Counteroffer

From beyond the throne, Emira stood with two balled fists. She had given her all to the final punch but was unwilling to show any sign of weakness.

The gems from her gown were cracked, melted, or missing, but the fabric underneath was still miraculously whole except for the places where Noble's sword had passed through.

There was no way to see the tears in the fabric though. Emira's red hair was wild and free, covering the torso of her dress in an auburn tangle.

Her Majesty stared at the angry Symncus with an indifferent air. "You won't hurt me, you little whelp. You are not supposed to hurt the Royal family."

Kosi grunted, his breath heavy with smoke. From the zone of safety, Counsel stepped forward to explain.

"Kosi says that if you try to hurt Lady Brenna again, not even the Beast God can save you from his wrath."

"You are lying," Emira glared at the brash former slave.

Counsel smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I am not lying. I don't have to."

Raising her chin, Emira crossed her arms. "It doesn't matter. My niece has forfeited her claim to the throne."

Peeking from behind Kosi, Noble frowned.

"I– I did what?"

"The fight was to the death. Rather than die, you brought in a helper to save you. Therefore you have breached the terms of the challenge and forfeited." The Queen clicked her dismissively. "Did my brother not teach his child anything?"

"I did not ask Kosi to intervene," Noble pointed out. "As grateful as I am, he did not act on my order."

"You want to resume our battle here and now? We can." Emira pulled more hardened metal from her skin and tossed it aside. "But it will make no difference. I am Queen and will always be. The crowning will resume…" Emira looked at the melted pedestal and frowned. "As soon as I get a new crown from the treasury."

"I am not renouncing my claim just because you told me that I forfeited. I will let it go only if you will give me the help I need to slay the Tyrant."

Noble straightened her back. With Kosi by her side, she felt confident in her request.

Yet, Emira shook her head. "You want more than just help. You want," the Queen shot a look at the two gentlemen watching. "The other thing and I cannot allow it. My counteroffer to you is that you must relinquish any claim to the throne and break your bond with Counsel by morning. These are my conditions for letting you live. If not, our battle will resume…uninterrupted this time."

"You will consider my proposal also. Please actually consider it this time." Noble pressed.

"I'll see you in the morning." Emira turned her back on her niece. "And should you consider running away like a coward? Don't. The Symncus and you might actually escape. Maybe even your Counsel. But the Old Guard? They will be as good as dead." 

Noble's heart clenched. "You didn't let them go...did you? 

The Queen allowed a musical laugh over her shoulder. "Did you really think I would let them leave just because you told them to go? I cannot let poison like that spread. Only you can free them by releasing your claim. They will live a life of hard labor, but they will live." 

The Queen paused, "Alyx, would you show them to their new rooms?" 

With that, Emira strolled out of the room through some obscured exit. 

"New rooms?" Noble looked at Alyx. She hadn't wanted to speak to him, but no one else was there to answer her query.

"Where else?" Alyx said humorlessly. "Follow me." 

From some hidden place, Guards surrounded the group. 

Instead of going up to Noble's tower, the trio was led into the bowels of the palace. Noble quickly realized where she was being taken.

The dungeon. 

Well, close to the dungeon. The Queen had a special place for guests of Lady Brenna's caliber. So while the room was a comfortable suite with a high window, the door locked from the outside and the window was barred. 

"Goodnight, My Lady," Alyx said with a solemn bow. He looked quite different from the day he tried to force his way in the library. Now he seemed resigned to Noble's doom. 

When the door closed, Pen and Lenore ran from their hiding places.

"My Lady, what is happening?" Lenore squeaked at her mistress. 

"I'm so scared," Pen found her way into Counsel's arms. The man was forced to hold her or let her drop to the floor.

"Lady Brenna took a stand against the Queen." Counsel told the servants. 

"I am going to speak to Her Majesty again in the morning. There is no need to worry," Noble tried to calm the ladies.

"Speak with Emira! Ha! It's all a farce!" Counsel argued. "Her Majesty knows this is the end and is dragging it out for her own sick pleasure. Do not give her that satisfaction. We can break out of here easily. Now that I know you can fly, that high window will be child's play for you to get out and lower a rope."

Counsel's words were loud and unconcerned with anyone overhearing him. It was like he wanted someone to try to stop him. Perhaps he wanted the guard to come back so he could overpower him. Or maybe he was just too angry to care.

"We are not escaping. We are going to see this through." Noble said sharply. 

She could not let the entire Old Guard be murdered if she left. They might not have been real, but Noble's conscience was. 

Beyond that, it didn't make practical sense for her to run away. Trying to rally a rebel force to storm the palace was foolish and would take time. Time away from her family and away from her home. She didn't want to spend months or years in a bloody coup. 

It was as frustrating as it was ridiculous. 

"We are here because of you and Lord Gavin. What were you thinking?!" Noble gritted her teeth.

"Lord Gavin was insistent that we could not let this opportunity go. This is the natural time for the Queen to step down. We had the soldiers ready, but Emira must have changed them out at the final moment! And none of us knew she could do that kind of damage long-range. Gavin was sure he could fight his way out if things became heated." Counsel winced at his poor choice of words. 

There was no use rehashing what should or could have been…Noble blew out her cheeks. 

'What's done is done.' 

She had been forced into this situation by a short-sighted Lord Gavin, but now facing the Queen one-on-one was the best option. Noble only hoped that Emira would come to her senses and help instead of harm. 

'Fat chance of that...'

"You really want to stay here for the night? Aren't you afraid that your aunt is going to try and deal with you in the night?" Counsel asked honestly.

"She wasn't lying when she said she would see me in the morning. And she placed you and Kosi with me in here. If she had wanted to cause me harm, she would have separated me from my protectors."

"Ha, as if she could!" Counsel puffed out his chest.

"My aunt is more likely worried that we will come after her." Noble mused.

"That is an excellent idea!" Counsel whispered as he clapped his hands.

Noble rubbed her forehead. "You are on your own. Kosi won't hurt her, and I need time to recover."

Counsel frowned, clearly confused.

"I don't understand. If you aren't going to leave and you aren't going to attack, what are you going to do?" 

Noble took a deep breath. "I am going to do the only things I can do. Rest and then prepare."

Motioning to Kosi, Noble headed toward the small but comfortably furnished bedroom.

"I suggest you all do the same."

The door shut and Noble leaned against the door.

"Well…that happened. Thank you again." The woman smiled at the Symncus before sighing. "Now what?"

Kosi tilted his head and laid down with his arms open.

"You are right of course," the woman smiled.

Resting in Kosi's paws, Noble circulated her essence until she began to feel more like herself. She even had a moment of sleep before something like a familiar voice woke her from her slumber. 

Then, she began to prepare.

Somehow Noble knew.

Tomorrow would decide everything.