Tavaar - 73rd Edition

“Process? What process?” asked Sashwa.

“It is very similar to what we are doing right now," said Khaiu. "Anyone wishing to officially declare a premonition must present themselves at the Temple for examination. A scribe will record all they say, including their own interpretation, while those who are believed to ‘know’ listen. The ‘Knowers’ are those like Sashwa, who do not necessarily see the vision, but somehow can tell if it is real. My guess, Sashwa, is that in years to come you will find yourself sitting and listening to these premonitions. After the premonition has been recorded, the ‘Seer’ leaves, and the Knowers give their impressions, one at a time without the knowledge of the others. The scribe records each in turn. Finally, the report is brought to the Head-of-Family and Chief Temple Keeper, and any sovereign who may be near. If the consensus is that it is real, it is announced. If not, no one hears of it.”

“And you say Gwihnna has done this twice?” asked Shello.

“Yes. In both cases the Knowers agreed her premonition was real, but disagreed with her interpretation. From reading Gwihnna’s accounts, it is clear she does not look beyond the surface. Her judgments tend to be rash, and mostly centered around herself.”

“But they did come true?” asked Tavaar.

“They did. But not like Gwihnna expected.”

“If that is true, then her interpretation of this may also be faulty,” said Wheylin.

“That is more than reasonable,” said Khaiu. “It is what I believe.”

“But Sashwa confirmed it,” said Tavaar.

“Only that it was real,” said Khaiu. “Has she not always had difficulty with Gwihnna’s interpretation?”

“I have,” said Sashwa, looking at Tavaar. “I mean, we like to tease and toy and play, Darling, but I just can’t see you doing this. Certainly not with Shello!”

Laughter, followed by a playful slap from Shello.

“Nor I,” said Khaiu. “I believe Wheylin spoke true when he said you might do it in your dreams, but not while awake.”

“So what does it mean?” Tavaar asked.

“Let us consider what we know. We are hampered because apparently the premonition was short. That opens the way for more possibilities. But what we know is Tavaar is holding two babies. An adult figure in shadow is with her. That is all. Gwihnna chose to accept the obvious: that Tavaar bore the babies to the figure in shadow, and that since it wasn’t Wheylin, Tavaar was going to be unfaithful.”

“And because Kelenbah wanted me, she believed he was the shadow figure,” said Tavaar.

“A pretty big assumption,” said Shello.

“Not when you consider how Gwihnna always sees things centered around herself. That being true, it was only natural she would believe it was Kelenbah.”

“Something since proved to be false,” said Sashwa.

“Correct,” said Khaiu. “So let’s consider the adult in the shadow.”

“He could be anybody,” said Shello.

“Anybody but Kelenbah,” added Sashwa.

“Which means?” Khaiu prompted.

There was a pause while Khaiu waited for them to catch up to his thinking. Tavaar thought she knew what he was implying.

“Why can’t he be Wheylin?”