That morning's disciplinary hearing had just gone underway. Safatore had on one of his best formalwear robes; in royal blue from head to toe. He stood tall in the center of the courtroom, his expression somber, and the others standing in the sidelines.
That was taking longer than expected but he knew he had to do it. Be it duty or obligation, he had no choice.
"Safatore Kraufford…" he raised his green eyes to look up at the twenty-meter-high jury table where eight faces sat, seven female elf elders and a male elder, looking down at him with authority and disdain. "You are here to advocate for yourself and your squad, including the Shinonome kin."
Safatore lowered his tired gaze for a brief moment before looking back up with renewed strength.
"High Council member Zera, I don't know what you want me to say," he spoke, respect evident in the way he stood and the soft but strong tone in his voice somewhat agreeing with his towering figure.
"I've already answered all your questions. I've already stated my position in this matter. What more is there for me to explain?" His hand touched his chest as he spoke.
He hung his arms at his sides, the jury's table dwarfing his size.
One of the female elders leaned forward, her soft, rosy and youthful skin seemingly absorbing the light. She responded:
"Young Kraufford… as the eldest son of Xanderian royal descent in its twenty-fourth eon, you of all people should know it's unbecoming of the future king to make and break promises he made to his subjects."
"I said I'd return after two weeks but came back after four, why am I being persecuted for that, Councilor Sefina?" Safatore raised his eyebrows. "And it's not my fault promises are broken by the world. You have no idea the hindrances running around out there!" He gestured behind himself to refer to 'out there.'
The others watched silently as Safatore did his best to remain calm, an enduring smile on his lips as he lowered his eyes to the floor, knowing his words were going to come back and bite him.
"Yes, hindrances. They're out there," the male elder, a brown-haired man no older-looking than Safatore, spoke up. "Yet you and your siblings are always dashing out there, leaving behind the sanctity of Mount Jagged, leaving your fate… to the outside world. Accompanied by Sakature, no less. Seemingly turning a blind eye to his unstable nature."
"My little brother is not unstable, Rodias." Semacoar crowed from the side, a defensive and irritated tone in his voice.
"Sem," Safatore raised a hand and stopped Semacoar, the smile still on his face.
He turned back to the council and smiled wider. "If you're worried about the Third Prince, I assure you, he behaved. He saw the moons and never lost control… once."
He maintained his gaze with the High Council elders, daring them to call him a liar, the smile wiped off.
"Safatore," said a third female elder. "We are aware of your love for your brothers, the favors they receive from you over others. It is no question that you would never speak ill of them, no matter what."
The fourth elder commented:
"So no matter what you say about your brother, be it Sakature or Semacoar, they'll always shine in your eyes."
Safatore smiled wryly, turning his head slightly enough to give the High Council a side-eye.
"What does my affection for my brothers have to do with us leaving Xander, Councilor Corvallis?"
"You were careless!" Elder Corvallis boomed. "You left for too long. No guards, no protection, only an expecting girl for company! She was also unguarded!"
A finger pointed at the brunette elf Akka in a white, flowing dress, who didn't flinch.
"Akka can very well take care of herself." Safatore said calmly.
"You're all careless children, young Kraufford. If you're not careful, the world might bite you." Said elder Zera.
"Why does this sound like a threat?" Semacoar grumbled from where he stood.
Faces turned to him, eyes wide and some offended. One elder spoke:
"It's not a threat, it's reality."
The doors suddenly burst open, Safatore and the others turning to look. Two guards walked in, dragging someone who was dressed in blue. They stopped and bowed.
"We found this outsider lurking within the walls of The Castle of Ancients. She refuses to identify herself."
The person blew the long and wavy black and yellow hair away and April's face was revealed. She looked around for a moment and looked forward, only to see the High Council staring down at her.
"Little monkey?" Semacoar called her, a wry smile on his face. "You joined the party."
"Semacoar," she panted.
"April?" April turned to face Safatore.
"What is the meaning of this?" The elders rose to their feet, alarm evident in their features. "Guards!"
April was still staring at Safatore when guards surrounded the guards holding her but the spears and swords and arrows pointed at her.
"What in the world is that?" High Council elder Rodias demanded.
"Everyone stand down," Safatore pointed at the guards. "There's no need to overreact. You two, let her go."
The two guards holding onto April tightened their hold on her. She groaned.
Semacoar pulled out his sword on instinct and some of the guards turned to him, aiming their bows at him.
"Try me, I dare you." He grinned from ear-to-ear, clenching his hand around his sword's handle.
April struggled out of the elven guards' grips and ran to Safatore, throwing her arms around him. Then they were both immediately surrounded by more guards.
"Safa! You're alive…" she whispered against Safatore's robes.
He was still looking down at her in confusion when the council called for him.
"Kraufford, what is that thing? How did it enter the castle?"
"What manner of creature is it?"
Safatore closed his eyes before sighing. So many questions. He turned to the council with April still in his arms.
"This is April. We found her. In Linwood."
There were numerous gasps of shock from both the council members and the guards. Kakuro glanced at Kuri. The older samurai shook her head and they both stood still.
"You dare bring an outsider into the Castle of Ancients? Let alone one from the dreaded Linwood Forest?" The fourth female elder scolded.
"Do you know what you've done? You've jeopardized the safety of all Xanderians!"
"She's not a monster." Safatore said, his arm tightening around April.
"Of course, it is!" Countered Rodias. "Look at the devilish tails it has. Apprehend it!"
Safatore watched with a blank face as a guard pried April out of his embrace.
April gasped and managed to slip away from the woman, panicking. She even yelled:
"Nobody move a bloody muscle!"
The whole courtroom fell silent as her voice echoed across. That… was probably not the best thing to blurt out in a disciplinary hearing. Her heart pounding, she glanced around and found everyone staring. The council was glaring at her, Semacoar and the rest gaped and Safatore looked confused.
"What did you say?" High Council elder Zera asked, her brow furrowed.
April whisked her head up. Everyone was laser-focused on her. She had usurped all the attention and now that everyone was focused on her, she had no idea what to do. She never had any plans for what she would say after her outburst.
"Um…" she clutched onto her tails' ends, swallowing her anxiety. Those strong gazes made her want to shrink away. She looked to her left but came face-to-face with the tip of a spear. "Oh. Uh…"
She started panicking. To these elves, she was a foreign entity. She was an unwanted guest whom they had never seen before. She wanted to crawl into a hole! One thing she felt utterly terrified by was violence among people.
[Stop panicking and stand straight,] the familiar voice calmly spoke in the back of her head, wafting her fears.
April froze bodily, her eyes comically wide.
"Saka, I'm in trouble. Where are you?"
[Help yourself.]
She went wide-eyed. "No, wait!"
[Having regrets?]
"I'm with the council. I shouldn't have run away. I don't want to be here.."
[Endure it.]
"No, please. I'm not too good with authority figures. I'll puke!"
But the voice scolded her. [Shut up and repeat what I tell you.]
April went wide-eyed and faced the Council, swallowing the nauseating feeling back. She automatically and robotically started speaking what he told her.
"Honorary High Council members of Xander. Before you is April Commerce. I'm a half-breed hailing from Dimension Acugamathura. I got saved by the Brothers Kraufford a few weeks ago when I was attacked by a pack of lycans. They saved me and brought me here. I am in their debt. They only brought me here because I had nowhere else to go."
Safatore blinked and Semacoar exchanged glances with Eon. April finished speaking and faced the elders with a calm demeanor. Her mind, however, was in shambles.
"I-is that it?"
['I apologize for not making myself known sooner…'] Saka's voice guided her.
She raised her chin. "I apologize for not making myself known sooner… but I was looking for a way to subtly introduce myself. But due to my clumsy nature and my alien build, I put everyone on alert."
"Who is that and what did she do with my little monkey?" Semacoar muttered.
The elders looked down at April who still had all the attention on her, Safatore gaping at her, guards pointing weapons at her and her exterior calm.
Rodias turned to Safatore. "Safatore Kraufford. Despite the situation taking a turn, it stands that you have broken our trust and even brought an outsider into these walls, something that hasn't happened in the past two hundred years."
"She is under my protection." Safatore stated, gradually recovering from the speech.
"Is she now?" Asked Corvallis. "And what species is she?"
Safatore opened his mouth to speak but fell silent for a moment. Then he bit on his lower lip.
"She got forced into her First Death and needs to know her Aura."
"Safatore!" Semacoar rasped while the others panicked.
[That lowly bastard…] Saka's voice growled in April's head.
April looked around. Why did the atmosphere suddenly turn dreadful at the mention of that? She looked to the far off left where a different ambiance approached. Then she saw the creature. A creature with green eyes, blonde hair and a tall figure. He exuded a dark and melancholic aura as he stood in front of a large and menacing, blue feathered…
"Holy–a griffin." April stared hard at it. But the man in front of it seemed scarier than the abomination.
He was also very handsome, and young, looking the same age as Safatore and everyone in the courtroom.
"Is he someone important?"
[Good question.] Saka responded. [What do you think?]
April raised an eyebrow at the elf who carried a very heavy presence.