Lyriia sucked in a breath as they made their way into the dark office. Lyellan’s wings brushed hers reassuringly and she bit back tears. She definitely had a bad feeling about this… She nervously took the seat, although she had to stand on the arm of the chair just to see over the edge of the desk, at the slender woman sitting across from her. Those eyes. Blood-red and terrifying, staring at her as though she was a piece of meat. Lii shuddered slightly and took another long, trembling breath, trying to keep her fear off of her face. [i][color=bc8dbf]"Outside of their village, who knows for sure what she can do and who she is?"[/color] [color=fdc68a]"Master Longarm, myself, and you."[/color] [color=bc8dbf]"Excellent. Let's make sure it remains that way."[/color][/i] Oh, gods. What was she getting herself into? A child trying to make her way in an adult’s world. [i][color=bc8dbf]"Do you speak for your village?"[/color][/i] It took a second for Lii to realize that the words were directed at her. [b][color=6ecff6]“Y-yes ma’am.”[/color][/b] Lyriia’s wings fluttered nervously as she spoke. Lyellan glanced over at her with concern on his face and opened his mouth as if to say something. She quickly shook her head and thankfully, he took the hint. [i][color=bc8dbf]"This hasn't been done for some years, most recently with Stone Crest fifty years back. Some may not know the... protocols for such. And I see Kalim has ensured the first steps. You're now the civilian representative for your little village. What is it you call this place?"[/color][/i] The woman spoke, stalking towards Lii, and the little fairy resisted the urge to flee. Civilian representative. But… she was just a child. Not yet an adult by her people’s standards. Nonetheless… [b][color=6ecff6]“We call it Islahiise, ma-am, in our l-language… S-Silvermist, in the common t-tongue.”[/color][/b] She might as well be honest. She wouldn’t get her wings torn off for honesty, would she? [i][color=bc8dbf]"…the first known mage in centuries.”[/color][/i] She was the first? She’d heard rumors, always, but… the first confirmed mage. The thought filled her with dread and excitement. Lyriia shivered as the Drow woman’s finger trailed across her hair. Such menace, even in that touch. She could snap Lii’s neck right there, if she wanted to. Again Lyellan opened his mouth, probably to tell the Warden Knight to not scare her so bad, and again Lii silenced him with a glare. She prayed her twin would quit being so hot-headed before he wound up dying because of some overly-uptight Knight— [i][color=bc8dbf]“Congratulations Lyellan. Your training begins the moment you leave this office."[/color][/i] Oh, gods. Lii felt like she might be sick, and met her brother’s eyes across the desk to find that he was staring at her, a grim determination in his eyes. He was too damn cocky, and he’d get himself killed or worse. Besides, she’d never heard of a fairy Knight before. Just the armor would be too heavy to fly with, and he’d be too weak. And he’d be an apprentice to Kalim, who seemed ruthless enough— [i][color=bc8dbf]"Perhaps it is time to restore Lii to her previous position. Would Master Strongarm be willing to take his apprentice back?"[/color][/i] She would get her apprenticeship back? Oh, gods. That was both the most wonderful and most horrible thing that she had heard. On the one hand, she’d be isolated from her family again… on the other, she would get to train and hone her magic and her healing skills again. And oh, it would be wonderful to have something to do with her mind again. [i][color=bc8dbf]”All that leaves is the agreement from our two fairies here to make this official. Accept and enjoy the protection of our little empire. Decline and... well, that wouldn't be recommended.”[/color][/i] This was moving far, far too fast. Lii stood frozen for a moment, trying to assemble her thoughts. The woman’s eyes were NOT helping. Crimson and full of cold, cruel calculation. The woman’s intense gaze seemed to pin her in place as she waited for an answer. What could she say? She wanted to say no and fly away. Fly away and take her family and run. But… But the whole town always lived in fear. Of what would happen if one of the hunting hawks from Silent Rise found them, or if one of the hunters climbed up to investigate the twinkling lights and laughter. They would be destroyed, their history forgotten. Besides. She could take her family but all of the other fairies would be left behind, and Kalim… She shuddered. She vividly remembered watching him tear the wings off of a wasp. Wasp wings and fairy wings weren’t a whole lot different. He would slaughter her people. If she said yes, she condemned her brother. If she said no, she condemned her people. All of them. Some of them had been there since before the fall of magic. They would die, if she didn’t agree. That much had been obvious from the Warden’s threats. Lyellan was strong, well, for a fairy. Undeveloped, sure, but he could learn. He was clever enough, as long as he could keep his mouth shut. He’d survive his training. Probably. Lyellan fluttered his wings and she looked over at him. His eyes were icy and hard as he mouthed two words. [color=0054a6][i]Do it.[/i][/color] She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, and forced herself to meet the woman’s crimson gaze and not shudder, not display any uncertainty. [b][color=6ecff6]“I agree to your terms. For the protection of my people as registered citizens of Ebonfort, and the protection of our town of Silvermist under the codes regarding cities of the empire, I accept the role of civilian representative and all responsibilities associated with that duty, and will happily return to my apprenticeship to Gherick Longarm. Lyellan Elenye will train as a squire under Captain Knight Kalim to fulfill the ten-percent recruitment requirement.”[/color][/b] There. That was done. The agreement had been made. Lyriia burst into tears as the enormity of what had just happened fell on her.