The morning sun shone softly as a few clouds covered the sky. A gentle breeze blew through the garden, moving the branches and leaves of the trees.
Zarah leaned out of the window, her hands extended towards the dead jasmine plant.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, focusing as hard as she could. In her mind, she imagined the plant coming back to life, its dried leaves turning green and its flowers blooming once again.
Her palms slowly warmed, and she felt tiny tickles spreading across her skin.
Zarah carefully peeked one eye open.
Golden sparkles shimmered across her palms.
A smile immediately appeared on her face.
"Did it work?" Iris asked, peeking over beside Zarah.
Zarah jumped in surprise.
"Huh? What!?"
Her hands shot up, causing the golden light to quickly dim.
She grabbed the windowsill to steady herself before turning around and glaring at Iris.
"Oops?" Iris said with a guilty chuckle.
"I told you to stay still," Zarah said, narrowing her eyes at her.
"But your palms were glowing!" Iris exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "You got this! You can do it!"
"After the ninth time of trying since this morning!" Zarah said with a sigh.
She turned her back to the window and slowly slid down to the floor, sitting there as she covered her face with her hands.
Iris sat down beside her and gently patted her head.
"There, there, little baby," she cooed. "I'm sorry I got excited."
"I'm not upset about that," Zarah sighed, lowering her hands. "I'm just disappointed in myself."
She looked down at her hands.
Turning them over, she slowly clenched and unclenched her fingers.
"I can't even figure out how to heal," she muttered.
"People don't learn things overnight," Iris said, lightly bumping Zarah's shoulder with hers.
"It's okay. You can't do it immediately, but I know you. You'll keep trying until you're able to do it. And then you'll keep doing it until you're good at it."
Iris smiled and gave Zarah another gentle pat on the head.
"So don't beat yourself up like this. Leave that to me."
Iris smirked.
Zarah snorted.
"You're unbelievable," she said, pushing Iris's shoulder.
Iris laughed, and soon Zarah joined her.
For a moment, the two of them simply sat there together, their laughter filling the quiet chamber.
A knock sounded on the door.
"Lady Zarah, may I come in?" Marceline's voice came from outside.
"Yes, come in," Zarah answered, getting up as Iris rose beside her. The two girls quickly dusted off their dresses.
Marceline entered the chamber and walked towards the younger girls, raising an eyebrow.
"I am curious as to what you both were laughing about," she said.
Zarah and Iris exchanged a glance before chuckling.
"Iris said I don't need self-reflection because she will work as my beat-down system," Zarah replied.
"Oh, hush. You're exaggerating it. That's not what I said," Iris said, rolling her eyes.
Marceline chuckled.
"Self-reflection about what?" she asked.
"About her dressing choices for the Imperial banquet tomorrow," Iris answered with a lie before Zarah could say anything.
Marceline nodded.
"Well, that's good then. Neither of you need to self-reflect anymore because I am here to take you both to look at dresses."
Iris immediately perked up.
"This is why Lady Peirce is so golden-hearted."
Marceline scoffed and waved a hand dismissively.
"Lady Iris always knows exactly what to say to make me want to spend more," she said with a grin.
Zarah shook her head, smiling.
"Iris is coaxing you, Lady Peirce."
"Oh, I am aware, Lady Zarah, and I appreciate the coaxing," Marceline replied.
"Now, come on. Let me tell you how Lord Nolan selected Lady Vernon as my escort to the banquet tomorrow."
She sighed as they began walking out of the chamber.
Zarah already knew why, but she decided to play along.
"Does Lady Peirce not like Lady Vernon?"
"It's not that I dislike her," Marceline said as she walked down the corridor, with the other two girls beside her.
"Is it because Lady Peirce has someone else in her heart?" Iris teased.
Marceline's ears turned the lightest shade of pink.
"You're not far off, Lady Iris," Marceline admitted. "I did have feelings for Lady Vernon."
Zarah's eyes widened.
"For Lady Vernon? Then is that why you don't want her as an escort?"
"Old love reignited?" Iris gasped dramatically.
Zarah gave Iris a small nudge, but Iris only shushed her.
Marceline scoffed.
"Nothing of that sort," she said as they continued walking. "I had feelings for Lady Daphne Vernon, Lady Diana Vernon's older sister."
"Family love triangle?" Iris asked.
"Iris!" Zarah exclaimed.
"It's fine, Lady Zarah," Marceline said with a sigh. "I lent a few books to Lady Iris. She read them and is referencing those tropes right now."
Iris grinned innocently.
Marceline shook her head.
"I guess we truly reap what we sow."
At that, the three ladies laughed together as they neared the Imperial seamstress's chambers.
Ines tapped her fingers on her desk as she looked over the ledgers.
Nolan stood opposite her across the desk, holding a ledger.
Ines extended her hand, and Nolan placed the ledger in it. She read through the pages, carefully going over the details.
"The brothel girls are faring well, it seems," she said. "The children will be taken to orphanages after the festivities?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Nolan replied. "The educational facilities have already been tied with the orphanages."
"Good."
Ines handed the ledger back to Nolan.
"I hear you are plotting something with Mother," she said, raising a brow.
"I am not plotting anything with Her Majesty the Empress Dowager," Nolan said innocently. "How can you even say Her Majesty would plot something?"
Ines raised another brow.
"Right..."
"Then why did you ask to pick Marceline's escort?"
"Because Diana has a crush on Lady Marceline. I am only helping my underling get a glimpse of her crush up close," Nolan said with an exaggerated smirk.
"Wow," Ines said, completely unamused. "You're a matchmaker now?"
"I try," Nolan said with a smile. "If Your Majesty blesses me, my matchmaking services will surely exceed expectations."
Ines smirked.
"This is why you shouldn't get influenced by my mother. Next thing you know, you will be matchmaking yourself."
"Your Majesty has too many dreams," Nolan said.
"Shouldn't the Captain work to fulfill them?" Ines countered.
"Your Majesty is the one resembling the Empress Dowager now."
"She's my mother. I am bound to her."
The Empress truly never lost a quipping fight.
And even if she ever came close to losing, she simply resorted to pulling the 'I'm the Empress card'.
"Then I will be taking my leave now and visiting the Empress Dowager," Nolan said with a sigh.
"Ah, yes. She's setting you up with a date."
Nolan sighed again, pressing his fingers to his temple.
"Again?"
"Go to Gilbert Hospital and see that the medicine is being transported from there to the Imperial infirmary correctly," Ines said with a smirk.
"Don't thank me for saving you from misery. I'd rather have my Captain functioning than hiding in other places."
As enigmatic as the Empress was, she was also Nolan's old friend and often saved him from the Empress Dowager's matchmaking attempts.
"Your Majesty always has eternal grace upon me," Nolan said, bowing. "Blessings and glory upon the brilliant light of the Caelthra Empire."
With that, he took his leave.