"Ah, Mateo! I've told you this before, no books during dinner!" Luisa exclaimed, startling the Royal Wizard and causing him to drop his fork and have it loudly clatter against his plate.
"Right, sorry abuela," Mateo said sheepishly and hastily closed the book. He then moved it to the ground when his grandmother-in-law raised one eyebrow up at him.
Luisa sighed. "I swear you're just as bad as those two."
Naomi followed Luisa's gesture across the dining room table to Elena and Isabel, who were trying to look a little too innocent as they each stabbed into a piece of mango. Naomi laughed a little into her goblet of water as she used it to wash down her bite of enchiladas, and wondering if she could eat anymore.
The kitchen staff always had such a feast set up for breakfast and dinner, with mouthwatering smells filling up the dining room and even carrying down the hallway, drawing them invitingly into the brightly colored room. The splendor of it was intentional though, as the Royal family was adamant about eating together too, sharing lively conversations about their day and getting lost in reminiscing about old memories.
All of this that was so new to Naomi, that she sometimes didn't notice how much she was consuming anymore as she got lost in the ambiance of it all. However, she was starting to feel it sit more in her gut and she wouldn't be surprised if she was starting to gain more weight than she could burn off during her daily lasso training.
Perhaps she could burn off some extra calories by helping at the Harbor...or even see if Dr. Mendoza needed some excavation assistance, or she could even check on the pepper crops in the north.
With it having been quiet the last few days, in both the staff gossiping and any news or progress in finding Chloe, it seemed like the universe was providing Naomi with the perfect opportunity to leave the Palace, as she was going a little stir-crazy, and start figuring out what she was going to do when the year with Esteban was finally up. Which she was no closer to figuring out than she had been a few weeks ago.
But, she could at least start with trying to keep in shape for whatever she decided.
A plate of some kind of freshly made fried dough pastries covered in cinnamon and sugar was then placed in front of Naomi.
Senora Torres looked down at her with the most pitying eyes Naomi had ever seen. "Here you are Naomi, some Sopaipillas for you, you sweet, innocent dear."
"Oh, uh, thanks?" Naomi replied automatically, though she was thoroughly confused.
To further confuse her, Senora Torres nodded gratefully at the comment before turning her eyes, which became quite rueful, to Esteban who was sitting beside Naomi and picked up his plate to take it away, even though he clearly had a few bites still left.
"Wha-Senora Torres!" Esteban called out, but she didn't stop or pay him any mind.
"Strange," Francisco commented as Senora Torres exited the door that led down to the kitchen. "She usually only has Sopaipillas made when she knows someone is going through a hard time."
"Is there something wrong with me?" Naomi asked, glancing down at the reflective surface of her spoon. She had thought she had been putting on a good enough face in front of people that weren't the Royal family.
"I mean, not outside of the usual," Esteban unnecessarily responded with, as he grabbed one of the pastries, and therefore earned him a sharp glare from Naomi to make up for the fact that she couldn't reach kicking him in the shins.
She then decided to make a great show of picking up the plate and setting it on the other side of her, well out of Esteban's reach, which he watched with narrowed eyes through the whole performance.
Whatever smart comment he had no doubt cooked up to then say to her, was cut off by the sound of arguing voices echoing outside in the hallway, before they barreled into the dining room.
It turned out to be Armando and Private Higgins, who didn't stop their incoherent bickering until Elena said, "What's going on?"
Higgins saluted very stiffly. "A letter with an unidentified sender has arrived to the Palace, and I believe it would be in our best interest to deliver it to Captain Nunez."
Armando rolled his eyes. "And as Chief-of-the-Castle, which I have been for many years, I noticed that it has the Royal Seal from Nueva Vista."
"Thank you Armando, I'll take the letter then," Elena said holding out a hand. She then leaned forward. "But thank you Private Higgins for your concern."
After both men looked pleased at getting equal praise from their generous Queen, they bowed and left the room together in a much more friendly manner.
"It seems like Gabe is keeping everyone on high alert," Mateo noted and shot Elena a knowing look that she returned. Although Naomi couldn't tell which time he was referring too, she could bet that he was talking about when Gabe had soldiers circle Elena for literally every step she took during the first couple of weeks of Shuriki's resurgence. It was good that Gabe had gotten a little more relaxed since that time, but it seemed that not everyone agreed that.
"I don't think you should make light of this. You need to take every precaution," Esteban said. "In fact, I've already seen requisitions to get some new cutlery for the dining room."
"Funny, I believe I've told you before that requisitions is something I should be doing as Queen Esteban," Elena said flatly as she broke the wax seal. "And the ones we're using now are brand new that we got as a gift from Maarswik. So, I would be curious to know why you think we need new ones already?"
"Probably because they're not gold plated or encrusted in emeralds," Naomi remarked.
"Oh, leave the letter until after dinner, mijita," Luisa then chided.
"I can't if it's from Nueva Vista," Elena said unrolling the scroll.
Luisa still didn't look pleased at this. But thankfully, Francisco stepped in.
"Oh come, mi amor, you remember how Lucia was during her first year as Queen." Francisco turned to look at all of his grandchildren. "It was the first time we had actually seen her awake first thing in the morning, and she lived on mostly a diet of beans and rice so she wouldn't have to stop for even a second."
Naomi didn't think that was an unusual diet at first. Beans and rice held plenty of nutritional value needed to keep someone full and fueled if they had to keep on working for hours on end. Then again, as she reached for one of the sweet smelling Sopaipillas, she could see how it was hard to imagine going on a scarce diet if someone ate this extravagant all the time.
Naomi was about to take a bite when her attention was pulled to Elena as she let out a large gasp.
"What's wrong?" Isabel asked first.
"There is a rumor of a possible rebellion breaking out in Nueva Vista," Elena said breathlessly, straightening up to attention.
"A rebellion? Against who?" Naomi asked.
Elena swallowed hard. "Against the Crown."
Everyone let out a different kind of outcry of disbelief.
"We've never had problems with that Castle and city before," Francisco said. "What's changed?"
"It says that the social and economic inequality of the city has been completely thrown into disarray. People are losing their jobs, taxes are being raised, and there's talk of a poor harvest." Elena's eyes darted quickly all over the scroll. "Even the price of a loaf of bread is almost worth a day's wage now."
"But we sent Duke Cisco the golden items that the Noblins had created. And they were genuine gold," Mateo interjected with. "We agreed that it was enough to give Nueva Vista a boost."
"It was more than that. It was enough to buy a small kingdom!" Esteban cried out.
"And he hasn't told you before that this was the current situation of the city?" Naomi asked.
"No, he hasn't," Elena said through gritted teeth. "In fact, the only thing Cisco sent me recently was a symphony he was working on. I assumed that meant that things were going fine, maybe even great since I wasn't expecting a bi-yearly report for a few months."
"Why would he not tell us that things were getting this bad?" Luisa asked.
"I don't know. He knows I would have been more than happy to help him out," Elena said, not hiding the hurt that was in her voice. "The letter also says that in order to quell some of the small skirmishes that are popping up, Duke Cisco has decided that the next course of action is to increase the number of soldiers by any means, and adding stricter laws like curfews."
Just by the sheer horror of how bad of an idea that was, immediately put everyone off their foods. They all shifted their plates away from themselves, and settled into the mindset like they were having a pseudo-Grand Council meeting. Even Isabel, who tended not to get involved with politics at all, put on a more stoic and concentrated expression.
"I put Duke Cisco in charge, because while he is extended family, he grew up in Nueva Vista and was next in line behind Cristobel for Dukedom. But it seems that he is not fit for this job at all." Elena slammed the letter on the table face down, as if she couldn't bear to look at it anymore. "And after him, there's not a lot of direct Castillo family left."
She didn't finish with an explanation as to why. But with the common knowledge that Shuriki had killed off all Wizards that came to Avalor, rebellion leaders, and Elena's parents, an assumption could be made as to what had happened to some of her extended family.
"Then maybe it's time we put someone else in line," Naomi suggested.
Esteban loudly sighed. "You can't just shift the hierarchy of power that easy or willy-nilly, Naomi. Not just anyone can sit on a throne."
"It's not that I'm opposed to putting someone of a smaller noble title or even a non-royal in place, Esteban," Elena cut in, before looking more directly at Naomi. "But I do understand that with a city of Nueva Vista's scale, you've got to have years of experience of understanding the fundamentals of ruling and leading. You saw how many years it took me just to become Queen."
Francisco nodded. "She is right. Our daughter, Margarita, did not become Lady of the Flores House, La Rosa Naranja, until right before Esteban was born as she hadn't been ready until then."
Naomi was momentarily surprised. But only because she hadn't even known that the Flores had another home since all known Flores seemed to live here at the Palace. And Naomi wasn't sure she had heard the name of the other daughter, Esteban's mother and Elena's aunt, until this moment.
"Well, if it's jobs and improving the economy that Nueva Vista needs help with, then why not build another hydro-gondola system there," Isabel piped in with. "Caterina and I, with the help of Esteban, took in the account of maintenance, material costs, and operators, and everything has been thriving ever since."
"While that is an excellent suggestion Isabel," Esteban said with a great deal of pride in his voice. "Nueva Vista isn't structurally built similar to Avalor, especially with all the river canals."
"But she is on the right track that we'll need to think of something along those lines before things get worse," Elena said, her jaw visibly clenched. "And while I still don't know who sent the letter, it still came from the Nueva Vista Palace, so I have to trust it enough to take action as I didn't take back my Kingdom to have my people suffer in any way. Especially not Papi's ancestral home." Elena sighed, "So we'll need someone to go there..."
"Elena, no," Luisa said firmly.
"I haven't even said anything yet!" Elena protested.
"But I can see it in your eyes," Luisa pointed to the corner of her own green eyes. "And besides just for the baby's sake, I may not know anything about running a kingdom, but I do know about running a business. And I know that it can take weeks, maybe even months, to get a business that's starting from nothing off the ground and become widely successful."
"She's right," Mateo agreed, and brought a hand closer to Elena's so that their fingertips touched. "We have too many responsibilities here that we can't suddenly put off for months: Queen Rebecca is visiting soon, the Wizard guild needs to be finished being built if I want to start bringing students in during the warm season, an Olaball tournament to organize, and we need to be ready in case anything with Chloe comes up."
"Yes, yes. You're all right," Elena said in a small defeated tone, before shaking off the childish act and putting on a more Queenly expression. "But the fact remains that we still need a solution to all this."
"This is true," Esteban said, stroking his beard. "In the case of Avalor, it had quite a bit of luck with it's economy as the grand market place and extensive trading business had been able to be passed from Shuriki's power to yours."
Elena bristled slightly at that. "Luck?"
"Yes, luck," Esteban bristled back with. "You may have had a hand in a few deals Elena, but I was there through the entire process of the trade business growing. Working the long hours and doing the hard work that at least kept Avalor going and alive, and not fall into the desolate wasteland that the Northern Isles still are to this very day."
"He does have a point, Elena," Naomi said, stepping in before either of them said anything that they could regret. It wasn't the first time it got slightly tense with those two when Shuriki was brought up, especially if it was referring to her having done anything that had helped Avalor. Esteban always had a way of seeing it from a purely business side, while Elena saw it more as a betrayal.
"I've been in ports all over the EverRealm, and a good trade could make all the difference. I saw as a child the complete transformation of atmosphere and liveliness in only a few months on the small Island of Clearwater in the Caribbean after they made peace with the neighboring Island, and opened up to more travel and trade between the two."
Naomi couldn't tell who was more surprised in that moment: Esteban as she was actually agreeing with him or Elena for seeing that Naomi was agreeing with Esteban.
"There, if you won't listen to me, then maybe you'll listen to Naomi," Esteban said smugly, and Naomi had half a mind to regret what she had just done. "You need someone with conviction, who can take decisive action, with experience handling a good sized amount of people, and a good family name would help."
"You're...absolutely right Esteban."
Now it was Naomi's turn to be surprised once again. However, there was an almost wicked gleam in Elena's eyes that tipped Naomi off that her friend was coming up with some kind of scheme.
Esteban though, didn't seem to share the surprise, and looked rather pleased with himself as he went to take a drink. "I'm glad you see it that way."
"So, I need someone like you." Elena then leaned forward, placing her chin in her hand.
"Yes."
Elena shrugged her shoulders. "Or better yet, we just need you."
"Yes, this is tr-" Esteban then practically spat out his drink, and turned back to Elena sharply. "What! Me?"
"Didn't that list of yours pretty much describe all your qualifications," Elena said, lifting up an eyebrow.
"Well, yes, but..."
"Mijita, please," Francisco said in his most soothing tone. "You can't just throw that much weight onto Esteban's shoulders. Most people can't handle the stress-"
"I didn't say that I couldn't do it," Esteban interrupted abruptly with, clearly embarrassed by his grandfather's interference. "In fact, I would be greatly honored to step in and, once again, offer my vast knowledge to pull the kingdom up." He then folded his hands in front of him, his thumbs twiddling a little. "Of course, I am also only a Chancellor."
Elena smiled. "Then, maybe it's time you were officially granted another Royal Title."
"People can have more than one Royal Title? Seriously?" Naomi asked aloud, but went unanswered.
Esteban took a deep breath before bowing towards Elena. "I would always be happy to take up the title of Lord, as it is my birth right from my mother's side." He gave a small smile to his grandparents.
"I know you would. But, it's not what I had in mind," Elena said, tilting her head. "If I'm going to put you in charge in Nueva Vista, then you need the title to go along with it." Elena looked around the room. "Well, I don't have my scepter or a sword. Soooo, this will have to do!"
Elena picked up one of the unused butter knives off the table before standing up from her chair, and gestured for Esteban to come before her.
Esteban was actually slightly hesitant at first, but in the end, stood up from his chair as well, and moved to kneel in front of her.
Elena raised the knife high. "My dear cousin, you have already served the Kingdom of Avalor for so many years, that I am confident that you will continue to bring honor and pride to the Kingdom in this new position I now grant you." She then brought the knife down to lightly touch each of his shoulders. "So, by the power vested in me, Elena Rosemaria Desdemona Castillo-De Alva, Queen of Avalor, that I hereby claim you, Esteban Francisco Ricardo Flores, from this day forth to be named Duke of Nueva Vista!"
"I am...honored to serve the Kingdom," Esteban said in a stilted tone before rising to his feet.
The table let out a round of claps and whoops of encouragement, which didn't sound very loud all mixed together, but was held with all genuine sincerity and excitement, and maybe a possible undertone of worry.
Esteban seemed to have felt this worry as he looked a little too stiff for comfort. But it was broken as he jumped when Elena touched his arm.
"You're going to do fine, Primo," she said softly. "I know you'll be able to help us."
Esteban looked down to her hand. He reached over and patted her hand before clearing his throat and rolling back his shoulders.
"This is true."
After what had been the highlight of dinner, the plates had been all cleared. And after some final good nights, everyone headed in their respectable directions.
Esteban and Naomi ended up going down the same hallway together, as Naomi's apartments and supposedly Esteban's office were in the same direction, though Naomi had never been to his office herself.
"You don't have to come with me," Esteban then said.
Naomi turned to look up at him. "What?"
"You don't have to come with me to Nueva Vista," Esteban responded back with, not breaking stride. "You are more than welcome to stay in Avalor if you found something to occupy your time with."
Naomi's eyebrows furrowed together. "I wasn't really planning on it, unless Elena needs me to go."
Esteban looked down at her. "You don't realize what this means, do you?" The more intense crease that formed in her forehead turned out to be answer enough. "If I am now the Duke of Nueva Vista, then that means being my wife, you are now the Duchess of Nueva Vista."
Naomi felt herself instantly stumble a little. Her? A Duchess?
The very idea almost pushed her into a fit of giggles until she realized he was absolutely right. Mateo was Prince to Elena's Queen and Luisa was a Senora to Francisco's Senor. So, it only made sense that as long as she was married to Esteban, she was a Duchess.
Had Elena realized that at all!?
"Won't that seem suspicious?" Naomi decided to ask so that she wouldn't have to dwell anymore of the idea of her being...a Duchess. Even just the word sounded a little too pompous and foofy to her.
"I'm sure Oswall will find out about it if we were separated. So, could he use that against us?"
"Not at all," Esteban answered immediately. "While some Royal couples try to travel together, they are most often separated, and in most cases it's because the monarch decided that. Elena said that I need to go to Nueva Vista, so we could just say that she ordered you to stay by her side for...moral support or advising or to help with the baby."
'In the end, that means more lies,' Naomi thought to herself as she crossed her arms.
But, perhaps this would be for the better than. The two of them were at least on terms to be civil with one another again, which is why Naomi had taken it upon herself to think rather than say that last thought. Plus, perhaps distance would actually make the heart grow fonder, and she just might even miss Esteban for just a fraction of the time if he were to be gone.
"Chancellor!"
The stout figure of Private Higgins was quickly running down the hallway in a very un-soldier like manner to catch up to them.
"Congratulations Sir!" He said very loudly and gleefully.
"Thank you Higgins, it is quite the honor." Esteban looked down at his nails in a painfully obvious attempt to cool and collected. "I see my reputation of being the new Duke to Nueva Vista is already preceding me."
Naomi rolled her eyes hard.
Maybe, Esteban should take Higgins in her place. It was no secret that Higgins was Esteban's right hand man, and a good one in terms of doing anything that Esteban told him to do with an unnervingly happy expression. Qualities that Esteban had expressed were what he would want in a spouse.
At least Higgins was still first and foremost loyal to his Captain and Queen when it counted.
"What? You are?" Higgins asked, still on full volume. "Well that's amazing too! Kind of a long time to have waited for a Promotion though, huh sir?"
Naomi started snickering at that, and didn't even try to hide it behind a hand this time. At least he had that unknowingly blunt honesty that kept Esteban from getting too big of a head.
Higgins bounced a little on his toes. "But I was talking about you and Naomi getting married."
Naomi instantly stopped laughing, as did both her and Esteban's breathing as well.
Naomi unconsciously put her hand behind her back, until she realized that she didn't have to. She wasn't wearing her ring. She just hadn't gotten the habit of putting it on every morning, but it did safely reside in the jewelry box that was already on her dressing table.
So how did he know!?
Esteban took a step forward. "What are you talking about Higgins?"
Higgins dug into his pocket and pulled out a very crumpled looking pamphlet and presented it to the couple.
In large, bold letters read the title:
Scandalously Ever After by Mercedes Torres
The cover of the pamphlet had a picture of a man and a woman kneeling in front of one another and locked into a tight embrace as they stared intensely into each other's eyes.
The pouty, short-haired woman was wearing a very low cut dress, that seemed even lower in part to the large bust she had. The dress also had a large slit up the side that practically went to her hip and the skirts were being clutched tightly by her lover. The man himself, while seeming to be more dressed, was also practically shirtless as his white blouse was open and hung off his arms, displaying a very broad and muscular back. He had a smirk on his lips that sat between his thin mustache and curled beard.
Naomi and Esteban suddenly leaned in closer together, both no doubt having the startling realization of what they were looking at.
It was them.
Naomi snatched the pamphlet out of Higgins's hands and quickly opened it to the first page, reading the neatly and familiar typed sentences that came from Mercedes's printing press.
Unknown to the fair Kingdom of Avalor, there had been a secret romance blooming like a fine Rose in the garden of love.
It seems what the brave and feisty explorer Naomi Turner was looking for out on the vast, cobalt blue sea...was her soulmate. How many days, standing on the bow of her illustrious ship, with her light blue sapphire eyes and bodice heaving with the motion of the ocean, searching for the answer that was right in front of her the whole time.
Esteban Flores, Chancellor to the enchanting Queen, didn't seem like he was looking for love. He may have even sworn it off...for life. A very attractive and rakish man of his youth, he had turned into a domineering and shrewd old man. Despite this though, there must have been something that sparked in his caramel-honey eyes to have fallen for the homely port girl. And it would seem that Queen Elena isn't the only one with magic in the Royal Family, as Chancellor Esteban seemed to have casted a spell that completely ensnared the innocent and naïve Miss Turner.
The couple put on a grand show for years, choosing to outwardly trade barbed and witty words with one another in the presence of others in order to disguise the crackling lightning storm of their passion that was looming underneath.
Perhaps it was then, when they were reunited after Miss Turner's latest little dalliance in the East, that they couldn't bear to be parted from each other any more as they eloped most hastily while on a top secret Mission to Norberg.
Was that all because they knew that Queen Elena would disapprove and they therefore needed to be wed in secret?
What is known, is that the two were spotted together at the Harbor and returning to the Palace in their usual standoffish manner after their return from Norberg. However, there must have been something under the façade. His eyes raking over her as she let out a breath she had not realized she had been holding-
"Oh my Gods..." Naomi muttered fumingly, deciding that she couldn't bear to read any more past that. However, she also couldn't help but flip through, baffled by how Mercedes could have written what looked like a full novella in such a short amount of time.
And it seemed that despite having had the details hazy to the crew of the true nature of what was going on back in Norberg, apparently, Mercedes had decided to use her 'creative liberties' to fill in those plot holes. Which somehow meant that Naomi needed to be showing a lot of leg in that cover picture.
"I apologize that it took me so long!" Higgins said naively and in his usual dopey, jolly way. "But I didn't hear about this until this pamphlet that got printed today, which I got from Robb, who got it from Jose, who got it from Jenny, who got it from Craig, who got it from Aimee, who heard about it first!"
That was at least the head of every department in the Palace. And if they knew, then everyone else probably did.
Naomi felt her stomach twist a little painful, realizing what those Sopaipillas and pitiful eyes had been for.
"If you'll excuse us, we need to leave right now!" Naomi said as she gripped Esteban's forearm tightly and tore down the hallway.
"Of course! Keep the pamphlet as a wedding gift from me until I can get you something else!" Higgins called after.
Naomi flinched at his words, but didn't stop moving with Esteban awkwardly in tow behind her until they got to her room. Where she pushed him inside and all but slammed the door behind her.
"This is what I was worried about!" Naomi seethed as she pushed the pamphlet into Esteban's chest.
Esteban took a moment to look at her with a bit of annoyance and straighten out his abused jacket sleeve before opening up and reading the pamphlet for himself, which he would be able to see clearly thanks to the Palace staff having lit all the candles in her room.
Naomi watched with no satisfaction though as she saw his eyes bug out of his sockets as he too took in Mercedes's outlandish and insane words.
"That's why I wanted you to talk to me about our so-called witnesses," Naomi pressed on.
Esteban shook his head in disbelief. "How did she find out? We've told no one but our closest people."
"The sailors from the Wayfarer told her."
Esteban looked at her aghast. "What? How could they do such a thing!?"
"Because that's what they do!" Naomi exclaimed exasperated. "They're stuck on ships sometimes for months at a time in the middle of an unforgiving sea. Stories and gossip is what keeps them going."
"Have they no sense of loyalty to you and your mother?"
"Of course they do, but you can't also tell me that people don't gossip."
Esteban groaned in annoyance. "Yes, Royals do, but the staff know better than to talk about things they don't understand because-"
"Because they're commoners?" Naomi interrupted sharply, putting her hands on her hips. "And commoners should be subservient to Royals, always?"
"If they don't want to get themselves killed, yes."
"Killed!?"
Esteban paid no attention to her outcry, and instead focused on rereading the beginning passage.
"Honestly, how dare she call me a 'shrewd old man!'" Esteban sneered, "I am a much more respectable man than to be called that."
"Are you kidding me right now? That's what you're worried about!?" Naomi ripped the accursed paper out of his hands, and crushed it.
His angry eyes then turned on her. "You knew this could happen, Naomi. You knew people could find out. We already had to let Oswall, someone who's weaker the less he knows, know that we were married."
"Yes, I knew that." Naomi un-crumpled the pamphlet and shoved it in Esteban's face. "But this wasn't part of our deal."
Esteban pushed her hand out of the way. "I don't know why you're angry at me. It's not like I told that author."
"I'm angry because you could have talked to me before you completely pushed me aside for the sake of your ego and having that whole wedding fiasco!"
"That whole wedding and this marriage is for your protection!" Esteban replied, matching her volume. "Or have you forgotten that?"
"Really? So that was just for me?" Naomi said as her grip on her hips tightened. "Or did I hear 'Because a sham or not, this is still a Royal wedding, and my wedding at that' somehow wrong then?"
Esteban was tripped up by her response, and that's all she needed to know that she was right, and that she also had the right to get even angrier. She had just started to feel good about this, that they had something workable, and now, who knew what was to happen next.
Naomi cringed looking at the cover once more before slamming it against his chest again.
"Here, you take it as a souvenir of your 'Royal Wedding' for you to keep when you leave for Nueva Vista next week. Safe travels."
Naomi then reopened her bedroom door and left him standing there.
He didn't even call out or come after her.
Not that she had expected him too, and it was honestly for the better. She was vibrating with anger, which was only more fueled when a pair of maids froze when they saw her and then gasped when they looked over her shoulder. Probably seeing Esteban exiting her room. And as soon as Naomi passed, she could hear them descend into harsh whispers.
The whispering only continued more with every person she passed. She couldn't have picked a worse time to leave her room as the staff were working on putting the castle down for the night. But Naomi also felt like if she stopped moving for a moment, then she would explode.
It wasn't until she exited out the nearest door into the cool night air on the southside of the palace that she finally knew where she wanted to go.
Naomi only hoped that he hadn't left yet for night patrols or any other reason when she pounded on the Captain of the Guard's office door a few minutes later.
But she seemed to still have a sliver of good fortune as the door opened and Gabe stood there, still dressed in his uniform as usual.
"Naomi? What are you-?"
She didn't wait for him to finish as she muscled her way past him and into his office.
His "office" was the correct term, although it shared a lot of similar qualities to Naomi's apartments, just on a more modest scale. The main area had a large, sturdy wooden desk and with two equally sturdy chairs, with one sitting right at it and one right in front of it. The walls were decorated with an astounding amount of memorabilia from past Captains of the Guards: from plaques, to paintings, to framed swords. However, right off to the left, was the door that led to his private washroom and sleeping quarters. If memory served Naomi correctly, then the quality of everything in there wasn't too far above what the guards in the barracks got.
But right now, his office offered the most vital thing.
Privacy.
"Did you see it?"
"What?" Gabe asked as Naomi heard him close the door.
"Did you see it?" Naomi asked again, knowing that it still sounded vague, but she couldn't bear to say those words out loud.
Thankfully Gabe, picking up on her obvious distress, didn't need any more clues to guess what she was talking about.
"I did."
Naomi opened her mouth, but despite having so, so many words to say about it, nothing came out. So, all she could do was let out a strangled growl of frustration into her hands.
"But I only found out like 10 minutes ago when I took it off a new Lieutenant, and I didn't read it," Gabe hastily added. "I didn't want to read it."
Naomi scoffed. "Then you might be the only person who knows but hasn't read it."
She let out another groan of distress as she collapsed down ungracefully into the chair that sat right in front of the desk and let all her limbs go limp.
Naomi felt his large hand clamp down on her shoulder before giving it a few firm friendly pats.
Gabe let out a loud breath and then asked, "You want a drink?"
A weak laugh escaped her. "Well, out of social obligation of you being a nice host, I would feel bad to turn down a generous offer."
"Well, at least you still have your priorities straight," Gabe called back with a chuckle as she heard him pour some liquid into glasses, and then walk back over to hand her a small cup.
She took a sip and was almost startled when she realized it was just water, which caused Gabe to laugh at his small prank as he took his position of leaning against his desk and facing her. But, Naomi couldn't get miffed at him, not when she started chuckling herself.
A moment of silence passed as Naomi worked on taking a few small sips of the cool water. Each sip at least helping in not making her face feel so hot anymore.
"I'm sorry Naomi," Gabe then said, looking deeply into the water in his own cup. "About...everything that has happened to you."
Naomi's head jerked oddly at that apology. Mostly, because it didn't feel right. What did he have to be sorry about? He had been the perfect amount of shocked, supportive, and authoritative since he was the last one brought into the know how of the Norberg, missing Chloe, and marriage situation.
But that all seemed dashed away by his next statement.
"Gods, I knew I should have gone with you to Norberg!" He exclaimed as he ran a hand through his styled hair. "The whole thing reminded me of when The Delgado's had done the same thing in Cariza years ago. But I knew I had a duty here to-"
"And what could you have done?" Naomi asked accusingly, sitting straight up, her annoyance and anger reignited. "I told you, if the answer had been to fight our way out of there with a sword, or capture and lock up Oswall and Edward, I would have done that. Getting married wasn't a first choice pick."
"I don't know, I could've been the one to-"
"To what, get married?" Naomi gripped the armrest of the chair. "We agreed that we would keep a friendship."
Gabe nodded his head and put down his cup. "I know that's what we decided on, and I'm happy with that, truly. But I still could have married you to protect you and your family."
"I did get married to be protected! That's the truth!" Naomi said pointedly. Gripping her cup as the memory of the pamphlet's lies washed all over her again.
"But maybe you wouldn't be so miserable."
"You don't know that!" Naomi exclaimed, her voice wavering slightly. "As far as I'm finding out, marriage only complicates things so much. And I would hate to imagine a world where we got so bitter with each other that we couldn't speak to one another for the rest of our lives! Not to mention, I didn't want to get married to anybody, period. Certainly not after-"
Naomi managed to stop herself before Nadia's name came out and she couldn't take it back. She hadn't told anyone, not even Elena, just how deep her relationship with the older woman she had met a year ago had gone. The same woman that Mercedes had drawn as that damsel in distress. Naomi had been confused and heart broken at the time to be able to put her feelings into any cohesive thought.
Now, she really felt like she couldn't say anything. If this is how they all reacted to her marrying Esteban for convenience, what would they say to knowing that her first real love had been with a courtesan?
"After what, Naomi?" Gabe asked, taking a knee in front of her.
Naomi shook her head and pushed the lump in her throat far down. "It doesn't matter."
"Look, it's done." Naomi said as she moved out of the chair, since it no longer felt comfortable, and sat on the ground instead with her back against the front of his desk. "I didn't come here for some noble and chivalrous act, I came here because I just...needed some help from a friend. Someone I know who thinks exactly like me."
Gabe took a moment of self-reflection before he nodded his head, and moved to sit beside her. "You're right. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make it sound like a pity fest for any of us. And certainly not for you."
"I know. I didn't mean to snap at you." Naomi put on a smirk. "I know you can't help the way you are 'Mr. tall, amazing, hero of Avalor with your rippling pectorals.'"
"Just my pectorals?" Gabe asked with mock offension as he raised up and flexed a perfectly toned and muscular arm, causing a more real smile to tug at Naomi's lips.
Gabe reached up to his desk and brought down his cup. "So, what should we do? What's the plan Naomi?"
It was only at that moment, that Naomi suddenly realized, there was no plan.
It was true that she had come here because she wanted help from Gabe. They had done countless missions together, and have even fought back-to-back during the battle of Elena's coronation. They also held the same belief of the value of pre-planning and working with a team, rather than the more impulsive and solo hero tactics that Elena and Mateo led with. Perhaps it came with being non-magic users.
However, while Gabe was great for planning out battles, tracking down enemies, and sword fighting with his swift reflexes, how could any of that help her now?
He didn't know anything about diplomacy to keep Oswall and Edward out of trouble, or have any high connections to help find Chloe, or have the power to change her parent's past, or know how to get people to not gossip about her and Esteban, as that would surely only get worse.
It truly donned on Naomi that none, absolutely none, of her friends or skills she currently had could fully help her in the position she was now in.
So, this caused Naomi to slump back against the desk more, and force her to say the three words that she loathed above all others.
"I don't know..."