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Nereid: Forgive me, Ruler. I’ll be waiting ;)
I look up as Morgana is escorted into the room, her gaze immediately falling on Alexander. “What’s the meaning of this?” she asks, her voice quavering. “Why the hell am I brought before the Leaders and manhandled by your guards?” Though she squares her shoulders in an attempt at looking unaffected, I see right through it.
She is terrified, and rightfully so.
Being brought before the Leaders and the Ruler isn’t usually a small thing. The only time that’s likely to happen is if you’re standing trial, if you’ve wronged or betrayed the Kronos Society.
“Morgana Hatt, you’re here because Alexander Drákon wishes to make you his second. Do you accept the responsibility of being the acting Drákon Leader?” Although I shouldn’t, I soften my voice and put my hand on her shoulder. “You’ve done nothing wrong, and there’s no incorrect answer.”
I don’t know if I’ve eased her panic, but it’s all I can do without fully breaking character.
When she looks to Alexander for confirmation, he nods and offers her a small smile. “The Ruler speaks the truth. That is my wish. Do you accept?”
Turning away from me and the Great, she takes some time to ponder this, and I can’t decide if I’m hoping for her to accept or decline the offer. I don’t know her well enough to know if she’d be an asset to my council. However, I have a feeling that Acacia would approve, and not just because it would add a female to the council.
When Arthur suggests the two of them leave to discuss it, Morgana holds her hand up. “I’ve already made my decision,” she says. Then she turns to me. “I accept the role as acting Drákon Leader.”
Now that she’s agreed, I have some of my guards escort Alexander out. As soon as he’s gone, I text my nereid again to let her know this might take longer than I thought. After all, there are a lot of things we all need to be caught up on.
I take my seat again, and look at the three people that are currently making up my council. “You verbalized your concerns, and I listened. Are we all happy with the outcome?” I lift a brow as I look first at Arthur, then Remus. When they nod, I carry on. “Morgana, for all intents and purposes you’re here to act as my council, and to undertake the Drákons’ interest. We all know that this is unorthodox, so you will get time to be caught up on things. But not tonight.”
She nods but says nothing.
“Whatever is said in here will remain here, and I trust you’re aware of this.”
She nods again.
“We will take care of the official inductions at a later date, but for now, I want to get this meeting going.”
Remus clears his throat. “Would this be a bad time to ask why Alexander is still alive? And why could he automatically reassume the position as Leader for his family?”
I want to fucking hug the Russo Leader for asking. “No, this is the perfect time,” I state. “I think it’s time we clear the air regarding Alexander Drákon.”
Scratching the beard on my chin I consider giving myself the last out, but I don’t take it. It’s time.
“As far as I’m aware, my dad saved the Drákon Leader from prison. Even went as far as having his death certificate forged. He has been watching his daughter from a distance, never once pushing for any contact until he found out I was taking her as mine. He has been staying at my house, and apparently got a better lay of the land than I originally thought. The night of the Claiming where Uther, Romulus, and Nikolaos died, Alexander somehow got past my guards and entered the room. It’s my belief that the Leaders were already dead while myself, Augustus, William, and Acacia were incapacitated.”
“What are you saying?” Remus grinds out through his clenched jaw.
I expel the air in my lungs before explaining that I honestly don’t know. The recordings can’t be trusted when the man who perfected Drákon Enterprises is involved.
“At first I thought Marian Drákon had compromised my guards, but I’m no longer so sure. It seems too on the nose that Alexander makes his presence known the evening all three Leaders die.”
Though the men in the room wear twin expressions of malice, there’s a sadness in Morgana’s eyes. Of course there is. Uther was her dad in every way that counts, and now she’s burdened with the knowledge that biologically, he wasn’t her father. I don’t know if she’s aware it was Alexander that killed Uther. For her sake, I hope not.
Since my wife told me everything she’s learned, it’s messed with my head. While I have no familiar ties to any of them, I can only imagine what it’s like to have your world turned upside down in such a manner.
The question is why… why did Alexander do it? Why hasn’t he fled?
I share my thoughts and suspicions with Morgana, Arthur, and Remus after making them swear they won’t act on the knowledge.
“What will you have us do?” Remus asks. Some of his color is gone, and he looks like a man who wants to start a war.
Though it pains me to say it, there’s no way around it. “Nothing. We have to do nothing for now.”
“I thought so,” Arthur says, and despite the news, he looks relatively calm. “So we bide our time and just… wait for things to play out?”
“It’s possible I’m mistaken, but I believe Alexander is up to something more. And I would like to have more answers before acting.”
