The last attendant leaves the Great Hall, and the large doors slowly swing shut. Gradually, the censers stop swinging. Priestesses Nyla Yllelsa Sthykwyr and Arkawella Yllmyla Sthykwyr stagger back, exhausted; they double over, and rest against the walls.

  “Rise, vessel of my people,” Luhnylla says moments after the large doors shut with a boom.

  The goddess dissolves back into the light, vanishing with a smile.

  ?nnywella hands the orb and scepter back to ?ppolonia and Gelshk, and stands back up. She is damp, paler than usual, exhausted, rather peckish—and in dire need of a cigarette. Rubbing her eyes, she looks to Gyrshke. “I never wish to do this again.”

  “I as well—unless your brother finds Kaladrae, we never will.” Eue-Lysae takes the crown from ?nnywella’s head and starts back up the stairs.

  ?nnywella scrunches her nose. She is unsure if that is an event she wishes to happen during her reign. "I would rather not let those ghosts out."

  Eue-Lysae chuckles.

  Languidly, ?nnywella follows Gyrshke as the High Priestess ascends the stairs. ?nnywella grips the handle as tightly as she can manage, leaning on it for support.

  The four priestesses of Eue-Lysae’s coven who were still in the Great Hall hurriedly fall in, joining as Eue-Lysae and ?nnywella reach the third floor.

  Dyder fidgets with the clasp and opens the crown's padded wooden storage box. With delicacy, he takes the crown from High Priestess Seliani and places it safely inside.

  “Congratulations, Gekaryna vela’Herst.” He gives a slight bow.

  “Thank you, Dyder," ?nnywella says. "Will you be bringing the crown straight back to the castle?”

  “Yes, but I will return right after; I will be back for your address.” He responds.

  Dyder dismisses himself, heading back towards the tunnel.

  Eue-Lysae leads the group back through the door opposite to the one she and Gekaryna originally entered from, leaving the great hall for the wide back hallways.

  The hallway is well-lit from the wall sconces on the interior wall and the occasional window. The interior walls are covered in a decorative oaken paneling, and the exterior wall is made of large stone blocks, now aged to a black. Resilient plants creep their way in through the gaps. The floor is a dark brown hardwood covered by a green carpet with gold trim.

  “G?ri'Seliani, we have prepared food and a spot by the fireplace in the study hall, as you had asked,” Faey says.

  “I assume you are quite hungry?” Eue-Lysae asks Gekaryna.

  “Yes, but what I really need is a cigarette. Where are Myna and Konst?nze?”

  “In the study hall, along with your gown for your public address—and your cigarettes.”

  “Have you served them yet?”

  “No; we always wait until all guests and sisters are seated.”

  “Good. Myna has a habit of eating fourths before most have had seconds or firsts.”

  Eue-Lysae smiles. “We have two like that among my coven as well.” She side-eyes the twins, who stand to her right. “Though most would never notice, as it all goes to their thighs.”

  A small peep comes from the priestesses before they fall back, away from Eue-Lysae’s glare.

  The quiet crackling grows louder as the group walks through the back doors of the study hall. The long room is warm, filled with the welcoming smell of honey ham, fresh bread, and wine. Some of the tables and benches that usually sit between the tall bookshelves have been moved into the center, just enough to seat the large group of seventeen. Four of the six priestesses who carried the palls of the replica of Kaladrae slice the ham and bread into sandwiches; the other two pour wine into glasses. Ede sits at the table, rubbing her hands together, patiently waiting.

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  Enlynn sits, sunken deeply into one of the two large, upholstered, brown leather chairs by the fire, her feet resting on a footstool, as she reads. To her right sit ?nnywella’s rings and cigarette case on a small table.

  ?nnywella makes eye contact with Myna immediately upon entering the room, the lady-in-waiting looks with large, pleading eyes, seeming to beg ?nnywella to come to the table. “I am going to sit by the fire.” ?nnywella declares upon seeing her belongings next to Konst?nze. She hears Myna groan loudly. This brought much joy to ?nnywella.

  Taking her rings and cigarettes, she sinks into the soft leather chair, lighting a cigarette and resting her feet on the matching footstool before her.

  Enlynn closes her book, placing it on the table, and looks to ?nnywella with a smirk. “Congratulations, did you enjoy being stripped, drowned, and bled?”

  “You address me far too casually, Konst?nze.”

  “Congratulations, Gekaryna vela’Herst IV, Queen of the Kingdom of the Great Moon of Our Lady, vessel of the will of the people of the true Ianya. Did you enjoy your participation in the rites?” Enlynn’s voice is deadpan.

  “Yes, I did. Clearly, I enjoyed it so much that there is no joy left for you.” ?nnywella takes a drag, inspecting the book Konst?nze is reading. “I got my hopes up when I saw you with a book; I’m disappointed.”

  “K?rhylda [1] is great; I’ve seen it on your shelf.”

  “Yes, from when I was fifteen.” ?nnywella had heard things about the novel leading her to believe it was far, far more explicit than it really was, and out of curiosity, she read it only to be rather disappointed.

  Enlynn cackles. “Does Sorynn know?”

  “It’s a classic, and he’s too dense to notice. Does it really matter?”

  “It might to him.”

  ?nnywella shrugs. “I’m more interested in why it’s in the study hall of the priestesses.”

  Eue-Lysae looks up from the table, swirling her wine in its glass. “As you said, it’s a classic—and you’re too dense to notice. Now, please come eat; your lady-in-waiting looks as though she is about to cry.”

  The seventeen women fall in around the table; the moment the last one sits down, Ede starts eating. For the next forty-five minutes, they engage in idle banter.

  The main door of the study hall creaks open; peeking his head through the gap, Kolaus Ulme clears his throat. “You have an hour until your address, Gekaryna vela’Herst. May I enter?”

  “Yes, by all means. You may also have some food if you wish.” Eue-Lysae responds.

  “Thank you, High Priestess. I will only stay briefly; I am here to give the Queen a transcription of her speech. But I will graciously accept your offer.”

  Kolaus briskly walks to Gekaryna, handing her the sheets of paper. He takes two slices of bread and a slice of ham and makes himself a sandwich. He departs as quickly as he arrived.

  “I suppose we should get started,” ?nnywella states, setting her wine glass down.

  Ede groans. “No...” There is something about the food made by the Priestess that is more welcoming than the food at Herst Castle.

  “Oh, I know it is tragic that there will not be a feast back at the castle tonight, but I am sure Ladech will make you something if you ask.”

  “I would like you to ask him for me.” Ede states.

  “Verily.” ?nnywella heads for the door back to the hallways.

  Enlynn stands and follows quickly; Ede places a piece of the ham between two slices of bread, and hurries after, taking her fourths to go.

  “Gele, Ermel, show them the way back to the dressing room. Change the water in the washbasin as well.” Eue-Lysae starts to pour herself a fourth glass of wine.

  Faey quickly confiscates the bottle, recorks it, and passes it down the table.

  Eue-Lysae groans and lets her head fall back to look at the ceiling.

  The priestesses lead ?nnywella, Ede, and Enlynn back to the dressing room, quickly replacing the rose water in the washbasin, and take a seat on two of the chairs.

  The five women chat idly as ?nnywella is dressed, her makeup carefully applied, and her hair fixed and styled.

  ?nnywella comes out from behind the screen divider. "Opinions?"

  Enngel—whose mother was a tailor—claps, complimenting the dress, “The gradient in the skirt is brilliant; the slow fade from the maroon to the dark brown is so,” the young woman pauses, “Perfectly season—befitting of The Autumn Queen.”

  ?nnywella grimaces at the name as she looks at herself in the mirror. She does a quick spin, admiring how the fabric of the heavy silk skirt falls differently around the petticoats of the processional gown. The gold of the chains hanging around the brown leather belt catches the light, as well as the oak and acorn motif around the neckline, hems of the sleeves and skirt, and basque waist of the upper part of the gown.

  “Excellent,” ?nnywella adjusts her leather gloves, ”Now, what time is it?”

  “14:45.” responds Metze.

  “It is best we get going.”

  Ede and Enlynn place the robe back on ?nnywella, and she slips her feet into the new shoes. The group leaves.

  Footnotes

  [1] A vampire novella, written by Ianyan author Skyrild Arka Faeny (b. 22/09/0773EotG, b. 04/08/0813EotG). She had stated that the novella was heavily based on a story her grandmother Laeounora Ylla Faeny (b. 19/12/0720EotG, 14/04/0801EotG) used to tell. Laeonora would insist that the titular ?lysa K?rhylda Kyrnstaed (b. 18/05/0054EotG) was real, even to her deathbed. Historians believe this was just a modernization of an old folk tale originally told to keep young women from sneaking out of their homes at night for rendezvous with forbidden lovers.

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