Chapter 2: Church and System
“You’re later than usual.”
“Do I have a curfew now?” Tulland countered.
Tulland’s uncle was cutting up potatoes into a pot, as he always did the night before the rest day. Whatever else might come, his rest day meal would be the same long-simmered stew, served in limitless portions and good enough in its way, but long since tasteless on Tulland’s palate.
“Of course not. It’s just not your way.” His uncle grabbed a small handful of pepper and tossed it in the pot. “You go to your tutor’s, then you come home and pretend to read for a minute before telling me how small this island is.”
“Well, not today. I took a stroll. Which didn’t take long because the island is so small.”
His uncle barked a wry laugh. There was never any telling what he’d find funny, or even if his laughing meant that he was in good spirits.
“Get used to it, boy. Good and used to it. I wanted to go out there when I was a boy. But Ouros is a good place to live, if you let it be.”
“I won’t have to get used to it, after tomorrow.” Tulland held up his book. “See this class? Captain. A Captain goes everywhere, does everything, sees everyplace. And old Hugg isn’t getting younger. It makes sense.”
“That someone will replace him? Sure. But the odds that it will be someone from Ouros, and not from the mainland, or that it would be you if it is someone from Ouros?”