The voice was low and soft, indicating that it was coming from a distance. Perhaps from the floor below. "Princess?" It called out yet again. The voice belonged to Clara. She had not reported to me after I reached the palace, so perhaps she was looking for me.
My eyes darted back and forth from the treasure infront of me and the staircase, my mind contemplating seriously. God damn, why am I even thinking about it? It could've been no matter if I hadn't told Clara that I let this whole thing go. However, I had indeed told her the exact same thing.
"I am done for." I whispered, scurring out and sliding the room shut in a hurry.
"Your Highness?" Her voice was getting nearer. "Are you up here?"
I practically ran away from the room and made my way to the large porch that stood at one corner and steadied my breaths. I had to look as if I was just passing some time here and definately not doing anything suspicious like peeking into room that is forbidden.
"There you are, Your Highness." Clara relieved.
"Here I am." I smiled innocently.
"I've been seeking you for so long...whatever are you doing here?"
"Just getting some air. Why were you howling so much?" I replied nonchalantly. "I won't disappear anywhere, for god's sake."
"I actually had a important message to deliver. From the Queen." She read out. "I just got it from her."
"The Queen? I thought she was satisfied after today? What message did she have?" I scrunched my eyebrows. My fingers wrapped around the railing as I breathed in the air. It was quite refreshing, honestly.
"It's about His Majesty's upcoming Silver Jublilee." She handed me a small envelope from the Queen's stationary.
"The Silver Jubilee? I completely forgot about that." I expressed. The past few days had flew by since the disastrous of a dinner that I had experienced. But then again, anything related to the rest of the family never managed to interest me for too long. I had other stuff which filled my plate.
I opened the envelope and read,
"His Majesty's Silver Jubilee is around the corner, for which the entire nation is eagerly waiting. It is our sworn duty to make sure the event leaves no stone unturned as it was stated by the King himself.
For that purpose, the King has requested the presence of the entire family and his Privy Council as well this time on the morrow in the Ivory Court.
Please make sure to be present and hold care for everyone."
Her Majesty, The Queen
Agasta Asnovitch.
"The Ivory Court." I mumbled.
The King surely was making a big deal of his Jubilee. Wholly unnecessary, if one asks me.
"They treat me like I am unworthy of this family, and then expect me to be present in there pointless meetings. Why is the Privy Council even needed for this? All decisions were made that night." My eyebrows frowned.
"I think they need some confirmations." Clara said.
I nodded and batted my eyes. It had become wearying to do so, and that told me sleep was coming to me. "I think I would like to retire for the night. God knows what all I would have to see tomorrow."
___
"We have only have a few minutes for the Ivory Court, Your Highness." Clara reminded me. "However, I can inform the Court that you would be a running a bit late."
"No....I am unable to find my Vial. I just kept it here somewhere." I searched franctically.
"I thought you quit taking that medicine during the start of the season....?" Clara asked and joined me in finding it. We searched the pillows, near the fireplace and under the sheets but did not find the small glass bottle. I had become so invested in the activity that I didn't see Ruby coming into my chamber and standing at the entrance.
"Sister, you are going to make the entire meeting late yet again." She said abruptly.
My eyes did not avert away from the various hooks and nooks where I was rummaging through my stuff. "I know but then again will the meeting even make sense?"
"It will if you make it make sense to yourself." She mumbled. "Whatever is this? It's so charming!"
I looked up to find Ruby picking something up from my dressing table and observe it. It was my Vial.
"Aha! There it is." I exclaimed and basically snatched it away from her hands.
"I'm not going to take it away, calm down!"
"Yes, it's just my reflex. Shall we move?" I joined her hand with mine and led her outside and towards the Court.
"But what is the liquid in that? Some kind of medicine?" She questioned as we walked, our ladies' maid behind us.
"A medicine for good health and fertility. Do you wish to take some as well? I have to mention, it is quite difficult to buy. I had forgotten about it for a few weeks. And God, were these days full of turmoil."
Ruby smirked. "I don't need any liquids for ferility. I am quite healthy as is. Unlike you."
"Ha ha! Very humourous of you." I replied.
We entered the Ivory Court, which always managed to strike me in a very alarming sense. It was a symbolism of money, power and authority that the Monarch had over the entire nation. The room gleamed with perfect creaminess, it's walls polished and etched in a manner that suggested great care but also meticulous irony to the creatures that it came from. Delicate and gold floral patterns adorned the walls perhaps to cover the gruesome process to obtain the white perfection.
A few attendees were around to assist all of us into our desiginated seats. There were two sides; one was for the Council and the other one was for the Royal Family.
There were six people in the Privy council and seats had been arranged one after the other, three per row. Right in front was the King's seat and following two behind him, placed adjacent. As per regular times, they would be occupied by Wilius and Ruby. The Queen and rest of the siblings were supposed to be seated at the sidelines. Just equivalent to their positions, sidelined.
I had started approaching my seat when I was stopped by one of the attendees. "Your Highness, this seat is reserved for Princess Ruby."
I frowned. "Where should I sit then, out of the courtroom?"
"Apologies, Your Highness. Today's seating arrangements were changed by His Majesty. Your seat is reserved there." He pointed out to one of the seats behind the King's chair.
What? The seat that is normally reserved for the Monarch's heirs?
Ruby gave looks which were filled with serious contempt, I could feel them clearly as I sat down and the Court proceedings started and everyone got seated. I thought of a few nights before, when a dinner was held for the purpose of the Jubilee. Why was a meeting needed again? Oh, I know why. Everyone was to tipsy and drunk to come to a proper decision.
When His Majesty entered, everyone greeted and bowed to him, including me. But I was the only one to whom he smiled warmly. What in the world was this treatment? It was so bizzare to me. Sudden recognition and care for me? Certainly the King required something from me.
"Your presence here is noted, and so we should proceed further without wasting much time." The King said. "The Jubilee is around the corner and we still do not have a proper plan on how to approach it. I wish that today we reach to a conclusion and steer to a more sensitive situation that had passed."
I cleared my throat and adjusted in my seat at the mention of the 'sensitive situation'. What situation was it again? I told myself.
"I had arranged a dinner a few nights ago to discuss about the event with my family but unfortunately couldn't reach to a stable decision...." He bowed his head and so did I, both of us ashamed of all the intoxication that had made dominance.
"However today, I wish to inform my family and the Privy Council something important. My Jubilee is no small event. It is a mark of my strong reign throughout the years and also a starter for many more to come ahead. For the celebration to take place effortlessly, it is not a unknown fact it will require a focused and calm mind, full of determination and attention..."
I sighed in annoyance. Did we not have anything better to do than watch the King extend even the shortest of words? God, it was tiring.
"I entrust this responsibilty to my daughter, Amber."
My head immediately shot upwards. Me? Plan for the Jubilee? This couldn't get any worse.
"Your Majesty, might I say, that this is not my field of expertise." I made my voice as convincing as possible. "Flowers and guest list is....don't you think Ruby would do a better job at it then me?" I smiled fakely.
My awkwardness had managed to weird out everyone present, even the King. Everyone passed glances amongst them as the King cleared his throat.
"Amber," the Queen murmured. "Did you not want to give suggestions the other day?"
Oh goodness, why did this family intrepret my words so wrongly? They were a few opinions for god damn's sake. That doesn't mean I wanted to control the entire absurdity that was the event.
"Yes, your opinions matter to us." Wilius stated.
"Imbeciles." I whispered to myself.
"What do you think, Amber? Your expertise can be put to good use." Someone said.
I breathed exasperately, giving up all restraints. Surely, this pointless event was going to be problematic for me but I couldn't escape it. "Alright. I will handle all the preparations."
Everyone cheered for me afterwards. The Privy Council gave me a few suggestions for the preparations, to which I turned in a complete non hearing ear. If I was indeed going to arrange the event, I'd do it my way. Not with some ministers' useless decoration ideas.
"However, we need to discuss the matter of security of the Palace. A few nights ago an intruder had breached the back entrance and knocked out the two soldiers standing guard." The King adopted a serious tone.
It was Wilius who had a sore throat this time. He shifted in his comfortable seat and looked visibly anxious. As this goes, I should be the one anxious and nervous out of my wits. Since, well I was the said intruder. But, I was not. Perhaps I was growing haughty by the day, also overconfident. I was the one the King was after in a sense.
"The intruder made use of torch to distract the soldiers and knock them out one by one." One of the members from the Privy Council said. "We have to consider that the accused did not enter through the back entrance but exited. So we don't know from where he started the excavation of the Palace. All the wings insist that nothing was breached or stolen. So we can come to a conclusion that this situation was caused by nothing other than loose security. We just need to rule out a way for a tighter one."
The King nodded as he considered the situation critically. "If I may," I began. "We could potentially admit more soldiers for the legion. So we could tighten the security as Lord Carver perfectly stated. Whatever do you say, Your Majesty?"
"Hmm." The King lingered.
"I disagree with Sister." Ruby said suprisingly. "I believe that we do not need to admit more soldiers, Father. That is a long and tedious procedure involving all the examination and training. We could do better with changing the layout of guard presence during late hours. Remove a few from locations that simply do not need that much security."
Ruby did manage to make perfect sense. Coming to think of it, I was the one who had given a useless suggestion and also one that could result in creating problems for me. If one knows what I mean.
"That's a great solution." Wilius supported. "Father, this is a very good suggestion." My eyes flattened as he spoke. Yes, sure Wilius. So you can get more flexibility to steal.
"Perchance, the topmost floor of the Palace have guards that aren't really utilised very well. Father, I propose that we remove some." Ruby continued.
Ruby's words stopped all thinking in my mind. It started to rewind through all the conversations we had had in the past. How she asked access to the Royal archives when I did. Her unbelivebly good idea that suggested less security for the topmost floor? How she stuttered briefly when I asked about the Royal Archives. Did she have the same intentions as me?
My eyes widened with fear as I looked at Ruby speaking about how we could dissolve strength near the Royal Archives.
Good Lord, please prove me wrong.
<<>>