Embers of Light and Darkness

Lyla did not jump to the question that wanted to crawl its way out of her; rather, she continued with the small talk 

"So the Keeper personally teaches you?"

"Me and two others, yes"

"Do you live here?"

"Heavens no, but I live close. My father owns a bakery nearby, and our house is right next to it." 

"Ah, before I forget, thanks for yesterday."

"No problem. The Keeper said you were her niece from a small town, and it would be hard for you to adapt. I offered to help"

"Niece?"

"Well, she said you were a friend's child, but she just calls you her niece."

It was comical to think of the Keeper as her aunt, so she just nodded and proceeded with the conversation. She learnt that Ismene was training to be a healer under the Keeper's wing, who was one of the best there was. Ismene talked about her lesson briefly before realizing time was escaping her, and offered to bring her food before she left

"Wait, would it be okay if I came?"

"But the Keeper…"

"I don't think she'll mind. We can go ask her."

Lyla relied on the Keeper's insistence on her doing something for this to work, although there was still the possibility that she wouldn't take the bait. She would have left without her approval if it were up to her, but she didn't want to get Ismene, who had been so nice to her, into trouble. 

Walking through the corridors, Lyla mentally took note of every door and every turn they made. She would occasionally ask Ismene what each led to, and the girl casually answered. Not suspicious at all of her curiosity. She hoped she would forgive her when she eventually found out 

They halted at two wooden doors, and Ismene was the first to step in. The room was a library and not a small one; it had three rows of shelves on each side, not including those attached to the walls. Lyla had always loved reading, so she couldn't help her interest as she surveyed every corner and wondered what types of books were here 

She had been too busy looking around that she hadn't noticed Ismene had come to a stop before her, so she bumped into the girl. The Keeper sitting at the desk before them had a stern look on her face as she stared at them

"What?" the woman said harshly, and Lyla fought the urge to roll her eyes, so she smiled instead, not a sweet smile, oh no, the woman wouldn't buy that. The smile she gave her was one filled with cool arrogance

"Pardon the intrusion, Aunt," she said, emphasizing the word that still felt strange on her tongue, "but I'm bored of sitting in that room. So I was wondering if I could accompany Ismene on her errands."

The woman sized her before asking, "Why?"

"Like I said, I'm bored, and I'm sure you'd be thrilled to see me finally doing something. Wouldn't my getting to know this place be favorable to your cause?"

The woman's eyes narrowed as she remained silent

"Fine," she started, "but if you stray anywhere further than the market, I will know and you will not like what happens then."

Her smile turned cocky although she was quite surprised at the decision, "thank you aunt"

The two turned and left without a word more, and yet again, Lyla took note of everything, even after they left through the servants' door 

Crisp, cold air brushed her exposed cheeks as soon as they were outside, and she was glad for the white beanie and scarf Ismene had earlier dropped off. She hid her gloved hands in the pockets of her coat as she followed the girl, hurriedly walking, eager to get to her destination

As soon as they had left the little road from the Keeper's mansion, she was met by the vibrancy of a town. Houses decked the streets in different colors, each showcasing their owners' love and taste. Larger buildings that she assumed were apartments also did not miss out on the radiancy, as she noted how the different balconies were adorned with different trinkets, crafts, or plants

Young children ran around chasing each other while their parents shouted to be careful because of the snow. The world outside those four walls proved to be far more lively, even with the weather 

Lyla tried not to be too shocked as she came across different beings, tried, and wondered if perhaps they could sense she was not one of them. Some would give her a polite smile, others couldn't care less, while some of the young ones stopped to stare at her. She would simply give them a smile before rushing to Ismene's side 

If she thought the streets were lively, then the market was a league of its own. Noise filtered from every corner as vendors let potential buyers know what they offered, while people brushed against each other, trying to find what they were looking for 

Different scents wafted from the stalls, flowing into her nostrils and inviting her to take a look. From spices, flowers, herbs, foods, clothes, and crafts, everything seemed to call for her attention. Being from a small populated town, Lyla wasn't used to the buzz of markets like this or the rush of a city

She remembered the first time she ever went to the city, it was like a whole new world unfolded before her eyes, and she didn't know what to do. She had learnt then that perhaps she preferred the quiet her town had to offer. But still hearing the pulse of activity here, she was rather glad

Ismene, beside her, watched the glow that sparked in her eyes, the curiosity and interest that filled them, and she couldn't help but smile 

Lyla occasionally peered at what the sellers were offering while trying her best not to bump into anyone, especially not after she almost tripped over a woman of short stature. The woman had looked up, ready for a fight, but Lyla quickly apologized, earning only a click of the tongue before the woman departed

Her companion had chuckled once the woman was far enough, and Lyla shot her a playful glare. Ismene had been more chatty than usual, pointing to different buildings and paths and telling her about each. Lyla shoved the information into her mind, awaiting the right time

They stopped by a vendor, and as Ismene inquired, Lyla caught a glimpse of herself from a mirror another vendor was selling. She appreciated the beautiful design of the clothes she had on before she settled on her eyes, which were now hazel in color

On one of his earlier visits, Anson…no, Aeneas had handed her a vial with brown liquid in it and asked her to drink, saying that it would help change the color of her eyes since her green ones were too unique here.

Ismene finished with the vendor and moved to three more before she got all she needed, so Lyla asked

"So..." she started, "I know I probably shouldn't be asking, but my aunt refuses to tell me"

The girl turned to her curiously

"It's nothing major, it's just that I've never been in any other town or city before, so I'm just curious," she said, smiling lightly before whispering the next words, "it's about the gateway, do you know where it is?"