Aftermath

[Alessandra]

Mara and I left the pavilion and stopped beneath a nearby nyubsal* tree. I leaned on its bark and used its purple canopy as a shield from the sweltering heat.

"That was horrendous," I paused, "I could've phrased it better. I could've said something less insulting. Why can't I control my emotions?!"

I slumped down, the flowering tree shading me from the sunlight. Mara sat down beside me and said,

"To be fair, you did much better with her than with Alexander."

I scoffed at her remark and recalled when my son, Alexander, finally woke up from his coma. He frantically searched for his lover, a commoner girl he had met. We told him she was killed- then he started acting erratically. He would throw tantrums; sometimes, he would even throw objects. Other times he was calm but silent. When he did speak, he only blamed us for the death of his lover. He wouldn't listen to any of us. He even dared to blame his father for killing that pathetic girl.

"How did it come to this, Mara?" I asked, "How did my life come to this?"

"Who knows? We can blame Empress Testruvia or the Crusavians, but it's all the same. Once we play the blame game, it never stops. Only the Creator knows how and why all this transpired," She answered.

"I forgot how devout you are," I scoffed.

"And I forgot how much of a skeptic you are," She retorted.

We sat there for some time and took in the beauty and serenity of the nyubsal trees.

"We should head back," Mara said as she got up.

"You're right," I paused as I got up, "We should go."

I straightened my skirts and brushed off specks of dirt. Then, we headed back to the pavilion.

~o0o~

Muffled shouts and screams rang out as we drew closer to the clearing. Fear seized every corner of my brain, and I sprinted towards the pavilion.

"Alessandra!" Mara called.

I ignored her cries and rushed towards the brawl ahead. The glint and shine of an imperial guard's armor drew my attention as I approached the clearing. Why were they here, and who called them?

I approached the pavilion, and what greeted me was a mess. Etched on various surfaces were blaster bolt marks. Diana and Devia were hiding beneath the table inside- while two lifeless bodies lay beside them. Imperial guards surrounded the area, weapons drawn and shields at the ready.

"At ease!" I ordered.

With a bat of an eye, the guards withdrew their weapons. Now I could see where all the noise was coming from. In the center were Thomas, Samina, and Dayos. They were fighting amongst themselves, entangled in a sort of misshapen ball. Insults and curses flung from their lips in all directions. Their clothes were also soiled with dirt and blood.

"Enough!" I stooped down and pulled the three apart.

I turned to the pavilion. Diana and Devia were still hiding beneath the table. I looked around and noticed the bushes surrounding the structure. The Stavanese can manipulate and control any plant life around them- from majestic trees to a single blade of grass.

Focusing my mind, I used my abilities to manipulate the bushes. Vast branches emerged from out of nowhere. The two girls screamed upon seeing them. I quickly hid the dead bodies strewn across the pavilion in the bushes I controlled.

With that done, I ordered the guards to take the corpses away. As they obeyed my orders, I made a beeline for the domed structure to check on the two girls. I stooped down and peeked under the table.

There they were, embracing each other.

"It's alright now. Both of you can come out," I called.

Slowly, they emerged from under the table (still holding one another). I turned to where Samina, Thomas, and Dayos had been fighting.

"Return to the palace. I will speak to you three later," I ordered.

They nodded and bowed before departing. Mara arrived after they left and proceeded to ask what had happened.

"I don't know," I paused, "Please bring these two inside before anything else occurs."

"What about you, m'lady?" She asked.

"I'll ask the remaining guards what happened. You three can go ahead," I answered.

She nodded before leading the two girls back to the palace.

Before I approached a guard, I soothed out my skirts and mentally prepared myself for what he would have to say.