11 | DIPLOMACY
As predicted, I don’t get any sleep. Most of my time is spent curled up by the door, silently listening for any weird sounds or signs of a Revenant coming to kill me. Nothing happens. I do manage to scarf and keep down two blood bags, though the whole encounter with the King’s left me anxious, terrified, and more than a little nauseous. All I know is, by the time dawn has risen to flood the slightly parted curtains with fresh sunlight and Mikyle finally opens my door, I feel way more amped up than I should. And emotionally exhausted.
“Didn’t sleep well, I take it.” Mikyle mutters when he sees me on the floor, his expression carefully guarded as he looks around the room. Almost like he’s searching for something or someone. “We’re going to be dining with the Queen and King this morning, so you may want to…freshen up.” He tells me, his eyes locking on mine. There’s one of those looks again, I know he’s trying to tell me something with just a look, but I don’t get what it is. So I keep my mouth shut against all the objections and questions I want to voice. I trust Mikyle. He’s one of the few I’d trust to have my back in a fight - and have before. I know he wouldn’t allow us to go near anything that could hurt me if he thought he couldn’t keep me safe.
But that doesn’t mean I’m happy about this either.
So, in a rather toddler-fashion, I get up from the floor and stomp into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. I don’t miss the chuckle I hear from the other side of the door, even as I turn on the faucet to wash my face.
A few minutes later, Mikyle and I are walking down a different corridor than either of the ones from yesterday. As we reach the ground floor, I do catch a few sounds of people moving in other parts of the halls. The clatter of dishware and metallic utensils carries from an unseen place, and oddly set my nerves at ease. There are other people around. More than likely just employees of the palace, but it gives me some comfort to know I won’t be one-hundred-percent alone with the King, Mina, and Mikyle.
Mikyle opens a set of double doors without knocking, getting the heavy things to part just enough for both him and I to walk comfortably through. Inside is another intricately decorated room with high ceilings. This room, however, is more like a scene of the rainforest tree tops. As if we’re dining in the Amazon, overlooking the acres of forestry for miles and miles. I’m in awe as I catch sight of gorgeously carved birds in the ceiling caught in mid-flight. The detail of the whole room is astounding - and just enough to distract me from the elephant in the room.
Mikyle places a hand on my back, guiding me to the table as I continue looking around the room - unable to stop my eyes from flickering over each etch in the stone.
“I apologize, Scarlett, for my behavior last night.” William tells me when I’m seated beside Mikyle. With that simple sentence from the King, my attention switches to the present and my stomach becomes unsettled. “I don’t know what came over me.” Somehow, I don’t buy that. Still, I don’t think telling him that would do anyone any good, so I ignore the slowly boiling emotions tossing about my body and go for diplomacy.
“It’s fine.” I tell him in as calm of a tone as I can muster. Beside me, Mikyle has pushed our chairs so close together, it’s like they’re one seat. Mina is across the table - a squared thing that also looks like it’s been carved from stone - the King at her left. They both are dressed in assortments of silvery-grey clothing, but these are less formal than the ones they wore last night.
“I apologize, Scarlett, for my behavior last night.” William tells me when I’m seated beside Mikyle. “I don’t know what came over me.” Somehow, I don’t buy that.
“It’s fine.” I tell him in as calm of a tone as I can muster. Beside me, Mikyle has pushed our chairs so close together, it’s like they’re one seat.
“In any case,” Mina pipes up, relaxing the tense mood as a few vamps in black walk in with goblets of blood wine and freshly made soup. “The Court will reconvene later this evening. I’m afraid many of the Court are more used to a nocturnal schedule.”
“Can I just ask: what’s up with that?” I question Mina. Last night I didn’t get the chance to talk to Mikyle about it and the whole thing’s just been bugging me. “I thought the Queen was the governing body?”
“Technically, I’m not the Queen.” Mina says slowly, glancing between Mikyle and William. But neither offer an explanation. “The throne’s still ‘up for grabs’,” Mina makes air quotes to emphasize her point. “I never wanted to be Queen, but these two knuckleheads through their names out of the bowl, so to speak.” Mina glares from one man to the other. “So I am the reigning Queen. Until another can be named. The Court acts as the main governing body so all rulings are just.”
“They can’t rule? Why not? Cause they’re guys?” I frown, a little confused by what I’m hearing.
“Men *can* rule, don’t get me wrong.” Mina explains. “It’s just that-”
“I left the Coven to join Hale’s. Kind of makes me a traitor. It’s why I was demoted.” Mikyle interjects, picking up his glass of blood wine and taking a long drink. “Not that I wanted to be King anyway.” He adds in a much softer voice.
“And I, as you were witness to,” William speaks up, looking directly at me. “Have compulsion issues.” It’s a fancy way of saying he can’t control himself, and we all know it. The silence that follows is weighted with the truth of the statement, sending itchy little shivers up and down my spine.
There’s along, slightly uncomfortable silence as I digest this. Meanwhile, the other vamps seem to be chowing down as if the weirdness of last night is nothing to sneeze at or speak of in any detail or at all. I burn to ask about it. About why everyone’s acting like the King wasn’t about to literally rip my head off last night. But it’s because of the tense formality of this whole meal that I just play with my spoon and pretend to sip at the vamp-style soup.
“I have some matters to attend to, but I will see you two tomorrow.” The King finally announces, looking to me and Mikyle at the last bit.
“Get some rest, William.” Mina nods to her brother, patting her mouth with the corner of a napkin.
“*Bah*, why sleep when there’s *so* much to do?” William teases, but by the slight tensing in both Mina and Mikyle’s shoulders, I know they noticed the way the King said it. And how his voice became a little too melodic. “Until tomorrow,” William sings, rising from his seat and heading to the opposite side of the room Mikyle and I came in through. I watch him out of the corner of my eyes, unwilling to breathe until the vampire’s gone.
“You two should leave in the morning.” Mina tells us the second William closes the door.
“My thoughts exactly.” Mikyle nods once at his sister. I blink, a little confused by this sudden change.
“But what about the Court-” I begin to feel a little panicky at the thought of me being locked in Kiwina until this matter’s solved.
“I can over-rule whatever they decide. I promise you’ll be fine. I just worry about what William might do-” Mina counters gently, obviously trying to calm me down.
“He’s not gonna try to kill me again, right?” I bark out a surprised laugh - the sound dying when I see the look Mikyle and Mina share. “Why the hell would he?”
“You have power, like your fathers’.” Mina tells me, leaning in across the table. “That’s enough motivation for William.”
“He’s kind of obsessed with the notion of power. It’s part of the reason why he’s not in contention for the throne.” Mikyle adds.
“I don’t understand-” I begin slowly, but Mina shakes her head.
“Trust us, Scarlett. It’s much better for both you and Mikyle to be in Kiwina right now. Far from William and his influence.” Mina replies firmly, rising from the table.
“We’ll stay in our rooms until then.” Mikyle tells me, pushing his chair back and waiting for me to stand.
“I can have Fang and Lizeth posted outside your rooms in the meantime.” Mina says to Mikyle. I blink at their quick assessment of the situation and how far they’re going just because of one conversation. By the finality in their tones I can tell none of what they’re saying is negotiable - not that I’d want to argue to stay or chance the King coming after me again.
I follow the two back to my room, the three of us moving swiftly through the quiet halls. As much as I trust Mina, I don’t know how I feel about being separated from Mikyle while this stuff’s going on.
“I’d stay with you, princess, but I have some errands to run before we leave.” Mikyle mutters to me when we reach my door and Fang materializes beside the wall.
“I’m sure I’ll be fine.” I tell Mikyle, not sure if I’m trying to reassure him or myself. Mikyle offers me a wan smile and pats the top of my head, ruffling my hair once before opening the door to my room and shutting it behind me.
I turn to face my room, feeling sleepy after the tense breakfast. My mind’s still whirling with everything that’s happened in the last twenty four hours that it takes me a second longer than it should to realize I’m not alone.