Fall

Piper

“You want to leave?” Atlas said.

That vein on the side of his head is about to burst, Reine deadpanned. Stress is not good for that.

Reine, Piper chided, please don’t think that right now. I’m afraid one of these times I’ll say your comments aloud.

I would consider that to be a blessing, not a curse, the leopard purred.

“Why do you want to leave again?” Skye asked. Madoc flapped onto the kitchen island, and started to peck at stray toast crumbs from lunch.

Thea shooed Madoc from the island. “She wants to find her parents.”

“I think it’s a great idea!” Kit exclaimed. “Another adventure!”

“You’re starting to sound like Loy,” Milla muttered, scraping the toast crumbs onto a plate and laying it on the floor for Skye’s fera.

The kitchen went quiet.

“I don’t like it,” Atlas said. Piper could start to discern when Hudson’s thoughts came into prominence. “Didn’t you want to come to Elbe to escape the West?”

“I wanted to escape my fate,” Piper said, thinking of Lucy Mink. “But now I must find it.”

Reine thrashed her tail in agreement. We are not prey, to sit and wait for others to choose for us. We must take action, like true warriors.

Piper grimaced. Finding my parents. True warriors indeed.

We are warriors. It’s the motivation and action itself that spea— Reine began to growl before Kit interrupted.

“Well, you obviously can’t go alone.” She swiveled her stool so Arlo, her lop-eared rabbit, could see them. “And I’ve never been outside of the North before…”

Atlas pounded the island. “No. You’re not leaving Elbe in the middle of a war.”

“It’s a cease fire right now,” Kit said. “No one’s fighting.”

“You are not,” Atlas ground through his teeth, “leaving Elbe.” Piper could see he was struggling to contain his anger, or rashness. If he was still struggling now, she wondered how he had been before his ambassador training.

Kit has a point. Reine watched the heated topic unfold from one of the benches at the inset window. It would be unwise to wander a warzone without company. Especially now if someone recognizes us.

“We will have to talk this over with King Asher.” Atlas sighed, and tented his hands into a thick triangle. “I’ll make sure he sees his ‘heroes of Elbe’ by tomorrow.”

Kane

Again? Flint looked up with a mouthful of grass. He slowly chewed, and swallowed. Why have we been summoned?

Kane repeated the question to one of King Asher’s prized messengers, Finch.

Finch shrugged. “I don’t ask questions. I’m just doing my job.” His fera and namesake twittered on his shoulder.

“Okay.” Kane stretched, and followed Finch out of the grassy courtyard that Flint had claimed as his room. It was ironically next to the royal stables, where the deer had spent the weeks leading up to the war in house-arrest.

Flint claimed to have an attachment to the land. It is a reminder of our past, and future.

Kane narrowed his eyes at the deer. Why do you have to be so cryptic?

I prefer the term wise. Or sage-like. Flint was clearly pleased at this. His mind began to churn. Or maybe astute, intelligent, perceptive, judicious—

It was Kane’s turn to be pleased when Flint stopped himself. The deer had noticed the flurry of servants around them. Oh, it seems the king is busy.

So are we. Kane allowed the throne room doors to be opened for them. The commotion inside made him freeze at the threshold.

His father was waving a fist in the air, while Micah and his badger looked sullen next to an astonished Milla, June the donkey, and Skye.

Directly before them all stood Piper and Reine. Piper was in a respectful kneel, while Reine bristled in an attack stance beside her.

“Hm. I should probably go now,” Finch said in a low murmur. “You have fun with this.”

Atlas

Atlas’s blood boiled. Hudson continued to pour buckets of calm reassurance onto his conscious, but the open defiance and recklessness of Reine sent his protective nature aflame.

Does she think they’re invincible, because they helped win one battle? Atlas fumed. She’s going to get Piper killed!

Hudson watched the scene with intense focus. Atlas could feel him assessing the situation. Remember that Piper can make her own choices as well. Reine does not control her.

Atlas raised his fist to gain Asher’s attention. “Excuse me, but do the honored Piper and Reine Amur fully understand the tension they could bring with this? We must think of Northern ties, as well.”

Reine stiffened, and jumped to her paws. Piper winced, and bit her lip. Her leopard must have commented on their dialogue.

“Going on a mission inside the Western territory is helpful to us. As qualified spies, they could gain unprecedented information about our enemies.” King Asher scratched his chin, and looked to Levi. “Why didn’t we think of this earlier?”

“Since King Kayden took the throne, only two ambassador missions have been sent to the West. Need I remind you they were both disasters,” Milla said.

No thanks to us, Atlas thought. The last time they had seen King Kayden, he had wanted their heads.

“But this mission would not use conventional methods, as Piper explained,” King Asher countered.

The doors to the throne room opened, and all eyes turned to see Kane, Flint, and Finch.

Finch gave a swift bow. “Announcing Prince Kane and Flint.” Then exited.

“How nice of you to join us, Prince Kane.” Asher motioned to the scene before him. “We are currently debating an issue of territorial security.”

“Would the Council be needed for this?” Kane asked warily, shifting his eyes from a curled-lipped Reine to the king again.

“Life no!” Asher exclaimed. “That adds another month to all this, at least. We need a decision now.”

Hudson rolled his eyes. He shouldn’t have said that in front of an audience.

Atlas agreed, but kept his tone even as he said, “I think we should send out an experienced ambassador, or true spy.”

“I won’t let her leave the North without doing something for us. Piper and Reine are the heroes of Elbe! Amur incarnate. The keepers of a royally-bestowed alea. How will the morale of our country stand if we send our heroes out to simply look for parents who may or may not exist?” Asher furrowed his brow. “There must be a reason for their leaving, other than a goose-chase.”

Hudson relayed a thought to Atlas, who immediately voiced it to the group. “Then let a spy accompany her. One who can provide the true work, while Piper and Reine go on their… own mission.”

“Are you volunteering yourself, Ambassador Atlas?” Asher said, putting emphasis on his title.

“A true spy, Asher. Not just an ambassador.” Atlas crossed his arms. “Although I know you use us more often than your little blue brigade.”

Asher chuckled. “It is true, that I have fewer spies than ambassadors and scouts. But it does not mean I use them less. Why, you just saw one now.”

The king’s guests looked around uneasily. Finally, Skye spoke up. “Who is it?”

Asher gave a triumphant grin. “My messenger, otherwise known as Finch.”