Sienna woke at dawn, did a thirty minute work out and cleaned her body. She slipped into one of the newly tailored suits Timothy had insisted on sending her. They were all embroidered with silver threads that shimred like frost. They matched the newly arrived winter perfectly. The one she was wearing was golden brown, matching the pins in her hair perfectly.
As she stepped into the kitchen, she found her grandmother and two huddles together over the stove, whispering like conspirators. Their voices rose in scandalized tones.
"The Friedman’s second son was stabbed!" Linera gasped, clutching her cup as if the news itself made her nervous or angry. "I heard the knife hit bone. That is how deep it was. Who would be so vicious to try to kill such a sweet young man?
"Is there anyone in the world that doesn’t have an enemy?" Grandma Byra asked. "Even the priest of our tribe was punched on the last Falcon god celebration festival. But I heard the news about the Friedman kid. Blood everywhere. Terrible on if you ask ."
"Wasn’t his grandfather vying for the position of next Falcon tribe patriarch?" Aunt Selra asked.
Sienna cleared her throat, reaching into a cabinet for her vacuum cup. "Falcons stabbing each other for political reasons, why am I not surprised? Edris was not exactly the best man to instill good morals in your bird kind." She poured hot coffee into the cup, before grabbing so honey. "Grandma, I won’t be back for lunch because I have etings all day. Send Shalin with a delivery because I am not eating fast fried food. I want a salad, roasted chicken and potatoes. No matter what Ali says, don’t feed her more than six honey cakes. No candy..."
"I know the routine Sienna." Her grandmother cut her off. "What I don’t get is why they are making you take all these etings. Where is Lord Marius?"
"Probably suckling Lady Cadelaria’s breast." Aunt Linera replied with a snort.
Everyone turned to look at her. The horror in their eyes was almost tangible.
Linera stepped back, stopping only when she felt safe in the entrance of the kitchen. "What I an is that Lady Cadelaria is probably hiding him to make Sienna suffer. Nothing sexual. Nothing..." She groaned and turned. "Sienna, I will et you on the ship."
Sienna waved at her grandmother and aunt Selra, laughing endlessly. She followed her outside, only to bump into Mija who was supervising workers in the courtyard that were moving in more packages.
"More pans?" Sienna asked.
"Spoons, forks, knives." Mija replied, not looking up from her clipboard. "I want us to strike when the iron is hot rather than waiting around." She looked up, frowning deeply, "there is a woman in the market at the dock selling Si spoons! As in Sienna spoons!! Not on my watch. Nobody is going to steal food from my mouth."
Sienna had a feeling it was the sa woman that had been selling pans under her na. She had seed like an ambitious woman when they t.
She gave Mija a thumbs up. "Thank you Mija, I am busy with these official duties that I don’t have ti to deal with my small business. If you were not here, I would have put it on pause."
Mija grinned widely. The end of her tail thumped on the ground, like tail of a dog wagging. "Who do you like more between and the queen?"
Sienna’s brief smile turned into a frown. "Really! I praise you for doing a good job and this is what cos to your mind imdiately?"
Mija leaned forward, her white scales gleaming brightly in the sun. She put her hands on her waist, pushing her chest forward. " or Serenya?"
Sienna rolled her eyes. "I think your crop top is a little too tight and your breasts are about to burst. I also think that I am running late for my eting and we can have this exhausting exchange later."
Linera swooped in, shielding Sienna, flying her to the deck of the ship. They were traveling in an old style air ship because Sienna missed it. The Linus 300 was comfortable, but there was sothing about old style ships which was endearing.
Timothy barely waited for Sienna to settle before handing her talking points for the eting. "Let’s keep the dignity you showed yesterday." He reminded her.
She laughed in response.
***
The first eting was in the building that housed the chambers of the fox council, and every other political office of the tribe. It was Sienna’s first ti inside. The grand obsidian structure with silver glass lood frighteningly, but still, she entered with the confidence of soone who owned the place.
All the fox beast n and won in the lobby had to pause and bow to her, acknowledging her. Silence followed wherever she passed, but whispers started as soon as her figure vanished.
"Is that the human wife of the fox lord?"
"I have seen Sienna Veythar. The real Sienna Veythar!"
"I cannot believe she has the guts to show up here. As a human, how can she be allowed inside our headquarters?’
The person they whispered about was in the elevator, thinking of the elders of the fox council that she was about to et. Grace would be there. Under no circumstances, her father-in-law was also supposed to be there. As for the rest, she had their nas and faces morized.
Timothy had told her to be weary of six.
Elder Tomlin, whose beard was long that it had to be rolled in bundles! He was the most traditional of the elders, and didn’t think won had any business in the council. He was going to be very unhappy to see her.
Elder Vinira, sharp eyed and sharp tongued. She had fought hard for won to be granted the opportunity to join the council. She was very hard on all females of the fox tribe and despised weakness. She was also rumored to bite her granddaughters when they displeased her.
Elder Panrik, always asleep, always pretending to be awake. Whenever he opened his eyes, he objected everything that had been said!
Elder Suriq, who carried a cane. Not for walking but for whacking anyone who disagreed with him.
Elder Mini, who was 120 years old, but could still send an enemy flying from twenty paces away. She had been the first fox beast woman to be born with SSS ntal strength and lead a fox vanguard.
Elder Jorvan, who spoke in riddles which made no sense, often. And yet, he had single handedly saved the economy of the fox tribe from ruin, once upon a ti.
Sienna had not got the details about how he did it, but that was a story she wanted to hear.
Those six elders were like walls she needed to break through.
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