The young consort was showing signs of leadership that none thought he possessed.
Only Vaschel’s face did not hold an expression of surprise. The Domo of House Paua simply nodded in approval, his milky eyes instead portraying a tiny glimmer of pride. Daddy likes that you are taking charge, little regent, Kiva thought. Vaschel had groomed his son from an egg to marry Beryl and unite House Paua and House Lumen on the throne. A son spawned from the union would have been better though, would it not, Vaschel?
Despite the political ambitions that Vaschel held for House Paua, the domo was still a traditionalist at heart. Royal blood coursing through the veins of a grandchild on the throne would have been ideal, but Vaschel wasn’t so mired in tradition that he would relinquish such a momentous opportunity as his son earning the Fangs through his own deeds.
When Kiva looked back to Iago, she caught the tail end of a strange look on the face of Dam aris, as she raised her eyes from behind her hands to look at her daughter’s consort. Kiva could not see enough of the Queen Mother’s expression to discern its intent. It was quick and too much of Damaris’ face was hidden for anything definitive to be determined. It appeared as if the look might have been one of confusion or anger but was too brief a glimpse for Kiva to make a strong guess.
Iago looked around the room. The members of the Coral Assembly had all assumed looks of nonchalance once more. Their initial shock at Iago’s announcement was a fleeing memory in Kiva’s sharp mind. “If there is no more business, then I will conclude the Coral Assembly for today,” Iago said. The smaller chunks of orihalcyon set into the sconces around the room flickered, their waxing auburn light resonating strangely with the regent’s words. Kiva felt a tremor of uneasiness pass through her. Only the machi and kalku claimed to fully know the properties of the arcane mineral orihalcyon that the grogstack pulled out of the Deep Mines, but Kiva was not entirely convinced of the totality of the sorcerous merwins’ knowledge. She had yet to be fully persuaded that the substance wasn’t somehow dangerous. After all, no one, machi, kalku, or otherwise, had been able to explain to her why the gems waxed and waned in color, defining their seasons, or why the Deep Mines somehow caused such grotesque mutations amongst the grogstack instead of just killing them after prolonged exposure, as they did to all the other races of Merwin.
Kiva forced the flutter of fear down deep inside of her. Now was not the time to waiver in her course.
Chapter Six
With the Assembly formally concluded, each of the representatives filtered out of the room, pausing to briefly express their condolences publically to Damaris and Iago, before joining their personal guard in the waiting area outside the assembly hall. Kiva held back, as she always did, to observe the interactions between the representatives as they departed. Most offered very formal, outwardly sympathetic, comfort to the Queen Mother. Only Nayan, the jellod representative, actually took Damaris’ hands though, expressing genuine sorrow and commiseration. Always such a remora, Nayan, Kiva inwardly scoffed. How such a soft-shelled creature had survived this long was beyond the faera.
In contrast, each of the other merwin bowed their heads to Regent Iago, some by only the most miniscule amount but still making the gesture nonetheless. They strongly gripped his hand before passing through the chamber doors.
Motion out of the corner of her eye caught Kiva’s attention, and she turned to see Uchenna and Quag speaking quietly in the farthest corner of the seating area from where Damaris and Iago informally held court. The octolaide was floating sedately, his tentacles undulating gently beneath him. Though he was looking up at the grogstack that towered over him, Uchenna somehow still maintained an impression of superiority over Quag. Kiva had to
Only Vaschel’s face did not hold an expression of surprise. The Domo of House Paua simply nodded in approval, his milky eyes instead portraying a tiny glimmer of pride. Daddy likes that you are taking charge, little regent, Kiva thought. Vaschel had groomed his son from an egg to marry Beryl and unite House Paua and House Lumen on the throne. A son spawned from the union would have been better though, would it not, Vaschel?
Despite the political ambitions that Vaschel held for House Paua, the domo was still a traditionalist at heart. Royal blood coursing through the veins of a grandchild on the throne would have been ideal, but Vaschel wasn’t so mired in tradition that he would relinquish such a momentous opportunity as his son earning the Fangs through his own deeds.
When Kiva looked back to Iago, she caught the tail end of a strange look on the face of Dam aris, as she raised her eyes from behind her hands to look at her daughter’s consort. Kiva could not see enough of the Queen Mother’s expression to discern its intent. It was quick and too much of Damaris’ face was hidden for anything definitive to be determined. It appeared as if the look might have been one of confusion or anger but was too brief a glimpse for Kiva to make a strong guess.
Iago looked around the room. The members of the Coral Assembly had all assumed looks of nonchalance once more. Their initial shock at Iago’s announcement was a fleeing memory in Kiva’s sharp mind. “If there is no more business, then I will conclude the Coral Assembly for today,” Iago said. The smaller chunks of orihalcyon set into the sconces around the room flickered, their waxing auburn light resonating strangely with the regent’s words. Kiva felt a tremor of uneasiness pass through her. Only the machi and kalku claimed to fully know the properties of the arcane mineral orihalcyon that the grogstack pulled out of the Deep Mines, but Kiva was not entirely convinced of the totality of the sorcerous merwins’ knowledge. She had yet to be fully persuaded that the substance wasn’t somehow dangerous. After all, no one, machi, kalku, or otherwise, had been able to explain to her why the gems waxed and waned in color, defining their seasons, or why the Deep Mines somehow caused such grotesque mutations amongst the grogstack instead of just killing them after prolonged exposure, as they did to all the other races of Merwin.
Kiva forced the flutter of fear down deep inside of her. Now was not the time to waiver in her course.
Chapter Six
With the Assembly formally concluded, each of the representatives filtered out of the room, pausing to briefly express their condolences publically to Damaris and Iago, before joining their personal guard in the waiting area outside the assembly hall. Kiva held back, as she always did, to observe the interactions between the representatives as they departed. Most offered very formal, outwardly sympathetic, comfort to the Queen Mother. Only Nayan, the jellod representative, actually took Damaris’ hands though, expressing genuine sorrow and commiseration. Always such a remora, Nayan, Kiva inwardly scoffed. How such a soft-shelled creature had survived this long was beyond the faera.
In contrast, each of the other merwin bowed their heads to Regent Iago, some by only the most miniscule amount but still making the gesture nonetheless. They strongly gripped his hand before passing through the chamber doors.
Motion out of the corner of her eye caught Kiva’s attention, and she turned to see Uchenna and Quag speaking quietly in the farthest corner of the seating area from where Damaris and Iago informally held court. The octolaide was floating sedately, his tentacles undulating gently beneath him. Though he was looking up at the grogstack that towered over him, Uchenna somehow still maintained an impression of superiority over Quag. Kiva had to
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