"Oh this is so nice." Eve purred as the warmth of the hearth killed the cold and fatigue she had felt. Raina pushed Eve into a chair and turned to her great Grandmother.
"Yes it is." Vivian agreed and Raina smiled still holding her Great Grandmother's thin hand in her own. Her face was filled with concern as she turned to a hand maid.
"Can you bring out hot tea please? My blend. Yes the special one." Raina smiled and the maid nodded and tottered off to the kitchen. "Grandma sit down here. It's a comfy chair."
Vivian sat down, her graceful posture tired and weak, having not recovered fully from the dungeon and then having to go on this trip… she was physically at her limits. "Thank you, my darling Raina. My how you've grown." She complimented, it felt like years since she last saw her Great Grandbaby.
"Yes I have. I've also matured. I'm a dragon nanny now and I have responsibilities." Raina proclaimed proudly. Vivian was at a bit of a loss but Kyera smiled.
"That being said, Raina, don't you have afternoon duties love?" Kyera reminded her gently. She really didn't want the child around for the next part of this meeting. Keen would have to be sent away to. "Why don't you take your cousin with you? Keen could help with the dragon chores and you will both be back quicker." Kyera suggested and Raina nodded.
Keen seemed excited as he hugged Vivian then ran out to the garden with Raina. Once they were gone Feya approached Vivian and knelt at her feet. "Please… please tell me what happened? Where is Bastil? Why are you here? The palace has it been overrun?" Begged Feya as she captured Vivian's hands. The older woman looked down at Feya's young face with all the pity in her heart.
"Princess Feya I am so sorry." Vivian whispered cupping her cheek with a sad hand. Just then, Crystalsa and Bryson entered the room to see this spectacle.
"Matriarch Crystalsa, your Grace Becomes you." Mordakai greeted taking her hand and brushing a light kiss over her knuckles. The older woman smiled at his greeting.
"Mordakai, dear friends and family welcome to our home. Luckily it is large enough for this gathering." Crystalsa greeted everyone with a wave of her hand. Alexi and Damar also entered the room behind the two Frost royals.
"Melania and Lalia apologize but the Dryn and Daniel got caught in the blizzard a bit too long and are sick." Alexi excused the wives as the pair entered to greet the ones gathered.
"I think there is a story to be told?" Crystalsa asked looking to Vivian whose expression was grave. It was as though she had aged 50 years in the span of a few moments and crossed into the age of and ancient.
"Yes… Yes I am afraid there is." Eve added, knowing the story from talking to Vivian already. She did not envy Vivian's position but it was her story to tell.
"Will someone please tell me what's going on?!" Feya demanded her voice breaking as tears gathered in her eyes. The fire light caught the tears and the pale planes of her face making them even more pitiful.
"Feya, please calm down. This… isn't going to be easy on any of us." Alexi whispered putting a gentle arm around his sister in law. "Let Grandmother tell the tale."
With that, all eyes turned to Vivian who was struggling to begin. A maid came over and handed her the tea Raina had asked for, serving everyone steins with a small conical lids. Vivian took a sip and with that, she began.
"When my son was shot and all of you made it out using the dragon's coach Bastil and I struggled to contain everything. We managed to calm the fight and get everyone back to safety. Many of the villagers had gone back to their homes to hide. Everything was fairly calm until after the funeral. I even considered calling you all home, but Bastil persuaded me not to. To wait until we knew it was safe. If I knew then what I know now…" her words trailed off in a saddened tone.
"There is no way you could have known. Once the Emperor's body was laid to rest the mourning right was over. It made the land lawless and at that point the castle became part of the forest. The Dark Ones were no longer contained by the Forest Law." Kyera offered, knowing it to be true. She had been so scared before she forgot this detail.