House of Winter

Chapter 4, Part 1

L U M I

Winter disappeared behind them, and so too did the storms. The seas closer to the Fire Lands were calm. They drifted through the small conical islands covered in greenery, sometimes close enough to see the fire monkeys in the trees. There were more and more colourful boats as they approached, all decorated with the brilliant red flag of the Fire Lands.

Singtsu was the largest island of them all, a towering mountain that had once been a volcano. They disembarked and were met with carriages to take them through the city and up the hill to the Volcano Palace, which was nestled in the crater of the former volcano.

Despite her misgivings, Lumi couldn't help the relief she felt at seeing the palace, built high into the side of the crater. The turrets of its towers looked proudly out over the volcano and the city below, while most of the palace was hidden away from the Lothern sky so that it was never too hot within its walls. The grounds of the palace were lush but tame. The barracks of the army stood proudly next to the training grounds, and Lumi could see flying tigers in the air.

Their carriage led them straight to the palace entrance, and Lumi was imagining a hot bath and sweet pastries and her own room, once again, when her aunt, who was riding on the back of Silka the white tiger, approached their carriage and said, "The council is already waiting for us."

Lumi's brother, Tai, jumped out of the carriage with grace, without waiting for it to stop, and marched up the stairs. Lumi stared after him, and then realised that she couldn't let him talk to the council without her. If she wanted her voice heard, she needed to be there. A hot bath would have to wait.

Lumi raced after her brother, feeling a lot less dignified than he looked.

Inside, she caught a glimpse of herself in a long mirror in a hallway.

Did she look like a capable leader, ready to tell her side of the story?

Of course not. She looked like a child, with shadows under her eyes and a trembling lip and wrinkles in her skirt.

As she walked, she reminded herself of her intentions. She would be strong. She would stand up against Tai. She would make her voice heard. She wouldn't cower in the face of stronger and older men and women.

Lumi reached the door, and the two servants posted outside it nodded to her.

Then one of the servants, quietly, whispered, "Your sleeve."

Lumi sucked in a breath as she realised that her sleeve was caught up her arm, exposing her wrist. She lowered it, nodded to the servant, and then the two of them opened the doors.

The council was waiting for her. All eyes, of each of the men and women sitting inside, were on her as she walked in the most dignified manner she could into the room.

Lumi had never attended a council meeting in an official capacity, although she'd watched them a few times, with her tutor sitting beside her and quizzing her on the names of the council members. There were delegates from each nation of the Fire Lands, representing their people in governing the Fire Lands. They sat around a table in the centre of a huge room, their fire tigers sitting behind them like statues. At the head of the table was the grandest seat of all, reserved for the Empress, however it was currently empty.

As Lumi entered, she realised Tai had already sat down. When she walks in, the councillors each stood and bowed to her, but Tai remained sitting.

Lumi took her seat beside her brother.

They waited in silence, with no noise except the crackling of fires in the fireplaces along the wall - the Fire people kept burning fires even when it was warm, to ward off evil - and waited.