The Sensible One
POV: Sylphia
This whole ordeal with my parents insisting on sending a marriage proposal to Vellum had me inwardly stressed out. Usually, my mother had a level head about her, and yet somehow she agreed to cause tension between us and Vellum. I knew right now that Lucien probably knew their intentions toward the one he loved and I just knew that it would fall on me to smooth all of this over. I sighed sitting in this hall where my parents were celebrating their decision to try to link Vellum and Seely by using my friend and selling her off to my brother. I would not allow that to happen. Not only would this not be sensible for peace in both realms but it would hurt the first friend I had ever really made and I wasn’t about to let her be hurt. I leaned to my mother and asked, “Have you lost your mind, Mother?” She looked at me as if she was shocked by my question, “Why would you think that? I’m perfectly within my own mind.” I shook my head, “This is not a sensible action. I know Lucien’s feelings toward Alexandra and I believe this will cause strife between our realms. This doesn’t make sense and it is rather unlike you to make this type of move without discussing it with the Council of the Houses.” She clenched her jaw, “I am Queen. Why should I have to consult with anyone on matters that relate to my children?” I pinched the bridge of my nose as I felt the pressure of a headache coming on, “Mother, he may be your child but did you ask him how he felt?” She shook her head, “I don’t have to. I see the way he looks at her. It was how Reven used to look at me.” My father’s brother was in love with my mother before he went off to war, he was betrothed to my mother before she became Queen. She took the crown shortly before Alexandra’s grandfather came to see my mother. He was able to negotiate peace and at this very moment, I would have loved to pick his brains on how he got through to my mother. I was there but I think if I had his insight at this very moment, I think I could have gotten through to her.
I sighed and stared at the empty chair that Alexandra had occupied a little while ago and wondered what was taking her so long. I looked up at my brother, who had beckoned me over. I took Alexandra’s chair, I didn’t think she would mind, and whispered to him, “Something on your mind, dear brother?” He took a side glance at our father, likely to see if he was paying any attention, and then turned to me and whispered, “I don’t like that they went ahead and moved forward with a proposal to Vellum. This puts all of us in an awkward position. Did she discuss it with you?” I shook my head, “It’s rather suspicious that she didn’t. Ever since I came of age, she has informed me of all of her decisions and asked for my opinion at the very least.” I looked up and my father was busy bragging about his future addition to his court to one of the Dukes. I told my brother, “I think something happened with Mother and Father is the one that did it. Has to have been, there is no way she’d be so rash.” He nodded, “It warrants an investigation. What do you think?” I nodded, “Yes, I am just not sure where to start.” A long silence settled in between the two of us as we were both left pondering where it was that we would begin.
The doors opened and they announced the return of Alexandra. I nodded at my brother, kissed him on the cheek, and whispered, “We can meet up and discuss this in the morning.” He nodded and smiled lovingly down at Alexandra as she approached. The Queen summoned her to her side and after she settled into her seat my mother rose to her feet. She captured the attention of all in the room, “I think it is time that we hear from Nystasia about her time in Vellum.” Ny looked at me nervously and stepped down in front of the dais. She cleared her throat before she started, “I was graciously hosted by House Batiste in Vellum.” Whispers sounded around the room, many had wondered why Alexandra was receiving so many honors when she had not been associated with Seely for that long. She continued on about Alexandra’s family life, how they are loving with all who come into their home, how they made her feel so welcome and she spoke of her aide work in Kastilidan Glades until a disease fell over the Glades and she was sent home. She recalled how word reached far and wide about the miracle potion that Alexandra had made to, hopefully, help bring the realm out of this spread of disease. She also spoke of the little girl that Alexandra was now sponsoring for an undisclosed future family. The whispers spoke of how amazing she was and how she had such a kind heart and that wouldn’t really mesh well in the King’s court. I had to agree so I kept sighing throughout the rest of the night, lamenting on how we could solve this issue. I decided another quick trip into town in the morning would be best so we could all sync up before Alexandra left in the afternoon.
I was not able to speak with my brother or Alexandra for the rest of the night since he was supposed to take her around the room to introduce her to the various nobles. Many seemed to be charmed by her but the families who had aimed to become the princess in the King’s court didn’t seem to want to be impressed. Ny informed me it was only an outward disdain once she came around and spoke with each family. I had hoped there would be dissent somewhere amongst the nobles since this would have helped me to get my mother to see reason. I knew that Lucien would probably fly off the handle once he heard about all of this and would want to find a way to stop it from happening. He had a clever group over there in Vellum that could find a solution on their end. I would likely have to rely on him and his people to discourage my mother from this action. She certainly wouldn’t go to war knowing what it cost her last time. I went to bed late after a quick visit to Alexandra. I told her to warn Lucien not to act on anything until she was out of Vellum. We would send the letters late if we had to so I relied on Jess to deliver her actual letter to me. I stood up waiting for it and decided to brainstorm ideas while I waited. It hadn’t taken her long before I heard the knock on my door. I opened it to see Jess standing there, “I had a question I would like to ask you about security in the castle. Would you mind?” This meant that she was being followed by someone other than Jheelis. I motioned her in, “I don’t know if I’m the right person to ask but you certainly can come in to talk to see if I can direct you to the right place.” I saw the shadow behind the pillar, it was one of my father’s idiots. Jheelis would not have been so conspicuous and it had me wondering where Jheelis was.
She stepped into the room and pulled out the letter, “We already sent the fake one out through the courier. I don’t know if it will get routed to your father first.” I nodded, “I’m sure it will. He has a courier especially to steal letters. Did the man have a scar above his right eye?” She nodded, “Yes, he did.” I nodded, “That’s my father’s interceptor. I will ensure the letter ends up with my courier shortly.” I need to go speak with my mother right now anyhow. My father’s man will ensure it goes to the Queen and it gets sent out from there. Did she seal it and instruct Lucien to cast reveal on it?” She nodded, “ Yeah, just as you instructed.” I felt relieved, “This will help Lucien prove ill intent should he have to bring it before the realm war council.” She gasped, “Do you think it will come to this?” I shrugged, “For the first time in my life, my mother is being unpredictable and I really cannot say. I need to get to her before she goes to slumber.” She nodded, “I doubt my tail will believe I am discussing security with you if I stay any longer. Good luck, Your Highness.” I nodded, “You too. Please arrive at your chambers safely. He’s likely to follow you.” Jess left the room after I said that and I turned to my secret passage to my mother’s room.
I stepped into her room after a short while, “Mother are you awake?” She stepped out of her sleeping chambers in blush colored silk robe, “I am but I was entertaining a friend. Could you not come back later?” I heard my father’s voice come from the bedroom, “My love, what keeps you? I am growing bored.” The fact that my father had visited my mother’s chambers to be entertained was a little off-putting and strange but I kept a straight face. I cleared my throat, “I will go shortly. I was just wondering if Hobbs left with the post yet. I have a friend in Vellum that I wished to send a letter to and had hoped it would go out tonight.” A knock sounded on the door, “Your Majesty, I am here to pick up the letters for the night.” She summoned him in, “They are that stack there and I believe the Crown Princess has a letter too.” I handed Hobbs the letter along with a small ruby and he took it smiling, “Many thanks to, Your Highness. Good night, Your Majesty. I hope you both have a pleasant evening.” He left abruptly like he normally did and my father strode out of my mother’s bed chamber shirtless. He looked slightly startled at the sight of me, “My dear, what brings you here so late?” I looked away, “I had a letter to send to another of the ladies that I made friends with in Vellum. She came down with the illness that Ny was talking about. I was asking after her health and hoped that she was able to take Alexandra’s potion.” He chuckled, “The little cute miracle worker. I cannot wait to have someone so powerful and lovely in my court. The perfect daughter-in-law, wouldn’t you agree, my love?” My mother giggled, “One hundred percent. I knew she was special when I first saw her. Seely will know more power than we ever had.” That did not sound like my mother whatsoever and I was resolved to get to the bottom of this issue.
I excused myself and went back to my bedroom through the hallway since my father didn’t know about the secret passage. After I got back into my room, I leaned against my door and sighed, “There is definitely something up with my mother.” I walked over to my desk and scribbled down the last idea I had while I walked to my room through the hall. I went to bed right after because I thought I would need my strength to deal with the next day and I was right. Ny was beating down my door the next morning. I didn’t even get a chance to open my door before she burst in, “You got a letter. I intercepted it before father could get to it. That scar-faced jerk came as I was walking away and he didn’t see the letter that I took.” She handed the letter to me, “I wonder if he’s throwing a hissy fit about the proposal. I know I would be. Xanny is not someone you want to slip through your fingers.” I took the letter from Ny and nodded, “I would be upset too. We are interfering with the future of his realm. We will be lucky if he doesn’t declare war.” I sat down at my desk and opened the letter and read the first line: “Syl, I don’t know what your mother is playing at but she’s treading in very dangerous waters by writing that fake letter to me.” I knew this wasn’t going to be a pleasant letter by any means. Ny gasped, “He certainly is cranky. What do you think?” I sighed because the first line had put me into a depressive funk and I dropped it on the table, “What am I thinking? Well, first that we are looking at war and second that mother has definitely been manipulated by our father. There’s lots of proof there now. The problem now is how to deal with it.”
