The Brotherhood is raided

"Where do they assemble, know you?" I asked Yhako.

"I do not, in fact. But it is just as well, for the last thing we would want to do is appear there. If Ansidrion is in any danger, his enemies will be expecting his friends to come calling."

"Well then what shall we do?"

"I am afraid there is nothing," Yhako sighed. "We have nothing but to wait."

"Wait until what? What if he never returns?"

"He will return, Federan." He attempted to sound positive, but I knew he was just as concerned as I.

"Can you not consult with your friend who first mentioned the Brotherhood to you? How will we receive news of this?"

"Perhaps if we do not hear word by tomorrow morning, I shall seek it out. But he is safe. Do not worry."

The matter was as settled as it could be, and we were silent once again. Of course, there was to be no productive studying that afternoon. Every sound seemed to be a sign of Ansidrion returning. I do not know if Yhako struggled as I did, but he certainly could not have felt serene.

Finally, as dusk approached around the time of the asgoliorr, there came a knock at the door. I glanced at Yhako, and I could see that he read it as I had. A knock meant bad word; Ansidrion would, of course, have entered without knocking.

Yhako stood and left the study. I sat still for a moment, hoping that if I did not hear what word came by the door, it might not be true. But, finally, dreadful curiosity overcame me, and I joined Yhako at the house entry.

"It is impossible to say for sure who has been captured," a short, dour-looking man was explaining. I could not see Yhako's face at all, but the man was clearly distressed, even if trying to sound reassuring. But, of course, the word captured was in no way promising.

"He was certainly present last night. "He will have been there, and will have been captured," Yhako said quietly. "Thank you, sir."

"Should any word come through, we will of course report it to you."

"Thank you," Yhako repeated blankly, and shut the door. He turned to find me watching him intently. He closed his eyes and his voice fell to a whisper. "The asdesaj have raided the meeting. We have yet no word of how, or the extent, as news has only come from neighbors, who witnessed the fracas. A large group of the asdesaj entered the house, and left several minutes later, dozens of bound men in tow."

"And what will be done with them," I asked in despair. Of course I knew.

"We might never know for sure. But they will almost certainly be executed."

I nodded, knowing that there was no arguing. I thought of Ansidrion, imprisoned in doubtlessly horrible conditions, awaiting death. And then I thought of something else awful. "But they will not kill him immediately." Yhako glanced at me, slightly confused but naturally preoccupied. "They have captured a few dozen conspirators. They have some value, of course. They will trace Ansidrion to us."

"Ansidrion would not give us up even were they to torture him," Yhako shook his head.

"But they must have his name in some way. There must be rolls and records in the home. If they see Ansidrion Poniubiresh, they will surely know how to find us."

Yhako shrugged. "I suppose we shall see. Time will tell us."

I did not want to say anything. I was not surprised about this, but it was, of course, devastating. Another brother gone. Yhako retreated to the study, but I remained standing in the entry, tears trickling down my face. I thought of this great house without Ansidrion's boisterous laugh. I thought of the study, much emptier than before. I thought of his bedchamber and how it might never be used again. I thought of how much less we might spend on food this week.

Suddenly, I became determined that we needed to stop this. He was probably still alive. Perhaps we could join forces with the street protestors, and the relatives of other Brotherhood members. I hastened to the study, hoping to rouse Yhako to my side. I found him with his head rested upon his desk. "Yhako!" I called to him. I thought he must have been crying, but I saw, by the manner in which he raised his head slowly and looked about a bit dazed, that he had been sleeping. "Oh," I whispered. "I...I will be in my chamber for the day. Please do come to me if you receive further word." He nodded but said nothing.

I wanted to think about this monumental change--Yhako and his first wink of sleep in years. But what of freeing Ansidrion? No, it was of no use. We did not even know where he was being kept. And by the time we found him, the asdesaj would surely have heard of the counterattack, at which word they would have the prisoners all slaughtered. And so I tucked myself into my bed and attempted to sleep. As it was not forthcoming, I thought about the words "yahram alu" and allowed them to drown out my other concerns.