to be able to manifest as an element and it meant the construction would take a quarter of the time it would take a regular human. It had been decided that Knox and Dex would continue to act as the ‘officially unofficial’ leaders of the chadens. Nobody wanted to segregate the chadens but they knew they faced unique issues and it made sense to put in place leadership they could relate to. The training lodge would remain as it was – with Max’s Order running it and seeing to the training of the new recruits there. There had been a small amount of arguing from her paladins, especially with a babe on the way. But in the end, Max got her way – naturally. She wanted them to keep their sense of self and for them to have a purpose and also a hand in ensuring the next generation was up to scratch. Mordecai agreed with her. Local councils were to become a mixture of paladins, wardens and chadens, ensuring every member of their society was represented and had a voice. Caspian would be appointed the head member of the local council. It would take time to spread word throughout the world, and Mordecai knew they were going to have to send some of the IDC travelling in the coming months. As for the proposed Paladin Council, that was happening too. They were going to take one paladin from each of the training lodges around the world and appoint them to the PC. The local member for their area was a no brainer and Lark was thrilled to get started on organising the others.
Discussion on Order formation and the Paladin Trials had taken longer. Mordecai still firmly believed the Trials were a good thing. Max believed they were archaic and there were other ways to prove one’s worth as a soldier. In the end, Max was outvoted, and paladins would still need to prove themselves, both physically and mentally, before they could be placed with an Order. However, the manner in which they were undertaken would change, and be more in line with their society’s new ethos. What’s more, Orders would now be formed based on an organic bond, whenever possible – just like it had been when Mordecai had formed his Order of Valhalla. Over the years, the need for strength and power – or at least the illusion of it – had become more important to the wardens than a natural bond with their knights. As such, stronger paladins – with a heavy bias to males – were deemed more desirable. It was why paladins like Lark and Beyden had been cast out of society, and why Cali had been viewed as nothing more than a sex toy and battery pack. Mordecai couldn’t wait to see such changes come to fruition. But he wasn’t stupid. He knew the systemic prejudices running throughout their society would not be abolished overnight. No, it was going to take time. He was already exhausted just thinking about it.
“It will be worth it,” the voice was soft but resolute.
Turning from where he had been lost in thought watching the new IDC interacting casually, he nodded at Dana. “I know it will be.” He didn’t bother to take her to task for apparently reading his thoughts. He was already in enough trouble with her as it was. He cleared his throat, “About earlier –”
“You do not need to explain yourself,” Dana interrupted.
“But I –”
“Truly, Warden. It is of no consequence,” Dana butt in once again.
“Damnit, woman! Would you shut up and let me finish a sentence?” he practically yelled. Dana snapped her mouth shut and Mordecai looked up to find all eyes on them once again. Ryker gave him a sarcastic double thumbs-up, to which Mordecai flipped him the bird. “Fucking ingrate,” he muttered.
“He is wonderful,” Dana murmured, looking at Ryker with fondness.
“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I’m trying to apologise here,” Mordecai said.
Dana’s eyebrows rose. “Is that what you are trying to do?”
Mordecai huffed, “I know I suck at it, okay? But apparently, you’re not so great at accepting them.”
Dana’s blue-green eyes mapped his face for a moment before she nodded, “Perhaps you are right. Continue,” she invited.
He opened his mouth to do just that, but he developed a case of nerves instead. He still felt it was his right to be angry at the woman, but that was no excuse to keep treating her like shit and tearing her down every time he opened