Proditione heard the knock as he sat at his bed. With his arms crossed, he begrudgingly called back, "Come in Mother!"

Almitas opened the tall door and slipped into the open room. She gave Proditione a sad smile, "Your father would like for you to join us now."

Priditoine looked away from her and answered, "I'm not hungry now." He uncrossed his arms and dug his hands into the thick blanket drapped across his bed "I will eat later."

Almitas walked over to his bed, jumped up to sit beside him, and placed her small hand on Proditione's shoulder, "You know your father will not allow that."

Proditione didn't say anything, but gave a huff.

"You also know," Almitas continued, in a much more mothering tone, "That you can't avoid your brother forever. You might as well get it done with now."

"Fine." Proditione sighed, his hands shaking, "Lets go."

The mother and son walked through the dark halls of the castle, neither speaking but walking in time with each other.

As they neared the tall black doors, Almitas turned to her son, "This is a formal meal." She reminded him, "We're celebrating the return of your brother."

"Yes Mother." Proditione nodded stopping in front of the doors.

"Don't forget," She continued as if he had not spoken, "you are not to enter until your father calls you, and don't wait too long to come in or he will get impatient!" She began to speak faster and faster with every word as she worried over her son.

Proditione placed his hands on her shoulders, "Don't worry mother." He smiled, "I'll be on my best behavior."

Almitas smiled and patted his cheek, "Good." She turned and walked towards the door, as she placed her handle she foroze. "I almost forgot!" She gasped turning back around, "Your Father," She hesitated, wringing her hands, "He wants you to come," She stopped once more, as if searching for a word, "taller."

Proditione looked down at his short legs and torso before sighing, "Yes Mother."

His body stretched upwards, bones elongating, muscles reaching to follow, skin straining to cover his longer arms, legs and torso. When he was done, Almitas only stood up to his waist.

"Is this what Father wanted?" Proditione sighed, rubbing his now aching back.

Almitas gave her son a sad nod before turning and slipping into the dinning room.

Proditione stood, perfectly straight, waiting for Daminar to call for him. Slowly, his stretched out body ached less and less. By the time his father's voice rang out, "Enter!" he no longer hurt.

Proditione slowly pulled the door open, his too long legs shaking, and slipped into the door. He scanned the room, at the far end of the tabel sat all of his father's closest advisors. Their beady eyes trained on him. At the head of the table sat Dominar, he didn't look at his youngest son, instead he focused on the hooded person to his right. Nurtur sat beside the mysterious person, making an obvious effort to not look at them, the only person to smile at Proditione aside from his mother, who sat to Dominar's left.

Proditione walked along the left side of the table, keeping his head down and not looking at any of the advisors. He pulled on his now too short sleves, wishing his mother had remebered his father's wish so he would have been given time to change. Proditione quickly bowed his head to Dominar then sat down into the seat besides Almitas.

He looked up and made eye contact with Nutur, his brother smiled at him over the empty plate.

"We have been waiting for some time." Dominar boomed, "You have forced your brother to wait." He lifted a large hand and waved it towards the hooded person.

Proditione followed the hand and almost gasped when he saw the face under the hood. Along one side of his long face stretched a jagged scar that split off across the cheek. Where Gosvernor's eye had been, there sat a hollowed out hole.

Just able to prevent himself from gasping and upsetting the entire room, Proditione forced out, "I apologize for forcing you to wait Gosvenor." Proditione had to force himself to not stare at the empty socket, "I hope you are able to forgive me."

Gosvernor said nothing, but only nodded. Proditione wondered if the injury ruined his ability to speak.

"Now that my youngest son is here!" Dominar announced to the rest of the table, "We shall eat."

The advisor to Proditone's left gave him a rude look as the servant's entered the dining room. "Thank you for making us wait." The advisor sneered.

"You are quite welcome Saeve." Proditione sneered back as the servant placed his goblet of wine in front of him.

"You watch your tongue boy." Saeva snapped at him, "you know as well as I that your father trusts me more than he trusts you."

"Is that why he deemed you my nanny?" Proditione smiled taking a sip out of his goblet. Almitas elbowed his side, causing him to choke on the purple wine swishing around the cup.

"I am more than a simple nanny!" Saeva scoffed, "I am your father's second most trusted advisor!"

As Prodtione opened his mouth with another retort, Almitas elbowed his again, this time hissing, "You promised to be on your best behavior!"

Proditione ducked his head, studying the blue meat the servant had placed in front of him. His nose wrinkled as he realized what it was.

Ansa. A small, furry, water animal that inhabited many of the ponds around the elf kingdom. Ansa was extremely easily captured, due to its trusting nature. There was only one chef in the castle that cooked Ansa. Pusill, and he knew that Proditione hated it.

He probably cooked this as revenge for my stealing the pisvus eggs before the morning meal yesterday. Proditone thought miserably, picking at the Ansa.

"Better hurry up and eat boy," Saeva teased, "you know your father doesn't like it when people take to long to eat."

Proditione shoveled the meat into his mouth, putting all of his energy into to not gagging as he did so.

"I have an announcement." Dominar announced at the end of the meal.

Ninurta tensed and looked up at Proditione, did you do anything? His paniced expressione read

Proditione gave a quick shake of his head before looking up at his father.

"What would that be dear?" Almitas asked, squeezing Proditiones hand.

"Beginning in two cyclecs," Dominar surrveyed the table, "The Tenebrous Warriors will be sending another small fleet to the castle, as extra protection."

"But sir!" Saeva leaned forward, "Do we not have enough Obsurs in the kingdom already? They could easily overtake the kingdom if we continue to allow them in!"

"Are you suggesting that I, the king, do not know what's best for my kingdom?" Dominar narrowed his eyes at Saeva

"No sir!" Saeva sank back into his chair, "I, I would never!"

Dominar stared at him before continueing to eat. "I want you to remain in the dining hall with me after the meal Saeva." He said, not bothering to look at his advisor.

______________________________________

Mari opened her eyes to the dark room. Somewhere on the other side of the room, someone was vomiting onto the floor.

Mari looked around before swinging on legs off the side of her bed, soon followed by the second. After jumping off and landing on the floor, she snuck out of the room, and into the dark hallway. The torches had yet to be lit, leaving the already dark corridor dark enough Mari wouldn't have been able to see her hand in front of her face.

As she exited the building, the torches outside having already been lit, she made eye contact with the guards standing at the gate, the only entrance and exit of the compound.

"Going on your run?" The bigger of the two asked.

"Yes sir." Mari answered, saluting him.

"Did your commander inform you that you no longer are required to run each morning?" The smaller one asked, opening the gate.

"She did." Mari replied, "I enjoy the run."

The two guards waved her through, and Mari jogged out of the compound. The houses that had been built around the Warrior's home were still dark. The compound had been built in the middle of the city. It was where all Tenebrous warriors lived, each station having their own building. The one Mari lived in, the trainees' quarters, was the biggest. Each had its own eating area and bunks. The trainees' quarters was the only place with a armour room. In two bruma's, when the trainee's were promoted to Privates, they would be permitted to keep their armor and weapons with them in their bunks.

Most trainee's left the Warriors after their septe of training, be it because they couldn't make their first kill or because they simply didn't want to stay. The other's were permitted to spend the two bruma's between their first kill and becoming a Private with their families. That morning while Mari ran laps around the city many of her bunk mates would be packing up their cupboards and traveling back home. Some would walk from the compound to their homes. Other's lived in different cave and would be taking a carriage.

If Mari was going home she would be one of the warriors taking a carriage. Her family lived in a cave on the other side of the elves' kingdom, nearly a day's long journey. Mari had decided her second month that she wouldn't be returning, when her mother sent Mari's first letter back, along with the three other letters Mari had sent before receiving the raven.

By the time Mari had returned to the bunks, all the trainees that only needed to walk home were long gone. The others sat around, waiting on their carriages.

"What shall we do while the other are gone?" Cara asked Mari, rubbing her head.

Cara's family, much like Mari's, disaproved of her warriorship. Thus she had chosen to stay as well.

"I'm not sure." Mari hummed, changing out of her sweaty tunic, "We could spar."

"We've done that for a year!" Cara groaned, laying back down on her bed

"The two of you could shut your mouths!" Juld, a man that slept two bunks away from them, snapped.

"That wouldn't make for a very fun week." Alva smiled, packing that last of her belongings into her sack.

"Why don't we walk you out?" Cara asked, giving a sideways glance to Juld, "Your carriage will be here soon yes?"

"It will," Alva nodded, slinging the sack over her back, "Are you coming Mari."

"I will, just give me a pendon." Mari huffed, retying her boot.

Cara stood up as Mari and Alva began to walk towards the door, "Are you nervous to see your family again Alva?" She asked, catching up with them.

"I suppose." Alva shrugged, "We have been exchanging letters, so I know most of whats been happening."

The three walked down the hall. The torches had been lit, and groups of freinds stood around. Some saying goodbye to eachother while others joked around.

"What do you think we should do while your gone?" Mari asked Alva, glancing at a pair of girls that were hugging, while weeping and telling eachother how much they would miss the other.

"I think the two of you should sit in your bunks and think about how much you'll miss me while I'm gone." Alva smiled as they walked past the pair of girls.

"For two septes?" Cara asked, cracking a smile, "No, I think we will be over it in a few aetas!" She waved her hand nonchalantly as she said this.

"A few pendons more like it!" Mari added, laughing along with Cara.

Alva narrowed her dark eyes at the laughing pair, "The two of you will miss me! Just wait and see!"

They exited the stone building as a carriage, pulled by two massive eqsas, pulled up next to the gate.

"That ones yours, correct?" Cara asked, looking at Alva.

"It is." Alva answered, looking nervous for the first time.

Mari, the tallest of the three, pulled both of her freinds close, "We will miss you Alva." She whispered.

"I will miss you two as well." Alva whispered, pulling back.

Alva pulled her sack higher onto her shoulder and walked towards the carriage. Two other trainees, a man and woman, boarded before her. Just before she took her first step onto the carriage, Alva turned around and waved good bye too her freinds.

Cara and Mari smiled back as they waved at her. As she watched the carriage pull away, Mari had a strange feeling in her stomach, like she shouldn't have allowed Alva to board the carriage. Or at the very least, she should have held her freind for a little bit longer.