The carriage jumped and bolted down the uneven road of west Savant. I was too nervous to pay attention to the bumpy ride; each hitch and kick was nothing compared to my beating heart. Although that didn't stop me from yelling at the Venandi who were pulling the carriage.

"I'm trying to get to The Tower not a grave!"

"Nervous?"

I turned my head to face Wyeth, my caretaker. I fixed him a cold glare. I'd never let him know when my nerves were getting the best of me.

"Well if you're not. What are you hoping for?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Excuse me?"

"Who are you hoping for?"

"I don't know. I've never thought much of it." I shrugged and turned to the window. Wyeth chuckled not believing my lie. In truth, I've thought about it since I was little.

In Domiti, your spouses were picked by Tulavas, who had the ability to see the future. On your 19th birthday you would be brought to The Tulava's Tower, and told who you would marry then you'd be wed on in-between yours and your spouse's 20th birthday. Today was my 19th birthday.

"I'd at least hope to know her. Unlike you and Edeline." I tried to say it as politely as possible. I really respected Wyeth and Edeline.

He chuckled again. "You may not know her, but I'm yet to meet a married man who didn't love his wife. And you truly have no one in mind?"

I sighed "No."

"What about that Nami girl? You and her seem close."

"Nami?" I couldn't help, but giggle. "She's a Planum. I'd be caught dead before I married a Planum."

Did he truly suggest a Planum? They can't do anything. All the other Libres have a unique trait, yet The Planums somehow managed to be bland. Libres were the way we kept everyone separated, determined who would do what job, ect, ect. Besides, Nami worked for me, she was just a servant.

"We'll what about the other Libres?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but I had nothing to say. I turned back to the window and thought about the question. Venandi were useful, with their ability to turn into any animal they kill, but they were of a low Libre. They were only met for hunting and guiding people through Fithu, the woods surrounding Domiti's capital, Savant. Ardes were on the table. They had the ability to transfer any wound from one human to another, but I wasn't sure about having my wife guarding things all day like the other Ardes', it was too time consuming. I couldn't care less about marrying a Tulava, they were too low of a Libre. Mercis, the warriors of Domiti, have the ability to move objects with their will power. I would be honored to marry a Mercis.

I was a Mercis by blood, but I was declared a Laminar. I, like all Laminars, was declared to do great things for Domiti by the Tulavas. I always thought it was an honor to be a Lamiar, but it always felt unsteady. If a different Tulava saw what I was supposed to do, they could have named me the scum of this earth, a Fillion. Fillions are the opposite of Laminars. They are destined to do horrible things for Domiti. That's why they can't get married, or leave the dungeons under the castle.

Laminars and Fillions can come from parents of all different Lebres. The only Lebre that could not vary were the Saris. They were the rulers of the kingdom. If you have even a drop of Sari blood in you, you would be declared a Sari. Although I was close to The Miliki, the family of Saris that ruled Domiti, I could never see myself marrying a Sari.

Although the Saris would like to believe otherwise, they do have an ability. They can drastically change the temperature of their hands while doing no harm to themselves. They could boil a pot just by sticking their hand in the water then freeze it mere seconds later.

The carriage eased to a stop and a young Venandi opened the door. Wyeth stepped out first and I stayed close behind.

The Tulava's Tower was alarmingly tall. Each stone brick helped The Tower reach heights that nature could not replicate. Beyond that, The Tower was plain. The bricks were smoothed and grey, there were no decorations, only a few windows, and a plain roof. It looked more menacing then I think it meant to.

"Well, I guess it's time," Wyeth said, giving me a reassuring smile.

A muscular Ardes came up to me "Faisal the Laminar?"

"Yes."

"Follow me." The Ardes turned and walked towers The Tower. I followed slowly, trying to keep my head up and my back straight. It was hard when my heart was beating out of my chest.

When we reached the door an Ardes from the other side opened it up. I looked back at Wyeth one last time, before I followed my guide into the tower.

The inside of The Tower was cramped, and just as plain as the outside. I stood in a narrow stairwell, the walls were lined with a spiral staircase, and metal doors that had Tulavas on the other side. I could hear a few people talking and there were a few wandering on the stair case.

"Faisal," my guide called, he was already a ways up the stairs. "Please, follow me."

I muttered a quick apology, but I didn't quite mean it. I walked up the stairs, and my guide turned and continued, forcing me to run to catch up.

"As a Laminar, you will be seeing Ariadne. She is arguably the most powerful Tulava in this tower." He tone was rough and angry. He definitely was not happy, or even content with me being here.

I smirked slightly at what he said. I felt honored to be granted the use of a powerful Tulava. It meant that I was important. I wondered if The Miliki put in a good word for me. Yes, I was a Laminar, but only Saris were allowed to use the most powerful Tulavas.

We seemed to have been climbing for a long time. The more powerful the Tulava the higher in the tower they were kept, but I didn't expect to be this high. We eventually stopped at a door that was almost at the top of The Tower. My guide reached for a keyring on his belt, looked through it a moment, then unlocked the door. I stepped in slowly and the door was slammed behind me.

The room was bare. There were no windows, and the wooden floor wasn't quite smoothed out all the way. There was no furniture except for two chairs in the center of the room, with a small table in between. In one sat who I assumed to be Ariadne.

She had grey hair that was braided and pinned around her head. She look quite young, younger than me perhaps. She was unnaturally pale, she looked as if she's never seen the sun. Her eyes were a dark brown, but they seemed off. They didn't seem to focus on anything quite right. I could tell she wasn't blind, her eyes just seemed glassy and distant. She wore a slim black dress that covered every inch of her body except for her face and head. Although the dress was quite small you could still tell it was far too big for her.

I walked towards the Tulava and sat in the chair across from her. On the table between us was a clean and sharpened knife, a cup, and a few bandages. I knew what was next. For a Tulava to see the future of someone they have to drink their blood. I rolled up my sleeves and reached for the knife. I held my breath, made a deep cut on my upper arm, set down the knife, and picked up the cup. I let myself bleed into the cup until there was enough for her to sip. I set the cup down and traded it for the bandages. I tended to my fresh wound as Ariadne picked up the cup.

She held in her hands for a moment, whispered under her breath, then she looked at me. She didn't look away as she brought the cup to her lips and drank the blood inside.

There was a brief moment where we just looked at each other, and I noticed the look in her eyes. She almost looked scared, but that ended when her eyes widened and she fell to the floor.

She started moaning in pain, curling up into a ball. She screamed before she went limp. I sat in silence staring at the Tulava. I heard a couple of people speaking outside the room, but they weren't allowed to talk to me, something about it disrupting the Tulava. All my muscles were tense, and I didn't move nor did the Tulava. She laid there looking like a corpse.

Ariadne jumped to life and started wailing. They were long and drawn out. I held my breath as she screamed again, even louder than the last.

She jumped up suddenly, and ran the back of the room. When she looked at me she looked scared, but she slowly made her way back to her chair. Her breath was shaky and her eyes kept darting around the room. I sat eagerly waiting for her to speak up.

We sat in silence before she whispered in a horse and quiet voice, "You are to marry Vivetta the Sari."

I jumped from my chair and practically ran out the door, down the stairs and out of the tower. Wyeth was waiting for me and jumped when I ran to him.

"So?" he asked.

"Can we go? You'll find out at the banquet." I didn't want to waste any time. The Miliki were holding a banquet in honor of my 19th birthday, and the day I got engaged.

When Wyeth and I were in the carriage and on our way, I started thinking about Vivetta, The Mad Queen herself. I never understood that name. I was close with her family, The Miliki, and sure I wasn't that close to her, but she seemed sweet. I know where she got it though. She challenged The Fehtan, a public execution of those who refuse The Miliki's word. I was never a fan, but I didn't care. Vivetta on the other hand thought it was awful and was not afraid to express her opinion. While witnessing it with her family, as tradition, she called those who put up with it demonic savages then ran away. She went missing for 6 days after that and when they found her she was incredibly ill. Everyone thought she was just sick during the show, but that didn't stop the nickname from spreading.

Vivetta was second in line for the throne of Domiti, the second born of The Miliki, she was right behind her brother Montego. She always did act like a queen. She was head strong and kept her head high, not something I would look for in a wife, but she was humble and graceful. I was close to her sister and she would always talk about what a great queen she would be, while her brothers spoke of her madness, and how she would bring Savant and the rest of Domiti down, I part of me couldn't help but agree with them.

The carriage ride seemed too short, for we had already arrived at the castle. Wyeth and I knew our way around and let ourselves in. We headed for the dining hall in silence. When we arrived and a servant opened the door all of the guests cheered.

"Fai!" called Ramore, a childhood friend of mine. I hugged him and his two brothers Hazeal, and Montego, or Monty as we liked to call him. I bowed to their father and mother, King Arav and Queen Makala. I then moved to the daughters of the family: Popova, and Vivetta. I gave little Popova a hug, then awkwardly kissed Vivetta's hand. I didn't know how to act around her anymore.

I took my seat at the edge of the table, and the banquet began. The night was filled with wonderful food, wine, and talking with the countless guests. Though when the conversation died down I took to staring at Vivetta.

She was quite beautiful. She wore a red ball gown with gold plant like patterns on it. Her curly, caramel colored hair was braided in with a gold colored ribbon. Her pure green eyes glowed brightly against her freckled face. She was slender with elegance to spare. A true jewel if you asked me.

Dessert was being served when people started asking me about my soon to be wife. I tried to avoid answering for as long as possible.

"You said you'd tell at the banquet" Wyeth pointed out. He was already drunk even though the real drinks haven't even come out yet.

"Is it not still going on?" I asked as I took a sip of wine.

"We held this," Hazeal gestured to the whole room. "So we could find out."

"Time to fess up!" called Ramore.

I kept making excused until everyone had finished their desserts and I had nowhere to run. I stood up with my glass in hand, others began to fill their empty glasses for the toast.

I glanced at The Miliki, they all seemed so eager, but I felt that would change. I was always a friend of theirs, everything could change if I became family. I looked to Vivetta, who looked curious, but nothing more.

I swallowed hard. "Today the Tulava, Ariadne, has told me that the woman I am to marry is..." I swallowed again and took a deep breath. "Vivetta the Sari."

I'm gonna be writing thing alongside editing The God's Puppet Show so please be patient if updating is slow. I'm hoping that this chapter wasn't just a giant info dump, please tell me if it is.

Thanks for reading!