Ferdinand 2nd Year Royal Academy

It was the Earthday after Lady Minerva had relieved me of my duty to train for the week. This should have been a blessing. I had time to work on my research with Hirschur, but not even my research could hold my attention for long. A restless itch thrummed in me demanding I move. I hadn't realized missing so many practices would leave me this unsettled. It seems I had grown far too used to regular exorcise. Then I saw her smug smile in my mind. Gods curse that vexing woman; my predicament now was surely her fault and part of her plan.

Snap

"My Lord?" Justus asked.

I looked down at the quill in my fingers, or what was left of it after I had snapped it from gripping too hard. I set it aside in disgust and tapped two fingers against my forehead. Trying desperately to control my temper. "I think we need to go for a walk." I needed to move, to do something before I went looking for a fight.

"Excellent idea, my lord." He immediately went and prepared everything I would need. Though I noticed everything had been sitting close at hand. Including my boots that were designated for combat. It took even less time than usual for Justus to help me get into my things further proving that he had at the very least expected this. The fact that Eckhart was already waiting outside my door was just further confirmation of this. My attendants followed me as I wandered to the school grounds, letting my feet take me where ever. Somehow, I was not surprised to find I had made my way to the apprentice knights training ground. Which should have been empty today.

Instead, there were four women standing under the pavilion at the edge of the rings. One had silver blue hair. For a moment I had the knee-jerk urge to duck back the way we had come and pray to the Gods that she did not see me. But then I realized it wasn't her. I let out my breath that I had not realized I had been holding. I approached being sure to keep a proper distance from Lady Magdalena and her guards. No need to give the wrong impression to anyone who passed by. I was distracted from those thoughts when I realized the Dunkelfelger woman was actually humming to herself. It was an odd tune I had never heard the likes of. We listened to her hum until the song was done.

"That was an interesting song." I said once she was done. "I have never heard its like before. What is it called?" The music distracted me so much that I had spoken before properly greeting her. I fought the urge to blush and promptly apologized for my rudeness.

A demure smile was perched on her lips until Lady Magdalena opened a blue folding fan and used it to cover the lower half of her face. She forgave me with no fuss even though her guards were glaring at me.

"I believe it is called, 'Hey Brother'. It was a lullaby my sister made up a long time ago."

I doubted it. Lady Minerva, while skilled, had showed no signs of being musically inclined. In fact, she had seemed very bored for the little bit of time I had seen her in music class. And the few times she had played music at tea parties the songs she had chosen were always ones that were poplar. She giggled behind the safety of her fan.

"You don't believe me, but it's true. My sister often gets underestimated in the womanlier arts. Don't let her attitude here on the training ground fool you."

"As you say, Lady Magdalena. I would never question a lady's word." It was strange to see Minerva in Magdalena and the reverse. How could two people who looked so similar be so different? Lady Magdalena was the embodiment of the refined grace and beauty of a noblewoman. Her twin on the other hand… Rude, rash, blunt, foolishly unguarded. It was almost like Lady Magdalena had stolen all of the femineity meant for both of them.

"Liar." She laughed. "Bust since they are such pretty lies; I suppose I can allow it."

She let the silence settle between us. Her gaze wandering out to the practice rings and the familiar glaive stuck into the ground of the center most ring. If that was here, she was probably not far. Or was that why Lady Magdalena was here, I wondered. Trying not to be obvious with my glance around.

"If I may, Lady Magdalena, what brings you out here? Normally it is only your sister I see here." Her red eyes flickered with… interest? Her gaze flicked subconsciously toward the glaive before returning to me. I wasn't entirely sure what that was about because she controlled her expression too quickly.

"Ah, yes. My sister has been stubborn lately." There was almost an accusation to her words. As if it was somehow my fault that vexing woman was stubborn. I was certain that she had been born more stubborn and persistent than Ewigeliebe's ice. "A request came from Klassenberg's eldest archduke candidate, for a duel. Of sorts. Sister was…" she searched for a polite way to phrase her thoughts. "Difficult about it. So, I am here to ensure things go smoothly once she wins." By smoothly she clearly meant that her sister did not insult or kill Klassenberg's golden boy. Though the former was as unlikely as Ewigeliebe releasing Geduldh from their marriage. But then I thought about what she was implying. It was one thing for Minerva to beat me and other students on a regular basis, but Victor was from a first ranked Duchy. Not to mention he was in his final year. He should be far more developed mana wise than a second-year student. So why the misplaced confidence?

"I have heard much about Victor." He was frequently a topic of conversation at the tea parties I had been invited to. "Apparently, he is an accomplished gewinnen player. Undefeated, if my memory serves me correctly. He is also the presumed next Aub of Klassenberg." Short of royalty one could not do much better. Though I did not say the last part it still hung in the air between us. The implication made Magdalena's guards furious.

"Minerva will not give up quietly, not for any man. She is a woman of Dunkelfelger." Those were bold and almost traitorous words. "Besides," I did not need to see her mouth to know a grin played across her lips. "She already has her heart set on her God of Darkness." She watched me with an odd intensity when she said that last part.

That Dunkelfelger pride was a weakness that their archduke candidates should kicked. Both sisters would be easily manipulated otherwise. That gave me a wicked idea. Chances are Minerva would have access to other materials that were hard to obtain, and I was just betting the sisters were much more alike than either of them realized. "As you say." I said with a bland noble smile. One that clearly said I did not believe her.

She chuckled. "A wager then?"

I made a show of considering her offer. Then nodded.

"I believe that my sister will not only win, but there no contest. You believe she will lose or at least allow the Klassenberg archduke candidate to save face." Yes, oddly enough she seemed to only tease me out of everyone she had fought. Everyone else was either viewed with indifference or seen pest to her. So, I doubted she would rub any victory in Klassenberg's face. Even she was not so foolish as to do otherwise. There was a worm of doubt that I shoved down.

"What would you wager?"

She snapped her fan shut and lightly tapped it against her red lips. "I think I will take inspiration from my sister. I will have you join me the following Earthday for a tea party." I had been right. The sisters were far more alike than previously expected. The few scraps of information Justus had managed to gather said that Minerva typically followed her sister, and was apathic at best to taking the Aub's seat.

"That seems agreeable. But, if I win, I would like a Winfalke egg."

"Yes, sister did say you were quite the scholar. It seems like we have a deal." She smiled at me and returned her attention to the sky. Suddenly I was very suspicious. I remembered finding the two sisters dueling in the forest and Peter had managed to drop down almost on top of me, he had been so quiet. I looked around at the surrounding buildings, noted the windows and outcroppings of the various structures. But there was nothing to be seen, not even on the roofs.

"If you are supposed to be mediating between your sister and Klassenberg, where are they?"

"They are racing their high beasts around the entire school."

I blinked temporarily lost for words.

"I see." Now I was even more confident in my chances. It was actually quite clever of the Klassenberg archduke candidate. Being that the speed of a high beast was heavily reliant on how much mana a person used it definitely gave him an edge over Minerva who was from a slightly lower ranked duchy. He would also not have to contend against Minerva's skill with a blade. I almost laughed when I realized this was likely why she was upset. Someone had out played her. Then as if some part of me sensed something wrong two memories flashed before my mind. In one Minerva was out flying half a dozen Dunkelfelger students, her scholar's ribbon. The other she was racing against death to catch the falling Frenbeltag student. I think I have errored in my judgement of the situation.

Whoosh, whoosh.

I raised my head at the familiar sound, recognizing it right way as the sound of large leather wings beating.

"Ah, here she comes now." Her tone was smug.

I squinted up at the sky and saw a dark blue smudge approaching fast and growing in size. The whoosh sound was definitely from Minerva's high beast, but the fact that we could hear it when it was still so far out meant she was pushing herself as hard as she could. Then I noticed as she came closer that her high beast looked oddly shaped, like it was carrying something. Or someone. I glanced at Magdalena who was searching the sky around her sister.

She muttered to herself. "Where is Heisshitze and Peter?"

"They must be what she's got in her high beast's claws." Now that they were closer, I could definitely see the dragon had one boy in each fore foot. One was quite animated while the other was limply swaying from the claws that held him. Then I saw four blurs coming from behind Minerva. They were still well and truly behind her, so I could only vaguely make out the shape of the lead high beast. An owl. The wind picked up as the dragon sank towards the center of the training grounds.

Once they were a few feet from the ground Heisshitze swung himself down. He managed landing with his practice sword at the ready. Fury in every bit of his stiff posture, and with his gleaming feystone armor he looked very much the part of avenging knight. Peter on the other hand was pale and dripping blood from a gash over his right eye. Then he disappeared from sight as the dragon dropped to the ground right beside Minerva's. But I noticed she kept it balanced on its hind legs so as not to crush the scholar. I caught a glimpse of Minerva as she reached down for her glaive and ripped it from the ground. The dragon's head was directed at their pursuers.

Waiting.

Once all four Klassenberg nobles were within a couple of feet from the roof height above the training ground Minerva thrust her glaive towards the heavens. A triumphant gesture. At the same time her high beast opened its jaws and screamed an ear shattering sound of defiance. It was loud and high enough to bring tears to my eyes. I was forced to clamp my hands over my ears in a desperate attempt to protect them. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Magdalena and her guards were forced to do the same. I turned my focus back to the sky just in time to watch the Klassenberg apprentice knights' high beasts vanished from underneath them. Then their archduke candidate followed suit, landing a heap in the dirt.

The scream cut off suddenly, but my ears were left ringing. Shakely, I managed to pull a potion and drink it down. After only a second the ringing stopped and I could hear again. Now I focused on Minerva who stared at her opponent before swinging herself down and around her high beast's neck. For several long moments she disappeared behind her dragon's wings. Then her high beast vanished, turning back into a stone on one of her gauntlets. Peter stood awfully close to her. She tried to discreetly pocket an empty bottle into the pouch that was secured to her thigh and failed miserably. Did she really give her scholar one of her own potions, did she truly not care what people would say?

Those thoughts died as the two of them turned to face us and I was afforded a look at her feystone armor. She looked more bestial than human. It was truly reminiscent of her high beast. Instead of plate mail she wore a surcoat in an icy white color. It went down to her knees and was made of various sized scales overlapped. Somehow, even though it also ran all the down her arms to her wrists there was no restraint in her movements. Leather cloth of a same deep blue as her cape flowed out from between the two slits in the surcoat at her waist. And her helm! Gods what was that monstrosity? It was shaped like her high beast's head, including the spiraling horns. Though these looked more like bone thanks to sharing the same white color of rest of her armor. While I could see it being intimidating, it also seemed like an absurd waste of mana. She passed her glaive to Peter and saw that the strangest extended to her gauntlets. All of the fingers had extra metal added to the finger tips that gave the appearance of claws.

She strode over to us with Heisshitze and Peter guarding her back and keeping on eye on the now moving Klassenberg students.

"There, my duty is complete." Her voice sounded tight. "I am leaving."

"Was that necessary truly, sister?"

Minerva tilted her head and I was surprised to see in the shadow of her helm her eyes flashed several different colors and a blue arura colored the air around her. "He struck first, second, and third. It was his mistake to attack me and my people and not kill me." Her voice was icier than her armor. Frost even drifted off her. "Declare the winner."

"Manners, sister." Lady Magdalena met her sister's fury with calm serene expression.

"Minerva took a deep breath. Magic circles all across her armor and hair lit up as mana was poured into them. I took a step back and Eckhart and Magdalena's guards stepped forward. But the lights dimmed as the arura vanished.

"My apologies, Lady Magdalena. I feel I am tired and forgot myself. Please allow me to go rest."

"As you wish, rest well. I declare you the winner, sister."

Lady Minerva made a small gesture of respect to her sister then walked on without so much a glance in my direction. Heisshitze followed closely behind her. It was only Peter who lingered. His injury was mostly healed, but there was still a trail of blood streaking down the side of his face.

"I hope you are well, Peter."

"Your concern is generous Lady Magdalena. Only my pride is hurt, it seems they thought to target me and Heisshitze once they realized they were too far behind."

"Ah, that explains it."

I suppose it did. If Minerva were willing to catch a student from a lower duchy who was at odds with her own, then it was reasonable that she would stop to catch her own retainers.