Aster was leaned against the window sill, her chin placed in the palm of her hand, her eyes riveted on the changing colours of the twilight sky. Only the light pounding of her fingers against the stone betrayed her growing anxiety. A few hours earlier, Lady Nepeta, Lord Adun, their children and their entourage had left the manor in a strangely discreet manner, with the excuse that they were celebrating the Eight Peaks at the royal palace. Only Nailla, Hermione, a few servants who had chosen to stay rather than join the celebrations, and a few guards remained in the manor. She could hear the sounds of celebrations and festivities taking place in the rest of the city. The music, laughter and singing in the distance was a particularly stark contrast to her mood.
Behind her, sitting in the corner of the room, Hermione was bent over the various notes Aster had written to her to help her learn Fahri Yujul. Her features were relaxed as she nibbled and sucked on the knuckle of her right index finger, probably not realising it in her concentration. Aster had tried to tell her to be on her guard and that despite their best efforts something was bound to happen tonight. Hermione, perhaps to reassure herself, seemed confident that the authorities in Ulthar, now warned, would have already taken matters into their own hands and nipped the coup in the bud. Aster's reasoning that the Casparos were too old and powerful a family to be arrested without being caught in the act was fortunately convincing enough to keep her suspicious and at least a little wary.
Aster, aware of her friend's current emotional and mental fragility, after the dozens of drastic changes that had taken place in her life recently, could not ask more of her. The memory of Hermione, crying in her arms as the dam holding back the flood of her feelings had broken when, after their expedition to the Casparos, she had opened up to her. Since then, Hermione seemed to have improved, but Aster was under no illusion. It would take time for her friend to understand and accept her new situation and the world she had been thrown into without preparation. Aster winced, if her suspicions were correct and what she had expected was happening, it wasn't going to do Hermione any good.
Her assumption was only reinforced by the changes she had observed in the wards of the manor over the past few days. What had been a slight bluish dome that only appeared when she concentrated with her Lagaelis eye had become opaque, its magic more powerful, growing by the day.
After she couldn't tell how long she'd spent watching the first stars appear in the sky and the different shades of orange and blue follow one another, she stepped back and dropped onto the bed. It was too quiet. Was Hermione right to trust the reaction of the royal power of Ulthar? Yet Aster doubted the ability of this type of government to get rid of the threat without arranging for it to manifest itself.
Hermione looked up from her book, before slipping off the covers to sit next to Aster and letting her head rest on her shoulder. "Aster, you're awfully tense. You really think things are going to get out of hand, don't you?"
Aster merely nodded.
"And the fact that nothing's happened yet while the party's in full swing is putting your nerves on edge."
She really should stop being amazed by Hermione's ability to read her. "...It's not normal, I feel like something's wrong. The tension of the last few days, the way Nepeta was acting. My instincts are screaming at me that something bad is at work. Yet there are no signs. I should be reassured, happy. It means there will be no violence, that we won't be put in danger..."
"Can you do anything about it? Right now?"
"What?"
"What I mean is, there's no point in torturing yourself about something you have no influence over. You've done everything that could be done in the last few days to prepare us for the worst."
Aster nodded again, Hermione was right. Her anxiety wasn't going to help anything. Maybe even de-serve them by wearing her down if anything really happened. "I know, just... my nerves are raw, I..."
Hermione interrupted him by putting her index finger to her lips. "I'd recommend trying to sleep, but I doubt it would do you any good in your condition. Ah, I know!" Hermione took her by the waist, before lifting her up and laying her on her thighs. Aster looked into her eyes in amazement.
"You're way lighter than I thought." Hermione whispered in the hollow of her ear.
"Say I'm fat now!" replied Aster with a pout.
Hermione let out a small laugh before placing her chin on the top of her head and wrapping her arms around her, grabbing the book she had set down next to her. "On the evenings when my parents forgot me outside, when I came back from my walks a little too late, I would go to Mrs Louise's house. At first I cried a lot, the idea that my parents could forget me like that hurt too much. Each time, Mrs Louise would make me a dish of delicious ravioli and read me a story. Having my parents forget me never stopped hurting, but I soon found myself loving the evenings I could spend with Mrs Louise. As you know, I love to read, but there's something about having a story read to you... letting go, letting the voice carry you along. I think it'll do you good, do you want to try it?"
Hermione tilted her head back to see her friend's face. The smaller girl's eyes were foggy, lost in the distance. Anna also used to read stories to Aster, or simply tell her about her youthful adventures, as heroic as they were silly. Aster had told Anna several times that she was too old to be told a bedtime story, but Anna had simply refused to stop. After a while, Aster had simply given up and let herself enjoy their time together. She knew all too well the feeling that Hermione was talking about. She clutched the small vial hanging around her neck in her hand. Hermione probably needed this moment as much as she did.
She nodded at the suggestion, and Hermione began her reading of an ancient Matagot tale. Aster let herself be carried away by the saga of Ysmen, Maanor and Vamelia.
oOOOo
Hermione's voice was soothing, her worry seemed to weigh less on her. The idea of just falling asleep against her friend's chest seemed more and more tempting with each passing minute. The only thing keeping her from giving in to the calls of sleep after a week of exhausting preparation for an event that seemed like it would never happen was the strange ominous feeling crawling in the depths of her mind.
Suddenly, Hermione paused in her reading for longer than she had previously done. Aster grunted and was about to voice her displeasure at this unexpected interruption at a pivotal moment in the story, when she saw that Hermione had turned pale and faced the open window, her eyebrows furrowed, concern visible on her face.
Aster snapped out of her stupor and wrinkled her nose. She could smell a very faint odour of smoke mixed with something pungent, something more subtle but gloomy enough to send a shiver down her spine. She stood up quickly and went to the window. The distant clamor of voices from the singing and laughter of the party was still there, but it had tinkled with a darker note. Some of the more distant shouts did not evoke joy.
The air began to vibrate, the soft blue aura of the wards surrounding the mansion began to tremble. Like the surface of still water after a stone has been thrown into it. Thin purplish-red filaments vaguely reminding her of what she had read about jellyfish rapidly crawled across the surface of the wards. Cutting through them and weaving in and out of the beautiful, pure blue translucent surface. A corruption growing faster and faster. Each tentacle of sickly purple dividing and redividing to form a fractal of living magic that seemed to beat to the rhythm of an invisible, monstrous heart. Aster could feel the thick black magic emanating from the thing infecting the air. A different, evil, deadly suave magic, sickening in its soul. The aura of something, of a nature both similar and infinitely different from her Lagaelis permeated the air.
She gasped, Hermione was standing next to her and had just put a hand on her shoulder. "Aster, what's going on? I just..." She didn't have time to finish her sentence. A deafening sound like breaking glass rang out. With a mixture of horror and fascination Aster saw that the thin tentacles had just glowed a powerful red and all contracted at once on the wards. Insignificant and vulnerable to the thing that had eaten them, corrupted them, broken them. A bluish snow of pure magic began to fall, a shower of glittering stars that Aster would have thought beautiful were it not for the fact that they were the result of something so dark.
"Hermione, we're running away, to the royal palace, we're taking as many people as we can."
Hermione looked terrified but nodded all the same. "What's going on? How?"
"They have a black mage here. And a powerful one. He just broke the wards."
Without wasting any time, they took off running. Each time they passed matagots and other servants in the corridors, who were awakened from their sleep by the noise, Hermione explained the situation in a few words and gave them the option of either following them to run away together or running away on their own. They were thus joined in their frantic race through the wide corridors of the mansion, quite grim in these circumstances, by five or six servants and four guards, preferring to flee in a group with them to better defend themselves, the others preferring either to hide or to flee on their own.
Just before leaving through the small side door reserved for the servants of the manor, Aster took out of her pocket the invisibility array she had always carried with her since their escapade at the Casparos. Hermione was about to follow suit and do the same with hers, but Aster waved her off. If things went wrong, Hermione would need all the magic she could get her hands on to feed the Void Shield array, and Aster was well aware that her young friend didn't have nearly as much magic as she did. The array lit up, almost glowing from the overload of magic Aster was inflicting on it. Aster winced. This array was only designed to conceal one person. Forcing it to expand its capacity with an overload would quickly destroy it. Aster could only hope that it was strong enough to hold out until they were away from the immediate danger, out in the streets. She felt the grating magic of the array being pushed beyond its limits expand to cover all of her companions; their shapes stretching into shadows.
Discreetly, she opened the door to make sure the way was clear. She felt Hermione's hand slip into hers, and Aster squeezed it gently. It was time.
The small group walked out of the manor, onto the wild grassy lawn of the garden, moving quickly, hurriedly and as quietly as possible towards the trees surrounding the property. Aster watched the surroundings carefully, trying to spot any suspicious movement. The slightest sound could be a clue or a warning of impending danger.
The tree line was only a few dozen meters away, a hundred meters in the woods, and they would reach the perimeter wall. Safety was within reach... An almost imperceptible light in the corner of her eye. The air whistled. A wave of heat. The array in her hand, unable to withstand the extra strain, turned to ash. Hermione, bless her, reacts in time, the void shield coming into existence as a hundred purplish spear-like things vibrating with the blackest magic crash into it.
Aster reacts by instinct, whatever is going on, Sonya's lessons echoing in her skull. Crush the enemy with superior power, don't hold back, don't give them time to react. Speed and power, break all resistance before it could form, fight fire with inferno. As the void shield vanished from existence less than a second later, Aster already had one of her scrolls in hand, her magic vibrating beneath her skin, anticipating its release with warlike glee. The scroll holding the array disintegrated between her fingers, unable to withstand the amount of magic that had passed through it, as a chill wind ruffled Aster's hair. Before her the fabric of reality wavered, all things falling to dust, trees, earth, grasses, leaving nothing but sand under the moon.
In the middle of the newly created desert stood a form surrounded by mists darker than night, seemingly devouring the light. Aster could not hold back a growl. Not fast enough, his opponent had had time to build his own defence. The mists evaporated and Aster could now make out the distorted shape of what was once human in front of her. A misshapen, sprawling pile of curses and powerful contracts etched into its flesh. A great white staff engraved with multiple vibrating arrays of energy in an insectoid claw, it was wearing a good quality, moonlit silver-rimmed garment to clothe a monster, . One who had been blinded by the power that Kav-deb had warned her against so many times. A being with a torn soul, an anchor of a thousand contracts and ties twisting and binding his being. Minor deities, demons and entities sharing the feast of his decaying soul. Its aura, though impressive, was nothing compared to that of Kav-deb, a misty halo of changing forms encompassing its being. She had a chance, albeit a small one, but victory was possible. This mage was surely one of those who blindly followed the murmurs of the dusk, who accepted the sweet and bewitching promises of the inhabitants of the misty marshes and crystalline caves. One of those who would call her foolish for having bound herself to only one being. She stared at the thing that used to be human, adrenaline coursing through her veins, her lips forming a thin smile, her opponent forming a grotesque sneer from what used to be its mouth.
Behind her a battle of a different kind was going on, it would have been too good if the dark mage had come alone, Aster thought bitterly. Fortunately the Cateris guards who had accompanied them formed a solid wall of defence and were showing great skill with their blades and crossbows against the slender, black-clad, moon-armed figures facing them, trying to break their formation. Aster couldn't hold back the surge of pride she felt as she noticed Hermione making particularly effective and intelligent use of her shield array. Summoning and revoking it repeatedly at just the right moment to deflect and parry shots and blades away from their small group. Aster had to hurry to put an end to this. Even with such sparing use of the array, Hermione would soon reach her limit.
Without waiting, Aster did the sensible thing. She drew her kitchen knife engraved with alchemical runes and charged the black mage, hoping that it would be convinced that the fight would remain magical and that she would benefit from the surprise effect. As she ran she activated an extra scroll array, feeling lighter and lighter as her magic screamed and danced inside her, wearing down her poor veins already abused in the last battle. The scroll burned into a purplish fire as the air twisted with magic to give life to a huge tongue of raging purple fire running towards the thing in front of her. The creature's face, confronted with Aster's sudden charge and impromptu use of banished fire, contorted in what could have been interpreted as surprise before the shadow shield reformed around it, forcing it to interrupt the volley of icy magic blades that Aster had so far managed to dodge.
The fire of the banished did its work, dissolving the shadows, their dark magic unable to absorb a magic so intimately tied to Lagaelis' existence, forcing the things to resort to a barrier of golden light aegis followed by a powerful wave of grey mist that Aster recognised as an unusual type of spell breaker.
Meanwhile Aster had come close enough to make contact. Her blade hissed as it sliced through the air but only scratched one of the thing's arm tentacles, the alchemical rune of basic flesh instantly taking effect, the structure of the pseudopod, randomly altered on contact exploding into a shower of blackish, viscous fluid. The resulting blow put her in a bad position, however, opening up her defence just enough for the black mage to throw one of his odious blades of icy magic, cutting deep into her leg. A distorted, maniacal laugh shook what the thing had for a torso, surely believing Aster to be finished. It was rudely interrupted by the fist of Aster's Golemic arm crashing into its face with such force that he flew several meters before crashing to the ground, raising a thick cloud of dust.
Without giving his opponent time to get up, or even taking the risk of checking if he had survived the blow, Aster cracked one of her last parchment arrays. The air distorted with magic, and various small st-helm blue flames crackled in the air for a split second before a blinding flash of electricity fell from the cloudless sky, striking the other black mage. Its light illuminating all of Ulthar for a brief moment as if in daylight, dazzling all the combatants, the thunder that immediately followed made Aster's ears ring so loudly that she wondered for a quarter of a second if she had ruptured her eardrums.
Silence fell, the attackers grappling with the guards seemed to hesitate whether to flee or to continue fighting. Aster staggered towards the thing, hoping that nothing would remain, or preparing to deliver the coup de grace.
Before she could cover half the distance, Aster froze, a movement in the dust, two long spears of crackling purplish magic passed far too close to her head. The air whistled as they passed. Only her reflexes saved her as she instinctively turned sideways, a third spear slashing at her clothes. The black mage had risen to its feet, its clothes smoking and tattered, its grin insane. The ground beneath him was covered in reddish filament, the weight of his black magic felt in the air, the air getting stickier by the second. Aster's eyes widened, the bastard was about to cast a realm spell, if she let him, she was done for.
She grabbed her last array, to hell with the consequences, if she didn't finish it here and now, they were all dead. In one swift motion, she unrolled the parchment and smeared it with the blood dripping from her injured thigh. Just as she was about to pass the point of no return, what she saw cut her short. The black mage had just been lifted from the ground, three thick thorny roots emerging from his torso out of which a thick viscous liquid was now flowing profusely. His realm spell had been interrupted before it could really take hold, the filaments of sickly red magic dissolving, the air lightening from the insane pressure that had built up. Suddenly, the roots split violently, tearing the creature's body apart as if it were a wax doll. Behind him, the silhouette of Nailla was revealed. As if nothing had happened, the Nymph dissipated in a cloud of leaves to reappear in the middle of the other attackers, all of whom were immediately bound hand and foot, tied to the ground by thick vines and roots. Aster could only stand still, mouth agape, her gaze flicking back and forth between the mage's shredded body falling to the ground, its enraged misty aura flying away, and Nailla in a state of cataclysmic rage, inspecting every member of the Cateris' staff as if she hadn't just totally and unilaterally crushed their attackers in less time than it takes to say it.
Aster collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, intense pain coursing through her bones as the adrenaline gradually left her system. The fight had lasted less than forty seconds, yet she felt as if she had been battling for days. She could feel her magical veins on fire, had she used that last spell... she didn't want to think about it. Dealing with Lagaelis was dangerous on its best days, in this situation, calling on him would have had consequences as terrifying as they were unpredictable. She could only curse herself for underestimating her opponent, she would not have believed such a tattered being capable of casting a realm spell.
She felt a hand rest gently against her back, another on her injured thigh. The smell of lavender and chamomile enveloped her. The pain in her thigh diminished drastically as another hand rested gently on it. A wave of intense fatigue hit her, as she felt her body being manipulated and her head resting against a warm and incredibly comfortable chest. She heard Nailla's soft voice whisper in the hollow of her ear. "You fought well Aster, I'm proud of you. Thank you for holding out long enough for me to arrive. Good, close your eyes. Let yourself rest against me. Hermione's fine, your array saved them little mage. No one died, no one was hurt too badly. You did the right thing. None of this should have happened. You have nothing more to fear, let it flow." Aster couldn't resist Nailla's gentle, soothing words, the pain that a few seconds ago was unbearable was now a distant memory. The gentle warmth and floral scent enveloping her gently guided her into the arms of Morpheus.
oOOOo
When Aster regained consciousness, her nostrils were immediately assaulted by the strong smell of disinfectant, ointments and other herbal concoctions. She opened her eyes, instantly regretting her decision as the bright daylight made her head hurt. She felt a comfortable mattress beneath her, the softness of clean sheets and what must have been bandages wrapped tightly around her thigh. The weight and slight warmth of the small vial still clinging to her neck was the only thing that kept her calm. All around her she could hear people walking, talking in low voices in matagon or fahri yujul. After a few minutes of slowly getting used to the light, she could finally look around. She was in a large room illuminated by tall gothic windows, many matagots and a few other people, including two Veela and a human dressed in dark green uniforms, were busy around other beds similar to hers. She did not have to wait long before one of the Veela approached. Aster was deeply grateful for the shadow cast by the large white and red wings of the Veela with the long golden hair and angelic face.
The latter addressed her in broken English. "Hello, Miss Aster. How are you feeling?"
"I feel like I've been hit by a boulder and smashed my head against a wall, but other than that... I'm fine."
"Not surprising, given your condition." Said the Veela with a slight smirk. Aster could see the healer's glowing aura dancing around her and running over her body, her pain easing as she touched it. "You are suffering from an overload of your magical veins, and a cursed wound. The curse has been purged but you will be scarred. For the overload, you are forbidden to use your magic for the next three months, with a potion of stabilization and cleansing, morning, noon and night for the duration of the reprieve."
"Three months? That's too much!" Said Aster mustering what indignation she was capable of in this situation.
The golden-eyed Veela healer glared at her, her aura, allure or thrall, if Aster knew the Veela was right, darkening and becoming threatening, reinforcing the authority of this woman whose presence was already impressive. This had the effect of silencing Aster rather effectively. "Three months, and not a day less young lady. I don't know who taught you magic or how, but that person should be ashamed! Your magical veins are suffering from a chronic, long-term overload. You're lucky the damage is still reversible."
Aster swallowed, she had to plead guilty to this, Anna didn't know much about her magical practice, her being an enchantress and not a mage herself. Kav-Deb had often warned her not to subject herself to too much magical stress, not with such a young body whose vein strength was still in the juvenile stage of development. Sonya... Sonya was perhaps partly to blame for her perhaps irresponsible use of magic and battle spells that she should not yet be allowed to cast, if only for her own safety. She claimed that the best way to strengthen her resistance to magic was through intense and prolonged exposure. However, she did not feel guilty about the recent excesses, which she felt were perfectly justified. Three months of only being able to use unbound dark magic would be a long time, Aster thought with a sigh. "Yes, of course, ma'am. Excuse me ma'am," she said in a small voice.
The veela nodded with satisfaction and got to work, first administering the two potions, (which surprisingly tasted quite good, one lemon, the other orange) before starting to change the bandage and apply various potions and ointments to the wound and casting several spells unknown to Aster with a focus in the form of a ring adorned with a beautiful little aquamarine. Meanwhile, feeling better after drinking the potions, Aster spoke up. "Hermione, is she alright?"
Without looking up from her spot the Veela replied, "She's sleeping in bed forty-three right now. Case of extreme magical exhaustion, nothing life threatening though. She was worried about you when she woke up about two hours ago."
"Thank you ma'am." Aster said in a breath, as a wave of relief ran through her body. Aster didn't have time to ask the myriad of questions racing through her head before she found herself with the cool glass vial's neck pressed against her lips. "Drink, enough talk like that. You need to sleep to recover." Aster entertained the idea of protesting for a moment, but a threatening look from the stern healer and she stood there accepting the potion that tasted vaguely like lavender. Her eyelids grew heavy, the world sinking into a thick fog around her before the black abyss of a dreamless sleep engulfed her.
oOOOo
It had been several days since the assault on the manor. Aster and Hermione had pretty much recovered, from what she said, Hermione was only feeling residual fatigue and her magic had almost perfectly stabilised. The void shield array she had used repeatedly had left her in a state of extreme magical exhaustion. Aster felt generally fine, just a low-grade pain throughout her body reminding her of the kind of soreness she could get after training with Anna. They had fortunately been able to get out of the large infirmary relatively quickly, and since then spent most of their time in their room or in the gardens with Nailla. Day by day Hermione became more and more frustrated, the fact that Aster was strictly forbidden to use her magic prevented her from accessing the translation array and deprived her of the books she had become accustomed to reading in the Cateris' library.
Aster was both pleased and frustrated with Hermione's situation. On the one hand she had hit a wall in terms of array creation by not managing to turn her translation array into a version based on unbound black magic, on the other hand, a book-deprived Hermione had proven to be quite attention-seeking, which did not displease Aster. Which explained the situation Aster was currently in, sitting on Hermione's lap... (It should be the other way around, she was the oldest after all! Curse her growth, whose slowness exasperated her. Yes slow, not absence, Aster didn't even want to consider that possibility) ... telling her about one of her many adventures she had with Aunt Sonya. Aster telling one of her adventures, a story passed down orally by Anna or Sonya, and continuing to teach Hermione the Fahri yujul was now a significant part of their time. Aster was quite impressed, Hermione seemed to absorb the information like a sponge and would soon be proficient enough in Fahri yujul that Aster could give her to read a basic magecraft book she had spotted in the Cateris' library. Speaking and pronunciation was one of Hermione's great weaknesses, however, and Aster couldn't blame her - Fahri Yujul was full of atypical accents and sounds that were difficult for a human vocal apparatus to pronounce, not as bad as Khrè Yujul or classic Yujul, but still.
Aster was just getting to the interesting part, where she and Sonya had broken into a citadel of dark couriers by disguising themselves as moro-sphinxes, when someone knocked on the door. Aster got up from Hermione's lap, much to her regret, and went to open it. On the other side of the door stood Nailla with a big smile on her face. "Good morning, Aster, Hermione. Lady Nepeta asks you to come in, someone would like to talk to you and get to know you." She frowned as she observed the thin, light nightgown covering Aster's small frame before clarifying. "Dress appropriately. The person wishing to meet you is of high rank. I'll be back in five minutes, so be ready by then."
"Yes ma'am," said Aster and Hermione. Since the night of the attack, Aster's respect for Nailla had grown stronger. Having a nature spirit incarnate in the service of one' s family seemed to have a far more varied use than the many benefits in terms of agricultural production, medicinal plants and rare magical herbs.
For the past few days, Aster had spent quite a bit of time outside in the company of the Nymph and Hermione helping to tend to the plants, learning much more than Anna had taught him in the process. The only problem being that Aster found herself looking rather ridiculous with a scarf around her head, coupled with gloves and a wide-brimmed hat, her resistance to the sun being lessened due to her injured magic.
A few minutes later, she and Hermione were in the finest finery Lady Nepeta had made available to them in the wardrobe. Since the day of the attack, their role in the discovery and failure of the plot had been made public. That night, the Casparos had launched their operation despite the sabotage of the khre weapons they had, refusing to let the opportunity pass and believing that the khre had mocked them by selling them this defective equipment. Riots broke out in the lower and middle city but were quickly crushed by the pre-warned loyalist urban militia forces. Various groups of assassins and mercenaries were tasked with eliminating the main loyalist families from their mansions, unaware that they had been discreetly sheltered in the Royal Palace. A final squad of assassins, along with members of the Casparos, had entered the secret passages of the castle to eliminate the ruling family, but had fallen into a trap. At least... that was what the biggest trial in Ulthar's recent history currently underway had revealed so far.
Aster had dressed in a green and black shirt with a silver embroidered border forming a vine pattern and dark grey trousers that were slightly baggy. Wearing a dress outside the safety of her room was uncomfortable, the lack of freedom of movement made her feel vulnerable. Hermione didn't seem to have this problem, having chosen a midnight blue dress trimmed in bronze that fell to her ankles, looking more comfortable than elegant.
Nailla was waiting for them on the other side of the door, leaning against a wall with her arms crossed. She watched the two girls for a few seconds before nodding her head in satisfaction. The journey to Nepeta's office was filled with a strange tension, Aster was grateful to Hermione for her conversation with Nailla about the forthcoming flowering of the pampelune and its use, allowing her to put her apprehension aside.
Nailla knocked on the door of the study before stepping back. The door opened by itself, revealing the now familiar interior of Nepeta's business office. Surprisingly, she was not at her desk but sitting in an armchair in front of a small coffee table sipping matagon grass. Opposite her, sitting regally in an armchair of the same construction as Nepeta's, but managing to give it the air of a throne by his mere presence. The Matagot in question was tall, taller than any Aster had seen before. His thick white fur was perfectly groomed and gave the impression of glowing in the sunlight filtering through the room's large, thin windows. Her eyes, one blue, the other green, were instantly fixed on her as she entered.
It was Nepeta's voice that cut through the silence that had settled in the room. "Hello, Hermione, Aster, please sit down. Both imediatly obeyed in a chaos of polite and awkward greetings, unable to look away from the tall white Matagot sitting regally on the other side of the table. "I think introductions are in order," Nepeta continued once Aster and Hermione had settled in and Nailla had disappeared into the hallway, closing the door behind her. "This is His Majesty Samarillis Etark of Ulthar, Heir to the throne of the nation." She turned to Samarillis and said. "Your Majesty, this is Aster, and Hermione, the two children who warned me of the coming coup."
Aster, having dealt with high-ranking people before during her travels with Kav-deb, bowed her head respectfully, and said, "Your Majesty," giving Hermione's wrist a gentle squeeze to signal her to do the same.
Samarillis gauged them for a moment before finally speaking. "Miss Aster, Miss Hermione, it would be good form to finish these introductions if you would inform me of your real full names.
Aster swallowed, their little lie had obviously been discovered after they had drawn so much attention to themselves. She couldn't introduce herself as Aster Karrasinqi without knowing her mother's reputation in Ulthar. Anna was, after all, used to dividing public opinion. Adulated in some circles, hated by the majority. Kav-deb didn't really have a family name to speak of, as for Sonya... Yes, that could work, close enough to reality and not well known on this world, well, a priori, in the normal nations. Anyway, even if this name was recognised it would not have a negative effect. Being associated with THE Legravallina would be explanation enough for her mage-craft skills if she were ever questioned about it, and besides, no one in their right mind would mess with someone remotely associated with the 'Monster of Gorm'.
"My full name is Aster Legravallina. Please forgive us. It just seemed wiser not to use our full names when we arrived." Except for a very slight, almost imperceptible widening of his eyes, Samarillis did not react, and simply motioned to Hermione to speak.
Hermione's face hardened for a moment before she looked down at the wood of the coffee table. "Just Hermione. I don't have a last name anymore."
"What do you mean by that?" asked Samarillis, simply raising an eyebrow... well the equivalent muscle on a matagot's face.
"My ties to that name are broken since the other people who bear it have not deemed me worthy of it." Hermione replied, coldly but respectfully.
"Very well, Hermione. Since I doubt you would appreciate more pleasantries, let's move on to the main reason for our meeting."
Hermione seemed grateful that Samarillis was so willing to not dwell on the subject and nodded.
"By your undoubtedly fortuitous operation to spy on and sabotage the noble family of Casparos, and your decision to immediately inform a competent authority, you played a significant role in preventing a major crisis that would have undoubtedly put Ulthar in a difficult position. Moreover, you actively participated in the defence of the Cateris' manor and in the protection of innocent matagots on that fateful night. It is for these reasons that by the unanimous vote of the high council of nobles, elders and paolins, several things have been decided. Firstly, would you agree to give evidence under verity potion in the trial of the Casparos?"
Hermione seemed undecided, having no experience in this kind of discussion, so Aster took the liberty of deciding for her, even if it meant exposing herself to her wrath and having to provide lengthy justifications when they will be alone. "We would be most grateful, thank you, your majesty."
" Good, the nation thanks you for your willing collaboration. It has also been decided that you will receive a reward for your actions. Firstly, your sentence for illegal entry into the nation's territory is hereby revoked." Aster felt Hermione tense at her side, almost vibrating with joy. Aster could only understand this feeling, already feeling the taste of freedom on the tip of her tongue.
"Secondly, you are offered an honorary knighthood in the Civil Order of the Moon. You will be invited to your knighthood ceremony a few days after your intervention in the trial." Aster couldn't believe her ears, by her side Hermione was as if struck dumb, her wide eyes fixed on Samarillis. Aster could sense that Hermione was about to refuse the honour. She couldn't allow that, to refuse would be an insult to the nation and to the High Council's decision, deeming it inadequate to the situation. She gripped her friend's hand tightly in hers and gave her a hard look, instantly making Hermione's words die in her throat.
"We are honoured and gladly accept your majesty," Aster said simply. A glint of amusement in Samarillis' eyes told him that their little silent exchange had not gone unnoticed, but thankfully he chose to ignore it and simply continue.
"Finally, you will receive a house in the capital and ten thousand Sylbes. For two people so young to be in your situation, I imagine your past must be tumultuous at best. We hope that these rewards for your bravery will give you a fresh start. Do you have any questions?"
Before Aster could intervene, Hermione had already begun to speak. "What does being an honorary knight of the Order of the Moon entail? Your majesty?"
"This is a non-combatant order created for the purpose of honoring and offering a title of influence to civilian persons who have distinguished themselves by their actions in times of crisis. In your case, this title is the equivalent of an act of citizenship for you and your potential descendants. Once knighted, your formal address in our lands will be Dame Hermione. There are other subtleties, but nothing that requires attention. Anything else?"
"No your majesty, that will be all. Thank you." Hermione said in a small voice, it was an internal struggle against her overflowing curiosity evident on her face."
"Well, I'll see you back at your knighthood. Goodbye young ladies. Thank you for your hospitality Nepeta." At these words, he stood up and walked out of the room with a dignity Aster doubted she would ever be able to emulate, his long, bushy white tail upright.
oOOOo
Once outside the great throne room Hermione removed her helmet, freeing the mass of her curly hair from its prison. The armour was surprisingly light and comfortable, despite its external appearance. She couldn't believe it, she had just been knighted, in armour, with a sword on her shoulders, by the reigning king of Ulthar in front of the entire court! She had even been asked to choose a heraldry for her "family" a few days earlier. She had been caught completely unprepared and it was only with the help of Nailla and Aster that she had finally found something. The three-eyed owl, a symbol of wisdom and secrecy in Matagonian mythology, lay on an open book on a plain green background. Aster, to her surprise, had chosen something simpler, three crossed asphodel browns on a blue background. She had tried to question the reasons for this choice but to no avail. Aster simply repeated that she would understand later.
They were free! Really free! And with a considerable amount of money to boot! She had felt a weight lifted from her shoulders. A weight that had settled on her when she arrived in the citadel and had not left her since. She felt the wind against her face and the sun on her skin as she and Aster descended the steps of the huge staircase leading up to the palace, a grandiose construction half carved into the rock and leaning against the side of the summit. Aster was at her side humming a joyful tune that echoed lightly from inside her Heaume, which she had chosen to keep on, probably out of discomfort from the sun.
Alone, as she slowly descended the steps, she let her mind drift to the future. A return to her true home, reunions with the people who mattered to her, the continuation of her education in magic with Aster, explorations of those distant worlds she had been fed stories of in recent weeks. So much possibility lay at her feet. So many roads and paths to travel. A warmth grew in her chest and her smile widened as she realized something important. She couldn't imagine any of these possible futures without Aster. A 'young' vampire she had known for so short a time but felt as if she had always been around. Today, after what they had been through, she would happily put her life in her hands. Hadn't she already done so on several occasions? After all, who would bother Hermione now? Next to her wonderful, adorable, stupid, terrifying friend? The memory of the few seconds of her confrontation with that other black mage was etched on her retinas. Just thinking about it sent a shiver down her spine.
Without turning to her friend, her eyes lost in the blue of the morning sky, she asked. "What are we going to do now, Aster?
Aster stopped humming for a moment before answering. "What do you think about taking a look at this house whose keys are weighing down my pocket?"
"That would be a good start indeed. What next?"
"Maybe leave the country, I'm sure you're dying to get back to that Mrs. Louise you speak so fondly of. And then I must continue to teach you magecraft, who knows what horrible thing might happen if I left you alone with a magic book. The world is still too young to be destroyed."
Hermione couldn't hold back a strangled laugh. "Come on Aster, experimenting with dangerous magic like that? Honestly... I'm not you!" It was hard to tell with the Heaume the Crest etc hiding her face, but she was pretty sure Aster was doing that adorable pout she had become accustomed to. How Anna could say no to Aster when she was younger would unfortunately remain a mystery... Wait... not necessarily.
"What about the vial?" Hermione asked in the least suspicious way possible.
Aster remained quiet for a longer moment this time. The silence was only disturbed by the wind, the birds, their footsteps on the stairs and Hermione's thoughts. "I need a book from Aunt Sonya. And a few other little things. I did learn something interesting though. A certain Nicholas Flamel is in possession of an object that could greatly accelerate the process. Once I have these two things it will only be a matter of time before I can part with the vial." Aster finaly said thoughtfully...
Hermione decided to subtly bring the conversation back to a happier ground. "Aster, did you know that the Hanse of Svorak has an international magical airship service?"
Aster's posture straightened and she replied enthusiastically. "Yes, they are the best in terms of trade and passenger transport. The big international portkey bases are great, but not only are they not open to everyone because of the many diseases and conditions that make them unusable, such as pregnancy, but transporting large quantities of goods by teleportation is also impossible! It's also much more expensive..."
Hermione relaxed, mission accomplished, once she got started on a subject Aster could sometimes be unstoppable... wait? Had she really just said that the cost of a portkey trip could be prohibitive for a good part of the population?... It was only when she arrived at the bottom of the stairs in front of a small group of matagot journalists asking for an interview that she realised how easily she had become absorbed in the debate.
It was with her helmet under her elbow, a slightly forced smile on her lips and an arm around Aster's waist, the latter agreeing to temporarily remove her helmet for the photos that she took the brunt of the journalistic onslaught. Deflecting impertinent questions and answering tactfully under the few flashes of the antique-looking cameras. She could only look forward to being alone with Aster again, immersed in one of their discussions that made time fly... or better yet, a hug. Right now, as her iron-gloved hand rested on the side of Aster's breastplate, the idea of a hug seemed like one of the most tempting things in the world. (And, despite her friend's misgivings, Aster was the perfect size for it.)
oOOOo
Her gaze was on her book, in a state of intense concentration. Reading the Fahri Yujul was difficult. Even if, according to what Aster had said, the language had been deliberately simplified to favour its use by as many species as possible, it remained difficult to understand. Especially for a beginner. Even though she had great facility in all her academic skills, learning a language remained a difficult task.
This sentence was getting really frustrating, she couldn't understand many of the words in it, even with the help of the draft English/Fahri Yujul dictionary Aster had started to write for her. After several long minutes of fruitless effort, she finally decided to ask her friend for help.
She raised her head to ask her, but the words died in her throat before she could say them. "Aster... can you explain to me what you're doing? she finally said.
Aster, sitting on the floor in the middle of the room, was bent over one of the swords of honour that had been given to them with the armour at the time of their knighthood, in the middle of a huge pile of books and parchment piled up in unspeakable chaos. "Hmm?" Aster said simply, revealing an ink-stained face wearing a radiant smile, as if that simple onomatopoeia had the power to answer all the questions of the universe better than forty two.
"Asterrrr?" Hermione growled. The room that she had been careful to tidy up had become an unspeakable chaos of books and parchment without her even noticing. Too absorbed in her attempt to read.
"Ah, um... I plan to heavily enchant our swords, well... more than they already are."
"And that's supposed to account for the paper hurricane that apparently passed through this room?"
Aster looked around, dumbfounded, completely caught off guard. Her eyes grew comically wide as she became aware of the apocalypse that had taken place around her, her face growing more and more flushed by the second. (Was it normal for a vampire to blush? What with the heart not beating and all... she'd have to ask that question later).
"Sorry... I'll tidy up when I'm done I swear! More importantly." Aster's face returned to its normal porcelain hue, her smile twisting into a devilish grin. "I'm going to have to teach you how to wield a sword, and how to fight in armor."
"No way! Besides, it's just ceremonial armour, I doubt it'll do any good in real combat." Hermione was well aware that she was not a very athletic person or a sports person, the only notable exception being hiking.
"Hermione, there is no such thing in Matagonian culture. All armour is primarily for fighting. No matter how ornate they are, they are still perfectly utilitarian. And you would be wrong to underestimate the use of armor in the magical world. With the right enchantment, having one is a huge benefit. Not to take advantage of it would be stupid.
Hermione couldn't make a logical argument against that. She had no choice, she would have to do a low blow. She let her eyes moisten, her lips forming the most adorable pout possible. "But Aster, with a big strong vampire like you by my side, do I really need this?"
"Yes, I won't always be around, and the magical world is dangerous. I want you to have everything on your side to defend yourself." Hermione felt her defences crack. The idea that Aster cared so much about her safety was so sweet that she felt herself blushing. It was at this point that Aster delivered the final blow. "And besides, you look really good in armour. I'd hate to not see you wearing it anymore..."
"All right, fine, I'll sweat it out and tear it up in armor for you, Aster, you win." Aster raised her arms in the air in a gesture of victory, the joy perfectly visible on her face. "But for that, you have to clean up this mess." Aster seemed to deflate like a balloon before she stood up and began to gather up books and scrolls, grumbling. Hermione smiled, she may have lost the war, but she had at least won this battle.
oOOOo
Hermione and Aster were standing in a rather narrow alley in the middle town of the citadel. The alley was quiet, rather clean and directly adjacent to a fairly wide shopping street. Opposite them, tucked between two tall houses with storeys leaning over the street, reducing the visible sky to a thin scarf, stood their new home. A narrow, slender house of bluish-grey stone and wood, with a door sunken into its frame, requiring a staircase for access. A rather large window made up of a myriad of small glass diamonds looked directly out onto the alley, the interior of the house hidden from them by thick dark green curtains.
Aster, curiosity clear on her face, climbed the stairs leading to the door, her long stick of a suspiciously bone-like material, comically larger than herself, clutched in her hand. Like an old friend the little mage had sorely missed. A tall wooden door reinforced with iron carved in the shape of a vine, on which were engraved their two respective heraldries.
Aster took a large bronze key from her pocket and pushed it into the lock. She pushed open the door and entered. Hermione was hot on her heels as she crossed the threshold and felt the tingle of wards magic on her skin. A strange warm feeling of recognition and acceptance. As if she was entering, not a new and unfamiliar place, but a place that was lived in and welcoming. The door closed behind her with a dull slam. The click of the lock snapped back into place audibly. In other circumstances Hermione would have felt threatened, locked in, but now she just felt strangely safe.
When she came out of her thoughts, she realised that Aster had already emerged from the long corridor stretching out in front of her, probably in the room directly to her right. To her astonishment, the house seemed larger on the inside than on the outside. Various rooms already furnished and ready to live in were waiting for them. The lack of light that Hermione feared because of the narrowness of the street was remedied by the large windows opening onto the large communal garden in the courtyard of the block. There were plants, vegetable trees and a few matagots, one of which seemed to be busy watching a group of children getting dangerously close to a sorrel plantation.
Hermione turned away from the window, returning to Aster, her friend looking particularly excited at the prospect of having a home of her own. However, Hermione couldn't bring herself to share her obvious joy. As much as she was happy, she couldn't help but feel that nostalgic sadness and lack. Her real home was not this one and she wanted more than anything to return there as soon as possible, away from this land that was still so foreign and terrifying to her.
oOOOo
The bed was so warm and comfortable that Hermione had no desire to leave it. Yet the morning sunlight was streaming through the window of their room in their new home and she would soon have to get up. But that time had not yet come.
She and Aster hadn't bothered to put a second bed in the room, sleeping together provided too much comfort to ignore. It was just too nice to use her friend as a big cuddly toy. Plus Aster was always fresh, which she particularly liked. This morning, however, Hermione felt slightly uneasy, like prey being watched by a hidden predator.
Deciding to ignore this feeling she turned away from the window and turned in bed to find herself on her other side. She gasped. In front of her, Aster was also on her side, her large green eyes had their pupils abnormally dilated, her skin even whiter than usual. Her fangs were long enough to protrude from her mouth and their little tips pressed lightly against her lower lip.
"Aster?" Hermione whispered.
Her friend seemed to snap out of her trance, her gaze immediately shifting from where it was fixed on her throat, to her eyes. "Aster. Are you alright?" Hermione repeated.
"Yes, I'm... yes, sorry... the thirst is really getting to me. I'm sorry. I'll...I'll just rinse myself off with cold water, I'll be fine afterwards." Aster said as she prepared to get up.
Before she could get out of bed, Hermione grabbed her wrist. "Wait. We said I'd let you drink my blood when the need arose. Do you remember?"
"Yes... It's just that I don't want to overdo it, I can hold out for a few more days. The next few nights I'll sleep in the other room." Aster finished, looking away.
"No." Hermione said firmly.
"No?" Aster asked in a small voice.
"You're hurting yourself to do this. I remember how you suffered last time. Never again, okay?"
"I..." Aster sighed. "This is the first time I've had a blood partner. It's... a special relationship for a vampire. I don't want to abuse it."
Hermione rolled her eyes. Her friend could really be stupid sometimes. "Aster, would you hurt me?"
"NO! Never!" She replied instantly with vehemence.
"Then I trust you not to abuse. Come on." Said Hermione with as much confidence as she was capable of displaying in this situation. Yes she was stressed, yes she was scared, but the thought of seeing Aster again in the same situation as the last time she was out of blood, wasting away, was a thousand times more painful to her.
After a long moment of staring at her, Aster finally approached her and crawled onto the bed like a big cat. Hermione closed her eyes expecting to feel fangs sinking into the flesh of her neck at any moment. She opened her eyes wide with surprise when she felt Aster's small hand gently grab her wrist and something soft and wet slide against it. Aster was dutifully licking her wrist. Hermione couldn't contain a shiver at the strange but far from unpleasant sensation. She blushed unconsciously, looking away from the scene. Aster was strangely cute, innocent in this action. Soon Hermione couldn't feel her wrist, as if numbed by her friend's saliva. She looked up again as she felt two small pressures on the inside of her wrist, just in time to see Aster's two small fangs gently digging into her skin and her lips closing around the bite. An unexpected wave of heat ran through her body and she couldn't hold back a shiver and a small moan. Fortunately, Aster seemed too busy with her task to notice. What Aster had told her was perfectly true, having her blood sucked was a pleasure of a kind Hermione had never known. An intimacy, a calm, a warmth mixed with a pleasure of an indescribable kind.
Far too soon for her liking, Aster pulled her little fangs from her wrist and immediately began to lick it, making all traces of blood disappear around the two little red dots on her wrist. To her astonishment and regret the two small dots quickly disappeared, leaving only two small traces of imperceptibly lighter skin.
Hermione let out a long sigh and dropped back into the bed. Any will she might have had to get up disappeared. To her satisfaction, it wasn't long before she felt Aster snuggle up to her, laying her head on his chest, almost instinctively, Hermione closed her arms around Aster. "You know, I wouldn't mind if you bit me more often," Hermione murmured after a moment.
"Don't tempt me," was Aster's grumbled reply, already drifting back to sleep. Hermione continued to stare at the ceiling for a long moment, before finally deciding that today wasn't going to be a productive day anyway and that the sun wasn't enough of a criteria for waking her up. The weight of Aster's head on her chest was just a much more... convincing argument, she thought as she closed her eyes again.
oOOOo
The view of the citadel and its surroundings from the pier was breathtaking. A set of high wooden catwalks held impossibly high in the air, clinging to the top of the mountain on which the citadel was built. Wooden cranes, pulley machines and other metal and wooden devices were loading and unloading various dirigibles of all kinds. Some absurdly large, others small enough to look like they could only carry a handful of passengers.
Frankly, Hermione was quite intimidated by the Hanssians. Men and women wearing white masks of extreme austerity, dressed in long, closed robes in the colour of their guild and proudly wearing their emblem on their chest. Between the shorter and tighter black robes of the machinists and the long white robes embroidered with gold of the merchant guilds Hermione did not know where to turn.
Many flags were flying in the wind, on the airships or directly on the wooden structures of the vast aerial port. The Arctic tern flying on an azure background, symbol of Svorak's Hanseatic League, was omnipresent, most of the time on its own, on rarer occasions in combination with the heraldry of Ulthar.
Nailla, who had decided to accompany them on their grand departure from the city, was guiding them, discussing the import of certain types of plants that could not be grown in Ulthar by air. Hermione, at first had actively participated in the conversation, but had simply remained silent, transfixed by the grandeur of the immense airships of wood and coloured canvas, often exotic or whimsical in shape, that were arriving and departing from the suspended docks.
Without her realising it, too absorbed in her admiration of this unreal scenery, they arrived at pier number twenty-eight. There was an airship of modest size, vaguely reminiscent of a bird of prey. Several large propellers were attached to its short wings, its deck suspended from a long balloon painted in the Hanseatic colours.
Beside the bridge stood a tall, particularly intimidating figure, whose face was hidden behind a smooth white mask with only two slits for eyes, and who wore the simple grey garb adorned with an Arctic tern, wings spread, resting on a compass rose. Which she had learned was the Navigators' Guild.
What she concluded to be a man from his voice addressed Aster and Nailla in a Fahri yujul tinged with too strong an accent for Hermione to understand more than a few snippets of phrases and isolated words. Something about their reservation, the cost, and how they would pay. Also what seemed to be an instruction about their large luggage.
Soon enough, it was time to board, Hermione hesitated for a moment before wrapping her arms around Nailla's waist to hug her shortly before stepping onto the gangplank behind Aster who was waiting for her on the deck. The Hanssian took a pocket watch out of his pocket, before jumping onto the deck of the airship and pulling the gangplank up, and pressing a strange device that emitted a high-pitched whistle. Immediately the large propellers of the aircraft began to turn in a strangely silent manner. The airship picked up speed, leaving the pier behind. Hermione felt Aster take her hand and pull her towards the back of the plane to wave her arm at Nailla who did the same, for a moment before turning and heading back towards the city. Hermione felt a small twinge of sadness at the thought of leaving, but this feeling was drowned out by her immense joy. Freedom, the world ahead of her.
Hermione gasped when she heard a loud bang. Some sort of side masts had just come out of the sides of the aircraft, large sails unfurling from them. An unearthly wind began to blow directly at the back of the airship, pushing them faster and faster into the air. Behind them, Hermione could see the high towers of the citadel, its manor houses, castles and walls getting smaller and smaller, further and further away. She turned away from the sight and crossed the deck towards the bow of the sky ship. The blue horizon far in front of her, mountains, forests lakes fields, villages and rivers far below her. She spent a long moment staring into the distance before she felt a hand slip into hers. Aster's gaze was also fixed on the horizon, her other hand clutching her staff. Aster turned his eyes towards her, her curse eye gleaming with a whimsical glow. "The future... Together?"
She gripped Aster's hand tighter in hers, her gaze turning back to the horizon. "Together."