A Noble Perspective

The sight of a city landscape reflected in a young woman's cyan eyes, as she glanced at the large city around her. Cement homes stand strong together, with small shops on each side of a single-wide road leading through the district. Daily, thousands of citizens walk the stone streets of their hometown, Freya, the first of six major capital cities nationwide. The wealthiest nobles in each region ruled massive, walled civilizations. One cathedral held the young woman's attention, looking at its enormous size and elegant stained glass design even from the distance she was standing from it. She soon broke her trance-like stare and returned to the clipboard in her hand.

At a storefront, she stood with pen and clipboard in hand, her eyes moving across the paper as she signed her name, Aisellia Noel Rae. She was a noble's daughter with long silver hair, bound in place by an elegant headband. Aisellia's cyan blue eyes raced across the pamphlet of papers, making a mental list of its content. Her face has gentle facial features, and crystal blue, gentle eyes that could easily freeze someone in their tracks. Aisellia glanced around, seeing several workers moving equipment around her. She had dressed simply in a short skirt and a collared shirt accessorized with a bow. Humble attire, in her opinion, she still looked elegant compared to the workers' and common folk's clothing. They hurried in and out of the store, moving various things ranging from crates of supplies to large bags of food and necessities.

"Almost done loading up for tomorrow, Lia!"  The blue-eyed woman lifted her eyes from her writing and turned to face the worker casually approaching her. A dark-haired woman who wore a simple shirt and pants, the uniform was the same as that of the other workers. With a smile on her face and clothes covered in dirt, she cheerfully approached the noble woman.

"Hm? Oh, thank you, Laura. Everything went smoothly thanks to your movers."

"Anything to help!" The woman, Laura, exclaimed. Her smile turned to a smirk as her eyes scanned Aisellia from top to bottom. Noticing the woman's gaze from her peripheral vision, Aisellia raised an eyebrow, tilting her head slightly, looking at the woman curiously.

"Just thinkin, you've come a long way in the last few years. Just how many businesses do you operate for your family now?"

"Only six. It's not that many, they're just small stores, but they're my responsibility. Thus why I've been trusted to represent my family on the expedition in just  a few short days."

"Exactly! Only the Temple could convince the nobles of THIS city to put together supplies and stuff to go outside the city...fooor?"

Laura was a hauling worker in the middle district, but after their first meeting many years ago, she took an interest in Aisellia. Laura was neither noble nor one of the few people funding it. What she could do, however, was gather a group of men from the lower district to help her friend quickly move shipments today.

"I guess some people high up in the temple received a request from a small village outside the walls. I heard there were problems before, leaving the village needing supplies and medicine."

Aisellia explained, filling in the blanks of her overall knowledge of the expedition.

"Oh, I get it. Maybe they plan to help expand the village or something!"

Quickly, Aisellia and Laura paused for a second. Both glancing in the same direction, noticing a knight walking down the line of carts, handling a clipboard of his own. Once the knight passed out of earshot, the two women nervously looked at each other.

"Hey, Aisellia...you'll be careful out there, right?"

Their heads lowered slightly. A few seconds of silence passed before Laura began to speak, prompting both to look up and meet eyes again.

"I just want to warn you to be careful. I know you'll have guards, other noble reps, and a priest with you, but...just try to make sure you take care of yourself first and foremost out there."

Laura stepped closer to Aisellia and took Aisellia's hands into her own, leaving the two to once again exchange smiles.

"Of course, the temple was against it, but one of the supporting nobles hired a group of knights for extra protection, so we should be decently alright. My family operates in the medicine business, so most of the supplies come from us."

"You're a Noble's daughter and the only person behind those pearly gates who's done some real work in their lives. Who else's daughter learns to run one of their parents' smaller businesses? I'm still surprised rich people are putting their money into something other than their own pockets."

Laura said, bringing a finger to her lips as she attempted to think of any examples in which her words were false, but failed to do so. Suddenly, her eyes widened, her gaze returning to look at Aisellia with haste.

"I don't mean that with your parents, of course, hehe!"  Laura said as she laughed nervously, which only made her friend giggle.

"It's alright, Laura. I might also be one of the few nobles in this city who can see the overindulgence of wealth and status. Doing very little for those outside of the High District. Sectioned off from the rest of the city..."

She said, turning the other way to look up at the city's skies and further into the city.

The Next Morning...

Four horse-drawn carts could be seen exiting the city through its heavily gated entrance. Armed soldiers walked along each side of the carts in formation. Inside the rear cart, however, a group of people sat at the back. The Priest was sitting up front alongside the driver. One of those people was Aisellia, who sat looking over her notebook while the others conversed among themselves. Suddenly, a voice broke her concentration. Her face immediately turned sour at the sound, It was a familiar voice, one she seemed very annoyed by.

"Well, Aisellia! I heard your family might be helping, but to think they'd send you out with the rest of us."

Aisellia raised her head, seeing a young noble male with blonde hair and blue eyes speaking to her. His all-white clothes were notably flashy, and he wore a fur poncho with jewelry around his neck and fingers. She remained silent for a moment, glaring at the male, letting a few seconds of silence pass before she spoke.

"...I can bet you convinced your family to join in so you could follow me, didn't you?"

Shock overwhelmed the blonde-haired male, or so he pretended to feign to be drawn back by the statement. Quickly bouncing back with his rebuttal.

"....Of course not! Why would someone do such a thing? I'm offended you would even think that!"

All of them were nobles, so they knew each other by family name. All the women were already glaring at him, familiar with his obsessive ways and attempts to "swoon" women. Aisellia had been stalked by him the longest since they were teens, and their families often worked together on business.

(He totally did that...)

All three women said simultaneously in the depths of their minds, sending a detestable glare in Dan's direction. The other males saw it, one chuckled to himself, and the other stared ahead, upfront past the driver and the Priest, seemingly ignoring their conversation. The other woman continued speaking with the noble male, chuckling at their simultaneous glares. Aisellia shifted her body away from his direction, setting her notebook into a small bag resting on the seat near her.

Aisellia Rae: (Out of the families, he just HAD to be one, unfortunately. Dan Aifried's family is one of the Royal family, whose status and political power in the capital are undoubtedly the greatest. They're considered the royal family of the capital, as the leading family in wealth. One of the girls, the man she's talking to, is part of those high-ranking families. Cana Sigfried and Ian Maliago, The red-haired woman with matching eyes is Cana. Her family runs the capital's largest distillery and has plenty of high-class taverns in the high district. Ian's family is about as condescending as nobles can get, but their money originates from their carriage and horse-raising businesses. The short girl with long, deep blue hair and matching eyes is Sheilia Ciest, another Noble daughter. Most High-Class social events have their name somewhere hovering around it. The guy who's been looking out the front and I...our parents happened to acquire enough business wealth to become Nobles. They rose from the middle class, but as far as this expedition is concerned, we supplied our resources, and those three who are practically royalty funded everything else. In a way, it made our families a lot of money. We're pretty much here to account for everything and help, while the royals are the political faces of it all.)

The glasses-wearing priest sat beside the driver, having looked over his shoulder, smiling at the young man looking between him and the driver, soon turning more to see the rest of the group. While the man of cloth's gaze graced over the young nobles individually, passing by Aisellia, who continued sitting silently in her own thoughts.

(Everything was assembled and put together among the families by the Temple. Father Leon is the coordinator and supervisor to all of us and the whole expedition.)

The road was long, moving from a stone road to dirt road paths en route to their destination. The nobles continued as they had been, Aisellia mostly spending her time jotting down her thoughts and reading over them. Unfortunately, she was occasionally interrupted by Dan and his not-so-secret advances. After a long day's trip, the sun began to set, the group pulled onto the side of the path, and set up camp. The guards and the Priest stood to watch by the carts while the noble children and other merchants who rode in other carts sat at separate bonfires. Aisellia sat around the fire with one of the nobles. Knights are a short distance away, yet providing a security perimeter around them

"So Ian?"  One of the noble girls Cana began, speaking to the male she held a conversation with on the cart, her short friend sitting by her side, together sharing a log to sit on.

"Do you believe in the spooky rumors of the free marches?"

"There are plenty of rumors about the free marches."

He responded jokingly, shrugging his shoulders and attempting to quickly evade Cana's question, earning a playful smile from the two girls. Their conversation gained Aisellia's attention, her eyes shifting from the fire over to the conversing trio curiously.

Sheilia Ciest: "You know which one, the stories of dangerous monstrosities that roam around killing anyone and anything without prejudice."

Dan Aifred: "Come now Ian, we're all aware of the stories."

Ian Maliago: "Of course. They're just that, Stories. It would be closer to the truth. In my opinion, to believe in misfortune and powerful bad spirits. Demons are just a story to keep kids indoors at night, I'm sure."

Cana Sigfried: "Oh?"

Sheilia Ciest: "Ian's family is part of The Temple higher-ups, so he would probably know more of the truth than what we could guess."

The girls sat back in their seats, their excited smiles fading into pouts.

"We'll all find out the truth eventually, after all, that's the reason each one of us weaseled our way here. Am I right?"

Dan openly stated and questioned the nobles present. His statement took everyone by surprise, evident by their expressions, with Dan standing near the bonfire, everyone's eyes reacting as if they all had a secret that was just revealed.

"Otherwise, what are the real chances that such an important relief effort needs to be done, and Families of our status...send us instead of long-time servants or older trusted ambassadors?"

Looking at Dan, being the center of attention, managed to cause a moment of guilty silence from the group. Until Ian began chuckling.

Ian Maliago: "I admit Aifred, you're smarter than I thought."

Dan Aifred: "Ha! Finally, someone sees my brilliance! I had my own desires, but in the drafting process for this expedition, I stumbled upon a list and saw all of your names, which was odd, but I decided to help you guys out and make sure it was us chosen."

Sheilia Ciest: "I see, plus it would be a lot more boring and difficult if it were just a bunch of overbearing workers out here with you."

Dan Aifred: "Indeed, everything is better in the company of beautiful women! However, the only one I didn't even have to talk to the temple or my parents for approval. The only name I didn't have to push for is Miss Rae over here."

He said, looking at Aisellia, winking his eye in an attempt to flirt, which turned her face into an expression of pure disgust.

Cana Sigfried: "Makes sense. Our families are in the high political order, Dan being pretty much royalty in the capital, while Aisellia's family came from the middle class and moved up. Unlike us, she's done actual work for her family for years."

Aisellia Rae: "I've just worked and organized the stores for a while. But I'm an only child, so honestly, everything just came after."

"So you're a boss?" Cana questioned Aisellia curiously.

"Almost, I've grown on the term, boss bitch."

Aisellia said confidently, smirking and shifting her sitting position. Cana met her smirk with a smile.

Cana Sigfried: "Ooo, Boss Bitch? I like it! I might have to use that; nobody in the Noble and Royal districts ever comes close to making cool things to say."

Aisellia Rae: "I appreciate your subtlety *giggles* but yeah, I learned it from a friend from the Middle District a while ago. It just caught on for workers who didn't exactly like me. Unfortunately for them, I rather like it."

Sheilia Ciest: "Thinking about it, not many lower district families, particularly like nobles enough to converse like that to learn cool new words."

Ian Maliago: "But even the common rich still do that, unless you're not counting the tons of ass-kissing ones."

Aisellia Rae: "Hmm? I guess it would make sense, I have no problem with them seeing how business usually takes me to the middle district, so I'm normally talking to one person or another. Plus, I have a friend who stays in the middle, so I'm usually updated at some point."

She said, placing a finger to her lips as she thought about her friend Laura.

The Next Day: Inside the cart...

Dan Aifried: "Ho-ho, one day Aisellia Rae, one day I hope to make you reconsider my proposal."

Ian Maliago: "Okay, I'm curious, a proposal of what?"

Dan smirked confidently as Aisellia's face turned sour.

Aisellia Rae: "It's exactly as it sounds, sadly..."

Cana Sigfried: "...Is it bad that it's that obvious the only reason this infamous perv wants to marry you?"

Aisellia Rae: "It's bad all around really...He's followed me around trying to peep and creep on me since we were teens."

Sheilia Ciest: "I hear he's always at brothels or in strange areas picking up drunk girls. They say he only tries his hand at vulnerable drunk girls."

Dan Aifried: "Don't start false rumors about me!"

Aisellia Rae: "Oh? Ian? Have you heard the word going around about Dan?"

Dan Aifried: "Hey!"

Sheilia Ciest: "Yay, we're starting a rumor!"

Knowing they were joking, Dan gave up trying to fight their teasing and sat with his head hung low. The girls, however, and even the silent noble male joined in for the group laughter, unable to hide the humor he found in the joke. Ian chuckled, but looked uneasy, mentally commenting to himself while the other laughed.

Ian Maliago: (I think it'd be better if they didn't know that's what he's always up to, without the brothels. He's always aggressively flirting with gullible or vulnerable girls. Waving his money and status to get what he wants from them.)

Dan Aifried: "I'm sorry no one's around to hear this lie. Only half a day until we arrive."

Priest: "Speaking of which, in a little while we'll be entering another nation, so the climate will be changing, so we'll be stopping shortly ahead so that you all may change attire for the weather."

Dan Aifried: "Change?!"

Ian Maliago: "Don't tell me you didn't bring anything to adjust to the heat?"

Dan Aifried: "..."

Aisellia Rae: "Wow, I think I might actually feel bad for him if he doesn't get the heatstroke he probably deserves."

Dan raised his head, hearing the words that brought a smile to his face, yet as he looked at Aisellia, she had a devilish grin, the thought of it bringing her a deep, dark joy if he did suffer from a heat stroke.

"The Sandora area is a middle and southern region of the continent. Known for its high heat waves, it even has a massive desert that spans across the southern border of the country. It's different from our northern territory in Fio, which has spring seasons for over half of the year. So you just might actually die from a heat stroke."

Aisellia had explained to the group the natural climate of their destination. Dan frowned and lowered his head again as the rest of them awkwardly laughed, caught off guard by her grin. All of them realized that she held a deep dislike for Dan.