A/N: Adulting Win- Going to work, giving it your all, leaving tired, paying your bills, and having just enough left over to buy tots from Sonic :)
TheRanger'sDaughter: CBS finally started up its stuff so I think I'll be able to manage for the time being. I hate shows take hiatus in the summers...why can't they take hiatus in the fall? The fall is always busy for me. Summers jump between being insanely busy to insanely bored.
TEM: Love the enthusiasm :p
Disclaimer: Not John Flanagan.
Reese sat in the chair usually reserved for his mother next to his father on the throne. It'd been decided Reese would oversee this particular ceremony, with William there to guide him should he stumble. Anamaria sat the two off at breakfast. She'd kissed Reese's cheek and assured him he'd be great, then left to go horseback riding on the beach with Consuelo. Reese felt a bit disheartened his mother wasn't there for his first official ceremony, but her days of having the strength and energy to ride her beloved horse were becoming numbered. She had moments simply climbing the stairs tired her, and she didn't want to spend a day she had energy sitting in court. Reese couldn't blame her.
Advisors and officials sat in their usual designated seats. On the floor, every Ranger able to tack a few days onto the end of their Gathering trip lined up in their formal uniforms. Daniel stood at their helm giving the Battalion Council on the opposite side his usual sly grin.
The Battalion women were fierce, as usual, with their hair in complex braids and weapons on display.
"Ready?" William whispered. Reese took a deep breath.
"Ready." He stood and stepped down to the floor. Daniel gave him a wink. "A merger between the Ranger Corps and Charmed Battalion has been discussed at length, and we have come to the decision these two entities should become one. With advisory from a committee of sound representatives, I…"
Reese paused. Everyone was yelling, some in cheers and others in disgust. Perhaps the rumor of the merger wasn't as strong as he'd given it credit. A good many of the men and women on the floor were in genuine shock, which was rare for their type. He looked back to his father, unsure of what to do. William simply nodded for him to continue. Reese cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and continued once the volume went down.
"With advisory from a committee of sound representatives, it has been decided a unit this large will require a Commandant Council for leadership. These Commandants will be stationed here at the castle, serve as advisors to the crown."
The dull roar immediately fell to silence. Reese continued.
"After careful consideration, it has been decided the crown will appoint members to the Council based on qualifications and evaluation of service. That being said, the first member will be Agent Tiffany Cast."
Reese reddened, realizing he'd forgotten to make it known they were replacing the term 'lady' with 'agent'. Calling every woman in service 'lady' regardless of her position was getting ridiculous and a new wave of titles were in the process of being implemented to separate the ladies in service from those of nobility. William gave him a nudge, letting him know it didn't matter. Everyone knew Tiffany Cast was a new member of the Battalion Council, having served on the Council just a year before the merger became official. With Tiffany's name announced, the next two wouldn't be a surprise. Surprising this crowd was always a foolish endeavor.
"The other two will be Ranger Daniel Treaty and Agent Evie Schuster."
They'd quietly told Tiffany, Daniel, and Evie of the appointments earlier, and established Evie as their Head of Council. The rest of the newly named Delta Corps didn't need to know Evie had been singled out. Head of Council was really more of a private role amongst the three anyway. They'd needed a single person to go to first in emergencies, rather than the favorite of whatever messenger they sent. Evie would serve as that first point of contact, and she'd be responsible for drawing out a full set of bylaws for the Delta Corps day-to-day operation. Tiffany was still too heavily involved in field work to take the responsibility, and Daniel made it known that, with the division of leadership, he hoped to spend more time with Maggie. Her recovery could finally be declared a success, and he didn't want to waste another minute with her.
They moved into a banquet lunch, which was the real reason so many attended the secret announcement. A hot meal prepared by renowned royal chefs could never be passed lightly. Reese caught sight of Evie talking to Julia and walked over to them. The women stood near Daniel, who had reclaimed his daughter until work pulled him away again. The two nodded to Reese.
"Well done," Julia told him.
"Thanks," Reese answered. Julia looked back to Evie.
"The three of you will be sharing an office?"
"Yes. Tiffany and I have already began setting it up. We've already prepared a corner for Maggie when she visits. It's right behind Daniel's desk."
Julia beamed. "She'll like that."
Evie chuckled. "I look forward to corrupting her towards an apprenticeship with us."
"We've already started her training at home."
Reese grinned back at the child. He hoped she never knew how close she was to being lost. No child deserved what Maggie went through, and she'd done it for Mara. He wondered if Daniel and Julia realized a loyalty so deep would likely land her back in Hibernia when she came of age.
A glass was tapped, signaling a speech. Everyone quietened down and turned towards Gilan, who stood in the front of the room.
"Years ago, during King Duncan's reign, a young girl stumbled in from Hibernia seeking refuge and purpose. We remember her as Lady Lina Leaf, but at the time she was Princess Nerilina of Clonmel and the Sunrise Warriors Academy."
There was a muttering. Reese had no memories of Lina, but people still spoke of her. Russ was able to pull her out of his earliest memories as a kind, crippled woman. Like Gabby's blindness, the legends of Lina Leaf often failed to acknowledge her lame foot.
"She risked her own life, happiness, and reputation on two fronts to help take down the people who raised her. She succeeded and asked only for a life here in return. She did not demand riches or comfort, but a simple life she could build on. She and her husband became two of Araluen's greatest leaders. She built the Battalion from the ground up, arranging the school while handling Commandant duties and more. She did all this while raising two beautiful, strong girls, both of which abandoned us in favor of Hibernia."
There was a light chuckle at that. Scout and Caitlyn returning to Hibernia had been a national joke since Scout's coronation.
"Still, those girls continue doing good for Araluen. Lina touched many a life among the apprentices, the most prominent being Lady Evie whom she thought of as a third daughter. Lina would be proud of this merger, and it is in her honor we drink today."
Every single cup, even those without mead, went up. Reese held his high. He may not have known the woman they were toasting, but he knew his adoption wouldn't have happened had the royal family not been personally invested in taking down the discovered slave trade. They became personally invested when Caitlyn was taken by it, and she was taken by it while trying to fine closure for her mother's untimely death. His parents and grandparents spoke of her so often he would give anything to have just one conversation with her. She may have had royal blood, but she avoided being a leader until she ultimately became one. He could identify with that.
Reese felt a hand on his back and turned to face his own mother. He gave her a grin and offered her his arm. She took it, leaning on him more than she usually did.
"Enjoy your ride?" he asked. Anamaria nodded.
"I hear you did well today."
"I tried."
She kissed his cheek. "I'm proud of you, mijo."
His father joined them, putting his arm around his wife. "We both are."
William and Anamaria excused themselves shortly after, heading towards their rooms. Reese assumed his mother would need to rest after riding for so long. He was about to go find Lady Caroline with the dark haired beauty herself materialized in front of him.
"Well done today. Your mother seems…"
"I know," he cut her off. Everyone in this room would be able to see her weakness, but it didn't need to be voiced yet. His family wasn't ready for that.
Caroline nodded. "Does this mean you will become our reagent in the foreseeable future?"
Reese hadn't wanted to think about that. Caroline's tone was of concern rather than the curiosity he expected. He nodded. "Yes."
She paused for several moments. "Will you be alright?" she asked in an even smaller voice. She stared at him