Ripple in the Pattern: Know-It-All (IWA, Botch the Roll)
Dec 17, 2013 14:59:48 GMT -8
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Post by Jenn on Dec 17, 2013 14:59:48 GMT -8
Sarah sat cross legged on her couch, petting one of her cats as she spoke. “… and I thought I’d ask you first because… well, you would know. You know Hamza. Why is he bowing to someone with no standing?”
Her mentor tilted his head and looked at her over his glasses. “Veritas. Elder of the clan. We are speaking of him?”
She nodded, surprised. “You know him?”
“Veritas, who has seen the Crusades. Veritas, who has taken a vow of silence. Veritas, who travels with his brother, Aequinas. Veritas, who is so highly regarded with our clan that the question is not, “you know him?” but, “why do you not know him?”
As her mentor spoke, Sarah felt herself go cold. If she still had mortal blood, she was sure it would be rushing in her veins and flushing her cheeks. She shifted into a more formal seated position, her cat slinking away in the sudden tension. “I…” The word hung uselessly in the air.
He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. “Did you go to Hamza about this?”
“No.”
“Did you go to anyone else? Tell anyone else?” She shook her head as he peered at her once more. “At least there is that. Had you gone to someone outside the domain, child, I fear your growing reputation would have been shattered. How does the persistent, effective, detailed Sarah Smith not know one of her own? One not only highly regarded within the Children, but within other clans as well?”
“I…”
“Silence.” His tone was quiet but brooked no argument. “You had your time to speak. You had your time to inquire further of Veritas, of Hamza. You did not. You complained that there was no clear line of command… and, yet, there is. Only you have been too blind… and arrogant… to see it.”
It was Sarah’s turn to bow her head.
“You have broken the Law of Leadership by not trusting your elder, Hamza, as he obeyed the Law. You have dishonored yourself and your teachings by your assumptions. You repeatedly said, ‘This doesn’t fit the pattern,’ and, yet, did no research to find out what you missed. You are a rising star within the family, Sarah, but your journey has just begun. You are but a blink of an eye in the years Veritas and Hamza have seen. How could you not trust them? How could you look to the Law and not see your own mistake?”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“I’m not the one who has been dishonored by your folly.” He paused, gazing at her for a long moment, and then shook his head again. “There will be no lesson tonight. Instead, you are to meditate on the Law of Leadership, how you have broken it, how you have dishonored those in this domain, and how you will make amends. We will meet in one week to discuss this. Until I’m satisfied that you have learned from this mistake, you will learn no more from me.”
“Yes, Honored Master.” Sarah stared at her hands, willing herself not to cry at the deserved rebuke.
Her mentor stood and walked to the door. He paused, glancing at her over his shoulder. “Your star has just begun to ascend. You have much to learn. Do not let the foolishness of youth hamper you.”
Sarah nodded at him, not trusting herself to speak, and watched him walk away. It’d been a long time since she had felt this mortified and ashamed of herself.
Her mentor tilted his head and looked at her over his glasses. “Veritas. Elder of the clan. We are speaking of him?”
She nodded, surprised. “You know him?”
“Veritas, who has seen the Crusades. Veritas, who has taken a vow of silence. Veritas, who travels with his brother, Aequinas. Veritas, who is so highly regarded with our clan that the question is not, “you know him?” but, “why do you not know him?”
As her mentor spoke, Sarah felt herself go cold. If she still had mortal blood, she was sure it would be rushing in her veins and flushing her cheeks. She shifted into a more formal seated position, her cat slinking away in the sudden tension. “I…” The word hung uselessly in the air.
He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. “Did you go to Hamza about this?”
“No.”
“Did you go to anyone else? Tell anyone else?” She shook her head as he peered at her once more. “At least there is that. Had you gone to someone outside the domain, child, I fear your growing reputation would have been shattered. How does the persistent, effective, detailed Sarah Smith not know one of her own? One not only highly regarded within the Children, but within other clans as well?”
“I…”
“Silence.” His tone was quiet but brooked no argument. “You had your time to speak. You had your time to inquire further of Veritas, of Hamza. You did not. You complained that there was no clear line of command… and, yet, there is. Only you have been too blind… and arrogant… to see it.”
It was Sarah’s turn to bow her head.
“You have broken the Law of Leadership by not trusting your elder, Hamza, as he obeyed the Law. You have dishonored yourself and your teachings by your assumptions. You repeatedly said, ‘This doesn’t fit the pattern,’ and, yet, did no research to find out what you missed. You are a rising star within the family, Sarah, but your journey has just begun. You are but a blink of an eye in the years Veritas and Hamza have seen. How could you not trust them? How could you look to the Law and not see your own mistake?”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“I’m not the one who has been dishonored by your folly.” He paused, gazing at her for a long moment, and then shook his head again. “There will be no lesson tonight. Instead, you are to meditate on the Law of Leadership, how you have broken it, how you have dishonored those in this domain, and how you will make amends. We will meet in one week to discuss this. Until I’m satisfied that you have learned from this mistake, you will learn no more from me.”
“Yes, Honored Master.” Sarah stared at her hands, willing herself not to cry at the deserved rebuke.
Her mentor stood and walked to the door. He paused, glancing at her over his shoulder. “Your star has just begun to ascend. You have much to learn. Do not let the foolishness of youth hamper you.”
Sarah nodded at him, not trusting herself to speak, and watched him walk away. It’d been a long time since she had felt this mortified and ashamed of herself.
