As the night faded and morning seeped in through the higan trees, an uncustomary silence had fallen upon the perfumery.

And the only sound within were of soft and hurried footfalls, as figures in courtly whites and delicate satin emerged through the perfumery doors, following  their master akin to a flock of meekly doves.

At the beginning of the border street, a great black carriage awaited their departure. Though an object of intrigue to many, none dared to entertain their musings. And Asael thought that it was a sight too sour to be seen at dawn, for they were pulled by the grotesque and long faced horse creatures he had seen during the parade of blessings. And it was with a fearful heart that he climbed aboard it’s decadent innards. 

The jostling carriage fell upon the highborn city. And he found it unlike to any place he had seen. The silver mountains of Araya or the wakeful borders of Ahsara. It was quiescent and golden.The morning sun glimmered along undisturbed stone paths and ceased behind vast manors and orchards beside the roads.

And by their roofs and steps lingered persons in shimmering robes and colours so vibrant even fashions of Lilia’s choosing fell to shame. And within the streets none spoke louder than a whisper, and of whispers there were many, trailing behind them greedily as the carriage drew south towards the palace.

And at its east gates an umber clad figure awaited their arrival. The sentry,  was a grey faced stout fellow.  And behind him lay closed many gates of golden, jade and vermillion. But through these they did not walk, instead the sentry pointed west towards a much smaller gate, hidden within a wall of flowers, that grew north where its blossoms shined on a path above their heads.

From the back of the company Asael’s gaze lifted and fell upon a clear blue sky, a rivulet of cold air pressed against him and brought with it the scent of a thousand flowering fields and shimmering clouds, for they sublime and spirited, cold and impressive. 

“ Incense” said Ara. Walking beside him, she held his hand warmly in hers, “ It seems to be the praying hour” 

Asael then softly closed his eyes. 

The night before, an unfortunate reality had befallen him. One he had not thought to ever encounter. Why was he in this state of injury and misfortune taken to be a minstrel? He could not play nor dance to any tune, and his visage broken and weary was a sight unpleasant for those who sought pleasure and company. Yet Borun had insisted that the merfolk be chosen at his insistent discretion. And it was only at Asael’s dissuasion that Lilia had heeded the order at last. For he did not wish to bring trouble upon those who had nursed him back to life. 

And so from the river to the sea he fell and found that he could no longer wade its perilous waters.

He was weary and made no reply to Ara.

They continued to weave through various paths and made so many turns that at their end, one could no longer tell whether it was the sky or earth that lay below them.

When at last they emerged through a curtain of wisteria,  Asael saw before them a  forest of blooming redwoods. And between them rose to the sky a great pavilion, It’s crimson visage seeping through the forest akin to a river under the fading sun. 

“ This way. . .” the sentry gestured, “ The deputy minister awaits your arrival” 

Then they were escorted through a vast and vacant passage into an antechamber.  In its midst sat Borun, clad in glimmering shades of obsidian and jade. Many felt that such glory was  misplaced on his withering figure and Ara bowed her head in mirth, placing muffled laughter into her palms.

Asael patted her back in warning, “ Now is not the time..”

He did not know what perils lay hidden beneath the flowering eaves of the enemy palace, and so he did not dare to so much as breathe erroneously.

“ Lady Lilia of the perfumery!” Borun bellowed, and as he stood up, pushed away an empty cup of tea. It clattered to the ground and spilled needlessly.


“ Deputy minister” Lilia bowed and the disciples followed.


“ Now what a sight to see such beauties in the palace! Dare I say even the sun is shining brighter today!”

Lilia’s expression twisted but she could only bow in regret. “ We hope to find you well sir. . . I have brought five disciples, chosen at your discretion”

Borun’s eyes twinkled and flickered past the three faces at front and fell on Asael. And he unabashedly approached the merfolk and placed an eager finger against the pallid face.

“ Very well then!” He turned to Lilia, and as he did so Ara swiftly took out a handkerchief and began to wipe at Asael’s face.

“ Tsk!” She hissed, “ Disgusting bastard”

Asael smiled and thankfully accepted the treatment for even he felt that Borun’s touch was quite greasy and  void of good intention.

For awhile Borun spoke to Lilia in eager whispers and as they did, the lady’s gaze swept the room and fell regretfully upon Asael. 

“ He is injured” Lilia pleaded, “ and is unpracticed in instrument and dance, little can he do within the ceremony. I urge the minister to reconsider”


Borun swatted his arms, “ What nonsense! In song and dance he may be lacking but in beauty he is not. . . to stand beside the third prince Nevernrya during the choosing ceremony, such honor does not befall just anyone. Do you dare to decline?”

Lilia exhaled in complaint, “ I dare not disobey the minister’s orders . . . as long as the child be left unharmed”


“ No harm shall come to him who stands under my wing” Borun laughed heartily, “ Now the minstrels residences have been prepared, take the children and may you get some good rest before night falls!”

Lilia stood up and approached her disciples and for a moment held Asael’s face in her hands. 

Leaving the pavilion, they saw a beside it another smaller pavilion, and upon its feet sat various persons singing to tunes of harp and setar. 

“ Minstrels!” Gasped a person from their company, “ I thought there would not be any”


Then at the head Lilia spoke softly, “ It is natural to invite entertainers from all land for a royal betrothal . . . it is an honor to be invited here. Now don’t make trouble and follow me”


The eager heads of the disciples fell low and for awhile they walked in silence. 

The morning passed wearily as they sat idly beneath the redwood trees dispersed about the gardens. As ones without status or affiliation only the courtyard containing them was reachable. Yet the disciples did not mind it, for they swiftly made friends with others like them. 

At moon dawn came a messenger of the ritual pavilion, and they followed the lady into the gardens.


Now on the swept soil several flags had been hoisted, and to the westside lay an ensemble of musicians and to the right swayed gently dancing minstrels. In its midst with veils upon their faces stood others like them. They gathered about a pearl throne, resembling vaguely a diving being standing iridescently under the moon.

And deep into the night went the fastening and faltering feet about the gardens. And at its end, the songs played to a tune were broken and mended many times, and the feet of the dancing minstrels drew blood across the white sand.

And when morning came they were once more escorted to a grand chamber, and there waited royal seamstresses bearing  robes and veils of various colour, of cerise lush and shy, and yellows of blooming forsythias. But a select few, those attending the choosing ceremony were clothed wholly in white. Asael was amongst them. 

But the seamstresses sighed in regret at his injured body and marred face, wondering why among numerous others he was chosen to stand beside the fair prince Nevernrya. And for the first time since his arrival Asael felt shame seep  deeply within him. And he wished to be swathed in a cold blanket and peer at the world through an embroidered slit.

Asael took a deep breath and steadied his faltering step. This much he wanted to do for Lilia. So that his heart may rest easy even if he does not live to see Araya once more. His body staggered at each breath and his mind slipped often, and he knew that his end was nearing. It had been his last hope to retrieve his little wisp but Serein’s eyes had refused to heed his cries.

He felt a weightlessness in his robes. As they arrived at the palace the little bird had departed. Where it had gone to Asael did not know. But he hoped it would come back to him, as he found great relief in its small presence. 

And come night he huddled close to Ara and slept very poorly. For he had spent hours by an open window awaiting the return of his little companion. And in these moments of despair he ached terribly for the fallen wisp and the fate of Araya.

For  it was only by those bearing the blue moon wisp that moon elixirs could be brewed. If it had been alive at the time of his waking,  by now it would have died. And upon finding that it did little to lighten shadows fallen upon Drugar it would have perished either way.





The little wisp, that which had kept the shadows corruption at bay through its healing. Yet as long as Astara remains alive and a child bearing a blue moon wisp is birthed the Nimyi shall be saved. Asael felt his middle and felt a terrible loneliness. Though with this failing body he would never live to birth or see such children. And so he placed this burden on fate. 

But still he could not help but hope. If only during the choosing ceremony he comes to meet the crown prince of Drugar and find that his wisp still remained alive, then all this misfortune shall fall short. And it was for this reason he did not mind Borun’s scheming. Even though he did not believe that rare and precious as merfolk may be that, a man on the eve of one’s betrothal would spare glances to any but his beloved.

At the first light of dawn Lilia arrived, carrying in her arms bandages and ointment.  It had been a day since their arrival at the palace and it was only now that Lilia was able to spare time to tend to him. Like Serein, she remained  unchanged in times of haze and turmoil. Asael did not understand this calmness but relied greatly upon it.


“ This shall all be over in two days time” She said as she unwrapped his wounds.

“ So soon?” Asked Asael. 

“ Yes. It seems that his highness the crown prince of Drugar is in poor health ”  Lilia’s voice fell to a whisper, “and wishes for a hasty betrothal. That deputy minister told me”

“ He’s fallen ill?” Asael's gaze widened and he fell silent, “ I see”


His memory swept across a shadow by the bleak winter border. Standing tall and menacing within the blinding snow. It was all he had known of the Drugan prince. He couldn’t imagine such a man vulnerable.  but he had not expected him to fall in love either. Either way… he sighed. . . strong men too fall victim to illness and death. As such was life. 

Lilia watched him with interest and said. “ I troubled you so much and you’ve made no complaint. If I had known that old miser had his sights on you I would never have brought you here!”

Asael smiled and shook his head“ I am willing to do this much for the lady, so it is no trouble”

Lilia sighed regretfully, “ You shouldn’t feel as if you owe me. And you’ve been so kind to everyone. Ara’s more lively now and we have had little trouble at the perfumery. Since you came I feel it’s me that owes you”

Asael smiled and nodded, he did not agree. But there was little need to refute. Instead he placed his palms upon her lap and sat obediently as the bandages were tied.

But Lilia threw her hands up in despair, “ This is needless torture. Once we leave for the perfumery I shall hide you away so that no lecher may set their sights upon you”

Asael laughed lightly and felt a burst of blood seep within his robes. 

“ I doubt there will be any trouble of that kind” He said, “ The seamstresses were greatly disappointed that I should stand near their prince” 

“ Tch. . . Those wenches, as beautiful as his highness prince Nevernrya may be, there is a certain ethereality about Isehyn that only you bear. You must stand proud” Lilia pat his hair and wrapped  a warm outer robe over him. 

It was heavy and rough, and it reminded Asael of home, the perfumery. And it was much more easy on his skin than the velvet of the palace robes. He pressed his nose within and inhaled, feeling the weight of his worries dissipate.

“ Come now” Lilia urged, “ You’ve exhausted yourself. The preparations may begin early morning, you should get some rest while you still can” 

She walked him back to the dormitories, where Ara was collapsed in exhaustion and was fast asleep. He looked at her bleeding feet and felt poorly about the Ahsaran royal family.

 Betrothals among the Nimyi were quiet affairs, one without glamour or interest. When they had been summoned to the palace, he thought that the rituals of Ahsara may not be much different from back home. But regretfully he had been wrong.

“ I’ve brought a small lamp for you. . . it isn’t too bright but I hope it will do”  Lilia gestured to a small opal torch placed beside his pillow.

Asael looked to her and felt tears gather in his eyes again, “ Lady Lilia. . . thank you”

Lilia shook her hand in dismissal and placed a hand atop his head, “ It is no trouble. . .”

She gently tucked him in and uncovered the torch, bathing the small room in soft light.

“ Now sleep well you two” She spoke softly, placing gentle kisses atop their heads. 

As the door closed, Asael gently pulled the warm quilt over Ara and laid beside her.

From the room over, heard a soothing lullaby in Lilia’s voice. For a moment a lone figure atop the Isryx mountains flashed before his eyes. And he wondered where Astara was, how Arelle and Neven were doing. 

As his breath evened, he stared past the glassy windows, gathering tendrils of mist along them. In the distant an undulating aurora stretched over the night, softly and gently his eyes fluttered close. And that night Asael slept peacefully.