Chapter Text
When Selene Pleiades received a letter from Avalor, she hadn’t expected it from a school. She hadn’t expected anything from Avalor in the first place - she knew some of her botanical articles were published in some pamphlets and books, but Selene hadn’t expected anything, let alone a job offer. She herself was happily situated at the kingdom’s northern botanical garden. It was only for a year, teaching botany for some of the advanced classes at the Science Academy as well as the main school in the capital while the teacher was on maternity leave. It would have made a wonderful opportunity.
So there she was on a ship towards the unknown. According to the captain, they were only a few hours from port, and most of the luggage had been moved to the deck. Sitting on top of a trunk of clothing and books, Selene clutched the letter in her hands, both stiff and limp from the salty air. A full year in Avalor, with lab and resource access to both their library and collections. Not to mention she would have time to do her own research on Avaloran botanicals. The only thing that gave her pause was the fact that a few nobility from the royal family were on her class roster.
Selene folded the letter with a sigh, tucking it back into her overcoat. Like most of the clothes she had brought with her, it was new and better suited for Avalor’s climate than her normal wool overcoats and skirts for her home country’s cooler climes. She’d even taken the time to cut her hair before she left so she’d get adjusted to the new length and to avoid overheating from the thick, silver curls.
Selene stood and walked closer to the bow of the ship. If she strained her eyes, she thought she could see the edge of what looked like land a few miles off. All she had to do was wait what was until the ship reached port, then she could go to the apartment her sister had arranged, attend a meeting, and collapse onto a bed until the morning when she would meet the head of the botany department, but she had another meeting to keep. Selene let herself smile at the thought, telling herself that it would all go well. Besides, it was a new place, new people...
Selene considered Avalor a new start.
-
The first weeks of spring in Avalor brought a flurry of movement all over the capital city, from cleaning after the short winter months to the increase of ships and people from all over the world now that ice and snow thawed and allowed for transport and trade. The harbour once again thrummed with new cargo and new faces, and various shop owners filtered onto the boardwalk to pick up shipments or haggle for them, and voyagers were greeted by their families after a few weeks or even months abroad. Those visiting Avalor for the first time stepped off the ships and stared at the city in awe and wonder, dazzled by the sight of warm buildings, bright flowers and plants that grew in every corner, the smell of spices and food coming down from the market proper, and in the distance, the royal palace, glittering like a jewel.
Esteban was not the one to usually monitor the port, at least in times of late. Naomi had that taken care of in spades, but Elena had pulled her away for the day for something or other - he wouldn’t intrude on that. Besides, it was only due that the godmother of his children had a break. So if it meant he had to go to the piers, he went to the piers. Besides, he had nothing else to do, all his normal duties were taken care of for the day, the girls settled in the study, and there were new ships from other countries pulling into port. Trade had expanded further north and east to lesser known and smaller countries, bringing in new goods that were only starting to make their way into the Avaloran market. A ship from Noctem had docked just as he arrived, coincidental and fortuitous.
Noctem was a small country, mostly covered in mountains and plains, that devoted a good amount of time and resources into developing state of the art star maps and telescopes, as well as a rich assortment of salves, tinctures and oils from the country’s rich and diverse flora. Their ambassador had been to the palace a few months prior, and Esteban could understand why he had been chosen out of the whole of the royal court, even if his father hadn’t been the ambassador before him. He was handsome with sun-lit hair and a soft spoken manner that completely sold the royal council-turned advisors and Elena. Ambassador Solaris had gotten Noctem an ally and a trading partner in only a few days, and promised the first of many ships in the following months once spring came and the Noctem bays melted - this ship being the one spoken off.
Stepping down from the carriage, he made his way to Daniel Turner to receive the full cargo list and other details from the ships. Walking past the gangplank, a swish of light green caught his eye. Looking up, he saw someone he could almost claim was the opposite of Ambassador Solaris. A woman with brown skin littered with freckles and strangely silver hair walked down from the ship. Her dress was akin to what Poloma and other lower ranking ladies of the court would wear, only with a large brimmed hat. She seemed out of place in the setting and it gave Esteban pause. She looked around the harbor, looking for something when suddenly her eyes met his. The confused look was replaced with a smile for a moment before she focused back on walking down the rest of the plank. Esteban shook his head and quickly made his way over to Daniel, missing the search the young woman gave where he had been standing just moments before.
A few minutes later, Esteban had a portion of the reports and manifests and began to make his way to collect the others down the pier when he noticed the woman again. She was sitting on what he assumed to be her luggage, and looked impatient, if not distraught, as she pulled out a paper from her jacket, then a watch, squinting at both. With a visible sigh she replaced both, leaning back on her hands as her mouth twisted pensively. Esteban assumed that, based on the fact she was still there and her motions of nervousness, someone was late to pick her up from the port. Checking his own watch, he wouldn’t set himself back by asking if she needed assistance, but chose to continue forward past her. She had different plans once she noticed him, standing up from her trunk.
“Wait! Sir!” she called, quickly catching up to him. Esteban paused, resigned himself to public service, and turned.
“Yes? Can I help you, senora?” if anything, he could always point her to Naomi’s father. She stopped in front of him.
“Sorry, but,” she said, somewhat nervous. Her accent was distinctly from Noctem. “You’re the man I saw earlier, aren’t you?”
“The one and same,” Esteban nodded. She smiled, and held out a hand.
“I’m Selene. Selene Pleiades,” she said, finally giving him a name for the face. He took her hand, giving it a soft shake before bringing it up to his lips. She looked a little flustered for a moment before he lowered her hand. “A-and you?”
“Chancellor Esteban of Avalor,” Esteban replied. Selene looked him up and down, as though to verify the claim. She seemed pleased with the answer. “Now, Miss Pleiades-”
“Please, just Selene,” she interjected.
“Selene, how can I help you?” Esteban asked. Selene pulled a letter from her jacket, presenting it to him. He recognized the Science Academy’s insignia from Isabel’s letter of acceptance, all those years ago now.
“I’m the new teacher at the Science Academy and at the school," she replied. Esteban raised an eyebrow. She didn’t exactly look like one of the science types he ran into at the school, but then again they were all mostly engineers and chemists. “I’m teaching Advanced Botany and standard.”
“Impressive,” he replied with an approving nod. “I’m sure you’ll fit in here in Avalor and at the Academy.”
“I hope so,” Selene replied, putting the letter away. “Someone was supposed to come for me here to bring me to my apartment, but they’re late, or at the very least I can’t see them- that’s why I called for you. Another set of better eyes? The letter said a red carriage...”
She looked around, frowning slightly. “I’d rather not spend the night at the pier.”
Esteban nodded, peering up and around the crowd. “Our piers are some of the safest, but I understand the sentiment. If you wish, I could-”
Someone suddenly shouted her name, followed by the person who had yelled. A short, balding man ran towards them, stopping short in order to breathlessly bow at Esteban. A red carriage had only just stopped then at the gate, and two younger men were following close behind.
“You are Miss Selene Pleiades, correct?” he said, blotting his forehead with a handkerchief. Selene nodded.
“I’m assuming you’re Senor Ferdinand then,” she said.
“Yes, sorry for the delay but I’m glad I found you so quickly,” Senor Ferdinand nodded. “Your sister said to look for the silver hair.”
Esteban watched as Selene reached upwards to tuck a strand back in place. He couldn’t tell if the motion was from embarrassment or a simple fix.
“That tends to be the case with me,” she laughed. Senor Ferdinand nodded, motioning behind him.
“My boys will take your luggage, and we can get you settled in,” he said as two men came over, and curtly nodded before picking up her trunks and valises. “Your room is all taken care of.”
“Thank you,” Selene said, grabbing a small bag from the top of the trunk as they carried it off. She turned to Esteban and curtsied quickly. “It was very nice to meet you, your highness. Thank you for coming to help me.”
“Likewise, Miss Pleiades,” Esteban bowed. Selene smiled, and went to the carriage that was just loaded with her things. One of the young men helped her up as the other tied everything down. A few minutes later, the carriage rolled out of the docks and into the city, Selene becoming a small green sliver. Putting thoughts of her aside, he turned back to his own mission of minding the port. It wasn’t for another hour or so that he was able to return to his own carriage to head to the marketplace, hoping for a slight reprieve at Dona Paloma’s shop. While everything was going to plan and running its course, there were more ships arriving ahead of schedule than they had planned. While it was good for everyone trade and good wise, it became busy and hectic, and Esteban hoped that Dona had taken care of checking in on the shops in the market. He entered into the cool shade of her shop, and was thankful that she kept the store like this. Better for her wares, she said.
“Ah, Esteban!” he heard her call from the upstairs mezzanine. “So good of you to drop by. Social, I hope?”
“When have I ever truly paid a social call?” he responded with a smirk. “But once again this is purely business.”
“Well, a girl can hope,” Dona Paloma smiled, elegantly coming down the staircase. “I have checked with the shops, all except for the parchment store in the west quarter has received all of their due shipments, and they should be receiving their order of embossed vellum within the next few days.”
“Is it from Wei Ling? I just returned from harbour - the ship is on schedule to make port tomorrow evening,” he replied. “What about travelers?”
“Quite a few tourists already. The hotel in the north end is getting full, and many places are filling up leases that won’t end for a few months or so.”
“Avalor can handle a few tourists. At least everything is booming as it should be,” Esteban grinned. “Elena will be pleased.”
“Absolutely,” Dona said. “Now that business has been squared away, maybe you can spare a few minutes to chat?”
“And by talk, you mean either gossip, try and one up me, or try to set me up with some nice girl or handsome young man that recently frequented the shop?” Esteban said flatly, crossing his arms as he raised an eyebrow at her. Dona Paloma laughed, gently smacking him in the arm with her fan.
“A lady never gossips, and besides, I do think that those nice girls and handsome men would look simply dashing on your arm,” she replied.
“And the one-upmanship?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, feigning innocence. He didn’t respond, so she quickly moved on. “But on the tune of the last subject-”
“Really, Paloma?” Esteban groaned, exasperated. Dona Paloma stared at him and nodded. This wasn’t the first time that she tried to set him up with someone, whether it be someone with political power or a nice face, and at that point it felt a little old hat, especially with his daughters in the picture now. “I’m a little old to be playing courting games, especially with people half my age, don’t you think?”
“That’s ridiculous! You have the face of a thirty year old and the body of a twenty year old, not to mention money and title, and a family already! You can play the game for as long as you wish, even with the red on your ledger,” she insisted, and continued, despite Esteban’s sputtering at her comments and insistence on the matter. “Anyways, a lovely young lady came into my shop not too long ago. Thirties, maybe forties so not quite half your age. Strong shouldered, but had a sweet face and was very polite. I looked at her and thought to myself, ‘Hortensia Paloma, she is your dear, dear friend Esteban’s type.’”
Esteban groaned, and pressed his forehead into his hand, and sank into a chair, knowing that she wouldn’t stop. Dona Paloma glided across the showroom, and poured two glasses of something she knew Esteban would like - Thebes always produced some of the best wine - and handed one to him before she continued.
“She just arrived from Noctem today, just popped into the shop for a moment,” Hortensia said, gently swirling the wine in her glass as she sat on the arm of his chair, sending him a glance out of the corner of her eye. “Needed a new hair comb to pin her hair back. Such a strange color of hair. Silver at so young an age.”
He looked at her over the rim of his glass. “Silver?”
“Yes, silver. Don’t worry, she’s not some old bat,” she replied. “I would have considered buying them for her and showing her Avalor myself if Yolanda wouldn’t throw a jealous fit over me showing another woman a speck of attention.”
“I saw her today when I was at the docks,” Esteban said. Dona smiled, but he frowned. “Don’t get any ideas, Paloma. She needed assistance, I provided it.”
“I asked if she did it herself, which would be easy for her, considering her profession. Said it was from other reasons,” Dona continued, sipping her drink. Esteban raised an eyebrow.
“Profession?” he asked. “She’s a botanist.”
“Botany and sorcery back in Noctem,” Dona replied, and Esteban nearly dropped his wineglass. “Admittedly I am on the fence concerning another sorceress being in Avalor, but she hardly seems the type to try and take a country. Besides, she was heading to the palace for a meeting with Elena herself, the only reason she needed to replace a hairpiece since she’s unpacked still.”
Esteban quickly downed the rest of the wine and left, ignoring her calls to wait, bolting out the door and into the carriage. He found himself worrying for Avalor, for Elena, for his family now at possible threat. Even if they were better prepared for anything like it, he was frightened. If the young woman wanted Avalor, she would never take it, and even if she didn’t, Esteban would always have his guard up. Nothing and no one would take his family, nor his home, nor his freedom, ever again.
----
Elena sat in her office chair stiffly, and Gabe and Mateo flanked the door to her private office. Since becoming Queen, she found herself using it more and more often, especially for small one-on-one meetings. Despite the place being her own, she felt distinctly on guard sitting across from the sorceress from Noctem. It took nearly all the self-control she had to reign in her nervousness. While she had gotten better since she first got the powers based on her emotions, there were always positions that she found herself in that set her on edge. At the very least, she quickly caught on to Elena’s discomfort and smiled sympathetically.
“I know this is incredibly awkward, your Majesty,” Selene said. “But I thought that introducing myself and giving you some sort of peace of mind would be polite. I brought some letters from some reliable people back home, the letters from the Academy, and my wand registration. I would have liked to have brought a gift, but I’m unsure of how recepted that would have been, given the circumstances.”
She pulled them out of a small bag. “One of the letters is from Ambassador Solaris. I’ve worked for his family, the other is from a duke whose botanical garden I’ve run, and the other from my sister. I hope this is satisfactory.”
Elena thumbed through the stack of papers, quickly scanning them over. “It all looks good here...and you’re only here in Avalor to teach?”
“And study Avalor’s flora as well,” Selene added. “I create compendiums, and I always do one for the countries I go to. I tend to roam.”
“Not for any unsavory reason I hope,” Elena said softly.
“No, just...can’t seem to be grounded anymore,” Selene replied, casting her glance to the window. “I love Noctem, it’s my home, but the world is wider than it was when I was younger, and there’s plenty of reasons I can’t remain there for the rest of my life.”
“What about family? Surely they’ll miss you.”
“Just my sister, her family and my god-family, and she was more excited than I was for me to come,” the sorceress replied. “Our parents died when I was young, and my uncle passed away a few years ago.”
“I’m very sorry about your loss,” Elena said. “If these letters are to be believed, I don’t think you’re a threat to Avalor. Just...promise me you won’t become one, and if need be, you’ll help protect against harm.”
“I promise. I’d be breaking my vows if I did harm,” Selene replied, placing her hand over her heart. “I’m at your service, as your wizard’s as well should any assistance be needed.”
“Thank you for that, and thank you for meeting with me,” the queen said. “I really appreciate it, and that you’re not a psycho enchantress who wants me dead and Avalor under her thumb.”
“It’s sad that you have had to worry about that so often,” Selene said.
Gabe scoffed slightly. “And fight them head on so often.”
“And have to create specific trapping spells for them,” Mateo added. Selene looked between the three in shock and mumbled something in Noctese akin to ‘good stars someone protect these children.’
“That is a burden none of you should have to bear,” Selene said. “Again, if you need anything-”
“Of course,” Elena interrupted, and held out her hand to shake Selene’s. “Welcome to-”
The doors slammed open, nearly crashing into Gabe and Mateo. Elena and Selene turned, startled to the door, Selene’s left hand going instinctively to where her wand would have been if she had it with her. Esteban looked into the room, eyes wide with fear, which only settled when he saw Elena unharmed. She looked between him and Selene and realized that Esteban found out who Selene was before she had planned.
“Buenos dias?” Elena greeted, near sheepishly. Esteban straightened and walked in.
“Elena, may I have a word?”
“Yes...Selene, it was nice to meet you,” Elena replied, nodding toward Selene. “Gabe? Can you show Selene out?”
Gabe nodded and stepped forward. “Right this way, Miss Pleiades.”
Selene nodded and stood, bowing quickly to Elena and Esteban before following Gabe out the door. Mateo looked at the two cousins having a staredown and exited as well, closing the door with a soft click. Once he was sure they were alone, Esteban exhaled sharply.
“Care to explain to me why you didn’t tell me you were meeting with a sorceress?” he asked, nearly slipping into the warning parental tone he had taken on in the past year.
“I didn’t tell you because I knew you would react like this-” Elena replied. “How did you even find out? I swapped you and Naomi out for the day to prevent this!”
“Paloma told me,” Esteban replied. “And are you serious right now?”
“...Yes,” Elena replied. “Wait, I didn’t tell her-”
“The sorceress did.”
“Her name is Doctor Selene Pleiades-”
“That doesn’t matter!” he said sharply. “She’s a sorceress! We’ve been having enough trouble with them.”
“She’s only here to teach, Esteban,” Elena snipped. “You really think I would have allowed her into Avalor, let alone into the palace if I thought we were in danger from her? Do you not trust me?”
“Elena, I do trust you,” he sighed. “But you need to tell me these things and not send me away, regardless of what you think my reaction would be. Please. I can’t let my family get hurt again.”
“I know and neither can I...I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I doubt she’s going to do harm, but I was going to do a minor investigation and verification of her letters and herself, but with all my duties and the upcoming meetings with several ambassadors looking to start trade and alliances, I would appreciate it if you could possibly spearhead this with Gabe.”
“As subtly as possible, I’m assuming,” Esteban replied. Elena nodded.
“No going overboard. Just verify her claims, make sure she’s who she says she is, the works,” Elena replied. “I’m tentatively extending my trust toward her, as she is teaching Isa and the girls - no pulling Rosie and Mari from class!”
“I won’t, and I won’t let you down on this,” he said. “I’ll speak to Gabe in a few minutes. But don’t think you’re off the hook for this.”
Elena laughed and pulled him into a hug. Esteban softly chuckled and returned the embrace, but his mind was miles away, planning the next few steps.
---
Gabe and Mateo had left Selene in the main foyer while she waited for one of the maids to return with her jacket. She quietly poked around the room, looking at the grandeur of the room - Noctem had nothing like this, and neither had any of the other countries she had been to. It was new and lovely, and she enjoyed the warm colors. There was the sound of soft footsteps coming from the stairs, and she turned to look. There was a young child, nine or so, with wild curly hair and freckles, examining her with large brown eyes.
“Hello there,” Selene said.
“Hello,” she replied. She blinked twice. “You’re the sorceress my cousin had a meeting with, aren’t you?”
“I’m also a botanist and a teacher,” she said with a laugh. The girl finished skipping down the steps, stopping in front of her. “I think I'm going to be your botany teacher starting next week.”
“Are you going to use magic in class?”
“No, I don’t think I will.”
“Ah.”
Selene kneeled down in front of her, extending a hand. “I’m Selene.”
“I’m Rosita Flores,” Rosie replied, shaking her hand firmly. “But everyone calls me Rosie.”
“What a pretty name,” she replied. “It’s very nice to meet you, Rosie.”
“Likewise,” Rosie replied. “You aren’t a bad sorceress, right? We have too many of those.”
“Sorry to break the chain, but no, I’m not bad,” Selene said. “I don’t care for those who do use magic to do harm, always have.”
“That’s good at least,” she nodded. “But I’ll withhold judgement until later.”
Selene laughed. “I understand that. How about I show you that I only do good magic?”
“How will you do that?” Rosie asked. She looked at Selene’s sides and hands. “You don’t have a wand.”
“That’s the trick,” Selene smiled as though she was sharing a secret. She reached into her pocket, and pulled out a seed the size of her fingernail. “Watch.”
Selene closed her fist around the seed as Rosie looked on, and placed her knuckles to her lips, blowing air into her fist. She looked up at Rosie, and extended her hand, unfurling her fingers as a small flower unfurled, its roots curling along the lines of her palm. Rosie gasped in delight, clasping her hands together. Selene smiled, and gently removed the flower from her palm. “Here. Get this planted, or at least into a glass of water for a day or two.”
“I can keep this?” Rosie asked. Selene nodded and Rosie cheerfully took the flower from here. “Thank you!”
“You’re welcome,” she replied. The maid arrived then, coat in hand. “It was nice to meet you, Rosie. I’ll see you next week.”
“See you then! Bye!” Rosie said, running off to find a glass or a gardener, whichever came first. Selene laughed and took her jacket with a soft word of thanks before leaving the palace to go to her apartment a few blocks away, now finally able to collapse onto her bed. What she missed however, was Rosie’s older sister, watching from the study’s window as she left. Mari blinked once, but did not blink twice.