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He said. “Here I thought those roads were in repair giving they do have more items from land. They can be hard to get an answer from, but I think I might be able to get them to talk to you. Likely though there will be some things needed. I fear that road building is not easy. There are a lot of considered at this time. If there was a bit more in the offer it might receive an answer.”

I smiled. “I am sure that we can reach a deal if we could talk, it is just we do not know what we have that is of interest. We have the roads done to the borders but do not crosses until we have permission. We accept full responsibility for the state they are in and acknowledge it is our duty to fix them. As long as we have been negating them we do not want to be mistaken as making an aggressive move. We have been making strides on rebuilding the old roads and have been studying on the best places to put new ones that tie into those that have been built more recently. Then we need to come up with a way to see they are maintained even when there are disruptions in communications. The damage that we have done by neglecting the network is shameful.” That should help, never mind that the letters sent said the same. Sometimes people believe what is said more than what is written. The roads were ours to maintain in the treaty, we are not going to questions what happened to the funds that were sent. It is best that I do not even admit to knowing they were sent. It is more important that the roads be fixed than pointing fingers about them not being kept up. There is no harm in taking that blame if it will let us get the problems fixed. However once they are we do need to set an international body to see to the upkeep but that will wait until things are better.

He said. “In that case I am sure I can get you an audience. I do want those roads fixed and would like your help with our newer roads.” He looked at one of the others there apparently ignore us then back at me. “We have done what we could, but we do not have the skill that was shown in the old road. For all the improvements we have made we are still a bit behind in some areas.”

So they think we are going to somehow keep them from seeing what we are doing. It would be imposble, as well as silly. I should have known that was being said. “Given how we have been closed I would not be surprised that you have passed us in others, but I am sure that our engineers will be willing to work on yours with the infrastructure. All work will be done only with the agreement of the local government. We just hope to find ways to tie what is there into the old where such needs to be done. It could be there are places that the old is best left as it is and the new be used. Locals will be welcome to higher on with the crews and learn our methods that way as well. It only helps all if there are good roads and open trade.”

Dale said. “So you will say yet you have hid everything you know from your allies for years. You think we will trust you now. You are as bad as the Fay. Say that things are not safe. That we need to be older. Treating nations like babies.”

I wish that I could avoid him. He is just looking for a fight, but is clear that he has support here. “I cannot speak to what was done before I was around. All I can do is say that we are not trying to hide anything now. Our schools are open to all, no matter where they are born. Likewise the libraries are, as you should know give that is where I first met you and you have a sister attending Crown right now.” He looked at me scowling. “No we do not limit what can be studied but yes the oldest records in the library are sealed off to any not on staff, but the copies of those records are open to all. There are no guards at doors of any public or University library. No one is forbidding entrance to the libraries to anything in them outside of archives, and copies of those works are being made as fast as they can be. Requests can be made for the few that do not yet have copies. The books in them are old and need to be handled with care do to that age.”

Dale said. “No matter where you mean to say you would admit someone from Darkness to your school? Just how do you justify that? I was in the libraries yes, but that doesn’t mean that there was nothing hidden. There are records not in them. You cannot expect me to believe you are that backward. You are trying to appear as though you are no more advanced that Jordan is, we know better. You were ahead before you separated from the rest of us. Left us scrambling without your help!”

I shook my head. “Where a person is born just tells us where their parents were, not anything about them. We do have students that do not say where they were born, so it could be that some are from there. As long as they follow the ruse they are welcome in the schools without any background checks. If records are not available then an applicant needs to take test to show they are ready for the classes should they be seeking something other than basics. I do not know what lives in Darkness. Never has any claimed to be born there of from there spoken to us in any form. They just attack. That said should they come and agree to follow the rules then yes they would be admitted. My parents were babies when the split happened. I have idea how bad it was but I find it hard to believe that the lands here were hurt that badly. I say that as one who was born in this land and went to Glacier only after two years in Alanta. The only reason I ended up at Crown is I was bored at Hilton so went to take the advanced placement tests. So yes in some areas Glacier and Alanta are both behind the rest of the alliance, the isolation has set us back. No matter what it like before, we are backwards in some lines but ahead in others as we went in different directions.”

Dale smiled but before he could say anything the other Lord did. “You are from here? That is not what I had understood. You were present as a member of Glacier’s ruling family.  I must have misunderstood. So then what is your connection to Emporium’s court?”

So that was his game. I looked at Roland. “Now do you see the problem with using that title? This is why I said that could wait. I would have had enough power as a Knight, but now you had to bring out the whole thing.”

He laughed, as he knew I wanted. “You need to stop hiding from it. The tiles and responsibilities are yours. It is not right that you do the job but hide from the title, Highness. Just because you were not born to it doesn’t make the crown go away, Quin could not run away neither can you.”

I sighed. “I should have been able to. We weren’t married. I still don’t see how I was found to be his heir.” I turned back to the Lord. “Your confusion is fully understandable and I am sure it is shared by many. For all I am not of royal blood I am a member of Emporium’s family due to the power of the soul-bond that his son and I shared.”

One of the ladies said. “I do not recall your name on any of the marriage announcements. I did check again after here it. Just which son, and why was it not published as the others were?”

 I smiled a bit, at least they were asking now. I would have to thank Dale for this. It did need to be cleared up. “We were not married and I was never present to the court, formally, for all Emporium had me there the court believed Quin and I were just dating.” That had a few more looking at them and Dale shaking his head. “Emporium was pushing for more, but we had been able to put it off. Yet his death changed everything. By the time I had recovered enough to know what was going on in the court everything had been done expect the ceremony I had to be at. I did not want the titles, and would never have let things go that far with Quin the first time had I known who he was. Though given the way of bonds it would still have found a way to get us together.”

Roland said. “It is hard to believe, but she did have to be forced into it and goes out of her way to keep from using any of her titles. She does more than is expected of one with the titles but gets upset when they are used. Heck it takes an order to get her to accept command of the units that travel with her.”

Dale said. “Yes I am sure. It is interesting how none knew of this bond before he was mysteriously killed. No matter it doesn’t change the fact that you said you would give knowledge to known enemies and may in fact already be doing so. It is a volition of the treaty.”

I said. “Emporium knew, that is why I was at court. The full court learned of the bound when I passed out in front of them when Quin was killed. I remember none of it but I take it I told them loudly of the attack. Nothing I said can be proved and I do not find my words to be trust worthy, but still it was enough to convince the court that the bond was real. The treaty says that goods will not be shared it does not say that emigrants have to be turned away. Teaching those that come to us does not in away go against any of the terms, but sending wagons into Darkness would. We do not send wagons or have trade with them. Therefore we are not doing anything that violates the treaty. Should you feel that those escaping that land should not be able to find a home then you can try and make a case for amendment. However I find it unlikely to get votes. After all the ones trying to ban any treaties with lands know to have worked with them failed and that is a far greater security risk.”

He walked away. Jeffery said. “I would like to see the biases for that accusation. And don’t even try it. I know you that well you were raising the claim to see the reaction. You have something.”

Roland said. “Now that is for the meetings, not here. If you think there was an accusation made save it tell the right time. We do not need to upset those not members do we?”

I looked at Jeffry and wondered, for his court was implicated in some of the papers I had. Yet he didn’t seem to know it. How much had Keven done behind his Father? “He baited me so I baited him as childish as it was. I am surprised that he left. I was expecting him to tell me that I was stirring up visions of monsters again.”

He looked at me and said. “I trust you will let me examine the papers when the time is fitting.”

I said. “Of course any documents I present will be open to all.”

He nodded. “That is all I ask. I have a few questions of my own to ask, but Roland is right we do not need to upset those not a party. Enjoy your lunch. I am going to go see if I can find out what Has those two upset now. At times they still remind me of the boys we were growing up.” He shook his head and left.

I looked where he was going and shook mine for Steven and my dad were clearly fighting. “I do hope that he will at least convince them to step out. That doesn’t look like something that should be done here.”