The Tulsa Council House was a beautiful old home within Brady Heights; a historic neighborhood which dated back before the 1920's. It was a quiet area with elegant homes in all sorts of styles, from Victorian to Queen Anne. I'm not sure what style the Council House was but it definitely wasn't Victorian. It sprawled across a spacious yard, fronted by a wide porch which spanned the entire length of it and topped by a peaked roof. The sunshine yellow walls were complimented by white lacey woodwork along the angled roof. We walked up a set of steps and clomped over the wood porch to the delicate looking door but before I could knock, it was opened by an extinguisher in full combat gear. A total contradiction to the setting.
“Whoa,” I blinked and pulled my head back in surprise. “Ready for war, are we?”
“Ambassador Seren?” The extinguisher was a woman I'd never met before; a little taller than my five-feet-five height and well muscled. She had soft cedar eyes and blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. Her eyes went warily to Cat, who'd glamored herself to look like a Newfoundland (big but at least not ridiculous). Of course an extinguisher could see right through that illusion if she tried.
“Yep, that's me. This is Cat, she's my guard puka,” I waved a hand behind me, “and this is my Star's Guard. Can we come in?”
“Oh!” She jumped back. “Yes! Come in, please come in. I'm sorry, we're all a bit on edge today.”
“I see that,” I stepped into the small foyer, glancing at the framed portraits of head council members and the delicate antique table that held only a large brass candle snuffer; symbol of the Extinguishers.
“I'll take you to the Council,” she turned and led us up a set of stairs. At the top of the stairs, she turned right and waved her hand towards an open doorway. “Your guard can wait in here.”
“Alright,” I nodded and the knights started filing into the little sitting room. “But Count Tiernan and Cat go where I go.”
“Oh, I see,” she looked at Cat again. “Um.”
Cat chose that moment to step forward and lick the extinguisher's hand. The woman jumped and then gave a nervous laugh, holding her hand out to Cat again. Cat obliged by bumping the offered hand with her head.
“Oh, she's sweet,” the woman said.
“Unless you attack me, yes,” I smiled and then cocked my head at her. “You never gave us your name.”
“Right!” She cleared her throat. “I'm Extinguisher Kate Teagan. It's nice to meet you, Ambassador.”
“Nice to meet you as well,” I nodded.
“This way,” she led us down a narrow hallway to a door at the back of the house. She opened it and stepped in to announce, “Ambassador Seren is here with Count Tiernan.... and her guard Cat.” Then she stepped aside and let us into the room. She closed the door behind her as she left.
The room was spacious and airy, with soaring windows overlooking the backyard. The was another house in the back garden, a smaller one but still pretty large, painted in the same colors as the main house and surrounded by spindly trees. In a corner of the room itself was a large desk, some bookshelves, chairs, filing cabinets, and a lamp all clustered together as if they were in time out. Directly in front of us there was a rectangular table, oak from the look of it, polished to a high sheen. Seated at the table were the council persons of the Tulsa House. There was only one seat left open. I glanced at Tiernan.
“I'll stand, it's fine,” Tiernan assured me.
“Nonsense,” a man got up from the head of the table and approached us. “I'm Ted Teagan, Head of this Council House,” he reached out to shake my hand. “It's a pleasure to meet you Ambassador, and you as well, Count Tiernan. Please have a seat, Ambassador Seren, while I grab the Count a chair.”
I lifted a brow atthe Countas the Head Councilman went over to the office area and grabbed the chair from behind the desk. Tiernan smiled and shrugged, going forward to pull out the empty seat at the table for me... because a princess doesn't get to do stuff like that for herself. At least not in front of others.
My seat was right beside Ted's at the end of the table but on my other side was a stern faced man around sixty. He scooted over grudgingly to make room for the chair that the Head Councilman brought over. Cat sat herself right between me and Councilman Teagan's seat, her tongue lolling out of her newfy mouth. I think she may have been playing it up a bit.
Ted Teagan looked a little like Extinguisher Kate, with short-cut blonde hair and gentle cocoa-colored eyes. He was young for a Head Councilman, probably around forty-five, with a fit build and a boyish attractiveness.
“Are you any relation to the extinguisher who showed us in?” I asked him as he came around the back of my chair.
“Yes,” he beamed at me. “She's my daughter, Kate.”
“Oh. Did you get to train her?” I asked.
“Yes,” he leaned back on his heels and slid his hands into his pockets to talk with me as if he had all the time in the world. “I may be a councilman but I was trained to be an extinguisher first and I've kept up with that training.”
“And kept in shape,” I nodded appreciatively and Tiernan cleared his throat. “It was just an observation,” I grimaced at Tiernan while the Councilman laughed.
“And a welcome one,” Ted smiled and slid into his seat. “I don't get a lot of compliments these days,” he shot an irritated look around the table.
“Perhaps we could get down to business?” The man beside Tiernan asked.
“Yes, Councilman Murdock,” the Head Councilman sighed.
“Murdock?” I looked over to the councilman.
