Cerise sent Tranquil out to make the greeting though she would have preferred to do it herself. But with the other courts watching, she wanted to make it clear that protocol was being meticulously observed. If she was mistaken about Sunset Water’s intent and their queen didn’t accept the invitation to come inside, Cerise didn’t know what she would do. Well, yes, she did. She would end up fighting Argent and all this effort to prevent violence would be for nothing.
But as she paced the greeting hall, anxiety knotting her gut, Tranquil entered with the whole Sunset Water party.
The hall, crowded with worried warriors and Arbora, went silent. In the only clear spot amid the chaos, Cerise stood while Tranquil and the lead female warrior from Sunset Water exchanged the formal introductions. Then the young queen stepped forward, and said, “I’m Fall, sister queen of Sunset Water.” She hesitated and added, “Cloud is my clutchmate.”
Cerise concealed her almost giddy relief and managed to say with dignity, “I’m Cerise, reigning queen of Umber Shadow. And you are welcome in our court.”
Fall lifted a spine in acknowledgement. “I thank you.” She was young for a sister queen but there was none of the aggression or posturing of the immature queens who had come into power but as yet had no responsibility. She looked weary and anxious.
Arranging tea for the warriors wouldn’t be a problem at least, with half the Arbora in the court now scrambling to make the newcomers welcome. Cerise thought they might skip the further formalities, since the situation was urgent. She said, “I know Cloud is anxious to see you. Will you come up to our queens’ hall and speak with him?”
Fall’s expression went from uneasy to relieved. “Yes, thank you.”
Cerise took Fall and her female warrior up through the colony’s center well to the queens’ level. When they reached the hall it was empty and nothing was prepared yet, and she realized she hadn’t sent word ahead to Paragon, and none of the Arbora had had time to make it up here to set out cushions and make tea or warn the consorts. Cerise hesitated an instant, then decided to do the unthinkable. She said, “This way,” and led them back through the consorts’ entrance to the hall and up the private stair.
Fall betrayed herself with an uneasy twitch of her spines, aware she was being taken into what should be forbidden territory. At the top of the stair Cerise heard Fluff’s voice, and followed it to the seating area near Paragon’s bower.
Fluff sat near the hearth, a book unrolled across his lap, reading aloud from it. It usually took a while for two courts to get through the greeting formalities, so Paragon must have asked Fluff to read to pass the time, and to keep Cloud from fretting. It was a very old story, some tale of a queen and her warriors taking a long trading trip across an ocean filled with sealings the size of mountain-trees, and Cerise hadn’t heard it in turns. Paragon sat nearby, and Cinnabar was pouring water into a tea pot. Cloud lay on a fur on the other side of the hearth, several fledglings and young Arbora sprawled around him, all of them listening raptly.
It couldn’t have been better if Cerise had staged it. Cloud looked comfortable and unafraid and like exactly what he was; a consort visiting a friendly court, not a consort who had been stolen away against his will.
Paragon glanced up and saw them first, met Cerise’s gaze with an incredulous lift of his brows. She said, “I apologize for interrupting.”
Fluff looked up, and smiled. Startled, Cloud sat up, staring at his clutchmate. The children chorused disappointment, more distracted by the interruption of the story than by the sudden appearance of a strange queen. Fluff said, “Hush. We’ll finish it later.”
Cerise said, “We need to speak seriously for a time.”
Cinnabar said hurriedly, “I’ll take them to the nurseries.” He shooed the children out the opposite passage as they stared curiously at Fall and demanded explanations in loud whispers. Once the group was out of earshot, Cerise gestured for Fall and her warrior to sit and said, “This is my first consort, Paragon. And our chief mentor, Fluff.”
Fall nodded to Paragon and Fluff, and said, “I’m Fall, sister queen of Sunset Water.” She looked at Cloud. “You seem well.”
“I am well.” His expression was guilty and uncertain. “When you didn’t come, I thought …”
Fall winced, clearly reading beneath the words and realizing how upsetting Sunset Water’s failure to appear had been. Speaking to both Cloud and Cerise, she said, “We were delayed. The reigning queen was ill. It was very … tense, for a time. I couldn’t leave the court until she was well.”
“But she’s all right now?” Cloud’s brow furrowed in worry.
“Yes, she’s much better,” Fall assured him. She glanced at Cerise and added, “I thought of sending a message, but I wasn’t certain what to say.”
“We’ve been at a loss for words, too,” Cerise said, making it wry rather than an accusation. “And Emerald Twilight must have sent you a message as well.”
Fall dipped a spine in exasperated acknowledgement. “Yes. I felt it was better to wait until I could see for myself.” She turned to Cloud and spread her hands. “Cloud, why did you involve this other young queen, and her whole court? Why not just have her send a message to us?”
Cloud hesitated a long moment. “I should have, I know that now. At first I didn’t know why I didn’t, but I think it was because … she was interested in me. Really interested. I wanted to see her again.”
Cerise caught Paragon’s gaze. It was interesting to hear Cloud admit this, though she wasn’t sure if he had really felt like that at the time or was coloring the past with his current feelings. He and Indigo were both so confused, either seemed possible.
Fall’s expression went blank. Carefully, she said, “And have you … seen her again?”
“Not like you mean.” For a moment, Cloud was unguarded and miserable. “She’s angry.”
Fall stared at him, then shook her head. “Cloud … you used to be so sensible. What happened?”
Cloud waved a hand in frustration. “I’ve been living in a court with a queen who hates me, that’s what happened!”
Fall said, “You said you wanted her. Our reigning queen warned you—”
“I thought I did want her!”
“Perhaps that’s a conversation for another time—” Fluff began, when Indigo charged into the room.
“Indigo!” Cerise snapped. “What—”
Indigo stopped, dropped her spines, and said, “It was my fault. I talked him into it.”
“You did not,” Cloud said, angry. “I tricked you. I lied to you. I betrayed—”
Indigo bared her fangs. “Shut up, you idiot!”
Cerise held up her hand to the baffled Fall. “This is Indigo, sister queen of Umber Shadow. Since she arrived with Cloud we’ve been over this whole situation at exhausting length. We’re willing to stipulate that they were both equally at fault, and Umber Shadow has no dispute to settle with Sunset Water.”
“Agreed,” Fall said in relief, before Cloud or Indigo could interrupt. “Sunset Water has no dispute with Umber Shadow.”
Fluff said quickly, “Witnessed by a mentor! Me, that is.”
Cerise had been fairly certain that would be the case as soon as Sunset Water had accepted their hospitality, but it was still a relief to have it done. She said, “Well, now we could all have a meal and relax, except for Emerald Twilight and all the other courts waiting outside.”
Fall’s spines dipped, an agreement that the situation was still fraught. “I’ll confront Argent and tell her I’m formally removing Cloud from her care.” She cocked her head at Cerise. “I assume she’ll have to relinquish any right to a dispute with your court after that.”
“If she’s sensible,” Cerise said. That was still a big “if” but perhaps Argent would see this as the way out of the increasingly awkward and untenable situation that it was. “I’ll have to go with you. I’m the one who called for the judgment of the courts.” And if Argent didn’t see this as a handy way out, Ce
rise wanted to be there to make sure Fall didn’t end up in a fight to the death either. It seemed clear that Sunset Water couldn’t afford to lose her, and Cerise still felt they were one violent outburst away from igniting a war with half the Reaches.
Fall nodded. “I welcome your company.”
Then Indigo said, “I’m going too.”
Cerise looked at her, cocking her spines at an ironic angle. “We have had this conversation before.”
“She’s going to demand to see me. You know she is. Maybe it’ll satisfy her pride to berate me and call me names in front of all the other courts.” Indigo sounded more resigned than anything else. “I’ve thought about what you said. I’ve thought about it a lot. About how this could start a war, and I know you’re right. I won’t do anything to cause that.”
Cerise found herself hesitating. She suspected Indigo was right, and that Argent would demand to have her present. The other courts might require it for the judgment, as well, if Argent forced that issue. She said, reluctantly, “Very well. But I’m trusting you to keep your temper.”
Indigo said, “Of course.”
On the principle that they might as well get it over with, Cerise led the way back down to the queens’ hall. Ruby had come out, so Cerise stopped to introduce her to Fall, then sent the others on ahead. As they disappeared over the edge into the tree’s central well, Indigo carrying Fluff, Ruby said, “I’m coming with you.”
Cerise didn’t argue. “Hang back with the warriors. I want them to focus on Fall, but know that I’m not alone out there.” Emerald Twilight must know that Umber Shadow had another older sister queen, but Ruby hadn’t visited there since before she had taken Cinnabar, and Cerise wanted them to get a look at her. Ruby’s conformation was stronger and broader than Indigo’s, and she was almost Cerise’s height already.
Ruby didn’t look happy, but she didn’t argue either. “All right. Just be careful. Don’t let this little idiot trap you into fighting.”
“Which little idiot?” Cerise asked, in exasperation. “There are so many of them!”
Ruby snorted and slapped her on the arm. “Argent, the one little idiot who isn’t related to us.”
As Cerise and Ruby dropped down into the greeting hall, Cerise saw the Arbora had set out tea and food for the Sunset Water warriors near the pool, and were somewhat abandoning etiquette by sitting around chatting with them. New allies were supposed to be more reticent with each other, but with Cloud having spent so much time here, the Sunset Water group’s arrival must seem like a visit from an old friend.
As Cerise landed on the floor, Leaf hurried over. Cerise told him, “Tell the Arbora to prepare a meal for tonight, to greet Sunset Water as an ally.”
“So you think everything will be all right, then?” Leaf asked, his brow still furrowed with worry.
Cerise didn’t want to tempt fate with reassurances that she wasn’t certain she believed herself. She said, “I think if everything is all right, we’re going to need to properly entertain Sunset Water tonight.”
Leaf acknowledged the sense in this and went away to make preparations. Fall, Indigo, Cloud, Fluff, and Paragon waited near the passage through the knothole, and Cerise could see there was already an argument in progress. As she and Ruby reached them, Cloud was saying, “I should go with you. It’s about me; I should be there.”
Fall shook her head, and said, “Absolutely not.” She glanced at Cerise. “I’ve never had to do this before. Is there a proper form for it?”
Cerise had had a mentor look for the answer to just that question in the libraries some days ago. She said, “It’s normally done in private, from what our records say. There’s no precedent for this.”
Cloud persisted, “I’ll apologize to her and take all the blame. That should make it easier for her to give in.”
Fall hissed. “Nothing will make it easy for her to give in. If you were a queen, you’d know that.”
Indigo told him, “Your clutchmate is right.”
Cloud glared at both of them. “Then it won’t matter if I go or not. And the courts should see me. There must be all kinds of rumors flying around out there, half of them started by Emerald Twilight. If the other courts see me, at least they’ll know I’m not dead, or held hostage.”
Cerise lashed her tail in exasperation. He had a point about the rumors. She said, “He’s right, it may help our case if the other courts see Cloud in the company of his clutchmate.” She couldn’t think of any way to make the situation between Sunset Water and Umber Shadow more clear.
Fall grimaced in agreement. “Yes, I see the necessity.” She looked at Cloud and sighed. “Everyone is going to stare at you.”
Cloud folded his arms stubbornly. “That’s going to happen anyway, every time I leave the court.”
Paragon squeezed his shoulder in silent sympathy. Indigo’s face set in a grim wince. Fluff just lifted a brow, possibly in approval at more evidence that Cloud and Indigo had realized the consequences of their actions.
Cerise growled to herself, “Let’s just get this over with.” She was more than ready to be done with Argent.
They flew out of the knothole with Cerise and Fall in the lead, with Indigo carrying Fluff and Cloud following her. Ruby, Tranquil, four other Umber Shadow warriors, and the warriors Fall had brought from Sunset Water trailed behind.
The air was cool and sweet, with an edge of damp to it and not much wind. It would have been a good day to go flying with the consorts, if the colony tree hadn’t been surrounded by a number of curious, possibly hostile, possibly sympathetic representatives of other courts.
They swept in toward Emerald Twilight’s camp. Cerise, Fall, Indigo, Fluff, and Cloud landed on the platform, while Ruby and the warriors settled on the next nearest garden platform, about fifty paces behind them.
The Emerald Twilight warriors watched them grimly. Silver stood with them, and Argent ducked out of the shelter with Beryl. Both queens had their spines held stiffly; Cerise guessed Beryl might have been talking over the realities of the situation with Argent, now that Sunset Water had arrived.
Indigo set Fluff down and he planted himself right in front of her and shifted to his groundling form. Indigo tried to nudge him aside but he refused to move. If Argent wanted to attack, she would have to go through him first. It wasn’t an ideal situation, and the idea of Fluff in the path of an angry, overly aggressive queen made Cerise’s scales itch. She reminded herself that there were just too many witnesses for Argent to risk any kind of attack, especially with a mentor in the middle of it.
Beryl and Silver watched them with wary resignation. They had clearly recognized Fall and knew this was over. Cerise caught movement from the right but it was only two sister queens from close allies landing on a nearer platform. From there they had a good view but were far enough away not to be included in the conversation. Their action seemed to spark similar ideas from every court present, and more queens took to the air to head toward adjacent platforms.
Ignoring them, her attention focused solely on Argent, Fall stepped forward. “I understand from my clutchmate that the match had some difficulties. I ask you to return Cloud to me.”
Simple and to the point, Cerise thought. Fall was wise to keep to the essentials and not to try to air Cloud’s grievances in front of all the courts. But watching Argent’s expression, Cerise knew it wasn’t going to be as simple as Fall hoped.
Argent bared her fangs. “You mean to hand him over to the one who stole him.”
Fall twitched a little, an involuntary response to the threat, but said calmly enough, “It’s none of your concern what I do with my clutchmate.”
Argent jerked her head toward Indigo and Cerise. “Then why are they here with you?”
Fall tilted her head and her voice took on a harder edge. “You’ve called this judgment of the queens down on them. They are here to see it settled.”
“The judgment was their idea.” Argent glared at Indigo. “I’ll settle it by fighting her
.”
Indigo surged forward, slammed into Fluff’s back, and he thumped her solidly in the chest with an elbow.
Cloud took a step forward and Cerise caught his arm and tugged him back behind Fall. Undeterred, he said, “Argent, I lied to her and tricked her into taking me away. It was my fault, not hers.”
Cerise hoped the queens on the other platforms had heard that. Cleverly, Cloud had pitched his voice to carry, and she thought she could see spines flicking on the next platform out of the corner of her eye. It would make Argent’s refusal to release him look just as stubborn and pointless as it was.
But Argent didn’t acknowledge Cloud with so much as a spine twitch. She said to Indigo, “Fight me, and you can have him.”
Beryl hissed in frustration and Silver half turned away, her spines held at a furious angle. With a growl in her voice, Fall said, “He’s not yours to give, not anymore.”
Cerise tried to hold her spines down. This wasn’t going well. Argent was determined to fight and she knew most of the queens here would see no reason to prevent her. No, there’s no way around this. Cerise would have to challenge Argent herself and just try to keep the fight from going to the death or to serious injuries.
She took a breath to speak but Indigo said first, “I’ll fight you, on one condition.”
Cloud gasped in dismay. Cerise snarled under her breath. She had thought Indigo understood why her or Fall fighting Argent was out of the question. With a growl in her voice, she said, “Indigo—”
Indigo snatched up Fluff and tossed him toward Cerise. Whipping around to catch him, Cerise didn’t get a chance to interrupt as Indigo said to Argent, “If I win, I take Cloud. If you win, you hand him back to Fall.”
Cerise froze, Fluff cradled in her arms.
Argent snarled in triumph. “Agreed!”
Cerise and Fluff exchanged a look. Cerise thought, She can’t be about to do what I think she’s about to do—and Fluff shouted, “Witnessed by a mentor!” loud enough for the other courts on the nearby platforms to hear. “If Indigo wins, she takes the consort. If Argent wins, the consort is returned to his birthcourt!”