Anathema's Veil
written by axisixas
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Chapter 8: Memory Trade
"A Memory Trade is basically a practice every first timer does. You have to give us something. A piece of a memory. A piece of yourself. And then you can enter."
Manon looked at Maden. He had this irritable look which was funny. But then he was deep in thought.
"I think entering is a bit of a small exchange compared to what you are getting. A piece of an heir's memory is as valuable as the head of the High Lord. Wouldn't it?" Maden said cockily.
His smart mouth was making Manon smile. It was fun to see. This side of him.
"Well every Heir and every High Lord that has entered the gates of the Seelie Court has offered a piece of their memory. None of them think that way."
"Then I will not attend the banquet then."
"I am afraid you cannot do that, Young Lord."
"Yes, I can—"
"Young Lord, what is taking you so long?" Mr. Simoun said. He was with them along with two other stewards to assist the High Lord.
"They wanted a Memory Trade in exchange for a passageway towards the Seelie Court. I'm afraid I am not willing to give them my memory."
Mr. Simoun had thought of it and Manon was curious when the old steward backed Maden. Mr. Simoun pulled a piece of paper and inside it was a decree written in letters she was not familiar with. It was stamped by a seal.
"Respectable Gates of the Seelie Court. I wish to present to you The Veil Pass approved and bestowed by the High King of Feyren Kingdom to the Young Lord of The Dark Hold, Maden Virion Grieves. As you all know, the Heir suffered from failing the Hollow Conjurationn when he was 10 years old and caused the Realm's Fold to crack. With it causing various humans to be lost in our realm and failing to go back to the human realm. It also unleashed—"
One of the gates rolled their eyes at the seemingly innocent faced Mr. Simoun, the respectable old steward of the Dark Hold.
"I get it. We get it. But the Human Champion has to trade a memory. No pass was ever bestowed to any human and no exceptions even to the Great Dark Hold. The instruction was clear: A Human Champion who fails to attend the Annual Banquet shall be removed of her sanity rights and shall roam the Thelathlin lands out of their wits."
Maden had his fists clenched. Then Manon saw the dark shadows roaring into huge clouds of smoke, she thought that the wind was just strong. It wasn't. Manon remembered that one night when the High Lord talked about Maden not being able to control his shadows as well as his powers.
His emotions had a huge control over his shadows and Manon didn't want to make it a big deal and endanger herself. It was just a piece of memory. She planned to just give a silly and embarrassing one.
"I will do it. I will do it." Manon looked in Maden's way. He didn't like what he heard.
"It's okay, Maden. Everything is fine." She went near where Maden stood and whispered to his ear; she failed to do so because Maden was tall and she could only reach his shoulders.
Then Maden turned to her and looked at her softly.
"If you were thinking of giving them a simple memory. You are wrong. They will get into your mind and pick the most beautiful memory you have. Do you see how beautiful the Seelie Court is? Do you know what powers the heart of the Seelie Court? It was because of the dozens of fae who have entered this gates, millennia of stored beautiful memories stolen from every fae had powered this court," he said as if he was suddenly realizing something.
"If the Dark Hold governs the Heart of Feyren. The Seelie Court governs the mind. And they would look bright like the sun but they had stolen beautiful memories that should have stayed in each and every fae they had stolen from. Why do you think my father lost his smile, the soft glint he had in his eyes? Because he had forgotten the existence of my mother, that one happy memory he had in his life."
His words broke something in Manon. She did not want to lose a memory of her family. Her reason to go back. Her reason to fight and survive. Her reason to leave this place. She didn't want to lose her sense of self.
"That is why I don't want you to let them, I don't want you to just give it away. I do not want you to be like my father."
"Then what should I do? I don't know what to do."
Maden looked at her with guilty eyes and slightly trembling hands. Manon saw how the shadows affected him so much. Being this near to him she swore she could hear voices coming from the shadows.
"We will wait until the clock hits 8. It was considered an infinity sign but at the same time it was significant because the gates would cease for a while and then resume back when the clock hits a minute after." Manon had completely forgotten about Mr. Simoun but when he spoke, she eased up a bit.
Manon did not have a concept of time ever since she got here in Feyren but she was sure that when they said tonight means midnight and it had been hours since it was 8 in the evening. But apparently it was forever bright and morning in the Seelie Court.
Manon would never be used to living in Feyren. The difference of the time here was like traveling across the country when here it was just a carriage away.
"Then you slip inside."
"That easy?"
"No. You will need something."
"What is it?"
"A blood of a vampire. They had this distinct black blood that would mask even the scent of time. Their blood was enough to fool the gates and the Seelie Servants guarding the door."
"Wait here, Manon. I will fetch a friend."
What was shocking to Manon was something else.
"Vampires exist here in Feyren?"