The Archress [HOLD]

VII

Ice.

Somehow, the melting water seeping into the seat cushion was even more stunning than Thea rummaging through Armia's mind. How could something so... impossible be happening right in front of her very eyes?

Suddenly, the door burst open. A redhead girl wearing a familiar white tunic and muddy brown trousers flew in. No sound came from her as she stalked in the room and looked around, whispering things under her breath until finally, her attention landed on a shell-shocked Armia.

"Archress?" she breathed, taking a hesitant step toward Armia, her face in awe as if she couldn't believe what stood in front of her. Instinctively, Armia whipped her head backwards which resulted in her loosing her balance. She stumbled, and the redhead girl lunged to catch her.

"Are you okay? You've been away for so long, and you came back so suddenly! Did you Beam here?"

Armia took a steadying breath and stood in her own. First the picture, then the cloaked men, then Thea, then the ice, and now this. As far as she knew, this was all just an idea nuanced dream. Had she been poisoned or drugged recently? It was hard to tell since the last semi-normal event landed her in a tree.

"Who are you?" Armia asked.

"You don't remember? Wait, of course you wouldn't. It has been quite some time, hasn't it? I'm called Sain."

Sain. Now that Armia had a name for her, she began to look over the other girl like she should've done with Rhohan and Thea. Sain's hair was a deep, dark red, the color of blood. Her face was soft and young-looking, but her eyes darted around to every other space except for Armia.

"Why wouldn't I know who you are?" Armia asked suspiciously. "And do you know who I am?"

Sain gulped and her eyes widened. "N-no reason. It's just that you've been gone for so long--nineteen years, I think--and everybody is different after th-the-the..." She shivered. "C-C-C-Cloak-k-king."

The Cloaking? Armia internally sighed. This was going to be an experience. "Can you explain what the Cloaking is?"

Sain gave Armia such a heart wrenching look if fear that she began to feel bad. "Archress, surely you would know. I-I-I can't speak ab-b-bout it. The Cl-clo-cloaks stop it. I'm sorry." Sain burst into tears.

"Shh," the older girl hushed. An idea began to smoke in her mind. "Sain, thank you for telling me. It was very helpful. But I only have one more thing to ask of you, and it's easy. Can you handle it?"

Sain nodded her small head.

Armia continued, "Do you have any paintings or portraits of mine from...before? It would be very helpful."

"Yes, we might have some of your paintings. And a few of the old bows. Would you want those, too?"

Armia could only nod. Obviously, Sain believed that she was here before, or someone like her. She was definitely not from this place, her innocence and child-like features said that much. And as Sain wiped away her tears and slipped out of the door--which was never closed from when she came in--something occurred to Armia: She never asked why the girl had burst in to begin with.

• • •

Sain hurried out of the Archress' suite and into the dark and silent halls, trying not to think of how different the Archress was ever since she had returned.

Of course, everyone was different after the Cloaking, but their atmospheres had always stayed to same, more or less. It was Sain's Charm to feel the essence of the people around her. Even though she was only eleven years old, knowing people's intentions before they themselves knew had saved her life more times than she could count. It had certainly come in handy when she wanted extra break time or needed an excuse. Sain supposed her Charm was like mind reading, except it was more emotional. When there was enough atmospheric "waves," as she liked to call them, she could twist and bend them so that they could send off different emotions. Of the handful of people who knew about Sain's Charm, they all said she had a more complex hold over it than most full grown adults who had spent their whole lives mustering theirs. Only Sain knew that the only reason that was so was because she had a little help.

"Attic," a voice whispered from behind her.

Sain jumped and froze for a second, before quickly ducking behind a framed painting and into a hidden servants' tunnel. A soft pitter-patter followed behind her as she ignored the spiral of steps that led downward into the kitchens and cells, instead choosing to deftly climb up the curved and crumbling walls surrounding her. She heard whispered cursing and felt whoever was below her's frustration. Finally, Sain made it to the next floor and slipped through a hand-dug hole that announced her arrival to the empty attic of Flendarian Castle.

"Dower?" Sain asked as she felt the presence of the invisible Beast follow her through the hole.

"Are you sure that was her?" it asked, cutting straight to the chase like always.

Sain sighed and nodded. "I though that the Archress would remember me. Or you, since you two were bonded."

Dower pulled itself up and placed it next to Sain. Even though the girl couldn't see it--the Beast bonded to the great and legendary Archress, stronger than anything in this world, a mystery that no man had ever come close to solving--it's presence was welcome.

"Little girl, that was not the Archress," Dower said. "I thought you would know the difference between your sister and your niece."