Fall of Autumn, Week 4, Day 6

  “Juniper?” Gristle said, his face tilted to the side. “The hireling from the kitchen?”

  “Yes.” I agreed immediately. I blinked at the odd look on Gristle’s face.

  “She isn’t a maid.” He followed up, his voice pointed.

  I nodded.

  “That’s okay.”

  “And she hasn’t been trained to be a lady’s maid, even if she were a maid.” He said, gesturing off to the side, as if Juniper were here and he was tearing her capabilities down.

  “It’s all right.” I insisted.

  Gristle looked down at me, consternation written in the way his eyes drooped and the pinch of his lips.

  “Let me get Melinda.”

  “She isn’t a maid,” Melinda said matter-of-factly, her hands resting on her wide hips.

  “I know. I’ve met her.” I agreed enthusiastically.

  “She hasn’t been trained as a lady’s maid even if she were a maid.” Melinda parroted Gristle’s words from earlier —the man himself looking smug as Melinda agreed with him.

  “She can learn.” I waved my hand dismissively.

  Melinda looked displeased, but still, she said, “Fine. But Sylvie is our best Lady’s maid. So she’ll be in charge of Juniper until she’s up to par.”

  I smiled, wide and true, “Perfect.”

  Melinda sighed fondly, “My Lady, it’s not our place to deny you such a thing. But Juniper is young, so I ask that you learn to treat her like a maid rather than a friend. Otherwise, you’ll set her up for failure when you’ve left.”

  For a moment, my heartbeat spiked. How did she know? No one knows I plan to leave. But then I realized what she meant. She thought, eventually, I would return to the main estate. After my exile was up, she thought I would happily return to the woman who exiled me. To the family that sent me off to the border.

  She didn’t know me, and that was fine, but the thought made a laugh bubble up.

  “I’ll do my best, Melinda.”

  I paused briefly before, “Oh, and I told Juniper she’d be paid like a full staff member? I’m assuming that’s more than a hireling?”

  Melinda shook her head, but Gristle was the one who spoke.

  “Indeed, my Lady, we’ll adjust the budget accordingly.” He sounded defeated, but I paid it no mind.

  For a moment, I wondered what Eunora would have done, but little Eunora had been conspicuously silent since arriving at Fellan.

  Older Eunora, however, had not. It was such that I found myself pulled into a conversation with her on the way back to my room.

  >You are growing your base, Nora. I approve.< Her voice was nicer than it had ever been, and it put me on edge.

  I had to forcibly remind myself that, if we were stuck together, we ought to get along. So I shouldn’t complain so much. Not when Eunora was stopping herself from being her usual hateful self.

  It’ll be nice, you know. To have someone else to talk to besides you and Noir. I smiled to myself.

  >Yes, well, next time you go to Twilight, I hope Theo is there.<

  I pulled a face. What a mean thing to say.

  The deep laughter that followed didn’t stop until I opened my door.

  [Mana Sense+Mana Manipuation]

  I watched as the motes of ambient mana shifted, moving faster than they ever had before —fast enough that I hit my goal. Fifty-nine seconds to form the star, circle, and square.

  It had taken another hour of work, but a wide grin formed on my face.

  “Yes!” I cried, “Next page!”

  Moving on, there was a simple instruction: Copy the images, one at a time. Try to create them within a minute so that the mana remains focused.

  The next dozen pages were set up the same way—half the page was a convoluted line made into obscure shapes, a name, and simple descriptions of what each image should do. They were runes, of course. I started with what appeared to be the easiest rune.

  It was all curved lines, and the best way to describe it was that it looked like a teardrop turned upside down, with curls forming in two directions from the pointed end. They swirled several times in on themselves. Its name was Orpho, and it was meant to absorb light and dim the room.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  The book warned that the rune was weak —and only compatible with light and shadow mana. So I migrated to the closet, which, while still oversized, was significantly smaller than any of my other rooms. Turning on the light and closing the door, I settled onto the floor, sitting cross-legged and holding the spell book in my lap.

  “Here we go,” I said aloud.

  I held out my hand, less because it was necessary and more because it helped me focus, and I began building Orpho. It was slow, and I pulled all the white and black motes I could into the shape of the rune. It took me three minutes to do —and when I held the rune together, some part or another began floating away. It was different than holding the letters together or the shapes. It was taking from me. I could feel the ice in my veins seeping out, empowering the motes.

  It was unlike using a Skill and much more like in elsewhere, where you had to convince the magic to do your bidding, where magic was malleable and soft, not rigid and limited.

  I felt more than saw the blue in my veins dim and watched as the rune began to glow mid-air. As I brought the final piece of the rune back to the whole, tendrils of light began forming within the closet and snapping to the rune.

  I felt [Mana Sense] and [Mana Manipulation] end. The light was dull, as if I was squinting in the dark, whereas before, it had been crystal clear. The silhouettes of the clothes lining the wall were fuzzy, and Orpho was visible in the air. Its base lines were pitch black and outlined in a subtle glow.

  I no longer had to hold the rune together, as if its purpose made me obsolete. It rotated slowly in the air, and I felt my heart swell. Even though it’d taken me a while to form it, it was proof I was more than just a [Young Lady of Darkness]. One day, I would simply be darkness.

  After several minutes, the tendrils of light reappeared and headed back to their proper places —leaving Orpho to disperse into the aether.

  After I recreated my success several times with Orpho, I decided it was time for a break. Placing my spell book back on the mantle, I peered at the glass figurine of Noir. Next to it was the stack of unanswered letters from Ugar.

  I nodded to myself and grabbed them, taking them to my desk with me. It was time. I’d been in Fellan for long enough to have something to say. Even though I had originally wanted to see Fellan before answering, I wanted to begin writing the twins and Phil.

  Dear Clarence,

  I finally arrived at Fellan. It took less time than we expected. Yet, it felt like we were on the road for ages. I’m settling in still, and I’m set to start at an academy next week. I’ll let you know what it’s like here.

  I, well, I do have siblings. But I’m starting to realize that they are both better and worse than I thought. I have an older brother, see, and he’s spent much of the past few years ignoring my existence. But recently he reached out, asking to reconnect. Do you think I should? I know you don’t know him, but if it was Clara, would you forgive her? I think you would. But maybe you wouldn’t forget. So maybe I won’t either. Maybe I’ll give him a chance.

  I hope Arachno serves the farm well, and I’m sending him a friend with this letter. I’ve been practicing a lot recently, so I think this one will be even cuter.

  I think becoming so strong you can protect what you care about isn’t just admirable, it’s what one should aspire to be. I know I do. One day, I want to be so strong nothing can be taken from me ever again.

  If you want to send me anything in the future, address it to Sir George Limrick of the 43rd Contingent of the Dusk Knights, Fellan. He’ll be able to make sure I get it.

  I won’t forget about you.

  Yours,

  Nora of Adeline

  Pulling a knit spider out of my bed, I looked it over. It was small, only a few inches wide, and a blue so dark it looked like the bottom of the ocean, with iridescent eyes. It was perfect for Clarence.

  I went back to my desk.

  Clara,

  Hello from the borderlands! I reached Fellan —finally.

  If you go off to an academy, I hope it’s one you really want. One that teaches you all the Skills you need and want. I start at one next week, and I’m still unsure of what to expect. So this will be a new adventure for both of us.

  Don’t worry about me. I’m safe behind the walls. It… was scary to be on the road at first. But I was lucky. The Knights of the Dusk protected me and got me to Fellan in one piece.

  I, well, honestly, I don’t know if Phil will leave you behind. I wish I could say that I knew, but like your mother, that would be a kind lie. And I like you too much to lie, Clara. So, you’ll have to work hard to protect what is yours. If Phil starts getting ahead, just push harder. You’ll keep up.

  You may not need to do all the studying —not if you have the Skills you want. Just practice with them. Grow with them and they’ll grow with you. I believe in you.

  The journey to Fellan was long, and arduous. And, well, I made a mistake along the way. It’s been a lot, and while I don’t want to forget about it, I don’t want it to break me, either.

  One day, we’ll meet again. And I want to be the kind of person you look forward to meeting.

  I’m sending a present just for you Clara, I hope you like it.

  Love,

  Nora of Adeline

  P. S. Don’t worry, Phil wrote what I needed to hear.

  I pulled a small bolt of fabric out from the bookshelf and summoned a shadow dagger to cut off enough for at least one outfit. I used [Shadow Manipulation] to smooth the cut edge and keep it from fraying. I folded the fabric neatly and set it by the knit spider.

  I settled back in to write my final letter.

  Dear Philip Ugar, Grandson of the Village Head of Ugar,

  Phil, if you call me anything but Nora, we’ll have problems. I cherished my time with you and the twins, and while not all nobles are the same, I can say I am not like most of them.

  I’m glad you’re working hard, I’m working hard too. When we meet again, you’re right. I want to be so strong you can barely recognize me. I want to be strong enough to protect what’s mine. I hope you’re strong enough to protect what’s yours, too.

  Ugar is just as you’ve said. Small, but ripe for growth. One day, I hope you’re able to do your home proud.

  I myself start at an academy soon. Multiple actually. I’ll be both at the Fellan Swordsmanship Academy and the Magic Tower. But just because I’m committed to those, doesn’t mean I won’t be growing outside of the academies. Neither should you let your Skills stagnate.

  When we meet next, I want to be proud to know you. Proud to call you friend. So, I’ve included a little something from my latest adventure. Use it well.

  With all my ambition,

  Nora Dawn

  Master of her own Fate.

  I slid a single mana pearl into a slip made of pitch-black fabric and tied it shut with a piece of yarn.

  There were plenty more where that came from. All it took was a trip to Twilight.

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