The Butterfly Effect

It took them a week and a half to get to Quennell territory. They didn’t encounter any Skiá along the way, just as they’d been assured; Kiah was the only one that didn’t seem relieved by the fact, instead just getting that much more on edge.

The messenger turned his horse around in order to see them. “Count Quennell controls this town. If you would all kindly await the count, then I shall fetch him from the estate. You may wander around at your leisure so long as you stay in this area.” He didn’t wait another moment before tugging the reins, leaving them to their own devices.

“Well, who wants to go shopping?” Samone gracefully dismounted, followed by everyone else. “There’s a shop selling trinkets right over there. I’m sure Minne snuck in something for us.”

Imre sighed, pulling out the little money pouch. If he was going to guess the amount, it was probably enough to buy out the whole shop. But to prevent her from doing just that, he kept her from taking it. “I’ll hold on to it. Just remember we’re going to have to bring it all back with us when we’re done.”

She didn’t seem too pleased with the other three’s lack of interest. “Do you have any better ideas? While we’re here, we might as well make the most of it. Lydia, I’m sure your parents would love something from this side of the mountain.”

Lydia shrugged. “I guess I’ll go if there’s nothing more fun to do.”

Slightly more satisfied, she turned to Dimas. “Don’t you think your boyfriend will appreciate a little gift?”

“My boyfriend’s right there,” Dimas remarked, gesturing to Imre. “I don’t need to give him a gift for him to know I love him. And it won’t even be a surprise when he’s going to be right there beside me.”

“Then would your sister want anything?”

“Zofie isn’t you, Samone. She doesn’t care if she’s wearing the most expensive necklace on this side of the continent. Quite frankly she doesn’t wear jewelry at all.”

“You’re coming along anyway,” Samone then decided. She turned around and started leading them to the shop in question. “Kiah, you’re a guard so you don’t have a choice.”

“I didn’t think I would,” was the bitter mumble in response.

No one seemed to notice them when they first came in. Then again, it was a big enough shop that it would be hard to tell when more people entered. Likely unintentionally, they split into two groups—Imre and Kiah following Samone, and Dimas and Lydia wandering off together—to browse the wares.

“Oh, look at this little seashell!” Samone showed Imre the intricately designed trinket. She was probably trying to get some sort of conversation out of him; he’d been quiet for practically the whole trip, which was more than he usually was. “It looks just like one of the shells off the coast. It’s a shame we weren’t able to go to the beach this year…”

Imre mumbled his agreement.

“We could go somewhere else, if you’d rather,” she offered. “Or we can just wait outside a while and take in the fresh air.”

“If my opinion matters,” Kiah interjected, “I’d prefer if we got the hell away from here.” Her face was scrunched up into a mix of disgust and something he couldn’t quite figure out. “I need to leave before I punch somebody.”

“You’re always on the verge of making a scene,” Samone remarked. “Do what you usually do and deal with it.”

But Imre understood this wasn’t the usual kind of annoyance; this was discomfort, a desire to get far away as soon as possible.

He turned away from Samone to follow Kiah’s gaze. In the corner, seeming to mind their own business, was a group of men. They were probably travelers judging by their clothes, maybe even from Qizar or otherwise near the border.

Their conversation was hardly quiet.

“How desperate do you think they were?”

“More desperate than you would normally have to be to visit a prostitute.”

“Wonder what’s wrong with her…”

“Look at her ears, dumbass. They’d poke through her hair if she was pureblood.”

“Doesn’t feel like she has a lot of magic. Should be easy showing her where she’s supposed to be.”

“Alright, which one of you wants their ass kicked first?” Kiah shot back.

“Please, Kiah, think this through,” Imre whispered. “They’re just trying to provoke you. The best thing to do is to ignore them.”

One of the men stepped forward and smirked. “I’d like to see you try.”

Samone sighed and stepped between them and Kiah. “I didn’t want to get involved, but it seems you’ve forced my hand. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll mind your own business. I don’t think you realize who you’re about to tick off.” She showed them an illusionary rose… and completely ignored the glare Imre was giving her. This wasn’t helping and she knew it.

“At least one of you knows magic,” one of the men remarked. “Give us a little show, why don’t ya?”

“I believe you’re missing a rather important word there.” She had no fear as she walked up to the closest, mumbling something as she went. “Now, I’d advise you to leave before I get mad. Believe me, if you didn’t like that… you’re not going to like what I’ll show you when I get mad.”

It only took for them to run off, one of them saying something so quietly it was hard to determine. Samone watched them leave with a triumphant expression.

“Eíthe óloi na kápsete ston toméa Vriuh,” Kiah muttered as they left. She sighed, showing her closest thing to gratitude that she would give in public. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“They’re going to have to learn one way or another not to mess with me,” Samone returned nonchalantly. “I’m already Court Magister, and soon I’ll probably be taking up all of Father’s work too. It’s their own fault for not backing away sooner.”

Imre was probably the only one out of the three that didn’t gain some kind of satisfaction out of it. “Illusion magic.”

“It’s the safe kind,” was the breezy reply. “You don’t need to worry, Nokae. That little thing isn’t going to hurt me any more than a rose will.”

“Samone, that’s not the point,” he insisted. “The point is that there’s better ways to handle that kind of situation. It’s not exactly a good image to engage with those types of people.” He was already worrying about it; he was already imagining Casper’s disappointing look when they got back. That I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you with something like that, yet I did and I’m even more disappointed than I already was look. It didn’t matter if he was more or less aware that he over-exaggerated it a little.

She simply brushed him off, looking outside through the window. “Well, that doesn’t matter. The messenger’s come back with a noble in tow.” She headed towards the door, briefly gesturing to Imre and Kiah as she called, “Lydia! Dimas! If you’re done with whatever conversation you’re having, our host’s here.” It actually caught their attention quite well, honestly.

They were only waiting outside for a minute before the noble walked up to them.

“Ah, the young spawn of the Mikkel family and company! I’m Mathieu. My father is awfully busy right now, so I do hope you understand if I’m the one to show you around.” It wouldn’t take anyone long to notice his mechanical arm (something that, by the looks of it, moved by his own water magic), more noticeable than his silver hair or fancy clothes. Imre and Samone were the only two who didn’t seem to stare for a moment, both having seen him a few times in the past.

“It’s a pleasure either way,” Imre returned, maintaining a level of formality he possessed in public. “Let me introduce—“

“If I may be so bold, Your Highness, as to guess,” Mathieu interrupted. “I’d be a fool to not recognize you or the lovely Red Rose of Jaden, of course. That goblin’s likely either of your personal guards, so let me think… Kiah, the only goblin among the ranks of the army. Then you’re Lydia, I presume? There’s an air of a Stone around you, at least, and you look around that age. Last but certainly not least, we have Prince Dimas. You really would do well to make it harder to guess. It’s almost a little too obvious.”

“Wow,” Lydia mumbled in astonishment. “You’re better at guessing than I thought you were.”

“It’s not like any of us are subtle…” Kiah mumbled.

“Call it intuition.” Mathieu turned around and started walking. “Keep up, now. I’m not slowing down for you. You needn’t worry about your horses; one of the servants will take care of them.”

He continued after a moment of silence. “It’s on behalf of Count Quennell that I welcome you to our territory. Do mind your tongue here, it’s a bit of a rough crowd on this side of the mountain. There’s still legends of the dragons that once roamed this area, and many do still believe it. Dragons only appear to those who can be fiercer than them, after all.”

“They don’t,” Dimas said matter-of-factly. He didn’t mean any offense by it; Qizar considered dragons like a religiously important wild animal. Even if they usually hid within the mountains, he knew more actual facts about them than what any legend in Seothia did. “Dragons don’t usually appear to humans at all. They’re more likely to—briefly—show up to fairies, but that’s only to guide them.”

“You’re overthinking it,” Samone informed him. “Kiah never questioned everything this much, and I’d say goblins would come from a stricter upbringing than you.”

“I know that, prince,” Mathieu remarked. “But I wouldn’t go repeating that. Some people wholeheartedly believe those stories and have made sacrifices based off of them. To be told that wasn’t the case, well… you’d best not be left alone with them. The status of Qizarn royals don’t apply in Seothia, so you best be careful.”

“Would you be able to tell us any more about why we’re here?” Imre figured he’d try, at least, to get some information out of someone else.

“For a simple vacation, of course!” Mathieu replied plainly. “Your only mission is to enjoy the mountain air, get a change of scenery from that stuffy old castle. Surely you knew that much already?”

“We were told that there was a border dispute.”

“Oh, gods, no! We’re on very good terms with our neighbors, and we’re all perfectly content with what has been our individual families’ for hundreds of years. What you were told was one of King Casper’s attempts at a lie, and a bad one at that. Clearly, the queen doesn’t have a say in this endeavor…”