KEMARI: LEGACY OF GALOWETH

EPISODE 5: The Council

It was early dawn in the kingdom capital, shops were finally being opened after the long night and the people of Traliseth got ready to go about their daily duties. It was the same for the castle dwellers; maids and butlers went about tidying and cleaning the massive structure, while cooks and servers prepared food and dining equipment for the morning breakfast. And in the far reaches of the palace, in the royal crypt; home to the past royalty, a young maiden knelt in the dark chamber, she was in the middle of offering a silent prayer to her ancestors, it was a ritual of sort, her mother's people usually offered a prayer to the ancient kings in times of great trouble. Her human family members thought it was a weird practice, but she didn't care about their thoughts on the matter. It was her one solace, her only source of comfort at times such as this, she wouldn't allow anything to stop her ritual. Even if her mother had forgotten the way of her people, she wouldn't. It would live on inside of her until it became her time to join the ancestors. She sometimes wondered if her people's ancestors would claim her as one of their own or if she'd be claimed by the humans. Way too early to be thinking about that and with a final thought she wrapped up her prayer and rose to her feet.

"The Queen calls for you milady" a timid voice quietly said behind her.

Kailia turned to see her personal attendant, a timorous, wiry girl whose name Kailia had never bothered to learn. She made a habit of not fraternising with the help, and that included the mouse of a girl that stood a few steps away wearing the grey and brown standard suit that was issued to the male helpers. Kailia glared at the gasping girl who stared back at her nervously. With naked displeasure she pointed to the ground, expecting the girl to bow before her. And she did, to her pleasure, on all fours and forehead fixed to the stone.

"I beg your forgiveness, milady," The mousy girl cowered, her crimson curls sweeping against the floor.

Kailia turned up her nose with a huff and walked past her "This crypt is a sacred place and isn't open to filthy peasants such as yourself." She stopped and stared at the girl's back in disdain "Get. Out."

Flustered, the girl rose with urgency, attempting to get out of her sight. Kailia denied her escape, yanking her back by the hair. Reigning her in, Kailia battered her neck with a belligerent breath. "Two things that seem to have flown over your dull empty head. One: you never, ever walk before me. Never. And two: I didn't give you permission to stand. Did I?"

She held the girl's chin and turned her head to face hers, their faces only inches apart from each other. Kailia took in her dark brown freckled face then brushed her lips against hers. "Grovel" she whispered, a wicked gleam in her grey eyes alongside a twisted smile. She let go and watched and the girl went back on all fours quailing as she whimpered apologies. Kailia continued towards the exit while the girl followed behind on all fours.

*******

The dining hall was a large room situated in the castle's west wing, and was home to the royal family's dining table. The room was decorated with ornamental plants and expensive works of art in the form of paintings hanging from walls, and elaborately decorated urns. The table lay in the middle of the room, a white long thing with enough seats for twelve, on it was a wide assortment of prepared meals laid along the length. Servers stood at attention, waiting for someone to call for a specific dish. Of the twelve chairs, only three were occupied, the largest one at the head of the table, where Queen Andraste chewed her food silently, the chair to her immediate right was occupied by the bulky frame of Roland, the previous ruler, who was held in place by mighty chains that hooked into the floor. These chains only provided him with enough range of movement to bring his hands to his mouth and back to his dish. And at the far end of the table sat Kailia , who was dressed in a short green dress, her silver hair tied in a ponytail revealing her flawless snowy complexion and pointed ears. Her attendant stood feeding her gently and massaging her throat as she chewed. All while Kailia sat there hands crossed across her bosom, watching her uncle in muted anger.

"Could you please ask your daughter to stop looking at me like that?" Roland sighed as he put down his fork and looked meekly at his sister.

"Kailia?"

"Fuck you"

"She says no" Andraste smiled as she flicked a walnut down the table which smacked Kailia in her forehead eliciting a small scream as she tumbled over backwards in her chair. "she also needs to work on her manners" she chided.