Snow leaned forward in her wooden rocking chair, her glasses misting up slightly as she took in the scene in front of her. A large toad sat next to her greenhouse misting pipe, underneath a set of oval leaves, each leaf taking its turn to drop a splash of rainwater on the thick bulb of the toad's satisfied head. She'd almost missed the toad when she'd been wheeled in, only having her attention brought to it when Ilya had mentioned it in passing while fetching her tea.

Snow grinned before putting her pencil to use. She deftly outlined the edges of the toads shape on the sketchbook at her side. Toads were a favourite of hers to draw, as they were usually very good sitters. Crouched flatly on a wet stone or lily pad, they would wait patiently for her to finish capturing their likenesses before hopping off. This one did as such; A fat, drooping egg-shaped little fellow, laying and luxuriating in the warm greenhouse spray as the morning sun sent rays through the blanket of the weeping willow that lay atop the glass of the greenhouse.

She moved onto the toes, pushing down on the pencil to leave deep marks for the ends of the toad's feet, making him meld into the background of her canvas. Turning to look back at her subject, she stopped to watch as the toads eyes bulged, a splatter of water puttered down onto it causing it to croak in surprise, setting off the other frogs in the greenhouse, a cacophony of noise which drowned out the sound of footsteps.

Ilya returned, his arms full with supplies, setting down a chairside bench for him to pour. He glanced thoughtfully at Snow's sketch as he uncorked the tea. "You're getting better at drawing those eyes. He looks very wise."He said, ladling and packing the tea leaves into a small silver strainer before looking up again. Snow paused for a moment, adjusting her glasses to look up at the toad's eyes, "I think this one's eyes are just extra shiny from the shower it's having." She said, leaning forward in her chair to place a berry in front of the toad.

"Sugar?" Ilya asked, pausing over the bowl of sugar cubes. Snow nodded absent-mindedly, her face in her hand, rolling the berry towards the toad with a forefinger. The toad's eyes boggled as the berry rolled its way, slowly getting closer.

"Cicily managed to find a few tadpoles when she was out in the garden yesterday," Ilya mentioned, gritting his teeth as he pushed a knife into the bench with the palm of his hand to split a cube, “Oh, and I did manage to find that book you wanted after all, it'll be here the evening after next."

The toad hopped towards the berry, looking down towards it with a slightly befuddled and angry expression, he flicked out his tongue, grabbing the berry and swallowing it, he rapidly repositioned, staring at Snow's now offending outstretched finger.

Snow straightened and looked back over at Ilya. He'd moved onto making his cup, her's was finished. A small teacake sat next to the cup, her family's sigil, a willow tree represented with caramel icing.

"Hardback or paperback? I'd like to be able to take the book riding with me" Snow asked, taking her cup and sipping at the purple liquid. It tasted faintly mossy, grassy even as the thick woody scent prickled her nostrils.

"Leather-bound… It'll survive whatever you put it through." Ilya said, chuckling, placing a teacake onto his plate. “Anyway, how are you feeling today…? Better, I hope?" He asked, taking off his servant's cap as he relaxed against the greenhouses' wall, placing it under his arm as he looked at the sky, every now and again taking a few sips from his tea.

She looked back down at the tea, the purple liquid steaming gently within the glass teacup. She spun the cup with a forefinger and raised it to her lips again.

She didn't like this tea, it was much too strong for her, the taste too foreign, no amount of sugar or milk served to reduce the flavour. "I feel much better today, much better in fact, can I just not drink any today?" Snow said, wrinkling her face at the tea's flavour."

Ilya looked up from his cup, a different brew that smelled faintly of apple & cinnamon. "I don't think that's wise. Here, perhaps more sugar would do?" he said, raising the two blocks up to her with his pair of silver tongs.

Snow grimaced, shaking her head at the sugar. She took a deep breath and gulped down the heady concoction, pausing to gag slightly as the darker steeped bits washed their way over her taste buds. She placed the cup down with trembling fingers, her head swimming with nausea.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Gagging, she turned her chair away. "That mixture is evil and the one who made it should be jailed!" Snow rasped, pointing at the jar of greenish-purple leaves before descending into a coughing fit.

"It can't be that bad," Ilya admonished, trying not to look disgusted by it himself. He sipped at his own tea, watching as Snow's coughing fit subsided. “Well, you won’t have to have any more today, I think.”

She picked up the cup, dark purple blotches flared out strangely on the inside. ”I hope it doesn’t stain my teeth,” She started swirling it counterclockwise, stopped, and then peered at it.

"'Have you ever done tea reading, Ilya?" She asked, turning her head as she tried to make out the shapes in the glass. "I can't say I have, though I think my sister once tried to teach me." Ilya mused, brushing back his hair and pulling back on his servant's cap.

"A tree branch... With some ants around it, a symbol of good health with that of a bad omen or impending difficulties. Maybe my recovery won't be as fast as mother hopes." Snow sighed, massaging her temples as she looked at the tea leaves clinging to the side of the bowl.

Ilya stood as Snow reclined sedate in the high backed confines of her chair. "Do you want me to take you back to your room, mistress?" His voice going steely with worry, placing his hands on the handrails at the chairs back. Ilya paused as he removed the stand locking the chairs' wheels. "Yes please." Snow weakly uttered, Ilya nodded at the response, backing the chair away from the tea, a dragonfly balanced at the edge of Snow's cup, proboscis dipping into the dregs.

He spun the chair gently, the well oiled brass wheels clicking quietly as Ilya made his way through the manor to his mistress's bedroom, pushing aside her beds mosquito netting. Ilya helped to raise Snow by her shoulder so she could slide herself into bed, locking the chairs wheels as he pulled the chair out to the side.

Snow pulled herself up to rest on a few lacy cushions, reaching over to a bedside satchel from which she pulled out a notebook, pen, and abacus.

“Take the rest of the day at your leisure, Ilya. I’ll take all my meetings in here today, I think.” Snow said, pulling one of the larger cushions over to lay on her lap. “Let the first one in on the way out”.

Ilya bowed his head, closing the door behind himself gently. Out into the corridor he turned left, heading to his room. What was he to do for the rest of the day? He wondered. As It was nearing evening time most of his favourite shops would be closed. Taking another left, leading him down a set of stairs to pass the waiting room.

Ilya took a breath and opened the door.

“She will see you now. Please remove your shoes before you walk up to meet her.” He addressed what looked to be a tall straight backed lawyer type, or perhaps a merchant. A leather briefcase with clasps of opal outed him as a man of expense, though nothing else betrayed it.

The odd man pointedly didn’t remove his shoes. Turning to face Ilya, he adjusted his round rimmed glasses, tinted black swirls of glass chipped and pitted, made up the interior giving him a sinister appearance, one he lavished in it seemed for he fished a small leather booklet from his chest pocket, hoisting it up to eye level he flipped it open with a thin lipped smile.

The municipality of the hundred hands, Leitsig - Addanc Elitho of the 5th cavalry. It read, the delicate calligraphy ensconced within roses carved into the gold tablet. He snapped the booklet closed, “Please be as cooperative as possible, I have many other appointments to keep up today.”

‘The secret police!?’ Ilya stiffened up immediately clammy. “Do you have an appointment?” He asked “Yes, I’ve asked those before me to kindly give up their spot.” Addanc responded smoothly reaching into another pocket in his waistcoat to grab an appointment notation, Snow’s house insignia clearly stamped in the top left corner.

“My mistress is quite badly bedridden at the moment, any stress might wound her terribly, please take your shoes off while I go inform her of the change.” Ilya blurted out quickly, backing himself through the door he quickly walked off, uttering a string of curses under his breath as he picked up his pace, he bolted to Snow’s door.

A quick rap on the door with his palm and he slammed the door open.

“Mistress, the mitz are here, Secret police!” Breathless he looked towards Snow for an inkling of what to do.

Snow looked up from her notebook, words of admonition for slamming open the door drying on her lips as she processed what had been said, “Please, tell him I’ll be down to meet him right away.”

Ilya nodded, unlocking the chair and pulling it to her side. “He’s waiting for my return mistress. If you give me a minute or two I can bring my crew for... Protection” his grip on the wheelchair was white knuckled, a low almost feral growl on his lips as the suggestion left him.

“No, that’s silly, we’ve done nothing wrong.” Snow said calmly, “And if… they’re here during the day no less, it must be a trivial matter.” Ilya nodded and swallowed, wheeling Snow out to meet the man.

He had removed his shoes, and was stood in the meeting office, arms clutched behind his back as he waited for them to enter. “Mistress Locusta, a pleasure” he said as she came to a stop, Ilya pulling the chair to the front of the desk, he bowed stiffly and went to fetch refreshments at a gesture.

“I’ve come to ask something of you. Some recent news has been reported about two people who have managed to gain entrance into the city.” Snow paused as she took this in. “And how can I help you with that, officer?” He watched as Ilya re-entered “Your medicine shops, I need the sales records for all of them from the past five days.”

“Whatever for, officer? If I may ask.” Snow peered at him cautiously. “Witches…” he said, the teacake he'd picked up snapping like so many small bones.