Beyond the Stories

A New Council

(a-n sorry for the delay, I try to get them done as fast as I can but the story content is heavy and I try to make it as good as possible for you. and there are few other fan fictions to take story influence/inspiration from as I seem to be the first, thank you for being patient. I know this one's shorter but I reread the series every holiday and should have plenty of time to add more chapters)

We wake with the sun, Delila and I, my arm still wrapped around her. I heard voices shouting our names. Delila spoke before I did.

"They're looking for us." She stood and patted down her dress. "Amani, let's go, its not fair to hide from them."

The garden was damp with morning dew under our feet as we walked back to the palace walls. Ahmed was the first to spot us.

"They're here, they're safe." He didn't run towards us, he just walked painstakingly slowly as he frowned to himself. "Why are you two out in the gardens?" His voice was quieter this time around.

Delila answered for the both of us. "Couldn't sleep."

Ahmed may not have run over, but Jin did, he immediately pulled both me and Delila into his arms. "Don't scare me like that, either of you."

I melted into Jin's arms as Delila moved to hug Ahmed. Shazad jogged over. Her eyes were red rimmed and sunken as though she'd gotten even less sleep than Delila and I, but she looked relieved to see us. "Figured you'd made a run for it as soon as you didn't know what to do with yourself." She joked, smiling tiredly at me. Ahmed must've noticed her exhaustion because he said what we were all thinking.

"Alright, we've found them, let's call it a day and head back to sleep."

Shazad went to argue, about to list the millions of things that had to be done for Ahmed to rule successfully, but he dismissed her. "A tired council might as well be no council at all. Sleep."

~~~

The pattern repeated itself. Jin and I lay in bed, he fell asleep and I eventually followed, only to wake him soon after. The bags under his eyes were darker each time we woke. Guilt fell into my gut and I apologised for waking him. But Jin said he didn't care, that he wouldn't ever care about being woken by me. The guilt settled in my stomach.

~~~

After 3 nights of the same, Shazad called on the council. Something had to be done, people were getting restless.

Ahmed, only attending per Shazad's request for guidance, sat casually, his feet upon the empty chair beside him. It was strange seeing him so relaxed after all the meetings I'd been in where he'd been tense, his muscles rippling under the thin material of his shirt. But things had changed now.

Not with Shazad. Her brow was pulled together, furrowing as she studied the map of Miraji. She scrawled hastily over countless drafts at plans. I noticed a scrawl of ink on a blank parchment. 'To rebuild'. As I watched, she scribbled off places on her map and wrote their names on the list. It didn't take long to fill.

She listed places where we'd need to send allies, where there were still enemies amongst their ranks and the people would need to be convinced to join us.

I noticed Jin enter the room as discreetly as he could. It was strange, seeing him in the palace. This is his home, but he so clearly doesn't belong. Jin was restless and rough-around-the-edges, the palace was grand, elegant and built to showcase it's power. He locked eyes with me as he shut the door behind him.

Shazad grabbed my attention again, muttering my name amongst the plans of who'd do what.

"-Amani can help train new soldiers. And Jin," Shazad noticed him join the small circle around the table. "Jin? You're one of our best, you know you're always welcome among the ranks."

His voice was calm when he spoke. "I told you I was never invested in the fight. I only joined to begin with for Ahmed and Delila, I just had to continue to make sure no one got hurt." I watched Jin's eyes flick to me for the slightest second. "I'll stay while you rebuild, but only until then."

There was a pang in my chest at the thought of him leaving. I knew he was one for travelling — one that would never stay still. But the reminder that I couldn't have it all still stung. I couldn't have this wonderful life with my friends under a fair leadership and still have him. He was wild and it was a wonder he was still here.

There was a silence.

"I'm helping. What can I do?"

"Delila," Jin warned sternly as Ahmed shook his head.

"You can't protect me forever, and we can't keep having this fight. I'm older now, and you let Amani out at this age with no fuss! I can help!"

"Amani was more experienced, she'd looked after herself longer."

Delila rolled her eyes. "The war is over, and I want to help. I can help! I can take food and supplies to allies in Miraji. That's all I'm asking."

Shazad interrupted Ahmed's next defence with a hand in his direction. "She can help," Ahmed went to argue but she wasn't finished. "She can help in a few weeks, as can Amani, when these nightmares have lessened. I can't have 2 of our best out representing the new leadership without getting a good nights sleep. Sort that out, then you can help."

"But Shazad," I was arguing now. Since when had I ever needed a 'good nights sleep' to fight. "I'll be fine, I always am."

"No, both of you need to look after yourselves first."

"And what about you?" Ahmed had raised his voice to match Shazad's. "You're getting less sleep than either of these two, you need a rest as well."

"I'm running Miraji because someone stepped down. The country needs a ruler and if it won't be you, Ahmed, it's going to have to be me."

Before anyone could interrupt, she'd marched to the door. "End of."