A pair of riveting turquoise eyes stared in Carmine's amber ones, small hints of silver flecks shimmering like tiny stars in a blue sea. The fox had deep purple fur, darker than the coldest amethyst and lighter than the freshest wisteria blossom. Wisps of teal rested on her tails and paws, as if they were dipped in a silvery-blue essence made of the primordial dust of a thousand sparkling jewels.
Atop her head was a golden crown carved in the shape of a laurel vine, with a glinting fluorite stone in the center embossed with the symbol of a lotus.
"Are you going to come in?" she asked kindly, inclining her head ever so slightly, a show of respect among only the most prestigious of foxes. Carmine blinked.
"Oh yes, s-sorry," she said awkwardly.
The fox, who she presumed was Queen Manora, opened the door wider, and closed the carved wood when Carmine had padded through the threshold. All the other monarchs were already seated around the circular table, which was composed of a smooth blackened wood engraved with a map of Canyath. She shuffled forward a little more, gaze resting on the little carved triangles of the Claws of the Stone mountains.
She padded over to Queen Hostia and sat on the smaller throne next to her, surveying the room.
Gaia, she recognized at once, her silvery-gray and brown fur marked with that trademark scar down her side. King Tidepool of course, with the silver crown that had a shimmering sea opal embossed into it's carved surface. King Evergreen, with the woven copper crown decorated with river pearls surrounding the shiny emerald in the center, snout shoved into a thick book with a golden embossed title.
Manora walked out from behind her and lowered herself into her seat next to Queen Suregust. She almost didn't notice King Shiverchill leaning against the wall in the far corner in the shadows, until he edged forward into the light.
"Well," Shiverchill muttered impatiently, "It seems that we are all-"
The door creaked open, and a dark grey fox with silvery wisps on his gentle paws padded through, his deep sea blue eyes immediately finding her own. He looked the same as he did when she had seen him last, silvery grey fur that smelled like sunshine and sage, eyes like deep pools of water that she could just dive into-she felt a spark light up on one of her tails and her eyes flitted away.
"Sorry I'm late," Ironpaw said, shuffling forward and sitting next to Queen Gaia. The queen cleared her throat once he was seated. Carmine tried to catch his eyes again, but he would not level her amber gaze.
"Yes," Shiverchill jumped in. "Let's not forget why we're here." He raised his brows a fraction of an inch. Manora gave a small, knowing smile.
Carmine shifted embarrassedly, resisting the urge to open her mind to their thoughts. Queen Hostia cleared her throat gruffly. "Yes, let's not."
Carmine sent a silent thank you to the monarch with all her heart.
"Ironpaw," Gaia said. "Are you not forgetting something?"
"Sorry, mother," he replied sheepishly, reaching for the small wooden box she handed him and affixing the ornate bronze circlet inside to his forehead, where the smoky, diamond-shaped stone glittered like eyes in the night basked in faint torchlight.
"Alright," Gaia said smoothly. "Now that we are all present," she inclined her head at Evergreen, "we may begin the proceedings."
The Stonemover queen narrowed her eyes at Evergreen, who hadn't perceived the motion.
Suregust cleared her throat. "King Evergreen, I believe you personally requested that you be the one to bring the documents?"
Evergreen jumped. "Is it my turn?" he asked, closing the book sharply. "Oh, right, yes! Let me see.."
He pulled out a weighty stack of parchment from his satchel and pushed it across the table to Queen Suregust, who pawed it over to Gaia.
"Please remember that this is a meeting of peace, not one to aggravate other tribes and brew aggression," Suregust said quietly.
Hostia snorted.
Gaia began to read off the document. "The northern trade route is flourishing, but the Winterhall tribe request that it's grain and fruit exports must be increased and directed to support the Whitemarsh, as their main farmland has been lost. However, we are aware that the Incantare see it as vital that they do not receive this extra sustenance, so we must decide whether they should be imported more food or left to their usual quota."
"I vote no," Suregust said calmly. "Yes, it would eliminate the chances of the Winterhall tribe having another starving period, but would it be just to limit the nutrients the majority of foxes consume, only for the minority? We must choose."
"There is no choice," Shiverchill snarled. "Each of you would do the same for your tribes, would you not? Am I really to believe that every single one of you would rather your tribe starve then even out the flow and make the majority step down from their thrones of comfort? I vote yes."
"Of course, Shiverchill, you would say that," Manora said with a hint of contempt. "The Incantare see no reason why you should receive a surplus amount of sustenance for your tribe alone, while the other tribes require that same amount which you desire. I vote against it as well."
"This would never have happened if you hadn't even attacked us in the first place,"Shiverchill muttered under his breath. "Where is Celestial? Surely he of all foxes would have something to say about this."
"He was not available to attend. As you know, Shiverchill. The task of watching over the futures has always been the Ascension tribe's sacred duty," Gaia responded.
Hostia sighed. "I do not like you, Shiverchill, but I do respect you. I agree that your point is correct; that I too would ask the same for my tribe if they were in your current predicament."
The orange fox closed her eyes.
"I vote yes with Shiverchill."
Ironpaw whispered something in Gaia's ear. The Stonemover monarch shook her head. She sighed and spoke up.
"As much as I know that you wish to have elevated food imports, and doing it for the sake of saving your tribe is noble, I cannot condone this action. Forgive me, Shiverchill, but the price would be too great. I as well vote against."
Shiverchill's face looked carved from stone, but he remained silent.
"I vote yes," Tidepool jumped in. "Sunmask would say the same as well if she were here." He looked down.
"It seems the vote is tied," Gaia stated, looking at each of them. "The decision falls to King Evergreen."
The Woodland monarch fidgeted nervously. "I think that while Gaia and Hostia and all you make a good point, um, the Woodland tribe has plenty of extra growing space and we wouldn't mind making extra, so uh, I vote yes."
"Then it is decided," Gaia said emotionlessly. "The Winterhall tribe shall receive triple the amount of food whenever a trade is made."
Carmine got up and padded over to a shelf on the wall, grabbed a few sheets of parchment and an inkpot and a quill with a raven's feather. She sat back down and wrote neatly:
The Winterhall tribe shall receive triple the amount of food during trades.
Gaia dropped the scroll into a bin, grabbing another and pulling off the light turquoise ribbon holding it. She unrolled it carefully.
"The Windseeker have agreed to supply their lands for settlement in exchange for a plot of land in the...the Forbidden Territories."
Gaia gave a small, confused smile. The other monarchs muttered darkly. Hostia shifted next to Carmine, and gave a small, exasperated huff of breath.
Suregust smiled innocently. "Is there a problem?"
"The Forbidden Territories are called so because they are forbidden, Queen Suregust," Tidepool explained. "To allow settlement in those areas would invite others to do so as well, which is something we couldn't allow."
The other monarchs nodded in silent assent.
"I am sorry, Suregust, but since we are all agreed, there is no need for a vote. Your request is denied." Gaia dropped the scroll and reached for another.
The queen paused, then smiled for a moment.
"How about we let our regents do this one." Gaia passed the scroll down to Carmine. The crimson fox accepted it, and gently tugged free the green ribbon. She cleared her throat.
"King Evergreen specifically requests that the Woodland tribe not be allowed to regularly harvest sunkissed oranges, as he enjoys them beyond common fox contemplation and wishes to only have them for himself, as to make sure that they are not being overfarmed."
Hostia snorted.
Manora rolled her eyes. "Give me that, Carmine, so I can rip it into shreds."
Gaia sighed, and Carmine handed the opened scroll into her outstretched paw. "Evergreen. Requests are for serious matters only."
"But it is serious!" Evergreen protested. "They keep taking the ones I want! There's no juicy ones anymore. I miss Sakura. She would always threaten them with her knife and I would grab them and run away."
"As sentimental and touching that you may be, Evergreen, your request is denied." Gaia dropped the scroll into the bin.