Chapter 5
~Conference and Investigation~
The noise in the room was enough to make anyone not trying to talk over it hard of hearing, but for those with mindspeech, it was deafening. Persephone had to invest all her concentration on her strengthening her shields on her gift of empathy. To her the room mentally felt like a tiny closet in which she had been trapped by fear, stress and tension, physically it was hot, stuffy and loud! Serena and Darien sat on the small raised platform at the back of the room in front of the windows that looked out into the royal gardens. A cool breeze came in through the opened stained glass windows reaching just short of where she was seated on Rini's left front, doing her little good. Traditionally, she would have sat behind her mother, but that law had been changed when assassins got to close for the rulers comfort. Darien stood and held up his hand flat for silence and got it almost immediately. He waited for all eyes to be on him before he spoke.
"My fellow rulers, allies and subjects; you have been called her today under the gravest of circumstances. As you may know, a Council of War has not been called since my mother's time, thousands of years ago and only then had it been called under circumstances just as grave. Only 3 nights ago we were washed over with eyes of evil, evaluating our condition physically, mentally and militarily." He paused to let that sink in before moving on. The whispers started but were hushed when the parties received looks from the higher-ranking nobles.
Amazingly, after the night that the wave of evil flooded over them, it had only taken all the allies only 3 days to arrive at the Moon Court. That, as far as she had learned, was the fastest ever that every single ally had come when called.
"We must decide on a course of action immediately. This hidden enemy must be defeated before it defeats us." He concluded sitting back down as Serena stood up, not giving anyone a chance to even begin talking in between as people tended to do.
"Ladies and gentlemen; remember that this is no ordinary enemy that can be put in its place with a large, strong army and good weapons. This is an enemy that hides in the shadows of evil and feeds off the blood and death of innocents. I would like to introduce Lady Lorelei Annalise ruler over the Eclipse and Lady Talleah of Draco, in which we have allied ourselves with. They know more on the subject of the incident and will fill you in." She sat down in her seat and the whispers started, but this time no one made an effort to stop them. The room sounded like a beehive. After a moment had passed, Serena motioned Talleah and Lorelei up to the front of the platform. They didn't need to call for silence for by the time they reached the platform and were ready to speak, they had everyone's undivided attention, especially Ben's. Persephone turned to where her twin was seated on Rini's right. {This is strange. My empathetic perception never feels like this unless I'm with mother and father. What does all this mean coming from him? I'll have to ask Carra tonight when I scry.} She made a mental note to do just that and turned back to where the two ladies were speaking.
Persephone had heard all the details the morning after Talleah and Lorelei had arrived so she went into a light trance and let her father hear what they were saying. Gaea was listening through Rini since they shared the blood-friend bond, it was easier to "hear" then through Persephone or Ben.
When is was finally over and all but the rulers themselves had gone, Persephone rose to get out of the way of the servants. They had to convert the audience chamber into a war room with large tables that would hold all the current maps the palace possessed. Planning for war must begin now and she was ready for it. People of power roamed around the palace talking to one another about this or that, catching up with other. She let her mind wander and let her feet talk her where they willed. {That was really strange. That feeling was so strong, that feeling only comes when mom and dad are together in each other's arms. Maybe I should talk to mom about this. It came from Talleah and Ben, could they be…no, that's silly…but is it? They could be…but…no. This is way too weird.}
:Dearest, it's not that weird. Your mother and father met and in that instant they knew that they were life-bonded. It's not really that far fetched.: Artimus spoke up after barely speaking all morning. Persephone thought back to the stories that her parents had told her about how they met and nodded which Artimus felt mentally.
:I suppose your right, but Mother never mentioned it feeling this strong and she was the one who was actually feeling it, not picking it up as I did. Maybe I should talk to Mother now.: Persephone said, her mind was working like a mouse trying to find it's way through a maze to get to the cheese.
:If it will make you feel better.: Artimus sighed.
:Yes.: Persephone's mind was still hard at work.
:Then I shall tell Kevin to get me saddled. Come on down to the stables and we'll go together.: She said with a hint of command in her mindvoice. Persephone gave her a mental nod and her feet took her out the main doors that led to the public gardens and on to the stables. {I can't help but to worry about this. There was something else there, something that I can't explain. Behind the over powering life-bond there was a emotion that I can't explain, a need beyond all needs…like a purpose.} She could feel Artimus nod curiously as she followed her train of thought.
~Conference and Investigation~
The noise in the room was enough to make anyone not trying to talk over it hard of hearing, but for those with mindspeech, it was deafening. Persephone had to invest all her concentration on her strengthening her shields on her gift of empathy. To her the room mentally felt like a tiny closet in which she had been trapped by fear, stress and tension, physically it was hot, stuffy and loud! Serena and Darien sat on the small raised platform at the back of the room in front of the windows that looked out into the royal gardens. A cool breeze came in through the opened stained glass windows reaching just short of where she was seated on Rini's left front, doing her little good. Traditionally, she would have sat behind her mother, but that law had been changed when assassins got to close for the rulers comfort. Darien stood and held up his hand flat for silence and got it almost immediately. He waited for all eyes to be on him before he spoke.
"My fellow rulers, allies and subjects; you have been called her today under the gravest of circumstances. As you may know, a Council of War has not been called since my mother's time, thousands of years ago and only then had it been called under circumstances just as grave. Only 3 nights ago we were washed over with eyes of evil, evaluating our condition physically, mentally and militarily." He paused to let that sink in before moving on. The whispers started but were hushed when the parties received looks from the higher-ranking nobles.
Amazingly, after the night that the wave of evil flooded over them, it had only taken all the allies only 3 days to arrive at the Moon Court. That, as far as she had learned, was the fastest ever that every single ally had come when called.
"We must decide on a course of action immediately. This hidden enemy must be defeated before it defeats us." He concluded sitting back down as Serena stood up, not giving anyone a chance to even begin talking in between as people tended to do.
"Ladies and gentlemen; remember that this is no ordinary enemy that can be put in its place with a large, strong army and good weapons. This is an enemy that hides in the shadows of evil and feeds off the blood and death of innocents. I would like to introduce Lady Lorelei Annalise ruler over the Eclipse and Lady Talleah of Draco, in which we have allied ourselves with. They know more on the subject of the incident and will fill you in." She sat down in her seat and the whispers started, but this time no one made an effort to stop them. The room sounded like a beehive. After a moment had passed, Serena motioned Talleah and Lorelei up to the front of the platform. They didn't need to call for silence for by the time they reached the platform and were ready to speak, they had everyone's undivided attention, especially Ben's. Persephone turned to where her twin was seated on Rini's right. {This is strange. My empathetic perception never feels like this unless I'm with mother and father. What does all this mean coming from him? I'll have to ask Carra tonight when I scry.} She made a mental note to do just that and turned back to where the two ladies were speaking.
Persephone had heard all the details the morning after Talleah and Lorelei had arrived so she went into a light trance and let her father hear what they were saying. Gaea was listening through Rini since they shared the blood-friend bond, it was easier to "hear" then through Persephone or Ben.
When is was finally over and all but the rulers themselves had gone, Persephone rose to get out of the way of the servants. They had to convert the audience chamber into a war room with large tables that would hold all the current maps the palace possessed. Planning for war must begin now and she was ready for it. People of power roamed around the palace talking to one another about this or that, catching up with other. She let her mind wander and let her feet talk her where they willed. {That was really strange. That feeling was so strong, that feeling only comes when mom and dad are together in each other's arms. Maybe I should talk to mom about this. It came from Talleah and Ben, could they be…no, that's silly…but is it? They could be…but…no. This is way too weird.}
:Dearest, it's not that weird. Your mother and father met and in that instant they knew that they were life-bonded. It's not really that far fetched.: Artimus spoke up after barely speaking all morning. Persephone thought back to the stories that her parents had told her about how they met and nodded which Artimus felt mentally.
:I suppose your right, but Mother never mentioned it feeling this strong and she was the one who was actually feeling it, not picking it up as I did. Maybe I should talk to Mother now.: Persephone said, her mind was working like a mouse trying to find it's way through a maze to get to the cheese.
:If it will make you feel better.: Artimus sighed.
:Yes.: Persephone's mind was still hard at work.
:Then I shall tell Kevin to get me saddled. Come on down to the stables and we'll go together.: She said with a hint of command in her mindvoice. Persephone gave her a mental nod and her feet took her out the main doors that led to the public gardens and on to the stables. {I can't help but to worry about this. There was something else there, something that I can't explain. Behind the over powering life-bond there was a emotion that I can't explain, a need beyond all needs…like a purpose.} She could feel Artimus nod curiously as she followed her train of thought.