Rushing back to the room, I slipped through the door, only to find that Mother still hadn’t returned. I shrugged, took off my cloak, and curled up to sleep.

“Let’s forget all of that”, I thought.

Unfortunately, I soon woke up to a loud bang and heavy breathing.

“Jylan!”, Mother shook me awake.

It was still dark with a hint of sun light.

“We have to depart immediately!”

As my eyes adjusted, I could see a paper in her hand, stained with blood.

The hawk had returned just moments before with a bloodied letter requesting Mother’s immediate return to the kingdom to stand before the King. Our horses were ready, awaiting us at the palace gate. Brisk hugs were given as we mounted to set off.

“If you need anything, anything at all”, the King said.

Mother nodded and raced off at full speed. I kept my eyes forward and followed.

We reached just as the townspeople were shaking off their early morning tiredness.

“Go home, Jylan”, Mother commanded.

“But-!”

“No buts. Be ready for anything and protect the house”

“Yes, Mother”, I said turning Lilith to the direction of the house.

As I entered the courtyard, a dirty pile of cloth laid against the door. As I approached, I realized it was just Sao.

“What are you doing?”

“The pain… The torture… So much… cow shit…”

“Ah, Herongolde put you to work”, I laughed, “Why don’t you go in?”

“Cow…ate my key-”, he began to cry.

I sighed in annoyance and kicked him to the side to unlock the door. Quickly, I unpacked my things from Lilith and began to prepare the house for the worse possible onslaught. When I removed my clothing from the bag, something fell out.

“Persistent bastard”, I growled as I picked up the object- the meadow pass.

“By the way, where’s momma?”, Sao asked leaning against the doorframe, eating leftover rations from the trip.

“To see the king”, my lips twitched nervously at the thought.

⎓✥⎓

“Gaea Aniceta!”

As soon as Mother entered the throne room, the King yelled, and pointed his sword at her throat. Beaten, Uncle Amerland laid on the floor at the foot of the throne amongst his occult record books.

“You dare harbor secrets from your king!?”

“I merely kept my oath”

“To Whom!?”

“Your father”, she said calmly, “I promised him I would let you rule as much of this kingdom as you could handle”

“Let me!? Who are you to let me rule MY kingdom!?”, he yelled, “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t end your entire line!”

Mother’s eyes flashed at his threat, “Though you have been great in your success in the wars of man, I doubt you’d last long when faced with the Elven army. I and the Aniceta stand between you and such a fate. Kill me-and shatter your only option for peace in this kingdom for the next millennia. Choose wisely, king”

Unblinking, they stared each other down in silence.

“What are you asking me, Aniceta?”

“To stop the construction and have a civil conversation, leader to leader”

“And if I refuse?”, he contemplated.

She smirked, “I wonder what your brother is up to these days; think he’s interested in being a king?”

“Aniceta!”

“Elnin, take my brother to the infirmary”, she commanded, glancing over at him.

He uneasily lifted up Amerland and exited the throne room.

“We haven’t sparred in a while have we, Kaiat?”

“You dare say your king’s name!?”, he shouted, pushing his sword closer to her throat.

Her face grew annoyed at his antics, and, with a swift movement, disarmed him, knocking him to his knees.

“It seems you only learn through violence”

“You!”

“If you want to keep your position, you’d do well to learn some diplomacy”, she warned, sheathing her daggers before the guard could even react.

She turned in the direction of the infirmary to check on Amerland.

“Wait”

“I will await your decision”

“I’ll do it”

“Hm?”

“I’ll have the damn meeting”, he grunted getting off the floor, “seems as though I do still have a lot to learn…”

She laughed darkly, “So be it. I will inform them. How’s tomorrow?”

The King waved and nodded in agreement with a grimace.

She whistled for a hawk and attached a note in Elvish.

“11am tomorrow at the northernmost edge of the southern forest. Oh, and be kind to our guests, will you?”, she said as she went to retrieve her beaten and broken brother.

⎓✥⎓

Mother returned home with a heavily bandaged Uncle Amerland.

“That beast’s temper still knows no bounds”, Amerland coughed, “Durae was a fool”

“Brother”

“Ay, just put me in my old room”, he sighed in disappointment.

I rushed to help him and patched up his wounds using stronger medicine.

“So, how did it go?”, I asked when I returned.

“Well, we’ve avoided war…For now”, she massaged her neck, “Be ready early tomorrow, we will guide the King to the meeting”

“Tomorrow? So soon?”

“Wait any longer and he’ll find an excuse to back out, or worse”

Given that that made sense to me, I commenced preparing for tomorrow and caring for Uncle Amerland.

The next day, I woke up around the eighth hour aching from yesterday’s horse ride. Painfully, I saddled the horses, who seemed to be quite chirper at the thought of another day full of running.

“Don’t get too used to it, Lilith”, I said stroking her nose.

Mother stepped out from the doorway, “go put on your official clothes”, she instructed.

The Aniceta official crested armor is…unique. By first glance it is merely stiff riding attire with the family-crest, but hidden in-between the leather and cloth lies armored plates. The perfect blend of traditional armor, leather armor, and Elven craft.

I joined the similarly dressed Mother and made way to join the King’s procession.

“This looks more like you’re heading for war, not a civilized meeting”, Mother scowled.

“I am a king, you really expect me to just go unprepared and unprotected”

“They are not your enemy. It would be wise to remember that; They are your father’s old friends”

“Just because they were friendly with my father doesn’t mean they can’t turn”

Mother rolled her eyes as she trotted to the front of the procession to lead the way. The pace was maddening slow due to the amount of grandeur and people being dragged along. Finally arriving, the Elves stood in an armored line right at the edge of the forest.

“See? I didn’t over prepare”, Kaiat scoffed at my mother.

In the middle of the Elven line, sat the royal family with Aritra and King Myavin flanking Queen Mother. A roundtable was placed in the center between the human and Elven force. Unsteadily they each approached to hearing distance.

“King Kaiat of Haon, son of Durae the Wise, I, Queen Daenes of the Elven High Realm, greet thee as an old friend”, she bowed slightly atop her horse, King Myavin and Aritra did so in turn.

“Ah, yes… the Queen Mother”, Kaiat greeted rudely.

Mother squeezed her eyes shut before raising her palm and bowing as a sign of apology for his rudeness.

Queen Mother smirked as she gestured to the table, “Shall we?”

“Certainly”

Everyone dismounted and took seats around the table. At the diameter, Mother sat in the middle most chair as the mediator, a scribe in place of Uncle Amerland opposite her, whereas I stood behind her. King Kaiat brought the parties involved, Father Maurice and Lou, the head of kingdom construction, who sat on either side of him. Aritra and King Myavin sat on either side of Queen Mother.

“We shall commence council. This is to discuss the utilization and acquisition of lumber from Lam, the old eastern Forest, and thinning of Arn, the southern forest, for in which more lumber will be acquired. Both sides shall state their case respectfully and this meeting shall adjourn when an agreement has been reached”, Mother stated.

Queen Mother raised her hand in request to speak. Mother gave her the permission.

“As you may know, this forest is home to more than wood and stone. It is filled with life and beings that depend on it to survive”

“As you may not know, this forest is in my kingdom, so I may do with it as I so please”, Kaiat interrupted.

Queen Mother stared at him as a guard handed her a paper.

“A treaty between our kingdoms has long existed”, she clarified, “That would say otherwise. With every passing king, the treaty was rectified and signed again”

She held it up, it had centuries of kings’ seals, all the way up to Durae’s. Passing it to Kaiat, his face grew pale.

“That is why the map is cut at the forest in the royal study”, Kaiat mumbled.

Queen Mother continued, “I was informed that not even three years ago, your church was renewed. Why is there a need for more, and what of your northern tree farm? Has it been exhausted?”

“What do you know of our holy place? It cannot be built with such lowly timber like some common home”, Father Maurice interrupted.

“Oh? Are human gods so specific?”

“You, a woman, dare question the Lord? Where is your king? I have heard enough from you already”, he growled.

I rolled my eyes.

“It’d be wise to withhold your prejudice against women in this meeting”, Mother warned.

He scoffed at her.

“I could ask the same to you, Father Maurice. I believe High Priestess Constance is of higher rank and seniority than you in the holy council. I’d much rather speak to her”, Queen Mother retorted, “You are overstepping your bounds, it seems”

The priest suddenly pinched his lips shut.

“Your father was a stoic man, so full of wonder about the world. How his son turned out the opposite is quite curious”

“Sire, must we continue to commune with such unholy beings?”, Maurice turned to Kaiat, ignoring Queen Mother.

“Careful with your words, Father Maurice”, Mother warned again.

I suddenly felt an uneasy feeling from behind as though something was approaching. I rapidly pulled my daggers and cut the air just as an arrow was within arms’ distance. A figure could be seen running in the opposite direction. Swiftly, I drew my bow and shot two arrows at the person.

“Continue the meeting!”, I shouted as everyone stopped midsentence.

I ran at full speed towards the bowman, clicking to signal Lilith to follow and yelled orders to the troops on either side to surround and protect the table. The figure fell as my arrows penetrated their legs. On approach, their body was going into seizure.

“Ohh no you don’t”, I pulled out a poison remedy and shoved it down his throat.

He sprung back to life as I was hog tying him to Lilith. When I reached the council, I pushed past the guards and dropped him near the table.

“One of your fanboys”, I said to Kaiat.

“I’m-I’m sorry my king! The Aniceta insulted you and I heard that you wanted to end them, so I thought…”

“It’s best not to do unnecessary things based on empty threats while angry”, Kaiat reprimanded.

“Yes, my liege-Ah!”, he screamed as I removed the arrows and patched him up.

“Continue”, I said dragging him away to the human side to be locked up.

With stunned faces on the humans, and unbothered Elves, the talks resumed. I returned to my position behind Mother and quietly cleaned my arrows.

“Ga-Gaea, what have you been teaching your daughter?”, Kaiat whispered.

“Now is not the time, but if you must know, it’s how to make even the greatest men, kneel”, she jabbed.

King Myavin let out a snicker before returning to his composure.

“Unsightly”, Maurice commented, “and this is why women shouldn’t be involved in such talks. Only brings trouble”

Mother placed a red card in front of the priest, signaling he has been silenced in this meeting. A symbolic time out if you will.

“I have more arrows, priest”, I smiled threateningly.

King Myavin loudly swallowed a laugh.

“Is there something wrong?”, Kaiat addressed Myavin, “Who are you anyway?”

“Ah, yes, forgive the late introduction, I am the queen’s king, Myavin”, he bowed with a smile.

“The king has been here the entire time, why have we wasted speaking to this woman!”, Maurice broke silence.

“Any further words from you, Maurice, and I’ll hold you in contempt”

I pulled out a dagger and acted as though I was admiring it while glancing at him. He shifted uncomfortably.

“Father Maurice, please”, Kaiat insisted, “Shall we resume?”

“My queen, if I may?”, Myavin asked.

She silently nodded.

“I shall propose a solution, though my queen will have to approve of it”

“Go on”

“Let my craftsmen assess the building. We have techniques to build with the least impact on resources. Additionally, if comes the need for more quality materials, we can share our stores”

Lou leaned over to whisper to Kaiat.

“How much will Elven craft cost?”

“Rectify the treaty and see it as a sign of goodwill”

Maurice was grinding his teeth in anger at this until he finally exploded.

“I will not allow such unholy beasts to touch the lord’s house!”

“I’m sorry, are you the King?” Myavin hissed, “You’ve allowed your subordinate to overstep his bounds one too many times. Until you have disciplined and taught him to behave, we will have no further discussions. Stay out of the forests or face the repercussions. Oh, and that boy? I want his disgusting head on a platter”, he stood and turned to return to the forest.

“Shit”, I thought.

Where Queen Mother is cool as ice, King Myavin is volcanic fire. Myavin may come off as carefree, but he is the god of battle; getting on his bad side is worse than fire falling from the sky.

“King Myavin, I have not dismissed this council”, Mother stated.

Other words were whispered from her mouth, but I could not hear it. Myavin glanced back coldly, still unrelenting to return to the table.

“Please let us not fight over trivial infractions”, Kaiat said, twitching while struggling to contain his anger, “I will see to it there is better etiquette in the future”

He urged him to return to his seat. Myavin raised his eyebrows, then gracefully sat down.

“I will approve of this method, if you also feel it is alright?”, Queen Mother spoke.

“Yes, it seems agreeable”, Kaiat uncomfortably cleared his throat.

With an agreement reached, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The treaty was revised and schedules were made to view the church. I was glad we managed to finish before sundown, as my stomach began to have its own council with me. As the meeting adjourned, everyone shook hands and said their goodbyes. Myavin, when he approached me, seemed to be beaming from head to toe.

“Excellent performance, Jiji”, he pinched my cheek, “Here’s a reward”

He handed me a wrapped cloth, inside were several large cookies. I quickly shoved one into my mouth and thanked him before he turned to go. Aritra glanced at me, but I hastily swung on my heels towards Lilith. I was feeling upset and just couldn’t face him yet. As we rode away, I heard something strange.

“Must run in our blood…”, Myavin’s voice trailed.

I didn’t look back to see who he was talking to, rushing home was far more important. Upon arriving, I quickly informed the tree spirits in the garden the news. Many quickly rushed off to spread it. I scampered into the kitchen for a late lunch, early dinner.

“Glad that’s over”, I sighed.

“Don’t get too comfortable. We still have work to do”

“I know, but at least we’re not preparing for war”, I added, “But what of father Maurice? He seems to be getting bolder”

“Don’t worry about that”, Mother smiled maliciously, “We have ways of dealing with him, when the time comes”, she seemed to know something, but I didn’t pry.