The others finally left her alone for a bit after Chenzhou left. Marian had promised to send a maid to check on her every hour and Eirian had threatened to chuck them right back out the door if they came before she called for them.
It had taken a long list of tasks to get Finn out of the room too, but she'd finally managed to get him moving by tasking him to check on the artifacts Yuze had identified as possible origins of the poison. Yuze's people were still trying to locate all of them and Finn had energy for days, he'd make a dent faster than anyone else.
Finally left alone, Eirian had time to think. Nibbling on a decadent cheese plate and crusty sour bread, she considered Chenzhou.
Oddly attentive for a husband who was in love with another woman. But maybe not for a friend. Maybe that was what they were working towards now. Partners could be friends, couldn't they?
Chenzhou seemed like he'd make a good friend. Quiet, devoted, and driven. All traits Eirian admired.
If he wasn't dying, it might be worth putting effort into befriending him.
She had expected him to look a lot worse after what happened the last time she used her magic. She made a mental note to check on him once her strength had returned.
And to find out what was happening with Yuze and his ex, because Yuze had definitely run out of there like he was on fire. Hopefully Finn would hear something worth sharing.
But until then, any hopes of gossip to distract her from her own problems would have to wait.
It gave her plenty of time to dwell on her own problems.
Namely the dream she'd had while her magic was running amok.
She'd been back in that other place. In that world where there was nothing alive but there was magic everywhere and now that she had time, and she was noticing new details with each dream.
Like, how did magic survive there is there was no life? Magic existed in the living world. Maybe it wasn't alive like a human being, but it was alive. It had motivation. It had thought. It could adapt.
How was it not alive?
So how was it existing in a place that had none?
And how had they been there too? Because there had been more people this time. Human. Or at least a very convincing facsimile. Eirian had caught her own reflection in a gemstone, and she still look…similar to herself. She had the same shame moonfire hair, that pale, pale blond that shimmered in the light. She had the same bright, bright green eyes that had glowed even more than normal in that place. Her features were sharper, and her clothes were simpler. Dark robes decorated with precious stones, and she'd had a moment when she'd calculated how much money she was wearing.
From the looks of that place, precious stones weren't that rare, so maybe they weren't as valuable. With wild magic running free, was it valuable? Was there anyone there that didn't have magic?
Eirian had interacted with several people as she wandered that world, occasionally peering out the glittering veil at the living world beyond. It had seemed wild, there were no people beyond on the veil and only occasionally large animals. She'd caught the shadow of a dragon in the sky while she was talking to a man who looked around her age, everyone she'd seen had, so maybe they did age normally?
He'd had a head of dark hair, the gleamed in a way that reminded her of the night sky and had eyes that glowed gold like the sun. His features were aristocratic, or at least what people generally considered so right now. Eirian had studied enough history to know those tastes changed with time.
He'd felt kind. Reliable. Like what Eirian imagined an older brother probably felt like, based on the way Eric sometimes said she made him feel being two months older and the more outgoing of the two of them.
She couldn't actually remember what they'd talked about or the sound of his voice, but she thought they'd sat together for a while, looking through the veil at a world that didn't feel familiar, but did feel tempting.
Like it was calling them, but they were too afraid to answer.
It had been a long since Eirian had been truly afraid of something. That bone deep terror that left her shaken and nauseous and unwilling. Sure, she had small fears, like everyone else. Embarrassment, she was never going to forgive Philip. Failure. She always feared not being enough.
And lizards.
Lizards were terrifying with their scurrying and their long slimy tails.
And mice.
Eirian wasn't a fan of small, quick little things that could dart around before she could react and disappear so quickly, she was never sure where they really were.
Creepy. They were creepy and Eirian didn't like creepy little things.
It was totally normal.
Thankfully, there didn't seem to be any of those in this dream world.
She wasn't sure why the veil was so scary, but neither Eirian or the man she'd talked to had tried to cross it and eventually they'd been joined by two others. A bright haired, bright eyed, bright smile young man who seemed like the physical embodiment of the sun and a vivacious woman with wavy hair and an even curvier waist. Her big almond eyes were the same color as the Deep Water Sea on the other side of the Land of Song and Snow and just as deep. Eirian had seen it once, many years ago when she accompanied her father on a diplomatic visit to the Kingdom of Xi that controlled the majority of the coastal land of Song and Snow. Including the largest shipping port on the rock.
Eirian had never seen a blue like that before. Or a single body of water stretching so far it seemed to join with the sky at the far horizon.
~ tbc