January 24th, 2021 3:52 PM – February 2nd, 2021 1:30 AM

Looking at herself in the mirror, Ailith could admit that she looked pretty damn good. She had never paid much attention to her appearance before, opting for comfort over style, but today was a big day. She wanted everything to be perfect.

Her hair was pulled back on one side in her usual braids, gold hoops glinting in the strands. The burgundy colouring of her suit brought out some colour in her face, the forest green of her pocket square accenting the suit nicely. Taking a deep breath, Ailith grabbed her cane and the five wooden circles she had been working on for the past month, giving one last glance at the mirror as she left the room in search of her friends.

Ailith made her way down the stairs to Sully’s tavern, blessedly empty this early in the evening. She wondered if he had closed the place down to give them some privacy and made a mental note to ask him about it later. Ace, Talus, and Xiv were waiting at the bottom, all dressed in finery, and looking the cleanest Ailith had ever seen them. Ace was dressed in a beautiful black gown, complete with a hood and flowing arms. Talus had taken his chain off for the evening’s festivities and was dressed in a simple, dark grey suit and bowler hat, greatsword gleaming. Xiv had opted to keep their typical outfit, but Ailith did notice that some of the bigger blood stains and dents had been buffed out.  She opened her mouth to ask after Feyra when Ace gasped, eyes fixed to the top of the stairs.

Ailith turned in time to see Feyra emerge onto the landing at the top of the stairs and the sight took her breath away. Dressed in a gown the same colour as Ailith’s pocket square (Ailith made another mental note to send the tailor a gift basket for her service), breastplate burnished and shining, hair bright as fire with her family’s diadem proudly gleaming from atop the curls and braids – Ailith was sure in that moment that she had never seen anything so beautiful in her entire life.

Time skipped while Ailith stared, catching up only once Feyra reached the bototm step. She was looking at the group with a blush on her cheeks, still not used to being the centre of attention, which struck Ailith as funny because Feyra was always the centre of her attention. Ailith cleared her throat against all the words she suddenly wanted to say. “You-” Ailith cleared her throat again. “We all clean up pretty nice, eh?” It was true, but it wasn’t what she really wanted to say.

“Oh, thank you,” Talus rumbled. “I do feel weird without my chain though, like I’m naked or something.” Ailith snorted a laugh, grateful to Talus for directing any attention away from her awkward slip of the tongue.

“Speaking of wearing things, I actually have something for everyone before we go.” Ailith handed each of her friends one of the wooden circles, pendants for Ace and Feyra, pins for Talus and Xiv. “I made these as a sort of uniform for us. So people can identify us as The First and Last. If you don’t want to wear them, I underst-“

“Of course we’ll wear them, Ailith!” Ace cut in, immediately putting her pendant over her head, settling it next to her Every Shadow pendant. Smiling, Ailith watched her friends examine their gifts. It was a simple design, the logo Xiv designed for them months ago surrounded by a circle, making a medallion of sorts. Ailith’s heart hummed with pride at the sight of everyone wearing something she had made. Her gaze focused on Feyra, watching as the other woman pressed the shape to her chest. Ailith touched her own pendant in response, face burning slightly.

~x~

The First and Last stood behind a closed door at the top of a grand staircase, waiting to be ushered into the ball. Ailith could feel the excitement rolling off Ace as the girl fidgeted, chattering away at Talis. Xiv was much more reserved, standing in their typical unaturally still way. Behind her, Ailith could hear Feyra trying to control her breathing.

One by one, Talus, Ace, and Xiv were announced and each one exited through the door, leaving just Ailith and Feyra. Taking a deep breath to calm her own nerves, Ailith turned to face Feyra. “Hey,” she murmured. “You’ve got this. You’re Lady Feyra Amberwood of Dragontower, the most incredible markswoman on the entire continent. This is nothing.” Ailith put a hand on Feyra’s bicep, watching some of the tension drain from Feyra’s face at the contact.

Feyra looked like she was going to say something, brow furrowed in thought. The footman chose that second to call Ailith’s name, breaking the moment. Ailith smiled at the redhead, giving her arm a squeeze. “I’ll see you down there,” she said with a wink. Ailith stepped through the door and onto a landing, searching the crowd for her part as she began to descent the grand staircase. She found them waiting at the bottom, Talus and Ace grinning as they applauded with the crowd. Unable to resist an audience, Ailith spun her cane as she reached the bototm, earning a whoop from Talus.

“Lady Feyra Amberwood, noblewoman hailing from Dragontower!” The footman announced Feyra and the crowd went silent, waiting with bated breath to see the recently found lost daughter of Dragontower. Ailith was hit with a sense of deja vu as Feyra emerged onto the landing and began floating down the stairs. Ailith couldn’t help the broad smile that spread across her face at the sight, pride swelling within her. Gods, she had it bad. Feyra’s eyes found hers and didn’t leave, not even when she reached the bottom of the staircase and had to walk through the crowd to get to her. Ailith could swear the world slowed, the crowd blurring out, leaving just the two of them.

A ripple of movement through the crowd interrupted the reunion, murmurs of unease making their way to the group’s ears. “You are no Amberwood!” The ripple crashed down on them in the form of an elderly Elven woman, her screech drawing everyone’s attention. Ailith could only assume this was Feyra’s forewarned grandmother. She tensed, ready to out herself in front of Feyra and shield her from the old woman’s vitriol, but Feyra beat her to action.

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” Feyra replied coldly, drawing her chin up haughtily. If she realized everyone’s eyes were once again on her, she gave no indication.

“Valindra, please. Calm down.” Mani materialized out of the crowd, addressing the woman in a low voice. “This is neither the time, nor the place for this.”

Valindra scoffed. “I will not calm down! I was not told that this, this… halfbreed gold digger would be here tonight.” Ailith dug her fingernails into her palms, fists shaking with the effort of not punching the old crone in the face. The only thing keeping Ailith off the woman was the crowd; she refused to embarrass Feyra at an event as important as this one.

“Valindra! You are making a scene at the Emperor’s Godsell Ball, that is enough.” Mani’s voice was calm, but Ailith could see the anger in his eyes.

“You are no kin of mine,” Valindra hissed, apparently unbothered by Mani’s warnings.

“Whether you like it or not, grandmother,” the word laden with sarcasm, “your son – my father – made his choice. And here I am.” Pride laced Feyra’s words, voice unwavering.

“That is enough Valindra. Leave. Now.” Emperor Exantir’s voice boomed above the crowd, cutting through the uneasy tension in the room. Heads swiveled in his direction, eyes darted between him and the two woman at the bottom of the stairs.

Valindra turned her attention to the Emperor, fixing him with a glare. “Are you just going to toss her aside when you’re done with her too, Xernax? No, I suppose not. She’s not her mother.” A few gasps sounded throughout the room as Valindra’s accusation rang through the silence.

The look on the Emperor’s face was something close to murderous. “No. She’s not. Now get out.” Ailith turned her attention back to Valindra, watching as the woman’s face twitched and soured as she realised there was no room for negotiation. With a flick of her wrist, Valindra gathered her personal guard around her and turned to leave. The crowd started moving again, shuffling and murmuring to each other as the show ended.

Feyra stepped in front of Valindra, blocking her from leaving. “I’m glad you don’t think we’re kin. I have my own family right here.” Valindra took in The First and Last with a sneer on her face. Ailith met her gaze steadily, imagining the feeling of the elf’s nose breaking under her fist. Valindra stepped in close to Feyra, mouth close to her ear.

“You should have died with your scum mother.” The whisper was faint, only meant for Feyra, but Ailith’s hearing was too good. Ailith heard a faint snarl cut through the air around her at the woman’s words, only realising when Xiv nudged her that the sound was, in fact, coming from her. Ailith felt Xiv pat her jacket pocket, the same one that held the potion of invisibility they had given to her before dinner. Count on Xiv to be plotting for Ailith while she was too preoccupied not beating an elderly woman with her cane.

Feyra remained still, eyes fixed on the middle distance as Valindra swept her way up the stairs, guards following closely. Quickly, before the crowd began paying too much attention, Ailith ducked down and took a gulp of the potion. A tingling feeling spread through her as she held her hands up in front of her face and watched them disappear. Silently, Ailith followed Valindra and her guards out the grand entrance of the castle, into the central courtyard.

Once safely outside, Ailith dropped the invisibility, calling out to Valindra. “Excuse me! My lady!” Valindra turned back, waving her guards away upon recognizing Ailith.

“What do you want, girl?” Valindra appeared bored, if not somewhat annoyed at Ailith interrupting her departure. Ailith had always thought elves were beautiful creatures, Feyra was evidence of that, but looking at Valindra all she could see was ugliness; hate and prejudice twisting Valindra’s face into something hideous.

“Oh, not much really. You’re performance back there was… something to behold.” Ailith kept her stance wide, shoulders relaxed, arms loose at her sides; she was the picture of peaceful. “I’m not sure your outburst was warranted, however,” Ailith continued with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

Another scoff. “She is nothing. An embarrassment and stain on my family name.” Wrong answer, Valindra.

“Funny,” Ailith said, stepping closer. “I think everyone in that room would say the same about you.” Valindra’s eyes widened, mouth gaping open at Ailith’s words. Ailith continued, unfazed. “If you ever speak to Feyra in that way again, if I catch even a whiff of you plotting or conspiring against her, I will make you very sorry indeed.” Ailith never dropped her smile, relishing the way Valindra’s eyes darted to where Ailith’s fingers drummed against the diamond on her cane.

“Is that a threat?” Her tone was incredulous, but Ailith caught a flicker of fear flit across her face. Finally, a crack in Valindra’s polished, uptight facade.

“No.” Ailith dropped her smile, voice deathly quiet. “That’s a promise.” Valindra’s face paled at Ailith’s words, jaw clenching as she turned back to her guards, walking quickly into the night.

Satisfied, Ailith spun around and headed back to the entrance, noticing the guards flanking the door for the first time. They exchanged a glance as she approached, clearly not sure what the protocol was for reporting a threat against a visiting noblewoman. “I was never here,” Ailith stated, flicking a gold piece to each of them.

They gaped at her for a moment before composing themselves. “Never seen you before in my life, ma’am,” the guard on the right replied. He was still a boy really, both of them were, stuck outside during the biggest party of the year.

“Good lads,” Ailith grinned as they opened the doors for her. She rushed back down the hallway towards the ballroom. She had a party to get back to.

Dancing was in full swing by the time Ailith returned, the night’s earlier drama apparently forgotten with the help of good music and booze. She found her friends where she’d left them, huddled together in the crowd. Ace saw her first, grabbing Feyra’s arm and pointing. They all turned to her with expectant faces.

“Where did you go?” Feyra whisper shouted above the music, trying not to attract the attention of the dancing couples nearby.

“No where important,” Ailith responded, breathless. She felt Xiv nod next to her, already piecing everthing together as usual. Ailith’s eyes skimmed over Feyra’s face, taking in everything that made her so blessedly different from the vile woman she shared blood with. Ailith searched Feyra’s eyes, brown locked onto green, and acted before she lost her nerve. She extended a hand, willing it not to shake. “Do you want to dance?”

Feyra stared unblinking for long enough to cause alarms to go off in Ailith’s head. Oh gods, maybe she overstepped, maybe she had misread everything. “I uh…” Feyra slowly raised her hand to Ailith’s. “I don’t know how.”

Ailith breathed a laugh. “Perfect. Me neither.” She grasped Feyra’s hand, revelling in the feeling of the calluses on Feyra’s fingertips, and led her to an empty patch of dance floor as an unseen band began playing a slow melody.

Ailith drew Feyra in, left hand resting gently on her waist, right hand in hers. She didn’t know where to look, how slow to move, where to put her feet; she rarely felt uncoordinated like this, heart pounding in her chest. Ailith let her head rest against Feyra’s, cheek brushing up against Feyra’s temple. She lost track of time completely, unaware of how long they stayed like that, swaying gently back and forth. Ailith felt a warmth settle in her, and for once she wasn’t itching to keep moving. Feyra was an anchor tethering her to the world, and Ailith was beginning to realize that she wanted nothing more than to be with Feyra like this.

Their adventures were incredible, challenging, eye-opening. Ailith loved their found family with her whole heart, but this, with Feyra… this is where she could see herself feeling at home, finally. Drawing back, Ailith was greeted by a soft gaze that was quickly becoming her favourite colour.

You’re beautiful. You amaze me every day. I admire you so much. I would do anything for you. Can I kiss you? Everything I am is yours.

Words crowded Ailith’s tongue, all of them unsaid as the crown prince cut in, asking for Feyra’s next dance. Ailith gave her a smile of encouragement as Feyra was whisked away. Ailith stood there for a moment, the unstable feeling returning as the warmth of Feyra’s hand in hers dissipated. Shaking it off, Ailith went off to find Xiv and drag them onto the dancefloor. She and Feyra had time, she told herself. Ailith could wait for her. She would always wait for her.