"I will defeat you!" Alaron yelled with fury. He sliced his sword through the air at his opponent.

"Over my dead body!" Devrim responded, his mouth set in a determined line. The Consort deflected the prince's blow.

"That can be arranged, old man," Alaron taunted. He took a step back and then burst forth in a fit of motion. Each stroke was more vigorous than the last. Yet, Devrim was able to keep pace and even force the boy to retreat.

"You will not get very far with all that backing up, unless your goal is to end up against a wall." And just like that Devrim had the prince between his sword and the outer palace wall, fighting with all his might. Alaron made two upward strikes in sequence that nearly disarmed the Emperor, but the seasoned warrior was just a hair too quick. With a skillful blow, Devrim knocked the weapon from Alaron's hand and hit the padding on the boy's chest with the broad side of his sword. Hitting the wall with his back, the prince slid to the ground and admitted defeat with a sulk.

"You could have let me win," he said as his father reached down to help him up.

"And deny you the pleasure when you finally beat me for real? Never!" The Consort began to remove the padding from his arms and legs. Sometimes they sparred with armor and real swords, but today they had opted for padding and weighted dummies for weapons.

"I'll beat you someday," Alaron said with juvenile cockiness. He had already forgotten his defeat.

"Not with that predictable movement you have going on. I know when you step back that you are about to make your big move. You have got to shake things up a bit. Be spontaneous." Devrim patted the boy on the shoulder.

"Noted. I guess I will just have to try harder." Alaron sighed.

"Do not look so sad. You nearly had me with that double strike at the end. It took all my skill to keep you at bay," Devrim told him honestly. In truth it would not be much longer before the boy would claim victory.

"Really? I have been working on that move," the prince's face brightened at his father's words.

"Look at these two handsome men," Aurora strode over with Mairwen from where they had been watching. "I think they are the smartest, strongest, and bravest men in the whole Empire!"

Mairwen's big blue eyes shone brightly. "Can I have a turn next, Father?" Devrim's heart always softened when she called him that.

"I am afraid you are my weakness, dear girl. I will fight you, but you will surely win because my soul will not allow me to attack you full force." Devrim could not bear the thought of hurting her.

Mairwen nodded in understanding. "Then I will have to settle for trying my luck with the palace guard. Would you at least run a round of archery with me later?"

"Of course, though I am not near as fine a shot as your mother." Devrim tucked his arm around his wife's waist, causing her to blush heavily.

"You are always so self-depreciating!" The Empress scolded her husband. "Do you think I would choose anyone less than worthy to be my Emperor Consort?"

The grey-eyed man chuckled. "I stand corrected, children. I am apparently the best shot in the Empire."

Aurora's face darkened. "I would not go that far." She was quite proud and a little vain of her skill with a bow. "But you are a fine shot, to be sure."

"Then we shall have a family tournament!" Alaron said as he removed his helmet and ran his fingers through his blonde hair. "What do you say, Mother and Father?"

Aurora was filled with joy at the happy scene before her. She reflected briefly on how she could only address her own mother as 'Your Majesty'. The warmth that had been withheld in that relationship was freely given by Aurora to her adopted children. They had no idea how different their lives could have been. "Of course we can have a tournament!"

"Not today, I am afraid," Mairwen answered as she watched a servant scurry towards them. "Mother is about to be called away."

Sure enough, the servant bowed and addressed Aurora, "Your Majesty, Chief Zan would like you to know that your spymaster has returned."

The Empress nodded. "Has the Chief called a Council meeting?"

"If it pleases Your Majesty, he would like to," the servant replied humbly.

Aurora sighed. She had hoped to have an uninterrupted day with family. The Empress had cleared her calendar expressly for this purpose. "Very well," the woman with the blue-flecked eyes replied. "I will be there shortly." The servant bowed and left.

"Will you require me also?" Devrim asked as he finally handed over all of his fighting gear to a soldier and received his Emperor's robe. He cut quite a dashing figure. Aurora was tongue-tied for a moment.

"No…yes! I need you to hear whatever Brinn has to say. In fact, why don't you both come along too?" Aurora asked the twins. If she could not leave work for them, perhaps they could attend work with her.

"Yes please!" Alaron said. He was always eager to prove what a good leader he would be. It didn't matter that the Empress had yet to name an heir. He was sure it would be him.

"Are you sure?" Mairwen was more cautious. More knowledge meant more responsibility. While she was curious, she also had an appreciation for her guarded innocence.

"Yes, I am sure. It is good for you to have a little experience with the Council in case you should ever need to fill in." Aurora said decisively.

Together the family, along with their personal guards, made the long walk through the palace. Those who saw them bowed low as they passed, most only smiling while others gave a polite "Glory to the Empress" in greeting. As they neared the Council's meeting room, servants were bringing in trays of food and refreshments.

"This does not seem like it will be a quick briefing," Devrim observed.

"Your Majesty," a voice called near the door.

"Spymaster Brinn!" The Empress ran to her friend. After almost ten years of working together, she knew better than to address the elf as 'princess' although it was her more proper title. The ladies embraced. "I have missed you. I look forward to a less formal catching up after this meeting."

"As do I, but I am afraid you have extra people in your entourage today. Hello, Price Alaron, Princess Mairwen, and of course Emperor Devrim."

"The children will be joining our meeting. It is supposed to be family day." Aurora said by way of explanation.

"I see. They picked quite a meeting to attend." Brinn answered cryptically. They would find out soon enough what she meant.

Making the room comfortably accommodate the extra royals and Brinn and Gandr took some time, but eventually everything was settled as everyone took a seat around the large rectangular table. With Aurora's permission, Zan called the meeting to order. "We have been anxiously awaiting the news from Spymaster Brinn. She and Agent Gandr have been monitoring a situation on the western coast. Spymaster, you have the floor."

Brinn stood and addressed the Council. "Chief Zan is correct. Gandr and I have been watching a group of sailors who were rumored to be running a smuggling operation. I am sad to report, it is much worse than we thought…"