Crown of Vengeance (Fires in Eden) by Stephen Zimmer

Author:Stephen Zimmer [Zimmer, Stephen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Seventh Star Press
Published: 2010-02-18T00:00:00+00:00

Deganawida

Solemnity filled the faces of the modest gathering seated around the hearth fire. The men were assembled in a chamber within the longhouse that displayed the image of a bear, rendered upon the facing of the bark panels suspended over the sheltered porch-entrances at each end.

Situated near to the highly prestigious, central longhouse that housed the revered Sacred Fire of the Five Realms, the Bear Clan longhouse that Deganawida dwelled within was one of the most prominent structures of the village.

The Bear Clan longhouse currently served as the main site for the meetings of the village council. It was the traditionally appropriate location, as Deganawida was the chosen headman of the Onan village called The Place of Far Seeing.

All of the main members of the village council were now present and fully attentive, as Deganawida had expected in light of the unusual, recent developments.

The eight other clan sachems looked expectantly towards Deganawida, their faces illuminated by the flames of the hearth fire. The blazing tendrils crackled steadily within the ponderous silence of the chamber.

Along with Deganawida himself, the sachems represented the nine clans that were present within the Onan Tribe; The Bear, The Wolf, The Firaken, The Beaver, the Shadow Flyers, The Tortoise, The Hawk, The Moose, and The Deer.

The venerated clan matrons of the substantial village had appointed each of the other eight sachems, just as they had appointed Deganawida. The clan matrons could similarly remove any of them, if they were ever deemed to be failing in their charge of guiding the village judiciously.

As of yet, all of the sachems present had served steadily and capably ever since their appointments. It had been quite some time since a sachem had been deposed for perceived failure in their given duty.

In addition to the sachems, the Wise Ones, the elderly men of the village, were also in attendance to give their own counsel and insights.

At first, all of the men had engaged in a sequence of chanted prayers, offering the rhythmic devotions to the One Spirit. As always, the prayers to the Sky Lord had largely centered upon simple thanksgiving, rather than the asking of any favor.

The men had then shared sacred tobacco together. They had smoked it reverently in the special, ornately carved wooden pipes, affixed with eagle feathers, that they passed carefully amongst each other.

A spirit of openness and harmony predominated within the longhouse when it finally became time to discuss the important village and tribal matters at hand. At this particular council meeting, there was one predominant issue that stood forth from all others.

Deganawida’s task, as always, was markedly different than that of the other ruling entities in the neighboring kingdom of Gallea. It was true that Deganawida carried more authority within the village in a more direct manner than he did on his seat at the Grand Council of the Five Realms. Yet his challenge was still to build consensus and wield influence, rather than issue indisputable and binding commands, as did the rulers in the western lands.

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