Clear and bright moonlight shone down upon a bustling restaurant courtyard. A fuming middle aged woman sat opposite a nonchalant young lady. The younger of the two sized up the elder, watching as the woman's hair pieces jiggled around with her sharp movements, looking as though they might be in danger of flying off at any moment. The silver rings on her fingers and bangles on her wrists jingled loudly as she reached for her cup of water and promptly threw it over the young lady in front of her, slamming the ceramic back down on the table cloth.

“What a home-wrecking, lowly whore you are! You dare to seduce my husband and embarrass me in front of everyone! Shame on you! You threw my family into turmoil, now my husband is in hot water with the King and our reputation is being destroyed. How dare you! How dare you ruin my marriage!”

Other customers kept their eyes well away from the dramatic scene, a few who were further away tried hiding themselves behind their menus to take a peek. The restaurant was buzzing when word got around that Countess Lee was to confront her husband's lover there while she dined alone. In any other circumstance the lover would be shamed, maybe even prosecuted if the family held enough power. Image and reputation was a big deal in the Kingdom of Ranhara and infidelity was not to be taken lightly.

What made this particular instance of infidelity interesting was that the lover in this case was an official member of the Royal Ranharan Court - The Witch Ara. The Witch Ara was the closest advisor to Queen Yifa and was believed to be a loyal, reliable, skilled servant and confidant. Ara calmly lifted the napkin from the table where she was dining and dabbed her face dry.

“If blaming me for your marital problems will help you sleep at night, then go ahead.” the Witch replied, reaching for her own cup of water to drink from.

“You dare talk back to me? You should be on your knees in front of me begging for forgiveness!” the Countess roared, her face reddening.

“If blaming me is easier than admitting your marriage is failing because Count Lee happens to be a serial adulterer who doesn't care about your feelings and has no respect for you or your relationship, then go ahead. But let me ask you this; why is it everyone else's responsibility to make sure your marriage doesn't fail and not his? He's not an animal that can't control himself.” Ara replied, standing up. “Count Lee's values don't lie in fidelity. Although, from what I've heard around the army barracks, it seems yours don't, either. Good evening.”

Ara's heart hammered in her chest as she walked away, her usual serious and dignified expression slapped on her face. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. The Countess was too stunned to respond and Ara used the delay to get out of there as soon as she could before anything more happened. Reaching the front desk, she quickly handed over the correct money for her dinner before briskly walking outside and taking a carriage back to the palace. She never expected that old leather boot to come looking for her, never mind attempt to humiliate her in front of the whole restaurant. How desperate was she to make such a public scene?

Thunder rumbled outside as the carriage reached the palace and Ara stepped out with the help of a royal guardsman. She paid the driver and gripped her umbrella tightly as she hurried through the gate and began the long walk back to the main palace building where her bedroom was situated. The palace was a massive place – one could spend an entire lifetime inside without ever leaving. It held spas, restaurants, guards, gardens, libraries, theatres, courtesans and all other kinds of interesting people and things. With a few exceptions, members of the Ranharan Royal Family were forbidden from leaving the walls.

Ara, however, was not a member of the family, neither was she part of the nobility nor was she a commoner. She existed outside of that. Though all people in Ranhara were capable of performing basic magic, Ara had powers that reached well beyond what the average witch was capable of – she was able to receive visions of the future. It was well known that she was a direct descendant of Lu, the Great Astrologer, who had founded the nation of Ranhara alongside King Ultan seven-hundred years ago. Ara was destined to spend her entire life – from birth to death - in the palace. It was the only home that she had ever known and it was her responsibility to inform the King and Queen directly of any and all new information that came to her.

“Welcome back, Your Holiness.”

Ara powered through the main palace building, her robes dragging heavily behind her from being soaked in the rain. When she arrived at her bedroom, Ara barely took two steps inside before the chief housekeeper appeared outside her door. The middle aged woman cleared her throat and as Ara turned to face her, she curtseyed in respect.

“Queen Yifa requests your presence immediately, Your Holiness.”

Ara nodded and returned back to the hallways. As they approached the door, the housekeeper opened a large umbrella and covered both of them as they hurried across the wide courtyard and into the smaller, though still impressive, Queen's Quarters. Ara dismissed the housekeeper and continued on alone, knowing exactly what the Queen wanted to talk to her about. Word travelled faster than she had, apparently. The Queen had likely sent a chaperone in secret, who had probably sent word back through a pigeon or something. Damn pigeons.

“Your Highness.” she said, swinging her foot back and bowing her head gracefully in a curtsey, only returning to her upright position after the Queen acknowledged her presence.

Queen Yifa stood up from her stool, her light, sheer nightgown robes trailing behind her ever so slightly as she approached the witch and smiled.

“You caused quite the scene today.” she said finally.

“Your Highness-”

“I know. I know how Countess Lee is.” Queen Yifa replied, running a hand idly through her long, grey hair. “But you have to be careful. You are our nation's highest religious figure, you ought to be more cautious about who you have these... romantic meetings with.”

“I understand.”

“Is there any reason you chose to go after Count Lee?”

“I heard he had some connections to underground Vampire gangs-”

“The real reason, please.”

“I liked the jade ring that Countess Lee always wore on her little finger and was curious to see if Count Lee was really so... so...”

“Stupid?”

“If Your Highness says so.”

“And?”

Ara held up her right hand, the small green ring shining on her little finger, and the Queen threw back her head to let out a hearty laugh, crossing to the other side of the room and sitting down on an emerald green velvet stool, pulling small ornate golden jars towards herself in order to begin applying her skin care.

“Help me comb my hair.” she said and Ara nodded, opening the top drawer of the wide vanity dresser and pulling out a smooth lacquered wooden comb. Standing behind the Queen, she began gently combing her long hair from the ends towards the roots. “You were lucky this time that you brought up Countess Lee's affairs. We have sent word that we will ensure that gossip doesn't spread and that you will immediately cease contact with her husband. There should be a reply soon.”

“I apologise for causing such trouble, Your Highness. I'll accept any punishment without protest.”

“The Lee family are not important. If it were higher nobility, within our royal family, then I would certainly have you punished without hesitation, but Ara, there are so many noblemen here. They are handsome, young, rich and single. Wouldn't you prefer one of them?”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

The Queen smiled at the young witch as she reached for her night cream. Their eyes met in the mirror, before Ara looked down once more, careful not to hurt her.

“I should have worked harder to push you and one of my boys closer together.” she sighed. “I would have been more than happy to have you as my daughter.”

“It would have been unethical.”

“I know, but I wish for nothing more than you to be married off happily. Zhan is off with the Duchess of Orr, Min is off with Baroness Frida and our Bea...”

“Princess Bea is with the Duke of Albion.”

“Indeed. Our smart and strong Bea knew exactly what kind of man was right for her. The only advice I could give her was to never marry a man who looks like a rat. I don't trust them.”

“Princess Bea listened to your advice, Your Highness.” Ara said, returning the comb to its drawer. “Put the Duke beside a frog and you can't tell one from the other.”

“That's quite enough for tonight, Ara.” Queen Yifa scolded, suppressing a laugh. “You must go to the observatory tomorrow, so have a bath and take an early night.”

“I will, Your Highness.”

Ara nodded to the Queen and headed for the door, but stopped short as the Queen spoke again:

“I hope you can marry soon. I wish for you to be happy.”

“I am happy as I am, Your Highness.”

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”