The Endless Solvent

Taurin Leton, now the Brilliance of Caelis, wore her hair down like any other Caelisian woman so Nilda no longer had the need to braid and tie her hair. Not to mention her position meant there were many servants at her bidding who would make her hair look any way she wanted it to. Being the Brilliance’s most trusted handmaid also gave Nilda a different set of responsibilities. Rask and his men oversaw Taurin’s protection, while Nilda became her mistress’s second set of eyes, ears and hands.

Despite all of that, Nilda still brushed her mistress’s hair like she was taught all those years ago. The other servants obviously thought the chore was beneath her, but the two of them stubbornly latched on to the habit. It was the one thing that reminded them a little of home - their old home.

It had been years already. While the Leton Residence felt like shoes that immediately fit her properly, the Caelis castle always felt a little different. Nilda understood how ungrateful she would be if she were to voice this - the Solaris and the Caelisians were very hospitable. Well, they had to, since Taurin was declared their Brilliance within a matter of days.

“I would prefer that they send in both the professors from the Academy,” Taurin chatted away as Nilda carefully brushed her long dark locks, as they’ve always done. “But one of them is nearly eighty years old and would probably keel over on the third day of riding here in a carriage. Whatever, one is better than none. I suppose I should be grateful they’re sending us any, since a few of them at the Head Council of the Academy seem to think we’re actively trying to open a Gate.”

“You have been asking suspicious questions,” Nilda shrugged. She neatly put in the decorated pins Taurin chose into her hair. She wasn’t much of a hair stylist, but there were only so many ways you could put pins into hair.

“Yes, but emphatically to monitor and stop the very phenomenon,” Taurin huffed. “I repeatedly say that it’s to protect my kingdom but apparently that’s not good enough a reason. Apparently the more you wave your hands around going ‘I am not opening a Gate’ makes people think you are. What am I supposed to say?”

“That sounds like a queenly problem and not a handmaiden problem,” Nilda said.

“Thanks, I knew I could count on you.”

Nilda shot her mistress a grin in the mirror. “Who did you charm at the Academy to convince them to send you people?” Nilda asked. She knew Taurin had been furiously corresponding with them over the past few weeks.

“A few members of the Head Council understand the threat and see the usefulness in the research. Especially… especially what happened with Dad.” Taurin chewed her lip briefly. “It seems like many of them don’t believe that the Gate was opened purposely.”

“I saw what I saw,” Nilda said flatly. “And Rask too. There were runes all over the room in blood, an assembly of objects to form a gate. I saw Vartu try to activate some sort of enchantment and both Rask and I are convinced it was another Gate. I don’t know what else to tell you.”

“I believe you, it’s the Academy that doesn’t,” Taurin sighed.

“Then why are they even sending researchers over to help us if they don’t believe any of that?”

“The Solaris believes it’s to confirm their own beliefs that these things are happening randomly. I think a few of them are politically motivated. Especially those who want the Caelisian descendants to attend the Academy,” Taurin said. She drummed her fingers on the table next to her thoughtfully. “One of them specialized in Inner Eye abilities and seemed to take an interest in the little moon.”

Nilda frowned. “They know about the twins?”

“Nilda, everyone knows about the twins,” Taurin rolled her eyes. “Probably from the moment I started getting morning sickness.”

“But how does this one guy know about the little moon’s abilities?”

“This ‘one guy’ is called Professor Camaz and he has a knack for spy craft,” Taurin said with a little smile. “Probably not unrelated to his own abilities.”

Oh! Maybe I can be a court spy!

The princess’s exclamation rang in her head. Nilda was relatively certain that the princess merely said such a thing on a whim. However Inner Eye abilities occasionally forayed into mystical territory: premonition, divination, or even fortune-seeking. People usually dismiss claims of inner eye mysticism as fantasy or a sham but she was reluctant to do the same.

Who was she to deny that possibility when she was a woman at the mercy of a certain destiny?

Nilda stepped back to allow the other servants to fix up Taurin’s evening wear - a rich dark blue tunic embroidered with gold thread, tied together by a pure gold buckle Taurin always wore to banquets and special events. It had the Caelis crest on it and was studded with yellow and blue gemstones. A pale yellow dress spanned out under it, matching the gemstones and other accents. Long gone were the days when they turned their noses up at anything blue or cool-toned. Here in Caelis, blue was a common color of royalty.

When she and Taurin entered the great hall to meet up with the twins, the Solaris and Rask, she eyed the huge map of Caelis hanging right behind the head table. She knew it would be there as it had occupied that space ever since they arrived in the castle. The sight of it still sobered her.

Did the princess foresee her own future? Would that mean… the little moon could possibly see Nilda’s future? Had the Being in Smoke already written out her life like a novel, or like the lines on the map?

A pat on her hand drew her out of her daze. Taurin took her hand and held it warmly and looked up at the map beside her. Having someone stand beside her made the map feel less large, less imposing. It made her feel that it was simply a map. Even if it meant something more - if it meant she was being led to a certain destiny, that was fine.

She had people to stand with her when she arrived.