Oris gazed pensively at Ryu and Kentario. “Well, that’s it for the moment, at least. It goes without saying that you two are welcome to stay as long as you need.”
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the news reporter began again, sitting up straight in front of the camera, “we have further information on the breaking story of an attack on the palace. We’ll cross now to Alana Binet, a journalist reporting from the scene.”
The camera cut to an ageing woman standing outside the palace. She was dishevelled, dressed in jeans and a wrinkled shirt, without makeup and her hair was pulled back into a messy bun, a far cry from the usual prim and proper standards of the media. One could assume that she was a seasoned journalist, who’d rushed over to the palace the instant she got wind of the news, more intent on doing her job than on making sure she was neat and well-presented.
“Good morning, Rieta. Scenes here outside the palace are chaotic this morning, with reports that late last night, a group of rebels broke into the palace and attacked the Royal Guard. Eye witnesses report hearing multiple shots fired, and fire fighters are on the scene, attending to a fire which broke out in the eastern wing of the palace. No details yet on exactly who has been injured, nor on the safety of the royal family, but as you can see behind me…” She turned to peer over her shoulder, the camera operator focusing on a cluster of ambulances parked near the main gate. “…multiple ambulances have been attending the scene. At least a dozen personnel have already been transported to the Royal Azrahn Hospital, and paramedics are continuing to treat injured palace staff. There have been no further reports of gunshots or fighting this morning, and though we haven’t been allowed too close to the gates, the palace grounds seem eerily quiet this morning. Ourinvestigations are continuing, and we anticipate an official statement from the palace sometime early this morning.”
“Well, the good news, at least, is that this doesn’t look like a revolution,” Oris said, turning down the volume again as the report crossed back to the studio. “No riots, no apparent civilian involvement. It’s not exactly what I’d call a silver lining, but it’s better than the alternative.”
“So what do we do now?” Ryu asked. Part of him was itching to get back to the palace and find out what was going on, but he knew Kentario would never let him back there until he had answers to a lot more questions.
“Now we wait,” Kentario said. “If the palace does actually release a statement, I want to hear what they have to say before we go jumping back in.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
It was coming up for 9:30 in the morning, an hour and a half having passed in tense silence, Kentario pacing the kitchen while Ryu did his best to stay calm. About half an hour ago, Oris had retreated to his office to do some work, and now, Ryu sat on the sofa in the living room, the television on with the sound muted. Still restless, he was idly toying with Kentario’s hair as he cuddled up beside his… his what? His bodyguard? His boyfriend? His… fiancé?
Kentario hadn’t put his hair back into its usual ponytail this morning, the dark strands falling about his ears. But as Ryu ran his fingers through the silky mass, he kept an ear out for Oris, ever wary that he could return at any moment. Though their newfound relationship was still very much a private affair, he hadn’t been able to resist the need to seek a little physical comfort. If nothing else, it kept his mind off what was going on back at the palace. And the thought that his parents were…
“Thank you,” he muttered, as his fingers drifted downwards to stroke the light dusting of stubble across Kentario’s jaw. “I didn’t really get around to saying it earlier, but I’d be dead without you.”
Kentario turned and pressed a light kiss against his forehead. “Sorry if I got a little rough back there. You know, manhandling you out of the palace.”
Ryu shrugged. “You did what you had to do. I’m not going to hold any grudges about getting pushed around a bit.”
There was a pause. “What about…” Kentario stopped and made a noise of disquiet.
“What about what?”
“What about… last night?” he asked, glancing apprehensively at Ryu and lowering his voice, lest Oris somehow overhear them. “It wasn’t exactly planned. So… any regrets?”
Ryu shook his head. “No. I love you,” he said, running a hand across Kentario’s chest. “And as far as I’m concerned, if the Goddess Selene doesn’t want us to be together, she can go fuck herself.”
Kentario chuckled. “Not exactly anoblesentiment,” he said wryly. But something in his expression made Ryu look twice. He opened his mouth to ask whether Kentario was having any second thoughts… but suddenly, Kentario sat up, the move so abrupt it nearly knocked Ryu off the sofa.
“News report,” Kentario said, reaching for the remote and turning up the volume. Ryu righted himself, turning his attention to the television, all thoughts of his question for Kentario forgotten.
“Further to our breaking news story,” the reporter was saying, “we’ve just received word that Captain Maro Landis of the Royal Guard is about to make an announcement. Aki? Can you hear me?”
The camera cut to an anxious journalist standing outside the palace, where a bevy of news reporters and spectators had gathered, eagerly waiting for the latest snippets of information. A crowd of civilians were trying to get a glimpse inside the palace gates, while a line of police held them back.
“Loud and clear, Rieta. That’s right, Maro Landis is just behind me, and in a few moments, he’ll be addressing the media. Speculation has been rampant all morning, with reports confirmed that there was a coordinated, military-style attack against the palace late last night, though we have yet to hear any official comment on either injuries or casualties, or on who the perpetrators of the attack may have been. It looks like he’s ready to start, so let’s hear what he has to say.”
The camera zoomed in on Maro, standing stiffly behind a podium that had hastily been set up on the steps outside the palace. He’d cleaned himself up and changed his clothes, no traces of the earlier blood splatter to be seen, though he looked a far cry from his usual, composed self. His hair was mussed, his face unshaven, and his hands shook as he gripped a sheaf of papers, no doubt containing a hastily compiled statement. He wasn’t accustomed to addressing the media, with palace announcements far more often delivered by a spokesperson specifically assigned to the post, but Ryu guessed that the usual man for the job was either unavailable this morning, with Maro no doubt banning any unnecessary personnel from the palace, or as a far less optimistic possibility, dead.
Maro opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again, shuffling his papers in agitation. “Thank you for coming. I have just a short statement to read to you this morning,” he said, staring at the report in his hand. “Uh… As you would be aware by now, the Royal Palace came under attack at approximately 11:15 last night.” He took a steadying breath. “It was a well-coordinated attack, and we have determined that it was carried out by the Nalmagian rebel group ‘Noctavia’. The Nalmaga Disputed Territory has recently been involved in various conflicts related to the civil war in Biermarg, and our current understanding is that this attack was a direct retaliation against Galandeen for perceived slights against the Nalmagian people.”
Oris appeared in the doorway, having heard the television, and he took a seat beside Ryu, staring intently at the screen.
“I must now report that the-” He stopped suddenly, lips pressed into a tight line. “I must unfortunately now report that both King Sou and Queen Elise… have been killed.”
A sudden wave of shouting broke out from the crowd of reporters, and several members of the Guard stepped forward to control the unrest. Once the noise settled down, Maro continued. “Furthermore, the king’s bodyguard, Lord Danag Amagarda, was also killed in the attempt to protect the king’s life.”
Immediately, Ryu glanced across at Kentario. He was watching the screen, with no discernible reaction to the news. “Kentario?” He put a tentative hand on his bodyguard’s leg.
“It’s the only way it could be,” Kentario said, without taking his eyes off the screen. “He’d never voluntarily leave the king’s side.”
“I’m sorry,” Oris muttered, running a hand over his eyes. “He was a good man.”
