47119 home for super

Gale looked at the house and shook her head a bit, wonder what she was doing here at all, but at least she had gotten Hank to stay behind. Steve was enough to bring into this. She still wished that her mother would have came to her, but father said need to come over. For all I was trying not to. This is a mistake, even though I am in street clothes for a change. I wonder how deep hank had to dig to find some pants, but a skirt would have upset him more. He would have seen it as a mockery, not knowing how seldom I am in anything other than a uniform if not at a formal event. She looked over at Devlin relived to see him walking up and smiled. “Thanks for coming, it is just. It is going to be odd enough, but I am hoping your being here will help. I still am not sure this is a good idea. For all he asked me to come over sometime, it just seems a bit pushy.”

Devlin shook his head. It was so odd to see her like this, more like the little sister than the commander she was becoming. “Relax, they are going to be thrilled to see you. Yes Father is upset, and is  going to be, but he meant the invasion. Now they are going to have a lot of questions for Steve. I hope you won’t be to upset, but they know about the illusions. I just couldn’t lie to them when asked. How did you get Hank to stay?”

Steve said. “I don’t mind, I just use them as it can scare some. Donald isn’t the first to think I was a demon. just easier to hide my oddities than explain all the time. However in that case it was a mistake. I don’t think he would have been as upset if I had of left the illusions off in the first place. I was just worried. He was just looking for a way out, but still that wasn’t the way to wake everyone. None of our servants are happy about it, but they did agree that for this first visit it was likely best that they didn’t come.” He shook his head a bit. “It is going to be enough just to have me here, this isn’t the best way for parents to meet the man their daughter is going to spend her life with. Having the others waiting on us would upset it more where your folks don’t have servants, and there is no way they would have joined us at the table.”

Gale nodded. “I think that telling them that father didn’t accept people waiting on the table so that if they came they would have to join us is what kept any of them from following. They truly do hate it when they can’t wait on us if we are around. The sense of place gets a bit much for me at times. I wonder if the grounders in the Lighton units on as hung up on it. Yes I know I’m stalling, come on.” She started walking again, but was smiling a bit. She got to the door then stopped, uncertain what to do. It seemed wrong to walk in, but felt odd to knock.

Devlin was smiling a bit as he opened the door and led the way in. “Hi all, I brought guests, hope that’s all right. Sis that is a god question.. Where the lands here both have a tradition of servants, that might just be reinforcing the needs that the bonds cause. I do think that the grounders would be focused on the riders needs, but perhaps not as obsessed with place, but still driven to see to you. After all Helen was always watching Graint, might not have been at his feet, but sure didn’t like it if he reached for something.”

Gale looked at him and shook her head a bit, but followed him in. “You know that could be, and she did try hard not to be noticed. However she would at least sit next to him. Hank will not sit, no matter where we are, it is kneeling or standing only if I am with him. It does get a bit ridiculous.” She looked around. “I do hope you don’t mind us inviting ourselves along, but somehow I was able to get away tonight. Steve’s folks will be here tomorrow and so I don’t know when I will have another chance. I am surprised I have the evening today. It is a mess already and most are not even here yet. Allow me to introduce my bond-mate, Steve Elderisch, my second in commanded and the founder of the Slivers, champions of the Tri Wing tournament. Steve, my parents, Willber and Erin Cloudless, and I will just let the rest introduce themselves. After all you didn’t even trouble to tell me which were your parents.”

Steve bowed slightly. “Fair enough, my love, and let me add that the slivers are only hold the title because your unit is not full yet. Once you wing is formed it will be yours.” She punched him lightly. “And don’t worry, it is nothing you should have heard of, she just likes to remind me that I not her have that ranking. Most often I am in the place of making the introductions, so she has to bring it up when she has the chance. I am sorry for this I know it is hardly the right way to meet the man that has taken your daughters heart. It has to be somewhat troubling for you to know so little about me.”

Erin said. “It is about time you came Gale. It is silly that you haven’t. I don’t see why it took you this long to come over, but at least you made it. Come on, and join us before the food gets cold. Steve bonds always cause surprises. It is a bit odd but then that is just to be expected where we have been so separated. It will get fixed fast, I am sure.” They all made it to the table and found a chair, for a bit it was quite as the food was put on the plates. No one seemed sure just what to say. “Wane will be getting in soon, they are all coming for the holiday and to do some shopping. Sure is sounding like it is about more than the normal trade talks.”

Gale nodded. “I am not to sure why they are doing it now, but they feel it is time to look at the treaties and see just who is still in a place to take part. Who is ready to meet the old obligations and what needs to be changed. It has been almost two hundred years since the old treaties were looked at, so it makes sense that they need to be updated. Just not too sure what made this the year to do so, but everyone is turning out, most in person or at least the heir. It is troubling. There is no present threat yet, not this way. The Darklands are active, but towered the black mountains, not on our border. Yet it would seem that many leaders expect that to change.”

Wilbber looked at her oddly. “Just how do you come to know that? We have nothing to suggest the old ones are stirring, just the Devlimen, but yes they have been poking in the black range. Suspect that they are looking for a new gold mine.”

Gale shrugged, and hoped that she sounded unconcerned. “A few nations keep eyes on them, mostly just some scrying. Being a royal unit I have access to all reports. The black mountains are settled, but we have had no luck learning anything about the people there. Just know that there has been some have fighting. Like I said there is nothing that says it will lead to anything, but it seems to have some thinking of the past and wanting to see how we stand.” Clearly a meeting with Wane needs to be set up before the summit. They have been so closed there is no way to know what they have missed.

Wallace said. “The Royal came from Steve, right? Mother said that being a royal troop meant that you were either related to the family or won a big victory in battle. Yet there have been no major wars in the twenty years. Heck the last war that Idras had, that we heard of was sixty years ago and was hardly a major one so unlikely it had any battles big enough to stand out. Even so, if you are just five years older than Devlin there is no way you would have been in it, given you weren’t even born yet. However we are taught the names of the top government families for the allied lands and Elderisch isn’t one of them. So just how did it come about?”

Gale looked at Steve, it was best he answered this one. They were fishing, and were likely sure they knew. However they were wrong. He wasn’t alatain, just full eleven and was from Cathpth, not Lost City. For all they had visited there. Steve smiled a bit. “Well I might have lied a bit, but no I wasn’t in the war. We are distantly related King Idras, more though treaty than blood at this point, but I was raised to conceder him my Uncle. When I made rank in my Father’s service he gave me like rank in his, which is better known here. When we bonded Uncle said that Gale shared my titles in Idras.”

Robin shook his head, smiling a bit. Why not try it? “So are there truly jade spires that reach the snow line and just how bad are things getting if your folks are coming out? I knew it was looking bad, but that sounds like it is escalating fast. Or have they attended the summit at other times in the three hundred years?”

Devlin coughed and looked at Gale and Steve wondering just what they were saying to each other. “That is a bit of a jump. You could have at least found out more about his family first.”

Robin said. “So you don’t think it?”

Devlin said. “That Gale went to the Lost City? Yes, of that I am sure. However there is more to the south, and so saying that is Steve’s home is a bit rash.”