Empire of Night Ch 40

Jezzel sat on the bench, wrapped up tight against the cold and bearing without complaint the bumps and jolts of the roads. Her joints complained at the chill and the jostling of the coach. She rubbed at a soreness in her neck and shoulder and tried to stretch the stiffness of her libs but succeeded only in pulling something in her back.
She sighed, shaking her head. Eli claimed she could cast off the aches and pains of age and return to the vigor of her youth. It sounded wonderful, and she couldn’t deny the wonders worked by Dyrantoro alchemists. But it did seem too good to be true.
The coach slowed, and her driver knocked to tell her they were approaching their destination. As the coach stopped, she sighed and stood, pushing the door open, and stepping down onto the frozen ground.
Her driver was conversing with a guard by the gatehouse, and as she emerged, they turned, leaping to her side.
“Is anything amiss, your Eminence?” her driver asked.
She waved the woman away. “Must something be amiss for a woman to stand on her own two feet?"
The driver, a dark-skinned lady of the interior, who always seemed ill at ease in the climate of the capitol but nonetheless refused reassignment, hesitated but ultimately bowed her head in assent. “Yes, your Eminence. We’ll be underway again soon if you’ll retire to the coach….”
“Your concern is noted, but unnecessary.” She turned to the guard. “Why have you detained us?”
The woman coughed. “The palace is closed; we weren’t expecting your visit.”
Jezzel grunted, rubbing at a soreness in her chest.
“Is something wrong?” the guard asked.
“Just a bit of heartburn,” Jezzel said, flicking her ears dismissively. “Expected or not, I’ll be seeing the Empress today and expect another caller.”
The guard shifted, uncomfortable. Unable to refuse, but also having her orders.
“I shall take responsibility for any consternation,” Jezzel said. “I’m going in, quarter my driver and her animals. Her Magnificence is in her audience chamber?”
“I-” the guard hesitated, "don’t believe so, no, I- my understanding is that she has a social call this evening.”
“Social call?”
“Something to do with a sick attendant; I don’t know the details," the guard said.
Jezzel pursed her lips. “Then I’ll need a guide, have someone come escort me.”
The guard gaped at her. “Of, of course, your Eminence, please, wait in the guardhouse.”
“Very well,” Jezzel said, regarding the woman coolly. “See that my driver and animals are lodged.” She didn’t wait for a reply; that her command would be obeyed was a foregone conclusion.
She awaited her escort in the shabby little cell that was the gatehouse; the cold settling into her fingers, she wrapped her shawl tighter around herself, stretching her left hand to work the numbness out of them.
Soon, the guard returned with a stewardess at her side. “Forgive the delay, your Eminence. Her Magnificence will be pleased to welcome you. Miss Theleil will guide you.”
“Please, follow me,” the stewardess said, bowing.
“Lead the way, miss,” Jezzel said.
The woman curtsied and opened the door, and Jezzel proceeded her out. The stewardess led her through the courtyard and into the palace, guiding her to the audience chamber, where her niece sat upon the throne.
She approached the dais, dipping her head respectfully. “I was under the impression her Magnificence had a social engagement this evening.”
“We did,” Elliza said, looking down her nose to meet Jezzel’s eyes. “But, of course, We made time to meet you. How may We be of assistance?”
Jezzel glanced at the stewardess, and Elliza waved her hand, “leave us.”
The woman curtsied deeply and backed out of the room. As the door closed behind her, Elliza stood, joining Jezzel at the base of the dais. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Do I need an excuse?”
“I suppose not; it’s just a bit unexpected.”
“Well, I apologize if the surprise comes at an inopportune time. Don’t let me interrupt your plans; why don’t we go meet your social obligation together?”
“Oh,” Elliza said. “You don’t need to-”
“But I want to,” Jezzel insisted. “Now, lead the way.” It worked out, surely this man who had so quickly ingratiated himself into the royal circle would be present, and Jezzel could take the opportunity to observe him.
Elliza chuckled. “Aunt Jezzel, my guests are merely checking on a sick relation, one of Lisril’s young cousins. Nothing that rises to the level of your notice.”
“Yet, the matter is of sufficient import as to warrant the attention of the empress herself?” Jezzel said, pointedly raising a brow.
Her niece cleared her throat. “Well, it is the family of one of my personal attendants.”
“Then I should hate to delay you. Enough stalling, Elliza.”
The young empress sighed and shook her head. “Very well, if you won’t be dissuaded,” she said, stepping down from the throne and leading Jezzel out through the meeting room at the seat’s back.
They walked together, Jezzel a respectful distance behind her empress, through the palace halls. Every so often, they would pass one of the servants, who bowed respectfully, returning to their work only after Elliza acknowledged their gesture.
It was good to see her niece was respected in her house. Most of the palace servants were older than her, and Jezzel often worried that her empress’ youth might produce insubordination.
Jezzel’s breath was coming in short gasps as they reached the stairs; she mopped the sweat from her brow, and Elliza stopped glancing over her shoulder. “Would you like to rest?”
“Don’t be ridiculous," Jezzel scoffed, waving the young woman away.  "This is nothing.”
“If you say so,” the young woman said, frowning. Elliza proceeded her up the stairs, setting a noticeably slower pace.
Jezzel glared at her niece’s back, but if the young woman noticed her displeasure, she didn’t show it.
Finally, they crested the stairs, and Elliza led her through the halls and toward the sergeants' quarters. Most women were required to live on and maintain their land. But some were landed instead on the condition of serving as a member of her Magnificence’s staff. Lisril’s mother, for instance, being Elliza’s gardener.
As they were about to turn down the hall on their way to their destination, someone called out to them. “Excuse me!”
They turned, and Jezzel beheld a Dyrantoro woman. No person of that race could be accused of being unassuming, but this woman, in particular, stood apart from those few Dyrantoro ladies Jezzel had met.
Tall and looking to be carved from obsidian, her long hair, which she wore in a tight braid, was the black of an overcast midnight and would have swept across the floor as she walked had she not draped it over one shoulder.
“Your Magnificence,” the woman ducked her head but didn’t bow. “Please forgive the interruption.”
She wore a grey suit in the Dyrantoro style, which hugged her figure and displayed her more than ample curves. The woman’s features were typical of a Dyrantoro, stubby ears, five fingers, all except her eyes, which were the slit eyes of a woman of the near south. Not the molten orange of a westerner, like Lisril, but the maroon found most often in the eastern reaches of that country.
“Your eyes,” the words had escaped before Jezzel had realized she’d spoken.
The woman glanced in Jezzel’s direction, frowned, and reached into her jacket, producing a handkerchief from within and offering it up.
“Oh,” Jezzel took the offered article and mopped her brow, “thank you.”
“Of course,” the woman held up her hand, stopping Jezzel as she moved to return the item. “Keep it; as for my eyes,” she brushed a stray hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear, “I’m reliably informed the military men here on Nyx have developed a taste for Dyrantisa features. If you can’t beat them….”
Elliza cleared her throat. “Forgive Us, but are we introduced? Missus….”
“I don’t believe so,” the woman said, thrusting a hand toward the young Empress. “And it’s Miss Albright, Jessica Albright. Acting Head of the diplomatic mission to Nyx.”
Elliza looked at the hand in feigned disinterest and slowly raised her's to take it, giving a firm shake. “Acting Head?”
The woman broke the shake and nodded. “Our fearless leader has decided to take some time to herself.”
“Has she? What a shame to be denied her company,” Elliza said.
The diplomat chuckled. “I understand there’s some friction with her. But, please, try to be patient, she has an admittedly chloric personality, but you couldn’t ask for a better administrator, never late and almost always early. She just has difficulty adapting when her plans need to change.”
Elliza grunted. “We shall bear that in mind. Was there a reason for your interruption?”
“Not in particular,” the woman said, bowing her head once more. “Please, forgive me if I’m making a nuisance of myself.”
“You are pardoned. Why were we never introduced?” 
“My previous role was administrative; I’m one of Miss Carver’s assistants, in my usual capacity. No need to trouble you with my presence until now.”
“That’s quite the promotion,” Jezzel said, feeling rather trod upon in this conversation.
“Not really,” Ms. Albright said. “I’m still the second most senior diplomat on Nyx, just not publically facing.”
“Fascinating, but if you’ll excuse us,” Elliza said.
The woman bowed her head. “Of course, though, if you don’t mind me prying a bit….”
“We,” Elliza said, hesitant. “We are visiting one of Our Ladies; she has a sick child.”
“How terrible,” Ms. Albright cried. “I hope it’s nothing serious.”
“Thank you, We shall pass on your concern,” Elliza said.
The dark-skinned woman nodded. “I’ll keep the girl in my prayers. oh! But I suppose Dr. Hagan will be there, won’t he?”
“He will; why?” Jezzel said cautiously.
The Dyrantoro woman smiled. “Well, Dr. Hagan and I were actually acquainted a long while ago. I had wanted to see if he’d changed at all the other night, but we were dismissed. Tell me if I’m imposing too much, but would it be alright if I tagged along with you?”
Elliza frowned, glancing from the Dyrantoro woman to Jezzel and back. “Well,” she said at last. “What’s one more? Come along, let’s not dawdle.”
The woman nodded, and Elliza led them on again to the fifth door on the right side of the hall. She knocked, and a moment later, Alex answered the door. “Eli!” he cried, glancing first to miss Albright, then to Jezzell herself. “And her Emminence, and-” he frowned. “Who’s your friend?”
Miss Albright crossed her arms over her chest, fixing the man with a glare, though the playful twist of her lips belayed the harshness of her glare. “You don’t remember me?”
His frown deepened. “Should I? you-” he stopped short. “Wait, weren’t you ONI?”
“I was,” the woman cried, beaming. “I knew you’d remember.”
“Defected to the civil service, did you?” he asked.
“Something like that; when I heard about Nyx, I knew the navy wouldn’t send me, and I just had to meet our new sisters.”
“ONI?” Jezzel asked.
Alex stepped out of their way, and as Elliza led them in, the Dyrantoro woman explained. “The Office of Naval Intelligence, I was a Naval officer. But as I said, I couldn’t wait, so I had myself assigned to the diplomatic mission.”
“Your Magnificence!” at once, every woman in the room was on their feet, and Lisril’s mother approached them, “and guests, I recognize her Emminence, but who might this be?”
The Dyrantoro laughed. “I’ve been getting that a lot today,” she said, offering her hand. “Jessica Albright, I hope you’ll forgive the intrusion.”
“Not at all; any guest of the Empress is a guest of mine,” the woman said, taking the proffered hand.
“But, to what do we owe the honor?” Alex asked.
“A woman can’t visit with an old friend?”
Alex said nothing, just staring at the dark-skinned lady, who jerked her head toward Jezzel’s.
He turned and frowned. “You just walked here? You look exhausted.”
Jezzel crossed her arms over her chest, glaring. Now even he was doing it. “I’m fine,” she insisted.
“I don’t think so,” he took her by the shoulder and guided her to one of the chairs; she tried to break away, but he was stronger than he looked, or she was weaker than once she was.
He sat her down and seized her hand, pulling it toward him, palm up, and pressed two fingers to her wrist. “Pain?" he demanded.
She tugged against his grip, and Elliza joined them. “Answer his question.”
“I’m fine,” she insisted, though, now that he’d drawn her attention to it, Jezzel found the pressure she’d carried on her chest since the evening seemed worse. “I’m just old, just need to rest.”
The Dyrantoro woman joined them then. “She was like this when you found her?” Alex asked.
The woman nodded. “Sweating against the cold, resting seemed to help, but-” she waved in Jezzel’s direction.
Jezzel tried to wave him off but could hardly lift her arm to do it. The pressure on her chest was growing unbearable, and she found herself clutching at her breast, gasping for breath.
“Fuck,” Alex swore, dragging her from her seat and laying her down. “Get me some water,” he snapped, “I left my first aid kit here last time; go get it.”
Elliza knelt down next to her, her face pale and creased with worry. “Aunt Jezzel.”
“F-fine,” Jezzel croaked. “I-”
“Shut up, save your breath,” Alex said. Someone handed him a cup and a little black bag. He fished a little bottle from the satchel and held the contents up to her. “Open your mouth.”
She didn’t have the strength to argue, and he pushed two little tablets into her mouth before bringing the cup to her lips. “Swallow it.”
With a mighty effort, she did as she was told, and he laid her back down, straddling her hips and pressing his hands down upon her breast. “Alden,” he said, apparently to no one.
He’d gone mad; she tried to say so, but the breath to do so wouldn’t come.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, court marshal me later; you were a medic.”
He paused. “Well, I have a VIP having a coronary here, so hone on my position and get here yesterday.”
He glanced at the dark-skinned Dyrantoro lady, who had joined Elliza at her side. The woman pressed two fingers to her chin, tilting her head back, leaning down, hovering just above her head a moment, before pulling back and shaking her head.
“She isn’t breathing; I’m starting compressions.” She felt his weight bear down on her chest. Something gave way beneath him, and she opened her mouth to scream, but all that came out was a strangled whine. He pressed down again, and the agony of it overwhelmed her, darkness washed across her vision, and the world went away.

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