A Whisper of Night

4.1 || ASTNORDEN 💫

"I've told you already," Astna snapped at the ambassadors, her fingers tight around her handrests, "I have no knowledge of your escapees. If I were you, I'd go look in the ports and harbors of Scorvald, or maybe even in Slagvald."

One of the ambassadors bristled. "We are already doing that," he said stiffly. "Besides, it is not your place to tell us what to do...my Lady."

She raised an eyebrow. "Have you never heard a recommendation before?" she said, standing. She'd received the Lion Queen's men in the rotunda today, as her men were preparing the Great Hall for her birthday. "This audience is at an end. Please feel free to sup in the Small Hall - I know the journey across Old Skeynvald must be tiring."

The ambassador who'd spoken only glared at her as she stepped off the dais, her six handmaids falling in line with her. She'd honored Lilian with a magnificent burial last week, but had been forced to find another servant sooner than she would've liked.

"Your father was this way too."

Astna stopped. Slowly, she turned towards the ambassador, who stood with his fists clenched, his face a vivid shade of red.

"What did you say?"

The ambassador lowered his eyes.

"Don't you have the courage to repeat that to my face?" she said, stalking towards him. Although she stood half a head shorter than him, it was he who stepped back.

Silence.

"I've changed my mind," Astna said sweetly. "The Small Hall will be rather full today - much of the city has come to celebrate my birthday." She gave him a winning smile. "I do hope you're not too tired to make the trip home now."

The ambassador's eyes widened indignantly.

"My Lady," said the man to his right, "I pray - "

"I'm not a god. Take your prayers home with you, and while you're at it, tell your queen to find a new ambassador. You are dismissed."

Astna swept from the rotunda this time, determined not to look back. "Go clean and dress yourselves," she told her handmaids. "You may wear anything from my closet that isn't made of silk. Try for purple, though."

Her handmaids headed off, one or two squealing in excitement. Jala, however, stayed.

Astna nodded at her. The handmaid was her loyalist informant and confidant. "What do you think?"

"Forgive me, my Lady," Jala murmured, "but I thought it was...unwise."

Jala had always been a quick-witted girl - sometimes, she understood Astna's lessons more quickly than Astna herself. 

"Oh?" Astna said. 

"The Lion Queen will take offense."

"Then let her do that." They turned a corner. A chill swept down the hall, and Astna shivered. "At this point, I doubt there is much more she can do to us."

"Nonetheless, we should search for the escaped servant. We never know what information she can offer us."

A faint smile crossed Astna's lips. "Do you mean to purposefully offend the Lion Queen? That would mean war."

Jala grinned. She was rather pretty, with her curly brown hair and bright green eyes. "And here I thought you wanted an uprising." She leaned in closer. "I've been to the black market. A brewer admitted to selling Trystfae to Hoger, one of Elsking's bodyguards."

Astna raised her eyebrows. "Are you sure?"

"Extremely. We have brought him into the castle. He has records of all of his transactions, and there are two other vendors to confirm his story."