"On me love's fiercer flames for every prey,

By night he scorches, as he burns by day."

- Alexander Pope, "From Summer"

*****

Soundtrack of the chapter: Across the Stars by John Williams ( Star Wars II soundtrack)

Media: A banner I compiled on Cady's Beltane dress and how her head deco look like! ;)

*****

Chapter Twenty-Six: Across the Stars

Cady stared at the number of dresses in the room and felt faint. It was impossible for her to sieve through that great amount of clothes. Even the amount of jewelry available was staggering. She ran a hand through the rack of dresses, feeling the different textures kiss her skin as she breezed past.

She grabbed one off the rack and twirled it around. A dirty mirror stood next to the large wardrobe. Almost tripping over the long hem, she held it up against her body and pretended to do a little curtsey.

The frills of the navy blue dress seemed to choke her at neck level. She shook her head and placed the hanger back. With quick fingers, she unhooked several from their hangers and proceeded to test them.

One sleeveless ruby red dress caught her fancy, but its bodice was cut scandalously low. Cady groaned and cast it aside, knowing that her little breasts would never be enough to fill up even a quarter of the built in bra. More dresses were cast with much exasperation onto a nearby chair.

More frills greeted her as she rummaged through the rack, no longer caring if she left them in mess. She would sort them out later, if she found a dress that doesn't look like an explosion of laces or a glitter party.

Time ticked by. Cady soon gave up, staring at the mountain of rejected dresses with much regret and irritation.

There was nothing here suitable for her. She rested her face in her hands, trying to come up with a brilliant idea. Either she could wear jeans to the Ball or grab one of the least frilly ones. But the thought of wearing something that will make her resemble a French roll was horrifying. She ditched it without a second thought.

Perhaps some jewelry would refresh her mind. There were still plenty of sections she could go through.

She knelt by a wide wooden chest and stared at it. The old metal lock easily fell away as she turned the rusty key and lifted it.

A huge array of jewelry, both real and fake lay in a massive jumble inside. Some Tinkers must have cast a charm on the jewelry, for none were tangled when she pulled them out.

There were a few loud clangs as she dropped several large bracelets, steel, by the looks of it. Cady sat down on a trunk and allowed the jewelry to seize through her fingers. Her attention fell on a long, slim necklace with a little crescent moon, carved from rose quartz and studded with silver rhinestones. She slipped it over her head. Liking the way to rested on her bosom, she placed it aside while continuing her search for the perfect trinket.

She finally decided to go with the quartz necklace. Cady slipped off the trunk she sat on and stared at the pile of chests. Her eyes fell onto a dark casket slid among the many chests. It was about the size of a small suitcase. Sliding her hands into the pile, she pulled out the casket, her clumsiness almost causing an overhead chest to topple over.

Cady examined it carefully, tracing a finger over the dusty surface and feeling the ridges where the rivets lined the sides. There was a gentle "click" as she undid the clasp and she lifted the lid.

A silky, pearl-colored bundle greeted her. Her hands drew out the bundle where it unfolded. Light gossamer fabric swept the ground, and little satin stripes kissed her fingers. It was a simple yet beautiful sleeveless dress. Silver runes ran in swirls over the hem of the dress and wound up to the waist where a matching silver belt greeted it. Little sequins chased silver dust up the front where it gathered in an exquisite pattern over the right breast.

Cady threw a fleeting look across the room. Certain that she was alone, she hurriedly stripped to her underwear and slid into the dress.

It fit perfect, as if it was made just for her. Her heart raced as she walked toward the mirror. Cady had never really worn dresses, they were bothersome and heavy. But this dress made her feel like an entirely new being. It hugged her skin, and the silk peeled off her waist like water. She lifted her head and gasped.

She looked...different. The silver brought out the red in her hair and the emeralds in her eyes. Cady held up her arms and did a twirl. The dress followed her rhythm, soaring along with her. A laugh escaped her lips. She dipped into a curtsey, loving the way the dress responded to her every move.

This dress was perfect.

With the dress still hugging her, Cady returned to the chest.

A beaded headdress sat in a coil, in which she had no doubt went with the dress. Under the headdress was a piece of paper, neatly folded into half and yellow with age. She unfolded it, as gently as she could, in fear that the paper might suddenly shatter.

It was a note, addressed to no one. Slim, spidery writing wove in and out on the paper, tracing a single sentence onto the yellowed surface.

Even death cannot put out the flame within you.

Her finger slithered down to the signature at the bottom— R. R. S

It seemed like a love note, written by a man who had lost the star of his life. She could almost see a pen moving across the paper, tracing in the words he had never been able to say out loud, held by slim and steady fingers. The sentence held a tide of emotions, and a story long lost in time.

The dress rustled beneath her. She responded by smoothing down the fabric.

Could this be the dress of the bride whom the man never married? Doubt and shame filled her. If the groom never had a chance to see his lover in this dress, she had no right to touch it, let alone wear it.

She rose and looked out of the window, her lids fluttering in response to the brilliant sun hung in the skies. It seemed to wink at her, telling her that everything was alright, and dress. Throwing open the windows, she sighed as the cool Esvaniran wind blew by. The Savage Seas winked below her, the waves tossing and turning, caught in an eternal rhythm.

Cady opened the paper again. The breeze caught the paper and took it from her hands. She made a grab for it, but the wind was a step ahead of her. It vanished over the rocks and into the skies, fluttering about like a bird released from its cage.

Perhaps, she thought, the dress was meant for her, after all.

*****

Cady went down the stairs and headed to her dormitory, the casket clutched to her chest. The corridors were rather deserted, for it was past training hours. A few older Oracles gave her a little nod as she passed them, eager to stow the dress and accessories away.

Her shoes clacked to a stop when she caught a whiff of something putrid, an unpleasant rotting smell, like something dead left to decay. She knew where it came from at once, the dungeons.

The shackled lady burst forth in her mind. It was like it had unlocked something she had kept bottled up for the past couple weeks—her desire to find out the truth about the Great War but was deterred by missions and her surroundings.

She remembered how angry Eli had been when he found out, his usual musician fingers became iron claws, clamped around her wrist in a deadly tangle as he drew her out. The Hall of Spirits hid too many secrets within its glamorous shell, and she was certain the secrets weren't pretty.

Eli's warning echoed in her ears, reminding her that the prisoner was dangerous, and even more so to meddle with Hall affairs. Her feet ignored the nagging voice in her head and brought themselves forward, taking Cady down the wet, dirty stairs that led into the dark hole of the dungeons.

Lighting up a Celeslight torch, she hitched up her robes and ventured down the corridor. She tucked the casket closer to her waist, afraid that it might fall and spill its precious contents. The flickering green light of the torch dragged out the shadows from all corners, seeping out from the rusted bars and from the dangling chains. It curled around her feet, showering her with rustling kisses. She gave them all a mental pat, glad for their company.

Cady squatted before the cell which held the muted lady. She propped the torch against a cleft in between a pile of rocks. It stood there, erect like a tower. Cady inched closer and placed her face in between the cold bars, her free hand curling around one of them. "Hey," she said. "It's me."

A pile of what seemed like rags moved at the right corner of the cell. Spindly hands emerged, followed by a head of matted hair. Chains rattled as she dragged her frail body to meet Cady. Her gaping mouth opened and shut, like a fish gasping for air. Her dirty fingers roamed over Cady's face, lingering on her cheeks for a good long while.

"My name is Cadence Gates, but everyone calls me Cady," she tried to strike up a casual conversation, although she knew the woman couldn't speak. Cady needed something to start the stone rolling, so she could ask questions and get some response in return.

Wet blue eyes stared back at her. The woman sat back on her hands. Her head titled to one side, observing Cady with a keen fascination.

"Eli told me you're a prisoner of the Great War, is that real?"

Her question hung unanswered in the air. The woman didn't even attempt a nod or a shake. She rattled her chains and gave Cady a black, toothy grin, making clucking noises.

"Do you know what really happened during the Great War? Why did the Oracles attack the Hall of Shadows?"

Her eagerness made her press hard against the steel bars, reaching out for the grimy woman. She needed to know badly, about why the Oracles attacked the Walkers. She needed to know why Tithonus would walk into trouble when peace was bestowed upon the two Halls and his skin dumped on the doorstep of the Oracles. None of it made any sense, not even the slightest. The information she obtained from many sources: her teachers, Eli, the library, none were complete. All were nothing but a jumble of misinformed puzzle pieces that would never fit together. This woman might be her answer to everything.

"Tell me, please...please."

The woman's eyes widened fractionally. She bent a finger at Cady, like a fishing hook, before she drew it to her temple and tapped it two times.

Cady frowned. "What does that even mean?"

Long, spidery fingers slid up the woman's dirty hair and her mouth opened, forming the cruel shape of harsh laughter. She tugged and yanked at her hair as laughter tore through her frail frame. The sound coming out from her mouth was inhuman, like winds that would destroy villages without mercy. It grated against Cady's ear drums. She sprang back, the scream in her throat barely contained.

The woman rolled onto the ground, smashing the earth with her fists, throwing up handfuls of flat hay. Her wild laughter, hoarse and unshaped by a tongue, rose in a crescendo; so loud, Cady feared Eli might hear them.

Maybe the Oracles chained her up for a real reason after all, she was deranged, both from the time she spent down the dungeons and perhaps, from the Great War. Cady couldn't get anything from her.

She rushed out of the dungeon and snubbed the light from her torch. She took off running, cradling the casket closer toward her chest, as if it was some sort of talisman that would ward off the fatuous laughter of the lady in the dungeons.

Cady slammed the door of the dormitory shut, much to the surprise of her dorm mates. Relief washed over her as she finally dared to breathe. Her chest ached, the unpleasant sensation of someone trying to asphyxiate her was almost unbearable.

"Cady," Zoroth finally spoke, for the first time in days since her injury. He hadn't fared very well himself, for the wound inflicted on Cady affected him as well. Zoroth had taken several days off to recuperate in the deeper realms of her mind. "Please don't give me a heart attack, I've suffered enough the past few days."

She walked over to her bed stand, straightening her shoulders and folded a few discarded shirts, pretending that nothing had happened. "I thought the woman knew something, anything that could help me."

"You think she's normal?" he asked. "Anyone would go insane when locked away forever."

"Zoroth, not you too."

Her Consort heaved a sigh, a heavy feeling that added to the mountain that already resided on her shoulders. "Cady," he said. "I think you should take a break. All these, are ruining you."

The thought of Zoroth, her very own Consort and closest friend would object against her drove a flaming stake through her heart. She had failed too many times, from reluctant teachers to ruined books, she just couldn't bear it anymore. Her emotions burst forth, like a mad wave being held down in a small bottle for too long. "I can't believe even my own Consort is trying to stop me from searching up my real family!"

"Cady, it's not that I am trying to thwart you from finding your real family. There are many other channels, not just a batty lady down the dungeons. Perhaps the Oracles have other reasons to lock her away. Assumptions are just assumptions."

"Cady!" The door burst open and an excited Jo clambered in, her oval face radiant and she was waving something shiny in the air. She squinted and saw that it was a headdress, just like hers but more simple in shape.

Breathless, Jo clutched at her heart and made her way toward Cady, almost tripping over her bed stand as she did so. She dropped a box onto Cady's bed and started tugging at the ribbons.

"I got my Ball dress today! You've got to see it. It's lilac, and it goes so well with my hair, I don't know why but it just looks good." An enthusiastic torrent of words tumbled out of her mouth, so fast they ran over each other, leaving Cady trying picking her way though her words.

Jo continued rambling, getting more and more worked up. Her face was so red, it was close to the point of combustion, and the tiara was in danger of being folded. "Thomas is going to love the dress, lilac is his favorite color..."

A devilish smirk made its way to Cady's face and she held up her hands. "Whoa, you said Thomas, is he your Ball date?"

"Oh darnit!" Jo tried to hide her face behind her hands, but Cady seized them and brought them down. She pressed her forehead against Jo's, still grinning.

"He's your date, isn't he?"

Jo chewed her lip and gave Cady a shove. She lost her balance and fell onto her sheets with a muffled thump.

Cady waggled a victorious finger at Jo. "Ha, gotcha."

Jo threw a pillow at her face. Cady tried to catch it, only to miss by a few inches. The soft pillow hit her face, resulting in a muffled oomph and bounced off.

It was Jo's turn to grin. "Well, who are you going with then?"

"No one that concerns you." Cady lobbed the pillow back at her. Jo ducked. It went sailing over the air like a fluffy Frisbee, landing on the carpeted floor.

Jo launched herself on Cady. Surprised, she scabbled backward, a moment too late. Jo started tickling her all over, targeting her weak spots by the waist.

"Jo, stop!" she giggled. "Dammit!"

Jo replied by raising an eyebrow and continued tickling Cady.

"Alright! You win!" she wheezed, throwing up her hands in defeat. "I'm going with Eli Sanguinis."

Her friend sat back, her eyes as wide as dinner plates.

"Holy Najata, you must be kidding me."

Cady rolled her eyes. "Why should I kid you?"

Jo poked her in the chest, hard. "You're dating the High Priest's grandson, you have some guts there, Cady Gates."

"Whoa," Cady said. "Who said I was dating Eli?"

She folded her arms and stared back at Cady, returning the smug look Cady had used on her. "Well, you two sneak off at the wee hours of the day, don't think I didn't notice," she jabbed before Cady could retaliate it was not what Jo assumed. "And both of you spend so much time running around together, it is just beyond obvious."

Cady steeled her face, trying to contain the incredulous and stupefied look that she was certain sprawling across her features. She enunciated each word clearly and vehemently: "We. Are. Not. Going. Out. Get. It?"

Jo snorted. "You don't have to hide, just admit it already. You like him."

"I do not!" she said indignantly. "He invited me to the Ball and I said yes, it's very simple."

She ignored Cady's retort. "Hey, what's this?" Her eager hands closed around the casket Cady left standing on the side table. Cady leapt forward at once, snatching it from Jo's hands and holding it against her chest. "Nothing."

"It's your Ball dress, it must be!" Jo's eyes glittered. "Gimme that."

Cady danced out of Jo's reach, but the other girl was too quick. She whipped it from Cady's grasp and opened it, her eyes going rounder at the sight of the beautiful dress below.

While Jo spent an inordinate amount of time admiring her Ball dress, Cady found herself wondering what Eli's reaction would be to the dress. Would he be delighted? The dress seemed too heavy for such an occasion, better suited for a wedding.

Her eyes trailed down to her hands, which were subconsciously wrapped around her stomach, directly above the healing would.

Jasper. His name tasted like fire in her mouth, just like the blazing jewel he was named after. A smile crept up her face, remembering the moments he had stayed up the whole night, making sure that her wounds weren't infected. He held her hand until her fever broke, and guided her out of the forest of loss she was tangled in at the lost Hall of Shadows.

She wondered who his date would be. A tinge of regret nibbled at her, for not asking Jasper first as a date. Cady shook her head hard, as if she could shake the two boys out of her head. It was already very cluttered inside, with Zoroth making all kinds of obscene remarks about Eli and Jasper. Zoroth wouldn't be willing to share his space with two more guys.

Her hands slid down the smooth fabric of her dress. Ready or not, the Beltane Ball approached.

*****

A/N

It's a rather slow chappie with Cady searching for the perfect dress for the Beltane Ball! But hey, it's still fun, admit it. :p In next week's update, we'll see Cady and Eli ( possibly Jasper) at the Beltane Ball! 

What do you think about her dress and headdress ( in media)? And do you really think Cady would go with Eli? Hit me with your thoughts!

SNICKERS,

Stef