Past the town, there was a farm house. And under the night sky, it twinkled with lit candles. Instead of a dilapidated building, like the one Ceyda stayed in, it instead seemed to be positively new.

Fresh wooden floors, curtains draped everywhere, and a strange little machine that was attached to a singular glowing lightbulb. A beaten up and bronzed gramophone rested on the table next to it, playing an unfamiliar tune that had far too many string instruments for Ceyda’s tastes.

Dozens of people, some young, some old, were singing, laughing and dancing, and drinking a brown liquid that probably wasn’t apple cider.

The food Ceyda had stole was on a table, adorned with all sorts of other meats and other things. It was a party, one like she had never seen before.

Ceyda beamed.

“We have to get rid of all the food you threw at us, and we can’t just hide it like we can the valuables, so we figured we’d throw a party in the middle of nowhere,” Merlin said, pushing up his glasses.

In the light, with the glasses, she could see everyone so much better! Gone was the hyper detail of Dorskina that often made it impossible to focus, and here was the regular, normal detail brought to her by human eyeballs! Gilbert had freckles! Aster was actually very pretty looking! Natalia had serious bags under her eyes, she looked exhausted! And everyone had way more acne and pockmarks than she could have ever imagined!

Merlin meanwhile, looked far younger than she realized. She had assumed he was maybe her age, with a slightly squeaky voice, but now she was wondering if he was under thirteen. Of course, she had thought that about Natalia, and she turned out to be in her late teens, so Ceyda’s guessing skills were not exactly primed.

“Uh, so would you like to, um, dance?” Merlin asked.

“No thank you,” Ceyda said, waving him off. “I would like to eat food.”

Dancing was something Ceyda had mixed feelings on anyway. Music was amazing, but actual dancing was terrible. Too many moves, and too many other people.

She grinned at Merlin, nodded goodbye and walked off to the table. She knew it would be rude to take too much, but at the same time, she had stolen a chunk of it. She deserved some of it. Like taxes. It was a food tax. A food tax to Ceyda. And in that moment, as she grabbed some of the amazing cheese she had stolen and crammed it into the crispy bread, she felt safe.

“You probably need to wear something that isn’t completely destroyed,” Danette said, sidling up next to her.

Ceyda looked at her stolen dress, which had been torn and muddied by her encounter with Rembrandt. Soft brown splatters of blood was on every hem. Had she bled that much? How had she been walking around in this for this entire trip and not noticed what an abysmal state it was?

“Oh yeah, I forgot.”

It had been a great few moments too.

Danette sighed, and cocked her head. Ceyda grabbed an entire block of cheese and followed. She had a softer expression, now that Ceyda could see in detail. Maybe Danette didn’t hate her. It would be really nice if she didn’t hate her.

Danette opened a trap door in the corner, and took out an old and slightly musty dress. “It’s an old dress I used to wear. I hemmed it when it was gonna go to my sister, but--” she paused. “Anyway, it should fit you, although it will probably be tight in the chest.”

“Everyone always says that,” Ceyda said, sighing. She jumped into the basement, which appeared to be a small converted living space under the barn. Beds and cushions liberally littered the area.

She put the dress on, and a small vest that went around it. It was indeed a bit tight, but it wasn’t incredibly itchy, nor was it some stolen nightgown. The dress had a nice hardy durability to it.

Danettee pointed to the ground, where there was a pair of shoes as well, and two leather straps.

Ceyda sat down and put the actual honest to goodness shoes on her feet. “These were also for your sister?”

“Uh, yeah,” Danette said. “Sort of.”

They were way too large for Ceyda, hence the leather straps. After a few minutes of finagling on how to tie a knot successfully, Doc walked her through the steps of tying.

Shoes knotted, dress on. Hair-- completely perfect because it was short now which meant there was nothing she could do with it even if she wanted to. Excellent!

“There’s a water basin out back if you wanna wash your face,”Danette suggested. “You kind of look like you spent the entire day lying in the dirt.”

“Startlingly accurate!” Ceyda exclaimed, as she used the verbal invocation to push herself out of the basement with Dorskina’s help. “Lead the way!”

Sure enough, there was a water pump, and a few bowls. Danette headed back to the party, and since no one was looking, Ceyda took off her glasses and just stuck her entire face underneath the pump and let the cold water pour all over her face. Doc was gently placed on the ground, hosting the half eaten block of cheese.

After feeling a whole lot cleaner, and taking care of anything else she could think of, Ceyda picked the book up, and sighed in relief.

“If I put you in the corner, is it at all possible you will not follow me?” Ceyda asked.

I don’t really control that, but I can try. Warning, my attempt at trying is going to look the same as me not trying. Because I have no idea how this book works or how it follows you.

Ceyda took a slow bite of the hard cheese. “For an all powerful spell book, you come with many complications.”

Gosh, silly me. I’ll be sure to report it to my creator. Who might or might not be Teractus.

Ceyda giggled. “I need to get a bag for you. That seems easier.”

Probably!

Ceyda entered the barn again, and resolved to just hold the book in one hand, and the dwindling block of cheese in the other. It was the most efficient system she could manage.

Everyone else knew how to dance, and Ceyda had never really learned regular dancing well, let alone this more freeform kind. She swayed a bit to the rhythm, but mostly resolved to sit on one of the bales of hay covered in fabric, and watch.

Another familiar face entered, this one, less happy. Opal! She looked different too-- soft simple pale brown clothing, a sort of effortlessly clean face, and her dirty blonde hair fell into natural ringlets. Not the super frizzy kind either.

Opal walked up to Ceyda, arms folded.

“I see you’re not in the basement anymore,” Opal said slowly.

Ceyda nodded. “Correct. That’s why I’m here. And not in the basement.”

Opal frowned. “So I was told you proved your worth by Lyle.”

“I mostly just robbed a house and fought off several mages, whilst nearly dying in the process. I also almost died to a meathook,” Ceyda summarised, shrugging as she did.

“Hey, Opal, lay off!” Merlin said, randomly jutting into the conversation. “She’s good people! She’s never meant us any harm--She’s nice!”

Oh good, he wasn’t hurt by that time Doc chewed her out for offending him.

Opal made a face at Merlin. “Yeah, because that’s what they’re good at. You do realize that’s what chatelaine are taught. It doesn’t actually mean anything.”

“I was very bad at that training, actually,” Ceyda replied. “And if it helps, I’ve been wanting to talk to you anyway. Since you’re in charge of everyone, I wanted to know if you knew about any other rebellions going on?”

Opal blinked. “Other rebellions?”

“Yes, are you in contact with anyone? Perhaps other… mage types?” Ceyda asked, drumming her fingers against the tiny block of cheese.

“I’m certainly not giving you any information, you could be a spy,” Opal said.

Ceyda groaned. This was going to go in circles. “I could also not be a spy. Anyway it doesn’t matter, I only wanted to ask if we knew any mages who knew more about magic than me.”

Opal frowned. “Why? Do you need a teacher?”

There is no way this girl is in contact with anyone.

“No, not at all, I’m doing excellently. I just know there’s a rebellion out there with mages,” Ceyda said.

Merlin’s eyes lit up. Lyle and Danette, who had been pretending to not listen in, turned around in shock and stared at Ceyda.

“Pardon?” Opal asked.

We don’t know it’s a rebellion, we only speculated on that. At the very least we know that somewhere in Kesterline there’s a community involving mages that seem to be aware of how magic truly works.

“I met a mage through the dreamscape,” Ceyda said, pausing as she realized how ridiculous that sounded to anyone not familiar with Esterath. “A type of communicating spell. And if he and others like him exist, it’s possible I am not the only mage who wants to take the nobles down.”

Opal rolled his eyes, but Merlin was entranced.

“Did he--what was he like? How do you know?”

“He--” Ceyda paused. That experience might as well as happened a thousand years ago and she was struggling to remember what had been said and what Doc had just speculated on or had wished she asked.

“--well for starters he knew how spells worked, but didn’t seem shocked that I could cast magic,” Ceyda said.

Opal cocked an eyebrow. There was a silence around Ceyda, as they all continued to wait.

Oh no. They were waiting for more information.

Oh no.

She could lie--no that would be silly. Lying would be too complicated. Why had she said it had been a rebellion with confidence? Just because Doc had said it and she had absorbed it into the stupid spongey brain of hers?

She could also explain the minute detail of him possibly knowing who the Avatars were, and how Rembrandt and Fontaine did not, as well as meeting Teractus, but to do that she’d need to explain all the Avatars, and then rely solely on a confusing conversation she had with a stranger in a dream, whilst near death, and the conversations of the two mages in a strange fuzzy world that she was having a tough time remembering and might have very well been an actual dream.

She could point out the mages didn’t know her name yet, but once again maybe Reiner had just been on the opposite side of Kesterline and reporting it took time. Of course if such distance could be travelled with the dreamscape then it should have happened by now, but that would come back to explaining how the mages communicated, which Ceyda knew frighteningly little about.

“He also was trying to teach me about some sort of magical potion,” Ceyda continued. “Something I’ve never seen, nor has Doc. And it can supposedly heal you from near death. At the very least it would be worth figuring out how to make that.”

Ceyda smiled at Opal. Opal didn’t move. She tilted her head. “That seems all very cir--” she paused. “Not convincing.”

“Doc thinks it could be something, and it’s an ancient magical book.” Ceyda said.

“It could be lying to you,” Opal said.

Ceyda shook her head back and forth as she considered this. “I feel like it’s more likely Doc is wrong than lying.”

“Do we have a way to find them?” Merlin asked.

“Well I was hoping Opal knew--but if not I could try the spell that put me in contact with him in the first place,” Ceyda said.

Opal gave a prolonged sigh, and then dragged Lyle off to talk to him. Ceyda grinned at Danette and Merlin awkwardly.

Danette gave a shrug. “Well, it’s about as likely as anything else, so if you got us food, I’ll stick around to see what else you can do.”

Merlin gave a half nod. “Could you imagine, though? A real rebellion, with an army and weapons…”

Ceyda deflated. The energy and excitement wasn’t there, and now she was reminded of how hungry and stressed she was. The food however was rapidly disappearing, and none of the cheese remained. Pity.

She walked around the barn aimlessly, not wanting to talk anymore but not knowing what else to do. She should be happy here, and yet she wasn’t.

That conversation was very weird.

Ceyda shrugged. “Bad weird or just weird weird?”

I don’t know. Don’t you think there’s something strange about Opal?

“I know she doesn’t like me very much, and to be fair, I don’t exactly make friends easily.” Ceyda said, partially not believing her own words, but knowing from experience it was most likely true.

Oh Ceyda. Hun.

“I do have an all powerful grimoire now. I don’t really care if she’s jealous,” Ceyda said. At least she assumed it was jealousy. It would be jealousy if Ceyda had been Opal.

See I don’t think it’s jealousy. Well, I think it’s sort of jealousy but there’s something else. Something I really can’t put my finger on and it’s driving me nuts. And I can’t focus on that, and the

Ceyda waited.

The thing I still can’t say! Apparently! Or write! Whatever!

“Still no luck on figuring out how to say what you want, huh?” Ceyda asked.

Not really.

“And it doesn’t have anything to do with Teractus?” Ceyda asked.

Not really it

Doc vibrated in annoyance.

I am currently working on the theory I’ll be able to lead you into the conversation if you provide every important fact yourself, and I neither confirm nor deny. But it’s taking a bit work that out. Since uh. You’re kind of bad at picking up hints. No offense.

Ceyda sighed. “Unfortunate. I have talents elsewhere, I swear.”

I know you do. For now, I’ll just ignore the human politics, and focus on being a good book. Have fun, this is a night to relax.

Ceyda trawled over to an old parlor couch that was covered in a thin sheet, and collapsed onto it in exhaustion. She was out of options on how to occupy her time.

Luckily for her, Lyle sat next her moments later.

“So I think you pissed off Opal,” Lyle said, grinning toothily.

Ceyda frowned. “Great.”

“Don’t worry about it, trying to find a rebellion? Or a mage that can teach others? That’s impressive,” Lyle said.

“I guess. It will either work or it won’t. And I had to fight a really tough mage today. All the magic in the world can’t match up to actually knowing spells,” Ceyda said sourly.

“Seriously? The spell book was supposed to make you unbeatable. That’s the whole reason Opal wanted us to steal it.”

“Reports of the grimoire’s power has been slightly exaggerated,” Ceyda replied. “But, admittedly, only slightly.”

I will invoke the ghosts of all my dead fellow academics, and flay the skin off your face. If you only had a sense of perspective on the sheer amount of power I contained.

Lyle grinned. “Well, I’m excited to see what happens next. And I don’t think this could have gone to a better person. You’ve got everyone in a firestorm.”

“I hope so, if everyone’s happy with me, then my job is easier,” Ceyda said.

“Yeah, most people are, save for Opal and Merlin,” Lyle replied, yawning and stretching over the couch.

Ceyda raised an eyebrow. “Merlin?”

“Oh yeah, he’s kind of devastated at the moment,” Lyle said.

“Wait, what?” Ceyda stood up. “What did I do to him?”

Lyle raised an eyebrow. “Uh, well the way he says it, you pretty bluntly shot him down. Which I can respect.”

“I am very confused right now,” Ceyda admitted, while she tried to catch the eye of Merlin.

“He was off complaining to me about how he liked you and you just outright said not a chance, is that not what happened?” Lyle asked.

Ceyda frowned. She saw Merlin. She waved her hands a bit to get his attention. Merlin however, was suddenly staring at the floor.

Weird.

She sat back down, in a defeated flop. “He asked me to dance and I said I wanted to eat, that’s all!”

“Psh, overdramatic fucking kid, he’s kind of weird like that,” Lyle said, poking his head.

“I think he’s great,” Ceyda said.

“Oh, no, Merlin is. Love the guy. It’s just, you know, he sees a pretty girl and immediately gets set on one track,” Lyle explained, waving his hands vaguely.

“Oh,” Ceyda frowned. “Wait, which track?”

“Uhh, you know, see a hot girl, wanna have sex and have kids together or whatever,” Lyle said.

Ceyda’s mouth twisted. “Oh, no I don’t want that.”

Lyle snorted. “Yeah, most people don’t. Anyway, sorry you had to deal with that.”

“He honestly just asked me to dance,” Ceyda said.

“What, you don’t dance with people romantic-like in noble land?” Lyle asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Yeah if you’re married,” Ceyda said, rolling her eyes. “Or engaged, I suppose.”

Lyle laughed. “Some people only care about one thing, what can I say?”

“I’m going to go talk to Merlin then,” Ceyda said, standing up again.

Lyle frowned. “All right, might be awkward though. You’re going to put him on the spot.”

“Well I’m going to try.”

Ceyda walked over to where Merlin was, who was staring, very deeply, into a clay pot filled to the brim with water from the pump.

“Merlin!” Ceyda said abruptly.

Merlin jumped, and adjusted his glasses. “Uh, yeah?”

“Can we talk--in private?” she suggested. Lyle had said that doing this in public would be rude, so it was best she at least adhere to that.

“Sure,” Merlin said, stepping outside the barn a few feet. Ceyda followed. She ran through some variations of sentences in her head, before settling on the most concise version.

“I had no idea what you were implying with dancing, I’m sorry I shot you down so bluntly, but my answer is the same, but I can say it more softly, if you wish, “Ceyda said.

Merlin shrunk into his sweater. In the dark, he looked a bit like a floating ghost. “No--that’s fine. I’m just gonna, uh, go.”

He turned around and walked straight back into the barn, and then out the other side. Evidently he was going home. Or was just That. Embarrassed.

Ceyda folded her arms in annoyance. Well, that was needlessly dramatic. What was she supposed to say? She had tried to fix the situation and had evidently made it worse.

Vaguely angry, Ceyda returned to the couch with Lyle, and sank into it, muttering.

“Told ya, Merlin’s got too much man-obsessed pride for that sort of thing,” Lyle said.

“He could have asked more directly, honestly!” Ceyda snapped. “If you hadn’t told me, I would have gone on assuming nothing was wrong!”

“People are stupid and shitty,” Lyle replied. “Not much you can do about it.”

Ceyda sat on the couch, with Lyle, not knowing what else to do. The party was starting to die down, as the last of the food was eaten, and individuals went home. There would be an early morning, no doubt.

Opal eventually left the party as well, casting one last wary eye to Ceyda, before hurrying out. Much like Natalia, she had deep bags under her eyes. Ceyda wondered how stressful the job of leadership was. She didn’t look particularly old, either. Organizing a bunch of people to fight was probably a full time job, and that meant Opal had two of those.

“Stay safe, Ceyda,” Danette said, as she and Aster left the party. “You can stay here if you want for the night, the basement is pretty hospitable. Way better than the other basement, I swear.”

Ceyda smiled. “Thank you. I saw there were blankets down there, so really I’m ecstatic.”

Danette chuckled and disappeared into the dark.

Lyle and herself remained.

Ceyda yawned. “So I had a very eventful day today.”

“I’ll fucking say, it started with you waking us up because you had a hook in your back,” Lyle said.

“Gosh, was that today?” Ceyda frowned.

“Unfortunately,” Lyle said.

Ceyda bounced to herself, as she tried to shake her brain out of the strange fuzzy exhaustion that accompanied her. “Well, I accomplished a lot then, I’ll take this as a badge of pride. I got a party thrown! I fed people! I beat a mage in combat! Several people are dead!”

She opened the basement, and started to throw blankets and cushions together. Lyle hopped down, and sat on a stool.

“So, question,” Lyle said.

“Yes?”

Lyle gestured vaguely. “How does magic even… work? You see mages and they can grow fucking wings, will you be able to do that?”

“Maybe!” Ceyda said. “That’s Thelloyan magic. As it turns out, there’s a bunch of individual types of magic, and some magic is harder to learn than others, even with my grimoire.”

Lyle nodded. “Cool, that makes sense. Can I ask what the other types are?”

Ceyda beamed. “Sure! But it will take a while.”

“I’ve got time.”

Ceyda flopped on the bed. “Well, all right. Let’s go down the list then, shall we?”