The Saintess and the Villainess

Chapter 72

"Elyon is here in person!?" shouted Anne, bursting into the command tent.

Anne and Eva had already left the camp when Elyon arrived, and a soldier had to be sent to chase them down, which is why they were arriving slightly late to the meeting.

At Anne's outburst, Corvina, Sebastian, Prince Elyon, Agis, and Ylyndar all stopped what they were doing to stare at Anne.

"Um... I mean..." said Anne, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head with embarrassment. "Welcome, Prince Elyon, it's an honor to finally meet you in person."

While Anne was babbling, Eva quietly slipped in behind her.

The command tent was a bit of a cluttered mess, which was part of why they hadn't been using it for meetings very often. But it at least had a big conference table in the middle of the space, with an oversized map of the continent on it, so at least it seemed like a vaguely official enough location to host an important guest.

Almost everyone was seated around the conference table, except for Agis, who was instead sitting on a bed in the far corner, his knees pulled up to his chest. He was clearly brooding. Possibly sulking, even.

What's that about? wondered Anne. Agis always acted kind of weird when talking about the other elf princes, but this was a new extreme.

Prince Elyon, who was sitting at the head of the conference table, stood up and gave a shallow bow. "Greetings, Saintess Anne Clearshot. I am the one who is honored by your presence, my sister."

Elyon had said he hated schemers, but obviously he was no stranger to subtle social maneuvering. Anne Clearshot, he had said. Not Coris. It was a clear statement, claiming the Saintess as an elven royal.

"Please, sit with us," said Elyon, gesturing to a chair next to him. Ylyndar actually stood up and moved over a seat in order to make room for her.

Another clear statement. This wasn't his domain, but he was taking command of the situation anyway.

Anne glanced at Corvina, who demurely looked away. So she wasn't going to challenge his assertion of authority.

Well... she must have a good reason. And the rebel army camp was at least partially supported by elven funds and soldiers. So in a way, Elyon did have as much claim to command as anyone else present. Except possibly Agis, who was the official commander of the rebel army. But he seemed to be busy sulking in a corner.

Was it because Elyon was older? But Agis didn't seem like the type to care that much about seniority.

As Anne made her way over to the offered seat, she had to dodge various bits of debris on the ground—discarded clothes, pieces of a broken bow, random crates. Agis, as the head of the rebel army, generally used the tent as his own bedroom, which was the main reason why it was so messy.

Anne flashed everyone a wan smile before taking her seat. Elyon sat back down after she was seated. Eva stood behind her, and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Anne wasn't sure how reassuring she found it, but it was nice of Eva to try to be supportive.

Elyon turned to Corvina. "As I was saying before, I am sympathetic to Prince Sebastian's plight, and I am not saying that I doubt my gifted sister's oracular abilities. I simply do not see how this could be the most straightforward solution to the threat on his life."

"It's not just his life," said Corvina. Her voice was calm and she was smiling, but Anne knew Corvina well enough by now to sense the slight edge of exasperation. "The lives of every elf in the Sacred Forest might hang in the balance. If the Emperor found a way to destroy the barrier—"