A woman, with gray streaking through her brown hair, sat in an abandoned and dusty room. The only clean thing in it was the dress she wore, an expensive and unwieldy thing. It swallowed her skeletal figure.
Is it true that money is the answer to all problems?
"Tch!"
Only if it is your money!
The moment of her contemplation was broken by an unwelcome creak from the door. Light entered the room, highlighting the sickly pallor of the woman's face. She squinted at the maid. It was one she didn't recognize by name, but her solid frame was familiar.
"Mrs. Nix, I've come to do your hair."
And she came in without permission, coming behind the sitting woman with the brush and pins. The procedure was neither gentle nor cruel. Moving as if she brushed cattle. The bangs covering the pearl on the lady's forehead were pulled back roughly.
This was fine.
It wasn't like the woman expected to be treated like she was sane after all that had transpired. It wasn't just once or twice she'd caused a commotion, after all.
She ground her teeth. The maid ignored the hate that filled her charge's eyes. Pins pricked her scalp as a bun was finished. The maid patted her shoulder.
"You're done Mrs. Nix," she said with a nod.
"Make sure to close the door," the lady said.
The maid turned back, but the woman didn't speak anymore. So the maid nodded and left.
Had it always been awful? No, it had not always been awful.
She was the kind of person who had once believed that as long as one was fed well, life could be happy. And she had been fed well.
But now.
She rubbed her wrists. They were wrapped in beautiful ribbons. Her face twisted into a scowl.
Now I can not even eat well. So how could I be happy?! Damn it all.
"I can do it," she said, to an empty room. She sneered, the scowl still etched underneath it. "I will do it, be there no doubt."
Outside the windows, a cold wind howled. Still, the lady didn't move.
Eventually, the door opened again. A man from the Nix household. One of the guards. Again, she didn't recognize him more than that.
He didn't bother speaking as he pulled her standing. Holding her painfully thin arm tight enough to leave marks, she was pulled outside her room.
Two more guards straightened themselves as they went out.
The woman stepped in time with the guard leading her, not bothering to look at anything. But she was pulled to a stop only a few steps after starting.
"Young Lord Nix!" The guard spoke with excitement.
Aureum kept her gaze to the ground, her lip twitching. The voice she was expecting didn't reply, however.
"Who's young?" Came the idle reply with a stranger's voice.
She saw worn boots. If not the wretched dog-lover, then it could only be one other.
"If you're old then what is the lord?" The guard replied.
"Immortal."
It was a dry reply devoid of humor. The guard chuckled nervously as he bent towards the other man. The woman looked up and saw him.
Shorter than I remember.
He was only a bit taller than her, and she was not a tall woman. The formal attire would have been enough for some young women at the party, but the face wrecked any romantic daydreams.
It was worse than she remembered. Certainly, the sharp and strong bone structure with no leering or jeering in the eyes behooved him. But, every inch of the flesh was marred by small jagged scars, and his bald head was marked the same.
Just how did someone's face become like this?
It was an inevitable thought when looking at the eldest son, Hiems Nix. Her brother-in-law.
The man looked at the guard.
"Is that a woman?"
Are his eyes marbles? The entire family is trash! Trash in a flaming heap!
"Yes, my lord!"
"Then stop holding her like a sack of potatoes," he said, "Don't you know how to treat a woman right?"
This.
This man clearly misunderstood the situation.
Both the guard and the woman watched him with incredulous eyes as he walked away. Who inside the house didn't know the situation of this woman? Was there a servant here? But one of the young lords of the house didn't know.
The woman could understand. After all this time living here for sixteen years, she had barely seen Hiems. It could be understood that the relationship between this father and son wasn't great. He didn't live here. Just came for the same reason she was dressed up for: the sake of appearances.
She spat at a particularly odious portrait. She was jerked forward, but nothing else was done.
Maybe it would be more surprising if he knew. What an obsession.
The guard knocked at the door and entered, waiting. She could feel the cold chill of his mana even outside.
"Let her come in."
The guard stepped forward and bowed. This wasn't the slight incline he gave towards the son, but an entire bend that made his face level to the floor.
That hateful voice. What voice could be more hateful? Nivis'? No. Not even close.
"Leave us, but wait outside the door."
The door closed as she looked up. Leaving her to suffocate under the weight of that mana.
Caducus Nix, Great Lord of the city-state of Nix and ascended sorcerer of the Nix bloodline, looked down at her.
Of course, with only his right eye. The left remained shut as it always had. The room was a study, but the Great Lord seemed to have forgotten that. He sat on a large chair, with the floor raised on his end of the room. The desk was off to the side, as if unimportant.
"Child," Lord Caducus said.
It could be said that she was not a child, but to an ancient man like Caducus, everyone was a child. Not that the old man even had the decency to look his age. He appeared no older than thirty. His son who she had just passed looked older.
"I desire to see you behave," he said since she didn't speak. "No unsightly behavior like there was two years ago."
"Of course," she said.
"If you try and set the curtains on fire like five years ago, the guards will take you away."
"This goes without saying."
Her voice was calm, but only she could taste the fear on her tongue. Alongside the fear, the bile of spite rose in her, prompting her against her wiser inclinations to speak.
Caducus shook his head.
"Haven't you already realized?" He said. "There is nothing more left for you to try. No snide attitude can help you. Just bite your tongue and live with decency. Is even that too much to expect?"
"I!" She exclaimed, cutting herself off with alarm.
That look inside his eye, that cold green eye. It weighed upon her with judgment and disdain. She was not in the wrong here. She continued, despite the potential cost.
"Have always lived with decency."
"…"
A lot of thoughts went through both their minds.
Living like she had, that was decency? Perhaps not.
She didn't lower her gaze despite that.
There was no point trying to explain to this man. When imprisoned unjustly, it will always be decent to escape through whatever means!
"Then perhaps consider living without your decency, and live with the humility worthy of your position."
She said nothing.
This man saw her as one thing. His daughter-in-law. So the position he spoke of was only regarding him, and the bloodline of Nix.
Even if I never hear the name again, it is too soon.
"Then go, and give me no reason to find you."
She left without a bow, perhaps one of the only people who dared such a thing. The guard escorted her out. In the end, the only choice for those without power was to flee. Be clever, and flee.
That is what she was about to do. Flee to where even the Clan of Nix couldn't reach her.
Spesavia, don't fail me tonight!
It wasn't a prayer. Spesavia was a real, flesh-and-blood woman. A real old hag. Who was full of faults. Beggars didn't choose.
The guard stiffened beside her. She looked and saw two lovers leaning into each other.
Not a day without disgrace.
The two were really getting into the kiss. What a passionate sight.
But then, even dogs can show passion of that kind.
"Ahem!" The guard coughed.
The man withdrew from the woman, but his hands were still on her waist with her hands on his chest. They didn't even bother to break apart in front of her.
"Oh, is it Aureum?" He said.
Am I the neighborhood dog? I am your wife.
Even if she wanted to burn the whole house down.
She didn't bother to respond, looking away. Being treated like a dog, the best response was to treat the other like a dog. At least he called her by her name.
Nivis, the man who was her husband only in name, didn't seem concerned by her lack of response.
"I won't be able to enter with you," he said. "Of course."
Aureum nodded.
What a piece of dog dung Nivis was. A cheating, lying piece of poisoned filth. Who fell in love with yapping dogs. Distaste served her purposes, however, so distaste is what she showed. No pulling of the hair and gnashing of the teeth was allowed.
Compared to the head of the household, this dog-lover was nothing. In fact, on marrying him, Aureum could agree that was her own mistake. She turned to look at him.
"Aren't you going?" She said.
There was no smile there. No rage. There might have been annoyance. The annoyance one reserved for strangers. Polite. It did nothing to dent his cheery mood.
"Yes, try to have a good time."
Of course, he left.
It was a matter not worth mentioning. After all, when his father imprisoned her, he didn't raise a hand to help her.
Not a finger.
The woman on his arm looked back to give a gloating smile. She was beautiful, more so than Aureum, even when she was healthy and young. Blond hair, rosy skin, and an endowed figure. But as for her actions, Aureum didn't even know what to do with those.
You want this set of second-hand clothes? Take him! Take him far away from me! I welcome your jealousy.
They disappeared behind the door. The guard stood awkwardly.
"Take me to the restroom," she said.
But the guard shook his head and pulled her forward.
It didn't work. That figures. This household is used to reserving pity for themselves.
Forget it. What was not given needed only to be created.
The door shut behind her.
"Announcing Aureum Nix!"
She flinched. So loud for no purpose. She looked down. The crowd of guests stared back at her. Whenever she went to make direct eye contact, they avoided it.
Pathetic.
She walked down as the guests began their idle conversations. They were too well-raised to talk about her now, but she knew they would. Whatever. That's normal, even if unkind. She just needed a moment of unguarded chatter for this. Not anyone would do, a sorcerer would be too powerful for this trick.
However, the guests who were more politically inclined had their own ways of shielding themselves from Aureum.
"Ah, Mrs. Nix, so kind to see you again. Unfortunately, I see my good friend over there. I have to go."
They spoke only to run. With the most worthless wording to boot. It was to the point that Aureum considered just breaking a bottle over someone's head. Not that the servers came close enough to her to try it. Despite that.
"Oh, you must be Aureum."
The blond-haired beauty that had hung off the bastard Nivis was talking to her. Also, "must be?" They had met no less than twenty or thirty minutes ago.
"I've heard so much about you."
Really?
This was an obvious lie. If she had heard about her, she would have avoided Aureum. She did not.
Maybe she had a bizarre personality. Wasn't Nivis interested in strange women?
Aureum snorted.
"I'm Vitreum, but you can call me Viti."
"Viti. That's cute."
"I hear you have been hidden away. Why come out for the Two-Hundredth Foundation Day?"
"Appearances."
Why was she dressed this way? Appearances. Why couldn't she eat without restraint? Appearances. Why did her wrist hurt? Always the same fu—
"I bet you're so loved," Viti said. "Hidden away in this gargantuan castle all the time. Hardly doing anything."
Ha.
So it's like that.
Just take the dog-lover I don't care! Do anything to give him the motivation to pressure his father into allowing a divorce!
That was only nonsense thinking. As long as Caducus was over Nivis, there was no chance for a divorce. Otherwise, the past fourteen years of marriage wouldn't have continued on so long.
"I bet you are too," Aureum said, and she put her arm around Viti, "in the bed at least. But that's good enough for Nivis' money. Although, I guess it might suck to have to settle so much. Since he's such a whipped puppy."
"Wha—
It didn't matter what was said. Aureum had just met this woman today. She didn't know what she had done or didn't do. She only knew what would distract most women.
Although, Viti seemed pretty liberal. Maybe it would have been more insulting to call her a prude. A glance showed Aureum her words had done the trick.
The pearl, the gray-white smooth gem placed like a third eye upon her head glowed without Viti noticing. Aureum ducked her head to whisper into Viti's ear, to hide her actions from the party's view.
"I don't hate you at all, you know? You're a blessing."
A small gesture from Aureum's hand near her neck, and the other woman started choking.
"Help! Help! I think she's fainting!"
Shouting this, she threw the woman towards the closest person and backed away. They tried to catch Viti, but she fell to the floor anyway. This only made the commotion greater.
She passed a guard as she entered a balcony. Focusing so much on appearances made this weakness. Despite Aureum's high profile, the guards were more concerned about quieting the disturbance.
Still, she must have been a daughter of great importance. They all rushed towards Vitreum with hardly a glance at her. Aureun could not be more grateful.
Viti. Are you a gift from heaven?
That she left that angel choking on the ballroom floor caused her no great concern. Gifts are best when opened, after all.
It wouldn't kill Vitreum anyways, unless the young lady had completely neglected her own growth.
She closed her eyes as she focused. The pearl on her head shone on the darkened balcony. Like a small, lonely star.
Aureum frowned with concentration as her hair began to loosen and whip around her.
With a pearl of wind, she should be able to fly. Theoretically. Aurem lacked the amount of mana to make it a certainty. And the training. Still, it should be possible. Should.
There was no other choice here. She would.
She still had to jump. She couldn't manage to lift off on her own. Her eyes closed despite herself, the last view being of the pale blue hills under the night sky. Then the wind caught her, and she had to open them.
The sight of the balcony beneath her was dizzying. It wasn't just the height, but the unsteady movement of bobbing up and down. She could not keep this up for long.
Third floor, third floor. Not that window, the hall always has a guard there.
There it was. Was it? Yes, she recognized the vanity.
She leaned against the window. Carefully, carefully, ever so slowly, she worked the breeze into the latch of it.
The effort of both that fine control and not falling made her shake.
I am a sorceress, I will fly.
Finally, the window opened and she fell into her old room. She gasped but covered her mouth. This was a final attempt. Aureum didn't expect Lord Nix to guess her purpose in returning to her old room, or if she would get unlucky. But to fail here before she even got the chance to look would make her heart suffer, so caution was necessary.
Where would I have put it? The vanity?
No.
Then the dresser? Ah, there are those unused perfumes. Please, please be here.
And.
Her hands shook as she reached out for the tiny bottle in the pile of perfumes. The red sores on the wrists without the ribbons accentuated the desperation in each quiver. They must have fallen off, but Aureum didn't even notice.
She could not hold the bottle steady.
The weeks before her wedding, Spesavia's wrinkled face had been soured even worse than it was on an average day. If usually, the old hag looked like she'd swallowed a prune, this time it looked like the prune had a worm in it. It was no wonder since Aureum had thrown away her chance to learn from the old sorceress.
"If you had married anyone else they wouldn't object to you continuing!" Spesavia had said back then.
"If I married anyone else they wouldn't have a pile of gold," Aureum had replied. "What good is immortality without gold?"
"Gold is only sweet when it's your gold, girl," Spesavia had spat.
"Don't worry, Spesavia," Aureum said. "Nivis seems to love me."
Spesavia shook her head and closed her eyes.
"Maybe it's so," the old woman said, "and I worry for nothing. I hope you'll be happy."
The old woman pulled a bottle out of her pocket.
"But if you aren't, this potion may help," she said, a smile missing teeth spreading across her face.
Aureum flinched as she took it.
"What does it do?"
"It turns back time."
"Does it now?"
"Hmmm. Well, the prototypes did. But they were just a few days. An hour here. A minute there. This one should at least be a few decades though."
"Why haven't you used it?"
"Because I'm…
The old woman pursed her lips. Her blue eyes flashed as she continued.
"Too much of a coward! I might gain my old beauty back, but lose all the power in my pearl? What chances do I have of ascending again?"
"So it really was one of your experiments to gain your beauty back. Will it kill me?"
"Hehehe. Maybe. If you aren't ascended."
Aureum looked at Spesavia with mistrust.
Do you want me to train that much?
"Don't use it carelessly, girl!"
The bottle in her hand felt heavy despite the small size then.
Today, Aureum's hands shook with it. The precious thing slipped, and hand after hand bounced it around before Aureum scrambled and caught it again. She clenched it.
Die…
"I don't want to!"
She hadn't ascended as a sorceress. If Spesavia said she might die, then she really might. That crone didn't joke about such things. Even if they did amuse her.
"Did you hear something?"
Of course, there were guards outside the door. She'd forgotten to be quiet in her distress!
Quickly, she uncapped the bottle and gulped the green liquid down. It tasted like swamp water. She grimaced as she forced it down and wiped her lips on her arm.
But live like this?
She didn't want to do that either.
She felt a convulsion. Her vision swam like she was drunk, images in splits constantly moving.
Scarier than what she felt.
Ping.
Ping, ping, ping.
She heard the pearl on her forehead crack, and then crack again. All of the mana that had been layered upon it, painstakingly, day by day began to drain out from her body.
No, burn out from her body.
Instead of darkening, she saw the room become brighter and brighter. The mana all rushed into her pearl, making it a beacon. Shutting her eyes, she could still see the light.
The door opened with a crash as Aureum fell over.
Still, the force of the potion pulled at her mana. After the pearl, it went for the residual amount in her body, dragging even traces from her veins. She screamed with the pain, but by then she could not hear the sound of her voice. Just a vague sense of vibrating from her throat.
Am I dying? Really?
Even though she knew it was possible, facing it was still unexpected. There weren't many flashbacks. A few vague thoughts of her family emerged. Her mother with that wry smile, her talkative father resting his sharp eyes on her, and her sister in the middle of a dancing spin.
It had been years since she saw them. Twelve? The last time had been before she'd been locked away. Aureum had wondered how much they knew of her situation. If they had tried to see her, or if they thought she had forgotten them.
That evil old crone Spesavia might be sad too.
I'm sorry. I aimed for life. I swear I just missed. But if this is the end…
There was only relief.
It was the final freedom. The first choice she successfully carried out fully in years.