The Karvaile Chronicles: Divided

5 ~ Flora

Flora was sitting in the middle of a calm, pleasant, fancy lunch. She wished for nothing else in that moment but to escape.

"Oh, darling, you must go to Belanger for your gowns, they're simply exquisite! Why, I had my gown for Duchess Prim's last ball, and I was simply showered with compliments!" The wife of the Lord of the Quared region of Karved, speaking to the daughter of the elderly Senator Fiscus of Karven.

On the positive side of things, they didn't seem to care about the political squabbles. On the negative side of things, they didn't care at all about the political squabbles.

Flora was slowly being driven insane. They're talking about ball gowns and parties and what personal chefs are best. Is this all they care about? Flora had migrated to the area of the large parlor with the older women, expecting more mature conversation than her giggling royal peers. In that group the discussion had been about the best methods of flirting with cute boys, and which were "hottest," in addition to the frivolous clothing talk.

They were part of the upper class merely because of family members who were Dukes or Duchess' or Senators. They didn't actually rule over anything, they did nothing but soak up the benefits of being rich and not bother to look past their powdered noses towards the rest of the world. Flora felt woefully out of place. Her entire life lately had been considering the entire planet, making tough decisions, worrying about the future. Then, here were these women, fretting over which floral arrangement would best suit the color scheme of their mansion's foyer. How can they sit here making pointless chit chat when the planet is hovering dangerously on the verge of civil war?

For now, the conflict was solely a verbal one, in the Senate. A separation of ideals had placed a barrier between two. It hadn't escalated past the shouting matches, such as the one earlier in the day. Yet, someone taking further action was constantly a danger. Flora was determined to prevent it.

She zoned out of the conversation, which had moved on to shoes, and sank deep into thought. The Senate had to act fast. But they never acted fast, and wouldn't start now, not with something this major. She would have to give them an ultimatum to decide and start building their defenses in case an attack came before they made up their minds. Which was likely.

Flora had already begun mentally drafting a speech when she was yanked out of her train of thought by a server holding a platter of finger foods out, offering some.

"Oscrab tartlet, your majesty?"

"No, no thank you," she replied waving away the tray. She was far too preoccupied to worry about food. She had merely picked at the plate she had been handed at the beginning. She sighed to herself, glazed over eyes staring at the chattering women.

"Boring, isn't it?" said a girl, plopping down in the chair beside Flora. Flora looked over, perking up. She had dark hair and wore a simple dress, blue with white embroidery at the edges, and dark hair pulled out of her face. "They talk about the silliest things, don't they?" The girl looked straight at Flora, nodding over in the direction of the group, who were unaware of the conversation taking place next to them.

"Finding it a little hard to connect too, huh?" Flora said with a smile.

"Yeah, tell me about it. At least the food's good." She tossed an Oscrab tartlet in her mouth, and Flora realized that there was a small stack of them on the table next to the girl.

"I don't believe we've met," Flora said.

"Tya. Short for Tymarin, but who'd ever take the time to say that?" She laughed, and Flora joined her. "I rarely come to these functions, not my type of thing. Though, I guess you're kind of obligated to."