Broken But Unburnt

Chapter 12 - Gisella

Chapter 12: Gisella

The City of Klille, Capital of Karil

The city was most beautiful in the earliest morning hours when the sun had not quite risen and the moon had not quite disappeared. Before the filth and stench of the humans that inhabited it could reach that horrific afternoon reek. And everything sparkled in that light, particularly when it had just rained and especially the stunning gold, silver, and copper woven into the palace facade. The roof of the Cathedral of Saint Gatlin was the best place to sit and watch the sunrise and she had done so for three days now, every day since the death of the king and the chaos that followed. She'd hated being in the palace in the mornings, when pages were running to and fro with messages that they weren't sure who to deliver to, when guards were questioning anyone who came within half a mile of the palace, tossing them out for lack of identification they'd never been required to carry before.

Karil was in turmoil. The country that Gisella had served her entire life was now facing more pressure than it ever had before. And she was sitting on the cathedral roof, watching it all fall apart.

The assassin reached up and wiped a hot tear from her cheek. This was the reason she had come up here in the early morning hours every day since the King had died. She couldn't grieve properly in her rooms. Sara would make a fuss or someone important would see and she couldn't risk any damage being done to her heartless reputation. But the King had been more to her than the King she had served. He had been the closest thing she had ever had to a father. And perhaps he hadn't raised her in the gentlest of ways. But he had loved her mother and, since she had died, he was all Gisella had.

So she mourned him. In the dark of night, away from the palace where anyone could see, she allowed the tears to come, hoping that if she did, they would subside sooner rather than later. And already, three days in, they were lessening. But the task ahead was looming and Gisella knew her country would need to be rebuilt. But for the first time, she wasn't sure what her role in that would be.

Gisella had been allowed in the palace because of the use the king had found for her and the respect she had earned from the general. But the King was dead and no one had seen the general since the assassination. Prince Nicolas wasn't Gisella's biggest fan and that was putting it mildly. Then there was the fact that this strange Captain had seemed to have taken over the entire Karilish forces, both inside and out of the palace. So despite the years of her life that she'd spent collecting favors and making herself useful, none of it mattered now because the two people with the most power either hated her or owed her nothing.

When the cathedral rang its first bell of the day, Gisella descended the tower to the streets below and made her way, with the morning throng, toward the palace. She was admitted upon first glance and passed through the familiar halls until she reached her own rooms. Sara was standing in front of the door, watching her carefully as if afraid that she would break apart at any moment. Perhaps she hadn't been able to fool the servant so easily.

"The Pr– King has called court, my lady," Sara said and Gisella stopped in her tracks, turning to face her.

"Now?" she asked. Sara nodded. Gisella muttered a curse and turned away from the warm bath she was certain was waiting for her and joined the others whom she now realized were making their way slowly to the throne room.

Most of the court were still dressed in black, mourning the late king. Tradition dictated that they would do that until a new one was crowned. Gisella wondered absentmindedly if they were heading to a coronation now. It wouldn't be unlike Nicolas to keep her so far out of the loop that she wouldn't even have knowledge of a coronation. But he would have made a grander deal of it than this. After all, lavish parties and excessive celebrations were the prince's favorite things.