That Waking Moment

“This way,” Linius rasped, and gestured.
Esilanna followed, her eyes displaying warnings about double-crossing. Ayana was close behind, staring at the red scar on her wrist where Linius had touched her, as she walked. She knew something had happened when he'd touched her, but she had no idea what.
“Here.” Linius pointed to a large, black door. “This is where they are kept.”
Esilanna carefully opened the door and stepped inside, Ayana at her tail. The room was small, plain, and empty but for cylinders that were lain down on the ground, each containing a slumbering body. The scene reminded Ayana of Snow White's glass coffin. She shivered and walked to the nearest one, wondering what kind of sleeping beauty rested inside.
“Who is it?” Esilanna asked.
“Meagan,” Ayana answered, and she stared down at her friend with disbelief. Surely it wasn't Meagan. Her eyes were closed, and her long, blonde hair lay in waves around her. Her belt and scabbard were present, but there was no sword. A bag of candy poked its top out of one of the pockets.
Esi walked up behind her and pressed her hand against the side of the cylinder. With a whoosh, the top retracted. Esi placed a finger under Meagan's nose. “No breath,” she muttered. “Meagan's been through it completely. This body is abandoned.”
“She's dead?” Ayana, startled, glanced back down. Please don't be dead.
“No,” Linius said. “She's just got another one. I saw her. She's not dead.”
“So this body has been cast aside, and everything but the sword copied,” Esi murmured, and looked up at the other cylinders. “Who else is here?” She wandered about the room, stopping at each cylinder. “Mariale. No breath. Cattallus. I already know. No breath. An elf. Bella.” The last container was empty, as if opened from the inside. “Who was here?”
“Risus,” Linius growled. “After Meagan released my servant, he went and woke up his true self.”
“Ah.” Esi smiled. “Your plan's unraveling, isn't it? It must be so frustrating.”
“Oh, be quiet. You've had five hundred years of the most blasted luck imaginable. You can hardly gloat for my first bad turn.”
“Yes, I have had the most blasted luck. That also means I'll have the sweetest victory imaginable. The greater the price, the sweeter the attainment.” She walked to Bella's cylinder, opened it, and pulled out a vial. “Do you recognize this?”
Linius raised an eyebrow. “Raspberry juice.”
“Indeed. It seems that raspberry juice has a most peculiar quality... surprisingly, it has the ability to revert the effects of Azia.” Esi placed the edge of the vial against Bella's lips and poured out a small amount, then drew away. There was a moment of stillness. Bella gave a cough, spluttered, and sat up violently coughing. “Get some air into your lungs,” Esi said, patting her on the back. “Feel better?”
“Chief Sorceress?” Bella croaked. “But... you died. Your funeral was supposed to right after my coronation.”
“Well, I'm alive and kicking. Are you all right?”
“No.”
“Ayana,” Esi instructed, “please help Bella stand. Lean her against the wall if you have to.” After Ayana did as she was told, Esi repeated the procedure with the elf. Unlike Bella, however, the elf didn't cough. Instead, she took a deep breath, then leaned over the side of the cylinder and threw up. “That's a minor side-effect,” Esi informed. “I'm Annalise, Chief Sorcerer. You can call me Esi, if you want.”
“I'm Requiem,” the elf said, wiping her mouth. “Where am I? I was at a pancake house.”
“You're in Lewis.”
“As in, Meagan's city?”
“You know Meagan?” Ayana asked.
“Yeah. This crazy madwoman sent me out to look for Bella and Arya with a midget.”
“I'm Bella,” the queen said. “Hi.”
“Hi.” Requiem stood on trembling legs. “If you're found, that means I have to look for Arya.”
“Nope,” Esi said. “We're going to my-” she glared at Linius- “my chambers. They are mine. Not yours. Mine. You will stay there while I visit an old... friend, shall we say. Understood?”
“I demand to come with you,” Bella said.
“With all my apologies, Your Highness, that demand is denied. Your safety is my top priority, so please try to comply with me.”
“You forget your place, Sorceress. I am coming.”
Esi laughed. “It seems that tutor of yours never taught you any discipline. I forget? You are just a youngling, even if I were to count your people's lifespan and not mine. I'm sorry to give you this dose of reality, but you are not in charge of the world. Just trust me.”
“Why should she?” Requiem challenged. “Why should I?”
“If you don't trust often,” Esi said, “you'll have more of a burden to carry, and one day you'll have to trust someone, lest that burden break your back. If you have to put your trust in someone, it might as well be me.”
“Why you?”
“Look around!” Esi ordered. “Who else is there?”
“It doesn't matter whether we trust you or not anyway,” Requiem stated, “for me, in any case. What matters is my duty to my queen and country, which you are getting in the way of.”
Esi smiled. “You don't trust me because of my eyes.”
Requiem bristled. The words were true, Ayana saw. The elf was afraid of people with violet eyes. Not just distrusting- afraid.
“Arya's at Carmen's house!” Ayana blurted. She wasn't sure why she had; maybe she felt sorry for Requiem.
Requiem's eyes widened. “Take me there.”
“Absolutely not!” Esi snapped.
“Teacher,” Ayana implored, “it's not far! Besides, we'll be safe with Carmen.”
“I can't leave Linius with Bella.”
“We'll take him with us.”
“Absolutely not! Do you realize how dangerous he is? He had you at his mercy!”
“Please.”
“Absolutely not!”
“Is that your new catchphrase or something?” Bella asked.
“Absolu- no.” Esi sighed, and ran a hand through her hair. “Are you really going to be so stubborn? I suppose I can't stop you.”
“Where are you going?”
“I'm going to talk with the Third Lock. She's an old friend.”
The door to the Dark Tomes. Ayana remembered the conversation she had with it. The lock did not seem friendly in the least. What reason would Esi have for going there? Ayana dimly recalled the legend of the Lock being someone named Emily, which, coincidentally, was the name of a doctor's daughter who saved Esi and that Esi had written about in her journal.
But it couldn't have been the same person. Could it?
“Teacher...” Ayana whispered. “... Please. Help us. I don't know what to do. I don't know what Linius did when he touched me. I'm not entirely convinced the Hating Fire is vanquished inside me. Teacher!”
“Ayana,” Esi smiled softly. “I promise I'll explain everything in a little bit, but for now... be safe, okay? I have just one request. Wait until morning, please. Please.”
Ayana looked to Requiem and Bella before answering.  They nodded their consent. “Fine. I’ll wait until morning.”
Esi grinned. “That’s my girl. Your parents would be proud.”
Ayana frowned. “There is that thing… they kind of think I’m a traitor to my country.”
“Nothing I can’t clear up,” Esi declared. “But I imagine all of you must be tired! So, until morning… the chambers are this way.”
“Do you realize what she’s done?” Requiem asked as they followed Esi.
“No, what?” Bella asked.
“We’re doing what she wanted. We’re going to her chambers.”
Bella broke out into a wide grin. “She’s good, isn’t she?”
“Oh, yes. She’s good. Very good.” Requiem grinned too. “Do you think she’ll give lessons?”

Esi's back!! Now with 30% more Absolutely Not's. I wonder what she's up to now...

A user of this : She's gotten intel on the Hating Fire. Not that she's going to tell anyone...

Dragonlord Stephi : Nice story and boy is Esi smart eh  ? She reminds me of Jack SParrow . Getting his way by tricking you .. but you see him tricking you ... but in seeing him tricking you you are being tricked into being tricked .... its tricky to understand . ...... Yeah ... Lunius .... how is he not dead yet ? I mean .... she said it herself ... he is STILL dangerous ... too dangerous to be locked up in chains in a prison .. to dangerous to be left alone and to be with others who aren't strong enough to resist him .. e.i. Esi ... Yeah .... I'd kill him  

Mr. Zed : Esi and Linius dated a long time ago before he cheated on her with Carmen. She can't bring herself to kill him, even if he did break her heart and sort of nearly destroyed Regnum! 

Dragonlord Stephi : AI know they dated and he cheated and he THOUGHT he killed her ... but she is letting him live ... let alone healed hi  ? I mean maybe walk off ... but healing him ... any chance of forgiveness for him in the future ? I mean I KNOW hse said " NO !!!!!!!!!!!! " but if she let im live then might as well forgive him  

Mr. Zed : Poor Esilanna is confused. She may/may not still have feelings for him that she won't admit.