Isobella stood in front of Calathiel, she was still riding the high of her vacation with Drasna. Her day was made even better when she was invited to Calathiel’s garden for a party with the other fae courts. Her purpose there was to help host the party and look adorable for the guests to envy. She had donned her finest dress and polished her Mary Janes for the occasion. Fortunately, Drasna wasn’t due to visit her today and could devote all her attention to making Calathiel happy.

  Isobella had arrived early, stepping through the mirror in the chateau’s hidden room. Calathiel’s garden was in a perpetual state of fall with all the trees covered in red, orange, and yellow leaves. The ground was covered by cobblestone with white ghost pumpkins and blackberries lining the paths. In the far back was a crystal clear pond with glowing cattails and red lily pads. Calathiel herself sat on a throne carved into a massive stump with glowing mushrooms growing out of it.

  Isobella walked around, checking that everything was in place and presentable. She spotted a familiar statue, it was the roguish woman she had sent to Calathiel several months ago. She was covered head to toe in rubies while mounted to a glass platform. The woman slouched and scowled at Isobella, but seemed unable to speak. Isobella pouted and poked the girl rogue in the ribs causing her to stand up straight.

  “Stand up straight and stop complaining! You only ended up in this situation because you were rude to me, and took advantage of Calathiel’s kindness. Your current state is only simply equal payment for what you took from her.”

  The rogue growled and squirmed in fury, but quickly gave up. The action made Isobella pout. The situation reminded her of Drasna being captured by Ellma. She looked over to make sure Calathiel wasn’t watching or listening and ran her hand through the statue's hair.

  “If you’re a good statue today, I’ll speak to Lady Calathiel and see if she’ll shorten or re-negotiate your debt”

  The rogue’s eyes widened with excitement and she straightened herself out. Isobella nodded and walked over to her patron. She curtsied and smiled at the fae.

  “Everything looks amazing Lady Calathiel, I have no doubt, the others will be most impressed.”

  Calathiel rolled her eyes, “The guests from the winter court will find something wrong with my domain, they always do.”

  Isobella shook her head, “The winter court is the rival of the autumn court though. Don’t you do the same to members of the summer court?”

  Calathiel held Isobella’s chin in her hand, “You still have much to learn about the fae, my dear poppet.”

  The guests began to arrive through swirling portals. Blue skinned fae from icy blue portals that left behind frost on the crops around it. Tanned tropical fae from warm orange portals, and pink fae from green floral scented ones. They all looked around with a mix of fascination, envy, and judgement. Isobella hurried over to greet them all, both as Calathiel’s warlock and prize.

  The blue fae of the winter court waved her aside and walked past the noble, leaving a trail of frost with every step. They reached out their hands, intentionally freezing plants and displays. Isobella refrained from showing her disapproval, the winter court would always look down on Calathiel. The other courts were much easier to impress.

  After the initial greeting, Calathiel took to showing off all her new treasures, a book of names she’d taken, her moving ruby statue, or the last breath of a blacksmith. Isobella remained out of the way, with a few other warlocks that had been brought along for the party.

  Isobella knew one in particular, Lavana, a tiefling with icy blue skin, dark hair, and curled ram-like horns. Like Isobella, she was dressed to impress, with a white fur lined dress and her horns polished to perfection. Lavana was the warlock of one of Calathiel’s rivals and by extension Isobella’s rival.

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  Lavana spoke, her chilled breath visible with every word, “Hello, berry girl, you smell like sweat.”

  Isobella crossed her arms, “I’d thank you not to smell me, it’s quite rude. Though perhaps it's because unlike you, I work hard for my patron. It's not so easy to wash the scent of my devotion away.”

  Lavana smirked and shook her head, “Devotion? Perhaps, but I suspect it’s more likely you simply perspire like a rain cloud, or spend significant time around someone else who does.”

  Isobella felt her lips tighten, she didn’t want Lavana to learn about Drasna, she would find a way to tease or gossip about it. Yet she also found herself hesitant to deny her love for the monk, a deep part of her wanted people to know. She had a love and passion for both her mother figure and beloved.

  “And so what if I do?”

  Lavana raised an eyebrow, “Oh my, how utterly scandalous, I would’ve thought someone as attention starved as you would pledge everything to Lady Calathiel. Then again, I’m not surprised to hear you’re cheating on her, for that same reason.”

  “I beg your pardon!”

  Lavana pried, “So who is it? They must be something special to rival the radiance of your beloved mother? I know if Lady Skadi caught me cheating, I’d become trapped in a snowglobe, or maybe become a statue. I guess the rumors are true, Lady Calathiel is soft, even amongst the pathetic autumn court.”

  Isobella felt her anger flare, but she forced herself to remain calm. It was to be expected, members of the winter court were Calathiel’s betters and lived to look down on and boast to the autumn court. She took a deep breath and forced a smile

  Lavana laughed. “Or maybe, you’re playing the long game and grooming a most delicious guest for Lady Calathiel to rob blind? She must be especially stupid to fall for your, what I assume are outdated tricks.”

  Isobella, despite her best efforts, snapped. She knew better than to let Lavana get to her, but nobody got to talk about her Drasna like she had. She struck swiftly, back handing her in the face, hard enough to leave a red mark on her icy cheek. Isobella felt immense satisfaction by her act of defiance, but felt all the eyes in the garden fall upon her all at once.

  Calathiel stepped over and placed her hands on her shoulders, careful to be gentle, while secretly shoving the nails of her thumbs into Isobella’s back.

  Calathiel spoke through a facade, resting her chin on Isobella’s shoulder, “Now now, I know you get over stimulated, but you mustn't play so rough.”

  Isobella felt her heart race as she’d become the center of attention, “P-please forgive me my lady, and you well, Lavana.”

  Lavana put on a sweet smile, “It’s only natural for someone of the autumn court to be envious of I. Do try to control that temper, even if it was to protect Lady Calathiel’s pride.”

  Calathiel continued to fake her smile, “Such an adorable little thing isn’t she? So very eager to impress, but it seems she indeed needs a bit more training. I’ll just put her outside, come my darling.”

  Isobella felt herself hastily dragged away from the prying eyes of the other fae, who’d already begun to gossip. Once Isobella and Calathiel found a quiet and more private part of the garden, the noble was spun around to face her patron.

  “What do you think you’re doing? Have you any idea how much you’ve just embarrassed me? The party was going so well too, unbelievable.”

  “Forgive me mother, I…she was speaking bad about you”

  “I don’t want to hear it, your chance to be a good little poppet for me today has passed.”

  Isobella bowed her head in shame, fighting the urge to cry, “Yes mother…”

  “I hope this behavior doesn’t become a habit, I know you know better. Now then, since you’ve embarrassed me, I believe a lesson in humility would be perfect.”

  Calathiel snapped her fingers and suddenly, Isobella felt a draft. Upon looking down she noticed her fancy dress had disappeared, leaving her in just her undergarments. Isobella turned red with embarrassment, and hugged her chest to cover up.

  Calathiel pointed to the mirror Isobella entered from, “Until you’ve proven you can be a good girl again, I’ll be holding onto that dress. I hope your chateau isn’t too busy today, or your guests will have quite a memorable experience. Now run along, I have a party to get back too.”

  Isobella shuffled towards the mirror, looking back to Calathiel with a look of sorrow, before stepping through the mirror and back to the chateau.