Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 678: More Than Offend ()
"Diandre?!" Lady Diandre asked in indignation as she glanced over her shoulder.
Her eyes settled on Neveah who was also staring at her and Lady Diandre’s words were caught in her throat. The first thing Lady Diandre noticed was the oppressive aura Neveah exuded, and her regal appearance had Lady Diandre rethinking her next words.
A quiet tingling sound echoed through the hall as the golden chains dangling from Neveah’s black dress trailed across the marble floor of the audience hall.
There had not been enough time to make much preparations and so Neveah had Davina’s dress on once again, Neveah had not thought she would have cause to don the dress again so soon after coming to an understanding with the rider council, but it was even more appropriate for this occasion.
This time, Neveah’s hair was pulled up into a neat bun and there was a pitch black ornament adorning it.
Her steps were slow and casual and she stopped just a short distance from the doors where her gaze roamed around the hall for just a moment.
She took note of the tense atmosphere and the agitated stance of some of the dragon lords, particularly Conrad and Neveah’s gaze lingered on him for a moment,
She said nothing but Conrad eased up his stance on instinct, as did most of the dragon lords present in the hall.
It was a subtle change, but it somehow affected the overall atmosphere in such a way that the foreign races were all the more intimidated by the utter calm restored to the council.
"The breach of Menarx’s district only happened yesterday. For some reason, you have requested portal permission at the same time...is it not a matter of interest that you seem to be the first to have known of the breach? At this time, there are some within the walls of this very Keep who still do not know of it." Neveah continued.
"What are you even doing here?! And how I was able to find out is of less importance compared to the pressing issues at hand!" Lady Diandre hissed, suddenly defensive.
"Is it?" Neveah asked blankly.
Neveah walked in further, walking past Lady Diandre and the dwarves, she intentionally moved in a straight line right through their midst and did not bother going around them.
The dwarves and the other representatives of the Fae parted from Neveah’s path, save for Lady Diandre.
"You are in my way. Move." Neveah stated simply.
Lady Diandre frowned slightly, glancing on either side of her. There was clearly enough space for Neveah to go around but Neveah kept her gaze fixed straight ahead like she could not see it.
Everyone within the hall understood clearly what was happening in this moment, it was an act of establishing dominance and authority even without words.
The weight of the change in the atmosphere at Neveah’s entrance into the hall had been felt by all and the implications were not one anyone with sense could ignore, even if they were unclear on what was happening.
"Lady Diandre, stand aside." Imagor spoke up from where he sat, his tone chilling cold.
Lady Diandre moved to the side with a scoff and Neveah barely acknowledged her reaction, moving past, she only walked a short distance and stopped at the foot of the elevated platform.
"I regret to inform you, it is not your place to decide what issues are pressing to the dragon court and what is not. And your urgency does not constitute an emergency to us. You are so well informed of the affairs of Dragon Keep, you even know exactly just who was harmed during the breach."
"Of all the Fae Clan lords you have given up to our custody, you ask for only one...Lord River. It is either one of two things... you have spies planted here on Keep grounds..." Neveah began as she turned around.
"Or you knew about the breach even before it happened..." Neveah left her words hanging
"Such speculations are offensive!" Lady Diandre hissed.
"That is your problem." Neveah replied simply.
"Do you realize you have just admitted that Lord River and the previous Dwarf King were compromised?! Should you not provide us an explanation?!" Another Fae representative demanded.
"I will...in a moment." Neveah said with a nod.
At that same moment, Tara hurried into the audience hall, carrying a large wooden box with her.
The box dripped with a liquid that was familiar to everyone in the hall and gasps sounded from the Fae representatives as Tara stopped by the door.
"Isn’t that... blood?!" A Fae representative hissed quietly.
Even the rider council were caught off guard but they did a much better job of concealing it.
"Decaron, I have prepared a gift for our guests. Do me a favor and relieve Tara of it, let our guests have a look. My dear girl is trembling." Neveah said to Lord Decaron, passing him a glance.
Lord Decaron walked across the room, taking the box from Tara, he was barely fazed by the blood dripping from it as he carried it over to the representatives.
Neveah gestured slightly to the dwarves and Decaron stretched the box out to the dwarf spokesperson, shoving it into his hands before he returned to his place.
"Go ahead...open it. I think it might be something you are looking for." Neveah encouraged.
The dwarves exchanged looks before one of the others pulled open the lid of the wooden box.
The faces of the dwarves turned as white as a sheet. The box dropped from the hands of the dwarf spokesperson and a severed head rolled out of it, earning shrieks of surprise from the Fae representatives.
Neveah watched in silence, casually taking off the gloves that covered her hands to reveal her bloodied claws.
She climbed up the elevated dais till she stood in front of the dragon throne and Lords Imagor and Kirgan stood to their feet, lowering their heads to a bow.
"Your Grace." They both said in unison.
The rider council followed suit, while the representatives were confused as to what to be more shocked at, between Neveah and the sight of the severed head of the previous Dwarf King.
"You are daring enough to waltz into Dragon Keep and demand my Lord Dragon be... replaced, I intend to do a whole lot more than offend." Neveah clarified.
