Ted turned the aged pages absentmindedly. He ran his hands across them as though reading them by touch. "The Book of the Blood reiterates the most important history of Oosa, the Select, and of the Oathtakers. It also includes the most critical prophecies about Oosa's future. I believe it speaks directly of events currently unfolding."
"What does it say?" Hattie asked.
"What do you know of our history?"
"Not much, I'm afraid."
He nodded. "That seems to be the way of things these days, and this book shows some of the dangers that can come of that."
He proceeded to tell the others that the history of the earth was one full of slavery, viciousness and cruelty of man to man, and of how, when the people turned from Ehyeh and His decrees, chaos reigned. He told of the origins of the Select and of the Oathtakers and how they left their former lands of oppression and moved to Oosa.
"Upon arriving in Oosa, Ehyeh chose a leader for the people: Patience. She was a seventh daughter of a seventh daughter. Ehyeh granted her magic to help her to lead. He also set forth the means by which that power would pass to the person who would rule after her.
"The Good One provided decrees telling how the people should live. These He inscribed into a crown, a sword, and a scepter. He gave them to Patience to use and to hand down. The three great artifacts serve as evidence of His hand on Oosa and its people.
"Upon the sword Ehyeh inscribed the truths of life and the living. A man was not to take the life of another, except to protect himself or others, or to punish one who'd wrongfully taken someone's life. In other words, murder is wrong, but not every taking of life is murder. One may take the life of another when acting in self-defense or to protect others, sometimes even on a large scale, such as in the form of warfare.
"Upon the crown He inscribed decrees regarding the fair governance of the people. They are to be free to pursue their own ways and dreams, the fruits of their labor belong to them and no one else, they may speak as they choose, and they may follow Ehyeh or not, as they choose.
"Finally, upon the scepter, Ehyeh provided the principles of fairness for those in authority. They are never to use power simply because they are able, but only when necessary. The leader is always to consider what the people want, but recognize that granting something to the many, could harm the few."
Ted paused, collecting his thoughts. "Anyway, back to Patience. At the Good One's direction, Patience established protocol regarding the responsibilities of the first through the seventh born of the Select. These were to be the means by which the Select would participate in overseeing the interests of the community.
"Patience's line lives to this day. It is the line of the first family. Before the ranking member dies, he may release his power to his offspring. If he does, that line will lead Oosa. If he does not, the position of leader will be determined by going back to that ranking member's next older sibling and his or her line." He paused to take a breath.
"So Rowena was the ranking member of the first family. If she released her power before she died, the rank would fall to her children," Hattie said.
"That's right."
"And did she release her power?"
"She did."
"Thank goodness." Hattie rubbed her head in thought. "But wait. If she released her power and something happened to her last born, wouldn't it still remain with her other children? Wouldn't the power go to Rowena's next older child?"
"Yes," Ted said, "unless . . ."
"Unless?" Faith asked.
"Unless the entire line is cut off."
"How could that be?"
"Listen to this." Ted shuffled through and then read from The Book of the Blood. "'Should the life of a Select be cut off by the blade of a living Oathtaker, neither that Select, nor anyone in his direct line, shall ever rule.'" He shook his head. "It seems Ehyeh intended to insure that an unworthy Select would not be the ranking member, or that if that ever occurred, his or her progeny could not carry that taint forward."
"I don't understand," Faith said.
"Well, an Oathtaker may only use his blade against a member of the Select in the course of protecting his charge. Such an event could only happen if the line of that Select was tainted somehow and so, that line would be cut off from any possible future rule."
"So if someone killed Rowena's last born with an Oathtaker's blade, that line would be cut off," Faith ventured.
"That's right,' Ted affirmed.
"Otherwise, the rank would remain with Rowena's children's line."
"Yes," Ted said, "unless the ranking member was the last of Rowena's children and had no progeny, or she did not release her power to her children."
"So if Lilith takes the life of Rowena's youngest, she'd still have to take the lives of Rowena's other children before the power would revert to her," Hattie said.
"Yes. Again, unless the life of the current ranking member—in this case Rowena's child," Ted said as he glanced meaningfully at Faith, "is taken with the blade of an Oathtaker.
"You see, Rowena's child is the rightful heir, but at this time, has no progeny of her own. For now, her 'line' consists of her, and her siblings. Once she has progeny, her siblings will no longer be in the direct line of rule. They would only be in the direct line again if that child and all her progeny died without children of their own, or if that child died without releasing her power to her children.
"So only if all Rowena's children die without leaving progeny to whom they release their power, would the rightful heir be determined by going back to Rowena's siblings—in this case, to Lilith. Do you see?"
"Goodness, it gets complicated," Faith said with a sigh.
"It certainly does. But I think we have to assume that Lilith intends to destroy all of Rowena's children—or otherwise to cut off their line."
"That's horrible," Hattie said.
"Yes." Ted sighed.
Erin stirred in her sleep. Faith looked from her to Ted. "She looks so familiar."
"That's what I thought." He turned to Hattie. "What do you know of her?"
"Only that she was a slave to Zarek's men."
"Hmmm. Well anyway, my studies have often directed me back to this book. I believe now that I know why. Especially given the news that you bring today."
"Why is that?"
"This book provides what I believe is crucial prophecy—prophecy about the new seventh seventh, and another."
"What does it say?"
"Listen to this." He opened The Book of the Blood again to a page marked with a black satin ribbon, then read: "'Be wary, for in those days shall come she who is not a leader, yet having sold her soul, she shall seek to lead. Woe to the people, for there shall be much wailing and mourning for the infants lost by her. Run quickly to Sanctuary! For only there may you be saved.'"
He turned the ancient page carefully. The fluttering sound of the paper broke the silence.
"And listen to this: 'The land shall move to mourning. Even so, a way has been provided, and you must pray that it shall come to pass, for a seventh seventh, and she who is but is not, may rise after a time of misery and fear. In their day, they may lead the people forth.'"
"What does it mean?" Hattie asked.
"I've read and reread these pages so many times. They never made sense—until recently that is. There's much more here, but I think I know now what these passages mean.
"Lilith is not to lead, for she is not the rightful heir to that position. When Rowena died, the line of leadership moved to her children. Among them is a seventh daughter of a seventh daughter—the child we've witnessed and told you about. But here's the part that leads me to believe we're living in the dangerous days to which this prophecy speaks. Rowena bore a seventh, but she also bore 'she who is but is not.'"
"What? I don't understand."
"Oh, dear Good One!" Faith exclaimed, understanding having come to her.
Ted nodded at Faith. "Rowena bore twins," he said to Hattie. "She bore a seventh seventh, and a child by a seventh pregnancy who 'is a seventh' by virtue of that fact, but who also 'is not' because she was not the seventh born. She was the eighth. Which of course, by the rules of the Select, means she is a first. I believe the second born of the two is 'she who is but is not.'"
For a moment all were silent.
"And this prophecy never made sense before? Why was that?" Hattie asked.
"I suppose because no Select had ever before born twins. I never considered that among the Select, there could be a child of a seventh pregnancy who was not seventh born."
"So then what?" Faith asked.
"So the children of Oosa are in grave danger. We must encourage those we can to bring their children to sanctuary. You'll note that when The Book of the Blood was written, the only sanctuary in existence was the one here in Polesk. For that reason, I believe it's the only safe place for the children in all of Oosa."
***Thank you for taking time with Oathtaker. I sincerely appreciate your votes and welcome your comments.***
Oathtaker is an award-winner in the 2014 Readers' Favorite International Book Award contest. A completed work, it is currently available in print form at CreateSpace at createspace.com/4767727, in print and for your Kindle on Amazon (see the link) and from Barnes and Noble for your Nook.