16. Council
Council
“ D uel to the death? Spilling of guts? Blood geysering like a water feature?” Bloom Wintergreen asked Shonda Baston, rubbing her little fairy hands together in evident ecstasy at the subject of her words.
Shonda blinked and her own, much larger right hand lifted to the loop of material around her neck that held up the flowy turquoise dress she wore. “Ah… no, Bloom.”
“But what about the sweet lamentations of his family and friends as his corpse is laid out before us–”
“ No ,” Shonda repeated firmly.
“But he was insulting!” Snow slammed one tiny fist into an equally tiny palm. Her iridescent wings fluttered wildly as she flew around Shonda. “He must pay!”
With his life evidently. Nothing less would do. According to the fairies anyways.
She always remembered what her husband, Michael, said about the fairies, “Cute as buttons if those buttons were red and set off nuclear missiles when pushed.”
“Vesslan is always… to the point,” Shonda said to Bloom politically.
The truth was that she wouldn’t have minded braining Vesslan when he’d swept out of the Council Room, summarily dismissing them, even though they were here to meet the king. But King Aquilan was not there. He was not coming. At least not that night. But did Emissary Vesslan offer them an explanation? No. After his daughter Lady Elasha Fairlynn had crept in, cheeks alternately flushing and paling, and had whispered something in her father’s ear, had gone rigid. His lips had pressed together in a tight line. He’d glared at Elasha so darkly that she had cringed from him. Then he’d pounded his gavel once on the circular Council table.
“Go. The king will not be meeting with any of you this evening,” Vesslan had said and then, without answering any of their questions, he had left, slamming the door in his own daughter’s face. Elasha had to reopen it and creep after him.
“We are here to see the king!” Bloom growled as she whizzed ever faster around Shonda’s head. “And he locked us out of the Council Chamber!”
Vesslan had done that, too. For the moment, he had exited the room with his daughter frantically following after his tall, arrogant form, the Protectors had stepped up behind all of the Councilors’ chairs and politely requested that they vacate the Council Chambers. Now, the dozen Councilors were all milling about in the foyer, uncertain of what to do and all buzzing with the same indignation as Bloom. Though she doubted the others were calling for Vesslan’s head. Not in as strong language anyways.
Shonda’s eyes swept around the space. It was a grand foyer done up in the typical Aravae style with pure white stone columns, a delicate domed roof far above their heads and flowers spilling over the marble floors. Her fellow Councilors were mostly Aravae from the big Houses, but there was also a member from many of the races that made up the Empire.
Bloom represented the fairies, likely because she was the most bloodthirsty of her kind. Ornaren Deepbranch represented the dwarves. Her husband Michael said that Ornaren was just Helgrom Greatfall’s mouthpiece, because Helgrom was a Draesiwen with former deep ties to the Kindreth and Ornaren an Ironen who had eschewed the Under Dark for the most part. For this, Ornaren had to be Helgrom’s public face as none would tolerate a Draesiwen in noble Aravae company.
Norbert Littlefoot with his curly hair and broad smile represented the halflings. He always had a kind word and a nod. His chunky, homely form stood next to the goblin representative Zrudolk Hedeelx, who scowled every time he looked at her. According to Zrudolk, humans didn’t deserve a place on the Council. After all, there were many races who had been a part of the Empire for far longer and had no representation.
“The orcs should get a seat before the humans,” she’d overheard him sneer. “At least, they’re useful for crushing skulls. What are humans good for? Draining our coffers dry! That’s it!”
Besides his racism against humans, she knew that the goblins were touchy about the fact that it was just under King Aquilan that they’d gotten a representative themselves. To have humans given a place at the table of power so soon after had put their backs up. Zrudolk caught her eye and scowled as usual. And, as usual, she gave him the sweetest smile back. That always got him blinking and looking away quickly.
“We are King Aquilan’s Councilors! We should have his ear the moment he arrives! But no! Vesslan has kicked us out!” Bloom raged, fairy dust falling from her little feet onto Shonda’s bare shoulders.
She would have let the glittering stuff stay–for it was pretty–but if it absorbed into the skin some humans became like berserkers. So she quickly dusted it off with a tissue from her clutch purse.
“And we will see him, Bloom. Perhaps he has simply been delayed and they will reschedule the meeting for tomorrow?” she said, but made it sound more like a question than a statement.
But what could delay Aquilan from returning to the Eryas Palace? Had there been more trouble with the Leviathan? She could hardly believe that their threat was truly vanquished. Or was there some new threat that took his attention?
Or maybe he feels the same way we all do about Vesslan.
At that moment, she wished she still had her iPhone. The twenty-four hour cable news would have been breathlessly reporting every single movement of the Sun King if it had still existed. Not only that, she would also have had plenty of aides’ phone numbers to reach out to among Aquilan’s retinue to learn firsthand what was delaying his arrival at the Eryas Palace. Because, despite what Vesslan might think, she and the other Councilors were important people too. And Shonda had always found a way to make her presence known. The corridors of power had never welcomed her willingly. She’d had to bring her own chair to the tables of those who “mattered”. But she’d never let the macro and microaggressions deter her from her job and her job had never been more important than this: representing all of humanity.
But without that useful, addictive device that had practically been physically attached to her right hand in days before the Leviathan when she was a Washington D.C. lawyer and lobbyist, she was cut off from information that wasn’t spoken or written–in gold or silver ink no less!--on creamy, thick paper with magical wax seals that only allowed the true recipient to open them.
Shonda caught sight of Councilor Sorisana Adric, Head of House Adric, one of the largest and most powerful Aravae Houses speaking to someone through a ridwin , which was essentially a magical Facetime spell. Her handsome ebony face was illuminated with golds and blues as she spoke to the unseen person. Sorisana spoke in Katyr, but Shonda had been an eager student of her son Declan.
He had taught her the language and she was determined to master it. But it wouldn’t have mattered even if her understanding were as perfect as perfect could be. The ridwin made sure that no one could overhear Sorisana or even read her lips. But the Aravae Councilor’s expression could be read just as well and the puckered brow followed by the small smile and a disgusted shake of her head, causing her long braids to ripple over broad shoulders told Shonda enough. Sorisana had news.
“I’ll talk to you later, Bloom. Don’t start any wars without talking to me first!” Shonda called over her shoulder.
“He shall pay!” Bloom growled and whizzed up towards the ceiling.
Shonda strode over purposefully to Sorisana. The Aravae woman was millennia old and preferred directness to any kind of sophistry. The truth was that most people wouldn’t dare to come up to her as she was ancient and powerful, but Shonda did. Shonda had . That’s how their unlikely friendship had begun. After surveying the Councilors that first meeting after she’d been appointed by King Aquilan, Shonda had gone up to Sorisana first, extended a hand and smiled. Perhaps Sorisana had simply been surprised at her front assault, but she’d taken Shonda’s hand uncertainly and met her eyes.
“Lady Sorisana Adric, you are the person with whom I have most wanted to meet,” Shonda had said.
Sorisana had lifted a dark eyebrow. “Oh? And why would that be?”
She could have tittered and said any number of vapid compliments. Sorisana had done much in her life. But Shonda had simply said the truth, “You forged your House from nothing and now you are the most respected of all the Aravae outside of the king. I want to learn from you.”
That eyebrow had eased a little and there might have been a slight smile. “I’m surprised you would speak of learning , Mrs. Baston. Most people believe that when they become Councilors that they are here for what they can teach .”
“I can and will offer whatever guidance and experience I have to King Aquilan, but, in truth, I believe that I will be the one that learns most,” Shonda had answered.
“Some people would say that admitting–as a human –that you need to learn something would be dangerous, would lessen any little respect you might be given,” Sorisana said.
“I highly doubt that those who would lessen their respect for me for wanting to learn from someone like you had very much respect for me or humanity in the first place.”
Sorisana laughed, but not unkindly. “Well then, why don’t you sit beside me at the Council table? We can learn from each other that way.”
And that had begun their friendship. Shonda had been right. Befriending and becoming the mentee of such a person had been the best decision she could have made.
The ridwin winked out of existence and Sorisana turned fully towards Shonda, a smile lifting her lips as well as one eyebrow. “Have you avoided bloodshed for the evening?”
“Bloom is… Bloom.” Shonda laughed. “She’ll fly it off.”
“Perhaps her rage at Vesslan is not all that ill-placed.” Sorisana pursed her lips and she flashed a gaze at where the ridwin had been.
“Oh?” So Sorisana had news about Aquilan. And she looked inclined to share it.
“Walk with me?” Sorisana gestured for them to leave the many-columned foyer and enter one of the many courtyard gardens.
“Of course! I have nothing planned. My whole night was allocated here. My family all have things to do without me,” she said as they started walking slowly out into the perfumed night air.
Shonda was tall at 5’9”, but Sorisana was a few inches taller and somehow she made those inches count, gliding rather like a royal barge than walking. Shonda found herself copying some of the older Aravae’s mannerisms. She reminded Shonda of her grandmother who had raised her after her mother’s early passing from cancer. Like all elves, she had no lines on her flawless skin nor any frost in her hair, but she wore her age like regal raiment nonetheless.
“How is your dearest husband? Still fighting the good fight to bring humans into martial matters?” Sorisana asked as they passed down the two graceful steps into the courtyard.
“You think it a foolish endeavor,” she said this without heat, because it was not meant unkindly.
“Not at all. I think it is honorable. But it is a vain endeavor. Without magic–”
“We’re no match for other species. Yes, I know.”
Unlike Michael, Shonda did not mention Declan’s martial prowess as evidence of what humans could be. Her son–and he was her son though she had not birthed him and had not found him until just five years ago–wanted no one to notice him, especially his special abilities. She remembered that first year after the Leviathan had attacked how Gemma would wake up screaming in the middle of the night. Shonda would be holding her, stroking her back, but her sobs were relentless. But then Declan would appear in the doorway to her bedroom and the sobs would choke off.
“Declan!” Gemma would cry out and reach for him with one arm while holding onto Shonda with the other. And Declan would come. Sitting on the other side of Shonda with Gemma between them.
How many nights had all five–her, Gemma, Michael, Finley and Declan–of them huddled in the same bedroom until dawn? With Declan somehow keeping them all from going mad? With his steadying, solid presence even allowing her beloved husband to catch a few hours of sleep? Too many to count. But though it had been fear and scars that had brought them together like that, there was a certain sweetness to those memories, too. And those dark nights had welded them together. Stronger than steel. Deeper than blood. She would die for her boys the same as she would die for Gemma.
“And yet, Sorisana, there are more things involved in winning a fight than strength, speed and magic,” Shonda said quietly.
“Like intelligence? Emotional understanding? Yes, I agree and humanity has much to offer there,” Sorisana said.
“You’re one of the few on the Council who believe that.”
They were passing by rose bushes bursting with blooms towards the center of the courtyard where a lovely fountain burbled. There were a few benches to sit and gaze about there as well. Shonda’s eyes were drawn upwards, for a moment, towards the brilliant night sky where stars glittered like diamonds. Never had she seen night skies so brilliant before the war. There was no light pollution–or any other kind of pollution–to block them out anymore. And her breath caught as she saw that sky. While she missed her iPhone, she couldn’t deny that sky.
“I lived in Illithor,” Sorisana suddenly said, her long-fingered hands lacing together in front of her beautiful crimson dress.
“Illithor?” Shonda frowned. She knew that name! Surely, Finley had mentioned it though she couldn’t remember in what context.
“The Kindreth capital city. Well, it was before King Xelroth Vex abandoned it to seek… seek other things,” she said.
“You… you lived in the Night Elf city?” Shonda’s eyes widened.
She couldn’t help herself. Illithor was said to have been abandoned ages ago. That meant that Sorisana was far older than she had ever suspected. And no Aravae ever admitted to any connection with the Kindreth! But it would give her a far more cosmopolitan view of other species to have lived among the Aravae’s dread enemy.
Sorisana nodded. “My mother was Councilor to Sun King Ailduin.”
“So King Ailduin visited Illithor?”
“Visited?” Sorisana laughed. “Oh, my dear, he lived there! He built it with King Vex! There was no other place he loved more. No place he considered more home . Illithor. Glorious Illithor. I shall never forget it.”
Shonda blinked again. “That’s… My son, Finley, will be all agog to hear this! He’s fascinated with Aravae and Kindreth history.” Sorisana nodded again as if this was a sensible thing to be fascinated by. Finley was sensible, if nothing else. “But I had no idea that there was such a deep connection between the Aravae and the Kindreth. There is so much… animosity now.”
The Aravae Councilor sat down on the bench nearest the bubbling, burbling fountain. Shonda sat beside her, feeling the cool press of stone even through her silk dress.
“Ah, but that should have clued you in that we were close once. No greater hatred can be borne than out of the greatest love,” Sorisana said.
“I suppose that’s true, but it makes it even more sad.”
“Infinitely sad. What Finley will find in no books nor spoken of by any of our current scholars is that when the Aravae collaborated with the Kindreth and, quite frankly, all the species in the Under Dark and beyond far more, we had our greatest renaissance. Our differences were what inspired us, challenged us, and made us… better.” Sorisana was gazing into the distance speculatively.
“And you think humanity can bring the same kind of renaissance?” Shonda guessed.
A nod. “If we focused on your strengths and saw your weaknesses as an opportunity to innovate, just imagine what we could do together? Humanity shaped this world all on its own without magic.”
“Many would say we did a bad job of it.”
A shrug. “You are young. And every species can be greedy and shortsighted. Trust me on this. But, in your case, the Leviathan took away the chance to see clearer and do better. Unless we give it back to you. Or you take it back.”
“Duke Rohannan is all for taking it back,” Shonda replied dryly.
A small smile from Sorisana. “He is not just smarting from the loss of what he sees as humanity’s greatness, but his own place in that scheme of things.”
Shonda knew what she meant. How many times had she been the only woman in the room, let alone the only person of color, and found herself the odd person out in the pre-Leviathan times? Too many times to count. Though it had been unfair and infuriating, she had persevered and persevered and persevered against the senseless sexism and racism she experienced. Shonda was certain that Rohannan likely hadn’t had it easy either with many of his own crosses to bear, but his race and sex had given him a leg up in ways he likely hadn’t fully realized in the old world.
Or maybe he had realized it, but coming up against the fact that this new world not only wouldn’t give him any respect whatsoever, but automatically saw him as “human” only and that meant “lesser” had beaten him down in ways that it hadn’t her, because of her lived experience. She remembered meeting his eye after a meeting in which Vesslan had been, as always, downright insulting about his desire to save Chicago. For a moment, there had been an understanding between them that might not have been there before. But then he’d turned away from her and the Council. Too stung and angry to tolerate being treated unfairly. And she understood that well too.
“In any event, my understanding of what we all could gain from humanity’s entry into the Empire is colored by that past, that knowledge that our scholars would ignore now,” Sorisana said softly.
“Do you think King Aquilan feels the same way you do?”
Sorisana’s expression brightened for a moment. “Well, he is rather the spitting image of Ailduin so I have hopes. Great hopes.”
“You said earlier that Bloom had reason to be annoyed with Vesslan for something other than his usual terseness. Is he why Aquilan didn’t come to the palace tonight?”
A nod then a rather impish smile. “It seems that King Aquilan met Duke Rohnannan and your husband on the road to Tyrael.”
“Michael?!” Her husband had made no mention of seeking out the king on his own. She’d have been annoyed he didn’t ask her to join his plot.
“Yes, it is my understanding that the king, Lord Neres and your husband are having a rather wonderful time at The Sudden Dawn Inn this evening rather than a stuffy Council Meeting,” Sorisana chuckled.
“They’re at the Dawn?”
Shonda now really wished she had her phone. Michael would have immediately informed her that he was holding court with the king! He’d have asked her to come. She’d get her chance to really talk to Aquilan, not likely about matters of state, but to befriend him, to get to know him and for him to get to know her. These moments were invaluable for later when he would seek counsel from her. Or whether he would seek counsel from her at all.
“Indeed. Apparently, Aquilan did not like what he was hearing from either the Separatists or the Loyalists about Vesslan’s rule in his absence,” Sorisana explained. “So he wanted to hear directly from the people what’s been going on and told Vesslan to sock his plans.”
“And what better place to hear from the people than the Dawn.”
“Indeed.”
The humans who had chosen to be a part of the Aravae Empire were often called Loyalists, which Shonda felt a little uneasy about. They wanted to be a part of the new world, but the word “Loyalist” made it seem as if they were holding onto something rather than turning towards something new. Of course, the Separatists called them simply Traitors or Sympathizers.
“Vesslan thinks to control Aquilan,” Sorisana mused, “like he thought he used to when they were children. But the truth was that Aquilan was too easy going to put his foot down. Yet what Vesslan took as biddableness is really steel beneath a velvet glove.”
“From everyone, I have heard that King Aquilan is incredibly kind.”
She nodded. “Oh, yes. Like Ailduin, he calls people to their better natures. Ailduin kept Vex in the light for a very long time. Very long.” Her expression became incredibly sad and, for a moment, she looked old to Shonda. Sorisana shook herself. “But just like Ailduin, Aquilan is as powerful as he is good. Make no mistake about him. He is no weakling. He will not bow to Vesslan or anyone else when it comes down to it.”
“So this is Vesslan’s first taste of that power?”
A dark chuckle. “Oh, yes, and he clearly did not like it. Though I pray he does not take it out on that poor girl, Elasha.”
Shonda said nothing. She was not a fan of Vesslan’s daughter. While she didn’t like anyone being treated as sometimes Vesslan treated her, Elasha parroted her father’s prejudice with too much zeal and glee for her taste. What would it take to shake Elasha out of her blind obedience to her father?
Probably something terrible and I don’t wish that upon her.
“Well?” Sorisana said with a lifted eyebrow.
“Well?” Shonda blinked at her.
“Come, my dear, you have a king to go meet.”
“But… you don’t mind me leaving you? Or rather, won’t you come with me? We should go see Aquilan together,” Shonda offered.
Hopefully, Helgrom hadn’t sold out of his roast beef. Speaking to the king and eating the Dawn’s delicious food sounded so much better than what her evening had been.
Sorisana shook her head. “I have known Aquilan since he was a baby. He has heard enough from me. You are the newest of his Councilors. He has yet to hear your voice. Raise it so he will listen.”
Shonda leaned over and gave the Aravae woman a kiss on the cheek, which had Sorisana lifting both eyebrows, but with pleasure. “Thank you, Sorisana. For everything.”
“I believe that there will come a day soon when I will be thanking you. Now go! The night is wasting and the wine is flowing.”
Her laughter followed Shonda as she hurried back into the palace. She hurried towards the front gates, her mind filled with the possibilities of what she might say and how the king would be. Oh, and roast beef! But just as she was hustling down the final hallway, she heard raised voices ahead of her. It was Elasha and her twin brother Darcassan. The brother and sister were right in front of the main entrance having a squabble.
“... you can’t go out now, Darcassan!” Elasha cried in Katyr.
Shonda slowed her steps and opened her purse as if looking for something inside of it.
“Why not? I have things I must do.” Darcassan, a solidly built youth with the Fairlynn coloring, shook off his sister’s restraining hand.
“Protectors have seen Leviathan in the ruins at this hour! It's not safe!” Elasha protested.
Darcassan rolled his blue eyes. “Here you fear a lone Leviathan or two while you ignore the true danger of a whole horde of them! It’ll be far less safe if I don’t find a rift to Illithor!”
Illithor? How strange to hear this city’s name twice tonight.
Shonda continued to pretend to rummage in her purse as she passed by the twins. Since she was human, they would hardly take notice of her, Councilor or not. They likely had no idea she could understand Katyr.
“That’s nonsense, Darcassan! I told Uncle Aquilan about your mad ideas already and he agreed–”
“ You told him?” Darcassan had gone rigid. “ You who made him so damned angry that he went to a dwarven tavern instead of his own palace?”
Elasha crossed her arms over her chest defensively. “I… it doesn’t matter! He still thinks its mad that there’s a rift to Illithor and–”
“When I bring him proof , he won’t think it mad, Elasha.” Darcassan stormed out of the main gates.
“Wait, Darcassan!”
“Stay here, Elasha, or Father will punish you further!” Darcassan tossed over his shoulder as he disappeared into the night.
Shonda’s expression showed she was worried for the young Aravae. The ruins of Chicago were still dangerous, especially at this hour, and attempting them alone. She opened her lips to say something comforting to Elasha, but the girl was already turning and striding down the hall, her face tearstained and wretched. Shonda knew that her words would not likely be met with welcome. So while Elasha went deeper into the Eryas Palace, Shonda made her way out into the night and to the Dawn.