445 Coup d'éta

Mano stretch out his body and got ready to begin the day. Since his daughter departure, his has been waking up before the farmer workers, to make his way into the orchards and record his finding on the tree Mikaela has supposedly fixed.

Although Mika explained to him everything she was doing and why, he couldn't bring himself to believing that his youngest fledgling has the skills to cure these trees.

The first couples of days he went out to check on the tree he saw no change. Though a little disappointed for the spark of hope she ignited, but was more sad that his daughter was going to be let down.

When he sent her his report on what he saw, he was surprised that she took it in stride.

Telling him that all things take time.

Embarrass that she was teaching in life lessons, Mano didn't waste anymore time in being disappointed; and continued to wake up early every morning and make his way to the back of the orchards.

Over the weeks of monitoring the tree, he noticed little changes at first, like the bark no longer shed and the smell discharging the air had lessen.

When big changes started to show, he felt like he got hit in the gut. Little buds began to appear on the branches and the oozing honey was no longer black, it now has healthy looking golden brown color. Although he still did harvest any, he fell excited at the changes.

This morning he is eager the see if it's leaves had bloom. If so, he wanted to talk to Mika about moving the tree to the healthier area of orchards, as he was afraid of it getting sick again being surrounded by the infected.

As he made his way towards the orchards, he spotted a familiar form walking in the shadows.

Is that Delju?

Mano stopped and stared, he couldn't say it was her for sure. Placing the odd sight in the back of his mind for later questioning, Mano continued his trek to the clan's orchards and towards the back of the fields.

What greeted his eyes, amazed him. Standing tall and beautiful was a tree with bright vivd green leaves on its branches.

Mano stood before it feeling small and humble. It was almost as if the tree was gracing him with its appearance today.

He slowly walk towards and around the tree, taking pictures and samples that he will send to Mikaela this week.

Staring at the recovered tree made Mano both happy and worried. He saw what his daughter had to do to get this one tree back from the dead, how will she be able to do this for thousands? So, even thought he was happy that a solution has been found, he didn't think it is one that could help them.

Walking back to his residence, he saw the familiar figure again sneaking through the shadows.

Instead to leaving it be this time, Mano chose followed the figure towards their destination.

Lady Delju wanted to stay with Cohnal a little longer, however, his servants are already whispering about her frequent visits to him.

If they were to catch her in his bedroom, soon the whole clan will know of their affair.

Distracted by her thoughts, Delju never noticed someone following behind her. When she saw her residence, she breath another sigh of relief at making it home with no one knowing.

Though the secret affair between them has been exciting and funny, she did have a lingering fear of being caught be everyone. This constantly caused her to question if she wanted to continue with the hidden relationship.

When Delju entered her house, Mano stopped following.

It really was Delju that I saw early this morning...

Turning around to retrace his step from where he originally saw her this morning, Mano tried to look at where she was coming from.

With only residences and the orchards close by, Mano took a guess on where she went. Dropping the situation for now, he left the area to send Mika his findings.

Stepping out of a dark hidden corner, Cohnal stared at Mano's retreating back and smiled before turning away.

Returning to his bedroom, Cohnal glanced at his messy bed before walking to his wall. He placed his hand in the middle of it and a hidden compartment opened up.

Stepping inside, he entered in password into another wall, which opened to a small room. All that was inside is a desk, a chair and a monitor.

Sitting down, he typed in his passcode and waited. Once the code was accepted, he read all the messages flooding his screen.

One particular message caught his attention.

Reading it over multiple times, felt his hands tingling and heart thumping with excitement.

It is finally time...!

Clearing away all evidence from his monitor, he exited his secret room. Cohnal wasted no time in calling his advisors and his uncle, one of the elders of the Amara clan.

"I called you all in today because it's finally time for me to take back what is mine...!" Cohnal said to the group, making them cheer.

The wait has been a long time coming, everyone in the clan thought he would take over after his father would died. Yet, Mano happens to come back just in time for their father to hand over the position to him.

After their father passed, he was going to be content with being one of the branch families, however, a powerful backer came to change his mind.

Now that backer is telling him that it's finally time to reclaim what is rightfully his.

"Brother, are you really going to do it?" His youngest brother from the same mother, excitingly looked toward him.

"En...you will all get what I promised you, as long as you stay loyal."

His brother grin proudly, "It's about time. I was tired of waiting."

His uncle the only elder in the room, glanced around before looking at him, "Is this all?"

"No, I have household guards, who have swore loyalty to me as clan leader and a powerful backer who will help if Mano has some hidden cards up his sleeves."

"Who?" The elder was interested in who his nephew could possibly have gotten.

"You don't need to worry about that," Cohnal could see what was going through his uncle's mind, "...all you need to know is that they support me as the next head of the Amara clan."

His uncle quietly sucked his teeth before looking away, his nephew's warning was clear.

Thus started their coup d'état.