Youthful Residence

Konsk ver. 6.6.3.1 :

Without further ado, on into the future, or is it? From Konsk: The Great Takeover Of The Place.

---

“I don't want them in our Cantref!” The man was angry, his beard trembling. “It isn't right!”

“Oh, there's only one.” A woman, placating. “What harm can one do?”

“Yes, one for now, maybe,” he went on, “But then what's to stop more of them coming with their mess?”

Rhia¹, standing in the shade of an oak, one of the few existing, mature trees on the new site, observed, noting the youthful passion.

Another member of the new Cantref, appealed directly to her, “What do you think.”

“Its not my role to make decisions for you,” she said, carefully. “I'm here to support you in choosing the methods you might use to reach your own conclusions, as the full Assembly of your Cantref.”

“That's a cop out!” The man reacted, still angry. “Why can't someone take charge and tell us what to do so we can just get on with it?”

Some of the others laughed at this. Rhia, maintaining her gentle smile, turned to look at each person as they spoke, trying to recall their names. She had met all of the eighty or so founding members of this new Cantref over the three days of her visit but some only briefly and despite having several memory techniques, recalling them all could be tricky.

“But isn't that what all this is about?” The woman was relaxed; confident; Rhia was sure this was Marion. “Its for us to learn how to work together, to sort out stuff for ourselves. Its our Cantref, after all; we can make it up however it suit us, can't we?”

“But what happens when it doesn't?” This from another member; Hassan? Yes, he certainly lived up to his name, handsome indeed. Rhia let the thought slide away as not relevant, aware of her slight annoyance that it wasn't the first time.

“We have to find a compromise.” David or Dennis. No, David.

“Or come up with conditions.” Back to Marion.

Rhia was relaxed, coming to the end of her work here, satisfied she had done the best she could, nudging the fledgling community where they had needed it, steering occasionally by asking the right questions, at the right time and always, as here, allowing people the freedom to disagree, to challenge.

Some years ago, when she had begun her own training, she would have wanted to step in, to take control and direct. Now she well knew the futility of this approach when dealing with a bunch of highly independent, determined young folk- Like trying to herd wild piglets!

On her arrival at the Stay On Course Cantref² for the start of the three day Residence, she had simply wandered, randomly, along the network of level paths between the dwellings and various ancillary structures, talking with whoever she met, noting their names and interests and in particular, their concerns. This was the fifth Cantref she had supported in easing the community through its transition into full independence.

Where paths crossed there was often a seating area, surrounded by shrubs and saplings; or a single bench facing a young orchard or perhaps a more distant view. It was here that members gathered to talk and exchange ideas during the breaks in the day and now, at the end of the afternoon, prior to the evening meal and the daily Assembly to follow.

Rhia, born into one of the founding Cantrefi, First Of Many, could easily imagine the saplings here growing towards maturity, the branches spreading on the apple and plum trees, fruit hanging heavy, blackcurrants and gooseberries filling the interstices, children pushing between raspberries, chasing around a sprawling Logan berry.

Yet at this early stage, the Cantref felt open, almost exposed and only time would create shade and sheltered haunts. Time and care, she thought and there was evidence of the latter wherever she looked, in the great variety of lovingly constructed dwellings nestled into the hillside, the attention to detail in a carved door post or a round-wood bench, as though grown from the soil it stood on.

Now, at the close of her Residence, she joined with Angharad, the Cantref Coordinator and they strolled in a leisurely way, towards the edge of the settlement, nodding to folk and pausing to talk; there was no hurry, there never had been, despite the danger.

“I'm still worried about someone taking over,” this came from a young man with close cropped dark hair. After a moment the name Daniel floated up in Rhia's mind. ”Or a group, a clique forming and trying to run everything.”

“A good question,” Rhia acknowledged, turning to a woman on the edge of this group. “What gives the community stability, Eliza?”

Eliza, startled at first by the direct question, suddenly grinned.

“The Primary Perspectives,” she answered, becoming emphatic,“And clear ethics, our ethics!”

Now another joined in, answering Daniel., “Yes, whatever someone or some group wants to do, can be measured against the ethics.”

“If it doesn't fit, it doesn't happen,” Eliza added.

“I can see that,” Daniel scratched at his beard. “In theory but in practice? Who gets to decide?”

“We do. We all do!” This from several members.

Rhia and Angharad eased away as the discussion continued, choosing a different path and passing other members. Angharad had been a perfect choice for co-ordinator, Rhia thought, her calm manner and precise speech cutting through knotty squabbles to get to the core challenges.

Now, fervent voices came to them as they passed another cluster of residents.

“Well, I don't think they should be allowed in at all!”

“You can't just ban them- they have rights too, you know!”

It was a theme she had heard often during her stay.

“I don't see a problem, there's only one of them, after all.”

“Yes but that's exactly it, isn't it? One for now and once you allow one, whose to stop more coming? Before you know it, we'll be overrun!”

“He's very good with the children.”

“Is that a good enough reason?”

It was an old challenge, Rhia knew and many communities had faced it before, even in the more distant past. Why, her grandma had talked of the people of Teepee Valley, last century! Way back in the 1970s, their assembly had been up all night in protracted discussion and still failed to reach an agreement. This was a good lesson for Stay On Course Cantref, that some issues would be returned to, again and again, perhaps never to be fully resolved.

Rhia's immersion in Residence had been so complete she had not thought of any future beyond it, had rather dwelt for the entire waking time in an eternal, malleable moment that had evolved and been shaped by many energies, many forces, including her own. Now, as she prepared to leave, a lightness came upon her as she allowed herself to feel that she had completed her allotted task.

"Your Mother would be proud of you,” Angharad affirmed, hugging Rhia, “You young heroine!"

"Thank you," Rhia said and meant it, though she could not suppress the slight wince at the mention of her mother.

"And your Grandmother."

This time, no wince, instead, a chuckle.

"She's not really my Grandmother," Rhia offered, realising, as she spoke, that this non-explanation sought only to conceal her avoidance of accepting praise.

"I am proud of me," smiling broadly she contradicted the avoidance.

"And so you should be!"

Though she did not claim perfection, she acknowledged that she had done well and the Stay On Course Cantref was once again true to its name. It had not been easy, certainly not at first- as with any intervention in complex systems, untangling the layers of distress that ran through the community had required sustained attention and energy. She was fortunate to have had someone like Angharad as support, to be there for her when her own hurts had arisen during the long days of attentive listening.

She placed her left foot on a rock and reached down to adjust the ankle cuff of her soft running boot. She knew she was not dealing with the news of the accident in the nearby valley town but the Residence had gone so well and this felt, what, external to the Cantref so not her domain? Or was she just ducking a challenge?

Rhia sighed. If she was honest with herself, she didn't want to raise another issue so soon; surely they could all just feel satisfied, at least for now?

She straightened first herself and then her light leggings and tunic, green with a swirl of embroidery that drew together over the breast into recognisable shapes; her own personal sigil, a duck and the three overlapping disks

“Before I go,” said Rhia, “I would like to meet the refugee who's been causing such a stir.”

Angharad nodded and led Rhia down a steeper slope above the meadows and the river in the valley bottom below. They came to a small paddock and a group of breathless children of various ages in the middle of some frenetic game stopped and turned to stare, suspiciously.

“His name's Charlie,” one of them stated defensively.

Rhia went closer, leaned over and grinned.

“Hello Charlie!” she said, “Can I throw that for you?”

The children relaxed and Charlie, tail wagging, spat a slavered ball at her feet and barked in encouragement.

Please leave comments to steer what I post! More fiction from Konsk? Less? let me know, please.

Many thanks for reading. Hwyl! Chris

1. Rhia: the Rh in the Language of the Heavens represents a sound that does not occur in English; you are pronouncing the h before the r, like Hria, and rolling the r.

2. The names given here to the Cantrefi are approximate translations from the Old Language and have inevitably lost something of their original rhythm, alliteration and humour.