[Lauchenoiria]

Robinson Residence, Kerlile

"But I don't want to live in Zongongia," protested Natasha.

The Robinson family were in the living room of the part of their family property they actually used. Carmen sat on an armchair while her two daughters stared at her. The younger, Imogen, was cross-legged on the couch, looking up in alarm. The elder, Natasha, had stood up, hands on her hips, glaring at her mother.

“I’m not offering you a choice,” Councillor Robinson said calmly. “This is for your own good. You can stay with our cousins, you can learn more about the world outside the Matriarchy, and you can be protected from political changes that are likely to occur.”

Carmen Robinson had announced ten minutes ago to her daughters that they were going to stay with cousins in Zongongia for the foreseeable future. Her eldest had not taken the news very well. It didn’t matter that the aforementioned ‘cousins’ were actually members of the royal family of Zongongia, that they’d be staying in a literal palace, and that as a constitutional monarchy Zongongia was a freer and more pleasant place to live than Kerlile.

“What about Imogen’s education?” Natasha countered. “The EUCDA requirements? What if something happens to me and she can’t inherit because she didn’t spend enough years in Maytown and instead the Pierres somehow take control?”

“You’re sixteen, Natasha,” sighed Carmen, “and yet you’re making contingency plans for your own death. This is what comes of living here. You need to be able to rest, to live without the sheer paranoia of how our family lives in this country. Please, Natasha, don’t fight this.”

“This doesn’t make sense!” argued Natasha. “Why now? Things are better, why not do this years ago if you’re that scared?”

Carmen hadn’t wanted to tell Natasha about the true reason for this. She’d introduced the idea, at first, as an opportunity for her daughters to learn more about the outside world and gain skills that other Council heirs lacked due to living their whole lives in the Matriarchy. But if Natasha was going to push back so hard… she had little choice. Carmen stood, walking over to her daughter and whispered, almost imperceptibly, in her daughter’s ear. “Calhualyana knows about the Auroras.”

Natasha’s blood ran cold. She took a step backwards, then another, then another until her back was against the wall and she slid down it to sit on the floor. Natasha sat, gasping, shaking as she leaned on the wall, trying not to pass out. Imogen, watching this, looked between her sister and her mother, and then burst into tears. “I don’t understand!” she cried. “Why do we have to go? Why is Natasha shaking?”

“Shh, honey,” Carmen said, sitting next to her younger daughter and stroking her hair. “It’ll be okay. You’ll be safe in Zongongia, all will be well. Your sister will be there too and she’ll look after you.” Imogen continued to sob, burying her face in her mother’s stomach, clinging on as if to let go would cause some catastrophe.

“You’re not coming,” Natasha said, her voice hollow.

“I can’t,” Carmen shook her head. Natasha didn’t move.

“You’ll die,” Natasha whispered.

“None of us have a choice here,” the Councillor said, looking away.

“How did this happen?”

“We gambled,” sighed Councillor Robinson, standing up. “We lost.”

The two older Robinsons were silent, the only sound Imogen’s small sobs escaping as she cried in fear and confusion. Natasha stood shakily, walking over to her mother and then hugged her tightly, knocking them both onto the couch next to Imogen. Then Natasha began crying as well, and Carmen sat, holding her sobbing daughters, suppressing her own terror and wishing that there was some way she could create a miracle.