Sora's Quest

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Sora looked in the mirror, staring at the swirls of face paint and the long, layered, elaborate dress. It was burnt pink, a shade too close to her skin tone, with sparkles and sequins. Several crystals were sewn expertly into the neckline.

“It's hideous,” she finally said, tugging at the long, ruffled skirt.

“No!” her handmaid, Lily, burst from her side. “No, not at all! It's... decorative. You're beautiful.”

“I look like smoked salmon.”

“My Lady....”

“Honestly, Lily?” Sora turned to look at her maid, one sleek blond eyebrow quirked. The expression bordered on comical, exaggerated by her gold-flaked eyebrow paint, which arched dramatically across her forehead. She hadn't been able to touch her face all day. The artisans had come that morning to paint her skin in rich, deep tones, all in preparation for the Blooming. It had taken hours to apply. “I don't want to go through with this,” she said. “I've never had a birthday party before. Why start now?”

Lily opened her mouth, but she appeared speechless.

Sora turned to face her fully, her solid blue eyes lit with sudden opportunity. “Let's cut out, Lily!”

“What?”

“Leave the ball! Forget the Blooming! Let's just go!” Her eyes returned to the mirror, to the thin gold clay that caked her face, the silvery powder overlaying her cheeks. “I've never gone to town before,” she murmured. “It's my birthday, isn't it? Let's go exploring.”

Lily, a frail young woman with bobbed black hair, seemed rigid at first, like a ruffled swan. Then her shoulders slowly melted. Her face softened. Her long, pale neck lost its tension. She took her mistress gently by the arm, turning her toward the vanity, perhaps the least decorative article in the room. It was broad and antique, standing on four solid oak legs, the bases carved to appear like lion's feet.

Sora's bedroom was large enough to house several families. A rich, heavy rug covered the floor, a deep rouge, far more vibrant and beautiful than her salmon-pink dress. It was thicker than grass and softer than wool. A massive bed took up an entire corner of the room, enclosed by red drapes, decorated in smooth silks, thick furs and a dozen pillows, all of the softest goose down. Her furniture was ornately carved of dark cherry wood and most of it had been passed down for generations. Frivolous silks clung to every surface. Intricately detailed tapestries covered the walls, portraying outdoor tea parties, great hunts, dashing hounds and a giant, rearing stallion.

“It's not just a birthday party, you know,” her handmaid said, assisting Sora into her chair. Lily was five years older and knew her mistress' moods as surely as the weather. She undid Sora's hair, a cascade of deep golden waves, and combed it out with a boar-bristle brush. “Your father has been preparing for this all year. He's invited half the royal court and almost the entire Second Tier.”

“Second Tier, that's fine. I am one, after all,” Sora murmured, rolling her eyes. “Country Nobility I don't mind. It's the City Nobles that I can't stand. Snooty gossips, the lot of them. I hope they don't show.”