Chapter 14: A little Espionage
Just if Autumn's birthday comes and she is 19 years old, things are becoming, yet again, a bit tensioned. Allomere knows that Autumn is cheating on him, but he doubts that she would risk her morals. He also knows that she has to remain married to him, or she will be killed or imprisoned. Either way, Allomere has the upper hand for all the wrong reasons.
Autumn is trying to spend time with Ezylryb, but trying to keep things secret is hard. Allomere is keeping his eye on Autumn whenever he can. Autumn is getting annoyed from having the bastard around her. She hates it when she is on her search and rescue chaw missions. Autumn herself then goes on protest and she then does her work in the weather interpretation chaw. Sure, she flies out into storms and her cotton/silk cape adsorbs water like a sponge, but she enjoys it. Ezylryb and Autumn have fun. Ezylryb would teach Autumn to fly with her gizzard, but he wouldn't want her to get hurt or anything.
The Wintertime comes and Autumn decides to go to the Ambala Fashion Week. Aaron hates fashion and he is dealing with a UKO senator crisis. She doesn't bother to tell Allomere where she is going or what she is doing. She tells everyone else and some members of the Royal Guard follow Autumn to the fashion week. It comes the day of her departure and she leaves in the middle of the day. Before she leaves, she sneaks into Ezylryb's hollow and kisses his head.
"I'll be gone for a week, ok. Don't worry about me or you will be not very happy. Love you." Autumn whispers
She then takes off. Ezylryb opens his eyes and he had heard what she had said. She takes off out of the Ga'Hoole Tree. A few moments later, Ezylryb leaves too, knowing that she will be in a place where her brother can find her and possibly, he has heard of what she has been doing. He doesn't want her to be like what happened to her ex-boyfriend that she talked about the night they had their little locking of beaks, as Autumn calls kissing.
They arrive in Ambala while the sun is still high. Autumn herself takes rest at Prime Minister Ethan's hollow. He isn't there as he is by King Aaron's side as he is dealing with the UKO and the Ambalan senator. She enters what is supposed to be the room that Ethan put aside for her. It has most of the things she had left behind. Most of her beautiful cloaks that her attendants didn't pack, some scarves and their pins and broaches. Even some of her books that are tattered and worn, with pages an aged yellow colour. She takes a heavy sigh, as she is homesick still.
"Reminds me of my home…" She thinks to herself with a saddening sigh
She picks up a scarf that has a few drops of blood on it. She remembers what it is from and remembers that night oh so well. She is stuck nightdreaming this vision until one of the guard raise attracts her attention by saying her name.
"Autumn Rose." The guard says
"What is it?" She asks
"What shall we do now? Do you require any fervour assistance, milady." The guard asks
"Patrol the area, if you may. My brother could be around." She replies with a grimace
"yes, your grace." The guard says before leaving the room
Autumn is all alone in this room. She takes off her amber scarf and her crown and picks up a book.
"I remember when you used to read me this book, mama." She mutters to herself with a tear coming from her eye "…That was before Aaron first laid a talon on me…"
"…And I will never let him do that, not while I am breathing." A voice says
Autumn turns around and sees Ezylryb and she is shocked and happy to see him. She snuck out for the reason that he was not going to endanger him by following. They have a very secretive and sentimental relationship, and if Aaron finds out that she is with this certain owl, infatuated yes too, he will be killed. She gives him a hug.
"What are you doing here? I didn't want you here, my love." Autumn asks
"It is worse than I thought. I have been hiding some information from you." Ezylryb replies
"What?!" she exclaims in shock surprise "You hid something from me?"
"Aaron will kill you, Autumn. He found out. I didn't want to tell you as you wanted to go to the Ambala Fashion Week. I didn't want to disappoint you, my precious." He explains with a disappointed expression, he knows she is slightly mad at him and is expecting her to slap him at any moment for withholding information. He doesn't feel writing pain in his cheek though.
However, the small spotted owl turns her head in silence and a tear can be seen trickling down her bleached white face. She starts to cry. He holds her close and hushes her in attempt to comfort her, but these attempts are failing.
"Me and my sprinking girly side. I am endangering myself just being here." She laments, "This accused side wanted to see what is the latest trends and I hate it. I hate it!"
"When there is risk, there is always reward." He says, confusing her a bit
"Huh?" She queries, "Whatever do you mean by such? I don't understand how this applies."
"You may be in the line of fire, but you still get to reward the girly side of you by going to fashion shows and getting designer trinkets and attires." He explains
Autumn lets out a realisation "oh" and Ezylryb chuckles. He finds her cute when she doesn't understand. After what is a little bit of staying up, they both pass out. The middle of the night comes and Autumn is still asleep while she cuddles up to the one she considers her beloved, rather than the one she was forced to be wed with.
The fashion week begins by dawn and the runway is lined with models with the latest in trend. Autumn attends the parties and meets designers. Her linguist speaking ability is being tested as she speaks with owls who can speak any of the languages used. One of the designers wants to make a special cape for Autumn to wear and she says yes. The whole of the week, Autumn's girly side is unleashed as she shops until she drops. Sadly, Ezylryb is stuck as the pack mule, he finds it degrading and otherwise annoying to have to carry so much stuff, but he knows that Autumn is happy. That is all the matters. He knows if they are spotted together, when acting all couple like, Aaron himself would execute them.
Autumn takes Ezylryb to the Palace to meet her sister in law. He bows for the Ambalan Queen and she finds him quite the gentleowl. He also meets Autumn's niece, Sabyna. She reminds him of Barran of when she was the age of what Sabyna is now. They have some time to chat and to tell stories and stuff like that.
On their last day in Ambala, Ezylryb and Autumn spend some time where there is nothing disturbing them. They drink a few glasses of wine, share jokes, tell stories and even mock Allomere. Then they have a small make out… Before Autumn accidently spills a glass of wine on one of her white scarves, staining it pink. She then cleans it up and is quite disappointed when she sees the stain on her scarf.
The next night, they return to Ga'Hoole. The flight home sadly has a downside as Autumn has a small hangover migraine. When she gets home, she is mobbed by the Ga'Hoolian Ladies. They ask her what it was like and all that. She also got her two besties something from the fashion week. She got Barran a sapphire necklace and Strix Struma an emerald necklace. She makes a quip that she hardly put a dent in her inheritance of shinies she possesses.
Barran asks why Ezylryb followed her and he doesn't say why. Barran just smiles and attends to an emergency in the GTA.
The GTA year gets more stressful and somewhat strenuous as the second semester exams are coming up. Autumn has been preparing her students so they could have a chance for the master class in Senior Year for the Middle Year 2 students and preparing the Middle Year 1's for their first Middle Year Exams. Autumn organises time where she can tutor students that need her help. It is tiring her out anyways. Like most GTA rybs, the early nights and late days really take it out if them this time of the year. She isn't the only teacher that does this. Rybs of Junior Year and Ezylryb help their students in exam time. Master Class students in Fire Master and Moon Master don't need the help as they don't do electives unless they want to and they study in any spare moment.
The results come after the exams and five of Autumn's Middle Year 2 students made it in the high marks. In addition, three of them have been assured a place in Moon Master for Senior Year. Autumn is proud of their achievement and they give her a special card, saying thank you. To their favourite ryb for helping them in Exam Week.
Just as the holidays are coming up, the distant gap between Allomere and Autumn is becoming bigger. Autumn is always leaving the tree to Ambala and he says that she will get herself killed. She knows it was he who told her brother and she says the most vulgar things to him before going to a wedding in Ambala. In context, things are becoming more distant and otherwise hating toward each other. Whenever they talk, they always fight. Boron and Barran don't know what to think of this. Boron wants to try to get the marriage councillor onto them, like they have, but he knows that it will be an epic disaster waiting to happen.
Allomere himself is speaking more with Metalbeak in St. Aegolius. He is trying to strike a deal with his business partner to have the Ambalan King (Aaron) assassinated. He thinks he would have a chance at the throne with Autumn. He knows that Aaron would only leave the throne to someone that isn't his sister. He could leave it to his daughter, making his wife ruling as the daughter is the heir. On the other hand, he would leave it to his brother in law, who was the only one that would have taken the spotted, bleached, bigmouthed midget (Autumn) off his wings.
His impatience is making the relations worse. He wants to say to Autumn that she will have to take the throne when her brother dies, but she could reveal that he is a Pure One spy and a traitor to the Guardians. Things are more awkward because of this secret detail. Autumn asks why he leaves the tree most of the time. He isn't in the Owl World Elite Resistance, so he cannot say that is the reason. He uses the Search and Rescue Chaw as a reason and the UKO as the other. He only became Ga'Hoole's United Kingdoms of Owl Senator as he is also stealing secrets from them and the OWER for the Pure Ones.
Upon one night's talking, Allomere's impatience is being tested. The Pure Ones are more focused on taking Tyto over completely; they already have control of the northern boundary near the border of the Beaks, controlled by their base in kingdom. Allomere plans to use blackmail to get what he wants, but there is nothing to expose really. Unless he starts to use a little bit of observance just to push the buttons of a certain Sooty Owl.
"…You are saying that Tyto is more important than a kingdom I can have control of by killing their king and using the fact I am married to his sister to claim it, then go ahead." Allomere complains
"I am trying to work on it, but if you haven't realised, Allomere, there are other things besides Ambala and their succession to deal with." Metalbeak scorns stating the obvious
"What other things? Trying to get an heir? As far as I know, Nyra still doesn't…" Allomere says, pushing the Pure One King's buttons
"Shut up, you insolent hack." Metalbeak orders with a roar of anger
"I could break our little deal, Metalbeak. I am the reason we got the location of where the Charid. If you didn't have anyone on the inside of the world's biggest operations, you all would be hopelessly lost." Allomere replies
"Fine! We will try to find out when we can do this. As long as you can have Ezylryb exterminated, that little spotted midget forced to follow your every whim and to have no leads as to who did it." Metalbeak surrenders
"In return, I will tell you a piece of vital information. The UKO are thinking of using the OWER to arrest Nyra and execute her. I would not let her out of your sight, if I were you." Allomere informs him in return
"Good to know. Now go." Metalbeak says before contemplating some thought. Allomere is almost out the door when the High Tyto says, "Wait a moment. I have one last order. Find out as much about what will make Autumn a formidable foe and report back."
"I am just thinking about doing that." Allomere says before he leaves the room.
Autumn herself is suspicious of what Allomere is up to. For some reason, she feels like her gizzard is telling her that he is evil, when the fact is that he is working for three different organisations against the Pure Ones. She doesn't know why her gizzard is making her feel like this. She knows that there is something dark about him, but she doesn't know what. She also knows he can't be a Pure One, since he isn't a Tyto of some sort. She decides to keep her eye on Allomere, even if he is watching her like a hawk.
The summertime comes once again. Autumn herself is looking forward to a little party that Strix is holding to celebrate the coming of summer. She thinks a little get-together is a good way to celebrate the first days if summer. Autumn attends the party, with the exception of Boron and Barran, as they are a bit busy. Allomere sends her to the party, but he says if she is with Ezylryb, he will send her to Ambala to be murdered. She then rolls her eyes and takes off. She knows he doesn't want to do that, seeing as she is filthy rich and involved with the succession.
As Autumn parties the day away, Allomere digs around her room. He is looking for something he can blackmail her with, besides knowing of the fact that she is cheating on him. He finds letters and they are from Merissa. Several other things are found and afterwards He leaves the room a complete mess. Allomere writes a scroll for Metalbeak, reporting his findings.
Autumn comes home to her room as a complete mess. She knows who has been in here, Allomere. He has been the only one home in the hollow all night. Her closet is a mess, her garments are all over the room, one of her arrows is broken into two and her katana blades have been touched. She picks one of them up and she then confronts him. She knows it was he who informed her brother of what has been going on.
"You!" She exclaims
"Look who finally…" he says before he sees her wielding her owl sized katana "Why the hagsmire have you got that out?"
"You did all this." She seethes
"All of what, little menace?" he asks
"You reported what I have been doing and also you trashed my room." She states with fury
"It is you that has been doing the evil, little woman. You have been corrupted by the deceptions that Ezylryb has been telling you. You have been corrupted and are losing your integrity, honour and innocence. You, vile woman, are ruining the honour that the Kin have." He criticizes with both distaste and anger
"Can't you see that you are the reason? You are only for my money and throne and you don't love me at all. You also want to control me like a puppet. I am not your puppet, I am an owl. I yelled at you for all of that nearly a year ago." She explains
"Pointless woman, you are almost two decades old and the Ambalan succession is what you should be thinking about." He says
"You just want my throne! The only way is if… OH HAGSMIRE NO!" She yells before she realises the bad part of the succession and she takes a deep breath before she shrieks "WE ARE NEVER EVER HAVING AN OWLET TOGETHER. YOU ARE NEVER GETTING THE AMBALAN THRONE AND NONE OF MY MONEY!"
"SHUT UP, YOU GLAUX-DAMN WRETCH!" He explodes.
Autumn then swings her katana and it almost hits his right wing. He then backs away and tries to find one of his weapons but she comes striking at him. He knows he has gone too far with the pointless taunting and sexist points he makes about her. She then has him pinned ready to waste him immediately, before he hits her and throws her into the ground. They both lie on the ground panting.
"Autumn, I'm sorry." He says with remorse
"Don't talk to me." She says as she gets up and collects her katana
"Alright then, just leave my sight for now." He surrenders