Prince of the Sun

Chapter 4

It was straight to business the next day and Jace found himself in the main meeting room, a large marble table filled up the room, there were enough chairs to seat the entire court with room to spare. Jace slid into his own chair, decorated beautifully with white wood and swirling silver floral designs. He faced a window, its thick curtains drawn to reveal the night sky and the snow below. Despite the time of day it was pitch black.

Lynn, Jace's little sister, walked into the room. She was as pure white as himself being a royal Phoenix as well. Her eyes were the softest baby blue and utterly sparkled as she smiled. She wore the same white coat as he did though underneath it she wore a highly detailed dress with enough petticoats to make her look like a cupcake. Her hair was also braided far more intricately than his own, though they did bare similarities as siblings. She had the most lovely smile as she walked over to Jace.

"How are you this morning?" She asked, before taking a seat.

"Unsure of how this will go. I know Queen Pearl went over it but doesn't it seem like we are giving up a little too much information?"

Lynn fussed with her skirts. "You don't have to be so formal about our own mother, especially when it's just the two of us. I don't think so, sure it might be dangerous if they were to turn against us but do you really see that happening?"

Jace's expression soured a little. "We don't know them yet."

More of Jace's cousins filled the room sitting around him, each a bright white, barely contrasting with the walls around them. Jace and his sister both halted the conversation.

After them came the non royal members of the court, each in a black coat and added much needed colour to the room. All of them not bleached by the power of the sun and their colours allowed to shine through, though being from the far north many of them were blonde with fair skin. Jace was always fascinated by the rosy tones within their skin that he lacked, though they were pale he still looked so alien standing next to them with no colour within himself. They dipped their heads in respect to the royals.

Escorted by Kalina, three of the werewolves entered the room, this time the Alphas without their entourage. Momoka's eyes darted around the royal Phoenix but ultimately came to rest upon Jace once again and her face reddened.

Mercifully Kalina quickly showed them to their seats yet Momoka was directly across from Jace. He could still feel her stare on his skin. He tried to keep himself from looking at her by focusing on the snow behind her but he was still very much aware of her.

A pair of very large royal Phoenix walked into the room. Most royal Phoenix were exceptionally tall, yet these two dwarves the rest, both with broad shoulders and thick limbs. Momoka looked visibly nervous as they approached, Jace could feel the tension coming from the pack.

"This is Lady Danya Norak head of communications and her husband Lord Gaufrid head of the military," Kalina explained to the werewolves.

They sat together toward the head of the table in chairs notably fancier than the rest.

Jace noticed how uncomfortable the Norak's made Momoka and fought back his amusement.

Next walked in a very aloof looking woman and a very serious man. Though they were still a decent amount taller than Momoka and any member of her pack they seemed a lot smaller compared to the Noraks. Under her coat the woman wore a very strange looking article of clothing with patterns of the sun within lace hanging repeatedly over her whole body from what Momoka could see.

"This is Lady Jana Scaranto, leader of the religion of the Phoenix and her husband Lord Anantha who is head of Business and Finance."

They took their seats opposite the Noraks leaving two seats at the very head of the table completely empty.

Momoka seemed to know what was coming and a similar nervous energy filled the room before they had even entered.

Jace made sure he sat up extra straight, adjusted his coat to make sure it was sitting completely perfect and positioned his hands correctly.

The doors opened for the last time and together two royal phoenix walked through. They were both so breathtakingly beautiful, yet they were cold as the lands they ruled an icy expression that seemed it would never warm nor crack. Though Phoenix were born of the sun, flame, light and heat, they were ice. Perhaps the sun that bounced off snow and blinded someone with glare.

"Her majesty Queen Pearl Townsend and King Cassianus," Kalina said, bowing her head to the Queen as she spoke.

Pearl seemed to survey everyone as she walked past. Paying special attention to Jace. He froze under that icy gaze, Momoka felt a little bad for him. Then the Queen and King took their seats.

Danya was first to speak, breaking the silence, "Queen, first we must introduce Tadashi and Reiko Fujimura, Alphas of the Fujimura pack and this is their daughter Momoka Fujimura, the future Luna of the pack."

Unlike the other Phoenix they had met, Queen Pearl looked directly at the werewolves. Momoka, like Jace before her, froze completely. She instantly understood why the Phoenix didn't look at people directly. It was as if you were looking into the sun or staring down the barrel of a gun. The power and intensity behind those eyes was blinding, Momoka felt as if she could barely meet them.

"I hope the friendly nature between us can continue." Each of the Queen's words were so careful and precise it was as if she were walking a tightrope with them.

"It is an honour," Tadashi could barely get out.

The Queen offered a small bob of her head.

"Now that's out of the way," said Gaufrid, "the Myth Hunters. Despite our purpose being hunting vampires and demons we find ourselves having to devote more and more time to them. As you're probably well aware they've set up their little base to the South West of us and give us no end of trouble."

Both Momoka and Jace alike were haunted by unpleasant memories thanks to the Myth Hunters. Myth Hunters were supposed to be the police of the mythical world, taking down any myth that became a threat to mortals. Yet in recent times, after a vampire war they had started to clamp down on all myths claiming that their very existence was a threat to mortals. Even the Phoenix, another myth made to be a protector of mortals, was not spared. Nor were Werewolves that in organised packs more often kept to themselves and deemed safe to mortals. The whole mythical world was under threat because of the Myth Hunters and just about everyone felt the stress of it. Many lives had been lost and many more captured. With each new device they made, combining technology with magic they managed to dominate more and more of the mythical world. It seemed all Myths where holding their breath just waiting for what they would come up with next.

Even in his efforts not to look at Momoka he couldn't help but notice her shift as soon as the topic of Myth Hunters came up.

"It is likely that we are dealing with the same Myth Hunters, they are a great pain so much of our pack's energy goes into protecting our borders from them and it is sad to say that we lose good Wolves to them when they try their raids," Tadashi explained.

Momoka's expression was melancholy and Jace's curiosity about the young Werewolf burned.