L U M I
Winter disappeared behind them, and so too did the storms. The seas closer to the Fire Lands were calm. They drifted through the small conical islands covered in greenery, sometimes close enough to see the fire monkeys in the trees. There were more and more colourful boats as they approached, all decorated with the brilliant red flag of the Fire Lands.
Singtsu was the largest island of them all, a towering mountain that had once been a volcano. They disembarked and were met with carriages to take them through the city and up the hill to the Volcano Palace, which was nestled in the crater of the former volcano.
Despite her misgivings, Lumi couldn't help the relief she felt at seeing the palace, built high into the side of the crater. The turrets of its towers looked proudly out over the volcano and the city below, while most of the palace was hidden away from the Lothern sky so that it was never too hot within its walls. The grounds of the palace were lush but tame. The barracks of the army stood proudly next to the training grounds, and Lumi could see flying tigers in the air.
Their carriage led them straight to the palace entrance, and Lumi was imagining a hot bath and sweet pastries and her own room, once again, when her aunt, who was riding on the back of Silka the white tiger, approached their carriage and said, "The council is already waiting for us."
Lumi's brother, Tai, jumped out of the carriage with grace, without waiting for it to stop, and marched up the stairs. Lumi stared after him, and then realised that she couldn't let him talk to the council without her. If she wanted her voice heard, she needed to be there. A hot bath would have to wait.
Lumi raced after her brother, feeling a lot less dignified than he looked.
Inside, she caught a glimpse of herself in a long mirror in a hallway.
Did she look like a capable leader, ready to tell her side of the story?
Of course not. She looked like a child, with shadows under her eyes and a trembling lip and wrinkles in her skirt.
As she walked, she reminded herself of her intentions. She would be strong. She would stand up against Tai. She would make her voice heard. She wouldn't cower in the face of stronger and older men and women.
Lumi reached the door, and the two servants posted outside it nodded to her.
Then one of the servants, quietly, whispered, "Your sleeve."
Lumi sucked in a breath as she realised that her sleeve was caught up her arm, exposing her wrist. She lowered it, nodded to the servant, and then the two of them opened the doors.
The council was waiting for her. All eyes, of each of the men and women sitting inside, were on her as she walked in the most dignified manner she could into the room.
Lumi had never attended a council meeting in an official capacity, although she'd watched them a few times, with her tutor sitting beside her and quizzing her on the names of the council members. There were delegates from each nation of the Fire Lands, representing their people in governing the Fire Lands. They sat around a table in the centre of a huge room, their fire tigers sitting behind them like statues. At the head of the table was the grandest seat of all, reserved for the Empress, however it was currently empty.
As Lumi entered, she realised Tai had already sat down. When she walks in, the councillors each stood and bowed to her, but Tai remained sitting.
Lumi took her seat beside her brother.
They waited in silence, with no noise except the crackling of fires in the fireplaces along the wall - the Fire people kept burning fires even when it was warm, to ward off evil - and waited.
Eventually, the huge doors at the end of the chamber were opened and Empress Kiyo appeared. As she did, everyone in the room stood and bowed low. Despite bowing, Lumi couldn't help but glancing up, to see her grandmother entering.
Lumi's grandmother relied on a walking stick to support her as she walked. She was a tall woman, striking, with a long face that Lumi had inherited. Today she wore a dress of pure vibrant gold, embroidered with shiny detailed patterns that reflected the firelight. Lumi expected to see her grandmother's tiger following her, but the magnificent beast who usually shadowed the empress was nowhere to be found. The servants closed the doors shut behind her, and Lumi found herself frowning.
Empress Kiyo did not look at either of her grandchildren as she sat down. Instead, she motioned to the opposite end of the table, where the speaker of the council was settling down into his seat.
The man immediately stood up again. "We've called this meeting as a debrief to the events in New Hamilton at the Midwinter Championships. The Empress and council must also decide how the Fire Lands shall act in the upcoming war between Lombardia and Vastier."
Empress Kiyo remained silent.
Lumi glanced around the table, at all the councillors. Each of them wore colours displaying their affiliation. There were councillors from Rajashapur, Yontang, Liaohua, Kyzstan, Sredsibirsk, and the delegate from Singtsu. Some of the council members lived in the Volcano Palace permanently, whereas others travelled to and from their home nations to Singtsu to govern.
She knew all of their faces and names, but she was beginning to realise that she had little idea what any of them stood for. She didn't know who were her friends here, or who were her enemies. Who of these councillors had stood behind her father, and who had defied him? Who were loyal to Empress Kiyo, and who loathed her?
The speaker, after a brief awkward pause in which he clearly was hoping for Empress Kiyo to say something, eventually continued. "The council hears from Prince Taikku, who was present at the Midwinter Championships."
Lumi swallowed, and looked at her brother.
Tai stood up. Somehow he seemed more put together than Lumi felt. His dark hair was glossy, his skin looked smooth, and his dark clothes were immaculate. He raised his chin as he spoke.
"I attended the Midwinter Championships as a guest of King Matthias Stone of Lombardia. I was seated in the King's Box, which overlooks the arena and the opposite seating area. After the main event, the stadium was suddenly attacked by water starrlings. The water starrlings surged onto the charging pitch, created a torrent of rain and pulled the ocean up to meet us where we were on the cliffs."
"That's not true!" Lumi snapped.
Everyone in the room stared at her.
"Princess Lumiko?" one of the councillors from Lioahua said. "Was it not water starrlings who created the waves and the rain? We have had other witnesses there to attest to -"
"No, of course-"
"Then it is imperative that we let Prince Taikku continue with his statement."
"And then I'll be able to give my statement?" Lumi asked.
The councillor from Lioahua stared at her. "We were not prepared for a witness statement from you, Princess Lumiko. We have a report from the prince and two other witnesses that you weren't at the Winter Championships."
Lumi stared at Tai, and then at the councillor. How had the council already had a report from Tai? She'd been on the ship with him. Unless he'd been able to send a message ahead of them?
"Of course I was there," she said, her voice shaky. "I was at the Championships."
"Our other two witnesses to the event stated that you remained at the school. They say you sustained an injury when your kinntiger was attacked, and that you weren't well enough to attend the Championships."
"I was there!" Lumi said.
Tai raised up his hands in surrender. "As I said, my sister sustained an injury from the attack on her kinntiger. She may be hazy on some details..."
"I was not injured!" Lumi cried. "I was there!"
"Very well, Princess Lumiko, thank you for those words. We will continue with Prince Taikku's statement now, if it pleases you."
Lumi glanced at her grandmother, who was looking into the fire, apparently not listening.
"I was at the Championships," she repeated. "Tai's a liar. You can ask Sanna."
"Miss van Dael is not part of our debriefing," the councillor said.
"Then bring her in as one of your witnesses," Lumi snapped. "She can attest that I was there."
"Prince Taikku, please go on."
"As I said," Tai continued. "The water starrlings began an attack. It was, frankly, terrifying. The ordfolk were running, trying to get out of the stadium. Those of us with kinnlings were bravely trying to stop the water starrlings. The King's Garde, who all ride lions, were making arrests. And then a young Vastien girl on a dragon, who I knew as Ariane Domez, a ward of the school, attacked Prince Raphael of Lombardia."
"She didn't," Lumi snapped.
"I can only say what I saw," Tai said modestly. "I knew Ariane from the school. She was a loud, outspoken Vastien who often got into trouble."
"She was not," Lumi said.
"Please, Princess Lumiko."
"This isn't right," Lumi said. "Tai is lying."
"We have already heard from witnesses we had in Lombardia on the day of the attack have all previously attested to Tai's testimony. These are some of our most trusted diplomats, who flew here immediately to inform the council."
"Well, they're lying, too!" Lumi said, staring around at the councillors, looking for anyone who was sympathetic.
She stared again at her grandmother, willing her to look up, but Empress Kiyo was now staring fixedly at her wrinkled hands, which were folded around the handle of her walking stick.
The councillors of Lioahua, six women in identical Lioahuan dress, were staring at Lumi with arrogant expressions.
Lumi realised, as she looked at them, that each of them knew the truth, and yet that were on Tai's side.
"Tai is lying," Lumi stated to the room. "Tai is lying, your witnesses are lying. Tai is the reason Prince Raphael is dead."
The councillor from Sredsibirsk spluttered. "Tai is the reason? How?"
"He instigated the attacks!" Lumi said. "There were two previous attacks in New Hamilton. Each of them were planned by Tai. He set a trap for Princess Katja, Prince Raphael, and me. We followed him under the arena where a dragon was waiting. Tai's men attacked... and then the dragon killed Prince Raphael."
"But was this girl, Ariane Domez, riding the dragon?" the councillor from Liaohua said.
"Well... yes! But it wasn't her kinndragon. She's a winter starrling! She doesn't even have a kinnling!"
"Why would a Vastien be a winter starrling?"
"She just is!"
"Please, Princess Lumiko, sit down."
Lumi realised that she was standing up and shouting. She looked around at the councillors and saw on their faces that every single one of them was looking at her with pity. They all thought she was crazy. They all thought she was lying, or that she was so deluded.
Lumi gritted her teeth. "Tai is dangerous. Grandmama, please, you need to listen to me. Tai is dangerous."
Lumi stared at her grandmother, willing the Empress to look up, to see her, to understand her.
Thank you for reading! Don't forget to vote on this chapter by hitting the star button!
Question of the chapter: Who do you think would win in a fight, Tai or Tom? oh, did you forget about Tom? Don't worry... I haven't ;)
And come say hi on instagram or twitter!
elle xx