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A divine walking among mortals!

This single sentence was collectively thought by all the men in the chambers. Even the Empress was stunned. She had seen Avery in her 'immodest' clothing and dealt with her unconventional ways these past two days, but the way she held herself right now... Made those days seem like a lie! She couldn't repute Desmond for walking behind her like a shield. Avery, in herself, was a frontal attack!

Head held high, Avery strode in with a pleasant smile and light steps. Her dress lightly fluttering after her. Desmond was less graceful and had a weary smile as he bowed towards his father. Walking down the long narrow carpet, past the thick, black marble supports. She took her place next to Empress Maria without a second thought with Desmond taking a knee behind her towards his father.

The Emperor looked at Avery thoughtfully before he spoke." Kneel, child." He commanded as if gracing her with his voice. "Nah." Her voice, sweet and soft, barely reached his ears. He felt an arousing chill tingle his spine but after the moment; His brows furrowed again. "You'd disobey Us in our own Empire...?" It was a question laced with a subtle threat.

As if oblivious to the threat, Avery nodded happily. "Hmph. I hereby grant Avery Bailey, to never have to bow before Us." A knight stepped forward. "You may thank the Emperor for this grace now!" Empress Maria's shoulders shuddered visibly as she struggled to hold down her laughter. He knew he couldn't control her, so he played it off as if he graced her. Avery, on the other hand, could care less for the political theatre. She only came because Desmond begged her to come. Explaining he had to go, but she was summoned as well.

"Do you think I'm some little servant that can be summoned when he wants? He can kick rocks." Avery had told him, annoyed. "He'll send the knights to drag us over then!" Desmond stated, taken aback in how to reason with this girl. His conventional wisdom was different from hers. Rather, it was from a different world! How could he convince her to do things like this? At first, he thought she didn't understand the how an empire worked.

He had started to explain to her how this was supposed to work. Only, he was silenced with a glare. "I know how Empires and Kingdoms work. They existed in my time and before me. Honestly, because I know is why I won't go." She explained how empires often tried to exert their power over other players, only succeeding in low leveled ones. He didn't understand why she referred to other primordials as 'players', but he went with it.

. . .

The meeting conveyed when the Emperor exited the throne room. The people inside exited through the large double doors and into a lobby of sorts. The knights inside began to exit, then standing guard outside the door. The councilmembers each greeted Avery in their own fashion. Each was surprised by how sociable she was compared to when she dealt with Emperor Jeagerfang.

"Nice to meet you, Avery, I'm Varen Gray!" A young man, with deep brown eyes and short curly hair that reminded Avery of velcro. His face was flat with a slight crook in his jaw and a mischevious glint in his eyes. His nose was slightly bent with an old scar across the middle of it. He wasn't a big person but stood slightly taller than Desmond. He was just as skinny, wearing a deep black tunic with no other colors, but his muscles were outlined by the thin cloth in the firelight that filled the room.

He held out a calloused hand for a handshake, whom Avery took and shook. Her hand seemed to be enveloped by his hand before he wrapped his other hand around it. "Such a beautiful lady, hehe." Avery didn't get the feeling that he was being a pervert, rather a very upfront teenager. "Stop trying to get with every girl that comes through here Varen." Desmond pulled Avery from him protectively. Both of them seemingly accustomed to it, Varen only laughed with heart.

"You know me, I'm just trying to find love." The other council members who weren't dressed in luxurious clothing laughed with him, while the ones who didn't simply scowled at the exchange. "Varen, as a councilmember, can you be less shameful? You can have any common woman yet you keep trying to go for nobles." A man with sky-grey eyes, wrapped in a grey wolf mantle stepped up.

His entire vibe screamed noble. Even Avery could tell the items on him were quite the pretty penny. He had a more pronounced face with slicked-back blond hair. His face clean shaven and a weary expression on his face. "I apologize for the boy, he's a grey child. He doesn't want to make another grey." Avery turned to look at Desmond for an explanation. "Grey is the surnames given to orphans." Desmond explained, seeing that confused look.

"Ah! Okay." She turned back with a smile. "Well Mr. Varen, it's a pleasure to meet you." Avery nodded her head but kept her distance for Desmond's comfort. "Please, we look to be around the same age! No need to the pleasantries, haha!" He puffed out his chest with pride. Even Avery was beginning to feel annoyed by his overfamiliarity. She made a point to engage the noble who intervened earlier.

"And your name?" With a smile, she held her hand out towards him. Seeing her suddenly call out to her, albeit to avoid Varen, he was startled. Avery got a good look at the man shook hers awkwardly as if uncustomed to the practice. Though his face was clean, his years showed. He looked anywhere from thirty to thirty-five maybe. His clean-shaven face was pleasant peach, well it looked like a peach. He wasn't barrel-chested, but he was chubby.

Chubby enough for a gut to protrude from his shirt, but he didn't seem to mind. His hand was soft, but not oily. A gentle hand. "I am Horst, fourth son of House Gunter." Unlike the always laughing Varen, Horst was the polar opposite. Horst presented himself as a gentle individual. He didn't try to kiss her hand, nor place his hand on top of hers to flirt. The moment the shake was done, he pulled his hand away politely before clasping them together behind his back humbly.

Desmond didn't try to intervene with Horst but actually came up to him. "Hello, Horst." Desmond greeted him. "Hellow, Third prince. Its been a while since we've last met. I trust you have been well?" Horst gave a polite nod to Desmond before smiling at both of them. "Well.. We had some problems here and there, but nothing we couldn't overcome." Avery rolled her eyes playfully and thought "Not without my help...".

. . .

Avery never met the other councilmembers, who fled from them the moment the Throne room doors parted.

Inside Desmond's 'wing', there were little furnishings. None grand like the items in the hallways, but they weren't neglected. The room was wiped, dusted, and mopped. The curtains and bed sheets changed as well. All within half an hour by four different maids who moved with trained precision. It was quite a show to watch actually.

Desmond's wing consisted of a lounge area that was ten by twenty feet, with two worn by comfortable couches with a table in between. An old red ornate rug under them. There was a dining table to the far side against a large panel window that seemed like a stereotypical window in the medieval area. Whole stone arch and everything. Besides that, there weren't any wall decorations or tabletop items. It seemed bared.

"How come this place seems... deserted?" Avery asked as the last maid left the room. She walked through the room, running her hands over the couches before walking over to the window. The window overlooked the courtyard they traveled through. a single tree planted in the middle stood, it branches spreading out over the majority of the courtyard. Snow fell onto its canopy. A modest courtyard compared to the other's she walked through to get here.

"I live at the Academy dorms. Living in the castle can be... unfit for one's health." He gave a cramped smile as he dropped himself down into the couch. A tired sigh left his lips as Avery came and joined him. "So they're trying to kill you?" Desmond laughed to her question. "That, and the fact this place is depressing." Avery didn't need further explanation. She laughed with him. Afterward, there was an awkward silence, neither knowing what to say or do. Neither had the energy to care either.

Unfortunately - or fortunately - a knock echoed from the entrance. "The Empress wishes to visit your highness.". "Let her in!" Desmond yelled back, unwilling to move as Avery, who sat shoulder to shoulder with her, was comfortable at a glance.

The wooden door squeaked slightly coming in. Desmond and Avery glanced over to see her and Fenrir come in." Fenrir...?" Avery was questioning why he was with the Empress. "Mr. Fenrir here seemed to have been forgotten by you, but he was able to hitch a ride on Windrunner with another soldier. After Fenrir explained he was forgotten..." Maria had an amicable smile, but her eyes were daggers aimed at the two youth.

Truth be told, Avery was used to her followers dematerializing and rematerializing when she left areas, so she hadn't thought about it when they left the valley. Apparently... That wasn't the case anymore.

"Master! Why did you abandon me!?" Fenrir came in with a lowered head like a puppy who was just yelled at for peeing on the carpet. He cutely crawled up to her feet with large sad eyes. Avery was at a loss what to do with him, one moment, he was a fierce king of Dire-Wolves the next he was a whimpering mess! Desmond and Maria both gave up their quarrel, laughing at Fenrir.

"I'm sorry?" She picked up his entire body, which was almost as big as her and placed him on her lap - and Desmond's -. She ruffled his fur tenderly before a golden flame puffed a wooden brush, made with Cloud-bouncer bristles, into Avery's free hand. She began to brush his fur as he spread himself on with his head on Desmond's lap.

Empress Maria was the only one who noticed the golden flame puff out a brush into Avery's hand. " Did you just use an item box?" Avery only gave a 'un' as a reply along with a nod. 'Ahhh.' was the only reply before she nodded and turned to leave "I'll be off then. I hope you two sleep comfortably~!" She wasn't oblivious to them liking each other. She wasn't sure why Avery liked Desmond, but none the less, it was beneficial for her. Even more so for Desmond.

Then the as if remembering, she tapped the ring on her left hand, middle finger and Avery's sword appeared in her hands and left it by the crackling fireplace. She was sure Avery would notice it.

She wouldn't have to worry about him with her around. At that moment, she was not looking at the two as the Empress, but of a doting mother who wished for happiness for her only child. Before she had been split between the duties of her country and the wishes of her son. After the first incident with that despicable girl, she no longer cared whom he loved, only that person treat him well.

With these thoughts, she left Desmond's wing to the sweet laughter of not a primordial and a prince, but two youngins bonding over a wolf. Thought, she wished they'd do it over dinner or perhaps, a ride. Well, be it dead dragons and wolves, whatever made them happy in this crazy twisted world she concluded. She couldn't be the judge.

Though, the world seemed inclined not to give them their moment as she spotted her husband's steward from halfway down the hall as he rounded the corner. The old steward seemed like a pleasant old man at a glance, but he was just as vicious as that damned consort. Only he did everything with a pleasant face.

"And what might you be doing here in my son's wing, Steward Jenkins?" That dotting, smiling, mother dissipated. What was left was the cold, stoic face of Empress Maria. A face she learned to take with dealing with people that weren't her 'husband'. She didn't have to spend pleasantries with people lower than her she didn't like.

"Ho ho, as fickle with pleasantries as always my lady." Steward Jenkins answered with a bow. His slicked back white hair failed to hair the splotting wrinkled skin of the old man. Neither did his words match the disdain on his face. "Your husband asked that I escort Lady Bailey to the Emissary Wing for the duration that she'll be here."

His words were clear and pronounced. The man would have been a great Steward if he didn't have a vile personality and liked to torture maids he disliked. So long as it was none of her people, she wouldn't lift a finger though. Rather, there was no point. Her husband had a knack for finding vile people to serve him to do dirty deeds.

"No need, she'll be staying with my son in his wing." She answered curtly as she looked out the tall hallway windows. She saw that snow began to fall heavily outside. It was winter, but their winters were strange in many ways. She watched as the once clear grounds began to whiten, speck by speck. "I beg your pardon, but that is inappropriate. Someone of Lady Bailey's prestige should not be in such l-... quarters..." He was about to say lowly.

He of all people would know never to say such things to Empress Maria. Of all the things she did not tolerate, speaking badly of her child was the highest. She did not care if they spoke of the consort's child like that, nor of the Second prince or the firs who belonged to a concubine. They can speak for their children.

She was about to barrage him with profanities when she had an idea. A gentle, knowing smile spread across her face, aimed at the steward. He was startled in turn. "Then do as such. Bless your soul." She uttered those words and walked off with a light step, her maid in tow. The steward was unsure of what to do, feeling something was definitely amiss. Unable to pinpoint what, he pushed the feeling aside and walked down the hall.

He continued towards the door, unable to shake the feeling before he knocked on the door. "Steward Jenkins, here to speak with Lady Bailey!", the room was silent for a few moments before he received an answer from Desmond. "She has refused, please come again tomorrow."

Steward Jenkins face darkened hearing Desmond. He pounded on the door with vigor this time. "By Decree of the Emperor, I've come to speak with Lady Bailey!". " She says no still." Steward Jenkins wasn't a very patient man with people he viewed lower than himself.

He began to pound on the door without rest for a full minute before the door was pulled open with such force, he thought it was about to rip from the hinges. "What?" Avery was the one at the door. Her pure white hair brushed to the side and down her shoulders. She was still in the cotton dress Desmond gave her, this time though, there was no smile on her face.

Steward Jenkins gulped as two glowing eyes stared back at him from the shadow of the doorway. A face of a celestial of course, but he thought for a moment he saw faint transparent golden flames coming from her eyes.

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