Mira was bored. Desperately, unabashedly bored.

Yevon and Lord Denno had been making polite conversation for near on two hours, now. At the moment, they were discussing various import and export goods. Mira could feel her eyes glazing over.

At a pause in their discussion on the relative merits of importing Tura berries, Mira said quickly, "Forgive me, my lords, but I promised the Lady Lisette a tour of the palace, earlier. Would you excuse us?"

She knew the request was phrased a bit bluntly, but she was about to humiliate herself by falling asleep, right there.

Yevon's mouth twitched in understanding. "If Lord Denno has no objection," he said. Denno looked piercingly at Lisette and nodded. "Return to our quarters, when you are finished, Lisette." he said dismissively.

The two women walked quietly out of the room. Mira turned to Lisette and grinned. "I hope I didn't tear you away from that riveting conversation!"

Lisette put a hand to her mouth in amusement. "Not at all. I know nothing of Tura berries, other than that they are good on my breakfast porridge."

"Well, good, then. What would you like to see, Lisette?" Mira said. She swept her arm in front of her. "I am at your service, Lady!" she smiled.

Lisette looked shocked. "Oh, no, my lady! You are the leader of your people, and I... merely an aide! I..I would never choose to impose..." she stuttered.

Mira shook her head. "No, no! I was teasing you! It's a bad habit I have. Please forgive me!"

She took a deep breath in consternation. "Would you like to see the public gallery? I'm told it's quite nice." She smiled, again. "I doubt I could tell you much about the artwork, other than the name of the artist, however."

Lisette nodded, wordlessly.

Mira hoped she hadn't damaged what little rapport she'd gained with this shy young lady. She wondered what kind of life she lead in the confines of Bevelle, that she would be so disturbed by gentle teasing.

As they made their way to the palace gallery, Lisette watched curiously as Mira repeatedly acknowledged the staff's obeisance.

"May I ask a question, Lady Mira?" she said softly.

Mira looked over her shoulder. "Of course...and please, call me Mira."

Lisette blinked. "As you wish, my lady. I wondered if it was customary, here in Zanarkand, to treat servants as equals."

Mira smiled gently. "Well, some do, and some don't, I suppose. Yevon and I believe, however, that we are all capable of great things. As some are talented at making great works of art, some are good at politics, and yet others at running a fine household."

She shook her head. "Everyone contributes to the whole, Lisette. And the fact that I am considered 'above' these people, because of my station, is denying their worth. I won't do that."

Lisette smiled, almost to herself. "You...surprise me, Lady Mira. You are not what I was expecting."

Mira returned the smile.

"I've always enjoyed coming to this gallery, even when I was young. I loved seeing how other people saw the world around us. Each painting seemed to be a glimpse into someone else's mind." Mira said, some time later.

The long chamber was lined with large paintings on either wall, depicting various scenes of life in Spira. Though the paintings were the only decoration other than the strategic seating, the chamber seemed muffled and private. Lisette was walking slowly through the room, enraptured by the scenes captured on canvas.

"I don't think I've ever seen anything so...free," she said reverently. Mira tilted her head in confusion.

"It's... well...In Bevelle, art must be approved by the ministry." Lisette went on to explain. "Most artwork is portraiture of the High Priests, or renditions of the works of the temple."

She smiled, softly. "I wanted to be a painter, when I was young. Things...didn't work out that way."

Mira began to see the pattern that had troubled her subconsciously. "Lisette, what is it that you do, for Lord Denno? If I may ask, of course."

Lisette turned towards her, and lowered her heavy cowl.

Mira stifled a gasp.

The irises of Lisette's eyes were white, and rimmed 'round with a dark grey. Her gaze seemed to pierce Mira's soul.

Lisette lowered her eyes and smiled gently in acknowledgment. "I am the Seeress for the High Priest of Bevelle, Lady Mira."

Mira looked at her in confusion and tried to hide her disconcertion. "Forgive me, but the only place I've heard of such a gift was in children's tales."

Lisette nodded. "It is extremely rare. When it was discovered that I possessed the gift, I was given into Lord Denno's service. It was an honor, really."

Mira winced inwardly at the possible connotations of Lisette's 'service' to Lord Denno. "So...you can see the future?" she said, awkwardly.

Lisette smiled, serenely. "It's not as easy as it sounds, Mira." She looked around the room as she searched for the right words.

"Most people see only the here-and-now," she said, finally. "Those of us with the sight have access to more. But it's not like peering through a window." She frowned, obviously unused to thinking about something so instinctive to her.

Lisette took Mira by the arm and moved her in front of a painting of a knight standing next to an armored chocobo. "What do you see?" she demanded.

Mira frowned. " A painting of a man." She looked at Lisette.

"Exactly. You see what is, and that's all." Lisette said.

Mira raised her eyebrows, not understanding.

"Think of this painting as a vision." Lisette demanded, gesturing at the painting for emphasis. She moved Mira closer to the painting, until Mira's nose was nearly touching it. "Now what do you see?" she said, suddenly.

Laughing, Mira leaned back and tried to uncross her eyes. "A blur of color, mostly..."

Lisette looked at her, piercingly.

"Well, okay...um...his leg, and a little bit of grass, I guess." Mira said, frowning in concentration.

Lisette nodded. "And that is how I see the future. With focus, I see parts of the whole. There is no context, usually. My visions are abstract smears of color, that I weave into an image." She smiled. "It takes years of discipline to learn such focus."

Mira stepped back and stared at Lisette in open admiration. "I'm humbled, Lady Lisette."

Lisette shook her head, denying the compliment. "Not everyone understands when I try to explain it."

She smiled wryly. "Lord Denno seems to think I 'create' a future. As if it's carved into the very stones. When I 'see' the future, I cannot see every future." She sighed in frustration. "The future is a tangled web of 'might haves' and 'could bes'. What I see is the future as it stands in the very seconds that I view it. With each word or action, we might change it, and what I see may not be what will happen." Lisette said, waving a slender hand in emphasis.

Mira thought she sounded bitter. She could imagine that she'd be bitter, too, if someone treated her skills like a clock one consults for the proper time...

The two groups met up in the main hall a short while later. Lisette had replaced her cowl, and schooled her face into impassiveness. Mira thought it might be a defense mechanism inspired by Lord Denno's fierce countenance.

Yevon was obviously relieved to see them. "There you are! Lord Denno was just about to retire for the evening, and was concerned about Lady Lisette's whereabouts."

Behind Denno's back, Yevon widened his eyes at his wife in silent communication.

"Never fear, Lord Denno, here she is, safe and sound." Mira smiled brightly. "We toured the gallery, and spoke of the distinctions between our two cities artists."

She bowed her head in apology. "I am afraid I tend to ramble, as my lord Yevon can attest."

Lord Denno looked less than impressed. Lisette curtsied deeply. "Forgive me, Lord Denno. I did not realize how late the hour had become."

Mira frowned. "Oh, dear. It is late, isn't it! Yunalesca must be starving!"

As if summoned by her words, a servant hurried to them, carrying the wailing infant. She stopped a few feet away, uncertain of the proper protocol.

Lady Mira gestured to the servant. Smiling, she took her young daughter into her arms, and crooned wordlessly to her. As the baby quieted, Mira turned back to the priest and his seeress."This is our daughter, Yunalesca."

Yunalesca grunted, and turned her head towards her mother's voice. Mira's mouth twitched. "She's a little hungry."

Lisette smiled warmly and stepped closer for a better view of the tiny girl. Mira smiled, sharing a purely feminine sense of pride in her child. "She takes after her father, I think."

Suddenly Lisette swayed and stumbled. Lord Denno stepped forward abruptly and took her arm. "What is it, Lisette?" he demanded.

She looked up at him, dazed. "The girl..." she whispered.

Mira gathered Yunalesca to her chest, protectively. "What about her, Lisette?" she said, frightened in spite of herself.

"She...I see her, many years in the future," Lisette put a hand to her forehead and looked at Mira. "She will never be forgotten by the peoples of Spira. She will be remembered long past her death."

Relaxing, Mira looked at Yevon, warmly. "She'll be famous, like her father..."