The Elixir

~Blood Draw

Privilege, Vieva decides as she drags her hairbrush through her ash blond hair one fine morning, is a gift, select in its choices. It's only given to those with the utmost potential and power. It says much about the person who wields it.

Vieva Bestel often contemplates thoughts such as the philosophy of privilege, for who is she if not knowledgeable and valued? Sure, she may have enough wealth to get her top marks in each and every class, but where's the fun in that? She prides herself on being known as the best of the best, without the aid of her father's ever-multiplying piles of coin.

Satisfied with the way her shimmering silver hair falls, she flounces out of her room and down the grand staircase. The Bestel Manor is known to be the most beautiful of all the five regions, it's splendor only outweighed by that of the Ruxnorth Castle.

The castle she'll be living in soon enough. A ferocious determination spears through her. Today might just be the most important of her life. The Ruxnorth Academy of the Magics might just be the most prestigious school in the mage world, the school she's dreamed about attending for years. Today is registration and she cannot be late; honor dictates the majority of her actions and being tardy does not speak well of oneself. After all, it's been drilled in her from a ripe age that dishonoring the family name is worse than death itself.

"Morning, my lady," a creaky old housemaid squeaks, her ratty gray locks gathered over one shoulder. Vieva's lip curls up of its own accord. She's asked Father multiple times why he won't replace some of the more elderly servants in the household, but he told her that he plans to use them until they lay on their deathbed. Her father is a master at preserving riches.

Vieva says nothing as she brushes past the spindly old woman. She sees no reason to appeal to the woman. Her boots click against the shiny black marble floors of the corridors. Vieva's quite content without company, as that is how she spends much of her evenings. Memorizing facts, history, technique, training. Sometimes she reads with her mother, or spars with her cousin. But usually, the Bestel family retreat to their personal requirements and don't see each other for most of the day.

It's a lonely existence, but Vieva has nothing to complain about.

She pulls the large black oak doors open. Her father loves black and wears it every day. Vieva thinks it makes him look like a panther, coiled and ready to strike. It's a viable definition. The residents of the Bestel manor sit in various seats at the elongated dining table. Caedric, her cousin, smiles briefly at her before continuing to gnaw at his roll. Her aunt Mavena primly watches as she takes her seat. Auntie hardly approves of anything Vieva does, but why should she care about one woman? Aunt Mavena's husband died of some disease years ago, and since the estate goes to Caedric, Mother invited the two of them to live here.

Mother hardly acknowledges her when Vieva takes her seat, yet that is nothing new. To her, Vieva is yet another ornament she can dress up and show off. Her mother, Eissa Bestel, had been known region-wide as a first class beauty, and only a blind man can't see why.

Father, on the other hand, stares broodingly at the morning paper, thick brows crumpling as he eyes the articles. He's a quiet man, using words only when he must. It gives him an air of wisdom, makes him seem older than he truly is.

"Vieva, darling, are you really wearing that to registration today?" Auntie prods in a syrupy sweet voice. After living with Aunt Mavena for years, Vieva has easily picked out her body language. When she uses that tone, it's usually to hide an insult. Vieva's only ever heard her use it when her father is in the room. He gives no indication he can hear but responds anyways.

"I don't see the problem, Mavena," he speaks slowly, jarring. Each word cuts like a knife.

"She is representing the Bestel line, Jonan, and I think it's best she dresses like so. Surely that old thing cannot be the most expensive she owns?"