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  The Broken Council

  ( The Guardian chronicles - 1 )

  Steven R. Burke

  Steven R. Burke

  The Broken Council

  CHAPTER 1

  Divided

  The early morning sun was streaming through the golden leaves from the surrounding black oak trees found in the ancient Renshaw Forest. The morning fog was beginning to dissipate as the inhabitants of the enchanted woodland made their presence known. Sitting at the edge of a plush green meadow taking in the serenity of the moment was Kishi, an elven princess. She was sitting on the grass with her legs crossed and her eyes closed breathing in her surroundings. She always came to this same spot to meditate and to escape the pressures of being the eldest daughter of the great elven king, Ciel Tiranidrol. As she closed her mind to the drama that had consumed her life recently, her thoughts strayed to the trivial meeting she was required to attend in a few hours. Inwardly she groaned at the thought of participating in elven politics, which her father insisted was crucial in order to keep the kingdom united.

  She had lived for six centuries in the beautiful, enchanted Black Forest where she had been able to avoid the pressures of political life until recently. She did not enjoy the restrictive nature of being royalty, which was something that she had no control over. However, today she was more troubled by the secret plan of her twin sis ter, Kira, than her preoccupation with her own fractious existence. Her sister was highly favored by their father and the people because of her pleasant nature and her desire to please others. This bothered Kishi because she was the eldest daughter and was the one the kingdom rightfully belonged to after their father's reign. She did not think the people would allow rule to pass to someone who was obstinately disinterested in the good of the people. Why do I even care? I do not need them, and they do not want me.

  Her eyes flew open at these troubling thoughts. While she cleared her mind again, her gaze was drawn to a dragonfly zooming through the grass. She was mesmerized by the insect's fluid movements, and struggled to meditate again. The sun shone brightly over the ancient black oaks, which illuminated her stationary figure with its warm rays. The light outlined her beautiful black hair and slender body as she eased back into a tranquil state.

  Her slight figure hid her physical prowess and agility. Her real power came from her innate and learned magical abilities. She had mirthless eyes that had a chilling effect on anyone who dared to look into them. She had trained for many years with the revered warlock Diikker who had taught her everything about the arcane arts. He had taught her that the source of her power was founded in the spark of magic that every living thing possessed. She had learned that magic did not require incantations except in cases where one had to focus their energies with external sources that exceeded the caster's capacity to control. Her dark mentor had also taught her how to steal the energy of sentient beings, something forbidden by the sacred laws of magic. This was something that her sister never bothered to listen to when these lessons were given. She was the only other elf aside from her mentor who learned such powerful magic.

  She had also learned to discipline her mind to not only resist magical intrusion, but to reverse the effect to penetrate an attacker or even an unsuspecting opponent. Most learned the elementary version of mental barriers where the defender mimics an animal's thoughts, which happen to be centered on basic needs. This seldom gave away any insight into what they are thinking at that moment and when an intruder is sensed, they can focus their energy to expel the foreign entity. Kishi had learned the difficult process of constantly warding her mind against infiltration by using the mirror effect. This basically reflects the mind of the aggressor for a few moments and immediately warns her of the attempt. The energy required to main this is something that is rather insignificant due to her exceptional capacity. She was almost equal to her mentor's abilities in most respects.

  The princess had developed serious trust issues over the years as she grew in power. Her father had always been wary of what he perceived to be unnatural abilities and even suspected that his eldest daughter dabbled in forbidden magic. This distrust was not hidden from the king's subjects. This only added to the distrust the elves held for Kishi. This was the primary reason she had decided to aid her sister with her secret plan for the upcoming meeting.

  The tranquil morning was quickly ebbing away when the sounds of forest life abruptly ceased. Kishi's father and his guard appeared at the edge of the clearing opposite her. She, of course, had already sensed their presence with the magical web she had set up around the clearing to detect the approach of anyone or anything that could pose a threat. She accomplished this by invoking her will on non-sentient beings to send her warning of the approach of any sentient creatures. Kishi's eyes snapped open and locked onto her father across the meadow. It was clear that he had not seen her quite yet as they looked around. King Ciel never went anywhere without his guards these days because of the schisms that threatened to tear the elves apart. Their unity had endured for nearly a thousand years under his reign and was now in serious jeopardy thanks, in part, to his youngest daughter. She had violated one of the most sacred elven laws, which was the source of the division amongst the people.

  The king finally spotted his eldest daughter meditating within the shadow of a particularly large black oak at the opposite end of the meadow. After he caught Kishi's eye, he nodded and made his way over to her.

  "Enjoying another sunrise, daughter?" King Ciel asked as he smoothed the front of his silk robes. He would not look her in the eye knowing he would see hatred in those gray, depthless eyes. It was no secret that she did not trust him or even care for him. At this point, he was beginning to feel the same way due to her lack of empathy for the elves and their plight.

  "I was enjoying the quiet tranquility of this serene morning when you and your guard so rudely interrupted," she said disdainfully.

  This contemptuous remark angered her father, and he was unable to hide his displeasure from his daughter. She could feel his ire toward her growing with each passing moment. So he is already upset, and the meeting has not even started yet. How delightful. This thought brought a quick smirk to her beautiful face.

  As her father came to a halt in front of her, she felt the pit of her stomach knot and turn as revulsion swept through her at his proximity. She knew by the look on his face that he was extremely disappointed with her aversion to side with him or to carry out her royal duties. King Ciel had been the ruler of the elves for millennia and had had peace during his reign until recently. The elves had made the enchanted woodland of Renshaw their home for the past four thousand years and had prospered considerably under his rule in particular. The people adored him and loved his temperate leadership. His singular ability to say what people wanted to hear had only increased their devotion. Kishi respected his powers of persuasion but hated him for the uses to which he applied his gift.

  The king was a powerfully built elf that towered over the slight figure of his eldest daughter as she sat on the lush grass. He was a proven master with the sword, though he was known better for his abilities as a leader. His primarily used his magic to read and manipulate unprotected minds whenever it suited his needs. His daughters had learned how to protect themselves from his unwanted intrusions. Kishi was particularly difficult for him to read. However, his gift had made him a superior orator and negotiator among his people and a leader the other races of Tuwa respected and looked to for advice.

  "I hope that you will be in attendance today at the elven High Council. We must continue our discussion about your brother-inlaw and Kira's treachery," King Ciel said in an even tone.

  "Why? So, you can publicly condemn her for following her heart? Do you
honestly believe that punishing her will do any good?" she asked angrily. "You merely want to prove to the people that you will uphold the law no matter what! We share the same blood … silinde turgon elanesse aldarion!' Her eyes flared as though flames were about to shoot out of them.

  Kishi felt all the painful emotions she had been building walls against since the marriage of her sister pushing for a release. While she vehemently disagreed with Kira's marital choice, she distained their father's chosen response. She was torn as to which side she would take while in the council meeting. She, of course, blamed her father for this predicament because of his need for order and propriety. Maybe I should let Kira and father fight this out. Maybe it is about time I left Renshaw. As long as I stay here, I will not have peace and I will never be accepted.

  "You know as well as I do that my dispute with your sister is well grounded in elven law, as well as steeped in our traditions," the king replied smoothly. "No elf is permitted to mix or marry with anyone from the lesser races. Why your sister wants to bring death upon herself is truly beyond my comprehension." His face was unfathomable as he looked down at Kishi. Why must my children vex me so? What have I done to them to justify their obstinance?

  "Not to mention how your sister's illicit union diminishes the elven standing that has been respected and revered by the peoples of Tuwa for centuries! Now death will be introduced to the elven people like never before!" King Ciel raged on. He was clearly concerned that Kira's actions were part of something much bigger and more sinister in nature. He could not allow the situation to get out of his control; he would do whatever was necessary to prevent the elven nation from being ripped apart by members of his own house.

  The king's feelings were beginning to surface, and he was no longer making an effort to hide his disappointment. He was furious with the pair of them because of their purported belief that love and choice are factors in marriage. This entire situation is a front for something else; this marriage is merely a catalyst for their secret plans. If it were not for the powerful magic his daughters possessed, he would use forceful means for finding out what they were really hiding from him. However, he could not use his power on them because of their training. He simply could not afford the backlash from the people if he chose to use other means of discovering the truth. As such, he was left to use political means to uncover their real intentions.

  "Sir, I hate to interrupt, but we really must be off. The meeting is in about two hours, and it will take us almost that long to get to there," interjected one of the king's guards boldly.

  The king stood there looking at his daughter with a much deeper understanding of how she felt about him … inwardly his heart was breaking. He knew that she disagreed with Kira's choice, and he was clearly bewildered about his eldest daughter's stance in this matter. He had felt that Kishi would be on his side when Kira broke elven law, but now it was clear that she too had betrayed him. He sensed that she was somehow a part of the conspiracy against him.

  "Kishi, please be on time for the meeting. It is very important," the king asked clearly dejected about their interaction.

  "I will be on time, but do not think that you will somehow win my support in this pointless venture," she retorted. She gave him a look that was filled with both anger and sadness.

  Kishi felt her body temperature rising even though the spring morning was quite cool. Her temper was always just under the surface these days, and she was growing weary of being told what to do and how to think. Today that would all change, and nothing would ever be the same. She would do what she wanted regardless of what her sister chose to do. Her father, the king, would not have the satisfaction of using her as leverage against Kira. He would be on his own in that meeting and would be sadly disappointed in both of his daughters, though for very different reasons. The poor fool.

  Kira sat in her bedchamber staring out the balcony with a look of someone who was a keeping a secret so sweet that she would soon burst if she did not reveal it. She had a twinkle in her deep brown eyes as she thought of what would take place later at the elven High Council. Ifher father only knew ofthe plot against him … He would be livid! A smile of fierce pleasure crept across her face at the idea of finally revealing her plans.

  The princess felt happier than she had been in years as a result of her recent marriage to the man, Yukio. She had decided that now was the perfect time to unveil her true intentions to the elven leadership. She knew that the joy she was feeling was a mix of her feelings for her husband and for the plans she had been working on for months. She knew that revealing her true intentions would likely mean a revolt of some kind. While a revolution would bring tragedy and death, it would lead to the freedom they yearned for.

  Princess Kira had an elegant, slim body like her twin sister, Kishi. Her long brown hair swished slightly as she walked to the balcony and began to pace back and forth. She too was a very powerful sorceress, but she did not like to use her power to get her way or enhance her capacity with magic the way her sister did. Instead, she relied on her womanly wiles to get what she wanted, which had worked very well on her husband and several other failed suitors. However, the welfare of the elven people was desperately important to her, and that made her drastically different from Kishi, who cared only for herself.

  She sighed pleasantly as she turned to look at her husband who was resting peacefully on their bed. He was an enormously built man whose stature resembled most of the elves, though a bit more muscular. He was taller than his new wife by a few inches, which was not a common occurrence since elves were almost always taller than men. He had long reddish-brown hair dangling loosely over his silk pillow. He had several scars on his back from the many wars and battles he had fought in service to his queen. He had the look of man who had been made by difficult circumstances and one who could withstand a great deal more than most.

  General Yukio stirred at the sound of his wife's incessant pacing and sat up on one elbow to look at her. He thought that she was very beautiful and had such youthful-looking skin that it was difficult to believe that she was several hundred years old. I am truly blessed by the gods for such a treasure. She is a prize far greater than any jewel or horde of treasure. I will not allow her father to ruin our plans. If he should pose a threat, I will end his reign.

  As the general rubbed his bleary eyes, the morning light illuminated the red mixed with the brown in his eyes as he gazed up at his wife. It has been said of him that while in the throes of battle his eyes burned red as though they were on fire. The intensity of his look could pierce the most accomplished magician's magical web and penetrate any mental barrier. He was a fierce warrior and a good man to have on your side when things were going wrong. If he were against you, the gods themselves would not be able to protect you from his wrath.

  "What is vexing you this early in the morning, my love?" he inquired in his deep, husky voice.

  "I am going over our plans to make sure that what we do today plays out as we have foreseen," she replied after a long moment of thought. She was pinching her lower lip as she nervously continued to contemplate.

  She stopped pacing and stared out over the balcony's edge without seeing anything in the distance. She knew she should feel some guilt about what she was thinking, but her father's obstinance had only cultivated her aversion to his wishes. I cannot wait to see my father humbled! These were not typical feelings a daughter should have toward their father. Then again, her father was the king of the immortal race of elves and had never really been a true parent by any stretch of the imagination. He cared more for his kingdom and himself than for his own blood. If mother were still alive, things would be dfferent. I would not have to take such drastic measures against my own father. She would have made him see reason. Mother would want me to go forward; she was always able to see the big picture.

  King Ciel had lost his beloved wife five years to the very day when she was waylaid by a pack of savage wolves as she journeyed along the southern edge of Renshaw. The king
had forgotten about this as a result of the current political turmoil. Kira and Kishi, on the other hand, would never be able to forget such a traumatic day. These two sorceresses blamed their father's lack of military skill and unorganized home guard for the tragic loss of their mother. Neither of them could ever feel safe again within the forest, and that was one of the reasons why they both must leave. The council convened by their father actually played into their hands without him being any the wiser.

  "Yukio, you must get ready for the meeting," she said playfully over her shoulder. "I think that this will be a day long remembered in the history of my people, so you need to look your best." She turned to look at her husband and gave him a quick smile as the sun silhouetted her slender figure.

  After several moments, General Yukio reappeared from the closest dressed in his military uniform he wore when meeting with royalty. His medals shined and glistened as he walked up to his wife on the balcony. Out with the old and in with the new. He was going to be the first king of the elves from the race of men. A male elf always ruled the kingdom, but that was going to change now that he was part of the family. He would have liked to force the change, but he could not doubt the brilliance of his wife's plan. It was going to work.

  "Well, we should not keep the aged council members waiting," he said with a sly grin. He took her arm in his, and they left Tiranidrol Castle together. They had an hour to get to the sacred Edrdne Minyatur, the sacred meeting place where the elven High Council met. That was on the other side of Tarisdell, the capital city of the elven nation. The city was located at the heart of the ancient and enchanted Black Forest, also called Renshaw, so they took their time to enjoy their last day in the remarkable woodland. They would be sad to leave such a beautiful place, but their new home would be just as breathtaking with views that could not be found anywhere else in Tuwa.