Duty for the Princess

"Alright, we should keep the ball rolling and start on the other duties," Kat said.

"Duties?"

"Yeah, you know all the things Alessia used to do," Lucas explained. "she connected with the people to boost morale, worked on new ways to help purify the air faster, and negotiated with the gifts or normals from time to time,"

"I didn't know she did that," Dawn said.

"Of course not, she didn't want anyone to know she did. Lucas and I only knew because we were closest to her for so many years and if there wasn't an heir we'd have to be able to lead the nation until a new one had been found," 

"So why was I chosen?" Dawn asked. Kat and Lucas looked at each other with concerned faces. 

"I'll go check on the air purifiers around the island," Lucas excused himself.

"Wait, what Lucas!" Kat called out to him as he quickly walked away.

"Soooo, come on Kat you can tell me,"

"Um, I don't actually know why you were chosen," Kat said turning away and scratching her head.

"Really?" 

"Alessia never told me, she just said that you were the next heir and as the Queen at the time we can't really question her about the heir,"

"Why can't you?" 

"Cause Lucas and I aren't born Tormentors and with Alessia's experience with non-tormentors we didn't want to seem as judgy as gifts or difficult as normals," 

"So I'm not any different from any of the other Tormentor kids?"

"No of course you are, after all, you're next in line to be Queen," Kat said trying to reassure Dawn.

"But if Alessia was still alive she wouldn't have needed me," Dawn said looking down.

"Don't think like that, out of all the Tormentor children she chose you plus she spent way more time with them than she did you," 

"Wow thanks, that really made me feel better," Dawn said rolling her eyes. 

"Lucas is the one who's supposed to comfort you not me," Kat said sighing. " Let's just get on the duties already," 

"Ok lets start with negotiations," Dawn said excitedly.

"No, no, no, absolutely not," Kat protested. "We're going to start with the morale boost,"

"What why?" 

"Because you're a new monarch and most people still don't trust you," 

"What about that speech I gave?" 

"That meant basically nothing to most of the population,"

"Most?!" Dawn asked shocked.

"Yeah, roughly 50% of the population range from the ages 16 to 20," Kat said showing Dawn her phone. "Lucky for you, it's your demographic so you should be able to connect with them on some level," 

"A-are you sure?" Dawn asked anxiously.

"Of course, all we need to do is get on good terms with the Core Four," 

"Core Four?" 

"Yeah, they're the most influential teenagers among the Tormentors and most of the youth trust their judgement so as long as we get on good terms with them we should be good," 

"So I just need to get on good terms with 4 people?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah pretty much, come on I know where to find them," Kat said as she led the way.

"That's...great," Dawn said unenthusiatic. 

It didn't take long for the girls to get to a small bunker in the middle of a group of trees. The bunker was covered in moss and leaves, it looked to be more than a thousand years old. 

"This is where we're going?!" Dawn said looking shocked. "This is where the most influential teens live? In the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees? Kat take me home," Dawn said feeling chills all over her body. 

"Stop complaining," Kat said as she felt the exterior of the bunker door. "The button is around here somewhere," she said quietly as she continued to feel around. 

"We can just come back later, obviously nobody is home," Dawn said as she was about to leave. 

The heavy door swung open swiftly and behind it, a young woman with black hair and star pupils looked at Kat with her arms folded. 

"Well, well, well, look what the Kat dragged in," the woman chuckled. "I told you that you'd come crawling back and now look at you. Literally on your hands and knees at my front door, well one of them at least. Anyway, come in Katherine, I've been expecting you," the woman said as she disappeared inside. 

"The things I do for this nation," Kat said under her breath. "Come on Dawn," Kat said as she walked inside. 

"I can't believe I'm going in this place," Dawn said as she followed behind Kat. 

The interior of the bunker was incredibly spacious and filled with multiple different gadgets and technology. A paper clip on display caught Dawn's eye, as she went to touch to she was stopped by the woman. 

"I'd heavily advise you not to touch things you know nothing about," she said holding Dawn's arm. "Just ask Kat, curiosity has killed her several times," 

"That's enough Director," Kat said as the woman called Director rolled her eyes. "You know why we're here aren't you?" 

"Please do you know who I am? I knew you were coming before you did," Director said with her hand on her hip. "But of course you know I don't do things for free so what's in it for me?" 

"What do you want?" Kat asked looking anxious. Director's eyes started to glimmer. 

"How about a word?" Director said with a smirk. "The girl can meet with the Four downstairs while we have a quick chat," 

"This place has a downstairs?!" Dawn asked shocked. 

"No, I have to go with her," Kat said.

"No dice, Katherine," Director said folding her arms. "It's either now or never, it's for the good of the nation isn't it?" she said in a teasing tone. Kat thought about it as her gaze shifted from Director to Dawn, Dawn shook her head and Director stood there with a smirk. 

"Fine," Kat gave in.

"What?!" Dawn screamed. 

"Perfect," Director said as she pushed a button. The ground underneath Dawn's feet vanished and she fell through screaming. "Now, let's get down to business, shall we?"