A/N:
In this chapter, Sonea makes a new acquaintance or two, Akkarin pines, and Lorlen, desperate to redeem himself, tries to be helpful.
Neither magicians nor novices were a rare sight in the Inner Circle, however, the man at her side most certainly was. Heads turned as they passed, and some people even stopped to gawk.
Sonea supposed that the fact that they hadn't come by carriage added to the strangeness. She'd asked Akkarin if they could walk, since their destination wasn't too far away from the Guild, and she wouldn't be able to actually see much of their surroundings if cooped up inside a carriage.
Akkarin had shrugged and replied that he didn't mind walking.
Sonea was more interested in admiring the buildings than the items on display inside the shops – it wasn't like she had any use for expensive fabrics or fancy shoes. She was stuck with wearing robes for the rest of her life. Not that she minded this much – they were comfortable.
Akkarin occasionally supplied the history behind certain buildings after having noticed her interest, sometimes adding the names of the people who lived there if they were acquaintances of his.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, Akkarin stopped in front of a book store.
"Here we are. The stationary store is just across the street from here. Just call me once you're done – or need assistance."
"I will."
He gave her a curt nod, and she bowed, conscious of the many eyes watching them. Akkarin disappeared into the store.
After checking to make sure there were no carriages approaching, Sonea briskly made her way across the street. Just as she was nearing the door, it opened, and a young maidservant came rushing out, barrelling straight into Sonea. Letting out a surprised grunt, Sonea immediately grasped hold of the other woman, and managed to keep both of them upright.
Once the initial shock had worn off, the servant let out a gasp, and hurriedly tried to extract herself from Sonea's hold. Sonea immediately let her go. The servant's eyes widened when she noticed what Sonea was wearing, and she paled visibly.
"I – I'm so sorry, my lady", she gasped as she bowed. "I didn't see you there, I – please forgive me for my blunder!"
"It's fine, nothing's happened", Sonea assured her. "You're not hurt, are you?"
"N-no, my lady, thank you. Though I am unworthy of your concern."
"I'll be the one to decide that", Sonea replied with a smile to underline the fact that she wasn't angry.
It was entirely possible that someone had told this woman that she was too low of status to deserve this kind of attention.
"Oh, no, I didn't mean to – I've never met a magician before, you see, only seen them during the Purge, so I wasn't – I – "
She was clearly rambling now, and Sonea felt a surge of pity. She didn't sound like a Dwell, but it was possible that her family had moved out of the slums at one point.
"I used to be scared of magicians, myself", Sonea replied, allowing some of her slum accent to bleed through. "After living at the Guild for almost three years, I've figured out that some of them aren't so bad."
The girl's eyes widened in astonishment. "You're the legend'ry Sonea!", she breathed.
"Uh – 'legend'ry'?"
"Yes! The slum girl turned magician! It's like straight out of a folk tale! Oh, it is such an honour to meet you, m'lady, truly! I can't wait to tell everyone!"
"Oh, ah, sure", Sonea replied, still not quite sure she understood what was happening.
When had she become a legend? She hadn't even been gone that long!
"Ah! I almost forgot – beg pardon, m'lady, but I gotta go. I haven't been working for Her Ladyship for long, and I'm s'posed to be working."
"Oh, sure, don't let me keep you", Sonea replied with a smile.
The girl sketched another quick bow, and took off at a run.
Still rather confused by what had just happened, Sonea shook her head, and entered the store.
There were only two other patrons inside – a noblewoman, and her daughter, a girl of around seven.
Sonea noticed two things about the lady straight away: She had to be the tallest woman she'd ever met, and she had much better taste than the stupid hag she'd met at the palace. While still expensive-looking, her dress favoured understated elegance over opulence – the woman at the palace had looked as though she'd been trying to dress up as a piece of festival decoration.
The little girl looked up when she heard the bells on the door chime. Her eyes widened when she spotted Sonea's robes – she looked like all of her wishes had suddenly come true. Unable to help herself, Sonea smiled at the girl, who took this as an invitation to come over.
"You're with the Guild", she breathed in awe. "Are you close to graduating? You look so grown-up."
Sonea let out a chuckle. "Yes, I'll be graduating next winter."
"That's spectacular. What discipline will you choose?"
"Healers."
The girl nodded, as though she felt that an acceptable choice. "I'll be a Warrior one day."
Sonea blinked. "Really?"
She was surprised to hear that this girl was, apparently, to join the Guild, but even more so by her conviction.
"My uncle says that I'd be a great Warrior because I'm powerful", the girl replied, her eyes shining.
"Power alone doesn't make one great", Sonea chided. "You'd have to find a goal to work toward, something that will make you great."
"Oh, I know that, of course", she replied, rolling her eyes. "My uncle said just about the same thing. And I do have a goal – I want to protect everyone."
Sonea had to admit that she was impressed. She'd never given much thought as to why people would choose her least favourite discipline – she figured that someone like Regin probably did it because he liked power. And she'd always considered Warriors to be pretty useless – they were wasting their time and magic playing war games when they could do useful things instead, like Heal people, or do research.
Given recent developments, Sonea felt that having Warriors might not be so bad after all, although she was keenly aware that none of them would last long against an Ichani.
"That's a lovely goal to have", she told the girl with a genuine smile.
The girl beamed.
The lady had, meanwhile, noticed that her daughter was no longer by her side, and turned to look for her.
"Yaryna!", she said sharply as she started moving toward them, taking long strides. "I told you not to speak with strangers, did I not?"
Yaryna jumped, though Sonea was glad to see it was out of surprise rather than fear. Still, she turned to face her mother with a contrite expression.
"It was my fault, really", Sonea interjected, immediately drawing the lady's attention. "I encouraged her to come over – which, in hindsight, I shouldn't have. I'm sorry."
The lady eyed her critically – before her gaze dropped to Sonea's sleeves. The look she gave Sonea afterwards was unreadable.
Sonea lightly placed a hand on Yaryna's shoulder to get her attention.
"Your mother is right in saying that you shouldn't talk to strangers, though, especially not in public places. Not all strangers mean well."
"But you're with the Guild!", Yaryna protested, turning to look at her.
"Wearing robes doesn't make one a good person, just as wearing rags doesn't make one a bad person", Sonea explained. "And people who mean you harm will take great care not to let anything on until it's too late. You're too small to defend yourself. I know us grown-ups have a tendency to sound like we know everything better, but do keep in mind that we know more of the world than you do, please."
Yaryna gave this some thought.
"Have you met bad magicians?"
Sonea paused for a moment before nodding.
"That's – shocking", Yaryna admitted. "I thought all magicians were good."
"You will find both good and bad people, no matter where you go. Such is life."
"Wise words", the lady observed. "Heed them well, my daughter."
"Yes, mother."
"Well then, I would like for you to tell me which one of these pens you would like to have", she said, holding out four pens.
"I can't decide! They're all so pretty!"
"You are not getting more than one."
"But I might be ambi – ambidi – "
"Ambidextrous? I suppose. However, ambidextrous people usually don't write with two pens at the same time. Therefore, you will pick one."
Sonea chuckled. Yaryna swatted at her arm, but Sonea caught her hand, laughing.
"You'll have to get up much earlier if you want to hit me", she said, a grin on her face. "Now, don't keep your poor mother waiting."
"Oh, fine." Yaryna eyed the assorted pens critically before pointing at one. "I want that one."
"Splendid", the lady replied with a smile. "Would you like to pay for the pen yourself?"
Yaryna nodded, her eyes lighting up.
"Is this your first pen?", Sonea asked.
"It is. I'm so excited!"
"I see. I need to buy a new one, myself. A wider one."
"Oh, the wide ones are over there", she replied, pointing.
"Thank you."
Yaryna grinned before accepting her mother's purse, and the chosen pen, and bouncing over to the counter.
Her mother watched her with a wistful smile. "It feels like it was only yesterday that she was a babe in my arms. Time flies."
Sonea resisted the urge to place a comforting hand on her arm. "I believe every mother feels like that", she said instead.
"I suppose." She let out a sigh before turning to Sonea. "Might I ask you something?"
"Oh, sure. What is it?"
"My daughter wishes to become a Warrior once she joins the Guild."
"Yes, she's told me."
The lady hesitated. "I have heard that this is not possible. Now, I am worried that she'll get all excited only to find her hopes dashed later."
Sonea bit her lip. "I can see why you would be worried. There is no rule saying that women can't be warriors, but – my guardian – the High Lord – told me once that all women who wanted to become Warriors in recent years were 'persuaded' to change their minds. He also said that it would be possible for me to become a Warrior with his support, as the Head of Warriors – Lord Balkan – wouldn't dare to oppose him openly, and thus make it easier for other women to become Warriors themselves – but, well, I've always wanted to be a Healer."
"I wouldn't ask you to give up your dream", the lady assured her.
Sonea gave her a smile, grateful for her understanding. "I suppose that, if your daughter had someone similarly influential backing her up, she might be able to pull this off. Also, she has about eight years until she joins the Guild, no? A lot might change in that time."
"I see. That is good to know. Incidentally, do you think the High Lord might be willing to take on novices later on? I know you're the first one he's ever shown an interest in, but maybe he's discovered that he likes it."
"Eh, I don't know. I think it's more likely he won't want to bother with any of that once he's finally rid of me", she replied, half-joking.
Akkarin can't take on another novice. I will remain his one and only favourite.
Wait. That sounded weird.
Brain, please stop being stupid.
The lady hummed.
"I'm a bit surprised you're letting her join the Guild", Sonea admitted.
"My husband was against the idea, but he found himself outnumbered. My siblings and I have decided to send at least one daughter each to the Guild."
"I'm glad to hear that."
Sonea was distracted by a carriage stopping just outside the shop, and turned to see who was arriving out of curiosity.
"Oh, that one is mine", the lady told her with a chuckle. "I sent my servant to fetch it earlier."
"Oh, so she was yours?"
"You met her?"
"Yes, we – sort of ran into each other outside the store." Sonea paused, and bit her lip. "Am I correct in assuming that she – or her family – are from the slums originally?"
"Indeed. How did you know?"
"She panicked at the sight of me – not something I'm used to, to be honest. Most Dwells feel either fear or hatred toward the Guild. She calmed down once she realised who I was, but I imagine that she'd have a very similar reaction to other magicians. Your daughter mentioned an uncle in the Guild – does he visit often?"
"Not as often as I'd like", the lady huffed.
Sonea let out a chuckle before sobering again. "I'm worried that she might have a similar – if not stronger – reaction if a magician showed up at your house."
"I see. I'll be mindful of that."
"Thank you", Sonea replied, giving the lady a genuine smile. "This means a lot to me."
Yaryna returned, a bight smile on her face.
"I did it!", she announced.
"Was that your first purchase?", Sonea asked.
"Yes! I'm so proud of myself."
"Congratulations."
"Yaryna, would you like to wait in the carriage? I still need to buy a couple of things", the lady suggested.
"Good idea. My feet are starting to hurt." She turned, and bowed to Sonea. "It was lovely meeting you. I can't wait to see you again when I join the Guild – oh, I wish I could join tomorrow!"
"You wouldn't feel at home among all those fifteen-year-olds, believe me", Sonea replied with a laugh. "I didn't, and I was only two years older."
"Isn't that a bit late to join the Guild?", the lady asked with a frown.
"It is, but my powers didn't have the decency to surface at the appropriate age."
"How inconsiderate of them", Yaryna huffed, scrunching up her nose.
"Indeed", the lady agreed. "Was the age difference truly such an issue?"
"The other novices were like children compared to me, although I don't think that would have been less of an issue if we'd been the same age, simply due to the different environments we grew up in. And they were so immature – granted, I've seen plenty of immature people in the slums, too, but we were at a university, not a bolhouse."
The lady let out a peal of laughter. "I would have never thought I'd see the day when someone from the slums would complain that members of the Houses didn't act as they ought!"
Sonea gaped at her, not sure if her mirth was genuine, or if she was trying to hide the fact that Sonea had just offended her.
Yaryna, who had grown rather impatient in the meantime, loudly announced that she was leaving, earning herself a dismissive wave from her mother, who was still laughing. She rolled her eyes, making sure Sonea saw, and left.
"I apologise for my lapse in composure", the lady said, trying to rein in her mirth. "Are you like that with the High Lord, as well?"
Sonea hesitated before giving her a nod in reply.
"Oh, he must absolutely hate this", she replied with a giggle.
"Not at all, he told me that he likes my impertinence, and that it reminds him of one of his sisters."
The lady let out a cackle. "This is the best thing I have heard all year, truly, my lady. I haven't been this diverted in a long time."
She once again tried to compose herself, although she let out the occasional giggle. Sonea tried not to get infected by her apparent good mood, or they'd never get anything done.
"I should get to it", Sonea said with an apologetic smile. "I don't know just how many books the High Lord is willing to look at before he gets bored."
"Oh, is he with you?"
"He's in the book store on the other side of the street."
"Ah, I see. By all means, don't let me keep you."
Sonea bowed, and made her way over to the section Yaryna had pointed to earlier. Remembering Akkarin's words that she should get a pen suited for her purpose regardless of the cost, pointing out that she hardly cost the Guild any money compared to most of the other novices, she tried to ignore the price tags. She picked out a couple of pens she liked, and moved to a nearby table to test them. She removed a sheet of parchment from her pocket, smoothed it out, and proceeded to trace words on it. She wasn't using any ink – she figured that the shopkeeper probably wouldn't like that, and she also had no intention of writing in front of an audience.
Sonea was testing the third pen when the clerk, who had been watching her from the counter for a while, made his way over.
"Greetings, my lady", he said with a bow. "I fear that these pens are ill-suited to one such as you – we have others, over that way, that, I believe, would suit you much better."
"No, thank you", Sonea replied without looking up.
On the inside, she was seething. She'd seen this kind of behaviour before – after Akkarin had claimed her guardianship, some of her teachers had tried to give her preferential treatment in hopes of being able to curry favour with him. Lord Elben, for example, had changed the seating order to give Sonea a spot in the first row, displacing her classmate Poril. Sonea had refused to put up with that, saying that she preferred her old seat by the window. This had led to an argument, but she had put her foot down, bluntly telling her teacher that she didn't believe that Akkarin was interested in her seating arrangements.
This man, it seemed, was just like that.
"But, my lady, please consider – "
"I said no!", Sonea replied sharply, lifting her head to give the clerk her most intense glare.
The rustling of silk and clicking of – presumably fancy – shoes alerted Sonea to the fact that the lady was approaching. She stopped right behind Sonea – which caused her to feel a sudden thrill of fear – and proceeded to look down her nose at the clerk, who seemed to wilt underneath her intense gaze.
"My dear fellow, as it seems that you have forgotten what your role here is, allow me to remind you: You are supposed to help customers find what they are looking for. You are not supposed to superimpose your opinions on them. The lady has made it clear that your interference is unwanted. And yet, you still persist? This worries me – you see, my daughter is at an age where I would soon allow her to run small errands like this herself – it would be bad if, for instance, she came home with ten new pens instead of the parchment I sent her to buy. Perhaps I should reconsider my patronage here."
The clerk visibly paled at that. "No, please, I meant no offence, Lady Ve- "
"Well, you could have fooled me."
"I – uh, I just remembered that I, uh, urgently need to organise the storehouse."
"Don't let me keep you", the lady purred.
The man sketched a quick bow, and all but fled.
"I apologise if I overstepped", the lady said softly as she moved to stand next to Sonea, and turned to face her. "However, you seemed like you were – " she paused and appeared to be reconsidering her words – "you looked like you might need some support."
"Thank you, truly", Sonea replied with a smile.
She wasn't used to people coming to her rescue like that.
"However, I learned how to haggle at my uncle's knee – and I can drive a mean bargain if I have to. I would have been able to handle that man myself."
"Oh, in that case, I almost regret my interference. I would have loved to see that."
"I'm not nearly as harmless as I may look", Sonea replied with a smirk.
"Oh, certainly. Still, that clerk's behaviour was out of line. I believe I shall visit another store to buy the things I still need. Will you be fine if I leave you?"
"I think so. Especially as long as he continues to 'organise his storehouse'. If he decides to bother me again, I could just ask the High Lord to come over. That should put him on his very best behaviour."
"Oh, I have no doubts about that whatsoever. Well then, I take my leave. It was a pleasure conversing with you, my lady", the noblewoman said, bowing.
"Oh, ah, the pleasure's all mine", Sonea replied, returning the greeting.
She thought she saw a fleeting smile on the lady's face before she swept from the store in a swirl of silk.
Shaking her head, not entirely sure she understood what had just happened, Sonea went back to trying out pens.
She ruled two out almost instantly, but it took her a while to decide which one of the remaining ones she liked best. Suddenly, she could understand Yaryna's struggles.
— Akkarin!
— Sonea.
— I'm done.
— I'll be there presently.
Sonea busied herself with putting the pens she had no intention of buying back into their boxes. When she heard the bell chime, she turned to face Akkarin, who was carrying what appeared to be a stack of books, each of them wrapped in paper.
"New books?", she asked, arching a brow.
"I trust you've seen the sorry state of my library", he quipped, his eyes shining.
"Oh, I have, indeed. We desperately need more books."
He let out a chuckle. "One can never own too many books."
"Unless one runs out of space to put them in."
"I suppose. May I see the pen you chose?"
"Oh, sure."
Sonea held it out for his inspection.
Akkarin eyed the pen critically before pronouncing that it would probably meet Lorlen's requirements, and that it was quite pretty.
"Oh, you're right", Sonea observed. "I hadn't been paying attention to that."
He let out a huff, but agreed that the pen's outward appearance was hardly its most important quality.
He made the books float behind him as he approached the counter. Sonea followed, and placed the pen on the counter. Akkarin rung the bell, and it didn't take long for the clerk to return. His steps faltered for a moment when he spotted Akkarin, but he quickly plastered what he probably thought was his most winning smile onto his face.
"High Lord! What an exquisite pleasure!"
Akkarin stared at the man, completely and utterly unimpressed.
Sonea cleared her throat.
"I've chosen this one."
"Ah, certainly, allow me to wrap it up for you, my lady!"
Akkarin asked for the price, and Sonea did her best to tune out the clerk's answer. Despite Akkarin's earlier words, she still felt like it was a colossal waste to pay so much for a simple writing tool.
The number of people I could feed with this money! No. Don't go there. Remember what Rothen said. Money won't change how things are. The whole system has to change.
As soon as the transaction was complete, Sonea pocketed the pen, and gave Akkarin a look to indicate that she wanted to leave. Akkarin stashed his purse back inside his robes, tucked the books under his arm and gave the clerk a curt greeting. The door opened at his approach, and Sonea followed him outside.
"Are you all right?", Akkarin asked when she fell in step next to him.
"That man seriously tried the limits of my patience", Sonea huffed. "He was so insufferable, another customer cut him down to size."
"I see. Would you like to return to the Guild?"
"Yes – that is, unless you still have some unfinished business?"
"No, I have everything."
"In that case, I would like to return home."
His lips curled in a smile. "Lorlen will be disappointed that I didn't show you every nook and cranny."
"Lorlen can go – bugger off. I'm done for the day."
Akkarin let out a chuckle as he led her back the way they'd come.
The carriage rocked to a halt in front of the university entrance. Tapping her foot impatiently, Chessea waited for the footman riding on the back of the carriage to get in position, hating the fact that she couldn't just get out on her own. Granted, current Kyralian fashion wasn't quite as awful as what her mother still wore, but Chessea was still dressed in several layers, and there were people outside – if she just descended from the carriage on her own, there'd be talk.
"Here we are, my lady", the footman said.
"Thank you. Wait until I have reached my destination, then proceed to the stables. I wish to surprise my brother, and a carriage is hardly inconspicuous."
"As you wish, my lady."
Chessea hiked up her skirts and strode along the road. Soon enough, she could see the residence peeking out from between the trees. Chessea smiled in a sly manner. Following the previous day's events, she had questions, and she wanted them answered.
She was familiar with the residence, having visited a number of times, although it had been a while since her last visit. Chessea had been busy managing a crowd of children.
She let herself inside and took in the room. She had intended to question Akkarin concerning his novice – she had not expected to find said novice curled up in one of the armchairs, a book in her lap.
Chessea blinked. She had never seen anyone sit in a chair like this – the young woman's back was braced against one of the armrests, and her feet were dangling off the other one. Her boots were standing next to the chair.
Having no doubt heard the door open and close, the novice placed a bookmark in the book and closed it. Glancing at the title, Chessea realised that this was a book that had only recently been published – Akkarin had certainly not wasted any time in securing a copy for himself.
The young woman looked up, and her expression shifted into one of surprise before recognition flashed across her face. She quickly placed the book on the table in between the chairs and stood, forgetting to put the boots on.
"You! We met yesterday, at the stationary shop."
"Indeed. I fear I owe you an apology – it was remiss of me not to introduce myself earlier, and I must admit that I purposefully concealed my identity. I am Chessea of House Velan – the High Lord is my older brother", Chessea said with a bow.
Her eyes widened in surprise, then, a grin spread over her face.
"You're his favourite sister!"
"Oh, has he mentioned me?"
"A couple of times."
"Only good things, I hope."
"Of course", she replied, her eyes shining.
Chessea let out a chuckle. "You must forgive me – I know who you are, of course, but I fear your name has eluded me."
"Oh, ah, I'm Sonea."
She seemed to remember that she'd forgotten to bow, and hurriedly corrected that.
"What a lovely name."
"Um, thanks?"
She looked very much out of her element. Chessea decided to put her out of her misery.
"I came to see my brother."
"Oh, well, he's not here", Sonea replied, shifting her weight.
"Ah. I should have made an appointment, I suppose – but I meant to surprise him."
"Well, you've certainly managed to surprise me", Sonea muttered. "Hang on. Wait here."
She took off across the room, still not wearing boots, and opened a door hidden in the shadows. Beyond lay what appeared to be the kitchen. Sonea spoke to whoever was inside, and soon returned with a man in tow. Chessea remembered having seen him before, but couldn't recall his name, much to her annoyance.
"Lady Chessea", he said with a bow. "Lady Sonea has informed me that you came to see the High Lord. I'm afraid he's currently attending a meeting with the Higher Magicians, and I do not know when he'll return."
"I don't mind waiting", Chessea replied placidly.
Getting to talk to Sonea herself was almost as good as questioning Akkarin about her.
Unfortunately, it seemed as though her brother's favourite, who was hovering behind the servant, didn't share her enthusiasm, for her facial expression changed minutely.
"Takan", she hissed, tugging on his sleeve. "I don't know what to do! Nobles have rules for everything, so there have to be rules for this, but I don't know them!"
She sounded like she was on the verge of a panic.
Chessea was surprised before remembering that this young woman, despite her outward appearance, had been raised in the slums – it was entirely possible that no-one had ever taught her how to host guests, as novices weren't in the habit of doing such a thing.
"Don't panic, my lady. Take a deep breath", Takan implored, turning around to face her. "This isn't so hard, and I can tell you what to do. So calm down, please."
It was interesting to see just how quickly he managed to calm her. A few deep breaths later, Sonea appeared markedly more at ease.
"Right. I survived a surprise audience with the King. I'll be fine. Oof."
Before Chessea had the time to ask what this was all about, Takan launched into a lecture.
"Ordinarily, it falls to the head of a household – in our case, the High Lord – to entertain guests. If the head of the household is absent, the next person in the hierarchy takes over that duty – usually, this is a wife or a son, sometimes a daughter, depending on the culture. Of course, children who are not yet out in society are not expected to do something like this. Since the High Lord doesn't have any family living here, this would, ordinarily, mean that we would have to ask the guests to come back at a later time. However, you are a member of this household, and one with status, too. As a result, it falls to you to host our guest."
"I had a feeling you were going to say that", Sonea muttered.
"Hosting guests in itself isn't terribly difficult. As hostess, it would be your task to make sure the guests are comfortable. For starters, it would be a good idea to offer drinks – people who have been travelling for a while tend to be exhausted and thirsty when they arrive.
"Depending on how long the visit lasts, you could offer some small snacks at a later point. And, if the visit lasts especially long, you might want to invite them to join you for a meal, that is, if they are close to the family. You wouldn't invite a casual acquaintance to eat with you. That being said, it is always a good idea to check with the kitchen to make sure there is enough food available. I am happy to report that we have enough food stored that Lady Chessea could stay for the evening meal if she so chose."
Sonea nodded her head along with all that, looking markedly less distressed.
"All right, I can do that. Thank you, Takan – have I mentioned that you're the absolute best?"
"Would you like the total number for today, or in general?", Takan asked, clasping his hands behind his back and tilting his head to the side.
Sonea let out a giggle, and playfully nudged his shoulder as she moved past him.
"So. Lady Chessea, allow me to offer you some refreshments", Sonea said, trying her best to appear confident, although Chessea could still see some lingering unease. "We have wine, obviously – only the best Anuren dark for the High Lord – sumi, and a variety of fruit juices."
"I'll take sumi."
"Right. Some water for me, Takan."
"As you command, my lady."
Takan bowed, and vanished into the kitchen.
"You do not drink sumi?", Chessea asked, surprised.
"No, I don't like the taste."
"I can't imagine that you drink water in the mornings."
"No, I have raka", Sonea replied. "Most magicians dislike the smell, though, so I usually refrain from drinking it in the presence of others."
Chessea's features softened. "You need not hold back on my account, Lady Sonea."
"Are you sure?"
"Very much so."
That earned her a brilliant smile, and Sonea once more took off across the room.
She's certainly energetic.
Sonea was back moments later, and spotted her boots next to the chair. With a perplexed look on her face, she glanced down at her feet, and blushed furiously when she realised she'd been running around without proper footwear.
She quickly strode over to the chair and put her boots on. Chessea suppressed a chuckle – it wouldn't do to make her hostess uncomfortable.
"I can pretend that I didn't notice, if it helps", she offered.
Sonea grimaced. "I always mess up something", she sighed.
"Not at all, I think you're doing a marvellous job so far, given that this is your first time hosting a guest. I fell so sorry for catching you off-guard like this – if I'd known, I'd have made an appointment. I was honestly not expecting Akkarin to be away."
"It's fine, I'll live. Uh, do sit down. Please."
"Thank you."
They settled into the chairs. Not long after, Takan returned with their drinks. Sonea moved the book to make room for the tray. Chessea poured herself a cup, watching curiously as Sonea picked up a mug containing a black liquid. She took a whiff, and her eyes almost rolled back with delight.
Takan bent down to whisper something in Sonea's ear. She shook her head before thanking him. Takan bowed, and took his leave.
"I have to admit I'm mighty curious now", Chessea said, leaning forward. "Might I smell it?"
"Oh, sure."
Sonea held the mug out, and Chessea took a cautious whiff.
"Hm, not too bad."
"Maybe this is a family thing", Sonea replied with a chuckle. "Your brother drinks raka."
"He does? I wasn't aware."
Sonea hummed, but didn't elaborate.
"I had wanted to thank you for being so kind to my daughter yesterday", Chessea said after taking a sip of sumi. "She was very taken with you."
"Oh, ah, don't mention it. And she's lovely, too. Heh, a lot of things suddenly make sense, in hindsight. Like the thing about her wanting to become a Warrior. He tried to put me up to that, too, but gave up rather quickly after I told him I didn't want to."
"I'm glad to hear that. I'd have to speak with him otherwise."
Sonea let out another chuckle. "Speaking of Yaryna, maybe being the High Lord's niece will be enough of an incentive to get Lord Balkan to yield", she mused. "And, for what it's worth, I'd help her in any way I can, although I'm doubtful that I'll have a lot of influence."
"Do you think any of the other Higher Magicians might be willing to support her in this?"
"Lady Vinara might, especially if Yaryna doesn't want to become a Healer – she'd try to recruit her, herself, otherwise. I don't know about Lord Sarrin. The Administrator might be persuaded to help, seeing how he's Akkarin's friend."
"Might the Administrator be persuaded to take on Yaryna as his novice?"
"That's a bad idea. He's already working too much and delegating too little. I fear he will keel over if he takes on a novice's training on top of that. Plus, in eight years he'll be, what, forty? My point is that he's not going to get any younger."
"Ah, I can see how that might be a problem. Lorlen has always been very dedicated – he was constantly trying to best Akkarin, you must know, but he never succeeded."
"Is that so?", Sonea asked, her eyes lighting up. "I knew they've been friends since forever, but I didn't know they were rivals, as well."
"Indeed. But, alas, no matter what he tried, Akkarin always came in first place. Lorlen even once confided in me that Akkarin was more popular with the ladies", she told Sonea in a conspirational tone, leaning closer to her.
"Oh, my", the younger woman replied, eyes wide. "Well, I suppose he can rest easy knowing that both of them wound up old – uh – gents? What's the opposite of an old maid?"
"We normally use the word 'bachelor'", Chessea replied with a giggle.
"Right. That."
Strangely enough, Sonea didn't seem to find this terribly diverting, her expression becoming almost wistful. However, before Chessea got the chance to ask, Sonea roused herself, and shook her head as though to dispel the thoughts that had plagued her. She was about to say something when the door clicked open, and Akkarin swept into the room, looking not at all surprised to see his sister.
"Chessea", he said, his eyes sparkling. "What an unexpected pleasure."
"Akkarin!", she exclaimed, putting down her cup before rising to her feet. "You could at least have the decency to pretend to be surprised after I went through all the trouble to come here."
"You ought to know that I like to be well-informed."
"Yes, yes, whatever. It has been far too long – what do I have to do to get you to attend a family meal?"
"You could get Mother to stop pestering me about grandchildren", Akkarin suggested.
Chessea was about to make a witty reply to that when, behind her, Sonea started coughing. Chessea spun around to see that she had just taken as sip of raka, and by now, she was choking on it.
The next moment, Akkarin was by her side, taking the mug from her hand before grasping it in his. A fruit bowl came soaring across the room, spilling the contents as it went, and Akkarin put the bowl in front of Sonea. She immediately started vomiting raka, which was, admittedly, not a pretty sight.
Takan came running out of the kitchen, a worried look on his face.
As soon as Sonea had expelled all the raka from her lungs, Akkarin handed the bowl to Takan, who took off with it. Sonea was still gripping Akkarin's hand tightly enough to leave a bruise. She was crying, and panting hard, as though she'd just participated in a race. However, it didn't take long for her breathing to even out, and her grip on Akkarin's hand loosened.
"Goodness, Lady Sonea, are you all right?", Chessea asked, worried.
"Yes, yes, I'm fine now", Sonea rasped. "I just forgot that I was supposed to drink the raka, not inhale it, silly me."
She let out a rueful chuckle, giving Akkarin's hand a squeeze before pulling away.
Takan came hurrying back into the room, and Akkarin instructed him to take Sonea upstairs, so she could rest.
"Yes, High Lord. Can you walk, my lady?"
"I think so. I still feel a little out of breath, though."
"No surprise there", Takan muttered. "I was worried you were dying."
Sonea rose to her feet a little unsteadily, and Takan shadowed her as she made her way upstairs.
Chessea frowned. "They seem quite familiar with each other."
"Takan has decided that Sonea is his younger sister – although the age difference is a bit big."
"How old is he?"
"Thirty-seven."
"And Sonea?"
"Almost twenty."
"That's not too big a gap", Chessea replied.
"I suppose. Well then, why are you here? I doubt you dropped by simply because you missed me so much."
"You're so cruel, brother", Chessea lamented as she retook her seat. "But you are also correct – the reason I came to visit is Sonea, actually."
"Explain", Akkarin replied as he settled down in the other chair.
"I took Yaryna to buy her first pen yesterday, and met your novice at the stationary shop, completely by accident. We had quite a lovely conversation. She was very kind to Yaryna, who, in turn, has decided to like her."
Akkarin looked surprised for a moment. Then, a strange gleam entered his eyes. "So, you were the one who cut that clerk down to size, I take it?"
"Indeed. He had the audacity to disrespect your novice's wishes. I had to say something. Although she told me, later, that she could have handled him. I did regret my interference, then, as I would have loved to see that."
"Sonea didn't mention that the clerk had bothered her", Akkarin replied with a frown. "I had assumed that he'd offended you, instead."
"Maybe she was worried you'd set out to destroy the poor man's life if she told you. He was already in quite a state after I was done with him."
"I don't doubt it. Still, I'd wish she'd tell me these things."
"Does she not trust you?"
"No, rather, I think she's worried that she might be a bother. She always tries her hardest to cause the people around her as little trouble as possible. Has a habit of apologising to servants, things like that."
"Oh, my. That is actually quite adorable, when you think about it."
"I suppose."
"You suppose. Oh, come off it, Akkarin."
He let out a huff, but made no further comment.
"I was surprised by her treatment of Yaryna, in a good way", Chessea mused. "She didn't lose her cool even when Yaryna tried to hit her – not very hard, mind you – but I can't think of many adults who would react in such a calm, playful manner."
"Sonea appears to have an innate ability to connect well with children", Akkarin replied. "I've come to suspect that this may be linked to her seemingly boundless kindness. When I took her to the palace, she somehow ended up with a noble's son sleeping on her lap."
"Goodness", Chessea replied with a giggle. "I'll have to ask her how that came about. But -why do you suspect it to be an innate ability?"
"Because Sonea herself has no experience with children. She has no siblings, and her aunt and uncle only just had children of their own."
"Isn't that a bit late?", Chessea asked with a frown.
"I imagine they couldn't afford to have children while they were still caring for Sonea due to monetary constraints", Akkarin replied quietly. "Children are expensive, I'm told."
"Oh, that's certainly true", Chessea huffed. "So, Sonea grew up with her aunt and uncle, then? Why?"
"According to what I know, her mother died when she was still little, and her father dumped her at her aunt's."
"That's highly irresponsible."
"Indeed. Neither Sonea nor her aunt seem to think too highly of him. And Sonea does not appear to miss him, either – besides, she's found a father figure here, at the Guild – Lord Rothen, who was her guardian before me."
"Rothen… I don't think I know that name. But good for her, I suppose."
"He has a son around Elyssa and Danea's age."
"Oh, I see. That would explain it, then."
The next moment, a movement in her peripheral view caught her attention – Sonea had made her way back downstairs, looking much better than before. She hovered near the stairs, as though unsure whether she should be there.
"Lady Sonea! Are you feeling any better?"
"Yes, thank you for asking, Lady Chessea. Sorry for worrying you."
"There is still some of your raka left, if you'd like to finish that?", Akkarin asked.
"Oh, sure."
He held the mug out, and Sonea came over to take it. Moments later, the raka started steaming.
"Oops. That was a bit too much magic", Sonea said with a grimace.
"Moderation, Sonea."
"Oh, shut up."
Chessea just barely managed to contain her laughter. This was hilarious.
"I'd ask you to join us, my lady, but my brother has failed to account for the possibility that more than two people at a time might want to make use of his guestroom", she said with the straightest face she could manage.
Akkarin let out an unamused huff.
"Don't worry, I can manage", Sonea replied.
She started moving around Akkarin's chair before stopping, a frown on her face.
"There's something I think I should tell you", she said to Akkarin.
"Go on."
She hesitated for a moment before making her way over to him. She bent down and whispered something in his ear. Akkarin nodded.
"Thank you, Sonea."
She gave him a brief smile, turned away and settled down on the floor cross-legged, facing the siblings.
Chessea blinked, surprised. This was not what she had expected.
Akkarin had taken note of her reaction, looking thoroughly amused.
"You should give up your chair instead of making a lady sit on the floor", Chessea chided.
"I don't recall 'making' her sit on the floor."
"Oh, would you rather have her remain standing?"
"It's fine, I don't mind", Sonea interjected.
Chessea let out a huff. Akkarin looked smug. Far too smug.
"I see you found one of the new books", he said, turning to look at Sonea.
"I hope you weren't seriously thinking that you could hide them from me", she shot back.
"Do you think you can find them all?"
"Is that a challenge?"
"Try your best."
Chessea let out a chuckle, which caused both her brother and Sonea to look at her with identical looks of surprise.
"Yes, I'm still here", she said with a grin.
"Oh, I'm so sorry", Sonea began, looking like she was about to launch into a lengthy apology.
"Don't worry about it", Chessea replied, waving a hand dismissively. "It was rather entertaining to watch."
"I am glad to be able to provide you with entertainment, dearest sister", Akkarin said dryly.
"You had better be. I am, after all, your guest."
Sonea let out a giggle, drawing their attention.
"I'm honestly surprised, in hindsight, that I didn't figure out you two were related when we met yesterday. You even have the same eyes!"
"These things are usually more plain to see in hindsight", Chessea replied with a shrug.
Akkarin frowned, and narrowed his eyes at Chessea. "As I recall, Sonea only spoke of 'another customer', meaning she must have been unaware of your identity. Were you testing her?"
"No. I will readily admit that I concealed my identity from her on purpose, but I expected her behaviour toward me to change the moment she became aware of who I was. I wanted to give us the chance to just be ourselves, as much as we could."
Akkarin's frown remained in place, but he looked slightly less displeased.
"For what it's worth, I'm certain that I would have felt an enormous amount of pressure if I'd known I was talking to your sister. Especially this one. I'd have been terrified of making a mistake, or seeming too weird, or – well. You know me."
Akkarin let out a hum.
"Do you get flustered easily?", Chessea asked. "You seemed very much at ease yesterday."
"That depends on the situation. I was on the verge of a panic when the King suddenly decided that he wanted to speak with me – especially since I didn't know court etiquette. I was terribly worried that I'd mess things up, and that my behaviour would reflect badly on your brother. I struggle similarly in situations that I'm not prepared for. Which is quite normal, I suppose, but – well. I have a few insecurities to battle."
"What do you have to be insecure about?", Chessea asked with a frown.
"A lot of things", Sonea replied with a grimace. "I'm aware that not all of them are rational, but they still burden me. I think I'm getting better at some of them, though."
"You are", Akkarin interjected. "Don't sell yourself short."
Sonea flushed slightly at Akkarin's rather blunt praise.
"As for why I was so much at ease yesterday – I think that might have been because of your daughter, actually. I would have never started a conversation with you, but talking to her was easy, and nice."
"I see", Chessea replied.
"Sea, would you like to stay for the evening meal? You don't seem in a great hurry to leave", Akkarin asked.
"I'd love to", Chessea replied with a brilliant smile.
Not long after, Takan emerged from the kitchens to ask if any of them needed anything, and Sonea asked for more raka. Akkarin took the opportunity to let his servant know that Chessea would be staying for the meal, and instructed him to set another place at the table.
Takan bowed, and assured him that it would be done.
Once Sonea had got a fresh mug of her favourite drink, she fixed Akkarin with a quizzical look.
"So, I take it you're the uncle who put little Yaryna up to becoming a Warrior", she said.
Akkarin let out a chuckle. "Yaryna is about as powerful as you are. She would make a formidable Warrior. And, seeing as how I'll be deprived of the look on Lord Balkan's face when I present you to him as a future Warrior, I intend to do this with my niece, instead."
Sonea snorted. Chessea rolled her eyes.
"Stop acting like you only hatched that plan yesterday. You have been saying that Yaryna should become a Warrior ever since you've tested her. Two years ago."
Sonea started laughing, and almost fell over.
"Try not to choke on anything else tonight, if you would", Akkarin told her dryly. "I've noticed a rather alarming tendency that you tend to choke on food or drink in my presence."
"I'll have you know that I don't do that for the fun of it", Sonea groused, sobering. "And, for the record, I don't recommend inhaling raka. It's not very pleasant."
"Duly noted", Akkarin replied. "I shall keep that in mind."
"Sonea told me you drink raka", Chessea observed.
"I developed a taste for it during my travels."
"Is that so?"
"I would love to say that this was all due to my horribly corrupting influence", Sonea interjected. "But, as it turns out, he was already like this before I moved in."
"Corrupting influence? Whatever do you mean?", Chessea replied with a frown.
"Oh, well, after I announced my decision to stay and attend the university, some magicians voiced their concerns that I might 'corrupt' the other novices in some form or other. Some of them were rather specific."
Even though she tried to brush it off, Chessea could tell that these words had affected her, were still paining her, years later.
"Preposterous", she huffed, earning her a surprised look from the younger woman. "I could tell that you were a good person from the moment we met."
"Thank you", Sonea replied softly, an almost shy smile on her face. "Although it's usually easier to just assume what you will about someone, without bothering to get to know them. I have been guilty of just that, I'm afraid. On several occasions."
"Have you learned from it, now that you are aware that you have been doing this?"
"I hope so. It would be very embarrassing if I did it another time."
"Well, that's good. There is nothing wrong with making mistakes as long as you learn from them."
"Ah, but some mistakes have grave consequences", Sonea replied with a sigh.
"Goodness. Someone as young as yourself should not have to worry about such things."
"I suppose. But life doesn't always care about that."
Chessea eyed the novice thoughtfully. She could see why Sonea would have had trouble interacting with younger novices – she was extremely grown-up for her age. She couldn't think of many twenty-year-olds who possessed the same amount of maturity. They were certainly forced to act as expected once they got married, but that didn't change the fact that they were, at heart, still rather immature.
Akkarin had watched their exchange without uttering a word, an unreadable look on his face.
They lapsed into silence after that, although it was a rather comfortable one. Both Sonea and Akkarin seemed lost in their thoughts.
Not long after, Takan appeared to announce that the meal was almost ready. Akkarin rose to his feet and extended a hand to Sonea, helping her stand. Chessea rose as well, and Akkarin led the way upstairs. There were no lamps inside the stairwell, nor in the corridor upstairs – which made sense, considering that this house had been built for magicians. Akkarin created a globe-light to enable them to see, and Chessea lifted her skirts as she followed him up the stairs.
"I honestly don't envy you for having to wear something like that", Sonea's voice sounded from behind. "I dread the day I'll get my magicians' robes – I bet the first thing I'm going to do is trip down a flight of stairs and break my neck."
Chessea let out a chuckle. "It is only a matter of practise, like with every other skill. You may think that you are disadvantaged because you have never worn a dress like this before, but I assure you, neither have any of the men. My brother is still alive. You have nothing to worry about."
Akkarin let out an annoyed huff. Sonea giggled.
Upon entering the dining room, however, Chessea stopped dead when she noticed how the places had been set. Akkarin, who hadn't noticed her stopping, was walking toward the head of the table. Sonea brushed past Chessea, and took the chair opposite him – the one usually reserved for the master's wife – without any hesitation whatsoever.
Recovering, Chessea forced herself to move lest the two of them notice that something was amiss. Her own place was on Akkarin right and Sonea's left, in the middle of the table. As she took her seat, Chessea shot her brother a look. He caught her eye, and lightly shook his head. Chessea pursed her lips, but decided to keep quiet – for now.
It occurred to her, then, that Sonea, having only just learned how to host guests, was probably unaware of the rules behind seating arrangements. If Chessea spoke up, she would risk making her hostess uncomfortable, something she'd rather wish to avoid.
Akkarin, however, deserved to be made uncomfortable for doing something like this.
Then again, Akkarin and Sonea were the only people living here, and their relationship certainly defied the usual norms. It was possible that Akkarin had placed her opposite him simply for convenience – it was easier to talk to someone seated directly across from you, after all.
As Takan brought in the first dish, it occurred to Chessea that it was strange for the Guild to permit this – a young, unmarried woman living together with a not quite as young, but equally unmarried man (and his servant). Now, Chessea knew that her brother would never do anything dishonourable, but that didn't mean that the rest of the Guild knew this – or cared.
"Akkarin, may I ask you something?"
"Of course", he replied with a chuckle. "And, if you're very lucky, I might even answer."
Chessea rolled her eyes. "I seem to remember that all of the previous high lords' favourites were male. You've certainly broken tradition by picking a female one."
"You are correct", her brother replied.
"Seriously?", Sonea chimed in, sounding annoyed. "I guess none of the girls were good enough for them…"
Akkarin immediately agreed that the Guild's leadership had always tended to be male-dominated, and that those in power had liked to groom male successors.
Chessea blinked. This was the second time that Sonea had, rather effectively, wrecked a conversation, although she was rather certain that it hadn't been deliberate just now – rather, Sonea had just spoken her mind, causing the conversation to drift away from what Chessea had been saying.
She was, however, fairly certain that Sonea had done it deliberately earlier. She suppressed a smile – with practice, Sonea might become skilled enough to direct a conversation as she pleased.
They started eating the first course – Chessea and Sonea waited until Akkarin had served himself before lading their own plates with food – and Chessea soon found herself complimenting the taste.
"Takan is an excellent cook", Akkarin said with visible pride.
Sonea nodded in agreement. "And I thought the food at the Foodhall was great."
"And Takan does all the cooking by himself?"
"Not just the cooking", Akkarin replied. "He runs the entire residence – the only room not under his purview is Sonea's bedroom – she has her own servant."
Chessea relaxed marginally at hearing that. Having a man perform the duties of a lady's maid would be improper, no matter how well Sonea and Takan got along.
When Takan went to refill their glasses the next time, Sonea made a slight motion with her hand. Takan returned the decanter to the sideboard, and approached Sonea with a carafe filled with water instead.
"Low tolerance for alcohol?", Chessea asked after Takan had left the room.
"I'm afraid so", Sonea replied with a grimace. "And yes, I know I could just Heal it away", she added, giving Akkarin a pointed look, "but I prefer to drink in moderation."
Akkarin threw his napkin at Sonea. She caught it with magic.
"Thanks! I always wanted two of those", she said with a grin, placing the napkin next to her plate.
"Give it back."
"No. You relinquished it, and I claimed it, fair and square."
There was a challenge in her eyes. Akkarin's own eyes lit up in response, and Chessea remembered how competitive he'd been as a boy.
He narrowed his eyes, and his napkin rose into the air. However, just as it started moving toward him, Sonea fixed her gaze on the piece of cloth, causing it to stop.
What followed was basically the magical equivalent of a tug of war, both sides trying to claim the napkin as their own. Chessea didn't know much about magic, but given the intense look on Sonea's face, it seemed like she was using more strength than Akkarin, who appeared to be rather relaxed.
They continued playing their game for a while until Sonea suddenly sagged in her chair, and the napkin shot toward Akkarin, who caught it.
"Are you all right, Lady Sonea?", Chessea asked with a worried frown.
Sonea gave her a somewhat tired, but happy smile. "I'm fine, don't worry. It takes more than this to wear me out. But thank you."
Chessea let out a huff before turning on her brother. "Did you have to do this? Just look at the poor dear."
Akkarin seemed entirely unimpressed by Chessea's accusation. The "poor dear" in question let out a chuckle, and sat up a little straighter.
"It's my own fault, really, for picking a fight I knew I was bound to lose. Your brother was just indulging me, you know, he could have ended our 'fight' within a moment, if he'd wanted to."
"Is that so?"
"He is more powerful than I am", Sonea replied with a shrug, "and there is nothing I can do about it. There are ways for weaker magicians to defeat stronger ones, naturally, but this was a contest of strength. Nothing much can be done there."
"Ah, I see."
"It was fun, though", Sonea added.
Akkarin let out a chuckle. "You needn't worry about Sonea, dear sister, she is more than capable of holding her own."
Sonea blushed.
"Oh! Lest I forget – Lady Sonea, you have to tell me about your trip to the palace."
Sonea let out a groan, but obliged. She and Akkarin took turns telling of the events that had transpired. Chessea found the whole story perfectly delightful until they got to the part where the aforementioned little boy's mother had just casually assumed that Sonea had birthed children before.
It took a while for the meaning to sink in. Then, Chessea's face darkened with anger.
Akkarin had noticed, and cleared his throat. "I am still waiting to see if the King will act – his Eyes would have reported that incident to him. If he does not, I will."
Chessea well knew the look in his eyes.
"Do let me know if you do, I would like to accompany you", she said with a sharp smile.
Sonea made a small sound. Chessea turned to face her, and was shocked to see tears gathering in her eyes.
"Oh, no, I didn't mean to – please, don't cry – "
"No, no, I just – I'm touched, really. I – wasn't expecting this."
"Sonea had a hard time accepting me saying that I would defend her against slander. To her, you're still practically a stranger", Akkarin added softly.
Sonea gave Chessea a watery smile, and dabbed at her eyes with her napkin.
Chessea was speechless. This was an ordinary kindness, in her book – something as simple as this should not be enough to move someone to tears.
Who did this to you? Who reduced you to such a state where kindness surprises you?
She exchanged a look with Akkarin, hoping to be able to communicate her feelings while Sonea was distracted.
The younger woman perked up immediately when Takan brought in the dessert, however, much to Chessea's amusement. Not that she disagreed with that mindset, but it was nice to see how quickly she could be cheered up.
Takan shot her a worried look, no doubt having noticed her reddened eyes, but said nothing.
Since Sonea's spirits were still a bit dampened, Akkarin wrapped up the tale of Sonea's misadventure with King Merin. He concluded that the King had realised that Sonea was valuable, and could be useful to him. Chessea agreed with him, although the fact that he was unlikely to hamper Sonea's plans for opening a hospice in the slums was good news.
Chessea decided to evaluate Sonea's dream at a later point.
Once they had finished eating, they sat in silence for a while. Chessea felt pleasantly full. Sonea was humming to herself, somewhat off-key. Akkarin was smiling, although Chessea wasn't entirely sure why.
"Well, as lovely as this evening has been, I have to take my leave now", Chessea announced after a while. "Yaryna will refuse to go to sleep until I have told her everything."
Akkarin let out a chuckle. "Don't let me keep you. And pass on my well-wishes to your family."
They stood, and filed out into the corridor. However, instead of moving toward the nearest staircase, Sonea edged away in the opposite direction.
"I'd like to retire", she said softly. "I feel rather exhausted."
"Of course", Akkarin replied. "Sleep well, Sonea."
She gave him a smile before turning to face Chessea. Chessea reached out with both hands and Sonea, after a brief moment of hesitation, placed her hands in hers.
"I would like to express what a delight it was to make your acquaintance, Lady Sonea", she told the younger woman earnestly.
"Oh, ah, likewise", she replied, that shy smile back on her face. "I was, admittedly, very curious after everything I'd heard, but never thought I'd actually get to meet you."
"Well, these things happen", Chessea replied with a chuckle. "Don't let me keep you. Rest well, Lady Sonea."
"Thank you. Have a safe trip home."
Sonea pulled her hands free from Chessea grasp, bowed, and disappeared into a room further down the corridor.
Chessea followed Akkarin back downstairs. As soon as they had reached their destination, she grabbed his arm.
"What did they do to her?", she hissed, eyes flashing.
"You wouldn't like it if I told you", he replied in a quiet voice. "Suffice to say, some magicians were against her joining us from the start. After Sonea awakened her powers, we held a Meet to discuss what to do about her. The majority of the magicians were in favour of teaching her Control, binding her powers, and sending her back to the slums. And some of those were already speculating about what 'vices' she might spread.
"In the end, it was decided to give her a choice – to join us, or return to her previous life. Still, some people tried to get rid of her by using rather underhanded means – by blackmailing her, or framing her for theft. She's been fighting an uphill battle ever since she came here, and the constant derision and condescension she's been faced with, as well as the fact that she felt that she didn't fit in, have eroded her self-confidence. You've seen how she reacts to praise. And with kindness, it's even worse."
"I want their names so that I can give them a piece of my mind!", Chessea growled.
"You can't interfere in Guild affairs, Sea", Akkarin chided.
"Stupid Guild laws."
"If it consoles you, one of these people is utterly and completely terrified of me, and will not attempt to harm her again, in any way."
"Well, that's something, I suppose."
"So, I take it that you like her."
"Are we playing 'The one who can make the biggest understatement wins!'?"
Akkarin let out a chuckle.
"Though I have to say that I am quite put out that you never bothered to introduce us", Chessea huffed. "I would have loved to know her sooner."
"Sea, Sonea is a student at the university, not some new acquaintance I can introduce to my friends and family", Akkarin sighed. "I could hardly bring her over for a social visit."
"I suppose. I would like to deepen our acquaintance, though."
"I will not stand in your way, should Sonea herself wish for this, too. She seems to like you, but I would like to ask her opinion first. And besides – she only really knows how things work here, at the Guild. I failed to prepare her properly before going to the palace, and caused her a lot of distress as a result. I will not make that mistake again – I will not let Sonea anywhere near nobles who can't be counted on to behave themselves properly until I have made sure she's well-equipped to handle them. And I will not let her attend any gatherings by herself. You are free to come visit, but if you wish to invite Sonea to your home, you will have to abide by these rules."
"Very well. I have no desire to put her into an uncomfortable position – what I did to her today was, even if unintentionally done, pretty awful of me. I felt profoundly sorry for her when I realised how unprepared she was for this."
"I am grateful for your understanding – and the kindness you've shown her, yesterday, too. Sonea is not used to people standing up for her. I am certain she strongly appreciated your actions."
"It was my pleasure."
Chessea was surprised to see her carriage pulling up outside.
"When – "
"What can I say? Takan is excellent at his job."
Akkarin accompanied her outside, where Takan was waiting, holding open the carriage door, and handed her into the carriage.
"Get home safe. I will let you know about Sonea's decision as soon as I can."
"Thank you."
The last thing Chessea saw as the carriage pulled away was Takan elbowing Akkarin in the ribs, and Akkarin smacking him over the head in retaliation. She chuckled. Her brother certainly kept a funny household.
One of the Healers on duty showed Sonea into a small treatment room on the first floor. Sonea closed the door behind herself. Lorlen, who had been standing by the desk, reading something, looked up and greeted her with a smile.
"Administrator", she replied, bowing. "Thank you once again for doing this."
"Don't mention it. Did you bring your new pen?"
"I did."
Sonea strode over to the desk and put her box down. Opening it, she quickly located the pen, and handed it to Lorlen.
"Yes, this is much better. Your hand shouldn't cramp nearly as often if you use this alone. I've also prepared these for you – they are simple exercises you can do whenever you have the time – in between classes, for example."
Lorlen handed her the stack of parchment he'd been perusing. Sonea leafed through them, and found that they were rather self-explanatory.
"Thank you, I'm sure this'll be a big help."
Lorlen gave her another smile before sobering. "I've been meaning to ask you something. How did you find out about your arm?"
He tapped his wrist, and Sonea caught his meaning.
"Oh, that was awful", she breathed. "Takan accidentally brushed against my arm in passing. When I came back to myself, he was on the ground, clutching my ankles, begging me to punish him." She shuddered at the memory. "I was still reeling from the aftershocks of the flashback, and unable to deal with this. Thankfully, Akkarin soon noticed what was happening, and came to help. I don't envy him for having to calm both of us at the same time, but he somehow managed. As soon as Takan was coherent again, I told him that it hadn't been his fault, and that I'd never punish him, especially for something that hadn't been his fault. He managed to accept my words, and I do think that he believes me. But – ugh. Dakova is lucky he's already – well, you know."
Lorlen nodded, his face grim. "Is it just the right arm?"
"Thankfully, yes, but unfortunately, it's not just the wrist", Sonea replied with a sigh. "It's the entire lower arm. Which is potentially problematic."
"Do you have a story to tell, should you get triggered while among people who don't know?"
"I've been considering saying that it's something old from my time in the slums – I've made my share of bad experiences back then, after all. I don't think anyone's ever grabbed my wrist before, so I might even get away by simply pretending that it's always been there, that this specific memory simply hadn't been triggered before."
"That should work", Lorlen replied. He let out a sigh. "Rothen alluded to the reason you don't like people, especially men, walking behind you – I'm so sorry something this awful has happened to you."
"Thank you", Sonea replied softly.
"That aside, mind-healing ought to help you deal with what's happened. I already offered it to Akkarin, and I'd be more than willing to provide you with that kind of help, as well, should you wish it."
Sonea looked surprised for a moment before giving him a brilliant smile. "Good job! I'm sure he appreciated that."
"I think so."
"I can't imagine what it must've been like", Sonea said, sobering, "having all these Healers right there, and being unable to talk to any of them."
"I'm honestly surprised by how well he's put together, both of them, actually. To survive this level of traumatic experiences shows just how resilient they are."
Sonea hummed in agreement. She'd seen just how wrong things could go if people were unable to deal with their trauma properly.
"About your offer – I'll gladly take you up on it. I think I'm holding up fairly well, but if I could get rid of that trigger, that'd be awesome."
"We will be able to do that, in time, but you shouldn't expect it to happen overnight. Please sit."
Sonea turned the chair to face Lorlen and sat down. He explained the process to her, and she listened attentively, eager to turn her own healing session into a learning opportunity. She might have to treat people like herself at one point.
And it wouldn't hurt if she could offer help to Akkarin and Takan.
After checking that she was ready to begin, Lorlen placed his hands on her temples. Under his guidance, Sonea once again re-visited the events of the night of the attack. Since Sonea had already shared these things with him before, it was rather easy for her to open up about it, and she felt no hesitation to share how these events had affected her. However, working through everything turned out to be exhausting. After a while, Lorlen released her, and stepped back.
"That's enough for today. You did well, Sonea."
She gave him a tired smile in return. Lorlen poured her a glass of water, and she took it gratefully.
"Should I note in your file that I am helping you work through trauma?", he asked.
Sonea frowned as she mulled this over. "Ordinarily, I wouldn't mind, but people might ask questions, especially since no-one's seen me have a flashback yet. Why now? Why didn't I say anything sooner? I think it might be better to wait until after someone triggers me – which will, hopefully, never happen – until then, we could pretend that you're only helping me with my hand."
"Very well."
Sonea sipped her water while Lorlen bent over the desk to update her file. Then, something occurred to her.
"Administrator, I remember you saying that you wanted to discuss something with me when you were at the residence the other day."
"Ah, right, I'd clean forgotten – thank you for reminding me." Lorlen paced a few steps away from where she was, clasping his hands behind his back. "This is about something I saw in your mind when you shared that memory. Before I explain in detail, I want you to understand that I'm not reprimanding you, that you are not in trouble. I am telling you these things to keep you out of trouble."
"All right", Sonea replied, feeling apprehensive despite his words.
"I'm not certain how to start, to be honest."
"You can be blunt, I can handle it", she replied with a wry smile.
"Very well. It wouldn't be proper for you to hug someone who is not a close friend or a family member, and you should not, under any circumstances, cup the face of someone who is not a family member. Now, I understand that you were trying to help, and acting with the best of intentions, but if you did something like this where people could see, it could get you in trouble."
"I – I am aware of that", Sonea replied, feeling a blush creeping up her neck. "I just – wasn't really thinking about any of that. I mean, if someone needs help, you should just help them, right?"
"Ordinarily, yes, and a Healer usually has more leeway with these things. However, you are not a Healer yet. And I'd imagine that Akkarin might have been very uncomfortable if you'd gone and cupped his face, no matter your intentions."
"Which is why I didn't do that", Sonea replied with a grimace. She was exceedingly glad for that, too, especially given what she'd found out about him the following night. "I know the rules of propriety – Rothen made sure of that – but sometimes, they're just so stupid. I can't even – "
She broke off and bit her lip, unsure if she should reveal what had been on her mind.
Lorlen regarded her thoughtfully for a while before asking, "Sonea, are you a tactile person?"
"How – how'd you figure that out?", she breathed, completely taken off-guard.
"I suspected it based on what I saw in your mind, and the way you practically melted into Akkarin when he picked you up confirmed it."
"Ah", Sonea replied with a grimace.
"Furthermore, us Healers are trained to be perceptive – we are to try and glean as much information about a patient at a glance as we can. This saves time, and having to ask potentially awkward questions. For example, we can't find out if someone likes or dislikes hugs by using Healing magic. If we tried to offer a patient in distress comfort by hugging him, only to find out that he doesn't like it, we'd be making things worse instead of helping."
"That makes sense."
"Does Akkarin know?"
"It's possible. I wouldn't mind if he did – he's still terribly worried that he might overstep my boundaries, and I know that I have to let him know what I'm comfortable with, not just what I'm uncomfortable with. I haven't outright told him, but he may have seen that information in my mind."
"I see. Well, that's good, I suppose. I could also raise the matter with him, now that I know for certain, to prevent misunderstandings."
"That might not be a bad idea. I would hate it if something I did thoughtlessly made him uncomfortable."
Like I did back at the palace.
"Very well. Also, please don't feel bad about this – it isn't your fault. That being said, can you satisfy your need for physical contact?"
Sonea grimaced, and he seemed to realise that his wording had been a bit strange, if his expression was anything to go by.
"I can't", Sonea replied quietly. "The only people I'd be allowed to hug, according to the rules of propriety, are friends and family. I don't have any friends. And the only person I would consider family is Rothen, and even with him, I have to be careful because – oh, I'm sure you know."
"For what it's worth, I never believed any of that."
"Thank you. Still, I'm not doing too well. I recently got to hug my aunt, and hold two little boys, one of them my cousin, but I haven't cuddled with anyone since coming to the Guild. I feel so – cut off from everyone."
"I see. Your situation is certainly not ideal. Do you know why you are like this?"
"I don't know if I was born with a need to be physically close to others, but it's all I've known my whole life. During our first winter, my aunt and uncle were terrified that I would freeze to death, so they placed me in their bed instead of a crib. It was much warmer that way, and we could make do with small living spaces, as well. Most of our living spaces only had one room, though I got my own bed when I got older. Which didn't mean that I stopped cuddling with my aunt and uncle. And, if it got very cold during winter, we'd still share a bed to save money."
"I see. This is – quite heartbreaking to hear, to be honest. But – if you can't get physical comfort from other humans, have you considered getting a – an animal companion?"
Sonea was a bit surprised he hadn't said "pet" before realising that this might have to do with Akkarin. She shuddered at the thought.
"I haven't – is that even allowed?"
"I doubt Akkarin would tell you 'no'."
"That may be, but I don't think I'd have the time to take care of another living being at the moment, and I won't stop studying after graduation, either. Besides, I'll have to move to the Magician's Quarters then, and I don't want to put an animal through that kind of stress."
"I see. That is a valid point. Hm… have you considered learning how to ride?"
"No, I haven't. Why?"
"Working with horses, even if you're not riding, has several benefits for your health. And from a horse, you can get the physical comfort that you need without having to care for the animal yourself. And, if you find that riding isn't to your liking, you can learn how to drive a carriage, or do groundwork. Working with horses is also great for boosting self-confidence – if you cannot assert yourself, the horse won't listen to you. Horses are bigger and stronger than you are – you have to convince them to follow your lead."
"I see. I bet Akkarin would love it if I spent more time outside, too."
"Probably", Lorlen replied with a laugh. "I seem to recall him saying something to that effect."
"I'll consider it, but I know absolutely nothing about horses."
"Lessons can be arranged, should you wish it. Not all novices who come here already know how to ride."
"I see. Thank you, Administrator. I truly appreciate all of this."
"Was there anything else you needed?"
"Not right now, no."
"You can come to me any time. Now, don't let me keep you."
Sonea put her pen and the sheets with the exercises into her box, bowed, and left.
Akkarin found it hard to concentrate on the book he was reading as his gaze kept being drawn to Sonea, who was reading "her" newest book. She was far too engrossed in what she was doing to notice him watching her, for which Akkarin was profoundly grateful.
It was fascinating how easy it was to please her – giving her a new book to read, especially one that had only recently been published, certainly had made her happy. This was a far cry from other young women – novices or not – who demanded jewels, fancy dresses, or a new horse or two.
Akkarin had come to enjoy this quiet companionship. They could spend hours just reading together, Sonea would even sometimes ask him if she didn't understand something, or came across an unfamiliar word – something that would have been unthinkable a few weeks ago.
Sonea frowned and bit her lip as she continued reading, and Akkarin forced himself to tear his gaze away from her. Lorlen had recently commented that the power balance within the residence had shifted, and Akkarin felt that he had to agree. Previously, he had held Sonea's life in his hand. Now, she was the one holding him in her palm – not that she realised this.
The thought of her leaving the residence – leaving him – after graduation hurt. Akkarin was acutely aware that this was his only chance at happiness – it was bordering on a miracle that Sonea had not only found out about his secret, but that she could be persuaded to trust him, to forgive him, even – not that Akkarin had done any of the persuading on that front, mind. If he let her go, if he never told her how he felt, he would never get that chance with another woman, even if he managed to fall in love a third time.
It was all, nor nothing.
Now, almost a week after Lorlen had had the audacity to ask him about his intentions toward Sonea, Akkarin was slowly starting to consider confessing his feelings after she'd graduated. She'd still be free to walk away if she wanted to, and, in that case, he'd pick up the pieces of his broken heart, and move on. If he kept quiet, she would leave all the same, and his heart would break, though maybe in a different way.
When another mind suddenly connected to his, Akkarin sucked in a sharp breath, stiffening in his chair. Sonea had heard him, and gave him a worried look.
Akkarin forced himself to breathe.
"Sonea, might I ask you to leave the guestroom?"
"Of course", she replied, eyes widening in understanding. "Good luck. If you need anything, just call."
"Thank you."
She stuck her finger into the book instead of a bookmark, grabbed her mug and stood. She gave him an encouraging smile before disappearing upstairs.
Akkarin had spent the last week strategising, making and discarding plans with the help of Takan and Sonea, and, on occasion, Lorlen. And tonight, he would see if these plans would bear fruit.
— Zarala!
There was no immediate reply, and Akkarin could sense her surprise.
— Akkarin. How nice of you to finally say something.
Akkarin winced, understanding her words for the rebuke they were.
— I apologise. I'll admit that I mostly kept quiet out of cowardice. I could not work up the courage to say anything.
— Well, at least you have the decency to admit it, she huffed. What do you want?
— First off, I owe you a proper apology. I should not have reneged on my word to you, and I assure you that it had not been my intention to break our pact. Certain things happened that were outside my control, and I found myself unable to keep my promise to you. Be that as it may, I would still like to express how sorry I am.
— Explain what you mean.
— As you wish. Following Dakova's death, I took off in a frenzied state, certain that Kariko would soon find and kill me. Certain that I was not going to survive. I had no idea where I was going, all I wanted was to get away – and for it to end, somehow. Death would have been a kind of freedom.
After a few days, I realised that Takan, Dakova's only surviving slave, was following me. He'd brought supplies, and Dakova's knife, and decided that I was to be his new "master".
— I'm sure you were thrilled.
— Absolutely. Still, turning Takan away would have meant his death, and he was very persistent to stay. He then took the lead – we slept during the day, and travelled at night, to avoid detection. I was still too caught up in my own thoughts to realise that Takan was guiding me south – toward Kyralia. He was, obviously, unaware of our bargain, and sought to reach my homeland, instead. I only realised this when we crossed the mountains.
Going back into Sachaka would have been impossible – Kariko was trailing us, we knew. If we'd gone back, he would have killed me – I'd refused to take magic from Takan – and enslaved him. Our only sensible option at the time was to go to Imardin.
Not long after I arrived there, the High Lord preceding me died, and I was, rather unexpectedly, elected as his successor. Had I been made an ambassador, I might have found a way to come to Sanctuary, to pay my debt – but they wanted me to be their High Lord, so their High Lord I became.
— Congratulations on your appointment.
— I thank you. Please understand that it was never my intention to go back on my word.
Zarala took a moment to absorb all this, and Akkarin noticed something strange – since she was wearing his Blood Gem – the first one he'd made, under her instruction – he should be able to see into her mind. However, while he could certainly sense her self, and her emotions, her thoughts were hidden from him.
How is this possible?
Without warning, Akkarin was buffeted by an intense wave of grief.
— My daughter died.
Akkarin let out a gasp, his eyes widening, even though she could neither hear nor see him.
— Oh, no… that was my fault, I take it.
She paused for a moment.
— I will admit that I cursed your name, more than once, during my darkest hours, and there are many here at Sanctuary who feel that you are to blame, and that we should seek retribution. The pain of losing a child – I would not wish that on anyone.
However, it has been a few years, and I have had time to think. I know nothing about this Healing magic of yours, so I cannot be certain that I would have been able to save her, had you taught me.
— That – is entirely possible. As I am a Warrior, and not a Healer, I was only taught basic Healing – I recently had to treat someone who'd gone into deep shock all by myself, and I – it worked out in the end, but I was terribly worried that – my point is that Healing magic cannot fix everything. The Guild might be the place with the largest amount of knowledge on healing – magical or other – in the world, but even our best Healers can't cure every ailment. A couple of years ago, one of our magicians, Lord Rothen, lost his wife, Yilara, to an illness the Healers were unable to cure. All they could do was make sure she was as comfortable as possible while her husband and son watched on helplessly as she wasted away. This may have spurred the son to become a Healer himself. Rothen is still not complete over his loss, and we've recently begun bonding over a shared pain.
— I'm sorry to hear that. Though, it makes sense that there are limitations to your powers. She paused for a moment. Given this new bit of information, I will no longer hold you responsible for my daughter's death.
— Does this mean you forgive me?
— No. Not yet. But I do not wish for you to blame yourself, and I will ask my followers to stop demanding retribution.
— Thank you.
— I take it you have further matters to discuss.
— Indeed. Are you aware that Kariko wants me dead, and that he keeps sending slaves to Imardin to kill me?
— We are watching the Ichani as closely as we can, as their recent activity has given us cause for concern.
— Hm. So far, I've been able to fend them off, all thanks to you teaching me higher magic, I might add. I am forced to work in the shadows, though, as the Guild's stance on this kind of magic has remained unchanged – there has been no reason for it to change. However, in recent years, the situation has changed – for one, I took to overseeing the training of one of our novices – a young woman named Sonea, and moved her into the residence – where I live. About two weeks ago, one of Kariko's men broke into the residence – he had found out about her and, assuming that she was both my slave and my main power source, he targeted her – drained her almost completely of her magic and used her as a hostage against me.
He hesitated a moment before sending her a mental image of Sonea's pale, still form, and her vitals – a memory etched so deeply into his mind, he would never forget it. Zarala's people favoured women over men, and he might be able to garner sympathy with her that way. Sonea had given him permission to use this, admittedly rather underhanded, tactic. However, emotional manipulation was hardly the worst offence Akkarin had ever committed.
He was profoundly grateful for the Blood Gem's ability to filter out his emotions. Zarala didn't need to know just how attached he was to Sonea.
Zarala let out a small gasp.
— Is this the person you mentioned earlier?
— Indeed. Thankfully, she has made a full recovery. She should have never got caught up in any of this…
— Then why take on her training? Why expose someone else to this danger? Surely, you must have known that the Ichani would target someone they assumed was weaker than you.
— I had little choice in the matter. Sonea knew too much.
He then proceeded to illustrate the events of the last couple of years, starting with the fateful day Sonea had awakened her powers. He told of the Guild's hunt for her, and how she had sought the help of a Thief, convinced that the Guild meant to kill her. How her own powers had gone out of control to the point she had almost died. How Rothen had brought her to the Guild, and convinced her that she was safe. How Sonea had decided to join the Guild, and how Rothen had become her guardian. He spoke of Lorlen, and his interest in Sonea's progress, but also the changes he'd noticed in his friend's behaviour, changes that alerted him to the fact that something was amiss. How he'd discovered that Lorlen knew his secret, and how he'd read his mind to find out who else knew. How he'd then confronted Rothen and Sonea, only to find that, just like Lorlen, they were more than willing to turn him over to the Guild if they could. The measures he had taken to ensure that they wouldn't.
Zarala expressed sympathy, then, something Akkarin was thankful for.
— Despite the physical and mental damage that Sonea suffered during the attack – something she should have never been exposed to – something good came of it: I managed to convince her that I wasn't the enemy, not hers, not the Guild's. I told her the truth – all of it – except for your involvement, of course – and she accepted it. She even expressed sympathy for me, someone who had done awful things to her. She also forgave me, something I would have never expected. By now, our relationship is much improved, and she has started willingly giving me some of her magic.
She also hatched a plan to bring Lorlen and Rothen into the fold, and it worked. They will no longer oppose me, but have pledged their support, as well.
— Do you take magic from them, as well?
— I do not take magic – we possess the ability to share magic with others. Rothen has given me some of his strength, while Lorlen has offered to do so – I told him that he needs to work out a healthy sleeping schedule before I was willing to accept any of his magic.
— Interesting.
— Sonea also pointed out a potential problem – so far, I've been keeping Kariko's men at bay by myself, and have managed to keep the fact that the Guild maintains the ban on higher magic a secret. She said that I wouldn't live forever, and that the Ichani could confirm Dakova's claim by capturing another magician. Not all magicians live at the Guild – some have mansions in the city – and we have magicians living in other countries, as well. Her main worry was that, in the event that I died, the Guild would be left defenceless.
— You could simply teach someone else.
— Sonea volunteered. She would willingly break her vows, and the law, to protect the people she cares about. However, if the Guild ever found out, she would be killed. Her standing with the other magicians is already somewhat precarious since she is the only Kyralian magician not born into a noble house, and some people still assume the worst of her. She would live in constant fear of detection, and would not have access to the same resources I have as the Guild's leader.
— They would execute her for trying to protect them all?!
— Without a moment of hesitation. The Guild's fear of what they call "black magic" is too strong. Even if she managed to convince them that there was a reason – a threat – that had prompted her to do this, the Guild would still be forced to obey its own laws.
— Change the law, then.
— I can't. I may be the Guild's leader, but all important decisions are made by vote – sometimes, it is a vote among the Higher Magicians, but often, every magician gets to cast a vote.
— This is vexing. I mean, I get it, I really do, but – still.
— This very long tangent brings me to my other reason for wanting to speak with you – the only realistic chance I see for the Guild to change its stance on higher magic would be for someone to convince them that there is a good reason for this, that there is a threat we wouldn't be able to combat otherwise. I would ask that you send someone to Imardin to warn the Guild of the imminent danger. If we play our cards right, we might both benefit from this – I might get to fulfil my promise to you, in a way. I think that an alliance would benefit both our people. If you joined the Guild, your magicians would be trained by teachers, would learn how to Heal from a Healer.
— Is this possible?
— There are certain legal hurdles, but I have the Guild's administrator on my side, and the ear of the King. If we were to fail – if your people reject my plea, or if the Guild refuses to see sense, I will teach Sonea higher magic – as much as I hate the thought. I would ask that you pass on my request for aid – and a possible alliance – to your queen at your earliest convenience.
There was another beat of silence. Then –
— I am the queen.
Years of experience from dealing with nobles and the occasional visiting royalty ensured that Akkarin didn't miss a beat, despite having been caught off-guard.
— Congratulations on your appointment.
— Thank you. I have to say that the idea of a partnership with the Guild is tempting – we could still trade higher magic for Healing magic, but on a bigger scale. And, to be quite honest, we don't like the idea of the Ichani potentially taking over Kyralia. The people of Sanctuary might not hold you in too high esteem, but all will agree on that. However, this is a monumental decision – one that would force us to reveal ourselves, one that might incur us the wrath of King Amakira. As such, I cannot make this decision by myself. However, I will present your request to the council, and I hope that we will come to a decision soon.
— Thank you, Queen Zarala. I strongly appreciate this, Akkarin replied, allowing her to sense his emotions.
— Is that all?
— One last thing. May I reveal your involvement in all this? I told Sonea that the person who taught me higher magic was Ichani. I do not feel comfortable keeping this secret from her, and Rothen and Lorlen – although I will continue to keep it, should you wish it.
— If we should decide to send someone to Imardin, you may tell them.
— That is acceptable. I eagerly await whatever news you will have for me.
— I will do my utmost not to keep you waiting too long. Stay safe, High Lord Akkarin.
— You, too.
As he felt her mind disconnect from his, Akkarin leaned back in his chair and reviewed their conversation in his mind. It had not gone as badly as he had feared. Zarala was interested in his offer. And Akkarin had given her something new to covet – the ability to share magic.
After resting for a moment, he called Sonea downstairs to share the news with her.
A/N:
I've thought of a good term to describe Akkarin with: He's an anti-supremacist. He doesn't care what kind of supremacy you believe in, he's not having any of it.
Chessea was originally supposed to appear much later in the story, but then I thought that it would be fun to have her randomly run into Sonea. The scene that was supposed to be her first appearance will be narrated by one of her sisters, instead. Yes, I know which one. No, I'm not telling you.
The scene with Akkarin and Zarala is one of the most important ones in this story IMO, the turning point, if you will. Sonea has taken over the thinking for Akkarin, and he's actually talking to people!
Akkarin never tells Sonea who the keeper of his third Blood Gem is, but I figured that Zarala would be a likely candidate – she wanted Akkarin to come to Sanctuary, and it would have been easier to facilitate that if they could communicate safely. And it works well for my story.
A note on fashion:
Since clothing is expensive, people – including nobles – can only afford a certain number of gowns and the like. Nobles would often combine overdresses with different chemises etc. to have some variety to their outfits. Because of this, it takes a while for new fashion trends to take hold. While younger people will more quickly adapt to new styles, the older generation tends to continue wearing what they know, something you can see very well in the Pride & Prejudice film. Similarly, the nobility will be wearing the current fashion before their servants.
In this world, fashion has changed twice since Akkarin was a child – back then, ladies were wearing what is essentially a rococo gown, with wide hoop skirts. Akkarin's mother currently wears something similar to Tudor fashion, although a bit more streamlined. And Chessea's generation wears clothing inspired by Game of Thrones.
Idioms in this chapter:
"You'll have to get up much earlier if..." (Da musst du früher aufstehen, um…) – a phrase used to indicate that someone needs to try harder, step up their game.
Glossary:
Yaryna – "peace" (Greek; variation of Irene)
Akkarin: I would have loved to take Sonea to eat something sweet before heading back home, but her comfort is more important.
Akkarin and Sonea: * interact *
Chessea: This is hilarious.
Also Chessea: * is completely and utterly oblivious to the fact that her brother is in love with his novice *
Takan: Your sister likes your future wife.
Akkarin: Shut up.
