Altariel Katrei was not in a good mood. No, she wasn't. There was a spreading rumor that the King's lost son had returned. Of course, if that rumor proved true, then the High Seat of Ghayth may as well say farewell to her ambitions as Queen.

Knowing Altariel Katrei, that was a huge disgrace, insult, and outrage.

She sent a messanger to Seyira Vivienne in Olencia, to deliver the news, and an order. The woman had to confirm that rumor. It unsettled her and left her sleepless nights with nightmares of falling from grace. No, this was not going to happen to her. Not if she can move the strings of Fate according to her wishes.

---

The messenger plowed his way through the crowded streets of Olencia, eagerly looking for a certain face he has yet seen. Why, oh why did the High Seat beset such an important task to him? He loved his life, he loved it very much. Failure to deliver the message was not an option. The notorious Altariel Katrei could track him down wherever he might hide and punish him if he failed.

What did Seyira Vivienne look like? All he had was a sketch of her. Every now and then he glanced at it, then scanned the people's faces. It was a hard method, but Lady Altariel did not give any further instructions or even a meeting place. Seems that she hadn't any communication with Seyira Vivienne.

He had been here for a day now, and he was starting to panic. What if the Lady was wrong, and Seyira was no longer in Olencia? He bit his lip, as he felt the first pangs of hysteria. He cannot ask for her in this place, that would be revealing her a citizen of Ghayth and creating probable trouble for the High Seat.

More reasons for her to exterminate him.

He panted. Still no sign of her. What must he do to alert her? Spotting a nearby empty bench, he sat down, fanning himself with the front of his shirt, eyes still on the lookout for Seyira Vivienne.

"Vivy, Vivy! Let's go into this shop! It looks postively adorable!"

Seyira halted in her tracks, failing to comprehend what it was she had just heard. Positively adorable? Who in the name of all the gods (and goddesses) would be flighty enough to use such inane language. Oh, that was right, her 'lady' Amaranta. Seyira had known that Amaranta was a flightly woman , and not exactly the brightest person on the face of the planet, but she had expected a little more intelligent conversation. Obviously she was going to be sorely disappointed.

If her job as a lady's maid hadn't provided such good cover-up, she never would have become one. It was an absolutely ridiculous job: having to follow one woman around, and do everything and anything the woman commanded you to. Well, Seyira supposed it all depended on the woman. If she were serving someone like, say, the High Seat of Ghayth, then she would have a completely different outlook. But no. She was stuck with some woman who probably had less brains than a bug.

Looking up at the name of the store, Jewelry, Rings and Pretty Pink Things, Seyira was hard-pressed not to let out a slightly hysterical giggle. There was no way in heaven or hell that she was going to set one foot in that shop. Absolutely no way.

"Ehh...It's all right, my lady. I think I'll just wait out here. It looks a little crowded to me. You go on ahead."

Amaranta protested, but Seyira remained firm, and it wasn't much later, that Amaranta disappeared through the shop's door. Seyira watched for a few moments, making sure that Amaranta wasn't going to magically reappear, then went to find someplace to wait.

She'd been on her feet all day, and really needed to rest her legs a bit. Much to her surprise, there was a bench not ten feet away from her. Half of it was already occupied by a tired-looking man, but she was sure he wouldn't mind moving for her.

Stepping up to the bench, she put on her most innocent-looking face, and asked, "Would you mind me sitting here?"

He wiped several beads of sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, as he watched the crowd pass by passively. Sighing, he looked at the small sketch he clutched. Still there. His hand fumbled for the signed note from Lady Altariel Katrei. There as well. He would kill himself if he didn’t have them on him, and maybe the High Seat would think of it as an interception by other Houses.

He promised to himself that, after this ordeal was done, he was going to quit from servitude to the High Seat. No matter how high she paid him, not matter how many benefits… she sends people to relay messages to her different spies - but most of them do not come back alive.

He wondered why, but then decided that it was best to not know. No one knew how the High Seat’s mind worked, and many of her cousins deemed her a madwoman. Maybe it concerned her hunger for power and the throne…

Nobles, he thought, quite disgusted. Money and power is all they think of. What about the peasants? The proletariat?

The crowd was simply too large for him to easily spot Seyira Vivienne. Should he start asking? Hysteria was starting to fill his mind with bloody thoughts on how the High Seat would punish him if he failed. Decapitation? Poisoning? Lifetime imprisonment?

"Would you mind me sitting here?"

It took him a while before he noticed the speaker. He looked up to see a young woman, innocent-looking and quite beautiful… he tilted his head to one side. Where had he seen this woman? In Ivria? He took his sweet time musing before he gave a reply.

“E-erm, no, I don’t mind.”

He moved a few inches to his right, and beckoned for her to sit. Of course, courtesy to women must be observed. He then turned his eyes at the crowd, and started scanning faces once more. Now, to think where he had seen her. She was quite a pretty face, he thought, how could he forget one so easily? He glanced at the paper clenched in his fist. Then looked at the woman beside him.

“Lady Seyira Vivienne?!” He exclaimed, making several people stare at them. "I have been looking for you for days!"

“Lady Seyira Vivienne?!”

That sudden exclamation caused Seyira to jump off the bench not a split second after she sat down, and to stare at the man in shock. No one - NO ONE - had called her by name in years. Of course, that had been because she hadn't seen anyone that knew her by that name for years. "I have been looking for you for days!"

As she let herself relax a little (the man didn't seem like he was going to hurt her, if the slightly joyous tone in his voice was any indication), Seyira cursed the man for being so stupid as to blurt out her name so loudly. There were people staring at them, and Seyira was too used to hiding in the shadows, where she could see, but not be seen. It wasn't likely that the name had any special significance, but she couldn't help being too careful. There was no knowing what her father might have said down in the torture chamber. But it was too late now. At least Amaranta was still busy in the store and wouldn't be out for another hour.

Since he had called her Seyira, he had to be from Ghayth. No one else could possibly know that name. And he looked a bit ... relieved, now that he had found her, which meant that Altariel had most likely sent him. Altariel was well-known for doing slight rash things when she was upset. Like executing people for not completing their assigned tasks. Seyira was generally on Altariel's good side, and had thus never really experienced the brunt of her anger, but that didn't mean she herself was safe forever.

"First of all," she started very quietly and icily, "you will never refer to me as 'Lady.' Not here, not in Ghayth, not anywhere. I am not a lady, and unless my mistress decides differently, will never be a lady. Is that understood? " That was true. Her father was related to the noble House by one drop of blood, and her mother was a common thief.

"Second of all, I would appreciate it if you would kindly keep your voice down, just as much for your own safety as for mine. Now, I'm assuming you have word from my mistress, Lady Katrei?

No doubt Seyira Vivienne was surprised. He wondered why, though he quickly deduced that it might have been due to her nature of work. Maybe she had gone under a false name here in Olencia. He knew for a fact that she had been gone for years from Ghayth, but maintained contact with the High Seat.

Twyle licked his dry, cracked lips as he waited for a response from her. Though the crowd moved as though it hadn’t noticed them, several pairs of eyes were still directed at them. But he didn’t mind them – all that mattered was that he was saved! Saved from the horrendous persecution the High Seat might inflict on him if he failed!

He was so overjoyed, that he did not notice that Seyira… was less than pleased.

"First of all," the expression on his face fell immediately – such a cold tone she used. The only thing that could be compared with it was the High Seat’s. "You will never refer to me as 'Lady.' Not here, not in Ghayth, not anywhere. I am not a lady, and unless my mistress decides differently, will never be a lady. Is that understood?”

He nodded immediately. What was with these women? The title he added was a sign of his respect to his superior, to her, even though he was older than her, most likely. He masked his frown with blankness.

"Second of all, I would appreciate it if you would kindly keep your voice down, just as much for your own safety as for mine. Now, I'm assuming you have word from my mistress, Lady Katrei?

He nodded again. “Twyle Aster, at your service.” Flashing a smile, he gave Seyira a folded piece of parchment. “Her Grace has sent a note.”

The contents he knew not. He loved his head where it stayed.

---

Seyira Vivienne,

I will cut the formalities and proceed to the point.

I have received information that an offspring of the King is alive and well, and is now in Olencia. From previous records, his age is estimated to be around 32 to 36, with two years margin of error. It is said that select servants and officials from the castle know of the Crown Prince’s whereabouts – that is what I want you to know. In due time, I will send another spy to aid you.

If the messenger gives you trouble, you have my permission to exterminate him after he has given you this note. You know what to do.

Attached are several reports, most of which are vague. I hope that these would be of help to you.

Altariel Katrei

Seyira skimmed through the note quickly, picking up the important pieces of information and discarding the others. The reports she didn't look at, being too shocked to do much about it at that point.

Healthy ALIVE offspring?? That seemed highly improbable, due to not only the few births that the royal lineage had but also to the fact that select Ghayth assassins had been killing off those who had been born. But still, if Lady Altariel had found out, there was a very good chance that it was in fact, true. Which lead to another disturbing thought.

How had she not known about this?? It was her JOB to find out about things like this, so she could relay that information back to her mistress. It was all she had, but she'd managed to do a good job so far. Not anymore, it seemed. If she couldn't even do that, her one skil, what worth was she to Altariel? Absolutely nothing, that was what. And everybody knew what Altariel Katrei of House Ghayth did to people that didn't do their jobs...Even this man knew better than to slack off on his duty.

Sighing, she folded the note back up, leaving the reports for another time. Altariel hadn't sounded horribly upset in the note, but writing never left much room for expression. There was no way to tell if a person was angry or glad from their script. And that made her life all the more difficult.

Seyira looked back up at the man. No doubt he was eager to be on his way, back to his home and family, if he had one. The note had mentioned that she could do whatever she liked with the man, but Seyira had never really enjoyed toying with people for no good reason. Maybe if she had been in a better mood....

"Thank you for delivering this note. If there's nothing else, you may be on your way."