Dinner with the Queen

The book was returned without incident while Noble and Counsel carried out the morning routine. By dinnertime when the two were about to part ways, Noble felt like things between them were almost back to normal. 

There was still a little tension from Counsel's admission about a future together, but for the most part, they were able to move past the disagreement that morning and have a pleasant day. 

Heading to the banquet hall, Counsel was still laughing at the way Noble had mispronounced yet another word of sorcery. 

The pair had been systematically trying the most common words from Noble's family's Gibberish to see if there were any more hidden gems inside their secret language. Counsel wasn't sure where all the words came from, but he listened and helped when he could. 

As expected, the search came up empty. The revelation of one True Name seemed to be a fluke.

But that did not stop Counsel from reveling in the process of the lady's repeated failures.

"That last attempt was by far your most impressive. I thought your eyes might pop from your head while accenting that final syllable."

"Be honest. That wasn't close to a word in sorcery at all, was it?" Noble glared at her companion and his laughter only grew. 

"Ah, you have been around Her Majesty too much. Soon you will start calling me pathetic and getting indignant over the smallest thing." Counsel reflected the face at her before continuing to laugh. 

Noble's fierce look faded. She didn't like the idea of mocking someone behind their back, especially in their own home. 

"My aunt isn't that bad," she winced, her words coming off flat. "Can we talk about anything else?" 

Counsel seemed to catch her drift and moved back to the original question. "No, I have never heard any word in sorcery that sounds like arghishaloafinmyer...." 

The man strung an endless amount of syllables together until Noble hit him in the arm. Kosi let out a low growl, and Counsel raised his hands in surrender. 

"I am sorry, I will not tease Lady Brenna again," he promised the Symncus. 

Reaching the banquet hall, Noble bid her protectors farewell. "I will see you after dinner." 

Like so many other nights, Noble and Emira were dining alone. Well, as alone as the pair could with a dozen servants ready to do their tiniest whim. 

With barely a word on her entry, the first course was served. 

Noble looked down at the food. There had been no more poisonings since her first night. Whatever Emira had done to stop it from happening again had been successful. 

So Noble could eat any and all the food she wanted. There was no rationing here.

'If not for my Awakened body, I would be growing wider by the day.'

Emira ate slowly, which was both nice and concerning. 

"Is everything alright, Aunt?" Noble asked politely. 

"No." The Queen set down her spoon and the bowl, along with Noble's, was immediately ushered away. 

'Drat! I should have finished before asking!' 

"What is wrong?" Noble sighed, hoping the next course would be as delicious as the soup she had just been enjoying. 

Emira's eyes lit with internal fire at the question. "You have made a choice, and I am...greatly displeased. Is there anything you want to tell me?" 

Noble froze. Which thing was she talking about? A cold sweat appeared on her brow as she looked sheepishly at her aunt. "I think an apology is in order." 

Emira banged on the table. "It most certainly is! How dare you!" 

"I am sorry. I–I didn't mean to..." Noble stumbled as the room became warmer. 

"You should be sorry. You chose green for your dress for the ceremony. GREEN! When were you planning on telling me about it?" Emira pointed to her own dress, which was a shade of emerald. 

The younger woman blinked a couple of times. "I did not realize that was wrong. I only did what the seamstress suggested." 

"She knows better than to give the monarch's color to you. I will have her head before the sun rises." Emira's emotions went wild. 

Noble felt like there was something she was missing. The dress was already in production when she entered the nightmare. As the professor had no eye for fashion, she had gone along with what Brenna and the seamstress had already selected. 

"I swear I had no idea! Please don't blame the seamstress. I am sure it was an honest mistake!" Noble tried to calm the woman using her ability as she continued. "There are still a couple of days. I am sure I can find a replacement. Would blue be an appropriate substitute?"

"You would give up your garment so easily?" The Queen challenged. 

"Yes, if it makes you unhappy. It's just a dress. People are more important than possessions." The younger woman answered easily. 

The room cooled, much to the relief of the servants. Emira inhaled deeply. 

"I see. Well, then, I will send that abomination of a dress to the furnace immediately. As for another color, Blue would be acceptable. In fact, I think it would be perfect if you choose the right shade." Her Majesty nodded slowly. 

"Perhaps you can help me pick," the younger woman offered. "I would love the opinion of someone who won't just agree with anything I say." 

A small smile graced Emira's face. "Those people can be very hard to find." 

Motioning for the next course to be served, Emira contemplated as she studied her niece. "A dark blue would suit you best. You have your mother's eyes. She caught my brother's attention while wearing a dress like the waves of the ocean. Alura was perhaps not as beautiful as you. You got the best features of them both." 

Noble choked on her drink. She set it down with a cough. "Was...was that a compliment?" 

Emira chuckled softly. "I do know how to give them. I just don't. I don't deny you are stunning to look at. That is just a statement of fact." 

But Noble could sense the underlying feeling. There was a small amount of affection in the word. 

'So she does have a heart after all.'

"Thank you for that...fact," Noble hid her grin. "Are there any more facts you wish to impart? If not about me, then maybe about my parents. I barely hear you mention them." 

This was a risk. Based on Counsel's comment when she entered the Nightmare, Emira was very touchy when it came to Brenna's mother. Fortunately, the temperature in the room remained the same. 

"Your mother was insufferable most of the time. Always felt like she was on some noble quest to make the world better. She dragged Byzas on so many crazy adventures. You can see how that ended." Emira furrowed her brow. "If not for her crazy notion to go and slay the Tyrant, they would both still be here." 

'In spite of her anger towards Lady Alura, she at least seems to respect her somewhat,' Noble noted with curiosity.

"And Byzas was far too trusting. He would have sold the kingdom for a song. He had too many ideals and not enough common sense. It was why father knew better than to choose him as the heir." Despite the insults, Emira's voice became almost tender.

She cared about her sibling. 

It made Noble miss her children. Though Rain and the twins often squabbled, they would also do anything to protect one another. 

As the evening wore on, Emira shared memories of Brenna's parents. Most of them were about the couple's glaring faults, but a few were filled with genuine affection.

Byzas and Alura were slain heroes. It was hard to fault them for wanting to make the world safer.

"I wish I could have known them...better, I mean." Noble added the last words quickly. 

Lost in thought, Emira did not notice. "Me too. Alura was the only woman who would tell me no." 

"Just like you will tell me no when I am looking for a new dress tomorrow, I'm sure." Noble prodded gently.

"It is only fair," Emira nodded seriously. Her expression darkened as she stood. "It is late. We should head to bed."

With that, the Queen's usual cold exterior replaced the softness in her eyes.

But that didn't stop Noble from knowing one thing.

There was kindness in the Queen.