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k1nky-fool · 1 month

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The Ace of Swords

Book I: The Devil in the Details

Chapter V: A King Among Gods

Nadia Satrinava x OC, Callisto (wlw)

Warnings: Lucio actually harassing people, sexual harassment implied not detailed, Lucio may canonically respect consent even at his worst, but it does take a while for him to get the hint. More plague, idk how else to explain that this is the plague fic.

Masterlist

(minor author's brag: chapter word count 9k)

Chapter V:

The Autumn ball will be beginning tomorrow, and Callisto is doing an expert job of avoiding Lucio. She’s seen him several times, but the don’t mind me spell is proving itself as a vital base of magic, since it works remarkably well on him. After giving Lyra the charm, Valerius gave her a heavy pouch of gold coins which was a wild overpayment for her regular rates, but that could buy plenty of obscure, imported, herbs, so she wasn’t going to complain. Though, she did however find some trouble locating Nadia.

There was of course one place she hadn’t checked yet, but she wasn’t sure if Nadia would be alright with her coming into her private tower uninvited. However if Nadia wanted privacy and retreated to the tower of all places, then she must have miscalculated just how desperate Callisto was to speak to her before the portrait session.

Nadia’s bedroom was locked. Just a mere obstacle for a magician and she had a feeling that Nadia knew that. Callisto pushed through the lock and it was undone in a matter of seconds. She didn’t spend long in her bedroom, feeling like looking too closely while she was alone might be a boundary she didn’t want to cross. She closed her eyes and let her senses guide her along the wall that hid the door until she hit a hidden lever and pulled it. The stone door slid open.

And of course, Nadia sat inside, toiling away at small, clockwork, toys and contraptions. Chandra was puffed up on the corner of the desk, happily napping the day away. She dispelled the don’t mind me charm to approach.

“The goddess in her domain.” Callisto jokes, hoping that she didn’t scare her too much yesterday. Her hopes were dashed as soon as Nadia looked at her. The worry and fear was enough to make the guilt sting her chest.

Nadia didn’t say anything as she got up and met her by the water. Warm arms wrapped around Callisto in a desperate embrace. “Please don’t scare me like that again.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m safe.” Callisto promised, embracing her back.

Nadia separated from her awkwardly after a moment. “So what did you learn?”

Callisto explained how she met Morrigan from the future, how she stumbled upon the Hanged Man, what he asked her, and how she ended up with the Moon, and what she saw.

“Well, when you start looking for questions, I suppose you must be careful of what you may find.” Nadia figures. “So have you found an answer? Why did you choose to help me?” She asked.

Of course Nadia would be curious. “You trusted me, Nadia.” Callisto smiled. “I could have asked Asra, or Julian, hell, I could have even gone to Lyra and asked for her and Valerius to help me. When you invited me in, that night at the consul’s estate, and you asked for my help. You trusted my skills, my intuition, and my choices. It’s the least I can do to return that trust.”

“Thank you, Callisto.” Nadia smiled.

“But my journey didn’t end there.” Callisto said. “Last night I ended up back at my gate so I followed the call.” She explains how she met Asra at his gate and that he helped her figure out her answer. But when she gets to the Magician, Nadia’s face turns to concern.

“The Red Plague is a curse?” Nadia asks in bafflement.

“Yeah, but as soon as I asked who’s curse it was, they said that was the question we need to figure out.” Callisto says.

“Which means we likely have the resources to find who this curse belongs to.” Nadia smirked. “We just need to figure out which to utilize.”

Thoughts of Asra in the gate brought to mind the promise she made. “There’s something more personal I need your help with.”

“Pray tell.”

“Have you been to the Coliseum lately?” Callisto asked.

Nadia’s face turned sour. “I haven’t been there in a while. The games were much too barbaric for me.”

“A friend of mine is enslaved as a gladiator there. His name is Muriel.” She pleaded. “I know you can’t free him, but maybe you know somewhere he could rest away from the Coliseum.”

Nadia was surprised, but took it in stride. “I will see what I can do. I suspected you might be a little more selfish when you finally asked me a favor, but you seem to always find a way to perplex me.”

“I have no use for personal wealth or political power. I'm a magician. If I truly wanted unlimited power and wealth, I have no shortage of avenues to pursue.” Callisto said. “My job has always been to serve my community whether they ask for my help, pay for my help, or don’t even know they’re in danger. I’m just glad that I don’t have to do it alone.”

“In times like this, I too am grateful to not be facing it alone.” Nadia said, warmly.

Callisto took a quick look at the time and realized she only had a few more minutes before Lucio and Lyra would need her to attend the last session. “If we intend to root out this curse, we're going to need some time. This isn't the kind of thing I can just ask the cards for.”

“We need a long game.” Nadia agreed. “If you can't ask the Arcana directly, then perhaps they could guide you to what tools you will need to find your answer.”

“You have the mind of a magician.” Callisto noted.

“I am simply considering how to best utilize your talents. Though I admit, you are also often my first choice for a good conversation.” She said.

Callisto joked as she made her way back down the stairs. “Well, don't make it so hard to find you and you might get a little more good conversation.”

Through the palace halls and finding another magic doorway, spat her out right at the back of Lucio’s wing, where Lyra spotted her. “You really just pop up everywhere, huh?”

Lyra’s charm was holding up well. Lyra’s tight, blonde curls were still bouncy, even as most of it was tied back in a braid. Her skin still had its rosy hue, but Callisto remembered what she had looked like yesterday. The only color in her eyes now was their usual green glimmer, but hiding beneath the charm was a single red sclera, dark circles, and sickly pale skin.

“I have a habit of finding where I need to be.” Callisto commented, walking beside her on their way to the studio. With Lyra hiding her diagnosis from Lucio, she already knew that she’d need to keep Lucio’s attention with something. Unfortunately, she was running out of ways to keep him occupied without giving him too much information. “How’s Valerius doing?”

“He’s surviving. He’s not one to wear his heart on his sleeve, but I can tell it’s bothering him.” She said, honestly. “Right now, we’re just holding on.”

“I suppose that’s all there is to hope for.” Callisto said, sitting down as Lyra set up.

Before Callisto could even shuffle around in her bag for different things to make a spectacle out of, she froze. She could sense something, but it wasn’t Valdemar. This didn’t feel like the usual dread and overwhelming panic that gripped her whenever the Quaestor was near, but she could tell it was a similar sense.

This time the air became sticky and Callisto’s stomach began to turn. Someone, or more definitely, something nearby, was so repulsive and twisted that the mere existence of it near her made her immediately uncomfortable. “Lucio’s brought company.”

Lyra looked up from her brushes. “Who is it?”

“I don’t know, just someone… gross? I-It’s not the Quaestor.” It was all Callisto could come up with, but her face must have given enough clues for Lyra to be able to narrow down who she meant immediately.

“Praetor Vlastomil.” She said, “Oh boy, this will be fun.”

The feeling was turning into straight up nausea, and ‘fun’ was not sounding like an accurate descriptor. The door blasted open with Lucio’s ego.

“Count Lucio, right on time, as usual.” Callisto said, knowing full well that he was at least fifteen minutes late at this point. “And you brought a guest!”

“Oh, yes. I was speaking to Vlastomil about my new Court Magician, and I thought he needs to see you in action.” Lucio boasts.

It was interesting to Callisto how Lucio seems to be proud that he had ‘found her’ like a possession. His praises were never for Callisto’s skill, it was only ever as a prize piece in some sort of collection. Lucio has his staff pieces, his entourage pieces, his wife piece, and since Callisto is his newest, and shiniest piece, he parades her around to all his other toys like he did something to deserve her time. When this has been nothing but a lesson in endurance for her.

If anything, every one of his toys was playing a game he didn’t even know about. Everyone in the court was playing for Lucio’s praise, because his approval was directly linked to what one was permitted to do within Vesuvia. Everyone had to compete for his approval, which meant Vlastomil was not here to be amazed by her power, he was here to see what he was competing with.

However, Callisto realized that this entire game hinged on Lucio getting his way, and she had the chance to throw everyone off when she had the spotlight at the Autumn Ball tomorrow. Though, it might be better if she had the full week of the Autumn Harvest Festival to make more plans with Nadia. This was a plan that could expose the weak points of the Court’s operations, all by just destabilizing Lucio. And she might just have a way to get him to give her more time.

“I thought for sure you knew I would be giving everyone a top notch performance tomorrow?” Callisto said, jokingly. “Surely the Praetor will be right up front to see it for himself.”

“You’re singing, not much to see.” Vlastomil giggled to himself.

“Oh please, Praetor.” Callisto pulled a little bit of light from the globe hanging above Lucio, and transformed it into a butterfly that glowed with changing colors that fluttered around the room. “I’m a magician, and I might only be doing a song, but I would be a poor palace mage if I didn’t make it a spectacle.”

Lucio was immediately a lot more excited. “How much more can you do?” He asked, definitely not standing still enough for Lyra, but it seems she’s not focused on him right now.

“I have a show that will fill the entire ballroom with spiraling lights. It’ll be unlike anything ever seen by human eyes.” Now he thinks it’s his idea.

“Oh, I have to tell the Chamberlain, I can’t waste this on an opener, you need to be my finale.” Lucio laughed, watching the butterfly float around his head.

“Well, that gives me even more time to make this your most memorable Harvest Festival yet.” Callisto agreed willingly, even noting how much emotional concentration lights like this require. The butterfly was an easy memory to call on. This was the one that aunt Mosyne did to distract her when she was about four or five years old, and was a simple, happy memory to call on for this. But for an entire show, she’d need to concentrate on something much stronger.

It wasn’t uncommon for her to hum or sing a song to help concentrate on an illusion, but singing something for a crowd would mean she might have to ‘spray and pray’ as Mosyne said referring to her market shows when she was young. Sometimes it’s just easier to just let out every emotion and just shape it like sand. At least now she has about four days to perfect it.

“Surely you can do more than just some pretty light tricks.” Vlastomil inquired. “Sure, it’s a good skill, but what else can you do?”

Thankfully, Callisto’s regular tarot rates gave her more than enough experience with skeptics. Having so many charlatans around the square with a tarot deck someone found in their attic was more than enough to make people suspicious about anyone peddling fortunes and fate.

“Ooh, Callisto, read him a card like you did for me.” Lucio piped up.

Callisto brought Vlastomil to a nearby tea table, and let him choose where he sat while Lucio watched on. She shuffled the deck in her hands and separated it into three piles. “Choose whichever pile calls to you most.”

Vlastomil began to reach for the middle pile, but at the last moment, chose the one to his left.

He hesitates?

Callisto watched him closely, and he seemed nervous as she shuffled the pile that he chose. Maybe that was just how his face looked, but his eyes were trained, unmovingly, on her hands. She might get more information if she reads more than one card for him.

It will also give her a chance to begin shaking the court’s cage, and displaying that Lucio does not have their backs. When she makes her move on Lucio during her performance, he’ll have nobody to turn to when he needs them.

“Pick one of the two stacks.” She instructs and he does so, even as his hand shakes. The remaining thirteen cards are laid out in a circle with one in the center. “Point to the three that will tell me your past, present, and future.”

“Hmmph, she only read one for me.” Lucio whined in Lyra’s general direction. At least by this point Lyra probably only needed Lucio for brief references for details.

Vlastomil took a quick glance at her face, but he jumped slightly when he saw that she’d been watching him much closer than he’d been watching her. He may be beginning to understand that witches like Callisto and her aunt Mosyne before her, always saw the world with more than just eyes.

Or perhaps I am far from the first magician he’s met, and he’s right to be scared.

She knew that whatever she found in the cards would reflect Vlastomil’s diseased aura, and she would take the risk of telling him, to his face, in front of Lucio, Lyra, and whatever gods they begged for mercy at the temples once a month.

When Vlastomil finally chose his three cards, Callisto collected them and swiped away the rest of the cards in a swift movement. The first card that was overturned was the Seven of Swords. Callisto listened closely and the feeling may have been small, like the arcana was scared he might overhear, but she was certain it was readable. “The Seven of Swords. Your past is filled with scheming and manipulation. There wasn’t a problem you stumbled upon that you couldn’t cut a corner to get around. I generally issue a warning with readings like this, you may not like what you hear going forward.”

“I absolutely want to hear more.” Lucio piped up. In order for this to work, Lucio has to be in charge for a while.

Callisto turned another card as soon as he said it. “Justice reversed.” She listened closely, but the voice was so weak, she might have not heard it at all if she didn’t have her most grueling training behind her. “You only thrive when others suffer in your presence, Praetor Vlastomil. Something in you is cultivated and nurtured the more uncomfortable you make others.”

Vlastomil gasped, but Lucio only laughed in response, like this was just silly. “She’s got you pegged, easily.”

“I’ve read your past and present, Praetor. Are you sure you want to know what your future holds?” She glared him down, even as the light above Lucio began to darken and become more turbulent. And he didn’t answer, because he was too terrified to admit that it was up to Lucio if she read his most protected secrets.

“Well you can’t stop here, Callisto. I’m on the edge of my seat.” Lucio encouraged her.

The last card flipped, and she knew this card had much to say to the audience. “The Eight of Swords. Your struggles, misfortunes, troubles, and sorrows will all be a prison of your own making. In the end, you have nobody to blame but yourself, Praetor.”

“Umm, Callisto. Can I please get my light back?” Lyra finally piped up.

“Of course, my apologies, to both of you.” She focused back and brought the light back.

“That was magnificent, Callisto.” Lucio clapped. No matter what, Lucio was always amazed by new theatrics and giving him something to laugh at, embarrasses Vlastomil. He won’t be able to act on that anger until Lucio becomes unbearable. She exists in an untouchable position so long as Lucio and Nadia like her more than the court does. And being in Nadia’s good graces took a substantially more amount of effort.

“Oh, yes, yes, magnificent!” Vlastomil hastily said, giggling awkwardly to himself, like he himself could play it off as a joke.

“Well, that was fun. And of course I will give you a chance to have three cards read when you need it most.” Callisto promised Lucio, giving him the majority of the attention for it.

“But I really want it now!” He cried.

She hated that she was about to give in like this, but it would be all the more worth it later. No title, as he requested of her. “Lucio, I beg of you, just a little trust. When there are three cards that have any words for you, then I will make sure you know immediately. I wouldn’t count on it taking very long anyway.” She promised him. And she was certain it wouldn’t take long to know what the Arcana had to say to him.

“Okay, fine. Only because you’re so kind.” He gave in. She might be the only person alive that can get Lucio to do what she wants. This man doesn’t immediately assume ulterior motives until someone has already insulted him.

Lyra piped up as the conversation died out. “Count Lucio, I believe that once this dries, it will be ready to reveal at the Autumn Ball. I think this is the best you’ve ever looked on a canvas.” She said shyly, notably to draw his attention to the portrait instead of her.

“Now, this is magnificent. I want it covered, nobody is to see this before it’s revealed tomorrow.” Lucio commanded, leaving to change out of his portrait costume, and into his ruling costume.

Vlastomil and Callisto stayed away from taking a peek at the portrait as Lyra began placing it back into its case. Vlastomil is starting to wring his handkerchief like he’s trying to tear it in half. Something remains troubling him, but he seems too scared to ask.

“Praetor, if you must ask me a question, do not hold it in.” Callisto said, to which he jumped.

“You haven’t told me what will become of my babies!”

Callisto’s intuition told her that there was no possible way he could be talking about actual children of his. It seemed most likely that he meant some sort of pet, since there’s no way Praetor Vlastomil having actual children would get past the gossip circles of Vesuvia.

“Someone you hold dear?” She asked curiously.

“My worms!” He said, like it was obvious.

Without looking away from him with her concerned expression, because she didn’t know how else to react to his ‘worms.’ She spread out her deck in her hands and held it out to him. “Take one out of the deck.” She instructed him.

When he did so, he turned it around, so Callisto already knew it was really reversed. Callisto took the card from him and listened closely. All she got was an echo of something repeated. “Not fair, not fair!” Above all else, Vlastomil feels cheated. So here, she lied. “The Page of Cups indicates a pleasant surprise. I think the next time you see your worms you may find some good news, Praetor.”

“Oh, I suppose that’s a relief.” Vlastomil relaxed all at once, though he still kept an eye on heer out of his peripheral. It’s good that he’s on edge. Though, Callisto would be far too foolish to think she was out of trouble by now.

“Callisto, this clasp isn’t coming undone!” Now she had to resist burning the thing off him. Lyra didn’t look like she envied the position, but Callisto was confident she could handle herself. Lyra wouldn’t leave her here anyway, even if Vlastomil asked her to.

She was thankful that the dressing room wasn’t a cramped space. There was plenty of room for Callisto to remain at an arm’s length from him. The same unlocking spell that she used on Nadia’s door worked to break the clasp off him without even touching him.

“You’re trying very hard to impress me, Callisto.” Lucio grinned at her, and she did her best to maintain an unmoving, pleasant expression.

“Lucio, if I’ve impressed you then you have come to that conclusion yourself.” She said, watching him closely. It was clear he was trying to use the clasp as an excuse to speak to her alone, and no doubt that everyone out there had come to that conclusion too.

Vlastomil might try to get Lyra to leave with him, but not even someone as unassuming as Lyra would let Lucio stay alone with anyone she really cared about for longer than ten minutes. Especially someone she knows does not appreciate Lucio’s more salacious advances.

“Please, you had Vlastomil pissing himself. You definitely didn’t read me like that.” He chuckled, taking off his overcoat. Callisto tried to not let her discomfort jeopardize gaining any information in his movements and continued watching him.

“My craft is in being an interpreter of the Arcana’s voices. I only say what aligns with the message the Arcana are trying to get across.” She said. Thankfully Lucio didn’t end up taking off his shirt in front of her, and only changed his coat as both were cut to expose his golden arm that he’s already got all of the ornamentation off of.

“Don't think I'm an idiot, Callisto, I can tell when someone's pruning my feathers.” He said. “Makes me wonder what you want from me, Magician.”

“You said it yourself, Lucio. I'm a magician. If I wanted your money or an appointed position of power in Vesuvia, I have no shortage of ways to get that.” Callisto explained, stepping closer to him. “Hell, I got hired by Nadia after meeting her for the first time. Consul Valerius somehow tolerates me, Pontifex Vulgora is itching for a rematch with me, and Praetor Vlastomil reveres me. I'm not an idiot either, Lucio, and I can tell when someone is worth placing in my company. My own choices and work got me here, and my own tenacity will keep me safe and comfortable.”

“You have my court on a leash, and what?” He chuckles, leaning on the walls to take up as much space as possible, making the room feel a lot smaller for Callisto. “Are you threatening me?”

“A threat? Of course not. We both already know what happens between us in a fight.” She said, calmly, brushing his ego a little as she knew he would assume she meant that she couldn’t defeat him. “The nature of our relationship is one of comfort. I keep you comfortable, and you keep me comfortable. So long as that keeps happening, I don't see why two great, powerful people shouldn't be allies.”

It might have been a risk referring to Lucio as an equal, since in most cases, it was more likely that he would take it as an insult. However, it's become more clear to Callisto that Lucio worships magic with an obsession. The wide grin on his face tells her all she needs to know. He takes pride in being compared to people he knows he is weaker than.

“I like a simple woman, Callisto.” Lucio grinned.

“Am I Convenient? Maybe. But not simple by any means.” She fired back, and turned to leave, but when a harsh metal hand gripped her wrist to stop her, Callisto’s whole heart dropped into her stomach.

“Are we going to keep playing this game, Callisto?” He asked, making her skin crawl.

She turned back and looked him directly in the eyes. “I don’t play games, Lucio. I play with fate.”

The knock that disturbed their conversation could have only been Lyra. “Are you two alright in there?”

Lucio’s grip on her loosened, and she took the opportunity to open the door. “Yes, just a stubborn clasp.” Callisto said, making her way out of the dressing room as smoothly as she could.

Lucio emerged as well, but Lyra was brave enough to place herself between him and Callisto. “Come with me to dinner, Callisto. Vulgora and Volta are so boring without you there.”

“I actually have some business to discuss with Callisto before she heads off to meet with the Countess.” Lyra said, cheerfully managing to reject him for her. “I’ll remind her to catch up with you later.”

Lucio seemed a little peeved, but she hadn’t given him much room to refuse her. “Then I’ll see you later, Callisto.”

When he finally exited and she heard him far enough down the hall, Callisto could finally stop slowing her breath. “Are you alright?” Lyra asked.

“You saved me just in time. I was running out of ways to let him down easy.” Callisto slowly managed to calm herself down.

“This isn’t the first time I’ve had to get between Lucio and a friend. Though I was a little more worried that if I left you two alone any longer, only one of you would walk out.” Lyra had always done her best to lighten the spirits of others when they needed it most.

Callisto couldn’t think of a time she needed it more. “You wouldn’t be able to get the smell of roasted Count out of the studio for a century.” She chuckled, trying not to wonder too much who else she’s had to save from Lucio’s antics. “I’ll be alright.”

“I don’t know what the purpose of all that was, but I think you have a lot to talk to the Countess about.” Lyra noted.

“Yes, I do.” Callisto agreed. “Where are you going next?”

“Dr. Devorak has managed to ease my symptoms fairly well.” She prefaced. “Valerius and I agreed that if I felt strong enough after the portrait session, that we would attempt taking the carriage back to our estate. It’ll be easier for me to rest there. And Dr. Devorak wouldn’t stop assuring me that he knew how to ride a horse if I ever needed his help.”

Callisto understood. Lyra was looking death in the face and she didn’t want to feel like she was in dangerous waters while she slept. At any moment, someone could come looking for her, and news of her diagnosis could reach Lucio. And Lucio, of course, only made her precious, remaining moments all the more unsettling. “Can I walk with you to the carriage? If Lucio spots me in the hallway, I don’t wanna be alone. I don’t have anything else in my bag for a spell that’ll hide me from him.”

Lyra smiled, and agreed, letting Callisto accompany her down the halls. “I might not make it back in time to see your performance. I’ll make sure Valerius makes it so he can describe it to me.”

“Lyra, if you wanted me to come to your house and give you a personal reenactment, I would be honored.” Callisto told her, only half joking. She would revel in telling Lyra about her wild choice to make an enemy out of Lucio, but maybe she’ll have to rely on Valerius to share that information with her.

“I’m not sure I’d survive the headache from the lights.” She politely refused, and Callisto wasn’t going to argue with that. “I trust Valerius to pay it justice with his poetic way with words.”

“I’d say ‘poetic’ is the bare minimum. It always takes me a few minutes to realize when he’s insulted me.” Callisto noted.

“Trust me, that means he likes you.” Lyra chuckled. “He’s a little less subtle when he’s actually annoyed.”

“I guess that’s a bit of a relief. Does he just not know how to give a compliment that’s not backhanded?” Callisto asked, genuinely.

“He does, but he wasn’t comfortable with it until he was already courting me. Really, he’s just too shy to let anyone see he actually likes them, so he just convinces people he only tolerates them.” Lyra agreed, but if there was a single soul in this lifetime that knew a single thing about the consul, it would have to be Lyra. “But for everyone else, you can usually tell when he’s at his limit. The two of you aren’t so different when I really think about it.”

That took Callisto back a bit. “What makes you say that?”

“Valerius may hide behind backhanded compliments to mask his care for others, but you use prophecies and ominous warnings to hide your concern for others’.” Lyra said, easily. “It just takes a good eye to realize how you treat the things in your life that you really care about. Especially when giving your readings. It’s pretty easy for me to tell now how different your readings are depending on what the person and situation needs. And when I needed the truth, you told me.”

“I suppose if anybody is going to know the tricks of my trade, you are… not my last choice.” She joked, earning a weak laugh. “I only say what needs to be known. For some they would crumble under the pressure of the truth, and the cards guide me on what they need to know. Others need to hear nothing but the truth, and I simply tell them what the Arcana say. You’ve never needed my protection, Lyra. If there is any question or concern you have, I will do all I can to answer, or give you the warnings you need to navigate it.”

“Callisto, we both know I won’t be the one that needs to navigate what happens next.” She said, sadly. “I’m worried about Valerius.”

“I wouldn’t let him face it alone, Lyra.” Callisto assured her, still remaining mindful of what she said in case someone might overhear. “I might not be able to cure… his sorrows, but I would be a bad friend if I didn’t support you two in any way I can.”

“I appreciate your help. In any way you can give it.” Lyra thanked her as they finally came to the carriage that Valerius was waiting by.

Both Callisto and Valerius helped her into the carriage. “Consul-...” Callisto began saying, but despite how blank her brain was on what to say to him, it was too late because she already had his attention. “If there’s anything my talents might be able to do for you or Lyra, my skills will only ever be a request away. I know you’ll take care of my friend.”

Valerius didn’t move at first, let alone say anything. He seemed a little surprised at the very least, but Callisto knew he was always on his best behavior in front of Lyra. Eventually, he held out his arm, in a friendly gesture. Callisto was surprised he wasn’t scared to have physical contact with her since the last time, but she still took the gesture in good faith.

It was just a courteous grip on their wrists, but reading auras was always easiest with physical contact. Valerius was indeed terrified of what was to come, but the gesture was enough to assure him that he wouldn’t be alone.

Even as she could feel his emotions pulling on hers like strings, there was still sorrow that gently held him together. However, what it held was a smoldering anger that may have been warm, but would not burn away the only thing he needed it to.

What Callisto noticed was absent was malice. He didn't have a clue that there may be someone to blame for the death of his wife. If this truly was a curse, there were very few ways that something could create a curse this expansive in this world. And all of them involve either cheating or trespassing a very powerful being, most often, knowingly. Either way, Valerius didn't know there was someone to bring to justice for Lyra's fate.

“Any friend of Lyra’s is a friend of mine.” Was all he said before bidding her farewell, and joining his love in the carriage.

Callisto felt a little better. That was the nicest thing Valerius has ever said to her. Even if he could only admit they were friends because of Lyra, he still found a way to admit they were friends. She understood why he grew on Lyra, and it wasn’t hard to figure out how Lyra had melted his rough exterior.

Lyra is someone that always assumes the best in people, and her gentle nature is difficult to break because it has survived much worse than anything the palace could do to it. Her work has always been entirely her own, no matter who her subject was.

Callisto only hoped that this wasn’t the last time she saw Lyra.

She dodged her way around the palace to avoid any more courtiers and Lucio before she managed to speak with Nadia, swiping a snack from the kitchen on her way around the palace, looking for her. There was barely a single corner that wasn’t full of people working on decorations or attractions around the palace for the week's celebration.

Eventually, the chamberlain just asked her who she was looking for, and pointed her toward the salon when she asked about the Countess.

Entering the room, Callisto remembered that this was the room that had a hidden way to observe the private conversations that may be held here.

Nadia was sitting at the piano, tapping out a beautiful melody on the instrument, but the music abruptly stopped when she noticed Callisto's arrival. The expression on Nadia's face was twisted with concern as she approached. “Are you alright? Vlastomil mentioned that Lucio cornered you in the dressing room and when I couldn't find you or Lucio in the Studio, I feared he might have hurt you.”

“Lyra had my back.” Callisto explained. “I was scared and running out of ways to let him down gently, but the only thing I was afraid of was having to explain why he's dead. I stalled Lucio long enough that Lyra would be concerned if we stayed in there any longer, because of course I would let my friends know how much I can't stand him.”

Tension dropped from Nadia's frame as she took Callisto's hands and couldn't bring herself to look up at her face.

“Nadia, I never would have taken a risk like that if I didn't know someone had my back.” She assured her.

“Callisto, I never wanted you to be a victim of Lucio's antics.” Nadia sighed, definitely blinking tears back to stop from crying. “I may have seen some of his worst sides, but you don't deserve this.”

“You didn't either, Nadia.” Callisto told her. “I may be new to Lucio, but defending myself from obnoxious men is just old tricks to me.”

Nadia took a deep breath to calm herself. “He's never been so sick that he’s abandoned consent all together, but I'm not certain what I would put beneath him anymore.”

“I'm gonna pray that I never find out.” She agreed. “In the case that I might need to get away from him, I am never short of self defensive spells, and Lucio gets to find out what happens when I'm really striking to kill.”

Nadia relaxed as Callisto managed to pull a hesitant laugh out of her. “Let's try to avoid murder… in general.”

“I'm not exactly itching for murder, even despite what I've already had to deal with.” Callisto agreed again. “And besides, I think I know how to make things a little easier with our efforts.”

“Oh?”

“Come with me.” Callisto pulled her along through the halls. Nadia followed casually, knowing that the salon wasn't the place to be for private conversations.

Both of them made their way to the contemplation tower where Callisto could finally explain how they were going to expose more of the conspiracy within the Palace.

“So, there's a few things we need to know before we get to figuring out how this plan works.” Callisto said.

“Alright, I'm listening.” Nadia said, sitting down on her desk to watch Callisto lose her mind for the next few minutes.

“In the dungeons, we figured that studying how the plague behaves would tell us how to combat it, and that's sort of true, but only part of the bigger picture of The Red Plague.” Callisto absent-mindedly took out her tarot deck and shuffled it to ease her nerves and keep her focus, as she began pacing back and forth in front of the fountain pool.

“So the bigger picture is that it behaves like a curse?” Nadia asked.

“The behavior of a curse is influenced by both whoever makes it and whoever receives it. The good news is that since we know the curse belongs to someone in the palace, we can take what we know about how the plague behaves, and compare it to how members of the court behave.” Callisto rattled off.

Nadia waited a moment for Callisto to continue before interjecting. “I take it that means there is bad news.”

“Well…” her shuffling hands slowed and she stopped walking. “Julian and I deduced that the plague is most often triggered by stress. When the infection first begins, it stays dormant in the bloodstream for an indeterminate amount of time. It's not uncommon for the researchers in the dungeons to be infected without anyone knowing, only to be stricken with the second phase when some other tragedy in their life becomes too much for them. Pretty much any traumatic event can be a trigger for the second phase when we know for sure there's nothing we can do but slow down the progression of the disease. We don’t always have a way to detect the plague before the second phase.”

Nadia nodded, trying to understand even as Callisto took her on this rambling journey. “In order to compare the behavior of the plague to the behavior of the court, we need to put the court under stress.”

“Exactly!” Callisto was just glad that Nadia could piece together her rampant thoughts.

“Do you have any plan for how you're going to… stress the court?” Nadia asked.

“I've already started.” Callisto admitted.

Nadia began catching on to what she meant to do. “You made a trembling fool out of Vlastomil in front of Lucio.”

“All while Lucio just mocked him.” She said.

Nadia stood from the desk and paced around slowly herself. “So by turning both yourself and Lucio into a unit against the court, you want to sow discord among them.”

“That's just the first part of the plan.” She said to Nadia's pleasant surprise. “I managed to get Lucio to move my song performance to the final party of the Autumn Festival. When he wants to look his best in front of an entire audience, I'll piss him off and disappear. Leaving him to try finding literally anyone that wants to hear him bitch about me after we've already destroyed the court's incentive to keep him happy.”

“Which makes everyone angry and everyone, including you.” Nadia pieced everything together with a little bit of worry.

“And when everyone's angry and stressed, we get to compare behaviors and figure out who the curse takes after most.” She finished. “I can handle making enemies. And after watching Lucio for… way too many hours a day, I can figure out how to get into his head.”

“Trust me, it's harder to get yourself out of his head.” Nadia scoffed. “You would think a man so self-absorbed would think more about himself than what others think of him, but it doesn't take much to make him hate you to the point of obsession.”

“For now, I have to keep him unassuming. Keep upsetting courtiers with him and stroking his ego until the end of the week when I have him right where I want him.”

“When you have him in a place where he has to consider the only two consequences he actually cares about. Between maintaining his ego as an equal of a power he respects in front of everyone he wants to impress, or immediately becoming violent and risking looking weak in front of everyone he wants to impress.” Nadia mused. “I must say, it's a plan that is beautifully tailored to the court's awful personalities. You may be the first person to ever find a way to get a delayed reaction out of Lucio.”

“Lucio is an easy man to figure out.” She shrugged off, shuffling through the deck again as she continued to think. “And I have to admit, I was lucky to stumble into a situation where I could strike a wedge between him and Vlastomil. I don't even know where to begin with the other three.”

“Three?” Nadia questioned. “Are you certain Valerius isn't involved?”

Callisto had to freeze for a moment as she thought through every word he's ever spoken to her. He doesn't care for long conversations with Lyra, but she's never had a moment that Valerius was tinged with malice, and she's gotten a couple of detailed looks into his emotional state in the last few days.

“My experience with Valerius hasn't exactly been in… ideal circumstances, but if he really is involved with the court, then he would have to be a magician powerful enough to anticipate what I watch when I speak to him.” Callisto said, and the memory of having Clio spy on him came to mind. “And he would have to be hiding that, plus his conspiracy with Lucio from Lyra, and I'm not sure if I could believe he would hide something like that from her. On top of that, I'm not so sure he knows anything about the plague at all. Which is a little concerning since it’s his job to coordinate plague relief, but the other four aren’t even human, so Valerius is doing surprisingly well considering the state of the court.”

Nadia nodded as she listened. “I don't know about him being a magician, but what methods have you used to confirm your conclusion?”

“Intuition.” Callisto said, earning an unimpressed look from Nadia, and silence. “I-I could talk a-about the… mechanics of what informs my i-intuition, but it's not like magic has a logical explanation I can just say that will easily make sense to anyone.”

Nadia took a deep breath, and Callisto subconsciously mimicked her, basically forcing her to calm herself down. Nadia closed the space between them and took her hands, sitting Callisto down on the desk as she took a seat in her chair. “Then just focus on explaining it to me.”

She figured it was easier to start from the beginning, thinking back to when she first met him, but it wasn't for very long. “Technically, our dinner with him wasn't actually my first time meeting him. Even if it was brief.”

“So what was your first impression of the Consul?” Nadia asked curiously.

“It was only at one of the masquerades. Lyra had recognized me at the ball with Asra and he was with her at the time.” Callisto explained. “Lyra later described how he tends to act more politely at parties, at least before he's had enough to drink, but even back then, I don't know if I would call his aura malicious. It felt more muddy, like Valerius was putting on a face for the public, but I couldn’t blame him for being a little more reserved at a party.”

“He was there with Lyra.” Nadia pointed out. “I've seen the two of them interact, and I can't deny that Lyra has had a positive influence on him. But if he were hiding something from her back then, would you have felt it?”

“Yes. Guilt has a really… sour effect when I feel it in someone's aura. It’s impossible to hide if you don’t know the magician reading you. If it's intense, I'll feel it pinch my jaw very suddenly. I've jumped away from customers with a guilty conscience, even if it's never a good look to flinch when reading someone's aura.” Callisto thought on her own experience. “And the next time I had any contact with him was our dinner with him. I asked Lyra for a meeting with him because I wanted to question him on who would be able to give me access to more plague field notes, but after seeing you there without knowing why, I was a little scared to press him too much.”

“And your impression of him at dinner?” Nadia asked. “I know you spied on him that night, so you were at least a little suspicious of him.”

Callisto knew she was just trying to get all the same information Callisto had, but trying to explain intuition was never an easy task. She hadn’t had to explain herself like this since she was seventeen and her aunt was still training her. She may have been spying on them, but she knew the impressions she got from their conversation weren’t really material. “I just didn’t know him very well, and considering I met with him and suddenly you didn’t want anybody to know we had already met, I thought you might have known something I didn’t. I made the familiar charm to see if you were right to be cautious around him.” Callisto explained. “And when I did spy on him, he was still with Lyra, but it was also the most words I’ve ever heard him speak. If he somehow doesn’t really hate Lucio, then he should pursue a career in theater.”

“And yet, if he were hiding something from Lyra, you would not have heard anything about it.” She politely argued. “Do you remember what was said between them?”

Callisto focused her best to remember that night. There was a reason Callisto didn’t tell her everything she heard. “He was hesitant to speak in front of you, and Lyra vouched for you by telling Valerius that you didn’t like Lucio any more than he did.” She recalled with a little bit of struggle, but it was getting easier the more she thought about it. “His stance was that he couldn’t risk speaking about Lucio in front of you.”

“Why?” Nadia immediately questioned with bitterness. “And why didn’t you tell me that?”

“For this exact reason.” Callisto pointed out, gesturing vaguely at Nadia, giving her some pause. “Because as soon as I told you that, you threw out everything else I’ve said, and my better judgment, because your own personal fears got involved. All your questions up until then were reasonable. As soon as your fears took over, it didn’t matter what else I said because you had already come to your own conclusion that what I said was a threat without reminding yourself that if it really were that important, I would have told you the first time you asked me what I heard.”

Silence filled the room as Nadia pondered on what Callisto had said. “Perhaps I should save my conclusions for after you’ve explained yourself.” She accepted. “I remember that what you did tell me was that Valerius did tell her that Lucio had made deals with the other four courtiers that Valerius kept refusing. Which means that something else must have told you that he did not mean any harm by keeping secrets from me.”

Callisto nodded. “I didn’t mention it because despite Valerius hating Lucio with a passion, Lyra’s reaction wasn’t to defend you further. Instead she continued like she understood his hesitancy to share what he referred to as Lucio’s ‘personal information’ with you. And today, she told me that she has experience getting between Lucio and her friends.”

“And you believe Valerius to be the one Lucio’s targeted?” Nadia asked.

“Yes, because Lucio has never complained about Valerius to me.” Callisto said. “You probably know better than I do that if Valerius has been consistently turning down offers without Lyra’s help, then Lucio would have a lot more colorful things to say about Valerius, regardless of whether or not Lyra is in the room.”

Nadia accepted that explanation, but paused for a moment. “Callisto, I think it would have just been easier to say you only suspect Valerius is sleeping with my husband.”

“Well it is a little more complicated than just that, but yes, I do think that if there is any relationship between them, it’s a sparse, sexual one that Lyra doesn’t seem to mind. But she has helped him distance himself from it when he asks.” Callisto agreed. “The more important piece of information to me was that Valerius kept this sexual relationship going, but there was one request that Lucio kept making that Valerius just kept declining any promises, or information about.”

“The nature of the relationship didn’t matter, only that whatever this request was, Valerius was hesitant to even hear about it.” Nadia figured, thinking a little longer. “Keeping a secret works best when the covering lie is as close to the truth as possible. If he were lying to her, then that’s likely where the truth would end.”

Callisto understood her concerns, but she was getting a little frustrated that Nadia still wasn’t convinced, as she was running out of evidence for her to consider. “I did read a card for him the same day that I read one card for Lucio and the other four courtiers. Valdemar, Vlastomil, Volta, and Volgora all silenced one Major Arcana each. The most important thing about that is humans can’t do that. At least not without selling everything that makes them human. Valerius’s card spoke pretty damn clearly, so he’s definitely still human in every way that matters, and Lyra being there for it wouldn’t change the tarot reading. I even told Lyra, and she was the one to decide not to tell Valerius what the cards said.”

“What did the cards say about Valerius?” Nadia asked.

“I’ll leave out the more personal details, but the Arcana indicated that he would have to face a difficult choice. That isn’t much to go on, but it does confirm that he’s not anywhere near the same kind of being as the other courtiers.”

Nadia took in Callisto’s reasoning, but wasn’t running out of questions to cover all her bases. “Humor me for a moment, Callisto, but was this reading done before or after he knew Lyra had the plague?”

“It was less than two hours before he found out.” That didn’t look good for her intuition, but she was certain there was one more reading to consider. “Just today, I read his aura before he took Lyra home. A reading I did today can’t be outdated so quickly, and Lyra being there wouldn’t change it.”

“And what did you learn?” Nadia asked.

“Nothing that really surprised me.” Callisto said. “At least nothing that isn’t expected from a man that knows his girlfriend is going to die before the new year. He’s heartbroken, and angry, but there isn’t even a little malice or direction for that anger. Nadia, do you genuinely think that if Valerius knew there was someone to punish for Lyra’s condition, that I wouldn’t have felt something? Maybe not guilt, but at least anger that could be followed to a target?”

It occurred to Callisto that she was beginning to speak to Nadia as if she were Asra or even Mosyne. Like she expected Nadia to have the same training. Though, it seemed that Nadia was just nice enough to take those questions as rhetorical, when if Callisto had asked Asra the same question, he’d have a few options that could argue against her.

“Though, guilt can sometimes look like anger contained within the rest of an aura when the subject aims anger at themself.” Callisto rubbed her temples realizing that Nadia may have a point. Valerius might have never tripped any of her warning signs, but he’s somehow managed to wedge himself into a blindspot of Callisto’s senses. “If he’s not innocent, then he’s damn clever. It’s not evidence that he’s innocent, but it’s definitely not evidence that he’s guilty.”

Nadia agreed, “I wasn’t convinced he’s completely uninvolved, and now it seems that I’m not entirely alone.” She said.

“I don’t want to believe he’s been lying to Lyra for this long.” Callisto said. “Maybe he still hasn’t made any deals. I don’t think he’d betray Lyra so fast after learning she’s got the plague.”

“Perhaps not, but I want both of us to be sure. I want you to read his cards. Get him alone if you can.” Nadia said, leaning in to speak quieter despite not needing to. “Tell me what you learn.”

“If he doesn’t want me to read him, then I’m not going to get anything more out of the Arcana than I would reading without him present.” Callisto said, lowering her voice as well.

“But we will get more out of him if he does want to be read?” Nadia asked.

“Well, yes. The Arcana give you the same amount of energy you give them.” She confirmed. “If I can get him to want the reading, then I can learn more hidden details. But if the cards I read have no connection to anything else, then that means he’s just not involved.”

“If your reading truly has no connection to the other courtiers, then I’ll accept that Valerius isn’t involved in whatever is going on.” She said. “Tomorrow, you figure out how to read him while I make arrangements for you to sabotage the other members of the court.”

“All four of them?”

“I know them well. It won’t take long.” Nadia assured her. “I suggest you get some rest tonight.”

“I need to do a magic interrogation of the consul, so I think I need to stop by my shop tonight to be prepared. I’ll probably sleep there too and head for his place tomorrow morning before the celebration starts.” She sighed, hopping off the desk and placing her cards back in her bag. “It’s been a while since I’ve been home.”

“I wouldn’t dream of keeping you.” Nadia smiled. “Anything else I can do for you?”

“Any news about Muriel?” Callisto asked.

Nadia’s shoulders lowering was becoming a common sign that bad news was coming. “Lucio wants him to make a spectacle before the festival begins. I can’t get him out of it, but I do have some doctors and a spare bed ready for when he needs to heal and rest.”

“Thank you, Nadia. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Callisto bid her farewell, and made her way through the Palace, dodging the voices of Lucio, Volta and Volgora as they faded down the hallway. She hustled out of the door and down the pathway that cuts through the palace gardens.

Callisto held her hand down on the door to her shop and singed the magic seal on the door that would burn a burglar alive. She finally got to just collapse onto her couch and pretend for a moment that everything was normal for just a second.

It felt too silent to consider normal. There was a rustle around the back room and Callisto was about to start worrying about it until a surprised chirp came from the area. “Clio, where have you been?”

“A secret.” Her voice came through her mind like a whisper.

“Why a secret?” Callisto asked as Clio came to her and implored her to go sleep in her own bed instead of on Clio’s midday nap bed. Callisto couldn’t deny her adorable little request.

“Surprise!” She stated simply.

“Alright, I guess I’ll just have to wait, hmm?” Callisto asked as she finally got herself into bed.

“Wait for surprise.” Clio assured her as she curled up beside her to sleep.

Callisto may have found it difficult to rest with so much running through her mind, but her exhaustion wrapped itself around every one of her bones and pulled her into the deep void of a restless sleep.

#the arcana #arcana fanfic #arcana visual novel #nadia x callisto #nadia satrinava x oc #nadia x apprentice #nadia satrinava #julian devorak #consul valerius #procurator volta #praetor vlastomil #pontifex vulgora #quaestor valdemar #count lucio #asra alnazar

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angeledeggs · 1 year

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Main Six + The Courtiers with a bilingual partner

Main six plus the courtiers with a bilingual significant other! Hope y'all enjoy, and thanks for the surprising amount of support! :)

Asra 💜:

Finds it cool that you know another language, and will probably ask you how you learnt it, why you learned it, etc.

Asra is also bilingual! He speaks Arabic, too, which was his first language. He can also write in it flawlessly and though he speaks English very well, his writing in English can get a bit messy when he's tired

They'll probably want to learn a few things in the other languages you know just for fun, and if you want to have conversations in that language? Even better! Asra will hit the books right away!

If you have just a bit of an accent when you switch to English or the other language you know, Asra will probably blush a bit. He finds it attractive.

Will probably brag to their parents that you're so smart that you know more than one language, and probably to their friends, too.

If you know Arabic, or even better- learned it for Asra, he'll probably fall a bit harder for you and the bragging to his parents will most definitely be nonstop.

Muriel💙:

Finds it impressive, especially since he just knows English. Will ask you a bit about the language you know, how good you are, etc.

He'll probably not want to learn it though, not because he thinks it's weird, just because he's kind of bad at memorizing things (unless it comes to what you like).

If you want him to try though, he definitely will. He'd probably try to read some books and give up, and try flash cards instead. In the end, he can kind of carry a conversation with you in the language.

But if you want to speak in that language to him more often, he'll definitely amp up his studying and a lot of the times in the evening you'll find him quietly making more flashcards. It warms your heart.

He manages to stumble through an "I love you" in the language you know and gets really happy when you can understand him.

Nadia💎:

Finds it refined and elegant that you can speak in another language, even if you can barely do it and stutter through your words.

If you have any accent, she'll also find that extremely graceful of you.

She also knows a few languages herself which includes English and a few dialects of Hindi, but she won't tell you unless you ask, just because she's never thought of it before.

If you know her language or any of the dialects (or teach yourself), no matter how broken it is, she'll melt.

Is probably similar to Asra in the act of bragging to her family about you and your skills. A lot.

Might learn a phrase or two in the language you know, just to say it to you and see your reaction. But then she's suddenly studying it every night and sometimes mumbles it in her sleep when you two cuddle.

Julian🦠:

Thinks it's cool and deems you 'even smarter'

He knows Russian and might say a thing or two to you in it when he's teasing you. If you know Russian, he most definitely will blush whenever you even start to speak it for a second.

He insists that you teach him some together to 'bond', and he'll also most likely watch a few videos to learn it, too. His pronunciation is very bad, but he's so proud, you can't really tell him that.

He'll probably brag to Portia, too, about how awesome you are and how you're bilingual. He may or may not write down every little thing he loves about you in one of his journals. His journals are a mess though, so you'll never find it.

Will call you a nickname in the other language you know like sweetheart or honey. If you allow it, of course.

Portia🧡:

As soon as she hears you speak it, she's fallen in love all over again. Will definitely blush each time you speak it, which she can't help!

She knows just a bit of Russian, but not a lot, and mainly speaks English. Hearing and knowing that your bilingual definitely inspires her to get back to being fluent? And oh, if you speak Russian, she's absolutely floored.

Might study with you if you're not fluent yet, just for the bonding.

Gets all flustered if you have an accent, too.

She actually goes to her brother to get back into her Russian and will affectionately refer to you in terms of endearment of your own language, or her own like "Дорогой" or "Моя любовь"

Lucio👑:

Someone call an ambulance, because he thinks he's about to have a heart attack when he hears you speak in the other language that you know. A good heart attack, of course!

Only knows English himself and is impressed no matter what language you speak. He might even learn some of it just to impress you.

He's so proud of you for knowing another language, no matter what level of fluent you are. Sometimes he just asks you to speak it to him so he can relax.

If he's actually committed to learning your language for you, he'll put some TV shows on with voiceovers in the language you speak, since he heard that's the best way to learn.

Might even get a book, if he wants to feel like he really is trying.

After a long time, he'll be able to stutter through a conversation with you in the other language you know. But only to see you smile.

Valerius🍷:

How... Sophisticated. He's definitely impressed. Which, honestly, is rare for him. He only knows English, so to know that you know another language has him a bit speechless for a moment.

To show how impressed he is with your language abilities, he'll most likely get you a few books in the other language you know so that you can read them.

And if you have an accent? He's blushing already.

Will study the language half heartedly for a bit when one day he suddenly decides he actually wants to know it like you do, and studies much more.

He's able to keep a conversation with you, and to him, he's very proud of both you... And, yes, himself. But he definitely won't say it or brag or anything, he's just happy he can talk to you in the language. Especially gossip.

Vlastomil🐛:

Doesn't realize that you're bilingual at first, but when he does, he'll definitely compliment you on your knowledge.

Thinks that it's very smart for you to know more than one language, and finds himself impressed by the face that you're bilingual.

If you happen to have an accent in either your English or other language, he thinks that it's extremely cute and will probably ask you to speak to him in your other language just to hear it.

Just knows English and a bit of Latin, and that's probably enough for him. But if you want him to learn your language? For you, anything.

He'll definitely commit to it if you want him to learn it too, and will end up buying lots of books about the language. He ends up stuttering through it and half fluent, but very proud.

Valdemar🧠:

If you know a language, Valdemar probably knows it too, but they're still impressed. They probably won't admit it, though.

If you have an accent in either English or the other language, they find it, strangely... adorable. Very adorable, and they insist you speak it more often around them. They had spent years hiding their own accent/s wherever they went, after all.

Will definitely have a few books in the language you know. And they give it to you. They don't lend it to you. They give it to you, insisting that it was yours all along in the end.

If you call them something affectionate in your language, they will respond with a surprisingly enthusiastic kiss.

Volta🍰:

Wow, she's so impressed! She doesn't know many bilingual people and is monolingual herself, which makes your knowledge even more impressive to her.

Will want to watch shows with you that have your language in it, even though she can't understand it, just to bond.

She'll also probably want to try food from the country that speaks your language, just from curiousity.

She gets super blushy if you ever refer to her in your language as something affectionate, and will probably make a little squeaking noise.

Vulgora⚔️:

Only knows English, and is very impressed with your skill. Insists that they learn some, too, just so you two can talk in your other language.

They love it when you speak in the other language you know, and they find it actually calms them down, a lot. It's so calming to them that it's able to put them to sleep, really.

They brag about your skill to other nobles and maybe even the family members they still talk to.

If you ever refer to them as something affectionate in the language you know, they will demand you repeat it over and over for them until they can say it themselves and calm you that

It's surprisingly sweet for such an aggressive warrior.

❀

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k1nky-fool · 1 year

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The Ace of Swords

Book I: The Devil in the Details

Chapter II: Mortal Conditions

Nadia Satrinava x OC, Callisto

Synopsis: Vesuvia is being devastated by The Red Plague, and the Master Magician, Callisto has found a trail that mysteriously leads into the Palace Court while she searches The Arcana for a cure for the plague. Meanwhile Nadia begins to have hope that Vesuvia isn't as lost as it seems, if she can just fix this city.

Warnings: Sexual tension, future NSFW, but not in this chapter. Mentions of plague victims, and general suffering.

Masterlist

Callisto stood by in the palace garden as Lyra had instructed. Julian found her and eyed the clouds that were becoming more and more malicious by the second.

“What are you doing out here?” He asked.

“I have business to discuss with the Consul.” Callisto said, admittedly she was bragging a little to Julian.

Julian laughed. “Who’d you have to get on your knees for to swing a meeting with Consul Valerius?”

“His girlfriend.” She said blatantly. “And if I seem a little more familiar with Count Lucio, it’s the same technique.” she joked.

The look on his face should be painted and immortalized forever. “So while I’m elbows deep in corpses downstairs, you’re stealing noble women from their husbands.”

“As if their husbands aren’t awful.” Callisto scoffed. “Believe me, after spending a day with Count Lucio, I understand why Lady Satrinava came to the library, desperate for a distraction.”

Julian raised an eyebrow and smirked.

“Not that kind of distraction!” She smacked his arm with some force, which made him yelp. “She wanted me to tell her fortune.”

“And you did?”

“She’s Lady Satrinava, as if I could have refused.” Callisto excused.

His head bobbed from side to side, as if weighing the statement in his head. “I think you’ll find Lady Satrinava is a little more forgiving than the other nobles in the palace.”

She immediately wanted to ask more questions, but as if on queue, a tame carriage considering Lucio’s tastes for the palace, rolled up, pulled by two beautiful coffee-colored horses with sleek and shiny hides. The chauffeur turned to her and Julian. “Magician Callisto?”

“Your carriage awaits, milady.” Julian bowed dramatically.

Callisto messed up his hair now that it was within reach to her as she stepped up into the cab. She suddenly felt quite self-conscious now that she was actually trying to impress Lyra. And get information from Valerius, but really she didn’t want Lyra to think she couldn’t handle herself.

She reached into her bag and pulled out some salt. She threw it up into the air, and blew on it to crystalize it into a floating mirror. Her hair was a bit of a mess, so she combed through it a couple times to tame it, noting that she thinks she’d look good with bangs. Callisto considers using a spell to cut her hair here, but the wheel hitting a stray stone made her think better of it.

With all her fretting, she realized the ride was not nearly long enough for her to fix every aspect of herself. Though moments before the carriage door opened, she managed to use a stray rose petal to fix the lingering scent of dust and paint that still resided in her clothes and hair.

A servant meets her outside, and escorts her inside. Through open, and elegant halls, they come upon an all but sparkling dining room, where Consul Valerius, Lyra, and Lady Satrinava were seated.

Honestly, I’d feel a little better if Lyra had just said she was trying to kill me.

“Ah, Lady Satrinava, Valerius, this is the Magician Callisto. An old friend of mine.” Lyra introduced.

“A pleasure to meet you, Magician.” Nadia smiled while Valerius stayed silent, more interested in the wine in his glass.

So she doesn’t want them to know about our meeting in the library. So Lyra has no idea what’s going on.

“It’s a true pleasure to meet two esteemed members of Vesuvia’s court at the same time.” Callisto bowed to them and a servant helped her get seated between the Countess and the Consul.

Callisto brushed her skirt down, and realized she was fidgeting too much, so she just took a sip of her wine. It seems her objective has changed to survive dinner.

“Say Magician, that is a rather impressive emerald on your necklace.” Nadia probed.

“Oh! Yes, it was a gift from my late aunt.” She supplied.

“Is witchcraft a family profession?” Valerius asked.

“A little bit. I was raised by my aunt and she taught me everything I know. I don’t remember my parents, since they died when I was young. I inherited her shop when she passed.” Callisto explained.

"This is a very nice cabernet, Consul." She commented, hoping to change the subject.

He tipped his head ever so slightly. "I'm surprised you recognize it."

Callisto nodded, setting her glass back down. "I brew small batches of honey wine at home. They tend to sell pretty well at the shop, but true wines were more my aunt's passion. Still, I picked up a thing or two. Nothing fancy."

Valerius eyed her cautiously, but his gaze soon went to Nadia. "Was there something you needed to discuss, Milady?"

There was a brief moment before she answered where Callisto only heard the beginnings of a rainstorm falling across the roof.

"Yes, I was wondering what the status of the plague hospitals in the city is." Nadia got directly to her point, or at least whatever point she was trying to make Valerius think she was after. Callisto was left in shock that both her and the Countess had come here on the same night, to learn more about the same thing. "Perhaps you could enlighten me, Consul?"

His form squirmed uncomfortably for only a moment. "As dour as you could imagine." He said, carefully. "They are overrun daily, and the resources and infrastructure to help them aren't there because there is no cure to give them. The best the nurses can do is give them a seat on another boat to the Lazaret."

His pessimistic bite caught Callisto with every syllable. She knew the situation on the streets better than anyone at this table, and Valerius sounded just as hopeless as she felt.

"Though, Lyra tells me that the Magician Callisto is currently employed at the palace in search of a cure." Valerius puts her right back on the spot. "How is progress in the dungeons going?"

This was all Nadia.

She looks to the Countess to see an undeniable smirk of Victory. She was playing Callisto this whole time. She likely wasn't even here to see the Consul in the first place. She knew to find her here.

But she wasn't about to give up so easily.

"Progress is slow. My mentor and I have a hypothesis that the plague seems to react most to a lack of attention. Patients with caring families or access to care will live the longest, it doesn't seem to be the medicine that's keeping them alive, as patients who are given medication and sent home to recover, are usually no better off than those that receive no care and no medication." Callisto says.

She sends a look back to Nadia, who now has a spark of competition in her eye.

If it's me you want to talk to, then it is me you will address.

But she wouldn't do that. Not here, anyway. She's keeping secrets from the table, and Callisto will not be the one to show her cards first. Because this has all confirmed one thing;

Something is going on with the plague.

"Not much else to be done. At least, not that I can do." Valerius shrugs off.

They finished their dinner with Nadia pressing the Consul for more details about his work and what he’d managed to do in his position. Lyra supplies a name or date when he can’t seem to recall it, usually by coordinating it to whatever painting she was working on while she remembered what he was doing too. Callisto minded herself not to speak much unless at least implied to have been spoken to. However, as the time to leave came, Valerius was approached by a servant of his. She whispered something to him, and he spoke under his breath, back. Lyra listened in, but didn't interrupt.

"My House Coordinator has informed me that a rather violent storm has come upon us." Valerius announced. "I'm afraid it would be poor form for me to allow my guests to risk traveling in this. You may stay in the guest rooms until morning, but I ask that you at least wait until the storm passes to leave."

"Thank you for your hospitality, Consul." Callisto quickly said before she said what she really thought, which was that she was dreading being here any longer.

"Yes, thank you, Consul." Nadia bid him farewell as he retired for the night with Lyra. Callisto and her were brought to their respective rooms and left for the night. Though, Callisto was beginning to think that there were maybe some damn answers hiding in this big house.

There would be servants at least wandering the halls in shifts, and Callisto was not nearly familiar enough with the Consul’s estate to evade them. It would be even worse if he has servants outside their rooms in shifts, so escaping into the hall is probably not viable. Though, there was a balcony that looked like it could supply more slippery means of escape.

Callisto opened the door and found the storm was in fact fairly violent, but the winds were tame enough that the roof over the balcony was enough to keep her dry. The thunder and lightning alone would be enough to cause worry for the horses pulling any carriage.

The balcony on the corner of the house was lit by the lamps in the room. Callisto could feel something pulling her there, and she didn’t get this far as a master magician by ignoring her intuition. She looked through her bag to find anything she could use. Unfortunately, she used the last of her salt to make a mirror, but it probably wouldn’t have been enough to get her over there anyway. All she could find was a long spool of string with a needle.

A shuffling in the ivy startled her, but climbing up it, was none other than Clio.

“You came a long way to be here in my hour of need.”

“For you!”

“Do you think you can get over there?” She asked.

“So sneaky.”

“Very good.” Callisto smiled. She took the needle off the thread and tied the end around Clio’s neck, making sure it was loose enough for her to be comfortable.

Once it was secure, Clio leapt from the railing to the next balcony, where she didn’t lose speed as she hopped all the way across until she arrived at her position. Callisto concentrated on the string, and began to hear what Clio was hearing outside the window.

“She wasn’t that bad, Val.” Callisto picked out Lyra’s voice.

“No, I suppose not.” Valerius sounded far more relaxed than he did earlier. “She’s mindful. I appreciate her restraint. If she’s got enough sense to blow up after meeting Lucio, then I’m sure this hopelessness is more a mortal condition than a noble pursuit.”

It seems Lyra told him about the portrait sitting today, in detail. Valerius was at his wits end with the plague.

“She’s a good friend to have, especially when you need her help.” Lyra vouched. “And I appreciate your restraint tonight. The countess was a bit of an unexpected guest, and I could tell you were a little uncomfortable.”

“I know she’s not exactly an ally of Lucio, but I can’t risk letting his private concerns leak to anyone unfamiliar with them. Even if it is his wife.” Valerius stood his ground.

“I won’t say you have to make his drunk marriage your responsibility, but I promise, Nadia is harmless. She doesn’t care for him any more than you do.” Lyra laughed a little.

Valerius is quiet for a moment. “He’s planning something, you know.” He says in a defeated voice. “He keeps begging for my participation, but he doesn’t go into detail. I end up just telling him to find somebody else, but it only takes him little less than a week to bring it up again.”

“You know he has nothing you want.” Lyra scoffed. “Don’t give in to his deals, you know they never end well. Look at the other Courtiers. I mean, do you really want to end up like them?”

“I shudder at the thought.” He says with a sigh as he begins to relax.

“Good night, Love.” Lyra chuckles.

The lights go out and Clio begins her fast journey back.

“You did great, Clio.” Callisto picks her up and hugs her close.

“Good job.”

The sound of another balcony door opening made both of them jump and cling to each other. Nadia immediately saw them, and looked nowhere else. She was in a sleeping robe now. She stayed in her doorway, and without saying a word, she walked back into her room, leaving the door open.

“Invitation.”

“Well, I’m certainly curious.” She told Clio.

She scurried away and sat down. “Moths!”

“Alright, you can stay and chase moths.” Callisto allowed as she stood up on the rail and easily jumped the small gap above the three story drop. It was only scary if she thought about it too long.

The door was left open enough for Callisto to simply walk through. She found Nadia leaning against the bedpost, waiting. “You have my attention, Countess.”

“This is hardly the setting for formalities, Callisto. You may call me Nadia, given we’re away from prying eyes.” She allowed. Callisto could leave. She could decide not to trust her, and leave Nadia here with her questions. Or she could stay and figure Nadia out.

Callisto closes the door behind her.

“You didn’t want the Consul to know we met.” She first noted.

“He’s not someone I trust.” Nadia answered quickly.

If she was lying or had some nefarious intentions, Callisto would pick up on it, but her senses gave her more and more of an currious aura. “I think there's something you want to ask me.”

“Several somethings.” Nadia laughed.

“How did you know to find me here?” Callisto asks.

“I was told that you immediately left the library and spoke to Lyra.” She explained. “I figured you would either go to her to speak to Lucio or Valerius, and I made my guess.”

“Or you knew I already spoke to Lucio because Lyra took me with her to paint his portrait.” Callisto countered.

“You spoke to Lucio?” Her expression is immediately changed to one of worry.

“Yes. I read a card for him.” She says, holding the information in front of her to see how she reacts to it.

A curious smirk crosses her face. “What’s he up to?”

“If you tell me why you invited me in.” Callisto bargained.

“You’re on to something.” Nadia says. “You’ve been asking questions of your Arcana, and they’ve started leading you down a trail. If you have a lead, and it’s in the court, I want to weed it out.”

It was true that the Arcana have been telling her that the plague is within the Palace. And while she’s been thinking it’s something about the lack of efforts from the palace, she's uncovering some kind of conspiracy within the court.

It was Callisto’s turn to answer Nadia’s question. “I only pulled one card for Lucio. Death Reversed. The Arcana said that the stagnation of one is the stagnation of all, and malicious forces fester in the open wound.”

“And you told him that?”

“Yes, I absolutely said that to Count Lucio’s face, he said I was even more terrifying and masculine than him.” Callisto deadpanned. “Of course I explained it to him like he’s five-years-old.”

“You really took ‘no formalities’ personally.” Nadia notes.

“Something is going on, and I’m an ant out here trying to catch a smell of it, so imagine my surprise when the scarcely seen goddess of the palace seems to be watching me, very closely.” Callisto explains like she’s gone insane. “Nadia, forgive me if I’m a little unhinged.”

“You don’t strike me as the flattering type.”

“Only when I’m nervous.” She admits, which gets Nadia to laugh.

“I sense that we have a common goal. Perhaps we could help each other.” Nadia suggests.

“What? I use my cards and you talk to the court?”

Nadia stays quiet for a moment, waiting for her to calm down a little. "Your magic gives you insight into their activities. Mystic forces speak to you, even by just being in someone's presence. I would need your gifts to interpret their inevitable lies."

"You would bring me around the court on purpose?" Callisto laughed. "And even despite my attitude, wouldn't my presence with you alone make them suspicious?”

Nadia pushed off the bed post and slowly walked to meet Callisto. “I would give you a position. I would pay you to be the magical counselor for the Palace.”

“And if I say no?”

“I would let you leave, and I would do my best to uncover this on my own.”

Callisto considered those options. Where do they lead? Will this even help her pursuit of the plague? If she was cautious, she knew exactly who to ask. “Why don’t we ask the cards?”

Nadia looked exceptionally pleased with her.

“I’ll ask the questions.” Callisto said, walking past Nadia to sit on the bed. She shuffled the cards as she joined her on the bed. “Does the end of the Plague lay within the Palace Court?”

There was a brief surprise on Nadia’s face when she asked the question, but she could gather that Callisto’s pursuit of the plague was her first priority, even if it was unlikely that this question alone would convince her.

She pulled only one card, to Nadia’s surprise again. When she turned it over, she was met with the face of The Moon. The voice of the Major Arcana is stronger than ever, especially for this Arcana. “Darkness hides in the shadows of heroes. By facing their mask, you are in danger of falling victim to their shadow.”

“And what do you make of that, Callisto?” Nadia asks.

The answer was clear. There was something in the palace that Callisto needed to snuff out. And Here was her chance to hunt for it. “The Arcana know best.” She smiled. “You seem to have found my skills on your side. Use them wisely, Nadia.”

Nadia leaned over to speak in hushed tones. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” She said, making Callisto swallow harshly. “What did you learn from spying on Valerius?”

Straight back to business, I guess.

“Some regular chatting between him and Lyra, but he did say that Lucio is planning something. Says he keeps begging for his participation, but Valerius keeps denying him.” Callisto reports. “I’m not exactly sure what that’s about, but Lyra did mention the other Courtiers had taken Lucio’s deal.”

“We might be able to get one of them to talk, but it seems like Valerius isn’t going to be saying much more on the topic.” Nadia pieces together out loud. “Have you met the other Courtiers?”

“I had an unpleasant experience with Pontifex Vulgora. Which does mean I met Procurator Volta, since they’re apparently inseparable. And I speak to Valdemar every time I’m in the palace.”

“Which only leaves Praetor Vlastomil, and I don’t envy that meeting.” Nadia winces. “You speak to Quaestor Valdemar regularly. What’s your opinion of them?”

That was a loaded question. “Valdemar just makes everyone’s skin crawl. There's something not human about them, and with my senses, I can usually feel their unsettling presence before I ever see them.”

“That unfortunately sounds about right.”

“Lyra also mentioned you don’t seem to like Lucio all that much.” Callisto brought up.

“Does that really surprise you, or are you wondering if I’m faithful to him?” Nadia asked, suggestively.

She nearly seized up, but broke herself free quickly. “No- I- It makes me wonder why exactly you came here in the first place? I seriously doubt Vesuvia is anywhere near competing with Prakra in terms of appeal.”

Nadia let out a long sigh and fell back to lay down on the bed. “Really, I was just looking for a way to escape my sisters. The marriage was proposed to the public as a political alliance, but it was in my best interest to just be away from home. I suppose I knew it best while drunk, and we were married that night.”

Callisto was left somewhat shocked with this vulnerability from Nadia. She understands why Nadia would feel like she was never in control of her own circumstances, but after years of her being a scarcely seen phantom of the Palace, something made her want to do something about the mess Lucio made of Vesuvia, starting with the court.

“I guess that’s going around. I started working at the Palace to try to be a part of something bigger than myself. I just wanted to help stop the plague. My childhood friend, Asra, didn’t want me to go.” Callisto admitted. “We had a big fight about it. I ended up telling him that I never wanted to see him again.”

“Did you mean it?” Nadia asks.

“I did when I said it, but now I just wish they were here.” Callisto says, that fight still weighing heavily on her heart. “On my own, I’m a master magician, but with Asra, our magic is amplified to something much more powerful than either of us alone. I wanted him to come with me, but he didn’t want me anywhere near the Palace. He never told me why.”

“Perhaps we should see this as an opportunity.”

“To do what?” Callisto chuckled.

“To do better.”

It was a pleasant thought, but this optimism was not something Callisto was used to. “I think we can do that.”

Nadia bid her goodnight and let her leave through the balcony again. Waiting to see how this alliance would look in the morning.

Nadia and Callisto leave in the same carriage in the morning. There are still clouds hanging low in the sky, threatening to rain again, but the worst of the storm has passed. Unfortunately, the future looked more turbulent for Callisto and Nadia.

“So who are we approaching first?” Callisto asks.

“I say we speak to Procurator Volta. She tends to be quite skittish, usually hiding behind Pontifex Vulgora. However I believe that if we need someone to crack, she would be the first to do so.” Nadia proposes.

Something in the air today tells Callisto that today will not be an easy one. Even with Nadia by her side, speaking to the courtiers wouldn’t be easy. Still, something unexpected is hiding, waiting to spring. Out of Habit, she pulls a card, finding The Page of Cups Reversed. “Stay on guard. Something is waiting for us that will likely not be kind.”

“I don’t suppose the cards could be a little more specific?”

“That’s all we need to know.” Callisto says. “I will say that the Page of Cups Reversed usually signifies a childish attitude. Someone prone to chaos and tantrums. I don’t suppose that reminds you of anyone?”

Nadia’s face is one of disdain. “Unfortunately, Vulgora, Vlastomil, and Lucio are all prone to throwing tantrums and fits. I suppose any of them could become an obstacle today. I will be sure to keep an eye out.”

When they reach the Palace again, Julian is waiting by the road.

“Welcome back to hell, Magician.” He greets, only noticing Nadia when she stepped out right after Callisto.

“Good to see you again, Dr. Devorak.” Nadia smiles.

“Lady Satrinava, always a pleasure.” to his credit, Julian recovers quickly.

“Your apprentice has been making friends in high places, I should say.” She notifies. “On our ride I found myself in need of her talents, and I will be promoting her to a counselor’s position. I trust that you can carry on your studies without her for the foreseeable future.”

“Hey, better that you take her off my hands. Better she’s doing something more important than staring at books and records all day.” He says. “And congrats, Callisto. You deserve it.”

“I’ll still come by to lend a hand when I can.” Callisto promised. “I’m just following a different lead.”

Julian seemed to notice that little bit of code. Following a lead was usually code for Unofficial Means. “Then you better be going all in.”

Callisto couldn’t help but smile. “Hundred or nothing.” She patted him on the shoulder as she passed him, following Nadia into the Palace.

“That was an interesting exchange.” She noted.

“You picked up on that too?”

“You were hardly discreet.”

Callisto shrugged. “Not much need for ‘discreet’ when you’re in the dungeons. There, most people would rather catch the plague than look one another in the eye.”

“Why would that be?”

“The plague takes more than lives.” Callisto repeated. It was a mantra for the plague researchers, all of them bearing the weight of every end they’ve gone to for the means of curing the plague. “Where can we find the Procurator?”

“At this hour, they’re bound to still be in the dining room. Volta doesn’t like to stray too far from the kitchens around meal times.”

When they get to the dining room, Volta and Vulgora are present, but there is another unexpected guest. Lucio sits at the head of the table, stuffing his face while Volta makes what Lucio’s doing look like a polite tea time date. Vulgora tells a rather loud story to Lucio about some violent excursion.

“Well, this is a lively scene.”

“Oh! Noddy, you know Callisto too?”

“Yes, I’ve actually hired her as a mystic counselor for the palace. Her talents could be of great use to Vesuvia.” Nadia vouched.

Lucio rolled his eyes and slumped back in the chair. “Just like you to snatch my new friends from me.”

“Count Lucio, just because I am employed here under Lady Satrinava’s command, doesn’t mean I won’t have some time off.” Callisto tried to assure.

He does seem to light up a little at the assurance. “Promise?”

“A magician is bound to their word. I still promised Lyra I’d preserve the lighting for your portrait, so I’ll be around when you need my talents, sir.” She gave a respectful bow.

“I’ll hold you to it.” Lucio swears. Callisto shares a look with Nadia, both of them surprised that it went over as well as it did. He must be in a good mood. “What would this Magician’s talents do for the court, Noddy?” He put her directly on the spot.

“I already have some ideas. Callisto’s guidance can help with finding the best course of action for my efforts.” Nadia said cautiously.

“Oh this again.” Lucio scoffed. “The city is fine, Noddy. They’re always in good spirits at my festivals and parties.”

Nadia attempted to calm herself down, but it seems she was unable to hold her tongue this time. “Because you only meet the people who are well enough to attend.”

“I’m helping them!” Lucio shouted.

Nadia abruptly stood, shocking everyone, but most of all, Lucio. “Parties and festivals!? That’s your idea of helping plague-ridden citizens marching to Lazaret, polluted water running red through the canals, overwhelmed medical centers, starvation in the streets, and not to mention the entire district of Vesuvia that is half underwater and still sinking!?”

Lucio jumped up to argue too, now that this was clearly a fight that Callisto was awkwardly stuck in the middle of. “What could I even do about all that?”

“Clean the damn water! Clean living, infrastructure, food! The Palace has the resources to help its citizens, but you’d rather spend enough money to feed all of them to fill the garden fountain with Golden Goose for a party!”

“They’re not important!” Lucio screamed with finality. Nadia was prepared to fight back, but Callisto placed a hidden hand on her knee.

Nadia just quit and sat down. Volta had hidden under the table with all the shouting, and Vulgora looked disappointed that Nadia had backed down.

Lucio walked over to the corner of the room and grabbed two swords from the armored figures, tossing one to Vulgora “En Garde!”

Callisto noticed Nadia rubbing her temples to ease the clearer headache that gave her. With Lucio distracted, they could speak. “I apologize for that, Callisto.”

“I’m sorry you’re married to him.” She responded quietly, making Nadia smile and hold back her laughter.

“Shh, you’ll get us into trouble.” Nadia teased, but got serious again. “I’m afraid I’ve made a fool of myself and I’ve ruined our chances of getting information from Volta.” Seeing as Volta was cowering in the far corner of the table, scarfing down food while shaking, that may have been an accurate statement.

Callisto looked over to Lucio and Vulgora fighting with the swords. There were combat spells, and some of them provide very great opportunities to learn a magician’s opponent beyond mortal bindings. “I have an idea.”

She took a look at the table for any spice or herb that could help her. She took a generous pinch of dried chamomile from the glass dish used for tea, and pulled a crystal from her bag. She held them together and the crystal began to glow, before it dimmed and Callisto rubbed the chamomile over her body which gave her an enchanted glow for a moment, before disappearing into her skin.

She got up and approached the duel. Lucio and Vulgora didn’t even notice her coming closer until she came between them and Lucio faltered to hurt her, which she recognized as a reaction to her magic protection, but Lucio would not know why he didn’t just move her out of the way.

“If we take this to the courtyard, I’ll challenge both of you to defeat me.” Callisto announced to both of them.

Nadia was left shocked, Lucio gave an impressed, but determined grin, and Vulgora was barely able to contain themself.

“Are you very sure about this?” Nadia asked, discreetly as they made their way to the courtyard.

“I don’t need to win, I just need to keep them fighting for long enough that I can use a spell to interpret their hearts.” Callisto explained.

“There’s a spell for that?”

“There’s a spell for everything. Even for great evil.” She warned.

“And you do know that Vulgora is a former warlord, and Lucio conquered his way all the way to Vesuvia from the far South?” She informed.

“I was aware of Lucio, not aware of Vulgora, but in the end, their combat prowess will not help them fight me.”

They got to the Courtyard and Callisto immediately got to work, grabbing plants from the garden, some poisonous, some medicinal, some were innocuous, and she shredded them up in her fingers. She took the string from her bag, and gripped around it with the mix in her hand, and she ran the whole string through her mixture.

All of this before they found where this duel would begin.

“Vulgora, try not to kill my new friend.” Lucio chastised.

“She will only die if she is weak.” Vulgora spat.

“Don’t kill me, and I won’t kill you.” Callisto said. “I have ways to earn victory from beyond the grave.”

“Oh this will be good.” Lucio grinned.

Callisto held the string and channeled her energy through it. She focused on the weight she wanted, and the weapon she needed to wield. The string gained weight and strength as it became warm to her touch. To them it would burn.

She raised her arm and cracked the fiery whip she’d fashioned out of her magic. The splitting sound made everyone but Callisto flinch with the sound of thunder.

“How is that fair?” Lucio whined.

“I am a Master Magician, Count Lucio.” She said with a smile. “The world around me gives me power. Where do you get yours?”

She’d been wanting to wipe that awful smile off his face since she met him. Put him in his place as a mere man that would never care enough to grow enough to learn the same power that she had sweated, bled, and cried for. But the purpose of her question was to keep it on his mind while they fought so she could exploit their track of thought.

Her taunt was good enough to make Lucio strike first. Her whip wrapped around his neck, and forced him directly into Vulgora.

“Get off me Lucio! You buffoon!” Vulgora cried out, but Lucio’s neck was burning.

“My power comes from something way more powerful than this witch.”

Callisto released him from the whip as Vulgora charged at her. They had her on the defensive fast, and she was barely fast enough to keep away from the blade. However, if the blade was the problem, Callisto could fix that.

She gripped the whip and wrapped it around the blade, making it heat up enough that the leather on the handle wasn’t enough to protect their hands from being burned by the sword.

“You witch!” Vulgora screeched, Callisto whacked their sword at Lucio, who expertly deflected it with his sword. She swung and caught Vulgora’s ankle with her whip.

“I refuse to be defeated by a mortal.”

That caught Callisto off guard, but she still had a fight to worry about.

She managed to heave the whip and throw Vulgora in front of Lucio so he’d trip over them.

“Out of my way, idiot!” Lucio shouted, kicking them down.

Callisto released Vulgora from the whip as she waited for Lucio to make his move. He circled her slowly, analyzing for an opening. She let him get behind her, and he took that as an opportunity. She was waiting for him, and managed to wrap the whip around his torso diagonally.

“Not even death can defeat me.”

She gets distracted long enough for Lucio to trip her and hold his sword to her throat.

“I win, Callisto.”

She held up her hands in surrender, letting the whip dissipate back into a string. “I expected as much. But I couldn’t deny the temptation of a worthy opponent.”

Lucio smirks and goes over to gloat at Vulgora, but Callisto has emerged a true victor. She found precisely what she was looking for, only she knows it is only the beginning of something she can’t quite make out yet.

“That was beautiful.” Nadia strides up to her as she’s brushing dirt and grass from her clothes.

How to even begin describing this to Nadia. “Thank you.”

#nadia satrinava x oc #nadia x apprentice #nadia x mc #nadia satrinava #julian devorak #asra alnazar #count lucio #consul valerius #arcana visual novel #arcana fanfic #the arcana #oc: callisto

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