Sly

The Festival of the Hunt was upon the Midlands before we knew it. 

The people of Swamp wasted no time in trying out their new candles, and Jexa was exhausted as he reported to Davery each dawn before trudging home to collapse. They tried not to wake me up, but I could still hear the hushed conversations about who was in trouble, who had no food. Even with arranging the trade of essential food and goods for Swamp, hearing people's pleas for help and settling disputes, the Daggers just had too many desperate people and not enough resources. 

Jexa, of course, had his dock work. Graham foraged in the Godswood for anything to aid the poor of Unays, which was a risk both because the Godswood was off limits to non-royals and because the forest itself would retaliate if he made a move it didn't like. Davery kept to our table mostly. Marking his map, plotting by candlelight, directing supplies where they were needed the most. 

Marak had lived all his life as an apothecary, and while he still made enough coin to live by, he found time to concoct medicines for the temples to disperse. I was probably the most thankful for him and his wisdom in medicine. The flooding season would be ahead of us, and with it the wet fever.

Dirk found time to drill me on combat in every spare moment we had. So relentless was his last-minute training, that I was almost relieved when the festival finally arrived. 

Almost.

It was early morning when I arrived to fulfill my duties to Panther's house. My back ached as I went up and down the stairs for a good hour packing everything the muses wanted to bring. This would normally not have been so many bags to take for three days but they had instruments, fans, gowns, and other tools of their lavish trade. Heavy tools, that were cumbersome to carry in the Midlands heat.

When I was finally finished loading the hired wagon and the muses were done with hair and face paints, it was late morning. I sat on the driving bench by the hard woman who drove the mules. She eyed me once, told me to mind my fingers near the mules' mouthes, and then paid me no attention after that. 

Noted.

The muses were in the wagon with the luggage. The twins Moon and Star weaseled their way to the seats behind me and proceeded to tickle and poke mer when I wasn't paying attention, each blaming the other when I glared back at them. Their anatics did little to endear me to the hard woman driving the wagon. 

Orchid sat beside the shy River in the back seat and they practiced a complex series of hand movements, presumably for a dance. A much better use of time than Star and Moon's mischief. Panther and her second in command Fae appeared to rest on the smother stretches of road, causing me to wonder if they weren't planning on sleeping tonight.

"Ah, we're close." Fae murmured, watching the approaching gates loom near. 

My heart raced. I hadn't been this close to the palace. Ever. I wondered at the building made from stone, unlike the painted clay that made up the rest of Unays. Swamp in particular couldn't afford to build with anything so sturdy. The stone remained cold and gray as the day it was dug from whatever far off land it hailed from. Certainly not the Midlands. The walls reached three tall stories into the sky, already towering over the high cliff they were perched on. The tallest point in the Midlands, and visible for leagues. More than once I'd watched its long shadow crawl across the lake and fall over the tiny homes below. I was glad to note that Orchid, Star and Moon were also quietly impressed. At least I wasn't alone.

Pulling up to the palace gates Panther spoke shortly with a guard captain, and our little band was allowed inside.  The inside, even just the courtyard and stables, was just as grand as the outside. Everywhere I looked, the walls were the same gray stone but with decorative carvings. Not just painted flowers and swirls like in Swamp, but real carvings made by master stone smiths. Did Unays even have any stone smiths, or were they brought in from far away? 

Still, even the beautiful carvings didn't add any vibrancy to the palace. The only color was the clothing of the people scattered about, mostly the purple tabards of the palace guards. Even the stables were made of stone, with a hayloft above and boys crawling up and down ladders to tend to the horses.

A steward greeted us as the cart was drawn to a gate by the stables. At least, that's what I assumed he was as his reddened face was spinning in all directions, telling people where to go, who to leave their horses with, what door to deliver crates to. 

"He looks like he needs an extra pair of hands," Star whispered.

"Better make it two," Moon added.

Once he spotted us, he came over as quickly as his short legs would carry him and he led the muses to their rooms. Panther left me with a sympathetic look as I was left with two footmen to help carry the gear behind them. 

But I would do my job happily for my first glance behind the palace walls. 

The footmen weren't much for chatting, thankfully. They looked just as glad that the muses hadn't brought some chittering hen with them, and I followed them silently as they showed the way to the rooms I would be attending for the next few days. 

Twisting and turning, I was lost before I had even taken two steps. The inside was as gray as the outside, and every corner looked the same, though the inside was more decorated than the outside had been. Stained glass oil lanterns clung tightly to the walls in royal purple and gold. Every vase held fresh flowers and every wall held paintings. 

My fingers itched to touch everything. How much money was tied up in just the hallways alone? I rubbed my ribs over the Black Dagger tattoo with a sigh. Davery had made me promise not to steal anything while at the palace, no matter how many Coins walked around with unguarded pockets. We couldn't risk me getting caught, especially since it could get Panther in trouble too.

Looking down, I noticed something that caused me to blink, not registering it right away.

"What are you gawkin' at?" One of the footmen asked when he spotted me falling behind.

I grunted, adjusting the box in my arms and catching up to them. "Everyone here is wearing slippers."

The other footman chuckled. "Only us outside workers need the boots. Some of these lot don't even leave the palace for days on end. They don't have to step in the mud.

My eyes went wide, and the footmen both laughed as we continued on our way.

We finally slipped out of what must have been servants' hallways and into the wider, finer, guest quarters. The footman in front set his armful down in the hall next to a door and gave me a nod.

"Good luck. When you get lost, just ask a servant," he said.

The other footman put down his things as well, and they both went back the way we had come.

Setting my own burden down, I knocked at the door.

"Come in," Panther answered.

I opened the door, and my mouth fell open.

The quarters were grand. Beautifully decorated with soft carpets and silk tapestries. I had a servant's cot to myself, better than any mattress I had ever slept on in Swamp district. There were three huge beds for the six muses, and screens for privacy to change behind. There was a sitting area, with a low table and plush cushions to sit on.

"Well, what do you think ladies? Will this room do?" Panther teased.

"Bliss bless you Panther. I never would have thought I'd be in a room grander than Baron Rothman's parlor, but here we are." Fae laid across the soft yellow sheets of the nearest bed, looking every bit the part of her namesake. The other muses were similarly taking in the textures of their surroundings while I pulled the luggage into the room and closed the door.

"What in the world did you do back in Lolathia to warrant a Princess's personal invitation?" Orchid wondered out loud.

"Something my old bones don't do as well anymore. But for a Queen from the land of endless stars, I will do it again." Panther glided to the trunks brought up by the footmen and removed two ornate swords. They were decorated with silver filigree and blue tassels hung from the hilts. "You girls will witness the waltz of blades this year. Pay close attention, for I will not be doing this again."

The twins looked at each other in greedy anticipation. River and Orchid smiled, giddy. Even Fae, as old as Panther and having seen as much of the world, looked longingly at the blades. I grinned, maybe this festival wasn't so bad after all, if I could watch the performance.

"Now, there will be time for rest later. We have a mere six hours or so to ready ourselves for tonight." Panther laid her swords down and opened a trunk of face paints. "It is time to do our Mother proud."

And the room shot to life as though they hadn't just prepared themselves before we left the house.

Muses. Shadow help me.