Wanderess

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Red lines covered the surface of the paper. Blue lines meant potential ally territory; red meant enemy.

The map displayed the entire continent. With the enemy being Malvat and its allies.

As for Solas and its potentials. They weren't looking to great. Either the cities were classified as likely to ally against the Angels or would be simply too scared to go against the Demons. The latter being the majority.

Theodore Ayer stressed over the map of his lands. Hands braced on either side of the table. The King seemed to have aged decades in the last week; with the Becoming ceremony, training his youngest daughter and now with the attack of Lia. The King was tired beyond belief. Hearing footsteps approach, he could tell it was his daughter, the Princess of Solas- by the clicking of delicate heels. There would only be one person who would come into the council room during times such as this. One person who would wear heels doing so anyway.

The Princess of Light entered the room, commanding every eye and all attention to herself. The way a true Queen would. Despite how the King was the only other person in the room, the effect did not lessen. The Guards stationed outside the room watched as she strode in, the aura she emitted was one of power evidently. Pride flickered in the King's chest.

Despite all that occurred with Isa, his eldest daughter- he couldn't be more grateful that his daughter Fayre was to assume the throne. She would truly be a Queen to change the world. Her Ascension tales will be told for millennia to come he had no doubt.

"Hello Daughter."

"Good Morning Father." A slight nod in respect. An informal greeting on both behalves. Here, alone- they were not King and Heir. Here, they were simply father and daughter.

"How did you sleep Princess? Not too troubled after the events at Lia yesterday, I hope?"

The Princess's eyes trailed to the map laid out atop the table in the centre of the small room. Pausing before answering her father, the young woman tried to speak- but no words came out. Instead she simply nodded once, her father understanding the difficulty behind the gesture. He moved to place a hand on her shoulder. A calming gesture, one of comfort for the young heir.

"What's this, Old Man?" Attempting to lighten the heavy atmosphere suffocating the small room, Fayre made a joke.

Her Father laughed loudly, the sound music to her ears, especially after the night she had. "This, young Queen- is the continent. I am trying to discern wo can be trusted, and who cannot."

She looked to her Father in surprise, "You think it will come to war." It wasn't a question.

The King looked solemn as he studied the map, avoiding his daughters questioning gaze.

"War is always a looming threat when Malvat is concerned. I am simply preparing for the inevitable day to come."

So that was that then. The King believed they were at war or would be soon. The alarming number of red on the map scared Fayre more than she would allow her face to show. Keeping a calm and collected mask, she asked, "How can I help?"

****

They had been pouring over the map for hours, Fayre's back stiff and sore from bending over the old paper for so long. She could only image how the King was feeling, seeing as he was over a century old.

It was odd to think about, how Fayre would live- if she was lucky- to be a few centuries old. She would see so many fall, and so many be given life. She would command armies and she would restore peace. She would see the world turn again and again, and she wasn't sure how to feel about it.