Ethereal - Through Rose Colored Glasses

Chapter 1

The things we do for the ones we love. And the things we do for them when they're dead. It could move mountains, dry oceans and in the case of Adela make her step her foot in the land she had sworn never to come to.

Just a few hours ago she had been standing at the foot of a carriage, leaving her mother who stood there behind her hands clasped and mouth shut tight. The crowds that moved along the busy street gave one last warning glare at Adela - telling her not to leave her mother alone. 

She had turned to look at her mother one last time, her chest tight with guilt. Guilt of abandoning her father and causing his death, and now the guilt of leaving her mother. 

Could I cause her to die? She suddenly thought 

The air was humid and thick, choking Adela more with the unshed tears. It's not like she wanted to leave, she had to, she had to find out what had killed her father. But nonetheless it was hard going away from the place she had been in for her entire life. 

"Darling the coachman is waiting." Her mother urged, seeing Adela transfixed on the steps and just staring at her. 

And at that moment seeing her mother standing tall and holding back her tears, Adela burst into her tears and ran back to where she felt safest. Her mother's features softened as she embraced her daughter, laughing to cheer her up a bit. 

She was questioning everything. She had promised her father many many things, but the one he had emphasized the most was to never go to Danica, even if he died. And three weeks after, he was found dead in the palace of the happiest place on the continent. 

Maybe there's a reason he wanted me to stay away. She mused

"It's just a job isn't it?" Her mother teased. "You were always going to live your own life sometime, weren't you?" 

The job. The non-existent job that she came up with to let her mother let her leave. Everyone had work to do right? She was almost a hundred percent sure she would get work quickly, so there was no reason to worry her mother too much.

Her mother released her and ran her hand over Adela's long black hair which mirrored her own. "Remember, do not offend mages, act civilized and most of all do not question anything."

She could feel the intensity in her mother's eye, the silent plea not to make her lose any more people to Danica. Adela nodded slowly knowing already that she would break almost all the warnings that her mother just issued. 

Adela turned and walked into the carriage, waving at her mother who whispered a 'may the gods protect you' as the coachman drew on his powers to create winds that launched the carriage and horses into the air, gliding on the current until everyone below turned to little dots. 

And soon Adela was at the gated border of Danica, heart racing and palms sweaty and she realized that she had just come to an empire with almost zero stability or idea where she was going. She blew out a breath and stepped out while the coachman handed her suitcase. 

She looked nervously at the watchtowers infused with obsidian and the mages and knights that walked round the circles and looked at the people that entered and left. Adela gulped and steeled her nerves, walking past them and into the empire. 

Adela had heard many stories about Danica from the young men in Naia, all gleaming with hopes of one day stepping into the most acclaimed of the three kingdoms in the entire continent. Now, Danica had many names, most self acclaimed, but the one everyone could agree with was 'The one that outshines the sun'. Adela stood fixed on a spot looking in awe at the sight before, building and roads made with precious jewels, mages playing with their powers, flames dancing from a random school child's fingers and random people smiling and walking with gowns and suits infused with gold and silver and dusted with diamonds. Danica was the definition and over-the-top, and they loved it, smiling and flaunting their happiness in people's faces. Someone could practically choke on happiness and Adela could feel the urge to smile just by looking at the people.