Crown To Condescend

Tucked In The Branches Of Her Quiet Nest

"Your Highness, if you would only listen! Her Majesty asks that-"

A sharp slice of hand silenced Lady Folend's pleas.

"I am well aware of what Her Majesty wants; all I ask of you is that you be a little considerate of what I want," Keefe calmly explained as he stroked the broad canvas with a fresh blob of amber paint.

Vespera Folend walked further into the enormous, well-proportioned room, gazing onto the ceiling that ran lofty, holding a potent chandelier – from which satiny crystals drizzled down in a fine rhythm. The material of her gown swished, light catching onto the feathered embroideries as she stood in front of Keefe – or so he assumed, for the canvas blocked his view.

"Are you certain this is not what you want?" Vespera questioned inquisitively, from the other side of the high-built canvas.

"What makes you think I would want a price on my head every time I visit Aurelia? It is just too funny that you think I wanted an aimless feud with Aurelia. That is just my mother-"

"She's securing your future, your highness!" Vespera interjected, slightly miffed.

Keefe barked a humorless laugh, still gazing onto his lively-with-colors canvas, "You mean, securing a bad blood with a potent sovereign before I even get to ascend the throne? How very generous!"

"We do not speak ill of the Queen!" Vespera reminded him, shaking her head in a manner that read 'I-have-given-up-on-the-world'.

Keefe pretended to think, his brush momentarily skating across his cuffed sleeves when he folded his arms.

"Of course, I am her loyal subject, after all... and that's all I ever was," was his characteristic nonchalant reply.

Vespera's gaze softened but she went on to say, "Queen Gisela might seem like in the wrong, but that is because things look very muddled to you. You have this fake perception of Queen Sophie. Well then, let me tell you: the Aurelian Queen isn't all that upright and faultless herself. Have you truly forgotten the bloodbath of the Berylmere province? She had slaughtered the Cressidans unabashedly – that too for trifle theft!"

Vespera's mouth was stretched into a thin line the entire time, but her pupils had dilated to a dangerous black. Her movements were measured as always, but they had run into a cadence of stiff ones now that Keefe noticed. Maybe because she lost as much in this aimless war as any of them...

"I don't mean to defend Queen Sophie, but just hear me out: don't you think Queen Sophie was provoked? You have to agree that Queen Gisela's guild had been intercepting tradable Aurelian goods for a long while now. It was only a matter of time before Queen Sophie retaliated," Keefe leaned back to examine his work, "Besides, I am sure Queen Gisela couldn't care less about invaluable trinkets when her greater motive was something else entirely."

"And what might that be?" Vespera played along, folding her arms in an indignant motion.

"Mocking her adversaries? After all, isn't that what all of this is to her, anyways – a foul game?" was his taut reply.

Keefe's finishing stroke on the canvas was perhaps a little too harsh on the soft board.

Vespera just looked defeated, her once-proud stance faltering by the slightest bit. However she was careful to regain her composure when she sighed, "This conversation has derailed in more ways than one. I implore you to stay on track, your highness. I believe we were going to talk about proposing the Treaty of Nightfall, correct?"

Atrocious silence urged Vespera to continue, "All her Majesty wants is that Queen Sophie signs the treaty of Nightfall. And to keep it simple, a truce is all that us Cress, want in turn!"