}~{ Gild the Lily }~{
Tap, tap, tap, tap…
Tap, tap, tap, tap…
Sun poured in through the windows and gave the cold, white stoned room the appearance of warmth. It was almost empty apart from the one sitting at the table with papers spread out. An ink well sat several inches from their hand, feather pen sitting peacefully within it. They began to drum their nails again on the table in a steady, rhythmic fashion.
Tap, tap, tap, tap…
Tap, tap, tap, tap…
Tap, tap, tap, tap…
Rosalina sat quietly and alone in the Conclave as she had in recent days. The Conclave was the meeting room, for lack of a better term, where the Elders would meet the people and judge. It had been five years since she had made her speech and taken the position on Council. She had never expected there to be so much work involved. Though, she worked harder than most of the Elders who sat on Council. She expected to see each complainant in person, be present at each meeting, hearing, trial, prosecution, and execution as seldom as they were. She expected to be out amongst the people seeing what needed to be changed, updated, rearranged, and modified. She was the only one.
Most the Elders were just that; elders. They acted as such. They couldn't be bothered with interacting with the people they were supposed to be looking out for. Rosalina was the youngest member to ever sit on Council, having been merely twenty summers when she was voted to her seat. The youngest Elder in Luxima's history and the others resented her for it.
She was too young and too inexperienced, they said. She was not prepared, they said. She wasn't ready, they declared.
She agreed.
The people did not.
To them, she was exactly what they needed. She was young, yes, but that meant she was not of the same mind as the Elders. She was open-minded to change and an impartial judge. Thus, they gave her the title of Elvira and the Seventh Seat. Most of all, she was just like her mother. She refused to follow the beat to anyone's drum besides her own. She would not be controlled by fear. She would fight when she had to, be ruthless if she needed to, kill or be killed if there was no other choice.
Rosalina moved her hand to the piece of parchment before her, fingers hovering over it as though they may burn if they touched it. Her deep, blue eyes scanned over the words again and then drifted away to the other pieces of parchment.
Her days were consumed with this research lately. She had to find something, anything that would give her an answer. She needed an answer, but the closest she had come was the parchment laying before her. A Letter of Declaration signed by the High Elder, Uinseann. It was a Letter of Declaration for the Seizure of Celyna Valara Ora Cadena Levana; Rosalina's mother.
A knock came from the doors leading into the room. Rosalina quickly snatched the parchment and folded it into a small square, hiding it beneath her on the seat.
"Yes?" She called out when no one opened the doors. She placed her hands flat on the table and was about to stand. "Yes? Hello?"
Slowly they opened and she sat herself back down firmly in her seat. A man with dark hair and eyes stepped into the room dawning black and purple robes; the High Elder.
"Oh Uinseann!" She exclaimed with a strained smile. "I wasn't expecting you to appear from behind the door. Is everything alright? Is there something I can do for you?"
The parchment burned beneath her leg on the seat where it sat. Uinseann's name stained forever in it as proof of his having some kind of role in her mother's disappearance so many years ago. Her hand came and rested on the side of her thigh, fingers grazing the edges of the folded parchment.
"I was only coming to check on you. You lock yourself away so often in here lately." Uinseann shook his head and looked at the papers spread across the table. He walked closer and picked up a paper, scanning its contents. "Interesting choice. Letters of Declaration?"
"I thought reading some would be a good way to learn how to word them." Rosalina quickly lied. "For when or if I ever have a need to write one."
Uinseann nodded his head and placed the paper back on the table, thinking nothing of it. At least that was what she hoped. He placed his hands behind his back and strode to the balcony doors. He looked out, sun washing over his aging face. His beard held in it strands of white as did his hair, wings adorning the sides of his head.
"I don't think it is good for you to be searching through the past." Uinseann turned his head and stared at her from across the room. She froze in her seat. Uinseann looked back out the window and sighed. "It is much more proactive to look towards the future. We cannot change the past. No matter how much or how little we wish we could."
"Yes, High Elder." Rosalina pulled the parchment from under her and slipped it into the band of her skirt. She quickly began to pull the papers into a pile. However, a hand slammed down on the pile and ceased her movements. The hand was rigid and heavy, wrinkles beginning to stretched across the back. Rosalina slowly followed the black and purple sleeve to look Uinseann in the eye.
"Whatever you are looking for," he started and leaned in closer, "stop. There are things in Luxima's past that ought not to be brought to the surface again."
Sapphire eyes met obsidian in a hard, unwavering stare. She knew that he had been on to her, following her, looking over her shoulder every time she started to get close.
He's hiding something.
"Is there something in your past, High Elder, which you do not wish to come to the surface?" Rosalina challenged him. Most were too afraid, but she had been put through too much by this man and the other Elders to be afraid. This was why she had been voted for the seventh seat on Council. This was why the people wanted her as an Elder. She was the only one willing to challenge their authority.
"We all have regrets, Rosalina." Uinseann slowly backed away, hand sliding from the pile of papers that Rosalina had refused to let go of. "We all have skeletons in our closets. You cannot be an effective Elder unless you make hard choices… and hard choices sometimes come back to haunt us."
Rosalina narrowed her eyes in question. Something was wrong. Uinseann was acting very peculiar. Normally he would have lashed out, told her she was ill experienced in such matters, that she had no right to be insinuating such things.
"High Elder?" Rosalina asked carefully as Uinseann began his retreat from the room. She stood up suddenly, chair screeching as it was pushed back. "Uinseann."
He turned at the use of his name. She could see in his dark eyes that he was remorseful of something. The Letters of Declaration had triggered something in him to cause him to remember something he regretted.
"What did you do?" Rosalina swore her voice was about to escape her. Uinseann looked towards the balcony again and gave a sad smile.
"We have all done many things we regret." His voice was soft. "And we are prepared to do many more before we meet our end. Be careful in the White City. Even though the sun shines bright, there are many shadows lurking in the darkness."
With that he opened the door and walked out of the Conclave. The door clicked shut and Rosalina couldn't help but turn her gaze towards the balcony. She walked to it apprehensively like a wild cat coming upon a human for the first time; unaware of what danger might be skulking around. She placed her hands on the doors and pulled them open. The sun washed over her like a tidal wave of warmth, blinding her. She stepped out onto the balcony and stood at the railing. She looked out at the city below.
The plaza was bustling with business from merchants, herbalists, tailors, and bards. Music echoed throughout the air followed by the wafting scent of honey cakes and fresh bread. Children played while their parents shopped. Dogs trotted through the streets while cats sat upon window sills and balconies.
Her eyes slowly began to notice the dark places. Places where the sun was blocked out either on purpose or by accident. Of course shady people congregated there where they could conduct their business. Luxima was not perfect after all. However, Rosalina failed to see the shadows that Uinseann had been talking about.
That was until she heard heavy footfalls of steel on stone. Her eyes drifted to the left and spotted the troop of Imperial soldiers. They held spears in their right hands and a sword on their left hip. They were heading towards the Castle.
Run.
"They may not be coming for me." Rosalina felt her heart drop.
Run.
"They're not coming for me." Rosalina declared and headed back inside the Conclave. She shut the doors to the balcony and headed to the door that would lead to the Main Hall. She opened it and walked out. Two soldier stood on either side of the double doors. Each carried a spear and sword like the troop. She looked from one to the other.
"Is everything alright Elvira?" The soldier to her right inquired, armor clanking as he turned to look at her. She licked her lips and gave a small smile while nodding her head.
"For now." She mumbled to herself and headed out into the Main Hall. She passed through the large columns adorned with intricate designs. She heard the boots and froze in her path. The troop marched into the Main Hall with their armor and boots echoing as they went. Rosalina stood straight with her hands fisted at her sides, waiting for them.
They passed her.
Rosalina released the breath that had been caught in her throat and turned to watch the troop continue their march. They headed into a hallway and disappeared with their boots and armor echoing behind them. She caught something move to her right, but did not look. Someone was hiding behind a column in the shadows with a hood drawn over to cover their face.
"My lady, Elvira!" Avia called from before me, heading into the Main Hall from where the troop had disappeared. She approached with smile spread across her again face. "Child, what is it?"
Rosalina did not move. She stared at Avia, but her attention was on the one in the shadows. They just watched; continuously.
"I'm being watched." Rosalina whispered and smiled at Avia, trying to act as though nothing was wrong.
"I've noticed." Avia took Rosalina by the arm and led her from the hall. "They have been following you for over a week now. I fear it is the Elders' doing."
"I'm beginning to think I need a vacation, Avia." Rosalina looked at the elderly woman briefly, trying to convey a message to her secretly. The clever woman understood and nodded her head in agreement.
"I hear Terra is lovely this time of year." Avia suggested and led Rosalina down another hall. The shadow followed behind them close enough for the hairs on the back of Rosalina's neck to stand up.
"I agree. It has been a while since I have seen them too. Might be nice to catch up, relax for a while. Put all this nonsense away." Rosalina and Avia stepped outside through the open doors at the end of the hall and headed into the garden. Cherry blossoms were forever blooming here and their scent tickled Rosalina's nose.
We must leave tonight.
"When do you expect to leave, my lady?" Avia asked and placed a hand on Rosalina's arm, ever letting go or loosening her hold from earlier.
"Perhaps tomorrow. There are still some things I must collect from the Record Keepers first." Rosalina didn't bother keeping her eyes trained on the shadow. She could feel them watching her. "Yes, tomorrow."
"Tomorrow." Avia repeated and patted Rosalina's arm, leading her through the gardens and back into the Castle. They headed up the stairs and passed the Council Chamber, heading for Rosalina's room. They entered and shut the door, locking it as quietly as they could behind them.
We must leave tonight.
"And so we shall." Rosalina replied and hurried to pack her things. She apologized in her head to General Hammond and Jack for not warning them of her coming. She couldn't warn them. Not if her life was in danger. Her shadow would surely have gotten their hands on her message and that would put all her efforts and the lives of her people and friends in danger as well.
Elvira = Impartial judgement
