Mother Tree, Part 6

“That is not difficult, Nephew. I am old. I need assistance with the upkeep of the Temple. The Mother Tree only accepts children as her keepers.”

“How many did you see in your dream?”

“I did not count them. Perhaps there were twelve. Perhaps less, perhaps more.”

#

The villagers murmured amongst themselves after the announcement. To the side sat the scions. There were twenty of them, two of which would be of the age of consent within a season. The two older boys would be given the choice to stay with their village or go with the priest. The villages’ elders would also have the choice about the others.

“We do not want to give up the orphans for the sole reason they are a burden. They are not. They are as loved as any child.”

“Some villages are burdened. The harvest has been too small. The game animals are leaving to find better food themselves.”

“Our village has five orphans due to the illness last spring. We are short on those old enough to help with the harvest yet have many to feed.”

When they were done, fifteen of the orphans would go with the priest. Some villagers were crying, others were emotionless. Some seemed relieved.