Ranking Hall
The appointed date for Lena's ranking arrived. She had completed the Appraisal process several days previously, including an interview as well as a thorough and humiliating physical inspection. All that remained was the giving of the actual verdict. She and her grandparents entered the vast Ranking Hall, James following only a few steps behind. When they had seated themselves and the preliminaries were served, the chief Appraiser stood.
"The scars are unfortunate, but they will have no bearing on her duty to her blood."
Lena felt a flush heat her face. She wished she could cover the offending cheek with her hand. She gripped her gloves tighter.
"We would like to place Miss Valor in the second peerage." She could see Lady Meron begin to smile. "However, it is possible the injuries she sustained in that unfortunate accident, while they appear to have healed satisfactorily, may create unforeseen complications in her ability to produce offspring. Therefore, we must perforce place her in the third peerage."
Lady Meron's smile flattened.
Lena glanced at James. He was frowning, his disappointment palpable. The heat of her blush was swept away in a wave of cold. Her low rank could be grounds for breaking the contract. No one would think him unjustified. Her wealth was moderate. Nor was he in need of funds even if her wealth had been excessive. She had no political connections other than her grandfather that might attract him. In truth, she no longer had anything of value to offer to the contract. At twenty she would have difficulty establishing another except with a man of lower rank. James' gaze flicked to hers. She ducked away from his disapproval.
Purpose / Function
The local Ranking Hall of the Sciential is where the Ranking ceremony of all pure-blood Ferans takes place. Both males and females on reaching the age of seventeen are brought before the local Synod to be examined and receive a Ranking that is demonstrative of the strength of the Blessing in their blood.
Not only does the Determination of Blood grant a pure-born their status as one of the Blessed, it determines their position within the Mandate itself. All pure-bloods carry some measure of the Blessing in their blood, but it is noticeably stronger in some more than others. Our cognoscenti have not been able to determine a specific derivation of causation for this, but the Sciential has developed a carefully guided process for examining and bringing the Blessing to its fullest potential in any given individual that they might take their place in the Mandate as its greatest servants and progenitors.
There are occasionally exceptions granted, such as in the case of grave injury or sickness, wherein the Ranking ceremony is postponed until such a time as the individual is fully recovered. Though such a situation almost inevitably taints the Blessing in the individual, resulting in a lower rank than they might have otherwise received.
In any case this rank determines much of their purpose within the Mandate. There are positions open only to those who bear the greatest amount of the Blessing. The highest positions are reserved only for the first and second peers.
In truth, the first peers are considered the treasures of the Feran people. Feran society as a whole shelters them, providing them with every accommodation possible. They are considered to be the hope and future of the Mandate. As such, their greatest role is to provide the Mandate with its strongest vessels through which to work. To continue the pure-blood race in its purest form. Thus, while first ranked men and women may hold the highest rank in the military, they are never allowed in actual combat until they have completed their duty to their blood by producing a sufficient number of offspring.
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