"Lyra, Kael, and…" She paused, the last name seeming to catch in her throat. "...and Elara have been adopted, Aurelion."
Her eyes watched him carefully, gauging his reaction. As expected, there wasn't much change in Aurelion's face. Only… the side of his nose twitched slightly.
Linnea continued."You know this too Aurelion, the children here can be adopted. That's the purpose of the orphanage. And the clans, especially those who see potential, try to recruit individuals into their ranks…but," she said honestly, "this situation struck me as odd too, Aurelion. All three of them… especially these three you were close to, being taken at the same time, in such a short period… Could this be related to you?"
Aurelion remained unresponsive.His eyes slowly drifted to Linnea's desk. There, among other papers, lay two new, documents. His eyes narrowed, trying to make out the seals. Yes… These must have been about Elara and Kael. He needed no more proof.
"When?" His voice was low.
Linnea sighed. "Lyra… was taken two days ago. By the Frost-Axe Clan." As she delivered the information, she noticed the momentary, icy glint in Aurelion's eyes but continued. "Kael and Elara… this morning. Those from the Ursine Clan took Kael. And Elara… the White Frost Clan."
Just then, Aurelion's lips curled up slightly. First faintly, then more noticeably, it was an unnerving, cold smile. The smile slowly grew, spread, and finally… turned into a low but hysterical laugh.
"Hah… Haha… HAHAHAHA!"
Linnea's face contorted in shock. There was no joy in this sound, only pure pain and mockery.
Brynja too was at a loss for what to do. His laughter was filled with bitterness, rage, and deep disappointment.
When his laughter stopped, mocking expression was back on his face.
"Isn't it wonderful, Mistress Linnea? What an… orderly world! Men come, pick children like goods from a market, say we see potential, we'll offer a better future, and take whomever they want!"
His voice had begun to rise. The expression on Linnea's face quickly tried to shift to an defense, her mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.
"And no one says Stop! What are you doing?! Doesn't this orphanage have a director?! Didn't your approval be required?!"
"Aurelion, calm down-" Linnea's tried to interject, but Aurelion wasn't even hearing her.
"Calm down?!" he shouted this time, his laughter completely gone, replaced by pure wrath. "Forget that! Let's say you didn't have the power against those big clans, let's say you had to obey orders! But LYRA! SHE'S BEEN GONE FOR TWO DAYS! TWO DAYS!"
"And you didn't say a single word to me! I didn't even know! While I was training like a fool here, she was already gone! Is this your order?! Is this your responsibility?!"
Brynja watched them both anxiously, struggling to swallow. Linnea, on the other hand, was frozen in place. In the face of the child's justified rebellion, at a loss for words.
Silence fell again. Aurelion, his chest heaving rapidly, awaited her answer. Linnea's answers could fundamentally shake their entire relationship.
Linnea, under Aurelion's gaze, she began to speak. "Aurelion, you're right, I should have told you sooner, that's my mistake. I admit it."
Her shoulders slumped slightly, a momentary helplessness in her eyes. "But believe me, when those clan representatives came here, with those official documents, with those justifications... I had no authority to oppose them, to say no! The balance of this city, when the Great Clans get involved, sometimes operates beyond our control."
Just then, Brynja hesitantly reached out towards Aurelion. "Aurelion, calm down. Mistress Linnea did her best-"
"STAY OUT OF THIS, BRYNJA!" Aurelion's sharp voice silenced Brynja.
Brynja flinched and quickly withdrew her hand, her face both surprised and a little hurt.
Aurelion's face was contorted with a terrible mixture of betrayal and wrath. "Do you know what happened today, Mistress Linnea?! While I was eating, oblivious to everything, some visitors came to the house! These visitors were some bastards from the Frost-Axe Clan!" He raised his left hand and slammed it onto the polished wooden surface of the desk in front of him!
CRACK!
The sound of the hard impact cracked like a whip in the silence of the room!
From the point where Aurelion's hand contacted the table, tiny, white blue sparks crackled for a brief moment! The sparks vanished as soon as they appeared, but they left charring marks on the wood.
Linnea's breath caught, her eyes darting from the mark on the table back to Aurelion's face.
"And these people," Aurelion continued, his voice now even louder and his left hand still a clenched fist on the table, "in the letter they gave me, THEY SHAMELESSLY SAID THEY TOOK LYRA AND INVITED ME TO THEIR CLAN SAYING I COULD SEE LYRA... I WAS LIKE A FOOL IN SHOCK! BECAUSE I KNEW NOTHING! BECAUSE I TRUSTED YOU!"
Brynja wanted to step forward again as if to calm Aurelion, but she remained in place under Aurelion's deadly gaze.
"I TRAINED THEM!" He had started to lightly pound his fist on the table again and again, the sparks becoming a little more distinct with each blow. "I GUIDED THEM! I PUT IN EFFORT! THEY WERE MY PEOPLE! HOW DARE! HOW DARE THEY TAKE THEM AND THEN INVITE ME WITH A LETTER, AS IF THEY WERE DOING ME A FAVOR, SAYING I COULD SEE THEM?! INSOLENT BASTARDS! SCOUNDRELS! DESPICABLE DOGS!"
Brynja, feeling a sense of responsibility, wanted to intervene again, "Aurelion, please..." she began.
"I TOLD YOU TO STAY OUT OF IT!" he roared. Brynja fell silent, looking helplessly at Linnea.
Aurelion turned back to Linnea. "THEY WERE MINE! MINE! MINE! CAN THESE SONS OF BITCHES REALLY TAKE THEM FROM ME THIS EASILY?! ARE YOU REALLY THIS USELESS, LINNEA?!" Linnea winced at this direct insult, a hurt expression in her eyes.
Brynja helplessly tried to whisper "Aurelion..." once more, but no one heard her.
Aurelion took another step towards Linnea. "WHEN DID YOU PLAN TO TELL ME?! OR DID YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT IT?! WHEN, WHEN?! I could have prevented this from happening! Unless you, i could have!"
He stood like that for a few more seconds, looking at Linnea's pale face. Then, suddenly, as if all his energy had drained, he deflated.
That burning wrath gave way to a disgust.
He slowly turned his back and headed for the office exit. He stopped when he reached the door. He didn't even look back at Linnea. He just whispered over his shoulder.
"You're a disappointment."
And he opened the door and walked out.
Brynja, first looked after the departing child, then at Linnea, who was left standing by her desk, pale and expressionless.
She didn't know what to say, what to do. This reaction from the child she had always thought calm... had deeply shaken her. With a final worried glance at Linnea, she too quickly exited the office after Aurelion.
Aurelion walked with quick steps. Brynja followed him a few steps behind. She didn't know what to do, how to approach this child, but Captain Roric's order was clear. Don't let him out of your sight.
Aurelion didn't slow his pace as he rounded the corner leading to the common hall. The usual hum of the hall continued. Aurelion completely ignored all these.
He crossed the hall with quick steps and threw himself out of the orphanage.
Aurelion took a few more steps, moving a little away from the orphanage. Then his steps slowed.
His shoulders slumped slightly. He lifted his head, his eyes fixed on the grey sky. He took a deep breath.
"Two days ago... Lyra... Frost-Axe." Events flowed like a film strip in his mind. "This morning... Kael... Ursine. Elara... White Frost."
That insolent letter from Frost-Axe... Admitting they took Lyra and then inviting him... But why had they made the first move? Why not Ursine, the established power of the city, Silverfang's main rival.
But Frost-Axe, led by Einar. "Brynja and Sigrid were right, perhaps," he thought. "That Einar... he must really be as cunning and ambitious as they say. He did the unexpected."
And White Frost? What business did that isolated, magic dabbling clan have in this power play? And why Elara? What could they have seen in that girl? Perhaps it was because she was a forest elf.
This last question gnawed at his mind, he couldn't find an answer. As he wrestled with these thoughts, he again became aware of Brynja, waiting silently beside him.
He saw the worried expression on the woman's face. He slowly turned to the woman.
"I'm usually a calm person," he said, his voice carrying a slight irony. "But I surprised you, didn't I?"
Brynja was caught off guard by the child's sudden change in emotion, then nodded slightly. "Yes, actually... yes."
"It's good to let it all out before thinking calmly." he said, as if presenting his earlier outburst as a simple stress relief method.
Then he suddenly announced his decision. "I want to go to the Silverfang clan."
Brynja's eyebrows rose. "To Silverfang? Now?" She paused for a bit, trying to understand the child's true intention. "Do you want to talk to them... about this? With Clan Leader Viggo? I... I thought you'd want to see your friends. I mean, since you're invited..."
"No," he said clearly. "If the other clans are making such a move, then the best response is to go to the Silverfang clan. If I go to them, I'll be playing into their game. Besides," he added "if they have any sense, they'll take good care of Kael, Lyra, and Elara. For now."
He didn't feel the need to explain further. He turned his back and began to walk the place he had been before.
Brynja stared after him for a moment, then sighed and started to follow him. Dealing with this little Elf was going to be much harder than she had thought.
Finally, they arrived at the main entrance of the Silverfang Clan.
On either side of the gate, two clan guards, different from his previous visit but at least as large and disciplined looking, stood watch. Their gazes from under their helmets carefully scanned the approaching small Elf and the servant beside him.
Aurelion stopped right in front of them without hesitation. "I am Aurelion. Clan Leader Viggo previously said I could come to the clan whenever I wished."
One of them, nodded slightly. "Yes, we've heard of you, Young Aurelion," He opened one of the heavy gate wings, just enough for the two of them to pass.
"Lad. Is there a place in the clan you wish to go?"
"I wish to speak with Lady Eira."
The guard nodded again. "Understood. Follow me lad." After closing the gate behind them, he began to lead them.
After a short walk, they arrived in front of the main manor Aurelion had seen before.
After the guard led them inside, he pointed to Lady Eira, who was standing in the middle of the wide hall, saluted, and retreated.
Eira, was approaching with calm steps. With her silver hair and elegant dress, she looked as noble as ever.
"Welcome," Eira said. Her eyes briefly scanned the Aurelion's face, then the calmly standing Brynja beside him, who bowed her head in greeting.
She gave Brynja a slight nod and then turned back to Aurelion. "It took you a while to come again."
Aurelion put on a polite expression. "My apologies, Lady Eira. I was focused on my personal training."
Eira nodded with understanding in her eyes. "No matter, Aurelion. Discipline is commendable."
She paused for a moment, then continued. "Actually, my father, Clan Leader Viggo, wanted to speak with you. Shall we go to him ?"
"Of course,"
Eira smiled faintly and led the way. "This way, please." Together, they headed towards the wide staircase further down the hall.
Brynja followed them silently, a few steps behind. Her eyes carefully observing the interaction between Lady Eira and this little Elf child.
As Aurelion ascended the stairs, he kept his back straight, his golden eyes focused ahead, towards Clan Leader Viggo's room.
The next move in the game was about to begin.