Once the Fanu had left his office with her servant, Ienia loosened up his posture a bit. The girl’s apprehension at his presence was amusing but also slightly frustrating. If she were to be his Fanu she could not go around cowering whenever she was near him. He had called the more intimate meeting to gauge her. She was much more than a simple Danu. The moment he took her hand into his proved that. The Kren flowing through her veins was so familiar to him that he almost grabbed a hold of her mind. An intrusion she probably would resist and suffer harm from. He had wanted to analyze what was inside of the girl, but her increasing apprehension was muddying his view of her. He would have to wait until she could be calm around him.

She was hiding so many things from him, but for now, he had no choice but to allow it. The timid girl was sincere in many aspects. If he were to force her secrets out it would only harm her and make him callous. Her secrets would be exposed when the time was right until then he would wait and observe her actions.

“Master, General Lashir has arrived to await the day of Fanu Fi’s debut,” Pueya said ending his musings.

For the general to show up so early could only be a sign of the oncoming storm. Ghain’dea would only wish to be in his presence when he had some scheme he wanted to enact. Ienia was positive the man wanted to rile up strong emotions in him. Something that would only lead to frustration for him as he had no outlet for such things.

“He wishes to speak with you,” Pueya’s softly uttered words betrayed the concern in his voice. Every meeting with the man was a slap in the face for Ienia. Pueya knew that meeting with the general would be an ordeal for him. Sitting across from the very person that maimed him was disconcerting in the least.

Unfortunately, Ienia could not work out any reason to turn the man away, and doing so only made him look bad. As if he was hiding from the man. That type of weakness would only bring the eyes of those that watched him in his estate. All of them ready to pounce on the opportunity to become Estate Master. Wolves surrounded him and he was still recovering from the first betrayal.

The Fanu had brought Ghain’dea a chance to injure him again and he resented the slave girl for touching his heart. Her pitifulness and his apprehension to being used by that man cause him to end up in the current situation.

His only reprieve being that Firynei was someone desirable. His first sight of her through Pueya was the slave being beaten mercilessly. She had been filthy, and the scent of her unwashed body had lingered even after she was pulled down by Pueya. He lost that impression of her the moment he saw her in his office today.

A flower was an understatement when compared to her. The Fanu had been wearing the colors of Asila but even in those dark colors, she was a beacon of light. Her features were foreign and without layers of dirt he could truly discern her beauty. She had large doll-like eyes the color of the winter ocean in Aquinnia.

The frost blue hue was deep with thin rings of silver that shimmered under the lantern lights perfectly. She had stars twinkling and dancing in her eyes. Truly eyes belonging to the nobility.

Her skin was like the folk stories of snow fairies that danced in the Holy Springs of Rimeia. He heard the story countless times during his stationing in Nivalia. She was how he always imagined the fairies looked. Delicate and soft, while shining brilliantly. She wore a hat both times he had seen her, so her hair was a mystery to him.

But even if she had no hair, she would still rival the Empress of Vahnaine in looks, and in her case, she was still young. Barely at the second walk of life. Ienia wondered how Ghain’dea overlooked the girl. The general was known as a collector of women as his father.

Ienia knew if she had been at the Spring Star Tides, he would surely have picked her rather than his first wife. Unfortunately, the girl was too young to be at that festival during that time.

The debut of such beauty would be certainly something to witness. Still, he would have to prevent any insult to the harem no matter how much he would relish in it personally.

Firynei elegance and beauty would be hidden from almost all of Seukine. Only a select number of people would be invited for her debut and wedding. As a noble she should be introduced as a grand moment in Seukine, but her status was only that of a fanu. Still, from the size of the crest, she was from a very notable family. He needed more information, but for now he would have to wait.

“Shall we go to the garden?” Pueya asked realizing he was deep in thought.

Ienia gave a small nod and Pueya heaved a heavy sigh unhappy that he decided to meet with Ghain'dea, “Must we entertain such a man at his whim? The debut is in two days. Why must he arrive so early before the wedding?” Pueya grumbled. Ienia understood his Rini’s discontent as he was annoyed by the man’s arrival as well.

*His goals are simple. He wishes to bully and humiliate me, using the Fanu as an excuse. Though his first plan failed he has many more. His tenacity was always admirable, even now it is something we can complement.*

“So, he has come to gloat,” the younger man said exasperated, “He still does not understand how to distinguish himself from the trash.”

*He is abhorrent but intelligent nonetheless, so we must be alert to his schemes. Especially concerning the Fanu.*

“Yes, master,”

*Have a dewdrop tea prepared. Ghain’dea has always hated those types of tea, so let us be a wonderful host for the weasel.*

The touch of mischief in the message caused a small chuckle to escape the Rini, “Of course master. We of Seukine will be the perfect hosts.”

Back in her small room Firynei stared at her reflection. She was healthier than she had ever been. The heavy dark spots around her eyes had lightened and completely disappeared since her cleansing. The dirt that had caked on her face, even though she washed her face as regularly as she could, was also gone. Her complexion had become clear and overall, she felt better. If she ate a little more, she would gain enough weight to fit in her new clothes properly. Objectively she thought she looked normal, maybe even a bit pretty.

Her mother had called her that a lot when she was younger. She had not heard it since she became a Danu. She wondered if her mother thought she had become ugly when she became a Danu. Touching her cheek, she mused what her mother would think of her since she became Fanu.

“Are you surprised to see such a flower in the mirror?” Wrel asked as she entered the cramped room. The small room would be hers until she could be moved from the Danu quarters. That would only happen after the wedding, but the room was warm and clean so Firynei was content with it.

“Older cousin?” Firynei said, turning around to her cousin with flustered cheeks.

“Admiration for one’s appearance is normal as long as it remains proper,” Wrel placed clean linen in one of the cupboards. She then came to Firynei’s side, a smile playing upon her lips.

Wrel always looked prettier when she smiled, at least to Firynei she did. The woman tugged her hat off and let her hair spill out around her. Loose curls bounced around until finding a spot to rest. “You are beautiful Firynei. Our family has always been known for beauty and intelligence. Do not be ashamed of your appearance. For what Vahnainean could compare?”

Firynei liked the compliment even as she shook her head in denial. She never felt beautiful and yet Wrel told her she was. It was inconceivable that she was beautiful, even if she was staring at someone that looked noble and a little afraid.

“It will be a while before you realize your worth. For now, what do you wish to give as your Gift of Loyalty?” she asked as she used her fingers to comb through Firynei’s hair.

The fanu had almost forgotten she had to give a gift. Many brides spent their adolescents making their gift of loyalty. Most would make quilts or pillows for the Night of Blossoms. Others would compose songs or poems to recite for their debut. Firynei had no such skill with needles or composing music. Her debut was already consisting of the only thing she knew which was a dance. A second dance would seem boastful or self-centered.

She owned nothing nor had time to do anything extravagant or even passable, “What could I give to one that has everything?”

Wrel sighed, “Must you recite poems or sing songs of your love for him? You have no love to give him, but you have a gift that no other could give.”

“I do?” She was confused by her cousin’s words.

“Yes,” the older woman said taking her hands and pulling one of the loose curls forward, “Why not give him the purest white known to man?”

Firynei looked at her hair in the mirror and then a thought passed her mind. Wrel seemed to know what she was thinking so she spoke, “Your mother should have taught you at a very young age how to make the bracelet.”

A distant memory sprung to life and Firynei remembered the lazy days sitting in her mother’s lap as a child. A long white cord the color of snow was being braided intricately as her mother sung a folk song that was still with her even as she lost those happy memories. “The Eternal Promise, the Snowdrop bracelet.”

“Yes, my Gi’rea the Eternal Promise. A gift that only you can give. Let us give your husband a gift that only a few receive. A gift like no other.”

Firynei nodded with a renewed sense of hope. It may be nothing to her master, but it was all she could give to him. A piece of her family’s glory.

“Gi’rea,”

She looked up to her older cousin. Her gray eyes were soft but also held a sternness in them as well, “You have suffered much because of others. Even now you are unable to be free and truly taste happiness, but you can change that. No matter what obstacles you face or who dares to push you around, you must make your own path forward. No one else can do that for you Gi’rea. Not your master, not your mother, not even I can make a path for you. Just become a person that does not betray your morals or dignity. Be a good person Gi’rea, no matter how much it hurts you will never regret making that choice.”

Firynei stared at her reflection in silence as Wrel left the room. Her words were heavy, but no one had ever thought to help her or give her insight into anything. She appreciated the words of wisdom. Still, she tried to consider what kind of person she could become if she made her own path. Was she even strong enough to walk that path?

She looked over to the bottle that was tucked away into a corner on a shelf. A person that does not betray their morals or dignity. Did she even have those?

She had been crawling on the ground so long she forgot how to walk. She knew right from wrong and she remembered she had self-esteem at some point in her life. Even now she knew there were things she would never do that would degrade her. So, in some ways she had morals and dignity, but how would that help her if her mother died.

No matter how much it hurts you will never regret making that choice.

How could she look at herself in the mirror if she stood and did nothing and yet, how would she look at her mother if she did something terrible to the person that saved her? One path was already laid out for her and it would be so easy to follow.

Turning from the mirror she took the small pair of scissors she kept near and cut a lock of hair out. Could she be a good person? Could she be more than an unclean Danu from Asila? She didn't know but she wanted to find out. She wanted to forge her own path and build her own life. She wanted to prove her worth to herself even if in the end she would die. Would it not be better to be dead than to hate one’s self?

She started working on her bracelet and as she did, she found herself smiling more than she had in a long time. A path of her own, she wanted to walk it. Just once.