We got strange looks from the people walking around. I also realized no one was wearing anything like what Lady Evelyn or I were. It wouldn’t have been so bad if they'd been wearing something different, but everyone just had regular clothes on. Like the dress Mom made. From stores opening up with food. Or men getting ready to go somewhere. They all wore just normal clothes.

  I leaned towards Lady Evelyn. “This is embarrassing. Should we not blend in better?”

  She snickered. “This is exactly why we are staying here a day. Blending in is the last thing you will ever be doing. Better get used to the stares now.”

  I let her take a step so she wouldn’t notice me grumble before I caught back up. “If they are reacting like this, then I think nobles don’t-”

  “Presume,” she interrupted. “Don’t say think. Presume is better.”

  I sighed. “I presume nobles don’t walk down these streets. So then, why are we?”

  “Streets in which nobles walk would be dangerous. Nobles would be there. You’d embarrass yourself as you currently are. You can think of these streets as practice. They won’t tell anyone that matters. Not if they know what is good for them. Plus, this is the first town you have visited. Don’t you walk to explore it?”

  “Yes! Obviously!” I said as I looked around. It was so big. I hadn’t got to see the scale from outside the city, but in each direction I looked, I just saw rows of wooden buildings that went on for as far as the eye could see. Of course, I was excited to explore. However, one thing she said made me nervous. I leaned in to whisper. “What do you mean? You’d do something if someone here tried to tell someone about my mistakes?”

  She stopped and looked at me for a moment. Everyone around was staring at us as well now. She then whispered. “Yes.”

  A shiver went down my spine. It was hard to believe. She kept walking, and I followed behind her. It just felt evil to me.

  “It isn’t something you should worry about,” she added. “This town is well cared for. I doubt anyone is that dumb.”

  “But...”

  My train of thought was broken by this massive white tower in front of us. The nearby buildings were hiding their scale. It looked three or four times the size of Malatise Manor. What kind of noble lives here, I wondered.

  “So, is this a high-ranking noble?” I asked.

  She giggled. “No. This isn’t a noble's home. I suppose technically you could say this building belongs to Baron Malatise.”

  “He owns this? How many homes does he need?” I asked.

  “It isn’t a home. It is a depot. Basically, a big storage chest, if I were to simplify it.”

  “Big doesn’t even begin to describe this,” I said.

  She began walking, and I had to stretch my neck to take in the size until I felt her flick the top of my head. Ouch!

  “Act like a Lady, eyes forward.”

  “You can just ask, you know,” I said, rubbing the top of my head.

  “I shouldn’t have to explain that you shouldn’t gawk at it like a five-year-old,” she added before we approached the door.

  Inside, I saw that wagons came in directly through the back doors, which were large enough for even two to enter shoulder to shoulder—stopped carts unloaded grain, which was then wheeled up ramps to higher floors. Interesting. Oh, right, she said, even Hatula would send crops. I thought back to who would be going this year. I think, Henry. I scanned the wagons, but I didn’t see him.

  A woman did a curtsy in front of us. Lady Evelyn tilted her head. So if even she barely acknowledged this woman. I figured I didn’t need to do anything.

  “Evelyn and Lady Julia are here for Joseph,” she said.

  “Of course, give me one moment, please,” the woman said before running off.

  “Did we have an appointment?” I asked.

  She touched her chin slightly. “Julia, for a mere castellan of a barony, someone of your status needs no appointment. I can guarantee he is throwing whoever he is talking to out.”

  “The more I learn about nobility, the less fair it sounds,” I said.

  “I mean, are you so sure?” she asked. “Do you think Hatula could or would build something like this? You think Stechen did? This was built by the King and Malatise family. A long time ago. Is it so much to ask that they don’t make us wait for such a grand building? Do you have any idea how many people are helped by it?”

  I didn’t have words to say. I didn’t understand the politics of all this. But this building really was amazing. Like something out of a story Mom would tell before bed. A building that reaches into the clouds. Maybe not literally, but it felt like it almost could.

  “Lady Evelyn. Do cities exist where buildings stretch into the clouds?” I asked.

  She raised an eyebrow. “Now that was an unexpected question. Hmm. I haven’t seen a city like that. But I have never left Anlage. But I have heard such places do exist.”

  “Well, you know. Do you think one day I will see such a place?” I asked.

  She smiled before nodding. “Lady Julia. If you take your work seriously and do a good job. There is no beauty in this world that will not be within your grasp. If such cities exist, I am sure you will see them. I am certain that if you demanded it, you would get it. You could have Hatula become such a city.”

  Hatula, a city that reaches the clouds. Hmm, it was a pleasant thought, if maybe a bit silly.

  “Right this way,” the woman said as she returned.

  As we made our way down a long hallway, two men who appeared to be a bit grumpy looked at us. They were dressed better than the average man I had seen. I’d say it looked like they were wearing clothing similar to male wedding clothes, but different colors and a bit more worn. They bowed as they passed by, though. Perhaps they weren’t that grumpy?

  Lady Evelyn tapped my shoulder. “Those men were likely talking to Joseph, but he threw them out for us.”

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Now I felt bad. It wasn’t like we were in a hurry. But they were gone, and I already knew voicing even a whispered complaint would likely just get me a flick and a reminder that I somehow deserve both seeing this man sooner and the flick for my protest.

  The room was a blend of what I was used to, a practical desk, dresser, and even chairs, but ornate art on the wall, and ornate teacups and a pot nearby.

  “Please, please. Welcome. I am Castellan Joseph. Tea?”

  Lady Evelyn gave a full curtsy, and so I did about a fourth of the bend on mine before sitting down.

  “Tea would be lovely,” Lady Evelyn said.

  The woman who guided us began pouring it. I took it with a splash of milk and two sugars. I hadn’t had tea in a full day, so I was a bit excited, and my stomach was eager as well. I took a sip and instantly opened my mouth to spit it back into the cup. Yuck!

  Joseph stood out of his chair. “Is something the matter? Lady Julia?”

  Looking up, I saw nothing but panic in his eyes. It was a sensation I was familiar with. I glanced at Lady Evelyn. She sighed.

  “Rest easy, Joseph. Lady Julia is… well, I suppose she just experienced her first low-grade tea. Your word that you will not embarrass her, and we can consider the matter settled, fair?”

  He was shaking his head very quickly. “Of course! Of course! I… regret to inform you that we don’t have any better tea in stock, though. I truly do-”

  Lady Evelyn waved her hand. “I said, consider the matter settled. Now, onto the business. I presume my letter arrived? So are the candidates here?”

  “Yes, yes, all twenty. They arrived two days ago. They are on the fourth floor. Shall I fetch them?”

  “Hmm,” Lady Evelyn paused. “I think I would like to meet them on the roof. We shall ascend first. Have them join in full arms. We can wait. Any issue with this lady guiding us?”

  “Not at all,” he said. He snapped his fingers at her. She straightened up and went towards the door.

  That seemed so fast. What was even the point of us interrupting the other guys? I sighed, and Joseph noticed, stopping in his tracks. He quickly bent to one knee before me. Wait, was this a variation of a noble apology? I… he was looking down with one hand up, but he was just waiting. I… I don’t know what to do.

  Lady Evelyn walked over to me and whispered. “He is trying to give you something. Let him grab your hand. And say thank you when he gives it to you.”

  I raised my right hand. Once he grasped it, he looked up at me and placed a small bag in my hand before folding my fingers over it. “Please accept this token as an apology for the embarrassment I have caused. I hope next time I can try a tea you find favorable.”

  Right, bowing was part of good, thanks right? “I thank you ever so much,” I said as I bowed slightly.

  He stood up and looked relieved. I, on the other hand, felt like my stomach was twisting into knots. The bag felt like it had coins in it. For now, I simply stored it in the little spot Lady Evelyn showed me to put coins. I don’t know how any of this works! Aaaa! I am not ready!

  The walk up all the stairs was a bit tiring. I wasn’t used to moving like that, and this dress was hardly an advantage for such a thing. But wow. The top was beautiful. I couldn’t help but run closer to the edge. No one was up here, and there were rails along the edge. It was like nothing I could describe.

  The sun was behind me, so it didn’t obscure my vision at all. I could finally see the scale of this town. I tried to count the buildings, but I would lose my place and give up. Everything was just sooo amazing. Oh! That was the inn we-

  “Ouch!” I shouted as I held my elbow. “That really hurt!”

  “I tried getting your attention with words,” she said.

  I noticed the woman was gone. “Where’d that lady go?” I asked.

  She sighed. “She left a few minutes ago. Please mind your surroundings at least a little bit.”

  “I was trying to do that before you hit my elbow! Aaa, it still hurts!” I continued to rub it. She didn’t even hit it that hard. But she got like the perfect spot that just rattled my entire arm.

  “Don’t lie. You were just distracted by how pretty it is,” she said, looking off in the distance. “I can understand. It is pretty. I enjoy the view as well. But if you cannot focus and enjoy such things. Then I will have to refrain from showing them to you in the future. So how much did he give you?”

  “Huh?” I asked.

  She pressed her hand to her forehead. “The bag. Julia, please keep up. It had coins?”

  “Oh, right,” I pulled the small bag up. Opening it, I saw silver coins—nine in total. “Wait, that is nine more letters home. So why did he give this to me?”

  “He was scared. Surely you noticed that much,” she said as she shook her head a bit.

  “Yeah, it felt strange though, it didn’t seem as if anything bad had happened.”

  “You spit out his tea, I…” She just paused, letting out a sigh, and began rubbing her temples.

  I looked down. “Right. Sorry, but it was gross,” I said.

  “I know. I know. Look, it is my fault. I know this is practice. Honestly, this is good. Better to see your weaknesses now rather than later. I just didn’t anticipate… well, that.”

  Hmm. Okay. How to say it. I took a deep breath. “Lady Evelyn. Please explain to me in greater depth the connection between my… uhm… accident and the receiving of Anlage silver coins?”

  She chuckled a bit.

  “Hey!” I said, pursing my lips. “I am trying!”

  She straightened up her posture and steadied her breath. “I know. I just… wow. Way to make a ninety-degree turn. Okay. Basically, I told him you are a Duchess in the letter. He isn’t a dumb man. He knows Anlage nobles. He knows Julia isn’t the name of any Duchess. So he probably assumes you are from Tutadove.”

  “Tutadove? I think I heard that before,” I said, trying to remember.

  “It is the country to the south of Hatula. Our relations with them… could be better.”

  “And that matters for Joseph?” I asked.

  “Yeah, a lot. It would be Joseph, as Castellan, who is the first line of defense against any attacks from Tutadove. And if he served a foreign duchess tea so bad she spat it up, either Tutadove or our King would likely have his head. You didn’t think death was a unique punishment for you, did you, Julia?”

  “And the coins,” I paused. I get it. I can trade them for stuff. So he was trying to soothe me. “Like how I might cook lunch for Mom if I made her mad?”

  She snapped her fingers. “Got it. Though only nine silver? I am almost insulted. He must be struggling.”

  “But it was my mistake, he shouldn’t be giving me coins, especially if he was struggling-”

  “Stop it, Julia,” Lady Evelyn said. “It is done. If you return the coins, he will fear you’re even more angry with him. He won’t sleep well for months. And no, we are not correcting the record. How would we even do that? Because the truth would give him plenty of information on your status. A status the King wants you to keep secret. All you can do is move forward.”

  “This sucks,” I said, squeezing my fists. It wasn’t fair. Not to me. Not to Joseph. I messed up, and I got coins. He did nothing wrong, but he lost coins.

  “Why do you think the Malatise family and I have been teaching you? This is why. This is what it means to be a noble. It is your job to protect Joseph. To protect Stechen. To protect Anlage and Hatula. And I can teach you how.”

  I squeezed the coin bag. “Okay,” I presented the coins to her. “Please, keep these. I want you to use them to remind me of this.”

  She held the bag. “Remind you? Explain.”

  “I have only been an adult for a few months. I only knew the life of a Hatula village girl. I don’t want to hurt people, but… I can’t say I will be perfect. I don’t think I am this perfect Maiden of Wind that everyone says I am. I can forget things. I can make dumb mistakes. I can get distracted. In Hatula, the worst that would happen was Mom being mad and me cooking dinner. But… I need help.”

  She hugged me. “I understand. I will do it. I should mention that. Mother. Don’t say Mom. Mother is the word.”

  I broke the hug and whipped a tear from my face. Mother. A foreign word to anyone from Hatula, but a word I had to adopt. “Okay.”

  She turned me towards the sky. “We have some time. Enjoy the view.”

  The sorrow in my stomach would not be so easily remedied. Though it really was a fantastic view.