Embedded Files
Adelaide, in inconspicuous traveling clothes and her favorite pair of forearm length riding gloves, paces back and forth inside the ancient Tower of the Archmage until she hears a silky, sylvan voice echo inside her head. She rushes to an old rickety bookstore, releases a hidden latch on the side of the shelf, and the bookshelf swings open revealing a hidden cobweb infested passageway. She responds in her head, “Thank you, Auntie Anjula! I cannot wait to explore outside of the Palace and meet the citizens of Wyster! I love you too!”
Adelaide chants a simple spell as a small palm sized crimson flame slowly springs to life. She hesitantly enters the cobweb infested passageway, but she knew she couldn’t look back even for one single second. The silvery webbing soon became extremely thick the further Adelaide continued down the passageway. She lets out an annoyed sigh.
“I swear to the Three Sisters, this stupid webbing!” She sends the flame from her palm into the thicket, simply burning it away. Adelaide smiles brightly, praising her Aunt for her basic magic lessons until the smoke from the burning webs slither their way into her lungs. She covers her mouth and nose trying not to cough out a lung.
“I need to get out of here quick.” Adelaide thinks to herself as tears form in her emerald colored eyes and she rushes forwards. The winding tunnel of yellow stones zigzagged back and forth, back and forth. The tears crowding her eyes didn’t warn her when the tunnel’s floor took a sudden, sharp decline. Her feet came out from under her, sending her into the air like a sack of potatoes. As she makes contact on the craggy yellow stone pathway, a sharp pain and the hearty rip of tanned leather engulfs her senses. Adelaide groans as she sits up in the dimly lit passageway and checks where that curious ripping sound came from.
Her right hand is now consumed by splotches of a deep sanguine liquid slowly pooling in her palm. Adelaide curses under her breath as she takes off the shredded leather glove to inspect the damage. “Nothing that cannot be fixed, but it still hurts like the fires of the Hells of Kotar.”
Adelaide slowly wraps her damaged glove around her palm, grimacing from the pain of tightening the makeshift bandage. She glances at the back of her hand, tracing the light symbols that start at her wrists covering the back of her hand with small lines leading to the first knuckle on each of Adelaide’s fingers. “Mother always used to call these ‘birthmarks,’ but they have always looked like small letters to me. Maybe Robin has found something similar looking.”
She knew she couldn’t stay in the tunnel forever. She had too much to see in such a limited time. The First Library of Wyster, Loch Osterona, The Chapel of the Three Sisters, Bakery Row, and the Rainbow Market District were just to name a few places Adelaide had always wanted to see in the city. Adelaide slowly crawls towards the dim light source and emerges from a small, decrepit shed pressed up against the walls of the Imperial Palace in a small clearing. About forty paces from the shed stands large wooden buildings, nestled closely together with small alleyways. The clip clops of horse hooves ring throughout the alleys. A renewed sense of excitement and wonder squirms its way to the surface. Adelaide grins and slowly walks into the early morning light of the city of Wyster.
Shielding her eyes, Adelaide looks up at the lightly colored blue sky with dots of wispy white clouds and lets out a sigh of relief. Never had she thought that she would be able to walk outside of the walls without an escort. Never had she thought that she would see the Imperial Walls from the outside. However, nevertheless she is outside, free, and the day is ripe for the taking. The Imperial Walls always seemed bigger from the inside. With a skip in her step, Adelaide rushes to the alleyway for her first adventure of the day.
Taking a sharp left turn, Adelaide finally makes it onto a busy street filled with vendors selling all kinds of miscellania. Horses and oxen pulling all sorts of different carriages up the slight incline of the cobblestone streets. The giggling of children fills Adelaide’s ears as a ball bounces down the hill towards her.
“Catch it, catch it!” The small black haired half-orcish boy shouts, leading the charge for the runaway leather ball. As the young boy smiles and laughs, Adelaide could see his two bottom tusk fangs barely poking out from his blackened bottom lip. Following closely after him are two human children, a twin boy and girl. The girl, who wore her blonde hair up in twin ponytails, smiles with the brilliance of a thousand suns as she runs along with her Half-Orcish friend. However, the young male twin has worry in his eyes and tears running down his rosy red cheeks.
The runaway ball bounces down the hill, trying to keep a healthy distance between the kids and it. The young girl yells out to Adelaide, “Catch it, catch it, miss!”
Adelaide steps into the cobblestone road to intercept the ball's trajectory. Adelaide takes a deep, steadying breath and raises her hands. “Quick, small bounces. Easy enough.”
The children’s heavy steps echo down the hilly street towards focused Adelaide. One thought crosses Adelaide’s mind as she handily grabs the runaway ball: they are only steps away from a mud puddle and they are going too fast. Adelaide could feel her body moving before her mind did. The young leader steps into the puddle losing his balance and his feet slipped out from under him. The young boy lets out a blood curdling shriek as he begins to fall face first down the hill.
Adelaide stretches her arms out towards the falling boy. She could see his face frozen in terror, begging the Sisters for help. She knew deep down that she would be able to reach him at this pace, yet she still would try nevertheless. Adelaide takes a sharp breath and holds it.
“I need to save him! If only I could fly.” Adelaide continues to rush forwards. With a sharp exhale, a ripping whirlwind rips up the cobbled path inflating the merchant’s canopies like bubbles. Adelaide finds herself now within arms reach of the young boy. She grabs onto his hands, pulling him into her embrace. With a loud thump, Adelaide falls onto her back with the young boy laying on top of her. One by one, the merchants’ stalls harshly creeks and stacked items begin to fall over as the wind dies. Many of the merchants rush around picking up their own goods off the ground and some yell at thieves running away with their wares.
When her senses finally returned, Adelaide felt a sharp burning pain on the back of her right hand. Slowly she sits up and raises her hand, she could see her own birthmarks dimly glowing with pale, ghostly blue light. The twins slam into Adelaide and their friend, both tearful and crying. The bustling street and the busy street merchants seem to not acknowledge the prone young woman surrounded by crying children. Adelaide slowly helps the young boy upright. “Are you hurt? Anything broken?”
“No.” The young half-orcish boy bashfully replies. He holds onto the ends of his tweed shirt, staring at the mud he just slipped on. The twins, now, cower behind their friend with a gentleness oozing out. “Why did you help me?”
“It is important to look after anyone in trouble! Have your parents not told you to find the city guard if you ever need help?” Adelaide joyfully responds. The children uncomfortably shift in place, slowly growing quiet. “What is wrong?”
“Mama told us to watch out for chain shirts, they only watch out for themselves.” The female twin mumbled through the tears streaming down her face. The half-orcish boy grimaces, turning to his friend.
“Oliva, don’t. We don’t know her.”
“Philip, she caught you! She’s not like them.” Oliva begged, turning to Adelaide again.
Adelaide looks out among the crowded streets, watching for the city guard. Only one person, shrouded in the alleyway’s shadow, looks back at Adelaide and the children.
This young, pale faced half-elven woman in her mid twenties stares at Adelaide with bewilderment and takes a step into the light. Her silver hair is tied up with thick rope braids, rolling over the top of her head and down the back of her head. The woman’s rough woolen hooded red tunic covering a well-worn, flowy white silk shirt. She has a leather bound satchel slung over her back. An obsidian painted wooden mask marred with many archaic symbols is tied neatly to the right side of her leather belt. Her weather-beaten brown eyes scan over Adelaide with a sense of familiarity.
Adelaide stands, continuing to look at the stranger. “Her clothing… They are well-worn, but lightweight. A traveler?”
The stranger turns back into the alleyway, where she came from, and runs into the shadows. When Adelaide turns back to the children, she notices that they have started running back up the hill.
“Wait!” Adelaide shouts as she runs up the hill to them. “Tell me one thing and then you can go.”
The children stop and return to their shy state once again. Philip perks up, “What else do you want? The chain shirts have eyes around the city! We’re going home.”
“Well, I did not even know- never mind. Let us make a bargain and then you can go home. You tell me where Bakery Row is and how to get there and I will show you something wonderful that my auntie showed me.” Adelaide muses and holds her left hand out to Philip. “It will be worth your while.”
Philip hesitantly returns the handshake. The twins behind him whisper into his ear. He snaps back at them, “We’ll get to see something cool!”
He turns back to Adelaide, taking a deep breath. “Down the hill til you hit the next crossroad. Then take a right down the street with the flowers and go all the way. That’s the way to the bakers.” He smiles with a toothy grin. “Now, show us something cool.”
Adelaide releases Philip’s hand, picks a bit of fleece off her clothes, and holds both of her hands out in front of herself. With flowing water-like movements, Adelaide swings her hands out and over her head. Blue streaks of light follow quickly after her hands and she brings her hands to her mouth. A simple word of power emanates from her lips, “Stars.”
Wisps of darkness coalesce around the three children and Adelaide and slowly envelopes them. Delicately placed blue starlight streaks across the envelope of darkness. Thousands of stars streaking across the new darkened skies. The children’s eyes widen with awe, these wonders now forming new curiosities that will last a lifetime. Oliva steps forward towards Adelaide with a huge smile. Adelaide returns the smile and reaches her hand up towards the stars, pulling with arcane energy. The streaking stars shift and begin to fall towards the children. Stars drift towards the streets and when the stars touch the streets explode with glitter like little fireworks.
The children’s undivided attention remains on this wondrous moment they were able to share. They didn’t notice when Adelaide stood, turned, and walked down the now quiet and entranced street. Adelaide smiles and giggles to herself, as she follows the directions to the lake.
Adelaide could now see why the young boy called it “the street with the flowers” as she turned onto the street. The in-bloom wisteria trees shaded the pathway as she and many travelers traversed the roads. Mild purple petals drift downwards to the cold, dark stones lining the roads. She overhears some traveling priests marveling over how late in the year these wisteria trees bloomed. One argued that this must be the last blessing of Liraneus, God of Summers, before his sister Lisenetta, Goddess of Autumn, takes her three months ruling the seasons.
However, Adelaide knew the truth. It was not the entirely works of the gods that kept the wisteria trees alive but rather the work of her own ancestor, Wyster the First Empress. Legend tells that Empress Wyster planted every wisteria tree in and in the surrounding forest for a reason lost to time itself. Adelaide smiles thinking about these same trees planted on the grounds of the Palace and the days she and Robin spent playing amongst them. She could still remember it extremely vividly, especially playing in the largest wisteria tree in the back of the courtyard. She had named the tree “Jeffery” because he just looked like a Jeffery. She couldn’t believe what a creative mind she had as a child. Adelaide’s giddy smile fades into one of concern. The memories of her childhood slowly flowed back into the forefront of her mind.
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Adelaide remembered the rainy summers of the month of Augen that consumed the city in her childhood. Those summers seemed as distant as the mountains of the Iron Craglands to the north of the Empire. On one of those rainy days a decade ago, Adelaide ran down the statue-filled hallways of the Western Wing, weaving in and out of the covered passageway. Robin, her best friend, tried to follow as closely as he could. He had always been a nervous child anytime they had played anywhere except Adelaide’s room, the gardens, or in the library.
Adelaide recalled yelling for Robin to pick up the pace and continuing to rush forward with a fervor. Robin nervously cautioned against it because of the rain. She didn’t listen to Robin’s warning, but instead took it as a challenge to go faster. It was too late before she realized she hit a puddle.
Adelaide fell face first into the back of the life sized statue of her great, great, great grandmother, Fiona the Kindheart. Robin had caught up with a dazed Adelaide, slowly moving her underneath the covered walkway. As she hit the ground, the statue wobbled back and forth, until the pedestal ripped itself from the ground. The body split into three pieces when it hit the redstone walkway. The statue’s head had rolled about twenty feet from its mangled and shattered body, directly at Gretchen’s feet. The lecture that followed had been permanently etched into Adelaide’s mind, because the lecture was not focused on her. Gretchen instead yelled at Robin for being negligent, saying it was his job to keep Adelaide safe.
Adelaide began to cry. Her best friend was taking all of the blame for something that she had done. Adelaide turned towards the gardens and ran away. She couldn’t take it. People always treated her as someone who is above all else. No matter what the trouble was, someone else was always to blame. Adelaide hated that about the Palace.
As she ran, the tears streaming down her face had mixed with the summer rains. She did not stop running until she had made her way to the back walls of the Palace. From under the largest wisteria tree, she whimpered and let out labored breaths. Adelaide pressed her face into her frills of her drenched dress, hugging her knees. She felt the suffocation setting in. She couldn’t comprehend why Robin was always to blame. He did nothing, but follow her. The sound of the gentle drops of the rain were drowned out by the squelching of boots in mud. Lifting her head just slightly, Adelaide saw Robin. His hand outstretched towards her, his pale blue eyes now red and blotchy, and a kind smile on his face.
Three words left his mouth and her heart soared.
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“Fruit or meat?” The waitress inquires behind the small counter in between her and Adelaide. The question snaps Adelaide back into reality. Adelaide looks around confused and realizes that she was so lost in thought that she had walked the remaining distance to Bakery Row daydreaming. The shop Adelaide stood in had a three segment glass display case with several different kinds of pastries, small tables have been decorated with handmade white tablecloths, and a small line of customers have formed behind Adelaide.
Adelaide turns back to the waitress at the counter, smiling and playing with her hair nervously. The waitress’ flour covered face uncomfortably stares back at her. She looks to be in her mid-twenties. Her coarse midnight black hair is pinned up into a bun with what looks to be flakes of raw dough in it. The waitress’ only feature that wasn’t covered in flour were her eerily green eyes. “Sorry, what was the question?”
“I asked you if you wanted a fruit or meat pie, lady. Are you okay?” The waitress looks Adelaide up and down. A hint of sarcasm passes through her lips as she asks, “So what will it be?”
Adelaide grabs at her coin purse on her waist. As she brings it to the counter, the hefty jingle of coins draws the attention of the waitress. She winces from the pressure put onto her right hand as she reaches into the purse and retrieves a single golden coin embossed with crossed wisteria branches on it. She sheepishly replies as she places the coin onto the counter, “A small strawberry, if you please.”
“You know, I could give you a discount if you’d buy a pie for me. I’ve slaved away baking these pies day after day, but I’ve rarely had the chance to eat one.” The waitress takes the gold piece as her payment. She slyly remarks as she walks to the display case, “I haven’t had a break all day.”
Adelaide could feel her heart saddening. This flour covered woman was sorely in need of a break! A beaming smile breaks through Adelaide’s sadness as she places another gold piece on the counter. “I will buy you a pie, if you would grant me the pleasure of your company.”
“Wait, you wanna eat with me? Seriously?” The waitress says in disbelief. “I mean, I guess I could.”
The waitress grabs Adelaide’s strawberry pie along with a meat pie from the neighboring segment of the display case. Adelaide giggles excitedly, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Excellent! Shall we go out and sit under the sun?”
“Sure, I just gotta do somethin’ first.” The waitress hands the pies to Adelaide, bounds around the counter, and ushers the remainder of the line out of the bakery. “Sorry, everyone! We are closed! Come back in half an hour!”
The waitress turns back towards Adelaide, motioning for her to follow. She leads Adelaide around the counter, grabbing two forks from the kitchen, and out through the back of the shop. As the sun begins to crest at midday, the two women exit the bakery into a small hidden garden. Autumnal flowers bloom near the narrow cobbled pathways leading to a juvenile wisteria tree surrounded by a healthy patch of grass. The waitress gently sits on the grass and calls out to Adelaide, “C’mon, have a seat… I didn’t actually get your name.”
“Oh, my name is…” Adelaide begins to panic. She never thought she would get this far into the city. She surely thought that the guards would have picked her up by now. Adelaide thinks to herself, “A fake name. I feel like a spy, so cool!”
“You good?” The waitress asks.
“Yes, yes, I am fine.” Adelaide responses, embarrassed. “My name is Addison. What is your name?”
“People call me Missy.” Missy responses politely. “It’s nice to meet ya, Addison. Do you live around Wyster?”
“No, no, I am visiting from down south. I have always wanted to see the city. I have heard wonderful things from my friend, Robin.” Adelaide admits while taking a bite of her pie. Missy shifts uncomfortably, pulling a twig from under her. Adelaide happily sighs, “He always had stories about the splendor of Loch Osterona and its beautiful water for me.”
“So this Robin is well traveled, huh?” Missy says with her mouth full. Adelaide lifts her head to look at the cloudless skies. The gentle sunlight warms Adelaide to her core. For once, she was calm.
“He is quite learned, Missy. His memory is an impressive thing.” Adelaide remarks with a grin on her face. “He has been my best friend since we were children.”
“Where’s he now?”
“He is employed inside of the Imperial Palace as a steward.” Fearing she would blow her cover, Adelaide shifts uncomfortably away from Missy. “Speaking of the Palace, what do you make of the Princess of Wyster?”
“Well, there’s not too much to say, Addison. She hasn’t left the Palace in years. Some say she’s been afflicted by some sort of curse.” Missy says with a noticeable hint of uninterest at the topic at hand. “Some say it’s because of the barbaric tribe’s fault that we can’t see her. I don’t buy into all these conspiracies, though.”
“Pardon? Barbaric tribe? I do not know what you mean.” Confusion consumes Adelaide’s face. She hadn’t heard anything about a barbaric tribe in any of her history lessons or any of her books. “Please, continue.”
“Uh. Well apparently when the Princess was young, a group of thugs from the Iron Craglands stormed the Palace attempting to take her hostage. They failed and retreated to the mountains. People say that’s why the Viscount that was married to the Empress died.” Missy shrugs. She finishes eating her pie, placing the plate on the ground next to her. Drawing her knees into her chest, Missy looks at Adelaide’s confused expression. “Is there something wrong?”
“I- I never knew about that kidnapping attempt or why the Viscount died.” Adelaide stutters. An unnatural sense of fear falls over Adelaide and she begins to shake in place. Fidgeting with the makeshift bandage, Adelaide responds, “I heard that he had passed due to a sudden incurable illness. Someone of his position would not be killed that easily, no?”
“Well, that’s just what I heard from some gossips around town. I don’t know what else to tell ya, Addison.” Missy inches closer to Adelaide, reaching her hand to touch Adelaide’s shoulder. As Missy’s hand makes contact with her shoulder, a cold pulse rushes down Adelaide’s spine. “Seriously, are you okay? You’re starting to freak me out.”
Adelaide could feel her chest tightening and her breath slowly escaping from her body. Denial starts to bubble to the surface. Adelaide looks directly into Missy’s eyes, “How credible are these sources?”
“The guy I heard it from used to work in the kitchens, I think. His name was something like David? Or Dean? Or Devlin?”
“Was his name Duke?” Adelaide nervously asks.
“Yeah, that was it.” Missy gives Adelaide an uncomfortable look up and down. “How did you know that?”
Adelaide’s heart continues to fall as she comes to the realization that she remembers Duke. He worked in the kitchens and made beautiful vanilla cakes for Adelaide when she was younger. Could this be true? How could such a monumental event have been omitted from her life? Mother never mentioned this event. She said he passed due to an illness. Could the people closest to her be lying directly to her? Robin and Auntie? Surely, they didn’t lie to her.
Adelaide suddenly stands up, startling Missy in the process. “I apologize. I must leave now.”
Crestfallen, Adelaide turns away from Missy and begins to run back the way she came. Before entering the bakery, Adelaide stops in her tracks and turns back towards Missy who had a bewildered look on her face. “Thank you for the pie, it was extremely delicious. Robin told me that they are looking for a pastry chef in the kitchens of the Palace. Ask for Gretchen Shinal, she is a prickly pear but she respects talent and hard work.”
Before Missy could respond, Adelaide turns and walks back through the bakery. Adelaide could hear Missy pleading for her to stop, but she didn’t stop. She could feel her heart ache and slowly be clouded by mistrust. Tears start to form in her eyes as Adelaide traverses the busy thoroughfare of Bakery Row. She didn’t care where she was going. Her father was murdered by brigands and no one had said anything to her? This couldn’t be the truth. This couldn’t be real.
With her head down and her flowing tears, she quickly walks down the roads bumping into whoever crosses her path. Adelaide feels a heavy palm fall onto her shoulder, whipping her around. Missy, out of breath, grips Adelaide’s shoulder. Her eyes aflame with a silent rage.
“Hey, Addison, why’d you run off like that!?” Missy yells under her breath. She crosses her arms and taps her foot, waiting for an answer.
“I apologize for suddenly leaving like that…” Adelaide’s voice trails off. She could feel her fear continuing to build in that moment. “I do not remember that night that way at all.”
Missy’s eyes soften as a smirk crosses her face. She uncrosses her arms and takes a step closer to Adelaide. “I know who you are. It took me a while, but I got there in the end.”
Adelaide could feel her heart sink to the lowest depths it’s ever been. This baker had figured out who she was. The dread consumed her entire being. She had only been out of the Palace for about four to five hours. That’s all it took for her to get caught? Adelaide’s nerves start to kick in, getting ready for the fight or flight.
“I mean, the big sack of gold, asking weird questions, the weird tattooed hand. It’s quite obvious.” Missy giggles to herself with a sense of conviction. Missy’s smug attitude could not be contained by her smile.
Beads of sweat begin to roll down the back of Adelaide’s neck. The small hairs on her arms raise. Adelaide knew she was caught and dark thoughts bubble into the forefront of her mind. Sparks of magical power resonate from the base of Adelaide’s neck, flowing down her palms, and pooling in her palms. Should she cast this spell on Missy? Auntie Anjula had trained her in magic since Adelaide was young, but she always made it a point to say that: “Magic is a force only the Gods understand. We, mortals, grasp at straws every time we cast a successful spell. Magic can do many things like amaze or maim. It is up to the caster to practice reservation.”
Missy continues to smile as she begins to speak, “You’re not really from out of town, are you? You must work in the Palace, right? I mean, that’s the only way you have all that gold! That’s how you knew Duke from the kitchens. Tell me, am I right?”
Adelaide drew in a short breath as Missy expels her accusation. The well of power growing in Adelaide’s palm dissipates and the unnatural fear that she felt was gone, leaving only relief in its place. She smiles at Missy with a small grin, “You found me out, Missy! And I thought I was getting away with it all. I had a great amount of respect for the former Viscount and I never knew that he was murdered. This news was, well in not too many words, frightening.”
Adelaide relaxes her shoulders as Missy’s contagious laugh rings through the street. Missy walks around Adelaide, giving her another glance up and down. Adelaide follows Missy with her eyes, giggling along with her. Missy finishes with her glance and steps back in front of Adelaide, “I totally understand that feeling, Addison! But, we could have talked through your emotions, instead of you running away.”
“I agree with you, Missy. I apologize, again. However, there is one thing that we should discuss. I could get in a great deal of trouble if you mention to anyone that you saw me in the city today.” Adelaide stresses her phrasing, raising her eyebrows. Missy purses her lips together, giving a slight nod.
“Playing hooky from work?”
“Yes, something of that nature.” Adelaide responses.
“Is that job something that’s actually real? Or was it fake?” Missy asks with genuine intrigue.
“Last thing, I heard Gretchen was still looking for a chef a couple days ago. You would have to go confirm it with her and I would recommend bringing a pie for her to try.” Adelaide admits. Turning around, Missy places her hand on her chin and ponders the offer.
With a little jump, Missy faces Adelaide again and a gleeful smile, full of ambition, consumes her face. With a quick and sudden step, Missy’s flour covered arms are wrapped around Adelaide. Warmth envelopes Adelaide and she loses herself in this hug. The only other hug that felt anywhere close to this genuinely, warm hug were the ones that Auntie gave her. After a few seconds, Missy withdraws from the hug and Adelaide returns to reality. Arm and shoulder sized flour marks remain on Adelaide.
“Oops, I’m sorry about that.” Missy tries to pat the flour off of Adelaide’s clothing, but Adelaide puts her hand out.
“No, no, it is not a problem. I can handle this.” Adelaide smiles as she draws her hands close to her chest, clenching her fists. A jolt of power wells up into Adelaide’s fingertips and as she unclenches her fists and whispers a word of power, a dim yellow light surrounds the smudges of flour. “Clean.”
As the yellow light fades, Adelaide’s clothes are now unspoiled by any flour or dirt. Missy’s mouth hangs open and wide as she stares at Adelaide with amazement in her eyes. Adelaide slightly blushes at all of the admiration coming her way.
“You didn’t tell me you could cast magic, Addison!” Missy exclaims and jumps up and down.
“My mother and aunt taught me that spell when I was young. It always comes in handy when things get dirty.” Adelaide shyly responses. “I could cast it on you too, if you would like that, Missy. It may help with your meeting with Gretchen.”
“Please do, if you’d think that would work!” Missy says without skipping a beat. Adelaide approaches Missy and takes the pin out of her black hair, letting it fall onto the small of her back. With two quick flourishes of her hands, Adelaide casts the spell on Missy twice. All of the remaining flour and raw dough is magically removed from Missy. Her once tangled hair has now straightened with a lustrous sheen. Adelaide admires Missy’s beauty before a thought crosses her mind.
“You should go to see Gretchen soon. The preparations for the Princess’ sendoff dinner should not have finished just yet, so you should be able to get a meeting with her.” Adelaide suggests. “I have a couple more stops to make, but I should see you around the Palace sometime.”
“Thanks for the advice. I’ll see you soon!” Missy turns towards the bakery and runs off towards it. Adelaide smiles to herself and wanders down Bakery Row, excited to see more of the city.
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The crystal clear water of Loch Osterona drew travelers and townsfolk alike to relax on its shores. Adelaide had never seen so many people packed onto the shores of the lac, but nevertheless she found a renewed sense of excitement. Small stalls, selling a variety of different, exotic fruits, have been erected along the dirt roads running around the water’s edge. Adelaide trots down to the shore, sitting down on an empty patch of lush grass near a couple who whisper sweet nothings to one another, hastily removes her boots, and rolls up her pant legs. She gingerly steps toward the water, nervously stepping in the dark, sticky, squelching mud. The crisp, cool water tickles the bottoms of Adelaide’s feet as she continues til the water crests just below her calf.
Adelaide gently removes the leather glove wrapped around her right hand. Her hand luckily had stopped bleeding at this point, only remnants of dried blood cover her palm. She bends over and gently scrubs her hands together. Her birthmarks on her hands slowly begin to emit a low humming sound and a dim violet light. As Adelaide takes her hands out of the water, a pulse of fatigue causes her to lurch forwards. Barely, just barely catching herself before crashing into the water. She sluggishly pulls herself out of the loch before collapsing on a small hill.
Adelaide’s vision begins to blur and narrow to the size of a pinhole. A blurry pale figure stands above Adelaide. She lets out a gasp as the world around her fades to black.
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