Reign of the Neverseen

Chapter Three

Unedited.

Emery blinked. Once. Twice. "What?" He asked. Sophie pushed the book farther across the table. "No." She said.

"But you have to." Alina said. "I have to get married, and-" she cut off at the glare Bronte gave her. "You see Sophie." Emery said pushing the book back towards her. "Alina didn't follow the rules and in fact pursued a personal relationship with Gordon Hills. As you know councilors are not allowed to have romantic interests, which is also why she must step down." Staring at the book, Sophie pushed it back. "Exactly." She mumbled quietly, as she felt her face turn red. She heard Bronte scoff, Emery pressed the book back across the table, "Love makes you weak." He said. Sophie didn't let him let go of the book she pushed the book back, against his hand. "Love makes you strong." She said.

Both of them pushed against the book, neither giving in, but neither making a final decision. Bronte cleared his throat. "Is this about Mr. Vacker?" He asked. Sophie could feel her neck turning red. Her bold display of obvious jealousy and protectiveness over Fitz must have made her feelings clear to everyone in her family. "I worked far to hard, for the cognate bond between Mr. Vacker and myself. I'm not going to give up and break it all, just for some temporary job." Sophie said. "But doing the temporary job could get you your dream job." Aline said pressing on Emery's side of the book, moving it only a centimeter.

"Which is equal to emissary. Who can marry and have a family. What I want in life is a dream job, and a family." Sophie said. Oralie's pale hand pushed the book back in the center of the table, her hand restring beside Sophie's. "Already dreaming that far ahead with Mr. Vacker?" Emery asked. "I never said anything about Mr. Vacker, besides saying I won't break my cognate bond." Sophie said, nearly falling for their trap of saying Fitz's name specifically. "Is that your only reason for saying no?" Asked a tawny haired elf as he joined Emery's side of pushing the book.

"It is the main one. I'm still a child...barely a teenager. Do you expect me to make good decisions for hundreds, when my emotions could rule me? Not only that what kind of work would I be doing for the council? I'm not even finished school how do you expect me to make the best decisions for others?" Sophie asked pushing against the book a little harder. Emery's face relaxed. "I see. You have concerns." He said, Sophie pushed the book back across the table. "My answer is still the same. I won't break the bond. I won't give up my family." Sophie said. "Let's make a compromise than." Emery said pulling the book to him.

"You won't break the bond." He said. "Your work as council woman is temporary, so it would only be a few public speaking, showing up every now and again, and you would attend, important meeting that would need all twelve of us, authorize some weddings and giving permission to go to the sanctuary, things that people need approval from the council, that we can't be bothered with as of now." Emery said. "You can keep your bond, but you will have to move to Eternalia for a short time, while you work here." Emery said. "And the representative position?" Sophie asked. "It'll be open and ready for you, whenever you'd like to pick it up." Emery said.

"And what about relationships?" Sophie asked. "Are you planning on pursuing a relationship Miss Foster?" Emery asked with a raised eyebrow and a small smirk. Putting her shoulders back Sophie raised her burning head. "Yes, I am." She said. The smirk faded, before he let out a breath. He spoke slowly. "You can pursue your relationship, so long as it does not hinder your work. It shouldn't since you'll be doing the easy jobs, and another rule, which in sure will be easy for you to follow." He said. "Which Alina didn't find so east to follow." Alina's face went red as she pressed a hand to her flat stomach. Sophie's eyes followed the movement, it didn't take long for her to realize what that rule was. "Not a problem." She said her own face turning red.

"Good, we'll initiate you right now." Emery said. "No!" Sophie blurted. Emery frowned, "Just why not?" He asked. "I have to give Iggy a bath, and he's worse than a car with water." Sophie said. A muscle twitched in Emery's face, making his eyebrow twitch with it. "Tomorrow than." He said. "Yeah...tomorrow." Sophie agreed. Really she just wanted to talk it over with Grady or Alden. "Perhaps you would like to see your circlet?" Emery asked as a gnome came in the room carrying a box.