Morons and Monarchs

Chapter Forty-Three: Viviendel😊

Ea left me with the Queens and my father.

"Viviendel," My father cautions gently. I fight the urge to glare at him.

"No," I pressure the Queens. Giving them the ultimatum. "We made a deal. Stick to it. I have days of rest to attend to."

I swear I feel Morana narrows her eyes at me beneath her mask. "And yet here we are, indeed we did say days of rest, and you have had that, we never said that you couldnt take tests in between your challenges. Which, by the way, is in a few more days since we are waiting for the right pers-" She coughs. "Moment to come along."

This time, I am the one who narrows my eyes. "So. What is this test?" I can't really argue with her logic. They never did say that I couldn't take a test in between. ANd honestly, I don't want Eirene to have to step in with her magical, wizardry hands.

Eirene's canine scratches against her green-leafy mask as she smiles. "Well, we have a list of questions. "

I roll my eyes. Duh.

Morana cuts in. "This time it will be about common sense."

I gape. ANd my father asks, incredulously, "Common sense?"

"Yes," Jorogumo answers this time. She is eerily silent. As always. But a type of sadness lingers in her clothes, in the way she walks. Every time she moves it is as if she is mourning the loss of somebody she fought with.

She hands me a piece of parchment, one with unbearably well handwriting that is enviable.

I sit down at the desk located in the corner of the room, near invisible. I take the pen out of my hair, making it fall around my shoulders. I shake it out quickly before reading. I feel the Queen's eyes on me as I do.

No pressure.

"C is the father of D, but D is not the son of C" I quickly scribble my answer. "D is the step-father."

"Imagine you are in the palace and everything catches fire, just beyond your desk is a door, the fire is in front of it, how will you manage to get out?" I scribble down 'Stop imagining'.

I hand the paper in and Morana swiftly looks through it. "1 out of 2." Eirene rushes to her and takes the paper away. Fire lights in my eyes.

"What did I get wrong?" I question.

"The first one." Jorogumo muses. "The correct answer was," She makes direct eye contact with all her eight eyes. "D was a daughter."

"On Abigor's name and grace and everything anybody does!"

Father puts his hand on my shoulder. "Calm it, Viviendel." He looks at the queens. "Thank you, but we will leave now." A low blow, saying 'Thank you' to a Faerie. Let alone a Queen . I smile at him.

Morana chokes, a very unladylike thing to do. Especially for a Queen. Gods, so very disgraceful. Especially as Erielle hits her in the back. I chuckle dryly under my breath. Trying to staunch my laugh.

We start to leave, but before we can make it fully out the door, I crash head-first into a male, chiseled abdomen. Ea's.

I stare up at him, dumbfounded, and his hand reaches out to steady me. Clasping my forearm tightly, he grins. "Let me guess, an ex Bwardipuginin came?" I flush a bright, stark green as I feel heat rise to my face.

"Hello, Ea." My father says. Stretching out his hand.

"Hello, Arwan." Ea replies, snaking his fin around my waist and shaking my fathers hand with the one that used to be on my arm. I go rigid. Ea and my father. Facing off.