SOL - Generation Six - Chapter Two
Just to remind you, the Williams are probably about a generation behind the Tales; so the Tales are one generation in the future... if you get me :P. I’m bringing this up because Quinn mentions things that involve the Tales, so you don’t get confused!
Last time...
“How are you going to gather all that information?” Ares asked, cradling his cup of coffee close and hoping to become more awake from the fumes alone. His father (it was strange to think of him as that and not Alpha) had been up since the crack of dawn typing away, becoming so immersed in his work that he’d hardly noticed his son come down the stairs.
“Not a fucking clue,” Ven said, quite cheerfully. “You’re going to make your dear old papa some breakfast, right?”
Ares pretended to huff and sigh, though he liked making the breakfasts (and often the lunches and dinners). It made him happy to take care of his pack, after all.
Ven finally extracted himself away from the computer and came to eat breakfast with Ares. “Not as good as mine,” he said, to which Ares replied by swiping him over the head.
“This is your Council project, right?” Ares asked, and Ven nodded.
“Quinn thought it would be a good idea for us all to have a personal project to work on. There’s so much werewolf lore out there we don’t know, plus so much pack history for those as old as Cameron’s was. I don’t suppose any other packs will be telling us anytime soon, but there’s still plenty to do in the meantime.” Ven glanced up as they both heard Dova trudging down stairs at the early hour of ten (as he usually did), grumbling and grunting at the morning (as he usually did). He saw them, grunted, and helped himself to pancakes. Ares watched with amusement.
“Are you going to deal with just ‘wolves or...?”
“For now,” Ven said.
Ares finished his food and remained lost in thought for the next few moments. He’d read and researched several things about wolves - from Lycaon, Shaddix, Tundil and all the other great names - but this was only the information accessible to the public. The old packs were the ones with the lore, written or spoken. He washed the dishes silently, while behind him Dova helped himself to more strong coffee.
“What’s Elyssia’s project?” Dova asked groggily.
“She wants to get better opportunities for hybrids. There’s still a lot of controversy over them - us. A lot of discrimination.” Ares answered automatically, as it was his job to know these things, but he was still distracted with the idea that had been brewing in his mind since he was young. Finally he turned around. Dova and Ven looked up expectantly. “I’m going to talk to the Trun Pack.”
Ven’s eyebrows rose. “You certainly got up on the ambitious side of bed this morning.”
Dova yawned and rubbed his eyes. “Aren’t they with the Roy’s?” he muttered.
“No,” Ares said. “They’re the nearest pack that isn’t.”
“They’re still a good hundred miles away.”
“Good thing you taught me how to drive then, isn’t it?” Ares said with a thin smile. “You aren’t going to get much specific or near lost werewolf lore without talking to packs. Besides,” he took a deep breath, “I’ve been reading up on Shaddix -“
“Wait, wait,” Dova said, eyes still half lidded with sleep. “Don’t tell me. She’s the one that made the treaties between the packs?”
“Well done, Do,” Ven snorted, patting him on the head.
“She was killed because she wanted to make treaties with the hunters too - but we don’t have hunters anymore. Why can’t we try for the treaties again?”
“A lot of damage has been done to the communications between packs. I wouldn’t even say the three that the Roys have on their side are friends, just allies because it benefits them.”
“We can’t know if we don’t try,” Ares said. “Think about it - the time of Shaddix was a golden age for us. We were more knowledgeable and united. Packs had stronger connections because they were freer to marry those from other packs. Pups could learn more and have friends and families in other packs.”
“The time of Shaddix was a golden age for some,” Ven said gently. “There are just as many packs that curse her name.”
“Then I hope the Trun’s aren’t one of them.”
“Will you be in danger?”
“Papa will be with me,” Ares shrugged.
“You’re damn right I will be,” he muttered. “They won’t kill us outright anyway. We have a lot of reputation for a new pack.”
“The Trun’s are an old pack too. They’ll have loads of information for you.”
“So did the old Council,” Ven interjected. “Even what remains is useful, but it doesn’t mean I want to wade in there and use it.”
Ares pressed his lips together in disapproval. “We have no connections or allies. If we can get into the good books of some packs, even if we’re not full ‘wolf, think of all the good it would do us - and even Elly’s campaign.”
Ven gave a groan. “Alright, alright. You’ve convinced me.” He turned to Dova. “What are you doing today?”
“Since I gave my official stepping down statement last night...” He looked thoughtful. “I think Buffy is calling my name.”
Ven rolled his eyes fondly. “God, you sad git.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elyssia, also, was up early that morning. There would be a press conference in one of the rooms in the town hall where those running for Dova’s old Seat would step forward and announce they were in the six week long game to win voters. She had heard that there was another person running - a son of a man who had been at the hands of the council, which most of the hybrids were - but that was all she knew.
It was noon when they entered the building, with Cameron bravely walking in with her. Ares stayed out of the way, leaning back against a wall but nevertheless there to show his support. She spotted the other man, a pleasant looking twenty year old (or so) who reached out to shake her hand. His grip was firm but not tight, and when he smiled it was genuinely warm. She found herself smiling back.
“My name is Drake,” he said.
“I’m Elyssia. This is my fiancé Cameron,” she gestured to Cam, who also shook hands with Drake.
“I wish you the best of luck,” he said, eyes sparkling. “May whoever deserves this win.”
“Same to you,” she said pleasantly, before Quinn stepped forward and silenced the crowds with an expectant look.
“Yesterday one of our three hybrid Seats stepped down after less than twenty years of good work. Today we see the two running for election. Before I introduce them to you, I remind you of a few things. Only hybrids can vote in this poll, as the Seat directly concerns their wellbeing and none others. In six weeks time, to this day, the voting will begin and will last for twenty four hours. The next six weeks will involve debates, public speeches and visits to various communities or areas. Running for election is the previous Seat’s daughter, Elyssia Williams, a hybrid werewolf with some vampire genes, and Drake, who is an unspecified hybrid and whose father was human before the Old Council changed him.” Quinn stepped back. “The best of luck for you both,” he said, though his gaze was on Elyssia as he spoke. She smiled at him as they both stepped forward.
Drake cleared his throat. “I look forward to spending the next six weeks working and listening closely to the many voices which struggle to be heard in the supernatural world. Should my contender win, I certainly hope she would continue to let me work with her - and with you.” He gave a charming smile to the cameras and Elyssia’s eyebrows raised. He was quite the schmoozer. It was true she was the popular choice, but it wouldn’t take long before the underdog became a favourite - of how many people, she didn’t know. Hopefully not the majority.
She stepped forward too. “Thank you, Drake. I hope for the same.” She gave him a smile. “I have longed for the opportunity to work with people - especially those whose plights I understand the best - since I was a child. My fathers and their relatives played a huge part in removing the corrupt Old Council; I have always wished to make them proud by doing good to honour them.”
There were rounds of questions, of course - such as ‘what is your main project’ and ‘what is your inspiration’ or ‘what do you think you can achieve with the council’. It was all obvious, and she had prepared for them all. To stand up and speak to these people was such a thrill that she came down the steps grinning when it was over.
Ares fell into step beside her and Cam. “They already are proud of you,” he said, with all the confidence of a brother and Alpha who knew it to be true. “Drake is smooth,” he went on.
“He is,” Elly agreed. “I think it’s going to be tougher than I anticipated.”
Ares glanced over his shoulder and saw Quinn waving goodbye to them. “Maybe. You’re still the favourite. The Williams’ name might not be appreciated by ‘wolves or close minded vamps, but we’re famous with the hybrids.”
Elyssia smiled, though she couldn’t help but wonder what she would do if she didn’t get the Seat.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After walking home with Elyssia, Ares waited for his father to stop typing away. They opened the door just as Quinn was about to walk in.
“Nice to see you again,” Ven snorted.
“Nice to see your mug again,” Quinn agreed. “Ares mentioned that he was going to the Truns; I thought my presence couldn’t be a bad thing.”
“So long as you don’t offend everyone there,” Ven said. Quinn snorted and followed them out to the car, spreading out along the back and making an appreciative noise when a song that Ares didn’t recognise came on. He turned it up and they pulled out.
“Do you still See things?”
“Of course,” Quinn answered. “My Seeing is part of me. I couldn’t stop it even if I wanted to. Why? Want to have your fortune told?”
Ares laughed. “I was thinking if you knew who will win?”
“It doesn’t work like that.” Quinn leaned forward. “The future will change constantly with everyone’s decisions. I know the likely outcome now, but in a few weeks time it could change - and then change back again. I’d only tell someone if it was certain, or if the outcome of a future was bad.”
“In that case you’ll join their souls with a second being, right?” Ven asked, and he grinned when Quinn retaliated by throwing a sweet at the back of his head.
“I’ll take whatever precaution necessary to keep you Williams and the Tales safe. I’ve never met such a dangerous family to be around, Christ. It’s bad enough with the one I married into.” He gave a sigh.
“Dangerous family?” Ares muttered, glancing in the mirror to see Quinn’s grinning face. “I like to think we’re getting a bit more peaceful, thanks.”
Quinn gave a bark of laughter. “Oh boy, I’ll believe that when I See it.”
Ares’ hands tightened on the steering wheel. Ven also stiffened. “The Vampire Council have gone. What else is there?”
The grin faded. “There are always bad people out there.”
“Bad people?” Ven repeated. “Or bad vampires?”
Quinn leaned back with a sigh, settling back into his comfortable position. “Both,” he answered. “But as for bad vampires, there might be more of those than I thought.”
“Oh, great,” Ares muttered.
“It was the Elite’s problem,” he shrugged.
“Until?” Ven raised his eyebrows.
“Until it became the Tale’s problem. I don’t know much, but they scare the shit out of me.”
“Not in my car,” Ven said, trying to lighten the mood. “Anything we need to worry about?”
“Personally? No.” Quinn stared out of the window, brooding. “But you will all the same.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They arrived two hours later, having taken a scenic route and stopped off for a bite at Quinn’s insistence. After spending half of the drive lost in what looked like troubled thought, he refused to say anything more on the matter. Ares and Ven worried, of course, but Quinn had reassured them his main worry was for his Tale descendants and that they could do nothing to help.
By now the skies had cleared and the day wasn't so dull, though the sun was quickly dipping towards the horizon.The Truns traditionally lived out of the small town - Oakview - on a large farm, but often received visitors at a less central part of their territory. Ares pulled into the drive and when they got out, a man was already waiting for them. He wasn’t the Alpha, but he was quite a high Beta. Ares bowed his head and reached out to shake his hand; Ven and then Quinn followed.
“My name is William Trun. It was a surprise to receive your request this morning, Ares Williams.”
“But hopefully not an unwelcome one.”
“Certainly not,” he answered, nothing but polite. “Though it may be more from curiosity than kindness. We haven’t been contacted by other packs in a long time, not on such official business as you claim to have. And we haven’t been contacted by the second Alpha of a pack barely twenty years established.” William bowed again to Ven. “We have heard parts of your fight with the Council. You have my respect.”
Ven eyed him suspiciously, but there seemed to be nothing but sincerity in his words. Eventually he gave a polite thank you and they went indoors.
“We have many pups in our pack, though we thought it best to keep them away for today. They were very reluctant to leave when they heard you were coming, Ven,” William chuckled. Ven laughed along with him. “They wanted to hear your story.”
“I don’t think it’s suitable for young ears,” Ven said.
A sympathetic look came into William’s eyes. “Of course. We hear the highlights, and they don’t often include what must have been a very difficult time.”
Ares’ skin tingled with the presence of power and, sure enough, they rounded the corner and the Alpha sat on a seat. Ares was shocked to find that the woman sitting next to him - presumably his wife - held as much power as the Alpha did.
The Alpha gestured to the seat. “You look shocked, my friend.”
“My apologies,” Ares spluttered.
“Not at all.” He wrapped a hand around his wife’s. “We are Mates. She is as much an Alpha as I am.” Not to dwell on the matter, he bowed his head. “I am Samuel.”
His wife also bowed her head. Ares was having a difficult time telling who he was supposed to show the most obedience to. “I am Mary.”
Ares, Ven and Quinn also introduced themselves. He felt that this was as good as a welcome he would ever receive, and his hopes for the treaties began to rise.
“The business you wish to discuss aside - I should like to know the story of your pack.”
“Yours too,” Ares answered, knowing his father would want it (and was probably struggling not to speak, as would be automatic to him by now).
Mary was slightly colder than her husband, and certainly wasn’t gushing to know their tales. “If you’re looking for allies against the Roys -“
“I assure you, I am not,” Ares said. “I don’t want to take part in their childish struggle. Their Alpha has caused enough problems for us already.”
“Ah, I can see that you deserve your status even as young as you are,” Samuel mused. “Though if you are not here for a move against the Roys...?”
Ares took a deep breath. “We’re a new pack, of course. I’m a new Alpha. There’s only so much we know, and a lot of it was done right by chance and guess work. There’s only so much I - and our future generations - can learn from books. We have no other ‘wolves to ask, and no other pack to rely on. I’m not talking about allies in any feuds. I’m talking about what our pups can benefit from, and what our packs can benefit from.”
Mary regarded him with some interest. “You want what Shaddix tried her hand at?”
Ares had been unwilling to say her name, but now he couldn’t deny it. He simply nodded.
Samuel watched him silently for a long time, until finally he said, “Do you have terms?”
“Nothing specific, but an open trade of information would be nice. I’d like to make friends in the ‘wolf world, and not only because we’re so hated by Mal,” Ares said dryly.
“You realise we have no reason to side with your or the Roys, if it came to it?”
Ares quickly snapped down on his father’s automatic reaction of anger. He did nothing but harden his will down the pack bond, and his father stayed still beside him. Even so, they all noted the reaction.
“You think we do?”
Ares wetted his lips. “How sure are you that you have the full story?”
Clearly, it was the right thing to say. Both Alphas leaned back and digested his words. “Then we should like to know the story.”
“The story doesn’t have much to do with the discussion of a trade of information,” Ares pointed out.
Samuel’s lips pulled up into a small smile. “The trade of information sounds appealing. Especially with the head of the council on your shoulder,” he said, eyes sliding to Quinn.
Mary nodded. “We accept.”
Ares felt tension slide out of him. They spent the night there, Ven telling his story over wine. It was the first time Ares had heard it all in one go, and even now he found there were some parts he wasn’t familiar with. Ven explained everything, and the Alphas - and the pack present - listened with baited breath. It wasn’t only Ares and Ven that had wet eyes when Ven spoke of Briony’s death and its affects.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three weeks had flown by. They had been swallowed with appearance after appearance. Elyssia had spoken to the teams briefly and was reassured she had a strong majority with them. The teams themselves now had families, some of voting age, and friends, and Elly knew they were her stronghold. Drake didn’t have a hope in hell of getting votes from them.
Speak of the devil, she thought.
Drake trotted out of his car and over to her, where she sat on a bench in the town centre. She’d been busy talking to voters and there was a debate scheduled later that she was waiting around for. Evidently, so was he.
She didn’t mind that he sat next to her. He smiled. “It’s a surprise neither of our, ah, dirty laundry has been aired out to the world.”
“You have dirty laundry?” she asked.
“Don’t we all?” he shot back. “I half expected it. I’m glad to see you don’t fight dirty.”
“Always honest,” she smiled. “I have to admit, I’m surprised I haven’t heard from the Roys.”
Drake frowned. “They have no sway with voters.”
“Tell that to Mal,” she muttered. “You know the story?”
“As much as anyone does.”
Elyssia sighed. “I don’t know what they could use against me at this stage, but I’ll still expect it.”
Drake gave a devilish grin. “Maybe you should focus more on me than them.”
She laughed. “Maybe. So tell me, Drake, when did you decide to run for the Seat?”
“When a girl I rather fancied told me she would only go out with me if I did,” he said. “It was a joke, of course, but here I am.”
“And the girl?”
He gave another grin. “My fiancée. Seems I didn’t need to run after all, but I’m glad I am.” He sighed. “Whoever wins, I hope we can make a difference. The attitude towards us is... unsavoury at best.”
“It’s just ignorance,” Elyssia replied. “Though I admit that I was somewhat sheltered from it all, being in a pack.”
“The Roy’s certainly view you so badly because you’re hybrids - or that was my assumption anyway.”
“You’re mostly right,” she smiled. Drake was a ridiculously nice guy - she couldn’t imagine hating him or even disliking him, which she had assumed would come with trying to win the seat off this man. She checked the big clock by the hall. “Time for the debate.”
“Best of luck,” Drake smiled. “Though I hope I get more, if you don’t mind me saying.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A week on from the debate, and things were getting heated.
With two weeks left to go everything was hectic. Worse still, her prediction had proved correct; Drake was the kind of underdog that everyone would root for. She was good at saying the right thing, but he was better. She was good when she stated her ideas and why she had them, but he talked of the discrimination and shocking fates that his family had suffered simply because they were different. She was great at convincing people they were right when they leaning towards her, but Drake was better at getting those yet to decide to favour him.
The polls - although never a fully accurate representation - painted a worrying picture. It was close - close that there was hardly a gap of five per cent either way, on any of the polls. And Elyssia didn’t always come out on top.
She did something each day and pushed herself to her limits, trying to sway as many people as she could. Of course, Drake was just as good and trying just as hard, until when the official polls opened and they both collapsed in an exhausted mess.
“I don’t know if I’m going to win, Cam,” Elyssia said sadly. “Drake’s so good. I wish I could hate him for it.”
Cam offered up a small smile while he rubbed her back, easing some of her worries. “You can’t worry now, love. You’ve done everything you can, and everything within your power. You can’t do anything more.”
“But I’ll still worry,” Elyssia sighed. The polls had barely been open an hour. “I have twenty three hours until the results will be in. What could I possibly do to distract myself?”
Cameron gave Elyssia a grin that she swore he stole from Quinn. “I could think of something.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ares, of course, was also restless.
Having a secure pack bond was all well and good, until the time came when one of the members was unbearably worried and nothing could be done about it. He couldn’t sit still and eventually settled for phoning William Tren, in some hope that interesting stories could distract him.
“Ares,” William greeted, as passive and polite as ever. Ares could imagine him as a perfect butler, and the image would never go away. “How can I help?”
“My sister’s waiting for the votes,” he explained with a sigh. “I was hoping you’d dug up something interesting to distract me from the worry.”
“Ah,” William said. He paused. “Is this through the pack bond?”
“Yeah.”
“There are ways to distance yourself,” William explained. “I’m surprised you didn’t know of it before.”
“Really?"
“Of course. Would you like me to explain, or would you like me to tell you about an interesting legend about Lycaon and his son?”
Ares debated. “What’s the legend about?”
“It’s more in depth on the son’s fate, something I believe you haven’t heard before.”
Ares thought on it, but as soon as he started to fidget again, he sighed. “It’ll have to wait. I can’t sit still long enough to listen.” Down the line, William chuckled, and then he began to instruct Ares.
Thirty hours on, and Elyssia stood in that same council room. She held Cam’s hand so tightly she was surprise the ‘wolf hadn’t mentioned it, but perhaps he knew it was useless to say anything.
Drake joined soon after and gave Elyssia a smile, though he also said nothing. She had to wait five agonisingly slow minutes until Quinn came through.
“The votes have been counted,” he said, addressing both the potential Seats and the crowd. Elyssia felt herself tense even further than she already was. She felt sick and her heart was pounding fast. “The difference was minimal, but there was a fifty-one per cent majority to Elyssia Williams.” He turned towards his relation, who sagged with relief and then quickly composed herself. “Congratulations.” He then turned to Drake, who didn’t look too put out to have lost. “And you, too. It was very close.”
Elyssia came forward for the obligatory thank you speech, and after the congratulations from her Alpha and then the rest of her relatives, she found Drake had waited behind.
“Well done,” he said, tipping an imaginary hat. “You honestly deserve it more than me.”
“You schmooze like nobody’s business though,” Elyssia laughed.
“It’s a talent,” Drake agreed. “But you have been training since you were very young. In a way I would have been disappointed to have won.” With a flourish, he shook her hand. “I should love to work with you in the future, if you would have me.”
“Drake, that would be great. If nothing else, you could write my speeches,” she said. Drake laughed and nodded.
“I’ll hold you to that.” He also shook Cameron and Ares’ hand (recognising him as the Alpha), before making his excuses. “My fiancée is waiting for me.”
“She’s not here?” Elyssia asked.
“At home, eight months pregnant,” Drake said, with a proud smile only a father could muster. “And you?”
“Me?” Elyssia said, confused. “I’m not pregnant.”
Drake’s eyes sparkled. “I wouldn’t be so sure.”
Behind them, Quinn cleared his throat.”It’s my job to make the surprise announcement. God, you clairvoyants, all the same,” he said, rolling his eyes to the point of overdoing it. Drake laughed again, and it finally hit Elyssia that if Quinn wasn’t disagreeing, then he must be right.
“I’m pregnant,” she said wondrously. Squealing, she turned to hug Cam. “I’m pregnant!”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Things are going so well for this family it's strange. I TRIED to f things up, I really did, but my reasoning is this:
> I could have had Drake be mean or get the Williams’ ‘dirty laundry’ out for the world, but someone that cruel wouldn’t have been given the opportunity to run for the Seat and besides, I have enough antagonists in this legacy anyway!
> I tried also to get the Roy’s involved and stuff, but what could they really do but heckle people? They’d probably not like Drake much anyway, seeing as he’s a hybrid also, and their heckling hybrids would only prove what Elly and Drake were standing against.
>I even had a whole other ending where Drake got the Seat by a tiny majority, in an attempt to make it more dramatic, and then announced that he wanted to share the burden with Elly - except that would totally defeat the point of only have three hybrid seats, and I very much doubt that there would be a coalition in this Council!
also foreshadowing ooo