Arazon

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"Arazon! We weren't expecting you yet! You got my order?"
Arazon smiled only slightly, bowing to his superior. "Two bags of bamboo seeds, as you requested."

Cas's eyes brightened, making for the bags at his side. "Wonderful! You're the best."

Arazon set the bags down next to the coordinator, who fumbled for her clipboard. Her claws clacked against the cold palace floors as she fussed for a pen.

"Just doing my job," Arazon laughed, blushing slightly. "Say, which festival is this again?"

"Mistral Jamboree, of course!" Cas's excited motions were jostling her coat so much, Arazon feared it falling off. "Hope is nearly over the moon, she's expecting her parents to come visit!" Her smile turned sly. "Speaking of visit..."

"Oh no."

"Oh yes," Cas was practically shining. "You should stay for it! Come on, you love flying, and, messages, and, and wind because it makes you fly fast... OH! And-"

Arazon laughed. "Ok, ok! I can take a break for a few days and join in." It was a while since he stayed more than a few days in his home clan, after all. He never liked to sit still, but he knew his wings needed more rest than he gave them. He turned towards the throne room, which he had been poised to enter to alert Selene of his presence, and knocked softly. There was no response.

"Is she in?" Arazon asked.

"She should be," Replied Cas, far more interested in the seeds. "She may be talking to someone, you can probably just peek in."

Arazon hummed, and softly padded into the large throne room. On the center dias stood a large table, showing a diagram of Sornieth. Selene, Valor, Peter, and Helios surrounded the table, deep in debate, while Hope and Helia sat quietly nearby, waiting for a question to be asked of them.

"Your majes-"

"We cannot afford the risk of sending supplies to anyone even remotely near the line of destruction!"

Arazon paused at the doorway. It was clear that this meeting was to be done entirely in private. Most meetings regarding the city featured the entire court, who each represented a different aspect of the city's life. But meetings with only the queen, guardians, and seers?

Something was terribly wrong.

"Valor, refusing to go near the Hewn City is a large financial misstep," Helios drawled, pointing with a claw towards the Sunbeam Ruins. "Those clans will need our help, and will be willing to pay quite a lot for it."

"Why should they have to pay?" Peter piped up. "This is not about us, this is a crisis! It's this mentality that led to this situation!"

"Enough!" Selene cried.

The room fell silent. Arazon didn't dare breathe.

"You are all right," She finally said. "We cannot afford to send anyone near the Emperor, but we must also provide aid to those who seek it."

Arazon's whole body shook. A vivid memory, of blood, death, and rotting whiskers floated through his mind.

There's an emperor in the Sunbeam Ruins?

"We are one of the most influential clans in the Starwood Strand. Our connections to other clans are vital to our survival." She spoke with an air of finality. "We will aid all who ask us. If a call to arms comes, we will answer it. Otherwise, it is not our problem. The lightweaver said herself, she will be doing something about it."

She hates our kind, a voice whispers in Arazon's ear. She'll kill us all.

"We will, however, cease all trade with Light clans within 50 miles of the destruction. For Arazon's sake."

Arazon's ears perked up. Did... she know he was here?

"He cannot know. If he did, I fear he would never come home again."

Arazon's legs began to give. With great difficulty, he shuffled out of the room and silently closed the door.

"So?" Cas poked her head from around the hallway. "Are you clear to stay?"

Arazon thought for a moment, and then shook his head wordlessly.