Invited

Chapter 19: It's Starting

"Layla, it's time for the first few guests to arrive." Summer brushed Layla's hair out, in an attempt to stall their time until they had to be at the front of the estate.

"Let's go then. I bet Judah and the others are making their way down right now." Layla let Summer finish with the section she was brushing, then stood from her vanity chair.

The two quickly made their way back to where Layla met Taka. They were right, Judah, Basilisk, Saber, and Taka had stood there waiting for them.

Layla joined the group, a little out of breath. Summer followed close behind, seemingly fine from their rush to the spot.

"Ready?" Judah asked, glancing at Summer, then back at Layla.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Layla straightened out her dress a bit, but she only got so far, before Summer came in to do the task for her.

The group left the estate, standing in front outside instead. Summer and Saber stood slightly away from the group, Judah and Layla standing centered in the pathway. Taka also stood to the side, but not as far as Summer and Saber. Basilisk stood next to Taka, having his list open to introduce each person to Layla that arrived.

The first car was already at the gate, quite a distance from where they stood. They could see a silver-haired woman verifying a piece of paper, that could only be assumed as the invite they sent out a week ago. The gates opened, and the car slowly drove up as close as it could to the group.

It stopped, the silver-haired driver coming out of the car first. He opened the back car door to reveal an aqua-colored hair woman sitting in the seat closest to the door. Another silver-haired individual came out of the car, this time from the front passenger seat, who then quickly made work to straighten out this noble lady's dress and hair.

When she stepped enough away from it, the car door shut behind her.

Layla swallowed the lump in her throat, and curtsied to the newly arrived noble. Her first participant of the Council Selection had arrived, there was no going back now.

The other woman also came up closer to the group, and curtsied to Layla. She made another curtsy towards Judah, who returned with his own quick bow.

During this exchange, Summer had to slightly look away. She felt her face slightly burn up at the sight of this beautiful woman in front of her.

Saber whispered to Summer, low enough for nobody to hear him, but enough for Summer to hear what he was saying. "Are you okay? You look red."

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me. I think I'm only nervous for Layla." Summer whispered back.

Basilisk cleared his throat, looking to see if Taka was ready for documenting the moment. Taka nodded, quickly readying his pen.

"Lady Tessalia Carsten, sixth seat of Council Selection." Basilisk announced, bowing to the woman.

"An honor to be selected for your Council Selection, Lady Layla. My family brings the pride of being in charge of Region 15. I will be the future head of the Carsten Family, thus will teach you all I know about running our Region 15. Please, call me Lady Tessa." Tessa curtsied again, happily smiling to Layla.

"Please make yourself comfortable here." Judah told Tessa, moving to the side.

"My personal Silver will take you inside." He added, looking towards Saber.

Saber bowed to Tessa, leading her away from the group. Summer stared at the two leaving the area for a brief moment.

Unfortunately for her, the next person was already making their way over. Another car was coming towards them in the pathway.

"Not so bad, right?" Judah lightly nudged Layla.

"How ever did you do this six years ago? It doesn't feel right being on this side now." Layla nudged him back.

They made sure to keep their movements as subtle as possible, Taka was preoccupied with his book, and the next noble was almost to the group.

"You get used to it after the third or fourth person." Judah replied, standing more straight as the car came closer to them.

The routine continued for the next hour, with each person coming to the group in a car. The people arrived in no particular order, as they all lived in the same Region. It came to the last two cars. One with Minerva, and one with Xander and Kite.

"There should only be one car left, right? The one with Solice Aion?" Layla asked Judah, turning her head to face him.

"They won't be here for another two hours. You are better off resting inside, and I'll call you back out when it's here." Judah answered, nodding to Basilisk and Summer.

Basilisk and Summer led Layla back into the estate, finding the closest room for her to rest in. Saber took it upon himself to lead both Judah and Taka back inside as well.

About two hours later, as Judah had predicted, he came to Layla in the room she was in.

"Another car is coming around the corner right now." He told the three in the room.

Basilisk quickly grabbed his papers again, with Summer getting Layla back into a more presentable look.

They returned to their spot just as that car was at the gate. Instead of having to verify from the car, the silver-haired woman at the gate waved her hand for the individual in the car to come out.

A familiar yellow-colored hair woman stepped out of the car, showing her invite to the person at the gate. Her items were taken out of the trunk and placed in her hands. The car drove off, and the gate opened slightly for her to enter.

"Is that Solice Aion? Why are they dropping her off at the gate?" Layla asked Judah, who shook his head at her.

"Look again, Layla. You know her." Judah tilted his head in the direction of the gate, which had closed at this point.

"LAYLA!" Minerva shouted from the distance of the gate, barely audible to the group.

Layla squinted her eyes to see a figure running towards them, bags in tow.

"LAYLA!" Minerva shouted again.

This time Summer whipped her head around to the familiar sound, mouth gaping open.

The three men, Saber, Basilisk, and Judah, smiled as the two women had shock plastered on their faces.

Layla was the first to shout back, "MINERVA!"