A bell rang downstairs. It rang softly, but Hugh had been listening for it. He exchanged a quick glance with Saffron and then darted down the stairs, his friend right behind him. Saffron left through the first door - the one that led to the kitchen - while Hugh continued swiftly towards the sitting room where he was requested. 

“Bring us some wine, would you,” the old Lord Verdant commanded. “A good carnelian red. We shall treat our esteemed guest,” he continued, looking over to the man next to him who nodded in show of his appreciation. 

“Yes, sir,” Hugh responded. He fixed his eyes on the guest. He did not seem familiar, but he was clearly important., Hugh could tell from the way Verdant regarded the man.

He made his way out of the room at a leisurely pace, showing the guest how calm and coordinated the Verdant household was. He closed the door behind him in the same fashion, and then dashed away towards the kitchen as soon as he was out of earshot.

When Hugh arrived, Saffron had readied a serving plate, two glasses, and an array of wines that were Verdant’s most common choices. 

“Which ?” Saffron asked plainly.

“Carnelian red,” Hugh responded, eliciting an interested frown from Saffron.

The boy fetched a bottle from a cabinet. “Who is our important visitor then ? Some rich Brilliant ? An Iridescent, even ?” he asked as he uncorked the wine and started pouring it into the two glasses.

“No clue. Haven’t seen him before.” After considering for a second, he added: “but from the way Verdant acted, an Iridescent seems likely.”

“Wouldn’t you recognize an Iridescent ?” Saffron finished filling the glasses and handed the platter over to Hugh.

“Probably. Maybe he’s new ? It happens sometimes,” Hugh said as he took the platter and started walking back to the living room, leaving Saffron behind again.

Verdant was talking when Hugh entered the room. Something about the war, it seemed. Not surprising. Little reason for someone of import to speak to Verdant otherwise. Hugh handed the glasses to the two men, receiving a glare from Verdant - maybe for being late, or for interrupting his conversation, who knew. 

Hugh waited until Verdant waved him away before leaving the sitting room and returning to the kitchen where Saffron had sat down on a chair to read a small book he had chosen specifically for its small size, so that he could easily carry it in his pocket and read a section here and there when Verdant did not need him. 

“How’s the book ?” Hugh asked.

Saffron responded with a shrug. “Neither here nor there. Might be for the best, honestly. Keeps me from finishing it too early and then having to wait weeks until Verdant sends one of us to the library again.”

Hugh laughed. “That’s one way to look at it.” Saffron put the book back in his pocket and patted a chair next to him. “Did you get another look at the visitor ?”

“I did, and I still don’t know who he is. Why do you care so much anyway ?”

Saffron shrugged again. “I like trying to keep up with what happens..” he motioned around, pointing nowhere in particular. “Outside, you know ? Anyway, a new Iridescent should interest you as well. That doesn’t happen often.”

“I suppose. Which one do you think he is ? The Primary of Economy tends to shift around a lot. The Primary of War would make sense too, considering his visit to lord Verdant.”

Saffron took a moment to think. “Primary of Chromancy ? It’s been a while since that position got a new occupant.”

“Chromancy ?” Hugh frowned. “I don’t think so. His control over Essences gives the Primary way too much power to be dethroned. I still think War is the most likely. Politics aside, the Primary of War does tend to die a bit more often than the other ones.”

Saffron seemed to disagree with his assessment, but refrained from commenting on it further. A minute later, the household cook, a woman named Jade, walked in.

“Good afternoon,” Hugh said. She mumbled back something similar, and then got to work in the kitchen immediately. Saffron got out a pack of cards, holding them out questioningly to Hugh. “Want to lose another game while we’re not needed ?” he asked.

Hugh grinned, took the deck and started shuffling. They played in silence for a while, save for the occasional exclamation of disbelief when the other party was dealt an exceptionally lucky hand. Just when Hugh was on the verge of winning, their game was unceremoniously interrupted by the unmistakable sound of the ringing of a bell. 

“I’ll go,” Hugh said, placing his cards facedown on the table and pushing back his chair. “Should give you some time to think about how you’re going to worm your way out of this situation,” he said, nodding towards the cards on the table. He was slightly less confident than he sounded, but Saffron didn’t need to know that.

It turned out that Lord Verdant wanted some appetisers. More importantly, Hugh got another look at the guest, who explained that he was not a fan of cheese and would greatly appreciate its absence in the coming appetiser. “Of course, your Brilliance,” Hugh replied, and waited. 

“Your Iridescence,” the man corrected. Hugh smiled. “Apologies, your Iridescence. I will bring the appetiser shortly.”

That was one mystery solved. The man was in fact an Iridescent. Hugh left the sitting room contently, then hurried towards the kitchen. Before he could say anything, Jade was already handing him a platter filled with an array of assorted appetisers.

“No cheese,” Hugh said apologetically. “Our esteemed visitor does not want cheese.” Turning towards Saffron, he added: “He’s an Iridescent, by the way.”

Jade cursed colourfully. “Of course he wants no cheese. Here, give me the platter,” she said irately. She removed some of the food items on the tray and rearranged the rest, then handed Hugh back the platter. “Guess we will eat these ourselves. Their loss.” She put a chunk of cheese in her mouth.

Hugh took the platter and returned swiftly to the sitting room. He walked towards Verdant and the Iridescent guest, eying him especially in an attempt to find out a bit more about him. The man looked distinctly unremarkable, save for his fancy attire. An Iridescent visiting lord Verdant was not a new occurrence, but it was not exactly commonplace either. Something was happening, something important, likely involving Verdant’s specialty- the war.

Deep in his thoughts as he was, Hugh did not notice the tall, slim glass on the platter he was holding slowly tipping over. When he did, it was too late. The glass fell, the wine spilled, and the shifted weight of the platter caused some of the appetisers to glide along the platter and tumble off.

Hugh froze. He bowed down, quickly starting to pick everything up. Luckily, the glass was still on the platter and had not shattered. Still, the damage was done, and he knew it. He recovered the plates, some of which had broken. He looked up at lord Verdant, and then wished he had not. Verdant’s eyes were alight with anger, although he kept it to himself- for now. 

“Clean that up, will you. And fetch some new food. Clumsy brat.” He smiled apologetically at his guest. “Please pardon my servant. It appears walking is a skill he has not quite mastered. Rest assured that he will be taught better behaviour.” 

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Hugh winced. He had no doubt Verdant would make good on that promise. He gathered the broken plates as quickly as he could and then left for the kitchen. He brought a new platter and cleaned up the mess he had made, and then sat in the kitchen with Saffron for several painful hours as he awaited his punishment.

Finally, the guest left. Lord Verdant accompanied him to the door himself- another sign that the guest ranked higher than him, as ordinarily that was a task he made Hugh or Saffron do instead. For a moment Hugh was even more tense than before, knowing that he would be called over any second now. Minutes later, that call came. 

He hurried over to the sitting room, lord Verdant stood imposingly in the middle. His eyes radiated fire and his pose reassured Hugh of what he already knew was coming. He went to stand in front of lord Verdant. 

“What just happened ?” Verdant asked, his face portraying a fake sense of curiosity.

“Excuse me, your Brilliance,” Hugh stammered. “It won’t happen again.” 

“Look at me.” Hugh looked up, meeting the Brilliant’s gaze. “Surely you understand that this must not happen again ?”

“Yes, your Brilliance.”

“Good.” He turned around to face the hearth. “However, this is not the first time I have had to discipline you, and yet it does not seem to have the desired effect…” 

He did not like where this was going.

Verdant walked up to the hearth and picked up the poker, stirring up the flames. He turned back around to face Hugh, letting the poker remain in the fire. Hugh’s eyes widened. Verdant approached.

“Saffron ?” lord Verdant called. “Come over here please.”

What ? Why was he calling Saffron over ? “Your Brilliance ? Saffron was not involved in my accident,” Hugh said, confused.

Lord Verdant smiled a joyless smile. “I am aware. However, I have noticed that you do not seem particularly… Responsive to previous punishments. Indeed, it seems to me as though the only times where your attitude, your behaviour truly saw a change… Oddly enough, it was when Saffron got punished! We will now be testing whether my hypothesis is correct.”

Hugh went pale. Saffron entered the room. “Yes, your Brilliance ?” he said, having no clue about what was waiting for him. Hugh turned around to look at Saffron, his wide eyes betraying that something was going on even when he did not dare speak up.

“Come over here please Saffron,” lord Verdant commanded casually. “Hugh, fetch me the poker from the hearth. Maybe start apologising to your friend in the meantime.”

Saffron shot a questioning gaze at Hugh. Hugh shook his head lightly. No, no he couldn’t be asking this. Verdant was a strict lord, but not needlessly cruel. Was he ? Slowly he made his way to the hearth.

“Go on now,” Verdant added. “I do not plan to waste more of my precious time on you than strictly necessary.” Hugh picked up the poker, which glowed brightly as he lifted it out of the fire. He handed it tentatively over to lord Verdant, at his request.

“You see, Saffron,” lord Verdant began. “Hugh has been having some accidents lately. Accidents that do not befall a careful servant. Punishment has proven inadequate to teach him the lesson he requires.” He motioned for Saffron to approach. “Come here please. I have noticed a comradery between the two of you. Truly wonderful. I hope you do not mind me making use of that. Now, turn around.”

Saffron looked at Hugh with frightened eyes, as if to say “he wouldn’t, right ?”

Then, lord Verdant held up the poker. No, Hugh thought. No, not like this. “No!” he screamed, taking a step towards lord Verdant. “Punish me, then, punish me tenfold, but don’t you dare punish Saffron for my mistake!”

Lord Verdant smiled. “It seems my hypothesis has been proven. Your reaction speaks for itself; punish you tenfold, you say ? Indeed, this might yet prove to be an effective method.” He turned back towards Saffron. “Now, stand back,” he commanded Hugh. “Stand back and watch.”

Hugh felt his blood boil and his vision turn red. He felt anger start to consume him, fury tear through his veins until it was all he could think about. This would not happen. He tried to push it down, to drown it out. He always did, when he started feeling this way- he knew it was dangerous, though he did not know why. He had taken beatings, and though he had cried, his heart had been calm. He had been in arguments, and though he had screamed, his mind had been clear. But this, this was too much. He didn’t care anymore. 

To hell with it all- there was only one thing that mattered right now. He stepped towards lord Verdant, to push the poker away from Saffron. The Brilliant sneered, twisted, and sunk his left hand into a pouch hanging from his belt-

The air around him turned blue. Dark blue, like that of the ocean. It was as if the Brilliant had stepped into a thick layer of coloured dust, stirring it up into a maelstrom of deep blue power.

Hugh felt a wave crash into him, forcing him away. Not a wave of water- but Chromancy. Blue Chromancy, the colour of calmth, of the seas, and of their immense power. Hugh fell, hitting the ground hard.

He tried to scramble back up, to force his way through towards Verdant. But another wave hit, and again he was flung back. Verdant plunged the poker back into the flames for a second. “Stay still, Saffron. Let us try that again. Hugh, you see now that there is no use in resisting, I hope ? Stand back, observe. Do as you are told.” Verdant glanced at Hugh, a derogatory sneer displayed across his face; he was enjoying this.

Hugh got up again, pushed forward again. “You bastard!” He screamed, forcing himself onward as another wave of Chromancy crashed into him. If he could keep going, maybe Verdant would empty out his Essence pouch before it was too late ? He steeled his resolve. He would try. Even though everything in him told him that this was wrong, that he should calm down, step back, breathe and let it happen. As he always did. 

But he could not. So he kept going, kept rushing forward as Verdant’s Chroma forced him backwards, kept screaming at the lord he had served for years that this was going too far. Kept trying even as Verdant picked up the once again white-glowing poker. Kept hoping as he stretched his arm towards Saffron. Kept screaming colourful curses, all the way until Verdant looked at him, smiled, and thrusted out his arm. Saffron screamed, and buckled over. 

Hugh’s vision turned red. His anger exploded out into the world, snaked in crimson trails along the ground and dyed the air in furious shades. He felt it burn. His heart on fire, channelled outward. The wooden floorboards crackled as they charred to blackened coal. Hugh felt a drop of sweat travel down his forehead, evaporating before it could fall.

He looked at Lord Verdant whose calm resolve had melted into shock as the first edges of his fine coat began to burn. Verdant had dropped the poker, and was slowly backing away from Hugh. He tripped, falling over backward, but keeping his gaze locked on Hugh. Hugh looked at Saffron, who had fallen to the ground, and was turning around to face Hugh. Then he saw something entirely different. 

He saw a small boy, lying on the ground where Saffron had a moment ago. The heat inside him cooled down a bit, the flames flickered, the tear on his cheek did not evaporate. 

He saw a small boy, crying in the middle of a mass of flames. One he had seen before, many times, long ago. 

A small boy he had forced himself to forget about.

He returned to the mental walls he had surrounded himself with. He retreated into their comfort, into their ignorant bliss. Safe. The boy on the ground vanished, and Saffron returned. The floor was still charred, but the red air around him had started to dissipate, and the boards no longer burned.

Hugh took a step back. He could not quite grasp what had happened. Had he performed Chromancy ? That should not be possible. He was no Brilliant. He was as Dull as could be. 

He noticed Lord Verdant. Hugh had never seen the man so bewildered and doubted he ever would again. But more importantly, he realised that that shock would soon wear off, and when it did… Hugh would be in a heap of trouble. 

Hugh rushed over to Saffron, helping him up. “We need to run, now!” He hissed. Behind Saffron, he saw that Lord Verdant was already getting back up. The moment he would regain his composure and access his Chromancy, they were done for. Unless they left before that. “Come, come!” he told Saffron. 

Finally after a few precious seconds, Saffron nodded, and they were off. Verdant tried to stop them with a scream, with a threat. It barely registered to Hugh, and he didn’t doubt the same was true for Saffron. Then came a wave of Chromancy, crashing its way across the room, flipping over chairs, tables, and slamming shut the door- right after they had passed through it. 

They sprinted through the hall, to the door, and then kept going. They went with no particular direction in mind, away. All the while, the scene that had just played out replayed over and over in Hugh’s mind like a broken record; broken, because even though everything was still fresh in his memory, he knew he was missing something. Something about that small boy on the ground amid the flames. Something he didn’t know, or at least not anymore. Did he want to ?