They wouldn`t...


    Ellyn woke up with a thought. Not even the inviting aroma of breakfast was enough to keep Ellyn`s thoughts away from that one possibility. If Lunor wanted her to serve the kingdom someplace where no one would know about her rapid growth for the longest time possible, marrying Ellyn off to Duchy of Argela would have been a sensible choice. Does she need to keep it hidden for that long, though?


    No,... Cathe outright said that the princess would not force her into a relationship. Done. No point thinking about that.


    Most of her classmates won`t even ask to be assigned into a battalion. Maybe half a dozen. There are 13 Aspion battalions to choose from, which is more than enough. All is well. No marriage anywhere in sight. Not for many decades.


    Bacon, eggs, vegetables, bread, butter... mmm. Life is good.


    "Chirim nin viun, dear sister!" Marys rushed into her guest room.


    "Chirpily to you too, Marys."


    "I spoke in Old Ilgwath language," she explained merrily to the ignorant her, who knew no foreign language at all.


    "Ilgwath Empire is long gone, but merchants who travel a lot and mercenaries still speak it, making it an essential language for diplomats and nobles to know."


    Foreign languages and travelling was something Marys was passionate about.


    "Even the mercenaries? Hm... I guess they want to understand whomever they`re dealing with," Ellyn said, impressed by her sister.


    "I`ve made friends already," the girl said with a smile, a piece of Ellyn`s crispy bacon in her hand.


    "Some girls might even be interested in more than being friends, but I told them "only if you plan to travel the world with me". The looks on their faces! You should have seen it. Do you think they are imagining it right now? Who knows? Maybe I`ll not be travelling alone."


    "And when you`ll return to Salona Kingdom, you`ll realise that this is the best place to be."


    "Even the best can always get better. I just might find a way."


    "Even the best sister can be better?" Ellyn joked.


    "Of course, don`t you see? I`m already a better sister than I was yesterday. Just look at how much food I`m leaving for you."


    "And by food, you mean vegetables..."


    "Hi, Marys, Ellyn..."


    "Marys... did they forget to get you a breakfast? You have to tell them," Selea entered the guest room, her own breakfast on a tray.


    "Hm? No. I already ate it," the girl answered with a slice of bread in hand.


    It did not surprise Ellyn one bit. Marys always had an appetite.


    This was the morning of March 20th, 1218.


    They were sisters, no doubt about it. Marys was visibly struggling to keep her concentration during the royal gardens walk. Lunor has not only noticed, but likely expected something like that to happen all along and patiently explained why it is so important for Marys to try her very best- diplomats shouldn`t show that someone else`s hobby bores them and not all foreigners she`ll be keeping in touch with, do the more exciting things like falconry, horse riding, physical exercises, drink expensive wine, eat expensive meals, paint portraits and such. The other girls of the group kept nodding. They`ve been training the very same thing- "to not look bored" daily for years, along with socialising, learning languages, looking their best and all the rest of it. A part of them moved here with Lunor from City of Argela, having known her for years prior.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    A tough training for her little sister, who could get bored easily.


    Selea was paying attention without any problem. It seemed pleasurable to the young woman, even. Smart mages like her often start to specialise in medic spells and drugs and potions, in time. She might eventually aim to be a GMM- Great Medic Mage, unlike Ellyn, who is utterly hopeless in that specialisation. For her, being in the army is mostly about violence when facing an enemy. She`s also not aiming to be an offensive minded battle mage like Master Malgard, but more of a defensive support mage like Master Niriel.


    When it came to Selea... hmm... GMM Bal Kenra is a medic mage many look up to, her best friend including.


    "We will be horse riding in 3 more days, girls," Lunor changed the topic to wake Marys up, continuing, "we got 138 good mares and 65 fine stallions as wedding gifts. Our personnel is figuring out how they measure up against those we already had, which to keep, which to transfer elsewhere. Things like that take time, but there is going to be a high enough number for us to ride by then. Those who don`t know how to ride a horse yet... don`t be afraid, you will be taught the basics on the best mannered mares with little to no risk of injury."


    Ellyn has been aware that such a possibility existed and though it did not seem too tempting to her, being with Lunor would more than make up for it.


    It has only been shortly after Lunor with her entourage left the 8 girls.


    "Lady Miral, we have come to pay our respects and thank you for this unique opportunity you`ve provided our family so gracefully," a noblewoman of about 40 told after curtsying.


    "Baroness Isloe, Idreyn, I`m glad you`ve made it in time safely," Cathe welcomed them, then walked closer to face the presumed daughter of the baroness.


    "Countess and Count Miral treat me like a family, my lady. No matter what I do, it may never be enough to repay them for the endless kindness they`ve shown me," Idreyn joined the conversation with a polite "thanks", likely prepared in advance.


    "Well said, Idreyn. Well said."


    "You must be curious about why you`ve been invited to Princess Lunor`s tea party taking place today."


    "This is still an information to keep to ourselves, so please, do so. The kingdom`s leadership and Laur Group will invest a huge amount of money into building a major road starting in County of Valcor on River Corrt in the south, heading north-east and ending in County of Archen. It is only going to directly lead to a single city- City of Archen, never entering Cities of Valcor, Dalmon, Miral, Aspion or Riwen and avoiding entering towns or villages along the way as well. Barony of Isloe has been selected for the project, making it the sole exception. Village of Isloe with the population of about 3600 people, run by your uncle, Idreyn, will become the only town the major road will directly pass through. The plan is to raise its population to as much as 40 000 with the potential of expanding to 60 000 fast- the current number will be dwarfed in the span of several years, making it a town on the verge of becoming a city."


    "Princess Lunor will additionally invest 6 000 gold crowns into your wineries now and more later under the condition that most of the production will be getting sold in City of Archen."


    The lower nobles must have been utterly shocked, but kept their expressions calm and nodded, as Cathe wasn`t done talking yet.


    "We want Miril Archen to marry into your family. Her mother, the countess, will also be at today`s tea party. Miril and Erwert will make a great couple."


    That was enough to break any resistance. The moment Cathe said that a high noblewoman will marry someone, who is most likely Idreyn`s brother, the baroness started thanking her immediately, going as far as kissing her outstretched hand. This marriage alone would elevate them above most lower nobles.


    Once Baroness Isloe calmed down enough, she continued, "and Idreyn will be staying at the royal palace until she gets assigned to the 5th Aspion battalion stationed in City of Archen."


    "But that would be against the law..."


    "Not with the royal exception. She stays."


    Idreyn has been silently thinking about what all of this meant for her. Ellyn already had her own guess. There was no way any of her former classmates would ever ask to get assigned to an uninteresting border county like County of Archen. Her interest in Idreyn soared instantly. A lower noble that... for some reason... should be staying at the royal palace for 2,5 months and then get assigned to a battalion that would perfectly suit Ellyn`s need to stay hidden? Could it be?


    The young lower noble has noticed Ellyn`s gaze and, for the first time since the talk started, her face lost the well-trained expression. If she should describe it, it was the look of a girl seeing her closest person raise from the dead. Idreyn made a few steps towards Ellyn, outstretched her hand and for whatever reason, a single tear rolled down her pretty face. The others did not know what was happening.


    "Uh... I... excuse me, please. All this new information is very overwhelming. Life-changing, in a good way," she said after realising her odd behaviour and slowly returned next to her mom, not understanding what got into her moments ago, looking Ellyn`s way almost constantly.


    "Ellyn, have you ever met Idreyn before today?" Cathe asked her as they were headed to their guest rooms for the lecture.


    "No. I don`t remember ever meeting her before."


    "I thought so. This is the first time she`s in the capital... She must be under a lot of stress lately," the high noble closed the topic, but seemed to be thinking about it some more anyway.


    They did not mention Idreyn again before the start of their lecture.