Vessa blinked, and she was in a changing room, with a fancy servant uniform hanging from the wall. Across from it was a chair with three casting scrolls and something beneath. A mirror hung on the wall between. Vessa looked behind her to see a door. It was locked when she twisted it. She glanced briefly at the numbers.
Female 325: 97%, Female 241: 95%, Male 471: 96%, Male 12: 92%, Female 3: 98%
And Vessa concluded it was safe, likely some family business that her people employed for this purpose. She quickly dressed in the all black servant’s clothing that even faded her to herself in the mirror. Vessa put her hair up, using the picture underneath the scrolls as a reference.
Her blond hair looked ghostly white and the rest of her was there and then not. Giving her a headache. Vessa looked away from the mirror and immediately felt better. Now for the scrolls.
The first was to blend her even further into the background, as Vessa wasn’t immune to Casters. The next was negation, so if she was spotted, she’d have protection. Even if she wasn’t seen it would block untargeted spells. The last had Maggie’s handwriting saying not to use it until the proper time.
Vessa looked at herself once more in the mirror and as her eyes unfocused from her for the fifth time, she figured she was good.
Last, she picked up her assignment book, and the room disappeared as she was teleported away.
Vessa blinked, and she was on the edge of what looked a large village with houses of stone and wood. Stars and a moon shining in the night sky said she was out of the Wishing Constellation.
A man similarly dressed, except for a white bow tie, came up to her and Vessa’s eyes fought to see him. Being a Caster, he had likely done all the fading himself instead of using scrolls.
Male 302: 82%
“Look away from me and then glance from the corner of your eye.” He said in a whisper, and Vessa let out a sigh of relief as she followed his directions.
“Good, now papers.” He said and Vessa’s hand went to her pocket where her assignment book was and pulled out papers. She didn’t like to think of the Seers’ reach, but at least this could be chalked up to good planning.
“Awww, the Menasi building, you must have wonderful connections. No, don’t talk. I know you’re new, so I’ll go over it for you. I am Glatis and if your clothing didn’t already clue you in, you are to be as invisible as you possibly can. The only places you should speak are the servant areas and even then, at a whisper.” Glatis said, paused, then looked her up and down. Vessa said nothing as she stood through his inspection.
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“They will tell you if they want noise during a raping or even if they wish of you to think of it as such. Lestma and Kelthane have tips for avoiding such interactions, but it is inevitable.” He said and then began walking away from the dirt road going through the main part of the village to a stone path, that had anti magic material lining both sides.
If Vessa was here long enough for that to become an issue, she’d have more dead than required. She had no intention of participating in their economic system. Vessa thought anti magic was a much better currency than experiences, harmful or otherwise, and surely there was a better way to keep their Constellations together than a wanton abandon into evil.
“Now walking in the buildings cannot be avoided, but when outside, you should remain on the stone path. The grass is imported from the Empire at regular intervals to keep magic at low intensity, and it is not cheap. Nod if you understand,” Glatis said and Vessa complied as they walked passed a pair of women. One dressed like Glatis with a white bow tie and the other one had clothing like Vessa’s, though it was torn and she was softly crying.
Female 405: 99%, female 23: 76%
Glatis gestured at the crying woman.
“Saria is an excellent way to comport yourself if the unpleasant should happen.” Glatis said. The softly crying woman gave a deferential nod.
“Here we are, the Menasi building. Follow the rules and we should not meet again until you are released from service.” Glatis said and walked away as a woman in a white bow took Vessa into the building. The woman said nothing, and Vessa assumed they were not in one of the servant areas.
She wondered if one of the people who would die tonight was responsible for Saria’s crying. A smile found its way onto Vessa’s lips at the thought as she was whisked away into the servants’ hall.