Upon discovering the news of his dearest comrade�s death, Durward was reduced to the most heart wrenching form of weeping. Akorsa could not think of any better way to soothe the man than time. She knew he was unfit to return to the barracks and determined that he was to be relieved of duty until he was back to his old self. Knowing she would feel more secure if he remained within the Proctor�s grand building in the middle of the cities, she sent for Daysha, who came down to fetch the distraught man.
�Daysha, could you see that he is taken care of, for a few days at least?� asked Akorsa as he helped the soldier out of the Hall.
�Of course I shall see to him! Poor dear, come with me. I shall see to it that he has a bed and that he eats well,� said the servant as she guided the man up the servant�s stairs. Akorsa watched as they disappeared into the stairway. She felt quite terrible that all of this had come about because of her leaving and going to Arimythia. Though Werner had died, it had been for the better of everything in the end, and she knew that the guardsman would have had it no other way.
She sniffled a bit and wiped away a tear that had escaped from her eye. She felt Fionn come up behind her and wrap his arms about her waist. He pulled her close to him and leaned forward slightly so that he rested his chin upon her shoulder.
�There was naught to be done about any of this, Akorsa, and you know it full and well. Do not go about making yourself sick over it,� he said soothingly into her ear.
�I try well and hard not to,� she said, leaning her head against his gently. �I just feel as though none of this would have happened were it not for me.�
�Perhaps it is your fault, Akorsa, but perhaps these changes made everything for the better,� he said softly. �Every change has its price, and some here have paid that price. Werner did his part willingly, and entirely of his own accord. It is right to mourn now, as we all are, but do not hold yourself filled with guilt over something that was so far beyond your grasp to control.�
�When did you become so wise?� she asked playfully, turning in his arms so that she might look him in the eye.
�I had some fun of my own while you were off gallivanting as the village heroine,� he said with a smirk.
�Gallivanting? I was doing no such thing, Fionn son of Myron. You do mock me something awful!� she exclaimed with a false pained tone, pulling away from his warm embrace.
�Aye, I do jest with you, truly I do,� he said, reaching forward to hold her again, only to have her back away form him. �What is this, Akorsa? Is there no forgiveness for a foolish man�s joke?�
�Forgiveness, aye there is some of that, Fionn. You might just have to spend a few nights sleeping on the floor of the other room before I am prepared to give it, though,� she said wish a mischievous gleam in her eye. She bolted towards the main staircase, laughing as she went. Fionn was happy to see her in good enough spirits to play such a childish game, and so he chased after her. He was now thoroughly determined that he would catch her before she managed to lock him out of her quarters, as he knew she was wont to do from time to time.
- - - -
Within the period of the next several days, the people were instructed that they were to form a legitimate trial by which to judge the Proctors for their crimes. Among their charges was the conspiracy against the government, conspiracy to murder, and a plethora of other charges brought up by the people concerning their neglect by the government. The trials went smoothly and without any sort of qualm.
Akorsa did not choose to go to these trials, other then once to give her testimony against the Proctors. Fionn and the Captain-General did likewise, coming out to the trials only once for their testimonies. The Proctors were, after some time, found guilty of all the charges brought against them, which proved to be about as shocking as the leaves falling from the trees in autumn.
The customary sentence ought to have had all of them, now eight in total, hanged. The people, feeling that would be to kind of a sentence, determined amongst themselves that these Proctors would have their titles renounced, that they would removed entirely from all political ties, and that they would be left on their own to find profession within the Walled Cities. It was then determined that Akorsa, being the only Proctor left and deserving of the title, would have the power to devise a new way to elect her colleagues.
She determined, with the support of both Fionn and the Captain-General (who had since ended the term of his house arrest) that the system of having three representatives per region would suffice. It was determined that she and Fionn would represent Arimythia, as well as Bevan, the son of Itziar, who was the man who had married them.
As for choosing the representatives for both Ilyana and Uljaya, Akorsa had a hard time deciding. She did not know the people of either city very well on a personal scale, and so she was forced to ponder on it for many a long day and night, until finally she came forth with a few ideas of her own. These ideas she brought before her husband and the Captain-General, seeing as she had no other clue as of whom she should choose. She valued Fionn�s input, and occasionally the Captain-General�s, but that was all depending on his frame of mind at the time.
�What ideas have you, Akorsa?� asked Fionn. She had gathered her husband and the Captain-General into the Hall where they all now sat.
�I want to people to nominate those they feel would be fitting for the office of Proctor,� she said. The Captain-General nodded in approval.
�That is an idea, well and true enough, seeing as not a one of us in this room knows enough to choose someone. Allow them to nominate those they seem fitting. Perhaps we shall overlook the proceedings, narrow down the names a bit, and from there you can make your decisions. What say you?� he asked.
�I think it a wonderful plan. We can set to work on it immediately, and we will have six more members for our council in no time!� responded Fionn with a great amount of cheerfulness.
�I just do hope they are the right ones,� said Akorsa worriedly. �I would hate to be the one to make so drastic a mistake as to replace the old fools with newer ones. The people would lose all faith in the government, in which they should have always been able to put their trust in during days long past.�
�Do not fear so!� assured the Captain-General. �I grow tired of hearing you fret so incessantly over your concerns, child! I have made graver mistakes in my years than you ever need to be concerned with in these upcoming days. There is little that you might do now that cannot be amended with time and patience.�
�Do I truly go on about it that often?� she asked plaintively.
�Aye, you do, but worry no more about it and we shall both find it in our heart of hearts to forgive you,� smiled the Captain-General as he rose from his chair. �I have work I need to attend to, if you do not mind me taking my leave. I have some notations that I wish to make, on the Maseriff form of attack, for next time, if there ever be one.�
�Very well, then, Captain-General. We shall see you on some later date,� said Fionn, rising from his chair to see the man out of the building. Akorsa stayed in her chair, contemplating, until her husband returned to the Hall. When Fionn did return, he pulled his chair up so he could sit directly in front of her. He leaned forward and took hold of both her hands.
�What is going on with you, Akorsa? You have not been quite yourself; you did not even see Captain-General Verican out! Are you well?� he asked with a soft concern, squeezing her hands gently. She forced a smile and looked at him.
�I have been feeling a little off as of late. I have been attributing it to my worrying and all of this,� she said, motioning with a swing of her head to the rest of the Hall. �Once it is all over I think I will be a bit better.�
�I do not know, love. I think this is really taking its toll on you. I think we should leave the city for a while; get you some fresh air. What say you to returning home for a few days, just until you get back on your feet?� he asked softly.
�I do not think it wise to leave everything at such a vital point in time, Fionn! Why, we need to it that the people can nominate their choices for the future Proctors, and surely there are other things that need to be seen to!� she exclaimed, clearly not wanting to leave people without someone capable of making things right.
�Akorsa, it will only be a few days, no more. Nothing will happen while we are gone, and if something does by chance occur, there are others here who might handle the situation in due course. You are tired, love. We shall return to Arimythia and allow you some time to relax,� he said, adding a compelling inflection to his words.
�Fionn! Why must you prove to be so dreadfully persuasive when you need to be?� she asked, glowering at him. �I wish to return home, but not at a time such as this! Can it not wait until things are settled?�
�It cannot wait, Akorsa. The disorder in both our lives is a concern in the present, not in the future days. I will not risk your health now because you wish to be stubborn and over exert yourself in such a manner,� he said sternly. �Now either you agree to return to Arimythia with me willingly, or I invoke my husbandly powers of authority and make you go, and I do not think you would enjoy the latter.�
Akorsa looked at him for several moments, the two staring at one another eye to eye, daring the other to say something. That had been a pastime for the two when they were smaller, and was usually the way they ended disputes. Finally, recognizing her husband�s determination to see her safe and healthy, Akorsa rose her hands in defeat, then breaking off the stare. Fionn�s gaze softened immediately and he leaned forward to press a kiss to her brow.
�Thank you, Akorsa. You shall see soon enough that all of this is for the best. Now, get you up to our quarters and get some rest! I have arrangements to make so that we might leave tomorrow,� he said, seeing her up out of her chair and guiding her out of the Hall. She nodded silently, smiling ever so slightly at his near mother-like concern for her. When she was gone Fionn went out to find a few servants; he had a great deal of work to do.
