Chapter 4: Obstacles in the city
The Titan walked down the white metal hallway with his long white robe trailing behind him to council who was no doubt waiting for him so they could start their meeting, he let out a tried stressful sigh he was feeling a mixture of emotions but wasn't due to the meeting but more to due with his stubborn stepdaughter and her not returning his calls and he was not stupid he knew why.
She was obviously avoiding him because of the marriage candidates he had been trying to get her to look at which was also the reason why he had the fight with her the last time she visited home with her ending her vacation early and going back to her job at the border much to the sorrow of her mother and her siblings. Kaleo wasn't doing this to be cruel or to breed her, on the contrary, he was trying to make sure the council didn't force her to marry a Titan of their choosing especially since she was close the age of 23 so she would let it be the male of her choosing.
He rubbed his hairless white brows in exasperation, Titans are not use to feeling so many emotions but somehow Lia always managed to make him emotionally exhausted.
"Something wrong Kaleo?" a female asked him.
He turned his head to see who it was to see one of his good friends"Hello Arkense" he replied weakly.
The human woman looked at him a little concerned.
Arkense was a beautiful dark-skinned woman with really sort black hair with green eyes, she wore a silver gold netted dress the was long sleeved and went down past her knees. She was also one of the very few humans that were on the council which position she worked really hard to achieve. She crossed her arms as she stared him down.
"It's your daughter again....isn't it?" she said plainly.
The Titan sighed deeply as of them both walked down the hall to their destination"She can be...so impossible sometimes" he said in frustration.
"She's avoiding my calls and doesn't help with Muara's state either not mention my younger children keep asking why their big sister doesn't want to talk to them" he ranted to her.
Kaleo stopped and looked out the window to look at the glowing city with its silver and white metal structures.
"Give her time. Some relationship's need to heal over time" Arkense said looking at the glowing city by Kaleo's side.
He sighed deeply"She's been different from other human girls Arkense...while most would take comfort and wouldn't want to leave our city she couldn't wait to escape it and joined the army and go beyond the wall" he said as he looked at the city.
The Titan always knew his stepdaughter was a free spirit, always looking longingly over the wall to the green in the outside world.
"Of course... I can understand why she wants to...but there are dangerous beings outside the walls, she needs to understand that as we all do, I had my share of exploring outside the walls but I knew what will happen if I ventured deep."
Arkence breathed a sigh before looking at the window again "I hope she doesn't get herself killed, I don't want that to happen to you Kaleo" she placed her hand on his shoulder for a brief moment of comfort before letting go.
"That's partially why I want her to look at marriage candidates...so she can come home where she will be safe..." he sighed deeply.
He turned to look at the woman" She doesn't realize in 2 years the council will pick her husband for her making her come home despite her protests and nothing in my power can change it...that's why I want it to be her choice before that happens."
"I doubt she'll be ok with talking to me, we both haven't interacted much...but maybe she'll listen to someone who she'll open up to..." Arkence placed her hand on her chin beginning to think about the situation that was happening.
"You know Kaleo" Arkense turned to look at her old friend "I was ordered in by the council to marry one of their best-decorated soldier's, sometimes I think on that if it was good or not" she expressed as her dress made small metal clinks "I want her to have a choice and not be forced by it."
"Atlas is coming back from a battle, I just hope we're on good merits" Arkense closed her eyes.
"You lucky Altas comes back... I have a hard time convincing Lia to come at all...my wife or my children have to beg her..." his eyes turned depressed.
"Except me and Atlas have fought it's not just shouting, it's screaming at the top of our lungs I slap him or he slaps me, Sometimes it can get so bad we both rent a hotel to sleep in separate rooms" Arkense opened her eyes.
Kaleo chuckled a little"You should see Lia the last time she was home, it when I first suggested the marriage candidates and once I said that she punched me square in the jaw which hurt quite a lot and that I was trying to turn her into docile toy for a titan and then ran out the house...that was a year ago and she still hasn't been home..." he said solemnly.
The Titan turned his head to look at his human friend"Atlas does love you Arkense... I can see it...it just we Titans...emotions...are confusing and hard to express for us...it might be stressful with everything that's going on lately..." he tried to reassure her. "I know more than anything he wants to have children with you....not with anyone else...only you..." he told her with soft eyes.
"I try to see it in his perspective, I tried but it so hard.." Arkence croaked holding back a sob"I'm worried that spark between us will diminish, I want both us to connect in a better way."
"I wish we didn't fight like this, I do love the big brute but it's draining to visit a doctor who tells me that everything is working but I can't seem to conceive."
Kaleo just looked at her calmy as he put his hand on her shoulder"Believe it or not Maura and I had a hard time conceiving at first as well...she was going through deep depression with her first husbands death, being forced into marriage not too long after he died to someone she didn't even know and was worried about how her new husband would treat her daughter she had with another male...she was an emotional wreck.. " he said grimly.
"The stress of that along with fulfilling her "duty" was the reason she couldn't conceive..it took a toll on her body...." he turned to look out the window again.
"It was then I realized I needed to spend time with her, to listen to her, understand her, our time together became more relaxed and affectionate...more pleasurable...more than ever before...one month later she was pregnant with Rowan" he turned his head back to her to give her a to smile.
"You and Atlas need to take a break from work....spend time with each other...take comfort with each other..." he told her gently.
"I'll ask him and hopefully it'll not bite us, but right now we have to attend the council they don't like to wait" she crossed her arms.
"Your right," he said as he gently led her to a huge door at the end of the hall"I don't really want to think of Lia's stubbornness right anyway...work will help," he said as he put his hand on pad letting scan it.
"Agreed" she simply said as the door slid open allowing the two to reach the main entrance of the council's session.
They entered a room where a bunch individuals sat around a white round table with holograph simulation that projected in the middle of the table for all to see.
"Well....both of you have arrived," a beautiful female Titan said soft-spoken.
"And let's begin" Arkense smiled despite being tired.
"I'm sorry Simeena...we both " he turned his head to look at the human woman" distracted by things..." he said carefully.
Simeena was a Titan with pale white skin cold green eyes, a very light violet lipstick that shined on her lips with violet eyeshadow with a white hooded dress. Arkense gave her a look before taking her resume position.
"Yes I've heard Aurelia has been "difficult" lately" she gave Kaleo a mischievous smile"Quite...adventurous is she not..."
One of the male Titans scoffed deeply at this.
Simeena turned to look at the male"Do you have something to add Valok?" she asked softly.
Valok was a much older Titan with grey skin wore black pants and a silver and black shirt both held tightly to his skin and with metal plates covering a different part of his body which were evidence if him fighting in the war 200 years ago and being caught close to the blast.
"Do you? my dear" Arkense spoke towards Simeena.
The female turned to look at the woman and smiled"I've known that girl since she was small....shes what you humans might call "a free spirit". never satisfied with our city and never once took the spoils or advantage of being the daughter Kaleo Lithium" Simeena smiled fondly in memory" she was what you human may call"breath of fresh air" not like the ones I've seen who blindly follow without question in this city."
Kaleo groaned at this"What you call free spirit Simeena I call spitfire" he said as he rubbed his eyes.
"That girl is in over her head....she doesn't follow authority well..." Valok said gruffly. "Human nature...always seeking, always wanting, it's going to "corrupt", her," the male said as crossed his arms.
"You aware we have humans at this meeting right now Valok" Simeena pointed out to him.
Arkense couldn't help to stare intensely at the older war veteran Titan.
"I suppose if that's what you believe Valok than by all means express it your thoughts are your own veteran" she spoke calmly knowing she can't burst in anger after everything she had done to acquire her position.
"I'm basically saying our kind saved yours from your own nature...if we hadn't stepped in you humans would have destroyed yourselves" he said bluntly.
Tension started to fill the room.
Kaleo got up from his chair"Valok stop it!" he said curtly."You're a legacy Titan and a council member, you should act like it" he told him sternly.
"Does someone want to tell me why everyone is arguing?..." a voice asked calmly just entering the room, everyone froze when they heard it, they all knew who it was right away, All eyes turned to the most powerful Titan in the room, their respected and wise leader Adam.
Adam raised his brow "Well Kaleo?...Arkense?...Valok?..." he asked.
As he walked closer to the table, the male had an intimidating but at the same time calming aura around him that made others want to both cower and welcome the elder Titan.
Adam was a tall and muscular Titan with clear blue almost silver eyes with harden face that showed years of experience, he wore silver pants with a with a black tight jacket that bottomed to the side his chest.
Kaleo slowly got back into his seat.
"We were having....interesting conversation about humans..." Simeena spoke up she then turned to look at Valok"Weren't we Valok?..."
"Of course if Valok doesn't want to express it by all means" Arkense commented.
Adam sighed deeply as he took a seat"Valok we don't have time for your prejudice... especially when a civil war it close to breaking out" he said.
Valok crossed his arms and huffed Adam ignored him and turned to look at Arkense" Arkense...you said you had more news about this...rebel group?" Adam asked her softly.
Arkense then pressed her hand on the table and slid it across revealing what looked like a keypad a holo-screen appeared.
"They move in groups of 5, each covering their tracks" she spoke.
Everyone watch the projector to see a group of Terrans being led by a Titan attacking a border post, most looked at amazed to see a dryad easily it looked like he using trees and floral as his weapon. The male dryad was slim but fit had pitch black skin with blue leaves that look part of his body with dark purple eyes with vine-like hair that was a mixture of pale purple and blue.
Everyone looked at Adam as he looked at the video deep in thought.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Pinkroseutena1
Pinkroseutena1 Yay, I updated after forever lol Sorry I took so long guys school and life got into the way on long with writer's block I want to thank my good friend Marianofcintra for helping me and letting me use her character Arkense ^^
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