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gtbigbang2021 · 4 years ago

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Obsidian Sapphires

1. Asternée

(dawn)

(under two months earlier) Word of collapsing diplomatic relations formed the main body of the paper's front page.

Lounging on a chair situated on a balcony overlooking the whole city of Therae, Emir flipped to the full story. Where most of his people would dismiss the events as foreign storms, Emir believed it to be more than that.

When a page mentioned "Seldaika", "Faistvad code" and "giants' rights", it was always going to be more than what got portrayed. Something more is going on behind the scenes, something he feared would lead to war in the wrong hands.

The thought of it alone made him feel powerless. After taking a few moments to comprehend the text, he stood up and leaned on his forearms atop the railing.

Down below, people mixed and mingled through ancient streets; singing, cycling and laughing. Fountains flowed for time's duration, while birds spoke in harmonious melody.

One wrong move on Helinda's part, and these people — his people, would be in danger. Worse still, his daughter would be in trouble sooner, her being in Helinda and all.

"My sweet daughter, I send my blessings forth. My virtue, my grace, and my repentance. May the Goddess anoint you with her guidance, while I make right my wrongs." Upon quoting the maiden from Alesandret's infamous tragedy, The Maiden of Belisarde, a pang of regret consumed his heart whole.

During the short period of fifteen years since his split with his girlfriend, he'd learned many things, yet his daughter's name wasn't one of them.

Heck, he had no clue about her life since. And though his smooth finger hovered above the number still titled "My love", never did he find the nerve to click it.

As much as he yearned otherwise, the woman did not deserve him intruding on her life. Not now, not again, not ever.

He stood up from the railing. For the first time in a long while, something compelled him to spring into action. Even if Seldaika's talks with Helinda finished properly, he knew that it was best to make his country stronger.

But of course, there's always a snag. "Why, Estyia, why must you be dead?" He thought to himself, walking past his table and chair. A servant would clean that up later.

The youngest Verlova girl was his ticket to amalgamating his province and hers. But when she is riding with the dead, what could Emir do?

It's not like— Of course, he realised, trying to hide a clever smile. If he could find his daughter and coronate her, it would secure his place on the throne for definite.

Now in a dark, narrow corridor, he approached his trusted servant. "If you may, I need you to organise two big favours for me."

"And what might those be, my liege?"

Emir cupped his hands around the servant's ear, whispering his instructions. "Firstly, I would like you to procure the dead bodies of the Verlovas, and secondly, I'll need all the help I can get to find my daughter."

Before either of them could say anything else, Queen Callabiem of Kerras approached, clearly in a rush of sorts. "My dear son, what are you plotting this time?"

—

(current day)

Seldaika's entire history was enscribed onto that table. Forever would the otherwise unremarkable desk in the third row be known as the place where Cheyoria and Alycja sat.

And even now, Alycja had her spellbook open over her history book.

The teacher, a stout woman by the name of Mrs. Ascheri, prattled on in the background. Though the pair were sure that the details of the conflict over a hundred years ago was important, the two teens have more important priorities.

"Pshh, Cheyoria." Alycja nudged her friend's arm, pointing to a page in her book. "Take a look at this."

"What does that symbol mean?" Cheyoria asked, whispering in English.

This symbol wasn't like anything she had seen before, and it didn't help that it was accompanied by a script only Alycja could read.

"Oh, it's a summoning symbol. I hope to summon a spirit later." Alycja shrugged, looking to her friend in earnest. This wasn't the first time that Alycja tried ambitious things like this, but Cheyoria had to give her a look of concern.

"Aly, this is the most ambitious thing you're about to do. Are you sure about this? Necromancy is illegal for a reason."

Alycja's eyes widened, and she did a double take. "What? Oh Sages, no, this is far different. Think of this as catching a fish and setting it free."

"Well, if you're sure about this." Her tone couldn't quite conceal her hesitancy. Should this go wrong (which she hoped it wouldn't), then what could she do? She couldn't help Alycja in the slightest. Such were the dangers of foreign magic.

"Look, Cheyoria." Alycja placed a hand upon her friend's bony shoulder. "Don't worry about it too much, it'll be grand, I promise. If nothing else, at least the spell is一" Clanging church bells cut off her sentence.

Cheyoria smiled, glad to see the back of the school year. "I'll try not to. It's just that I don't want to see anything happen to you, you're my closest friend after all."

"Yeah, I know. I got your back too, girl." The pair shoved their books into their bags, before rushing out into the corridor packed with fellow students. Even though this place was hundreds of years old, cool air circulated enough to stifle the heat of summer.

"So, same place?"

"You bet."

Alycja's rebellious spirit seemed to rub off on her. "I'll race you there."

"Wait, what?" The witch took off in a flash, trailing behind her tall and nimble friend. "Ah, Cheyoria, wait up!"

一

Before long, the rows of cream buildings made way for a flourish of greenery. What few buildings stood here bore a litany of cracks, holes and wooden boards. Ivy, birds and flowers ruled this place.

Cheyoria's fingers moved by her side, akin to foliage in the wind. She didn't know if it was her affinity or what, but nature set her soul at ease.

"After you." She opened a section of the wire fence, offering for Alycja to go through first.

Alycja grinned, bending for a moment as if to a royal. "Much obliged."

Once Cheyoria ducked all the way through the fence, the pair walked toward the place supposed to be known as Rovsterli Cottage. Its outer walls were but feral hedgerows, ivy and pink flowers.

The door, though still standing, had a lock with no key. One single push on Cheyoria's part and it creaked open, bouncing against an empty doorframe.

"Yo, Alycja, Cheyoria, got any plans?" A male asked, his voice smooth and sultry.

Cheyoria jumped in her spot, her eyes alight with shock. "Jabari, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

Both Alycja and Jabari started laughing, the former leaning into him. "Perhaps. Something wrong with that arrangement?"

"Ugh, forget it." She shook her head, before sitting on the armrest of an old couch. "What brings you here, boy? Do you have any hairbrained schemes you didn't tell us about yet?"

Jabari kissed Alycja's forehead, and in turn she whispered something into his ear. "I could ask the same of you two."

"Eschar. Hey, did you ever get to that guy? You know, the researcher?"

Alycja had one hand around Jabari's shoulder, while the other fumbled through her bag. "Oh that guy? Yeah, he turned out to be some sort of botanist. He said the plant was silverweed."

"Silverweed?" Cheyoria raised a brow. "I'm guessing you didn't get much for it?"

"Not at all, he said that poisonous plants aren't worth much." Jabari huffed, observing as Alycja pulled her book out of the bag. "I find it amusing, though, how drugs are worth so much and they themselves derive from poisonous plants."

"Is Damian here?" Alycja flicked through the pages, and then pulled out a box of white chalk.

Cheyoria slipped her bag onto the floor and checked her phone. No texts from the boy.

"Nope, he said that he had family things to attend to." Jabari shrugged, before rushing after the two girls. "Hey, where are you two going?"

"Oh, Alycja here wants to try out a new spell. Care to join us?"

"Well, yeah, who do you think I am? A coward?"

"Foolhardy as always, boy. You do know that it's okay to say no sometimes, right?"

Behind the ruins of a house was a sloping back garden, with a concrete slope at the bottom of it. Perfect for drawing on.

While Alycja and Jabari bantered with each other, Cheyoria zoned out a bit. If she was honest with herself, she did feel a bit concerned about her best friend. Even though Jabari had earned her trust, he still came across to her as a guy who sells pirated movies on the street and then is long gone before the unsuspecting buyer realises that the disk was scratched.

For Alycja's sake, she hoped his love for her was genuine.

The sound of chalk upon concrete stole her from her thoughts. Alycja completed the final stroke of her chosen pentagram, the Seldaikan four-pointed star. With all luck, this would go smoothly.

"Can you two do me a favour? Take my hands." The witch put out her dark golden hands, and both Cheyoria and Jabari took one without question.

"What's it you're trying to do? Somehow, I think you skipped that part."

"You'll see, just wait two moments." Alycja winked at him, before taking a breath.

"May Jontille and Galista bless us all."

After those final words, Alycja broke into her spell, speaking in her ancestral tongue. "Forris'arai pyr emar y neskaije. Saskijss'arai geraitva y morasijć. Cajaler v'arai í rajaste gnait jali gnas saskijss'rajeijse y de veron, cajaler eskjne cetrysse."

The star pulsated with light, at first white and piercing, before dimming a bit.

All of the trio stood back a bit. Jabari stared at it in pure boredom, as if waiting for a printer to spit out its contents. Cheyoria's heart leapt with anticipation, while Alycja held her breath.

In a sudden flash, blue fire flared. "What the hell?" Jabari staggered back, looking to the two girls in amazement.

Cheyoria threaded her hands through her hair. "Blue fire? But that's Fate's element, this is impossible."

Surely she was seeing things right? While Alycja had the wits and ability with her craft, Cheyoria didn't think that her friend could summon a goddess. No, this had to be a mistake.

The smoke lifted from the surroundings, leaving only a large, feminine body in its wake.

"Well, we're in deep muck. Alycja..." Cheyoria started backpedaling, yet she felt compelled not to look away.

The giantess shoved herself up, pointing her left hand at each of the trio. "Which one of you little punks did this?"

Immediately, hands went up, pointing at each other. Though the tall, blonde lady looked to all of them, Cheyoria could feel the lady's glare scrutinising her the most.

With her left hand, Cheyoria deftly tugged Alycja's in her direction.

Despite that, Alycja had lost the roulette. "You. You did this, didn't you? Explain to me the meaning of this."

Alycja gasped, for a torrent of grass blades shoved her aside. "Don't listen to her, I did this."

Cheyoria took a few bold steps forward, gazing up at the face that loomed over her. "This was a false attempt on my part. I had no intention of summoning you."

Alycja and Jabari couldn't help but feel powerless. One wrong move, and that boiling vessel of anger would turn on them both.

"Is that so? Then tell me what your true purpose was." With a single, spindly finger, the lady pinned Cheyoria's chin raising upward. "Care to cough it out?"

She continued to stand firm, attempting to formulate an answer. Why haven't Alycja and Jabari escaped yet? This behemoth of a woman was too close for comfort. Just seeing the way her plate-sized teeth moved when speaking set Cheyoria on edge. Even her uncle wasn't this huge nor imposing.

"Screw this, you're wasting my time." The giantess moved her other hand, careening it into Cheyoria's direction.

Words finally found meaning on Alycja's lips. "Devrilja'rait!"

In that split second, the giant woman vanished in a burst of smoky grandeur. And with her, Cheyoria was gone too.

一

"Emir, this is not your place." His mother warned. The woman cornered him in the conservatory, having noticed his rushed gait.

But with all that considered, Emir had no intentions of quitting. "I cannot just stand here and do nothing when other countries are setting the whole continent up for war!"

"Emir, we've been through this." The woman put a firm hand on his shoulder, looking up with exasperation in her eyes. "We have no influence on the affairs of our ruling powers. If worse comes to worse, let them deal with it. We'll be out of here before anything comes close to us."

He shrugged off her gentle touch, striding to the glass. Below the base of the castle, sun-kissed waves lapped against the rocks, splashing white foam everywhere.

"It is that defeatist attitude that has us here in the first place. More than ever, there needs to be strength if we are ever going to preserve all that is good."

Kerras' former ruler gave him a pointed look. "Is this out of a genuine interest in political affairs or do you just pine for Estyia Verlova?"

One could hear a feather fall. With fallen dreams now splintered and raw, it was then that Emir glimpsed clarity. Perhaps something could be gleaned from the ashes.

"Even if I did pine for her, she's long been dead. There's no point in dwelling on that."

"And yet you want your estranged daughter to be your heir. She has no experience of our customs, and she most likely doesn't speak Seladian either."

Emir sighed, returning her pointed look. "That's the whole point. I'll get her in now and she can get used to things while she's young. And when all is said and done, she'll become a reliable heir. After all, what girl doesn't dream of finding out she's royalty?"

— °•.°•.°•°•

Taglist: @criminallycryptid @gtbigbang2021 @thelaughingstag

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gtbigbang2021 · 4 years ago

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Obsidian Sapphires

2. Renelerée

(high noon)

White, flat shoes met the assurance of dry sand. With a resonant "oof!", the woman fell face first into the sand, leaving Cheyoria stuck beneath her hand.

Ice-cold waves rushed against the shore. Shells crunched as Cheyoria crawled out of her captor's grasp. Why here of all places? Foggy mountains and a quaint village stood on one side, with the ocean on the other.

Cheyoria broke into her stride, sprinting toward the village. If she reached it, perhaps she could find someone and一

"Hey, what was that for?" She exclaimed, writhing in the giantess' firm grip. Sparkling emerald eyes stared back at her, and she couldn't tell if it was in anger or amusement.

"You seriously think that you can escape me?" The woman brought herself up off of one hand, while holding Cheyoria in the other. "Pfft, the audacity of it all."

Suddenly, her grip loosened, leaving Cheyoria to grasp her thumb for dear life. "If I so wished, I could let you go and be done with you. But not just yet, if you can tell me why you summoned me."

Cheyoria sensed her long legs dangling in the sea breeze. Her grip started to get clammy by the minute, and so she adjusted her hold in desperation. This wouldn't be the end, she had no plans of dying here. But if the lady knew for sure it was Alycja's doing, what then?

"As I told you before, I was just experimenting. My true intentions were to summon a spirit, not you." During her frantic re-adjustment, one of her arms slipped. "Please, whatever you do, don't drop me here."

The woman took her sweet time to confirm her decision. "Alright."

Air rushed out beneath Cheyoria's feet. In the blink of her eye, her descent halted. Now in an outstretched palm, Cheyoria met the lady's gaze, though finding her desire to hold her ground greatly diminished.

The woman scowled at her, her eyes narrowing. Cheyoria shrivelled a bit under that piercing gaze.

But then she spoke again, while fishing one hand in the pocket of her dress. "Indulge me, young one, how is it that you know of Seldaikan Carithaikh magic?"

No, no, no, no. "I know someone who taught me a few things. They were a family member."

She chuckled at that, before her voice turned hasty. "Is that so? So if you knew the words, why didn't you banish me on sight?"

Cheyoria gritted her teeth. "I was frozen in shock. For a moment, I wondered then if you were a giant, or the spirit that I tried to summon. Quite frankly, I've一"

A thumb and forefinger flipped her comparatively small palms upwards. "Your friend did it, didn't she?"

Of course, Cheyoria realised. No chalk on her hands. Bloody damnit anyway.

Just then, her captor pulled something out of her side pocket. A necklace. Cheyoria plucked it from her fingers, grazing her hand over the medallion. At a glance it seemed rather simple, as just a silver pendant with a crow engraved on it. "Why are you giving this to me?"

The woman stood up, her back turned to the roaring sea. "Why do you think? Last thing we need is your friends using the same blasted magic to summon you back. So put it on, will you?"

Cheyoria stared at her agape, after complying with the order. "And why weren't you wearing such a necklace, hmm?"

The woman tilted her head away, looking toward the village nestled at the foot of the hillside. Her wild, goldenblocks flowed with the wind, leaving Cheyoria's focus on her sharp but delicate cheekbones.

Everything about her, from her ears to her jawline to her fingers 一 she had a certain edge, like a knife but not quite.

"For the record, I was getting changed when that unfortunate incident happened. Fate bless the fact that I was clothed at that point."

Somehow, Cheyoria did not desire to know what would've went down had things been different.

However, something did linger on Cheyoria's mind. "Now that you mention it, what's with the fancy clothes? Are you going somewhere?"

She raised a single brow. "Indeed I am 一 or would be, if I wasn't here. Thanks, by the way, that event clearly wasn't important."

Cheyoria bit her lip, sealing the apology that rested on her tongue. "What's this event you're going to?"

"Nothing much." She spat out, her tone becoming more formal and lilted. "Only the fourth day of the summer solstice celebrations."

Cheyoria tilted her head sideways, with lines appearing on her forehead. "Four days? I thought solstice celebrations only went on for three?"

"Not where I'm from, it lasts about a week."

"Oh, right." As much as she wondered where in Jontille's name this lady was from, her heart was too heavy with guilt and embarrassment.

When the woman brought her up to perch on her shoulder, she latched onto her ear. "Unfortunately, it seems to me that we're too far for me to teleport back, so it's best we get moving."

"Where exactly is here, anyway?"

The woman took a good gander at her surroundings. "Judging by the look of this place, the best case scenario is that we're somewhere up the north coast of Feuderain."

Then it clicked in Cheyoria's mind. Worst case scenario was the east coast of Selade.

No wonder the woman went straight to where forest met the hillside.

一

"I can't believe you're making me do this." Alycja grunted, kicking a loose stone on the ground.

After Cheyoria's disappearance, the remaining duo looked to each other in fear and anguish. For once, Jabari's crafty mind couldn't conjure anything in resemblance of a solution.

Instead, heated words defined an exchange that stole Alycja's fire. And she wouldn't ever not regret it. Rajaste, instead of rajlaste. A single, subtle letter, its very absence took Cheyoria away.

Walking through the snaking labyrinth of Fortuna Place, Alycja had no clue on what to do with herself. To her left, Jabari walked beside her, his right fist clenched. She yearned to speak to him 一 just for him to say something. But no words escaped either of their mouths.

Rather, it was Damian that spoke first, in that foreign accent of his. "What is with you two? I know this is an awful situation but fighting like a married couple isn't going to do any favours."

Both Alycja and Jabari snapped their gazes in his direction. "Trust me, you don't want to know."

"She started it!"

"Me? You played a part in it as well, getting all hostile on me."

"If you had just一"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, hold it right there." Damian stood in front of the pair, lightly wrenching them apart. Alycja didn't know whether to be grateful or annoyed. "Is this really going to help us? Why be divided when we all have the same goal? Fact of the matter is, Cheyoria is God-knows-where and we need to find her. So can we please put our differences aside? Thank you."

Alycja glanced at her boyfriend again, and sighed. "Alright... Are you on board with this?"

"Yeah, let's get this over with." The pair clasped hands with each other, and started going again.

Up ahead, Alycja could see Cheyoria's house, its white walls dominated with blue and purple flowers. Structurally, it was akin to all the other houses, two storeys tall with a roof of dark blue slates and a balcony jutting out of the same roof.

And before Alycja could ready her fabricated lie, the trio has to dive into the bushes.

Standing at Cheyoria's door, was a man in midnight blue silken garb, its edges accentuated with gold trim. With a hand as dark as Cheyoria's, he knocked on the door.

She didn't know if it was the angle she was standing at or what, but she couldn't make out his face, other than his brown eyes. Something about his stance put her off, but she couldn't tell why.

The young witch could only watch as the door finally opened, revealing Cheyoria's dad.

"Who, in Jontille's name, are you?" He stood at the door, crossing his arms while eyeing the man with a critical gaze.

"Greetings, sir. My name is Emir, and I'm looking for Cheyoria."

The girl's dad frowned. "What business do you have with my daughter?"

"Ah, forgive me. You see, I'm her father, surely she told me about you a couple weeks ago?"

He blinked a couple times, before recollection hit him in the face. "So you're the bastard that gave my girlfriend a daughter before she was ready."

Emir stared at him wide-eyed. He could almost swear that he heard curse words in the bushes. "It's not what you think it is, I'd never lay a hand on her without consent. Just ask your 一 wait, girlfriend? How come you're not married yet?"

Cerigo facepalmed. "About that, if you were paying any sort of attention at all you'd realise that she's dead."

This man set him on edge, why was he looking for Cheyoria? Was meeting her a couple weeks ago not enough? It didn't help that Eshani warned him about Emir over ten years ago.

And now, the suspicious fellow gaped at him. "But how? I'm sorry to hear that but, how did she even一"

Cerigo didn't have the patience for this skease. "Three words for you: False Innocence trial. Look it up if you haven't already.

"Alright, but back to my first question, where is Cheyoria?"

"Good news for you, she isn't here-" He whipped around, stalling for a moment. "But hold on, it's way past half three, she's meant to be..."

His jaw dropped. "Cheyoria, she's一"

The bushes rustled. Both men went over to it, only to find three mortals popped out of it.

"Explain the meaning of this, are you lot eavesdropping?"

"Wait." Cerigo put a hand in front of Emir. "Relax, those are her friends."

Emir gave him a look. This trio didn't occur to him as the tyoe of friends he'd want for her. Alas, the prince would let this unfold.

"Look." Alycja stepped forward, giving the two adults a sombre expression. "The whole reason we're up here is to tell you that Cheyoria's missing."

Both of them gasped, though it was Emir that put his hand on the shoulder of a now red-faced Cerigo. "Hey, you know my daughter well. Perhaps try giving her a call while I find out what happened."

Cerigo huffed, before pulling out his phone in reluctance. "I didn't realise we were working together."

"Neither did I, perhaps we should talk more."

"Damn you." Cerigo grumbled, taking a few steps back to call his daughter. After a few frantic button taps, the phone started ringing.

"Come on, come on, please pick up."

Each moment felt longer than the last. When the ringing stopped, his heart jumped. "Dad, is that you?"

"Cheyoria, oh thank goodness you're alive. Where are you, are you alright?"

A much louder voice overshadowed Cheyoria's. "Who are you talking to?"

"Just wait one moment, okay?" Cerigo could hear plants shaking and rustling in the background. "I have no clue where I am. All I know is that we're in a forest, somewhere far from Arobyre."

"The giant hasn't hurt you, has she?"

"Oh, definitely not. It's just a big misunderstanding, I will likely be home in about two days."

"Hopefully. Make sure you text me when you're about to head back, alright? And conserve your phone battery."

"Don't worry, I will. Call you later, I love you."

Cheyoria sighed, slipping her phone into her pocket. "That was my dad, by the way."

"Oh?" Her captor took a step forward, her foot slipping on the slope of the undergrowth. Cheyoria made to grasp for something, anything 一 only for a large hand to stop her falling backwards.

Plants crackled violently where she slid down. The woman brought Cheyoria to her chest, still keeping her in a death grip.

Up ahead, the pair seened destined to collide with a tree. "Watch out!"

The giant shoved herself to the side, rolling once before sliding to a halt. Cheyoria let herself fall slack against the woman's chest. Rhythmic heartbeats reverberated beneath her, belonging to an undying vessel pumping vast amounts of power through her bloodstream.

And it occurred to her then. The blue fire. Cheyoria whipped her gaze to her captor's ivory face, beset with gentle, elegant laughter. How could such a lady who flashed her fury some time ago be so graceful and kind?

If there was one thing for sure, she needed to know more. "Who are you?"

The woman pushed up a little, leaning against one of the older trees. "You may call me Eshani."

Her heart panged with longing and an ancient sadness she long thought was buried. Cheyoria curled inward, brushing with Eshani's palm. "That name reminds me of someone I used to know."

"Really, who?"

"It was my mother's name." Her tone became increasingly forlorn, akin to a tide washing out. "She died about ten years ago, on the back of being accused for a murder she didn't do."

The other Eshani gasped, her face softening into a gentler stroke of compassion. "That's quite unfortunate, I'm sorry to hear that."

Her thumb grazed the side of Cheyoria's face, offering a feeble comfort. She nodded in thanks, heat rising to her cheeks.

"I remember hearing about that case ten years ago. There was nothing but uproar over it, and what I find quite tragic is aside from the obvious, no one will ever know the truth about what happened that night."

The words kindled hope in her heart. "Thank you. Most people genuinely think that my mother was a murderer. And even though I know that she isn't, the implications people make still hurt anyway."

"I get you completely. What's your name again?"

"Cheyoria."

The teen could swear that something twinkled in her eyes. But may they always sparkled like turquoise emeralds, who knows?

Slender fingers wrapped around her torso, before the world shifted around her.

Eshani stood at her full height now, treading through the shrouded brush. Overhead, the clouds split the sky from the land, casting gray hues for all to see. The broad leaves of the trees blotted out much of the light, leaving shadows everywhere.

Now back on her perch that is Eshani's shoulder, Cheyoria noticed something fluttering nearby. These figures flittered this way and that, their movements as erratic as they are hard to keep up with.

"Watch it, you bloody pests." Eshani attempted to swat the creatures away, her mouth curling in disgust. Despite her ridiculously swift hand movements, the sprites still got up in her large face.

Cheyoria chuckled at the whole ordeal, until a sprite approached her. This one bore a crown of white and yellow forest flowers, bordering 'hair' that was but sharp quills. She pushed away as much as possible, but it grazed its clawed fingers through her hair.

"Get away, please." The girl shoved it away, only for the sprite to tilt its head sideways.

Meanwhile, Eshani clicked her fingers. "That's enough." Sprites in the air burst into flames, screeching as they collapsed to the ground. The ones that didn't face the cruel fate of Eshani's shoe afterwards spasmed and recoiled in pain.

That one sprite sidled in behind Cheyoria, peeking from behind her head with a gaunt yellow hand on her shoulder.

She refrained from looking at the ground, unnerved at the lady's sudden burst of power. Did those creatures really deserve that?

"Wow, you're afraid of sprites."

Cheyoria could feel the sprite hiding from Eshani's gaze. "Oh, I don't fear them, I despise them. Bloody pests so they are, one stole my bracelet about a hundred years ago."

"What did it look like? Was it valuable?" Dammit, that sounds like something Jabari would ask.

If the woman thought the question strange, Cheyoria didn't know. All she could do was look forward to where the light through a clearing.

"Perhaps it was, being made of silver and rubies. Originally it was my grandmother's, before she passed it on."

"That's unfortunate, I hope she's okay, wherever she is."

"I appreciate that, thanks." The cover of broad leaves and tangled canopies made way for dreary light and a stony clearing. Water travelled past pale pebbles and mossy rocks, to where it collected in a clear pool. Sprites and bugs danced upon the water's surface, the former running away at the sight of Eshani's looming form.

"Speaking of valuable items..." She took a sip of water from the pond, placing Cheyoria to her side. "There is an item that I seek. Have you heard anything about the Allatri Chalice?"

The girl looked up at her in curiosity. "Why do you need it?"

She watched as Eshani rose to her feet for a moment, gazing around the area. "Promise me you won't tell anyone this just yet." She got back on her knees, looking upon Cheyoria a bit more comfortably. "I want to leave the Court of Morilast."

— °•.°•.°•°•

Taglist: @criminallycryptid @gtbigbang2021 @thelaughingstag

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gtbigbang2021 · 4 years ago

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Obsidian Sapphires

2. Renelerée

Cheyoria gasped. This was the lady that Alycja had accidentally summoned? Something about this didn't feel right. "Are you one of the, um, high ranking ones?"

Eshani chuckled, looking upon Cheyoria in amusement. "What do you think?"

Is she or wasn't she? How was Cheyoria meant to know for sure? If this woman wanted to escape, there was likely someone or something there she had beef with. But who? Or what?

But if she wants to play coy, fine. "Who did you murder and why?"

"Here's the thing." Eshani's stare cooled off, her smug amusement dissipating. "I didn't. I was a phoned-in replacement for someone else, selected by the High Lady herself."

"I have a hard time believing you. For one, who was that someone you speak of?"

By the slight waterfall, an owl with merged horn ends took its perch upon the gray stone. "Lavinia Allotiére."

This seemed like a slap in the face. How much was this woman hiding? Did she really mean to say that the Court of Morilast, of all places, may have the answers Cheyoria sought?

And if Lavinia did truly pass from this world to the next, then wouldn't that mean that the judge and jurors paradoxically saved her mother's life?

"So how come you want to escape? I've never exactly heard of rulers who wanted to abdicate their power."

Eshani scooped Cheyoria into her hands, standing up and bringing the girl to eye level. "It's because I had a life before then. A career, a husband, two beautiful kids, you name it. But as long as Morilast's spell remains, I'll never get my life back."

Cheyoria's heart poured out for her. "I'm so sorry to hear that. What were your kids like?"

The woman let out a laugh tinged with melancholy. "It's been over ten years since I saw them last. Cordelira was just born at the time, while Aureli had a bit of a bossy attitude about her. By now, it's likely that Aureli has flown the nest already."

Just as Eshani made to walk into the forest, a smooth yet gravelly voice spoke. "I see you plan to leave without paying your dues."

"What?" She shifted on her foot, glaring at the owl in disgust. "What are you on about?"

The owl shifted its head, looking at her with wide eyes. "Should one seek a favour from the Lake, the Lake seeks its favour in return."

"What sort of favour does it want from me?"

The owl shuffled its wings. "I suppose that's for you to find out."

"Perhaps you should do what it says." Cheyoria nudged her head in its direction. In her mind, it was better to pay a small due than heed a large fine.

Yet Eshani's whispers spoke volumes. "I disagree, for I have no reason to trust a talking owl."

"But what if it is telling the truth? Shouldn't you at least let it speak?"

Impatience simmered through her slender digits. "You poor, sheltered soul. If you had more life experience, you'd know not to be so quick to trust others."

A certain someone taught me that earlier, thanks. Cheyoria's retort faded into a gasp, for Eshani darted into the woods.

Slender hands kept the girl pinned on Eshani's chest. Trees and shadows passed in a rush, not unlike the blur of a rollercoaster. And though Cheyoria attempted to push up on one of the fingers guarding her, it came to no avail.

Behind them, the owl followed suit, maneuvering past tree branches and the occasional flurry of fire. Though it posed no danger of catching up, it had a consistent pace.

Gazing upward, Cheyoria tugged on the silky material of the woman's dress. "Hey, can you get me onto your shoulder?"

"Are you crazy? There's a big chance you'll fall off." She clicked the fingers of her free hand, only for the owl to not combust. There had to be another way.

Yet now the ground sloped further still, diving into the shadowy depths. Eshani's purple dress flowed over uneven ground, where roots reached out as if on the Reflected's behalf. Birds below scattered, sprites made themselves unknown.

Cheyoria clutched onto the fabric for dear life, hoping her insides would not come out. "But you need that bird gone, don't you?"

Their pursurer continued much closer now, to the point where Cheyoria could see the glint of light in its eyes. Though she had the inclination to heed its warnings, what if Eshani was right? Was it worth the risk just to feed the desire of something that may not be truly sentient?

In typical fashion, the dress' train snagged on a rock, sending Eshani flying down into the ground. The force of it catapulted Cheyoria into free-fall, screaming until she fell into a bony palm once more.

In a heartbeat, her hand reached out from over Eshani's shoulder, threading coniferous branches straight through the gap in the owl's horns.

The creature screeched and shuddered, flapping frantically to escape. With careful ease, Cheyoria motioned the branches into an intricate structure, leaving the owl hanging.

"Impressive." Eshani gleamed, getting up to brush the dirt off her dress. "I like your style, Cheyoria."

Of course she did. If the teen had her way, the owl wouldn't be writhing. Regardless, the comment stirred warmth that rose to her cheeks. "Well thank you, it was nothing much, really."

—

Shadows shifted into strokes of nightfall, descending upon the land as they always did.

Having made progress through a seemingly eternal wood, the pair huddled around a campfire of branches that Eshani torn off of the trees nearby.

Hordes of sprites, rabbits and even a single Feudranian stag roasted above the flames.

After about two sprites, Cheyoria groaned, wrapping her hands around her stomach. Even now her throat still panged with acid.

"I'm starving just by looking at you." She watched as Eshani plucked up the stag, removing its grand antlers and picking its bones as if it was a mere chicken breast.

"You can always take more if you want." She offered between bites, picking apart her meat with grace even in the absence of cutlery. "Or is it that venison is more your taste? Because you're not having any."

Cheyoria laughed, while shaking her head. She looked forward to getting this day over with. "I'm fine, it's been a rather tumultous day to say the least."

"I understand, I can say the same."

While the flames died off into smouldering embers, the pair continued to talk for a while. Though it had only been about a day, Cheyoria thought it to be much longer than that.

Something about the woman beside her sparked fear and ease in her heart. She kept telling herself that this is likely a ruse, but what if it wasn't?

In the midst of her descent into slumber, Eshani blew out the final embers and wished them both a nice night.

—

This couldn't be real. No, it couldn't be.

Cheyoria flicked through the ream of texts a few times, incredulous at the sight of it.

On this day, the 29th of May, she'd finally have the answers she was looking for. For as long as she could remember, she sought the answers to the missing links of her heritage.

All those hours spent in the library crawling through books of Helindian family lines, reading tales of fallen bloodlines and hoping that her biological father was alive, it all culminated in this.

Her father was but a Seladian man, and a wealthy one at that. The story of him finding her seemed doused in muddy waters, but that was easily clearable.

Striding down the quaint main street of Nomet, she attempted to swallow the excitement rising up her throat. The girl wanted nothing better than to sing from the rooftops about finally having the opportunity to find closure.

But to be fair, she'd get to do something similar when she got back to theatre practice in a few days.

For now, the meeting place awaited her, a white building with a blue domed roof and a litany of sea flowers on the wall to match it.

Other customers of the café sat mostly outside, revelling in the usual summer sunlight.

She took a deep breath. This is it, she assured herself. The moment of truth. Just stay calm and you'll be fine.

Even the indoor part of the café seemed rather packed. The aroma of cool summer dishes filled the air, along with the sickly scent of sweetened fruit drinks. Oh, how she craved an Iola Orcher right now.

In her distracted wanderings, she failed to notice the man standing behind her. "Hello, might you be who I am looking for?"

She pivoted in an instant, only for the man to embrace her before she could get a word in.

"Cheyoria, I am so sorry. Do know from the bottom of my heart that I never meant it to be this way." For a few moments, he rested his head on her shoulder, while she brought her arms around him.

"Emir…" Already, her eyes glistened with tears. "I just can't believe it's actually you. Like right here, right now. Do you have a table here yet?"

With reluctance, he pulled away, pointing her to the back end of the seating area. "Follow me, my dear child."

He took his seat at the table in the furthest corner, away from most of the prying eyes. Even then, his white headscarf still loosely covered the lower part of his face.

"I…" Cheyoria stammered, still shocked with disbelief. "Where do I even begin? I've spent so long trying to find my roots, I never imagined actually finding you."

Emir chuckled, holding her graceful hand in his for a moment. "Why don't you start there, from the beginning?"

"Alright… So how come you left in the first place?" She leaned further into her seat, frowning at the lack of enough leg room.

"Well, I didn't leave by choice, if that's what you're asking. Things came to light before and during your conception, and the consensus between my girlfriend and I was to part ways."

She narrowed her eyes, watching as Emir glanced away to the left. "What sort of things, might I ask?"

"Mainly different life choices. One of us wanted to keep some freedom, while the other didn't mind what happened so much."

I hate the way he is so vague about that. "If things were different, would you have stayed?"

His features softened, looking to her almost in plea. "By Sarkila's grace I would. I missed you dearly, Cheyoria, I always have. And the only reason I didn't find you sooner, was because I didn't have the chance."

"So how are things different now? What have you been doing these past fifteen years?"

Beneath his covering, he gave her a coy smile. "If you really want to, why don't I offer you this? How would you like to visit my home city sometime?"

Cheyoria sat up in her seat, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "You want to take me to Therae? That would be amazing. But when? You do know I've got school after the weekend."

"Of course, of course. When do you finish up?"

"The twenty-fourth of next month."

—

The buzz of blue light brought Cheyoria from her trance. Her phone screen lit up in the dark, the entire background clouded with the clock, a whole wall of texts and a photo of some of her friends partying.

"Oh crap, I can't believe I forgot." She tapped the first text in an instant, before bashing her passcode onto the screen.

Behind her, came and ceased the flurry of feathery wings. "You seem in thoughtful repose."

She leapt in her seat, fumbling the phone in her hands. Perching on the log was that owl again, looking upon her with a gaze of arrogance and smugness, as if to dare her to defy it.

"You gave me a fright, how could you? Were you following us the whole time?" Cheyoria stood up and glared at the creature, folding her arms. What was it doing here? Something was very off here.

"I flew here for your sake as much as the lady's, such that she may have the best opportunity to pay her due." It pointed a wing in Eshani's direction, where she still rested in the depths of sleep. Her form rose and fell in long, heaving breaths, her eyelids twitching.

At first glance, Cheyoria thought near nothing of it, for it likely had to be the sign of a nightmare. But glimpsing something trailing from her outstretched fingertips, Cheyoria flipped her phone torch on.

Much to her horror, silver lines ran all the way down Eshani's fingertips, ending around the knuckles. Her skin was warm to the touch, while beads of sweat trickled down her carved face.

"What's going to happen to her?" The teen took a few steps forward, only for the owl to put a wing on her shoulder.

"Even I don't know for sure. The Lake is unpredictable like that, seeking its desires precariously through its victims. Though I must ask, are there any spells or curses afflicted on her?"

Cheyoria creaked her head in the owl's direction. "Yes."

The owl's voice became more hushed and hurried. "That doesn't bode well at all. If she is to have any chance of survival, she must be brought to the lake before dawn."

"But how? I—" An idea flashed in her mind. For once her far-more-expensive uniform would come into full use. She dashed over to Eshani's face, her comparatively small hands trying to shake her head. "Wake up, Eshani. Come on, please wake up."

Still nothing but feverish sighs and whispers. Cheyoria continued pushing and pleading, screaming to the gods until green eyes stared back at her, seeming unfocused and horrified.

"What are you doing? I don't feel so well, let me sleep." She croaked, nudging Cheyoria away. However, Cheyoria took a step forward, willing her strength into every crevice of her being.

"That's the whole point, we need to get you cured before dawn."

Eshani dragged herself up, her two silver-laden forearms glistening in the rare shots of moonlight. "Curse that damn owl and its tricks."

The owl recoiled, before retreating to perch on a lonely branch.

"I had a feeling you'd say that." She said, letting her coiled up magic release. The world seemed to shrink in her presence, to the point where she could sling an arm under Eshani's and pull her up. "Come on, let's get this sorted."

Her eyes glimmered with hope. "You can shapeshift too? I'll say this much, I think you've a bright future ahead."

"You think so?" Cheyoria started a slight run, with Eshani following suit. "I didn't expect to shift this tall to be honest."

Up ahead, the owl led the way, though she strained to see him from her temporary stature. Numerous times either one or both tripped over jutting roots, be it from desperation or exhaustion, but still they shared a seemingly endless persistence.

Dim light from the cusp of dawn illuminated the final stretch. Cheyoria's calves ached from the near constant uphill route, while Eshani could feel her spirit draining away.

But nothing could stop them now. Just a couple steps more, and all would be well. Just a couple steps more, that's all it would take.

On the hill's brow, Cheyoria's movements slowed to a crawl. Her shoulders slumped under the pressure and strain of her waning magic, and every fiber of her being screamed to let go.

One moment, the teen stood on the verge of getting Eshani to her destination, and the next, the giant now loomed over her as she always did.

"I'm sorry, I tried all I could." She staggered upwards, fighting against her induced lightheadedness.

Silver-tipped hands lifted her up, holding her close where the tainted lines lingered not too far from her heart. "You've nothing to be sorry about, you hear me? Now come on."

She stumbled the final few steps, before casting Cheyoria aside. As much as she wanted to move away from the giant's sickly form, the best she could do was slump half-on the ground.

"Owl, what do I do now?" The words panged like poison in her mouth.

It pointed a wing towards the water. "Put your head in. Only then will you hear the water's pleas."

She looked upon it with hesitation, before taking a gulp of air and plunging her head in.

At first, she couldn't hear anything, bar the sound of water pressing around her and her own laboured breaths. In the depths, her silver markings glimmered gold.

Her thumb shifted into something sharper, before stroking a line of blood on the top of her forefinger. After what seemed like forever, she emerged from the accursed spring, her golden hair dripping everywhere.

Both of the pair watched incredulously as the lines rescinded before their eyes, running along to where they vanished at Eshani's fingertips.

"Are you truly alright?"

She inspected her hands for a moment, marveling at the return of her golden-white complexion. "I think so? Though I'd love to know why it nearly killed me over a sip of water."

Cheyoria attempted to stand up, though she swayed on her feet. "Told you you should've listened to the owl."

"Says the one that threaded branches through its horns."

Cheyoria laughed, glad to see the lady in a much better mood already. But then she noticed something. "Where's the owl gone?"

Eshani shrugged. "I really have no idea. Maybe it went in there." She gestured to the waterfall.

"Alright." Cheyoria nodded, still reeling from her magical outpour. "Let's go."

After the pair paid their dues, Eshani waded into the water and let Cheyoria through first, before ducking her head and doing the same.

Much to their surprise, a man with merged horn ends, feathery appendages and talons for feet stared back at them. "I see the Lake accepted your payment."

"Yeah, I noticed that alright." Eshani started, shifting into a form that was but a few inches taller than Cheyoria. "But tell me this, you mean to say that a body of water is able to do this?"

"Quite frankly, yes." His eyes were a light gray, much like his owl form. "I learned that the hard way too, hence my avian features."

"But why bird features specifically?" Cheyoria wondered.

The man blinked for a moment, before continuing. "If I had a guess, I say that it desired someone to speak for it. And birds tend to make good guards."

"But enough about myself, what brings you two here?"

Cheyoria made to speak, only for the lady to cut her off. "Let's just say, we got very lost and now we seek a way home."

"Is that so?" He paced a bit. "Where are you two from?"

"Helinda." Cheyoria said, though it was more of a technicality on account of Morilast's pseudo-independence.

The man stood aside, and gestured to a hole in the wall. "If you go down this route, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."

Both of them glanced to each other, wary of this offer. "Why are you helping us?"

"Let's just say that I don't want anyone to befall the same fate I did. If I wanted to, I could easily leave, but I don't."

His answer said all and yet nothing. She wondered then how he had evoked the wrath of temperamental spring water.

Eshani started heading toward the tunnel, with Cheyoria following suit. "Well then, I ought to express my gratitude for saving my life. Best wishes to you."

With that, the pair departed, heading all the way down to where a green watery abyss stood beneath the edge.

"This feels like a trap, what game is that owl trying to play?"

Cheyoria shook her head. "I've never heard of portals going from one place to another in the same world."

"Me neither." Eshani clasped a hand on her arm, looking at her with remorse. "But should this lead to the afterlife, I hope you know that I regret what I've done."

Before Cheyoria could process how heartening that apology was, the pair made the leap of faith, diving into the unknown.

°•.°•.°•°•

Taglist: @criminallycryptid @gtbigbang2021 @thelaughingstag

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gtbigbang2021 · 4 years ago

Text

Obsidian Sapphires

2. Renelerée

III

Two pairs of shoes clicked upon the stone floor. Up ahead, light remarked the end of the tunnel.

Cheyoria ran her hands down her clothes. "Hold up, I'm not soaked. Does this mean that the portal worked?"

Eshani, now at her full stature again, offered her a hand. "I suppose there's one way to find out. Care to come along?"

"With pleasure." She jumped onto the lady's outstretched hand and took her place on Eshani's left shoulder once more.

She broke into a little sprint, leading to Cheyoria having to grasp a strand of blonde hair.

The light rushed closer and closer, and with it, the moment of truth. Where would this lead? What if it wasn't home at all? The pair awaited the outcome with nervous excitement.

Fresh air and the spray of water met them at the tunnel's end, where Eshani slid to a halt. To her right, water cascaded down a sheer wall to where it flowed into the forest valley down below.

Mountainous hillsides took up Cheyoria's entire view, and she looked in awe to where the rising sun lit up the land ahead of her. If she didn't know any better, it looked as if there were buildings in the distance.

"Can you stay standing like this for two seconds?" Eshani watched in puzzlement until Cheyoria whipped out her phone, and took photos of the sprawling landscape.

"You're not going to show those photos to anyone, are you?"

Cheyoria raised a brow, while pocketing her phone. "Oh no, I just think they're really good landscape references. Why'd you—" The implications ran her over. "No way, this place isn't what I think it is, is it?"

Eshani smirked, amused at Cheyoria's reaction. "Indeed it is. Welcome to the Court of Morilast, Cheyoria."

She took a few steps back, before holding the girl in two hands. "Now, without further ado, let's go."

After leaping from the tunnel exit, the disorienting wind broke her fall, carrying the pair to the front of a grand house, carved of brown stone and accentuated with sprawling ivy.

With a silent nod, the guards let her in, knowing better than to question why the lady had an unknown visitor on her shoulder.

Even at this early hour, a litany of servants trotted about, maintaining the house in Eshani's absence. One of them, a man with a scar running down his cheek, approached her in earnest. "My lady, how lovely that you are back to us. Are you keeping well?"

"Indeed I am, good of you to ask, Varas." She slipped her hand out of his, gesturing towards the stairs. "If you might excuse me, I ought to head upstairs. I will be back to you in a moment."

In the background, Cheyoria could hear the fellow exclaiming to all his fellow servants. "Hey, everyone, our lady Eshani is back!"

The teen didn't want to say anything, for fear someone would notice her. Would they leave her be, or demand that she be cast out? Though if it was the latter, could she use that to get home?

While Eshani strided up the polished wood staircase, another woman slid onto her shoulder. "Ah, Karina, what news do you plan on bringing me? I hope my absence didn't wreak too much havoc for the court."

Try as she might, Cheyoria couldn't see the visitor's face through Eshani's tangle of blonde hair. "Well, speaking of that, you have a couple letters. Also, the High Lady wants to speak to you."

"Is that so? Chances are, I'll meet her tonight anyway, but if you do find her in the meantime, tell her that she can approach me when she gets the chance."

Eshani finally looked at Cheyoria again, and an idea came to mind. "Say, how would you fancy getting out of those clothes?"

"Gladly would be an understatement." After all that trouble, she desired nothing more than a warm bath and a chance to rest. Or better still, a way to get home and put this nightmare to one side.

"Also-" Eshani continued, lifting the teen up to where the human path was about to enter the wall. "Two things. One, see if you can find word about the Chalice, and two, Cheyoria here is my esteemed guest. If the young lady so wishes, she is cordially invited to the celebrations tonight."

With that, the lady strode off, leaving Cheyoria utterly perplexed. This place didn't seem anywhere near as cruel or treacherous as what the stories told. At least, not yet.

"Come along, I'll show you to your room." Karina gestured, motioning for Cheyoria to follow suit. Unlike the natural sunlight of the main hallways, the human tunnels only had dim lanterns and the faint glow of Karina's wings to illuminate it.

"So..." She wondered, while trying to not to bump into a passing servant. "What sort of servant are you?"

"This might surprise you, but I'm Eshani's second hand. And a new one, at that."

"What happened to the previous one?" Cheyoria brought a hand to her necklace, trying and failing to pull it off. Her fingers scrambled for a clasp.

Karina stopped at the sight of it, watching her futile attempts in near annoyance. "The lady thought I was a better fit for the role, or at least that's what she said."

Cheyoria turned the chain around, only for both her and Karina's fingers to land where there should be a clasp. "This isn't good."

"Is there a way to get it off?" She felt like such a damn fool. Of course it would be a trap, but why?

"Indeed there is, though that involves Eshani taking it off. I'm guessing you're not from around here?" Karina pulled her ebony fingers away, leaving Cheyoria with the spelled necklace on her throat.

Cheyoria blinked, raising a brow and giving her a 'well, duh' sort of look. "If it weren't for this stupid thing I could teleport home from here."

Karina turned away, trying to hide her thoughts. "Well that's unfortunate. There happens to be another way of pulling it, but that requires a metallurgist. And though I know one, last time I saw her was in Seldaika, so I've no clue where she is."

"That's a big help." Cheyoria crossed her arms, hating the way that she let her hopes go up. What would happen if she ran out on foot?

"Anyway, your guest room is up there on the left, the very last one. If you need anything, feel free to ask a servant. As is the custom, each guest gets one for the duration of their stay."

Cheyoria bowed her head in gratitude. "I appreciate that, thanks."

Much to her surprise, the room held a plush queen-size bed and a grand armoire, all while containing enough space to throw two cats.

Outside the window, the giant servants strode about, all bearing the same pin of a blue and gold pheonix.

She yanked the curtains. For even just a few hours, she desired nothing to do with giants.

Just then, the servant walked in and the pair exchanged pleasantries before getting into the meat of it.

One make-over and some of the finest food she'd had in a long while later, the teen stood at the mirror admiring herself.

A white masquerade mask shrouded the area around her eyes, highlighting the sky-blue one shoulder gown and matching gloves.

Beneath the mask, something resembling nervousness built-up inside her. This party would be unlike anything else she attended; all adults, of whom were wealthy, powerful and influential figures that could ruin her life in one wrong move, and she would be forced to mingle with them.

A part of her considered taking full advantage of what Eshani said earlier, but would she ever get the chance to catch the lady in time?

"What time does the event start again?"

She watched as the servant smoothed down the bed, before opening the door. "It starts in about two hours from now."

—

It wasn't that she intended on eavesdropping. With what little time she had, she spent it wandering the human area, where other guests lounged, read books and even bought high-end luxury items. Upon hearing the price for an opal-encrusted diadem, it much restraint on her part not to gape or speak in shock.

Yet in the midst of her wanderings, she noticed a familiar face, caught in the hallway by a lady in a sweeping black gown with hair a darker shade than blood.

"It seems that representatives of the Helindian delegation plan on joining us this evening." The lady started, her voice crisp and smooth like fine wine.

"Are you serious? Why would they risk a national scandal like that?"

The two strode down the corridor, stopping in front of Eshani's office. "It seems that they are desperate. What were intended to be mundane talks with Seldaika have took a dark turn, and some anticipate conflict on the horizon."

A faint chill ran down Cheyoria's spine. She watched on as Eshani's face remained neutral in spite of the threat. "If that's the case, then that gives us a chip in our favour. But what course of action should we take with them?"

She pulled out a gold-rimmed seat and offered it to Claudia, before taking up the mantle behind her desk. "I propose that we remain neutral, and only strike our claim when the time is right."

"You mean to say that you want to unify the country under Morilesian rule? That seems destined to fail."

"As partial as I would be to the idea, I only seek enough land to maintain our court. After all, our own people are growing desperate, and our current trajectory is not in any way sustainable."

Eshani scribbled something down in her notebook. All she could think about now were her loved ones down in Arobyre, which was likely to be the first place to fall. "That sounds like a sound plan, bar one thing. Should the country be brought to its knees, blame will be put onto us for not doing a thing. People down there will perish, while we then face the threat of assassination." From deviant rebels, such as yourself, Claudia.

The High Lady raised her chin a little, her nose scrunching up at the bridge. "Should such a dark day occur, do know that there is a back-up plan."

Eshani couldn't help but wonder, as Claudia continued. "Speaking of which, here's why I came to you. I need to know what sort of contingency plans you have in place for this house."

"Right, I'll go do that—"

"Oh, and by the way." Claudia pulled out a vial of clear liquid with a smell more intoxicatingly sweet than liquor, offering it to Eshani. "If ever your loved ones resort to seeking shelter here, here's their ticket to integration."

Distant nightmares flashed in her mind, of sharp smells, smoky taverns and a bathroom floor stained of blood. "Should I be concerned that you have poison in your pocket?"

Claudia laughed, letting out a lilted sound as delicate as it was formal and uptight. "I'll let you make your mind on that. I hope to see you tonight, after that glaring absence."

The two exchanged their farewells, leaving Eshani to sift through letters. Or at least, so she believed.

Cheyoria pulled on the string, causing a gold bell to ring. After a long moment, she got called in, much to her relief.

Striding along the walkway, she found herself almost hugging the wall. A combination of the height and her intentions stirred butterflies in her gut.

As much as she intended to offset it, coming face to face with a member of the High Council of Morilast would always strike a sense of fear and disbelief.

For now, she hoisted the front part of her dress and descended the staircase that lead straight to Eshani's table. "Hey, Eshani, do you have a moment?"

Gazing upward to Eshani's eyes, Cheyoria felt quite miniscule in comparison to the scale of everything. "Well of course, what's on your mind?"

"Could you get this necklace off?"

Eshani did a double take. "So you don't wish to attend the celebration this evening?"

Cheyoria shook her head, while turning around on instruction. Massive fingers fumbled with the chain, inadvertedly stroking her neck. "I wish I could, but I'm due to go to Therae tomorrow." It would've been today if it weren't for you.

"Lovely, who are you going with?" Eshani propped a knee on the table, before shifting down into a form that was but two inches shorter than Cheyoria.

"My father, Emir, said he'd take me there, so I can meet the rest of my extended family."

Eshani's pull on the clasp slowed. "Did he tell you his surname?"

Her heart leapt again. "Uhh, no? Though to be fair he did hide his face when we met up. I can't help but wonder why."

Reluctantly, she pulled the necklace off of Cheyoria, before jumping back to her full height. "Sorry to say this, but are you sure you should be going to a city in a foreign country with him? He's likely hiding a lot more than you think."

Cheyoria took a step back, despising the way that Eshani loomed over her. "Even if I could, it's too late. We made each other a commitment and I want to stick to my end of the bargain. And not even you can stop me."

"Are you sure about that?" She crossed her arms, giving the girl a look of dissatisfaction. "Trust me, you do not want me after you."

Cheyoria rolled her eyes. "Why are you being so defensive about this? Prior to yesterday, we were strange—"

Ever so slowly, she raised her gaze up Eshani's sheer prescence, her brows and mouth contorting in disgust. "You lied to me."

She took a step forward, pointing her finger upwards and saying it louder. "You lied to me. Eshani fucking Faison, you did not die ten years ago. And not only that, you left me, and my dad, and all your other loved ones to grieve, over what?"

"Cheyoria, I—"

"T'en vauche bas, t'en vauche bas, t'en vauche bas!" Tears clouded her eyes, which now flared bright green. "I never should have trusted you. Looking back, I wish I left you to die from enchanted spring water. At least this world would have one less person such as you walking about."

Eshani slammed her hand on the table, stopping Cheyoria's onslaught in an instant. "You think I willingly done it? On that blasted night I got taken by the High Lady, and she landed me with Morilast's curse. For every single damn day and night, I wanted nothing more than to return, even for just one more time. Cheyoria, I missed you, and Cerigo too, but I knew that it was best to have you two move on, for your own good and mine."

Even the force of a slammed hand did not quell her anger. "I can't take that excuse. You could have at least given us a sign, a letter, anything. Your fake death has tormented me for life. In the immediate aftermath, I cried myself to sleep each night, wishing that somehow, somewhere you were alive. And then you grant my wish, in the most horrible way possible. Why? How could you."

"Don't compound my guilt, Cheyoria." Eshani's face now hovered a few feet away from Cheyoria's, where both of them had their pain and loss pour out by the second. "We both know there's no excusing what I've done, and I am beyond profusely sorry for it."

Cheyoria took a step back, and huffed. "If nothing else, you got your wish for us to stay apart. Farewell, mother."

With that, she dashed up the stairs back to the human walkways, and Eshani did not bother to follow suit.

"What have I done?" She whispered. "What have I done?"

—°•.°•.°•°•

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