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Location: Caras Galadhon
Year: 109 F.A.
Status: Midsummer

A knock at the door startled Luk from his sleep. He snorted and looked around groggily. His sword, which he’d had unsheathed across his belly, slid slowly from its perch and hit the ground with a thunk.

“Senator,” a deep voice came from the other side of the door. “Senator, you are needed.”

Luk ran a hand over his face and rubbed his eyes tiredly. The week had been far too busy for him, and he was behind on his rest. All he wanted was five hours at once, was that too much to ask?

“Senator?” The knock repeated, harder this time. “Senator!”

“Is that really necessary?” Luk shouted, one leg dropping off the side of his hammock. He threw his other leg over the side as well, then heaved himself over the edge, landing heavily on his feet. Leaving his sword where it had fallen, he shuffled over to the door and yanked it open, startling the man on the other side. “What is it?”

The man, one of the island’s guardians, didn’t hesitate. “Senator, the senate is meeting right now. There have been more sightings, there is one right now!”

Luk blinked at the man, squinting in the harsh sunlight. Suddenly awake, he darted back into his house and grabbed his sword, then ran out of the house, closing the door behind him.

“Details,” he barked at the guardian.

“Roc,” the man replied. “The same one that passed by nine days ago. On its way east there was one man riding it, now it is returning west with two men, a woman, and a winged child.”

“Something is happening.” Luk’s brow furrowed. “There is too much traffic to the Sky Elves.” He looked back at the guardian. “How long ago was it that the ship left the island?”

“Eight weeks, Senator. They would have reached Nauros a few days ago.”

Luk nodded again. “Something is going on,” he murmured. “The Sky Elves have never had anything to do with anyone else until a few years ago, and now they’re a regular port.”

They passed through the city gates, but the beauty of the silver-trimmed marble escaped his mind. It was nothing new to him, after all. He picked up his pace and started to run towards the Senate building: large circular building with marble columns holding up the large windowed dome.

It didn’t take him long to arrive, and when he did he set his sword in its place on the pegs on the side of one of the columns before taking his spot in a circle of marble seats. The black satin sash that marked his seat slid ever so slightly as he shifted into a semi-comfortable position.

He had been the last to arrive. The other senators were already in their seats, their swords hung in their places: Accalon in his seat of gold; Aeolus in his seat of red; Favian in his seat of purple; Kyrie in his seat of blue; Lucien in his seat of green; Milo in his seat of yellow; Cantor in his seat of orange; and Khenan in the seat of silver, the highest position.

As soon as Luk sat down, Khenan rose, raising his hands for silence.

“Senators,” he said, looking around at them. “We are here to discuss the strange goings on that have been taking place of late. There has been too much activity around the Sky Elves – rocs leaving the island and coming back with more people, enormous ships coming and going … for all we know they could be plotting something against us.”

“How do we even know that they know of our existence?” Aeolus spoke up, standing up. He looked around at the others as Khenan sat down again. “Only once was there a flight directly over the island, and that was years ago, and not to or from the Sky Elves. It was not even a roc like theirs!”

“But we cannot be too cautious,” Favian interrupted, taking his turn to speak. “If something is being planned and we do nothing, our people will suffer. If we put resources towards an inquiry and nothing is going to happen, then at least we will know for certain. Living in doubt is not an option.”

He sat down again, and Accalon rose. “Then what are we going to do?” he asked, looking around at the others. “We have no way to intercept the sky travelers. Our only option would be to contact one of the ships. But how do we go about it without appearing to be attacking them? We do not want to cause conflict where there might not yet be any.”

For a moment there was silence as each of the men thought quietly to themselves. Luk looked around at the other senators. They were fearful – and rightly so. Too strong a move one way, and they could very well cause the very war they were trying to avoid. Too strong a move the other way, and they could be accused of apathy.

He put one hand on each arm of his seat and pushed himself out of his chair, his body complaining with every movement, demanding rest. Well, that would have to wait, he mused as all eyes turned to him.

“Senator Accalon is right,” he said, his blue eyes moving from senator to senator. “We must communicate with them. My suggestion is this: that we keep the guardians on the lookout for the ship specifically, and as soon as it comes into view we send out an escort to bring them here for talks. No threats, no weapons, just a firm invitation. If they refuse, we will have reason to be suspicious. If they do not, then there is a chance that everything is fine. But we cannot risk either causing problems or ignoring them.”

As he took his seat again, Khenan rose once more.

“Then we will put it to a vote,” he said firmly. “All in favour of Senator Luk’s proposal.”

Eight hands rose into the air. He counted them all, and then, with a satisfied nod, added his own to make it unanimous.

“So let it be,” he said solemnly.

Eight other voices echoed his words, and the senate dispersed to make preparations.