"Take care on your way, my lord and my lady." Gilbert and Doris waved goodbye and I wave goodbye back with an excited expression through the window of the carriage.
Wendy hummed giggling while my brother chuckle in amusement at my childish ways.
In all honestly, I'm nervous, this is the first time I'll explore the outside where I can move more at ease, I hope.
I sit properly next to Wendy while my brother and his friend also his right hand man in training, Paul, are sitting across us.
The knights are on their horses, all our luggage bags are loaded at the back, while I have my small purse shoulder bag next to my other side that no one questioned, they most probably only see me as a child trying to copy the elders.
"My lady." Wendy called as i look up to her with a hum as she quickly takeout a black pouch with the family insignia.
She takeout the content of it, showing a small piece of pure gold signet ring with grand ducal's insignia engraved on it.
"His grace send this yesterday, you see this piece of obsidian? My lady? This is casted with protection magic, it will help you with our travel, it's going to be your first time using the gateway so it might affect my lady's health, and it has a tracking magic too so you wouldn't have to worry about getting lost, the Grand Duke will always know where to find my lady, we need to be extra cautious since a lot of delegates from another countries will come and some aren't still in a stable term with the empire, you need to wear this at all times my lady." Wendy explained, showing the small stone of obsidian engraved on the inner part of the ring as if hidden.
"B-But what about brother? And Wendy and Paul and the knights?" I asked pointing out, I'm being treated like a fragile glass, but what about my brother? He's the heir apparent.
"Thea, you have nothing to worry about, our insignias are crafted to have the same obsidian and magic casted, even the knights, every imperial family and grand ducal family and their people's insignias are crafted that way for safety purposes." my brother explained as Paul nodded and pointing the iron apprentice pin on his military uniform next to his own family's jade insignia pin.
"Don't worry about us my lady, we're the ones who should worry, my lady will certainly catch everyone's eyes, so we have to be vigilant about my lady all the time." Paul said making me frown at his words and my brother sighed and nod in agreement.
I'm small, that's given, my brother is an elemental who doesn't limit from only using the water affinity, while I on the other hand is currently lacking enough mana and couldn't handle encountering too much aura from other people without passing out, I'll be the easiest target to harm the Grand Duchy, especially now that it's widely known right now how great my relationship is with my father and my brother, most definitely see me as a sheltered weak child.
They're not wrong though.
"Alright." I mumbled and let Wendy put the small ring the looks fairly big but fits perfectly on my right index finger.
Wendy then fix the edges of my silk white dress.
It looks really simple but luxurious, it's a high neck with bertha collar with lace frills at the edges, the sleeves has a unique gathered sleeve variation design, the sleeves are regular fit till elbow but has a full flare of lace at the hem giving it a loose bell shape, hand tacked collar overlay, the underlined skirt has a white silk waist band, with pleats and placket around, and the ends has lace frills, the only jewelry I have is my small gold dangling round white diamond drop earrings, and a oval gold plated jet black opal brooch with white diamond studs on the plate, placed in the middle of my neckline.
The ring suited my clothing but not overshadowing the dress, it compliments it better and not as extravagant which is a good thing.
I know my jewelry alone cost so much, but that's the simplest I could get, a lot of nobles and even aristocrats tend to bejeweled themselves excessively, even the commoners spend so much on gemstones due to it's mana content and it's use, some stones are basically source of electricity in this world with the help of empire's mages, gemstones are essentials, and there are rare ones that has great source of mana that matches the affinity of each individuals.
"Only the grand duke can take the ring off, my lady, so bear with it for a bit if it's uncomfortable, we can always ask his grace for other options." Wendy said as I nodded and look at their insignias.
Hours of carriage ride and we reach the gateway of Evia, there are troops of ducal knight waving, motioning for us to open the door, just as the ride stop and Paul open the door with the knights checking the carriage, greeting us curtly when they confirmed it's me and my brother riding the carriage.
"Open the gate!" the knight called as Paul entered again and close our door, both him and brother grasp on the railing, while Wendy put me on her lap quickly, holding me securely with her left arm while holding the railing with her right as I look through the window.
The knight throw a chunk of pure tanzanite in a marble pedestal basin with clear water that made which made me frown, the gate suddenly shine bright, I shut my eyes when the knights charge in and the carriage move.
My heart race badly, it feels like I'm trapped in a cramped box and being squeezed, my veins are throbbing, everything hurts.
"My lady!" I hear Wendy panicking, as I burst into tears and gasping for air in pain, she tried to hush me while stroking my hair to calm me down.
"Get to the holy temple quickly! We need the high priestess for my sister! Now!" My brother ordered, the carriage move in a rush, I gasp for air and couldn't see properly, everything is spinning.
"My lady, breath in through your nose." I heard Paul said as I whimper and do as he say, squeezing on Wendy's coat who held me securely and wiping my sweating forehead.
I don't like this, I need to be awaken soon, I hate this.
"We're almost there Thea, hang in there, it will soon go away." my brother talk calmly but their aura, it's grey with fear.
It took painful long minutes to get to the temple, I didn't mean to visit the temple like this.
My senses are gradually fading, I can't hear them talking anymore, I shut me eyes, trying to escape the pain.