The Meeting is Canceled

Providence is the only word that could be used to describe just what happened on that night. From the humiliation of Ingrid Narcainan, to the sudden postponing of the meeting of succession, it seems that all these things would serve a purpose later, one that none at this point had realized.

***

"Could Audrey Narcainan please step forward and address the council?" Count Yoasen requested with a tone of disinterest that everyone could feel.

Audrey stepped forward, hands shaking.

"my n-name is Audrey Nar-Narcainan! And I-I am the daughter of Cliff Narcainan," she began to say.

Audrey sweat as she felt cold sneers on her increasing with each subsequent word that followed from her mouth. It was as if she was in the bowels of a beast there was no escape from, and she desperately wanted an escape. She couldn't stop rehearsing what had just happened to Ingrid moments before, again, and again losing more heart each time she rehearsed it in her head. She had prepared for all she could up to this point, save the horror she had just witnessed.

Audrey was not ready to despair yet, and thus let out a shaky sigh. As long as she remembered what she had learned about diplomacy she would be fine, she thought to herself. She froze. Out of all the times for her nerves to take over this was the worst. It became a feeling deep down that she screwed up. She misread the room, and misjudged who she would be dealing with.

She spent all her time up to this point studying what it meant to be a diplomat, how to negotiate, and how to appeal to masses of people. But none of that mattered, because this wasn't a case of diplomats against visionaries, this was a case of predator verses prey. She and her siblings were the prey, and the counts were the predators ready to tear them to pieces and consume them unsympathetically.

It all boiled down to one mistake. It was a detail she had long forgotten, but one that was now haunting her. She had once been offered a chance to learn proper etiquette from someone who had mastered it despite not having a great amount of power or influence, but that particular person was never looked down upon or disrespected. She of course like an idiot, had rejected that offer and she was now paying dearly as a result of her ignorance.

Everyone eyed her as she stood there in awkward silence trying her best to make a sound, any sound at all. It was a long and irritating silence, one that was almost broken by any one of the Counts had they not all seen the tears falling from Audrey's face. Audrey couldn't believe herself and stared in disbelief as she caught droplets in her hands.

Audrey felt deceived. This wasn't what she expected. This wasn't how a council was supposed to act and function. A council was supposed to be a place for minds to share ideas and work out problems that required multiple view points in order to find a proper solution to them. This was a trial of a fool. The Counts were the judges, and she and her siblings were the fools.

Yet she had to say something, anything at all. She needed to let out words, words meant for ambition that would turn into deadly weapons against her. Words that were meant for negotiating, but would be used as a declaration of war. Words to defuse the situation, but that would make it erupt into an uncontrollable disaster. Words. Her words were all she had to express herself, it was the only means she could use to establish who she was. The words that made up her entire being were also the same words that could destroy it, and reduce everything she was to nothingness.

Audrey had no recollection of anything that happened on that day, however all recorded accounts of that day say the same thing, and that was that she fainted and fell to the floor at that point of the discussion.

The moment she started to fall, the door opened and in walked the previously absent Count Derreres with a puffed out chest, inhaling with a smile, and closed eyes, which directed full attention towards him instead.

"Derreres you fool! Where the devil have you been?!" demanded Count Yoasen immediately upon his entrance.

"Do forgive me Counts, however, I can promise you that the wait was worth it." Derreres declared stepping carefully over the body on the ground making his way towards the empty seat; his empty seat.

"Now then, who shall tell me what I have missed?" Derreres asked.

Everyone switched their gaze from Derreres to the body on the floor. Derreres let out a repressed chuckle. He then leaned back then pulled out a collection of papers from his coat, stacked them neatly and evenly, then placed them on the table.

"What is the meaning of this, Derreres?" Count Yoasen growled.

"Indeed! What mischief have you brought us this time?" Count Lendais asked intrigued with a boyish curiosity the kind that knew it was going to be something fun and mischievous.

Derreres said nothing passing the papers along to Count Yoasen who reluctantly examined them. Count Yoasen's face turned pale as he looked beyond the papers at the other Counts. The witness described his face as that of a convicted schemer, which spread as Count Yoasen instructed that every Count there examine the same paper report that changed his mood.

Count Derreres sat bemused watching each Count's face switch from doubt and indifference to discomfort, as they passed the report around and read it. The only one of them who's face didn't change was that of Count Lendais who just scoffed as he read the whole thing giving the rest of them devilish smiles.

Soon the report made it's way around the whole room. The silence attached to everyone in the room was loud enough to be the only thing anyone could hear.

"As you can see, we each have some rather urgent matters that we must tend to, matters that would destroy our public image were they to go unresolved and found out by the people. I think it would be appropriate for all of us to take care of these matters before considering ourselves in the position to choose a successor." Count Derreres said.

"I see, so that's where you were all this time wasn't it Derreres?" Count Lendais said.

"I'll give credit where credit is due, but now is not the time for that. So do you agree Count Yoasen?" Count Derreres pried.

"Yes. This meeting is officially postponed. When shall we meet again to finish this business?"

"One year from now."

"Yes... I do believe a year should be sufficient enough. All those in favor. Yes. It seems it is unanimous. Very well. We shall meet here again within a year's time."

The Counts all made their last bows of respect then all hurried out of the meeting hall. Soon all that remained was Count Derreres. He let out a hearty laugh then clasped his hands together. He looked over and saw the only other person left in the room.

"Your face. It looks like you were a victim of the Sadistic Toad." He said.

"Does my face truly give away so much information?"

"It's a face I've seen many times, heck! I've even worn it myself a couple of times, but cheer up. It seems that providence is with you this night young one. Use the time that has been given you wisely. Every second counts towards your advantage for the next time we all meet."

Derreres then took his leave with Ingrid following soon after. When she awoke the next evening, she let out a sigh of relief. She looked over to see the stack of books that were brought to her beforehand and groaned. Despite knowing the fact that even Audrey fell victim to that council, she still felt it to be a mistake to skip over her studies and so grabbed the book from the top of the stack and began to immerse herself in it.

She wasn't even halfway done with the first book when she received word from one of the butlers that the Yerynos Family had dropped in for an unannounced visit. Ingrid. of course, dropped her book immediately and instructed the butler to inform them she would be with the shortly. Ingrid then began to frantically make herself look as presentable as possible.

For the Yerynos family, presentation was everything, at least for it's head, her aunt Mary Yerynos. This visit was not one that Ingrid was looking forward to, but it was also one she should have expected. Just about everyone had gathered for this meeting to see its results, but due to culture appropriation, no one but the Counts had approached the Palace since the meeting was prepared.

Soon Ingrid entered the Abyss of agony, (as she and her siblings liked to call it), one of the five sitting rooms for guests appropriated for unexpected guests that visited the palace.

"You look disgusting Ingrid. No wonder they postponed the meeting. With a face like that I don't suppose anyone would feel comfortable having you as a leader." said her aunt as she entered the room.

"Greetings aunt Mary. Might I remind you that it is not proper etiquette to insult your hosts upon entering the room?"

"Dear child, you are no host, but a resident to this palace. Were all your staff to up and leave you would not know what to do. Once you have reached an appearance appropriate of that of your station then you shall receive your due respect. I won't show favor towards someone of a lower station than me, you know that."

"You've said all this to me for years, but now, it's just hitting different for some reason. Maybe you were always right."

"Oh? Of course I was."

"But it was only me and Audrey you directed those criticisms towards, so why exclude Lupin?"

"To put it simply dear, as a male, all Lupin has to do it stand tall and appear arrogant. That is all anyone expects of a male noble and leader. Your father was quite the exception in that regard. We women are expected to put on a far more elaborate display and as a result have to be far more particular about how we appear to the public.

"Your hair has always been a key item in that appearance. You can't just let it down all the time, it just doesn't put up the right display! The way you dress is also far too plain. You speak too much and your let too much emotion slip into your face. I'm not saying its right that we as women must extra care of our appearance, but that's just how it is. There is no getting around it, no matter how many of your father's clever genes you've inherited."

"Then can I ask you for a favor Aunt?"

Mary nodded.

"Can me and my sister Audrey stay with you so that you may tutor us?"

"How long have I waited for you to finally come to your senses and hear those words come from your mouth? I have but one question, and once it is answered, I shall answer yours."

"Alright. Ask your question and I will try to truthfully give you an answer."

"Truthfully? Hm... I heard the meeting was cancelled. For what reason?"

"That meeting was supposed to be confidential, so I can't share to much. All I can say is that Count Derreres brought attention to something that caused concern for all the other Counts."

"Derreres was it then? Ingrid you are far more stupid than I could have ever imagined. By mentioning Derreres' name you gave away far more information that you should have! We shall have to work on that on top of everything else! Tell your sister to pack your bags then. I fear it shall be a long stay for you both."

"Does this mean you'll tutor us then?"

"Good grief child! Learn to read between the lines! Gosh! It seems that is something else we must work on!"