Lucien Meets Lucy
POV: Lucien
It is never easy leaving Alexandra’s side but I didn’t want to cause her any issues with the other candidates, especially Melody. She was so sickeningly sweet with me but I know from several accounts that she was particularly mean and vicious with Alexandra. I know Apollo had asked me not to shelter her but my instinct has always been to protect my loved ones. Alexandra was different too since everything in me wanted to just shelter her in a loving embrace from the world. If I could I would go to Terre and admonish the ones who tried to make her feel inadequate. I know this was not logical but sometimes a man in love is not very rational in thought. I hated that I couldn’t punish The Order just yet because it would throw off the path of destiny for Alexandra. I had been assured that to do so would be disastrous for Vellum so I begrudgingly refrained from going with my own instinct. It wasn’t easy to explain to the General why we couldn’t go after known criminals either. I had thought that the man had grown rather attached to Alexandra as well. How could he not? She was witty, kind, gentle when she needed to be, and a fair critic when she needed to be. She was the balance of perfection and she was lovely to look at as well. If I was to go blind, the last thing in this world I would wish to see was her face so that the image could be seared into my brain.
I was walking back to my tent in the middle of the night. I didn’t expect anyone to be out and about but out of the corner of my eye, I saw a hooded figure. I didn’t want to leave without finding out who it was and what they were doing out and about this time of night. By the stature of the hooded figure, I knew it was a woman. The only women in the camp were the Queen candidates and a handful of soldiers. I wanted to see if it was Melody meeting with one of the operatives from The Order. The woman kept walking until she reached the tent of the acting General. She slipped inside and I hovered near the flap of the tent. I heard the acting General say, “Rayla, what are you doing here? What if someone sees you?” She giggled, “I really don’t care if anyone sees me, I have no desire to maintain my spot in this silly little competition. All I care about is being with you.” He shook his head, “You have to stay in though. We can’t have Melody Maigny on the throne. You are one of the last two bastions of hope this realm has for a peaceful existence.” She frowned, “You don’t know that besides, I am going to try my best to support Alexandra Batiste in winning. Everyone knows that she’s the last hope for Vellum and the rightful Queen.” He sighed and walked away from her, “Yes, but you really don’t know the lengths the Maignys are willing to go through to get what they want. They are literally trying to take her out.” She shrugged, “Then it's all the more reason for me not to be invested in winning. Don’t you think they’d take me down too, Garrett? Think about it.” She walked up in front of him and wrapped her arms around his neck, “I just want to be with you, as I said. I have someone behind the scenes keeping Alexandra Batiste safe as well. He’s in the shadows protecting her always. His skills are particularly useful when it comes to that. You need not worry.”
She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him gently. He sighed as he pressed his forehead to hers, “I would hate for any other man to have you that’s for sure. King Lucien is the sort of King I would die for but it would torture me daily if you were his Queen.” She giggled, “And what of Alexandra? Is she the type of Queen you would die for?” He shrugged, “I don’t know her well enough but Ronan is willing to die for her. He told me not long ago that she had a great head on her shoulders and had all the qualities he sees in the King. He believes they are well matched on both the throne and on a personal level. He said no one suits him better and that he plans to put his support behind her when the time comes for the council to ask the institutions how they feel about the candidates.” She sighed, “I am glad to hear that. I had heard a rumor though that some of the Maigny supporters in the council are trying to get the more neutral ones on her side. I heard they are willing to do whatever it takes to win, to include blackmail.” He grunted, “Where did you hear that?” She smirked, “One of my skills, my love. I can make nice with Melody and she tells me things. She thinks we’re united against ‘our common enemy’ or some such wrecked bitch talk. She said they are trying to gather dirt on at least three of them, especially Enzo. She seems to think they can sway him to pull his leaning from Alexandra. I sent a letter to my father telling him what her plans are and he’s going to try to get our knights on it to stop it. I suggest that since you are acting General, that you tell the King as well. There has to be a way to stop this nonsense. If Melody gets on the throne, I hear that she is going to find a way to provoke Vellum and Terre into war since her father financially gains from producing weapons. I can’t have her taking you away from me. That is my main concern.”
I started to feel queasy so I walked away, thinking about all of the things the lovers discussed in the tent. I finally reached my tent and triggered the magic to wear off of me. As I approached, one of the guards spoke, “Your Majesty, Elder Enzo, and Grand Pretre have requested to meet with you tonight. They said it was urgent.” I nodded, “Thank you.” I walked into the tent and took my spot behind my desk, “I am told your business with me is urgent.” Grand Pretre nodded, “I think you might know why we are here. You have just heard the plot to cheat the selection. We need to get the Elders home tomorrow so that they can have the secret vote. We need to come up with an excuse for the four non-Maigny-influenced members to leave.” I sighed, “I’m not entirely sure how we can do that.” I tapped the desk and looked at Enzo, “Any ideas, sir?” He shrugged, “I just know that I really don’t appreciate being blackmailed into voting against my own instinct. I certainly wasn’t going to support Maigny. I was leaning my vote to Lady Batiste but Lady Ligidew was an intriguing option as well. I wanted to see what the other two thought. I really did like the interview I had with Lady Batiste though. Her last answer was proper, right, and just for a monarch.” I sighed, “We need to come up with an emergency for all four somehow.” Malinus must’ve been summoned while I was out because he cleared his throat, “Your Majesty, the two districts those four represent are right next to each other. We can spread a rumor that there was an issue with the water supply there and needed the four Elders to make some decisions for their districts. That His Majesty requires them to do so from their districts.” I nodded, “That sounds good, in theory, but how do we start this rumor?” Grand Pretre started to giggle, she sounded uncharacteristically like a small child, “I have this, Your Majesty. It shouldn’t be hard for me. You just need to know the few busybodies in this camp and that rumor will spread like wildfire. The Elders should be able to leave by lunchtime.” I nodded, “Sounds good. What say you, Elder Enzo?” He nodded also, “That seems like the most plausible. Well thought up young Malinus.”
The two visitors rose to leave but I called out to Enzo to stay back so I could discuss something with him about the assignment for the next day. He sat back down, “I would imagine that the assignments will freeze for the three young ladies for the remainder of the time out here but we may just assign others to do these assessments. I think we will need to vote on the way forward for that as well. What do you have for me, Your Majesty?” I pulled the paper out that I had scribbled my thoughts on, “Have a look.” He picked up the paper and hummed while he nodded, “This seems like an order on how to ensure Alexandra doesn’t become Queen. This is a pretty difficult task, Your Majesty. Are you sure?” I nodded, “I was told this was of importance by our mutual friend that was just here. She assures me that if we set her on this path she has a likelihood of success. I am confident that she is smart enough to figure it out. She will need someone who is an expert in this subject matter to observe her. Do you think this is a plausible measurement of her suitability for Queen?” He nodded, “Certainly it is. This shows how far she will go for her people. If she really can demonstrate this, I will have no hesitation to support her. I doubt others will resist either. About this business about the child, I can have Doc bring her over after breakfast before I leave. I hope she is everything Lady Batiste attests that she is.” We discussed the plans for tomorrow a little bit further and I dismissed him to leave since it was getting really late.
The next morning I had breakfast early and got to work on my paperwork for the day so that I could have time to have a good visit with the child that would be adopted by Alexandra and I. I was wondering what sort of child would have Alexandra so fiercely advocating for her. I had just finished the paperwork when the guard announced Alexandra’s presence, “Let her in. I’m just finishing up my work.” She came through the tent flaps wearing a cheerful smile, “How are you this morning, Your Majesty?” Her smile was a brightening welcome from the sea of paperwork I had been drowning in up until then, “Better now that you’re here.” She giggled, “Well I paid a short visit to Lucy this morning and I cannot tell you how excited she was to meet you.” The guard stuck his head in the tent, “Your Majesty, Doc, and a young girl are here to meet with you.” I nodded, “Send them in if you please.” The guard nodded, “As you will it, Your Majesty.” I rose to my feet, somehow nervous to meet this small child. Doc wheeled in a small child with brown hair. She was a very beautiful little girl despite the scratches on her face and the broken leg. She smiled up at me, “Greetings, Your Majesty. I would bow to you like I’m supposed to but I’m afraid I can’t.” I kneeled in front of the small child and kissed her hand, “That is quite alright, my lady. I’m told that you were brave enough to help out with what happened with the earthquake. Vellum is in your debt.” She smiled up at Alexandra, “Are you going to marry the King, Alexandra?” She blushed and shrugged, “That isn’t up to me.” The child furrowed her brows, “Why not? Do you love him?” She blushed a deeper shade of crimson and nodded, “I do.” Lucy looked at me, “Do you love her?” I nodded, “With all my heart.” The small child grunted in frustration, “Then what’s the problem?” What’s the problem indeed, that was my issue with the situation.