PART ONE

"This is ridiculous," Dianna Beaulin states with distain as the Black Council are trying to come to a judgement about the punishment of Lucie Milone after her familiar killed a priestess in an attempt to free her sister.

It is hard times for the island and the Black Council, so much commotion and harm has happened. The people may begin to whisper that this cycle may be cursed to, with all the trouble that's happened. But Pele thinks many will choose to remember the strength of the queens' performances and rally around them instead.

"There have been two assassination attempts on two of the queens before the Ascension," she continues, one of the youngest members of the council, faired haired, fresh and new to her position that she overtook from her mother, Arabella Beaulin, who passed away just last year.

"The Arrons were responsible for Queen Nalani's attempt, the snakes," Vivianne says with venom and disdain, "they should have been punished more heavily, perhaps this was retaliation, we all know the naturalists favour Queen Nalani."

"Well there was no concrete evidence linking the entire family to the one distant Arron cousin who tried to kill Queen Nalani," Cressida Lermont points out, ever the just one. The first oracle to serve on the Black Council for years. Poisoners dominated the council and the island for centuries.

Cressida has a point, Laura Arron didn't live with Andrea or Queen Carina, she wasn't from one of the main branches of the Arrons. Most nod in agreement with the Lermont's point.

War gifted and oracles have always been allies. She is always non biased in her opinions particularly as she has no real alliances to any queen, unlike Vivianne Westwood, who glares at Cressida a bit who turns, her black dreadlocks with regal gold ribbon around them swaying with her, as she just stares back her dark brown eyes unflinching and steely. Cressida is older than Pele yet she looks younger with her flawless dark skin. The oracle is beautiful, that's likely why she got so much attention in her youth from both men and women.

But Cressida Lermont got the most attention from Queen Halia as they were lovers in the war queen's reign. Until Cressida eventually married a poisoner, a healer which is rare for poisoners nowadays, to carry on her family line, and had her daughters, Nesta and Eliza in Sunpool. But Queen Halia was not too heartbroken, she loved Cressida but she also loved her king consort, Richard. Pele recalls their strange relationship, they loved each other well enough and with passion yet both took lovers, both male and female and neither had any qualms about it.

"It is strange," Pele agrees with Dianne, with a frown as she shakes her head.

"Perhaps there is a cohort, a secret rebellious faction targetting the queensline?" Evangeline Antere pipes up which her husband scoffs at a little.

"Are we conspiracy theorists now?" James says with a smirk, shaking his head and his dark brown shoulder length hair which has Evangeline's eyes blaze with irritation.

"No we are the government of this island who need to protect the heirs at costs and Evangeline has a point, that is a possibility, it could be a group or either one person, it is something to look into," Pele says, "I will have my spies listening for such things and the Arrons and Milones need to be kept an eye on."

"We may need to interrogate the whole Milone family," Valentina Hargrove says with a stony expression, "they may be more involved than we initially believed."

Rebekah Vatros and James Antere nod in agreement at that. Ever the bloodthirsty ones. Both war gifted, as is most of Pele's council.

"Interrogate?" Malakai, Pele's husband pipes up with a worried expression, "do you mean" -

"Torture," Valentina finishes with a raise of an eyebrow, "that's exactly what I mean."

That gets a mixed reaction of murmurs from the group. Cressida inclines her head like she is considering it, violence isn't her first instinct but she knows the benefits of it. James and Rebekah nod in support, they prefer less diplomatic approaches - often pushing for swift and harsh punishment as examples to the people, fear to ensure no one ever rises against the monarchy or their jurisdiction.

Dianna and Vivianne shakes her head, likely because she knows Kaiden Milone personally like Pele does. Which makes this even more difficult.

"No the family has been through enough, we can investigate without using torture," Vivianne says, "we don't know for sure if they actually have information we can use."

Pele nods her head, "I will take all your considerations under advisement but we will discuss it further in Indrid Down."

They all nod, not about to question her,

"Now let's discuss the punishment for Lucie Milone, her familiar killed priestess Mab after all," Pele says.

They all nod in agreement though Cressida speaks up first,

"We will decide but have a servant fetch the High Priestess, Corra insisted on joining us and then later Gwyneth and Lucie Milone, we have judgement to pass," Cressida says.

Indeed they do. Pele sighs, power has its costs. And no one, not even children are above the law.

———

PART TWO

"Gwyneth we can't turn a blind eye to the assassination attempt of a queen," Pele says, not letting her emotions interfere with the decisions she has to make and her fellow Black Council members murmur and nod in agreement though some look a little strained.

Gwyneth Milone is well liked. Or was. A kind woman who had done many things for the island and various charities - all to help remove the stain from the time of the Queens War off of their family. But now all that hard work has been destroyed in a matter of hours. Their family will always be known as traitors now.

The Black Council are all gathered in Pele's encampment for an emergency meeting. They have been for hours. All nine of them. Several war gifted, one giftless, an oracle and an elemental. And High Priestess Corra as an additional courtesy as one of her priestesses is now dead due to the Milones actions, she insisted on being here and Pele couldn't deny her - justice needed to be served and those from the temple

It is a morbid day today, perhaps the Goddess intended it to be. To mark the first day of the Ascension properly with bloodshed and punishment. Fitting.

In the wake of an assassination attempt, Kaya Milone is dead, Gwyneth will need to be investigated and her family stripped of their power in Wolf Spring and Lucie Milone's familiar will need to be dealt with for that priestess' murder. It is time for another naturalist family to rise to prominence and to power. Perhaps the Martinsons or the Nichols - they have strong gifts.

Gwyneth Milone is silent in response to Pele, looking weary and tired, her face seemingly has aged in a night with her mourning and despair, her hair is void of colour and life, her face gaunt and ghost like - it is a disturbing sight to see. To see such a strong naturalist like this; naturalists are usually the ones who are so down to earth and the lifeblood of the island, always all smiles and full of such warmth and light. Not anymore.

The Milones are cursed the people soon begin to whisper. For generations mostly daughters have been born, only one sister was able to bear children. And a legion cursed daughter was born, the usurper who tried to dispose the queensline alongside the Vatroses. And now Kaya, an assassin. No. The people may turn on the Milones permanently. It could mean the end of their family line.

They will surely be spat on in the streets, have rocks thrown in scorn - if they're lucky their throats won't be slit by poisoner or queensline extremists. Since the queensline was installed back on the throne after Jules' brief reign many islanders turned firmly in support of the triplets line again as Arsinoe the White Handed ruled justly and became popular with the people.

And of course there was Queen Halia's unexpected strength as well as being the first war gifted queen to be born in centuries, the war gifted rejoiced at their gifts being whole again, able to move weapons with their minds for the first time in eons and the people of the island took all of it as an omen from the Goddess - that the triplets line is the rightful one with the newfound strength born into the line again with Arsinoe's triplets and even Halia's.

Even the doubters were convinced when Queen Arwen was born, another phenomenon. And this generation have all shown power, the queensblood has grown strong again the people whisper. Any talk of rebellion died mostly with the usurper and any who continued were poisoned in their sleep or had their throats slit - the poisoners by Arinsoe's side made sure of that.

One of Gwyneth's twin daughters, Lucienne,
is also here because she has committed a crime by being involved in the murder of the priestess Mab. But the girl doesn't even look up she just faces the floor with a solemn expression, perhaps contemplating her punishment or the death of her sister.

"Gwyneth Milone you are hereby stripped off your political power in Wolf Spring and your family will need to be investigated about the details of this assassination attempt," Pele says, looking straight into Gwyneth's eyes with a hard stare but the older woman does not flinch, she just has that same weary look about her, "and we have discussed, with input from the High Priestess that your daughter Lucienne Milone will not be executed for the murder of the priestess Mab as there is no way to prove that she is directly responsible for her familiar's actions."

Lucie looks up at that, gulping a little in relief as she tries to catch her mother's eyes that open slightly with the same relief that she wouldn't have to say goodbye to another child but then they freeze and go cold again as she realises what is going to happen.

The naturalist in Gwyneth wails in pain at the thought of what will now happen to her daughter. Yes Lucie will live but a part of her soul will be taken back by the Goddess. She looks to her youngest daughter in sympathy though, Lucie is oblivious of what the price will be now, she has no clue of what is to come. Nobody gets away with such a crime free of charge or burden.

"However, justice will be served and I hereby sentence Lucienne Milone's familiar to die," Pele says and all the Black Council members nod in agreement.

When they discussed it before hand, a few were skeptics at allowing Lucie to live. Valentina Hargrove, Rebekah Vatros Evangeline Antere and James Antere were among those - they said mercy could make them seem weak but Pele disagrees. But the majority overruled them. Five against four.

Execution and crushing people to the dust isn't always the only route to go down, it can make people resentful and bitter - there is nothing more dangerous than people who have nothing left to lose.

Mercy can be a rare trait in a ruler anyway, particularly on an island as ruthless as this. A healthy balance of that and fear is a good way to rule. And many certainly fear Pele though they know of her fairness - her and Queen Halia won the island's trust during her reign and Pele has kept it now she holds the full reins of the Black Council.

Sometimes she misses Halia, they grew up together after all along with Hecate - they were all close and loved each other. All the Murtras have been tied to the queensline some way or another, Pele rose to the head of Halia's council, a keeper of the island and of its queen's secrets
while her younger sister Hecate, the only oracle to ever be born in the Murtra family, became the queens midwife at the Black Cottage. A child of a different gift is an incredibly rare occurrence on Fennbirn but Hecate is proof that anything is possible.

Regarding the case of Lucie Milone it is highly unlikely that the familiar acted of its own accord but the majority voted for the familiar to die rather than the child. She is only a young girl after all, Kaiden's sister. A child who has just lost her sister.That makes Pele a little sympathetic. She knows how badly this must be affecting Kaiden. She has grown fond of him and Rowan - in their little group with Morrigan and Nimue. A strange bunch, a warrior, an
elemental and two naturalists. But they are all family. A cadre.

But still there must be consequences. So Lucie's familiar will lose its head. And Lucie will pay the price of loss and grief. More grief.

Lucie instantly bolts up from her seat at the news and the guards near her place their hands on their weapons, ready to slay her if she presents any threat to the regent of the island.

"No!" She shouts, "kill me instead, you can't do this, my familiar is a part of my soul."

Gwyneth protests as well, instantly crying out and standing up, heartbreak in her eyes, "I won't allow Lucie to die but that is barbaric Pele, to kill a naturalist's familiar." She says with such disgust, such overwhelming emotions in her green eyes.

"Hold your tongue Gwyneth and you too Lucienne," Pele snarls, not taking kindly to being interrupted, "Lucie Milone is lucky to keep her head and I wasn't finished, Corra if you will," she finishes gesturing to the High Priestess who rises with a malice glittering in her eyes that makes Lucie look a little fearful of what is to come.

"As Lucie is a naturalist, she is partly responsible for her familiar, as High Priestess I cannot allow a life to be taken the temple with such impunity," she says, almost in a noble stoic way but there is an undercurrent of venom in her manner, "the debt to the Goddess shall be paid both in blood with the death of the familiar and with sacrifice as Lucie Milone is now required to join the temple as an acolyte, leaving behind her naturalist gift completely and one day she will replace Mab as a priestess under my benevolent watch."

Pele almost rolls her eyes at Corra's tone and exaggerating words but nods, agreeing.

"Those are the terms, if Lucie refuses to agree then she will be banished to the mainland, there is only one path ahead for her on this island," Pele decrees," and that is towards the Goddess."

Such pious terms. With all the ruling and bloodshed the people at times forget, Pele at times forgets - that the Goddess stands behind all of them, a manipulator, an ethereal being, a ringmaster watching her puppets play, moving the pieces of the board as she wills.

Lucie's anger at the death of her familiar changes to grief and sadness as the turmoil of emotions she has been dealing with overwhelm her and she just sobs, practically falling in to her mother's arms who just embraces her daughter, shaking herself.

But neither of them say another word, they only hold each other - they know it will be no use. The Black Council has issued their decree.

Lucie has lost such much in such a short amount of time. Loss of her sister. Loss of her familiar. Loss of her freedom. Loss of her gift as she has to join the temple, they will be her only family now. Priestesses leave everything behind, dedicating their lives solely to the Goddess.

Valentina Hargrove, the only giftless member of the council, looks a little disgruntled but then again she has always lacked empathy, she is good with the laws however - knowing them inside and out.

Her family has served on the Black Council for years, representing the giftless faction as they are the richest family with no gift on the island. Valentina thought Lucie got off lucky, she told Pele as much prior to the meeting.

Laws are what keep the island safe and in tact. With so many gifts and powerful women there must be order. It is Pele's duty to keep it.

To serve the island and the Goddess especially as the war gifted's power has been gifted in full again. She must protect and serve. As Queen Halia did before her and alongside her.

Even if the Goddess is no longer worth serving.