Skylor paced the training mat, biting back a growl of equal parts frustration and worry. Zane was a half hour late for training. Clenching her fists Skylor rounded on a dummy and punched its sternum. Zane and late were never used in the same sentence. She knife-handed the throat. So something must have happened. A tornado kick landed squarely on the synthetic abdomen.
The dummy crashed to the ground. Skylor panted heavily, bracing her hands on her knees. She felt too much like the training dummy after the last twenty-four hours. Seeing Clouse's boasted elite force using their power to cut down people in their wake still brought nausea at the thought. She couldn't claim to ever have liked Clouse, but the way his underlings acted without reprement spoke volumes about his character. But did that mean her father sanctioned such actions?
Skylor grimaced. Her conversation with Chen the night before had been confusing at best and patronizing at worst.
"-Clouse is capable of commanding his own forces-"
"-I'm sure Pyth had his reasons.-"
"-More importantly you went out without a guard?-"
In hindsight (and even at the time if she was honest) Skylor knew her actions were rather unbecoming, and dangerous despite her skill, of a princess but she didn't regret them. Especially now that she had a chance to see how her people truly lived. There'd been a quiet fear, even before Kai pointed out the actions of the guards. And now if the Masters themselves weren't even safe...
Bolobo's possible disappearance was another thing Chen hadn't seemed overly concerned about, -"He's always been a bit nomadic, he probably got distracted by some foliage on his way home"- but when Skylor confronted him about Cole... she could count on one hand how many times her father had raised his voice with her. That number went up last night. When she'd insisted that the story of Prince Cole's departure didn't appear to match with what the people had- or rather hadn't- seen, Chen had snapped saying she was putting too much attention in foreign matters.
And Chen had been the one to ask if Skylor felt anything for Cole. Nevermind the fact she was Heir and being groomed to rule the kingdom. That tended to require investing in 'foreign matters'.
Chen quickly apologized after the outburst but Skylor had already drawn herself back. With a cold good-night she stalked out of Chen's apartments only to confront Clouse in a similarly disastrous fashion. And now Zane wasn't here when he'd promised to be.
Skylor dropped to the mat fighting frustrated tears. Her world had turned completely upside down all at once and she had no idea how to righten it.
At newly eighteen Skylor had no illusions that she had the life experience her father, or even Clouse, did, but couldn't he see something was wrong? Questions she'd never thought of before spun crazily in her mind. If she could talk to Kai it might help, but that was another thing Chen expressly forbade. Even for Queen Apparent the dungeons weren't a place for a young woman, again no matter how trained. With Smoke Skylor could easily be in and out before anyone knew of her presence, but in addition to being her father, Chen was her King.
There were some lines Skylor wasn't willing to cross.
Unfortunately another line was going to Zane's quarters to see if he was okay. To send a servant would only highlight Zane's apparent lack of duty. Skylor winced, her father would not have anything good to say about that right now no matter Zane's spotless record.
Skylor took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind. 'Life's not a spectator sport,' she'd read in one of her books, 'If watching is all you're gonna do, then you're gonna watch your life go by without you.' She had no plans to watch life go by without her- even if it meant starting small.
Like right now she could train by herself again. After last night's debacle Skylor had a lot of pent up aggression to work out. Despite the worry it caused, maybe it was just as well that Zane hadn't shown up.
Rallying herself, Skylor rose to her feet. With another deep breath she launched toward the training dummy. Her flurry of attacks would put every member of her father's guard to shame. Skylor threw everything into her strikes until a roundhouse kick took the head completely off the dummy.
"Oops."
With a small groan Skylor took in the cloth and wool carnage. It was probably time to switch tactics. She took a quick drink and called to Gravity. Manipulating the Element, Skylor flipped from one side of the room to the other. She cut her connection and fell, tucking into a roll and springing back up on her feet.
Anger clouded her thoughts and she brashly tapped into Earth. Power thrummed in her veins. Skylor became aware of every speck of dirt, stone, and sand within the room. She took a breath ready to rally the power-
"What did that dummy do to you?"
Skylor's concentration snapped. She whipped around, fist pulled back, only to stop short. Chamille leaned against the door jam with an unimpressed look on her face.
"Highness I know I can be annoying but that," she gestured to Skylor's fist, "might be taking it a bit far."
Skylor flushed and quickly dropped her hand. "Sorry, I didn't hear you come in." She rubbed her hands across her face, fatigue crashing into her.
"So I noticed, either that or you have some serious beef with me that you've been hiding for a while."
Skylor snorted and made her way back to the water pitcher. "Believe me that I'd let you know if there 'was beef' between us. It's not considered very ladylike, or princesslike, to punch another lady in the face." She all but collapsed on a bench lining the wall.
"Would make for good gossip round the servants table." Chamille said as she joined Skylor on the bench.
"And very quickly the whole kingdom no doubt."
"Ehhh most likely. Though the question still stands, what'd the dummy do to you?"
"Zane was unable to make it this morning- and on that note can you check through the grapevine to see if anyone has seen him? It's not like him to miss anything he's scheduled for and I'm concerned something might have happened."
"Consider it done. Though in my humble opinion he just confirmed the long disputed fact that he is indeed human. There's been some rumors to the contrary."
"Yes, because rumors are very reliable to go on."
"I just tell it like I hear it. So were you imagining Zane's face on the mannequin or...?"
Frowning Skylor looked at the mess littered around the room. "It served as a more 'healthy outlet' than punching anyone."
"That bad huh?"
Skylor sighed. "I know what I did last night was reckless and irresponsible, but the fact that what concerns Father the most is that I snuck out rather than everything I saw... My people have struggles I never imagined and never realized before I walked in their shoes."
"And this has nothing to do with the roguish thief now secured in the dungeon?" A knowing smirk rested on Chamille's face.
Rolling her eyes, Skylor shook her head. "I have no idea what you're insinuating but in a way it does have to do with him. His perspective of what Ouroboros is like. It's not necessarily obtainable to change everything, but there's got to be a way to help my people who are stuck in the mire."
"Poetic," Skylor scowled on principle at Chamille's lighthearted taunt, "but I can see where you're coming from. Changes like that though are going to take time and, as much as I hate to say it, might not happen until you have the power to make the changes."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
Chamille clapped her hands dramatically. "And on that dreary note I think I've got something to distract you for a bit, the mare Felise had her foal last night."
"Colt or filly?"
Chamille harrumphed. "You would ask that rather than 'boy or girl'. But, Your Loftiness, 'twas a wee filly thine good mare has born."
"You're insufferable."
"True."
Skylor laughed and shook her head. Trust Chamille to know how to get her out of a funk. "Well, does the filly have a name yet?"
"The stable hands have tossed some names around, but since she's the first foal this season they figured you'd want to make the final call."
"Let's go see her then."
"Dressed like that?" Chamille wrinkled her nose.
"Better than changing then having to change again because I smell like a stable."
"I suppose you have a point." Chamille stood and gestured to the door. "Then what are we waiting for?"
Shaking her head, but fighting a smile, Skylor followed. The walk served to cool her down both in body and mind. By the time they reached the stables Skylor's heart rate had returned to normal. Chamille led Skylor to a quiet corner where a chocolate mare sat nuzzling a light brown foal.
"Hi there little one." Skylor's heart melted at the sight.
Felise whinnied in greeting and Skylor softly entered the stall. The baby stood on knobby legs and made her way over to Skylor. At only a few hours old the filly already reached Skylor's waist.
"You're a very beautiful thing aren't you." Skylor gently began to stroke the horse's neck admiring her soft brown coat. Splotches of white covered the filly's nose and lower legs creating a stocking look.
"Any good names come to mind now that you've seen her?"
"For all of two minutes, give me time to think." Skylor continued to stroke the filly. After a few minutes she settled on one. "Nadia. New life is a reminder of hope... and what can be."
"Apropos."
Nadia whinneyed again and Skylor laughed softly. "I think she agrees."
Trumpets blared from somewhere outside. Skylor jumped, spooking Nadia. The filly shied away, retreating to her mother's safe presence. "Sorry girl. Didn't mean to scare you."
Skylor quickly rose and dusted off her trousers. "What in the Realm was that?"
Chamille frowned. "I don't know but we need to get you back inside ASAP. I have a feeling whatever it is you won't want to be covered in sweat and horse dust. Hurry."
Skylor took the lead and the two girls walked as fast as was considered proper to the castle. Inside servants clogged the halls but no one seemed to know what was actually going on. The excitement, coupled with Skylor's attire, made her invisible to the crowd. Ordinarily that would have been nice, but not when she needed to make it back to her quarters.
"Don't let go." She muttered to Chamille while grabbing her wrist.
Skylor called to Smoke. In a blink the two were transported away from the crowded hall. The intent had been to get them both to her room, but Skylor's strength broke quickly. She stumbled back to solidity in a room barely a third of the way there.
The world tilted dangerously before Chamille steadied Skylor. "Woah there. You must have worked yourself harder than you realized."
"Sorry.. I though... that would work." Skylor forced between breaths. "But I haven't practiced... bringing others with me for a long time..."
"It's okay Princess. You got us unclogged from the masses. You go ahead and head up, I'll follow on foot."
Skylor hesitated. She wasn't even sure she could use Smoke again without passing out. It was almost as if her strength had been sapped. However, Chamille was watching her intently and something in Skylor didn't want to share what she was feeling.
So she let out a slow breath and called to Smoke again. Though still a little sluggish, Smoke didn't fight her. In a blink she found herself in her quarters. She staggered against her bed frame, but this time the exhaustion felt familiar.
Shaking her head Skylor went as quickly as her shaking legs allowed her to the washroom. She ran a wet cloth along her body to get rid of some of her sweat before drying off. Turning to her closet she ran an eye over her options. Something big was happening but she didn't know if it was a good something or a bad something. So, better to be prepared even while being a Princess.
Skylor moved past her day gowns to a couple garments hanging in the back. Another allowance Chen had made when Skylor began her training. Wearing trousers might not be the norm for the noble women, but an extra length of -detachable- cloth offered the appearance of propriety... without the limitations that a fight in skirts would cause.
She pulled an orange pair and white blouse from the closet and quickly changed. A knock came at her door scarcely seconds after she'd finished.
"Yes?"
"Just me, Highness." Chamille called.
"Come in." Skylor turned to her vanity and began brushing out her hair. From her workout she had hair both stuck to her head and shot out in staticky frizzies. Skylor scowled.
"Here let me."
Chamilled quickly pulled Skylor's hair into a simple but elegant french braid. Skylor took a deep breath and stared at her reflection. Not too shabby for someone who was in the stables less than ten minutes ago.
"Were you able to hear any further news on your way up?"
"Just that it looked like some forign dignitaries might be coming this way."
"Trerians?"
"I don't know, didn't get specifics."
"If it is them, does that mean Prince Cole is coming back, or something happened in his home land and they were coming here for him?"
"We don't even know if it is the Trerians." Chamille cautioned. "It doesn't help to jump to conclusions."
"You're right, you're right. Let's head to the North Hall. Even if father doesn't call me to court we can at least see what's going on."
Skipping Smoke since at this point it would knock her out, Skylor walked purposefully out of her quarters, startling maids who hadn't heard her return to the room. 'They really should be used to it by now.'
Skylor barely gave them a passing glance as she swept from the room. Chamille followed close on her heels. This time in the halls the servants parted quickly for the pair. Skylor had a spike of petty thankfulness for her rank.
Another trumpet bellow sounded outside, closer this time. The sound cut through Skylor. There was an importance in it she couldn't quite identify.
The trek to the North Hall seemed to take an eternity. Fortunately the crowd thinned rapidly the closer they got. That stemmed from the fact it was near Chen's quarters and off limits to anyone who wasn't the royal family or authorized personnel. It also looked out over the main gate and toward the city.
Skylor pulled up short at the entryway when she saw Chen and Clouse already staring out the grand windows. The men's backs were turned to her but she could see the tension in their shoulders. They had no idea what this was either.
"Father." Skylor made her presence known.
Chen turned, his expression impassive. "Come to see what all the fuss was about?"
"Thought I'd save you the hassle of trying to find me when you did know what it was about."
Chen grunted. "As if anything ever stops you, my desert flower." That stung but Skylor could see the resigned fondness in her Father's eyes.
Skylor joined the men at the window while Chamille remained a respectful distance away. Crowds had gathered in the streets in response to the trumpets, obscuring the view of the trumpeter. And then, appearing from behind a building, giant red banners came into view.
Skylor gasped, hearing similar ones from Chen and Clouse. The banners were blazing with a golden emblem that hadn't been seen in Ouroboros for decades.
If they were to be believed, Fire had just returned to Ouroboros.