Ember's Eve

Royals

Safe House

Daunthill 

Felicia tried to adjust her neck inside the brace. The thing helped with the pain but the discomfort was infuriating. Ironically, the brace was advertised as extra comfort. Felicia stared at the mirror in front of her. She'd never had to use such a small one to get dressed for the day. Struggling to get used to the mirror size and the neck brace at the same time, what a way to kick off the day. She closed in on the mirror and rubbed the bags beneath her eyes The witness protection house was a small bungalow at a strange location in Parkfield. Doyle said it was the best he could provide on short notice. He also claimed he had his best men on guard. But Felicia wondered just how best these men were. 

'The woman stood up and tried to find the perfect angle on the mirror so she could properly observe her red gown. It was delivered to the bungalow this morning and she wanted to make sure it was intact. The perfect angle was non-existent on the mirror. She sat down again and slipped on her heels. That was when she heard someone open the front door of the house. Felicia stepped out of her bedroom and walked down the short hallway to the living room. A stout, stone-faced, man took his seat on the sofa while Iva sat on another. The man had just pulled a recorder when Felicia made her presence known.

"Detective Jeffery"

"Oh, Miss Dilli" Priss looked up at her "How are you?"

"What are you doing?" She eyed him

"Uh, Chief Doyle is a bit busy in the office, so I came to take the statement."

"Really?" she questioned "And you didn't think to acquire the consent of the adult in the house before beginning your operation?"

"I'm so sorry" Priss apologised

"So am I" Felicia grabbed the Mercedes remote from a table close by "Iva dear, let's go."

"Um... Miss Dilli," Priss followed them, "I think it would be best if you were escorted"

"Aw, No thank you" Felicia declined

Felicia and Iva got into the car and drove away. Iva watched her aunty try to adjust her neck inside the brace while staying focused on the road. Daunthill radio broadcasted soft music which would've calmed Felicia on a normal day. The seatbelt alarm blared. Iva knew how much Felicia hated the sound. She arranged her braid to one side and did her seatbelt. The sound stopped and the music filled the atmosphere again. Iva looked through the window as the houses and people sped by, she turned back to Felicia again. Her aunt's face looked somewhat fat because of the brace. "That looks very uncomfortable."

"You can't imagine" Felicia horned at a man crossing the road with his horse.

"What's your obsession with Daunthill radio anyway?"

"I really don't know" Felicia tapped the tuning knob to shut the radio up.

"You were pretty stern with Jeffery," Iva said "Almost like it was personal."

"What? No," Felicia denied "Sometimes you must take charge and put people back in their place. Much like what you did with that man last night. What's his name again?"

"Kenneth Nymond" Iva answered "the fraud"

Felicia smiled "Don't be so hard on him, he came to save us."

"But he didn't" Iva clarified

"You know I was really impressed by you last night" Felicia praised "I never knew you harboured such self-confidence."