Authors note: Okay, finally back into it. This chapter was initially supposed to be much longer, but I figured I'd split it so I could get it out and have progress for everyone. Hope ya like it!
"So, what is the plan then?" Uni asked as she leaned against the bars of the jail cell they had been very nearly dragged and thrown into. The cell was disgustingly dirty, lit only by a torch on the wall outside the doors, and smelled of water and waste. Three benches were along the walls, and numerous rusty manacles hung from the walls further up. It was, quite simply, the most disgusting place she had ever been put.
"Well, we couldn't fight back in the charming fairy, so do we escape now?" Nepgear asked as she turned from the bench she was sitting on to look at the back bench where Louise and 5PB were sitting.
"Give me a moment, I'm thinking," Louise said seriously, before groaning and slumping forward.
"That doesn't sound like thinking," Uni deadpanned.
"Everything I consider leads to worse and worse possibilities," Louise said with a groan as she slumped to the side, her head landing on 5PB's lap.
"What do you mean? Is our situation that grim?" Brave asked, sounding perfectly calm.
"Not grim, just bad. We've done and said things that, in hindsight, could not have turned out worse," Louise stated before letting out another sigh as 5Pb just placed a hand on her head, silently telling her it would be okay. "Ignoring Agnes was not bad in itself, but because she was saying her orders were from the queen it could be. Not accepting a summons from a regent would be, for a citizen of this land, tantamount to betraying the crown and could be met with death. But because we are, essentially officials of the governments of our lands it isn't as bad either."
"Then what is the problem exactly?" Uni asked critically.
"The problem is that Agnes heard us referenced as Goddesses," Louise said with another sigh as she closed her eyes. "You heard what she called us, right?"
"Heretical goddesses, wasn't it?" 5Pb asked, getting a nod from Louise.
"Yes. That, combined with what has already happened is bad, because the nobility, and especially the church, may not consider us to be leaders, or even the siblings of leaders from another place. They may just consider us as heretics and call it a day!"
"I take it that would be bad?" Brave asked.
" Considering it means condemning us, and trying to kill us to appease their god, yes," Louise deadpanned as she opened up her eyes and sat up.
"Goodness, that would be bad," Nepgear exclaimed. "Is there no way to make them realize were not their enemy?"
"Maybe. We did essentially spare their army losses and save their country. I think it will depend on who, and how, we talk to them," Louise said before scowling. "If we meet the queen on her own, we can probably get out of this without too much trouble. If the cardinal is around that becomes difficult. And if we meet the queen in the middle of a meeting of all the nobility, then things may get very difficult very quick."
"Why though? Are the nobility aggressive?" 5PB asked curiously.
"It is more like they think of themselves as the greatest gift of the heavens. Many are very arrogant and always looking for a way to better themselves and get closer to the queen. If we are brought to a meeting with everyone, it could turn ugly quick," Louise replied.
"We may find out soon then," Brave said as she glanced at the door and down the hall as far as she could see. "Someone is coming."
Uni immediately moved away from the door and took a seat, and a second later Agnes, along with no less than six musketeers, walked down the hall and stopped in front of the cell the five of them were in. "Stand up and prepare to be shackled again. You are to be brought before the queen," Agnes said with a proud grin as five of her musketeers took out shackles.
"Really?" Uni asked in annoyance. "We could just break out of them you know, there's no point to them."
"The queen and Nobility must be protected from you heathens," Agnes stated as if it was obvious fact.
"As I just said, we could get out of those whenever we wanted. Heck, we could have escaped from this cell as soon as you put us in here!" Uni pressed as she stood up as placed a hand on a bar of the cell, then pushed on it and bent it with what looked like little effort. After all, it was only iron, hardly even close to the toughest material in Gameindustri.
"How dare You-"one musketeer began to say as they pulled out their pistol and aimed it at Uni, only for Agnes to hold her hand up.
"Do not be deceived by their words. The queen has asked for them to be brought before her. All of them. As she has already been told of their crimes, the queen, and only the queen, shall decide their fate."
"O-of course captain. I am sorry," the musketeer said as she stowe her pistol.
"Now, get out and present your arms!" Agnes ordered as she put a key into the cells lock and unlocked it as she took out her own pistol and held it to the side as a warning gesture.
"Fine, let's get this over with," Louise said as she stood up and walked over to the door and held out her wrists, eying Agnes Dangerously. "But of you attempt to hurt us, you will regret it."
"You dare threaten a captain of Trisania?" Agnes asked in mock fear as one of the people slapped the manacles on her wrists.
"That was not a threat," Louise said as she looked back at everyone and nodded.
They understood and stood up as well.
"Make sure their manacles are tight," Agnes said grimly as she took a step back and watched all of the girls allow themselves to be manacled. As soon as they all were locked up one guard each took a position behind each girl, pistol pressed against the small of their back. "Let us go then, if any of you make a move to escape, you will be shot."
"Isn't this a bit extreme?" Louise asked as Agnes began leading them down the dungeon halls in a line. "I mean, the queen wishes to speak to us, correct?"
"That is correct," Agnes answered curtly without turning to look at Louise.
"Then why are we chained? Shouldn't we be unchained so we can see her as equals?" Louise asked in a tone that 5PB recognized and worried about. It was the tone she had used only a couple of times to get a reaction out of people, usually her enemies, to bait them.
And it worked. In a flash Agnes turned around, pistol drawn, and aimed it at Louise's head. "Be quiet heretic, you are not the queens equal!"
Louise just smiled. "We will have to introduce ourselves to the queen, correct?"
"And the nobility, yes," Agnes responded, making Louise scowl at the information, before smirking.
"Then we shall soon find out just how equal we are. Shall we?"
"Uwah, Louise seems kind of evil right now," Nepgear muttered quietly.
"No, I believe she simply has given up on avoiding this situation," Brave suggested, eliciting a nod from 5PB.
"Yes, there's no avoiding it," Louise spoke up as Agnes turned away from her. " So let's get this over with."
Agnes said nothing as she walked forward, causing her forces to move the girls forward.
"So, what is the plan?" Uni asked seriously.
"Well," Louise started with a heavy sigh. "Avoidance hasn't worked for us at all, so why don't we just go all ahead and make it known what our intentions are?"
"Be quiet, we are here," Agnes spoke up suddenly as they neared a large metal door. " You will be before most of Tristains nobility, and the cardinal and the queen. You will only speak when spoken to and given permission."
"Good luck enforcing that one," Uni muttered, luckily unheard by Agnes as she unlocked and pushed open the door.
Leading them inside they discovered the room to be a large audience chamber with numerous tiers up the walls. Each tier had balconies where noble families could sit, and at the end of the room was the largest balcony, where a throne sat with the Queen upon it, and the cardinal standing off to the side. The noise of nobles chattering and whispering amongst themselves was omnipresent even as Agnes led the girl to the center of the room. Some of the nobility even began pointing fingers and gawking at the girls, mostly the female nobility.
"Are they making fun of us?" Uni asked in a whisper.
"More likely at our clothing, they don't seem to like to show skin like in Gameindustri," 5PB responded with a sigh, used to being gawked at and ogled by some of her more, lecherous fans.
The queen stood up and raised her sceptre, causing the nobility to quiet in bare seconds. " Agnes, I take it these are the ones you spoke to me of in your reports?" Henrietta asked, her voice sounding a bit more commanding than Louise expected it to.
"They are your highness," Agnes responded with a bow.
"Then unshackle them please, it is unbecoming of this place."
Agnes slowly nodded and turned to her musketeers. "unshackle them," she ordered out loud, then continued in a quieter tone. "But keep your weapons armed and ready."
Her musketeers complied and unshackled the girls, immediately drawing their pistols after they were done and taking steps backwards.
"Now then, I am the queen of Tristain, Henrietta De Tristain. Agnes has told me that the five you are responsible for the protection of the Village of Tarbes, as well as creating the lights that devastated the Albionese army. Is that correct?" Henrietta asked.
"Do you want to do the talking?" Uni asked as she looked to Louise.
"I will. No more avoiding," She replied as Louise took a single step forward. "that is correct. Though we did not create those lights, three of us were those lights!" Louise stated almost proudly, causing many of the surrounding nobility to begin shouting and speaking amongst themselves.
This continued for a few moments before the Cardinal spoke up. "Enough, you disgrace this place with your bickering before the queen!"
"It is fine, Cardinal, they simply are surprised. I am as well, after all, I witnessed those lights, and they moved much faster than any dragon could ever hope to," Henrietta said as she looked back down at Louise. "So tell me, why do you lie, and what spell did you use to create those lights?"
"I do not lie. Three of us were those lights," Louise stated again.
" . . . I see. Then as the Queen of Tristain I thank you for your help against the army of Albion, regardless of what your intention in doing so was," Henrietta said with a light nod, likely all she could do as thanks in front of the nobility. Her composure changed a second later however as she stepped up against the railing and looked down, her eyes strange. "While you have helped our country, there are other matters of more grave importance to discuss. Agnes tells me that you claimed to come from a far off land, but would not say its name, and that you called yourselves by titles that are, worrying. I would ask you introduce yourselves to us."
Louise let out a sigh, but was beaten to it as the others introduced themselves first.
"M-my name is Nepgear, I'm the CPU Candidate for the nation of Planeptune!"
"I am Uni, CPU Candidate of the nation of Lastation."
"I am Called Brave, and I am a citizen of Lastation."
"Uh, my public name is 5PB, and I'm from Leanbox.
"And I am Louise, CPU Candidate of Leanbox," Louise finished the introduction, noticing that some nobles were now muttering and pointing fingers at her, likely mentioning how her name and looks were so similar to the Louise they had known of.
"I see. I recognize that those names are supposed to be of your nations, but I do not recognize them. I also do not understand what this, Sea pee you candidate thing, is supposed to be either. Could you perhaps explain what they are so that we may understand?"
"You won't understand it," Louise said simply, scandalizing many nobles into yelling obscenities at her.
"We will not know unless you tell us, no?" Henrietta replied, her expression still strange.
"Fine. The CPU's of each of our nations are its leaders. We are their sisters, and if anything ever happened to our sisters, as Candidates, we would take over the governance of our nations. The main difference between your kings and queens and their children and us however is that the CPU's and CPU candidates are fundamentally different than just a ruler," Louise said as she took a breath to prepare herself to spring the truth upon them and see where it would go. "CPU's and their sister are the goddesses of our respective nations, and as such much of our power is gained from the hearts and minds, the faith, of our people."
Chaos erupted instantly. The nobility screamed profanities and declarations of falsehoods, while those who were the most devout in the Brimiric faith shouted about heresy and how they should be burned at the stake for even thinking of themselves as goddesses.
A small number of the nobility were not screaming and sat silent, while the queen and the cardinal also were perfectly still and silent. And as the screaming and roaring continued, one voice began to gain control and was heard above all other. "they are heretics that are a danger to all of Tristain. That one tried to kill me and destroyed my carriage!" a portly noble screeched as he pointed at Nepgear, eyes full of rage and hatred.
"What precisely did she do, Baron?" Henrietta asked, the noise in the room dying down in seconds at her voice.
"She destroyed my carriage and attempted to claim my life!" the Baron roared angrily before grinning slightly. "They are all a danger to Tristain and need to be locked up, or better yet, chained up and made to serve Tristain and its nobility!"
"Miss, it was Neegee I believe," Henrietta spoke up, mangling Nepgears name in the process. "Is what the baron said truthful? Did you destroy his carriage?"
"Um, not directly," Nepgear answered. "His carriage was coming down the street and would have hit a child, so I saved the child, and the carriage went out of control and crashed."
"What, you heretic how dare you lie before the queen!" the baron roared.
The queen however did not say anything to the baron and kept her eyes on Nepgear. "I see, what happened next if I may ask?"
"Well, he got angry at the people nearby and started threatening them, saying that his property was more important than a child's life. I told him that was wrong, and when a person tried to speak up he attacked them with magic, so I healed him. He then demanded I come with him to pay him for his broken carriage, and I told him I would never go anywhere with someone who hurts the innocent!" Nepgear declared proudly to the assembly.
"You heretical bitch! Howe dare you insult my name in this place! How dare you weave such slanderous lies and accuse me, a Baron of Tristain, of such action! You are not but a heretic who claims to be a goddess when the only god of all is the founder and-"
"Baron, you will be silent," Henrietta said coolly, bringing instant silence to the whole assembly as all eyes, including Louises's and the Baron's, looked to her in shock.
"Wha, b-but my queen, this heretic fills this place with her lies and-" The baron tried to speak up, only to be silenced when Henrietta stuck her sceptre against the balcony railing, cracking it.
"Baron Montille, I had hoped that the rumours and stories that I had heard were wrong, for I truly used to believe that no Noble of our fair country could be so selfish and uncaring for those around them. I used to believe that the nobility cared for their people and lands, and that they would willingly give their lives for their country if it was truly and honestly required. For many long years I held a rose coloured view of our lands, and of all the nations of Halkeginia, but viewing life in such a way is wrong," Henrietta began solemnly, her expression turning somewhat more grim and making Louise realize what had been so strange about her expression thus far. She had been waiting for this. "My father the king, passed away, and my mother falls to grief. Gallia becomes estranged, and Albion, our long-time ally, is embroiled in civil war when they were once the most stable country, whose love for their leaders was greater than all others. I know that many of our nobility do truly care for our land and its people, but it has become clear to me over time that there are many who have fallen to greed and pride, so I tasked the musketeers squad, as well as those most trusted families of our land to look into all accounts, stories, and rumours of nobility acting upon their own greed, mistreating the people, or aiming to destabilize our nation. Form the reports I have received, you are one such noble who has abused your rank, and I received a report just before this assembly that recalls everything that girl has stated, as truthful."
"What!? You would believe some rumour over the word of a noble of-"
"The one who was investigating you, Baron, was none other than Duchess Gramont, whose word I hold in high regard as a woman of strong moral standing. One who, like the others of the four high families, would not ever betray our land!" Henrietta declared seriously, looking like she was holding back her emotions.
"What, but that, you, she, i- I am, a noble, you cannot just-"
"Baron, you have committed crimes against the country and must be punished accordingly. For your actions your lands and holdings taken from you and-"
"By the founders divine will I invoke the rite of Blades!" The baron screamed, cutting Henrietta off.
In that instant all of the nobility began yelling, some even taking out their wands.
"Uh, I take it this is way out of hand now?" Uni asked nervously.
"Yes. The rite of blades is a duel, with the truths of a matter being decided upon by the winner," Louise said grimly as she could see that Henrietta was shocked speechless. "And if he was capable of beating Henrietta, his family would immediately claim the crown. No one has invoked the right of blades in, I think over four thousand years."
"Cant it be overturned, or ignored or something?" 5Pb asked hopefully.
"Sometimes yes, but the Cardinal is the highest member of the church present, so I don't think it will be."
"The queen can win though, right?" Nepgear asked as nobles continued to shout at each other, many making very crude gestures and statements while the Baron Montille looked utterly pleased with himself.
" . . . .I, don't know. Henrietta, her skill was mostly in healing magic when I knew her, and she did not go to the academy like most nobility would to learn magic," Louise said before swallowing hard. "This might be a bad situation."
"What if, what if one of us fought him? Could we?" Nepgear suggested suddenly, surprising Louise .
"That, I suppose technically as it was you he supposedly has a problem with, but the rite of blades is a duel to the death. Could you-"
"I won't kill him, but if I win I could diffuse this, right?" Nepgear asked hopefully.
"It," Louise stopped and thought for a second about before nodding her head. "Yes. It will stop this from getting more out of hand, and could help make us seem less, dangerous to the current reign if we defend it," Louise admitted with a sigh. "I'll do it so we-"
"No, he has a problem with me, so I'll do it," Nepgear interrupted as she turned back toward the queen and took a step forward before summoning her sword and stabbing it into the floor, making a noise that could be heard over all of the nobles railing against each other. " I accept your duel!" Nepgear said loudly as she looked right at the Baron.
Many of the nobles stopped as Baron Montille tuned and stared at Nepgear in absolute shock. "What, you, I did not declare it against you, heretic harlot!"
"You did not say who you were challenging, and as I know you're a liar and a bad person, I will accept your duel to protect the ones who clearly care about their country and would do anything to protect it, just as I would do anything to protect my nation, my family and my friends!" Nepgear said seriously, her voice ringing out in the hall and silencing those few who still were speaking.
"The girl speaks truth," Cardinal Marzarin suddenly said as he stepped forward. "As you did not declare who you were aiming the rite of blades upon, you had no opponent. By the grace of the founder you must accept that girl as your opponent, or have the rite you called be annulled!"
Baron Montille looked at the cardinal, and then at the balconies of the four high families, their heads all brandishing their wands, ready to challenge him to a duel as soon as the rite was annulled. "Very well, my victory will prove my words as truth anyway," The Baron said through gritted teeth. "I shall be down to the floor shortly!" he then added before turning around and disappearing.
"Miss Nee gee, was it?" Henrietta asked as she looked down at her.
"Um, Nepgear, actually," Nepgear replied, suddenly feeling like she knew how it was for her sister.
"Of course. You are aware of the rules of our rite of blades?"
"It's a duel, right?"
"It is a duel to the death, though either side may surrender if they wish to, and the other side may accept it, or not, at their own discretion. Both sides are allowed one weapon each, and if their weapon is destroyed they are considered beaten. Additionally none may fly up to where the balconies are if they have magic to do so. I signal the start of the duel, and then both sides must introduce themselves with all their titles before the fight may begin. Do you understand?"
"I do," Nepgear said seriously.
"Good, then I wish you luck. Agnes, please move the others to the side of the hall,"
"Come this way," Agnes said as she pointed to one wall.
"Nepgear, he probably won't be that hard for you, but try not to beat him to quickly," Louise whispered as she walked up to Nepgear
"Alright, I understand," Nepgear said before smiling. "It's not often we're the ones who are stronger than others, usually it's our enemies beating us first to make us go train and get stronger!"
"Yeah, uh," Louise cleared her throat and then smiled. "You'll do fine so, knock em out."
"Right!" Nepgear said as Louise followed the others to the side of the hall, just as Baron Montille came out of a door to the side, wearing a slightly less regal outfit that had some pieces of armour over his tubby belly as well as his shoulder and waist.
"I am prepared to prove my truth of this matter!" The baron declared proudly as he took a position on the hall, holding his wand to the side.
"Then I declare the duel ready. You may begin once both parties have introduce themselves," Henrietta state before taking a seat.
"Very well. I am Jacque Montille, Baron of the Montille barony. I am known by the runic name the Stiff breeze!" He declared proudly, making Uni and Brave have to hold themselves back from laughing. As the term had very different meaning in Gameindustri.
Well, I am Nepgear of planeptune," Nepgear started before she swung her sword to the side and engaged her HDD in a flash of light to the whole hall. "I am also known by the name Purple sister, CPU Candidate of Planeptune!" she then declared, stunning the whole hall, including the baron.
Louise understood why. She was far more comfortable with her upbringing in Gameindustri now, but she still recalled the ideas and values of the Nobility of Halkeginia. To them, 5PB was dressed in even less than a harlot, though she was the furthest from such a thing, so to see Nepgear in her HDD of close cut skin tight clothing, and with how much skin was showing, to them it was scandalous. Of course, the fact she was now hovering off the floor and had glowing wings probably evoked some kind of divine feeling in them. After all, while most people in Halkeginia were part of the Brimiric faith, there had never ever, as far as Louise knew, been sightings of angels, the beings who were supposed to be the founders servants in heaven. And their HDD's did evoke such an image in many ways. Well, Nepgears did, her own didn't really evoke such a feeling, and Uni's was different again in the feelings it evoked. All of theirs sisters evoked such imagery though.
"Um, we can start the duel now, right?" Nepgear asked politely after almost a full three minutes of waiting. A full three minutes of complete silence where every noble simply stared at her with a variety of expressions.
"Uh, of course, prepare to lose you heretic!" The baron said as he muttered under his breath and pointed his wand at Nepgear. "Wind spear!"
Seeing it coming by noting the direction of his wand, Nepgear simply floated to the side and avoided the blast of wind.
"What, impossible! Wind spear!" The Baron roared again, his spear again being dodged easily. "Wind spear, Wind spear, wind spear!"
"Um, you know a spear is small right, it's easy to avoid unless you know how to use it. Can you swing them?" Nepgear asked helpfully, or what she though was helpfully, as she recalled how Louise fought, then realized that few could probably fight like she did in HDD.
"Be silent, what do you know of combat, wench!?" the Baron roared in obvious irritation.
"Well, I do know how to fight," Nepgear answered simply as she dodged another spear of wind.
"Then prove that you can do more than just dodge!" the Baron roared as he, with his other hand, slipped a second wand into it from within his sleeve, out of sight of Nepgear.
"Okay," Nepgear said simply as she sidestepped a wind spear, twirled forward and swung her sword upwards, slicing the Barons wand in half, its end clicking onto the floor a second later.
"With his wand destroyed, the Baron has,-"
"DIE!" the Baron roared, interrupting Henrietta from declaring the winner, as he swung his other wand in the open and stabbed it into Nepgear's side, a shimmer coming from it and making clear it was a bladewand made for combat in more than just casting spells. Much to his surprise however, when it contacted her side it snapped in half, instead of stabbed into her flesh. "What, impossible!"
"Hey, Nepgear!" Louise called out with a slight smirk. "He broke the rules."
Nepgear nodded in understanding, and right as the Baron tried to back away she spun in place and swung her blade, the backside of it, into the Barons side, sending him rocketing away and into a nearby wall with a crash of stone debris and dust
"Um, I held back, so he should just be unconscious," Nepgear then said as she turned and looked up at the queen and cardinal, her words visibly surprising many. After all, from a Halkeginian standpoint, being thrown with such force was likely to break many bones if it did not outright kill a person.
"Then it appears the truth is as it has been told," The queen said with a smile as she stood. "And it appears we may be able to assume the good intentions of these people from far away."
Again the Nobility began talking and shouting. Some about how they could not be trusted, others how the queen's word was law, and other still demanding they be tried as heretics.
"Do these people not know how to do anything but yell?" Uni asked as she, Louise, 5PB and brave walked back to the centre of the room by Nepgear.
"Not really, no," Louise said with a sigh before smiling when she looked over at the Baron, who a pair of guards were pulling out of the wall. "Nice job with beating him up like that Nepgear."
"Thank you, I had to hold back when I hit him, but he still flew further than I thought he would. Is that normal?" Nepgear asked as she turned to her friends and disengaged her HDD.
"It seems so," Louise said with another sigh, this time at the power variance. "I knew we'd be more powerful, but I doubt there are many in Halkeginia who could prove dangerous to us."
"Miss Nepgeel," Henrietta spoke up, silencing the nobility, and again mangling her name. "I would like to thank you for what you have done. The situation could have become, dangerous to our country if it had continued as it looked as it would."
"Um, it's no problem really, it was the right thing to do," Nepgear stated as she tune back to the queen.
"I see. Your action and words tell me you are a good and honest person, so I thank you again," The queen said, before her expression shifted from thankful, to irked. "However, there is still your own presence that must be dealt with. You and your compatriots claim to come from lands that we do not recognize the names of, and three of you claim to, to be goddesses. This must be dealt with."
"Oh no," 5Pb whispered, worried for what next would be said.
"However, in light of your recent actions, including the defence of our nation against the army of Albion, I believe it would be best to be accepting. For now I would first like to know where this land you claim you are from is, and what your intentions for being in our fair country are?"
"Um," Nepgear muttered as she looked at Uni and Louise, who both nodded. With their blessing Nepgear took a step forward again. "You probably won't find our nations on any of your maps. They are in a place called Gameindustri, and it from a different Dimension."
"Ah, I am sorry, but I do not quirt understand what you are saying. Do you mean it is across the ocean perhaps?" The queen asked.
"No. it's a different, um, world. In Gameindustri there is only one moon in the sky after all," Nepgear stated, causing the nobility to start talking again.
"Quiet, please let there be silence!" Henrietta called, dumbing down the noise so she could speak again.
Your statement is, strange, but for now I shall not question upon it further. May I ask what your intentions in our fair land are then?"
"Well, we don't exactly know what brought us here. We have already contacted our friends, and were just waiting for a way for us to go home with some others," Nepgear stated simply.
"Hmm? There are others from your land in our nation?" Henrietta asked curiously.
"Well, yes. The Village of Tarbes, they told us that their ancestors were from Gameindustri, so were looking for them to come back with us if they want to," Nepgear responded truthfully.
"Oh shit," Louise muttered as she put her hands over her face, knowing there was no going back from what Nepgear had said while she mentally berated herself for not telling her to leave that part out.
"So, you claim that the Village of Tarbes is intending to leave and go back to you home nations with you, is that correct?"
"They do want to, yes," Nepgear responded again.
"I see. That will, complicate matters in many ways," The queen stated with a sigh. "However, perhaps it would be best to continue this conversation this evening. Agnes, please bring out, guests, to the visitors parlour lounge. The assembly is adjourned and shall reconvene in three hours!"
The hall was filled with noise as Nobles began to stand and leave their balconies, leaving the girls below a bit confused.
"Uh, what is happening?" Uni asked.
"The assembly is in recess so that the nobility can rest and freshen up," Louise said with an annoyed tone to her last few words. "It means were not out of danger yet, but we are not being treated as criminals now. At least not entirely."
"That is correct," Agnes said suddenly, drawing he girls attention. " You will come with me to the parlour lounge. The queen will likely wish to speak to you in privat there while you rest."
"Um, oh, is that normal?" 5Pb asked quietly.
Agnes simply shook her head.
"Out of the frying pan?" Brave asked.
"And into the fire," Louise finished.