When you leave the Council to work for a Holding you aren't simply giving up neutrality. You aren't merely abandoning an organization that has taught you, trained you, shown you how reality works.

  You are restricting yourself in what you may share, what you can claim to know. Holding Seers act in the interest of the Holding, but with the knowledge of the Holding. A Liaison might make neutral suggestions, or provide knowledge that the Holding is not aware of.

  If they ask a question you may answer, you may share the details or seek the answer on the EDN. But unless they ask, you are limited to what they already know.

  Is giving up your connections worth it?

  ~ * ~

  Anya was adjusting the couch cushions for the fourth time when there was a knock at the door. She glanced around, everything looked right, everything looked proper. Her mother couldn't object to the state of their house, at least not at first glance.

  Heading to the door she opened it, only to find Yshe and Sam standing there rather than her family, or their guards. She froze in confusion, she'd been ready to issue a formal greeting and welcome, but these were people who had been here more than once before.

  "Engineer Yshe?"

  "Lady Syl," Yshe answered. "We would have come a few days earlier, but someone forgot to remind me while I had free time."

  "Auntie, I-"

  "Yes, yes. You were busy with another project, you wanted to finish what you were working on. Regardless, we're here now. Let us into the Holding and we'll make sure everything is in order, then we can discuss what you need changed."

  "There are a few additions we'd like, we are going to-"

  "Maintenance comes first. Knowing what you plan won't do any good if we need to fix anything. Although I doubt you've been around enough to worry about that. Congratulations."

  Anya frowned, wondering what Yshe was- oh, they'd passed the wall and Yshe still felt as inscrutable as ever. She'd caused some panic to Seb when they first met too, so she had done so as well. She wished she could see the effect of Affinity on Energy the way Seb could, it would simplify situations like this, but everyone else seemed to manage fine.

  Seb? she sent while ushering the Engineers in. Yshe and Sam arrived. They want to check on the state of the Holding before we-

  Isn't your family due any minute? he answered before she could finish.

  -can tell him what we want done, she continued. Yes, probably right as I come back upstairs.

  I'll be down by then as well. I'll make sure they're ready too.

  "We have guests arriving soon as well. We'll be showing them the Holding so you'll likely get to meet Sovereign Lys."

  "Sov-" Sam cut himself off and nodded. "Of course my Lady."

  "Meet one Holding ruler, you meet them all. They're still Awakened, just like the rest of us," Yshe said before heading down the stairs. "We'll be in the tunnels or the main room if you need us."

  "Of course Engineers," she said.

  She took one last look around the main room. Everything was still in place, nothing had been disturbed. She started to head into the kitchen only to stop as Briana came rushing down the steps.

  "Do not touch the coffee. None of you can make a pot that's more than half decent."

  "It's the same machine, how is different when you make it?" Anya asked.

  "She's spent time and paid attention to making coffee." Fay said as she joined them. "Apparently our machine is passable, the one in my office is better for people who don't know what they're doing, but worse if they do."

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "Anya, just let her make the coffee. You know it tastes better when she does," Seb said.

  And fighting over the grounds, again, when your family arrives would ruin the effect you're trying for.

  I am NOT trying for an-

  Love, you've spent more time and attention tidying up for this visit than either of us ever do.

  She blushed. She wanted to glare at him, to frown at his words and tell him how wrong he was. But he was right. She had spent more time making sure everything was tidy than usual. She'd even made sure everyone would dress up nicely. Not date night or celebration night nicely, but something proper for receiving a Sovereign and presenting a proper appearance.

  Everyone had listened, in their own way. Fay seemed overly nervous and proper, her look almost reminiscent of their first encounter, of the overly proper and tense Seer. The lack of tension in her face, the fact that she was smiling and had her hair down rather than tied back turned severe into merely serious. Briana almost looked like a caterer, properly presented and formal. Seb looked like, well, Seb. Everything was clean and tidy, everything was proper, but none of it said formal or deferential. She'd followed his lead for once, dressed for a day out in public, not quite casual but definitely not formal.

  The doorbell rang and she felt Seb's confirmation over the band. Her mother and sister were here. She was hosting her family in her house, hosting a Sovereign in her own Holding. She was ready, she was successful, why was she-

  You've got this love.

  ~ * ~

  If Seb hadn't seen Anya spend the last several hours checking and re-checking that the house was presentable, if he hadn't felt her anxiety spiking over and over throughout the band, if she hadn't reacted the way she had to his reassurances a moment ago, he might have accepted how calmly and formally she greeted her mother.

  He felt Sovereign Lys's gaze sweep across him, the faintest of frowns on her face as she took in the Shallows ambiance, only to smile once more as Sandra all but threw herself at Anya. He saw Anya exaggerate her stumble, he felt her shock at the action and took over introductions.

  "Sovereign Lys. It is an honor to host you. May I present Senior Seer Phelann Syl and her companion, Briana?"

  They'd debated over how to introduce Briana, especially after naming Fay as a direct member of the Holding and not simply by her role. They were a couple, Briana was her girlfriend. They were not partners, not in the sense that the word would imply to Awakened who were overly formal. Briana had been fine just being a friend, Fay had been uncertain about the presentation as a whole.

  "It is our honor to be here," Lys replied. "A pleasure to meet you both. I present my younger daughter and heir Princess Lysandra, or at least I would if she had remembered protocol."

  "Mother," Sandra nearly whined as she pulled away from Anya. "We had to be formal at the convention. We have to be formal at court. Do We have to be formal everywhere?"

  "Yes daughter. It is improper to present yourself to a new Holding and not follow the forms."

  "Mother," Anya said as her eyes flickered to Seb's. "Seb does not stand on formality, not even at the convention. I am happy to just be Anya today as well. I haven't seen Sandra for more than a few minutes in years. No one here is going to tell the court that our family acted like family."

  "Yes Hold- Anya," her mother said stiffly before a third visitor stepped through the door. Seb had known he was there but hadn't expected the Seneschal to enter, at least not without being presented.

  "Elle," he said.

  Lyselle spun and Seb caught a glimpse of her Affinity acting up, an Affinity he knew she wasn't aware of.

  "You forget yourself Seneschal. This is not the time nor the place for-"

  "Elle," he repeated, seemingly unfazed by the anger directed at him. "This is exactly the time and place. You said you wanted to see your daughter, not to make this a formal visit."

  "Tomas…"

  Tomas? Seb sent.

  I- yes? Anya answered, shock underlying her words.

  "You're right," Lyselle continued. "Anya, Seb. Your home seems lovely if modern."

  "As we said at the convention, we are rarely home," Anya answered.

  "Coffee?" Briana asked as she brought out a tray with a dozen mugs and a full pot.

  "Please," Seb added. "Briana makes some of, if not the best coffee I've ever had."

  The time it took for everyone to make coffee seemed to settle initial tensions. Everyone had compliments for Briana, or questions about how she managed to make it taste the way it did. Briana refused to share her secrets, only telling them that if they made it to Deep Earth she'd be happy to give them each a proper cup of coffee in her store.

  They like the coffee, he sent.

  Everyone does. It's coffee.

  They seem happy.

  Maybe?

  Your mother is manifesting her Affinity when she's angry. I couldn't tell what it was though.

  Oh? If we could help her, Anya sent.

  You know what Fay would say.

  She's been trying to figure it out for over 40 years.

  Hints only.

  …fine.

  "Would you like to see the rest of the house before we go down into the Holding?" Anya said as everyone made their way through their drinks. "We-"

  The Holding door crashed against the wall and Yshe stormed out.

  "Why didn't you children mention your Seed was ready to expand? Did you not think it might be important for us to check on its state?"

  "Ready to?" Seb began.

  "Expand into?" Anya asked.

  "Children?" Lys said as once again her Affinity acted up, wrapping around her mug for a moment.

  They glanced at one another, Seb already prompting Anya to take the lead over the band when her sister spoke in a voice that was nearly a squeal.

  "Engineer Yshe? You know Engineer Yshe?"

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