The door opened, and a lovely, slender woman around Noble's age entered before the knock could be answered.
Her soft-spoken voice still managed to fill the room.
"Rani? I hate to disturb you, but I heard you talking and wanted to make sure you weren't having a bad dre…oh!"
The tray in the lady's hands fell toward the floor. Her hand reached out reflexively as sparks appeared in her hand.
Noble had felt the woman coming, but she had never dreamed that anyone would dare to come inside without waiting to be invited. Those who served the legacies would never have been so bold.
However, now that Noble had been seen, there was no backing away or disappearing without making things very uncomfortable for Rain. She needed to act fast before the woman's weapon fully formed.
Instead of summoning a weapon of her own, Noble raised her hands in the air.
Rain stepped in between the two older women and held out her arms. "Everything is fine!"
"I mean no harm! I was just visiting." Noble added quickly.
The lady furrowed her brow. Her hands relaxed, and the sparks dissipated. "I was not notified of any visitors."
"I might have entered through unorthodox means." Noble's eyes swirled as she floated the tray from its position near the ground back into the slender woman's hands. "In my excitement, I came in through the window. That was very rude of me."
The newcomer held the tray in her hands with a pensive expression. "And you know her, Rani?"
"I do." Rain tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "I've known her since I was very little."
The dark-haired young woman stepped aside with a dip of her head. She coughed lightly.
"This is Master Mara of Clan Sorrow, the lady of the house here. Lady Mara, this is Master Noble, newly appointed head of the Awakened Academy and resident of Ravenheart."
A small amount of mischief played around the corners of Rain's mouth as she gave her mother an auspicious title.
"Oh?" Master Mara raised both eyebrows. "I am familiar with that name. At last we meet! I have heard a considerable amount about you."
Noble bowed deeply. "Only good things, I hope. You must be Tamar's mother. It is a pleasure to meet you, My Lady."
Mara gave a modified curtsy, her ashen hair brushing across her shoulders as she did so.
'And I thought Tamar got her looks from her father, but she actually has her mother's beautiful features.'
The only difference between the mother and daughter beyond their ages was the softness in Mara's gaze and gentleness in the way she carried herself. If Noble had not known the woman was a Master, she would have likened her to the frail gentlewomen of a bygone era.
Oblivious to the other lady's thoughts, Mara smiled cordially.
"You are welcome here any time, Master Noble." She looked down at her hands, as if noticing the food in front of her for the first time. "I seem to have arrived inadequately prepared. Please excuse me for a moment." Mara turned around and stepped into the hall.
Noble and Rain exchanged glances. Should the mother leave while the coast was clear? Rain shrugged.
Mara peeked her head in the door. "Do not think of leaving just yet, Master Noble. I cannot let you go without having a meal, and Rani, you must be famished after all you have been through. I will have fresh clothes brought for you, young lady. Your old ones are rather...unusable at the moment. Until then, the dressing gown is waiting for you just there."
The Lady of the House disappeared into the hall once more. Noble could hear the orders being given with quiet grace and gentility.
'Unlike her looks, Tamar doesn't get her mannerisms from her mother at all, that's for sure.' Noble mused silently as she looked at Rain.
"Do you want me to stay?" She left the decision in her daughter's hands.
Rain smiled softly. "It would be nice to have a little longer with you, and the food here is pretty delicious."
Noble nodded. "That settles it then. I will stay."
Rain found the robe at the end of her bed and wrapped it tightly around herself.
Soon enough, the room was filled with servants. In only a couple of minutes, Rain's quiet bedchamber was refitted with chairs and a table for the ladies to enjoy their meal.
"Please sit." Mara motioned to two of the four newly gathered seats.
'They rearranged their home to accommodate us.' Noble wasn't sure how to feel about that.
It was very generous, but also a lot of trouble. They could have waited until Rain was dressed and moved to another location. Ah, but Noble was neither rich nor did she have a retinue. Maybe this was just how Legacies lived.
Noble looked down at the generous spread of food.
'Perhaps I made the wrong choice hiding my Transcendence if these are the perks of having a citadel of my own. I could get used to attention like this!'
Mara took the open seat beside Noble and pulled the cover off a steaming dish. "Please, don't wait for the food to get cold. Eat!"
As servants filled four cups with spiced juice, Noble and Rain helped themselves to the various dishes. Noble regarded the opulent porcelain plates and silver cutlery which had been imported from the waking world. She hadn't attended a breakfast this nice since her second Nightmare with Queen Emira.
At least the company this time was far superior.
"I hope you are enjoying everything," the lady of the house said as she dabbed at her mouth. "If anything is not to your liking, I can have it remedied right away."
"No, everything is scrumptious." Noble nodded as she raised her glass.
By how much Rain was trying to somewhat daintily shovel into her mouth, the girl was enjoying the food as well.
"Thank you for the hospitality, Lady Mara. You have gone above and beyond, inviting me to stay after I intruded in your home." The kindness was not lost on Noble.
Mara furrowed her brow. "I am ashamed we have not had you here earlier to honor you, Master Noble. This meal and much more is long overdue."
"Honor you?" Rain finally looked up from her food and shot her mother a curious glance.
"Yes, Master Noble is highly esteemed by our clan. Perhaps she can tell you the story." Mara offered.
"It was nothing, really. I was just doing my job," Noble smiled before taking a sip of her drink.
"So very modest," Mara chuckled lightly. "We would have already had Master Noble over for a grand feast if not for the great distance between ourselves and Ravenheart. My husband is in Ravenheart just now. Have you seen him?"
"I have, My Lady, though only for a moment." Noble felt Mara's emotions spike.
"Don't tell me that he finally got around to inviting you to dinner and then sent you here without an escort. That would be most ungentlemanly of him!" Mara sat up straighter in her chair.
Noble shook her head.
"No, Saint Sorrow did not mention the Weeping Goddess or the promise of such tantalizing food."
Mara frowned. "If my husband did not send you, what has brought you so far south…and to dear Rani's bedroom?"
Noble could easily follow her train of thought. Rani had just recently arrived, and few knew that she was here at all.
"That's an interesting story," Child of Promise hesitated. "You see…"
At that moment the door flung open. The final member of the party had arrived.