The Lost Piece

Chapter Five

...

Alpha Civilis found herself heading to meet with Empress Ellen that morning, her cloak flying around her body as she took careful steps against the stone path. Many people stopped when they saw her and occasionally bow. In turn and respect she would often smile gently at them, but that didn't occur now.

She knew that Ellen had something up her sleeve and that was all that was on her mind.

So when she arrived at the palace early that morning, she wasn't at all surprised to see that Ellen was already ready to meet her. She was seen standing in front of a table, her arms folded and eyes closed as though she was thinking about something.

"Good morning, Ellen," Attia casually greeted her as she walked over to the aging woman in front of her. "I am here, per your request."

"I prefer Empress," Ellen said before opening her eyes and turning to Attia. "There is going to be a Council meeting soon, I am sure you are aware of the fact that we are going to be discussing a few things. It will be a long meeting, I simply needed to discuss a different matter with you first."

"Of course, that's why I'm here."

Ellen glanced at the guards around the room and nodded to them before they left. It made Attia grow confused since very rarely were the guards dismissed during one of their conversations. It did make a lot more sense, however, when Ellen's hand flew against Attia's cheek and made her stumble backwards.

Attia's silver eyes were wide as she glanced at one's that matched her own. "You idiot girl!" Ellen shouted as she took a few steps away from her, throwing her hands in the air in a rather exasperated manner. "I cannot believe how you dared to speak to me yesterday in front of your Shards! You are lucky to be an Alpha and yet you disrespect the person who gave you that title!"

The younger girl's teeth gritted together, glaring at the woman in front of her. "You can't just walk all over me! You may have bestowed that title to me, but I am the one who had to train for so long working for it, and I am the one who has to prove every day that I am deserving of it!"

Ellen's head snapped back to see Attia's angry expression, her cheek tinted a rouge at the contact but didn't care too much for any mark she left upon the young girl's body. "You idiot," Ellen sighed. "You cannot just stand there and act like I owe you anything. Like I must do anything to meet your requests and your desires. You bow to my command Attia!"

"And you Empress bow to that of the people!" Attia shouted back, not falling to Ellen's manipulative devices. "I am the only one who can deliver those commands to you! After this gem stunt you pulled, I think I deserved the right to be angry with your selfish desires! The people could die and you wouldn't care as long as it didn't affect your riches."

"I didn't marry Alva just to serve the people! I married him to become the most powerful woman in all of Zarial!" Ellen retorted and Attia's face seemed to now be turning red out of anger rather than that individual strike against the cheek.

"You disgust me daily," Attia scoffed. "Amias would be ashamed to see what you have done with his Shards! Commanding them to run out to find you precious stones. Those precious stones, they're all you want!"