11,217 days 4 and 5. I just did do enough to post yesterday.

 She went over to her papers and quickly sort out the books with the figures. “I got lost on how the write came up with the breakdowns he has, but this is what I was going by. The math used is way too hard for me to began to understand. I was going to have Seth look at.” She flushed a bit. “The plans are nothing. I just. Well I like to read the reports, but to do so, to fully understand I need to make a map of them. Then well I was wondering why they were there and where they could go if deplored. Not that is any reason to think it would be. It is just. Well I find that sort of planning fun. The base was closer to Willant, and I am not so sure that is as hard to get to as Philp says in his report. There maps just don’t fit with what he says of the area, in fact I am not sure he was there at all. I am trying to find more but so far I haven’t found anything other than his reports about the area.” She stopped and was clearly embarrassed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to ramble so. I don’t mean to keep you from your work.”

Oliver sat down and point at the chair by her. “Sit and relax. There was no need for you to be exiled in the first place. Gorge you might as well join us, there is nothing that either of can add at this point, and if they need us they know where we are. The only maps I have are the ones in those reports so how do yours differ, and where did you get the information from? Is the source positive that Hanover took the crown. We were cut off before the coronation and there was such upheaval that we can’t even tell if he did. We have been unable to find out who is in charge, all messages get turned away. Yet you seem to think they have contact with Olster. I know you well enough to know you wouldn’t have put that there if you didn’t see some link. Just what do you have?”

Idrias looked at her Father worriedly, wondering just how to get out of here. She was never sure if she should say just what of the family rights she was permitted to share. Surly it would be upsetting to some that she had accesses to the Milton library, for all it was a family right given by the King back when Crown University was started. Still she was sure that it wasn’t meant to include the affected, no matter what Seth had said. Ambassador Walker didn’t care, in his land all university admitted shapsifters, which is odd given the added issues it has to cause, but the others might be upset. Crown isn’t one of the schools with a program for shifters and even if it was I would hardly be in it. Besides that a lot of this is not anything that I should look at. Father doesn’t care but it is against the guidelines. I don’t know how many here follow support making them laws. I should even be in here. I didn’t think I had that out.

Iron smiled at her, trying to gather to relax. It was clear to him she was starting to spiral and wanting to bolt. At least her control was holding. It wasn’t her fault, they should know better than to put the child on the spot. “Go on and sit, Idrais they are not upset, just pleased that you found information they haven’t. It is fine, you did nothing wrong. This is just one of those times you are seeing patterns that we missed. It is good that you have seen them, it was needed. As to the books no one here is going to be upset that you are using your portal. The court knows that you have and that is unrestricted. They saw no more harm in it than I do.” She frowned a bit, but nodded and sat down, still clearly shaken. “How silly. I should have. Dear all hear are cleared, just as you are. You don’t need worry about any book being restricted. I didn’t even think of that.” The others looked at him oddly. “Some of the records she has there are likely from the archives at Crown, and I fear I never thought to see she knew who you all were. She was likely trying to remember the tags. Being as she has free accesses they are meaningless to her, but she does know that some need clearance.”  I should have checked the maps. It was silly of me to go to her table, knowing she had been going over the reports. Still it is a good thing that what the poor thing saw gets looked into. They do have a tendency to be right about the patterns the disease sees they pick up. However I should have been more careful this presser is not good for her. The child does so well I forget at times just how fragile she is. She is good at acting like she is undamaged that it makes it hard to remember that she is still a child in most ways. It is amazing at how she is able to hold it together. Still I had best make sure she goes out tonight, it is going to be a long week for her.

The other two had been looking at the map but one said. “Good to know at least one of yours is using their port. None of mine are the least bit interested in the archives. Sally uses hers, but to get coffee and check out the boys, the other girls don’t seem to remember they have one. I do hope that changes. I don’t like this trend of playing dumb that seems to have hit the young ladies. It is just going to hurt us if it keeps going. Now then see this is much better. See that is what I thought they want to make the road right down the middle of these towns when moving it a few feet  not only saves the towns it saves blow our way though some mountains that really shouldn’t be blown up. See here.”

Iron went over to the map. “It’s not use you have to convince, but yes that does help a good deal. Good the river has the right course. Did you see this stream? Right there. That should alone show why they can’t just level that hill, it would clearly destroy an important water source.”

Idrias shook her head a bit. “I will get you copies, of course, but this is what I have found. It isn’t much. I am sure there should be more records someplace. Our ambassador was there for the first two years but I have no reports after the second month of Hanover’s rule. There are shifters set to watch the boards as there was found reason to distrust biased on what was observed by the ambassador. So I know there are more records but they either are not public or are hidden. Some of the reports of those spies are stored in the archives, I think they have been forgotten. Nothing in that area looked like it had been touched in years. Anyway they are ten years old, but that is newer than anything else I have seen. Most of them are a bit hard to read as the ones who made them used regional spellings as well as being handwritten and no real care went into it. Could be they were sent to the university to be transcribed, which is what I have been doing so I can make those lists you saw. Here are some of them.” She set out some beat up papers, which they each reached for. “There is a lot unknown, or I mean that I don’t know about both Olster and Hasen. See once I had a good handle on the countries that are in the Empire I started looking at the neighbors. Most I was able to find out what I wanted to know but in a few cases the bits I found just raise more questions. I expected the holes when I looked north, but I thought we know the others we have borders with. Yet we don’t, or anyways not that I can find. Oh this is the best map I have of the Walament area. Again it was made by a shifter, an avian one, so the scale is a bit strange likely why no one uses it. I have a map they made of Glendale so comparing it to the Royal map I was able to work out the symbols. I have my notes here, which might help. It took a bit to work out the key. I think that they were trained in a completely different method as well as it being made from the overland view. I can show you the other maps, but we need to go to the library tables for that as they are too large to open on this one.”

Oliver smiled at her and put his hand on her arm. He didn’t like the way she always seemed to be trying to apologize when she saw something he had missed. It was more than even the most devote would have expected. She tried to put herself too far into the shadows and here in a land where it was not asked of her. “I didn’t think about how I sounded. I am sorry for pushing like this. It is just I do not like what that report says, but am not sure just why it troubles me. I just feel that there is a danger there and so seeing your notes and the plans made me want to know what you saw and what I didn’t. I know how well you like being around people. If you need a break, go we can work on this until you feel up to saying why you think they might be working together.” She truly was looking upset, but he wasn’t too sure why.

Idrias tried to get control of herself, it wasn’t good to make them worry. Father had said it was fine, I don’t need to be so upset. It isn’t like they don’t know what I am, I am not advertising my changes. Just going over the papers. They just didn’t have the same records and so are confused. “I am sorry, it is just. Well It feels odd, you both know far more than I, yet I am here explaining this. I fear that I come across as bossy and I don’t mean to. That you didn’t see it has me wondering what I got wrong, but most of it is just that I had read those papers. I am not sure there is really a connection. There was just bits in the report that seemed related to the report of the Ambassador’s and well looking at that some things in those documents there just seemed to fit as well. But that is all jumbled. I need to slow down. Then you can see. It might not even be there.” She took a breath the reached for a paper.  “I trust that you read about Olster outlawing any teaching about the creating of the wearvector, and that they have left all talk of the labs out of the books?” They nodded. “Well that made me remember this bit of the report. I will of course get you both copies of the whole, but first let me read this to you.”

 She looked at the paper and took a breath, wondering if they would see it. they likely hadn’t realized yet just where the changes in Olster were heading, they wouldn’t have the worry she did about being separated. Wouldn’t understand the fear that comes with knowing you are different, knowing you are not human. For she wasn’t, no matter that it was just a random bit of genetic luck that made it so. Slow she stared to read, hoping they didn’t notice her shaking, but it was a bit scary to her. “King Hanover made another announcement today, in it he handed down some new laws that I feel you must learn of with most haste, so do forgive my unthinking scribing here in. First he stands and says that as of today there will be no more passing around of the false lie that humans somehow made the beings known as shapingsifters. Any found to be encouraging or supporting it will be executed as the traitors they are. That such actives are no longer going to be accepted.” There was a gasp from the other two, but Idrais just kept reading, they needed to hear the rest. That wasn’t enough. There was nothing that said Olseter was killing the teachers yet. “There is no need for trails, all officers are to call justice on discovery. There will be no more acceptances of lies!  To say that this was sent as anything but a punishment for wrong doing is a sin and a crime most grave. Here in a land that has never before killed out of hand he has just given orders for it to be done, and on a scale that astounds me. I fear what will come. His words, I swear, my Lord. It was hard to hear, but it gets worse. For after a pause, which was full of silence, and shock form those listening, but nods, and applause from those near the King, Hanover went on to say something far worse. I hope you can read this. I can’t believe what I am about to right, and to send to you. Yet here it is. ‘To treat those so judge as anything but the criminals they are clearly are is itself a crime most grievous. There are no right for those beings. They are not humans and should not be treated as such. Do as you will, make use as can, but they are not to be in our schools, churches or homes! We will not house animals any longer. Nor will talk of them as anything but animals be tolerated.”

Idrais looked up. “I know that is not in the reports, but well I can see it starting in the education laws. There is a section there that is laying the ground work for separate schools. It makes sense to me that they would have to go slower, for there was no separation in Olster, Hason already had restrictions on shapesifters so the ground work had been laid. Yet I am like just jumping at shows, but I wanted you to hear it. I know it is slender, but there is also a match to the dress codes, though they were not just for the schools in Hason. I want to read a bit more.” She sat down the paper and took up another one. “The king is never seen out of company of some strange men in dressed in red robes, carrying long staffs and there are new churches now with a blade on the door. They are slowly taking the place of all the old houses of worship and the symbols of those religions are disappearing. I fear that it will not be long until they to are outlawed. I have been unable to learn anything of this new religions tents, I and the three other ambassadors are barred entrance to the churches and our questions go unanswered. I do believe that we will soon be told to leave. This land grows more hostile to us, but seems to have new allies of a land I cannot place, there is an blue orb on the armor of the guards, but no other symbol that I see.” She said. “That is where the letters from the ambassador ended. I don’t know why, for the records say he was there for another year after the date on it. The last few reports from Olster spoke of the laws being handed out by the Red Robes, but I didn’t make a connection until this set. I am still not sure it is there, but well. I wanted to looked at things as if it was and that lead to the papers you saw. I was working out possible trade goods before I went to change. It is all just shadows. Yet well look at the map.” She spread it out. I wanted to check a couple of things then was going to ask Father to look at this and see if I was just being silly.”

Gorge said. “No dear, I wish I could say that it was just you. For what you have found is scary. However it is clear to me as well. How long will it take you to get us copies of these papers? If possible I think we each need to sets. He might not have seen the blue orb used, but you know it as well as I do. This needs to be looked into, but I will do my best to see that you don’t get pulled into those meetings. I can see it makes you uncomfortable, but I hope you will answer more questions as I come to them. You need to get those test set and get your schooling. What you have seen here, your work with that map. I can’t wait to see what you do once you have better training. I wasn’t able to break Alxies code until my second year of Cartography classes, yet you have taken none and worked it out. Yes I recognize the maker of the map, for all it is not one I have seen before. There is no record of where they learned map making and no other seems to use the code they do, and I have seen a lot from the same age.”

Idrias said. “I don’t mind explain what I did and will be glad to share the bits I know. Also I am good at finding things and like digging in the old papers. I um, well I did sort of take a class on map making. No one seems to mind if I sit in on the open classes so I do when I can, one just happened to be held about maps. That was what let me unlock the map at last. I had some of it, but was missing a few big things. I am still not sure I have it right, but thought it close enough for this. I will just slip over to Milton, it won’t take more than twenty minutes to get you both three sets of all of this using the copiers there.” That had them looking startled. “One time they needed another person as they had a rushed, so I stepped up and asked if I could help. Not knowing that it would get me a key to the room and permission to use it whenever I wanted as long as it wasn’t in use. It might not be the same Orb, but well. That is why I wanted you to hear it. I. Well it is bad enough. Olster is an old friend, and well. They know so much of us. I hope that it is just my youth jumping at a shadow. Do you want to look at this or shall I go get those copies made?”

Oliver said. “You had best take them now and we should join the others, but please include this map of yours as well. I will see that it is clear that it is just guess work made by an untrained person, but it needs to be included, no matter what errors are found it will help to have it. Just so you know I agree with Gorge you need to take the tests. I know why you are not, but you should. At least think about it. There are a lot of schools that would welcome you. Think about it, think about what you want, but you know my thoughts and we have troubled you enough. Thank you for this and we will do our best to see you stay out of the light as long as you want, but will be there if you ever want to join in. Now then we had best go over to the others some of this has to factor into where the new roads go.” He looked over just to see that Gorge had left and was already talking to the others, and whatever he was saying caused Iron to look over worriedly. He stood up. “I will go explain, you just go get the copies. Thank you again. I am glad you found those and were willing to let us see what you found.”

Idrais looked at him for a bit then gathered up the papers, including some they hadn’t seen. Best to just make them a copy of all she had found on Hasen, for they would want it all at some point. As well as the reference of red robes in Olster, like some would need to see them having missed it in reading the report. This way they would have them. She looked at her maps and frowned a bit. Surely they had far better ones. Ones made by people who knew what they doing, not just someone who got tired of recreate battles so was trying to make one with no idea what she was doing. Yet he had asked. Likely just to humor her, as most would. Trying to let her have some use, after all this was one of things the genes did to her. Making her see things different, see patterns in randomness. It was a way that pry was tracked, that’s all, but it had proved useful in the past. Though in those cases the advisors were older. She was far to young, she might be adult by human terms but all knew shifters aged slower, that they stayed unreliable longer, needed more watching. Still there was no harm in doing as they asked. I just hope that no one takes them as trustworthy. Still shaking her head a bit she picked up the bundle then looked at her father, wondering if she should tell him. However he was clearly busy, surely the others would if he noticed her gone and it won’t be that long. The library was closed this time of night, so she seldom saw anyone else.

Chapter 2.

With that she took her papers and left out the back door that led to her family library, not that it was much, mostly just four large tables and racks of maps. There were two shelves of books, but no one had seen the need to keep mover do to the fact that the back wall held a gate to Milton. When the library was open anyone could get the gate to work, after hours, like this, you had to be a key holder. Of course she could use the port that she wore on her neck to get there from wherever she was, but she didn’t feel right using it if there was a gate. It just seemed lazy. Smiling she walked to the circles on the wall and placed her hand on the red stone in the border of it. The interior of the circle wavered then showed an open span of shelves, with rows of books shelves after it, dimly light with an odd blue light. She stept though and smiled, relaxing. For this was and always had been her safe place. Nothing ever bothered here and she could always find a place to hide. The library had been her playground. Odd that they had made this gate so it opened in the basement, in a room that few ever had reason to enter. For why would a university student need children’s books? Granted there were a few now and then, and twice a week the daycare on campus came in, but the room was big enough that there was seldom and in this part , making easy to slip out of the room unseen most times. The few times she had been seen there had just been giggles, no screams as she darted out of site. Well ok a few times the child did try to touch me, but they weren’t scared. Not even the time I found the lost child but changed as I trying to get her back. I was more upset than she was, and the adult that I ked her to just thanked me for bring her back.