Cloak and Scalpel

ABERLEEN ARC: Merry-Go-Round of Life

The hallways of Castle Aberleen were deserted by the time Aamon and I returned. Only the black armor-clad guards prowled the hallways, keeping constant vigilance. They offered Aamon bows of deep respect as we passed, and he gave them a polite nod of the head in acknowledgement.

"Where are we going?" I asked as he led me down a passageway I'd never seen. He turned down a dimly lit corridor at the end of which was a set of elegant stairs that led to a suite of rooms.

"You'll see," he said as he held my hand tightly in his.

He opened one of the doors, and ushered me through.

My first impression was that he'd led us into a fishbowl. The three walls of the room as well as the ceiling were made of thick glass that provided an unobstructed view of the starry night sky above us, the city of Aberleen below, and the vast plains of Avalor beyond. Creeping flowering vines dotted the glass walls and ceiling, and potted plants were arranged artistically throughout the room. And amid all the greenery, furniture covered by white cloth were scattered around. It was probably a room that hadn't seen much use. Despite that, the plants flourished, the glass walls and ceiling were polished to a high shine, and there wasn't a layer of dust anywhere. Though not used, the room had been well maintained.

"What is this place?" I asked, unable to keep the awe from my voice as I glanced up at the starry skies above us.

I felt Aamon's fingers tightening around mine as he led me to the far end of the room, towards a set of double glass doors that led out to a balcony beyond. "The sunroom," he said, glancing back at me. "It was a haven that my mother created for my father when she noted how heavy the burdens of the duchy were weighing on him. Her magic keeps the plants in perpetual bloom."

"Wow," I said, glancing at all the covered furniture. One, in particular, caught my eye. It looked like a grand piano hidden beneath the white sheets. "Pianos exist in this world, too, huh?"

The corner of his lips quirked in amusement. "Yes, they do," he said as he ushered me out the double doors and onto the balcony beyond.

"What are we doing here?" I asked, tilting my head up at him.

"The grand finale," he said, smirking at me as he led me towards the railings of the balcony.

Oh. Cici's grand finale, as he mentioned earlier.

And then, a spark went off in the distance. Pink at first. Followed by red and blue sparks as fireworks lit up the dim skies above Aberleen, all originating from the clock tower in the city square.

My eyes widened.

"Wow," I breathed as I leaned on the balcony railing, watching the fireworks explode in a sparkling array of color and light. One after another, the skies of Aberleen were lit up with a dazzling display of fireworks.

"She really does know how to put on a show," I mused, leaning my chin on my palm. I chuckled. "You know, she's a bit more hyper than Gusion at this point."

Aamon leaned on the railing beside me, draping an arm casually across my shoulders. "In a way, I suppose," he said thoughtfully.

The fireworks cast the city in a sparkling light and I glanced up at him. "I'm curious...how did you two become friends?"

"It began with Marbas and Foras, strangely," he said, drawing me tightly to his side. "My father felt guilt over the other elders' attempts to...execute Cici and her aunt Mimi for the rebellion. He tasked me with ensuring that they were not left destitute when they were exiled from Aberleen. He instructed me to be discreet about it, since he did not want to be seen aiding and abetting instigators of rebellion. Still, my father had a soft heart. I have known Cici since she was five. And when she returned to Aberleen for her first performance two years ago..."