Chapter 7
Sana woke up before the sun as she usually did, only there wasn't much sun to be seen in the misty mornings in the north and she didn't have anyone to prepare breakfast for or press any clothes for her sisters' outings for the day.
Slipping out of the bed, she tugged on the plush burgundy robe hanging on the vanity and slipped her feet into a pair of matching slippers.
She bit her lip, as she eyed the tea kettle beside the fireplace.
Surely, her maids wouldn't find it disrespectful if she made herself some tea and tidied her bed.
She'd leave them with other work to do even though it made her feel uneasy having maids wait on her. She felt like an imposter living a life she wasn't meant to.
Shaking her head as she made up her bed before crossing the room to place the tea kettle over the fire. She found a stash of bitter berry tea and a few cups in the cabinet beside the fireplace and waited for the water to boil before pouring herself a cup.
She sipped it slowly, closing her eyes at the bittersweet taste. This was her favorite flavor and she loved it when Uma stole a few sachets of it for them.
A sad smile tugged at her lips as she opened her eyes and stood from the couch, shuffling across the room to the glass doors of the balcony.
She wondered how Uma was doing.
Sighing as she pushed open the doors and tugged her robe tighter around her to keep herself warm from the crisp morning breeze.
A soft laugh escaped Sana's lips as her feet crunched on the light dusting of frost over the stone balcony. Uma wouldn't like the north. It was too cold and too quiet. She'd think she'd been sent to the netherworld.
But there was something peaceful about this silence, and she didn't mind the cold. Not when she had something warmer than her thin cloak to wear.
And the mist was beautiful. Weaving through the frost tipped forest like a watercolor painting. In the south, there was hardly any mist, but there were harsh sandstorms that cut through the trees and burned the skin.
Sana waved her hand through the damp misty air. It was soft and cool and felt as though she was touching a piece of the sky.
Bringing her teacup to her mouth, her eyes grew wide at the black beady eyes of a tiny white moth with thick fluffy antennae and shimmering crystalline wings shaking on the edge of her cup.
"Oh, hello. You're beautiful," she said as the moth dipped its front legs into her steamy cup. "You must be cold, huh? Sitting in front of the fire might be better than tea. Your feet will get all sticky."
The moth looked up at her and fluttered to her shoulder as if it agreed with her.
"Alright. Let's get you warm." She chuckled, stepping back inside. "And I think I have an apple for you to eat, too."
Her mother had a butterfly sanctuary when she was alive and she taught her how to care for them, but when she died, her father tore it down and forbade her from keeping them as a punishment for the tragedy she caused.
Blinking back her tears and pushing that memory far from her mind, Sana plucked up a small plate from the cabinet by the fire. She tugged a blanket from the couch and made a nest for her new friend. She cut up the apple from her satchel and placed a few bits on the plate.
"Hopefully, no one will mind if I keep you for a little while," Sana said, holding her finger up to her shoulder and waiting for the moth to climb on. "At least until you're warm enough to continue your journey."
The door to her room slowly creeped open as Eula and Kezi tiptoed inside, holding a tray of freshly baked blueberry muffins and a streaming kettle of hot water.
"Keep quiet," Eula whispered. "We don't want to wake, my Lady."
Kezi laughed, shaking her head of golden brown curls at her elderly partner before she bowed her head to Sana sitting on the floor by the fire. "Lady Sana is already awake."
Eula turned around, her brown eyes growing wide and gasped. "My goodness!" she said, sliding a hand over her heart. "What are you doing sitting in the dark by the fire? You gave me a fright."
"I'm sorry," Sana said, looking up from the moth sucking on a piece of apple. "I'm used to waking up early. I didn't mean to frighten you."
"It's alright, my dear," Eula said, patting a hand over her gray hair as she crossed the room to her. "We'll remember to come early next time."
"You don't have to do that." Sana shook her head. "I don't want to be a bother."
"It's not a bother, my Lady," Kezi said, opening the curtains and lighting the gas lamps on the walls. "The night maids prepare Lord Rhyel's tea in the wee hours of the morning. We'll just have them do the same for you."
"Oh, have you made a friend?" Eula said, slipping to her knees beside her. "Dear me, I haven't seen one of these since I was a child," she murmured, petting the tiny puff of fur around the moth's head. "Do you know what this is?"
Sana shook her head. "I thought it was a moth."
"It is, but a very rare one." Eula said, smiling. "Tsidian moths bring good fortune and they're very protective of their chosen."
"That must be who it was trying to fly back to," Sana said as the moth fluttered its wings before snuggling into the blanket and curling up in a little ball. "It landed on my teacup and I brought it inside to keep it warm for a little while."
"Oh no, you misunderstand, my Lady." Eula said, shaking her head. "It wouldn't have let you bring it inside if you weren't its chosen" She patted Sana's knee. "That little fella is yours now."
Sana frowned. "Why would it choose me?"
"Why wouldn't it?" Kezi said, pouring her a fresh cup of tea. "You're the Lady of Darcanos. It's only fitting you should be chosen by such a special creature. Didn't Lady Aloysia have a moth too?"
"Yes, she did and no one's seen a Tsidian moth since she passed away," Eula said, petting the sleeping moth. "Everyone thought they left this plane with her."
"Who's Lady Aloysia?"
"She was Lord Rhyel's mother." Eula winced as she stood from the floor. "Oo, these old bones. Come. Let's get you ready for the day. I'm sure General Zena will give you a history lesson on the Darcanos."
"Alright," Sana said, giving the moth another soft stroke of her finger. "I'll check on you later," she whispered.
"You'll have to think of a name for the little fluff," Eula said as she helped her out of her robe.
"What did Lady Aloysia name hers?"
"I don't know," Eula said, tapping a finger against her cheek. "I wasn't close to her when she was alive. Maybe you should ask Lord Rhyel."
"Yes, maybe," Sana murmured.
But she wouldn't ask him that. How could she?
Rhyel may have asked her to try, but she was far from speaking to him about personal things like his mother.
Stepping into the steaming bath, Sana sighed as she slipped under the citrus oil infused water.
She didn't understand why that moth chose her. She wasn't anything special and she doubted she'd ever become a Lady worthy of the people's respect or worthy to stand by Rhyel's side.