19th of Winter, 518 AV
7th Bell.
7th Bell.
Savis Maren held her head high, crossed arms set over her breast as she watched the last of the ropes tie together on the front 'door' of the 'cottage' she'd been gifted by Madeira. Though, in truth, there was neither a true door nor was her cottage anything resembling such. Savis looked forth at her completed home, marvelling at the stone walls in the isolated dirt bed at the rear of Infinity Manor's grounds. The Nuit's eyes were wide as she moved her gaze towards the lever, elation pouring throughout her consciousness as a fantasy that draped itself through the mind of any child told bedtime stories of the grandeur of olden Mizahar, a different time when royalty ruled the world.
And then... royalty rises again. Madeira Craven purchased a grand manor for herself, and then this for the 'queen of her little toys', she mused. Far from being ungrateful about the property, which was no larger than the cottages at the Okomo Estates, she was truly in awe of the feat of architecture. Then, the Nuit drifted into something else altogether. The child that stewed within the soul of Savis Maren rose in the midst of fantasy. A girlish giggle escaped the Nuit's lips as she shooed away the construction crew, opening the 'drawbridge' door and at last allowing herself passage into her Castlette.
The Nuit's non-existent heart swelled within her chest, her thoughts whirring as she looked to the simple, but elegant stone facades. There was a massive wardrobe to her right, already stocked with her limited vestments. Then, the table, not yet fitted with its lovely linens, sported the Twin Circles. The Circles of Animation turned into one of the most important shapes in her existence, being both the shapes that created her and the insignia that marked her highest aspirations.
One day, Madeira and I will both be queens, but I'll settle for being a princess until then, she thought to herself. Girlish laughter poured from her lips, high and piercing through the sky in the wake of morning. She spun in the center of her room before her sharp wit carried her to the next necessary inclusions. Savis Maren retrieved the Gadget Arm, placing it in front of the door, hanging it by its strap, tying it between the ropes before she bellowed out,
"Breathe."
The tool whirred to life, flexing its humanoid fingers before Savis Maren moved to her wardrobe. There, she'd pull her black silk dress from her closet, along with the hooded cape and her coat. She placed the dress on the nearest chair to the door before returning her attention entirely to the Gadget Arm.
"Mr. Arm. You're being promoted. Now, you're the royal coat hanger. Your sworn vigil is to hold my coat and those of any guests who pass theirs to you. Fail in this charge and I'll be forced to strip you of your position. Then, it'll be the closet for you. Forever."
The Gadget Arm stirred with Savis' command, its fingers stretched out, then retracted as if grabbing an imaginary coat. Quite pleased with the golem's eagerness to begin its sacred task, the Nuit placed the coat between its fingertips. Immediately, the Gadget Arm took the fabric before raising up in an angle parallel to the ground. The coat hung several feet off the ground, and the Nuit nodded in agreement with his interpretation of her command.
"Good. You'll be a fine servant, indeed, Mr.... No... Sir Arm, the lord of Coats. Now... who's next?"
The Nuit moved towards Wheels, commanding the automaton to open before the Nuit retrieved Tunes. The book automaton was the Nuit's most human creation, with no body to speak of, but a very present personality that'd surely be quite open to sharing in this fantasy of Savis'. Of course the Nuit was aware of her position and station, but wasn't it so fun to pretend? To be someone else? Savis Maren set Tunes open, retrieving her charcoal stick and tuning it to a fine point before she spoke aloud,
"Ms. Tunes! Wake up! We're in a new unlife now, the fo- three of us..." Immediately, Savis Maren was plunged with guilt, the recent destruction of her treasured Sil weighing very deeply in her psyche. She tried to brush off the feeling, looking between Tunes and Wheels with a great fondness before she mustered up the will to speak on.
"I'm royalty, now, you see. We 'live' in a lovely castle, and I'll be damned if I don't have a welcoming comittee every time I come home. So, flip to your fresh page, then remember which one it is."
"Royalty, hmm? Then what does that make me, Savis?"
"You're the blessed crier. Who's to know whose castle this is without the crier to announce her ladyship?"
"Ah! What an honor, Princess Savis!" the notebook called out. The Nuit felt a surge of pleasure course throughout her thoughts, the encouragement from Tunes sufficient to fully engross the Nuit in her wretched fantasy.
"Indeed. Now, I'll dictate it to you, then I'll leave the castle. When the door opens, you'll hear the sound, hm? Immediately, you'll do as I dictated."
"Yes, your majesty!" Ms. Tunes answered before the Nuit began to write.
Welcome, welcome to the estate of the honorable princess, Savis Maren!
The Nuit let high laughter erupt from her lips in waves before she moved, taking herself out of the home before entering anew. With a flourish, Savis Maren carried herself into the home anew, a wry smile on her lips when Tunes followed the Princess' directions flawlessly.
"Did I do it right, Savis?"
"You're promoted again, Ms. Tunes. Now, you're my right hand woman. You have the same responsibilities, but now you can hold your pages higher still."
The aforementioned pages flapped merrily, and the Nuit had just a moment to bask in the glory of her station. The grin plastered upon her features was impossible to remove, and the lush laughter that continued to roar from her lips brought the Nuit even to twirl in her medical vestments, the relic of her visits to the Twuele.
"This simply will not do. Princess Savis will not dress as some peasant!" she insisted aloud. Then, the Nuit threw her vestments into the trash. Quickly, she slid into her elegant garb, throwing her hooded cape over her shoulder before she snapped her fingers. With a swagger, the Nuit shifted her gaze towards Wheels.
"You there, Monsieur Wheels. Like everyone else, you've also received a station. You're my stalwart companion. But, you are also my courier. You remember Mauriel, yes?"
Wheels whirred to life at being addressed. The automaton listened to Savis' question before it began to roll forward and towards her.
"Of course, mistress. Mauriel is friend?"
A pity I didn't make Wheels a bit smarter. He'll get the job done, but he sounds like a fool, she reflected before answering him.
"Yes, Monsieur. She is friend," she answered, her tone mocking in the face of the inferior speech of her most advanced golem.
"I have a letter for you to give her. You'll teach Lady Mauriel how to open your compartment... keeping your voice low as you do it. Then, she'll retrieve this note and follow you here. Okay?"
"Certainly, mistress."
"You'll no longer call me that, either. Now, it's either 'Your Highness' or 'Princess Savis."
"Yes, Your Princess."
"You're not leaving until you get this right," she quipped, her temper rising.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Good," she answered, before at last moving on and inscribing the note she mentioned. In the mundane pages of her other notebook, she worked. Savis Maren took care to create worthy script of her title, looping her words in a neat cursive.
Lady Mauriel,
Your Princess needs you! In light of Lady Savis' new accommodations, you must come to my home on the property of Infinity Manor. From there, we'll embark on a most perilous quest. That is, of course, the pursuit of finery fitting for this new position.
PS: We'll also use the opportunity to make good on a promise that is as of yet unfulfilled. Make sure to be well-fed before arriving.
Your princess,
Her Ladyship Savis Maren.
With the completed letter, Savis neatly folded it, placing it into the open compartment before she said to Wheels,
"Mauriel lives in the Okomo Estates. We've passed by that way more than once. Surely, you'll remember your way."
"Understood."
Then, Wheels was off, leaving Savis Maren to bask in her miniature castle.
And then... royalty rises again. Madeira Craven purchased a grand manor for herself, and then this for the 'queen of her little toys', she mused. Far from being ungrateful about the property, which was no larger than the cottages at the Okomo Estates, she was truly in awe of the feat of architecture. Then, the Nuit drifted into something else altogether. The child that stewed within the soul of Savis Maren rose in the midst of fantasy. A girlish giggle escaped the Nuit's lips as she shooed away the construction crew, opening the 'drawbridge' door and at last allowing herself passage into her Castlette.
The Nuit's non-existent heart swelled within her chest, her thoughts whirring as she looked to the simple, but elegant stone facades. There was a massive wardrobe to her right, already stocked with her limited vestments. Then, the table, not yet fitted with its lovely linens, sported the Twin Circles. The Circles of Animation turned into one of the most important shapes in her existence, being both the shapes that created her and the insignia that marked her highest aspirations.
One day, Madeira and I will both be queens, but I'll settle for being a princess until then, she thought to herself. Girlish laughter poured from her lips, high and piercing through the sky in the wake of morning. She spun in the center of her room before her sharp wit carried her to the next necessary inclusions. Savis Maren retrieved the Gadget Arm, placing it in front of the door, hanging it by its strap, tying it between the ropes before she bellowed out,
"Breathe."
The tool whirred to life, flexing its humanoid fingers before Savis Maren moved to her wardrobe. There, she'd pull her black silk dress from her closet, along with the hooded cape and her coat. She placed the dress on the nearest chair to the door before returning her attention entirely to the Gadget Arm.
"Mr. Arm. You're being promoted. Now, you're the royal coat hanger. Your sworn vigil is to hold my coat and those of any guests who pass theirs to you. Fail in this charge and I'll be forced to strip you of your position. Then, it'll be the closet for you. Forever."
The Gadget Arm stirred with Savis' command, its fingers stretched out, then retracted as if grabbing an imaginary coat. Quite pleased with the golem's eagerness to begin its sacred task, the Nuit placed the coat between its fingertips. Immediately, the Gadget Arm took the fabric before raising up in an angle parallel to the ground. The coat hung several feet off the ground, and the Nuit nodded in agreement with his interpretation of her command.
"Good. You'll be a fine servant, indeed, Mr.... No... Sir Arm, the lord of Coats. Now... who's next?"
The Nuit moved towards Wheels, commanding the automaton to open before the Nuit retrieved Tunes. The book automaton was the Nuit's most human creation, with no body to speak of, but a very present personality that'd surely be quite open to sharing in this fantasy of Savis'. Of course the Nuit was aware of her position and station, but wasn't it so fun to pretend? To be someone else? Savis Maren set Tunes open, retrieving her charcoal stick and tuning it to a fine point before she spoke aloud,
"Ms. Tunes! Wake up! We're in a new unlife now, the fo- three of us..." Immediately, Savis Maren was plunged with guilt, the recent destruction of her treasured Sil weighing very deeply in her psyche. She tried to brush off the feeling, looking between Tunes and Wheels with a great fondness before she mustered up the will to speak on.
"I'm royalty, now, you see. We 'live' in a lovely castle, and I'll be damned if I don't have a welcoming comittee every time I come home. So, flip to your fresh page, then remember which one it is."
"Royalty, hmm? Then what does that make me, Savis?"
"You're the blessed crier. Who's to know whose castle this is without the crier to announce her ladyship?"
"Ah! What an honor, Princess Savis!" the notebook called out. The Nuit felt a surge of pleasure course throughout her thoughts, the encouragement from Tunes sufficient to fully engross the Nuit in her wretched fantasy.
"Indeed. Now, I'll dictate it to you, then I'll leave the castle. When the door opens, you'll hear the sound, hm? Immediately, you'll do as I dictated."
"Yes, your majesty!" Ms. Tunes answered before the Nuit began to write.
Welcome, welcome to the estate of the honorable princess, Savis Maren!
The Nuit let high laughter erupt from her lips in waves before she moved, taking herself out of the home before entering anew. With a flourish, Savis Maren carried herself into the home anew, a wry smile on her lips when Tunes followed the Princess' directions flawlessly.
"Did I do it right, Savis?"
"You're promoted again, Ms. Tunes. Now, you're my right hand woman. You have the same responsibilities, but now you can hold your pages higher still."
The aforementioned pages flapped merrily, and the Nuit had just a moment to bask in the glory of her station. The grin plastered upon her features was impossible to remove, and the lush laughter that continued to roar from her lips brought the Nuit even to twirl in her medical vestments, the relic of her visits to the Twuele.
"This simply will not do. Princess Savis will not dress as some peasant!" she insisted aloud. Then, the Nuit threw her vestments into the trash. Quickly, she slid into her elegant garb, throwing her hooded cape over her shoulder before she snapped her fingers. With a swagger, the Nuit shifted her gaze towards Wheels.
"You there, Monsieur Wheels. Like everyone else, you've also received a station. You're my stalwart companion. But, you are also my courier. You remember Mauriel, yes?"
Wheels whirred to life at being addressed. The automaton listened to Savis' question before it began to roll forward and towards her.
"Of course, mistress. Mauriel is friend?"
A pity I didn't make Wheels a bit smarter. He'll get the job done, but he sounds like a fool, she reflected before answering him.
"Yes, Monsieur. She is friend," she answered, her tone mocking in the face of the inferior speech of her most advanced golem.
"I have a letter for you to give her. You'll teach Lady Mauriel how to open your compartment... keeping your voice low as you do it. Then, she'll retrieve this note and follow you here. Okay?"
"Certainly, mistress."
"You'll no longer call me that, either. Now, it's either 'Your Highness' or 'Princess Savis."
"Yes, Your Princess."
"You're not leaving until you get this right," she quipped, her temper rising.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Good," she answered, before at last moving on and inscribing the note she mentioned. In the mundane pages of her other notebook, she worked. Savis Maren took care to create worthy script of her title, looping her words in a neat cursive.
Lady Mauriel,
Your Princess needs you! In light of Lady Savis' new accommodations, you must come to my home on the property of Infinity Manor. From there, we'll embark on a most perilous quest. That is, of course, the pursuit of finery fitting for this new position.
PS: We'll also use the opportunity to make good on a promise that is as of yet unfulfilled. Make sure to be well-fed before arriving.
Your princess,
Her Ladyship Savis Maren.
With the completed letter, Savis neatly folded it, placing it into the open compartment before she said to Wheels,
"Mauriel lives in the Okomo Estates. We've passed by that way more than once. Surely, you'll remember your way."
"Understood."
Then, Wheels was off, leaving Savis Maren to bask in her miniature castle.