Sending a letter was usually an undependable thing, but between Kelwome and the monastery, it was guaranteed that the letter would arrive safe and sound. For that very reason, some monks chose to have pen-pals in town, a permitted contact with the outside world that gave another view on the theology and knowledge gained from the texts they copied.
Hyran, of course, was one of those, and he generally corresponded with those who he’d stayed with during Deschule week. Valans, it turned out, already had some correspondents. Hyran discovered this when a boy from town brought up a small taschel of mail the day after Valans’ vow-taking and called out the names of those who would receive something.
Hyran got something, too, from everyone he wrote to. He sat next to Valans on a bench by the railing, and broke the wax seal on one of the letters.
It was from the Baydacks. The penmanship was crabbed, more hurried than usual; the letter itself was very short. It read:
“Brother Hyran! Have you heard? The King has ordered all light Vle to leave their homes and move to a camp! Can this be right? Is there any way that you can help? Surely, the Representative will be able to reverse this decision!
“I don’t know if we will still be here in a few days, so don’t bother to write. I know you will do what is best. Regards,
The Baydacks.”
Hyran sat back, shocked. Why would the King order such a thing? It made no logical sense. He opened another letter, and another; whether written by light or dark hands, they all mentioned a proclamation the King had made. And here he sat next to a light-skinned Vle. “I just got the most curious letter from town,” he said.
“Some very odd things are afoot in the world beyond, Brother. I assume you’re referring to the proclamation?”
“Yes. It doesn’t seem possible.”
“To me, neither. But it’s why I came here. I can’t very well break my vows and quit being a priest just in order to avoid being put in a camp, so I came to take more vows.”
“You chose one camp over another, then.”
“Hmm! I’d never thought of it that way. Anyway, even though there’s no indication that I’d be killed or seriously wounded in the camp, I just feel this is a better place. Maybe they won’t come here.”
“I hope not. We’d lose a lot of very good brothers.” Hyran paused. “I almost wish it were possible to leave, just to see what’s going on down there.”
“And now I can’t, either.”
Hyran shrugged. “We can only trust in the Great Master, as we’re supposed to.”
“Yes. Indeed.”
There was one more letter, and he opened it, wondering if it would be just another explanation of events. But it wasn’t, exactly: in a very careful script, but with many spelling errors, Mecora had written:
“Hyran, sumthing verry terrable is hapuning. Their gowing to maik the lite vle liv in a camp. Their taking my frends away frum me! And last nite, Handa dide, too, so now I’ll hav no frends at all. And almost haf the town has tu go, so their are fuwer plases to shop and hav fun. Pleez help, or at least be my frend?
Mecora”
This letter was very different from the others. While the letters written by light Vle calmly asked for prayers and influence with the Rep (and through him, the King), the letters by dark Vle even more calmly told of the situation and other town news. This letter, however, was an emotional plea to help her friends. The girl had suffered a big loss, and needed a friend. She also had given some idea of what changes the town faced. With a third of the people gone, it would be much, much more quiet.
“What is it?” asked Valans. “Did someone die?”
Hyran finally realized he was crying. “Yes, but it’s more than that. Right now my vows are really in my way.”
“I never expected to meet a monk who would say that.”
“Most won’t. But then, it’s not always easy. Temptation is always around the corner. You must watch out for it.”
“I will,” said Valans.

Never had anything weighed on Hyran’s heart as much as this proclamation did. In fact, the non-involvement vow had really been quite easy to keep until now.
That afternoon, Valans was off in the chapel praying for guidance in his new venture. That left Hyran on his own, as well, simply waiting outside should Valans have any questions. The rest of the brothers at his level were at their copying desks, occupying their time. Hyran wished he had something to do that would keep his mind off the proclamation, but he supposed that whatever he did, he’d be rather unproductive at it. And how was he to answer a new brother’s questions if he couldn’t answer his own?
Allega came around the tree, deep in thought as usual, and enjoying the freedom of his level. Always observant, though, he noticed Hyran, and came over. “There seems to be something occupying your mind.”
Hyran nodded. “I got a large stack of letters from Kelwom.”
“You are normally quite happy when you receive but one. Bad news comes in wagonfuls?”
“You might say that. The King has issued a proclamation, sending all light Vle to a camp near the palace. It’s the real reason Valans has joined us.”
The unflappable Allega didn’t seem purturbed in the least. “To save himself.” It was a statement that neatly summed up the situation.
“Yes. He seems to accept it, even better than I can.”
“You knew the danger when you elected to receive letters.”
“Yes, I did. And I do not regret it.”
“Even though you’re hurting now?”
“Sure. Ignorance, though bliss, can only impede spiritual growth.”
“That’s true.”
“The question is, what to do now? I can’t very well initiate Valans with a burning quandary in my head.”
Allega shrugged. “I disagree. You are showing him a part of the brotherhood that most initiates never see.”
“That’s all well and good, but does it help him learn our theology?”
“He is a priest already. I think he knows our theology fairly well.”
“But he doesn’t know mine,” Hyran complained, “he only knows what he is supposed to know for the benefit of the town. And now mine’s completely up in the air.”
“My, my, you really are broken up about this. But let me ask: What can you possibly do?”
“Nothing! That’s just it. I can do nothing, but something needs to be done. More than one villager suggested I alert the Rep in Kezantopil— I’m sure he could use his influence with the King to reverse the proclamation.”
“That would be political interference.”
Hyran nodded. “I know.”
“And you have only one part of the story. What can you know of the real issues, being secluded up here? The whole reason we have this non-interference is because we cannot always have the whole story. We may think we’re acting in the best interests of those we help, but how do we know, really? We cannot. We must guess. And for one as revered and virtuous as the Rep to direct a change when he does not know all the consequences... That simply cannot be allowed.”
“I know.”
“So you must simply accept that The Great Master has everything in his sight, and that he will do what is necessary.”
“That is what I am having trouble with right now.”
“Hmm. Our most basic tenet.”
Hyran nodded.
Allega remained silent a moment, meditating. Then, Valans came out, looking somewhat driven, and also somewhat unsure. “I was wrong.”
Hyran looked at him again, more attentive now. “Explain, brother.”
“I had thought that my purpose in coming here was to remain safe, but I was wrong. My purpose here is something different. We must tell the King he is wrong.”
Allega dipped his head to one side. “Hyran, have you been dumping your insecurities on a new brother? That is not good.”
“No, Brother, I have not. He has been aware of my insecurity, but I have not explained it to him.”
Meanwhile, Valans looked at the two, surprised at their reaction. He tried again. “Don’t you see where our responsibility lies? We are united across lines, here! We have the power to pressure the King!”
“Valans, remember your oaths,” Allega reminded gently.
“But they are not relevant now! We cannot let this continue.”
Hyran muttered, “We have no choice.”
Valans now remained silent, and hung his head. “I don’t know if I can indeed be a monk, then. But The Great Master is calling.”
Allega just blinked. “We have a test for the truth of a calling. You may be aware that some can be false, the product of a mere human wish. So, would you like—”
“But I can tell... You don’t believe me.”
“We find it difficult to believe the Great Master would call on you to convince us to break His own mandates, and the vows we’ve made.”
Hyran thought, Who’s ‘we’? And then he decided to say it.
Allega looked surprised. “Hyran? I’ve known you to be a bit of a rebel in your own way, but... This is simply going too far.”
“You misunderstood me, Brother. I meant to say that I don’t find it difficult to believe. Who are we to second guess the Great Master?”
“Well, no one, but—”
“Especially in a situation like this. Is it inconceiveable that He should want to protect his people, and that we are the ones to help, to do his work here in this world?”
Allega blinked some, thinking hard. “We shall convene the test tomorrow. I would suggest some meditation time.” Then, he walked off.
Hyran shrugged. “See you tomorrow.”