Royal Blood

The man's face was shrouded in darkness, only the faint, unearthly glow of his eyes told Kora who he was. He was one of the supremes. One of the members of the council. The council that was debating her punishment.

She honestly didn't mean for it to happen... It was an accident—an irrepairable one, but still an accident all the same. If only her heavenly powers hadn't failed her, she wouldn't be sitting before the supremes. Though, she hadn't let him die. She had honestly tried to save him. She was given an assignment far beyond her compacity to accomplish, and now, because she failed, she was being punished.
She had always been warned that becoming a guardian was no cake walk. One slip up could give you the death penalty. They took their jobs seriously.
Would they put her head on the chopping block? Or could they make that kind of decision? She knew, though they would give her a supposedly "fair" trial, they thought her guilty the moment she walked through the door.
She wanted to curse at herself for being so naive. She took a mission she knew she wouldn't be able to handle. Many called her a protige. A legend amoung the younger generation of guardians... Hell, she finished her training before all of her comrades. It wasn't uncommon for guardians to finish so quickly. All they had to have was the right combination of blood running through their veins... They took breeding just as seriously as missions. She could give herself credit where it was due later. Now, she needed to focus on the problem at hand...
The supreme council head's eyes glinted with distrust as he cut his gaze down at her. Though his face was not visible, she was sure that it held a sneer, "Kora of house Madden," His deep, strong voice boomed, rattling her eardrums, "you have been brought before the council due to you inability to carry out an important mission. What have you to say for yourself?"
She took a shuddering breath. The wrong choice of words would send her to the chopping block for sure, "I made a mistake, and I am willing to accept any punishment that you deam necessary."
"You have let the last pure member of the house of Helenthor die. I believe that is more than a simple mistake." A scalding female voice sounded beside him, and Kora was glad that she couldn't see her face.
"Yes, your grace, I agree." Kora said.
"Do you understand the magnitude of what you have done!?" She barked, leaning forward so that she could catch the glinting of her cold eyes.
Kora swallowed hard, "Ye-"
"Ninoria, enough." The head of the council chided softly. His glinting eyes turned on her, "I am certain that she understands what she has done. You do, don't you child?"
The sudden change in his voice gave her the hope of mercy, "Yes, your supreme grace."
"Then you know the concequences of your actions...?" Ninoria snapped.
"I...I don't think I understand you, your grace." Kora stuttered.
"You incompetant idiot," She barked, "You allowed one of the two last remaining lines of the royals go extinct!" Kora's throat tightened. "Now, the only line left belongs to that blasted Alexander–"
"Ninoria, patience." The head grace said. "You understand the magnitude, child?"
"Yes." Kora muttered.
"Then you know that we must rectify the situation?" He said softly. Would there be mercy?
"Yes." Disdain colored her fearful tone.
"I believe that there is only one course of action." A man to his other side spoke, his voice slow and drawn.
"Yes, you are correct Galenon." The supreme said.
"Child," Kora jumped at being spoken to directly, "Since you failed to save a life, you must give yourself to the services of those that protect it."
Were they actually doing that? She was trained as a guardian. She was a powerful guardian! Not a familiar! She didn't protect. She saved. She was an emergency call, not a babysitter. She had failed once, and now this was how she was going to pay for it.
Ninoria barked out a curt laugh, "This child is no more fit to do the job of a guardian than a human infant."
A soft murmur broke out across the seats. There were only eight members, not including the supreme head of the council. Most of them were arguing heatedly over whether or not the the counil woman's statement was blasphemy.
"Don't mock the creations of Terra, Ninoria." Galenon's calm tone was harsh, "That alone is enough for you to lose your seat."
"Get off of your high horse, Galenon." She snapped.
"Enough." The supreme said and the room silenced. "I have decided the punishment for this child." He paused for the briefest of seconds, "Kora of house Madden, I sentence you to the life of a familiar until such a time as you redeem yourself."

Her stomach bottomed out. She should have known this would happen. She was doomed to be a familiar until she died. She only knew of one guardian that had ever redeemed themselves. Savien was a legend. She was just powerful for such a young age. There was no way that she could ever match up to him. There wasn't a chance of redemption. Ever...
A titan guard walked her out in the typical silver and heavenly gold shackles that rendered her practically human. What would they do now? Whose shoulder would she sit on as a perch? What poor, unfortunate creature would be forced to have a disgraced guardian as a familiar?
As they marched, she could see the faces of her fellow comrades around her. Some of them gave her looks of dissent. Some gave looks of pity—which she recieved from her commanding officer. Others, fear... She knew that fear. It was the fear that they would be like her. She had been there... They were even taught in training to never hope to achieve redemption were they ever to be disgraced.
She wished at this moment that they had just thrown her in a cell until it was time, but it was always ceremonial to march the disgraced through the heavenly capital of Guardians. Those that were deemed unworthy of their guardian status were made into an example for all of those around them. It was like keeping the heads of your enemies impaled on a spike and placing them at the entry gate of your kingdom.
They began to lead her into a part of the city that she didn't recognize. It must be the home and headquarters of the Familiars. Their half of the city was much different from the silver and gold lined walls and streets of the Guardians. They still had plenty of silver but the gold was replaced by a crystaline azure. Their walls were made of a silvery stone and the crystal was embedded into the walls. There were gates of silver that sectioned off the enterances, a smart move on their part...This would prevent many different kinds of intruders from entering.
She couldn't stop herself from closing her eyes once they were beyond the gates. She just allowed her graceful feet to guide her as she was dragged through. They were never allowed to see the Familiar's city, and she wasn't going to change that now. When she still held her grace, she was very much a stickler for the rules. She always saw disobeying even the tiniest of rules as a sort of blasphemy itself. She may be disgraced because she failed an important mission, but she didn't break rules that were still embedded into her mind.

When there was a prickle in the air, she opened her eyes instinctively. She sensed a familiar, and they were standing right in front of her.
The man was tall, lean, wiry muscles cording his arms and a gentle expression in his pale brown eyes, "You must be the child that word was sent about." Even his voice was soft, serene. It pushed into her mind, setting her nerves at ease.
"Yes." She said smoothly.
"Good. We need more ladies around." He smiled softly, "As I'm sure you know, there aren't very many in the familiar community." Kora nodded. Everyone knew that. "Good, let me remove those chains..." He snapped and the shackles recoiled. A tingle of warmth started in her toes and fingertips as her power flooded through her body again. "Now that you are no longer bound, come with me and I will give you the creature that you will be assigned to from now until I say otherwise."
Kora nodded, brushing her burgundy hair back over her shoulder as it fell into her face. He led her forward, his hand gently on her shoulder. The ease of being next to him must be the effect of a Familiar. She had never actually met one so powerful until now. She mostly met the grunts or the greenhorns when she was called out to save someone. They were the ones that failed more often, and even though the strong failed at times, she was never given those missions. And seeing as she failed the only one given to her, she could understand why.
He led her down a few grand halls adorned with grecian pillars and silver and crystaline walls, "You will be working with a young familiar protege." He said, "He's never been on a special mission, so we're employing both of you."
"Why both?" Kora said.
"It was upon the request of a very special man." Kora simply nodded. Which man it happened to be wasn't important as of now.
"If you don't mind my asking," He peeked down at her, "Why have you been stripped of your grace?"
"I made a mistake." She said solemnly.
"Yes, I figured that." He smirked.
"I made a mistake that killed a man, and mistakes aren't tolerated by the council." She answered.
"Ah...yes...I won't lie when I tell you that this mission, this charge will be a difficult one." He said.

The conversation died, and a prickle filled the air. A silver door materialized in front of them, and they pushed through it. The room beyond the door was themed almost exactly like the rest of the headquarters. A few sheer, silver drapes hung from the ceiling. Desks littered with thick volumes were spread around the room, and lanky, pale people sat behind them. Some of the desks were surrounded by more people than the others. They must have been the easier missions. There were only three—out of about ten that she had counted—tables that had a scarce ammount of lanky men around it.
She should have known the intensity of this mission that she would recieve when they made their way toward the least crowded table. In fact, only one man stood there. He could barely be called a man. He looked about eighteen or so, practically still a child. His light blond hair almost completely covered both of his pale honey eyes, and his lean frame gave him the appearance of nonchalance. If she got the vibes that she feared from him, then there was sure to be many points of contension between the two of them.
As they approached the table, he looked their way. The curiosity in his eyes was poorly masked, "Commander Victor, it's good to see you."
"Likewise Gageus." He smiled gently at him, "This is the young woman who will be assisting you." He motioned down to her.
Kora's heart stuttered for a few beats. She would be assisting him. He had never been on a special mission, "Commander Victor" had said it himself. Now, all of a sudden she was to be assisting him!?
"Why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself?" Victor smiled graciously.
She had to squelch her pride before she could find her voice, "My name is Kora of house Madden." She bowed stiffly.
He bowed tentatively, "And mine is Gageus of house Doxin." At least he understood common curtisy.
"Miss Kora will be with you at all times throughout this mission–"
"If you don't mind my asking," She interjected, "What is this oh-so important mission?" She couldn't help the almost bitter bite accenting her voice.
"Good question," Victor said, "I am very sorry. I have a bad tendency to ramble..." He gave her a quick smile, "You will be assigned to protect the daughter of a very special man."
A protection mission? That was one of the most basic of all assignments! Why in the world would it be a hard one!?
"What man?" Gageus asked casually.
"I can't brief you on that here." He said.

The rest of three hours, they were briefed on the procedures. Of course, Kora knew them all. She had been through all of the training already. Anyone who had would be a disgrace—all joking aside—if they didn't know them by heart. She should have known that the Familiars would be so much more lenient.
"Can we get to the point?" Kora said testily, "I'd like to know who we're protecting in the first place."
Victor gave her an approving look, "Straight and to the point...I like that. Alright, take it away Marie."
One of the only women that she had seen here at all turned to them. Her summer blond curls draped around her face and her hazel eyes were intense on theirs, "You will be protecting the daughter of Alexander Goldbrave."
"Goldbrave!?" Kora's brows were in her hairline, and Gageus's expression mirrored hers. "As in the figure head of the industrial tycoon?"
She nodded, "Yes."
"Why are we protecting his daughter?" Sincere curiosity layered Gageus's voice.
"I didn't even know he had a daughter, did you?" Kora muttered to him discreetly. He shook his head.
"Upon the request of Alexander himself. He would be here today if he weren't so busy." She answered.
"Busy?" Kora said.
"Yes, he has important business matters to attend to." She replied.

Kora sat next to Gageus on the transporter. It was very cushioned and comfortable. It was almost as though they were being taken to war and they wanted them to feel their last taste of comfort.
"Why do you think he wants protection for his daughter?" Gageus muttered.
"Wouldn't any father want that?" Kora said.
"Sure, but it would be given as a basic mission if that were the case." He muttered.
"Don't overlook his social standing." She retorted.
"Social standing doesn't matter in the familiar society." He said.
"Then I don't know..." Kora sighed.
"I wonder what she'll be like..." Gageus muttered.
"If I've handled enough rich girls, she'll probably be a brat." Kora grumbled.
"I think we should give her the benefit of the doubt." Gageus shrugged.
"I wouldn't." She replied.
"Why not?" He asked.
"All rich, pampered brats are the same. They carry the same upity, arrogant attitude, and nothing is going to change that." Kora said, "I've worked with plenty of them."
"Isn't there any chance that this girl will be humble?" His mouth was a thin line.
"I wouldn't count on it. I mean, really, think about who her father is." Kora said, "Goldbrave—of all people—would be the one whose daughter would be the brattiest of them all."
"I still think we should give her the benefit of the doubt," He said.
"Fine, but I'll be waiting to say I told you so..." She muttered