Briannon had inherited her late mother's penchant for throwing grand celebrations, and her coronation was likely to be her biggest event yet. With a week to go, preparations were in full swing, coinciding with the festivities leading up to the summer solstice - parades, and parties, and feasts and the like.
Nobility from all over the continent and other foreign dwellings were pouring into the capital region and Blayre found herself driven to near exhaustion by the constant attentiveness she had to bestow by carefully screening the constant influx.
It was at times like these that Blayre questioned the usefulness of registering mages in Emares. Though anyone who came through was mostly nobility and had undergone a rigorous screening process, she noted a few who trickled in - mostly servants. It was concerning but there was no help for it.
She had begun to wonder if Nuala had a hand in her placement so near the palace gates as she, Fletcher, and Ainslee sat idly by near one of the cafes. Nuala knew her secret, and Nuala had the authority to be a birdie in Commander Holt's ear. She hadn't thought much on Nuala's knowledge until just then and it had only recently begun to make her feel anxious.
It was a smart move, she supposed. But she felt a constant invisible thread tugging her toward Rory, wherever he might be. She wondered what he was doing. Holding up the pretense of flirting with Alessa? Flashing his glorious smile at some foreign lady?
Or perhaps worrying over Briannon and her recent attachment to Duke Lonan.
Blayre nearly slammed her fist on the table. She needed to be closer to him. To protect him. She might have to have a word with the commander.
She looked up, realizing that Ainslee was staring at her, head cocked, porcelain mug of coffee frozen partway to her mouth. Fletcher also eyed her dubiously, one bushy eyebrow cocked.
"Why are you staring at me?" She grumbled.
Fletcher snorted "By the look on your face, someone just killed your favorite dog."
"I don't have a dog."
He rolled his eyes, "You know what I mean."
"Hmph." She replied, burying her face in her tea, but noticing Ainslee's smirk.
"I think I know what's raging in your mind." She gave a satisfied smirk, like a fox with a rabbit. "I see the way you look at the duke. You can't keep your gaze off him lately."
"I - I - I'm just worried is all." Blayre stammered, clinking her cup down on the table. "We're supposed to be protecting him and instead we're here." She waved viciously at the cafe. "Wasting our time, sipping coffee, watching the passers by. What use are we here?"
"Parade duty." Fletcher agreed with a grumble.
"Well, for one, we can spot the suspicious activity as it walks right through our gates." Ainslee pointed out.
"I agree with Blayre, though," Fletcher said, brushing the crumbs of his recently disappeared scone off the table, "I want out of here. I want out of the Capital altogether. We should be back in Mountainvale..."
Blayre had to agree, even though the combined thought of leaving Rory and returning to the dysfunctionality Blumore sent a pang through her. She thought of Caval's words at the Divine Sword. Finding a dragon fossil field sounded incredibly interesting. And it would keep her away from the keep and Lady Marianna's wicked grasp.
"What if they're keeping us from investigating on purpose?" Fletcher's voice dropped low.
Blayre started, and Ainslee gave him a look of reproach. "Whyever would they do that? Obviously the coronation is important. And all types of security are important. We can't have unmarked sorcerers attacking the Crown with no way to trace them while we're off galavanting in the mountains."
No surprise there that Ainslee was now more reluctant to leave the capital with Seaver here. She wished she could tell them what she suspected - that she was the reason they were stuck here, watching for trouble. Acting as guard dogs instead of bloodhounds. But she couldn't. Her stomach roiled.
Ainslee's eyes lit up as she looked at something, or someone over Blayre's head. Blayre craned her neck around, and was unsurprised to see her brother. She was slightly insulted that he had not bothered to warn her of his presence. But his eyes were all for her red-headed friend, and she tried not to look hurt as he approached their table and pulled up a chair beside Ainslee, wrapping one long arm over her petite shoulders. His friend, Avery, a noble's son that Blayre remembered from their earlier years in the Capital, took a seat between her and her brother.
She exchanged glances with Fletcher. This was not acceptable on-the-job behavior. Not that she had been perfect. But she tried to be as professional as possible around Rory when on specific assignments. Behind closed doors, whether bedroom or stable, was another thing. She reddened just thinking about it.
"I could never understand your disdain for coffee." She realized Seaver was addressing her. Blayre rolled her eyes, and picked up her tea in mock toast to him, then downed it with a swig.
"What brings you here, brother dearest."
"You look bored, just sitting here sipping on hot drinks." He gave a nod to Blayre. "This can't be what the crown is paying you to do."
"I wish I could say it wasn't." Fletcher sighed leaning back in his chair. "By the end of today, I am going to need alcohol, not coffee."
"Meet us at the Divine Sword again later. Avery and I will be there." He wiggled his eyebrows at Blayre and she scowled at him in response. "Only if you're paying for better quality this time."
"Tell you what, Blayre, you come and I'll buy you whatever you want." Said Avery. Blayre glanced up at the young man, his blue eyes squinting into the sun. A gentle breeze ruffled his flaxen hair.
"Oh? Whatever I want, eh? Well, Avery, perhaps I'll allow you to buy me whatever I want, if you get my brother out of my hair while I'm trying to work."
Ainslee scowled at her, but Seaver only took a nonchalant sip of the hot drink that had been placed in front of him. The fair haired man was smirking.
There was a commotion in the street. Blayre refocused her attention, but sensed no magical threat. She stood to see what was causing the frenzy on the cobbled main road. She could hear the chanting of a man's voice "Puppets for the parade! Two coppers for the small ones, five for the large!"
Avery pulled out a pocket watch that flashed silver in the light. "The parade begins in an hour. Are you fine folk allowed to traverse the expanse of it, or do you have to stay put? I happen to know the best place to watch it."
The best place to watch the parade, was a rooftop restaurant, located in mid-town. Avery led them through a vibrant shop that sold all sorts of trinkets and things from around the continents. "How come you never told us about this place?" She elbowed Fletcher as they passed a pair of guards and climbed a spacious back staircase.
Fletcher shrugged, "It must be a newer establishment. I've heard of it, but I didn't know that it was anything like this."
"It opened last Mid-winter." Avery picked up on the conversation. "It's been a bit cold to be hanging out on roof-tops - they do have an indoor area too of course. There was a glorious mid-winter party here when it opened. Today the weather is perfect - the sun will warm us and the breeze will keep us cool enough."
The enclosed area of the restaurant was both warm and vibrant, with wood paneled walls accented in stone masonry. Hanging strands of mage lights gave off a warm magical glow to the otherwise dark interior. Patrons played at darts and dice in this room and servers stood behind a marbled bar mixing drinks and pouring ale and wine while an elegant and diverse looking group of people stood sipping on drinks and eating finger foods.
It felt like an Upper town establishment in the heart of mid-town. With all the elegant touch of prosperity and none of the gaudiness of places like the Dragon Room.
"What is this place called?" Ainslee asked as Avery led them up a small set of stairs to the rooftop.
"The Roof Top Inn" Avery replied.
Fletcher snorted "How original."
"Is it even an inn?" Blayre asked glancing around. She supposed there were many floors they had passed.
"They have yet to finish those renovations, but it will be." Avery replied as they pushed through an alcoved door and into the main rooftop portion of the establishment.
The rooftop was packed with people who chattered away merrily, dressed in all the vibrant colors of mid-summer celebration. With the coronation and the longest day of the year approaching, everyone was ready for the vibrant and less practical attire of the warmer months. It was a huge change from the gloom of winter and springtime in Emares City that had been compounded by the mourning of King Barton.
What Blayre loved the most about the middle and merchant class was the diversity. Merchants and traders came from all walks of life - some had had businesses in the family for generations, and others had worked their way from the top. Others had come to Emares as traders from other countries and taken up business here. She reached out with her sense, feeling for any magic other than that which was being used for the mage lights and other creature comforts.
The rooftop was quite crowded, but not so much so that it was unbearable to try to move around. Avery seemed to be familiar with many of the patrons and he maneuvered the group to the edge of the unenclosed space so they were peering over the side of the building down onto the Crown Boulevard. The building was a pinkish white stone and not much of it had been altered on the roof, but various pieces of outdoor furniture and tall tabletops were arranged about the rooftop for people to lean on and drink around.
People had been gathering along the cobbled main road all morning. Parade viewers purchased food and drink from the numerous temporary stands that had sprung up. Blayre watched as one man leaned down to present a stuffed dragon puppet to his young daughter who snatched the toy with glee.
Dragons.
Blayre's mind went back to her conversation with Caval as she projected her sense out over the crowd below. She hadn't thought that she would actually want to go back to Mountainvale. But since Caval's enlightening information, now she did. Well, not Mountainvale exactly. He'd said the place was past Mountainvale. So she might have to enlist the help of her father. Or perhaps her brother who had been spending more time traveling with Lord Darach to learn the business. Yes. She would discuss it with Seaver, she thought.
She almost didn't notice the hand that offered a drink to her. "Thank you, Avery." She said, the coolness of the glass seeping into her hand. She took a sip of the wine. Too sweet for her taste, but she'd sip it anyway.
The parade had begun and the procession was winding through the street like a many-colored serpent. It was tradition for the mid-summer celebration Parade to begin at the Palace and wind its way its way down the Crown Boulevard toward the city gates, where many of the city residents, and any who had traveled to Emares City could join in a carnival with food, and entertainment of all sorts. Blayre and her friends had some fond memories of the carnival from their training years. Back when their load of responsibilities had been light, and the fate of royals had not rested so heavily on their shoulders.
Blayre looked out once more over the railing that separated the rooftop terrace from the open air. She projected her Sense out across the crowd of people below. With a contained growl of frustration, she gripped the metal worked railing with her free hand. Twelve hells, what was the point of this? She wondered, clenching her jaw.
She could certainly feel magic below, but with so many in the crowded street and all around her, her gift was rendered nearly useless. It reminded her of how overwhelmed she had been the first time she came to the Capital. She hadn't understood her gift at the time, and her Aunt Aphria who resided in Emares City had mistaken the source of Blayre's panic attack for social anxiety.
And it had been social anxiety of a sort. Caused by the staggering effect of so many magic users around her.
Those days were now long past. She was both in control, and better able to disguise her gift in ways that she could still be useful. The return of a feeling of uselessness was not welcome at all.
The nagging feeling that her triad - and Blayre specifically - had been placed on parade duty to distract them from something wouldn't leave her. Every fiber of her being wanted to go back to the palace and make sure that the royal family was safe and well protected. If they are even in the palace. She thought. Who was to say they weren't out enjoying the parade.
She hoped not. She cringed at the thought of all the people below. It was a sea of potential assassins.
As the parade began to pick up momentum, Blayre got lost in the beauty and magic of it. One of the final floats was constructed as a dragon twice the size of a draft horse. It was the Emarian dragon sigil made as lifelike as could be. It glittered black and green in the afternoon sunlight and its lifelike eyes peered out over the crowds, serpentine neck arching and flowing with the beat of the music that played alongside it. Seaver gave her a nudge. "Remember when we were kids, the first time Father brought us here for a Midsummer celebration?"
Blayre smiled, "Yes. And you ate too many sweetcakes and spun sugar and threw up everywhere."
"Well that wasn't the enjoyable part."
"No, but I remember it quite well."
"I do recall that you wanted this particular dragon puppet. And father refused to buy it. He said it was too impractical." Seaver said.
"Yes, but apparently sweets were not impractical." Blayre rolled her eyes, though still looking out over the expanse of the parade which was growing like a swarm of bees around a hive. The main attraction was coming.
"Sweets serve their purposes." Seaver argued playfully. "At any rate. I bought you this." He pulled a small dragon puppet from his pocket. It had scales of iridescent blue and green, and two black pearl eyes. The gossamer wings were a seafoam green. The details were so intricate.
"It's beautiful." Blayre breathed, taking it delicately from her brother's grasp. No matter that it had just survived the abuse of his pockets. It really was gorgeous. Beautiful and detailed, a true work of art. She stood on tiptoe and kissed her brother's lightly stubbled cheek. "Thank you, Seaver."
Suddenly there was a loud BOOM. And Blayre felt an overwhelming surge of magic as the sound ricocheted around in her chest cavity and the force of whatever had caused the noise pushed at her in a woosh of pressure. There were startled screams and yells around her on the rooftop. She heard Ainslee yelp and her brother cursed beside her.
"What in twelve hells was that?" Fletcher said from somewhere to her left.
Was it a magic performance gone wrong? Had anything gone wrong? Or was it supposed to be this loud and forceful?
So much magic though - there shouldn't have been that much magic. Magic of the enormity that Blayre had just felt, was only legal during war times.
There was murmuring around her and, she realized that many were pointing down below, while others were huddled and praying.
"Look." Fletcher tugged her forward by her shirt sleeve and pointed down to the street. Her eyes went immediately to a charred design in the street. And then she deciphered that the design was words: "The Unmarked will not be silenced."
Magic vibrated in every word.
"The unmarked?" Avery questioned, confusion saturating his voice.
"Unmarked mages," Blayre confirmed, and rushed to the staircase that would bring her down to ground level.
There was at least one mage to hunt down, and she was going to find them.
A/N: What to read next? This week's featured Wattpad author is rsimkin . I began her work Unsheathed because it reminded me so much of my all time favorite books by Tamora Pierce. If you like subtle world building and a really great female protagonist, be sure to check this book out: