Beginnings and Dreams

“Uyera, Adari!”

Where am I? They’re speaking Udari?

“We can’t send Uisempuli… her songmagic is too unstable. I will do it.”

Is that Adari? Why are you talking about me?

“I know all the songs Uisempuli knows, please let me do it, elders.”

A girl? Sky blue hair? Another songmage, is that…

“Adari. You’re too old for the Song of the Mountain. Yula, your songmagic is far too controlled for it.”

Adari, why are you crying? Yula, why are you so upset?

“I’ll do it. Don’t worry, Adari. I will sing the Song of the Mountain.”

That’s me… talking.

“Uisempuli!”

Why are you shouting, Adari?

◆

“Ui!”

Ui woke up with labored breathing. Cro shook her out of her dream.

“Ui. Are you alright?”

Ui's sweat had made her blankets, messily wrapped around her, cold and heavy like the coldest and wettest winters inside Auremaru.

“Bad dream?”

“I… think so. I’m… not sure.” Ui squinted at the light slowly rising and trickling inside her comfortable bedroom in Novestr.

“You’re late to the Duke’s summons. You have five minutes, I’ll fly you there.”

Ui’s eyes widened, the realization of her oversleeping being costlier with every second that passed. She sprung out of her bed, giving little time for her brother to walk outside. He quickly turned around and walked away while she dug out the set of clothes the servants had already laid out the night before.

Hastily, with her sleeves misaligned and her dress slightly slanted, she dashed out of their home with her boots half-slipped on.

Cro picked her up with almost no time to prepare, and started flying as Ui adjusted her shoes and clothes midway.

Ui tried to take a glimpse at the streets of Novestr rapidly flowing underneath them, but the view was jarring, and the skies were prettier anyway.

“Does it get tiring, wearing that wig every time you have to go out?” Cro asked, still looking towards where he was flying.

“I like to think about it as living a secret life. I used to be scared and it was uncomfortable, but now it’s a bit fun.”

Cro let out a single chuckle. His warm, clean breath was the only sign that let Ui know his response. He dropped her in front of the Duke’s mansion, waved, and flew up and towards his school.

Ui looked at Odoe’s stand, who was already hard at work firing up her oven and kneading dough, but prudently decided to respond to the Duke’s summons first.

Miront met her outside the Royal Mansion, and quickly ushered her in. “It must be nice to have personal transportation like that.” He had managed to catch a glimpse of Cro flying away.

It occurred to Ui that she did not know about Miront's skills. “You’re not a Royal Mage?”

“You’re supposed to start with a greeting.” Miront could somehow sound smug as he laughed.

Apparently, he had no intention of answering her question. Naturally, this upset Ui. “You too.” Her voice was dripping with contempt.

Miront kept grinning as he escorted Ui down a hallway, up a flight of stairs, through a longer hallway, and turning into another hallway. The confusingly arranged mansion that Ui had found empty of decorations remained consistent throughout, with the only beauty being the sights of the city and gardens that the windows displayed in full. She was busy appreciating the sights when they arrived at the Duke’s office.

The Duke’s office was full of books, documents, and some personal effects that meant nothing to Ui, and she didn’t want to seem like she was looking too closely, either.

“Good Morning, Ui.” The Duke raised his head as soon as she walked in. His stylish, shoulder-length dark hair was shining in the morning sun. There was a window behind him, illuminating the whole room. Ui admired his clear, brief smile, before he went back to his documents soon after.

Ui looked at Miront, not knowing what to say. Miront did not help in any way. “Good morning, Sir Duke,” she said anxiously.

The Duke laughed. “I know you’ve been busy lately preparing for your first concert…”

“N-not at all.” And she hadn’t been. Her songwriting sessions hadn’t been fruitful since her assignment. It didn’t help that she was scared Prishu would invade her usual spots for inspiration, either.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you in person before… Your mind must’ve been very uncertain. The other two singers are veterans and will make the evening a lot easier for you. I just want you to repeat the song you sang for us during your audition. The Royal Orchestra will provide instrumentation. Let me know if you find this arrangement insufficient. Miront, see to it.”

“Y-yes sir.” Ui bowed clumsily. Miront quickly applied pressure behind her knees and grabbed her arms to make her form a proper curtsy instead of whatever she was attempting.

“Your Grace,” whispered Miront.

“Yes, Your Grace!” Her words were exceedingly loud for a room that size, her volume unsettling even her.

The Duke laughed briefly as Miront escorted her back outside. Just like that, her visit with him was over. She was so confused that she couldn’t even breathe a sigh of relief.

“Can you pull this off?” asked Miront once outside the Duke’s office.

“I can,” answered Ui, trying to convince herself. She looked outside the windows. The sights of the Royal Gardens soothed her nerves. “I can do it.”

“Good, because they’re already waiting for you.” Miront escorted Ui to the Royal Auditorium with that annoying, mischievous smile of his. She spared Miront her distaste, instead worrying that her singing was about to come into scrutiny.

Her feelings gradually turned from anxious to determined as they walked into the auditorium. By the time they got to the stage, she was a far more confident Ui than she would’ve appeared to Miront minutes earlier.

The orchestra made their introductions. A handful of musicians were there to listen to Ui.

They listened attentively as Ui sang her song into an empty auditorium, yet she didn’t sacrifice a single bit of quality; she sang as if the empty seats were crowded and their attention fully focused on her.

She sang the song a capella once, as the musicians took notes. Once she was done, they asked questions to Ui and discussed among themselves.

She sang the song a second time, with some light instrumentation accompanying her.

Ui was instructed to rest her voice while the musicians did the final arrangements, furiously scribbling and sometimes even arguing among themselves. Ui admired their work; she had never worked with musicians that were that efficient and talented. She hardly had to do anything.

She sang the song a third time. This time, she projected her voice two or three times more than before, with the orchestra’s instruments competing for the notes. The empty Royal Auditorium reverberated with her song and the orchestra, and by the time it was done, she turned around and smiled to the cheering musicians. She bowed profusely towards them, and they smiled back.

She was sure of it. She could do it.