The Partham Chronicles

Part 14- Likely Bargain

"This is not acceptable, you know it's not." Leysa was almost yelling on the phone." Who do they think they are? They think they can govern other lives. They expect all of us to accept their decisions willingly without questioning them. Whatever they do out of a whim, we must oblige to?"

" Leysa, calm down. Perhaps this was not the right time to call, I should have called tomorrow-"

" Oh no, no, no... There is going to be no more calling and dictating. I didn't take you to be a tool in their hands... I am going to be the one who takes the decisions henceforth. I am not discussing it any further." She cut the phone call.

She was burning up. The air around her had gone dry. How can they be so selfish? Why are they treating me and my family with contempt? She went to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water, drank it down and sat on the dining room chair. She wiped her face with both hands.

You knew this was going to happen. You knew they would be selecting Vy. First of all, you lost the case against the council, and now you are going to lose your daughter, too. Her conscience was pricking her over and over again. " I cannot let them take her. I have to do something," she mumbled. She called Navil and told him what had occurred.

The next day Leysa called the council hall and asked to meet the elders. She had made up her mind that she would put an end to this, insanity. The elders were making a mockery of her family members as if they didn't consider them sentient beings with emotions and ambitions. As if they were in a circus and had to obey the orders of a ringmaster.

She guessed, when she had called that they had recognised the anger in her tone and agreed to meet her.

Not all of the elders were present at the meeting. Siv Lokesh, Meera Surishi, Siranth Memal and their assistants were present. Leysa was a little relieved to find that Biswa Raj couldn't make it. But he had sent Shanka Bali for the meeting on his behalf.

The meeting took place in the same council hall. But it felt much more vast and open due to the lack of number of people. And Leysa felt exposed and vulnerable. She was accompanied by Navil and Vysna. Aaden had decided to stay with Tashvin at the hospital. Although she had requested both of them not come along, they had seen her agitated and uncomfortable and had decided to accompany her. Navil didn't want her to lose control of her anger again and hurt someone this time.

" This has happened for the first time in the history of the legacy tests that during a training session, a legacy was selected. Leysa your family is truly unique." Siranth said. He was a young man in his early forties, with slick back hair and of confident demeanor.

" Do not try to lure me with flattery, Siranth; it doesn't suit you. There is no glory in calling my family unique. I am rather shocked at the blatant disregard for the rules. The same rules which have been followed for hundreds of years, which held such great importance when I had pleaded for the exemption two months ago. Why are you ready to do away with them now?" Leysa asked.

" That is exactly what I am saying. There is always a first time for something. Your daughter has water as her element. This is unique in itself because we haven't had a water affiliate for the past hundred years. Moreover, your daughter seems to be able to send very powerful waves through her element. We all are very curious about how she would make a great addition to the Parthams. And-"

" That's all she is to you," Leysa interrupted," An experimental addition." She scoffed. " You already treat half humans as an asset. Something to exploit, feelings and emotions hold no importance." The room had begun to heat up.

Siv Lokesh sensed the tension," Leysa, look at it this way. Your kids won't have to compete against each other for the legacy. They would not be giving the tests anymore. It is exactly what you wanted." he said looking at her tilting his head. He had a hint of a smile on his face. And Leysa didn't like it one bit.