Chapter 485 - Requiem for a dream

Amy stood within a void, colour and motion drained from every strand of reality. There was no sky above her, nor ground beneath her feet. No horizon to interrupt the emptiness, nor distance by which one thing might separate another. She couldn’t remember arriving there, or precisely what had come before, or what was supposed to come after.

In her hand was a quill dripping a thick, viscous liquid.

Blood.

Opposite her was a woman.

Her hair was as muted as the world around her. A marbled mask covered her face, pallid and smooth, its features shaped into the faint semblance of a woman’s, while the clothes draped over her form seemed to bleed into the void wherever Amy tried to follow their edges.

One closed eye twitched open.

The other followed more slowly, dull and unfocused, blinking once before its colourless iris settled on Scarlett.

Amy met that singular gaze and felt something inside her shift and still.

Shift and still.

The woman raised one hand. A slim, bloodless finger extended towards Scarlett.

“…What are you?” Amy asked.

The woman’s hand lowered.

Amy’s gaze followed it.

“Eidolon?”

The woman stepped back.

Her mask fractured.

Parts of its marbled surface began to fade, but not cleanly. Here, it remained marble. There, something dead and colourless showed beneath. Elsewhere, there was simply less of it than there had been a moment before, its edges fraying into nothing before Amy could properly perceive it.

For an instant, the woman’s face seemed made of all three.

Pieces of mask. Pieces of dead skin. Pieces already crumbling into absence.

“No.”

“Yes.”

The words came together in a dry, broken rasp, one laid impossibly over the other.

Amy took one step forward.

“What does that—”

A hand touched Amy’s shoulder.

Scarlett was woken by a gentle nudge at her shoulder. Her eyes snapped open to meet a pair of clear blue ones.

Hilde studied her quietly for several long seconds, then withdrew her hand and stepped back towards the centre of the carriage cabin.

“We are there,” the girl said.

A frown creased Scarlett’s brow. “Did I fall asleep?”

Hilde nodded. “Mm.”

“I see…”

Scarlett turned her gaze to the window. Beyond it lay dark streets lined with lavish mansions, broken at intervals by the warm glow of streetlamps.

That dream…

It hadn’t just been a dream, had it?

“Is something wrong?” Hilde asked.

Scarlett looked back at the girl, considering her for a moment before shaking her head. “No. Nothing. Merely fatigue. How are you? Are you feeling tired?”

Hilde shook her head. “No.”

“Then are you hungry?”

That gave the girl pause. After a while, she nodded slowly.

“Then I will see if we can have something arranged for you.”

Scarlett braced her hands against the seat as she rose, keeping most of her weight on her arms while she tested the reliability of her legs. Only when she was reasonably certain they wouldn’t give out beneath her did she straighten fully. She gestured to the waiting Hilde that she was ready, and the girl opened the carriage door and stepped out first.

Holdger was already waiting for them on the cobbles. He moved forward as Scarlett was about to climb down, but she raised a hand to forestall him and took hold of the carriage frame instead, carefully lowering one foot to the street.

She probably wasn’t in any state to walk a distance that could even generously be described as short, but she could manage the final stretch now that her own bed was practically within reach.

And she refused to be seen being princess-carried into her own estate.

One pair of loose lips, and she would be dealing with the aftermath for weeks.

She turned towards the coachman, who stood near the front of the carriage, casting uneasy glances at Holdger’s towering form while absently rubbing one of the horses along the neck.

Scarlett approached him, and the man nearly jolted when his attention shifted from the Royal Guard and he noticed her.

“This is compensation for your service,” she said, bringing out a small purse that clinked with coins from her [Pouch of Holding].

His eyes widened. “M-My Lady, this is—”

“Take it, and do not argue.”

His mouth closed. He hesitated for another moment before accepting the pouch and bowing.

“Thank you, My Lady.”

“Do not mention it. And I do not mean that merely as a pleasantry.”

The man blinked. Understanding slowly crossed his face.

“I won’t.”

“Good.”

It wouldn’t matter too much if word of this spread, but Scarlett would still prefer it happened through more official channels, such as the guards at Hamet Garden reporting to their superiors, rather than through whatever rumours an overtired coachman might inadvertently start.

The gates to her estate were closed for the night, and the Elystead mansion had no guards permanently stationed outside them, but a sturdy lock secured the entrance after dark. Scarlett opened it with her master key and pushed one of the gates inward, allowing Hilde to pass through first.

The girl made her way slowly along the stone path, her gaze wandering across the bare flowerbeds on either side before settling on the mansion ahead.

“Unfortunately, we will not be able to arrange a reception properly suited to your station at this hour,” Scarlett said as they neared the entrance. “But if you have any requests or requirements, you need only ask.”

“I don't mind,” the girl replied with very little tone.

“That may be the case, but I do. Still, I will attempt to temper my insistence on the matter if that is what you prefer.”

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Scarlett knocked on the doors as loudly as she could manage, then glanced back at Holdger. The knight had stopped a few steps behind them and was silently surveying the grounds.

Several seconds passed.

Scarlett was beginning to wonder whether anyone was awake to receive them when the doors finally opened, revealing a dark-haired woman in a servant’s uniform with faint rings beneath her eyes.

“My Lady!”

The woman quickly dipped into a curtsy and stepped aside to let Scarlett in. A trace of confusion crossed her face when Hilde followed Scarlett into the foyer, though.

“Wake Whiteley if he is not already awake,” Scarlett said. “Inform him that we have an important guest and that two rooms are to be prepared. Have a hot meal made as well, as quickly as reasonably possible.”

“As you wish, My Lady.”

The woman had just begun to turn away when Holdger entered the foyer, ducking beneath the doorframe to avoid striking his helmet against it.

Her eyes shot wide open. The sheer size of the man was probably what caught her attention first, but then her gaze rose to the white-gold helmet he wore and the decorative dragon coiled around its crown.

Only one order in the empire had something like that.

She looked back at Hilde, and her eyes moved between the princess and the knight several times before finally returning to Scarlett.

Scarlett waited patiently.

After another brief hesitation, the woman curtsied again and disappeared through one of the adjoining corridors.

“I will be frank,” Scarlett said, turning to Hilde as the girl watched the servant leave. “I do not entirely know what it is you seek here, or what you expect from accompanying me rather than remaining at the palace. However, I should warn you that I have several retainers in my employ whom you will no doubt encounter, some of whom possess rather unique and…acquired-taste personalities. I apologise on their behalf should any of them do something to offend you.”

She had barely finished speaking when a gust of wind swept down from the second floor.

A moment later, a dishevelled white-haired figure darted into view around the corner above, trailed by another, stronger rush of air that raced along the upper gallery overlooking the foyer. It caught one of the heavy velvet drapes framing the floor-to-ceiling windows near the entrance, wrenching several of its rings free from the curtain rod and sending half the fabric spilling to the floor below.

Scarlett crossed her arms, flattening her hands against her upper arms.

Fynn stopped and stared at the fallen drape for a moment.

“Sorry,” he said. “I'll fix that later.”

Apparently considering that enough to settle the matter, he practically flew down the stairs and came to a stop directly in front of Scarlett. He didn’t pay Hilde or Holdger any attention as his eyes swept over her.

His brow scrunched together.

“You look bad.”

“Thank you, Fynn,” Scarlett said. “It is always good to be welcomed by you. As for my current state, you need not worry. I will recover.”

Fynn’s frown didn’t fade. He continued to study her, his lips pressing together as his jaw tightened.

“…I wanted to run to the palace when I felt something happen there,” he said.

“Why did you not?”

“Rosa said I wouldn't make it in time to do anything of value.”

“Is that so?”

Rosa had likely been correct, if so.

Scarlett considered him for another moment before gesturing towards Hilde.

“Regardless, I am back now. Allow me to make the introductions. This is Her Imperial Highness, Hilde Priscilla Verddun Teronia, the second star of the empire.” She turned slightly towards the girl. “Your Highness, this young man is Fynn. He is one of my retainers, as well as one of those responsible for slaying the Dragon of Devastation.”

Fynn looked at Hilde, then gave her a short nod.

“Hello.”

“Fynn, she is a member of the imperial family. She is owed more respect than a mere ‘hello’.”

He paused.

“…Greetings?”

Scarlett suppressed a sigh.

Hilde, for her part, didn’t show any sign of taking offence. She actually watched him with open interest, even as Fynn’s attention shifted to Holdger and the two seemed to size each other up.

Soon after, footsteps sounded from the stairs.

“Scarlett, that you?” a voice came.

This time it was Kat who appeared around the corner of the upper gallery. She set one hand on the railing as she started down.

“Figured you’d be back soon enough.”

“It’s Scarlett?” Allyssa’s voice came from behind her.

The girl stepped into view with Shin beside her.

“Is she alr—ah!”

She almost jumped backward into Shin when her eyes landed on Hilde and Holdger standing beside Scarlett. One hand shot up, finger trembling as she pointed.

“P-Princ—!?”

Shin caught her by the shoulder before she could stumble into him, looking unimpressed as Kat glanced back with obvious amusement. He shook his head and guided the stunned Allyssa forward as they followed Kat downstairs.

“Kat. Allyssa. Shin. I am back,” Scarlett said. She raised an eyebrow when she noticed that all three were dressed more like it was daytime than the middle of the night. “Is there a reason none of you appear to have been asleep at this hour?”

“Yeah, we got caught up playing Imps & Worms,” Kat answered with a shrug. “Needed some way to pass the time, you know. Didn’t exactly feel right lying around in bed when we had no idea how you were doing.”

“But playing games felt better?”

“Yep. Funny how that works.”

Kat flashed her a smile as she reached the foot of the stairs and stopped beside Fynn. The relative levity on her face faded quickly, though, as she took a proper look at Scarlett.

“How are you doing, anyway? Lady Withersworth told us some of what happened when she came back, but that didn’t exactly do much for our nerves. Heard you ran into Vail?”

“I did.” Scarlett nodded. “I also cast a primordial spell, among several other notable feats. As you can see, I escaped largely unscathed.”

Even if she had ended up using a contingency she’d hoped to save for the future.

One of the more useful consequences of having been granted the right to slay the Dragon of Devastation was knowing that his name could be used as a bargaining chip against Vail. Having to spend that leverage already wasn’t ideal, but it had at least served its purpose. As far as Scarlett was concerned, that was enough.

“Regardless,” she continued, “the situation is stable for the time being. I cannot promise the same will be true in a few days, once the consequences of tonight’s events have had time to make themselves known, but that is a concern for another day. Tonight, I wish for nothing more than rest.”

“I’d bet,” Kat said.

“Before that, however…”

Scarlett glanced towards Shin and Allyssa as they joined Kat. Shin was studying Holdger with an almost guarded curiosity, while Allyssa looked trapped somewhere between staring at Hilde and possibly trying to determine the proper etiquette for suddenly finding herself in the presence of an imperial princess.

“This is Her Highness, Princess Hilde, and her knight, Sir Holdger, the Fifth Sword,” Scarlett said. “Your Highness, these are Kat Breeden, Shin Thornthon, and Allyssa Astrey. You have already met Allyssa once before.”

Kat and Shin offered respectful bows. Allyssa took another second to catch herself and hurriedly did the same.

“I-It’s an honour to see you again, Your Highness,” she said. “And I’m really sorry about last time…”

Hilde tilted her head slightly.

“Why are you sorry?”

“B-Because I didn’t treat you like royalty. I didn’t know who you were, but if I had, I promise I wouldn’t have acted so casually.”

The princess shook her head.

“It was interesting.”

Allyssa blinked. “Really?”

“Mm.”

A flush crept across Allyssa’s cheeks.

Scarlett observed the exchange for a moment before turning to Kat.

“Where is Slate?” she asked.

At the name, Hilde’s attention immediately shifted back to her.

Scarlett could, of course, have tried to conceal Slate’s presence here from the girl. She’d considered it. In the end, though, she had decided that it was probably safe enough, given what she knew about Hilde.

Kat exchanged glances with Shin and Allyssa, as if silently checking among themselves who’d been the last to see Slate.

“She gets up to more of her own stuff these days,” Kat said. “Not sure where she is right now.”

Fynn pointed towards the upper floor. “She’s coming.”

“Hey now, no need to be so hasty,” a familiar, cheerful voice drifted down from above. “We’ve got all night. They won’t suddenly combust just because you take a couple of extra seconds getting there.”

“I am not being hasty,” another voice replied, completely devoid of emotion. “You are attempting to establish an inaccurate expectation of my behaviour before we arrive so that the incongruity between that expectation and my actual conduct creates amusement and redirects attention away from your entrance. You are using me to reduce the social pressure upon yourself. This is not appreciated.”

“What did we say about anatomising my wit?”

“I did not endeavour to remember.”

“That’s hurtful.”

“That does not appear to be the case.”

Slate’s tiny figure appeared at the top of the stairs, mostly swallowed by her dark robes and the dim lighting of the foyer. Rosa followed close behind, dressed in a loose nightgown, her curly hair gathered messily over one shoulder while she absently worked her fingers through it.

Scarlett’s brows rose.

It didn’t seem like concern for Scarlett’s well-being had proved much of an obstacle to Rosa’s sleep schedule.

The bard offered a mild smile when she spotted Scarlett and the others, raising one hand in a lazy, fluttering wave as she followed Slate down the stairs.

“Why, hello there,” Rosa said when they reached the bottom. “I hear you couldn’t help getting yourself embroiled in another era-defining mess while you were gone. Sounds like your name will be spreading far and wide even without my prodigious talents fanning the flames from now on, but I’d just like you to know that I forged a contract with your handwriting and seal saying you're not allowed to kick me out. I know. I’m very droll.”

Scarlett had been about to greet the woman, but stopped upon hearing that.

She looked at Fynn. “Is that true?”

He shook his head. “No.”

“Good.”

“Okay, that's very undroll, but alright.” Rosa shrugged. “Anyhow, how is our Revenant Flame holding up?”

“Very tired, Rosa.”

The woman blinked, then smiled.

“Message received.”

Her demeanour turned more relaxed as her attention finally shifted to Hilde and Holdger.

“And the new faces?”

“Her Imperial Highness, Hilde Priscilla Verddun Teronia, and Sir Holdger, the Fifth Sword.”

“Oh. I see.”

Rosa’s hands dropped to the sides of her nightgown, gathering the fabric as she sank into a far too immaculate curtsy.

“Greetings unto the second star of our glorious empire.”

Scarlett frowned slightly.

Rosa caught the look as she straightened. “What?”

“You could not be bothered to change into something more appropriate?”

The woman glanced down at herself, then back at Scarlett.

“I’m not Yamina, you know. I didn’t know we’d have company.”

“I am sure you did not.”

“I didn't!”

“Let us say I believe you.”

Scarlett shifted her attention to Hilde, who’d barely paid Rosa’s greeting any mind anyway. The girl’s eyes were fixed squarely on Slate, and Slate was watching her with equal focus.

Slate tilted her head.

“You will be staying here.”

Hilde nodded. “Mm.”

“Curious.”

“Mm.”

“Your Highness,” Scarlett said.

Hilde looked back at her.

“Do you have any requests you would like to make of me before I retire?”

The girl seemed to consider the question briefly, then shook her head.

“Then I will leave you to your own devices for the time being. My servants should be along shortly to attend to whatever needs you may have.” Scarlett inclined her head. “Now, if you will excuse me, I will be retiring to my quarters.”