Hello All, and welcome back! Firstly, I'm terribly sorry for the delay, things has been so hectic lately I hardly had a moment to write. Thank you for everyone who's reading, voting and commenting! It means the world to me that people are enjoying this story and I hope you lot stick around! Enjoy!
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"We are all in the same boat, in a stormy sea, and we owe each other a terrible loyalty."
- G.K. Chesterton
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SOL TAKES A BREATH, TRYING TO CALM HIMSELF AND THE HEADACHE HE COULD FEEL GROWING AT HIS TEMPLES. They were going to get no where with this if they continued the way they were. He hadn't tried to bring order to the thirteen voices that shouted across the table at each other.
Was this how a council to act?
When faced with a problem, however dire or inconsequential it may be, they are to put their heads together and bring about a solution.
He understood their worry and their anger, but this was no time for fighting amongst themselves. He watched silently as Sonia tried to calm everyone, standing at her spot at the table, but her pleas for peace fell on deft ears. Samuel was doing the same, though he was not much help as he only shouted at anyone who went against his sister.
Ameera sat to Sol's right, and she was staring at him, her eyes pleading for him to say something.
"If we keep fighting amongst each other it is not going to turn the situation." Sonia says calmly, though it was clear that the blonde was losing her patience. "We have to be civil -"
"Oh, right. You want us to remain civil when you only came to us three days and a moon to tell us that Luna is gone." A man snaps, his dark eyes glaring into Sonia's own, then he turned to Sol, his gold robes glinting under the candle light, "There can be no trust in this council if a matter as dire as this is only brought to our attention at this hour."
Sol's eyes darken and he took another breath to calm himself, "Now, Garreth, there is a reason why the issue was brought before you only now." The clenching of Gareth's jaw did not go unnoticed by Sol and he leaned back into his chair, it was actions like these that had made Sol wary of the council.
Garreth in particular had always tried to make himself seem higher than those around him. Sol has always valued fair play, and has told his council only once before that they would always be on equal grounds.
He doesn't think that ever sank into Garreth's head.
"As it be, the information was poorly received and instead of finding a solution, you choose yet to bicker."
Sonia finally sits down, glaring at Garreth, and slowly the tension slipped from the air around them. As everyone followed suit and settled, Sol's eyes traveled the room, taking note of the emotions that swam in everyone's eyes. They were afraid - with all right, too - and confused. There were questions that needed answering, most of them he was sure he would be unable to even surmise.
For the three days, Sol had asked Ameera, Sonia and Samuel to keep the situation between themselves as much as they could. There was no doubt that the absence of Luna would go unnoticed for long, but it bid them time to find what they could.
Which of course, didn't turn out in their favour, as not even Sol's books or the stars could give him any solution. Luna had just simply vanished.
The only clue they did have, was the book that glowed purple upon contact with the podium. It meant that magic had been involved in Luna's disappearance. It was no magic he knew of, and it left no trace behind to follow.
With reluctance, Sol had brought it to his council, and that hadn't been going as well as he planned either. Though, he held them in the highest regard, having been doing what they were meant to for many a century, based on that display of churlish arguing, he had reason to doubt their ability to defuse an elucidation.
"It has come to my attention, the nature of Luna's disappearance. The magic that was used to aid such skulduggery has not yet made known to me. It was crafty and swift in execution, it left no trace to where it may have dragged her." Sol announced, and watched as most of his council shifted in their seats, either out of pure discomfort towards his words or the situation itself.
"You have many enemies, Sólguð. None of them will be beneath this sort of trifle." A dark-skinned woman spoke, the seriousness that had always been about her shone in her grey eyes.
He had long come to value La'jora's words, the woman had always said the right things at the right moments. She was not one for conflict, but she was never above knocking a few heads together.
Her full lips were set in a firm line as she watched him,"You are never caught off guard, why is now so different?"
Sol watched her for a moment, "I am not certain. Luna was well as rain the night before she disappeared, nothing was out of place. I had not expected anything such as this."
A silence washed over them, and for a moment, no one said a word.
"There is a way to find her my Lord."
Sol's eyes met La'jora's once more, he raised an eyebrow and waved a hand to let her continue. She sat straighter in her chair, in a way that commanded only respect and the listening ears of her fellow consultants.
"We may be unable to follow the magical output of the spell used, but we can follow her soul light."
At her words, the voices around the table rose, they would disagree, of course. The practice of such a thing was forbidden, it was long put in the past - long before his birth - and for good reason. The following of soul lights had brought ruin and death to their home at a point in their history, it was a dark practice.
It was a complicated ability, one only granted to few, one that requires concentration, skill, and the right frame of mind. One can lose themselves following a soul light.
"Absolutely not!" Garreth shouts, his chair scraping loudly against the polished floor as he stood and he looked across the table at La'jor as though the woman had sentenced him to death. "We know well the consequences of this, it is out of the question! You've lost your mind La'jora."
"I believe it is the Sólguð's decision, Garreth, not your own. You are not the head of this council." La'jora replied smoothly and without anger in her tone, though the look in her eyes was enough to make even Sol feel trapped under a blade.
He knew he would be unable to to this himself, as much as he wanted to, he would be leaving the kingdom to it's own suffering. Though he valued his sister's life above his own and many others, he could not be made to leave this place. There is only one other in this room now, who could follow Luna's soul light, but he would not discuss it here, not with the council's ever judging eyes.
"Yes, of course." Garreth faltered just a bit, sitting back into his chair, but the tension had not left his shoulders.
"This kind of decision will take time to think on," Sol says quietly, he was hesitant in his answer, "I ask for a day and a half to come to one."
They had come to seemingly the best solution they could have in that moment. They had not yet agreed to it and therefore, Sol had time to think about his approach. There was no way to reach Luna, as his connection to her had abruptly snapped upon her leaving and his worry for her only grows every day that passes.
The walk to his chambers had been a silent one, he had nothing but his thoughts, and they were a jumbled mess. He had to focus his mind, this decision was not about him. It would not be his life at stake. He didn't want it to come to that.
Garreth was furious, though he hid it quite well, Sol was able to see beyond his façade. Something like this was going to have some backlash. Many of the council agreed with Garreth, Sol knows, and with him taking La'jora's suggestion into consideration did not look very good on his part, considering. But the reasons are noble and Sol couldn't bring himself to be worried by other people's views.
Once he was safely behind the locked doors of his chambers, Sol felt his shoulders drop and he heaved a heavy sigh. It would not be right to make this decision alone, as he's said, it is not his life at stake. The fluttering of the curtains caught his attention, and he turned to face the balcony.
It was no surprise to him to see her there, the setting sun catching her hair ablaze and caressing her fair skin. His quiet footsteps carried him to her, he wrapped an arm around her waist, and basked in the sweet scent of lilac in her hair.
They were silent for a moment, Sol stared unfocused at the high hills that rose on the north end of the city.
"They're expecting you to make this decision," she mumbles, and her fingers found his and squeezed.
"I know, but you need not fear, it is not one I will make without your consent." Sol presses a kiss to her hair and turns her to face him, his hands now holding her shoulders in a gentle grip. "It will not happen unless you want it, though we may not have to go to such lengths."
"I will do it," she says, determination in her blue eyes Sol was not fond of in that moment, "If it's only to find her a-"
"Ameera." Sol says, his tone causing her to immediately close her mouth, "We know the dangers of this task, not to mention the procedure. I asked for a day and a half so that we may come up with an easier way that does not involve getting you hurt."
"You would agree anyway because there is no other way to do it." Ameera pulls away from his grasp, shuffling a few steps backwards, "You value little where Luna is concerned."
"Do not pretend to know what I value, little one." Sol snaps, anger flaring in his chest as he narrowed his eyes, he steps towards her until she was trapped between him and the balcony's edge. He leaned down, pressing their foreheads together, "I cannot lose you."
Ameera smiles, and Sol found comfort in the warmth of her hand as she pressed it gently against his cheek, "You won't."
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Don't worry, Loki will return :)
Also, La'jora is pronounced La-hora, just in case you guys had trouble. And Sólguð is actually just Sun God in Icelandic :)