The Mad Queen

Chapter Seventy-One

When Queen Visara was crowned, it wasn't in the great throne room that now sits in the Dulavelle Castle. The city all those years ago was hardly the size it is today. Buildings were simple and made from wood and the King lived in a fort where the Castle is now. Once Visara took over, she commissioned the build. Throughout her years, she had gathered a lot of wealth. It is with that wealth, she funded the building of the castle in the capital city that we all live in now. She also used her money to invest in the city. Improving schools and medical centres as well as homes. As she invested money and improved the city, it began to make more profit of its own. After a few years, the city did not need Visara's funds to improve. The better it began to look and function, the more people would move there and the bigger it got. The Castle did not take long to build. With the help of the Centaurs and Lupine for the heavy lifting and the brilliant architectural design by the Fae, the castle only took a total of three years to build. Once the city and castle were done, Visara began to work on a taxing system. Having used her wealth to build the city and castle, she did not have much left to continue the upkeep of her new home.

Her tax system was brilliant and only established her rule further. She did not take much from each person so they wouldn't be too much out of pocket. She gave the money back to them in the forms of more improvements. She split the money into different categories. Military and Law, Food distribution and Farming, Race Relations, Healing and Medicine, Education and City maintenance.  She employed loyal nobles to be in charge of these and together they would ensure that money was distributed correctly not only across the City but all of Vivelle. This group became known as The Council. Of course, their responsibilities included more than just money. So to take some weight off their shoulders, Visarappointeded a Councilman of the Treasury. It was his job to look after the money.

Of course, over the years the council has changed slightly. There is now no Councilman of Education or City Maintenance. Those roles have been incorporated with the duties of the councilmen, though are often overlooked.

~The History Of Visara.

Nianzu leads me to the room the Wyatt is being kept in. At the moment, it isn't being guarded.

"How did you know he was here?" I ask Nianzu through our bond.

"I followed them after they took you to the dungeons before I came for you," he replies and I nod my head. We knock on the door and Wyatt lets us in. Zoran is already inside.

The room isn't massive. The walls are the reddish brown stone with little square windows cut into it. The floor is more of the tiles. The door is wooden as is the bed and a simple chest of draws. On the bed is a thin, white sheet which has smears of the reddish-brown dust from the stone. There is a fireplace built into the wall on one wall but there is no wood.

"That went well," I sigh and sit on Wyatt's bed. He nods his head. "How am I going to introduce myself to him?" I ask and lie on my back, looking up at the ceiling. We are all silent as we think.

"Illyana," Wyatt begins. "You've met the Solavar before when he visited three years ago," he tells me. I nod my head and gulp, my throat drying. Wyatt frowns and I sit up slowly to look at him. "The Lupine like strength," he begins. "Especially in their leaders. Both physical and mental."

"Yes..." I urge him to continue. Wyatt smiles and nods to himself and I can see the cogs turning in his head.

"Tonight is the Summer Solstice. On the Summer Solstice, the Lupine celebrates with the Solar Ball."

"What is that?" I ask.

"The Lupine worship the god of the Sun and the goddess of the Moon. Solar and Luna. The Summer solstice is the day where the sun is out the longest. They celebrate the whole day. There is no bloodshed or fighting. There is just dancing, sharing, gifts and celebration. Lupine store and save food for months for this celebration. No one goes hungry and there are street parties all throughout the day. It is the only day of the year Lupine actually share their food. It is a day where they celebrate the sun and the light. It is also the day of the Solavar."