Rewriting and changing

I have been rewriting the beginning of my novel—The Islands—to follow closely the original plot. I still have to work on style, humor—there is none--, characters, and maybe I will rewrite this chapter later—as the novel progresses. For now it is ok.

Changes: the council elders are not landowners. They do not plant coffee. Coffee is planted in Xicome, a smaller island, which trades its coffee for Usamean products. There is interdependence between both islands, based most of all on coffee, and the prohibition will disrupt the relationship (this is very important for the development of the novel's plot).

Arbusht’o, the military leader of Usame, gives a longer speech, starting by the dream he had about the gods ordering him to stop trading and drinking coffee.

The elders get restless at the words of Arbusht’o, and are also critical, but Arbusht’o uses both sly persuasion and latent threats. Arbusht’o sees the need to increase the weaponry--there could be a rebellion--, and “asks” the elders for a contribution.

Papa’o is a rich merchant who opposes the ideas of Arbusht’o. Papa'o knows that a prohibition on coffee will bring more evil than good, but for now he will have to cooperate, the leader is too strong and his reasoning is irrefutable.

Of course, the elders vote for prohibiting coffee: production, trading and consumption. Anyone overlooking the forbiddance will be banned to the atolls.

At the end of the chapter, soldiers walk the council elders to their houses, with the excuse of providing them with security.