Hi, everyone :). This is the new piece of writing I wanted to share with you, I hope you'll like it.

When I thought about it in the past, I planned to focus on the lives of Sonea and Akkarin after the Ichani invasion but then I changed my mind – it'd be too hard to came up with something new and repeating others' ideas simply wouldn't make sense, I guess.

So, here I give you a new character – Leara. A Sachakan girl in the Guild. (I really hope I didn't steal anybody's idea – to be honest, I never had a chance to read anything similar and I hope it isn't just because of my laziness and the lack of interest in looking for in the web ;). ) The story will have different POV: Leara's, Osen's, Sonea's etc.

Oh, one more thing: I usually don't like the idea of resurrecting dead characters or changing the canon, but I simply couldn't give up on Akkarin. Plus, Sonea didn't get pregnant straight after the invasion. It took them 2 years to get to it :).

I'm not English – I'm really sorry if I made any unforgivable grammatical mistakes.

R&R!

solka.

Chapter 1:

A dark figure stood silently before sitting in his throne. The High Lord of the Guild gazed around the colorful crowd of people that has just flooded through the main entrance of the Guest Hall in order to participate in the annual Acceptance Ceremony.

Leara tried to see his face more clearly but it was partially hidden in the dark. She could only catch a glimpse of his slim chin as well as a slight smile which appeared when he looked to his right.

There sat a woman also dressed in black. She was shorter than her comrade and she also seemed to be more lively than he was. Leara knew that her name was Lady Sonea and that she was the High Lord's wife. They said that once she had been his novice and, at the same time, his hostage. The girl wondered how beautiful their story must've been. Going from a student, through hostility, then war, to end with such a romantic conclusion.

Lady Sonea leaned nearer to hear what High Lord was saying to her. She listened for a second then shook her head and put her palm on her bumpy stomach smiling reassuringly. Oh, yes, she was expecting the higher magician's child. It was their first one and Leara had heard that not everyone in the Guild was very enthusiastic about it. They were afraid that they'd try to teach the child higher magic and eventually turn against them. Personally, she doubted it. Lady Sonea and Lord Akkarin had had more than enough time and power to do it before, then why should they plan something like that now?

Leara could sense the scared and evaluating glances she was receiving since the moment she walked through the great doors of the Guildhall. Her looks and clothes drew attention of all the people around her. In comparison to the clothes worn by people around her, her outfit looked rather coy. Black shirt and trousers draped over her slim silhouette seemed almost cheap in contrast to the expensive, colorful dresses and suits, which she saw on the others. One lady, Leara noticed, was dressed in a dress that could be worth the same price as her country's best quality track of land. For a moment, she regretted not having brought any more appropriate and more Kyralian outfits for tonight's ceremony. However, she quickly dropped the idea. She would only look as if she tried to hide herself in the crowd. And part of her job here was to show that Sachaka was not going to surrender to Kyralian culture and lifestyle without fight.

Leara was escorted that night by her older brother, Milan. He remained silent and unaffected by the glances they received as they both strode through the great hall. The only reaction she got from him was the deepening frown on his face. She sensed he didn't like the place and surrounding people.

Whispers and looks got worse as they were approached by a tall man in blue robes. Her memory told her it was the Administrator and his name was Osen. Near him stood another magician dressed in red with gold elements on his clothes. He must have been the Head of the Warriors, Lord Balkan.

"Lady Leara, Lord Milan," the two men greeted her and her brother kindly. Leara inclined her head and so did Milan. "We hope that your journey was peaceful?"

"Very much, thank you," Milan answered with thick accent. "Quite a beautiful place you have here, Lord Balkan. I believe the Ceremony is ought to start soon? Maybe we should take our places?"

From the faces of the two magicians, Leara could read that Milan's pretentious manner didn't go unnoticed but they only nodded their heads and headed in the direction of their seats.

Now I am alone, Leara thought, again looking up to the highest point in the room where black magicians sat in silence. But before she could do anything else, she was told to take her place in the row and move to the central part of the hall.

Administrator Osen's voice rang in the hall:

"I present you the summer intake of entrants to the University."

He moved along the line of ten children standing in a row. Children, Leara thought as she, herself being sixteen, was the oldest one here. The youngest girl standing beside her was nearly thirteen. It showed how desperately the Kyralian Guild was in need of new magicians. Administrator started announcing names and titles of new University entrants:

"Teran of Family Koran, House Belan." A short dark haired boy smiled through nerves. "Mina of the family Orinis." Osen took two more steps. "Kano of the family Temo, Shipbuilder's Guild."

It went that way and Osen named another six young novices until he approached her and said her name with a plain voice:

"And finally, Lady Leara of Sachaka."

Upon hearing her name, all magicians in the Guildhall froze. A heavy silence fell in the room and no one dared to even sneeze. Leara tried to hold her head high, facing all the disapproving gazes and scared looks. She took a deep breath before taking a quick glance up right into the concerned eyes of Lady Sonea. The woman smiled at her warmly.

Lady Sonea was the first magician of the Guild that Leara got to know. She was the one to come to her father, the King of Sachaka, along with her apprentice and Sachakan servant. The Kyralian King wanted to incite a diplomatic relationship with Sachaka due to the Ichani incident from almost two years back. As Leara and Milan's father was himself concerned about the unexpected Ichani outbreak and that it could be directed at their court in the near future, some steps must've been taken to stop it. Even if it meant to sign an alliance with the Allied Lands.

Leara was the youngest of the three children of the Sachakan King. She was also the one with the smallest magical potential in their family. She wasn't an immediate heir to the throne, it was Milan's position. Her older sister was married to a noble and lived away for some years now. Leara was to play a similar role to her sister's, as a diplomatic tool to strengthen her father's position. Her hand was given to a young Ashaki, Kashiro, and their wedding was planed soon after the end of Leara's studies. At least it used to be the plan, before she agreed to join the Kyralian Magicians's Guild and act as a representative of the Sachakan King in Imardin after she have finished her studies.

The girl sighed weakly as she suddenly remembered where she was. Standing still in the great Guildhall, she realized that Administrator Osen ended the introductions and now the Director, a tall, tense man named Lord Jerrik stood in front of her, reciting the words of a traditional vow, which she repeated after him in clear voice. The ceremony was bound to be finished in a couple of minutes.

"As tradition states, a Guild magician may claim guardianship of a novice, to guide his or her training in the University." Jerrik spoke in calm, high-pitched voice, making Leara look up to the Higher Magicians who sat silently. Director turned to face tiers behind him. "High Lord Akkarin, do you wish to claim guardianship of any of these entrants?"

"I do not."

Director Jerrik repeated the same question in the direction of the rest of the Higher Magicians but their answer was the same.

Leara almost instinctively looked down, her unidentified hope falling into pieces. During Sonea's visit in Sachaka, Leara had a chance to exchange a few words with the black magician, mostly about her expectations concerning the time spent by Leara in the Guild. She also had to undertake the truth-reading in order to confirm the rightfulness of the King's plans. She instantly felt fond of the older woman, especially after seeing her as she treats her servant. Takan, even though he was of a lower social standings and was a Sachakan, was always regarded with the highest respect and politeness. Almost as if they were friends. Since the first meeting with Lady Sonea, Leara greatly admired the woman for her heart. Even despite the tense atmosphere between the two countries at the moment and in their whole history.

Now, she discretely wished that maybe Lady Sonea would decide to become her guardian and help her to accommodate in the strange place. Apparently she was mistaken.

No, Leara raised her chin again. She didn't need Lady Sonea to babysit her. She was a Sachakan princess, old enough to take care of herself. She couldn't let Milan see how disappointed she was and instead he should be proud of her and tell their father that she was able to fulfill his wishes. She would make her family proud of her, like they never were.

With the last words and wishes uttered by Director Jerrik, the Acceptance Ceremony officially came to an end. The nine remaining freshly-accepted novices fled to their families in a matter of seconds, leaving Leara alone in the middle of the hall. She quickly joined her brother.

"Brother."

Milan gave her a faint smile before he proceeded to leave the place. Leara rushed after him.

"Brother, wait."

Milan turned to look at her again. His face revealed what she assumed by now herself.

"Brother, aren't you going to stay longer and see me off to my quarters? I…"

"You will be good, Leara. I need to meet with the King and then I go back to Sachaka. Take care."

With that he disappeared.