Invited

Chapter 1: Summoning

"Layla, are you here?" asked Basilisk, as he opened the library doors.

"Back here, Basilisk!"

Basilisk followed the voice to the back of the library. Layla had her eyes glued to the pages in front of her, fixated on the story.

"Why are you laying on your stomach on the floor? You know Lady Rebecca would scold you over being a proper lady." Basilisk walked over to Layla, offering his hand to her. "Would you get into a chair, before you get us both in trouble?"

Layla took Basilisk's offered hand, allowing him to guide her from the floor to the nearest chair, her eyes never leaving the page. Basilisk then hands her a bookmark, before clearing his throat.

As soon as he caught her full attention, she turned away from the book to face Basilisk.

"Am I being summoned?" Layla places the bookmark into her beloved book. She shifts her attention to Basilisk as she closes the book's cover on her page and places the item into her lap.

Basilisk nodded in her direction. "Lady Rebecca is calling you to her office. You need to start choosing the representatives for your Council Selection."

Sighing, Layla places her book on a nearby table. "What if I don't want to have a Council? What if I ask her to let me lea-"

Basilisk cut her off, shaking his head. Knowing the answer to that question already, he tried to change the subject without upsetting Layla.

"What story were you reading?" he asked, pointing to the previously left book on the table behind them.

"Just a story about forgotten princesses and knights saving her. The typical fairytale." Layla shrugged off the question, furrowing her brows at the man next to her.

"Did you try to change the subject?" She lightly nudged Basilisk's shoulders to continue his thought.

"I want you to think of the positive. There will be all the new people you will be able to meet during your Council selection. Maybe you'll meet that special person who would give you more than you could ever imagine one day."

Layla closed her eyes, ready to express the sadness that came from those words. To avoid that moment, she chose to look towards the books instead. "Only the books would be able to do that."

Basilisk lowered to be at her level, giving her a longing look. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her for a quick second, before returning to his previous position.

As they both readied themselves to exit the library, a slight crackling started to sound from the speaker above their heads.

It was Basilisk's turn to sigh. He had taken too much time. Preparing for the worst, he braced himself for the upcoming announcement.

A voice boomed through the room. "SILVER OF LAYLA. REVEAL YOUR LOCATION AT ONCE."

Basilisk dragged himself over to the receiver. Quickly dialing the code to his expected room, he answered to the demands of the sound in the speaker.

"My apologies, Lady Rebecca. I have no excuse for my-"

"I said, LOCATION AT ONCE."

"The library, m'lady."

"As expected. Bring Layla. Do not make me wait."

"Yes. My apologies."

"Incompetent Silver. Be quick now."

A loud clang shook the library from the spoken, ending their private announcement. Layla eased up behind Basilisk, while taking his hand off the receiver.

Holding his hand into her own, she took him to the door. Basilisk gently took his hand away and shook his head.

Layla lowered her eyes, "I got you in trouble, didn't I? I'm sorry."

"Let's go before it gets worse for us." Basilisk opened the door and ushered Layla to the spacious hallway. Turning the corner, they quickly made their way to the office.

Once the two arrived at their destination, Basilisk knocked gently on the wooden door to signal their arrival.

"Enter." replied the voice behind the door.

Basilisk quickly opened the door to allow Layla entrance to meet with Rebecca. Layla curtsies to signify her presence with Basilisk falling to his knees in an act of respect. A looming figure turns to acknowledge the two who just entered the room.

"You're late." Rebecca turns to Layla with a disapproving look in her eyes. Glaring at the young man on the ground, she waves for him to leave.

Basilisk rises from his position and bows once more before leaving the room. As soon as the door shuts behind him, he finds another figure watching him from the other side of the hall.

"Lord Judah," Basilisk nods to the direction of the newly arrived Judah. "Lady Layla is busy with Lady Rebecca at the moment."

"She is there with my mother?" Judah motioned to the room across from them. "Also, drop the Lord Judah. The soundproof upgrades finished this morning. Your 'disrespect' can't be heard." Basilisk chuckled to himself from the sarcastic tone of Judah.

Basilisk then scanned the hall for any eavesdropping, noticing two more silver-haired people rounding the corner to meet them. The female started waving in the direction of Judah and Basilisk.

Basilisk acknowledged their presence with a wave back as the two approached them. "Layla is in the office to discuss her Council Selection decisions." he answered Judah.

Judah rolled his eyes and groaned when he heard "Council Selection" was involved. The female laughed quietly, careful not to show any emotion.

"You are laughing at me, Summer", Judah playfully glared while trying not to laugh at himself. He motioned towards the other silver-haired male, signaling him to come closer.

"Saber, did you bring the invitations? The 'special' one?" He asked.

Saber gave the envelope of invitations he was carrying to Basilisk, stepping away from the door to whisper to the group.

"In there, ready for you. How could I forget the special one you requested? It's for Layla's Council Selection." The door behind him moved in the corner of his eye. Saber quickly backed away when he saw the door creak ever so slightly.

"Understood. I won't disappoint you." Layla curtsied to Rebecca, closing the door behind her. Noticing the four huddled together, Layla tiredly laughed at their tense position.

"Done?" was all Judah could muster, as Layla rushed to his side. She clutched his arm tightly to her, squeezing her eyes shut.

"I'm guessing it went bad." Summer asked, "did you at least get to ask her the question?"

"No." Layla whispered into Judah's arm.

The group sighed together, dispersing at once to their next task. Basilisk, Judah, and Layla headed to the nearby office, which belonged to Layla. Saber and Summer said their goodbyes for the afternoon, while heading to the other direction to prepare for the upcoming Council Selection.