Orlov had looked all over the palace for Ivan, yet he never expected to find him in the library. Ivan was never one for books, one would always find him in the training area for knights, or in his study lounging about. Orlov certainly didn’t expect to open the door and have a book thrown at his face.
“It’s not here!” yelled Ivan. “There’s nothing here!” Orlov bent down and picked up the object that assaulted him. The title read ‘Holidays of the Continent’ by some author he didn’t recognize.
“And what is it that you’re looking for?” Ivan’s head popped up from behind a bookshelf, surprised to see his friend.
“Kassio! Maybe you can help me. You’ve travelled quite a bit, what do you know of the Feast of Ephr
The day of the Feast was very boring. Cecily and Emery came to wake Ursa up, showering her with paperwork that needed to be done and reminding her of the points Ursa wanted to bring up in court that day. Ursa would have given anything to hug her soft, warm pillow and sleep for the rest of the day.“My Lady, please!”“This should be a day off! I shouldn’t have to work on Feast day!” Ursa complained.“My Lady, you’re acting like a child. Have some respect!” Cecily admonished. All Emery did was giggle and hop into the sheets with her mistress.“Ursa’s right! It’s Feast day! And it’s not as if we’re not-”“You shut up! By t
The Day of Magia arrived soon after, and so the palace prepared for the departure of the top three people in the empire: The Emperor, the Empress, and the Prime Minister. The small number of magic practitioners in the capital congregated in the palace to join the Emperor’s procession to the Temple of Hypnotite. Ursa decided to pack light, seeing as the trip would be short, and the temple practiced simplicity in life to feel closer to the manna.“I don’t feel manna,” she had rebutted when Orlov informed her, noticing the papers of dress ideas her handmaidens had left on her desk. “Why would I need to underdress?”“You have a point… though you will feel a bit out of place with all that lace on.” Ursa quietly stuck the papers in her drawer, clearing her throat out of embarrassment.
An elderly man dressed in all white waited for them at the entrance of the temple, flanked by men in similar dress, however much simpler.“Is that the Oracle?” whispered Ursa. Ivan nodded, his knuckles tightening around the reins of his horse. The rest of the journey there, which wasn’t too long, Ursa remained at Ivan’s side, tightly hugging his waist in case she slipped off. The group dismounted from their horses, and some young boys and girls ran out and took the reins from the magic users.“Your Majesty,” the Oracle greeted with a smile, but he did not bow. Ivan stood tall, not wavering either.“Your Holiness. It’s been awhile.”“Yes it has. Please, come in! Tell me, how was the forest?&rdqu
Ivan laid on his side, watching his wife’s figure as she slept. After provoking him, she became demure, hiding her face in the sheets.Oh well. He did promise he would not do anything to her until she was ready. He won’t break his word. But as he watched her sleep, he noticed her quiet shudders under the thick covers. He noticed her erratic movements, her bothered expressions, the sweat beginning to form on her brow.Ursa laid on her back on the bed next to her husband, but her brain brought her somewhere else. Images, scenes, people she had never seen before-- all flashing before her like a montage-- a cacophony of voices and sounds drilling into her ears.She was standing in the palace in Ichares, wearing crimson robes with lavish furs lining her ostentatious dress. The hallway was ab
The next morning Ursa woke up refreshed. It was unlike any other sleep she’d had before. Although the spot next to hers was a bit cold, Ursa still revelled in her husband’s smell, which lingered on the pillow.She slowly slipped out of bed, her feet reeling back from the cool sensation of the tiled floor. On the table in the corner there was a blouse, black skirt, and a thin lavender greca with a note on top. It had messy penmanship-- barely legible-- but Ursa managed to make out what it said.‘Beloved Ursa,I left early to spar with Kassio. A priestess-in-training had some clothes you can borrow until we can retrieve our belongings. Breakfast should be in the Mess Hall-- I’ll ask someone to guide you there! Don’t miss me too much!
The shrine wasn’t far, according to Chlaesis, it was just a bit hidden due to its age. Ursa was unsure of this, seeing as she only just met these girls, but she had no reason to distrust them. The sky was beginning to darken though it was still early morning, not even past ten yet. The air was beginning to feel a bit moist, but otherwise it was a fine day. There was a dirt pathway covered by trees and other flora that Ursa recognized from Chlaesis’ description. It was very scenic, with all types of little birds and small forest creatures darting around under the underbrush and bramble.The path had a certain energy Ursa had never felt before in all her life. A warm feeling rushed from her heels to her head, leading her along, an invisible shepard gripping her control hard.Ursa was brought to a clearing that lost most of its beauty from
Sweat dripped from Ivan’s forehead, falling to the earth in little droplets. He wiped the remaining droplets off with the sleeve of his shirt.“Your strokes have gotten stronger,” Orlov commented, setting down his sword on the bench. The two were out in a small area behind the temple dedicated to training, be it magic duels or sword duels. Ivan and Orlov frequently made use of this area in order to practice and hone their skills. Ivan had left early to meet Orlov for a spar for old times sake.“The last time we sparred seriously I was a child. Of course I’ve gotten stronger.”Orlov chuckled, taking a swig of water. “Of course. I shouldn’t underestimate you.”“I’m just impressed you can still ke
“Where are we?” Ivan asked. He never really stopped to think about where he was going, all he knew was that he had to find his wife.“We’re under an old shrine. I didn’t know there would be a cave system… what a find…” Ursa mused. She held onto his hand tightly while Ivan’s other hand produced a small, flickering flame from his fingertip. The couple made their way down the tunnel, hoping to see just a slant of natural light.“How’d you get here? Why didn’t you go with everyone else to the morning prayer?”“A few priestesses recommend I check out the shrine instead. They told me it was a tourist attraction, but now I see that they were just being great businessmen.”&ld