Amara of Xeris

Chapter 11

This was a horrible decision, Amara thought, as she looked outside her bedroom window. It had been a week after the execution and now, hordes of people gathered outside the palace building and all of them looked outraged. Why wouldn't they be? Not after what Amara had decreed.

Amara had expected a reaction, yet the severity of it all still shocked her. Was it because she did not have much say in the previous revolts? Or was it because she knew she had no one else to blame but herself? She should have listened to her father when she had the chance, the rest of the Council be damned.

"The Council wants to see you.", a maid said coming into her room, "They are waiting for you in the Meeting Chamber." There was a tone of urgency in her voice. Why wouldn't there be?

"I am coming.", Amara answered and dashed out of the room, rusting down the stairs and running through the hallways.

"I am sorry for the delay.", she announced reaching the chamber. Some of the Council members weren't present, they probably couldn't make it to the Palace. One of them was her father. Her father's absence was strange since he stayed at the Palace when Amara had business in Kelasar. "Why isn't Lord Markov here?", she asked.

"He said he went to address the people.", one of them said.

"Why? Where?", Amara asked.

"At the Council Building. He said that he was going to deal with them, especially if no one else would.", he answered.

Amara felt the dig at the Council and was sure that included her. Worry filled her veins, going outside in that atmosphere was a recipe for disaster. Even then, a calmer part of her mind told her that he would be fine, the people liked him more than they liked the others. Maybe, he would be fine, she tried to think, but the sounds of violence made it hard to do.

"Your Majesty, what do you think we should do?", they asked. Amara knew the answer they were expecting, the answer they wanted, arrest the leaders and bring out the troops. No, she wasn't going to give them that, going by the council had led them to this mess in the first place.

"What do they want?", she asked, "I suppose it is the same old demands of more Kelasarian members in the council."

"Not exactly. They are demanding complete independence from Xeris.", one of them answered, "Either that or they join Othrera."

"Those are some extreme conditions.", she replied.

"What are you going to do?", they asked.

The time is now, Amara thought. "I think I'll have to go with the first one.", she said. The Council looked at her with surprise and defeat. They couldn't be in the Council anymore if Kelasar became a separate kingdom. It was a law that a kingdom's council members must be of that kingdom, and most of them were Xerin.

"Your Highness, you can't-", they exclaimed.

"I have to.", she stated. It was the only way. The only way this cycle of revolts would stop. Her father's and Emperor Victor's words appeared in her head, the Council had to be dissolved and she had to stop being a spineless coward in front of others. This was now or never.

"I am leaving for the Council Building. I also have to deal with the people.", she announced to the Council and dashed out of the room and ran to the stables.

One of the messengers told her that the people were demanding to see her. "About time. I was going to the Council Building anyway.", she said, "Now, what is the condition of that place?"