In the Favor of the Goddesses

[FoxLeFay]

Closed to Dannyel

The whole tavern was silent as the knight finished up his tale. Dónal's men were renowned for being brave warriors in the face of some impossible odds, but if this young knight was telling even an iota of the truth, the tale he was recounting surely deserved to be bound so that others could hear it long after the small building cleared out for the evening. He stood with one leg propped up on a stool, his muddy boot glistening and reflecting the candlelight off of the ornate buckles that betrayed his rank. Throughout his story, he made eye contact with Etielle who could not hide the fact that she was enthralled by his way with words.

"And there the three of us were, I was the only one left with a shield so my brothers in arms flanked me so closely that I could hear their ragged breaths even over my hammering pulse. Another arrow flew by and got me," the knight gestured to his cheek where a pink line was still visible. It appeared that a few days had passed at least since this harrowing scrape with death and Etielle took every word with a grain of salt. Nevertheless, it was a great story and there were few things in the world she appreciated more than someone with a silver tongue. The blonde knight went on, "It was then that I knew they had to be below us and not in the trees like we feared. I charged ahead using my shield to beat down the brush and was absolutely dumbfounded to discover that there was a slight hill that led directly into a ditch!" At this point the whole table lifted their alcoholic concoctions to their lips and let out a hearty laugh. A heroic war story had just devolved into a tale of young impetuousness and everyone but Etielle was apt to go along with it. She curled her lip a little. Didn't he understand how well he was doing? Couldn't he have stretched the truth just a bit further? Surely his small squad of men didn't take out that rouge caravan hailing from Thines, so what prevented him from ending the story on a sailing note of patriotism? That was all she wanted. "Luckily I caught the archers by surprise from above so my companions could slay them once they were aware of the terrain difference," he ended and raised his own glass to fully enjoy the overwhelming cheers.

The witch bowed herself out from the crowd as soon as she could without seeming impolite. She heard quick footfalls follow her away and she could only assume it was the wet-behind-the-ears knight. When he asked for her to wait for him, she knew that there was no polite way to shake him.

"Miss, you were the most receptive person in that audience. I have to thank you. I was afraid that if I didn't come down from all the talk of violence and lighten it up, they were going to leave me in a lurch," he said with a genuine but foppish smile. It was clear from looking at his swimming blue eyes that he was young and inexperienced when it came to women and a seasoned veteran at pursuing effervescent fantasies.

"You're such a valiant knight that surely you could have appeased a rowdy crowd of drunkards," Etielle said dismissively. She nodded curtly and began to walk away but something caused her to turn around, "And why would you sacrifice such an intriguing plot for a cheap joke at your own expense? Would you rather be a clown?" Perhaps she had had a little too much to drink. Certainly, she was being much too flippant for her own good. The knight hadn't noticed her clothing or else he would have threatened to report back to Dónal with a scathing selection of choice words.

"I like that fire in you. However, I won't take this and give you nothing in return," his face softened into a mischievous grin. He turned back to the milling crowd and cleared his throat as he climbed on top of one of the oak tables, "My friend here says she has a story to tell that will wipe the floor with mine and make an honest man of me." The room laughed as heartily as she had ever heard and Etielle had to keep down a blush. This was not where she expected this exchange to end up. She wasn't sure if she'd prefer to bat him away as he tried to kiss her rather than having to deal with this. The knight helped her up onto the same table and watched her with his arms crossed across his chest.

Etielle stared into the crowd. Not one of them seemed intelligent or forgiving of mistakes. She copied the blonde stranger who had gotten her into this mess and cleared her throat, "I don't have a war story for you but I do have a tale of intrigue and betrayal." The dirty faces inched closer. "It's a story that you may have known piecemeal, but that I alone know in its entirety," this drew a few breathy gasps, "It is a love story like no other."

Upon the utterance of those words, the few people that her dramatic tale had hooked all turned away and began to talk loudly among themselves. Etielle knew that she should have gone right for the jugular when she had the chance but she didn't know any stories of robust and bloody wars. She could only talk about witchcraft, and that might have gotten her kicked out or worse, until the dim lights reflected the color of her sash and who knows how long that would have taken. It was a discouraging position to be sure. In her defense, she reminded herself, the love story of Dónal and Helvyna was nothing like your average ballad. She could have knocked them dead if they weren't so dense and so drunk.

She lowered herself down from the table and made her way once again towards the door. Once again she ran into the knight and this time she didn't have the strength to say a single thing to him despite her seething embarrassment driving her to bark at him like a kicked dog.

"I didn't take you as a romantic. I thought you would have a tale of murder or the macabre for them," he said as he stood in front of the door, "My name is Godot. Etielle, Brónach needs you. She sent me to collect you and make sure you didn't leave the court until you solved the problem." Godot stood behind her at a respectable distance when he realized that Etielle understood him. She knew Godot's name, as he was one of the knights that served under both Domnall and Dónal. His cherubic face was quite misleading.

"Very well, sir. If you don't tell them where I've been then I won't poison you for what you just put me through," she scowled. Godot laughed in agreement until he realized that the witch was being quite serious. For the rest of the walk towards the castle, they both remained silent. Once or twice Godot attempted to aid Etielle by telling her to watch her step until that grated on her nerves and she whipped up a small flame and balanced it on her thumb like a minuscule torch. That got the message across and the knight shut his mouth all the way up the stone staircase into the domed throne-room where Brónach stood waiting.

When she entered, Etielle bowed respectfully, "M'lady. What do you need from me?"

Brónach, a tall and elegant woman, waved her hand dismissively and sighed, "You know that I would never ask you for anything. My daughter requested an audience with you for some reason. I'm not sure if she wants anything or if she just requires someone of her age to talk to." The Dowager Duchess had no great love of magic and didn't see why her late husband and son insisted on having witches and wizards at their beck and call.

"Of course Your Highness. I will go in to see her immediately," Etielle said, barely above a whisper.

[Dannyel]

Síomha stared at the letter. She had been reading and rereading it ever since it had arrived that morning, hoping to find some hidden meaning in the words that she had missed before. All she had found, however, was a bleeding headache, and her back ached with pain as she hunched over the desk, her long red hair starting to slip out of its bun. Still, she had time until the Court Sorceress would arrive, and maybe she could glean some tiny piece of information from it. Squinting in the dim candle-light of the library, knowing she really should take the time to stand up and light the lamps, Síomha began to read the letter one more time.

My dearest Síomha,

It brings me great joy to announce that I have accepted your mother’s invitation to visit your Kingdom. Ever since she visited our humble home last spring and told me of her fair and sweet daughter, whose beauty and wisdom rival the Maiden’s, I have longed to look upon your face. I am sure that she has told you about me, as well. Though your previous correspondences have been rather cold, I am sure that our meeting will help ease you out of your shy shell.

I shall be leaving upon the morrow, though I am sending this letter with my fastest courier to give you time to prepare for my arrival. Do not fear, I shall not be more than a couple of days behind this note!

Your dearest admirer,
Alois

Pinching the bridge of her nose to ease the growing pain, Síomha leapt to her feet, pacing around the cramped library as best as she could. “Of all the pompous, air-headed, ignorant fools!” she muttered to herself. Though to be fair, Alois was not the worst marriage candidate that her mother had thrown at her. He was just rather…quaint. His many correspondences had an air of innocent desperation about them, but his simply hilarious attempts to woo her with his words made it quite clear what he expected of her. She had been delaying their meeting for as long as she was able, knowing that his opinion would probably change drastically when she was forced to interact with him. She had that effect on most people who expected a soft woman, elegantly deferring to her beloved.

Well, her father had done his damnedest to raise a better daughter than that. And she would not dishonor his memory that way.

Yet, she was running out of options. According to her mother’s information, Alois was desperate for a bride, and for reasons she never quite understood had set his sights upon her. His desperation would probably override any disappointment he might feel when meeting her, making a proposal almost inevitable. Here she was, a woman past the age of majority, and Alois was her only suitor. Both her mother and her brother expected her to settle down soon enough, and would not support her if she turned down Alois.

Still she might have some options at her disposal. Looking down at the pile of books spread across the desk, she waited for the Court Sorceress to arrive.

[FoxLeFay]

Etielle made her way down the long and narrow hallway that connected the royal bedchambers and library to the throne-room. It was always cold due to the smooth stones walls and the sheer height of the tower in which the Dukes and Duchesses always resided and she tried her best not to shiver. That involuntary reflex would be a dead giveaway that she wasn't in the equally icy room below the kitchen where she normally practiced along with the lower-ranked sorcerers. She had refused the offer to set up her materials in the small chamber directly next to the roaring wood stove because of some soft-hearted solidarity and had regretted it ever since. When she stopped in front of the library where Brónach said the Duchess could be found, she couldn't help but notice that the door was slightly ajar. Normally, Síomha liked her privacy and preferred that she was shut off securely from her brother's and mother's interference. Etielle knocked briskly on the doorjamb and let herself in.

"Duchess Síomha. Your mother summoned me?" she inclined her head towards the young woman, awaiting whatever task she had to carry out. It was not in Síomha's nature to turn to magic for trivial things as her sister-in-law Helvyna did so Etielle knew that there would surely be an interesting story and a complex thought process to sort through. The sorceress lit a few of the torches on the wall so that the Duchess wouldn't have to slouch over the desk to examine the paper she held in her grasp and took a few steps forward. It was obviously a letter and the paper didn't appear to be from the trees in the area. She didn't want to overstep her boundaries and guess, so she pulled out one of the chairs and sat somewhat close to the frustrated Duchess but kept the respectful distance that all of those in service of the royal family were bound to observe.

"If you require a spell or a potion you do not need to say anything more than that if it is a delicate matter," Etielle reminded Síomha gently. She wasn't aware of any events between the nations that might be causing the girl grief and frankly, the politics of the royal family bored her. The less she knew of the logistics the more effectively she felt she could do her job.

[Dannyel]

Síomha did not hear the Sorceress approach or even notice the sudden increase in light; she was so engrossed searching through the pile of books on the desk in front of her. It wasn’t until she heard the girl move a chair about that she even realized she wasn’t alone.

"If you require a spell or a potion you do not need to say anything more than that if it is a delicate matter," Etielle reminded Síomha gently.

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the quiet mage staring up at her. “Ah, Etielle, there you are.” She gave the girl a small smile, strained though it was from her difficult day. “I was hoping that you can, well, aid me.” She crossed the room, glancing out in the hall, before closing the door to give them some privacy. Still facing away from the Sorceress, she took a deep breath to steel herself for the conversation. Her plan, as it was, might be deemed by some to be rather mad and impossible, but she had to try. Turning back to the mage, she stared in the girl’s hazel eyes, an intense gaze that did not permit her to look away. “However, I would like to have your word that will not tell anyway of what we are doing. Especially my mother.”

[FoxLeFay]

It was an unwritten part of her job description that she was to keep every task, no matter how menial, between herself and whichever members of the royal family it would impact. The trading of some of the secrets she had heard on the job would make her beyond rich and she was well aware of that. Of course, it would also make her the most wanted traitor in recent memory. The ignominy that would surely follow if she ever violated her employers wasn't what ensured her silence. Oddly enough, despite how much Brónach disliked having her around and how much of a pain the married couple could be when they tried to hex each other during prolonged arguments, Etielle prided herself on finally having a family and knew she couldn't betray that trust for all the gold in the world. Although that too was something she never said aloud, she was surprised that Síomha went out of her way to ask her to keep this exchange from the Dowager when confidentiality was normally just assumed. That meant that the redhead had something of great personal importance to ask.

"You have my word," Etielle said, "Not even your mother will know of this." She noticed that Síomha hadn't broken her gaze and she took the liberty to be the first to look away. The thought suddenly occurred to her that Godot had mentioned that he was escorting her to the palace and making sure that she didn't leave. Was she under house arrest just on the Dowager's fancy or did Brónach already have an inkling of what was going on? Etielle pushed the thought to the back of her mind. Even if the old woman knew that Síomha was planning something, that just meant that it was up to Etielle to execute some of her best magic in order to keep suspicion off the young Duchess.

"If you would be so kind to enlighten me as to what's troubling you? You seem absolutely out of it," the sorceress asked. Síomha's long glances down the hall and deliberate checking to make sure that the door was secure made her seem much more like a trapped animal than a young woman should ever look.

[Dannyel]

Síomha sighed in relief when she got the Sorceress’ vow of silence. Really, secrecy was expected from a Court Witch, but Eitelle was rather new to the Court, and Síomha had not had a chance to really get to know her yet. She suspected that she did not get along too well with Brónach, her mother had never been overly fond of magic, yet one could never be too safe.

Sitting down across from Eitelle, she passed her the letter from Alois. “I’m not sure if you have been following my Mother’s attempts to get me married, but she has invited a Baron,” she grimaced, as if she found the word distasteful, “from Ledas to visit. He’s past the marrying age, and the tales my Mother has spun of my supposed wisdom and beauty have caused him to fall half-way in love with me.” She sighed, a little dramatically, as if for effect. “Surely you see how this plot will end.”

Reaching back towards the desk, she snatched a book up. “As a mage, you probably do not have time for silly stories. But when I was younger and far more foolish, I used to love the tale of the bewitched Prince.” Flipping through the book in her lap, Síomha smiled at the outlandish plot and silly characters that she had used to adore. “You see, he was betrothed to the most beautiful Princess in all the land. But there was a rival Princess, a shrewish and bitter girl, who decided to take matters into her own hands and entrap him with a love potion.” Glancing up at Eitelle with a wicked look in eyes, she smirked. “Which always made me wonder, if one could induce love with magic, what about hate and revulsion?”

[FoxLeFay]

The Duchess handed her the letter that she had been furiously reading and re-reading, presumably, for the better part of the evening. To be honest, Etielle hadn't been aware of any royal plans regarding marriage. Dónal's had been a completely different story as the young man had been so pleased with the arrangement that he asked for advice from every woman in the castle on how to woo the Royal Maiden of Garranon. Etielle noticed that the tone that this Alois of Ledas was quite similar to Síomha's own brother in the early stages of his engagement. She tried to hide her disgust. Of course Brónach would whisper of how glorious her daughter was to any Baron, Duke, Lord or Prince in the area. That wasn't the surprising part. What caused Etielle to grimace was noticing just how much Síomha didn't want to go through with this. It was common knowledge that part of being born into royalty meant that you were going to marry an equally as carefully-bred specimen just after your blissful childhood ended. Etielle had been in the service of several members of the aristocracy before the Wershire Duke and Duchess but had never before seen a girl of marrying age so reluctant to face her eventual fate.

"I do indeed, Duchess. You don't love him and it cannot end well to orchestrate a wedding under these circumstances, especially with him so taken with you," the sorceress replied empathetically. When Síomha handed her the story of the bewitched Prince, she immediately recognized what the Duchess had in mind. Despite Síomha's notion, Etielle indeed had time for fairytales. She was raised on this story and throughout her childhood, she brewed love potions and the like for fun. However, a spell that caused hatred was another level altogether. As for why, that had eluded her for many years. To the best of her knowledge, it was impossible to manipulate a man who hated someone to then fall in love with her, no matter how powerful the concoction was. Love and disdain magic both had to have a neutral base to start off with.

"Hatred is a difficult thing to manufacture, Síomha," she used the redhead's first name unconsciously and hoped that it didn't seem out of place, "Especially when the man you're targeting has already set himself up to fall in love with you at first sight. If you are able to offset his interest, I know I can brew something to make him revile you. Until then, though, I could make something that would force him to love another girl at the same time. It would ensure that Alois doesn't hound you day and night." It wasn't the best plan, she admitted, but it was certainly an ideal solution for the moment. Etielle had a feeling that she would end up as the third component in this spell and she swallowed her immediate distaste. She couldn't ask anyone else in the palace to substitute for her without breaking her oath to the Duchess.

[Dannyel]

“Crone take him!” Síomha cursed. Why could nothing ever be simple? She had known this day would come and eventually she probably would have to take a husband, but couldn’t she have been a little luckier? Could she not have been approached by a man who does not waste time with these silly wordplays and empty flattery? Who treated her not like a prize to be won but more like a person to be respected? Síomha did not even believe that she really had to marry at all, since her brother was the Duke and he would be producing heirs eventually. Alas, Brónach had different ideas.

Wishing that she had actually done more research on how magic worked earlier, she knew that the plan would have to be severely altered. Still, it was doable, even if she had to stick some poor innocent girl with Alois’ attentions. She felt a little nauseated at the thought, but if there was no other choice there was little she could do about it. But who could she turn to? Aside from Etielle there really wasn’t anyone she felt comfortable bringing into the plan, but seeing as Alois was a native of Ledas he might not be too comfortable around the Sorceress anyway. Besides, she was already asking enough of her.

“Breaking him of his infatuation should not be too hard,” she mused aloud. “At least, I hope so.” Síomha could be blunt and brash, if the situation called for it, and she knew from personal experience what effect that could have on men. “I am more concerned with your plan to divert his attention to another.” Frowning, she shook her head. “No, I am not comfortable asking another to deal with him. He is my problem, and I do not desire making another innocent woman suffer. Unless we can find such a woman who would be interested in his affections, of course.”

“But,” she said, holding up her hand so that Etielle would not interrupt her. “Before we continue, I wish to thank you. I was worried that you might not take kindly to my plans, since it is a rather selfish and trivial use for magic. Yet considering the circumstances, I hope the Goddesses will forgive us.” Lowering her hand, she smiled at Etielle, and gestured for her to proceed.

[FoxLeFay]

Etielle figured it might be hard for Síomha to understand that curious limitation to magic. When she first encountered it, she chalked it up to nothing more than a fluke but after several trials, she was sure that she had finally found a most curious and rare constraint on the arcane arts. After Síomha mentioned that it should be no problem for her to stop Alois's rampant affections with a few strategically placed displays of uncharacteristic behavior, Etielle began to relax, "I understand that you would be hesitant to sic that man on any of the girls in the palace and that is admirable of you. Perhaps one of the servants might become smitten with him when he rides in on a white horse or is carried into the kingdom by his hunched knights." The sorceress chuckled at the image that popped into her head. She didn't particularly like the aristocracy of Ledas especially because of their reluctance to accept the full teachings of the Goddesses and their quickness to judge those who had magic by an unfair standard. "I would never ask anyone to be a part of this plan, so it would undoubtedly be me on the other end of the spell. I will reaffirm that it is my duty to assist you in any way I can. If worst comes to worst, I mean."

She would have gone on but Síomha raised her hand and said, “Before we continue, I wish to thank you. I was worried that you might not take kindly to my plans, since it is a rather selfish and trivial use for magic. Yet considering the circumstances, I hope the Goddesses will forgive us.”

It was a kindly gesture and it touched Etielle. The sorceress smiled in return, "I do not find it trivial at all. The Maiden has always been the one to understand and foster true love and because it is so rare in this world, she considered it among the most powerful spells known to us. If a spell can save your chances to marry a man you really love, then it is hardly a waste."

Deep down, she wasn't sure if she believed what she was saying. It was a crippling guilt that only spell-casters knew that forced them to justify nearly every move they made in their occupations. Every sorcerer and sorceress was told at a young age which spells were noble and which would damn them, but most spent their lives looking for the boundaries that they could safely cross without losing their chances at salvation. It made sense that serving the royal family could never be a selfish action. After all, Etielle gained absolutely nothing if Síomha successfully dodged the lascivious advances of Alois.

Etielle did not want to overstay her welcome so she began to stand. "In order to trick Alois into losing interest in you and reviling you in turn, it is something of a complicated potion. I will set out on gathering the ingredients when morning comes. The spell to divide his attention between us," she gestured between the two of them as if it didn't make sense to her out loud, "Is much simpler. That can be made at any time if it becomes necessary. Is there anything else you would like to discuss with me, Duchess?" She smiled kindly at her companion.

[Dannyel]

“I am glad you feel that way, Etielle. I have always believed that they Goddesses were kind and forgiving.” She smiled at the Sorceress, wishing that she had taken the time to really speak to her before today. Things had been hectic ever since her father’s passing, with Dónal rising to the rank of Duke and the new additions to their stations as he began to rule the land, with not an insignificant amount of help from his younger sister. Still, the role of the Court Sorceress was an important one, and it was a Duchess’ place to know her Court, their personalities, and their needs.

Startled by the Sorceress sudden standing, Síomha listened as the witch continued speaking. Yes, of course. It made sense that she would need some time to prepare and gather ingredients. What she did might be magic, but one simply did not just summon it out of nothing. “Is there anything I can do to aid you? Do you need any resources or aid?” She was the Duchess after all, and she was within her rights to allocate funds as needed.

Still, she would probably need to figure out some alibi for why she was spending so much time with Etielle, and allocating funds for her would just make it all the more noticeable. Not that Dónal would care, but her mother was something else entirely.