Talentless // Fitz Vacker

// nineteen //

Sophie kept looking at her hands. Adora just looked at the room around her. Dame Alina's office was a beautiful place but the tension, you could cut it with a knife. 

"What do you think Dame Alina?" Alden asked when Sophie finished explaining. 

Dame Alina pursed her lips, sort of like when you ate a lemon that wasn't as sour as you were expecting. "She violated the ethical regulations of telepathy."

"She did indeed." Tiergan murmured. "And I'm sure some here feel should be exiled for that." He glared at Alden. 

Well this was a lovely gathering of people. 

Alden sighed. "Nobody is suggesting anything of the sort." 

"Right." Tiergan grumbled. "Because it would be absurd to exile and innocent girl but a man with a family to care for-"

"I will not have this argument again Tiergan. It was the Councils ruling. I had no choice but to obey." 

"There's always a choice." Tiergan insisted. 

What is going on here? Adora thought. 

"Now, now boys," Dame aline said. "Can't we play nice?"

Everybody stayed silent. 

"Well could someone explain why the other girl is here?" She asked. 

"Moral support and unbiased opinion miss." Adora replied. Dame Alina seemed like she was about to protest but after that small bit of arguing that Tiergan and Alden just did she realized that Adora had a point. 

"Very well." She turned to Alden, flashing a smile that made Adora quite uncomfortable. "What do you think the punishment should be?"

Tiergan snorted. "Yes, let's leave it up to him. Why bother asking her telepathy mentor how she should be punished for violating the rules of telepathy." 

Adora rolled her eyes. Oh boy, we're going to be here for a while.

"He's the one reporting him to the council." Dame Alina argued. 

"Yes, everyone knows how good he is at that." Tiergan growled. 

Alden sighed. 

Who knew the adults were acting for like children than the children in the room?

"Don't forget your place, Sir Tiergan." Dame Alina said icily. "As long as you are a mentor here, you will respect my authority. I'd like to know what Alden advices. 

"Of course you do."  He said under his breath. "Everyone know how you favor him." 

God did Adora want popcorn. 

"Excuse me?" Dame Alina hissed. 

Alden closed his eyes and shook his head. Tiergan seemed to gain confidence, he wasn't backing down from his fight. "It's hardly a secret that you tried to stop his wedding to Della." 

Adora widened her eyes. Tiergan was climbing on Adora's list of 'Coolest Elves Ever.'

"Really?" Sophie blurted before she could stop herself. 

Dame Alina flushed a bright red. 

Alden ran his fingers through his hair sort of like how Fitz does. "All of that is neither here nor there."

"Isn't it?" Tiergan asked. "This whole process is pointless. Sophie won a pardon from the splotching match. Can't she just hand that over and consider it punishment served?" 

"And allow her to believe that cheating is tolerated?" Dame Alina huffed. "Certainly not." 

That's not a good argument. Adora thought to herself.