Soul Stones a Philinda AU: Chapter 1

“You sent for me, sire?” Melinda May, Senior Battle Mage gave a small bow as she entered the throne room.

“Ah, yes,” King Fury made a 'come in’ motion with his hand.  He was dressed in all black, his royal robes thinner than was traditional, though easier to move in.

Melinda nodded, walking forward and going to a knee, eyes down.

“Mage May, rise,” King Fury ordered in a calm voice, “we have much to discuss and I don’t like talking to the top of your head.”

“Of course, sire,” Melinda got to her feet.  She was dressed in mostly black and dark blue.  The black represented her King, the blue her station as one of the elites in the kingdom.

“May,” King Fury held back a sigh, “It’s been fifteen years since the Battle at Bahrain, yet you still barely address me as anything but sire.”

Mage May swallowed nervously, “That is how I am to refer to you, is it not, sire?”

“It is,” Fury shook his head, “though that didn’t stop you from calling me other things in your youth.”

“That was my youth, sire,” Melinda kept her eyes down, “I have learned better.”

“In some ways, you have,” King Fury rose from the throne and descended the few steps to stand in front of the Mage, “you are the pinnacle or following orders unless those involve bloodshed.”

Melinda risked a glance up, the King’s black leather eye-patch somehow making his stare worse, “You granted me leave of the battlefield at my request.”

“And I wish I could say I don’t regret that decision,” Fury paced a bit, “you are a fantastic teacher, and while our Kingdom hasn’t seen much in the way of battles these last years, I was fine to keep you as such.”

When he didn’t continue May prompted, “yes, sire?”

“The Kingdom of Hydra has finally started to mobilize.  In fact, it appears from the latest reports from the West that they have been gathering for some time,” Fury stopped in front of Melinda again.

“How is that possible?” May lifted her head, eyes wide in shock, “Hydra has had no ruler for decades. Their cities in ruin”

“From what I am told,” Fury pulled a piece of paper from his robes and held it out, “they have been gathering in other cities.”

Melinda took the offered paper and unfolded it, on it was a list of names.

“This… this isn’t possible, some of these were my students,” Melinda shook her head, “John Garret?!”

“Yes, one of the oldest of the Knights, he abandoned his post three days ago after a message started to be circulated.  That list, are the ones who have gone missing without signs of being forced or coerced.”

“There are almost one hundred names on this page,” May’s voice was barely a squeak.  She cleared her throat, “how accurate is this number?”

“It’s conservative, as far as we can tell.  We suspect as many as four hundred over this Kingdom and some of the neighboring areas have since crossed the border into Hydra’s land.”

“What do you need of me?” May asked, straightening her shoulders.

“I need my best Battle Mage,” Fury stated, “I need you to meet with the tactician" from the North, Constable Phillip Coulson.”

“Why not the other Battle Mages, sire?” May was confused.  

“Because, he’s not seen the kind of combat you have, but he knows people, and he knows how they think.  I am trusting you, and him, to find out how deep this goes.  Find out how compromised our Kingdom is, and make sure we aren’t going to be susceptible to a Hydra attack.”

“Yes, sire,” May gave a bow.  She wasn’t happy, really, a numbers and papers man? What could he tell her about knights and mages?

Still, her King trusted him, that would be enough.

King Fury dismissed May once he’d given her a time and place to meet with Coulson.