She didn't believe me.
So I called Hhamir in.
"Alliance Head," he bowed.
"Rise," Iria said, "so, are you sure of what you said about my sister?"
Hhamir almost scowled. I knew what was going through his mind.
"There is only one Imperial Princess. And the aura in our Imperial City is the same as hers. What doubt do we yet have?" He smiled.
"I know what to do," Iria was deep in thought. Then she called.
"Khu!"
A mage came in. I recognized his tall build and freckled face. Khu, the mage who had watched over Rudolph while we were still in Valencia.
"Yes, clan princess?"
"Send a messenger to Canolita. Tell them to return again to discuss,"
Khu looked doubtful, yet he bowed.
"At once, clan princess,"
"I want to see how arrogant they can get now," Iria smirked with satisfaction. Hhamir took his place behind my chair. He probably wanted to show the delegates that he was the one who found me.
The nobles which we arrived with finally decided to swallow their pride and pay their respects. One after the other, they were sent in to state their business.
Most of them came from small magic user clans. I realized that the situation had gotten drastic to the extent that all the safrohi were now placing their hope on the Rebellion Army, as they knew that, with Grihame involved, if they had escaped the massacre of the Great War, they certainly wouldn't escape this one, should the Rebellion Army be vanquished.
There was some scuffle outside the tent, and the Savitro Zhan generals came in, in a hurry.
"Alliance Head! You didn't tell us that you summoned the Canolitans again! Have you found another way to convince them? Why didn't you consult us first?"
Iria rolled her eyes lazily.
"Sit, my generals, and watch the show!" And she laughed. A more genuine laugh than the former. The generals quickly took their seats around the table, after greeting me.
"Alchemist is also here? Alliance head, have you been doing everything by yourself? You didn't even inform us of alchemist' arrival," one of the Generals grumbled.
General Zarin was starring at me. I wondered if he'd already worked it out. Our eyes met. I felt a strange flutter in my stomach.
I ignored it.
"The Canolitan Delegates have arrived!" a foreign voice announced without the tent.
"Please enter," Iria replied.
The curtains were drawn open by two soldiers.
Four stately delegates were ushered into the room, two men and two women. They wore expensive looking silks with different crests stamped on the chests of each. The delegates appeared to be around forty to fifty years of age. They bowed, only out of courtesy. One could see the pride in their eyes.
"Delegates from the Four Families greet Alliance Head. We wish you peace,"
"Please have your seats," Iria said lazily.
They seemed to have detected some change in Iria's behavior. I guessed she had been very polite with them on their first meeting. Now, she had the cards. My sister always gets things easy.
One of the delegates sniffed the air upon taking her seat. She seemed to be the oldest of the lot.
"Is it me," she muttered to herself, "or do I catch a whiff of the aura of the Imperial City?"
"It's not just you," the man next to her replied, "me too,"
Iria was lazily grinning her face off.
Four pairs of eyes fell on me.
How did they always detect me so easily??!
Their jaws dropped open.
The eldest of then turned to Iria at once.
"What is the meaning of this??!!"
"Meaning of what?" Iria frowned in response.
"How come you are holding our Imperial Princess hostage??!!" She yelled.
"What are you talking about?" Iria was enjoying this, "this is my sister, Neiman Hakorhi, Chief Alchemist of Clan Hakorhi,"
They gaped.
"No," the leader of the delegates gasped, "it is impossible," then her eyes landed on Hhamir behind me, "hey, you! Can't you greet your seniors?"
Hhamir stepped out.
"This surbordinate greets the seniors of the Four Families,"
Iria rolled her eyes.
"Why are you accompanying the Imperial Princess? Who asked you to?"
"The Imperial Princess saved my life," Hhamir wildly lied.
They narrowed their eyes. Before they could continue questioning him, Iria cleared her throat.
"Hem-hem! Delegates from Canolita, you are on our side now, no?" She asked with a silky smile.
They looked at me. I nodded.
They all rose and bowed to me.
"This surbordinates greet Imperial Princess. May the blessings of her grace extend to these surbordinates!"
Rising, they turned to Iria.
"Before we give our word, clan princess of Hakorhi must give us a promise. Find the one who brought our Imperial Princess to your clan. They must be killed!"