CHAPTER NINETEEN

She was familiar with the annoying chime. The bell close to her bed rang determinedly with a mistaken nudge. The bell was used in Riverland, when servants were too few for delegated duties. The Sol manor did not have it. Selene doubted they would, with the mass of slaves - willing and unwilling - they had acquired from their land conquering.
The council had few servants maybe. Or they did not waste them on guests. The older woman she could remember from that night came in, two woven baskets in hand. One holding wool towels and another a covered platter. Or maybe two.
"Lady Selene " she addressed shortly and merely smiled at the youngest child.
"You should have breakfast. Or maybe the dinning hall would be preferable" the lady asked
"No, it is fine here" Selene said as she sat straighter on her bed. The mattress was not nearly as soft as her bed back at the manor. She had barely slept. The nerves she knew not its root gripped her. Many thoughts ran through her before she slept at the waking call of toads.
Mia laid on a smaller bed. Looking too little for her. A crib.
Her eyes on a box of colourful ribbons that looked like one of the girlish games Selene had hated at that age. Her sister liked it, the sheepish smile on her face told as much. It was some trick of making objects with the ribbon by knitting them loosely. Selene remembered hating it just because mother had said she should play that with Freya.
Sometimes she stared at the girl and saw how different they were. Or maybe she was too young to have a trait at all.
"Good morning sister" Mia greeted without looking away from her colourful box.
The maid opened one platter before her and another on a table closer to Mia.
Selene gulped as she stared at the food. The tray had a plain brown hard-looking loaf of bread. It's edges barely baked to a crisp. A slice of tomato laid by its side and a stein of clear water sat close to it. She turned to look at the maid again. She looked stern, her smiles a big facade. Maybe the council was an uptight place after all.
"Where is the lord" Selene asked, immediately deciding she would skip the unappetizing breakfast.
"The elders have other priorities to attend to" the lady said with a strange scowl.
"I meant the king of Sol. Lord Edgar " Selene replied sharply
"Sir Richard has been with him. I will show you. Come" The lady said as she laid the basket of towel by the wash room and began to ask which clothes they'd wear for the day.
"I think I am hungry Elly" Mia said. Looking skeptically at the Platter before her.
Selene morphed her chuckle to a cough and rose.
"I am fine. I will see the king now " She said to the busy lady.
She turned to the princess and moved away from the washroom too quickly. Turning the door open and moving out.
"Should we not see father? " Mia asked
"We will" Selene replied. Would the child make it less hard for her?
Mia stood up with a sheepish smile.
Selene could feel her nerves kicking in again. The child's eagerness made her cringe. How happy would Dwayne very to see them? How would they depart? She wondered what she would tell the child to keep her quiet but somehow she knew this would be the last time she saw her father - willingly.
"I will first speak with the Lord alone" Selene said, smiling to reassure the girl
"Okay" Mia replied. Still standing next to her sister.
" Alone" Selene added
Mia frowned, she was familiar with the word. When she would be told she shouldn't be around when there was a discussion. Grown discussions. Like she was too little to know between evil and good. Like she didn't know her daddy was in trouble and the Sol king was catering for them.
"I will be back Mia. Have breakfast" Selene said and closed the door behind her.
The corridor was brighter than the previous night but not bright enough like day should be. The council was eerie.
"There it is. Now if you will excuse me, I have duties this morning " The lady muttered and walked briskly away.
Selene tapped on the door and opened. The lord had his back to the plump man who looked not too pleased.
The man whispered back with a frown but the Lord's hand lifted in that dismissing fashion of his.
"My lord" Selene voiced
"I will speak to you at a better time Richard. I believe you can think about it" the Lord said without sparing a glance at Selene
The man bowed, his tightly fitted uniformed stretching to hold his pot belly.
"My lady " he said with a smile before leaving through the door she left open and closing it behind him.
"What brings you here " Edgar asked as he pulled his curtains farther apart
"It is morning " Selene stated.
"Should you not be in bed. We arrived late last night. You need to rest. " Edgar observed
"I can not. It's...it is odd here" Selene said
"The council balances all empires of the region. They can not be like any tribe or land." Edgar explained
Selene turned to look at the duplicate of her meal on the old looking table next to the Lord's window. It was uncovered and untouched. How did the hands man become fat if they malnourished all in the palace. If the king of Sol was served the same crumb as herself, she was convinced the council feared none.
"You could at least eat. I have learnt the elders will not be with us soon enough " she said, staring at the food pointedly
"I did not come here to feast. See your father and we will journey back" Edgar said
"I can not remember forcing you to... "
"Don't dare to be smart with me child. Meet Cedric and we will be on our way" Edgar said.
He then looked closely at the princess.
Her hair was abnormally high, it's strands tangled visibly. Her clothes had the rumples of hard mattress, dirt touched it's hems and the beautiful dress looked too abused. She looked exhausted.
"At least use the wash room. Someone should be seeing to you while we stay, unless you sent her away" Edgar said. He had perceived the princess' dislike of the maid from their reception and he knew how Selene could be sometimes.
"I did not come here to bathe" Selene retorted
"At least be comfortable while you wait for audience with the elders. You deserve that little " he said.
"I am not complaining King of Sol" Selene said
The lord nodded and walked to the door.
"Let me show you the palace of all citizens. The council's territory is most secured. Rumors are with magic as well, every being on its ground is protected. Save. But not many are let past the gates into this citadel.
The secret of council is the Legion. A troop no one knows where and when trained or when released. It has served the council since I could walk " Edgar narrated with a fond smile
The hallway they walked smelled of leather and expensive herbs.
Very servants still mopped it's floor. The hallway ended at a large cedar door with a golden lock and knob.
"This is the dormitory. Where most of the council's headquarter occupants live. Children of the elders" Edgar told the girl beside him.
Selene's thought was everywhere but where they were. What she'd say to her father troubled her, especially when she thought of Mia being there.
But hearing that a dormitory is where children of the elders slept interested her. Was some sort of cultured servitude practiced at the council headquarters?
"They seem to have so much children" Selene voiced
"Adopted. No elder has any walking heir or heiress. It is an age old law" Edgar told her
Selene stood as she understood exactly what the lord meant.
"They are nuns and monks?" She asked
"I assume you have just learnt this. No doubt your father must have disregarded your need to know politics and history " Edgar said and whispered a "Women" at the end
Selene refused to be offended. She had received more scorn from her father.
"It is not as simple to be a child to an elder though or this place would be filled with sycophants and snakes alike " The lord said
"Why do they need children if you don't bear any" Selene questioned
"The men and women seen fit to be sons and daughters to the elders are very honored. Noble men and women. Many rumor some make the legion " Edgar said as he turned to an open hall, it's walls painted a deep indigo. The seats were enough to house a clan
"The council's court. Were cases brought to the headquarters are judged" he told
"How are children of elders chosen? " Selene asked
Edgar smiled at the girl.
"Just that way. Chosen, neither for bravery nor folly. Merely chosen as they wish. Some children, others aged enough to die. I have only ever heard one refuse to be their heir. It is an honor " Edgar said
"Why would one refuse such?" Selene asked
"He had his reasons " The lord replied flatly
"My lord. King Maxwell of Ogir requests your audience" Richard who had walked up the duo said
"An old mate. I will see him shortly. " Edgar replied with a warm smile
"I will be with Mia. The sooner we complete our mission here the better for me. It is unsettling to be in this place" Selene stated and turned to leave without any curtsy.
The hands man did not fail to notice as he snorted disapprovingly.
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The quiet was sudden. Selene could not place when it actually began but was sure she had to end it. She now wore a violet dress that touched her ankle and a shawl to go with it. Her hair was left to touch her lower back and a pint of red labeled her cheek.
"Should we wait to be announced in? " Selene asked the quiet Lord.
"Will you blame your nerves on me young woman? " Edgar asked with an amused smile.
Selene huffed indecently and held Mia as she led herself into the open council room.
The elders sat as they usually did. The woman seated on the second seat to the right. Three me sat around her, all with silvery beards and bald head. Two held a bronze staff embedded with onyx on it's face.
"We sought a request that was granted Alphas" Edgar said. His posture not bending to indicate any now.
Selene gulped at the gesture.
"Lead them up the detention quarters. Guarded " The thinnest man said with a sharp airy voice
Edgar gave a nod and strode away. Making Selene wonder
if the Lord would be leading them to the quarters. How much of the council quarters did he know?
The guard quickly overtook the Lord and opened the gate. A cemented floor led to a large row of doors, each marked with a royal seal. How many kings and high men were locked away at the council?
"What do they do with them?" Selene asked in a whisper
" They meet their fate" Edgar replied in a tone that silenced Selene. He spoke sternly
The guard opened the door with a bold Riverland's badge.
The first thing Selene noticed was the onyx that filled it's interior. Then she took note of Mia's tighter grip on her hand.
Her father's frame, lanky. His skin paler than she remembered.
"Daddy" Mia spoke first
Dwayne turned to his youngest child. Spread his arms as she ran into him with a squeal.
"I have missed you father" Mia said
"I have missed you too" Dwayne replied holding unto her.
"Father" Selene called out
Mia was released from her father's hold and she went back to hold her sister's hands. A mute encouragement for her to go to Dwayne too.
"How have you been? " Selene asked
"Better than most. I have hope, unlike the condemned ones here" Dwayne replied
Selene gulped. The sound of her father desperate was unsettling
"How long will you be here?" Selene asked
" A while" Dwayne answered
"And after this? " she asked
"I will be banished from the land. And all that Sol has. My lands, hold and belongings along with it" Dwayne said
"And you want to leave? " Selene asked
"I have no other alternatives" Dwayne stated
"I see" Selene muttered
Both stared at each other for a while. Selene almost daring her father to say what she suspected
The silence that followed was tense. A deep unnerving feeling settled in the room.
Dwayne stared at his daughter and turned to look at Edgar. The Riverland's former ruler bowed lowly and Edgar replied with a nod