Moonfire & Midnight

"So where are you from Anna?"

Both Anna and Chenzhou looked surprised at Eirian's sudden attention.

"I was born here, your grace. I have never left the Camelia."

God, even her voice was soft and feminine, like the gentle strum of a harp.

"And your official position?"

Anna flushed, her eyes darting down and away as Chenzhou stiffened. "I have no official position, your grace. I have merely been his grace's companion."

Despite his control, Eirian could tell Chenzhou was angry at Anna's embarrassment. At least he loved her enough to defend her. Philip had preferred to let Eirian fight her own battles.

"I fail to see why you're embarrassed." Eirian snorted, letting the maid refill her tea. "In the capitol, a mistress is often a lifelong profession given their involvement in helping run the estate."

Anna and Chenzhou relaxed fractionally.

"And of course freeing a wife from her husband's demands."

Eirian wasn't a horrible person, but she wasn't a saint either.

Anna and Chenzhou flushed, and she snorted. "Neither of you would last a second in the capital if that's enough to unsettle you."

"Neither of us have any interest in visiting the capital." Chenzhou muttered.

"Why not?" If the Ye family hadn't been official reprimanded or unofficially exiled, because there was no officially exiling a house -that was when entire bloodlines disappeared and lands and estates got renamed- there was no reason why a powerful estate wasn't making the appropriate appearances at court.

But Chenzhou didn't even bother to hide the grimace of dislike at her mention of the capital. "I have more important enemies to fight than a bunch of spoiled, power-hungry sycophants."

Eirian scoffed, "I thought you were a warrior?"

Chenzhou bristled, "I am."

"And yet you're avoiding a fight?"

"Only a fool fights every battle available. A true warrior fights the ones that matter."

"A true warrior is ready to fight whenever they are needed." Eirian corrected. She had never been called to battle, there had been no wars beyond the borders during her lifetime so far, but Eirian was close enough to the throne and powerful enough that she'd been training since she was a child. She may have spent more time on political battlefields, but there were somethings all battlefields had common. "The Capital is not a constant fight. It's a war, with the occasional battle and stretches of maneuvering and feints and prolonged sieges." Eirian purred. "It's wonderful."

Chenzhou and Anna look horrified, which seemed odd for two people who belong to a military estate like the Camelia.

The door swung open before Eirian could continue.

Rong Yuze, Chenzhou explained later, master spy and brilliant tactician. Right hand of the First Sword of the Empire.

His best friend since childhood.

He's a bit…attractive for a spy, Eirian thinks. How good could he be when he stood out like that with his storied bone structure and warm amber eyes. Like Chenzhou he's put together perfectly, hair in a tight top knot and black robes that makes him look like some sort of dour ghost.

There's a sword on his hip and Eirian can smell iron emanating from it. It clashes with the smell of cold snow that comes from Chenzhou's.

They must be blooding blades. Eirian has her own that she has locked up in her rooms. It had taken her most of her life to complete her blade and it was still new. It was nearly impossible to complete them outside a war, but Eirian's adventures in the capital and her travels around Sorrow had made it possible for her. 

Blooding blades were magical objects, but a person didn't need magic to wield them. Blessed iron, folded a thousand times and bathed in the blood of a hundred, the blades took on a life of their own.

Each one was incredibly unique and some, if they continued to be fed, even developed a spirit of their own.

Eirian's was an annoying little voice that always wanted to fight and criticized her technique when she did. 

What wer Chenzhou and Yuze's like?

And how, she thought, did the miasma interact with them?

Did Yuze see it?

Yuze manages to hide his surprise at Eirian's presence at breakfast rather well, but it's telling when he leans down to whisper in Chenzhou's ear instead of standing to report.

Chenzhou doesn't respond either, just nods, tight lipped. He waves over the butler who starts clearing his plates.

"Excuse me, I need to step out." Anna stands when Chenzhou does, but Eirian doesn't bother. Sharp eyes watching over the edge of her cup as he presses a quick kiss to Anna's check, bows to Eirian and follows Yuze out.

He's clearly not coming back, Eirian thinks. Something that couldn't wait for a breakfast like this one to end will probably take a few hours.

She has the kitchen maid bring her another plate, her forth, as Anna retakes her seat.

Anna accepts a refill of her own cup before turning to Eirian. "I apologize for not saying it earlier, but welcome to the Camelia, your grace."

"Thanks." Eirian studies her again as she chews, "What does your family do?"

"They're merchants, your grace. My father runs one of the larger trading posts along the border."

"Is that how you met Chenzhou?"

Anna looks a little perturbed at Eirian's familiarity, "Yes. We met at a festival when we were fourteen." And we've been together ever since she doesn't say, but Eirian hears it anyway. If she came from that kind of money, then Anna wasn't completely unfamiliar with the life of the nobility. No wonder she'd slipped into the place at his side so easily.

It also means, she's probably more willing to fight to keep her place than Chenzhou has made her out to be.

"I hope you will find the Camelia more welcoming than the capital, your grace."

Eirian's eyes snap to hers and those big doe eyes have gone hard.

Much more willing to fight.

But so is Eirian. Anna's fight may be to keep her place here, this life she's become accustomed to, but Eirian's is a fight for survival.

"I should hope so, since it will be mine eventually."

There's the tiniest twitch to Anna's mouth, but it's enough to tell Eirian her barb hit home.

"Naturally, there will be a period of adjustment," Eirian continues, "But it will all settle with time."

I'm not going anywhere, she doesn't say, but she's sure Anna hears it anyway.

~ tbc