Sins & Virtues

Chapter Nineteen: The Ascent of Castellanus

Octavia

Belladonna Palace, Black Waters 

Cleric Kennett's delegation in Casskade was the shortest of all the Amitian envoys.

He arrived in Black Waters on a particularly gloomy day. The skies above were as grey as iron, rumbling with thunder like the sound of drums and so thick the sun had no chance of peeking through. A day the people of the Carmine Sun would usually remain inside for, and a day that drew every Casskadian to the markets and bazaars, unadorned from the parasols and hats they were often burdened with. Unfortunately for Cleric Kennett, this meant that there were hundreds upon hundreds of citizens on the streets and canals of Black Waters when the stark white carriage of Amity came rolling in through the Great Gates of the Aqueduct that ran the perimeter of the capital.

A riot ensued.

A riot that Octavia watched from up high, from her sitting room window, thanking the Goddess that the fighting was minimal and the Brothers were the first to draw on the locals. Nobody got mortally injured, and the injuries that were sustained would be worn as war wounds, while the men exchanged their embellished stories over their favourites ales and whiskeys.

When the carriages from Amity finally arrived, the horses tired from their uphill journey and panting from the stress of the braying crowds. The carriages were no longer the sterile white they had started the day as. Black tar, crimson tomatoes and brown gutter sludge painted the sides of it, the hindquarters of the white stallions, the ruby uniforms of the Brothers and the white livery of the coachmen and footmen, splattered and dripping. None of them looked at all happy.

They were met by Beau, Grey, Emil and Etienne, on the steps of Belladonna Palace, in their dark travel coats and flat caps, watching the procession roll in with amusement clear upon their faces. They waited patiently for their Queen, hovering inside while she readied herself.

Cleric Kennett stumbled out of his carriage, dishevelled and not as clean as he was that morning. He shook out his red cap, glaring and grumbling about savages and heretics.

' I would refrain from such curses in the shadow of Her Grace's palace, good sir.' Beau said from his position above the Cleric. ' How was your journey?'

Inside, Octavia chuckled.

' How was my journey?' Cleric Kennett laughed hysterically. ' My journey? My fellows will have entered their respective cities as welcome envoys of peace and prosperity! I have entered this...this city under the diplomacy and the protection of the peace accords between the crown and the city of Amity, and this is how your people welcome me!'

' Did you want a parade?' Grey spoke up.

' Amity demands respect.' Cleric Kennett hissed through gritted teeth.

' Respect is a gift given and received, good sir,' Etienne drawled. ' You will not receive it here, not if you continue to call our citizens "savages".'

Cleric Kennett turned away with a huff, shaking his head and gazing forlorn at his ruined carriage. ' Such behaviour will not be tolerated. I will have to report this back to Cardinal Blythe.'

' Oh dear, first he calls us "savages", now he thinks he's making threats,' Grey laughed. ' Good brothers, I sure hope he doesn't make anymore threats...or attempts at threats, else we might begin to think he is threatening our beautiful Queen.'

' Who is threatening your Queen?'

The four young men bowed, making way on the steps for Octavia. She was dressed for riding, in breeches and boots, with a royal blue ruffled blouse beneath a coat that was cropped at the front, long and expansive at the back, trailing along as she descended the steps, tugging on her riding gloves. She smiled at Beau, the wide rim of her royal blue hat casting a shadow across her face, not needed for that particular day, but it completed the outfit.