the fool.

[Nadia x Einin / Nadinin, CANON COMPLIANT]

Synopsis: A rewrite of the courtier scene in the prologue, where Einin has a mini panic attack at Nadia’s anger, but the Countess is quick to comfort.

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Portia lead the apprentice by the hand through the halls of the palace, halls the latter was sure she’d get lost in without her guide. The trip back into the city was exhausting, and Einin’s head was simultaneously pounding and swimming from the strange encounters she had -- both Doctor Devorak and Portia reuniting(?), and the large man who did everything in his power to avoid her, though he failed. As if the pain in her head couldn’t have gotten worse, she was taken aback by the overwhelming scent of incense and perfume as the two girls rounded a corner.

Nadia’s handmaiden stepped to the side, the door to the parlor right in front of Einin to open. Though not a usually grouchy soul, Einin was suddenly hyper aware of the loud laughter and music behind the door, the heaviness of her gown, colored in oranges and purples, and the grime that came with going into the city beneath it. Better yet, she realized just how out of place she was in all of this.

I’ve come from nothing, she thought suddenly, head aching even more, and now I’m about to sit and talk with all of these fancy people who wouldn’t give me a second glance otherwise. Einin almost turned back, but then she thought about Nadia. She was kind enough to welcome her into the palace, and if Nadia could accept her, maybe the courtiers would, too. She hoped so.

Portia, ever the observant, smiled gently at the taller girl. “Don’t worry, Einin, these people can’t wait to meet you.” The peppiness of Portia’s own words brought the apprentice back to reality, nodding back with a tight, uncomfortable smirk of sorts. People, she reminded herself, they’re just people -- you like people.

Einin opened the door slowly, keeping mind of the seemingly endless amount of layers pooling around her aching feet as she entered the hazy room. She took a second to breathe in not only the overwhelming incense, but also the people. They were lounging, as if simply hanging out at a close friend’s home, and Portia nearly overwhelmed the poor thing as she entered behind her and began reading out the names of the guests. Nadia, the hostess, was playing a pipe organ, and Einin allowed herself a few seconds to oogle. She had expected her to also be laying around, but to see her doing some sort of work at her own party… that was new. She watched the focused Countess play a triumphant, jaunty tune, almost allowing herself to sway to the rhythm.

“Announcing Einin,” Portia began, startling Einin back to reality. Her face went red at the eyes on her, Nadia’s included. “Friend of the palace and apprentice to Asra, the magician.” Unsure of what to do, Einin, ever the charmer, gave a small wave and yet another tight-lipped smile.

“Welcome, Einin,” Nadia stood from her instrument, an act of courtesy. Einin wondered if her face to get any more red, and if all the courtiers had bad enough eyesight where they wouldn’t notice.

“This is Einin?” One of them begins to speak. Which one was that… Voltaire? No, Volta. Volta continues, “She’s cuter than I imagined!”

“What a pleasant surprise, we were all just talking about you!” Another chimes in, making Einin giggle out of anxiety. They liked her.

“Sit, sit! Sit right beside me, Einin! Don’t be shy!” Einin took their advice and moved forward, hoping she looked more graceful than she felt before she took a seat and smoothed out the ruffles on her gown. Immediately the group began talking again, and Einin sat obediently and listened. She didn’t understand what’s going on, but she knew she hadn’t felt that energized all day. They liked her!

Nadia spoke again, drawing the attention back to herself. “Tell me, Einin, how was the announcement received?” Einin bit her tongue for a split second, almost spilling that she in fact had barely been with the group, but instead went snooping and found some very interesting people.

“One can only imagine!” Another courtier -- Valdemar, she thought -- interjected before she can speak. “Even we, the favorites of the Countess, closest to her heart, had no idea!”

`“That our dear Countess, who shares everything with us, could orchestrate such a surprise!” Volta spoke with a teasing tone, though they did still seem to lament. Einin silently wished she had begun speaking earlier, now she couldn’t even get a word in.

Einin zoned for a few moments before Nadia’s voice brought her back in. Something about being able to speak between all the chatter. Einin’s smile became more pleasant at this. At least she was in agreement with one person in the room. She didn’t quite understand what came next either, two courtiers responding about how brave Nadia was to take a chance on such a person.

It hit her a little rough, but Einin wasn’t about to let some harmless jabs ruin her night. Maybe she was unproven, and magic wasn’t exactly on par with legal, feasible action, but Nadia trusted her. Something about that made her feel like she was over the moon. “It was not chance that led me to Einin’s door.” Nadia had her eyes closed, thoughtful. Einin’s door. Her heart leapt again.

“Then perhaps the Countess might inform her adoring court,” a voice sounded from somewhere in the room, until Einin noticed it was coming from right behind her. A man dressed in gray with long, two-toned brown and blond hair draped himself over the couch, wine glass in hand. “How exactly it was she arrived at the witch’s door that night.”

The man, Valerius, made his way around the couch and offered his hand to Einin, though it was fully apparent it wasn’t wholly friendly. Einin remembered Portia’s words vaguely, something about how the Countess wasn’t particularly fond of. “...The witch might tell us herself.” She caught the very last part of his sentence. Witch, although not Einin’s least favorite word, practically left her seething on the couch simply from the venom in his voice.

There’s a few moments of silence in the room. Einin’s opinions on the courtiers crumble right then and there. She put her hand over Valerius’ own, the discoloration on her skin all the more apparent from the redness and heat spreading over her body. “Perhaps,” she began with no sweetness in her tone, “Don’t call me that.”

Einin couldn’t track the other courtier’s reactions and Valerius continued to harp on her. All of the eyes on her once again made her all the more wary, her shoulder rose and her muscles tightened, ready to bolt out of the room if anyone pounced.

Nadia, guardian angel and part-time Countess Nadia, broke the whispers. “You know, if you all wanted so badly to know how that night transpired, you might have simply asked.” Einin didn’t relax, but the courtiers turned their attention to Nadia. “As it happens, I was having some trouble sleeping.”
“As you have been for some time!” A courtier interjected. Einin narrowed her eyes at them, but they weren’t facing her.

“Yes, Procurator. As I have been for some time. I was having trouble sleeping. On that night I woke haunted by the spectre of a dream, no escape from my mind. No comfort from my terrors, nor anyone whom I could turn, who might understand them.” Some of the courtiers seemed almost dejected to Einin at Nadia’s words, but she felt some pride in knowing maybe these “favorites” weren’t exactly favorites to Nadia.

“Indeed, I was in a desperate state, desperately seeking someone, anyone who may be of help to me. It was I who was lucky to come across the one I needed so soon. A benevolent universe brought us together, did it not, Einin?” Einin raised her head at the question, Nadia’s eyes falling on her. The courtier’s aura shifted, something so strong Einin was able to recognize it. Jealously. It made her more on edge than before, lowering her gaze once more. Valerius sighed, one that reminded Einin of a kid trapped inside on a rainy day; that of boredom.

“A benevolent universe brought you together?” A tipsy smirk played on his lips. “With all due respect, Countess, your mind may have been too occupied as of late…” He swirled his glass, “...To see the full capacity of our wide and welcoming arms!” Perhaps Valerius swirled a bit too hard, as the wine in his cup went sloshing out the side as he mimicked the action of his rambles, and straight on to the intricate gown the apprentice wore.

The courtiers gasped as Einin felt the alcohol seep into the fabric, turning the orange a rusty brown color. She felt her midsection grow damp as well, sure that her pale skin was stained at least a little red. Nadia had risen from her place in front of the pipe organ, eyes dark and narrowed. Einin even felt a little afraid, and for a split second she wondered if she was in trouble. The very thought of it made her vision blur, light green eyes becoming wet and shiny.

“Oh, my apologies, how clumsy of me!” Valerius is for sure inebriated, Einin thinks, he would have stopped if he recognized Nadia’s expression. “Surely a witch as skilled as you knows some hocus or pocus to remedy this dilemma?”

“Enough, Valerius.” He immediately straightened at the sound of his name, spoken in such a tone by the Countess. “You have exhausted my patience for tonight. All of you, out. To your chambers. I would appreciate if you could make it there without spilling, but I won’t count on it.” The anger in Nadia’s voice seeped through again as the courtiers scattered through the door. Einin kept her stare towards the door, aware of the blurred shape of Portia, standing close by the exit.  Nadia’s hand on Einin’s shoulder forced a few tears out of her eyes out of reflex. She expected Nadia to reprimand her for talking back to someone, a courtier no less. She would be kicked out and have to return home, lonely, Asra still on some secret trip.

“I am sorry, Einin,” Nadia began, her voice soft and quiet. She couldn’t see Einin’s expression from behind the couch, but the unsteady rising and falling of the shorter’s shoulders gave away how she was feeling. “I had imagined many outcomes to this evening’s affair, and I must admit, this was one of them. The Countess circled around the couch, kneeling down in front of the shaky, crying form that was Einin. Almost timidly, Nadia reached out and wiped the black marks of mascara mixed with tears trailing down to her chin. “Dear Einin, you don’t have to cry. It’s okay, you’ve done nothing wrong.” Nadia kept her hand on the apprentice’s cheek despite having wiped her face nearly clean. “I apologize if I frightened you, but you don’t deserve such treatment, okay?” Einin nodded, taking a few shaky breaths to calm herself as Nadia continued.

“We must rid you of these ruined garments… tsk, such pettiness. But I have taken enough liberties with your wardrobe, so please, do not hesitate. Tell me what you would like. And please, Einin, spare no expense.”

Einin rubbed her eyes vigorously, her vision coming back slowly as she calmed down. Portia stood at the ready, a pitying expression on her face. Einin was so tired, so dehydrated, that she only remembered asking for her casual clothes, Nadia smiling gently at her before removing her hand from the shorter’s face, and Portia taking her to bathe, and then to bed. Before heading in to crash for the night, she remembered Nadia’s face as her eyes had dried. She was concerned and bitter, yes, but she also seemed happy. She had smiled, a small grin, when Einin exhaled and finally stopped shaking. Her eyes lit up, too, those narrow, beautiful eyes that looked more striking in the dim, foggy room.

Einin felt her face heat up as she entered her room and poured a glass of water, burning the image of Nadia kneeling in front of her into her brain. Einin rubbed her face, aware of the remaining mascara smudging her cheeks.
Heavens, she was in deep. And with Countess Nadia, no less.