For the love of all things caffeinated and drenched in chocolate, how is it possible that there are more than a hundred ways to greet people from every corner of the realm, and she’s expected to master them all?
Is she a magician?
"This shouldn’t be too difficult for you, considering your noble upbringing." Said her instructor, who appeared to be a woman in her fifties, with her light brown hair neatly tied in a bun, but from the way she carried herself and graceful manner of speaking, it was hard to tell. "Surely, you’re already familiar with so of these, having likely encountered other royals from different realms."
Her instructor remarked with a firm yet calm tone. "Interacting with supernatural beings can indeed be quite challenging, but if there’s one thing they cherish, it’s being greeted in a manner that is customary to them." She explained, and Es suppressed a wide smile as she nodded, lest her innocent cheeks betray her amusent.
She had never encountered other supernaturals before. Es had always been sheltered, kept away from the complexities of the world outside her once privileged life. Until now, interacting with people beyond her small circle was not sothing she ever had to do. But, if she wanted to make a mark, to truly impress, she had to imrse herself in the vast knowledge of the kingdoms. This ant learning more than a hundred different languages, morizing the flag of each realm, and understanding the symbols they bore.
Beyond that, she would need to perfect her dance step and improve her calligraphy skills.
In truth, this was a royal punishnt.
"Let us begin," the lady instructed, unfurling a map cluttered with emblems. The nas of the realms associated with those emblems were conspicuously absent.
"You’ll need to familiarize yourself with these first. Once you can correctly match each emblem to its kingdoms, we’ll move on to their thod of greetings."
With that said, Es dutifully set to work. Her plans for poison-making had to be set aside, sadly. anwhile, Dahr observed from the shadows, a bitter scowl twisting his features as he leaned heavily on one of his crutches. The sight of the smile playing on Es’s lips as she spoke with the instructor, was like a venomous draught to him—one he wouldn’t hesitate to swallow, even if it ant his own demise.
He seethed with fury as he watched her, the woman who had taken everything from him. How dare she smile so brazenly? His anger churned, barely contained, and his eyes flashed with unmasked hostility.
"She is a curse herself," he spat bitterly, convinced that it was her very presence that had brought the Therondia pack to ruin in a single night.
"I will make you suffer, Esray Montague," Dahr vowed under his breath, his voice low and venomous. "Just you wait." His burning gaze lingered on her form, filled with cold determination before he finally turned away. As he moved down the corridor, he was jolted from his thoughts when he nearly collided with Leonardo.
The young man’s presence was t with utter indifference as Dahr barely spared him a glance before walking away.
Leonardo scoffed and equally moved on. He was currently carrying a tray of dicinal soup to his father’s room. He knocked on the door and stepped in. His father, Irwin, was presently sitting upright on the bed with his back against the headboard, coughing violently, and beside him was Clandestine, who stayed close by in case he might need anything.
Leonardo dropped the tray on the night stand and said, "This is what happens when you don’t listen to ." He made sure his father knew he was addressing him. "I didn’t trust anyone to deliver the dicine, so I brought it over myself. I can only leave the rest to Mother, so please ensure father takes his dicine on ti. I need to return to the king and go over the final preparations for the wedding."
"Leo," his father called him out before he could leave, his tone painstakingly gentle as he reassured his son. "I’ll be fine."
Leonardo’s response caught both him and his wife off guard. "The reports I saw, the ones you hid away concerning your health, said a different thing, and it strongly disagrees." Without waiting for their response, refusing to be lied to again, he stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him. Clandestine watched him go with a worried look. She opened her mouth to call him back, but Irwin stopped her before she had the ti to say anything.
"Let him go, you know how he gets when he’s like that." His voice was hoarse, yet filled with understanding. "It’s better to give him so space. He said he found my reports which ans..." the realization hit Irwin, and he sighed. "I hate that we had to keep this from him, but we both knew how he’d react–" A fit of coughing interrupted him, and he pressed a handkerchief to his lips. When he pulled the handkerchief back, it was stained with blood.
"Please, take your dicine," Clandestine tone was warm as she urged her husband to take his dicine. The sadness in her eyes was montarily concealed behind a mask of reassurance, though it never truly left.
"My dear."
Irwin held her hand in his, to Clandestine unexpected surprise, and he smiled softly at her. His eyes sparkled with a hint of frailty and warmth as he said, "Thank you for bringing here when I requested it. I know that with you around to take care of the children, I’ll finally be able to rest in peace. I hope Leo won’t stay mad at till I’m no more. However, there is soone I’d like to see again."
"Who?" Clandestine asked. She was more than ready to fulfill her husband’s wishes if that would make him happy.
"Donovan," he replied, and her eyes widened at the ntion of the demon.
As night fell, Es made her way back to the tower, her thoughts fixated on the poisons she had been mulling over for days. Stepping into the tower brought back mories of what she did here with a certain demon, and she gave herself a ntal shake, reminding herself that she was here for a good reason.
"Get your act straight! Stop thinking about him!" She scolded herself, wanting to clear her mind from everything that has to do with that man.
She then closed the door.
What she didn’t realize was that Dahr had been shadowing her from the mont she left her chamber. With stealthy steps, he followed her to the tower, staying cautious to avoid being caught. When she reached the tower and closed the door, he quietly positioned himself at the door, peering through the crack to watch her.
Inside, Es sat in deep contemplation. Her fingers lightly drumd on the armrest of her chair, and the events of the day weighed on her mind, particularly the passing ntion of Mr. Irwin’s declining health.
She had overheard a tense exchange between Mr. Irwin and Leonardo when she passed by after her etiquette lesson was over. Leonardo had voiced his frustration over being deceived about the severity of his father’s condition, but they didn’t state what his illness was.
"If Mr. Irwin’s health continues to worsen, will they allow to examine him?" Es mused aloud. She knew she wasn’t the most powerful healer in Illyria, but the idea of examining Mr. Irwin to know his condition wouldn’t hurt.
Right?
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