“I’ve stopped reading his messages. Although, that was only after he caught onto my schemes and sent me with a fake message that set my hair on fire when I opened it.” Jessiah chuckled, simply imagining the display. Calimyr had trouble holding in her own laughs. While at first it was terrifying, the memory now seemed quite funny.
“I would suggest you find a way to peek. You never know what might be in them regarding you,” he said solemnly.
“My father has too many things to worry about. He won’t waste his time saying anything about me.” It wasn’t as if she really minded though. She could only imagine the things her father might say about her.
“Well, thank you Calimyr,” Jessiah said, rolling up the parchment and stuffing it inside his cloak. “Now, would you be willing to stay the night here?”
Calimyr bowed her head slightly. “It’s nothing personal, for I have missed you, but I’d prefer to get home. I’ve been away several days now. Not to mention this type of environment doesn’t exactly appeal to me. In all honesty, this place feels suffocating,” she said.
“Might I bother you for supper then? You look rather pale, despite days in the sun.”
Calimyr glanced behind her at the door, then back to Jessiah. “Alright. But, just for dinner, Uncle Jessie. I’m serious,” she relented, although there was a hint of severity in her voice. She wasn’t angry, but Jessiah had often been like a child at heart, and being a little stern with him was the only way to prove you were serious. Her father had often spoken to him like that, but she always sat with her ear to the entrance when the conversations were lighthearted. She missed the days when she could be carefree, not having to worry about rules and restrictions.
“Very good!” he said, clasping her firmly by the shoulder. He was grinning broadly again as he led her back over to the long table in the corner. A man sitting on the Duke’s left stood abruptly and pulled out his chair, his plate and glass held dangerously in the other hand.
“Here, sit,” he said politely. He had sandy brown hair hanging in his emerald eyes and a lopsided smile. He was built like a runner, with muscles that weren’t too far defined in his upper body. His attire was similar to the rest of the nobles, but mainly deep reds and browns and less flashy than theirs.
“Um, thank you,” Calimyr said, her face flushed. Even among her own people, few bothered to show her such courtesy. He smiled at her as she sat, and went down the table a few seats, sliding into an unoccupied chair. “Uncle Jessie, who was he?” she whispered when Jessiah sat down.
“That was the son of Ambassador of Av’ry, Shaun,” Jessiah said, a twinkle in his eye. “I wonder, does that boy strike your fancy?” he asked suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows.
Calimyr’s face turned bright red. “No, it’s just, I’ve never met someone as courteous as him, even among my own people,” she said, voicing her previous thoughts a little too hastily. Still, a tiny part in the back of her mind made her wonder if she’d be able to talk to him.
It wasn’t long before a servant brought Calimyr a clean plate and set of utensils, as well as a crystal goblet. Jessiah filled it almost to the brim with a cloudy yellow drink, and then set the jug back on the table. “Now, enjoy your meal, my dear. For afterwards, I hope we could talk more. It’s been such a long time, hasn’t it?”
Calimyr nodded, her cheeks still light pink from Jessiah’s prior comment. She reached for the goblet and sipped the liquid. It was sweet and fruity, and warmed Calimyr from the inside out. “What is it?” she asked.
“Fireberry nectar,” informed the man to her right.
Calimyr turned her attention to him. He was a well built man with a mustache and longish blonde hair. He had the same emerald green eyes as Shaun did, and she automatically assumed he was the ambassador. “It’s very good. I’ve never had anything like it; where does it come from?” she asked.
“Av’ry, my homeland, as a matter of fact. I brought it for the Duke, since I do recall he has such fine taste,” the ambassador said.
“Well, I do appreciate you bringing it. But I am curious, when did you meet Uncle—uh, the Duke?” she said, her face flushing again as she stumbled. It wasn’t like her to try and make conversation with anyone, but for some reason she was in a good mood as she sipped the nectar. Perhaps it was the lively music in the background, or maybe it was because of seeing Jessiah again. Either way, she knew she was enjoying this small company of nobles and foreigners. Maybe that was why she enjoyed it; they shared a common ground as foreigners, and none felt too uptight about rules and regulations.
“Your uncle? Well, the two of you do have those silver eyes,” the ambassador said. “And where are you from again?”
Calimyr suddenly jolted awake from whatever trance she had fallen into. His question caught her off guard and could very well be the end of her enjoyment. “Not a place you’ve been to, I’m sure,” she said, attempting to avoid the question if possible. “And well, he’s not my real uncle. See, I grew up with him for a little while, and so now he just feels like my uncle.”
“I see. Well, as I may have said, I’m from Av’ry. That’s my son just down the way there, Shaun,” he continued. “A bright boy and a gentleman, I see. Well, he ought to learn at least a few skills every now and then, oughtn’t he? Oh how rude of me. I’ve just realized I haven’t told you who I am! Well, I’m Ambassador Cyril Laurunt,” he said. It was already obvious to Calimyr he liked talking about himself
“Well, I’m Calimyr Riovan,” she said, taking another sip from her drink. The warming drink was starting to make her head swim. Her stomach churned and she reached for a bunch of grapes; the message was obvious enough, she needed more than Fireberry nectar.
“Riovan? From the Seven Tribes?” Cyril prompted.
Although she felt lightheaded, Calimyr knew better than to respond. So she turned to Jessiah and tapped his shoulder. He turned and faced her, his expression instantly one of concern. “Had a sip too much, I think,” he said, reaching and taking her almost empty goblet from her hand.
Calimyr popped a grape in her mouth, manners forgotten. But the grapes weren’t what she really wanted, so she set them down and went for a fresh loaf of steaming white bread. It was oddly sweet and made her smile. She tried not to chew noisily, but her vision was blurring slightly and her head swayed. “I’m gonna step out for a minute,” she said wearily, standing abruptly from her chair. Vertigo hit her hard, and she struggled to remain upright. Pushing the chair aside, Calimyr made her way to the door, one hand gripping her buzzing head.
The sensation was unfamiliar, but she recalled it happening once before, when she had drunk herself stupid at a festival. The aftermath, she was told, was not pretty. When she woke up with a throbbing headache that wouldn’t leave for days was when she swore never to get drunk again, no matter how fine the wine she was given. Still, she wasn’t really at fault; she hadn’t known it was alcohol, or so she convinced herself.
A servant opened the door for her and she stumbled out. She didn’t go far, just beyond the door and in front of all the stain-glass windows. Calimyr slid down the wall, gripping her head tightly with both hands. “I never shoulda stayed,” she murmured, her words already slurring slightly.
A moment later, the door creaked open again, although Calimyr barely noticed. She wasn’t even sure if it was a minute or an hour later, for time seemed an uncertain thing. It wasn’t until someone sat down next to her and held a plate out to her that she was even aware of her surroundings. She looked up at the person and recognized him as Shaun.
“Here. You left before you could eat, right?” he said, holding the plate a little closer to her. Calimyr stared at it for a moment, the different colors of the foods swirling together in her head, making her feel dizzy. She took the plate but set it down next to her, her stomach churning.
“Thanks,” she murmured. Her head swayed and she let it fall against the wall.
“Sorry about my dad. He tends to get a little pushy,” Shaun said.
“It’s alright,” she slurred. Her eyes closed and she began to hum softly. It wasn’t a particular song, but the tune seemed familiar.
“What’s that?” Shaun asked. The melody halted and Calimyr opened her eyes, wondering what he meant. Her puzzled look said it all and Shaun chuckled softly. “That song, what was it?”
Shrugging, Calimyr glanced down at the plate. Fried fish and folded pasta in the center, with bright fruit around it. Although it would have normally looked delicious, Calimyr’s stomach rejected the idea, so she decided against it.
The conversation seemed mostly one sided, so Shaun decided to tell her what his motive was to coming. “Calimyr?”
“Hmm?” Her eyes were half-closed and her cheeks had a rosy hint to them.
“I have something for you, something you’ll need. I can’t be certain of how it will come in handy, but one in your party will need a fast escape,” he said.
“But I’m not having a party,” she said sleepily, her head tilting and slumping against his shoulder. She seemed barely able to keep her eyes open.
“Not that sort of party. A group, moreover. Someone in your group of three will need a hasty escape, and I have a way for that to happen,” he said, reaching for the string tied around his neck. He tugged and the cord came off; Shaun lifted it into the air and held it in front of her face. The light bounced inside it, sending patterns across the ground. Suspended from the cord was a very small, rather ornate, and clear vile, with a topper that looked like a pair of wings. The liquid inside looked much like a starry sky, deep blue with white speckles all mixed within. “For your job,” he said softly.
“How’d you know I do jobs?” she asked, her words slurring again. She looked up at him, a puzzled look on her face. “And I never told you my name….”
Shaun smiled sadly. “True, you didn’t. Let’s just say, I knew you long before I met you. That’s why I came here with my father; because I knew I had to help you,” he explained.
Still confused, Calimyr closed her eyes again, brow furrowing as she tried to make sense of it all. “Wha’ do ya mean?” she muttered drunkenly.
“I’m psychic. I had a vision of you, and another girl and boy. This girl, she was important to you and the boy, and her life was in danger. And then I saw all three of you die. Both you and the boy died trying to save the other girl,” he said remorsefully.
“I died? How?” Calimyr asked, her curiosity outweighing her fear.
He shook his head. “I don’t know precisely. I know I shouldn’t have told you this; it won’t do to live in fear of death,” Shaun said. “Take it,” he said, dropping the vile into her opened palm.
“It’s so pretty,” she murmured, clasping her fingers around it and closing her eyes as she rested her pounding head on his shoulder. “I feel like I knew you too,” she whispered before passing out.
Shaun glanced down at her and said softly, “Good luck.”
