Felyma POV

Having been informed by my mistress Litralia Frenost earlier this morning concerning the news from the capital, I felt a great deal of anxiety; what purpose was there in having Rielfin and me present? It would end up like an interrogation session with questions aimed at finding what the questioner desired while slowly destroying the question. Having taken part in such actions in the past, to be the one answering questions does not sit well with me.

"This meeting should not take more than a few hours."

Or at least, that was what reiflin and I were told an hour ago, so be prepared for only a short visit to the capital. Our group, of five, found ourselves standing in the centermost area of the estate, one of the five gateways had already been opened allowing for immediate transport to the capital.

I have always found travelling this way to be foreign and quite unnerving. To step from one side of the empire to the next so effortlessly, the distance is more than eight hundred thousand miles north of our present location.

Stepping through to the other side, viewing the opulence and the grandeur of the Strentolos primary estate brought to my attention how small I felt. Pure white stone, almost like glass, formed an awe-inspiring dome similar to where we had just come from.

Never in my time working in the Frenost estate have I ever had the opportunity to come to the capital. Being brought in to assist Milty Trigel in caring for the young master, I realized why I had been brought in twenty minutes after having met him.

That boy's behaviour differed entirely from that of all the other children I had worked with. He would perform some action, whether walking, talking or something unrelated, like reading advanced text. His interests were many and varied. Walking in his presence felt like I was not watching a child. A disturbing thought for a maid meant to be caring for a small boy who always seemed ready to disappear at a moment's notice.

Greeting Hall

"Litralia, you have come."

Observing the group of five coming towards her, Pamreila greeted them, having been instructed to do so by Arielia Strentolos.

"I am pleased to see you, Pamreila. It is far better than dealing with Fienya and listening to her disdain throughout the halls."

As both drew closer, their countenance towards each other slowly began to change. There was no smile between them, just a silent understanding of the situation.

"So Nedral has fallen into another of her traps, for a man of such prominence in this country, he is still a man."

Litralia had come to the capital to attend this meeting that her husband had been preparing for the last few weeks. Having received instruction to be present from her mother-in-law, this alone was all she needed to realize that nedral had likely requested his mother to instruct her to be present. He had no absolute authority to demand the presence of his wives; only his children did he have any accurate control over until they came of age.

"Feinya has remained silent concerning her involvement. She may have other ambitions other than causing you more trouble."

Pamreila beckoned Litralia to follow her, not paying any mind to Mynrea, who was also present. The halls that connected the many rooms of the estate stretched like snakes over the eight-hundred-acre compound. For generations, the Strentolos Clan had controlled the politics of the empire's magical society from this estate. It was the most powerful family of the six Magical clans that provided the empire's most powerful witches. Over many years, however, this shining star of the magical world began to fade. Having not brought a mighty witch into the world in over three hundred years, the clan was slowly declining.

"To think that we four would meet again under such circumstances, only four months have passed since that time in Boucorym Province."

Following behind the rest with her son Eldra, Mynrea showed no emotion concerning pamreila not welcoming her. She cared so little about Clan affairs or Arielia Strentolos's desire to place herself over Mynrea. It became increasingly rare for Nedral's dragon wife to appear at any Clan function unless she felt like doing so.

"Only two of your sons were interested in this meeting, Mynrea. You will forgive me if I think that you hold little care for the predicament that this child's disappearance has caused."

Pamreila's attitude towards Mynrea was like shifting sand depending on the situation. One day, she would be helpful and bearable. Any other day, however, it seemed Mynrea had to remind everyone that she was not the same as the rest of them.

"Jorriln and Torvold always correct. They are obedient to those two, not caught up in the silliness back in the dragon land like their brothers."

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Litralia, caught in the middle of these women, began to feel the pressure between them. Having stated what she felt, both became silent, not speaking to each other. With only the sound of their footsteps to provide some sound in what was now an awkward silence, the group arrived at the location of the meeting.

"Nedral is inside with everyone else. Remember to answer any questions you are asked truthfully, and you should be fine."

Having led them, Pameila remembered that earlier that morning, she had been questioned concerning her thoughts of the boy when she had last seen him. Telling Arielia what she wanted for her was always better than a lie she would likely see through.

"With Lanthim being the only male human capable of manipulating mana, I do not find it strange she has not exhausted every avenue to have him returned."

Both Litralia and Mynrea agreed with this line of thinking. Both nod to each other while listening to Pamela.

'Better to get this over with quickly. Lanthim will not remain in the wastes for long.'

As the doors to the south meeting hall began to open, the sound of people arguing amongst themselves could be heard.

"We have no idea how the child will react when we tell him to come home. Already, he had gone into the Yelsoman wastes before encountering Milty Trigel; she had demanded his return only for him to disappear more profoundly into the wastes. We have no idea how he will respond if force is used.

The table at which almost thirty men sat, as some had said before the breaking, looked almost ready to break under the strain of so many sets of hands continuously hitting it. At the head sat Arielia with a furious look on her face. It seemed to Litralia that they had been at it for some time before her group had arrived. At the far end of the table, a young man looked towards Litralia as she entered.

"My lady, It pleases me to see you have come."

Cortrael Frenost is one of Pameila's sons whom she had met several times. Being only one hundred years younger than herself, the look of age had not yet come to him. A blessing from his father, no doubt, with an expression of near defeat on his face, it almost seemed that litralia's presence had brought him new life.

"Ah, you have arrived, Litralia. Please sit. A place has been provided."

Nedral motioned to an empty seat opposite himself and three down from Feinya, who sat directly to the right of Arielia. Always a glaring reminder of one's position in the family of four wives, and each was to remember her place; at least, that is how the Strentolos Clan maintains such firm control over their branch families.

"I am pleased to see the four of you here today and the child's caretakers, though I think one is missing."

Being greeted by Arielia was never a simple affair. She would do so without even the slightest care if there were something to criticize.

"Milty is still in the wastes mother I am assured that Lanthim has not gotten to the other side."

"I see well that is something, at least, losing him now would likely lead to greater problems."

The agitated expression on Arielia's face began to fade slightly. Long had been this chase, and she had worked hard to see the boy brought back.

"I will only ask you one question, Litralia. At any time before he left, did lanthim speak of anything, a reason to leave or possibly locations he would likely be heading to?"

An eerie silence covers the room like a dense fog. No one spoke or made any sign that they would do so until they heard something they wanted to hear. Thinking back to those days almost two months ago, she could only recall what Milty reported to her daily; even then, there had been no sign.

"I am sorry, Mother Lanthim, at the time, showed no sign, at least that was reported to me, of having any plan to leave home."

A groan went through the entire hall as many began to talk amongst themselves, trying to figure out how this new information fit into an ever-growing puzzle. Lanthim, to his credit, never spoke his ideas or plans openly to others. The puzzle that was Lanthim Frenost was one of many questions and few answers.

"I will not bother asking the caretakers. It is unlikely that they have any useful information."

The contempt manifested towards Felyma and Rielfin was not something anyone would question. Even though they are hired to do a specific job and could leave at any time, Arielia was not going to show individuals of lower status any recognition.

"I find it troublesome that they would be called all this way just to be treated such. Felyma, you had the time to interact with Lanthim. Is there anything that you remember when you were with him?"

Standing against the east wall behind her mistress, Felyma looked to Mynrea, who was now looking directly at her for an answer. Thinking back, her memory of that time seemed unusually clouded. She knew that there was something she just needed to remember.

"The Forest of Legrcstim. He asked me once about its location."