Cursed Blood

Janora was the one to find me instead of vice versa. The companion of Lady Garcia ushered me back to my room while chastising me about my state of undress, not noticing the look of distress on my face as I mulled over what the red eyed man told me. I trusted him, at least enough to trust the clue he'd given me. The second this lousy ball was over, I'd be in the library researching the gods of Terrafell. Then I would visit my old home and meet with that spirit, and finally get my answers.

By the time I had calmed myself down, the idea of closure had actually raised my spirits. I was grinning as Janora and her friend, a seamstress named Raeni, pulled me into my room and shoved me into a slip before unpacking several ballgowns. They were all gorgeous and well-made, and I was glad I had cleaned up because they took a ridiculous amount of space. My eyes lit up every time she revealed a new dress, her bags stacked against the walls as twelve different gowns were placed around the room. There were varying styles, and all of them were catching my eye.

Which led into hours of trying and retrying dresses. Out of the twelve, I came up with a top four that were the hardest to choose between. One was a navy blue and rested off my shoulders, with a slit in the front in the center of my chest. Another was a wine red, a wider slit in the front with the straps like a tank top. The third was a vibrant green, with no sleeves and a skirt with layers of lace that made it look like it was floating.

But then there was Raeni's favourite.

As white as snow, with a full, layered tulle skirt. There was a collar, and a slit much like the others -- it was obviously Raeni's style to be risky -- but this one was different. A triangle exposed most of my chest, with the point meeting the waistline and the widest end at the collar. The tulle straps were attached to the collar, meaning that my chest and entire back were exposed.

It was breathtaking, but so were the others. Even with messy hair and a sweaty face, I felt elegant and like a queen in the snow white dress. Raeni began to fiddle with the skirt, and Janora leaned against the wall as she watched me intently.

"Cloud," Janora said softly, "you may want to see if your tail and wings will fit with this dress."

I paused, watching a small smirk appear on her face. She wasn't actually worried about the dress -- she was meaning for me to see the dress with my form. Shy aniticpation caused my hands to tremble in excitement as I reached out to my form, my control over shifting in and out much better now. The wings slid out of my body -- from who knows where -- at flared at my sides, my tail remaining tucked under my skirt. Amazingly, the tulle straps of the dress were positioned in just the right places so that they were unaffected by whether or not I had my wings out.

"Feels perfect," I admitted, gently running my hands over the layered skirt. "This is the one."

Raeni waved her hands around her face as she spoke. "You haven't even seen it in the mirror yet!"

I let out a soft oh and glanced toward Janora. She was eyeing me in my dress, criticizing the fit and the look of it. I felt rather like a young noble girl on her way to her first royal event under her gaze, which essentially I was.

"You can see it tomorrow," Janora decided, "let's not ruin the surprise for you. Pull those hazards in; you still need to go to the Darkblood camp and check in on your plus one."

I grinned, imagining Becca in a scandalous, flattering ballgown. My wings morphed back into my body without a problem along with my tail, and the two women helped me out of the dress before Raeni packed up and took them all away, promising to bring it to me before the ball. According to Janora, she was staying in the servants' quarters, so I'd know exactly where to go to locate her. Lady Garcia's right hand woman continued to tell me about Raeni with a certain fondness that caused me to smile when she wasn't looking.

Once my room was back in order, I changed into my new set of leather clothing and brushed back my messy hair, grabbing my pouch of coins and slipping it into my pocket. Janora handed me my dagger and its scabbard, and I clipped that into place around my thigh without hesitation.

"Go quickly and see the lady you're bringing. The Queen wants everyone in the castle who isn't a servant to spend time together in the ballroom for an after-dinner private party. Be on time for it. Grab dinner on your way back if you must."

I nodded, commiting her instructions to memory. This time, I was allowed to leave by the front door. Janora escorted me to the foyer, but that was where she turned onto her own path to go find Lillian, leaving me alone as I approached the door.

My eyes found the once-shattered window.

Find them. Once I have the truth, find them.

My mind went to the crystal sitting in my nightstand, safe from prying eyes. The path of mysteries laid out for me had so far had many pitstops, but now I could at least use the information given to me by the red eyed man to gain the knowledge needed to go visit the spirit again.

Then I could talk to the assassin.

Sighing, I tore my eyes away from the newly made window pane and pushed through the door, the nearly-evening sunlight hitting my face. Time was scarce, and without Kai, I was much slower.

I was slower until wings sprouted from my back, flaring up in the fading sunlight. The castle doors slowly shut, and I felt my black feathers flutter in the breeze. They folded in to my body as I began to sprint toward the edge of the mountain.

Then, I leapt.