Moreal looked up the staircase, longing to be at the top.
Every muscle and bone in her body ached. The sun had risen a few hours ago. The last of house Comadean's patrons had been drunkenly escorted out. Anelle's Tue stores had lasted into the early hours but working all night had taken its toll.
The house was quiet as all but her slept in to the early morning
Moreal sighed as she grabbed the hand rail. Her legs protested as she took one step after another. She clung to the railing, her head spinning as she got half way up. She blinked, keeping the sweet release of slumber at bay for a few more minutes. The last five steps were a mountain before her. Moreal wished for wings to fly her to the top and down the corridor to Dame Luel's office. She raised one tired leg after the other.
At the top she took several deep breaths wishing to collapse to the floor but if she sat down her journey would come to an end. She knocked on the lone door, waited a moment, before letting herself in. Her eyes fell on the old woman writing in a ledger across the room.
The room was cosy, with two plump sofas in the centre facing each other. A fireplace on the left wall with embers warming its belly invited her inside. An oak writing desk shaped like a bean faced the door. Its edges were carved in a baroque style, with opulent curls and leaf ornaments. Shelves carved in a similar fashion cover the wall behind the desk. Every nook and cranny was filled with ornate cups from across the world, wine chalices from Eteric painted with gold leaf next to Siahon red clay tumblers with ancient languages painted across them.
Dame Luel looked over her pince-nez as Moreal entered.
"What do I owe for an early morning visit?" Luel asked.
"There is something that can not wait till the morrow." Moreal responded, her tone firm.
Moreal took a seat on one of the sofas and relished the feeling of her body sinking into the cushions. Dame Luel closed the ledger. She walked over and took a seat opposite Moreal.
"Please go on." Luel encouraged.
"I want to make Anelle my apprentice." Moreal stated.
Dame Luel waited a moment taking in the unexpected statement and tilted her head. "Explain."
"I take it you recall the allegations that followed my appointment as Wyrish apprentice?" Dame Luel nodded slowly. "Well if I have a lake of power then Anelle has an ocean. The depths of which I couldn't even find after six hours of draining her.
"There are plenty of customers that enjoy dipping into that pool during the night. If she served one of them…" Moreal shook her head at the thought before looking back up at Dame Luel. "Please think of the house. We would be accused of harbouring and plotting the second coming of the White Enfir. We would be hung and our bodies dragged around the city as an example to… others." Moreal's voice hitched in her throat on the last word, her eyes glazed over with tears. "Please. I'm so…so… close." Tears flowed freely, her lips quivering through her quiet sobs.
Dame Luel sat down next to her and placed her arm around her shoulder. Moreal leaned into her embrace, placing her head on the older woman's shoulder.
"It's ok, child. Everything will be ok." Luel soothed, her tone was a grandmother comforting her grandchild. "I remember the uproar when you became Wyrish. You had been a courtesan for over a decade but only within this house for a year. You were well liked but many of the girls were jealous. The backstabbing, stealing of clothes and clients nearly brought this house to breaking point.
"I fear worse will happen if Anelle is given the position. She's kind enough but quiet. She lacks a strong personality to bring people onto her side."
Moreal pulled her head back to look Dame Luel in the eyes.
"That may be true but with both of us fully supporting her and consequences for those who would seek to sow discourse, we can quell any trouble. You know, as well as I, that this is the only way we can keep the entire house safe."
Luel looked over at the fireplace, thinking for a moment. She slowly lowered her head, nodding her agreement.
"All right she will be your apprentice. However, I have already had an old pianoforte fixed and moved to the main hall. Anelle will still play for guests two nights a week."
"Thank you." Moreal slumped into the plump sofa, her whole body feeling heavy with relief.
Dame Luel grabbed a blanket and draped it over Moreal.
Moreal curled her feet onto the cushions and fell asleep.
*****
Anelle was distracted. The vivid dreams of a dying dragon, a princess with white flames and now a girl sitting in a tavern listening to stories, stuck in her mind. It was an absurd fantasy. But it felt so real. More like a memory. If it was a memory then who's was it? Who were these people and what did it have to do with her?
"...Anelle will apprentice under Moreal." Said Dame Luel.
Anelle blinked and focused on what Dame Luel had just said. The midday meeting had just finished and to everyone's surprise, Dame Luel had just announced Anelle would be the next Wyrish.
Many of the other courtesans stared at her with open hostility.
She was dumb founded by the announcement, standing frozen as Dame Luel walked gracefully out of the room. Vetha and Yulin pulled on her arms, asking questions that went unheard. Dame Luel's words rang in her ears over and over as the other courtesans starred in jealousy and confusion.
Moreal clapped her hands and brought the room back into focus.
"We do not have all day to stand around. Chores must be finished before morn meal. Hurry along ladies." Moreal said.
Moreal had burnt her favourite green dress after it was stained in blood and now wore a deep orange dress.
Everyone started moving. Anelle headed straight down stairs, away from everyone's accusatory eyes, to fetch a bucket of water. She entered the gated courtyard at the back of the house and filled her bucket from the well.
Anelle leaned against the well with her head tilted towards the sky, enjoying the sunlight. Small ghins flew around the top of the fence, fluttering around each other like a game of cat and mouse. The birds were the size of her palm and covered in different shades of green feathers. She imagined having green wings and flying away.
Anelle hefted the water bucket up the outer steps and through the long corridor. She stopped to catch her breath every few feet.
Celno walked along the corridor towards her and smiled. At the last second she stuck out her foot. Anelle and the heavy bucket tumbled to the floor.
Celno looked down at her with a wide tooth grin. She lifted her hand in a vain attempt to cover her smile.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't see you there. At least it's only water." She laughed as she walked away, looking back at Anelle.
Anelle sighed. She was wet from head to toe, her thin dress clung to her skin, her hair was plastered across her shoulders. She shivered as the cold soaked into her skin.
Anelle retraced her steps and got another bucket of water. By the time she made it back to the main hall Vetha had finished clearing the furniture.
"What happened?" Vetha asked, her voice jumping an octave higher in surprise, as a sodden Anelle dumped her heavy bucket on the ground.
She opened her mouth to speak but hesitated, with everyone being jealous of her it was probably best not to start pointing fingers.
"I fell and got wet. Can you mob while I go get cleaned up? Sorry."
"It's fine." Vetha reassured her. "You can pay me back by making up the beds later."
Anelle smiled gratefully.
*****
Anelle quickly walked out of the main hall, hoping to make it back to her room before anyone else saw her. The corridors were blissfully quiet.
As she turned the corner to her room Anelle heard footsteps and giggling. She waited till the sound faded.
The door to her room was slightly ajar.
A sinking feeling slipped into her stomach. She reached forward and slid the door open.
The room was a mess. Black and white strips of fabric were hanging from every surface. Her work shoes were pulled apart, the soles scattered in the mess and the lace edges pulled to ribbons. A large gouge was cut into the mattress, straw and heather had been pulled out and flung all over the room.
Anelle stood frozen. Her dress and nightgowns were ruined. She was soaking wet and shivering from the cold. The weight in her stomach rose to her chest. Fear danced through her veins as her whole body shook. She pulled her arms around herself, trying to get any sense of comfort, but feeling nothing except the wet fabric against her skin.
She didn't know what to do. Who to turn to. The sinking feeling in her chest got heavier and she fell to the ground.
"Anelle, what-"
Anelle jumped at the sound of Moreal's voice beside her.
Moreal's eyes widened at the initial site of the room before her brows tightened and her lips drew a thin line across her face.
"Moreal, would I be able… to borrow something to wear while my… dress dries, please?" Anelle asked through shivering lips.
Moreal turned to her and her eyes softened.
"I think we can do more than that." She replied with a warm motherly smile. "Come now, love."
Moreal led the way to her chambers. Anelle closed the door behind her. Her eyes drifted to the figure sleeping at the back of the room.
"How is she?" Anelle asked with a nod in Innki's direction.
Moreal's eyes clouded over.
"She's weak but recovering. Now let's get you out of that dress."
Moreal helped Anelle peel the wet fabric from her body and draped a silky robe around her shoulders.
"Thank you, this will be perfect till my dress dries." Anelle said.
"Oh no, love, we can do better than a robe. You are my apprentice now and need to look the part."
Moreal pulled a long chain from below her bodice. At the end was a small vial containing three small gems. She pulled the stopper and tipped the gems into her hand. Then walked over to the wall and lifted a small curtain to reveal a circular stone, the size of her palm. Anelle watched as she placed each gem into perfectly shaped grooves and rested her hand on the centre of the circle. Moreal closed her eyes and the gems shone. She released her hand and the stone circle did a full turn and sunk into the wall with a deep thunk. The stone wall slid to the side, revealing a room.
Moreal turned back and grinned wider at Anelle's shocked reaction.
"What is that?" Anelle asked.
"It's a Skylith. A magical device that is used to trigger larger Phy glyphs. I believe they were invented as a way for people to use the Phy if they had little Tue. When I activate it I can feel strange symbols that I've never used before.
"One day this will be yours so let's keep this a secret between us."
Anelle followed her in. The room was long and thin, more like a long closet. On each side were racks and racks of old dresses in a myriad of different colours and materials. On closer inspection each dress carried a defect or flaw; ripped, broken straps or discoloured.
"I am no seamstress but I could never bear to part with the beautiful fabrics. We can fix and cover any rips or defects." Moreal said, indicating the leaf motifs on her own dress.
Anelle started looking through the hangers, noticing all the dresses were of the same style with the corset exposed on the outside.
"How about we match your earring with a blue dress?" Moreal called from within the racks of dresses. She reappeared a moment later holding a pair of dark blue dance flats with decorative cloud blue ribbons that tie up the ankle.
Anelle held her teardrop earring. A smile began to bloom over her face as she savoured her precious memories of winter and her time with Kae. A pink blush rose to her cheeks.
Moreal raised her eyebrows with a cheeky grin.
Anelle's cheeks deepened to a rosy red and she turned away, hiding her face in the fabrics.
"Simple glass and metal, definitely not real silver. Hum, it must have a deep sentimental value then." Moreal smiled.
Anelle nodded, still hiding.
"Why are all these dresses the same style? I have never seen a woman wear her corset exposed anywhere else." Anelle said changing the subject.
"They are Sonrett style. Named after Mila Sonrett. A few hundred years ago it was said she wormed her way into the royal court by spreading her legs to the right people and always wore her corset on top of her dresses. She was even recorded as walking through the palace in nothing but her corset. However, she is most famous for how she died. One of the Enfir Queens found her in bed with the prince consort, her first husband. Outraged, the Queen had her hung in nothing but her corset.
"The term 'Sonrett' became a popular way of referring to courtesans and the revealing dresses they wore. Having the corset on the outside resembles a woman in her undergarments and over time they became synonymous with each other." Moreal explained.
"Enfir? what does that mean?" Anelle asked, remembering the term in one of her dreams.
Moreal pursed her lips. "We're not supposed to talk about them. But it makes sense you would be curious having not grown up here. Enfir means blessed by the dragons or so I was told. Centuries ago after the last dragon died, a woman called the first Enfir used the dragon's flames to take over the continent and make herself queen. The last Enfir queen known as the white Enfir tried to burn this city to the ground. She killed the king and most of the noble family heads. It is said the flames burnt for five days and nights. Anyone who lived a few streets away from the palace burnt as well. After that people became scared of any sort of magic."
"Oh." Anelle said even more confused about these strange memories as she went back to looking through the dresses. She pulled out a long dress in navy blue cotton and draped it over her arm. "Moreal, would I be able to combine a few dresses into one?"
"Of course. Take any that you fancy, they are only going to waste. But you will have to sew them yourself. My skills are mediocre at best." Moreal said with a self deprecating laugh.
In the end they found a green dress with a few spots of discoloration, for Anelle to wear for the time being.
Moreal found an unoccupied bedroom down the hall for Anelle to use. Anelle hid her pile of old dresses and sewing supplies under the bed, away from any prying eyes.
"Get some rest before we open tonight, love. You will be helping the ladies dress but working with me throughout the night. Your lessons will start tomorrow." She turned to leave but stopped. "Dame Luel still wants you to play two nights a week starting on Paene. Try to make sure your dress is completed in the next few days."