63 External Affairs (2/2)
In its purity and straightforwardness, her stand on the matter appeared all the more baffling. Was it blind belief that the royal sisters knew what they were doing? Could anyone really be that unaware of how unstable the Queen had come to appear?
The only thing keeping them from assuming the worst was the thought that their monarch was human like the rest of them. Up to a reasonable point, this was a day when they could all be excused for not being at their best.
The most suspicious-minded or hateful had no difficulty coming up with sinister theories, including how the Lady – by doing absolutely nothing – was setting up her nieces to fall by way of self-destruction so Princess Gisela could have a better chance at inheriting the throne.
The one thread of thought these people had in common ran along the lines of ”why jeopardize the rest of us?” Most of them, especially those in the lower rungs, enjoyed the intrigues and even being in the thick of things, but as soon as they're asked to risk something, they find that it's not so enjoyable anymore and just want out by any means – they don't care who'd get the problem resolved eventually.
It was different for the majority of Assembly members present. Following Lady Ilse and Lord Alfwin's leads, they too did not seek to interfere with the Queen's orders regarding Princess Hilde. They set aside the possible reasons behind the move and how they might personally be affected by it because the opportunity was too good to pass up.
It will be years before Prince Luca could be proclaimed Crown Heir. In the Assembly's eyes, there's really not much difference yet between him and his aunt, and in these extraordinary times, even though there were some months yet before she turns sixteen, it's not too soon for them to begin evaluating the new second-in-line.
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Regardless of how much power these onlookers might hold, none of them was privy to what was being discussed in that small, closed-off group in front of the royal tombs' door. By choice or by circumstance, they were left to deduce things from observations as best as they could.
Some had absently noted that the Lord General was quick to commence the grooming of his own new heir, and of those who'd seen her emerge with the Princess earlier, a few had also made the leaps in logic that now seemed obvious given what the Lord had already revealed during his eulogy.
Lothar's intense shine had left his siblings under a thick cloak of shadow, didn't it? It was just like their father to make use of even that, mused those who knew him well, though apparently not well enough. They began to wonder, how deeply had he delved or might still be willing to go without any of them noticing? And heavens, to what end?
Past the dimness of twilight, they witnessed as Princess Hilde stood when the Lyseans and their unexpected escorts did. That particular arrangement seemed to have her stamp on it. Even if it hadn't been obvious, judging from the way she had done most of the talking earlier, the others waiting on her words and answering queries she must have posed, she had risen to the challenge of command and – thus far, surprisingly – was proving equal to it.
Along with the unfamiliar glimmer of pride and a renewal of hope that she had brought about, it dawned on many that they had come to think of her as ”theirs” for quite some time now. She had already been claimed in service to Arnica, and as far as its people were concerned, her future was permanently tied to this soil and nowhere else.
What was that Lysean Prince on about, deviating from what common sense dictated and going after the wrong princess? If it's to Lys, Arnicans wouldn't be willing to part even with Princess Gisela, but given the right incentive, they could be induced to. With Princess Hilde, no price at all would be high enough.
So then, right now… what did she think she was doing, stepping towards them…?