Duchess Gabriella Eagleclaw had seen many awful things in her life. She had seen her cousin, the late Grover V, on his deathbed, so tired and withered in spite of his young age. She had seen thousands of wounded soldiers return from the wars in Aquilea and Wingbardy, their bodies and minds broken by the conflict. She had seen the effects of the Purple Plague unleashed by the monsters of Longsword, and the unbearable suffering it caused.
Maybe that was why she had not taken the warnings seriously.
Slowly, Gabriella turned from the embarrassed nobles arrayed before her to the mortified Emperor standing by her side.
"Your Imperial Majesty," she began, looking for the right words to say. "I apologize. When you said the regency council was unavailable, I should have known you were not trying to avoid your lessons, and instead spoke the truth."
"It is alright," Grover answered, his voice hollow and distant. Poor griffon would have nightmares for weeks to come.
Turning her judging gaze back to the regency council, Gabriella spoke to the knights escorting her and the Emperor. "Captain von Hochhügel, please escort His Majesty to his chambers. Lieutenant von Altstein, please call the police."
Some of the councils more dimwitted members tried to protest but fell silent as Gabriella started tearing into them.
"You are going to stay quiet! I can understand a little corruption here and there, that is just how you are. But this?"
She motioned around the council's chamber with her talon. Every surface was covered by either loose feathers, alcohol, bodily fluids, or any combination of the three. The sturdy mahogany table dominating the room had been used for something other than its intended purpose, as had its legs. Somehow. Even the crystal chandelier hadn't been spared.
"Grover's lesson was supposed to start an hour ago! And you had been doing this for a while when he came in!" Gabriella's voice rose in pitch as she yelled. "What the hell were you thinking?"
She stopped her yelling to breathe, and spotted a bottle of strawberry wine on the table. Seeing a way to calm her nerves, she reached for the bottle.
"Don't!" a female griffon shouted.
"You dare!?" Gabriella shouted back.
"I used the bottle!"
Gabriella's talon stopped within inches of the bottle. The neck of the bottle was covered in wet stains. Stains like those that had one day appeared on the armrest of her throne. Stains like those she had seen on various bottles of her personal alcohol collection. Bottles she had drunk from.
Gabriella's eye twitched.
"Lieutenant Degen, go fetch a bottle of wine... no, whiskey from my collection. Make sure the bottle is perfectly stainless."
Another knight left the room. This left her with one. One who had an assault rifle slung over his shoulders. Could she get to the weapon? But who would she shoot? The council, or herself?
Gabriella slammed her head on the table, immediately regretting it as a strong smell of musk assailed her senses. Her voice now broken and teary, she raised her head and muttered: "The police is going to come in and arrest you. Because of your titles, you will not face charges. But the press will be allowed to print whatever they please about this all. Most of you can consider your careers to be over."
A mirthless chuckle followed her words.
"Archon Eros was right. We need commoners in the palace to curtail your idiocy. What possessed you to do this?"
The nobles had slunk back in fear, and none was stupid enough to answer her question.
Gabriella rose from the table, stepping around the room. "Well, since someone has to get things done around here, I will. What was your lesson going to be about?"
When no answer came, Gabriella spoke again. "Well?"
A noble from the back of the crowd spoke up, using the others as a barrier between himself and the irate Duchess. "We were going to teach His Majesty about the process of looking for a mate and how he is expected to eventually have an heir."
"And this was how you planned to teach him?" The anger had slowly left Gabriella's voice, leaving only confusion behind. "With an orgy?"
"No. We started planning the details, then sex came up and then everything spiraled out of control," came a rapid-fire explanation from a small brown and golden griffon at the from of the crowd.
"Thank you," Gabriella said sarcastically. "Heirs and mates were something I was supposed to talk to him about, but after witnessing your antics I know His Majesty won't be thinking about sex for a long time, if ever. Another succession crisis incoming."
It was then that the knight sent to fetch a bottle arrived. He stopped next to Gabriella and saluted her, eyes fixed straight forward. "A bottle of Vleugels Malt Whiskey. Unopened. Not a single stain."
"Thank you."
The Duchess sat on a relatively untouched chair. She could already hear the police and the reporters approaching down the hallway. Soon this would be over.
XXXX
Gabriella entered Grover's chambers.
"Hello?" She called out as she pushed the door open.
"Over here," came the quiet answer. Grover VI sat on a small chair next to a window, looking over the city of Griffenheim. The white and yellow griffon looked more like a weary elder than a young, soon to be adult Emperor.
Gabriella closed the door behind her and walked further into the large room. Noticing a small table and a chair, she dragged them over to Grover, who turned to look at her in confusion.
"I'm sorry you had to see that, Grovy," she said. "But at least you didn't have to see the aftermath. I think it was even worse than the.. act."
Grover laughed. A genuine, happy laugh that broke through his shock.
"I suppose. At least tomorrow's headlines will be interesting."
"Oh, that they will be. But that is not why I wanted to see you."
With a flourish, Gabriella pulled out a small brown bottle and two glasses she had tucked under her wing.
"Today, my dear Grovy, I will teach you about spirits."
