Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Here we go! Sorry for the lateness! College has started up again, and I've been busy! But this story is almost over. Probably…3-4 more chapters and an epilogue! Thanks for all your support!

Sakura Li-chan – Yeah, Karis isn't the type of person to get pushed around! Sorry that that moment was so long in coming. She'll probably get one or two more of those before the whole story's over, even though the spotlight is pretty much on Amiti for the last few chapters. Thanks for the review!

AwesomeFelix – Glad you liked it, and I'm glad it wasn't cliché! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Anne Iriel Devay – Well, it gives hints, doesn't it? XD And Ana's reaction should be saved for the epilogue. (I don't think it's really a spoiler to say that everyone survives, is it?) Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Knight-Dawn – Yeah, it was meant to be sudden, since it was a sudden realization for him that he wanted Karis there. I'm glad you liked it, and thanks! I try my best to make my stories make sense (with varied results)

Kitsune Kit – Thank you so much! I'm really glad that you liked it and that you like the plot, setting, and characters. Thanks for your support!

IzzyTan – Wow, thanks so much for that review. I'm really glad that you liked it, and I really appreciate your comments. I hope this story comes to a satisfactory conclusion. Thanks for all your support!

XxXxX

A Different Kind of Storm

CHAPTER 15

Delegation

XxXxX

Everyone seated around the room's stone table looked up as he opened the door. Amiti shut it behind him, feeling physically drained. He had just had to explain to his army's officers and advisers just what he was planning. They, predictably, didn't like it, but they were willing to obey. It frightened him sometimes, just how much trust these people placed in him. The city hadn't fallen under his grandfather. It hadn't fallen under Paithos. They had an Adept as a king now. Clearly they expected him to be somehow better.

His friends were no better. He could see it in their eyes as he looked over the table, counting the seven people in each of the seats. Like his soldiers, they expected him to know what he was doing. Unlike his soldiers, they would have no qualms about telling him that what he was doing was stupid if that was the case. In a way, that comforted him, even though he didn't want to disappoint them. His eyes landed on Karis last, and he caught her toying with the necklace around her neck.

"How is the situation?" asked Sveta, breaking the silence.

"Bad," he said, not elaborating on that. He walked over to his own seat at the head of the table, Karis at his right and Matthew at his left. Eoleo snorted quietly.

"No kidding," he said. Clearly the pirate lord had been talking with a few members of Ayuthay's navy. Matthew looked up at him.

"And?" he asked. "What are we going to do?"

He hesitated for a moment. This was the part of the plan he disliked. But it was necessary…if everything would just work out the way it was supposed to. "You're not going to like it," he said. He hadn't sat down yet, and stood behind his chair, his hands resting on its stone back as if he was holding onto it for support. He took a deep breath.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, "We are going to surrender."

The uproar that followed those five simple words was predictable. That didn't make it any easier to weather though. A collective gasp followed his statement, and Tyrell actually jumped up from his seat, his flimsier wooden chair clattering to the ground behind him as he placed his hands on the table and turned towards Amiti.

"Have you lost it?" he asked angrily.

"Amiti?" asked Karis from beside him.

"…That the best plan you could come up with?" asked Eoleo.

"…It…it does sound like a…hasty move, Amiti…" said Rief from the other end of the table, pushing up his glasses.

"If it's military support you need…" began Himi.

Sveta didn't say anything, studying him. Amiti looked across at her, meeting her eyes. She frowned up at him for a moment, before understanding dawned in her green eyes and her ears twitched slightly. She turned her head, facing Matthew. They traded the same look, before Matthew looked back at him. Amiti turned to his friend. The Venus Adept frowned at him.

"You're planning something…" he said.

"A handful of 'something's, actually," said Amiti. "…Hopefully I won't have to use half of them."

"Tell us," said Rief. "What are you planning?"

Amiti shook his head slowly, inclining his head towards Sveta. "What Sveta did just now proves my point," he said. "Jupiter Adepts skilled enough to read minds are few and far between, but if there are any out there besides the ones we already know of, it's entirely possible that either Kaocho or the Tuaparang have already bought them out. It's a lot safer if I'm the only one that knows the entirety of my plans."

He looked at all the members of his group of friends, trading glances with them for a moment. Seven sets of eyes had locked back on him, and even Tyrell picked up his chair and sat down again. "I know you don't like it," he said. "…I don't like it either. But…I'd like to ask for your support."

Eoleo grinned up at him. He tilted his own chair on its back legs, turning towards Amiti. "Is this the sort of plan you don't like using?" he asked.

"Certainly," said Amiti. "It's dishonorable and underhanded, and requires a fair amount of deceit on all of our parts."

Eoleo's grin widened and he chuckled, letting the chair fall forward again. "I'm in," he said.

"I thought you might like it," said Amiti, the corners of his mouth turning up into a small smirk as he allowed a little ice to creep into his expression. The smirk fell away and he turned to the rest of the group.

"I'm in," said Karis. Amiti smiled slightly at her, and she gave him a small smile in return.

"Me too," said Matthew.

Sveta nodded. "I as well," she said.

"Count me in, as long as I get to kick some Tuaparang butt," said Tyrell.

Rief nodded. "You can count on me," he said.

"And you can count on me as well," said Himi.

"Thank you," said Amiti, bowing his head for just a moment. Then he looked up. "I'd like to meet with each of you in turn to discuss what you have to do," he said. "I'd like to start with Matthew."

Matthew nodded in response, turning to look at the other members. One by one, they stood up, leaving the room.

XxXxX

It was almost sunset by the time he had finished giving Eoleo his instructions. The pirate's instructions were probably the most detailed out of the lot, and Eoleo had been the friend most inclined to ask questions. He sat down in his chair and propped his head up in his hands, rubbing at his closed eyes.

"Tired?" asked a voice from beside him.

"Very," he admitted, looking up at her. Karis frowned at him, standing with one hand on the table and facing him.

"You should rest," she said.

"In a bit," he said. "I promise." He took a deep breath. "Karis," he said. "I have something to ask of you too."

"I thought you might," said Karis. "I was wondering why you didn't call me in after Eoleo left."

"I could talk to you any time," said Amiti. "I thought you might want to spend time with your friends and your father." He straightened up and leaned back in his chair, looking at her.

"I've had time," she said. She hesitated for a moment before turning and sitting on the table beside him, so that they were more or less facing each other. "What did you talk to Eoleo about?" she asked. "He was grinning from ear to ear."

"It's a surprise," said Amiti, smiling at her.

"Oh, from me too?" asked Karis.

"Sadly, yes," said Amiti. "I hope you'll forgive me."

"Mm, I'll think about it," teased Karis. She frowned. "So…what did you want me to do?"

"Listen very carefully," said Amiti. "In the bedroom you will be moving to, there is a switch behind the wall sconce that is to the immediate right of the wardrobe when you are facing it. The switch will open a portion of the wall, revealing a small room. I suggest you find it and familiarize yourself with it before the week is out. I don't know how much time we have before they—inevitably—start surveillance. Tonight, Rief and Tyrell are going down into Lake Barai to retrieve the missing soarwing. It will be repaired quickly and stored there."

He paused, studying Karis's face to make sure she was listening. She sat on the table, watching him attentively. There was a worried look in her eyes, but she hung on to his every word. "…If anything goes wrong, Karis, if anything happens to me…I want you to take that soarwing and fly to Passaj. Matthew will be there. Find him and signal him. Do you understand?"

"Amiti…" said Karis, frowning at him. "…I'm not just going to leave you here."

"If I'm alive and well, you won't have to," said Amiti. "But Karis, if I get killed…or incapacitated, please. Nothing is more important than Ayuthay's survival, not even my life."

"If you die there won't be any Ayuthay!" said Karis.

Amiti frowned. "Actually, that's the other half of it," he said. "In that chamber, you'll also find signed and sealed documents. If you have to leave, take them with you when you go. They contain instructions on what to do in the event of my demise, as well as my named successor."

"Named…successor?" asked Karis.

Amiti smiled. "I waited too long," he said. "But I'm not going to let Ayuthay die because we're short on time." He stood up and faced her. "Eoleo was right. I need to have some sort of back-up plan. This is it." He leaned forward and kissed her, his hands cupping her face. She placed one hand on his shoulder, the other weaving her fingers through his hair as he pulled back, resting his forehead against hers. "Promise me, Karis."

"I…promise," said Karis, hesitantly.

"Good," said Amiti. He smiled at her. "If everything goes right, we can handle the succession issue. The natural way."

Karis turned red. She looked away. "A-about that…" she said. "…My mother…"

Amiti nodded. "It'll have to wait until after this blows over, since I don't think you want your mother flown in now. And I imagine having a wedding in the middle of what's about to become a war zone won't endear me to her."

"You have to promise me one thing though," said Karis, turning towards him.

"What's that?" asked Amiti.

Her eyes hardened. "Survive," she said.

"…I'll try," he promised. He stepped back further, giving her enough room to stand up. "I have one last thing to do," he said. "But I'll join all of you for dinner."

Karis nodded, jumping down. She turned around, heading for the door. Amiti watched her, sighing. It was almost funny. This time yesterday, he had been willing to die. Today, he wanted to do everything to survive. He wondered if the prospect of a wedding did that to everyone or if he was just crazy.

The door opened again. Amiti turned, thinking that Karis had come back, but it wasn't Karis this time. It was Ivan. The older Jupiter Adept was frowning at him, as if trying to get to the bottom of his thoughts. Amiti's eyes widened slightly and he turned, bowing just a bit in respect to his future father-in-law.

"You heard what I told Karis?" he asked.

"No," said Ivan. "…But I did hear from Tyrell and Rief that they were retrieving the soarwing tonight." He frowned, watching Amiti in a way that reminded him so much of her. "…You'll need me to repair it."

"I meant to ask…" said Amiti. "…I've been busy."

"I understand," said Ivan. "…Thank you."

Amiti blinked. "For what, sir?" he asked.

"It doesn't take much to guess what you want to do with the soarwing, especially since even with repairs only a Wind Adept will be able to fly it safely in the condition it's in," said Ivan. He sighed. "Karis is a strong young woman and I know for a fact that she can hold her own in most fights, but…thank you for giving her a way out. It puts me at ease, even if I know she's not too happy about it."

"…It's the least I could do, sir," said Amiti. "…I don't want to see her hurt because of me."

Or at all, if I can help it…he added quietly to himself.

Ivan frowned, walking over and leaning against the table slightly. "It's hard…" he admitted. "Letting her go again." He smiled up at Amiti. "You'll find out someday, I'm sure."

"I have to survive this first," said Amiti. "I'll worry about the rest when it comes."

He paused for a moment. Now was as good a time as any, and in the coming few days, he doubted he would have much time. "…Sir?" he asked. Ivan looked up. "…There's a tradition in this country that the prospective groom must pay the bride's father a dowry to show that he is capable of supporting her." [1] Amiti frowned. "…Is there anything you want?"

Ivan's frown deepened, his brow furrowing. "I'm not going to let you buy my daughter from me, Amiti," he said.

Amiti raised his hands slightly, palms out. "It isn't a question of buying or selling," he said. "It's tradition. It doesn't have to be monetary in nature; it can be whatever is agreed on by both families."

Ivan didn't say anything, apparently unconvinced. Amiti cleared his throat. "…I am…by virtue of my status…required to fulfill tradition…" he said.

"…It doesn't have to be monetary…" repeated Ivan.

Amiti nodded. "Goods, property, and even livestock have been used for the purpose before," he said. "…Although I think the last one might be a little difficult for you to take home."

"…Very well," said Ivan, looking up. "Win this war. I'll accept your victory as a dowry. That should prove that you can take care of Karis well enough."

Amiti nodded. Victory. He couldn't help but be impressed by the Jupiter Adept's decision. He had made his condition the one thing he needed to be able to marry Karis in the first place. And he had virtually stalled all possible wedding plans until after the war was over. Granted, Amiti was going to do that anyway, but he had to admit that it was smooth.

If he died in the war, Karis would be free to find somebody else.

"I agree," said Amiti.

XxXxX

[1] Dowry – Yet another Thai marriage practice.