Plight of an Empire

Chapter Four: Audriel

Mynoa, Rundil

The Great Hall was filled with the guests of the king and yet not a single one knew where he was.  Elviva was annoyed that Audriel had slipped away earlier and even more so now that her husband had disappeared as well.  She told her daughter that she was going to have a very stern talk with him once their guests depart for the night.

As the princess made her way around the Hall, she saw a great many of her guests.  She was obligated to stop and talk them, despite her wanting to be talking to her father.  Surprisingly enough, Lucien was nowhere to be seen, much to her relief.

“Audrey!” she heard a familiar voice call out.  She scanned the room with excited eyes before finally landing on the voice’s owner.

“Uncle Sofur!” she shouted as she ran to give him a hug.  “I was afraid I would not get to see you”, she said as she pulled out of the hug.  “Father said that you were ill and would not be able to travel.  How do you feel?” she asked as she took in his appearance.  He looked about as well as a frail albino can look.  His silvery hair was cropped short, but looked as if it had not been combed in days.  His violet eyes were red rimmed from lack of sleep.  His already pale skin was pallor from the illness.  His saving grace was his wardrobe—a lilac colored robe atop his cream doublet.  The pin of his robe was the soaring eagle of the Pellinor house.  Though he was still unrecovered, Audriel was more than excited to see him.

A deep cough answered her question.  “I’m still recovering”, he said with a grin.  “Don’t worry about me, my little niece.  How are you doing on your big day?”  Audriel felt her face falter a little, just enough for Sofur to notice.  “That bad, eh?”

She nodded.  “I was actually looking for my father”, she confessed.  “I wanted to speak to him.”  She trusted her uncle, but she still would rather have her father be the first receiver of her news.  She had continued replaying the conversation between the two Tisley girls in her head so she would not forget.

“My brother has a way of losing himself, does he not?” he said with a chuckle.  Another wave of coughing rattled in his chest.  When he stopped and saw the look of concern on Audriel’s face, he gently clasped her hand.  “Pay me no mind”, he said.  “The healers have all said that the coughing is the last to go with the illness.  But as far as the king’s whereabouts, he likes to spend time in his library, does he not?”

Audriel nodded.  She wondered why she hadn’t thought of it before.  Her father loved his book almost as much as he loved his family.  Growing up, both she and her father had spent many hours in the palace archives, reading every book they could.  She smiled at the memories.  “Of course”, she said.  “I should have known that’s where he would be.”  She squeezed his hand around hers.  “Thank you, uncle.  Please make yourself comfortable.  I will send my father back so that he can greet you as well.  I know he has been worried sick about your health.  We all have.”

“Thank you, child”, he said with a smile.  “Tell my brother that a party is no fun without him.”  She nodded and thanked him again before departing.

Behind the grand staircase that leads to the third level is a corridor that leads to the palace library.  At the end of the corridor, were the huge double doors that led to the library.  The floor of the corridor was lined with long, exquisite rugs.  The walls covered with fine tapestries and banners.  The princess used to spend hours playing in these halls with her friends.  That was a time long since passed.  The rugs silenced her footfalls so she could still hear the sound of laughter and talk from the Great Hall. 

As she walked down the corridor, a foul smell burned her nostrils.  She came to a stop and smelled the air.  It seemed to grow stronger the closer she got to the library.  Perhaps Father ordered a roasted pig to be sent to the library she wondered.  He greatly enjoyed roasted pig.