|The Red Raven|

Chapter Six

It was Thursday morning, I stood nervously outside Cephenrene's room, picking at the letters painted on the door. I had knocked but there was no response but I heard voices inside, too far away for me to hear but enough to make a low mumble.
With a sigh, I leaned back against the wall and waited for what felt like hours, squadrons and intellectuals passed by but ignored me completely. I didn't expect them to know who I was anyway, just like at home, I was nothing.
"You know the plan" Cephenrene's voice was closer than earlier, I could make out her words.
"Of course I do but him? He would be an awful consort" A second voice joined in, I quickly realised it was Daisy.
"He's kind and gentle and he loves me. What more do I need from a consort? He won't be king, Daisy, and he won't hold the same place in my heart that you do" Ceph said softly, I turned my head towards the door at what she said, I had thought Cephenrene and Daisy were close friends. Yet again, perhaps I was wrong.
"But no one can know right? That's what you always said, no one here can know and no one can know when you're queen! What's the point, Cephy? Why am I trying so hard and you're waltzing around and sleeping around with a fool like Bristan?" Daisy was whining behind the door, but I heard something else in her tone.
She loves Cephenrene.
"Then don't try Daisy. I am your queen. I am the true queen. Bristan is acceptable. You are not so which is why we cannot be public" Cephenrene responded and I winced, she really was heartless and this only confirmed it. Daisy was pouring her heart out to her and she just shut her down because of social norms, my heart ached for Daisy in that moment.
"Very well then. I'll go but do not come crawling back to me when you realise how much he doesn't satisfy you" Daisy hissed and I stumbled backwards when the door swung open.
Daisy flew out in a flurry, her short hair was a mess and her eyes wild. I willed my acting skills to improve but she caught my eye almost instantly and shock bled across her face and tears filled her eyes. Instead of staring back I just smiled gently in a way that told her that I could keep a secret and she calmed. She nodded curtly and hurried away, stumbling slightly.
I stood there calmly, unsure of my next move. Cephenrene instantly appeared at the door, entirely unfazed by the apparent 'break-up' she just initiated with Daisy. She looked just as perfect as ever, dark hair twisted into a detailed bun at the back of her head, tendrils framing her placid face. Instead of her white leather suit, she sported a fitted white dress that came to her knees and accentuated every curve of her body, it was topped off with simple white stilettos. She didn't look like a revolutionary.
She looked like a queen.
"Drea. What a lovely surprise" She sang, "Do come in", so I followed her through the doorway, the room looked the same except for the ruffled sheets, I pushed Daisy out of my mind for the moment. Alternatively, I imagined how Cephenrene could be related to King Dalyor, where he was short and plump, she was tall and lean. I couldn't speak for the hair as he was bald and looked like an egg, drastically different from Ceph's long dark locks.
"I needed to discuss something with you" I got straight to the point as Ceph gestured to a glass chair on one side of the table while she settled herself on the comfier chair on the other side.
"Very well. Go on" She stated, opening a notebook and leaning back in her seat.
"I would like to join Will on the mission to the new base" I demanded. Funnily enough I had made the decision very quickly after her announcement yesterday. If this military base was closer to the capital, possibly closer to my sister, then I had to be there to make sure we got it. I wasn't going to let this chance slip away.
"I see. Why?" Cephenrene pushed, putting her ink stick (which I had begun to affectionately call as I was too humiliated to ask for its real name) down and focused on me more closely.
"I want to make a difference. All I've done since I arrived has been training and I want to help. I'm ready!" I insisted, leaning forward onto my folded arms. I wasn't even wearing my training suit, Daisy had been lending me clothes for the past week and I was wearing simple black trousers that I had to roll up at the ankles and a pale grey t-shirt. I always wore Anya's jacket, to keep her close.
"Listen to me. This is a very important mission and I cannot risk you causing a problem" She replied, "Maybe next time", She stood up and walked over to a bottle of golden liquid which she poured into a tall thin glass.
"No. Not next time" I demanded, Cephenrene looked completely astounded that I stood up to her but I didn't stop there, "I have to help. Will thinks i'm ready"
"Will isn't exactly trustworthy in the matter" She almost tutted, taking a sip of the glittering liquid and pursing her lips.
"that's not the point. I can do it just let me help" I stood up as well and followed her, keeping my distance. Frankly, she terrified me.
"It's likely that you won't help. You will only hinder the productivity of the mission and that won't do" Her velvet voice was so comforting yet what she said was truly insulting.
"Well it's unlikely there will be a fight. You said so yourself and if there is then I will hide" I told her, gritting my teeth at the idea of hiding from a fight, I knew I was lying but I had to get on that mission. For Anya.
"Unlikely does not eliminate chance" Cephenrene murmured, "Oh how inconsiderate of me, would you like a drink?"
"It's the morning" I reminded her, glancing down at the strange liquid.
"It's not that sort of drink" She smiled, pouring a glass and pushing it towards me. I hesitated and she let out a low laugh, "I won't poison you"
"Sorry, I lost my sense of trust a long time ago" I answered, picking up the glass and swilling the liquid around before bringing it to my lips. It smelt like roses and when I sipped, it was sickeningly sweet to the point it made my tongue dry up. I set it down heavily and returned to my seat without a second glance at Cephenrene or the glass.
"It's an acquired taste" She grinned, her lips peeling back to show her perfect white teeth, I curled my lip and nodded slowly.
"I don't care for it but I do care for this mission. Just let me prove myself, Cephenrene, I won't let you down" I insisted again, trying to sound calm and collected but I was certain it sounded whiny and irritating.
"I will have to check the arrangements, motors have limited seats" Cephenrene replied, putting her drink down and opening a heavy folder, she began to slowly flick through the pages.
I wondered how long she had been fighting, well by the looks of her she hadn't fought physically at all, but how long had she been planning. Daisy mentioned she ran away from her aunt when she was only nine, it would be impossible for a nine year old to gather enough followers. Perhaps she waited? She planned and schemed until she was old enough to seem a threat? But I wasn't even sure how old she was, she looked my age but she had to be older than Veyre. Cephenrene had been fighting her whole life for a cause that she might not even win and I seemed to be the only person who saw the possibility of failure. Everyone else was convinced that Ceph was some sort of celestial being and just because she had a claim, she was destined to become queen, without fail. My experiences had told me that there was always room for failure, no matter how hard you try to prevent it.
"Any progress?" Cephenrene's voice pierced my thoughts, I looked up quickly, hugely confused.
"On what?" I responded with another question, but really I wanted her to find this arrangement and put my name on the list.
"Finding your cousin. Annie, was it?" She glanced over at me, her usually blank eyes wide and full of wonder.
"My sister." I corrected, "Her name is Anya and no, I haven't found any trace of her anywhere. The only possible person I can think of that has the jurisdiction to waltz into our town and take her, is the king. Marco and I have scoured all the recent footage but there is nothing."
"Those in captivity aren't usually displayed all over the media" Cephenrene murmured, flicking a page with a quick flick of her wrist.
"She's fine. I would know if she wasn't. Besides, what would be the point of taking a young woman from her home only to kill her? Anya is alive. I just need to find out why they took her and get her back" I responded in the same bitter way that she did, she knew I wasn't here to get her crown and she wasn't shy about it either.
"We will and when I sit on that throne, your sister will be safe I assure you that. Just do not betray us." She almost hissed like a snake, the mere tone of her voice made me uncomfortable, I wanted to jump up and run from the room as fast as I could but I held eye contact. I wouldn't let this woman intimidate me.
"I have no intention to" I lied, she stopped turning to pages and glared at me like she knew I was lying but I kept my face straight and blank like hers. "Anyway" I broke the silence, "Where did you get your followers?"
"Most of them found me. Some of them are ex soldiers who were looking for purpose. A lot of the younger recruits are from a small town called Rockvale, after word got out that I was hiding there. I wasn't. The king destroyed it and many wish to see him burn for it, so they followed me" Cephenrene explained, returning to the folder, flipping the pages of information that I desperately wished to know, to know what the plan was or if there was a plan at all. Perhaps she relied on faith alone.
"Did Wilican and Jezzina come from Rockvale? And Daisy?" I asked, fiddling with the frayed sleeves of Anya's jacket.
"They did. I believe their father was killed in the accident. And Daisy, well her mother worked at the local brothel, she was an only child, ready to escape that life" Cephenrene spoke about her lover like she spoke about Will and Zina, like she was just another follower that would get her what she wanted, like she meant nothing.
"And the king, your father, you speak about him like he isn't just that, your father" I stated, watching something flicker in her eyes, the first negative emotion to come from her since I arrived.
"He has and never will be my true father" She responded calmly, before I could ask another question, she flipped a large amount of pages and lifted the folder, "Here it is"
I waited a moment, she skimmed the sheet quickly and picked up an ink stick with a sigh.
"Motor A or B?"
I grinned and jumped from my seat, "I won't mess it up!" I exclaimed.
"Very well. Anything else?" She asked and I shook my head, excited to tell Will but everything stopped when someone burst into the room, we both turned to the door abruptly.
"So sorry Ceph but Drea, there's a new story, just reported and you're going to want to see it" Marco announced as he almost stumbled through the doorway looking like he hadn't slept in days and wearing the same clothes as he had been for the past week. He had been desperately trying to find Anya like me. Maybe his school boy crush on her was more than that.
My stomach clenched.
"Go" Cephenrene instructed but was entirely unbothered by the announcement, putting the folder down and retrieving her odd drink. She returned to her usual look of nonchalance.
"I'm coming" I told him, crossing the room and following him into the hallway. "What's the story?"
"It's live but it's important" Marco replied, breaking into a jog and I followed suit.
We both skidded to a halt outside the tech room, Zina was already there, sitting on a rickety wooden chair and nibbling at her nails. Her dark hair was dripping wet and so were her clothes, she must've been out on patrol this morning, I had heard it was raining but being underground you don't get to see the weather all that much.
Marco threw himself into his chair and brought up a video, I held my breath and sat on the chair beside him.
King Dalyor was seated on his throne, the crown perched on his smooth head. I wondered if Cephenrene wished she could reach through the screen and slit his throat, then take the crown before he even hit the ground. He wore a rich purple jacket with a golden velvet sash and a matching solid gold belt that held a sword sheath (which was funnily enough, also gold). A pale grey bushy beard covered his lower face and he looked stern.
A younger woman was sat beside him on a smaller chair, she leaned over to speak to him and he nodded along without really listening. The woman was Queen Gweyr, I recognised the ashy blonde hair that she gave to her daughter and son, hers was long and curled neatly with several strands pinned away from her face. It was all held back by a rose gold tiara that probably cost more than my house, life's worth of wages and my life. Unlike her husband, her eyes looked soft and kind, small wrinkles etched in the corners and lines gathered on her pale forehead. Her gown was pale pink and simple with no gold or diamonds, just straight up and down. Something told me she never wanted to be queen.
I focused intently on the couple, ignoring the elegant room around them, it was truly beautiful and I let my eyes stray a few times to really understand the extent to the beauty of it. From the solid gold chandelier to the velvet red carpet, everything in the room was detailed and well thought out, nothing was there by accident and I appreciated that. I didn't appreciate that it belonged to the man that may have stolen my sister from me.
In the corner of my eye I saw Marco glance at me nervously and I could see Zina twitched as she chewed her nails until they bled. Marco pushed her hand out her mouth and she sat up straight, looking embarrassed.
"When does it start?" She asked impatiently, Zina had been trying to help as well since I arrived but usually she just sat here and made up weird theories and made us both laugh a little. It was comforting to smile when you think all hope is lost.
"It doesn't say" Marco replied, "Soon I guess. The royals don't just sit there for hours"
"Good, I'm hungry," Zina complained, I smiled a bit.
"I could tell, you were eating your own nails" I said snarkily, Zina stuck her tongue out at me like a child. But she was a child, she was fifteen. When I was fifteen, I wasn't fighting a revolution but I thought I was, I was fifteen when I began hoarding ration cards and evading arrest. I was fifteen when I began to challenge the system like Zina.
"Here we go" Marco announced, we all leaned forward to watch the king speak, something I never thought I would be so interested in.
"My people. Today is a momentous day for us all." The king began, his voice raspy and dry like his face, "It is the beginning of a new era for our kingdom. My only son, His Royal Highness, Prince Randar of Bakos and Duke of Gredhon and heir to the throne"
"That answers our debate" Zina interrupted, looking pleased with herself, we both shushed her.
"Has found himself a queen" The king continued, "My son" He stood and gestured to the left, a figure sauntered into the shot. Prince Randar.
Standing so near her, I could see the resemblance between him and his mother, the hair and the high cheekbones especially. He was dressed to similar to his father, just in a deep green instead and his longer hair was pushed back neatly, he didn't wear a crown of any kind.
"My king" He swooped into a bow, flicking his dark cape out behind him, King Dolyar put a hand on his shoulder and he rose to level with him despite having a few inches on his father.
"And his bride to be" He gestured a hand to the right where a second figure, a woman, entered. She was beautiful in a yellow gown that hugged her wide hips and small waist. My heart sank to the floor when I saw her bright blonde hair, with the roses threaded through its loose curls, something I hadn't seen her in a while. I stifled a gasp when the king spoke again.
"Lady Anya Chiraz"
Zina made a strange noise that conveyed shock and clamped her hands over her mouth, but I couldn't take my eyes off my sister. She looked healthy, it had only been a week yet she had changed so much, from the loose hair to the new dress, she was like a different person to me. How had my sister gone from being kidnapped to becoming the future queen? What had transpired in the past week and what did Anya know that I didn't?
She approached the king, falling into an elegant curtsy that I didn't doubt she had practised over and over again during the past week. I knew Anya, the only thing she desired more than peace was to fit in and I was assuming that in the capital, curtsying well was important in order to fit in.
As she rose, Prince Randar grinned at her and bile formed in my stomach, he looked at her like she was a prize to be won. But he already had her. She made eye contact with her fiancé, her bright blue eyes glittering with something that resembled hope. I couldn't help but feel bad, my sister looked happy but how could she be? How could she be happy after being taken away from everything she had ever known? After being taken away from me and possibly never seeing me again?
I decided I had a new plan, if Anya was happy there then I wouldn't take her away but I had to check. I had to make sure she was alright before I let her go but something else tugged at me.
I had to say goodbye.
Shakily, I stood her and wiped her hands on my trousers, wrapping my jacket around myself tighter and taking a deep breath.
"They're still talking" Marco reminded me but I just shook my head, I needed time to process all the information that was shoved down my throat. My ears were ringing as I shouldered the door open, the impact of the engagement hitting me like a sack of bricks. I stumbled out into the hallway and like a zombie down it, not even bothering to look at where I was going.
Thankfully it was quiet and no one was around to laugh or ask me if I was alright when clearly I wasn't. Once I knew I was far enough away from Zina and Marco, I leaned against the closest wall, breathing heavily and clutching at my jacket, at Anya's jacket.
Suddenly, everything became too much and I cracked, sliding to the floor and putting my head in my hands, willing the tears to come but they didn't. I cursed loudly, even in painful situations I didn't cry and emotional pain was no different. I felt more emotionless than Cephenrene, sitting on that floor in a heap of emotions with no physical proof.
A hand attached to person I hadn't even seen approach landed on my shoulder and I looked up slowly.
Will was kneeling down in front of me, his face pinched with worry and I tried to change my expression to anger to hide the truth.
"I heard" He whispered, I swallowed heavily, this boy had been in my life for only a few days yet I felt like I could be vulnerable. However, my mindset didn't allow that.
"I don't understand" I replied, and it was true, how Anya could be engaged to Prince Randar in the same amount of time I'd managed to hold a sword properly.
"I know" Will nodded, I didn't even flinch when he took my hand gently, "Remember what you said, you're going to get her back"
"But what if she doesn't want to then it's pointless" I said with a shaky voice, "Then me being here is pointless"
"You couldn't be further from the truth" He whispered, "Everyone here makes a difference, Drea, Prince Randar isn't a nice person. There are stories about him, Anya isn't safe with him"
"But she might be happy and then she would despise me for ruining it"
"She could never. She's your sister"
I ran a hand through my loose hair and leaned my head on the wall with a sigh.
"Right. Come here" Will stood up and grabbed my other hand, pulling me up and then into his arms.
I froze.
Will was hugging me and I wasn't pulling away, I couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of being safe and secure in someone's arms.
Strangely, Will pulled away first but kept my hand entwined with his.
"There's somewhere I go when I doubt Cephenrene" and that grabbed my attention, he had doubts like me and all my fear was gone. I was interested in what he was going to tell me.