The Ashes of Time

Chapter 2

The sound of footsteps reverberating in the dark hallway returns to Qélla's ears as three figures approach.

"Your highness," Lady Daffodil whispers, her voice curiously higher than earlier. As Qélla turns towards her, she notices that Daffodil is fidgetting with the frills of her dress. A moment later, Daffodil drops them looking repulsed but continues directing her gaze downwards.

Beside Daffodil, Princess Seanna stands with all the glory of an angel cascading from her bright eyes to her frilly white lace skirt and its soft aquamarine outer layer. Even the blue feather on her headband radiates with her inner compassion. She closes her eyes on glancing across the streets outside knowing there is little she can do. When she opens her eyes, her usual hard look appears, and it seems almost a fantasy that she would appear untainted by the flaws of the world, just like angels are, in Qélla's mind, a fantasy. They would be dangerous if they truly existed and cared about stopping demons.

On Daffodil's other side, one of the foreign princess' ladies, Loren Cenettra, gazes towards the window. By her calm disposition, it is clear that she is familiar with death and fire, although without having met the lady before, Qélla does not know how familiar. When Cenettra snaps her dusky eyes upon Qélla's face, Qélla can tell there is something more about her, whether by blood or occupation, that gives her familiarity with the situation beyond what the others might possess, though clearly not so keen a knowledge as Qélla possesses. Qélla assumes this is why Princess Seanna brought Lady Cenettra rather than her more typical lady, Clara Louise. Cenettra's gaze is penetrating as if she senses something about Qélla's lack of visual concern, though at the same moment the slightly disturbed aura of her expression shows she holds more heart than Qélla, even if she hides her feelings. This is to be expected, of course, given Qélla's own indifference.

"You may go, Lady Kelvex," Qélla whispers quietly, more because Daffodil's repulsion bothers her than because she is actually concerned about her own lady. She calls Daffodil by last name, being in the presence of Princess Seanna and through a desire to hide her connection with Daffodil from Cenettra's immediate perception. Normally, she would speak to Daffodil with more familiarity, but Cenettra's gaze still irks her, and it is this woman that she knows is most likely to notice her terminology. Obviously, she should be well acquainted with her own ladies, but it would be better to appear momentarily cold than to reveal anything personal before she knows more about Cenettra's powers. Besides, Daffodil, herself, tends to clearly split her tone between the formal 'Princess Darkstar' for official business and 'Qélla' when she is speaking in a more casual capacity. 

Daffodil flits away again, looking ever more like a stranger to her own substance as the shadows of the lamps clash with her colourless skin. Qélla wonders if Cenettra will not notice that and think it odd. Of course, that would give her no reason to suspect Qélla's involvement in cursing Daffodil to be a vampire, or rather Qélla's sole intervention beyond Daffodil's unfortunate near demise.

Knowing the inquiry cannot hurt her, Qélla cautiously questions Princess Seanna on the newcomer, "My dear princess, I see you have brought a new lady with you."

"Ah," Princess Seanna responds as if the subject has little weight at all, "Lady Cenettra has some expertise in the area of disease." A shadow falls across her radiant face, almost letting the darkness succumb whatever hope still remains in the dim chambers of the palace where best it flies. "Hearing of the undeath, she immediately took interest." Qélla waits almost impatiently for Seanna to say more, but the other princess remains silent, almost as if she sees someone wringing the wanton ghost of goodness she introduced to Qélla's vile world.

"And she is a..?" Qélla demands with some frustration, frightening the colour from Princess Seanna's face. Even Cenettra looks somewhat surprised. What she glimpsed in that moment, Qélla cannot tell, but it unnerves her to not know, and she knows, as the host princess, she can oblige them to answer.