Mecca of Mecha: Reborn as the Scion of a Technocratic Aristocracy

The fire crackled in Valeria's room, its warm light flickering against the walls. Cassian stood by the window, arms crossed, the fading glow of the twin suns framing his silhouette. His jaw was tight, and the tension in his shoulders betrayed his unease. Valeria sat by the fire, her sapphire-blue eyes fixed on the flames. She traced the edge of her silver pendant, her thoughts distant.

"Don't you think Orinthia went too far?" Valeria finally asked, Her voice, soft but razor-edged, sliced through the silence. 

Cassian turned, his amethyst eyes narrowing. "She didn't go far enough. Alaric has been waiting for an excuse to move against us. If Orinthia hadn't shut him down, others would've joined his cause. She probably wanted to protect Orion."

Valeria frowned, her hand falling from the pendant. "Protect him? Or use him?" Her voice rose slightly. "She named Orion the 18th heir, Cassian. That isn't just a title—it's a target. She's basically painted a mark on our son's back."

Cassian's jaw clenched, and before sighing deeply. "The family doesn't work in half-measures. Orion is part of this legacy whether we like it or not."

Valeria stood, her pendant catching the firelight. "And what has this legacy ever given you? It took everything from you! Your childhood? Your peace? You spent your childhood training to be a weapon for this family. Is that what you want for him? To grow up never knowing peace?" Her voice trembled, but her resolve was clear.

Cassian knelt beside her, his gaze steady and full of quiet intensity. "You think I don't want more for him?" He shook his head. "But the world isn't kind to dreamers, Val. If he isn't strong, he'll be crushed. And we need the family to help him become strong."

Valeria's gaze softened, though her voice didn't lose its edge. "We teach him not just how to survive, but how to live. Remember, he is not just a Reyes."

Cassian reached for her hand, his voice low. "And if the family doesn't like that?"

Valeria smiled, a sharp glint in her sapphire eyes. "Then they'll have to deal with it."

A faint cry cut through their conversation. They both turned toward the crib in the corner of the room. Orion stirred, his tiny hands reaching into the air. Valeria moved to pick him up, cradling him gently against her chest.

"Shh, little star," she whispered soothingly. 

Cassian joined her, brushing a hand over Orion's soft cheek. The baby blinked up at him with wide, curious eyes. For a moment, Cassian felt something stir in his chest—unease but there was also a fierce, unshakable determination.

The room fell silent again as Orion drifted back to sleep. The fire had dwindled to glowing embers, but neither Cassian nor Valeria moved. They sat together, the weight of their earlier conversation still hanging in the air.

Cassian broke the silence, his voice low and urgent. "Alaric won't stop. Orinthia's warning might delay him, but he's biding his time. We can't wait for him to make the first move. If we do, we're handing him the advantage."

Valeria's grip tightened on her pendant. "And if we act too soon, we risk discovery. He'll see us coming before we even take a step."

Cassian's lips twitched in a faint, grim smile. "Then we don't come at him head-on. We chip away at his foundation until he has nothing left to stand on."

Valeria's eyes hardened, her voice cutting like steel. "He's spent years building his alliances. We can't just tear it all down overnight."

Cassian's eyes narrowed, his tone icy. "Alaric's power is built on fear and favors. We can turn that against him."

"Alaric's not invincible." Cassian said, "He's made enemies—people who've been waiting for a chance to take him down. We just need to find them."

Cassian leaned back, his expression darkening. "One wrong move, and we alert him"

Valeria's grip tightened on her pendant, her voice unyielding. "Then we don't make a wrong move."

Cassian exhaled, the weight of her words pressing on him. "We'll need allies. People who see the cracks in Alaric's power but are too afraid to act."

Valeria nodded, her tone softening slightly. "There are others who feel as we do. They're waiting for someone to take the first step."

***

The next morning, they began laying the groundwork. Their first visit was to Cassian's cousin, Evander, a man known for his sharp mind and sharper tongue. He had always been critical of Alaric but had never openly opposed him.

"You're playing with fire," Evander said as they sat in his study, surrounded by shelves of ancient books. "Don't underestimate Alaric,"

"He has the ear of Elder Caledon, and you know what that means. " he said at last, his voice quiet but firm. "The others listen to Caledon—his word is second only to Orinthia."

Valeria leaned forward. "We're not calling for rebellion, Evander. Just a reckoning. If the family sees the truth and still chooses to follow Alaric, so be it."

Evander leaned back in his chair, his sharp eyes narrowing as he studied them. "Elder Marcius practically owes his fortune to Alaric's 'guidance,' and Elder Theris?" he said, his voice smooth but edged with warning. "Let's just say her loyalty is bought and paid for. He'll twist your words before they ever reach the council floor. Opposing him is suicide."

Evander's voice grew colder, his sharp tongue cutting through their resolve like a blade. "He'll make an example of you, Cassian, of Valeria—of Orion. And the family? They'll cheer as he does it."

Evander leaned forward, his sharp eyes piercing through the dim firelight as if to drive his words deeper. "Do you think the council wants justice? Truth?" He gave a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "The family thrives on fear, Cassian, not principles. Alaric has spent years binding them to him with promises of protection or whispers of ruin. They don't care if he's corrupt—they care that he's useful. As long as he keeps their enemies at bay and their skeletons locked in their closets, they'll support him."

He straightened, his voice hardening further. "And don't delude yourself into thinking Orinthia's authority will shield you. She may have named Orion the heir, but her voice only carries weight if the rest of the elders allow it. If you push Alaric too far, Cassian, they won't hesitate to clip her wings—and yours. Do you really want to gamble your son's future on the hope that these vipers will grow a conscience when the time comes?"

Cassian's jaw tightened, his hand curling into a fist at his side. "And what do you suggest, Evander? That we stand by and let him turn Orion into another pawn in his game? I can't—" His voice broke for a moment before suddenly turning sharper."I won't let that happen."

Evander sighed, leaning back in his chair, his sharp tongue momentarily replaced with weary resignation. "You speak like a man with nothing to lose, but you have everything to lose, Cassian. Do you think I don't want to see Alaric fall? Of course I do. But wanting and doing are not the same thing. The man knows the game better than any of us, and he's been playing it for decades."

He paused, his gaze softening for the first time. "You're a good man, Cassian. A better man than most of us in this cursed family. But don't mistake courage for recklessness. If you push too hard, it won't just be Alaric—you'll oppose the elders benefiting from him. And once they turn on you, there won't be anything left to protect."