Lady Joanna Harker, accountant, tried not to be nervous as she sat across from Lady Selena Berg, the fiancée of the Second Prince. She wasn't at all like what she had expected. She had remembered a shy, quiet, lonely girl from her days at the Academy, whom she had only really known because they'd shared the same hiding places to be away from the other, more confident people. Recent rumors in the past year spoke of a dazzling, confident princess-to-be almost scandalous close to her fiancé, seeming to rise from a curious obscurity to be elevated among her fellows, the other fiancées of the Princes: Susanna Randall, Katarina Claes and Mary Hunt.
She had been expecting a haughty woman riding high on her new fame, or at least a poised, self-confident lady who had memorized 'The Noble's Proper Etiquette Reference and Manual of Propriety and Action' (she'd long lost track of what edition it was now), the kind of woman who'd make her instinctively sit up straight just by looking at her.
Joanna hadn't been expecting the warmth of the welcome she received, of hearing how she had been offered this position because Lady Berg– "Oh please, call me Selena!"– had remembered her from all those times they'd read and studied in silence in the east building library, not talking, just leaving each other alone…
"It probably sounds depressing when you phrase it like that," Selena laughed as a terrible summer storm lashed rain at that windows of the sitting room, the kind of rain that made people whisper darkly about the King of the Storm being reborn to rule the skies again. People were staying inside, both to protect against the weather and in case there were any Storm Rays flying about, brought close to the grounds by the winds. "And it probably was at the time. But those times were a great comfort to me, so I've always thought fondly of you, Lady Joanna. I'm sorry we lost touch. Still, I hope this is a good sign. The swinging of the pendulum of time has brought us together again, and I'm in a position to help you, even if it's just in this small way."
Joanna smiled nervously, not used to… well, not being looked down on by someone who wasn't family. Her immediate family lived a relatively lowly existence for nobles– there were commoner merchants better off than they were– and between that and her natural reticence, she was so easily overlooked and forgotten. Even her parents seemed to forget her at times, which was how she had become an actual accountant rather than just 'someone who helped do the family accounts': no one had realized she was doing it until grandfather had asked around if anyone knew any accountants for hire, since the lady of his prince was asking.
Apparently, she wasn't the only one who had answered the call. In the room with her and Lady Berg was Lady Berg's neighbor, Lady Knight Lalatina Dustiness, and the accountants that she had found. Jade and Amber Sevenights were twins and much more experienced accountants than Joanna was, who had only ever done her family's books. They wore simple yet severe dresses that somehow made them more professional somehow. Joanna felt bother over- and underdressed next to them, who both sat with briefcases on their laps as if they'd done this before many times, and making Joanna feel self-conscious about the purse she was carrying. The two redheads were even making witty small talk and accountant jokes that were actually funny! Any time Joanna tried to make accountant jokes, all she got were awkward looks.
The three accountants were waiting for the carriage their soon-to-be patron– matron?– and hopefully client, Lady Knight Maria Campbell, would be sending to pick them up (another name that was intimidating on the face of all the rumors surrounding it!). Lady Berg had said that if the storm proved too much they were welcome to stay and she would send them by her own carriage, but Joanna hoped the did not prove the case. Being entertained by a royal fiancée like this, former schoolmate or not, was already nerve wracking. She didn't think she could take having to have both dinner and breakfast with her, no matter how nice she was.
Finally, the door to the sitting room opened, and Lady Berg's butler announced that the carriage in question had arrived. "I apologize for the delay, my lady, but we had to resecure the horses' raincoats and had then warm up from the storm," the butler said. He had a strangely exasperated look on his face as he continued, "You know how Lady Campbell's carriage can be."
For some reason, both Lady Dustiness and Lady Berg exchanged the same exasperated look. "I understand completely, Serg," Lady Berg said. "But they are ready now?" Was there something wrong with the carriage? Joanna hoped it wasn't prone to broken axles or anything like that…
"Yes, my lady," the butler said. "We have already your guests' luggage and covered them with the canvas that Lady Campbell provided, and the kitchen has prepared a basket with warm tea and sandwiches for the journey."
Lady Berg nodded, giving Joanna a regretful smile. "Well, I suppose this is when we must part. It is already late and with the storm you should not delay if you wish to arrive at Lady Maria's estate before everyone is asleep. It is good to see you again, Lady Joanna. I look forward to seeing you again in future."
Joanna bet a hundred souls she would never see Lady Berg again, but she smiled anyway. "And I as well, my– er, Lady Selena," she said, clutching at her purse.
That wasn't the end of it though. Both Lady Berg and Lady Dustiness insisted on walking them to the carriage, which was a heavy monstrosity that looked like it had more in common with a boat that the light, airy, windowed conveyances nobles preferred. Heavy curtains of covered the windows, small windows, which could be slid aside slightly for air. Their luggage, as promised, appeared to have been secured to the roof and covered to keep the rain from damaging them, and Joanna hoped the canvas didn't leak and had been tucked in properly. Both horses wore raincoats against the rain, and the stable staff had put braziers around them to keep them warm.
Joana hesitated as she saw that none of them men around the horse wore a heavy-rain resistant coat or hat. Apparently, she wasn't the only one.
"The carriage driver appears to not be ready yet, Lady Berg," Amber Sevenights observed dispassionately.
For some reason, Lady Berg chuckled. A deep, amused, knowing chuckle. "Oh, it's fine, Miss Sevenights. I assure you the carriage is perfectly ready to go. I would advise you to get some sleep. It's probably a long trip."
With those cryptic words, the three women were loaded onto the carriage, which contained folded blankets in case they became cold. Joanna sat on one side, while the two sisters sat on the other, avoiding their gaze by moving aside her blanket. It was not yet so cold she needed it. The lamps had been lit, and the oil was full, though Joanna turned down the one above her seat. It was a bit too bright, and she didn't really need the light.
As soon as the door was closed, there was a lurch as the carriage started to move. Joanna was surprised. The coachman must have been very light and nimble to have climbed up to the driver's seat without so much as rocking the carriage.
With the storm blowing around them, sitting in the carriage– which was surprisingly roomy, befitting its large appearance– Joanna sat as she waited to be brought to the one whom she hoped would become her new employer.
The roads were in a terrible state because of the rains, churned to mud and making the roads bumpy and uncomfortable. Joanna was unable to sleep as the Lady Berg had recommended, as the carriage rocked quite severely. The storm pummeled relentlessly, like a vulgar critic giving his opinion of a particularly poor map. The world outside grew darker and darker as they slowly, bumpily made their way to their destination.
One of the red-headed twins, who identified herself as Jade, tried to strike up a conversation with Joanna, who was unable to give anything but nervous, mostly monosyllabic replies, and eventually the three of them settled in silence that was at first uncomfortable, then bored, then merely apathetic, then impatient, then after so long had passed all the other options had been used, finally settled on being semi-comfortable. All three women tried to doze despite the futility of it, given the bumpiness of the ride.
Only one thing of interest occurred, during a particularly dreadful stretch of road. The three of them were jostled wildly for a long stretch, and Joanna had to grab the rails to keep from to keep from getting thrown off her bench. When they finally settled down, one of the Sevenights sisters had gotten up and opened the sliding hatch that let one talk to the driver.
"Hey, driver…!" she called irritably. "Can you please be a little more careful with the bumps?"
Joanna didn't hear the driver's reply, only that the it must had been long, since the twin stayed at the open hatch for some time before abruptly sliding it shut and sitting down, her face sitting straight ahead and her hands gripping her briefcase hard. Whatever it was the driver had said, she did not elaborate.
As the storm progressed and night fell, the three of them seemed all alone in the world, the bumps and occasionally howling wind that made the carriage rock making it seem like they were on a lonely ship on some infinite, unfathomable deep sea, the rocking standing as a bulwark to sleep.
The sudden stop of the carriage after was seemed an endless eternity of travel sent an irrational fear through Joanna as that comforting rocking suddenly ceased. In the stillness, they heard a metal gate swinging open. Had they arrived already? Only then did she become aware of whole parts of her posterior falling asleep from sitting on the now hard-seeming bench, how heavily her eyelids hung as she no longer had random bumps to knock her awake. Joanna's heart jumped as three firm knocks sounded on the door.
Amber, the one seated closest to it, undid the latch. "Yes?" she called.
The door opened a little more, and Joanna saw part of a bearded man holding a lantern in one hand, a halberd in the other. "Are you Amber and Jade Sevenights, and the Lady Joanna Harker?" the apparent guard said gruffly.
"We are," Amber said, seeming unperturbed. "Have we reached our destination."
"Just a little bit more," the man said, pointing at something out of Joanna's sight with the hand holding the lantern. "Her ladyship is waiting for you. Been waiting all day. You're her last bit of business to deal with." He nodded to them. "Have a good night lady, mistresses. Welcome to the estate."
"Hey," Jade suddenly said. "Is… is the carriage driver mute or something?"
The man with the halberd gave her a strange smile. "What carriage driver?" he said, closing the door just as the words registered in Joanna's mind.
Jade suddenly sat back heavily, eyes wide and gripping her briefcase once more as there came more creaking sounds, the gate swinging open completely. The carriage lurched into motion once more as Joanna wondered at the man's cryptic words. She felt the carriage moving and turning, likely around some rotunda, before the sound of raindrops pounding on the roof of the carriage reduced dramatically and they once more stopping dead.
When the door opened this time, it was by an old man bearing a lamp, his butler uniform slowly getting drenched despite the cover above them. "Lady, mistresses," he said. "Welcome to the Campbell estate. My lady has been waiting for you most eagerly. May I assist you down?"
Assistance was, in fact, required as part of Joanna's body, mostly below the waist, was still numb from the hours of sitting with no respite. She accepted the old man's hand, his grip surprisingly strong as he assisted her down. Only a single lamp burned next to the door behind him, and the windows were dark. Was it truly so late?
"There will be some delay with bringing up your luggage," the man ,who introduced himself as Ghirardeli, the steward and butler, said. "The boys will have to unload them from the stables, as the area there is more covered and better lit. it would be a shame to protect your things from the storm only to have them get wet at the very door. In the meantime, my lady had tea things at the ready for you to warm you up on your arrival. If you will please follow me?"
He gestured towards the door with one hand and Joanna, her skirts being stirred by the storms winds, was only too willing to go as he suggested.
Jade Sevenights, however, said, "Where's the carriage driver?"
Joanna turned to stare at her. What was she talking about? The carriage driver was… was…
The driver's seat in front of the carriage, behind the horses, was conspicuously empty.
Ghirardeli gave them a serene smile. "What carriage driver?" he said, closing the carriage door.
There was a crack of lightning that made Joanna jump in surprise, and she wasn't the only one. Jade gripped her briefcase to her chest, hands shaking, as the carriage with their luggage on it began to move once more, moving around the house to what was presumably the stables.
"Shall we go in? While her ladyship would not be put out at having to use her Light Magic should you find yourself ill, it would still be an unpleasant experience until she did," Ghirardeli said, leading the way to the door and opening it for them, revealing a dark entry hall with only a single, flickering light.
Joanna shook with what she told herself was the cold as she hurried inside, and the heard the twin sisters at her heels as she crossed the threshold. She was met with a pot kept warm atop a small flame, another lamp beside it to give light. It was a small island of illumination in the otherwise seemingly abyssal dark of the hall. The coal brazier next to it gave only heat, and Joanna hurried over to it to warm her hands.
She did not jump as she heard the door close behind them, carrying a deep note of finality, but only just barely.
"Pardon the darkness, but my lady ordered that all lights be extinguished and everyone with no duties to be abed because of the storm," Ghirardeli said, adding the light of his lamp to the island. It did surprisingly little, as if the darkness was a living thing that pressed on all sides, trying to consume. "The tea will take but a moment. The hour is late, but do you wish dinner?"
Lightning flashed in the windows, illuminating the halls with stark whiteness for less than a heartbeat, followed the deafening crash of thunder.
"Do not be alarmed," Ghirardeli said as he calmly made tea. "All the buildings of the estate are equipped with lightning rods. It is something of a necessity… Dinner, Lady Harker? Mistresses Sevenights?"
Joanna blinked as she realized she'd been ignoring the question. "Ah, n-no dinner for me, please," she said. "But tea would be appreciated. I hope our rooms are ready for us?"
"They are," Ghiradeli said as he let the tea steep. "I shall lead you there as soon as my lady is finished."
That confused Joanna. "Finished? With what?"
"Introducing herself," the man said, nodding towards the darkness.
Joanna followed his gaze. In the light of the lamps, she could just make out… a staircase?
Lightning flashed. In the moment of illumination, Joanna saw a dark figured outlined at the top of the stairs, seemingly just standing there in the moment immortalized into her eyes. As the thunder rolled like the dice of the dead gods to bring up the numbers that would decide the fates of men, lightning flashed again, and suddenly the figure was at the bottom of the stairs, a dark shadow standing behind them, and Joanna was blinking and deafened again. As she rubbed her eyes, the thunder faded, leaving only silence and the fall of the storm.
Between one blinked to clear the spots in her vision and the next, there was a figure standing at the edge of the light. They wore a white shirt and dark trousers, their blonde hair pulled back from a serene face and piercing blue eyes. It took a moment to realize that the outline of that shirt was distinctly feminine.
"Good evening," a voice that seemed to echo and fill the empty hall despite not rising above a normal volume said. "I am Lady Maria Campbell, a knight of Sorcier. I bid you welcome to my domain. It is a pity it was not in more favorable circumstances…"
In the silence that followed, Joanna distinctly heard someone gulp. It might have been her.
"It's… really good to meet you, your ladyship," Jade eventually said. "I u-understand you have a p-position open for an accountant?"
"Several positions," the Lady Campbell said, staying at the edge of the light. "Fear not, for you are all wanted." Behind her the shadows seemed to move. Joanna found herself frozen, staring at the dark behind the lady…
And the darkness stared back with a single, baleful eye.
Joanna screamed.