Every mber on the table agreed to his proposition. "Yes, we should vote," all agreed.
Niiya looked clearly upset but he didn't have a choice. "Okay," he replied.
On his cue the staff mbers of the Council distributed small leaflets of paper around the table. "You are supposed to write a cross or tick with the tip of your fingers," they instructed. "The 'Yes' is in favor."
A stroke beca red or green according to what the mber traced on the paper.
When the voting was done and the staff collected the papers and magically the entire 'Yes' and 'Nays' piled in two neat columns. The 'Nays' stack was four tis higher than that of 'Yes'.
This was not the first ti such a situation arose in the Council, but it was an unpleasant one. Niiya expected it. To say that he was devastated was incorrect. His hopes dashed against the cold attitude of the mbers, of Adrianna who was his friend and those who were at one ti in his favor. He was very impatient while the voting was going on but as soon as the results were out, he was embarrassed and humiliated. Only one-fourth of the mbers voted in his favor. Even though on the inside he was disappointed, on the outside he controlled his emotions and said with his head held high, "I accept the Council's decision. Let us move forward and vote for the next Head."
He hated Dmitri. He hated him a lot. He didn't comprehend his emotions for Adrianna. She was sitting quietly over there, subject to her husband's decisions. He took in a deep breath.
What happened next surprised the people.
Before the next round of voting began, the Elf rose from his chair and said in a very authoritative voice, "I would like to stand up as a candidate for the honorable position of the Head of the Council."
A murmur started amongst the people around the table. This was unexpected. However, elves had been previous Heads of the Council too, so it wasn't new that he stood as a candidate. His aura was commanding and they feared him. He looked like a natural born leader. They knew that the elves had been asked to beco the Heads for a long ti but they haven't accepted the position only to favor the Humans.
Adrianna's fear returned. She held her head in her hands. If the elf were chosen, he would never help them because of Haldir.
Dmitri furrowed his eyebrows but there was little he could do. He knew where elf's urge for candidacy stemd from and he was a formidable opponent. His only solace at the mont was that at least there was no other contestant. His thoughts were the sa as his wife.
"What do we do?" she asked ntally.
"There is nothing we can do. Just watch," he replied coldly.
The elf looked at the two of them for a second before sitting.
Dmitri got up from his chair and announced his candidacy, "I would also like to stand for the position of the Head Council." Before he sat, he gave a confident smile to the elf.
The next round of voting started. The mbers were once again given tiny leaflets of paper, on which they had to write W or E – Werewolf or Elf.
As the hall fell silent, Adrianna beca ntally apprehensive about the results. She started twisting her wedding ring in her finger.
"Relax," Dmitri said in a gentle voice. "There is little we can do."
Adrianna touched her face and then glanced at the doorway. She had already cast her vote. Soon every mber had cast his or her vote. All the leaflets rose together in the air and glided to the middle of the table. Over there they stacked in neat piles of two columns. People watched their votes flying. Since there were many papers, it was hard to keep a track as to who voted for whom. This process made sure that secrecy was maintained about the choices.
The W pile began to rise. It rose and rose while the collection of E stopped soon.
When all the leaves settled, the results were evident and Dmitri jumped with excitent! "Yes!" he whooped. Adrianna's complexion beca ruddy. She had been so anxious a while back. She got up and was literally bounced on tiptoes. There was lightness in her chest. She enjoyed the energy that she could feel from other mbers.
Everyone congratulated Dmitri. It was a huge mont for him. Dmitri hugged his wife and stayed in that position for a long ti before turning to the mbers and accepting their ssages. He could now imagine a safe future for his son. From the corner of his eye, he noticed that the elf had got up and was going out. His face was still stone cold.
The people ca to Dmitri one by one and congratulated him. The Fae couple was amongst the first ones to do that.
The staff asked everyone to sit back in their chair. This was an important mont and the formalities had to take place. At the Council's Head, Dmitri had to take every vow that ca with it and that process could take an entire day. Dmitri was more than ready.
As for Niiya, he had to live with those vows for the rest of his life.
Every person seated back. There was fervor amongst them.
Adrianna smiled. Her plan to et so of these before the eting worked beautifully. There was a lot to be done. After Dmitri's vows, he had to make andnts and create positions. While she was thinking about it, suddenly the eting was interrupted. A ssenger walked in and announced, "It is suspected that the King of Serpents was killed." He was looking extrely nervous.
Once again silence consud the room as each person stared at the ssenger.
"What?" Niiya said loudly. "How can that be possible?" His gaze darted to Adrianna whose face was pallid.
Adrianna clenched her jaw. Her fists beca tight as anxiousness again rose in the chest. Dmitri held her hand and squeezed it. He was also very nervous. He had just been declared as the Council's Head. If they ca to know that it was Adrianna who had killed them, they would be expelled.
Niiya narrowed his eyes as his gaze shifted to Dmitri and then back to Adrianna. They were both sitting straight with their back stiff as ramrods. He scoffed. "Isn't that interesting? Just before the voting begins, an important mber of the Council is killed."
"This should be investigated," the representation of the dark world, said.
"What else did you find?" asked Niiya to the ssenger, not shifting his eyes from the royal couple.
"We found remains of a woman buried under the debris, and half-burnt skins of serpents hanging inside of a small cave," the ssenger replied. He was panting and his eyes showed fear.
A murmur erupted. "Who was that woman?"
"We believe that the woman was a witch because we also found a broken cauldron. The cave slled of putrid at. When we cleared the debris we found bones and burnt flesh."
Adrianna closed her fists so tight that her nails dug into her palms. She did it all in self-defense. She had to tell them the truth.
The ssenger said, "We have co to the conclusion that the witch killed the King of Serpents. She had sohow found her way inside the Northern Mountains."
Dmitri held Adrianna's hand and stopped her from getting up. This explanation was superb. He laughed internally and Adrianna could listen to him. She sat back, as guilt gnawed her. She bit her lip.
Niiya stared at the ssenger with a gaped mouth.
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