A levitating carriage settle to the ground in front of the Whitereed family villa in the capitol. The first to step out was a serious-looking woman who was holding another defeated looking woman under her arm. Following them was a young girl pulling another, even younger girl by the hand. The younger girl was finishing up a bowl of replacement pineapple and held another under the arm that was holding the bowl.

"Do not forget to lock her in her room," Nal said as she finished helping Iysinfyr out of the carriage, "and only give her bread for dinner!"

Deko nodded to Nal and carried Syl into the villa, passing the maid that was coming to pick up their belongings.

Nal gestured to the villa and the grounds surrounding it, "This is where I stay while I attend the academy here in the capitol. It is not as big as my family's or your father's estates, but I feel more at home here than anywhere else."

The villa was at most half the size of the Tallhill estate, only being one storied and the grounds around the villa being perhaps twenty paces from the villa to the surrounding wall. Unlike the Tallhill estate there was less greenery but many statues and other similar forms of art spaced in a way to not feel crowded while allowing for maximum statue presence.

“We are also close to the castle grounds and the crystal garden,” Syl gestured towards the castle easily visible just west of the villa. “The crystal garden is so pretty, I love going there when I need some fresh air. I will have to take you there later today.”

Nal noticed that Iysinfyr looked wherever she pointed and nodded in understanding at her explanations. It looked like the pineapple did the trick, though she still wasn’t talking.

“Let me show you inside,” Nal pulled Iysinfyr inside the villa just as she finished eating the last of the replacement pineapple.

The entry way was just what one would expect of a Whitereed property. Statues and busts everywhere, though there were also several intricately carved couches and chairs jammed into the smallish room.

Nal turned towards the maid that followed them in with the first of their belongings. She had long brown hair tied in a braid in the back and had only average facial features for a typical Amirran with a somewhat wide nose, thin lips, and round eyes. She was on the shorter side and looked well fed. Nal didn’t know how old she was, but she looked to be approaching middle age.

“Iysinfyr, this is Rioa. She is the only maid here and does all the cooking and cleaning when Syl cannot help so try to not make a mess,” Nal said as she turned Iysinfyr towards her.

Rioa bowed, “Please do not worry, I have confidence in my abilities.”

Nal nodded to the maid then began her tour again and pulled Iysinfyr through the only other set of doors and into a large plaza that let in plenty of light for the statues in their various spots, “I never noticed until living at the Tallhill estate, but my family has too many statues.”

Iysinfyr nodded to this, making Nal blink and then laugh. This was enough for even Iysinfyr to give her opinion.

Nal turned back to Rioa, “Do you think you could replace some statues in the villa with plants? Plants are much more relaxing.”

Rioa bowed and looked a little happy, though she was trying to hide it, “Certainly, though maybe asking your father the Duke would be wise before we do anything.”

Nal sighed, she wanted to stay on her father’s good side but he had an obsession with statues of historical figures and doubted he would agree, “It will be fine, it is not like we will remove all the statues.”

Rioa hesitated, “I will see what I can do without moving too many statues.”

Nal smile and turned to the plaza. There wasn’t anything notable about it. It was square with no roof in the center, allowing the sun and other weather in. Several pillars lined the perimeter and there were benches placed near the walls and in the center if one wanted sun. There were three doors, excluding the one they had just come through, in the room, one for each wall.

Nal pointed to each of the doors, “The door to the left leads to father’s chambers and study and the guest rooms, so don’t go in there or he will get angry if he finds out. The right door is where our rooms are. The door on the other side is where the dining room, kitchen, and servants’ rooms are.”

Iysinfyr seemed like she understood, but made no action other than to follow where Nal pointed.

Nal pulled Iysinfyr towards the left door and they found themselves in a hallway that went from their left to right. There were five doors in the hallway. One to the left at the end of the hallway and four others evenly spaced down the wall opposite to them. There was a large window at the end of the hall to the right that showed the front yard of the villa with a large statue placed in front of it.

Nal pointed to the far right door, “That room is empty but my eldest brother likes it the most so he usually gets it when he visits,” the next door to the left, “that room is mine,” the next door, “that room is yours,” the next door, “that room is for anyone else.” She pointed to the door at the end of the hallway, “And that door leads to the servants’ quarters/kitchen area. Father does not like me to use it, though.”

Nal pulled Iysinfyr to her room and entered, followed by Rioa with their belongings.

Nal was quiet until Rioa left the room. She grinned and turned to Iysinfyr, “This is the first time we have been alone together! How about we talk about some secrets?”

Iysinfyr looked Nal in the eyes, then looked away and appeared to consider something. After a moment passed she put down the second replacement pineapple she was still holding, she looked back to Nal and in a barely audible voice, “Okay.”

This wasn’t the first time Nal had heard Iysinfyr speak, but it was the first time she had spoken while not having a panic attack.

Nal didn’t want to start off too strong, so she looked around to see if there was something mundane to talk about and saw the pineapple, “You really love pineapple.”

Iysinfyr nodded.

“When was the last time you had some?”

Iysinfyr looked like she was having a hard time remembering, softly, “Maybe seven or eight months ago?”

Nal wondered where she was or who she was with whom could afford to get pineapple, “Someone bought it for you?”

Iysinfyr shook her head.

Nal pursed her lips. She was hoping for a better answer. 

She couldn’t think of what else to say, so changed the subject, “What do you like to do for fun?”

Iysinfyr seemed to remember something and a slight smile appeared on her lips for a moment, “I like to make things.”

Nal clasped her hands together and smiled she was getting somewhere, “What kind of things?”

“Whatever seems fun.”

The answer wasn’t what Nal was looking for, “Oh, well, could you make something fun we can use together?”

Iysinfyr nodded.

“I will ask Duke Tallhill if he can help pay for supplies,” Deko’s voice came from behind Nal, “I will get some writing supplies for Iysinfyr to write what she needs.”

Nal jumped and let out a squeak in fright. She hadn’t noticed Deko enter the room.

Nal sat back down and smoothed out her clothes. She was glad they hadn’t talked about something embarrassing. 

Oh! That was a good way to get to know someone! Talk about embarrassing things!

“I am actually not a very good singer,” Nal admitted.

Iysinfyr looked straight at Nal and looked a little surprised at the sudden admission, “I know.”

Nal blushed. Hearing that from Iysinfyr kind of hurt, but she knew it was the truth. She even saw how Syl covered her ears when she started singing, “I know I am not good, but it is something I enjoy doing. So please do not hate me for it.”

Iysinfyr smiled, then touched her face, “I used to not be able to express emotion.”

Nal became confused.

Iysinfyr smiled again, though this time it was a sad smile, “Do you know how Terrans come to Calorin?”

Nal shook her head. As far as she knew, they just appeared.

“Sometimes spirits from Terra find their way to Calorin and when a Servant of Deity finds them they give them a new body because they are outside of Calorin’s circle of reincarnation,” Iysinfyr began shaking.

Nal knew all about the circle of reincarnation and that this was just the newest of many, so knowing Iysinfyr had died before coming to Calorin didn’t seem like a big deal, “You died on Terra and came to Calorin? Do you remember Terra?”

Iysinfyr nodded.

Nal became excited. There was so much she wanted to ask Iysinfyr about Terra, but just as she was about to ask, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Nal looked behind her and saw Deko shake her head.

Iysinfyr spoke again, “Can you believe Terrans are white because Servants just make us the same color as our spirits? White.”

Nal giggled, “If I made bodies for Terrans, I would give them many colors. Can you imagine gold or blue hair?” She looked at Iysinfyr’s hair with the white on top that gradually turned to a dark lavender at the ends, “Though I think your hair is beautiful now. Your skin could use some color, though.”

Iysinfyr smiled slightly and combed her long hair through her fingers, “Yes, I like my hair.” She then shook her head, “You aren’t surprised that I died?”

Nal looked at her, puzzled by the question, “They reincarnated you like everyone else, though you kept your memories so that is not fair.”

Iysinfyr shivered, “I think forgetting is a mercy depending on how you died.”

Nal nodded, “I guess.” She then brightened, she thought of some great questions, “What happened after they reincarnated you? How old are you? How long have you been on Calorin? Where did you live? Are all Terrans as small as you? How did you get so strong…”

Nal felt Deko’s hand on her shoulder again, and she stopped speaking.

Iysinfyr looked at her with a bemused look, then sighed, “How about I tell you a story?”

Nal nodded excitedly and moved closer so she could better hear Iysinfyr’s whisper of a voice, “I would love that!”

Iysinfyr leaned back and breathed in deeply before starting, “Outside a small iron mining village called Porra-Kel a small baby girl appeared in a ring of fire. The villagers noticed the fire and found the baby in its midst. Not knowing what else to do and being unable to communicate with her, they gave her to a young family to raise as their own and for the next seven years she did.” 

Iysinfyr smiled, ”Then a man came. He heard that the girl remembered things from Terra, unlike most Terrans. At first she didn’t want to go with him because she thought he would use her for his own profit even if he said he was taking her to a school to learn. But after running from him and seeing how helpless she was and that the man was kind, she went with him. There she met many people, and made some friends even if she didn’t want to, learned magic and how to fight. She also made a lot of money selling knowledge from Terra.”

Her smile became melancholic, then sad, “After that some bad people tried to take her away so they could exploit her. She ran away but…” Iysinfyr began shaking, “she… she…”

Deko walked to Iysinfyr and picked her up before turning to Nal, “Maybe we should give her more time. After my former master found her… things did not go well.”

Nal became disappointed that she wouldn’t get to hear the rest of the story, even if Iysinfyr wasn’t going into detail. She wanted to know what the village and school was like. What friends she had made. What country she had lived in.

But she knew Deko was right. Now that Iysinfyr would talk to her, she could ask again later. Maybe in a more relaxing place.

Nal smiled and caught Deko just before she left the room, “Maybe we can go to the Crystal Garden? If I am having a bad day, I go there to help myself relax.”

Deko stopped and looked at Nal, then to the window, “Maybe tomorrow, Lady Nalulthyn. The sun will set soon.”

Nal smiled, “I am sure she will love it there!”

Deko bowed to Nal and left the room.

***

Syl sat on her bed and hummed nothing in particular. She had let herself go too far today so Deko locking her in her room was letting her off easy. If she or Iysinfyr had gotten caught, it would have made a huge scandal and lowered the reputation to the two families they represented. They even ruined the pineapple she had bought.

But it was worth it! Iysinfyr was even more amazing than she had imagined! That amazing strength and speed that even her wind magic had trouble keeping her a head. She even used earth and levitation magic! What other skills and abilities did she have?

One thing bothered her about Iysinfyr’s magic. Syl couldn’t be sure as they had only fought once briefly so she would need to fight her again. 

A shiver of excitement went down Syl’s spine. Memories of the adorable Iysinfyr chasing her filled her mind. The way the roofs cracked because of the strength of her jumps. The powerful bursts of wind as she used her wind magic. Nearly getting crushed by levitation magic. 

She was going to need to plan the next fight. Even if there wasn’t anything wrong with Iysinfyr’s magic, she knew she would enjoy herself. Yes, Iysinfyr could kill her like she was nothing, but the one time Syl saw her kill was to protect. 

Now all she needed to do was find an excuse to get herself and Iysinfyr to a secluded area where no one could get hurt and no buildings would get destroyed.

Yes, all she needed was to convince Nal to go on a picnic somewhere, then get herself and Iysinfyr away from Nal and Deko. She couldn’t wait to fight that adorable creature again. 

***

Late that night, Deko slipped out from the villa. She had caught a familiar smell while chasing Syl and Iysinfyr through the city. A smell that had lingered on the man she had punished. She might be busy tonight.