Season content notes: Ableism
The knock on the gate came late in the evening when even the bright-season sun was burning red with the oncoming dark. Lefeng, as always, was first to meet the visitors. Ey returned a few minutes later and said, “Some familyless come. They wish to speak with our grandparents,”
Chotaikytsai nodded. “We’ll speak with them at the outside hearth.” Only family would ever enter their home — even close cousins would rarely be welcomed. Most families had an outbuilding dedicated to welcoming outsiders and socializing, but they hadn’t had time to build one yet. So the outside hearth would have to do.
Their visitors were a group of familyless. One of the pseudo-marriage groups – a single generation who committed to each other, but had no elders to guide them and whose children went their way as soon as they came of age.
“Welcome, friends,” Chotaikytsai said when they were gathered around the hearth. The greeting was one usually used for people one knew well, but the alternatives for speaking with familyless were all vaguely insulting, and Chotaikytsai would not use them. “What brings you to us?” Ey did not ask their names. Would not ask them to expose themselves in that way, though some of the familyless viewed sharing personal names more favorably than the families did.
Chotaikytsai knew ey had been right when these did not introduce themselves. Instead going directly to their reason for coming. “We know — all know — of the Trial family. Ts– that is, the grandparent of the Trial family is known to many of us, and word of new things spread quickly.”
Tsouchm snorted. “I remember my friends and take no offense that my name is known. Nor am I surprised that many have heard our news. It is well.”
Chotaikytsai wondered if there was some familyless custom in Tsouchm’s words because while they meant little to em, the familyless immediately relaxed.
“We had wondered — if you can tell us — if the council accepts this new family, is there a chance they will accept more?”
Tsouchm and Chotaikytsai looked at each other and Chotaikytsai saw eir dismay in eir spouse-to-be’s face. “I should have expected this,” Tsouchm said quietly.
“My status as family-last forced them to listen to us,” Chotaikytsai said with a sigh. “I doubt they will even give a pretense of listening to anyone else. Not now. In the future… who is to say?”
Tsouchm nodded. “To have even a chance of listening, you will need to organize into families.” Ey shrugged. “I know I chose to walk my own path before, but that does not mean I scorn the ways of my parents. There is value in the current of the familyless in this city.” Ey gestured to the home, “You know the story of our child-who-was-messenger?” Their visitors nodded. “Eir birth family scorned em and denied em their support in marrying-out. Had ey been born familyless, ey would not have been tied to the dictates of family but might have found others to form a circle with while still young. We are told from childhood that the only ‘right’ way is to be part of a family. But the more I see of families the more I see harm as well as good in them.”
As they spoke further, Chotaikytsai learned that many familyless were following their trial period with interest and wanted to know what it might mean for them. But neither ey nor Tsouchm had anything more to offer.
After they left, Chotaikytsai sat by the hearth, thinking. The coals were cold — there was no need for an outdoor fire during the bright days, even in the evenings. But even now the /potential/ for heat, for light, existed, trapped in those dead lumps. They could be brought back to animacy. Maybe the city could too.
The next day, Chotaikytsai went to the high temple. Given the interest the priests had shown in their family, ey wasn’t surprised when a senior priest sought em out to ask if ey needed anything. Ey was even able to get an appointment with the high priest.
The priests did not have a direct vote on the council, but they did have a lot of influence over the city. The high priest’s support had been critical to gaining their trial period. Maybe it could help them further.
When ey met with the high priest, Chotaikytsai decided that it was a time for Lefeng’s bluntness. “The priesthood fears the city has become too static and that stagnation is threatening the city’s wellbeing. You see our new family as a wedge to use in fighting against that stagnation.”
The high priest said nothing but spread eir hands in acknowledgment.
“While we would rather not be treated as game pieces, our family also worries about the stagnation in this city. Worries enough we have spoken of moving, seeking another city which will welcome newness and is not trapped in rot.”
“That is understandable, though I hope you will not choose that path,” the high priest, a priest of the trees, replied.
“Yes, you want your wedge. But if we alone are you wedge, we will break. We cannot be your wedge alone against the weight of the entire city. Better we leave.”
“I assume this relates to your reason for this meeting?”
“The familyless have sought us out. They wish to know if the city may welcome more new families if our trial succeeds.”
The high priest’s eyes widened. One of eir advisors snorted. The high priest sighed. “Yes, yes, you told me. It seems the familyless have more ambition than I realized. But will it be enough?”
Chotaikytsai wanted to sigh emself. If the high priest had no understanding or faith in the familyless, this would not work. But… ey looked to the advisor, a wave priest. The wave priests had always spent more time among the familyless and the poor of the city. “Come meet them and find out,” ey said. “A good wedge needs weight behind it and there are enough of them to be that weight if you will work with them instead of against them.”
If Chotaikytsai’s family could bear the strain, and the priests identify the weak point to attack… with all of them together there might be a chance to break things open.
To make the city live again.
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