27, Selection day

The wedding had marked the end of summer. Ayya noticed the fast transition into fall as they got back. They all found their way into a new routine. Spending time together with her friends had always been easy when the three of them lived together and had roughly the same schedule. Now that they worked in different departments and lived in different parts of the sanctum, it took some effort. On the other hand, since Ayya had a more flexible schedule now, it was easier for her to adapt to Tenac’s more rigid one. That left them with more days to spend in the stable, riding in the surrounding area or exploring what was new in the marketplace. Tenac and his mother had been right when they told her that the interest from the council in her work would increase as they got closer to the Lady’s decision. Ayya found herself being stopped in the hallway by council members that ‘accidentally’ ran into her and wanted to know how her work was going. She took it in stride and found that it didn’t bother her as much as she thought it would have. She and the other aari that controlled all five elements tried to eat lunch or dinner together once a month. It was a good way to feel like it wasn’t just her going through the increased pressure. Ayya had been working with sorting the letters, and she still found the work satisfying. But as fall gave way to winter, she was given a new mission. She, together with Sinhera and Jontak, rode to a city a day from Salmis. The city was smaller than the capital, but it was larger than the villages Ayya had been to before. Her mission was to assist the local authorities in settling a dispute over some land. Both families had lived in the area for generations and were well off. They had acuminated enough influence in the city that the officials didn’t trust the outcome to be just, or to be safe, without outside help. 

Ayya spent the better part of four days listening to old men talking about why they had the right to the piece of land that both claimed. In the end, Ayya asked to see the land. They took her out to a small field just inside the city wall. It was an empty plot of land between two houses. It looked like it had been forgotten for years, tufts of long, dried grass stood everywhere and some naked twigs hinted that there were bushes there in the summer. 

“This is it?” Ayya asked the judge that had asked the aari for help. He nodded. “Am I missing something? Is there something valuable here? Is the ground rich in gold?” 

“No, nothing hidden. What you see is what you get,” he told her, looking tired.

“It’s the size of half my kitchen. You would be lucky if you could cram an outhouse onto the land,” she said, feeling utterly stunned. “How long have they been fighting over it?”

“Two generations,” the judge said with a weary sigh. 

“Two? Two generations of fighting and squabbling and wasting the city official’s time over land that is good for nothing?” she asked, turning to the two representatives of the two families. 

“It’s the principal of the matter,” one of them said, for once they seemed to agree as the other one nodded. Ayya looked at Jontak and Sinhera. They were doing their best not to laugh. 

“Fine. I will give you two days. After the two days, I want to hear what each of you are planning to use the land for. The land goes to the family that will utilize the land best. If neither of you can come up with a satisfying answer, I’m signing the land over to the city,” Ayya said. 

“But, but, you can’t do that,” one representative said.

“She can and she has. Both families agreed they would respect the decision of the aari, or lose their family fortune and estate,” the judge reminded them. Both men stormed off, equally indignant. 

“Do you think it would be possible for the city to prepare a suggestion for what they would use the land for as well?” Ayya asked the judge. 

“I will make it happen, your grace,” he told her. 

Two days later, they all gathered in the city hall again. Ayya and her two friends had spent the two days exploring the city and resting in their rooms. The courtroom they were using was filled with the usual people and a newcomer. A young man that stood to the side, watching the squabble between the two families with big eyes. 

“Order!” the judge called. It took him a couple of tries to get the people to calm down. Ayya sighed internally and was happy she would get to go back home once this was over. “As the aari Ayya has ordered, you have had two days to plan what you will do with the land. Please explain you plans to us. Granmer, you can go first,” the judge said. 

“With pleasure, your honour, your grace,” an elderly man that was as tall as he was wide said. Giving a bow to both the judge and Ayya. Ayya knew from experience that Torben Granmer could go on for hours if no one stopped him. “We will use this important piece of land to erect a new warehouse for our textile business,” he started.

“A warehouse?” Ayya asked, wondering how on earth that would be possible.

“Yes, your grace. Let me show you a plan,” he said. He rolled out a piece of parchment and showed them. It was a rough sketch of what looked to be a building the size of a treehouse. 

“How much textile are you planning to store there?” Ayya asked.

“Not that much. We were planning to use it to store samples before we ship them off to tailors and such,” he said, giving her an oily grin. 

“Right. And you, Hejima?” Ayya asked the other family.

“Your grace, I have more to show,” Torben Granmer objected.

“I think we get the idea, thank you,” the judge told him, dismissing him in favour for his rival.

“Thank you, your honour, your grace. Our plan for the land is to build a play area for the family children. They deserve a place where they can run wild,” Aadastar Hejima told them and showed them a sketch of the land where swings and other playful things had been erected. It looked more realistic.

“And you live close by the land so the children can enjoy it?” Ayya asked.

“Yes. It’s but a walk away,” Aadastar ensured her.

“Please, it’s a twenty-five minutes’ walk through the city,” Torben exclaimed.

“Is that true?” Ayya asked.

“Well maybe, I’m not that familiar with the road to and from the land,” Aadastar said.

“Right,” Ayya sighed. “That leaves the city. Did you put a plan together?” she asked the judge. 

“Yes, your grace. That is why young Rathilf is here,” the judge said, waving to the young man to step forward.

“Your honour, your grace. I was tasked with deciding the best way to utilise the area. As you know, it’s not big and the area surrounding it is one of the poorer in the city. I therefore suggest we turn it into a communal garden. Most of the surrounding houses are multi-family homes without gardens,” the young man said.

“Ridiculous, what do you grow on such a small surface?” Torben asked.

“Well, it would mainly be for medicinal herbs and berries and fruit. Those are things that are expensive to buy, and are beneficial even in small amounts,” the man said. Ayya nodded. She liked the idea. 

“Gentlemen, anything to add?” she asked the two families. For once, they both stayed quiet. “Well, then. I decide that the land shall be handed over to the city to be used for its citizens,” Ayya decided. 

When they all returned home, Ayya couldn’t be more happy than to be rid of that assignment. She was sitting in her favourite armchair, drinking tea and enjoying the silence. There was a knock on the door and a prospect handed her a note before respectfully bowing and walking away. Ayya recognised Tariana’s handwriting and opened the note.

‘I’m sorry to ask this of you. You are supposed to have two weeks off after your assignment. But the council wants to have an oral report of your latest assignment. I ask you to come to the council chamber tomorrow morning at ten. You did a good job, so don’t work yourself up.

Love  Tariana’

Ayya smiled and shook her head. The council couldn’t have asked for a more boring assignment to be described to them. But she would oblige and see it as their punishment for being nosy. Part of her understood them. She was a wildcard that had been tossed into the game last minute. They were all scrambling to get a grip on her and who she was. 

She dressed in her usual work dress in the morning and headed to the council chamber. All the council members were there, sitting at a horseshoe-shaped table. Tariana and her father were also there. As always, her father’s presence made Ayya relax. She described why the judge had asked for the help of the aari, and she tried to briefly describe the two families’ arguments and finally she told them about her decision. 

“Why did you decide to give it to the city?” one member asked.

“It was the only viable option. Describing the usage of the lot was a ruse to let me hand the land over to the city without any argument. Both of the families presented unrealistic plans, which everyone recognised. Why none of the families could be given the land was obvious from the time we arrived and was made more so the two days we spent roaming the city.” Ayya explained. “The Garnmers own the textile factory and the mine outside the city. Those two are the largest employers in the city. The Hejimas own most of the stores in the city. The city relies on them to bring in goods to keep people fed and happy. It’s a delicate balance and something like this small piece of land could tip the balance to the favour of one family. Not only would that ruin both families, but most likely the city,” Ayya concluded. After a couple of more questions, Ayya was given permission to continue with her time off. Both Tariana and her father gave her discreet nods as she walked out of the chamber. 

The week before the midwinter solstice, all aari were called into the chamber where the final exam was performed. As they all filled the room, they looked up to the ledge set at the back of the room. There stood Tariana and the council, waiting for everyone to get inside and the door to be shut. Just as during the final exam, this room was only meant for aari, no riders or staff were allowed inside. 

“Friends, it is time that I honour my promise to select the aari that will be contenders to be my apprentice. They will have a couple of years to prove themselves before the council and myself make the final decision on who will follow in my footsteps,” Tariana told them. “I will ask those of you that controls all five elements to step forward and join me and the council.” Ayya took a deep breath, looked at her two friends, and gave them a shaky smile as she and five others made their way to the ledge. The six candidates lined up along one side. They were all women, the oldest in her mid-sixties and the youngest was Ayya. “Before I make my decision, do any of you want to say something?” Tariana asked. The oldest of them, Hermei, stepped forward. 

“I am honoured to be standing up here with my sisters, but I’m old, and I do not have the energy or the desire to become the next Lady. I leave that to the young ones. Therefore, I ask to be excused from the selection,” she said in a clear voice. 

“Sister Hermei, it is our loss to not have you lead us, but we honour your wishes. You will be excused,” Tariana said and smiled at the aari. Ayya knew, from talking to Hermei, that she and Tariana had been the two candidates the last time. Tariana had won the title and Hermei had made her peace with it. “Anyone else?” Tariana asked, but no one spoke. “Well. Time for my decision. I have chosen two candidates. It hasn’t been easy, but I think these two sisters have what it takes to be the next one to lead us all. Mikhalie and Ayya, please take a step forward if you accept my offer to be the candidates for the apprenticeship.” Ayya’s mind went temporarily blank, but luckily her legs knew what to do as she stepped forward together with the woman next to her.