Chapter Six “Council Meeting.”

Clocks are something of fantasy. Time is something of wizardry. By the time my parents thought I was old enough to lead, they had lost their final battle. Six long hard years, with many men that I would soon have led, dead.

Six long years and the Human king would call the shots. Today was the last council meeting my father and mother would attend. One that could very well decide the fate of Elivean, The fate of Elf kind, The fate of me…

The drive there was silent and no one dared to make eye contact. I know deep down my father is tearing himself apart. He was a great king and still continues to be after he decides it's time to give up the throne.

My mother stares out the window, she probably doesn't care what happens to me but more of what happens to the kingdom. We pull up to what I assume is the Human castle. It's outside walls were red, much like a ripe apple.

A man in black and red greeted us at the door. With the same slicked back gray hair as my father. Instead he did not have the same heavy gray bags under his eyes. He raised his arms out.

"Greeting Your royal highnesses." He says as we walk up the elegant stairs. My parents bow, putting me in line and bowing beside them. "I see you have brought your daughter with you today." His tone was curious and his eyebrow raising confirmed that he was in fact curious.

"Well she is the soon to be queen so she must know what is ahead." "Very well then, Follow me." He led us down a large and long hallway. Along one wall were portraits of many men, who all had somewhat similar features to them. On the other wall were portraits of women.

All the portraits had a small golden name plate under them. King Andrew the III, Wife of King Andrew the III, King William the II, Wife of King William the II. None of the wife's names ever said queen. Just the wife of the king.

Have they ever had a queen in rule, and if they did was she somewhere on this wall? If she was, was her husband on the other side of the wall or are they the same as every other. Men to the left, and Women to the right.

We soon get to the end of the hallway. There was a large picture of a man with dark brown hair and slender green eyes. The name plate read King Alister "Current king of Humora." Just then the man opened the door and led us into what had to be the meeting room.

It was very extravagant. Painted a bright white and gold. It had a table long enough to fit a hundred people. Many people were in the room already. We looked to be the last ones. One half of the table was Humans wearing their red and black colors. The other half was elfs wearing green and gold.

People I knew were on the elf side. People from the villages, people from the castle. Someone I did not know sat at the end with a black hood over their head. I assumed nothing of it and just sat down at the chair appointed to me. My parents sat in the chairs next to me.

The man who led us in stood at the edge of the table. "Now that everyone is here we can start the meeting. As we all know Elivean and Humora have been at war for six years." People across the table nodded. "After such a long time… I think it's time to end this war."

People whooped and hollered. "END THE WAR, END THE WAR." The person who I assumed was King Alistair raised his arm and the crazy barbarians across the table silenced. "Before that happens, We must claim a trophy." He gave a grin that you would see on the serial killer.

He looked me up and down then locked eyes with me. "What is it you want?" My father said in a deep voice. "Money? Women? Fame for winning the war? Maybe you want resources?" Alister looked at my father.

"What I want is your daughter…" My father stood up from the table. He smashed his hands on the table. "I'll not let you take my daughter!" He raised his voice at Alister.

"Lockner… You didn't let me finish." Alister said in a soft tone. He walked over to my father. "I don't want your daughter, She's for my son…" Father looked at Alister and raised an eyebrow. He gave a crooked grin. "I want your daughter to marry my son."

"You see my son has no wife and no heir to the throne, meaning that he will end the bloodline if he does not have an heir soon.She and my son and I can rule both kingdoms together."