Elemental Thief Part I : Child of Calamity

Sacrifices: Darya

Darya watched the sun shifting lower on the horizon as she paced her room and slowly dressed for the coronation ball that would see the end of the festivities for the beginning of Queen Akina's reign. Not that activity within the capital would be anything but exciting afterwards. Already there were ships of all sorts from all over the island going through the application process to volunteer for the Clairvalan navy, and fighters from around the country were signing up in droves.

Tisaso was balancing a need for effective maritime patrols with ensuring that capable and trustworthy crews were being trusted with the task of the unknown.

Word had come from Dromea that beyond them, islands were going silent and ships were going missing, though they still held on to their own independence and their ambassador was confident that the island nation would be fine.

Darya had spent most of the morning and early afternoon on the Calamity with her crew, listening to a debate about the merits of joining into the fight, then finally giving her own thoughts on the matter. When the crew had asked for an anonymous poll to be taken, she had left them to it. Though she'd made her decision on the matter, she had left the ultimate choice up to them, as they had not joined the Calamity to be soldier-sailors. They weren't cowards, and they were some of the best fighters at sea that she knew, but they were free, and signing into service, risking their lives and trusting commanders they might meet face to face, was something else to ask of them.

"Captain..." A soldier from Morningside's first knocked on the door that was open, holding a letter. "This came from your ship."

Darya paused mid-stepped and took in a breath before striding over to them and taking the sealed envelope. "Thank you. I think the guard assignments have been decided for the ball today. They're trying to keep everything low key."

"We're waiting here. The halls and ballrooms are guarded." The woman nodded, before offering a bow and turning out through the door.

Darya watched the empty doorway for a long moment before slowly opening the letter and reading the words from her crew. They didn't surprise her, and for the moment, Darya didn't seek what that decision felt like for her. The feeling didn't rush to the surface either way, as if this decision had no real import, so she turned away from it and put the letter on her desk and finished dressing.

Formal clothing, designed to look far fancier than she needed, in the Morningside colours, but allowing her to move and fight if she had to, Darya was thankful that the security measures allowed her to wear her swords. Though a small voice in the back of her mind reminded her that most everyone else would be wearing swords as well.

By the time she made her way through the palace hallways to the main ballroom, she was late enough that everyone had already entered and the music was playing. The sound of talking was a low hum under the instruments that echoed as two ceremonial guards opened the doors for her and she stepped into the large room.

It was lined with columns, with floor to ceiling windows along both walls, looking out over the sea, which sparkled with starlight as the sky turned a deep blue. The crowd was thick, with people gathering in groups along the outskirts of the ballroom, between the columns, leaving the dance floor free for those few who were moving to the music. Servants moved through the crowds with platters filled with glasses of wine or food, and armed guards lined the walls between the windows.

Darya stepped onto the foot of a sculpture to raise her height another foot and a half, allowing her to take in most of the room over the heads of others.

Along the far wall, there was a row of tapestries that were hung between the columns, obscuring the entrances for the servants and guards as they made their rounds. The stairs, Darya knew from exploring this room prior to the ball, would lead down into the kitchens or to hallways that allowed people to move through the back of the palace to other rooms unseen in the main hallways.