The Heirs

Chapter 24- Wisps and Shadows

the very loveliest hour that shines,
is in that deep blue sky;
the golden sun of June declines,
it has not caught her eye.
the cheerful lawn, and unclosed gate,
the white road, far away,
in vain for her light footsteps wait,
she comes not forth to-day.
-

Selene had already had a terrible start to the day, with her illogical apocalyptic dream. Then she had ventured out of her chambers clad only in a flimsy nightgown- and, sure, she had been caught out in less than that, but it was hardly fitting for a Princess (and High Queen) to be roaming around half-naked with her face hidden, as though she was on a walk of shame.
Still, this was her castle, and she never let herself be shaken up what others thought, and so she strode to her brother's office, her dupatta-covered head held high and seeming unaffected by the staff's stares and whispers. This wasn't the worst thing which could happen to her- imagine if she had forgotten her dupatta- and the thought cheered her up slightly. She was perfectly fine, and she raised her head even higher, lowering it only when some servant or the other bowed to her.
Then she pushed open Jem's door, and that was when her day really began to go to hell.

"When did you return?" Slamming the door behind her, she made a beeline straight to where the damned Faerie girl was standing- too close to Jem. Much too close.
Narrowing her eyes, the Princess looked between the two of them- they were holding hands- and her suspicion grew, "Were you kissing?"

"What?" Jem immediately pulled away his hand, and backed away, hitting his desk behind him. "No, certainly not. What are you doing here, Sel? Did Perrin manage to catch you?"

"I'm not a stupid Stag, that I'm to be caught." Selene retorted. "I just wanted to check in on you- and you only, not her."

Jade crossed her arms, "I'm only here to help."

Selene snorted, "Right, and I wasn't a married man's mistress."

Jem, forgetting about the letter's contents for a second, stared at his little sister, "You what?"

Ignoring him, she took a step towards the redhead, who- to her credit- didn't move away.
"Why have you returned? Your miraculous charm gave up on you, perhaps? Or you're here to get more blood from us- maybe this time you'll cut our sister too-"

"Selene." Jem warned, seeing that Jade had gone white in fury. "Stop it now, Jade is not the enemy, don't attack her."

Selene whirled around to face them, unable to hold back a laugh.
"No? Alright, I'll leave the smirking bitch alone. Enlighten me, then, as to who is the enemy? Who is poisoning our country? Who is capturing and killing innocents? Who, Jemmy? Who am I supposed to attack?"

The High King pressed his lips into a thin line, before glancing at Jade. Her eyes burned with anger, not passion, and he felt if he asked her, she would tell him to keep the news of the dragon a secret.
It was a good thing he would not ask her, then.
"The dragon has been spotted flying over Galma." He didn't pause to give her a moment to become used to the news, none of them had time to waste. "But that was some days ago, which means it is entirely possible that the dragon has already reached Narnia."

"What, it can turn invisible or something?"

"What can turn invisible?" Came a voice behind her, and Selene turned to Seraphina standing there, in full armour- she wondered where she had got it from, it looked a mix of their mother's plated armour and their father's cloth-chainmail one- and a curious expression on her face. Erielle slunk in behind her. "W-what is it, Jemmy?"

"Sera, I thought you were with General Orieus-"

She nodded, "I was- then Pe-Perrin came to say-"

"Apparently that I was hosting a little get-together in my office." He muttered to himself, before offering his youngest sister a pinched smile. "You look mightily powerful in that armour, Angel. The warriors of Heaven are sure to be proud of the warrior of Narnia."