New Dawn

Mare

Honestly there was no reason to separate our entrances into the meeting this morning. Or at least thats what I keep telling myself. Cal and I walk in together, arriving after Farley and Davidson, but before Eve and Elane. We have all congregated in Julian's rooms. I walk over to Farley after we enter, leaving Cal to stand awkwardly near the door, his eyes never leaving his uncle on the bed. 

I watch Davidson approach him out of the corner of my eye as I greet Farley. 

"So why the urgent meeting?" I ask.

Farley looks grim, her mouth pulled into a tight line. 

"I don't know. All I know is that Elane does not want me here. But Davidson convinced her so here I am."

I cannot help but raise my eyebrows. I have never known Elane to hate anyone, or try and remove anyone from anything. She's honestly so mild mannered I have trouble believing it. Whatever is going on must be pretty crazy. My eyes dart back to Cal and Davidson who are talking earnestly. I wonder what they are talking about.

Suddenly I feel the temperature go up in the room and I turn back towards Cal, he looks distraught. I assume the worst, and quickly walk over to them, Farley hot on my heels, to hear what Davidson has to say. 

"What do you mean his powers are gone? How can they just be gone?" Cal demands, clenching his fists.

I feel my own eyes widen, eyebrows raising against my will. 

"Gone" I echo quietly, unable to form any other words. "For good?" I manage to squeak out after a long moment. 

"As far as we can tell, yes." Davidson says. 

Cal continues to heat up, I can see worry, anger, and guilt in his eyes. I rest a hand on his arm, trying to help in what small way I know how. 

"For good." He repeats.

He is hot to the touch.

Farley looks concerned, "this can't get out." she says. The tone of her voice surprises me. It is not strict but deadly sincere. "If people know Silvers can be silenced permanently..." she trails off. "This will change everything"

"So you can see why I was a little concerned about filling you  in."

Elane's voice cuts through the room, making us all turn as she and Eve enter, Eve leaning ever so slightly on Elanes supporting arm around her waist.

"Luckily, my wife and Premier Davidson told me that you were not a threat to us. That your input was just as valuable as any of ours." She pauses for a moment, "and if they trust you, I trust you." She nods to Farley.

Farley returns the nod, bowing her head slightly in the direction of the ex-princess. 

Eve's voice ends the slightly awkward silence. 

"How goes it here my friends? I suppose you're all anxiously awaiting my decision." She smirks slightly, but I can see it does not reach her eyes. "Lucky for you, I'm not going to make you wait for it." She shoots us a more genuine smile. "I will accept the position."

I hear a collective sigh from Cal, Davidson, Farley, and it seems Julian even though he is still snoring quietly. 

"But I have conditions."

No one moves, waiting to hear what she will want.

"I will accept, if and only if I can have a team of advisors of my choosing stay here with me in North, until my six months as temporary Premier are up." 

We all nod along.

"I will need Julian, obviously" she says.

"His royal angstyness, Prince Tiberias, Flame of the north." She chuckles at the title, and I see the corner of Cal's mouth tug at a smile.

"General Farley." I am slightly shocked. I knew she respected the woman, but to actually request to work with her is incredibly unexpected.

"And Mare." I knew from the moment she said she had conditions that one would be that I stay. I do not protest, simply meeting her eyes, and trying to say that I will be there for her. She returns my gaze with a wounded determination. 

Davidson looks at me and I nod. He does the same to Farley and she replies in the same fashion. He looks at Cal who of course agrees. 

"Then, unless anyone has any protest, we will move forward with establishing you in Julian's place." 

Evangeline nods. I can see her squeezing Elane's hand, but her hands do not shake. She keeps her gaze level and determined. 

"Your swearing in ceremony will be in a weeks time, at which point, I will return to Montfort once you are all established here."

We all collectively nod. 

It is only eleven am and already we have made a larger decision than any of us have made in the last year. I guess I won't have to be worried about leaving anytime soon.