the boy's doctors? Where are his parents?" He asked.
"His doctors wouldn't consent to the treatment." She looked down Emret before adding, softly, "and neither would his father."
The wrinkled old man grunted, "Hardly justifies taking the boy. And who gave you authority to make decisions on his behalf?"
"She didn't," Emret answered. "She's here because I asked her to come. I would've come alone."
The Holy Master Cleric leaned forward to get a better look at the boy. Several of the advisers surrounding them muttered quietly.
"He's a very determined young man," she commented.
"So it would appear," the Holy Master Cleric acknowledged.
"Without this treatment he..." She glanced down at Emret. He caught her glance. He knew she was uncomfortable talking about it. But he didn't see the point. He was in trouble, and something needed to be done about it. Simply avoiding the topic didn't help him feel better.
"Most unfortunate. I will pray for you and the hands of our doctors. With which hospital have you made arrangements?" He asked.
"Well... The treatment is actually religious in nature. That's why his father and his doctors refused to allow it."
He sat back in his chair, surprised. "Religious? What sort of religious, medical treatment?"
She hesitated, A bit embarrassed. Emret watched her. He didn't understand why she was having a hard time talking about what they came to do.
He'd answer if she wouldn't. "We came to see Red Leaves to ask to be healed."
The men standing about the desk glanced back and forth at each other, puzzled. One started chuckling. Then another. Finally, the entire room was laughing.
Moslin shrunk back, trying to hide, as if the entire room were laughing at her. Emret wheeled his chair in front of her. “Why were they laughing?” He didn’t understand.
The Holy Master Cleric calmed himself. "I apologize. I appreciate your humility. Only the truly humbled would ever be permitted to see Red Leaves. If anyone would be allowed to see him, it would be the two of you, I'm sure."
He turned to the immense wall sized painting behind his over-sized desk. It depicted a large Tree with light emanating from its red leaves. Botann men and women dwarfed by the size of the tree knelt towards it with their heads bowed in reverence.
Moslin, still upset, followed his gaze. Emret scowled at the old man. The painting made their reaction even more confusing.
The Holy Master Cleric stood up. "You have to understand my young friends. Our beloved RED with his leaves of light and life hasn't been touched in over a thousand years."
He walked to a wall of windows on the east side of the room. The crowd moved to follow behind.
Looking out the windows, Emret was in awe at the immense plaza that opened up below him. Tiny dots of people scurried about while others crowded together motionless. In the center of the plaza was a walled off section with nothing in it but sandy dirt, without a single plant growing in it.
The tiny dots of people collected around the border of the protective wall. They seemed to be pushing in to get as close to the wall as possible.
The Holy Master Cleric in his silken robes, pointed to the walled off earth and explained, "Red Leaves is no longer with us. A thousand years of history tends to blur the details, but the most credible account contends that he was cut down as the first act of the great war."
He turned back to Moslin. "Surely your father taught you this history?"
"No. He did not," she answered, trying to hide her emotion. Tears had already formed at the edges of her eyes.
Emret stared at the empty square of dirt with in the walls. He tried not to think about what this meant. He tried to force it from his mind. His heart started to sink. He closed his eyes. What was he going to do? What was he going to do! He slouched down in his wheel chair.
Moslin watched the boy. "May we visit the wall?"
"Of course." He answered.
"I'm sorry we couldn't be of more help with your critical situation," she told him.
"It is a burden I hope you'll never have to worry about. Again, I apologize for having brought you here by force. Under the circumstances, it was unavoidable."
Suddenly his soft disposition turned cold. "You weren't given anything to help you find Red Leaves were you?" He asked sternly.
She responded, "No. I wasn't aware that I would have to look any further than where I stand now."
He nodded his head,