Chapter 7 Lively
Lively
Earlier…
Aquilan tried to hide his yawn behind his hand as Councilor Zrudolk Hedeelx, the goblin representative on the Radiant Council, went on and on and on about trade routes between Earth and the Lieran Plane.
In truth, this was important. Establishing gates and ensuring that there was a free flow of goods would help humanity get fully back on their feet while they re-established some of their own industry without the pollutants, chemicals and other noxious toxins they had used before.
But this report should have been fifteen minutes, but it had stretched to near a whole hour as Zrudolk rocked back and forth on his heels and toes praising himself, his people, which were an extension of himself, the workers, which were another extension of himself and even some of the other Council members, which were…
yet another extension of himself in his opinion.
Aquilan caught the eye of Councilor Sorisana Adric, the head of House Adric, the most powerful house in the Empire, who sent him a small smile.
She hadn’t yawned, but her pen, which normally flew over her journal, taking notes, had stopped moving sometime ago.
He smiled back at her. He’d had only limited time to speak to her in the past, but he thought that he ought to deepen their friendship.
In fact, he thought that she was old enough to perhaps have known of the time of Illithor.
She might have thoughts on Vex that were more… three-dimensional than others.
It was at that moment that Zrudolk took a breath, which he had not done since he had started. Aquilan immediately shot to his feet. Everyone stared at him, being startled out of the drowse they’d all been falling into, including Vesslan.
“What a wonderful presentation, Councilor Hedeelx!” Aquilan clapped and urged the others to as well, which they did tepidly. “You’ve truly accomplished much in establishing these trade routes and we’re all very proud.”
Zrudolk’s thin lips were open. He clearly had been intending on continuing to extol the virtues of his own genius, but finally he simply bowed and reluctantly sat down.
Aquilan remained standing for fear that yet another of his Councilors would launch into a presentation of their own about cabbages.
He could almost hear Rhalyf snorting now in dry amusement.
And where was his best friend? Rhalyf should be suffering here with him!
He’d gone to his rooms after leaving his beloved Shadow, but Rhalyf hadn’t been there and his bed hadn’t been slept in.
A quick check with his magical senses told him that Rhalyf wasn’t even in the Eyras Palace.
He’d been afraid that Vesslan had shooed Rhalyf out of those rooms, but that seemed not to be the case.
Maybe the gilt had simply been too much and Rhalyf had gone to the Dawn to sleep.
He wouldn’t have blamed him. Really he wished there was a way to shape the palace magically like the books had claimed Ailduin and Vex had done with Illithor.
I wonder if there is a way. Vex would know. Maybe he would tell me how to do it, Aquilan found himself thinking idly.
But the moment he thought of Vex helping him was the moment he remembered that Declan–his beloved Shadow–was waiting for him upstairs.
He’d promised eggs, ham and pastry and had thought to be back there already.
His stomach was already grumbling and his arms longed for Declan’s strong form in them.
So it was time to end this meeting. He’d done his duty and finally met with the Council.
Best not let a good thing go on too long.
Aquilan flashed one of his brilliant smiles around the table, it actually became genuine when he caught Shonda Baston’s eye, and said, “After hearing from Councilor Hedeelx, it is clearer to me than ever how much each of you has to do and I would not wish to keep you from it. So I believe that we should end for today and–”
“But we have yet to discuss the landholds!” A cultured, but slightly nasal voice rose up from down the table. It was Councilor Eliath Fenric. Leader of House Fenric, his House was the second in size and wealth only to House Adric though he was relatively young compared to her.
Eliath had long honey-blonde hair plaited in the traditional northern style of the Aravae.
His swordsman's body was leaning back almost negligently in the overly ornate chair. He wasn’t quite sprawled, but there was something disrespectful in the wide-legged pose.
He had been on the front lines in the war with the Leviathan.
But though they had battled together, Aquilan was not fond of him.
He was arrogant, haughty and looked down upon others openly.
The problem with him was that he was also skilled with blade and word and he was not alone in wanting to discuss the divvying up of Earth.
Aquilan felt as much as saw all the other Councilors lean forward in their seats, hoping to finally get the treasure part of this blood and treasure campaign.
His chest grew tight. He truly did not want to discuss this now.
Or ever. But he knew that was not possible.
In this, no one would be completely happy.
Nor would it be completely fair. And he knew that humanity would receive the least of it all.
He was surprised that his brother did not pipe in right then as well, but Vesslan was studiously not looking up, studying a paper before him as if he wasn’t hearing this at all.
He wanted Aquilan to be the one to take the political heat one way or another.
It was wrong of him to expect his brother to step in.
He had made this deal. It was up to him to honor it.
There are not enough humans to populate even a tenth of the Earth now. I am not taking something from them that they can actually use, he reminded himself. And not even this many would be alive if not for the sacrifice of House Fenric and the others. They must be rewarded.
Aquilan carefully arranged the papers–reports as high as six inches–in front of him as he formulated his response, “I realize that you are eager to begin restoring Earth after the war–”
“The war hardly caused damage to this place compared to the humans’ prior activities,” Councilor Myriana Grelar muttered.
She was an elegant Aravae with black hair shot through with bronze.
“Their oceans are filled with trash. The local wildlife chokes on–what is it called–plastic, which is made from refined oil.” She shuddered.
“Not to mention the primitive medical waste that washes up on the beaches!”
“They destroyed so many forests! Tore them down to make room for–for strip malls!” Councilor Bloom Wintergreen, the fairy council member, chirped and shook a small angry fist. “I should turn them into strip malls! Whatever those are!”
“Even the remnant of the city they want to save nearby is polluted, not to mention infested with Leviathan and who knows what from the Under Dark!” Councilor Norbert Littlefoot, the halfling representative, chimed in.
If they knew the truth of what the city hid, Norbert’s words would be shouted out of every throat.
“I believe the point that everyone is trying to make is that we would not so much be restoring the land,” Vesslan spoke dryly, “as saving it by taking it over.”
“But it isn’t yours to save. Humanity may not have been the best steward of this world, but we are a young species compared to all of you and magic was not available before now.
We were learning and, I believe, in time, we would have changed our ways.
” Shonda had remained silent up to that point.
She had listened and watched the others silently.
Now her eyes snapped with energy. He could tell that she was tightly controlling herself.
“But regardless, this is our world. No matter what you think of humanity’s actions up to this point, that is a fact.
So all this talk of divvying up land like Earth is some kind of pie is–”
“Only fair,” Myriana cut in. Her right hand balled into a fist. “My brother died saving humans. He gave his immortal life for your people. Countless of your people. And he is far from the only one. Would you say we are owed nothing for what we did? After all, we could have just waited until all of humanity was wiped out and then come here to destroy the Leviathan.”
Shonda drew in a breath. “Clearly, I believe in coexistence. I wouldn’t be on this Council if I didn’t. But acting as if Earth should just be handed over to you without any concern for the fact that humans already live here–”
“Those humans will be moved if that is necessary or they will have to apply to join the House that will own the land,” Eliath pointed out. “Just like any other citizen in the Empire.”
“Moved?” Shonda blinked at him. “From their homes? Those are their homes, Councilor.”
“Their homes are mostly gone,” Eliath shook his head. “Those in the Empire have been assigned land. They will be assigned new land if they must.”
“If someone came to you and said, Eliath, you must move. I am taking over your land. Here is some other land. Would you move? Would you just accept that?” Shonda stared hard at him.
“That is not comparable,” he said with a shake of his head.
“Why? Because you have lived there a long time?” Shonda shook her head.
Her voice rose, “Because you are immortal and we are not? This is our world, Eliath. And as many as the Aravae and others died fighting here, more humans died defending this place than anyone else. Every single grain of soil is stained with our blood. Who are you to tell us to move from where our brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters or friends died? Who are you?”