Chapter 26: Wisdom of an Empress

The guard barracks are now quiet, and calm. Dark it is, with the evening taking over.

The hallways are illuminated by lights along the walls, with the smooth floor reflectimg them.

In one of the rooms, Leah is located. It is dark inside, with a dim, green, light, illuminating the interior.

Leah lays on her back, along the bed, her black hair spread out on the pillow. On her face, a headset covers her eyes, blue neon lights emitting from it. Faint sounds of music can be heard from the two neon-lit devices in her ears.

Her breathing is calm, her hands resting on her stomach. One would think she is sound asleep.

After a few moments, a vibration is heard. She sits herself up, taking the devices off her ears. From her pocket she takes out her phone, and brings it to her ear.

"Empress?" She simply said.

-

Ruth is seated at her desk, staring at the screen, holding the device over her ear.

"Leah, you wanted to discuss something?" She said, picking up her glass, and takes a sip.

She places the glass on her desk, she raises her hand to the screen, opening windows of text, along with images.

"Not at all." She said, sliding her hand across the screen.

"I expect to see you before it gets too late."

After a moment, she hums out a short gesture.

"See you soon." She hangs up, and places the device in her pocket.

Few moments go by...

Ruth paces back, and forth, with her gaze drawn to the floor she treads, with a refilled glass in her hand. At the door, a few knocks can be heard, bringing her pacing to a halt.

The empress places her drink down, turning to the door, she walks towards it, and opens to let Leah in, closing the door after her.

Leah slowly walks around Ruth's room, looking around with an intrigued gaze.

Ruth walks towards her, keeping her gaze on her.

"Leah." Ruth simply said, urging Leah to turn to her; her arms now crossed.

"Care for a drink?" She walks towards the table near her desk, where the bottle is.

"I'm good, thank you." Leah said, shaking her head slightly.

"Alright." Ruth said, putting the bottle back on the table. She picks up her glass, and turns to Leah.

"Let us get straight to the point of why you are here." Ruth said, stepping to her, now holding the glass within both her hands.

"What did you want to discuss?" She asked, standing in front of her.

"Empress..." Leah said, sighs.

"I was wondering." She averts her eyes.

Ruth frowns at her, narrowing her eyes.

"Go on...?" She simply said, her voice hiding her lack of patience.

"I want to go to Epra." Leah said, looking at her.

"Epra?" Ruth said, a puzzled look in her eyes.

"Why?"

"That ship that invaded." Leah answered. Eyeing Ruth's desktop, only to look at her.

"Its crew members had weapons I recognise to have come from there."

"Why the interest?" Ruth asked , taking a sip from her glass.

"Maybe I can find out who sent them." Leah said, looking at her with confidence.

"We wouldn't want another attack, do we?"

"The Garrison managed to take them out." Ruth said, gazing at her with a stern look in her eyes.

"We don't have to worry about another invasion."

"Shouldn't we take precautions?" Leah said, frowning.

"What if a larger force invades?"

Ruth sighs with her eyes averted away. She turns to look at the entrance of her balcony.

"You're right, I suppose." Ruth said, still starring at the balcony before her.

"If another attack arrives, there would be more casualties."

Leah walks towards her, and stands a few feet away.

"The woman I apprehended, claims to have been the commander of that ship." She said, urging Ruth to look over her shoulder at her.

"Is that so?" Ruth said, turning to face her with an intrigued look in her eyes.

"Did you question her?"

"Yes." Leah said, straightening her own sleeves.

"I didn't get anything from her, she was very stubborn."

"I did read the report about her." Ruth said, looking down at her glass in thought.

"She's been here for months now."

Leah widens her eyes, her lips slightly parted.

"Are you serious?" She said, her tone of voice sounding loud.

"But that ship?"

"Indeed. It's strange." She takes a sip from her glass once more.

"She has been kept prisoner here for a matter of trespassing."

"How didn't I know about this?." Leah said, narrowing her eyes at her.

"It was confidential." Ruth said, frowning at her, unpleased at her question.

"No one needed to know."

"You can't keep her prisoner on your own ship." Leah said, taking a step towards her.

"She could escape again, and you'd be in danger."

"I'm aware of that." Ruth said, taking another sip from her cup, her gaze fixed on it.

"That's why I'm going to be escorting her off this planet, and to a place that would hold her."

"Are you even sure they can hold someone like her?" Leah said, crossing her arms.

"I've seen what she could do, and-"

"Yes, I know!" Ruth said, turning away from her. Her eyes filled with irritation.

"Utilising that cursed energy..." She pauses with a sigh, her eyes staring down at the scarlet liquid.

Leah's face softens, her crossed arms loosening.

"You knew she can use it?" She asked, her eyes puzzled.

"I have been aware for awhile." Ruth answered her. She takes in a deep breathe of the cool air.

"Aven, Silas, Kevra, and of course my dear sister has it." She lets out a sigh, staring ahead at the buildings in the distance, with all their glittering windows.

"And, how could I forget." Ruth continued.

"You..." She looks over her shoulder at her with a glare.

"Aven taught you, didn't he?" She looks ahead of herself.

Lead stares at her for a moment.

"Yes, empress, he did." She said, looking down. Shame emitting from her face.

"First my sister, and now you." Ruth said, her eyes narrowing with a frown. She looks ahead of herself.

"My question is, how far will it spread?"

Leah downcasts her eyes.

"Why do you show so much hate for it?" She slowly trains her eyes up at her.

"It can be dangerous." Ruth said, looking down at the palm of her hand.

"If it is utilised by the wrong hands, it can be catastrophic." Her hand goes into a fiat. Her eyes now close.

Leah gazes down for a moment, her eyes shifting from one side to the other.

"Like that woman?" She asked, looking at her.

"Perhaps..." Ruth said, opening her eyes.

"It depends on her, and what she does with it." She turns to face Leah.

"I had someone keeping an eye on her..." Ruth said, and averts her eyes with a narrowed look.

"Examining her behaviour, and her abilities." She lets out a sigh.

"She probably killed him when she escaped."

Leah's eyes narrow slightly.

"Which reminds me." She said, averting her eyes, and looks at Ruth once more.

"I witnessed her kill her own crew members."

"That's odd?" Ruth said, walking past Leah , and towards the desk.

"What a bizarre thing to do." She looks down at her glass in thought.

"Here is something else..." Leah said, stepping towards her, urging Ruth to face her.

"She went for Alecia as well." Ruth frowns at her words.

"If I didn't step in, she would have lost her life by her." Leah continued.

"Oh?" Ruth said, frowning.

"My sister was probably standing in her way."

"No..." Leah said, shaking her head slightly.

"She killed her own crew members to get to her."

Ruth averts her eyes, and takes a sip from her glass.

"Giving my sister's history, she must have made enemies, so I'm not surprised." She said, looking at her.

"That doesn't sound good." Leah said, averting her gaze.

"It never does." Ruth said, taking a sip from her glass, letting out a small sigh.

"Now then... Going back to our previous subject." Her lips twist into a slight smile.

"Yes?" Leah said.

"Won't this be a pointless journey on your behalf?" Ruth asked, her eyes filled with concern.

"What if there's nothing there to find?"

Leah turns her gaze to the one painting on Ruth's wall. It's a portrait of Angelica herself, similar to the temple's image of her, however with no wings, and no glow.

She looks at Ruth, and lets out a sigh.

"There has to be." She said, her gaze fixed on her eyes.

"I understand if you don't want me to go there. I'll leave your room knowing I got an answer from you anyway."

Ruth let's out a sigh, slowly lowering her hand with the drink.

"Very well." She said, with a stern look in her eyes.

"You can go to Epra, if you're that serious about it."

Leah cracks a slight smile.

"Thank you empress." She said, joining her hands near her chest.

"I won't take long, I promise."

Ruth smiles at Leah's excited tone.

"You better not." She said, taking a sip from her glass.

"Silas went on a similar journey, and I haven't seen, or heard from him in months."

Leah chuckles, taking a side step away.

"That won't happen with me." She said, leaning away.

"You have my word."

"If I may ask." Ruth said, taking a step forward, urging Leah to turn to her.

"Are you taking someone with you?" She said.

"Yes." Leah said smiling slightly.

"I'm bringing a friend with me. It's not a good idea to go alone."

Ruth nods with a calm smile.

"That's what I thought." She said taking another sip from her glass.

"You may go now."

"Thank you again, empress." Leah said, turning away from her, and proceeds to the door, and lets herself out.

Ruth chuckles quietly, only for her to turn around, and steps outside onto the balcony.

She walks towards the fencing of it, and stares blankly ahead. Staring at the glistening lights of the buildings. She looks up at the night sky, looking at the large violet moon, with the sun's light illuminating its horizon.

Letting out a sigh, she lowers her gaze. Turning away, Ruth walks back into her room, and closes the door slightly on her way in.