Uncommon Discovery

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Jessica Rye"]


Another break. Kay needed it. She needed a good walk, a time to breathe in the fresh air and enjoy some time to herself while the newborn twins were napping. And of course she needed more books from her office at the Royal Palace. She hadn't been living there recently, due to the need to keep their family safe, as well as to give themselves time to bond. Yet with her husband meditating in the quiet of the house, she had her own plans.

After being escorted back to the Palace, she chose not to go in the main doors. It was better to not let everyone know that she was there. During her time away, she had left most of the care of the government affairs to her Ministers and assistants. It was hoped that they'd do a good job. So far there hadn't been any complaints.

Through the side entrance she went, stepping through the hallways on light feet. She wasn't dressed in her typical gowns, afterall, she wasn't there on official business. Instead she was wearing comfy slacks and loose fitting top that was as heavy as it was comfortable.

Before she could reach her office, she was stopped by her old secretary Olivia. The woman was well into her sixties, but she carried herself very well. She'd of made a perfect teacher, both stern and compassionate when needed. Right now though, she cleared her throat. "My Lady. What are you doing here? You are supposed to be resting at home."

"I know, Olivia, I know. I just wanted to get a few books. That's all."

"You could have told me. I'd of gotten them for you, you know that. Where are the twins?"

"They're sleeping. Don't worry, Veiere is with them and--"

"--And you should be too. Now hurry up and fetch your books. Then go straight home before somebody sees you."

Kay sighed. There was no arguing with the woman. It was partly why she was so good at her job. "Yes, Olivia..."

But they were too late. Already they could hear a couple of pairs of feet hurrying down the hallway towards them.

 

[Jessica Rye]

The feet belonged to Siegmund and Tops. Two Force Adepts with a gift for finding things. Indeed, such was their mission today too. To help complete an ancient lost map and claim their historically handsome reward.

Now, for the record. Siegmund was a tall, lanky, human male. Dark brown hair in floppy curls with a quick intelligent face adorned atop his small shoulders. A Jedi Knight from the CSA himself. He felt right at home wandering the palace looking for Madam Olivia. Which, was in quick contrast to the handsome woman beside him. Jessica Rye, (or Tops, as she was often called,) hurried down the wandering halls just trying to keep up. Both wearing sharp khaki jackets over tight bodyglove outfits. Talking loudly as they went,

"I'm telling you. She'll absolutely know where it went. We're missing half of the puzzle here Tops. Half."

"And you actually think this, who? Madam Olivia, will know anything about Kilderstern Hieroglyphics? She's not even a Jedi, Sieg'y."

"What? Oh. Pfft. Hush now. As if we're looking for a magi scholar. Look now. There they are."

Siegmund grew a huge smile as he turned the corner. Waving handsomely to the two women just beyond. Ah! And the Queen too. Awesome. Even better.

"See Tops! I knew today was our lucky day. Lady Kay is here too. Come on!"

"Wait. Who?"

Alas. Jessica was from Fondor. She had absolutely know idea who, or what, happened on Commenor these days. I mean. That was what she brought Siegmund along for. He's the local Jedi after all.

He sighed in grand gesture, "...Ugh. Please Tops. Just let me do the talking."

"Um. Okay. Like, as if I wouldn't. Pfft. Hehe."

They both stopped short and gave rather dramatic bows. Speaking in unison as they rose,

"Hello!""Hello!"

Frowning to each other as they realized their own enthusiastic mistake. Mmm. Siegmund steeping forward with a swish of his hand,

"Well. I mean. How grand it is to finally catch up with you Olivia. It's been, what... Three weeks since the ribbon cutting ceremony with Master Lee? You look smashing. And yes! I know. I know. Before you stop me. Ahem. I am here to ask you for another favor. Ha."

Perhaps they had history.

Jessica simply smiled at Kay as Siegmund talked. Waving gingerly with her fingers alone. Her cheeks blushing like she'd just met her favorite celebrity. Well. Kinda. I mean, she'd never meet a Queen before either. Wow. Who knew her quest for a lost book of Kilderstern royalty would be so, well. Palatial.

.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Seeing both [member="Jessica Rye"] and Seiegmund approach them on hurried feet, made Kay feel as though she was back in her schooling days. Of course the Praxeum had the same sort of atmosphere, which waswhere she knew the latter from. He was always an eager lad, not shy to ask questions, and then of course there was the flattery. It made her wonder if he'd ever aspire to be in politics. But of course in being a Force User, he had other paths to follow.

Olivia didn't appear to show any amusement to the flattery, although internally she approved of it. Given that she was in her senior years, it was nice to be given such compliments, even though it was clearly being used as a way to butter her up for a favour. "As always, you babble instead of getting straight to the point. What is it that you need, Siegmund?"

Kay was equally curious about the pair. She caught Jessica doing her little impish wave with her fingers and wanted to burst out laughing at how cute it was. But she contained herself, instead just offering a polite bow of her head with a smile. Though her eyes couldn't hide her amusement. The two didn't look like they were related, so perhaps they were a couple?

 

[Jessica Rye]

Siegmund smiled proudly. If Olivia wasn't in the mood to kick him out of the Palace immediately then surely she must be a in good mood. Perfect!

"Excellent! Oh, you are the best. Okay... So. Tops and I have found the first half of the Royal Genealogy of Tenway. A pedigree chart with half of the nobleblood lines of East Kilderstern marked upon it. (...And a road map to the legal heir of a massive inheritance. But, Sieggy left that part out on purpose.) ...Alas. We believe the other half is hidden in Master Tamlen's old map of Commenor. The, um, rather large one he gave you for Festival Day a few years back, remember? Big. Weathered. Mostly yellow now. I mean, if I remember correctly you had it framed..."

She cut him off quickly,

"At Grissoms'. Yes. I remember just the one. Except I wasn't the one who had it framed."

She turned,

"Kay did. After it was added to the Royal Archives as a gift. From the Jedi, I might add."

Jessica and Siegmund drew a look of surprise. ...Oh? Oh. Then the giant map of Commenor they were looking for wasn't in Olivia's possession at all. It belonged to the Crown.

"Soooo..." Siegmund drew a long finger over to Kay, "You have it? Maybe?"

Tops pursed her lips and drew her eyes back and forth awkwardly between all parties. Uh oh. Things might just have gotten tricky? And, all without formal introductions yet either. Oh bother.

.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Oh boy. Kay looked over to Olivia as she had inadvertibly brought her into the situation. If one could call it that. Although it sounded more like a treasure hunt of some kind. "What is it that you're looking for this map for, again?" It sounded kind of odd, looking for a family tree on an old map of the planet and two moons. Couldn't they have seen it in a history book? Of course Kay was a huge fan of mysteries. In fact they were the kinds of books that she had stashed in her office that she was in the process of picking out to take hometo her hidden estate.

Olivia studied both [member="Jessica Rye"] and Siegmund with hard stares. If those two were up to something fishy, she'd find out soon enough. They wouldn't be the first ones to give in to her when they felt that she was judging them harshly. "Out with it. The Queen hasn't got all day. What about it has you both so eager and excited. Surely it isn't some homework assignment."

They were up to something and Olivia was going to find out what. Even if she had to follow them herself.

 

[Jessica Rye]

"Umm." Siegmund hesitated. He was a terrible liar.

"Why. To find the lost bloodline heirs of Tenway, of course." Tops replied with a smile.

Sieggy went white like a ghost and spun upon Jessica. Had she really just told them, the truth!?

"Come on now Sieggy," Tops postured with her hips, "She has a point. Why on earth would two Jedi be seeking a lost map to a dead bloodline. Hello? Because it's not that dead at all. In fact..."

Jessica held up a finger. As if to say, listen up readers. Here is where the infodump chimes in,

"...It is common knowledge and Commenor history that during the end of the White Wars the Tenway family was the rightful and royal rulers of East Kilderstern. An enemy to the evil Brons Confederation and an ally of the Western Powers. Yet as the war dipped against them in the later years of the Eastern Front, public opinion held them all assassinated by the hungry mobs back home. At their summer palace in the Mosics."

Siegmund went from white to purple. Oh dear. Now Jessica was reciting the exact same speech he had given to her not but two hours ago. Almost word for word. And probably going to take all the credit for it too. Blarg! She didn't know a thing about Commenor history. Yet, Jessica continued onward with her chipper charade. All with a smile and wave of her hand,

"Thusly. The Tenway Monarchy was no more and East Kilderstern effectively withdrew from the war. Their court magician noting but a week later that even their two girls. Anna and Margo. Where found dead with their caravan on the icy mountain roads. The end of a dynasty."

Sieggy jumped in,

"Except!"

Yes. He actually did jump now. Brewing with excitement at the history lesson. Bounding really, "Ha! That the body of Anna and Margo were never found. And, Yanway the Magician was always loyal to the royal family. His traitorous persona being, in fact, a historical mistake. A cover up. One that, Tops and I, are convinced he masterminded on purpose to muddle the disappearance of Anna and Margo. The rightful heirs to the lost Throne of Kilderstern."

Jessica withdrew a small datapad from her jacket pockets,

"Right here are the pages of Yanway's medical journal. His own penwork describing his time and passion tending to the care of the royal family. Here he logs the loss of the royal genealogies as a tragic command of the King himself. Then he describes his summoning to the winter palace to rewrite them completely. To make the royal families history become more, 'ethically appropriate' towards the people."

Siegmund clutched his hand together in glee,

"Don't you see Olivia! The great mystery unfolds already. Why has no one discovered living ancestors to Anna and Margo if they survived the Great War? Because Yanway changed their blood mark! DNA testing post-Darkness didn't find any heirs because they were looking for the wrong identifiers. Because the Tenway weren't white-skinned Kildersterni local to the high mountains at all? They were Brons. Cousins to very axis of evil their impoverished nation was fighting all that time."

Tops grabbed Siegmund by the shoulder to stop him. Looking straight at Olivia,

"He means... We 'think', that the Tenway were Brons. Our research being incomplete. As, we only have half of their lost genealogies thus far."

"Which brings us to the map we seek? Hidden within, lies the last secrets Yanway was able to keep undiscovered all this time. The true meaning of the Tenway bloodline. The reason the King had it expunged from history in the first place. And, probably the real reason that the Tenway were assassinated at the end of the Great War in the first place."

End infodump.

Jessica and Siegmund looked ravished with excitement. Their eager heads jumping back and forth between Kay and Olivia's gaze. Obvious that their research had just saved the universe, or changed history, or at least turned Commenor's economy upside down. (Which, it hadn't.)

Sadly. They were quoting Commenor history that was over a thousand years old. Marveling at a dead bloodline with no riches left to inherit and no power left to claim. Their hypothesis, while interesting, held no economic or political leverage what-so-ever. Something that both Kay and Olivia would be quick to grasp. After all. It wasn't even uncommon that pre-Gulag Plague history was muddled. It was a down right fact of the times. Gosh.

Alas. Two eager Jedi puppies and one ancient Tenway mystery still remained. With only one lost puzzle piece yet to go.

.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Both Olivia and Kay raised a brow. Not so much at [member="Jessica Rye"] for mentioning that they were looking for some lost bloidline, but the fact that Seigmund went white when she said it. So that was the truth of it. Hmmm.

Kay watched as Jessica recited the tale that anyone that paid attention in history class would remember. How many girls hadn't longed to be a part of that story? To defy the odds and beat an evil that tried to erase them from history.

But there were those that believed it to be nothing but a fairy tale. Olivia was one of those people. "Did you really come all the way here for this nonsense? You're not going to find some geneology chart on an old--"

"It couldn't hurt to look."

Olivia stared at Kay as she was interrupted, but kept her mouth shut. It wasn't her place to admonish the Queen while others were around.

Kay just grinned. She loved a good mystery. "I have the map in my office, which was where I was headed anyways. So let's go take a peek." She waved for the two to follow her as she turned on her heel and strolled over to her office which was only a short walk away. They had to go through Olivia's office first before they reached hers. Kay opened the doors and stepped inside, her eyes darting around until she found it. The map was hanging on the wall above the side table, framed of course.

"There you are. Have a look."

 

[Jessica Rye]

Siegmund and Tops quickly dismounted the painting. Setting it upon the floor with it's back facing up.

"Hmm?"

Sure enough. There was a massiveinscription on the back of the canvas followed by a strange half crest nearer the top. A crest, which was itself the second half of the puzzle.

"Bingo!"

Siegmund pulled out his phone and took a picture. This was exactly it. Tops smiled with glee,

"The second half of the crest! And it paints a perfect picture. These are all the missing names too! Wow."

Siegs beamed a huge smile and shook Tops by the shoulders with excitement. Tossing her side-to-side.

"We did it Tops! We found all the lost bloodlines! Yes!"

"Yes!"

They embraced and then quickly turned to [member="Lady Kay"] . Siegmund holding up his phone with one hand.

"Alas, my Queen. The missing bloodline is The Crest of Yevonsi. Marking this the end of a long, and lackluster trail. I'm afraid."

Tops pulled away and nodded,

"The Yevonsi' were Brikish. An eastern line which also died out shortly after the war. Falling victim to the same political inquisition that destroyed many of the Royal Families back then. Just before the formation of many of the first democratic powers."

Siegmund shrugged,

"Yep. No heir means no claim. We might have just rewritten history? But I'm afraid it's just towards another dead end."

Tops sighed.

"Poo. ...And here I was just certain the tale of poor Anna would be a grand one indeed. Though? Weren't the Yevonsi' rumored to be Force Sensitive back then Sieggy?"

He shrugged again,

"Impossible to say. But, ha! Wouldn't that be a wonderful turn. The court magician hides poor Anna and Margo away because they had the makings of the Jedi. Ha! Classic."

Rye waved the thought away. Oh well. So once again, they turned back to Lady Kay. Eager to finish the story.

"Welp. Thanks for your help Your Majesty. We couldn't have completed the mystery without you."