WIP Wednesday - PK 36 and EVEN MORE Prequel!

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Something is wrong. And even though I'm elbow-deep in distractions and problems, I'm going to see to it right now. Alarm is spiking up in the back of my mind all of a sudden, and I know that whatever is going on, it involves some of my children, immense danger, and a flagrant breach of the Law. I haven't felt this dismayed ahead of time since the youngest of my children was six.

(She really didn't mean to cause that war. Really a minor skirmish, when it's looked at in context. But that's another story.)

Kevrin's certainly concerned too. Something about a bird? His bird? What, is there something wrong with Djardrik too now? I shove past the Armed I'm discussing things with, causing Camden to let out a surprised grunt. Too crowded. If I can just get out of this room I can see through one of the walkway windows into the Courtyard?

"Excuse me?" The person sounds confused as I elbow them aside, but not offended. My Armed are used to abrupt behavior these days, so that could explain it.

"There's no time! Later!" I don't quite mean to bark at him, but this is urgent. So very, very urgent. If I don't get out there now--

"Jhe Tesynnodai h'Akribastes, I ask for, at the very least, the small charity of an explanation!" Still no annoyance to his tone, no outrage. But I recognize the voice now, and of course, he never does react that way. Always so annoyingly affable and polite... like a Poet King I know.

...Wait.

I whirl around, facing him. No. I tell myself it can't be, and then Diyn tsks at me for lying.

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If I could say anything, anything at all that would ease the strain my... well, he is under, I would. I've turned many options over and over in my head, but nothing fits. I can't even make out much of his underlying thoughts at this moment. They're so tangled and scared, they're chasing 'round his head without settling on any one particular line of reasoning. I understand, in a way. I'm so new that I haven't really settled into this whole "being" thing, but Ariktheoni? He's rather old, even though he has such a cute young face and his beard is barely growing in. There are a lot of memories in his head, and I suppose after a while, memories are actually something to worry about losing.

His thoughts turn to his sister a lot. ... Sister. I understand sisters and brothers -- we are exposed to such things when we are among the people of Chethar. It's strange to think of applying those concepts to us Archo, though, and even stranger that he only considers a select few to be sisters and brothers. The rest of the Archo are just that... Archo. I wonder what it is about Vailem, Theosil and Rhia that sets them above the others. Shared memory? He thinks about them a lot, especially now that he's going to be annulled. At least, he thinks he's going to be annulled.

I wonder if annulling hurts. I don't think it would. It seems more like it would be the reverse of being born. I don't remember anything of when I was born, and I don't suppose I'd remember anything after I would be annulled. Is it something to be afraid of? Arik is very afraid. It's pretty strange, because Arik simply isn't afraid of anything.

I nearly run into him because I've been so busy musing on this new idea of Arik being scared of something that I haven't noticed he's slowed down as we approach the Court. His mind has gone very quiet. I lean forward, wondering why he's decided to stop and stand in the middle of the hall, staring at the giant golden doors.