Pharia

The new character is introduced. But what is her connection to Kort?

 

Kort was completely astonished as the strange, flame-haired girl threw herself on him, hugging him as though she’d known him from somewhere, like an old friend. But why would that be? He’d never seen this girl before in his life.

“Uh, excuse me, but do I know you form somewhere?” he asked, bewildered. He could feel her pressing against him.

“What? Don’t you recognize me? I’m Pharia. Remember?” she said, pulling back and holding him at arms length.

“If I did, I don’t think I would have asked.” Kort said. He had managed to cover his surprise, but inside he was seething with questions. Such as how this girl knew him.

“That’s strange. I thought you would have recognized me, even though it’s been years.” She seemed thoughtful. “Oh, I get it. You don’t recognize me because of the hair. Sorry about that. A lot’s happened since I went home. But I’m back. How’ve you been?”

Kort blinked rapidly. “I don’t think it’s because of that. I really don’t have any memory of you.”

She blinked. “Oh. I see. Well, can I see your mother? She can tell you about me.”

Kort’s eyes froze over. Morin’s shoulders slumped. “She can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“She died.”

Pharia drew a sharp breath. “When?”

“Ten years ago. So if you want to talk to anyone, you’ll have to see my uncle.” Kort turned away.

“Wait, you’re taking her home?” Morin asked, surprised.

Kort paused beside him. “Of course. I want to know just who she is and what her connection to me is. He’s the only one left of my family who can tell me anything. And if she’s telling the truth, perhaps she can tell me about the past. The past I can’t seem to remember. That’s all.”

“Suit yourself. Just be careful. She’s a bit strange looking, no offense intended” He cautioned.

“I know.” Kort turned to Pharia. “Come on. I don’t have all day.”

“Right.” She said, her voice subdued. The two of them could see disappointment all over her face.

Kort whistled to Drin, who flew down and landed on his shoulder. “I’ll see you tomorrow Morin.”

“Right. Take care.” With that, they parted, Morin heading back into town, Kort leading Pharia across the fields to the house he shared with his uncle.

Pharia followed, trying not to get too close to Kort, as he seemed to dislike close contact. For his part, Kort was inwardly eager to have her meet his uncle. Pharia was his chance at unlocking the secrets of his past, and he wasn’t about to lose it. Still, there was something disturbing about her. For one thing, she had the look of one who was fleeing something. He hoped he wasn’t about to get drawn into something he shouldn’t.

“Tell me, Pharia. Exactly where did you come from?” He asked, as they neared the house.

“From the Star Village, on the eastern end of the continent.” She answered in a subdued voice.

Kort glanced back, slightly impressed. “You made the trip here from that far away? Impressive, considering the danger.”

“It wasn’t that bad. I was trained to make these kinds of journeys. I just underestimated the weather on the way. Lost most of my supplies a few days ago.” She replied.

“Well, that explains why you’re so dirty. We’ll get you cleaned up, at the very least. And you’re probably hungry, right?” He grinned as she grimaced and put a hand over her stomach. “Don’t worry. We normally treat strangers with complete courtesy here. You just had the misfortune to run into that gang of miscreants.”

She looked at him curiously. “You used the Shock Grip technique back there. Not many can do that with such control.”

“I know. It helps to constantly practice controlling your power, like I have. Otherwise, he would have lost the use of his entire arm permanently. Nothing special about it.” He shrugged it off.

“I don’t know. Quite a few of my friends back home would call you a prodigy.’ She said. The conversation seemed to loosen her up, as she came up beside him, much calmer than before.

“I’m no prodigy. Prodigies have natural perfection. I just worked hard for this. That’s all.” He said.

Drin preened himself and looked over at Pharia curiously. She smiled and scratched his head. “He’s cute. Where did you find him?”

Kort seemed to relax a bit. “About three years ago, I was walking through the woods when I heard a loud screech, as well as the sounds of fighting. When I went to investigate, I found this little guy trying to fight off a shriek hawk. He wasn’t doing that well, so I jumped in. Saved him, but his injuries were pretty bad, so I took him home and patched him up. He’s been with me ever since. I guess that means he was pretty young, since most dragons are impossible to tame in any manner when they’re older than a year.”

Pharia was impressed. “You actually tamed this guy?”

Kort laughed. “Tamed him? HA! As if! He stays because he wants to. The only thing I did was win his loyalty. He’s an intelligent creature, so I can hardly expect to tame him if he can think for himself.”

Pharia looked on in amusement. “You’ve really changed. You may not realize it, but I do. Guess it couldn’t be helped.”

Kort ceased laughing. The rest of the walk back to the house was done in complete silence.

They reached the house in a few minutes, with the sun beginning to set behind them. Despite the fact that the house had been built solely for an Elder, it was relatively simple. A single story, with rooms enough for a family of four, a kitchen, and a washroom, as well as a room for social times. To Kort, it wasn’t any different than the house they’d lived in before. Except that there was an extra room, which served as his and his uncle’s study, filled with their own private book collection.

Should his uncle die, he and his cousin would be given over to foster parents, until he could afford his own home to care for them. Kort wasn’t worried about that, though, since his uncle was still very young for an Elder, and Kort was almost an adult. All he had to worry about was getting through school and choosing a trade for himself. But things probably weren’t going to be that simple anymore.

Before they went inside, Pharia grabbed Kort’s arm. “Why do you wear these bandages? You didn’t before.”

He pulled loose. “It’s not something you should pry into.” With that curt reply, he strode up into the house. After a moment, Pharia followed him.

“I’m home!” He called, opening the front door. There was a glad cry as a small, brown haired mass flung itself into him, hugging him tightly. It was his cousin, Elen.

“Kort, you’re back.” she said excitedly. “And Drin.”

Kort smiled and hugged her back. “Yeah, I’m home. Is Uncle back yet?”

“Daddy’s not home yet.” Elen answered, training her dark brown eyes on Kort. Then she saw Pharia. “Who’s that?”

“Elen, remember your manners.” Kort admonished.

“Is she you girlfriend?” Elen asked, ignoring him.

Kort flushed. “No she isn’t. Now, would you please go and get some hot water and a cloth. She needs to clean up a bit.”

Flen pouted, but ran off to do as she was told. Kort sighed. “Sorry about her. She was never one to really listen to me.”

Pharia cocked her head. “Is that your younger cousin?”

Kort nodded. “Yeah, that’s Elen. She was born about eight years ago, shortly after Mom died. Her mother, my aunt, passed away only three years ago from some kind of wasting illness. Ever since, she’s been like a younger sister, since I was the one who had to care for her while Uncle was off on whatever business he had. She’s a good kid, but she has that unfortunate tendency of ignoring me.”

“Wow. Things sure have changed. This house is nice though. Guess that means your uncle was elected Elder, huh?” Pharia noted, glancing around at the polished wooden walls of the front hall.

“Yeah. That was six months ago. I’m still trying to adjust. Take your shoes off and place them on that shelf. I’ll take you to the living room for now.” He pointed at the shelf near the door, slipping out of his own shoes as he did.

Pharia did the same and followed him down the hall and down a right turn into the simple living room. Numerous chairs were placed throughout the room, surrounding a large, round table of polished oak wood. The walls were decorated with portraits depicting the battles with the five Beasts of Destruction. The floor was carpeted in soft violet. An aroma that smelled faintly of roses hung over the room.

“Take a seat. Elen should be back with the water soon. In fact, I’ll go and help her.” Kort ushered her into a chair, setting Drin on another as he rushed off to find Elen.

He found her in the kitchen, watching the kettle that hung over the cooking fire. A faint stream of steam rose up. “How’s it coming?”

“Not much longer.” she replied, never taking her eyes off the kettle.

“Alright. I’m gonna go change my bandages, then I’ll be right back.” He turned to leave, then remembered something. “Oh, and no peeking, remember?”

“Alright.” Elen muttered. Once, she had tried to sneak a look at Kort’s arms when they were unwrapped, but that had ended in Kort yelling furiously at her. She never got a glimpse and her father said to just let him be when he was doing that.

Kort went down an adjacent hallway and into the washroom. Opening a cabinet, he pulled out a roll of white bandage cloth and a small knife. Closing the door, he rolled up his sleeves and began to unwrap his left arm. Slowly, as the cloth fell away, a series of dark, scale-shaped marks were unveiled. These extended all the way down to his wrist, the only reminder of the past he couldn’t remember. His right arm bore identical markings.

Working quickly, he rebound his arms, using the knife to cut strips of white cloth. The operation was completed in less than three minutes. He’d gotten the hang of it in the years he’d had to deal with this. No one knew of them, except his uncle, who had told him that they were unusual birth marks. None of his friends had seen them, mostly because he didn’t want them to consider him a freak for it. They only knew that they were birth marks.

Done, he put the roll away and left, almost forgetting to bring a cloth for Pharia. He doubled back, grabbed it, and dashed off. He stopped by the kitchen and grabbed a loaf of sweet bread and a hunk of cheese, preserved in a special tin as well. Elen was gone, which meant the water was hot enough.

Sure enough, Elen was pouring it into a large bowl on the table, her hands clenching the handle, which she’d had sense enough to wrap in a thick cloth to prevent scorching. Pharia was still sitting in the chair, her eyes closed. Kort guessed she must have fallen asleep. Looks like she was more strained than she appeared to be.

“Here, let me finish.” Kort said, taking hold of the kettle. “You can go and feed Drin if you want.”

“Okay.” Elen ran off to prepare Drin a meal. The little dragon glanced up from where he’d curled up, yawning. He gave Kort a look that seemed to say, When I’m hungry, I’ll let you know.

Kort grinned at him, then turned to Pharia, tapping her lightly on the shoulder. “Hey, wake up. I brought some food and hot water.”

She stirred at the sound of his voice, opening her eyes. “Sorry. I was just so tired.”

“I don’t blame you at all. Now, which would you rather do first: eat or wash up a bit. I’d offer you the washroom, but we don’t have any spare clothes right now. Sorry.” He said.

She smiled. “That’s fine. I think I’ll clean up a bit, while the water’s hot.”

Kort nodded, then handed her the cloth. “The food’s right here, when you’re ready.”

As she went to scrub the grime and dirt from her face and arms, Kort sat down on a chair across the way. Feeling tired from the use of magic earlier, he closed his eyes, resting. Things sure are getting interesting. Hopefully Uncle will get home soon. I want this mess cleared up quickly. But what will I do if she’s lying? We can’t just kick her out.

He gave a huge, mental sigh. Things were just getting more complicated thinking like that. Better to just wait patiently. His uncle was no doubt attending a meeting or going over reports with the Advisors. Elders had just as much work as anyone else. Just because they couldn’t fight didn’t mean they did nothing of importance. Kort just wished his uncle would tell him what it was they talked about.

Six months ago, his uncle had been selected, along with Morin’s father Kaiten, to become the next Elders, after two of them had passed away. It had been surprising, since the two of them were still rather young and still capable fighters. But they’d accepted the honor. As a result, they’d moved into the recently vacated homes of the previous Elders, who had no family, and Kort had to gather up his things to move. Elen had been ecstatic, but to Kort, it was simply another place to live. He simply didn’t seem to think much of it, almost moving through life without really living it.

For as long as he could remember, he’d gone through his life as though nothing ever happened. To him, it was simply a routine, performed every day. Everything happened at a slow pace, with nothing interesting happening. He woke, ate, attended school, and read his books, before going to bed and sleeping. When he woke, the cycle repeated itself again. And again, without end. And now that Pharia had shown up, it seemed the cycle might break. But was that a god thing? Or did he dread it?

He opened his eyes to find Pharia chewing at the loaf of bread, while Elen tried to coax Drin into eating a piece of dried meat. The little dragon simply yawned and turned his nose up at it. Kort smiled inwardly.

After a while, they heard the door open and close. His uncle had returned. Elen, smiling and laughing, ran to greet him. Pharia stiffened and seemed to grow slightly nervous. Kort simply settled down to wait.

At length, Shornin appeared in the room, carrying Elen on his shoulders. “Ah, good afternoon Kort. Did school go well?”

“Same as usual. We began learning about Auri today, that’s all.” Kort replied, looking bored.

Shornin smiled, his pale face brightening. “Well, that’s good to hear. You are almost ready to advance to the next level of your training.” Then, he noticed Pharia. “Well, now who’s this? A new friend?”

Kort saw the playful, teasing look in his eye and snorted. “Her name’s Pharia and she claims to be a childhood friend of mine. Does it ring any bells?”

The effect on his uncle after hearing the name was startling. His grin slipped and his eyes widened in complete shock. And…fear?

Pharia stood and bowed. “It’s nice to meet you again. You remember me, don’t you?”

Shornin seemed to recover his wits. “Of course, how silly of me. It’s just, you’ve changed so much in eleven years. I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you at first. Forgive me.”

Pharia turned to Kort in triumph. “See. I told you. Now do you believe me?”

Kort, however, was still thinking about his uncle’s fearful and shocked look. If Pharia really was an old friend from his childhood, then why would he need to be afraid. Surely there was nothing to fear. In fact, this should be a time to rejoice, since she could provide answers he needed in order to find his lost memories. So why was he behaving like this?

“Kort? You okay?” Pharia asked, looking at him.

Kort shook himself. “I’m alright. Just a bit tired. I think I’ll go rest a bit before dinner.” He stood up and walked out of the room, down to his bedroom.

Pharia watched him go, a sad expression on her face. Shornin smiled gently. “Don’t worry. He’s just trying to gather his wits about him. He’ll come around.” he set Elen down, who went back to trying to get Drin to eat. “Come, we’ll get you some clothes and you can bathe. I still have some of my wife’s outfits which should fit you nicely.”

“Thanks.” With a glance in the direction Kort had gone, she followed Shornin.

~

 

Kort lay on his bed, thinking. His room was small, with most of the space being occupied by shelves littered with books. Novels, magic theories, and bestiaries were just some of the topics he collected. He also had numerous maps, which he had pinned to the one part of the wall that was uncovered, which happened to be above his bed. Each map had the four central villages of the magus warriors plotted on them, along with several other major communities. One of them also had the locations of the numerous human towns. The only other thing hanging there was an ornate dagger and sheath, the pommel of which had a sapphire set into it. According to his uncle, it had once belonged to his father, the father he couldn’t remember.

The shades to his window were shut, but some light form the setting sun still managed to light the room somewhat. Kort could see the roof overhead because of them, yet he wasn’t truly seeing. His mind was wandering again and his body had been left behind, as usual. He was usually quiet and sometimes withdrawn, but now more so than ever. So much had happened in one day and he was trying to sort things out. He wasn’t having much success though.

It figures. When I want this monotonous life to change, I can’t seem to adjust and welcome it. Jeez, there must be something wrong with me, he thought. Just why am I so confused? This is exactly what I wanted, so why the hesitation. Shouldn’t I be trying to figure out my past?

A knock at the door interrupted him. Reluctantly, he rose to his feet. “Yes.”

“Daddy said dinner will be ready soon.” Elen’s voice reached through the wood. “Kort, are you alright?”

He sighed. “Yes. Just a little confused, that’s all. I’ll be out soon. I promise.”

“Okay. Pharia’s going to eat with us too, alright?” she said.

“Alright. I’ll see you soon.” he told her. He heard her run off. He sighed.

Great. What am I supposed to do now? I have absolutely no memory of her and I can’t exactly question her. That would just be rude. So what am I supposed to do with her around? He nearly banged his head against the door in frustration. Instead, he went and collapsed on the bed.

Several long minutes later, he caught the smell of cooking meat and the steady whistle of the kettle. His uncle was more than likely making some kind of tea. He found it odd, drinking tea late in the day. But his Uncle said it cleared the mind of troubles, so Kort didn’t bother trying to argue. After all, being an Elder had plenty of troubles and he probably needed it. When the smell became stronger, he sighed and stood up and left the room.

Sure enough, he found his uncle busy at the oven, where a grating hung over the fire, roasting two thick steaks. Below hung the kettle, whistling steadily. Elen was still trying to get Drin to eat, but the little dragon refused. When he saw Kort, he gave a pleased, and relieved, chirp and flew to his shoulder, chattering in a scolding tone. He seemed a bit angry that Kort hadn’t rescued him from Elen’s attentions. Kort scratched him comfortingly on the head.

“Ah, good, you’re here.” His uncle said, glancing back. “Give me a hand and set the table, would you. Dinner’s just about done.”

“Sure.” Kort walked over to a cabinet and pulled out four plates. “Where’s Pharia?”

“Probably still getting cleaned up. She was pretty dirty, even after that cat’s bath. She got caught up in one hell of a storm, that’s for sure.” his uncle commented.

“Yeah, seems like it.” he said, absently. He proceeded to lay out the plates and pulled in an extra chair for Pharia.

“Oh yes, that reminds me. Be polite. I know you don’t remember her, but that’s no reason to forget your manners.” Shornin reminded him.

“You don’t have to remind me. I already knew that.” Kort replied, placing knives and forks at each spot.

“Just thought I would. Ah, I see our honored guest has arrived.” Pharia had indeed walked into the kitchen, still drying her hair off with a towel. She had changed into a loose fitting blouse and cotton pants, which he assumed must have once belonged to his aunt at some point in her life.

“You’re just in time, my dear. Dinner is almost done.” Shornin said. “My, you sure do clean up nicely.”

“Thanks, for the clothes and for letting me use your washroom.” she said.

Kort quickly finished setting up and moved on to getting the water pitcher and glasses set up, so he didn’t have to look at her. He felt quite awkward all of a sudden, perhaps because he wasn’t sure how to talk to her.

“That smells good.” Pharia commented.

“It’s not much, I’m afraid. Ever since my wife died, the meals have gotten a bit bland. I’m afraid it’s because we lack a woman’s touch around here.” Shornin said, placing the steaks on a platter and bringing them over to the table.

“Really? I’m sorry to hear that. She was a nice lady, as I recall.” she said.

“That’s right, you met her once. I’d forgotten that.” Shornin said.

Kort came over and set the glasses down, pouring water into the and then setting the pitcher down in the center of the table. “Uncle, don’t forget the kettle.”

“Oh, right.” He set the platter down and dashed off to pull it out from the fire.

“Jeez, you’re so absent-minded uncle.” Kort said, sitting down while Shornin began to pour the boiling water into a cup, then adding his specially made tea mix, stirring it up with a spoon.

“I don’t mean to be, you know that.” his uncle replied.

“Yeah, but you only say that because I’m here to make sure you aren’t.” Kort said, folding his arms.

“I see. So you’re the one that keeps this family together.” Pharia commented, sitting down across from him.

“Yeah. Big brother’s always so serious.” Elen said, taking her seat next to Pharia.

“Yeah. but I’ll see what I can do about that, okay.” she whispered, leaning in close and winking at Elen. Elen giggled.

Kort grimaced. She’d said that just loud enough for him to hear.

“Alright, dinner’s ready.” Shornin said, sitting down with his steaming cup.

“Not quite. Forget something again?” Kort asked pointedly.

Shornin seemed to think for a moment. “Oh right. The bread. Hang on a moment.”

He made a dash to pantry and came back with a thick loaf of sweet bread. “Sorry about that. Can’t have dinner without sweet bread.” Laughing at his own forgetfulness, he set it down. “Now we can eat.”

Kort sighed and speared a steak with his fork, lifting it to his plate. Swiftly, he cut up several pieces, handing a few to Elen, who was watching patiently. Pharia and his uncle each took their own and began cutting them up.

Dinner was for the most part conducted in silence, save for the sounds of silverware and chewing. Kort kept his gaze focused solely on his plate and the food on it, trying not to look up. He could feel Pharia’s eyes on him and it was making him uncomfortable. Fortunately, he was spared the trouble of conversation by his uncle.

“So, what have you been up to since you left, all those years ago?” Shornin asked.

“Oh, not much. Just continuing school and learning the family trade form my parents. They’re merchants, so I’ve mostly been learning how to calculate prices and keeping track of the money.” She replied.

“Sounds interesting. Do you enjoy it?”

“Not really. It’s boring work, compared to some of the stuff we’re learning in school.” She glanced at Kort. “What about you?”

“Everything’s boring around here. Nothing really interesting happens.” he replied dully, not even looking up.

“Really? Now why would that be?”

“Oh, it’s because he’s such a genius that nothing really challenges him. That, or he’s too lazy to put in more effort to make things interesting.” His uncle said.

Kort gave him an indignant look. “Hey, I do what’s necessary and that’s all. Even if I did put more effort in, it still wouldn’t be interesting. That’s all there is too it.”

“Hey calm down. I was only messing with you. You’re too serious, you know that.” Shornin said with a laugh. Kort grimaced and proceeded to devour his bread forcefully.

“In any case, I’m glad you’re doing well. You used to be more playful and less serious, though.” Pharia said, taking a sip of water.

“Really? I don’t remember.” Kort said.

“Oh, right, I forgot.”

“It’s no problem. Frankly, I have no idea why I can’t remember anything. No mater how I try, I can’t seem to remember a thing.  And no one seems to want to tell me anything.” He said, looking at his uncle.

“Big brother’s got amnesia.” Elen said, smiling and laughing.

“Oh, and where’d you learn a big word like that?” Pharia asked.

“Big brother.” Elen answered.

Kort smiled. “Of course you did. I taught you most of the words you know.” he ruffled her long hair.

“You really taught her all that?” Pharia was surprised.

“Yeah. With Uncle here busy and her mother dead, I ended up spending most of my time with her. Naturally, she ended up learning her vocabulary from me.” Kort answered.

From that point on, conversation was easier and came more naturally to them. Shornin eventually let the three of them talk, glad that Kort had opened up, if only a little. H felt that it had been a long time since Kort had ever really conversed for so long with anyone, aside from Morin. It had worried him for a long time, but now he felt that it was no longer a problem. Perhaps Pharia would be able to get him to open up again.

Dinner concluded with a happy air. Kort actually whistled a bit as he began to wash the dishes, Elen laughing as she helped clear the table. Pharia had offered to help, but Kort told her to go ahead and rest in the guest room, which thankfully had a bed amidst the clutter of books. Shornin had to loan her some bed clothes, but she didn’t seem to mind.

“So, what do you think of her?” his uncle asked, coming in to put Elen to bed after seeing Pharia was set up in the room.

“About Pharia?” Kort paused. “She’s energetic and amusing, if that’s what you mean.”

“You know what I mean. She is your childhood friend.” Shornin said, ushering Elen out of the kitchen.

“Heh, I know that.” Kort went back to scrubbing the grating that the steaks had been cooked on. Only thing is, I still don’t remember anything.

The sun had set by the time they had finished eating, so Kort had to light a candle, using his magic to do so. By the light of the flame, he went to his own room, ready for bed himself. Only on rare occasions did he ever stay up late. Otherwise, he went to bed shortly after sunset, as he liked rising early. His uncle would no doubt be in bed reading.

He set the candle down on his dresser, which doubled as a bookshelf, and changed into soft, cotton pants and a shirt. Then, he blew out the candle and went to bed, sleeping away the day’s events.

~

As the night deepened, Shornin slipped outside, taking care not to make a sound. Kort was a light sleeper and the slightest noise could wake him. He hated having to be stealthy, but he needed some fresh air, to think straight. One thing he’d learned was that one could think best surrounded by the elements of the world, the same elements that contained the energies of their magic, thus allowing them to be manipulated. It was said that a truly powerful magus warrior could actually draw energy from these elements, multiplying his power greatly. And it was always easier to manipulate elements already present, rather than generate them.

In any case, he felt better outside then he did inside when it came to thinking. Silently, he slipped out through the front door, taking care to make sure it didn’t creak as he opened and closed it. Once outside, he took a deep breath, tasting the crisp, cool night air. He was wearing thick robes, so he didn’t shiver as a breeze caressed him. Below, down in the village, a few torches burned brightly, like fireflies.

What a bad time for this. With her arrival, the Elders will want to move quicker now. But how can I tell them that maybe letting her connect with him will do him more good. She understands that he’ll need time and coaxing before his memory returns. But they’ll only see her as a threat to their plan and think she’ll make the situation worse, he thought, looking up at the sky. Overhead, the stars glittered brightly, the sky free of clouds.

He sighed. What am I to do? If only you were still here, my beloved wife. I could use your advice right now. Who do I side with? The Elders, or my nephew and the girl?

The decision weighed heavily on his mind. He remembered a saying: caught between a rock and a hard place. That was exactly where he felt he was. He knew that either decision would result in a severe upheaval in Kort’s life. But if the other Elders went through with their plan, the result would be far worse. At least if Kort bonded with Pharia he would have one more person to help him stay sane. Because Shornin was pretty sure that with his memories returning, his original personality would come back, and that Kort would not be able to handle the import of what was to come. And if his suspicions about Pharia were correct, then she might actually be the only one to help him.

And I’m going to have to tell the other Elders about this too. Otherwise, they’ll find out some other way and I’ll lose face with them. And if that happens, I won’t be able to influence the decision. Regardless of whether or not the vote is unanimous, they’ll act. And I can’t allow that to happen. He took a breath, his decision made. It’s too bad. I wish my sister was still here. She was the only other person who could help at a time like this.

Resolute, he stood there for several moments longer, enjoying the night sky. It wasn’t too often that he got chances like this, since political maneuvering was tiring in and of itself. If anyone had told him that before he’d been elected Elder, he would have laughed. Now, he could only agree wearily. Somehow, he had a feeling he and Kaiten had been nominated simply because they were young and inexperienced, making them easier to manipulate. But so far, nothing had appeared that way. But now that they knew he was opposed to the whole plan, it was likely they would make such an attempt, soon.

Guess I’d better be prepared. Because from this point on, all hell is going to break loose. I’ll just do what I can to shield you from the worst of it, my nephew. With that resolution in his mind, he went back inside, ready to sleep.