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glacial_queenThe reaction from the Dark Council was not long in coming. The mood in the Hall was somber even before the missive was opened. Had Magstrom been able to sway them to accept Saetan as Jaenelle’s guardian, the missive would have never reached them as quickly. Days would have passed as they argued over it, figuring out concessions they could demand for the ‘privilege’ of keeping a father with the daughter of his soul. The missive was short, blunt, and to the point. The Council demanded that Jaenelle and Uncle Saetan present themselves before them the very next day. ‘To appoint a new guardian’ was not written anywhere, but the cold and austere language left no doubt.
No one spoke of it aloud. No one had to. It was obvious in the pain in Saetan’s eyes, the firm set to his jaw, the way all fifty thousand years seemed to hang on his shoulders. Jaenelle’s eyes burned with a cold, cold fire and frost rippled out from her feet across the wood of the floor. Before anyone could speak, she whirled around and ran to the front door. Hooves pounded up the drive, Kaetian’s psychic scent laced with concern and alarm. Before anyone could even react, the front door of the Hall was slamming closed and the hooves were racing away again, as if there was a pack of Hell-hounds chasing them.
***
Jaenelle didn’t return until after dark. Karla was outside,totally keeping an eye out for her practicing her knife drills by witchlight, when Jaenelle ghosted up beside her. “You look good,” she said quietly, looking and sounding utterly exhausted. “Could you do that before?”
Karla forbore to comment on Jaenelle’s appearance. She’d get enough fussing from the males later. “No,” she said, not missing a beat. “My friend Leto is teaching me knives, as Triela is teaching me guns. I’m learning to protect myself.”
Jaenelle frowned. “The boyos must be less than pleased. You know how they feel about protecting and serving.”
“Yeah, well, they’re not around all the time, are they?” Karla asked with a particularly vicious swipe of her knife. “They weren’t there when I was stuck in another world fighting vampires, were they?” That wasn’t a particularly wise choice of words there. Karla was barely keeping it together as it was; no need to bring up that bit of history. Most days she was better—today just wasn’t most days.
Fortunately, Jaenelle understood. How could she not when she’d stayed up with Karla for three days straight, listening to her talk, exorcise her ghosts, letting her just cry. “Your gifts are almost done,” she said, changing the topic entirely. “I should finish them tonight.”
“No rush,” Karla all-but-snapped. “It’s not like you’re going anywhere. I won’t let them take you away. None of us will. If I have to, I’ll march down to that damn island and tell the Dark Council myself--”
“You’ll do nothing of the sort,” Witch commanded in her midnight voice. “If you do, they’ll only bring you back to Glacia, present you to your uncle tied up in a bow. You are staying far away from that island, do you hear me?”
“But--” Karla protested.
“Mother Night, Karla, you are my dearest Sister! I cannot do what needs to be done tomorrow and worry about you, too!”
“I want to help!” Karla wailed. “That’s why I’m here! To help you with whatever needs to be done!”
Witch ignored her. “All your gifts will ready by morning,” she said, turning to walk inside.
“Dammit, Jaenelle,” Karla snarled, snagging her arm. “I’m not finished here. Let me go with you! I can help, you know I can. With whatever needs doing. I’d walk to Hell and back for you and you know it!”
“I was serious when I said I’d put no more scars on Saetan’s soul,” Witch replied, gently removing Karla’s fingers from her arm. “Do you honestly think I’d allow any on yours?”
[NFI, NFB, you know the drill. Sorry about the issues I'm having with posting things on time here. Con-dead brain is stupid. Should only be three more posts left: one during the actual Dark Council meeting, one for the aftermath, and one where Karla explains to Jaenelle she wants to stay in Kaeleer. Mwahahahaha]
No one spoke of it aloud. No one had to. It was obvious in the pain in Saetan’s eyes, the firm set to his jaw, the way all fifty thousand years seemed to hang on his shoulders. Jaenelle’s eyes burned with a cold, cold fire and frost rippled out from her feet across the wood of the floor. Before anyone could speak, she whirled around and ran to the front door. Hooves pounded up the drive, Kaetian’s psychic scent laced with concern and alarm. Before anyone could even react, the front door of the Hall was slamming closed and the hooves were racing away again, as if there was a pack of Hell-hounds chasing them.
***
Jaenelle didn’t return until after dark. Karla was outside,
Karla forbore to comment on Jaenelle’s appearance. She’d get enough fussing from the males later. “No,” she said, not missing a beat. “My friend Leto is teaching me knives, as Triela is teaching me guns. I’m learning to protect myself.”
Jaenelle frowned. “The boyos must be less than pleased. You know how they feel about protecting and serving.”
“Yeah, well, they’re not around all the time, are they?” Karla asked with a particularly vicious swipe of her knife. “They weren’t there when I was stuck in another world fighting vampires, were they?” That wasn’t a particularly wise choice of words there. Karla was barely keeping it together as it was; no need to bring up that bit of history. Most days she was better—today just wasn’t most days.
Fortunately, Jaenelle understood. How could she not when she’d stayed up with Karla for three days straight, listening to her talk, exorcise her ghosts, letting her just cry. “Your gifts are almost done,” she said, changing the topic entirely. “I should finish them tonight.”
“No rush,” Karla all-but-snapped. “It’s not like you’re going anywhere. I won’t let them take you away. None of us will. If I have to, I’ll march down to that damn island and tell the Dark Council myself--”
“You’ll do nothing of the sort,” Witch commanded in her midnight voice. “If you do, they’ll only bring you back to Glacia, present you to your uncle tied up in a bow. You are staying far away from that island, do you hear me?”
“But--” Karla protested.
“Mother Night, Karla, you are my dearest Sister! I cannot do what needs to be done tomorrow and worry about you, too!”
“I want to help!” Karla wailed. “That’s why I’m here! To help you with whatever needs to be done!”
Witch ignored her. “All your gifts will ready by morning,” she said, turning to walk inside.
“Dammit, Jaenelle,” Karla snarled, snagging her arm. “I’m not finished here. Let me go with you! I can help, you know I can. With whatever needs doing. I’d walk to Hell and back for you and you know it!”
“I was serious when I said I’d put no more scars on Saetan’s soul,” Witch replied, gently removing Karla’s fingers from her arm. “Do you honestly think I’d allow any on yours?”
[NFI, NFB, you know the drill. Sorry about the issues I'm having with posting things on time here. Con-dead brain is stupid. Should only be three more posts left: one during the actual Dark Council meeting, one for the aftermath, and one where Karla explains to Jaenelle she wants to stay in Kaeleer. Mwahahahaha]
