Nicholae returned to the Manor before the sun completely went down.
By some stroke of luck, Osei and Cayden did agree to talk with Sonya.
This could be the tide turner he had been hoping for.
If Sonya saw heard about the attacks on Osei, backed with the information in Aaron's journal, along with his discovery about the deadly poison used to kill Valentina and her cousins.

'I swear by your descendants if you dare drop that tray...'
Sonya let her threat hang in the open. That was far more terrifying when she left her threats to their imagination.

Nicholae reached a quick decision after registering the hard look on her face. He would wait to talk to her.
But he refused to turn away. It was now or too late.
But how was he going to start?

'Sonya, I need to talk to you. It's important.'
There he had the beginning down.
And then what next?

His mind was still churning and yet his feet took him closer to Sonya.

'You know better than to bother me at a time like this!'
Nicholae looked up at Sonya who stared right into his soul.
He would not be cowed. Not even by the deathly vibes radiating from Sonya.

'I'm hungry.' His eyes went to the vampire help passing by. His fangs ached and his mouth watered.

Her face looked as if it was about to explode.
'We need to talk. It's very important.'

'About your being hungry? What do you take me...'
Nicholae grinned and shook his head. If only she knew. In all honesty, He hadn't meant to say that. The pangs in his stomach were unavoidable.

'It's my fault.' Sonya said, mostly to herself.
She took a closer look at him.
'You don't look too good. When was the last time you fed? I swear when I take my attention off you for two seconds.'
She ordered the nearest help to get him a bottle since she knew he'd refuse to drink from the humans anyway.

'Not about that. You have to hear this before the banquet starts. For the sake of its success.'
Sonya frowned at his words. That was the last thing she wanted to here when her guests would be arriving in a few hours. She walked to her quarters and Nicholae followed closely behind.

Now that he had her attention.
'I am right about someone going after the Tree.'
She scoffed in exasperation.
'Osei and Semi need to talk to you. And you have to listen to them. Carefully.' He plowed ahead not fazed by her reaction, after all he was used to it.

' Look Nicole, I know why you're doing this. No sensible person blames Valentina for the destruction of the Guardian trees. They have no substantial evidence that she conspired against her cousins or that she'd been using a monomer charm.
We both know Valentina had too much to live for.'

But she had used the charm etched in the leaf to be able to come and go as she pleased. Nicholae and Tatiana had helped her create the charm.
Thankfully he had destroyed the evidence long ago.
'The kiss of death.' Nicholae said.

He didn't want to say this because he had no concrete evidence, yet. But her find Ginger soon.

'That was the poison used to kill them.'

'That's farfetched Nicole.'
She isn't listening.
'You aren't listening to me!'
Sonya was taken aback by his sudden outburst.

'I'm sorry.' He quickly apologized then took a deep breath.

'There are demons after Osei, Sonya. Demons. I want you to listen to what he and his mate have to say. And let me know if there isn't something bigger at play here. I'll leave you to your duties.'

He bowed and escaped while Sonya was still quiet.
Now that he was away he had time to reflect on what the he'll was wrong with him!
Sonya! He'd snapped at Sonya!
If it had been his parents, he wouldn't even bar an eye last-minute Nowadays. But this was Sonya.

His mind was preoccupied with freaking out that he hadn't noticed Niko running towards him.

'Oof. Niko.' He hugged his son back and roughed his son's hair.And
'No running in the halls. Sonya is on the prowl.'
And He wasn't even ready.
'Why aren't you ready?'

'Because I have a secret and I won't tell you.' He giggled.

'so you came to tell me about a secret that you won't tell me about. Am I right?'
Niko enthusiastically nodded.
'Why don't we get dressed while you tell me all about this secret.'

But his son shook his head.
'It's a surprise so hurry up. I'm getting dressed in my room. And you go to yours. Papa hurry.' He pushed his father towards his door.

'And this surprise secret wouldn't happen to be in my room, would it?'

Niko fled to his room in a fit of giggles.
'I'm coming after you if it's a prank waiting for me.'

There was nothing in his room. Nicholae checked. The only thing he found was an open wind which he'd ask Niko about first before raising unwarranted alarms.
Also, the servant had left the blood cooling in his room. He finished the bottle's content under a second.

Nicholae was down right on time to avoid Sonya's famous lecture about a punctual host. She loves giving those ones to him especially.

He stood beside her but avoided looking at her. Instead he looked for his son. This was Niko' s first appearance at such an occasion. And his first on in public. According to his family that is.
Niko tried not to fidget beside his grandmother. Nicholae found his struggle amusing.

Their guests had arrived. Roll call...
Cornelius Lynch, head of the Lynch clan. Beside him was his wife Georgina and they brought along their two eldest sons : Paul and Xander Lynch. Along with three other ruling clan members. Vance Griffith from the southern shifter territory, Baxter Nolan from the Western point and Nadler Lynch, brother of Cornelius and leader of the Eastern point.
Obviously they each had their entourage which consisted of one magic wielded aka witch and some men for extra protection.
Like the Tchkovsky's, the Lynch clan didn't allow power to just anyone. They had to trust you or be related to you.
Next on the list,
Octavian, the speaker for the dragons. And he came along with Seth. The young boy who followed him everywhere. And he was grown up some more since the last time Nicholae saw him. The dragons never came in person since the families could not properly accommodate their excessive personalities.
The hot headed beasts could unearth the peace over a piece of meat. Unpopular opinion was that they didn't care enough to be there.

Octavian and Seth didn't come with guards because the dragons believed they didn't need them since it was only signing a piece of paper.
What they didn't know was that they'd be expecting more to the party this time around.
Osei strolled in with Semi on his arm Cayden on his other side.
Not long after, Loki and Malaki ducked into the great hall. And there was one more guest with them. Rex.

Niko's restraint was shattered. He ran to Rex and was greeted with wet kisses from the dog.
'We come bearing gifts.' Semi smiled at Niko.

There were weird looks all around and Nicholae received a bulk of them.
'Papa, they brought Rex...' Niko saw the looks and straightened. 'Our guests brought us a dog which I haven't ever met before, and it likes me.'

'Mhmm.' Nicholae kept himself from wincing at the sound from Sonya who wasn't buying Niko's performance.

'Welcome. I'm glad you were able to make it.'
To Nicholae's relief Sonya continued to play the perfect hostess putting a halt to the whispers around them.
'The rest of the party will be joining us soon. We'll take our discussions elsewhere.

'Ivan and his wife will remain here and greet the rest of our guests.'
Nicholae stared at Sonya.
'I believe my wife alone, will suffice.'
Sonya smiled her warning to Ivan.

'I trust you two will do a fine job.'
Ivan bowed in submission.
That was one less hurdle to cross.
It still wouldn't be an easy battle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'I can't believe you allowed this rogue into our meeting. His father attempted patricide!' Xander yelled above the noisy room.
The door had been closed not less than a second and chaos already ensued.

'Oh shut up.' Cayden said to his father. 'There were times even you wanted to kill gramps.' Under his breath he added.
'I'm thinking of attempting patricide myself.' He was awarded with a headshake from Georgina and a foul expression from his grandfather who was strangely quiet.

Nicholae swooped in to save the situation, somewhat.
'His father's actions are not his own. Punishing the son because of what Aaron did isn't right. If we were to do the same thing there would be no treaty today.' He looked at everyone in the room. Each one of their forefathers had wronged the other's before and yet here they were.
'I'm -we are not asking you to reinstate him. He is an asset we need in whatever future dangers our families may come to face.'

'An asset to you.' Cornelius spoke. 'We do not need him. Or his havoc-wreaking ruffians.'

'I wasn't offering.' Osei snickered and Nicholae covered his face. 'And if you kept your spies off my turf, there wouldn't be a problem.'

Nicholae wasn't surprised the Lynchs had spies watching Osei. What would have done the trick is if they left him completely alone.
He narrowed his eyes at Sonya briefly in question. She was notorious for wanting to know everything too.

'Look at how he speaks to his own grandfather. No respect.' Xander fiercely pointed out out of his seat.

'Technically...' Cayden left it at that with a glare from his father's reddening face.

'How do we know his father didn't leave him some his madness.'
Was this guy serious? It was dumb questions like these that made Nicholae want to slap some people.

'Are you mad?' Osei asked his uncle Paul ever so politely.

'How dare you!'

'It's a simple question. And it very well answers yours.' Nicholae stated dryly.
'Since you're not it's safe to say the madness is not hereditary.'

Then Osei got serious.
'It was not my intention to ruin whatever you have going on with the vampires and dragons. I'm here for me and my own. And we can reach an agreement. We'll maintain the boundaries have in place. I will not cross beyond my lands into yours. But my alliance to the Tchkovsky's will give my pack the liberties you share with the vampires and dragons, if Seth and his Chaperone would agree.'

Nicholae understood Osei's reason for coming and he respected it very much.

'Just as Osei said. He's not asking to align himself to you. But to include his pack in this contract to validate their standing in the valley. And as a Tchkovsky, I accept their allegiance. I only hope we can all see beyond petty rivalries, and see the usefulness in having them as allies.'

'Please tell us what he offers that we don't already have.'
Nicholae glowered at the old fart in the other end of the room. He briefly entertained the thought of jumping him.

Once Nicholae wished those pesky faeries would mind their own business. They claimed this was part of their business since it involved the peace in the valley. Yet they wouldn't sign the damn treaty.

'His loyalty.' His response had everyone looking anywhere but at the two.
Tension spiked up but Nicholae didn't care. His job wasn't to placate their faes and their votes didn't count either. So hell had its doors open and they could get their asses in line.

Sonya, heard enough.
'Osei and Semi please come with me. Georgina, I'll like you to join me as well.'
She looked at Octavian.
'You said Seth would be speaking for the dragons and that is why he is seated at the table instead of you correct?'

'Y-Yes But, I believe he might not be fully ready to uh-'

'Seth join us.' Sonya instructed before leaving the room.

The room was in an uproar. Everyone turned to him with murder in their eyes. But Nicholae stood his ground. If it was a fight they needed he was ready. Malaki and Loki moved their place and stood with him.

Their pettiness was literally making him sick and mad. 'I offered my alliance because his pack was just too awesome. As your that spies and pets have informed you- the ones that got away I mean. If you don't want this that's fine shut up and sign your treaty.'

Now that was off his chest, he needed to be alone but he couldn't leave, so they all just awkwardly sat in the room in silence.