𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘. 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍.
It's the beginning of a new age when Jaylah Imperatrix seemingly returns from the dead to reclaim her throne. And in perfect timing.
In her absence, evil has be...
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Act 1 Chapter 72 JAYLAH
A soft voice breathed out, "Your Majesty," behind Jaylah as soon as she was safely ensconced in the front hall. Antinoch Zurlide fell into pace with her. "We have not heard from you in months. Your ships, all your soldiers—" She cut herself off when her dark eyes roved Jaylah's form. "Are you alright?"
"I am fine." Though she could certainly have benefitted from a medic. Surely Saria could patch up the healing gunshot wound better than she had.
"Um...in that case..." She stopped, worry written all over her face. "You may want to head toward the tea room in the southern wing, the one with the green wallpaper. The Czar of Navrika is here."
Jaylah fought the shock out of her expression. "For what reason?" Had the Czar already caught wind of her father's revolutionary stirrings upon his land?
"He would not give specifics. His Majesty simply claimed he was in dire need of a meeting with you, and because you have been absent, he has waited five days here."
This was all occurring so fast. She had just gotten back. Jaylah blinked. "Then we must not keep him waiting any longer."
They began up the curling stairway to the second floor as several awestruck courtiers watched them pass. Soon, her arrival would be circulating the whole city. "If it does not trouble you to answer, Your Majesty, your advisors will want to know where you have been overseas. I can alert them while you are speaking with the Czar...?"
"I was in Ition." If needed, Lorenzo Çenturion could cover for her. "There was some business that needed to be taken care of following the events of the massacre, some sureties I needed to guarantee before settling down to rule. While I was with the King of Ition, the trip doubled as a foreign-relations meeting."
The concerned frown was still etched deeply on her delicate features. "You did not arrive on your ship. All contact with the soldiers was lost. Are you sure everything is fine?"
"Yes." Jaylah let her voice trail off as if in vague sadness. "Itionic pirates have run rampant in the northeast without Navrikan intervention. My ships were taken and I was the sole survivor. They gave their lives so that I could return." She would do everything in her power to hide Alexander's identity and the assassination attempt. All of the soldiers that transported him were dead, but Jaylah irrationally feared the truth would come out regardless.
Antinoch's hand flew to her mouth. "Good Gods. You are lucky to be alive."
"I am glad to be back." Except everything was different than it had been. There would be no humor, no camaraderie or anonymity. Just cold, rigid court intrigue and cutthroat ambition.
"He is in there," Antinoch said, pausing before the arched entryway to the tea room. Her tone made Jaylah aware that she was not informing her of obvious information, but rather that she was nervous.
