Amara of Xeris

Chapter 12

This can't be good, Amara thought as she saw black flames rising in the sky. Don't tell me they burnt the Council Building. She was right, they did burn the Council Building. Huge orange flames engulfed its high, white domes and a quarter of the place was burnt already. There was countless number running from the building, which reminded Amara of her father.

The carriage finally took a halt outside the building and Amara stepped out. At first, no one noticed her, engrossed in the burning building. Soon, they noticed and they were demanding a word from her, most of them were angry. This was the first time she had seen their wrath up close and that terrified her. How did she not feel it previously? Oh wait, it was because she had no real authority as Crown Princess before the age of fifteen.

The faces of the people surrounded her, some flashing with anger, some with disappointment and some with both. The Crown Princess had caused a week of the biggest destruction Kelasar had seen, and now it was time to fix it. She rushed to the closed gates of the building and stood there, preparing a speech. "I will give you what you want.", the Crown Princess declared. Most of her people looked doubtful at the statement.

"I, Crown Princess Amara, stand before you with my head down in shame and sorrow.", Amara started and added a little charm-speak in her voice. The people seemed to calm down a little, although some remained hostile.

"It is my fault that half of this city is destroyed and the Council Building is burnt. It is my failure as your ruler to approve the deaths of those protesters. It is my failure as a ruler to prioritise the wishes of the Council over yours. Now, I wish to start a new age for Kelasar, one free from violence. I will give you all that you want.", she finished. Some of them cheered while others seemed unconvinced.

"How will we know that you are going to fulfill your promises?", one of them asked.

"I will. I declare that the Kelasarian Council is dissolved and the formation of the New Council will start shortly. Be ready for the elections.", she declared, winning them over. She could make this official later.

"This is nothing, we want complete independence from Xeris.", some demanded. Amara had forgotten about that demand. While it wasn't a new demand, it wasn't as popular as it was now. Could that be possible legally, it required popular support from the Council and the approval of her mother.

"We will look into it.", Amara said, trying to think of a way to convince her mother later. She supposed she could use some charm speak. She might lose her mother's approval but this was more important. Besides, her father would always be there for her, like he always was. Speaking of him, where was her? He said he would be here.

Quickly, she ran towards her some of the Council Building attendants, asking if they had seen him. Most of them said no. Panic surged in her, what if he didn't make it out of the building? Luckily, an attendant told her that he had been in his carriage, nursing the burn wound on his arm.

Amara breathed a sigh of relief and rushed to his carriage. There were no wounds she could see, meaning he had completely healed them using his magic. Aluxio saw his daughter and greeted her. Amara ran to hug him and the father-daughter duo stayed like that for a while.

"I'm proud of what you did there.", he said, "You're finally taking a stand."

"I had to, not after what I caused.", she answered.

"Are you going to give them independence?"

"Of course I am. I promised to give them what they want."

"Your mother is not going to be happy about that."

"I know but when is she ever happy about the things I do."

"That's true.", he chuckled, "What about the other rulers?"

"They can think what they want to think. The people are more important.", she answered.

"You've grown so much.", he said, happy that his daughter wasn't caring about others' perceptions of her.

"This will be the start of a new age."