Twelve: A Second Taste of Fate

It had been a difficult few weeks for Evangeline and Anastasia alike. Evangeline had been studying nonstop in regards to herbs and the territory surrounding Ambrose, and it appeared that Anastasia was getting ready to be wed off to Philip. To say both girls were busy would be an understatement. Since the night of the ball, Colloscius seemed to find themselves to be in a bit of a — frenzy. It was as if the kingdom was abuzz with new energy due to the engagement. It meant new beginnings, seemingly.

Stirring, however, was an unforseen storm. A wicked force was arising upon the budding marriage, and it would be something that would throw the entirety of both kingdoms off their high horses.

"If someone told me how bloody nasty this concoction was I may have not drank it!" Grumbled Evangeline as she chugged the rest of her Ferrin berry mixture. In her eyes, it was beyond nasty. She admitted that her ankle had felt much better every day that she drank the the mushed berry drink, but she hadn't been told how monstrous the taste was. Somehow, it was both sweet and sour which, in itself, isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, the drink did the particular thing of switching between overly sweet and then to overly sour to where the user was left pondering what on the gods earth just happened.

"Fruits were always known to be a good thing, Evangeline. I understand that this particular juice." said Vance as he leant among the east wall of the castle infirmary.

"Juice? Gods, no. This isn't juice; this is a poison sent by Circe herself." Spat Evangeline as she threw the cup into the garage, patting her hands on her slacks in the process. Alas, Evangeline could finally put her normal clothing on again while not torturing her ankle in the process. Her ankle still hurt, greatly, but there seemed to be great progress with its healing.

Evageline then turned around and crossed her arms, "what are you doing here anyway? Don't you have to be sparring or following around Prince Philip?"

"Firstly," Vancy started, pulling a knife from his belt and starting to twirl it in his hands. "I finished my sparring at dawn's speak. And secondly, Philip is currently negotiating a deal with Zayari back in Ambrose. Something about a mineral trade route that is now accessible."

"So why aren't you with him?" questioned Evangeline shrugging her shoulders in the process.

Vance, in response, yawned and continued to fiddle with his knife. Evangeline noticed that Vance wasn't all too bothered by not being with Philip, which she found rather odd. She was constantly peeved that she was unable to protect Anastasia, but Vance seemed rather joyous to not be working with Philip.

"I think King Royće wanted me to become more familiar with the knights here and your training style. Something along the lines of becoming acquaintance with past enemies."

"Huh," Evangeline sounded, putting a hand to her chin and leaning back on an infirmary table. She tilted her and looked back up to Vance, "that's pretty weird, don't you think? His son's personal knight not being with him for gods knows how long? I don't bloody know how much longer we are waiting for the actual marriage ceremony to take place."

"You make a point. I wish I had the answers for the questions you're asking." breathed out Vance as he tossed his knife into the air and then caught it once again. He then let out a puff of air, "but I am as oblivious as you are. King Royće and Prince Philip have been pretty quiet on their parts. I promise…"

Paused Vance as his eyes suddenly became serious. The typical brown in his irises had a tint of gold to its rim. The snarky smile he wore soon turned to a sullen frown.

"I promise that you'll be the first one I tell when I know anything."

"Thanks," Evangeline said as she let out a little smile, limping her way off the table and towards the door entrance. When she passed by Lance she held a little smile, looking at him in the eyes, "you're really weird, Vance."

"I'm weird?" Vance sputtered, the life in his eyes started to return as he lifted himself off the wall and put his knife back in the respected place along his belt. He started to walk along Evangeline as she made her way to the library with the intention to dive into a few research books on terrain in Ambrose and other various plants.

It was quite shocking to Evangeline, she had managed to learn so much in the past few weeks that she hadn't imagined she would ever understand. Reading was something she struggled to do. It wasn't that she was uneducated, but the concept of reading with trying to memorize things that may be important to use, possibly, in the future was bizarre to her.

Anastasia had always told Evangeline how much of a drag studies were because it was all useless history. The past, Anastasia had mentioned multiple times how much she despised learning about the past.

Evangeline had always been told by Anastasia that history was the most boring of subjects to learn because she wouldn't use it anywhere. She had also expressed to Evangeline that she had been thoroughly enjoying the recent lessons because she the readings and research were "quite impactful and not fucking boring as it typically is" in Anastasia's terms.

"Yes and no. You are superb at sparring, and you seem to have this energy that is always so positive. Which I find pretty weird considering what I have been told about Ambrose."

"I am flattered," chuckled Vance. Evangeline, in response, let out a sigh before slowly coming to a stop in one of the castle hallways. She was in the middle of the sparring grounds and the library. A pathway to the left would take her to the sparring grounds and a pathround to the right would take her to the library, or the starting point of going that way.

"You just have this genuiniety about you that I really didn't expect. Part of me wants to trust you but the other part of me —" Evangeline hesitated as she tried to find the proper words. However, she didn't have to wait for long,

"Saw me as an enemy from a kingdom that you don't really trust yet?"

"I would guess that's the sentence I am looking for. It's not that I don't trust you, but I don't."

"Well, that isn't the nicest thing someone has said to me. A backhanded compliment really."

Evangeline crossed her arms and huffed, shaking her head in the process. It wasn't the fact that Vance was putting words in her mouth, but it was the fact that we was correctly putting the words she had in her mind into her mouth. He was, somehow, able to voice the words she was unable to say. Maybe it didn't bother him as much as it did her.

She also felt a bit guilty as her statement really did sound backhanded. She was unsure of how to phrase it. Part of her wanted to trust Vance because he felt like someone she should trust. Yet, she had always been skeptical of just about anyone. Her trust was difficult to gain, and she always took an abornmaly longer time, than normal, to build up faith in someone. Yet, it was just so easy with Lance … too easy.

"I felt like you are a witch and have played a trick on me. I didn't remember anyone when I woke up here, but you seemed incredibly familiar to me when I met you back at the ball."

"That's quite odd. I know I never met you before the ball, but maybe …" Vance started but he then stopped, shaking his head. "No, that's bizarre."

"What's bizarre, Vance? I am pretty sure this whole marriage and treaty is a bit more on the peciular side of things. I am sure I am not the only who feels this way."

"No, you aren't the only one. I have been told next to nothing," breathed vance as he turned to look around his back. His eyes seemed to be scanning the area, but when he found nothing, he turned back to Evangeline and shook his head.

"This is as weird to you as it is me. I am just glad that I am not the only one that has felt this sort of unusual energy. Hell, this entire situation, it is so sudden. One day our kingdoms were at war and the next thing I know we are on a carriage going to attend the ball for Prince Philip to propose Princess Anastasia."

"It really wasn't much of a proposal. They don't even bloody know each other," mumbled Evangeline as she pulled on one of her french braids, fiddling with it to avoid the nerves that bubbled within her. "Anyway, I need to go. Valantis is expecting me for our studies, and I don't know, I might out to town after that. I have some business to take care of."

"I don't mean to be intrusive," Vance pointed out as she put a hand on Evangeline's shoulder. His grip was comforting and his touch was warm. Evangeline could tell that Vance was a gentle soul; he intended to be calm and, for some reason, Evangeline knew that her trust with him was something unbeknownst to what she had known for a long while. "But maybe I can join you on that town out trip? I always wanted to explore Collosicus a little bit more. Chief has me constantly tied up with the trainees, and I really don't know my way around the town to trust where I am going."

"Well," Evangeline drawled out, grabbing Vance's hand and putting it off of her. "I suppose I can show you around a bit after I dabble in something."

"Do tell what," Vance said, leaning down a little and getting closer to Evangeline, a smile on his face. Evangeline would have perceived it was flirtatious, but she felt no attraction towards Vance. She has was given the impression that he wasn't flirting, rather just being intrusive, per the usual.

"It's nothing serious. I have to meet up with someone is all; it won't take more than a few minutes. You can come, I guess. But stay out of my business."

"Joy!" clapped Vance as he stood up and let out an ear to ear grin. His smile was charming, but Evangeline knew better than to fall for the "pretty boy charm".

She then turned around and put her back to vance. Lifting a hand up and waving goodbye, Evangeline had a little smile on her face.

"See you at seven rings of the bell right at the castle gardens. A minute late, and I am leaving without you."

---

Evangeline stomped her left foot hastily as she look around the brim of the castle gardens. The sun had long reached its peek, and it was soon starting to come to a fall. Little clouds littered the area, providing a decent amount of shade. Albeit it was still cold out as the winter season had yet to end.

Clicking her tongue against the top of her mouth, Evangeline fiddled with the familiar golden dove necklace that hung around her neck. She didn't often wear it on her skin, rather she kept it in her pocket when she needed to enter one of the secret entrances to the castle. However, that day Evangeline felt a bit perilous with wearing the dove around her neck. Not that anyone outside the guards and royal house knew what it truly meant.

As Evangeline let out a sigh, she turned her head in the direction of the bell tower as a rumbling seemed to hush over the gardens. No longer did the little creatures flutter nor did the fountain in the middle of the pond seem to have sort of — to it.

Evangeline stared at the old tower as the congs slowly started to roam over the kingdom. At the top of the tower was the obvious bell, and just below that was a compass rose that never shifted its hand. The single hand, pointed upwards and towards the right, signaling that the direction of the castle was towards the northeast.

Colloscius wasn't directly along the east coast of Aagara. It did have a rather large peninsula to the south that dove into the Mahynam sea. The port was a great source of revenue for Colossicus as the fish were copious. Not to mention that the peninsula made up a majority the southern, bottom, part of Colossicus.

"Gods, you're certainly in thought, Evangeline." mentioned Vance as Evangeline nearly flew out of her shoe … and boot.

"You're late, Vance." Evangeline groaned as she folded her arms and started to walk in the direction of the market place. Yet, within a few hurried steps, Vance was right on Evangeline's tail.

"I missed your appointment by merely two congs of the clock, pardon me your majesty."

Evangeline elbowed Vance in the stomach, non-verbally telling him to cut it out.

The two started their walk into the town part of the kingdom. It transitioned quite smoothly, some would say. The main kingdom gardens were a connector between the castle and the gates. Despite the graceful look to the gardens, they were really there incase the castle or town were to encounter any sort of troubles. There were little entrances between trees and vines to where hidden tunnels could be used to escape.

From the gardens, the two stood at the castle gates. They weren't large and intimidating as some would assume. Instead, the gates were maybe the height of two carriages ontop of each other. Width wise, it was quite short on appearance, but a majority of the gates were hidden behind trees and bushes. It made it easier for enemy troops to be fooled and for Colossicus troops to have an upper hand against the perpetrators.

"Requesting entrance out." Evangeline said as the two arrived at a guard station right near the edge of the gates. Obviously, the massive gates wouldn't open for a simple outting. They were just about ancient and took a lot of maintenance, so they were only opened on visit and when the royal house was leaving at all.

A guard stepped out of the station which was very much like a small cottage space. Inside there was a table with tables surrounding it as well as a stash of food and beverages, mainly water. There was also an array of weaponry stashed under the floorboards, though not many would know about that nor about the hidden underground the station had.

"Granted." The guard said after a moment of looking at Evangeline and noticing her necklace. She let out a little breath of relief. Evangeline knew that she would be able to pass through, but everytime she left to go to market without Anastasia it always worried her. She felt she had a dedication and a mission to protect Anastasia, and with her right ankle healing quite welll, she felt she would be able to return to her duty soon enough.

Fortunately for Evangeline and unfortunately for Valantis, Anastasia was entrusted in Valantis's eye for a majority of the recent weeks and likely a few more. However, with Evangeline's healing ankle, she would be on duty within the next week. To say Evangeline was excited would be an understatement. It wasn't that she found Anastasia to be easily tolerated, but she felt that she was fulfilling her purpose when she was protecting Anastasia.

At the moment she had more time to do as she wished, but she also felt like, well, a nuisance. She was occupying a space without doing any sort of job; it was like she was useless towards Anastasia and she absolutely despised her injury. Of course she was aiding Fletcher with the sparring and entertaining Anastasia during their study sessions, but she felt unsure of her current use for the royal family.

The guard motioned for Evangeline and Vance to pass through a small gate on the side inner the guard station. The two were quick to pass into the station and out into the town area.

What as particularly odd to Evangeline was how the transition was almost instant for her. One moment she was in the ideal of royalty and poshness, and the next moment she is surrounded by a warm feeling of the buzzing of radiant energy dashed with normality. While Evangeline loved being in the castle, she also felt it was a bit too fancy for her. She found out from her time in Colloscius that she particularly enjoyed the market. It wasn't so much as the shopping to where it was the feeling that she didn't have to be perfect. She was allowed to have slightly frizzy hair and not wear the finest of training clothes.

Taking in a fresh breath of slightly polluted air, Evangeline started her walk towards Fantasia's. Her mind was checkered with images of the fortuning telling her and Anastasia had gotten what seemed like ages ago. It then transitioned to the knight at the bar when Leona was talking about the man with the mysterious mask … how he taunted Evangeline.

She had felt watching eyes on her for quite awhile, though eyes always watched her as she was Anastasia's personal knight after all. Yet, that man, the bard with a mask… who was he? No, they weren't the same person. The bard had golden, inviting eyes whereas the other masked man had purple, daunting eyes. One man was enchanting where the other was terrifying.

"I never did ask, where are we going?"

"We? No no, you will be staying outside while I have a discussion with someone." Evangeline grumbled as she started to retrace her tracks to Fantasia's little tent. She had to follow the same path she took when she went to Corella's, but that was so long ago in Evangeline's eyes.

"Tsk. Leave me out in the dark? I would have guessed you're intending to cast some hex on me."

"I am not a faerie you idiot. I am an elf." Seethed Evangeline as she started to speed her walk.

It was common knowledge that faeries were a race, almost identical to elves, that were able to use magic. Not to mention, there was one very distinguishing factor that divided the two races: faeries had wings and elves didn't. Not to mention, faeries were hardly anything but a myth in Coloscius. They hadn't been seen in Colosscius in apparently close to a century. There had been sitings in Oleshno, a kingdom north of Coloscius. However, faeries were nearly extinct in Aagara, some even questioned if they were ever real in the first place.

"I am joking with you, Evangeline. Plus, a hex would never work on me." grinned Vance as he took a long step in front of Evangeline and turned around to look at her, walking backwards in the process.

"Why would that be? Hexes can work on anyone nowadays."

"Well, my family is said to be pure bloods."

"Pure what?" Evangeline asked as she rose an eyebrow in confusion. She had never once heard of a "pure" blood, and even if she did, no person nor face was ever excluded from being inflicted with a hex.

"You're joking, right?" Vance questioned as he turned back around and slowed down a step to let Evangeline catch back up.

The mark was relatively busy as things were still abuzz from the afternoon rush. Now that it was nearing evening, people were starting to think about closing up and joining their families for supper.

"Vance, you must know that I really don't joke much by now."

"Not when you're sober," grumbled Vance in retaliation, and Evangeline let out an angered breath as they neared a three way split in the road.

To the left lead to the fresh markets, near the farms. To the right lead the taverns, restaurants, and other miscellaneous food stores. The last one, up the middle, lead to a variety of stores. From clothing to nic-knacks to even … fortune tellers apparently.

"No turns, continue forward. Where I need to go should be somewhere on the right in the next few hundred yards." Evangeline replied in a monotonous voice. She pretended to ignore Vance's hurt facial expression, with his lips in a frown and eyes widened to what some call "doe eyes".

Vance let out a long, exaggerated sigh that Evangeline had heard just about a million times with Anastasia. Evangeline knew that Vance was trying to stir her interests out of her and into the air, but she refused to give in that easily.

"Well if you're really that curious," continued Vance as he swung an arm around Evangeline's shoulder and brought her close as the two continued to walk. "Being a pure blood is like when your blood has never been tainted by disease or potions. Some say it is the only blood that can be transfused in a pitch because no one's body could ever reject it."

"Sounds like a whole lot of bull shit if you ask me." Evangeline said as she threw Vance's arm off of her, wiping her shirt off in annoyance.

Thing was, Evangeline wasn't necessarily angered by Vance's company. Was it annoying? Quite. But, if it were any other day where she weren't going to confront a major mystery that had been brewing infront of her since the day she awakened, then she would have possibly even been fine Vance's company. She wouldn't ever admit it though, considering that Vance would still very much be considered an enemy.

"Well, it's true. Ask anyone from Ambrose and they'd tell you it's true."

"Well, no shit. They're obviously going to say yes if you ask them a blind question. It's human nature, Vance."Evangeline's eyes suddenly widened as she spotted the familiar tent of Fantasia's. She felt a bit of an ominous aura coming from the tent.

Evangeline squinted her eyes, slowing her pace down. She hesitated as heart seemed to skip a beat; there was an uneasy feeling that settled within her chest. Taking a moment to look at the tent, Evangeline's eyes adjusted until she finally realized … there was a purple mist coming from the tent.

"You see that, right?" questioned Evangeline as she stopped and pointed towards Fantasia's tent. In return, Vance stopped and looked at her with a bewildered emotion on his face. His messed up hair seemed to fall in his face as the crease between his eyebrows grew as they rose with confusion.

"The tent? Yeah? That's a tent if I've ever seen one before."

"Not the tent you fucking arsehole." Evangeline groaned, turning towards Vance and then looking back towards Fantasia's tent. "The purple mist … do you not see it?"

"I know that things are a bit crazy, but there is no mist at all. I don't see purple anything, Evangeline."

Evangeline wanted to let out a groan and defend her analysis, but she ended up rolling her eyes and started her walk back to the entrance of the tent. As she rounded the corner, she looked inside to see if Fantasia would be there, but there was not a peep of her. Only that was there was the tent and the daunting purple mist that surrounded the entire settlement.

"Gods, Evangeline I don't feel too good around here. Something smells odd." Vance mentioned as the two walked into the tent. Evangeline was just as hesitant as the first time, but she knew there would certainly have to be some sort of information in there that would bring answers that she longed for.

Evangeline, in response to Vance's comment allowed the air to drift through her nose. She had rather heightened senses, and ti showed when she recoiled, coughing through her mouth. The smell, it wasn't necessarily bad, but Vance was correct in his assessment when he said it was odd. The smell was overbearing, a mixture of grape wine, pomengranents, and there was another scent that Evangeline couldn't quite put her finger on.

"How about you sit outside and get fresh air, Vance? I need to handle this matter privately."

"I suppose that shall do. If you need anything shout for me and I will be there." Vance let out a reaffirming smile and Evangeline couldn't help but feel a sort of heat rush to her face. A small blush spread across her face as Vance walked away to a bench lying about the edge of a street.

She wasn't attracted to Vance, but she admit that he treated her well, like a normal person. It felt oddly nice to Evangeline.

Evangeline turned her attention back to the tent as she stepped further into its domain. The mist started to subside as she continued further in, and the smell started to become normal to Evangeline, albeit it made her head hurt a little bit.

When she arrived at the desk right in front of the doorway, she decided to bypass it and go straight to the back door that lead to the room she had been in awhile back ago.

Instantly, Evangeline's mind flashed back to the crystal ball incident and the pain that radiated through her entire body. The way her hand had been burnt alive and how the feeling in her head, the pain that soared through her body … it frightened Evangeline. But, if she wanted answers, she would have to follow a single clue that had been left for her.

As Evangeline was about to knock, the door started to slowly open. When it was fully opened, there stood Fantasia with a small smile on her face. However, Evangeline was not smiling too bright as she got a whole air full of that same noxious smell as before.

Coughing, Evangeline had to turn away to compose herself. She took a moment to straighten back up and go back in front of Fantasia with a look of fury smitten among her face. Yet, before she had a second to utter a word, Fantasia did not hesitate to motion inside the room,

"I believe we have some business to talk about, Evangeline … or should I say Tarnua."