Finally, the preparations were done, and the banquet was ready just in time as the guests started to arrive by the many. The tables were arranged in the central square of the village, decorated with candles, elegant tablecloths, and fine silverware. A captivating smell emerged from one of the houses the cooks were using as an improvised kitchen, and Nina let her nose feast upon the sweet scent. She could only imagine what kind of feast could be its source.

  The attendants led her, and the old pair to their respective tables, Nina sat next to her mentor, saving a seat for Nana who excused herself to oversee the rest of the dinner. Nina felt a sudden admiration towards the old woman, watching her in awe bossing around both her workers and guests alike. One could think she was kind of rude to everyone, and maybe she was. The highlanders, however, respected authority, and if there was one single thing they respected more than a warrior and his sword, or a priest and his faith, it was a master and her craft.

  Speaking of craft, Nina could only gape like a fish when she first laid her eyes on the attendants serving the food. Among the culinary delicacies that were served, she could see the meat of exotic animals, dressed in many flavors of sauces, fruits cut in complex shapes, and forms, and salads of different varieties, and multiple colors. She could only describe it as the banquet worth of a King. More than just a cook, Nana was indeed an artist.

  The Clans weren’t used to this kind of luxury, however, Verkan explained. As wealthier they may be, they led an austere way of life. Each Clan was different from the other, but they all had some form of caste division. The Elders formed a small council that chooses a Lord through a series of different trials; they were usually retired warriors, scribes, masters of a specific craft, and seers of the old religion. The Lord rules over the clan and commands the warriors that form the military force. Beneath them are the workers, like farmers, armorers, blacksmiths, cattle runners, and other professions that compose the main working force and manage the logistics. The people themselves are considered collective property of the clan, and each clan defends its people from attacks from other clans, clan-less bandits from the lowlands, and raiders from the North.

  The Clans evolved through generations, from small family cores to large organizations with thousands of members. The people pledge allegiance to a clan by giving away something, usually their current or future children in exchange for membership, and protection. The children are separated from their families at the age of seven, and begin their training in the care of clansmen alongside fellow children. Their training consists of basic daily routines, customs, indoctrination into Clan culture, and basic fighting skills. It is expected they become highly competitive, and by the time they reach thirteen they can bid for a place among the warriors.

  Then they face their Trials of Position, which more often than not involve combat. If the aspirant passes, then they become part of the warrior caste as atkan, the lowest rank. From there, each warrior must earn each following rank by passing other trials, or by their prowess in battle. If the aspirant doesn’t pass, however, they are relegated to the civilian cast as workers. If the worker shows proficiency in a specific craft, they become apprentices of blacksmiths, armorers, carpenters, and other crafts. But even the civilian cast is in its core, highly military in nature, and everything in their daily life is focused to support the warrior cast in one way or another. Even the lowest of laborers are expected to have basic combat training.

  Each clan has a different kind of relationship between its warriors, and the civilian castes. Some of them are focused almost exclusively on martial prowess and neglect their civilians, who are mostly relegated to be bargaining chips in the struggle for power with other clans. While in others, the warrior caste's sole duty is to protect their civilians, who are considered the clan’s most valuable assets.

  Clan Irfis sat firmly among the former, and although their civilians were treated fairly well, their obsession with martial prowess had cost them dearly. Their extremely harsh trials resulted in excellent warriors but too few in numbers, and their fanaticism, and blind obedience to their code of honor often cost them their lives, something the late Lord failed to address properly. Verkan was hoping to help the new Lord to restore the Clan’s former glory; he arranged the gathering of the other clans' Lords in advance to witness the upcoming Trial of Position, in part to avoid unnecessary bloodshed since the Clan Irfis warriors were known for their particularly bloody trials.

  The highlanders were firm believers of the sanctity of all life and were against senseless carnage, they believed these trials to be more honorable and less bloody than an all-out war. They also exercised a form of bondage known as bondage by honor, in which a defeated warrior was forced by his own honor to serve those who defeated him as bondsman for a certain amount of time. If the person who defeated him, the bondholder was satisfied, he would later free the warrior from his bond, and allow him to return to his Clan without the loss of honor.

  Conversely, if the bondholder was a high-ranking warrior, he could adopt the bondsman into his clan, if the defeated warrior so desired. The same applied to the civilian caste, warriors from other clans would lay claim to resources like cattle, crops, harvested grain, and even entire villages full of people, or other territories and fight over them. The defender warriors then would choose a place for the battle to take place, and bid their forces until both sides were paired. This form of ritualized warfare ensured that the fight was fair and that no civilians would be harmed. Surprise attacks, any form of deception, the use of civilians in battle, senseless slaughtering of warriors, and civilians, or a defeated party refusing to abide were frowned upon and considered disgraceful and dishonorable.

  At last! One of the many attendants promptly interrupted Verkan’s quite lengthy explanation to finally serve the food; she was served with a rather large slice of meat she was sure she could not fully eat on her own, covered with an exotic white sauce and next to it, a very appealing mix of beans of different colors, and rice. Nina didn’t waste much time; she had a small bite of the meat and tasted its exquisite flavor. If Nana was to be believed, the girl in charge of the cuisine was indeed a worthy successor. She couldn’t resist a second bite, but she had to stop herself before a third after Verkan reminded her that they haven’t said the prayers yet.

  She panicked. Verkan agreed to make the funerary rituals for her in exchange that her performing the prayers at the banquet. She looked around at the guests, and judging by how many were seated at each table, she quickly calculated at least two hundred. Not a good time to have her debut as Field Priestess for someone as shy as her.

  But she had practiced this countless times! It shouldn’t be difficult, right? It wasn’t like she was cripplingly shy, or sensitive, but there was a big difference between performing the prayers in front of a small crowd of people, and a staggering two hundred very, very important people, and she couldn’t help but feel intimidated by it. What if I screw it up? What would they think? Still, she felt no small amount of reassurance when Verkan gently touched her shoulder and gave her a smile, and a look that said “you can do it”.

  You can do this, girl!

  The young priestess put her plate aside and took a deep breath. She used a spoon to hit a glass, making a distinctive plinking sound, the sound, however, was drowned in the noise the crowd was making. She stood and tried it again, although only a handful of people turned their glances at her, she then looked at Verkan who could only shrug. Nina wondered in a way to get their crowd’s attention, she tried again to no avail.

  She then climbed over the table, immediately silencing the crowd, and turning all the heads towards her. Nina immediately regretted her decision. What was I thinking?! Why in hell did I just do this?

  Nina looked at Verkan again, who was trying hard not to laugh at her sudden boldness, and the old man was delighted. It’s been a while since his apprentice showed such courage; he looked at her straight into her eyes and gave her a reassuring nod. She smiled and then turned to face the crowd with newfound spirits.

“Merciful Father, please bless these foods on our table that we receive from your generosity.

Give us grace so we can also provide a roof for the poor, food for the hungry, and water for the thirsty.

You who reign with wisdom and justice.

Forever and ever”

“Selah!”

  She almost fell from the table when the crowd replied all in unison to the last part of the prayer, the crowd then returned to their business, and the night was again filled with the noises of their talking. Nina descended from the table, and sat on the same spot she was sitting previously, Verkan smiled in approval, and she smiled back, she was happy she had just passed her first test, the first of many that would come soon. But there would be time to worry about the future later, now she would focus on her delicious dinner.

  She lost any sign of shyness when she asked for a second plate. Of course, the old man couldn’t help but make fun at her expense, but she didn’t mind, she was having a good time talking with his friend, and later with Nana, who joined them after leaving everything in order at her employees’ hands.

  But even now that everyone had finished their meals, and started to drink, she could feel a heaviness in the air she couldn’t describe. Despite being at a funeral, there was joy in the air, and everyone was having a good time except for one single man who was sitting across the same table they were sitting. His expression was one of complete seriousness as if he was waiting for something to happen; she noticed that he had covered his cup with his hand to avoid being served a drink when one of the attendants tried to fill it.

  There wouldn’t be any drinking for him tonight.

  He then turned his eyes towards her and for a brief moment, their gazes met, Nina saw in them so much coldness that she had to turn her head away to avoid his piercing gaze. She turned towards Verkan who noticed the exchange; the old man saw her friend with a dead-white, frightened expression and leaned towards her.

-“That’s Nero, the Clan Irfis champion”

  Nina was still startled, it was the first time someone stared at her with such intensity, but after she asked why he was so serious, the old man simply replied:

-“You would also be if tomorrow was your Trial of Position”

  Her heart sank in defeat as she realized that tomorrow would be a long and difficult day.