Partner

*rubs face*

I had a choice this morning of either finishing this or getting a coffee before work. I chose coffee. Me off of coffee is not a functional being. Well... I am. But by this time in the day I've got a raging headache and would be far too cranky to write.

So it didn't get finished until after work. Oops?

Read, review and Enjoy.




“And no Sidhe have been seen in the last twenty-four hours,” Mari sighed and rubbed the spot between her eyebrows, “There is talk about using nuclear weapons on the forests just north of the border.”

“That would-”

“Galt is preparing for the worst. The military has announced that if Valease lets off a nuclear weapon that close to our border, we will retaliate. They have responded, saying that it is well within the laws to attack one’s own land and it is not their fault that the nuclear weapon might spill over unnoticeable affects into our land.”

“And our response was?”

“A repeat of what would happen if the bomb went off,” Mari murmured, “You all may not be as familiar with nuclear weapons as I am. The radiation alone could kill a Sidhe.” she clicked her little button and pictures came up.

That looked exactly like Whisper’s disease. Mik leaned forward in his seat others around him ignoring him. Koln watched him closely. The pictures clicked into worse images, twisted children and cattle, a forest flattened.

Mari cleared her throat after the last slide, “Some people have been found to be immune to radiation. These people have been found by the military and trained as a unit. They are the ones combing the forest, currently, to move Sidhe. The Sidhe have no such protection.”

Whisper had said that he would have been fine if he hadn’t spent so much effort keeping himself alive previously. So Mik raised his hand.

“Yes, Mik?”

“What if the Sidhe are immune?”

“To radiation?” Mari sounded like Mik had suggested the sky was neon pink.

“What if it were possible?”

“Then we’d be tempted to allow the Valeasans to bomb the entire forest and find out exactly how a Sidhe reacts when their old time tree dies,” Koln muttered, then said to Mari’s look, “you haven’t heard them talk about that thing. It’s like their god.”

“It’s their home. Their food source, their shelter.” someone behind Mik said.

“Symbiotic relationship in which both can live without the other.” Another said.

“To destroy an old time tree is an unforgivable act amongst Sidhe,” Mik murmured, “It means calling Whisper in to deal with the offender, to pass judgement.”

“But he can’t pass judgement, so what happens?” Mari asked Mik.

Mik sighed, “I don’t know. He can, likely. But it would cost him a great deal. Not to mention cost us a great deal. He’s hiding for a reason and I’m beginning to doubt that he’s contagious. The only other reason… is that people caused whatever is killing him. Paw has already said that if our people are the cause of Whisper’s death, war will break out. So if he comes, we’re screwed, if he doesn’t come, the Sidhe are left in confusion until he dies and his heir, should the heir survive, will slaughter the people.”

Paw is not heir.

Mik frowned to himself about the odd twinge that moved through his belly when he thought that.

“Paw said that he isn’t the heir.”

“What were his exact words?” Mari asked.

“’Paw not heir’ and something about he knows it like I know I’m male.”

Koln sighed and Mari looked about ready to curse. The woman flicked open her phone and jabbed at the buttons for several minutes before looking back up at Mik.

“And what is the name of your Sidhe?”

“Paw,” Auhi. Paw’s real name was Auhi. But Mik didn’t tell Mari that part.

“Are you certain that his name is Paw?”

“As certain as I am of my own religion.”

Koln caught the lie but the man very carefully erased all emotion from his face as Mari turned to look at him. Of course Koln would suspect that of a lie, as Mik had never settled on any of the gods but had never admitted to being atheist either. Though, admitting one was atheist while staying in barracks with other men was never a good idea.

Mari couldn’t make up her mind as to whether it was a lie or not. But the woman had a strange ability to tell if one of them was actually lying, so Mik couldn’t risk that chance.

“Oh,” changing the subject FAST would save any more difficult questions, “Paw said males have been mocking him, or… had been mocking him, about him playing the role of woman.”

Both Mari and Koln stiffened. Mari looked uncomfortable. Koln cleared his throat and chose his words carefully.

“And. Do we know who said this?”

“He said that he didn’t want me to dangle people out windows.”

Koln scratched the back of his neck and winced, “does Souse know? No. Obviously not. That male would snap the legs of anyone who brought up the fact that Paw isn’t pregnant. No Sidhe would even suggest that Paw should be pregnant after being with you.”

“Why?” Mari asked.

“Half-breed issues,” Koln responded, then looked at Mik, “we can’t actually do anything unless Paw tells us either when this happened, or who did it.”

“I realise that, but I mention it more of a thing to look out for in the future.”

“Is that all?” Mari asked.

“No. Souse…” Mik squinted as he tried to recall what it was with Souse and what he had to say, “right… Souse wants to see his genetic profile or would like you to explain… something about the profile to him. He’s. Willing? To step aside, but not until the person that has been chosen to replace him has reached their potential.”

“Any idea who it is?”

“Not Paw, Essuan, Hohi, Violet, Lillow or Souse,” Mik muttered, “they are becoming Elders, Hohi has a secondary position. Something about defence, I … didn’t really understand that. Besides them, I don’t really know who would be suited for being leader. They are the ones I interact with.”

“The male blind in one eye,” Koln murmured, “or the one that Violet is always hanging off of… ehm… what’s his name…”

“Talsu,” Mari responded quietly, “We will have to watch this, see if perhaps the choosing of a leader can be predicted by outside forces. It may give us some insight into the working of a Sidhe mind.”

“And in the mean time?”

Mari reached behind her seat and pulled out a book which she flicked at Mik, “read, review. Enjoy.”

Mik blinked at the blood red binding of a bible and then back up at Mari, “You’re. Joking. Right?”

“Sidhe are Illuva’s race. If anyone can make connections between a bible and them, it’s you. So I expect you to read. And report.”

“And the enjoy part?”

“You are never too old to find religion, Mik.”


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