A warden leaned toward the carriage window, his voice low but steady.
“We’ll be entering the estate soon, Archoness.”
Inside, the Archoness gave a faint nod, her gaze already fixed ahead. “Thank you.”
The carriage wheels rolled over polished stone, the rhythmic clatter echoing as the estate gates came into view tall ironwork wrapped in intricate sigils, guarded by disciplined sentries who stood like statues carved from duty itself.
Veil did not wait.
When the carriage stopped, she stepped down onto the road. The sheer hem of her oversized witch’s robe brushed the ground, dark fabric swallowing light with every movement. Her staff tapped once against the stone soft, deliberate.
And upon her shoulder sat her raven.
Still. Watching.
Within moments, the estate turned its attention.
Not loudly.
Not suddenly.
But subtly like a crowd realizing too late that something extraordinary had entered their midst.
Servants paused mid-step. Wardens shifted their eyes despite their disciplined training. Even noble attendants lingering near the courtyard turned their heads before they meant to.
She did not look like a common arcanist.
She looked like something that had simply decided the world would accommodate her presence.
A passing noblewoman whispered without realizing she was speaking.
Men stared a second too long before the gravity of propriety pulled them back to reality.
Even children playing near the gardens slowed their laughter, gazing at her with the wonder of an untold story.
Veil’s gaze moved gently over the estate stone fountains, white marble halls, flowering hedges trimmed to perfection. A place that believed itself untouched.
The Archoness descended shortly after and, without ceremony, approached her.
“You may stay within the estate if you wish,” she offered."
Veil considered this for a moment.
Then she smiled faintly.
“I think I will tour the lands first.”
"Then allow me to reward you for your service."
The Archoness brought her hands together in a soft clap.
Almost immediately, one of her attendants stepped forward from the edge of the gathering and bowed deeply.
"How may I assist you, my lady?"
The Archoness smiled.
A ripple spread through the crowd.
Murmurs followed.
Fifty gold.
Even among nobles, such a sum was not given lightly.
Curious gazes turned toward me as whispers spread among the onlookers. Many were clearly wondering what she had done to earn a reward worth more than most lowborns would see in years.
The attendant wasted no time.
With another bow, he hurried toward the estate and disappeared through the manor doors.
Only a few minutes later he returned carrying a small chest in both hands.
The box itself was a work of art.
Deep crimson wood polished to a mirror shine, intricate silver vines winding across its surface. Tiny gemstones had been set into the carvings, catching the sunlight whenever the chest shifted.
The attendant presented it to the Archoness.
She accepted it gracefully before walking toward me.
"Please."
She extended the chest.
"Take it."
Her expression softened.
"I know this is hardly enough to repay a debt such as the one you have earned. You saved not only my life, but the lives of those under my care."
For a brief moment, genuine gratitude shone within her eyes.
I accepted the chest with a small nod.
"Thank you, Archoness."
With a casual wave of my hand, the chest vanished into my fold of space, swallowed by a ripple of distorted air.
Several nearby spectators gasped.
The Archoness merely smiled.
"Farewell, Archoness."
I offered her a slight bow before turning away.
Then, with a playful smile, I glanced back over my shoulder.
"Though perhaps I'll return tonight, if you'll have me for dinner."
A few of the servants nearly choked.
The Archoness blinked in surprise before a laugh escaped her lips.
She nodded, absolutely, please return safely.
With a node I take my first step, as a stranger, walking into foreign territory that I haven't been a part of for over two thousand years.
She did not move like a noble escorted by guards.
She moved like a traveler observing a world she had not yet decided to belong to.
The realm opened around her, markets near its lower courtyards, small stalls catering to visiting merchants and minor nobility. The air smelled of baked bread, citrus wine, and fresh-cut herbs.
For a moment, Veil simply watched.
Children ran between the paths laughing freely, weaving through adults without fear. There was something… stable here. Something grounded.
It made her pause longer than she expected.
She stepped into a stall and purchased small trinkets simple jewelry, polished stones, minor charms. Things with no real value but quiet meaning.
Fifty gold pieces rested in her possession, enough to reshape a life in mortal terms.
At a tavern near the courtyard edge, she entered without hesitation.
“Ale,” she said simply.
The bartender blinked, then obeyed.
The drink arrived.
She took one sip.
Paused.
Then another.
It was bitter. Warm. Real.
A mortal thing.
Something she had almost forgotten existed.
Veil quickly noticed the tension hanging over the tavern.
The patrons sat stiffly in their chairs, their conversations reduced to nervous whispers. Some avoided meeting her gaze altogether, while others stole curious glances before quickly looking away. Even the laughter that had filled the room moments ago seemed to have vanished beneath the weight of her presence.
For a brief moment, silence lingered.
Then Veil snapped her fingers.
A single gold coin appeared between her fingers.
With a flick of her wrist, she sent it spinning through the air. The coin glimmered beneath the lantern light before landing neatly in front of the barkeep.
A small smile tugged at her lips.
"Drinks are on me tonight."
For a heartbeat, nobody moved.
Then the tavern exploded with cheers.
"HERE! HERE!"
Tankards rose into the air.
Laughter returned.
Mugs clashed together with loud metallic clanks as conversations resumed and the atmosphere instantly brightened.
The tension that had gripped the room melted away like morning frost beneath the sun.
Veil watched the celebration unfold before her.
A small smile found its way onto her face.
It was a simple thing.
A single coin.
Near the estate’s outer walkways, she stopped again.
This time, she did not choose to.
She felt it.
A scent soft, cold, almost lunar in its presence.
A flower unlike the rest.
Inside a small shop sat a bloom of black petals, etched with a pale crescent of white at its center. It seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it.
Veil stepped closer.
“What is that called?” she asked.
The shopkeeper bowed slightly. “Moonshade Bloom. Rare. It only grows where night lingers too long.”
“Price?” Veil asked.
The woman hesitated. “Two silver, my lady.”
Veil placed a single gold coin on the counter.
The shopkeeper froze. “This is far too much ”
Veil shook her head gently.
“No. It’s not enough.”
She took the flower carefully.
For a moment, she simply looked at it.
Then she tucked it into her hair.
Black petals against pale light.
A crescent moon resting beside her.
And for the briefest moment
She looked like something remembered, Mother.