Someone Else's Kingdom, BOOK II - Scene XXXI

"The sky is falling?"

Drua Maleeva watched on unimpressed as King Mizmeam repeated the strange words. With so many more pressing issues at hand, here they were, wasting time on an aberrant woman, who looked as though she'd crawled up from the ocean floor. Though he mulled the words himself the king was equally dismissive. The only thing stopping him from ejecting the woman at first sight being his slight wonderment that King Brijsk had even sent her his way in the first place.

"Idiot," uttered Maleeva impatiently, as they both wondered out loud at this. Her disdain for the northern king only outstripped by her instinctive dislike for the deranged woman now standing before her. Impatient with the conversation she turned and walked across the room, as if to mirror her dislike physically with the distance. Coulema Galina, a now constant companion of the king, stood by, observing this odd scene. Mildly more interested in the doom-laden words of the woman, but nevertheless not a million miles away in thinking from his hosts-cum-captors.

"It's falling - and you are making it fall," interrupted the woman, in a steely tone, lecturing the king once more - with little regard for circumstance or protocol.

"You're waging wars upon the sky," she shrieked. "The shell is broken -- only penitence can heal it now." 

With this last outburst the king's patience finally ran dry. Not wasting more words on the madness he waved his hand to have her removed. His guards grabbed her slender, branchy form and forcefully shoved her towards the door. Her eyes cursing the room as her wild hair and pitted attire swayed helter-skelter after her bones. As they dragged her out, however, one of the king's retainers came rushing in the other way, almost crashing into the guards in his haste.

"Excuse me, sire, but the young prince has fallen ill ..He passed out in the hallway ..He's been taken to his room."

Before the king could respond Maleeva rushed out through the door, a stare of concerned panic on her face. "I can help him," shouted the strange woman as she overheard the message, turning her head to meet eyes with the king as the guards pulled her away.

"OUT," bellowed the king with anger. Heedless to her words. He then headed towards Prince Seaspell's room, with a concern almost equal to that of Maleeva's.