Aru Shah 3.5 (DISCONTINUED)

The Council's Decree

A/N Small time skip. I'm not really sure of all the members of the Council and I'm lazy, so just replace my choices with yours if I've made a mistake. Sort-of angst.

AIDEN'S POV

The Potatoes stood in a line in front of the Council: Mini, Brynne, Aiden, and Sheela and Nikita respectively. Rudy had gone home. Perhaps he sensed no one wanted to talk: he'd left with a muttered goodbye.

Aiden barely heard the Guardians arguing. Watching Aru fade away like she'd never existed...she'd been so real, so vibrant, so ready to risk everything. He couldn't believe that she'd simply dissolved into grey mist. He blinked away a tear and clutched Shadowfax close. He could feel Brynne looking at him, but he didn't return her gaze. She was a little too good at reading his face.

Boo looked as agitated as was possible for a pigeon. His feathers ruffled until he looked like a pincushion. "I believe in my charge. She must still be alive!"

Uloopi frowned. "If she is alive, then it will be for the Sleeper's benefit. She has valuable knowledge."

"Aru would not--" began Brynne hotly.

"Talk?" finished Uloopi smoothly. "There is more than one method to make sure of that. She will be disposed of once Suyodhana no longer finds her useful. But if she has willingly given herself to the Sleeper, her life will be spared by him."

Urvashi looked regretful from her throne, scanning them all with sad eyes. "If the girl is lost, the soul of Arjuna will be reincarnated into a new body. Your next mission is to find your new sister. There will be no time limit."

"All in favor?" Hanuman asked.

The entire Council raised their hands.

"I have an addition," Uloopi said, her chin rising.

"Speak," Hanuman said.

"If you find the girl alive you must return her to us. If she has freely assisted the enemy...she will be banished or executed."

Aiden's gut tightened with nausea. He looked at his friends. Mini's face was red, from anger or fear he couldn't tell. Brynne's hands tightened into fists. Nikita looked like she was on the verge of screaming. Sheela had an unreadable expression on her face. None of them spoke.

"All in favor?" Urvashi said.

Every Guardian lifted their hand.

"Those are your duties," Hanuman pronounced, not unkindly. The monkey-faced demigod looked at each of the Pandavas in turn. "Train hard and look well."

- - -

Aiden wished he'd thought to ask Rudy for one of his sleep jewels. Tonight, he wasn't sure he would be able to catch a wink of sleep. His hands fisted in his blanket and he stared at the ceiling.

He thought he would know if Aru had died. They had some kind of connection, he was sure of it. It just wasn't as reliable as the Pandava mind link. And if Aru ever betrayed them, it would be because the enemy had fed her propaganda. Aiden was certain that she would die before willingly relaying information about the Pandavas. And he was afraid she would.