2372 Iclis 02, Velpa

The sweet, characteristic smell of a flower called Helinfirth's Queen filled the Elred's nose the moment she stepped into the pavillion. Servants carrying buckets upon buckets of the crystalline flowers whizzed past her, setting them in an orderly bunch by the center. When she had heard that the Sylwen clan had sent their congratulatory gift, she didn't think they'd shower her with Helinfirth's Queen.

Then again, it was customary that noble families offer no other flower but Helinfirth's Queen to the royal family. Sending anything else would mean a direct challenge to the family's rule, and that would lead to unpleasant drama above all else. The Sylwens were being wise, as they should.

Elred strode towards the nearest bucket. Each one was as tall as her thigh so when she crouched, she was eye-level with the flowers, themselves. Glass-like petals reflected the early morning sunlight, making the surface dance with mixing hues of yellows, pinks, and greens. She stood up again and let the servants pile the remaining buckets. Holy Crintine, how many did the Sylwens sent?

Outside of the pavillion north of the Vertinso mansion sat the spreading landscape of flower bushes and trees bursting with color and fruits. Part of the reason she agreed to come out here was she had to check if the season brought enough harvests for Abshire to use for the upcoming Feast. Looking at the flush of color and listening to the rustle of the thick curtain of leaves and branches, it's enough. Seemed like Dhavo, the goddess of nature, was pleased.

She must be looking forward for another Feast honoring her name, huh?

A chorus of screams followed by a loud thud tore her attention from the garden and back to the pavilion. One of the buckets have upended, the crystalline flowers scattered on the trimmed grass a few steps away. A boy dressed in the familiar beige uniform sat in a puddle of water with his face scrunched up in pain.

"Jira!" a stern voice rang through the throng of servants who stopped to ogle at the scene. Elred watched a woman push past the line of beige blocking her and the boy and crouch next to him. "What did I tell you about wearing those godsdamned boots?"

The boy didn't speak. Instead, he turned to Elred just as she was starting to approach. The woman, who appeared to have understood the action, flinched and faced Elred as well. "I'm so sorry, Your Grace," she ducked her head as she scrambled up, clasping her hands in front of her. "This won't happen again. If there's a need for anyone to be punished, it's on my head."

Whoa, that's...

Elred shook her head. "It's fine," she said. They're just flowers, anyway. "Is he hurt anywhere?"

The woman clicked her tongue, having been reminded she was angry just a few seconds ago. Elred had a good view of her faded amber hair as she crouched by the boy again. Just like that, Elred was forgotten. "You naughty boy," the woman chided as she lifted the boy's leg up and yanked a worn, leather boot free. There's nothing amiss there. Nothing was broken. "You best listen to me now, eh?"

The woman chucked the boot away only to land at another puddle formed when the water from the bucket splashed in great leaps. Only it wasn't a puddle anymore. During the time it took for Elred to reach the fallen boy, the water had already seeped into the soil, turning the area into ring of wet muck. When the boot landed on it, it stirred the mud.

Something clicked in Elred's mind. Mud...

Boots in the mud.

A small gasp flitted off her lips, her memory flaring with what she heard from her brother yesterday. She shook her head again. It was nothing but a weird coincidence, right? It has to be. Because if it wasn't...

What else did Cirasa mutter? Red on the walls. And...buttons?

Elred looked back at the servants who have started clustering together as the woman continued yakking on the boy. Was she his mother? It sounded like she was. With all the attention focused on the boy, it spelled Elred's cue to leave. There's far more important things gnawing at the edge of her mind than spilled water.

Her legs moved on its own and soon, the familiar lobby of the Vertinso Mansion. Elred blew a breath and summoned her wings, shivering slightly from the warmth tingling in her veins as transparent appendages formed from nothing by her back. She gave her wings a few test flaps before launching herself to a hover.

Then, she used that momentum to glide towards her brother's room. Sometimes, she had an inkling the halls of the mansions were made to be this wide to accommodate flying. Because what else were they going to be used for? Just to inspire awe? Ridiculous.

When she came across the corner leading to Cirasa's room, high-pitched voices rang against the glass walls. "Come on, show us how loony you are," a feminine voice snickered along with a myriad of other voices. "Tell us about the roses! Or—or about our uncle in the bath! He's hilarious, isn't he?"

Elred rounded the corner and dispelled her wings just in time for the other children to throw their head back and laugh along with the girl. Ah, Elred knew that girl. Naire Valkalin. Eas she a cousin? An aunt? A grandmother, perhaps? Well, whatever. As far as Elred was concerned, Naire was as obnoxious as spoiled milk. And she picked the wrong target this time.

"Really, Naire? Picking on Cirasa?" Elred elicited a few gasps from the other children as she strode towards them. She closed the distance between them in four strides. "You sure are getting braver."

Naire didn't flinch even as the other children turned to her with doubt in their eyes. At least, they know when to back off. "Hello, cousin," Naire crossed her arms. "I wasn't picking on Cirasa. I was just letting my friends hear what he has to say. Isn't that right?"

"Y-yes," came the halting chorus of her friends' voices. Elred resisted the urge to click her tongue. Friends? They're either her grandnieces or great grand children or something. That's just how it works in a big clan like the Valkalins. Everyone's related to each one. There's no way they're just friends.

"Didn't you call my brother a...loony?" Elred narrowed her eyes. Cirasa had shrunk closer to the wall, refusing to meer anyone's gaze. "He's not. Back off."

Naire laughed. "Suit yourself," she said. "I was minding my own business when he came to me, mumbling about a failed subject in my Insentura. He should've minded his own freaking business."

Elred opened her mouth to defend her brother but a strangled whimper tore through her ears. She turned to find Cirasa's legs folding underneath him. He slumped against the wall. Before she knew it, she had pushed her cousins aside, lunging forward and catching her brother's head before it hit the ground.

"There! It's going to happen soon!" Naire taunted.

"Get out," Elred seethed, her vision tinging with red. "I forbid you to come here."

Naire scoffed. "I can ask Mother and she will have a word with your Mother," she said. "I'll be back here before you know it."

Elred didn't even understand that as she was busy hauling her brother to the door. Had those witches left already? Whatever. That's not her concern now. She grunted, dragging Cirasa into the bed, shutting the door with her magic as she did.

"Elred," Cirasa rasped. His fingers clawed at his hair like he wanted to remove it from his head. Was that how painful it was? "You have to be careful."

She knitted her eyebrows, sitting beside her brother in the mattress. "What's wrong?" she said. "Do you want some medicine?"

Cirasa shook his head. A wince from him told her the action troubled him a fair amount. "Grim things are bound to happen. You must—" he hunched forward, cupping his hand to his mouth just as he began hacking. "You must act soon. They are coming."

"Who? What's going on?" Elred shrieked. It wasn't fair. She shouldn't be screaming at her brother. But the things he's saying...

"I..." Cirasa's voice died down as he swayed. He would have fallen over to the other side had Elred not reached out to steady him. His eyelids fluttered like how he was fighting just to stay away. "I'm sorry...I should look further into it—"

"Don't," Elred interjected. "Just...rest, okay? I'll be fine. You don't need to worry."

That seemed to relieve something in him. His eyes began to shut. "Promise?"

She gripped his shoulder tightly. "Yeah. Promise," she said. "I'll call the healers. See if they can get you something."

Cirasa's only answer was a heavy sigh. Then, he slumped against her.

Elred gritted her teeth until her jaw hurt. Cirasa's visions weren't just dreams. It's almost like he was seeing something else. With that something being the future. She looked down at her brother as she drew the blankets over him. Could it be? Had her brother suddenly developed another ability while none of them were looking? If so, how?

And if her brother was indeed seeing the future, that meant what he just told her was coming true as well.

Grim things are bound to happen.

She cursed. Of course. She had just been inaugurated as the new Crown Princess, establishing the royal family's claim on the throne for as long as she lived. There were a lot of people who wouldn't wish for that to happen. And there were far more who would do everything to prevent it.

As much as Elred didn't like it, she couldn't really see any other way around it. This Feast was one to be remembered for ages, it would seem.