Rise

Vita

Clara has been a pain in my ass. She constantly baggers me about going to Liora but our plan shave recently been postponed. My mother has been making more and more civilians join her army trying to get both the warfront and Tellus, meaning fewer people here and more being shipped off to The Punga. I asked Nari and Clara why they don't just renounce their allegiance to the queen. In return I had Clara screaming at me about how people couldn't afford to just run off and become a fugitive to the crown. I say she is a hypocrite, Rise throws people into the fray all the time. So instead, both of them relay messages back to Rise, trying to gather reinforcements, I say it's useless. Soldiers conscript, fight, then die every minute of every day. Year after year they are told to fight for their family or die, and I am tired of people dying for nothing, but Clara thinks differently. She would rather fight instead of enduring this terrible game of back and forth politics. The movement of soldiers like a game of chess and the repeated attempts of sneaking around behind everyone's backs making us all seem like children. Even now we all sit around a table, screaming at one another and trying to agree on whether or not to even leave Terram."Since your mother has taken almost twenty percent of our population within our city it's too dangerous to send you out there, we don't know where she is sending them, what they are defending or who they are even with anymore." My father speaks, still handsome, still smiling, but his vigor is gone, his skin grey and dark, leached of light. Behind me I can feel Clara's presence, she still hides under the name Olivia and pretends to be my servant from time to time. Though she is doing an awful job at it. "She is more than likely sending them to The Punga, she would never let any inexperienced soldiers guard what is most precious to her. You have worked with the woman your entire life and you are acting like you don't understand who she is." I counter argue, letting my eyes wander over to the brown haired weaver sitting next to me. He clears his throat, sitting up from his seat."Your Highness, give me three days and I will be able to tell you where most of your men were shipped off to," Nari says rensurenly, nodding to my father before looking at me. I nod back, staring down my father. He sighs and looks at the rest of the people seated at the table. Three representatives for the captains of Sercue, Ardson, and Nesea sit on each side of him. The representatives are here to update us about ongoing events that my mother is doing. One of them was a shorter woman with bleach blonde hair and pretty blue eyes, scars line her cheek and shoulder blades. Imrie Strouse received the scars from serving on the lines, albeit a different side we are now. She was a war general for the Glacies before being dishonorably discharged from the warfront on the account of speaking against the queen. Now she is working with my father, formerly against the Glacians, and recently against my mother. The next is a slightly burly man, his hair the color of mud and his eye the color of leaves, just like my father. Jasia Tellus, son to Oren Tellus, my uncle, sits on the other side of my father. He comes in his father's place from Sercue to learn under my father per his request. And finally, on my cousins left is another women. She is fair skinned, like Imrie, but instead of her bright blond hair, Braylin's is dulled by the slight twinge of grey. Her eyes, grey and lively like a storm stare down Nari with a fervor. She and the weaver prince have been friends since they were children, they trained together and played together until her father Alyx Krol, head of house Krol, proposed marriage. Nari refused and Braylin did not take it well, they hadn't talked since he offered her this position. She took it begrudgingly and now sits here, giving him the death glare with every chance she gets. "All in favor say aye""Aye," The three say in unison, followed by Nari and I. My father nods, his arms resting against the table in front of us. Behind me, I can hear a light beeping then feel Clara move from behind me and quickly exit the room. Where in the hell is she going?"Then it is settled. If everyone from Terram is on the front line then we march on Liora." The rest nod before standing. "We will contact your captains and tell them about what was discussed until them I will ask you to stay until we gather the information Nari is supplying. We will give you each your own time with your captains to discuss and if we are prepared then it is official." My father state, the three nod before following one of our soldiers out of the building. I quickly stand, from my chair and follow the trio out the door, heavy footsteps behind me are evidence that Nari is with me. My eyes scan up and down the bustling city. When I spot Clara, she stands with her goons Colin and Reid. The woman clicks furiously at her beeper."Is everything alright?" I ask. The look on her face screams no, but she shakes it off."It looks like you get to see some of your friends after all." She mutters, shoving the beeper deep into one of her pockets. "Wait, what?" Nari buts in, moving to my side."I don't know the whole story but Melanie and Fin along with one of my buddies have gotten themselves into some sort of bind and are no longer safe in Unda. They have been making their way up here for the past two days. If they are just getting to me now then that means they are close." She says, turning on her heels and walking away from us. Colin and Reid quickly following behind. "Clara what are you talking about- don't just walk away from me." I huff and jog up to her, Nari not too far behind. We quickly walk from the north end of the city to the south. The sun beats down on us, not a cloud in the sky. It makes the golden gates of the south shine, blinding Nari and Colin, but the rest of us thrive off of it, drawing in our greenie pride. "They said they would be coming from the south if they were in Tellus this morning and was only able to message me now they should be east of Sercue.""I give Porter forty minutes, thirty if he gets fed up with that preppy princess. He tends to walk away from his problems, right Clara?" The man I assume is Ried buts in, shouldering Clara playfully, she only scowls.--- "Well you're a sight for sore eyes" Reid's voice startles me out of any sort of sleep I have been getting since I got here. I quickly Rise from the grass, my jaw stretching with a yawn. "Porter," Clara says, tipping her head in greeting. He doesn't nod back, only grins stupidly at her. "Oh come on Clara is that the greeting I get? Bring it in!" The supposed Porter opens his arms wide for her but she doesn't comply, in return punching him in the shoulder. Porters eyes widen as he grabs his shoulder. Porters eyes widen as he grabs his shoulder, his smile receding bt a hollow laugh replaces it."Ow! what the hell?" Porter yells, that only maddens Clara more. "You left me in the middle of the night to go on some stupid mission and didn't even tell me. In what world do you think that is okay?" Her voice grows with each word, her hands pushing with every other. "Clara. Stop." Colin speaks for the first time, grabbing her shoulder and yanking her back. The greenie woman looks at him in shock. She huffs, unwrinkling her jacket before stomping away. "I'm sorry about her, Porter. Come with me, I will show you to your place to stay until your team comes and helps you the rest of the way.""I'm sorry but I don't understand why we need a team. We have been doing fine by ourselves." The man that I remember being Fin, buts in. Behind Porter, leaning on the south gate was a man and a woman. The familiar blonde hair and bright blue eyes of almost every Undan that appears in my vision, I didn't even realize they were there."Fin we talked about this." Melanie rolls at his side. "I know we talked about this but I just don't get it, why now?" "I told you we should have gone-" "But that was before Calore turned on Rise-""Why do you always have to contradict me?" Melanie and Fin bite at each other back and forth, their words finally sinking into my mind."Wait, Calore turned on Rise? When did this happen? Nari speaks before I get the chance to, practically taking the words out of my mouth."You guys didn't know? It's all over the new broadcasters from Rubeus to Zephyris." Porter adds, stomping after Ried and Colin. The rest of us follow, an arguing Fin and Melanie behind us."Well, you don't really watch the news when you're planning a coup against your own mother," I mumble, covering my front with my arms. Stop feeling ashamed about your choices, if you don't believe in them then we will all fail. "Well, it looks like you have been busy. I thought you were just supposed to create a crack between the freedom fighters and royal sympathizers." Fin says, eyeing some of the boarded-up homes and abandoned buildings. I have only been here for eleven days, I was not around when my father ran out anyone who supported mothers ideas. Though I pushed for the takeover of Liora, and the extra building of our now called fortress, but this is for the greater good. "Yeah well, I don't mess around when it comes to my future." I can feel Naris eyes on my body, watching me as I sulk in silence. "Nari, have you seen Alana? We were hoping you knew." Melanie pipes up, pushing past her brother to catch up with us. Nari shakes his head. "I'm sorry Melanie but I don't. She is probably still at Rise, not many of the directors trusted her," he says meekly, trying not to look at the blue-eyed girl, it's like you can see all the hope drain out of her eyes within minutes. I actually feel sorry for her. I know what it's like to worry for a sibling, not knowing where they are or if there even alive. "I wouldn't worry about her, she's strong," I add lazily, bumping into her side. She smiles and bumps back into me gently. We giggle and link our arms together, strolling into town.