Tale of the fireborn

Alliance never ensures trust.

I already had that amazing smell of warm lunch in my nose. Mrs Carlyle just knew what I needed for my soul. All four kids at the table with a home cooked meal. Not by me this time but her cooking was better than mine. „Mhh... smells amazing. Thank you", I said and sat down at the head of the table. Gwen, Olly, Koa and Sloan already sitting at the table waiting. The Carlyles waited as always in the back for me to sit down. „Water or wine?", he asked and I took water, like most of the time. Wine was usually okay but not when I am catching up with the four of them. We filled our plates. „Catch me up on everything", I said full well knowing that I would be able to eat while they were talking. I took a first bite when Gwen blurted out: „Lolo has a boyfriend!" Choking on my bite of meat Koa started laughing. Sloan seemed more than embarrassed trying to find something deep in her cup.

„Well I guess that will be a topic between the two of us under for eyes with some sweets. Anything else beyond that? Has anyone mastered something new? Any new skills? Problems maybe?", I gave them some chances to find topics to chose. Koa wiped away his few tears of laughter and said: „You do know that Ajax is hell of annoying, right? He's always on my ass for something. Be it that he thinks that I am just in second Cadets because I'm your son or that he just dislikes me." „Have you thought about the fact that he might be tough on you because you are that talented?", I asked Koa back and he shrugged. Ollie was way to hyped about something so Koa stopped talking and gave his cousin the floor: „You should have been here to witness a third year cadet setting Ajax on fire. It was so cool. Ajax provoked that guy so bad that he literally got set on fire. He ran around like an extra huge lantern before another teacher put it out. Metis had to fix him real much. Half the training space was set on fire because that guy had no control at all." „I heard Metis talk about it and she said something about burnout because of lack of control and to much energy used", Gwen stated.

Something that happened once in a while but hasn't happened since we started the new classes about controlling our own powers. Quiet a sad moment but at least the children don't think about it that way yet. „Lets change from school to freetime?", Sloan asked and Gwen just kept talking: „Kyora took us swimming. So awesome. That waterfall place. You know?" „I think I know which place you mean. And you flew there?" „Oh yes, I got to fly with Sloan this time. So much more fun than flying it's Koa. We did loops and stuff", Ollie exploded. So much to tell that his words stumbled over each other. Koa rolled his eyes. He is a very steady flyer, not exactly what Ollie a little thrillseaker wanted. Gwen preferred a calm and relaxed flight. Sloan usually gave Ollie what he wanted. A bit of excitement and fun. As one of the best flyers put to first year cadets. She loved to paint outside the borders not like Koa, who is very much thoughtful about rules and techniques. So very different and still they are so close. Ollie and Gwen kept talking about the day at the lake and we just listened while eating. It felt so very good sitting here and just listening to their amazing day they had whilst I was away.

„Senator Rae?", I placed that voice directly with Ioane, our highest ranked historian. I turned around, facing him standing right in our lounge. Something that is not allowed to any that haven't been directly invited by family. Ioane knows it and he seemed highly uncomfortable. „Be quick", I said and he nodded. I took a second before he rushed his information: „Senator I am very sorry to disturb your lunch. The council has issued a meeting right now." „Concerning what exactly?", I asked a little harsher than I met to. Iona seemed worried: „The Sumaccian Lord requested his troops being removed from border patrols immediately." I got up. Thankfully I had eaten enough to have an almost full stomach. „I will see the four of you before you go to bed. Sorry that I have to leave but this needs my attention right now", I excused myself from the table and walked with Ioane.

Through the main staircase across to the council room in the tower. Students and cadets made way so we could directly pass through. As annoyed as I was I walked very fast. That annoying Lord loves playing his games, always expecting to win. I would not give inn about the patrols. Hopefully Emerson got back to make the trip to his father if needed. We weren't exactly married yet. Promised for quiet a while now with the condition to have a male heir before officially being married. The losses had saved me from marrying him but its quiet heavy on my soul. Especially since I had to remain faithful to him in all ways. This agreement was tied to troops and my choosing to use them or not. Just as much as it was tied to the commitment in the Bordertown Alliance. Lord Orion was the only difficult leader in the very Alliance that is there to protect all of us. Just because his region is not directly bordering the kingdom and would be safe for a little longer then most of us.

I walked through the door and took my place at the table not even sitting down. I was pissed and annoyed, not the best combination for arguing with me. Syem and Lia already locked eyes with me to let me know they are sorry for having to call in this meeting. Boaz and Ciarràn already in a heated discussion. Colonel Thiander and general Ellis waited quietly until the door was loudly closed by Ioane. Ajax stood in a corner with Dara. Both missing their next class for an unnecessary meeting. Kyora wasn't here, she wasn't always part of the meetings since she had enough to do as Dean of the academy. I waited for everyone to take their places. Thiander turned quiet when the last one sat down. Not me for that matter, since I was pissed off. I started the conversation with the main question at hand: „What is the actual problem Orion has because it is not the troops or the scheduled patrols." „I am not sure. He is raging about his own borders not being safe since his men only patrol the main border to the kingdom. He deems Sumaccia unsafe at this point", Syem tried to explain Lord Orions head space and got his answer by Colonel Thianders immediate laughing: „Well if he is unsafe what are the regions bordering the kingdom. Death traps?!" Boaz grinned. Ciarràn frowned his face badly. Being from Resson where the biggest fight coast so many lives in this war so far. „I am not in agreement about this", Syem clarified his own position to make sure that he is just the one bringing the information. Lia seemed embarrassed, a little flushed in the cheeks. The council knew about the marriage agreement but not about the amount of losses. They knew what Emerson being around ment and that this was not a marriage I wanted for myself. The people around me don't know anything this detailed only the council. Kyora knows about an agreement not about the detailed parts of it. Most actually believe we are happy in love.

„We need to make sure he knows his place", Ciarràn grumbled, the others nodding in agreement. It would be my task. I looked around not one looked like wanting to do it themselves. I started trying to finde a reasonable solution: „Do we have enough time to get Emerson back to go argue with Orion." Syem shuck his head. Meaning, I really have to do it myself.  „Great", I sat down and asked in the group: „Any suggestions for arguing?" No one even dared to try it. Not even Ioane, as a historian he usually had some kind of idea.  „I have a bad feeling about this", Lia almost whispered. The one thing we could all agree on. A bad feeling. And I already had a bad feeling about shortening the patrols. Something was badly in the air and I couldn't exactly put my finger on it. Not yet anyways. I would have to figure it out to be able to prepare us all well enough.

„Allright, Lia will accompany me to Sumaccia. We will leave in half an hour. Let's find out what his den problem is now. Ellis, Thiander be so kind and find out if Elowen is willing to widen her troops at the direct border. Boaz please take over Lia's class and Ciarràn please be so kind and inform Kyora that I am out", I ordered and stood up. There was not much more to discuss until we know what Orions issue is. Could be him being annoyed or him being impossible as he is. A leader who is not leading by example but prefers fear.