Though The Heavens May Fall [hs]

Chapter Seven

The large dining table tonight was seated full of people, yet the absence of my parents' presence made it feel so hollow. I was sat between Adrien and Redmond, while the other advisors and Eliran royals were spread amongst the table's seats. The plate of delicious food that sat before me remained hardly touched with just a few mere bites taken from the potatoes.

The simple task of taking care of myself (sleeping, eating) felt so incredibly daunting during this time, and I craved for the world around me to go back to normal. Harry stood beside the door to the room, watching over us as the room was alive with various tones of conversation. Somehow the talks had gone from the gloom of the missing King and Queen to the rage of needing to take drastic action against Dubrawn.

Luckily for me, King Charles had offered his guidance during my time of mourning. Regardless of the situation at hand, I had no idea what I was doing. Being thrown so quickly into such a detrimental position was entirely unexpected and gave me zero time to prepare for much of anything.

"My personal belief," Redmond spoke up, propping his elbow up to the table. "We need to have the wedding first; give Dubrawn some time to simmer. We need to hit them when they are least expecting it."

There were a few hushed agreements throughout the group when Charles cleared his throat.

"I have many concerns about this. We can't give them too much time to simmer, as you say. They will become restless. Dubrawn is the sort of force that craves bloodshed. Once the high from the ambush of King and Queen Lockwood, may they rest in eternal peace, has worn off they will want more."

I looked over as Redmond nodded his head slowly, narrowing his eyes as if in deep thought. He lifted his chalice to his mouth and took a drink down.

"May I suggest an alternative?" Taylor spoke up from the other end of the table, pushing his glasses up. Everyone's attention was drawn to him immediately.

"We push the wedding forward. We can put it together within a week. We have invitations sent out in the next few days, giving the guests a supple amount of time to prepare for their travels out this way. Days after the wedding, we coronate the princess. Dubrawn will think we have had too much planning with both events happening that we didn't even have a moment to consider their fate. After the coronation, we attack with relentless force."

The table fell silent as everyone pondered. I looked down to my plate and felt my stomach lurch at the seriousness of the things surrounding me. A wedding, a coronation, and to top it all off: a potential war looming on the horizon of my view.

I glanced over my shoulder briefly to look at Harry. He stood completely stoic, seeming to stare out the window on the other side of the room. I turned my attention back to the table and shut my eyes for a moment, attempting to keep my breath from becoming ragged.

"Celeste? What are you thinking on the matter?" Adrien asked, breaking the silence that befell the table. I looked up to see all attention on my meek figure.

I opened my mouth to speak, but shortly closed it. What was there to say when the words I needed to speak would be shunned and struck down?

"Whatever is best for Galadia should be done. My parents had their wishes and fulfilling them seems to be the only suitable option. Their deaths should be avenged rightfully."

Adrien put a hand on my back and began to rub it in a comforting manner, but nothing about it consoled me. It was a shameful reminder of my future to come.