Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

After the war, there was much healing to be done by everyone in the world. Many had been injured, of course, but the casualties had been incredibly high and a huge number of people were grieving. So, when the Emperor returned to the world, battered and bruised, but still alarmingly alive, the world held its breath in horror. Princess Hilda of Fynn immediately called the rebel heroes that had saved the world from the Emperor's ambitions. But, much to everyone's shock, as the Wild Rose Rebels were still preparing their quick response to take down the Emperor for the third time, it was he who extended the white flag of peace.

This came in the form of a letter that was delivered to Princess Hilda by a Palamecian messenger. In it, the Emperor called for an indefinite truce. He explained that the situation in Palamecia was dire, and as no suitable ruler had been found in his place, it was his duty to rebuild his empire. He would cease his conquests indefinitely, accept his loss in the war and pay a reasonable restitution to the affected kingdoms, and in return, Palamecia's borders would be respected, allowing the empire to keep the territories that had willingly surrendered, and Fynn and its allies would stay out of Palamecian affairs. Most importantly, they would not send assassins to kill him again.

Princess Hilda read the letter to Gordon, Firion, Maria and Guy. All of them had grim faces as they listened. The Emperor's words had been polite, but none of them wanted to believe his sincerity.

“He can't be serious!” Maria exclaimed. “After what he did, he just… expects that we will forgive him? No way. We're going to go and find my brother and then we will go back to Palamecia and send him straight back to hell where he belongs.”

“I'm not inclined to believe he really has given up on his ambitions,” Firion said, shaking his head. “In that call to battle by the gods, it was all he could think of. If he hadn’t been stopped…”

“Me think Emperor lying. He no want peace. But maybe he want live,” Guy said.

“That may be a good point,” mused Hilda. “Perhaps he has not given up. But at the same time, he has to know that you are strong enough to take him down again.”

“So… what? We're just going to let him live? After all he did? After all the people that don't get to live because of him?” Maria asked.

“I will admit, it makes me feel ill to spare that monster's life,” Hilda said. “Though Minwu returned due to the gods that brought the Emperor back, all the others that we lost because of him… cannot. It feels unfair that he gets a second chance when so many thousands will not.”

“And yet, as much as I am loathe to admit it, what he said about Palamecia is true. It is, indeed, in a desperate state,” Gordon sighed. “And we do not have the means to do anything about it.”

“What do you mean? After the Emperor's death, surely Palamecians are better off,” Maria said.

“Unfortunately, no. Whatever else he might have done, the Emperor kept his empire running like clockwork. And after his death, the power vacuum was immense. The people of Palamecia are proud and will not take any ruler that is not from the Palamecia lineage. His advisors have done what they can, but things are very unstable. Paramecia is on the verge of collapse," Gordon explained. "If Palamecia collapses, the people have to go somewhere. We don't have the means to deal with a mass exodus of Palameclans if they choose to come to Fynn. And if they do, we can't just turn away people in need..."

Maria sighed. She had heard about some of this, and she couldn't help but feel sympathy for the people of Palamecia. They were innocent of the crimes of their Emperor. And it was true that no kingdom was in any position to take in a massive amount of immigrants.

“Surely there are members of the Palamecia family that can take the throne,” Firion said. “It doesn’t have to be him. We can’t just… spare him.”

“Unfortunately, none have come forward. The Palamecian people think the throne is cursed due to the way that the Emperor became a demon after his first death,” Hilda said. “Even though that only lasted a short time, it was… a striking situation. Perhaps in time, they would accept the situation, but… Palamecia does not have that long. Palamecia needs its ruler... Much as it pains me. I will have to accept his terms. I will add some of my own, however… and should we have any reason to suspect hostility, then… we will fight him again.”

Princess Hilda ended the meeting with Firion, Maria and Guy, and reluctantly set about writing a diplomatic letter to Emperor Palamecia. In it, she agreed to the truce, though she added that she expected the Emperor's full cooperation in any plans she might bring to him, and that he should expect that Fynn would be watching him like a hawk, ready to take him down the moment he made a move against them.

---------------

Emperor Mateus read the letter with a frown on his face. Of course Hilda would add her own terms. But what choice did he have? He did not fear death, that was true. Though hell was a horrific, torturous place to be in, he was still master of Pandemonium. And yet… he didn’t want to die again. If he did, he might not be able to return to the world of the living. He would lose his empire and any hope he had of fulfilling his ambitions. He simply could not let that happen.

Filled with disgust, he picked up a quill and wrote his acceptance of Hilda’s terms. After he signed it and marked with the Imperial Seal, he couldn’t help but bitterly note that this new chance at life was its own kind of hell. Not only were his ambitions entirely unreachable for the foreseeable future, but he was forced to surrender to his enemies. Still, as long as he still could draw breath, he had some hope that someday, he would get his chance. Someday, he would return to his conquests, and bring his justice to the world. Just like Pandemonium, he would conquer this hell too. The truce with Fynn was shaky, but he was a careful man. He would keep it and his life intact.

For now, he would focus on rebuilding Palamecia. He’d managed that once, back when he was younger and inexperienced. He would do it again. He sighed, glancing at the pile of paperwork that was already piled up on his desk, acutely aware of the cobra headpiece on his head.

Chapter Text

The Emperor’s return was met with very mixed feelings by the people of Palamecia. On the one hand, having a member of the Palamecia family back as a ruler meant stability would return to the empire… as long as he did not start another war. On the other hand… the Emperor was not his father. People were terrified of the man, and many rumors and stories were shared in hushed whispers about how he was a monster, and how he had turned into a demon long before he’d gone straight to hell. In spite of this, for the small people, life went on, as it always had. Clothes had to be mended, dishes washed, children taken care of, and food put on the table.

A few weeks after the Emperor had called for a truce with Fynn, one such member of the common folk awoke in her simple bed. Kyrie Solwood groaned slightly with the intense pain of her joints and then sat up with some difficulty. Bracing herself for the day, she got up, shuffling over to her bedside cabinet. She picked up a green bottle, opened it, and measured out a small portion of the sickly reddish liquid inside before taking it. She made a face and put the stopper back on the bottle. Even 5 years didn't make the bitterness of the medicine any better. With a deep breath, she steeled herself for the day, smoothed out her unruly brown curls, grabbed her cane and walked out of her room.

She used her cane and the handrails to make her way down the stairs to help the landlady prepare breakfast. Mrs. Wilson was already in the kitchen directing the cooks when Kyrie got downstairs and smiled broadly when she entered.

“Ah! Good morning, Kyrie!” Mrs. Wilson exclaimed. “How are you today?”

“Fine, thank you, Lady Wilson,” she answered. Quickly, she remembered to add her own question. “How are you?”

“Quite fine, quite fine! Oh, by the way, you missed Seth. He left earlier to practice his chocobo riding,” Mrs. Wilson said.

“Oh,” Kyrie said. “I hope he has a good time.”

Mrs. Wilson looked at her for a moment, trying to read her expression, but Kyrie was quite stoic. Kyrie was trying hard not to look relieved. Mrs. Wilson had taken a bit of a liking to her due to her polite ways and prompt rent payments, and she really wanted Seth to marry… anyone, it seemed like. And Seth… well, he seemed to have taken his mother's suggestion in considering her a possible candidate this past month. It made Kyrie uncomfortable, but she was stuck. She had already paid the month's rent. She had to move elsewhere if she was thinking of staying in Palamecia… or just go back to Bafsk, at least for now.

“I’m sure he will,” Mrs. Wilson said, pausing for a moment. “You’ve been in Palamecia… how long?”

“Three months, m’am.”

“Got anyone… special already?”

“No, m’am.”

“Ah,” Mrs. Wilson said, failing to hide her disappointment. “Still trying to focus on work and studying?”

“Well… yes,” Kyrie admitted.

She was also trying to focus on getting healthier. Nothing beat the healing herbs grown in the mountains of Palamecia, especially when fresh. Not only did she have more access to information in this big city, but she had that, too.

“But… what will you do now? You know… with Mysidia’s mages saying they wouldn’t take you in?” Mrs. Wilson asked, looking at her with worry.

“Well… I’ll try again. And in the meantime I will study on my own,” Kyrie said. “Maybe I can find some other way.”

“Listen… Kyrie,” Mrs. Wilson said, looking at her kindly. “You don’t have to struggle so much, you know? You’re twenty-one. Still young, but you’re not going to get any younger. The world is an unkind place, and you’ve got a few extra hurdles.”

She wasn’t wrong, Kyrie thought. Her illness hadn’t been given a name by the doctors, but the pain and fatigue did make things harder, even when she was used to it. It was why she had been rejected by the Mysidians. She didn’t know what to say, though.

“Yes, yes,” Mrs. Wilson nodded, understanding. “What you need to do, Kyrie, is to marry well. You know, into a rich family, where all you need to do is take care of the house and the children. Nothing else. It’s the perfect plan for your life.”

“Thank you for the advice, Mrs. Wilson. I will consider it. But… well… my dream is to be a mage, so… I really hope I can find a way to finish my studies,” Kyrie said.

“Well… of course! I do wish you luck, of course,” Mrs. Wilson said.

Kyrie couldn’t help but notice that something about Mrs. Wilson’s expression was off, but she couldn’t place it. Still, wishing her luck was… a good, polite thing, she supposed. She focused on helping out and then had some breakfast before heading out to her temporary job at the local apothecary’s shop, where she would clean things, help sort the herbs and potions, and sometimes run errands. It was a job that she had some conflicting feelings for. On the one hand, she was really grateful for having a job at all during her stay in Palamecia. It was also the closest she would get to her former dream of being a healer- a thing which had become impossible after she became ill. After all, healers often had to travel, and either way… she doubted anyone would trust a healer with a permanent illness. On the other hand, the apothecary did not want to share any of his knowledge if he could help it, and he was a grumpy and occasionally rude man. Still, Kyrie had learned some things by careful observation. Even if she was never taken as an apothecary’s apprentice, she appreciated any scraps of knowledge she could get.

“Miss Solwood. Took your time getting here, I see,” the apothecary said as soon as she entered the shop. “Well, hurry now. The broom and mop are in the cleaning closet. And as soon as you’re done with that, I need you to go to the library and get me a certain book.”

“Yes, Sir,” Kyrie said. She’d been on time, but the apothecary always insisted she was late, or somehow taking too much time to get there. She’d dismissed it as a quirk of his and didn’t take it personally anymore. Quietly, she went to get the broom.

Sweeping and mopping the floor while also having a cane was awkward business, though Kyrie had managed to learn how to do it acceptably. After she was done cleaning the shop, the apothecary checked her work with a critical expression, and then wordlessly handed her a note. Kyrie took it with a slight, respectful bow of her head, and then headed towards the library. Though walking could be hard when her joints ached, she loved this particular errand. While the librarian got the apothecary’s books, she usually managed to find a book to borrow for herself. That day was no exception. After she handed the apothecary's notes to the librarian and waited for the requested book to be brought back, she caught sight of a book she hadn't read before. It was called ‘An Introduction to Magic’, so it was, like the other books she had managed to find, only of a beginner's level, but it was bigger than any of the other books she had read on the subject and the author's name sounded Mysidian. Her eyes lit up. This book had to have information she had not yet learned. She picked it up, admiring it.

“That's a new acquisition,” the librarian said, coming back with the large book on medicinal herbs that the apothecary had asked for, and glancing at the book Kyrie was holding. “We got a couple of copies. You're borrowing it?”

“Yes, please!” Kyrie nodded, smiling with excitement.

“Alright, then,” the librarian said with a smile. “That book, and the one your master asked for, then.”

Kyrie nodded, putting the book into a satchel she’d brought for that task. She then headed out of the library and back to the apothecary’s shop. Once there, she handed the book to the apothecary, who took it out of the satchel and frowned upon seeing the book on magic.

“What is this, Kyrie? A book on magic? Again?” he said, his voice an annoyed growl.

“Yes, sir. I have not read this one,” Kyrie said. “And books on magic are hard to come by.”

“Magic is not for the likes of you. An ill little woman, and not from Mysidia, seeking magic can’t end well. Not in Palamecia of all places,” the apothecary said. “Give up on those foolish dreams, girl.”

“I just want to help people, sir,” Kyrie said. “As a mage, I could learn healing magic and-”

“No, no, no,” the apothecary interrupted. “You’re in Palamecia, not Mysidia. You seek magic, you will find only evil. You want to help people, get good at cooking and cleaning. Then get a husband and help him. That counts as helping people. A small little thing as yourself can do no more. Know your place, girl.”

Kyrie looked down, unsure of what to say, and got back to work. She didn’t want to listen to the apothecary. There was nothing wrong with the life he was suggesting… which was much like what Mrs. Wilson was also recommending. However, it just wasn’t what she wanted. Perhaps they were right, and fighting against what was expected of her was not going to lead anywhere good. She just couldn’t give up, though. Not like this. Life had already taken a lot from her, and she did not want it to take away yet another dream.

---------------

“Lady Meredith’s family has sent 15 more goats, seeking your favor,” Advisor Cuthbert told the Emperor.

Mateus sighed, looking up from the pile of paperwork he was going through at the old man. Normally, he did not entertain interruptions to his work, but Advisor Cuthbert had worked for his father, and Mateus had known him his entire life.

“Is it not at least the fourth gift just this week?” Mateus asked.

“Fifth, Your Highness,” Advisor Cuthbert replied. “The Blackwell family, as well as the Blanchard, Morrow, Ayers, and now Webster families have all sent you goats.”

“Let the head cook know we will be eating goat for a while. I expect creativity,” Mateus replied.

“Of course, Sire,” Cuthbert said. “What message shall I send for Lady Webster's family?”

“Merely that I extend my thanks,” Mateus replied dismissively, turning back to the pile of paperwork.

“Sire, the Webster family would surely want you to meet the lady, as would the other families. Perhaps a ball is called for. Festivities to celebrate your return and give the ladies a chance to make themselves known to you.”

“I have no time for such trivialities,” Mateus scoffed. “If the nobles want a ball, they can organize it themselves. I have more important things to do with my time than mingle with them.”

Advisor Cuthbert sighed. Mateus had always been difficult, but the old man wished to see the young emperor finally settle down from his conquests and begin to build a lasting legacy like his father before him. That began with trying to integrate himself with the nobles, but the stubborn young man just saw himself as above all that. It would lead him nowhere good.

“My Emperor, forgive this man's bold words, but now that you have returned to us, you must start to build your life. There are duties you must fulfill as the emperor… and they do involve these delicate matters.”

Mateus’s eyes narrowed as he stared back at Advisor Cuthbert. The man had some nerve talking about duty to him. No one understood the weight of ruling like he did. No one before him had had to make the sacrifices that he had. For this man to try to tell him how to perform his duty was… simply insulting.

Mateus locked eyes with his old advisor. The temperature in the room seemed to drop. "Consider your words... forgiven."

Advisor Cuthbert inclined his head, one-half an inch, silent.

The Emperor's gaze lingered; then, turned back down to the pile of paperwork. A lot of those papers were reports and much was to do with various budgets, though there were letters he had to deal with, too. The work of an emperor was never done.

He picked up the top paper, and read it carefully. It was a report on the current state of the capital city. In some ways, the capital had fared better than other parts of the empire after the war. In others, though, it had done far worse. Smaller cities, or those farther away from the heartland had lost access to a number of resources, but they’d made do with the basics, due to being fairly removed from the conflict. In the capital city, the resources hadn’t been so lacking, but they had been closer to the war, had suffered more damage, and there were many more people to distribute the resources to. That had become a logistical nightmare in the Emperor’s absence. It did not surprise him. He was an organized man and always kept things running well in his empire. This was just another reason why he was fit to rule over others.

There were a lot of issues to address, but that was expected. At the bottom of the report, however, there was a paragraph that made him frown.

“What is this? Protests in my empire? And they have not been crushed?” he asked.

“Ah, yes. The protests. After the war and… your untimely, but thankfully temporary departure, some of your subjects grew… restless. They organized protests calling for a new ruler that is not from House Palamecia,” Cuthbert replied.

“Is that right?” Mateus said, his violet eyes getting a cold, dangerous glint. “And these… protests… are they scheduled in some way?”

“No, not… entirely. But there hasn't been one in some days, and all signs point to a protest happening tomorrow. Will you send soldiers, Your Highness?”

“No. I will take care of this… personally,” Mateus answered with a chuckle.

“Is it… necessary to do so, Your Highness? A group of soldiers could take care of that. You need not worry yourself with such trifles.”

“I do believe my subjects need a… reminder of who they are dealing with. I will crush those insects and make an example of them so that others may think twice before protesting again.”

“Ah. Yes. Of course, Your Highness,” Advisor Cuthbert sighed. For all the young emperor’s virtues, he was ruthless and cruel, and Cuthbert was not looking forward to what the Emperor would consider “making an example” of the rebels. It was sometimes hard to remember that Mateus was, in fact, the son of his father and mother. The late king and queen had been kindhearted rulers, and Mateus had once shared that trait. Through the trials he had to endure, however, he had long since buried any sort of soft emotions so deep, that it was debatable whether they existed within him anymore.

For his part, Mateus went back to his paperwork, preparing for the next day’s possible confrontation in the back of his mind.

Chapter Text

For Kyrie, the rest of the day was fairly uneventful. She even managed to finish all she needed to do with good enough time to begin reading the new book. It was fascinating. While it was still introductory information, the fact that it had been written by a Mysidian made a huge difference. The author focused on aspects of spellcasting that other books did not, and Kyrie was learning a lot from it. She slept well, her determination renewed, and woke up the next day feeling quite refreshed. She took her medication and, after breakfast, she headed to the apothecary’s shop. The old man was in a rather grouchy mood and did not have much work for her that day.

“Bah, it's a bad cloud over Palamecia today,” the apothecary said as Kyrie was preparing to leave after her work was done. “Better go straight home today, girl.”

“A… bad cloud?” Kyrie asked. Clouds and rain were important to Palamecians, given the fact that most of the country's territory was either desert or harsh mountains. What would a bad cloud even mean?

“The Emperor is going to inspect the Coliseum today,” the apothecary replied. “Everyone gets much more nervous when the Emperor pokes his pretty nose out of his castle. He will not be coming into the city, but it doesn't matter. People will be falling ill from nerves all week, and many will be ill-tempered. Best hurry on to the Wilson manor you stay at. Everyone who is sensible will stay home any time the Emperor is out of the castle.”

“Are they so afraid that he might kill them or lock them up in a dungeon?” she asked. She had heard stories about Emperor Palamecia, but they were from the point of view of outsiders. She was curious as to what people from the heart of the Empire felt.

“Pfft, the Emperor is not a fool. He will not kill or lock up a good law-abiding citizen for no reason. We pay taxes and keep the economy running. No, girl. Reason we who have sense stay inside… is to steer clear of those who don't.”

“Oh. Yeah, I guess that makes a lot of sense,” she replied. She had not considered that the danger of the Emperor's presence might also come from indirect sources.

“You better run along now, girl. There's a lot of senseless people around since the war. You want to steer clear of all that.”

“Yes. Of course. Thank you.”

With that, Kyrie left the apothecary’s shop and headed straight back to the Wilson manor. She didn't know if it was just the effect of her conversation with the apothecary, but she could have sworn that the atmosphere of the city was very tense. The streets were definitely emptier than usual, which made her trip to the manor swifter.

Not long afterwards, she was sitting in the manor gardens, enjoying the mild weather and reading the Mysidian magic book. It was all fascinating, and she stopped once in a while to think about how she might implement this knowledge into what she already knew. She was so engrossed in her studies that she did not see Seth approaching her.

“Magic? You’re still pursuing such foolish endeavors?” Seth said with an exaggerated sigh. “You’re not Mysidian, Kyrie. I don’t know how things were in Bafsk, but it’s part of Palamecia now. And here, we consider traditions important. And tradition states that your best role is… not a mage.”

Kyrie kept her composure, though this insistence that she give up on her dreams was absolutely infuriating. She knew Palamecians were, indeed, people of tradition. However, there were Palamecian mages. The Emperor himself was one. Perhaps, she thought, that was why people were against her becoming one. Still, just because one man had turned into a monster while also happening to be a mage didn't mean she would suffer the same fate.

“Then what role would be best for me?” she asked.

“Oh, there's plenty! You could bake bread and pastries. You could be a teacher. You could cook. But I recommend something a lot better than all that. You could find a good husband and become a housewife. You could raise children, teach them, cook for them and your husband… basically it would be a way to take up many roles into one beautiful package of happiness. I know you're an ambitious woman in spite of your… limitations.”

Kyrie sighed. Why were people so insistent that these roles were the only ones she could take? There was nothing wrong with them, but it was just not the path she wanted.

“I don't get it. Why are people so against me becoming a mage? There are plenty of female mages.”

“Come now, Kyrie. An innocent, delicate flower like you shouldn't go and get corrupted by the search of such power. Someone like you needs a role that will really highlight your gentle nature. Something… small. And unassuming,” he said, pausing for a moment as he remembered something. “But of course something that lets you do many things, so you may fulfill your ambitions. Hence why I recommend being a housewife. It is a very respectable role.”

“I appreciate the concern. Really. And yes, I know being a housewife is a perfectly respectable role. But it's just not the path I want to take,” Kyrie replied. She wanted to add that she had not even asked for this advice this time or the last ten times, but she didn't want a confrontation. She would much rather continue to deflect these unwanted comments.

“I can marry a noble, you know. But I've gotten to know you. You have the kind of demeanor I like. I would do you the honor of courting you. You would have a good life. I would provide for you.”

“Thank you, but… I don't want to court anyone right now. Not for a long time,” she said. She knew what he meant by her demeanor. She was not a confrontational woman, and she knew that he thought her illness made her weak and fragile. She had overheard him telling that to his mother when she had asked him why he would want to court a commoner.

“That is madness, Kyrie! You have to think about it. You're an ill little flower. You have to look out for your future,” Seth said, his tone growing harsher. “I am offering you your only chance at a good future.”

Kyrie was alarmed by his tone. She could read the frustration in it… and even a bit of aggression. She did not want to deal with it. She just wanted to flee the situation.

“I understand. Look, I need to think about it, alright? I am going to take a walk and I will think about what you said,” she said. It was all she could think of to get away from the situation.

“I want an answer when you return,” Seth said coldly.

“Yeah. Of course.”

She got up from the bench holding the book on magic as she walked away from Seth. He was frowning, staring intensely, but he did not stop her. The apothecary’s warning was still ringing in her mind, but she wasn't sure how else to get away from Seth. She just wouldn't go too far, she supposed. There was a nearby park where she could go back to reading in peace. After all, people would be irritable and nervous but the Emperor wasn't actually going to be in the city itself. He was going to be in the Coliseum. That was hours away if she walked. It would be fine.

---------------

“The carriages are ready, my Emperor,” Advisor Cuthbert said after entering the Emperor’s study.

“Ah, excellent,” Mateus said, looking up from the pile of paperwork he was currently tackling. He stood up, extending his hand as his scepter floated to it and he grabbed it. “Let us be on our way, then.”

He walked out of the study followed by Cuthbert, the clicking of his heeled boots on the floor echoing through the halls of Castle Palamecia. The Emperor had a glint of amusement in his eyes, and a malicious grin on his face. Upon reaching the castle gates, he inspected the carriages. One was his royal carriage, a magnificent vehicle with gold and gemstones tastefully adorning it. The other was one of the normal castle carriages.

“Excellent,” Mateus said. “The royal carriage will go to the Coliseum, of course. The other, to the heart of the capital city.”

Advisor Cuthbert gave the Emperor a somewhat confused look.

“Have the plans changed, my Emperor?” he asked. “I thought you would be going to the city.”

“Ah, but I am. You will be taking the royal carriage. I expect your Coliseum inspection to be as thorough as my own. I will take the other carriage,” the Emperor replied. He grinned, his eyes cold and cruel. “The rebels will never see me coming.”

Cuthbert sighed, but nodded.

“As you wish, Your Highness,” Cuthbert said with a short bow. “I will inspect the Coliseum on your behalf and hand you the report.”

With that, the old advisor climbed into the royal carriage while the Emperor took a few soldiers and climbed into the other carriage. From there, the two carriages set off, going first into the maze of caverns that constituted the only access to and from the city into Castle Palamecia. The chocobos that pulled the carriages knew the way perfectly, and there was a magic sigil that the royal family could use, but for most people, the tunnels were impossible to navigate. Castle Palamecia was famous for being practically impregnable. Though magic torches did line all of the tunnels, including many that led nowhere, it was still a somber ride. Finally, natural light was visible from the carriages, and soon they were exiting the tunnel at the base of the mountain. The carriages soon separated, with the royal carriage heading towards the Coliseum while the other went towards the city.

---------------

In the city, a group of rebels was gathering with the intent of staging a public protest against Emperor Palamecia. They did not fear the Emperor’s soldiers nor the advisors or other nobles they had been dealing with. Today was a good day, too. The Emperor was going to be busy at the Coliseum and they would be free to speak their minds and bring more people to their cause. With enough people, they could bring down House Palamecia once and for all.

They walked to a large park next to a busy street. Normally, they would go to smaller places, and there was, in fact, a much smaller park close by, but today, given that they would be safe from the Emperor’s wrath, they wanted to make noise.

“There's a castle carriage coming this way!” one of the rebels exclaimed after the group gathered.

“I suppose they're going to send us one of the advisors to try to negotiate with us. Let them. We will spit on their faces,” the leader said. He raised his voice to be heard by the crowd as the carriage stopped. “Down with House Palamecia! Death to the Emperor!”

The small crowd cheered before a deathly silence fell as they turned towards the carriage and the Emperor who had just gotten out of it.

“My, my. What bold words. I do not suppose you wish to repeat them?” the Emperor said, his cold gaze on the leader of the rebels.

---------------

In the nearby park, Kyrie was only vaguely aware of the cheering. She was completely engrossed in the book and honestly didn't want to think about anything else. She was still upset over the issue with Seth, and wanted to be calmer before she thought about anything else. The cheering stopped after a moment anyway, and things were silent.

A part of her was aware that perhaps it was just a bit too silent, but she pushed it aside. Several men entered the park hurriedly and looking frightened, and before she could quite register them, they approached her.

“Hey isn't that the girl from Bafsk that works with the apothecary?” one of them asked.

“Yeah, I recognize her. She will do. If she's from Bafsk and she's here of all places, she's an Empire loyalist,” another one said.

That comment made alarm bells go off in Kyrie’s head. She didn’t even have time to look up, though, when the men were right next to her. One of them snatched the book from her, throwing it to the ground, while another pulled her up by her arm.

“Hey! My book! Let me go!” Kyrie screamed.

Unfortunately for her, these were five men, and she was just a small, physically weak woman. Another man covered her mouth and they dragged her out of the park. It was all she could do to hold on to her walking cane. She struggled as hard as she could, but all she did was slow them down as they dragged her away and towards… screaming? What was going on?

All of a sudden the men threw her down hard on the floor. Kyrie lost her grip on her cane, which fell away from her reach. She could see someone standing next to her. It seemed that she had fallen at this person’s feet. Confused, Kyrie looked up, her confusion turning to terror. A man stood staring down at her, clad in golden armor, a long purple cape, and a horned headpiece with a cobra figure. At his shoulders was a large mantle with spikes and long, striped extensions. His long blonde hair was adorned with strings of beads and purple highlights. There was no question as to who this man was. It was Emperor Palamecia, and his cold violet eyes were staring directly at her own, his gloved hands holding his scepter, which was glowing, ready to strike.

---------------

Emperor Mateus had been about to strike down one of the rebels when he was forced to pause as a group of rebels approached only to throw a defenseless woman at his feet. He frowned, but then his expression turned into a smirk. What a pathetic attempt at defiance. The rebels took advantage of the pause and began to flee like ants. He watched them as they left the young woman at his feet. No matter. They would not escape him. But first things first.

“Such cowardice,” he remarked as he glanced up at the fleeing rebels. Then he turned his attention back towards the frightened young woman at his feet. “And you. What is your name? Do you share the same delusions of rebellion as those who brought you here?”

His scepter was still ready to unleash death if her answer did not please him. He studied her expression as the terrified woman shook her head.

“N-no!” she exclaimed. “M-my name i-is Kyrie! I-I was j-just reading i-in the s-small park n-nearby!”

“Kyrie, you say? An unusual name. And you were just reading. A pity that you were in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said. His scepter still had a spark of energy dancing at the tip. This was an incredibly vexing situation. What was he supposed to do with this puny woman? He could not simply let her go. It would make him seem merciful. The simple solution was to kill her. And yet, he was loath to do so. He did not kill without a reason. She was, after all, his subject, and an innocent one at that. It would be wasteful, even with someone like this woman who looked like she might break in half if he glared at her hard enough. His mind raced through the possibilities as he stared her down for a few seconds. Finally he looked away. “Your luck holds for now. I shall find a use for you.”

The energy in his scepter dissipated as he lowered it as a sign he would spare her life. The young woman still looked bewildered.

“Consider yourself under my protection. I advise you to make sure you do not step out of line. After all, I care not for your life. Amuse me, and you may even find favor. Disappoint me, however, and I assure you the consequences will be… dire,” he said coldly as he turned towards the rebels. “Now… where were those insects headed?”

---------------

Kyrie was stunned. Under his protection? What did he mean by that? Just sparing her life? But then what about this whole finding a use for her? She felt almost dizzy, both from the sheer terror of being confronted by him, and from this whole thing about being under his protection. She was only vaguely aware of the rebels still scattering away even as the Emperor turned his attention back to them.

“These insects run like cowards, thinking they can hide from their fate. I do believe they require a reminder of who they are dealing with and what the consequences of defiance are,” the Emperor said, his eyes gleaming with malicious anticipation. “Very well. Let them taste defeat.”

He raised his scepter with a malevolent grin, strong magic power gathering around it. The sky began to darken with storm clouds. Immediately, the fleeing rebels began to panic, their screams filling the air.

“He’s casting a cyclone!”

Kyrie was paralyzed from fear. She had not seen the fabled Cylcone, but she had heard the stories. If the Emperor cast that here… all the surrounding buildings would be destroyed.

“Get up, girl,” the Emperor said, turning to glance at her for a moment before turning his attention back to the spell he was casting. “Come closer lest you wish to die.”

With trembling hands, Kyrie reached for her walking cane and stood up with some difficulty, walking a couple of steps towards the Emperor, but keeping as much distance between them as she could. She did not want to see what he was going to do.

She could tell from the screams that the rebels were in disarray. The Emperor raised the scepter and bolts of lightning came raining down on the rebels. There were more screams… and then silence. Kyrie could feel her heart pounding in her chest, her breathing fast and shallow. She felt dizzy and weak, putting more weight on her cane to avoid falling over.

“Ah. Silence. Wonderful, is it not? A fitting example to remind people of the consequences of defying my rule,” the Emperor said, turning to Kyrie. “Now. Come with me, my lady. We are returning to the castle. I would not suggest attempting to resist. It would not be safe for you, lest you meet the same fate as those rebels.”

Kyrie felt the color drain from her face as he said that. Was… the Emperor kidnapping her?! This had to be kidnapping, even if it was the Emperor. She wanted to protest, to scream and refuse, but she could not find her voice. The Emperor extended his hand, beckoning her to follow. He really was kidnapping her, she thought, horrified. She wanted to run, but his threat was still ringing in her mind. She knew she had no real choice. She followed him, trembling with the horror of what she had just witnessed and the uncertainty of her own fate.

“Ah, good. You understand the virtue of obedience especially when confronted with superior forces,” he said, nodding with satisfaction at her compliance. “Worry not. As long as you understand the folly of rebellion, you are safe. Perhaps you will prove worthwhile, and I may even reward you.”

She walked behind him, doing her best to keep a stoic face, forcing her breathing to stay controlled in an effort to maintain her composure. She managed, but it was taking all of her mental energy to do so. He led the way to the opulent carriage he had clearly arrived in and gestured for her to enter. She did so, taking a deep breath to steel herself. It had been hard enough to stay composed so far and now she was going to be locked up in a carriage with the Emperor for hours on the way to the castle. After she sat down in a corner of the carriage, the Emperor got in and sat across from her. A few soldiers got in too and sat with as much space from the Emperor as they could, though it wasn't much. As the carriage door was locked, Kyrie could feel the weight in her heart. She was trapped.

The carriage began to move as Kyrie quietly looked out the window. She saw the Palamecian streets with which she had become familiar, and then the outskirts… and then a plain road. They were closer and closer to the imposing mountains until they at last came to a tunnel. The way the light was drowned out by the tunnel walls felt rather fitting for the situation. The Emperor had been silent all this time, but she could feel the weight of his piercing stare.

“I must admit, my lady, that I am rather impressed by your demeanor,” he said a while after the carriage had entered the tunnels, after the only light was that of the magic torches. “Not many would maintain their composure amid such a situation. Whether it is courage or discipline I do not know, but it will serve you well in your new life.”

She gave him a small bow of her head in acknowledgement but said nothing. She wasn’t sure what to say. She didn’t think it was either courage or discipline. She had gotten good at remaining composed through huge discomfort because of her illness, but she wasn’t sure if it counted as discipline. Maybe it did. Still, she didn’t think the Emperor would care about any of that. Why would he?

He stared at her for a while longer before finally leaning back and becoming thoughtful and silent. Kyrie was relieved. He had a very piercing stare and it had been making her feel increasingly alarmed. She focused her eyes on the window again, even though there was nothing to really see aside from the torches. The periodic way in which they passed by the window, the silence and the rhythmic sound of the carriage combined with her increasing exhaustion both from her illness and the sheer effort of staying composed. After a while, she dozed off into a light, fitful sleep.

Chapter Text

A small jolt of the carriage and light woke Kyrie up with a start. The Emperor was looking out of the window idly. As she startled, he gave her a quick glance and turned back to the window. The two soldiers next to him were still sitting awkwardly and stiffly, trying to keep some distance from the Emperor, while the one sitting next to her seemed more relaxed. The light became stronger, and finally, the carriage was out of the tunnel. She could see the imposing gray walls and towers of Castle Palamecia, tinted with the red of the evening sun’s rays, stretching towards the heavens and casting a deep shadow on the terrain. She had known it was a large castle, since it was quite visible from the foot of the mountain, and even some distance away, but seeing it this close showed it clearly for the monument to Palamecian pride that it was. Soon enough, the carriage was engulfed by it as they entered the gates. Kyrie had no such problems normally, but she felt oddly claustrophobic as the gates shut behind them. The carriage soon came to a stop, with the soldiers getting out quickly, and then the Emperor following suit. He turned back to gesture for Kyrie to get out of the carriage, and she did, still feeling dazed at this situation, though at least less so than earlier.

“Welcome to Castle Palamecia, my lady,” the Emperor said.

He gestured to her again signaling for her to follow, and, having no real choice, she did. What could she even do? Try to run? Where? How? Even if she’d had the ability to run fast enough, she couldn’t navigate the dangerous tunnels that were the only real way in or out of Castle Palamecia. And that was without considering the fact that the Emperor might become hostile if she tried to run. She wasn’t going to fight him. The screams of the rebels were still ringing in her head. She took a deep breath as she walked, trying to keep herself composed. The soldiers followed behind her, making her feel even more trapped.

A large set of doors was opened and the Emperor entered the castle itself, Kyrie and the soldiers following him inside. Kyrie couldn’t help but glance around. The castle was as grand on the inside as it was on the outside, with its walls decorated with intricate carved patterns and gemstones, and its bluish-green floors, also with carved decorations. Decorative axes were attached to the walls in various places as well as decorations with a red phoenix- the crest of Palamecia. Many torches lined the wall, which led to the hallways being fairly well-lit in spite of the waning light outside. It was cold inside the castle, which wasn’t so surprising given the altitude and the fact that the windows were open just a bit for ventilation. The chill and the wear on the walls and the floors gave the place an odd, ancient feeling. Kyrie hoped the castle wasn’t as haunted as it looked.

The Emperor made a dismissive gesture to the soldiers who were following him and, with a bow, they left. Kyrie was then left, much to her horror, alone with the monarch’s full attention. She could feel her heart pounding with fear and the effects of the altitude as his violet eyes stared at her. He said nothing for a moment, unnerving her further.

“You will be free to wander about the castle in all public areas,” he said at last. “Do keep in mind that you will be under my watchful eye. I expect you to cause me no trouble.”

“Of course, Your Highness,” Kyrie replied quietly.

“I have business to attend to, and your living quarters must be prepared, so you may go ahead and do… something with your time as you see fit,” he said. He paused, frowning at her dazed, lost expression. “You said you were reading in the park, did you not?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Very well, then. Follow me.”

He began to walk into the castle and Kyrie followed him through the hallways and several staircases. He slowed down for her on those, clearly understanding her mobility issues, but making no comment on them. Finally, he stopped at a door.

“This is the castle library. I believe you may find it to your liking,” he said.

Kyrie gave him an almost incredulous look. He really meant it. She was free to use the castle library as if she were not the Emperor’s prisoner. For a kidnapper, he certainly was polite. Still, she was wary. This was Emperor Palamecia. There was no way he was doing this out of the kindness of his heart. He wasn’t known to have any.

“Go on. Find something to pass the time with. You are after all, my guest,” the Emperor said, opening the door and gesturing for her to go inside.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Kyrie said as she entered the library. Guest. What a word to use for a prisoner, she thought to herself.

Her concerns were forgotten for a moment as she looked up from the floor and towards the library. It was huge. The library in the city itself had quite a large collection, but more than half of the building was devoted to study areas. This library was mostly books: shelves stacked from floor to ceiling with all kinds of tomes, labeled by topic and likely perfectly organized. There was a good section on fiction, of course, with all kinds of classic tales. There was a section for history, others for philosophy, art, religion, science, engineering, among others. And finally, the one that beckoned to Kyrie: magic. Her eyes were wide with awe, her lips slightly parted. She turned and saw the Emperor’s amused expression and before she could say anything, he gave a quick nod and left. Kyrie turned back to the library, feeling almost giddy and immediately heading towards the magic section. That always was the smallest section in any city’s library, but this collection was extensive. There were very old books, and some newer ones, of all levels, from introductions to exceedingly complex topics. She picked an introductory book that seemed more advanced than what she had been reading. Then she went to sit down at one of the desks near the windows and began to read.

Kyrie was fascinated by the book. It was everything she had ever wanted in a book of magic, much like the Mysidian book she had been so rudely torn from. She lost herself in its pages, time becoming irrelevant as night fell in the castle. She didn't even notice that she had company until she heard someone politely clearing their throat next to her. She looked up, somewhat startled, and saw a servant woman.

“The Emperor has requested that I show you to your new quarters,” the woman said.

“Oh,” Kyrie said, suddenly realizing how late it was. “Yes, um, thank you.”

She got up and carefully put the book back on its shelf before following the servant out of the library. She was led through the castle, up a floor, and through a hallway lined with doors until they reached the very last door in the hallway. The servant opened it to reveal a lovely room. The first thing she saw was a large four-poster bed with silk curtains and sheets. A wardrobe, and a dresser stood near it, as well as a rather large dressing table with a mirror. There was a sitting area, too, with a couple of couches and a tea table, as well as a tiny dining area. Next to the window stood a writing desk, and, to its side, a small empty bookshelf. Kyrie was shocked. She had been expecting to be tossed into some attic or cell somewhere, and instead found herself taken to this… suite. Had there been some kind of mistake? She looked at the servant, trying to decipher if this was some kind of joke, but the woman just walked to the wardrobe and opened it, revealing five lovely gowns.

“You must pick one to wear, milady,” the servant said. “The Emperor also requests your presence shortly to dine with him.”

It took all of Kyrie’s willpower not to exclaim a loud ‘what?!’ when she heard that. The Emperor wanted to dine with her?! She could immediately feel her heart hammering against her chest. The last thing she wanted right now was to see her captor, let alone in a social situation like that, where she would feel trapped, uncomfortable and vulnerable. And yet… she wanted his wrath even less.

“Oh. I… I see,” she said.

“I suggest you hurry, milady,” the servant said. “The Emperor does not like to be kept waiting.”

Kyrie nodded with a sigh and looked over the gowns that had been provided for her. They were rich, fancy gowns, more fit for a noble than for her. She wasn’t sure how she would feel wearing these, and she was confused as to why the Emperor would even give them to her. She picked the least fancy of the gowns and went to the bathing chamber for privacy to change. It was as gorgeous as the room itself. Aside from a toilet, there was a large bathtub and a vanity. Everything was ornate, with carved decorations. She wished she had time to really admire it and relax, but that would have to wait. She was not particularly happy about having to change, much less this late and after so much stress. Her joints ached and that sapped her strength, making the dress heavy and difficult to manage. Still, she managed to put it on, though her wrists were now aching so hard that it was difficult to even use her cane. She looked in the mirror, trying her best to tame her hair until it looked acceptable enough. Then she exited the bathing chamber, ready to follow the servant to wherever the Emperor was waiting. Instead of leading her out, though, the servant walked over to the dressing table and gestured to it.

“The Emperor also has given you some accessories and perfume,” she said. “It would be best to wear some, milady.”

“Right,” Kyrie said, walking over to the dressing table. She had not expected that there would be anything there, but opening the drawers, she found some makeup, hair accessories, a couple of earrings and a small perfume bottle.

Kyrie carefully applied a bit of lipstick. She was not used to this at all. She was thankful that her mother had at least taught her to apply makeup, but ever since she had fallen ill, she hadn’t made much use of those skills. She took off her own simple earrings- tiny hoops she’d had for years- and picked one pair from the ones she found in the drawer. There was a hairband among the accessories and she was most thankful for it. Her wavy hair could create some rather wild curls sometimes, and she didn’t exactly have time to fix that perfectly if the Emperor was waiting. The final touch was the perfume. She picked up the bottle and applied a bit, instantly regretting it. The scent was far richer and stronger than anything she was used to. It was a sweet, flowery smell, and she loved flowers, but this felt like having a bouquet shoved in her face and down her throat. Taking a second to adjust, she turned to the servant woman, who was waiting patiently and very professionally.

The servant woman nodded and led Kyrie out of the room, through the hallway and up the staircase. It was not a pleasant walk. After all, she was going to see the Emperor. It was taking some effort, too. Not only had she still not adjusted to the altitude, but the pain was flaring up. She had to lean heavily on her cane as she walked. Thankfully, she only had to go up one floor. Then she followed the servant through the hallway. She could see a very large door at the end of it, with the Palamecian crest engraved on it. She wondered if that was where the Emperor lived. The servant, though, stopped at one of the first doors and knocked.

“You may enter.”

Kyrie felt her heart pounding in fear again at the sound of that voice, which just a few hours earlier had so casually dismissed the death of a number of people. The servant opened the door and ushered Kyrie inside. It was a small but lavish dining area. The table had a crimson tablecloth, and on it were covered plates. The smell of spices and meat filled the room as well as another scent, which she figured was the Emperor’s cologne. A number of intricately-carved chairs around the table told Kyrie that this was very likely a dining room for imperial guests rather than for the Emperor’s own use. Gold candelabras added to the light of the torches, giving the room an aura that would have been inviting if not for the armor-clad figure at the head of the table.

“The young lady you sent for, my Emperor,” the servant said, gesturing to Kyrie.

“Very well. You may leave.”

The servant bowed and left, leaving Kyrie alone with the Emperor, who seemed to be studying her. Kyrie stood awkwardly near the entrance, unsure of what she was even supposed to do. Should she wait or just… walk over and sit somewhere? Where, even? She wanted to sit as far away from him as possible, but… what if that was rude? Or what if she sat too close? The Emperor watched her for a moment with amusement in his eyes.

“Come. Sit,” he said, gesturing to a chair that was not quite beside him but close enough for conversation.

Kyrie did so, her breath catching in her throat as the strength of whatever royal cologne the Emperor was wearing weighed on her senses. This would take a lot of getting used to. She then noticed the plates and silverware set on the table. There was so much silverware that it made her feel even more intimidated. She wasn't used to having several sets of forks and spoons. She supposed she would have to pay attention to see what the Emperor did so she could copy him. She felt incredibly out of place, even with the fine clothes she was wearing.

“I see the clothes fit. Good. You will need them in your new situation as your old ones are no longer appropriate,” the Emperor said. “I trust your new accommodations are to your liking?”

“Yes, Your Highness, thank you. The dresses and room are both very lovely,” Kyrie replied. It was a rather direct way to start a conversation, but she found it a relief, really. She didn't like small talk, and she had been dreading having to engage in that with the Emperor.

The Emperor nodded in satisfaction. Kyrie was curious. Why was he doing this? He had given her such nice clothes and a room more elegant than any she’d seen before. There had to be a catch, but he was clearly not intending to share it. The Emperor was said to be a monster, with no shred of kindness or even humanity left in him.

“I am aware that the invitation to dine was a rather sudden one, and quite a late one, too,” he said. “My duties kept me from making it to dinner at the great hall tonight. I do not believe you have had anything to eat in many hours, and thus I invited you here. I thought it would perhaps be a good opportunity to… converse. Kyrie, was it?”

Kyrie gave a polite nod, but she had no idea what to say. What could someone even say to an Emperor? Worse still… what could one say to this particular Emperor? She couldn’t ask him why he’d started his conquests, or what it had felt like to be the direct cause of so much death in the world, or even express her disagreement of his conquest of Bafsk and Salamand. There was no telling how he might take these things.

“You need not look so frightened. I have no intention of causing you any harm within these walls,” the Emperor said after a moment of awkward silence. “But you must be hungry. Let us partake of our meal.”

The Emperor cleared his throat and a servant walked in holding a gold bowl adorned with delicate gemstones. The Emperor took it. The servant opened the dishes, revealing one dish with barley, currants and almonds. She knew from experience it would be spiced, and she could smell the cinnamon and cloves, and could see the yellow of saffron. The other dish was a stew with meat, preserved lemons and green olives. There were a few pieces of flatbread, and a teapot. Kyrie was still not used to Palamecian cuisine due to its heavy use of spices, but the smell of the food reminded her of how hungry she was. She could hardly wait to eat, but knew she had to wait.

The Emperor stood up, still holding the gold bowl he’d been handed. It contained a white powder. Salt, Kyrie realized. He took a pinch of it, raising his hand to his eye level.

“To the rain, giver of life and sustenance. May it bless Palamecian lands,” the Emperor said. With that, he sprinkled the pinch of salt over the food and bowed his head for a few moments.

Kyrie followed suit, bowing her head as well. She had seen how Palamecians sprinkled salt on their food in an almost ceremonial fashion, but until she heard the Emperor’s words, she had not understood why. The Wilsons never spoke the words and only bowed their heads. Kyrie had been curious, but had not dared to ask so as not to provoke Seth’s condescending attention. She wasn’t sure if she should ask the Emperor about it, but she looked at him with curiosity, trying to wonder if she should dare to do so. The Emperor must have noticed, since, after sitting down and putting the bowl aside, he looked back at her, also looking somewhat curious.

“You are not from these lands originally, are you?” he asked. “Your old clothes were not of the usual Palamecian style. Nor from Mysidia. Not Fynn, certainly?”

“No, Your Highness. Bafsk,” Kyrie replied with a small shake of her head.

“Ah. Bafsk. So, not originally Palamecian… but part of the Empire now,” he said. “Tell me, Kyrie of Bafsk, do our customs feel alien to you? Do they intrigue you, perhaps?”

She nodded. “Just now,” she said and stopped, unsure of how exactly to phrase what she wanted to say.

“Hm, the food blessing? Yes, one of our most ancient traditions,” he said. “The salt is sprinkled as the rain sprinkles over the land. With that symbol, we give thanks for the rain that made our dishes possible, and we pray for it to continue blessing our lands.”

Kyrie nodded, fascinated. She knew how important rain was for Palamecians. It made sense that this ritual would be embedded into something so vital as eating.

“How long have you been in Palamecia?” the Emperor asked as the servant took the bowl of salt and returned to begin serving the food.

“Three months, Your Highness.”

“And you were unaware of this custom?”

“I… had seen it, but… the people I stayed with never said the words or explained it. I never found a good moment to ask,” she said. There never really was. Mrs. Wilson would likely have directed her to Seth to answer that question just to force her to spend more time with that man.

“A shame,” he said, helping himself to a small mouthful of the spiced barley.

Kyrie observed him carefully, taking note of which silverware piece he was using and took the same one from her own set, also taking a bit of barley. It was far too heavily spiced for her. Mrs. Wilson usually asked the servants to make her meals especially mild, so she had never really been exposed to much of true Palamecian cuisine. This was clearly good, but also shockingly different from what she was used to. She forced herself not to make any expression of surprise. She wanted to be polite, after all.

“You will not lack in exposure and learning about Palamecian culture. You will get the finest traditional cuisine, and you will get to see many of our ceremonies and rituals. Perhaps all of them in time. After all, it would be in your best interest to adapt. This will be your new home,” he said, pausing with a small frown when Kyrie looked downward as he spoke those words. “You will lack nothing in this castle. You will be well-sheltered, and have access to the best food and clothing, as well as all of the public facilities in the castle.”

“Am I… a prisoner?” Kyrie asked. Her heart was pounding as she spoke, worried that this might offend the Emperor somehow. But she needed to know for sure. He had kidnapped her, and had simply decided that his castle was her new home without even asking her. And yet, he was offering her all the accommodations of a noble. It was so contradictory.

“Hm. ‘Prisoner’ is a very harsh term, my lady. Would you not agree? I prefer the term… ‘guest’. A guest under my protection.”

“But… I can't leave, can I?”

“No. You may not.”

So… she indeed was a prisoner, albeit a rather unconventional one. She did not understand why he had done this, and she wasn't happy about it. She could hardly even think about the spices in her food as she continued eating in silence, a small frown in her face. She was thankful enough that she hadn't been tossed into a dungeon cell to rot, and she would have access to that wonderful library. But some things worried her. She supposed it was best to bring them up now, rather than wait.

“My family will worry. They might hear only rumors about what happened. And they'll think the worst. I can't do that to them. My parents were already worried about me coming to Palamecia.”

The Emperor took a deep breath, his expression becoming oddly serious and distant.

“Very well. You may write to them whenever you so desire, and they may write to you. But be aware that I will be reading your letters. It is merely a security measure to prevent you from writing anything… unwise.”

“Of course,” Kyrie said. It was extremely uncomfortable to know that her private correspondence would be read by him of all people. At the same time, she had no desire to get in trouble… and this was a way to stay in contact with her family. She missed them. Being able to write to them would make her captivity much more bearable. So be it. She would take what she could get. “Thank you, Your Highness.”

The Emperor nodded and continued eating, his face slowly easing back to his normal expression. It was, admittedly, just as unfriendly, but at least less intense.

Their dinner continued in silence, with Kyrie paying close attention to everything the Emperor did and copying a lot from what she could. The Emperor glanced at her every so often, and after a while, she could see an amused glint in his eyes. Kyrie really hoped he hadn't noticed she was checking to see what silverware he used, but she had a feeling he had.

After the barley, she definitely needed tea. Mint tea was a common drink in Palamecia, and that was what was served. It was very good. Definitely something more akin to the food she was used to. Then came the stew. Normally, sheep meat was used, but this seemed different. Goat, perhaps? She had it once. It seemed like it. It was good, but like all Palamecian food, highly spiced. It had vegetables and chickpeas, as well as small pieces of apricot and was very hearty. It tasted far too exotic to her, but Kyrie enjoyed it. It was filling and comforting. There even was dessert: a light yogurt with honey and raisins. That… was much more to her liking. It was mild, like the dishes back home. She couldn't help the rueful smile. She had been so focused on her goals here in Palamecia that she had not stopped to think about how homesick she was getting. And now… she might never see her home again. And yet… she was alive. There were still things she could do. Perhaps eventually she might convince the Emperor to let her go… or at least visit her home.

“I do hope the meal was satisfactory,” the Emperor said after they both finished eating.

“Yes, Your Highness. Thank you.”

“Good. My lady, it has been a pleasure, but it is late. I shall escort you to your room. You are a new presence, and if you get lost, some guards might be overzealous in protecting the castle.”

Kyrie wasn’t thrilled, but it was a good point. Did any of the guards really know about her presence aside from the few soldiers that had already seen her? Would they recognize her? She nodded politely and grabbed her cane, getting up with some difficulty. The Emperor watched her with a slight frown. Then he simply turned and gestured for her to follow. Kyrie did so, quiet. She had no idea what to think. Today had been such a whirlwind of events, that she hadn’t processed any of it. But as she followed the Emperor through the chilly torch-lit hallways towards her room, she could feel her heart sinking. This was a prison. A beautiful and comfortable one, but a prison nonetheless.

They reached the door to her room, and the Emperor gestured towards it. Kyrie nodded and opened it, taking a step inside.

“Good night, Your Highness,” she said.

“Good night, my lady,” he replied. Then he paused. “As your needs will all be provided for, I must ask something, my lady. Why is it that you use that cane?”

“The doctors couldn’t tell me. All they said is that there’s no cure. They prescribed some herbal remedies for the pain.”

“I see. I will have the castle physicians check on you tomorrow, so that you may have your medicine.”

“Thank you very much, Your Highness.”

“Mm. For now, you should find warm water in your bath. It may provide relief,” he replied. “You have had a long day. Starting tomorrow, your new life awaits. It may be overwhelming, coming from your… background. You will be given three days to adjust. Your meals will be brought here at regular times. You may spend the rest of the day as you wish. But on the fourth day, if you wish to eat, you will have to go to the main dining hall with the rest of the nobles. I will be informed of your every move. Do not cause me any problems. Is that clear?”

“Yes, of course.”

He stared at her for a moment, as if studying her reaction before he nodded and left. Kyrie closed the door afterwards, the lovely room feeling oddly suffocating. She shook her head, forcing herself to just act. The Emperor had said there should be a warm bath, so she went to the bathing chamber. She sighed in relief at the sight of the filled bathtub. The water was still warm, too. She needed that relaxation, not only physically, but mentally, and began to prepare for it.

As the warm waters eased the tension on her muscles, she began to be aware of just how stressed out she was. Everything had changed. She had been ripped away from her old life in a most impressive bout of bad luck. She had heard that the Emperor was a tyrant, but to simply take her into his protection against her will and act like he had done nothing wrong was just… astounding to her. She reminded herself that she at least would get to write home. That would ground her. Still, she was now expected to ready herself to deal with nobles in just three days. She felt tears in her eyes as the sheer weight of her emotions overwhelmed her. Beneath them, however, burned a bright determination. She would survive this, as she had other obstacles in her life. This was not the first time life had crushed her plans. She had managed then, and she would do so again and again, as many times as she needed to.

---------------

In his lavish bedchamber, dressed in his night suit, Mateus took off his royal headpiece, rubbing his aching head. He couldn’t help but grin. This day had gone extremely well. Not only had he squashed those rebels, but he had acquired quite the entertaining little guest. He hadn’t been sure what to do with her at first. All he had known then was that he was loath to kill a loyal innocent. But the idea he had in the carriage had changed everything. The unlucky lady was going to be extremely useful to him.

He set his headpiece down as he walked over to his dressing table to remove his makeup and deal with his long hair. Dinner with her had been a rather productive time. She cleaned up well enough. She was a bit on the plain side, it was true, and he would have preferred to have captured a gorgeous woman who would shock the court, but she would do. Her demeanor was rather meek, but she wasn’t exactly a doormat. She had dared to ask him questions, and though she was clearly uneducated in formal etiquette, she hadn’t been complacent about it. She had been mimicking him. It had been a most amusing thing to watch, and it told him she was likely to succeed in adapting. She had the right attitude for it. Perhaps her unassuming ways would work better than if he had captured a more traditionally noble-like woman. Fate had been good to him today.

He took a long while to comb the day’s tangles out of his hair and to apply the various oils that kept it in good shape. He carefully braided it, very loosely, so that it wouldn’t get damaged in his sleep and finally collapsed into bed, exhausted, but quite pleased with the day’s events. The court’s antics would soon be most entertaining.

Chapter Text

Mateus always woke up at dawn. It was an ingrained habit by now; not only did he always have huge amounts of work to do, but his morning routine could take over two hours. It was a necessity, really. His image had to be impeccable as Emperor, and he had it down to an art. Today, though, as he opened his eyes, he groaned. He had been finding it harder to get up since his return, but after sleeping so little, today weighed particularly heavily on him. He told himself it was perhaps a lingering effect from his death combined with the lack of sleep. With a sigh, he got up and went to his bathing chambers to begin his preparations.

After washing his face, he put on his silk shirt and his pants, and began to unbraid his hair so he could brush it and then style it. His mind was already busy, going through the many tasks he would have to do and all of the information he would need to take the countless decisions that would determine the fate of his empire.

There was the court, too, he thought bitterly as he worked on a tangle that had stubbornly formed. They were a necessity, it was true, much to his chagrin. Before his death, he’d had control over them. However, some of them had taken the lost war and his death as an opportunity to gain more influence. They were unruly and possibly disloyal. He wasn't surprised. Nobles had always been a troublesome lot, chasing their own glory, fawning over him while plotting to stab him in the back. He needed to send them a very clear message and regain full control, and he knew just how. He would use this young woman. Kyrie. Her bad luck would be his fortune. In return, he would provide for her. It was a great investment. And if she failed… well, he could always make an example out of that, too.

As he combed through his hair, he went through a number of possibilities in his mind regarding his plans for Kyrie. All of them had a major issue: she was absolutely unprepared for any kind of life in the castle, and her adaptability would only carry her so far on such short notice. He could not, however, afford to wait until she learned on her own. Without pressure, she might never do so. He would need to provide her with some aid. A personal attendant, to start with. He needed to find a trusted servant that would ensure she was ready for every part of her day, could provide tips, and, perhaps, company. People always seemed to need that. Of course, this was useful too. Such an attendant would be loyal to him and thus also serve as a supervisor of a sort, and report to him. Most importantly, this servant would also help with giving Kyrie some protection from the court, being able to detect threats and know the appropriate excuse to get Kyrie away from them. It would take a day or two to prepare this, but it was, he felt, necessary.

After combing his hair, he began to style the top part. It was an important aspect of his look. Not only was it striking, but the spikiness hid the framework of his headpiece. It made it look as though the horns and cobra grew out of his own head. That was exactly the kind of otherworldly look he wanted. Control began with his own image. It continued with every decision he took.

There was much that still needed to be done in his empire. Recovering came first, of course, but there was also the need to analyze the infrastructure of the new territories to plan for upgrades. He also needed to find a balance between control and autonomy for these places. Or, well, the illusion of autonomy, anyway. It kept the peasants happy, and after the sheer incompetence of the late Count Borghen, it was more important than ever. Many there hated the empire, and angry peasants were more likely to revolt. He would have to show them why his rule was superior. He had ideas, but he’d need to read the latest reports to decide on which ones to go through with.

After styling his hair, putting on his headpiece and arranging the strings of gem beads on his hair, he was ready for the final touches. He applied the purple lipstick and the eye liner, both important symbols of Palamecian rule. One was a mark of the responsibility of a monarch to watch over Palamecia, and the other to speak and command with wisdom and strength. It was an old tradition, and he followed it. After all, it was traditions that gave Palamecians their identity, and a good part of their strength. People without a strong, proud identity could never have survived in this harsh environment. He cultivated that identity in his empire, just like every king that came before him. He would expand it, too, first to the new territories and then…

He frowned slightly. That thought would have to wait for now, he supposed. He needed to read the latest reports, that was all. Once he was done with his looks, he applied some perfume- just enough to create a commanding presence without being too much. Then he walked over to his armor stand and put on his armor and mantle, finally ready for his day. It was still a bit early for breakfast, so he walked into his private study to go through the reports from the previous day. He needed to refresh his memory on all the details. There had to be something that he’d missed.

He sank into the reports reading and rereading them, going through different ideas and scenarios in his mind. He looked at the maps and at the notes he had made. He did not make new notes. A heavy knock outside his chambers finally caught his attention. His attendant had likely been knocking a few times, judging by the sound. He got up and left his private study.

“You may enter,” he called out.

The door opened and his attendant came in carrying a tray with his breakfast. The servant quite professionally put the tray in the Emperor's private dining area. Mateus followed and sat down.

“My thanks,” he said with cold politeness.

The attendant nodded and opened the tray, revealing goat cheese, flatbread and honey. He turned to leave.

“Anton,” he called to his attendant.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“Is there not a female servant who is discreet and loyal and well-versed in matters of court and etiquette? One who is… currently underutilized.”

“I think there may be a few, my lord. What position would she fill?”

“An attendant. One who will report to me on her charge.”

“I will make inquiries, my lord.”

“See to it that you bring me a suitable candidate before the day ends.”

“Of course, my lord.”

“Ah, yes. There is a new occupant in the Rose Chamber: my guest at last night’s dinner. Do make sure she is fed. Take her meals to her chambers. And have the royal physician take a look at her. Report to me on his findings Also, make sure there are guards supervising her at all times. Get their reports periodically. Tonight, you will give me those reports too.”

“As you wish, my lord.”

With that, the attendant left, leaving Mateus to his quiet breakfast. The solitude suited him. He had never been particularly sociable and the amount of people he had to deal with on a daily basis could be almost overwhelming. These moments were exactly what he needed to excel in the challenging environment of the Palamecian court.

After his breakfast, he walked out of his chambers and towards the throne room to meet with his advisors. Hopefully their new reports would have something he could actually use. There would probably also be several nobles seeking some kind of audience. If all went well, there wouldn't be many of them, and none of them would be trying to throw their daughters at him.

Advisor Johan, his youngest advisor, a man who was very clever in matters of infrastructure and commerce, was already in the throne room, along with Cuthbert. They looked very troubled, pacing back and forth in an agitated manner. They were never here so early. Usually, Mateus had a whole half hour at least to himself before they got here. He raised an eyebrow.

“Cuthbert. Johan. I was not expecting you here at this hour, let alone looking so agitated. What has brought you here in such a state?”

“Your Highness. We have heard from the guards that… there is…” Cuthbert began, pausing awkwardly. “Ah, I do not know how to put it… properly.”

“A stray,” Johan finished for him. “A most vexing type, too. A commoner woman. She was seen yesterday at the library, wearing the most… unseemly attire. A plain linen dress, clearly belonging to a… peasant.”

Mateus chuckled. Their vexation was amusing. It was a good sign, too, that his plans would work out the way he wanted them to.

“Ah, yes. My new… acquisition. Have you seen her yourselves? She is a most entertaining little creature.”

“A-acquisition?” Cuthbert faltered.

“Yes. It was quite the unexpected occurrence. Through no fault of her own, the rebels threw her at my feet. She was merely at the wrong place and time. Her atrocious luck amused me, and so I brought her here,” Mateus said. He wasn't about to admit that he had not wanted to kill for no real reason. “I am keeping her in the Rose Chamber, though she is free to roam my castle.”

“The Rose Chamber? The last time you brought someone there, it did not end well, my lord.”

“How do we know this stray will not also turn into a traitor?”

“Leon is a warrior. This young woman is a skittish little creature. If she were to step out of line, I would need to expend no effort to crush her.”

The advisors both sighed. Cuthbert looked resigned. Johan looked almost amused. Mateus knew what he was thinking. Johan had referred to Leon as his “pet”, as if he would stoop so low as to keep a human as a pet. Mateus didn't keep pets, anyway. He kept tools.

“Is that all, then?” Mateus asked his advisors.

“Yes, my lord,” Cuthbert said.

“Quite,” Johan said. “I will not pretend to agree with keeping a stray in the castle, but I will respect your desires, my Emperor.”

“Very well. Prepare your reports. We will begin as soon as the other advisors arrive.”

---------------

Kyrie woke up as the morning bells rang out, marking 7 am, and the beginning of the day for the castle at large. She was surrounded by silken sheets and covers. She was, for a second, completely disoriented. It took only a small moment for the memory of the previous day to come flooding back to her. She sat up on the bed, looking dazed. This was her new reality. Her gilded prison. She took a few deep breaths, steadying her nerves. She supposed she'd best get ready for the day. She needed to not think about her situation and action was the best thing she could think of.

She got up, starting to search for her medication out of habit when she stopped herself. All of her belongings were in the Wilson manor. She sighed, hoping the physician would see her soon. If too much time passed without her medication… she didn’t really want to think about it. All she could do, though, was to trust the Emperor. She hated it. She didn’t know him. She didn’t know if he was trustworthy in these things. And besides, she just wasn’t happy about depending on anyone for something this vital. She didn't want to deal with a situation where someone else’s actions were what left her ill for a week.

She got dressed and groomed, and was just about to leave for the library when she remembered that breakfast was to be brought to her here. She would have to wait for it, then. Not only did she not want to go hungry, but she didn’t want to risk that food being wasted. It was not a good thing to do anywhere, but in Palamecia, it was outright offensive. She walked over to the window and looked out instead.

The view was gorgeous. For all the problems that being this high up surely caused the castle, this… this was like a glance into heaven. The morning sun made the mountains look almost as though they were glowing, and the clouds painted the blue sky in tones of gold and ivory. The land beneath the mountains looked almost as though it were a watercolor painting, with the details being so small that they blurred together into fields of soft colors. Kyrie was enthralled. Up here, she could almost forget that she was a prisoner and that the world was still recovering from a devastating war caused by her captor.

A knock on her door caught her attention and she turned towards it. Breakfast, surely. Hopefully it was the physician, but she doubted it.

“Come in, please,” she called out.

The door opened to reveal a very professional-looking servant. She recognized him as the same one who had attended the Emperor at dinner the previous night. He was carrying a tray with her breakfast and he gave a small bow. Kyrie was impressed at how he’d managed to keep the tray so perfectly straight while doing so.

“Good morning, milady. The Emperor has asked me to bring your meals today,” he said, putting the tray down on the table in the small dining area.

“Oh! Thank you very much,” Kyrie said.

“Your meals today will be brought to you here,” the servant said. “Your luncheon will be brought at noon. Refreshments are served at the fourth afternoon bell. Supper at the seventh. I beseech you, milady, to be here on time.”

“Yes, of course.”

“The Emperor also asked that the royal physician take a look at you. It has been arranged. He will be here shortly after breakfast, so please wait for him,” the servant said with a polite nod. “He has also assigned guards for you, milady, so do not be alarmed.”

“Guards? But-” Kyrie began before she processed the reason. “Right. I understand.”

“They will not bother you, milady. They are stationed outside the room and will merely accompany you around the castle.”

“Thank you for letting me know,” she said.

With a bow, the servant turned and left. Kyrie sighed. Of course the Emperor would have guards following her around. Well, she thought, let them. She had every intention of staying in the library most of the day. She really didn’t have anything to hide. She wasn’t here to cause trouble. She was here to survive and make the most of her situation. She turned to her breakfast. The tray even contained a tiny bowl with a pinch of salt for the blessing. Kyrie looked at it. She’d never really participated in it, but… it had its reasons. She could understand it, and in the end, she was here now and for an indefinite amount of time. She was not Palamecian- even with Bafsk being conquered, she could not accept it. Still, she supposed, if she was here, she would have to adapt in some ways. She took the pinch of salt and sprinkled it over the goat cheese in her breakfast, thinking for once about the rain, taken for granted in her homeland, that made it possible.

---------------

Mateus’s entire morning was spent with his advisors, discussing the latest reports, issuing decrees, planning for infrastructure, and all kinds of administrative duties. He lived for this. This was what he loved about power. It wasn’t the adulation or even the riches and luxuries (though admittedly, he would never complain about those). It was the strategy, the assigning of resources in the most efficient way, running the Empire like a well-oiled machine, shaping the future of each and every inhabitant. His decisions brought prosperity. It was true that he built on the foundations laid by every king who came before him, but it was he who had restored Palamecia after it had fallen to its knees thirteen years ago.

As satisfying as his work was, there was something that kept nagging at him. Things had changed after his death. His rule had been practically defined by hardship from the very beginning, but now things had… settled, in a way. There were always challenges, of course: an uprising here, an unrest there, an outbreak somewhere else. However, now that peace was back on the table, those around him were just expecting him to sit down and do… what exactly? Marriage, his advisors proposed, but marriage brought him no benefits. There was not a single political alliance he could make that way which would do him any good. He would have wanted to somehow make Hilda marry him for political reasons, but last he heard, she was engaged to Gordon of Kashuan. Even if that hadn’t been the case, she hated him. She’d probably poison him or stab him in his sleep. It was absolutely not an option. As for the ladies that the nobles were so desperately throwing at him, he had no interest. Aside from putting a stop to the inane gossip around him and his preferences, those noble families were the only ones who got anything out of such a union. He knew there were duties expected of him in these… disagreeable topics, but he was in no hurry. He could think about it in… oh, a decade or two. Three, if he could get away with it.

Aside from that abhorrent duty, which he’d procrastinate on for as long as possible, there was nothing. Of course, there was the daily administration of an empire. Restoring, maintaining and improving it took most of his time. But that was not a goal. Not really. That was just his life. The intrusive thoughts took over as he left his throne room towards the great hall. They did not leave him as he navigated the social dances that were necessary during the luncheon, with nobles constantly trying to strengthen their influences while subtly undermining others. They continuously gnawed at his mind when he went back to the throne room to meet with his advisors for a focus on military and economic issues, especially as the military advisor’s reports kept making it clear just how much the global situation had changed. By the time the fourth afternoon bell rang, signaling the end of the meeting, he was extremely vexed. He headed immediately to his chambers for afternoon tea. Anton would likely have some reports on the “stray” by this hour. He desperately needed a distraction.

When he got to his chambers, Anton wasn't there yet. Irritating, but it made sense. Mateus was always late for tea time. Something or the other always needed his attention. Being on time today was just one of the many things that had changed, it seemed. He took off his armor and mantle, keeping only the silk shirt and pants and sitting down on the plush couch in front of his tea table. He waited.

“Come in,” he called out a while later after hearing the familiar knock on the door of his suite.

His attendant came in carrying a tray. Mateus glanced at him, but didn’t turn to look at him. Anton set down the tray and served the tea. He was silent. Mateus had always preferred it that way.

“My thanks,” he said.

The tea smelled delicious. The scent of the mint was enough to start calming his frayed nerves. He picked up the teacup and took a sip. Perfect. Refreshing to the body and the mind. It was time to ask Anton about the other tasks he had given him.

“Tell me, Anton. What of the occupant of the Rose Chamber? I want the reports.”

“Of course, my lord,” Anton said with a bow. “The girl has caused no trouble. She has spent most of the day in the library. She has been back to her room on time for meals as I instructed her.”

“Has she talked to anyone? Aside from you, of course.”

“She greeted the guards every time she passed by them. She asked them for directions to the library. Also, she asked the librarian for a quill and pen. Nothing more.”

Greeting the guards? Mateus raised an eyebrow. What an eccentric thing to do. Guards on duty should not be distracted. Perhaps it was just one of the bizarre things commoners from Bafsk did. He would have to correct that behavior.

“Hm. Odd that a woman of her station would not immediately turn to gossip. I understand commoners live for that. No matter. It is more convenient this way,” Mateus said, taking another sip of the tea. “Has the royal physician seen her?”

“Yes, my lord,” Anton said.

He took an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to Mateus. Mateus took it and opened it, unfolding the paper and reading the physician’s carefully-written words. He frowned. He read it again. Chronic joint pain? Fatigue? Sunlight sensitivity? Episodes of unexplained fevers? And all of this with unpredictable levels? What kind of cruel affliction had fate struck the little stray with?

“And this report… it is accurate?”

“Yes, my lord. The physician assured me of it. The affliction has not been named, but he has seen similar cases before.”

“How did she appear? Did she show signs of suffering?”

“She looked tired and moved slowly, but she was otherwise in good spirits, my lord.”

“Fascinating.”

He could not understand it. How could someone so weak stay so calm in the face of such an affliction? The sigils he could cast with his scepter caused pain. Admittedly, it was probably more pain than most afflictions, but he had seen warriors fall to their knees with those sigils. He had seen the pain etched in every inch of their defiant faces. Pain humbled even the strongest warriors. The stray was no warrior. How was she in any sort of good spirits? Was it some kind of unusual attempt at defiance, trying to keep her chin high in spite of her station and circumstances by hiding her suffering? It was a curious attitude.

He wanted to know more. He wanted to see how long she could keep up the façade. He wanted to know if it was simply defiance or something else. Could it be something he did not yet understand? Perhaps… something he could use to his advantage? The mere thought of unraveling this puzzle brought the fire back to his eyes and a grin to his lips as his mind raced with possibilities.

“Anton?” he called out as his attendant was turning to leave his chambers. “Bring her to me for dinner again.”

Chapter Text

After tea, Mateus headed towards the training grounds. He never had an especially long time to train outside of the resting day, but he always made it count. Today being a Thursday, he would train his body. Winter was slowly but surely inching its way towards the castle, and the wind was starting to get a particularly chilly bite to it. That meant that he wouldn’t be able to find some fool to challenge to a sparring match. A pity. He enjoyed pouring out his frustrations into such matches. It kept them sharp and it was good practice for him. Many nobles and some soldiers feared sparring with him, but Mateus scoffed at the idea. He didn’t usually hurt them that much, anyways.

The training area was, however, well-stocked even for someone training on their own. There was a separate area for nobles and for soldiers, with the former being smaller. Mateus never really went into the area for soldiers unless he was overseeing their training. Sometimes he would spar with elite soldiers, but all his real training was done in the area for nobles, and he rarely had much company. Today, he was the only one there. He started with stretching, moving on to weights, and finally intense exercises designed to improve and maintain his stamina and agility. The exercise did him a world of good, the intensity allowing him to take a break from the constant rush of thoughts. By the time he was done, he was exhausted and sweating in spite of the chill.

He headed to his chambers for a bath- the one true moment of relaxation in his day. The warm waters and the calming oils never failed to improve his mood. It was a shame that he rarely, if ever, had more than a half hour or so for it, but such was the life of an emperor. At least he got a daily bath. Not everyone had such a luxury in Palamecia.

He relaxed in the water, his troubled thoughts forgotten for a moment as he washed his hair and his body. The water was infused with lavender and sandalwood oil. It was the perfect combination. By the time he was done and had wrapped his hair in a silk towel, he felt much better. He dressed up in a nice evening attire before letting his hair down and combing through it. He didn’t style it as usual and, instead of his headpiece, he opted for an ornate circlet with three rubies. Once ready, he rang the bell for his attendant. Anton’s knock came just a moment later.

“Very well, my lord,” Anton said. “I will go and bring the young occupant of the Rose Chamber to the dining area. She has already been instructed to make herself presentable.”

Mateus nodded and headed towards the dining area to wait. He was looking forward to this. If this young woman was, in fact, being defiant, he would humble her. If she was not… then he would analyze her to find out how she kept her chin up in spite of her circumstances. There could be something there that he could use. And if not… well… there’d never been a better time for him to occupy himself with a puzzle.

His keen senses soon picked up footsteps and the unmistakable sound of tapping that the girl’s cane made as she walked. He couldn’t help the small grin that came to his lips. Anton came inside the dining room first, followed by Kyrie. This time, Mateus was paying close attention to every single bit of her body language. The girl walked in with a calm, almost cheerful expression. It was the kind of look that he would expect to see in someone who’d obtained some kind of boon. It was different from the nervous look from the night before. Anton had been right, though. She also looked exhausted, and there was a slight stiffness in the way she moved. That was, perhaps, the result of the pain, though if she felt it, she otherwise masked it well. She was dressed well and her hair was tamed and well-styled. He nodded, satisfied.

“Good evening, Kyrie of Bafsk,” he said.

“Good evening, Emperor,” she replied. Her tone was still quite timid and polite.

“Do sit down,” he said, watching as she obediently did so. “How did you find your first day in my castle?”

“It was fine, Your Highness.”

“Tell me about it. What is it that you occupied your time with?” he asked. He wanted to see how much she would share and whether she would be truthful. She had no reason to lie, but he knew how people were. They didn't need a reason.

“Oh, um, I just went to the library,” she replied. “Thank you for letting me use it.”

“It is open to all my guests,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

It was an intriguing reaction. She was truthful and also didn't try to flatter him or somehow brag in a vain attempt at impressing him. It was refreshing. He rarely got such interactions in his court. He signaled to his attendant to bring dinner, which he presently did. Mateus took the salt bowl and performed the salt blessing in the usual ceremonial way he used when he had company. This time, rather than stare in curiosity, the girl bowed her head respectfully. Good. It was a sign that she was adapting.

He took a look at the food that had been served. The barley was spiced differently this time, but the stew, of course, had goat. He liked goat, for sure. It was a good, lean type of meat. But alas, it would be a while before sheep was back on the menu. He began to eat the barley, observing the girl. She was still watching him carefully, imitating his use of silverware, though watching him less this time, as though she were a bit more confident about her table manners. She was slightly tense, trying to avoid his gaze. It was amusing. He knew his very presence was intimidating, especially for someone in her position. He wondered how she would react if he actually pressured her.

“So the physician saw you today. I have received the report,” he said.

The girl paused, looking somewhat uncomfortable, and then nodded, but said nothing.

“Your medication should be ready. My attendant will be delivering it to your room tonight.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“It is rather an unfortunate affliction, my lady. Such limitations. You are weaker than most. Does it bother you, perhaps? I cannot imagine carrying such a burden.”

The girl looked taken aback for a moment before she looked thoughtful for a bit.

“I don’t really think about it like that anymore,” she said. “I’m used to it.”

It was Mateus’s turn to be taken aback.

“You are used to such a thing?”

“I think that’s the only choice anyone in my position has,” she said with a nod.

Mateus paused for a moment, unsure of how to respond to that. He had expected her to seek pity or to somehow boast about her ability to deal with it to try to find favor with him. Something like that. Quiet acceptance was definitely not among the expected outcomes. Not from someone like her, who was merely a commoner, and a weak one at that. Could it be, perhaps, that there was something to her, just like there had been in Firion and his companions? He'd underestimated them before, but he did not want to repeat the same mistake. He doubted Kyrie would be a threat, but he was also not keen on wasting opportunities. He would have to analyze this young woman further. If this stoic attitude was some strange form of defiance, he would expose it and crush it. If it was not, then he would still find out how someone like her was able to maintain it, and how it might work to his advantage. Perhaps a bit more pressure was in order.

“I see. However, I am curious. You traveled from Bafsk. It is a fairly long way from Bafsk to the city of Palamecia. How does one with your… limitations… travel so far?” he asked.

“I traveled by airship, Your Highness,” she replied. “I used the route that was set up after the war. It was the best option for travel.”

“Ah, yes,” he said with a nod. He was familiar with that route, though he hadn’t been the one to actually set it. It had been in his plans, but it was his advisors that had set it up while he’d been dead. “It is the only real travel option, I would say. Roads will take some time to build. However, even when they are built, such a journey would still be too much for one such as yourself. The desert is not a forgiving place.”

“Yes, I think that I’d pick airship travel again, if it’s an option, Your Highness,” she said with a nod. Her eyes had a small sparkle to them that seemed to embolden her for a moment. Even her voice was filled with emotion due to how excited she clearly was while recalling this. “The view from the airship was… beautiful. I could see so much of the mountains, and so many forests and fields… and the clouds. The way the light hit them, they looked like they were glowing.”

Mateus stared at her. He did not consider such things. Airship travel to him was about speed and efficiency. He’d never stopped to look at the view. To think of it being beautiful or… anything like that was… simply alien to him. He watched as she looked a bit startled that she had said something that wasn’t strictly a response to a question, and then she looked down again. He did prefer it when people looked down, rather than make eye contact with him, but he didn’t want her to shut down just yet. He wanted to continue studying her.

“Is that so?” he asked, after a moment of considering what he could say that would bring her back into conversation. “I suppose, then, that you must also find the view from your window fascinating. Castle Palamecia is almost as high up as airships fly.”

“Oh, yes. It is beautiful,” she replied. Her sincerity was clear, though her tone was more subdued.

He could agree with that. What she could see from her window was his empire, and he did consider that beautiful. He made sure of it. His whole life was dedicated to keeping it strong. Not everyone could appreciate the beauty of an Empire that ran like clockwork and he wasn’t sure if she was talking about the same kind of beauty, but it didn’t matter. Even if they were talking about a different kind of beauty, it was still beauty. Besides, it was a necessary assumption to keep the conversation going… and to steer it in the direction he wanted it to go. He was determined to understand her thoughts and how it was that she could withstand the trials her life presented.

“Yes. The Palamecian Empire is beautiful,” he said. “Were it that all could see it, but alas, that is not so.”

This time Kyrie said nothing. Mateus saw his chance to pounce with a question, which, he felt, had no good answer. It should corner her.

“Your city, Bafsk, is one of the Empire’s new territories, is it not? Tell me, Kyrie of Bafsk, when the conquests began, did you foresee such a thing? What were your thoughts on it?” he asked.

She looked at him for a moment, the expression in her eyes almost sharp, as if she realized that he was cornering her into answering a question where he could twist almost any answer she gave.

“I don’t think anyone really knew how far Palamecia would aim to expand,” she said after a while.

Her answer amused him. She had answered, alright, but she had avoided giving any judgment. Nor had she really given her thoughts on the matter. He could still push her a bit.

“But what were your thoughts on the matter, my lady? Were you happy that such a powerful Empire was taking control of your town? Or were you perhaps hoping the rebels would free it?”

She paused again, once more looking at him. This time, it took her less time to answer.

“I didn't really have any thoughts on it, Your Majesty,” she said. “I was traveling at that time with my family. I didn't even hear of the war until later, and then we just waited it out before returning. We were happy to see that Bafsk was still standing after the war. Our home was fine too. Things had settled down when we got home, so… we just went back to our lives.”

Once more, she avoided making any judgment. It was a cautious answer. How amusing! He was used to people either attempting to flatter him to the point of buffoonery, or else taunting him with loathing and defiance. It was rare to find a proper medium. It was most interesting to him that this came from a commoner who was his captive and knew perfectly well that her life was at his mercy. He would have expected her to be groveling at his feet, trying to gain his favor in any way she could. Instead she was just calmly accepting this situation too, answering his questions and having something of a conversation. Did she not fear him? Fearing him was usually in people’s best interests.

But no… it wasn’t that. There were many things he did not understand about human nature, but fear was not one of them. He was very familiar with it. He had seen it in the eyes of most of his subjects every day for over a decade. He knew what hatred and loathing looked like in the eyes of people, too, as well as defiance. He also understood grief, but… that was different. Studying her, he knew she was afraid of him, but he could find none of those other emotions in her eyes. There was something like grief in them, but it was not like the one he knew. He wasn’t even sure it was grief at all. He wanted to know what it was that he saw in those plain brown eyes, but he knew it would take time. That was acceptable. He was a very patient man.

He finally nodded at the girl’s statement. He was satisfied for now, and decided against needling her further. He took another bite of his food. Perhaps it was just how hungry he was after exercising, but everything tasted better tonight. The chill wasn’t helping. What a cruel irony from nature that as the cold approached, food supplies dwindled, and yet hunger did the opposite.

“I hope you are prepared for the winter, my lady,” he noted. “In a few weeks, winter will be upon us in its full fury. I understand Bafsk has a mild climate, but in spite of the desert that makes up most of Palamecia, the wind in the mountains can make winters… quite bitter.”

“Well… yes, Bafsk’s climate is quite mild most of the year, but winters can be harsh,” she replied. “I… had brought a few cloaks with me, just in case Palamecia also had that problem, but…”

She trailed off. The implication was obvious. He gave her an amused, almost malicious, grin.

“Fret not, Kyrie of Bafsk. Even if you had them with you, they would be inappropriate. I will not have a guest of mine dressed in such clothes in my castle,” he said. “I will provide for your needs. So long as you are loyal and do not defy me, you will want for nothing. I am a generous emperor to those who are loyal and serve their purpose in my empire.”

She looked at him, a small frown on her face. Worried, possibly. Maybe she did not quite believe him. Or perhaps she had caught on to the obvious omission of the one thing she could no longer have, even if she desired it.

“Your life will be a comfortable one, I assure you. The only hindrance might be having to adapt to interaction with the nobles that live here. One of your station is surely not used to the customs of the court, especially being a foreigner,” he said. “I do trust you will adapt, however. You have… experience… adapting to difficult circumstances. This should be effortless for you, my lady.”

She gave him a small nod, the frown still on her face. He peered at her. It was true that he did not really care about the girl’s happiness. However, he also didn’t want to have the little mouse wandering the halls, miserable, like some lost soul. It would not do for his plans. He supposed he would have to give her something to look forward to.

“You will get used to it, in time,” he said. “Perhaps, after the winter, if you prove yourself loyal, you may be allowed to visit your family.”

That had the intended effect. The frown gave way to a surprised expression. There was a light to it. He knew that too. He had snuffed that light out of countless eyes. It had long since been crushed out of his.

“I… can visit my family…?”

“Perhaps. But not for now. Travel conditions can become difficult during fall and winter. Conditions should be suitable once spring has taken hold,” he replied. He paused for a moment, thoughtful. “I believe a good time for travel would be after the rain season celebrations.”

“Oh. I… heard of that. A festival, I think?”

“Festivals, my lady. A whole month of celebrations. It is a time when Palamecia and our culture both shine like the gems we are so well-known for,” he said with a grin. “I do believe you will find it quite fascinating. Of course, not all of those celebrations make it to the castle in the same way as they are held in the city, but the season’s festivities are grand enough.”

She looked at him, curious and thoughtful. He doubted she could really imagine just how grand the festivals were. The rainy season was the most important celebration in Palamecia. They made it count.

“That said,” he continued, “my presence is required in the city for the first week of the festivities. Perhaps I could take you, as an educational experience. It could teach you appreciation for the culture you must now live in. It may be that it will also give you stories to tell to your family during your visit.”

She nodded, silent. There was interest in her eyes. That was good. If she enjoyed the festivities enough, it would tinge her conversations with her family with positivity, and thus reduce the chances for any kind of defiance. It gave her much to look forward to, even in her captivity, and that was important. Unhappy subjects were a liability.

“Of course, my lady, this is only a possibility if you prove yourself a loyal subject. I reward loyalty very generously,” he said after she stayed silent. “However, defiance is punished just as severely. I trust you have no intention of experiencing that.”

“No, Your Majesty,” she replied, her voice very quiet.

He nodded. He supposed the events with the rebels were still fresh in her mind. She had looked absolutely horrified when he’d attacked them. She had turned away from it all, too, clearly unable to stomach the violence. That fear alone would likely keep her in line even if she were not so docile.

“Good. We understand each other, then,” he said. “That will make things easier for us both. For now, worry about nothing. I will make sure you have appropriate clothing for the winter.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” she replied.

He nodded and continued eating his food. After they both finished, he got up.

“My lady, it has been a pleasure. I shall escort you to your room while Anton obtains your tincture from the medical wing,” he said.

Kyrie nodded and got up to follow him. Mateus then began the walk towards her room. He knew it was absolutely unnecessary, but it amused him to do so. Walking the hallways was a good way to stretch, and the way she quietly marched next to and slightly behind him in such a resigned, almost melancholic way was quite entertaining to him. He knew he was, in a way, her jailer, marching her to her dungeon cell, and it was likely exactly how she felt in spite of all the freedom she had. She would get used to it, in time.

As they approached the girl’s chambers, the guards that were stationed there immediately saluted him. Mateus gave them a quick nod. Kyrie opened the door and looked back at him awkwardly.

“Good night, Emperor,” she said.

“Good night, Kyrie of Bafsk.”

With that, he turned away and headed back to his room.

---------------

Kyrie sighed as she closed the door. This had gone… better than she expected. She had expected another awkward, silent dinner, but there had at least been some conversation. Some of the topics had been a bit… scary, but she felt she had navigated them well. It was… odd. She had expected him to be a terrible conversationalist who would do nothing but mock and insult her the entire dinner. It was true he hadn’t done that on the first dinner, but… well, that was different. She had a feeling he was sizing her up somehow. Still… it had been stressful. She honestly would prefer having dinner alone. Then again… the thought alone reminded her of how oddly lonely she was. She was fairly introverted, but she didn’t think she would really enjoy total solitude for more than a week or so. Even the Emperor’s occasional company was better than nothing.

In a couple days, she would be expected to go to the main hall. That was… intimidating. There would be many nobles there. They might not be particularly kind to a commoner. Ah, well… it couldn’t be helped. She had something to look forward to, at least. He might let her visit her family. Being able to write to them was a comfort, but being able to visit them would be a delight. If she didn’t know any better, she might think that the Emperor was being almost kind. But no. He had reasons to do what he was doing. Emperor Palamecia’s heart (if one could be said to exist) knew no kindness. Still, she’d take whatever good fortune came her way. For now, she sat down on a couch near the fireplace and waited for the Emperor’s personal assistant.

---------------

Once he was back in his room, Mateus went straight into his study. Dinner with the captive woman had turned out to be quite good for his mood. It had been quite entertaining, even if he had not yet really gained much understanding about whatever internal trait she had that paraded as strength. He was satisfied that it wasn’t the usual hatred-filled defiance that his enemies tended to display. He was looking forward to the chaos that her unassuming attitude would create once she was thrown into court life.

Being in a somewhat decent mood, he resigned himself to ruining it by sitting down to look over the day’s reports. He sighed. The first payment of the restitution was imminent. He frowned as he looked over the numbers again. Hilda was trying to cripple him. Doubtless she thought that such steep payments would force him to cut back on his military spending and power. As if it were that simple. Perhaps it worked that way in Fynn with its indulgent, placid culture, but he could not simply… dismiss soldiers. Or pay them any less. An angry or resentful soldier was a potential mercenary that could threaten his rule. Perhaps, he thought bitterly, that was, in fact, her aim. To destabilize Palamecia so he might still be taken out. He would not allow it. He would find a way to keep his current military forces busy and appeased.

Even more troubling, though, was the fact that he would have to attend personally to deliver the first payment. Keeping the truce was too important to leave this to chance. It had its drawbacks, though. He would surely be forced into some kind of public appearance. Just the thought of it was infuriating and humiliating. He would have to start thinking about his entourage. It would have to be picked carefully to maintain as much of his dignity as possible.

A knock on his door distracted him. Anton was likely back to report that he had delivered the girl’s tincture. There was the matter of the attendant position he had ordered him to find a suitable candidate for, too.

“Come in.”

“The tincture has been delivered, milord.”

“Very well. Have you found a candidate for becoming the girl's attendant?”

“Yes, milord. A woman by the name of Tilda, merely a year younger than yourself. She is loyal, discreet and well-versed on court etiquette.”

“That will do. Bring her to me tomorrow morning before breakfast, and I will personally explain what is needed from her.”

“Of course, milord.”

With that, Anton left. Mateus stood near the window for a moment, thoughtful. He looked out, looking at the sky, but not really seeing it. He had a lot of things on his mind. The restitution payments were going to be a constant worry. If Hilda had her way, she would have him paying a crippling amount for his entire lifetime. Palamecia might not be able to take that. If he was lucky, he might be able to negotiate a lesser term. Ten years, perhaps. No more than twenty. It would still hamstring his empire, but he could deal with that. After a moment, he shook his head and dressed in his night clothes, starting to get ready for bed and a sleep he knew would not come for a long time.

Chapter Text

The next morning, when Kyrie woke up, she could not help but think about how much of a difference it made that her medication was available. It was one less thing to worry about… and the Emperor had proven to be dependable enough for that, at least. She still disliked having to depend on him, but at least she could better concentrate on her studies if she didn’t also have to worry about her health failing on her. She got up, readying herself for the day. Today was the last day she’d be having breakfast in her room. She was nervous about it and wasn’t even sure what to expect. Would the nobles be cruel? Would the Emperor be there? There were so many things she didn’t know. She’d been reading a bit about etiquette in between her magic studies, but there were so many things she did not know. She had no idea how long it’d really take her to adapt, but she hoped it wouldn’t be too long. Very soon after the morning bells rang, she heard a knock on her door.

“Come in, please.”

She had expected to see the Emperor’s assistant again, but instead, the one who came in was a woman. She looked professional, her black hair tied into a bun, but with friendly hazel eyes, and she was carrying a tray with breakfast.

“Good morning, milady,” she said. “My name is Tilda, and Emperor Palamecia has assigned me to be your personal assistant.”

Personal assistant? Kyrie was shocked. She had not expected such a thing. Personal assistants were for rich people of status. Not for prisoners. She’d never needed such a thing. Perhaps it was just more supervision. Then again, she looked friendly enough. Maybe she could help her navigate the intricacies of this new existence.

“Good morning. It’s very nice to meet you,” Kyrie responded.

Tilda nodded with a polite smile and put the breakfast tray on the dining area. She then turned towards Kyrie.

“His Highness also informed me that you’re originally a foreigner, milady, so you may not be accustomed to many of the mannerisms of the court. He asked me to prepare you for that.”

“Oh! Really? I would appreciate that,” Kyrie said.

It was godsend, really. She didn’t think she’d handled etiquette that badly with the Emperor, but… maybe she had. Or maybe it was that he had noticed that she needed to look at his use of utensils to know what to do. Either way, having help was absolutely welcome.

Tilda nodded and then took the time to explain to Kyrie what kind of posture she should have while sitting, and what utensils to use for what, and how to use them. It was a lot of information. Kyrie wasn't sure if she would be able to remember everything by tomorrow. She knew she would get it eventually, but it was going to be a very awkward few weeks.

After breakfast, Kyrie couldn’t help but wonder how Tilda was going to go about being her assistant. Would she follow her everywhere like the guards did? Would she only follow her sometimes? Could she ask her about things? She did need to ask about that letter to her family. She might as well do so.

“Um… Ms. Tilda, I’d like to write a letter to my family, but… I don’t have any writing implements. Or envelopes. Or… well, anything,” Kyrie said.

“Oh,” Tilda said. She looked somewhat… sad, as if she perhaps felt a bit sorry about her. “I understand, milady. This is, of course, something that the Emperor must authorize. He explained you’re under his protection.”

Kyrie sighed. He kept calling it that. Or kept saying she was a guest. But the truth was different. She wondered how much Tilda knew about this situation. Did the Emperor tell her that she was a prisoner? A hostage? Or did he just go with calling it “being a guest”? She supposed she would never know. Tilda was clearly very professional. She wouldn’t call it what it was, regardless of what the Emperor had said.

“Can I… go and ask him after breakfast?” Kyrie asked.

“Oh, no, milady,” Tilda answered. “His Highness might get irritable if you interrupt him while he is busy. He starts working early and finishes late. It’s best to approach him at meal times, or right after, if he’s in a good mood. Luncheon is the best time for that. He usually goes to the great hall.”

“Oh, so… I should just go downstairs after luncheon?”

“Well… ever since he came back from the underworld, he has… not been in a good mood,” Tilda sighed.

That was news to Kyrie. He’d seemed perfectly normal the few times she’d seen him. He didn’t have a particularly friendly demeanor, of course, and he seemed cold and generally stern, but she’d thought that was just basically his normal state. Was he perhaps… different?

“I imagined he was always a stern man,” Kyrie said, curious.

“He is, milady. But he’s not always so irritable. We are glad to have him back, of course, but we do wonder what it is that weighs on him so.”

Kyrie wondered if it was the war, or if perhaps his time in the afterlife had done something to him. After his actions in the war, it was clear that he had not gone to heaven. She wasn’t sure what to think. On the one hand, he had chosen his path. On the other hand… she just never liked it when people suffered. She frowned. She hadn't really thought about it that way. That even this emperor could suffer.

“Well… that’s okay. I’ll ask the librarian for more paper and ink today and perhaps I can write my letter in the library.”

“If you wish, milady, I can go to him during tea time and ask on your behalf. He’s rarely busy at that time.”

“Oh! You’d do that? It’d be very appreciated. I could then write my letter afterwards.”

“Yes, of course. It’d be my pleasure, milady.”

“Thank you,” Kyrie said with a smile. Maybe this kind of supervision, unlike having guards following her around, wouldn’t be so bad after all.

---------------

Mateus stared at Johan and Cuthbert.

“A ball? Next Friday?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. This was the important thing they’d held him back after the morning meeting for?

“Yes, Your Highness,” Cuthbert said. Lady Blackwell and Lady Webster are organizing it to celebrate your return to us. Your attendance is required.”

“The young single ladies of the court will be there,” Johan said. “It’s an excellent opportunity to get to know them in a proper social setting, my lord.”

Mateus had to suppress a frown.

“Please. I do not require such events to get to know the residents of my own castle. I see most, if not all, near daily at luncheon,” Mateus said.

“But you’ll attend, of course?” Cuthbert asked.

“Yes,” Mateus said. “I cannot dismiss a show of goodwill from my loyal subjects. I will attend.”

A week. Perhaps it would be just enough time. If all went well, he would be able to enact his plan with Kyrie. It was a bit earlier than he had anticipated, it was true. But this kind of celebration was the perfect time to make an important royal announcement and send a message to the court. It would make the event interesting, if nothing else. Mateus generally hated social events, but he knew the court’s reaction to Kyrie would be most entertaining.

He did realize that he had not bothered to ask the girl her last name. It had not really mattered, but tomorrow, when she would first join everyone in the main hall for meals… then he would need it. The girl's personal assistant would report to him at the end of every day, but he needed that information by tomorrow around noon.

“I need one of you to find the girl who now lives in the Rose Chamber and ask her for her full name. Report it to me today,” he said.

“I’ll do it, Your Highness,” Johan said.

“Very good. Preferably, have it by the next meeting.”

Johan nodded. He looked… rather intrigued about the prospect of meeting the young woman. Mateus shrugged it off. It was true that Johan had a certain… fame to him, but he surely wouldn’t try anything. Johan knew that the girl was a commoner. She would be of no interest to him. For now, he would just head to the main hall for luncheon.

---------------

Kyrie was satisfied that she had finally learned which utensil to use for what during a meal. Tilda nodded with a smile.

“This is especially important in luncheon,” Tilda said. “It’s the most important meal of the day. His Majesty usually eats at the main hall at luncheon.”

“Oh… that’s right. You mentioned that. Is he there for other meals?”

“Rarely. Occasionally, he will join us for supper, but he is a rather reserved man.

“Right,” Kyrie said. The fact that the Emperor rarely joined the nobles for any meal other than luncheon really highlighted its importance. She would have to be extra careful during that time.

“And the salt blessing is done on all of the meals, right?”

“Yes, of course,” Tilda replied. “We consider it very important. In most meals, though, it’s a personal thing and everyone just blesses their own food. But if the Emperor is present, then it becomes a more ceremonial thing and he blesses everyone’s food. It’s considered a huge honor.”

Kyrie nodded. Court etiquette was complex and there was a lot of information she still had to learn, but at least she knew the absolute basics for now. She’d need practice, of course, but she was slightly less terrified about the next day. It was still going to be awkward. At least she wasn’t completely alone in this. Tilda had been genuinely so helpful and patient.

“Do you think the nobles will be cruel when they see me?” Kyrie asked. She figured that the answer was obvious. Many nobles were usually cruel or entitled when dealing with commoners, in her experience. And these were nobles in Castle Palamecia, which, from what she knew, was a cold, hostile place. The castle’s towers and its imposing hallways certainly gave that impression, and the Emperor’s reputation absolutely didn’t help.

“The nobles in the castle are very wary of anyone they consider an outsider, milady,” Tilda answered. “I think it’s good that His Highness has given you clothes that will make you fit in with the court. It will help. But they still will see you as an outsider and may say unkind things.”

“I suppose that’s all I could have expected,” Kyrie sighed.

“I am sure the Emperor will make it clear that you’re under his protection,” Tilda said in a consoling tone. “After all, he is the one who brought you here. He won’t let people just disrespect you openly like that.”

“I hope so,” Kyrie said. Then again… she was nothing but a prisoner to him. Why would he bother? She shook her head. It was probably best not to think about that. “I suppose I’ll head to the library for now.”

“Of course, milady,” Tilda nodded. “I will meet up with you there, after taking these plates back to the kitchen.”

“Alright. Thank you,” Kyrie said, getting up and leaving the room.

As she headed towards the library, followed by the guards that had been stationed outside her room, she thought about how she didn’t know what she’d do if she didn’t have access to it. It was definitely not an ideal situation. Her dream was to study at the Mysidian academy, and that definitely seemed out of reach entirely now. But this was a lot better than the libraries she’d had access to before. They actually had advanced texts! And, being a castle, they probably had training facilities where she could practice her magic. She’d have to ask about that, but… not for a bit. She wanted to get used to the castle first. She barely felt comfortable making the trip from her room to the library. Tomorrow she’d have to get used to walking to the main hall, too. She hadn’t even gone to look for the gardens yet, and she loved gardens.

After entering the library and starting to look for the book she wanted, she wondered what the castle gardens would be like. Perhaps they would be entirely functional and severe, matching the Emperor’s personality and the castle’s external aesthetics. Maybe they would be beautiful, maintained by others and ignored by the Emperor. She wondered if there would be flowers. The mountain climate seemed harsher than she had expected it to be. She could often hear the wind whistling through the windows, or rattling them. She didn’t know what garden flowers could grow in a mountain climate like this.

Finally, she found the book on magic she was reading and sat down to continue her studies. She’d only had a couple of days with this book, but she still had learned more than she had for a long time. The fact that she was starting to feel almost confident enough to practice the new information was a clear sign of how giddy she was about it. Her mood immediately improved as she read. While studying, she could almost forget the fact that she was a prisoner. Later, she would get to write a letter to her family. In spite of not being happy about her imprisonment… in the end, it was an improvement over her stay at the Wilson manor, at least in some ways.

A while afterwards, a man approached her. She did not initially notice him, but turned towards him when he cleared his throat. She was surprised to see him. He was a noble, quite clearly, and she had no idea why he would have anything to say to her. He had lightly tanned skin, dark hair and handsome, but very arrogant features.

“Um. Hello, sir. Is something… wrong?” she asked.

“Are you the woman who is staying in the Rose Chamber?” he asked.

“Yes, sir.”

“Ah. So it is you. It is not every day that the Emperor brings someone new to the castle. I must wonder what it is he is thinking. You must have truly caught his eye. Quite a unique situation,” the noble man said.

Kyrie had no idea what to say to that. It was an odd thing to say. Caught the Emperor’s eye? What was he talking about? Maybe he had no idea what the situation was.

“Ah, but forgive me. His Majesty sent me to ask you for your full name.”

“My… full name?” she repeated, confused. Then she realized that she had only ever told him her first name. “Oh. It’s Kyrie. Kyrie Solwood.”

She didn’t know why he would want her full name, or why he wouldn’t just ask Tilda, since she clearly was around in part to supervise her. Maybe there was some paperwork that was pending. Perhaps prisoners also had to be registered and, since she was not in a dungeon, it was just something that needed to be asked.

“Ah. Miss Solwood, then. Very well. I suppose I will be seeing you tomorrow at the great hall,” the noble man said.

“Um, yes. I… suppose so,” Kyrie replied.
The man turned and left, leaving her alone in the library. She felt rather confused, not knowing what to make of the noble’s words and attitude. It wasn’t quite hostile, but it made her feel odd for some reason. She frowned for a while before going back to her studies. She had a lot of information she wanted to read before tea time interrupted her reading.

A few hours later Kyrie got up when she heard the bells that signaled tea hour. She went to her room, where Tilda served her tea, and then left. At the end of tea hour, Tilda entered Kyrie’s room, holding a box.

“I have spoken to the Emperor, milady,” Tilda said. “He wishes you to have this box. He wishes it will be most useful to you.”

“Oh! Thank you,” Kyrie said.

She took the box from Tilda and opened it. Inside, there was paper, and envelopes, as well as a couple of quills and a bottle of ink. She gasped, delighted.

“Oh! He really sent this! I can write to my family now,” she said.

“Yes, milady. If you want, you can write it now, so that it may be sent as soon as possible. I can take it to the Emperor tonight. If so, it can probably get sent as early as tomorrow,” Tilda said.

Kyrie nodded with a smile and walked over to the desk to begin writing. She couldn't help but note how beautiful the quills were, and the quality of the paper. She wondered if they had belonged to the Emperor or if they had just been found in some storage room. The castle obviously had very fancy furniture, as well as silverware, dishware, and other such things. Perhaps that extended to writing implements, though, in her rather uneducated opinion, these were too fancy even for that. At the very least, they were far fancier than the writing implements she had borrowed in the library. Either way, she was very thankful for having them.

She had to pause for a moment as she began to write her letter. She had to be careful. While she did want to tell them about her situation, she also knew that she couldn't outright explain that the Emperor had basically kidnapped her. How could she explain how she had ended up under his… protection? She decided to play up the issue with Seth and the rebels a bit and how the Emperor had stepped up against those situations. It was stretching the truth, but what choice did she have? She stressed that she was perfectly safe and made much of the fact that she had access to the best library she had ever seen, and had a lot of time to read. She talked about the food and how the culture was fascinating. None of it was exactly a lie, though she definitely skewed the narrative positively. She didn’t have a choice. And yet, writing about the good things she still had in this situation made her feel… better. She supposed it was always a good idea to remind oneself of the silver lining. It was always there.

Once she finished writing, she waited a moment for the ink to dry before she carefully folded the letter and put it in an envelope. She then put away the box with the writing implements into the desk’s drawer and handed the letter to Tilda.

“I’ll take it to the Emperor at dinnertime,” Tilda said. “He will probably approve it so it can be sent by tomorrow.”

“That’ll be wonderful, thank you,” Kyrie said with a nod and a smile. “I can’t wait for my parents to write back. I haven’t seen them in months.”

“With airship communication, it shouldn’t take too long to get an answer back, milady,” Tilda said.

“I’m very glad for that.”

The rest of the day was uneventful. Kyrie became somewhat more nervous as night approached. She was, for the most part, ready for whatever the next day would bring, but she couldn’t help but be nervous about the unknown. She hated the fact that she was going to be facing those nobles alone. She felt as if she were being thrown to a pack of imps unarmed. At least… if the nobles tore her to pieces, it was only going to be in a metaphorical way. She could deal with that, in time.

---------------

Mateus read Kyrie’s letter to her parents. It was… carefully written. She had managed to write about all the events that had happened… and somehow managed to spin it into something either neutral or positive. It was… kind of fascinating, really. He was pretty sure from her demeanor that she didn’t feel as positively as she conveyed in the letter. There was great care in the manner in with which she chose her words. He liked that. It would serve her well in court.

Her composure and resilience, though, intrigued him. He had changed her life and taken her freedom in a single day, and yet she kept dealing with it with a certain dignity. Finding her had been a boon he had not expected, and the more he found out about her, the more of a boon she became. A commoner was exactly what he needed to send a message to the court, but everything became so much easier if said commoner was also composed and resourceful. Tomorrow would be very interesting indeed. He was looking forward to watching tomorrow’s events unfold.

He carefully folded the letter and put it back into the envelope. He then sealed it and put it among the letters that would be sent the next morning. For all the things that were going horribly for him… at least this was one thing he probably would not have to worry much about.

He got up from his desk and walked over to his dressing table to begin to prepare himself for sleep. He combed his hair carefully, his mind on all of the upcoming events and issues plaguing his thoughts. He was pretty sure of who would be in his entourage on the upcoming visit to Fynn, at least. Now it was time to start planning all of the logistics. It was going to be a nightmare, too, since the weather was going to be dreadful for traveling soon. He would likely have to travel part of the way by land before taking an airship. It would be convenient if he could simply teleport himself and his entourage directly to Fynn, but that would send a problematic message. It could not be helped. He would have to do things in a more pedestrian manner.

After loosely braiding his hair, he did his best to still his racing thoughts, and laid down to try to sleep.

---------------

The next morning, Kyrie woke up earlier than usual due to being so nervous. She felt far less ready than she had felt the night before. For a moment, she considered skipping breakfast, but she knew that wouldn't do. There were a lot of hours from here to luncheon. She would just have to deal with the nobles. Waking up so early, she at least had some extra time to make herself presentable to make as good a first impression as possible.

She got dressed and then worked on applying some makeup and getting her hair looking just right. Thank goodness for the accessories the Emperor had given her, she thought as she got ready. She’d felt weird when she first saw them, and would have preferred keeping her familiar comfortable style of clothing, but the thought of facing a room full of nobles looking so out of place was horrifying. As she was getting done with her hair, Tilda knocked on the door and entered.

“Oh! Good morning, milady. I am glad to see you’re almost done getting ready,” Tilda said. “It’s rather early, though.”

“Yes. I woke up a bit early. I… suppose I’m a bit nervous,” Kyrie said.

“Everything will be fine, milady. It’s true the nobles in the castle can be harsh, but they are not likely to be overtly rude to you,” Tilda said, approaching Kyrie. “None of them will want to look bad in front of others. Here, let me help you. A more fancy hairdo fashionable with the nobles here would work very well for your first time at the great hall. And we have plenty of time for that.”

Kyrie stayed still as Tilda started working on her hair. She was so thankful she was here. Even if she had to deal with the nobles all on her own, at least there was some kind of ally to turn to afterwards who could help her navigate these things.

“But the nobles won’t be nice, either, will they?” Kyrie asked.

“No, milady. They will have trouble accepting a new face in the court, especially because you don’t come from a big, noble Palamecian house.”

“Ah, I see. I suppose it will be best if I pick a nice place to sit at that’s rather out of the way, then. That way, I won’t come across as some kind of intruder.”

“Oh, no, milady. Seats at the great hall are assigned. Someone will usher you to the spot that’s yours. Spots are assigned by status.”

“Oh. Good. I’ll be assigned a small corner spot, I suppose. That’d be the best option. Do you know what spot has been assigned for me?”

“No, milady. But you are likely correct in that it will be a nice spot close to the entrance, and far from where you’d get too much attention.”

“Thank goodness,” Kyrie sighed in relief.

Tilda continued working on Kyrie’s hair until it was arranged in an ornate little style that still managed to keep a bit of elegant simplicity to it. Her hair had been braided in such a way that it became a bit of an adornment. She loved it.

“Oh, thank you, Tilda!” Kyrie exclaimed. “It looks wonderful!”

“You’re most welcome, milady,” Tilda answered. “This will help you blend in better with Palamecian style, and ease your introduction to the court.”

Kyrie nodded. Soon enough, it was time to head to have breakfast. Kyrie followed Tilda downstairs, paying attention to the path from her room to the main hall. As she approached, she could hear voices. A good number of nobles were already there, possibly to socialize. That was uncomfortable. She just knew they would stare. Thank goodness her place would be towards the entrance. She wouldn’t have to walk too long, and thus it wouldn’t give people a lot of time to notice her. Half the room probably wouldn’t.

A very serious butler stood at the entrance, with the imperturbable air of a glacier. He glanced at Kyrie, his body language changing subtly, making him look almost imposing, and causing her to stop.

“Name?” the butler asked.

“Kyrie Solwood,” she replied quietly.

“Ah. Right. Follow me.”

She followed the butler in as Tilda stayed behind. The first nobles turned to look at the stranger, walking behind the butler. They passed the first table. More nobles stared. They passed the next table. And the next. Yet another. Finally, she was led up the dais to the main table. The room fell silent, every noble staring, as the butler pointed to a seat close, but not quite at the edge of the table. Kyrie’s heart was pounding. The silence in the main hall was crushing as every pair of eyes in the room was firmly on her as she sat down.

Chapter Text

Kyrie fought the urge to cower as the nobles all stared at her, some with undisguised shock, and others with some curiosity, the room so silent she could hear the rustling of clothing as people shifted to get a better look at her. She noticed the same man who had asked about her name in the library, sitting a few seats from her towards the center of the table. He was giving her an almost amused look.

The whispers started. Kyrie's heart pounded harder as her keen hearing managed to pick up some of the things that were being said. It took all her willpower to keep her face stoic and dignified with some of the things she heard.

“Oh, look at her. Not from any noble family I know.”

“I heard the Emperor picked up another stray.”

“At least it's a woman this time.”

“A strange woman in that position? Not like he’s ever paid much attention to women before. He must be in great need of amusement.”

“Some ambitious woman, trying to seduce the Emperor?”

“Oh no need to worry. I'm sure it's just his new… acquisition. You know how eccentric emperors can be. He will discard her as soon as he grows bored.”

There were harsh words. Kyrie wanted to hide under the table, or run away, or something. She stayed put, though, acting as though she could not hear what people were saying about her. She didn't know if they were aware she could hear as much as she could. She doubted they would care, though. Even if she wasn't supposed to hear them, the stares, some outright hostile, were perfectly visible.

The whispers continued until, all of a sudden, they went silent. This, Kyrie noticed, was not a silence from shock, but from… fear? She could tell from the expressions. Turning towards the door, she saw why. The Emperor walked into the dining hall, heading straight to his spot at the head of the main table. He glanced at her as he walked up the dais, a small amused grin on his lips as he saw her seated quietly.

“Good morning,” he said to the table at large.

“Emperor Palamecia! It is a surprise to see you here at breakfast,” the noble Kyrie met at the library said. “What brings Your Majesty down to the main hall?”

“Ah, so you noticed,” the Emperor replied with a grin. “I must say, my absence at breakfast leaves a lot of room for… speculation. I would think that perhaps it is time for a reminder about the… importance of small things. There is much to observe, after all, in how my court begins its day.”

Kyrie noticed how he glanced at her for a moment as he spoke. She was… confused. He’d come downstairs for breakfast, a meal he usually took alone, to watch his court? Or… to watch her?

“I must ask, Your Highness,” another noble said, his tone becoming bold. “The… new young lady. Why is she… here?”

Mateus’s face became quite serious, and his gaze sharp.

“Ah, so my new guest has piqued your interest, I see. A wise court, of course, will treat her with the utmost respect.”

“O-of course, Your Majesty,” the noble said.

“My lord, you most definitely have an eye for… rather unique individuals. This young lady must have some wonderful traits to her. May I ask what it is that drew you to her?” the first noble asked. “Aside from her wonderful luck in meeting you.”

“Your interest in my affairs is noted, Johan. I do trust it is purely academic.”

His voice was like ice and the nobles quickly backed away from asking anything else. The whispers were silent too, but the stares did not stop. To Kyrie, it almost made the air feel thick and hostile, like some kind of foul syrup. She knew that the nobles, silent as they were, still had all those thoughts and questions in their minds. They only did not dare to voice them because the Emperor was there. She was… thankful, even though she doubted there was any benevolence to his gesture.

After breakfast was served, everyone stayed still. The Emperor got up, took a fancy, golden bowl encrusted with gems that formed the shape of a phoenix, and then walked in front of the table. He lifted the bowl a bit, ceremoniously.

“May the rain bestow its blessings upon our sacred land of Palamecia, and may it nourish our spirits so that we may triumph against any odds that stack against us,” he said, his voice resounding all over the hall with his ceremonial tone.

He proceeded to sprinkle salt on every single plate in the dining hall, starting with the ones on the main table, moving down one side of the room and returning through the other side to sit back on his seat. After a gesture from him, people finally began to eat.

In spite of how mortifying it was to be stared at, Kyrie was, in a way, relieved to be surrounded by so many people. In order to confirm she was following the correct social etiquette, she didn’t have to turn to try to steal a glance at what someone else was doing. Wherever she turned, she could see someone. And, though people did still stare once in a while, they also started talking among themselves, and thus couldn’t spend their whole time focusing on her, or any one thing for that matter. For a moment, she felt it was almost less uncomfortable than the two times she’d had dinner with the Emperor. Then again, she reflected, it wasn’t that he was unpleasant to be around, exactly. It was really just that he had a very intense stare, and he tended to do it a lot. Perhaps her initial thought was wrong. At least the Emperor didn’t whisper horrid things like what she’d heard when she’d first entered the main hall.

With the Emperor present, breakfast went smoothly. The nobles went back to what Kyrie felt was their normal behavior. The Emperor didn’t call any more attention to her, and did not interact with her directly. The young noble she’d seen in the library, Johan, kept talking to the Emperor, who would occasionally add something, but mostly seemed to be listening and nodding. An older noble would sometimes add to the conversation. His name, Kyrie learned, was Cuthbert. He had a kind expression, though it was also… sad, in a way. She wondered why, but she figured she would never know.

Though the Emperor’s presence took a lot of attention off of her, Kyrie was still quite stressed out. She had some trouble focusing on the breakfast itself. It was good. For all her complaints about how overspiced Palamecian food was compared to what she had grown up with, their cheese was excellent. But in the end, she kept catching people giving her mocking, hostile glances once in a while, and they would sometimes whisper right afterwards. People were being more careful, though, and she heard less of what they were saying. What little she did catch, though, was much the same kind of thing she’d heard when entering the dining hall. The nobles were curious, albeit in a rather hostile kind of way. They probably thought she was here for their power or something. If only they knew. All she wanted was access to the library so she could study to be a mage.

After breakfast, nobles began to stand up, ready to leave to start their days properly. Kyrie, too, got up, and so did the Emperor. She glanced at him and he met her gaze for a moment. He had an oddly curious expression, which surprised her, since he usually looked almost hostile. He said nothing, though, and then walked away. She, too, walked out of the dining hall. She could feel the stares of the nobles that were still socializing at their tables, but she ignored them. She gave a sigh of relief as she finally crossed the doors to leave the main hall. Tilda was already there, waiting, ready to walk with her to the library.

“How did it go, milady?” she asked as they walked, once they were out of earshot from the nobles.

“It went… better than I expected. And worse, too. It was… stressful. But… well, it’s done. It’s probably going to be better at luncheon,” Kyrie replied.

“I heard the Emperor actually came down for breakfast,” Tilda said.

“He did. I thought he only showed up for the luncheon,” Kyrie said.

“That… has been the case for most of His Majesty’s rule,” Tilda said. “He only rarely shows up for other meals. I understand he greatly values having some time to himself. But he also works so hard, and most of his work means he deals with so many people. Luncheon is important, so of course he attends it, but him coming down for other meals is… almost unheard of. I wonder why he chose to come to breakfast today.”

“I don’t know. But I’m kind of glad he did,” Kyrie sighed. “The nobles were saying some awful things. Once they saw him, though, most of them didn’t dare to keep staring and whispering.”

“The court can be cruel,” Tilda nodded. “And you’re a new face. They worry about their status. Perhaps that’s why His Majesty showed up today. He knows the effect his presence has on the court.”

“You think so?” Kyrie asked. She wasn’t sure. Wouldn’t that amount to, in a way, protecting her? Why would he bother to do such a thing? Wouldn’t that require him to have something at least resembling a heart?

“It’s… possible,” Tilda said, her tone uncertain. “It’s… not something he’s… known for doing. But you’re his guest, right? He wouldn’t want the court to be too cruel to you. And I’m sure that he knows that they would be especially cruel to you, milady.”

“To me in particular? Why?”

“Well, milady, you’re… a woman,” Tilda said, delicately.

“I don’t follow. There’s plenty of women in the castle.”

“But none of them are his personal guests,” Tilda said. “The Emperor is twenty-eight years old. A lot of people are expecting that, now that there’s peace, he will finally settle down and begin to build his legacy. And a number of powerful families want to be in his sight for when he finally chooses to do this. So they may be unhappy about seeing a new face around, especially a woman.”

“Oh. I… see.”

How ironic. Even the great Emperor Palamecia, with all his power, was not immune to the pressures of society. It made sense that the nobles would be unhappy to see her. But… what did they know? She wasn’t here to threaten any of them, or to gain power. She was a captive. If she could leave tomorrow, she would. The library was great, yes, but… it was kind of just a consolation prize. She’d rather have her freedom. And yet, it seemed even Tilda didn’t really understand why she was here at all. She, too, believed that she was the Emperor’s guest, it seemed. Kyrie sighed. Why was the Emperor leaning into this narrative? It wasn’t like he was above taking prisoners. He was a tyrant. Tyrants took prisoners, or killed them. They didn’t just… bring guests to their castles.

They reached the library and thus became silent. Kyrie walked over to the magic books to continue her studies. Tilda sat nearby, working on some embroidery as Kyrie continued her studies. She had so much to learn, but she was also progressing more than she ever had. She wondered why this kind of advanced information was so hard to come by in places accessible to commoners. If she’d had books like this in her local library… the Mysidians wouldn't have been able to dismiss her so easily. In fact, even if they hadn’t readily accepted her, she was sure she’d be well on her way to being a proper mage. At least… in theory. She would still need practice… and towns were not particularly good places for training in magic. At least here, in Palamecia Castle, she would find appropriate training grounds for magic users.

As she studied, she couldn’t help but notice a few noblewomen entering the library. That was unusual in her experience. She glanced at Tilda, who also looked surprised to see the young ladies in the library. The ladies sat out of view, but, in the silence of the library, absolutely not out of earshot. As much as Kyrie wanted to concentrate fully on her studies, it was hard once the young ladies began whispering. At first, it was just whispering about what books to try out. But then, the topic shifted to, of all things, breakfast.

“I never expected such a scandalous situation,” one of them said. “What is he thinking?”

“You know how men are. He must be desperately bored,” a second one said.

“You’re right. That must be it. I suppose it must be hard for him to adjust to peace. But… she doesn’t have the bearing of a noblewoman, does she?”

“Come now. The Emperor wouldn’t amuse himself with someone worthy. He’ll save the nobles for when he’s actually ready.”

“Still. A commoner. I hope he hides her if we have guests.”

Tilda looked at Kyrie with worry. Kyrie gave her a resigned sigh, turning back to her books. The comments stung, it was true. But what could she do? If she confronted them, she would fall into their games. They were not directly confronting her, so it would be unseemly to engage them herself. She would simply bear it with stoicism. It was the best she could do, especially as a captive. She had no power in this court. Confronting the nobles was futile. In the end, what Tilda said made sense. They just felt threatened. That was what fueled their cruelty. Perhaps showing them that she was not a threat to them would work.

The ladies seemed to get bored with their gossip after a while. Perhaps they had hoped for some reaction from her, or maybe they thought they might cause her to leave the library. It was also possible that the books they were reading just didn’t hold their attention. Whatever the cause, they left after a time. Kyrie sighed in relief. It had been getting increasingly difficult to keep her stoic demeanor with some of the horrid things they said. They seriously thought that she was the Emperor’s… mistress? She shook her head. People could be strange.

“Are you okay, milady?” Tilda asked.

“Yeah. I think so,” Kyrie replied with a sigh. “It's just the same stuff they were saying at breakfast before the Emperor got there.”

“If you want to take a walk in the gardens, it might do you good. I could accompany you there.”

“Thank you. It’s okay. I think I’ll just keep studying for now. Maybe later,” Kyrie replied. “Or maybe, if it’s okay, I could just take a walk around the castle at night.”

“Oh, no, milady. You shouldn’t do that,” Tilda said, alarmed.

“Why not?” Kyrie asked. She had not expected Tilda to sound like that.

“Well… it’s because the castle is haunted,” she replied.

“...Haunted?”

“Yes. At night, a ghost wanders the hallways of the castle. No one likes being out of their rooms at night. They say if you approach it, it will drain the spark of life from you.”

“That sounds terrifying.”

“It is, milady. Even the guards don’t like wandering from their posts late at night lest the ghost takes their spark of life. Swords will not work against a ghost.”

“Right. I suppose I’ll stay out of the hallways at night,” Kyrie said. “I’d rather not run into a ghost, either.”

So… the castle was, indeed, as haunted as it looked. She shook her head. In the end, it made sense. Palamecia’s history, little as she knew of it, had always been harsh, due to the unforgiving climate of their territory, as well as the belligerent culture such a place fostered. That last part had only increased under the Emperor’s rule. At least the ghost only really came out at night. She normally wouldn’t have any reason to be walking the hallways at such times.

The ghost was definitely less of a worry than the nobles. As long as she stayed in her room at night, she would never even see the ghost. The nobles, on the other hand, she had to see daily. Their words changed nothing about her situation, but they hurt, and she would have to listen to them until they grew bored with their own gossip. Some of them apparently would even come to the library to share their wild speculation. Still, if she still got to access these books, it was worth it. Shaking the thoughts of the ghost as well as the cruel words of the nobles, Kyrie went back to her studies.

---------------

Mateus hadn’t been particularly enthused about the idea of taking his meals in the great hall. Luncheon was one thing. It was the main meal and he did need to keep an eye on the court. He needed to know which noble was allying with whom, and it was also important to simply observe how they behaved around him. However, it was also incredibly important to him to have some time to himself. People were exhausting, and he had to deal with them for most of his day. If it weren't so important to keep tabs on the court, he wouldn't even have luncheon at the main hall. And now, he had something new to keep an eye on.

Kyrie. Her situation was, at first glance, not all that different from Leon’s. She was a commoner, and fate had thrown her into his path in a way he couldn't just ignore. Leon, however, had been a fighter. He had been easy to manipulate with the promise of power. He had been useful, too, becoming the best general he’d ever had, even if he also tended to go a bit… mad with power. And then, quite predictably, he’d become a traitor. The ungrateful worm had even tried to usurp his throne the moment the rebels had struck him down! Kyrie was, on the other hand, not a fighter at all. She was weak. He doubted he would need to manipulate her by tempting her with power. She was, thankfully, docile, and would likely adapt to his plans just fine.

That said, her demeanor vexed him, too. She was the definition of powerless; something he would normally call pathetic. And yet… it could not be denied that she was dealing with her situation much better than he expected. He knew his court. As he had been approaching the main hall, he’d heard them whispering. He didn’t hear anything in particular due to the acoustics, but he knew they were likely saying nasty things about the stranger in their midst. But when he’d entered, she looked composed. Dignified, either. He wanted to observe this strange kind of power that he did not understand. He wanted to test it, too. At luncheon, he would get his first chance to do so. It was finally time to truly put his plans into motion.

Chapter Text

By luncheon, Mateus already had a headache. Far too many nobles had been seeking an audience with him. Most of them had extremely petty grievances and petitions, and, more than once, he had been tempted to use one of his spells to make an example out of them. He’d outright dismissed a couple of the nobles, rather harshly, too. He hated these interruptions, especially when he was so busy. There was so much planning to do for the trip to Fynn, aside from everything that still needed to be done to rebuild Palamecia, let alone connecting it to the new territories.

And now he had a short break before he had to go to the main hall and… converse with nobles. The worst part was that a couple of them, like Johan, tended to not shut up. His attendance was necessary, though. He left the throne room, intending to walk around for a while to clear his head. As he walked, he saw a rather unexpected figure approaching him. It was Tilda, Kyrie’s assistant. He raised an eyebrow as she got to him and bowed.

“I thought I told you to keep a close eye on my guest,” Mateus said.

“My apologies, Your Highness. But I had an important report to deliver.”

“Deliver it, then.”

“The nobles have been whispering about Lady Kyrie.”

“Obviously. How did the girl take it?”

“She’s been very composed, Your Highness.”

“So what, then, would the problem be?”

“A few of the nobles actually followed to the library in order to whisper, in earshot. I was with Lady Kyrie at the time, so I heard it all.”

“And?”

“They… think she might be your mistress, Your Highness.”

“Excuse me?”

“Yes, Your Highness. They are implying that… well… you might be… bored. And she is your… entertainment.”

Mateus wasn’t sure what to say for a moment. His… mistress? What were they thinking? That could be a dangerous scandal. As much he loved ruling, sometimes he really hated the nobles that he had to deal with. He shook his head. This was unacceptable.

“Who dared speak such drivel?”

“The young ladies of the Webster and Blanchard families were the ones in the library. I know such things were said in the main hall too, but I was not there.”

“Hmph. I shall take steps to stamp this out,” Mateus said. “I will not tolerate dissenters trying to create scandals where they do not belong.”

“If I may, Your Highness?”

“Yes?”

“I believe that the main cause for this speculation is simply due to curiosity, both about Lady Kyrie as well as about you and the choices you may make for your future,” Tilda said. “Perhaps the young ladies, especially, are merely… jealous.”

“Jealous? Ludicrous,” Mateus said, shaking his head. “All it is is feckless bleating, and ought to be silenced.”

“As you say, Your Majesty,” Tilda said and bowed her head.

“I extend my thanks for the timely report,” Mateus said. “Go back to your duties.”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

He watched Tilda bow and leave. She had been well-picked by his attendant. She was perceptive, and her reports were detailed and pertinent. She was loyal, too. At least… for now. Humanity did have a rather abhorrent tendency towards treason. As much as he would appreciate being able to navigate life without having to expect being stabbed in the back, he knew it was impossible. That was just life, especially in the court. He went back to his pacing, unwilling to let go of this moment of respite in his day. People in the castle knew better than to interrupt him while he was pacing. It was only a minute after the luncheon bell rang that he stopped, hardened his gaze and walked to the main hall. He was quite eager to see how the court would react to what he had in mind.

As he approached the main hall, he saw servants stiffen as they noticed him. He heard the voices from inside the main hall, too. People were unaware of how well he could hear, and he kept it that way, especially among the castle inhabitants. It was very convenient, and if he brought up something he heard later, at the right time, he often left people wondering how he had found it out. It added to his mystique. As an emperor, this was extremely important.

Even his keen hearing was not immune to the effects of echoes and noise, however. He could not make out every word, but he heard enough. There were, of course, the words that coincided with what the attendant had reported. ‘Mistress’. ‘Scandal’. ‘Plaything’. He almost rolled his eyes. Was that really all they could think of? What an appalling lack of creativity. Then there was the tone. He most certainly didn’t understand people and their interest in the sensational, but he had absolutely learned to detect the tone and body language that people used when they were gossiping, as well as a few others that helped him detect probable treason, deception, discontent, and other such problems before they could become a problem. Such things had to be nipped in the bud, after all.

He walked into the main hall, enjoying as the nobles became quiet and making a mental note of which of them also went pale, possibly wondering whether he’d heard any of their gossip. He’d keep an especially close eye on those. He did not make any outward sign that he’d heard anything or noticed the nervousness of a number of them, including the young lady Webster, whom Tilda had noted participated in the whispering at the library. Turning towards the main table, he saw his advisors already there, along with Kyrie. Given the things Tilda had reported, he expected to see her looking upset, and possibly humbled. Red eyes, perhaps, with her gaze cast downwards.

He glanced at her as he climbed the dais. His gaze lingered on her for a moment as he processed what he saw. She did not look upset, though he knew she had to be. She looked quiet and stoic, almost… dignified, if not for the slight defects in her posture from the lack of noble training. It was… unexpected. Yes, she was resilient- frustratingly so, since he could not understand it. But did such resilience also extend to social settings, especially in a person who so clearly possessed useless emotions? How? More puzzles to solve, he supposed. A servant handed him the ceremonial bowl for the salt blessing and he took it. With practiced ease, he went through the gestures, the steps and the words. It was an important ceremony, and he gave it the solemnity it deserved. The theatrics these kinds of things took was not something that came naturally to him, but he’d become quite good at it. Afterwards, he sat down and waited for the meal to be served. Once everyone had settled down, he raised his hand. The room immediately went silent. He looked around the room, making sure each and every noble could feel the weight of his gaze.

“It has come to my attention that some among you have found yourselves with far too much time in your hands. Your tongues have become idle, indulging in frivolous chatter at the expense of imperial matters,” he said, his tone icy. He did not even have to raise his voice. “It seems I must remind you all that it is not whispers which bolster the strength of the empire, but actions. I expect each and every one of you to serve the imperial crown with unwavering loyalty. Or is it, perhaps, that you believe yourselves above such obligations?”

He lowered his voice slightly at that last sentence, his gaze hardening as it lingered on every noble in front of him. He delighted in their clear discomfort, pausing to let them truly absorb his words.

“Everyone in the empire has a role to fulfill, and a position in accordance with that role. Those who fail to align themselves with the needs of the empire may find that their place in this court is no more,” he continued. He paused again, noting the uncomfortable glances that the nobles were exchanging while they also tried to hide it. Finally, Mateus raised his goblet. “To the glory and continued prosperity of Palamecia- and the actions that make them possible.”

The nobles raised their goblets to make the toast. Mateus grinned slightly. This would keep them in check, for now. It wouldn’t take too long for their tongues to become idle again, especially with winter right around the corner. By the time they started gossiping again, though, it would be time for the ball and he’d send his message. They’d gossip again then, but they would do so at their own peril. He doubted any of them would be foolish enough to say anything too troublesome then.

The meal continued normally after that, though the mood seemed more subdued than normal. Mateus didn’t mind. Silence was good for headaches, and while this wasn’t full silence, he welcomed any kind of break he could get. His evening would be a busy one too, after all. And he still needed to do his training session, as well as various other studies. Things would settle down slightly once some of the war repairs were finished. Things would still be rough with the restitution payments, of course, but, well, he could always make up for some of it with the new territories. Bafsk, at least, had fertile lands. It would help to at least ensure food distribution could continue in the empire. Hungry peasants, after all, could not work. As he was considering all of these things and planning for various scenarios and possible problems, his thoughts were rudely interrupted by Johan.

“And of course, certain gatherings and parties would alleviate the dreariness of winter, do you not agree, Your Highness?” Johan asked.

“Hm. Perhaps,” he replied, quickly processing what the advisor had been talking about. “There are, however, many things that require my attention through the winter. I do not want any of these gatherings to interfere with my duties, nor anyone else’s. I care not what people do in their free time. They can dance if they so wish. Throw parties. Create plays. But if it interferes in imperial affairs, I will forbid it.”

“Yes, yes, of course, Your Highness. But perhaps such distractions would discourage idle tongues,” Johan said. “Besides, it is a good opportunity for all sorts of nobles to interact with each other. Many of the young ladies of the court have few opportunities to meet possible matches outside of the spring celebrations, and the occasional ball. Perhaps some events could see a few nobles invited from the various provinces. It would allow for improved alliances and strengthen the empire. Perhaps nobles from Bafsk and Salamand could be among the first to be invited to events in the castle. If some political alliances can be made, perhaps some advantageous marriages arranged, it would solidify the empire’s grasp on those territories.”

“There is merit in that suggestion. We shall discuss it at a later meeting,” Mateus replied. Talking about social events was the last thing he wanted to do during one of the few moments he had that counted as a break. He knew it was a good point, though. It was important to strengthen his claim to those territories. There were some bachelors amongst the nobles that would work wonderfully for such a purpose. Johan, for example, would be an excellent option, as an imperial advisor.

That would come later, however. There were other things that took priority, and either way, if none of those events took place, there always was the spring celebration. Plenty of nobles would be invited to that, including anyone important in Bafsk and Salamand. Right now, he needed to focus on regaining his full influence over the court, as well as deal with the delicate diplomatic situation with Fynn and his upcoming visit for the first restitution payment. That last one was particularly worrying, since he was fully expecting that Princess Hilda and Prince Gordon would attempt to humiliate him. He needed to prepare lest their actions ruin any of his careful efforts to consolidate his power in the empire.

Johan changed the topic, and Mateus continued his act of half-listening to him prattle on. Johan really liked to hear himself talk and it was always about these infuriating social topics. Mateus didn’t even have anything to contribute to the subject. He hated these things and it was common knowledge, too. He had no idea why Johan insisted on talking to him of all people about these inane topics. Finally, the meal was over, and Mateus got up, hoping to catch at least 5 minutes to himself before the next meeting. He walked over to where Kyrie was still sitting, with the advisor next to her monologuing about a number of his economic exploits while she nodded politely. He knew the look in her eyes- the look of someone who desperately wanted to escape the situation, but couldn’t find a polite way of doing so. He could empathize. That was basically his experience in every social gathering that he was forced to attend as Emperor. He supposed he could extend some mercy. He needed to invite her to that ball, after all. He cleared his throat, causing the advisor to finally stop his blabbing. Both of them looked up at him.

“Miss Solwood,” Mateus said, his voice high enough for a number of people to hear. “Next week, on Friday, there will be a ball. You will attend.”

Kyrie looked up at him, startled. He knew very well that he had put her on the spot. He wouldn’t let her stammer out a response. He might as well give her a moment to process.

“You are, after all, my guest. It would be unseemly of me if I did not grant you this opportunity to witness the grandeur and glory of my court, would it not?” he continued.

“I… thank you, Your Highness,” she responded. “It is an honor.”

He nodded, satisfied. She had no choice, of course. But she was, at least, wise enough not to question him. With that, he turned to leave. The dining room was silent, the nobles looking shocked at what had just happened. Mateus grinned. This was perfect. The first step was completed. There were some arrangements he would have to make, of course, but so far his plan was coming along just fine. Next week, everything would come to fruition. The girl would either swim, or she would sink, but in the end, his message to the court would be clear.

---------------

“What am I supposed to do?” Kyrie asked Tilda after luncheon, her voice tinged with distress. She had been unable to go back to the library after the meal, terrified about this ball that the Emperor had invited her to. “I can’t possibly attend that ball! I’m not a noble. I don’t belong there. I would only be horribly humiliated!”

“It will be okay, milady. I don’t think the Emperor will simply let you be humiliated. He must have something in mind,” Tilda replied.

“Why would he even care? It’s not like he cared about ripping me out of my life. Nor about shining this horrid spotlight on me by seating me at the main table at meals. And then he publicly invites me to a ball I do not belong in. This does not seem like the actions of someone who is benevolent and trying to prevent me from experiencing utter humiliation,” Kyrie said with a bitter sigh.

“His Majesty may be… harsh sometimes. But he has also shown that he does not want you to suffer. That he went to breakfast today shows it, as does his hospitality,” Tilda said quietly.

Kyrie sighed, resigned. Tilda had a point. He didn’t really have to come downstairs for breakfast, and he had no real need to threaten the court about gossip, either. It… was possible that he had done both things to help her in his own way. And he had been quite generous to her these days. She knew it didn’t make up for him just… kidnapping her, of course, but… he didn’t need to do any of it either. She wished she understood what he was thinking, but… perhaps he wasn’t just… cruelly trying to taunt and humiliate her.

“Well… alright. You do have a point. He’s given me a lot and he… hasn’t really tried to cause me harm,” Kyrie said. “And… his presence during breakfast and the announcement he made to the nobles about not letting their tongues become idle is surely going to stop the worst of the whispers. But… either way, a ball? Why? I don’t even have a dress to wear to a ball. Even if I had all the clothes I left behind, I wouldn’t have something good enough for a royal event like this. So… this is still an awful situation.”

“I’m sure the Emperor will address that situation,” Tilda said. “You’re his guest. It will not do for his guest to show up at such an event unprepared. He would know this.”

“I hope so,” Kyrie said. “If not, I may have to conveniently fall ill or something like that. I am not going to go to the ball just to be made a fool of.”

She was so stressed out. It was hard enough to deal with the fact that she had been forced into this entirely new life. She did her best, and, sure, the fact that she had access to the library helped, but… she still wasn’t happy. Just resigned. And then the Emperor had this… habit of creating all these stresses, like asking her to dine with him and then asking her all kinds of sharp questions that seemed to be intended to cause her discomfort. Today, though, there had just been a few things too many. She hated the fact that she had caught the attention of the nobles due to the fact that the Emperor had chosen to highlight her as some kind of guest with importance to him. Now there were people who were jealous of her without any real idea of what they were actually jealous about. It was infuriating. And now there was this ball. Did the Emperor even understand what his actions were causing? She had thought so, but after what Tilda pointed out… perhaps he was just clueless. After all, as Emperor, he might even be used to this kind of thing. He had the attention of the masses. Perhaps he was just out of touch with how things worked for normal people.

After a while, she calmed down enough to go to the library to continue her studying. Thankfully, perhaps due to the Emperor’s harsh words during the luncheon, nobody troubled her there. Finally, at dinnertime, she walked back to the main hall. She felt a bit more prepared to deal with the nobles by then, even without the Emperor’s presence. Much to her surprise, however, he showed up to dinner too. There was no question about it. He was showing up because of her. He had some kind of investment in the outcome of her integration into the court, surely. What it was, Kyrie didn’t know. What she did know was his reputation. He was a man who cared only about what he could gain from people. He was protecting her, yes. But it was not out of kindness. Then again… perhaps that was his version of kindness. Perhaps it was what he was capable of. And if so, Kyrie could appreciate his efforts.

Chapter Text

The next days passed by Kyrie in a quick blur. Tilda had, once more, been correct about the fact that the Emperor had considered her wardrobe issues when he had invited her to the ball. A very stern-looking seamstress visited her the next day, and took her measurements. It was, Tilda confirmed, the Emperor’s own seamstress. Kyrie was somewhat surprised when she learned of this. She’d thought that his seamstress would be busy making robes and clothes for the Emperor, especially with the upcoming event. Then again… he probably already had an impressive wardrobe and didn’t need anything made for this particular event.

She did not really have time to study those days, especially after Tilda started telling her about the things that would be expected of her at the ball. A lot of things were to be expected. There were little traditions, of course, that she’d have to follow, and Tilda also thought that it would be a good idea for Kyrie to learn about the traditional dance in Palamecia. Kyrie protested this. Who would want to dance with a woman that needed a cane, especially one who was also an outsider to the court? Tilda insisted, however, and Kyrie accepted her guidance. She supposed that, even if she did not dance, she could at least appreciate that aspect of Palamecian culture better. The other thing that Tilda told her about, though, was what caused her the most stress.

“A gift? I’m supposed to give the Emperor a gift?” she asked in anxious disbelief.

“Yes, milady. It’s the custom. All nobles should offer something to the Emperor. It’s especially important now, because it’s a ball in honor of his return,” Tilda replied.

“But… I have no possessions aside from what he’s given me. And I really doubt he’d appreciate being gifted a dress, or earrings, or a woman’s hairband,” Kyrie explained, her anxiety clear in her tone. She didn’t want to offend the Emperor, but… what was she supposed to do? She didn’t even own anything she could create something with.

“Oh… well… that is a problem, yes,” Tilda said with a thoughtful frown. “I could ask the Emperor about this. He would surely provide you with something.”

“That just feels odd,” Kyrie said. “Him giving me a gift for himself?”

It wasn’t just odd in how futile it seemed. She already had nothing but what he gave her. Having him also give her this just… bothered her. This had to be something she did herself. Somehow. At least… if it was possible. She needed to try, if nothing else.

“Well, milady, the gift has to impress the Emperor,” Tilda explained. She paused for a moment, considering something. “That’s the tradition’s intention. It’s… true that His Highness is… not an easy man to impress, but he does understand the tradition and acts accordingly. The court, however, also will see your gift. It’s important that it’s a good gift. Since you have few possessions, then… this is the best course of action.”

“I understand, but… I just don’t like it. Not if there’s another option. Would it be acceptable… to just… make something to give him? Something hand-crafted has value, especially if it’s useful, no?”

“Well… yes,” Tilda said, looking rather taken aback. “I don’t think anyone’s given something hand-crafted to the Emperor in… a very long time. I… don’t know how he might take it. Gifts in this context are meant to symbolize status and wealth. You don’t want to insult him, either.”

“Is it an insult if the best thing I have to give is my own effort? I don’t have wealth or status and he knows it,” Kyrie said. “Wouldn’t it be more insulting to just… ask him for a thing to give him?”

“I… well, that’s… a good point, milady,” Tilda said, still sounding rather bewildered. “It is… not customary, though, for such a thing to happen. Do you… wish for me to simply ask the Emperor if that would be okay?”

“I understand. And… no, thank you,” Kyrie replied. “If he asks, you can tell him that I will procure my own gift for him. But… otherwise, I’d rather you not elaborate, if you please.”

Tilda nodded. Kyrie was glad for that. She was already so dependent on the Emperor. She did not want him to take control of this too. If it offended him… so be it. She would cross that bridge when she got to it. It was entirely possible it wouldn’t offend him and he would just dismiss it like anything else. If he was that hard to impress, he probably mentally dismissed most, if not all of what he got, anyways.

“Do you know what you will need, milady?” Tilda asked. “I can at least help you get the materials.”

“Oh! Yes, thank you. I really appreciate that,” Kyrie replied. “Let me think about what to make. I’ll let you know after luncheon.”

Kyrie spent the rest of the morning thinking about what she might make to offer as a gift. It had to be something small, especially since it would be weird to spend too long making something for someone she didn’t know well, even an emperor. She didn’t have time for anything bigger, anyways. If it were something she was buying, which she’d prefer, it’d be different, but she had to make do with what was available to her. It also had to be elaborate and elegant, but, most importantly, useful. If she was not going to be able to provide something extravagant and expensive, she needed to make it practical. But what could one give to a man who had… everything? As she passed by the library, lamenting how little time she’d have to study this week, she finally decided on what she’d give him. He was a mage, and a good one at that. Surely, he was a prodigy, but even so, no one got that good without studying. He, too, had to be somewhat of a reader. A bookmark was always useful to a reader. After luncheon, she finally told Tilda what she’d need.

“I can get you all of that, milady,” Tilda said, nodding amiably. “The seamstress working on your dress always has leftover fabrics of the best quality. She’ll be happy to help. I’ll go to her tonight and tomorrow, you’ll have all the materials.”

“Thank you very much, Tilda,” Kyrie said, her voice filled with gratitude she could not put into words. She could not tell her attendant how much this really meant and how much this helped her keep her sanity in the situation she was in. She needed this bit of independence to feel less trapped. Tilda, in general, had been godsend, really. She was such a nice person. Kyrie didn’t know what she would do without her.

---------------

That night, as Mateus was taking Tilda’s daily report, he was quite pleased at how efficient the attendant woman was at her duties. He had instructed her to also teach Kyrie about court etiquette, and Tilda had gone above and beyond. She was even teaching Kyrie about the Palamecian dances. That would be… convenient. A good lead could get almost any partner to follow the steps, but the dance could be intense, so it was just better to know it.

“Is she completely hopeless at dancing?” he asked.

“She has some trouble due to her cane, but… it’s not hopeless. She’s learning how to deal with that limitation,” Tilda answered.

“Good,” Mateus said.

This boded well for his plans. She had to make a good impression during the event. He could adapt to her bungling it, but he’d rather not. He’d already ensured her dress would send the right message. Tilda had thought of the dance. There was one other thing he had to ensure.

“I am well aware that her unique situation means she has nothing for the offering at this time. I will have to obtain something suitable for her to pass it off as a gift. You may pick it up tomorrow and give it to her,” he said.

“Oh, that won’t be necessary, Your Highness,” Tilda said. “She’s intending to source her own gift.”

“Excuse me?”

“She was very adamant on that point.”

Mateus sighed with exasperation. This was precisely why he didn’t like people. They were sentimental and unpredictable. What was she thinking? She had nothing but what he’d given her. What was she intending to do? Bring him a flower? A pretty stone? Something naive and childish like many commoners were prone to? She didn’t strike him as that foolish, not at all. But what else could she offer when he’d removed her from all she’d previously owned? Her letter to her parents didn’t ask them for anything. Oh, he hated this kind of unpredictability. Well… he could adapt to that too.

“Do you know what it is she is planning to give for the offering?” he asked.

“Yes. But she pleaded with me not to tell.”

“Very well,” he said with a sigh. He did not understand this desire to not let him know what it was she was going to offer, but… he could still fix this and give her that little freedom. As long as it didn’t mess with his plans, he didn’t care too much. “Do you know what size it is going to be? If nothing else, she will need to present her offering inside a proper box. Appearances are very important, especially now.”

Tilda nodded and, with a gesture, indicated an approximation of the intended gift’s size. It was small. Hopefully it really wouldn’t just be a silly flower or pebble or some other such tiny sentimental gift. He was sure Tilda would, in her loyalty to him, not allow such foolishness. He’d simply have to trust her on this.

“I will send an appropriate box with Anton. Do make sure the girl does not embarrass herself too much.”

---------------

Kyrie got to see her dress two days before the ball. She was shocked. She had known the dress would be made with excellent quality since the seamstress had sent her bits of shockingly good fabrics for the bookmark she was making for the Emperor and Tilda had confirmed some of that fabric was similar or the same as what was being used for her dress. To see the craftsmanship of the final product, though, was impressive. It was mostly purple, a dark, rich silk fabric that almost seemed to shimmer. The silk was embroidered with golden intricate patterns along the sleeves, front and overskirt. There were a few gemstones, too, embedded into the front of the dress to highlight its shape. It was the most beautiful dress Kyrie had ever seen.

The seamstress was very professional and stern and said few words, but she did seem quite glad when she saw Kyrie's sincere delight at the beauty of the dress. She even smiled as she made the final adjustments to it. She left soon after to finish the dress. Kyrie sat down on the couch, still kind of shocked at the beauty of the dress.

“I… was not expecting that the dress would be… like that,” she said to Tilda.

“How come, milady?” Tilda asked. “This is the kind of work the Emperor’s seamstress does, after all.”

“Is this how all the dresses are going to look? It’s gorgeous, but it’s also so… intricate, and it looks almost imposing. I’m not even a noble. I’m going to stand out too much.”

“You’re essentially going to be debuting in this ball, milady. You do have to stand out a bit. Besides… it’s the Emperor’s decision. He’s the one that asked for the specifics of the design.”

“Well, yes, it’s definitely his style. It’d suit an empress, but… me?”

“Oh, no, milady. If the dress were meant for someone of his station, then it’d have several more layers and a lot more gemstones,” Tilda explained. “The dress is definitely nicer than what most nobles wear, but… it’s still not the kind of thing that only royalty should use.”

“That’s a relief,” Kyrie said with a quiet sigh. “I know that several nobles are unhappy with my presence. You said they might even be jealous. I don’t want to antagonize them. But the Emperor isn’t helping. I just want to focus on my life. I want to study, and… well, surely I’ll find some kind of work to do in the castle, too. I don’t really want to be troubling nobles just because the Emperor brought me here.”

“They’ll get used to it, milady. They’ll eventually see you’re no threat to them,” Tilda assured her. “Oh, by the way, milady, did you finish the gift you’re making for the offering?”

“Yes,” Kyrie nodded. “Well, almost. I want to add a few more details. Just in time, too. Tomorrow’s the last day before the ball, and I’ll still be busy practicing those dance steps.

She walked over to the desk and took out the little bookmark she’d been making. It was made with dark blue silk and she had embroidered stars and a purple cobra into it. She’d worked hard on it, and she was proud of the results. It wasn’t the kind of thing a master craftsman would be able to make, but it was very lovely either way. Tilda looked at it and nodded approvingly.

“It turned out lovely, milady,” she said. “You can just put it in that box that I brought you, and it will work great as an offering.”

“Thank you,” Kyrie said, putting the bookmark away. That was one less worry, then. All that was left was the dance steps, really. “Are you sure, Tilda, that I should keep practicing the dance? No one’s going to ask me to dance. I don’t think they’d know what to do with the fact that I use this cane.”

“I think it’s a good idea,” Tilda said. “The Emperor knows that you’re learning the dance steps, and he did not seem to think it was unnecessary.”

“He won't make me dance, will he?” Kyrie asked, alarmed.

“I don’t think so, milady,” Tilda said. “His Highness doesn't like to dance. He usually only dances with an old loyal widow, who used to be his mother's attendant. He also sometimes dances with an important noble or two. But other than that, he avoids the dance floor.”

“Oh. Thank goodness,” Kyrie replied. “I think I’m ready for the rest. But… dancing? Honestly, it just makes me anxious.”

“I think you have the biggest obstacle mastered, milady. Even if you have to dance, you’d be following a lead. I understand most nobles are very good leads,” Tilda said.

While that was comforting, Kyrie honestly would just prefer to be able to melt into the background. It wasn’t that she disliked such parties, with their music and the lovely dresses and decorations and dancing. She just didn’t want any of that now, here, in Palamecia. Even now, she felt out of place. Her very presence had already caused issues with some nobles. The last thing she wanted to do was to antagonize them, and that dress was almost… aggressively beautiful. She knew very well that it was going to call attention to her presence and ruffle the feathers of the nobles further. But… what could she do? She’d just have to deal with it. If nothing else, she could at least try to enjoy the ball and learn more about Palamecian culture and traditions.

---------------

Normally, this close to some social gathering like a ball, Mateus would be in a bad mood due to the impending, enormous waste of time that those events were. He certainly was in a bad mood now, but it was actually for entirely different reasons.

A letter from Princess Hilda sat on his desk and he stared at it as though his gaze could somehow send his hatred back through the letter to its writer. The Fynnian princess was clearly getting impatient about the reparation payments and her letter contained implications that the fall and winter weather in Palamecia would be less of an explanation and more of an excuse in case of any delays. Aside from the generally negative feelings from the situation itself, he felt outright insulted at those implications. He didn’t need to make petty excuses! He was an emperor! He was above that.

He stood up, pacing back and forth to calm himself down a bit before he wrote his reply to the princess. He had already finished all the planning for the trip to Fynn, and not a moment too soon, it seemed. The weather was, mercifully, still calm, but he still had already made arrangements in case they had to take the airship from somewhere other than the castle. He knew exactly who his entourage would be. He’d hand-picked a couple of advisors whose noble families would make great ambassadors for the rich culture of his empire and make an excellent impression among the Fynn nobles. The fact that they would be taking their spouses also made it clear that the trip was a diplomatic one, rather than some kind of military attack.

He was also going to take Kyrie. It was a bold and unorthodox move, for sure, but… after the ball, he wouldn’t really have much of a choice. She was his captive, but she was also an unwitting part of his plans to retake full control over the court. Once he used her to send a message to the court about who was in charge, then she would become… vulnerable. The court would tear her to shreds and manipulate her this way and that way until they destroyed her. That would not do. Not only was it inconvenient, but… he actually did not want to allow it. He was not a merciful man, but he did not simply forsake those who served him well. So far, Kyrie had not proven to be an obstacle. She adapted well enough to his plans, and this even made her useful. She entertained him, too, as he observed her quiet resilience and the way she navigated this life she was wholly unprepared for. Aside from her astoundingly bad luck in crossing his path, she was nothing special, but he was not going to disdain a source of entertainment in times like these. And he wasn’t just going to abandon her to the court now, either. He’d take her to Fynn and keep her close.

There might even be more entertainment to be had with that situation. His presence in Fynn would likely mean that Firion and his little friends would be there. Hilda most likely thought that he would somehow attack them. As if he would be such a fool that he would act like a mindless brute and harm the delicate truce that protected his life and his empire. Still, their presence might be amusing. He wondered if they would notice Kyrie’s rather unorthodox status. And if they did… it was likely that their silly little “heroic” instincts would rear their pathetic little heads. What would they try to do? “Rescue” the captive? Surely, though, they would be uncomfortable with the situation. That would provide him with endless amusement to be sure. Yes, Kyrie’s presence in Fynn would not only be necessary, but also quite enjoyable.

It was the one thing he had to look forward to during that trip, too. Fynn would do its very best to humiliate him. For all their claims to heroism and virtue, they were just as petty and bitter as anyone else. The worst part wasn’t even the humiliation, really. It was the fact that he was going to be humiliated while he was also being forced to cripple his empire’s economy for decades to come. He knew reparations were necessary, but these were harsh, and he had no choice but to accept if he wanted to live. He shook his head, sitting down to pen his response to Hilda. He’d clawed his way out of hell. He’d claw his way out of this too.

---------------

When the day of the ball came, Kyrie felt like a bundle of raw nerves in spite of her preparations. She had spent hours with Tilda, getting ready. As the hour approached, and Tilda was arranging the final details on her hair, Kyrie couldn’t help but stare at her reflection in the mirror. It was weird and it felt like looking at an entirely different person. Her hair was arranged in a very lovely hairstyle, with strands of it braided to serve as adornments. Tilda had even gotten strings of small semi-precious stone beads to weave into the braids, making the whole hairstyle look even fancier. The dress, too, was gorgeous, with its rich purple silks and intricate golden embroidery. There was a bit of severity to it, and she could definitely believe what Tilda had said about it being the Emperor’s choice. His own fashion sense included things like monstrous faces on his armor and an amount of spikes that made it difficult to want to approach him at all. It was no surprise that he would ask the seamstress to make her dress somewhat imposing too.

She wasn’t sure how to feel about what she saw. There was so much beauty to it, but it felt like a costume of a sort. This… wasn’t at all like she would have picked. She would have wanted something that… flowed more. Softer. The colors, too, would have been less bold. Still, she loved it, even if it wasn’t what she would have picked herself. It was clear a lot of work and care had gone into its creation, and she always appreciated that.

“Well! You’re ready now, milady,” Tilda said after a bit. “What do you think?”

“It’s very beautiful. I do love the hairstyle. Thank you very much, Tilda,” Kyrie replied.

“You’re most welcome, milady. You’re going to make quite the impression on the court.”

“I hope it’s a good one, but… I am worried it won’t be. They don’t want me here. And… I’m going to stand out. They won’t be happy. They’ll see me as a rival… and I don’t want to be anyone’s rival. I just want to be left alone to my studies,” Kyrie sighed. “I hope they see that soon enough.”

“They will, I’m sure, milady. And well… even those that don’t will eventually stop being so hostile. They’ll understand that hostility will bring them nothing good. If they’re too hostile, they’ll be isolating themselves from other nobles. And, well… they won’t want to anger the Emperor, either.”

“Yes. I suppose they’ll just have to get used to it,” Kyrie sighed. “I’m not going to be going anywhere for the time being. I’ll just try to stay out of their way as much as I can.”

“That should do wonders, milady,” Tilda said. She paused and took out the gorgeous box that the Emperor had provided in which Kyrie had already placed the finished bookmark and held it out to Kyrie. “But well, for now… it’s time to go down to the ballroom.

“Oh… already?” Kyrie asked, taking the box. “Alright.”

She followed Tilda downstairs, her heart seemingly pounding with increasing force as they approached the ballroom. She could already hear the music, with the very distinctive percussion and strings of Palamecian instruments. Tilda walked with her to the door, but then had to leave Kyrie alone, as only the Emperor and extremely high-ranking nobles could have their attendants enter these kinds of events. Kyrie nodded, understanding, as Tilda left, but alone, she could feel the horror creeping into her lungs. Still, she walked inside the ballroom as her name was announced. She saw a number of nobles looking at her. Some of them looked at her disdainfully, before their expressions turned to shock. After that, some looked awkward and uncertain, and a few looked outright hostile. She did her best not to pay them any heed, focusing instead on the music. The musicians were playing an almost haunting melody, the harps and lyres providing the main harmony, while panpipes made it sound almost ethereal. Palamecian hand drums then made the music almost hypnotic. Kyrie walked over towards them to join the group of nobles that was watching them play. Though she’d been in Palamecia for a few months, she’d heard so little of its music. She liked it. It had a different kind of tone to the music she was used to, but the harps and lyres made it sound oddly soft. It was not the kind of music she would have expected from a place like Palamecia. She would have expected harsh, fast-paced, almost militaristic music, considering the kind of place it was. It was good to hear something like this. It made her feel slightly less homesick.

A couple of young noblewomen approached her. Kyrie was pretty sure they were the same young women that had been saying those nasty things in the library. She braced herself in case they had something nasty to say.

“Oh, good evening. Miss… Solwood, was it?” one of the young women asked.

“Yes.”

“I’m Pearl. Pearl Webster,” the young woman said. “I just had to approach you to praise that lovely dress you’re wearing. It’s quite the… distinctive style.”

“Thank you, Lady Webster,” Kyrie said. She wasn’t entirely sure Pearl was saying this as a good thing, but… she wanted to be polite.

“You wear it well. I’m sure it must have been hard, though, with no formal training, to put it on and walk with it just right,” Pearl continued.

Kyrie wasn’t sure what to say, so she gave a slight, polite smile and shrugged. Before Pearl could say more, though, an old nobleman approached. Kyrie recognized him as one of the Emperor’s close advisors. He smiled as he got to them.

“Ah! Miss Solwood! I do not believe we have been formally introduced,” he said. “My name is Cuthbert Duveron. I’m the Emperor’s oldest advisor, as it happens.”

“A pleasure to make your formal acquaintance, Sir Duveron,” Kyrie said.

“I don't think you have seen some of these traditional decorations. Come, Miss Solwood. Let me show them to you.”

Kyrie nodded and Sir Duveron led her away. Pearl looked oddly disappointed and frustrated. Sir Duveron stopped by some intricate banners, but though he gestured to them, to Kyrie’s surprise, he did not speak of it.

“Ah, l am glad I saw Lady Pearl approaching just in time,” Sir Duveron said. “She is having some trouble adjusting to the presence of a new person in the court. Some nobles feel threatened on such occasions.”

“Yeah. I… don’t want to antagonize anyone, really. I hope they can soon understand that I don’t want to cause them trouble, or take the things they want,” Kyrie said.

“Yes. Well… it is hard for them to see why someone wouldn’t want wealth and status,” Sir Duveron said. “But… well, I… do know your situation, Miss Solwood, and the way you came to Castle Palamecia.”

Kyrie wasn’t sure what to say. She wasn’t sure how many people knew of her situation, especially since the Emperor liked to call her a guest and not a prisoner. Perhaps she shouldn’t be surprised, though, that if someone would know the reality of her stay here, it would be one of the advisors.

“My apologies for that, by the way, on behalf of those that won’t apologize… and those that can’t,” he said. “I know it’s a rough way to be introduced to our culture. Please do not hate our country…. or its leader.”

“I don’t,” Kyrie said. “I’m getting used to it. And, well… I’m learning a lot. Palamecia is a lovely place.”

“I’m glad you find it so,” Sir Duveron said. “Still, my apologies. This is not really one of our… traditions.”

She had hoped that was the case, really. Palamecia had its own charm in spite of everything. It would just be weird if it was tradition to kidnap people and put them in a household. She nodded at him and he began actually talking about some of the decorations, and about how gold represented the desert sands, while blue hues represented not just water, but the mountains. Green, to her surprise, didn’t really represent forests or grasslands, but coastal areas, which did contain most of the greener areas of Palamecia. Gem colors tended to be what represented anything green and alive in the empire, plants and animals and people, and they adorned the other colors. Kyrie listened, fascinated.

After some time, the musicians stopped. Everyone stopped talking and stood at attention, with the central path to the dais being cleared out.

“His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Mateus Palamecia, ruler of the desert and the mountains, conqueror of Pandemonium!” the herald announced.

The music started again, this time a triumphant march as the doors opened, revealing the Emperor. He was dressed in formal black and purple robes with small gold highlights. His hair was slicked down and perfectly arranged, and he wore an elaborate circlet. His boots were still high-heeled, but the heels were less thin than his usual ones. He made his way towards the dais. As he passed Kyrie, he turned to look at her and gave her a very small nod of acknowledgement. Then he continued on his way, glancing and nodding at some people in recognition of their presence. The nobles bowed as he passed. Kyrie matched their actions. The music stopped only after the Emperor sat on the throne that had been placed on the dais for him. After a moment, he made a gesture and the music started again, in a calm, but joyful harmony. Then the nobles began to line up. It was time to present their offerings to the Emperor. Kyrie closely clutched the jeweled box with the bookmark she’d made as she got in line, hoping this would go well. She knew her work would not impress the Emperor in the way that the lavish gifts the nobles would surely give him would. But… she’d worked hard on it, and perhaps… it might make it clear to the nobles that she was not a threat. She took a quiet, deep breath as she hoped for the best and waited for her turn.

Chapter Text

Kyrie grew increasingly nervous as the queue advanced. Every noble chose to reveal their gift to the Emperor and they spoke of what made it so special. All the gifts were lavish: exotic fabrics and spices, jewels and precious metals, as well as some extravagant clothes and accessories. Her own offering felt rather humble, and though she did want to make it clear to everyone that she was not a threat to the court, she also didn’t want to be outright humiliated. She hoped the Emperor wouldn’t force her to open the gift in front of everyone. He had to know she could not give him the same kind of thing that nobles could.

She noticed a few of the nobles exiting the queue and then staring at her and the jeweled box that she held. Some sneered. Others focused on the box, clearly recognizing that its craftsmanship was… impeccable. It was the kind of thing only a high-ranking noble would be able to procure. Kyrie was a bit worried that some noble would recognize it as the box they had given the Emperor a gift in. That would be… awkward.

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For a man who had been called ‘greed incarnate’, Mateus cared about wealth a lot less than people seemed to think. Yes, he wanted it. He even enjoyed it. However it was, as most things in his life were, a means to an end. Even the luxuries it afforded him were simply tools in his arsenal to reduce stress, keep himself healthy, and maintain his image. Most importantly, wealth was how he financed his ambitions and kept his empire running. It was important to him, yes. Just not… personally. Nothing really was anymore.

Though wealth was useful, he still hated this tradition of having to sit and have each noble in attendance walk to him, utter empty words meant to flatter him, and show off their gift, bragging about how expensive and exotic they were. It was a useless waste of his time. He had so much work to do, too. Even as he nodded and spoke practically-scripted words to acknowledge each gift, all he could think of was the enormous pile of paperwork that was sitting on his desk right now, waiting for him to go through it, and either sign, reply, or decline it. And yet he had to be right here, spending time in this frivolous celebration. He knew it was important for his people, and part of his duties as emperor, but he still found all of this foolish socializing irritating. It felt agonizingly slow to go through the queue, especially as each noble felt basically the same as the previous one, with gifts that, though different, were all basically the same to him: expensive stuff that would just go into the treasury, perhaps to be sold or gifted to others.

After a while, though, the one whose turn it was to approach was Kyrie. Instantly, he felt… interested. Kyrie was not a noble, and she also had refused to simply take an item from him to use in this tradition. He had no idea what it was that she could possibly have obtained in order to give to him. This was… a novelty, if nothing else. Something to break the monotony, if nothing else. He had to admit, too, that he was curious about this. Kyrie approached and handed him the box, not making any motion to open it. He was not surprised. She was probably shy after seeing the kinds of gifts that the others had given him.

---------------

Kyrie’s heart was pounding by the time she got to the Emperor. She could see the curiosity in his eyes as he took the box from her. He was holding it in a way that made her fear that he would, in fact, open it. She really hoped he would not. She felt that she had to say something, though, just like all the other nobles had.

“It’s a one-of-a-kind object that I hope you find useful,” she said, trying to make it sound like the kind of thing he and the nobles around would expect, without overselling it. It was, in fact, one of a kind.

The Emperor did not just put the box away, though. He did open it, much to her dismay. She’d hoped he would wait until later. She looked at him intently, hoping to decipher his reaction to it. For a second, he looked almost shocked, his expression unreadable. Then, his expression went back to his usual one as he nodded again.

“Excellent craftsmanship and quality, Kyrie of Bafsk. I applaud the thought that was put into how it would be useful to me,” the Emperor said after a moment. “I extend my thanks.”

Kyrie felt like she could breathe again. She wasn't sure if he liked it, exactly, but his words had been somewhat more expressive than what she had heard him say to others. Mostly, he just thanked them without commenting on the gift itself. Either way, now that this was over, she relaxed and walked away as the nobles had.

---------------

Mateus felt uncomfortable and he could not really understand why. There was a strange feeling in his throat, and his chest and even his stomach. As he watched Kyrie walk away, back towards the main event, he couldn’t help but think about how… odd her gift was. He had not been expecting something hand-made by her, and built so specifically for… him. It was a useful thing. A dark blue and purple bookmark with an embroidered purple and gold cobra, and gold stars to indicate a night sky. Normally, he got things which had been created by master craftsmen, and made to impress. They were impersonal gifts, not really requiring any real effort by the gift-giver. It was tradition. It was how things should be, with no sentimentality. Simple. Kyrie complicated things, however. She was playing her role well, though she did not understand it. But he had to keep her close, and she was… soft-hearted. She talked about things being pretty and now… this. He refused to think about it for now. He had an image to keep up.

As a servant took the box away to place it among the rest of the gifts, and another noble walked up to him to offer more exotic spices(from Fynn, too, how infuriating), he glanced at the girl. She was looking rather lost in the midst of all the nobles. He spoke his insincere, but well-masked thanks to the noble who’d offered the spices, but his mind was still on his plans, and on watching to make sure that Kyrie wouldn’t do anything that’d ruin things. He’d have to bring her closer, but he just couldn’t right now. He hated it when others could affect his carefully crafted plans.

---------------

Kyrie could almost feel the way some of the nobles were staring at her. She caught a few comments about how the Emperor had thanked her a lot more than was necessary, especially since she clearly hadn’t gotten something particularly valuable… or at least she hadn’t disclosed how valuable it was. She was also certain she heard the word ‘mistress’ at least once. She was getting tired of that particular rumor, but… she was also starting to not care so much about what they said. What did they know? As long as they kept it to whispers and didn’t publicly humiliate her, it didn’t affect her.

Most of the nobles didn’t dare speak to her. Some, she noted, avoided her out of disdain. Others, it seemed, seemed almost afraid to approach her, possibly fearing the Emperor. It was odd to her to see how they could both be terrified of him and also shamelessly attempt to flatter him and even, at times, engage him in conversation. She couldn’t blame them for being afraid of him. But… why would they want to engage him any more than strictly necessary, then? Was this just what nobles did? Were they trying to gain favor with him? She supposed the last bit was likely. She was glad she wasn’t part of that social dance. It had to be stressful enough with a normal king, but these nobles were dealing with Emperor Palamecia. He wasn’t expressive at all. She wondered how they knew whether he was pleased with them or not before it was too late.

She looked at the queue of nobles still lined up to give a gift to the Emperor. The current one was talking a lot about whatever he had brought to the Emperor. She did not need to know how to read the Emperor’s expressions to see the barely-contained exasperation in his eyes. It was strange, and almost… human.

---------------

Mateus was much relieved after he finally thanked the last person in the queue. Most of the gifts had been basically useless. The bookmark had been useful, of course. There had been some spices from Mysidia he was quite pleased with, too, as well as a couple of fabrics that would make some very nice robes. Most of the fabrics were totally useless to him, though. There was a distinct lack of purple fabric. It was as though the nobles had no idea he had a preference for purple. Was it not enough that he wore so much purple? Was it not indicative of his preferences to dye the tips of most of his hair purple? Did they think it was merely a fashion choice to match his eyes? Someone had even given him pink fabric. Why would he even need pink fabric? Given who had given him the pink fabric, he had a feeling this was just one of the ways in which several nobles were trying to pressure him into settling down. As if that would work, he thought bitterly as the nobles settled down around the ballroom, making space for the opening dance.

At least, though, Mateus thought as he stood up, he hadn’t been gifted any more goats. He could use a break from eating goat.

---------------

Kyrie noticed the nobles gathering at the edges of the ballroom. The music stopped as the Emperor stood up. Kyrie figured that the dancing was going to begin. The initial dance was normally one that the king or, in this case, emperor took. She wondered how that would work here. The Emperor did not seem the dancing type. She watched as the Emperor walked down the dais. Many of the young women in attendance were glancing at one another in excitement. Kyrie wondered how many of them wanted to dance with him for reasons other than dancing with the ruler of Palamecia. She knew Tilda had said some of them wanted to outright marry him. Kyrie couldn’t see why they’d want to marry someone who had killed as many people as he had. He was probably seen as a hero in Palamecia to some degree, but why did these women not see that he’d killed civilians too?

Though the young women seemed quite excited, the Emperor did not pick any of them for the dance. Instead, he walked towards an elderly woman and held out his hand.

“May I have the first dance, my lady?” the Emperor asked.

The older lady nodded and the two headed to the dance floor. The music started again. It was a fairly slow piece, though by no means one that held any romantic undertones. It was a stately, elegant piece, much like the two dancers. This was likely the widow that Tilda had mentioned earlier. She looked like she could be his grandmother, and, really, even her expression was grandmotherly, though it was tinged with something between sadness and nostalgia. Still, she seemed quite glad to be dancing with the Emperor. As she watched, Kyrie was shocked. The Emperor was a surprisingly great dancer, leading his partner with a grace that Kyrie had not expected to see in someone wearing such high heels. She was almost entranced as she watched the dance. There were similarities between the steps of this dance and some of what she’d seen in Fynn, though the Palamecian dances seemed to be a bit less about moving as a unit and more about the partner responding to and adapting to the lead’s steps. There were unexpected turns and twirls. The Emperor’s long hair flowed behind him, making the dance even more mesmerizing. It was then that she realized that the fabric of his robes was practically shimmering as the lighting of the ballroom interacted with the way he moved. It was cleverly designed to give him an almost ethereal look. It was definitely quite a sight.

---------------

For all his disdain and distaste with social events, Mateus had no real issue with dancing. Palamecia’s most traditional dances were intense, and he actually kind of enjoyed that. He was good at it, and had even incorporated some of those skills into his fighting techniques. It was quite useful, really, especially since his power came mostly from his magic and not his physical strength. Having to deal with all kinds of fighters, his agility was necessary. And well… his skills allowed him to shine during these kinds of events and festivals. It was expected that he should dance at some events, and his dancing had to be impeccable. He was the emperor, after all.

Dancing with Lady Albiret was the safe choice. Because of her age, choosing her as a dance partner did not cause any kind of scandal, or anger the nobles that were trying to throw their daughters at him. Besides, she deserved the honor. He’d known her all his life and she was one of his most loyal subjects. After the dance was finished, he gave Lady Albiret a polite nod of his head and she bowed before smiling and walking away, towards the other nobles. Mateus walked back up the dais and to the throne-like chair that had been brought for him. He made a gesture towards the crowd and the musicians and the music, which had temporarily stopped after the dance, began once more. He sat down on his chair to watch the rest of the event… for now.

Some of the nobles began dancing, while others congregated around the edges of the ballroom. Mateus glanced at the nobles for a while before he started to look for Kyrie. He needed her to stay close and out of trouble. He saw the younger Lady Webster approaching Kyrie with something quite like a smirk. He suppressed a sigh. The young Webster woman was one of the nobles who was aiming to become empress. Mateus had no desire to pursue such aspects of life. He didn’t want to fully alienate the Websters. They were a powerful family, after all, which was why the young lady seriously thought she was being considered as the future empress. However, he also didn’t want them to think that their influence meant they were above obedience, or that they could pressure him into doing what they wanted. By the end of the night, they would surely be offended, and perhaps scandalized, but his message would be clear. He’d smooth things over a bit later. And perhaps Sir Webster would stop asking for an audience every few days just to somehow end up talking about the various talents and virtues of the young Webster lady.

For now, though, he’d keep Kyrie under his watchful eye. Mateus made a gesture to his attendant to approach. Anton walked over immediately. Mateus made a subtle gesture towards Kyrie.

“I want Miss Solwood kept close by the dais. Bring her to me,” he said.

Anton nodded and immediately walked over towards Kyrie. The young Lady Webster had brought her friend from the Blanchard family and both of them were speaking to Kyrie with impressively condescending faces. Kyrie was nodding along with a polite smile and a dignified, though not quite noble bearing. Good enough.

---------------

Kyrie wasn’t sure how much more ‘conversation’ she could really stand with Pearl. It wasn’t that she said anything particularly… bad. But half the things she said made her feel uncomfortable, small and lost. And the two young women just kept talking. They seemed very interested in letting Kyrie know just how little they thought she knew of Palamecian culture. Some of the things they were explaining to her were things she’d picked up on quickly while she was living with the Wilsons. They were using simple vocabulary, too, as if they were talking to a child. It was infuriating, but Kyrie kept her composure.

She saw out of the corner of her eye as the Emperor’s attendant approached them. Pearl and her friend did not notice him and were talking as the attendant cleared his throat behind them. The two went a bit pale and stopped talking, as they all turned towards him. The attendant did not acknowledge the young Palamecian nobles and instead simply addressed Kyrie.

“His Imperial Majesty wishes to speak to you,” he said. He then turned and started walking back towards the Emperor.

Kyrie followed him. She saw the shock and curiosity in the faces of the two young ladies that had been talking to her. Kyrie felt none of the shock, but she did feel curious. What did the Emperor want to tell her? And why now?

---------------

Mateus watched Kyrie approach. She looked confused, but, he was pleased to see, she maintained a composed and dignified demeanor. Normally, he would have expected someone in her situation to look nervous. The young ladies had clearly been harassing her, and now she was being very publicly called to his side. But Kyrie seemed to almost flow through these situations, offering no resistance and just… adapting as well as she could. It would be quite convenient if more of his subjects behaved that way. It was a very Palamecian thing, really, to take hardship and adapt to it. It was a shame that a number of his subjects had forgotten that due to the empire’s prosperity.

“Ah. Kyrie of Bafsk,” he said once Kyrie was in front of him. “How are you finding the festivities? Do you like the music? Do you enjoy the grandeur of the ballroom?”

“It is all very beautiful,” she answered. “The music is wonderful, too.”

“Good. It should be. This is a royal ball in my honor,” he said. “Only the best musicians and decorators work on royal events. Speaking of the best… the dress suits you. What do you think of it?”

“It’s… very beautiful. I have never seen such a fine dress,” she replied. “Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Indeed. My personal seamstress is extremely skilled,” Mateus nodded.

He looked at her rather confused look. Of course he hadn’t called her just to ask about whether she liked the dress. It didn’t really matter whether she did or not. This particular dress existed only to send a message. Her expression made it fairly obvious that she was aware that he’d called her for a different reason.

“I called you here because you are my guest. It is only proper that you stay… fairly close by, rather than elsewhere,” he said. “You can stay just below the dais, just in case I wish to speak to you again.”

“Um, yes, Your Highness. I’ll do that,” Kyrie responded. She still seemed as though she was unsure of what exactly the point of this was, but Mateus saw no need to enlighten her.

“Very well. Go now,” he said, gesturing towards a spot near the dais. He watched Kyrie nod and walk away to stand close to the spot he’d indicated.

---------------

Kyrie had no idea why in the world the Emperor wanted her to stay close by. It’s true that she was his guest, but it wasn’t like he even had a chance to interact with her. He was fairly isolated up in the dais, surrounded by only a few of the highest-ranked nobles, watching the festivities. Once in a while, a noble would be allowed to approach and speak to him, but mostly he was, well, above the festivities. There was no reason to keep anyone near him like this, let alone her. After all, the only other people that dared to stand this close to him seemed to be high-ranking nobles. She wasn’t even a noble. This was quite baffling to her.

The young noblewomen that had been talking to her in that condescending way would, at least, probably not approach her now that she was close to where the Emperor was. Their expressions when the attendant had approached told her everything. The nobles currently surrounding her were essentially ignoring her, but Kyrie was fine with that. She found a spot nearby where she could sit and enjoy the beautiful music while she observed the people in the ball. Some ladies were wearing beautiful dresses, and many of the nobles were excellent dancers. This was… oddly pleasant.

The music was energetic for a while and Kyrie enjoyed watching the intense dancing. Then the music became slower, possibly to give the dancing nobles a break, and a chance for those who wanted a more romantic dance to participate. After a while of that, though, the Emperor got up and, with a single gesture from him, the whole ballroom fell silent. He walked a few steps forward. Everyone was turning towards him to listen.

“Tonight, we are gathered here to celebrate the incredible resilience of our glorious empire and its people, not only in the face of the relentless elements, but in the face of death itself. My return by the will of the gods signifies not only their favor, but also a rebirth for our empire. We stand before an entirely new era, reborn like the phoenix, and we will be stronger than ever before.”

There were murmurs of agreement among the gathered nobles. So far, Kyrie thought, this was a fairly standard little speech. It was what she expected, really, from an event like this.

“I am aware that my absence did create difficult times for the empire,” the Emperor continued. “However, I am also aware that a number of you stepped up to deal with the difficulties and keep Palamecia running. I extend my thanks to such loyal subjects. I especially wish to make mention of the Duveron family, the Vernistel family, as well as the Ayers family, and, of course, the Albiret family, who have always been among the most loyal of my subjects. You stood loyal and firm during those difficult times. Your deeds, I assure you, have not gone unnoticed.”

Several of the nobles looked rather pleased with themselves, including, Kyrie noted, the advisor whose name was Johan. A few others looked a bit upset, perhaps at not being mentioned. S he knew Sir Duveron, and she turned to look at him, but though he smiled, he didn’t look particularly smug.

“As we move into a new era, however, it is only fitting that I cement my duty as emperor to find new potential, regardless of origin, and mold it into a source of strength and honor to the Empire.”

He paused there for a moment as the nobles shifted around, confused. A few looked at Kyrie almost accusingly. Something bothered her about the way he worded that.

“And thus,” the Emperor continued, “I wish to formally introduce to the court this young woman. Kyrie Solwood.”

He gestured for Kyrie to approach the dais, and she felt her heart suddenly begin to pound in her chest. What in the blazes was he talking about?! She nervously made her way closer until his position shifted slightly and she took it as an indication that she was close enough. She could practically feel the eyes of the nobles on her, some of their stares so hostile they could almost burn. The Emperor then turned towards the nobles again.

“This young woman embodies everything that we value in Palamecia. Strength. Resilience. Resourcefulness. Dignity. Above all… loyalty. Her origins may seem… humble, but in Palamecia, under my rule, origins are not to be an obstacle in doing one’s duty to the Empire,” the Emperor said. “Therefore, it is my will that Kyrie Solwood be granted the status of nobility, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails. From this day forward, Lady Solwood is not merely a guest in this castle, but a member of our court.”

Kyrie could feel her ears ringing, her heart pounding so hard and fast, she was afraid she might have some kind of panic attack, or perhaps faint. He said… what?! Her? A noble?! What was he thinking? What was he doing? What was he trying to get from this? She could hear the nobles reacting. There was some clapping, polite, surely, but present. She could see their expressions. They ranged from shock, to curiosity, to looking outright offended. The Emperor turned towards Kyrie.

“Welcome to the Palamecian court, Lady Solwood,” he said.

“Thank you,” she replied quietly. “I-I’m honored.”

He nodded, and made a gesture towards the assembled nobles.

“Let everyone be reminded that it is not your birth which guarantees your place in the future of the empire. It is your merit… and my decree… that do so. It is I who shape destiny. Remember this well.”

There was a momentary, awkward pause. The Emperor seemed unfazed as he turned towards the musicians.

“Let the festivities continue!” he announced.

The music started up again and, after a moment, the nobles went back to dancing. It was a gradual return, with only a few nobles tentatively dancing at first, and then a few others joining in. The first song was fairly slow, which Kyrie appreciated. She’d walked down from the dais after the announcement, but she still felt herself on the verge of a panic attack. A noble. The Emperor had made her into a noble. This was horrifying! What was she supposed to do with this? Also… responsibilities? What would those be? Would they interfere with her studies? Her head was practically spinning. She walked over to the spot she’d been sitting at. This was so much to process. She had not been prepared for this at all.

---------------

Mateus was quite pleased at the result of his announcement. He had carefully watched the expressions of every noble, taking note of which nobles looked shocked, which ones looked glad, and which ones looked… offended. He especially took note of those last ones. Those were the ones that would likely give him trouble. They were not loyal enough. He’d have a talk with them. For now, though, his message had been sent. It was a threat and a reminder, as well as a way to flush out those who were not as loyal. And it had all gone great. There was just one more thing to do. He got up close to the end of the slow song, and walked down the dais, straight at Kyrie.

The girl looked somewhat spooked. He supposed he couldn’t blame her. He had thrust this immense responsibility upon her shoulders with no warning. There had been some preparation, but she hadn’t really known it. This was the problem with emotions. There she was, feeling fear. Ah well. She’d proven herself fairly adaptable. She’d adapt to this too, or she would simply flounder. It mattered not. What mattered to him now was to cement his message. It would be quite the show, he anticipated. He approached Kyrie, who looked up, her startled expression quickly becoming composed.

“Dance with me,” he said, extending his hand towards her.

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Kyrie had been surprised enough to see the Emperor approach, but she had supposed it was just going to be to talk. She was shocked when his reason was… to ask her to dance with him. She glanced at her cane awkwardly, but he did not back down. She took a deep breath and sighed in resignation, nodding. She couldn’t really say no to the Emperor, could she?

She took his hand and got up. He led her to the dance floor. The nobles were staring again, and some of them were even whispering. It was the last thing that she needed for her nerves. She tried to calm herself down by reminding herself that she had practiced this. She knew more or less how to handle her cane. Thank the heavens for Tilda, really. It was she who had told her to practice just in case. Still, she was worried. What were the Emperor’s intentions with all this? Was he just trying to build her up in order to make her fall? Was he trying to use her to set some kind of example to the court?

No. She couldn’t think about this now, she thought as he stopped at a point in the center of the dance floor, getting into position. She needed all of her concentration to get through this. She focused on him and on his body language to try to follow him as well as she could.

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Mateus was perfectly confident as he began the dance. The girl’s cane was an added complication, but he was undaunted. He was an excellent lead. The music was a faster-paced one than the previous piece, it was true, but that was why his leading skills were so important. All Kyrie needed to do was to follow him. If she did so well, then the complication of her disability would become a boon, as would the faster pace of this music piece.

He began the steps, keeping them relatively easy at first, though he did perform some twirls and turns to keep the dance dramatic. He focused on her, carefully analyzing how she was handling the steps as he led her through the dance. She was clearly hesitant and worried at first, but soon enough, she got the hang of his pacing and moved… not quite with expert grace, but definitely acceptably well. Mateus was extremely pleased with this.

---------------

Kyrie felt less worried as the dance continued. The Emperor clearly wanted her to make a good impression. Perhaps it was because it meant he made a good impression too, but it didn’t matter. He was not leading her to failure, but to an odd kind of success. It was… oddly enjoyable to dance with him. He was very skilled at dancing, and was very observant of how she followed his lead, adapting to the way she responded to him. His indications for upcoming turns and twirls were subtle, but quite distinct, too. It was a very unexpected experience, but she was, in a way, glad for it.

Her biggest concern was her cane. She did her best with it, of course, but she couldn’t help but feel it was in the way. She couldn’t even lean on it as she normally did due to the pacing of the dancing, forcing her to lean on the Emperor more than on the cane, even in the fleeting moments she could even really put its tip on the ground properly. She was… surprised at how strong his arms were. She felt almost safe leaning on him for support. For the first time since she had been brought into this castle, she didn’t feel as though she was precariously standing at the edge of a precipice.

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Mateus noticed how Kyrie was forced to lean on him due to the intensity of the dance. It was exhilarating. He thrived on control, and she was depending on him, and following every step he indicated. This was what he wanted in people. Obedience. Trust. He had noted before how she was like water, flowing through situations, adapting without futile resistance. It was much better than working with Leon who, while obedient enough, also tended to go kind of insane with power. Kyrie was humble, and it wasn’t like he planned to give her that kind of power. He did want to keep her around, though. She was doing so well, without even knowing his plans. If she kept impressing him, she might become so much more useful.

He challenged her in the dance, leading her into more complicated steps and turns. He delighted in feeling her lean on him for support, trusting that he would hold her steady. He did his part, supporting her and leading her, making sure he challenged her, but never pushed too hard or moved too fast for her to follow. He made the dance into a spectacle, allowing her some of the spotlight, showcasing her adaptability in spite of her condition, while he shone in both his choice of a dance partner as well as his choice to make her into a noble. It was the best-case scenario for his plans.

---------------

Kyrie followed the Emperor’s lead even as he raised the difficulty of the dance. It was a struggle, and she had to depend more and more on the Emperor for support. He did not let her go. She was getting tired a few minutes into it, her joints aching, but she pushed through, enjoying the dance now that she had caught on to the pace. It was weird to be this close to the Emperor, leaning on him like this. With how inhuman and untouchable he always seemed, it was strange to feel the warmth of his hands and the strength of his arms. He seemed so… human, even through his intense gaze. Looking at him now, it was hard to imagine this was the same man who had taken down an entire group of rebels with hardly a second thought.

The music piece ended afterwards, and, with it, her dance with the Emperor. He gave a small bow of his head in acknowledgement of this, and she returned the gesture with a proper bow. Kyrie looked around, properly realizing just how many nobles had just been staring at her and the Emperor. Some of the nobles had even stopped dancing themselves. She had been so concentrated on keeping up with him, that she had not been thinking about the nobles watching. There was surprise etched into many of their faces. Some still looked resentful, but overall, she couldn’t help but notice that the gazes were far more… positive. She felt… joyful.

The rest of the evening was a blur. The Emperor was… shockingly active for the rest of the event. He talked to some nobles, of course, but mostly, he kept leading Kyrie around the ballroom, introducing her to various nobles, and generally keeping her close. Kyrie had no choice but to follow him, and greet all those nobles. She was exhausted after a while, working practically on a script to make polite smalltalk. Some nobles that had formerly ignored her now seemed very interested in speaking with her. The Emperor kept pulling her along for a couple hours, talking and mingling with the nobles until finally he turned to her.

“You look exhausted, my lady,” he said. “The ball is winding down. It is a good time to retire.”

“I could… use some rest,” she admitted. Every joint in her feet felt like it was on fire by now, and she was having to lean fairly heavily on her cane.

“I have much work to do, myself. Come with me. I will escort you to your room,” he said, offering his arm again.

Kyrie could not really say no to that. Not only was the emperor, but also… she really was so tired. She nodded and took his arm, walking out with him. She saw nobles staring at them as they left. She knew they would gossip, but she was too exhausted to care.

“You handled this better than I expected,” he said after a bit of walking. “You have been granted a new station. There are many who would outright kill for it. I expect that you will carry it with dignity and loyalty.”

“I… will do my best,” she said. She paused for a moment. She had to ask. Even if he did not like it. “But… why? Why did you make me into a noble?”

“Because it is my will that it be so. Is that not enough?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I-I… w-well, yes,” she replied. “I suppose I just… didn’t expect it. I’m not even sure what my new responsibilities are.”

“For now, you will attend afternoon meetings at the throne room starting tomorrow. You will attend to me if I need you to during that time. You will also be part of my entourage during diplomatic missions, being the image of an ideal Palamecian noble,” he said. “I will instruct your attendant on anything you are required to learn.”

She nodded. This was going to slow down her studies, but… that was okay. She’d expected that she would be given some sort of job soon enough, and this was it. She could deal with that.

“I expect success and loyalty. This is not an easy responsibility, so do not think of taking it lightly. The court will test you, and you must not falter,” he continued. “You will not be thrown to the imps, of course. You are under my protection, and I have made it very clear to the court. Remember, it is my favor that shields you from the other nobles. As long as you have it, they will not dare to take you down, but they will not be nice, either.”

“I appreciate your protection, Your Highness.”

“Good,” he replied with a nod. “You must earn their respect on your own terms. This is the task that I entrust upon you. If you succeed, you may find more favor. But if you do not… you will be making your own life more… difficult.”

“I understand.”

“Be sure you do,” he said, stopping at the door to her room. “But for now, it is time we part ways, my lady. Have a good night.”

“Good night, Emperor.”

With that, he left, and Kyrie went into her room. Tilda was there, ready to help her.

“How did it go, milady? Was that the Emperor?” she asked.

“It… yes. Yes it was. And… well… I… he made me into a noble. I don’t know why. He… also danced with me afterwards,” Kyrie replied.

“Oh! Congratulations, milady! A noble! That is wonderful news!” Tilda exclaimed. “And you danced with the Emperor too? What an honor!”

Kyrie wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about all this. It would take some time to process everything. The dance, though… that had been quite nice, even though she was probably going to be in a fair bit of pain the next day too due to overexertion.

---------------

Back in his own room, a while later, Mateus sat at his desk. All of the gifts that he had received had been safely stored in his treasury, save for one, which was lying on his desk. The bookmark. It was a quaint little thing, though it was, in fact, skillfully made. The dark blue fabric had been well-chosen and the purple and gold cobra, clearly inspired by the one he wore on his headpiece was… actually quite good. The inclusion of the gold stars elevated the whole design. The girl had likely spent many hours working on that.

He stared at it for a while, strange emotions coursing through him. It had been such a long time since he had been given something like that. Something personal. Sentimental, even. How old had he been? Thirteen. It had been a set of handkerchiefs, with his name embroidered along with some intricate decorations. They had been given to him on his birthday, to mark the first time he would attend and participate in festivals not as a child, but as an adult, albeit a very young one. It was his mother who had made them and given them to him.

He did not like those emotions stirring. He frowned. Yes, the ball had gone perfectly, and his message had been sent to the court. He was pleased with Kyrie’s performance so far. He was even curious about her. But he did not like how she also brought these… complications with her. He had a lot to process, and a lot to think about when it came to what to do with her moving forward. He picked up the bookmark, carefully placing it on the book he’d been reading before closing it. So much for sleeping tonight.

Chapter Text

Even by the next morning, Kyrie had not fully processed the events of the previous night. Part of her felt as though she had to be dreaming it all. She was a noble now. It was… an unthinkable situation. She knew she should be happy about it, as, in the end, it was an advancement in her life, but she was too shocked to know how she really felt. Tilda was delighted, though, and she was eager to help her prepare for the new things that were coming to her life. She had all kinds of tips to give her and she put in extra effort on her hairstyle.

“A noble!” she exclaimed again as she arranged her hair. “Oh, I wish I’d been there to see that, milady! And to see the dance with the Emperor, too!”

“I’m so glad you insisted that I practice dancing,” Kyrie said. “I don’t know what I would have done otherwise. I was so surprised!”

“Yes, definitely, I can understand that, milady. It’s a bit of a shock to hear that he chose to dance,” Tilda nodded. “He is good at it, but he rarely dances in public. Mostly just the opening dance, and a few more during festivals. What did he do afterwards?”

“Introduced me to a bunch of nobles. I was so tired, though, that I couldn’t remember them all.”

“Oh, of course. That must have been overwhelming,” Tilda said. “But that’s okay, milady. I know all the families living here. I can help you with that, and with tips.”

“Thank you. I really appreciate it.”

Kyrie headed out to begin her day soon after. She was still exhausted from the stress of the previous day, and her joints were still aching. It was inconvenient, really, due to this essentially being her first day of work. She’d have to be careful not to exhaust herself too much in the morning. She’d probably just work on reviewing some of the topics she’d already studied, and then stop early to reapply her makeup and make sure she didn’t look like a ghoul during luncheon and the subsequent meeting she’d have to attend.

---------------

The morning meeting was particularly difficult for Mateus. Not only was he exhausted from poor sleep, but the topics of the meeting included the logistics of his upcoming trip to Fynn. The airship would need supplies and security, and the climate needed to be calm enough for a safe flight. Fall weather, though, was fairly unpredictable. It was a huge problem. Mateus’s advisors had spent at least two hours arguing about the logistics, frustrating him to no end. It was all over foolish complications that Fynn imposed, really, with their silly emotions and diplomatic requests. Teleportation was so much simpler. Mateus had enough magic to just teleport everyone to Fynn, along with supplies. He even had elixirs to recover afterwards. He hated the fact that he couldn’t just do that, but he was all too aware of the message that would send. He didn’t even bother to suggest this, instead focusing on analyzing a report on the average weather patterns during this time of the year. There were places where the weather was more stable, and all that was really needed was for such a place to also be a convenient location, well on the way to Fynn, but not so close that it would look hostile.

“Here,” he said, pointing towards a clearing surrounded by forest south of Palamecia. “This is the area that was designated for the Dreadnought’s resupplying and maintenance, was it not?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Advisor Cuthbert said. “We had an airship dock there, but… it has not been rebuilt.”

“It is close to halfway between here and Fynn. Convenient. How long would it take to make a makeshift dock? It need not be anything fancy. Merely… functional.”

“Weeks, Your Highness,” Johan said. “Perhaps a month, with so many reconstruction projects. However, we could clear the land for landing a smaller airship there if we must. It would be a slightly rough landing, but… possible for a small craft.”

“Then that is what shall be done. Supplies must be sent to that spot, and the airship can land there, be supplied, and wait for me and my entourage,” Mateus said. “How long would the airship take to be prepared?”

“Five days, if we send a message to a southern province to prepare the supplies,” Johan said.

“Send the message, then. I shall be there early on the sixth day.”

“Would that give us time to prepare a caravan and for it to reach that spot?” Cuthbert asked. “Surely, Your Highness, you do not intend to teleport there, do you? Teleporting is… hard on the caster.”

“What of it? Do you doubt I am capable?”

“No, of course not, Your Highness,” Cuthbert said. “But it harms the caster, does it not?”

“Yes, if it is a weak caster. Not one who has mastered the spell,” Mateus said dismissively. “It is hardly an exertion for me to teleport myself and my entourage to the airship and therefore waste less of my time on this journey. I will simply not idle in a carriage for a week or otherwise spend more time than absolutely necessary on this.”

Cuthbert still looked unsure but was too wise to question him further. Good, Mateus thought. He could hardly blame the old man for his worries. He had only really seen his first couple of attempts at teleportation, back in his youth, and… well, those were admittedly a disaster, but he was only about eight at the time. There was a reason most mages did not bother learning that particular spell, though. It was useful, but the safest way to learn it was to cast it on a victim. Cuthbert had no idea that Mateus had mastered the spell shortly before the war, along with a number of other spells.

“Very understandable,” Cuthbert said after a moment. “Very well. I will begin supervising the preparations.”

“I will send a message to the southern provinces to arrange the supplies,” Johan said.

The rest of the meeting went, thankfully, smoothly enough. The afternoon meeting would consist mostly of giving instructions to the various noble house representatives so that they could each send messages to their lands, both for the usual needs of the empire and for the journey preparations. For his part, Mateus would also have to prepare several days’ worth of instructions for Cuthbert during his absence. He would, after all, have to stay in Fynn for a few days to deal with all the diplomacy and discussions that needed to happen. It was all so complicated, really. If all the other kingdoms had simply accepted his rule, he would just be able to organize everything without wasting so much time with pointless political dancing. How did these kingdoms ever get anything done? Perhaps it was just the fact that their lands gave them everything they needed. Things were easy for them.

Heading to luncheon after the meeting, he saw Kyrie walking towards the main hall as well. She did not seem to be coming from the residential wing. The library, perhaps? He wondered what it was she read there. According to the reports, she spent most of her day there. What could a young woman of such humble origins possibly be reading that occupied so much of her time? Were there really that many romance books in the library? Apparently, she’d gone through a couple of books, too. Why would anyone even read that kind of sentimental drivel, anyways?

She was wearing more makeup than usual, he noted. Surely it wasn’t because it was her first luncheon as a noble? His quick attention to detail told him that it might not be the case. There was something about how she blinked a bit too slowly, walked a bit too heavily, and how her expression wasn’t as bright and alert as it usually was. He wasn’t particularly good at reading those kinds of cues, but he did notice them, and, given her case in particular… he supposed she might not be feeling particularly well. On the one hand, it was good that she was doing her best to compensate by paying extra attention to her appearance, but he was looking forward to seeing how she would actually perform during her first day. Would she maintain the same dignity through hardship that she had last night, or would she flounder?

---------------

Kyrie had not expected to see the Emperor on her way to luncheon. She could see his intense stare and she hoped she looked well enough and that her makeup was enough to mask how unwell she felt. She was probably a bit feverish by now, with her illness flaring. This was so inconvenient. On her first day, too! She was already utterly exhausted, and that was before the meeting. There would be no more studying today. She would have to rest after dinner. If she pushed herself too hard, she would pay a harsh price.

She was glad when the Emperor did not speak to her or acknowledge her beyond that staring and a subtle nod of his head. She did not want any awkward questions about her health in case he noticed anything, and she didn’t want to be stuck in some situation where she had to make some kind of small talk with him. He didn’t look like the kind of person who would enjoy small talk, it was true, but also it was polite to make small talk, wasn’t it? Did that even apply to the Emperor? These kinds of etiquette things were so difficult to deal with! She’d have to ask Tilda about this.

Luncheon was a fairly calm affair, or perhaps she was just too tired to really remember much of it. She was not so ignored anymore, and the nobles around her did make small talk with her. She reciprocated, practically on a script, but they seemed satisfied with that. The Emperor did not leave immediately after eating and, in fact, stayed until she was also done. After that, he got up and walked up to her.

“Follow me. I will explain a few things you must know before the afternoon meeting,” he said.

“Of course, Your Highness,” she replied.

She got up and followed him out of the main hall. She didn’t turn to look at the nobles, so she wasn’t sure if they were still staring and gossiping. She supposed they were, but she didn’t care much. She wondered exactly what it was that he would explain. Her duties, she supposed. He had only vaguely explained them the night before.

“You must have questions. Your situation is, after all, a… unique one. You are unfamiliar with many of the requirements of your station. Normally these would be things you would be taught by your family, but alas, you did not have a noble upbringing. However, you have so far adapted well enough through observation and through the instruction that your attendant has delivered to you. I trust you will adapt now as well,” the Emperor said. “Your duties will be simple for now. At the second bell after luncheon, you will report to the throne room. There, you will sit at the place assigned to you, and you will do what has served you so well. You will observe. You will listen.”

Kyrie nodded. That seemed simple. Way too simple, really. She wasn’t sure why she was asked to attend these meetings just to observe them. With so much that she had to do regarding her studies, it seemed like a waste of time.

“Is there… a specific goal that I should be aiming for in doing this, Your Highness?” she asked.

“Of course. You will learn about the court and its dealings so that you may eventually contribute. You will learn which families control what resources and lands, you will learn how alliances form between noble families… and in general you will learn to be a useful noble,” he replied. “Most importantly, you will learn about the priorities, needs and values of the empire so you may best serve them.”

“I understand, Your Highness,” Kyrie said. That made more sense… and was absolutely not a simple task.

“As you are rather low in status for a noble, there are also some tasks that may fall on your shoulders,” the Emperor continued. “Sometimes, during these meetings it is required to send messages to castle staff, or other nobles that are not in attendance. You may be sent on such errands. You may also be asked on occasion to fetch certain necessities into the throne room, such as ink, paper, books or maps… or even things like water. You will do so without hesitation.”

“Of course.”

“I expect these are simple enough instructions,” he nodded. “Normally, in a noble family, only one member is chosen to attend the afternoon meetings. In your case, you are a house of one. Therefore, it is your duty to attend. I trust you have no qualms with this arrangement.”

“No, of course not, Your Highness.”

“As it should be,” he said with a tone that made Kyrie feel that the question had been more rhetorical than anything. “Walk with me to the throne room, then.”

Kyrie nodded, following him. It made her somewhat nervous still to be in his vicinity, but… she supposed she was going to have to get used to it. As they walked, she noticed him glancing at her with a frown on his face. She wondered what that was about, and, after a moment, she gathered her courage to ask.

“Is something wrong, Your Highness?”

“That is the question I was going to ask you,” he said.

“Me?”

“I doubt many have noticed. But I do see you look… unwell.”

“Oh. Um… I’m… fine, really.”

“Do not lie to me.”

“It's… not a lie, Your Highness. Not really. Yes, I… feel unwell, but… it's just normal. It happens sometimes. It will resolve itself in a couple of days. It's nothing to worry about. I'm fine.”

“Ah. Your condition, I assume.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Is the medication provided not enough?”

“The medication is great. I have been feeling generally better with the one the castle physician provided. But no medication stops every flare-up,” she explained. “This is just going to happen every so often.”

“Hm. I see,” he said.

He stared at her with an odd expression. It was a very serious one, though he didn’t look exactly angry, nor did he look disappointed. He looked, if anything, puzzled. After a moment, he resumed walking. She walked slightly behind him, making no noise aside from the constant tapping of her cane as she walked, struggling slightly to keep up with him. Finally, they reached the throne room. The Emperor walked to his throne and then, turning to face Kyrie, pointed to some chairs close to the throne. It was a similar placement as the one at the main hall. Kyrie nodded and sat on the chair he pointed to.

While waiting for the meeting to start, Kyrie glanced around the throne room. It was, much like the rest of the castle, imposing. The stone floor was not bare, though. There was a luxurious red carpet that led from the entrance to the throne. There were columns, too, adorning the passageway to the throne. Behind it were statues, banners and the emblem of the Palamecian Empire. The throne itself was grand in a commanding kind of way. It was large just on its own, but the heavy stone adornments curving at its side made it stand out and look… impenetrable in a way. It was a fitting seat for the monarch that currently occupied it.

It didn’t take long for more nobles to start arriving. They all sat down in what she supposed were their usual seats. After a while, when every seat was taken, the meeting began. A few of the advisors seemed to be the ones that led most of the meeting per se, though the Emperor remained the one who had the final say in everything. Reports from various provinces were handed to the Emperor and discussed. Normally, Kyrie would have found this kind of stuff boring, really, but this was an opportunity to learn about Palamecia. It was an overwhelming amount of information, that was true, but she didn’t have to learn it all, let alone at once. She wondered if anyone could really learn all of the information, though the Emperor, from how quickly he seemed to recall almost any piece of information needed during the meeting, probably came close.

---------------

During the meeting, Mateus would, every so often, turn towards Kyrie to evaluate how she was doing. Aside from looking somewhat tired, she seemed alert. Good. He needed her to adapt. Sure, he could work with things if she didn’t and he had to make an example of her, but it would be extremely disappointing to have to do that. Her resilience intrigued him. He wanted to see more of it. He had given her an extremely generous opportunity in life, partly out of simple goodwill as a monarch, and partly because it ensured her stay long-term if she adapted. He wanted her to succeed.

After all the general reports were discussed and instructions issued to keep the various parts of the empire running, it was time to start talking about the trip to Fynn. He let Johan explain the various messages that had to be sent to the southern provinces, both to supply the airship and begin the rebuilding of the dock.

“What about your entourage, Your Highness?” a noble asked.

“It has already been decided, yes,” Mateus said. “My attendant is, of course, part of it. The Vernistel and Albiret families will also come, as will Lady Solwood. I will also be taking a few servants, and a number of guards, too.”

There was some confused murmuring amongst the nobles. Glancing at Kyrie, he saw her eyes widen slightly at first.

“I know the Vernistel family will be there for the sake of economics, Your Highness, and the Albiret family for diplomacy. What will be the role for… Lady Kyrie?” the noble asked.

“She will represent the new additions to the Palamecian Empire and their integration into our glorious society,” Mateus replied. “It is an important part of the empire’s diplomatic representation, especially now, with such a delicate balance that must be preserved.”

That seemed to placate the nobles. It could not be denied that it was a very important role. It had never been needed before, but… things were changing. He did not like it. He did not want to even think about it, but he did have to make certain decisions. He supposed that, eventually, he’d have to elevate more people from Bafsk and Salamand into nobility status within the empire. It would have to be people who already held authority positions then, but by the time he was able to get to that, he would have at least molded Kyrie into the perfect Palamecian noble. She would make a wonderful role model for the new nobles. For now, she’d do, even as a captive. In fact, considering where he was going, it was going to be so much more entertaining this way. Even if Firion and his little friends said nothing about it… he’d know that they were bothered.

After a few more affairs had been discussed, the meeting was finally over. The other nobles left the throne room quickly. It had been a very long meeting, and he’d long since heard the fourth bell after luncheon. He still needed to perform his physical training, too. Perhaps it would be a good idea to simply skip tea and have it with his dinner. He got up to leave the throne room, pausing to look at Kyrie, who had gotten up but still lingered. She looked utterly exhausted, he thought. He could tell by how slow her movements seemed, how serious she looked and the fact that she wasn’t doing a very good job hiding that behind her usual joyful mask. He walked towards her. After all, she’d had no idea that she would now have to prepare for a journey. He could spare a few minutes, he supposed, to make sure she knew what she had to do.

“I have bestowed upon you the honor of being part of my entourage for this upcoming journey to Fynn,” he said. “You should prepare for a day of travel, three days at Fynn, and a day traveling back.”

“I… yes. Of course, Your Highness. And… I’m honored, definitely. But… um…”

“... Is there a problem?”

“Well… yes. In a way,” Kyrie said. “Um. I can set aside clothes and accessories for that amount of time. But… I… don’t have somewhere to put them in for travel, Your Highness.”

“Ah. You do not have a trunk?” he asked. It was so alien to him that someone would lack something so basic in his court.

“No. I only have the things you have given me.”

He thought about it for a moment, recalling what those things were. There was the medication for her condition, certainly. He had given her five dresses to start with, too, since he wouldn’t have her wandering the hallways with her commoner clothes. Of course there was that formal dress he’d asked his seamstress to make for her. What else? He supposed the accessories he’d provided for her clothing counted. Ah, right. The box with paper, ink and quills for writing her letters. It was… definitely not much. He supposed that if she was going to be depending on him for now, he would have to pay a bit more attention to what she might need, aside from the bare minimum. It would simply not do to have to be reminded that she needed things every so often and only because it came up.

“It will be provided, along with more clothes. It will not do for a noble to only have five outfits,” he said.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“By the way, though there were delays due to logistics, your parents have sent you a letter. I expect there will be less delays going forward, but Anton will have sent it to your room by now.”

“Oh! Really? That’s wonderful news!” Kyrie exclaimed. Some of the light that exhaustion had claimed crept back into her eyes. “Thank you, Your Highness!”

“Hm. That will be all, then. I would advise you to prepare sooner, rather than later.”

“Yes. Of course, Your Highness.”

With a bow, Kyrie turned to leave. Mateus stared for a moment before he, too, left the throne room. The girl had done well enough in spite of her illness, but it had so clearly taken all of her energy for the day. It was very curious, though, how just the knowledge that a letter awaited her seemed to give Kyrie some of her energy back. It was purely foolish sentiment, of course. No real energy had been given back to her. It was nothing but an illusion of energy, caused by joy. Such a useless emotion, like all other emotions. Perhaps there was some use to it. Emotions were weaknesses, and weaknesses could be used. Then again… she wasn’t fighting him on everything he was asking of her. He gave an order, pushed a responsibility… and she would just follow, as she should. There was no need to manipulate her. It was easier that way. Perhaps, with time, he might even relax some of the supervision she was under. It might not be necessary after all.

---------------

“You look exhausted, milady,” Tilda said when Kyrie arrived at her room. “Your tea is ready. You will rest now, right?”

“Yes. Thank you,” Kyrie replied, heading towards the couch next to the tea table.

She was, indeed, exhausted. She felt feverish, and her joints were aching horribly. She hoped the flare would subside soon. It was going to be a rough few days.

“How did it go on your first day, milady?”

“I… think it went… decently enough. Not great timing for it, but… I managed to stay alert and listen to everything carefully. I learned a lot. Of course, there’s so much I still have to learn, but it’s a decent start for a first day,” Kyrie responded.

“That’s good to hear, milady. But don’t push yourself too hard, okay? If you need to rest because you’re ill, I’m sure the Emperor will understand. You’ll just have to let him know.”

“Yeah… maybe,” Kyrie said. He had seemed somewhat concerned in his own way. “But… not this early. I can take it. If I really need it, I’ll take a break.”

“Alright, milady,” Tilda said. “The Emperor is very demanding, but he does have leniency towards those that serve him well.”

“I hope he does. I might need it at some point,” Kyrie said. “Speaking of that, though… he said I have to pack for a journey to Fynn. Three days in Fynn and two days of travel, one going and one coming back. The journey is on the sixth day from now. He should be sending a trunk… soon.”

“Oh! A journey? I will help you pack, of course, as soon as the trunk arrives. Don't worry about it, milady.”

“Thank you so very much.”

“You’ll be part of the Emperor's entourage, then?”

“I… suppose so, yes. He said I will represent the new territories, since I come from Bafsk.”

“That would make sense, yes, milady. You are, after all, the first official noble from the new territories, right?”

“I… hadn’t thought of that. I guess it’s true. The hierarchies that existed before haven’t really been officialized yet, have they? I suppose that will be done soon enough.”

“The war reconstruction has slowed down a lot of things of that sort, milady. And winter will arrive soon and worsen the situation. I expect that will be done by spring. Possibly during the rain festivals, or shortly before that, so that the new nobles might be invited to the festivities.”

That made sense. She nodded and sipped her tea, which was delightfully soothing with how she felt. It was a good time to ask about the letter from her parents. She couldn’t wait to read it and find out what her family had been up to. Her parents had probably been sick with worry when she hadn’t been writing. She had so much to tell them about, too.

“Oh, by the way, the Emperor said that the letter from my parents would have already arrived.”

“Oh, yes, of course!” Tilda exclaimed. “I thought you’d want to wait until after tea, but I put it on your desk. Do you want to read it right now?”

“Yes, please.”

Tilda nodded and handed Kyrie the envelope with the letter. Kyrie couldn't help but notice how it had already been opened, but, well, as weird as it felt, she had known the Emperor would be reading them first. Still she took out the letter and read it.

She had been right. Her parents had been so worried when they had received no reply to the last letter that they'd sent to her at the Wilson’s estate. They had then received a letter from Lady Wilson who had informed them that she had run away or something like that. This had left her parents very confused. She wasn’t the type to run away. Not like this. They were so relieved to hear that she was safe, though also very confused due to the fact that she was living in Castle Palamecia now. Kyrie wondered if they had written the word “confusion” when they meant “terrified” but knew they couldn't write that. She would have to reassure them as to the fact that she was quite safe in spite of everything. The rest of the letter included various news from them and various other relatives. She read the letter several times. She missed them so much. In the end, though, it had been her decision to leave Bafsk behind to pursue life as a mage. While fate had thrown all kinds of complications her way, and she certainly wasn’t where she expected to be, she was still on track to fulfill her dreams. She had access to the castle library and all the information on magic she could ever want. If she had to also be a noble here, so be it. This was her life now. She would make the best of it.

Chapter Text

For Kyrie, the next few days were somewhat of a blur as she recovered from her illness flaring up. She had to rest a lot, so she studied very little, in order to make sure she had energy for the daily meeting she had to attend. A small trunk was delivered to her room the next day, just as the Emperor said, along with a few more dresses. Due to how little Kyrie owned, though, she and Tilda waited for the last day to do the packing. Kyrie felt much better then, too, and was able to help.

“Are you nervous, milady?” Tilda asked.

“A little. I haven’t been to Fynn in a long time,” she replied. “How about you?”

“I have never been out of Palamecia,” Tilda admitted. “It is a strange feeling. I don’t know if I’m nervous or just excited.”

“Really? Well… from what I remember of Fynn, it’s a beautiful place. I think you’ll like it. Its location is so unique. It’s surrounded by mountains on one side and a huge crescent-shaped lake on the other. It’s all so green and gorgeous,” Kyrie said. “In a way, it’s prettier than Bafsk is. While they have lush forests and prairies, Bafsk has a mountain and then on the other side, it’s all marshes. There’s plenty of convenience and beauty to it, but… there’s something to be said about prairies and lakes. I hear the areas around Fynn grow the most beautiful flowers.”

“Oh that sounds wonderful, milady. I suppose that makes me feel less nervous. I am looking forward to seeing this. I wonder what their gardens look like.”

“Yeah, me too. I’ve only been to the city a couple times. Never to the castle. I hear it’s lovely, though. I’ve seen it at a distance. It looks all white and elegant. It’s very different from this one,” Kyrie said. “Don’t get me wrong. Castle Palamecia has its own charm, but… it’s more imposing than it’s elegant.”

“It’s because of all the towers. They look imposing, but… they’re what makes the castle resistant to the powerful winds that batter it so often. And, well… if a large-scale force were to attack… the towers also make the place more defensible, creating choke points, and being way easier to repair if something goes wrong,” Tilda explained. “Palamecia is a stable place now, but… when the castle was built, it was not. It wasn’t even named Palamecia then. It was the first King Palamecia, who built this castle, who united all the tribes and territories into one empire. Because of how volatile the situation was, he built it into the most defensible castle in the world. It still is, from what I understand.”

“Really? That’s fascinating,” Kyrie said. She had never been taught much about Palamecian history. The empire had never been on particularly good terms with its neighbors, and not all too much was known about it in the other kingdoms. She was glad to learn more about it.

“It is why House Palamecia is so important in the empire. They’re tied to our very identity,” Tilda said with a nod.

Suddenly, Kyrie realized why the Emperor's return had been so celebrated in Palamecia. In spite of his death, no new emperor had been appointed. He might be the last heir of House Palamecia. It was no wonder there was worry about his future. Well… hopefully that’d get resolved soon enough. With peace on the table, people, including rulers, were free to live their lives. House Palamecia still had hope.

“That makes sense. It explains a lot, too,” Kyrie said. “I have so much to learn about Palamecia. So many of these things are not known at all in other places. And… I get it, but… I think it’s also why it’s so easy for outsiders to see the entire empire as just… evil.”

“There’s evil people everywhere,” Tilda shrugged.

“Yes. Definitely.”

Count Borghen, for example, had been from Fynn. That traitor had sold off his entire kingdom for the possibility of glory as a general, as well as money. But, well, one man didn’t define a whole kingdom. She was starting to really enjoy learning about the empire she was now a part of. It would be a good experience to see Fynn, too, and learn more about it.

“Well… I suppose I’d best get an early night’s sleep,” Kyrie said. “We’ll have to leave early.”

“Of course, milady. I’ll come to wake you up in time.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that.”

Kyrie was quite looking forward to the journey by airship. She had only once traveled that way, but she loved the view from up in the sky. As she fell asleep that night, she thought about clouds and mountains and beautiful white castles.

---------------

Mateus barely slept on the night before the journey. He mostly rushed through paperwork long into the night, hoping to leave as much of it done as humanly possible. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Cuthbert with the day-to-day management of the Empire. He just hated to be forced to leave things to others. No one knew all the details of governance like he did. Only he could do the job to his own standards. Cuthbert, though, was… acceptable enough for a few days.

He spent the early morning handing out orders to the servants for the various last-minute preparations. No, he didn’t want ethers, he wanted elixirs. No, there was no time for breakfast. That’d be on the airship. Yes, he did, in fact, ask for everyone’s belongings to be placed in that area of the courtyard. No, they were not taking cannons, or bows, or any other showy weapon into the airship. They couldn’t afford to look hostile. Yes, the restitution payment had to be put into the courtyard too, discreetly. No. No kittens on board the airship. Who even asked that? It was probably a mistake to let the younger Albirets take the grandkids. And yes, of course they needed a white mage who knew Esuna. And of course that was in addition to the general supplies of medications and herbs he’d already asked for.

Finally everyone had assembled on the courtyard. There was of course, the elder Lady Albiret with her son and two daughters, their spouses and kids. There was Johan, too, with his two brothers and their spouses. Both families had one attendant. Kyrie was there too, along with her own attendant. Anton was ready as well. Ten servants, one white mage and ten guards were present too. Everyone’s belongings were neatly arranged in trunks, though a bit away from the Emperor’s own belongings and the restitution payment. They all were waiting to be brought to the airship, though the kids seemed confused as to why the airship wasn’t here.

“It is time,” he said.

The group of people shifted nervously, while those who were not part of the entourage got away so as to leave more than enough distance between themselves and the spell the Emperor was to cast. He lifted his scepter and began channeling his immense power at the group, visualizing the area they were to go to. In a flash of light, it was done. The courtyard of the castle dissolved and in its place stood a forest clearing. Everyone was in the exact same position, though some looked disoriented. The youngest kids started to cry, with their parents trying to soothe them. They should have left the kids at home, Mateus thought bitterly. He shook his head as he began walking towards the airship.

The airship that he had now wasn’t as showy as he would have liked it, but it was more convenient for these kinds of missions. It was of just average airship size, painted black, red and gold, to align with the official imperial colors. Normally it had various weapons, but he’d ordered them removed for this particular journey. He couldn’t well arrive at Fynn in a warship. No matter, really. He was more than sufficiently capable of taking care of any threats.

The rest of the entourage followed into the airship, with the servants carrying the various trunks in. As Mateus headed into his own cabin, Anton worked on assigning everyone else to their own cabin. It wouldn’t take long for the airship to take off. He knew how things would go. The belongings would be put into each cabin. The servants would prepare and serve breakfast. At least half of the nobles would get airship sickness and spend the entire journey locked up in their cabins. Those that weren’t would either attend to their ill relatives, or hang out in the dining room, which would double as a social area, and get in the way of the servants that would be trying to prepare for the next meal. No one would bother to go to the observation lounge, for fear of feeling ill. Meanwhile, he would be bored out of his mind, having nothing to do but pace around his own cabin. Perhaps he might even rest for an hour or so before all the things on his mind woke him up again and he grew increasingly frustrated at being cooped up in this airship when there was so much to do. At least he’d brought a couple of books.

---------------

Kyrie was assigned a cabin that, technically, was next to the Emperor’s. There really was only one hallway full of cabins, most of them facing each other. The Emperor’s cabin was all the way at the end of that, and clearly huge in comparison to the others. The families with children were placed as far away from that cabin as possible, with their relatives placed in the cabins next to those, finally leaving the elder Lady Albiret and herself with the two cabins right next to the Emperor’s.

She was just glad that Pearl was not here. It was bad enough that she’d been picked as part of his entourage. With how hierarchical the court was, being placed in such close proximity to the Emperor would have seemed like an offense to the young lady. The space in the airship was fairly confined, especially compared to the castle. She doubted hierarchy had anything to do with cabin assignment here. It was just sane to keep children, who might be loud, as far away from the Emperor as possible, she thought.

The cabin was very well-insulated, both from temperature and sound and the silence felt… odd. Kyrie had grown accustomed to the constant whistling and howling of the wind in the castle and its absence was almost deafening. Outside of the cabins, one could hear the airship’s engines, but the sound was constant and dull and it made Kyrie feel almost claustrophobic. The air felt stale and dusty, too.

Even breakfast was weird in the airship. She would have thought that, with such few people present, it would almost be… cozy. It was anything but. Instead of being playful, the few kids that had come to the trip were silent, and almost fearful. Likely they had never been this close to the Emperor and felt intimidated. Their parents, too, stayed silent, possibly trying to set an example. The Emperor didn’t seem to be in any better spirits. His expression was cold and standoffish. Only the elderly Lady Albiret and Johan seemed at all in any mood to speak. Lady Alibret mostly tried to make small talk with the Emperor, who mostly nodded, but said little. Johan, on the other hand, decided to talk to Kyrie.

“Have you ever been to Fynn, Lady Solwood?” he asked.

“Um, yes. A couple times, years ago,” she replied.

“I suppose it will be different now,” Johan said. “You’re no longer a normal civilian on a leisure trip. You’re representing the Empire now. You will not be seen the same by the people of Fynn.”

“I… suppose so,” Kyrie said.

“Fynn was allied with Bafsk in the past, but that’s no longer the case. They may be unfriendly. They may insult you,” Johan said. “I hope you are prepared, milady. Things could be difficult for one who is not used to dealing with these kinds of politics.”

“I understand that very well,” Kyrie said. “I’m quite prepared. Though… maybe it won’t be as bad as that. Yes. We represent the Empire, but… this is a mission for peace. Fynn has a culture of politeness and friendliness. They will surely not be overtly hostile. It would affect them too.”

“I cannot see Fynn receiving us with anything other than sheer hostility,” Johan said. “They have no reason to be polite.”

“They do, though,” Kyrie said. “They want the peace to be upheld as well. I have no doubt they will be less than warm, but they will surely be polite and diplomatic, as we will all be.”

“Lady Kyrie is right,” the Emperor interjected, much to her and Johan’s surprise. “I have had dealings with the Princess and her warriors. They prefer pacifism over confrontation. We need not fear direct hostilities. If any hostilities are shown, likely they will be entirely directed towards me.”

“But, milord, that would be an act of war, would it not?” Johan asked.

“Yes. If it is overt enough. But I doubt even they are foolish enough to risk their precious peace over petty revenge,” the Emperor replied.

Kyrie felt that he was right, even if he had worded things so… unkindly. Fynn definitely was a kingdom that valued peace. It wasn’t that they were fools, though. They were just… different. Their festivals were not about survival and the fleeting relief from the harsh elements. They were about life blossoming and plentiful harvests. They would surely not risk peace. Not after the horrific war that had just ended.

“We have to be prepared, milord,” Johan said. “We have to expect hostility of the kind that would ignite war once more. Our military is still strong. We can take on Fynn if need be.”

“Oh, nonsense, Johan,” Lady Albiret said. “No one is going to be starting any wars. The world can’t deal with that right now. No one is in a good enough position to do something so silly. It would be suicide for any kingdom to disturb the delicate peace that we have now.”

“We must be prepared for anything, including this,”Johan said. “Being prepared is the Palamecian way, Lady Albiret.”

“No, it is not,” the Emperor said. His voice was very serious, and his gaze oddly distant. “Being prepared is not the true Palamecian way. It is action and adaptation. Of course, preparing contingency plans is a part of that, but in the end, the point is not to merely react to outside forces. It is to change things in one’s favor. I already have a number of contingency plans in place should the Princess prove herself… unwise. I do not expect we will be needing any of them. They value their precious peace too much. All we realistically can expect is a cold welcome and perhaps some minor slights, which I expect all present are too competent to be baited by.”

“I understand, milord,” Johan said.

“Be sure you do. I do not want any diplomatic issues to arise during this visit,” the Emperor said.

“Of course not, Emperor. Though I advocate for preparedness, peace is more conducive to my own life plans than war is, especially now. I wish only to solidify my alliances and, well, settle down.”

The Emperor said nothing, but Kyrie did note how he raised an eyebrow for a moment before going back to his sullen expression. For a moment, she wondered what that was about. She supposed it was just more politics on heirs and such. Even though she was a noble now, those topics were irrelevant to her, at least until she was a proper mage. She had worked too hard on this to just get distracted.

---------------

Mateus was glad when breakfast was over. Though the children had behaved well, they had stared at him half the time as though they were looking at some kind of monster that was going to leap at them and eat them or something. It wasn’t that it offended him, or bothered him personally. He was used to the various expressions of loathing that people directed at him, and he had long since stopped feeling anything about it. He just didn’t want to give a poor impression in Fynn, which could jeopardize the truce. Children were risky pawns to use in these kinds of diplomatic goals. On the one hand, their reputation as harmless and innocent was exactly the kind of message he wanted to send. On the other hand, children were unruly and foolish. The Albiret kids were at least old enough to be coached. A few words with the elder Lady Albiret and things would surely go well.

The rest of his frustrations were not going away, though. There was so much on his mind. So many tasks had to be done, and many of those would be paused until his return to Palamecia. He trusted Cuthbert, but he still hated not being there himself to handle everything. If this were at least a journey that would advance his ambitions, that’d be different. Instead it was a somber march to humiliation.

Luncheon was no better than breakfast. It was awkward, though the children at least did not look as though they were dining in the presence of vicious demons. Johan kept trying to talk to Kyrie, and Mateus was increasingly irritated by that. He knew Johan was a very ambitious man. Why was he suddenly interested in Kyrie? Did he have some nefarious plans to use her for his own political gain? Mateus had no intention of allowing that. This was exactly why he had originally decided to bring her along. He knew his court. He knew the girl was still rather naive, too. She would never catch the intentions of nobles like Johan. In time, she would learn, but in the meantime, it was his responsibility to keep her away from the claws of nobles like Johan.

A bit after luncheon, tired of pacing around his cabin, he wanted a change of scenery. He still felt uncomfortable after some of the things Lady Albiret had said during breakfast. He didn’t want to think about it, and pacing in the cabin was only making it worse. He also didn’t want to be anywhere near the younger Albirets, or Johan. The air had a fair bit of turbulence today, so he expected that most of the nobles would be cooped up in their cabins due to airship sickness. He figured only a couple of people would be out in the dining area, if any. However, since it was likely that Johan would be among them, he decided to simply head to the observation lounge. It was probably empty, anyways.

Much to his surprise, though, he found that the observation lounge was not empty. Kyrie had decided to go there, too. He had not expected her to be outside of her cabin. She was of a weak constitution, so he had thought she would be battling nausea, especially with how rough the skies were at the moment. Instead, she was standing next to the window, looking out at the view, seemingly enthralled. He shook his head. Of course a sentimental creature such as her would brave the turbulence to go look at the pretty view. He didn’t say anything to her. He wasn’t here to make small talk. He simply sat down nearby and crossed his legs, leaning his head on his hand. He was then quickly absorbed by the thoughts that swirled in his mind like a constant maelstrom.

A sudden bout of turbulence distracted him from his thoughts as he heard Kyrie gasp while she fell backwards. A quick flick of his wrist sent his scepter flying to keep her from falling. He didn’t need her getting injured on the way to Fynn. Kyrie held on to the scepter for a moment before regaining her balance and turning towards him in surprise.

“Thank you, Emperor,” she said.

“The skies are tempestuous today, my lady. You should sit. It is safer that way,” he said with a nod.

She looked a bit uncertain, but nodded as she took a nearby seat.

“So. You are braving the turbulence to watch the view,” he said.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Is it everything you remembered?” he asked.

He doubted it was. It couldn’t be. Her recollection was tainted by sentimentality. She had to confront that fact and admit that it couldn’t possibly be the case. To his surprise and mild annoyance, though, she nodded.

“Yes, Your Highness. It’s… just as beautiful as I remember it. There are different colors this time around, though. More red and brown. But it’s still just as lovely. Thank you for bringing me along on this mission.”

“Hm. It was merely convenient.”

“Still, Your Highness, I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

He said nothing to that. After a moment, he glanced at the window to look at this view for himself. He did not see what she did. Where she saw color and wonder, he just saw normal mountains, trees and grasses- a world that should be his… but wasn’t. He shook his head, bringing his thoughts back to the current mission. There was something that he wanted to ask her, now that there was no one who would eavesdrop.

“Do you still harbor loyalty for Fynn?” he asked. He watched her reaction carefully. She looked genuinely surprised to hear that question.

“What do you mean, Your Highness? I have never been from Fynn.”

“Fynn was an ally of Bafsk, along with Kashuan, was it not?”

“Well… I guess so. Friendly neighbors,” Kyrie replied. “But… that’s the past. We’re part of Palamecia now. My loyalty, thus, is to Palamecia.”

“Good,” he said. “As it should be. After all, I expect no less than complete loyalty from my court.”

“I have no intention of antagonizing you, Your Highness. As part of your court, I shall act accordingly, to the best of my ability,” she said. “Whatever happened before, you’re my emperor now. You’re the law of my homeland… and of my new home.”

He liked that answer. He liked it when his subjects knew their place. He liked it even more when they did so without flattery or deceit. Kyrie had so far proved honest. He hoped she would continue to be that way. It was… refreshing. She definitely had goals and wants of her own, but at least none of them were against his own interests as far as he knew. Apparently she just really wanted to read books. Odd, but basically harmless. He continued to sit in silence for a while. The turbulence was getting a bit worse, he thought. Kyrie continued to look out at her precious little view. He didn’t pay her much heed until, after a while, he saw her position shift, and a frown appeared on her face. He turned to look at her.

“There are storm clouds gathering in the south, Your Highness,” she said.

He stood up and walked to the window. It was true. That explained the bumpy ride. They still had a few hours to go before reaching Fynn. How inconvenient. The airship would be able to take all but the worst of storms, but it would be unpleasant. This was why he did not like traveling during autumn, or other such times when the weather was unpredictable. It was dangerous. He wondered briefly whether this was part of Hilda’s plan, pushing him to take these risks in hopes that he might die. As if that would work. All it did was put his nobles at risk.

“Go back to your cabin,” he said. “It will be a rather rough ride.”

“Okay, Your Highness,” Kyrie said, getting up and turning to leave.

“Try not to die before we even get to Fynn,” Mateus said with a smirk.

He doubted she would actually die, but he did suppose she was going to be tossed about a fair bit on her way to her cabin. She turned around and gave him a concerned look before she left. He grinned for a moment, before sighing and getting up to find out what the airship staff’s plan was regarding the storm. They were probably already on their way to alert the rest of the passengers, but he did want to make sure everything was in order.

---------------

Kyrie made it to her cabin without too many new bruises. She had, of course, first gone to warn Tilda of the upcoming storm. The poor attendant was already struggling with airship sickness, and looked absolutely dismayed when she heard about the storm. Still, she helped Kyrie warn the rest of the servants, who then went on to warn the nobles. Kyrie knew it wasn’t her responsibility to be warning people, but some of them were Tilda’s friends. After all that Tilda had done for her, Kyrie couldn’t bear not to help her, especially when she felt so unwell because of the nausea. In spite of the detour, she made it back to the cabin before the airship was hit by the storm.

She knew exactly when the storm hit. She could hear the thunder outside above the sound of the airship engines. The rain battered the sides of the airship so hard, she could hear it too. She felt the way the wind tossed the airship around. Though she knew it was safer than a sailing ship, it didn’t really feel that way as she stayed seated, holding on to her seat, feeling afraid and nauseous in spite of her general resistance to airship sickness. She couldn’t help but think about the other passengers, like the elderly Lady Albiret, and the children, and how they might be dealing with the storm. Tilda, too, worried her, since it was the first time she was out of Palamecia at all. She was probably terrified, thinking they might all die. It was unfortunate that the attendant’s first journey by airship happened to be a rough one. She wished it were safe to be around to offer her some reassurance, but that would have to come later.

Kyrie did not know exactly how long the tempest lasted. It felt like hours. Finally, though, the thunder ceased, and the rain calmed, and the airship finally stopped swaying so dangerously. Tentatively, Kyrie got up from her seat. It was hard to believe that the wind had been so harsh just moments before. She decided she might as well go and check on a few people. Lady Albiret, for starters. The elderly lady was all alone in her cabin, and it was the closest one. She walked out and knocked on the cabin in front of hers.

“Yes? Come in, please,” she heard Lady Albiret’s voice from within.

Kyrie opened the door, worrying about what she might see, but relieved to see that the elderly noble was alright. She looked somewhat shaken, but didn’t seem horribly injured, at least.

“Oh. Lady Solwood. What brings you here, young lady? It was quite the storm, wasn’t it?” Lady Albiret said.

“Um, yes. It was,” Kyrie said. “So um… I just came to see if you were alright.”

“Oh, my. Rather considerate of you, really, but I’m alright. A few bumps and bruises, that’s all, but I daresay we all have those. It’s a good thing there’s a white mage on board,” Lady Albiret said.

“Yes. Definitely. He’s going to be rather busy,” Kyrie said. She wished she knew enough white magic to help, but, well… she hadn’t quite gotten to that just yet. She had only just begun to study Cure when her illness had flared up, but between that and the preparations for this trip, she hadn’t gotten to the point where she could cast it.

“Do me a favor, dear. Could you check on the Emperor for me? I’m still rather nauseous from the storm, so I can’t quite get up yet, but knowing him, he spent most of the storm out there, protecting the airship with magic, and getting soaked, his hairstyle and his makeup getting entirely ruined. Ask him for me if I should send my attendant to him to get it fixed. He won’t have time to do it all.”

“Of course, Lady Albiret,” Kyrie said.

“Thank you, dear. And, please, just call me Nadine.”

Kyrie smiled, nodded and left Nadine’s cabin in order to knock at the Emperor’s.

“What?” came the rather annoyed voice from within.

“May I come in? Lady Albiret wanted me to ask you something,” Kyrie said.

“Yes. Enter.”

Kyrie did so, and then almost immediately regretted it. Nadine had been right. The Emperor had absolutely been out in the rain. His hair was soaked and he was apparently in the process of changing to dry clothes. He was currently shirtless, and cleaning the ruined makeup from his face. This was so awkward. He was thinner than he looked with all his armor on, but his lean body was still quite muscular. Even though he clearly had great physique, Kyrie decided it was a better idea to look elsewhere. Anywhere else, really. The wall would do.

“Make it quick,” he said. “Our arrival to Fynn is imminent.”

“Lady Albiret wishes to know if you want her to send you her attendant to assist you with your, um, preparations,” Kyrie said.

“I suppose that is rather considerate of her. However, do I look like I require assistance?”

She could not imagine that he’d be able to dry his hair, brush it, put on his makeup and the rest of his clothes and armor on his own in the time they had left. Not with the level of perfection he so clearly demanded of himself. Then again, he could always pick a simpler look if he so wished.

“I understand that you have spent all this time during the storm outside, using your magic to protect the airship,” she said. “I make no assumptions as to whether you need the assistance or not. Lady Albiret just wants to know if you wish for her to send it.”

The Emperor ran his hand through his hair, looking frustrated. He then picked up his shirt and put it on, much to Kyrie’s relief. It had no buttons, so he then also had to pull his hair carefully out of it.

“Though unnecessary, it would be… convenient,” he said after a moment.

“Alright, Your Highness. I’ll let her know,” Kyrie said. She paused for a moment. “Would… there be anything else you need before I go?”

He looked at her with some curiosity, seemingly considering her question.

“In the top drawer there all the way to the right,” he said, pointing to a dresser. “There is an Elixir. Hand it to me.”

Kyrie nodded and walked over to the dresser, opening the drawer he pointed to. There was only a book and a small sealed bottle. The elixir, she supposed. As she picked the bottle up, she couldn’t help but notice the bookmark that was in the book. She recognized the tassel. It was the one she’d made. She wasn’t sure what to think about it, but she also didn’t want to pause too long. She closed the drawer and walked over to the Emperor to hand him the bottle. He was applying his eye makeup. In a moment, he was done and he turned to her to take the bottle with a nod. He opened it and drank its contents. Kyrie could feel the magic as it revitalized him.

“Go give Lady Albiret her answer now,” he said.

Kyrie nodded and then left his cabin. After delivering the Emperor’s answer to Lady Albiret, she went to check on Tilda. The attendant was still shocked, but there was no real time to discuss the storm as, very soon, she had to put those feelings aside to prepare for landing. Kyrie went back to her cabin to wait. She couldn't help but think about how the Emperor was, in fact, using the bookmark she gave him. She was sure it was that one. It felt somewhat odd that he would be using it over… whatever other option he had. What was that about? Did he like it? She was not sure what to feel about it. Perhaps it was confusion that she felt, along with some nervousness. While he had proven that he had some amount of concern for her welfare, he was not a particularly kind or sentimental person. She’d half expected him to throw it away into his treasury or something. After some consideration, she decided to take it as a compliment. She was glad it was useful, and that he hadn’t just put it away to be forgotten. It made the work worth it. After about an hour, she finally heard a voice from one of the airship’s crew members.

“Go back to your cabins! We have arrived at Fynn and are preparing to land!”

Chapter Text

There was some turbulence as the airship landed, but finally, it was still, and the engines were soon silent. Kyrie opened the door of her cabin to see how disembarking would work with Palamecian social protocols. She saw the younger Albirets peeking out too, but none of the nobles exited their cabins. It was only once the Emperor left his cabin that the nobles followed behind him. Kyrie did so as well. They were all silent and tense, though the Emperor was particularly so. Upon exiting the airship, Kyrie noticed that they had landed in the outskirts of Fynn. The welcoming delegation was already there. It consisted of a number of guards and three young people leading them. Kyrie supposed they might be knights. One of them was a young silver-haired man with the bearing of a warrior. To his right was a young woman with purple hair, and to his left a tall young man who was built like some kind of great bear. The silver-haired man looked hostile, and the young woman looked worried in addition to her hostility. The bulky, imposing man looked serious and hostile too, though his demeanor immediately softened when he saw the noble children. The Emperor walked forward a few steps and awaited the response from the Fynn delegation. The silver-haired man stepped forward to to meet him.

“Emperor. Welcome to Fynn. We have been expecting you,” he said.

“Well met, Firion,” the Emperor replied. “It is good to see Fynn still values formality in spite of the circumstances.”

Kyrie almost gasped with surprise. Firion? These were the rebel heroes that had fought against the Emperor during the war. The young woman had to be Maria, and the other young man was surely Guy. She supposed it made sense that they would be the ones sent to greet the Emperor. It was a clear threat. No wonder the Emperor had seemed so tense during the journey. Now, though, he was the very picture of arrogant confidence. Firion’s expression was one so hostile, Kyrie feared that he might actually attack the Emperor. Maria, though, walked forward, and Firion relaxed slightly.

“We prepared carriages for your delegation,” Maria said. “The people of Fynn are, understandably, quite upset at the arrival of, well, anyone from Palamecia. We don’t want any issues that could escalate.”

“They should be honored that I came personally,” the Emperor said.

“Those that lost everything with the war won’t agree with that sentiment.” Firion said.

“Either way, it’s late, and I see you brought children, and others who would just benefit from a carriage ride over the long walk to Fynn Castle,” Maria said. “The carriages are just over there, and there’s plenty of space for any luggage that you may have brought.”

“Very well. I shall have the servants load our belongings, and then we will accept riding in these… carriages of yours,” the Emperor said.

Firion nodded and the Emperor signaled to the servants to begin unloading the luggage from the airship. In the meantime, they all waited, standing, both delegations facing each other, the tension making the air feel several degrees colder. The Fynnian warriors were silent, and Kyrie found this unnerving. She’d heard that Firion and his friends were very good people, but the hostility in their faces as they faced down the Emperor was terrifying. The Emperor did not look disturbed at all. Aside from being perfectly composed, he had an arrogant smirk on his face.

The first thing that the servants brought out was a large number of chests. They were fancy ones, extravagant, really, with decorations made with gold and expensive dyes and fabric. Kyrie supposed that they contained the restitution payment. She noticed Firion looking a bit surprised for a moment, possibly at the extravagance of the chests. After those were loaded into the Fynn carriages, the servants loaded everyone’s belongings. Finally, it was time for the delegations to walk into the carriages.

“This one goes with me,” the Emperor said, gesturing towards Kyrie.

“Only four people fit into the carriage assigned to you,” Firion said.

“I am aware. However, it is only proper that I travel with someone from my delegation. The other nobles will all be traveling with their families. This one has no family in the court. I insist that she travel with me.”

“We’re not taking risks with you, Emperor. Maria, Guy and I intend to travel with you and make sure you don’t cause problems,” Firion said.

“Look, Firion, let’s think about it. You know he’s just being difficult because he’s trying to provoke you. Let’s consider how we can accommodate this, ok?” Maria said.

“It is not a matter of accommodation. It is etiquette,” the Emperor said. “Surely, out of diplomacy, you understand that it is only proper that I travel with one of my own.”

“Guy can travel in other carriage,” Guy said. “Keep peace.”

Kyrie felt rather uncomfortable. She hated being the center of this argument, but she kept silent, not wanting to worsen things, or to anger the Emperor.

“Alright. Two of us will do,” Firion relented.

The Emperor nodded, and gestured for Kyrie to follow him. She did, and she got into the lead carriage after him. Firion and Maria followed. After a while, the carriages began to move. Kyrie rather wished she had been put in… any carriage but this. The Emperor had crossed his legs, leaned back and was just staring down Firion with a smirk on his face. Firion was staring back confidently and with great hostility. Maria looked confident too, but also very uncomfortable at the tension in the carriage. Kyrie wanted to do something to defuse the tension, but… what?

---------------

There was a bit of truth in what that Maria girl had said about Mateus wanting to be difficult and provoke Firion. It was true that he wanted to force his hand into a concession, in order to gain some control over the situation. His choice of travel companion had been the most strategic one available to him. Normally, he would have picked Lady Albiret, but she would want to travel with her grandkids. That would leave Kyrie to travel with, of all people, Johan. Mateus trusted Johan when it came to political matters, but he did not trust the plans he might have around vulnerable new noblewomen. Most importantly, though, Mateus doubted that Firion and his friends would try to kill him in front of an innocent, disabled young woman. He did not trust them at all, and certainly didn’t want to be alone with them where they might force him to defend himself and call it an act of war.

He didn’t really mind the awkward silence. If anything, it was amusing to see Firion and Maria looking so uncomfortable. He supposed Kyrie was uncomfortable too, but, well, this was a good test for her, really. How would she navigate this situation? Would she be meek and silent, or would she say something? And if she did… what would she say? He was rather curious.

“I thought Fynn would be chillier at this time of year,” Kyrie finally said after a few minutes.

Seriously? Talking about the weather? Mateus raised an eyebrow and glanced at her, but said nothing. What was she trying to do?

“The weather can change a lot at this time of the year. Today’s been warm, though,” Maria said. She looked relieved to have the silence broken. “I guess this is good for you, right? Since Palamecia is a desert, you’re probably more comfortable in this kind of weather.”

“Well… the castle is up in the mountains and it is windy and quite chilly there,” Kyrie replied. “I do prefer mild weather to the heat of the desert or something too cold, like Salamand, so the weather here is quite nice.”

Mateus fought the urge to roll his eyes. Small talk. What a waste of time. Still, it could not be denied that the tension was eased. In the end, that improved his safety. Perhaps it wasn’t so useless, at least when someone like Kyrie engaged in it. Mateus didn’t do small talk.

“You should come during spring,” Maria said. “The weather is much nicer and the flowers are all blooming.”

“Oh, really? That’d be lovely.”

Mateus gave a small, impatient snort and tuned out the rest of their conversation. He did want to scrutinize how Kyrie dealt with this situation, but he drew the line at listening to people talking about pretty flowers and such foolish things.

---------------

Kyrie could only call this conversation a success. It had been an awkward conversation starter, but it had done its job. Talking about the weather was common for a reason, she supposed. It was a perfectly harmless topic, and she was glad that Maria had reciprocated. The tension was, indeed, much lessened. Even Firion seemed slightly less tense. The Emperor, she noted, had completely checked out of the conversation after that derisive noise. That was alright, though. She had figured he wasn’t the type to talk about this kind of thing.

Kyrie quickly steered the conversation towards Fynn by asking about whether they celebrated seasons like spring. Maria was happy to answer questions and even asked about Palamecian celebrations. Kyrie shared some of what she knew about Palamecian festivals and talked about its music and dances. She even shared a bit of her experience dancing at the ball, but didn’t mention it was the Emperor she’d danced with. After all, she didn’t know if the Emperor would approve. She only said she danced with an excellent lead.

---------------

When Palamecia was mentioned, Mateus couldn’t help but bring his attention back to the conversation. He was rather pleasantly surprised when Kyrie spoke about festivals she’d never even seen. It meant that she had been doing research and actively working to adapt to Palamecian culture. Truly a worthy acquisition. She had managed to calm the tension, too. He could still see the distrust in Firion's eyes, but that was expected. She still had succeeded in what she was clearly trying to do. Not bad.

It was time for her to leave the spotlight, though. She was still not used to these kinds of situations, and she was pretty naive anyways. It was just safer if she stayed in the background of the conversation. Besides, it was just proper for him to have control over this situation.

“Lady Kyrie does have a talent for seeing beauty and wonder in the mundane, does she not? A rare outlook, perhaps admirable to some, though I myself do not understand it,” Mateus said.

“I think it’s a wonderful talent,” Maria said. “It brings strength to people, even if someone like you can’t understand it.”

“What’s someone like her doing around the likes of you, anyways?” Firion asked. “She clearly values everything you disdain, and is everything you’re not. What are you scheming?”

Ah, perfect. Mateus’s lips curled into a slight smirk. Firion was starting to notice the situation with Kyrie. This was an excellent opportunity to sow some confusion. It would keep them busy and off-balance, ensuring his safety during his stay.

“You could call Lady Kyrie my ward, or even my companion,” he replied with condescension. “She’s under my protection, and I am solely responsible for her welfare. The reasons for her presence here are none of your concern, nor is it your place to question them.”

“Your WHAT?!” Firion exclaimed, disbelief etched into every bit of his face.

“You, of all people, are saying you took in a ward… and companion?” Maria asked, crossing her arms in disbelief. “Just what is it you’re playing at?”

“Your suspicions amuse me,” Mateus replied. “I am playing at nothing with this. It is simply natural for an emperor to extend his protection towards a subject who holds some value.”

“Valuable? You only value those you can use for your ambitions,” Firion said. “This young woman is clearly not a ruthless warrior. I doubt she even shares your ambitions. So what’s your angle here?”

“Why should there be an angle? Perhaps I simply find her intriguing.”

“Someone like you doesn’t just find people intriguing. You’re always planning something. What do you want this time?” Firion insisted.

“Is it so wrong for me to merely appreciate what she brings to my court?” Mateus asked, his voice dripping with amusement and condescension.

“Knowing you, it’s something nefarious,” Maria said.

“I agree. That’s what this is, isn’t it? Just another pawn for you to use. You just don’t know when to stop, do you?” Firion asked.

This was quite entertaining. Firion and Maria both had fallen right into his provocation. They would now wonder what importance Kyrie held for him, and be distracted by trying to find plans that didn’t exist, instead of focusing entirely on him in order to try to take any of his actions as some kind of hostility that would permit them to attack him.

“If I may,” Kyrie said quietly.

Though her voice was quiet, it was so unexpected that all three of them stared at her. Mateus’s satisfaction turned to a flicker of irritation. He had no idea what she was going to say and he did not want her to ruin his strategy somehow.

“I appreciate everyone’s concern,” Kyrie continued. “But… I am not helplessly drifting through the currents of fate. I steer my own ship too. The Emperor has, indeed, extended his protection to me. With it, I live a comfortable life and pursue my own life choices. I’m alright.”

Mateus said nothing for a moment. He was… surprised. He had expected her to try to defuse the situation, but he had not expected such… assertiveness. Not from her. It was most intriguing. Perhaps he’d underestimated her… or perhaps this was part of that strange strength she possessed. He was a bit irritated, too. She’d ruined a perfectly entertaining conversation. Still, though unexpected, her words painted him in a positive light, which he supposed he could still use. He glanced at Firion and Maria. They looked outright stunned.

“We don’t doubt your capacity to make decisions,” Maria said after a moment. “We just worry. We know what kind of person he is. Surely, you know it too.”

“Perhaps it would be prudent to respect the lady’s wishes and turn our discussions from her affairs to more pragmatic things, such as tonight’s planned itinerary,” Mateus said. He was not going to lose control of the conversation.

“But… yes,” Maria said with a resigned sigh. “I guess we can discuss the itinerary. We’re going to take the carriage through the city. In the carriages, it keeps distance and a barrier between us and the people of Fynn. They won’t be happy to see anyone from Palamecia, and we don’t want any trouble.”

“Nothing’s really planned for today, aside from dinner. Fynn treats its guests with hospitality, and given your arrival time, Princess Hilda figured your delegation could use a hearty meal before retiring for the night,” Firion added.

“Considerate of her,” Mateus said.

A meal was definitely going to be welcomed by his delegation. The last meal they’d had was luncheon and he was sure some of the delegation had lost that meal due to the storm. Some of them were probably ravenous by now. He was feeling hungry, too, though he would never show it. Keeping the worst of the storm at bay had taken a lot of effort.

“The guest chambers are already prepared, too. Yours is already assigned, though I presume you will be assigning the others,” Firion continued.

“Of course. There are certain protocols that must be observed in such situations,” Mateus responded.

He was mentally already deciding where he would place each noble. Lady Albiret and Johan would, of course, be placed close to his room. Johan’s siblings and their spouses were the lowest rank, so they would be assigned the furthest rooms. Lady Albiret’s family would be closer. And Kyrie… normally, he would place her after Lady Albiret and Johan, but… there was an opportunity here. Now that he’d introduced her as his ward… placing her in the highest-ranking spot, next to his suite, would further confuse Firion and his friends. As long as he could keep their attention elsewhere, he would not only be entertained, but also less likely to be attacked. He had no intention of dying again.

---------------

Kyrie was relieved that her attempt to defuse the tension worked a second time. She recognized that the Emperor was deliberately trying to provoke Firion and Maria, and he surely had his reasons, but she wanted no part in that. If he was upset over her speaking up, he at least didn’t show it. It was such a frustrating situation, really, with all three of them talking about her like she wasn’t even there. She expected it of the Emperor, considering how he was, but she hadn’t expected Firion and Maria to defend her like she was entirely helpless. It was true that she was the Emperor’s captive, but she was creating her own freedom within that role. Besides, she just refused to be at the center of this diplomatic mission going up in literal flames.

All of them were silent for a while before they entered the city of Fynn. With it came the jeering from the crowds. Even with the evening’s dimming light, she could see the anger and hatred in the faces of the people outside. She couldn’t really blame them. They had suffered horribly during the war, and the cause was right here, in the carriage, sitting next to her. She frowned, turning away from the window. She heard a few thumps as a few in the crowd threw objects at the carriage. Firion and Maria looked rather upset. The Emperor looked unperturbed.

“See, Emperor? This is what you brought them. Suffering. Hatred,” Firion said.

“I do not concern myself with the feckless howling of the rabble,” the Emperor said. “I did not come here to appease them. I am here to fulfill my part of the truce.”

While Firion and Maria said nothing, Kyrie could see the hostility in their expressions. They hated the Emperor, and it was clearly taking all their restraint not to lash out. She could understand it, but it unsettled her, as did the extremely callous remark. She shifted uncomfortably.

“Do not be too distraught, my lady,” the Emperor said as he turned to her, his voice slightly less sharp. “Though my words surely seem heartless, you must understand that, as a ruler, I cannot afford to be swayed by the emotions of crowds. The only thing that I must concern myself with is the next step that must be taken.”

“And what of those who suffer because of your next steps?” Maria asked. “You can’t just ignore the people whose lives you’ve ruined.”

“My next steps are to rebuild my empire and fulfill my part in the truce. I can hardly call that bringing suffering,” the Emperor replied.

“So much has been lost,” Kyrie said with a sigh. “I don’t think there’s any action left that can undo that, or even make up for it. All any of us can do is rebuild… and then aim for a better future. I… do understand where you’re coming from, but… restitution is the only avenue Palamecia has to, even in a small way, address the suffering.

“Indeed,” the Emperor said. His face and tone was very serious. “What has happened, for better or worse, cannot be undone. All that is left is the future.”

Kyrie could see that Firion and Maria did not quite accept this, but they clearly didn’t want to escalate things further, especially with the Emperor ceasing his provocations for now. They rode in silence the rest of the way, with only the sound of the carriage’s wheels and the jeering of the crowds accompanying them until they finally reached the castle gates.

Chapter Text

Upon arriving at the castle courtyard, the carriage stopped, and Firion and Maria got out, gesturing for the Emperor and Kyrie to do the same. Kyrie turned to see each carriage arriving one by one, and soon both delegations were outside. Kyrie stayed close to the Emperor, unsure of what she was even supposed to be doing. The doors to the castle opened and, standing there, was someone who could only be Princess Hilda. At her side… that had to be Prince Gordon. Slightly behind them was a man clad in white robes and a turban. A Mysidan, Kyrie figured, especially since he obscured his face. Mysidian mages often, though not always, did that. She saw the Emperor’s stance stiffen as he straightened up.

“Welcome to Fynn,” Princess Hilda said. “You must have had a long journey. I hope it was uneventful.”

“Well met,” the Emperor replied. “The journey went well enough, yes. There are some… minor maintenance needs that the airship will require, but that is all.”

“There are markets in Fynn that should sell any resources your crew might need,” Princess Hilda said. “I will send representatives that can procure them, so that no problems occur if Palamecians are seen in the city.”

“Quite gracious of you, Princess,” the Emperor nodded.

“Your rooms are all ready,” Princess Hilda said. “There is not much time before dinner, but I daresay food will be welcomed. We have prepared a number of delicacies in honor of your visit.”

The Emperor simply nodded somewhat brusquely. Kyrie noticed a hint of something in his expression that she had never seen before. If she didn’t know better, she’d think it was resentment. It was definitely something bitter. Nadine seemed to notice it too, perhaps, since she quickly joined Kyrie in standing next to the Emperor.

“I shall show the delegation to their rooms,” the Mysidan mage said. “That way, Firion, Maria and Guy can rest a bit. They have had a long day.”

Princess Hilda agreed to this, and with that, the Palamecian delegation followed him. First, they were led to smaller guest rooms, and those were assigned to the younger Albirets and Johan’s siblings and their spouses. Kyrie expected to be assigned a room there, but that did not happen. Instead, she, Nadine and Johan followed the mage and the Emperor to a fancier area.

“The suite at the end is for royal guests,” the mage said. “It would be the one for you, Emperor.”

“Very well. Kyrie, you will take the one next to it. Lady Albiret, you will take the next one. Johan, take the third,” the Emperor said.

Kyrie looked at the Emperor with some surprise, but he made no acknowledgement of it. Even the Mysidian mage seemed surprised for a moment. Nadine seemed almost amused. Johan, however, was clearly not pleased. It made sense. He surely took hierarchy very seriously… a lot more than the Emperor seemed to, at least when it came to others than himself.

“I shall take my leave. Your belongings will be brought to you momentarily,” the Mysidian mage said. “Dinner will be served at the next bell.”

He made a small polite bow, and then he turned to look at Kyrie for a moment, as if studying her before he left. Kyrie wondered if the mage could tell that she wasn’t a normal Palamecian noble. She really should work on her posture and things like that. Perhaps, though, it was just her cane. A lot of people wondered why a young woman would need one. Ah well. It was probably not something she should overly concern herself with. There wasn’t much time left before dinner. The others were already entering their rooms and she did the same.

The guest room here was a stark contrast to the room she had in Castle Palamecia. Everything in the mountain castle was elegant and beautiful, but also fairly austere. Castle Fynn was entirely different. The white walls were only the start of it. It was obvious that the castle was built to take advantage of all the natural light it could with its tall, gorgeous windows. Even the furniture was… softer somehow. The engraved decorations had more natural motifs, rather than the more geometrical ones in Palamecia. The wood was also lighter. Where Palamecia favored dark mahogany, the furniture here was, if she was recognizing it correctly, made with maple wood. She’d seen some of that back in Bafsk, though oak was used more. The bed also had a canopy over the four-poster setup in Palamecia. It looked so… welcoming. Much as she was used to- and even liked- the room she occupied back in the empire, Fynn’s decorations were more her style.

Kyrie washed her face and hands, and she also tried to do what she could about her hair. It had curled more due to the humidity and several curls were rebelliously standing at odd angles. It was bad enough when it only curled in soft waves, but this was far too wild for the image she had to portray. Thank goodness for hair bands, really. After a bit, she heard a knock on her door.

“Come in, please.”

It was Tilda, dragging the trunk with her belongings. She looked tired, but at least no longer spooked.

“Oh! Tilda, I’m glad to see you,” Kyrie said. “How are you feeling now?”

“Much better now that we’re on solid ground, milady,” Tilda said. “The view from the airship is just as lovely as you said it was, but… I don’t think traveling that way is really for me.”

“That’s understandable,” Kyrie said. “The storm was very rough. It’s a shame that your first trip by airship had to be one where a storm was involved.”

“I hope the return trip is calmer, milady. I don’t think most of us will be able to stand another storm like that,” Tilda said with a nod. “Some of the others are still feeling pretty shaken. I was, too, until you told me the Emperor was protecting the airship with his magic. I know he never would have let it fall. It was still a scary time, but… it could have been worse if he hadn’t come.”

“Definitely. I know I was told that it’s preferable not to travel by airship during fall, but… I didn’t really understand just how bad it could get,” Kyrie said. “Either way… I’m glad everyone is safe.”

Tilda nodded, putting the trunk in a corner and putting away its contents while Kyrie put another bold curl into its proper place with the headband. It didn’t take long. Kyrie hadn’t brought a lot.

“Well, milady… I wish I could stay longer, but… I cannot tarry. I’ll come back after dinner in case you need something,” Tilda said.

With that, she left and Kyrie finished her preparations. Then, as she heard the bell ring to call the next hour, she quickly made her way out of the room, only then realizing that she had no idea how to get to the dining hall in this castle. Nadine, who was also just exiting her room, must have noticed Kyrie’s expression as she approached her with a reassuring smile.

“First time in Castle Fynn, right, dear?” she asked.

“Um, yes.”

“Ah, you’ll probably find it a maze. Don’t worry, then. You can just follow us to the main hall,” Nadine said. “To present a united front, we will go together.”

That was a relief. Johan, too, exited his room, and turned to look at Nadine and Kyrie. Whatever animosity he had before seemed to be gone.

“Lady Albiret, Lady Solwood,” he said. “I hope this short break was refreshing.”

“Yes, Johan, it was,” Nadine said. “Though I daresay I am looking forward to dinner.”

“I understand Fynnian cuisine is… quaint,” Johan said.

“You could say that of any foreign cuisine,” Nadine said. “A lot of it would be strange to us. An acquired taste, you might say.”

“I cannot say I am looking forward to it,” Johan said.

“Understandable. But we’re Palamecians. We’ve dealt with much worse than slightly strange food,” Nadine said. “I know you are not used to these kinds of trips, Johan. It is the first one in many years. But as part of a diplomatic delegation, it is our mission to showcase the best of our culture, manners and all.”

“Of course, Lady Albiret,” Johan said. He turned to look towards the Emperor’s suite. “I wonder what is occupying the Emperor’s time. We do not have a lot of it to get to the dining hall.”

Nadine said nothing for a moment, but Kyrie noticed an odd expression in her face. It was… sadness, perhaps. No. Something more… complicated than that. Something painful, though. She couldn’t help but wonder what that was about. Was it related to the bitterness in the Emperor’s eyes when they’d first arrived at the castle? She supposed this was just a question whose answer she was not entitled to.

“I’m sure he’ll be out in a bit,” Nadine said.

She was right. In about a minute or two, the Emperor came out of his suite. His hair was impeccably brushed and arranged and he was wearing his gold armor, rather than robes. He looked very formal and very, very serious.

“Let us go,” he said.

Kyrie, Johan and Nadine followed the Emperor to the dining hall. He seemed to know his way around just fine. Kyrie was a bit surprised. She hadn’t thought the Emperor had ever been to Fynn. Palamecia was a fairly isolated empire after all. Nadine had just confirmed that there had been no diplomatic missions to Fynn in… many years. She wondered if the previous emperor was the last one that had come here, but she knew better than to ask. She’d never seen the previous emperor, nor had she heard anything about him. She had no idea how the throne had passed down to the current one. It just felt unsafe to ask.

They met up with the rest of the delegation in the hallways. The nobles, at least, Kyrie noted. Tilda and the other servants were nowhere to be seen. She supposed they ate elsewhere. After that, they walked as some kind of procession, with the Emperor at the lead, with Kyrie and Nadine behind him, followed by Johan, then the rest of the Albirets and the Vernistels. Kyrie had not wanted to be this close to the lead. She did not like the attention it could bring to her. But Nadine had gestured for her to follow in that position, and she’d done so. As much as she disliked having a spotlight over her head in a way, she disliked confrontations more. Besides, with the Emperor looking that serious, she really didn’t want to question or argue against anything.

Once they got to the dining hall, servants ushered them to their seats. The tables had all been set in such a way that they made larger tables. The Palamecian delegation was seated around the middle of the main table, facing Princess Hilda, Prince Gordon and their warriors. There was a dark-haired warrior that she hadn’t seen before, sitting next to Guy. The man was eyeing the Emperor with suspicion and deep resentment. The Emperor, though, didn’t seem to even notice him.

“Good evening, all of you,” Princess Hilda said. “I hope it was not too inconvenient to have so little time to freshen up.”

“Good evening, Princess,” the Emperor said. “My delegation and I extend our thanks for your hospitality.”

“Of course. It is our hope here in Fynn that these reparations will be the start of a long-lasting peace, and a time of healing for the world at large,” Princess Hilda said. “The losses have been great on all sides. I hope we can secure your continued cooperation in rebuilding some of what has been lost.”

“I will do my duty as Emperor,” he replied dryly.

The first thing that started was the music. It was a friendly, airy kind of music but, Kyrie thought, it was also a bit too loud. Perhaps it was only that she was still tired from the journey, or perhaps it was the huge windows which made the sound just a tad too loud. It gave the dinner an air of formality, which she supposed fit in with the idea of delicacies having been prepared for them. The appetizers were soon served, and Kyrie almost raised an eyebrow at what was she saw. She recognized it. It was eel. Bafsk was not a port, but it did have access to a coast, and other places where, occasionally, people would fish up eels. She’d only had that a couple of times, but this was… a different presentation. It was encased in what she could only guess was a savory gelatin. It was definitely outright artistic, with the eel arranged as though it was a swimming fish. It was garnished with radishes. Pickled ones, if her guess was right. This was… very different from the food eaten in Palamecia. She carefully glanced at the Emperor and the other Palamecian nobles. The Emperor was staring at the dish very intently with a carefully blank expression. Nadine’s polite smile looked slightly strained. Johan looked outright confused.

Seemingly undaunted, the Emperor asked for some salt. He blessed all of the plates that had been served to the Palamecians, and then they all bent their heads in a quick silent prayer. Kyrie followed the tradition. The Fynnians watched, curious. Once the Palamecians were done with their ritual, the Fynnian people began to eat. Kyrie noticed Firion and his companions glancing at the Emperor every so often. The Emperor cut a piece of the jellied eel and put it into his mouth. His expression did not change, but Kyrie noticed the color draining from his face. He ate slowly, keeping his expression very stoic, but his face looked almost greenish. The drink that was served was a wine spiced with anise and cinnamon. It had a very strong taste, though it didn’t have much alcohol. The Emperor, clearly trying to wash down the eel, had a sip and immediately had to stifle a cough. It was probably too strong for him. Wine was rarely even found in Palamecia, and Kyrie had never seen him drink anything alcoholic, even during the ball.

Next came a creamy fish soup. It had a special fish sauce, Prince Gordon explained, which was fermented for several years, as well as parsley oil and horseradish. Kyrie liked it better than the jellied eel, but she could see the barely concealed struggle of the Palamecians. Nadine looked a bit stiff, and Kyrie had never seen the Emperor so deathly pale.

By the time the main course was served, Kyrie wondered how anyone from Palamecia could stand to eat any more. The dish was some kind of meat (pork knuckle, Prince Gordon explained, chosen for its tenderness and heartiness, glazed with a mustard-based sauce, and served with a side of cabbage and potatoes prepared with vinegar). It wasn’t bad, not really, but it was fatty and it clashed horribly with Palamecian tastes. Then again… she knew only too well that wasting food was a grave offense for Palamecians. Even if they hated it, food was sacred, and they would eat it. Kyrie wondered how much the Fynnians knew about the cultural importance of food in Palamecia. Until she’d lived there, it had been an aspect of the empire that she had been entirely unaware of.

“I hope you are finding the meal to your liking, Emperor,” Princess Hilda said. “The chefs have outdone themselves, preparing only the best from our cultural heritage for you and your delegation. The eel, in particular, is quite the prized dish. It is not easy to perfect the flavor in the manner our chefs do.”

“It is certainly a… memorable meal,” the Emperor said. “I trust your chefs feel quite proud.”

“Emperor, if I may,” the Mysidian mage said. “I could not help but observe your ritual at the beginning of the meal, where you sprinkled salt onto the dishes of your compatriots. If it is not inappropriate, may I hear more about this? It is a custom that I was unaware of.”

“It is a prayer for the blessings of the rain,” the Emperor said. “After all, it is the rain that makes having food possible. It nourishes the land, and the land then bears fruit. The salt is meant to symbolize the rain.”

“The Emperor himself performing the blessing is considered a great honor,” Nadine added. “But of course, we all perform the blessing, even when the Emperor is not present, or we are alone.”

“Indeed. It is a vital part of our traditions. No true Palamecian would touch their food without having blessed it first. It is too sacred,” the Emperor said.

“What would happen if salt were not available?” the mage asked.

“There are additional prayers for that situation, as a last resort,” the Emperor said.

“We will make room for your traditions at the start of each meal,” Princess Hilda said. “There is much we do not know about Palamecia.”

“Indeed,” the Emperor said dryly.

“Perhaps, Emperor, these new times of peace may bring new opportunities, not just for life, but for learning more about our neighbors,” the Mysidian said.

“Perhaps,” the Emperor said.

Kyrie noticed the Emperor’s stiff posture, and the way he almost seemed to flinch with some of the louder notes in the music. She could understand it. The way the sound echoed around the room made it too loud, especially with the chatter going on all over the dining hall. She was starting to feel overwhelmed, and it seemed she wasn’t alone in that. The dessert that soon came didn’t help. She was already so full, too. For months, she’d gotten used to the modest portions in Palamecia. Fynn’s portions were… much more generous. The dessert was some kind of rice pudding with clove syrup and dried prunes. She’d missed rice, but this cloyingly sweet dish was certainly not what she had in mind. It was luxurious, for sure, but a bit too much, even for her. She could not even imagine what a clash that was for Palamecians. The texture of the rice pudding was probably barely edible to them. As she glanced at them, she could see them steeled against the culinary assault, eating the food, though oddly slowly. There was almost a look of relief in their eyes when, at long last, they were done. None of them was especially chatty after that. Kyrie felt sure that the dark-haired warrior, at least, had some amusement in his expression. She wasn’t sure what to think about that.

“You must all be very tired,” Hilda remarked after a few minutes of silence from the Palamecian delegation, which contrasted awkwardly with the chatty demeanor of the people of Fynn. “Even by airship, it is a very long journey from Palamecia, is it not?”

“It is a fairly long one, yes,” the Emperor replied.

“It would then be a good idea for you and your delegation to get some proper rest,” Hilda nodded. “Then tomorrow, after breakfast, we will begin the meetings where we will discuss reparations.”

“Very well,” the Emperor said.

With that, the Palamecians finally had their excuse to leave. The Emperor got up, and the nobles followed suit. Kyrie, too, stood up to follow them out. They walked in a sort of procession again, and, once more, Nadine gestured for her to follow right next to her, just behind the Emperor. Kyrie was even less comfortable about that now. On the way to the dining hall, the Emperor had seemed bothered by something. Now, he looked outright furious. There was an icy, almost deadly look in those violet eyes, which was, if anything, highlighted by how pale he still was. It was a kind of look that made it clear why he was so feared. He said nothing as they walked, and the delegation separated as the younger Albirets and the other Vernistels went to their rooms while Johan, Nadine, Kyrie and the Emperor headed towards the suites.

“It’s inexcusable!” Johan exclaimed as they stood out in the hallway. His voice was quite silent, but almost shaking with anger. “This is an insult!”

“Indeed,” the Emperor replied icily. “Weaponizing something we hold so sacred is a low blow. I did not expect that from the princess.”

“I do not think she understands exactly how insulting this was,” Nadine said. “It may not even have been meant as an insult. Perhaps these just are the things that pass as delicacies in Fynn.”

“Congealed fish as a delicacy?” the Emperor asked, raising an eyebrow. “I know not where such a thing would be prized.”

“You,” Johan said sharply, turning to Kyrie. “You’re from around these parts, no? Is it true that these things are delicacies in Fynn?”

“Um… well… Bafsk… never was a part of Fynn,” Kyrie replied. “I am not familiar with the cuisine here. But, um, in Bafsk… eel was considered a very fancy dish. And… I do know that fish sauce sounds… awful, especially if you know how it’s made, but… it’s actually a fairly common condiment. It’s very savory, and people like it.”

“See? It’s likely the princess doesn’t understand how these foods would affect us,” Nadine said. “She doesn’t know much about Palamecia. I doubt she knows what we eat back home.”

“Hmph. I doubt it. This was a deliberate insult,” the Emperor said. “Barely-edible dishes and that vile drink. I would hardly be surprised if it were an attempt to poison us, or dull our minds during the meetings.”

“Indeed! An insult! My lord, we should retaliate! Call our armies to Fynn and crush these pathetic fools for weaponizing something this sacred!” Johan exclaimed.

“Enough!” the Emperor snapped. “What good are you to the empire if you shriek for war at the slightest provocation? This is an insult, yes, and a low blow at that. But we are Palamecian. We will rise above this.”

“My apologies, Emperor,” Johan conceded with a bow. “You are correct. I will, of course, do as you say and rise above the insults.”

“See that you do. I will not have incompetence ruin this mission.”

With that, he turned and went into his suite, leaving the others stunned for a moment. Johan was the first to turn away to his own room. Nadine gave a slight shrug.

“Good night, Lady Solwood.”

“Good night, Lady Albiret.”

With that, both Nadine and Kyrie went to their respective rooms. Kyrie had many thoughts racing through her mind. She wanted to think that the Fynnians had just made a mistake, but… she couldn't help but think that they had chosen the food very deliberately. She had seen the glances and the loathing for the Emperor. She… couldn’t entirely blame them, but at the same time, she hated how they had apparently just given in to this petty aggression. The Emperor had expressed his intention to not retaliate, but… this was only the first meal, and they had three full days to stay here. This could affect the negotiations. She couldn’t really confront the princess, or the Emperor, but… well… perhaps there were things she might be able to do. She began removing the accessories from her hair as well as her make-up while she waited for Tilda. There was much she needed to ask her about.

Chapter Text

That night, Firion, Maria, Guy, Minwu and Leon sat down in one of the empty meeting rooms with Princess Hilda and Prince Gordon to discuss the Emperor’s visit along with his delegation.

“So far so good,” Maria said. “I didn’t think he’d be so… calm.”

“I guess it’s like Guy said, way back when he first surrendered the war,” Firion said. “He doesn’t want to die again.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he is still trying to plan something. He’s got to have something up his sleeve. I don’t trust him. I don’t like that he came here. We should just have had him send the payment with some messenger. We do not need to have him here,” Leon said.

“The court is nervous too, but… this accountability is also good for the morale of the people. It is important to humble Palamecia and its ruler to really establish the diplomatic tone we seek,” Hilda said. “The Emperor is no fool. He knows the consequences for retaliation.”

“If he does try something, we are in a good position to react,” Gordon said. “You are all here. Tomorrow, we will start negotiations with the Emperor. Our preparations will hopefully lead to good outcomes for us. It is the least we can demand after the war.”

“The fact that we can use food to demoralize the Emperor and his delegation is going to help keep the situation favorable,” Hilda said. “I must thank you again, Leon. It was a stroke of genius.”

“It’s the least I can do after… everything that happened.”

There was a slightly awkward pause. Though everything had been forgiven by now, it was still a topic that was difficult for most of them to approach.

“Well, either way, it’s useful to have something that can keep the Emperor off-balance,” Maria said, ending the silence. “I can’t believe he is so manipulative that he brought… well… this delegation. Did you see the people that he brought?”

“Hm. Yes,” Hilda said. “A couple of advisors, a few families and a young woman.”

“Mostly families, yes,” Gordon said, thoughtfully. “An odd choice, if I am being honest. I expected a number of advisors and… nothing else. The Emperor is nothing if not pragmatic.”

“It’s obviously some manipulation scheme,” Firion said. “That’s what he does.”

“Guy talk to one family in carriage,” Guy said thoughtfully. “Family say they here to show intent of peace. Not bring kids to harm.”

“I do believe they would think that way,” Firion said. “But… does the Emperor? Why would he care about a few families with how many he’s killed?”

“Hm. Well… he does not like to waste tools,” Leon said. “If these are loyal subjects, he… probably won’t want to kill them.”

“I actually remember the older noble lady that came as an advisor,” Hilda said. “She… came here before, but… this was a very long time ago by now. I was but a child, and so was the Emperor. That lady was the attendant of the empress back then.”

“You met the Emperor as a child?” Maria asked, incredulous. “I thought Palamecia was so isolated that they have no relations to any other nation.”

“They are very isolated, but they do participate in some trade,” Hilda said. “Not during the war, of course, and it’s been less during the reign of this emperor, but… metals and gemstones are often Palamecian in origin, especially the higher quality ones. They also export medicinal herbs, textiles, spices, and some crafts, among other things of the sort. Back in the last emperor’s reign, we actually had fairly friendly relations with Palamecia. They stuck to their isolated ways, but the emperor back them would visit for diplomatic reasons. He would sometimes bring his wife and son along.”

“So that’s when you two met?” Firion asked.

“I think ‘met’ is a bit of a strong term,” Hilda said with wry amusement. “He never was much for talking. He would either spend his time watching the proceedings, or he would go to the library. He’d never really speak up. Even at meals, others would do the talking for him. He would always stay with his family and his delegation. I don’t think we ever exchanged more than greetings. The times when I did run into him alone, he would always stand really stiffly, look to the side as he spoke and avoid looking at me. He would answer as little as he could and leave as fast as he could. He was a very different person back then. No one could have ever guessed what he would become.”

“And now… he’s a monster. I wonder why that lady is still working for the Emperor. She seemed nice enough,” Maria said. “All of them seemed so… normal, really.”

“It does not surprise me,” Minwu said. “In spite of everything, all of them, including the Emperor, are only human.”

“That… is true. But it is hard to remember that with him after all he’s done,” Firion said, shaking his head.

“That reminds me,” Maria said. “The families he brought… it’s manipulative, but it makes sense. The advisors obviously are here for a reason too. But… what about that… ward of his?”

“Wait. Ward?” Leon asked, his voice alarmed. “The Emperor has a ward?”

“Do you remember that short young woman that was sitting near him?” Firion asked.

“Yes. She didn’t look like a noble, alright, but… ward?”

“That’s what he said, yes,” Maria said. “He told us she’s his ward and that he’s solely responsible for her well-being. We asked him! I don’t believe him for a second! He’s got to be up to something!”

“Yes, that’s… odd. The Emperor would never take a ward,” Leon said. “Some sort of trainee maybe. A captive, definitely. But… a ward? What’s he planning?”

“If you do not know, then all we can do is watch,” Hilda said. “You know him better than the rest of us.”

“I did see her at dinner, but… I couldn’t really tell anything was off, aside from not recognizing her and her postures and gestures being different from that of Palamecian nobles,” Leon said. “I would have remembered a woman with a cane if she had been in the castle then. He doesn’t tend to surround himself with weakness. It might be prudent to ask her about this, but… I would guess you didn’t have a chance.”

“We did, actually,” Maria said. “It’s so weird. She said it was her choice to stay with him. I don’t buy it, but I didn’t want to press her. Not then. It was making her uncomfortable.”

“Perhaps she was… deluded by the Emperor’s words. It’s true that he doesn’t seem to understand humanity very well, but… he knows how to exploit weaknesses in people,” Leon said with a sigh. “She is likely a victim, like… others before her.”

“If that’s the case, we must help her!” Maria exclaimed. “We can’t have innocents in this position! It’s horrible!”

“Maria… there may be nothing we can do,” Leon said. “Not without provoking the Emperor. And… we can’t risk the truce. It’s risky enough that we’re keeping him off-balance. But if he’s got her captive, he is going to be very unwilling to let her go. He’ll take insults, but… not taking something from him like that.”

“Firion, Minwu, Guy, please!” Maria insisted. “We can’t just leave her to him!”

“Guy want help. But… not know what to do,” Guy said.

“I… think Leon might be right. We can’t do anything. Not right now,” Firion said.

“Minwu?” Maria asked, almost pleadingly.

“I understand your concern. I am not particularly pleased to have anyone at the Emperor’s nonexistent mercy. However, the situation is a very delicate one,” Minwu replied. “There are threads of fate at work that we do not yet understand. It is likely that her path is fraught with peril… but it is hers to walk, and not ours to intrude upon. If we make the wrong move, we could destroy the truce, too.”

“If the truce were to be broken… the amount of people who would die could be immense. The world might not recover from a second war,” Gordon said. “We all share in your sentiments, Maria, but… our hands are tied.”

“So we’re just going to let an innocent person stay with him?” Maria asked, distraught.

“We don’t even know the details of her situation. You want to see her as a victim, and I agree it’s likely, but… what if she’s a willing participant in the Emperor’s schemes?” Leon asked. “We just… don’t know. Not only is this a dangerous situation… for us too… but we don’t know enough to act anyways. We can’t be hasty.”

“I… guess you’re right,” Maria sighed. “I hate this, but… we really don’t know. Maybe I can talk to her, though.”

“That could be dangerous,” Hilda said.

“It could also bring us important information,” Gordon said. “If she is a captive, she likely holds some importance to him. She must be of use somehow. If we find out how, then it could be something we can use.”

“Oh, that’s true!” Maria exclaimed. “We might get something we can use against the Emperor! I’ll talk to her, then.”

“Just… be careful,” Hilda sighed. “Even with the truce, the Emperor remains a dangerous man.”

---------------

Later that evening, Firion walked slowly around the courtyard, thoughtful. The air was sweet with the scent of wild roses, but his thoughts were too heavy to enjoy it. The meeting with the others had left him feeling haunted. The topic had quickly switched from the Emperor’s ward after it was agreed that Maria would try to talk to her. Still, the idea that there could be an innocent person in the clutches of the Emperor really got to him. It wasn’t that she was a captive. Not really. She looked… fine. She was clearly well-treated. It was that the Emperor was involved. After everything… he was still just up to his old tricks. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Maria.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. “It’s the Emperor, isn’t it?”

“No. Well… yes,” Firion said. “I know he hasn’t really done anything… wrong in this visit, but… I still hate that he’s here.”

“Yeah, me too,” Maria said. “I just came from talking with Nelly and Minwu.”

“How is she doing?” Firion asked.

“Better. She says she will come to the main hall tomorrow,” Maria said. “I told her not to worry, but… she says she has to be strong and that she’s not afraid anymore.”

“This is exactly the problem. Josef, Ricard, Scott, Cid, our parents… so many people are gone. People like Nelly have to carry that forever,” Firion said. “Meanwhile, the Emperor just gets to waltz through life as though he didn’t do the horrible things he has done.”

“I feel that way too,” Maria said. “That’s why I want to help that girl… if she is his captive. I hate the fact that he still can get people caught up in his schemes and horrors. We can’t take him out… at least not right now. But… we can try to help his victims if we can.”

“And then he’ll just get another victim,” Firion sighed. “As long as he’s breathing, that’s… just what he will keep doing. He doesn’t know when to stop. After all our efforts… after all our losses… he’s still at it. All that sacrifice… was it for nothing?”

Maria didn’t respond immediately. This wasn’t easy for her, either, in spite of her fairly pacifist preferences.

“I don’t think it was for nothing,” she said at last. “We have peace again. That was all due to everyone’s efforts and sacrifices. We did it.”

“We do have peace. For now, at least,” Firion said. “But I don’t trust him to keep it. Worse still, all the fighting in that other realm has made him stronger. Even as he lost most of his hell powers, the rest of his magic is more powerful than ever.”

“The fighting made us stronger too, though,” Maria said. “If he attacks, he doesn’t stand a chance, and I’m sure he knows it.”

“That’s true, but… he’s proven time and time again that he won’t let go of his ambitions, no matter what,” Firion said. “I sometimes find myself wishing those conflicts in the other world had never happened. The Emperor would be gone and peace would be assured.”

“But Leon wouldn’t have come back to us, and we wouldn’t have all those other friends, and Minwu wouldn’t be alive again. I wish Josef, Ricard and Scott had come back too, but… I’m sure they’re happy, wherever they are, seeing that peace has returned, and knowing that if it’s threatened again… we will be sure to save it.”

“That’s… true.”

“So… let’s try to not focus so much on the injustice of his return,” Maria said. “Let’s just protect as many people as we can.”

Firion nodded. She was right, really. They couldn’t really change the fact that the Emperor was back. Not right now, when it would cause horrible consequences to many innocent people. They could only protect the peace and do their best. Maria stayed with him, walking around the courtyard gardens.

“What did Minwu have to say?” he asked after a bit. “You asked him about that girl, right? Because of what he said?”

“Well, yes. I know he doesn’t like to speak too clearly about what he sees in people’s destinies, but… well, he clearly saw something, didn’t he? I wanted to know,” Maria replied. “I was surprised he would just let someone suffer at the Emperor’s hands, especially when we can do something about it.”

“Did he tell you anything?”

“He was still very vague,” Maria sighed. “He repeated that it was a path that she alone could take, and that its results were uncertain, but that her fate is also such a delicate thread right now that meddling could destroy it. I asked him how she could even walk any path if he had her trapped… and he said that even a caged bird can choose to sing.”

“So he thinks we shouldn’t intervene at all?”

“That’s what I got from it, yes. But he did say that if I’m careful and I don’t interfere with her agency… I can still talk to her. So that’s what I’m going to do,” Maria said. “If we can’t help her, maybe at least we can get information that can help the rest of us.”

“I don’t know how much a captive would know, but… it’s worth a try,” Firion said.

He hoped it would bring them something they could use. For all this show of paying restitution, he did not trust the Emperor’s intentions. He didn’t even act like he had any regrets over what he’d done. Why wouldn’t he do it all over again? He was a cruel, evil tyrant. That was all he was. Firion and his friends had fought hard and sacrificed so much to protect everyone’s freedom. He wasn’t just going to let the Emperor ruin that.

Chapter Text

Mateus woke up with a headache. It was a dull, throbbing ache that he knew would not leave him for hours. And then the Fynnians would likely serve more of that vile drink. He hated anything alcoholic. He was well-aware that it was a luxury, and that some gave him strange looks when he refused to drink, but he had seen what it did to people. Even small amounts dulled the mind. Had he been born with a lesser burden upon his shoulders, he might not mind, but he could not afford his mind to be anything but obsidian-sharp. Especially now. 

What little rest he had gotten, though, had at least done him a lot of good. The queasy feeling in his stomach had finally subsided and the night’s silence had allowed him a reprieve from the cacophony of the Fynnian dining hall. He expected there would be more culinary torment in store for them today, but now that he was at least somewhat rested, he supposed he could take it. A rather loud part of him wanted to strike back, and to insult the Fynnians for their treatment, but he knew better. This was a trap, a taunt to make him look petulant and undignified. After all, he was certain that, however disgusting these foods were, everything being served was a valuable delicacy. A few sharp remarks here and there were warranted and likely expected, but anything else would be outright unseemly. He would play the part of a gracious guest and simply focus on what was important: the negotiations for the restitution payments. A necessary evil, to be sure, but he had to make sure Palamecia was not crippled. He did not want to have to do the impossible a second time. 

He got dressed, this time without his armor, choosing a very austere robe. It would present a much less hostile appearance without compromising his imposing image. He then applied his make-up. That one didn’t really need to change, especially not in such a formal mission. He did apply his lipstick a bit more heavily. It would help mask any sudden discomfort that would cause him to go pale. He needed to stay in control. He hated being here, of all places. 

He brushed his hair almost obsessively, careful not to damage it, but also making sure each and every strand was in place. He had dyed the tips purple just a couple of days before the journey, so that, at least, was perfect. A couple of strands moved out of place as he turned towards the window as the first morning bell rang out. It was time for breakfast. Mateus carefully brushed his hair again.

When he finally left the guest suite he’d been assigned, he saw his delegation outside already. They asked no questions, and he offered no words. He turned to walk towards the main hall. He noticed Lady Albiret had been leading Kyrie into walking next to her, right behind him. That was convenient, especially since he had told Firion that she was his ward. His and Maria’s outrage over this had been most entertaining. 

He and his delegation were ushered into the dining hall, and led to the same seats they had occupied the previous evening. Hilda and her warriors were already there. He saw something in 

the face of the traitor, perhaps a spark of amusement, and he felt sure that the insults would continue. He took a quiet deep breath as he sat down to steel himself. It was unpleasant to consider that he would be having his strategy meeting with Lady Albiret and Johan while also having nausea and general malaise from horrendous foods.

“Good morning to you all,” Hilda said. “I hope your rooms led to a restful night.”

“The accommodations are… adequate,” Mateus said. 

“I am pleased to hear that.” Hilda said with a nod.  

He knew Hilda was as interested in this small talk as he was. She didn’t care if they had rested well. She was only giving them comfortable suites because she had to. If it were up to her, she would likely be accommodating them in the dungeons. Even in a situation like this, where she had little but hostility towards her guests, though, she had no choice but to act like a gracious hostess. It was a lie they would both have to acquiesce to following.

The dishes that were served were, as expected, off-putting. There was a fish. A fish, for breakfast. It was covered in a thick cream cheese spread, with what he knew was dill. It didn’t even seem that it was served hot. There were some plant bulbs, too. He’d seen them before- in gardens. Water lilies. They seemed to be pickled in what smelled like some kind of fruity vinegar. And they were garnished with violet petals. It was quite frivolous. Only Fynnians would eat their own flower gardens. Looking at the drink they served, he had to work hard to suppress an involuntary wrinkling of his nose. It looked like milk. But it was green . What was in it?! Poison? No, it was too…  deep. Some kind of plant. This was absolutely disgraceful. 

One of the Fynnian servants handed him a little wooden bowl with salt, fulfilling Hilda’s promise of allowing time for him to bless the Palamecian dishes. Good. It was unseemly to have people rudely talking over the ritual. He got up and took the salt, reciting the usual ceremonial prayer as he sprinkled salt over the plates of his subjects. It was a shame that the blessing could not make the dishes palatable, but at least it was one way to reign in the chaos and the hostility. It was familiar- something he could remain in control of. Once he was done  he held out the bowl to the Fynnian servant without a word, and she took it from him. The Fynnians stayed appropriately silent during this time. He sat down again, facing the food at the table. This was… just another obstacle. He took a mouthful of the flowers. Yes, that definitely was vinegar. It was fruity and also extremely sour. He practically felt the vinegar burn its way down his throat. Who could eat this willingly? 

The fish (trout, he heard someone say as they inexplicably praised the dish) wasn’t horrendous, aside from the fact that it was, in fact, a fish. The dill clashed with the taste, and it was the only thing that spiced the whole thing, making it both overpowering due to the flavor of the fish and also very bland. He had to admit it was rather an impressive feat for their chefs to create something that had such a strong taste and was also so insipid. He had to wash the taste down, though, which left him facing the mystery drink in front of him. He took the goblet and brought it closer. The thing was frothy and not in the good way that fresh milk could be. He gave it a very discreet sniff. Was that… brine? What did they put in there?

“Some underwater plants have medicinal properties and are good for the body and mind,” Hilda said, likely guessing at, or, worse, noticing his discomfort. “So we often make them into a powder and put them in drinks.”

“Ah. I see,” Mateus said. 

So, then, it was not that different from the spiced milk drink that was sometimes enjoyed in Palamecia. However, the Palamecian drink was an appetizing golden color due to things like turmeric and other good herbs and spices. Not a sickly, unnatural green. Seaweed did not belong in a plate, let alone in a drink. He took a sip. The milk had been outright whipped and it tasted briny, too. Was this what sea foam tasted like? Was it what they were trying to emulate? It washed down the taste of the trout, alright, but now he wanted to get the milky drink’s offensive taste out of his tongue even if it meant having more of that fish. He started getting that queasy feeling in his stomach again. How could the Fynnians eat these strange, overly decadent dishes and feel fine? It was a shame that he hadn’t managed to destroy the place. It would have stamped out this pathetic excuse for cuisine off the face of the planet. 

As he managed to swallow another mouthful of that accursed green concoction, he could see the amusement in the traitor’s face. He wondered if it had been him that suggested this hostility. He would know, to a point, how sacred food was in Palamecia. It was true that he never quite adjusted to everything. The war kept him busy, after all. But he had to have known of the importance of food. He watched the rituals. He knew what they meant. In the end, though, he was just as petty as the rest of humanity. This was why pawns were superior to people.

“We will meet up in the strategy room after luncheon,” Hilda said after breakfast was, mercifully, over. “I am sure you have things to discuss with your advisors before our meeting. Feel free to use the library, or the suites you’re staying in. We could also, if you need it, find an empty meeting room for you. Just let Leon know.”

Mateus nodded. He certainly wasn’t going to deign to speak to the traitor. The suite was far more apt for his needs, anyways. It was more secluded, and thus there was a lesser risk of someone spying and trying to gain an unfair advantage. 

“My thanks,” he said coldly. 

With that, he and his delegation got up from the table, heading back towards their suites. Upon reaching the hallway, it was Johan, once again, who broke the silence.

“Green milk and flowers. Truly, their madness knows no bounds!” he exclaimed. “I cannot believe they did this again! This is insufferable!”

“The flowers were not so bad. Just too acidic. It was like biting down into a lemon unprepared,” Lady Albiret said.

“How much longer must we tolerate these insults?” Johan asked. “Surely, my lord, you see what it is they’re doing here!”

“I am not blind to their intentions,” Mateus said. “They wish to keep us in distress with these underhanded tactics. Surely, they seek an advantage in the negotiations. We will not give them that satisfaction.”

“Should we not retaliate in some way? Humiliate them back?” Johan asked.

“Dignity is its own kind of retaliation,” Lady Albiret said. 

“Indeed,” Mateus said. “We are above their petty tactics.”

He would never admit to it, of course, but he didn’t know how many more of these meals he could take before he became outright ill. Of course, in public, his image had to be perfect… as did the image of his delegation. Johan was a tad hot-headed, but he would have to learn. There was no room for mistakes in this mission. He stared at Johan, who was still fuming, but who, upon noticing his glare, backed down.

“Yes. Of course, my lord. We are definitely above these barbarians,” Johan said.

“It is just a few days, Johan,” Lady Albiret said.

“It matters not,” Mateus said. “We are here for a mission, not to enjoy the amenities. Let us begin our first strategy meeting.”

“Of course, my lord,” Johan said, his face red. 

This initial meeting was going to be a tough one. They didn’t yet know what Fynn might try aside from destroying their morale. They could only guess as to what they might want to negotiate. It would mostly need Johan’s input, tempered by Lady Albiret’s diplomatic skills. He turned to Kyrie. He could make her attend the meeting, yes. At the same time, she didn’t know most of the information that would be needed in this particular meeting. Observing was an important part of her current duties, but… if all she could do was stay silent, it would not be good for her image… or his. Perhaps there was something better for her to observe for now. She looked alert, clearly ready to follow into the meeting.

“My lady,” he said. “I have a different mission for you this morning. From now until luncheon, I want you to wander off and observe the people in the castle. Take note of their demeanor and anything that you may hear that would aid our interests. I will take your report this evening.”

“Oh, um, of course, Your Highness,” Kyrie replied.

That would keep her busy and her image intact. Potentially, it might get her to run into Firion and the other warriors. It was a risk, but it might also carry great rewards with it. With that, he turned and went into his suite with Lady Albiret and Johan to discuss various ways they might put pressure on Fynn to ease up on their demands and prevent a potential collapse in Palamecia. 

---------------

Kyrie felt incredibly lost as she wandered off into the courtyard. It was the first place she could think of where she could observe people and look natural. She couldn’t quite decide whether the Emperor was trying to keep her out of the way politely or if he was sending her on some kind of espionage mission. It was probably both things. He had to know she was unlikely to find anything of use. She was a pretty noticeable person due to her cane, and no one sane was going to say any useful information around her. It was going to be a very short report when he called her and all she had to say was that Fynnian people did, in fact, live in the castle. 

She sighed as she sat down near a fountain. It was a good place to look like she was only relaxing. She could see a Palamecian guard move into a position where she would still be in view. Great. Even here, the Emperor kept her under guard. That was just going to make it harder to learn anything at all that could be of use. Surely he knew that! She shook her head. She might as well do what she could.

For a while, she observed nothing particularly interesting. People from the castle went about their daily lives. There did seem to be some tension, she noticed, as some of the people she saw seemed oddly stressed. Fynn was clearly a place that was more laid-back than Palamecia, but some of the nobles she saw seemed quite stressed out. It always got worse when their path took them close to the guard that was keeping an eye on her. He was stoic and didn’t pay them any heed, but the Fynnians would very noticeably avoid him. She wondered if most of the tension was about a few Palamecian guards and nobles being generally visible in the castle and less about them being there at all. After all, it was easy to keep things out of mind if they were out of sight. 

Her attention was soon caught by a girl who was walking, then saw her and almost skidded to a halt in spite of not going that fast. She was at a bit of a distance, so she probably didn’t think  Kyrie could see her. Kyrie did not turn so as not to spook the girl further. She was blonde and her hair was in pigtails, and she looked… oddly haunted. Kyrie wondered what the poor kid had gone through during the war. The kid turned and walked the other way. Kyrie felt stunned for a moment. This… was a new situation for her. She had expected rejection in a place like Palamecia, since it generally was isolated and people weren’t usually too fond of outsiders. Even then, she had found acceptance in some places. The apothecary had been a rather grumpy guy, and he definitely didn’t want to teach her potion-making, but he always looked out for her, paid her well for her work, and was generally a good person. Mrs. Wilson was… rather blinded by her love for her son, but had always treated her well. Tilda had been a wonderful ally. Even the Emperor had been… decent, really. He was not good at it, but he certainly tried . And Seth… Seth was just crazy. He was the only really awful person she’d actually met. Worse, in her opinion, than the cowardly rebels that had thrown her at the Emperor like some kind of human shield. The memory still haunted her. She knew just how close she’d come to meeting a high-level Flare point-blank.  

The girl’s reaction, thus, was… uncomfortable. She supposed she would have to get used to being considered sort of like an enemy just because she was part of the empire now. They wouldn’t care that she came from Bafsk, originally. All that would matter is that she was now associated with Palamecia. She was guilty by association. She sighed, a deep, resigned sigh. There was no changing that. It was just another inevitable part of her new life. What could she even do about it? She couldn’t just go and explain her whole situation to every person whom she felt judged her unfairly. 

She was too absorbed in those thoughts to really notice two people approaching her. By the time she noticed them, it was too late to get up and walk away to avoid them. She recognized them, definitely. It was Maria and the dark-haired warrior. As curious as she was about that man, she supposed she wasn’t curious enough to want to talk to him. She steeled herself. These were the people that had directly fought the Emperor, right? What could they possibly want? She had a feeling that if the Emperor hadn’t thought to call her his ward and companion, they wouldn’t be here trying to talk to her. She hoped they weren't here to just… try to force information out of her. She knew they were good people, but… they were just fine fighting and even killing to protect Fynn. How would they see her? Maria and Firion had seen her as a victim. At the same time, she had defended herself and said it was all her choice. The dark-haired warrior looked outright hostile, too. For once, she was glad the Emperor kept her under guard.

“Oh, hi! You're Kyrie, right?” Maria asked when she and the dark-haired warrior approached. 

“Oh! Um… yes,” Kyrie replied, glad that her pounding heartbeat was not audible.

“I hope your morning has been great,” Maria said. “Oh, I haven’t introduced my brother, right? This is Leon. Leon, this is Kyrie. She’s the Emperor’s ward and, well, companion.”

“Is that right?” Leon said.

“Well… y-yes,” Kyrie said. Leon’s harsh expression was terrifying to her. She doubted he would actually harm her, but there was so much bitterness in his gaze that she wasn’t entirely sure.

“Listen, ” Maria said. “About yesterday in the carriage… I’m sorry if I was too pushy. I was just… in shock. The Emperor having a companion, let alone a ward… it’s… unheard of.”

“I-it’s fine,” Kyrie said. “I understand that the Emperor has a very… complicated reputation.”

She knew that was downplaying things, but… what else could she do? She couldn’t speak ill of him. Honestly, she didn’t want to, but she also didn’t want to outright praise him, either.

“That’s one way to put it,” Leon said. “He’s dangerous.”

Well, that was straight and to the point, Kyrie thought. She gave a small, non-committal shrug. 

“He really is,” Maria said. “So… hey, listen. Are you… alright? You know, being his companion and ward.”

“Um, yeah. I’m fine,” Kyrie said. “It’s a comfortable life.”

“I was there for a time,” Leon said. “I don’t remember seeing you there.”

“Oh, um, no, I’m new in the castle. About a month now,” Kyrie replied. “So… you lived in Palamecia too?”

“Yes. For a couple of months, I lived in one of the fancy guest quarters. The ones that are named after flowers,” Leon said. “He thought it rather ironic that I was given the Rose Chambers.”

“Oh. Um. That’s… that’s the one I live in now,” Kyrie said. This was awkward.

“Is that right? That’s interesting. I understand it’s the nicer suite,” Leon said. “If I may ask… how did you meet the Emperor? Normally he doesn’t surround himself with regular people. Just… people he can use.”

That was a rather dangerous question, Kyrie thought. She couldn’t really tell them about the Emperor kidnapping her after the rebels threw her at his feet, could she? She was supposed to be helping out with this diplomatic mission, and calling one’s emperor a kidnapper was not a diplomatic thing to say.

“Um, well… he… actually rescued me from an unfortunate and dangerous situation with some local rebels,” she said. 

That was… vague enough, she hoped. It was not… entirely inaccurate. The rebels had clearly intended to trade her life for theirs, and the Emperor had, in fact, saved her from such a fate.

“He… what?” Maria asked, bewildered.

“He saved me from some rebels. He’d gone into the city for some inspections or something and, well… that happened,” Kyrie said.

“He… saved you? Is that what actually happened?” Leon asked. “He doesn’t just… save people.”

“Yeah, it was. I know it’s surprising, but… that’s… what happened,” Kyrie said. “He took me under his protection and… I’ve been fine. Seriously. I… understand you have… fought with him, but… there’s nothing to worry about here. In his castle, I have opportunities I never would have otherwise.”

“Well… if you say so…” Maria said, her voice hesitant and quiet. “We just… don’t want innocent people to fall into his clutches. I know you maybe don’t want to speak too openly about him, but… I just want you to know that if you need help, you can tell us. We’ll help you.”

A part of her wanted to accept the salvation that they offered. A life without the intrigues and complications of the court seemed… nice. She wasn’t even cut out for court life. She could go back to being… normal. Then again… she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Going back to her previous life would also mean going back to not having the resources she needed in order to fulfill her dreams of being a mage. The Emperor gave her access to all the books she wanted to read, and there was a training area, too. She needed this. She also had already started making friends. Tilda, of course, was not only a wonderful ally, but was starting to really become a friend. There were a few other people that she was interested in knowing better and potentially befriending, like Nadine and Sir Duveron. Yes, the Emperor was a dangerous man, but… he also offered the best path she had to her goals. She had to take the risk.

“I appreciate your concern. I really do. I understand that, knowing him as an enemy, you would be worried about anyone that’s anywhere in his vicinity. I think it’s just… different when you’re a part of his world in general,” Kyrie said. She turned to Leon. “I have yet to see him turning against his court for no reason. None of them even act as though he would do such a thing. He demands service to the empire, but… as long as people follow their role… why would he turn against them? You lived there. You must have noticed this.”

“Is that what it was like?” Maria asked, turning to her brother.

“It… is true that if you serve him well, he is… almost outright generous. But if you’re no longer of any use, he will discard you. He does not compromise. You’re either useful to him… or you’re an obstacle, and thus he has no choice but to eliminate you,” Leon said. 

Well, that was terrifying. She wasn’t sure if it really applied to his court, but… she also wasn’t sure if she truly counted as part of his court in his mind. Still… she had made her choice. This was what she needed to do in order to reach her goals. That was what mattered. She had worked so hard for years, and her limitations as a commoner and, worse still, an ill one, had stopped her progress. For the first time, she had a path forward that was actually more or less assured. Trying again at the Mysidian Academy was far less likely to work out for her.

“Do you think Kyrie would be in danger, then?” Maria asked him.

“I think everyone around him is. Even the court. They don't see it because they're used to it, I'm sure,” Leon said. He turned back to Kyrie. “I know he calls you his ward and companion, but… I wouldn't trust him. Don't let his looks and words fool you. He's a monster. If there ever was something human about him… it's not there anymore.”

Kyrie wondered about that. The Emperor was definitely not a good person. She was very well-aware of that fact. But… everything she had observed about him was decidedly human , even when some of his actions absolutely weren’t. 

“I’ll… take it into account,” she said. She didn’t want to outright dismiss Leon and Maria. They didn’t seem to have bad intentions, and even if they did, she didn’t want any kind of confrontation. 

“Right,” Leon said. “I hope you do. I… know what he can do to people. What he can make them do. I don’t want to see anyone else deceived by him.”

Kyrie nodded, but said nothing. She wondered what Leon’s past with the Emperor had been like. She had a suspicion that she might know who he was. She’d heard about the Dark Knight in Bafsk. She wondered if Leon was him, but she didn’t dare ask. Perhaps she would ask Nadine or Tilda. She didn’t want to ask the Emperor about it, either.

“But well! Let’s talk about brighter topics,” Maria said. “How are you finding your stay in Fynn?”

“It’s been, um, pretty good,” Kyrie said. “I like the rooms we were given, and the gardens are gorgeous.”

“They really are,” Maria said. “And the wild roses smell so wonderful.”

Kyrie nodded, relaxing a bit again as the conversation turned towards small things. They talked about flowers, and even about clothes. Maria rather liked Kyrie’s dress, and lamented that dresses were not very good for mobility. Kyrie thought that the fabric that Maria’s outfit was made with was really beautiful and the outfit itself was quite impressive, and she said so, leaving out the fact that she was nowhere near brave enough to wear something like that. Leon excused himself when the talk about fashion started, but Maria stayed. She seemed genuinely nice. It wasn’t some kind of mask to keep the peace, or anything like that. It was kind of a shame that the worlds they belonged to were so different. 

After her conversation with Maria, Kyrie headed towards her suite to freshen up a bit before luncheon. She had a lot to think about, really. Maria’s offer to help her escape Palamecia was… very unexpected. She could take it if she wanted it, but her choice was made. She was not going to risk this new path she had found to fulfill her goals, even if it meant being the Emperor’s captive. It… wasn’t really that bad. She really did live comfortably enough. The medicines had, indeed, done her much good. They were better than the ones she got in Bafsk. And, well… now that she was getting used to the food, it was actually really good. If things stayed the way they were, and she just had to work and, in her free time, continue her studies… that was fine by her. There was the Emperor, of course, but… to her surprise, she found that she did not hate him like she thought she should. She understood only too well what kind of person he was, but she still didn’t hate him. Perhaps it was just the time she’d spent in Palamecia. She’d definitely be careful, but… maybe she really had a chance to carve out a good enough life for herself there.

Chapter Text

The first meeting for the negotiations happened right after luncheon. Any doubts that Mateus had about whether this was a calculated move to impair the Palamecians during the negotiations dissipated the moment he’d seen what the Fynnians had served. The appetizer had set the tone. They had served fried frog legs as appetizers. Mateus hadn’t minded it too much. He wasn’t a particularly picky eater under normal circumstances. Eating frogs was certainly weird, to be sure. There were spells that could turn people into frogs or toads, after all, and though he was sure that these hadn’t been people, it still felt ominous. The main course, though, had been a nightmare straight from the bowels of hell. They called it a lutefisk and it was some kind of fish treated with lye. It was gelatinous and tasted unnatural and was served with tiny pickled quail eggs as a side. The dessert had not helped. They served a tart, which was made with pear and what he was sure was moldy cheese, even though he heard it was blue cheese. Even this far into the meeting, he still felt nauseous, and he was glad for his gloves since his hands felt outright clammy with the discomfort. 

Though concentration was hard when he also had to concentrate on keeping his breathing steady to control the nausea, Mateus powered through. Johan was clearly doing his best, too, but it was even more difficult for him. Lady Albiret, too, was struggling. She put on a brave face, but he knew her well enough. Her responses were distracted and slow. As frustrated as he was, he could not blame them. Even when one valued food as much as anyone in Palamecia (especially the adults) did, it was hard to deal with things that were so different from anything that was available to them. 

Not only were the Palamecians already struggling, but the negotiations themselves were going horribly. Hilda had just stated her demands again, in money, grain and medical supplies. Mateus stared at her, almost in shock. She wanted how much grain ? Every four months?! Palamecia couldn’t meet those demands in a year ! 

“With all due respect, Princess, I already presented the economic capacity in various resources. There was a reason grain was not included in this presentation,” he said. 

“With all due respect to you , Emperor, we need to feed our people so that we may recover from your aggressions. There are many people who were displaced from the destruction of Poft, Paloom, Altair and Gatrea, as well as the attack on Fynn and Kashuan. There are even some survivors that were injured enough, physically and emotionally, that they will not be able to work the fields again,” Hilda said. “All these people require food that we cannot provide with what Fynn alone can produce. And even when the other towns are rebuilt, it will take time for them to become sustainable again.”

He hated her talk about feeding her people. As if they knew what it was to truly struggle to feed a nation! Here they were, spreading feasts in the castle and claiming they could not feed their people. They were certainly not hunting down emaciated rats in the castle in order to prepare a squalid stew. He repressed the urge to snort derisively at what she said. She did not know true hardship. She never would. 

“I cannot give you that which we cannot produce. Have you forgotten, Princess, that most of the Empire’s land is a desert? Perhaps you have grown too used to the bounty that forests and prairies give you, but in spite of our great advancements, we cannot simply grow wheat in sand dunes,” the Emperor said coldly. 

“You’re allowed to supplement with other grains. Perhaps you could also import some from Mysidia,” Hilda said.

“And where, Princess, do you propose that I get the resources for this? We, too, require rebuilding, and building new infrastructure. And let us not forget… Palamecians also need to eat.”

“You spend enough money on your military,” Hilda said. “Defund it, then. Use those resources to pay for the restitution. After all that you have done, it is only fitting that the instrument of your conquest become an instrument to build anew.”

Mateus could not believe his ears. Defund the entire military?! Had the Princess lost her mind?! She had to know that what she was asking was impossible. Even if he dared to do such an insane thing, the soldiers, finding themselves without a job, would surely revolt. They would riot, destroying the cities of his empire and, eventually, slowly, get to him too. He would lose… everything. 

“I am sure you know that what you ask is impossible, Princess,” he said, keeping his composure in spite of his disgust at the suggestion. “My military forces are vital in securing the safety of my people. You must be well-aware of how harsh the desert is, and the manner of beasts that can be found within its sands. I cannot accept those terms.”

Hilda, however, did not budge on this. She argued that Palamecia had to prove its commitment to peace. She was dead-set on what she apparently thought was poetic justice. No amount of explaining the necessity of a military, the culture of Palamecia, or the economic insanity of Hilda’s proposals swayed her. Not even his manipulation tactics worked. It was hard to manipulate someone who had their claws around one’s neck. The meeting ended with Hilda maintaining her stance, and the Palamecians not only still nauseated from luncheon, but extremely frustrated. 

Mateus, for his part, was growing worried. He knew he was backed into a wall. Though they did not directly participate, Firion, Maria, Guy, Leon and Minwu were all present in the meeting, a silent threat against his life if he did not cooperate with them. Still… he had another two days to make Hilda see reason. Surely, he told himself, this was just a show to humiliate him. She could not be this insane. Crippling Palamecia entirely wasn’t even in her best interests. She surely knew that.

Dinner did not help his mood. The appetizer was anything but. They served snails . Sure, they said it was aquatic snails, and they were fried in butter and garlic, but… who went around picking off aquatic bugs and calling them delicacies? The main meal was something they called blood sausage. He could approve of making sure less of an animal was wasted, but… making sausage out of it? They didn’t even spice it. They added oats and other strange things to it instead. The side dish was no better. They had spinach, and if it had been left at that, it might have been fine, but they decided to spice it up with a tiny oily fish that was impressively salty. Anchovy. When he thought he would get relief with the ice cream that was offered as dessert, he then discovered it was licorice flavored. The whole meal was, if anything, a study in torture. 

He would barely sleep that night, pacing back and forth, battling nausea, wondering what he could possibly do or say to sway Hilda before she crippled Palamecia into oblivion.

---------------

Kyrie had not expected the day to take a turn from the rather pleasant morning to the horror that she witnessed after luncheon. She had been allowed to attend the meeting to watch the proceedings, and she had taken that chance, only to be rather horrified at watching Hilda demand the impossible. She didn’t yet understand everything about Palamecia and its dealings, but… defunding the entire military? That couldn’t be right. The Emperor and his advisors seemed, understandably, incredibly frustrated. Tonight, there had been no conversation in the hallway. The Emperor had wordlessly retired to his suite. Kyrie sighed, walking over to the mirror to start taking off the hair accessories that she was wearing. There was a knock on the door. She hoped it was Tilda. She needed to talk to her. 

“Come in.”

It was not Tilda. It was the Emperor’s attendant, Anton. 

“The Emperor wishes to speak to you.”

“Of course,” Kyrie said. 

She wouldn’t have time to rearrange her hair into something more presentable, but… so be it.  She quickly used her hands to try to tame the curls that stubbornly kept appearing with the humid air of Fynn. It wouldn’t be so bad if her hair were outright curly rather than wavy, since at least the curls would look lovely and not like hair that was just out of place, but she did what she could. She then followed Anton to the Emperor’s suite. The attendant’s polite knock was answered by a gruff command to come in. Kyrie hoped that there wouldn't be any trouble. She didn't particularly feel like facing the Emperor while he was in such a foul mood. Anton opened the door, ushered her in and then left. Kyrie stood there awkwardly, wondering what to say.

“Your report,” the Emperor said.

Kyrie had expected anger, and there certainly was that, but there was far more exhaustion in his tone. The Emperor looked very pale in spite of the make-up, and there was something in his expression that, while Kyrie couldn’t quite understand it, made her feel worried and even kind of… sorrowful. 

“Well… I did what you asked,” she said. “I observed people going about their day, choosing the gardens as a good spot. I… didn’t observe people looking stressed out for the most part. Though… when they saw the Palamecian guards, then they did. No one said anything important. They were just talking about normal everyday things.”

“Hm. I see,” the Emperor said. “They have it all planned out, it seems.”

“Perhaps it is simply that they feel quite safe with the presence of their heroes,” Kyrie said, her voice quiet.

“Perhaps,” the Emperor said. “Is there something else?”

“Well… Maria and Leon approached me to talk,” she replied.

She wondered if this was a good time to tell him that, but… it was probably for the best. If he found out later, he would think she was just hiding something important. His sharp glare made her feel that perhaps risking that might have been preferable.

“Excuse me? And what exactly did Maria and the traitor want to talk to you about?”

“Um… w-well, they… wanted to warn me about how dangerous you are, and… how I shouldn’t trust you, and… umm… whether I wanted their help,” she said. She didn’t normally fear that the Emperor might turn against her and kill her, but the look in his eyes as she spoke reminded her of the way he had eliminated the Palamecian rebels.

“And what did you say?”

“I told them that while I appreciated their concern, I… didn’t think that their views really applied,” Kyrie said.

“Their views? What views did they express, I wonder?”

“They… think you’re an inhuman monster who would gladly dispose of anyone around you,” Kyrie replied.

“An inhuman monster, is it?” the Emperor said with a bitter scoff. “Mere bleating from those who do not understand the reality of wielding the power and responsibility that an emperor has no choice but to carry. I do what I must. No less.”

Kyrie stayed silent as the Emperor paced back and forth for a minute. She wasn't sure what to even say. She had, she hoped, made it clear that she did not hold the same beliefs that they did, but she feared that if she said the wrong thing, she might worsen the Emperor's mood. It was bad enough as it was.

“So, then,” he said after a bit, turning back to her. “You told them that their beliefs do not apply. Is that what you believe, or merely what you told them?”

“I have no reason to think that you’re a monster,” Kyrie replied. “You’re a king. An emperor. Your enemies see a monster, but it is clear that your court sees something different. I’m inclined to believe your court more.”

The Emperor stared at her for what she was sure couldn’t be more than a minute, though it felt like eternity. Finally he nodded.

“Very well. Your allegiance is noted,” he said, his tone a bit less harsh. “You have chosen wisely. Tomorrow, you are free to use the morning however you wish. I would recommend that you get some sunlight and fresh air to help with your constitution. Winter fast approaches in Palamecia, and there will be very little of that.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“You are dismissed.”

With a bow, Kyrie left the Emperor’s suite and went back to her own. Tilda was already waiting for her. Kyrie was relieved to see her. 

“Were you able to talk to the kitchen staff?” Kyrie asked after greeting her.

“Yes, milady,” Tilda said. “I hope you’re prepared for tomorrow… and the day after. The whole menu is already decided. It was decided a while ago, and it took them a long time and effort to get all the ingredients. They’re very proud of the dishes.”

Kyrie thought about the exhausted, almost ill look in the faces of the Palamecian delegation, as well as the difficult negotiations that they were participating in. Could they really withstand two more days (and likely an extra breakfast) of these foods?

“I see. So… there’s nothing to do on that front,” Kyrie sighed. “Well… that’s okay. Thank you for checking that.”

“There’s the other idea you had, milady. I’ll bring you something tomorrow, but… it might take most of the day, especially because there’s a lot of stuff that they’ll have to do for most of the day.”

“That’s okay. Thank you so much for trying this.”

“It’s not a problem at all,” Tilda said. “I think it’s a good idea.”

Kyrie nodded thoughtfully. She hoped it was. She was worried for Palamecia now. This probably wouldn’t change anything, but… well… it was all she could really do. She did not know enough to participate in the negotiations, and even if she did, she wasn’t a high enough rank to do so. She didn’t even know if she could talk about this with Tilda yet. Only nobles and the Fynnian heroes had been allowed into the meeting, and it was all delicate information. All she could do was wait for now and see how all that would end, while hoping it would go well enough for all parties involved.

---------------

Neither Esuna nor Basuna had managed to cure the nausea. Mateus looked out the window of his suite, hoping the cool night breeze might bring some relief. He could not help but wonder if the truce that Hilda had accepted was but a way to buy time to destroy him again. Forcing him to do the impossible like this could end in nothing but his own downfall. This was likely what they wanted. He was well-aware that the mere fact that he could still draw breath offended them.

They thought him a mere monster- a beast, like many of the ones found in hell and in some of the harsher areas of the world. He was not entirely sure why they refused his rule. Did they not see that he offered them justice, unity and control? It certainly was a better alternative to the chaos and petty squabbles that reigned. Sure, they had to give up most of their freedom, but… was it not a much better alternative than the unpredictable whims of unrestrained humanity? 

His thoughts wandered back to what Kyrie had said. She did not believe him to be a monster, it seemed. That was a good sign. She had acclimated well into her new life and… it seemed that she was loyal. While it was true that loyalty wasn’t necessary and he could make do with just obedience, it was always preferable to have it. 

He was, admittedly, somewhat surprised that she felt that way. The way they had met was… not particularly friendly, admittedly. She knew very well that she was his captive. And yet… she had chosen to stay in spite of having options. Perhaps it really was time to reduce some of the supervision she was under. With winter being so close, it was a good time to do so. She wasn’t going to be running away during a blizzard or some other inhospitable condition of the sort. If she proved loyal enough, by spring, he probably would not need to have her supervised anymore.

At least… that was the plan, provided Hilda and her warriors didn’t get their way and end him and his reign. He shook his head. No. He would not die. Not again. He would get past this obstacle too, just as he always had.

Chapter Text

The next morning, breakfast almost seemed to be an apology for the horrors of the previous day. It was astoundingly sweet, with a stew of apricots, fruits, and goldenberries, which had been cooked in some kind of sweet wine. There were pastries that were sweetened with custard and sugar. They served milk again, but, thankfully, it wasn’t green or something unnatural of that sort. It had flowers in it, but he would take that over seaweed. It was so sweet, though, that the Palamecian delegation, unused to this, felt tired and unwell a while after breakfast. 

The first few minutes of the strategy meeting between Mateus and his advisors were actually spent in silence as they all grappled with the drowsiness caused by the sugar excess. It was Mateus that started the meeting properly by going through Hilda’s demands and how far they were from being able to meet them.

“The Princess has gone mad,” Johan remarked. “We have given her every possible explanation she could want about how impossible all this is and why it is a terrible idea, but she just doesn’t understand.”

“I don’t think it’s that she does not understand,” Lady Albiret said. “Not exactly.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” asked Johan.

“The Princess is no fool,” Mateus said. “She understands our points. She simply does not wish to listen.”

“So, it is as I have been saying. She wishes to insult us. To destroy us, perhaps,” Johan said. “How are we going to retaliate?”

“I would advise against retaliation,” Lady Albiret said. “The last thing we need while trying to recoup the empire’s losses is to also have to fend off assassins. They have an airship. They got into the castle before, so they can do it again.”

“Those warriors, I presume,” Johan said. “There’s only four of them. How hard can it be to take them down?”

“Five of them. One is a White Mage,” Mateus said.

“Oh,” Johan said, the fiery defiance dissipating from his eyes. “I… suppose that complicates matters.”

“The others know magic as well,” Mateus continued. “They are certainly not experts, but they should not be underestimated.”

“I see,” Johan said. “Even the most powerful mage can be bested in a surprise attack with such foes. I take it there are no… underhanded tactics that can be taken against them.”

“This is not war,” Lady Albiret said. “Underhanded tactics should be off the table.”

“Even if this were war, they are careful. There’s the traitor, too. He knows some of the methods we have at our disposal,” Mateus said. “To use any of them would be too much of a risk. I will not act in such a reckless manner. Diplomacy remains our best option.”

“Our best option? Is it such when it may lead to our ruin?” Johan asked.

It was true that none of the options looked particularly good. Going back to war would strain his empire’s resources anyways, and it would lead to Hilda’s little champions going after his head. He had no time to properly prepare for a war that he could actually win. But if he simply took the restitution offer that Hilda was proposing, then… his empire would fall into utter chaos. There had to be a third option. He had to find it.

---------------

Kyrie took the Emperor’s suggestion of getting some fresh air and sunlight. She wanted to see if she could find the library in this castle, but, well… in the end, she wouldn’t have time to fully read any book. The best she would be able to do was to see if they happened to have the same book she was reading back in Palamecia, but she doubted they would. It would be incredibly frustrating to start a book and then be unable to finish it. It was probably best to not even know what books they had. She wouldn’t be upset at missing out on something she didn’t know existed.

The Emperor had mentioned her constitution and she hated to admit it, but he had a point. It was only today that she didn’t have anything to focus on that she really noticed how pale she had become. Being cooped up in a library all day for the past few weeks had left her looking like some kind of ghost. She was thankful for the existence of make-up.

She couldn’t help but reflect on the fact that she had allowed herself to forget that she didn’t only like books. She liked gardens and parks, too. While she had been living at the Wilson manor, she had spent some time outside, either reading or running errands for the apothecary. But in Castle Palamecia, she’d been so awed by the amount of books that she didn’t bother to do anything else. She supposed she should do something about it, but… there was the problem of her new, well… job. She now had to go to meetings, and that took time away from her studies. She didn’t have time for personal stuff like going to gardens to do nothing. Then again… if she didn’t, it could harm her health, and that was something she couldn’t afford, either.

“Good morning to you,” a man’s voice said beside her. She turned to see the Mysidian White Mage from Princess Hilda’s court. She had not noticed him approaching her, since she was too absorbed in her thoughts. 

“Oh! Good morning,”she said. She paused awkwardly, realizing she didn’t know his name.  “Um… I… don’t think we’ve been formally introduced.” 

“My name is Minwu,” the mage replied. “What would yours be?”

“Um. Kyrie. It’s nice to meet you,” she said, hoping she didn’t sound as awkward as she felt, and quite glad she didn’t stutter.

“Good to properly make your acquaintance. You are the young lady the Emperor has taken as a ward, are you not?” he asked.

“Um… y-yes, I suppose I am.”

“I see. Your presence has caused quite the surprise in the court,” Minwu said. “We never expected this from the Emperor.”

Minwu’s voice was calm and friendly. Kyrie’s nervousness started to dissipate somewhat. Unlike Leon, Minwu didn’t seem threatening at all.

“I… know Maria and Leon are… worried,” she said with a sigh. “They told me about their worries yesterday.”

“I have heard of it,” Minwu said. “I sense that you are not particularly pleased with this.”

“I just… don’t understand it. They don’t even know me,” she said. “Why would they be so worried about a stranger?”

“They know first-hand what could happen to someone in your position, or in any position that requires being close to the Emperor,” Minwu said. “Please do not take it personally. They have seen and sacrificed much to help people. It is just their nature to worry about those who may be in danger in their eyes.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” Kyrie said. “I… would probably worry too if I were in their shoes. But… from where I am standing, the situation is just… not the same.”

“I quite understand that,” Minwu said. 

Kyrie believed him. She could not see the entirety of his face, but his eyes held a very sincere expression.

“Did you… come to talk to me because you were worried too like they are?” she asked.

“No,” he replied. “I was done with my meditation, and I saw that you were rather pale, so I approached to see if everything was alright with you.” 

“Oh. Yeah, um… it’s my doing,” she said. “I’ve been spending too much time in a library. Even the Emperor noticed. He told me to get sunlight and fresh air.”

“Did he?” Minwu asked. He seemed a bit surprised. “It was a good call, I would say. I understand that winters in Castle Palamecia can be a bit harsh. I do not suppose you will have much of a chance to get fresh air like this for a few months.”

“Yeah, I guess not,” she said. “I’m sure there will be clear, sunny days, and mountain air is good for the body, but… a lot of the time, I suppose we’ll all be inside.”

“Do you wish to know of a few remedies that will help you stay strong during those times?” Minwu asked.

“Oh! Yes, please.”

Minwu nodded and spoke to her about several herbs and remedies that she could use to keep her strength up in spite of the harsh mountain winter. Kyrie listened, delighted. She knew some of them, and Minwu promised to give her a scroll with all of them anyways. Most of the herbs grew in Palamecia, too, it seemed, so she would be able to get them easily enough. She told him about the differences she’d noticed in the effects of Palamecia-grown herbs versus those grown elsewhere, and he shared about some herbs that were native to Mysidia. He was curious about her affliction too, and she told him what she knew of it, and what herbs she took. He listened carefully, his eyes sympathetic. All in all, it was a pleasant conversation. She learned so much, and Minwu was probably one of the nicest people she’d ever met. Their conversation lasted a couple hours before Minwu had to leave for his other duties, and Kyrie stayed in the gardens, enjoying the fresh air until it was time for luncheon.

---------------

The strategy meeting lasted the entire morning. They went through every number again, and made plans and calculations for other offers as best as they could through the exhaustion that they were already under due to the stress and the unfamiliar food. By the time the meeting was over, they were feeling a bit better.

Luncheon changed that. There was a salad as an appetizer, or at least, something that looked like a salad, but felt more like some monstrosity. There was seaweed in it, and a clear jelly-like, chewy thing that Mateus soon learned was jellyfish. The main course was something that could almost have been acceptable if not for the presentation. It was calf tongue, and it was served cold with a sour cherry glaze. As a side dish, there were parsnips with truffle oil. Mateus did not care how much of a delicacy truffle oil was supposed to be. No oil had any business having a weird cheesy smell, let alone being poured over parsnips. He was reminded of the smell of a barracks after a hot desert day, after the soldiers had just removed their boots. 

There was cold sweat on his brow by the time the next meeting started for the negotiations. Hilda repeated her demands from the previous day. Mateus argued against them, trying to explain how this was against Fynn’s own interests. Hilda did not seem to even want to listen.

“Very well. I will concede that some form of military is necessary to run your empire,” she said at last. “But, then, we must make sure it is strictly the minimum to fight off dangerous beasts of the desert and no more. Defund eighty percent of your military. For the twenty percent you're allowed to keep, the amount of resources that it costs to maintain that should then be added to the payment in grains.”

Eighty percent?! And added cost in grain?! Palamecia could not pay that, even if he gave the entirety of his empire’s grain production to Fynn. Did she think that food just grew in desert sands as easily as in forests and prairies?

“You ask for an impossibility, Princess. Let us forgo the pretense that you do not know this,” he said.

“I only ask for what is fair after what you did,” Hilda insisted. “You destroyed entire towns, and most of their people. You didn’t merely cripple Deist, either. You eliminated it. Why would we go easy on you? Were it some other emperor who had to carry the consequences, it would be different. But it is you. You deserve the full consequences of your actions.”

“And so you seek to cripple my empire? Destroy it, perhaps?”

“No. It is up to you to find a way to comply with what is only just.”

“There is no justice in what you ask for! You preach justice, but you would have my subjects starve! What justice is there in this charade?”

“So do you expect to simply walk away from the consequences?” Hilda asked. “Did the dragoons get that mercy?”

“I only ask for terms that are possible for Palamecia to meet.”

“What you ask for is mercy. But after the atrocities you committed, you have no right to mercy,” Hilda said.

Mateus became all too aware of the clammy sweat hidden only by his gloves. The Princess really did not care about making a deal. She had all but said it. The only way she would spare Palamecia from these harsh consequences… would be if Palamecia had a different emperor. She was willing to sacrifice his people to chaos and even starvation if only to get at him, and, preferably, cause him to die. He glanced at those in his delegation that had shown up. Lady Albiret’s gaze spoke of understanding. She clearly knew what the Princess was up to. Johan looked frustrated. The only other one from his delegation that was in this meeting was Kyrie, who looked horrified. He supposed that she, too, realized what the idea behind this whole situation was.

“This is not about mercy, Princess,” he said. It is about the peace that you want as much as I do.”

“A peace that we cannot trust you to keep,” the Princess said. “This is why I must insist on the dismantling of your military. A defanged serpent cannot bite.”

“Your army is not the only one which suffered losses,” Mateus said. “My army is not the same as it was in the war, nor is it being… supplemented. All monsters that served in my army are in Pandemonium. To ask me to dismantle eighty percent of what’s left and then add an extra cost for the rest is simply preposterous!”

“So, then, we can exchange that extra cost for control over several key guilds whose work would go into things like weapon creation. Mining, metal work. That kind of thing. We will put our people in charge to ensure that you do not covertly prepare for war again. Some of the profits would then go to us, and that would reduce the costs.”

That proposal was, if anything, worse than dismantling most of his military. It was practically annexing Palamecia! Mining and metal work were some of the most important industries in the Empire. For all the scarcity of food, they did have quite the geological bounty. There was no way he was giving Hilda any power over that.

“I have done nothing but negotiate in good faith,” Mateus said coldly. “Is this how you answer that? I will not take such outrageous conditions! This is a restitution negotiation, not a lynching!”

Hilda, however, did not seem to agree with this. She did not seem interested in listening to anything he or his advisors brought up. It didn’t help that their minds were all sluggish from how unwell they felt. Mateus’s own body, in spite of his immense discipline, was protesting the strain it was under. He could still feel the cold sweat on his body, the pain in his abdomen, the intense nausea, and the barely perceptible shaking of his hands. His breathing was shallow, too, and he could not tell if it was the malaise or the increasing pressure that he felt with this meeting. He hated his own limitations, not because they existed, but because they often became uncontrollable obstacles in the pursuit of his goals. This was the case now, and, as the meeting continued, it became evident that no agreement would be reached that evening. Mateus wasn’t sure things would have gone much better even if he and his delegation had been feeling fine. Normally this was the kind of time he would choose to retreat, but he had nowhere to retreat to. It was the Cyclone all over again.

He thought he’d be numb by dinner, but it was impossible to ignore the strange, tiny round black spheres that were served atop some savory pancake. They were fishy and extremely salty, and they popped . They had some kind of liquid inside, but it was such a small amount due to the size of the spheres, that the experience was more of a texture than an actual liquid. He heard Prince Gordon calling the spheres ‘caviar’ as he spoke of the rarity of the dish. Mateus understood the stuff to be fish eggs, which was, quite frankly, a very disturbing thought. Eating bird eggs was something he could understand. But fish eggs ? These were nothing like eggs. It was some of the worst food he had ever eaten. The main course was almost too much for him. It was toast, with raw meat spread over it. It was mixed with mayonnaise, but it was, quite clearly, absolutely raw. There were olives on top of that, and several herbs. Mateus stared at the plate for a moment. Raw meat?! Was Princess Hilda trying to outright poison him and his delegation? How was this considered safe to eat? The side dish was no better. They called it sea cucumber, but it was absolutely not a cucumber. It was, by the taste, a fish. And it was outright gelatinous, too. Whoever had first declared this fish edible must have been insane. For dessert, the chefs had decided that they had not served enough licorice. It was not ice cream this time, though. It was a pudding, which meant the taste was so much stronger. It was all Mateus could do to swallow the vile dishes. Even the wine seemed good in comparison.

Mateus barely spoke during dinner. Between the noise and the overwhelming nausea, all he wanted was to leave. He did so as soon as it was socially acceptable for him to do so, and his delegation followed. Once again, he said nothing to them, simply heading for his suite. There was nothing to say, and he certainly did not want to listen to Johan’s complaints and ridiculous calls to retaliate like brutes. He didn’t care for that kind of behavior at the best of times, but especially not while he felt so ill. Perhaps some quiet solitude would do him good.

---------------

Kyrie felt awful. In spite of the queasy feeling in her stomach, her case, unlike that of the others in the Palamecian delegation, wasn’t due to the food. Dinner had been quite disagreeable, it was true, and she certainly questioned the wisdom of serving uncooked meat, but she was used to eating seafood, so most of the dishes had been tolerable to her. She wasn’t sure what to name what she was feeling. It wasn’t pity, or fear. It was somewhat like sadness, but also somehow like pain. Though she wasn’t sure what to call it, she knew why she felt it. It started as she saw the struggles of the Palamecian delegation to remain polite in spite of the clear hostility that they were shown. It grew every time she saw the expression on Nadine’s eyes as she struggled to look like everything was alright, even through the clear dread she felt and the nausea that had been a mainstay for the Palamecians since their first meal. It also grew when she saw the almost haunted expression that occasionally slipped through the Emperor’s façade. After the last meeting, the fire almost seemed to have gone from his eyes during those brief moments that his guard slipped. And it hurt .

She hated what the Fynnians were doing. It wasn’t because she thought they were being exactly unfair. What the Emperor called war, most people called war crimes. The atrocities he committed had affected them all deeply. It was obvious why they were hostile. The rest of the delegation was just collateral damage. Still, as understandable as it was, she did not think it was right . Everyone wanted peace. Even the Emperor was working towards it, but the people of Fynn, so hurt by the war, were not giving him a chance to prove it. What they were doing was just forcing the Emperor into a situation where he might act out of desperation. That could not end well. 

There was nothing she could do, either. She had no influence over the negotiations. Even if she had permission to speak up in them, what would she say? She felt so powerless. She sighed and sat down to wait for Tilda. It was the only thing she could really do. It felt like an eternity, but finally, Tilda knocked on the door. 

“Come in, please.”

Tilda opened the door and entered the suite carrying a basket. A delicious smell of freshly baked bread was coming from the basket, making Kyrie’s mouth water. After these days of strange foods, even the smell of bread felt like the greatest comfort in the world. There was something to be said about the goodness of something so simple and wholesome.

“I brought this basket, milady. I wish I could have brought something more filling, but it was all I could manage to get,” Tilda said.

“That's alright. It's perfect! Thank you so much,” Kyrie said, taking the basket Tilda handed her. “It smells wonderful.”

“I’m glad, milady,” Tilda said. “Took a while, but I think it’s worth it.”

“Was there any trouble over this?” Kyrie asked.

“No, milady,” Tilda said. “I just convinced them to let me show them how we make bread in Palamecia. They were very interested. They had some of the spices we use back in Palamecia, and even some lentils. It should be quite filling for bread.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Kyrie said. “I was worried they might just… not help out. The food they’re serving… they’re proud of it, yes, but… I think it’s chosen to clash with Palamecian tastes.”

“Possibly, milady. They are not happy about the visit. They’re happy about the payments, but not much else.”

“Yeah, that’s what I noticed too. But well… this should at least provide some respite.”

“It should. It’s filling and wholesome. I hope it makes you feel better,” Tilda said.

“Thank you. I’m certain it will. You’re a blessing, Tilda.”

Tilda left shortly after, and Kyrie picked up the basket and left her room. She walked over to Nadine’s room and knocked. The old lady sounded quite tired, but she invited her in with a smile on her face anyway. Kyrie was surprised at how pale Nadine looked. She was glad that they would soon be going back to Palamecia. This couldn’t be good for the lady’s health.

“Oh! Kyrie, what a surprise! And, goodness, what is that lovely smell?”

“Um, well, it’s bread,” Kyrie said. “My attendant managed to get three loaves of bread. She said they have lentils and should be very wholesome and filling. I thought I would bring you one. You’ve worked so hard during the negotiations and the food’s been so bad and… I thought you could use this.”

“Oh blessed rain from the heavens! You have no idea what a welcome thing this is,” Nadine said. “But bless me, young lady, a whole loaf is too much for me. Would it be alright to share with my family?”

“Yes, of course! I was… hoping for that.”

“Thank you, Kyrie. I’m sure they’ll all appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome,” Kyrie said. “Um… I… want to share another loaf with Sir Vernistel, but… well… I… don’t know if it would be proper to give him a gift… or if he might… take it differently.”

Nadine chuckled at the awkward question.

“It is a good thing to ask. Yes, it’s not quite proper for a young lady to give a gift to an unmarried man. He might think you’re trying to court him! I’ll take it for you. My age will make it clear there are no other intentions. Do you want me to tell him it’s from you?”

“Oh! Um, no, please don’t,” Kyrie said. “I’d prefer not to have any misunderstandings. Um… does that mean… I can’t give the Emperor the third loaf?”

Nadine’s eyes glittered with what Kyrie thought was amusement.

“Oh, it’s different with him. You can go give him the bread in person. He won’t be misunderstanding anything of that sort,” she said with another chuckle. “Besides, it’s always acceptable to give a gift to the Emperor.”

“That’s a relief,” Kyrie said, handing Nadine the second loaf. “Thank you. I’ll go do that.”

“Of course! I will go and give Johan the bread so he can go share it with his family too, and then I’ll share with mine. Bread is good for nausea and such malaise. Everyone will feel a lot better with a hint of home. Maybe it will even raise morale, too. You’ve seen how things are going.”

“Yes… I… have seen it,” Kyrie sighed.

“Pray tomorrow’s sun softens the Princess’s heart,” Nadine said, her face turning serious for a moment. Then she smiled again. “And thank you again.”

Kyrie nodded, and the two of them left Nadine’s suite. Nadine headed towards Johan’s, and Kyrie headed towards the Emperor’s suite, hoping that she would be able to bring the Emperor some relief, but also dreading what kind of mood he’d be in when she got there. She paused for a moment, bracing herself for any nasty reaction she might encounter. Then she knocked. 

---------------

Mateus had lost his dinner shortly after entering his suite. The raw meat, combined with the gelatinous fish, had been too much for his mortal body to bear. He was still lightheaded and weak from the exertion, but at least the nausea was lessened. He would recover quickly, he knew that, but this was horrible timing to feel so unwell. He was sitting, brushing his hair for the third time.

So… this was how it all ended, Mateus thought. Slowly. Agonizingly. Inevitably. This was worse than the Cylcone. Worse than his next death in Pandemonium, which, had the gods not intervened, would have ended him entirely. With Hilda being so adamant on her terms, there was no escape for him. If he took the terms, Palamecia would collapse, and his lineage would end with him. If he didn’t, Firion and his warriors would come after him, even if he did not choose to go to war again. He would die by their hand or at the hand of his people… and he now had to choose between those two options. 

He was not going to stop fighting for the third option. He was not that kind of man. But he was the type that always prepared for any outcome. He had to make plans in case Hilda refused to see reason. 

His expression hardened. Even for a man who did not fear death, it wasn’t easy to have to choose the manner of his own end. He did not want to do it. He had come so far! But… there was no one he could turn to for help. He had long since forsaken that choice. He had no good options, either. Both would be horribly humiliating. After a while of deliberation, he made up his mind. He would die by the hand of his people. It would give him time to see if he could prepare some contingency, and perhaps ensure that his lineage did not fall. Perhaps procrastinating on these disagreeable duties had not been his best decision. He would just have to deal with it. A strand of his hair fell out of place from the night breeze. Mateus frowned at it through the mirror as if it were the cause of all his problems. He picked up the brush again.

A knock was heard on the door. Who was it, at this hour? It was not Anton’s knock. It was a meek, almost apologetic knock. 

“Who is it?” he called, only barely stopping himself from just telling the person on the other side to just go away.

“Um… it's… me. Kyrie. May I come in?”

Mateus raised an eyebrow. Kyrie? What was she doing here at this hour? He sighed. He was not particularly inclined to see anyone right now, not when he was so low. He thought of simply telling her to leave, but then he paused, looking at the hair brush in his hand. No. He needed a distraction. He might as well see what it was that she wanted. He put the brush down.

“Very well. Come in.”

---------------

Kyrie opened the door and went inside. The Emperor looked terribly pale, with dark marks beneath his eyes, which were only exacerbated by this makeup. His breathing was shallow, and he looked outright ill. He definitely seemed to be in a poor mood, but he looked far more exhausted than angry or frustrated. If anything, there was some kind of cold determination… or perhaps resignation. She couldn’t tell. She felt a kind of pressure in her chest. It was distressing to see this.

“Well? What is it?” he asked.

Kyrie walked over and held out the basket.

“I… brought this,” she said. “My assistant managed to get it.”

The Emperor stared at her for a moment. His gaze was intense, full of something like determination, though there was something almost… desperate about it. 

“I do not need pity,” he said at last. 

“It’s not pity,” Kyrie said. “You and Advisor Vernistel, and Lady Albiret have been working so hard in these negotiations. I wanted to help somehow. And, well… the food in Fynn has been… um… an experience.”

The Emperor gave a derisive snort.

“That is one way to put it,” he said. 

“So… I wanted to help. And I asked my attendant Tilda to please bring me something… well… good and wholesome. She managed to get this. She said they had lentils and some of the spices that are used in Palamecia.”

That got the Emperor’s attention. He turned to look at her again. His expression was still intense. Kyrie almost wanted to call it a hungry expression. She supposed it was likely to be a correct interpretation.

“Is that so?” he asked.

“Yes. So, um… do I leave the whole basket with you?”

He shook his head. Kyrie took out the loaf of bread and held it out to him. He stared at her for a long moment before he finally took it.

“I extend my thanks,” he said. 

“I hope you enjoy it, Your Highness,” she said, turning to leave. The Emperor stopped her with a small gesture of his hand.

“Did you have some of it yourself?” he asked.

“Er, no. I gave the rest of it to Lady Albiret and she took some to Advisor Verinstel. They were going to share it with their families, I think,” she said.

“Take some.”

“Oh, but… it’s for you.”

“I insist,” he said, gesturing towards the bread. “A whole loaf is too much for one person.”

“I… thank you, Your Highness,” Kyrie said.

She approached him and took a small piece of the bread- no more than what would be one or two slices of it. The Emperor gave her a nod. He still seemed to be observing her, as if he expected her to do or say something. She gave him a bow of her head and turned to leave. This time he did not stop her. 

“You have my gratitude,” he said suddenly as she started to open the door.

She turned back, surprised at the unexpected words. There was something unguarded about his expression for a moment. Something human. He quickly went back to his usual cold expression, but did not retract his words. She smiled at him, and then, after another bow of her head, left to go back to her room.

---------------

Mateus ate the bread slowly, ensuring that he would cause himself no further discomfort. Though it wasn’t quite a Palamecian bread, even that hint of home was a most welcome relief. He wasn’t sure how to process what had just happened. He was not used to things like this. No one just… brought him things, let alone for reasons such as just… trying to be helpful. If they did, they always expected something in return. His favor, mostly, but even most of that was often mixed up with their own agenda. She didn't seem to have any ulterior motives for bringing this, and it unnerved him in a way. He knew she, too, was hungry. The food did not clash as much for her as it did for the rest of the delegation, but he’d seen her struggling to eat a lot of it. Tonight, she had struggled as much as the rest of them. And yet, even when given a chance to take a good chunk of the bread, she hadn’t. He shook his head. Perhaps her heart had just not encountered enough darkness. Given time, she surely would change. She would be just like everyone else. For now, her unexpected aid was almost a miracle. 

He felt the color creeping back into his face as he ate. His mind cleared almost entirely, and the nausea was greatly reduced. It was surprising how wholesome such a humble food could be. Still, with his head cleared, it was time to keep working on a strategy for the next day. Now that he was feeling better, he could see things from different angles. Perhaps the heavens had not yet forsaken him. Perhaps… there was something more he could try. As he began weighing different options, he couldn’t help but note how… odd he felt. Kind of uncomfortable, even. Kyrie’s aid had come at such a critical moment. He didn’t know what to do with that. The feeling was almost alien to him now, but… he supposed that he really did feel gratitude. Or at least… something close to that. He couldn't really tell. He had long since lost the ability to recognize those kinds of feelings.

Chapter Text

The next day, Mateus woke up feeling much more like himself. He knew breakfast was probably going to be some kind of offensive thing, so he’d saved some of the bread for later. Today was

his last chance to escape the doom that had gotten its claws around his throat. He needed to be as prepared and alert as he possibly could. He could not afford to be ill again. He was ready before it was time to go to the main hall for breakfast, so he didn’t make his delegation wait before they all headed to confront whatever fresh hostilities would be served at the table that day.

The Fynnian chefs did not disappoint in their aggressions. There was oatmeal. Mateus didn’t have anything against oatmeal, aside from how mushy it was, and how bland. It was a respectable enough grain. However, they were cooked with mushrooms. Wild ones, it seemed. It was really weird. There were herbal medicines made with mushrooms that grew in the Palamecian desert, and mushrooms were sometimes eaten, but combining them with the mushy texture of oatmeal was simply offensive. It didn’t help that mushrooms grew only in the rainy season in Palamecia and, thus, were considered a special celebratory dish. There was something disturbing about seeing them wasted in a simple breakfast alongside something like bland oatmeal. Something black had been shaved onto the food, too. Truffle again, by the smell of it. These nobles had probably never been around warriors after a hot day. There had been some nutty oil drizzled over the food, too. 

They also served eggs, and Mateus almost rolled his eyes when he saw them. These were not normal eggs. They were tiny eggs, probably from wild birds, or quails or something like that. It was supposed to look artistic, but it was about as frivolous as the flowers that had been served previously. It felt outright wasteful, since it was clear this wasn’t foraged due to lack of food, but rather due to excess of it. The drink that was served was outright revolting. It had blueberries, and that was fine, but it was fizzy due to the inclusion of fermented birch sap. They were bleeding trees just to drink them, and unlike what was done with cacti in the desert, this, too, was clearly just out of a desire to try new things just because of how much they already had. It was ridiculous that they would flaunt this plenty during their visit, and then proceed to demand more food than the desert empire could properly produce. 

After breakfast, he went to his suite to prepare for the strategy meeting. He ate some more of the bread to dull the nausea from the birch sap drink. He had to show his gratitude to Kyrie somehow, once they got back to Palamecia. He’d have to think of something, but that would come later. Right now, he needed to focus entirely on the negotiations, if he wanted to live. 

After Lady Albiret and Johan arrived to discuss their plan, they first went through what had been discussed in the previous day’s negotiations, and the potential repercussions of accepting those terms… or not. Both advisors were reluctant to directly mention the threat that both the options represented for Mateus’s life. They danced around the topic, but it was ever-present, weighing down on them all. Fortunately, they were all feeling better that morning, so Mateus hoped that their strategies would also be better.

“These… unfortunate side-effects must be avoided,” Lady Albiret said. 

“We have shown them all the relevant numbers,” Johan said. “What other recourse do we have?”

“They do not want to listen,” Lady Albiret said. “This is not something we can reason through. Diplomacy is not going to work, and neither will economic reasons and trades.”

“Hm, no. That is very true. We need to see the board from a new angle. If this is a lynching and not a negotiation, we should treat it as such,” Mateus said. “They see themselves as righteous heroes…”

“Ah, yes. Their image,” Johan said.

“Exactly.”

The two advisors nodded.

“It’s worth a try,” Lady Albiret said. “It’s our best bet. But we still must offer them an out.”

“Yes, true,” Mateus said. “Johan. Prepare numbers for the costs of various amounts of reconstruction labor that we may be able to offer.”

“Of course, my lord.”

“If they really are so worried about the yield of their fields, then, there’s something we have that may function as a failsafe,” Mateus said. “Prepare, then, a report on the costs of consulting on our agricultural knowledge. Irrigation and other wisdom and technology that they have had no need to develop here. I shall not offer such things unless I have no other choice, but if we must, then this may be something the Princess cannot refuse if she wishes to keep her precious image of the benevolent ruler intact.”

“It shall be done.”

Mateus nodded. He did not personally think there was much chance of success, but… if he had to go down, he’d certainly do so fighting. 

---------------

Kyrie headed out to the gardens again after breakfast that morning. The fresh air was a welcome relief from the vague malaise that she’d gotten from the strange fizzy drink they’d served. She was quite glad this was the last day they’d be spending in Fynn.

It was a lovely day, really, much like the previous ones. Kyrie found a nice shaded spot to sit down on to enjoy the smell of the flowers. It was mostly roses that were blooming in the autumn weather, and the air was fragrant with them. It was normally something she’d enjoy, but today, especially, her heart felt heavy. It was true that the Emperor seemed to be doing a lot better and even had some color in his face again, but the attitude in Fynn had not changed. She was still afraid of what the negotiations would bring.

She knew what would happen to Palamecia should the Emperor fall at this time. She had heard about all the things that had collapsed after his death and that he was now working to fix. It had been utter chaos. The fact that there was no one from his lineage to take his place in case he fell again was an enormous problem. She also knew that if he took the harsh penalties that were being offered to him for the reparations, the people would revolt. There was no way he would be able to keep Palamecia under control… and she knew what happened to rulers whose people turned against them in such a manner. And if he didn’t accept the terms… would Fynn see it as a declaration of war? It seemed that, whatever happened, Palamecia would lose. In Kyrie’s view, the whole world would. Palamecia had a rich history and culture. The world really couldn’t afford losing more of that than it already had during the war. If the Emperor was willing to keep the peace… then she thought he should be given a chance to do so.

As she sat there, worrying about what might happen after this evening’s meeting, Maria approached her. The Fynnian woman still looked really friendly, and Kyrie did welcome that. She didn’t want to think about the tragedy which was in the process of happening. 

“Good morning!” Maria said. “It’s such a nice day, isn’t it? The roses are in full bloom, and the garden smells wonderful. I couldn’t really stay inside. I’m guessing that’s why you’re here too.”

“Good morning. And… yeah, I guess so,” Kyrie said. “It really is lovely, and it’s not too warm or too cold. It’s not even too windy. And the flowers are definitely wonderful.”

“You… look really gloomy though. What’s wrong?”

“You’ve been to the negotiation meetings too,” Kyrie said with a deep sigh.

“I have. Today, finally, we’re going to see justice for what happened during the war. It’s not going to bring back those that we lost, but… it’s still important,” Maria said. “At least… for us. I guess… it’s different for you, since you’re Palamecian.”

“I’m not originally Palamecian,” Kyrie said, shaking her head. “I was born and raised in Bafsk.”

Maria looked outright shocked. 

“Bafsk?” she asked. “Then… why are you upset about the way the negotiations are going? The Emperor is finally going to be facing justice that actually sticks to him for a change. After what he did, in Bafsk, too, he deserves it.”

“Maybe,” Kyrie said. “But… if his reign falls, then… a lot of people in Palamecia will suffer, too.”

“Will they? I know things were a bit chaotic for a while, but… they're okay now, right? And then if he's gone, then people will actually have freedom. Isn't that what everyone wants?”

“Well… freedom is wonderful, yes, but… what if it comes at the cost of Palamecia collapsing?” Kyrie asked. 

“One ruler falling won’t really make a whole empire collapse. It just means a new ruler steps in,” Maria said, shaking her head.

“That’s… usually the case. But… he doesn’t have any heirs, and… well… I heard he’s the last member of his family. So… if he falls and no one can easily replace him, then… Palamecia will likely be torn apart by the resulting conflict,” Kyrie said.

“So… he really doesn’t have any family members that can inherit the throne? I thought they just… didn’t want to come forward.”

“I don’t know for sure, but… does it make a difference? The end result is there’s no one to inherit the throne without issues. People will still fight for the empire’s throne.”

“Well… yes, but then… what are we supposed to do? Just… let him wage war again? Try to conquer the world again?” Maria asked. She looked genuinely distressed by the idea. “We can’t do that. So many people died, so many things were lost. We can’t go to war again. There’d be nothing left. And he doesn’t care if he rules a dead world, just so long as he’s ruling it. We can’t let that happen. He has to be stopped.”

Kyrie sighed. There was no denying it, then. These negotiations were, as the Emperor had said the previous evening, a lynching. The people of Fynn only saw the conqueror and war criminal that would stop at nothing to conquer everything under the sun- a machine that produced war and conflict. They didn’t see the man who worked himself ragged, who made great efforts to stay polite and sociable even when confronted with unpleasant people. They did not see the long, exhausting meetings where he sometimes struggled to stifle yawning while he worked with advisors and other nobles to reconstruct and bolster the infrastructure of the empire. He had not been working to improve his military during this time. He’d spent all this time working on economic issues, supply lines, roads, agricultural infrastructure, mining operations and even cultural concerns, like education. If he had been dead-set on conquest before, something seemed to have changed. Perhaps it was just that he was cornered. But it was something the people of Fynn could not see. She didn’t blame them, but at the same time, it just felt very tragic to her. 

“You could all just… end him whenever you wanted, right?” she asked.

Maria shifted uncomfortably.

“Well… yes. I… suppose so. It’d be dangerous, but… there’s five of us and only one of him. But…  we don’t really want to,” Maria said. “At least… I certainly don’t. Not unless we have no choice.”

“Do you think he’s maybe unaware of this? Or that he doesn’t understand this? Is that why you’re worried?”

“I think he knows it. I just… don't know if he cares. He's never given up on his ambitions, regardless of anything,” Maria sighed. 

“So… he fights even when he knows he's defeated?” Kyrie asked, raising an eyebrow. If that was the case, she could see why they were so adamant in bringing him down.

“Well. No. He generally flees when he sees defeat staring him in the face,” Maria replied. “But only to scheme some way of trying again.”

Kyrie was thoughtful about this for a moment. She could see why they felt the way they did. It made sense. But… something didn’t add up. If the Emperor fled when confronted with defeat… why wasn’t he fleeing now? He was very clearly cornered. No matter what he did, he would lose. 

“But… why is he here, then?” she finally asked. “Shouldn’t he be just… buying time rather than cooperating?”

It was Maria’s turn to look thoughtful. She looked around at the garden for a moment as a butterfly landed on the flowers.

“I don’t really know. But he’s a schemer, so it’s probably just a part of his plans somehow. Maybe he wants us to think that he’s changed, so we lower our guard. We won’t, but maybe he doesn’t know it, or he thinks he can plan for that too.”

That certainly was possible, Kyrie thought, but… it wasn’t a particularly clever plan. It just… didn’t sound right. The Emperor was always so careful, that making a plan like that just didn’t seem like something he would do.

“What if he’s actually serious about peace?” Kyrie asked. “What if he understands that he’s cornered and just wants to take what he can, even if that’s just his empire and his life?”

“Guy mentioned something like that too, a while back. That the Emperor may not care about peace… but he certainly wants to live,” Maria said. “Do you think that it’s true? You’ve seen him. Maybe you know.”

Kyrie considered the question. She had seen him, but… she didn’t know him. Not really. She’d only known him for about a month, but she hadn’t been particularly close. She’d had a few conversations with him, and she’d definitely observed him. But she didn’t feel like her opinion really was more accurate than anyone else’s. Perhaps a bit more accurate than that of the people of Fynn, who knew him only as a brutal enemy, or, if not, at least a bit more complete. 

“I… do think he wants to live. He keeps working like he will live, not like one who has given up on life,” Kyrie said. “If… if it makes you feel better, he hasn’t been focusing on the military. He’s been focusing on the economy and rebuilding. You know. The things that peace needs.”

Maria looked very uncomfortable again, as if it was hard for her to accept what Kyrie was saying.

“Maybe you’re right. But… maybe you’re not. It’s risky. What if he hasn’t changed?” Maria asked. “What if he tries to conquer the world again? What if he summons all those monsters again?”

“How will you know unless you give him a chance?”

Maria’s eyebrows furrowed in deep thought. She shook her head, sighing and stood silent for a moment.

“It’s a huge risk,” Maria said. “Huge. I don’t know if it’s worth it. Do you really think Palamecia would face some kind of succession war? Is he really the last one left?”

“That’s what I was told,” Kyrie said.

“Listen. I have to go. I have to talk to Minwu about something, and I have a meeting with Princess Hilda before luncheon,” Maria said. “I'm glad I got to talk to you. I'll see you later, okay?”

“Yes, of course. I wish you a wonderful day.”

“You too. I… hope everything works out okay.”

---------------

In spite of feeling better, and having a much more productive strategy meeting, Mateus wasn’t particularly optimistic about the upcoming meeting. He at least felt almost ready to face the latest meal thanks to the lessened nausea. Even then, when he was faced with the appetizer that was served at luncheon, it took a lot of discipline to even try it. It was a salad, and salads were acceptable… until they had chopped tentacles in them. Even the olive oil and lemon couldn’t save a salad. He didn’t care that this was just octopus, and thus seafood. It reminded him of malboro vines or basilisk tongues. The main course was also seafood. It consisted of mussels, and they were served with a sour cream and dill sauce. As a side dish, they served boiled kohlrabi. While he wasn’t familiar with it, at least it was simply a vegetable. It was kind of bland, but at least it wasn’t tentacles . Dessert was weird too. It was a custard, and it tasted like roses. It had candied ginger, too. At least ginger was spicy, but eating something that tasted like flowers was still impressively alien to him. 

After luncheon, however, it was time to face the final meeting for the negotiations. He walked into it, head held high, though he knew how slim his chances were. Johan had prepared a very thorough set of reports regarding the various options they had. In spite of his recklessness in other aspects, he was very good at his job as an economic advisor. It was the best chance they had, anyways. 

He was a bit surprised to see Hilda looking much more thoughtful than she had the previous two days. She’d had nothing but an icy, hostile expression the entire time they’d been trying to negotiate the restitution payments. Today, she didn’t look so cold. She looked frustrated, perhaps, but she did not seem to be in the same kind of mindset. Maria and Firion also looked oddly thoughtful, though the traitor looked somewhat upset, while Guy and the white mage looked… almost satisfied? He wondered how their own strategy meeting had gone. 

Hilda began the meeting by repeating the same terms she had offered the day before. Mateus repeated his explanation for why this would not work for Palamecia. He could neither give them that much food, nor would he defund his military like that, and he would absolutely not be giving them power over key industries in his own empire. He knew very well what doing the latter would mean and he was simply not going to allow it. It was a clear line he drew. There was no negotiating that point.

“Half your military, then,” Hilda suggested. “Defund half your military.”

“I do not suppose you would consider it as such, but serving in the Palamecian military is a job,” Mateus said. “You are asking me to leave all those people without a means to support themselves. They, too, have families to feed. I cannot suddenly take their livelihood from them, nor can I simply make that many equivalent jobs appear out of thin air, let alone on such short notice.”

“And since when do you care about people in such a way?”

“I am a pragmatist, Princess. I look after my subjects and make sure they thrive. It is better for the Empire that way,” Mateus said. “This includes my soldiers. I will not be risking a civil war in my empire.”

“And yet, we also cannot risk you using that military to strike at us again.”

“Is this not the very reason for the truce?” 

“You know very well why we cannot trust you.”

“I was the one who proposed the truce, Princess,” he said. “If I had any intention of going back to war, then I would not be here, paying the first part of the restitution. A rather steep payment, I might add.”

He paused for a moment. Hilda didn’t respond to that, and merely gave him a very distrustful look. This was the right time to bring up his economic proposal. 

“As a show of goodwill, I have a new kind of proposal to make for this restitution. If there is something my empire specializes in, it is infrastructure. It is how we have made the desert and mountains habitable,” Mateus said. “I can offer Palamecian labor and at least some of the materials for the rebuilding of Poft and Paloom. As port towns, they are very strategic locations. They are vital for trade with Kashuan, and can even open trade opportunities with my empire, if you so desire, especially as Bafsk is located at a very convenient distance from Poft.”

“And we’re supposed to just trust that you will not sabotage this?”

“It is a show of goodwill, Princess, not a sabotage plot. Restarting the flow of goods from Fynn to Kashuan and the places in between is a vital part of the reconstruction of your kingdom,” Mateus said, fixing his gaze on her intently. “You care greatly about this reconstruction, do you not? Fynn is in no position to care for its people and do the entire reconstruction on its own, even if many of the materials are supplied by Palamecia. But if my empire handles much of the construction, at least in those two towns, all that remains for you to rebuild would be Gatrea and Altair. It would be much easier to do that if goods flow from Kashuan.”

“It is true that it would be convenient to focus on rebuilding those two towns,” Hilda said. “But I have my doubts that you would offer something with no strings attached. What do you want?”

“I merely ask for reasonable terms for the reparations, Princess. Reasonable in terms of the food, currency, goods, concessions and duration. That is all.”

Hilda stared back at him with a frustrated hostility. Maria cleared her throat. After a couple of minutes of tense silence, Hilda gave out a short irked sigh.

“Let us discuss these… reasonable terms that you’re proposing, then,” she said.

The negotiations were long and tedious. Hilda was extremely reluctant to give any leniency to Palamecia, but his hunch had been right. She had to agree to actually negotiate due to the fact that she had to keep her image as a benevolent ruler who wanted to rebuild more than she wanted to crush him. As she became more reasonable in her demands, though, Mateus couldn’t help but feel that something was missing in his view of what was going on. He wondered if the white mage had reminded Hilda of the suffering that Palamecia would go through if it fell. 

In the end, Hilda reduced the military defunding demands to only twenty percent, gradually, in five years. The amount of grain she was asking for was reasonable, though somewhat risky in Palamecia’s climate. At the very least it didn’t only have to be certain kinds of grain and it could be supplemented as long as it was a shipment of food which could be kept for a long time. He would have to send them medicinal herbs and other such medical supplies, too. Hilda also wanted some desert spices, fabrics and other such goods that Palamecia could provide. She wanted all this for five years, with options of reducing some of the less vital parts of the payment temporarily, though he would then have to make up for those payments up to five more years. These were harsh terms… but they were terms he could meet. Importantly… he would get to keep his life. He could handle this in such a way that would not cause too much turmoil in the empire. He was exhausted and humiliated… but he had a way forward. 

“Very well, then,” he said. “As Emperor of Palamecia… I will concede to those terms.”

The words were bitter in his mouth, but he knew he had no other real choice. Not for now. The next few years would be difficult, but he had dealt with worse. He’d manage this too. If nothing else, it would buy him time to find out how he might manage to move forward with his ambitions. If this world was out of reach for him, well, there were always others. 

“One more thing,” Hilda said. “This is not exactly part of the agreement, but it will count towards our trust for your purported goodwill. I expect you to give a public apology speech in the Fynn town square on your next visit. And try not to make it sound too fake.”

Mateus lifted his chin in a disgusted expression. He knew how much she wanted to humiliate him. Still, as much as he wanted to simply strike her down, he knew better.

“Very well. If it pleases Your Highness, I will indeed render a public address of contrition, in strict accordance with the terms imposed upon me,” he said. “Of course, I will ensure that they meet the minimal standards of sincerity that your… expectations… require.”

Hilda gave him a curt nod, but said nothing more on the matter. The rest of the meeting was spent drafting and finally writing the official document to be signed. It was a long process, which lasted all the way to dinner time, and everyone was exhausted by the end of that. Hilda signed it first, and then Mateus did, though it felt to him as though he were selling his very soul by doing so. 

As he headed towards the dining hall alongside everyone who had attended the meeting, he could not help but replay every word spoken during the negotiations, trying to figure out what he could have done or said better. He could not shake the feeling that if only he had managed to do something differently, he might have secured better terms for Palamecia. It was clear that he lacked something, but what? He had shown his willingness to work for peace, he had given reasonable offers, he had maintained his dignity in the face of outright hostility, and he had even maintained his politeness in spite of Hilda turning the negotiations into a lynching for most of this time. What else was he supposed to do? It was true that he had averted a crisis. He had not lost everything. Indeed, this was technically a partial victory, but it felt… hollow.

Chapter Text

Mateus didn’t have the mental energy to react to the dinner that awaited him and his delegation after the long, distressing day of negotiations. The appetizer, though, felt to him very fitting for his mood. It was a tripe salad, with plenty of varied vegetables, drizzled with vinegar. He did not mind eating tripe, but it certainly looked disgusting, and he disliked the fact that it was served cold. The main dish that was served, while weird, looked edible… at least until he actually tried it. It was roasted pigeon, and he did quite enjoy roasted meats of almost any kind. It was stuffed with mushrooms, though, which felt outright weird, as well as liver pâté. He was horrified at the idea of making any kind of meat into a paste, let alone mixing it with mushrooms and stuffing a completely different kind of meat with it. There was, he thought, a fine line between creativity and insanity. As a side, they had a rye porridge with pickled onions. Rye was, at the very least, something he was relatively familiar with. The dessert was no better. It was yet another gelatin. This one was lemon-flavored, and it had candied orange peel, and he was fine with those things on their own, but he did not appreciate them when they felt like eating a slime monster. He gave a silent prayer of thanks to the gods that there was only one more meal aside from this that he’d have to suffer through in Fynn. 

There was a lot to do once he got back to Palamecia. He had to start planning and preparing for all of the payments, and he’d have to somehow allocate workforces to rebuild those port towns. It was going to be an extremely busy winter due to everything that needed to be done.

---------------

Kyrie was relieved that some kind of agreement had been reached to keep the truce between Palamecia and Fynn. This would bring the peace that she, and most others in the world, wanted. The terms were harsh, it was true. She didn’t need to be an expert in economics to know that. But it was the best way forward in the situation. It sure was better than the terms that Princess Hilda had been offering the previous days. She wondered what had made the princess reconsider her idea of ending the Emperor’s reign. 

She was glad when dinner was over. She knew the chefs worked hard on preparing the dishes, but she was very tired of the exotic creations that were being presented to them. All she really wanted was a nice plate of simple rice, or, to her surprise, a warm, spicy stew. 

Upon their return to the suite, Johan and Nadine were talking quietly about how the negotiations had gone. Lady Albiret was talking about how glad she was that peace had been assured, at least for a few years. Johan was not unhappy about it, but he did think that Fynn had been too harsh. The reparations would be a huge strain for Palamecia, and they would only barely handle it.

“We have new territories that we can use to aid us in meeting the quota for the reparations while not having to ration most foods,” the Emperor said. “There will be… setbacks at first, while we get infrastructure set up, but in the end, it will make Palamecia even stronger.”

“Yes, in the long term, this will definitely benefit Palamecia as a whole. However, I wonder how the peasants will react to the rationing that will be necessary,” Johan said.

“The peasants do not cause me any concern,” the Emperor said. “Strategic food rationing and ensuring they have a few comforting staples will keep them appeased. We will promote the games at the Coliseum all the more, too. The secret to keeping them in line is to keep them busy. It is the nobles that I find require more work to control. Even then, I am sure we can manage them. Perhaps we may even find some events that will appeal to them that can take place in the Coliseum.”

“All avenues worth exploring, Your Highness,” Johan nodded. “It is, after all, only a few years. It should be possible to control both groups long enough for things to become better.”

The Emperor nodded but said no more. Johan and Nadine immediately went into their suites, exhausted with the day’s events. Kyrie was feeling the exhaustion, too, and could feel pretty feverish. Between the stress and the food, it was no wonder that she was headed straight into another flare. Unlike the advisors, however, her exhaustion caused her to move more slowly. It felt like the air had become molasses in a way. Thus, she lingered just a bit longer than the advisors as she headed to the door of her suite. The Emperor was staring at her for a moment before he walked over to her instead of going into his own suite. She looked up at him, confused.

“Walk with me,” he said. 

She was confused, and walking was the last thing she wanted to do right now, but she nodded and followed him. He led her out of the castle and into the gardens, much to Kyrie’s surprise. This was the last place she expected the Emperor to want to walk in, but, well… perhaps it made sense. It was an open space and it was easy to see if anyone was listening. At first, though, he did not say anything. In the silence of the night, the only sound that was heard was the scraping of his high-heeled boots on the gravel, the slower thuds of her flat boots, and the tapping of her cane. She turned to look at his face, trying to gauge his emotions. It wasn’t particularly easy. She was fairly short, and he was a reasonably tall man, but he kept choosing these very high heels to make himself even taller. She had no idea why he would do that. He was tall enough, and heels were not particularly convenient. 

The silence was somewhat awkward, but Kyrie wasn’t sure what to say. She couldn’t try to just congratulate him on the negotiation results, knowing that things were less than ideal for Palamecia. She didn’t want to mention the food, either. It would certainly start a conversation, but it wouldn’t be a particularly nice one, given the state she’d seen him in the previous night. She was well-aware that the Emperor’s mood was notoriously poor in general, and she didn’t want to add to that. 

“I must say that I find your resourcefulness… admirable,” the Emperor said at last. His voice was quiet and there was a stiffness to his tone, as if saying the words was a bit difficult for him.

“My… resourcefulness?” she asked. She wasn’t quite sure what he meant. 

“I am sure you are aware that the dishes that Princess Hilda and Prince Gordon chose to serve during our visit were carefully curated in order to disharmonize with the food we are accustomed to in Palamecia. At least one of their number is well-aware of our culinary preferences, and yet this is what we were given. It was a strategy to weaken our resolve and make it more difficult for us to negotiate. Having us obtain sustenance from some other source was detrimental to their goals. And yet… you managed to do so.”

“W-well, it was my attendant, really. She’s the one that went to the bakers and convinced them to bake it, and part with a few.”

“And did she do that all of her own accord?”

“Well… um… I asked her, I guess.”

“Thus, you were resourceful. To recognize that your attendant would be able to perform the task is resourceful as well.”

“I… see. Thank you, Your Highness.”

He nodded, staying silent for a moment, looking thoughtful as he walked. Kyrie wondered what he was thinking. There was a slight frown to his eyes, but she didn’t know what that meant.

“Your resourcefulness came with excellent timing,” he finally continued. “It gave us clarity to improve our strategy for the final day of negotiations.”

“I am very glad it helped. I… hoped it would. And… with that truce, there will be no need to worry about assassins from Fynn anymore. There can be peace now. Though… the terms Fynn imposed… they seem harsh. At least they were not like the ones the princess was suggesting yesterday.”

“Hmph. The Princess claims she wants peace, but holds a knife to my throat,” the Emperor said bitterly. “Yet she underestimates me. I have led Palamecia through worse.”

Kyrie nodded. She believed him. She did not know what those events that he referred to were. She hadn’t had time to study the history of Palamecia, and either way, history tended to start with older things than the last decade or so. She didn’t know exactly how long the Emperor had been ruling Palamecia, but it was about a decade. She had already pieced together that something had happened in Palamecia around the time he took the throne, but she didn’t know details. No one in Palamecia mentioned them, either, so she didn’t dare to ask. If no one talked about an important, relatively recent event, then she had to assume it was a bit of a sore spot.

“I think… they’re just coming from a place of pain,” she said. “That’s… what I got from my conversations with them.”

The Emperor shook his head slowly. Kyrie could not tell if he was just tired or if the gesture was more of a sad one. 

“It is not that,” he said. “They see me as a monster and nothing else. They wish to see me destroyed… or crawling at the very least.”

“I guess it’s because it’s just easier that way, isn’t it?” Kyrie sighed quietly.

“Excuse me?”

“It’s just easier that way. To hate. To cause harm. It’s not easy to harm a person. Not for most people, anyways. So if you instead see them as monsters… as something not human… then it’s easier to harm them. A person has inherent worth, and the right to live. A monster or something else that’s not a person… doesn’t,” Kyrie answered.

Mateus stared at her intensely. His gaze was piercing, almost enough to make her tremble under the sheer weight of it. She almost thought he wanted to strike her down. After a moment that seemed like an eternity, he took a deep breath and then gave a derisive snort, looking forward again.

“Hmph. It would make sense that they are led by foolish sentiments of that sort,” he said. “I, however, do not concern myself with such things.”

His tone had changed very suddenly. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he was upset. His chin was lifted in an arrogant expression. After a few minutes of silence, he seemed to relax again, going back to a neutral stance. Kyrie worried that she had offended him, but he made no move to chase her away or anything of the sort. He seemed content enough to keep walking. Perhaps it was the fresh air that he was after. It was doing her a lot of good. The air still smelled of roses in the garden, so it was particularly pleasant. 

“You know… I haven’t been to the gardens in Castle Palamecia. Are they like this?” Kyrie asked. 

“We certainly do not have this many roses,” he answered. 

“What a shame. I think roses are lovely. And they smell wonderful.”

“I am not particularly fond of roses,” the Emperor said. “Particularly not the wild variety, such as these. And if you care for their scent, you should know there are more aromatic flowers than these.”

“Does Castle Palamecia have them?”

“Yes,” he said, and then paused for a moment to think. “The variety of plants that can grow in the mountains is somewhat limited, it is true. However, our gardeners are skilled and knowledgeable, so we manage to keep impressive gardens in the castle grounds. It is a frivolous expense to have a flower garden in Palamecia, but it keeps the nobles happy.”

Kyrie nodded. It made sense. A garden would offer respite from the stone walls of the castle. 

“It also keeps at least some people out of the castle during the festival season,” the Emperor added with a shrug. “I ensure the gardeners keep the grounds exceptionally grand during that time, to entice the invited guests to crowd the gardens and not the halls.”

The statement was… oddly fitting for the Emperor. It amused Kyrie enough that she gave a small, quiet laugh. The Emperor looked at her, raising an eyebrow.

“Are there really that many guests in Castle Palamecia during the festivals?” she asked.

“At least one family from each province. Usually two or three. More from the capital,” he said. “That means the matriarch, patriarch and at least a few of their progeny.”

“Oh… that’s… definitely a lot of people,” she said. She wasn’t particularly fond of large crowds, either. The noise could be overwhelming. She always felt awkward navigating them, too. It wasn’t always easy to avoid accidentally tripping someone with her cane when she had to evade their moving feet while also managing to put the cane to the ground. 

Her tone must have made her opinion on crowds far too clear, since the Emperor was now glancing at her, his violet eyes glittering with amusement.

“I take it you are also not particularly fond of hallways crawling with people.”

“Well… no.”

“The guests do not have permission to enter the library. You may find solace there,” he said. “Or perhaps you could simply stay in your room the entire month. You would, however, miss out on the celebrations. For all the annoyance of visitors, the festival itself showcases the grandeur of Palamecia’s culture. I would not suggest missing it.”

“I’m actually looking forward to it,” she said. “If I’m going to stay in Palamecia, I want to really be a part of it.

He looked at her again, for a moment, his expression being outright bewildered, before he gave a nod and gave a haughty, satisfied grin.

“Of course. Living in Palamecia, under my rule, is a reason to rejoice,” he said, his tone almost dramatic. 

Kyrie had a feeling he had completely misunderstood what she’d said, but, well… if his interpretation made him happy, she wasn’t going to argue about it. She just nodded politely.

“You will be given opportunities to learn anything you need or desire. You are Palamecian now, after all, from the moment I elevated you and made you into a noble. You are no longer Kyrie of Bafsk. You are now Kyrie of Palamecia,” he continued.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Kyrie said. She wasn’t quite sure how she felt about him so casually declaring her no longer from Bafsk, but she was thankful for the chance to learn more about the culture she was going to be a part of.

The Emperor nodded and they continued walking in silence again. The breeze was quite pleasant. The sun had fully set and it was rather dark, though, even with the lanterns that tried to illuminate the path. The Emperor did not seem to mind, though Kyrie did have to be extra careful about where she was walking. She didn’t want to trip on some stone that was a bit bigger than usual. She was surprised that the Emperor didn’t seem to be bothered by that. Those heels seemed like they’d be dangerous to walk in at night on uneven terrain.

They went around the entire garden, the Emperor keeping his pace slow so that she could keep up with him. It was… not an unpleasant experience. He wasn’t much for conversation, but Kyrie didn’t mind that. The silence of the garden, broken only by their footsteps and the rustling of the plants was a very welcome respite from the general noise that Castle Fynn seemed to experience the rest of the day. She hadn’t been aware of how much she needed that until now.

Kyrie stopped every so often to admire the flowers, and the Emperor stopped as well. He clearly did not understand her fascination with the flowers, but he made no complaint, either. He seemed to be quite content to have an excuse to enjoy the quiet night for longer. Finally, as they finished their walk around the garden and got to the entrance to the castle, the Emperor stopped.

“We leave tomorrow after breakfast. Your attendant should already be informed of this, and she likely has already finished the preparations,” the Emperor said.

“Oh. We… will have breakfast here,” Kyrie said, her tone flat from the disappointment. 

The Emperor looked rather amused.

“Yes. Inconvenient, is it not? We must bear their hostilities only a bit longer,” he said. “The airship meals will be simple, so as to ensure they do not make anyone feel any more ill than they already do. And then the next day, we can go back to an agreeable diet.”

“That’s a relief,” Kyrie said. “I’m glad to leave exotic seafood behind.”

“Indeed. I do not think I will be able to stomach eating any kind of fish for at least a year,” the Emperor said. “And I have half a mind to outlaw any kind of gelatinous food. We are not barbarians in Palamecia. We need not eat things that are reminiscent of monsters.”

Kyrie nodded. She’d heard of slime monsters, though she’d never seen one. The descriptions certainly did seem apt for some of the food that had been served in Fynn. She shuddered slightly. The Emperor turned towards the door and opened it, gesturing for Kyrie to go in. She did so, and then continued to follow the Emperor towards the suites.

“Good night, Kyrie of Palamecia,” he said as he got into his room.

“Good night, Emperor,” she replied.

She went into her room. She was feeling much more calm, but she was indeed exhausted. She still felt feverish, but she knew that would eventually pass. She’d just have to be careful. In the meantime, she was at least glad that the next day would bring their journey back to Castle Palamecia, and that things there would not devolve into chaos. She didn’t know why Princess Hilda had changed her mind about using the negotiations as a lynching, but… she was glad for it. She always preferred solutions that were more… on the pacifist side, really, rather than creating more war or causing assassinations… even if the latter were more permanent solutions. She hoped that they really had given the Emperor a chance… and that the monarch would actually take it. 

---------------

Mateus took a long while to get to sleep. He spent a while pacing back and forth in the suite, thinking about the various people he’d need to contact, and the many preparations he would have to make for the reparations to actually proceed correctly. He also thought about the negotiations again. He could not fathom what exactly had changed Hilda’s mind. He had been fully prepared to offer even more to even have a chance at getting her to listen. And… she’d just suddenly changed her mind. As many times as he replayed the whole conversation in his head… it didn’t make sense, and it bothered him immensely. 

Then again, none of the sentimentality most people displayed made any sense to him. Kyrie, too, was an enigma to him. She had insisted on stopping to look at seemingly random flowers, during the walk in the garden, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She had also been conversing with him without any fear. She had even laughed while they were talking- a sincere little laugh that he had no idea how to respond to. People just… didn’t talk to him like that. They’d talk to him- at him, really- sometimes during luncheon, mainly to advance their own agendas. Lady Albiret sometimes had normal conversations with him, but there was always something about her expression that left him feeling bothered. He did not know if it was nostalgia or grief, but he disliked it. Kyrie had none of that. He would have expected her to be bitter about the situation that had brought her to his castle, but even that was not the case. 

It was not because she was dull, either. Even if she really was reading sentimental drivel in the library, she had proven to be sharper than one would think for someone who seemed so meek. She had managed to maneuver around some of his sharp questions quite well. And sometimes she would say things that awakened thoughts in him that he did not want to even entertain. Tonight she’d done the same. He didn’t know what to make of it, but, well, she was surely going to be a valuable part of his court. Loyal, too, given her disposition and what she’d shown already. He could appreciate that, in spite of her sentimental ways. 

After a long while of pacing, and then tossing and turning, Mateus finally fell into a fitful sleep. By the time morning came, he still felt exhausted. He was at least feeling much better physically, and it was the last day he’d have to suffer Fynnian food… at least until he had to come back to deliver that debasing speech. He did not look forward to that, but at least for now, the fact that he was heading back to Palamecia soon, and that a deal had been reached that would let him keep his empire and his life made him feel almost invigorated. 

Breakfast was just as unpleasant as he had anticipated. They served smoked fish . A herring. And they served it with poached eggs. Eggs and fish? What kind of combination was that ? They served herring in the side salad, too, though it was pickled and served with onions and sour cream. The drink was no better. It looked like tea, but it was kind of… effervescent and fermented. He had never thought it possible to utterly ruin tea, but here was this abhorrent creation, offending him with its mere existence. 

He was hugely relieved when the whole ordeal was over and they all returned to their suites to make sure everything was ready and nothing was forgotten. He could hardly wait to get home. There was so much to do, and now that his mind was much more clear, he was eager to start working to catch up with all the work that had likely piled up in his absence. 

---------------

For Kyrie, aside from the odd effervescent drink, breakfast was likely the most tolerable thing she’d eaten during their stay in Fynn. Eggs and fish was a strange combination, but it was definitely a nourishing one. And, well, the atmosphere seemed… lighter. Perhaps it was just the much-needed calm of that walk in the gardens, or that a peace agreement had finally been reached, or maybe even the fact that they were finally headed back to Castle Palamecia, but it could not be denied that everyone seemed to be feeling a lot better. 

The Palamecian delegation had to wait a while for the carriages to be ready after breakfast, and for some other preparations to finish. They stayed in the gardens in the meantime. The Emperor stood a bit away from the group, while the nobles were relaxing in the gardens. The Palamecian children were all playing, talking and laughing with the tall, almost bear-like man that she’d learned was named Guy. Maria and Firion were watching and, for once, it didn’t seem to Kyrie that they were all that hostile. Firion did give distrustful glances at the Emperor every so often, but the monarch didn’t seem to even notice. He was lost in his own thoughts, clearly oblivious to everything going on around him. After a while of watching the children playing, Maria turned to look at Kyrie and approached her.

“You look a lot less gloomy today,” Maria said with a smile. 

Her light purple hair was loose and the breeze blew it around almost playfully. Kyrie couldn’t help but note how similar that was to the mood that had settled among the people present. Maria’s hair didn’t look wild, though. Kyrie kind of wished her hair would behave like that, but hers was somewhat wavy. 

“Yeah. I feel more hopeful,” Kyrie nodded. “And, well… your hospitality has been lovely, but… I will be glad to sleep in my own bed soon.”

“Yeah, I suppose you would. I’d feel the same way. Say. Are you… happy with how the negotiations ended up?” 

“I’m just glad it’s finally done. And we can really look forward to peace now.”

“Yeah. Hopefully we can. We’re long overdue peace,” Maria nodded. 

“I… am a bit surprised, though,” Kyrie said. “I didn’t expect Princess Hilda to relent a bit.”

“Strange, wasn’t it?” Maria said with a small grin, her eyes almost twinkling. “I guess she saw things differently after a while.”

“I’m really glad she did.”

“By the way, is it okay if I write to you? I mean… I know it’s Castle Palamecia and, well, it’s me, but… I enjoyed our conversations. I think it’d be really nice to keep in contact.”

“I’d love that!” Kyrie exclaimed. “I think it should be okay. Just, um… well, you know how security is in castles…”

“Oh, yes, don’t worry. I just want to write about friendly things.”

“I think that’d be wonderful, yes.”

Kyrie thought she saw the Emperor turning towards them with a slight frown, but… wasn’t he so far that he shouldn't have been able to hear what they were saying? Was it just the fact that Maria was talking to her that bothered him? Perhaps it was just her imagination, really. Whatever she thought she'd noticed had lasted no more than a moment before the Emperor seemed lost in his own thoughts again.

“Maybe I can tell you all about the flowers they'll be planting for spring. Or maybe you'll be able to come to see them yourself then,” Maria said. “Early spring is the best time.”

“I… don't think that will be possible,” Kyrie said. “The spring festival lasts an entire month. I can’t really miss it. It’s the most important festival of the year. And well, I don’t know if airships just travel here regularly…”

“Oh. Well… that’s okay. Maybe you can come back on a diplomatic mission again,” Maria said. She seemed a bit disappointed, but nodded in understanding.

“Yes, hopefully!” Kyrie nodded. She silently hoped the food would be more normal then.

They both turned to watch the Palamecian children playing with Guy. A few Fynnian children had joined them. Maria was smiling.

“Seeing them playing together like that makes me think that… maybe you’re right. There’s hope that things will be okay in the end and there will be lasting peace,” Maria said. She sounded more hopeful than Kyrie had ever heard her. “Maybe it’s that people seem less stressed, or maybe it’s just that Guy brings that out in people. But… I feel… like… maybe it’s all going to turn out alright.”

“Me too,” Kyrie nodded. 

One of the Albiret children ran up to the Emperor. Firion and Maria tensed up, though the Emperor didn’t seem to react. He merely raised an eyebrow as the child approached.

“Your Highness Emperor,” the child said. “Can we stay longer? We want to play with Guy.”

“No,” the Emperor answered.

“Well… can we come back next time, then, Your Highness?”

There was a moment of tense silence. The Emperor stared down at the child as though he was thinking of how many ways he could crush him. Firion’s hand instinctively tightened around the hilt of his sword. The Emperor did not move, however.

“... Fine.” he said at last. “I will at least consider it.”

“Thank you, Your Highness Emperor!” the child exclaimed before he ran back to announce the little victory to the rest of them.

Guy seemed very happy too, as did the children of Fynn. It really was a sweet moment. As they continued to wait for the carriages, Kyrie hoped that it was an omen of good things to come to both kingdoms and the world in general.

Chapter Text

After the carriages arrived, the Palamecian delegation was taken back to the outskirts of the city of Fynn, where the airship awaited them. Everyone seemed relieved to see the visit coming to an end, though the children were quite disappointed at having to say goodbye to Guy. The skies were clear and everyone was hoping for a much more smooth journey than the one that had brought them there.

In spite of the weather, and likely due to the memory of the storm, most of the nobles stayed in their cabins. Kyrie went to the observation lounge regardless. If she spotted a storm again, she’d go to her cabin, but she wanted to enjoy the view as much as possible. Airship travel was a rare luxury, after all. While she did not expect to have any company, the Emperor made his way there too after a while. At first he said nothing, and simply sat down, possibly to enjoy the silence.

“You know that she does not actually care, do you not?” he asked after a while.

Kyrie turned to him with a very confused expression.

“Who do you mean, Your Highness?” she asked. 

“That woman. Maria. Why would she care about you? She wants to write to you. What for? Friendly conversation? I think not.”

Kyrie was actually shocked that he’d been able to hear her conversation with Maria from the distance he’d been standing at. It hadn’t been her imagination, then. That was quite impressive. She wondered how much he had heard that other people didn’t realize he could.

“It’s… true that she may be worried, but… I don’t see why it wouldn’t be exactly as she says. A lot of our conversations were about simple, friendly things,” Kyrie said. 

“Worried? You think that’s why she’s interested in talking to you?” 

“That’s what she said.”

“She wants information,” the Emperor said. “What else could she be after?”

“I don’t know,” Kyrie said. “But… well… if she wants information… she won’t have a lot of luck, will she? I don’t know anything of importance to them. Maybe they think I do because they think I’m your ward.”

“Just be aware that I will be reading those letters to ensure nothing dangerous is said.”

Kyrie nodded. She’d been well-aware of that, and hadn’t expected anything different. They both were silent for a moment as the Emperor simply relaxed on one of the lounge seats and Kyrie watched the view.

“The lands of Fynn are very lovely, but… I can’t deny that I’m relieved to be going back to Castle Palamecia,” Kyrie said. 

“Indeed. You belong there now,” the Emperor said. “I do suggest you make peace with it, if you have not yet done so.”

Kyrie wasn’t entirely sure whether making the choice to stay in Palamecia necessarily meant she had made peace with it. She was definitely fine with it for now. It was her best chance to reach her dreams. She didn’t know how she felt about living there forever, though. She still wanted to be able to go home after she became a proper mage in order to help people there. She could help people in the castle, it was true, but… most people there wouldn’t really need it. What could she really offer them that they didn’t already have? 

“Yes, of course,” she said. 

They did not talk much after that, though Kyrie wasn’t as unnerved by his presence as she had been before. Perhaps it was because of how much this mission had reminded her that, dangerous as he was, he was not a nigh-invulnerable being of pure evil, or a demon or anything like that. She had to admit she was starting to get somewhat curious about him. How could a normal person become the way he was? She didn’t want to think that it was merely his nature. It would mean admitting he was, indeed, a monster, and she didn’t like to think that of anyone. Not even him… or Seth. 

---------------

Mateus was quite appreciative of the fact that Kyrie was a fairly quiet person. He did not mind her talking, but some people would simply not stop doing so. Oftentimes they’d prattle on, trying to curry favor or simply not knowing when to stop. They’d talk about all kinds of trivial things, too. It was infuriating. He wanted to enjoy silence and solitude, but a lot of people didn’t seem to understand that. Kyrie seemed to have a disposition somewhat similar to his and he found that he did not dislike her presence. 

The journey to Castle Palamecia was quite uneventful, much to his relief. The threat of storms was always present at this time of year, but the skies were, mercifully, clear. After the airship docked in the makeshift area they had prepared for it, he merely teleported the group back to the castle. He was most certainly not going to waste any more time traveling than he absolutely had to. 

It was already well into the night when they finally made their way into the castle. Mateus headed straight to his study, knowing that Cuthbert would have left any necessary reports there. Sure enough, there was an impressive pile of paperwork to be done. It was going to be a long night. Several nights, even. 

He looked through the paperwork in order to organize it more efficiently. It was mostly reports, though there were some papers that needed to be signed, and a few notes of issues that needed to be addressed in the upcoming meetings. There was a letter for Kyrie, too, from her parents. He sighed, opening it. He did not care to read whatever sentimental thing her parents had written, but he did want to get it over and done with as soon as possible. Not only did it get it to her quickly, but he also didn’t have to think about it for so long. Some of the things that these letters contained left him feeling oddly unsettled. In time, if she proved herself loyal enough, he might be able to stop reading each and every one of these letters.

There was a blind optimism in those letters that really bothered him. They clearly knew that he would read the letters, but they still wrote such honest words of love and support. It was almost nauseatingly foolish. These sentiments had no place in the world they lived in. And Kyrie always wrote about the situations she encountered in Palamecia through a lens of wonder and optimism. He wanted to dismiss it as false, but the words seemed shockingly sincere. He did not understand it at all. She wasn’t foolish. She had proven it already. Why, then, did she think these things? 

Mateus shook his head and finished reading through the letter. There was, again, nothing troublesome in it. It was just various news from various people. Their names were essentially meaningless to him, but he recognized them as the same people they’d written about before. Their lives seemed perfectly mundane. They were exactly the kinds of people that he couldn’t find any reason to care about. How did someone like Kyrie, with her impressive resilience, come from a place like this? There was so much about humanity that he simply did not understand.

He put the letter aside so that he could give it to the girl’s attendant for delivery. Then he took out a new piece of parchment and penned an order for a piece of jewelry. It would be a small, delicate pendant with a gemstone cut into the shape of the Palamecian crest. He wrote every detail and feature he expected in the finished product and then signed it with the imperial crest. He’d ask Anton to deliver the order to the royal jeweler. He would likely receive the piece within two weeks. It would be a rather elaborate work of art.

It was long into the night before he finally turned off his study lantern and finally retired to attempt to sleep. His mind was racing with all kinds of thoughts. He thought about the negotiations and all the decrees he’d have to issue just to get the reparations started properly. And that was not even considering all the decrees he had to issue on a regular basis. A few days of his absence also meant that ceremonial and regular decrees had piled up. So much work. He lived to rule, of course, and did not resent the amount of work, but it always made him feel bitter to remember how his enemies thought that all ruling an empire took was sitting on a throne and barking orders. None of them had any idea of what it took to rule an entire empire. There was a reason he was fit to rule above others… and it was that he could actually keep all the information organized in his mind and keep even an empire like Palamecia running like a well-oiled machine in spite of any difficulty that he encountered. Why could people not see that?! He shook his head, going through the numbers and information on the reports once more. The day needed to be longer, really. There was always so much to do, and so little time. It would be quite nice if he didn’t need to sleep. He’d at least have a few more hours to get more work done.

---------------

Kyrie was incredibly relieved to see her room in Castle Palamecia. She was used to it now, and even though it was still a bit empty and could use some more decorations to make it truly cozy, it was her place now. It meant going back to her new status quo, too, and that was quite reassuring.

Tilda accompanied Kyrie to her room, both to help her out and to bring back at least some of her belongings. She had expressed great relief at being back in Palamecia and, especially, no longer on the airship. The trip might have been quite calm, but Tilda clearly didn’t trust airships just yet. Still, Kyrie expected her to look calm, but… she looked rather nervous instead.

“Is something up?” she asked.

Tilda shifted nervously.

“Not… really, milady. I just want to get back to my room soon. It's getting late, and I don't want to encounter the ghost.”

Kyrie nodded, understanding. She wouldn't want to run into it either. 

“I don't blame you,” Kyrie said. 

“I’m not going to be one of its victims, no indeed, milady,” Tilda said, nodding emphatically. “I will make sure to get some amulet to protect myself from it. I don’t think there are other ghosts in the main hallways, but… just in case.”

“Oh. Are there… more ghost sightings?”

“There are stories, milady,” Tilda said with a shudder. “The castle is very old. There are probably a lot of ghosts lurking about, though I would think they stay in the darker and lonelier areas. That’s what ghosts like isn’t it? This other ghost, though… it wanders the main halls. It’s bold. That makes it dangerous, I think.”

“I don’t know a lot about ghosts. Maybe I really should look into it,” Kyrie said.

“If you find something important, please, milady, let me know.”

“Yes, of course! I’ll let you know what I find,” Kyrie said. 

“Thank you. For now, milady… I’ll take my leave,” Tilda said.

Tilda bowed and left, leaving Kyrie with a lot to think about. There was the whole thing with the ghost, of course, and she definitely hoped Tilda would make it to her room safely. Mostly, though, she had so many thoughts about the visit to Fynn. So many things had happened. She still didn’t know what had made Princess Hilda change her mind. She was looking forward to Maria writing to her, too. It gave her something else to look forward to. Someone to talk to… and maybe even confide in, in time. That would be nice. Ever since she’d moved to Palamecia, she’d been missing that. She wrote to her parents, but it often took a long time to get their letters. If she had more people to write to, it’d feel better, she was sure. 

The next day, it was back to what had become her usual routine. She didn’t even mind the stares and the whispers as she walked into the main hall. It was so much better than being part of the outsider group in Fynn… and at least she could look forward to agreeable food. No more strange, gelatinous or fermented foods. She could hardly wait. The Emperor showed up again for breakfast. He still looked rather pale, Kyrie thought, and there were still dark circles under his eyes. They looked less marked, for sure, but it was clear to her that the trip to Fynn had taken a lot out of him. As he stood up to perform the salt blessing, though, Kyrie couldn’t help but observe how much more at ease he seemed. There was a certain flair in his movements and a lift of his chin that spoke volumes about how pleased he was to be back home, even when his face still looked pale and worn. 

In spite of still feeling feverish, Kyrie managed to get through the day fairly well, simply out of the relief from being back to her routine. It was almost relaxing to be in the afternoon meeting, listening to various reports and debates. There was certainly a lot more to discuss now, given the work that likely had piled up during the Emperor’s absence, as well as the reparations, but it was at least nowhere near as hostile as the meetings in Fynn had been. There was definitely anger over the agreement that the Emperor had signed to ensure the truce. A lot of the nobles didn’t think that Palamecia had done anything wrong in trying to conquer the other kingdoms. And even those that did realize the harm that the war brought felt that the restitution payment was too harsh. Either way, the most positive reaction among the Palamecian nobles was neutrality. 

“Why should we pay for their towns?” the patriarch of the Blackwell family asked. “Their towns are their responsibility to fix. We have plenty that we need to restore ourselves, and then there’s all the infrastructure that is needed to bring Bafsk and Salamand up to the same standards as the rest of the empire. We cannot coddle them and do their jobs for them!”

“Understandable, but short-sighted, Blackwell,” the Emperor said. “Aiding our… neighbors… in Fynn to restart their economy brings a number of opportunities for us. It guarantees that we will have the time and peace that we require to rebuild and strengthen the Empire. It also allows us to showcase the quality of our labor and materials, which would bring economic possibilities to us as well. There will be need for commerce in these towns. We can step in. These are port towns. We need only build a suitable port to trade with them as well. The boons could be immense.”

“Well, if Your Highness thinks of it this way, then perhaps there is something to be gained in the long term. But what about the rest of the payment? Food? We can barely keep up with our own needs! And the rest of the materials? What about those?” the noble insisted. 

“The materials will serve a similar purpose,” the Emperor said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “As for the food, you heard the requirements. All it needs to do is to last a long while. We have plenty of methods to preserve food. We need not only use grain for these payments. There are other foods we can preserve and send them which would have minimal or no effect on our staples. Besides… we do have new territories with much more fertile land. They can help supplement these shipments.”

“Why not use mainly what’s produced in the new territories to ship to Fynn? Keep our grain for our people. We don’t even grow the same varieties, do we?” Blackwell asked.

“No. We do not. The climate is too different. It is an intriguing idea. Sending them food more akin to their own would be a rather… sharp show of goodwill. Of course, I do wish to send some more traditional Palamecian goods as well. Perhaps they will find a market,” the Emperor said. 

Blackwell had no more complaints to voice after that. He didn’t seem particularly happy, and neither did others in the meeting, but the Emperor clearly had some logical plan in place. It seemed more a case of wounded pride than any real objection to the restitution terms. Kyrie could understand it. Palamecians were a proud people. Having lost the war was a huge blow to them. 

Though Kyrie managed to get through her day’s duties, her studies were a different matter. She simply did not have the energy to do both things while she felt ill and it frustrated her to no end. She would have to wait days, too, before she felt well enough to start studying again. The letter from her parents, though, had provided great relief to her frayed mood. She was delighted to hear from them again. It seemed several people in the family were having a really good time lately, with peace returning. People were starting to get used to the imperial presence, and everyone had been busy trying to rebuild. There was a lot of work to be done, too, with the new infrastructure the Empire was bringing to the area. 

It wasn’t that they were happy about the imperial conquest, Kyrie knew. No one in Bafsk liked the Emperor, even if he didn’t bother to go there and oppress them in the way they had expected him to. He had clearly chosen to handle the new territories in a similar manner to how he handled the rest of his empire: there was no tolerance of dissent, but as long as the town was productive, there were no punitive actions. It was stressful to live with the fear that one might say the wrong thing, but at the very least, things were better than they had been during the war. Kyrie had heard stories of how the Dark Knight handled things in Bafsk at the Emperor’s request. She was glad she’d been in Mysidia then. She might not have survived otherwise.

In spite of the horrendous luck that had gotten her the Emperor’s attention, she supposed she’d been very lucky. She’d survived the war, and had done so unscathed, too. She also now had a true opportunity to study magic… even if her illness was currently making it hard to do so. As she got ready to sleep that night, she sighed in resignation. She’d have time to study.  Winter was probably going to be a really good time to do so, too. 

---------------

As Mateus cleaned the make-up off his face that night to prepare for his daily attempt at sleep, he kept thinking about the day’s meetings. Just as he had expected, people were unhappy with the reparations. The whole thing had definitely damaged his reputation and the standing of Palamecia. He could salvage it, of course, but it would take some time. He had identified some potential benefits from the whole situation, and by the gods, he was going to cling to them. He would act, as he had done today, with a confidence he wasn’t sure he felt. He had come so close to losing everything. He wasn’t entirely certain that he was quite in the clear yet. Lacking an understanding of why Hilda had so suddenly changed her mind, he did not know what to expect going forward. Perhaps she still planned to crush him.

A gust of wind howled outside the windows. Soon, winter would strike full-force. The entire empire would feel its effects. While the daytime would be less oppressive for his subjects, the nights would become much harsher. Crops and livestock would struggle. The mountains would have it even worse, though. They might even have blizzards. It never snowed much, but the wind was merciless. He briefly wondered how Kyrie would fare with this. She came from such a mild climate. He supposed he’d have to make sure she was well-equipped for the brutality of a Palamecian mountain winter. He, too, would have to get his current wardrobe put away in storage while his winter clothes were brought to his room. 

Alas, the food would also take quite the dip in quality. There would be less fresh ingredients to use, and they would have to make do with what was preserved and stored for the cold months. The nobles were going to get restless, as they usually did. They’d have to be entertained lest they get some kind of cabin fever from being cooped up in the castle every day. And in the meantime, he’d have to start thinking about that debasing speech he had to give at Fynn. It was going to be a long winter.

Chapter Text

It took only about a week before the weather in the mountains began to really feel drastically different. The wind howled almost constantly, and the fireplaces didn’t seem quite as sufficient to keep an entire room warm. Kyrie was incredibly thankful when the Emperor sent her a new set of clothes- winter ones this time, with soft, warm shawls and cloaks. They were going to be wonderful at the best of times, but actually vital when she got feverish. She had been fearing she’d have to stay in bed all day during those times, but with warm clothes, she’d actually be able to function. At least she’d be able to spend some quiet time in the library, if nothing else.

The mood in the castle was also reflecting the weather. People seemed to be more quiet, and less energetic. It was a gradual, if noticeable, effect and Kyrie could understand it. Nobles often liked walking the gardens during their free time, but it was often too windy now to make it comfortable. There was only a small window of time during the day when the weather was calm enough to be outside, and it didn’t even happen every day. Some days were simply miserable, with a chilling drizzle and a constant howling wind. 

Kyrie had not been able to really see the gardens after returning to Palamecia. She wanted to, but feeling ill, she simply hadn’t been able to. After the Emperor sent her the warm clothes, though, and since she felt better, she chose to go out to the gardens. It was a bit chilly, but it was bearable enough for her thanks to the warm cloak.

The gardens were definitely starting to suffer from the cold, but they were still beautiful. They were built to be grand, with twisting passages filled with all kinds of bushes and flowers. There were trees, too- old, sturdy ones that were a testament to the resilience of the Palamecian people. Just as the Emperor had said, there weren’t that many rose bushes. There were all kinds of other flowers, though, and they smelled incredibly sweet. The smell was, if anything, even stronger than that of the roses, and it felt almost exotic to her. 

For a while, Kyrie stood near a particularly sweet-smelling patch of white flowers. The wind was chilly, but she didn’t notice it. She stood there, staring at the beauty around her, lamenting the fact that she had waited all this time to even look at it. She’d spent every available moment inside the castle. Yes, she was studying, but… she liked gardens too, and she’d missed out on this one for over a month. She supposed this was just one of the sacrifices she had to make in order to achieve her goals with her studies. It was sometimes difficult to advance in them all on her own. She would love to have a teacher, but… she’d take what she could get. And right now… that amounted to having access to a library.  

She continued to explore the gardens, wanting to make up for all the time she had lost. No one else was here at this time, especially since the air was becoming quite a bit chillier. She was drawn to a spot that looked rather out-of-the way. It seemed like exactly the kind of place she’d want to spend time in, where people would rarely go to. It seemed to be a walled-off garden, and it was impossible to see into it with how high the ivy-covered wall was. Curiously, she went around the wall, looking for a door. Finally, as she found it, a very agitated gardener approached her.

“Good lady, please, do not try to open that door,” the gardener said.

“Oh. I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t know it was restricted.”

“Yes, good lady. It is forbidden to go in there. Emperor’s orders.”

Kyrie nodded and got away from the garden’s door. What an odd order, really. The Emperor was definitely not one who could appreciate gardens. He had specifically mentioned he kept them for other people… and to make it so less people stayed inside during the more crowded times. Why would he keep a garden restricted like that? She had a feeling that, even if the gardener hadn’t stopped her, she would have found the door locked. Why would the Emperor lock a garden? After some thought, she supposed that it was a functional garden for rare magical herbs that he didn’t want disturbed. It was the only thing that made sense.

The wind was picking up, and even with the warm clothes and cloak, Kyrie figured it was best to simply go back inside. Today would be a good day to practice magic, she thought. She had meant to for a while, but between the trip to Fynn and feeling awful later, she hadn’t had a chance. She supposed she’d better do it before something else got in the way.

It was getting a bit late, but she made her way into the training grounds. They were empty at this hour. Kyrie supposed that nobles probably kept their exercising (if they engaged in it) to the early hours of the day. She was glad for it. This would make her feel less awkward as she practiced the magic she knew. It wasn’t impressive, but… she supposed it was good enough when the information she’d had was limited to beginner-level books.

The training grounds that she was allowed into were separated into a well-stocked area for physical training, and another for magical training. The magic area was a room enchanted with some kind of barrier to prevent the magic from causing damage. There were magic crystals to serve as targets. She could feel the hum of magic all around her. It was a remarkably powerful enchantment, and for a few minutes, she simply walked around the room, feeling the magic flow around her. Then, she finally stood before one of the targets and prepared to use a spell. She decided to start with the one she knew best, incorporating what she’d learned from the new texts she had studied. Ice. She extended her hand, closed her eyes, and muttered the magic words that would charge the spell. She then pointed at the crystal, unleashing the magic. She hit the crystal target dead in the center. The magic was not quite what she’d hoped for, though. She’d thought that some of the things she had incorporated would have improved the spell’s power, but, if anything, it had reduced it. She tried again, adjusting the pronunciation of some of the spell’s words. It worked better, but it wasn’t quite there yet. Perhaps it was about hand placement.

She continued to work on the spell until she finally had the results she wanted. It was still fairly weak magic, but her aim was true, if nothing else. The incorporated knowledge had made it a bit stronger, too. She was quite pleased with herself, and thus decided to try out the combination she had been working on for a while. She charged the ice spell, and then used wind to blow it into a ribbon of ice crystals that went around the target before hitting it. It worked great. Her studies were paying off!

“My, my. I had no idea you were a student of magic, my lady,” the Emperor’s voice came from behind her. 

Kyrie turned around, startled. Sure enough, the Emperor was standing there with an amused glint in his eyes. She had not expected to see him in this area, though she supposed she shouldn’t be surprised. He was a mage. He needed to practice sometimes. 

“O-oh, hello, Emperor,” she said. “I was just… practicing a few things.”

“Do not let me interrupt you,” he said. “I am here for the same reason.”

He picked another target and, quite casually, lifted his hand. A small blue flame appeared over it, which he then let go. The flame turned huge and round before it hit the target. Kyrie was shocked. He hadn’t even said an incantation! How had he done that?! He hadn’t even used his scepter, which did seem to be enchanted to do stuff on its own… unless… he was controlling it with magic. She didn’t even know that was possible, but then again… she was still so behind in her studies. His next move was to extend his other hand, and his scepter flew out towards the target, making a circular motion, a magic crest appearing on the floor, and then vanishing as the scepter flew back to the Emperor’s hands. Kyrie stared at the floor where the crest had been, rather amazed. The magic was still there. She could sense it, just barely. But it was hidden. This was what magic could do at a high level?

“Do not approach that target, my lady,” the Emperor said. 

“Is it because of the magic that’s still there?” she asked.

“Indeed. Though I must admit I am a bit surprised you can sense it,” he said.

“Only if I try,” she said. “I just know it’s there, but… not exactly where or how much it extends.”

The Emperor grinned, tapping his scepter on the ground. The sigil re-appeared, magical lightning crackling through it. Kyrie had a feeling that if anyone had been caught on that sigil when it went off, it would be most unpleasant for them. The Emperor cast another sigil then, and then a small orb of darkness appeared on the ground. Another tap and it expanded before imploding. That… actually looked potentially deadly to anyone who got caught on that. With another tap of the scepter, the magic was gone. The Emperor turned to look at her.

“You look rather shocked, my lady,” he said. 

“I… have never learned of magic like that,” she said. 

“I would think not. These spells are my own creations,” he said. “An adaptation of runic enchantments, combined with other kinds of magic.”

“That’s… actually really impressive.”

He nodded with a grin.

“The drawback is that I do need time to set the traps, but when that time is not available to me, I am not without recourse. Flare is quite an acceptable alternative, and I have also mastered the Lightning spell, as well as others,” he said.

She had known he was a very powerful mage. She had heard about the Cyclone. But she hadn’t thought he was so much a prodigy that he could not just cast rarely-used elements, but also make his own kind of magic. She’d never heard of magical traps of this sort. 

“Do continue your own training,” the Emperor said. “But do keep a bit of a distance.”

Kyrie nodded and took a few steps to the side in order to keep a healthy distance between herself and the Emperor's powerful spells. She felt rather self-conscious trying to cast her small spells next to the Emperor's masterful ones. He used his scepter a lot for his spells. The way it would fly out as an extension of his will was outright impressive. She’d never seen anything like it. It didn’t help that he kept glancing at her when she cast anything, his expression both curious and amused. It took her a while to gather enough confidence to try to cast her ice crystal ribbon again. She put her all into it, controlling it into several turns before hitting the target. The Emperor turned to her, stopping his casting.

“In which academy did you learn that?” he asked.

“Oh… um… I… haven’t been to any academy,” Kyrie replied. 

“Is that right? Then how did you learn your magic, my lady?” the Emperor asked, the expression on his violet eyes incredulous.

“Well… books, really. I’ve been reading books on magic for years, but… I was stuck for a while because most libraries only have beginner level books,” she said. 

“Books, then. So is that what you have been so busy doing in the library?”

“Well… um… yes. Though I also read a bit about Palamecian history and culture.”

The Emperor laughed. Kyrie was rather confused. She had no idea what he found so funny.

“And here I was, thinking you were merely pursuing typical literary fare. To think that you were studying magic of all things, all alone in the library,” he said. “Go on, then, my lady. Show me your magic again.”

Kyrie wasn’t particularly keen on doing that, but she nodded. Her best magic was the combination that she’d created to make that ribbon of crystals. She’d worked on it for a long time, though it technically wasn’t finished. Her goal was to add light to it, but she still hadn’t quite figured that part out. Still, she cast her spell, letting it circle the target a few times before hitting it.

“Excellent craftsmanship, and even great control and precision, but quite lacking in power,” the Emperor said, his tone serious, though he was grinning in a manner that seemed sarcastic. “I do not think you could knock a butterfly out of the sky with it, but perhaps you could adorn it.”

Kyrie felt rather defensive. She’d worked hard on this. Yes, it was nowhere near as impressive as the Emperor’s magic, but he had access to all the information and knowledge that he wanted. She’d been stuck to what was available in commoner libraries, which was absolutely basic. She felt proud enough to even discover how to combine the spells. Sure, he was praising some of her work, but his arrogant tone quite bothered her.

“It… isn’t meant to be an offensive spell,” Kyrie said. She didn’t want to create some kind of argument, but she did want to defend her work.

“Ah, is that right? Are you not quite weak physically? If not for self-defense, why would you even want magic?” he asked. 

“Well… I was hoping to be able to learn healing magic. There are a lot of useful things, too, that one can do with it. It doesn’t just need to be to fight, right?”

“Perhaps. However, it is the most convenient choice for one in your situation,” he said with a slight shrug, waving his hand dismissively, his expression somewhat frustrated.

“Yeah, I suppose I can learn how to use magic defensively, in case I really need it,” Kyrie said. “Though that will all apply to other spells. This one isn't even really done yet.”

“My, my. Such resolve. What a pity that you are doing this all on your lonesome. It will take you a lifetime to learn what you need without guidance,” he said, looking at her with outright amusement. 

Kyrie stopped for a moment, ignoring the Emperor’s taunting and focusing on his words. He… actually was right. She didn’t only want to be a mage. She wanted to be a great mage, and stumbling around blindly in her studies… was a very long path to that. She turned towards the Emperor, looking him straight in the eyes as she nodded.

“You're right. Without a teacher, it's going to take me a lot longer,” she said. “I’m aiming to be a great mage. Do you know a teacher, then?”

The Emperor stared straight back at her, lifting his chin slightly, his eyes narrowed as he studied her. His stare was intense, but Kyrie didn’t flinch, even after he stared at her for several minutes.

“If that is what you wish, my lady, why is it that you came to Palamecia and not Mysidia?” he asked, his expression still not changing. “We have excellent mages in Palamecia, but it is Mysidia which is known for its magic education.”

“Oh, well… I did go to Mysidia, actually. But they didn’t accept me there. They thought me a liability,” she replied, gesturing to her walking cane. “So… I came to Palamecia to seek out better medicine for my health.”

“Clever. The mountains here do grow most of the best medicine in the world,” the Emperor said with a small huff. “It is quite coveted. And, of course, fresher herbs often make for more potent medicine. I suppose you wished to try again if your health did improve.”

“Well… yes,” Kyrie said. “I knew they would probably still refuse me, but… well, I had to try.”

“They would have. They are quite selective in the Mysidian academy,” the Emperor said, with a dismissive shake of his head, turning towards the target he’d been practicing with. “It was never about how ill you were, but merely that you were ill at all.”

It was frustrating to hear confirmation of what she’d feared. She’d had that feeling since the Mysidans had never really offered any alternative when they’d rejected her. Still, with how things had turned out, Mysidia wasn’t even an option anymore. She wasn’t going to be leaving Palamecia any time soon. She had the library, of course, but now that the Emperor had brought up the possibility of a teacher… well… this could change everything.

“That is… frustrating, but that’s okay,” she said. “As Emperor, I’m sure you know a teacher, right? Palamecia must have its own academy. Maybe even classes and training here, in the castle. I can work for that.”

The Emperor turned to stare at her again, his stare outright piercing. She wasn’t sure if it was the light violet color of his eyes that made his expression look almost sinister, or if it was just how intense his stare was. Perhaps it was both. She knew he didn’t mean to harm her, though, so she did not flinch. He seemed to be studying her again. Kyrie wondered exactly what was going through his mind. He had to know someone. He was a skilled mage. He had mages working for him. There was no way he didn’t know someone who’d take a new student, even if the student was an ill woman. Someone out there had to not mind. 

“I will teach you,” he said after a couple of minutes. 

“Wait… what?” she asked. She had not quite processed what he said. It was too unexpected.

“I will teach you magic,” the Emperor repeated. “You will be my apprentice, and I will teach you what I know.”

She could hardly believe what she was hearing, but there it was. She’d heard the words. There was no denying it. He really had offered to teach her magic. The Emperor. This was… so much to process.

“Y-you… would do that?” she asked, almost breathless from shock.

“I will at least give you a chance. Let us say… a week,” the Emperor replied. “Impress me and I will officially declare you my apprentice. If that is what you wish, that is.”

Kyrie’s mind was reeling from this sudden situation. Mysidia wasn’t an option anymore. A tutor would be wonderful. And the Emperor… well, it couldn’t be denied that he was a prodigy. This didn’t necessarily mean he was a great teacher… but he still could be a good mentor. It was way better than floundering around blindly. If nothing else, he would be able to guide her in her studies. This was a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She could not help but remember what Leon had told her about not trusting the Emperor. However… this was her dream… and he was the only one who was giving her a chance. She was not going to let this go.

“Yes. I do wish it,” she said. “I… thank you for this opportunity, Emperor.”

The Emperor’s expression turned into a grin. It was the kind of grin that made her wonder for a moment if she had somehow made some kind of mistake, but she dismissed that thought. This wasn’t any more of a mistake than being here at all was. She was already at his mercy, really. He had proven that, at least as long as she wasn’t a problem to him, he had no ill will towards her. There was no reason why that should change. 

“Very well then, my lady. Let us begin immediately. We will work on your form. While it is admirable enough for someone who has learned without guidance, it does have a distinctly… amateur feel,” the Emperor said. “Stand there. Let us work from the very basics.”

He pointed at a spot close by and Kyrie walked over to it.

“Cast Fire at the target,” he said, his voice serious and commanding.

Kyrie did so. She stood in front of the target and uttered the words, pointing and casting a small fireball. Her aim was good. She turned to look at the Emperor, but his expression was unreadable.

“My, my. Looks like we will definitely be starting from the very beginning,” he said. 

He didn’t sound angry or disappointed, but Kyrie worried. She needed to prove her worth. She could not afford to let this chance go.

“What was wrong with my casting?” she asked.

“Nothing is exactly… wrong,” the Emperor said thoughtfully. “But you have clearly lacked structure in your studies. You have incorporated completely different methods into your casting, and some of them may conflict with each other. And even when they do not, it makes it harder to see what the problems are. Thus, we will begin your training from the start with a single method.”

That made sense, and it was a relief. She nodded, understanding. What followed was the most intense magical workout of her life. The Emperor would ask her to cast, then observe and correct her. He would correct her posture, her pronunciation of the spell words, her movements as she cast, her stance, and so on. Then he would ask her to repeat it, and she would, and he would correct her again. Each time, he would make less corrections, which motivated her. Sometimes, he would demonstrate, and she would follow him as well as she could. Every time he got close to correct her stance, she could smell the strong cologne he was wearing. It was a strong, almost citrusy scent, but not overwhelming. By the end of that, not only did she feel that she would probably recognize that smell from across the castle, but he was making almost no corrections to her casting. Still, he insisted that she keep on casting until, at last, her spell fizzled out as she tried to charge it. 

“Out of mana, I see,” the Emperor said. “That will be enough for today, then.”

Kyrie was exhausted. It was a different kind of exhaustion than the one she generally felt. It was mostly located in her head, or at least… that was the closest thing she could describe it as. It was almost like a headache, but it didn’t really hurt. It was odd, but it was, in some way, almost exhilarating. She’d never pushed herself this hard when it came to actually casting. Because of only having access to beginner level books, she had focused so much more on the theory. She had never run out of mana, though. It was… disturbing to try to cast and not be able to. 

“Um… how long will it take for my mana to recover?” she asked.

“It will return by tomorrow, after you sleep. First time spending all your magic power?” he asked.

“Well… yes, actually,” she said. 

“I see. You will get used to it. After all, spending all your magic is good for your growth. The more of it you use up, the faster it grows. It will be the same with your spells. The more you use them, the more they will grow in power,” he said. He paused for a moment. “This will also mean they will use more mana, but if you keep growing that, then in the end, you still can cast a lot more than you could before, even as your spells become more powerful and require more from you.”

Kyrie nodded. She had figured that practicing would make her more powerful, but she hadn’t really stopped to think about the mana growth. That was useful to know.

“You will also, in general, become more powerful as you practice. Even new spells will simply work better for you as you attune yourself to the flow of magic,” the Emperor continued. “I will ensure that you get enough practice to truly bring out your potential. However, we must not neglect the theory. Tomorrow, after dinner, I will see you in my study.”

“Of course, Your Highness,” Kyrie nodded.

“Go rest, then,” he said, gesturing towards the door. 

Kyrie nodded, leaving the Emperor in the training room. She could feel the crackle of magic as he continued his own training. Perhaps he was going to deplete his mana as well to make it grow more. What an interesting concept! She hadn’t quite gotten to that, but she supposed that at the level that she had been working on, it hadn’t really mattered. It was something that was likely taught at a more advanced level. 

This whole time seemed like some kind of dream. She could still hardly believe that the Emperor had offered to teach her magic. It was just a chance… but it was one that no one else had given her. She didn’t know what to feel except… thankful. Yes, she knew who he was and what he’d done. At the same time… that was not the face he was showing her. And besides… it wasn’t like she hadn’t tried elsewhere. There were no mage teachers in Bafsk. She’d had to choose between risking going to Fynn and seeing if she could find a teacher… or going the safe route to Mysidia. She’d chosen the latter… and was rejected. She would have tried again… but it seemed she would just have been rejected again. Then it would have left only Fynn, and she might not have gotten anything there, either. Those were no longer options, of course, but now… there was this. The Emperor was certainly going to be a strict teacher. It was going to be difficult. But she was ready. As tired as she was, it was probably going to be hard to sleep that night.

---------------

Mateus normally didn’t exhaust his entire mana pool. He couldn’t really afford to, since he never knew when some threat would show up. Unlike other emperors before him, he was no swordsman. Yes, he’d been trained, but he’d never really been into it. He’d picked magic instead. He could parry with his scepter and it was a great blunt weapon, not to mention that the handle did have small blades, and the tip was sharp and could easily be used as a lance. If he was desperate, he certainly could use it as a normal weapon. It was not, however, his specialty, and having to resort to such tactics did leave him vulnerable in case of some emergency. 

Today, though, he did exhaust his mana. He kept casting Flare and traps at the target and the occasional Starfall, one after the other, until the last attempt fizzled out. He stared at his hand and then at the target, frustrated that his magic was gone for the day. With no more ability to keep casting, he now had to think. Of course he did have slight bits of mana left in him. They were just not enough to keep casting any of his spells. He gripped his scepter hard. He could still control it, but if he did it for long enough, then even that would stop working until he actually got some sleep. Or… well… until he had an elixir anyways. That’d fix it right up, sleep or no sleep.

He walked away from the training grounds, frowning. He had… not anticipated this new situation. How had he missed the fact that Kyrie was a mage? Yes, she was a beginner, but she was still a mage, and that made her even more valuable a member of his court. Normally, he would be scheming about how to use a new mage in his military, but… Kyrie would probably be useless when it came to anything military. Military mages still had to go through some physical training, and there was no way she could stand that. And besides… she was far too nice. She would probably be absolutely useless as a battle mage. But well… she wasn’t wrong. Battle wasn’t really the only thing that one could do with magic. And, in spite of her inadequacy when it came to battle, that spell she cast was… honestly fairly impressive for one who had taught it to herself. Mixing spells when she was merely a beginner? The woman had potential… and he wasn’t about to waste that. He wanted an apprentice, anyway. He’d just had the worst luck finding one. Perhaps this one wouldn’t try to stab him in the back for once.

This was actually wonderful. If he hadn’t missed it for so long, he would be delighted. So much time wasted, letting her run around, learning blindly, when he could have been shaping her skills. Then again… it was only during this time that she had proven that she was loyal. She’d only really proved it recently, during the trip to Fynn. Would he have taken her as an apprentice before? He shook his head. No. He would not have. Perhaps, he thought, things had worked out just right. Perhaps fate had caused this chance meeting on just the right day for him to run into her while she was training in magic. He felt his mood lifting slightly. Yes. That was it. This was yet another gift from fate. He grinned. He had come so close to losing everything, and yet… he still was here. Fate still smiled upon him. And perhaps… this time it wouldn’t mean clawing his way past obstacles and recovering from treason. Perhaps it would even be a good thing for once.

Chapter Text

It was snowing when Mateus awoke the next morning. He groaned. It was going to be quite a dark day, then, and he was going to have to depend entirely on clocks, rather than the daylight. He did not like that. Yes, clocks were very precise. But so were his observations, and he preferred it when he knew roughly what time it was just by glancing at a window and not by having to go search out a clock in the castle. At least he had one in his room, and the hourly bells would keep most of the castle on track. Some nobles, though, tended to run late during winter due to the lessening light. He hated that even more than having to look for a clock to find out exactly what time it was. They had bells for a reason.

He got up to perform his morning routine, ignoring the exhaustion. He knew he had barely recovered about half of his mana with the amount of sleep he’d gotten, but, well, that was easily fixed with an elixir. He always kept some in his room, so he quietly walked over to the medicine cabinet and took out a tiny elixir bottle. He drank it, feeling the magic flowing into his body. He let out a relieved sigh. It felt good to have all that power flowing through his veins.

As he brushed his hair for the day, his thoughts went to the events of the previous night. Kyrie had definitely worked hard in her training. She was amenable to being taught new methods, and that was, aside from her potential, the best trait she could have as an apprentice. He would teach her the Palamecian magic ways, of course. It was what he knew, and that was the main reason he would teach her that, but there was also the fact that he was certain that she had never learned that method herself. If she would allow him to shape her methods like this… then that was exactly what he wanted from an apprentice. She already had the potential. She just needed to be… flexible. He felt sure she would be. She had shown a lot of adaptability already. 

Once he was ready, he walked out of his room and headed to the main hall for breakfast. The hallways were surprisingly dark in spite of the torchlight. The wind was howling incessantly. Mateus wondered if they’d have a blizzard. He hoped not. Palamecia’s coffers were going to be strained for years. He certainly didn’t want to have to pay for repairs right now and also deal with the cold seeping into the castle even more than it normally did. For all the impressive boons of the castle’s architecture, such as how defensible it was and how resistant it was to the inclement weather, it sure wasn’t insulated as much as he’d like it to be. But well, doing that not only cost money, but it also meant having to possibly risk making changes that could easily make it less resistant. And that would mean more costs and issues with maintenance. The best he could do was try to keep the windows in good shape and with as few drafts as possible. 

Some nobles still complained, though, much to Mateus’s disgust. They enjoyed the safety of the castle, the opulence, the status and the power… but they couldn’t stand a few slightly drafty windows. People just didn’t know how to be happy with what they had. This was why humanity needed a strong ruler, really. Someone who could decide these kinds of things for them. But even that seemed beyond the grasp of their little minds! He shook his head as he entered the main hall. At least here, in Palamecia, he had power. He got to decide what was good and what was not, and his empire flourished for it. Someday, surely, people would actually understand it, and actually accept it. Though, then again, if they didn’t… he didn’t really care anymore. He knew what he was doing and that was enough for him. If others were too foolish to see it… well, that wasn’t his problem, now, was it?

Kyrie was already at the table when he entered. He did like how punctual she was. Johan was talking to her and she seemed engaged in the conversation. Mateus frowned. He didn’t know why, but it bothered him to see that. He kept his face stoic as he walked over to sit at his place at the table.

“Of course, for all the issues it has, winter does have its benefits,” Johan was saying. “The sun rises later, and thus there’s more darkness. One, therefore, can be sure to have a most restful night. I definitely slept wonderfully last night, and look forward to the season of good sleep.”

Of all the things to hear this morning! Mateus didn’t bother to turn his face towards him, but he did turn his eyes to glare at him. He made a mental note to be extra strict about punctuality when it came to Johan… and anyone else who dared make comments about great, restful nights in his vicinity. 

“Oh, yes, I can imagine that,” Kyrie said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what the winter is like here. Even if it’s cold, it’s a new experience.”

“Why, of course! It will definitely be an experience. Here in the mountains, you can experience a bit of everything. Some of the heat of the desert, but also strong winds, more rain and storms than you’ll get in most of Palamecia, and in winters, we even get blizzards, much like the ones you’d see in Salamand,” Johan said. “The weather will not bore you in this castle. And, of course, there’s the events, too. I can tell you all about them, if you wish.”

Mateus felt a surge of anger course through him. For a moment, he wasn’t sure why, but then he simply decided that he did not care for Johan trying to distract his new apprentice. It might not be official yet, but he was sure she’d prove herself worthy. She did not need to be distracted by people, especially not people like Johan. He cleared his throat.

“You were discussing some time ago, Johan, the possibility of gatherings and parties to alleviate the dreariness of winter amongst the nobles,” he said. “Have your plans become something more than mere talk? Do you have anything concrete yet?”

“Ah, Emperor, good morning! As it happens, yes, I do have some concrete things. I have spoken to the Morrows,” Johan replied. “They will be organizing a few plays. They’re looking forward to acting out a few classic tragedies, at the very least.”

“Tragedies? I thought the intent was to make people feel less dreary, not more so,” Mateus said. He didn’t mind tragedies, really. Sometimes they even amused him, since they tended to involve some very impressive stupidity. But people cried watching those stories. Wasn’t that the opposite of what they wanted?

“What can I say? People love those stories. I suppose they just like to feel things, Your Highness,” Johan shrugged.

Ugh. Pure drivel, Mateus thought. These tragedies were so melodramatic, too. He usually avoided them entirely unless there was some kind of pressure for him to attend one of those things. He preferred the debates that some of the less emotionally-inclined nobles would sometimes organize, or at least the chess matches. He was very good at those.  

“Hmph. I will not interfere with whatever it is that passes for entertainment in my court,” Mateus said. “You have my permission to go ahead with those plans.”

“You are most gracious, Your Highness,” Johan said. He then, much to Mateus’s frustration, turned back to Kyrie. “Lady Solwood, it would be your first time witnessing these events, no? Would you like to participate in them?”

“Do not forget, Johan, that Kyrie is the sole representative of her family. This means she will not have so much free time to participate in setting up a play,” Mateus said.

Kyrie looked a bit awkward for a moment as she turned to look at him. Then she composed herself and turned to Johan.

“I am very grateful for the invitation. The Emperor is right, though. I do not have as much free time as I would need to do such an event justice. I will try to attend the plays, however,” she said. “I am looking forward to experiencing these stories.”

Mateus was pleased with the answer. He knew that these plays often took a lot of time to prepare. That was the point of them, really. Nobles that didn’t have to attend meetings often traveled to the city during the rest of the year. There was a small airship that would take them down and pick them up at the end of the day. Travel was possible during the winter through the tunnels, of course, but a lot of other creatures also took refuge there. It could be dangerous. It was also several hours of travel and it required budgeting a few days so that they could stay somewhere in the city for that time. It was inconvenient and, either way, the markets were usually way less interesting. There were usually more crafts and tools, but it was rarely anything that they couldn’t just get from commissioning it. The city was just a lot more subdued during winters. And that did mean that most nobles stayed inside the castle. It was good for them to have distractions, of course, but that was only for those who had a lot of free time. He wasn’t intending to let his apprentice have too much of that. It’d be a waste of her potential.

---------------

Kyrie had noticed the Emperor being a bit… annoyed when he entered the main hall. She had no idea why. Perhaps he was frustrated at Johan for… some reason. Perhaps it was just the fact that he was working on arranging all these events that were obviously things the Emperor didn’t like. Or maybe the advisor had said something that annoyed the Emperor during their morning meeting the previous day. Whatever it was, she thought, it probably was something she should just stay out of.

She was a bit surprised at how Johan’s attitude had changed from when they’d first met. Back then he’d seemed almost offended at having to talk to her, but now he was, well, friendly. She supposed her new status as a noble was the main reason he was now alright with talking with her. Nobles were like that. Everything was about status to them wasn’t it? She supposed it wasn’t something she should take personally. 

After breakfast, she did not head to the library to study magic. The Emperor had made it clear that he would be teaching her his own methods for magic, and thus studying others would interfere with that. The day was pretty cold, though, so she wondered if it was a good idea to study in the library at all for now. In the end, she decided it was better to rest and conserve energy for later. If the previous night was any indication, the Emperor was a very strict teacher. She couldn’t afford to be too tired to pay attention to him. 

Her limitations were always frustrating, even now that she was so used to them. The changing weather always made her pain worse, and today, it was especially bad. As she sat down on her couch to rest, she could not help but hear the howling wind as it rattled the windows in her room. It was really dreary weather. It was dark enough to make it seem like it was hours later, and it was too chilly for the fireplace to warm up the whole room. The snow was starting to become heavier, too. She wondered if this would be one of those blizzards she’d heard about. She also wondered if this was the kind of weather that made the ghosts of the castle wander the halls. If it was, would they confuse the darkness for night and wander during the day? She shuddered. She really hoped that wouldn’t be the case. 

She walked over to her desk to take out the last letter she’d gotten from her parents. Maria hadn’t written yet, or if she had, it hadn’t arrived yet. With the weather being like this, Kyrie supposed that it would take a while. What a shame. She wanted to hear from more people. Even though this was her dream, it was still sometimes lonely in the castle. Tilda was around a lot, but she had a lot of work to do too. And though she was surrounded by people during meetings, she had few connections. Those events Johan had mentioned would have been a great way to start meeting people, but perhaps she would be too busy to even attend them. She hoped not. She didn’t want to feel so… trapped. 

It was a foolish desire, she knew. She was the Emperor’s captive, wasn’t she? She couldn’t really tell anymore. Even though she was supposed to be a captive, she now had… some kind of job in the court. She was a noble. She was going to be the Emperor’s apprentice, too. Did he normally make captives into apprentices? If she was truly a captive, she had a shocking amount of freedom. And if her situation had changed? Well, she’d need connections to really get anywhere. She’d have to work harder on that. Even if she didn’t need connections just to survive the court, she just… really wanted to have people she could call friends. Everyone did, right? 

She walked out to the main hallway when it was time for luncheon. Normally, the day would be warmer, but, if anything, it had gotten colder. As she walked, she suddenly heard a deep bell ringing. It rang three times. She’d never heard that bell before. It wasn’t the same one as the one that rang the hours. It was almost ominous and it resonated in a way that made it feel as though the entire castle was vibrating. What was going on? Was it the snow? Probably. It was falling harder than ever. She looked out the window, almost immediately regretting it. She did confirm the visibility outside was much lower… but it was also really, really cold. She was shivering. She supposed she’d best hurry down to the main hall. Maybe she’d at least be able to ask someone what to do.

The temperature seemed to continue dropping. It was… troubling, really. As she got closer to the main hall, she could hear people scurrying about. Servants in a hurry, from the sound of their shoes. She then saw Tilda looking quite alarmed as she approached her.

“Oh, goodness, milady, I’m glad I ran into you!”

“What’s going on?”

“A blizzard is approaching. The castle is going into lockdown. It’s going to be too dangerous to traverse a good portion of it. You shouldn’t head into the main hall. You sit at the main table, right? You need to go to the Imperial hearth room.”

“I… don’t know where that is.”

“That’s okay, milady. All the hearth rooms are located next to each other. I’m heading down to them. I’ll take you to the Imperial one.”

Kyrie nodded and followed Tilda. The wind was roaring outside by now. It was so cold that she was shivering. Some of the hallway torches had already been extinguished by the drafts. The few people she saw looked almost worried. She couldn’t help but wonder how common these events were. It was clearly a dangerous situation, but… was it something they were used to? Or was it rare to see outright blizzards? She knew the wind was almost as bad as the cold in normal blizzards, but here it was probably the wind that was the main threat. It was always windy enough without it storming, after all. 

Tilda led her down to what she figured was the lowest level of the castle. There was a hallway lined with doors. The middle ones were the largest and most ornate, and it was there that Tilda stopped and gestured towards the door.

“It is not my place to go in here, milady,” she said. “But this is the hearth room you’re assigned to. I hope you find it comfortable, and I hope the storm lets up soon.”

“Thank you, Tilda,” Kyrie said. 

She then opened the door. There was a second door, covered by a tapestry. She opened that too, and felt the relief of warm air before she saw the people inside. There was the Emperor, of course, who had immediately turned to look at whoever was entering, and there were his advisors. Johan was there, as was Sir Duveron, and even Nadine. The room was a well-sized circular room whose walls were practically entirely covered in tapestries. Its ceiling was high and domed, and there was a stone container with a huge hearth, which was the source of the warmth. Small mahogany tables had been placed around the hearth, and, for seating, there were stools. It was a far cry from the grandeur of the main hall, but after the cold outside, this was an incredibly welcoming place. 

“Ah. Good. You are here,” the Emperor said. “I was about to send my attendant to find you.”

“Yes. My attendant Tilda found me and led me here,” Kyrie said. “I was not sure what was going on. She told me there's an approaching blizzard and the castle is going into lockdown.”

“Indeed. The warning bells indicate that all but certain military personnel should come to the hearth rooms. They are only rung in case of blizzards… and sieges,” the Emperor said. “As I hope you have been informed since you are here, the Imperial hearth room is your assigned one. This is where you will come every time you hear that warning bell.”

“Right. Of course,” Kyrie replied. 

“Come then. Sit,” the Emperor said, gesturing to a spot that was close enough to where her place would have been at the main hall table. “We will be having our luncheon here. Food has obviously been delayed somewhat, but it should be here soon.”

Kyrie nodded and sat down. She couldn’t help but notice how tense everyone looked. It made sense. They’d likely have to stay locked up for hours here until the blizzard subsided. This was a disruption to their daily activities, and it wasn’t a particularly comfortable place to be in, aside from the warmth. There were no cushioned seats at the table. No grandeur. She wondered if they’d be able to go to their own chambers at night. If not, this was going to get incredibly awkward.

“How… often does this happen?” she asked quietly, not really to anyone.

“A few times each winter,” the Emperor said. “Though these rooms are also built for use during a siege, it has been a very long time since they have seen use outside of blizzards. No one has dared to even try to siege Castle Palamecia for a few generations.”

Kyrie was not surprised. Castle Palamecia was famous for being pretty much impenetrable. It would be madness to try to siege it, let alone during a blizzard. Though it was likely that blizzards took out most of their defenses, the weather itself would surely replace them. She doubted there was any army that could withstand the conditions outside. 

The food was brought by servants shortly after. The plates it was served in were a lot simpler, though it seemed that the food had been prepared before the blizzard hit. It was still the same fare that they would normally eat in the main hall. The nobles seemed relieved when they saw the food. Their posture relaxed, and some of them started talking amongst each other until the Emperor got up in order to perform the salt blessing. They stayed silent during that time, and once the Emperor sat down, they began talking again.

“I do hope you’re not terribly worried, dear,” Nadine said, turning to Kyrie. “The hearth rooms may feel a bit stifling, and being in lockdown might feel like it’s something very dangerous, but we are quite safe here.”

“It does feel safe. Though I do wonder how the rest of the castle is going to fare if we have to be here while the storm is going on,” Kyrie said. 

“The castle has stood against countless storms and blizzards and will stand against countless more,” the Emperor said. “There is only ever fairly mild damage, and it’s repaired yearly.”

“We don’t come here because of what may happen to the castle,” Nadine said. “It just gets so cold that it’s dangerous to traverse it. Some stairways outright freeze, especially if a window breaks. And we can’t move between towers freely.”

“Less rooms to warm, too,” the Emperor said. “It is a waste to burn so much wood when it is not even sufficient to keep everyone warm enough to be safe.”

“Those infernal drafts,” Johan said. “I swear, Your Highness, that it feels like the cold seeps in through the very walls.”

The Emperor took a spoonful of his stew and nodded. 

“Stone is cold, yes,” he said after swallowing. “And windows will always be at least slightly drafty. Even the best craftsmen have struggled to change that. Though I also understand that the drafts do mean the windows are also less likely to shatter with the wind. So I suppose it is a small price to pay.”

There was a murmur of agreement around the tables. Kyrie nodded too. That made sense. Lessening the amount of wind that hit the windows would protect them, right? But yes, if the temperature outside of the hearth room was any indication, the drafts certainly caused enough problems. She wondered if the stairways froze at times other than at blizzards. 

After the meal, the tables were moved from their arrangement as one huge table, leaving a number of spots for nobles to gather into smaller parties. The Emperor went into an alcove in the room, and came back with an enormous pile of papers. He then retired to the table closest to the alcove. Kyrie supposed that it was his own relatively private space. He seemed perfectly oblivious to the chatter around him as he read the papers and sometimes signed some of them.

Kyrie sat at a nearby table, thinking. This was a strange situation, with everyone together like this. Today would have been her first lesson in magic. She wondered how that’d work out. The Emperor was clearly busy right now, but she wasn’t sure what to do about this. Should she ask him about it, or wait until he said something? She supposed she would ask him if she saw him finish his work. She knew he hadn’t forgotten, since he wasn’t that kind of man, but she wanted to know how things would work during times like this.

“How are you faring with the lockdown, Lady Solwood?” Johan asked. “Are you comfortable?”

He had approached her as she was thinking, and she hadn’t really seen him. 

“Oh! Yes, thank you. I am fine,” she replied. “It is quite warm here, and thus more comfortable than outside.”

“Ah, yes. It is quite warm,” Johan nodded. “I must say I do personally miss the comforts of our normal life in the castle, but at least we do get the most comfortable hearth room. Less people, and more cozy.”

“How many people stay in the other rooms?” Kyrie asked.

“Thirty to fifty,” Johan said. “They are bigger rooms.”

“I see. That makes sense,” Kyrie nodded. “I am glad these places exist in the castle, for safety and warmth. It’s surprising how harsh the weather can be in the mountains. Is everyone safe, then? Servants too?”

“It is quite noble that you think of everyone like that, Lady Solwood,” Johan said. “Yes. Everyone is safe. Only the most essential military personnel stay in the castle, and only to guard it in short shifts.”

Johan sat down at the same table she was at, and he made pleasant enough conversation. Kyrie was fairly glad for that. It got her mind distracted from the general tension that lingered so heavily in the air, even after the meal. He told her stories about various other times they’d been in lockdown and some of his travels. Kyrie listened politely. He did have a number of really interesting stories, especially when it came to his travels around Palamecia. Hearing about the various things that could be found around the empire was fascinating. He had been to all corners of the empire due to his job as the Emperor’s economic advisor, and had no shortage of things to tell. It would have been quite relaxing, if not for the Emperor. She could see him glancing at them every so often, his gaze icy. She couldn’t help noticing it, really, since it was a particularly piercing stare. She supposed he was still upset over something with Johan. She hoped it’d be cleared up soon. Otherwise, it was going to be a very tense night.

“Johan, if you have time for socializing, then I am sure I have not given you enough work,” the Emperor said after a while. “The Empire does not stop because of a blizzard. Come. There is a lot of paperwork you have to look at.”

Johan looked slightly irritated for a moment, but then composed himself and walked over to the Emperor’s table. The Emperor handed him a very impressive stack of papers. Johan took them and walked back to the table with Kyrie.

“Alas, Lady Solwood, my best stories will have to wait. There are a lot of projects that have to be planned quite in advance, and the Fynn negotiations have given us a lot of work to do on top of that,” Johan said. 

“Yeah, that’s alright. I understand,” Kyrie nodded. 

Johan still managed to keep a conversation, though it was much more subdued. He mostly talked in between reading reports. Instead of personal stories, he was now showcasing his rather vast knowledge of the Empire. It made sense to Kyrie that he would know so much. As an advisor, he surely couldn’t afford to know any less than that. To her, though, this was all interesting and important, and it seemed Johan was well aware of that. 

“Palamecian purple dye is the finest in the world,” he said after putting down a particularly long report. “It is a special blend of vegetable pigments, combined with some minerals. Aside from gemstones, it is one of our most precious exports, and highly valued in other kingdoms. We keep a tight control, though, to make sure it stays valuable, and we do not deplete the materials for it.”

“That’s very interesting,” Kyrie nodded enthusiastically. She’d known about the gemstones, but she hadn’t known about the purple dye. There was so much she still had to learn.

“It does make a lovely color for clothing. It would suit a lady such as yourself.”

“Kyrie, come here,” the Emperor said before Kyrie could react, his voice rather sharp. 

Kyrie was rather surprised to hear him sounding so sharp. He was notorious for having a fairly poor mood in general, but he seemed particularly testy today. She supposed it was the blizzard. Everyone seemed to be in a weird mood. She excused herself from the table where she was sitting with Johan and walked over to the Emperor’s desk.

“Sit down,” he said, gesturing to a stool next to the desk.

Kyrie did so. She was confused for a moment, but then figured he was calling her to talk about the magic lesson that she was supposed to have today. The Emperor didn’t say anything for a while, though, still busy with a particularly long report or something of the sort. Finally, after some very awkward minutes, he put down the papers and turned to her.

“This is not the place I would normally choose to teach you magic in, but I suppose there is no real alternative,” he said with a sigh. “I do not share my knowledge lightly, and you must expect to do your own studying during future lockdown situations. However, as it is only your first lesson and we are merely covering the basics today, I suppose I can make an exception.”

His voice was very quiet, barely audible above the howling of the wind. Kyrie was glad her own hearing was fairly good or she might not be able to understand him.

“I appreciate it, Your Highness,” she said, matching his quiet volume. “I was looking forward to this, and am quite glad for the opportunity.”

The Emperor lifted his chin slightly in an expression that, had it been in anyone else’s face, Kyrie might have ignored. In the Emperor’s face, however, it was outright satisfaction. He took out a small stack of papers from the giant one on his desk and placed it in front of Kyrie. On the top paper, there was a hand-drawn sigil, with symbols and some very careful, ornate writing.

“This represents the world and the flow of the elements,” he explained. “It is, as you see, all contained in a circle. This represents the nature of magic being akin to the flow of blood through the body, all starting and ending in the same place. The heart. It is this pulse that we use to channel magic, pulling it from the veins of the world, doing something useful with it, and allowing it to flow back into the flow, to be purified and used again. It is all in the same manner that our blood flows through our veins, but the body takes from it to keep us alive, and then it returns to the heart.”

Kyrie nodded, listening attentively. This was a different take from what she had heard before, but it all made sense. It was very similar in many ways to what she’d heard, but this was the first time she’d heard of magic being likened to blood, and its flow like a pulse. Normally, it was described like wind, or, in the case of Mysidian explanations, rivers. The Emperor proceeded to explain what each symbol in the sigil meant and how that related to the flow of magic. It was all fascinating, and Kyrie listened with rapt attention, not noticing the passage of time, and definitely forgetting about the cold wind howling outside. At some point, Johan approached to hand in the papers he’d been working with, and though the Emperor spent a moment talking to him, Kyrie barely noticed. She was too busy studying the magic sigil. The Emperor also made her carefully copy the sigil into a parchment of her own, supervising her and making sure she did not make any mistakes, and asked her questions to ensure she was learning the information.

It was nighttime when the Emperor finally declared the lesson over. The blizzard was still raging outside, but the sky was entirely dark. People were moving tables away from the center of the room and to the side, and setting up cots in place of the tables. 

“Oh. It’s nighttime already,” she said.

“So it is,” the Emperor said. “I suggest you try to get some rest. Tomorrow, if the weather permits it, we will practice magic in the training grounds. If not, then you will meet me in my study and we will study the theory.”

Kyrie nodded as the Emperor got up and gathered all of his papers, carefully stacking them and going into the alcove to put them into a drawer next to his cot. He then locked the drawer and pulled out a good number of furs from under the cot. Kyrie stood around awkwardly, not really sure what she was supposed to do or where she was going to sleep. Everyone seemed to know where they would stay, and all the cots had been placed around the room.

“You will sleep in the cot next to the alcove,” the Emperor said. “It is the closest to the hearth, and your health requires it. Get the covers from under it.”

“Thank you, Emperor,” she said.

She got the covers from under the cot. There were not as many furs as the Emperor had, but there were more than enough to stay warm. She noticed how no one removed even their shoes and simply got into their cots silently and, in spite of their expressions, without any verbal complaints. She followed suit. It was really weird to be surrounded by all these people, and being so close to where the Emperor was sleeping. Or rather… not sleeping and simply sitting and staring at the ceiling. 

People slowly settled down. The Emperor arranged his hair into a loose, rather undignified braid before laying down. Everything became silent after a while, and Kyrie figured she might actually get some sleep. And then the snoring began. She wasn’t sure who was making such unholy noises, but she figured sleep was going to be difficult. She heard a rather irritated groan from the Emperor’s alcove, and several more from around the room. Eventually, the exhaustion overpowered the noise, and she fell asleep.

Chapter Text

Mateus was feeling almost murderous by the time he finally fell asleep, and his mood was no better when he woke up the next morning. The snoring had kept him up for hours. The only reason he didn’t send the culprit to the dungeons was because Lord Webster was too influential in the Empire to merely dispose of him. But really, how was he supposed to run an empire on a couple of hours of sleep? He took a deep sigh and got up. He was the first one to wake, which meant he would at least not have to wait to freshen up a bit in the washroom. 

He passed Kyrie, who was still sleeping, on his way out. She looked so small and frail, covered by so many furs. Looking at her like this, it was hard to imagine the keen mind that hid behind such a small body. Standing, she didn't quite reach his shoulders if he was wearing his high-heeled boots. And yet, her mind was very sharp- a contrast to her frail appearance. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised. He had seen powerful tiny mages before, in other worlds. She would be a worthy apprentice, for sure. He did not linger, walking into the washroom. He sighed in frustration. His hair looked quite disheveled and there was a very light fuzz trying to make its presence known on his chin. He didn't have all of his grooming tools here, though, so there was not much he could do. He would have to freshen up properly after the morning meeting.

Breakfast had to be served in the hearth room, much to Mateus’s frustration. He wanted to go back to his usual routine. While he could get a lot of work done while in lockdown, it inevitably slowed things down. He couldn’t have his usual meetings, and reports were slowed down as everyone else’s routines were also affected. Messages from the rest of the Empire were usually delayed for days , too, and then there were always damage reports to attend to, and repairs to be done. The latter was also affected by the delays that blizzards caused in general. And now, he also had to deal with all the necessary preparations for the reparation payments. It was incredibly frustrating. He was lucky that he enjoyed his work as an Emperor. He couldn’t imagine how miserable it would be otherwise.

And, well, he had something to look forward to aside from work now. The idea of being a mentor to new, untapped potential was a very appealing one. He liked strength and power in other people, especially when he could command it, and Kyrie’s quick learning was exactly the kind of thing he liked to see. She was starving for knowledge, and he could give it to her. He supposed he’d have to start planning the official announcement of her apprenticeship. He had already decided he would accept her as his apprentice, but he would wait until the trial week was over.  It wouldn’t do to go back on what he’d already told her he’d do. It would reflect poorly on him as a mentor, and he didn’t want that.

Breakfast was a fairly subdued affair. Everyone was quite tired of being in lockdown. Most of the nobles looked outright disheveled, too. It was to be expected, really. These people had never seen real hardship. They had not been in the front line of war, and they were too used to the comforts of palace life. Sleeping in cots, without privacy and wearing their day clothing and even shoes, even for a single night, was too much for them. He looked at Kyrie and though she did seem tired, she also seemed in much better spirits than the rest of the nobles. He supposed that her background helped. It was an intriguing contrast to the rest of the court, really. Perhaps in time, some of the nobles would notice and imitate the way she dealt gracefully with the indignities of lockdowns. If they did, it would definitely make winters more bearable.

A couple hours later, a servant came into the hearth room to announce that the ice had been cleared from the hallways. There were sighs of relief amongst the nobles. Everyone walked out of the hearth room. Mateus and his main advisors left for the throne room to have a quick meeting while everyone else left for their rooms to freshen up for the day. Mateus was glad to be moving ahead again. There was so much to do and his mind didn’t like being idle. His advisors looked tired and disheveled, but he didn’t care. They had duties to the Empire. They’d just have to deal with it.

---------------

Kyrie was very relieved to be able to go back to her room to freshen up properly, and she was even more relieved to find that there had been no damage there. The first thing she’d checked was her desk and she was delighted to see that the letters from her parents were safe and sound. Those letters were her most valuable possessions. They were her only connection to her original home and the family that she loved. Even if she made new connections, she refused to lose these. It might not be a particularly easy road, especially if she needed the Emperor’s permission to do something as simple as visiting her parents, but she would find a way. Maybe eventually, if she learned to teleport well enough, she’d be able to visit her parents whenever she wanted.

But, well, that was all in the future. For now, she had the letters, and whatever connections she managed to make in Castle Palamecia. There was Tilda, of course. She was great company, though they didn’t have a lot of time to talk lately. The blizzard would have been a great time to talk, if not for the fact that they’d had to spend the lockdown in entirely separate places. Still, she appreciated Tilda greatly. There was Nadine, too. She was a kind lady, and Kyrie wanted to talk to her more. She hadn’t known her for long, of course, but she definitely seemed like the kind of person Kyrie wanted to spend time around. There also was Johan. Their first meeting had been rough, but he was pretty nice now, and there was no denying that he was a very interesting person to talk to. He knew so much, and Kyrie enjoyed listening to him talk about his various stories. And, well, he had offered to show her several of the events that would take place in the castle. She was definitely looking forward to that.

There was also… the Emperor. He was her mentor now, and that meant she was going to be spending more time with him. The way that they had met had definitely been very rough. Back then, she never would have thought she’d feel anything but animosity towards the tyrant that had caused the war, conquered Bafsk, and then destroyed a number of towns. She had been very shocked when he treated her like a guest even when she wasn’t really one, and her surprise had only increased as he had gone further, making her part of the court. Watching him interact with her and the rest of his court, she had been forced to come to a conclusion about him: he was not a demon or a monster as people often said. He was a man. One who did some very monstrous things, to be sure, but a man nonetheless. The things she had said to Maria and the others at Fynn… they probably sounded to them as the words of someone who had been duped by the Emperor, but Kyrie really believed them. There was humanity in him, and that humanity was why she’d accepted being his apprentice. 

She was intrigued by him now. He was powerful and incredibly dangerous, but also… a very good dancer, and a man of very refined tastes. He was clearly very intelligent, and yet, he didn’t always seem to quite know how to engage in a conversation. He practically radiated regality, but also usually looked outright exhausted and occasionally struggled to stifle yawning during particularly long or tedious meetings. And, well, there had been the whole ordeal in Fynn. For all his arrogance and composure, he’d certainly struggled with the food. Monsters and demons didn’t have moments like these. They didn’t care about unpleasant food, or dancing, and they certainly didn’t have awkward moments of staring when they had no idea what to say. It was definitely strange to watch a man like him being so strangely human. It was a far cry from the aura of perfection that he clearly cultivated so carefully, but it was also the kind of thing one would only see if they spent daily life with him. His humanity was undoubtedly not something he displayed out of choice, but rather something that slipped past his royal veneer because he simply could not keep his guard up every single moment of his life. It was this humanity which she found so interesting and wanted to know better. Perhaps, with this mentorship, she would get to do so. 

---------------

By luncheon, Mateus had finally been able to properly brush and style his hair, and he’d been able to redo his make-up, as well as banish that disturbing fuzz on his chin. With his regal appearance restored, he felt so much better in spite of the exhaustion. His looks were a very important tool in his reign. They needed to reflect his authority, and thus be basically perfect. Some lapses were understandable in case of extraordinary situations, like lockdowns, but if he grew complacent, people might start to ask troublesome questions. Everything about him had to communicate that he was in control. Scruffy chins, imperfect make-up and disheveled hair were not the marks of a monarch who was in control. 

When he entered the main hall, he once again found Johan talking to Kyrie. What an irksome situation! He was not sure what Johan’s angle was. It was true that, as much as it disgusted Mateus, Kyrie was probably Johan’s type, but… he also remembered Johan’s opinion on the “stray”. The fact that the nobleman was so eager to befriend her now was very suspicious. Perhaps it was merely that her being elevated to noble status made her worthy enough to pursue, but… there was also the possibility that he had more reasons to pursue her. Mateus didn’t like that at all. Whatever angle Johan had for this, it was likely an unpleasant one. And there were all those things he’d heard, too. He gave a small involuntary shudder. Mateus was a pretty creative man, but the fact that some people could get so… maliciously creative in this manner disturbed him. 

The fact that Kyrie was a physically frail person made it even worse. She clearly had no idea of the whispers regarding Johan, and she didn’t seem to be particularly worried about the fact that he kept finding moments to converse with her when he had been so clearly against her back when she’d arrived. He had no idea if she was just oblivious or too new to realize what she was getting into. He supposed it would be best to inform her in some way, but he wasn’t sure how. It was an incredibly awkward and undignified subject matter, and he didn’t even have real proof of it. For now, he would simply keep an eye on Johan and his intentions. It was possible that he was simply being polite to Kyrie because she was a noble now, and he was trying to see if there was anything he could gain from her alliance. 

“And then I sent the man home with an entire bucket of fish. I finally had the silk and I wouldn’t have to explain away any unpleasant smells,” Johan was saying as Mateus sat down at the table. 

“That was quite a story,” Kyrie said, nodding and smiling.

Mateus frowned. He really didn’t like this. He knew the story Johan was talking about. It was about a journey he took to find silk to curry favor with Lord Webster. He had traveled around the empire, bartering for various things that seemed almost random, but were actually picked to minimize the cost of the silk, while maximizing the quality, and all based on his knowledge of the empire’s economy. It had all been very clever, of course. There was a reason Johan was his economic advisor after all. But Johan quite enjoyed telling that story to those he wanted to impress. Mateus was not sure why he would want to impress a young noblewoman that he was well-aware held no real power in the court. She didn’t have any allies that would make her an advantageous person to recruit to whatever agenda he was working on this time. She hadn’t even gained any real influence. She was too new. It was true that she was given a prominent spot at Mateus’s side, but Johan had to know that it was not for the usual reasons.

Johan did not stop trying to impress Kyrie. After the salt blessing, he went right back to sharing more stories about his journeys around the empire. Kyrie seemed to like them. Mateus hated listening to this. Johan’s interest in his apprentice disturbed him in ways he couldn’t really explain. It went beyond his distaste for Johan’s private interests. The best he could understand was the fact that Kyrie was his apprentice. Even if Johan didn’t know it, she would hold some power from that fact after the official announcement. And Mateus didn’t want Johan to influence her, especially when he didn’t know what agenda he would be pursuing. Was there more? No. Surely not. That was reason enough to hate Johan’s proximity to Kyrie. He supposed he would have to speak to Kyrie about this during their magic lesson. There were parts of that topic that were not fit for an emperor to discuss, really, but he would at least ask her what she thought about Johan’s sudden interest. 

The day felt like it went by in a flash due to how much work there was to do. After luncheon, Mateus headed straight to the throne room for the afternoon meeting, which went on for way too long. Damage reports had come in, and not only did they have to send for materials with which to fix various windows, but they had various things that they had to start ordering for the spring festival, and it was best that it was done before some other blizzard hit and left the castle entirely isolated. This blizzard had not been as harsh as some others, and the snow hadn’t accumulated so heavily yet as it was still early into the winter. They also had to create a task force to collect some of the snow in order to prepare it to fill water cisterns. Some would have to be shipped to drier areas in order to fill up cisterns that otherwise would struggle to keep the necessary reserves. Mateus was rather relieved that he was able to stay on top of all of that in spite of how little sleep he’d gotten.

By the time he was finally free, he was exhausted but quite looking forward to meeting up with Kyrie at the training grounds. He wanted to see if she could incorporate some of what she’d learned into her casting. He didn’t expect that she would be able to, and if she did, it’d be a very small bit, since she was still only starting her studies. Still, he was curious. Even if she was not a prodigy, she had managed to teach herself a surprising amount. Her eagerness to learn meant that she might actually surprise him. He hoped she would, but he did not expect it. 

He also needed to ask her about her thoughts on Johan, or, well, something of that sort. He didn’t normally speak to people about topics like these. He didn’t even know how to bring it up. He’d observed people interacting, but he hadn’t really paid attention to this kind of thing. It hadn’t been necessary, and arguably, it wouldn’t be, if he still were in the middle of his conquest campaign, or if he were dealing with someone born and raised as a noble. He had neither of those circumstances in this case. There was another complicating factor, too. Kyrie was a woman. Mateus had nothing against women, but it could not be denied that noblewomen were often the ones pursued rather than the ones doing the pursuing when it came to personal affairs. At her age, she was likely thinking of those… distasteful topics. Most women her age did. He would also have to ask her about that. It was unpleasant business, but as her mentor, he had to know these things.  

Upon entering the magic training grounds, he saw Kyrie was already there. He was not surprised. Technically, he was a bit late, but it couldn’t really be helped. She was waiting patiently, sitting at a bench near the entrance. She got up the moment she saw him and gave a small bow of her head.

“Good evening, Emperor,” she greeted him. He could sense the excitement in her voice, even though she clearly was doing her best to sound proper and polite. 

“Good evening, my lady,” he replied. “I suppose you are ready to show me what you have learned from our lesson last night.”

“Y-yes, of course,” she said. “I… don’t know if there will be too much change, of course. I haven’t gotten to practice it yet, really.”

“That is true. However, I expect that, understanding the theory better, you will be able to show some improvement, however minute,” he said. “After all, you learned all you already knew from books, did you not?”

“Well, yes.”

“Then you already have practice in applying theory to magic casting. I expect improvement.”

It was a strict expectation, and he knew it. However, he preferred being strict now and really getting an idea of what she was capable of, and not being lenient and having her get used to that before he became strict. He didn’t like being lenient anyways. Showing mercy was a weakness, whether it was to friends or foes. She’d learn better if he was strict. 

“Right. Of course, Emperor,” Kyrie said with a remarkably uncertain nod. 

She looked at him expectantly, as if waiting for him to give her an order. He had to suppress the urge to grin. He did like it when people just… listened to his commands. Kyrie’s clear intention to be an obedient student spoke well of her potential.

“Cast Fire at the target,” he said. 

Kyrie nodded and walked over to the target. Mateus followed her to inspect her casting. He did not remind her of the theory- that was something she had to know. He would only remind her if needed. She took a moment to think before she extended her hand to cast her spell. It was a good try, but not particularly impressive, and her body language told him she was well aware of this.

“Again.”

Kyrie nodded, stopping a moment to think before she cast again. It was a bit different, though not quite what he expected. He made her try again and again, though he was sure he didn’t need to actually give her the command. She was perfectly willing to do the work all on her own, as she knew enough to know that she wasn’t quite getting where she needed to be. Mateus didn’t bother to tell her that actual improvement was not really something he expected, but after a while of adjusting her casting, she finally made an improvement, her Fire spell being brighter and just a tad bigger. Slightly better form, too. Mateus was pleasantly surprised. She clearly was no prodigy, but she was smart and a hard worker. That would get her far. He nodded.

“That was an improvement,” he said, “If you keep working like this, in time, you may become a powerful mage. For now, however, let us take a small break.”

“A… break? I can still cast, though. I’m still fine.”

“That may be so, but there are a few things I would like to speak with you about,” he said.

This was going to be awkward. How was he supposed to even start this conversation? Kyrie looked somewhat uncertain, but she nodded and followed him back to one of the benches at the very edge of the room. Mateus picked the bench farthest from the entrance. He did not want anyone listening in. He gestured for her to sit and then sat down at a respectable distance from her. Kyrie looked rather bewildered.

“I have noticed that you have become rather friendly with Lord Vernistel,” he said stiffly.

“Oh, um… yes,” Kyrie replied. “I… know he didn’t like me before, but he’s been… friendly for a bit. Since around the time we went to Fynn, actually.”

“I noticed,” Mateus said flatly. 

“I’m glad he’s friendlier,” Kyrie said. “I prefer not having enemies, and he said he would show me some of the events that take place in the castle during winter. I’m looking forward to that. I want to get to know more people.”

The answer annoyed him, though he did not give any indication of that, his face serious and cold. He had hoped that she was just being polite to Johan and she didn’t really care to speak to him, but unfortunately, she really was interested in these events that he had promised to show her. He knew that it was, indeed, important for her to attend at least a few of the events. She needed to start getting influence in the court. But not with Johan’s help! Mateus was certain that there was no way Johan was trying to do this out of the goodness of his heart, and Kyrie really seemed oblivious about it.

“Ah, yes. Social life is indeed important for a young noblewoman,” he said. He supposed this was as good a time as any to bring up the distasteful topic he had to ask her about. “And you… seem to have… taken to his company quite well.”

Well, that wasn’t quite bringing it up, but… well, he’d get there. 

“I think he’s a friendly man. His stories are fascinating, and I can learn a lot about the Empire and other places that I’ve never seen. I think that’s important too, and not just from information in books. The stories people tell can really make those unfamiliar places come to life,” Kyrie said. 

“And you. What do you… think of the man himself?” Mateus asked. He had to practically spit out the words. This was an incredibly uncomfortable topic. 

“Oh, I think he’s very interesting and very intelligent. I can see why he is one of your main advisors,” Kyrie said. “He has some very fascinating stories to tell.”

Mateus didn’t know how to feel about her answer. It wasn’t what he wanted to hear, though… well, maybe there wasn’t anything in particular that he did want to hear. Or if there was, he didn’t know what exactly that would be. He supposed he should at least be relieved that her opinion was… relatively neutral. Though he didn’t know what he wanted her to say, he did know exactly what he did not want her to say. At least she wasn’t gushing about him being handsome or some sentimental thing like that. That would make this too awkward for him to even continue talking. He cleared his throat a bit.

“He certainly has seen fit to give you much of his time to share many of his stories. I hope you understand that, in the court, such things do not often come without some kind of cost to them. Or at least, some kind of expectation for a benefit. You are aware, I hope, that seldom are such actions taken for any sort of… altruistic reason.”

“I… don’t think there’s much use he could get out of me, Your Highness,” Kyrie said. “I know I’m known as a noblewoman now. But… I don’t really have any power here. I think… we both know that well enough. I would think Johan recognizes that too.”

“Johan is ambitious, my lady. You do not hold the kind of power noblewomen generally do, but he knows you are under my personal protection. And soon, you may officially become my apprentice. That is, in itself, power,” Mateus said. “There is something else. He is unmarried, and of an age where that may soon reflect poorly upon him.”

Kyrie frowned in some confusion before her eyes widened.

“But surely… he’s not… not like that , right?” she asked, concern etched into her voice and her expression.

A small, quiet sigh escaped Mateus’s lips. Here he was, Emperor of Palamecia, subduer of nations, conqueror of hell itself… talking with a young woman about her suitors and plans for the future. The gods mocked him. It was, unfortunately, really something he needed to know. She, too, needed to be informed of these things, since apparently she was completely oblivious to this. 

“Perhaps. Perhaps not. But what does it matter? You are a rising figure in the court. You still present an opportunity for a man like him. In the end, that is what matters. The opportunity. When it comes to nobility, the only thing that matters is how beneficial the union is,” Mateus said. “And with your position, there is benefit in pursuing you.”

“I… see.”

He was not sure what she was thinking. She looked very bewildered by this whole conversation, but whether she was alright with Johan’s attentions or not… he could not really tell. 

“Because you are aiming to become my apprentice, there are some things I must know about your plans for the future,” the Emperor said. “Are you seeking to be… married? And if so… what are your plans regarding your magic studies?”

“Oh! Um… well… I… haven’t really thought about it,” Kyrie replied. “I mean… I don’t have anything against it, really, but… well… my studies are very important to me, and I don’t want to give them up.”

“Marriage does not necessarily mean giving up on your studies and interests, my lady,” Mateus said. “While it is true that you would have additional duties, it would mean slowing down your studies, but not abandoning them.”

“I… suppose that’s true,” Kyrie said thoughtfully. “But… no, Your Highness. I think I’m fine remaining single.”

Mateus felt an odd sensation, much like relief, washing over him. He supposed it was only natural. It was true that she could continue her studies even if she did get married, but it was just better if she did not. He wanted her to remain completely devoted to her apprenticeship. It was good to know that, at least for now, she wasn’t entertaining Johan’s advances.

“You should be aware that, should your apprenticeship become official, you will become a rather… coveted person in the court, regardless of your other circumstances,” he said. 

“Oh no… really?” she asked, her voice sounding outright concerned.

“Indeed. The Emperor’s official apprentice. You will get plenty of suitors, whether or not you wish to have them.”

“I… hope it will not be as bad as that,” Kyrie sighed. 

“I am merely warning you. How you deal with them is left to your discretion,” Mateus said. 

Kyrie nodded, and Mateus gave a nod of his head too. He was relieved to be done with this infernal topic. Him, of all people, dealing with a topic like this . Thankfully, he had his answers now, and he would not need to speak of it again. 

“Well, then,” he said. “Time to continue training. Cast Ice at the target now.”

Kyrie nodded and stood up, heading towards the target. Mateus followed. This was much better. Magic was something he actually understood. It was a topic where he was in control, and that was exactly how he liked things.

Chapter Text

Kyrie had no idea how to feel about the conversation with the Emperor. She thought it over in her room once she returned from training, her mana completely gone again, and exhausted from the day in general. He was the last person she expected to have to talk to about her plans for her future. At least… when it came to these kinds of plans. After some thought, she supposed that in the end, he did have to know these things. He could not afford to have an apprentice that was thinking about abandoning her studies after a bit to go and be a housewife instead.

That thought reminded her of Seth. She couldn't help noticing how… differently Seth saw these things. The Emperor did not assume that, if she did find someone she wanted to marry, she would absolutely abandon her studies. Seth always spoke of his plans for her as if it was a given that if she married him, she would devote herself entirely to him and his household, as well as giving him a huge progeny. The way he talked about it always made her feel almost… dirty. It was a relief to see that the topic was treated much more normally in Castle Palamecia. 

At least… it was somewhat normal. There was what the Emperor had said about marriage in the court and how all that mattered was how beneficial the union was. What a cold approach. She did not much care for it, and she supposed it was a bit of an advantage for her. Regardless of what the Emperor said, she was not a powerful figure in the court. Even if she was considered to be close to the Emperor as his apprentice, there wasn't likely to be any real benefit in courting her. There were a number of young ladies of great influence and power that would be a much better choice. And though Johan’s interest was potentially problematic, Kyrie was sure it would be fine unless he asked to court her or something like that.

She doubted that would happen. Johan was too smart to really court someone with no real power. Power was about influence right? Surely they didn’t think that she could possibly influence the Emperor! That would be silly. No one influenced the Emperor. That was why he’d waged his war to conquer the world, after all. If he’d been amenable to any kind of influence, there’s no way he would have ever done something so reckless. Someone would have been able to talk him out of it. And if his advisors hadn’t been able to do that, there was no way she would be able to influence him at all. The court had to be well-aware of that. She shook her head. This opportunity was truly amazing. She just wished she didn’t have to be occasionally distracted by the court and its general issues. Still, it was a small cost to pay. 

---------------

The week went by much in the way Mateus had anticipated it. Kyrie was, indeed, a very fast learner, and she made small improvements, just like he’d predicted. He’d seldom seen someone so thirsty for knowledge. He couldn’t help but think about how she was, in her own way, almost as ambitious as he was. In the relative quiet and privacy of his study, she asked all kinds of questions. Sometimes, it was to the point of outright annoyance, but he couldn’t really stay annoyed all that long. He liked to see her ambition, especially when it wasn’t at odds with his own. Normally, the ambitious people he met had ambitions too close to his own goals, and that made them obstacles that needed to be eliminated. Kyrie just wanted magical knowledge. That wasn’t something that clashed with his goals. If anything, having a mage of her potential in Palamecia made his empire a little better. It was always good to have those kinds of people. That often spelled progress, and that was important for an empire’s growth. His enemies often mocked him for the fact that he didn’t personally care for any of his subjects, but they underestimated his capacity as a king. He didn’t need to like any of them, or care about their happiness in order to keep them in good shape and give them purpose. His people thrived, and he did absolutely care about that. A strong empire was composed of strong people, with purpose and loyalty, full bellies, and occupied minds.

It was, then, time to officially announce her apprenticeship. He wondered how the court would react to her new status. Mostly, he wondered what Johan was going to do. Would he increase his advances on Kyrie? Probably. Kyrie was a safe target for him to pursue, really, given his… preferences. She seemed like such a meek creature, so easy to manipulate and push into doing… well, whatever one wanted. For a while now, but especially after teaching her for a week, Mateus wasn’t so sure that was true anymore. There was a time he’d thought she was too meek to do much more than nod when confronted, but he’d seen otherwise, especially as she had adjusted to life in the castle. There were a few times already when he had said something snappy, daring her to say the wrong thing, and she had very carefully deflected the questions in such a way that it did not insult him… but she also did not yield. A meek person would have practically fallen apart, given his… reputation.

Instead of falling apart, she was thriving. She did not seem to fear him at all. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. Part of him was a bit bothered by it. His image was very important, and fear was a very useful tool. If nothing else, he was able to use it to keep some of his advisors off his case when it came to certain distasteful topics regarding his personal life that he did not want to deal with. He didn’t usually use it when it came to imperial affairs. He had his advisors for a reason, and he needed his empire to run efficiently. Some things he did ignore them on, but mostly he let them run the general management affairs of the empire. His enemies would find it surprising, but Mateus was a pragmatic man. He surrounded himself with talent for a reason, not to waste it by micromanaging every single thing in the empire. Kyrie was the newest addition to this circle of talent that he had created around himself. 

It was true that she was still… oblivious… to things she really shouldn’t be. It was true that she was very clever when it came to her studies and questions, but she was still so naive. Part of him was annoyed. In spite of his warnings, she was still quite friendly with Johan, as though she weren’t aware that his intentions were far less than altruistic. On the other hand, another part of him did feel a bit… satisfied. While she was friendly with Johan, it was also clearly quite innocent from her part. She clearly was not entertaining any advances. She was just… not really seeing them, apparently. There wasn’t much he could do about it, even if it annoyed him. However, after she was officially his apprentice, he was just going to give her a lot more work to do. She was going to need that work. After they were done with the basics, he would be introducing some rather complicated magical knowledge, and he would need her to complement his teachings with her own studies. He just didn’t have time to impart it all himself, and either way, she needed to keep honing her studying skills. If it kept her from being too friendly with people she didn’t need to be friendly with, well… all the better. Though, he thought with an annoyed frown, if she really wanted to, she’d just find a way to do both things. She was quite resourceful… and nowhere near as passive as she looked.

The pendant he had ordered had finally arrived too, after some delays due to the winter. For a moment, he considered giving it to her to mark her apprenticeship, but then decided against it. No, not this pendant. It had a different meaning. He would give her a badge or something of that sort. In fact, he owned a brooch small enough to be fitting for her. It had the Palamecian crest on it, and he very seldom wore it. That one sent the right message. That would do. He just needed to get a fancy little box for it.

As for the announcement, he would wait until Friday, when such announcements and events were generally held. It was true that he could make the announcement sooner, but more people attended Friday meetings because that was the day when they expected to hear such proclamations, as well as certain decrees that applied only to the castle and its inhabitants. It would give the announcement the right kind of gravitas. He wasn’t wasting time, after all. He could simply start Kyrie’s proper training even before he actually made her apprenticeship official in front of the court. He’d also have to talk to the girl’s attendant so that she could make sure Kyrie was extra presentable that day. It was pleasing to him to see things going back to a relative normal. He had come so close to losing everything at Fynn. It was about time for things to go his way. 

“This Friday, I will be announcing your apprenticeship officially,” he told Kyrie in his study that evening. 

“Oh! Really? So that means…”

“Yes. You will officially be my apprentice,” Mateus nodded. “Friday is an auspicious day for the announcement. It is the day that corresponds to the element of water, which is a blessing. Of course, we will start your training before that. We need not wait until the official announcement.”

Kyrie nodded thoughtfully. Her eyes were practically sparkling. 

“I am glad. I don't want to slow down. I have already learned so much, and this is only the beginning,” she said. “Of course… I know you will want me to make a good impression during the announcement.”

“It would be… beneficial if you make a particularly good impression, yes,” Mateus said. “It should not be particularly difficult. You blend in well with the court. However, since it is a special occasion, you should wear something a bit fancier than usual. It is only proper.”

“Yes, that is what I was thinking. I’ll make sure to dress to the occasion,” Kyrie said. 

“Just make sure you do not dress too well,” Mateus said with an amused sneer. “Certain young ladies of the court might take it as a challenge and will think you are trying to offend them. You will never get them off your case. After all, though it is a special occasion to you, it is still a normal day for everyone else.”

Kyrie nodded, seemingly understanding the issue. He knew she’d dealt with the gossip from certain court ladies.

“Right. I don’t want them feeling any more jealousy than they already do,” Kyrie said. 

Mateus shook his head as he re-arranged the scrolls on his desk to bring out a new one.

“They waste their time,” he said. “I am well-aware of what they want, but it is simply not going to happen.”

Kyrie turned to look at him, frowning slightly. She seemed to want to ask something, but Mateus knew that it might lead to some kind of uncomfortable topic. She probably wanted to ask him if he, like her, was planning not to get married. He did not want to talk about that. Those sentimental topics were for other people to deal with, not him. He cleared his throat.

“Either way,” he said. “I will be giving instructions to your attendant on the proper attire you should wear on Friday.”

“That will be most helpful,” Kyrie said. “Tilda is very good with that kind of thing. She’s been a true blessing.”

Mateus gave her a polite nod. Kyrie had expressed that thought a few times. The girl’s attendant had been well-picked, definitely. She had been a good informant, too. He’d been able to lower the amount of supervision Kyrie got thanks to that attendant. The attendant girl seemed just as pleased with her charge as Kyrie was with her, too.

“You do seem to have inspired… loyalty… in your attendant,” Mateus said.

“I get along with her. I consider her a friend.”

Mateus raised an eyebrow. Friends with her attendant? He understood trusting one’s attendant, but friendship? Perhaps it was her humble origins. Most nobles didn’t go around befriending the staff. Well… if it worked for her, he supposed he didn’t have a problem. Her origins made it understandable, and aside from some possible gossip, there wasn’t any real problem he could see for now. Perhaps this attendant could teach Kyrie a few things about watching out for people like Johan.

“I see,” he said. 

She didn’t say more on the topic and neither did he. Instead they both turned their attention back to the lesson at hand. Mateus had decided that, after the bare essentials, a deep dive into each element was the best choice. Currently, he was teaching her about Fire. Though often considered one of the basic spells, there was a surprising amount of things to teach about it. There were methods to cast it faster, and there were special use cases, as well as generally how it behaved when it encountered various situations. 

“Fire can also be considered a cleansing force,” Mateus explained. “And thus, it is especially useful against the undead.”

“Ghosts too?” Kyrie asked. “I understand the… uh… more corporeal undead. Dead… things… burn more easily too. But what about undead without a body? Does the purification effect work there too, or is it just for physical things?”

“Any undead should be similarly affected,” Mateus said. “Whether or not they have a proper body, undead creatures are considered cursed. The fire cleanses the curse.”

“Right. And healing magic, that has the opposite effect, right?”

“That is correct. The curse of undeath, by its nature, makes a mockery of life. It thus warps curative magic into something foul. It is not merely curative magic which is warped. Draining magic, too, gains an opposite effect. Instead of healing the caster, it will harm the caster. It is little wonder, of course. If you are absorbing a foul curse, it is to be expected that it would cause you harm,” Mateus explained. “However, that has nothing to do with fire.”

“Right, of course,” Kyrie said.

“I am curious. Why did you bring up ghosts in particular?” he asked.

“Well, there’s the fact that they’re technically different from ghouls and such things. But… well, this will sound silly, but… I hear there’s a ghost in the castle.”

A ghost in Castle Palamecia? It was possible. It was an old place. However, the fact that she mentioned a singular ghost and not a number of them made him think she probably meant something specific. He was curious. What stories were people spreading this time? 

“Is that right? What kind of ghost?” he asked.

“I’m… not sure. I was told it wanders the hallways at night and that it kills people. I have been wondering what I might be able to do if I run into it.”

“You have no reason to run into a ghost that wanders at night. After all, you have no business wandering those halls yourself. At night, you should be resting. It improves your focus during your magic lessons,” Mateus said, shaking his head dismissively. 

A ghost that killed people if they saw it? What a lack of creativity. He was hoping they’d be spreading wilder stories than that. Mateus didn’t fear any ghosts. Most of them belonged in hell anyways, and if they bothered him, he could always expedite their trip back there. The living were a lot more troublesome than the dead as far as he was concerned. They were unpredictable. The undead were perfectly predictable. Usually they just wanted to eat someone’s brain or suck out their life force. 

“Have you seen it, Your Highness?” she asked. 

“No,” Mateus said, noticing how she had completely skipped over his comment about not wandering the hallways at night. “If I do, I will make sure to eliminate it. It is hardly surprising for a castle this old to attract a few undead souls, but I will not have them attacking my staff or members of my court. However, that should not concern you, given the nocturnal habits of this ghost. You should never encounter it. Or do you mean to tell me that you plan to wander the halls at night?”

“Oh! Um, no!” Kyrie exclaimed, seeming to suddenly realize what the implications of what she said were. “No, Your Highness. Not really. I mean… if I need something, maybe, but… I do prefer to rest instead.”

Mateus nodded, satisfied. He was not going to have his apprentice wasting precious rest time wandering the hallways in search of this… ghost. Especially if there was any chance she might run into something. Her magic was definitely improving, but she had learned it as some kind of tool, rather than as a weapon. She might actually be able to kill a fly by now, but he wouldn’t want her to run into something hostile. Not yet. Eventually, she would be fine handling most threats, at least in theory. In practice… things might be a bit more complicated. She was such a gentle creature, that he wasn’t sure she was even capable of fighting, even in self-defense. She needed to toughen up, but for now, there wasn’t much he could do but prepare her. 

“Very well. Let us continue,” he said. 

Kyrie nodded and brought her focus back to the magic lessons. Mateus went back to his explanation, though a small part of him was very curious about his apprentice’s interest in ghosts. Maybe he’d ask her more some other time. 

---------------

Kyrie was delighted at the fact that she was going to officially be the Emperor’s apprentice. He’d said he was going to test her, so she supposed she’d passed whatever test it was. He knew so much about magic. It was fascinating to watch how he often didn’t even need to double-check any of the information that he explained. She wasn’t sure that the Mysidian academy would have been better for her learning. Sure, it would have been a far more structured environment, and there would have been benefits to having more teachers, but the quality of the information seemed to be just fine. At the very least, the Emperor had given her a chance. The Mysidians had not. It was something she couldn’t just ignore. 

She headed to her room after her magic lesson. She wanted to tell Tilda about the news regarding her apprenticeship. Even though the announcement would be in a few days, it was pretty much official now. She would have to write to her parents, too. After all, the letter would likely reach them after the official announcement. The Emperor surely would not have a problem allowing her to tell her parents of this wonderful news.

She did not find Tilda there when she got to her room, so Kyrie immediately got to work writing the letter to her parents. There was a lot to tell them about, really. She wanted to tell them about the blizzard and subsequent lockdown, too, but mostly she was too excited about her apprenticeship with the Emperor to not make it the main subject of the letter.

Tilda arrived at her room shortly after Kyrie was done writing. Kyrie greeted her excitedly.

“You seem particularly happy today, milady,” Tilda said.

“Yes. I am. I have some wonderful news,” Kyrie said.

“Oh? What kind of news? A suitor, perhaps, milady?”

Kyrie gave a small laugh.

“No. Way better. The Emperor has decided to officially make me his apprentice. In magic, of course,” Kyrie said. “He told me that today, during my lesson. This Friday, he will make the official announcement.”

“Oh my goodness, milady, that’s wonderful news! This is what you’ve always wanted, isn’t it? To learn magic?” 

“Yes,” Kyrie said, nodding emphatically. “For a long while, at least. Since I was 16, especially, but I’ve wanted it since I was very young. And… yes, I can learn from books, but… the Emperor was right. A teacher makes all the difference.”

“I am very happy to hear this, milady,” Tilda said. “I know the Emperor once had a protegé, but… this is the first time he actually takes an apprentice. He must see potential in you.”

“I sure hope so,” Kyrie said. “And I hope I can live up to his expectations. I wouldn’t want to be officially declared his apprentice and then after a while kicked out or something like that.”

“You will need to wear something special for the announcement, I’m sure,” Tilda said, getting kind of excited herself. “And your hair must be styled especially well, too.”

“The Emperor said he would tell you what he wants for that day,” Kyrie said. “But… yes. I do suppose I will have to wear something a bit nicer than usual, at least. It’s exciting! And I’m nervous too. But mostly I’m just very happy. I know the court is going to gossip for weeks about it, but… I don’t really mind. I get to learn magic from a true prodigy.”

“Yes, he really is a magic prodigy,” Tilda nodded. “And… yes, the court will definitely gossip. They will find it offensive that someone who has been with us for so little time gets such an honor. And the young ladies that like the Emperor… they will not like this at all, either. It will make them more jealous.”

“I wish they’d just be able to see that this is an entirely professional thing. It’s not like he’s really going to get close at all. He’s just going to teach me magic,” Kyrie said.

That was it. There was nothing more to it than that. It was rather frustrating that the court kept trying to read into every single one of her interactions with the Emperor, really. Yes, he was… definitely an interesting person. He had given her this amazing chance, and he was intelligent and honestly, when he did want to talk, it was quite pleasant to talk to him. But just because he could be quite agreeable to spend time with didn’t mean she was trying to climb up the social ladder. Agreeable people made good friends. Friends was all she really wanted.

Chapter Text

Mateus had no problem finding a suitable little box for the brooch he would present to Kyrie during the official announcement of her apprenticeship. He had given the girl’s attendant clear instructions as to the kind of appearance Kyrie should have that afternoon, and he was, therefore, feeling quite confident that the whole announcement would go the way he thought it would. 

He was well-aware some nobles would find it almost offensive. Every single time someone advanced due to merits alone, there were nobles that made their displeasure known, and Kyrie had advanced a lot in what many would see as too little time. He shook his head, remembering the first time he’d ever seen her, a frightened little mouse thrown at his feet like some kind of sacrifice. She was very different now. While she still had a very shy demeanor, she had managed to integrate herself into the court. Lately, he’d even seen her exchanging words with some court ladies before and after meetings. Her friendly ways certainly seemed to serve her well. They certainly were not going to hurt when it came to the new attention she was likely going to receive. 

That Friday afternoon, he was quite pleased to see her arrive in the throne room wearing one of her fancier winter clothes. It was exactly right, being just fancy enough to stand out from her usual dress, but not so fancy that it might be seen as festive. Her hair was adorned with a graceful hairband with a few short gem strings. It was a very clever idea from the girl’s attendant. The gems would add to her image as a mage, since gems were often used to focus magical energies. Perhaps he would ask her to wear gems on her hair more often. 

The meeting began as usual, with all the discussions and announcements that needed to happen with the nobles who were present. With the last effects of the blizzard being cleared, there were a lot of orders that needed to be made while it was still possible to even travel to the city itself. Messengers needed to be sent to various territories, too, for the usual workings of the Empire. Finally, it was time. He gave his usual decrees and announcements, and he raised his hand to signal for silence. 

---------------

Kyrie was very excited, but also increasingly nervous as the afternoon meeting went on. Being put on the spot always made her nervous, and, well, the Emperor would make a public announcement. She would probably have to approach him and everyone in court would just be staring. She knew already that a good number of them would likely be very hostile. They might hide the worst of it from the Emperor, but they still would be bothered by the announcement. Still, while that would be unpleasant, she could deal with it. She was simply not going to let some gossipy nobles get in the way of her achieving her goals. 

Tilda had done an amazing job getting her hair to look quite nice, and she was wearing a very lovely dress. It was fairly fancy and it was purple. The Emperor sure seemed to like giving her purple dresses, in several shades even, though he’d also given her some in pink, blue, green, and even a red dress. She noticed Johan looking at her a few times and wondered what was going on in his mind. A few other nobles were also stealing glances at her, and Kyrie supposed that they were just wondering why she was dressed extra nice today. She normally didn’t adorn her hair with gems, and she also didn’t get to wear these particularly nice dresses. They wouldn’t know that the Emperor was going to make an announcement about her, and thus, her fancier attire definitely had to look odd to them. 

The anticipation had made it difficult for her to pay proper attention to the meeting. A lot of the topics were ones that she definitely had to learn at least a bit about as general cultural knowledge, but they were entirely unrelated to her. She had nothing to do with land disputes and military orders and appointments, and most of the taxes that were discussed did not apply to her. They were related to various territories that had nothing to do with Bafsk. Finally, as the Emperor raised his hand to call for silence after all the announcements and discussions, she felt her heart skip a beat in excitement. It was time. The room of nobles fell silent, though some of them looked around a little confused, as they had expected the whole meeting was over. 

“I have a last announcement to make,” the Emperor said. “Though this court requires that every person carry their own weight and seek greatness in service of the Empire, it is not often that we have one of our own seek greatness in arcane knowledge. Today, however, marks such an occasion.”

The nobles looked at each other in some confusion, and some shot rather accusatory glances at Kyrie, likely now understanding why she was dressed fancier than usual. 

“I hereby appoint Lady Kyrie Solwood of Palamecia as my official apprentice in arcane knowledge,” he continued.

He gestured for her to approach him, and she did so, her steps purposeful. He let her approach somewhat more than usual before his stance shifted to a more stiff one and he stood a bit taller. She knew that was her cue to stop. The Emperor held out his hand and his attendant handed him a small box made of a polished dark wood, inlaid with gold filigree. The Palamecian crest was inlaid on the top. It was possibly the prettiest box Kyrie had ever seen. The Emperor held it out to her, and she took it. 

“Open it,” he said. 

Kyrie did so, finding out it was a display case for a very beautiful brooch. It wasn’t a particularly big one, made with gold and gemstones, the Palamecian crest being the main adornment. It was beautifully crafted. 

“That brooch is now the symbol of your new station,” the Emperor said. “Wear it well.”

“Thank you. It is a great honor, Your Highness,” Kyrie said. 

She took the brooch and put it on, feeling delighted, grateful and still somewhat nervous. It was quite lovely, but at this moment, she felt its weight. This was real. Officially. The Emperor nodded.

“Let this appointment remind everyone that the Empire nurtures and rewards talent, loyalty and diligence,” the Emperor said. “I expect nothing less than excellence from everyone in my court.”

He paused, glancing at the crowd before he raised his hand again.

“With this last announcement, this meeting is now adjourned.”

There were murmurs as people began talking amongst each other, with some turning to leave, and others seemingly considering their next move. The Emperor turned to Kyrie.

“I will meet you in the training room at the usual time,” he said. 

Kyrie nodded. He turned away from her, and she turned to leave, glancing at the assembled nobles and finding… exactly what she expected. A number of people were looking outright hostile, though most looked very surprised, and a few looked happy enough for her. Those who were happy were exactly the people she expected. Nadine, Sir Duveron, and several other nobles she had recently been friendly with. Johan’s face was difficult for her to read, but he didn’t look displeased. She supposed he simply wasn’t particularly expressive.

Kyrie did not have much of a chance to exit the throne room, however. Most of the nobles crowded around her, wanting to either ask her things, or simply hear what others had to say about the whole thing. There were a lot of them that wanted to ask things. It was hard to even understand all of them. After a moment of chaos, they finally organized themselves better so as to at least talk one at a time.

“Congratulations, Lady Solwood,” said a noble. “The Emperor has given you an unusual honor. I hope you live up to it.”

“Thank you. I hope so too,” Kyrie replied.

Several other people congratulated her after that, though Kyrie could tell a good number of them were absolutely not sincere about it. She didn’t really mind. They weren’t the ones in charge of her future, anyways, and perhaps, in time, they would learn that she wasn’t a threat to them. After a while of nobles congratulating her with various degrees of sincerity, she noticed the one person she had really wished wouldn’t approach. Miss Pearl Webster could barely conceal her hostility as she approached.

“The Emperor’s apprentice, huh?” Pearl asked. “The Emperor has never taken an apprentice before. How did that happen? Just some weeks ago, he made you into a noble, and now this?”

Kyrie wasn’t surprised at Pearl’s hostility. Even when she’d acted sort of nice during the dance, she had been condescending. 

“I don’t know why the Emperor hadn’t taken an apprentice before. Perhaps it was because of the war,” Kyrie said. 

“I just don’t understand. What does he see in you? To make you his apprentice is a huge honor. Why would he bestow such an honor on someone who’s basically an outsider?”

“That’s not something I could answer,” Kyrie said. “I cannot speak for him. Perhaps you should just ask him.”

“Indeed, Miss Webster,” the Emperor said, approaching them from behind Pearl. “Why do you not merely ask me? Or do you have a problem with my decisions?”

The color drained from Pearl’s face and she turned around to face the Emperor, her face instantly turning apologetic. 

“My lord! M-my apologies. I can explain,” Pearl said. 

“Then explain.”

“I am just very surprised. Lady Solwood is… a newcomer to the court, but she already has advanced significantly. She’s a noble, even though she’s of common birth, and, now, she’s your apprentice? My Lord, my family has been serving yours for generations, and yet, you bestow this honor upon this young outsider,” Pearl said.

The Emperor’s stance changed a bit, his chin lifting slightly. Kyrie felt preemptively a bit sorry for Pearl. 

“Ah, Miss Webster. I was completely unaware that your family’s loyalty was dependent, or at all related, to my bestowing personal favors upon you,” he said. “Lady Solwood’s appointment as my apprentice is a choice I have taken informed entirely by merit. She has shown interest and skill in the arcane arts. If you doubt the wisdom of my decisions, I would suggest caution.”

“N-no! Of course not. I… I’m merely expressing my surprise at how… unusual the situation is,” Pearl said.

“Indeed,” the Emperor said. “It is indeed unusual to find someone in the court with both the interest and aptitude to study magic. However, your interest in this particular appointment does surprise me. I do not believe you have shown any curiosity about the topic of magic.”

Pearl looked utterly flustered now.

“O-of course. You’re right, my lord. I was merely taken aback by the unusual nature of this auspicious occasion,” Pearl said. She turned to Kyrie, begrudgingly. “Congratulations on your appointment.”

“Thank you,” Kyrie said. 

The Emperor’s involvement made a lot of the nobles nervous, especially the more hostile ones. After quickly congratulating her, they left, and soon enough, the crowd around her finally dispersed, much to her relief and the Emperor’s apparent amusement. Kyrie couldn’t help but give a small sigh in relief. The Emperor turned to her with an expression that was as smug as it was amused. She could almost hear him saying he’d warned her about the extra attention she was going to get. She hoped he wouldn’t quite say it that way, but she was thankful for his aid. 

“It is only to be expected that the court would be curious about you with your new appointment,” the Emperor said. 

“Yes, I… suppose so,” Kyrie said. “Pearl did say that you never had an apprentice before, so I guess it’s a novelty.”

“That is true. You are my first apprentice. However, it is hardly surprising. Not many Emperors take apprentices. Some do, if they have knowledge such as powerful magic, but only later in life, and I am hardly an old man,” the Emperor said. 

“I see,” Kyrie said. “I guess it really is just the novelty. It’s… just a bit more than I expected. I… thank you for your intervention.”

The Emperor shrugged, but he did look pleased.

“I simply happened to overhear her saying problematic things. I will not take people questioning my authority,” he said. “However, you do look tired. Go and rest. I need you at full capacity for your training later.”

“Yes, of course. Thank you, Your Highness,” Kyrie said. “I will be ready then.”

“You better be. It will be your first day of training as my official apprentice,” he said. 

With that, he turned away and left the throne room. Kyrie followed suit, not wanting to give much time for any more nobles to try to crowd around her now that the Emperor was gone. 

---------------

Mateus was quite pleased with the announcement of Kyrie’s apprenticeship. Being delivered after all the other announcements, with Kyrie being dressed in a fancier way than usual had really hit the right tone. Because she was fairly new in the court, it was important that any announcements regarding her were given the right gravitas. It helped her blend into the court. Not that she needed a lot of help, it seemed. She did have a delicate form and that did help her achieve that noble look when given the right attire, but it seemed that she had been paying close attention to how the nobles around her behaved, since her body language had steadily been changing to better blend in. It was pretty impressive, really. 

The brooch suited her, too. Admittedly, it wasn’t a particularly feminine design, but it was the most delicately-decorated one that he had owned, and since it had the Palamecian crest, it didn’t need flowery decorations or any such frills. He would require her to wear it during meetings at least, to really make sure everyone was well-aware of her position. He wondered if Johan would back away from her now. Surely, he had to realize that it was not a good idea to distract the Emperor's apprentice. Either that, or she’d just become that much more valuable, and Mateus might have to look into some kind of way to dissuade him for good. 

For now, though, he would just watch and see what happened. As much as he wanted to control everything about this situation, this was all relating to sentimental subjects and he hated having to deal with those. Perhaps Kyrie would listen to his warnings and keep Johan at arm’s length. It certainly would be the preferable choice, but he also had to prepare for the eventuality that she would not listen and would continue to seek out his companionship. That would be most unacceptable, but if he did anything about it, he’d have to handle it delicately. He’d cross that bridge when he got to it.

After he was done with his day… or… mostly, anyways (the work of an Emperor was never finished), he headed to the training room. He found Kyrie there already, as was becoming usual. Mateus thrived with routine, and he found a certain satisfaction in the predictability of these lessons with her. She was clearly exhausted due to her health, but here she was, precisely on time. He liked that kind of diligence. 

“Good evening, Emperor,” she said as soon as she saw him.

She looked rather pleased. Understandable, he supposed. She really cared about learning magic, and she was officially his apprentice now. She was wearing the brooch, too, which he was rather satisfied to see. 

“Good evening,” he replied. “I see that you are wearing your new brooch. Good. You should wear it for training and meetings at least. It is, after all, the mark of your apprenticeship, so wearing it displays your pride in your new station.”

“Of course,” she said. “I would be quite glad to. It’s a beautiful brooch.”

He gave a single nod of acknowledgement, but said nothing. She wasn’t wrong. It had been crafted by one of the finest jewelers in Palamecia, much like the pendant that he had yet to give her. As Emperor, he wouldn’t settle for less than that. He headed straight for the crystal target and gestured for Kyrie to follow. He did not want to waste time, especially if she already looked tired. He was pretty tired himself, and he still had several reports to read through when he got to his room. Not that he’d ever show it, of course. As far as anyone else was concerned, he was just as full of energy as if he’d just slept. 

“Let us see how the theory has aided your casting in general,” he said. “Cast all the spells you want. Keep it up for a bit. Perhaps see if the little combo you are working on is going any better.”

She nodded and turned to the target before casting her combination spell. It worked a lot better than the last time he’d seen it, with the ice crystals much better formed now, some even starting to form snowflake-like shapes, the light being brighter, and the wind holding them all up in a more cohesive manner. It wasn’t an enormous improvement, but it was an improvement, even on things they hadn’t directly practiced, and in a short time, too. Mateus was very pleased.

“There is improvement. That is… acceptable,” he said. “It goes to show the importance that a solid theoretical base has. It leads to a clearer understanding of the flow of magic, and that, in turn, leads to better casting, especially when it comes to combining spells, or even creating entirely new ones.”

“I wonder if an entirely new spell would work better than a combination,” Kyrie said thoughtfully.

“Possibly, but it will take years before you are at a level where that would be viable for you,” he said. “Creating spells can be dangerous, as any mistake can lead to it backfiring on you.” 

“Have you made spells of your own before?” she asked.

“Yes. A few. The main ones are Starfall, and the enchantment that makes my scepter into an extension of my will,” Mateus replied. 

“Starfall… that’s the one that calls down magic meteorites, right?”

Mateus nodded. It was his most powerful spell, and he’d put a lot of work into it. The enchantment on his scepter wasn’t exactly powerful, but it was extremely complex. The scepter was not only linked to his will, but it also could amplify his already impressive power. He could use its magic to cast magic using runes and symbols. It was very useful. Perhaps someday he would teach Kyrie that secret, but to get to that level, it’d definitely take years. She had potential. Perhaps she would, in time, be worthy of his more advanced secrets. He felt optimistic about that. To get to that point, though, a lot of practice and teaching would be needed.

“Cast your spell combination again,” he ordered her. 

Kyrie complied, casting it again. Mateus made some corrections to her casting, and gave her some tips, watching her as she followed his instructions. She made mistakes, but the fact that she hadn’t developed her power yet meant that none of it was particularly dangerous. She didn’t only make mistakes, however. She did improve, little by little. Perhaps by springtime, he would be able to teach her how to fight with magic. Even if she was a gentle woman, she needed to know that. She had a very good attitude about learning, and surely she would adjust to using magic as a weapon, even if she didn’t really use it that way.

“Alright. Enough, then,” he said when she finally exhausted her mana. “Your progress continues to be acceptable. It may not be particularly noticeable yet, but that is only to be expected. Your mana already lasts a bit longer, but it will still be a while before it is particularly noticeable.”

“That makes perfect sense,” Kyrie nodded. “I’m not surprised it’s like that. I think that if it’s a gradual process, it means that I’m getting the right foundations.”

“Indeed,” Mateus said. “If your progress were too quick, it would perhaps indicate that you are taking shortcuts that will produce results early, but cripple your progress later. Obtaining power quickly is possible, but it only leads to good results if you have mastered magic enough. Power without control is simply a disaster.”

“I can imagine. Too much power without control… it would backfire, wouldn’t it?”

“It would. Enough power being obtained fast enough will outright consume a mage if they are not ready for it,” Mateus said.

“Sounds like that would lead to a gruesome death,” she said. She shuddered.

Mateus knew enough about magic to very clearly visualize such effects. He could not suppress a grin imagining such a fate visiting Hilda or any other of his various enemies. There could be merit in researching this as a possible weapon. 

“Gruesome indeed,” Mateus said with a nod. “Hence the importance of proper lessons.”

She gave him an uncertain glance and nodded slowly. He gave her an amused stare. No doubt she was a bit bothered by the idea of gruesome deaths. It was simply reality, though. Magic could cause horrific deaths. It wasn’t like she was unaware of this. She’d seen it the day they’d met, when he had taken down those rebels. He really needed her to toughen up. It was really strange to him how weak she was in certain things while being so strong in others. It would be best if she caught up in those other aspects. 

Of course, that was something that’d have to wait. The best option to toughen her up would be for her to attend some games in the Coliseum. If she watched the fights, and perhaps even the executions, maybe she would understand. Maybe she would appreciate the importance of power when it came to survival. Maybe she would even get a few ideas when it came to being able to fight. Maybe she’d even be doing a bit better when it came to her health. She looked very pale and exhausted. Begrudgingly, he decided he should give her a bit of free time to rest.

“You have been putting a lot of effort into your studies,” he said. “All morning studying, then afternoon meetings, and then your lessons.”

“Yeah,” she replied. “It’s… fine, though.”

“Hm. Perhaps. However, I think a small reward for your diligence is in order,” Mateus said. “Until the end of the next week, you are excused from your morning studies. And take Sundays off from now on. I have been told you spend them studying all day.”

“But… I don’t want to fall behind in my studies. I’m fine, really. I can study all that time.”

Mateus hated the word ‘but’ every time he heard it directed at him. He gave Kyrie a small frown.

“I think not,” he said. “I will not have my apprentice overworking herself to the point of collapse. You will merely make your studies more efficient during the week, after your break.”

“I’m… not going to collapse,” Kyrie insisted.

Mateus stared at her, his expression stern. Technically, he wasn’t entirely sure she would collapse. Perhaps he should talk to the royal physician who was overseeing her health. But he knew an unhealthy semblance when he saw it. She had such a sharp mind. He didn’t want her getting ill. And anyways, if she got any worse, it would reflect poorly on him too.

“Be that as it may,” he said. “It will not do to stress yourself out. You will function better if you are well- rested. I understand your ambition, but in order to reach said ambitions, you must also improve when it comes to self-preservation. Your health is of as much importance as your studies. Improve on your efficiency, not on the amount of time you spend studying.”

She looked thoughtful for a moment. Then she nodded.

“I… think you’re right,” she said. “I suppose I’d lost sight of that, given how important this is to me.”

He could definitely understand that mindset, and appreciate that kind of ambition. It was not too unlike his own. At certain points of his life, he, too, had lost sight of the whole self-preservation part of reaching for a goal. He wasn’t going to be making that mistake again, and he sure wasn’t going to let his apprentice make the same old mistakes he had. That was part of the point of being a mentor. He nodded. 

“Understandable. Go rest now.”

She nodded and then, after wishing him a good night (if only that would actually give him one), she left. Mateus stared at her for a moment before shaking his head and turning to the crystal target, ready to unleash a barrage of Starfall spells. 

---------------

Once in her room, after changing into her night robes, Kyrie looked into the mirror. The Emperor was… actually right. She looked rather pale. And well, he wasn’t wrong about needing to be well enough to obtain her goals. Perhaps she really should take a bit of a break. She’d been so enamored by the idea of having unrestricted access to such a huge and well-stocked library that she had been overdoing it a bit on studying. Efficiency wasn’t a bad idea at all. She sighed. She would have to think about this.

She walked over to her accessory drawer, taking out the beautiful box with the brooch to examine it. It was the symbol of this new path that she was finally taking. It could lead to her success… to her dreams. She could hardly believe she had gotten this chance due to the Emperor, of all people. She was incredibly grateful to him for that chance and also this recent reminder to take care of her health. 

She picked up the brooch, holding it out to where the light reflected on it. It was really beautiful. She had seldom seen such carefully-crafted jewelry. She then noticed something she hadn’t expected to see. On the gold parts of the brooch, there were very tiny scratches that were only really noticeable on close inspection. It wasn’t really damaged, but there were soft scratches that marked wear on soft metals like gold. It was something that just wouldn’t be in a new piece. She frowned, a thoughtful expression on her face. If it wasn’t new, then… it had been someone else’s before. From the quality of the craftsmanship… could it possibly have belonged to the Emperor himself?

She wasn’t sure what to think of that. It’s not that she minded being given something that previously belonged to the Emperor. She was pretty sure he’d done that before, since her writing implements were far too fancy to have belonged to anyone but him. Mostly, she wondered if there was some kind of reason he’d given her his brooch rather than some new one. Surely, he had brooches or other such items ready to give as commendations or even to appoint an apprentice. And yet, he had given her one of his own. Why had he done that? 

After a few minutes of thinking about it, she shook her head. No, she did not want to overthink this. Clearly, he had some sort of reason, but whatever it was, it wasn’t something she had any way of knowing. Maybe it was just a way of making the gift more personal somehow. If nothing else, that was more or less how it felt to her. More personal. Perhaps, in a way, more special. She gave a small smile. That was something she could treasure.

Chapter Text

Having free time the next day was a very strange experience for Kyrie. By now, it almost felt like she had forgotten what that was like. She knew it was entirely due to the fact that she’d started studying this way at basically the same time that she’d come to Castle Palamecia. Her old life seemed almost to belong to some stranger she had never met and only ever heard about. For the first hour or so she felt entirely lost. Going to the library was absolutely out of the question. She knew herself. She’d end up reading magic books somehow. 

Going to the gardens was not an option either. With winter being in full swing, the wind outside was outright cruel. She had no desire to risk freezing to death out there. Wandering the hallways wasn’t a particularly entertaining prospect, either. She chose to stay in her room for a bit before she finally set out. She still wasn’t particularly keen on just walking around, but perhaps she’d find these events Johan had told her about, or maybe she’d at least find something else that she could do. If she didn’t find something quickly, she’d probably just visit Nadine. She had recently told her that she was welcome to visit if she wanted to. Kyrie just had been very busy.

She walked around for a while before finally deciding that she didn’t feel like wandering aimlessly like a lost soul. Walking was good, sure, but not like this. She headed towards the hallway where the general living quarters were. It was not in the same spot as the place she occupied, since she still lived in what was essentially guest quarters. That area was always almost deathly quiet since she had been the only one staying there. The hallways of the living quarters were different. No one was out and about at this moment, but there was a certain buzz of activity. She could hear voices and sometimes even laughter behind the doors. She’d been told which one was Nadine’s room and she approached it and knocked. There was a moment of silence before the old lady’s voice was heard behind the door.

“Come in!”

Kyrie carefully opened the door. Nadine was sitting on a couch in the living room area of the chambers. She smiled at Kyrie when she saw her.

“Oh, my, what a pleasant surprise! I was not expecting company, but it is very welcome. Come, sit down, dear.”

“Hello”, Kyrie said, nodding and walking over to where Nadine was gesturing. She sat down on the couch across from her.

“Congratulations on your new appointment as the Emperor’s apprentice,” Nadine said. “I didn’t quite get a chance to congratulate you properly yesterday. There was such a crowd. I didn’t think you’d really appreciate an even bigger one.”

“Oh! Thank you. I’m… actually quite happy to be his apprentice.”

“I can imagine. It is quite the honor. Quite the responsibility, too. It’s really such a surprise to see you out and about. I know you’ve always been quite busy reading and studying all the time, even before this. Did the Emperor give you some free time?” 

“Well… actually… yes.”

“Surprising, coming from him, but it’s a good thing. He… doesn’t mean you ill, but he does sometimes forget to take notice of things like that,” Nadine said. 

“The idea of free time actually came from him,” Kyrie said. “He said I should take a break this coming week, at least from my morning studies.”

“A bit surprising that it came from him, but… a good sign,” Nadine said. “Things could have been so different, you know. He took the throne too young.”

This was the first time Kyrie had heard anything about that. She knew he was young for an Emperor, but she wasn’t sure about any of the details. She was very curious about it all.

“He’s… already pretty young for an Emperor,” Kyrie said. “How old was he when he got the throne?”

“Fifteen,” Nadine said. 

Kyrie gave Nadine a surprised look. That was way too young to be in charge of an entire empire! 

“That… must have been… really rough,” Kyrie said.

“I’m sure it was, but who knows? No one really knows what goes on in that mind of his,” Nadine said. “He won’t speak of it. But well, he sure made his own way in the world.”

He sure had. Few people remained in the world that were unaffected by him and his actions. Mostly in bad ways, it was true, but at least in his empire, some people were positively affected too. He definitely seemed to work hard to keep things running well in his empire, and that had to help at least some of his people. The city of Palamecia looked… a lot like other cities. It wasn’t like everyone was poor and starving or anything like that. There was a measure of prosperity that she wouldn’t have expected to see based on his reputation alone. 

“He… definitely has,” Kyrie said.

“I know you definitely would have a… different outlook on all that than most of us here would,” Nadine said. “You’re originally from Bafsk.”

“Well… yes,” Kyrie said. “We… definitely heard different things about him and Palamecia in Bafsk.”

“Oh, I am sure,” Nadine said. “We are not blind in Palamecia. We know what kind of ruler he is. It is simply more… complicated for us. There are past attachments, and there is the fact that, for all his flaws, he does at least do a very good job when it comes to keeping things running well. We have food, and our economy is doing… as well as can be expected.”

“Yeah, I… found that a bit surprising when I first came here, considering that,” Kyrie said. “It’s not what people think is going on here.”

“That’s very understandable. Most rulers like him would not be bothering to work on the economy. They would just want the money to flow straight into their coffers. The Emperor is very pragmatic, though, so he understands the importance of keeping people well-fed and healthy,” Nadine said. “It’s one thing he where he does take after his father.”

Kyrie wasn’t sure what to say. She knew nothing about the Emperor’s father except for the fact that he was no longer around. The fact that Nadine mentioned something about past attachments, though, made her think that perhaps he had been well-liked. She wasn’t sure that the Emperor was that well-liked. People definitely wanted to be close to him because of his status, but that was different. And in Fynn, well… he was outright hated. 

“But what about you? You’re staying in Palamecia, right?” Nadine asked. “Especially after becoming his apprentice.”

“Yes,” Kyrie replied. “It wouldn’t have been particularly easy to leave before, but… after this chance he gave me… even if I could, I don’t think I’d want to leave.”

Nadine nodded. She looked very thoughtful, and even curious for a moment as she looked at her. 

“It is not a particularly common thing to do, you know. Choosing to be someone’s apprentice, rather than study in an academy. You come from Bafsk. Normally, that’d mean going to Fynn, or preferably Mysidia, no?” Nadine asked. 

“Yes,” Kyrie said. “I actually did try to get into the Mysidian academy. But they rejected me.”

“Dear me, how unfortunate. I know the Mysidians can be very strict about these things, but I would think they would want people with talent or potential to study with them. That way they can keep control over what they learn. And yet, the Emperor would not have taken you as an apprentice if he didn’t think you have one or the other, and likely both things,” Nadine said. “What happened in Mysidia?”

“Well… initially, it all seemed to be going so well,” Kyrie said. “I went there, and then I had an interview with the person in charge of deciding whether someone can get into the academy or not. He was pleased with what I’d learned so far, and also my spellcasting.”

Nadine offered her tea, and Kyrie accepted it. She took a sip of it, enjoying the traditional herbal blend. It was so calming, really. She felt sure that these kinds of herbal blends were helpful to her health. They certainly were delicious, and good for the soul. 

“Really? And from there… I suppose things did not work out?”

“Well, the mage in charge was really pleased and was starting to talk about things like what kinds of classes I would have. I thought I was accepted,” Kyrie said. “But then he asked about why I use this cane. And that’s when things went very poorly. He said that they couldn’t take on an ill student.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, dear. That is quite a tough situation, and none of it is your fault,” Nadine said. 

“Well… it couldn’t be helped. I wish I’d lied, but… I would have been caught soon enough. The journey to Mysidia was rough, and that made things worse,” Kyrie said with a sigh. She took another sip of the tea. “After that, I couldn’t really get to Fynn because of the war, but… I also thought it’d be best to take a break. For my health. So I came to Palamecia.”

“The desert is an odd place to go for one’s health! Unless you came here for the medicinal herbs,” Nadine said. “I certainly know our mountains are famous for that.”

“Yes, precisely that,” Kyrie said, nodding. “I know the desert heat can be brutal, but I came here at the end of summer so I could at least be spared the worst of it.”

“Good idea,” Nadine said. “And now that you’re in the mountains, you will be mostly fine. There are a few times when you might have to go into the city, but the weather here is definitely not as hot.”

That was expected, but also a relief. She really did not want to deal with Palamecia’s summer weather. Bafsk had a fairly mild, if humid, climate, and she was definitely not used to anything else. Palamecia’s desert seemed like exactly the opposite. 

The conversation turned to other things. Nadine let Kyrie know a bit about the various events and activities that the nobles were organizing. There would be a couple of plays, and a few balls. Some of the nobles were also learning to play musical instruments, or simply practicing what they knew. Kyrie was especially interested in the plays. It seemed they would follow some traditional Palamecian stories, including a tragedy about an old Palamecian king who had lost his daughter due to his arrogance. He had offered her as a prize, daring someone to break into the supposedly impenetrable castle, only for a man to manage the feat with some kind of flying contraption. Kyrie found the story fascinating. 

“It is a reminder to Palamecian rulers to never be blinded by arrogance,” Nadine said. “Because of that, it is tradition for the emperor to attend that play.”

Kyrie couldn’t help but wonder how difficult it was to convince the Emperor to watch that play. It didn’t seem like anything he would care to see. He’d probably think it too sentimental or something like that. And either way, it was clear that he did not really listen to the teachings that the story imparted. She didn’t think she’d ever met a prouder man. 

Her visit with Nadine was definitely wonderful, but she didn’t want to be bothering the kind old lady all that often, and the next day, Kyrie decided to redouble her efforts to find some of these activities that Johan, and now Nadine, had described. She had already decided she wouldn’t be learning to play any instruments. That would take commitment and she certainly didn’t have time for that with her magic studies. Balls were nice, but she didn't exactly own a lot of suitable clothing, and while she liked dancing, it was difficult for her to actually dance. Her cane usually got in the way of the dance partner, too, and it was really awkward. She was still shocked the Emperor had managed to so gracefully deal with it, but most people didn't have that kind of skill. Still, the socializing opportunities in a ball were undeniable. She would go to at least one of them.

The music practice sessions apparently allowed people to just stay and watch. That would definitely be a great option to spend some time. She did like music! Deciding that she would not wander around like the previous day, she asked the guards and finally found the room where people practiced their skills with musical instruments. Even before she entered it, she could hear the sound of lyres being played, creating a beautiful harmony. 

She carefully walked in, trying not to bring any attention to herself. The room was large, and there was a large open area where the instruments and musicians were, and it was surrounded by a number of seats.There were a number of nobles already there, listening to the music but also talking softly amongst themselves. That was good, Kyrie thought. This could be a very pleasant way to socialize. For now, though, she wanted to relax. The music was gorgeous. Ah, if only she had time to learn how to play like that! It’d be nice, but there was no way she would give up her magic studies in order to study music. She could enjoy it just fine without actually playing it.

As she sat there, enjoying the music, she noticed someone approaching. She turned to see Johan walking towards her. He sat down next to her.

“Kyrie. Fancy seeing you here. I am shocked that you have free time to come watch the musicians practicing,” he said.

“Oh, hello! I am a bit surprised to see you here, too. I thought you had meetings at this hour,” Kyrie replied.

“I usually do, but we finished earlier than usual, and I came to watch the musicians prepare for the upcoming play,” Johan said. “But what about you? How did you manage to escape the Emperor’s grasp? He keeps you so busy all the time, I am surprised he even gives you time to eat.”

Kyrie gave a small dismissive laugh, trying to hide her slight annoyance at Johan’s words. He sounded almost bitter, and she just didn’t like the way he was talking. She couldn’t quite place it. It felt almost… overbearing, perhaps, or patronizing, as though she had no control over the situation, and her choices didn’t matter. 

“Oh, no, I’m the one that chooses to study so much,” she said. “The Emperor told me to take a break for a few days at least. So… I took his offer. Lady Albiret told me about these music practices, and I wanted to come and listen.”

“Ah, I see,” Johan said. He seemed slightly frustrated at her words, but she had no idea why. He seemed to even be frowning very slightly. “You came at a good time. The play they’re preparing for is the main one of the season.”

“Oh! Is it the one about the tragedy of the king who lost his daughter due to his arrogance?” Kyrie asked.

“Ah, you… know about that story?” Johan asked.

“Lady Albiret told me about it yesterday,” Kyrie said. “I heard that the Emperor traditionally attends that play, too. I’m pretty excited to watch it.”

Johan’s smile looked almost forced for a moment as he nodded.

“It is one of our most famous stories,” Johan said. “I think you will enjoy it. I think Miss Webster will be playing the princess this year. You know her, I believe?”

“Yes, we… know each other,” Kyrie said.

“She’s an excellent actress,” Johan said. “She’s very good at a number of artistic endeavors. It is an important set of skills for a noblewoman. She’s one of the top contenders for next empress, you know. She and Miss Blackwell.”

“Yeah, I figured that,” Kyrie said. Pearl and Miss Blackwell were exactly the type of noblewomen that she would expect were trying to gain the Emperor’s favor that way. She supposed they weren’t aware of his lack of interest in such matters. 

She also had no idea why Johan was even mentioning this. Which noblewomen wanted to marry the Emperor and which didn't was none of her concern. That wasn’t what she was here for, even if the Emperor was the entire reason she was here to begin with.

“We have a strong emperor, and now all we need is a strong empress,” Johan continued. “I have high hopes.”

“Yeah,” she said, looking confused. “I can understand that.”

“Ah, but of course, these are matters you’re not involved in,” Johan said. “I am sure that when he does finally settle down, the wedding will be an amazing event. I’m sure you’d love to attend.”

“Yeah, it’d be nice,” Kyrie nodded politely. “I don’t know if I’d be invited, but… yeah, I’m sure it’ll be grand.”

She felt a bit more annoyed now. What was with this insistence on these other women being the right match for the Emperor? Not only that, but the implication of his words was that she should be excluded. She was well-aware of her actual status in the court. Being reminded of it just felt… unpleasant. She couldn’t help but notice that Johan seemed… almost pleased by her last reaction. She wondered what that was about, but decided not to think about it for now. She didn’t want to fall into some kind of thought spiral when she was trying to enjoy the music. In fact, what she wanted was to change the topic. 

“I’m told this play about the king and his daughter is the most important play that will be organized,” Kyrie said. “Is it always the same plays that are acted out every year? I know this one is, but… what about the others?”

“Oh, no, they choose from a large number of stories. Some are well-known, and others less so, but yes, there is a large variety,” Johan replied. 

“What kinds of stories will be told this year?” she asked. 

“A couple of tragedies,” Johan said. “The main one, of course, but there will also be a war tragedy, and, of course star-crossed lovers. One can never go wrong with that last one, don’t you agree?”

“Yeah, those kinds of stories have great appeal,” Kyrie said. “But why are they all tragedies?”

Johan laughed. For a moment, it seemed he would be loud, but he caught himself.

“Funny. You are the second person who asks that question,” Johan said. “The Emperor was wondering the same thing the other day.”

“Really?” Kyrie asked. That was a bit surprising. She didn’t think he’d really care about such things. But well, he was intelligent… and that meant he was curious to at least some degree, likely about things he normally wouldn’t care about. She was almost curious enough to consider asking him about it. Maybe she would. 

Johan looked at her with some curiosity. She didn’t know if he seemed annoyed or amused.

“Yes,” Johan said. “And I told him that people just want to feel things. Tragedies are very good for that.”

“That makes sense.”

“Well, what do you think? Do you want to watch one of them? Several?” he asked. 

Kyrie thought about it for a moment. Tragedies could be great stories, yes, but she wasn’t particularly keen on watching several of them. One should be enough, and if she was only going to watch one, it was clear which one it should be.

“I think I’ll watch only one of them. The tragedy of the king and his daughter,” Kyrie answered with a nod.

The Emperor was going to be there, too, and she found that she liked that idea. It was to be expected, really. She spent so much time with him, that it was just normal to see him around. She knew he was not her friend. He wasn’t really anyone’s friend. But he was one of the biggest constants of her life, and there was a certain comfort in that.

“Very well. I will make sure to be there too,” Johan said. “Perhaps we might go together.”

“Perhaps,” Kyrie said. “It sounds like a very entertaining activity. When is this going to take place?”

“The last month of winter,” Johan replied.

“Well… we can talk about this again when the date’s a bit closer,” she said.

She didn’t want to definitively accept his invitation. She thought he was an interesting man, sure, but there was something slightly off about him, especially when it came to the way he reacted every time the Emperor was brought up. Today he’d even brought up Pearl and Miss Blackwell. This, more than anything else, made her feel unsure about him. She didn’t like this, and she had a feeling the Emperor likely knew what this was about, but she decided she probably shouldn’t tell him about it. He’d told her to stay away from Johan, and she’d so far not listened to him. But of course she hadn’t listened to him. Johan wasn’t doing anything wrong, and he usually was a very interesting person to talk to. And yet, it meant disobeying her mentor. Why did things have to be so complicated?

The bell signaling it was time for luncheon ended the music practice, and with it, Kyrie’s troubled thoughts. She began heading towards the main hall with Johan. He had finally switched to another topic, this time choosing to talk about the literature of Palamecia. It was quite interesting, really, and she was glad to learn more in order to appreciate its rich history. It was interesting to hear how varied the stories were due to the fact that Palamecia had once been a group of very divided tribes and territories. Even after they had been united, the arts still retained a very individual style in the various parts of the empire. It was fascinating to her. The rest of the known world was very different. All the kingdoms had been much more stable since their inception. They’d grown, and they’d formed and destroyed alliances, and sometimes incorporated free towns, but they had never been such a disparate group of territories as Palamecia had been. 

The Emperor was already in the main hall when she and Johan entered. She could practically feel the sharpness of his violet gaze on her. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he looked outright angry. Then again, it was sometimes difficult to tell with him. He always looked angry to some extent or another. His intense stare lasted for some time before he finally turned away to prepare for the salt blessing. 

After that, he seemed pretty normal, and he said nothing of the matter then or during her lesson. He seemed a bit colder than he’d been the day before, but, well… far as she understood him, that was pretty much normal for him too. He was just that way. She thought no more of it, and continued through her day.

At night, when she went to her room, she found an excellent surprise. Maria had written to her, and the letter was waiting on her desk. Kyrie, who’d been exhausted by this time, felt almost re-energized as she opened the letter. In it, Maria spoke about how crazy things had been after the Emperor and his delegation had left Fynn, and she shared some stories about things she’d seen during this time, as well as how the snow had finally begun to fall in delicate snowflakes, covering the landscape in glittery white. She also talked about the kinds of things people were wearing now that it was cold. Kyrie enjoyed the letter, and though she was exhausted, she took out some paper, ink and a quill and began to write back. In her letter, she wrote about how she’d liked her stories, and her descriptions of the snowy landscape. She shared some of her own stories, and also about the blizzard that had hit the mountains. She also described what the landscape looked like now, as well as the clothes people were wearing during the winter.  

It felt good to write to her, and after finishing the letter, she put it in an envelope so it could be sent the next morning, as soon as it was possible. Really, aside from the small issue with Johan, it had been a pretty good day, just as the day before had been. Perhaps this whole free time thing was good for her. She certainly felt less suffocated. Maybe she’d talk to the Emperor and tell him that she’d like having a bit of a break like this every so often. Maybe a couple times a week. It’d be healthier than what she’d been doing to this point, and she needed more opportunities to socialize and really integrate herself into the court. If nothing else, she at least felt less like a captive. Life was being okay to her in ways that she never would have anticipated.

Chapter Text

Mateus had been quite bothered by seeing Kyrie coming into the main hall while engrossed in a conversation with Johan of all people. He disliked the fact that she had entirely dismissed his concerns and simply kept talking to the man. He had a few guesses as to what Johan’s agenda was. He knew that the man had several political alliances, including ones with the Websters and the Blackwells. Those two families were among the oldest and most powerful in the court. They had young single daughters, too. There was a certain… expectation… that one of them was going to become the next empress. Mateus hated them both. They were exactly the kind of noble that he despised the most. All they cared about was their own status, and though they had many virtues as far as noblewomen went, they also had no skills that he particularly cared for. 

They weren’t like Hilda, for example. He had, for a time, even considered asking for Hilda’s hand. She was a strong, capable leader, and her position as princess of Fynn would have meant making Fynn a part of Palamecia. There would have been no need to wage war in order to take over that kingdom at least. He had not bothered, however. He had been well-aware of the fact that Hilda and the older prince of Kashuan were in love. She would never have accepted. It was a shame, really. He might have actually conquered the world by now.

That said, though he respected Hilda and would have married her if given the chance, he didn’t particularly like her. She was headstrong and self-righteous and basically exactly the kind of person he did not like to deal with. He’d spoken to her when she’d been captured, but she hadn’t been able to see the logic in his plans to unite the world under his rule. He’d simply tossed her into a dungeon after that. It was a shame that she’d been rescued. He might have been able to pressure her a bit more to surrender if she’d had a bit more time to stew in the Coliseum’s dungeons. 

Instead, she’d ended up in Gordon Kashuan’s arms, it seemed. He had not heard of any official talk to merge the two kingdoms. Likely, they would not, but they would focus on rebuilding them both and simply solve any inheritance issues by means of having two completely separate kingdoms to rule. It had its own kind of logic, but Mateus preferred union over such a solution. In the end, in a way, he was kind of glad he had not ended up stuck with her. It would have been a miserable existence, even if the conquest would have made it an acceptable price to pay. Really, if he absolutely had to choose someone to share his life with… 

He stopped that thought in its tracks. He was the Emperor. He didn’t share his life with anyone. Even if his advisors all continued to pressure him, he would simply keep refusing and making it clear that such pressure was unwelcome. He would likely have to do something about the situation regarding his lack of an heir eventually, but that could wait. Preferably for a few decades. 

He had other things to worry about that were much more important and much more immediate, anyways. He needed to fulfill that restitution payment to Fynn, and that was proving quite troublesome. Winter production was always so impaired, and they had to give a payment in spring. They were going to have to dip into important stored goods, and he hated that. He still had to plan how he was going to make up for that loss. He had felt as though his control was slipping ever since that visit to Fynn. There was nothing more repulsive to him than that. 

There were several things that helped, but perhaps the biggest one was his apprentice. He was in charge of creating her path forward. He decided what to teach her and when. She did not really defy him, either. There was that thing with Johan, yes, but so far, things hadn’t gone too far. People were sentimental and she was no exception. It was the kind of thing that she would get more stubborn about if he kept insisting on it. He’d intervene if he had to, but so far, though he hated seeing them together, it wasn’t something he wanted to be involved in. Other than that, her presence was an oddly welcome one, even more so than Leon’s had been. He wasn’t sure why that was. Perhaps it was just her eagerness to learn, or the fact that she was so good at adapting to things. It didn’t really matter why, though. What mattered was that things continued to go that way. 

Teaching Kyrie magic had, thus, become basically his hobby. It was a perfect use of his time. It got his mind off the various stresses that ruling Palamecia brought, and it was productive. He couldn’t ask for a better occupation to complement his time as Emperor, and it was one that could last for quite a few years. It was something he could get used to and find some comfort in its predictability. He liked that idea for some reason. Maybe if the world were a little less chaotic, he’d sleep a bit more.

Speaking of his apprentice, even a few days into the break he’d demanded she take, he could see the benefits. She was far more attentive, faster at learning, and even cheerful. There was a bit of color in her cheeks- the healthy kind. She noticed, too, and was even bold enough to request that this kind of break be considered her new normal. He considered it for a moment before he nodded. Most of the other nobles had days like that. There was no real need for her to spend most of her time studying. It would keep her from seeing Johan, but… if the cost she had to pay was her own health, it wasn’t worth it. He’d find some other way to keep him away from her if he really had to. 

“Of course, if you do feel that you require some more studying, I expect you will immediately set aside any other plans and you will go to the library or the training room as needed,” he said. 

“No need to worry about that. Of course I will,” Kyrie said. “This is my dream and, well… it seems I can keep this up, even if I can’t really spend all my waking hours studying.”

“You are lucky you have a sharp mind,” Mateus said. “With your limitations, were you of a mind any duller than you are, you would not be able to keep up.”

“Well… I’ve worked hard for a long time,” she said. “I’m glad the hard work has allowed me to make up for at least some of the problems my limitations cause.”

Mateus stared at her for a moment, recalling what she’d told him about why she’d been rejected in Mysidia. They had been fools, really. Had they realized she was talented, they never would have let her go.

“Do you regret what happened in Mysidia?” he asked.

“Not after you gave me this opportunity,” Kyrie said. “There are benefits to studying in Mysidia, yes, but… also benefits to studying with you.”

Mateus nodded. It was definitely true. Studying with a single mentor gave a student access to education more tailored to their own skills, as well as personal secrets that the mentor might choose to give. It was necessarily a much less varied set of teachings, but there was benefit in staying true to a single chain of thought. He went back to the lesson after that. He didn’t mind a few of these little breaks in the lesson, but he wasn’t here to waste his time. He didn’t really allow these side conversations to take up too much time while it was time to study.

---------------

Kyrie could not deny that the break re-energized her. She felt so much better now that she remembered her own limits. After her lesson, she headed to her room, knowing she had to rest, but also feeling like she wouldn’t be able to. There were a lot of things to think about, really. In a few weeks, there’d be that play, and she had to make a decision about whether she’d be attending it with Johan or not. She liked him, but she didn’t want him to get the wrong impression. Then again, she didn’t want to offend him, either. 

“I’m not sure what to do,” she told Tilda later that evening. “I don’t dislike him, but… I don’t want any commitments like that.”

“Going to the play with him might tell him you’re interested, milady,” Tilda replied. “It’s not really courting, but it does tell a man that you enjoy his company. And some men take that to mean something different.”

“That’s what I’m worried about. It’d be so much easier if I could just make it clear this is a friendly situation and nothing more, but… how do I do that?” she asked.

“Maybe go with someone else too,” Tilda suggested.

“Like who? I can’t go and ask the Emperor to come with me to the play,” Kyrie said. “And though I know other people, I am not really such close friends with them to ask for this favor. There’s Lady Albiret, but she probably has someone to go with already. I don’t want to intrude, and it could make things look worse with Johan if the person I ask has some kind of date.”

“Well, Lady Albiret usually goes with the Emperor to events like that,” Tilda said. “I am sure she and the Emperor would be glad to assist you with this.”

“Do you think so?” Kyrie asked. “The Emperor surely wouldn’t care. He doesn’t deal with things like that.”

“But you are his apprentice. That changes things, right?”

“I am not sure it does. Besides, he told me to stay away from Johan.”

“Oh, he… did?” Tilda asked, surprised. “But Sir Vernistel is such a desirable man. He is one of the Emperor’s main advisors, and he is a powerful man, with alliances with families like the Websters and Blackwells. Anyone would want to have his attention. I would think the Emperor would be happy for you if Sir Vernistel is interested in you.”

“He is not. And, well… if Johan is indeed interested in me that way, I… don't think I am happy with that either.”

“You’re… not?” asked Tilda. “But I thought you liked him. Maybe you don’t want commitments right now, but… what about later on? Wouldn’t he be a great choice? You’d be set for life and never have to worry again.”

“I don’t know… I mean… I do, but… I don’t think I want to commit like that. Not with him,” Kyrie said with a sigh. “I know a marriage like that would be convenient. It’s probably the most convenient option I’ll ever get. And I don’t want to be ungrateful, but… I’d just rather focus on my magic studies. I can’t give those my all if I’m also focused on such a commitment.”

“That is rough, but… only if he is really interested in you. He might not be, right?”

“I hope not.”

“And… you really can’t ask the Emperor for help? He has the power to simply tell Sir Vernistel to back away if you want to make sure he won’t trouble you.”

“No… I don’t want to trouble him with something like this. It’s silly, and he hates this kind of thing. I’ll just try to deal with it on my own,” Kyrie said. “You’re right, though. There’s a chance he’s not, and I’m just letting the Emperor’s words get to me too much. That’s why he told me to stay away from him, you know. Because he might be interested.”

“Really? That’s what he said?”

“He told me to not trust Johan. That his interest is not altruistic, and that he’s of an age where he will want to get married, and that he may think that I will get him status that way.”

“That may be true, yes,” Tilda said. “Most nobles are like that anyway, milady. It’s necessary for them to gain alliances and keep their status and influence, and a lot of that can be done with family unions. It’s just how things are done. I guess the Emperor wishes to protect you from such things, or at least make sure you’re aware of the nature of noble unions.”

“Yeah… I… guess it is a bit odd for him to bother with that,” Kyrie said. “At least… it’s not something I’d expect him to do.”

Part of her felt that this was a lie. For a long while now, the Emperor had consistently been well-aware of the things that happened around her and had taken steps that she could only describe as protective. He had put a stop to most of the gossip that was told about her, had been taking his breakfast and dinner down in the main hall ever since she’d been going there, and had been ensuring her health was taken care of. He had taken his responsibility to her seriously. It was, however, an odd thing to say. He didn’t act like the kind of person that would focus on anyone’s welfare beyond what was absolutely necessary and functional. It was likely that the things he had done for her were things he saw that way, rather than any kind of protectiveness. He took care of his people when it came to the basics too. She didn’t want to think it was something that it just wasn’t. 

---------------

“We are behind in the quota for food for the Fynn payment,” Johan said.

Mateus looked up from behind the desk in his study. It was so late already, that he was rather surprised that Johan had chosen to come and give this small report at such an hour. How bad did he think the situation was?

“I am well-aware,” Mateus said. “The earlier reports said as much.”

“It is worse than it seemed,” Johan said. “I got a report just now that stated that the weather severely harmed several grain fields. They will lose a lot of the harvest. They’re trying damage control, but it does not look good.”

Mateus suppressed his overwhelming desire to sigh and perhaps even groan in frustration. He carefully kept his expression stoic as he took in the news. With how precarious the situation with Fynn was, this was about the worst news he could get. 

“We will have to supplement with foraging,” he said. “We have a few coastal territories, no? We can send them preserved fish, perhaps, if we get the salt producing towns to also get fish so that they can be preserved. I daresay there’s a few other things we can get in that same way.”

It was going to make people unhappy, since quite a few of them would have to do a fair bit of extra work, but it had to be done. He could not afford to lose his empire, but he also knew it was risky to have the peasants become too unhappy.

“I suppose that could work,” Johan said. “There’s some untapped potential we can make use of. It will still be a strain and we will have to use far more of our stores than is necessarily wise.”

“I am aware of that as well,” Mateus said. “It is only a few years. The first will be the most difficult one. By the end of this year, Bafsk should be producing enough extra food to carry us over the next few years.”

He did not feel anywhere near as confident as he sounded. He had worked extremely hard to ensure that Palamecia’s food supplies were enough to sustain them for at least two years if rationed well. The amount that Fynn was demanding, when combined with losing some of the grain harvest, would mean they might lose up to a year of stored food rations. And if something happened to the food supply… they might not have enough to recover. The last thing Palamecia needed was another famine. 

He remained stoic, however, as he went through the new numbers with Johan, unease gnawing at his stomach as he felt less and less confident about Palamecia’s ability to properly meet Fynn’s demands. It was true that Bafsk would increase their food production capacity, but due to the war, it was more of a long-term investment than a short one. It did also mean they had more people to feed, even before the infrastructure was ready for it.

After Johan left, Mateus stayed in his study a bit longer, looking again and again at the numbers while glancing at the map. Salamand was going to be no help. Its climate was no better than Palamecia’s, even if its other natural resources were immensely valuable. Bafsk had a much better climate, and it could become a breadbasket for the empire, but that would take time. Time he might not have. After about an hour of thinking about the various strategies he could enact, he finally sighed, rubbing his aching head as he finally took some of the report papers, put the rest away, locked the drawer, and left for his chambers. He’d take another look at the reports once in his private study, and then he’d try to get some sleep. Even if he didn’t get much sleep, he could at least get some rest. With things going as they were, he definitely needed it.

Chapter Text

Even after thinking things over for a long while, Kyrie just could not come to any decision about the whole thing with Johan. She could not decide whether the Emperor was right and Johan might want to court her, or whether this was just a normal camaraderie that was developing between them. Just because someone chose to spend time with her didn’t necessarily mean they were interested in that way, let alone for reasons that she couldn’t really see even when the Emperor insisted they were there. There just couldn’t possibly be any status to be gained from pursuing her romantically. Worst still, she couldn’t bring this up with Johan, or anyone else, really, aside from Tilda, who also didn’t know what to suggest. After all, Johan was a very desirable nobleman, and, really, a much better option than Seth had been, even discounting his plans for her future. As far as she knew, Johan at least wasn’t the type to plan out a woman’s future like Seth had. If he really was interested, she was very lucky indeed.

And yet… it felt wrong. It wasn’t even the fact that she’d be settling due to convenience. She was well-aware of the fact that it was an almost required thing, really. She just didn’t want to settle with Johan, any more than she wanted to settle with Seth. She could not even articulate why. It was foolish to feel that way, too. Even if it wasn’t the right time, all she’d need to do was wait, right? And then her life would be guaranteed to go smoothly. Even if nothing was sure yet, this was not something she needed to be afraid of. So… why was she so scared?

That was also not a question she could answer. The best explanation she could come up with was that she felt she’d be missing out on… something. It was probably her life as a mage, but… she was supposed to be able to have both things if she wanted to. She shook her head. The more she paced around her room, the more trapped she felt. She needed fresher air, though, at this time of the night, in the middle of winter, it was impossible to go to the gardens or anything of the sort. Opening the window would be foolish, since it would take too long to warm up the room again. The hallways would have to do. She just wouldn’t be able to sleep otherwise.

Her winter nightgown was warm enough to wander around for a while, even this late, and she was glad for that. In spite of the torches and the various tapestries that were hung on the walls in an attempt to keep the warmth in, the castle was very chilly. In a way, she was glad for the cold. It took her mind off her conflicted thoughts. It was exactly what she needed.

The hallways were empty, the sound of her quiet footsteps and the soft tapping of her cane periodically drowned out by the howling of the wind outside. It was a surreal atmosphere, which after a few minutes, finally reminded her of the likely reason the hallways were so abandoned. The ghost. How could she have forgotten what Tilda had told her about it? She tensed, her other worries forgotten. What if she ran into it? The undead were often hostile, and Tilda said this one had killed a number of people. 

She thought back to what the Emperor had told her about the undead. She was not good enough at healing to use that against any ghost, but she had gotten better at fireballs thanks to her training. Still, she wasn’t sure it’d be enough to take down a ghost if it attacked her, mostly because she didn’t think she could take a lot of hits. If only the Emperor were awake! He would be able to take care of any belligerent undead. But with how late it was, there was no way he was awake, so trying to flee to him for help in case she was attacked was out of the question. She took a deep breath. Surely, she wasn’t the only person who was out and about at this hour. There had to be guards at certain places in the hallways too, and, well, in the end, they probably could help her out if she did encounter the ghost.

In the end, though, she figured she’d take her chances with the ghost rather than going back to her room to pace around all night until she felt like she was going to go absolutely insane. She needed more clarity in her thoughts before it was even an option to try to sleep again. The night was not a particularly dark one, anyways, with the moon only half full, but still fairly bright, and the snow outside making everything look brighter. Ghosts and other undead tended to wander more when it was darker. She probably wouldn’t run into it, but if she did, she’d just have to be careful enough not to be seen.

At first, she was rather nervous while she walked, but after a while, when she saw nothing out of place, she finally calmed down. Her thoughts went back to the situation she was worried about, the change of scenery helping her think more clearly. None of this was really life-altering, really, now that she was calmer. It was mostly the Emperor’s words that had worried her. He was her mentor and he’d been pretty clear about what he thought of the situation. He was very authoritative. What if he decided to stop teaching her magic just because she was still talking to Johan? Could that be why she felt so scared? Maybe. But, thinking it over, she didn’t think he would do that. It was a lot like when she’d first worried he might harm her. If he wanted to, he wouldn’t just be waiting for no reason. He’d have done it already. He’d also already invested a fair amount of time teaching her. He wasn’t going to suddenly stop, even if he wasn’t happy with

some of her choices. 

She was shivering a bit now, her breath visible with the cold, but she was glad for the walk. Just moving around more freely gave her the clarity she’d needed. As she rounded a corner, she thought perhaps it was time to start to head back. She might not get to sleep for a bit yet, but at least she’d be warmer. As she stood there deciding whether she should head back or walk a bit more, she heard a sound that she did not expect. The wind had calmed for just a moment, making the quiet shuffling audible. There shouldn’t be any shuffling at this time of night! Her heartbeat quickened. She glanced towards the sound and saw a distant, strange pale figure across the dark hallway, illuminated only by the moonlight, since the torches around it had gone out with some draft. The ghost! 

She backed away a few steps to hide around the corner, making sure the torches didn’t cast a shadow that would give her position away. What could she do? She couldn’t just run. Not only was that not quite possible, but attempting to do so would mean the tapping of her cane would absolutely alert the ghost to her presence. She’d have to strike at it as it approached before trying to run. The shuffling continued to approach. Her heart hammered in her chest, making her almost afraid that it was outright audible. She did her best to keep her breathing quiet, though it made her dizzy. She had to strike. She prepared a fireball, its light masked by the flickering light of the torches around her. The shuffling grew closer. She closed her eyes. The shuffling stopped.

“What exactly are you doing?” 

She gasped, the spell fizzling out in her hand. She opened her eyes. In front of her, stood the Emperor, his violet eyes half-lidded in an impressively judgmental stare. 

“E-emperor! It’s you!” she managed to stammer out. 

Seeing him now, it was clear why she had not recognized him at all in the distance. His hair was down, rather than in his usual, almost spiky, hairstyle. He was not wearing any make-up, making him look outright pale, and he was wearing a nightgown that, while dark in color, was also very shimmery, being made of silk. The drafts had also left his long hair very slightly disheveled. The light of the moon added to the effect, making him look almost ethereal. 

“Indeed. Who else were you expecting to see?” he asked, sounding entirely unamused.

“No one! I mean, the ghost!” she replied. She took a deep breath to try to calm her still-hammering heart. “Certainly not you, Your Highness. I thought… you’d be asleep at this hour.”

“It has been a long night,” the Emperor admitted. “I did not expect to run into anyone either, least of all you. It seems that you have entirely disregarded my orders regarding your rest and not wandering the halls at night in search of this… ghost.”

“Oh! Um, no, Your Highness. I wasn’t here looking for the ghost,” Kyrie said. “I just… could not sleep, and simply could not stand pacing in my own room anymore.”

“I do not wish to hear excuses,” he said sternly. “I gave you an order and you disregarded it. I will not have you risking your health and performance on mere rumors and other ludicrous reasons.”

Kyrie’s expression faltered slightly. She had not meant to disobey one of her mentor’s orders, but she was feeling rather overwhelmed. Her gaze fell to the floor. She heard the Emperor take a deep breath and sigh.

“However, it is true that you do look particularly troubled,” he said, his tone softening somewhat. “What is it that troubles you so that you would wander the hallways like some sort of lost soul?”

The irony of his question was not lost on her. She supposed that, in her nightgown, she looked rather ghostly too. She was glad that he didn’t make it weird by commenting on how informal this whole meeting was. She shook her head.

“It’s… nothing, really,” she said. 

The Emperor raised an eyebrow in disbelief, his arms crossed, clearly expecting her to actually answer his question rather than avoid it. 

“Do you mean to say you are losing sleep over nothing?” he asked.

“No,” she sighed. “I just have a lot of things on my mind. I finally have everything I ever could have wanted, and… I don’t want any of my decisions to jeopardize that.”

The Emperor looked thoughtful for a moment, as if he were trying to read into her words. Kyrie knew she’d been vague, but this really wasn’t something she felt the Emperor would care about. He’d already spoken to her about the possibilities she had for her future, and he’d clearly found it an awkward topic. 

“As far as your apprenticeship with me goes, the only real choice you need to concern yourself with is obedience,” the Emperor said. “You have potential. As long as you do not spend your time questioning my orders and methods, then you need not worry.”

She gave a quiet nod, but couldn’t help frowning slightly. She knew that already. He wasn’t the kind of person who appreciated being questioned, and she did follow his methods and teachings. There was no real problem there. He stared at her, his sharp gaze almost seeming to bore into her soul. 

“If you are worried about choices you may make outside of your lessons, like, say, life choices, my lady, then the only way you will lose your apprenticeship is if you choose to walk away from it. You are free to do that, if that is what you wish. But then, it would not be you losing your apprenticeship, but choosing to give it up, would it not?”

“I… suppose so, yes,” she said.

“Seeing the potential you have, you may wonder why it is that I do not simply force you to make whichever decision is most convenient to me in every aspect of your life,” he said. “It is true that I could do that. However, there is something aside from your potential that I am very interested in having.”

She glanced at him as he paused, frowning, curious as to what that could be. She didn’t need to say anything. The question was etched clearly into her eyes.

“Your loyalty,” he clarified. “Your trust and obedience. It is rather inconvenient, it is true, but one cannot simply pry loyalty out of another person. I want you to choose your apprenticeship with me, and thus, you are free to walk away.”

“My… loyalty?” she asked. She didn’t know what she’d expected him to say, but this certainly was not it.

“Indeed. I have been betrayed enough times,” he said. “I value loyalty greatly, and it is vital that my apprentice have that quality. If you do not have the choice to walk away, are you, then, truly loyal?”

“That makes sense,” she said. She looked up at him. “You have my loyalty, Your Highness. I am, indeed, choosing this path.”

He nodded, looking rather pleased. 

“As long as I can be sure of that, you need not fear for your future as my apprentice,” he said. “Loyalty, obedience and potential are all you need. As far as your welfare, I will take care of that for as long as you choose this path.”

Having that reassurance was a relief. It at least meant that she didn’t have to make a choice for her life based on that. It could be based on what she actually wanted. If only she knew how to make those kinds of decisions without any conflict with anyone, she would have nothing to worry about.

“Of course, you will also need combat lessons,” the Emperor continued, crossing his arms. “The fireball you were going to try to hit me with was an improvement, but only when it comes to the casting technique. You closed your eyes while trying to aim it. That is absolutely unacceptable. We will correct these combat mistakes.”

“R-right,” Kyrie said, sheepishly. “I… don’t think I’m naturally good at this combat thing. I’m just glad there wasn’t anything actually hostile.”

“In the hallways of my castle? I would hope not,” he said. “Now. You should go back to your room. You must not lose so much sleep. It does you no good, and I will not have your skills worsening due to your own recklessness. You are my apprentice. Your performance reflects on me too.”

“Yeah. Of course,” she said.

She sighed. There was something bothering her about just leaving like that. She had so many questions, and, really, a part of her just didn’t want to stop the conversation just yet. She wasn’t quite sure why, especially since the Emperor had been so clear about asking her to go back to trying to sleep. He had turned away to leave already.

“Wait,” she said.

“Yes?” he asked, turning back to her.

“May I ask… why you are out so late as well?” she asked. “It’s not something I would ever have expected.”

His posture immediately stiffened, and she saw him lift his chin slightly, as he often did when annoyed, his sharp stare fixed on her. She figured that he would simply refuse to answer, but after a moment, his posture relaxed again. 

“The weight of the crown does not go down with the sun,” he said. 

His tone was guarded, but Kyrie could definitely understand that. He was always busy with something, and it made sense, given how hard it had to be to rule an empire, even for someone who didn’t particularly care for some of the more human aspects of ruling. She nodded.

“I can see that. And I know there are a lot of things complicating everything right now. Like Fynn,” she said. 

The Emperor gave a somewhat curt nod. 

“With Fynn’s boots at our throats, any setback’s effects are multiplied,” he said. “For all the glory of the empire, nature can often prove an impressive obstacle. Our crops and food supplies depend on the weather, and it can often be rough. Currently, an important part of the next harvest is in danger of being lost entirely. It is not entirely unheard of, especially in this season, but it has the potential to cripple us when it comes to the restitution payments.”

“Oh… oh, no,” Kyrie said. That sounded dire. “Can healing magic help those crops? Or some other magic?”

“To an extent, perhaps. We do not have enough healing mages to care for people and crops at the same time, but perhaps that is something that may be tried, even if it causes strain on the mages,” he said. “A famine would be far worse.”

That a famine was even on the table was alarming. She hadn’t heard anything about that before.

“Do many people know?” she asked.

“A famine in Palamecia is a threat we always keep in mind,” the Emperor said. “Too few areas support any real agriculture. We do store a lot of food, but there is always the possibility something may happen to that. I will be informing the nobles soon enough. The reports just need to be properly analyzed first, and a plan of action formulated.”

If the threat of famine was constantly looming over Palamecia, it was no wonder the Emperor would be stressed out enough to lose sleep. A sudden realization brought an idea into her mind. If this kind of threat was common, was the Emperor in the habit of taking walks outside of his chambers at these kinds of hours? 

“I see,” she said. “So that’s why you’re taking a walk this late. Is… this something you often do, Your Highness?”

“Yes. What of it?” he asked, crossing his arms again, his chin slightly lifted. 

“I recall you telling me that you’ve never seen a ghost in the hallways. But you’re often walking around at night,” she replied.

“You are bringing up that ghost again,” the Emperor said, shaking his head. “Why do you focus on such ludicrous stories?”

“It’s just… I just realized something,” she said, shaking her head with some amusement. “If anyone could really have seen a ghost that’s said to wander about as often as it does… it’d be you. And yet, you haven’t seen any ghosts in the castle, in spite of walking around the hallways at night often.”

“What is your point?” he asked.

“Well, Your Highness, I think I might have just discovered the ghost.”

The Emperor just stared at her with a small frown. He had a shrewd expression in his eyes, making Kyrie feel that he probably knew where she was going with this, but he said nothing, clearly expecting her to say it herself.

“I think you are the ghost that haunts these halls, Your Highness,” she said. 

He looked at her and shook his head, though there was an amused twinkle in his eyes and he cleared his throat as he apparently suppressed a chuckle. His stance relaxed again. 

“It is… possible, yes,” he said. “I did not expect that I would be haunting my own castle while still able to breathe. The court and staff must be truly desperate for gossip to create such ludicrous rumors.”

“I don’t think the moonlight helps when combined with a silk nightgown,” Kyrie said. “From a distance, it almost seems to shimmer.”

She chose not to comment on the long, wind-swept hair or the pale skin and hair color the Emperor had. 

“I suppose I cannot really complain about the rumors, if they keep people away from the hallways at night,” he said. “It is indeed convenient if people continue believing there is a deadly ghost roaming the halls. I trust you will not mention this encounter to anyone, not even your attendant.”

“Of course,” she said. “I understand. A quiet walk like this… I wouldn’t want to be the one ruining it for you.”

“Indeed. At times like these, a quiet walk in the cooler air of the hallways is invaluable,” he said. “On warmer days, I could always go into a private garden, but during winter, there is no such choice. I prefer the hallways, anyway.”

“That's a bit surprising. I would think there's less people you might run into in the gardens.”

“One would think that,” he said, shaking his head. “However, some amorous nobles visit the gardens periodically, spurred by those very thoughts. I have witnessed some rather distasteful things when I have chosen to visit the gardens.”

Kyrie nodded. She was pretty alright with not knowing the details. She could guess. 

“Maybe I will rethink walking in the gardens at night when spring comes,” she said.

“Especially in spring, yes,” he said. “Though then again, as I told you before, the hallways will be especially full. Perhaps you should simply stay at the library. Or perhaps you could actually listen to me and stay out of the hallways altogether at night.”

Kyrie gave him a sheepish, quiet laugh in response. The Emperor shook his head.

“I suppose if the same thing that brought me out here is the reason you are out, I will pardon it this time,” he said. 

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Indeed,” he said. He stood up straighter. “Well, my lady, it has been a rather… entertaining encounter. However, it is time we both go back to our respective chambers. It will not do to have the sun rise while we are still here.”

“That is a good point,” she said. “I hope you are able to get some rest, Emperor.”

“Goodnight, then, my lady,” he said.

“Goodnight, Emperor,” she said. Then she hesitated. “So… umm… if I can’t sleep, once in a while, may I walk around the hallways a bit, if I never tell anyone about finding the ghost?”

He paused, giving her a sharp look. Then he shrugged.

“Try not to make it a habit,” he said. 

“Thank you,” she said.

He turned and walked away. She watched him for a moment as he looked more and more ghost-like as he approached the area where the torches had gone out. There was no mistaking why she’d originally thought him to be a ghost, and why people were so convinced the hallways were haunted.

---------------

Mateus frowned slightly as he went back into his chambers. This encounter had been extremely unexpected, and yet, it hadn't been unpleasant. He found himself slightly less stressed out. Perhaps it had been the novelty of running into someone this late, or perhaps it had been the suggestion she had made. He was no healer. He never would have thought of sending white mages to try to heal the fields. It was probably too late to save a good deal of it, but perhaps some of the harvest could still be saved. If that was possible… then they wouldn’t lose so much from their food stores. Famine was still always a potential danger, but this would make it less likely. And if it really worked… it could be a game-changer. 

He could not help but think about how differently this late-night encounter would have gone if, instead of Kyrie, he had encountered the young Lady Webster, or the Blackwell girl. Both of them would have been outright scandalized by seeing him wearing something as informal as a nightgown. He’d heard about such encounters between normal nobles. To see an emperor outside of a formal setting was even more unusual. They’d probably have apologized profusely, making the situation awkward and outright uncomfortable. They would have then proceeded to try to talk to him, trying to get him to listen about their various virtues, thinking that would somehow give them a chance with him. It wasn’t like they didn’t try to do that every time they managed to catch him in the hallways during the day. It was infuriating, really. 

It was something which was expected of them as noblewomen, yes, and were he a different kind of emperor, he might even be interested. There was a certain amount of benefit to having a wife of that type, who could play the part of an elegant empress, appeasing the peasants and the nobles alike with her delicate ways. He was not, however, the kind of emperor who cared about any of that, and it was not the kind of time which required such things. He was a man of action, pragmatic and focused on his ambitions. A pretty decoration sitting next to his throne was not something he wanted to have. 

He took a look at himself in the mirror as he prepared to braid his hair in an attempt to get at least a couple of hours of sleep. The wind had swept his hair into a disheveled, impressively unacceptable state. His eyes had dark circles under them. He hated how much that look fit the turmoil in his head. He thought of his ambitions- even spoke of them with those around him- but in the end, he was barely able to keep his empire together after the war that he had lost. He had never faltered in his confidence that he would be able to succeed and unite the entire world under his rule. Other worlds were, perhaps, out of reach, but this world, at least, he could conquer. They would all kneel before him. He was sure of it. And yet, he could not help but be increasingly frustrated with his inability to find a path forward. He brushed his hair, carefully undoing the mild tangles that the drafts and the wind had managed to create. He’d have to mandate that the broken window frame be fixed. How dare that window fall into disrepair in the middle of winter? He'd had all of them checked during the fall.

It wasn't just the windows, either. He had ordered more repairs than usual this year. A lot of preventative maintenance had been done and still that window lock on the frame had managed to break. How was it that even his most careful plans continued to run into problems? He kept brushing his hair, though there were no more tangles to deal with.

Noticing a few more strands of hair on his brush than he would like, he  finally put it down with a frustrated grunt. Even if he did not have a clear path to his ambitions, he did, at least, have somewhat of a partial path forward in general. He was going to dispatch white mages to the damaged fields, and hopefully delay, if not fully avert, yet another food crisis. He had to continue to maintain and increase the empire’s infrastructure, as well as finishing the war repairs. There was his apprentice, too. He had to plan her combat training. It probably wouldn’t get too far, he thought with some annoyance as he carefully braided his hair. There was little one could do about someone with the kind of demeanor she had. Defensive combat was probably the best he’d get out of her. At the very least, he needed her to aim spells under pressure without closing her eyes!

Finally, he decided to try to get to sleep. He wasn’t going to get much of it, he knew. His mind would simply not stop playing events and plans over and over. He’d likely need a few potions to get through the day tomorrow. Really, he’d never in his life had to go with so little sleep as he had ever since his return. He wasn’t entirely sure how long before his body gave out on him. He liked being alive, but… there was an undeniable benefit to not being so. He didn’t need to sleep in hell, after all. Still, he had no intention of going back, not for a long time. His ambitions came first. He had to succeed. He had to.

Chapter Text

Though definitely exhausted the next morning, Mateus was determined to simply keep pushing forward, just as he always had. There were many things that needed to get done, and, really, there were some he could just get out of his list if he focused on them. For starters, he was going to give Kyrie that pendant he’d commissioned for her. He’d wanted to wait for some moment that would be good, perhaps even dramatic, but he was way too busy for that. If he kept waiting, he wouldn’t even get to give it to her. Thus, he simply took the box to his study, so he could give it to her during their lesson. Enough time had passed since she’d gotten the brooch that it wouldn’t even be seen as giving her too many gifts. He absolutely did not want to feed any more gossip regarding her position in his life. Several disturbingly bold nobles had already made comments with rather vexing implications. 

During the morning meeting with his advisors, he went through an extra amount of tasks, issuing commands and decrees in greater numbers than he had since he had started preparing for the war. Action. He needed action in order to remain in control. He ignored the worried looks that Cuthbert sent his way every so often. The old advisor was loyal, but he did not understand the necessity of these ambitions. The world needed to be controlled. It was too chaotic, and too divided. The horrors of the past could come back, and only complete control could spare the world from the worst of it. 

He was pretty silent during luncheon, and it didn’t help that Johan seemed particularly intent on monopolizing Kyrie’s time. He kept talking about the upcoming play and mentioned over and over how he was sure Kyrie would love it, and how talented the leads were. Johan wasn’t wrong about that. Lady Pearl Webster was a very talented actress. It was perhaps that woman’s most useful trait, though she certainly did not know to use it to its greatest potential. As an emperor, Mateus had been educated in acting as well, and he’d gotten a lot of use out of that talent, though he’d never really participated in any of the plays that the court organized. He’d learned to use that skill in order to maintain the image he wanted to project. Lady Webster focused mostly on the dramatic aspects that worked well for plays, but would look utterly ridiculous when it came to court affairs.

He watched Kyrie carefully as she continued her conversation with Johan. He wanted to know how interested she was in that play. Something seemed off with her that day, and he couldn’t quite place what it was. Something about the way she smiled was different. He wondered if it was a lack of interest in the play, but he doubted it. During the brief conversations they had daily during her lessons, she had expressed a lot of interest for Palamecian culture, and he knew she’d expressed a lot of interest in the various activities Johan had spoken to her about. She’d seemed more cheerful about those activities before, but now, there was a shadow over her expression. It was a subtle one, which he only saw because he had studied her all this time. He doubted Johan could see it. He certainly was showing no sign of it. 

Of course, he got no answers then. It was impossible to speak to Kyrie privately during such a time, and any questions would have to wait. In the meantime, there was more that needed to be done. The afternoon meeting was as active as the morning one. He gave a huge amount of commands and decrees to the attending nobles in order to accelerate repairs and infrastructure building. He gave the order to send white mages to the fields that had been affected by the merciless weather. This raised some eyebrows until an attending white mage confirmed that healing the fields might, indeed, be possible, even if it had never been tried before, at least in Palamecia. 

“There is research in Mysidia into healing things that are not human,” the mage said. “We know for a fact that healing spells affect monsters and other creatures of that sort. Some monsters have certain plant-like traits, and thus, it may be done.”

“A portion of the harvest is always lost due to the weather,” Lord Blackwell said. “This would not be necessary if only we were not paying that blasted restitution.”

“Restitution or not, if there is a way that we may be able to grow more food so we may support a growing population and perhaps even have enough so that we can store it, then we will do it,” Mateus said. “Palamecia prides itself on being the harbinger of progress, not complacency.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Lord Blackwell said. “However, while such progress would be quite welcome, it is only because of the restitution that it is so desperately needed.”

“Even if we were not paying restitution, we would still require increasing food production in order to feed the people of our new territories,” Mateus said, crossing his arms. “I will not deny that the restitution is a strain, but it is nothing we cannot handle. Besides, it is something we will only live with for a few years.”

It was not something Lord Blackwell could argue about. The restitution would not last forever, even if it crippled Palamecia. They could recover.

“Even if we didn’t need this, to test whether or not fields could be healed by magic is worth a try,” the mage said. “There may be research into that in Mysidia, but it has not been made widely available. The idea is a wonderful one.”

“Consider it my apprentice’s first proper contribution to the court,” Mateus said. “It is she who suggested it.”

He watched with some amusement as many of the nobles turned to look at Kyrie, who almost seemed to shrink as though she wanted to hide under her seat. She’d get used to the attention in time, surely. 

“What if the experiment does not work?” asked Lord Blackwell.

“If it works, she will be generously rewarded for her service to Palamecia. If it does not, then it will at least be acknowledged as a bold move. Those fields are basically doomed. We have nothing to lose by attempting her suggestion,” Mateus said. 

No one could really argue against that. The fields were basically lost. Once damaged by such harsh weather, plants usually died off anyways. If there was any chance of saving at least some of the harvest, it could hardly be argued against. Just in case, Mateus would make sure that the revived grains were all in the shipment to Fynn. If there was any strange effect from eating healed plants, Palamecia wouldn’t have to deal with it. He doubted this would be the case, but he could also not afford even the slightest chance of people suddenly starting to become undead or something of the sort. 

After the meeting, he headed towards his study. He knew Kyrie would take a small break for tea, but he had a lot of things he wanted to look into anyways. Anton brought his tea to his study. Mateus was about to refuse it, not feeling at all like having tea, but then thought better of it. It was bitterly cold, and the tea was still warm. He might as well make use of it. The herbal blend that he generally got was rather soothing, too. More relaxing than he ought to be indulging in, he thought as he caught his eyes closing for a bit too long. He took another sip and got up, walking over to the window. It was a dreary day, with heavy, dark clouds hanging over the sky. There wasn’t even any rain to make up for it, either. There was just the endless, howling wind of the mountains. Even the weather mocked him, hinting at the good things it could give, but giving none of it. Mateus decided it was a really good day to reorganize all of the bookshelves and documents in his study. It would give him an opportunity to review some of the documents, make sure he could burn anything that wasn’t needed anymore, and make sure the books and scrolls he had were perfectly organized. 

He had a rather impressive pile of books on his desk when he heard the soft tapping of Kyrie’s cane out in the hallway, and then her footsteps before he heard her knock on the door. He glanced at the pile, then at the door, and finally at the clock on the mantelpiece. She wasn’t here early. He had simply gotten busy for longer than he expected. Ah, well. He unlocked the drawer where he’d put the pendant. 

“Come in.”

She opened the door carefully and peeked in before entering the study. She looked so meek, that if he hadn’t known better, Mateus might have outright rolled his eyes. He often wondered whether she acted that way because it was so comfortable to be overlooked and underestimated, or if it was simply the kind of politeness that commoners in Bafsk were taught. She’d have to learn eventually that, in court, that just made her stand out. She looked at the enormous pile of books on his desk, her eyes widening. 

“Oh. Um… do you want me to help you put that away?” she asked.

“If you wish to make yourself useful, I will not stop you,” he replied.

He was glad that she had chosen to ask if he wanted help rather than if he needed it. As an Emperor, he could not afford any sort of weakness. He highly appreciated how well she seemed to understand that fact. Even during the previous night, she had not judged him, or pitied him, or otherwise implied that he was weak in some way. All she’d offered was… acceptance? Understanding? Something like that. It was one of those virtues or such that he’d heard people like Firion and Hilda talk about. They were pathetic for talking about things like that as if they mattered, but… he couldn’t deny that he was not exactly displeased at being the recipient of this kind of attitude. It was an extremely alien feeling, but, well, he supposed it was… convenient? That had to be it. Convenient things were not displeasing to him. 

“Of course,” she said. “Just please let me know where you want me to put them.”

Just like that. No groveling. No attitude which was obviously trying to gain his favor. Just talking to him like she probably talked to any other person. She was definitely a strange one. He wondered if he’d ever understand her, or if she was simply too strange for him to ever make sense of the way she was. 

“They need to be classified into topics first,” he said. “A lot of them are about magic, but there are books on various topics related to politics. Separate the magic ones out. I will organize the ones on politics. We can discuss your lessons and a few other things while we do that.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Kyrie said with a nod, walking over to the pile of books.

He watched her for a moment as she picked up a book, checked the title, confirmed the topic by carefully flipping through a few pages, and then set it aside, picking up another book to continue the process. For all the things that were going wrong in his life, at least this was going well enough. They’d still have to work on combat, but that would wait. He would probably go with a very hands-on approach, simply cornering her and forcing her to defend herself in whichever way she could. He’d have to be careful, though. The power difference between them was still enormous even if she was getting quite powerful compared to most others. She wasn’t 

at the level of the elite magicians in his army yet, but that was not something he expected to see for a few years. It was acceptable. For the lessons in his study, he could focus on healing for now. It was a good time to start, and, well, he could mostly offer her the theory. He was not a healer, even though he knew a lot about it. It had all just been part of his studies, but knowing the theory didn’t always translate to being good at casting the spells themselves. 

“Tell me, then, what do you know about healing magic?” he asked. “It is about time we start thinking about your education in such matters.”

He saw her eyes light up with the news. He knew healing magic was what she was most interested in. It wasn’t what he had started with, of course, since it was a topic that could get complicated and one just could not master it without mastering the basics, but she was doing great with all the basics by now. He might as well give her some of what she really wanted. How far he could go with this and how much she’d have to do on her own remained to be seen, but it was a topic they had to cover either way. 

“Well, not much, really,” she said, putting aside two more magic books. “It’s usually not covered in books on basics. If it is, it’s practically only about its existence and barebones information. Not enough to really cast anything.”

She proceeded to explain all the basics she knew, which covered life force and its various meridians and paths through the body, as well as the various ways that magic might be able to affect that flow in order to heal. She spoke of the limits of curative magic, too, and the differences between Esuna and Basuna. She also mentioned the things he’d taught her about how healing magic affected the undead. Mateus raised an eyebrow. That was what she considered not much? For basic knowledge, that was a lot. Some of that knowledge wasn’t even basic. It was mostly correct, too, though some of it had an odd focus that he wasn’t sure where she’d gotten it from. 

“That is more than I was expecting for someone who supposedly only read the basics,” he said.

“Well… not all of it was learned from magic books,” she admitted. “Some of it was from apothecary books talking about how it is that various magic plants affect the body. A lot of that was basically the same principles in healing magic, so… I guess I extrapolated some of it.”

He nodded. This was exactly the potential he appreciated in her. She was clever… and lucky. Had she stayed a mere commoner, she never would have had a chance to really develop that potential.

“I see. We will treat this as we have the other topics, and start from the beginning, to ensure a proper foundation for what we will study later,” he said.

“Of course,” she said. She paused for a moment, looking thoughtful before she turned back to him. “Will… any of what I learned before be useful to me at all?”

He nodded, taking a book on economics and setting it aside. 

“Though I will need you to focus entirely on what I am teaching you, once you have mastered magic well enough, you will be able to look back upon the things you learned and incorporate the best of it back into your casting,” he replied. “Some of it may lead to new spell forms, and other discoveries, including making entirely new spells. But that only comes with mastery. For now, what you studied before serves only as proof of your potential.”

“It does?” she asked, sounding confused, her head tilted to the side.

“You did learn a lot,” he said. “Were it not for that, you would not have been able to cast magic spells that could catch my attention. I value power and potential greatly, my lady. A young woman with as much knowledge as you, mixed as it is, who could cast combination spells in spite of a lack of formal training… is indeed someone with potential… and power. Your knowledge proves it, as well as your willingness to learn.”

She seemed to think about it for a moment, her expression thoughtful as she picked out three more magic books.

“I suppose it never seemed like that to me,” she said. “I knew I was lacking so much when it came to my knowledge. I couldn't compare to a mage that studied for the same amount of time.”

“Oh, indeed. However, your situation is rather different. A formally-trained mage will know a lot more than one which is not. That said, their knowledge is handed to them. You showed resourcefulness in obtaining knowledge, even from unconventional sources,” he said, pausing for a moment. “Now you, too, will be handed knowledge. With the traits you developed from your studies, you could get very far.”

“That’s my hope,” she said with a nod. 

He could see the ambition in her eyes. He liked that, as long as it stayed away from his own ambitions. Leon had been like that too, delighting in being a general and having all the power that Mateus had given him. It was a shame that he ended up being so weak in the end. He had higher hopes for Kyrie. Unlike Leon, she kept her mind straight even as her power increased. Her ambition was not one born of fear, but out of a deep desire to succeed. That kind of motivation was more stable. 

He was definitely going to help her develop that potential. He picked up a few more books to set them aside as he began to explain the basics of magical healing to Kyrie. She listened intently as she set aside books as well.

“So we do not generally use those meridians when casting. While they are a good generalization for how life force flows through the body, casting requires one to be more deliberate about where the energy is supposed to go. Potions will generally just flow into the right meridians through the blood, so there is no need to guide the magic there,” he said. “You can get away with it when casting Cure at a low level, but the less deliberate you are about it, the more energy you will end up wasting, and the less healing your spells will actually provide. You need to guide the energy.”

“That sounds very different from casting a spell like Fireball. There is some guidance you have to give there too, but you don’t really have to be deliberate about guiding it. Just about understanding it.”

“Indeed. It is an entirely different manner of casting a spell. Most spells require guidance from one’s knowledge in order to provide the intended effects. White magic, however, requires something different. Your willpower, guiding the spell. Your spirit, if you will,” Mateus explained. “It is why mages often tend to specialize. It is very difficult to do both types of magic and be good at it.”

“I don’t want to completely ignore the other kind of magic,” Kyrie said. “I want to be good at white magic, but… I understand black magic has its own uses too. It doesn’t necessarily have to be used offensively.”

“You can use a lot of white magic quite offensively, too, if you wish,” Mateus said. “Holy is as deadly as Flare is. It is, however, true that white mages tend to be pacifists.”

“That makes sense,” she said. “Normally, they’d want to focus on healing, not causing harm.”

They were both done separating the magic books from the ones relating to various political topics. It had been done quite quickly, and, with the lessons, it had seemed even faster. Not a bad way to spend time, really.

“Arrange the books in alphabetical order,” he said. “Speaking of pacifism, my lady, we will have to focus on combat eventually.”

He glanced at her, noticing her pause and her slight frown. She said nothing, but he knew she worried about it.

“You need not fear combat, in spite of your idea that it exists entirely to cause harm. Harm may be part of it, but would you not say that protecting the people you care about is important?” he asked. 

This was not something he particularly understood, but he had heard people talk about that. People apparently liked protecting others. It was quite an irony, really, since that often took the form of attacking someone and causing them harm in order to prevent harm on someone else, and people who praised this kind of behavior were often the types that praised pacifism and other virtues.

“Well, yes, but if it’s possible to do that without causing harm… then that’s how I want to do it,” she replied after a moment of thought. 

“And what if it is not? What if someone you care about is attacked by some dangerous monster, human or otherwise?”

“I… don’t know,” Kyrie said. “I… would hope I would be able to do as little damage as possible. There’s shields and there’s ways to make foes run away, and…”

“And not all of those things will work,” Mateus said. “Even the most pacifist of white mages will realize that there are times when combat is necessary. That white mage from Fynn, whose name I cannot remember, is also quite capable of combat.”

“Minwu? Really?” Kyrie asked. “He looks like he wouldn’t harm a fly.” 

“Oh, I assure you, if the fly posed any danger to those he protects, he most certainly would crush it,” he said. 

She looked thoughtful, but said nothing. Even intelligent people like her could have their worldview crushed, he supposed. For a moment he wondered what it might be like if he could simply… change her. If he could introduce darkness to her clearly light-filled heart. Make her more like himself. He had done that to people before. It wouldn’t necessarily be hard to do it to her, too. 

For once, though, his mind, usually so good at coming up with complex plans in very short periods of time, failed him. It was as though he had the plans in his mind, but just… couldn’t grasp them. As if some part of him just refused to even think of it. Maybe he’d have to think of it later, he thought. Or maybe he shouldn’t. He didn’t know. For once, he just didn’t know. Either way, it was not something he had a chance to think about now, in the middle of the lesson. 

He went back to explaining white magic theory, speaking also about how the offensive spells, like Holy, worked when they still took from the caster’s willpower rather than understanding. Those spells looked like normal black spells, after all, and beginner casters often assumed they worked similarly. They did not. Kyrie picked up on the information quickly, though she continued to look thoughtful and somewhat troubled. Every so often, he’d direct her to put away books in certain bookcases, and he kept putting away others, as well as scrolls and other papers. They were done with organizing the bookshelves before they were done with the lesson. It had been… pleasant enough to rearrange his bookshelves with Kyrie’s aid. Perhaps he should do this more often. He sat down at his desk, and she sat on the other side, and they continued the lesson. 

After some time, he was done with the lesson. There were things she needed to practice, and be given time to absorb.  He’d probably go through the theory a few more times, just to be sure. This was important and it was clearly something she hadn’t studied as much. Kyrie still looked somewhat thoughtful, but a bit closer to her normal expression. 

“Thank you, Emperor,” she said. “I’d been looking forward to properly learning about this for a long time.”

“Indeed,” he said. “You understand the theory well. A lot of mages find it harder to understand this type of magic due to how it takes from willpower rather than knowledge. Perhaps it will suit you, as you have shown a lot of willpower.”

She seemed a bit reassured. Her posture seemed to relax a bit, and so did her expression. 

“I hope so. I think I can do a lot of good for a lot of people if I get good at this kind of magic,” she said. 

“If your idea about trying to heal the fields works, then I do believe you will be doing good for people before you are even good at casting white magic,” he said. “And if it doesn’t, you still would have contributed to the knowledge pool.”

Doing good for the sake of it rather than for practical reasons was something fairly alien to him, but he knew some people were like that. This was clearly important to her. She needed to hear it, especially if she was feeling troubled. Her reaction told him that his instinct was correct. She almost seemed to smile.

“I really hope it does,” she said. “If it can help prevent some of the heavy strain on Palamecia’s food supply, I think it will be wonderful. And maybe it can help in the future, too.”

He nodded. However he might feel about people who made it their priority to help people for the sake of it, it could not be denied that if this worked, it was going to bring a lot of relief to his empire. He had to admit that he hoped it would, in fact, work, though he wasn’t really expecting it to. He was silent for a bit, and Kyrie seemed to take it as her cue to leave, since she glanced at the door and turned towards it. 

“Before you go,” Mateus said.

She turned towards him again with a curious expression. Mateus took a moment to think about how to say what he wanted to say. This was incredibly awkward to him.

“I have something for you,” he said, choosing to simply be direct about it. It would probably be more awkward if he tried to be fancy about it. 

He opened the drawer where he’d put the box with the pendant, and he put it on the table, pushing it towards her. She walked over to it, then looked at him, her expression having turned from curiosity to confusion. 

“Open it,” he said. 

She picked up the box carefully and opened it. Mateus watched her carefully, noticing her eyes widen slightly. 

“Oh!” she exclaimed. “It’s beautiful! Thank you!”

Mateus was pleased to hear that. He was not a man who needed praise or anything like that, but gratitude for his generosity was something he absolutely did want. He was also quite glad that she liked it. He knew he had good taste, but it seemed a lot of people didn’t. She was apparently someone with good enough taste. More people needed to be like that. He nodded.

“It is a token of my appreciation,” he said. “For your service in Fynn.”

“My service?” she asked. 

She was rather clueless. She did not know how much her intervention had helped. Things had looked impossible before she had helped him to think clearly. He had been convinced that the only choice he had was which way he would die. No matter. He wasn’t going to explain. It was too awkward.

“Indeed,” he said. “You performed your role well. It is… appreciated.”

She smiled. Her expression did not look troubled anymore. 

“Go now,” he said. “It is getting late.”

“Of course, Emperor,” she said. “Good night.”

“Good night,” he said with a quick nod. 

After she left, Mateus stayed sitting at his desk, thoughtful. The fact that Kyrie had lost her troubled look was something that, oddly enough, didn’t bother him. He felt strangely pleased by that, but he didn’t know why. Wouldn’t it be more convenient if her heart was steeped in darkness? If she were more like him? If he could really turn her into a tool of conquest? She had the potential to become very powerful, much like Leon, but even better because she was a mage. He could teach her his secrets, and with her loyalty, he could nearly duplicate the power available to him. He was good at coming up with plans for this kind of thing. 

And yet, he just couldn’t come up with a good enough plan to darken Kyrie’s heart. He wasn’t sure why, and it frustrated him. He shook his head. No matter. It was good that she was his apprentice, even if she was the way she was. Perhaps there was something good that could come from that as well. He did not really need two of himself. There were sometimes benefits to having someone around who held different views from his own. It was okay if she never changed in this way. This quiet strength, which she gained from the way she was, was part of why she was so interesting to him, anyways. 

The gift, at least, had gone very well. She had really liked the pendant. She even looked happy, and he was certainly not displeased by that. Tomorrow, he’d begin to teach her combat. He wondered how she was going to take it. She had seemed so troubled by the mere idea of combat. She was definitely a pacifist, though she had yet to really understand the realities of the world. Being a pacifist without understanding the costs was dangerous. He wasn’t particularly fond of fighting, either, so, in a way, he understood her. It could be entertaining, and it was sometimes absolutely necessary, but if he could avoid it, and simply resort to threats, then all the better. If he was careful, he might be able to make it so that she wouldn’t be so troubled by it and understand the use of such skills. Perhaps that would be the best-case scenario. 

---------------

Kyrie looked at the pendant again as she sat down near the fire in her room. It had a gorgeous ruby, carefully cut into the shape of a phoenix. It sparkled almost like fire. It was rather delicate, but not exactly tiny. It was easy enough to see all the details even from a bit of a distance. She couldn’t really say that she was particularly sure what exactly it was that she had done, but, well… she wasn’t going to question it, either. If he thought she’d done something good, well, she was just going to be happy about it. She’d wanted to be helpful in Fynn, and, apparently, she’d done exactly that. 

Helping the Emperor reorganize his bookshelves had been a pleasant enough time, too. The lesson had been fascinating, but somehow, sharing that activity made it an even nicer time. She sighed, shaking her head. She knew how much Maria and Leon had warned her against even interacting with him. And yet… every time she had really interacted with him, aside from their very first meeting, she couldn’t really complain. He had always been relatively pleasant to spend time with, but after she became his apprentice and they spent longer interacting, she found that she outright enjoyed talking to him. 

The combat thing worried her, though. She didn’t want to fight anyone. She avoided conflict in general, and hurting people even if only with words was something she did not want to do. Hurting them with magic? She could potentially kill someone that way. She wouldn’t be able to stand that. Hopefully, she’d be able to convince him to not to focus too much on combat. Or at all. She wanted to help people by learning magic, after all, and combat was not the way to do that.

Chapter Text

The next morning brought with it another letter from Maria. Kyrie was delighted at the fact that it had not been delayed again due to the weather. Fynn’s weather seemed to be far milder than Bafsk’s, and it definitely was incredibly mild compared to Palamecia’s. Maria talked about the various things that she and the others did, often out in the gardens of Castle Fynn, or out in the city itself. There was a lot of work to do in the reconstruction, of course. Kyrie could not even see a situation where going outside in Castle Palamecia to do something was at all a good idea. Some people had to, but there were risks, and they did those things as quickly as possible, and preferably during moments where the weather was slightly calmer. The wind howled almost non-stop, and the cold was bitter. The situations could hardly be more different. 

She wasn’t sure what to write back to Maria. She hadn’t really written about her apprenticeship with the Emperor yet. She had been too busy talking about the experiences with the blizzard. The letter was long enough as it was. She supposed she could have mentioned it, but in the end, she would have had to explain a lot of things. She knew Maria would have so many questions… and worries. She wondered if it was even a good idea to tell her about it. She and her brother would likely be horrified. They had a very different view of the Emperor.

After some consideration, Kyrie decided it was alright to mention her apprenticeship in her letter. It was likely they’d find out anyways, and they’d have a lot more questions if she didn’t say anything. There was nothing wrong about the Emperor teaching her magic. He was even teaching her white, curative magic. This was her dream, too, and, in the end, he was the only one who had even offered it to her. They thought him a monster, however. It was very understandable that they would worry about anyone having any sort of interaction with a monster. They were wrong. He had done some rather monstrous things, it was true. But he was human. A person. There was, to her, a difference between a monster and a person who did monstrous things. 

She wrote first about the weather, and how the wind howled all the time, and how it was practically impossible to be outside of the castle for more than a few minutes at a time. She had no idea how things were in the city itself. She’d heard the weather was more mild there, but not by much, and she had never really experienced it, anyways, so there wasn’t much she could say about that. It was only afterwards that she wrote about the wonderful news regarding the fact that she was finally being taught magic, and formally, too. She wrote about how happy she was, and how surprising it was that the Emperor himself had offered this opportunity. She hoped Maria would understand.

There was a letter from her parents, too, and that one did not give her any conflicting feelings. She knew her parents were absolutely not fond of the Emperor, and they, too, would worry about her learning magic from him of all people, but they at least knew more about her time in Palamecia. They had grown to accept the fact that the Emperor was… sort of a guardian, and that he had no intention of harming her. They had always seemed somewhat surprised at how oddly generous he seemed to be, but as long as she was safe and well, they were not going to question it. She wrote about all the stuff she hadn’t told them about regarding the winter and the various things she’d been up to. Then she told them about becoming the Emperor’s apprentice, and about the little ceremony and how much she’d learned already, including the things he had taught her about curative magic. She then gave the letters to Tilda so that they could be sent. 

After writing the letters, she felt much better. In explaining how happy she was for her chance at her dreams to Maria and her parents, she was less worried about the combat situation. She still didn’t like it, but… just because she knew how to fight didn’t mean she’d have to. He did have a point, too. If she had run into a real ghost that night, it would not have been a harmless interaction. Undead were vicious, and a ghost would absolutely have attacked her. She had been so terrified that she hadn’t even been able to keep her eyes open. She hated confrontation, and the mere idea of combat was everything she couldn’t stand. If it hadn’t been the Emperor haunting the halls, she could have died. She might not have made it to a guard in time. She might have missed the fireball. So many things could have happened. She wasn’t particularly happy about it, but, as she walked to the main hall for breakfast, she had to admit that the Emperor was right. If she had magic, she might as well learn the many ways it could be used in. 

“You look thoughtful today, Lady Solwood.” 

She turned to see Johan, who had, without her noticing, approached and started walking beside her.

“Oh! Sir Vernistel. Good morning,” she said. “I’m… just thinking about my studies, that is all.”

“Ah, yes. How go your lessons in magic? The Emperor must be an incredibly strict teacher, knowing him,” Johan said. “I do not think he is the type to worry about pushing his students too hard.”

“Oh, he’s a great teacher, actually,” Kyrie said. “He knows so much more than I would ever think one man would. He’s definitely strict, but… I think that’s alright. These are complicated topics, and, well, I do want to learn as much as I can. I’m glad for him pushing me to really develop my potential.”

“Is it safe, with your health, to push yourself too hard?” Johan asked.

“Oh, he doesn’t let me put my health at risk,” Kyrie said. 

“Is that right?”

“Yeah,” Kyrie nodded. “He says he simply won’t be letting his apprentice fall ill and be unable to continue studying.”

“Fancy that. The Emperor, taking a personal interest in someone’s well-being.”

Kyrie could not really understand what his tone meant, but now that he mentioned it, it was a bit odd that the Emperor had always been so… generous with her. Almost protective. She shook her head dismissing the thought. 

“He’s just being responsible,” she said. “It’s natural that he’d be like that.”

Johan looked almost troubled for a moment before he turned to her. 

“May I ask a question, Lady Solwood?”

She nodded. 

“Are you and the Emperor…?” 

He trailed off. She knew what he was probably asking, given how troubled he looked and how quiet his voice was.

“He’s my mentor and teacher,” she said. “That’s all.”

“He takes such an interest in you. You should be careful, Lady Solwood. People… they talk.”

People should really stop trying to find scandals where there were none.

“I understand that, but… surely, the court knows the Emperor,” Kyrie said. “Do you really think the Emperor would be wasting his time in some scandalous affair? Does he even seem the type to indulge in such things?”

“Well. No,” Johan replied quickly, his voice almost flustered. “In fact, he has been notoriously… dare I say, willfully oblivious to such matters. But he is a man, Lady Solwood. Men have needs, and he is still young and vigorous. People will simply assume he is secretly meeting those needs.”

“I would know nothing of it,” she said.

“I simply want you to be careful,” he said. “The things people say… even if untrue, they can still affect your future prospects.”

“Yeah. I’ll be careful. Thanks,” she said.

“I have grown to quite appreciate you, Lady Solwood. In spite of my initial reservations, you have proven to be an excellent addition to the court,” Johan said. “It is true that the last person the Emperor brought into the court got fairly far, but it was a different situation, and the Emperor is known to be generous in giving titles and military ranks to those that stand out in some way. You, however, have managed to become a part of the court. And now… you are the Emperor’s apprentice, which is a much more personal position than a mere general.”

Kyrie was unsure of how to react. He sounded… oddly sincere, though she could not get the Emperor’s warning out of her head. She couldn’t help but wonder about his wording, too, saying that he appreciated her. Was the Emperor right about Johan’s interest in her? She’d already been worrying about this for a while. Then again… appreciation didn’t necessarily mean interest. At least, she hoped it didn’t. She didn’t want anything complicating her studies right now.

“Thank you,” she said, deciding to take it as some kind of odd compliment. 

“You are most welcome. I trust you have made a decision regarding the play in a few weeks,” he said. “I would be quite honored if you attended with me. I am intending to attend either way, and I am sure you wish to as well. It is an important play.”

Oh dear. She… had not thought about that. She had been, but after her encounter with the Emperor she had stopped thinking about the play and started thinking about the encounter and things like that instead. She didn’t want to sound totally panicked, though. She had to give an answer. But… how to give an answer that wouldn’t really upset Johan?

“Yeah. I’ll go with you,” she said, the words tasting bitter on her tongue. 

“That is wonderful,” Johan smiled. “I am quite looking forward to sharing that experience with you.”

So be it, then. If she was right, things would be fine. If the Emperor was right… then… well, she would just deal with things then. Maybe she’d just have to accept that court life didn’t work the way her previous life would have. Maybe she just had to settle when it came to her personal life. Her studies were what mattered anyways.

Entering the main hall, she couldn’t help but think about how different her situation was now than it had been when she’d first walked in. Most of the hostility was gone and several of the nobles even greeted her. Her old life really was but a distant memory now. Looking at the main table, she saw the Emperor was already there, his face very serious. He seemed to almost be glaring at Johan. Kyrie wondered how the advisor could walk without trembling with the Emperor giving him that kind of look. 

“Ah. Lady Solwood,” the Emperor said as she approached. 

“Good morning, Emperor,” she said. 

The Emperor gestured to a seat, two seats separated from him, that was empty. 

“You are my apprentice now. It is only fitting that you have a seat that is more appropriate for your new station,” he said. “That will be your new place at the table from now on.”

Kyrie couldn’t help but notice that, instead of being seated next to Johan, she was going to be pretty much exactly between Johan and the Emperor. She had no idea how to feel about that. She did appreciate the fact that he was placing even more official importance on her new position, since it was continued reassurance that he was as serious about it as she was, but it was placing yet another spotlight on her, and that often led to resentment from the court. Pearl Webster, for example, was likely to start spreading gossip again. 

“Thank you, Emperor,” she said. 

He nodded at her, his expression neutral, but she saw his gaze turn to Johan, and his expression changed. His chin was slightly lifted and the look he gave his advisor could only be described as a vicious glare. It lasted for only a moment, but Kyrie wondered if she should worry about Johan’s well-being after that. She’d never seen the Emperor more hostile towards a member of his court. She took her new place at the table, and Johan walked over to his own. If she didn’t know better, she’d think that Johan looked rather angry too. She dismissed that thought. This was not really something that she should get involved in. She just hoped that it didn’t have to do with her. If it did, then she could understand why the Emperor would be upset, but Johan also being so could mean the Emperor was right. She hoped he wasn’t, especially now that she’d promised to go to the play with Johan. Everything would get so complicated if the Emperor was right.

“Now we can actually talk during meal times,” the Emperor said, turning to her with a grin.

She nodded and smiled. This was indeed a very good thing. Johan was interesting to talk to, but so was the Emperor. He nodded back at her before he got up to perform the salt blessing. Afterwards he sat down and proceeded to become far more talkative than he’d ever been during a meal. 

“The white mages have been deployed to the damaged fields,” he said. “I understand that, while they found the orders strange, they also did express optimism for the task ahead. I suppose the ill and injured will have to make do with only the apothecaries, but we do have the best medicine in the world. The apothecaries will just have a lot more work than they’re used to.”

“I hope they can make a big difference,” she said.

“Yes, so do I. There is a lot of infrastructure that we still need to build so that we may ensure our food safety for generations to come,” the Emperor nodded. “It has not always been easy, but we pride ourselves in our ability to make something wonderful out of our desert.”

“I have noticed that,” Kyrie said. “It is… something I know a lot of people in other places have wondered about. Why would it be that anyone would settle down in a desert?”

“Oh, do you not know the legends?” the Emperor said. “They say that Palamecia used to be a land like any other, long, long ago. A prairie perhaps, or a forest. It matters not. It was so long ago that no one remembers. Palamecia did not exist yet, but our ancestors did, and there was a very prosperous kingdom here. But alas, tragedy struck. The king of an enemy nation came in the guise of peace. Jealous of the prosperity of this kingdom, he betrayed the king of our ancestors. The king died, of course, leaving behind but a child as his heir.”

Kyrie listened intently. She had no idea there was a legend that spoke of why Palamecia was a desert. How fascinating!

“The enemy kingdom wanted the treasures of that kingdom, so he got his allies and they marched their armies upon the defenseless kingdom, ready to ransack it all,” the Emperor continued. “The child king, desperate, prayed to his father as the armies marched towards the capital. And then, the dead king’s soul was reborn as a phoenix. However, the phoenix is a bird of fire. Everything went up in flames. This included, of course, the enemy armies. But also the kingdom itself and all the richness and beauty that had made the enemies envy them. The forests gave way to sand, and the land became as hot as the phoenix’s flames.”

“That sounds… very tragic,” Kyrie said as the Emperor paused to sip at his morning tea.

“Oh indeed. And it would be purely tragic if the story ended there. However, the king did not desert his people,” he said. “All the riches became part of the mountains. The soil of the mountains became blessed, bearing the best medicinal herbs in the land. The people who had been loyal to the king and his son emerged from the ashes, born anew. And with it all came the promise… that this new land would be blessed. No one would take it from its people, and yet they would always find a way to survive if only they looked for it. The phoenix’s last gifts were its feathers, which became the grains that we grow which form the basis of our foods, and its tears which bore the fruits that grow in the desert and sustain us as well.”

“That’s a fascinating legend,” she said, nodding earnestly. “I suppose that’s why the phoenix is the emblem of Palamecia.”

“It is. This legend, fantastical as it may seem, is actually connected to a large part of our identity. It not only gives us the symbol that united us as a single empire, but also is involved in our belief in the sacred nature of food and drink,” the Emperor said with a languid nod of his head. “It also cannot be denied that no one has ever tried to conquer Palamecia, and, in spite of many difficulties, we have prevailed. We also certainly do not easily trust other kingdoms.”

There was no denying that. Even if she had known nothing of Palamecian history, just their location and their culture told her that these were hardy people who had overcome a lot just to stay alive, let alone as prosperous as they had become. That even their most fundamental myth was associated with hardship really said a lot, she thought.

The Emperor had no shortage of interesting things to share. During breakfast, he talked more about the old history of Palamecia. He spoke about how, after the collapse of the ancient kingdom, the people had become divided into many tribes, which, due to the scarcity of resources, warred with each other.

“The story of what happened was fragmented through the generations. Eventually, there were as many unique versions of the story as there were tribes. They all had different saviors, and different paths. All they could really agree on was the ancient kingdom, the betrayal and the destruction by fire,” he said. “Ironic, is it not? The story of how Palamecia became a broken, chaotic wasteland eventually became the symbol that united it into an empire.”

“I think that’s a very wonderful thing,” Kyrie said. “I find the idea that something that could have stayed as just hardship and despair eventually was turned into a symbol of hope and prosperity. I suppose it is ironic, yes, but also… beautiful.”

The Emperor looked thoughtful for a while before he gave her a gesture that was somewhere between a shrug and a nod. 

“I suppose that is definitely one way you can see it,” he said. “In the end, it is fitting that the bloodline that finally succeeded in bringing the tribes together was the same bloodline of the phoenix king. Even the name feels as though this was always their fate. Though a lot of the ancient language is lost to time, Palamecia is a name that comes from the ancient kingdom and is a somewhat shortened version of the phrase ‘blessed by the phoenix’. Or perhaps ‘phoenix’s blessing’. The scholars still debate that point.”

The things that Tilda had explained to Kyrie about the importance of the Palamecia family to the people of the empire and their very identity was suddenly clearer than ever. They were woven into the very origins of the culture itself. She could understand now why, even with what he’d done, the people preferred the Emperor in the throne than they did anyone else. The fact that he was the last of the Palamecia bloodline as far as anyone could confirm also explained a lot about how people viewed him. 

He continued talking about the history of Palamecia and even some interesting anecdotes that came up while he was talking about how the various events in history had shaped Palamecia into what it was. It was true that Johan was just as capable as the Emperor of speaking, since he was also two seats from Kyrie, but the Emperor simply dominated the conversation. Even the advisors next to him could hardly look away. Kyrie did note that they looked somewhat surprised to see the Emperor in such a talkative mood, but they didn’t question it. From what she’d seen, they only questioned the Emperor when it came to politics and their own agendas. When it came to the eccentricities of his own personal life, though, they gossiped, for sure, but they did not question it. 

After breakfast, she figured she’d head towards the library, but decided to visit Nadine first. It was rather cold and she just wanted to make sure everything was fine with her. She had an attendant or two, and a family, but Kyrie knew how cold days could be especially lonely. If there was some way she could help, well… she’d do it. Only afterwards would she consider whether or not to ask for her advice. Nadine had a lot of wisdom from her age, and she hoped she could get some of her insight. But if she couldn’t, that was okay. She wanted to visit anyway. 

Chapter Text

Nadine was sitting by the fire when Kyrie entered the room. She seemed quite glad to see Kyrie, though, and greeted her warmly. 

“I am glad to see you, dear, though I am a bit surprised that you are here so early. Usually you are so busy reading all those books that the Emperor surely makes you read,” Nadine said. 

“I just wanted to visit,” Kyrie said. “It’s been so cold lately, and the weather so dreary that I just… thought I’d ask you how you’ve been doing.”

“That’s sweet of you, dear. You do not need to worry, though. I am a mountain woman. I have lived in the Palamecian mountains all my life. I am used to the weather’s fickle ways,” Nadine said. “Come. Sit by the fire.”

Nadine gestured to a seat right next to hers, and Kyrie nodded, walking over and sitting there. The fire felt wonderful.

“It has been rather dreary, though, you are right,” Nadine said. “I am glad for the company. My family does not visit me so often right now because they’re all so busy with the play.”

“Oh, yes. Just a few weeks left, right?” 

“Yes. And they know blizzards will be disrupting their practice this time of year. My old bones tell me tomorrow might bring a blizzard. It will bring some kind of storm, that’s for sure.”

That did not sound great, Kyrie thought. Though the hearth room was perfectly safe, it had been rather uncomfortable to have to sleep in the same room as everyone else, and in her day clothes and all. She also wasn’t sure if she wanted to be around Johan at the moment. Not outside of meetings and maybe meals. If they were on lockdown, he’d be there all day . She liked talking to him, but she didn’t really know if she wanted to be around him for that long. Especially not if the Emperor was going to be there to glare and otherwise look hostile about the whole thing. 

“I hope we don’t go into lockdown,” she said. “It disrupts a lot of things.”

“Yes, and Lord Webster snores like a roaring chimera,” Nadine nodded. “Bless him, but he’s been keeping people up every lockdown for a number of years now.”

Right. The snoring. Kyrie hadn’t known who it was, but it was true. It was loud. 

“Oh. Yeah. That’s true. So he always snores, then,” Kyrie said. “I am surprised no one really complains or makes a fuss about it. What would happen if the lockdown lasted for days, though? Losing that much sleep must be rough.”

“It’s happened once or twice. The exhaustion helped. The Emperor was furious, however. He did not complain, but you could see it in his eyes,” Nadine nodded. “Lord Webster is lucky he is a man of such power.”

Kyrie nodded. Perhaps something like that was going on with Johan. The Emperor clearly had some kind of problem with him, but had done nothing to cause him harm. Perhaps it was just that he was too useful as an advisor.

“Speaking of the Emperor,” Nadine said, with a twinkle in her eyes, “he was in such a different mood today, wasn’t he? I had a number of people tell me just after we left the main hall that he seemed to be in such a good mood.”

A good mood? What were they talking about? Had they not seen the way he’d glared at his advisor, or his angry body language? Were they simply so used to his general poor mood that they didn’t notice when he was particularly irritated? Nadine must have read Kyrie’s confusion since she had an amused twinkle in her eye.

“You look like you have something to say. Or ask,” Nadine said. “What is it?”

“I’m just… confused. Good mood? The Emperor was absolutely not in a good mood today,” Kyrie replied.

“So you noticed!”

“Yeah. I thought it was fairly obvious,” Kyrie said. 

“How so?”

“The way he lifted his chin, and the expression in his eyes,” Kyrie said. “And… that’s not even taking into account how he was glaring at Sir Vernistel. I was honestly left a little worried.” 

“You have a good eye,” Nadine said, nodding in approval, a curious look on her face. “I have known him since the day he was born. I know his moods. Sometimes even when he himself does not. Most in the court do not know how to read him. They just assume he is in a poor mood until he acts differently for some reason.”

“Oh, that’s… not… a good idea,” Kyrie said.

In her experience, the Emperor acting differently usually meant he was in an even worse mood than usual.

“You noticed that too, then,” Nadine said. “Not many bother to pay such close attention to him.”

Kyrie felt flustered at that comment. She shook her head quickly, hoping that she wasn’t blushing. She didn’t want people thinking the gossip was true! Especially not Nadine!

“Oh, um. Well… it’s… not that. He’s my mentor. And… well, even before that, well, he said I was under his protection. It was just a good idea to pay attention, right?”

Nadine let out a good-natured chuckle.

“No need to get so timid about it, dear,” she said. “It definitely is a good idea to pay close attention to a man who could call down a bolt of lightning on you, or a large fireball if he doesn’t like what you said.”

Kyrie turned to her sharply. This was the boldest thing anyone in Palamecia had said about the Emperor. She knew it was true, too. The Emperor’s immense magical power was not something one wanted to be on the wrong end of. 

“He’d… do that?”

“To some people, yes,” Nadine said. She paused for a moment. “I heard about how it really was that you came to the castle, you know. I wouldn’t really have been able to blame you for being like a terrified little mouse at first. And you were always a shy one, but I get the feeling that you didn’t really fear him. Not like most people do.”

“After I saw him deal with the rebels, I… realized just how much I was at his mercy at that point. He wouldn’t even need to expend any effort to take me down if he wanted to,” Kyrie said. “But… he didn’t. So… after a while, I decided not to fear him like that. I didn’t know what he wanted back then, but… I at least could understand that he wouldn’t just… kill me. I guess I wanted to know what was behind his actions and… that’s why I’ve been paying attention to him.”

Nadine nodded.

“I really am sorry that this happened to you. I am glad that you seem fairly happy, but… well, that must have been a rough change,” she said.

“There’s no real need to be sorry,” Kyrie said. “It worked out really well. The medicine that the royal physician gives me has worked really well, and I’m finally studying magic formally. It’s what I always wanted. Even if our initial meeting was rough, the Emperor offered me my biggest dream. I’m just so thankful it worked out that way. He’s been very generous with me.”

“For all the other things people might say about him, yes, he can be very generous,” Nadine said. “Almost as much as his father was.”

“His father? It’s… the first time I really hear anything concrete about him. No one ever talks about him or the Emperor’s mother,” Kyrie said.

“Yes, and for good reason. No one’s going to risk the Emperor overhearing them,” Nadine said, her voice serious.

“Why? Were his parents bad people…?” Kyrie asked. Hadn’t Nadine just said the Emperor’s father was a generous man?

“No, no. Quite the contrary. Both were very good people and well-loved,” Nadine said. “They left us too soon, I’m afraid. The Emperor does not like to remember that.”

Kyrie understood. To leave the Emperor on the throne at just fifteen… indeed, they had left the world far too soon. Nadine’s expression was thoughtful and even sad for a moment. 

“You’ve done him good, though, I daresay,” she said after a moment.

“Huh?”

“The Emperor,” Nadine said. 

Kyrie gave her a very confused look. What did she mean? She’d done nothing for the Emperor, not really. 

“It does him good to meet someone who is so different from those around him in the court, and is also not his enemy,” Nadine said. 

Kyrie supposed she could see how that’d be the case. The conversation soon turned to other topics, though, such as who would be acting in the upcoming play, and who would be playing music. They talked about the people designing the sets and costumes, too. While a lot of the work had been kept from the previous years, there always was something that could be improved on, or that had to be remade. In the end, Kyrie did not get to ask Nadine for advice, since she just didn’t want to interrupt the flow of the conversation, but she did have a very pleasant morning.

---------------

Mateus had absolutely noticed the change in Johan’s demeanor after breakfast. The advisor clearly thought he was hiding it well, but Mateus had the context, and either way, the man wasn’t being as subtle as he thought he was. He felt sure he was right about Johan’s intentions, but he just didn’t know why . Johan had several good matches he could pick from, really. He could marry the Webster girl, or the Blackwell one. Either of them would give him status.

Ah, but he wouldn’t, would he? He would not marry one of his allies. He wouldn’t dare. That was a partial explanation, he felt sure. And while he wanted to know the rest of the advisor’s agenda regarding his apprentice, he did not have a whole lot of time to devote to thinking of that. The morning meeting with his advisors took far longer than expected, with Johan being less cooperative than usual, to the point that Cuthbert noticed and commented on it. Only then did Johan resume acting more normally. 

Luncheon was another frustrating affair. Johan had come into the main hall alongside Kyrie again, and this time, he managed to keep conversing with her more than the last time. Mateus wanted very much to control the conversation, but he just wasn’t the kind of person that could easily hold so many conversations in one day. He could see Kyrie was thoughtful and she at least did also talk to the other nobles around her. That was, at least, some relief. 

The day was bitterly cold, too, and Lady Albiret commented that she felt in her bones that the next day would bring some kind of winter storm. Mateus was rather frustrated by this. Lady Albiret was often correct about these kinds of predictions in the way old people usually were. If it was a normal storm, then things would be fine, but if it was a blizzard, then that’d provoke a lockdown. And that meant poor sleep and having to deal the entire day with a gathering of grumpy nobles, upset at their luxurious lifestyle being interrupted. 

He was glad when the time came for his training session with Kyrie. He was pretty set on teaching her combat this day, and he had decided there was no better teacher than experience for these things. There were magical shields he could use so that she’d be able to take a few hits from even strong spells without it actually harming her. Once the shields shattered, though, they needed recharging. Sometimes they broke completely, though. He’d certainly broken a few during some sparring sessions. He’d have to take it easy on his apprentice. She was, after all, a beginner when it came to combat. 

As was usual, she had gotten to the training room first. She didn’t see him at first, and he noticed that she was thoughtful and withdrawn. He couldn’t help but wonder what it was that kept troubling her so. She had given him such a vague answer when he’d asked, that he could only guess she didn’t want to talk about it. As long as it didn’t affect her studies, though, if she wanted to deal with her issues all on her own, well, that was her prerogative. He wasn’t going to push her about it.

“Good evening, my lady,” he said as he approached her. “I trust you are ready.”

“Good evening, Emperor,” she replied. “Yes. I am.”

He gave her a nod and then walked over to the supplies, taking out an enchanted medal for himself and one for her. He handed her one, and tied the other around his neck. She looked at him and then did the same with her own medal. 

“What are these?” she asked.

“Shields,” Mateus replied. “Normally magic tends to affect your life force more than it does your body. You can consider these an extension of your life force. A spell that hits you will affect the shield instead of you.”

“That's… fascinating,” she said.

By her expression, she clearly meant ‘terrifying’. 

“Aim a fireball at one of the targets.”

She nodded, clearly a bit relieved, but not enough to stop looking nervous. Her movements were a bit jittery. Her posture was off, too, with her shoulders slightly hunched. He said nothing, and simply gestured to the target closest to her when she turned back to look at him with an uncertain expression. She cast a fireball. She hit the target, but she was off by just a bit compared to her usual excellent aim. He walked over to her.

“Your posture is lacking,” he said. 

“O-oh, I’m sorry,” she said. 

She tried to get into a good casting stance, but her shoulders were still hunched. Mateus shook his head and then very lightly tapped her shoulder, immediately pulling his hand back. It felt… weird. The light touch almost seemed to make her jump. He wondered if there had been some kind of static shock that caused it. It was either that or her nervousness.

“Straighten your shoulders,” he said. “Then try again.”

She did so, still looking somewhat flustered, but her posture was fine now and she managed to hit the target right in the center. Mateus nodded, approving. There was nothing particularly wrong with the way she aimed spells, in spite of the events of that night. Her nervousness wasn’t helping, but she still was able to aim, and she wasn’t closing her eyes. The issue was in her personality, then. But where exactly? He’d have to find out. He walked and positioned himself near the targets.

“Very well. Aim at me, then, and cast a fireball.”

She stared at him, aghast.

“At… you?” she asked. “B-but…”

“I do not want excuses. Aim. Cast.”

“R-right.”

He heard her take a deep breath and then she turned to him and began to cast a spell. Before she cast it, though, she closed her eyes. The fireball landed harmlessly at his feet. He sighed. 

“Again.”

If anything, her next attempt was even worse, missing him entirely and hitting the wall. Thank goodness for barriers and stone walls.

“Aim at me, not the wall.”

Her next attempt, the fireball didn’t even get close to him, hitting the target instead. Mateus shook his head. This was dreadful. She was clearly not even trying to hit him. 

“You are not even trying, Kyrie,” he said, shaking his head. “You need to aim at me. My chest is 

a good target. It is roughly the middle of my body and presents a larger target than my head. You could aim for my legs, too. But you must aim for me. Not the wall. Not the targets. Me.”

“I…  I just… can’t,” Kyrie said. 

“This is a perfectly safe environment for casting spells. Not only are the walls protected by a barrier, but the shield I am wearing will absorb it entirely,” he said. “You will not be harming me.”

“A-alright,” she said.

She stood straight and, with her hands trembling, charged another fireball. She looked at him, took a deep breath, and flinched as she threw the fireball at him. For once, it at least seemed to be moving in his general direction.

It landed on his foot. This was hopeless. She was simply refusing to even risk harming him. His first instinct was to feel insulted. He’d certainly taken hits far more powerful than the fireball she tried to aim at him. Admittedly, she had grown a fair bit in power, and he could no longer call her spells weak. However, her spells were not enough to break the shield enchantments. There was no actual risk involved, and she refused to see it. Her expression, though, made it clear it wasn’t an insult. She was just uncomfortable with even the idea of combat. He turned to look at her, saying nothing. He was well-aware his expression said everything it needed to.

“It just feels wrong,” she said, shaking her head. “You're not my enemy, and I feel… very uncomfortable trying to hit you.”

“It is not a true aggression,” he said. “It is merely practice.”

“It still feels wrong.”

She was a stubborn one. It just wouldn’t do. She had to understand. It was entirely possible that she would encounter true hostilities. What would she do then, if she was so helpless? 

“What would you do if an assassin, in trying to strike at me, or at anyone remotely close to me, came at you with a weapon? Or worse still, cast a deadly spell?” he asked. “Would you simply stand there and die?”

“I… want to say that I would fight back then,” she said. “But… nothing like that has ever happened to me, and I can’t really give you a true answer. I just… don’t know.”

“If nothing else, you must learn defense,” he said. “Sometimes, the best defense is offense. You need not kill anyone. But you do need to stop them from killing you.”

“Right,” she sighed. “I’ll… keep trying. But… what if I somehow accidentally break the shield?”

“That is not a particularly easy feat. Even I do not break them every time,” he shrugged. “Do you wish for a demonstration?”

She looked thoughtful for a moment before she nodded.

“Alright. Show me, then, how you intend for me to practice trying to hit you.”

He nodded. That was easy. He had to choose a spell, though. She was a beginner, so he’d have to go quite easy on her. That definitely meant he shouldn’t cast Starfall on her. Or Flare. Or Lightning. That… didn’t particularly leave him with a lot of options. He supposed he could always cast one of his sigils. The Light Crest would probably not hit her too hard. 

“Very well. Ready yourself.”

She nodded, and once she seemed to have taken a defensive stance, he extended his hand, the scepter floating and circling to form the crest. The glowing sigil appeared in the air, flickering slightly as, with her proximity, it cast a few orbs of light magic, which hit their mark with great accuracy. Kyrie gave a small yelp as the magic knocked her back rather hard and her back hit the training crystal. She lost her balance and ended up on the floor, losing her grip on her cane. 

Mateus felt his eyes widen. He hadn’t meant for that to happen! Knowing that his high-heeled boots made running impossible, he levitated and quickly made his way to where she was. She was wincing, starting to sit up, and he used his scepter to bring her cane closer so she could grip it. He offered her his hand.

“Are you hurt, my lady?” he asked.

“I’m… okay,” she said, taking his hand.

He helped her get up. He couldn’t help but notice how small her hand felt in his. No. Not small. For sure, her hand definitely was a bit smaller than his because she was a fair bit shorter, but that wasn’t it at all. Delicate. He was reminded of the desert primroses that bloomed in the merciless sands of the Palamecian desert, those ephemeral flowers with their gossamer petals, delicate enough to be crushed without effort, yet resilient enough to bloom in the most inhospitable of places. He was acutely aware of how easily he could overpower her- crush her, even. A single mistake, a momentary lapse in restraint… 

No. He would not allow that to happen. Not to her, whose strength, seemingly invisible but no less real than his own, he had grown to respect. 

“I may have underestimated my choice of spell for this particular circumstance,” he said. “It will not be repeated.”

“Thank you, Emperor,” she said as she got up properly, patting the dust off her dress. 

He heard her sigh. She seemed frustrated, but she wasn’t looking at him. Likely, she was frustrated with herself. He knew he would be frustrated at himself if he’d fallen in such a way. 

“I’m ready to continue,” she said. “I just lost my balance. I’ll be more careful.”

Mateus wasn’t sure if he wanted to continue this particular part of the lesson. She was far too frustrated and it was not really safe to handle magic in that way. She had advanced so much in her studies that he didn’t want some accident to stop that. Besides, if the next day or two would bring a winter storm… it would simply not do to have her getting injured. Still, he didn’t want to waste the opportunity, nor to discourage her.

“Very well,” he said. “Let us test your aim again. A moving target this time. You will be aiming at my scepter as soon as I let it go.”

She nodded, looking determined.

“Prepare,” he said.

She prepared a fireball, charging it in her hand. He held the scepter and then extended his arm, the scepter flying out of his reach. Kyrie immediately cast it, hitting the scepter right in the center as it turned and flew back to him. Indeed, her aim was great. She just didn’t want to hit people. He had her try the same exercise several more times as he had his scepter fly out in various angles. She hit it every time.

“This is… acceptable,” he said. “However, you will still be required to learn to aim at people. For now, I think you have used enough of your mana. We will continue combat training the next time we meet here.”

“Right,” she said with a sigh.

“We will also be working on defensive maneuvers. Those are also important when it comes to combat. I will be teaching you to dodge and shield yourself from physical and magical blows. The combat-ready versions of magical shields will not protect you completely, but they will not break at inconvenient times, nor require long times to recharge.”

Her expression brightened somewhat upon hearing that. 

“Defense? I… think I’ll do better with that,” she said

Of that, he had no doubt. He gave her a quick nod, unsure of what to say.

“Lady Albiret says she feels in her bones that tomorrow will bring a storm,” he said. “In my experience, her bones happen to be very accurate in their predictions. Get enough rest today, in case there is a lockdown. Sleep will be… difficult to achieve then.”

“Oh. Right,” she said. 

Her expression told him she, too, had difficulty sleeping with Lord Webster’s snoring. 

“Well. I’ll get going then,” she said. “Goodnight, Emperor. I hope you, too, rest well tonight.”

“Goodnight, my lady.”

She turned to leave, and Mateus frowned. He had an impulse to say something to make her stay longer, but he held it back. What would he even say? He’d already gone and talked about the weather of all things. The weather! Keeping her longer for any other reason would be mere excuses. She needed rest. So did he, really, but he felt restless. And yet… the prospect of staying up most of the next night after he was already so tired was simply abhorrent. He supposed he’d use a Sleep scroll on himself. He didn’t particularly enjoy that, because it was a deep sleep and it didn’t even last all night, but… it’d do. Maybe he’d be drowsy enough to go back to sleep after it wore off.