The Secret Kingdom

To Make an Alliance

Elia sat back in her chair rubbing her face as she sighed heavily. She wasn't sure just how long she had been reading reports from the outlying villages on the edges of her kingdoms, but it had been so long her sight was blurring slightly.

It was still better than listening to verbal reports, however. Some of the council members were rather long-winded. Not to mention she preferred having everything in writing anyway.

Either way, it didn't soften the news.

More and more elders were considering moving on to the Isles. She had spent the better part of the year trying to convince them not to, promising that she could protect their borders and the magic they needed to survive. However, all were also wary of the conflict between Arthur and Morgan.

They could try to avoid the fray the best they could, but even without her gift of foresight, Elia knew eventually they would be drawn in. And yes, while Morgana could bring about an openness to magic, what good would it be if it were dark? Her soul had already been corrupted beyond the point of no return. Elia wished there had been a way to prevent such a thing, but even she hadn't known of it until it was too late.

No, the elves would be no better off with a surplus of dark magic in the world. She felt comfortable with her decision to extend an olive branch to Arthur - moreseo after her interactions with Merlin.

Though her playing host to the King of Camelot also seemed to be causing a bit of a stir, as Elia expected it would. Thankfully, some had expressed hope she was finally putting to rest the antagonism towards magic from the kingdom. Others thought she had put their very existence at risk.

It was giving her headaches more often than not.

"That was a rather heavy sigh," a redheaded man said from the open door to her private library.

She sat up and looked over, wary of her cousin's presence. There was a time when they were inseparably close, but more and more, she wasn't sure just whose side he was on.

"You read the reports, Elidren," she replied.

He nodded solemnly and walked into the room, his hands clasped behind his back.

"What did you expect by inviting the King of Camelot into our capital city?" he asked, his face betraying nothing.

"I thought perhaps it was a good step towards providing we have a future. Not to mention, you know how treacherous the woods outside our borders are," she said, frowning slightly. "Would you have had me leave him and his men to fend for themselves?"

As usual, Elidren took his time answering.

"I'm not sure that leaving Camelot potentially kingless would have been a prudent move. But I'm not completely convinced bringing him within The Willows was all that prudent either," he said finally.

"For once can't you speak in something other than riddles, cousin?" she asked.

"I see you've received another letter from him," Elidren said, glancing down at the table, seeing an open piece of parchment.

"I intend to share it at our council meeting later," she said.

"Are you still keen on this alliance idea of yours?" he asked calmly.

"I don't really see any way around it," she replied. "We need peace between our lands – at the very least a guarantee that they will not attack our borders or our people."

"And in return you would risk the lives of our armies should they ever call on us for aid?" he said.

"You know our armies are skilled enough that it wouldn't take but more than a company should they need us. And eventually we will be brought into this fight whether or not we like it," she said, frowning again. "Every day Morgana gains more strength. I'd rather not wait until she's at our doorstep to take a side."