Diligo Est Amicitia

Chapter 10: Plan B

"Jamie, what's going on?" Lilith demanded as they stalked down the corridor.

"Shush, Lilith." Was the only thing Jamie would say. "Not here."

And so Lilith and Fin followed dutifully down the steps and out of the mansion in silence though they were on the point of exploding with questions. When they got into the limousine, they found Adrien and Fabien already seated and stone-faced.

"Drive." Fabien commanded the driver through the intercom.

"Okay, what's going on here?" Lilith repeated.

"But haven't you told them?" Adrien asked Jamie, his voice laced with amusement. But Jamie only looked away. "Let's see… where shall I start? When Jamie learned that your dear little friends – this… Tyler and Reid and Caleb and Pogue – were the Sons of Ipswich? Or when she realized that associating with those… witches," He spat the word in disgust, as if just saying it would contaminate him. "Would jeopardize your whole Ascension?"

"Huh?" Fin looked thoroughly confused. "I… don't understand. Jamie? What does he mean?" She looked at the brunette, the girl she had called sister and leader, the one who always knew and did what was right. The one who always looked out for her and Lilith. "How can Tyler and Reid and… I mean, how could they be…" She trailed off.

"Is it true?" Lilith asked quietly. Jamie looked at her. "Are they really witches?"

There was a pause, then a small but unmistakable nod from Jamie. Immediately, Fin and Lilith's faces fell and they were finally silent, trying to absorb the truth of it.

"Finally!" Adrien gloated. "The truth is out! You deceived the Lycan Lord! You kept facts from him which you knew was important to the survival of our kind!"

"They would not endanger our cause here in Ipswich!" Jamie argued. "They're our friends. If anything, they'd help."

"Help?" This time it was Fabien who spoke and with such bitterness it drew everyone's attention. "They're mortal. They can't be trusted. Not even if they're witches. Even worse if they're human."

Jamie breathed out angrily. She knew Fabien had some trust issues with humans. They had destroyed his family three centuries ago when he had still been young, for a lycan. He had managed to escape, the youngest of his family and the only one to survive, and ran into the service of William.

"Well, look who's talking." She muttered under her breath. "For a lycan who just danced with a mortal, you're a fine one to talk."

Fabien looked at her angrily. "What was that?" It had taken a lot of trust just to put his hands in Sarah's and even then, it had been because she reminded him so much of a mortal girl he had once loved but couldn't be with because he had pledged his loyalty to the Pack. That and she was already engaged.

"Yes, well, he wasn't going about kissing birthday boys, was he, Fin?" Adrien grinned, deviously.

Fin flushed. "It was just a peck on the lips." She mumbled.

Adrien snorted. "Never seen you do that for your old friends."

"That's enough!" Jamie commanded in her best imperial voice. "And you." She pointed at Adrien. "Until Lord William's say-so, we are still the Chosen ones and we will command your respect. You have absolutely no right to talk to us like that." And that was the first time Jamie had ever used her authority to her advantage and shut one of her own up.

Adrien gritted his teeth. "As you will, my Lady."

The rest of the drive up to Manor Aurelius was drowned in silence and when they finally stopped and stepped out of the limousine, Jamie could feel her feet getting cold, her legs shivery. Get a grip. She told herself. You knew the consequences and now you have to suffer it, whatever it is. She walked with her head up high as if she had done no wrong; only wishing to smack that smug look off Adrien's face.

Since William had long moved his throne back into Castle Rector, they stepped through the mirror portal and into the stone castle, lit only by the torches that hung from the walls. Guards who stood watching the portal led them to the throne room where she guessed William was sitting, discussing mundane issues with the court ministers, eight of them in count. Wait til Adrien dropped the bombshell. Boy, could she picture the outrage the ministers were going to cause!

"Adrien!" Minister Thicke stood up, already furious at the unannounced entrance. "This is a court session. You are not allowed entry. How dare you come barging in!"

"Forgive me, Minister." Adrien bowed. "But I have something urgent to discuss with Lord William."

"Well, can it wait?" Minister Thicke tapped his foot impatiently.

"I believe I did say it was urgent." Adrien replied.

Minister Thicke glanced at William, who nodded. The aged minister sighed and sat down. "Proceed." He boomed.

Adrien led the party forward until he stopped a respectable distance from the throne. All of them dropped to one knee and bowed their heads until William ordered them to rise. However, Adrien kept his position on the floor.

"My Lord William, while I was escorting Lady Extraxi, Sun and Lamia to the Tyler boy's party, I discovered a fact, something Lady Extraxi so heinously hid from you, my Lord." Here he paused and William's eyes flicked to Jamie, who couldn't seem to be able to look back, before glancing back at Adrien.

"And?" He prompted impatiently.

"Tyler Sims, Caleb Danvers, Pogue Parry and Reid Garwin… they're the Sons of Ipswich, my Lord." Adrien seemed to bow a little more as he said this.

Sons of Ipswich, Sons of Ipswich, where have I heard it before? William seemed to think. Suddenly, he remembered and he snapped his head to glare at the three girls, the three young women whom he desperately loved as his own. What had they gotten into now? "Witches?" He hissed.

"Yes, my Lord." Adrien confirmed, unable to keep the relief in his voice.

"Extraxi, you kept this from me?" William asked, disbelief colouring his words and his facial features.

But Jamie only bowed her head shamefully. "I told you that keeping such a personal relationship with the three Chosen ones would be unwise, sire." A sly voice gloated. It belonged to Minister Maudin, who had been watching the scene in utter satisfaction. "Now, if you'd have just watched over them with an iron fist, I don't think they'd---"

"Silence!" William roared and Maudin submissively faded back into the shadows; the only hint he was there was of his yellow eyes, watching them.

"The council will be arriving in a few months." He told them. "And to have such disobedience displayed by the three Chosen ones… I cannot have this!" He paused to calm himself down. "Already, they are expecting news of your Ascension. They are rebuking me for sending you to school when you should be trying, every moment of your time, to hone your skills and Ascending."

The three girls had already risen and were looking at their mentor, fear apparent in their eyes. "That is why I have decided." He continued. "You know the emergency plan. Execute it."

A/N: /dramatic music plays/ I'm gonna sit back and enjoy your tension. Just joking! Chapter 11 will be up either tomorrow or the day after. What's the plan? What will happen? I'm gonna sit back and enjoy your tension. Just joking! Chapter 11 will be up either tomorrow or the day after. ;)

Oh yes, by the way, I already put up some pictures onto my homepage (just click the link 'homepage' on my profile) of the dresses worn and also the four finalists I have chosen to portray Jamie. Ya know, so it'll be easier to picture her instead of virtual dolls… to vote, just leave a comment suggesting her for the role.

Crickes