SLEEPWALKING - Start

  ***

  She could hear voices.

  She didn’t know how much time had passed.

  But whenever she woke, the grand hall laid empty.

  The throne, though, was always just as comforting.

  And so, she kept falling asleep. Over and over.

  Until someone disturbed her cycle of rest.

  ***

  Regency Council Session #3242 - Official Minutes

  PRESENT:

  * [Chair] Councilor Echo - Lady President of All Realms

  * Councilor Sax - Lord Secretary of Harvests & Famine

  * Councilor Joy - Lady Minister of the Dawn

  * Councilor Sloan - Lord Master of Ceremonies

  * Councilor Aisola - High Matriarch of the Grand Cathedral

  * Councilor Revelry - Chair of Joint Chief General Headquarters

  * General Var - First Commander of the Regency Guard

  * Council Stenographer

  (Stenographer’s Note: While this number of voting participants satisfies the technical minimum quorum for a legal meeting of the Regency Council, there are not enough votes present to issue decrees requiring assent by absolute majority.)

  Councilor Echo: “We must begin at some point. There can really be no excuse for any further delays. The others will get here when they get here.”

  Councilor Joy: “Begin what, exactly? At this point, what can we even do??”

  Councilor Revelry: “No need for melodramatics. We must act and we must act decisively. It’s that simple.”

  Councilor Joy: “Act how??? Aren’t we all dead the moment she wakes up?”

  Councilor Echo: “That is far from guaranteed. No need for all this hysteric fatalism.”

  Councilor Sloan: “We must release a proclamation at once. This Council’s assumption of power was perfectly legitimate. During Her Majesty’s absence, we’ve always acted in accord with the Imperial Codex of Law. We must make sure to clarify that.”

  Councilor Joy: “Who cares about any of that now???”

  Councilor Sax: “Besides, perhaps you’ve forgotten, Councilor Sloan, that our actions at the Crisis could hardly be called legitimate, in any meaning of the word.”

  Councilor Sloan: “I request you withdraw that remark. As any read of the record would demonstrate, I had personally made every effort to ensure proper procedure was followed, despite the harshness of the circumstances.”

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  Councilor Revelry: “I wouldn’t put much stock in those records.”

  Councilor Aisola: “Agreed. For whatever reason, the reflection of the past within the meeting minutes seems to greatly diverge from the reflection of reality in my own eyes.”

  Councilor Sloan: “Do the honored Councilors wish to raise a complaint regarding my leadership at the Department of Records?”

  Councilor Sax: “Well, this is hardly the right time, but if you’ve already raised the point, I do have a couple of inquiries on the matter, I haven’t quite had the chance to properly examine.”

  [INBETWEEN SECTION WAS EXPUNGED FROM MEETING MINUTES FOR INTEGRITY REVIEW]

  Councilor Joy: “Can we stop arguing about the past, already!? In case you forgot, there’s a monster sleeping in the reception hall!”

  Councilor Aisola: “A monster? Her Majesty hardly appears monstrous to me. If anything, we who are gathered in this chamber seem far more…”

  Councilor Echo: “Order! We will have order here! Potential lese majeste aside, Councilor Joy does have a point. We’ve strayed rather far off topic and time is running out.”

  General Var: “Exactly, Your Excellency. What would you have the army do?”

  Councilor Revelry: “Raise readiness to full. Be ready to act at any moment. However, do not act without my direct order.”

  Councilor Sax: “What’s this, then? Usurping power already? Old habits, huh?”

  Councilor Sloan: “That’s right, in such exceptional circumstances, General, you have no authority to act on orders not counter-signed by a legal quorum of this Council.”

  Councilor Echo: “Strictly speaking, with Her Majesty’s return, the powers of this Council could be considered null and void.”

  Councilor Aisola: “Agreed. In truth, I find myself highly distressed that a motion of dissolution has not yet been raised. Lady President, might I inquire as to the cause of such an omission?”

  Councilor Sloan: “Let’s not be hasty. According to the Codex of Law, we have no authority to issue any decree of that magnitude without the presence of an absolute majority of Council members.”

  Councilor Sax: “Speaking of which, what’s taking the others so long? Given the occasion, I would have expected them to arrive hours ago.”

  Councilor Aisola “It is not so inexplicable. Some live far afield. Others might not assign any significance to the meetings of our Council, which is now akin to a sleepwalker shambling ever onwards, not knowing it's long since time to wake up. As an example, before the onset of our discussion, I happened to catch sight of Councilor Avila in a corridor of this very palace.”

  Councilor Sax: “Excuse me, what did you just say?”

  Councilor Joy: “What the fuck??? She’s here? She’s been here this whole time??? This can’t be happening, this isn’t happening, this is just a dream, please tell me…”

  Councilor Echo: “Your Holiness, are you certain of what you saw? Councilor Avila is here, and chose not to present herself to us?”

  Councilor Aisola: “I can attest to that unreservedly. She’s here. I’ve witnessed her. She still strikes quite a figure. Wouldn’t mistake her for anyone.”

  Councilor Echo: “Understood. Sloan, prepare the text of your proclamation, we’ll append it to the motion of dissolution which will be voted on as soon as we can gather an absolute majority of members.”

  Councilor Sloan: “I’ll begin right away.”

  Councilor Echo: “General, put all forces in the highest state of alert, and have your most trusted brigade encircle the palace. Don’t let anyone through, except members of the Regency Council. This is an order that supersedes any other. Is that clear?”

  General Var: “Yes, ma’am!”

  Councilor Echo: “Very well. This meeting is adjourned.”

  (Stenographer’s note: At this moment, there is some commotion as several Councilors rise from their seats and hurry to leave the chamber.)

  Councilor Joy: *inaudible*

  Councilor Echo: “There is no need for panic. We don’t know anything yet.”

  Councilor Aisola: “Fret not, Children. All sins shall find due recompense, before the age shall find its end. Is this your first time hearing these words?”

  Councilor Echo: “...May God have mercy on our souls.”

  ***

  A figure was walking towards the grand reception hall with short hurried steps.

  Would she arrive in time?

  Having arrived, would she be able to enter?

  Having entered, would she be able to leave?

  These were the questions.

  She was too afraid to think of the answers.

  Time was running out.

  The dream was almost over.

  The nightmare had only just begun.

  ***

  SLEEPWALKING - END