Vizs wakes me in the m like she said she would, and I do end up needing her help to get ready. Turns out some of the clothes that have shown up in my wardrobe ht have corsetry that ces up in the babsp; I’m relieved to see that none of it is horribly ostentatious or excessively revealing as I’d feared it might be. Just a few quite elegant dresses, each of which is han anything I’ve ever worn in my life. I pie out and beg Vizs not to ce me up too tight, a request that she generously grants.

  O's on, I notiy dismay that the nee is a bit low for my tastes. I'm not fshing anyone or anything, but it's a far cry from modest. A sed gnce around the wardrobe reveals that this is a on theme. I wish I could make myself believe that this is not by design.

  Vizs apologizes profusely for not having the first clue about how to do up my hair. Fortunately, though, I know how to do some pretty fancy braids. She watches my fingers with fasation. I offer to show her how to do it when we have some free time, and she looks ecstatic.

  After I'm done being made presentable, I am led to breakfast. I assumed that it would take p a dining hall with many other members of the court, but once again I am led to a room where the only other oct is Khysmet, save for a few attending servants standing on the edges of the room.

  At this point, I'm no longer surprised, just disappointed. This mao revel in my disfort, and I'm not looking forward to seeing the full extent of the lengths he will go to to enge in me.

  At least it's too early in the m for me to get mad. I'm still not fully awake, and stroions require more braihan I muster right now.

  "Good m, Miss Catarina," he greets me, flig his tongue. "Sleep well?"

  "More or less," I say, taking a seat at the rge table that dominates much of the room. It looks to seat about fourteen or so people. Khysmet is at the head, and I pick a seat a few chairs down.

  "Please, help yourself," he says aures to the modest spread of breakfast foods that covers a good half of the tabletop.

  I take a pte and start piling it with a wide assortment of food, trying to choose an even split between dishes I reize and those I've never seen before. I'm inexorably drawn to the many strange and iing dishes, but I o take things I know I'll actually eat, too, so I'm not starving all m.

  "Normally I eat my breakfast alone," Khysmet says, "but I thought now might be a good time to address any questions or requests you might have before your first day here."

  I perk up at that. He actually wants to help me out on my first day? Not just leave me to flounder? Ued, but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, here. I think for a sed before replying.

  "I guess my first question would be, what is my day actually going to look like? Obviously I'm going to be pying music, but, you know, when? Where? For how long?"

  "Well," he starts, "my daily routine is fairly straightforward. For most of the m, I make myself avaible to the publibsp; I sit in the great hall, and various people who seek my audiene in to make requests, alert me of situations in my kingdom, voice s, et cetera. That sts from after breakfast to about eleven. I'd like you to provide some background music during that time. Nothing obtrusive, instrumental only, but other than that, whatever you want to py.

  "At eleven, I have lunch, aween then and about one or two, I meet with my ministers, various nobles, and other leaders who e from across the try. Ierest of national security, you are not permitted to listen in on those meetings, so feel free to run around and do whatever you want, within reason, for those hours. Just make sure to be outside the meeting room waiting for me by one.

  "After I finish my administrative meetings, I have until seven to do whatever the hell I want, provided there aren't any matters that I o attend to. Sometimes I may desire musical apa. Other times, I may not. Just be waiting for me at oo find out.

  "Diarts at seven, and it's open to any ministers and nobility that might want to partake. The dining hall generally gets quite full. I'd like you to py then, so make sure you eat before seven. Take people's requests, keep it lively, stick around until I tell you you leave.

  "And that's about it," he finishes.

  "That's… not so bad actually," I say ponderously. I 't help but think how stra is that he gave me a straight answer. "And this is every day?"

  "Every day except Sunday. That's my day off. I'm thinking I might let you take Sundays off, too. Don't t on it every week, though." He pauses and looks at me expetly. "Any questions?"

  "A couple…" I pause and twiddle my fork while I try to think of the best order to ask them in. Eventually I decide to e right out with my most demanding one. "I brought my lute, but that's the only instrument I have. Would I be able to-"

  "We have several instruments here for you," he interrupts. "Some pianos that were only really decorative before and subsp; If there's anything you might want that we don't already have, just let me know and I will have o here."

  "Oh," I say, pleasantly surprised. "Thank you."

  I think I already know the ao my question, but I ask it anyway. "Do you have any other musis in your court right now?"

  "We have eai brought in during dinner here and there, but no one oai the moment." He smiles in a way I don't trust. "I have just retly acquired a strong desire to hear more music during my day."

  I don't kly what he means by that, but I'm not going to ask.

  "I was also hoping I might be able to get some sheet music," I tinue. "I'm sure there's a lot of music that's well-known in Veilsung that I've never heard before. I only imagihat people will be making requests for songs I don't know."

  "That's a good point." He waves over one of the servants at the edge of the room.

  "Could you send someo to purchase sheet musibsp; He looks back at me. "Any specific requests?"

  "Anything and everything, please," I say to the attendant. "I'd rather cast a wide ."

  She bows and leaves to carry out the request.

  Khysmet turns bae. "Anything else?"

  I stare at my now mostly empty pte. Everything is delicious. I 't believe I'm going to get to eat like this all the time. The schedule he's id out for me is perfectly reasooo. It seems too good to be true. And that leads me to my question. I fold my hands and look at Khysmet with extreme skepticism.

  "Why am I getting the star treatment here?" I demand. "The new clothes, the fan, my own attending servant. After st night, I retty sure you only brought me here to torment me. But I'm being treated like royalty here, in very literal terms. What's yame here?"

  He grins at me with a sinister glint in his eyes and flicks his tongue. "I brought you here for my eai," he expins. "Sometimes that might involve tormenting you. Most of the time, it will not."

  I heave a sigh. Some torment is worse than none, but much better than stant. And it at least sounds like I'll have quite a bit of free time to get away from being his source of "eai".

  "So," I say tentatively, dreading the ao this question, "during my off hours… I really do whatever I want?"

  He looks delighted that I asked. "Just make sure you generally keep someone apprised of your location. If I should seek your services and find you uo be located, you'll find my retribution to be unpleasant."

  Rarely have I heard a threat issued so cheerily. I 't help but roll my eyes.

  "I'd also like you to let me know directly if you want to leave the castle grounds."

  "Why?"

  "Just because."

  I take a deep breath and rub my temples with my fingers. It's too early for me to deal with this. I thank the gods that he’s already told me he usually eats breakfast alone. Maybe I’ll get some time in the ms to mentally prepare for my daily tributions.

  I’m out of questions and out of breakfast. I look to Khysmet expetly, in case he has any more information or instrus he’d like to inflict upon me, but he’s getting out of his chair, so this versation must be over.

  “Let’s head to the great hall,” he says. “I have a surprise for you.”

  There’s nothing that could instill more dread i this moment than that sentening from this person. heless, having no other choice, I stand and follow him out of the room.

  ******

  The great hall is vast and well-lit by the m sun streaming through massive stained gss windows. It's also well poputed. There's a great number of people just milling about and talking. I still have yet to really meet any other members of the court, so I'm excited that I may have the opportunity now.

  The excitement curdles into ay as the first few people who notice my preseare openly and drop their voices to whisper amongst themselves. It's a pattern that tinues as I follow Khysmet across the room. I'm trying to reassure myself that they're just surprised to see a human in the room, that it's just the typical gossip and rubberneg that follows a novel development. But many of these gnces are decidedly not friendly. I feel eyes cutting into me from every angle, but I keep my head as high as I and stick close behind Khysmet's back.

  He leads me over to a spot close to the edge of the room, on the side opposite the windows, aures to something that makes me fet the watg eyes immediately.

  It's a pedal harp. Not just any harp either; my harp. The one I was sure I wouldn't see again for months. I'd reize it anywhere; all the scratches and other damages that have occurred and then been repaired over the years of travel and use form an intricate pattern on the wood that 't possibly be replicated. I run my fingers over them reverently. If I y eyes, I pretend I'm still with my family, waiting onstage for the signal to start.

  "I bought it off your director when I found out it wasn't already yours to take," Khysmet expins, interrupting my reverie. "Turns out, harps are an unon instrument in Veilsung, and it would take several weeks to have one delivered here."

  I look back at him. He's watg me expetly, his expression soft. I wonder if he knows the impact that this gesture has on me.

  "Thank you," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "The harp is easily my best instrument. It's hard to move, though, so you may still want to sourother if you wao py it in a different room."

  "Yes, well. I certainly want you at your best, so I may just do that. Anyway, go ahead and start now. If you o take small breaks, do so at your discretion. I'll be over there." He gestures to a stately seat overlooking the room. "When the clock chimes eleven, follow me and I'll show you where I take my administrative meetings."

  I nod my assent and sit down to py as he walks toward the back of the room to go sit in his fancy chair and do monarch things. Still not sure what that even means, but maybe I'll find out while I'm here.

  Once again I feel the less-than-friendly attention of just about everybody in the room searing into my skin. I'm used to having lots of eyes on me when I'm perf, but rarely have I had an audiehis hostile. I narrow my focus to only the strings in front of me, letting the background blur and fade. With a deep breath in, I get my fingers into position, then plu eborate arpeggio up and down the full length of the strings with a long, tering breath out.

  A hush falls over the room as the rich, yered tones reverberate through it. It doesn't st long, but the sed of silence is unmistakable. I smile. Perfebsp; I have their attention on my own terms now. It may still be mostly hostile, but I feel the air ced with at least a little bit of i, of curiosity. I'll take what I get.

  I unto one of my favorite songs, aiming to keep the volume low enough to not be distrag while still being loud enough to be heard from the whole room. It's rather soothing to just py whatever I feel like, with no one else whose tempo I would have to matbsp; I just space out a my fingers dance across the strings of their own volition. It's so effortless that I even start to let my attention roam around the room, listening to versations happening close enough or loud enough to be within earshot.

  The trio o me are having some sort of stific discussion about the uses for different parts of a local species of cactus. They must be chemists, experts in the magical properties of substances and how to bihem to create potions with tless different effects. If they're part of the court, presumably receiving royal subsidies, they're probably doing some cutting-edge researbsp; Sadly, I don't uand a lick of what they're talking about – it's mostly jargon. I try to take a mental picture so I remember what they look like. I still want to knoe have running water at the top of a mountain, and they would be the people to ask.

  I let my attention roam a bit further out awo women discussing the fidelity, or ck thereof, of some high-ranking minister. I smile to myself. There's no she of drama to be found anywhere, really, but especially not in a castle full of so many people who think themselves so important. I certainly won't want for eai here.

  Then an accusatory voice rises up over the general background din, ringing out clear as day.

  "I strongly object to this decision. How could y an outsider into this court, where she may bear wito the inner maations of our try's governanbsp; Once she is released from your employ, she will invariably go and sell all our secrets to the highest bidder!"

  I look to find the source of the voice, ahat it belongs to an elderly Sungian in eborate robes pnted firmly opposite the throne, upon which Khysmet is seated and looking rather unimpressed.

  "She's not going to be bearing wito anything of substance," Khysmet responds dryly. "Everything that occurs in this room each m is a matter of public record. And we have eai brought in during dinner regurly, yet I've never heard you pin about that before."

  I 't see my accuser's face, but I see him shaking with rage.

  "You're a fool if you 't see what a poor decision you're making here. Your new little pet," he spits the word out with force, "is nothing more than a rat you're letting loose in our rder."

  Oubsp; My fingers falter for a sed, but I don't stop pying. I 't possibly pretend I'm not listening, but I certainly want to avoid showing weakness so publicly.

  I watch as Khysmet straightens up in his seat and gres at this man, exuding cold authority.

  "Your obje has been noted," he says in a tone of grave and absolute finality. "I don't particurly care to hear any further opinions oter. Is that all?"

  The robed man harrumphs and turns on his heel, and I snap my head back around in front of me as fast as I in the hopes he doesn't see I was watg the exge. I don't particurly care to see the hatred in his eyes, which I'm sure are hurling daggers at the side of my head right now.

  As grating as Khysmet's sn voice is, it's satisfying to hear him use it against someone else. I have a feeling calling me a pet is an accurate description of my position here, given that the only person that seems to want me here is Khysmet, and he essentially purchased me on a whim just for his "eai". At least my "master" has a vested i in defending me. I only hope that doesn't make me even more of a target…

  Most of the versation in the room has turo me after that little spectacle, so I py some more teically challenging pieces in order to keep my mind more occupied. It helps.

  Hours pass, and I'm zoned out pletely, so much so that a hand that touches my shoulder makes me jump about twenty feet in the air. I whip my head around in a panic, but it's just Khysmet standio me, looking down at me calmly. He gestures with his head toward the door.

  "It's eleven," he says simply. "e with me."

  I get up and follow obediently, eager to leave this room full of judgmental stares.

  "I quite liked that, actually," Khysmet muses while I fall into step beside him. "The music helped me think, more so than I thought it would."

  I shoot him a puzzling gnce.

  "Isn't that the reason you invited me here?"

  Before I really react, he reaches out a hand and pats me on the head as one might do to a pdog.

  "Of course it is," he says in a pg tone.

  My blood simmers, and I move to swat him away, but he pulls away before I make tact.

  "I was thinking," he tinues as though nothing happened, "this afternoon might be a good opportunity for you to familiarize yourself with the yout of the castle. If you need a guide," he grins ominously, "I would be happy to offer my services."

  I try not to grimace at that prosped fail miserably.

  "I'm sure you have much better things to do with your time than to py tuide for me all afternoon," I say, praying that it is true.

  "I assure you," he insists, "I do not."

  Ugh. I flounder for another excuse.

  "Well," I say, "wouldn't it be better for me to start right now, rather than wait for two or three hours for you to finish with your meetings? I'm sure I find someoo show me around."

  He hums and shrugs, flig his tongue. "I suppose so. Sad that I won't be enjoying the pleasure of your pany this afternoon, but I'll survive."

  I 't imagine my pany would be all that pleasurable if I were to be forced to endure his for such a long period of time, but I don't tradict him. We soon arrive in a small sitting area at the juncture of three hallways, a rge door set into the fourth wall.

  "This is where I'd like you to wait for me iernoon. Today that's not necessary, but most days it will be. I'll endeavor to let you know in advance when it is not. Your room is not far down that way," he says and points down one of the hallways. "I trust that by the time seven rolls around, you will have found your way to the dining hall. Bring your lute, since we don't have anythi up for you there. Don't fet to eat."

  The and in his tone is so irritating, and I 't repress the urge to be petunt.

  "Yes, your majesty," I mutter sarcastically and do a little mock bow.

  He smiles warmly and pats me on the head again. This time when I move to swat him away, he lets me.

  "See you at seven," he says, and leaves me alone in the room.