The Choice of the Chosen - 3. Chapter 3

Each deity has different expectations of their chosen ones, but they all demand devotion. Some of them reward and punish openly, others are more reserved. But anyone who has lost the favor of their deity has forfeited their place in society.

Eve could sense how Adam was seething. On the outside, Adam might always seem cool and condescending, unconcerned, unimpressed, but Eve knew his brother well. He wished Beckett hadn't said anything, had kept quiet out of embarrassment.

They reached their suite and just the way Adam closed the door made Eve's shoulders tense.

"Sit down," Adam demanded coolly.

Obediently, Eve sat down in one of the drawing room armchairs, arranging his skirts. Adam hated Eve being taller than him, so the difference had to be made up. It helped to emphasize who was in charge.

When it could no longer be avoided, Eve looked up. Looked up over Adam's slender figure in the dark blue evening suit, towards the handsome face which now wore a sombre expression.

"Have you left the suite?"

"No."

"Then how do you know this Beckett?"

Eve forced himself to maintain eye contact. "He got the wrong door and just stumbled in here." It was the truth.

But Adam frowned. "Didn't you close the door properly?"

"You told me not to lock it when you are away," Eve replied - that was also nothing but the truth, but he got an annoyed pat on the cheek in return. Far from a real slap, but still unpleasant. Then Adam looked at him scrutinizingly and Eve pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, really hard, pressing all his discomfort against it. He hated this look.

"Then why," Adam began, drawling, "did he apologize so profusely?" He raised his brows in exaggerated astonishment and Eve swallowed.

"I guess it made him feel awkward. And he wanted to officially apologize again in your presence." He couldn't keep the questioning tone out of his words. "To... um, disturb a lady like that..." Under Adam's gaze, he stammered. He didn't lie often, had neither reason nor opportunity to do so, and even if this was more of an omission of details, it made him nervous.

That's where Adam stepped in. He grabbed Eve's chin. "Darling, how did he disturb you?"

"I- I just said so. I mean, what do I know what he might think-" Eve broke off as the grip tightened and Adam pushed his chin up unnecessarily far.

The light sparkled in Adam's gray eyes, making them look like dead pebbles. "Eve-darling," he said gently, the famous calm before the storm, "what has Mr. Beckett Carlyle disturbed you at?" His thumb stroked Eve's lower lip ever so lightly.

"I changed clothes," Eve whispered tonelessly. Any further words were useless. No matter what he might say now, it would only be a lame excuse in Adam's eyes. He could have blamed Beckett, but what good would that do? Apart from inflating the other Chosen's little mishap to absurd proportions - nothing.

For a moment Adam regarded him silently, then let go.

Eve swallowed. And then his head jerked to the side as Adam slapped him; it wasn't a surprise and didn't even elicit a sound from him anymore. Everything in him tensed, expecting more blows, but nothing came. Nevertheless, he kept his head down for good.

When the silence, the immobility became unbearable, he finally whispered: "I'm sorry."

"I'll listen to Beckett's side of the story." That was new. "For your sake, I hope you're telling the truth." Adam's fingertips stroked his belt buckle very conspicuously- that was not new.

Hastily, but in a curt gesture, Eve nodded. He could only hope Beckett hadn't perceived the matter completely differently.

"You will pray until I return."

Again Eve nodded curtly and then failed to suppress a quiet gasp of surprise as Adam dug his fingers into his shoulder, pulled him from the armchair and pushed him to the floor.

"Here. On your knees. You will pray, Eve, to every deity in the pantheon until I get back to you."

"Yes." whispered Eve, knowing Adam wanted verbal confirmation. He didn't move when Adam undid the clasps of the maiden's crown and threw them all together on the armchair, and even when Adam took off his heavy velvet jacket, he only moved in order for Adam to have no reason to be rude.

But then Adam kissed him on the top of his head. "Be good," he said softly.

"Yes, Adam," Eve replied obediently. But when his brother had left the suite, tears rolled.

Tears of anger and helplessness.

~

Beckett tried to concentrate on his book, but reading about magic only brought the feeling of distance towards his earth magic to the forefront of his mind. It made following the theories and basic instructions difficult even with metal magic, it frustrated him although his teacher had warned him.

The door to the suite opened and Benjamin entered, elated and smiling broadly. "Son, this will be a good journey," he announced and closed the door.

"And why?" Beckett wanted to know. Actually, he could guess: his father had found a few suitors whom he considered appropriate.

"I've spoken to a few people. Over the next few days, you'll get to know a few very promising ones," Benjamin confirmed cheerfully.

Beckett made an unsuccessful attempt at a smile. In the end, he let it go and asked instead: "Don't you think it's silly? A fortnight is nothing in a whole lifetime, how are you supposed to get to know someone to the point where you can judge whether you want to spend the rest of your life with them?"

"Oh, but that's not the point." Benjamin smiled and winked at Beckett when he looked at him skeptically. "It's about judgment itself. The deity is looking at whether the Chosen has picked the right candidate. It's about potential, son, the Chosen must recognize potential. The rest comes naturally."

"Ah." Beckett said skeptically. "But in my case, isn't potential simply seeing that they're a woman I can have children with?" Not that he really wanted that.

This remark very effectively wiped the good humor from Benjamin's face. "Beckett..." He crossed to the settee where Beckett sat reading, dropping heavily into the second armchair. "Beckett, it's... more than that."

"Is it?" Why had he even gotten into this conversation?

Benjamin sighed deeply. "Losing your sister was hard. Losing her only child..." Not many people got to see the expression now appearing on his face. It was the deep grief which could not be put into words and yet had to be expressed somehow. "I was glad, even more relieved, that you, as a Chosen, want to follow the path of the temple with great zeal. It made me proud, still does, but..."

"Then just let me follow that path, Father," Beckett asked, perhaps a little too insistently, closing the book with his finger as a temporary bookmark. "Alfred is a good guy."

"With his father, I admit that's rather remarkable, but that's not the point," Benjamin returned, shaking his head. "It's about the principle."

"This is about me!"

Father and son looked at each other, long and silently. Beckett understood how Benjamin wanted to see his line continued. He understood to some extent that Benjamin wanted nothing more to do with his disinherited brother and his family than needed. But were these worldly desires really so important that he risked upsetting THE SAGE?

Finally, Beckett lowered his eyes. He wanted to join the temple as a priest and use his magic to help and support people. His conviction was so strong that he saw no reason why THE SAGE should reject him. Or rather, why he should give Beckett and a bride his blessing.

"Sagacity not only means absorbing and creating knowledge. Sagacity also means making the right decisions," Benjamin then said quietly. "Not just listening to your heart or your mind, but harmonizing the two."

Beckett didn't know what to say to this, so he remained silent, nodding a little to show that he had listened. If his father wanted it badly enough, he would lead a bride to the altar of the temple, but he would not do more than ritually ask for the blessing of THE SAGE. His heart and mind were in alignment. And they did not look towards a family.