It was nearly a year later before word arrived that the Leviathan sat waiting in the harbor of Atlantis with diplomats from Lemuria. I was running to the port to greet my two Brothers. At the halfway mark, the four Guard Captains, with a squad each at their heels, joined my rush. Meli, Sert, and Cole where far behind me now as I moved swiftly through the empty dawn streets. I was only mildly surprise to find young Kestrel already standing on the docks, waiting for us. He mouthed the words “too slow” to me as took my place beside him. I could not help chuckling as he purred.
“You could have warned me that it was a race.” I remarked to him. I waved to the Leviathan as the Captains and their troops took positions in neat rows behind me. The ship slid easily to softly touch the edge of the dock. The ropes tossed from the Leviathan crew were caught and quickly moored by the Atlantian dock hands. The gangplank magical extended to connect the ship to the dock. I noticed Redpath’s wide-eyed stare at this majestic vessel loaded with mostly stolen technology.
Captain Lockey stepped down the plank with an air between exasperated and insanity playing on her face. She stared at me for a moment before making a rude face at me. I could not hold back the laughter knowing this was one of Cor‘s and Twin’s little pranks or one of their bets. I patted her shoulder in condolences for having to perform this action. I looked up to see my Brothers peeking down at the scene half hidden by the ships rail.
“She actually did it!” Cor stated with a hint of surprise in his voice.
“I cannot believe she would do that to the first person she met.” Twin responded.
“And you could never of guessed that it would be me, you fools!” I shouted up to them. As they focused on my face, they slowly stood from behind their hiding spot. Their jaw dropped as I noticed them swallowing worriedly. They sheepishly moved slowly down the plank to stand mollified before me. “I should have warned you to never bet with these two, captain Lockey.” I added laughing.
“He’s laughing, Brother?” Cor asked perplexed.
“When and where did he find a sense of humor? Twin returned. I held up one hand to prevent any more comments from them.
“Double or nothing if you make that face to sweet Meli, once she reaches us.” I challenged Lockey. Both Brothers started nodding their head vigorously to encourage her.
“No bet, but I will do it for fun in this case.” the captain returned with a gleam of mischief in her eyes. She stood straight face as the rest of my team arrived. She greeted Sert silently before turning to face Meli. She released the rude face at my healer who looked shocked while holding back the giggle building in her throat. Sert was fast enough to prevent Lockey from collapsing to the wooden dock laughing uncontrollable by arresting her fall.
“She’s as fun as we are and we never knew.” Cor stated smirking.
“Without having lost a bet, she still has a good humor about acting silly.” Twin replied. They both started chuckling and gleefully dancing in place.
“What was that about?” Meli asked still keeping her giggle at bay before this mirthful reaction. Both Brother suddenly bounced back from Meli. Their face showed a mix of fear and confusion.
“Our fanged friend is not what you think.” I replied chuckling at them. They continued fearfully staring at Meli as she smiled sweetly at them accentuating her fanged eye-teeth.
“I win the fear bet!” Lockey screamed triumphantly. She moved towards the Brothers with a grin. “Now pay up!” she ordered as they sighed. Each of them handed over a trio of mixed crystals to her. “Now this is Meli, a trained healer of Atlantis in Kestrel’s service.” Lockey introduced her to them.
“And I am an honorary Royal Guard in Lord Kestrel’s household.” young Kestrel informed them. The Brothers looked at him then past him to the row of Royal Guards standing at attention behind their respective Captains. Their eyes still looked haunted when the glanced at Meli. Redpath quickly introduced the rest of my team to them while naming himself the ‘house cat’ as his actual position. He stood with Meli on one side, Sert on the other while Cole was beside the warrior. “We...” he stated smiling. “are Lord Kestrel’s personal retinue.” he announced purring. I found it a good sign on how he had step up to be the voice for my team.
“Brother!” Cor interjected staring once more at me.
“You have truly changed since last we met.” Twin concluded. They were examining me closer with a look of wonder on their faces. I waved their comments away with a withered look.
“You two should eventually consider growing up.” I replied. “You might learn that it not such a bad nor a serious thing.” I added winking at them. They smiled back as they violently shook their heads in negation.
“It would be no use growing up.” Cor returned.
“No fun in acting like an adult.” Twin supplied quickly.
“May I introduce Lord Corëe’ap’Ręæ and Lord Twin Feathers.” I introduced them to those present. Each bowed at their name. “Cor and Twin for short.” I added quickly.
“Well met!” the members present answered in unison.
“Select a Guard group for your visit and we will then proceed to meet the King and Holy Queen with the rest of the nobles.” I told them as the Captains stepped aside.
“Which ones did sister Nightingale and brother Chichi select?” Cor asked. He looked along the first members of each line of troops.
“Would be best to not select the same as them.” Twin explained matching his brother’s glancing pass over the troop lines.
“Lady Nightingale selected the Ursus Guards, and, as Royal Chef, Chichi has no Guards of his own.” I informed them easily. They looked surprised at Chichi not having guards to keep him out of trouble. “Our sister is taking care of him.” I whispered to them with a sneering smirk. They giggle-chuckled as they nodded before moving to look over the remaining three teams of Guards.
“I will select the Wolves.” Cor replied after a few moments. Twin looked torn between the Cats and the Ferrets.
“Can I get a mixed group?” he asked. “I just feel it unjust to leave one group out.” he explained with false shyness.
“If I said that the Felines are the chosen Guards for the Egyptians?” I returned. Since Sister Chaos was technically linked to the Egyptian deities, I had forced his choice.
“Good!” he happily interjected. “It leaves the most cunning of all the Guards for me!” he continued quickly. He nodded towards Jäz that chuckled back at his comment. The Ferret Guards remained at attention waiting for Twin to proclaim his decision. “I select the Ferrets.” he added smiling.
“As you both wish it.” I stated with a quick bow to them. “Young Lord Bryan has made arrangements that Princess Sara will be present for this greeting ceremony.” I informed all of them. All the Guards, including their Captains, stiffened visibly. “I believe she will be much better behaved than when Captain Jäzærha returned.” I explained with a shrug. “Hopefully.” I added under my breath.
“That is good to hear since we have brought gifts for our little niece.” Cor blurted out. Everyone froze as their eyes turned on him directly. The Captains glanced from my team to the Brothers.
“Why do you call the Princess your niece?” Meli asked stepping towards them. They flinched at her approach or at her hard edged smile showing her fangs. Sert and Cole looked at each other perplexed then back at Meli without moving forward. Young Kestrel had returned to my side but remained silent feigning confusion as he stared at the Brothers. They both turned to look at me.
“They do not know?” Cor asked with a smirk.
“You have kept it a secret from your own people?” Twin added. He had dramatically placed a hand on his mouth in feigned shock. I muttered most fowl curses under my breath in each of their true original languages gaining mental snickers from them.
“I am boarding my ship and ignoring what was just said.” Captain Lockey stated. She marched quickly up the gangplank to handed the half dozen crystals to one of her sailors with quick whispered words. She bellowed orders as the plank retracted and the ship drifted back to sit within the harbor to lock it down until they would be departing. The glaring eyes of Meli, Sert, and Cole now rested upon me as they waited for an answer.
“Will you explain why they would refer to Princess Sara as their niece?” Meli bluntly asked me. “Or should we ask the Holy Queen Annianka why this would be said?” she added. The hard edge in her eyes did not mask the feeling of betrayal that started growing in her mind.
“These two are like brothers to Annianka.” I replied with false calmness. “The three of them have played tricks on Loki himself while they grew up in Asgard together.” I continued my explanations. It was only a half lie but could salvage this mistake. Now the Brothers stared at me confused. “They just know her as ‘Joy’ and not as the Holy Queen Annianka.” I concluded. I had tied everything together without revealing any truth of the situation. Both Brothers’ faces light up at my words nearly ruining my ruse.
The Guard Captains looked at me now confused while glancing sideways at each other. I mentally warned Annianka that the peace Ambassadors from Lemuria will think she is ‘Joy’, her aspect living within Asgard. I added to my warning that they had brought gifts for their niece Sara without revealing what these gifts were. Her giggling assurance she would make arrangements for this to look very normal before thanking me for the warning sweetly.
“Are we ready to meet the Royals and nobles of Atlantis?” I asked smiling authentically at my special Brothers. This small slip of the tongue from Cor had open a path to improve the chances of boon for the diplomats of Lemuria. They nodded to me before marching behind the Guard Captains with their selected Guard group spread out around them. My team followed me after them while the two non-selected Guard grouping protected our rear. Many Atlantians were lining the sides of the streets to witness their greatest enemies that came from a technologically advanced society started by Odin during his youthful wondering the world to find wisdom.
The Guards walked stiffly around us since not all citizens of Atlantis were pleased of having Lemurian warmongers upon their peaceful island. Meli and myself could feel the tremors of hatred blended in held back magic by force of will alone. Some residing in Atlantis believed it would be easier to just erase Lemuria from existence than bartering a peace deal. Other saw this as a chance to change the citizens of Lemuria from the path destruction they perceive they are on. Lemuria will never be swayed from their chosen path of militaristic ideals of honor and nobility within conflicts.
The honor of two groups giving everything of themselves for one battle to decide their fate was one of the founding principles of Lemuria. They actually abhorred violence without purpose or crushing an enemy that was weaker than themselves. In most of their skirmishes between Lemuria and others of the outer world, they would hold back troops and technology to give their enemies and equal battle field. They never regretted or bemoaned a lost battle as long as they and their foes had fought with honor and nobility. They had even abandoned their own if they behaved dishonorably upon the battlefield.
The fact they were willing to speak with Atlantis and the world about peace was the doing of Cor and Twin. No one else had been able to even get close to a treaty with Lemuria. They found the diplomats and ambassadors as dishonorable and trying to take liberties they had not earned. The Brothers, War and Death, had gained the right after many years upon Lemuria to use their technologies which gave them the ability to bring the Leviathan and Lockey home. The ship could be repaired properly and refitted as the Brothers’ private vessel. No one questioned where the technology of the Leviathan came from since it was supposedly owned by Cor and Twin. Captain Lockey had no problem playing the role of an employee to those two if it gave her a chance to fully remodel the ship into a true Hunter Class ship.
As we neared the Royal Court halls, a large group of Atlantians stood barring the path. Seeing us, they sat shoulder to shoulder as a living blockade as they chanted: ‘Atlantis is no place for warmongers!’. The Brothers stepped forward fearlessly to the shock of their Guards and the Captains.
“We agree that warmongers have no place upon this island of peace and serenity.” Cor announced to them.
“Which is why we are here to bring some of this noble peaceful thinking to Lemuria to save them from the evils infesting the outer world.” Twin stated as loud as Cor had. Each brother spoke in an alternating manner from Cor to Twin.
“We ask you, no, we beg you to allow us to do this hard task.” Cor picked up their split speech.
“We beg you to allow us to past so we may do our part like your noble Lord Kestrel in saving the world.” Twin voice held true. Murmurs had started forming within the seated protesters, but they had not moved. I feared for what could happen at this moment looking into those eyes and feeling their blunt mind held against allowing them to enter the Royal Court.
“We ask for peace and promise to only show peace while upon this great island.” Cor concluded. Their words spent and only hope they could succeed crossing this sea of living bodies. Making a show of it, the Brothers removed all their weapons relinquishing them to the Captain of their chosen Guards. The crowd still glared at them but now in silence. With a bow to the crowd, the Brothers step forth to the dismay of their Guards. The step slowly and carefully between the citizen sitting to hold them back. Snaking their way through the crowd, they remain as silent as the Atlantians focusing to harm no one during their passage. No one moved to stop them or delay their movement but still Atlantian mostly glared at them. They finally paused stand upon the other side of the crowd turning back towards the living sea they had crossed.
“We thank you!” they spoke in unison.
“You have shown to us the true nobility of Atlantis by allowing us to pass peacefully.” Twin added. They both bowed towards the crowd by sections showing their respect for all of them. A small group near the middle started applauding them weakly. This applause grew and spread through to all of them that had stood against Lemuria. They continued bowing waiting for us to join them.
“They are why Lemuria has accepted the concept of peace.” I stated to the cheering crowd. “Lemuria will not be the cause of the great conflict to come.” I whispered to young Kestrel at my elbow. I did not to glance at him to see the nod he returned to me. My team started stepping forward and the crowd moved to stand and clear us a pathway to the doors to the Royal Court. I thanked them and shook their hands as I walked slowly towards the doors. I quickly noticing that Redpath repeated my words and actions of gratitude to the populous upon his side of our pathway. Regret was not what I saw, in the eyes of the crowd now, but only acceptance and a spark of hope. I turned to look back upon the crowd finding most if not all had drifted away now.
“For Atlantis, I thank all of you for your noble behavior towards those that wish for peace everywhere upon the world.” I called back loudly so those walking away knew I understood and was grateful to all of them. Only after this point did I release a sigh that was answered by a soft purring chuckle beside me. We walked in together, I standing beside Cor with young Kestrel upon Twin’s opposite side. I could not have imagined or foreseen what happened. Sister Chaos could not have created the anarchy within the Royal Court upon this day.
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