An early morning sun rose over the Roseview Valley, enveloping the land in golden light that reflected off the trickling stream that pushed its way through the area. Roseview was a very unique place. For one, it was home to a grand palace that nestled itself in the lower part of the valley. For centuries, the Foxstep's lived in this palace, being a high-status class of nobility residing over the local area as an acting ruler.

Sure, the area was technically dominion of King Bracken, but with how rural and difficult to reach Roseview was, it may as well have been its own country with how the Foxstep's controlled every aspect of life. Another unique feature of the Roseview was the magic. Magic flows everywhere- in every little crevice it can get to, and acts to be the most annoying feature of anybody's life. Magic manifests in everything it can- magical creatures, spirits, dragons, unicorns and almost every stereotypical fantasy creature a person could name. But Roseview's magic was different. It wanted to be led, controlled, acted with. It was tamed and bound to locations, and nobody could ever figure out why. Some theories go from "it felt like it." to "it's as lazy as my mother in law on Thanksgiving".

Nonetheless, Roseview was certainly a popular place for wizards, sorcerers, witches, warlocks and clerics to collect and converse together. And it is with one of those witches we start our story.

Catherine Foxstep was an odd child. Like all Foxsteps, she learned magic at a young age, although "learn" may be generous. Catherine, or Theri for short, was quite different to her relatives. Foxsteps had always followed a formula. 25% greed, 50% controlling, 20% ego and 5% charm. But Theri had no interest in any sort of money, or in ruling the Roseview in the first place. But being an only child, it was guaranteed that one day she would rule after her father died.

Theri detested her father. He was one of those people who made everything about himself, with no rhyme or reason to do so. He just loved it- the attention, the love, every second being about him and him alone. It was almost odd- Theri was the complete opposite. Still, her father's desperate grabs for attention leaked into every second of their lives. Theri didn't even want to be known as Theri. Most Catherines were Cathy, or Cath, or Cat, but no. She was a Foxstep. She was "important" so she must sound important and wealthy, her father had decided. 

Theri Foxstep lay on her bed, facing the ceiling. Her room was simple enough- she decorated it to fit her. And that meant gemstones, crystals, herbs and altars to the mythical gods that once roamed the world. Most of her family focused on draconic magic- bending the magic that sometimes collected to form the great Skybreakers that roamed the clouds and cliffs. Each Foxstep dreamed of befriending and having one for a pet- it was the ultimate powerplay. But Theri, as with most things related to her family, was different. She of course had dabbled in draconic magic- but witchcraft had interested her far more. It made sense for the area, in her mind. Roseview, the home of tamed magic, would envelop anything that had enough space to give it a suitable host. It had to make sense. 

She let out a long yawn before rolling out of bed with a stretch. She was wearing her normal attire- an indigo dress with a decorated bodice and a long skirt with embroidered butterflies at the hem. She wore yellow dandelion-dyed gloves that went up to her elbows. She had a golden veil, opaque enough to hide her face, but made from mesh-like fabric that allowed her to see through it just fine.

She approached the door, careful to step over the odd book that had found itself on her floor. With a creaky echo, she pushed it open. The house was teeming with people. Servants ran pillar to post with food, clothes, and brooms and dustpans. The carpet below the twin stairways was almost difficult to make out between the extravagant dresses and suits that made up her family. She rushed down the stairs, struggling to not trip over the low hem of her dress. Running in high heels was never a good idea, and Theri had decided long ago that if she met the person who invented the accursed shoe deserved to be strangled by a Skyswimmer personally. Her mother waved her down.

Michaela Foxstep was an odd girl. Her father had married her for the money, of course. Michaela was in charge of a small dominion of territory just outside the Roseview, and that meant she was the perfect candidate. Nobody thought much when those four villages officially capitulated to join the Roseview. Michaela was a smart lady. She had a keen eye for spiritual activity, and was notorious for having episodes where she would babble at a wall, claiming it was a ghost.  But most witches and spiritually attuned who came to check it out would always end up agreeing with Michaela, much to the displeasure of Theri's father.

"Theri! Come." Her father's called. He had a very snake-like voice, almost slithering each sentence out. She walked next to him, forcing a very patient smile under her veil. An unrecognisable voice next to him gave an obnoxious laugh before speaking. 

"Well, you weren't wrong Lord Foxstep. Your daughter is truly the Dove of Roseview. I was curious if seeing those rumours were true or not. Is she wed?" Theri held back a rude noise. She was sick of every human who came to see her asking that question. She knew why. Theri was aware that any boy who married her would be in an equal line for the throne of the Roseview. Her father would only let her marry somebody who would 'boost' the kingdom. And she was thoroughly sick of it. She never even got to see her own kingdom. She was cooped up inside the house constantly- she may as well have been ruling over her room. 

"No. She deserves only the best of men." her father smirked. 

Theri was suddenly reminded of the other reason why she would never fall in love. Her father, despite being told multiple times, never seemed to recognise that she was a lesbian. She supposed lesbians like her weren't exactly the best at producing offspring, but she had always been interested in adopting somebody. She knew well that leaving the land without an heir would only ever cause chaos. The man next to her father spoke up. "Well, I suppose so. My little Christina is rather disobedient, you know. It's been impossible to arrange any sort of marriage." 

"Well, you know, Christina could always stay here for a while. Perhaps being around my lovely daughter would knock some sense into her." Her father suggested. He looked down at Theri before remembering something. "Ah, Theri, I never introduced him. This is Lord Iolair. You know, the man who essentially is the king of Sandfall."

Theri held back a gasp. Sandfall was a rocky, desert area south of the Roseview. It was secluded but held a bustling trading environment, filled with caravans and camels. She dreamed of going to Sandfall for a long time, but her father had always refused. She always had thought it ironic that nobility of mostly wood elves was in charge, but she supposed she was in no place to speak. The Avians- she and her mother, were next in line for the throne of Roseview. She never understood how her father came to love her mother. Avians were often enslaved for their flight capabilities, but no. She was due to rule over the area. Lord Iolair raised an eyebrow at Theri. "I think that is a wonderful idea. I wish to speak to your daughter for a moment first, though." 

Her father ushered the two into a spare room. Theri noticed how careful her father ended up being around Iolair. She saw it before; he wanted to get on their good side to avoid war. Or, to try and set up her and some son. Iolair stared at her. "Your father is the most insufferable man I have ever met." Theri blinked. She didn't really know how to respond to that. "Christina will be staying here, for maybe, a month. She needs to get away from Cormac." Iolair continued, as Theri just nodded dumbly. She had no idea who Cormac was- and judging by how Iolair spoke, she probably didn't want to know. 

"Um, of couse, sire." She laughed nervously. Iolair caught onto her nervousness, looking distantly south. "Her twin brother." 

Theri was still confused.

"Sure. I'll make sure Christina has a place to stay, and, well, I don't know." 

Iolair gave her a patient smile. Theri couldn't tell if it was fake or not, but she did know that she was strangely excited to meet Christina.