La Salle De Ciel - The Hall of Sky.

Rebecca laughed bitterly. "Riots and attempts to kidnap her highness and you're worried about work orders?" She sneered. "Valois would love to send his own men, I'm sure, but there's a wee bit of looting and raping goin' on. The cities in chaos, half the gossip says the king is dying and the other half says he's blessed by the gods and MY FUCKIN' MARIA IS BEGGIN' HER BIG SISTER NOT TO GO OUT INTO THE CITY BUT IF SHE DOESN'T HOW THE FUCK DOES HE BUY BREAD TONIGHT AND YOU WANT A FUCKING WORK ORDER?" Rebecca sobbed loudly, clutching the handles of her wheelbarrow so tightly that her knuckles turned white, tears of hot fury running down her cheek.

Arianne's auburn brows snapped together in a frown, while Lady Vanelle also turned to regard Rebecca's shouting antics about picking up the dead. When it seemed that the Arch Mage was also looking at Rebecca, the redhaired woman gave Rebecca an impatient look, and then stepped closer to the distinguished, white-haired man.

"What would you suggest we do? My.... the king wants to postpone the wedding and spend today burying and mourning the dead. My father wants the wedding to continue and to bury the dead come the dawn.... what choice should be made?"

Rebecca stares at him and then turns her head to spit. "Keep your money." She snaps proudly, looking over to stare daggers at the arch-magos. She sternly stomps away, her head held high, leaving behind the cart. It was time for plan B: Direct Assault.
[Exit]

Diodorus watched Rebecca walk away, and then turned to look at Lady Valois. "Be the Queen you would want to obey," Diodorus advised. When Lord Requin made his way over, he nodded his head to the lord and lady, and then silently made his exit, walking away with Celach flittering about his shoulders.

Requin nods, looking at the chaos.

"Yes, of course. We must do what we can to ease the suffering of these poor folk. It's our duty as the upper ruling class, after all, to help those less fortunate."

As he speaks, his entourage scurries about, helping the medics and body movers, even his faithful assistant is getting his hands dirty.

"Should we head to another place, then? I'm sure these people can handle this. The hospital must be overflowing with injured right now, and it would be good to be seen helping tend to the wounded. Especially for you, lady Valois. It would build you a good image, one of a kind and nurturing soul. Exactly what a queen needs."

He glances at the necklace, grinning slightly.

"I see you wear my gift. You honor me, Lady Valois."

Lady Vanelle perked a brow at Lord Requin as he approached Lady Arianne, watching the exchange between them.

"Or," Arianne challenged Requin, "it is our duty as human beings to aide others." She turned and smoothly mounted Sionnach, then paused when Requin mentioned the gift that she wore.

She lifted a white gloved hand instinctively to touch the star sapphire that rested upon her breasts, diamonds sparkling around it. In truth, she'd somewhat forgotten that she was still wearing it, but she HAD put it on today since it had matched her gown and it truly was a lovely gift.

A faint blush stole across her cheeks. "It was meant to be worn, wasn't it?" she asked.

Then, a movement caught her eye and she saw Remelia slithering toward them. Lady Vanella was openly staring at the naga and her unique physiology. It made their horses shy away, but both women were expert horsewomen and quickly got their nervous steeds under control.

His chuckle brought a little twitch of a smile at the corner of Arianne's lips, a natural and gentle pink. "It may be because I stomp my foot and generally make myself a pest," she joked of her own emotional behavior, which honestly wasn't much far from the truth.

When Remelia arrived and arrested the attention of both of the noble women astride their beautiful steeds, Arianne and Vanelle both openly gazed at the snake woman. They had never seen such a creature before, and neither had their steeds. Certain snakes were thought of as lucky and signs of good, fertile land out in the rural areas, but other snakes, particularly brightly colored ones, were known to be poisonous and dangerous. Remelia was colored just so, and it made Arianne feel uneasy.

Still, Arianne nodded her head to Remelia. "Enchante," she said to the snake woman. The greeting was repeated and murmured by Lady Vanelle as well.

"Really?" Arianne asked, with a little bit of surprise when it was stated that Remelia was going to sing at the wedding. Arianne hadn't been told any of this, and she wasn't even sure why the last minute change bothered her. Arianne had been very reluctant about this entire wedding, but she supposed that she did know all of the details as her mother had been the one to plan the entire event. Had the King even told the Duchess of Carmean? Or had it just been an order that Renaux had made and expected everyone to follow through with it?

"I'm very sorry that we will not be able to hear you sing today, Remelia," Arianne said. "As things are, I believe we'll be married tomorrow, and hopefully you will still be in Travere to sing."

The echoing hooves of another rider came up to Arianne and Vanelle. He wore a doublet with the Valois bear etched into the shoulder.

"My lady," he said to her, since she, of course, was not yet queen, "the Cook and the sculleries are all in a bother about the food for the wedding. We've sent messengers to the King and to the Duke, but neither are nearby. What will you have us do with the food?"

Arianne paused for a moment and looked to Vanelle. Vanelle arched a brow at her, and Arianne blushed, feeling put on the spot. "I..." she hesitated. What were they supposed to do with all of the prepared food?

Be the Queen that you would want to obey, echoed Diodorus' words.

"Baskets. Fetch baskets. Pay full price for them, and have them brought to the palace. Have the servants prepare baskets with the food. You will go to the hospital and find the names of every man that was killed or wounded defending me. Those families get the priorities baskets, and the rest can be handed out among the city."

The rider nodded. "Yes, my lady." And he turned his horse to do exactly as she had asked.

Lady Vanelle smiled a little. "Well done."

"Yes, but I think my mother is going to kill me," Arianne said quietly.

Zigi would return to the meeting place he and Major Thom had agreed to meet up only to find he wasn't there. Curious... ゴゴゴゴ

The man would backtrack the path Thomas Stardus would have taken for any signs of him. When he came to the particular alley, Zigi stopped in his tracks. There in the alley was the body of his slain brother. He'd call for help and run to his brother's body, once he reached Major Thom it was confirmed for him that he was dead from his wounds. Holding his younger brother lifeless in his arms, tears streamed down from his one eye. He cried out, "DAMNIT! It wasn't supposed to be this way!!!"

***

Zigi would have Thomas' body sent home, he didn't want him buried with all the rabble. His family will take care of the body until Zigi could come to mourn with the rest of the Stardus house. For now, he'd head back to the palace.

<exits to The Royal Palace>

Kellam enters the cavernous building and stares up in wonder. It feels as though he has stepped onto a cloud high in the sky. The murals on the ground and ceiling is so perfectly painted. Her words strike a cord with him. She is right this is a holy place he can feel it. He'd never thought he would sense the spirits within one of the buildings of stone. Yet he could feel them here. Still as he looks around he can see only one other spirit touched elf.

The hall is nearly empty. A few people are the kneeling or sitting in silent contemplation. None of them are elven though, none of them are blonde. It is just Len who remains the only spirit touched female he has seen. He still believed her though. The other male he had seen confirmed her story as awkward as that had made him feel. Finally he speaks turning his gaze of wonder onto her.

"This is spectacular. Unfortunately the only spirit touched people here are us. You have already made it clear that you are not she."

There is a twinge of something in his gut and his voice. He ignores it though, she wasn't the one she said so and he could not make it so.