“But as I've told you before, the stakes are greater still. The fight will come here, to the Talon Range. Torrent is a real threat and cannot be ignored. Feeling as you do about the Fae, perhaps you don't care about the destruction of their lands, but the fact remains that Torrent will not be sated by their devastation. He'll continue, amassing more of his foul warriors, and will set his sights on us dragons next. Already the lands surrounding the Fae territories have been stripped bare. Forests and grasslands are being laid waste to. Is that what you want for our lands? Will your dislike for the Fae allow you to hand Torrent these lands on a silver platter? You lot may be stubborn, but I believe you're capable of reason.
“Torrent is clever. He knows a good deal about the races and will surely exploit our weaknesses given the chance. Much has been said about how this is a problem for the Fae alone, but when the Fae have been conquered, who will stand with us? Will you be content to see every other race fall under his control? Can you trust a powerful mage like him to stop once he's gotten a taste of victory? No... He can't be trusted, and he can't be allowed to continue this destructive campaign!
“I request aid, formally, for the Fae. We must work together to rout the dark army, and we must do it quickly. I will not budge or apologize—this is a matter of immense importance to both peoples, and it would be reckless to allow Torrent to amass more power. You helped the Fae once; surely you can help them again!”
The hall erupted into another bout of furious shouts. Some leered angrily at Minx, stationed near the door, as if she were the cause of all these problems. Others, stamping their feet in anger, took Kaleb to task for his rudeness in demanding a vote. “What right have you to ask for such a thing? There are procedures in place to make such requests! You will be penalized for this show of impudence!” called out one.
Kaleb held firm, though. Hands on his hips, he remained at the center of the forum expectantly, waiting for the voting process to begin. He wouldn't back down, wouldn't leave without getting his way. The last time he'd made an impassioned plea to the top brass on behalf of the Fae, he'd been unsuccessful in swaying them, but a few young dragons had sympathized with the cause and joined him in the initial defense of Pandling Grounds. Later, some of the older dragons had come around, too. This time, he hoped that they would join him outright. The time for waffling is over. We have to act. Now! he thought.
Kaleb's father, seated amongst the generals, was caught in the middle of the fray. On the one hand, he didn't want to throw his son to the wolves, however much he disagreed with this bold request. On the other, he was being egged on by the other high-ranking officials to rein in his son, to censure him for his arrogance. “Please,” called out Kaleb's father, motioning to the others, “let us have a vote, then. The motion has been introduced. I urge you to remain calm and vote your conscience!”
Even this appeal did not wholly silence the growls and grumblings of the incensed dragons, but an elderly official joined Kaleb at the center of the forum to begin the voting procedure. “To begin, we must have at least two-thirds of the Talon Range leadership in attendance.” He took a few moments to count heads, and then nodded to himself. “The requirement is met. Next, the vote must take place. Those in favor of assisting the Fae—of sending a force to Pandling Grounds to strike down Torrent and his army, please stand.”
Kaleb watched as a handful of dragons—once more, mostly the younger generals and their staff—rose from their seats. All told however, only a dozen had stood. He tensed, awaiting the result of the next choice.
The old official, stooping and making a few marks on a piece of parchment, noted the result. Then, continuing in his gravelly voice, he pressed on to the next part of the vote. “Those opposed to such an intervention, please rise.”
All around him, dragons began to stand. Thirty, perhaps forty took to their feet, grimacing. Kaleb's stomach dropped as their eyes all fell upon him, and he was doubly distraught to find his own father standing during the dissenting vote. His father looked to him not with annoyance, but with sorrow—the sorrow of a father who loved his son, but could not support his cause. Kaleb shook his head, loosing an incredulous laugh. “So... This is what you've decided, then?”
Once again, the elder dragon jotted down the results of the vote. To Kaleb's surprise however, he wasn't through. “I should like to introduce one more item for a vote before this meeting is adjourned.” He motioned toward Kaleb with a jittery hand. “All in favor of censuring young Kaleb—of charging him with a minor crime for this flagrant abuse of official procedure—please, stand.”
“What?” spat Kaleb, turning to the old dragon.
Many dragons once again took to their feet. Virtually every dragon who'd voted “no” on the matter of assisting the Fae had stood, and a few others who'd held back from the earlier vote had also risen. His father, thankfully, remained seated—though was being pressured by those around him to stand and condemn his son.
“No,” snapped Kaleb, yanking the parchment form the old dragon's grasp and shredding it to ribbons.
