The young man had all been positioned, standing.
the five had been seated across from them.
It was a long outside area, a amphitheater but smaller and a oblong instead of round.
It felt like the place they had had their wrestling match, but it wasn't.
Where that had been open, walls and a roof made of plants made this feel like a secure area.
To their surprise the remaining council was guided in together with their families.
Teddy gasped at one person in particular.
A tall, beautiful middle aged women, with dark red hair and turquoise eyes that pierced.
Her son looked nothing like her, but she could not be anyone be else's relation.
Until she smiled.
She had high set cheekbones, smiling at Josan who had stumbled a bit trying to sit down, they formed into the same round cheeks and smile as Agnus had.
" Agnus! " Teddy hissed, " Your mother is the most beautiful women I've ever seen! "
Agnus laughed, " Really? Well it looks like you should seek yourself a plains women. "
" Hello, " Spoke a familiar elderly voice.
Counselor Libby had stepped in their midst.
" I am happy you are all here. Happy to see new faces and familiar ones."
She gestured around the room.
"But let me address that we also miss many. Many that will no longer be able to join us."
Morten noted that at least half the counselors were missing.
The guard had suffered great losses,
their group, if you could call them that, had lost men.
But they had all gone into the fight, the councilors had just found themselves ambushed in their offices and quarters, at work.
"I however want to thank you, young man" she turned to them,
"You made great sacrifices. You are all standing because one of you is unable to sit without stitches that keep him together giving out. "
She turned to the five," Our treasured young women, owe you much. "
The girls nodded.
Kur called out on this, sounding official, " you forget we owe one of them more than just our lives, our freedom. "
The girls all looked around at Aya.
Who blushed violently and seemed to do attempts at vanishing.
" Most right you are.
Thank the Lords someone thought to give her a dagger as a courting gift! "
The man laughed softly,
Agnus shrugged innocently.
" Courting, is something I want to discuss with you all. " She continued.
" You see, this plan? Changed things.
We added another double,
which in turn made us appoint all of them a region and likely changed how the One functions forever. " She turned to the families saying this.
" But it seems that the actual plan, the cause of these good changes?
Has endangered all our children. Our brothers, sisters, grandchildren and cousins. We thought we could play a fun political game. "
She sighed.
" To learn a lesson we have known for centuries. Politics? Aren't fun. "
She fell silent for a while.
Seemingly mourning.
" We risked everything we fought for, for this. A bit of fun that, even without these terrifying events, affected the lives of these young men and women in the deepest and most private areas. Something we had no right of doing. "
She nodded towards the girls, apologizing.
" And we like to say that we are sorry. Not just to them, but towards their families.
We have been unreasonable, unrealistic and downright stupid. "
She sighed, making eye contact with their families.
" Therefore,
it had been decided that we will not continue to pursue this venture.
You and your young men are free to go. "
She said in a final way, addressing the families fully now.
Morten felt Agnus sag on one side and Kur stress on his other.
Kur just spoke, he didn't seem to care if he was out of line.
" Where can we apply to work for the council? "
Counselor Libby looked around at him.
" Yes, " came the deeper tone of Agnus,
" May we?"
Teddy started asking too and Morten shrugged and decided to pretend he was joining the mob.
She put up a hand,
which made their speech die out.
"Gentleman, calm down. The council is on ruins, we have no idea right now if I am honest.
But you are free to stay here for a while longer until we do figure it out. "
Three stood up, " What if we wish to continue courting? "
This seemingly caught Libby off guard and she looked around at her.
The councilors too immediately buzzed.
Agnus mother had stood up, speaking before anyone else could.
" As a parent, if any of them made good connections I want them to have a chance. "
Everyone looked at her, even the councilors conversation died.
" We put them together, " she continued,
" like pieces on a board game. Made them play along. It would be in poor taste if we do quite the opposite now. These young people formed bonds, friendships and maybe even more. To the point that they fought together, died together.
I think this young lady," she indicated three, "Has every right to continue exploring this.
I think all of them, especially so shortly after such an intense event in their lives, should be allowed to mingle.
Our young men have all proven they are on their side. "
Libby wanted to open her mouth but Agnus's mother went on.
"I do not care for the opinions from the council on this. I want this as payment for endangering my only child."
Morten knew Agnus's mother had been a prostitute.
But he actually couldn't phantom how.
Her presence was huge, she effortlessly took over the room and ruled it as if she was royalty.
But wasn't Agnus the same?
He was, he himself had listened to Agnus. Believed every word he spoke and he had looked up to him.
Libby smiled and addressed the council, " you heard her, the parents agree.. "
A heavy set councilor humpfd as he stood, " One parent, doesn't make all. "
At this Kur's brother stood up so quick it made his wife make a noise of surprise,
"I think we do all agree!"
He gestured at Kur, " not just agree, my brother was freed by one of the five! "
Kur moved and stepped out into the middle and threw his sleeve back to show the golden band.
"You can not pretend you didn't know, your council came to ask me if he was ever traditionally freed." His brother said, waving his hand as if to present Kur.
The couple who Morten assumed were Teddy's parents looked with surprised interest.
Agnus's mother let out a wince, "Really? He was given that by one of the five?"
She pointed at him, very much indicating his armband.
"Yes!" Huffed Kur's brother.
"That's not just a courting gift, council. These are meaningful things, personal things.
You can't expect these young people to just.. go home and forget about this whole thing.
No matter if you find it wise or not."
The porky councilor started to argue.
Agnus's mother stomped him down.
"I do not care councilor, it is the right thing to do." She said in such a final tone he stopped arguing.
Kur's brother looked around at her, impressed.
" As a parent, one that has spend her whole life being forgotten by the governing bodies.. "
She waved lazily towards the councilors," of which several of you still remain even now!?"
She turned to the young man, " While I starved and struggled to keep my son alive, to raise him half decent only for him to be forced to become known as one of the absolute terrors of the plains? "
She turned back to the council, " because you were nowhere to be found! "
She turned to the five, " I give all of you permission to continue courtship if you choose to do so."
There was a moment of silent, as if people were questioning how much power those world truly had.
She shook her hair back, " And if any of the council have issues with this, they should have thought about me a long time ago. And had made issue then.
I had no voice or rights, now you do not." She pointed accusatorily at the council members looking rather uncomfortable at these words.
Libby blinked at this.
Nodded quietly and looked at the girls.
"Well that settles that, young lady? You may court if the interest is mutual" She said,
making eye contact with three and waving at Kur, who still stood in the middle of the area.
Three didn't seem to care and stumbled down the tribune they were on and ran towards Kur.
Where she straightened up before Kur.
Kur smiled in slight surprise.
" Kur, I know.. this whole thing was all.. just, a bit of a show.. " she said,
suddenly looking like she regretted every second she was there.
She blushed violently.
It seemed saying what she said made her realize this might possibly be extremely one sided.
She swallowed, " would you, "
she fidgeted with her arms and hands, " be alright if we.. "
she seemed to realize it and hastily put her arms tightly next to herself, " tried this? "
Kur had looked intensely serious making her probably more nervous,
he had simply been trying to follow her broken and stressed speech.
His expression softened and he smiled.
"If you tell me your actual name.." he said, as he turned her head up at him by putting his index finger under her chin.
She sighed in relief, blushed violently and whispered, "Siu."
Kur laughed, in that extremely mild and charming way.
"Nicely matching short name!"
She gave him an embarrassed glance, "I was the 8th child, I think they ran out of names to be honest.."
He pulled her against him, throwing his robes around her and nuzzled the side of her surprised face.
Agnus let out a long, sad sounding sigh next to Morten.
Who looked around at him.
Morten remembered how he had looked at five, or, Aya.
Especially the last few times.
"Good!" Clapped Libby, "that resolves that!"
She turned herself towards the young man, "We may have positions for you, and your families, soon. Feel free to stay as long as you'd like, we have prepared places for you to stay."
She turned and nodded towards the entrance, "You will be guided to one of our courtyards where there will be people appointed to give you any further information."