A formal invitation from House Araullo arrived at the Moonarc suite about an hour later. The invitation was for the following afternoon, which meant that Canelle would have to spend another day following Valkom and his lady friend around. The one thing that mollified her dismay, was the fact that they were going into town.

Gaidos, because of the era of its establishment, was built with wagons in mind. Dofev, being an older city, was not. Travel in the inner city was limited to walking because the streets were too narrow for wagons. The squire thought it heightened the experience, so she wasn't upset to learn this. Dofev was a city with centuries of rich culture, offering endless things to see and admire.  

Their group was walking past a flower shop when Lior dropped her hand on Canelle’s shoulder, stopping her. She eyed the taller woman’s hand and then the shop before them. 

At first glance, there was nothing unusual about the shop. They had walked past various flower shops, and this one was not any different from the others.

“We should grab a wreath.” Lior said, squinting and peering through the windows. “Sorry, they’re not called that. I couldn’t think of a fitting translation. They’re arrangements made of fresh fruits and vegetables. You bring them as a gift when you visit someone for the first time here. It’s a hospitality thing. Something about wishing your hosts good health.” 

She led her through the doorway and into the quaint shop. The jingle of a bell announced their entrance to a man behind the counter. He stood up and spoke in Dofec… to which Lior responded promptly, also in Dofec. 

Canelle felt her facial muscles contort into the stupidest face. No amount of will power could save her. She hadn’t expected Liorit to speak Dofec.

Valkom spoke it well, and when they were traveling he and his companion did most of the talking. All in all, it wasn’t far-fetched. Lior had extensive knowledge about the culture and mentioned traveling to Dofev previously. 

Seeing her infamous charm in action, on the other hand, compelled Canelle to shrink into herself. She wanted to study Lior without throwing her off with her presence. 

The noblewoman didn’t flirt with the man. The form in which she spoke resembled the way Bahar spoke to Canelle. As if Canelle was her equal or even a friend. Watching Lior have a genuine conversation made her long for the same thing. A ridiculous thought, Lior would never see Canelle as an equal. 

The man brought out two arrangements. Setting sight on them, the squire could see why her employer had referred to them as ‘wreaths’. The fruits and vegetables were braided, by their branches and leaves, into an oval shape. Lior explained that they were used as centerpieces on tables.

She motioned to the wreaths. “Which one do you like?” 

Canelle stepped forward and reviewed the two wreaths. She was missing the whole context of the custom, but wished to pick one Bahar would enjoy. The first had only red and purple fruits. Some that she recognized and others that were completely foreign to her. The second one consisted of squashes and other yellow-golden vegetables. Preferring fruit to vegetables, she picked the first.

Lior didn’t contest her selection and paid the man for the arrangement. She told Canelle that she could be the one to give it to Bahar. A statement that Canelle interpreted as: ‘You’re going to have to carry that for the rest of the day’.

She was in too good a mood to protest. Lior didn’t have to tell Canelle about the custom, nor necessarily pay for the wreath. And as the day went on, they were only getting closer to seeing Dietra Bahar again. 

When they returned to their blue tower, sitting at the entrance was a second package from Bahar. Opening it, they found more clothing. The garments had a likeness to what they had been wearing in the country, except they were made of a different material. Much less formal and stiff, yet nicer than anything Canelle had ever owned. The sets were labeled with a cheeky note from the Dietra, two outfits for Canelle and two for Lior. 

 “She’s quite bold isn’t she?” asked Lior, looking at Canelle slightly taken back. 

“Is this not normal here?” 

“Ah, I suppose so,” the woman shrugged. “I’ve met friends of hers, I don’t know why I was under the impression she was the quiet one.”

***

In the morning, Canelle picked the outfit she was going to wear based solely on whether she believed she could put it on. She presumed that the one with fewer pieces would be easier to don. 

A poor judgment, she realized as she wrestled with the pants (or skirt?) of the outfit. After hearing Lior call for her the third time, she relented and admitted to her that she was struggling with her attire. 

Lior laughed at her expense but came into her room to assist her with the task. To further her humiliation, the older woman pointed out that the other option was closer to the style of garments Canelle had been wearing the last couple of days, and would have been easier to slip into as a result. The squire’s frustration was short-lived. She was far too excited about the day ahead to stay annoyed or argue with her. 

They arrived at Bahar’s residence, a connected group of towers, painted in a pink and orange gradient. There were higher number of guards stationed in the area, which contradicted Bahar’s statement from the other evening. She had been adamant that she wasn’t considered royalty, but Canelle wasn’t as dense as she let on. 

From their time in Dofev, she had gathered enough context clues to pick up on certain customs. The towers closest to the main central towers were those in which nobles with higher titles resided. The towers accented with silver and marked with stars and circles were reserved for the general upper class. The towers accented with gold and marked with suns and moons were inhabited by those with direct ties to the governing monarch. The Czitpar? That was what Bahar had called them.

Nevertheless, Bahar’s tower had a gold sun painted on it.

The two guards at the entrance welcomed the two women. The Moonarc suite had the feeling of a temporary residence, much like the rooms in the Court of Gaidos that were reserved for Lior’s family. It didn’t feel like a place of constant habitation or a home. 

Stepping into House Araullo contrasted the Moonarc suite in that regard. It held warmth and familiarity that Canelle didn’t realize she missed until that moment. 

She set her nostalgic longing aside when Bahar entered the main hall.

“Dietra Liorit, Jala Canelle, welcome to House Araullo.” 

She went straight for a hug from each of them, and it eased Canelle’s nerves for many reasons. Firstly, it meant that she was touchy with everyone and not just Canelle. The casualness implied that she didn’t have to worry too much about formalities. 

The clothes Bahar had sent them had told her the same story. The material was a cotton linen blend, and while it was stylish by design, it had no outlandish adornments. The outfit Bahar herself wore was of a similar material. However, her shirt was rather daring in its cut. The short sleeves were wide and came together at the hem of the shirt, leaving her side visible. 

From behind the woman, Lior noticed as well and made a teasing face at Canelle. At best, her teasing would serve as a reminder to not ogle. At worst, this would end horribly and Canelle would be unable to return to Dofev again. 

“We brought you one of these.” She held out the fruit arrangement she had picked out the day before. 

Bahar released a light gasp and took it happily. “You shouldn’t have worried yourselves! You are guests! Regardless, we thank you very much.” She handed the fruit to a ready servant and clapped. “I love pancettos! Have you tried them?” 

“They’re the small round ones,” said Lior, referring to the fruit. 

“Oh, not that I know of.” Canelle had tried many new foods during her stay in Dofev, it was hard to say what she had tried. 

“Ah, very well. I will have the servants prepare some for us upon our return!” She waved the two young women through an archway that opened into a sitting area. “In the meantime, this is Elvia and Onixe. Elvia, Onixe, this is Dietra Liorit and Jala Canelle, the friends I spoke of.”

Lior leaned over to explain that ‘Jala’ was a general term, like ‘Miss.’ or ‘Ms.’

Elvia and Onixe sat on a short couch, each sipping from expensive glassware. Elvia waved and said hello first. Her accent was thicker than Bahar’s and her makeup made Canelle wish she knew more about makeup. Her ensemble was made of dark earthy tones, accented with a light hazel brown that matched her eye color. 

Onixe held a book in her lap, which drew Canelle’s attention. She was small compared to the majority of the locals. But without a doubt, she was taller, if not the same height as her, despite her slender frame. Her face was long, and she wore white thick rimmed glasses that complimented her face shape. 

“Wow,” Elvia’s accent gave that ‘o’ more of a ‘a’ sound. “You were not exaggerating when you say her hair is like fire.” She spoke to Bahar at first, then turned to Lior. “I apologize, I have never laid eyes on hair so bright.” 

Lior smiled with ease and shrugged. She knew exactly how attractive she was, and it took a lot of restraint for Canelle to not roll her eyes at her employer's attempt at modesty. 

“Baha, I didn’t realize when you said you were bringing ‘new friends’ that you spoke of guests from His Highness Valkom’s party. You ought to have mentioned it.” Onixe interjected.

Her voice was light and intelligent. Far more so than Canelle’s. Educated people had a certain way of putting words together. Her own attempts to emulate it were passable at times, but never authentic. 

Bahar laughed at her own lapse in memory.  “Oh, I thought I did mention that, I know I meant to!” 

Onixe stood and stepped forward, holding her hand out for Lior. “I am Nikase’s sister. She traveled with you here. I love hearing about Bevij from her, so you will have to tell me about it.” The dark green eyes, the slim frame, and the way she spoke, held a clear resemblance to Valkom’s ‘friend’, who by now Canelle knew as Lady Nikase, the woman shrouded in ‘mystery’. 

Canelle glanced in question at Liorit, wondering if they had met this sister of Nikase before. It was hard to keep track of the people they had met, as interactions were many and short.

Lior nodded, took Onixe’s hand and shook it. “Yes, I believe we met in passing before dinner on our first night here. Delighted to meet you again. Will you be at the dance your aunt is putting on?” 

“Ah, yes actually. You’ll definitely see us there…”

The conversation continued, Canelle had fallen into the habit of dissociating during formalities. She did her best to focus and pick up their conversational tones, instead of letting her mind wander. Her imagination won in the end, she drifted into a sea of many questions. Wondering if the young women were truly swingers and what that entailed.

Actually nevermind. She was probably better off not knowing. 

Heads turned toward the archway when a servant walked in, pink in the face, and trying to catch her breath. She spoke in Dofec to Bahar, addressing her by name and with an urgent tone, referencing a ‘Dietra Reinar’. Canelle noticed Lior’s brow raise at the name. 

The smile on Bahar’s face dropped and her tone sobered. “Right. I’m sorry ladies, please carry on. I will return shortly, and then we may take our leave.” 

***

Traversing through the Mountains of Nedues had been a grand ordeal: cold, bitter, and brutal. All the same, the mountains themselves were divine. Canelle did not know if she believed in a specific god. But in that moment, vulnerable to the nature of the terrain, she felt the Nedues themselves were gods. 

Despite not traveling in their direction previously, Canelle found comfort in the way they surrounded Bevij. Anywhere, anytime, she could look to the horizon and they would be there, watching the Court of Gaidos from a distance. 

With that in mind, the mountains that surrounded Dofev had their own bullet point in the dictionary under the definition of ‘divine’. 

The mountains had no snow, and the colors of the rocks were colors that Canelle hadn’t known rocks could be. The vibrant reds and pinks, cool greens and blues created a marvelous, unreal, imaginary world. Her brain had to be shooting sparks at the rate it was working to take it all in and commit it to memory. The smell of the trees, the valiance from being present, and the anxiousness from being so high up.