Chapter IX
The castle of Aquesen was so chaotic in the days following the attack on Ryokumo that Abi and the others opted to remain in their quarters for the majority of that time, if only to stay out of the way. Not only were guards from the city brought into the castle to increase security, but preparations were also being conducted to ensure that Aeyir’s birthday went off without a hitch. From what Abi was told, the ballroom on the first floor was where the celebration would be held, with Lord Malloway having hired caterers from the city to handle the food, as well as a rather popular band from the south that had traveled all the way to Hiriech to play the music. Everything Abi heard about it actually made it sound less formal and overbearing than she had expected it to be, but given the fact that every single guest was somebody of relative importance, she was still a tad overwhelmed at the idea of spending her evening at such a gathering.
And to make matters worse, it’s not even a guarantee that we’ll be safe…
The presence of a changeling in Aquesen had only caused Malloway to grow paranoid, for not only could a changeling alter their own appearance, but that of others as well. For all they knew, anybody in the castle might not be who they claimed to be, and since Abi’s sense gave her confirmation on who could be trusted and who couldn’t, she had begun to fear the possibility that the entire castle and city guard were under the woman’s biological magic. After expressing her fears to Ilirianna and Nakoma, she was met with a rather relieving response.
“It takes a lot of energy and talent to alter the appearances of others,” the Master of Fire had informed her. “In fact, it’s quite dangerous to do such a thing, for much of a changeling’s magic is cast carefully and meticulously, using their own physical senses to determine what is safe and what isn’t. Biological magic can quickly become deadly, and every time she uses it on an ally, she runs a high risk of killing them. Therefore, while it’s possible the entire guard has been transformed, I would not fear it. That being said, I would estimate that around four to five people could potentially be in disguise, so caution is still wise.”
Abi was happy to know that the changeling would probably only disguise a handful of her allies, but she still found herself on edge every time she left her quarters. Aside from one brief trip back into Hiriech where Abi and Nakoma informed Nyx about what happened, they hadn’t once returned to the city. With a changeling in play, it became dangerous to leave the confines of Aquesen, especially after learning just how bold the opposition was willing to be. That was why they spent the majority of their time hanging out in their rooms, playing card games and telling stories as they awaited the arrival of the birthday ball and what would be their final night in Hiriech before returning to Erika.
As for Ryokumo, despite having been almost killed, he was just as chipper and lively as always. He was allowed to leave the healers’ quarters the morning after and though he did keep complaining about his aching muscles, he was otherwise perfectly fine, as if his near-death didn’t phase him at all. But Abi could tell that while he did bounce back quite easily, he wasn’t as comfortable as he had been before. There was an underlying sense of caution in the way he acted that told her he was unsettled by the fact that he would have died had he not managed to escape the knight. Yet, since he seemed perfectly content to keep moving forward, Abi didn’t bring it up and instead just enjoyed the fact that her friendship with him hadn’t been so abruptly cut short.
The current plan of action was to remain for Aeyir’s ball and see if the enemy attempted anything. Quite a number of important figures in Hiriech’s elite would be present, so it would be a prime opportunity for them to attack significant targets. Of course, they still didn’t know what their enemies were plotting, so it was quite possible that the ball would pass by without incident. If it did, the plan was to leave and take what they knew back to Erika so that King Markreas and the Masters could determine their next move.
And Ryokumo nearly getting killed makes it a lot easier for them to do so, Abi noted. In fact, Lord Malloway will probably be open to aid from the Citadel in sniffing out this changeling given that he’s under the impression they were the ones to attack Mallicent the other night.
In Abi’s eyes, returning to Erika and letting the Masters handle it was the ideal situation. The knight’s attack proved just how powerful the enemy was, and Abi feared that if they came into conflict again then somebody would die, so to her, it was best to allow the more experienced mages to take over for them.
And to her relief, the few days left passed in peace, without so much as a whisper from the enemy. The changeling and the knight had yet to be located and identified, while Mallicent and Vesh refrained from making any moves against them before the day of the birthday arrived. The morning of the celebration was even more chaotic than the past days had been, with servants and staff rushing about the corridors, hauling tables and last-minute decorations down to the ballroom as they called out a cacophony of various orders and directions. The scent of food seemed to permeate every hallway, and Abi’s stomach growled in anticipation of what they would be having for dinner.
Before the ball began, Lord Malloway would be holding a coming-of-age ceremony for Aeyir in private, inviting only the most elite of guests to bear witness to. It was no surprise that Princess Ilirianna and Master Taurus had been invited, but Abi was rather confused when she was informed that the rest of the royal team would be allowed to attend as well. The ceremony would be taking place just before sunset, so as had become routine, she and the rest of the team killed time in her quarters playing cards until the designated hour arrived. At that time, Nigreos and Ryokumo headed back to their own room so they could change into formal wear while Abi and Album remained behind to do the same.
Album, naturally, had a dress ready for use—the same white silk dress she had worn to dinner the night Abi and Ryokumo snuck into Mallicent’s room. It was a very beautiful and modest dress that flowed down to her ankles and covered all of her upper chest, leaving just her shoulders and arms exposed. The light mage kept her dark brown hair down like she normally did, but Abi could tell that she had combed in much more thoroughly, with a milky white clip that kept her bangs out of her face.
As for Abi, she obviously didn’t have a dress nor had she ever owned one. Before leaving for the city, Album had offered to accompany her down to a boutique in Erika, but Abi didn’t have enough money to afford anything, nor had she been terribly comfortable accepting Album’s offer to pay for it herself. However, after listening to an earful from her roommate about how it would be insulting to the Malloways to show up to such a important event in a school uniform, Abi had begrudgingly accepted a compromise where Album would buy the dress and that Abi would pay her back sometime in the future. After hours of looking through different options, she was actually quite pleased with her eventual decision.
Abi’s dress was a similar style to Album’s in its rather modest design, but unlike Album’s, it was a deep green with multicolored flowers adorning her waist like a sash. She kept her hair in its usual braid with the flower crown she had been gifted woven around her head. Abi was slightly uncomfortable in such an expensive piece of clothing, but after having been given roughly two weeks to psych herself up, she had mostly come to terms with the fact that she had no choice but to attend and would simply have to play it by ear.
When the two girls were dressed, they waited for Nigreos and Ryokumo to return before the four of them made their way to the location of Aeyir’s ceremony. For his attire, Nigreos had opted to go with a simple black and white tuxedo that he said was very similar in style to what his father and Master Acostav typically wore. In contrast, Ryokumo was wearing what he said was the traditional formalwear of Sukon—that being a black robe with large sleeves and a big gray sash tied around his waist. It was unlike anything she had ever seen anybody wear outside of Ryokumo himself, and Abi thought it was quite nice on him.
Departing the quarters, the four of them headed toward the stairs that would take them up to the fifth floor where Lord’s Malloway’s ceremonial chambers were located. From what Ilirianna had told them, the incident with the changeling and the red knight had drastically shifted Malloway’s initial plans for the ceremony, so rather than inviting all of the surrounding barons of his territories, the guests were limited to that of Aeyir’s immediate family, Lord Malloway’s two brothers, as well as Nakoma and the royal team. The logic behind this decision was that he wanted to limit the number of potential disguises the changeling could use to sneak in, though Ilirianna had noted that this decision would certainly infuriate and insult the barons who had, until just a few days ago, been planning to attend. For that reason, Abi was rather shocked that the royal team was permitted to be there, but given Malloway’s desire for a close relationship between his family and Ilirianna, she supposed he simply deduced he couldn’t afford to risk offending the heir to the empire like he did to the barons.
Upon arriving in the chambers, a handful of guards waited just outside to check the four of them and immediately got to work using magic to detect any traces of biological mana that might indicate that the changeling was disguised as them. Of course, Abi knew it was just for show as the guards were most likely on the side of the changeling and would allow her access if that was what she wanted, so upon entering the chambers, Abi immediately got to work using her sense on those present.
The ceremonial chambers were smaller than Abigail expected, though that wasn’t to say they were small. The rectangular room had a high ceiling with intricately carved marble pillars lining both the left and the right sides of the walkway. At the head of the room was an old wooden altar with a multitude of sparrows carved into the base—the bird that represented the Malloway family—and standing before the altar was Aeyir Malloway himself, dressed in the black and blue colors of his family, with a large mantle of the same colors draped over his shoulders and flowing down to his back.
To the boy’s left were Mallicent and his mother, Lady Yoral, and on his right were Lord Malloway and two other men that Abi had never seen before but that she figured must be the lord’s younger brothers, the youngest of which had become a very successful merchant in the city and the older having be gifted territory outside Hiriech. There were few gathered in the audience to bear witness to the ceremony, those being the wives, sons, and daughters of Lord Malloway’s brothers, Master Nakoma Taurus, Princess Ilirianna, the royal team, and a handful of guards that were all gathered behind the pillars, standing at attention. Abi wasn’t surprised to see Captain Rotana Vesh among them, and she made a mental note to keep a close eye on him. Unfortunately, there was no contradiction in her sense as she analyzed the attendees, so if the changeling was present, she had no way of knowing. Therefore, setting her fears aside for the moment, she and the team joined up with Ilirianna and awaited the ceremony’s beginning.
Despite his obvious nerves, Aeyir held himself with grace as his father led him through the proper steps. He first spoke the words of his House, “Fly the path to freedom with grace and humility”, as his father unsheathed an ornamental sword and gently tapped it on each of the boy’s shoulders. Malloway’s youngest brother then provided him with a golden goblet that would be filled with the finest wine so that Aeyir could take his first sip of alcohol, symbolizing his transition from a child to an adult. The young lord then stood on the altar and spoke a rather long and clearly memorized oath about facing the future with honor and courage, and how he would properly represent House Malloway for the rest of his life. The longer he went on, the more confidence he seemed to gain, and by the time the ceremony ended, Aeyir was far more comfortable than when it began.
When the ceremony concluded, night had properly set on Hiriech, and those who had gathered in the chambers turned and began to make their way down to the ballroom on the first floor where the party proper was being held. The conversations were lively as they walked, and Aeyir spoke with his uncles, as well as Ryokumo, about how excited he was to get to the ball itself. While the ceremony was taking place, the guests had already been admitted, so their group would be the last to arrive and would signal the true beginning of the festivities. Abi was grateful to have been allowed to attend the ceremony as it meant that she had already gone through the security process. From what she was told, getting into the ballroom had been a huge hassle for the guests, as anybody without their physical invitation was immediately turned away while the guards also scanned each person for any traces of biological mana. On top of that, there were three checkpoints of guards for the guests to get through, and Abi could only imagine how annoyed the elite individuals attending must have been.
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On the way, Ilirianna silently reminded them to move forward and allow the Malloways to be the final ones to enter, so as they approached the wide open double doors of the ballroom, Ilirianna led the royal team forward and through those doors, giving Abigail her first proper look at the Aquesen ballroom. It was a massive space that was almost certainly around two hundred or so yards across, with six crystal and gold chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling, lit by fire magic. On either side of the room were stairs leading up to lofts that overlooked the room, containing what Abi could just barely see were a handful of tables. Guests were crowded all around, mingling with one another as waiters moved to present them with varieties of drinks and foods that were gratefully accepted.
The center of the room seemed to be dedicated to dancing, for there was a wide open space where a number of people were currently moving to the music playing out across the room—music that was quite different from what Abi was used to hearing. On the road, it wasn’t uncommon to stop at an inn only to find a wandering bard strumming their lute and singing some jolly and upbeat folk song to the patrons of the bar, so that was the typical music that Abigail was familiar with. But there in the ballroom, the music was more elegant and beautiful, composed mostly of string instruments such as violins and harps, with a young woman singing a soft tune that Abi didn’t recognize but already knew she liked.
Just beside the doors was an older man in a suit similar to Nigreos’s who leaned forward and whispered, “Your names are?” Once Nakoma had given him the proper reply, the man straightened up and that called out in a loud voice that was almost certainly being projected by magic, “Presenting Princess Ilirianna Iiji of Erika and the Master of Fire Nakoma Taurus, as well as the members of this generation’s royal team, Lord Nigreos Noctis and Lady Album Luz of Noctalus, Sir Ryokumo Caeli of Jeysa, and Miss Abigail of the North!”
Abi internally cringed at how pathetic her announcement was compared to the rest of her group, but that embarrassment was quickly replaced by anxiety as the room fell quiet, the band included, all eyes turning to gaze at Princess Ilirianna, whose attendance hadn’t ever actually been formally announced, though was most likely rumored by that point. Ilirianna, Nakoma, Nigreos, and Album all bowed their heads before the guests, with Ryokumo and Abi frantically following their lead, before they moved into the ballroom. There were whispers coming from the guests, and Abi realized that they also wouldn’t have yet known anything about the existence of the royal team, so she could only imagine how surprising and sudden the announcement was.
To her relief, the attention was quickly shaken off of them by the entrance of the Malloways, and with Aeyir’s arrival in the ballroom, the party had finally and properly begun.
***
Against the wall farthest from the ballroom’s entrance was a long, rectangular table at which sat the entire Malloway family, as well as Ilirianna herself. Given that she was the only non-Malloway there, she felt a bit out of place, but the lord had insisted that the Princess of Ijiria be given her own seat of honor there with the family and refused to take no for an answer. Of course, Ilirianna wasn’t stupid and could clearly see the true reasoning behind Malloway’s actions, which was only further proven by her seating arrangement. Iliriannna was on the far left end of the table, with Lady Yoral Malloway on her left and Aeyir on her right. The incidents that had taken place since their arrival had prevented Lord Malloway from doing much to try and push her together with Aeyir, so this was most certainly his last-ditch attempt to get them talking. But since Ilirianna had no intention of seeking a partner at the moment, she decided she would leave any conversation between them in the hands of Aeyir himself.
“I am certainly relieved to have that ceremony over with,” the boy muttered with a soft chuckle, reaching for his goblet resting on the table to take a small sip of wine. “There was so much to memorize and I was afraid that I was going to trip up somewhere. It’s been weighing on me all week.”
Regardless of her intentions, Ilirianna couldn’t deny that he was, in fact, a nice person, so she still politely responded. “You did well, Lord Aeyir. You handled yourself with all the grace of a lord and I’m certain Hiriech will be in good hands with you as its leader.”
“That means more than I can articulate coming from you, My Princess,” Aeyir replied with a smile. “I’m glad you and your team were able to make it after all. It truly does mean the world to me that you would come all the way here to celebrate my birthday like this.”
Aeyir tilted his head in a bow and Ilirianna was quick to return it.
“Of course,” she said, raising her voice a bit as the chatter of the crowd and the music grew a bit louder. “I’m happy that my schedule was flexible enough. It’s been too long since I’ve been here, anyway, so it was about time I paid the city another visit. I’ve always been fond of Hiriech.”
“Yes, it’s a magnificent place, I think.”
Aeyir nodded and turned to gaze out at all of the many people talking, dancing, and laughing as they enjoyed the night of festivities. For a moment, he continued to smile, but that smile wavered a bit as his attention shifted to where his father was standing not far from the tables, having what seemed like an argument based on his tense features with two other well-dressed men that were motioning rather aggressively at him. Ilirianna figured they must be some of the barons who were rejected from the ceremony and Malloway was attempting to do damage control.
“It’s a pity though,” Aeyir murmured, just barely loud enough for Ilirianna to hear. “I do apologize, My Princess, for the unexpected troubles you’ve faced during your time here. Not only were you unfairly accused of attacking my brother and burglarizing his room, but Caeli was nearly killed while in the supposed safety of our great castle. It’s a testament to your character that you would still remain for my celebration after all of that.”
His youthful features were contorted in obvious embarrassment, and Ilirianna realized that he had been wanting to say such a thing to her for a while, but hadn't been able to find the opportune time. The incidents had weighed on him, though Ilirianna wasn’t sure how many of the details he had been given regarding the changeling and the red knight. He was a good, pure kid, so Ilirianna wanted to give him at least some modicum of comfort.
“Do not worry about all that,” she assured him. “Yes, I’ll admit that I wasn’t expecting such an eventful visit, but my team and I can handle ourselves. I only hope for the safety of your family after we depart. These issues have yet to be properly solved, so I fear what else may happen in the near future.”
“Yes, as do I,” he agreed, taking yet another sip of his drink. “Tell me, My Princess, do you think anything is going to happen tonight? My father has seemed rather worried that those who attacked Caeli may attempt something at this ball, and that's why security was increased like it was. We were lucky that nobody died last time, but if they strike again, I…”
Ilirianna eyed him for a moment, wondering what to say. She was truthfully uncertain of what was going to happen on that night, for she still didn’t know what the goals of their enemies were. If they didn’t know what they were trying to accomplish then they couldn’t even guess whether attacking at the ball would achieve anything.
But their attempt to kill Caeli proves that they’re bold, Ilirianna thought. And with the entire guard potentially on their side, it wouldn’t be hard for them to infiltrate this room. Anybody here could be disguised by biological magic and we would never know it. After all, it’s not like I can scan every single guest myself…
“I wouldn’t worry about it,” she told him after a moment. “My team is keeping a close watch on the people here, and Master Taurus has offered to act as extra security for the night. He is one of the best mages in this empire, so if anything does happen, it will be handled. I assure you.”
He smiled weakly and nodded once more. “Thank you, Princess. That is relieving.” Aeyir then downed the rest of his drink and slowly got to his feet. “On that note, I think I’m going to take my mind off of it by dancing. Would you care to join me?”
“Unfortunately I’m not much of a dancer,” she replied, much to his obvious disappointment. “I’d be more comfortable remaining here and keeping my eyes open. But please, My Lord, go and enjoy yourself.”
“O-of course. Thank you, My Princess.”
With an awkward bow, Aeyir moved around the table and made his way into the crowd, and while Ilirianna felt bad for turning him down, she hadn’t lied to him. As much as she hadn’t wanted to lead him on, she also far preferred her spot at that table where she could see the entirety of the ballroom and the people in it. There was nothing blatantly suspicious, but Ilirianna knew that if something seemed even slightly out of place, then she needed to catch it. Her deep blue eyes gradually scanned every single face, noting their body language and overhearing some snippets of conversation here and there. On top of that, she paid extra attention to the nearly three dozen guards placed around the perimeter of the room, though from her position, she couldn’t see the ones standing up on the lofts. At the moment, their primary suspects were Rotana Vesh and Mallicent Malloway, the former currently having a cheerful conversation with one of the merchants while the latter was sitting a few seats over from Ilirianna, his fist against his face as he observed the crowds with a scowl.
Nothing’s happened yet, but we’ve gotta be on our toes…
Nakoma was currently standing just beside the entrance to the room, nursing a goblet of wine as he, too, scanned his surroundings. As for the royal team, Nigreos and Abi were located on the left side of the room, beside the tables of food, while Ryokumo and Album were observing from the right-side loft, leaning against the railing as they watched from above. Their positions were calculated, with each of them prepared to act if anything even slightly suspicious were to happen. Ilirianna was tense, and though she had a plate of food before her and a full goblet of wine, she hadn’t touched any of it. She was far from hungry.
“My Princess, are you okay?”
Pulled from her thoughts by a soft voice, Ilirianna turned to gaze back at Lady Yoral sitting beside her, a concerned look on her face.
“E-excuse me?”
“Oh, I’m sorry if I came across as rude,” the woman quickly said. “It’s just that your features seemed really tense there for a moment, and I worried if something was bothering you. If you need anything, I would be glad to help.”
Cursing herself for allowing her anxiety to show on her face, Ilirianna forced a smile and shook her head. “No, don’t worry about me, My Lady. I’ve just been a bit on edge after what happened to Caeli. Because of that, I haven’t been sleeping well. I’m merely tired, is all.”
A look of understanding crossed Yoral’s features. “Oh yes, that would make sense. I, too, have been a tad nervous these past few days, what with my son getting attacked in his room of all places. I heard Aeyir say the same to you, but I also apologize for such a stressful visit.”
“It’s okay, I promise,” Ilirianna insisted. “Truly, I’m more worried for you guys. Take care of yourselves, okay?”
Yoral smiled back at her and reached out to gently rest her hand over the princess’s, as if to give her some comfort. But surprisingly, Yoral’s hand remained pressed against hers for an awkwardly long amount of time, and gradually, the lady’s smile faded into an expression that might have been filled with shock, her eyes going wide as if seeing Ilirianna in a completely different way.
“M-My Lady?” Ilirianna pressed, her brow furrowing in confusion. “Are you okay, Lady Yoral?”
The woman didn’t answer, and just as Ilirianna was going to yank her hand away and try to shake the woman, Yoral moved backwards, her eyes seeming to return to the present.
“My Lady, are you okay?” she repeated, more insistantly than before.
“I…” Yoral frowned, an intense yet almost gleeful look on her face as a soft smile twisted the corner of her lips. “Yes, My Princess, I am fine. I get headaches from time to time, you see? They just come and go, but it often knocks me out a bit. My apologies, I should probably step outside and go get some air.”
Abruptly excusing herself, Yoral Malloway jumped to her feet and stalked into the crowd, leaving an utterly confused and worried Ilirianna in her wake.
What the hell was that? I didn’t feel any magic being used on me, and Abi has the woman registered as trustworthy, so I doubt she was doing anything questionable, but still…
That was bizarre.