Chereads / Kemari / Chapter 5 - The Council

Chapter 5 - The Council

It was early dawn in the kingdom capital, shops were finally being opened after the long night and the people of Traliseth got ready to go about their daily duties. It was the same for the castle dwellers; maids and butlers went about tidying and cleaning the massive structure, while cooks and servers prepared food and dining equipment for the morning breakfast. And in the far reaches of the palace, in the royal crypt; home to the past royalty, a young maiden knelt in the dark chamber, she was in the middle of offering a silent prayer to her ancestors, it was a ritual of sort, her mother's people usually offered a prayer to the ancient kings in times of great trouble. Her human family members thought it was a weird practice, but she didn't care about their thoughts on the matter. It was her one solace, her only source of comfort at times such as this, she wouldn't allow anything to stop her ritual. Even if her mother had forgotten the way of her people, she wouldn't. It would live on inside of her until it became her time to join the ancestors. She sometimes wondered if her people's ancestors would claim her as one of their own or if she'd be claimed by the humans. Way too early to be thinking about that and with a final thought she wrapped up her prayer and rose to her feet.

"The Queen calls for you milady" a timid voice quietly said behind her.

Kailia turned to see her personal attendant, a timorous, wiry girl whose name Kailia had never bothered to learn. She made a habit of not fraternising with the help, and that included the mouse of a girl that stood a few steps away wearing the grey and brown standard suit that was issued to the male helpers. Kailia glared at the gasping girl who stared back at her nervously. With naked displeasure she pointed to the ground, expecting the girl to bow before her. And she did, to her pleasure, on all fours and forehead fixed to the stone.

"I beg your forgiveness, milady," The mousy girl cowered, her crimson curls sweeping against the floor.

Kailia turned up her nose with a huff and walked past her "This crypt is a sacred place and isn't open to filthy peasants such as yourself." She stopped and stared at the girl's back in disdain "Get. Out."

Flustered, the girl rose with urgency, attempting to get out of her sight. Kailia denied her escape, yanking her back by the hair. Reigning her in, Kailia battered her neck with a belligerent breath. "Two things that seem to have flown over your dull empty head. One: you never, ever walk before me. Never. And two: I didn't give you permission to stand. Did I?"

She held the girl's chin and turned her head to face hers, their faces only inches apart from each other. Kailia took in her dark brown freckled face then brushed her lips against hers. "Grovel" she whispered, a wicked gleam in her grey eyes alongside a twisted smile. She let go and watched and the girl went back on all fours quailing as she whimpered apologies. Kailia continued towards the exit while the girl followed behind on all fours.

*******

The dining hall was a large room situated in the castle's west wing, and was home to the royal family's dining table. The room was decorated with ornamental plants and expensive works of art in the form of paintings hanging from walls, and elaborately decorated urns. The table lay in the middle of the room, a white long thing with enough seats for twelve, on it was a wide assortment of prepared meals laid along the length. Servers stood at attention, waiting for someone to call for a specific dish. Of the twelve chairs, only three were occupied, the largest one at the head of the table, where Queen Andraste chewed her food silently, the chair to her immediate right was occupied by the bulky frame of Roland, the previous ruler, who was held in place by mighty chains that hooked into the floor. These chains only provided him with enough range of movement to bring his hands to his mouth and back to his dish. And at the far end of the table sat Kailia , who was dressed in a short green dress, her silver hair tied in a ponytail revealing her flawless snowy complexion and pointed ears. Her attendant stood feeding her gently and massaging her throat as she chewed. All while Kailia sat there hands crossed across her bosom, watching her uncle in muted anger.

"Could you please ask your daughter to stop looking at me like that?" Roland sighed as he put down his fork and looked meekly at his sister.

"Kailia?"

"Fuck you"

"She says no" Andraste smiled as she flicked a walnut down the table which smacked Kailia in her forehead eliciting a small scream as she tumbled over backwards in her chair. "she also needs to work on her manners" she chided.

There was a groan on the floor as Kailia tried to get up, she stared at her attendant.

"Are you just going to stand there, or will you help me up you nitwit?"

The girl scrambled for apologies while she got Kailia up and helped her resettle in her seat. Kailia glared at her mother then pointed at Roland.

"How can you sit there with this piece of shit eating in the same space of us?" she said venomously. "He should have been executed, but instead you have him in a cozy cell, and have him eating his meals with us!" She was fuming at this point, and her uncle's casual demeanor was not helping.

"You're going to pop a blood vessel if you keep that up" Roland resumed his eating while keeping and eye on Kailia. "might fuck up that 'beauty' of yours you try so hard to maintain" he mocked.

"I'm going to fucking kill you" Kailia said through gritted teeth

"Anytime you're ready, Brat"

Andraste stared at Kailia, then at her brother as they stated each other down. She released a frustrating sigh then got up and strode over to a suit of armour behind her brother. There was a sudden shiiiiing and Kailia spun to the source of the sound to see Andraste holding a long obsidian blade in her hands out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Roland struggle against his bonds; a futile effort as it turned out. He settled back down with a growl and spoke. "Now sister…..let's not do anythi-" He was cut off as she quickly strode over and slammed his head down into his bowl, and held him there.

"Quiet" She looked at Kailia and tossed the sword at her, the black blade spun in the air and landing with a thunk as it stuck into the edge of the table before her. "That sword was tainted by the Nyeusi, millennia ago during the second war of realms. One cut is all it would take to end this fool's miserable life."

Kailia stared at her mother in utter shock as Andraste gripped the former king's head while he struggled to free himself, there were a few muffled sounds as he tried to speak. She then stared at the sword which protruded from the table at an angle with the hilt pointed directly at her. She was speechless, and unable to move, her mother saw her hesitation and released Roland, who then made an attempt to say something but thought better of it after his sister shot him an icy glare. Andraste walked and plucked the from the wood then softly spoke to Kailia.

"You couldn't even take the blade, even though you hate him with every fiber of your being, and yet you expect me to be able to do it? Roland might not be my blood, but he is still my brother, and I love him dearly, despite what he's done." She placed a hand on her cheek as she continued "do you think you would have been able to make that tough decision, if you were ever in my place?"

"I'd fucking let the guards kill him instead, you're just a fucking coward." Kailia whispered as she brushed her mother's hand away, she could she the sadness well in her eyes but she didn't care about it, she was too disgusted at her own apparent weakness to care. She turned away from her mother left without saying another word, dragging her attendant behind her. She heard her mother ear her throat behind her, which indicated to her that the Dark Elf had regained her composure.

"Would it be too hard for you to take it easier on Naivara?" The queen called out shaking her head as she went back to her seat "poor girl looks like she hasn't rested in days. Oh! and don't be late to the council meeting"

Kailia slammed the door just as her mother's last words were said, and stormed off. "Don't be late" she repeated mockingly "Take it easier on Naivara. Who the hell is even Naivara?" She asked.

"..,..that's my name milady" her attendant squeaked so low Kailia nearly missed it.

"what?" she spun and glared at her.

"I…I said it is my name…. Naivara I mean" she fumbled

"I don't care what your name is you brainless ninny" Kailia spat "When did I give you permission to speak?" her grey eyes pierced holes into the young lady before her, and the girl looked away suddenly while hanging her head. "And how many times must I tell you not to look away from me!" Kailia raised her hand to strike her but it was suddenly caught by a gauntleted hand.

"Leave us, child" A gruff voice spoke from behind her, Naivara hesitated but a cold gaze and a 'shooing' gesture from Kailia sent her walking away as fast as she could. Kailia turned and came face to face with a steely gaze of an old man with a full gray mane, or at least she thought it was a gaze, the man's eyes were closed as always. He let go of her hand and smiled kindly "Kailia" he nodded.

"Ra'id! Finally, someone I can actually stand talking to" She said happily. The larger man chuckled and patted her on her shoulder, his white tunic shifted a bit and revealed a glimpse of his silver armor beneath. "You must learn to be kinder to your mother, and to that young friend of yours"

"Friend?" Kailia scoffed and turned her back to the old man and walked away "as If I could possibly be friends with that repulsive, lesser being"

Ra'id followed after her and closed the distance in two quick strides then matched steps with her, his arms folded behind his back. "would you mind bringing me to the council room? I swear my eyesight isn't quite what it used to be" Kailia laughed softly at that, and the old man smiled proudly. He always made that joke and somehow she always found it Funny. "I do not know much about that child, but she must think highly of you. Considering she hasn't quit as yet. How long has she been with you again?"

"How should I know? I'm not the idiot's keeper"

"Well your last attendant quit about 3 or 4 months ago, so I'm guessing….."

"The old hag didn't quit, she threw herself out of one of the towers' windows" Kailia cut him off

"And why do you think she did that hmm?" he mused which elicited a quick glare from her "Nevertheless, may her soul find eternal peace in the aether, although I'm fairly certain she was with you for only a few weeks.. and yet little Naivara stays"

"For it's her duty, and serving me gives her otherwise worthless life meaning"

"One can find meaning to their worthless lives without being subjected to the whims of a rotten brat" Their was no hint of malice in his tone only nonchalant cheerfulness. Kailia ignored him and instead marched on in silence before looking to him.

"Ra'id?" She hesitated "May I ask you something?"

"You may, although I cannot promise you an answer" he looked at her quizzically and she smiled back at him.

She opened and closed her mouth a few times as she searched for the words, Ra'id waited patiently as they walked together. "How many was it?" she asked softly.

"I assume you mean the sacrifices?" he looked at her for confirmation then continued when she nodded "First, let me ask you this. Do you really care about those girls, or are you simply looking to fuel your fire of hatred towards your uncle?" she didn't answer, only stared at him through guilty eyes. Ra'id smiled back at her before his face turned serious "Close to three hundred. But before you use that to your advantage....know that no father would have done any different. There isn't a single one who wouldn't raze cities for their little princess, regardless of who got hurt in the process"

"Would you have done the same then?" Kaila smiled meekly, "raze cities for you little girl?"

"I am not a father"

"What about me?"

Ra'id laughed and put an arm around Kailia's shoulder, "I would do the same thing your mother would have done" she laughed with him as they came up on the broad wooden doors to the council room.

*********

"We need to close our gates!" a young man flustering almost as red as his thick head of hair screamed "Traliseth must be closed off from these outsiders. They have done nothing but bring trouble within our walls!" Kailia faced the blood colored high seat, disgust evident in her shrug. Ra'id neighbored her by a semi circular desk, observing in silence.

Orbs fueled by magic clung to the ceiling, casting a cloak of illumination on a hall bare as bones. A small window separated the world outside from what transpired within the walls.

"Those outsiders seek refuge from the outskirts of our kingdom," a plump man scratched his greying beard, his bejeweled rings reflecting the magical radiance. "Vaeren, it is best to remember these little differences before we embarrass ourselves. Do you truly wish to turn our people away?"

"The merchant does not speak without sense," a woman as beautiful as her black revealing robe removed an arrowlike pipe from her lips, the smoke from her nostrils fading in the misty glow of the orbs. "After all," she continued, meeting the smile of the merchant with her intoxicating gaze. "He has been making a hefty profit emptying their pockets."

"What?" the angered merchant knocked over his chair, standing swiftly to defend his honor. "How dare you speak such slander?"

"Only the truth, dear Jaison," she rolled her eyes from left to right.

"Keep my name off your tongue, you dirty whore!"

"A whore that would starve herself before she touches your coin, Vaeren," she replied with intimidating calm.

"Enough!" Kailia screamed slamming the robust desk the next instant, arresting the attention of her arguing audience. Ra'id and a shrouded figure ignored her almost completely. "It sickens me to see clowns such as you in charge of Lanatheas' safety at a time like this."

"The queen's suckling has decided to join us at last," the sultry smoker took another draw, returning her attention elsewhere. "Away, brat, this council isn't for children. Best you trail off in search of that little lover of yours." She said dismissively

"SHE IS NOT MY....." She was cut off by a firm hand on her shoulder, Kailia turned to see Ra'id looking upward. His bronze skin shined in the light and his bald head reflected it perfectly"

"That is enough, my friends" he said sternly "Brat or not, Kailia has a point. That being that this is no place for you to be behaving like children in the middle of a pissing contest. And as for you Shaveira, can you seriously call her a child while behaving in the manner you have been displaying so far?"

"I couldn't agree more uncle" the queen's voice echoed and everyone turned to see Andraste's silhouetted form in the doorway she wore her usual leather pants and corset, her dark grey complexion almost blending in with the shadows. "Congratulations my daughter. For the first time in your life, you were actually among the mature people in the room" Kailia rolled her eyes as her mother walked to the high backed chair in the center of the room and stood tracing her finger along the velvet cushion and sighing before sitting, assuming a lazing position "Alright then, I apologize for my late arrival I had some.... Important matters to deal with. What were you children bickering about now?"

"Vaeren here wishes to close our gates to our own people" Jaison said scornfully as he plucked a ruby ring from his finger and proceeded to polish it with a cloth he seemingly conjured out of nowhere.

"I wish to close our gates to outsiders causing trouble in our streets" Vaeren corrected "We have done enough for these people, and they give nothing in return other than trouble"

Andraste looked to Ra'id and spoke, "Trouble?"

"I assure you, it's nothing serious, as our young councilman here would have you believe" he laced his fingers together and leaned back "There have been a few incidents here and there involving refugees, but it's significantly less dreadful than what our own townsmen do on a daily basis, as well as much less frequent."

"That is not the point…." Vaeren started again but was cut off by Ra'id.

"What might your point be then, young man?"

"I believe the point is that Avrym has become a major problem. Although Vaeren has a twisted way of saying it." The mysterious figure finally spoke, it's voice sounded neither male nor female, but instead like a perfect blend of both.

"That we can all agree on." Andraste sighed and everyone nodded solemnly.

"I don't agree with Vaeren," Shaveira stated, twirling her pipe between her fingers "but eventually we will need to stop accepting refugees. Traliseth can't hold them all and at the rate Avrym's destroying towns and moving in on our territory..." she stopped without going any further, but everyone else understood her.

"Things wouldn't have gotten this far if it wasn't for that idiot king of ours." Jaison said bitterly, which everyone nodded to.

"Speaking of which," Vaeren smiled. "The people's cries for his execution have gotten even louder, the desperately want to see him beheaded for his crimes against their daughters. You're reluctance to do so has started to diminish the people's faith in you."

Andraste rubbed her temples and sighed, it was early, and she was already tired. "how so?"

"Well for starters, they've asked that you abdicate the throne and call Princess Victoria home," he gleamed "she has more claim to it than you ever will"

"Vaeren, I don't believe you are foolish enough to think that's a good idea" Ra'id said sternly "Victoria's marriage to the Nordanian Prince is the peace treaty that keeps Nordania from attacking us. Calling for her would only be a violation of the treaty and would be viewed as an act of war. Something that Lanatheas cannot handle with Avrym's growing horde to worry about"

"Kipofu Ra'id is right" the figure said "As it stands, Nordania is our most powerful ally at the moment"

Everyone stopped to let what was said sink in, then Kailia looked at her mother "Let us just carry on with the execution then"

"I agree" Shaveira muttered. "It has been seven months already, I'm afraid we might end up with a rebellion if we keep delaying. We need to do more to gain the people's trust."

"you mean our queen" Vaeren seethed

"Vaeren" Jaison scoffed "were you always this stupid, or were you clobbered on the head one too many times as a child?"

"I'd wager it's both" Andraste chuckled "haven't I already done enough? I reinstated the royal council, when the people cried that the crown had too much power to do whatever it wanted."

"And what else have you done?" Vaeren insisted

Ra'id looked to Andraste and sighed "I'm afraid he's right, we might need to do something drastic to garner the trust of Lanatheas once again. You aren't really the one they hate Andraste, it's what you represent"

"what do you suggest then, uncle?"

"Drive a spear through Roland's guts?" Kailia offered again with a shrug

"Oh for Xeref's sake! I'm not going to execute my own brother!" She brandished a dagger with a flourish and waved it at the council members "and the next person to bring it up will be leaving without a tongue." She looked around at them in rage, for a few seconds there was no movement as everyone was tense, then Kailia smiled at her and stood.

"You wouldn't actually mutilate your own daughter." She replied smugly, Andraste stared at her, disappointment and disbelief painting her face "Let's....." just then the door burst open and a heavily armored man wearing a horned helmet and carrying a sword barreled through panting heavily, he stood heaving for a few short seconds before then kneeling.

"Urgent…news…Your Grace!" he hastily uttered between breaths "Permission to continue!" his voice boomed throughout the room and the council sat still in shock what could possibly be so important that this impertinent filth would disturb our meeting to tell us? Kailia thought. "Carry on before I release my pent up frustration on you." She heard her mother say.

The knight gulped audibly and caught a few breaths before he continued "There seems to have been another raid on the main road last night. Reports came in earlier this morning with the first visitors about a carriage that seemed to have been attacked, the captain went out to investigate and he found the carriage as well as what he believes to be the guards, as well as the body of Duke Von Strauss…." There was a collective gasp from everyone, including Ra'id himself who was rarely ever fazed. Kailia looked on in terror as the news reached her ears, her heart raced and she was frozen in place, unable to process what she had heard. She was suddenly pulled from her trance when she felt a hand her shoulder, Kailia looked up at Ra'id's towering form, his face stone cold. He patted her shoulder gently then spoke. "What of the Duke's daughter"

"...…No sign of her" He hesitated

"What the fuck do you mean, 'No sign of her'?" Andraste shouted as she flung her dagger at the man at such speed it was barely perceptible, but it was plucked out of the air by the mysterious figure before anyone had noticed it, as they suddenly appeared next to the knight. They tossed the dagger back at Andraste as the knight continued.

"I…..I….It was…our captain sent scouts out to search the area…."

"Found anything worthwhile?" they asked as they shot a disappointed look at Andraste who was now stabbing the arm rest of her chair with gritted teeth.

The knight shook his head, then nodded it before shaking it again and the finally decided that words would be best, "They found some more bodies...ten….marauders the captain thinks, it seems like something viciously mowed through them." The knight gagged at the memory of the gruesome scene he had seen.

"Any other clues?" Ra'id furrowed his brow

"Yes um….they retrieved these…." He handed the sword to the figure who examined the long iron blade carefully, turning it over slowly in their hand, there was a small necklace around the hilt of the sword and they took it and held it up to the light. Kailia dove at the figure and grabbed it from their grasp, she held the necklace in her hands and broke down in tears as she fell to her knees "This is Laura's...." she said meekly. Her mother got up and landed over her in a blur of movement then embraced Kailia's crumpled figure as she broke down.

"What about the sword?" she asked

"Dragon insignia carved into the pommel," the figure said

"Dragon?" Vaeren croaked

"I'd say Avrym is getting too bold" the merchant fidgeted in her chair

"Not Avrym's" The figure replied absently. There was a moment of silence as everyone tried to understand the meaning of that.

"Xeref?" Andraste and Ra'id asked in unison both voices marked with dread as they said the name and the room fell completely silent, everyone knew that name, and the atrocities that followed it.

"No," they replied "Galoweth.....strange"

Their voices drowned out around Kailia as she stared at the necklace in her hands and wept in her mother's warm embrace, until she lost focus and the world fazed out of existence.

She awoke with a start, it was dark out and she found herself in her giant bed, surrounded by her covers. What the hell....when did I get here? Why's it so dark? She sat up slowly and hugged herself silently as she remembered what had transpired earlier she almost started crying but then a voice startled her. "You're awake…." She looked towards the open door that led to the balcony, to see her mother there bathing in the moonlight that washed over her. Kailia watched as Andraste stared out at the moon her white her swaying gently in the soft wind. "Mother...." She slowly said.

"Don't fret Kailia. Ra'id is leading an investigation alongside the city guard and the Shadows, they will find out who murdered the Duke, as well as what happened to Laura…." Kailia's heart sank as she heard her cousin's name. Memories of their time together flashed through her mind and she was brokenhearted. Laura was the last of her cousins she still had close to her, she and her father had just visited the castle to discuss family matters and now this. She searched her clothes for the necklace and after finding it, she held it out in her hand, staring at it her eyes filled with tears. She slowly closed her fist around it and squeezed "...I have to go too" she quietly spoke.

"Excuse me?" her mother was taken aback by Kailia's sudden statement. She spun and stared at her in the semi darkness.

"I need to go find her" Kailia looked from her hands and to her mother who stood there staring back. Andraste's eyes bored holes into her but she refused to look away and stared right back.

"No you fucking won't!" Andraste screamed at her

"And why the fuck not? The last bit of family I have left is out there somewhere, lost, kidnapped or even dead!" Kailia sprang out of bed as she spoke and walked steadily to her mother. "Why would you refuse me my right to help her?"

"Because! you foolish brat, I already sent more qualified personnel to deal with this matter." She suddenly spun and pointed outside. "And I'm not sending my only child out there to fucking die, as much of a fucking pain in my ass you may be!" she lowered her hand and her voice sank with it "I'm only trying to keep you safe Kailia"

"Safe" Kailia tasted the word for a bit before continuing "What could possibly hurt me out there? You and Ra'id have already taught me everything I need to survive. I know how to handle a bow, and my skills with the rapier grow day by day. I can handle myself out there!"

"Kailia....."

"Don't fucking say my name!" Kailia screamed at her. "you say you're just trying to keep me safe….but you never let me out. You won't let me leave the castle for anything. I'm left cooped up here like a little mouse, and now that I finally have a good reason to go, you won't let me. Face it mother, you're just ashamed of me aren't you?"

"Oh for Yggdrasil's sake!" Andraste yelled "Open your fucking eyes! Two of your cousins have literally been abducted! One from her very room in the dead of night!"

"Yea! And I wish they'd taken me instead so I didn't have to keep living with a fucking slut for a mother!" Kailia screamed back and as soon as she had said it she felt Andraste's hand land across her jaw, knocking her to the floor. Kailia stared at her in abject horror, as she held a hand to her face. Andraste didn't look at her as she quickly crossed the room and stood at the door.

"You are not to leave this room until I give you permission" she closed the door softly, leaving Kailia's crumpled form alone in the darkness. There was a click as a key was turned in the lock of the door, and Kailia stared after it, afraid to move. It was hours before she moved again, roused by a terrifying screech that disturbed the otherwise silent night. It was quickly followed by a few more, before it stopped completely. She slowly walked to the balcony and looked out into the night Laura's out there and I can't even do anything to save her she clenched her fists and yelled out into the darkness. Why does she always stop me from doing what I want?