Chapter 31: House Sequoia

When Lieger Sequoia met Artemis at the gate, he had been confused. Moreso when he insisted that they talk as they walked through the entrance of his estate. Wasn't it far more common for a member of the Runebranded faction to send a greeting party? Such shows of respect were reserved for grander occasions…

Ah. He had forgotten. He was now the Crown Consort. That made him wildly important as a figure. 

This splendor means nothing to me…

Still, no matter how much he lied to himself, he couldn't help but drink in that simple fact time and time again. He was the lover of the Witch-King, and that made him very powerful. Only a month prior, he had still been a recluse in the study of his father's estate. Now, he was receiving invitations to the estates of Nobles who wouldn't ever look his way otherwise!

Artemis's eyebrow twitched as he caught a glance of the Eunuch beside him. 

Ah, and Xerandes is here… he must wish to greet a former comrade.

Kafka looked around at the estate with widened, brilliant eyes. It was clear that a member of the Summerstelle family simply couldn't comprehend the sheer decadence that was fitted into every crevice of the buildings around her. She nearly forgot her position as an Archknight, a guard of the Crown Consort, and had to consciously snap her focus back towards her task, her hand hovering over the blade at her side.

Cercival looked over at the Archknight, placid curiosity glimmering in his gaze. 

If this woman is really a relative of the young Master, I wonder if she's aware of it… I'm certain that he isn't aware of it himself. I'll see if I can reach out to Archivist Rilas in Lirae. He must have a compilation of documents relating to the family tree… ah, but if young Master Willow is apprised of this himself, he might get the wrong idea as to my intentions. I just wish for his Grace to know of his connection to this woman… he might value her more if he knows this much.

Cercival chuckled inwardly, rosy cheeks blossoming on his wrinkled expression. But perhaps I only have this outlook because she looks so much like young Miss Laurel did when she first arrived in Lirae to marry Master Myron… I grow far too soft in my old age… 

At the front of the party, Lieger walked alongside Artemis, his red-and-white attire fluttering behind him in the morning breeze.

"Are you excited for Saint Cyro's Festival?" Lieger smiled genially as he glanced over towards Artemis, his pale cheeks glistening under the sapphire lights that glistened around the Sequoia estate.

He was referring to the minor Saint who didn't belong to a Church, he wasn't dearly worshiped. That would be the very antithesis of his own beliefs. Saint Cyro was an Ascetic who had shorned the very idea of the worship of a mortal person, no matter how Saintly they were. Thus, there was only one day per year that his practices were eschewed in favour of the people of the Blackbaast's baser instincts. 

In around two weeks time, the Blackbaast would reach the point in its movement cycle where Naasis was perfectly positioned underneath the largest Anti-mountain of the cavern, the upside-down peak which held the caverns that Saint Cyro had mummified himself in. He had sealed himself within its depths, starving himself until he had become a mummy, dying as thin and frail as he was in life. 

He was the most revered Ascetic of his time, and a symbol of abstinence in pleasure for many, people who sought to simplify their lives by adhering to his practices. It was far more common amongst the common-people, while Nobility tended to worship Saint Cade or Saint Sonetto. 

Still, even if one didn't adhere to Saint Cyro's practices, his festival was still a monumental day within Henem. Artemis had experienced it several times in his youth. At least, that was before he had tarnished himself with a Spirit of Demonic origin. Touching his cheek tentatively, he frowned.

If I hadn't become such a recluse, would father have taken me to the Capital for Saint Cyro's Festival more often…?

His heart felt a tinge of guilt. 

All his life, he had been fearful that his contract with Lark would draw the ire of other Noble Houses, endangering the lives and situations of his family members. But now, as he stood at the top of this political world, yet still an outsider, he knew he had to strive for more. He could not seclude himself from others and pretend it was a method of safekeeping, it simply wasn't. 

He hadn't protected his father, mother, or brother. He had no idea what would have happened had he simply remained by their side. By distancing himself, he had only hurt them. What would his father have wished for him instead, had he not seemed so unhappy as that man lay dying on his bed? 

If he had accepted the Lordship instead of running in fear, changing himself to fit the role instead of declaring himself inadequate, then perhaps his younger brother, Willow, wouldn't be dealing with his own social troubles while balancing his workload.

If he hadn't reached out to August as a joke, using Lark's Gambit to influence it unconsciously, then perhaps he wouldn't be dealing with the blowout of a divisive marriage, trying to mend relationships with his own retainers.

It seemed that all of his actions only led to further disdain, further troubles. He needed to change, he needed to be better. 

That started with House Sequoia. 

"Indeed. I can't wait to celebrate the festival. It isn't my first time doing so, but it will certainly be my first time celebrating in such splendor… I'm not quite sure what to expect…"

Lieger laughed. "Ah, it's probably uncommon for those of the Noble Houses outside Henem to know of what goes on in the upper circles during these celebrations… this is true for Lightseeker and Runebranded alike. I'm not sure why his Grace doesn't levy invitations to those who have to travel quite far, but I'm sure it's for good reason."

"Can you tell me more about the festival's events in Noble circles?"

"Certainly. Shall we sit?" Lieger gestured towards an iron-wrought table in the middle of the courtyard, under a veranda of beautiful crimson flowers that sprawled downwards from its roof against dark-green vines. 

The courtyard of the Sequoia Household was magnificent in its scale. Buildings stretched high into the air around them on all sides, towering like mountains. In the center sat the courtyard, seperated into seven distinct gardens that were all nearly the size of the Starke estate in Lirae.

They sat at the table, their attendants hanging a ways behind them. Artemis felt the sudden chill of the shade that coated the interior of the veranda, shivering. Even through the fur of his draped coat gifted to him by August, he seemed quite cold. It was unbefitting of a Black Wolf. He sighed.

"Would you like tea?"

"Red, please."

Lieger smiled at this request. "A man of taste." 

"I thought that the bitterness always suited me."

"Do you measure yourself a bitter man?"

Artemis shook his head. "I thought it penance. If everyone else was to enjoy the sweetness of black, green, herbal, and violet teas, I would drink only red." 

"It's native to the south. Did you ever have trouble with its import?"

"My father had a man who handled things of that nature. Now, I am married to a King. I expect that it won't be too much trouble."

"We provide nearly all of the tea import for the palace." Lieger crowed with a confident smirk. "If there's ever anything specific you might desire, you can send a raven, and I will send the object of your request back to the palace immediately."

"How kind. I appreciate the gesture." Artemis nodded his head sincerely. Of course, he knew that this was just a menial attempt at courting favour with him. After all, he had aligned himself directly with the most powerful man in the Blackbaast. This much was natural for the Head of the largest mercantile family in the entire continent.

"You wear no crown." Lieger noted. "Although, perhaps it may be the sort of item best left at home…"

Artemis shook his head. "I have no crown at all. I am Crownless."

"Crownless… I like that…" 

Artemis cleared his throat, forgetting past questions as he levied the true reason of his desire to accept Lieger's invitation. It was born from the information given to him by Cercival the moment he had arrived in Henem, that the Sequoia family was an old friend of the Starke Household.

"In truth, it is my goal to try and align myself with the higher Nobility. I don't wish to feel disincluded, given my position. However, due to my 'allegiance', it seems this would be a hard sell… I fear I won't be accepted by many of the Runebranded Houses despite being the Crown Consort…"

"I see… you were right to come to me. This is certainly something I can help you with..."

Artemis raised his head excitedly. However, when he looked over at Lieger, his face paled. His demeanor had changed in an instant, like a match lighting as soon as it had been struck.

The man's expression was exuberant, almost crazed.