Though Kieren had traveled all over the three worlds for various reasons, her duties had never brought her to Wolden. Quite the contrast to Quval, Wolden was cold all year round, making it almost as uncomfortable for her to be there. It didn’t suit her to go from the extreme heat to the opposite end of the spectrum in such a short amount of time, and she was beginning to wish that she could have stayed in Rian for a little while longer. She needed to be here, though. Finding The Seven and stopping the Council’s plans was far more important than her personal comfort. Sacrifices had to be made, she knew that from the very beginning. Sometimes those sacrifices just made her cranky.

        “What are you going to do when we get there?” Miliah had been mostly quiet, choosing to read over the notes that Kieren had made while working the day before rather than have a conversation.

        “Find a Court member. Or go looking on my own. I may not need their help.”

        “What if he says no?”

        “I’m not planning on letting him say no.”

        Miliah raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t sure that this was going to go according to Kieren’s plan. Of course, she wasn’t exactly sure what Kieren’s plan actually was.

        “Don’t you think he has the right to decline? This is a war we’re talking about. Not everyone wants to actively participate. Maybe he doesn’t know what’s been going on everywhere else.”

        “He knows. There isn’t a single person on Tilenos who doesn’t know.”

        “And you don’t think he would have stepped forward to help?”

        “None of the others have. My job would be a whole hell of a lot easier if that was the case.” Kieren turned her focus to the document she had found while researching the information Miliah had given to her. If it was correct, then one of The Seven would be here. If it wasn’t under such dire circumstances, she would almost call it monumental. It had been so long since anyone had heard from any of them, and she was going to be the first to make contact with them since their infamous disappearance. “It doesn’t really matter what he wants. The safety and freedom of this world depends on his willingness to fight. He doesn’t have a choice. None of them do.”

        “I’m sure they will all be thrilled to hear that.”

        Kieren snickered at that. She hadn’t put a lot of thought into what she would do if any of them declined her invitation to stop the war. Mostly because it wasn’t optional. Somehow, she would have to force them to go with her back to Rian, to surrender their lives as they knew them and come work with her. She didn’t doubt her ability to convince them. The majority of her life was compromising with people. This time there wasn’t a compromise to offer. She couldn’t say they could come for only half the war and then return home. She couldn’t promise them that it would end quickly. The raw deal was that they had to come with her for an indefinite amount of time to do something that could quite possibly get them killed. No matter how she looked at it, there was no way to sugar-coat it. And why should she? War wasn’t something to be sugar-coated. No one was laughing and cheering at the loss of liberties that had been awarded to them upon their arrival. Tilenos had been threatened before, but the threat never began on their own soil. She could tell by the reactions of the citizens that they were scared, and she knew they had good reason to be.

        The carriage stopped in the middle of Wolden, near the central town square. No one had been informed that they were coming, so the lack of a crowd wasn’t surprising to Kieren. She preferred it this way. The less time she had to spend with formal introductions, the more time she would have to do the job she came to do.

        “No riots here…” Miliah stepped out of the carriage and took a long look around. The place looked deserted. Where were all the people?

        “They’re probably inside where it’s warm.” Kieren felt a chill travel up her spine as she joined Miliah outside the carriage. “Ugh, how do they live here? It’s freezing.” She frowned as she started walking, though truthfully she had no idea where she was going.

        “You get used to it, I suppose.”

        “They might. I won’t.”  Even though she didn’t want a large crowd welcoming her, she would have at least preferred if someone was out and about to show her around. She had nothing to go on, not even a name. It was dawning on her that she didn’t prepare for this trip very well. Wolden wasn’t a big city, but there were still a lot of people who lived there. It didn’t make sense that no one was around. She didn’t have time to think about it. Standing still wasn’t going to further her search.

        “Where should we start?” Miliah caught up to Kieren and walked beside her.

        “A local eatery, perhaps. That’s usually a prime location for crowds.”

        “Okay. Which way do you want to go?”

        Kieren stopped where she was and glanced around. They appeared to be on some kind of main stretch of road, but most of the buildings looked to be for official use and not places that locals would spend their down time. She noticed a street branching off of the one they were on that had smaller buildings and probably led to the residential part of town.

        “We might have some luck if we go down that way.”

        Miliah nodded and followed after Kieren as she started walking. The empty streets made the walk longer than it really was, and by the time they finally found something that resembled an eatery, both of them were convinced that no one lived here anymore.

        “Are you sure we’re in the right place? There really is nobody here…”

        “This is it. I checked it twice. Let’s go in.” Kieren didn’t wait for a response and instead just opened the door and walked in. There were about two dozen people crowded around a series of projections watching some type of sporting event. No one looked up. None of them noticed the two newcomers.

        “Friendly place.”

        Miliah nodded in agreement.

        “Now what?”

        “We get their attention.”

        Miliah watched the patrons for a few moments. Given their focus on what was happening on the screen, she wasn’t sure how likely that would be.

        “How?”

        Kieren smirked as she pulled out her CID card and strolled up to the bar.

        “Next round is on me, boys!” The intense crowd suddenly erupted in cheers despite their suspicions of the new arrival. Free was good, free liquor was better.

        “Oh… that’s how.” Miliah hung back so Kieren could talk to them alone. It was clear that her presence was making them uncomfortable.

        “So, what do you want, lady?” One of the men managed to drag his attention away from the screen long enough to stare at her in an interrogating manner.

        Kieren raised an eyebrow as she slapped the card onto the bar.

        “It’s nice to meet you, too. I’m looking for someone.”

        The man frowned as he scrutinized her.

        “Oh yeah? And who might that be?”

        Despite the hostility in the room, Kieren managed to fake a smile.

        “Y’see, that’s the problem. I’m not exactly sure.”

        “Yeah, I’d say that’s a problem. And what do you want us to do about it?” Several other men joined the one she was talking to, all of them glaring at her. She knew it wouldn’t be long before they asked her to leave, or tried to throw her out. But she wouldn’t be deterred.

        “I would appreciate your help. It’s important that I find this person.” She was beginning to lose her patience. They weren’t going to be nice, that much had been obvious from the moment she walked in.

        “Oh, is it, now? Ya hear that, guys? It’s important! Well, I guess we should start helping you look immediately.” He laughed heartily and the rest of the group joined in.

        Kieren nodded, the look on her faced as unamused as she could muster.

        “Yeah, you probably should.” Without warning, she crescent kicked the guy who had been speaking to her hard across the face with her boot, sending him stumbling back into his friends. “Because I’m not going to ask twice.”

        “What the hell, lady?! You don’t even know who you’re looking for. How do you expect us to?!”

        Kieren shook her head.

        “I don’t. I expect you to help. I’m looking for one person in particular.”

        “Hate to break it to you, but there are thousands of people living in Wolden. If you’re going to talk to each one of us individually, you’re gonna be here a while.” The man stood up and brushed himself off, then took a long swig of his drink to get the bad taste of having is butt kicked out of his mouth.

        “History. What I need is history. The person I need has a lot of it. Their family has been here since the beginning.” Kieren felt like she was talking to a wall. It had reached the point where the words she was saying weren’t making sense to her. If this was what the entire search was going to be like, she was going to have to start scheduling break days.

        “The beginning? Like, the ‘beginning’ beginning?”

        Kieren nodded slowly, her thoughts starting to put themselves back together again.

        “That is the only one I know of.”

        Someone towards the back corner of the room stood up and started making his way toward the commotion.

        “I think who you’re looking for is me. My name is Julyin. I’m a descendant of one of The Seven.”

        Once they managed to get away from the crowd, Kieren and Miliah sat down with Julyin away from the bar. There was an awkward silence looming over the three of them. Kieren knew she had to say something.

        “How did you know we were looking for you?”

        Julyin shook his head.

        “I didn’t. Not until I heard you talking up there. You’re government, right? The only reason anyone from the Court would be here is to find me. There’s nothing up here in the mountains.”

        “You know what’s been happening, right?” Miliah interjected. Obviously he knew about the Declaration of Intent and the riots. He should have stepped forward on his own.

        “Yes and no. I heard about it, but I’m minding my own business.”

        “I’m afraid that isn’t an option. We’re here to take you to Rian.”

        Julyin frowned and folded his arms.

        “Why should I leave Wolden? It’s safe here. None of us are starting riots in the street.”

        “You know why. You knew what what we wanted without us having to tell you. If you wanted to stay out of it, then why did you announce yourself?”

        “Miliah, maybe you should wait outside.” Kieren looked over at her second-in-command with a stern expression before Julyin had a chance to answer. She didn’t often give orders, but this time it was appropriate. Miliah looked back at her and was going to say something, but she knew that look. It was the look she gave to those under her command when they were acting foolishly or irresponsible. That was her ‘I mean business’ face, and Miliah knew to take her seriously. Without saying a word, she stood up and walked out of the building.

        “I don’t want to go with you.” Julyin took a drink, choosing not to answer Miliah’s question now that she was gone.

        “It’s your responsibility.”

        “No, it was my family’s responsibility. I never asked to be their descendant, and I don’t want to be part of this.”

        “You have valuable knowledge that we need. You know what your ancestors were capable of.  The reason they came here was to prevent this very thing from happening. Whether you want to come with us or not, you have a sworn duty.”

        “No! They’re the ones who agreed to that, not me. Why should I have to suffer for what they did?”

        “You think saving this planet from the Council is suffering? Wait until you see what happens if you don’t. This goes beyond what you want. I’m not going to let you stay here, but if you did try to fight me, then you would be responsible for the Council’s actions. I know that sounds harsh, but that’s the reality we live in right now.”

        Julyin shook his head.

        “Why do you need me? What can I do? I’m just one person.”

        Kieren sat back in her chair.

        “You and six other people have to work together. You won’t be alone.”

        “No, I’ll be with them. You’re expecting me to work with the other descendants, right? Well, there’s one reason why I won’t be going with you.”

        Kieren raised an eyebrow.

        “What are you talking about?”

        “You think we all just disappeared for no reason? You’re delusional if you think we’ll work with each other.” He scarfed down his drink and stood up. “Whatever it is you want, you’ll have to find someone else to do it.”

        Kieren glared as she stood up and blocked his path.

        “If I have to drag you out of here kicking and screaming, I’ll do it. But for both our sakes, you should just come quietly.”

        “A government takeover, huh? Isn’t this the very thing you want me to stop? Well then, I’ll start by saying no to you.”

        Kieren grabbed Julyin by the arm as he tried to walk away and shoved him against the wall. Her friendly demeanor was gone. She was through asking him to come along.

        “I don’t care if you hate them or if you want to kill them. I don’t care what your issues are. What I do care about is the welfare of the people. That’s why I do this job, and that’s why I’m here. If I have to sedate you to get you to Rian, I will. I told you this wasn’t optional. I’m not sure what gave you the impression I was joking.”

        Once Julyin got over the initial surprise of being thrown against a wall, he cleared his throat and looked down his nose at Kieren.

        “What do I get in return for this?”

        Kieren frowned.

        “The ability to live in peace should be enough. You’ll be compensated fairly.”

        “Define fairly.”

        “That’s not my job. I control the unit. I don’t manage your paycheck.”        The standstill looked like it was coming to an end. Neither of them wanted to back down, but Kieren needed Julyin to go with her. She needed to be more stubborn than he was, even if it meant being cruel.

        “What are the stipulations?”

        “You have to stay. You have to live in our compound and follow our rules until the threat is gone.”

        “Oh goodie, I get to go to boarding school. Will there be opportunities to sleep with the headmaster, too?”

        Kieren gave him a deadpan look. She could tell this was going to be a long war just by the company she would have to keep.

        “I don’t care what you do in your spare time. Just do your job.”

        Julyin considered the proposition for moment or two, then slowly nodded.

        “Fine. I’ll go with you. But I have conditions of my own.”

        Kieren finally let go of his arm and took a step back.

        “We can discuss them on the way back to Rian.” She motioned for him to lead the way, and the two of them joined Miliah outside, where they were accompanied back to the carriage.

        Ahnra was waiting for Kieren and Miliah to return to Rian with Julyin. If all went according to plan, it wouldn’t be long. She wasn’t sure why she was waiting. It wasn’t her responsibility to see that they made it back alright. Apprehension, perhaps. All it would take was for one thing to go wrong and they could lose their home as they knew it. She hated feeling like that, and it was making her wish that she was still in the briefing. The Court had decided to hold a meeting earlier in the day to discuss the riot that had broken out during their conference in Quval. There wasn’t much to say. All they did was go over the minutes to see if there was something that could have been said differently. Everyone knew that they would end up having to give that same speech again if another riot led to a casualty. If they needed to make changes, it was better to do it now. Since their trip had been moved up so suddenly, she had to make on-the-spot changes while they were traveling to Quval without the opportunity to have anyone look over it. It wasn’t perfect, but when she looked it over after the fact, she couldn’t find anything she wouldn’t otherwise have said.

        That was what made this difficult. The words didn’t need to change. There wasn’t anything different for her to say. She could only promise a resolution and apologize for the loss of life so many times. If there was no follow through, no one would care what she was saying. As of right now, she had no solution. They were all playing the waiting game, hoping that The Seven would soon be found and they would be able to put their plan into action. What exactly was their plan? She honestly didn’t know. Once The Seven were here, she didn’t know what to expect. Those decisions weren’t hers to make and she was often kept out of the loop until she demanded to know. This wasn’t something she could let slide. She needed to be constantly informed about what was happening.

        “M’Lady, they’ve arrived.”

        Ahnra nodded at Pirend and stood to greet them.

        “Let them in, please.”

        Pirend nodded in return and went to fetch the group, returning a few minutes later with the three of them at his heels.

        “It’s good to see that you’ve arrived safely. My name is Ahnra. I’m the Na-“

        “The Nanidah, yes. It’s lovely to meet you, M’Lady.” Julyin stepped forward with a smile and a bow.

        Miliah rolled her eyes and leaned over to whisper to Kieren.

        “We should’ve sent her to go get him.”

        Kieren smirked as she watched the scene unfold in front of her.

        “I am sorry that we had to pull you from your home, but your presence is greatly needed.” Ahnra stepped forward so she could get a better look at Julyin.

        “What could be better than a trip to the capital?” He grinned.

        “This isn’t a vacation, you know. You do actually have to work while you’re here.” Miliah folded her arms, keeping a close eye on Julyin. She didn’t think he would do anything to put Ahnra in danger, but she didn’t want him lingering around the Estate.

        Kieren shot a warning glance at Miliah, then quickly looked back at Julyin.

        “You’ll be introduced to the rest of the Court later. Ilyan will go over the terms and conditions and give you a brief overview of what has been happening and what will be expected of you. Until then, we’ll take you to your quarters and you can get settled. You should already have everything you need, but if you find that something is missing, you can call for a courier.”

        Kieren started walking out of the main room and motioned for Julyin to follow her. As she led him outside, she continued to explain things to him about the compound, places to go in Rian, and what was available to him. When they reached the compound, she handed him a new CID card.

        “Don’t lose this. It’s your only way in, and it takes a while to get a replacement. It’s encoded with your DNA, so no one else can use it. The system will pick up on any anomalies.”

        “I’m not going to ask how you already have my DNA…”

        “It’s probably better that way. This way, please.” Kieren led the two of them into the compound and pushed the button for the L2.

        Julyin looked at Kieren in shock.

        “We’re underground?”

        “Yes. Is that a problem?” She swiped her card to open the door and walked into the main hallway.

        “There are no windows! No views!” Julyin didn’t follow after her. The thought of living indefinitely underground was too much of a shock to him. No one said anything about this on his way here.

        “You can have any view you want. Just use the panel on the far wall of your quarters. Follow me, please. You’re just around the corner.”

        Julyin shook his head and pulled himself out of the daze he was in. What the hell had he gotten himself into? With a frown, he followed Kieren down the hall and around the corner until she stopped. She pointed to the reader next to the door.

        “Swipe here, please.”

        Julyin fumbled with the card until he managed to swipe it through the reader. After a few beeps and a green light, the door opened to a rather spacious suite. For a while, he simply stood there taking it all in. He had never seen anything like it before.

        “This is where you’ll be staying for the duration of your time here. Make yourself at home. You’ll find a file complete with instructions if you find it difficult to operate something. If you have problems, don’t hesitate to contact someone.”

        Julyin slowly stepped into the room and started examining his surroundings more closely. He wasn’t sure whether to be amazed by his new residence or frightened at what might accompany it.

        Kieren remained in the doorway and watched him as he took everything in. When it seemed like he had started to adjust, she gave him a nod.

        “Welcome aboard.”

        With that, she turned and walked away. The door closed, leaving Julyin standing in the middle of the room, full of trepidation.