Thorn & Midnight

The wind whipped around her harsh and painful, she drew her cloak closer cursing the ancient rule that disallowed her use of magic on common ground.

Her son was dead.

The thought crossed her mind for what was likely the thousandth time since the infants stillborn death over a week ago she had been a fool to think that her husband's murder was the punishment for her sins, that the pain of his loss would appease the gods after what she had done. No, the lifeless form of her only son was the reparation for her crimes, his eyes that never opened, his lungs that never filled with air, she had prayed to the gods for him after only producing daughters and they had taken him away from her as payment for her wrongdoing. Now as if to rub her nose in it the council had sent word of their displeasure with the latest incident between her family and the Corban's.

Her heels clicked against the tiles of the council's floor. The sooner this was over the better besides her walked her nephew Emrys his petite body hunched forward and his usual cheerful smile replaced with a scowl, under his left eye was a nasty bruise from his scuffle with the youngest Corban boy. As the main doors opened she gently pushed him forward and forced him to stand up straight.

"Queen Aruna, welcome."

She was beautiful, he could not deny that, with her stunning facial features of high cheekbones and full lips with eyes so green they almost seemed unreal. Her snow-white hair was curled and piled high on her head showing off a slender and delicate neck, when her emerald eyes met his black ones it took a moment for him to break away from her gaze. Disgust followed immediately after, he had been trained against the Serpiente snake charm and with one look he had let his guard down, his brother had been a fool to fall into her trap and now he was dead because of it.

He faced the council striving to keep the anger off his face. He had many things to do now that his father had stepped down and wasting time meeting with the council over a squabble between children was not on his list of pressing matters. He glanced at Kenzo, his youngest son at 14 who's lip was still swollen from the altercation, the gash on his cheek was healing slowly and would continue to heal at a slower pace until the boy learned to heal it himself. All Tengu children could harness such things at a young age, Kenzo was behind.

The council of 5 consisted of head members from the oldest family of species directly descended from the Gods, they upheld the laws and regulations that governed all species with the exception of a few such as the Wyverns.

"Aruna Tanith Queen of the Serpiente and Vasco Corban Ruler of the Tengu clan you have both been called here due to a fight between your clan members that not only caused damage to multiple parts of Haulder Square but both Kenzo Corban and Emrys Tanith the originators of the conflict revealed their true forms while humans were about."

Vasco shrugged, "These things happen."

"No one is above council law, exposing oneself to humans is one of the highest crimes a being can commit," The doors on either side of the room opened and council soldiers stepped out,

Aruna gasped as the meaning of their words sank in, she yanked Emrys behind her as her scales revealed themselves becoming a shield, she had already lost her own son she would be damned if she allowed the council to take her sisters. There was a gust of wind as Vasco released his wings and used them to block the path to his son.

"Enough!" Echolls stood, his red eyes glowed as he used his vampiric powers to render everyone motionless. "Defiance of council law is the reason you stand before us today and yet you continue to defy and disrespect them."

"This personal war between your two households has gone on long enough, the poison has spread through generations and now your children are affected," Aoife's voice was soft but firm, "This was merely a test to see if you would abide by our laws...you both failed."

Vasco pulled his wings in and removed the pendant from the inside of his jacket as Aruna pulled off the necklace that held hers, both felt the immediate emptiness as they placed the pendants on the table, the pendants signified their families power and held a great deal of magic, being without them made them vulnerable in a way neither of them had ever felt before. It was a dishonor to lose them, no family had ever had theirs taken away.

Vasco's face was contorted in anger but he knew better than to object, he would make the Serpiente pay for this embarrassment even without the pendant he knew his families powers were triumphant to theirs, the council didn't know it yet but they had just given him a gift, with the Taniths in a weaker state he could finally have what he sought most. Revenge.

Grabbing Kenzo, Vasco swept out of the room but not before throwing a heated glance at Aruna, the door slammed shut behind him. She linked her hands with Emrys' feeling more exhausted than ever before but kept her head high as she headed for the door.

"Aruna?" Aoife's soft voice stopped her in her tracks.

*******

He ignored the stares that bore into him as he walked across the courtyard to the White Tower he held his head up, his shoulders back emitting a false sense of confidence to the onlookers each step was placed with a purpose. After 5 long years, he had finally been called back by the council, maybe it was finally time to move forward, to be forgiven after...His steps faltered, choking back the bile that always followed the memory of that day and continued on his path, as he passed the water sprites fountain his keen senses went into overdrive alerting him of his escorts presence long before he saw him, he didn't bother to turn and look knowing his new babysitter would slip back into the shadow realm before he'd even turned his head. With hastened steps, he reached the door of the White Tower eager to see the council and rid himself of his second shadow.

The White Tower was exactly the same as before, the interior was such a pure white it was almost blinding the furniture was minimal with only a white loveseat and a small round table with a frosted top and at the helm behind the ornate desk stood Quill, who as always wore his white and gold elven robes his long waist-length hair was knotted at his nape and his facial expression was impassive as always.

"Quill it has been some time since I last saw you I hope you've been well." Quill raised an impressively arched eyebrow as his only response.

He continued, "The council is expecting me."

Quill said nothing but the wall behind him parted revealing the path to the council's room.

"Still very talkative I see."

He quickly went through the entrance his body was coiled in nerves as he approached the door with a deep breath he pushed it open.

The council of five sat there faces unreadable as he stepped forward it wasn't until the door closed behind him that the head of the council, Vice, spoke.

"Remington Amoux exiled prince of the once prominent Chauhan clan it has been 5 years since you were brought before us and stripped of your titles for your part in the red forest incident you have been brought forth today in order to be given a chance to begin your redemption."

Remy dropped onto one knee and crossed his right arm over his chest, head bowed "Tell me what I must do." Vice nodded her acknowledgement of his words, Fiska, the head of the original werewolf clan, who sat to Vice's left began to speak. "Your task is to solve the ongoing conflict between the Tanith Serpiente family and the Corban Tengu clan, they have been at odds for over a century now and we have let them be until now."

Remy was familiar with the feud between the two families everyone was but no one knew what had really started it. "What has changed?"

Aslan of the Fae answered, "The conflict has begun to bleed into other communities."

Vice nodded "Yes before it was confined between the two families but lately we have had reports of violent fights in public view and it's started to ripple to the point that humans are starting to chatter."

"We will temporarily remove the seal on your abilities to allow you to find a solution to this conflict before it gets worse," Aslan said.

Remy felt his skin tingle as Vice's lips moved in the incantation to break his seal his body felt a warmth spreading throughout and as she spoke the final lines he could feel the invisible ties that bound his powers begin to fall away until finally he was free for the first time in a long time he felt like himself.

Fiska leaned forward, "both families, as well as all others, will be attending this festival. It is imperative that things be resolved by then if a fight breaks out more lives than just the Serpiente and Tengu's will be at risk."

"This is a trial for you child, a chance to absolve some of what you caused. We would not ask this of you if we were not sure it could be done," Aoife said.

Remy had avoided looking at the mother of magic, he still remembered the look in her eyes at his trial; she had looked utterly heartbroken. The sorrow etched in her features she was the only council member who hadn't voted against him and had tried to reason with everyone after the incident but to no avail. He knew without a doubt that she was the reason he was here at all but still it pained him to look at her because all it brought was a return of memories of his greatest mistake.

"I understand and I am grateful for the opportunity I will do my very best to fulfill your task."

Vice nodded "Good then we are all in agreement on this matter Quill has everything you need."

Remington bowed to each council member ending on Echolls and holding it a bit longer than usual when he finally stood and met Echolls eyes he had to suppress a shudder from the pure hatred he saw there. Echolls had stayed silent during the entire meeting and made no motion to speak which Remy understood it was his people who had suffered most because of Remy's mistakes. He left without another word ready to get started on his journey as if sensing the meeting was over Quill appeared with documents in hand, Remy took the information and headed out. The air felt charged now that he had his powers back he no longer felt tethered, for the first time in 5 years, he let his bones expand and morph until he was a man no longer but a large wolf.

He raced through the forest. I am home.

Inside the council room, Echolls stood, "This is a mistake."