The Prodigies: The Return of Equinox

Chapter Fifty-Six: Return

After what seemed like a fortnight since all the eleventh-year prodigies had left for their assignments the High Council met together. Most of their meeting was the usual stuff. Taxes from lords and ladies, new citizen developments in their respective regions, legislation that had been put forth, and more. There was an especially unique event this time with quite a large number of quarter-kin claiming a piece of land in the northern region as their city.

"I'll be damned if quarter-kin think they can just go around claiming land like this. Who do they think they are?" Adun flipped through various books and leaflets while Archus fumed about the absolute uppity of the pixies and undermining of the government by the hands of fairies. Something something about gnomes and sprites. Whatever else it was that Archus felt like complaining about.

"Well, is it illegal?" Asked Aath. "If it is I'm sure one of your nearby villages or towns can send in a couple of rowdy young boys to take care of it for you."

"Well, first of, thats just under genocide depending on what happens, and second, it's not illegal under any sense."

"Good, then we should move along with giving them what they want. Not like it matters too much. How much land could they possibly need?" Aegon had just begun drafting an official notice of city recognition.

"They're asking for a whole ten acres to start with! How unreasonable could they get!" The pink-red apple posing as the Northern Councilman began to sweat at the strain of existing.

"Well, in my experience," Allyn started, "quarter-kin have always erred on the side of caution. This amount of land might be the smallest amount they can live with. Could possibly be that they might actually need more."

"They will have none of it recognized!"

"Have you ever been the target of a spiteful quarter-kin in your life, Archus?" Allyn spoke with a soft tremble hidden behind his rustic accent.

"I can't say I have."

"Well, I wouldn't want to be one again if I can help it. The last time it happened, I had slugs coming out of every hole in my body." Archus went from tomato to peeled potato in that instant.

"Excuse me?" Adun couldn't believe what he had just heard. "Slugs? Every hole? When was this?"

"I was about a young lad of twenty-four. I had smashed a quarter-kin house that was next to my woodpile during the winter. It took me about a week to figure out what I had done, and then another day to make it right."

"Well, lets make it a score of acres then, to be safe." Aegon could barely contain the laughter in him.

"Sounds like a good plan, Archus. This is a good day for-"

"They've returned!" A young woman ran through the chamber door with various books and scrolls

"Who?"

"The eleventh company! The ones you sent to avert some issues, but not sure which ones they could have taken care of. There's no records about what they were doing, or for how long."

"Oh, then send them in. To one of the west courts, we'll be there shortly."

. . .

Tora was in a chamber whose walls were lined with all kinds of holy books. She was reading some scripture about the First Goddess, her namesake. She hadn't kept up with her services these past few months. There was stuff here that varied a bit compared to what the priest in the training camp talked about, but the general gist of it was still there.

The chamber door opened and Tora spun to exchange glances with whoever it was that entered. To her delightful surprise, it was her friend. She ran towards her with open arms.