Oh, but that was a discussion she wasn’t looking forward to having.
She wasn’t sure enough why she felt that way. Anxious, with a strange itch all over her skin and in need of something more than the short breaths that her lungs allowed. But in perspective, one would have to blame the loss of blood for taking a toll not only on her body, but also in the way her thoughts came and go with a feeling of fear attached to them. Fear of what Nadia would say when she found about the circumstances of that accident, of how little and ashamed she would feel having to expose herself like that. If the Countess would love her still or rethink on that very same possibility. All those things that would have been absurd any other day, but that right now was making her go down a spiral of her own making, and to an attempt to fight it by biting her own lips and focus on her lover’s hands treating her leg. On the cold and numb feeling of her own limb, and how very tired she started to feel now that the trap wasn’t torturing her any longer.
Her answer to her instructions limits to a brief nod. Partly because she doesn’t have energies for much more than that, and partly because she can’t understand her full sentences any longer. She feels dizzy, uncomfortable as to how reality decides to stay and leave when all she wants to do is to capture one more word, one more look at her face as she lifts her up in her arms and takes her to safety. But at the very least she thinks she can understand, and that’s why from her lips slides a word she mutters amidst her weakened state.
“Thank you…” Two words in exchange for all the things she wanted to say to her. Of how she’s put in awe with her strength and bravery. Of how, as the world began to turn darker to her, she clung to the sweet feeling of her embrace. And although she felt like she would pass out soon, she felt at peace like this. Resting against her as the race back to the palace took place and Nadia’s horse did its best to take them there seemingly in no time at all.
Soil turns into stone as they reach the city, and the last thing she thinks she hears is Alwa roaring. A loud, exasperated noise when the Palace finally entered her sight, and the guards moved aside to let the four them enter its domains.
Getting Nish back to the horse hadn’t been as challenging as she had expected, since she already knew which path to take (and thankfully still had Alwa by her side to guide her in case she got lost). She was soon back where she had left her horse, and after some careful manoeuvring to ensure that she didn’t hurt her any further, the were soon riding back to the palace as fast as she felt comfortable going while she held her in her arms.
Nadia almost says something in return when she gives her thanks, but she quickly realises how futile it would be to do so, since it was clear that she had all but fallen unconscious at that moment. For now she remains quiet, focusing on making sure that the two of them reached the palace without any further trouble, making sure to check that she was still breathing while she rode on. After what had felt like an eternity, she saw the city coming into view once more, and only a few minutes later, the palace was once more in sight.
Thankfully things had moved rather quickly once they had returned to the palace. The guards had been quick to help move Nish to the infirmary, and after the physician had looked her over and treated her wounds as best as they could while she was unconscious, they had relayed what they had found to the countess. She now sat beside the cot that she was resting on, reading a book in an attempt to distract her from the whirlwind of thoughts that were going through her mind as she waiting for the magician to wake up.
It wasn’t helping much, but it was better than nothing.
Mayla isn’t completely relaxed, but a burden has been visibly lifted off her shoulders. He even smiles a little as she nods. “ I will tell you right away if we cross paths, yes.”
She nods again when Nadia’s finished, more solemnly. “I understand, Countess. I’m sorry I kept this from you. It was never my intention, it just… never seemed like a good time to bring it up.” She straightens up a little. “And no, nothing else as important as that. I can tell you what I gathered about the Doctor’s character, but that can wait. You said you had some information about the investigation?“
Nadia resists the urge to press her once more for information surrounding the Doctor’s character, if only because she felt that it was her turn to speak. She had said it herself: that could wait, especially when she had her own news that she needed to share with her.
“I do indeed,” she began. “As you know, I recently had the servants clean Lucio’s quarters as best as they could manage, and once they had completed their task I took the time to investigate his quarters myself. While I regret to inform you that I didn’t find any clues as to how the fire started, I found that there seemed to be something… different in the air,” she paused, trying to find the words to describe what she had felt. “It was almost as if there was something calling out to me, yet I couldn’t quite decipher what it was. I was hoping that you would be able to help with that, if you wouldn’t mind.”
Kyran opened the door without a hitch, even if there was some rust in the hinges that made it slightly more difficult to do so. She held the vines that covered it up, and the door open for the countess and bowed her head, inviting her to walk in before she followed. With a strong push, the door closed behind them, and they were inside the expanse of the palace’s gardens, quite far from the tower the Countess resided in, but inside all the same.
“That sounds delightful, enjoying time alone with you, countess. No one to bother you… no one to distract you.” Kyran smirked and offered her hand once more. “You’ll have to lead the way once we’ve come upon the path though.”
Nadia gladly takes her hand once more, impressed that she had been able to pry the door open. She wondered what else she knew of the palace, since it was unlikely that this was the only secret entrance. She would have to ask both her and some of the servants later, as for now she wanted to show her how much she appreciated her putting herself in danger on her behalf.
“The gazebo isn’t too far from here, now that we are inside the palace walls once more,” she says. “It is just through a section of the maze up ahead, although I do hope that I still remember the way: as much as I enjoy your company, I would prefer not to get lost, especially on the grounds of my own palace.” Then again, it wasn’t something she wouldn’t necessarily mind, since it would give the two of them someprivacy.
⇒The…Palace…? They blink, wide-eyed at her offer. Was it really alright to invite them–common riffraff–to such a glittering, magnate place? They feel Calypso crawl up, her chitinous legs parting the hair hidden in the cloak to hide. They feel like they hear her whisper into their ear, even if they know it not to be necessarily true. There was something of great power there, in the place where the Countess had slept.
“I– I accept! Your offer…”
⇒ Incredibly smooth. Not at all stuttered or telling of how flustered their face is. They were not one to believe in strings of fate, but perhaps there was a reason their path had ended here, in Vesuvia. Perhaps the Countess Nadia would be able to reveal to them truths they did not understand.
“Wonderful,” Nadia says, smiling at them. She knew that there was a carriage nearby that would still be waiting for her to return, since she had originally come into the city for an entirely different reason. It could wait however, especially since her plans had drastically changed in such a short period of time.
“Please, follow me. There is a carriage waiting nearby that we can take back to the palace,” she then says, motioning for them to follow her. A quick nod to a nearby guard so that she knows that the group on the floor will be watched until they awaken, and she begins to make her way back to the carriage. “I believe you will find the palace to be less prone to sudden attacks from strangers on the street.”
Ana nods, eyes Nadia almost curiously for a moment before she drops her eyes back to the spread of cards before her. “The sun. Success, joy, happiness - they are coming your way. Despite any feelings otherwise, these things will come in time.” She hums. “Temperance. What is coming will seem hectic and full of challenges. Remain calm and patient, as you are prepared for this, and things will stabilize.” Her head tilts. “The world - a conclusion draws near, likely in the form of a success.”
Nadia listens to her as she reads the cards, and finds herself to be pleased with the outcome. It was the result she had hoped for, since the last thing she had wanted was for all of her hard work to go to nothing, simply because she had failed to account for one unseen obstacle. It seemed that she would be able to weather the oncoming storm, whatever it would be. “Wonderful,” she says, smiling at her. “Is there anything else I need to know? Or have the cards already shared enough of their wisdom for today?”
Mayla licked her lips nervously. The first incident didn’t reflect too badly on herself; Nadia hadn’t asked her to look for Julian yet, and not much had happened. The second…
“W-well… The second time was during the test you gave me. I got a bit lost while I was…” Trying to escape. “…searching for the card. And I wound up in a part of the city I didn’t recognize, and I… er… saw the Doctor and…” Her face couldn’t get much redder. “…Fell into a barrel. He noticed and helped me out. And we happened to be in front of a tavern and he… might have kinda sorta bought me a drink, and we might have kind of… talked for a while, and then he ran off before I could learn anything about the case, which was frustrating. And then my magic led me back to you, I suppose.”
She paused to collect herself before describing the last meeting. “Then when I was in town with Portia and the servants, announcing the Masquerade. I took the opportunity to visit my shop. I found Doctor Devorak trying to break in again and confronted him. He claimed he was there looking for answers, and he…” She somehow managed to blush a shade brighter. “He offered to let me search him, to make sure he hadn’t stolen anything. So I did, and he hadn’t. We parted company, and I’m afraid I still didn’t see which way he went.”
Her story finished, Mayla bowed her head. “Please don’t be cross with me, Countess. I didn’t know if… I admit, I didn’t fully trust you, yet. I was… a bit scared of you, to be perfectly honest. And I…” She looked up, finally meeting Nadia’s eyes. “…I’m not so sure the Doctor is even guilty. And you seemed so convinced otherwise… I was afraid to contradict you.”
Nadia is quiet as she listens to Mayla explain herself, mostly because she isn’t entirely sure of what to say. She couldn’t deny that she had had a feeling that Mayla had managed to sneak out during the challenge she had set her, as she had been confident that she would find the guard that had the card on them in only few hours. When it had been almost a day before they met once more, she had gotten the feeling from her that something had happened during that time, and ever since then she hadn’t been able to shake it.
What she had said next, however, certainly didn’t make things any easier: she knew that she should be at the very least irritated that she hadn’t said anything sooner, yet at the same time, she couldn’t bring herself to be anything other than mildly annoyed. After all, it wasn’t as if she had intentionally gone behind her back, even if it had certainly seemed that way at first.
“Well…” she begins, unsure of how to go about explaining how she felt. “Thank you for telling me about this: I am willing to overlook your… previousmeetings with the doctor if you promise to tell me the next time you should encounter him,” she continues. She does pause before speaking once more, as if she needs to gather her thoughts before pressing on. “I do wish that you had said something sooner, despite how you may have felt. I would have been willing to listen, even if you did in fact contradict me, or if you felt as though you couldn’t trust me,” she then says. “Is there anything else you need to tell me?”
“I have often wondered that myself. I suppose that all we can do is take them as they come, and that we will do what we can to grow from them, despite what anyone else says.”
“Even if they came for me, they would have to find me– and if they find me they have to catch me.”
⇒Lyric had no reason to reveal all of their secrets to the Countess, of course, but they could say enough to ease her worries. They did not know much of Vesuvia and its people, but they knew the young woman was beloved by her people and her awakening had been an occasion of great joy. Thus, their words are not lies. They had become adept at hiding from others in their time wandering.
“I doubt you will see trouble from them again. The fight was likely something minor in the first place. Now that they have vented their frustrations and forgotten, it would be embarrassing to return. They can’t be sure it was even real if they forgot so easily, after all.”
After careful consideration, Nadia decides to trust their judgement: after all, they had managed to handle the situation better than she ever could have (not that she would admit it aloud however). She glances once more at the would be attackers, deciding to not arrest them for now, but instead have the guards tail them for a few days, just in case.
“I will take you word for it,” she says, turning her attention back to them. “I would like to personally reward you for your bravery. If you wouldn’t mind, I would like you to accompany me back to the palace,” she continues. It wouldn’t feel right not to do so, and she hoped that she would be able to learn more about what exactly they had done, if they were willing to share it with her.
