Forming a Plan

Just because Noble had never planned to enter a second Nightmare did not mean that she hadn't contemplated the possible ways to conquer it.

Every Awakened spent at least some time considering what they would have done differently in their first Nightmare. As an extension, most mentally planned for what they might do should they ever land in that situation again.

Noble weighed her options. 

She could identify the issue, and as long as it didn't end in her death, she could let it conclude naturally with minimal help from her.

'I might even be able to speed it along.'

The other method would be to take control and start identifying and forming alliances. People in the second nightmare generally relied on their cohort to provide the necessary backup to resolve the conflict.

But perhaps that could be overcome with alliances with those inside the illusion.

It was a gamble either way. The former seemed easier on the surface. Going with the flow of whatever happened would create less friction, yet Noble knew the Spell would find a way to keep her from remaining completely idle.

'Still, it seems like the safer option…'

The safest option was to run away and wait until the conflict was over. But it was also the least feasible.

Even if Brenna hadn't tried and failed to do just that in her mad dash from the kingdom, the Spell would never allow it that kind of escape. One way or another, the Spell would find a way to make the challenger participate or die. 

But before she could decide her exact course of action, she needed to know more about the conflict. 

'It might revolve around the Queen and her one-hundredth year as monarch. Emira was very determined that I should attend.' 

It was clear that the woman needed her niece at the celebration, but was it simply because Brenna was family? Or was there more? 

Another thing the professor needed to consider was the interactions of the two people she had gotten to know best since the Nightmare began. There was friction between Counsel and Her Majesty. Dinner had been quite tense. 

While neither was openly hostile, Emira had shown her displeasure with a few snide remarks. For his part, Counsel had borne the criticism without retaliating. But inside he resented each word the Queen spoke to belittle him.

 'To be fair, I would resent it as well,' Noble sighed.

She had gotten her fair share of criticism over the years both as Queen Bee and as a professor. It took a lot of restraint sometimes to let things go and not retaliate. 

'Hmmm…what's going on out there?'

Noble registered two emotional signatures outside her suite in the corridor. Closing her eyes, she could see the figures were standing quite close to one another in an alcove.

Their body language suggested they did not want to be overheard. 

'Curious...' This warranted investigating. 

Untying the harness from Kosi, Noble rose and stretched. 'I'm not sleeping anyway,' she sighed. 

The golden monster raised his head to look at her. 

"I'm not leaving the palace," she promised. "I just want to see who is talking in the hall..." 

Kosi grumbled and laid down his head. Idle chatter did not interest him like it did the nosey female. 

"Judge me all you like..." she mumbled to the furry Symncus. 

Floating silently to the door, Noble searched the rest of her suite for any signs of activity. Lenore was sleeping soundly in the adjoining servant's quarters. Beyond that, everything was still. 

Sneaking into the main room, Noble called forth the [Portcullis Key].

'Better safe than sorry.'

The professor slowly cracked the door and peered into the hall. In the faint torchlight, she could just make out the figures who did not want to be seen. 

The two people in the hall room were in the middle of a feverish conversation. 

"But how can that be? She has always welcomed your advances. I have never seen her so much as look at another man with anything close to love. Are you sure she wasn't trying to force your hand?" Pen asked. 

The man ran his hands through his thick blond hair as he shook his head. "I looked into her eyes. Brenna meant what she said. I don't know how she met someone while under the watchful eyes of the throne, but somehow she has managed to fall in love." 

Noble pursed her lips. Hadn't Counsel gone to bed? What was he doing in the hall with Pen? And talking about something he said he would keep secret?

'Maybe he meant he would keep it secret from the Queen, but this still seems like a breach of trust...'

"What will you do?" Pen asked, clutching a shawl to her chest. 

Noble leaned in, anxious to know the answer herself. 

"The same thing I have always done since I became Counsel. I will protect Lady Brenna...even if that means protecting her from her choices. If the man truly has good intentions, then he will make himself known to the Queen. Until then, she will be prevented from seeing him."

Noble couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity. The Spell was preventing her from seeing Fort. There was nothing Counsel could do to keep them further apart.

Her mirth seemed to catch the man's attention. He stepped away from Pen and peered into the darkness.

"Something is not right…"

Before Counsel could take a step toward her suite, Noble was already crossing the antechamber and making a beeline for her room.

Only she didn't aim for the shut door. Her eyes were trained on the stone wall beside it.

'I have to get in before I get caught!'

The last thought caused the ball in her hand to glow darkly. Her fear, combined with the worry she had caused in the hall, was enough to allow her body to pass through the thick wall and into her bed chamber.

And just in time.

The door to the sitting room creaked open. If she had taken the time to open her room's door, the professor would have most certainly been seen.

After a long pause, Noble heard a soft shutting of the door to the Pen's room. 

She was safe.

'It seems Pen and Counsel are quite close. I wonder how long they have known each other.'

Noble had assumed that Pen and Lenore were part of the palace staff, but it made more sense that they had come with Lady Brenna from her family home.

'Maybe he confided in Pen about his plans, and she was asked how it went…'

That explanation made the most sense, but it was not the only option.

'I'll think more on that in the morning.'

With things growing quiet outside, there was nothing more for the professor to investigate. Dismissing the key, Noble felt a small bit of pleasure.

At last, she had found a real use for the Memory. Escaping when she was eavesdropping.

'On second thought, I'm not sure that I should be proud of that.' Noble winced. Still, it was nice to have a useful escape tool.

The Symncus lifted his head at the woman's sigh.

"What do you think?" Noble asked Kosi with a smile.

Rather than answering with one of his judgemental looks, the golden creature shivered then began to shake violently.