Waking up always happened too soon. Arcane turned sideways in her bed, groaning and pulling the cover higher. She could feel cool air on her toes. Clearly she'd tugged a little too hard.
She was confused for a moment. Hadn't she fallen asleep in the aedrum? But then she remembered her awkward hello-nice-to-finally-meet-you with Gadeden and the tired walk back in the pitch black night. When she'd collapsed in her soft bed, she'd fallen asleep within minutes.
Arcane opened the deep blue and ornately carved wardrobe. She pulled out a puffy shirt and some dark brown trousers of the kind she wore everyday they didn't have any plans that included a crowd. The general court dress code still meant dresses or at least frills and skirts, but Arcane often pulled out the exotic card.
Her father would have loved to have left his children in a little boarding school far away or with a governess, but it had often proved cheaper to bring them on business trips. So Arcane had seen the wider world, travelling from country to country. She'd been to Caelos where she had tried the local sport of cloud hopping. She'd been to Soustren where she had snacked on local sweet treats and had explored the forests. She'd been in Clamintos where she had learnt how to scare off beasts and combat bloodsucking insects. Pants had been accepted, even encouraged there. She'd been the foreigner in court, a normal girl, the rich traveller all the kids hated. She hadn't minded. It had felt like a game, slipping into a new role each month. Besides, it had been a break from Cines.
Something caught her eye, like light catching on glass. In fact, it was precisely that. She stared at the little bottle of green liquid and lifted it so that the light shone on it. There was a small tag.
To stay hidden.
Arcane froze. Her first instinct had been right. She knew precisely what this brew was. Of course there was a possibility that it was poisonous, but she took a sip nonetheless. Her power was worth the risk.
Eager to get away from the palace, Arcane headed out of her room. Upon seeing a pair of antlers, she froze in her tracks. 'Hello?'
A girl spun around, her skirt that barely stayed on twirling around. 'Oh, hello! You must be Arcane? Merari told me all about you.'
Arcane paled a little, shocked by the empty eye socket. She tried to ignore it, but suspected the stranger was used to it. Between that and her antlers, she was bound to draw unwanted attention.
'I'm sorry, who are you?'
'Sabrina Edris. I came in yesterday. I'm, uh, new.' She waved shyly. 'This is going to sound really weird, but are you okay? You look like something's bothering you.'
Arcane frowned. Had she been visibly worrying? She'd thought she'd had her best courtier's face on.
'Thanks for letting me know I come across that way.'
'Oh, you don't. I mean, it wasn't super visible. It was just the way you were slightly slouched and kept slightly sucking in your lower lip.'
Arcane couldn't help but be a bit impressed. 'Are you into that Eastern trend... psychology?'
'Not really. I guess I'm just good at reading people...' Sabrina shrugged indifferently, then smiled. 'Well, don't worry, I don't expect you to spill your heart out to a stranger. Though, if you ever want to talk, I am here of course.'
That was both unexpected and slightly appreciated. She wasn't pushing Arcane to confide in her or anything, which was a welcome change from most people she grimaced in the presence of. Then again, they weren't already Eseterrians, they simply hoped a close friendship with one would rise them up in the world.
It was then that Medea and the Chèr entered.
'Told you they'd be here. You owe me one of those fancy notebooks. You know, by that Lord Merton.'
'I never bet against you. Why would I? You can literally see the future.'
'Next time I'll make the deal before I tell you,' swore Medea.
'What are you two "charming" people doing here? Did you come for a socialisation lesson?' Arcane mocked them.
'We know better than to come to you,' replied the Chèr. 'No, Sutoku has had a reply from Avi. He thought we should all gather to listen it.'
Arcane frowned. 'What do I care what those swines have to say?'
'Those swines could try to kill you.'
'Exactly. I'd rather not know. Adds to the suspense.'
'Wait, what's this about killing?' Sabrina nervously asked.
'The reason we're now Eseterrians. You know they were assassinated, right?'
'I guess... I was just kind of preoccupied with my own stuff at the time,' Sabrina sheepishly admitted. 'So, where to?'
The Chèr lead the way, but made sure that Arcane was beside him.
'So, which spirit's Eseterrian are you?'
'Gadeden.'
'Boo-ya! Now you do owe me a notebook!'
The Chèr sighed. 'Yes, you were right. I guess we'll see about that book, but we don't want a scandal about me losing religious funding betting with the Voire.'
Medea laughed. 'No need to worry. I'll make a bigger scandal to cover it up.'
This time they didn't meet Sutoku in the council room, instead heading to a small chamber with a painted ceiling that was exquisitely furnished. The chaise longues were a light cream that matched the doors and trimmings, the floor a warm brown and polished without being slippery. There were lamps with cream lampshades and a pianoforte in the corner. Kaya was sat drinking a coffee but still looked groggy. Emilee had a brighter demeanor and smiled at the two girls upon arrival.
'It's lovely to meet you, Miss Edris. I hope we'll become good friends.'
'I'm sure we will. Thank you!'
Ellux's Eseterrian glanced over at Arcane. 'Could I join you and Merari for dance today?'
'Sure.' Arcane had almost forgotten, she'd been planning on getting to the forest as soon as possible. Clearly that would have to wait even longer.
'This message arrived in the middle of the night. The council has already heard it, but I thought you deserved a chance to as well.' Sutoku cleared his throat, then read, 'Avi and the Enfanta sympathise with your loss and apologise for any inconveniences, but those responsible for Shula Kaya's capture did not act for the country, hence it would not be a fair trade. They are also criminals in Avi too and hence it is our choice to deal with them ourselves. To avoid even more unjust accusations and mistreatment, Avi and the Enfanta demand the return of the innocent vendor and wish the crown good fortune in their search for the assassin.'
Arcane exchanged glances with Medea. Both the country and the vendor pleaded innocent, but how could either be trusted? If the council was correct, now was the perfect time for Cines to declare war, so Avi would want to avoid it. Then again, Avi wasn't exactly doing a great job of preventing the outbreak of war.
'So? What has the council decided?' she inquired.
'The council has decided to decide at a later date thanks to me. We hoped that the Primaracon could give you some insight into the spirits' opinions.' Curiosity flared in Sutoku's eyes.
Kaya answered first, 'My conversation with Toutelé was... Cryptic.'
'Gadeden has the social skills of a fish,' added Arcane.
'I didn't even know I was an Eseterrian,' said Sabrina.
All eyes were on Emilee. 'Well?'
'Ellux said if we stayed strong in our faith, nothing could go wrong.'
Sutoku nodded slowly, running a hand through his hair. 'That can only mean one thing.'
Arcane could have sworn the Chèr let out a glad sigh.
'Yeah, uh, what exactly is the one thing?'
Sutoku smiled at Sabrina. 'The vendor goes on trial.'
Sabrina nodded, but her face clearly showed confusion.
'While I'm here, I have three people I'd like you to meet. They'll be the heads of your guard.' He stepped over to the pianoforte and played a C-major scale. It was the saddest thing Arcane had experienced this year.
In marched three people, one after another. One was short with bronze skin, small eyes and a tattoo on her left hand. The one behind her was rather fat and old with a curled moustache. The final was blonde, muscular and familiar. Arcane prepared herself for Kaya's complaints, but none came.
'Meet Zazhil Feyer, General Richard Mueller and Hjalmar Solberg.'
They all wore a plum uniform, their expressions unreadable. None of the girls knew how to react, so Medea explained, 'You need not doubt their loyalties. I have seen the path ahead and know there is no danger of betrayal.' With a small smile, Medea even added, 'Mr. Solberg might even eventually get a friend to join.'
'Might? I thought you're meant to see the future,' Arcane teased her.
Medea rolled her eyes with a grin. 'Go to dance, Arcane.'
♤ ♤ ♤
Clamintos was a state of magical species. The Bays had stuck out like sore thumbs. They hadn't been welcome either. The largest groups were Fleimons, reptile seers, Satyrs, men with the lower half of a goat, Rastiens, small people with an amazing sense of smell, and Cmes, sort of lurking presences. Parvi only made up 3 percent of the population and were treated with disdain.
Cassian Grey hadn't cared for the potential hatred his children would face. He'd got wind of a good business deal and had travelled as soon as possible. A nanny had cost more than he had been willing to pay, so he had brought his children along in the hope of cheaper labour. When nobody was willing to care for his children, he tasked ten-year-old Arcane with caring for Emris and Lilith. He practically handed her the two year old, then left for business.
At that age, Emris was a right handful. He blamed Lilith for the death of their mother and was constantly dropping spiders into her bed and trying to dispose of the child. Clamintos' folklore didn't help discourage him. He eagerly listened to tales of the Ferges, children left in the jungle. Every few nights, Arcane had to prevent a re-enactment.
On her second day, Arcane took her two siblings out, holding a hand of each. Lilith was close to a tempter tantrum and Emris was constantly trying to run off. Arcane couldn't help but be tempted to ditch them. If Emris loved the Ferges so much, he could be one himself, give or take a few years. But she held on tight.
'Oh, shut up. I'm trying to find somewhere to eat.'
In all honesty, Arcane was too scared to let go. She felt so small, so young. At least with her younger siblings in tow, she felt an ounce of authority. She had a purpose and meaning. Luckily, there were several little Rastiens as well, helping her feel bigger.
They stopped in a café and Arcane ordered all the dishes that sounded edible. She didn't want to risk two sulking children and she had enough money. The café was meant to have the seer predict the meal you'd like the most, but they'd looked at Arcane and spat at her. Parvi trash. It was quite a change from Cines. Arcane had wanted to cry.
Their meal was brought by the Fleimon wife of the owner. Their hands brushed for little more than a millisecond, but it was enough to send the reptilian woman stumbling back. Arcane expected an insult, but there was just fear in her eyes.
'Archakuse.'
'Cut!'
Arcane returned her attention to her little sibling and set to work, cutting up food for Lilith. Predictably, Emris snatched the bits she cut up.
'Emris, I will cut up your comic.'
That got him to stop.
When Arcane finished, the owner was stood there and handed Arcane back her money. She stared at him, confused.
'My wife said to return this money with the request that you do what the purple goddess asks. For all our sakes.'
Confusion consumed Arcane. What did he mean with purple goddess? What did any of it mean? She was still young and felt tears come to her eyes, but bit her lips to chase them away. She was big now. So, she just took the money and nodded to avoid any conflict.
That evening she tried to find the word Archakuse in the dictionary, but couldn't locate it. Had the owners just felt bad for a frightened kid and invented everything so that they could give her a refund? Emris certainly didn't care. He'd managed to get a new children's atlas out of the money.
Back then, Arcane still occasionally waited for her father at night. She'd only travelled with him twice and found herself unwilling to sleep until he'd returned. Sometimes he did and she'd try to show him the sleeping children in the hope of a kiss and a hug but would only get the excuse 'I'm tired' as he waddled off to bed. Other nights he never came back and Arcane fell asleep at the table.
That night he didn't return either, but there was something different about Clamintos. All day, Arcane had faced strange looks and offhand insults. Her father was Parvi too. What if he was in trouble?
Arcane got dressed again, this time with a dark, thin capelet. She pulled the hood over her head and somewhere, buried in fear, she felt a trickle of excitement. She felt like a heroine in a book. She would find her father.
The child crept out and locked the door behind her. Hopefully Emris genuinely was sleeping. She didn't dare abandon her father if he was in need.
Clamintos at night was different. Lanterns were lit, giving the now filthy looking streets a warm glow. Quiet foreign music escaped some crumbling houses, shouting escaped others. Some leathery Fleimons still sat outside, sipping from bottles and leering. There was a constant buzz of mosquitoes and the smell of rotting oranges.
A male voice crooned something in the native tongue, but Arcane forced herself to go onward. She didn't want to let her father down, but she was terrified. She was young and scared and the streets were dark and dirty. Anybody could be out there.
A middle aged woman knelt in front of Arcane, making her jump. She recognised the woman from the restaurant.
'Why are you out so late, little girl?'
'I'm looking for my papa.'
'Bad man, your papa,' she tutted, raising a finger to her chapped lips.
'Just because we're Parvi, doesn't mean we're bad.' Arcane tried to sound self-assured, but her voice trembled.
'But your father didn't birth Parvi. He birthed Vilae.' She shook her head to herself. 'It's a surprise he hasn't abandoned you. But he yet will.'
'I'm a Parvi. I don't know what you're talking about.' She schooled her features into unnatural stillness, desperate to avoid revealing the extent of her fear.
The woman laughed. 'You're just as much a Parvi as you are unimportant.' She removed a flask from her purse. 'You are from Cines, aren't you?'
She nodded slowly, looking around nervously. She wanted to get away from this woman, she scared her.
'One day you'll need your power. So train it but keep it hidden.' The woman grabbed Arcane's little hand and wrapped the thin fingers around the bottle of green liquid. 'This potion is harmless but will keep you hidden from the Leere while using your power. One teaspoon a month should suffice.'
Arcane stared at the woman with large, timid eyes. Then she ran, all the way home, desperate to escape this mad woman. All the while, her fingers clutched the little bottle.
At home, Emris was trying to dispose of Lilith again, but her father was still far away. She couldn't help wonder whether the woman was right. Was Cassian Grey a bad man?
♤ ♤ ♤
Tree branches rustled in the wind, scattering snow onto the ground. It was cold, but Arcane's feathers warmed her skin. Flying again felt good.
She soared through the air, twisting around trees. The palace was jaw-dropping from this height and size. The guards marching the grounds looked more like ants. She doubted this had been Baba Mair's intention when she'd first given Arcane the solution, but she wanted to enjoy her life as a Vila. What other point was there for having a power?
Arcane hadn't used her power since she'd come to court for the Eseterrian's funeral because it was too risky. It had been fifteen days since her last dose and she'd been running low on the potion. Fortunately, the gift meant she could safely fly again. Maybe it was reckless trying it so close to Leere, but she had missed the skies.
She spotted Kaya learning to parry from her new instructor. She spotted Mirja shaking from... Was it laughter? She wasn't entirely sure what that girl was doing. She recognised the Chèr working through some paperwork and writing a sermon. Sotuku was pleasantly conversing with a nobleman. Uh, evidently not just conversing. It seemed he had a secret admirer. Secret from the court, not from Sutoku. At least, Arcane assumed he knew the man he was holding hands with was his admirer.
After a few minutes, Arcane landed. Her stomach hated her being airborne. She was a bit unsteady from the long break. Still, that bottle would last her for several months. There was no rush. She could come back tomorrow.
She peeped down all the nearby paths. All clear. Quickly, she shifted back into human form.
'Weirdo!'
Arcane screamed and frantically searched for the witness. It was, of course, Merari Minka. The girl jumped from a tree then cursed when she sprained her ankle.
'How long have you been there?'
'A few minutes. The ballet teacher made fun of my upper arm strength so I wanted to prove myself. Please get me a new ankle.'
Arcane's heart was thumping in her chest. 'You weren't meant to see that.'
'I realised, but do you really think I'd tell on you? No way.'
'I assumed you couldn't keep a secret,' said Arcane.
'Rude but actually... Since I'm keeping your secret, I've got a secret I really want to share but can't have get out, sooo... You owe me, but please get me some medical attention too.'
'I'll go get someone, but what is it?'
Merari's face lit up. With a glint in her eyes, she whispered, 'I'm an Eseterrian.'
'What? You're... But we've got to—'
'Nah-ah. Sorita came to me in a dream, the same night Kaya and Ellux did... the thing. She said to keep it secret and stuff. Apparently drama's going on or something, it's spicy.'
'Merari, genuine question. With your linguistic prowess, how have you not been proposed to by the prince yet?'
Merari rolled her eyes. 'The court will learn to appreciate my trend-setting turn of phrase. Now get me a nurse.'
With the sliver of a smile, Arcane ran to the palace. As soon as Merari was behind her, it melted into a frown. If Merari was an Eseterrian, it was Arcane's duty to inform the Chèr. But didn't she serve the spirits above all?
Treason it is, then.
♤ ♤ ♤
A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I was too lazy to edit and between school and my other WIPs, life's been stressful. Especially when my brain decides to hate my writing some days.
Anyway, on Wednesday I find out whether I'm talented or not, so wish me luck I guess?
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