The Great Hall of the Elements at Mountain Home

"Can you believe it? This is the great hall of the elements!" Flora asked Amarat

"I can believe it, I actually was here before..."

"Visiting Dad?"

"Accompanying mom, she has a room upstairs..."

"What?"

"Mom is one of the twenty-five, Flora, as Second Duty."

"And dad?"

"He is Zeroth of the Nine, of course, you forgot?"

"I meant, did you accompany him here..."

"No, I have an excuse with mom, but dad's supposed to be a secret."

"And have you met him?"

"Yes, but never here."

"Aumhava!" Flora gasped, almost as a Flag on Deck reflex.

"You don't have to salute, or bow, you're our guests... I am Ami Dandelion, but I hope that you remember me, cousins."

"I do, Mistress of Rites."

"I do, Ami Dandelion, Aumhavar Meiho."

"Call me Ami, young woman, I hear Aumahvar Meiho and I look for First Duty's impressive carriage." The others chuckled.

"She is in attendance?"

"No, she is at the Fly Force Base today. highest in attendance are Fetishest, Grand Fortuna and Potentate."

"I've seen to meet all of the high nine but Earlmage Kautanissian and Grand Pariah."

"I imagine they'd be the most awkward, especially if you ran into them together."

"Why is that?"

"You know the Earlmage married all the women in the high twenty five, marrying sixteen of us?"

"Yes, but why those two would be more awkward is what I don't get."

"Pom, the Grand Pariah, married the Earlmage second, while we thought her sister was dead. She had never intended to accept a Kannaveral, and was most displeased that she had to, or face dire consequences. She also has been having a honeymoon phase with the Earlmage, since their honeymoon, they have been madly in love with each other since before you were born... I just imagine it'd be awkward for her to see you, especially with your father in attendance to make the resemblance plain. And because they get along so well, they're rarely apart. Kei-Mist is even more jealous, in an aggressive way, Pom controls her jealousy, but she would still feel something, seeing you with him."

"Didn't they havve a child, before I was born?"

"Yes, Sriracha is a year or two older."

"I guess I've never met her, for the same reason?"

"I imagine she feels you don't want to meet her..."

"I would, would you let her know? I don't wish for any... awkwardness, but I am open to learn of my half-sister."

"Oh, well I can be a broker in this, cousin. I will let her know."

"Why are we back here again?"

"Ami summoned us, you got authority to resist that kind of summon that I don't know about?"

"You mean Second Fetish summoned us?"

"No, I mean Ami Dandelion, Aumhavar Meiho, Water Flower of the Dandelions, summoned us."

"Oh, I... don't know, I never really tested my ability to resist family summons like that, it's the first."

"Now, now, Amarat, I am not so fierce, or fearsome..." Ami stepped into the room. "Now, she, however, might be..."

"I am Sriracha Ma, I am told you wished to meet?"

"I am Amarat Veneer Junior, Meritant of Honour, Feyd Veneer, Lanungmei of Kimaguré Baron of Sporray, Baron of Konigsee, Count of Stillbergen, Namolec prime of Sottolanga, Loroni-warbaron of Utta-Utta, Prince of Ferrare, High Prince of Benevento, I wished to meet you, sister, or half-sister."

"I am Sriracha Ma, Na-Domei of Didina, heir to Dan Ma, you are his son?"

"I am your younger half brother, my mother is..."

"Your mother is Mikhala Née Kagomei, Nameihomei, Domei of Garay, Domei-actual of Innu , Feyd  of Simular, Stark  of Byzance, Stark of Wheelbro, Willow of Lilleath, Willow of Ingred, by the grace of the elements Aumhava of Garay Mastarneir Benevento, Princess of the third rank of the Nisei, Lucair of Ferrare, Baroness of Czarny-Las, Baroness of Sottofumo-Tagliare, Baegjag Bu-In Naeh-inchon, by the grace of the Elements Second Duty and Eleventh of The Twenty-Five, and more besides, including Secretary of State for Kagomei, and Second Duty, here, in these walls, this is her more important title."

"You've..."

"Done my research? Yes, why would you want to meet me? I'm not nobody, but you have titles, riches, you've even been heir apparent for all of Kagomei, why would you want to meet me?"

"I wasn't asking to meet you to compare... ruling responsabilities... I wanted to meet you because Ami." He pointed to her. "Reminded me how difficult it would be for me to spend time with father, I realized we'd never met, and I'd llike to know you, both for your own merit, but also because, because it might tell me about father..."

"What, you've never met?"

"We've met, maybe twice, a quarter-cycle at most each time."

"Oh, I'm sorry. He's so nice too..."

"Are you sure I should be here?" Opined Flora.

"Oh, I don't mind, he is rather handsome, having his hérévale around might help me discipline my thoughts..."

"I am Flora Rolli, pleased to meet you. And he's your half-brother, you shouldn't have such thoughts!"

"I am weak, compared to the high ones, and I find I always am tempted by the forbidden when I visit this place..."

"Oh, let me help with that..." Spoke Ami, who cast a quick spell.

"Oh, thanks, what's that spell?"

"Just the regular ward against temptation, Rei was supposed to renew it later this afternoon, I gave it a bit of juice until she can tend to it properly."

"The Mistress of Runes?"

"Yes, my counterpart."

"And my mom's boytoy's ex..."

"I try not to dwell on that, he is my first cousin, after all..."

"What?"

"Sosua Dandelion, I introduced him to Rei, and again I introduced him to your mother, for that matter, at a Festival, years ago."

"Do you all know each other?"

"We're a circle dear, we know each other in the flesh... Except for some cases, like when Sriracha and Amarat's grandmother was in the circle with their dad."

"Ew."

"Auntie Doka would not allow impiety, or impropriety, she taught us all well..."

"Auntie?"

"She's retired now, that's how you refer to an Aumhavar for life. Most Aumhavars don't live that long."

"Wait, not only have I not met my half-sister, but I've got a live actual grand mother?"

"Of course you do, I brought her with me. She's upstairs, reading."

"I feel faint..."

"You'll be ok Amarat." She hugged him.

"Are you children being unruly again?" Spoke the greying redhead from outside the room, just outside the lift...

"No Auntie, we are perfectly behaved." Spoke Ami.

"Aumhavar."

"I am Auntie to you, Flora Rolli, scion of Dandelions. And Auntie to you, Amarat, scion of Kagomé, well except when no one is looking, then you can call me granny."

"Granny." Interjected Sriracha.

"Yes dear?"

"I just let Amarat know you existed, no one had even told him!"

"I thought that was the case, maybe they were afraid I was going to kick the bucket, every so often some people get the bee in their bonnets that I'm a fragile old woman... Would you believe that Tam?"

"No, I would not, Hannabrid mine. Some punch, Mirsala?" An older man, fully greyed, and a slightly younger woman, grey mixed in her black hair, had followed Doka from the lift.

"No, thank you Hannabrid, I'm fine for now. Who is this, Tam?"

"Judging by the eyes, that is a Namei, dear one. Judging by the family resemblance, that's one of Dan's get."

"I have eyes, Tam dear, I was hoping for introductions..."

"Aumhava Meiho."

"Please, stop, I am Auntie, I am not Aumhava, not compared to the current circles, who do happen to live here..."

"Auntie Mirsala, let me make the introductions."

"Proceed, Sriracha."

"Amarat Junior Veneer, LGOF-06 Electrum for Life and Patriarch of Megamisama First Lifeguards, Star-Emerald Knight of Great Kagome. Valour-keeper of Kagomei Standard bearer of the Dawn, Defender of the Rising Sun, Sottoloro of Utta-Utta, Knight of Elbow River, son of Dan Ma and Mikhala Veneer, and Flora Rolli Na-Bameimeita of Kagomei, Na-Domei of Megamisama, Meritant of Honour , meet Doka Ma, Aumhava-for-life of Dunkehl, Mirsala Minomiya, Aumhava-for-life of Dunkehl and their hannabrid, Tan Ma, Temple Guardian of Mountain Home.

"Pleased to meet you, although these old bones hardly guard anyone, my wives do all the guarding, I suspect they named me Temple Guardian so I would have some title, any title, because it feels like such a downer to be introduced after them..."

"Such a silly dear, of course you're our temple guardian, and what an accomplishment, you survived Mirsala for 20 arnds, and me for almost fifty now... Young Amarat?"

"Yes?"

"Close your mouth!"

Amarat's mouth snapped shut.

"Now give both your grannies a hug, we've been much deprived, you know. I'll give my son a piece of my mind for this, secret grandsons!"

"Do you always ask for hugs together?" Stammered Flora.

"No, but it cuts down on the jealousy, so when we remember to do it, it's best. You're just his commanding officer?"

"Err, no, I'm his Hérévallin and Hannabrid, actually, we serve on the same ship, but I'm not..."

"You're only my commanding officer 'some' of the time..."

"And does she obey your orders sometimes too, young Amarat?"

"Well, I am Thistle of the Fleet..."

"What's that? Tam, try to explain before they get technical on me, I know you read up on military ranks and such..."

"Oh, Amarat here's famous, he's a Meritant."

"What? I thought Amalthea hadn't..."

"Only after you retired dear, she didn't hand one in the whole time you were active..."

"Oh, I have been out of touch. He's got way too much green for anyone below quota..."

"That fleet he's on, they got TWO above quota, someone put one above quota to make them pathfinders. Then these two young ones decided to pathfind their way to a platinum octagon and a box of honour that has the enemy's flagship."

Flora was blushing, so was Amarat.

"So, neither of you really expects their family name to open doors then?" Doka sharply noted.

"It might help, but who has the time?" Amarat tried to lighten the atmosphere.

"Oh, just like your dad, I always had to hold him back from taking risks..."

"I don't have puissant relatives..."

"Ah, the Dandelions would disagree. I think you show wisdom in thinking their aid would come at a high price... Ami thought the same thing, and her independance is an example to those with the with to pay attention."

"Auntie... You're making me blush..."

"But dearie, it's the truth, you just do your thing, like a normal person, except your a normal person with the responsability over millions, so you don't let the stupid get in your way."

Sriracha went to give a hug to Tan, who was hiding a bit back.