Nocturne

⚔️ Chapter Thirty-One ~ Emmie ⚔️

Everything was ready. Everything was planned.

They had already obtained all the people that they would need. They had already gotten everything set up. They had positioned everything perfectly. The only thing they needed to do was choose a date, spread the word... and go.

Emmie leaned against a wall, playing with a strand of her hair, as the others talked. She bit her lip.

She'd heard King- no, Duke Arun yelling at King Aelius for not allowing him into the meeting. He'd let a mere guard observe, but not the former king himself!? Surely they needed someone older than 19 to help decide something so important!

Emmie had to admit she saw the ex-king's point. But the new king also had a good one. And in terms of the ages, she felt that it was more because rather than in spite of their youth. Yes, they were all young, but they were not totally inexperienced, and they could bring new ideas to the table.

In reality though, they were all adults in the eyes of the Cities, and all were unavoidable. Queen Asa happened to be sixteen. High Priestesses Aurora and Nocturne as well. They also happened to be performing roles that required them to have a seat at the table.

Emmie knew full well that Duke Arun would never allow anyone but himself or someone he had vetted, and she knew Duke Arun would attempt to take over the meeting, probably by using their ages as leverage. In Emmie's eyes, King Aelius made the right call by refusing the ex-king a seat and instead offering it Duchess Surya, who accepted, but chose to do little more than Emmie herself was doing.

Or was it Lady Surya? After the baffled execution and the subsequent abdication, Duchess Surya was becoming less and less of a 'wife' to Duke Arun. She hadn't really been a spouse in more than name for a long long time, but now Duke Arun had started talking down to her openly, and Duchess Surya had started standing up for herself and distancing herself from her husband.

Emmie sighed and leaned deeper into the wall. Such things were far beyond her station to think about. She accepted a cup of tea from Surya, and prepared to wait.

It was hours before they were ready to leave, and it was less because they were actually done, and more because Lady Aurora's head kept drooping no matter how much of the tea she drank. King Aelius was equally tired, Emmie could see. His eyelids fluttered back open at every five minutes.

For her part, Emmie was more awake than she'd been for most of the day, which she supposed was good. She'd taken up pacing as the discussion struggled to wrap itself up.

Eventually, she'd had enough. A loud thump echoed through the room and cut through the chatter as she stepped forwards and slammed her hands on the table. All eyes were now on her. Shivers wound their way up her spine. She had better find something meaningful to say now.

"Emmie?" King Aelius asked, his eyes round and awake now.

Emmie sighed and reached up to sweep her dull brown hair out of her face. "Look, you already know what you need to do. This isn't that complicated. Just..." She shook her head. "Three days."

She stepped back, trying to conceal how hard her hands were shaking by gripping the handles of her swords. Bowing her head to hide her face, she waited for the other, higher-ranked, nobility to say something, to scold her, to point out some flaw she'd missed.

But instead, they nodded. Murmured affirmatives. Queen Asa turned to Lady Surya, a thoughtful expression on her face. "What do you think, Surya?"

The older woman hesitated, then spoke, her voice soft. "I would agree with the guardsman here."

Emmie stiffened. Guardsman‽ She knew she had the frame of a man, but she wasn't one, and Lady Surya knew that!

She forced herself to calm down before she made a scene. Duchess Surya hadn't meant any offence, she knew. Guardsman was a term used to describe all guards, of any gender. It didn't matter.

Regardless, the ex-queen was still talking. "You're mainly weighing the necessity of ensuring we do have a legitimate place to stay and rule as quickly as possible against the necessity of having enough workers and citizens to make that legitimate place livable, correct? But that will be a long process. It would be best to begin such a project as quickly as possible."

King Aelius leaned forwards. "Yes. If you're thinking what I think you are... Good thinking, Mother."

Lady Surya smiled fondly at her son. "Thank you, dear."

Lady Nocturne tapped her chin thoughtfully. "That would also be the night of the dark moon, which is a powerful night of change and new beginnings," she pointed out.

Queen Asa nodded. "Yes, indeed it is." She leaned backwards in her seat and took another sip of her tea.

"Well then," King Aelius said, rising to his feet. "We are all agreed?"

Every person in the room nodded or murmured an affirmative.

"Then it's settled. Tomorrow, we will send out word, and the day after overmorrow we will head out."

People started getting to their feet and breaking out into soft, tired conversations. "It's too late for you two to be walking all the way back to the House," said Lady Surya in a motherly tone as Nocturne and Aurora attempted to start saying their goodbyes. "You'll have to spend the night here. Besides, we'll need you for the announcement tomorrow."

Lady Aurora nodded and yawned. "Thank you, Surya," she said.

"You can stay in my room," offered Queen Asa. "I have far more room than I need in there."

"That would be lovely. Thanks, Asa," said Lady Nocturne.

Emmie followed the group three paces behind until she reached the turning point where she had to leave them to head to the guard's quarters. She didn't think anyone would notice her leaving, but Lady Aurora called after her. "Leaving us already?"

She bowed her head, a few strands of brown hair blowing into her face. "Yes, my lady. I must return to my sleeping quarters. Do not be concerned, though. There will be plenty of trustworthy guards coming along to replace me in your guardianship."

Lady Aurora laughed. "That's not what we're worried about!"

"We just want to make sure you're okay, is all." Lady Nocturne finished.

Emmie paused. "Oh. Thank you, my lady."

Lady Nocturne stepped just a little closer and smiled. "There's no need for 'lady', alright?" She said, gently. "We're all friends here."

"Besides, it makes me feel so old!" laughed La- Aurora.

Emmie bowed deeply to conceal her blush. "Thank you, L- Nocturne. Aurora."

They waved, smiling. "Good night, Emmie," Nocturne said, smiling softly. If Emmie hadn't known better, she would have thought Nocturne was elder than her. She had an ancient aura around her. Both Chosen did.

"Good night."