Walking With You

by Aylatha

"And how have you been, Sonea?", Lorlen asked. "Well." "Well, she says", Akkarin huffed, covering his face with one hand. "I'm still alive, aren't I?" Lorlen's eyebrows rose. Rothen's knees buckled. "What?", he yelped, colour draining from his face.

7. A Banquet of Flowers

A/N:

In this chapter, Vinara is competent, Akkarin gets to bully people, Sonea tries to deal with the utter bullshit that is her life, the King schemes, Viola and Tania hatch a plan, and Chessea attempts to be helpful. Not necessarily in this order.

Just throwing out there that I'm skipping the entire Dem Marane plotline – the whole Akkarin/Sonea thing is already taking up far too much screen time on its own, and the Dem Marane plot would actually cause issues with this story. So, as far as anyone is concerned, Dannyl and Tayend are still happily living in Elyne.

---

A nagging feeling in the back of her head told her that she was being watched. Vinara closed the chest she'd been organising, and turned to face the door. Much to her surprise, she spotted Sonea, who was hovering there, as though trying to work up the courage to say something.

"Lady Vinara", she said with a bow when she realised that she'd been spotted.

"Sonea. May I help you with something?"

"Yes, that is, I have a question, but it is nothing terribly urgent – that is, it is not urgent at all – I could, very easily, come back at a later point, when you have less to do."

"Being a Healer unfortunately means that there is always something to do", Vinara replied with a wry smile. "Why don't you tell me what it is that you need, and I'll let you know if I have time for it now?"

"Oh, sure. I was wondering if there were any paintings of Lady Tessia somewhere in the Healer's Quarters."

"Lady Tessia? What brought this on?"

"The High Lord mentioned her a while back, and ever since, I've been wondering what she looked like. Kyralian, obviously, but, well."

"I see. I do, in fact, have a life-sized portrait upstairs, in my office. Would you like to see it?"

Sonea's face it up instantly, her eyes shining. "Yes! That is, if I'm not getting in the way of your work, my lady."

"Truth be told, I should take a break. I've been at this for a while. Come with me."

Sonea nodded, and backed away from the door. Vinara swept out of the storage room, and Sonea fell in step behind her.

Vinara unlocked the door to her office, and ushered Sonea inside. Her gaze was immediately arrested by the painting, and she looked a little awe-struck. Suppressing a chuckle, Vinara made her way over to the shelf she kept the novices' files in, and pulled out Sonea's while the young woman was still busy admiring Tessia.

"To think", Sonea said in a low voice, "that she figured out how to heal with magic all by herself. I can't even begin to imagine just how many lives were saved because of her."

"It is truly astounding", Vinara agreed. "Though I have to say that I am pleased by your interest. I don't remember the last time someone asked me about Lady Tessia."

"Maybe some people take the ability to Heal for granted", Sonea replied. "I don't."

"I see. Sonea, while you're here, might I have a moment of your time? It shan't take long."

"Oh, of course, my lady", Sonea replied, tearing her face away from the painting. "What is it?"

"I was, admittedly, a bit surprised when the Administrator requested the use of a treatment room, and your file. Though he is a Healer, he doesn't usually work as one, given his duties. Even so, I saw no reason to deny his request. However, I took the opportunity to review your file afterwards – I do this periodically to keep up-to-date with how the novices are faring, both on an educational and a medical level." She paused, and tapped her index finger on the file. "Now, I do hope that what I discovered is a simple mistake, an oversight – these things happen, occasionally – but I would like for you to confirm this."

"What is it?", Sonea asked, tension clear in her voice.

"It is nothing that you did, and you are not the one who will potentially be in trouble, no matter how you answer. But I need you to be honest with me. According to your file, you were not taught how to prevent a pregnancy with magic. Sonea, is this true?"

Sonea let out a gasp, and glanced away. She took a deep breath, and said, without looking up, "It is."

Vinara sucked in a sharp breath. "Did they forget to teach you?"

"No."

"Did they withhold that information from you on purpose?"

"Yes."

"Unbelievable", Vinara seethed, nostrils flaring.

"You believe me?", Sonea asked, looking up, a surprised look on her face.

"Why would you lie about this? That would make no sense."

"I suppose. Though I have to say that I'm honestly surprised they didn't try to cover their tracks."

"It might not have occurred to them."

"But that's just common sense! If you do something you're not supposed to – or don't do something you were supposed to – you usually try your hardest not to get caught. If they just wrote down that they taught me, they'd have been safe – I would have kept quiet about it."

"Why?"

She shrugged. "Didn't seem worth making a fuss about."

"Sonea, this is a serious problem. One that needs to be addressed straight away. I need to know why some of my Healers decided that you didn't need this kind of knowledge."

Sonea shifted her weight in an uneasy manner, glancing away again.

"Sonea, please, no matter what you say, I promise you that you will not get into any kind of trouble", Vinara implored, taking a step toward her, hands spread out. "I wish to help you, but I can't do that if you don't talk to me. Please tell me what happened."

The novice squeezed her eyes shut, and took a fortifying breath.

"Very well."

---

— Master, Lady Vinara is approaching the residence.

— What does she look like?

— Angry.

Akkarin felt a stab of alarm. Kind and gentle people like Vinara tended to be fearsome once their ire was roused.

— Prepare sumi. I'll be downstairs in a moment.

— At once, master.

By the time Vinara swept into the residence like a thunderstorm clad in green robes, Akkarin was in his favourite armchair, a book in hand.

"Vinara", he said smoothly, closing the book and raising to his feet. "What an unexpected surprise. Do be seated."

"Akkarin. I wasn't expecting my day to go like this, either", she replied, eyes flashing, her voice trembling with barely contained fury.

Takan brought the sumi, and Vinara thanked him absent-mindedly, drumming the fingers of her right hand onto the armrest.

Akkarin retook his own seat, and waited for her to air her grievances.

"I just discovered something about your novice that, truth be told, has alarmed me."

"Did Sonea do something?", Akkarin asked with a frown.

He couldn't imagine that she could have done anything to cause Vinara to erupt like this. Sonea usually tried so hard not to cause any trouble, after all.

"No. Sonea did nothing – the only thing you might be able to 'blame' her for is keeping quiet about what happened, although it doesn't really surprise me."

"Someone else did something to her, then."

"In a manner of speaking. I only discovered this because I decided to review her file after her session with Lorlen – did you know about that?"

"Of course. It was my suggestion, after all."

"I – see. Well, as long as Sonea is comfortable with this arrangement, I have no issues with it."

"Oh, there is no need for you to worry", Akkarin replied with a chuckle. "Lorlen isn't stupid enough to do something that might incur him my wrath – or hers."

Vinara blinked, obviously not having expected a reply like that, before shaking her head.

"We're getting off-topic. This is a serious issue, Akkarin. According to Sonea's file, she wasn't taught how to prevent a pregnancy with magic."

Akkarin blinked. Whatever he had been expecting, this had not been it.

"Sonea sought me out earlier to ask if I had any paintings of Lady Tessia. I seized the opportunity to question her about this. She was very reluctant to comply, and I guess that, based on her behaviour, she feels shame over what has happened. Not that she ought to – it is the Healers who should feel ashamed – but it is what it is. I asked her if they forgot to teach her. She said no. I asked if they purposefully withheld that information from her. She said yes. When I pressed her to tell me more, pointing out that I couldn't help her unless she opened up to me, she told me that she'd overheard two of the Healers saying that they shouldn't bother teaching her as it was unlikely that she was ever going to need this kind of knowledge. Sonea guessed that this was because of how unpopular she was with the other novices."

Akkarin was out of his chair and pacing before he could stop himself. He hadn't felt this furious in a long time, and, since he'd already reacted, he didn't bother to hide his emotions from Vinara.

"This is outrageous", he growled, spinning around to face her. "Was this before, or after I claimed her guardianship?"

"I honestly can't tell you – but this shouldn't matter. All novices should be taught the same things, regardless of whether they have a guardian or not, and who that guardian might be."

"That is true, of course. What shall be done about this?"

"I have already remedied my Healers' oversight by teaching Sonea this skill myself – I also used that opportunity to confirm, beyond any doubt, that she was being truthful – not that I doubted her, but if I have to accuse my Healers, I would like to have a solid case. There will be consequences for them, of course."

"Good. Wait – did Sonea give you permission to share this information with me?"

"She did, although it took me some time to get her to agree to this. For one, as her guardian, you should be aware of these things. And besides – there is no telling if other teachers have been similarly neglectful. I can handle my Healers – but I can't investigate teachers not under my 'control'. Sonea agreed that these were good arguments."

"Where is she, by the way?"

"We parted outside the Healers' Quarters. Given how uncomfortable the whole situation made her, I thought it better to speak with you alone."

Akkarin took a moment to digest this. He could think of numerous reasons why Sonea wouldn't want him to know about this, and why the thought of having to discuss such a matter with him might make her uncomfortable.

"So, you want me to investigate her Alchemist and Warrior teachers."

"Yes."

"Do you want me to come along when you confront your Healers?"

"That would be great. Given that I have evidence, I don't suppose I'd have to subject myself to a truth-read, and I could ask one of the other Healers to perform it, but your presence alone might make them all more co-operative."

"I should be able to confirm their guilt easily enough. And all they would have to do to prove their innocence is submitting to a truth-read themselves. If they refuse, that alone is basically an admission of guilt. Of course, if you asked me to, I'd be more than willing to read their minds."

Vinara gave him a very direct look. "I would like to avoid that, if possible."

Akkarin shrugged. "The threat of it alone might be more than enough to motivate them to talk."

"Indeed."

Vinara emptied her cup, and put it down before raising to her feet.

"Shall we?", Akkarin asked.

"After you."

Akkarin gave her an amused smile before sweeping out of the door. Once outside, Vinara fell into step beside him.

— Jerrik!

— Akkarin?

— I need to speak with all of Sonea's teachers – except for Lord Yikmo, and the Healers. I don't care what they are doing.

— Yes, High Lord. How soon can you be at my office?, the Director replied.

— I'm currently on my way to the Healer's Quarters, I don't know how long this will take.

— Understood.

Meanwhile, Vinara sent out a mental call to three Healers, and asked them to come to her office.

Akkarin checked his stride – Vinara was both shorter, and older than he was. A few magicians and novices milling around in the gardens cast curious looks their way, but Akkarin ignored them. They made their way past the university's main entrance, and soon reached the Healers' Quarters.

Three green-robed women of varying ages were waiting outside Vinara's office. All three of them paled when they spotted Akkarin, and hurried to bow. Vinara unlocked the door with a touch of her hand, and swept inside. Akkarin gestured for the Healers to go in first, and made sure to close the door behind himself with an audible click. Vinara settled into the chair behind her desk, and Akkarin moved to stand behind her like a silent shadow, hands clasped behind his back.

"I spoke with Sonea earlier this day after finding something alarming in her file", Vinara said without preamble. "I discovered that there was no entry for the date when she was taught how to prevent a pregnancy. I assumed this to be an oversight, a simple mistake. However, when I questioned Sonea, I learned, to my horror, that this information was withheld from her on purpose. The three of you were responsible for teaching her class. What have you to say for yourselves?"

While the two older Healers blanched, the youngest immediately started protesting her innocence. A quick brush against her mind revealed that she was, indeed, convinced that she had done nothing wrong.

"I believe her", he told Vinara.

The Head of Healers nodded. "Sonea named the other two. You may go", she told the young woman.

She sketched a quick bow, and all but fled from the room, her relief almost palpable.

The other two looked terrified.

"Well, then. Explain yourselves!", Vinara ordered.

"Did Sonea accuse us?", one of them demanded.

"No. I am accusing you. Based on evidence found both within Sonea's file, and her mind. I know she was not lying – she did not possess that skill until I taught it to her, not an hour ago. I would be more than willing to submit to a truth-read to prove that what I claim is true. You are, of course, free to do the same to prove your innocence."

They both realised, in that instance, that they were trapped. One of them deflated slightly, while the other one looked angry.

"You only have yourselves to blame", Akkarin pointed out. "Had you simply done your job properly, none of us would be here right now. But no, for some reason, you felt the need to ignore the curriculum established by the leaders of the Guild, decided that my favourite didn't need this kind of knowledge. What, exactly, was your motive? Was it laziness? Or were you hoping that Sonea would get swept away by passion, and jeopardise her own future?"

"Wh-what do you mean, High Lord?"

"You seem to think that no man would have ever looked at her. I happen to know different. I'll not give you any names, but had Sonea, indeed, had a dalliance with a young man, he would have, undoubtedly, assumed that she would take care of the contraceptive magic, as is the norm. While both of them would, of course, carry part of the blame if something had come of that, it would have been Sonea's reputation that would be in tatters, and her education that would be put on hold, had she decided to keep the child. Not to mention the fact that even a magician of her calibre can be worn down, and could become pregnant against her own will."

Vinara made an angry noise at the implication. The two healers turned a few shades paler.

"Do you honestly believe that a member of the Guild would stoop so low, High Lord?", one of them asked, aghast.

"Seeing how a member of this Guild saw it fit to kidnap a boy, and lock him inside a hidden room within the university, in order to blackmail Sonea, or how she's been framed for theft, I wouldn't put it past them", Akkarin growled. "Your negligence could have caused great harm, and I will be forever grateful to Lady Vinara for discovering this, and rectifying the situation."

"I'll remind you that you still haven't answered the High Lord's question: Why did you do this?", Vinara demanded.

"To save time, my lady", one of them admitted. "It seemed pointless. I mean, who would ever want to be with someone – "

"Not another word!", Akkarin warned, eyes flashing. "I will not tolerate any abuse of my favourite for things that were out of her control. If you had issues with her character, or her skills, I could accept that, but it is not her fault that she was born in the 'wrong' part of town. Your superior attitude sickens me. Sonea has never neglected her duties here at the Guild, not even once. That makes her a better person than you two."

Both of them looked sufficiently frightened by his outburst.

"I sincerely hope you will reflect on your actions. And I expect you both to apologise to Sonea at your earliest convenience, both for your actions, and the hurtful assumption behind them. Lady Vinara, I will leave punishing them to you."

"As you wish, High Lord."

The women bowed to him as he swept from the room.

Walking did little to soothe his ire. The audacity! The nerve! Most magicians never gave thought to what might happen if one ran out of magic, if one's shield failed. The thought that they might, one day, find themselves helpless, and completely at the mercy of others, didn't occur to them.

Akkarin hoped that he'd been able to make them understand.

He made his way directly to University Director Jerrik's office. The rest of Sonea's teachers – men of varying ages – were waiting in tense silence under the watchful glower of Director Jerrik. Akkarin was delighted to find that Jerrik had not told them why he'd summoned them, or under whose orders.

Jerrik rose to his feet when he spotted Akkarin, and the men bowed to him.

"High Lord. I have gathered them all, as you requested."

"Thank you, Director."

Akkarin moved to stand behind the desk, just like before, although he was acting in a less threatening manner than earlier, as he didn't know if any of those present had actually done something to deserve his wrath.

"It has come to my attention", Akkarin said softly, "that certain members of the staff have been neglecting my favourite, have not been treating her as they ought to, as they treat other novices. I've just been to the Healers' Quarters to speak with Sonea's teachers there. Now, I would like to hear from you if you have anything to say on the matter."

There was a moment of stunned silence as all of them seemed genuinely taken aback by Akkarin's words.

"This is an outrage!", Lord Larkin burst out. "Ah – beg pardon, High Lord, but – how could anyone do such a thing?"

He seemed genuinely baffled at the notion. Akkarin found himself suppressing a smile – this reaction shouldn't surprise him, really, given how giddy and excited Larkin had been when he'd shown Akkarin the maps Sonea had drawn for him, the discoveries she'd made. The young magician genuinely liked Sonea, and found her to be a delightful student.

The other teachers shifted uneasily after this passionate display. Lord Elben let out a cough.

"I second that, High Lord. I, myself, would never dream of mistreating your chosen novice. The mere thought boggles the mind."

This time, Akkarin had to suppress a different kind of reaction. He had, through the grapevine, heard that Elben had tried to pressure Sonea to change seats in an attempt to win Akkarin's favour.

He was immensely proud of Sonea for shooting that idea down quickly.

The rest of the teachers voiced their agreement, and Akkarin couldn't detect anything that hinted at the fact that they were lying, or trying to conceal something.

"I thank you for your co-operation. Director, I want all of Sonea's files for review, just to be on the safe side."

"At once, High Lord."

The old man rose to his feet again, and shuffled over to the case he kept the files in.

"High Lord, does this mean that one of the Healers did something to cause all this?", Lord Vorel asked.

"Perhaps", Akkarin replied placidly. "But I came here to investigate, not to level accusations or spread gossip."

"Of course, High Lord."

Jerrik handed Akkarin Sonea's files, and Akkarin dismissed the teachers.

"Might I ask what you have discovered, High Lord?", Jerrik asked as soon as they had the room to themselves.

"Two of the Healers in charge of teaching Sonea's class decided that she didn't need a certain skill", Akkarin replied, eyes flashing. "Vinara found out more or less by accident, and asked Sonea about it. Then, she came to see me. She is seeing to it that the Healers will be punished. But the fact that something like this could happen, and that it took us this long to find out, worries me. This kind of thing should not be happening."

"Indeed. I will see what can be done to ensure that in the future. Teachers don't get to decide what to teach, and what not."

"Thank you, Director."

Akkarin gave the other man a nod, who bowed in return, and left, the files tucked under his arm.

As he approached the residence, he caught a flash of brown robes among the trees. Not wanting Sonea to realise that he had noticed her, he proceeded inside. He had just poured himself a glass of wine when the door was opened – by hand – and Sonea all but shuffled inside.

Akkarin slowly turned to face her, and tried to gauge her mood. The first thing he noticed was that her hair was damp – she must have come directly from the baths. The Magicians' Quarters lay squarely in between the residence and the baths, so Sonea would have to either go north, cross the courtyard, turn west and then south again to cut through the gardens, or go south and trek through the forest. It seemed as though she had done the latter.

The next thing he noticed was that Vinara had been correct when she'd assumed that Sonea felt shame over what had happened – Akkarin didn't have to look into her mind to know this, it was evident from the way she was moving.

Part of him wanted to rush to her side and assure her that what these women had said was nonsense, that people were seeing her – however, letting his emotions run away with him would not go over well, and even Akkarin wasn't stupid enough to bring up Dorrien.

Sonea found it hard to maintain eye-contact today, and instead glanced around the room – and spotted the files on the table.

"What's this, did someone give you an assignment?", she joked a little half-heartedly.

He let out a chuckle, delighted by the fact that she was trying, even though she probably just wanted to get away from him at this moment.

"Those are your files, I collected them from Director Jerrik earlier. I couldn't detect anything from the minds of your teachers, but I want to be certain that no-one else has neglected your education."

"I – I see. Thank you. I – I feel like all I ever do is cause you trouble…"

"Sonea, you do realise that none of this was your fault, don't you?", he asked gently.

"I – yes, I do, but – "

"No buts. You are the one who was mistreated. Again. I know it's a bit late, seeing as how you're graduating soon, but Director Jerrik will try to implement new measures to make sure something like this doesn't happen again, and Vinara is taking care of those two Healers."

"I see."

"She was quite outraged on your behalf", Akkarin added. "As was Lord Larkin."

"Really?"

He let out another chuckle. "You won him over when you drew those maps for him, you know."

"I know that he's rather – accepting of me", Sonea admitted, taking a few steps closer, much to Akkarin relief. "Lady Vinara's behaviour surprised me, though. I hadn't expected her to care. Or to believe me, just like that. I would have sooner expected her to look for evidence supporting the theory that there had been a mistake."

"Did no-one ever tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"After you awakened your powers, we held a Meet to determine what to do. Vinara was one of the first people to suggest that you should be offered a place among us, expressing a willingness to teach you, undaunted by people who immediately assumed the worst of you, without even having met you", he said with a huff. "Then, of course, Rothen swept in and practically adopted you – since he'd become such a central part in your life here at the Guild so quickly, and had been the first to notice your magic, it was all but assured that he would win your guardianship. Had he decided not to claim your guardianship, I'm certain Vinara would have claimed you for herself. She's always cared about you, in some form or other, there just haven't been many instances where the two of you had a chance to interact."

Sonea was, evidently, surprised to hear this, but proceeded to mull this new bit of information over.

"She can't wait for you to graduate, you know", Akkarin added in a softer tone. "She can't wait to make you into the most powerful Healer the Guild has seen in generations."

"That can't be true!", Sonea protested.

"It is", Akkarin assured her. "While there have been powerful magicians on your level within the last two generations, I think, none of them became Healers."

"Oh, I see."

"Are you feeling better, now?"

"A little. Thank you, truly, I appreciate everything you've done for me." She even managed a little smile, although it was accompanied by a sad undercurrent.

Akkarin regarded her in silence for a moment while trying to find the best way to word what he wanted to tell her.

"Vinara told me that this whole matter made you rather uncomfortable, so I don't expect you to open up to me about it, but – I just wanted you to know that, if there is ever anything on your mind, anything at all, that you can always come to me. I'm always here to listen – just like you were, two weeks ago. You're not alone, you don't have to struggle all by yourself. You've had to do this long enough, and partially because of me. I want to help you, as much as you'll let me."

This time, he got a genuine smile in reply. "Thank you, I'll keep that in mind. I just – I can't, not with this – "

"It's fine. I don't think I'd feel comfortable, either, were I in your position. Don't worry about it."

She nodded, looking relieved, and Akkarin mentally congratulated himself for having said the right thing.

"Are you hungry?"

"Not really, no. I don't think I could eat an entire meal. Also, I, uh, I'd like to go to my room and wallow – I haven't decided what I want to wallow in yet, but, well."

"Certainly. I'll tell Takan to bring you some food later. In the meantime, is there anything we can get you? Raka? Mountains of chocolate?"

Sonea let out a peal of laughter. "Both sound great. I desperately need those endorphins."

"I'll see to it."

"Thank you. Good night, Akkarin."

"Good night, Sonea."

She was moving slightly less listlessly than before, but she still seemed subdued. Akkarin let out a soft sigh, and lamented the fact that he couldn't strangle those Healers. Sonea already had such low self-esteem – having to hear from her teachers that no man would ever want to look at her twice must have hurt.

— Takan!

— Master! Is Lady Sonea all right?

— She's slightly better than before. However, she urgently requires some raka, and copious amounts of chocolate.

— I'll brew some raka straight away, but we don't have any chocolate stocked at present, I'm afraid. Would you like to bring her the raka?

Akkarin hesitated. Of course he wanted to, but Sonea had made it clear she wasn't too keen on his company right now.

— Sonea doesn't feel entirely comfortable around me at the moment, due to what has happened.

— I don't understand. You didn't do anything stupid, did you?

— No, this is circumstantial. But I won't tell you more than that – feel free to ask her, maybe she'll open up to you.

— I see. I'll give that a try, once I return with the chocolate.

— Thank you. Where would I be without you?

— Dead.

Akkarin barked out a laugh.

Placing his glass – which he had been holding on to the entire time – on the table, Akkarin sat down in his favourite armchair, and started reviewing Sonea's files. Takan went upstairs to bring Sonea an entire carafe of raka before setting off into the sunset to raid the kitchens on behalf of his younger sister.

---

The knock on her door was unfamiliar. Sonea unlatched the door with magic while turning around in her chair, and wasn't too terribly surprised to find Akkarin standing outside. He was holding a sheet of parchment, looking slightly annoyed, however, he immediately smothered that emotion, and gave her a slight smile instead.

"Sonea, how are you feeling today?"

"Ah, much better, thank you. The chocolate certainly helped. I'm sorry if I was out of sorts yesterday."

"You needn't apologise. I told you that you weren't at fault."

"No, I mean, yes, I know that, I just – it wasn't your fault, either, and I – "

She broke off, not really wanting to rehash that argument. She knew, rationally, that what Akkarin had told her was true, that she shouldn't feel bad about what had happened, or the fact that she couldn't open up to him about it, but she still felt bad about it, seeing as how hard he'd been trying to help her.

She just barely managed to stop her mind from voicing the thought that Akkarin, as someone who found her attractive, must have been incensed at the notion that these two women had assumed that no man ever would.

"I did manage to open up to Takan about it", she blurted out before she could stop herself before wincing internally, not sure how he was going to take this bit of information.

She was relieved when his smile became more pronounced.

"That's good", he told her earnestly. "It is important to discuss such matters with someone you're comfortable with. I know that you discussed this with Vinara, but from what I gather, it was more of an interrogating."

"She was being kind about it", Sonea pointed out.

"I should hope so", Akkarin huffed. "Did Takan ask you about what had happened?"

"Yes, when he brought me the chocolate."

"I see. He'd gathered that something was going on that involved you, and tried to get information from me as soon as I instructed him to bring you raka, and chocolate. I told him to ask you himself."

"I see. I appreciate it."

He let out another huff. "I like to think that I'm smart enough not to spill your secrets to someone else, even if that person is someone you like, after just having earned your trust."

"Fair enough", she replied with a chuckle.

He rolled his eyes.

Sonea was immensely relieved that they had managed to fall back into their previously established pattern so quickly. Part of her had been worried that the awkwardness might linger.

"There is another matter I need to discuss with you", Akkarin said, holding up the parchment. "I received this today."

Sonea couldn't make out what it was from where she was sitting, but Akkarin made no move to come closer. Sonea was about to remind him that he'd been inside her room before, but held her tongue – while she was ready to admit that she liked annoying him, she had no intention of making him uncomfortable.

Therefore, she rose to her feet, and crossed over to him.

"What is it?"

"An invitation, addressed to you, but sent to me. The King requests your presence at a formal meal in a week's time."

Sonea repeated his words in her mind a couple of times before blurting out, "Is it possible to refuse such an invitation?"

"That would be suicide. Figuratively speaking. Unless you fall deathly ill, the King will expect you to be there."

"Oh. Why send the invitation to you, though?"

"That's his way of letting me know that I am invited, too. As your guardian, I could forbid you from going. By including me – albeit in a roundabout way – he forestalls that."

"So, he wants to use me, then."

"It seems more and more likely. Although I got the impression that King Merin genuinely enjoyed your conversation, he's not the kind of man to do something without an ulterior motive. And, well, there is another matter – he has provided me with the list of the other people that will be in attendance. Some of them are acquaintances of mine – I don't have any friends among the nobility – but one name stood out: Chessea of Velan. What is interesting is that she is the only other member of our family on the guest list. He has invited neither my parents, nor my brother."

"What does that mean?", Sonea asked with a frown.

"It means that he has become aware of the fact that you are acquainted with each other, and seeks to make use of this. He may believe that having her there as well will make it easier for you to mingle with others, advance your plans – which, in turn, would work in his favour."

"Does that mean that the King has spies within the Guild?", Sonea asked, alarmed.

"No, he doesn't. I assume that he found out through more mundane ways."

"Those being?"

"Servants like to gossip. As do magicians. Anyone knowing the first thing about heraldry would have recognised Chessea's carriage, and her own servants would have, of course, known where she was going. The news that Chessea came to visit – and has met you – will have spread by now. And reached the ears of the King, eventually."

"But how would they know it was her? It could have been anyone from her House, or her husband's, I suppose?"

Akkarin shook his head. "Whenever a noblewoman marries, she has a new Incal designed – one that is half the Incal of the House she was born into, and half of the House she's marrying into. Which elements she uses to represent that union is up to her, and, as a result, every married lady has her own personal Incal. Chessea's carriage is unmistakable."

"Oh, I see – I didn't know that."

"Hm. Then you're probably also unaware of the fact that 'Velan' is the name of my House, not her husband's."

"No-one's ever mentioned the name of your House before, at least not to me, so, yea, I was unaware of that. I'd never given much thought to how any of that worked."

"Understandable."

"So… we'll have to go there, I suppose."

"Indeed. I haven't sent a reply yet, but I will have to, and soon. I just wanted to warn you about this as soon as possible."

"Right. Oh, court etiquette. You'll have to teach me. I just hope I'll be able to learn all that in a week."

"Don't worry", Akkarin replied in a soothing tone. "It's nothing terribly difficult. You already know the most important thing. And I'll make sure you're well-prepared – I still feel awful over what happened the last time – as a Warrior, I'm supposed to be able to anticipate every eventuality, plan for every possibility. I failed to do that. It will not happen again."

"I told you that it wasn't your fault, and you're only human – you are allowed to make mistakes. Remember what your sister said."

"Oh, Sonea", Akkarin sighed, giving her a look that was partly fond, and partly exasperated. "Where would I be without you?"

"Funny you should ask that – Lorlen said pretty much the same thing", Sonea quipped.

Akkarin smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Sonea frowned slightly.

"He mentioned that he'd offered to help you. Did you take him up on that yet?"

"No, I haven't been able to bring myself to do so, to be honest", he replied in a low voice, breaking eye-contact.

"He offered the same to me, the other day, and we had a short mind-healing session. It was exhausting, but I do believe that it helped me. I know you have reservations about opening up to him, but I can only recommend it."

"That – is good to know. I've never actually done anything like that before."

"It's not good if you internalise all of what's happened", Sonea told him. "You need to let it out, unburden yourself. You know I'm always here to listen, but I can't help you. At least not yet. So, please, talk to Lorlen, now that you finally have that option."

He gave her a nod, but still looked distinctively uncomfortable. Sonea frowned, and deliberated for a moment.

"Do you need a hug?"

He looked up at that, and bit his lip in a hesitant manner before giving her a nod, almost imperceptible.

Sonea's heart clenched. She quickly moved closer, and wrapped her arms around his middle. His own arms came up around her shoulders, the King's invitation fluttering to the ground, his hold loose enough to allow her to break free, should she wish to. He was still far from relaxed, though, and Sonea figured that he might be better at offering comfort than receiving it, which, given his mindset, shouldn't surprise her. She could hear his heart beating almost erratically, which worried her.

Since the way they were positioned made it impossible for her to touch his skin, she couldn't use her magic to calm him. Instead, Sonea tried to get him to breathe with her. She took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. Eventually, he started to mimic her, and cautiously rested his chin atop her head. Sonea smiled, confident that he couldn't see it, and just held him. Soon, she could feel the tension ebbing from his body.

The words Lorlen had spoken to her reared their head, and Sonea mentally scoffed at them.

Propriety can go fuck itself. If he needs a hug, he's getting one.

"Thank you, Sonea", he whispered, and she could feel his whole body vibrate.

"Don't mention it. I wish I could do more to help."

"No, you're already doing more than enough", he replied as he released her, and stepped back so that she could see his face. "And I greatly appreciate it."

"Oh. Right. Um. Thanks."

He spotted the invitation, and bent down to pick it up. Sonea blinked, and felt a surge of panic.

"Akkarin, is Viola still here?"

"No, she's already returned to the Servants' Quarters. Why do you ask?"

"Because I urgently need to speak with her."

"Can you find your way there?"

"I think so. I've studied maps of the Guild grounds, too."

"I see. Off you go, then."

"Thanks. I don't know how long this'll take me."

"I'll tell Takan to take his time with the cooking."

"Thanks."

As Sonea headed downstairs, she debated which route to take. The shortest route, in theory, would be to cut diagonally through the gardens, and then cross the square that connected almost all of the Guild's buildings. Unfortunately, the gardens had been designed as a maze.

The next best option would be to head down the road past the university's main entrance, and then turn east – unfortunately, this would mean that she would somehow have to circumvent the Healers' Quarters, the Arena, or the Novices' Quarters.

Still, it seemed better than having to weave her way through a maze that might have people in it.

Sonea shut the door behind herself and broke into a run. She'd just made it past the main entrance when an unfamiliar voice called her name. Surprised, she ground to a stop, and turned to see a Healer making her way down the stairs in front of the university building. With a start, she recognised her as one of the two who had deemed it unnecessary to teach her how to prevent a pregnancy.

"I'm afraid I don't have time for you, my lady", Sonea said in the sweetest voice she could muster. "I have somewhere I need to be, which should have been evident by the fact that I was running. Have a nice evening."

Not waiting for a reply, she turned on her heels and continued running, taking a sharp right turn. Unfortunately, her body had liked the short respite, and made her know that it needed a break. Sonea considered her magical core, and decided that, instead of circumventing the obstacles in her path, she could just go over them. Since the Arena appeared to be in use, and she didn't want to accidentally startle someone, she aimed for the Novices' Quarters instead.

Checking her stride, Sonea pushed herself off the ground with all her strength, and used magic to launch herself into the air. She let out a squeal when a rush of exhilaration overcame her, the wind whipping her in the face. She belatedly noticed that she must have lost her hair tie when her hair suddenly got in her face.

Once she was above the roof of the building, Sonea created a disc of magic, and dropped herself onto it. Allowing gravity to accelerate her in a controlled manner, Sonea descended toward the ground.

Spotting the road that led to the Servants' Quarters, Sonea adjusted the angle of her fall so that she would land on the road.

While using magic was exhausting in itself, her body had used the short flight to recover, and she was good to run the last stretch.

The Servants' Quarters turned out to be a building similar to the Novices' Quarters, even the interior seemed much the same. Sonea was about to ask a servant, who was staring at her with a perplexed expression, where to find Viola when she spotted her a little farther down the corridor, chatting with Tania.

The latter spotted her, eyes widening in surprise.

"Lady Sonea! What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for Viola", Sonea gasped, still a little winded. She shifted her gaze to her own servant. "I need your help, please."

"In here", Viola replied, seeming completely unfazed.

She ushered Sonea into a room that looked very similar to the one she had occupied during her stay at the Novices' Quarters. Sonea suppressed a grin and debated telling Regin, just to annoy him.

Tania followed them inside, and closed the door.

Sonea took the chair, and the two older women settled down on the bed.

"Did you run here, my lady?", Tania asked with a frown.

"For the most part, yes. But that's not important. Viola, I have a problem. The King has invited me to attend a formal meal at the palace, a week from now. I – I don't know what to do."

"Well, at least you won't have to worry about what to wear", Viola replied with a frown. "That's one big thing you don't have to worry about."

"I'm aware. However, I've been to the palace before, and I have seen the things those noblewomen did with their hair. I don't think you'd be able to do anything like that with my hair", she sighed, wrapping a strand around her finger.

"I should be able to come up with something that looks presentable enough. However, I have a feeling that you're not just talking about the hairstyle alone."

"Correct. They all had lots of things in their hair – I have no idea what any of them are called, but they looked fancy. The kind of fancy that includes gemstones. I don't own anything like that, and I have no idea if magicians are even allowed to wear something as ostentatious as that. I suppose I could look for something to buy, but…"

I have no idea how much money Akkarin could justify spending on something like this.

"The way I see it, we have two options", Viola replied, a thoughtful look on her face. "We find out just how precise the law is concerning jewellery and the like, and you attempt to emulate these women as best as you can. The other option would be to go for a more individualistic approach. You are not like them, and they are unlikely to let you forget it. Embrace the fact that you are different, turn it into a strength."

"If you'd care to hear my opinion, my lady", Tania interjected, "I would suggest the latter. If you try to be something you aren't, it'll come across as artificial. It would be much better for you to stay true to yourself, come across as natural – natural! Viola, do you think you could weave flowers into her hair? Nobody should be able to complain about that."

"I should be able to do something like that", Viola mused. "I might have to experiment with different hairstyles until we find something suitable, my lady."

"Sure. We still have an entire week left. Thanks, both of you!"

"Don't worry about it, my lady", Tania replied with a fond smile.

"Would you like for us to keep this quiet?", Viola asked.

"Yes, please."

"Very well."

Sonea gave them both a grateful smile. "I'm not looking forward to walking back", she groused. "I'm honestly surprised you manage to do this twice a day, Viola."

"It's good exercise", the servant replied with a shrug. "Although – may I be frank, my lady?"

"Sure."

"The worst part about it is that you're such an early riser. I'm honestly surprised I'm getting enough sleep."

"Oh, no, I'm so sorry", Sonea whispered, her eyes widening. "I had no idea how far you had to walk! There's actually no reason for me to leave the residence at the crack of dawn every day, and I suppose I could take dawnfeast there, as well – you could come in after that, if that's more convenient for you."

"Are you seriously considering having a meal with the High Lord with your hair a mess?", Tania asked, arching a brow.

"I can manage to brush my hair by myself, thank you very much", Sonea huffed. "And I have no idea when he gets up in the mornings, so it might be just me."

"I appreciate your thoughtfulness, my lady, but I suggest we stick to the old routine, at least until after the banquet. That way, I'll have more time to work on your hair", Viola said.

"Very well." Sonea rose to her feet. "Thank you, once again, for your help, both of you."

---

By the time Viola was finally satisfied with her work, Akkarin was waiting downstairs. He had been chatting with Takan, but stilled when he saw Sonea, a surprised look on his face. However, he recovered quickly.

"What a creative idea. Who came up with this?"

"The idea was Tania's, but Viola designed the style", Sonea replied. "Do I look presentable enough?"

"More than presentable. Good work, Viola, and do pass on my thanks to Tania for her input."

"Thank you, High Lord. I will."

"You look absolutely lovely, Lady Sonea", Takan told her earnestly. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"Thank you, Takan."

"Now, off you go. Enjoy your night out."

Viola exited the residence after them, and opened the carriage door. Akkarin handed Sonea in. After he'd climbed into the carriage, Viola shut the door, and climbed up next to the coachman. They stopped in front of the university to drop Viola off. She bowed in their direction, and briskly disappeared into the night.

"They serve copious amounts of alcohol at these feasts", Akkarin said once the carriage started moving again. "You will be expected to drink wine. I want you to start Healing yourself as soon as you notice anything off. I will try and keep an eye on you, naturally, but I might not be able to let you know."

"Right. Ah – we're not running late, are we?"

"The King has a habit of arriving fashionably late to these kinds of things – that way, all the people he's invited have to kneel when he enters the room. He likes to remind them of their place."

"I see. So, no matter how late we arrive, he'll arrive later."

"Indeed. Don't think of this as something similar to classes – you don't have to be exactly on time."

"I'm glad your sister will be there", Sonea said after a pause. "I enjoyed talking to her."

"She appears to be very fond of you, as well."

At this time of day, the streets were mostly empty, and they made good progress.

"I'm thinking about changing my morning routine", Sonea said, realising she hadn't actually discussed this with Akkarin yet. "Taking Dawnfeast at the residence instead of the Foodhall. Taking things a bit slower. That way, Viola can come in a bit later."

"What arrangements you make with your servant is entirely up to you", Akkarin replied. "I certainly won't mind, and you know that Takan will be delighted to be able to cook for you even more."

"Yes, I'm aware", Sonea replied with a fond smile.

"Might I ask what prompted this?"

"The fact that I was unaware of just how far Viola has to walk every day", Sonea replied with a sigh. "I never knew the precise location of the servants' quarters until a week ago. I felt pretty awful for having put her through this for as long as I have. I if I don't leave the residence right after getting up, she can sleep in a bit longer."

"I see. That is very thoughtful of you."

The next moment, their carriage stopped in front of the palace's entrance. Like last time, a servant appeared to lead the way, however, the corridors were almost completely empty of people. Sonea figured that the nobles probably didn't see the point of lingering in the hallways when a social gathering was taking place elsewhere, especially since private conversations weren't possible, no matter where you went.

Instead of ascending the stairs, their guide led them deeper into the palace, until they reached a fancy set of doors. A servant was stationed outside the door.

Their guide bowed, and left. Akkarin waved the other servant over and spoke to him in a low voice. The man bowed, and disappeared beyond the door. Moments later, he was back, and opened the door for them.

"High Lord Akkarin and Sonea of the Magicians' Guild!", a servant stationed inside the room called.

Side by side, the two of them stepped into the room, and descended a short flight of stairs. Their entrance caused quite a few heads to turn, and there was a momentary lull in conversations. Akkarin smoothly wound his way through the crowd, occasionally exchanging a greeting with someone he knew, aiming for the far side of the room. Sonea noted, with interest, that the room was opening right into the gardens, and that the archways didn't have any kind of glazing in them. The fresh breeze coming into the room was pleasant, and Sonea took a deep breath.

"This is a lovely room", she observed.

"Indeed. Large gatherings such as these can get very stuffy, especially in summer."

None of the nobles seemed eager to approach them, for now – though Sonea couldn't tell if that was because they were intimidated by Akkarin, or because they didn't want to get too close to her. She'd already noticed some of the looks she'd received, and Sonea was internally steeling herself for what was sure to come.

As she observed the crowd – as well as the newcomers – she realised something. All the people coming into the room were announced with their House and Family names. The only people who had not been announced in the same manner had been Akkarin, and herself. Sonea obviously didn't have any Family or House names, but Akkarin certainly did.

"Why didn't that man call out your House and Family names when we entered?", she asked Akkarin in a whisper. "I can't imagine that he didn't know them, or that he forgot."

"You would be correct on both points", he replied, looking like he was trying very hard not to smirk.

"Why, then?", she pressed.

"I may have instructed him to only announce me with the title I hold within the Guild, a title that I have earned. Having been born into House Velan wasn't my achievement, after all. It feels wrong to boast about that."

By now, he was smirking. Sonea realised that he had done this to spare her the humiliation of being the only person not being announced with a lengthy name – something that had caused her to feel mortified at her Acceptance Ceremony, as it had drawn attention to her "humble" origins.

She felt a surge of affection for the man at her side.

"Thank you", she whispered.

The look he gave her in return was strange – it was something similar to fondness, but not exactly that. However, before she had the time to analyse this strange emotion, someone called Akkarin's name.

Feeling that she recognised the voice, Sonea turned, and saw Chessea approaching, a man, presumably her husband, trailing in her wake.

Sonea found that her assumption made back in the stationary store had been correct. Chessea was dressed in an elegant dress made from a fabric that shimmered in the light when she moved. The neckline was cut in a way that bared her shoulders, and the long sleeves were slashed in the front, revealing her pale, slender arms. The sleeves – as well as the train of her dress – were rippling as she moved. The dress itself was made from a shade of dark red – Sonea didn't know what that colour was called, precisely. She had painted her lips in a matching tone, and the only jewellery she was wearing were a necklace, bangles and earrings made from white gold.

Chessea held out her hands toward her brother, and Akkarin took them in his own.

"Chessea. You look absolutely stunning. This colour suits you."

"Why, thank you. I'd love to return the compliment, though I fear those robes just look so drab. I must admit that you look good in black, though – and, given how long you've been wearing this colour, I couldn't imagine you wearing anything else."

"I feel much the same", he replied with a smirk.

Chessea chuckled, and released him. While Akkarin moved to greet his law-brother, Chessea came over to greet Sonea.

"Lady Sonea", she said with an elegant bow. "Are those live flowers? I have to say that you look absolutely enchanting."

"Thank you, Lady Chessea", Sonea replied, returning the bow. "They're marigolds."

"What a lovely idea."

"I have to say", Sonea replied, rallying herself from the shock of having received such a compliment, "that I quite like your style, too – I much prefer understated elegance to gaudy displays of wealth."

Chessea let out a peal of laughter. "I know my own worth", she said, winking.

Sonea grinned in response.

Chessea's husband now made his way over and gave Sonea a rather stilted greeting, his bow rather shallow. While not openly hostile, he seemed certainly less enthused about meeting her than his wife.

Chessea had noticed the rather lacklustre greeting, and turned to narrow her eyes at him.

"Do try to behave yourself properly, my dear", she warned. "I trust you know what happened to Elyssa's law-parents?"

"I, ah, heard some rumours", her husband replied, swallowing hard. "I don't know how much truth is to them, though."

He shot Akkarin, who had been watching him like a predator ready to pounce, a nervous glance.

Akkarin smiled.

"I would be more than happy to clear up any misunderstandings on that front, dear brother", he offered.

"Oh, ah, that is very kind of you. I may get back to you on that matter."

Sonea almost felt sorry for the man.

"I apologise for my husband", Chessea said to Sonea. "He is not a bad man, truly, but he has a hard time adapting to change. Which is why he was against letting Yaryna join the Guild. 'It is not done', he said." She let out a huff. "If we constantly adhered to that mindset, we'd never get anywhere."

"My mere existence already breaks several established rules and precedents", Sonea replied. "Commoners did not join the Guild. High Lords never chose girls. And yet here I am."

"Indeed."

"All kneel to King Merin, ruler of Kyralia!", the announcer called.

As one, all the people present turned toward the door, and sank down on one knee. After a moment, the King bade them rise, and conversations resumed.

"Who came up with this lovely idea of using flowers as hair decoration?", Chessea asked.

"Tania – she's Rothen's servant, and very fond of me. She was there when I asked Viola – my servant – for help."

"I seem to remember the name 'Rothen', but nothing beyond that."

"Oh, sorry, my bad. He's my former guardian."

"Ah, your father figure."

"That's right. Best father I ever had."

Chessea clicked her tongue. "My brother mentioned that your sire was rather irresponsible."

"That's putting it mildly", Sonea huffed. "Though I should better not repeat what my aunt has to say on that matter. She tends to forget her manners whenever he's mentioned."

Chessea was about to reply when her eyes widened minutely. "Look alive!", she hissed.

Sonea turned around to see that the King was headed straight for them, ignoring all the people trying to catch his attention.

Akkarin and Chessea immediately moved to flank Sonea. Not wanting to get caught in the middle, her husband moved to stand next to Chessea.

The King stopped in front of them, and they all dipped into respectful bows. Merin turned to address Akkarin first, and they exchanged the usual niceties. Chessea shifted closer to Sonea and reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Sonea glanced up at her and gave her a grateful smile.

"Lady Sonea", the King said, arresting her attention. "I am delighted to see that you accepted my invitation."

"I am honoured that you thought to include me, Your Majesty", Sonea replied, dipping her head. "And I have to say that I like this hall. It's very lovely."

"One of my most favourite venues in summer", the King replied. "Though it gets awfully draughty in winter."

"I can imagine", Sonea replied with a chuckle.

King Merin's gaze suddenly shifted, and he frowned slightly as he studied her hairstyle.

"I don't think I've ever seen a lady with flowers in her hair here at the palace", he observed.

"What can I say? I like treading new paths."

Merin let out a chuckle, and turned to Chessea.

"Lady Chessea, I see that you are already acquainted with Lady Sonea."

"Indeed I am, Your Majesty."

"And how do you find her company?"

"Absolutely delightful. I cannot wait to deepen our acquaintance – though, I have to say that I am quite cross with my brother for not introducing us sooner."

Sonea was floored – she had not expected such a show of support. Akkarin had told her that Chessea wanted to get to know her better, but Sonea hadn't known what to expect from that. She didn't really understand the concept of "acquaintances".

The King hummed in response before turning to talk to Chessea's husband. Once they had finished exchanging pleasantries, the king waved a servant carrying a tray with glasses of wine over.

"Do enjoy yourselves, my lords, my ladies."

He took a glass, and disappeared into the crowd.

Letting out a soft sigh, Sonea grabbed a glass, and took a sip.

Akkarin moved to stand across from Sonea and Chessea. The latter leaned in closer to Sonea.

"If, at any point, you need a break, a breath of fresh air or anything else at all, do let me know. I will endeavour to keep an eye on you, too."

"Thank you, that's very kind of you."

"King Merin didn't seem too terribly surprised that Lady Sonea and I were already acquainted", Chessea said to Akkarin.

"I am certain that he knew, and that you, specifically, were invited because of this", he replied. "He must have found out from gossiping servants, or magicians."

"Hm, I see. Well, the newest addition to my household was certainly eager to tell everyone who cared to listen that she'd run into Lady Sonea."

"She called me 'legendary'", Sonea muttered. "I'm still not sure how to feel about that."

"You do have quite the reputation in the slums", Akkarin told her with a chuckle.

"And how would you know about that?", Chessea asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I told you that I like to be well-informed."

Chessea arched a brow, but didn't press the issue.

After that, they spent a while discussing banal things – Akkarin asked about Chessea's children, and how Yaryna was getting on with her writing lessons. Chessea, in turn, wanted to know the latest Guild gossip. Akkarin stared at her blankly for a moment before telling her that he didn't know any, as he usually stayed away from the Night Room – not something Sonea had been aware of. Chessea was surprised by that, and Akkarin explained that his presence tended to discourage gossip.

Chessea let out a sound that seemed suspiciously like a snort. "So, the Guild's gossips actually behave themselves whenever their leader is present?"

"They do", Akkarin replied with a smirk. "They have no such inhibitions when any number of the rest of the Higher Magicians are present, however."

"Does that mean that you never go to the Night Room?", Sonea asked.

"Not unless I want to make a statement. The day you challenged Regin, I attended the nightly gathering – and people were falling over themselves to find out what I thought, and if I had been aware of your plans."

"I get a feeling, retrospectively, that you were enjoying that whole thing."

"Oh, I was", he replied, his eyes shining. "I've never seen Lord Garrel squirm like that before. And watching you completely decimate that foolish boy was immensely satisfying."

"Regin?", Chessea interjected. "What House does he belong to?"

"I am not telling you", Akkarin replied. "He's already more than enough terrified of me. If you were to show up on his doorstep, I fear he might die of fright."

"I was considering paying a visit to his parents, let them know what I think of their way of educating their son."

"Really, there is no need for that", Sonea interjected. "We sorted it. And ever since, he hasn't bothered me. We even had an entire conversation recently, during which he didn't even insult me once."

Chessea stared at her.

"Small victories", Sonea said with a slight smile and a shrug.

Chessea exhaled forcefully through her nose.

"I am honestly surprised he managed to do this much", Akkarin said. "I was keeping my expectations low."

Chessea still looked livid. However, much to Sonea's surprise, she quickly wiped that look off her face, and replaced it with a smile.

"Lady Sonea, would you care to accompany me for a moment?"

Sensing that this wasn't exactly a request, Sonea shot Akkarin a look.

"You'll be in good hands", he said with a smile. Then, he turned to fix his sister with a stern look. "Don't overdo it."

"Whatever can you mean? Sonea is someone whose natural beauty needs not be enhanced."

Akkarin blinked. "I shall take your word for it."

"You had better", she replied with a grin before holding her arm out to Sonea.

Sonea hesitated for a moment before linking her arm with Chessea's.

Chessea led her toward the door, skilfully meandering through the crowd. The people they encountered greeted them with smiles, although those smiles turned forced whenever they turned to Sonea.

Remembering Akkarin's instructions, she kept her back straight, and stared unblinkingly at anyone who dared to look down on her.

Chessea led her out into the corridor, and further into the palace at a slow pace.

"I have to say that I am quite impressed that you – or your servants – managed to find a colour that works well with this dreadful brown", she observed. "Whoever decided that novices should wear such a drab colour should be court-martialled."

"That was a bit of a hassle, to be sure", Sonea replied with a chuckle. "Especially since we needed flowers we could find on the Guild grounds. Viola picked them this morning."

"Hm. You said that you want to become a Healer, if I recall? I promise you that you will look magnificent in green."

"Oh, ah, thanks? Not that I care much about the colour of a garment – it has to be comfortable, and practical, first and foremost."

"I see", Chessea replied in a low voice. "That makes a lot of sense, truly. Forgive me – I must seem so thoughtless and frivolous to you, prattling on and on about colours…"

"Well, at least you're aware of it", Sonea replied, gently squeezing Chessea's arm. "Most nobles don't care to bother. For what it's worth, you didn't choose the sphere you were born into, either."

"That is very kind of you to say."

"Speaking of colours, what is that shade of red called, exactly?"

Instead of answering her question, Chessea let out a chuckle. "You are doing it again, I see."

"Doing what?", Sonea asked, confused.

"Redirecting the conversation. I noticed you do it twice when I was visiting you."

"Twice? I'm only aware that I did it once", Sonea replied with a frown.

"Ah, so you admit it?"

"Guilty as charged", she replied with a grimace.

"I will not pry", Chessea assured her. "I assume you had your reasons."

"Thank you."

Akkarin had never outright told her, but it was clear where he'd developed the taste for raka, and when. Sonea guessed that drinking raka might have been one of the few things that had given him comfort during his long captivity, or he wouldn't still be doing it.

"Will you answer my question, though? While I'll admit that I was trying to distract you, I am genuinely curious."

"It's called Anuren", Chessea replied with a smirk.

"Like the wine?"

"Indeed. It is the same shade."

"Is this a jab at your brother?"

"Perhaps", the lady replied with a grin.

"I'm still not quite sure I understand what sibling relationships are like", Sonea admitted. "I don't have any siblings."

"My brother told me. He also said that you were raised by your aunt and uncle."

"That's right. For which I will be eternally grateful."

"What do you mean? Family should take care of one another."

"Sure, but they had to put their own lives on hold for my sake. We – it got rough sometimes, and my uncle – he has a bad leg. As a result, there are a large number of professions he can't work in. I believe that a Healer might be able to fix his leg, but they couldn't afford the fee, and they don't feel comfortable around magicians, either…"

"Is that why you want to open up a hospice?"

"It's part of the reason, yes. But – I know what living conditions in the slums are like. I'll spare you the gritty details, but I want to help them. The Dwells pay taxes, just like everybody else, so why shouldn't they benefit from that?"

Chessea bit her lip – a rather uncharacteristic move for a confident lady such as herself.

"That is quite a noble goal", she said at length. "My new maidservant – the one you met – I questioned her about life in the slums because I wanted to know if such a thing would be needed – or wanted. She confirmed the former, but was a bit unsure about the latter. However, given how much she seems to admire you, I am quite certain that you would be able to convince people to accept this kind of help. And, for what it's worth, you have my support in this endeavour. I will try my utmost to help you realise this dream."

Sonea stared up at her, rendered mute for a few seconds as she tried to process Chessea's words.

"Thank you so much, my lady, this means the world to me", she whispered.

Chessea gave her a gentle smile before sobering.

"Do you feel guilty for having 'disrupted' your aunt and uncle's lives?"

"Sometimes", Sonea admitted. "I've caused them quite a bit of grief, too, and I know that they worry about me. But I also know that they never resented me for being there, that they love me."

"I see. That's good to hear."

"By the way, where are we going?"

"The toilette room. I need to freshen up my hair and make-up."

"But, why? You look absolutely stunning."

Chessea stopped walking, and turned her head to stare at Sonea. Sonea stared back, not entirely sure what was going on. Then, her eyes widened in horror.

"Oh, no, I've said something weird again, haven't I? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to – "

"Do not fret, I am not angry", Chessea replied in a soothing tone, placing her left hand on top of Sonea's. "Most people like compliments, and flattery – I was merely surprised by the method of delivery. Although I very much appreciate the honesty behind your words."

"Ah, right. Um. I've already noticed that not everyone appreciates my bluntness. I try, but…"

"Don't think of it as a weakness. You can turn it into a strength. You may want to be careful about bluntly insulting people, but with compliments like that, you could get far, especially if you manage to catch people on the wrong foot. Similarly, your ability to wreck conversations and steer them into a new direction is also something you should start to use consciously. Is my brother teaching you rhetoric?"

"We've started working that."

"Good. Incidentally, if you would like to learn a more feminine approach to dealing with annoying people, I would be more than happy to help."

"If that includes stuff like batting my eyelashes, fake smiling and lying through my teeth, then no, thanks. I'd much rather stick with the skills your brother taught me."

Chessea let out a chortle. "I cannot wait to see you unleash your full potential on these fools. Akkarin will be so proud."

Sonea ducked her head, a small smile on her face. Being able to make Akkarin proud was still something of a strange concept to her.

They rounded a corner, and Sonea spotted a single guard stationed outside a door. He bowed to them as they approached, and Chessea ushered Sonea inside.

"Here we are. This room is for women only, hence the guard outside. It is not simply for taking care of our toilette, but also a place of refuge."

Sonea took in the room. Several vanities and divans were placed along the walls, and female servants were waiting to attend visitors.

"Through there is a lavatory", Chessea went on, pointing at a door. "Now, I do need to check that I still look presentable, despite your earlier assurances."

She gave Sonea a wink, and sat down in front of one of the vanities. She produced a small bag from a hidden pocket in her skirt, and proceeded to re-apply some make-up before checking that her hair was still in place.

Sonea hovered behind her, not sure what she should be doing. She didn't dare touch her own hair lest she ruin it, and she wasn't wearing any make-up, either.

A sudden thought occurred to her, and she fished out the bottle of lavender oil to apply some to the hollow of her throat.

"What a lovely smell", Chessea observed. "What kind of perfume is that?"

"Oh, it's lavender oil, not perfume – I mostly use it to calm myself in stressful situations. But I also like the smell a lot, so. I'm not feeling particularly stressed at the moment."

"I see."

Once they had taken care of everything, they headed back to the hall. Chessea was walking at a brisker pace now, apparently having finished her "interrogation" earlier, although she was mindful of Sonea's much shorter legs.

"I imagine that the meal will be served soon", Chessea mused as they made their way around the fringe of the crowd. "The palace cooks are excellent."

"Then I am curious to find out if they're better than Takan", Sonea replied with a chuckle.

Chessea was about to reply when someone called her name. They stopped, and Chessea turned to look at the newcomer, a noblewoman dressed in a gaudy dress covered in lace and frills.

"Lady Chessea! There you are. My friends and I have been looking all over for you!"

"And who do you think you are, interrupting my conversation in such a rude manner?", Chessea asked in a chilly voice.

The noblewoman blinked, obviously not having expected a reaction like this, before plastering a smile on her face.

"You looked like you were in need of rescuing is all, my lady."

"Rescuing? Whatever from? This is the royal palace. Oh, and in case you were unaware – Lady Sonea here is considered the most powerful magician of her generation. I feel perfectly safe with her around."

Sonea flushed at hearing such praise.

"Come now, Lady Chessea, you need not pretend – there is no need for you to endure the company of that filthy little upstart."

The warm, fuzzy feeling evaporated in an instant. Sonea felt like she'd been doused with cold water, and fought to keep her features under control.

Chessea smiled.

"My dear, I assure you that nothing about Lady Sonea is filthy at all – rather, she has a very pleasant fragrance to herself that she would not possess otherwise. Furthermore, the reason why Lady Sonea was offered a place in the Guild is common knowledge. Calling her either of these things is insulting, and untrue. Besides, she is my brother's chosen novice – are you somehow implying that my brother chose someone unworthy, or that he would allow a 'filthy upstart', as you say, into his home?"

"I do not claim to know the High Lord's thoughts."

"Ah, but I'd wager he would be very interested to hear yours."

"I'm not afraid of him!", the noblewoman exclaimed.

The look in Chessea's eyes reminded Sonea of the one she'd got whenever she had challenged Akkarin. This was not going to end well.

"Akkarin!", Chessea called, loud enough for the entire room to hear. "You are needed over here!"

Conversations ceased as people turned to look at them. Akkarin, who had been talking to a nobleman on the other side of the room, turned to lock eyes with his sister. The next moment, he passed his wine glass to his conversation partner, who took it with a befuddled look on his face, and started toward them, black robes snapping around his ankles.

The people in his way almost fell over themselves trying to get away as he all but stalked toward them, his demeanour menacing.

Sonea felt a thrill of something, an emotion she couldn't name.

Well, now I know for sure that I'm no longer frightened of him.

The noblewoman, sensing danger at last, tried to make her escape. Chessea's hand shot out, and grabbed hold of her arm.

"Oh, no, my lady, I insist that you stay", she said, smiling her teeth at the other woman.

"You called", Akkarin said, stopping a few feet away so that he could keep the entire group within his field of vision.

"I did", Chessea replied, eyes flashing, her grip on the other woman's arm tightening. "Not only did this lady have the audacity to interrupt my extremely fascinating conversation with your favourite, she also had the gall to abuse Lady Sonea in words so vile, I will not repeat them. And, when I pointed out that you would not like to hear of such things being said about your favourite, she boldly declared that she was not afraid of you."

The predatory gleam that lit up Akkarin's eyes gave Sonea chills. He turned, with deliberate slowness, and proceeded to glare down at the noblewoman, who visibly squirmed under his scrutiny.

Chessea let go of her arm, and moved closer to Sonea, silently offering comfort, for which Sonea was exceedingly grateful.

"Now, then", Akkarin said in a silky voice. "Would you care to repeat what vile things you said about Sonea since my sister cannot bring herself to repeat them? Seeing as how you have already uttered them once, and how unafraid you are of me, this should not be difficult for you."

"No, I, that is, I wasn't – "

"A 'filthy little upstart', I see."

The noblewoman paled.

"People like you disgust me", Akkarin said in a cold voice. "Though I do wonder, my lady, as to the intentions behind those words – were you attempting to insult my favourite, myself, the Guild, or the King?"

"No, that is, I wasn't, that's not what I meant – "

"It would be regrettable, indeed, if you were constantly saying things without meaning to say them. Perhaps you should hire someone to do the thinking for you, since you are terrible at it."

Chessea let out a chuckle. Sonea remained silent.

The noblewoman looked mortified.

"I would humbly ask that you stay away from the people associated with me until you learn some manners. Your behaviour is hardly becoming of one of your stature."

"I – yes, High Lord, I will be sure to keep my distance."

Apparently satisfied with this result, Akkarin turned, and motioned for Sonea and Chessea to follow him. He once again cut a path through the crowd effortlessly, and the two women trailed in his wake. Chessea reached out and linked her arm with Sonea's again.

"Slow down, please!", Sonea begged.

"My apologies", Chessea muttered. "That was thoughtless of me."

Akkarin led them over to the colonnades lining the long side of the room. When he turned around, he seemed momentarily surprised to have lost them, but quickly schooled his features. Once Sonea and Chessea reached him, he repositioned them so that his tall form was hiding Sonea from view, and also effectively blocking out the room from her perspective.

Chessea moved to stand next to him, adding to the "wall". Sonea had never felt so grateful for the fact that both of them were so tall.

Sonea took a shuddering breath.

"Would you like to leave?", Akkarin asked, worry shining in his black eyes.

Sonea considered this. "It'd look bad if we did, right? That would be showing weakness."

"Indeed", he replied. "However, your comfort is more important than whatever standing I might lose with these fools. If you wish to leave, we shall."

Sonea squared her shoulders. "I wouldn't want to be seen running away after an incident like this. I was expecting something to happen, sooner or later, and I can't run away every time. I don't want them to know just how much this affects me. I won't give them that kind of satisfaction, I refuse."

"Very well. If, at any point, you change your mind, please let me know."

"Thank you", Sonea replied, giving him a grateful smile.

Chessea held out her hands for Sonea to take, and she took the offer gratefully.

"I fear this is all I can do for you at present", she said mournfully, "given the setting. But I want you to know that you are not alone, Lady Sonea."

Sonea squeezed her hands in return. When Chessea let out a small sound, Sonea realised that she'd been gripping her too tightly.

"Oh, no, I'm sorry", she whispered before sending a pulse of Healing magic into the other woman's body before pulling her hands away.

"No need for that. You must be distressed, no matter how skilled you are at hiding it."

Sonea nearly jumped out of her skin when King Merin appeared next to Akkarin, as though he had simply materialised. Sonea felt profoundly grateful that she had just let go of Chessea's hands.

"Lady Sonea, I deeply apologise for the rude behaviour displayed by one of my guests", the King said gravely. "It was a most unseemly sight."

"I thank you, King Merin", Sonea replied, inclining her head.

"Will you have her removed, Your Majesty?", Akkarin asked.

"No. Are you familiar with the concept of hubris?"

"I am."

"I have no intentions of missing the spectacle", Merin replied with an evil glint in his eyes. "That woman is about to destroy herself. Things such as this are always a delight."

Sonea fought to remain composed, to not let on how unsettling she found the King at this moment. His savage glee was different from Akkarin's, and she knew Akkarin to be on her side. The King was a bit of a wild card.

"I see", Akkarin replied.

Merin waved a servant over and took two glasses of wine.

"Here, Lady Sonea, something for the nerves."

She managed a grateful smile, and accepted the glass. She felt much better as soon as she had something to hold on to, and took a sip.

Thankfully, she hadn't drunk much alcohol earlier, and the short walk with Chessea had helped her clear her head. Still, she kept close watch over her body, trying to monitor the alcohol level within her bloodstream.

"It seems to have started", Chessea observed.

While Merin and Chessea turned to watch the show, Akkarin's attention remained fixed on Sonea, who, herself, had no desire to see what would happen to that foolish woman. She felt no satisfaction, only a strange kind of emptiness.

The King eventually wandered off to mingle with the crowd, and Chessea lost interest in what was happening, and turned back to face Sonea.

Sonea was quite surprised when, after a while, a small gaggle of nobles approached their little group, and started making cautious inquiries about things like Akkarin and Chessea's health, Chessea's estates and whatnot. And, when one of them turned to Sonea and attempted to cautiously include her in the conversation, she barely managed to hide her surprise.

When Sonea responded to the questions posed, Akkarin moved from shielding her to backing her up like a silent shadow. The nobles took that as a sign that they were permitted to speak with her, and they were soon having a rather pleasant conversation.

Sonea felt herself relaxing, and soon managed a genuine smile when another lady complimented her on the lovely flowers in her hair.

Sonea cast about for something to say in return, and remarked that her jewellery really brought out her eye-colour, a pale blue that reminded her of Rothen.

The lady preened visibly.

"I must say, High Lord, your favourite is quite a delightful young woman", one of the lords observed, a note of surprise in his voice.

"I recommend getting to know people before judging them", Akkarin replied smoothly. "That will save you from potentially embarrassing displays such as what happened earlier."

The lord grimaced. "The audacity! And to assume that Lady Chessea, of all people, needed rescuing! I could have understood her interference if it had been Lady Elyssa, but – "

"I hear she's much improved these days, now that she is the lady of the House."

"That wouldn't surprise me. I was just saying that, out of all of your siblings, she would have been the most likely to need rescuing."

"To get back to what you were saying earlier – the King would have never invited Sonea if she weren't a delightful young woman."

Sonea blushed furiously, and tried to hide it by taking a large sip of wine.

"The King invited her? I had assumed that she was accompanying you, High Lord", the nobleman replied, eyes wide.

"Oh, no, it's the other way around, I'm afraid. He sent her an invitation – addressed to me. He only invited me to prevent me from refusing the invitation on her behalf."

"I – see. I was not expecting this."

"Your surprise is warranted."

Chessea drifted over to Sonea's side, and bent down to whisper in her ear.

"Heal!"

Her eyes widening, Sonea quickly called on some Healing magic.

"Thank you", she murmured.

Chessea gave her a smile in return.

The next moment, the announcer called out that the meal was ready. A curtain at the far end of the room was lifted. Beyond was an enormous table set with expensive glasses, plates and cutlery, and crystal chandeliers illuminating the room. A crowd of servants was waiting, ready to guide the guests to their seats.

Akkarin was seated on the King's right – a blatant show of favouritism. Sonea herself was seated in between Akkarin and Chessea, something she appreciated immensely.

Once again, she felt gratitude toward Rothen for taking the time and effort to teach her how to eat a Kyralian formal meal, despite her protests. Sonea had not understood why she should bother to learn this, as she had never expected anyone to invite her to a fancy meal.

When Akkarin had done just that not long after she had become his novice, she had assumed that it had been an attempt to humble her – she hadn't been certain whether he'd known – or cared to remember – that she knew how to do this.

And now, the King himself had invited her to eat with him at the palace. If Rothen hadn't been so persistent, she'd have made a complete fool out of herself.

After the King had started serving himself, the guests did the same. Sonea was eager to sample the food – it wasn't bad by any stretch, and much better than what they served at the Foodhall, but Takan's cooking still turned out to be superior.

She caught Akkarin's gaze, and shook her head once. He let out a chuckle.

King Merin, who had been talking to the lady seated on his left, paused, and narrowed his eyes at them.

"And what are you two gossiping about again?"

"I don't gossip, Your Majesty", Sonea replied with a huff. "I don't have time for that."

"And people usually refuse to gossip whenever I'm around", Akkarin added. "I get all the Guild gossip second-hand, and my only source is the Administrator."

"Ah, dear Lorlen. Has he worked himself to death yet?"

"He seems very determined to achieve this soon. However, I may have found an incentive to make him delegate more. His assistant is quite capable, after all."

"Who was that again?"

"Lord Osen. He graduated a few years ago."

"Hm, I see."

Thankfully, the King decided that he was done interrogating them, and turned his attention toward his food.

Not long after, Sonea became aware that the man seated across from her kept watching her intently, no doubt waiting for her to make a mistake, use the wrong fork or something. While Sonea had certainly no intention of giving him that satisfaction, she knew that she would eventually grow nervous if he continued staring.

Putting her knife down, she reached for her glass. The fact that she was bad at the practical aspects of Warrior Skills didn't mean that she hadn't been able to grasp the theoretical bits, and she had a pretty sound grasp on strategy. It was time for a counterattack.

She caught his gaze, and proceeded to stare at him unblinkingly as she took a sip from her glass. By the time she put it back down, he was squirming. When Sonea continued to glare at him, he let out a cough, and dropped his gaze to his plate.

Sonea allowed herself a small smile.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed that both Chessea and Akkarin were wearing identical looks of smugness on their faces. She guessed that they had noticed their battle of wills.

As the servants were preparing to serve dessert, Akkarin suddenly nudged her leg with his. The fact that she didn't even react to that outwardly was alarming, and Sonea quickly called upon some Healing magic to chase away the haze that had clouded her mind.

Thankfully, the dessert didn't contain any alcohol, and the fat and sugar helped her keep a clear mind for the rest of the meal.

If I weren't able to purify the alcohol from my blood, I'm sure I would have died of alcohol poisoning by now. How can they all drink so much? I swear they're not human.

As the plates were cleared away, Akkarin turned to address the King.

"I fear we must take our leave soon, your Majesty. The hour grows late, and Sonea has classes tomorrow."

"Ah, right, I don't suppose her teachers would be too happy if she fell asleep."

"Probably not, no."

"I shall not keep you any longer, then."

The King rose, causing all the people present to do the same. He moved around the corner of the table to come stand in front of Akkarin and Sonea.

"It was lovely seeing you again, Lady Sonea. You should visit more often."

"I'll see what I can do, King Merin", Sonea replied with a bow.

"Akkarin, take good care of her."

"I will, your Majesty."

Akkarin bowed, as well, and the King took his leave.

Chessea approached them, and exchanged a heartfelt farewell with her brother. When she turned to Sonea, there was a curious expression on her face.

"Lady Sonea, I do hope this isn't too forward of me, given that we have not known each other for very long, but – I would be delighted to be able to count you among my friends."

For a few heartbeats, all Sonea could do was stare at her in shock and wonder. After recovering, she gave her a brilliant smile.

"I would love that."

"Splendid", Chessea replied, beaming. "Come here, Sonea."

She lifted her arms, and Sonea took her up on the offer gladly, tightly embracing the other woman.

"You did very well tonight, you can be proud of yourself", Chessea whispered. "And I am certain that my brother would agree."

"Thank you, Chessea", Sonea replied. "And I really appreciated your support throughout this."

"Not at all."

Chessea released her, and stepped back.

Sonea felt overwhelmed and giddy as she and Akkarin wound their way through the crowd. She was well aware how monumental it was for her to have secured the friendship of someone of Chessea's calibre.

By now, Sonea was so exhausted, she had to constantly draw on her magic to keep herself awake. She was immensely glad that they were already on the ground floor.

Their carriage was waiting for them, and Akkarin helped her climb inside. Sonea plopped down onto the bench with a sigh, feeling incredibly weary.

"You did well tonight, I am very proud of you", Akkarin said as soon as the carriage was moving.

Sonea opened her eyes and gave him a smile. Thanks to Chessea's "warning", she had been prepared for him saying something like this, and was able to accept the compliment with tolerable ease.

"I am also glad that you have become friends with Chessea. Having her on your side will be a tremendous help."

"She's very nice, and kind", Sonea replied. "I like her. Oh, but what about her husband? He didn't seem too thrilled to meet me."

"He'll keep his thoughts to himself if he knows what's good for him", Akkarin huffed. "Chessea won't take it kindly if he tries to interfere."

Sonea smiled, and leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes.

"Please don't fall asleep."

"I won't, promise. I just want to rest for a bit."

"That hardly seems comfortable."

"I've had worse."

He made a sound that could be an expression of distress, anger, or both. Sonea was too tired to care.

"Sonea."

"Wha – ?"

"We have arrived."

"Oh."

She blinked her eyes open and sat up, slightly disoriented.

Akkarin gave her a moment to get her bearings before descending from the carriage, and helping her down. Takan was there, like last time, and gave Sonea a smile.

"How was it?", he asked as soon as they were inside.

"I made a friend!", Sonea exulted with a bright smile.

"The Lady Chessea?"

"Yes. I'm so happy. She's nice, I like her."

"I'm glad. Now, off to bed with you, my lady, you look like you're about to fall asleep standing."

"Right."

Somehow, she made it up the stairs in one piece. Once inside her room, she carefully plucked the flowers from her hair, and put them back into the vase Viola had left for her. Too tired to take proper care of her clothing, she just stripped and let everything fall to the floor. She pulled on her nightgown, crawled into bed, and was asleep the next moment.

---

A/N:

Coming up with a title for this chapter was hard, comparatively. With almost every other one, a title came to me rather quickly. This time, I had to do some actual brainstorming, and eventually settled on this, possibly inspired by "A Funeral of Flowers", a song from Fire Emblem Three Houses. It's a lovely song, though "Don't Speak Her Name" will always be the superior one in my mind.

I know the whole "Sonea doesn't know how to prevent a pregnancy" thing is necessary for plot reasons in the book, but I hate the fact that she is essentially a grieving, unmarried mother at 21. Sonea deserved better, although I'm sure that having Lorkin helped her a lot. Not that I'm blaming Akkarin – depending on when this whole thing happened in the books, he couldn't have known that she didn't know how to do this. Still. I hated it, so I fixed it.
It also surprises me a bit that Vinara, who seems to like Sonea, never really interacts with her at all in the first three books. The only conversation these two have is when Vinara questions Sonea about Rothen.

Coming up with last names is the worst thing ever, and I'll admit that the only reason I decided to let noblewomen keep their original names is because I didn't want to have to invent House names (and Family names, potentially) for Akkarin's four sisters. And from this, the idea of the combined crests stemmed.
There are countries and cultures where the woman keeps her last name even after marriage (such as China), and in Spanish-speaking countries, people have two last names – the first one being that of the father, and the second one that of the mother. If a woman gets married, she discards her mother's name, and adds her husband's in front.

Most noblewomen would roll for Persuasion to get what they want – they'd bat their eyelashes, use honeyed words or outright flirt with their target. Not Sonea. No, she goes straight for Intimidation because that's what Akkarin taught her. Personally, I find the thought of tiny little Sonea terrifying people out of their minds with a look absolutely hilarious.

Dresses with pockets: Yes!
High-heels: No.

Vinara: * wants Akkarin to know what happened *
Sonea: Sure, go ahead and tell the man who thinks that I'm attractive for some reason I still don't understand that the Healers thought that I didn't need to know how to prevent a pregnancy because no man would ever find me attractive. That won't be awkward AT ALL.

Akkarin: Is murder legal? Asking for me.

Merin: * grabs a few glasses of wine and enjoys the show *