It had been over six months since she first came to the Exaltare’s palace, and yet somehow, Lycoris found herself in the exact same situation as the day she first arrived.
Weapon in hand, staring at a horde of vampires with someone she trusted at her side.
Though, in this case Lycoris was (sort of) the master of the palace. She did her level best to keep her hands from trembling, forcing herself to look around at the crowd and meet the eyes of several members, as though asking if they had any intention to take her up on her offer.
In truth, she worried the audience would be able to see through her feigned composure. She felt as if her heart was attempting to rip its way out of her throat and slap her in the face for being so reckless.
Everything she’d said after her introduction went completely off the rails had been a pathetic attempt at improvisation, but every time she’d glanced back at her mother for some form of guidance, Lilianna simply nodded and smiled.
As though trusting her with perhaps the most important moment of her entire life wasn’t a horrible mistake. As though her mom was confident that she’d actually win if anyone here did challenge her, when she’d still never once even won a sparring session against the Exaltare…
What was even the point of practicing all those scripts if none of them ended up being relevant at all!? Mm… Well, no sense letting the meat rot if you’ve already butchered the pig, I guess. Lycoris sighed internally, before glancing around at the now-silent room. “…If nobody is stepping forth to challenge me, shall I take that as acceptance of who and what I am?”
Those who met her gaze turned away, clearing their throats or whispering instead to their neighbors.
As the tense atmosphere built, with Cedric’s fury simmering and his hands clenching ever tighter, the crowd began to murmur, unsure how to handle such an unprecedented situation.
Eventually, someone raised their hand to break the ice. “My apologies for such a blunt question, Your Highness, but… How old are you?”
“I…” she fumbled for half a second too long, not expecting her age to be what the audience was most curious about, “…am forty-six at the eve of next year… m-meaning, tomorrow. But what does that have to do with anything?”
Once more, the crowd erupted into quiet murmurs.
“Not even five decades and she’s debuting in high society?” “How did Her Majesty even keep her hidden for so long?” “How precocious of her to talk down to His Grace at that age…” “Her birthday is tomorrow!?” “Quick, get in contact with that artisan I was talking about.” “Damn Exaltare, she definitely wanted to see us scramble about!”
Her mother cleared her throat, silencing the crowd immediately. The ease with which she commanded the crowd left Lycoris feeling the tiniest shred of jealousy.
“We have decided to reveal our child’s existence now, as it would only hinder her development were we to wait until a more appropriate age for her formal debut. Not to mention,” she smiled thinly, her leer causing even Lycoris to shiver slightly, “We’re well aware that many families were already considering future heirs. It would be quite a shame if those efforts went to waste.”
The crowd remained silent, but Lycoris could pick out the suppressed looks of irritation on several members of the crowd… to say nothing of Cedric’s blatant fury. She’d forgotten just how naturally intimidating a genuinely angry vampire was.
Lycoris managed to stifle the nervous chuckle bubbling up in her throat just in time by daintily coughing into her hand.
“How… How dare you make such a mockery of a cornerstone of our CULTURE!”
“Oh? Then… Does that mean you wish to take up mine offer, Lord Cedric?” Lycoris smiled, her words faltering ever so slightly as she forced herself to look at him.
She had no idea what sort of man he was—other than brutish, loud, and rude thus far—and was worried if she’d be able to put up a decent fight. Lilianna would probably intervene before her life was endangered… but it’d be a blemish on her image as Lilianna’s daughter, and a poor look for her initial appearance in Vampire society proper.
“What a joke,” Cedric scoffed. “You’re as appropriate for the position of Heir-Significate as I am errand boy delivering coffee beans to my estates. If you think a feigned smile from the Exaltare is enough to prove that you’re her ‘cherished child’ then you’re as naive as your supposed age would suggest. I’ve as much reason to humor your words as I do my gardener’s.”
Her pupils contracted. “Joke?” Her voice cracked ever so slightly. “Perhaps it’s expected that you would insult me. I’m young, there’s much I still don’t know. That much is fair. But, if you mean to say, that Mama doesn’t love me…”
Lycoris lightly jumped forward off the stage.
“Nevermind the duel,”
The political posturing was all pointless fluff. What did she care if nobody took her seriously as an heir? It wasn’t like she wanted to be the Exaltare. But… to say that Lilianna wasn’t her mother… That all those emotions, that everything she’d felt and learned from the woman was fake?
Lycoris adjusted her stance, gripping the scythe with tightly clenched, white-knuckled hands. Anger bubbled up inside of her at the sight of his stupid pompous face, the rest of the room growing dim and quiet as her attention focused solely on the blonde bastard.
“Beg forgiveness on your knees, or die.”
She dashed forward without waiting for his response. The partygoers in the way all but dove aside, giving her a clear path to the man.
Cedric was, naturally, unarmed; there was no way anyone would be allowed to enter the party hall with a sword in their hand. Bereft of weapons and unwilling to forsake his pride, the man instead raised his right arm and braced it with his left instead of taking a knee.
Lycoris giggled to herself at the idiotic display, rearing back and bringing her scythe right into it as she sought to carve right through his limb and neck alike.
Only, her weapon quivered in her hands as it met resistance, a resounding clang! echoing through the silent ballroom.
She’d sliced through his jacket’s sleeve and struck bare skin, but it was like striking pure adamantine as the reverberation numbed her fingers. A thin tickle of blue trailed down his arm and stained the blade of her scythe, and she had at least managed to knock him off-balance, but he remained standing. Both his arm and head remained firmly attached, much to her dismay.
But she didn’t give him time to retaliate, as her scythe blade snapped around his arm with a sharp clack. With his limb locked in place, she pivoted and swung the axe backwards, wrenching him off of his feet and arcing him through the air as she slammed him down back-first onto the cold marble tile.
Though, instead of his body, it was the floor that cracked under the weight of the blow. He didn’t feel any heavier than she’d expected, but it was like his body was made of a miraculous, ultra-lightweight metal.
Ironskin, then, she mentally assessed. She was familiar with the spell, and he had to be quite the strong spellcaster to stop Orichalcum from cutting him. Lycoris wasn’t even sure if Lilianna could manage that feat.
In that case, I'll simply have to smash him into paste!
With another click, her weapon swapped back to a scythe and she released his arm. Raising the weapon high overhead, she returned it to an axe and brought the executioner’s hatchet down on his prone—
“Lycoris, enough.”
She froze as soon as her mother spoke, the edge of her axe hovering inches above Cedric’s neck.
Seeing an opportunity, the man gently brushed it aside and stood up, slowly drawing… a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiping the blood off his arm. The man seemed entirely unfazed by Lycoris’ assault, which only made her want to hit him harder.
Though, he was finally looking at Lycoris now, rather than Lilianna. His pale golden eyes hardened in hateful respect, a small trickle of blood on his lips.
“Well, you’re certainly as foul-tempered as the Exaltare, at least.” He wiped his lip with the handkerchief and dropped it on the wing of Lycoris’ trick-scythe. “I’ll be sure to remember this. We’ll have a proper duel another time, Your Highness.”
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His ultimatum delivered, Cedric turned his back and walked away. The crowd immediately erupted into whispers.
As her anger faded, a hollow ache took its place inside Lycoris instead, as she suddenly felt tremendously embarrassed for losing her temper and throwing such a childish tantrum.
Perhaps Cedric had accepted her, but somehow it didn’t feel satisfying. Like he’d been the one who was throwing her about and not the other way around.
“She really is Her Majesty’s daughter…” “I never doubted it for a second!” “To think she’d actually attack the Speaker like that. What an outrage!” “Do you think His Grace is alright?” “When was the last time Her Majesty lashed out like that in Court?” “Must have been at least a year ago…”
She instinctively turned to look at her mother, but as her eyes rolled over the crowd she spotted a familiar blue-haired maid holding a phone up at her, like she’d been… filming!?
Athena!?
Lycoris locked eyes with her as she turned her head toward her mother, hoping to draw her attention to the maid, but the Exaltare had her gaze firmly fixed on the young princess instead. She didn’t look angry, but it still made Lycoris wince.
Taking that as her cue, Lilianna returned to center stage and spread her arms wide.
Athena, meanwhile, turned the phone toward the Exaltare.
“As you all no doubt can see, our darling little flower has sprouted rather close to the hedge.” She paused for a round of polite chuckles, turning to face Lycoris. “But, dearest, we would ask thou to refrain from attempting to murder the delegation. At least until thou inherit our throne, that is.”
More (nervously) polite chuckling and applause followed in her wake, as Lycoris felt her cheeks darken.
“Be not too harsh on her, for she is indeed quite young still. But neither treat her as an ignorant child, for she is Heir-Significate.” A dark shadow crossed Lilianna’s face, as a sweeping chill blew through the hall. “Just as in times past, any affront to the Exaltare’s heiress is an affront to the Exaltare. She is Aphtangloa, and though young, she bears the responsibilities that name comes with.”
The entire time she delivered her speech, Lilianna kept her eyes trained on Lycoris exclusively. The girl had already heard this before in private, and was fully aware of how heavily scrutinized her actions would be at this party. But having something that felt private between her and her mom be orated to a crowd felt deeply embarrassing.
“But even more than that, she is our pride and joy, our daughter. ‘Tis a day early, but tonight is still a night for celebration! So wipe that dour look from your faces, and revel in the merry atmosphere that should accompany such a joyful occasion!”
Instead of erupting into applause, the entire audience remained in stunned silence even after her speech came to a close. The reason why was quite apparent, even to Lycoris. She’d seen the expression on Lilianna’s face plenty of times—but only ever in private.
The Exaltare was smiling, her joy as bright as the full moon hiding behind the clouds high above the palace. There probably wasn’t a single soul alive who had seen the current Exaltare appear so cheerful before.
If any among the audience still held doubts—still believed Cedric’s words—the face that she made while telling them to celebrate her daughter’s birthday wiped them away like condensation on glass.
With a slight hint of inelegant haste, Lycoris pinched up the hem of her dress and ran back to the stage. Before she could climb up, Lilianna dropped down herself and tenderly embraced the girl, pulling her flushed face close as she squirmed.
“M-Mom… everyone’s watching…”
“What shame is there in a mother embracing her child? Besides, was that not why thou wert rushing back to us?”
“Mmh… I was just… coming over to give you this…” She lied, lifting up the scythe with the bladed end pointed toward the ground. “I thought people might be more amenable to talking if I can’t just… behead them out of nowhere. At least, not easily.”
Her mother hummed, “Mmm, a trifling detail, but very well. We shall hold onto this for now.”
She—somewhat reluctantly—released the girl from her grasp and took the scythe instead, leaning it across her shoulder like a club.
Lycoris didn’t pull away from her mother just yet though, instead whispering quietly up to her. She wasn’t sure if there was much point in the attempt at subtlety, given how sharp vampiric hearing was—and how fond of eavesdropping nobles purportedly were.
“Also um, why is Athena—”
“Oh, thou noticed? Naturally, she is broadcasting thy debut to the capital and country. It’s a public announcement after all.”
Lycoris went rigid, her body trembling as she creakily craned her head upward. “Y-Y-Y-Y-Y… You… I… Th-Then all of that with the pompous—”
“Dear, composure,” her mother calmly chided. “Don’t forget to behave as a Princess must, even if this party is a celebration in thy name.”
“…Yes, Mother,” she quietly replied.
With a relaxed chuckle, Lilianna gently stroked her hair, careful not to ruin the work Athena put in earlier.
“Now then, go and enjoy thy party, dear. Perhaps thou couldst even find those special guests of thine on the floor below? …After dealing with necessary introductions, that is.”
She withdrew her hand from Lycoris, looking up and prompting the girl to turn around, whereupon she witnessed at least half of those present regarding the two of them like nervous deer from the back of the room, while the bolder attendees had begun conversing among themselves and gradually making their way back into the center of the room—though, nobody stepped near the cracked marble tiles, treating them like a bad omen.
Half-regretting her decision to hand over her scythe already, Lycoris turned to face the encroaching swarm of vampires, who no doubt wished to ingratiate themselves to the newly announced heir to the throne…
＊ ＊ ＊
Clenching her molars and gripping her daughter’s scythe until her knuckles turned white, Lilianna watched her daughter bravely march forth and wade into the thicket of politicians, swarming around like a pack of voracious Fangchasers that’d caught the scent of fresh blood.
She knew it wouldn’t be easy to let Lycoris wander. Her daughter had no actual experience dealing with public figures, but she’d have to practice somehow. In an ideal world, Lilianna wouldn’t have her first experience be such an important celebration, either, but at least it was an environment she had full control over.
The only reason Lilianna was able to resist the urge to hover over her child like a sky-jelly was the fact she’d made such an impressive improvisation of her entrance. The two of them had gone over several possible scenarios, as Lilianna was well aware Lycoris would be received with some measure of skepticism. But since they couldn’t predict exactly what form that would take, she’d left it at an outline suggesting several possible courses of action…
But little Lycoris had completely exceeded her expectations, and offered a direct challenge to those who’d question her authority.
It was more difficult to resist tearing up than she’d ever admit. She even briefly considered creating and awarding herself a medal for not bursting into laughter at the sight of the Idra Speaker panicking while being ragdolled about. It was plainly obvious he was barely holding on, and Lilianna sorely wished to let her daughter take his head, but there were some lines she shouldn’t cross so casually—even if her anger was more than justified.
Lycoris’ bullishness certainly marked her perfectly as her descendant, but her mother was more concerned if she would be able to act out the dainty civil graces expected of a young girl. Perhaps it was only natural that some things came more naturally than others. But while she was young, and some amount of carelessness could be excused, there were many subtle details in her posture and attitude that’d speak volumes of how she had been raised.
Remembering once more that this was the first time Lycoris would be interacting with strangers, Lilianna felt her heart begin to accelerate as she lost sight of her precious flower in the thicket.
Not because she was worried how it’d reflect on herself, but because the thought of those bloodhounds taking advantage of her child’s good nature and naivete was enough to make her want to—
“My, that was quite the performance, wasn’t it? Did Your Majesty orchestrate the entire display? Or… was that Her Highness’ doing?”
She blinked her emotions away as she turned with a blank-faced smile to the man who’d approached her. Only one person would be so delighted at such a violent display against House Idra, and possessed such heavy dulcet tones.
“Duke Benet Sefer, to what do we owe this pleasure?”
“Please, ‘Benet’ is more than I deserve, Your Majesty.”
Taking a deep bow, the light orange-haired man exposed the pitch-black roots of his hair, revealing his extreme age to the Exaltare. As he raised himself once more, he stroked his finger and thumb along the length of his neatly-trimmed beard, a composed smile on his face.
“Just because thou eschew decorum doesn’t mean that we’ll go along with thy whims, Duke Sefer.”
“Haha, truly the two of you are mirror images of each other. One can only wonder who could’ve been brave enough to play the part of her father, or how you hid your pregnancy at Moonsend forty years and change ago…” He trailed off, turning his amber eyes toward the gaggle of aristocrats. “Have you spoken with your sister yet?”
“She knows where to find us.”
“Ancestors, you’re a stubborn one. Here I thought I was supposed to be the old mule, hahaha!”
“Dost thou wish to re-enact our daughter’s performance with us so terribly?”
“I’m afraid my hips couldn’t handle such intense exercise. Plus, it wouldn’t do to renovate the ceiling of the rooms below. I’ll have to settle for asking for a regular dance.”
She turned away from him. “Thou wouldst find better luck with Duchess Rialta.”
“Regrettably, she’s already been taken by Agave.”
“So we were not even thy first choice. How arrogant can thou be…?”
The partygoers had begun to dance to the music, seeming to have forgotten their earlier tension as the custodial staff patched up the cracks from Lycoris’ initial performance.
Lilianna spied her daughter near the edge of the ballroom, looking clearly uncomfortable as she spoke with a member of the Mano family. If she remembered correctly, Frell Mano recently had a child too… perhaps he was trying to set up Lycoris with a “friend” already.
“Your attention should be on the Ochros, Your Majesty.”
“We don’t recall asking for unsolicited advice. And we’re more than—”
“Not dearest Rialta.”
She pulled her eyes away from her daughter just as the girl wove a clever little illusion spell, causing the good Sir Mano to peer behind him, giving her a chance to slip away.
“Fresh information, then.”
He offered his subtly-wrinkled olive-skinned hand to Lilianna. “Shall we dance?”
The Exaltare flourished her daughter’s scythe with a twirl, causing it to morph into a cascade of scarlet petals as she gripped his hand.
“We dearly hope you know the steps to the follow.”