Fashion was only the beginning.
Annabelle Dorne understood that power didn't come from magic alone.
Information. Influence. Leverage.
Those were the real tools of control.
She had spent years weaving herself into the fabric of the empire—not as Annabelle Dorne, the noble daughter of a feared house, but as Belle Arden, a nameless girl in the bustling trade district.
Her movements were careful, deliberate.
She never pushed too hard, never overstepped.
Because trust wasn't something given freely—it was earned.
And Annabelle was very good at earning it.
---
A JEWEL MAKER WITH A SECRET
One day, while running an errand for the tailor, Annabelle wandered into a hidden workshop tucked between two larger storefronts.
Inside, an elderly jeweler examined a sapphire under candlelight, muttering to himself.
"Not worth much."
Annabelle stepped closer, her sharp eyes catching the barely visible fractures within the gemstone.
"Because of the internal cracks?" she asked casually.
The old man startled, looking up. "You know gemstones?"
Annabelle shrugged, keeping her expression neutral. "I know when something's expensive… and when someone's lying."
The jeweler laughed, a gleam of interest in his tired eyes.
"You're sharper than you look, kid," he mused. "Keep your secrets, and I'll tell you mine."
And so, Annabelle did.
Over time, she earned his trust—not by demanding it, but by listening.
From him, she learned how to identify counterfeit jewels, which noble houses favored which designs, and who had debts they couldn't pay.
In return, she offered nothing but an occasional insight, a bit of harmless gossip.
But knowledge was like a well-placed stitch in fabric—seemingly small, yet holding everything together.
---
THE INFORMATION BROKER DISGUISED AS A TEA MERCHANT
Rumors in the marketplace spoke of a tea shop owner who dealt in more than just leaves and brews.
She sold information—the most valuable currency in high society.
Annabelle made several visits to the shop, never asking outright, only observing.
She sampled different blends, asked about trade routes, made casual remarks about which nobles preferred which imports.
Until one day, the shopkeeper, a sharp-eyed woman with a knowing smile, leaned in close.
"You ask too many questions for a simple fabric girl," she murmured.
Annabelle sipped her tea, unbothered. "And you answer them too easily for a simple shopkeeper."
There was a pause, then a slow, approving grin.
"I like you, Belle Arden," the woman said. "Come back when you have something worth trading."
Annabelle did exactly that.
Bit by bit, she fed the woman harmless pieces of gossip—testing what information was valuable and what was worthless.
She learned how noble scandals were swept under the rug, how trade agreements were forged in secret, and most importantly—
Who was watching whom.
Every cup of tea she drank was another thread woven into her growing web of influence.
---
A DOCTOR WITH UNORTHODOX METHODS
One of the most important contacts she made was a physician.
Not just any doctor—but one who treated injuries no other physician would touch.
A man who dealt with patients who couldn't afford to be seen—wounded mercenaries, fallen nobles, those who had secrets carved into their very flesh.
Annabelle approached him carefully, disguising herself as an apprentice herbalist, eager to learn about rare medicinal plants.
At first, he dismissed her as just another street rat looking for quick money.
But Annabelle was patient.
She asked the right questions.
She studied his methods without arrogance.
And eventually, she earned his respect.
One evening, after explaining how to set a broken bone, the doctor leaned back, arms crossed.
"Most people only come to me when they're desperate," he said, watching her carefully. "You? You're planning something, aren't you?"
Annabelle smiled, tilting her head.
"A lady must always be prepared."
The doctor chuckled. "You're no ordinary lady."
And he was right.
Annabelle wasn't just preparing.
She was building something far greater than herself.
---
A WEB OF INFLUENCE
By the time Annabelle turned seventeen, her network had grown vast.
A jeweler who knew which nobles were swimming in debt.
A tea merchant who sold secrets like fine wine.
A physician who handled those who couldn't afford to be seen.
A tailor who clothed both royalty and criminals alike.
Each one a carefully cultivated ally.
Each one useful in ways no noble girl should understand.
And yet—
No one knew the full extent of her connections.
Not even her own family.
Because Annabelle Dorne was not just another noble daughter.
She was Belle Arden, a shadow in the marketplace.
A whisper between merchants.
A force in the making.
And one day—
The world would know her name.