“…Are you going in or shall I fetch you a lawn chair?” Handmaiden Sera teased quietly, hovering near Vyra’s left side.
They’d been standing in front of the building for nearly four minutes, and Vyra looked no less hesitant to enter, though the gentle joke from Sera got a twitch of a smile.
“Something’s been …pulling at me since the wedding. A force of some kind. I can’t describe it but… here, in front of this tavern, it’s so strong.” The urge to raise her hand and push open the doors was almost undeniable.
“I feel like I’ll break apart if I don’t go in,” she said through gritted teeth as she fought herself.
Sera’s puzzled expression was hidden in the shadows of her hood.
“Then why won’t you enter?”
“Because it wants me to.” Vyra’s voice sounded a bit strained.
“It?” Sera was already on edge. The Empress had shed her royal trappings, her only defining feature fully visible under the hooded blue ‘plain-clothes’ being the soft pout of her mouth, and though every handmaiden understood the need to slip away occasionally, strolling the streets during a celebration was always cause for extra concern, even on Cattamascar. The young woman’s only comfort was knowing her fellow ‘shadow sisters’ had followed and dispersed among the crowds, ready and waiting for a signal. As a last resort, the
Karlini silk of Vyra’s humble gown would deflect any blaster fire, and the
stealth field generator set into her corset would let her slip away unnoticed. Sera gave the space around Vyra a quick sweep with each special lens over her eyes, checking for ‘it’ with a frown.
“Should I be concerned?”
“It’s not like that,” Vyra assured her, stubbornly pushing back against the phenomena that gripped her.
“It’s not a dark thing. More like a forcefully guiding hand. A compulsion of sorts? Fate, if you believe in it. I’ve felt it before, a long time ago. It means I walk in there and my life is about to change again.” The holo-message hadn’t left her mind since she’d received it. Family. E.
“There are answers on the other side of that door. I know it.”
Sera placed a calming hand on her Queen’s upper arm.
“Then why are you fighting it?”
Vyra took in a shaky breath.
“Because it’s the only thing I can fight right now, Sera.” She didn’t explain further, though she knew the meaning behind her words would be lost on her newest handmaiden. Soon, she would understand, as they all did.
Sera didn’t push the matter, recognizing the end of the discussion in Vyra’s tone, and simply nodded. She’d proven herself as a body guard, her skills tested and dependable, but the bond between Queen and handmaiden was far deeper than that, and it wasn’t forged overnight. It would take time to earn that kind of trust from all of them.
“Allow me to enter first, m’lady,” Sera said quietly, careful not to use official titles. The slender silver brooch pinning the homespun cloak around Vyra’s shoulders in place was also a small jamming device, but it never hurt to be too careful. The range wasn’t very large, but it was enough to mask conversation in close quarters and wouldn’t cast any feedback against other devices nearby. To anyone trying to listen, they’d simply hear nothing.
“Watch for me at that window,” she directed,
“I’ll signal when I’m sure it’s safe.”
Without breaking her stare at the door, Vyra turned her head towards Sera with the slightest of nods. Immediately, her handmaiden strolled forward, raking her hood back and securing her festival mask once more. She entered the pub like someone who knew it well, though there was nothing bold or extraordinary about her movements.
Vyra waited, feet almost vibrating, barely containing the absolute
need to get inside. She checked the delicate paint on her face in a small mirror, patting at the tiny sapphire gemstones near her eyes. The art was enough to hide the recognizable aspects of her features for anyone who wasn’t trying to see past the cerulean filigree, but subtle enough so she didn’t draw attention.
The minutes went by. Finally, Sera’s form appeared by the window, resting casually against its frame. Her mask was pushed up on her forehead, a drink in her hands and a flirtatious giggle on her face as she chatted with someone opposite her.
It was safe.
It was time.
Vyra closed her eyes, surrendered to the force guiding her, and stepped through the door.
The disguised Empress let her feet carry her past the groups of celebrators and laughing couples until she came to a table with one occupant. A smiling server was placing a fresh drink in front of the individual as Vyra sat down opposite them, winded by the sudden absence of whatever had called her here.
But it was nothing compared to the complete and utter
shock when her gaze finally rose to meet the person seated in front of her.
Vyra’s jaw fell open.
Eliana Shan.
For a moment, her mind was blank, struggling to process.
Elly was dead. She was dead. Gone. She’d looked for her. She was
gone.
Then, the thoughts came, rapid-fire, propelled by such a mess of emotions and feelings all at once that she feared she may drown in them before she even had the chance to open her mouth. The notion that this might be an impostor was swiftly dismissed by the desperate, echoing voice of Cao in her head, screaming at her, and though she couldn’t sort out the words, she knew. She
knew it was Elly.
Family. E.
E. It made sense. It made SO much sense, how had she not even considered this?!
“What can I get ya, honey?” Vyra almost startled at the interruption as the server addressed her. She’d have to congratulate Eirene’s handywork later tonight, it seemed she was just another party-goer in the eyes of the people.
“Corusca Sunrise, please,” she responded slowly, reeling in her jaw and remembering her manners, offering the server a pleasant smile and a few credits.
“And a shuura-fruit doroon, if you’re still selling them.”
With a nod, the server hustled away, and Vyra was left facing someone she never thought she’d see again. But above the mixing pot of feelings floated one distinct emotion, outshining them all.
Elation.
“Eliana?” Vyra couldn’t keep it from her face even if she wanted to.
“…Elly?” She beamed, close to tears, resting a trembling, uncertain hand across the table halfway between the two of them.
“It was you! The message, ‘E’, it was you, I…I never guessed-.. I thought you were dead! I looked for you,” she rushed, words thick with sentiment and smiles,
“I looked for everyone for years after the split, and I couldn’t find you, how are you here??—Oh my god, Na’an, I was looking for her the whole reception to tell her about the Family message and I couldn’t find her anywhere,” she gushed, somehow even more excited as she scrambled to retrieve her comms from her pocket, only remembering
after she sent a message to Na’an that her jamming device would have blocked her signal.
“I’ve GOT to tell her, she’s going to lose her mind when she realizes you’re here, Elly, she’s here too! Na’an is here, and her friend Healer Bastiel, they came to me back on Relovian for help, and they’ve been with me ever since but--…” Vyra took a breath, cheeks red and hot with excitement.
“I’m so sorry, I just. This is. I don’t get to.. Outside of my role, I don’t have…..” Fumbling her words, she laughed a little through the grin, ignoring her watery eyes.
“I’m just thrilled to see you. Please. Tell me everything! What happened? Were you at the wedding?”
She was too happy to be embarrassed about her over-emotional blabbering or the way her tears had smudged the edge of her paint. Eliana was
here.