Magic of the Marriage Market

Edwina's hands were shaking as she looked at the formal invitation that arrived for her. It was thick, perfectly bleached white, and the ink used to engrave the letters glittered with an almost metallic sheen despite being black. The university had invited her to display not only her non-magical paintings, but wish to have Master Gentileschi evaluate her magical ability. While Lord Daro would always have her utmost gratitude, and likely love, Edwina was mature enough to realize she needed a true Master to help elevate her own abilities. Master Gentileschi was a renowned artist from the Republic of Yang, and if she could impress her, Edwina may be given a spot at the university despite her age.

It was an ambitious desire, but likely far more probable than her unrequited love for her first mentor, Lord Daro Korolenko, ever being fulfilled.

She'd always had a talent for the arts; Edwina could sing with Alaric and Derbie, dance with Hida and Calvin, and embroider with Farran. Only Gavin lacked any artistic talents to share with her, his skills instead all in the kitchen, and Edwina, her real talent shined when she could paint. There was something inherently magical about being able to capture the look and feel of a place with her brushes, and it had nothing to do with the actual magic she could perform.

Her parents had always encouraged each of the siblings to pursue their passions, and Edwina had grown up with teachers before Lord Daro ever became her mentor. She had learned the delicate spread of watercolors, the acrid stench of oils and dyes, and the endless slick trickery of trying pottery before she discovered a limit to natural talent. She could do landscapes and still life, but struggled to properly paint people as they actually were. So, her parents had found the youngest son of the Korolenko Countship, Lord Daro, and hired him to mentor Edwina as he was a professional portrait artist. She was 16 when he arrived, and father had jokingly called him her birthday gift, a fact her heart took all too seriously.

Lord Daro was 10 years her senior, a fully grown man and one of the few men she knew who openly wore glasses; she found the metallic frames quite appealing on him. From the moment Edwina had first seen his face she'd been able to paint it perfectly, and from there she learned to paint others in portrait perfection.

She also learned how her magic worked.

Her task at the time had been to paint a perfect duplicate of a bouquet of flowers he placed in front of her. Farran would have known what each individual flower meant but Edwina was trying to convince her heart to calm down because Lord Daro had brought her flowers at all. He'd been her mentor for a month, and she knew he wouldn't look at a child with interest, no decent person would, and still his mere presence sent her pulse fluttering.

But then her body and mine calmed.

All of a sudden Edwina looked at the painting she'd done and realize it had an impossible depth to it, like she could easily reach out and pick up the bouquet she'd fabricated. She didn't even realize that Lord Daro watched as she did just that, reached into her painting and pulled out a bouquet of flowers. It was a good thing too, because that first sign of her magic quickly failed, melting back into wet paint all over her hands. He'd excitedly helped her clean the paint up and explain her magic to her parents, his pride in her leaving Edwina buzzing with adrenaline. Usually, one's magic was a private matter unless it was the type to be showy by its very nature. The fact that hers would be showcased but that Lord Daro had seen at first fed into her little girl crush on him.

She had never told him, Edwina was a silly little girl but she knew it would only make him uncomfortable. But her heart rejoiced when his contract to mentor her was extended another six months so he could continue to help her. And he sealed his fate as her first love when he shared the private details of his own magic so she could feel at ease learning about hers. Lord Daro's magic was the ability to pull objects, even without touching them. He explained that while she could reach into her paintings and pull an item out, he could look at an object and pull it to his hand without moving himself. And to her delight, once Lord Daro had told her of his magic, he hadn't hesitated to demonstrate it around her either.

After a year as her mentor the thought of losing Lord Daro's company broke her heart but before she could beg him to stay, he'd renewed the contract to mentor her until her magic was mastered or she found a Master to guide her. At the time she'd wanted to believe it was a sign he longed to stay as her companion as well as mentor, but the reality she learned was that her parents had arranged it so they could embark on the Queen's Northern Expedition; an exploration of the island to the north of the continent. A place of mystique and myths as the sea between was full of literal monsters. Her parents had led the Expedition on the Queen's request, and their constant communications had described sirens and sea demons, unnatural storms and impossible stillness, and for a short distance to travel an eternity was endured before they landed on the island.

News of their parents came from the Queen now, as her parents and the Expedition mapped the Northern Island for Queen Akiyama. A year after their departure and Edwina missed them terribly but was also astoundingly proud of their successes. And she knew when they returned, they were going to be absolutely astonished in her own achievements.

Over this past year she learned the limits of her magic, and slowly started to Master the skill needed to keep her duplicates instead of them melting back into paint. Finally, she managed it; kept a duplicate pulled, a rose that lasted as long as the flower she copied did. Though when it wilted the paint dripped once again. When she duplicated items like a pocket watch, it couldn't be wound nor actually track time, and jewelry proved to be counterfeit after only mild scraping.

That had been her latest success.

She had painted a duplicate of a silver candle stick and when she pulled it, the weight proved to be actual silver. And she was able to keep it pulled for almost a week before it spontaneously returned to paint. And her baby sister Hida had walked into this newest round of testing Edwina's magic; could she duplicate more complex items from memory and make it real? Lord Daro had taken the duplicate signet ring and promised to return with news of her success or failure. She knew it was expected to take some time, but then she hadn't expected an invitation from the university. One only got an invite from a Master, and the Master that had invited her was Gentileschi herself. And the very first person add we know wanted to tell was Lord Daro.

He might never know how stupidly she loved him, but he would still be thrilled for her advancement. Part of the reason she never tried too hard to get over her crush was that Lord Daro had a marvelous sense of humor, he teased and tested in a way that never felt hurtful; often joking about knowing she'd soon surpass his mediocre talent.

She wanted to hear him say 'I told you' so after reading her invitation to the university, but knew he'd be back in the afternoon at the soonest. So instead of sharing her exciting news with anyone, Edwina took her letter to the drawing room and put it aside to start chalking out a landscape she wanted to paint. Edwina wanted to show the cherry blossoms dancing in the wind and in the distance a couple with their backs in view. She had resisted the impulse to have them in a mix of Scarlet and Gray, which would have been far too obvious, but she did dare to have their hair colours match the human inspiration. Though the primary focus being all the shades of pink used for the endless rain of cherry blossoms endured at the right time of year. It was one of the most beautiful sights she had seen, and Edwina really did wish to share it with a husband someday.

"It's not often you're this distracted while painting and it's not a magical act," Lord Daro's voice said from behind her, and Edwina turned to see him standing close enough to view her painting but not block her light.

"I was feeling whimsical," she admitted obliquely.

"It's lovely," he stepped to her side and studied the painting closely once she gestured for him to do so. "Did you use a blade for these, it doesn't look like brushstrokes." He almost touched the still wet petals but hovered just over it.

"My fingers actually," she smiled and wiggled her very paint coated fingertips at him.

"Remarkable," he complemented before frowning at her, "though it means I can't give you this." He held up the signet ring between his thumb and forefinger, "it's real gold, and a real gray spinel, even the engravings are perfect."

Lord Daro was teasing and flippant while Edwina was battling to appear unaffected, "that's because that's your real signet ring Lord Daro, the duplicate I painted is currently on your finger." She so desperately wanted it to mean something more than Lord Daro trying to play a harmless prank on her.

He dropped the signet ring from his fingers and snatched it out of the air easily, "how did you know?" Edwina tried not to be obvious as she watched him pull the identical duplicate off and replace it with his real ring.

"I can see the difference in the same way I can see when I can pull an item out of a painting," she couldn't explain it any other way, and focused on her duplicate instead. "It didn't dissolve into paint, did alchemical testing pass it?"

"Of course it did," Lord Daro smiled at her, "have more faith in your magic and yourself Lady Edwina. After all, both are more than enough to convince Master Gentileschi and the university to invite you to gallery there."

Edwina stared at him in shock, looking over at the letter she put down to paint. "Was I that distracted when you came in?"

Lord Daro laughed at her dismay, "yes but no Lady Edwina. I gave the university of sample of your painting and wrote to them about your magic," he was always clear with his praise as her mentor, but this still felt all too meaningful. "Master Gentileschi wants to see a range of what you can do, then what limits your magic currently has."

"I'll have to travel to the university," Edwina had a strange mix of excitement and trepidation churn at the thought.

"A fact already discussed with both your eldest brother Alaric, and your parents before their departure," Lord Daro's admission stunned Edwina.

"How is that possible?" She demanded, almost as rude as Blair would be.

Instead of being offended, Lord Daro laughed and reached for a cloth to help wipe the paint off her fingers. "It's possible because Countess and Count Briggs have always believed you would find a Master at the university once your skills exceeded my mentorship. And more recently I discussed the likelihood of an invitation with Lord Alaric so he could be prepared for me to attend as your mentor and temporary guardian."

His words and tone were easy but despite his profession and platonic care her heart was breaking. Lord Daro was going with her, so he could say goodbye; if Gentileschi agreed to become Edwina's Master and allow her to attend the university, Lord Daro would no longer be her mentor. They'd have no reason to see each other, except on the rare social occasions such as gallery's and Events. This day was always going to come and yet Edwina's silly little crush had endured and ignored the reality of how hopeless it was. At 18 she wasn't yet an adult, and at 28 Lord Daro was considered a confirmed bachelor, worse yet he had no idea of the true depth of Edwina's feelings for him. Hida might have figured it out, but her baby sister was painfully observant.

"I'll have to apologize to Derbie for missing his debut season," Edwina spoke the random thought out loud, grateful for her mind providing a topic for her to hide her reaction behind.

Lord Daro smiled, his hand still holding hers and the cloth he'd used to clean them, "only Lord Alaric knew of my intention to approach the university on your behalf, it wouldn't be amiss to share the news with Lord Derbie now before announcing it to the rest of the Briggs family."

"Thank you, Lord Daro," Edwina wanted to hold his hand, as she enjoyed his lingering grasp too much. "Your mentorship and confidence in me are both priceless and treasured. And if I can depend on your guidance for a little longer, I would ask that you help me select the paintings I could bring to showcase myself."

"Always Lady Edwina, you will always be able to depend on me even when I am no longer your mentor," he gave her a confirming pat on her hand and gestured to her latest work, letting her hands go. "I would most certainly include this piece, when your parents returned from their Expedition, they're going to be so moved by it."

Edwina smiled but it probably looked a little forced, it was easy to assume the couple in the painting were her parents, so it was a lie she'd allow the world to make. "It's titled 'to be loved' and features a glimpse of what it's like when the wind moves through the cherry blossoms at the right time of year."

"I'd love to see it for myself, you've captured such a stirring feeling in this one image alone," his compliment was staggering but Edwina couldn't take it.

"I'll go discuss my departure with Derbie, thank you Lord Daro," she all but fled from her mentor and quickly headed to her older brother's room.

Her emotions had settled in regard to Lord Daro but her guilt over all but ditching Derbie's Debut year for her own ambition filled its place. Given that it was late afternoon there was no guarantee Derbie would be home, or even in his room, but luck was once again with her as she found him sitting at the window and reading a letter. For an entire month now, her brother had written to and received letters from Lady Ban Ruma, youngest of the Ruma Marquis family.

The soft smile on Derbie's face made Edwina pause, glad and jealous all at once. She wanted her brother to find the love match he so desired, but she also wished the man her heart had chosen would ever want to or be able to pick her in return. Instead of wallowing in self pity though, Edwina knocked to draw Derbie's attention up to her.

"Good afternoon, Winnie," Derbie didn't hesitate to put his letter down and come over to hug her. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

Edwina rolled her eyes at the perpetual and unkillable nickname her siblings used in place of her actual name but left the matter alone. "I wanted to once again congratulate you on Debuting, but I also need to apologize."

"Whatever for?" Derbie was the great romantic of their family, the torchbearer like their father was for their mother, and he would likely forgive actual betrayal let alone her success.

"I won't be around to continue celebrating with you or have a chance to meet your Lady Ban immediately," she smiled, nerves gone. "I've been inviting to present a gallery to Master Gentileschi at the university."

"That's amazing news!" Derbie grinned at her and regardless of propriety picked her up to spin in a hug, "I am so proud of you!"

Edwina laughed, grateful for Derbie's irrepressible good-nature and cheer, "thank you Derbie I wanted to tell you before announcing it to the rest of the family so wouldn't steal from your attention."

"Oh please," Derbie waved it off, "steal away. Alaric won't let me send a Letter of Intent till after the first event so you may even be back before I could get engaged."

"For your sake I hope it's quicker than that, you deserve someone who can be your great love," he squeezed her tighter in a hug and let her go.

"You do realize Blair is going to insist on at least one toast in your honor at dinner when she finds out, right?" Derbie warned.

"I might even be grateful for her switching my goblet to wine," Edwina was prepared.

The Briggs family might be a little rambunctious, but they all loved each other period her siblings were going to cheer for her success and tease the daylights out of her at the same time.