Takuya smoothed down his clothes nervously, waiting for the twins to finish their grooming. Kouji had again bound tiny plaits into his hair, which this time he left otherwise loose. Both he and his brother wore short sleeved shirts, which along with their other clothes were mostly muted green in colour. Takuya started to feel a little conspicuous in his bright red tunic, but internally shook himself. You want to make an impression, remember? Call attention to the fact you're human. Dressing like them won't help your case. He rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, trying not to get too used to the weight. Kouichi had explained to him that they would be disarmed before entering the council chamber. It was why the twins were dresses as such, so that the council would see that their archer's wrist guards were missing when the time came.

He was almost tempted to try to use his magic in an attempt to stop his boredom, but decided not to, as what he thought of as 'the puppy' had been asleep most of the time he had spent in the village. It had only stirred slightly near the small oil burner that was used for cooking. If Takuya was of a suspicious mind, he'd accuse it of being lazy. He knew that it was better that his magic was asleep, rather than running wild, but all the same, he missed the feel of it slightly, and he missed letting it play in the evenings when he was sat by the fire.

Kouji looked up. "You ready for this, Takuya? Our one chance?"

Takuya nodded. "We tell them why the humans want peace, answer any questions they have, then leave them be for a while to make their decision. I get it. I just hope that they'll accept us leaving during their deliberations, because we should try to head south… Maybe see if we can borrow horses from somewhere, else it will take us a long time."

Kouichi frowned. "If it's an external matter it may go faster through the council. I can't remember a time in my lifetime that the Great Council has convened, so I really don't know."

Kouji touched Takuya's shoulder. "Just try your hardest, like always. And don't forget to be polite, and use the term 'Honoured-one' to address them. They'll mostly ask questions of you and Kouichi, because he is first-born."

Takuya looked at him. "Why won't they ask you? You're just as good as he is."

Kouichi sighed. "Because I'm the head of the family now. We should go and wait. No doubt Honoured-Satomi is reading the letter from Honoured-Elbert to them right now."

*****************************

The sight of the council disturbed Takuya slightly. Seven elves sat in a semicircle, each dressed in a robe of white, with their hair unbound. He noticed that they all seemed to be about thirty, save for the greying old man who sat in the centre of their formation, and that most of them gave no outward sign that they'd noticed his presence.

The Elder stood. "Honoured-Satomi has presented the case in these younglings' stead. We agree to hear the pleas of the outcast children, and of this person of the Earth. Let the examinations begin." He sat again, and a woman with short blonde hair, cut much like Kouichi's, stood.

"I would like to know why it is that you felt that you should be permitted to break your exile and return to us, sons of Kousei. While we miss our colleague, we do not miss your disruptive presence."

Kouichi straightened. "We returned, because we care for our people. An evil darkness is spreading through the land, and all are needed to stop it."

The woman scoffed. "Would this be one of the visions that your sickly magic gives you? To see fate is not for us mortals to decide, but for Lord Tolmey to choose when we leave this life. You change the course of what is to come."

"If he did not wish me to see, then I would not, countered Kouichi. "My power is nothing compared to him, he could stop my seeing, and yet it continues. I must conclude that I'm doing the work that he's agreed for me to do."

"You dirt-folk are better gone."

Kouji tensed slightly at the term, but held his tongue.

Kouichi tried to placate the woman. "Half of me belongs to the earth, but half is also yours. I was raised as Tree-folk. I had no knowledge of the other way until you declared us outcast. If you want to learn of earth-folk intention, just ask Takuya. He understands your speech, and was entrusted by the leader of his clan to speak."

The elder stood. "Then let us hear this 'Takuya' speak of why he feels that his people are ready to speak with us." He sat again.

Takuya cleared his throat. "I do not think it is a question of readiness, Honoured-one, I think it is a question of need. War is great and terrible with my people, as we have not your patience and far-sightedness, and our own quickness to fight. Your people would help calm mine, just as we would invigorate yours. Humans can be caring and selfless, as well as cruel, and I think it is time that our peoples talked out a peace. Else one day there may be more bloodshed. My ruler, King Elbert has already changed a most ancient of our laws, and declared that your people should no longer be captured and confined when found, but instead allowed to live free, bound by the same laws as the humans are. We want peace. The question is, do you?"

One of the other men stood. "What is this to you? Why is peace a great concern to you? I can understand why the Flowers of Snow want peace, as they must surely wish for peace with the two halves of their souls, but you have no great need to bring unity."

Takuya shook his head. "But I do have need, Honoured-one. The human gods have chosen me to fight the coming darkness, the same darkness that Kouichi has foretold will come. It may already have crept into the house of my ruler, taking his son. That's why we need allies who are free of taint, and who have the wisdom and knowledge to fight this thing with magic. My people have none, save the healers trade, I am the first to break away from this, and have been given fire-magic by the gods as well as the gift of your speech." He paused and looked at each council member in turn. "I have seen Kouichi's visions come true, just as you must've. We need to fight together, else neither of our people will survive to continue in this useless bickering. We fear you for your magic, you fear us for our instability, but before me, how many humans have you met, and how many of them have done you harm? Do I take my destructive magic and burn your village, or do I come in peace?"

The elder stood, and motioned for the other man to sit. "Child of earth, what guarantee do we have of the good intent of all your people? Save you, the last human was the mother of these flowers. Before that, none for a thousand years. They burnt our village to the ground."

"And what of our mother?" called out Kouji, earning a disapproving glare from both his brother and Satomi. "Our mother did everything you asked of her. She hid herself away, talking to none save our honoured-father and Hara. She died protecting us and you, and you say that humans can't be trusted?"

The elder paused. "She has indeed protected us." He frowned. "Leave us. We must decide if the humans can be trusted. If we agree, your case will be taken, and the High Council of the clan called."

Kouichi took a hold on Kouji's arm and almost dragged him out of the council chamber. //What in Lady Elsa's name did you think you were doing?//

//I was angry,// replied Kouji, jerking his arm out of his brother's hold. //Our mother died for us, and they still don't trust humans, after everything she gave up to have us.// He paused, then looked at Takuya, who was watching them worriedly. //Takuya's opened my eyes. Humans aren't the enemy I thought they were.//

Kouichi sighed. //You're just lucky your temper didn't damage Takuya's work.// "I think they believed us, Takuya."

"Good to know." Takuya sagged tiredly. "I don't know how to convince them. All I have is me to convince them that humans aren't all bad. Doesn't help that some humans destroyed this place."

Kouichi shook his head. "Doesn't really matter. Most of the council are too young to have been born before then. It's really only the elder that remembers." He closed his eyes in thought. "The elder was a good friend of our honoured-father, and gave him permission to seek out humans, so maybe he'll be more in your favour. Then again, maybe the fact that humans killed him will work against you. I think we'll win through though, from what I could feel. They more wanted to believe us than disbelieve us, and mostly they believed about my vision."

"That's good," said Takuya. "And if it comes to the high council?"

Kouji sighed. "Then it will take a month at least for them to assemble to hear our plea… probably two. And they won't be happy at having a junior member address them. We'll have to consider bringing Honoured-Elbert himself to them to make his case."

Takuya nodded slightly. "I can understand that. When will we know?"

Kouichi turned as Satomi emerged. "You may return and hear our judgement," said Satomi. "The elder will set terms."

"Guess that means we win," said Takuya, following Satomi back into the council hall.

The elder stood, and faced Takuya. "Child of Earth, we cannot decide something that would affect our whole clan. The High Council must be convened, and more than just a messenger should argue for your people. Therefore, in time for two moons hence, the high council will convene here, and you shall bring this Elbert, who leads your clan." He paused and shifted his attention to Kouichi and Kouji. "There is one other you must bring. To safeguard our people, this council made a decision in the past which will cause much pain in the here and now. You are to find and bring Tomoko Kimura, the human who bore you into the world. If she has kept our secrets for these past eleven years, it will show that you can be trusted."

"…What?" asked Kouichi, distrusting what he had heard. "You want us to find our mother? But she's dead!"

"No." The elder looked around as Satomi stood and moved towards the twins. "Your mother was very much alive when she left this village, taking with her a vow of silence, and a promise never to return to try to see you. When you were born, you had the features of the tree-folk, so as soon as you were three moons old, she was commanded to leave our village and you, so that you could be raised free of earth-folk taint. We now see that your earth side was merely buried beneath your skin. We see now that it was a mistake, and Honoured-Kousei did try to search her out, but never found her again. Her family had her leave their lands and go somewhere to learn her place is all that your honoured-father learned. If we had known, we would've sent you Flowers with your mother, so you would not disrupt us so."

Takuya blinked a few times. So their mother is alive? And we have to find her? He looked over at Kouji and was surprised to see him shaking, fists clenched. I haven't seen him this angry since Mathew attacked Kouichi.

Kouichi put a steadying hand on his brother's shoulder. //Not here, Kouji. Get mad outside the sight of the council.//

Kouji shrugged the hand off, and spoke to the council in a strangled voice. "Excuse me, honoured-ones." He then turned sharply on his heel, and stormed out.

Takuya watched him go, wishing that he could go with Kouji and comfort him, but instead turned to the council. "Very well. I shall return for the high council with my ruler, King Elbert, and I will seek out Tomoko Kimura."

*********************

Kouichi found Kouji sat by a stream, seemingly watching the ripples the water made as it passed downstream. //Brother?//

Kouji moved to touch his face, and Kouichi realised that Kouji was watching his reflection. //How could she leave us? If we're such images of her, how could she leave us here, among people who hate us?//

Kouichi moved to crouch beside him. //They do not all hate us. Honoured-father forgave our heritage, as did Harra. It must've torn her terribly to leave the one she chose as mate and her young, on the order of a group of strangers.//

Kouji looked up at him. //Brother, if you looked for her, could you find her?//

Kouichi nodded slowly. //I have her name. That is enough to search.//

//Then the lie continued because neither of us cared to look?// Kouji looked angry. //We trusted in the tree-folk, and they betrayed us! Why should I want to be one of them so badly, when they are no better than the earth-folk?//

Kouichi sighed. "We've been done wrong, but nothing we do now can change the past. Leave me to my scrying, and I'll find her. We can at least be reunited with the one who should have been our mother."

There was a rustle in the bushes, and then Kouji found Takuya's arms around him, hugging him. "You shouldn't think you have to be either tree-folk or earth-folk you know. You can be both things at once. I don't care what you are, you're my friends."

Kouichi smiled. "You should forgive the council. They did what they thought was for the best of the village. The cries of a woman of the earth folk and her two half-breed children would've meant little to the council."

Kouji nodded slowly. "Find her, Kouichi. We have only two moons to track her down, and bring her here."