Daughter of the Nibrue House

chapter 12:dOing lady things.

Naomi was glad she had a black dress for the triple funeral, for her dad, mom, and grandfather. She was also glad Lady Charrlota had found a black ribbon for Simba. It was easier to put on than normal, Simba must be getting tired of resisting. 

The Nibrue burial grounds were a scary place. Thrones and scraggly trees sprouted up from the most eerie places and cast shadows with little gaps of light so that if you looked at them the right way, you saw many pairs of glowing eyes. There was also a stone house with a weathered raven looming over the only door, the only way in and the only way out. The fact that the headstones were large didn't help much. Naomi found regular headstones creepy, she was downright terrified by ones as big as then her old house. 

Naomi held Simba close to her. For once he didn't try to wiggle out. It was almost like he knew what kind of day this was for her, which, of course, is silly.

Lady Charrlota held her close with one hand and Lord Arthur's unicorn cane with the other. "He was right, you know," she said, while Lord Arthur's coffin was being laid in the ground. "Out of all of the Nibrue family, you're the most like a lion."

Naomi  whipped away her tears. "I'm a crying lion," he said.

"True." Lady Charrlota said. "But you still march on, taking every disaster in stride. Never admitting defeat. That's what makes you a lion of a Lady. That's what'll earn you respect. If respect's not earned, it's worth nothing."

Naomi looked down at Simba's white head. He turned his big blue lion eyes up at her and yawned.  Lion cubs, Naomi thought.

Back at the Nibrue palace the reception for all the Magic Houses who sent members to comfort the Nibrue family was in full swing. By that, Naomi meant that her grandmother was throwing a party and little comforting was happening. Only Abir and Simba were doing what was suppose to happen.

"I thought these people were here to celebrate your grandfather's life," Abir said, offering her a fizzy drink. "Two men just got drunk and had to be taken outside by your guards."

Naomi sighed over her fizzy drink. "I don't know why they're here anymore," she said, glancing around. "But I know they've all forgotten this is a funeral. That makes me mad. Don't they care that we've lost a member of our family?"

Abir set the tray of fizzy drinks down. "No offence, my Lady, but back in my homeland, we always said that the nobles were only trying to make their own lives look good so that they'd look rich and powerful and the poor wouldn't rise up against them." He paused before going on. "In the city, I heard a rumor about an attempted assassination on one of the Lords. The up-rising has started."

Naomi was shocked. "If they want to keep their power, they should be good leaders. This make-your-life-look-good-thing clearly isn't working." She sipped her fizzy drink. "What are they, a bunch of children?" 

A round faced chubby boy who looked to be sixteen walked over to them. He held a glass of wine-colored liquid in both hands. He ignored Abir and looked right at Naomi. "I hear you're the new Lady of the Nibrue House," he said. His voice sounded like a squirrel stuck in a wagon wheel, and yes Naomi knew what that sounded like. "I'm the future Lord Henry of the Terra House. A pleasure to meet you." Henry bowed and his drinks spilled.

Abir sighed. "Please don't do that again. You wouldn't believe how many people spilled today." He went off to get something to clean the spill.

Henry huffed. "Some rude servant you have there, Lady Naomi," he said. "Perhaps you should teach him how to talk to his superiors." 

Naomi knew instantly that she didn't like Henry. But you can't really tell someone that. Instead Naomi sipped her drink and kept quiet. Henry on the other hand. "We are both powerful young nobles," he went on. "Nothing but blue skies and soft sofas." Naomi thought to herself that Henry had seen too many soft sofas.

"Where did you learn that?" Naomi asked. "Where did you learn that we can just lay out under the sun our whole lives? It takes more then blue skies and sofas to run our lands."

Henry looked at her. "It appears as though my brother was right. You are a strange girl. But you are still the Lady of the Nibrue House and I respect you for that."

Naomi stood up from her seat. "Respect mush be earned," she said. "If it's not earned, then it's worth nothing."

"Calm down," Henry said. "You don't want to cause a scene at such a great party. So much better then the funeral they held earlier. So glad that's over." 

Naomi had enough. She walked away, Simba trying to pounce on her train behind her. Unfortunately, someone can't take a hint. Henry ran besides her. "What a pale lion you have," he said. "It's white as a sheet."

"Simba's a white lion," Naomi hissed. "He's suppose to be white, they're very rare." She picked up her pace as she went towards the door.

"Really," Henry said, working on Naomi's last nerve. "How did you get one?"

"Simba was a present from my grandmother," Naomi answered. "He was born very young and needed special attention, so I got him." She had come to the door to the hallway, but Henry wasn't planning on leaving her side anytime soon. "I just got to grab something," she said, trying not to hurt his feelings. "I'll be right back." She slammed the door in his face before he could join her. Naomi leaned against the door. That was a close one.

She gathered Simba in her arms and headed towards the garden.

Victoria was in the garden, talking to a dark hooded figure. "I don't care if a dragon's tooth is dangerous to get!" She shouted. "What's even more dangerous is making me mad!" Her hands burst out into purple flames. "You don't want to see me when I'm mad."

The hooded figure shook before her. "Please Mistress, don't be angry. I'll get the dragon's tooth for you."

"You better." Victoria said. She started to come towards her. Naomi ran behind the staircase. After a while, she peeked out and relaxed when she didn't see Victoria. Then a hand covered her mouth. "Don't make a sound." Victoria hissed at her. "When I remove my hand, you'll keep quiet or I'll make you regret being born."

Victoria's hand moved away from her mouth. "What are you up to?" Naomi asked. "Tell me or I'll send you back to the Spark House."

Victoria lost her evil look. "I'm barren," she said. "That man agreed to make me a potion to fix that. Don't tell Trad. He's doesn't know."

Naomi was thrown though a loop. "So, that was just about you wanting to be a mother?" Victoria nodded. "But the note?"

"Trad has a dream of the perfect little boy," Victoria said. "The dragon tooth increases chances of a son. I want to make his dream come true, and part of that dream is to see his son as Lord Nibrue."

"I'm sorry," Naomi said. "I've been thinking you were an awful person and that you hated me." Victoria gave her a half smile, then got out from under the stairs. Naomi shook her head. Maybe her imagination was a little overactive, even more then usual.