Q&A
POV: Alexandra
After I received the letter, I sighed thinking this would probably put a damper on my plans for the day. Lucy was sitting on the stairs waiting for me to finish reading my letter. I read the time that I was supposed to meet with the council and figured I could still squeeze in a girl’s day before I had to make an appearance but we would have to go earlier than expected. I looked at Lucy, “How would you like to go have breakfast in Tarn? I know a cute little cafe we can go to. It is themed with woodland animals.” Her eyes lit up and she popped up from her spot on the stairs, “That sounds like fun! I’m going to go get dressed.” She started to run up the stairs when my mother appeared at the top of the stairs trying to put in her earring. She placed her balled-up fists on her waist, “Lucina! Stop running up those stairs!” She stopped and looked at my mother stunned, “Sorry, Grammy! I guess I was just so happy that Alexandra was going to take me to Tarn that I couldn’t wait to get dressed to leave.” My mother glanced at me, “You’re going into the city?” I watched Lucy disappear into the hallway and nodded at her, “I figured she could use a cheering up but I don’t have much time before I have to meet with the Elder Council.”
Another sound of the doorbell sounded out and I turned to answer but, as always, Dana intercepted. I gasped, “I swear you must be a special type of pyrio, Dana. You are so much faster than everyone else around here.” She giggled as she answered the door to the Toxzi rider from the Elder Council. He looked at us apologetically, “My apologies, Your Grace. I had to deliver this letter to Tobias Befent by order of the Elder Council.” I took the letter from him, “That’s okay, you probably didn’t know he was here tending to my grandfather.” I handed him some more tip money for his trouble and he was grateful. I turned to go up the stairs to give Toby his letter but he emerged from the dining room. I smiled at him, “Oh Toby, a letter came for you.” I handed him the letter with the wax seal of the grey wax with folded hands on it. I furrowed his brow, “I wonder what the Elder Council could want with me.” I sighed, “Well you could open the letter to find out.” He chuckled, “Right. Let me see.” He read the letter silently then nodded, “Apparently they have something to announce today and need me to be there.” I furrowed my brow, “Curious. I got the same thing but I’m also being put to the firing squad so I’m not sure what they need with you.” He shrugged, “I guess the best way to find out is to go. I should go check on your grandfather then I promised Tyleesh to help take a look at Sunny to see if we need to help her further.”
I snapped my fingers remembering something, “Right, Sunny. Mom, I already told Lucy to do things in the proper order but you know that I don’t follow that. She might ask you later if she can keep Sunny and her babies.” My mother smiled, “I don’t mind if she does if she asks. What’s the holdup?” I looked up the stairs towards the west wing, “She wants to get the rabbit’s consent to stay. She doesn’t want to force her into captivity.” My mother nodded, “Considering she is a wild animal, I can understand her not wanting to keep her against her will. I will wait for her to approach me and give your father a heads-up.” I excused myself and climbed the stairs to see if Jess and Derek were available. I knocked on her door and Derek answered it again, “You’re still here. Did you get any sleep at all, Derek?” He waved to a cot near Jess’s bed, “Dana brought this for me when she heard Jess was ‘sick’ so that I could be nearby.” I giggled, “I might’ve known Dana would take care of you. Anyhow, I came by to see if you were still interested in venturing into Tarn. I have to go early since I am meeting with the Elder Council later. Jess stepped out of the bathroom fully dressed, “We can go. I just need to grab my wallet.” I nodded at her, “Okay, I need to go get dressed real quick.”
I quickly went across the hall and got dressed so I could meet our party downstairs. My mother couldn’t go with us today since this would coincide with her tea with the Queen Mother. Jess, Derek, Toby, Lucy, and Ny were in the hall waiting for me. I sighed, “Sorry guys, I was trying to see if everyone was going so I was the last to get ready.” Ny smiled, “That’s okay, Xan. We are on your schedule today.” We all left the house and made our way to Tarn. The morning went well with a nice breakfast at the cafe but Lucy sulked a little since Toby and Derek tagged along when it was supposed to be a girl’s day. We spent the rest of the morning wandering a few shops that catered to children and I was able to update Lucy’s wardrobe using the funds that Lucien sent for her care. We specifically bought her a pair of cozy slippers. I bought her a few treats at the bakery that made a few human specialties. I especially bought her a turtle cheesecake. Jess had offered to take Lucy around some more and take her to the library so she could have a full day out while Toby and I went to the Elder Council Hall. I was thankful to her for offering since I felt bad about cutting off the day just because I had to deal with competition. We made a plan to meet up later at the first-year school especially since we need to get her signed up.
Toby and I took the carriage to the Elder Council Hall. Enzo and Edgar were waiting for us outside of the hall. They both smiled as we both stepped out of the carriage. Edgar stepped forward and kissed my cheek, “Punctual as always. We cannot say as much about the other two candidates. It’s fine. We can start with you.” He turned to Toby, “Your Grace, you can join us. I forgot to tell you that you will be the advocate for Alexandra.” He looked at him confused, “Advocate? What are you talking about?” Edgar winked, “You will see when we step inside.” We followed the two Elders into the meeting chamber where all the others were waiting. I heard one Elder ask, “Was Lady Alexandra the only one out there?’ Enzo nodded, “Yes, she was the only one who prevailed upon to show up on time. Shall we get started?” All the other Elders nodded. The scribe assigned to the Elder Council pulled out what looked like a glass pedestal. Edgar stood up, “Lady Alexandra, could you kindly step up on the pedestal?” I nodded and stepped up on the pedestal and it immediately lit up green. Edgar began to speak but was interrupted by another scribe that entered the room and then whispered in his ear. He sighed and looked at one of the other Elders, “Your candidate is here and is making a scene out front. She is insisting she goes first since she has an appointment soon.” I immediately thought it was Melody and it was confirmed by the Elder grumbling about Maigny. He walked over to the door, “I will be back shortly. I will have my scribe here take notes on his observations while I am gone if that is acceptable.” Enzo spoke, “Only if we can confirm what he has written down before you review it.” The Elder agreed and left the room.
Edgar cleared his throat and started to speak again, “Alexandra of House Batiste. You have been brought here today as your final task until we make our decision to be announced at the Fall Masquerade. You will be judged for your actions here today. We have brought in a fair observer to advocate for you should you need it. Toby of House Befent, you are now appointed Royal scribe apprentice through your merit and as such you will advocate for each candidate.” I looked down at Toby then back up at the council, “May I speak, gracious sirs?” Enzo nodded, “You may as your judgment has not started.” I looked back at Toby, “I just wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate Toby on his appointment to the highly coveted role of Royal Scribe apprentice.” Toby nodded at me but didn’t say anything else and I could tell he hated his first Royal Scribe assignment. Enzo looked back up at me, “We shall begin now. Edgar, you have the floor.” Edgar rose from his seat and walked up to the pedestal, “Our first observation begins with her first interaction with His Majesty King Lucien. This was the night of her Blood Oath to House Doré.” The room went dark and the pedestal glowed then projected the scene of the Oath play out on a screen that was set up across from me. I blushed remembering how his lips met mine for the first time that night. I had not known it then but a crush had definitely formed. The lights came up when the scene finished, “This process will play out where I will show various scenes through the competition and you will have one question each from two of the Elders here.” He turned to another Elder who rose from his seat, “We can see from the scene you had to kiss His Majesty during the Blood Oath. Since you will have to have such intimate contact with His Majesty, I wonder what you felt at that moment. You may speak.”
I explained all of the emotions I had felt that night and explained to the Elder it was my first kiss ever so I was, understandably, nervous. The pedestal lit up green when I finished my speech. I knew then that this pedestal was not only a projector of my memories but it was also a lie detector. The Elder smiled, “Thank you, Your Grace.” He sat down and another Elder rose, “I wonder, Your Grace if you fell in love with His Majesty that night.” I knew I couldn’t lie so I shook my head, “If I’m honest, no. I had formed a small crush on him that night. It took me getting to know him properly for me to fall in love with him. I’d like to say that life was like fairy tales where you fall in love at first sight but I think that is awfully shallow. In order for a true love to form, there needs to be mutual respect and a healthy time to get to know someone. That is my belief.” The pedestal indicated that I was not lying about what I was saying. The Elder nodded at me, “Very wise words, Your Grace. I can see why so many are impressed with you.” He sat down and Edgar stepped forward, “I feel I need to preface this next scene with an explanation of how this came to be.” He continued to explain how I had fainted and needed a getaway to de-stress and Lucien had taken me to the Royal Retreat along with several others to unwind. The other men in the room nodded and one even mumbled, “Very prudent of His Majesty.” Edgar continued, “We see a scene here where His Majesty was at the hot spring where Alexandra, who we have learned, was her usual punctual self. This caused them to be left alone for a time.” The scene played where Lucien had given me yet another kiss at the hot spring when we were alone. Another Elder stood up to ask if I was aware that he had been testing his feelings for me to which I indicated I was not aware of that. The pedestal lit up green and another Elder asked if I had been trying to seduce Lucien. Toby objected to the harsh question, “Sir, I don’t mind you asking her certain questions but that seems a bit accusatory. I think you should either reframe your question or think of something else.” I was grateful that Toby was smart enough to know when to advocate. The Elder reframed the question to ask if I thought he could fall in love with me if I kissed him enough. I shrugged, “I cannot know His Majesty’s mind. At that time, I couldn’t feel anything due to a curse and I have never sought power.” The pedestal lit up green. Edgar stepped forward and inhaled deeply, “We now come to a scene that may provide controversy amongst some here.” He whispered to Toby, “Be ready because this might be brutal.”
