"Please hurry, my ladies. We don't want to be late." Steward Amar walked ahead of her with barely controlled haste. Behind him followed three young women, Princess Nadezhda, Maria, the Court Alchemist, and Saphira, the Court Healer, who did their best to follow quickly.
"Don't rush us. Maria could pop out a child any moment, and I can barely move in this dress." Nadezhda responded acidly.
"Don't say 'pop,' Nadia! You're making me more nervous." Maria snaps back but doesn't let go of Saphira's supportive hand helping her. Maria was heavily pregnant, only a few weeks from birth. While handling her first child well, she wasn't pleased to be rushed about.
"Sorry, Maria. But it's not my fault he's rushing us along." Nadezhda replies but doesn't slow down, feeling that if they did try to turn to face her or slow down too suddenly, she would trip on her skirt.
"Your father wants us at the speech to show unity and solidarity. Please be mindful of why we are going to this announcement." Amar responds in the tone of an educator attempting to explain a mystery.
"Don't try and quote my father at me, Amar. I know that, but having us all flustered and rushing over there won't make us look unified but disorganized. We're ladies, and the men should expect us to show up late and accept it's because we want to look nice. Besides, Maria is with us. They would understand why we go a bit slower." Nadezhda responds sharply.
Amar smiles at her quick response as they enter the Barracks. As they walked down the hall, running came up from behind them. They turn their heads and see Saphira's husband, Devin Spere, rushing towards them in full battle dress. He's about to run past when he tries to slide next to Saphira and Maria in a cool way but trips up and nearly falls on his face in the process. "There you are. I was getting worried that you two were still in the castle."
Saphira and Maria both roll their eyes at him, Saphira with a smile on her face. "I'm the last person who will be out before you. You should try to be more punctual, Devin."
He smiles back at her, taking the verbal jab in good humor. "Well, that may be the case, but I could get you there faster. Do you want me to help you out?"
Maria is the one to respond this time. "I'm hardly a cripple. I don't want you carrying one of us and making us look the fool." Her face is far less humorous, but she can't help but smile slightly at him.
"Right, still getting used to this whole appearance thing. I'll move on ahead and get a chair for you." He gives Saphira a quick kiss and then rushes ahead without waiting for a response.
As he turns the corner ahead, Saphira shakes her head, resisting the laughter under her breath. "That idiot needs to stop rushing ahead." They push forward up a flight of stairs and to a balcony. Before they step out, Nadezhda breathes as deeply to steel herself.
Most of the people on the balcony turn to watch them enter, and a few give a polite bow. Central among them are her father and brothers. King Nikedim Iola and the Princes Nikalai, Cherin, and Stalm are all in their armor, dressed for battle. Nearby, talking to her family, is her Uncle, Marshal Durov, and Commander Brandr, Maria's husband, one of Devin's companions.
Along the back wall were more men and a few women, but one caught her eye. Amongst the younger men, the adjuncts, and juniors of the commanders is a young man named Dante with an overly serious face. He turns to see her after a moment, and almost immediately, his face softens, and a handsome smile crosses his face. Nadezhda flushes at his gaze for a moment and begins taking a tentative step towards him when one of the others gets his attention again. He politely nods and turns back, the serious mien returning to his face.
Nadezhda takes a moment to step back, then steps to the side with Saphira and Maria just in time for Devin to rush in with a chair. "Ah, here you go Saphira." She chuckles at him.
"Thank you, Devin." She moves away from where he set it and helps Maria sit down.
Devin winces a bit when she sits down. "Sorry Maria, I-"
"Didn't think?" She frowns at him. "You never do, and sometimes that's your best quality." The curl of her eyebrow shows she's not overly serious. He smiles back before moving forward to join the commanders. Brandr gives him a nod and a quick thank you for the chair but stops before going further as the King calls them to order.
"Alright, everyone, let's get started. Take your positions. Ardel, if you would call everyone in the square to order." The Marshal salutes quickly, then steps to the edge.
Princess Nadezhda did her best to sigh without drawing attention, straightened her back and hardened her heart. This is not going to be a pleasant time for anyone.
Marshal Dugov's voice echoes across the square, drawing the attention of both soldiers and subjects. He steps out of the way, and the King approaches the edge of the balcony and pauses dramatically to let silence overtake the square.
"My people, I have asked you here to tell you an unfortunate truth. Some of you have most certainly heard the rumors of a possible Cataclysm. An army of Demons has come into being in Arcana and spread across the land like wildfire. Even worse, the largest of these army groups is heading straight for us. They've already destroyed Arcana and have overtaken Vichar River, Peregrine, and Stonegate. They will be here within a few days." Nadia had heard all of this before, and it was still chilling. She balled her hands, hiding them in the folds of her dress.
"But, we will not be afraid. I am not afraid. Our kingdom survived the Dark Age. We stood alone against the demon hordes then as we do now. And we will not back down. I will ensure that everything is ready for them when they arrive, and we will show them hell."
"Starting now, this city is under martial law. Every able-bodied person will help in the defense in some way. Those who are too young, too old, or infirm will be evacuated, and we will prepare the defenses. We will show them our strength, and we will send them back from whence they came!" Nadia sighed as the crowd began cheering.
The King stepped back, and the sounds quickly died down, and the sounds of voices began rising in conversation again. King Nikodim turns back to the group. "How was it?" He held a strong face, but Nadia could tell he was nervous. It was how he hid his hands behind his back. He didn't like the speech, and she didn't either.
First came the positive appraisals, mostly from the younger men, though Dugov and Brandr joined in. Then her brothers, though it was forced, and most everyone else followed. Only Devin didn't praise him, but he kept quiet. For all of the praise, however, her father did not seem unsure. Nadia wanted to say something but held back.
'It was messy and uneven. The pacing was off. But I think worst is that it doesn't sound that hopeful. It's a call for a last stand.' She didn't say it out loud, but it was written across her face. Her father peaked at her and saw what she thought. He agreed with her quietly, but didn't say anything.
"Alright everyone, get to work. Boys, I'd like to talk to you three about your positions. Meet me in the main hall shortly. Nadia, I'll talk to you after lunch." Nikalai, Cherin, and Stalm nod and give a proper salute, more to impress everyone else in the room than any kind of protocol. Nadia nods politely, hiding her disappointment in being pushed so far back.
Nadia moves over to Maria and Saphira. "Will you be alright, Maria?"
She nods quickly. "I'm pregnant, not crippled. I have Saphira and Brandr to help me if need be, and no rush to get back quickly. I should be able to walk on my own." She grips Nadia's hand and squeezes it. "Good luck, and be safe."
Nadia nods and turns to the rest of the people on the balcony. She looks at the young knight Dante but decides against approaching him. Instead, she approaches Steward Amar. "Amar, escort me back to the palace."
He turns to address her appropriately and politely bows. "Of course." He offers his arm to her, and she takes it, and they walk away from the Balcony. He smiles a bit as they walk down the stairs. When they reach the bottom, he pats her hand politely. "Thank you for dragging me out with you again. I may actually be able to get work done today." He jokes a bit. They both know that the Marshal and his commanders would've kept him there to ask him questions he's not ready to answer.
"It's no problem. We need to do everything we can for this upcoming siege and we can't afford to waste time. Besides, it is improper for a princess to walk alone." She smiled back at him, hoping the levity would help them get through the next few days.
