Invited

Chapter 18: Documentation

Layla heard a familiar knock on her door. She had just finished lunch, and returned to her room. This was the day she would start her Council Selection, the day she was supposed to meet the one and only Solice Aion. Nobles would be coming any second now, and she was well prepared for them.

She came to her door, and pulled it open slightly. Behind the door, Basilisk stood a great distance away.

"I have someone who would like to meet you." Basilisk waited for Layla to come out of her room, he went to shut the door behind her.

As usual, they walked together, with Basilisk guiding her to the entrance of the estate. They reached the staircase leading down to the common area, where there stood an older man. The hood of his cloak covering the top of his face.

Layla could barely make out the features of the man from the second floor they were on. The two of them went down the stairs, Layla taking her steps slower to avoid tripping over her dress. The floor length of her dress made it nearly impossible to walk reasonably on stairs. Basilisk made sure Layla was able to make it down the complete way, before he was to reach the man standing there by himself.

"M'lady, this is the History Keeper sent to document your Council Selection." Basilisk, taking on a more formal tone, moved to the side to allow Layla room to interact with this new individual.

"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Layla." The man removed his hood, laying it flat against his back. He pushed away the sides of his cloak, bowing to Layla.

"What's your name?" Layla asked, watching as the man returned to his prior position.

"Taka." He replied simply.

Basilisk joined into the conversation, making an attempt to catch both their attention. "Taka was selected by Lady Rebecca for his impeccable skill in his role as a History Keeper. He will be here for the entirety of your Council Selection, and he made it a point to be here early today to meet all of your participants, Lady Layla."

Taka then reached into the bag that slung over his shoulders, bringing out a hardback book. The words "Lady Layla Azure" in gold lettering shone against the dark brown color of the cover.

"Your record book, m'lady." Taka handed the item over to Basilisk, letting him check the authenticity of the book.

"I'll need the complete list of her participants in order to get back to Region 6 tonight, and bring their books here as well." Taka told Basilisk, who was still flipping through the pages.

"Not an issue at all. I could get that for you before we start greeting the guests. Right this way, Taka." Basilisk handed back the book to Taka. Turning to Layla, he bowed to her reluctantly.

"I'll have another Silver escort you back to your room." He said, walking over to the closest receiver he could find.

"Silver by the name of Summer, report to the staircase immediately." Basilisk semi-yelled into the receiver, before putting it back in its place.

Summer quickly appeared in one of the halls close to them, rushing to Layla's side. From the tone of Basilisk in his call, she knew they had to keep up their formalities for the sake of their guest.

Without another word, Basilisk led away Taka, with Summer escorting Layla back to her room.

Basilisk and Taka walked down a narrow, plain hallway that led up to a large doorway in the back of the estate. There, Basilisk opened the door for Taka, letting the older man in first. The larger than average room, full of small desks and chairs, was full of people with silver hair. Each Silver in there was either at a desk, or talking to another Silver. Basilisk went his way towards a neatly stacked pile of papers that was set on a desk closest to the door. A plaque sat next to the pile of papers.

Taka attempted to read what the plaque said, as he could only see "Basilisk" written on it. The rest was covered by the papers next to it.

"Here is the list for you, Taka." Basilisk interrupted Taka's attempt to see the rest of the plaque, unknowingly covering it more from the acceptance letters that were in his hands.

Taka snapped back to see the papers filled with signatures in front of him. "Could you read them to me, while I write it in Lady Layla's record book?"

"Of course, what information do you need?" Basilisk asked, straightening the papers in his hands.

"The full names, title included. Also, which seat they were assigned." Taka took out the brown book from before out of his bag again, also pulling out a large pen. He opened the book to the page labeled as "Council Selection", and looked at Basilisk to indicate he could begin.

"One problem," Basilisk started, "the eighth seat is filled by two people who are from Region 15."

Taka paused his writing, looking straight at Basilisk with wide eyes. "The eighth seat is filled by who? Region 15 citizens? Did I hear that right?" 

"I can explain after we get this list done. The guests will be here any minute." Basilisk quickly shuffled the papers again, making sure to put the acceptance letter from Solice Aion to the bottom of the stack.

They spent the next several minutes listing each of the seats, making any notes they needed to. It finally got down to the last three seats of the list, the final one being the hardest to explain to someone who had just met Layla moments before.

"Seat 6 is held by Lady Tessalia Carsten, seat 7 is held by Lord Taven Casimier," Basilisk paused for a second to switch to the last letter, "and finally, the hardest one to explain, seat 8 is held jointly by two Region 15 citizens."

"Their names?" Taka patiently asked.

"Xander Fiore, and Kite Oswald." Basilisk answered.

"Who was the original one that was invited?" Taka glanced over the paper in Basilisk's hand, looking to find the original holder's name.

"It's Solice Aion, of Region 15." Basilisk turned the paper around to show Taka where Solice's name was labeled at the top.

"Solice Aion, of Region 15..." Taka repeated, before staring straight into his book with a blank look, "the famous singer of the duo ASEND? THAT Solice Aion?"

"The one and only." Basilisk shrugged, placing his papers back onto the desk.

"Forgive my rudeness, but why would Lady Layla Azure invite a Region 15 singer to her Council Selection?" Taka placed the attached bookmark onto the page and closed his book.

"It's not my place to say, you'll have to ask her yourself. I'm merely her Silver." Basilisk began to walk towards the large doors behind them. "It's almost time for the first guest to arrive, we must hurry."