It had seemed like just another messenger when he’d arrived with the note that evening of the events that had occurred at the stadium in Vasiliadon. Aga and Mel were there, probably some attempt to pacify Evie from attending the races and complaining about the lack of sportsmanship too many of the racers had with their horses, but the visit didn’t take away from the fact that she was glad for a break in her routine. Konstantinos had been up to his usual pranks most of the day. Her brother was going to have to think up some more original ones if he hoped to ever get a rise out of them. He was becoming entirely too predictable.

That evening, they’d just finished dinner with the messenger arrived, delivered the note and galloped off with other dispatches to deliver. The news about the King hadn’t seemed real at first… her cousins chatted with themselves quietly, Konstantinos had kept asking her how this could happen, and her parents had stepped into the privacy of her father’s office in what Evie could only imagine was the two of them forming some sort of plan on how to go forward from here. Leventi supplies would be needed and it would be a formidable move to be there helping the crown in its time of need.

It was safe to say the household didn’t sleep much that night.

By morning it had been decided that Konstantos would accompany Aga and Mel back to his brother’s house, Evie would go to help where she could, and her mother and brother would remain to ensure things smoothly continued at the barony. It wasn’t a perfect scenario but for the amount of time it’d taken to put it together, it was an organized and well-executed convoy of Leventis’ and supplies. The trip drug on and on with a slow pace from the supplies they were bringing and the anticipation of what awaited them.

Darkness had settled when they arrived, the capital was still active even at this hour. Fires were still trying to be burnt out and the smell of the city was undoubtedly going to linger for a long time. There was only one word for it all: Chaos. They safely saw her cousins back to the Leventi mansion. Exhausted from everything, she left her father to sort out the details with her uncle and escaped to a room.

**********

It was past mid-morning when Evie’s eyes slowly pried themselves open. It wasn’t like her too sleep this late, normally she when the first hints of light broke through in the mornings she was on her feet. She could sleep when she was dead. Today was quite different. One of the slaves brought her up some breakfast and helped her dress in a simple chiton, made of a bold indigo blue.

The view from her window showed the city bustling still with activity. Did none of these people sleep? Or had they slept when she had? That seemed unlikely. It looked as if the stadium still smoldered in places. From out of the corner of her eye, she caught a flash of movement below. Her father appeared to busy in helping with the aftermath. Stepping away from the window, figured it was time to put herself to use unless of course, she could find some way of procrastinating a bit. The truth was her morbid fascination with disaster held a bit more interest to her than actually being helpful.

Starting down the hallway, she thought she heard a noise from Pia’s room and paused. It seemed like a good enough way to kill time. Using her knuckle, Evie rapped on the door lightly a couple of times before she stuck her head inside.

“Pia?” Using her knuckle, Evie rapped on the door lightly a couple of times before she stuck her head inside. “Pia. How are you feeling?”