Kurt was starting to grow very concerned about Sara, she should have been back by now. It was always going to take her longer because of the stroke of luck Kurt got with Jacob, it had practically taken no time at all. Beyond that, it would be easier for him to get to Paul than Sara, Steve and Tyler. They were supposed to come to Lake Longbow after they got Laura, Jacob's mother. They never came.

There were really only three options, one they were caught by the fire clan and are captive, two, Dakota Spring was already surrounded and under siege, and the third option Kurt didn't want to think about.

But they had important business to get to, Layla and the Valentine clan are supposed to be ironing out the alliance. The Fae Justin, Lord Fredrick and Baron Derek on one side with Layla and Kurt on the other side. Kurt was mostly going to see what Layla had planned; he just wanted to be informed this time. Talia would be there as well but the reality was she was outranked by the other two. As well as Warlord Travis would all be in attendance, the other two head goblins were still on their return.

Frankly only Sara was missing, and very missing. Kurt had decided he was going to find out what happened after the meeting, but he didn't want to get in the way of something if they decided to do anything themselves.

The beginning of the meeting was rather simple and benign, basic trading agreements. What both sides could sell, and what both sides would want in return. Layla had most of the rare material on hand from this side of the gate. While there were various items that humans made that interested her. Clothing, furniture, building processes. Since humans never had magic their technology progress led much further than anything here. Necessity is the mother of invention after all, and when you have magic you need less mechanical advantage. The Valentine clan's continent had full fledged trains, the steam engine, something the rest of the world was still trying to catch up with.

Both sides agreed to most things, or agreed to let things progress in time. Trade wasn't the contentious issue, but rather security, and support in warfare that was at issue the most.

"What about this prisoner? What are going to do with them?" said Fredrick

"We were hoping to turn him to our side."said Layla.

"And how do you intend to do that?"

"His family will become residents here."

"Hostages," said Derek.

"If you want to see it that way, it won't matter if the fire clan is falling, their members will eventually scatter."

"Not yet though, Dakota Springs is still under siege, they aren't giving up."

Then we will have to do something about it." said Kurt really his first addition to the conversation.

"What do you mean?"

"Well first I believe our Duchess Sara may be inside the city walls, she shouldn't be recognizable."

"Why is she there?"

"To get his wife, I've actually known Arthur for a long time, his son and I were, are, best friends."

"I don't trust it."

"That is none of your concern," said Layla, "we are not asking for assistance with him."

"I don't know about that," said Kurt.

"Huh?"

"Well if Sara is in the city, we will have to go get her, and if they have plans for Dakota Spring themselves, I would hope they would help us," said Kurt.

"That is a good question though, what are the Valentine clan's plans for Dakota Spring?" said Layla, "Perhaps a joint venture is warranted, for the sake of our alliance."

"It's tough to say, we know that the crown has acted, but we are so far away to really be in the thick of anything yet, especially since I and Talia left," said Fredrick.

"But that isn't much of an issue is it?" Said Layla, "I can bring you from here close enough."

"Hmm, that might work, if we do it fast enough the shadow clan and the nations on our continent wouldn't even know until we are back."

"Yea and it will be difficult for Kurt to move around the siege without proper introductions, he could jump the walls but that might make things worse on the way back," said Layla, "I assume I can count on the Valentine clan to vouch for us in situations like this."

"Yes, that would be appropriate," said Baron Derek, "this might actually be the best thing. A mission together can help everyone feel a bit more at ease after."

"Then it's the extent of the involvement that is at issue, I assume if you came with Kurt there would be an expectation from the crown as well."

"Yes, they would expect our help, so a simple rescue mission may not work out. We may have to break the stalemate, if that is where they are, taking a city is always hard, but when they have magic on their side, much harder," said Fredrick, "they have probably already sent word, but have not reached us yet."

Layla sighed, "If I had known there would have been goblins still waiting near on the other side waiting for a signal, but that would take a while now. That would have given us more options."

"You can't go back?" said Kurt.

"Not since Cindy came here, we were traveling from her well, the last remnants of the connection, if we stayed much longer that would have been stuck," said Layla.

"You're not planning on taking all their Fae here are you?" said Justin.

"It would be up to them of course, if they wish to stay or go, now that they know it is really possible, I'm sure many will volunteer. "

"That's not acceptable," said Justin, "we would have to have some come to our clan."

"I wouldn't be opposed to that, but again I must insist it will be up to them individually. It would help us travel if a Fae of mine was near you, it would be easy on you Justin. One or two might even want to stay with the rest gone."

"And the city itself?" said Kurt. "Are we leaving it, both sides, to Hamlet and Midas?"

"I'm not sure we have much of a choice, unless we want to fight them too," said Derek, "it's not like we can send a whole army through this way, and we couldn't hide that movement on our continent. There is no way we can secure it."

"See no reason why I couldn't." said Layla, she was really going to let that one out wasn't she, that the goblins are not stuck on this side anymore, or really ever.

"You mean move the gate to our continent then back here?"

"No, I meant my army."

"The goblins!?!"

"Yes, of course I would expect that would need a longer line of introduction."

"Wait, you can do that?" said Justin

"Of course, I can bring you as well if you like."

"To their world."

"Yes."

"What?" said Fredrick, and Derek simultaneously.

"You mean gates let everything through," Derek continued.

"What I desire, but if I desire that, yes. I am telling you this in hopes that it helps our friendship, I'm sure we are both still hiding a few things. And this is sort of a big one on our side, but I doubt it will be a secret forever. We've already had to once, to secure our gate from the Fire clan. And I think you would be angry to find out after the alliance."

Talia kicked Kurt under the table, he turned and tried to give an apology without words.

"Can you give us a moment," said Baron Derek, " we are going to have to discuss this for a minute."

"Of course, it has been a while, help yourself to the mess hall if any of you are hungry," said Layla.

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