The North American Council sat calmly at a round glass board room table. This is how they did things now in the human world. Only 75 years ago they would have been in their true forms in a grove, now they sat as humans while human serveants waited on them as though they were important business tycoons. Which is what the outside world thought of them mostly. Rich Powerful and enchantingly goodlooking.
" We will bring this Meeting to order. "
Nava said turning an eye and looking at all of her Brothers and Sisters around the table. 6 Males and 6 Females, it was always that way on the Council. There had always been an understand equality from the begining. They could not spawn without one another you needed both to succeeed. " Tell me about the fundraiser last night Ana"
The Maple tree smiled and stood to make her presnetation, she was leggy and tall and looked extremtly beautiful in her fitted black suit. She had firey red hair and green eyes, humans were always so enchanted with her looks. She could get most of them to do whatever she wished with merley a smile. " You can see by the numbers we were at al small loss compared to the other years, but I feel that in truth the artists work was not up to par this year. Perhaps we have exhausted this mortal and we need to find something new or better for that matter."
" I really enjoy Oscars work Ana, I think that part of the problem last night is we didnt invite enough new blood. The humans have to want it, we invite the same tired souls every year lets expand a little."Cooper said smiling a bit, he had been present last night and as usual had left early in the evening not alone.
"Oh lets be honest, who cares" Ayunli said with a sigh, he had never been present at any of their almost seemingly weekly fund raisers. He was old and grumpy even if he appeared young, and hated useless talk and felt the Council had more pressing issues to deal with and the money troubles should have been left to subserveant Dryads.
" Well I care, " Said Ana standing up for herself. " With this small loss in profits who knows if we will be able to hit the same budgest as last quarter"
"Are we really in any financial dangers of suddenly becoming poor? " He said slamming his hands on the desk and standing up " The answer is no, every one of us has more ways to make money, this whole thing is just a cover for the mortals. So Since i cannot abide to sit through another one of these meetings this month if there is nothing else Im going to go home." He started gathering his breif case when he heard it.
" Ayunli sit down. We have much more to discuss." Nava said standing herself and meeting his green eyes with a hard stare.
" I dont care what colour the napkins are Nava, I don't care about any of it, anything you choose will be fine." He had his coat on now and was heading twords the door.
" I spoke to Avish this morning. " She said simply,
the room went silent as the room took in those words, and the Ayunli nodded did a full turn and slid back into his seat.
" What did the Old man have to say?" Eshe asked softly, it was rare that Avish said anything anymore, he mostly listented and only spoke if things were in danger.
" There is a new threat, or is it an old one." She moved and sat down again " Vian has gone missing.
We went to wake the ancient from hibernation and the tree was not there. At our last Meeting we felt something stirring to the North in England. There is something not quite as it should be. "
" When were you going to tell us the Elder Council has felt something?" Micah scoffed. " We need to investigate this immediatly."
" We do and we also need to be smart about it." She said with a sigh, " The Water Children have also offered there assitance in this matter. "
" We do not require their aide, send them back to the sea" Cooper said with a laugh, he was always trying to find a smile in any situation it was why he was so popular amoung both nymph and human. " Though I saw Paiva last night and I might I say she was looking lovley "
Nava rolled her eyes and tried to keep the topic on track, it was important that things were said in a way that no one would be offended. " Well regardless we all known we have a Confrence coming up in England anyways. We had the young ones planning it for weeks now. It will be an excellent cover to why we are sending them over."
" Sending who..." Asked Eshe curiously as she reached for the glass of water in front of her and took a small sip.
" We are sending Midor
and a small team" Nava said, it was with those words Ana was on her feet.
" You have got to be kidding." She said slightly enraged.
" I assure you we are not kidding." Nava said. " She might be the only one that is able to find Vian, not only that
but Avish thinks its time. We've punished her enough. "
" Her punishment will never be enough, she almost broke the law-" Ana screamed in outrage.
"Oh shut up Ana" Ayunli said in a forceful voice " That poor child has been essentially your slave for the last 200 years. I for one never saw reason to punish her so harshly,
nearly breaking the law is not the same as breaking the law. Especially since she will be twice as strong if not more when fully mature."
" How dare you? You know what she almost did" Her green eyes burned with rage as she glared at him. Her usual smile and false hoods gone nothing was left but seething annoyance.
" She was Chosen, and instead of training her like we should have been, we've been having her be a bloody socialite. Oh she can plan a party, but can she do what she was born to do?" He hissed back " She is Special, we are special or have you all forgotten that? " He was angry now. " We should not be spending all our time playing human, we have to remember what we were."
"Ayunli, please" Nava said softly trying to calm him down. " The point is, Avish has put in the request for her. I will not be the one to deny him the request of the Melaei would you?"
" If I am hearing it correctly As of this day her punishment has ended, and her training is once again begining." the old tree asked , a smile on his face as he ran his fingers through his mousey brown hair.
" Yes " Nava said calmly but waiting for the reaction of all those at the table.
" About time, should have been done a 100 years ago." He said impatiently,
" Anyways, Midori will be sent over with some of water children. She will need to be escourted by some of our own as well. Veridiana please see to it that an appropriate number of Guards escort her." The Elder said calmly trying not to add more excitment to the conversation.
Veridiana nodded now hiding the rage she had only moments ago," Yes of course Nava"
" Now, unless anyone has something else to add of importantance. I will see you all next week. Thank you all for your hard work last night and ill email those nessesary going forward with the Confrence in London." SHe smiled elgantly and the Dryads all pushed their chairs out and started filing for the door.
" Did he really say to set her free?" Ana asked at the door way waiting for Nava.
" Yes, its not a joke ...set the Melaie free Veridiana..." The Magnolia said firmly.
The Maple nodded and headed back to her abode, she would have to plan for her meeting later that evening.
*******
" Greetings Ana" Midori said with a kind smile as the door to her Mentors office was opened for her by one of the guards.
" Midori, my child take a seat we have much to discuss." She had a cunning smile on her face as she took a seat behind her large desk.
" I'm so sorry about the event Ana, I know we missed the budget im still go over the figures to see where we actually lost the money." She sat down in front of Ana, the woman who had been her mentor for near 300 years.
" This isnt abotu the Stupid event last night Midori, this is about the fact the Council needs you to remember your training and to find the Elder Vian
who has gone missing in Northern England."
Midori was silent, she was replaying what her Mentor had just said to her. " They want me to travel?" was this happening? Was she allowed to leave? Was this truly going to happen?
"Yes,
Vian is no longer in hibernation, the ancients secret hibernation location empty and the dryad is nowhere to be found. We need you to use your sensory
skills, like you used all those years ago to find us when you were born...."
" Yes of course I would be happy to do that. " She said with a smile.
" Yes yes I am sure you would, but while you are here Midori we have something else to discuss. "
" Of course Ana" She said in a subservent tone.
" When you return the Courtship with my son will end, and you will marry him."
" But Ana I dont love him..."
" Enough of this. Love means Nothing our race is in danger. You will marry my son and you will create strong, powerful seedlings....do you understand."
" No ... I am not Ok with this Ana, I wish to decline."
" No Midori You listen. " She was standing now . " I am not playing games, do you know how much trouble you were in. Do you know how much of a chance I took keeping you on all these years . You owe me Midori. You Owe me and you will pay me back by marrying my son, you will be bound eternally do you understand."
"But I dont love him..."
" Stop it, stop with this sadness and this depression Love is not what you think it is. You have this human notion of love, its our fault for allowing it and not snapping you out of it. Stop pining for a man who is not capable of loving you back. That Traitor is gone, free your mind from the fact that you can be with him. You know what he was going to do to you or your Seedling....you would not have survived he didnt love you Midori he was using you."
The Ash fought back tears as she nodded, there was always something wrong about what had happened all those years ago. There was always the fact that she never felt what they had done was wrong, and the fact she felt him, she felt the love he felt for her. They were not telling her the whole truth. She still felt it even now, but they kept telling her it wasnt possible. Maybe it was just her head and her desire for it so much. " I think you are wrong, and I think forcing this on me is wrong..." she whispered
" Midori, I don't care. My Son is like Royalty amoung our kind, you could do no better. I have selected this for you, he agrees. You will Marry him, I will make all the arrangments do you understand." She seemed to no longer be asking for Midroi's opinion and was just informing her of what was expected of her.
" I hear your words Ana, " She said Softly. But she would not say she agreed.
"Good, you are free to go. We leave in 2 Days. Pack for rain, the cover of the trip is the conference on deforestation, expect publicity." She sat back down and started going through some papers.
" Yes Ana..." She said as she stood and made her way to the door. Her phone was already in her hand and she was texting Paiva, they had only reconnected so recently but she needed someone to talk to.
