It had been a very long rotation. Kine, surrounded by his guards and with Mathias, padding softly at his side, entered the mansion. It was dark, the night well underway, and his home was quiet as his trusted right hand and best Elite, Thane, emerged from the shadows on silent feet. Sierra would be most displeased to know that he had left his best warrior here with her and the rest of his household but Kine made sure that Thane remained in the background. He didn’t want to take any risks and trusted Thane to do whatever it took to protect those close to him. With so many away from his mansion and the barracks, this would have been the perfect opportunity for enemies to strike at the heart of The Capital.

Kine slung an arm around Thane and patted him on the back, pulling away to look into his eyes. He could tell from Thane's relaxed tail and easy bearing that all was well and with a silent sigh of relief, he reached out to his link with Thane, “Thank you my friend. You can give the official report in the morning but for now, tell me, how have you all been?”

Thane stepped back and bowed, a smile warming his face. They had been friends since they were cubs and had regularly gotten into and out of trouble together. Distant kin and part of the same House, Kine had always valued Thanes friendship, probably more than anything else in his life until recently. It was hard to find those who saw him for more than his title or strength.

“It’s been quiet, no trouble at all. Lady Sierra has spent most of her time in her rooms, occupied with the samples I believe. She has been working herself hard and, from what I can tell, hasn’t eaten as much as normal. I think she may even still be awake.”

Kine raised his ears and brows briefly in surprise and flicked his tail. He’d been worried about Sierra, she seemed unsettled, restless and Kine didn’t know how to help her find her place in The Capital. Her life had been so different and he often wondered if she would decide to leave and go back.

It was late and they all needed to rest, there would be more work on the morrow so Kine signalled to his guards a dismissal and responded to Thane as he began the climb to the suites. “Thank you Thane. Get some rest. We’ll begin again on the morrow.”

Reaching his private halls, Kine passed his own rooms and went to Sierras door, gently knocking before he entered. Normally, he’d wait for a response but he suspected that she’d fallen asleep. It was very late after all. Entering the suite, he caught an unfamiliar scent, like nothing he had encountered before. He froze. Had someone gotten in? When had anyone last seen Sierra? Listening for any movement or breathing, Kine waited patiently, cataloguing the scents at the same time. It was new but not recent. Whoever they were were long gone. The faint sound of breathing came from the next room but that was all he could find so at least someone was here. He wouldn’t relax until he knew who it was. Kine moved cautiously towards the single presence and, entering the next room, found Sierra laid back on some cushions, eyes drooping. She was barely awake. A soft sigh of relief escaped him and he smiled at his little cousin.

“Sierra.” He whispered gently, approaching and bending low to touch her shoulder, which was cool. She mumbled quietly so Kine sat down next to her, pulling a nearby blanket around her and tried again. “Sierra, wake up.”

Slowly, sleepily, she opened her eyes and blinked the sleep away. Recognition lit her eyes and she smiled at him, wrapping him in a hug. She just held him and sucked in a deep breath.

“You’re back. Are you okay?” She pulled back, arms still around him and scrutinised his face. “Is everyone well? Did you have any problems? Did you find Echo?”

Kine smiled happily, feeling her concern and relief through their bond. Mathias, who had lingered with his guards, chose that moment to arrive, sauntering in and laying down beside them, resting his head close to Sierra and closing his eyes. He’d had a difficult time, being around so many people, always on guard and ready to protect.

“Hey Mathias.” Sierra greeted him and stroked his ear gently in welcome before turning her attention back to Kine. He loved moments like these, just being together with his little family. His House was large but most of his kin were scattered outside The Capital and he realised how lonely he’d become. He brought his attention back to Sierra's questions.

“Let’s see. Most of the House surrendered easily and were happy to give statements. We’ve put them into protective custody which is a bit more relaxed than confinement while we figure out who is genuine and who supported Wistra...” Kine paused, reluctant to convey bad news. “A lot of them were living in fear. They're traumatised. We’re getting them the help they need but... well, time will tell how well they heal.”

There was a short silence while they each contemplated the damage Wistra had done but Kine continued, wanting to convey all the vital bits before fatigue carried him into sleep.

“Those that didn’t surrender or actively fought us were detained and confined in our, for lack of a better word, prison. We also rounded up members of the House who lived elsewhere, both for their own safety and to be investigated in case they worked for your aunt. Wistra, her four children and her hired Banished put up a fight. We had a few injuries but no deaths. It took a long time to find them all as it seems the House Kuthar mansion had a lot of additions made to it including a level for confinement and secret passages. Probably to allow her hires to move about unseen. Every single member of the House will be investigated, questioned with a Truth Sayer and held until their guilt or innocence is established. It will be a long process but it’ll be worth it.” Again Kine paused. “We found Echo. She’s a bit worse for wear and much of our healing was undone but she’s alive and safe now. It seems she did a lot to convince others to surrender.”

Sierra was so quiet as she absorbed the information, Kine barley heard her whisper, “I shouldn’t have let her go back.”

Kine sighed and nudged her gently, “It wasn’t your choice Sierra. It was hers and she did a lot of good, rallying support for us and occupying Wistra, distracting her from our arrival. House Kuthar is contained. For now.”

The silence stretched out before Sierra slumped against him and huffed a mixture of tiredness and relief.

“I guess you’re right. Was she badly hurt?”

Kine hesitated but he had to be honest with his cousin. “Yes, quite badly. But the Healers say she’ll make a full recovery with enough time. Many of House Kuthar are in poor condition, malnourished, muscle atrophy not to mention their mental health. They’re thin, their knapps' dull and patchy and the obvious scent of stress and fear. It seems this had been going on longer than we thought. We’re arranging long-term and even permanent counselling and healers for them...”

The cruelty of it stuck him again and Kine fell silent. He couldn’t fathom how this had happened. Sierra voiced his thoughts.

“How could she do this? They are her House, her kin. She's supposed to protect them and help them. Instead she’s put herself first. It’s rotten, all of it. How could it have been missed Kine?”

“I don’t know Sierra. Our systems are supposed to prevent this sort of thing but... the Houses aren’t part of the system. They began as powerful families, who formed powerful alliances which grew into the Houses. They skirt the edges of our process, swaying things that they shouldn’t be involved in. I fear if we go on like this, the System will collapse and we’ll return to the old ways of direct succession.”

“Kine, I’m not sure that the old ways were ever completely gone. Just hidden.”

That gave Kine pause. He more than anyone knew the Systems weren’t perfect, that is an unrealistic goal, but they we’re supposed to help promote a better life and they’d appeared to succeed for a long time. That something like this had been lingering beneath the surface all along challenged everything Kine thought he knew. As a King, as an individual, what was he supposed to do. How did he rectify this?

“It’s all wrong Sierra. The idea that simply being born to the “right” people sets you apart completely goes against the idea of our system. The idea of equality, moral fibre, the best in each of us and the right person for the right job. The systems were created to build and maintain a fair and mostly peaceful society. Why is it going all wrong now?”

“Because if people really want to break the rules, they’ll find a way. A fair, free society means that people have to have a choice, even if they choose poorly. We just have to do our best to protect the rest of them from the trouble makers. And let’s be honest, we aren’t going to get rid of the Houses. They arose to fill a need that the Systems missed. So, if we’re going to prevent this from happening again, we need to find a way to regulate the Houses and incorporate them into the System.”

Kine watched her as she spoke, his ears lifting to hear her say “we” and “our”. He wasn’t even sure that she realised how she spoke but it gave him hope that she was beginning to feel more comfortable here. He was so proud of her. She was so bright and kind. So strong. Even though she never said it, he knew that she felt like an outsider here. She wasn’t sure of her place or how she fit in except as his ward, his kin. And he suspected that she missed her role with the Myath, some sort of leadership role he suspected. She was very capable and hid much more under the surface. Kine desperately wanted her to be happy and safe here but for that, he knew a lot had to change. And he had a lot or work to do to make it happen. Sometimes, change felt to big and unattainable but for her, he'd face it. He'd find a way.

“That is an excellent idea. When you have some time, write me up some proposals of how you’d do that. I’ll look them over and see where we can make a start.” Kine ignored her startled look and ploughed on. “Tell me about what you’ve been up to. Anything interesting? I’m told you’ve been in your rooms most of the rotation.”

“Uuuuuuh... yes. Well, I’ve been processing the samples from the impact sites. Oh that reminds me, thank you for getting me more, your teams must have worked hard. They upped my data sets so the results are more accurate. It really made a difference. All the debris samples are the same chemically and structurally. Same minerals, same composition. Unfortunately... there's no match in the database or the archives.”

“So it’s a dead end” Kine lamented. He too was troubled by the erratic environmental events.

“Nnnnnnot. Entirely.”

Kine looked up at the drawn out answer and found Sierra looking abashed and uncomfortable. He tilted his head, trying to read her expression and signalled encouragement with his ears. He was intrigued.

“Well. When I couldn’t find anything, I contacted some friends for more information. They alerted me to the impact sites in the first place you see, so they brought me some more information...”

“And... what did you find?”

“... their information seems to suggest that these samples match samples taken from the, um... moon.”

“... The moon.”

“Uh-huh. Exact match. But that's all we could find. The information was fragmented and limited. I need more historical records to get a better idea of what is actually happening and why. At the moment, I can only say what it is. I’ve no idea of the cause.”

Kine tried to think but the information was a bit stunning. Unbelievable even. Still, he trusted Sierra knew what she was doing. The information on the other had may not be reliable. She was right, they needed more.

“Is there nowhere else you can gather information from?”

“Well, we could petition the other races for access to their archives. They might have more on the moon or the nature of the samples. If not... we’ll there’s one other option but it’s really dangerous and none of my friends want me to try it...”

Kine could tell she didn’t want to talk about it so he didn’t push. But for the life of him, he couldn’t think what was left after the other races and her “friends”.

“Alright. It’s gives us a starting point anyway. I’ll work on the diplomatic part. For now, let’s get some sleep. We need to talk about the trial but I’m exhausted and I expect you are too. Let’s get some rest and start again on the morrow. After a good late breakfast.”

Sierra laughed as she hauled herself up, Mathias staying where he was seemingly fast asleep. “I believe that’s called brunch Kine.”

We laughed as we parted ways and headed towards our own beds, quickly succumbing to sleep.

***

“We need to discuss the trial.”

I’d slept long and deep, feeling much better when I finally got up. I hadn’t realised until yester how much I’d become used to the presence of my kin and friends in the guards and it was a relief that they were all safe and close again. It seemed I wasn’t the only one who slept long as we all drifted into the dinning hall together around the same time. We’d just finished a late breakfast when Kine brought us back t0 the topic of the trial.

“I’m all ears,” I said, waggling my own to emphasis the point. Mathias snorted, for once in his Warrior form for breakfast, and I chuckled. “I know that yester probably impacted a lot on the trial process.”

Kine grunted in agreement. “Yes well, we have a lot more testimony now but not a lot that’s concrete. It seems Wistra kept a tight hold on information within the House. To complicate matters, because so many were involved, it’s going to go on for a while. We need to gather physical evidence, gather statements from everyone involved and determine who is guilty and who is a victim of coercion or circumstance. Then every single one needs to be tried and either charged or acquitted and House Kuthar is not a smal1 House...”

I felt my mood drop a bit. “So this is going to drag on. I know it has to be done properly but... it’s selfish but I want closure.”

“It’s not selfish.” Kine assured me. “And you might get some closure sooner than you think. The first trial will cover Wistra's role and responsibility as Head of House and Quix and Anar's role in Feenya’s death. The problem is that, though they have a right to defend themselves, I think its more likely that they will rather attack you because of your race than defend their actions. I doubt they think they’re in the wrong. They’l1 attack your credibility, your intellect, your rights and, I suspect, they will invoke a Till-ach-Renn.”

I frowned. I’d really hope that my role in the trial would be limited t0 sharing mum's memories and my own. This was... more than I’d expected. But...

“What’s a Till-ach-Renn?”

“It was originally a test of strength but it’s basically a duel. It has no legal validity, the winner isn’t immediately found innocent or anything as sil1y as that. But in the eyes of some, it will carry weight. Some value strength over justice. The problem is if she kills you, which often happens in a Till-ach-Renn, there’s no one to give evidence. And you’re Seth’s Legari, so with you gone, his custody will be fought over between the two houses.”

He let that sink in but honestly, how do I respond? My Aunt is going to try and kill me in a duel in front of a full trial court. Well, at least I’d see it coming this time. But what chance did I have? I’m a good fighter but she can shift to both the Warri0r form and the Feline form, which were far stronger than the Resting form. She’d overpower me quickly. Yes technique goes some way to mitigate that and I can utilise the speed of the lighter Resting form to dodge but, eventually I’ll tire and she’ll have me.

“Try not to worry. Mathias and I will work with you to find the best solution. Well protect you. And maybe...” he didn’t finish his thought and I was to0 preoccupied to figure it out. “Sierra, why don’t you take the rest of the rotation to relax? Now that House Kuthar are confined, it should be safe for you to explore any of the quarters you like as King as you have your guard. Go out and just have fun. We all had a busy time yester and could use a break before we dive back into this tangle.”

I perked up at that. “You think it will be alright Kine?”

When he nodded, a smi1e quirking his lips, I grinned back and got up to hug him. He knew just what I needed. “Thanks cuz.”

I heard him laugh as I skipped off to get ready, calling for Eecee and Kaylor.

***

I chose to explore the Artisan sector. Even though Kine had given me access to my own funds, I didn’t really want to buy anything. I just wanted to watch the skilled artists as they created such beautiful, useful and amazing things. But try telling that to Eecee.

“I never saw the appeal. I mean, what’s the point?”

I smiled. “Does it have to have a purpose? Can’t it just, be?”

Kaylor snorted at Eecee’s confounded look and we continued on to the next ship where we watched a wood worker craft an intricate figure from a scrap block of wood. It was fascinating. I admired their skill and care, the time it must have taken to perfect it. Even the young ones who were just beginning their path, they had such dedication and determination to perfect their skills. I loved it all.

Kine was right, I’d needed this. Just relaxing with friends. The last few rotations had been full. So much going on and now the revelation about the trial. But what was the point of stewing on it? So I lost myself in the large crowds and the splendour of the Artisans. There was a sweet shop coming up and I wanted to indulge in a rest with something cool to drink and something sweet to re-energise. We’d barely seen a fraction of what this sector had to offer.

For once Mathias hadn’t come along. I think he felt safe enough to leave me with the guards and saw this as a young persons outing. I missed his solid presence so I decided to make sure I’d bring back something I think he’d like. He'd been a bit more accessible since he'd been given answers about Dad but now he had a melancholy feel every now and then.

After we’d stopped for some refreshments, we wandered further along the winding paths, just enjoying ourselves and the array of entertainment on offer. It was a surprise when we heard someone clear their throat very close to us.

My guards immediately went on alert as we all honed in on the individual who had tried to gain our attention. She was a small individual who swiftly shrunk a little at our attention yet held firm. When she spoke, her voice was steady and strong.

“Lady Sierra? I’m sorry for approaching you so suddenly, but I wanted to thank you.”

My guards had dropped their relaxed atmosphere, ready to act but they hadn’t moved so I could infer that she probably wasn’t a threat. Still, I stayed wary, keeping an eye on both the individual and my surroundings. As I focused on her, I felt something... very weak. But before I could really concentrate any more, she kept talking.

“I know I should have gone about it in a different way but there are so many of us that want to thank you and we weren’t sure we’d be welcome at the King's mansion.” She gushed before stalling. “Oh... I’m sorry, I’m rushing all this. Let me start again. I’m Carro of House Kuthar. I’ve been cleared by the investigators and I promise I’m no danger to you. I-III knew Feenya very well. She was my cousin and we were close.”

I was a little speechless. A Kuthar and she knew my mum. Nothing I could detect suggested any sense of hostility or dislike from her but... just because she wasn’t involved in Wistra's plotting, it didn’t mean she was okay with my being a Myath. Wait, that wasn’t fair. I just... wasn’t sure what she wanted.

“I used to visit you, Galen and Feenya when you lived outside the wall. I’m not sure how much you remember, you were very young but there were several of us from House Kuthar who supported Feenya's choices. When Echo came back and told us that you were back and that you’d helped her... She told us what happened to Feenya and that you will be giving evidence against Wistra. That she’d finally been held accountable for what she’s done...She said you are the reason we are finally free from that House. So I had to come and see you. To thank you. I’m not sure how long we would have lasted Sierra. And... I’m so sorry. Feenya was always the best of us, I wish we could have prevented it. I’m sorry we let fear control us...”

Carro had started to cry and I felt the tears gather in my own eyes. So that's what I’d felt, we must have either a new-bond or a very weak bond. I tried to think back on those hazy adults that used to visit us but I was distracted again when Carro spoke again.

“You've grown into a beautiful young woman. I know Feenya would be proud. Those of us in House Kuthar with any honour left will do our best to support and protect you Sierra. We will not lose any more kin.”

With that, I was left even more stunned and seemed to have lost the ability to speak. Carro must have realised this because she smiled a teary smile and made to leave but before she could even turn, I reached out and grabbed her wrist.

“Ttttthank you, Carro. Thank you.” Words failed me again as I tried to voice everything I wanted to say. Eventually I changed the subject. “You were very brave. To speak against her. No one should have to endure what Wistra was doing. It’s... wrong.”

“Yes. Yes it is. Umm, I know now is probably a bad time but I saw you and just wanted to let you know that... not all of House Kuthar are bad. Some of us still value kin. I’ll leave you to it now but, may I talk with you again? I’d like to get to know that little girl who climbed trees and liked apple sweets and hear more about your life after you all left.”

“I’d like that.” she nodded and turned to go. “Stay safe. This isn’t over yet.”

She looked back and smiled before disappearing into the crowd.

I just stood there, lost in thought and staring into space as I tried to wrap my head around the encounter. It was Kaylor who gently touched my elbow, bringing me back to reality.He looked concerned but I smiled a reassurance at him and our group silently continued to explore, though with a more subdued air. The guards were on the lookout for any more petitioners but I was occupied with trying to remember Carro. Which one of the visitors was she? They’d talk with mum for ages or help dad with practice stuff and brought little treats.

I hadn’t thought that anyone from House Kuthar would reach out to me, either because they had the same attitude as Wistra or because they were afraid to associate with a Myath. I wonder how many more would approach me? What would it be like to have even more kin close at hand? I was still adjusting to the Den and Greer kin I’d acquired.

“Eecee, do you have a lot of kin?”

She had been watching me, making sure I was okay I guess, so when I asked, I saw her grin as she got swept up in recounting her kin.

“Yeah! I’m from House Lathbraylar and it’s huge. My mums always wanted a big family and have had like four litters each. My litter is the youngest-but-one and consists of two identical boys, two identical girls and two more non-identical girls. My mums always loved being pregnant at the same time so once they’d combined the eggs and completed manual recombination for viable zygotes, they implant two each. They got lucky with the two eggs splitting. I’m a twin you know.”

I grinned at her exuberance and took my opportunity to tease her.

“Oh, so all those days you were serious about the job rather than chatting up a storm and joking around, it was actually your identical sister replacing you so you could go off and have a break? I’m telling!”

“Nooooooooo... mind you, that’s not a bad idea. We should try it.”

“Eecee!!” I exclaimed and we laughed together.