You’ve only ever been in the palace once, before today, and it’s not a day you like to remember.
Besides, if all goes according to plan, this will be the last time, and you won’t have to think about this place ever again. You cling desperately to this hope as you inch toward the doors that lead to the Vault, the key that will open it clenched tightly in your no-longer-webbed fist, willing the guards’ attention to stay on Tajima. “But what if I really want to be a Palace guard? How can I become one?” “You can’t, kid. Go home.” “Aw, but you guys look so cool! Come on, tell me! I’ll work really really hard, I promise! Oops, sorry!” You flinch at the loud thud of Tajima throwing his arms around violently enough to shove one of the guards back several feet, and hope they’re nice guards, and don’t end up murdering Tajima, or throwing him in a cell somewhere to rot for being reckless. You weren’t that lucky, last time, but everyone likes Tajima, so maybe he’ll be fine. You try not to think about it as you reach the door. The key Sakaeguchi gave you works, and you slip as noiselessly as you can manage through them, hoping if you’re fast enough Tajima won’t get into as much trouble. Then you’re in the Vault. It’s dark, because you don’t want to alert anyone so you haven’t activated any of the glow lamps, but what little moonlight shines through from the latticed glass ceiling shimmers and reflects off of many different display cases. Most of the things in this room are old and fragile, and the temperature of the Vault is carefully controlled to keep them from deteriorating, and there are filters humming in every corner of the room to keep the water as clear as possible. The elaborate, pearl-lined finery of the Royal line, the set that was retired several generations ago because it was too bulky and uncomfortable in favor of a more modern set, doesn’t interest you, and you swim past it without paying much attention. There are several precious artifacts from the grand city the mer used to live in, before they fled — a tapestry of woven seagrass, with a depiction of the city in bright colors, a few jewelry boxes full of decorative tail ornaments made from materials that are much harder to find half an ocean away, a carved tablet of genealogy, listing the oldest Royals you have records of, now missing several pieces along the edges after being hastily packed away and transported so far. You swim past these also, only glancing briefly at your people’s history. None of this is what you’re here for. In the back, behind one of the displays, covered in a thin layer of sand and seaweed, is a simple coral box. You open it carefully, the hinge brittle and bleached of color, and pull out the small pendant inside. This one doesn’t have any pearls or precious gems, it isn’t made of rare minerals, and doesn’t have elaborate designs etched onto the surface. It’s simple and plain, compared to most things in the room. It’s also one of the many things in the room that doesn’t belong to the Royal family, and you remove it carefully from the box and tuck it into your bag. You’re not a moment too soon, because you hear Sakaeguchi approach from behind you and have to choke back a scream when he taps you on the shoulder and scares you half to death, but he only leads you out the one-way side exit he uses when he’s done cleaning the Vault every day, once he has his key back and you show him your prize. He grins at you, recognizing the Witch’s pendant, and gives you a quick hug before he shoves you out the exit and returns to his cleaning duties. |
It may be the last time you ever see Sakaeguchi. He was the reason you made it out of the palace in one piece last time, and he’s the reason you’ll be free this time, too. He agreed to help you as soon as Tajima told him what you wanted, when you were starting to think you’d never find a way to get it, and both you and Kanou were out of ideas. You owe Sakaeguchi a lot, and hope you’ll be able to repay him, someday. |