Royal Summmons
Sunrise was just beginning to filter light through the window above the couch when Sevika was startled awake by a banging on the door. She falls bodily off the couch that serves as her makeshift bed, letting out a string of quiet curses. It was too damn early for someone to be banging at the green stained wood.
Her mother had brought home the wood stain for free after a particularly long project and the group of them had made the rest of their evening one of laughter and singing. Her parents had danced through the kitchen giggling like fools, high off fumes and their affection for each other.
Sleep weak legs carry Sevika over to the door. She wrenches the wooden surface open to reveal a mountain of a man. He’s clothed and armed in Noxian armor and the colors of the royal family. Sevika has seen the man around The Immortal Bastion before but she’s never spoken to him and she certainly never expected to find him as the bane of her existence this morning.
“The fuck do you want?” Sevika scowls up at the man who simply raises an eyebrow at her tone and holds out a parcel.
“Get dressed. The queen requests an audience.”
Sevika blinks at the man, uncertainly. She wipes a hand over her sleep-heavy eyelids. “If this is something for my dad…” she trails off, pointing vaguely over her shoulder into the dark room behind her.
The tall bearded man shakes his head.
“Are you Sevika?”
She hesitates for a moment, wondering for a brief second if this is a setup. “Yeah, I’m Sevika.”
“Good. Get dressed.” He points at the package in Sevika’s arms. “I’ll take you to the Queen when you’re ready.” The man turns abruptly, turning his back on a floundering 15 year old Sevika.
She closes the door as quietly as she can, breathing a sigh of relief when she doesn’t hear stirring from the bedroom. Her parents could use all the rest they can get.
Tearing the package open reveals a set of comfortable and sturdy pants, a black long-sleeved shirt and a red tunic in the same material as the pants. She dresses as quickly and quietly as she can, sending a silent prayer to whichever god might be listening. Was she in trouble? Would she have been gifted an outfit if she was in trouble?
Part of Sevika wonders if she should wake her folks up just to let them know that she had been summoned by the Queen. But she decides not to bother them with the news until she knows the reason for this whole situation. They would only worry.
She dresses quickly and walks back to the wooden door that stands between her and the giant of a man outside. Waiting to take her to the Queen. She pulls a deep breath into her lungs and steels herself for whatever the day has in store for her. Wood screeches against wood as she wrenches the shabby door open.
“Where are we going,” Sevika demands.”And who are you?”
The bearded mountain raises an eyebrow as he turns to face Sevika.
“My name is Rictus,” he rumbles. “The Queen is waiting for you in her personal training yard.” He’s moving before Sevika can open her mouth to ask more questions. They weave through the narrow streets towards the castle proper. Due to the early hour, the pair of them are one of the few people out and about. Narrow streets crowd in on the odd pair as they weave through a path to the castle.
When Sevika enters a neat courtyard in a section of the keep she’d never been before she’s too busy trying to take in the array of weapons she sees arranged on racks to notice when Rictus stops walking. She grunts as she collides with the armored man and rubs at where her forehead made contact with hard metal. A muffled giggle drifts from a figure who had silently straightened out of a stretch when Sevika had entered. She hadn’t even realized someone else was here, Sevika had been too busy being nosey.
Her gaze flits towards the figure who had dared laugh at her, widening in disbelief when she recognises the girl. She’s dressed much like the first time they had met, green eyes twinkling with mirth at Sevika’s clumsiness.
“You really must learn to look where you’re going Sevika,” she jokes, flashing her a bright smile. “You’re developing a pattern of running into people.” Mel greets Rictus with an easy wave, greeting him by name and asking about his health. Sevika stands there in dumbfounded silence. She couldn’t even think of a suitable response. Mel turns back to Sevika, eyes still full of laughter.
“Do pick your jaw up off the floor before my mother gets here” she teases, “She hates when people gawk.”
Another figure approaches from the far end of the courtyard, a tall young man dressed in black trousers, and a soft-looking, if simple red tunic. His approach distracts Mel from continuing to give Sevika a hard time. She shoots the young man a fond smile as he draws closer to the two girls.
“Ahhh, here comes my dearest brother” Mel says before calling out, “How far is mother behind you?”
“Good morning to you too Sister,” Mels brother says, answering her smile with one of his own. His brown eyes sweep over Sevika before inclining his head in an easy greeting.
“You must be the lass Mother was talking about last night,” he muses. He gestures at his younger sister “and I see that you’ve already met my dearest sister. My name is Kino Medarda.”
“Shut the fuck up!”
Mel’s laughter fills the air again, and Sevika has to swallow the urge to fall into empathetic giggles.”
“I told you she has a mouth on her brother,” Mel says, patting Sevika on the shoulder.
Sevika rounds on the girl as the puzzle pieces all start to make sense.
“So I hear,” Kino says, a smile as bright as his sisters lighting up his features.
Irritation overflows and Sevika pokes a finger in Mel’s face.
“You lied to me!”
“I thought you were a genius,” Mel shoots back, “the answer was right in front of you,” she points out. “You’re the one that assumed I couldn’t possibly be the princess .”
“Oh, come on” Sevika groans, “that’s not the point Princess,” she spits, sweeping into a mocking bow.
“Well what is your point then?” Mel quips.
Kino steps bodily between the two bickering girls. “Enough of this,” he puts a gentle hand on his sister’s shoulder and shoots Sevika a sharp look. “You will watch your tone around my sister AND my Queen Mother,” he says firmly.
Rictus clears his throat and interrupts before anything can escalate further.
“The Queen is approaching,” he says quietly. He slams a closed fist against his chest in Noxian fashion and inclines his head towards the approaching figure. He stays standing at attention until the imposing figure of the Queen of Noxus stalks past him.
Ambessa Medarda, First of Her Name, the Warrior Queen of Noxus. Her grace holds herself with the poise and confidence of only a fighter at peak performance can muster. Broad shoulders are draped in a fine red cloak and rimmed with soft black fur and her hair is twisted into locks that are adorned with golden rings that glint in the early morning light. She greets Rictus with a mirrored fist thumped over her heart before addressing the group of children before her.
Mel and Kino greet their mother with heads inclined, the younger of the two children elbowing Sevika and gesturing for her to bow. Her instincts kick in and she falls into a low bow before her Queen.
“Your Grace,” she mumbled, eyes unable to look up from immaculately kept boots. Boots that looked very much like any other soldier’s boot.
“Good morning mother,” Mel says lightly, “lovely day for an addition to training.”
Ambessa smirks and sweeps her light brown gaze over Sevika critically before addressing the gathered group.
“Good morning children,” the Queen says. She looks at her eldest child before speaking.
“Start running your warm up drills. I will speak with the child who thinks that humiliating my guards is an acceptable way to pass time.” If her words hadn’t already frozen Sevika in place, the Queen’s sharp brown gaze would keep her pinned to the ground. A wave of dread washes over Sevika, threatening to turn her empty stomach inside out. What in Janna’s name did she get herself into?