The Kiddy's Table - for florahart
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junetideTitle: The Kiddy's Table
Gift for:florahart
By:kinky_kneazle
Gift type: Fiction 5,700 words
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Summary: The first time they accompany their elders to the negotiating table, four young people discover a new ability.
Giftcreator's notes: Original Prompt: There are several races/species who are working to form an alliance. Each has sent a delegation to a neutral site. The night before the convention is to begin, each member of each delegation becomes aware of the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of several other delegates, in some combination of ones of hir own and ones not of hir own delegation. This changes the game entirely. With thanks to H for his wonderful imagination and my roleplaying group who may see ghosts of characters past in this story. Also to F for his amazing, last-minute beta work.florahart, this feels like the start of something longer, and I thank you for the opportunity to play in this world for a little while and be inspired. I hope you enjoy it.
Liana Winters sighed as she saw the horse her mother was riding pull to the side of the column and stop. She wasn't sure what she'd done wrong this time, but obviously it was something bringing shame to the noble House of Winter.
"Are you enjoying the ride, Mother?" she asked as her mare Hildegaard moved alongside her mother's mount.
"No. The only thing more incomprehensible than why this meeting needs to happen in Volk lands is why it needs to happen in summer. Not only am I sweating, I'm also getting sunburnt, I'm sure."
Liana was equally sure that between the bonnet, gloves and wrist and ankle length clothing that not a spot of sun was meeting her mother's skin. It was probable that the sun wouldn't dare. Liana felt her mother's eyes on her and struggled not to squirm.
"Honestly, Liana, did you have to wear those horrible breeches?"
"We're spending three days in the saddle. Riding clothes seemed logical."
"Need I remind you that you are attending this little consortium as a representative of your Aunt and the noble House of Winter. You will also one day be leading the House. Decisions you make today are important. The impression you make today will be important. Only one daughter-"
"Born each generation, I know."
"Well, you don't take it seriously. You are named for our greatest hero and diplomat. She joined the ancient tribes to fight the old evil and it was through her grace and intelligence that we have what little part of the world that exists today."
"I heard she broke every sacred rule of her people and was constantly berated by her elders until she annoyed people into doing the right thing."
"Don't speak such blasphemy, Liana Rose."
"I'm also positive she would hate the fact a word against her has become blasphemy," Liana muttered under her breath. Her mother glared at her and she snapped her mouth shut.
"You will sit quietly while your aunt's representatives negotiate, and you will comport yourself as Lady Liana Winters should."
A third horse cantered past from behind them and her uncle Nishi grinned. "I can see it, Liana! Race me there!"
She ignored her mother's outraged protest and kicked Hildegaard into a gallop.
Erik Dostoevsky walked through the camp at the border of Volk lands, marveling at the way he no longer needed to trot to keep up with his uncle's long-legged stride. They stood eye-to-eye these days and Dmitri was the only one in the family actually treating him like an adult. In fact, his uncle had insisted he drop the "uncle" when they spoke together and had been quietly talking to him about secret organizations and important missions and a lifetime that was not spent on the Wall.
"So, tell me about this girl you want me to seduce, Dmitri."
"Erik, get that thought out of your head right now. This is the heir of the Winters family; you seduce her and you'll likely wind up married to the chit."
"Wouldn't that suit the purposes of your… organization?"
Dmitri looked at him sharply and then looked around. He relaxed when he saw there was no one close by and deigned to answer. "I don't know what my organization will wish in the future. I do know that they don't want her tied to that puffed-up Pepin, which is the likely outcome of this meeting."
"And this girl is the daughter of the current Winters' head? The Lady Rose?"
"Niece." Dmitri looked at him frowning. "What do you know about the Winters?"
"Not a lot. Father called them peace-loving weaklings who didn't know the reality of the war we're fighting. Then he went out to kill another demon."
"Your education is sorely lacking."
"Pretend, for a moment, that I grew up on a wall that overlooked a vast, hellish wasteland that I had to help defend against and that my tutors and caretakers were all twenty year veterans of a war against demons."
The smile Dmitri gave him as almost apologetic. "Fine. In the time before the Fall, there was a woman who united the tribes of the supernatural to fight the Great Enemy. Her name was Liana and she married into the Winters family. Her connection there gave her contacts and support she didn't even realize she had, and for a time the Enemy was defeated. A generation later her children were the ones to go up against Him, and they failed. The walls between natural and supernatural were split, magic came back to the world and technology left it and what was left of humanity huddled onto neo-Europe, with undead to the South, elves to the west, demons to the east and never-ending ice to the north."
"A poetic way of putting it, but it's not ancient history that I missed out on, it's the current political climate."
"To understand the Winters is to understand that their greatest heroes have all been women. Liana, Misha, Rose and Ivy from ancient times and their descendants through the generations. That is the reason why they have always had a female leading them. Once upon a time the most appropriate female from each generation was chosen, some say by a spirit ancestor, but that changed. Most say the family has been cursed, but now there is only one female born in each generation, and she is destined to lead. Lady Liana Winters is the female of her generation. There is no other option for their ruler, and she is said to be flighty and irresponsible. Weak. Whoever marries her will control the Winters, and you cannot allow it to be Gabriel Pepin."
Erik took a step back at his uncle's fierceness. "And I do that how?"
"Flirt with her. Make her wonder about you. She balks at the control her family has over her."
They both looked up at the sound of thundering hooves and watched two riders come racing into the camp. One rider was a man, his face covered by a mask and his body bent over his horse pushing it to catch the one ahead. This mare held a woman, her eyes lit with glee and her mouth turned to a grin as she clearly won. Her legs were encased in breeches and her shapely arse was on display as she bent low over the horse, urging it faster. Her hat had fallen at some point and it was held on by the ribbons around her throat, leaving her chestnut hair open to the view of all. Erik's mouth was suddenly dry.
He watched as the girl reined in her horse, a simple tug quieting the beast and he admired her iron control. "I won," she called over her shoulder as the second rider slowed to a walk. "You should know by now, Uncle Nishi, I can't be beaten."
Erik noted the crest on Uncle Nishi's saddle rug. Unicorns and wolves, the sign of a Winters noble.
"As you can see," Dmitri said as the two riders entered camp at a more sedate pace, "tomboy would be a good description for her. It shouldn't be too hard to convince her that marriage to a dandy would not suit well."
"And what will you be doing while I romance the harridan?"
"Making sure the deal goes down, even without the marriage."
Gabriel Pepin dismounted his steed and handed the reins to his groom. "See that he gets brushed down properly."
The groom bowed and turned away leaving Gabe struggling to suppress his instinct to fidget. He'd insisted on arriving without the rest of his entourage; he was an adult now, damn it, and he didn't need a bunch of babysitters following him around and making him seem weak. Of course, looking at the other contingents made him realize that alone was weak. Still, the rest of his group were only half a day behind. He could wander until they arrived. Try to figure out what was going on.
Nobody paid him much attention as he wandered through the dusty camp. The four houses represented in this little tete-a-tete had camping spaces assigned around a large marquee that had clearly been chosen because of its open sides, leaving no one closest to the entrance. The Volk were to the east and had already set up camp, their people relaxing around campfires or going about their chores. They had a practice area behind their tents and he could see their famed warriors practicing with wooden swords; it was brutal hacking that had none of the finesse of his own tutors. The Xou Yen were at the South with their monks setting up austere tents, a number of them sitting and staring into space.
To the west the Winters camp was being set up under the direction of a masked man. A canopy was raised in the middle of the area already, and a woman sat under it, calmly sipping tea. She was older, though had clearly been a beauty in her time. Blonde hair was pulled back in an elegant knot and she sat straight, surveying the chaos around her like the calm eye of a storm. A younger woman ran past, all long legs and thin hips and gangly adolescence, much like he still hated about himself.
"Liana," the woman barked, and the girl stopped and meekly walked to the canopy.
Gabriel watched the girl stop, her chestnut braid bouncing against her back as she halted. He watched her head bow as she got what was obviously a lecture and she turned to the tent most recently erected and slipped inside it. Liana. This was the chit he was here to woo. This is the one they wanted him to marry, the one who would one day rule Winters land and who would, if all went well, be ruled by him. He stayed in the shadows of the main tent until she exited the tent in formal clothing, waist cinched tight by a coat that had to be hot in this weather and a dark skirt that skimmed the ground. Still, he could see her gloves were smudged, her hair was escaping the confines of the bonnet and even the damned hat was lopsided and bent as if it hadn't been transported properly.
He turned and stalked towards the Pepin camp where the caravan was pulling in. He'd marry her if he had to – it was the only way to guarantee power for himself – but he'd ensure there were changes there, starting with her behaving as a lady should.
Simon Tan had picked the perfect spot for his little trick. He clutched the feather that allowed him to become insubstantial and slipped into a light meditation as was required. He had only wanted to observe everyone else arriving without being seen, but in the spot where he sat he had heard Dmitri and Erik Dostoevsky chatting about their plans to woo the Lady Liana. He saw Gabriel Pepin skulking about the place, watching everyone with as much interest as Simon was, if not the same amount of subtlety. Then he saw Gabriel's face twist in disgust and he turned and saw her.
It was clear from the look of disdain on Pepin's face that he thought the girl too exuberant, too messy, too everything, but Pepin was wrong. The conversation drifted over to where Simon sat and he realized that this was Liana Winters. Liana. She was the only thing alive in this dustbowl where they camped. She was a butterfly flitting among dying weeds. She was edelweiss sprouting at the top of a mountain bringing beauty to the inhospitable places.
And you are a monk, he told himself harshly. She is not for you.
Still, he watched as she disappeared in the tent and came out tamed and caged. She would need help or she would wind up married to that idiot Gabe Pepin, or falling under Erik Dostoevsky's spell. He watched as she sat next to the uptight woman and carefully sipped at the tea and vowed that he would be her ally.
Liana sat quietly beside her uncle as the negotiations entered their third hour. She struggled to sit as still as her mother had told her to, but all this talk of land and Imperial Decrees and population growth was incredibly boring. She moved her eyes so that she could see the other parties at the table. At one end the colorfully dressed Xou Yen representative and the young, quiet monk who sat at his side. Across from Liana sat Gabriel Pepin, youngest son of the youngest son of the current ruler of the Pepin. His mother had described him as smart and handsome and eminently marriageable, so act like a lady for Gaia's sake. Liana thought he looked arrogant and smarmy and no matter how perfect his hair was or how the dimples creased his cheeks it didn't wipe the insincerity from his eyes.
She turned her eyes to Erik Dostoevsky. He was solid muscle with a scar lining his cheek, but behind the obvious bearing of a soldier there was an easiness about him, as if he were a young man happy in his own skin. She envied him that. He sat beside his own uncle, the legendary General Dmitri Dostoevsky, who currently dominated the conversation.
"You think I care about your stupid land?" he raved. Last night he had arrived in combat clothes – expensive camouflage that was specked with blood and that he probably wore to impress people. Liana had had to bite her lip to hide the smile as her mother struggled to smile and pretend she wasn't staring at the small but horrifying stain. Today the general wore his bright red dress uniform covered in ribbons and medals. "You people all seem to forget that we're fighting an eternal war and the only people being killed are my people."
"You're happy to use our technology and war machines, which we give at a huge discount. We're practically making a loss on those things we send you. Your war has turned my people into slaves!" The Pepin representative had stood as his voice had risen. "The Volk are not the only ones hurt by The Great Enemy."
"It would be better for my people to just stand aside and let his armies march through our lands!" Even Dmitri was yelling now.
"Please, General, you know that's not true." The quiet voice cut through the noise and everyone turned to stare at the young Xou Yen monk. Simon, Liana thought his name was.
About time one of us spoke out, instead of obeying the old 'watch and learn' order they must have all given the young ones. Liana spun at the voice, but no one else seemed to have heard it. Gabe's mouth had twitched into a smile and Erik's eyes showed a glimmer of admiration for the monk, but no one seemed to have heard the voice that said exactly what she was thinking, but with a deep and lightly accented lilt. She thought Simon may have faltered at the words she heard, but he was going strong.
"You know your people would be enslaved and the torture they would bear at the hands of the Great Enemy and his minions would be excruciating and eternal. Empty threats do not help us come to an agreement today."
The General looked as if he wanted to argue but there was nothing to argue with, so he sat with ill-grace. Some poor Lieutenant is gonna get it tonight, and all because of an upstart monk. That voice again, and this time Gabe Pepin snorted at the end of the thought. What in Gaia's name was going on?
Liana bit her lip and Gabe watched it turn red under the small amount of pain. It was clear he was hearing someone's thoughts, probably the bear of a Volk at the end of the table, but he didn't really know why. And even a brainless soldier would have more thoughts than the two he'd just heard, so clearly they weren't hearing every one of his thoughts. Just the good ones, maybe. He smirked, before noticing the three other young ones, as he'd taken to thinking of the four of them, giving him shrewd glances. He schooled his features back into their neutral mask and relaxed back into his seat.
He kept his eyes focused on the Winters girl. He had to admit that under the watchful gaze of her mother and scrubbed up properly, she was more than acceptable as a spouse, even without the obvious benefits of one day being the de facto ruler of Winters' land. But his mother would hate her. Despite the wide, innocent blue eyes and carefully tamed brown locks that gave the impression of a well-bred young lady, the chit would not stop fidgeting. Her fingers clenched and unclenched in her lap and he could almost feel the slight movement of the table at the constant jittering of her legs.
Eventually she met his gaze, a glare in her eye, and he heard as clearly as if she'd spoken aloud, Why do you keep staring? Do I have spinach in my teeth or has a wart erupted on the end of my nose?
No, Lady, the monk's voice echoed through his mind. You are perfect.
Yes, I'm sure Pepin is only captivated by your beauty, Lady, came the bear's accented English.
Also the fact you're the only one at the table who can't SIT STILL, Gabe thought to himself and found himself at the receiving end of two glares and a pair of rather hurt blue eyes. Shit. You can hear me.
Yes, the two male voices echoed, but young Liana just looked back towards her uncle. So stop being a dick, Erik added.
For some reason the adults at the table were oblivious to the glances and glares their young charges were sharing across the table and even his uncle didn't notice when Gabe gave a delicate shudder. So you can all hear me and I can hear you and no one else is affected? he saw three surreptitious nods. Somebody kill me.
Don't worry, Lord Pepin, a soft and feminine voice said. If the choice is between hearing your thoughts for the rest of my life or committing murder, I'll happily sharpen my sword.
Simon wasn't at all sure that the rules of his order allowed him to laugh at a death threat, but for once he told himself that he had yet to take his final vows, so his slip could be excused. Thankfully the laugh that Erik Dostoevsky covered with a loud cough disguised the sound of his own snigger. Lady Liana looked innocently up at her uncle and Lord Pepin looked outraged.
As Erik sipped gratefully at his water, Simon tuned back in to the conversation among the elders. He knew he would already be in trouble for speaking without consent, but if the Xou Yen were determined to use his limited skills for their own gain, then they would have to accept the consequences. His order did not believe in secrets or falsehoods or manipulation of the sort Dmitri Dostoevsky had tried. The original temple had been founded by one of the Old Heroes, and although his name and role had been lost in the chaos of the time, his spiritual descendants had a duty to point out secrets and falsehoods. He knew that his vows meant he should be telling the rest of the table about this strange new ability he and the others had found, but something stayed his tongue, as if it were a physical restraint. So instead of speaking he went back to pondering their problem.
He could tell that this spot, chosen for its convenience more than anything else, had no particular spiritual or magical energy. Certainly there were places that hadn't been visited since the time of the Fall due to their unstable energy since the return of the Great Enemy, but if this had been one of those places then everyone would have been affected. Or everyone under a certain age, and he hadn't heard the thoughts of Pepin's grooms or the young girl he'd seen waiting on Lady Liana's mother. Even the Volk had brought along a youth regiment for protection, clearly wishing to leave their experienced troops back at the Wall.
If it wasn't the place then something or someone had done this to them. He controlled his breathing and reached out to Pepin and Dostoevsky, trying to gauge if they'd had anything to do with it. Still, even with his greater control he could not probe further than their strongest thoughts which were being shared between all four, a sniping argument between the two of them about who was bigger or better or some nonsense.
For Gaia's sake, would you two shut up! Lady Liana interjected and Simon sent her a quick thank you smile. Then he began to focus on the other adults in the room. There was a possibility that this was caused by an object or something they imbibed, but the control of it hitting the four of them specifically made him think there was more conscious involvement than that. The main negotiator for the Winters wore a mask, suspicious in itself, and Simon resolved to watch him more closely.
The meeting broke up for the day mid-afternoon. The time had sped up considerably after Erik gained the ability to bicker with Gabe Pepin and Erik was looking forward to sparring with the other soldiers to ease some of the tension caused by some well-placed jibes. As he began limbering up he noticed the Lady Liana picking her way through the dusty camp on the arm of Gabe Pepin. Can you hear me now? he thought as loudly as he could.
The affirmative reply came from all three of the group he was thinking of as compatriots. Where are you, Simon? He couldn't see the young monk anywhere.
The opposite side of the camp to you, the voice replied. Testing the limits.
Erik smiled at the evidence that Simon had thought to discover the limits of their little problem; the mind of a strategist. They might need that to figure out what was going on. Any ideas? he asked as he picked up his sword and prepared to fight.
Once again it was the monk who answered. It's possible that there was an object we all touched or something put in our food, but I suspect it is a person, just due to the fact it is just us.
Why? Pepin asked.
Would any of us be speaking right now without it? What a way to forge an alliance, Liana replied.
So, someone is trying to help? Pepin asked.
Why not? You may not have a good soul, Gabriel Pepin, but others do, Liana replied. Erik took his eyes off his opponent to glance at the two standing close by watching him fight. Block, Erik!
He lifted his sword automatically and felt his bones vibrate at the force of his opponent's blow. Thanks! He sent a grin her way and went back to his fight.
That night Erik arrived at the main tent in his dress uniform to find Liana smiling serenely at her mother as the other woman looked like she was sucking a lemon. There were, unusually, two tables set up in the tent; a large one where they'd all sat earlier in the day and now arranged for a meal, and a smaller table set for four.
"It's alright, Mother," Liana said. "We'll sit at the kiddies table tonight."
Erik bit the inside of his cheek to stop the laugh that threatened to bubble out. The chit looked positively innocent but he could almost hear the cheeky smile in her voice. She likes to keep you close? he asked as he stepped to her side, pasting a pleasant expression on his face.
She believes that I'm unable to behave myself in company without her forbidding presence. He could feel Dmitri's eyes on him as Liana slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow.
Little does she know, we've already experienced your terrible manners. That whole spoiled thing is from being the heir, isn't it?
Gabriel's the spoilt brat, not me!
Hey! Pepin joined them and smoothly inserted himself into the conversation. "You've made the arrangements as we discussed, Liana. It will be delightful to spend time conversing with you a bit more intimately, even if it means forgoing the company of your delightful older sister." He bent and pressed a kiss to Liana's mother's hand and Erik could hear his mental groan echoed by Liana.
"Of course, I'll trust you to watch over her, Lord Pepin," the woman twittered and turned to take the General's hand. She gave a final glare over her shoulder and Erik thought the order to behave was clear.
"My Lady." He pulled out her seat.
"Wait. Where's Simon?" The monk seemed to melt from the shadows at the sound of his name. "Oh, good. You can sit by me."
Erik quickly grabbed the seat to the other side of her, leaving Gabe facing her again. They made small talk while the plates to share were brought out and then, with other conversations disguising their own, Liana asked what they were all thinking.
Liana took a deep breath, hoping that throwing it all out into the open was the correct way to go. She was sure that if she'd asked either her mother or her uncle for advice they would have counseled against it, but she was no good with these diplomatic riddles; she'd rather just know what was going on.
"Any ideas why we've been cursed with this insight into Lord Pepin's brain?" she asked. Gabe had a similar sucking-lemons face to her mother, but she was gratified to hear Simon and Erik laugh.
"I'll have you know that your brain isn't the most scintillating place to spend time either."
Liana just grinned at him. "Any ideas on who could possibly be trying to help, or if they'll release us from this torture after they realize their goal?"
Gabe and Erik shook their heads, but Simon looked like he knew something. "Have you figured out how it works yet?" No one spoke. "It is your surface thoughts and feelings it captures, so if you want to know something you have to ask."
She caught on immediately. "Why do you want to marry me?" she asked Gabe.
"You're a beautiful woman," Gabe started, but they all heard the word power echo through his mind. She knew her smile held no warmth. "We met last night," Gabe said, giving in to the inevitable. "You expect love at first sight?"
"And you?" she turned to Erik.
"I don't want to marry you," Erik said. I don't want him to marry you, was also heard clearly.
"And that's the information I was supposed to garner from this little gift?"
Gabe shrugged. "Since we don't know who bestowed the gift we're hardly able to tell what they hoped you'd get out of it. I'm sure the Pepin would like me to use this unexpected boon to find out what you're willing to give up for the land they're arguing about."
Images and voices scattered through their brains but Liana thought it resolved into the idea that none of them had been trusted with that high level of information. "We really are the kiddy's table," she said wryly. "So why did they bring us at all?"
"I see better than most," said Simon.
"I'm being trained for my eventual position in life," was Gabe's contribution.
"The General thinks I'm charming." Erik flashed her a grin.
"And I’m the sacrificial lamb," Liana said as she picked at the roast boar. She felt a flare of concern that she thought came from Simon, but it didn't seem like the other two had noticed. "And, keeping in mind that I am young and impressionable and thus not told anything, can someone tell me why this piece of land is so important?"
For the first time in a while her mind was completely clear of impressions by other people. They had skirted the land on the way to this meeting and it had seemed barren, rocky and wild with little to recommend it. She knew it was land and that was important, but she hadn't known why anyone would want that land. Clearly she wasn't the only coming up blank when looking for a reason why their people would want this land.
"I think it's the only no-man's-land in neo-Europe. Does that make it special?" Erik asked.
"The only value land has in what it provides you," Gabe said.
Like marriages? Liana thought and was pleased when Gabe flinched.
"Maybe we are not supposed to get anything out of this gift," Simon said, drawing them back to an earlier conversation. "Maybe the land and the marriage are completely unimportant and this was a completely random happenstance with no deeper meaning."
"Do you really believe that?" Liana asked.
"No. But I don't believe that we should be manipulated by a person or persons unknown. I think if there is any benefit to this new ability it is that we are sitting here chatting about the negotiations while we eat our baked potato because it means we have a chance to decide some things that our elders will still be arguing about."
"And what do you suppose four people sitting at the kiddy's table can do with that decision?" Gabe asked.
"Well, Erik has the soldiers, I have the diplomatic clout, Simon is all magical and your lot can make things," Liana spoke up. "With all that, maybe we can change things."
The next morning Gabe took his place across from Liana and waited for the right moment. Not at the kiddy's table anymore, he thought and he heard their murmurs of agreement as they sat next to him. The corners of Nishi Winters lips curled upwards as he sat. Gabe sat back as the negotiations started and the conversation once more swelled around them.
"Imperial Decree states that the land is ours," Nishi said.
"Imperial Decree has gathered us here today to re-negotiate, so the decision of an Emperor two hundred years ago really means very little."
"And what do the Pepin plan to do with it?"
"What have the Winters done with it over the last two centuries? Not a lot according to my sources."
"Why don't you let us have it?" Liana's voice cut through the conversation.
"I believe the Pepin representative was just explaining that ignoring a piece of land for two centuries does not give a House the right to keep ignoring it for another two centuries," the General said.
"I don't mean the Winters, General, I mean the kiddy's table: Gabe, Simon, Erik and I."
"Why would we do that?" the Xou Yen representative frowned.
"Weren't you all wanting us to grow up?" Gabe asked.
"Take responsibility," Erik added.
"Act for the good of our people?" Simon said softly.
"Clearly you've thought about this." Nishi smiled and Liana had the feeling that he'd been expecting it.
"We thought we all had relevant skills and thought working together may promote peace in the Empire."
"Leaving everyone with more resources to fight our mutual enemy at the far border," Gabe added, largely for the General's benefit, she thought.
Are we laying it on too thick? she asked them.
No, a new voice replied and her eyes flashed to Nishi sitting next to her. It is not the outcome I was looking for, but I'm amused nevertheless.
Her compatriots were staring at him as well, and then he spoke. "I like it. There is an old-Europe city called Brasov in the middle where they can begin their project. And it is a mission worthy of the heroes of old." His voice seemed to take on a power that it had never had before and the others at the table were nodding in agreement.
Why all this? Gabe asked. If you can just make them do what you want, why manipulate us?
I didn't manipulate you; I only gave you insight that you didn't have before. Gabe marveled as the man held up a physical conversation as well as their mental one. I honestly didn't know how to fix this situation. I hoped you would come up with a solution.
"I won't let my daughter run off with three men unchaperoned."
"I will go along as chaperone, Lady Winters," Nishi said. "There are obviously details to work out as far as who will settle the land and where any resources will go, but for now I think we can sign an agreement and let our very intelligent young people go off and make plans."
And just like that Gabe found a plan agreed to over wine and roast boar just last night endorsed by the negotiators of four Houses. They all stood and walked away from the table and Gabe found he could hear the conversation between Nishi and Liana.
You remind me of her, you know, he said.
Who?
Your namesake.
Gabe knew that Liana was named for one of the old heroes, which would make Nishi over five hundred years old.
Yes, Nishi confirmed with humour. I'm older than I look. The first Liana Winters didn't care for rules or what others thought; she stuck to her own inner sense of what was right and it stood her in good stead. You four should do the same.
They were all nodding and Nishi turned to walk away.
Wait! Are you going to turn this off? Now that you have your solution?
You have a town to build. I think this can only help.
There was a mental groan and suddenly he was the middle of attention. "Let's talk about ground rules."
Gift for:
florahartBy:
kinky_kneazleGift type: Fiction 5,700 words
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Summary: The first time they accompany their elders to the negotiating table, four young people discover a new ability.
Giftcreator's notes: Original Prompt: There are several races/species who are working to form an alliance. Each has sent a delegation to a neutral site. The night before the convention is to begin, each member of each delegation becomes aware of the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of several other delegates, in some combination of ones of hir own and ones not of hir own delegation. This changes the game entirely. With thanks to H for his wonderful imagination and my roleplaying group who may see ghosts of characters past in this story. Also to F for his amazing, last-minute beta work.
florahart, this feels like the start of something longer, and I thank you for the opportunity to play in this world for a little while and be inspired. I hope you enjoy it.Liana Winters sighed as she saw the horse her mother was riding pull to the side of the column and stop. She wasn't sure what she'd done wrong this time, but obviously it was something bringing shame to the noble House of Winter.
"Are you enjoying the ride, Mother?" she asked as her mare Hildegaard moved alongside her mother's mount.
"No. The only thing more incomprehensible than why this meeting needs to happen in Volk lands is why it needs to happen in summer. Not only am I sweating, I'm also getting sunburnt, I'm sure."
Liana was equally sure that between the bonnet, gloves and wrist and ankle length clothing that not a spot of sun was meeting her mother's skin. It was probable that the sun wouldn't dare. Liana felt her mother's eyes on her and struggled not to squirm.
"Honestly, Liana, did you have to wear those horrible breeches?"
"We're spending three days in the saddle. Riding clothes seemed logical."
"Need I remind you that you are attending this little consortium as a representative of your Aunt and the noble House of Winter. You will also one day be leading the House. Decisions you make today are important. The impression you make today will be important. Only one daughter-"
"Born each generation, I know."
"Well, you don't take it seriously. You are named for our greatest hero and diplomat. She joined the ancient tribes to fight the old evil and it was through her grace and intelligence that we have what little part of the world that exists today."
"I heard she broke every sacred rule of her people and was constantly berated by her elders until she annoyed people into doing the right thing."
"Don't speak such blasphemy, Liana Rose."
"I'm also positive she would hate the fact a word against her has become blasphemy," Liana muttered under her breath. Her mother glared at her and she snapped her mouth shut.
"You will sit quietly while your aunt's representatives negotiate, and you will comport yourself as Lady Liana Winters should."
A third horse cantered past from behind them and her uncle Nishi grinned. "I can see it, Liana! Race me there!"
She ignored her mother's outraged protest and kicked Hildegaard into a gallop.
Erik Dostoevsky walked through the camp at the border of Volk lands, marveling at the way he no longer needed to trot to keep up with his uncle's long-legged stride. They stood eye-to-eye these days and Dmitri was the only one in the family actually treating him like an adult. In fact, his uncle had insisted he drop the "uncle" when they spoke together and had been quietly talking to him about secret organizations and important missions and a lifetime that was not spent on the Wall.
"So, tell me about this girl you want me to seduce, Dmitri."
"Erik, get that thought out of your head right now. This is the heir of the Winters family; you seduce her and you'll likely wind up married to the chit."
"Wouldn't that suit the purposes of your… organization?"
Dmitri looked at him sharply and then looked around. He relaxed when he saw there was no one close by and deigned to answer. "I don't know what my organization will wish in the future. I do know that they don't want her tied to that puffed-up Pepin, which is the likely outcome of this meeting."
"And this girl is the daughter of the current Winters' head? The Lady Rose?"
"Niece." Dmitri looked at him frowning. "What do you know about the Winters?"
"Not a lot. Father called them peace-loving weaklings who didn't know the reality of the war we're fighting. Then he went out to kill another demon."
"Your education is sorely lacking."
"Pretend, for a moment, that I grew up on a wall that overlooked a vast, hellish wasteland that I had to help defend against and that my tutors and caretakers were all twenty year veterans of a war against demons."
The smile Dmitri gave him as almost apologetic. "Fine. In the time before the Fall, there was a woman who united the tribes of the supernatural to fight the Great Enemy. Her name was Liana and she married into the Winters family. Her connection there gave her contacts and support she didn't even realize she had, and for a time the Enemy was defeated. A generation later her children were the ones to go up against Him, and they failed. The walls between natural and supernatural were split, magic came back to the world and technology left it and what was left of humanity huddled onto neo-Europe, with undead to the South, elves to the west, demons to the east and never-ending ice to the north."
"A poetic way of putting it, but it's not ancient history that I missed out on, it's the current political climate."
"To understand the Winters is to understand that their greatest heroes have all been women. Liana, Misha, Rose and Ivy from ancient times and their descendants through the generations. That is the reason why they have always had a female leading them. Once upon a time the most appropriate female from each generation was chosen, some say by a spirit ancestor, but that changed. Most say the family has been cursed, but now there is only one female born in each generation, and she is destined to lead. Lady Liana Winters is the female of her generation. There is no other option for their ruler, and she is said to be flighty and irresponsible. Weak. Whoever marries her will control the Winters, and you cannot allow it to be Gabriel Pepin."
Erik took a step back at his uncle's fierceness. "And I do that how?"
"Flirt with her. Make her wonder about you. She balks at the control her family has over her."
They both looked up at the sound of thundering hooves and watched two riders come racing into the camp. One rider was a man, his face covered by a mask and his body bent over his horse pushing it to catch the one ahead. This mare held a woman, her eyes lit with glee and her mouth turned to a grin as she clearly won. Her legs were encased in breeches and her shapely arse was on display as she bent low over the horse, urging it faster. Her hat had fallen at some point and it was held on by the ribbons around her throat, leaving her chestnut hair open to the view of all. Erik's mouth was suddenly dry.
He watched as the girl reined in her horse, a simple tug quieting the beast and he admired her iron control. "I won," she called over her shoulder as the second rider slowed to a walk. "You should know by now, Uncle Nishi, I can't be beaten."
Erik noted the crest on Uncle Nishi's saddle rug. Unicorns and wolves, the sign of a Winters noble.
"As you can see," Dmitri said as the two riders entered camp at a more sedate pace, "tomboy would be a good description for her. It shouldn't be too hard to convince her that marriage to a dandy would not suit well."
"And what will you be doing while I romance the harridan?"
"Making sure the deal goes down, even without the marriage."
Gabriel Pepin dismounted his steed and handed the reins to his groom. "See that he gets brushed down properly."
The groom bowed and turned away leaving Gabe struggling to suppress his instinct to fidget. He'd insisted on arriving without the rest of his entourage; he was an adult now, damn it, and he didn't need a bunch of babysitters following him around and making him seem weak. Of course, looking at the other contingents made him realize that alone was weak. Still, the rest of his group were only half a day behind. He could wander until they arrived. Try to figure out what was going on.
Nobody paid him much attention as he wandered through the dusty camp. The four houses represented in this little tete-a-tete had camping spaces assigned around a large marquee that had clearly been chosen because of its open sides, leaving no one closest to the entrance. The Volk were to the east and had already set up camp, their people relaxing around campfires or going about their chores. They had a practice area behind their tents and he could see their famed warriors practicing with wooden swords; it was brutal hacking that had none of the finesse of his own tutors. The Xou Yen were at the South with their monks setting up austere tents, a number of them sitting and staring into space.
To the west the Winters camp was being set up under the direction of a masked man. A canopy was raised in the middle of the area already, and a woman sat under it, calmly sipping tea. She was older, though had clearly been a beauty in her time. Blonde hair was pulled back in an elegant knot and she sat straight, surveying the chaos around her like the calm eye of a storm. A younger woman ran past, all long legs and thin hips and gangly adolescence, much like he still hated about himself.
"Liana," the woman barked, and the girl stopped and meekly walked to the canopy.
Gabriel watched the girl stop, her chestnut braid bouncing against her back as she halted. He watched her head bow as she got what was obviously a lecture and she turned to the tent most recently erected and slipped inside it. Liana. This was the chit he was here to woo. This is the one they wanted him to marry, the one who would one day rule Winters land and who would, if all went well, be ruled by him. He stayed in the shadows of the main tent until she exited the tent in formal clothing, waist cinched tight by a coat that had to be hot in this weather and a dark skirt that skimmed the ground. Still, he could see her gloves were smudged, her hair was escaping the confines of the bonnet and even the damned hat was lopsided and bent as if it hadn't been transported properly.
He turned and stalked towards the Pepin camp where the caravan was pulling in. He'd marry her if he had to – it was the only way to guarantee power for himself – but he'd ensure there were changes there, starting with her behaving as a lady should.
Simon Tan had picked the perfect spot for his little trick. He clutched the feather that allowed him to become insubstantial and slipped into a light meditation as was required. He had only wanted to observe everyone else arriving without being seen, but in the spot where he sat he had heard Dmitri and Erik Dostoevsky chatting about their plans to woo the Lady Liana. He saw Gabriel Pepin skulking about the place, watching everyone with as much interest as Simon was, if not the same amount of subtlety. Then he saw Gabriel's face twist in disgust and he turned and saw her.
It was clear from the look of disdain on Pepin's face that he thought the girl too exuberant, too messy, too everything, but Pepin was wrong. The conversation drifted over to where Simon sat and he realized that this was Liana Winters. Liana. She was the only thing alive in this dustbowl where they camped. She was a butterfly flitting among dying weeds. She was edelweiss sprouting at the top of a mountain bringing beauty to the inhospitable places.
And you are a monk, he told himself harshly. She is not for you.
Still, he watched as she disappeared in the tent and came out tamed and caged. She would need help or she would wind up married to that idiot Gabe Pepin, or falling under Erik Dostoevsky's spell. He watched as she sat next to the uptight woman and carefully sipped at the tea and vowed that he would be her ally.
Liana sat quietly beside her uncle as the negotiations entered their third hour. She struggled to sit as still as her mother had told her to, but all this talk of land and Imperial Decrees and population growth was incredibly boring. She moved her eyes so that she could see the other parties at the table. At one end the colorfully dressed Xou Yen representative and the young, quiet monk who sat at his side. Across from Liana sat Gabriel Pepin, youngest son of the youngest son of the current ruler of the Pepin. His mother had described him as smart and handsome and eminently marriageable, so act like a lady for Gaia's sake. Liana thought he looked arrogant and smarmy and no matter how perfect his hair was or how the dimples creased his cheeks it didn't wipe the insincerity from his eyes.
She turned her eyes to Erik Dostoevsky. He was solid muscle with a scar lining his cheek, but behind the obvious bearing of a soldier there was an easiness about him, as if he were a young man happy in his own skin. She envied him that. He sat beside his own uncle, the legendary General Dmitri Dostoevsky, who currently dominated the conversation.
"You think I care about your stupid land?" he raved. Last night he had arrived in combat clothes – expensive camouflage that was specked with blood and that he probably wore to impress people. Liana had had to bite her lip to hide the smile as her mother struggled to smile and pretend she wasn't staring at the small but horrifying stain. Today the general wore his bright red dress uniform covered in ribbons and medals. "You people all seem to forget that we're fighting an eternal war and the only people being killed are my people."
"You're happy to use our technology and war machines, which we give at a huge discount. We're practically making a loss on those things we send you. Your war has turned my people into slaves!" The Pepin representative had stood as his voice had risen. "The Volk are not the only ones hurt by The Great Enemy."
"It would be better for my people to just stand aside and let his armies march through our lands!" Even Dmitri was yelling now.
"Please, General, you know that's not true." The quiet voice cut through the noise and everyone turned to stare at the young Xou Yen monk. Simon, Liana thought his name was.
About time one of us spoke out, instead of obeying the old 'watch and learn' order they must have all given the young ones. Liana spun at the voice, but no one else seemed to have heard it. Gabe's mouth had twitched into a smile and Erik's eyes showed a glimmer of admiration for the monk, but no one seemed to have heard the voice that said exactly what she was thinking, but with a deep and lightly accented lilt. She thought Simon may have faltered at the words she heard, but he was going strong.
"You know your people would be enslaved and the torture they would bear at the hands of the Great Enemy and his minions would be excruciating and eternal. Empty threats do not help us come to an agreement today."
The General looked as if he wanted to argue but there was nothing to argue with, so he sat with ill-grace. Some poor Lieutenant is gonna get it tonight, and all because of an upstart monk. That voice again, and this time Gabe Pepin snorted at the end of the thought. What in Gaia's name was going on?
Liana bit her lip and Gabe watched it turn red under the small amount of pain. It was clear he was hearing someone's thoughts, probably the bear of a Volk at the end of the table, but he didn't really know why. And even a brainless soldier would have more thoughts than the two he'd just heard, so clearly they weren't hearing every one of his thoughts. Just the good ones, maybe. He smirked, before noticing the three other young ones, as he'd taken to thinking of the four of them, giving him shrewd glances. He schooled his features back into their neutral mask and relaxed back into his seat.
He kept his eyes focused on the Winters girl. He had to admit that under the watchful gaze of her mother and scrubbed up properly, she was more than acceptable as a spouse, even without the obvious benefits of one day being the de facto ruler of Winters' land. But his mother would hate her. Despite the wide, innocent blue eyes and carefully tamed brown locks that gave the impression of a well-bred young lady, the chit would not stop fidgeting. Her fingers clenched and unclenched in her lap and he could almost feel the slight movement of the table at the constant jittering of her legs.
Eventually she met his gaze, a glare in her eye, and he heard as clearly as if she'd spoken aloud, Why do you keep staring? Do I have spinach in my teeth or has a wart erupted on the end of my nose?
No, Lady, the monk's voice echoed through his mind. You are perfect.
Yes, I'm sure Pepin is only captivated by your beauty, Lady, came the bear's accented English.
Also the fact you're the only one at the table who can't SIT STILL, Gabe thought to himself and found himself at the receiving end of two glares and a pair of rather hurt blue eyes. Shit. You can hear me.
Yes, the two male voices echoed, but young Liana just looked back towards her uncle. So stop being a dick, Erik added.
For some reason the adults at the table were oblivious to the glances and glares their young charges were sharing across the table and even his uncle didn't notice when Gabe gave a delicate shudder. So you can all hear me and I can hear you and no one else is affected? he saw three surreptitious nods. Somebody kill me.
Don't worry, Lord Pepin, a soft and feminine voice said. If the choice is between hearing your thoughts for the rest of my life or committing murder, I'll happily sharpen my sword.
Simon wasn't at all sure that the rules of his order allowed him to laugh at a death threat, but for once he told himself that he had yet to take his final vows, so his slip could be excused. Thankfully the laugh that Erik Dostoevsky covered with a loud cough disguised the sound of his own snigger. Lady Liana looked innocently up at her uncle and Lord Pepin looked outraged.
As Erik sipped gratefully at his water, Simon tuned back in to the conversation among the elders. He knew he would already be in trouble for speaking without consent, but if the Xou Yen were determined to use his limited skills for their own gain, then they would have to accept the consequences. His order did not believe in secrets or falsehoods or manipulation of the sort Dmitri Dostoevsky had tried. The original temple had been founded by one of the Old Heroes, and although his name and role had been lost in the chaos of the time, his spiritual descendants had a duty to point out secrets and falsehoods. He knew that his vows meant he should be telling the rest of the table about this strange new ability he and the others had found, but something stayed his tongue, as if it were a physical restraint. So instead of speaking he went back to pondering their problem.
He could tell that this spot, chosen for its convenience more than anything else, had no particular spiritual or magical energy. Certainly there were places that hadn't been visited since the time of the Fall due to their unstable energy since the return of the Great Enemy, but if this had been one of those places then everyone would have been affected. Or everyone under a certain age, and he hadn't heard the thoughts of Pepin's grooms or the young girl he'd seen waiting on Lady Liana's mother. Even the Volk had brought along a youth regiment for protection, clearly wishing to leave their experienced troops back at the Wall.
If it wasn't the place then something or someone had done this to them. He controlled his breathing and reached out to Pepin and Dostoevsky, trying to gauge if they'd had anything to do with it. Still, even with his greater control he could not probe further than their strongest thoughts which were being shared between all four, a sniping argument between the two of them about who was bigger or better or some nonsense.
For Gaia's sake, would you two shut up! Lady Liana interjected and Simon sent her a quick thank you smile. Then he began to focus on the other adults in the room. There was a possibility that this was caused by an object or something they imbibed, but the control of it hitting the four of them specifically made him think there was more conscious involvement than that. The main negotiator for the Winters wore a mask, suspicious in itself, and Simon resolved to watch him more closely.
The meeting broke up for the day mid-afternoon. The time had sped up considerably after Erik gained the ability to bicker with Gabe Pepin and Erik was looking forward to sparring with the other soldiers to ease some of the tension caused by some well-placed jibes. As he began limbering up he noticed the Lady Liana picking her way through the dusty camp on the arm of Gabe Pepin. Can you hear me now? he thought as loudly as he could.
The affirmative reply came from all three of the group he was thinking of as compatriots. Where are you, Simon? He couldn't see the young monk anywhere.
The opposite side of the camp to you, the voice replied. Testing the limits.
Erik smiled at the evidence that Simon had thought to discover the limits of their little problem; the mind of a strategist. They might need that to figure out what was going on. Any ideas? he asked as he picked up his sword and prepared to fight.
Once again it was the monk who answered. It's possible that there was an object we all touched or something put in our food, but I suspect it is a person, just due to the fact it is just us.
Why? Pepin asked.
Would any of us be speaking right now without it? What a way to forge an alliance, Liana replied.
So, someone is trying to help? Pepin asked.
Why not? You may not have a good soul, Gabriel Pepin, but others do, Liana replied. Erik took his eyes off his opponent to glance at the two standing close by watching him fight. Block, Erik!
He lifted his sword automatically and felt his bones vibrate at the force of his opponent's blow. Thanks! He sent a grin her way and went back to his fight.
That night Erik arrived at the main tent in his dress uniform to find Liana smiling serenely at her mother as the other woman looked like she was sucking a lemon. There were, unusually, two tables set up in the tent; a large one where they'd all sat earlier in the day and now arranged for a meal, and a smaller table set for four.
"It's alright, Mother," Liana said. "We'll sit at the kiddies table tonight."
Erik bit the inside of his cheek to stop the laugh that threatened to bubble out. The chit looked positively innocent but he could almost hear the cheeky smile in her voice. She likes to keep you close? he asked as he stepped to her side, pasting a pleasant expression on his face.
She believes that I'm unable to behave myself in company without her forbidding presence. He could feel Dmitri's eyes on him as Liana slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow.
Little does she know, we've already experienced your terrible manners. That whole spoiled thing is from being the heir, isn't it?
Gabriel's the spoilt brat, not me!
Hey! Pepin joined them and smoothly inserted himself into the conversation. "You've made the arrangements as we discussed, Liana. It will be delightful to spend time conversing with you a bit more intimately, even if it means forgoing the company of your delightful older sister." He bent and pressed a kiss to Liana's mother's hand and Erik could hear his mental groan echoed by Liana.
"Of course, I'll trust you to watch over her, Lord Pepin," the woman twittered and turned to take the General's hand. She gave a final glare over her shoulder and Erik thought the order to behave was clear.
"My Lady." He pulled out her seat.
"Wait. Where's Simon?" The monk seemed to melt from the shadows at the sound of his name. "Oh, good. You can sit by me."
Erik quickly grabbed the seat to the other side of her, leaving Gabe facing her again. They made small talk while the plates to share were brought out and then, with other conversations disguising their own, Liana asked what they were all thinking.
Liana took a deep breath, hoping that throwing it all out into the open was the correct way to go. She was sure that if she'd asked either her mother or her uncle for advice they would have counseled against it, but she was no good with these diplomatic riddles; she'd rather just know what was going on.
"Any ideas why we've been cursed with this insight into Lord Pepin's brain?" she asked. Gabe had a similar sucking-lemons face to her mother, but she was gratified to hear Simon and Erik laugh.
"I'll have you know that your brain isn't the most scintillating place to spend time either."
Liana just grinned at him. "Any ideas on who could possibly be trying to help, or if they'll release us from this torture after they realize their goal?"
Gabe and Erik shook their heads, but Simon looked like he knew something. "Have you figured out how it works yet?" No one spoke. "It is your surface thoughts and feelings it captures, so if you want to know something you have to ask."
She caught on immediately. "Why do you want to marry me?" she asked Gabe.
"You're a beautiful woman," Gabe started, but they all heard the word power echo through his mind. She knew her smile held no warmth. "We met last night," Gabe said, giving in to the inevitable. "You expect love at first sight?"
"And you?" she turned to Erik.
"I don't want to marry you," Erik said. I don't want him to marry you, was also heard clearly.
"And that's the information I was supposed to garner from this little gift?"
Gabe shrugged. "Since we don't know who bestowed the gift we're hardly able to tell what they hoped you'd get out of it. I'm sure the Pepin would like me to use this unexpected boon to find out what you're willing to give up for the land they're arguing about."
Images and voices scattered through their brains but Liana thought it resolved into the idea that none of them had been trusted with that high level of information. "We really are the kiddy's table," she said wryly. "So why did they bring us at all?"
"I see better than most," said Simon.
"I'm being trained for my eventual position in life," was Gabe's contribution.
"The General thinks I'm charming." Erik flashed her a grin.
"And I’m the sacrificial lamb," Liana said as she picked at the roast boar. She felt a flare of concern that she thought came from Simon, but it didn't seem like the other two had noticed. "And, keeping in mind that I am young and impressionable and thus not told anything, can someone tell me why this piece of land is so important?"
For the first time in a while her mind was completely clear of impressions by other people. They had skirted the land on the way to this meeting and it had seemed barren, rocky and wild with little to recommend it. She knew it was land and that was important, but she hadn't known why anyone would want that land. Clearly she wasn't the only coming up blank when looking for a reason why their people would want this land.
"I think it's the only no-man's-land in neo-Europe. Does that make it special?" Erik asked.
"The only value land has in what it provides you," Gabe said.
Like marriages? Liana thought and was pleased when Gabe flinched.
"Maybe we are not supposed to get anything out of this gift," Simon said, drawing them back to an earlier conversation. "Maybe the land and the marriage are completely unimportant and this was a completely random happenstance with no deeper meaning."
"Do you really believe that?" Liana asked.
"No. But I don't believe that we should be manipulated by a person or persons unknown. I think if there is any benefit to this new ability it is that we are sitting here chatting about the negotiations while we eat our baked potato because it means we have a chance to decide some things that our elders will still be arguing about."
"And what do you suppose four people sitting at the kiddy's table can do with that decision?" Gabe asked.
"Well, Erik has the soldiers, I have the diplomatic clout, Simon is all magical and your lot can make things," Liana spoke up. "With all that, maybe we can change things."
The next morning Gabe took his place across from Liana and waited for the right moment. Not at the kiddy's table anymore, he thought and he heard their murmurs of agreement as they sat next to him. The corners of Nishi Winters lips curled upwards as he sat. Gabe sat back as the negotiations started and the conversation once more swelled around them.
"Imperial Decree states that the land is ours," Nishi said.
"Imperial Decree has gathered us here today to re-negotiate, so the decision of an Emperor two hundred years ago really means very little."
"And what do the Pepin plan to do with it?"
"What have the Winters done with it over the last two centuries? Not a lot according to my sources."
"Why don't you let us have it?" Liana's voice cut through the conversation.
"I believe the Pepin representative was just explaining that ignoring a piece of land for two centuries does not give a House the right to keep ignoring it for another two centuries," the General said.
"I don't mean the Winters, General, I mean the kiddy's table: Gabe, Simon, Erik and I."
"Why would we do that?" the Xou Yen representative frowned.
"Weren't you all wanting us to grow up?" Gabe asked.
"Take responsibility," Erik added.
"Act for the good of our people?" Simon said softly.
"Clearly you've thought about this." Nishi smiled and Liana had the feeling that he'd been expecting it.
"We thought we all had relevant skills and thought working together may promote peace in the Empire."
"Leaving everyone with more resources to fight our mutual enemy at the far border," Gabe added, largely for the General's benefit, she thought.
Are we laying it on too thick? she asked them.
No, a new voice replied and her eyes flashed to Nishi sitting next to her. It is not the outcome I was looking for, but I'm amused nevertheless.
Her compatriots were staring at him as well, and then he spoke. "I like it. There is an old-Europe city called Brasov in the middle where they can begin their project. And it is a mission worthy of the heroes of old." His voice seemed to take on a power that it had never had before and the others at the table were nodding in agreement.
Why all this? Gabe asked. If you can just make them do what you want, why manipulate us?
I didn't manipulate you; I only gave you insight that you didn't have before. Gabe marveled as the man held up a physical conversation as well as their mental one. I honestly didn't know how to fix this situation. I hoped you would come up with a solution.
"I won't let my daughter run off with three men unchaperoned."
"I will go along as chaperone, Lady Winters," Nishi said. "There are obviously details to work out as far as who will settle the land and where any resources will go, but for now I think we can sign an agreement and let our very intelligent young people go off and make plans."
And just like that Gabe found a plan agreed to over wine and roast boar just last night endorsed by the negotiators of four Houses. They all stood and walked away from the table and Gabe found he could hear the conversation between Nishi and Liana.
You remind me of her, you know, he said.
Who?
Your namesake.
Gabe knew that Liana was named for one of the old heroes, which would make Nishi over five hundred years old.
Yes, Nishi confirmed with humour. I'm older than I look. The first Liana Winters didn't care for rules or what others thought; she stuck to her own inner sense of what was right and it stood her in good stead. You four should do the same.
They were all nodding and Nishi turned to walk away.
Wait! Are you going to turn this off? Now that you have your solution?
You have a town to build. I think this can only help.
There was a mental groan and suddenly he was the middle of attention. "Let's talk about ground rules."
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Date: 2011-07-04 11:59 pm (UTC)