Chapter 61

"If you consider that like circumstance cannot contrarily afflict different persons, shed your thought to this contention:

'see' and 'look' are twins; but when cast through like change, they bring forth 'oversee' and 'overlook'."

~

The Princess' Chambers,

Residence in the Imperial Castle,

Kingdom of Tristendyre,

The first Phrinight of the Second month,

XXI Year of Regency

Jaycob Oreius had left through the unassuming doors of the wardrobe that led deeply under-ground.

Imogen mayn't have known of the portal's location, for she had been brought blindfolded. But the mysterious people had entered there-from, thus bringing to her perception that there was a secret door.

She wondered if her vision had been yoked for reason of avoiding the disclosure of all things betwixt the journey from the Cell and the Dorm.

The dame of the chambers hoped the Archer would be safe during his expedition, for it was gravely dangerous. The place he was making his way to was not isolated, but bearing people with unknown purpose and identity.

She made her tread towards the vanity and took a seat by the side, gaze sweeping over her reflection and then down to the various vials and cosmetics arranged at the ledge.

The cases of powder were rustic golden, whose lids had a round and fluffy tuft of fur on the inside such that once removed, the fleece could be dabbed against the cheeks for it was in constant communion with the powder in the casket.

There were glass flasks that were as round as crystal balls, held upon metal holders bearing translucent red liquid in their body, bottles decorated with fobs and copper trimmings.

Upon such copper, there were little plates of ceramic that was carved as labels to read the names of the bottles' contents: "Ploveryne oil". It appeared that those were the balms used by the Princess to anoint her hair.

Further, there were decanters of perfumed liquids which had such ornamental work upon their glass.

Within each of such vessel of perfumes, there was a flower floating inside the liquid like it was the fairy of a lake embalming those in its sphere.

Imogen twisted open the prism lid thereof, to smell the scent.

There was a brush on the inside of the covering knob, as the tassel of a lion's tail, which would absorb the liquid and then one could rub it over their body for fair odour.

Setting them back to their foreordained order, the fair girl withdrew her eyes from the expensives and looked up at the mirror, just to catch sight of the reflection on the glass of a little note by the exterior door of the chamber.

She hastened thereto and picked it up in her hand, unfolding it. It was a letter from Crescence and her heart jolted from the pure excitement.

The maiden that was her friend must have noticed her message and this was the response.

"Imogen, it baffles my mind to imagine you are, indeed, safe and alive; Are you truly there within the chambers of Her Majesty?"

The orange haired damsel giggled from the recognition of her friend's script of hand. She realised how much she could entertain herself with this present situation.

She wrote her next letter to say:

"Ah, it was a ruse and I see verily that you have fallen game to it. This is her Majesty, Princess Mercedes. I wish for some more of lavender muffins that had been served for supper, but I cannot meet you to request in person. Kindly do bring me some at immediate beck."

Planting the letter therein, Imogen stayed there by and waited, resting her head against the grand door.

She did not know of how long Crescence's message had been at the doorstep, but she hoped it wasn't long.

There was a long time passed before a tiny note made its way in through the slit of the large door. The vermillion-haired damsel lifted it and read:

"So it truly is you! I have some lavender cupcakes that I have left here at your door. You may take them from the tray's path. And what is it like to live there? Is it rich? Does it look like a ballroom?"

The dual-eyed damsel smiled before turning to the little tray stand by the door's neighbouring window that brought the tray without persons meeting, for it was curtained.

So the damsel placed in the Princess' chamber wrote her friend a reply:

"It seems as a dream, I have never seen such opulence in all my life! I do not know who I must thank for the finery. And thank you so very much for the muffins, Cres, I love you so dearly! And please tell my Lady Minerva I am safe."

Posting her letter to her pen-pal, Imogen rose to her feet and walked over to find a couple of lavender muffins awaiting her.

She smiled so gleefully upon sighting them and looked about the room to find anything she could gift her friend, but there was none that was her own.

All the items of the room belonged to the Duvessa Princess and gifting them may be theft.

However, at present moment, since there was not much that she could afford to bestow, she walked to the side of the vanity where the array of products befitting beauty was kept.

Imogen's fingers curled against the body of a perfume decanter that she desired to give her friend.

Hoping to be able to repay the Princess for the borrowing later, the damsel took the vial before she noticed another that was in an ancient looking bottle that was placed deeply behind.

Frowning pensively, Imogen reached to bring such curious decanter to her visible scrutiny. The bottle bore a latticed cover and was firmly sealed. Its label read "The Mark of a Funeral – Norustive".

Now, the flower bestowed with the name 'Norustive' was notorious for its subtlety and sway where it evades the common eye, be-cause its petals were viridian and curved as stalks to blend with the foliage of its environment.

It bloomed at a certain hour of day, born oft in bunches of the deep wild woods.

Despite the elusiveness, its scent was known to be as robust as to betray its stance. The odour was repulsive to certain animals that were predators. Hence, a lawn bearing a bed of norustives was a great solace for those lost in the wild.

Once harvested, the blooms would begin to emit greenish milk that bore the core essence of its vigorous scents with the prowess of outrivaling stenches.

Hence, they were used to embalm the bodies of those that were greatly ill or ridden to bed for a long period to enable them in staying well maintained bodily.

However, they were slightly unusual stock for the norustives were wild flowers that could not easily be cultivated in domestic premises.

Further, for their nature of repelling certain wild beasts, the huntsmen and the tribes that were uncivil, inhabiting the woods would oft protect the beds of these blossoms for their property. Hence, the flowers could not be tamed and brought to use.

The Royal Physician's erstwhile apprentice did not understand the need for such a rare product in the possession of a healthy Princess.

Although it was not news that she had a personal physician that was tending to her haleness, for such norustive perfume to be in her personal custody was not entirely justified.

Imogen read the words of its plate over again: "The Mark of a Funeral".

She wondered if it signified the fact that this perfume would be used to keep the mortals embalmed neatly.

Quietly, she placed the vial back into the deck, for it was none of her concerns or rights to ferret thereinto. She had done so quite lavishly already.

The damsel strode across the hall and placed the flask of the other common scent into the bowl wherefrom she had taken the muffins and pushed it back to reach the collection.

She returned to the door to find Crescence' letter that said:

"That sounds breath-taking; may I come inside to see?"

Imogen furrowed her brows.

Now the girl dearly wished, in honesty, for her friend to join her sojourn in the mighty place for they could create a great deal of memories.

However, it would be an outrage should any soul find Crescence's entry therein.

Further, if Jaycob returned at a time when she did entertain the presence of a friend in absolutely restricted quarters of the Princess, he would personally claim her death on sight.

Hence, she wrote in response to the wish:

"Consider the perfume a reward against the muffins. Now, since the Princess is acclaimed to be observing a fast, I am unaware of whether it would be safe for your entry seen into the chambers. However, I may grant you the opportunity after the Ceremony has ended, if I am still given to hold residence here."

After sending her letter, Imogen waited by the door for a great deal of time, but received no reply.

It was worrisome for she did not know whether her friend was upset by the lack of allowing entrance.

The damsel hoped, further, that Crescence had not earned condemnation for lurking about the place beyond hours of duty.

Then she slowly rose to her feet, for she was overcome by drowse and walked to the lavish bed. Diving into the soft lush of the mattress, her eyes closed from the weight of fatigue and she slept peacefully with much dreams dancing in her mind.

~