Chapter 866: Into the City
I woke from the vision with a start, soaked in a cold sweat. Occasional tremors swept through my body, setting my tail twitching.
"Welcome back," Fate said, enveloping me in a hug.
I collapsed against her, shivering in her arms. The warmth in my soul had swelled during the vision, reaching almost unbearable levels. But more than that, the things I had seen were...unsettling. Aerion had never looked like that before. For all his playfulness, he was gentle and polite. Who had those elves, that dark guild, targeted to make him react that way? I was afraid I already knew the answer. And given how extreme his disposition, they must have succeeded in some way.
"I have to warn her," I whispered, gripping Fate’s dress with both hands.
"Slow down, child. You’re still unstable," she said. "Take a few seconds to catch your breath. You’re safe. There’s no immediate danger."
I let out a long, shuddering breath. And her arms loosened.
"How do you feel?" she asked.
"Better. It’s all coming back to me," I said, touching my horn. "I shouldn’t have a problem using any of my abilities again."
She smiled. "Good. Now run along, your friends are waiting for you. And Xiviyah, remember that there are some things out of your control, and that’s alright. In fact, oftentimes, there are things we can’t do that must happen. Sometimes, that brings us to an even better end than we could have achieved if we could direct everything ourselves."
I furrowed my brow. "You mean...I should just let Selena get...I can’t do that."
"Perhaps I’m just rambling," she said, giving me a small smile. "You’re free to do as you wish."
With her words lingering in my mind, I left the cathedral behind. In Enusia, Selena was nowhere to be found, but Aerion said she’d be back the following day. That night, I was reminded why the Oracle of Eternity was as much a curse as a blessing. I waded through visions of war, councils, and late-night alleys. There was even a glimpse of Connor sitting atop his massive bone dragon, idly stroking a small, fist-sized sphere that was so black it seemed to suck the light in around it. It radiated an intense aura, but I wasn’t able to get a read on it. I might be able to use the Oracle of Eternity freely now, but there was a lot of time and work I needed to put in to remaster it.
The next morning, I rose with the first lights of dawn, yawning tiredly. As had become my habit, I dressed in a soft elvish robe and summoned Anyrnth to guide me to the baths. House Sunsinger had adapted my presence smoothly, and now treated me no different than R’lissea or Elise. Even the young maids were eager to brush my hair after a bath, and giggled excitedly as they dressed me in one of my own dresses.
"Stop that," I said, blushing as a maid’s hand brushed my tail. "T-that’s not proper!"
"Sorry, milady," she said, curtseying low, her face red. "I just...um...wondered what it felt like. Forgive me."
I let out a breath, patting my cheeks to get my face to cool down. But there was no hiding the swish of my tail, which brought giggles out of the two young maids assigned to me. After Selena had discovered I’d never had attendants before, and R’lissea, a literal hero, brushed my hair, she had frozen in shock. After learning that if R’lissea didn’t do it, I usually wouldn’t either and just let it go, she came to a rather abrupt and intrusive decision.
Now, after my morning bath, two or three maids were responsible for making sure I was presentable. As much as I loved when R’lissea brushed my hair, I couldn’t pretend it wasn’t a burden on her. Her own hair must have taken long enough, if she didn’t have maids doing it too, that is. And, as much as I hated to admit it, I kind of liked the feeling of being doted on. My friends never seemed to have enough time to do that anymore.
"All finished, my Lady," one of the maids said, giving me a small pat on the shoulder. "You should really look into buying a few more dresses. Something local would help you blend in a little better. And they’re far less...revealing than your current cuts."
I self-consciously tugged at the hem of my dress, tugging it to my knee. Were even these Heartland dresses considered immodest by Elvish standards? Given the clothing I’d seen the elvish women wear, that might be the case. R’lisesa’s dresses were all elvish, with long skirts, sleeves, and high necks.
"Maybe I’ll check some out today. I wanted to visit some of the markets," I admitted.
The maid smiled. "Sounds wonderful. I’d recommend the Burblebrook district, in the southern part of Duskwood. It’s close by, and has a few shops run by a Splitbark branch family."
"Oh! I heard the Wildblossom market got a new shipment from Jornta last week. They might even have Nivaleas!"
The maids continued to chatter as they left my quarters. When the door closed, I sighed, sinking onto the couch. A shadow fell over me, and I looked up to see Luxxa.
"Are you really thinking about going into the city?" she asked.
"Should I not?"
She shrugged. "From a professional standpoint, I’d rather you stay locked up in this room twenty-four-seven. But I think it would be good for you to get out and see the city. Even Brithlite legends tell of the beauty, grace, and hospitality of Sylvarus. And from what I’ve seen so far, the legends are justified."
I smiled faintly, snuggling up against the armrest, resting my chin on my hand. The gardens beyond the glass doors and balcon glittered with shining dew reflecting the morning sun. Everything from the forests to the cities was tamer than the wilds of Heartland, but it was just as beautiful.
Absently chewing on a strand of hair, I retrieved my room key from my spatial ring and summoned Anrynth. Not five minutes later, there was a sharp knock on the door, and Luxxa let the old servant in.
"Erm, Anrynth," I said, shyly clasping my hands in my lap. "You said you would be willing to take me into the city. I was thinking, um, if you’re not busy...?"
He smiled kindly, pressing his hand to his breast and half-bowing. "The only business I have, my Lady, is attending to your needs. Give me an hour to make ready a carriage and inform Lord Aerion, and we can be on our way."
"So soon?" I squeaked.
"Of course. The mornings are the best time to explore Duskwood. It’s before all the crass, grouchy elves drag themselves out of bed," he said with a wink. "Besides, we can make an appointment for lunch. I have several recommendations for local cuisine, if you fancy trying them."
"I’d...like that," I said, nodding. "One of the maids said we should look at the, er..."
I glanced at Luxxa, who smiled.
"Burblebrook," she supplied.
I blushed lightly. "Right. Burblebrook. She said I could buy some new clothes there?"
"A wonderful idea." He straightened and gave another salute. "If you’ll excuse me, I’ll return and retrieve you once preparations are complete."
"He makes it sound so official," I mumbled as he left the room again.
Jenna, who had entered the room midway through our conversation, chuckled. "It is. Even here, nobles rarely go out amongst the general population. The Sunsingers are a small house, but they would still send servants for any errands that need running. And any bulk goods like food and supplies are delivered directly to the estate."
"You know a lot about nobles," I said. "But everyone seemed to know Aerion. Is it because he was an adventurer?"
"He served in the military a long time, too," Luxxa said, rubbing her chin. "But that’s about as much as I’ve gathered. Gith?"
The ranger frowned. "He’s...strange. He has lots of visitors and often leaves, claiming appointments with other noble houses. But as far as I can tell, he doesn’t have any official role in House Sunsinger. Whatever he does, it’s for his own purposes."
"I’m sure he has his reasons," I said, a shiver running down my tail.
Did those ’purposes’ have something to do with the Dark Guild? No, from the situation, it had seemed purely reactionary. But if that were true, why would he want their services? Nothing good could come from associating with unsavory characters like them.
True to his word, Anrynth returned less than an hour later, leading us to the courtyards. Once there, I saw Korra and Fable, but they were busy sparring on one of the fields. Selena and R’lissea were in the other, surrounded by a dozen or so mages, the ones who had watched the battle before.
"Ah, Xiviyah! I heard you’re visiting the outer city," Aerion said, following us out of the manor doors. "Too bad all your friends are too busy to join us. But don’t worry, we’ll have lots of fun on our own," he said, winking.
"U-us?" I stammered, fingers curling into my skirt. "I...I didn’t hear you were, um..."
"What, nervous to be alone with such a fine, charming man like myself?" He chuckled, his eyes twinkling. "Don’t worry, I’m quite the gentleman. And besides, I wouldn’t dare act out of line. Not with that monster peering over your shoulder."
"You mean Fyren?" I tilted my head.
He nodded, wiping his mirth away as if it had never been there. "We sparred the other day, and..." he shivered. "Let’s just say I won’t be challenging him to an all-out duel again."
"He was that strong?" I asked, unable to help my curiosity.
"Without a doubt. In fact, I think he was actually holding back a little. Our strengths are about the same, but his skill with the sword is unlike anything I’ve seen before."
"He actually trained the Sun Hero for a few months," I said, then added, "And, I suppose he has had an eternity to practice. That should count for something."
"I suppose that’s what humans feel like compared to elves, eh? And this is only his alternate form. I wonder how powerful he is as a demon." Aerion smiled again, lightening up the atmosphere. "Now, if you’d allow me to assist you, my lady?"
I tentatively took his hand, letting him help me into the carriage. Anrynth gave him a hard look, but smoothed his face the moment the elvish lord glanced at him.
"What, stealing your job? Old men like you should stay far away from young, innocent girls like her," Aerion said.
Anrynth stiffened. "My Lord! I would never try to–"
"I know, I know," Aerion said, chuckling. "Just giving you a hard time."
I slid against the far wall beside the window as the carriage door closed, leaving the two of us alone. Despite my nervousness, Aerion seemed to have some boundaries and sat on the other side, as far from me as the carriage allowed.
"Don’t worry, I don’t bite," he said, "But that doesn’t mean I won’t pretend to. Hints of the wars and hardships outside of Duskwood have begun to seep into the city, and a little levity can go a long way to keep spirits up."
I ducked my head, avoiding his gaze. "Don’t tease me too much. Please..."
"Of course. I don’t need Selena giving me another earful."
Selena. At the mention of the mage, I stiffened, giving Aerion another look. Despite his smile, his eyes were sharp, constantly flicking to the windows, observing every detail as we left the Sunsinger Estate behind. He wore his typical pressed uniform, with a cloak. A crimson cloak.