Of Fate and Choice

Amicia had been in Almac long enough to have become familiar with her daily duties, but sitting in the gallery above the main council chamber was not one she had been aware of. Three weeks after her union, her husband had told her that she would be required to attend each fortnightly council session as she was now Merinia's ambassador, for the previous one had returned home a mere three days after they were wed. She had been accepting of that duty until she had become aware that her ladies were not allowed to accompany her. They were not an ambassador or council member and no other person - fae or otherwise - was allowed to be privy to the sessions.

Being without one of her ladies made her feel unprotected but the knowledge that they sat just outside the gallery's doors brought her some comfort. Her seat was of fine material but no amount of padding could remove how hard the wooden chair was, especially with how long the sessions were. Being unable to fully understand everything that was spoken only made it worse. The Almsh she knew was basic, enough to converse with her husband and any other member of the royal family when necessary and to understand a fair bit of what was spoken around court, but the complex Almsh that the council-members used surpassed her knowledge. She was left to understand fragments of their talk, enough to gain a vague awareness of the topic they were speaking of but not enough to pick up much of their details.

Across the gallery from where she sat were the three other ambassadors. Being a princess and now a fae's wife, she had been directed away from the normal ambassador seating area and into the area that other members of the royal family - asides from the king or first son - would occupy if they were required to attend. She'd been told that she would only gain company at the end of each season when the queen attended to hear the summary.

Shouting sounded from below and Amicia glanced down to see a member of the Seelie court pointing at one of the Unseelie members and accusing him of something. She tried to listen harder but the fae was speaking too quickly for her to understand. Kalen had told her that there were often quarrels that meant nothing between Seelie and Unseelie members during the sessions, though she still didn't understand why two different courts were needed. Fae politics was vastly different from her own kingdom's.

The two fae were stopped and much to her relief, the session was called to an end. As the fae below began to leave the chamber, she rose from her seat and left the gallery before the other ambassadors. Maira and Sirena rose from the stone ground as she swept out the gallery and approached them.

"My lady, you have received a message," Maria said as they fell into step behind her.

"Not a letter?" she asked.

"A message," her lady emphasised, the realisation dawning on Amicia.

She had been waiting for this message for a while and with it being a few days late, she had been forced to suppress her worry lest it became noticeable. Her intention was now to retreat back to her chamber right away but the calling of her title behind them made her stop and she turned to see one of the ambassadors striding towards them.

"He is not fae!" Sirena hissed, making her glance towards the lady.

"He is Wiralia's ambassador," she replied.

"A Were!" Maira exclaimed, her eyes wide.

The ambassador came to a stop a few feet in front of her and bowed his head slightly. "Tell me, Your Highness, which is your preferred tongue?" he asked in Almsh.

She gave a small smile. "I prefer my own but I am more familiar with yours," she replied in the common tongue.

"I wasn't certain you would know it as the fae tend to be fluent in their tongue only."

"Our Sisters prefer the seas in the North, it is where they tend to amass."

He gave a nod and gestured for them to walk. "We are very familiar with the Sirens," he said.

"They do not like that offensive term," she reprimanded. "Why they must be referred to as anything other than Mer is appalling. Just because they exist outside the binds of the borders doesn't make them any less Mer. We do not refer to you Were as Mutts."

"Quite true," he agreed. "I apologise for the offence then. It was not intentional." She gave a nod to indicate that she accepted his apology and noticed that he took a cautious look around the corridor they were walking down. "It was a surprise to hear that Merinia's ambassador had fled while it was dark."

She gave a nod and laced her fingers together. "It was very peculiar," she said.

"Was it not alarming?" he suggested.

His words struck her as more than a suggestion and she frowned. "I had not give it much thought."

"You are very inexperienced for an ambassador," he said swiftly, "and quite young, too."

She reached her arm out behind her and was reassured when her lady touched her back. Her lessons had been thorough but everything she had been taught was futile when it came to being an ambassador. "I was never intended to be one."

The Were smiled. "Then perhaps it might be beneficial to know that should you have any troubles or queries, that I shall be more than willing to oblige you. Wiralia very much enjoys its friendly relations with Merinia."

For a moment she faltered, memories of her home playing on her mind. Her father had always spoke of the Weres in high regard, mentioning several times how they were their closest allies in all matters. So she gracefully accepted his offer before he excused himself and left her side, allowing her ladies to usher her quickly back to her chamber.

Naia was crouched in the far corner when they entered and Amicia rushed towards her in alarm. "What has happened?" she asked frantically, inspecting her lady for any sign of injury.

The lady's face was ashen as she was gently hoisted to her feet. "A fae touched me!" she whispered, her eyes wide. "I do not have your protection, my lady. What if his touch is cursed?"

"Was it Kalen?" Her lady nodded. "Oh, sweet Naia," she sighed, gently embracing the younger lady. "You do have my protection, you all do. Surely you did not think that you would accompany me without the protection? It is inevitable that a fae will touch your skin while being here, and it would do the union no good if one of my ladies fell foul of one of their tricks or curses."

Naia looked down in shame. "I am sorry, my lady," she apologised.

"I should have told you. There is no need for any of you to worry while here on my behalf. My presence and this union protects you in all matters. You mistrust the fae, I understand that, but I must implore that your worries are alleviated when it comes to Kalen. He has become an extension of me and therefore you must place some trust in him for he shall only engage with you when he seeks me."

There was a small silence as she watched her lady slowly regain her colour. "They will not steal my soul?" she asked tentatively.

"I promise," Amicia said, giving her lady's hand a small squeeze before she turned to Maria and Sirena. "Now that you all know of your protection, I believe there is a message?"

Maira gave a nod before approaching the small trunk that sat next to the bureau and carefully picked it up. Sirena opened the door to the adjacent bathroom and they each hurried in for privacy. Once the door was closed, the trunk was placed on the vanity table, the latch was slowly undone, and the lid lifted to allow the lady to carefully remove a small intricately detailed bowl. With steady hands she turned and handed it to Amicia. The moment it touched her fingers, the pattern of the shell that adorned the bottom slowly grew brighter.

"Ieshia waien jui," she murmured, and water slowly began to seep out of the shell and fill the bowl. As the water settled, a bubble floated to the top and Sirena carefully cupped it in her hands and drew it from the water.

Once its connection from the water in the bowl was broken, Devinia's voice came from the bubble. "There is no sign of the Feishiei to the East. I shall travel to the North of you and follow the trail to the hills in search of a sign. I was noticed by few." It was the first contact she had made since she'd departed on the day of the union and although the message brought no news, it was of some comfort.

When Amicia gave a nod, Sirena gently dropped the bubble back into the bowl as the message began to repeat. The water was tipped into the empty tub and the bowl was handed back to Maira to place back in the trunk as they left the bathroom. Devinia's route had been shown to her many times before they had departed, and it had been timed meticulously according to what little knowledge they held of Almac's terrain, but now they were two days behind and she hoped that somewhere in her search she could make it up.

As she was about to sit at her bureau, Naia stopped her when she brushed down her shoulder. "Is it time?" she asked.

"I was sure I had a few more days," Amicia replied, running a hand over her cheek. She withdrew her hand and inspected her fingers, acknowledging that her skin was indeed beginning to flake. "I cannot be seen in this state. Naia, Maira, go and prepare the cottage for my stay." Her ladies hurried out the room as she sat in the bureau's chair, drawing a parchment towards her. "This cannot happen again. We must chart our submerges more closely from now on."

"Yes, my lady," Sirena replied, tentatively stepping closer. "May I speak?"

"Of course, you do not need my permission," she replied, dipping her quill in the ink and beginning her brief note to Kalen.

"Feishiei does not mean gem."

Amicia stopped and looked at her lady. "How you are familiar with the term, I do not know, but it cannot be spoke about. You must swear to never mention it again."

Sirena looked taken-back by her tone but nonetheless bowed her head and replied, "Yes, my lady."

She tore the parchment and rose from the chair, going to the bed and placing it on the pillow. Although she could speak Almsh, writing in Almsh had proven to be more difficult than she had imagined, as had reading it. However, she knew enough to have written that she had retreated to the water should he wonder where she was. A few flakes fluttered onto the pillow and she wiped them off before turning to her lady and accepting the cloak she offered, drawing it around her shoulders and pulling the hood up.

They left the chamber quickly, rushing out into the garden. She kept her head down as her lady guided her to the far end, past all the trees and greenery that concealed the small opening. The door to the cottage was open and Naia ushered them in as Maira came from the small sleeping area with two robes in her hands. The cloak was removed and her ladies helped her undress, brushing any flakes off as they fell. Once she had stripped completely, she pulled on the robe that Maira had offered her.

"Who submerged with me last time?" she asked, looking between her ladies.

"I did," Naia replied.

"Then you and Sirena need to remain alert here while Maira accompanies me," she replied, nodding at the lady to begin to undress. "You may submerge once we have risen."

Once Maira was in just the robe, they went through the back entrance of the cottage and came to the edge of the lake. The water was dark but she could tell it was clean from the smell. They looked around cautiously before she removed her robe and handed it to Sirena. She gave her two ladies a smile before glancing at Maira. "Ready?" she asked and her lady nodded.

With that, they both dove into the lake.