Transmigrated Into A Women Dominated World

"So," Athea said quietly. "My son is here."

"Yes, he is," Kayla replied. "You say that quite easily for someone who has never had any relationship with him."

Athea was not offended by the remark because Kayla had only stated the truth.

The words had not come easily. Athea had spent eighteen years avoiding them whenever speaking openly might expose Zaeryn. However, acknowledging him now did not make Kayla’s accusation any less deserved.

"I intend to change that," Athea said.

Kayla studied her for a moment, evidently unconvinced.

"Is that why you asked me here?" Kayla asked.

"Partly," Athea replied. "His evaluation is tomorrow, and he will need you to vouch for him. Unfortunately, I will not be able to defend him openly. To avoid raising suspicion, I will have to remain impartial and may even need to question him more harshly than the others."

Kayla did not answer immediately.

"You could have asked Ysmeine," Kayla said. "She knows him far better than I do."

"The Council would dismiss Ysmeine’s defence as the loyalty of the woman who raised him," Athea explained.

Kayla’s green eyes narrowed slightly.

"But they will not dismiss me," Kayla said.

"No. You are the Void Scythe," Athea replied. "They will not."

"So you want my reputation placed beside his?" Kayla asked.

"I want every advantage available to him," Athea said. "That includes you."

Kayla remained silent for several seconds before giving a restrained nod.

"If the Council asks for my assessment of him, I will answer truthfully," Kayla said. "I will not exaggerate his virtues merely to help you persuade the chamber."

"I would not ask you to," Athea replied.

Athea met her gaze.

"What will you tell them?" Athea asked.

"That he is arrogant, argumentative and inclined to turn simple instructions into contests," Kayla replied. "I will also tell them that he remained controlled throughout the journey and gave me no reason to consider him unstable."

"Then the truth will be enough," Athea said.

Kayla accepted that answer, although she did not leave the subject behind.

"There is something else," Kayla said. "Zaeryn is only a short walk from here, and this is the first opportunity you have ever had to meet him privately. If you truly intend to establish a relationship with him, is this not the perfect time to begin?"

Athea took a moment to consider her answer, but the sound of approaching footsteps reached the pavilion before she could speak.

Calyra appeared through the garden archway first, moving with her usual relaxed confidence, while Viora walked beside her in the dark fitted uniform of the Royal Guard. Viora had removed her duty gloves and tucked them beneath one arm.

"Aphrodite told us we would find you here," Calyra said. "She also asked me to remind you that you promised her the afternoon and only requested a few minutes."

"I have not forgotten," Athea replied.

Kayla rose from her chair as the two princesses entered the pavilion. She acknowledged each of them with a measured inclination of her head.

"Princess Calyra. Princess Viora," Kayla said.

"Warlady Noctis," Calyra greeted her.

Viora returned Kayla’s courtesy.

"I did not expect to see you again so soon," Viora said.

"Nor did I, Princess Viora," Kayla replied.

Calyra glanced in the direction of the Crown Guest Residence beyond the trees.

"I assume my nephew arrived without incident," Calyra said.

"He did," Kayla confirmed. "The journey was uneventful, and he is now inside the residence assigned to him."

"That makes one of us," Calyra said. "I have been anything but calm since I learned he was coming."

Athea gave her sister a warning look, although Calyra appeared not to notice it.

Kayla reached for the coat resting across the back of her chair.

"I should return to the guest residence," Kayla said.

"Will you remain in the Capital for the Gala after Zaeryn’s evaluation?" Calyra asked.

"I had not planned to attend," Kayla replied.

"You should consider it. You are already here, and half the military guests will spend the evening asking whether you might appear," Calyra said.

"That sounds like a reason for me to leave before it begins," Kayla replied.

A faint smile appeared upon Calyra’s face.

"Think about it," Calyra said.

"I will," Kayla replied.

"Your present suite was selected so that you could remain near Zaeryn tonight," Athea said. "If you remain in the Capital after the evaluation, I will have the First Vanguard Suite in the Hall of Laureates opened for the rest of your stay."

Kayla paused with one arm inside her coat.

The Hall of Laureates stood apart from the ordinary palace guest quarters. Its apartments were reserved for Warladies classified as strategic assets, High Commanders and other military leaders whose service entitled them to accommodation independent of noble rank. The First Vanguard Suite included a private entrance into the military transit system, secured communication facilities and a training court reinforced to withstand Tier-One Vitae.

"The household office can have it prepared before tomorrow evening," Athea continued.

"I would appreciate that," Kayla replied. "Moving after the evaluation will be suitable. I intend to remain in the adjoining suite tonight."

"I expected that," Athea said. "Someone from the household office will contact you tomorrow."

Kayla’s attention shifted briefly towards the garden archway through which Aphrodite had left.

"Princess Aphrodite," Kayla said. "I would like the opportunity to know her better while I am here."

Calyra smiled.

"She is your niece, after all," Calyra said.

"Precisely," Kayla replied.

Kayla finished putting on her coat and gave Athea a brief, exact inclination of her head.

"Thank you, Princess Athea," Kayla said.

She extended the same courtesy towards Calyra and Viora before turning away from the pavilion and following the garden path towards the eastern archway.

Calyra waited until Kayla had moved beyond hearing before taking the chair she had vacated. She reached for the teapot, poured what remained into an unused cup and discovered from the first sip that the tea had gone completely cold.

She looked down at it with visible disappointment.

"Erythea has been drinking that despite complaining about it for the last half hour," Athea said.

"That sounds like Erythea," Calyra replied, setting the cup aside and selecting one of the remaining pastries instead.

Viora sat in the chair beside her and placed her gloves neatly upon the table.

For several moments, none of them spoke. The pavilion had become quieter after Kayla’s departure, although distant voices still carried from another section of the garden where palace attendants were clearing the remains of an earlier gathering.

Calyra eventually looked towards the trees concealing the Crown Guest Residence.

"I have spent years knowing that I had a nephew I was not permitted to meet," Calyra said. "Now he is sitting inside the palace grounds, close enough for us to reach him within several minutes, and everyone appears determined to behave as though tomorrow morning is the earliest possible opportunity."

"He needs time to prepare for the evaluation," Athea replied.

"He has been preparing for it since the moment the Council learned about him," Calyra said. "I am not proposing that we occupy his entire evening. We can visit him, introduce ourselves and leave if he wants to rest."

"You cannot simply arrive at his residence and announce that you are his aunt," Athea said.

Calyra stared at her.

"Why not?" Calyra asked. "I am his aunt."

"You are also a member of the royal family he has been deliberately hidden from throughout his life," Athea explained.

"That is precisely why I would rather he meet me somewhere other than an Imperial Council chamber," Calyra replied.

The impatience in Calyra’s voice had not disappeared, but it had become more serious.

"I cannot wait to meet him, Athea," Calyra said. "I have heard about him from you, from Viora and now from half the Council without ever being permitted to stand in the same room with him. I want to see him for myself."

Viora looked from her aunt to her mother but remained silent.

Calyra turned her attention fully towards her sister.

"Kayla was right. This is the perfect opportunity," Calyra said. "Tomorrow you will be presiding over his evaluation, and you have already decided that you must treat him with greater severity than you otherwise would. If you do not visit him today, his first private memory of you will come after he has spent an entire morning wondering whether his own mother intends to protect him."

Athea’s gaze moved beyond the pavilion again.

From where she sat, she could see only the upper edge of the Crown Guest Residence through the trees. The building was close enough that she could reach it without using a cruiser or passing through any public section of the palace. One instruction from her would open every secured door between them.

Nothing was physically preventing her from going to him.

"I do not know what I would say once I entered the room," Athea admitted.

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