A muscle worked at the side of Men Darnak's jaw. He spoke the next quietly. "What is this thing you're planning, Tarlain? I've worked too long putting everything in place to have you upset it all. We have an entire social order to run and maintain. There's no place for petty idealism. Everything we do depends on what happens here. On what happens right here. You might just be old enough to understand that. If you took the time to listen and consider, you'd know the truth of it. Yl Aris here understands the need, so don't question the work he does for me. Tell me what you're up to. What does this have to do with Roge and Din Baltir?"
Tarlain gave Sandon another accusatory look and strode across to stand right in front of the desk. "At least Guildmaster Din Baltir knows what's really going on in the world. You, Father, must be blind not to see the discomfort and suffering all around you. There are signs everywhere."
"Where? What discomfort and suffering? Haven't I given you a good life? The Atavists -- is that it? They choose their own lives. Or is it the Kallathik you're talking about? They've existed the same way for centuries. Long before the arrival of the First Families. They're little more than animals, Tarlain. Why do you want to suddenly take them on as your cause? Isn't there enough to keep you busy in Welfare?" He shook his head. "I would have thought more of Din Baltir. What's he been doing...filling your head with more of those stupid notions about what's good and right, no doubt?"
Tarlain placed both hands on the edge of the desk and leaned forward. "Say what you like, but this is nothing to do with Guildmaster Din Baltir. I know you can't see it, Father. I know how you think, what's important to you. And it's that which blinds you. You want to pass everything to Roge regardless of what's going on about you in the world. All Roge sees is his own power. And we know where he gets that from."
Men Darnak laughed. "And we know where you get your romantic ideals too. You're your mother's son, Tarlain. I'll give you that." He smiled at the boy and then the smile drifted away. "How can you even talk about acting against Roge? Haven't I done enough? I've done everything to ensure that you, that all of my children, have had everything. I spoke about a division of power, with Roge acting as Principal. There was place for you there. I've done enough for all of you, Tarlain. And now, now you choose to -- no, damn you. How dare you!"
Tarlain stood his ground. "I've said nothing about working against Roge. Nothing at all. All I want is to be free to act on what I think is right. We need change. If we don't change, things get worse and more suffer. It's a self-fulfilling spiral. These times are hard, Father, and they're going to get harder. And the only sort of reform Roge is likely to become involved in is to improve his own position -- no one else's. You have to be able to see that. Yet you still expect me to sit back and turn a blind eye. I can't do that."
Sandon watched the young man with renewed respect. He had always picked him as the softest of the three. Before today, he would never have expected the boy to face up to his father like this. The others, perhaps. Especially Karin. Men Darnak, however, was not accustomed to having people stand up to him.
"You will sit back and do precisely that -- nothing! Do you hear me, Tarlain? Tell him, Kovaar. Tell this foolish young man the way of the world." He strode to the other end of the desk and stood there with set jaw, glaring at Tarlain. Sandon frowned. There was something wrong here. The old man never reacted like this. There were the flashes of fury, but normally they were swiftly swept aside by the Principal's normal calm.
Witness Kovaar cleared his throat. "The Prophet dictates that there is an order to all things. Each person has their place and their role in life. It is everyone's duty to fulfill his or her given role. To work against that is to work against the natural order as written in the Words of the Prophet."
Tarlain rounded on the Principal. "Is that it? Blind acceptance? You only use this stuff to bolster your position. Nothing more. You can't really believe this nonsense, Father, this meaningless prattling." He waved his hand dismissively in Witness Kovaar's direction "I expected more of you."
"Be careful what you say, Tarlain," said Men Darnak, his voice gone flat, his hand bunching into a fist.
"No, Father! I'm sick of being careful about what I say and what I do. This time you're going to listen to me."
