Order of Aria

Chapter Three: The Aftermath

    "Get the queen to safety now!" The group of guards attempt to rush the queen to safety but she pushes through to get back to the throne room's doors.

    "My queen, we need to get you to safety."

    "I can get myself to safety. Sareiros, gather the council members immediately. We're going to be having the council meeting earlier than we thought."

    "Yes, my queen."

    "Make sure anyone who is injured is sent to the healers and that the body, or whatever is left, gets preserved."

    "Of course."

    "What just happened?" The queen and captain turn their heads towards Ronwynn as she speaks.

    "I'm afraid your field training is going to end here Miss Nodelor. It has become too dangerous for you to be involved in today's activities."

    "I'm afraid that I'm going to have to go against you, my queen."

    "You dare disobey the queen's orders?"

    "Yeah, I do. You're going to tell me that after whatever I just witnessed, I'm just supposed to be thrown aside? Not worry about it at all? What about Esme? I'm pretty sure she's going to be busy for a bit with the literal dead guy in there to be able to attend the council meeting and I'm all you have."

    "You may be all we have but, your lack of experience in these matters precedes you in this instance."

    "If my lack of experience limits me to be unable to attend a meeting that I will need to join in the future, then shouldn't I be getting the experience necessary?"

    "Your queen has asked you to step aside at the moment so you shall."

    "Last time I checked Sareiros, you are the captain of the guards. She is the queen who commands me. You don't get-"

    "Being Esmeray's apprentice doesn't give you the status that you think it does child. You will listen to me and the Captain and stop with your disrespect at once. Now head back to your quarters, you're excused from your studies for the day." Ronwynn looks down in frustration and clenches her fists by her sides. The queen and guards rush to complete their orders as they are commanded.

    "Just because I am a child does not give you the right to speak to me that way. Being the queen earns you my respect but not my obedience, being my mentor earns my obedience. I want an explanation as to what is going on and what just happened. I will-"

    "Ronwynn that is enough." Esmeray comes out of the throne room scowling at Ronwynn. "You will listen to the queen and head to your room. You will receive answers when we are ready to give them. Do you understand me?"

    "Yes, I understand you Mage Ravenshire." Ronwynn looks at the ground upset and heads to her room. Esmeray sighs and heads to walk to the war room with the queen.

    "I apologize for her actions. When serious things happen she can get frustrated."

    "I understand her frustrations but you need to teach her to manage them better."

    "I know, she just reminds me of you before everything."

    "I can see it too, but just as you did with me, you must teach her to control her feelings. We don't want any loose magic happening."

    "I hear you. Speaking of magic, we need to get to that meeting now."

    "I agree."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

    "Stupid queen. Stupid Esmeray. Stupid prisoner for exploding." Ronwynn mutters as she throws her clothing around the room. "I just wanted to go to a normal meeting but no! Something big had to happen that I can't even get an explanation for!" Ronwynn gathers her regular clothes and changes into them.

    "I can't even return to my studies because Esmeray is busy with official mage meetings!" Her cloak is angrily being folded. "I doubt I could find any more spells to perfect without her here. Aslocke wouldn't even let me practice any on him. Aslocke! Stars! Why didn't I check on him!" Her cloak is dropped onto her bed as she rushes to get her boots on.

    "Medeis, I hope he's okay. He's one of the guards. How could I forget one of the most important things!" She finishes getting her boots and rushes to the door. As it opens, it reveals a disheveled Aslocke on the other side prepared to knock.

    "Aslocke! Thank the gods you're okay!" She pulls him into a hug. Aslocke is too stunned to hug back. "Are you okay? Goodness Esme rushed me out of the room before I could even register what had happened!" She pulled away from the hug, keeping him at arm's length. He just had a blank stare. She checked him over for any visible injuries, chattering out of nerves the whole time.

    "Medeis Lock, what even happened? First, this guy is talking about being blessed but then the blessing was suicide? I couldn't imagine praising some guy after he basically told me to-"

    "Can we please stop talking about that guy now?" He muttered with a small voice, pulling Ronwynn's hands away from him. She looked at his face with sad eyes, not realizing he too would be affected by a sight like that.

    "I'm sorry Lock, I didn't realize- I forgot- I'm sorry. Are you okay though? Physically?" He nods slowly and gently pushes past her to get into her room. He sets his equipment down and sits in a chair near her bookcase. She closes the door and goes to sit in the chair across from him. He only continues to stare, this time staring into the unlit fireplace in her room.

    "If it makes you feel better, I have the rest of the day free. We could do something to take your mind off of it? Only if you're up to it though."

    "I can't. This is the only free time I have before I have to get to the training grounds for sparring." Her eyes widened in disbelief.

    "What do you mean you still need to get to sparring? You just witnessed a man- you just went through something big and-"

    "You can say it. We just witnessed a man die."

    "You just witnessed a man die and they're still making you train? That's unfair, to you and the others-"

    "The life of a knight is unfair, Ronnie! We still have to train because we are going to witness death all the time! We are going to have to kill people! Me! I'm going to have to become a killer and witness people either fight me or kill themselves because they know they don't stand a chance!" The room went silent at his outburst. He put his head into his hands and sat there gathering himself. Ronwynn gave him a look of sadness, she had never seen him so upset over something.

    "I don't want you to look at me with pity Ronnie. This is something I have to get used to. You might even need to get used to this too. It's the life of the higher-ups." He stands and gathers his equipment from the floor. "I need to head towards the training grounds. I'll see you at dinner if I can."

    Ronwynn gets up to try and help him, "I can help you with this if..." he brushes off her hands and reequips himself. She stands in front of him with her arms crossed unsure of what to do. When he's done he stands at the door, not ready to leave yet.

    "Do you want me to walk with you?" he shakes his head and goes to open the door. "I'll send for you if I need anything." She nods and watches him leave. The door closes and she's left in silence once again. 'There has to be something I can do to help. I can't just sit here and do nothing.' She paces around the room while lost in her thoughts. 'I could head to Esme's study and look for something but she probably has the place enchanted or cursed for things like this. Could I look in the library? No, they wouldn't have any books on 'men bursting into flame' that would be stupid, especially when considering the evil it could be used for.'

    "The forbidden section! That could have something....but, it's probably enchanted too. Maybe I'll just look at fire magic in the regular section? Guess that'll have to do for now." She grabbed a shoulder bag for her findings and headed off to the library.