The Morning of the Moths (Nissabella)

[Poison]

Soraya tried to kick Vass and push his arms away, but unfortunately he was much too strong for her. He held onto her tightly. She wanted to scream. This was not how it was supposed to go! She was supposed to stand on the stage, as moth queen, be admired by everybody and distribute the gifts, not be dragged to the Sac like a common criminal! This was supposed to be her day, the turning point in her life where things finally started to go the way she wanted! She’d been standing in the shadow of other women all her life, and she was tired of it! She deserved to be famous!

As she heard Nissabella’s words, her eyes widened, and she looked at her rival incredulously. Was Nissabella serious? She wanted to help her, after everything that had happened? „You are mad“, she muttered. „Completely and utterly mad.“ But she secretly hoped that they’d allow them both to be moth queens this year. Even if she had to share with Nissabella, it was better than being stuck in the Sac with thieves and halfblood filth.

Vass was likewise surprised by Nissabella’s words and loosened his grip on Soraya for a moment. She took the opportunity to escape and stood next to him, her arms crossed over her chest.

„I’m not sure if there can be two moth queens“, he admitted. „It might be better than this – if you really think that you can trust a woman who just tried to hurt you, but …“

„It has never happened before“, Nissabella could hear somebody from the audience. A woman stepped forward. Nissabella would recognize her at once. It was Nessora Hyacinth, the female half of the ruling couple and one of the only Symenestra women that had ever survived the birth of her child. „But there is nothing in our laws that says it’s forbidden. This is indeed supposed to be a joyful time. Let’s not taint it with such dark things.“

She extended a hand and Vass helped her onto the stage while her husband and her daughter who had been with her looked on.

Nessora gestured for Nissabella and Soraya to join her and then turned to face the crowd.

„Kalinor, meet your new moth queens, Nissabella Rose and Soraya Orchid. Nissabella has shown us all what it means to be Symenestra. We are only strong when we work together and act as a community, as Viratas, our god has told us to.“

The people were quiet for a moment – they weren’t completely sure what had just happened – but then they cheered loudly for the two young women. Two moth queens meant twice as many gifts and twice as much celebration, right?

Soraya looked very pleased and waved to them, but as she looked at Nissabella for a moment, her smile disappeared. She wasn’t used to people being kind and forgiving, and she wasn’t sure if she liked it. She didn’t want to have to reconsider her attitude!

„Don’t believe that we are suddenly friends now“, she whispered and then went back to smiling at the crowd and waving.

[Nissabella Rose]

"I wouldn't be friends with you if you were the last Symenestra in the world," Nissabella hissed back at her, showing that perhaps she wasn't quite as kind and forgiving as her recent actions might have implied. "It's no wonder you don't have any friends, Soraya. You don't deserve any." For a moment, Nissabella wondered if she really was mad, asking for the girl who'd just tried to push her off a stage to be Moth Queen with her. Just the sound of Soraya's voice, let alone her ungrateful words, were enough to vex Nissabella and cause her fangs to extend perceptibly. She couldn't believe the nerve of the now-gaily waving, smiling Soraya. What kind of person insisted on crowning themselves the Moth Queen, instead of getting chosen for the position, and then pushing their way onstage? What thoughts could possibly be going through her mind? Still, she did not repent her moment of pity. Soraya's anger and disappointment would have put a dark blot on Nissabella's special day, which was now bright with smiles and cheering, and people might have whispered that Soraya was the rightful Moth Queen after all. Besides, Nissabella's deed had caught the attention of no less than Nessora Hyacinth, the ruling female of Kalinor who was somewhat of a legend within the city for her cunning, her subtlety, and the fact that she had actually given birth to a true-born child and survived. Earning her notice, let alone her praise, made it all worthwhile. Of course, such notice was bound to be fleeting. Perhaps in a year, no one would remember Nissabella's gesture or Nessora's speech. Still, she was an especial icon of hope to the Esterians, and the dancer felt awed simply standing next to the handsome, dark-haired woman. She performed the deepest, most respectful curtsey she could manage toward the female monarch. She had so many questions she'd always wanted to ask Nessora -- if that story about her trials was true, if she'd known she'd survive childbirth, and whether she had any wisdom about the experience to pass on -- but now, standing beside her, the usually chatty dancer found herself tongue-tied. She felt certain that if she even opened her mouth, she'd start babbling like a fool. At this moment, she would rather spend a night in the Sac stark naked than make a fool of herself before Nessora Hyacinth. "Nissa," she heard one of her moths, Aessila, whisper to her, breaking her out of her spell. Turning, Nissabella saw with infinite gratitude that the amber-eyed girl was holding out a basket to her, filled with brightly wrapped candies and caramelized fruits. Smiling thankfully at her friend, she took the basket and turned toward the crowd gathered before the stage. Her spirits soared at the sight of her parents and brother beaming at her near the front, for once not looking embarrassed by their Harvest-protesting daughter. With a laugh and a cheerful wave of her hand, Nissabella reached into her basket and gently tossed a handful of candies to her brother's toddling son, who was staring up at her with wonder. A half dozen piping children's voices rang out joyfully, and soon several young boys and girls were scrambling to claim candies. Nissabella reached for another handful and sprinkled them into the crowd. I love this, Nissabella thought exultantly, as more Symenestra called out her name, clamored for her attention, and even blew her kisses. I love being the Moth Queen! I just…I just hope that this time, there won't be any more surprises.

[Poison]

„Isn’t Nissabella beautiful?“ she could hear somebody in the crowd ask. „I went to Mene Madras with her!“

„I want to be just like Nissabella when I’m older!“ a girl proclaimed as she caught a few candies and smiled.

Another girl, no more than five or six years of age, climbed onto the stage before her mother could keep her from it and gave Nissabella a hug.

The mother looked somewhat embarrassed and immediately retrieved her child.

In front of the stage a couple of boys fought for the candies Nissabella had thrown and each insisted that they had more candies than the others.

And all around her the people cheered for her and called her name – and Soraya’s who some people insisted was the more beautiful one.

The fake Moth Queen who had suddenly become the real deal looked a little unhappy whenever she heard her rival’s name, but she didn’t say a thing and just kept on throwing candies into the crowd.

She was aware that this was probably more than she deserved, and she didn’t want to stretch her luck.

Nesssora and Vass remained on the stage with the two girls and their moths, making sure that everything went the way it was supposed to.

Everybody was there. Even Avarys Anthurium stood in front of the stage, although he quickly ducked as Soraya looked his way.

He didn’t want to have anything to do with her, not even now that she was one of the Moth Queens.

There were people who criticized Soraya and Nissabella as well – they mentioned that Nissabella had spoken out against the Harvest and that Soraya was a shallow girl that was desperate for fame – but they were not particularly loud.

This was a happy occasion.

It took the people forever to calm down. They were reluctant to leave the presence of the Moth Queens and go home, but they comforted themselves with the fact that Nissabella and Soraya would visit them in their homes later on.

~~~~
After the majority of the spectators had left, Vass and a few other Ochya accompagnied Nissabella and Soraya back into the gathering hall where a meal had been prepared for them in the meantime. It was only the first of many that would be offered to them during the next couple of days.

There was a large bowl with fresh bruka, soft fruit and sweets that Symenestra would be able to digest without problems and different kinds of beverages. The table on which the food stood had been decorated with silk moth miniatures in intense jewel tones.

Soraya looked at the food (that looked delicious even to her) and then at Vass, and then she complained, „Why are Nessora and her husband not eating with us? Why did she leave so quickly after she introduced us to the people of Kalinor?“

„Nessora is a busy woman“, one of her moths informed her. „I’ve heard that she will host a dinner at her private residence for us later this evening. It will be so exciting! I hope Silenva shares some of her beauty secrets with us. Did you hear that she has a new lover again?“

Soraya didn’t reply. She didn’t want to be hear about love – because she didn’t have a boyfriend. Why hadn’t she seen Avarys today?

„So …“ She turned to Nissabella because discussing the festival whose star she was – even if it was together with her rival – was indefinitely more appealing than Silenva’s beauty and her lovers.

„How are we going to do it? Are we going to visit all the houses together – or is each one of us going to visit a certain part of the city?“

[Nissabella Rose]

After the wonderful morning in which she had been admired, cheered, adored, and sought after just as much as she could have wanted when she'd dreamed of becoming Moth Queen, Nissabella felt like she was practically floating on air with happiness. Though she wasn't one of those dancers who lived to hear the audience's applause, she loved to connect with the audience in her own way and know that she had moved them with her dancing or her actions. Short-lived though they were, the accolades she'd received for throwing candies and little gifts into the crowd and leading the celebrations were a memory that she would cherish for weeks to come. In the aftermath of those glowing hours, though, sitting down to a meal with Soraya Orchid was most definitely a letdown. Nissabella was truly beginning to regret pitying the girl. For all that she'd sleep better tonight knowing she'd done the right and honorable thing by showing compassion to Soraya, she wished it didn't mean she had to spend more time in that noisy girl's company now. Thus, while Soraya complained and talked with her moths, Nissabella did her best to stop up her ears and applied herself to the delicious food spread before them. It kept her from retorting rudely when Soraya grumbled about Nessora Hyacinth not eating with them, as though the powerful woman had nothing better to do with her day. Dining with her later was more of an honor than Nissabella ever expected -- or Soraya, in her private opinion, deserved. And when Soraya asked her if they should visit everyone's houses together or separately, she answered just a little too quickly. "Definitely not together," she said, rather sharply. Her own moths looked up at the sound of her voice, and Nissabella, flushing guiltily, tried to soften her tone. "I mean, I think it would be much easier if we each visited different houses. I remember how some of the Moth Queens were absolutely haggard by the time Chemah vo Ranek was over! This way, more people than ever can say they got to see the Moth Queen in person." Her glance flicked briefly toward her two aerial dancer friends, and a mischievous smile crept across her face. "We can set it up like dance choreography, if you like," Nissabella added, turning back to Soraya. "Like this…" With one hand, she took her bowl of bruka off its saucer and set it on the table, while dipping her spoon into the thick, blood-based porridge with the other hand. Carefully letting a thin trail of the deep-red liquid trickle onto the clean white porcelain, she drew a somewhat wobbly circle along the saucer. Then, Nissabella dipped her spoon into the bruka again and sketched a wavy line dividing the circle in two. "There," she said, pointing to the circle, "that's Kalinor. We can divide it up like this, so that we won't be overlapping. And if we think of the major Webs and other dwellings in the city as something like stage structures, then…" She drew clumps of tiny X's on either side of the wavy line with soft scraping sounds as her spoon slid over the saucer. "It'll be like two separate choruses on the stage at once," she explained, the idea taking shape in her mind. "Then we can both dance across each side of it and create twice the spectacle that way. I'll take this half," she added, indicating one side of the circle with her spoon, "and you can take that half. Will that work for you?" Her pointed chin thrust out a little at the last question, as though daring Soraya to question or challenge her. Nissabella was, after all, the rightfully chosen Moth Queen this year, and she didn't want the other girl to forget that just yet.

[Poison]

„I agree“, Soraya replied. „I don’t want to do it together either. And I definitely don’t want to look haggard.“ She made a face as she said that. She remembered the previous Moth Queen – not Selaria who had been poisoned before she had been able to do her duty – but the girl who had been Moth Queen before her. The poor thing seemed to have aged ten years over the course of a couple of days. Soraya valued her beauty more than anything else (and it absolutely frustrated her that everybody thought Silenva Hyacinth was the most beautiful woman in Kalinor, another reason why she didn’t want to hear about her).

„So let’s split up!“ As Nissabella started playing with her bruka, Soraya made a face again. She had been told never to play with her food. “That’s not Kalinor. That’s a circle made of bruka on your saucer. But …“ She paused because she wasn’t sure whether she wanted to agree with anything Nissabella said. But then she shrugged her shoulders, deciding that she could be nice every once in a while because Nissabella had asked for her to become the second Moth Queen. „… I like your suggestion anyway. Let’s do it this way. Do I get the half with the Weft and Warp?“

She smiled all over her face at the thought of visiting Avarys and bringing him gifts. If she came as Moth Queen, he wouldn’t be able to turn her away! He would have to touch her, and maybe she could finally make him kiss her!

Vass, who was still in the room, but not eating with the girls and their moths, watched Nissabella and Soraya and listened to them carefully. As far as he was concerned they really seemed to make an effort to get along.

Of course he didn’t know of Soraya’s unhealthy fascination with Avarys …

[Nissabella Rose]

Nissabella felt a stab of annoyance as Soraya carelessly dismissed what she thought was a rather clever depiction of Kalinor that she'd drawn with bruka upon her saucer, not to mention her even cleverer analogy comparing the city to a dance studio strategically arranged with stage structures. Using food to illustrate a map while enjoying a meal? It was brilliant! Nissabella had been proud of herself for her ingenious little improvisation. But no, the self-centered Soraya apparently couldn't look past the squiggles, circles, and lines drawn in bruka and see it for the carefully sketched diagram of Kalinor that it was meant to be. All she could think about was swanning herself about town and exploiting her new status as Moth Queen as much as possible. Nissabella rolled her eyes. Sharing the title wouldn't have been nearly this bad if it had been with a girl like Selaria Anice, whom everyone had described as gentle and sweet. Selaria wouldn't just think of herself and which homes she would visit. Selaria would have appreciated Nissabella's drawing, or at least she would have been nice about it. Unfortunately, Selaria wasn't here, and Soraya was. With a sigh, Nissabella regarded her bruka map and thought about where the Weft and Warp was located. She was tempted, very tempted, to claim the weaving school for herself. At the very least, considering it was located in the very center of Kalinor, the two of them could reasonably agree to visit it together. And yet… "All right, fine," she blurted out, not knowing how much she'd regret her words later that season, "you can have the Warp and Weft." Beside her, Nissabella's two silvery-haired dancer moths stopped eating almost in unison and stared at her in disbelief. They had seen how radiant she looked after her audition dance with Avarys Anthurium, how she still blushed and giggled like a schoolgirl at the mention of his name. The incredulous looks on their faces asked more clearly than words, Why did you say that? What are you thinking? The same question was running through Nissabella's mind. Her lips had seemingly moved of their own volition, before she'd even consciously thought over the matter. Why didn't she seize the chance to see the handsome dancer with whom she'd been infatuated since their dance together? Because, she realized, she was afraid. It made no sense, but her fear was so strong that it didn't have to. She was afraid of seeing him again, afraid of making a fool of herself before Avarys and Alessa Anthurium with her ignorance about Kalinor's most important trade, afraid of the rumors that the two were closer than any cousins had a right to be. More than anything, she was afraid of looking into Avarys' face and realizing that he didn't really care for her and perhaps never had. They'd only had one dance together, after all. And it was only a dance. It wasn't as if he'd kissed her or anything. To her confused and fearful emotions, it seemed better to avoid him utterly, rather than risk getting her heart broken, and to let her little infatuation sputter out and die. Even the fact that it pained her made it seem like the wiser course of action, somehow. Thus, Nissabella bravely pursed her lips and gave a curt nod, trying to ignore the hateful way Soraya's face was wreathed in smiles. "You can have the Weft and Warp," she repeated, with as much finality as she could manage. "But in return, I get to visit this half of the city." She pointed with her spoon toward the farther half of Kalinor, as drawn upon her saucer, where the influential Curare Web -- including the Cobweb's dance mistress, Kanasa Curare -- was settled, as well as the Ivy Web. The homes of other notable citizens, like Daratur Violet, the priest of Viratas, were located there as well. Let Soraya and her moths think that Nissabella was making this sacrifice out of ambition or piety, instead of fear. In fact, let Soraya think whatever she wanted; it wasn't her opinion that mattered to Nissabella. With that, the dark-haired dancer drained the rest of her bruka, relishing the spicy, iron taste of the porridge, and took a final sip of fruit juice. She didn't want to give Soraya, or her own thoughts, any time to second-guess or question her decision. Gesturing to her moths, she rose from her chair in a sussurant rustle of golden silk and looked toward Vass Vervein. "Is there time to make one or two visits to a few homes before our dinner with the ruling couple?" she asked politely. A hint of girlish eagerness slipping into her voice, she added, "I had so much fun this morning, I guess I just can't wait to keep spreading the cheer as the new Moth Queen!"

[Poison]

„Fantastic!“ Soraya exclaimed as Nissabella told her that she could have the Weft and Warp and smiled all over her face. She couldn’t believe that Nissabella had really agreed to it. She would see her Avarys again, and he would be soo honored to have the Moth Queen in his house! „Thank you“, she even added because this was a very special occasion. Now Avarys would have to love her! It was going to be awesome!

„You can have whatever parts of Kalinor you want“, she said because she felt like being generous now. „I don’t really like the Ivy Web anyway. The head of the Web just sits in his boat in the Rose Cavern all day long, and his grandson that was at the audition with us is probably gay. He even looked like a girl!“ She made a face and shuddered as she said this. Soraya couldn’t stand the idea of a man that was completely immune to her charms and might even become some sort of competition.

Having voiced her dislike for the Ivy Web (and one of ist members in particular), she turned back to her food. As Nissabella could see Soraya had a very healthy appetite. It wasn’t entirely ladylike, but the food was free, and it was good, so why should she leave it to Nissabella and her friends? It was much better off in her stomach!

As Nissabella adressed him, Vass came a bit closer. „I think there is enough time to visit two or even three families, if they live close enough to the residence of the ruling couple“, he replied. „and if we leave soon.“

„It’s good that you were having fun this morning“, he added, but as usual he didn’t smile, but talked in the same tone as before.