Ariadne woke up to the distressed noises of Mirabel.

  “Alright, up, my dy, I insist you tell me what this was for!” She yelled pointing at the circle of blood.

  Ariadne roused herself to consciousness before blearily opening her eyes.

  “I… became a witch.” She admitted.

  “Oh!” She said almost excited. “Well, I suppose you don’t have much to lose.” She reasoned.

  “We don’t have to say everything out loud Mirabel.”

  “Sorry, my dy.” She said sheepishly. “What did you get.”

  “It’s… supposed to make me more feminine.”

  “I see.” She said thoughtfully.

  “It’ll take awhile though.”

  “All good things do.” She said cheerily. “What are you’re next pns, miss witch?”

  “I need you to find more books on it.” She said with more emotion than she wanted to. “I’ll check the library and I’ll authorize you to spend ten gold talents on any books or information you can find.”

  She let out a whistle.

  “You’re serious about this aren’t you?”

  “I’m already a witch, I might as well destroy my reputation further by being a good one.” She sighed before shifting into a smile. “Besides, I’m finally getting something of my own.”

  Mirabel smiled at that and then started helping her get dressed. She had just taken off her nightgown when Mirabel made a strangled noise, between a gasp and a ugh.

  “What?”

  “My dy, um, look down.”

  Just above her underwear was a bck mark in the shape of a heart and bat wings.

  “I’m going to kill that demon with my bare hands.” She said with a scarlet blush. Despite the harshness of her words her voice was shaky with embarrassment.

  “I’m sure some gentleman will find it alluring.” Mirabel said with far too much amusement.

  Ariadne blushed even harder at that.

  “Mirabel, shut up.”

  “Yes, my dy.” She smiled. “Before I do though, you have a letter from the pace.”

  Ariadne hadn’t thought of anyone finding her alluring in a long while. She had of course been formally engaged with the prince, but that was historical tradition between the Espestrierres and the royal family, one the duke had been softly navigating his way out of for the st few years. It would have been impossible to maintain for many reasons, her birth sex of course being the main one.

  She had gotten the impression that she was supposed to be horrified by the possibility from the duke several times, but had never really thought of it that way. She opened the letter that Mirabel had handed her.

  “What is it my dy?”

  “They want to apologize to me.” She said with surprise. It wasn’t absurd. Despite her poor behavior, breaking an engagement publicly in such a brazen and hostile way was… unheard of, and could start political tensions, or could have if she had been favored in any way. She wasn’t but they were still offering her reparations considering her engagement contract as well.

  “Well that’s nice.” She said sarcastically.

  “And I get to pick something from the royal vault.”

  Mirabel’s eyes went wide like saucers.

  “Can I come, can I come!?”

  “Yes, but don’t touch anything. I’m not going to be known as a viliness and a thief.”

  “Fine.” She said with a sigh. “But you know they deserve it.”

  “The queen has been very nice to me, all things considered.” She defended.

  “Hmph. I suppose.” She replied indignantly.

  “They’re asking me to go tomorrow.” She said in confusion. It was rather sudden for something of this caliber but she supposed that they knew she didn’t have any other pns. Either way the royal family was someone you made time for so she was going.

  “We’ll have to make sure you look extra nice then.” Mirabel smiled. It was a routine they had, any time she had somewhere special to go the girl started helping her get ready the day before, sometimes several days before. Bathing, moisturizing, washing her hair and maintaining her hair, masks and creams and perfumes, the whole nine yards.

  Ariadne smiled back.

  “I suppose we shall.”

  After spending hours the day before and the day of getting ready, Ariadne felt more confident, but it still wasn’t enough. She tapped her foot nervously in the carriage on the way to the capital incessantly.

  “Rex, my dy what could go wrong?”

  “A lot, Mirabel. Too much has gone wrong already, I don’t want to show my face here.”

  “As far as these people are concerned, you are the meanest, most spoiled, and most vile noble girl in the entire world.” Mirabel said with a grin.

  “Thanks, how lovely.” She said sarcastically.

  “Let me finish.” Mirabel countered. “From now on you have nothing to lose and everything to gain, the only direction you can go at rock bottom is up. So now it’s time you show them who you really are.”

  “And who is that?”

  “Someone they’ll regret losing.” Mirabel said. She could be uncouth sometimes, but Ariadne had to admit she had a way with words.

  Ariadne got out of the carriage once the coachman had gotten to the pace’s entrance, and then she began walking. She wore her nicest dress that she still had, a dark blue gown with white detailing, and a pair of low heels. She had stunted her height by starving herself a bit in her youth, but she was still 5’7 so she preferred shoes that didn’t extend that too greatly. Mirabel walked behind her, in the way that a dy-in-waiting might. She had never had one, and she preferred Mirabel to perform the role, even if she wasn’t noble and couldn’t attend parties with her.

  She was quickly ushered into a room once she showed the steward of the pace her summons. It was a vish parlor, all pinks and purples with gold decorating every surface. A pot of tea was brought out which immediately caught Ariadne’s fancy. She had never had it till coming into the duke’s household, but now she couldn’t live without it. She was trying to guess the type by the aroma when she heard the door open once more.

  The king and queen entered without ceremony, but Ariadne expected as much for such a small meeting. Ariadne stood immediately and performed a deep curtsy.

  “Ariadne Espestrierre greets your majesties.”

  The king and queen smiled for a moment before the queen’s face shifted to one of concern.

  “Whatever has happened to your hair, Lady Espestrierre.”

  Ariadne faltered for but a moment before speaking.

  “I…” She began to lie before realizing all at once that she didn’t have to. She owed the duke nothing and he clearly thought the same about her, why should she protect his reputation? She swallowed. “Duke Espestrierre cut it.”

  They both frowned at that.

  “Why ever would he…?” The king muttered in confusion, trailing off towards the end.

  “I’m not sure myself your majesty.” She said with a polite smile.

  He nodded gravely.

  “Well let’s not linger on his actions then.” The man said gracefully moving them onwards.

  “Yes sit, sit Lady Espestrierre.” The queen said kindly. She was in her te forties and wore a kind smile. The king was slightly more intimidating looking, but Ariadne knew that was just how he appeared. He was fairly jovial, for a king.

  A servant came and set a few papers on the table in front of them, and poured each a cup of tea. It was a rich bck tea that gleamed red in the cup. The king and queen took a sip and Ariadne followed.

  “Is this an Assai blend?” Ariadne asked.

  “Yes.” The queen smiled. “I know you prefer teas from that region.”

  “That’s very kind of you to remember.” She said.

  They both nodded at her.

  “We would like to start by apologizing for our son’s behavior at the academy ball. It was unacceptable.” The king started.

  “Yes.” The queen agreed with an angry look on her face. “That is no way to treat a dy, nor is it an appropriate way to end an engagement.”

  “There is no need for apologies your majesties, my own behavior was… not commendable either.” She admitted. It was within her pride to pretend that she was in the right, they could let her think as much, but she knew she wasn’t. Of course their son was also in the wrong, but she knew that the best way this could end was her amicably extending an olive branch to theirs and being on her merry way.

  The king and queen smiled as she said it, lightly, not in joy, but in understanding.

  “Your own mistakes do not justify our sons, but your understanding is a virtue.” The king said. The queen nodded. “We have the terms for the breaking of the engagement here. Your father has already signed so we only need your signature now.”

  Ariadne looked it over briefly. It was as the letter had described. The engagement would end, voiding the contract she had signed almost six years prior, the dowry her father paid would be returned to the Espestrierres, and as a gift of goodwill Ariadne would be allowed to pick something from the royal vault. She took a deep breath and sighed. The queen took a deep breath as well as she did so.

  “The steward will guide you through the vault if you wish. Or you could return another day if it suits you.” The king said.

  “Today sounds amenable.” She said her voice coming out more strained than she thought.

  “I’ll summon him and you can choose then.” He replied. The king and the queen both rose and Ariadne followed suit. “It was good to see you again, Lady Espestrierre.”

  “Yes. It was a pleasure as always.” The queen agreed.

  “Thank you, your majesties. You are too kind.” She said curtsying one st time. The king began to walk away, but the queen surprised her. The older woman closed the distance and hugged her. Ariadne awkwardly returned the gesture, unsure of when the st time she had hugged someone was.

  “You have a good head on your shoulders Lady Espestrierre. Take care.”

  “Thank you, your majesty. I will.” She said, trying to keep the emotion out of her voice.

  The queen pulled away and waved goodbye, before leaving out the door they came through. No sooner had they left that the steward came to escort her, and Mirabel who had been waiting outside.

  “Hello again, Lady Espestrierre. Right this way.” Steward Krk said cheerily as he walked them there.

  “The vault” was less of a real vault and more of a carefully selected array of items. She perused them with a bit of wonder as many of them were heavily enchanted items and artifacts. She walked by a silver tiara that allowed someone to manipute water as if they were a weak water sorcerer, a wand that could emit scorching fmes. She momentarily stopped at an ever-filling teapot, but quickly walked away when she realized it only refilled itself with hot water. Useful, but not an infinite source of tea. Mirabel was quiet the entire time but that was typical for her. Ariadne was in the habit of keeping secrets because it helped her, Mirabel however seemed to delight in hiding parts of herself just for the sake of secrecy itself. It made her a very reliable attendant.

  Ariadne stopped moving in front of a flower. It was a deep red lily that despite being disconnected from the rest of the pnt showed no signs of wilting. She read the pcard.

  “Blood lily: Natural treasure of the fourth rank.”

  Natural treasures were rare magical reagents that could generate their own mana. They had several uses. They were incredibly valuable for enchantments, necessary to create the most powerful of potions, and able to empower sorcerers and spirits.

  “I would like this one.” She said.

  “The blood lily?” The steward asked hesitantly.

  “Yes, please.”

  “Very well, I will have it packaged for you and sent to your estate.”

  “Thank you, Steward Krk.”

  “Of course, Lady Espestrierre.” He said with a smile. She was sure he thought it an odd choice, but he was experienced with the whims of nobility so he said nothing. It was certainly an odd choice for a noble girl with no interest in enchanting, alchemy, or sorcery, but a pn was hatching in her mind. Nowhere did it say that a witch could only trade mana to a spirit, there were other things. Things that even spirits valued. This was one of them.

  The two were escorted out and they made their way back into the carriage, the coachman politely helping them back on.

  “Thank you, Mr. Webber.” Ariadne said making the man startle a bit.

  “B-but of course, my dy.” He said recovering swiftly.

  The carriage began moving just as quickly and Ariadne couldn’t help but feel like she would never see the pace again. She tried to distract herself by looking at the scenery of the capital, but found her mind drifting to the conversation with the king and the queen.

  “My dy?” Mirabel said.

  “What is it?”

  “You’re crying.”

  “What?” She said pcing a hand on her cheek only to find it damp. “I- I see.”

  “Did… did everything go well with the king and queen?”

  “Yes.” She said her voice starting to waver as tears fell. “it went v-very well. They were very nice. I don’t know why I’m crying, I…”

  “It’s been an emotional day, my dy, and we still have an hour or so till we make it back to the manor. Now is a good time to let it out.”

  Ariadne just nodded and put her head in her hands careful not to smudge her likely already compromised makeup. She sat there and thought and let the tears fall. She had already cried her heart out a million times before this. When he called off the engagement, when the duke cut her hair, when he sent her off, all of it so why now? She could think of only one reason. Signing it made it final, made it real, and maybe some part of her wanted to live in a world where none of this was real. Thinking of that only made her cry harder.

  She managed to stop a little bit less than fifteen minutes away. She patted her tears dry and pulled out a compact mirror from her handbag. She looked at herself in the reflection and found what she expected, a reddened face with makeup that was beginning to separate slightly. Luckily her mascara hadn’t run too much a small bck trail in the corners of her eyes.

  “Let me help, my dy.” Mirabel said. She was the one who carried her makeup when they were out and about. The two worked together to blend and powder her into a more presentable state. Most women weren’t quite as obsessive as she was about cosmetics, but they were one of the main tools in her arsenal to look as she needed. She wasn’t going to let someone see her with it ruined.

  “Thank you Mirabel.”

  “Of course.” She smiled doing the finishing touches. “Why the flower by the way?”

  “I’m going to try and trade it.”

  “For a pact?” She whispered with surprise.

  “Spirits want treasures, I want their magic, it should work.” She said matching her tone in case the coachman could hear her, although she prayed he couldn’t with the amount of crying she just did.

  “Well, you’re the witch.” She said as they pulled up to the manor.