COMPLETED Remembrance of Self | Fantasy | LGBTQ

Chapter 10

Just as Araya predicted snow did not fall in the Red city that winter. It wasn't that she disliked snow, quite the opposite, but in a busy city snow made life difficult, not only for her but for the common folk that just tried to survive another day. Cold itself never was an issue for even the most unskilled of Wielders, but the icy slush that formed in the busy streets was just too troublesome. Mixed with mud, dirt, and other unpleasant and unknown substances that littered the streets, of the great city she now called home, stained with such stubbornness it took a bit of skill to remove. Unlike most Wielders she knew, Araya did not enjoy Wielding her problems away, though some are just small conveniences, like a heat cloak, that make life easy, others are blatant indolence. She believed if she relied too much on Wielding she would disconnect from those she was most keen on helping. Her duty as advisor to the Emperor, placed her in a unique position to help those that were unfavored by elite centered policies of the Empire. Not only she now could propose amends to existing laws, but propose her own with great influence. She spoke for the Emperor himself, afterall.

Before she accepted the duty of advisor, she had insisted to keep her city home, small and quaint. Araya turned it into an office in which she would welcome the common folk, Wielderless, and poor to listen to their problems during her scarce freedays. Though she might have thought it to be a brilliant idea at first, people hardly came in. The first year not even one person tried to speak to her. They were even avoiding her in the streets. It took a lot of convincing and help from her friends and acquaintances from the local Academy to push a few unfortunate souls to speak their needs. She gladly gave them her ear and worked on the first proposals she had ever pushed forward in the favor of common folk. Of course, she was met with great resistance from the power hungry misers that called themselves Councilmen. It made her laugh that they lied so much that their work is for the betterment of the people that even they themselves believed it. In the end, people had seen her for a champion of the people, giving her the strength to hold fast against those venomous cheats. She was quite proud of her recent achievements which forced the Disciplinary Order to accept female Wielders within their ranks. There was still a great deal of work to be done, the misogynistic power structure of the Order will be a challenge to be reworked. She often dwelled on the need for the Order to exist, she found it flawed and ultimately serving other power hungry men instead of the people they swore to protect. But alas, jobs are jobs, people need to eat, even for Wielders. Not all of them were powerful or skilled enough to specialize, or join the Empire's forces, or even capable of reaching the rank of Master. As much as she hated the zealotry of the Order, people needed it, and she was, in her own words, a servant of the people.

"Thank you so much, Advisor Araya." Wielder Lwora sat in a comfortable armchair in Araya's city office. She quickly placed a bouquet of expertly picked flowers on her desk so that she couldn't refuse. Araya was known for not accepting gifts, she already had more than these people could amass in their lives. It would be in bad taste to accept gifts from them.

"Oh! Lwora, they're gorgeous." This time, she accepted the gift. Araya didn't have the heart of refusing one of her close friends from childhood. Lwora was lucky she knew her weakness. Persiwillows. With their much divided petals, glossy polish and subtle colors made for quite a display. These were a mix of the lightest dusting of blues and pristine whites.

"Aren't they? Went to that fancy place that just opened by Cardewell's, all run by Wielders. Their growth spells are insane!"

"It must've cost you a fortune, Lwora. Let me pay you back. I insist." Araya went for the drawer where she kept a few coin.

"You already paid me enough, Araya. I never thought I'd get a decent job! As a Wilder no less." she squealed in excitement. Araya gave her friend a pittied look and sighed.