Queen Alua sat at her desk and stared through the window into the blizzard raging outside. The storm had struck without warning, catching Eto by surprise. Down in the city beyond the palace, the people would be bundling themselves up in blankets, or sitting and chatting around a hearth. Alua glanced around her opulent room, so different from the simple house she had once known. Back when she still lived in the city, storms like these were excuses to take some time off, maybe tell a story or two. You were trapped inside anyways, so why not have a little fun? She smiled wistfully at the memory. There was even a saying in the city: "They're keeping each other warm." Storms were a time for lovers.
That thought was depressing. Alua sighed and lay her head down on her desk. The stupid, oversized crown made an audible thump. That was the last straw. She reached up and pulled the thing off, then twisted and lobbed it across the room. It was a respectable throw. The crown made it all the way to one of the bookshelves, colliding with it and causing a shower of books to rain down on the carpet.
There was a knock from the door. Alua froze. The knock came again, more insistent this time. She glanced over at the crown, which was lying under a small pile of books. Should she retrieve it and try to put it back on? She could just imagine the scandalized faces of her attendants, seeing their queen with half her hair falling out of a lopsided crown. Her mouth compressed into a stubborn line.
Taking a firm grip on her skirts, Alua pushed the chair back and rose. She ignored the crown, and instead crossed the room to the door. The knocking had stopped, but she could sense someone waiting patiently on the other side. She steeled herself, expecting her attendants to burst in, but then…
"My Queen?" Asked a familiar voice. "Everything alright?" Alua gasped, then threw open the door.
"Syd! You could've said it was you!" The young man in the blue robes raised his eyebrows at her.
"Who did you think it was?" He said. "I told you I'd be by with the weather report from the city and the minutes from the Senate meeting." He brandished his stack of papers. "And you were the one who wanted to know how the palace was planning on helping with the storm." His tone was plaintive, but Alua could see the twinkle in his eye. She winced.
"You're right. I just sort of…lost track of time".
"Forgot all about it, huh?" Syd teased gently. Alua heaved a sigh, then beckoned him inside. Syd tucked the papers under his arm, closing the door behind him, and followed her.
Alua was about to lead him back to her desk, when she suddenly remembered the incident with the crown and the bookcase. She grimaced, then took a hard right, climbing the steps to the area with her bed and dresser. Syd watched her, then glanced over at the bookcase.
"Doing a little redecorating?" He asked. Alua sat down on the edge of her bed.
"You could say that." She waited, and after a brief hesitation Syd followed her up. He set the papers down on her dresser, then took the chair.
"Well, you'll be happy to hear that the senate approved the distribution of blankets and fuel to the neediest sections of Eto's old town." Alua sighed in relief.
"Thanks, Syd. You're a miracle-worker. Those supplies will mean so much to them."
"Don't thank me, my Queen." Syd's voice had softened. Alua looked up to see him smiling at her. "It was your idea." The storm still raged outside, casting shadows around the room. Yet even in the dim light, Syd's eyes were very bright. Alua felt her cheeks heat, and she looked away.
"W-well, I just remembered how cold it always was during a storm. It would've been miserable without a fire." Syd looked at her curiously.
"So what do people in the city do during a storm? Because," he added dryly, "as you keep reminding me, I wouldn't last a week out there."
"You wouldn't." Alua agreed, grinning.
"Better give me some tips, then," he shot back, matching her grin. "You never know what might happen. What if I have to hide out for a while?" He sighed. "I just might if Xicero ever discovers who's been passing you so much information." The queen looked at him, suddenly anxious.
"Aw, come on," she said, forcing herself to smile. "You two are friends. Besides, you could talk your way out of anything."
"True, true," Syd crossed his arms and nodded, like she'd just said something profound. "I am incredibly persuasive." Alua stared at him, then snorted in laughter.
"Why you…!" But he was laughing too. She felt the knot of worry loosen in her chest. And as she looked at him, studying his face, it was replaced by something much warmer. He was her friend. Her ally. To the rest of the court she was 'The Fallen Queen', a hollow crown who did not merit their respect. Yet for some reason, Syd's support never wavered. The storm lashed the windows once more. She'd almost forgotten about it.
Storms were a time for lovers…
Her stomach fluttered, and she balled her fists in the cloth of her dress. Why had that popped into her head?
"My Queen?" Syd was looking at her, concerned. That startled her out of her reverie. "You got quiet all of a sudden," he continued. Alua opened her mouth and found herself saying,
"I was just thinking, I never did tell you what the people in the city do during a storm." Her heart was beating so hard she could almost hear it. Could he hear it too?
He gazed at her. She could feel him trying to read her face. Was she blushing? She couldn't even tell anymore. She felt like a string pulled tight, the tension the only thing keeping it stable.
"Alright," he said, still looking at her with those bright, gentle eyes. "What do they do? I'm all ears." Alua crossed her arms.
"Y-you've got to come over here first," she said. Again he hesitated. Then…
"As my Queen wishes."
He walked slowly over to her bed. Too slowly, Alua found herself thinking, biting her lip. He sat down next to her, barely shifting the mattress.
"I mean," she said, staring down at her hands and feeling the blush creep down her neck. "Don't let me twist your arm or anything. I just…" She felt the ghost of a touch on her cheek and looked up. He was there, his face so close she could see the flecks of yellow in those amber eyes. Then he smiled. And it was Syd's smile. The wry, funny one that he always gave her. The one that let her know she wasn't alone. The smile he gave so freely, but that always felt as precious as any of the jewels she now owned. The tension bled out of her. She reached up, cupping his face in her hands, and drew it down to meet hers in a kiss...
Alua jerked her head up, nearly catapulting herself backwards out of her chair. She blinked, disoriented. For a moment, she didn't know where she was. Then, she took in the desk, the window, the music box… Alua sighed, finally recognizing her room. The view through her window was bright and sunny, fading the edges of her dream even as it started to slip from her mind. What had she been dreaming about? Beside her, she could see the pile of papers Syd had delivered during the storm the week before. Alua smiled sleepily, then yawned. Whatever the dream had been, she felt that it had been a good one.