The First Queen

12 - Crowned King

"Nyx!" I gasped and she jumped up in fright before swishing her tail behind her, "Where is Athena?"

Nyx started to bound towards the palace doors and I huffed to catch up with the small yet zestful feline who portrays leaping onto columns and across rooftops as effortless.

The cat planted herself in front of a long building and swished her tail behind her in excitement. I shoved open the doors and was met by at least a couple dozen guards staring at me with bewilderment and confusion.

I keeled over and panted as Athena pushed her way through the crowd and ushered me to a bench along the wall.

"Are you well, Your Highness?" She wondered as Nyx wound her way through our legs.

"I... Have something... Important... To tell you..." I wheezed, catching my breath.

"About?" Athena questioned and I looked her in the eye.

"Duke Derrock's murder," I informed her and she cocked a brow before waving her men out of the building.

She sat beside me despite the lump of hair between us that meowed and hissed in a fit of pique at the lack of care Athena displayed for her.

"What have you found?" She pressed me and I shook my head in discomfort.

"It was him... He did it..." I sighed and Athena furrowed her brows.

"Who did it?" She asked and I gazed into her eyes.

"Julius." I gulped and she looked taken aback.

"How do you know this?" Athena questioned and I leaned against the wall.

"The letter... Know your place or I'll expose you for the fake that you are." I repeated and she shook her head in disbelief.

"I want--" Athena began but was cut off by the front doors being wildly thrown open.

An anxious yet still graceful Aliana sauntered inside, looked around before finally landing on Athena and I and then strutted over to the bench.

"My Lady--" she started but I paused her.

"Elia. Please." I corrected and her eye roll was so strong, I'm surprised she didn't injure herself.

"Elia, I have finally come to my senses and remembered your coronation! We have so much to work on! Your dancing, curtsying and even your dresses! A good queen never wears the same dress more than once." Aliana grinned from ear-to-ear, clearly loving this side of court-life, me on the other hand... Not so much. "I hope I'm not interrupting, Captain."

"Not at all. We'll continue this conversation later, Your Highness." Athena nodded in respect, getting to her feet and bowing to both Aliana and I before taking her leave.

"Is all of this 'training' a necessity?" I asked Aliana and her gasp was so dramatic it could pass for a one-woman play.

"...I'm going to pretend I didn't just hear that. Come! Dallin is awaiting us in that quaint little Centyre shop. He has quite the eye for fashion, that courtesan, so you are rather lucky, Your Highness." Aliana assured me, curling her fingers around my wrist and hauling me out of the large training building and down the streets to a corner store in the Centyre District.

Dallin saw us and bowed with an overdramatic flourish before whisking me inside to browse the silk and satin gowns hanging on racks. He immediately went straight for the pale white, gold and red dresses which are symbolic of the Azumond colours.

"Now, we want you to look like a queen consort of Azumond Country but we also don't want you to look like one of those disgraced 'nobles' from House Azumond." He spoke to himself more so than I.