The Winds Of Change

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Job Sign-Up: Page 7, Post Number 162

-Outskirts of Nebdoui, early afternoon-

Wearing her green, gold, and white outfit with Argent Gloves and backpack, Leona arrived on the outskirts of Nebdoui on the back of her Winged Lion. She dispelled the faithful summon and walked towards the village with apprehension. A letter from her mother had told her that Chief Elijah was gravely ill and that Leona needed to get there as fast as she could. The Wizard Saint left the guild hall and hurried to Nebdoui as fast as the Winged Lion could take her. Leona had left in such a hurry that the only weapon she had with her was Ses Revanche in her right boot.

However, the blonde was not terribly concerned about her lack of armament because she had greater concerns, namely if anyone outside the village knew of the chief's illness. Chief Elijah had held Nebdoui together through a combination of patience, charisma, and the occasional well-crafted speech. As the village's central figure, he was very much the heart and soul of Nebdoui. Leona was worried that his illness might put an end to the revival that the village was undergoing thanks to his calm leadership, the alliance with other villages, and the protection of a Wizard Saint.

Leona had taken fifteen steps towards the village when she saw her mother striding towards her with a worried look on her face.

"I got your letter. What's going on?" Leona asked her mother. Sophia looked annoyed that her daughter had even asked such a question but did not voice how she felt. Leona could tell that her mother was under a lot of stress and that the former would have to make some allowances for that, but the Wizard Saint was not going to be her mother's punching bag.

"The chief's ill, Leona. He fell ill just last night and we don't know why." Sophia answered. Leona did not like the sound of that. The blonde mage's first thought was that the chief had been poisoned. Since the village's enemies could not take it by force, they were now trying to destabilize Nebdoui by taking out its leader before making another attack.

"How can I help?" Leona asked her mother.

"Follow me." Came the terse answer. Ignoring the abrupt manner in which the command was given, Leona followed her mother into the village. Mother and daughter strode through the tent city and made a beeline for the chief's tent; Leona could tell that her mother was anxious about something. There had to be more to this than the chief falling ill and Leona hoped she would find out once she entered the tent. Sophia pulled the flap aside and entered while Leona followed close behind, sticking out her left forearm to avoid being hit in the face by the canvas flap.

-Inside Chief Elijah's tent-

Sophia walked straight to the chief, who was lying in bed with a damp white rag on his forehead. Tending to him was Joshua, who was also anxious and under a lot of stress. Leona slowly walked towards them and the chief turned his head to face her. He looked every bit his age of seventy-plus years when Leona saw him.

"Leona, I'm glad you made it." He said softly. Leona was taken aback by how soft his voice was. It used to be much louder and possess undeniable authority, but now he sounded as if the world had beaten him down. Maybe it had. Living in a desert environment with the harsh weather, constant danger from outlaw attacks, and uncertain food and water supply was not conducive to a long lifespan; all things considered it was a miracle that Chief Elijah had survived this long. He motioned for her to come closer and Leona obeyed.

"I'm old, Leona. Old and tired. I don't know how much longer I have in this world. But the winds... the winds are beginning to blow." Chief Elijah said to her.

"What winds, Chief?" Leona asked him. The "winds" sounded like another speech device he used whenever he wanted to make a point in a memorable way. He sat up ramrod straight and looked her directly in the eyes.

"The winds of change." He answered with some of his old strength. For a moment it seemed like the chief was going to jump out of the bed and shake off his malaise, but the strength disappeared as suddenly as it had come and he slouched down before being gently guided back into a reclining position by Joshua. Leona was shaken by what had just happened. He was clearly trying to make a point, but the Wizard Saint just was not getting that point right away.

What did he mean by the "winds of change"?

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Leona was slowly starting to piece together what the chief meant by the "winds of change." He clearly meant that things in the village were about to change thanks to his illness. The very first thing that the Wizard Saint thought of was a change in leadership, which would indeed be a big change for a village that had been led by the same man for decades. That change would mean that the alliances with Berreb, Regudo, and the Blue Sky Clan might have to be renegotiated because Joshua Hamlin was an unknown quantity. Could he lead Nebdoui with the same patience, charisma, and skillful speechcraft as his father?

Joshua certainly did not seem to think so. He anxiously tended to his father and occasionally muttered something that sounded like a prayer for Chief Elijah to recover and spare the youth the burden of leadership. The new Joshua was a far cry from the one Leona knew from two years ago. The Old Joshua was exceedingly confident in himself and was certain that he had all the answers, but the new one was timid and unsure of himself. Leona was not sure what to make of that drastic change.

The chief raised a hand like he wanted to say something, so Sophia hurried to grab a scroll of parchment and a pen. Joshua stepped away and froze in place with a facial expression of utter dread.

"Right now I'm too ill to lead, so Joshua will have to lead in my stead." Chief Elijah spoke the words that Joshua did not want to hear. Sophia dutifully recorded those words on parchment so that no one could accuse her, Joshua, or Leona of concocting a lie for their benefit. The black-haired youth was stunned beyond words... he could barely stand and his footing was so unsteady that a fly could knock him over.

"Joshua is capable. He has what it takes to lead Nebdoui into the future. He can make a village that's more than a collection of canvas tents." Chief Elijah expressed confidence in his son. Those words finally gave the youth the catalyst to speak.

"But father, I don't know the first thing about leadership! I've tried to learn everything you've taught me, but I'm not ready to lead! Everyone in the village looks up to you!" Joshua protested, hoping against hope that the burden would be lifted from his shoulders. Chief Elijah gave a weak smile.

"You've already taken one step in the right direction by admitting that you don't know everything. That's why I'm going to appoint Sophia Jarnefeldt as an official advisor." Chief Elijah answered. It was Sophia's turn to be floored. The scribe suddenly stopped recording and stared at the chief in shock.

"Chief Elijah, I don't think that this... this is a good idea. It's all too... sudden. What if the villagers think I poisoned you to maneuver myself into a position of power?" Sophia lodged a polite protest and spelled out why she felt that way. Leona could see where her mother was coming from. As a teacher and Nebdoui's most experienced and longest-serving scribe, her mother was one of the village's most influential people. It would be easy for skeptics to believe that the woman had poisoned Chief Elijah to position herself as the power behind the throne. Once in place she would reduce the youth to a puppet king whom she manipulated to fit her agenda.

Leona did not know why her mother would ever want a position of power badly enough to poison someone. Sophia was content to be a scribe to the chief and a teacher to the village's youth. She had never expressed unhappiness with her place in Nebdoui; all Sophia wanted was for Nebdoui to be safe and for Leonidas and Leona to give her grandchildren. Still, her mother's concern was well-founded. Some might see the chief's sudden illness as a poisoning done in retaliation for Leona's exile or as a simple play for power.

"Sophia, everyone in the village knows that you wouldn't do such a thing. If you didn't poison me after I exiled your daughter, then you wouldn't do it now." Chief Elijah voiced his belief that if poison was to blame for his condition, it was not Sophia's doing. Sophia and Leona remained silent and let the chief continue speak.

"You've got what it takes to guide Joshua into the future, Sophia. The village knows you and respects you. You've served me well for over twenty years. I'm confident that you'll help Joshua until he can stand on his own." He tried to reassure the scribe that the decision to appoint her as an official advisor was not made on a whim but was a decision that had been carefully considered. Sophia was not sure what to say to that, but she spoke nonetheless.

"Thank you, Chief." Sophia said in a subdued manner. Now it was her turn to look like the world had dropped onto her shoulders. Leona knew exactly where she was coming from. When she had been appointed Guild Master of Silver Wolf Leona felt the very same way. That title was not something that she had sought, but the privilege and the responsibility of leadership had been placed on her shoulders nonetheless.

Leona was now beginning to see why the "winds of change" was more than a fancy speech device meant to make an impression. It was a very real thing. Not only had Joshua Hamlin been placed in charge of Nebdoui, but now her mother had been made an official advisor to the new chief. This would change Nebdoui forever. Not only would this day change the village, it would also change the Jarnefeldt family dynamic too.

From here on out Sophia would have to be very careful in how she interacted with her children. There would inevitably be critics of her sudden promotion who would take any chance to accuse Sophia of nepotism if her children received anything that could be perceived as preferential treatment. Leona had thought that she was making progress towards mending fences with her mother, but the events of this day might destroy what progress had been made since their trip to the Tri-Council City.

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Leona watched Joshua and Sophia recover from the shock of their appointments to chief and advisor to the chief. However, the chief was not finished speaking, which meant that more surprises may yet be in store. Chief Elijah turned his head towards the Wizard Saint and spoke to her.

"Leona... I want you to do something for me." Chief Elijah requested of her. Leona was apprehensive about what was to come next.

"What is it, Chief?" Leona asked him.

"I want you... to continue defending Nebdoui and its allies. Defend them and help keep the alliance strong. Make sure that our work isn't in vain. The alliance might be what helps Nebdoui in the days to come." He requested of the Wizard Saint. Leona had expected much worse, but what ended up being said was entirely reasonable.

"You're the reason the alliance... came about to start with. You'll have to help keep it going. Help them and they'll help us." He added. Again that was a reasonable view to hold. Leona had paved the way for Regudo and the Blue Sky Clan to join Nebdoui and Berreb in an alliance and she would have to be the one to help maintain it. Chief Elijah mustered enough strength to sit up straight again, something that worried Leona. He looked at her and made a heartfelt request.

"But most of all... defend Nebdoui. You're the reason so many people have moved here. Your courage is showing them that fighting back against the bandits isn't futile. You're showing them it can be done. Just keep defending what we've built... please." Chief Elijah asked the Wizard Saint. Leona felt a crushing weight on her shoulders and another weight on her mind. Her self-doubt began to reassert itself.

Was she showing real courage if she fought for Nebdoui because the only choices were death or slavery?

Was she really the right one for the monumental task that had been laid at her feet?

"I'll continue to fight for Nebdoui and the alliance, Chief." Leona promised Chief Elijah. He smiled and slowly began to slump again. He was guided back into a reclining position by Joshua.

"Thank you." Chief Elijah said with great effort. Joshua turned to the Jarnefeldt women and spoke to them.

"I'll tend to my father. I must speak to both of you later. Leave us." Joshua told them. Sophia and Leona obliged the new chief and left the chief's tent so that Joshua could care for his father. Both Jarnefeldts had a lot to deal with and were not up for further conversation anyway.

-On the outskirts of Nebdoui-

Leona and Sophia stood on the outskirts of Nebdoui so that they could talk in peace... if they were ever going to talk. There was an awkward silence that persisted between mother and daughter just like it had so many times before, only now the problem was magnified by Sophia's new position.

"I... I don't know what to say to all this. I didn't expect to be promoted to an advisor. I didn't want the job." Sophia said to Leona.

"I know what you mean." Leona said to her mother.

"I feel like I only got the job because I'm one of the few old-timers of the village left, not because I'm really qualified." Sophia confided to her daughter.

"I feel like I got the job of Silver Wolf Guild Master mostly because I was in the right place at the right time." Leona commiserated with her mother. The responsibility was a great one, one that Leona was not sure that she was fully qualified to bear. However, appointing three competent Aces and working with them to bring about the reorganization of Silver Wolf had given the Wizard Saint a much-needed shot in the arm that gave her the confidence to begin stepping out of the shadows of Leila Vergious and Poko Monstar.

"Things will be different now, Leona. Nebdoui's enemies may try to take advantage of the shift in power to make their move. The alliance will also need some maintenance because they don't know if Joshua is up to the challenge of leadership even with me guiding him. That in itself could be a problem because the allies might see me as the power behind the throne and not take Joshua seriously." Sophia informed Leona of the challenges ahead. Leona did not need the reminder. Chief Elijah had tasked her with helping keep the alliance alive and fighting Nebdoui's enemies, two more tasks that Leona would have to juggle in addition to being Silver Wolf's Guild Master, her duties as a Wizard Saint, and any number of personal projects that she had going. There was also the issue of the iron mine Nebdoui needed to ensure its survival and the issue of what the sultans wanted in return for their pushing back the bandit gangs threatening the village.

Leona was sure that the sultans would demand a high price for their assistance. The Wizard Saint shuddered to think about what they would request, but she had no choice but to agree to whatever they wanted if Nebdoui was to survive. The sultans were the rulers of Desierto and she was in no position to refuse their demands.

Was it courageous to serve the sultans under the threat of her home being destroyed or was it courageous to refuse their "requests" and have Nebdoui and the alliance go it alone?

Leona did not know. On one hand, she did not want to be the slave of the sultans because once she served them under the threat of her village being destroyed they could always play that card to get what they wanted. On the other hand, Leona had no right to decide the fates of hundreds of people just so that she could feel free.

"Let's go home, Leona. Chief Joshua will want to speak to us later." Sophia said to Leona. Leona did not argue with her mother. Together the pair walked back towards the village and to the Jarnefeldt family tent to await the new chief's summons.

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-The Chief's Tent, late evening-

The rest of the village was asleep except for the night watch that guarded Nebdoui from nighttime attack. However, there would be no rest for Sophia or Leona, who had answered Chief Joshua's summons. The new chief sat behind his father's desk as Chief Elijah slept in the far right corner of the room. Joshua looked uncertain as to what to say to the Jarnefeldt women standing before him before finally opening his mouth.

"I never expected this to happen, but it's happened. There's nothing to do now but move forward." Joshua said flatly, slouching in his chair as if feeling the burden of his new role. There was no joy in his voice, only a grudging acceptance of what had transpired hours ago. What had happened to the confident youth who could not wait to become the new chief? Leona could hardly recognize him. Leona could hardly recognize her mother either.

After several minutes of silence Joshua looked at the Jarnefeldts and finally spoke.

"I'll be honest with you both. I'm going to need help. A lot of it. I'm no scholar and I'm definitely not a fighter." Joshua freely admitted to Sophia and Leona. Sophia spoke first.

"I'll help you the best I can, Chief." Sophia affirmed to the dark-haired youth. Leona spoke next.

"I'll help the best I can as well." Leona affirmed. Joshua nodded in acknowledgment and started to do his best to behave like a responsible leader.

"I'll need to send word to the chiefs of the allied tribes of what has happened to my father. Then I'll need to inform the village so that we can quash rumors before they take root as fact. Once that's done we'll go from there." Joshua stated his first course of action. Sophia walked to a shelf and took up a few sheets of parchment and readied a pen to take Joshua's dictation of the letters to the chiefs of the allied tribes. Leona stood by and waited for a command from the new chief.

"Leona, I know that you've got responsibilities outside the village, but I'll need you to be ready to return to the village at a moment's notice. Things are about to get very busy around here." Joshua put Leona on notice that her services might be required at any time.

"I'll be waiting." Leona said simply. Leona turned to leave the tent and begin the return to Silver Wolf Guild Hall to deal with the paperwork that surely awaited her on her desk. Once she left she heard Chief Joshua begin to dictate letters to the chiefs of Nebdoui's allies and the sound of pen writing on paper. As a teacher, scribe, and advisor to the new chief, Sophia's work would be cut out for her.

-The outskirts of Nebdoui-

Feeling the chill of the nighttime wind, Leona summoned Winged Lion and climbed on board for the three-hour trip back to Silver Wolf Guild hall. One command and a few seconds later she was airborne with the wind blowing her hair about. Now she had three hours with nothing to do but to think, an activity that she was not very good at.

Today had been an eventful day with a lot of changes and Leona was still trying to make sense of them all. There was a new chief and a new advisor. Leona also had two new responsibilities thrust upon her, responsibilities that she already had but were now cast in a new light after what Chief Elijah had said to her.

The old chief was right.

The winds of change were blowing.

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