Queen of Crows and Ashes

In the Alchemist's Tower

Music is not mine-I thought it'd be nice to have something to play in the background.

Anyway, please enjoy chapter one!

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    The bubbling pot in front of me held the faint aroma of decayed flesh. If I looked closely, I could see pieces of a human heart top the surface. A small wave of nausea almost bubbled to the surface, but the scene was not an unusual one.

    It had to be stirred once every half-hour, or it would go sour. Given the current smell of my lab, "sour" probably meant something
much, much worse.

    "Lady Rasiel, are you sure you do not require my assistance?"

    "No, Morgana," I said with a chuckle. "I am quite alright. Are you sure this smell is tolerable enough to remain in my presence?"

     "If my lady will allow me to speak plainly..."

    "When have I not?"

Morgana smiled shyly, lifting up her green skirts to step closer to me.

   "It is quite revolting. I could smell this abomination in the hallway," she whispered. "I'm surprised Loric and Captain Nikos have the stomach to stand outside your door," she added, observing the steps in my current project before handing me the next ingredients. "And another question of mine. Why is it that you practice alchemy, yet hoard books on Magecraft and potions?"

   Instinctively, I turned to check the door-still closed, and silent beyond it. The palms of my hands grew sweatier, anxiously awaiting the arrival of my father. I wiped them on my tattered apron before answering Morgana. "You know as well as I that we do not mention such things in the castle. But...I want to learn all I can. If I can do magic in the process, then all the better. Now, be a dear and pass the newt hearts please. I need to have them diced for this one."

   "Raisel, darling, your father has insisted on your presence within the throne room," Queen Orabella spoke, her skirts swishing around her as she entered my little room.

   "Mother, I'll be there in a moment. But I must finish this potion first," I sighed, wiping my hands on the soiled fabric of my apron.

   She stood next to me and observed the mess within the cauldron, wrinkling her nose at the smell. "Oh, dear, you stirred it far too much. It shouldn't be this foul, darling."

   "Oh dear, is there any way I can fix this?"

    Queen Orabella smiled fondly at me, and I noticed how her green eyes shone as though she was going to participate in an exciting new dance, not chopping up hearts and stirring them into a horrendous mixture. "There might be a way," she laughed, stars twinkling in the sound. "But it is not an easy solution, and you know as well as I how impatient your father can be."

    "His Majesty has said the royal Wisheid family have come to call-and discuss a possible alliance through marriage. I've been tasked with fetching Lady Raisel and preparing her for tonight's dinner. He's had the other maids prepare the outfit."

    "Wisheid? Mother and father are here then?" Morgana asked the young maid.

   "Yes, Lady Morgana. But the king has requested that only the princess join them for dinner. I'm sorry."

    "Go on, dear. Morgana and I will finish making your potion. The sooner the smell fades away from the halls, the safer we will all be."

   Nodding, I slowly took the apron, careful not to let it touch too much of my skin. It was a short matter to be hung up correctly, and with it came the peace and sense of self that I had while working in this tower.

   "Thank you Euphoria. I'm ready to return to my chambers now."

   "This way, milady," she curtsied, escorting me back to my chambers. Loric and Nikos followed close behind, their footsteps clanking softly.

    The further I approached my rooms, the meeker my appearance became. It was the role I had to play in the presence of my father.

   "Lady Raisel, I am sorry if the dress is not the one you desire to wear. Your father ordered that you wear your blue dress tonight."

    "It is fine, Euphie. My father knows best with the company we'll be keeping tonight," I smiled. "Loric, Nikos," I added, turning to my guards. "I'll be attending dinner in the royal hall with my father and visitors from Wisheid. I've been commanded to come alone, so I'll need you two to stay outside at least."

    "My lady, time grows short. Come, you must enter your chambers to prepare yourself."

   "Of course, Euphie. Come, we can resume this conversation inside my chambers. The two of you are, of course, free to speak."

    The two guards nodded, and followed me inside my chambers, immediately stepping to the left and right side of the door to my sitting room.

   "Are you certain the wonderful Lady Raisel is required at this dinner? If they're trying to talk about marriage alliances, why not do so with someone you already know?"

   "Silence, Loric. You know more than anyone why you would be the last person considered for such an alliance."

   I giggled at their banter, however once I crossed into my bedchamber their words became muted.

  "The dress is not so bad, Euphie," I said, taking a look at the fabric placed around my mannequin. "See how it hugs the body just right and flares at the waist? It's perfect for tonight's necessities."

   She beamed and insisted on helping me change (as much as she could anyway).

   "Oh, my lady, how wonderful! The dress is simply marvelous!" Euphie exclaimed and clapped in delight, fussing over the skirts to make sure they were in the right places.

   At her request, I spun in the dress, letting the skirts move as running water.

   "Oh, my lady! You are divine!" She clapped, grinning widely. "Come, come! You must have your hair fixed before going to dinner!"

   I sat at my vanity, wordlessly giving my permission to work her magic. And magic she did, weaving blue roses into my hair and making the dark strands seem lighter with a few oils.

   "The king is likely getting impatient," she sighed, "so I haven't gone as elaborate as I would have liked."

   I grabbed her hand, stroking the back of it with my thumb. "Trust me, you've done amazing. Why work here when you could have easily become a hairdresser?"

  "My parents wouldn't hear of it, my lady!" She said, placing her free hand to her chest. "Besides, I have learned more from you than I could have ever dreamed of back home!"

    She was silent then, fiddling with the charm attached to her skirts. A reminder that no matter how she praised me, this situation was not one she chose.

   "Well, you should be off! Some of the other maids said they were gonna do something special for my thirteenth birthday. Have a great dinner milady!"

   She lifted up her skirts and curtsied before ducking out of the room.

   "Lady Raisel, are you ready for your father's dinner?" Nikos asked behind the door. "I will escort you as far as I am allowed."

    "My thanks, Sir Nikos," I said. "Yes, I am prepared. Promise that you'll stay as close as you can, in case things go south?"

   "You have my word as a knight, milady. Now then, Sir Loric has requested the evening off as he is feeling unwell. Shall he be punished?"

  "No, no," I laughed, raising a hand to my mouth to cover it. "I'm sure he's stressed about the arrival of his parents. He can take the night off."

   He stepped back, maintaining a socially acceptable distance from me as we approached the dining hall. He would go no further than this.

   "Best of luck, my lady," he whispered, standing at the door as I crossed through.