Of Thorns and Glamour

Destined Future

The air between us feels stifled as Inchiki continues, "I know as a fact that there will be another war, and you will be destroyed due to it if you do not heed my words." He explains and my eyebrows raise as deep unsettling dread fills me. "You are to be married soon, yes?" I nod my head slowly and glance away, "This is a pointless endeavor, and your mother has been influenced by powerful magic to go along with it." I think back to her golden snakes curled along her ears. "I cannot say much more, but you need to leave here, as soon as possible." He stands up, "The good news is I am willing to help you, if you trust me."

I finally try to speak, "Why? What do you have to gain?" My own voice small but still tries to take control.

Finally he speaks again as he looks back at me, "I have nothing to gain, but the future I see doesn't change often. I defy it as best I can when I know I can change it, but you are the definition of that hope Lilliume. You are the cumulation of mortals hopes and dreams. You are the shooting stars and the silent wishes that come with them. You will be more powerful than your parents before you, if you survive  that is. That is what I have seen, as I can see every possibility." His hands open in front of me dramatically and his mouth forms a wide grin. Madness shows a bit through his eyes, "It is not always precise but this future that I have foretold will come to bare fruit if you wish for it." 

I fall back against the chair, feeling overwhelmed by the weight of Inchiki's words. Realizing I had been hoping for my days to change, regretting my monkey paw of a wish, but I have heard of the trickster oracle before. Usually I would hear of a him in whispers of the servants rumors that I would listen to intently, wanting to gather whatever information my parents don't give. I don't fully believe him, but somewhere deep in me feels like there are some truths in what he says, especially where my power comes from. He gives me another intense look from head to toe and I feel slightly exposed." Do as you will with my information, but know that getting married to some lesser god will not go well for you." He walks toward the door and puts his mask back onto his face easily, as if he has done it a thousand times. "If you ever need to call upon for me, just knock thrice on this door, preferably on this side of the room. It is the only door I was able to get a hold of." I start to ask him a question on why I would ever call upon him, but he is through the door and gone from my sight. Quickly I get up and run to the door, bursting into the hallway, looking left and right to see the guards standing vigilant.

I look at one of them frantically, "You didn't see him?" I ask, and he gives me a strange look. "Never mind, tell the tailor they can find me in my room," I tell them, trying to calm myself and not allow the guards a chance to ask who I was speaking of. I walk a brisk pace and go straight down the hall before they can say anything else. I reach my bedroom door and close it behind me, leaning back against it. Finally I let the words wash over me, and I start to feel completely overwhelmed. I fall to my knees and hold my head in my hands. Where do I even start with that information, do I just ignore it and hope that isn't the case. I hold my hands in front of me thinking they're going to show me something about myself that I have never known. They don't and I just laugh quietly to myself, and stand up startled when I hear a knock on my door.

"Young Miss, I'm here for your tailoring." I turn around and pat down my dress and fix a few stray strands from my hair. If they must be worried about my looks they can assume its because of the marriage, and not that a trickster oracle came to me to give me knowledge of my future.

I allow them inside and they make quick work of my measurements and leave me, and I was soon called upon to come to dinner. I usually just eat dinner on my own or sometimes with the staff as they find that I shouldn't be alone so much as I am. This time it was of course with my mother and father and my uncle from my father's side. He was always my favorite, as he would spoil me and listen to my complaints. He looked a little frazzled this time with his dark feathered hair a little disarrayed. His familiar, a white crow with bright blue eyes that match his own, took roast on a statue behind him. It cocked its head as I made eye contact with it. My eyes soon drifted to my father, who looked stoic as always with very little amount of emotion on his face. Mother looked over at me and moved some hair behind my pointed ears, "My dear, did the tailor take your measurements?" I gesture my head to confirm with my mouth tight as I wanted to scream at her she is under some kind of mind control, but I knew it would be a fruitless endeavor and she left it at that.