Ruby Red

Chapter Three

Just as the queen had said, all of the guards were at their designated stations ten minutes before the ceremony began. In the courtyard below the queen's balcony, the nobility were the first in line to see the address. Behind them, villagers who lived nearby had snagged spots, anxious to hear what their ruler had to say. Whoever wasn't able to hear the message in person would receive word via messenger in their towns the next morning.

Queen Marjorie's guards had let Alana, Karis, and Fallon onto the balcony ahead of the royal family. They dressed in their finest uniforms, decorated with the badges they had earned as they moved up in the ranks. Their multicolored medal ribbons shone in the setting sun, accenting the deep maroon fabric they laid upon. A sword and dagger sat at their hips, ready to be drawn at the slightest hint of danger.

Fallon stepped over to the side near where the royal family would sit while Alana and Karis split up on each side of the balcony doors. Alana yawned. "I hope this is over soon."

"They should only be a few more minutes," Karis said. His eyes didn't move from the crowd. Everyone was looking up now, waiting for any sign of their beloved royals.

"You know the crowd isn't going to die down for a while," Alana said. "They always go crazy after addresses like these."

"We should go out after this," Fallon suggested. "It'll be busy, but this is a worthy cause for celebration. Drinks are on me if you two want to come."

Alana's eyes flickered over to her friend. It wasn't quite a glare, but something dangerous hid behind those emerald irises. "We still don't know what the queen wants to do. We may not want to celebrate."

Karis's attention broke away from the crowd. He might have ever-so-slightly been breaking protocol, but he wasn't thinking about that right now. He turned his head toward Alana, studying her body for signs of anything out of the ordinary. She never passed up an opportunity to get out of work, especially to go to a tavern.

She suddenly looked over at him, eyebrows furrowed together. Her braid swished along her spine. "What? Is something wrong, Karis?" Alana glanced down at her mouth. "Is my lipstick smudged?"

"What?" Karis couldn't help but look down at her red-painted lips, but he quickly averted his eyes. "No. It's nothing. I... Can we talk later?"

He noticed her inhale, almost in hesitation. "Um... sure, I guess. What about?"

Luckily, Karis heard a knock on the balcony doors just as he was about to answer. The guards signaled that the royal family was ready to step out and they needed to be ready. Karis snapped to attention and put his hand on the door handle, Alana mirroring his actions on the other door.

With a deep bow, he and Alana pulled the doors open and bowed as the royal family walked out onto the balcony. Princess Lévian, Prince Victor, and Princess Harsha paused and looked out over the crowd, wide smiles on their faces as their people cheered. They walked to Fallon, Lévian's hand grazing her girlfriend's as she stood by her side.

After the children, Lady Leela stepped out. Instead of joining the prince and princesses, she continued forward to the edge of the balcony. The deep emerald of her saree offset the warm undertones of her deep brown skin along with her bright gold necklace and earrings.

"People of Cordavis," she announced. She braced her hands on the railing and waited for the citizens to quiet down before speaking again. It didn't take long. They were excited to hear their queen, and they knew Lady Leela was about to announce her.

"Five years have passed since King Calum Divillier announced his plans for the last round of Vault savings." Murmurs popped up here and there at the mention of the late king, but Lady Leela continued anyway. "The time has come again. Queen Marjorie has worked tirelessly for you all and has been analyzing how we can best use the Vault for the betterment of our own kingdom. Today, she will reveal some of her plans to you."