Too much work

Aella and Rasmus spent most of the day getting things ready and making every schedule favourable for each ruler. Late in the evening, Rasmus received a response from Queen Brielle. She had accepted the meeting on behalf of the other rulers, and stated the time when they would all meet. They had been working on systems for a while that's they had nothing to eat.

Aella fell asleep on the desk out of exhaustion. Fortunately she was already done with her part of the job. Rasmus finished up and then woke her up. The rulers had already arrived at the tower and sat in wait. Rasmus and Aella then left the room and went up to the rulers throne room.

"What is it you wanted to discuss about?" Constantine asked them both when they walked in. He didn't even let them greet them normally. He was busy and didn't want to be seated with his colleagues at the moment. He was most bothered about something else.

"It's about the children, my King." Rasmus answered. "Since you all now have decided to begin using them, Aella and I have worked out the number of children you will get per month and how often the recent ones can be used."

"We have the numbers of our usual contacts with messages ready to be sent out at your call, that is." He displayed virtual images of different men and women and their information to the rulers. "Since you all had asked that we put the children to full use, we thought it would be best if you all would agree with the set up."

"I do see reason in your words. And the schedule for each use is well thought out. At this rate, they will last for a long time," said Constantine.

"These contacts, I think we should cut ties with a few of them." Renjiro spoke up.

"Especially that man, George," Brielle said. "More than cut ties with him, I think we should have him killed."

"Mr. George? But he has always been a good and trustworthy ally," Rasmus said. He was shocked about their decision to suddenly have him murdered.

"He is beginning to act out. He has forgotten the reason he is who he is. Letting him live will only cause a future headache," Elias said.

"Okay then, he will be taken care of as soon as possible" Rasmus said and Aella swiped off his image from the list.

"Hm, Madam G. I think she should also be removed for the meantime," Constantine said.

"Why is that?" Renjiro asked.

"Her ways will get rid of them fast," Constantine replied. "She will be contacted once more, but let's give it a year or two." The rest of the rulers went silent for a while as they took in Constantine's words.

"Very well then, take her off." Elias said and Aella swiped her image away.

The list still had many others to be reviewed. The rulers took their time and chose whom to send a message to, whom to put on hold, and whom would be cut off completely from their works.

After about an hour and thirty minutes, the rulers had made all their choices, agreed on when and where certain things would happen and then the meeting ended. Aella and Rasmus both were about to leave but Rasmus was stopped by King Constantine.

Roderick gave Aella a small nod that went unnoticed by the others in the room before she left. They wanted to talk to Rasmus about Blackman and didn't want her there.

"So, any update on what we asked you to do?" Constantine asked as soon as Aella stepped out of the room.

"I found out he had left. He is gone," Rasmus said.

"Do you know where he went? Were you able to pinpoint his location from when he last disappeared?" Brielle asked.

"Just like always he covered his tracks very well. It was hard to find him when he was with Aella and even harder to follow him. I am sorry for my incompetence, I have no idea of his last whereabouts," he said. Rasmus hadn't even kept an eye on Blackman like he was ordered to and only found out of his latest disappearance from Aella. He had to give whatever excuse he could find.

"We'll leave it at that. It's better he isn't here anyway," said Brielle. "You may leave."

Aella had waited for Rasmus outside the tower. She stood in front of his car. He looked really stressed out when he walked out the door, but immediately smiled when he saw that Aella had waited for him. He walked up to her and opened the door to his car for her and then got in.

"So, where do we have dinner tonight?" He asked. They had skipped lunch and didn't even have decent breakfasts before going to the tower. They were famished. He started the car and flew off the island while waiting for her response.

She rubbed her chin a bit in thought and then said, "I just thought of a wonderful place!"

"Really? Where?" He asked.

"Your place!" She answered with a wide grin. He raised a brow at her choice. Why his home? He wondered.

"You are going to cook for me tonight," she added.

"No way, I'm too tired for that." He immediately declined.

"But you promised," she said making her cute pleading face.

"When did I..?"

"You said you would cook for me anytime I asked." She stopped him in the middle of his question. "Pwease.." she said and leaned closer. He turned to look at her and immediately regretted it. He couldn't bring himself to say no, not when she looked like candy and looked at him that way.

"Okay fine," he agreed putting a smile on her face. "But, you have to spend the night."

Aella paused for a while on hearing the condition he gave. She never liked spending nights outside her home. She didn't like the thought of it especially since Rasmus stays in one of Verill's water cities.

"I don't want to," she refused his condition.

"Then I won't cook for you." He said. She looked away from him and stared out the window for a while. She then had an idea.

"Why don't we go to my place instead? Then you can cook and be sure that I'm there all through the night." She said.

"But, we're really far from your place right now, you want me to go back?!" He asked.

"Yes, you must. My idea is more comfortable for me and..." she paused seeing the look on Rasmus' face. "You know what, nevermind. Let's just try one of these restaurants and then go to our respective houses."

Rasmus sighed and tuned the vehicle around. "We are going to your place, and I'll prepare whatever you want." Aella's face brightened up and she was overjoyed.