by M. K. Eidem
Autumn let her gaze travel over the courtyard when they landed, taking it all in and comparing it to the only other Lairs she'd been to, Kruba and Vrasal. She was surprised at the disarray she found. What once must have been some type of statuary now lay toppled and broken. There were others around the courtyard in a similar state, and the two massive doors of the Lair swung back and forth on hinges that had the slightest squeak to them.
"Kirall?" She looked up to her mate.
"This is what happens when a Lair is overtaken," he told her quietly, his gaze following hers. "It could have been so much worse, especially with a Lair as powerful as Kruba. It must have sensed your reluctance and did only what was absolutely necessary to drive Macawi and Maaike out."
"What could Kruba have done?"
"It could have brought the mountain down on top of them, killing everyone inside, and completely destroying Krapis. Instead, it did what it knew you would want."
Autumn found it hard to swallow at the thought that she controlled something powerful enough to level mountains.
"Well, we have our work cut out for us here now, don't we?" Femke commented as she walked around the courtyard.
"Then perhaps we should get started." Autumn walked over to her. "I think we should let the males handle the mess out here while we go see what needs to be done inside."
"Where do you want to begin?" Daiki asked his son as the females walked away.
"Clearing the courtyard I suppose," Dacke responded. His previous Lair had only had a single landing platform, nothing like this. "What was this rubble before? Should we be trying to save and repair it?"
"They were all statues of Tove," Kirall informed him.
"What?" Dacke gave him a shocked look while Daiki snorted in disgust. "All of them?"
"Yes. I remember my father saying how Tove bragged about having a very skilled Other who created them."
"Kur, we should toss them from the mountain top," Daker said as he walked over and kicked one that happened to be of Tove's face.
"Or use them to reinforce your defenses," Daiki suggested an alternative. "It would certainly burn Tove's tail when he learns of it."
"It would," Dacke smirked. "So that's what we'll do."
"While that's being done, perhaps you should inspect the jewels Macawi left behind and add your empowered jewels to them, sealing your claim on Krapis." Kirall waited for the decision. After all, this was Dacke's Lair, not his.
Dacke looked toward Krapis and the doors that were still swinging with the breeze. Kirall was right, he needed to get inside and establish his claim on this Lair. Taking a deep breath, he went to where he'd set down the chest his brothers had brought to Kruba and picked it up. Striding toward the entrance of Krapis, he paused and turned to look at Kirall. "Would you accompany me?"
"You want me to enter where you keep your Hoard?" That was unheard of for someone who wasn't a family member.
"At this point, it’s more yours than mine. You should see what it has in case you want to change your mind."
"I won't do that, but if my seeing it proves that to you then I'd be honored to go with you."
Wordlessly, the two friends walked through Krapis. They found Autumn and Femke staring at a wall. "Kur, Tove was obsessed with his own image," Dacke murmured.
"So it would seem," Kirall agreed, looking at the portraits lining the walls. "I'd say you could burn these and it wouldn't be any great loss."
"Agreed." They all said at the same time.
"You're going to make Krapis yours?" Autumn asked, looking at the chest Dacke carried.
"Yes," Dacke told her.
"Good, we'll take care of these." With that, she and Femke began removing the portraits.
Dacke and Kirall moved deeper into Krapis until they reached what, because of its ornateness, could only be the Keeper's Suite for a Gold Prime.
"Yes, I'll be changing that too," Dacke said, and while Kirall hadn't said a word, the corners of his mouth had jerked. Closing his eyes for a moment, Dacke shoved the double doors open and entered what would soon be his Keeper's Suite. "Kur!" he groaned, and this time Kirall burst out laughing.
"You, my friend, are going to need to do some serious redecorating here."
"So it would seem. Who knew Tove had such grandiose leanings?"
Crossing the room, they ignored the gaudy gold trim that covered nearly everything, until they reached the door that would lead to Krapis' Hoard. Kirall made sure to stay several steps behind Dacke so there would be no confusion as to just who the Keeper of this Lair was. Grasping the handle, Dacke turned it, and after a moment of resistance, it gave way to reveal the spiral staircase that led deep into the bowels of the mountain.
"I've never known a Hoard to go this deep," Dacke commented after the fifth turn.
"I believe it is the way of Supreme Lairs," Kirall told him noncommittally, not wanting to say that his in Vrakar was at least this deep.
After another six turns, they finally reached the bottom and took in what was before them… a single, large cavern that was twice as wide as it was long. Opaque jewels lined the walls in thigh high piles that were arm deep. While it wasn't anywhere close to what he and Autumn had found in Kruba's Hoard, it was still a good-sized number for Dacke to use to empower Krapis.
"Kur," Dacke muttered realizing the enormity of the task before him.
"Where do you want to place your empowered jewels?" Kirall asked, nudging Dacke from his thoughts.
"At the far end," he told him and began moving that way. Once there, he set down his chest, and after moving the spent jewels out of the way, poured his empowered gems onto the floor. The effect on Krapis was instantaneous. A wave of power flowed up and out of the room, causing dust to fall from the ceiling.
"Krapis has accepted you as its Keeper," Kirall told him, then leaning down picked up one of the opaque jewels and tossed it to Dacke. "Now you need to start empowering the rest of these jewels."
Dacke looked at the jewel in his hand and wondered if he'd be able to empower it. Yes, he'd done it before, but it had taken time and left him exhausted. Tightening his fist around the jewel, he concentrated on sending his power into it and to his amazement, in a moment shards of light shot out from between his fingers.
"See, I told you," Kirall told him grinning. "How do you feel? Drained?"
"What?" Dacke looked up from the jewel in his hand that now pulsed with incredible power to his friend. "No, I feel great."
"Good, so now you need to spend some time down here every day until your Hoard is fully empowered."
"I will."
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Over the next few days, Krapis completely changed. The rubble and debris were removed, and one by one Daiki, Daker, and Feng returned to the lower regions to collect their Hoards and clear out their Lairs. Kirall had contacted his father, and he, along with Kirall's brothers, had assisted Dacke's family in transporting their possessions to Krapis.
It hadn't gone unnoticed by the citizens of Mondu, and there was considerable speculation on what it meant. Could the new Supremes be demanding everything the White Minors had for Dacke's betrayal? Or was the Black Prime Elder protecting the White Minors from his son's wrath?
They ignored all the conjecture and concentrated on helping Dacke, and his family, put their Lair together. With every jewel Dacke empowered, more and more of Tove's gaudy and overstated touches disappeared, and what was originally the Lair of the White Supreme began to emerge. Ancient artwork and tapestries appeared on the walls, and even the mountain itself began to take on a soft white glow.
"Before you know it, Krapis will once again be the beacon of justice and protection it once was," Autumn commented one day standing on a balcony next to Dacke.
"What?" Dacke gave her a confused look.
"Didn't you know? Whites have always been associated with justice, no matter their level, but especially the Supremes."
"I never knew that."
"Well, with Elders like Lan
do, I'm not surprised."
"I'm not sure I'm the best person for that type of thing,” Dacke admitted quietly.
"I am, but it’s not my place to tell you differently. Find your own way, Dacke. When you do that, everything else will fall into place."
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
"Elder Lando. Lady Macawi. Gold Prime Maaike. What are you doing here?" Cai asked as one of the other Council Guards led the trio into his office.
"Elder Tove's family wished to see him," Lando informed him. "They want to make him aware of what has happened and to make sure he's receiving the finest of care."
Cai eyed the two females. He'd heard what had happened. The loss of Krapis completely changed the power status within the Gold Primes. Tove was no longer the most powerful, meaning he could lose his seat as an Elder, but for that to happen, someone had to challenge him.
"He is not yet fully healed," Cai told them quietly.
"I don't care," Macawi slammed her fist down on Cai's desk. "I want to see my mate!"
"The Council only ordered Elder Tove to be held, Commander Cai," Lando told him in a whiny little voice. "They didn't state he couldn't have visitors."
Cai stared at the Elder for a long moment. While what he said was correct, he also didn't trust these three. He'd been a member of the Council Guard for too long, had seen and heard too much. Elder Autumn had treated him with more respect in the short time they'd spent together than the centuries Lady Macawi had as the wife of an Elder. While their daughter had snubbed and ridiculed him, and every other Council Guard, stating how no female would ever be willing to mate one of them because of their low status.
"Commander!" Lando snapped, and Cai's gaze slowly returned to his.
"Lady Macawi may see and speak with her mate, but they will have no contact. She shall leave her relay jewel and bag here."
"But," Macawi turned frantic eyes to Lando, "I brought him a change of clothes and several things to make him more comfortable."
"No."
"Commander Cai," Lando began.
"Elder Tove is a prisoner here, Elder Lando." Using his hands to push himself up from his desk, Cai towered over the Minor Elder and two females. "He receives nothing that the Council Guards do not supply." His gaze shot back to Macawi. "If you don't find that suitable, then you can return to your son's Lair."
"How dare you speak to me in such a way!" Macawi gasped.
"I spoke nothing but the truth," Cai countered then held out his hand and waited.
"You just wait," Macawi muttered as her bag thumped down on his desk then reached up to remove her relay jewel. "Once all this nonsense is over, you're going to have to deal with my mate. He's going to be enraged."
"I would be more than happy to," Cai informed her as he took the jewel and bag and placed it in a desk drawer.
"Is it all right if I remain here," Maaike asked softly, pulling his attention to her.
Cai took in the golden gown she was wearing. Its plunging neckline exposing her ample cleavage, especially when she leaned forward slightly as she was doing now. And the look she was sending him through her lashes suggested she'd be more than willing to let him see more.
"If that is what you and Elder Lando wish."
"I'm afraid I must be going," Lando told him, a sly look in his eye.
"I'll just wait right here." Maaike proceeded to drop down on the small couch on the other side of the room, causing her breasts to bounce and nearly fall out of her bodice.
"If that is what you wish." Neither Cai's tone or expression changed with her actions. "Lady Macawi. Elder Lando." He gestured for them to precede him out the door.
Outside the door, Cai stopped and spoke to a guard. "Gold Prime Maaike will be remaining in my office. Escort Elder Lando out. I'll be taking Lady Macawi to visit her mate."
"Yes, Commander."
Cai led Macawi deeper and deeper into the depths of Dramman. It was a place few ever saw and never females. At the end of a corridor, he opened a door and gestured for her to enter.
"Tove?" Macawi called out as she entered a large, cavernous room that was dimly lit.
"Macawi?" A scratchy voice replied from the shadows.
"Yes, yes, my mate, I'm here."
When Macawi made to move forward, Cai grabbed her arm. "No contact."
"Get your hands off me, you spawn of an Other!"
"You dare!" But Tove's attempted roar contained no power and Macawi gasped when her mate finally stepped into the light.
He wasn't the male she'd mated so many years ago. The beautiful golden hair he was so proud of was gone, replaced by mottled, black, and freshly-healed skin.
"Kur, Tove, what have they done to you?" She rounded on Cai. "What have you done to my mate?! Why haven't you allowed him to heal?"
"Macawi…" Tove tried to interrupt her.
"My mate is an Elder! How dare you do this to him!"
"We have done nothing to him," Cai told her calmly. "As you can see, he has more than enough room to shift and heal. That he isn't powerful enough to do so has nothing to do with us."
"What?" Macawi said in a horrified whisper.
"I need to speak to my mate alone," Tove growled.
Cai looked from Tove to his mate and back. "Step back," he ordered.
Tove just stared at him for a moment. After all, he was an Elder. He didn't take orders from a Council Guard, Commander or not. But right now, Cai was more powerful than he was and Tove took a step back.
Pulling a device off his belt, Cai pushed a button, and a transparent wall descended from the ceiling separating Macawi and Tove. He looked to Macawi. "There is a button on the wall. Push it when you are ready to leave, and I will return."
Macawi said nothing until the door closed behind Cai. "Oh Tove, what's happened? Why haven't you shifted so you can heal?"
"Because I can't seem to summon enough power," he snapped back at her. "I was barely able to shift back into this form. What's happened in Krapis? Why isn't my Hoard responding to me?"
"They haven't told you?" Macawi reached up to play with the chain of her relay jewel then remembered it wasn't there.
"Told me what?" Tove's eyes narrowed, recognizing his mate's nervous gesture.
"Kruba attacked Krapis," she told him quietly.
"What?! Why didn't you immediately contact me? No wonder my power is low. Contact Torn immediately and tell him to reinforce Krapis with his Hoard. Toan's too, if necessary."
"Tove…" she tried to interrupt.
"Once that's done, I should be able to shift and heal."
"They can't do that," she murmured.
"What do you mean? Of course, they can. They're my sons."
"They can't because Krapis fell," she whispered.
Tove jerked back as if he'd been struck. "Fell? How much?"
"How much what?" She ran a worried gaze over him. "I don't understand."
"How much of my Hoard did you get out?" he gritted out through clenched teeth.
"Just the small chest we kept in our suite," she admitted weakly then went on to quickly defend her actions. "It happened so fast, Tove. In the middle of the night, the walls started shaking. Maaike and I barely made it out alive."
Tove looked at her as if he'd never seen her before. "Without my Hoard?! Do you know what you've done?! What I had to do to acquire such a powerful Hoard? I can't remain an Elder without it! Kur! I don't even have enough power to shift and heal!"
"You would have preferred I stay and die!" she shrieked at him.
"Of course not," he said, waving a dismissive hand. "If you had done that I'd be dead too. No, you should have contacted Torn and then sent Maaike down to retrieve more jewels. That way, I would have had enough power to heal."
"But she could have died, Tove."
"So?" he growled. "Do you not realize the amount of support we would have garnered if that had happened? It would have benefited us!"
Macawi just stared at her mate for a moment unable to believe what he was saying. This
was their female he was dismissing so quickly, not some insignificant Other. "Tove…"
"You need to bring me one of my jewels so I can directly access its power. It's the only way I'm going to be able to heal now as you failed to protect my Hoard."
Slowly Macawi reached into the bodice of her gown. Cai had only asked for her bag and relay jewel. She saw no reason to reveal that she carried another. Opening her hand, she showed him the small, golden, egg-shaped jewel. "How am I supposed to give this to you?"
Tove's gaze greedily took in the jewel in his mate's hand before darting around the room. "There," he pointed to a shadowed area not far from the door. "Put it there and cover it with dirt."
Macawi went to where he pointed and found a small depression. Dropping the jewel into it, she used her foot to cover it with the debris on the floor.
"Excellent, now notify Cai and leave."
"But Tove…"
"I'm in pain and need to heal, Macawi!" he told her angrily. "I can't do that with you here. Now get out!"
Flinching at his rage, Macawi rushed to the wall and pushed the button. After a moment, Cai's voice was heard.
"You are ready to leave, Lady Macawi?"
"Yes."
"I will be there shortly," Cai told her and disconnected.
Macawi looked back to her mate. "I'll come back tomorrow."
"No," he told her shortly. "Once they realize I've healed, the Council will be reconvened. I need you to rally our supporters before then."
"Alright but…"
"And tell Maaike she needs to get that crystal from the Commander."
"She's already working on that," Macawi told him, "but wouldn't it be better for you to just go before the Council and allow them to learn the truth?"
"Have you lost your mind?" Tove gave her a disbelieving look.
"But," before she could say more, the door opened.
"You are ready to leave, Lady Macawi?" Cai asked.
"Yes," she said turning and saw Maaiki behind the Commander.
"Then I will escort you and your daughter out."
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
The moment the door shut, Maaike was off the couch and behind Cai's desk. If she were lucky, she'd find the relay jewel that had caused this mess. After all, that Dragon-piss of a Commander couldn't be that smart. He was a Yellow, for Kur's sake, and a Minor one at that. How he was ever allowed to become the Commander of the Council Guard was beyond her.
