Mazin sat in his office in the Infernal Presidential Palace, chewing his lip, looking out the window. It had been only an hour since he’d heard the terrible news from Chandra that Uldok and Naven were going back to war. And this time they had new allies on their side. It turned out that Xander’s husband, Illiam, was actually a member of some species known as numen (what the hell was a numan, it sounded like someone mispronouncing human) who had been destroyed by some other species, the X`lanthians. The fragments of his past species were allying with Naven, while the X`lanthians allied with Uldok, and Mazin...
Well, of course he was going to help Chandra try to mediate the dispute, but Naven and Uldok would both be coming to him and Krenmyr with offers of alliance. It was likely he’d need to pick a side. But either side was risky, and he had friends on both sides. And no matter what side he picked….
Mazin sighed and pushed the papers on his desk to one side. Swiveling around in his office chair, he turned to see Krenmyr coming in the room. “Hi sweetie!” said Krenmyr, rushing to kiss eir husband on the cheek. “I just picked the kids up from school, and there’s a big shipment of bones in the basement. You want to help me make some ske-le-tons?”
Mazin smiled slightly. “Yes, I would…”
“But?”
“But what?” asked Mazin.
“I can hear the but in your voice.” replied Krenmyr, leaning on the desk. “But what?”
Mazin sighed, long and deep. “Have you heard the news?”
“What news?” asked Krenmyr, eir voice suddenly stiff, serious.
“Naven and Uldok are back at war.” replied Mazin.
Krenmyr stood there perfectly still, eir halo flashing, pulsating in the dim light of Mazin’s office. And then ey swept a hand across Mazin’s desk with a scream, papers and pointless knick-knacks flying in every direction. A snowglobe depicting Naven’s Imperial City fell to the ground and shattered, little clumps of fake snow falling over the carpet.
Krenmyr nearly shrieked and jumped a foot back once ey realized what ey had done. “Oh my goodness, Mazin, I’m so sorry, I didn’t-”
Mazin reached down to collect the papers. “Krenmyr, it’s fine. Honestly, I wanted to do just the same thing when I heard.”
Krenmyr knelt down next to eir husband, helping him with the papers. “But look, I’ve broken your poor snowglobe.”
“It’s fine, Krenmyr.” said Mazin, waving a hand over the snowglobe. The glass formed back together, but it was now just a little city beneath a glass dome.
“But there’s no snow at all.”
“Well, now it’s more accurate.” replied Mazin with a slight smile. “Seriously, I don’t know why they make snowglobes of a place where it’s never snowed.”
Krenmyr smiled back. “They have snowglobes of Vera, and it’s never snowed here either.”
“Tell that to the tourism council.”
All of the papers and knick-knacks were put back up on the desk, and Krenmyr let out a little breath of relief. Ey then sat on the side of the desk and looked at Mazin. “Tell me the whole story.”
Well, of course he was going to help Chandra try to mediate the dispute, but Naven and Uldok would both be coming to him and Krenmyr with offers of alliance. It was likely he’d need to pick a side. But either side was risky, and he had friends on both sides. And no matter what side he picked….
Mazin sighed and pushed the papers on his desk to one side. Swiveling around in his office chair, he turned to see Krenmyr coming in the room. “Hi sweetie!” said Krenmyr, rushing to kiss eir husband on the cheek. “I just picked the kids up from school, and there’s a big shipment of bones in the basement. You want to help me make some ske-le-tons?”
Mazin smiled slightly. “Yes, I would…”
“But?”
“But what?” asked Mazin.
“I can hear the but in your voice.” replied Krenmyr, leaning on the desk. “But what?”
Mazin sighed, long and deep. “Have you heard the news?”
“What news?” asked Krenmyr, eir voice suddenly stiff, serious.
“Naven and Uldok are back at war.” replied Mazin.
Krenmyr stood there perfectly still, eir halo flashing, pulsating in the dim light of Mazin’s office. And then ey swept a hand across Mazin’s desk with a scream, papers and pointless knick-knacks flying in every direction. A snowglobe depicting Naven’s Imperial City fell to the ground and shattered, little clumps of fake snow falling over the carpet.
Krenmyr nearly shrieked and jumped a foot back once ey realized what ey had done. “Oh my goodness, Mazin, I’m so sorry, I didn’t-”
Mazin reached down to collect the papers. “Krenmyr, it’s fine. Honestly, I wanted to do just the same thing when I heard.”
Krenmyr knelt down next to eir husband, helping him with the papers. “But look, I’ve broken your poor snowglobe.”
“It’s fine, Krenmyr.” said Mazin, waving a hand over the snowglobe. The glass formed back together, but it was now just a little city beneath a glass dome.
“But there’s no snow at all.”
“Well, now it’s more accurate.” replied Mazin with a slight smile. “Seriously, I don’t know why they make snowglobes of a place where it’s never snowed.”
Krenmyr smiled back. “They have snowglobes of Vera, and it’s never snowed here either.”
“Tell that to the tourism council.”
All of the papers and knick-knacks were put back up on the desk, and Krenmyr let out a little breath of relief. Ey then sat on the side of the desk and looked at Mazin. “Tell me the whole story.”
Krenmyr was still sitting on the desk, thinking about what things were probably going to happen. ‘Well, we’ll probably end up on the side of Naven, don’t you think? Honestly, I can see their side better. Illiam and his brother have lost their whole world because of these X`lanthians, and because they couldn’t think that their world could be saved. Sure, the X`lanthians said they made a difficult choice, but…”
“I don’t know. I hope that Chandra can calm them down, but I doubt they can. I don’t even want to think of alliances until then. Plus, we don’t decide. It’ll depend on who Asari decides to back.”
“Well, Uldok, of course.” replied Krenmyr. “Gosh, Mazin, you thought that Asari and Xander would be on the same side?”
“I was thinking of it from the perspective of who she found more morally correct, but you’re of course correct!” replied Mazin. “She’ll figure out how to rationalize aiding whatever side doesn’t mean siding with Xander. I guess we’ll be siding with Xander, then.”
“I like Xander.” said Krenmyr. “Eurynomos will be happy about that.”
“We are not going to tell anyone of this decision until Chandra utterly fails at peacekeeping, alright?” asked Mazin. “Not the senate, not the staff, not our children.”
“But you should get a declaration of war ready.” replied Krenmyr. “At least draft it out in your head.”
“I’ll get it ready, just hope I don’t have to use it.” sighed Mazin.
“Now will you help me with the bones?”
“Of course, dear.”
“I don’t know. I hope that Chandra can calm them down, but I doubt they can. I don’t even want to think of alliances until then. Plus, we don’t decide. It’ll depend on who Asari decides to back.”
“Well, Uldok, of course.” replied Krenmyr. “Gosh, Mazin, you thought that Asari and Xander would be on the same side?”
“I was thinking of it from the perspective of who she found more morally correct, but you’re of course correct!” replied Mazin. “She’ll figure out how to rationalize aiding whatever side doesn’t mean siding with Xander. I guess we’ll be siding with Xander, then.”
“I like Xander.” said Krenmyr. “Eurynomos will be happy about that.”
“We are not going to tell anyone of this decision until Chandra utterly fails at peacekeeping, alright?” asked Mazin. “Not the senate, not the staff, not our children.”
“But you should get a declaration of war ready.” replied Krenmyr. “At least draft it out in your head.”
“I’ll get it ready, just hope I don’t have to use it.” sighed Mazin.
“Now will you help me with the bones?”
“Of course, dear.”
Illiam, Elian, and Xander left the projection room and entered the lobby. Illiam’s shoulders slumped, no longer relaxed. He reached over and hugged Xander. “Back to war again, dear.”
“Uldok will bow to our might, my love.”
Xander kissed Illiam gently, atop his forehead, and Illiam stroked his husband’s hands. They were slightly calloused, fingernails trimmed but slightly sharp. His hands were as hard as steel, but as they moved around Illiam’s, he could feel the soft parts, those not as toughened by words of battle and reinforcing divinity.
“Incoming message from Grand Admiral Chandra, your imperial majesty.”
“Reject it.” replied Xander. “I do not want to make any sort of treaty with Uldok. I want to destroy the X`lanthians.”
“Yes, darling, but keep in mind. The Stellar League and Infernus are major allies. We don’t want to insult a potential ally.”
“You think Infernus will be on our side?”
“Well, Vamari certainly won’t. I think we could get Infernus, Dead Planet too of course, I think we could get Kamata, hell, even Stellar League.”
Xander sighed. “But I do not wish to fight Vamari again.”
Illiam took a deep breath. “Accept the communication. Come on, Elian, Xander, let’s go. Kids, you stay here.”
Sevvie, Jiro, and Cadis had all been waiting in the lobby. Sevvie sighed.
“Yet another interesting thing happening without us.”
“Who are the people of Infernus like?” asked Cadis. “Or the Dead Planet?”
“Bunch of other demons and devils, and dead people.”
“There’s a planet with just dead people?” asked Cadis.
“Yeah.” replied Sevvie.
“Eurynomos is the son of President Mazin and Krenmyr.” explained Jiro. “He’s one of my closest friends.”
“Yeah, and you’ve got a massive crush on him~” said Sevvie, poking Jiro with an elbow.
Jiro hid his face in his hands. “I don’t-! I mean, he is really really cute! And nice. And really strong.”
“And people have been telling you for years how great it would be if you got married.”
Jiro sighed. “Yeah. It would be a major event for both Naven and the Infernal Republic. Oh, and the Dead Planet, too.”
Cadis was frowning, which Jiro was a little confused to see when he came up from looking at his hands. “Oh, um, Cadis, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” said Cadis. “Nothing at all. Um, maybe I could meet him?”
“That’d be nice.” said Jiro with a smile. “I’m sure you’d really like him, too.”
“Uldok will bow to our might, my love.”
Xander kissed Illiam gently, atop his forehead, and Illiam stroked his husband’s hands. They were slightly calloused, fingernails trimmed but slightly sharp. His hands were as hard as steel, but as they moved around Illiam’s, he could feel the soft parts, those not as toughened by words of battle and reinforcing divinity.
“Incoming message from Grand Admiral Chandra, your imperial majesty.”
“Reject it.” replied Xander. “I do not want to make any sort of treaty with Uldok. I want to destroy the X`lanthians.”
“Yes, darling, but keep in mind. The Stellar League and Infernus are major allies. We don’t want to insult a potential ally.”
“You think Infernus will be on our side?”
“Well, Vamari certainly won’t. I think we could get Infernus, Dead Planet too of course, I think we could get Kamata, hell, even Stellar League.”
Xander sighed. “But I do not wish to fight Vamari again.”
Illiam took a deep breath. “Accept the communication. Come on, Elian, Xander, let’s go. Kids, you stay here.”
Sevvie, Jiro, and Cadis had all been waiting in the lobby. Sevvie sighed.
“Yet another interesting thing happening without us.”
“Who are the people of Infernus like?” asked Cadis. “Or the Dead Planet?”
“Bunch of other demons and devils, and dead people.”
“There’s a planet with just dead people?” asked Cadis.
“Yeah.” replied Sevvie.
“Eurynomos is the son of President Mazin and Krenmyr.” explained Jiro. “He’s one of my closest friends.”
“Yeah, and you’ve got a massive crush on him~” said Sevvie, poking Jiro with an elbow.
Jiro hid his face in his hands. “I don’t-! I mean, he is really really cute! And nice. And really strong.”
“And people have been telling you for years how great it would be if you got married.”
Jiro sighed. “Yeah. It would be a major event for both Naven and the Infernal Republic. Oh, and the Dead Planet, too.”
Cadis was frowning, which Jiro was a little confused to see when he came up from looking at his hands. “Oh, um, Cadis, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” said Cadis. “Nothing at all. Um, maybe I could meet him?”
“That’d be nice.” said Jiro with a smile. “I’m sure you’d really like him, too.”
Mazin, Krenmyr, Eurynomos, and Kaima were eating dinner when Chandra appeared with Javier in the dining room. “Mazin!” said Chandra, walking to Mazin’s side.
“Chandra, it’s wonderful to see you. I wish it was in happier times, though. Sit.” Mazin patted a seat near him, and Chandra sat there, collapsing ellegantly.
“I can’t tell you about the day I’ve had. I’ve spent so much time just…” Chandra sighed loudly, truly frustrated, and Javier also took a seat at the table, looking worridly at Krenmyr and Mazin. “Goodness. Gracious. I’ve spent so much of my life working for peace. But how I am I supposed to convince Illiam he shouldn’t want to take revenge for the death of his people? Let alone Xander! Xander hardly ever forgives anything!”
“Chandra, I appreciate your attempts at negotiation, but I do think we’ll be at war once again.”
“I know.” replied Chandra with a sigh. “I just got off the phone with Xander, he says he’s willing to speak with me, but not to expect much. We’ve arranged a date a few days from now.”
“A few days? Chandra, don’t you think Asari will have her armies mobilized in a few days?” asked Mazin.
“There’s no reason that Asari should join this conflict, and until we have confirmation she will, I want you two out of it, too.” said Chandra, authority in their voice. Then, softer- “Please. I’m begging you.”
“I’ll do my best!” replied Mazin with a sigh.
They all sat there quietly for a long moment.
“Chandra, it’s wonderful to see you. I wish it was in happier times, though. Sit.” Mazin patted a seat near him, and Chandra sat there, collapsing ellegantly.
“I can’t tell you about the day I’ve had. I’ve spent so much time just…” Chandra sighed loudly, truly frustrated, and Javier also took a seat at the table, looking worridly at Krenmyr and Mazin. “Goodness. Gracious. I’ve spent so much of my life working for peace. But how I am I supposed to convince Illiam he shouldn’t want to take revenge for the death of his people? Let alone Xander! Xander hardly ever forgives anything!”
“Chandra, I appreciate your attempts at negotiation, but I do think we’ll be at war once again.”
“I know.” replied Chandra with a sigh. “I just got off the phone with Xander, he says he’s willing to speak with me, but not to expect much. We’ve arranged a date a few days from now.”
“A few days? Chandra, don’t you think Asari will have her armies mobilized in a few days?” asked Mazin.
“There’s no reason that Asari should join this conflict, and until we have confirmation she will, I want you two out of it, too.” said Chandra, authority in their voice. Then, softer- “Please. I’m begging you.”
“I’ll do my best!” replied Mazin with a sigh.
They all sat there quietly for a long moment.
“Cadis, this is Eurynomos.” introduced Jiro. “Eurynomos, this is Cadis.”
Eurynomos didn’t know what Cadis was, but he was pretty cute. He had triangular, fluffy ears, a long tail, and overlarge feet. “Um. Nice to meet you.”
Cadis didn’t know what Eurynomos was, but he didn’t like him already. He had dark grey skin, was very athletic and handsome, and had large, pointy ears. “Yes. Nice to meet you.”
Jiro patted the two boys who he had crushes on. “I hope you two become great friends. Eurynomos, maybe you can show Cadis around for a few minutes, looks like my dad wants me.”
“Uh, sure.” said Eurynomos.
The two stared at each other for a few moments, and then Eurynomos said, “Um…. I’ll show you the basement, first.”
They went down the stairs, Eurynomos leading. “So, um, Jiro’s told me a little bit about you.”
“He’s told me a little about you, too.” replied Cadis.”
Eurynomos smiled widely. “He has? Huh.”
Cadis rolled his eyes. “Yeah. He has.”
They walked down to the basement in silence a little longer, before Eurynomos asked, “Why don’t you like me already? We barely know each other.”
“What?” asked Cadis.
“I can tell, you know. I’m the son of the President of one of the largest nations in the world, I guess I got some people skills from him.”
Cadis thought that if Eurynomos had people skills he wouldn’t really mention something so brazenly in front of someone, but he shrugged.
“I’m sorry if I seem like that. I guess I’m just a little jealous. I don’t really know Jiro very much, but-”
“Oh, you have a crush on Jiro.” Eurynomos smiled. “Yeah, I like him too. I’ve always imagined I’d probably marry him one day. My parents seem pretty big on it. I don’t really know how to talk to him about it, though. It’s kind of awkward. Not really a common conversation topic.”
“So you understand-”
“Is polygamy not legal where you’re from?” asked Eurynomos. “Because believe me. How Jiro feels about me doesn’t influence at all how he feels about you.”
Cadis blinked and stopped, looking at Eurynomos. “Jiro and I have only known each other for a few days.”
“Well, from what he’s told me about you….”
Cadis looked around. “Aren’t you supposed to be taking me on a tour! What’s this?”
“This is um, the bowling alley. Have you ever been bowling before?”
“Have I ever been what?”
“I’ll take that as a no.” Eurynomos looked at the bowling alley. “You know, this place is pretty boring. Why don’t we just go bowling?”
Eurynomos didn’t know what Cadis was, but he was pretty cute. He had triangular, fluffy ears, a long tail, and overlarge feet. “Um. Nice to meet you.”
Cadis didn’t know what Eurynomos was, but he didn’t like him already. He had dark grey skin, was very athletic and handsome, and had large, pointy ears. “Yes. Nice to meet you.”
Jiro patted the two boys who he had crushes on. “I hope you two become great friends. Eurynomos, maybe you can show Cadis around for a few minutes, looks like my dad wants me.”
“Uh, sure.” said Eurynomos.
The two stared at each other for a few moments, and then Eurynomos said, “Um…. I’ll show you the basement, first.”
They went down the stairs, Eurynomos leading. “So, um, Jiro’s told me a little bit about you.”
“He’s told me a little about you, too.” replied Cadis.”
Eurynomos smiled widely. “He has? Huh.”
Cadis rolled his eyes. “Yeah. He has.”
They walked down to the basement in silence a little longer, before Eurynomos asked, “Why don’t you like me already? We barely know each other.”
“What?” asked Cadis.
“I can tell, you know. I’m the son of the President of one of the largest nations in the world, I guess I got some people skills from him.”
Cadis thought that if Eurynomos had people skills he wouldn’t really mention something so brazenly in front of someone, but he shrugged.
“I’m sorry if I seem like that. I guess I’m just a little jealous. I don’t really know Jiro very much, but-”
“Oh, you have a crush on Jiro.” Eurynomos smiled. “Yeah, I like him too. I’ve always imagined I’d probably marry him one day. My parents seem pretty big on it. I don’t really know how to talk to him about it, though. It’s kind of awkward. Not really a common conversation topic.”
“So you understand-”
“Is polygamy not legal where you’re from?” asked Eurynomos. “Because believe me. How Jiro feels about me doesn’t influence at all how he feels about you.”
Cadis blinked and stopped, looking at Eurynomos. “Jiro and I have only known each other for a few days.”
“Well, from what he’s told me about you….”
Cadis looked around. “Aren’t you supposed to be taking me on a tour! What’s this?”
“This is um, the bowling alley. Have you ever been bowling before?”
“Have I ever been what?”
“I’ll take that as a no.” Eurynomos looked at the bowling alley. “You know, this place is pretty boring. Why don’t we just go bowling?”
Author's Note: I really need to start naming my stories so I don't just give them random names when I post them to this very web site.
Word Count: 1873 words. a short
Date: March 25th, 2016
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