The days passed, and although it remained silent, Shizumaat performed its temple duties well enough. Shizumaat, however, always appeared restless; and it listened to all the talk of the temple as though trying to memorize it. By the time two new classes were formed, and my charges occupied the south end of the Madah Wall, Ebneh stood before the class to hear their recitations of Aakva, Rhada, Daultha, and Uhe.
When all had completed their recitations, Ebneh held out its hands. "We call the Story of Uhe the Koda Ovida; and what is the first truth?"
There are, of course, many truths within the first Koda. The student’s task is to draw from the story the greatest truth. The first student stood and spoke the accepted truth of the story: "That it is Aakva’s law that the servants of Aakva will speak the true wishes of Aakva."
Ebneh nodded, pleased. "And do you all agree?"
All of the students nodded, except for Shizumaat. My rebel stared through the columns at Uhe’s tomb until Ebneh called out. "Shizumaat, were you listening?"
Shizumaat’s eyes turned toward Ebneh. "I was listening."
"Do you agree to this student’s interpretation of the Koda Ovida?"
"No." Shizumaat looked back toward Uhe’s tomb.
"No? No?" Ebneh stood next to Shizumaat. "You will stand and explain!" Shizumaat stood and looked at Ebneh. "What truth do you see in the Koda Ovida?" demanded the servant.
"Ebneh, I see that a rule stood between the Mavedah and survival; I see that the rule was nothing sacred, but made by Sindie; and I see that Uhe saw this and cast the rule aside to save its people. The truth I see, then, is that rules are meant to serve the Sindie; the Sindie is not meant to serve rules."
Ebneh stared in shock at Shizumaat for a long moment; and then it asked: "Then, Shizumaat, should we or should we not obey the wishes of Aakva handed down by the servants?"
"If the rule is good, it should be obeyed; if it is not good, it should be cast aside as Uhe cast aside the Law of Peace."
Ebneh’s eyes narrowed, and those who sat near Shizumaat edged away from it to avoid the wrath that all could see gathering above Caduah’s child. The servant continued with a voice filled with menace. "Shizumaat, do you say that the laws of Aakva can be false?"
I closed my eyes. Ebneh was tricking Shizumaat into blasphemy. I sent a warning with my eyes, but Shizumaat ignored me. It knew what Ebneh was doing. Shizumaat was too stubborn, however, to bow to the pain the servants would inflict on its body upon the admission of the blasphemy. It would not recant and would be broken. Shizumaat spoke: "If the laws come from the servants, then the laws come from mortal, fallible creatures, and can be false."
Ebneh stood upright. "But if the laws come from Aakva?"
"Then either Aakva is fallible, or there is no Aakva. This I saw in the Story of Uhe."
A terrible silence came down upon the temple. I rushed up to Shizumaat and grabbed it by the arm. "Think, Shizumaat! Think upon what you say!"
Shizumaat pulled its arm away from my grasp. "I have thought upon it, Namndas. That is why I answered as I did."
Ebneh pushed me away from the student. "Stand you away, Namndas, unless you choose eternity by the Madah Wall!" The servant was so angry spittle from its lips flew into my face. I was too frightened to wipe it away. Slowly Ebneh turned and faced Shizumaat. "Do you know what you will suffer because of your words?"
The young one smiled. "Yes, Ebneh. I know the rules."
"You know them, yet you scorn them?"
"I do not scorn them. I question them. I question their source. I question their validity. I know the servants will beat me for what I have said; but I ask you this: will beating me prove the existence of Aakva and the truth of its laws?"
The servant made a sound as though it was being strangled, then it ran from the Madah Wall, shouting orders as it hurried away. Shizumaat was to face the God of the Day Light.
In the morning, with the Parent of All illuminating the eastern columns of the temple, I climbed the steps and found Shizumaat on its knees between the columns, its face resting against the paving stones. The stones were stained with the deep yellow of the student’s blood. Shizumaat’s eyes were closed, its chest heaving. Behind Shizumaat were two servants holding long whipping rods. Ebneh stood to Shizumaat’s side and ordered, "Look up, Shizumaat. Look up!"
Shizumaat placed its hands upon the blood-stained stones and pushed until it sat back upon its heels, the morning light of Aakva showing the gray of Shizumaat’s face. "I am looking."
"What do you see?"
Shizumaat teetered for a moment, its eyes squinted, then it took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I see the great morning light we call Aakva."
Ebneh bent over and hissed into the student’s ear. "And is that light a god?"
"I do not know. When you say god, what do you mean?"
"God! God is God! Are you stupid?"
"A timely question, Ebneh. Quite timely."
Ebneh grabbed Shizumaat’s shoulder with one hand and pointed at Aakva with the other. "Is that the Parent of All?"
Shizumaat’s shoulders slumped and it slowly shook its head. "I do not know."
"What does your back tell you, Shizumaat?"
"My back tells me many things, Ebneh. It tells me that you are displeased with me; it tells me that live meat whipped with sufficient enthusiasm will split and bleed; it tells me that the process is painful." Shizumaat looked up at Ebneh. "It does not tell me that Aakva is a god; it does not tell me that the laws of the servants are sacred truths."
Ebneh pointed at the two rod-carrying servants. "Lay into this one until its back does speak to it of Aakva!"
One of the servants dropped its rod, turned, and walked into the temple. The other studied Shizumaat for a moment, and then handed its rod to Ebneh. "Shizumaat’s back has learned all that a rod can teach it. Perhaps, Ebneh, you can think of a more persuasive argument." Then the second servant turned and went into the temple.
Ebneh stared after the departing servant, then threw away the rod and looked down at Shizumaat. "Why do you defy Aakva? Why do you defy me?"
"I do not defy either, Ebneh. I only tell the truth that I see. Would you prefer that I lie to you? Would that somehow serve your truth?"
Ebneh shook its head. "You will shame your parent."
Shizumaat bowed its head until Ebneh turned and stormed off into the temple. Then Shizumaat looked up at me. "Namndas, help me to your room. I cannot make it by myself."
I pulled the student to its feet. "Do you not want me to take you to your own home?"
Shizumaat laughed, although the effort pained it. "A beating in defense of my truth is one thing, Namndas. I am not up to my parent beating me because I was beaten. That seems a little overdone."
Shizumaat closed its eyes and slumped into my arms. I lifted it and carried the student from the temple to my room off the square.
When Shizumaat recovered, it again took its place on the Madah Wall with its class. I was surprised to see it there, yet even more surprised to see myself still charge-of-class. The only thing that changed was that Ebneh no longer took the recitations of the new students. The servant called Varrah took its place. Varrah heard Shizumaat’s recitation as well as its individual discourse on the Laws of Aakva and the meaning of the Story of Uhe.
The beating it had taken had not changed the words of Shizumaat’s discourse by as much as a single grunt. Varrah, though, made no comment. Instead it listened, took the recitations of the other students, and then complimented me on the brilliance of my charges and the energy of their thinking.