any conclusions, we must investigate if it is possible."
Tais stood slightly behind Claire, watching her and the Counsel exchange words and occasionally verbal duels. He himself was never good with the gift of tongue, a gift Claire demonestrated now, her words timed perfectly. Should she ever join politics, she would've be one of the best, Tais thought with a smile.
Just then Claire started to breath heavily.
"Claire my dear, are you alright?" asked Elani Tannis, concerned.
Tais started forward but Claire waved him off.
"It's...it's just a headache." she said. "Nothing more."
Tais frowned. Nothing more was an understatement. During the three weeks it took them to ride to Wenn, Claire had not only suffered from headaches but also backaches and fatigue.
Unseen, Oakwood and Whitestar exchanged glances with the elf, Elani Sa. The two unicorns had both seen Claire's condition and Sa confirmed. Kirstan and Megan, both being mothers and nannys in their younger ages caught on as well. They whispered to Sa who then whispered into Elani Tannis's ear. After a moment of pondering, Tannis replied.
Claire caught only a snitch of it.
"--her condition. The mission won't do it any harm. Besides she has Tais to help her."
"But ignorance of it." said Razor, shaking his head, growling.
Tannis raised his hand, silencing any more objections to his decision. Though all Counsel members had equal status and no one had actually elected Tannis to Grand Elani status, Tannis had been with the Counsel since the fall of the Draikar--the members of the counsel respected his word and decisions and followed his example.
"Elani Claire Prisana,"said Tannis, straightening his specs. Claire straightened, her headache gone...for the moment. "You are to look for the Unikar and confirm if they have indeed suceeded in uniting a valkar and a draikar. If so, Valkar Tais will track down the valkar hybrid and bring the being before the Counsel for judgement. You will accompany him but not engage in any combat, is that clear?"
Tais was puzzled by the Counsel's decision and he was not alone. Claire blinked at the Counsel for a moment then seemed to understand and said, "Understood."
Tannis waved at the pair. "You may go."
Once the young man and woman were gone, Elani Curcus sighed deeply. "Who do you think is the father?"
"Do you really need to ask?" said Megan, Oakwood, Whitestar , and Kirstan at the same time.
"Who it is is quite obvious," growled Razor. "Don't tell me you haven't heard the rumors? Their relationship is gossip throughout all of Lahen, though it is more of fact here in Wenn."
Wenn was where the Great War was fought and where Prisana had died. Her body was cremated where she had fallen, holding the sword she had wielded. But the sword had survived the fire and ever since, the knighting of the sucessor of the sword was held where her ashes lay. There had been five Prisanas since the Great War and Claire was the sixth. It was common for the citzens of Wenn to have the most recent news of the Prisana daily life.
"But is it really necessary for her pregnancy to be kept from her?" asked Whitestar, who had a filly and coalt only a season gone. "Knowledge of it would bring Tais and Claire closer to one another."
"But its also a double edged sword, Whitestar," said Tannis. "Tais would become more protective of Claire and his views of duty and love will be distorted. In her condition, Claire can fight. But as the days lengthen, she will be vulnerable...and there are many people who want her dead."
Being the Prisana was both a blessing and a curse. Some people loved you and others hated for it. Whoever walked the path of the Prisana, death walked beside them.
"Tais must be able to defend Claire without knowing of the progeny in her womb. The knowledge of it will confuse Tais for he doesn't know how to be a father. And Claire doesn't know how to be a mother.
"Which is why I told Claire to let Tais do the combat and her only to aid Tais if it goes ill for him." said Tannis.
Curcus ran his hand through his beard. "I believe Claire may have misunderstood you then." He smiled as Tannis turned to him startled.
"What! If so, please summon them back!" He shouted to the counsel aids, a boy and girl. The aids ran form the room only to return seconds later, shaking their heads.
"Sorry Elani Tannis, they have phased." Phase jumping was a fast way to get to one place to another short distance wise.
"Oh damn." Tannis said it as if he walked into a brick wall.
Curcus laughed. "I believe Claire thought you were asking for her to watch Tais do his Elani trial rites! Did you see her face lighten with hope?"
"Hope that her love will finally be the same rank as her and she will be the one to knight him," interjected Sa, smiling. "Love amongst humans never change."
Curcus wagged an index finger at the elf. "Hey, you elves court with each other as we do!"
Sa, still smiling, said. "But we do it almost every hundred years. We are patient."
"Oooh, you are so asking for it."
Razor, Oakwood, and Whitestar watched the humans and the elf bicker as the friends as they were, merrily and polite. The griffin shook his head.
"Humanoids, I will never understand them," he said under his breath, so the others wouldn't hear and bring their attention to him and the unicorns.
"Same here, Razor," whispered Oakwood. "To think a while back, they thought their virgin woman singing in a glade would draw us unicorns into the open."
"Well Oakwood," said Whitestar, nipping at her companion playfully. "That was when they thought all unicorns were male. Wasn't your great great great great great grandfather the first unicorn to be drawn into the open by a virgin girl singing, thus begining the legend?"
"Don't you start that again! My grandfather--"
Razor laughed, a purring sound emitting from his throat, as the unicorns now were bickering merrily like their humanoid friends. He walked from the room, spread his wings, and took flight; flying home.
To be continued in "Balto: Valkar Part III
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