“And over there is the Grand Cathedral,” the driver of our carriage said. She pointed to a giant structure near the northern clifface that was visible even from the middle of the city, where we currently were. It had three main towers, two small ones on the sides and a third, giant one in the middle, connected by smaller buildings to each side. White banners hung down on the walls, a great ball of golden fire blazing in the middle of them. The main doors were so big that they rose to about half the height of the middle tower. “Any priest you’ve ever met has visited it at least once to be confirmed,” the woman continued. “It’s the center and heart of Vistaria and our God.”
I nodded as she finished, though I was hardly listening. “Oh! Sean, what’s that?” Isla whispered to me, pointing at a large complex of buildings on the other side of the lake in the center of the city.
“Can you tell me about that?” I asked the driver, pointing to what had gotten Isla excited, but not moving my eyes from in front of me.
“Of course! That is the Royal Palace! It’s made up of many different buildings, but I’m sure you’re most interested in the one his Royal Majesty’s family–” the driver began, but my ears started to tune her out.
While everything she was saying was very interesting and something I wanted to hear, I was only asking the questions for Isla’s sake. She was too afraid and shy to ask them herself, so I did it for her. However, I had far more important questions to ask than what she wanted to hear, and I didn’t need answers from the driver. Instead, I needed them from the person in front of me, my mother.
She was looking down at her knees, her hands clasped together over her lap. She looked like a child getting scolded, about to cry, a strange sight to see on her. Her entire demeanor had completely changed ever since we entered the city. She was quiet, too quiet. Everything she would normally do I was now doing, like hailing a carriage or speaking to Gaige about our beasts. It felt like I was the adult now.
“Are you all right, Mother?” I asked her.
She flinched at my words. “I am fine, Sean. Why do you ask?”
Her voice was different than usual, having the same tone as when she spoke with Gaige. Not sweet with honey anymore, but regal and somewhat rough. “You’ve been really quiet. I’m surprised you let me haggle with Gaige. Even more so, you let me go over and hire the carriage myself. You only gave them the directions. What is wrong?”
She gave a smile made of porcelain. “This city is different from Dousin,” she said, her voice croaking a little, “I don’t want you to do these things yourself, but I can't always be around. It’s best for you to learn quickly.”
I cocked an eyebrow at her. “Learn what–”
“Ah, and the banners!” The driver yelled, her voice becoming louder and startling me. “A beautiful purple tapestry with a red flame in the middle! The symbol of our great King! Of course, only a few years ago the banner was white rather than purple, but after the Queen’s death, the King changed it. Sometimes even the worst of tragedies can bring about the brightest of beauties in the world!”
I groaned, wondering if our driver had aspired to be a bard earlier in her life, then turned back to my mother. She was chuckling at the driver’s words. I smiled as she laughed, letting her finish before I started asking more questions. It was one of the few times I’d seen her do so since Father’s death, and I didn’t want to ruin her mood.
When she finally calmed down, her eyes rested on me again. I sighed, then asked, “Who are the Phell’s?”
My earlier question had caused her to flinch, but this one made her freeze. She started rubbing her hands nervously, “House Phell is one of the largest Great Houses in the City of Marble. Its head is Lord Titus Phell. Most of their operations come down to the Merchant’s Guild, which they fund.”
I frowned. It was interesting information. I knew nothing of the Great Houses, nor had I even heard of them before, but that wasn’t the answer I was looking for. Mother had given me the name ‘Phell,’ replacing Brynor. I wanted to know why. “Who are the Phells to me, Mother?”
She sighed, letting every last bit of air escape from her lungs. Her whole body seemed to deflate, sinking deeper into her seat. Then, her hands went to her eyes and she spoke. “They are your grandparents. Lord and Lady Phell are my parents.”
Tears escaped from behind my mother’s hands, but she kept trying to conceal them from me. However, she couldn’t conceal all the revelations that came with her words. Ever since Gaige’s reaction to the name ‘Phell,’ I had expected something like this. It was far different to hear it directly, however. I was a Lord. “Why… Why did you run away from them?” I asked, finding it hard to believe someone would run from such a lavish lifestyle.
Her head shot up and she stared directly at me. I could see the tears forming in her eyes now, but she seemed to forget about them. “Where did you hear that from? Who told you that?” she asked.
I sank into my seat. I’d forgotten I wasn’t supposed to know about that. “I may have listened in on a conversation between you and Ailisa. I know a lot about your past… and Father’s,” I said hesitantly.
Her heart seemed to break in that instant, something I didn’t think possible with an already broken one. “You… you know? What happened to him?”
“I do,” I answered.
She had only been crying earlier, but that now turned into sobs. Even the driver, still going on about the beauty of the Royal Palace, stopped speaking, Mother’s cries drowning out whatever words she was trying to say. “I wanted to protect you from it,” Mother babbled, “I didn’t want it to hurt you.”
I got up and went over to sit beside her. I put my arm around her shoulders, trying to give any comfort I could. “It’s okay, Mother. I understand what happened. It’s okay,” I said, ignoring the warm and wet sensation on my hand.
She sighed, wiping her wet eyes and face. “You weren’t supposed to grow up so fast. I’m sorry, Sean, but I didn’t know what else to do after…” She paused, but I knew what she was about to say. “I left home because I wanted a new life. I wanted to be free. However, that life is over now. It… died. It’s not fair to you, I know. Bringing you to this place, forcing a new life upon you. Ah, I’m a horrible mother.”
She started to cry again, but I reassured her. “No, no you're not. Neither of us knew what to do, Mother. You’re just doing what you can.”
All of what I said was true. How could I expect her to deal with Father’s death any better than I did? I hid in my room, away from everyone else. In many ways, she was doing the same thing. Only, I had figured out who I needed to be now. Perhaps Mother allowing me to take charge was her way of letting me be the Sean that Father had seen. That definitely seemed like the type of person Sean should be. Assertive, in control, and powerful. Yes, I had to be like that. I wiped my hand on the seat, trying to make the feeling go away. It didn’t work, of course.
Isla let out a cough, taking my eyes away from my mother. She noticed me and spoke softly, “Does this mean that I’m a lady now? Like a noble?”
“Y—yes. It does,” Mother answered.
“I see.”
Isla stood, then walked to the door of the carriage. She reached out to open it. “Wait!” I yelled. “You can’t—“
Isla fell to the ground with her hand on the door, heaving. Tears streamed in her eyes as she kept trying to vomit, but nothing ever came up. “I want to go back to the forest,” she said through gasps.
I winced at her words. It wasn’t fair to her. It wasn’t fair to me. None of this was. Becoming nobles all of the sudden. It was a lot to take in, and Isla was still getting used to the idea of being in a family. “I’m sorry, Isla, but you can’t. You know what Nayu said.”
She looked up at me, tears in her eyes. She looked angry, but also sad, and confused. I tried my best to give her a reassuring look. I wanted to appear trustworthy and sincere. Her face seemed to soften, then she got back up and sat on her seat.
“We just have to stay together, okay?” I told the two of them, though it felt weird as they both nodded, like I was some kind of leader. “Family, right?”
As they nodded again, I noticed that the carriage driver had been taking glances back at us. She must have been listening in on our conversation since she hadn’t spoken in a while. I decided to distract her, as well as my family.
“Can you tell me more about the Marble City, miss?” I asked her.
She frowned at me. “The City of Marble, young sir.”
“I’m sorry?”
“It’s the City of Marble, not the Marble City. You’ll find many unfriendly faces here if you continue to call it that.”
“I— I see,” I said. “I had always thought both were correct.”
“No. Only the one,” she answered curtly.
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“Uh huh. Well then, can you tell me about that?” I asked, pointing to the structure that had been in the back of my mind since entering the City of Marble.
“Ah, of course!” Our driver said, her excited demeanor returned. “The third of our city's three great structures, the Magic Tower!”
I stared in awe at the tower in the center of the lake rising from a lone island into the top of the sky. All of my curiosity and wonder filled my head from where I had pushed it into the back of my mind. I had been dying to hear more about the tower, but there were more important things I needed to know before I could. Now that I had gotten all the information out of Mother that I could, I finally had time to think about the more interesting parts of this city.
“Just as the High Cardinal is in the Grand Cathedral, and his Majesty The King is in the Palace, the Archmage resides at the top of the Magic Tower. The three heads of Vistaria, all in one place.”
“Who’s the Archmage?” I asked.
She gave me a strange look. “Well, I don’t know him personally, but I’m glad you have such a high opinion of me. He is the leader of the Magic Tower, as well as all mages In Vistaria. I’m not a mage myself, so that’s all I really know.”
I felt embarrassed. Of course this random carriage driver knew little of someone who was in charge of all mages in the kingdom. I thought of a more realistic question. One that she would actually be able to answer. “How does one become a mage of the Magic Tower?”
She was silent for a moment, thinking. “I’m not quite sure. I believe there is a test of some sort, but I don’t know how one gets the chance to take it. I have no magic, you see, so it’s never been of my concern.”
“I see. What else can you tell me about the city?”
The woman continued on her ramble about the many wonders of the city, from all the different Lords and Ladies to the most influential priests. Most of it went in one of my ears and out the other, my focus still on the Magic Tower. How did I get their attention so that I could take the test, and what exactly was their test? Could I pass it, thanks to Restivus’ teaching?
As the sun began to set, we reached our destination. A giant estate expanded out in front of us, several acres large. In the middle of the garden filled with hedges, flowers, and fountains, was a large pure white structure that was larger than any house I’d ever seen. Calling it a mansion was the best way to describe it, but even then it was still being understated. The main feature was the many circular columns that lined its front, supporting the entire thing.
The gate at the front of the estate opened, and three people walked out. The first, an older gentleman with a short beard and gray hair, wore a black suit and tie, a small, light handkerchief neatly tucked in his pocket. The other two walked behind him, a man and a woman, both covered in heavy armor with many elaborate designs on them. The designs themselves were beautiful, but they felt impersonal. The only two designs that looked deliberate were on the shoulders. One shoulder had an image of a burning flame, while the other was of a hand grasping a coin between two fingers. On the coin was the image of a sea, its waves crashing against a beach. I could hardly see their faces, both of them wearing a large helmet with a blue plume.
“My Lady,” the man in the suit said, bowing as our driver opened the door.
“Sir Callistar,” Mother called back, stepping out and greeting the man, “It is good to see you.”
“You as well. It has been far too long.”
I gestured for Isla to step out while I grabbed my can and slung my bag over my back. The rest of our luggage would be carried away by maids, according to my mother, but I didn’t want my bag to be too far away from my person. I also didn’t want to reveal my magical abilities just yet, so the bag felt heavier on my disabled leg, adding to its pain. I sighed as the urge to conjure my ice prosthetic came up, but I pushed it down and dealt with the pain as I stepped out of the carriage.
Sir Callistar’s eyes widened as I stepped out. I thought he was surprised at seeing my cane, but then he said, “Two? Two children?”
Mother stayed silent again. I looked up at her, waiting to hear her answer, but she simply stared down at me. I nodded. Sean was assertive, in control, and powerful. It’s what I had to be. It’s what she wanted me to be. “My…” I paused, repressing the urge to sigh, “Older sister and I are twins. We were born on the same day,” I said, hobbling forward and standing just in front of the well dressed man.
Sir Callistar was tall, and that meant quite a bit coming from me. Even at twelve years old, I was already taller than most women and many men. However, the man in front of me looked taller than my father had been. Although his height made him imposing, his small frame took away from this, and his soft face gave him a warm, grandfatherly feeling. “I see,” he said, adjusting the small pair of eyeglasses resting on his nose. “The Lord and Lady will be… intrigued by this. Please, follow me.”
We followed him down the path and towards the estate's main building. I started falling behind, my pace much too slow to keep up with them. Sir Callistar noticed, finally looking down to my cane, and everyone seemed to slow down. He didn’t say a word, matching my steps as we made our way inside.
The inside of the Phell’s estate was as golden as the city was white. Everything was either made of gold, or surrounded by it. While the giant stairwell in the center of the main lobby was made of marble, the railings were solid gold. Above the lobby, hanging from the ceiling, was a solid gold chandelier, hundreds of candles lit atop it. Not only was the building dressed int gold, but the people were too. A rather short woman, who was only slightly taller than Mother, with long blonde hair tied tightly on her head and deep blue eyes, wore a slim golden dress that hung all the way to her ankles. Wrinkles lined the sides of her mouth and eyes, but she had an older beauty about her, age not taking away her brightest features. She looked exactly like an older version of my mother.
“You have returned… again,” the woman said, her voice deeper than Mother’s, but carrying the same tone she had with Gaige. “Lord Phell has been expecting you.”
Mother seemed to wilt under the woman’s gaze. “Then you received my letter. I am glad,” she said, not a hint of joy in her voice.
“Hush. He will arrive soon. We shouldn’t talk until then. It would be rude to discuss such important things when the Lord himself isn’t present. Of course, you should know these things, Cori.”
“Yes, Mother.”
My eyes widened. This was my grandmother. It was obvious, given her appearance, but the regal way she carried herself was completely different than my mother’s. The two looked the same, but the differences in how they acted caused my mind not to take the logical leap. I could see it so easily now, though.
A woman came into the lobby from a door somewhere up the stairs. She came down, stopping near the center, and announced, “Lord Phell has accepted an audience with you. Show him the respect he is due, or he shall show none to you.”
The woman moved to the side of the stairs, and we waited. Just a few seconds later, a man started walking down them. Just like my mother and grandmother, Lord Phell had deep blue eyes like an ocean. His hair was blonde, but it was a darker shade mixed with a hint of gray on the sides. Lines around his cheeks gave the impression that he was always frowning, but it was hard to see through the short, brown beard he wore on his face. He wore a similar suit to Sir Callistar, but it was embroidered with golden thread, and a cloak of similar material was around his shoulders and over his back. He reached up with one hand and scratched his beard, the sound of rough skin and hair breaking the trembling silence. He didn’t say a word.
“Father,” Mother said, interrupting the silence.
“No,” Lord Phell answered. He didn’t yell, but his voice commanded everyone in the room to listen. It reminded me of Lady Mairead, but it was closer to the way Lord Malcolm spoke at the Frost Feast. “You haven’t had the right to call me that in many years, Cori Brynor.” His voice changed, filled with malice as he said our last name.
“Yes, Lord Phell. I apologize.”
The Lord grunted in response. “These two are yours? You continued to disgrace yourself even after one child then?”
My face heated. How had she disgraced herself? Sure, she had run away, but that was hardly worth his harsh words.
“No, Lord Phell. When I came to you after marrying Aaron, I was pregnant with twins. These two are our only children.”
The Lord started scratching his beard, his eyes examining Isla and me. As they scanned us, I saw them fall on my cane and stay there. “Was his seed so terrible that it produced… malformed offspring? Even worse, it couldn’t even provide more children before he croaked.”
“What?!” I yelled, the heat in my face growing so hot that I had to shout to get my fury out. “What did you just say?!”
“Hmm,” The Lord grumbled, “It seems that not only is his leg useless, but his brain is as well. Such a shame. It’s what happens when you sully yourself with vagrants, Cori.”
Unable to contain myself, I formed the ice prosthetic around my leg and dropped my cane. He had said those things about my parents. Insulting my mother and father. It didn’t matter who he was. There was no way I was going to stand here and listen to him. I ran towards him in a fury, only to feel something grab the back of my collar and stop me in my tracks. I turned to find Mother, her grip firm on my shirt.
Lord Phell’s eyes widened. “Now, isn’t that interesting. Clever little spell for such a young mage. Perhaps you gained more of my blood than the vagrants.”
I stared in disbelief at my mother. Her eyes were deep blue saucers, and I could see tears in them. “I know, Sean, but we need this.”
The Lord scratched at his beard again, taking his time to speak. “I think I can accept your request, Cori. Your son is interesting. Rowdy, disobedient, and likely a handful, but interesting. With discipline and training, he could make a fine lord.” His eyes turned to Isla. “I’m sure she will be a decent lady as well. As long as she listens.”
“I assure you, Lord Phell, they will,” Mother said.
Lord Phell grunted again. “You will take on the name Phell. Forget that bastard's old name Brynor. It is the name of a peasant. Rejoice that you can share the name of a Great Lord.”
I grit my teeth, trying to hold my tongue back for my mother’s sake. “Thank you, Father,” Mother said.
“No!” Lord Phell exclaimed, raising his voice for the first time, “You are not granted the name of Phell. I accept these two as my grandchildren, but I only have one daughter, and you are not her. You will keep the name Brynor. Let it stain you for the rest of your life, Cori.”
Mother smiled at that, a reaction lord Phell didn’t seem to expect. He grunted again, and my anger suddenly flared. “Why would you even do this? What do you gain by taking us in? Do you expect us to obey you when you plan to throw our mother onto the street!” I yelled, unable to hold back my tongue any longer.
Lord Phell started walking down the stairs until he was standing in front of me. To my surprise, we were the same height. I may have even been taller than him. “It’s time for your first lesson,” he said, then I felt something hard slam into my crotch. I fell to the ground, the pain traveling through my entire abdomen.
“Listen well. You will need to know this as a Lord,” he said while I writhed on the ground. “It is Vistarian custom for each and every Lord, no matter how big or small, to designate an heir. Unfortunately,” he glanced over to Mother, “I only have two daughters. While I could designate a female heir, it could make me seem weak, and many of the branch families would try to take my place as head of House Phell. I can’t have our branch families taking over as head either. They would influence any child that I choose, and my vision for the future of our house would be corrupted. So, when Cori Brynor sent me a letter saying she had a son, I knew I couldn’t pass up the blank canvas being offered to me.”
Lord Phell knelt down to look me in the eye. I stared back at him, making it clear how much disdain I felt for him. “You are the son of a vagrant. Tainted by his blood. However, you also have my blood running through your veins. It is not because you are my first choice, but because you are my only choice. You will learn how to be a proper noble. You will learn how to become the head of our house. You will learn the plans I have for the future, and carry them out even after I die. You will learn how to be me, or you will die trying.”