#dreaming

Her pale hair fans behind her like a cloak as she moves through the halls of New Agengard. She is not mistress here, and shall never be, not directly, but her power is not to be ignored, nor her influence discounted. She has turned her gregarious nature into a strength where her own kith thought it a weakness. No, it has been a useful lure to others who thought they might get more from her than she would from them. They come to her with hungry eyes and tilted heads to hear her whispers, and in doing so betray their own wants- and those wants betray their own secrets.

House Eiluned has been , kind? No, kind is not the word. It has been challenging, and at times lessons could be ruthless. Yet it has been rewarding. She has gleaned secrets she would not have gained in a half dozen lives as a commonr.

Were she a sidhe, she would surely be a baroness by now, but Lady is a fine title and does tend to suit her Victorian sensibilities. Of course, she has earned other names. Many don't even know that those various names are possessed but by one woman.

But this, this new treasure has her intrigued.

"Lady Zara," The thane bows to her.

She motions to him to open the door, and slips in to gaze to look it over. How magnificent it is, a chandelier of many glass and silvered facets, ready to be lit by a single candle flame. She does so, and for a moment, a dozen dozen lights scatter about her forcing her to adjust.

But it is worth the momentary annoyance, as each glass piece allows the light to pass through and show the images along the floor and walls, images of what might have been, or perhaps, depending on one's theories, what might be? A dozen zaras. Ones where she had become her biological father's slave, rather than using House Eiluned to foil his plans and destroy him. Ones where she had become a thief for hire. Ones where she had never awoken to her true fae nature. And some where she remained a commoner. Though she notes with some pride and perhaps envy that some of those commoners are nearly her match in the arts.

She probably should just file what she's learned for the Countess now, but,well, curiosity is ever her first liege and there might yet be things to learn by watching this alternative zara. And so the Lady Zara prepares tea, and watches a life her eyes searching for secrets to be found in a life where different choice and chance had conspired.

..............