The Power and the Glory

Book 1 Chapter IV: Visiting

If you're as strong and mighty as you say you are, you wouldn't be afraid. -- Erin Entrada Kelly, Lalani of the Distant Sea

Liameon Palace was widely considered the last word in elegance. If it was fashionable or expensive, Princess Líusal Hartannasvóeln had it somewhere in her home. People would travel for miles just to get a glimpse of her famous collections.

Abihira had witnessed Mirio's ill-advised attempt at painting. She'd encountered a disturbing number of corpses in all stages of decomposition. She'd even been seen some of the more bizarre styles of clothing in both Seroyawa and Saoridhlém.

Yet she had never seen such a cluttered eyesore as her older sister's house.

Pottery from five different eras shared a shelf with dolls made in Lianruil, sporting ghastly grins dressed in clothes so colourless and moth-eaten they were practically rags. No matter where she turned she found suits of armour, so flawlessly clean and undamaged it was obvious they had never been worn in a battle. An entire wing of the palace was devoted to opera costumes. Several rooms were given over to jewellery and headdresses -- most of them replicas of long-lost originals.

How anyone can live in a glorified museum is beyond me, she thought, side-stepping a rug made of bedraggled phoenix feathers.

Líusal and her family lived at the back of the palace, where the sightseers were forbidden from intruding. It should have been easy for Abihira to find her way there. She was the princess's sister. Her visit was expected. The servants at the entrance hall had told her where to go and even offered to lead her there. But she had stupidly thought it would be easy to find on her own. Now she was in a room displaying various carpets and rugs, and she had to admit she was well and truly lost.

Transportation spells were one of the first things magicians learnt. They were also extremely unreliable when used indoors. If she tried to cast one here she would probably end up in Líusal's living room. Only problem was, she would probably also take the entire display room with her.

Every immortal who was capable of telepathy could communicate with other immortals over great distances. Abihira had long since forgotten how to specifically send a message to Líusal, even if she'd ever known it. Instead she broadcast a message to everyone in the house.

This building is a damn maze, she shouted to anyone who cared to listen. Someone please tell me where I am!

A vague feeling of surprised amusement brushed against the edges of her awareness, probably from the servants or the visitors. Telepathic communication was always clearest when between relatives or close friends. Abihira ignored the faint whispers of people laughing at her and waited for a more distinct response.

It came fairly quickly.

You little idiot! Líusal's voice was full of laughter and the smug superiority of older siblings everywhere. How did you get lost so easily?

"Easily", she says, Abihira thought with a huff.

Líusal continued, Come downstairs. I'll tell the servants to wait for you. Try not to get lost on the stairs.

~~~~

By the time the servants finally showed Abihira into her sister's living room she would have happily raised an army of the dead just to destroy the house. The sight that greeted her was not calculated to improve her mood or raise her opinion of the palace. Líusal's living room was a riot of colour and tastelessness. Never before had Abihira seen wallpaper with stripes of magenta and sickly yellow. She hoped she never saw it again.