Sol escaped with her mother allowing An and her father to discuss with each other. There was nothing Sol needed to tell since she had already described the entire thing to An once already. Tea and cookies were set up outside under a pavilion.
While placating her mother, Sol caught up with the events surrounding Iridescent. Duchess Reviarra plopped a bitesize morsel into her mouth before catching Sol up.
“Iridescent is running smoothly. Those managers you trained have been holding down the fort since you left. They’ve pushed forward your expansion plans as well. I hear Deidrick was able to find a way to purchase land near the Imperial Capital as well. Something about a retiring merchant looking for a golden umbrella. I authorized the purchase in your place. The land is well suited for a business front.”
The Duchess took another nibble from a cookie and traced it down with tea. Sol was somewhat surprised that her mother even touched Iridescent. Noble women are typically looked down on when participating in business. Confused, Sol felt the need to question.
“Mom, how did you convince father?”
“Him? He doesn’t know. You know your father, he would never let me get involved if I asked him every time. No worries though, that man always had a soft spot for me.” The Duchess plopped another morsel in her mouth as if what she said was natural. Sol was starting to question the family dynamic.
Rather than pursue the thought and shatter her father’s image, Sol turned the topic. “I plan on fighting Prince Elric, Prince Roland, and Queen Blonsall. Prince Roland might let me go, however Prince Elric and Queen Blonsall have vindictive personalities. I don’t think they’ll give up after the embarrassment I put them through.”
“That’s fine with me. That woman already crossed my bottom line. Her son should pay the price of his actions.” Sol was taken aback and gave her mother an inquisitive glare. Wasn’t this lady a Duchess? As if noticing her gaze, Duchess Reviarra followed up.
“Sol baby, not everyone is as loyal as your father to the Imperial family. It’s not the first time they’ve abused their power. If you were suggesting bringing the entire family down, I might have to stop you, but if it’s just the Queen and a few Princes, then I support you.”
“What if this Lady desires to bring the entire family down?”
Sol’s sudden change of tone surprised the Duchess. She took a good look at her daughter. The girl held her posture with an acquired matureness unsynchronized with her age. The baby fat still plagued her face, rounding it out into a pinchable ball. In fact, if you tried to measure Sol by anything other than her personality and demeanor, the girl would register as a child.
Duchess Reviarra sighed and took a more formal posture. “You’re only 9 years old. It’s not that this Duchess is unaware of your changes, Sol. You’re this Duchess’ daughter. This Duchess has watched you grow up since day one. That’s why this Duchess will not support you if you tackle the Imperial family as a whole. There are powers behind the Imperial family that have reserved the throne for them. Any attempt to bring that throne under a 3rd party’s control will draw those powers into action. This Duchess is not espousing wild theories, Sol. This has already happened twice since your father obtained his position. You’ve never heard about it because the Imperial family destroys their enemy first and accounts for it later. Traitors selling information to enemy states, attempted assassinations against the King, infectious disease, and these are only the excuses this Duchess is aware of.”
“This Lady is unconcerned. Mother, This Lady was nearly raped by Prince Elric. This Lady awoke naked in that man’s bed drugged with an aphrodisiac.” Duchess Reviarra paled after hearing Sol state it again. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand, however the powers behind the Imperial family were beyond what the Reviarra family could contend with. Sol continued.
“Queen Blonsall threatened this Lady to become her son’s property. That woman invited this Lady to her son’s bed and used brother’s future as leverage. When this Lady refused, that woman issued a direct threat to this Lady’s family as a whole. Mother… Our family is already in the Imperial family’s sights. If mother is concerned about the power behind the Imperial family acting, then this Lady can assure mother that this Lady will avoid direct conflict. There are plenty of ways to bring down a family so corrupted without talented heirs.”
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Duchess Reviarra hesitated. If she was asked if she hated the Queen or the Princes for their actions, of course she’d answer yes. However if she was asked if she believed Sol could succeed against them, it was hard to say her answer. Part of her understood Sol’s talents and felt her daughter stood a chance, however it’d take far more than business acumen to take down a Kingdom. In the end, Duchess Reviarra was unable to give Sol an answer. Her hand caressed her daughter’s face.
“Sol baby, I can’t support you on this. Discuss it with your father instead. Your mother has always followed her husband.” Sol was disappointed. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand her mother’s position. The potential annihilation of the Reviarra household all for revenge for an attempted rape? Even Sol understood that the immediate facts didn’t support her over reaction.
Sol’s entire fear lay in understanding the Prince and Queen’s personality. They would never let her escape. Although the events up to now were bad, it wasn’t ‘pulling down the imperial family’ bad. Even so, she was unable to control the pang of disappointment from her mother.
Sol stood from the table and excused herself. Duchess Reviarra watched Sol’s back as she walked away with a pensive expression. Leaving the pavilion, Sol made a beeline to her father’s study. After knocking on the door, Sol found An and her father both inside already.
“Father, this Lady has a business proposition for you.”
“Oh? Take a seat.”
----------------------------------------
At the same time Sol was in talks with her father, a large group of seemingly unrelated individuals were meeting in the Imperial capital. Had anyone wandered into the meeting by accident, they would have been flabbergasted as there were individuals from all walks of life intermingling with each other.
On the side, a young child dressed in poor attire was in heavy discussion with a middle aged man who dressed like a noble. On another side, a woman carrying a fishing net was exchanging information with a librarian.
These individuals intermingled without barrier as if they were all familiar with the other. Their chatter continued for a few hours as more attendees showed up. If one were to listen to their conversations, they’d likely be confused. Talks about cultivation, magic, heirs, demon beasts, and different Kingdoms in the lower plane were all common topics.
As dusk approached, the venue grew quiet with the appearance of a large gentleman with a beard that reached his hips. The man appeared in his 30s however his aura demanded a respect that was thousands of years in the making.
“I’ve recalled everyone because there’s evidence our target is in the Imperial Capital. We’ve yet to identify the name, age, or sex of the target, however we’ve lost more than 40 scouts over the past few weeks. The local team lead was taken out a few days ago by a mysterious force. I believe the target has a protector who has been eliminating our forces before they get too close. Your first task is to split up and gather information. Don’t let anything slip by. Track down the team leader’s movements and final moments.”
The members grouped up into small teams and exited the venue. Each time specialized in their own form of information gathering and so each went their own way after exiting. The older gentleman waited until the teams left before he, too, left the venue.
Unlike the many groups under his control, the man instead entered an inner room where an archaic altar rested. Its exterior was ancient and yet the items surrounding it were brand new. The man kneeled in front of the altar and recited a few hymns.
Magic in the atmosphere swarmed to his side and poured into the relic. Despite persisting for almost an hour, the relic only glowed for a split second. Within that second, the man sent a sliver of his spiritual awareness into it. In the next moment, the altar dimmed and its connection to an alternate plane was cut off.
The 30 year old man lifted himself with great effort, apparently exhausted from the activity.
“This damn lower plane is strangling me.” His complaints were only heard by himself, yet the conceit in his eyes would have told anyone his opinion. “No matter.” He left the altar behind and walked out to a balcony overlooking the Imperial capital. “It’s only a matter of time before I can leave this God forsaken place.”
Sol closed the door behind her after leaving her father’s study. She spent the last 3 hours negotiating with her father. Although her face was pale from the struggle, there was a sense of accomplishment on her face.
She left the door behind and went to inform her mother of the family’s decision. Left behind in the room, An and Duke Reviarra remained silent for a moment to take in the entire situation. An spoke in the next instant.
“Well… At least you’ll have the honor of claiming you witnessed the throne exchange hands in your lifetime…” Duke Reviarra leaned back in his chair and glanced at the boy. “I think it’s about time you told me why you’re actually protecting Sol. Don’t treat this Duke as a fool, anyone but that girl can see you’re deferential to her.”