Of Gears and Humanity

| 11.2

[DAMIEN]

The room fell silent when the king moved away from all of us. He sounded supporting, willing to just take the situation by the horns, but I could tell by the look on his officials' faces, they all feared him.

Well, almost all of them did. The one across from Elena didn't flinch. He only smiled.

"I see where you're coming from, my Lord, and I will give my respects if this is how you view it." He pushed himself up from the table and looked at me. Now I didn't know what he was looking for. I thought the clothes Elena put me in made me look normal enough.

Then, as I thought of it, I glanced down at my chest and looked over at her. Who had changed my clothes? I thought I'd ask eventually, but the smile on her face must have hurt her cheeks. My question could sit out of a conversation.

"Queen Lina is always missed," the man said before he looked at me. "I hope you will do right by our princess."

He didn't give me the opportunity to say anything as he turned to leave the room. The king stretched out a hand for him to wait, but the official was gone. And as if he was the leader of the group, the others followed after him; but not before giving their king a final bow of respect.

"Well," Elena pushed back in her seat and scooted away from the table, "I think this is all settled and taken care of."

"It is," Theo said, but Marleth said it, too. Both of them had the same look on their faces; not happy about it, but knowing they had to accept it. Elena seemed pleased with it all.

I was more or less stuck in the middle. I had no idea what I'd agreed to. They mentioned steps to a coronation, and honestly, I hadn't thought it would be so hard. Granted, there were no royals back at the Sectors and if machines had to think of someone as a king, it would be Arvon. But there was no court, no government, and definitely no heirs.

It was Arvon, the Attributions, and the success of preservation.

I just happened to be thrown into the mix.

Looking down at my hands, it seemed to happen here, too. I had to frown.

"Well, then," the king cleared his throat as he faced each of us at the table, "I'll prepare the afternoon route, then?"

Afternoon what? Looking around the room, I eyed everyone. Marleth and Theo were also standing; I was the only one who stayed in a chair. But my face was just like theirs; wide eyes, hanging jaws, confused. Granted, I knew I was confused, but each of them knew what this afternoon route was, right? They lived here.

"Afternoon?" Elena's hands smoothed out the wrinkle from the front of her dress as she approached her father. "So soon? I thought there would be a days' preparation for the start of this. Enough time to prepare the roads to the lake—"

Her father turned, his hand rubbing his own shoulder. "We prepared that route the other day." He glanced back at her. "When you didn't go as promised."

"Yes, yes." Elena took another step towards her father. "I know, but couldn't the rains have ruined it?"

He blinked at her. "It hasn't rained."

There were so many expressions on Elena's face, I had to stand and move beside her. The nervousness and fear radiated off her in rays, I fed off of it. I had to fold my arms to hide my pounding heart.

Theo knew. He saw it on my face. Taking one big side step towards me, he leaned in close to say, "This will be interesting."

I looked at him, focused on his face. He didn't smile. His face was firm, even a little worried. The fingers on both of his hands drummed over his arms. His reaction did nothing for how I felt.