Testing, Testing

What a lovely afternoon.

Rosamund was sitting outside, on a plot of land his brother had claimed for the teleportation circle. He had a table set up and tea brought over and he was wearing a nice warm knitted sweater. He was enjoying the sunlight, although he worried that the weather was turning again. Khamil had been arrested earlier that day, and for the first time in a while, he felt truly relaxed and at peace. He didn't even notice how worried he was until everything was resolved. Nivelir deserved a week of vacation for this. Or a month.

Lilac was working on the circle. His face was pale but focused - he was clearly still suffering the effects of the poison, although they weren't as severe as they were for Rosamund. Teodolit was also there, although his contribution to the entire ordeal was highly questionable. The man spent most of the time annoying his brother, but Lilac was replying in the same manner, so he didn't feel the need to intervene.

The circle was carved into a stone platform. It was topped with a small roof, looking similar to a gazebo, if a gazebo could comfortably fit a whole carriage and four horses into it. The platform already had two gravel roads leading to it, one from the stables, and one from the manor's main entrance. The plans for the gazebo were designed by Lilac, although the final plans for the development of the land were done by an architect, who was going to turn the surrounding area into a lovely garden, and raise the walls around it to properly connect it to the manor and protect it from outsiders.

"Rose! Come over now, tell me what you see."

Rosamund set down his teacup and got up. He could see the mistake he made almost immediately. He managed to hold onto the table instead of falling over and gave himself a few moments before he walked over to the circle. He leaned onto one of the pillars to keep himself stable without needing others' assistance. Lilac and Teodolit looked at him with mild concern, but didn't offer help. He was alright. He gave them a reassuring nod and looked at the circle.

Even inactive, the inherent magic in the words inscribed in the stone glowed in vibrant colors. He needed a few second to go over the whole thing, but it seemed fine to him. "This part prevents teleportation if anything is on the other side," he said, going over the safeguards first. "This one lights up the other circle a minute before the teleportation as a warning. This one detects anything that's only partially in the circle and stops the teleportation."
Lilac gave him a nod.
"All are in order. These connect to the mana stones and drain their energy so only one mage is enough to activate it. And finally, the teleportation spell itself... yes. I don't see anything wrong with it. Start your tests."

"Very well. All clear?"

Lilac placed an apple in the middle of the circle and stepped out of it, along with everyone else. He raised his hands and started channeling magic into the circle to activate it. Immediately, the circle turned a warning bright red color and the magic shut off. Lilac gave him a deeply concerned look.

"Something or someone was on the other side," Rosamund said. "Give it a minute and try again."
"Right. Right. Nothing to worry about, then. At least the safeguards are working as intended," Lilac said. More to himself than anyone else, it seemed. Rosamund walked over to him and gave him a reassuring pat on the back. Teodolit brought his chair over to him, which was nice of him, so he sat down before Lilac had a chance to worry about him.

"You look like you're eighty in this vest you have," Teodolit said.

His obvious attempt to lighten the mood had Lilac flinch. Rosamund let out a small laugh. He was pretty close with the guess, after all. "I would hope so. I feel as if I'm eighty."
"Poison's not wearing out?"
"Not quite yet. Fret not, I will return to my handsome self in a few hours. I have a meeting with the Queen."
"Again?" Lilac asked.
"Of course. I must report that Khamil was arrested. And why. And the evidence, which keeps piling up. Give the circle another go, Lily. I want it up and running as soon as possible."
"Right."

This time, the circle flashed and lit up as it should. Rosamund and Teodolit observed everything in silence, letting Lilac focus. A minute later, it was fully active and the apple disappeared.

Lilac breathed out, clearly calmed by this.

"Any updates on Captain Vervain?" Rosamund asked.
"None yet. I drew some new testing circles. I'd like to try them out on you," Lilac said. "First you'll need to tell me what you see, though. I don't want another faulty experiment."
"Of course."

He walked over to his bag, which was overflowing with magical equipment of all shapes and sizes. He returned with a pair of scissors and several circles he made. Rosamund couldn't see any mistakes on them. They each tested for standard and divine influence. He cut off a bit of his hair and let Lilac carry it away. The circles only detected his minor blessing, nothing else. Certainly no explosions of black fire, as the two victims described it. If the only circle Adanita recently touched really was the one in the lighthouse, then the infernal influence did not come from it. Rosamund's eyes and this test guaranteed it.

"Right. I'll check out Captain Vervain later, then. When I see her."
"Very good. Have you found anything interesting in the books?"
"Well," Teodolit said. "I figured that researching past lives may be a good start, since that was the closest thing that I could think of."
If he was borrowing from Lilac's library, Rosamund was quite sure he knew what he was talking about. Nonetheless, he gave him a nod to continue.
"They only mention the possibility of souls retaining a memory or two from the previous life, or perhaps a birthmark showing how they died. Nothing on seeing the future. Next I looked into divine inspirations and prophecies, which came close, I suppose. But visions don't last for several years, and prophecies are usually cryptic at best. Even when the saints aren't making them up."
"I would assume Captain Vervain hasn't suddenly gained a new birthmark around her neck," Rosamund jokingly said. Seeing how rarely she wore anything with a high collar, it was perfectly visible there was nothing like that on her. "Out of curiosity, do you have any experience with people who have memory from their past lives?"
"I suppose I do, but I can't say it's anything too close to Nita's experience. For example, I remember a flower which I've never seen in my life before, growing on a cliff. I found them in a book later, but they grow only on the southernmost tip of Kalisto."
"And you've never been there?" Rosamund curiously asked.
"No. It's hardly anything important, really. Or uncommon. A lot of people retain something small like that in the cycle of life and death."
"Interesting..." He crossed his arms, deeply in thought. "I agree. Reincarnation isn't quite what she described. Especially because that shouldn't bring you backwards in time."
"And if the records are to be trusted, it isn't divine in nature, either," Teodolit said. He sighed. "And if it was anything magical in nature, you would be able to see it. Back to square one. Have you ever seen a devil?"
"No. Nor influence of one. Or magic. You?"
"No."

They turned to Lilac.

"Don't look at me like that! I refuse to guess," he said.
"This is called brainstorming, Lily. We are throwing out ideas to test, not trying to come to a conclusion," Rosamund said.
"Well, good thing I made the tests. If you'd like to be witnesses this time, we can go to the city immediately and find Vervain."
"Gods no. If it explodes in infernal pyre again, the last thing we need is an audience for the show," Teodolit said.
"Agreed. Don't do it in the city. Or somewhere where you can be spotted."
Lilac dramatically threw his arms up in the air. "Then do not doubt the ✧*̥˚ Process *̥˚✧, you fiends."
"Tomorrow, then? I will clear my schedule for this."
"Figure out the time and let me know. I also want to see what happens," Teodolit said.
"Fine. How about-

Lilac was interrupted by a warning glow of the teleportation circle. He tensed up and nervously waited in silence, until finally, the apple reappeared. It was completely undamaged, and held a hastily written note in place under it.

"Ah. There is a snow storm," Lilac announced, reading it. "They got caught cleaning the circle from snow when I first tried to send the apple."
"Is it frozen?" Teodolit curiously asked.
"It doesn't get cold enough to freeze an apple within minutes," he said, picking it up. "It's just cold. And soggy. Do you think they'll be fine?"
"They should have enough firewood to last for a year," Rosamund pointed out. "And the cleaning service should keep the city safe from an outbreak of a disease."
"Why don't we just toss Teo in there to remove the storm?"
"You'd out me in the middle of the Capital? Sure - how far is the Cathedral, by the way?"
"Think of it this way, burning on a stake would warm you up in that weather."
"So would winter clothes," Rosamund said dryly. "Wait - how did they even know to expect your test?"
He looked at him, deeply confused by the question. "Because I told them?"
"...how?"
"Through an orb?"

Rosamund buried his face in his hands and leaned forward.

"Lily. My dearest, sweetest, only brother," he said, adamant not to strangle him. Lilac recognized the tone of his voice and stepped back. "Has it not once occurred to you that, if you had a way to contact our parents, I would have wanted to relay a message to them and let them know I was safe and well?"
"It slipped my mind," he said.
"Lily. I was here. For weeks."
"Half of the time you were dying! Or busy. I forgot to tell you! It slipped my mind."
"Lily..." He really didn't want to yell at him. Judging by Nivelir's experience, and comparing his brother to other younger siblings he knew, being an idiot simply came with the territory of being the youngest child. "Can I please have the orb after I speak to the Queen, to say hello to our parents?" He almost managed to keep his voice calm. Almost.
"Yes, I'll bring it to you before dinner."
"Thank you." Completely drained by this interaction, he leaned back and let the two continue their tests without further interruption.

"Wow, you are stupid," Teodolit said.
"Shut up, pipsqueak." Lilac's face was a bright red, deeply embarrassed color.
"A what?"
"It's an insult in another language. I called you short and young."
"Hah! Rude. How old are you, anyway?"
"Twenty-eight." He scribbled a response and continued to run the tests, increasing the size and weight of objects.
"Joke's on you, I'm thirty."
"Wait- really? You are older than me? You look twenty-five, at most!"
"It's the tea," he brightly said. "Wait, you are the younger one. Lord Governor, how old are you?"
"Eighty-six," Rosamund said.
"Thirty-six," Lilac corrected him.
"In this vest, I am an old man."
"So how come neither of you are married yet?"
"Why aren't you married?" Lilac shot back.
"I am not a nobleman. I don't need to marry," Teo said.
"Neither do we. Our parents don't need us to marry for influence, and neither of us is interested in a relationship of that kind," Rosamund said.
"And Lord Secretary?" he asked.
"He is thirty-three, and also not interested in getting married at this time." His birthday was coming up soon. Rosamund should get him something.

"How old is Captain Vervain?" Lilac curiously asked.
"Thirty-one, or thirty-four. Depends on how you count."
"Right. How about tomorrow after breakfast?"
"Nita's tests? Sure. Can you wake up Lord Governor early enough?"
"Can we use you as our first human test on the circle?" Rosamund asked.
"Hah! Some gratitude, after I saved your life."
"Is this the point where I remind you that you gave me to Captain Lotus? We are even on that front, Officer."

It was Teodolit's turn to get flushed in the face. Rosamund gave him a smirk.

"Although, you did also save my brother and my best friend. I am quite grateful for that. Lily will have to find someone else to toss into the circle."
"Khamil," Lilac darkly said.
"...or maybe I will find someone."
"Come now, it won't be much of a loss if something happens to him."
"While I do agree, I believe Sarmia would prefer to have him delivered in one piece."
"Fine."
"When you go through, be sure to wear something warm. Last thing I need is for you to get a frostbite."
"Really? You would have me be my own test subject?"
"Consider it penance for not telling me you had the orb," he said. "Or perhaps my trust in your skill."
"Woe is me, my brother hath forsaken me."
"Henceforth I walk the path of life a lone man, abandoned by the only family of mine," Rosamund finished the quote with a smile.
"What was that?" Teodolit asked.
"We quoted one play we watched together a few years ago. Perhaps we should visit the theater one day again, Lily."
"Gladly. Why not take Nivelir along? And these three, too. It could be a way to quietly introduce them to high culture and society."
"Perhaps we should not go as a crowd of six before they at least get new clothes and learn the etiquette," Rosamund said.
Lilac winced. "Fair point. Or, now that I think on it... perhaps I shouldn't walk around the Capital casually, if Dorja is after me."

Would she try to kidnap him in broad daylight? In public? Rosamund was generally of the opinion that she had enough of a brain to not do something like that. However... what if he was wrong? "We'll talk about it. Get the circle running first," he said.

"Right."

Lilac continued working. The air between the three of them turned gloomier.

"We'll be alright, Lily."
"Of course. It's not as if we just survived an assassination attempt."
"You say that as if it's something unusual for me."
"Dorja is... different. It's not the same."
"How come you are so frightened of her?" Teodolit asked.
"I do not plan to talk about it with you."
"Fair enough. But, look at it this way. Nita's determined on staying alive, meaning she will go along with whatever mad plan your brother cooks up. So it's not just him that's keepin' you safe. You have the entire Cove behind you," he said. "If she says we need to protect you, we will. If you're in danger here, you will always be safe in Hannau."

Lilac looked genuinely touched. He turned away, wiping his eyes.

"Thank... thank you."

"You are welcome."

"As a sign of gratitude, you won't be my test subject for the circle."
"Hey! Haven't we already agreed on that?"
"Bold of you to think you could stop me!"
"Lord Governor, your brother is attempting to kill me!"
"Bold of you to think I could stop him," Rosamund said with a smile. He checked the time. "Lily, I must go. Do you need me still?"
"No. If you say the circles are all fine, then they are fine. Good luck with the Queen."
"Thank you," he said, carefully getting up. He gave Lilac a tight, reassuring hug before leaving, accompanied by a servant.

Time to get to work.