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Leaving home hadn’t been as simple as Agnea had imagined it being for all these years. She’d thought that once she’d gotten enough money she’d get her father’s blessing and walk out of the town and into adventure. The first part of her dreams had, happened better than she’d ever imagined. It was just the second part, leaving town, that was giving her trouble.
In all her mother’s stories of leaving her own home on her own journey to be a star she’d always begin with telling Agnea of the thrill she felt as she stepped outside of the town. Her mother had said she’d felt like the sky during the raining season when the lightning would arc through the sky. Her mother told her of the exhilaration of the moment time and time again.
Agnea had felt the same thrill lightning when she had stood before the town entrance with all her friends cheering her forwards. To Agnea’s dismay the shivers she felt weren’t exhilarating they were frightening.
Now here she was drowning in shame as she huddled in the bushes by the town entrance unsure of what to do. She couldn’t turn back, not with her friend’s money clutched tightly in her hands, and not with wearing her father’s masterpiece. Not after the party they’d had the night before. It wouldn’t be right.
She didn’t want to go back either. As much as she loved singing and dancing here, it wasn’t her dream, Agnea wanted to shine, to brighten the entire world. She couldn’t do that in this town. She certainly couldn’t do it in this bush.
Moving past the town seemed nearly as impossible as staying. What did she know of the outside world? Half forgotten stories from her mother. Tells from drunken travelers. What seemed like entirely credible accounts for the entirety of her existence didn’t seem so reliable now. Her father’s warning seemed so much more real now.
After all these years of dreaming about following in her mother’s footsteps was she about to become her father.
Agnea had almost resigned herself to forever hiding in the bushes by the town gate trapped in endless indecision with her sister standing beside her in the type of exasperation only Pala could express.
Then they came.
Travelers weren’t a strange sight in Cropdale. If not for travelers Agnea would never have gotten enough money to leave for her dream, or Gus wouldn’t have had enough money to donate for her dream. Every night Gus would serve them as they came through going to more compelling destinations. Agnea loved dancing for them. They always ask for challenging requests. She’d ask for stories. The stories they’d tell her would remind her of her mother, and how she’d inspired the world.
Agnea’s dreams of becoming a star were always ignited by the presence of travelers.
These travelers were different. Agnea couldn’t tell right off what it was about them. Maybe it was the composition of the group. They were more varied than the fabrics for a quilt. Seeing them speaking there at the town gate made Agnea want to hear all their stories. Almost made Agnea want to go with them to where they’re next adventure was headed.
Despite what Pala suspected Agnea’s desires weren’t because of the stylishly dressed woman towards the back of the travelers with the sharp eyes that found Agnea’s behind her bush. Those eyes were colder than any eyes Agnea had ever seen there was a spark of bemusement to them that seemed to melt away the ice of the woman’s eyes. Agnea felt herself smiling.
Yeah, these people had been places and they were going to go to more places, and Agnea wanted to go with them. All she needed to do was go up there and talk to them. A feat that seemed impossible, until Agnea heard Pala huff.
Lucky for Agnea she had the sister that she had.
Agnea had since she was a child imagined she would be making her big debut trip towards stardom during the daylight hours. That’s when her mother had traveled when she’d begun her journey to stardom, that’s what she’d done when she’d started their family and took them with her on her tours, and that’s what all the other travelers did when they came to Cropdale. Other than the criminals.
Daylight had been the one expectation Agnea had had for her journey into stardom.
In her wilder imaginings she’d dreamed of having an exiled prince as company for her journey. Agnea couldn’t wait to tell Pala that out of all of the silly fantasy Agnea had about her road to stardom that particular dream really did come true. Hikari was right out of Pala’s sarcastic description of the prince Agnea would travel with. Agnea could wait to tell Pala all about him.
Traveling with a priest or a merchant were the types of people she’d assumed she’d be traveling with.
Clergy often came through Cropdale going up towards Wellgrove, odd place for the followers of the Flambringer, Pala always thought. Folks coming back from Wellgrove had some pretty shady stories to share. Even back when they’d been on the road with her mother, Merchants made up the majority of people Agnea had met on the road. She’d always felt sad that more people couldn’t afford to see what the world had to offer.
Those priests and merchants weren’t like the ones Agnea was traveling with now. Agnea thought that their differences were a good thing.
Temenos was a little shady to begin with so Agnea appreciated the honesty, given the stories about the clergy she’d heard coming from Wellgrove. Partito was the kind of merchant Agnea thought her father would enjoy doing business with. The type of merchant who was trying to help people rather than swindle them.
The rest of the travelers weren’t anything from her imaginings. Agnea had heard stories about an alchemist group that were traveling healers, like Castti, Agnea never imagined she’d get the chance to see one of the fabled healers, none less travel with one. Agnea had been so astonished when she’d heard of Agnea’s occupation she’d stumbled all over her words in excitement, as she promised that she knew enough about the basics of healing to help. Pala would tell anyone that Agnea could boil a decent pot of water.
Agnea didn’t know what to make of the beast girl, Ochelle, other than if all those guardian beasts Ochelle were collecting were as cute as Acta, Agnea was going to be out of leaves pretty quickly. Acta liked treats. Ochelle even allowed Agnea to put a bow on the cute little creature, and Acta seemed to like it. Agnea’s mind was now filled with all sorts of other accessories that would suit the sea guardian. Maybe even a few for Ochelle so the pair of them could match.
Agnea didn’t know too much about Osvald yet, other than he looked like the kind of traveler she’d expect to see traveling at night. There was something about him that told her he wasn’t like the few criminals she’d seen sulking in the dead of night in Cropdale.
Then there was Throné. No traveler making their way through Cropdale was similar to the mysterious Throné. Throné hadn’t said much to Agnea yet, a situation Agnea was hoping to change when she’d finally figured out how to approach Throné. Agnea didn’t need to speak to Throné to see how different she was from the world Agnea had known and imagined for herself.
The sophisticated and stylish way Throné dressed was exactly like the big city clothes Agnea had always dreamed of wearing herself. In a way Throné reminded Agnea of her own mother. Throné was the epitome of grace, like Agnea’s mother, it was hard to imagine that like Agnea, Throné hadn’t been blessed by Sealticge. As Agnea watched Throné walk, she could only imagine how wonderful it would be to dance with her. Last time Agnea had had anyone with skill to dance with it had been her mother, and Agnea hadn’t been skilled enough to follow.
Most of all it was the coldness that Throné surrounded herself with. Agnea had seen the chilling darkness the moment their eyes had met. The warmth Agnea had seen in Throné hadn’t been imagined. Agnea could see it in the way Throné teased the other travelers, in the quiet way she watched out for them, the way she warned of incoming danger.
Agnea hadn’t even known Throné for an evening, yet, she couldn’t imagine traveling without her. All Agnea needed to do was speak to her. That seemed almost as impossible as leaving home.
Agnea never imagined traveling in the dark but she was finding that the travelers who kept to the darkness weren’t the types of people she had expected. They were the types of travelers worth traveling with.
Still Agnea wished they could be walking in the daylight. It wasn’t as if Agnea was frightened by the darkness. Just this week she’d fought off some monsters without even a moment of fright in the darkness. Agnea would often travel home in the dead of night when the town was utterly silent and the stars were all the light she had.
Maybe Agnea was being a bit silly but she longed to see her surroundings. Even though she’d lived in Cropland for most of her life and Wellgrove was hardly any different, Agnea wanted to see it. Places were like the webs spiders created overnight, everyday no matter what there would be tiny changes. Agnea loved seeing every one of those changes. The darkness kept her from experiencing those changes.
When they’d set off at nightfall Agnea had question the group about the odd travel time. Temenos had merely stated that “the Flambringer protects the travelers on the night.” Throné had given a lovely chuckle that had made Agnea’s heart beat fast, as she’d said in that silky voice of hers, “So does the Prince of Thieves.”
As they traveled down the darkened woods where Agnea could hear the leaves rustling in the wind as opposed to seeing them, her mind drifted back to that chuckle Throné had given. Agnea could feel her face heat up as her eyes turned towards Throné, wondering if she could somehow make Throné chuckle again. Agnea was fairly clumsy, would that be enough?
Agnea’s ridiculous thoughts were interrupted by Ochelle drawing her bow towards the forest ahead of them.
“Prey is here.” Ochelle warned them in her unusual way, though, given the odd types of meats Ochelle seemed to carry with her, Agnea could see why Ochelle considered monsters her prey. Agnea couldn’t help but agree that the monsters around Cropdale did make tasty jerky.
A loud familiar bellow came from before them followed quickly by a Giant Boar crashing out of the forest, knocking a pair of Silky Cocoons out of the trees above the travelers. As is the way with monsters the Cocoons weren’t interested in attacking the beast who’d awakened them, they were after the humans.
Agnea readied her dagger. Poor beast, she thought sadly, they don’t know what they are getting into.
Before either group could make the next move, Agnea found herself gasping in awe, nearly losing her grip on her dagger, as a pillar of lights, as bright as the sun at noon shone down from the heaven’s engulfing the monsters in Aelfiric the Flame-bringer's full radiance. Agnea had seen the priest do miraculous acts before, mostly healing the sick. Healing the sick wasn’t nearly so flashy. Agnea felt an appreciation for Aelfiric that she hadn’t before.
As the light engulfed the monsters, the darkness was rising from the earth to engulf the travelers. Agnea felt a flash of panic as the inky darkness, deeper than any darkness she’d ever experienced before, floated up past her knees as if it were nothing more than an encroaching fog. She could see less than nothing past that darkness.
Turning towards the other travelers, Agnea felt her fear subside, they didn’t seem phased by the darkness in the least.
A blessing from Aeber, the Prince of Thieves, Agnea realized with astonishment. Agnea had never been one to follow theology outside of her own goddess so she wondered what gift would the Prince of Thieves bestow.
As soon as the thought was formed she could feel the Prince’s darkness working on her. There was no melody, no beat, nor rhythm to the darkness, yet, Agnea was reminded of her Lion Dance. Where with the Lion Dance the recipient's strength would increase with the tempo of the dance, Agnea knew from experience from when she’d learned so long ago from her mother. This dark blessing increased her strength as it engulfed her. Darkness was completely surrounding her. Yet Agnea found she could see. More than see.
Aeber blessing offered more than the Lion Dance. Agnea could feel her connection to the Wind stronger than she’d ever felt it. At this moment she knew if she called on it the Wind would be stronger than ever before. Agnea couldn’t tell how she knew but she was faster than she’d been a moment before, nearly as fast as the Wind she was now in control of.
Agnea gasped. Blessings from the Gods were also said to be more powerful than mortal skills. Agnea hadn’t known how much more powerful.
This blessing was brought to the travelers through Throné. The knowledge was instinctual, Agnea had no doubt it was true but now Agnea had something to talk to Throné about. Agnea needed to know everything about how to bring such inspiration into others lives. It was her dream after all.
Agnea knew now why the travelers traveled at night.
Sitting down at a campfire by the light of the rising sun was a strange experience for Agnea, no more than traveling through the night by the blessings of both Aeber and Aelfiric. Agnea had a strong feeling that this would be the less strange of things she would be doing with these travelers. Agnea couldn’t wait for the next part of their journey together.
The lightning thrill of excitement had finally struck her. The strike had been so much harder than Agnea had imagined when she’d been a child. Agnea felt like she was bubbling over with energy. All she wanted to do was dance the day away. Her dream all these years was for her dancing to lighten the burdens of others. Bring smiles to their faces like her mother had. After this last night she knew even if she never touched a stage that her dancing could help so many people.
Back home Agnea had been the one with the burden who needed lifting. Without Pala’s bossiness to push her forward, or Gus' establishment to dance and his generous donation, or the travelers and locals who came to see her dance. Agnea wouldn’t have made it this far on her journey. She wouldn’t look as beautiful as she did without her father. Without her mother, well, Agnea wouldn’t even have her dream.
The Lion Dance wasn’t the most beautiful of dances. Agnea hadn’t thought much about it when she’d learned it. As it wasn’t one of her mother’s most beautiful dances and it wasn’t one that worked as the building blocks for the dances Agnea had wanted to learn.
She’d used it all the time back home, granting farmers the strength to work their orchards, and helping workers with their building. All those times she’d danced the Lion Dance she hadn’t realized it did help them with their task. While she knew it granted strength she’d never believed they’d needed her for those tasks. After a little combat she knew the importance of the dance.
The added strength didn’t just lift up folks spirits, it was practical. Agnea had seen how Aeber’s blessings improved the odds of winning in combat. In seeing that she began to notice her simple Lion Dance improving the fight once Aeber’s darkness had receded. Agnea had never known that she could be of such use to others.
This use didn’t end in combat. No. As they traveled the long night and even when they’d set up camp for the morning, the travelers had talked about their homes, their stories, their hardships. This wasn’t the first time Agnea had heard such hard tales. She’d heard them all the time at the bar but back then all she could do was dance their despair away.
Tonight she’d hugged Ochelle when the beast girl had told them of what was happening back in her village. Agnea had felt the beast girl relax a little. For Castti, Agnea had been able to share all the stories her mother had collected about traveling apothecaries. They weren’t sure if they were Castti’s group but Castti had found comfort in the knowledge that her group had been loved by some. Agnea had told Partito all about the different traders that had come through their town. He’d been so excited to hear her information that he might have exploded.
As for the other travelers, Throné in particular, well Agnea would figure out how to lighten their burdens as they traveled together.
For the first time in her life Agnea knew without question or doubt she was going to be a Star who lit up the world, on the stage and off the stage.
Before all that she was going to help her new friends with their quest. It was the least she could do for them, helping her discover how to fulfill her dream.
As the others slowly began to turn in for the day Agnea found herself taking quick little glances at Throné. The other woman was sitting by the fire idly toying with the collar around her neck lost in thought. Throné had been the one person this morning who hadn’t spoken about her mission. Agnea could tell from how Temenos eyed Throné when explaining or not explaining their reasons for going to Wellgrove that Throné’s story was a heavy one.
For a while Agnea fidgeted in silence until Hikari excused himself for the first watch. According to Partito the prince would take all the watches. Agnea couldn’t imagine how a person could stay up for so long after such a long night fighting and walking. If it wasn’t for the lightning thrill running through her Agnea would already be asleep. Maybe royalty didn’t need to sleep. That’s how they kept up with guarding their kingdoms.
With everyone gone Agnea knew this was her only time to approach Throné about her blessing from Aeber. It wasn’t like it was an embarrassing topic to ask about. It wasn’t like Throné was shy or anything. Throné had been pretty witty during the different conversations they’d had. Agnea had noticed Throné wasn’t one to talk about herself in any of those conversations. Agnea unlike Pala didn’t like to push, usually. There was something about Throné. Agnea felt herself starting to blush a little as she stood up to walk over to Throné’s side of the campsite. Agnea wanted to know lots of personal things about Throné.
With that thought finished Agnea felt the familiar feeling of falling as she tripped over a rather dull rock and into the waiting arms of Throné.
“Sorry,” Agnea pleaded, her face now fully flushed at the embarrassment of her actions. In her head she could hear Pala’s voice reminding Agnea to watch her feet. Agnea never needed that reminder when dancing but with everything else she wasn’t quite so graceful.
“Your missteps are as graceful as your dancing.” Throné teased giving her not quite laugh that sent Agnea’s heart racing. With surprising strength, which shouldn’t be surprising because Agnea had seen the power that Throné wielded her daggers that night, Throné assisted Agnea onto the bench beside her.
Agnea muttered a thank you, her eyes averted. It wasn’t like Agnea didn’t fall over herself all the time. Pala told her she needed to work on that if people were going to take her seriously as a dancer. Gus had told her it made her cute. Normally Agnea agreed with Gus. With Throné Agnea didn’t know how she wanted to be taken.
An eternity of silence latter Agnea’s fluster faded and she turned to look at the woman sitting beside her. Throné’s face was as unfathomable as the deepest, darkest part of the night sky, just as that forsaken midnight hour, there was a glimmer in Throné’s darkness like stars lighting up the night. Throné’s lips had a slight tilt to them. Her eyes were bright with amusement.
“You could be a dancer.” Agnea spoke the wrong words, as the fluster returned full force, and Agnea had to turn away before her heart exploded.
Throné responded with a husky laugh. The fullness of the laughter cooled and warmed Agnea’s heart at the same time, allowing her the confidence she need for the conversation.
“I mean it.” Agnea spoke, turning to make eye contact with Throné, so the other woman would know the truth in Agnea’s words. “I’ve never seen anyone other than my mother move like you do. You’d put me to shame if we danced together.” Agnea’s new found confidence stuttered for a moment at her word choice, but she knew her words were important to say, so she barreled ahead. “Your blessing uplifts others so much more than my Lion Dance and I think –“
“In combat.” Throné interrupted Agnea’s ramblings, for a second Agnea feared she’d spoken wrong, but Throné’s face was still as bright as the night sky. “or for more underhanded purposes.”
Throné’s lips formed a full smile as she handed Agnea her wallet back to her.
Agnea felt herself blush as their hands brushed in the exchange.
“If you’d like...I could teach you how to dance.” Agnea offered imagining how wonderful it would be to see Throné on the stage beside her, uplifting everyone they met. The imagination floodgates opened leading to Agnea seeing herself leading Throné through the different dances, seeing herself placing her hands on Throné as part of the instruction – Agnea was sure her face was as red as Ochelle’s freshest catch.
The light didn’t dim on her face, as Throné stilled considering Agnea’s words. Agnea didn’t know why she felt it was so important to teach Throné to dance, to be a Star for others. Agnea felt it in her soul that Throné needed to know that Agnea believed she could be a Star. So Agnea would give it her all until Throné knew. Until Agnea saw Throné on the stage. With Agnea.
“Why don’t I teach you how to be a thief?” Throné responded simply.
“What?” Agnea blurted out. Her thoughts, the conversation thrown out of balance.
It wasn’t like Agnea thought thieves were terrible people or even bad people. Folks sometimes had to steal for survival, Agnea’s father told her once when someone had ransacked his shop. He’d told her the same thing again when the town had had bandits raiding them a few years back. Agnea couldn’t fault folks for not being able to find work. She’d been blessed with so many things in her life.
The thought of her actually having to take things from unwilling people, it chilled her to the core.
“You won’t always be able to get what you want by asking.” Throné told Agnea while leaning over and giving Agnea a good look at Throné’s “talents.” Asking wasn’t exactly stealing. Agnea reasoned with herself. She couldn’t help it if people gave her things they may not have if she wasn’t endowed with such talents. Why Throné was a thief with her talents Agnea couldn’t imagine anyone saying no to Throné. “Quick hands will get you everything you want.”
“I was wondering,” Agnea turned the conversation away from the topic of Throné’s talents in a hurry. She couldn’t get any redder. “What’s New Delsta like? My mom started her career around there and I was thinking about doing the same.”
“The theater district is certainly more impressive than anything on this continent.” Throné mused as she leaned her head back towards the sky. Agnea felt herself frown as a heaviness entered into the conversation. Several of the others had terrible memories of their hometowns, Agnea wondered if it was the same for Throné. Was her home town the reason she was here with the travelers.
“I don’t care about the rich side of things. It's just –”
“Your mother has fond memories of her time there.” Throné finished for Agnea sounding wistful. Agnea could see Throné’s collar glisten in the morning light, like it was a sign, Agnea couldn’t read. “You’ll need to be careful. New Delsta isn’t like Cropland in the least. You’ll have trouble telling the bad parts of town from the safe parts.” Throné’s voice and smile turned self-deprecating. “You’re the kind of mark thieves there will be looking for.”
“It won’t matter.” Agnea declared, sure of herself in ways she wouldn’t imagine she could be with Throné. Throné turned towards her with what Agnea was pretty sure was surprise in her expression. “You’ll be there to show me the way.”
The lights had dimmed from the night sky of Throné’s face but Agnea wouldn’t take back her words. Agnea started into that dark blankness with determination. When Agnea knew something in her heart she could be as stubborn as Pala, maybe ever more stubborn than Pala.
“I guess, I will be.” Throné spoke at last. Her tone was neutral and her expression hadn’t changed but Agnea could see the stars returning to Throné’s sky.
Agnea gave Throné her biggest smile. The one that she’d use when people weren’t affected by her talents, like Pala, or her father, or her mother.
“Great,” Agnea said as she moved closer to Throné, pleased when Throné didn’t move away even though their shoulders were brushing, “Tell me everything. Is the theater really as big as a castle? Do the dancers really not wear clothes?”
Agnea had more and more questions bubbling out of her as she thought about the city her mother had loved so dearly on her journey to being a Star.
Throné gave her husky full laugh and then began to describe the wonders of New Delsta. It sounded as amazing as her mother had told Agnea all those years again.
Agnea would be going there soon with the travelers. With Throné.
The road to a Star was even better than Agnea had imagined.