Chapter Fourteen
Brettin Danesdottir, Lady of the Temple, entered the Chief’s private room to see that it held all the members of the Settlement Assembly, each one looking at the others to judge whether anyone knew more than they did about the conference. The Assembly met every quarter to share news, consider issues, and decide matters of importance to the entire community. Occasionally, individual members would request an out-of-schedule meeting to discuss pressing matters.
On this occasion, the Chief herself had called a gathering out of its usual schedule. Her messengers went to every district and to the Temple, summoning the Assembly delegates to discuss a subject of utmost urgency to the future of the Settlement. Not since the days of the ill-fated and ill-planned war had such an in
