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The Council of Thirteen

Book Seven: The Second Lord

The Kuran Restoration

Epilogue: Aftermath

Beta:

"Midori," Ellen, the Mistress of the Witch's House, said as she glared across the patio table she and the other Outsider were sitting at inside one of the pavilions within said House's extensive gardens. "Why in the name of the Primals did you waste the successful infiltration of your servants into Thirteen's realm?"

"Ellen's right, Midori." Viola, Ellen's wife, said without looking up from the book she was reading whilst lounging on a nearby sunbed. "We could have had Mika-chan and Akane-san open a portal for us, but instead you had them set up a murder mystery that pitted them against the Second and Thirteenth Lords."

"It wasn't a total loss," Midori hedged, cowed by her hosts' recriminations.

She knows she screwed up. Akane and Mika weren't just ordinary servants that they could just waste like she had. They were most trusted lieutenants. They had helped her secure her place first as a Daiyokai after accidentally absorbing Kurama-papa and then later when she'd eaten that Celestial Kaguya and her God Tree and ascended into being an Outsider, they'd helped her make sense of what that meant and secure her place among her kind too. They were powerful and capable and she could have used them better.

But everyone doesn't need to all get on my case about it do they?

"At least their actions succeeded in solidifying the Second Lord's position and that is a win for us, right?"

"Except," Frenda said, glancing up from playfully feeding her wife a grape whilst Azathoth laid down on another nearby sunbed and used her lap as a pillow. "She didn't need our help to do that."

"Indeed," Azathoth added after swallowing her fruity treat. "By all accounts she had everything under control."

Midori pouted at all her friends ganging up on her.

"There, there, Midori." Shiro said as she walked up behind her and patted her shoulder comfortingly. "It's alright. So you made a mistake and cost us an opportunity. It's not like it's created a problem for us."

"That's true," Ellen allowed with a sigh. "That said, let's avoid any more wasted chances, alright?"

"Okay," Midori agreed in what to her embarrassment was dangerously close to a whine. "I promise to check in with everyone before I make any more moves. That's good enough?"

Midori watched as Ellen glanced at the other members of the Sapphic Circle and received nods from each of them before turning to address her.

"Yes, that'll probably be best." The purple haired woman said sternly, before her demeanour relaxed and she picked up a teapot that materialized out of nowhere alongside a full tea service and accompanying snacks. "Tea?"

Taking that as the peace offering that it was, Midori offered her host a smile and nodded.

"Yes, please."

Worlds away from the Witch's House and weeks later, Yuki Kuran sat in a place of honor inside the ballroom of the restored Kuran ancestral estate, a perfect recreation according to Niisan - Who would know! - of his old château back in Europe before his permanent exile to East Asia, as he was crowned the king of the restored Kuran monarchy.

After the events already being called the Battle of Cross Academy, especially the deaths of so many Purebloods, it was decided that any further bloodshed was counterproductive and the differences the Kuran faction had with the other Purebloods were to be overcome through peaceful negotiations. Negotiations that brought to light that the differences which had almost seen them go to war with each other were practically non-existent. None of the Purebloods had honestly been happy with the rule of the corrupt Council of Elders and had only tolerated it because none of them were willing to allow another Pureblood, or clan thereof, rule instead. It was the impression that Niisan and Yuki were seizing power that they objected to. Thus, the Kurans, mainly Niisan, had gone out of their way to dissuade them of that. Though such efforts were somewhat undermined by their allies' insistence on a Kuran assuming leadership of their kind.

Fortunately, Niisan proved himself an adept negotiator and reached a compromise that satisfied everyone. He would assume the throne as a constitutional monarch with limited powers, whilst a bicameral legislature would be set up. The upper house of this new Council of Elders would be made out of representatives of the various Pureblood clans, one for each family, whilst the lower house would be made of representatives from the Noble and other lesser vampires. With each of these new institutions having a degree of authority to keep the others in line, It was a system of checks and balances that they hoped would limit the corruption that had so plagued the old Senate.

Yuki, pay attention. Yori chided the Second Lord telepathically suddenly, pulling her from her wandering thoughts. The ceremony is almost over. I don't know why you told me to remind you when it was, but it is.

It is? Yuki sent back, surprised but unapologetic. The ceremony was boring! Full of excessive pomp, she had tuned it out almost as soon as it had begun. Though as she focused back on the throne where Niisan now sat, a simple crown of platinum resting upon his head, she realized that her lover was correct.

And that means it's almost time. Yuki thought to herself with a grin as she slipped a hand into the pocket of her dress and gently gripped the box within.

"As my first act as King," Niisan said with confident authority. "I formally dissolved my engagement with my sister, Yuki Kuran."

His announcement was met with shock and the gathered crowd erupted into frenzied murmurs as they tried to process the unexpected development.

They've seen nothing yet. Yuki thought as she shot her brother a look.

He smiled at her lovingly and nodded.

She offered him a brief smile back before pulling the box from her pocket and stepping in front of Yori, fell to one knee whilst opening it and presenting its contents to the love of her life.

Yori gasped, one among many but she was the only one who mattered, and just stared down at the platinum ring set with an oval-cut brown-green garnet which matched the lover's eyes, and paved with brilliant-cut diamonds.

"Wakaba Sayori," Yuki said with earnest devotion. "Will you marry me?"

The ballroom exploded into a cacophony of shocked outrage at this. A Pureblood proposing to a former human!? Such an act was preposterous to their fellow Kuranians. Not that Yuki cared what they thought or how they were reacting. All she cared for was Yori's answer, so she tuned their exclamations all out. Helped along immensely by Sensei discretely casting some privacy wards around them.

"M-marriage!?" Yori finally overcame her shock enough to ask. "Yuki, we're not even twenty yet! We can't get married."

"Why not?" Yuki asked, offering her lover an amused smile. "We already live together, have sex regularly and can't imagine spending the rest of our eternal lives with anyone else. We're practically married and call me old fashioned but I want to make it official."

Yori blushed brilliantly and Yuki was honestly a little curious about what had her most embarrassed. The admission that they were practically already married or the public admission of their healthy sex life? Her curiosity could wait though and for now, she patiently waited for Yori's answer to her proposal.

"That's, that's…" Yori stammered for a moment before taking a deep breath to calm herself.

"Yes," she said at last. "I'll marry you Yuki."

Smiling more broadly than she ever remembered in her whole life, whilst still on one knee Yuki excitedly removed the ring from its box and tenderly put it on Yori's left ring finger.

No sooner than she had done so however, in a show of rather uncharacteristic daring, Yori literally pulled Yuki to her feet and pulled her into a deep kiss even as the hall around them erupted into cheers and applause.

"Twelfth, do you have any idea what the Sapphic Circle were doing sending their servants to murder those Kuranian Purebloods?" Dom asked her ancient colleague as the two sat enjoying the sunset on the roof of his tower in Sanctuary. "I've tried to puzzle out what they hoped to accomplish by doing so, and I can't come up with anything."

"Perhaps they intended to assist Yuki in consolidating her powerbase and thus her position on the Council?" He replied, sounding uncertain.

"It can't be," The Thirteenth Lord countered. "Yuki's plans to do just that were already well underway before their intervention."

"But their actions accelerated them, did it not?" The Twelfth Lord insisted.

"I suppose." Dom allowed. "But if that was their plan then it seems like a wasteful use of assets like the Sparrow and Gun Witch."

"I agree." The ancient man said with a nod. "But it is possible they do not see it that way. We have no inkling of how highly, or lowly, they value their servants. Besides, if that was truly their intent then it fits with my hypothesis of their intentions."

"And what exactly is this hypothesis? It's been years and yet you still refuse to share it with the rest of us."

"Because I have no proof. None at least to make me confident enough to be willing to share my thoughts on the matter. If I'm wrong, we could end up wasting resources preparing for something when the Circle is seeking for another objective entirely. Resources we cannot afford to waste, not against a threat as serious as this."

Dom frowned. He was right of course, but at the same time…

"And if you continue to keep mum, we won't be able to prepare for any scenario at all."

"That is not true," the Twelfth said with a shake of his head. "Are you and the other not already preparing for a potential invasion by the Circle? I believe preparations in that vein are a move in the right direction. I will not impede them by offering up my unfounded guesswork."

"And how would it impede our efforts?"

"If we think we know their objective, we would divert our efforts towards preventing them from achieving it wouldn't we?" The Twelfth asked pointedly. "That is something we should not do, not unless we're certain of what their objective is, which we are not."

Dom sighed. She broadly agreed with him of course. Yet, it seemed his caution was excessive. Surely, they could manage a balance. She didn't voice the thought though. This wasn't the first time she'd tried to pry his hypothesis about the Sapphic Circle's motives from him, far from it. And she knew from experience when to give it up as a lost cause. She would rather not be stuck here futilely arguing with the old man all night, thank you very much!

"Fine," Dom allowed with an exasperated sigh. "But you will tell us once you're sure of your conclusions, won't you?"

"You have my word."

And I suppose we'll just have to leave it as that. Dom thought with a deep frown.

Done!

Looks like the Twelfth is being a stubborn old fool, huh? Well, just because he's the lynchpin for the Council and ancient beyond words doesn't mean he's infallible. He's still human in many ways, and that includes making stupid decisions and sticking with them even when it's clear they're wrong. Or is he in the right? Well, only time will tell won't it? ;)

Anyways, that's all for this short epilogue to this 'book' so till next time à plus tard!