Grief

Chapter 7

"The meeting may now commence," Janvi says from the end of the long table. A meeting of royal advisors as well as the royal family was now beginning. The meeting usually held once a month was now being held a second time this month by Janvi's orders. The usually dimly lit hallway is bright as the sun peaks through the opened curtains. Calleen, Janvi's wife sits to the right of him beside Arthur, the family's advisor, and Sebastian, the head knight. Sepha, Eden, Zeala, and Vincent sit opposite them.

Zeala looks at Sepha her skin is brown like hers and she has her nose. Here the woman sat that she'd so desperately wanted to meet for nineteen long years. Her presence commanded respect as she simply sat at the table. The anxiousness that Zeala had felt builds up the more that she looks at her and she can tell that this is going to be a long meeting if she cannot get it together. Vincent glances at the girl, noticing the frown on her face he kicks her under the table causing her to glare at him.

"My coronation is scheduled to be two days from now. How is public opinion currently?" Janvi asks.

"Most are in favor of the coronation. Those that are not simply are not pleased with the pace of things. The people are still mourning the loss of former king Mondel," Arthur states. The man only fourty years of age has a gray beard and hair loss from the stress of being Jeuntal's sole advisor.

"Should we postpone the ceremony?" Sepha asks. "No, we need to crown a king, it's in the best interest of everybody that we do so as soon as possible. Even with the war over, there are still damages that we need to see to," Arthur explains.

"The coronation will proceed as originally planned. What's next on the agenda?" Janvi declares. "Sozec's marriage is being prepared. How are things with Villod?" Sepha asks suddenly.

Zeala who'd been sitting quietly listening suddenly speaks up at the mention of Sozec's name. "Mother, I do not wish to marry now," she says.

Vincent pinches the side of Zeala urging her to stop.

"It is not in my interest to marry at the moment. There are other ways of making myself useful is there not?" Zeala asks.

"Sozec?" Sepha asks a confused look crossing her face briefly.

Sozec would never speak out of turn in these meetings so it was quite strange to see him speak now in fact he rarely spoke at all at these meetings so to hear him speak at all was surprising to the people present.

"Sozec is still a bit sick, he doesn't mean the things he has said," Vincent states. The crowd chuckles in agreement dismissing Zeala's comment and turning their attention back to Sepha.

"I meant every word I said. I do not wish to be married," Zeala says now standing. "Sozec, we will talk about this later. Right now you are in no position to speak. We have just ended a long war and this is the only way to restore trust between Villod and Jeuntal," Sepha says slamming her hands on the table.

Zeala looks over to her determined mother. "I apologize, mother, It is as Sir Vincent says. I am overwhelmed from my illness. I should sleep and restore my strength. I was merely speaking in the moment," Zeala says retreating to her seat and avoiding eye contact with the brazen woman.

You have three sons, two of which are unmarried. In any circumstances I could think of, Eden would be next in line to marry so why must Sozec be married off first?

"Is there anything else that should be addressed while we are all seated here today?" Janvi asks.

"We will embark on our mission to restore Villod with its new king following the coronation. The casualties are great in Villoid so let it be known that this mission will not be carried out without animosity from its people." Sebastian announces.