"Queens and commoners, princes and peasants, welcome to the party of the quincentury!"
For most people, receiving an invitation to the White King's Masquerade is an honor. Even attempting to attend is a chance to go down in history. But for Sol of M...
Asriel swept into the glade, unconcerned with Pelias's frantic attempts.
"I know today has been a long day but we have one more session," he said as he gestured for to us to follow him.
He led us down to the Undergarden and back to the mine. This time however after passing through the first pearlescent room, we stepped into a huge rickety mineshaft.
"This is the mine?" Odelyn said, scrunching her nose.
"No this is your mine, designed specially for your training," Aella said, stepping into the small pool of light from the candle just above us.
"Traversing the Rolling Hills is about stealth and silence. So your task is to cross to the other side of the mineshaft making as little noise as possible," Asriel explained.
As he spoke a sickly green goblin waddled in and stood beside a lever.
"This is Vega. If he thinks you are too loud he will pull this lever and you will be back here at the start."
I sized up the goblin. He had beady black eyes and jagged yellow teeth, which he stretched into a 'smile'.
"Let's get this over with," Ciel said stretching, "I want dinner." He stepped forward confidently onto a simple suspension bridge and on a particularly creaky plank.
Vega pulled the lever, the plank under Ciel gave way, he fell and he landed right beside Vega, all in the blink of an eye.
"Okay maybe let's go another way," he mumbled, rubbing his tailbone.
We tried scaling the side of the cliff, using the suspension bridge, climbing down an old wooden ladder, using the suspension bridge again.
Each attempt ended with us back by Asriel and Vega, bruised bodies and bruised egos.
"This is pathetic," Pelias muttered, standing up and scouring the mineshaft. His gaze settled on a small notch at one end and he walked over to it, the rest of us trailing after him dejectedly.
He led us down a rough hewn makeshift staircase, testing each step before marshaling us forward. And like that, Pelias carefully testing each path before guiding us onwards, we soon made it to the end.
"Finally," Ciel said, spinning and stepping right onto another creaky floorboard.
"Oops," he whispered, all of us groaning in unison as we were once more dumbed at the start.
With Aester and Syrion giving Ciel death stares we finally managed to get to the other side thanks to Pelias' unexpected talent for remaining quiet.
As we got out of the mine, Ciel shouted at the top of his voice, "Glad that's finally over!" After which, Aester promptly kicked him while Fyn and I giggled.
I watched Pelias stalk forward as Asriel commended him. He stuck him nose in the hair but I don't think I imagined pleased grin that spread over his face.
———————————
Because of Ciel's escapades we had a late dinner and went straight to sleep. Well, straight to bed. They aren't always the same thing.
That night I think I got about three hours of sleep before visions of Ceres choking on her own vomit forced me out of the castle.
The chilly Centerfold breeze was like a smack in the face, in a good way. I took a deep breath in as I let my legs lead and found myself drawn to the Isle of Semele fountain once more.
I found that I was actually looking forward to seeing Ciel and that thought spurred me forward. The glistening fountain came into view, water images still as vibrant as ever.
I could see Ciel's auburn hair and creamy skin in the fountain's glow and smiled despite myself. But then I took another step forward and in front of him stood an ethereal beauty.
She was tall, slightly taller than Ciel, and breathtaking, with pearly, incandescent skin. I could see that it was she that was casting a cool glow over him and not the fountain. I gazed at her long chestnut hair and the elegant, medieval robes she wore, trying not to look at the longing in Ciel's one good eye.
She reached a dainty hand towards his chin and tilted his face to hers. He sighed and his eye left hers for a second, making direct eye contact with mine. It widened with surprise and the beautiful woman turned just as a ducked into a bush on instinct.
I crawled through the scrub, emerging near the Acem tower and dashed back into the castle and back to my room, where I met Fyn and Odelyn right where I left them, sleeping soundly.
I slipped under the covers, my mind still racing and fell into a deep, undisturbed sleep.
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