Every Ice Blue Cloud Has a Silver Lining

The Tale of the Song Twins - Part Two

Tam

Tam walked through the vast building, shivering slightly. It wasn't cold at all, in fact, it had been a pleasant sunny day, with the grass at its greenest and the sky a clear blue, but instead of spending the day outside with Linh, he was standing in a vast room. The lights were a shade of yellow, and the crystals around them let the light bounce off so every beam of light focussed on Linh.

For a room so fancy and well built, it was shockingly empty. Heavy, patterned curtains blocked out any natural light, with the rainbow of colours swirling like the ocean on Linh's bad days. It seemed harsh she had to remember her misfortunes on a terrifying event.

The only thing the room had was a long table, in the centre, with twelve thrones behind it. Each was a different colour, in no order. The goblins that had ushered them in stood far behind Tam and his family. All was silent, until a door, taller than three goblins, and as most as wide as the room itself, creaked open. About twenty-four goblins marched in, wearing nothing but black pants, their muscles on display. Behind them, twelve delicate figures waltzed into the room. Each of them wore clothes just as elaborate as the one next to them. Six petite figures wore ballgowns, the fabric brushing along the floor, each one a different colour and adorned with jewels. The other six wore tunics and jerkins, and tight-fitting pants. A few of them had earrings, and ears that pointed upward, their sharp edge almost coming as a surprise to Tam. They walked to their desk, and one by one, took their seats.

"Linh Hai Song?" The man in the middle called. He had skin of sandalwood, and his curly, dark hair was weighted down by the jewels hanging from the top of his head. He smoothed the non-existent crinkles of his tunic, and showed no emotion as he called Linh's name.

"Y-yes?" She squeaked. Her silvery-blue eyes were blinking more than usual, and her breathing was faster than usual, and her voice rose an octave.

"You have been called here because of flooding in Atlantis. Witnesses say that you were the one that caused the incident. Is this true, Linh Hai Song?"

She looked down, eyes searching for another answer. Tam wanted so badly to let the shadow guide their communication, but he knew full well that Emery would catch them in an instant.

"Yes, that was me." She looked up at them, and there was not an ounce of remorse in her stare. Councillor Bronte looked at her pointedly, the tips of his elven ears turning a bit red.

"Did you have an accomplice?" Bronte asked, his eyes slitting into a thin line. Linh shook her head. Tam

"I did not have any accomplice. I did this on my own." Her voice did not waver. It was as clear as the waters near Eternalia.

Emery rubbed his temples and leant forward on the desk. It became clear to Tam that Emery, heart of hearts, didn't care. There were likely a million other things for the council to do; dealing with Atlantis flooding was certainly not his top priority.

"Plead your case."

Linh took a deep breath. "I am an untrained hydrokinetic. I warned my parents, Mai Song and Quan Song, that I wouldn't be able to control the water. They did not listen. I was forced here, and that caused me to take control of the water that called to me." She stared wistfully at the closed window.

The councillors looked at each other, some of them twitching, and others smiling in glee, but mostly, their faces held the same, cold, lifeless expression.

"Linh Hai Song. The council have discussed in depth about your case." Emery stared at her. "And we have decided that you will be sent to Exile."