Chapter Fourteen
Now, when The Hawk was an old man, and Blue Blossom had already gone to
The Lords, and both he and The Lady Hawk were ailing, he knew it was
time to step down, he
called together The Council.
2 "I have decided," he announced, "to the change the way of succession.
Though I do not distrust the will of this Council and that they would
choose a good Speaker to follow after me, there is complaint and
unhappiness among the people. They feel that the rich and privileged choose The
Speakers and they have no say in the matter.
3 So I have decided to give the people the right to choose my successor
by VOTE. Any one who is
qualified may stand for The Office. Any who have The Power and have
been in The Church over ten seasons.
4 Long have we let the people choose their own Elders and City
Speakers. The time has come. They have this duty, also."
5 One of The Councilmen rose. "Lord," he inquired, "can the common
people be trusted with such a great responsibility? Isn't it possible
they will make mistakes?"
6 "Has not," argued The Hawk, "The Council made mistakes?"
7 The man smiled and seated himself. So it was the announcement was
made, and the campaign began. Now there were many candidates, and after
the first election two were virtually tied. Only a few hundred votes
separated them.
8 "This is too close," announced The Hawk. "These two men are so close
in numbers that there may be a question of who should have won, and
NEITHER of them has the vote of over half the people. Let them run a
second time, just the two of them. Let the people vote again;
considering who the leader