Nocturne

☾ Chapter Twenty-Nine ~ Nocturne ☽

 They exited to jeers and shouts.

Nocturne walked a half step behind Asa. The queen of Artemis held her head high and walked with a steady grace Nocturne attempted to imitate.

It reminded Nocturne of that day, the day this all had begun, the day when Asa was supposed to dedicate herself to Sol but chose Luna instead. Somehow, it had only been about a month. Time passes slow, but people age fast under circumstances like these. Of the many signs and screams insulting Nocturne and Asa, not one mentioned their age.

The white-robed Sanctimonium remained silent when the newly crowned King Aelius and Lord Arun passed by, flanked by their guards. Some even saluted. But when Nocturne and Asa approached, they revived their chanting with a new vigour. Emmie, who had volunteered to be Asa and Nocturne's guard, kept one hand on one of her swords, ready to draw it at a moments notice.

It wasn't exactly the most comforting thing in the world.

Some of the Sanctimonium protesters attempted to push forwards into the gap where they walked. The guards lining the walkway were able to keep them back, but Nocturne was still concerned. What would happen if they decided to swarm them, and actually tried to break through? Would the guards be able to stop them? Would they even be willing?

Emmie was already getting a lot of suspicion from her fellow guard for being so willing to escort the Lunar Revivalists. While many members of the royal guard were supportive or ambivalent towards the Lunars, many were not.

Nocturne took a deep breath and kept moving. It was okay. It would all be okay. The Sanctimonium was just a moment, not a movement. They were only people who were a little afraid of change, that was all. They would never do anything to actually hurt anyone!

Would they?

There was a flash of colour from Nocturne's left. A white-robed member of the crowd reached up and threw a bright red fruit at them. At Asa.

Emmie's sword flashed through the air and caught the tomato in flight, slicing it up and sending it flying back towards the crowd to land, filthy and useless, in the dirt between the paving stones.

Mousy brown hair fell across Emmie's face as she turned to Asa, head bowed slightly. "Are you alright, Your Highness?" Asa nodded, trying to conceal her shock. "Yes. Thank you."

Emmie bowed slightly and continued walking, and the startled procession soon followed.

The red fruit juice dripped down Emmie's blade.

This was going to be a long few weeks, Nocturne thought.