A Nagas tale

An Inside Job?

I walked Audrey back home curious about why she's suddenly fallen silent. Her eyes fixed on the forest around us as we walked. "Are you feeling alright?" I speak up. She turns her brown eyes to me "What would happen if I do as Grandpa Ash said?" she mutters. "what did he tell you to do?" I ask. She looks at me for a solid second before shaking her head. "We can talk about it at home," she murmurs. "Just fucking great! when I need Dad or Grandpa Thoren they are both gone," she mumbles. I can see she is getting worried. I sigh picking her up from the ground seeing she was not walking any farther. She sighs resting against me "I'd need to find a new spell or a way to alter the spell." she murmurs. I look at her as she closes her eyes to think. "If I alter the spell I need to avoid any danger factors. I need to avoid any death flags if I am redoing the spell or altering it." My skin prickles hearing her mention the possibility of death. Audrey shakes her head before sighing in defeat. "why do you want to change the spell?" I wonder. "I want my aura back, If I am to walk this forest how can I be sure to stay safe if I can't see or feel around myself?" She asks. I look around the forest understanding her worry. "I want to feel your aura from wherever I am. I want to feel the girl's auras as well." she lists. 'Yeah, I don't blame her for wanting that peace.' I groan not wanting her to do anything dangerous but feeling like I'd be a great asshole if I told her not to get her aura back. I look at Audrey finding she is watching me closely. "Do you think I should get my aura back?" She asks. I sigh "I would be a liar if I said I didn't." I start after all without her aura I cannot release the seal on my body even when we are home. I miss the warm reassurance of her aura clinging to mine while I work. Her lack of aura also deprives me of overdosing myself on her scent. I worry more when she is out and about since I can't track her without it. "As long as there is a safe way for you to get your aura back I would not be against you getting it back," I tell her. "With or without your aura I will love you," I assured her that I did not need her to have an aura for me to stay with her. She nods silently resting against me. The rest of the walk did not speak as if thinking deeply about what she would do. Once we get home I put her down just outside the door. She turns to our home before turning to me. "So what did Darius need?" She asks curiously. I sigh feeling a headache form. 'First, it was Darius and his family dispute, and now it's Audrey's aura...' I sit on the catwalk looking out at the forest we have just left. 'Should I tell her about Darius and his sister Aria?' I frown. "Did something happen?" Audrey asks sitting next to me. She leaned on me while she watched the forest. "I'll tell you about them if you tell me what Ash told you to do." I offer a trade. She chuckles "Alright, deal." she answers "I'm a bit hungry though." she murmurs. I nod "I'll get some food going." I move to get up when she grabs my shirt. "Mmm not that kind of hungry," she mutters. I look at her and chuckle "Are you proposing we continue where we left off?" I ask leaning closer to her. She smiles "The day is still early, why not?" she asks. I can't help but smile at her "Have I spoiled you again?" I ask leaning closer for a kiss. "Hmm maybe," she whispers as she leans closer. "well that's not good." I kiss her feeling her soft lips part against mine. I pull away not wanting to waste time out here. I take her shoes off and mine before picking her up over my shoulders "If your answer is not Yes, That means I have to do better." I chuckle. Audrey's laugh is hidden by my shirt. 'I will make sure she is spoiled rotten.' 

While Kogen and Audrey deal with the new problems, Throen and Loki are both facing their issues with General Ammar and the diplomatic meetings. They had gathered the leaders of Lorgrain and Highrun. General Ammar and Thoren have been trying for months for these men to agree to the treaty. Their one ask? Surrender Ezra forest to them. Over the months of disagreements and postponed meetings Thoren and Loki learned that the one running these countries was none other than Ozaies's descendants. Thoren sat across from Loki as they looked at the demands. "Why do they want to get their hands on Ezra Island?" Loki asked annoyed that their home was the only thing they demanded. Thoren frowns as he tries to think of the reason. "I do not think we are holding anything of much value," he mutters. "If we are to assume their goal is not to kill us, then what is their motivation?" Loki turns his question to Ammar and Helen. They just like Thoren and Loki lacked the information to understand why. Loki and Thoren had made sure to read through as many books as they could inside the city of Ra. "There was nothing in that library to indicate any motives for them to attack us other than old petty grudges." Thoren sighs. "We managed to get an audience with their leader I believe his name was Ryan Gilford." Helen speaks up. "we can ask what their motivation is for demanding Ezra Island." Ammar nods agreeing with Helen. Loki frowns worried about any danger they are not seeing.