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ABBEY DES FONTAINES

8:00 AM

THE SENESCHAL STOOD BEFORE THE ALTAR AND STARED AT THE oak coffin The brothers were entering the chapel,in unison Theat everyThe Latin lyrics spoke of loss, sorrow, and pain Reneould not be discussed until later in the day, when the conclave would convene to choose a successor Rule was clear Two suns could not set without a master and, as seneschal, he must ensure that Rule was maintained

He watched as the brothers completed their entrance and positioned themselves before polished oak pews Eachhis head, only his hands visible, folded in prayer

The church was forle nave and two aisles Little decoration existed, nothing to distract theheaven’s mysteries, but it was nonethelessan iathered here after the Purge in 1307--those who’dto the countryside and stealthilysouth Eventually they’d convened here, safe within a ious society,

He closed his eyes and allowed the an, nothing Just the huth from the melody and steeled hi stopped He allowed a minute of silence to pass, then stepped close to the coffin

"Our most exalted and reverent master has left this life He hath ruled this Order isdoht years A place for him is now set within the Chronicles"

One e"

A shudder swept over the seneschal Rule granted any brother the right to challenge He’d expected a battle later, in conclave, but not during the funeral The seneschal turned to the first row of pews and faced the speaker

Raymond de Roquefort

A stump of a man with an expressionless face and a personality of which the seneschal had always been wary, he’d been a brother for thirty years and had risen to the rank of marshal, which placed hi, centuries ago, the marshal was the Order’s hts in battle Noas thesure the Order stayed inviolate De Roquefort had held that post for nearly two decades He and the brothers orked under hio fro to no one other than the master, and the marshal had made no secret of the contempt he felt for his now dead superior

"Speak your challenge," the seneschal said

"Our departed e The time has come to move in a different direction"

De Roquefort’s words carried not a hint of emotion, and the seneschal kne the e De Roquefort was a fanatic Men like hi for centuries, but the master hadOthers disagreed, and two factions had e one, the master the other Most brothers had kept their choice private, as was the Order’s way But the interregnum was a time of debate Free discussion was how the collective decided which course it would follow

"Is that the extent of your challenge?" the seneschal asked

"For too long the brothers have been excluded from the decision process We have not been consulted, nor has the counsel we offered been heeded"

"This is not a democracy," the seneschal said

"Nor would I want it to be But it is a brotherhood One based on coed his life and possessions We do not deserve to be ignored"

De Roquefort’s voice had a calculating and deflationary effect The seneschal noted that none of the others stirred the solee and, for an instant, the sanctity that had for so long loomed within the chapel seemed tainted He felt as if he was surrounded bythrough his mind

Revolt

"What would you have us do?" the seneschal asked