I knelt with Araharn at the Temple, a dome-like building; at the feet of a pretty nun with cascading purple hair and hazel eyes, who was dipping her long thin forefinger in purified water and sprinkling it over Araharn's head. And maybe it's not proper to describe a nun as pretty, but this particular one with her hazel eyes and glistening dark skin was the furtherest thing from sombre.
"What is your name?" she asked.
"Araharn Leia Karlem," Araharn replied meekly, her eyes on the marble floor, her extravagant silver lace dress draped around her.
"Araharn Leia Karlem, I hereby bless you. You will prosper. Your future is certain. May your offspring excel. May they be wiser than sages. May Valencia remember you forever. --"
Another nun, certainly sombre, interrupted the blessings by whispering pointedly in the officiating nun's ear. I caught a stray thought involuntarily.
/--says not to bless her--/
What?! Who says not bless her? The Queen? I had to do something, and fast. Araharn did not deserve to be cursed, whatever it was she had ever done to anybody.
The nun became quiet, a reddish glow coming into her eyes.
"Araharn Leia Karlem," and her voice shook.
I wondered if the curses were about to start.
***
In a dark room underground, with only a lamp for illumination, two figures who didn't trust each other much were revealing secrets that would ultimately affect the empire.
"You can't leave alive unless you listen to me," said the one, hoarsely.
"I thought I'm the one supposed to be threatening here," snapped the other, the lamp catching her angry purple eyes.
"You've been fighting yourself all these years. Embrace who you are, and you'll be free!"
"You talk nonsense," her hand moved involuntarily to the hilt of her sword.
"You and I are not so different," the first continued, "in fact, we are more similar than you think you know--we're both orphans, both women, both powerful. And also-- we're magic users,"
"I am not-- that!"
"Yes you are, Moran!" the first yelled, "accept it! Much good you will do if you accept it! This moment decides your future!"
Moran gasped at her words.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Iriadne Hakorhi. Anyone I tell that to is bound to me in secrecy,"
"And I am a senior officer of the Investigation Bureau Office. What do you want from me? What could I possibly do for you?"
"For one, we need our clansmen and women who are locked up at the Royal Prisons,"
"And what will I get? My parents were killed by your people-- why should I work for you?"
"You belong to a weak link magic user clan. Your parents fled way before the War ever happened and that is akin to desertion. That is why they were killed,"
"How do you know all this?" Moran spat, "why should I believe you? You seem very sure that you will win a war against the empire. Most of you have been killed. How can you fight against the empire with such small numbers?
"Moran, the pronoun should be 'we'. We're in this together. We both want revenge for our parents. We both have a common enemy: the empire. And much havoc we can wreak with small numbers. You forget, we are magic users,"
***
"Your eminence, Lady Araharn is at the Temple getting blessed-- but there is a disturbance. Masked bandits came out of nowhere and attacked everyone in sight. I gathered that the Queen became suddenly displeased with the candidate this morning. It is highly possible that she sent the bandits,"
The prime minister laughed unpleasantly.
"There goes their last chance to be rid of me."
"But, your eminence--"
"Speak,"
"Miss Araharn's maid protected her mistress-- mysteriously. She deflected the attacks without any weapons. Those present detained her, accusing her of being a magic user,"
"Where is she now?"
"At the Royal Prisons, to await judgement,"
"I see,"
"But, also--"
"Speak,"
"That maid-- she was the one who came here to cure Master Gladius. We did not know where she came from and did not know when she left."
"How come--she's the one who cured Gladius??"
"Yes, your eminence,"
"That girl was a magic user! How-- impossible!"
"Your eminence, remember the imperial physician could do nothing-- but, will you allow her to be executed? What if she is connected to young master in some way? What if, -- when she dies--"
"Enough!! Go to the Royal Prisons at once!" The prime minister ordered, "do whatever it takes to free that girl and bring her here!"
.....
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