aged.” Iain was warming to his theme. “We foster a sense of charity to those less fortunate. And we encourage a sense of community by our—”
    “Do all clerics feel as you do?” Keir’s eyes narrowed. “Or are there those that abuse their positions?”
    Iain drew himself up and stared right at the Warlord. “Do all of the Plains think with one mind and heart?”
    “No,” Keir said ruefully.
    “We are no more and no less than you,” Iain answered plainly, his face solemn and very earnest.
    Good for you, lad, Othur thought, as Keir slowly smiled.
    “If one who is not of our faith wishes to marry one of the faithful, this can be done,” Iain said. “There is no bar, and no need to convert. Not in the church proper, mind.” Iain shrugged. “But traditionally, royal marriages have taken place in the throne room, so that is not an issue.”
    “Unless the Archbishop makes it one,” Heath spoke from the far corner where he’d planted himself.
    Iain sighed. “I would like to believe that the Devoted One would not be swayed by others in this matter.”
    “But,” Keir said.
    “But,” Iain sighed, “although he is the representative of the Sun God, he is also human.”
    “So if a marriage is not performed, the child suffers? Is punished for something over which it had no control?” Atira asked. “We do not do that.”
    “Yes, we do.” Amyu’s voice was soft and bitter.
    “If the Archbishop forbids the marriage, would you perform the ceremony?” Heath asked bluntly.
    Othur caught his breath.
    “I have made my own oaths,” Iain said simply, tucking his hands back into his sleeves. “And one of them is obedience.”
    Keir nodded and stood. “I thank you for your truths, Cleric.” He held