Sealing the Pact

The clock chimed. Cecilia snapped her fingers again. Nothing happened.

The young woman let out a long sigh. She'd been trying all morning to master the spell, but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't get the candle to light itself. Closing the spell book in front of her, she struck a match, holding it to the candle's wick, which flickered to life instantly, dancing in the cold of air of the grand library. She watched it for a moment, before letting her gaze shift to the world outside her window.

Looking down from the top floor of her father's manor house, Cecilia could see out over most of the valley below. Directly beneath her sat the solemn grey stone bridge, connecting the house to the rest of the world by a thin dirt road, winding away through the foothills, up and out of site over the edge of the mountains in the distance, hedged in on either side by the dense foliage of the deciduous forests that dominated the land, still thick with the leaves of summer, despite the autumn winds now whistling through their branches.

In the distance, through the thin afternoon mists, she could just about make out the lights of little Lyncroft town, sitting serenely in the valley. She smiled to herself, imagining the common folk who lived there, going about their ordinary lives in the shadow of her family's estate.

She pictured them on their way to work, stopping to greet each other in the street, smiling and talking to each other as they went about their days. She imagined bakers baking, washerwoman taking baskets of laundry down to the river, shopkeepers selling their wares to eager villagers while children played around their feet. Old men sitting by fires telling stories of their youths. Just ordinary people.

Looking up to the sky, she could see the afternoon sun poking through the dark grey clouds, it's rays lighting up the mists below, giving the scene a picturesque, if slightly eerie, quality. It was going to rain soon. Cecilia smiled. She liked the rain.

Standing up from her chair, she took the spellbook from the table and carried it under her arm back to the book shelf. Sliding it carefully back into place, she made her way back to the table. On her way, she stopped, a familiar sight catching her eye, a small shelf tucked away behind her father's extensive anthologies. Nestled below 'World history' and above 'Arcane Semantics' sat a small collection of dark, leather bound books, each covering an aspect of Cecilia's true passion. Demonology.

Slipping between the tall oak bookshelves, the young woman made her way to the shelf, studying the cracked, ancient spines. The books around her were covered in dust, untouched for years, but these tomes looked almost as clean as the day they were bound.

Choosing a title, Cecilia reached out and slipped it free of the shelf. "Tales of the Incubi". One of her personal favourites. She felt a little shiver of excitement run through her as her fingers traced across the golden image embossed on the front cover; a tall, muscular man, reclining nude on a throne, with a woman on her knees between his legs.

Thumbing through the ancient, brown pages, she made her way back to the table, taking a moment to look back outside the window. Coming down the road towards the manor, barely visible through the mist, she could see a light. A carriage, it's lantern barely a speck on the horizon. Cecilia grimaced. No more reading for today.

A wave of irritation washed over the girl. Closing the book, she put it down on the table, blew out the candle, and left the library.

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One of the oldest noble families in the country of Durlacova, the Gildameres of Lyncroft had long overseen the county of Harsburgh from their family seat at Castle Bywater. The current Lord Gildamere, Alexander the Third, had been blessed many years prior with four children, the sisters Jessamina, Cassandra, Evelyne, and Cecilia.

Like their father, each had inherited an incredible aptitude for the arcane arts, an inherent skill passed down through generation after generation of the Gildamere bloodline. The family's affinity for magic was one of their defining traits, setting them aside from the common folk and other noble families alike. From birth each of the girls had shown a great talent for casting spells, which followed them into adulthood, and now each found herself commanding a considerable reputation in her respective field. No matter what they turned their hands too, the Gildamere sisters found fame and success wherever they went.

There was only one exception. The youngest daughter, Cecilia.

Unlike her sisters, Cecilia had never had much luck when it came to harnessing the wild forces of magic. Despite her constant efforts, and the efforts of her tutors, she'd never been able to conjure even the simplest of spells, and as she got older, one by one the people around her lost hope that she ever would. By the age of nineteen, the girl had yet to cast a single spell, let alone bend the forces of the arcane to her will in the way her sisters did. She was, in all respects, completely normal.

While no-one would ever say it, especially within earshot of the lord himself, it was no secret that Cecilia was her father's least favorite child. While her sisters were off making names for themselves across the country, she sat at home, reading books in her father's library while the world passed her by. Even now, as an attractive young woman, she rarely left the house, and he despaired at the thought of her growing old alone. Sitting in his armchair, the Lord shook his head. If only the girl had some motivation beyond reading her fairy tales.

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Descending the grand oak staircase in the main hall, Cecilia was just in time to see the double doors of the house swing open, the family butler standing to attention as a tall woman with dark hair and stern brown eyes stepped inside. Resting her right hand on the hilt of an ornate sabre, General Jessamina Gildamere glanced up at her sister from the ground floor, and gave her a curt smile.

The uniform she wore gleamed in the light of the grand chandelier, the polished buttons running up and down her gold-trimmed coat shining almost as bright as the multitude of medals pinned to her breast. Her hair, tied back and braided into a military bun, framed an austere face, with a sharp jaw and high cheekbones.

Making her way further into the house, the heels of her black leather riding boots clacking against the stone floor, Cecilia's eldest sister called up to her.

"Cecilia, my darling, how are you?"

Cecilia smiled a half smile, stopping part way down with one hand on the banister.

"You're early. The other's haven't arrived yet."

"I admire punctuality. It's a virtue. Is Father in his study?"

Cecilia shrugged. How should she know? Jessamina shot her a disapproving glare, and set off into the house to find Lord Gildamere. Closing the door, the butler followed after her.

With her sister gone, Cecilia finally finished her descent, crossing the stone floor towards the estate's gardens. If she had to spend the day with her family instead of reading, she'd at least make sure to get some fresh air first.

Stepping out into the chill Durlacoven air, Cecilia let out a long exhale of frustration. Her sisters didn't come home to visit very often, they were far too busy being important elsewhere to bother with the family estate, or her. But there was one day a year they could always be guaranteed to turn up. Their father's birthday.

Reaching down to hold up the hem of her long black gown, Cecilia set off down the stone path through the garden. As she made her way deeper in, she glanced around at the sculpted hedges all around her, their forms looming out of the mist like ruined arches. When she was younger, she and her sister had spent hours out in this garden, playing all sorts of games beneath the imposing green monoliths.

Passing under a wrought iron rose arch, the flowers beginning to bloom again as the seasons changed from summer to autumn, she couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness wash over her. Those days were long gone now, and as her sister's had grown older and left to make their own way in the world, she'd stayed behind, alone in the large house with only her father and the servants for company. She let out a melancholy sigh.

Looking around between the hedges as she walked Cecilia caught sight of the statues hidden deeper in the garden, each a memorial to a past lord of Lyncroft. She felt a chill run down her spine. One day her father would have his own statue here, perhaps even her sisters too. But would she? What would she leave behind, she wondered? What legacy was there for Lord Gildamere's least remarkable child?

Cecilia shivered. Best not to think about that, she thought to herself, instead wandering further into the garden.

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When she returned to the house a few hours later, Cecilia was greeted by a common sight from her childhood. Two of her sisters arguing.

Stepping through into the main hall, she saw a young woman, a few years older than herself, wearing a beautifully ornate gold and purple doublet over a white shirt, laughing hysterically as a small golden reptile fluttered around the head of a slightly older woman in an expensive white gown.

At the same time as Cecilia came in from the garden, from across the room she saw her eldest sister emerge into the hall, followed by the imposing figure of Lord Gildamere, a silver-haired man whose broad shoulders betrayed the physical prowess of his youth. Frowning over his spectacles, the girls' father strode purposefully forward into the room, raising his voice over the din.

"Girls, please! Evelyn, call that thing off!"

The woman in the doublet wiped her eyes, reaching out an arm towards the creature, which circled around and landed, climbing up to her shoulder where it nestled it's draconic head while she stroked it fondly.

"Sorry father. Drax here only wanted to say hello."

"Well, I think you sister would appreciate it if you did the talking for the time being."

Cassandra Gildamere, the second oldest of the girls, stood up from her hunch while straightening out her dress.

"I don't know why you had to bring that thing inside the house. It's a wild animal."

"Excuse me, Drax is a distinguished friend and travelling companion, not a wild animal" Evelyn retorted. "He's highly trained."

"Trained to cause havoc it seems." Jessamina was just as displeased as her father.

"Nice to see you too, big sis. Oh, and little Cecilia, how are you?" With a beaming smile, Evelyn bound over to Cecilia, wrapping her arms around her younger sister tightly as she greeted her.

"Just fine, Evelyn. It's good to see you."

"Good to see you too." Leaving the hug and turning back to the room, Evelyn's voice softened. "Sorry Cas."

"Apology accepted." The middle sister had regained her posture, standing almost as tall as Jessamina, her long dark hair ornately braided and adorned with a golden hair clasp.

"It really is lovely to see you all again. It feels like centuries since we were last together."

"Only a year." Jessamina stepped forward, taking her place next to her father. "How is the royal court, Cassandra?"

"Oh, as exciting as always." Cassandra's voice dripped with sarcasm. "But I must admit, I have been finding ways to... entertain myself." A smile flickered across her lips as a slight blush crossed her cheeks.

"Oooh, do tell!" Evelyn craned forward, eyebrows raised suggestively.

"Well, you remember that Amarian Merchant?"

"The obscenely wealthy one with the estate by the coast?"

Cassandra held out her hand, a beautiful gold ring encrusted with gemstones adorning her ring finger.

"He proposed last week"

Cecilia felt her heart stop. She couldn't believe it. Her sister was engaged. Her family couldn't believe it too, her sister Evelyn crying out in excitement and launching herself forward, nearly knocking Cassandra over as she hugged her.

"Oh my god, congratulations!" She pulled away, holding her sister by the shoulders. "You have to tell me everything!"

"Perhaps over dinner, my dear." The girls parted as their father spoke. "I believe the servants should have finishing laying the table by now. If you please."

Gesturing towards the dining hall, Lord Gildamere led his daughters away, Jessamina putting a hand on her sister's shoulder, whispering congratulations as they made their way towards the dining room. Cecilia followed last, still shaken by the sudden news, although she wasn't sure why. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, and followed her family into the dining room.

Taking her place at the table, next to Cassandra and across from Evelyn, Cecilia bowed her head as her father gave grace to the gods. The whole time, she could barely focus. It felt so strange to have everyone back together again. Usually she would take her meals alone, or very rarely with her Father when he requested it. But to have a full dining table had become a rare thing in Castle Bywater. She wasn't sure how to adjust.

As Lord Gildamere finished the prayer, and the sisters raised their heads back to the room, Evelyn could barely wait to speak.

"So, Sandy, tell us the story. Was it romantic?"

Reaching forward to take her wine glass, Cassandra chuckled, her cheeks beginning to flush once more.

"Very. He'd been courting me for a few months at that point, and he'd invited me to have join him aboard his ship for dinner."

Jessamina raised her eyebrows.

"Dinner aboard his ship? How very brave. He could've been planning to kidnap you, set sail while you were distracted and hold you for ransom."

Cecilia rolled her eyes. Just like Jessamina to find the danger in everything. Cassandra looked equally unimpressed.

"Funnily enough, that hadn't crossed my mind. Not everything is a trap, my dear sister. Sometimes people really are just being nice."

"Are there many people like that in the Royal Court?"

Cassandra sighed. "Not as many as I'd like."

"Who cares, finish the story!" Evelyn blurted out from across the table.

"Well, anyway, after dinner, he took me up to the prow, to look out over the harbour under the starlight. He told me I was more beautiful than any one of those stars. That he could live forever without seeing them ever again, as long as he had me."

Cassandra sighed softly, looking down fondly as she swirled the wine glass in her hand. "That's when he got down on his knee and proposed."

A brief pause.

"I said no of course, at first, I had to made him work for it." The sisters relaxed, letting out playful laughs as Cassandra took a sip from her glass. "Oh, you should have seen his face, he looked heartbroken. He offered me everything, anything my heart desired. In the end, I told him all I desired was him." The faint smile from earlier crept back onto Cassandra's face. "And the rest you know."

"Well I for one am very proud of you, my girl" Lord Gildamere raised his own glass into the air. "To your engagement. May it bring you nothing but joy"

"Hear hear" Jessamina joined in her father's toast. Evelyn followed suit, and Cecilia raised her glass as well, but offered no comment. She still couldn't quite believe it was all happening.

After the toast, the family went back to eating. Cecilia picked at her meal, prodding the meat with her fork without actually taking a bite. She didn't really have much of an appetite today. Maybe she had a cold coming on or something.

From across the table, Jessamina spoke up.

"So, Evelyn, where did you find that... creature?" She gestured to the gold reptile still coiled around her younger sisters shoulder, occasionally snapping up morsels of food offered to it by Evelyn with amusement.

"Drax? Actually he found me, down in the jungles of Quansowar. The boat I'd been traveling on capsized off the coast, and I washed up all alone on this tiny island. This little guy found me half dead, and instead of eating me, started bringing me scraps of food. We've been best friends ever since"

In response, Drax nuzzled his head into Evelyn's cheek, mewling in contented agreement.

"He's a gold Wyrmling, Draconis Minimalis. One of the smaller breeds of dragon kin. I think he was drawn to me because of my magic. They're actually fiercely intelligent creatures, aren't you Drax?"

As she spoke, Evelyn rubbed her nose against Drax's snout, causing the creature to let out a tiny, high-pitched roar of excitement. Cecilia felt her heart lurch at the mention of magic.

"Did you say the jungles of Quansowar? That's so far away, what were you doing all the way down there?" Cassandra frowned across the table, intrigued.

"Exploring." Evelyn said with a smile. "I'm writing a book at the moment, 'Evelyn Gildamere's Guide to Misunderstood Creatures and Their Customs'. Working title, of course." She offered another sliver of meat to Drax, who wolfed it down happily.

"Forgive me if this is a silly question, but what exactly is the book about?" Jessamina lent forward to help herself to more vegetables. Evelyn laughed.

"I feel like it's all in the name, but I'll explain. Effectively, I'm travelling the world to document the lives and customs of the various magical, mystical, or otherwise uncommon races of the world that so often get painted as monsters by the general public. Did you know, Goblins actually have an incredibly complex system of religious beliefs? They all revolve around this pantheon of animal gods..."

As her sister began to regale the table with stories from her many adventures, Cecilia's mind began to wander away. Her sister's life sounded so exciting, off exploring the world, travelling to distant lands and meeting strange and interesting people. Fighting off fierce creatures and performing daring escapes. Just like in the games they'd all played in the garden s children.

Of course, none of this came as a surprise to Cecilia. After all, her sister was almost a household name, recognised all across the country as one of Durlacova's greatest explorers. Tales of her deeds, along with her own writing, had spread extremely quickly through the kingdom. And probably even further, given her profession. Even though she was only twenty three years old, she was already well on the path to greatness.

Not to mention her other sisters; Jessamina, the youngest person to rise to the rank of general purely on her own merit, and Cassandra, Durlacovan diplomat to the Amarian court.

The eldest daughter of Lord Gildamere had turned down every opportunity for easy advancement through the ranks offered to her, insisting instead that she proved her worth on her own. Jessamina had always been an exceptional athlete, but when combined with her incredible intellect and mastery of destructive magics, there were few who could stand against her in battle.

The number of medals already gleaming on her chest spoke volumes for her skills, and even though she had only held her rank for half a year, her tactical genius had already won her a huge amount of respect amongst the military leaders of the country. Not to mention her father, who's own military past made it difficult to hide how proud he was of his eldest daughter for following in his footsteps.

Cecilia would never forget the first time her sister came home after joining the army, the way she walked back into the manor, back straight and boots polished as bright as the morning sun. The way her father had looked at her with a fondness she'd never seen before, or the way he listened so intently while she told him stories of bringing down the leaders of a small rebellion out in the foothills. Already she'd shown herself to be a model soldier, and the other soldiers predicted it wouldn't be long before she received a unit of her own to command. A prediction which came true during her stay, when she received a message of her promotion during a dinner much like the one they were currently sharing.