Verilune, Year 237, of Queen Illyria's Reign
A series of raucous cheers and clapping ensues as Naithe carries me into a wider, brighter ballroom, without a ceiling at first glance. The stars and three blue moons are the only sources of light here. Not even candles are lit.
What kind of medieval world have I been born into? Stars twinkle intermittently and shine down on the sparking floor beneath us. We stop at the balcony for no more than a minute, and then Naithe gracefully descends the staircase with me in her arms.
I'm breaking out in a cold sweat just looking at these stairs. Why are there so many?
We safely arrive at the ground floor, and I loosen my death grip on her hair once I've discerned we're safe enough.
"Hmm."
I tilt my head and peruse her involuntary hum. A little bit of both, I'd assume. Also really? That's what you have to say to me, birthgiver? Wonderful. At least you're rich and royalty.
She sways and stalks forward like a gazelle. Gliding over the marble floor without any sound. Not even the clicking of heels.
Towards them. In the center of the room is a large round table with a huge silver bowl sitting on it. I think there's water inside too.
Ah. Is this my family? Formerly seated and now standing at attention were five adults and seven children of varying ages. I openly observed them all. There was only one man out of the adults and five boys out of the seven children at this table. There were about ten other tables around us shrouded in moonlight and darkness.
Definitely feels culty now.
However, this table is the only one with a bowl sitting on it. Why? What's it for?
"My Lord." Niathe greeted the man, and he gave her a light nod before stretching a hand out. Oh. Niathe complied and gave me to him without hesitation. With just a hand, he plucked me out of midair. Woah!
His red eyes scrutinized me openly. I frowned and rolled my eyes at him. Most people would be happy to have another bundle of joy in their life. What a Debby downer.
My brief once-over of him did not go unnoticed. His piercing red eyes locked onto mine and picked apart at me. Rude.
I engaged in his staring contest and raised an eyebrow at him in challenge. What punk?
He smirked and gave a light chuckle in response before losing the staring contest. His slicked-back black hair, pale skin, and bloody eyes gave him serious baron-vampire vibes.
"You've done well, Nia. Rejoice."
The entire venue cheered again, and I winced at the noise. The man brought me closer to the water bowl, and I caught my reflection for the first time. That's me?! My eyes widened as I took in my new body.
Curly silver hair rested on my crown and highlighted my freakishly large head. My eyes were a strange thing. Heterochromia. My left one was completely lavender with a black pupil, and my right eye was crimson with a black pupil. My skin, however, was another matter. Instead of a rosy blush, my cheeks had a lilac hue.
Does that mean my blood is purple or my skin is purple?
Wait, isn't all blood purple? Nothing makes sense here.
Glowing alien eyes inspected carefully. Every inch of me is different. This world. The people. Everything and everyone is different.
"Are you ready?"
His face appeared in the water bowl, and I nodded unintentionally. Wait. Ready for what? He looked taken aback by me actually responding, but I had no time to think about it because he dunked me in the water. Literally. I drowned for two seconds before he pulled my shivering wet body out of the dunk tank.
You fothermucker! I screamed and sputtered obscenities at him.
"What healthy lungs!"
Another woman plucked me from the Duke's hands and relieved me from my soaked garments. She toweled me off and then dressed me in new warm clothes. I glared at the laughing duke, my negligent mother, and the enthusiastic cloud over the crowd under dripping eyelashes.
"Husband, I think she's holding a grudge."
The woman holding me was soft and warm. Everything I craved after that humiliation–a towel would be better, but I'm guessing those are in short supply. I studied her from my place on her chest.
A brunette with caramel-colored eyes and a kind smile painted over her heart-shaped face. At least at first glance, she seemed kind and unassuming. Kind of like milk tea.
People applauded, and someone ordered refreshments to be brought out. The party roared to life, and the heinous bowl was taken away at last. In its place was now enough food and drinks to feed twenty people.
Roasted meat, leafy greens, and soups in a bowl carved out of what seemed like a skull.
That night I was placed in a bassinet and presented to my entire family. My father's wives first. Dorothea, the brunette from earlier, smiled and cooed at me indulgently.
Hadrian, a striking redhead, glanced at me but looked away immediately.
Druvis, a blond younger woman in comparison to the others, held me securely and gave me a small wooden toy horse.
Then her. Meng Jialin. A dark-haired beauty with a pleasant fragrance of rain and grass. She offered me a rattle for my unoccupied hand to hold. I shook it immediately. Yay, toys. Can you believe I haven't been given one before today? Stingy rich people.
A knife popped out of it, and I froze.
"..."
Out of curiosity, I stabbed myself with it. The dull blade retracted, and I did it again. No dice. Rats.
"She's a feisty one."
I looked up at Meng Jialin from underneath my lashes and gave her a tiny smile. You're cool. I can't believe you gave that to me.
"Look at that smile!"
The sister wives (which I did not know at the time) cooed at me, except for Niathe and Hadrian, staunchly steadfast in their mission to ignore me. I restrained my smile and went back to playing with my toys.
Interestingly, my mother seemed more concerned with her husband rather than their shared child whom they had not seen before tonight. They engaged in PDA right in front of everyone, and I scrunched my nose. Bleh. But who cares? I don't expect anything from them anyway.
Next, the children at the table came to greet me.
Erichean. A boy who looked on the verge of becoming a teenager. The firstborn child of the duke and my eldest brother. Beyond cordial and kind, familiar in a way I couldn't place. He even gave me a silver necklace.
Under the guise of smoothing out a curl catching on the chain, he whispered in my ear. "A protective charm. For you." From his hair and overall soothing aura, I could tell that he was Dorothea's child. His red eyes, though. He's his daddy's son, I guess.
The next to greet me was a girl who seemed to be at most ten years old and had flaming red hair like her mother. Her eyes were the same as Erichean's and mine. Well, one of my eyes.
She gave off spoiled princess vibes off the bat, but overall she seemed pretty enamored with me out of a sense of novelty. She even tossed me a real golden coin to gnaw on.
So I rewarded her with a smile in return.
She beamed at me and announced I had smiled at her to the entire room. Even her mom puffed out her chest with pride. Cute.
Harleen was ecstatic and kissed me on the cheek, leaving a wet sensation that I immediately grimaced at. "You like me best, don't you? I told you, Eric!"
Forgive and forget it. She gave you money. She gave you money.
What would I even use it for? I can't exactly deposit it in my savings account anymore.
After her lovely introduction, I was surrounded by three small identical boys who kept talking over each other. They properly introduced themselves as Meng Yuchen, Meng Yucheng, and Meng Yu Sheng.
They all sported straight black hair, but only one of them had red eyes like mine. The rest had dark black eyes, taking after their mother.
Much like their mother, they also gave me toys that most would consider to be weapons and inappropriate for infants. A throwing star with blunted edges, a retractable knife, and a tiny hammer. I gave them a small smirk too.
After I took my presents. Payment upon delivery.
The second-to-last child to approach me was Druvis's child. His black hair and red eyes were completely in favor of the duke, but his ears were pointed just like his mother's. He was not a gentle soul. He wasn't even a spoiled brat with a heart of gold.
He was an asshole much like his father.
"Ugly if you ask me."
"..."
A pin could've dropped, and it would have echoed throughout that room. A record scratched in my head, and I blinked once. Then twice. Then I did what any sane, level-headed person would do. I bonked him on the head with the hammer I was just gifted. It even made a cute squeak sound when it met his forehead.
Squeak!
"..."
The room stayed silent for a millisecond before erupting into hysterical laughter. Even my indifferent parents jeered at the boy while Druvis covered her mouth with a handkerchief matching her white dress.
Tomato alert. A certain someone got progressively redder by the second, inflating his cheeks and glaring at me with red-eyed malice.
"Oh, it's okay."
His mother tried to coax him, placing a hand on his shoulder, but he pushed her away and kicked over the bassinet I was sitting in.
It was too quick.
Hell proceeded to break loose. The floor rapidly neared, and I held onto the bassinet for dear life. Then I was caught, or rather the bassinet was caught. A small girl I hadn't met yet tremblingly held the bassinet with all her strength and kept it raised over her head. Pointed ears and blonde hair. I bet that jerk is her brother.
"I can't hold it."
Whatever, she's helping me. Did I hear a crack?
Erichean helped raise me out of the cradle and out of danger.
Naithe snatched me from him and held me close to her heart, which had left behind its steady pace in favor of a frantic one. She hugged me close to her and, for once, tried to give me some semblance of affection in my three months of life. I tried to squirm away from her, but she held on tight.
A harsh smack sounded, and I looked over through Naithe's hair to see it. Tough love.
"Despicable and unrepentant! Absurd. An absolute disgrace. I order you to your room. You shall be confined for the rest of this year and your allowance halved."
Complaining ensued. "Father!"
Druvis cried out, "Husband! Derrick was—"
"You may address me as your grace. Guards! Escort him."
The Duke had him sent to his room, and Druvis followed after her son. Completely abandoning her daughter who had saved my life. The tiny girl seemed resigned to watching her mother leave.
She's just a toddler. She's—I think she's bleeding. I pointed towards her, snapped furiously, and caught Erichean's attention. He caught on to what I was looking at and called for medical attention.
Men and women in long mint green gowns burst through the doors. They checked on me first, to my chagrin and confusion. She's injured. Help her!
They deemed me healthy and lively before finally moving on to her. Poor thing. Her hands seemed to be seriously injured after the fall, and a doctor took her away.
The celebration ended shortly after that. It was late anyway, but Naithe was incensed.
"A completely fine celebration ruined by that boy! What a scoundrel. How is Druvis disciplining him? The other one..."
Naithe refused to put me down after that and personally carried me to my new room. That's right. An official member of the family gets their very own room in this mansion after they turn three months old.
Which is also when they're given the family name at their moonbathing ceremony.
I am officially a Duccanes. The name is nice, but the room…This room is a masterpiece.
Similar to an observatory. A glass circular ceiling showcased the stars and moons in the night sky. A golden bassinet is set against one of the walls, and a white fur rug decorated the floor. Golden accents and depictions of rabbits were everywhere. It was heaven and earth compared to my old room.
All of my presents had been carried in by Helen and placed in a little treasure chest on the desk by the bassinet. All except my rattle. That remained glued to my hand, just in case.
The ones given to me by my extended family were stored in a different room.
Currently, Naithe was fuming with me in her arms. Her dress swished across the rug, and her arms were full of me. Despite the riveting show she was putting on, I still had my reservations against her. I mean…you just met me. You can't be that angry about a childish squabble between your stepson and unfamiliar daughter.
The nursemaid, Helen, and Lillie listened to her rant in silence with their heads bowed.
Until a hesitant knock sounded at the door.
A young woman softly but firmly spoke from behind the barrier. "Mistress Heart, Solomon, Widbey, and Meng are requesting an audience. Madam, how would you like to proceed?"
Niathe bounced me on her hip as she pondered. Finally, she concluded.
"Have them sit in the waiting room for half of an incense stick. I will be waiting in the receiving room. That's where you will send the ones who remain after that period."
"Understood, Madam."
Niathe gave the others a look, and they headed to this receiving room. Down the stairs, ast countless doors, and metal skeletons of knights past. Grandious in its theme and elegant where it's needed, soft blue couches called out fr me. Ooh, throw pillows. The craftsmanship on the upholstery and furniture was exquisite.
Niathe sat down, and we waited there. For what seemed like an hour.
Then someone outside knocked on the doors of the room and announced the entrance of all of the previous mistresses. Guess they're really serious about this if they waited an hour. I'm bored out of my mind.
"Come in."
All four gorgeous women filtered into the room and sat down on the couch adjacent to us. Varying expressions rested on their faces. Whether they were true or not, that was up to them.
Druvis looked distraught and remorseful.
Dorothea had red, anxious eyes that suggested she had been crying.
Meng Jialin looked a little concerned until she saw me happily playing with the rattle she gave me. Yup. No one could pry it from my hand.
Now Hadrian just looked like she was having a stroll in the park. She is completely unbothered from her seat on the settee she's occupying and only interested in watching a show.
A fencesitter or an instigator?
Druvis spoke first. "You have my deepest apologies, and I take full responsibility for this incident. I have never felt such shame before, and I humbly ask that you exact a punishment on me."
She fell to her knees in front of Niathe and me. That's not a request, is it? That's moral kidnapping.
Niathe silently stroked my head and bounced me on her lap.
No one spoke for a hot minute until Dorothea offered her two cents. "Niathe. Please take mercy on Druvis. Allow her some leniency on account of our sisterhood." Mediator.
"..."
Meng Jialin spoke on Niathe's behalf. "That's easy for you to say. Had it been your child, could you have been so lenient, Dory?" Instigator.
"I was just saying…"
Hadrian giggled. "Then say less, sister. Say nothing at all. We know you possess the ability. Practice it some more in the future." Fencesitter and shit-stirrer.
Dorothea looked ashamed and embarrassed at being read to filth by the ladies. Niathe allowed everyone to have their piece, and they did. Back and forth they argued over how they should deal with the incident.
Dorothea thought that Derrick had been punished enough and anything further would disrupt the family harmony. Which I kind of agreed with; I don't think I want any other form of justice meted out on my behalf; I just want to be left alone.
Also, what are you waiting for, Niathe? It's become obvious from my position on her lap that she's gauging their reactions.
Waiting for something to pop out.
Meng Jialin supported Niathe on the surface and insisted that the boy receive harsh guidance. In other words. Corporal punishment. Which I'm not a fan of, having been disciplined that way too.
Hadrian's watching too. She's trying not to be obvious about it, but I can see her eyes lingering on them too.
Druvis knelt silently throughout the entire ordeal with her head bowed in shame.
"Enough." Niathe stopped the argument and regained control of the room.
"On account of your daughter…I will reluctantly reduce the degree of the punishment. There will be no second chances and no rebuttals. I will punish you with ceding prized possessions to me. Your harp, the unknown egg, and ten thousand gold paid in full to me by the end of the year."
"Get up and leave us."
Druvis's breath caught in her throat, but eventually, she nodded and got off her knees. I can't believe she's just been sitting there that entire time. Wearing a ball gown no less.
"Understood. Thank you for your forgiveness."
"Thank Eris and leave." Eris? That must be her daughter.
"..."
Druvis bowed and left after that. The other women stayed to chat with Niathe, and I was slowly lulled to sleep by their hushed conversations.
"Merchants from Rand came today to engage in trade. They seem to be in dire need of over two million liters of water."
"How long will they be staying, and what are they offering?"
"The usual. Monster hides, crystals, etc. Special drops from the dungeons in Roynar. I can sense their need is urgent and that their patience is running thin. How should we respond?"
"Offer them a bargain for a unique item or, better yet, a rare hatchling. Price hatchlings at one thousand liters. Special drops and unique items are acceptable. I trust you can judge for yourself."
"The cut…"
This is a strange world I live in. Hatchlings, dungeons, and monsters?
When I woke up again, I was safe and sound in my cradle. It now had ornaments hanging from it, including a throwing star. I smiled and tried to sit up. It was hard work, but with plenty of practice, I eventually lifted my big head and upper body so I could play with the dangerous baby mobile.
Maybe it'll fall one day and—
A gasp startled me, and I looked around to see who it belonged to.
Niathe and Sarabse were standing to my right, watching everything that had just happened.
"My lady!"
"Don't be so easily impressed."
I was given much praise and accolades for sitting up on my own. My first reward for such progress was my very own glass milk bottle. Thank god.
My first bit of independence.
It was real milk too. That was probably from some cow or goat. I did not care. No more booby milk. Life continued with occasional visits from my bastard father and my stepmoms. Druvis and her children never visited me, though. Not even to apologize. For good reason. Something about the way everyone spoke to her this evening makes me think they're hostile towards her.
Safe to say all of my caretakers were less than pleased with the mother and son. Her Highness even less so.
But I did see my half-siblings visit from time to time. They played with me and brought me exciting glimpses of the outside world. Erichean, however, taught me a valuable skill in his spare time. How to read.
He didn't mean to. Now that I had a room and a name, he spared moments to visit me now and then. Perhaps out of amusement or boredom. He's been reading me storybooks before bed every other night for about a month. Bunny jumping over the moon. The four kingdoms. The Adventures of the Purple Witch.
Slowly, I started to connect the words with what he said. Eventually, I could read the books by myself. Which impressed that bastard father of mine. He even tried to take credit for himself by saying that it was due to his innate astuteness that I inherited that allowed me to read so early.
I turned around and ignored his mad ravings, absorbing the information buried beneath the lines. Passing time like it was just sand through my fingers.