Starlight Court

3- The Half Day

My family sit in our meeting room.

The room exudes an air of regal elegance, of luxury and a divine richness. The family meeting room is spacious, with high vaulted ceilings adorned with intricate carvings of past warfare, celestial Gods and symbols. Sunlight streams in through the high-arched windows, casting warm, golden rays across the room and illuminating the rich tapestries clinging to the deep red walls.

A long, polished table stretches down the center of the room, flanked by the high-back chairs my father, mother and sister are each sat in. At the head of the table, of course, is my father. King Regil, noble and dignified. His silver hair glimmers like starlight, swept back by a weathered brow, a marring scar slashes through the his right eye, a whitened pupil left behind. His presence is strong, warm, radiating with authority and intellect.

He is the first to notice me, my mother and sister caught in a heated conversation. He gestures, welcoming me to the table and I join them. My father looks at me as I make my way to the empty seat next to him and across from my mother. There's a sense of urgency in his eyes but the food on the table grabs my attention first.

The table is set with an array of dishes and delicacies, fresh and plump fruit are bursting from a golden bowl that sits in the middle of the table, vines of Wintermint wrapped and curled around the fruit, its own symphony of reds, oranges and greens. There are pastries and steaming cups of fragrant teas. Meats oozing juices that waft deliciously into my nose and eggs perfectly fried atop toast. I'm shoveling food faster than I can think.

"Lyra!" My mother scolds. Her eyes are squinted at me, a look of disgust on her face. My face heats.

"Sorry," I mumble around a mouthful of food. I wipe at my face as I finish eating. My sister chuckles next to me.

I glare at her as my father says, "I know you must have had a rough night." His voice is concerned, serious, a tone that he uses only when seeking advice from the Stellariums.

"But, last night was no ordinary attack as you know already, Orion has briefed me on his knowledge and what the Knights have relayed."

I swallow. The room is tense now, the food on my plate long forgotten as I stare into the eye that was left behind. Green and swirling with apprehension. "The fall of Vega can only mean something devastating is upon us," he says finally. He watches me carefully, garnering my reaction to this news. My mother and sister sit silently, possibly already knowing this information.

"There was great damage to the royal courtyard and many civilians have been harmed but no casualties have been reported thus far. To think, a night meant for the celebration of freedom and relaxation was doomed so quickly."

"Your father is planning to consult the Starlight Court this afternoon," my mother says. Her voice is low and warm, soothing the sting of the news the king has delivered.

"I want to come with you," I say quicker than I can ration. My father's eyebrows jump in surprise but he quickly relaxes.

"Ah yes, you would not be the strong warrior that you are if I did not consider bringing you." He nods promptly.

"Do you think it could have been because of Ulbinates?" I manage to ask. My mother tenses and my sister gasps.

"Lyra," Elara hisses from my side. No one dared uttered the name of the Giant Ones, afraid it could awaken them from their forty year slumber.

My father ignores my question, "We will bring Orion and a few other Knights that are worthy for the trip, I imagine we will be gone for half the day, so pack light. We will leave in an hour." I nod, accepting that this is not something I'll get an answer to now. The Stellariums must know. I push back from the table, glancing at my mom and sister, they sit with their heads low and do not say anything as I make my way to my room.