ã€ŠHands Held in the Snowã€‹


 Chapter 1: Their Story [Illustration]

    I don¡¯t believe in love at first sight.

    You do? That¡¯s because you¡¯re still too young. You¡¯ll come to grips with that when you¡¯re older. There are no soulmates, no destinies intertwined by the Gods. Love comes only when you work for it. The best we can hope for is infatuation at first sight, and that¡¯s not quite as poetic.

    What? You... Oh. No, me loving you at first sight doesn¡¯t count since I¡¯m your grandmother. I¡¯m talking about the romantic kind of love. That kind of love where two people create real magic together.

    I don¡¯t think it¡¯s real. But for all my skepticism, there¡¯s one story I¡¯ve heard over the years that¡¯s made me question my belief. ...Yes, it¡¯s story time. Yes, this does involve that centaur carving you found in the attic. I promise. I¡¯m not senile yet-- at least I hope not. Come, sit down, sit down.

    Okay, are you settled? I¡¯ve actually been meaning to tell you this for a long time. The first time I heard it, it changed my perspective on a life I had thought was set in stone. And now I think you¡¯re old enough to understand it yourself.

    This story takes place in the old kingdom of Elince. Back in those days, the country had been occupied by its neighbor, the empire known as Dannark. You¡¯d know all of this if you kept up with your history studies.

    In the capital city of Balarand, it was a common sight then to see imperial soldiers patrolling the streets. Foreign flags flew freely on buildings, blue and green stripes speckling the city everywhere you looked. Dannark and all its dark-chrome armored soldiers brought a stifling air to the city. The people were mired in the thick tension of a war they never even saw.

    The people of Balarand went about their daily lives, attempting to keep up the illusion of normalcy as best they could. They went to work and school, shopped on the weekends and held festivals on holidays, carrying on as if their king hadn¡¯t been deposed just months earlier.

    And in this same way, there was a marketplace, bustling just as it would be on any other late afternoon. A statue of a long-ago queen in the center. A stretch of dozens of sellers, a hundred tables and booths set up, and thousands of people scouring their contents.

    The town clock struck four, but you couldn¡¯t hear its ringing for the crowd. It was that busy.

    In this marketplace, there was a girl browsing through booths of produce. Her glasses were slightly askew, and her head was angled down as she inspected a row of cucumbers. Her shoulder sagged from the bag of groceries strapped to her back.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take two,¡± she said, placing a few copper coins on the seller¡¯s table and putting the vegetables in her bag. She dusted off the long, hand-sewn skirt that covered her from waist down to her shins-- not because it was dirty, but due to force of habit-- and merged into the mass of people walking up and down the street.

    Her name was Beatrice Ragnell. A junior priest heading home from school. She had stopped by the marketplace to pick up groceries.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Beatrice danced her way through the crowd, striding in a beeline towards the next intersection, taking a route so familiar her vision nearly glazed over into a blur. Her bag bobbed up and down as she took each long step, and the curls in her hair bounced along. The girl felt the rhythm of the day, felt the hustle of the tempo to which she set her daily life.

    It was cool. The sun¡¯s warm rays pushed back the chilly wind. And the wind at that moment rustled up against a nearby tree. A leaf, a hardened survivor and one of the last still attached, broke away and floated downwards. It caught Beatrice¡¯s attention, falling past her ocean-blue eyes and the speckled freckles sprinkled across her cheeks. Beatrice let her eyes follow the leaf until it rested gently on the ground at her feet. She studied it for a moment, and then looked up.

    At the same time, in the same marketplace, there was another girl.

    This other girl stood near the tables of fruits and vegetables with her hands clasped together in front of her. But she and her narrow, soil-colored eyes paid no mind to the items around her, instead casting her gaze at the crowd. She watched the people sauntering around as they shopped and haggled. People stood by a nearly naked tree, chatting about their weeks. The small children sitting at the nearby canal that bisected the marketplace, dangling their legs and giggling about whatever children found funny.

    It was loud, too loud for her to feel comfortable. But she allowed herself a rare moment to sink into the crowd, to absorb the marketplace and watch this world like a visiting ghost. This place was a living book for her to read.

    A cold gust blew through. The girl breathed in deeply and took in the air, which hit her throat and sent a stinging chill through her body. She shivered and shifted her stance, then folded her arms together. These were the last throes of autumn, and she hated it.

    An older man scooted up next to her, trying to get a look at the carrots behind her. She darted out of the way. Her face turned bright red as she realized she had been obstructing his view.

    Her name was Emi L¡¯Hime. Daughter of two of Balarand¡¯s most important diplomats. She had been going for a simple stroll through the city on a day she was supposed to be writing a paper.

    Emi took one hand from her folded-up arms to brush her thin, straight hair behind her ear, and she took a few steps backwards, out of the way. But then she felt a sharp pain in her thigh-- she bumped into the corner of a table. A few onions tumbled off and thudded against the ground. The older man gave a look.

    Still blushing, she looked down at the onions, ready to pick them up and put them back on the table-- but stopped when something caught her notice.

    At that moment, in this marketplace, in a street packed with people and bursting with noise of all sorts, Emi¡¯s eyes lowered, and Beatrice¡¯s raised.

    And those two pairs of eyes met, and stopped on each other¡¯s faces.

    On an otherwise unmemorable day, Beatrice and Emi saw each other for the very first time. Nobody but the two of them could say what happened.

    I can only guess that Emi¡¯s eyes ignored the other girl¡¯s tattered uniform, or her still-lopsided glasses. Likewise, I¡¯m sure Beatrice¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t pay a single iota of attention to how overdressed the other girl was for a marketplace trip. The two saw only each other.

    It lasted for two seconds. Maybe one. Both went back to their respective homes, had supper, read a book, and went to sleep. But they were equally and irrevocably changed by what happened.

    Whatever Emi and Beatrice felt when their eyes met, it was far from fleeting.

    Was it love at first sight? I wouldn¡¯t say so. But...

    It was... something at first sight.

 Chapter 2: Emi LHime

    Emi could hardly stop herself from shaking.

    Her mind tossed around in a flurry. The wooden shops and stone-made apartments around her faded into mush; all she could see was the brick walkway and crunched leaves at her feet. She desperately hoped nobody would notice her heavy-breathing, heart-pounding, red-faced stagger. It was embarrassing.

    But there was no chance people weren¡¯t taking notice of a girl whose face was so bright she looked like she was having a heat stroke in the middle of this positively chilly weather. She was doomed.

    She swept the bangs out of her face and grimaced. Was it really that girl? Was she the one making Emi feel this way?

    Maybe. Something about the light ringlets covering the top of her head, something about those deep blue eyes that glimmered in a sort of trance that reminded Emi of... she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it. Somehow, that girl had turned her into a nervous wreck, and a wreck that had persisted for several minutes now.

    Why did the Gods even make people that beautiful?

    Emi shook her head and tried to snap out of it. No use getting in a tizzy over something like that. She was not some silly schoolgirl. She didn¡¯t even go to school.

    The important thing at the moment was planning on how to get back into her house without anyone noticing she ever left. Seeing as it was already late afternoon, she would need to hurry before someone entered her bedroom and found out. But Emi was not a master of sneak skills for nothing.

    She crossed a bridge over a short canal, leaving the busy street shop sidewalks, and snapped her mind into crystal focus on her newest plan. Some might call her escape plans convoluted, even foolhardy. But they almost always worked.

    As Emi entered the walkway to her neighborhood, as she watched a mustached man pass by on a dandy-horse, she settled on one of her old favorites. If her timing was right, she could be back home so quickly she could even finish her paper.

    The walk back from the marketplace was a straightforward stroll down grid-like streets, but her neighborhood itself was a different story. This road was a winding path looping around and back into itself, a small maze of tightly packed urban houses that built up three, even four stories. Effectively, it created a walled garden of wealth nestled in a tiny secluded corner near Castle Balarand.

    Instead of smushed-together buildings made of stone, these houses were made mostly of wood, mostly with design and comfort in mind. No house was identical to the next; each had the creative flair of the architect who designed it. The houses had gates, had yards of grass and cobblestone walkways. Their roofs were pointed high, the larger among them giving off the look of miniature castles, of barracks for an army of luxury. Several of Emi¡¯s neighbors even had tiny ponds in their yards, with fountains in the center keeping the water fresh and flowing.

    In as tight a space as could be fit, the wealthy of Balarand had created their own little world. It was a feat that, even today, people would consider remarkable.

    The dense housing and winding street, though, made Emi wish it were faster to get to the rest of the city without a carriage.

    As long as it took, though, her timing turned out to be impeccable-- just as she presumed, there were three children, dressed in bright-orange tunics and brown breeches, playing and roughhousing out on the empty street. They screamed about, pretending to be warriors as they flailed sticks at each other. The usual.

    This time, it appeared that the two boys were Elincian swordsmen, and the girl was a captain from Dannark. The girl found some sort of truce with her foes, and bowed to them. But as the boys approached, she drew her stick and bashed one of them on the head. The other boy cried out in grief for his fallen comrade, who had collapsed on the street, laying like a corpse.

    They noticed Emi and stopped the play-fighting to wave, even the one on the ground. ¡°Hey, Emi!¡± the girl cried out.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you three ever going to leave this place?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m going off to Yates in the spring,¡± said the boy still laying on the ground.

    ¡°Yates? That¡¯s where my brothers went,¡± she said. ¡°Good job on getting in.¡± She said this with only a hint of bitterness towards a life she never had, and even that was too much. It was improper to feel jealous of an eight year old.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to school,¡± the other boy said. ¡°I heard that they make everyone go to bed at nine o¡¯clock...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll do fine.¡± Now that she had all three¡¯s attention... ¡°Hey, any of you want to make a buck?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a buck?¡± they asked in-sync.

    Emi reached into her purse and pulled out a silver coin. She flashed it around, and then flicked it towards the kids. The girl caught it and pocketed it. They understood. ¡°I need you guys to go up to my house and knock on my door. One of you needs to pretend you¡¯re injured and need help, okay? Do this for about five minutes and you¡¯re all set.¡±

    The kids had no objections; even among wealthy children, a coin was still a coin; they could split a salmon bind for that and munch on a tasty snack before supper with their parents none the wiser.

    A prim, parasol-wielding blonde, one of the more strikingly beautiful of Emi¡¯s neighbors, walked along the sidewalk near the children. The look she gave the children, that she gave Emi giving the coin, went beyond confusion-- it was nearly repulsion, the way she sneered in disapproval. It was something that would have given Emi shame, if she cared what any of her neighbors thought. This girl didn¡¯t know a thing about her, and she wasn¡¯t going to give her the chance to learn.

    Emi led them towards her house, down the winding street, until they reached their destination. As long as the kids weren¡¯t incredibly bad actors, she would be able to fool--

    Ms. Khami, Emi¡¯s head housekeeper and at-home teacher, was already standing at the doorstep, arms on her hips. Her long-grayed, matted hair impervious to the breeze, her sharp gaze offsetting any sense of homeliness her portly body might have suggested.

    Ah, darn it.

    The kids saw the woman¡¯s furrowed brows and scattered. Emi¡¯s shoulders slumped and she admitted defeat. Down a coin and didn¡¯t even get to attempt her plan.

    ¡°Emi L¡¯Hime,¡± Ms. Khami began. ¡°You get inside this instant. Your parents are going to have some harsh words for you.¡±

    She sure knew it. Emi was sure she was the only girl in town punished for trying to have some fun on a lazy afternoon. The girl in the parasol, as annoying as she was, at least was allowed to leave her own house. Not Emi. But what else was there for her to do in life but get in trouble for everything?

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    The two women went inside the house and into the foyer, where other housekeepers were bustling about making preparations for supper as if there was some sort of fancy feast lying in wait. Though with how well these housekeepers were paid, Emi figured, they darn better well have been acting like every night was a supper for the Royal Family.

    The foyer took up so much space that there wasn¡¯t much on the first floor to begin with, other than the kitchen, dining room, and a few side rooms for the housekeepers. It was busy at the moment for meal preparations, but it was typically as empty as Ms. Kahmi¡¯s heart.

    They went up the main staircase leading to the second floor, where most of the bedrooms and bathrooms were located. Ms. Khami reached the door to Emi¡¯s bedroom and fiddled on the doorknob, but it wouldn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°I swear to you, Emi, I am going to get this lock removed someday,¡± she said.

    Emi got her key out of her purse and unlocked the door.

    Her room was a bit messy, her bed undone, stacks of books scattered on her desk and her floor and a few behind her bed... She really needed to build a new bookshelf (or tell someone else to do it for her). Her dirty clothes from yesterday were no longer on the floor, but other than that it looked essentially the same as any other day. She almost wished some fiend would barge in and thief away some valuables just to mix it up.

    ¡°And look at that,¡± Ms. Khami said as she walked over to Emi¡¯s desk and her notebook open to two blank pages. ¡°You didn¡¯t even bother to begin your paper before you thought you¡¯d have yourself some fun.¡± She walked out, muttering something Emi couldn¡¯t make out, but could only assume was something about how she would never make a good lady and would amount to little more than a nuisance to the family name.

    She wanted to plop down on her bed and take a frustration-nap, but she knew supper would be ready too soon to bother. So she sat at her desk and gazed at the blank notebook she left. It was careless to so blatantly disregard her assignment. Next time she¡¯d at least fill up a couple pages before she went anywhere. Not that it mattered what she was learning if it was only ever for a bunch of book reports.

    Emi sighed loudly. Nobody could hear her, but she wanted to express her dismay to any possible hidden listeners. Perhaps that girl she saw at the marketplace had followed her home and snuck into her room, as it turned out she was some sort of anti-Dannark spy and wanted to abduct Emi for a hefty ransom. That would be a fitting twist to end her day. It would be more exciting than this, at the very least.

    She plopped down on her mattress and groaned, waving her hands around as if she were a magician wishing the annoyances of her life away. Almost on command, a stack of books standing on her desk gave way to gravity and tumbled down, half of them crashing onto the floor.

    It was like her room was destined to get messier and messier. She liked that.

    Soon, the main foyer clock rang out six times. Supper time. Emi made her way downstairs into the kitchen. The housekeepers dissipated and returned to whatever parts of the house they usually holed themselves up in to kill time, or maybe to eat supper on their own. They never ate with the family.

    Emi¡¯s parents were sitting next to each other on one side of the table, already slicing up a leg of ham and digging in. The two of them, the famous diplomats they were, always kept an air of formality, dressed up like their servants had prepared and made them up for an event. Her father¡¯s hair was greased back, hiding streaks of gray behind glossy black, his reading glasses on even as he ate an evening meal. Her mother¡¯s hair covered most of her face, but it was so stiff, so groomed that she didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by it in the slightest. Neither her father nor mother took any outward interest in their food, nor in anything in particular. It was just the way they held themselves.

    The other side of the table was occupied by her two older brothers, every bit as dark and handsome as their reputations would suggest, beautiful in that painted book cover kind of way. Despite an eight year difference between them, they looked like near-twins. Neither bore a bit of resemblance to Emi (at least that¡¯s what she always told herself). Her older brothers rarely visited home anymore, so this unannounced visit came as a surprise.

    Touma waved, his mouth full with mashed potatoes. As the eldest child and the heir to the household, Touma was in the process of courting a rather influential woman from northern Dannark, and it was an ordeal one could write a trilogy of novels about. Reo was in the military reserves as an Army Engineer and was expected to advance high in its ranks once a peace settlement with Dannark was reached.

    Emi always felt like the unwanted stepchild when both her brothers were over. They had already started to eat before she even came downstairs, so her worries were not completely unwarranted. She stood in the doorway as her family chit-chatted amongst themselves, nobody but Touma noticing she had entered yet.

    ¡°So, how is your pet project going?¡± Emi¡¯s Father asked Reo. ¡°The famous L¡¯Hime Bridge?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not calling it that, sadly,¡± Reo said with a laugh. ¡°But it¡¯s progressing nicely. It actually floats now, believe it or not.¡±

    ¡°I believe it,¡± Father said.

    ¡°We¡¯re doing a test next week by sending the bridge down the Balarand River from Waterton, just to see how people manage to use it. If things go well...¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯re getting more commuting workers from the outskirts to take all the low-class jobs,¡± Father said. ¡°Our own poor folk have it hard enough as it is.¡± Reo cracked a smile, thinking this was a joke, but Father¡¯s face didn¡¯t shift a bit.

    Emi shrugged and sat down at the end of the table, without so much as a word from the others.

    ¡°Well, the bridge is mostly for military use, anyway,¡± Reo added. ¡°So if we¡¯re ever in another war... It¡¯ll help out.¡±

    ¡°If we get in another war,¡± Emi¡¯s Mother scoffed with a sharp exhalation. ¡°We hope we¡¯ve seen the last of that.¡±

    ¡°Amen,¡± all four said in unison.

    Mother then turned to Emi and raised her glass. ¡°Oh, Emi, nice of you to join us.¡± She said it with a smile right before downing whatever alcoholic drink she had in her hand. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have something to eat?¡± At this, she took some mashed peas and dumped them onto her plate, but after eating at the marketplace, she wasn¡¯t very hungry anymore. Not that she was willing to divulge that fact to her parents.

    ¡°We heard about you sneaking out again,¡± Father said. ¡°You worry Ms. Khami so much, you know. And your studies...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Emi said. ¡°It won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    Reo and Touma started laughing. ¡°You¡¯re such a liar,¡± Reo said.

    Father cracked a smile, too, but managed to straighten it out. ¡°You really do need to focus on your studies more. An educated woman is a successful woman.¡±

    ¡°I know...¡± Emi took a piece of ham and chomped at it. She wasn¡¯t hungry, but it was tasty.

    Mother butted in with her own platitudes, saying, ¡°We just want what¡¯s best for you, Emi. You¡¯re the light of our life, and we want you to be happy and healthy and comfortable.¡± She gave a cheery smile and took a sip of her glass.

    ¡°Which is why you¡¯re marrying me off to some woman I¡¯ve never met...¡±

    Reo and Touma¡¯s faces snapped towards Emi, and they exchanged glances with one another.

    Oops. She didn¡¯t mean to backtalk. And now she was never going to hear the end of this.

    Mother¡¯s smile turned into a distinct frown. ¡°We just want what¡¯s best for you, and we aren¡¯t going to discuss this right now. Lady Khara is a wonderful woman, and you will love her when you meet her.¡±

    When she met her... Emi decided not to respond, because anything she said could and would be used against her.

    ¡°We¡¯re actually heading out this week to delegate the border talks,¡± Father added. In all this war between Dannark and Doros, with Elince caught in the middle, it was her own parents who ended up doing a lot of the diplomacy trying to settle for peace. That meant they were hardly ever home. ¡°We will ask her to write you a letter before we return, okay? Trust us, Lady Khara is a lovely woman.¡±

    Reo coughed, and when Emi looked at him he quickly darted his eyes away. Both of her brothers pretended to be super-focused on eating their food, and Emi decided to follow suit.

    The conversation was certainly killed as far as tonight went, so there wasn¡¯t much more discussion before she left the table and went back to her room to change and take a bath.

    Man, the dirt stains on her dress were never going to come out. Another thing for Ms. Khami to get angry at her about.

    One would think having the life of a mid-level bureaucrat would be pretty easy. In a time when Dannark had entrusted the stability of their newly conquered territory to the officials already running it, it seemed like the perfect time for a family like the L¡¯Himes. Emi¡¯s parents had gone from office workers to full-fledged diplomats in a matter of months, and all it took was the overthrowing and exiling of King Kline¡¯s entire family.

    One would think such a boost would make life a lot easier. But to think that about Emi, one would be wrong. Being holed up in an empty house with parents who were never home, being engaged to some noblewoman she¡¯d never even seen a picture of... Yeah, she would say that life hadn¡¯t gotten easier, not in the slightest.

    Emi washed off and then got in the still-warm bath to soak.

 Chapter 3: Beatrice Ragnell

    ¡°Everywhere you look, you can see the Gods¡¯ delicate harmony in the world.¡±

    That is the famous phrase written in religious texts, uttered by priests and servants alike. It refers to the ornate beauty, to the terrible power that the Gods had brought into their world, to Tsubasa¡¯s intricate designs that work together like cogs in a great machine. Our continent is an island, far away from any other place, and as such, we are one organism, one body living together.

    Beatrice often thought about the harmony connecting all living things together. Everything had a part to play. And to extend it further, every person¡¯s actions had an impact on everything else. Be kind, and your warmth would reverberate across the continent. Do harm, and it would be a poison. Everything mattered.

    For instance, the autumn leaves blowing through the wind. It was simply dead matter shed from a much larger organism, but to Beatrice¡¯s eye, each leaf played an important part in the nature around it, providing food for animals, shelter for insects, and, with the passing of time, nutrients for the soil below. All of that coming from an element of creation so tiny you¡¯d hardly stop to think of it.

    Sometimes it wasn¡¯t clear how everything fit into the grand scheme of things, but that was a matter of context and understanding. One may have thought that the packs of greyback bears roving around town scavenging through trashcans were a nuisance, but even they had their place, Beatrice would note to herself.

    Of course at this very moment, crossing a bridge towards her home, a gentle creek flowing underneath, Beatrice wondered just how true this phrase rang. What place could ever be held in this world for such a girl like the one at the marketplace?

    Brown eyes, sharp nose, flowing long hair... For what reason would the Gods ever have created such a beautiful woman, so stunning she distracted everyone around her?

    It made her feel jealous that anyone could be as pretty as that girl while Beatrice herself was so plain. She tousled her too-curly hair and wiped at her too-freckled face, but that of course didn¡¯t do anything to get rid of her boring features, which was all of her. She was the kind of girl people mistook for a young boy at a glance, the kind of girl people couldn¡¯t pick out of a crowd even if they had a detailed sketch to go by.

    Surely the Gods had a purpose for that, too, but maybe it was just to help spur her to excel at her junior priest classes. Because it¡¯s not like she could have a social life while being the most physically unremarkable human to have ever existed and that would ever exist (at least that¡¯s what she always told herself).

    One day, she was going to become a real priest, and she was going to travel across Tsubasa and save every person she could. So it didn¡¯t matter too much to her, in the end, how she looked.

    The marketplace was close to her home, but it was always so crowded, and she struggled to make it home with her bags of food intact. Thanks to years of making the trip, though, she learned to navigate the sea of people fairly well. She never knew what kinds of interesting characters she¡¯d meet at the marketplace, either, so it was always worth braving the crowds. After all, if she hadn''t gone in the first place, she would never have seen that really pretty girl, never gotten the opportunity for her eyes to absorb such a stunning image.

    Everywhere she looked had signs of the Gods¡¯ hard work of keeping the harmony. The city was safe, the skies were clear, and the air was crisp. A group of old ladies chatted about local gossip on a sidewalk bench. A mustached man on a dandy-horse cycled by and waved at Beatrice. No, she didn¡¯t know who he was, but she waved back and gave a smile.

    It was her goal as a junior priest to bring as much kindness to the city of Balarand as she was able. That included the grander, visible acts such as volunteering at the library, going out of your way to help the elderly and the sick, or preaching the virtues of the Gods. But it also included the smaller things, such as saying please and thank you, holding the door open for people behind you, or greeting the people that pass you by. Helping others.

    If everyone made it their goal to be kind, the world wouldn¡¯t be so filled with war and misery. But that wasn¡¯t everyone¡¯s goal. It was easy for Beatrice to notice that fact, each time she spotted the Dannark guardsmen that patrolled every city block. Still a rough sight that stuck out against the city streets.

    I remember the first time I saw a Dannark soldier in full armor; she was covered head to toe in sharp, dull-gray metal, helmet completely covering her face. I couldn¡¯t help but feel intimidated, and I¡¯m sure Beatrice felt the same way every time she passed one of these guards. That was the intention behind the design. It was not a welcoming sight.

    Beatrice soon reached her family¡¯s home, which was located on the fourth floor of an apartment complex. Her parents had leased it out for about eight years now, which meant just four to go before they were given legal ownership... well, under Elincian laws, at least. She wasn¡¯t sure how property rights worked under the occupation. Anyway, it meant they were just a few years away from selling and retiring to some coastal beach town, where the weather was warm and the cares were few. That didn¡¯t sound too fun to her.

    She knocked on the door and her Dad opened it. ¡°Hey, Beatrice!¡± he greeted. ¡°What¡¯ve you got for us today?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got groceries, and I¡¯ve got an empty stomach.¡±

    ¡°Leave the stomach and get in here!¡±

    Beatrice giggled.

    The sight of her Dad was the sight of a smile--she hardly ever saw him without one. He fit all the stereotypes of a scholar, sporting a shiny pale crown where his hair used to be, a belly packing more pounds than a sack of potatoes, and glasses whose thick lenses masked the blue of his eyes. But that only made him more endearing of a presence, especially to his daughter.

    They entered the apartment. Their home was as busy as ever, even with just the three of them. It was a bit small, only a single room for the kitchen, sewing table, and dining table, and then the bathroom and bedrooms. Some might call it cozy. But with the day¡¯s activities on full display--a clothesline out on the balcony, a pot on the stove, papers strewn about on the kitchen table--it was a bit chaotic for Beatrice¡¯s taste. She fought the urge to clean up after her parents¡¯ messes and let them learn the value of organization.

    Her Mom was busy sewing patches on an old outfit. She didn¡¯t do much outside of the house that Beatrice knew of, but she took care of most of the cooking, cleaning, and scheduling for her daughter and husband. Today she wore the same neutral expression she always had on during focused activities, but it seemed more pleasant than usual. With age, her once-brown skin had faded over into something resembling an olive, and her hair had gone straight from black to off-white in a matter of years. She had this spark of beauty, this air of near-regency about her, even if she didn¡¯t carry herself as such. Sometimes Beatrice felt like she could hardly tell the resemblence between them.

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    Dad had been reading a book about the philosophical conundrums of an ancient civilization that inhabited the continent of Tsubasa thousands of years before Elince or Dannark or Doros or Zahn. Mom was good at making dresses and recently mentioned she wanted to try for something in the style of what the ancient people of this region might have worn. However, there was little surviving art of their fashion, so she was stumped. Dad, naturally, had been researching the subject ever since.

    It wasn¡¯t often two people were so in love after so many years together, but her Mom and Dad defied all expectations. Exceedingly so, sometimes. At family excursions Beatrice often felt less like a girl with her family than a third wheel on her parents¡¯ dates.

    ¡°What are you making for us tonight?¡± Mom asked, her gaze still crystal-focused on the fabrics in front of her.

    ¡°Onion soup,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°I¡¯m going to try a new recipe.¡±

    What she didn¡¯t tell them was that she had no idea if it would be any good, but that would only be a problem if the recipe sucked. It came straight from her friend Runa¡¯s mother, so it had to be good. While her friend was a bit, um, eccentric, her mother was one of the nicest ladies she¡¯d ever met, and a great cook to boot.

    So after some prepwork, Beatrice started a flame on the stove and set down a pot filled with diced onions, carrots, and just a few cucumber slices. She had major reservations about dumping cucumbers into this soup, but that¡¯s how the recipe went.

    That girl she saw in the marketplace had some onions in her hands. Maybe she was making onion soup tonight too. Though she looked a bit too proper to be making food for herself.

    It was so strange that she could remember that girl¡¯s face so vividly, even hours later. Any other time she noticed some random person on the street, their facial features faded fast. Could anyone really recall every beautiful person they ever saw? Unlikely. And yet, something about her stood out.

    After another half hour, the onion soup was apparently done. She dipped a bowlful out for each of her parents and then for herself, and went to set them down on the dining table... except that ithe table was still covered in books and fabrics. ¡°Supper!¡± she shouted to her parents, both absorbed in their current activities, Dad reading and Mom sewing. It didn¡¯t appear to Beatrice that they even heard her. ¡°Supper is served!¡± she repeated.

    ¡°Oh, already?¡± Dad asked. ¡°Let¡¯s eat, then.¡±

    ¡°You have to clear the table off first...¡± Beatrice whined.

    They did. After a minute of tidying up, they said a prayer and then all dug into the soup. It was... pretty good. Not great. An accurate summary of everything Beatrice cooked. The cucumbers had basically melted into the soup, so they tasted like mush. Surely she messed up at the recipe, because this didn¡¯t seem right at all.

    ¡°So, how did your day go?¡± Dad asked, seemingly enjoying the soup just fine. ¡°Anything fun happen?¡±

    ¡°Nothing special,¡± Beatrice said, declining to mention the beautiful girl she saw at the marketplace because that would be odd to mention to your parents. ¡°My classmates are dumb and never want to learn anything new, so our group project went really poorly.¡±

    ¡°You mean in religion class,¡± Dad said with a chuckle. ¡°You know not all students are there for the same reason as you.¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    ¡°''Well'' nothing, young lady. The Gods inspire people through different ways. Maybe some of your classmates have the same interest in history or woodwork that you have as a junior priest.¡±

    It sure didn¡¯t seem like it. Nobody at her school seemed to hold the same enthusiasm that she did, for any subject. Everyone simply wanted a graduation certificate so they could get out of there and start on an apprenticeship.

    ¡°Speaking of history,¡± Dad continued. ¡°Did you know that the ancient civilization that used to exist in Balarand was known as Allanshoi?¡±

    Beatrice sighed with a smile.

    ¡°Yes, sweetie, you¡¯ve told us this several times,¡± Mom said. She was already finished with her soup and set the bowl aside to continue working on the dress.

    ¡°Yes, but did you know that the name was formed in the tongue of the Danites, the tribe that eventually settled in Doros and Zahn? Because of that, if we look to how linguistically the Danite language formed names, ¡®Allanshoi¡¯ is most likely a loanword from another language. And we can guess that ¡®Allanshoi¡¯ was probably something more like ¡®Alnsay¡¯ or even...¡± He took a dramatic pause. ¡°Something like ¡®Elinsay¡¯.¡±

    Beatrice was having a bit of a hard time following this line of thought.

    Mom was similarly incredulous. ¡°So what you are saying is that the ancient civilization called their land an older word for Elince?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my conjecture,¡± he said. ¡°I think whoever they were, our language is directly descended from theirs. Which in my eyes means we are the true heirs to whatever relics they may have, especially the artifacts in that museum that definitely do not belong to those--¡± He noticed his growing tone of voice and calmed himself down. ¡°--those Dannark archaeologists who think they know everything.¡±

    Beatrice¡¯s Dad had had a hard time adjusting to life under the occupation. None of them were ever targets of punishment or arrest, and now that taxes were down, they had more money for themselves to spend; it almost seemed like a net positive. But because of all the cultural research Dad did, he loved the kingdom more deeply than even some of its rulers.

    ¡°I think we just have to give everything some time,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°We¡¯ll keep up our hard work and one day Elince will be a better place. Dannark might not be as bad as they say.¡±

    Dad grumbled. He was not very keen on Beatrice¡¯s opinions on the occupation.

    ¡°Well, your studies haven¡¯t changed, at least,¡± Mom said. ¡°I¡¯m really glad for that. If anything happened to your school...¡± She said she was glad, but she didn¡¯t smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like we follow different Gods or anything,¡± Beatrice said, trying to keep the mood up. ¡°They¡¯re probably giving my school more money, if anything.¡±

    Speaking of school, Beatrice hadn¡¯t looked at any of the material for tomorrow. She hated being behind during lectures, so she needed to fix that as soon as possible. ¡°You can have the rest of the soup,¡± she said to her parents. ¡°I¡¯m going to go study.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my girl,¡± said Dad.

    Her room was a bit too small for a grown adult, but perfect if you packed the shelves just right and didn¡¯t mind the small gap between the desk and the bed. She went over to that narrow space in front of her desk and promptly opened up her notebooks.

    Beatrice was a junior priest, a trainee at a religious school dedicated to the Gods. Education certificates were required for almost any apprenticeship in Balarand, and it just so happened that the Church gave free education. School was very popular, but the required religion classes weren¡¯t usually well-regarded by students.

    Beatrice, though?

    It was her actual, literal dream: she really wanted to become a priest, to help keep the harmony strong across the entire continent.

    So she studied away.

 Chapter 4: Sneaking Out

    Winter was coming.

    In Balarand, far enough south that it was safe from raging blizzards and hair-freezing cold, this was not much of an ominous occasion. But for Emi, winter meant cold weather, snow, and being stuck indoors for months on end.

    ¡°This sucks,¡± she muttered to herself.

    So on this autumn afternoon, when Emi was once again cooped up in her room because Ms. Khami wanted her to do the studying she had been putting off all week, she knew she needed to make the most of the nice weather before it was gone. She had to make the most of the time she had left.

    Doing the opening-up-the-window-and-locking-the-door trick wouldn¡¯t work this time, as it would be far too obvious to anyone who looked outside. So Emi decided on an alternate plan-- she left her room and first looked around to see if any housekeepers were walking around. When she confirmed that there weren¡¯t, she bolted out of her room and towards the housekeepers¡¯ quarters.

    None of the housekeepers lived permanently at the L¡¯Hime Family House except for Ms. Khami, but some stayed for several days at a time when there was a renovation project underway or a party to prepare for.

    At the moment, the quarters were completely empty. And all she had to do was open the side door, and...

    There. She was out.

    The air was crisp, just like Emi wanted. She took in a deep breath and took in a nice breeze, not too hot but not yet chilly. A whole lot better than the near-freezing temperatures from the other day. It was the perfect weather for reading, and quite possibly the last time it would be this good until next spring.

    A complete change from the other day, her neighborhood was devoid of children, snooty girls in parasols, or practically anyone. It was like a ghost town right now, too early in the day for people to be back home from work, too late to see joggers getting their daily exercise. She didn¡¯t do either of those, so she didn¡¯t have much of a concept of why this area was so empty for so much of the day.

    Emi began walking to the nearby public library as soon as she exited her neighborhood. Since she was supposed to be studying economics for her ¡°classes,¡± she figured she could find a helpful book there that she could check out. Something a little less dull than the one Ms. Khami gave her.

    See, what Ms. Khami didn¡¯t realize was that Emi actually enjoyed learning about the various subjects she was schooled in. But making her stay in her house the entire time, trudging through such oppressively boring books, was a horrible way to get her to do anything. She yearned to learn, not to churn like butter, slowly mixing herself into insanity while sitting in her room.

    If she had to read a book about something as dry as economics, she was going to do it where the weather was good and the birds chirped from the rooftops, where she could look off to the skyline and see Castle Balarand and Gonda Tower beaming above everything else in the city. Otherwise, as interesting as it might have been, she was going to be asleep before she finished the first paragraph.

    Emi really wished she could have had a better teacher than Ms. Khami. She was a good housekeeper, kept the servants in line, but the only teaching she ever did was making Emi read books and take tests, designed by Ms. Khami herself of course. Her older brothers went off to boarding school when they were half her age, but her parents apparently couldn¡¯t be bothered a third time, so it was a decade of school at home for her. Maybe she could have signed up for junior priest school all on her own? It was too late for that, though. She was almost done, ready to become an adult and be married away against her will.

    She sighed as she exited her neighborhood and came upon the nearest shop street, already bubbled up with foot traffic from people leaving work or looking for an early supper. The bakery had a line of people stretching back half a city block, as people waited eagerly to nab the last scraps of the day at a discounted price. Likewise, a food vendor at the side of the street was heating up her charcoal grill, getting ready for an evening of food preparation.

    If only Emi had left an hour earlier, she wouldn¡¯t be forced to take the side street... But it was either that or enter the jumble of people meandering around. She shuddered and went through the dirt road in between two rows of tightly-packed apartments.

    It was pathetic to see a girl, literally trained for public appearances, who couldn¡¯t stand the sensation of being in a large group of people. Anytime she realized she was surrounded by others, she locked up, moved to the nearest corner, and stood there until the crowd dissipated. It was humiliating, but it was the only way she could survive it without going crazy. As much as she loved people-watching... it was difficult.

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Two large apartment buildings in between one road meant that the path was covered in shade through much of the day, and it was a drastic decrease in warmth. Emi shivered and started to regret not bringing her silk coat. Likewise, thanks to the lack of space between the buildings, two storm drains running alongside the road were filled up with stagnant water that had overflowed from the latest rain, filled with algae. They gave off a green odor that reminded Emi of the benefits of living in a nice neighborhood.

    As she exited the side road and went back onto one of the main streets, she was immediately assaulted by two young kids holding some Balarand Circle newspapers up at her. ¡°Hey miss,¡± one of the kids said. ¡°Buy a paper? C¡¯mon, won¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Ha, um, ha¡± was the only thing Emi was able to mutter, paralyzed with shock. She pushed past the kids and continued her walk, and they went and hawked other passersby.

    The library was a way¡¯s walk, around thirty minutes with the extra detour, but it was always worth it; Emi had read hundreds of books there, many of them on the recommendation of the very nice librarians.

    In fact, as she entered the library, she saw one of her favorite librarians at the counter-- a balding man with glasses named Earl. He was one of the resident experts on nonfiction, especially when it came to Elincian culture.

    ¡°Hi,¡± Emi greeted. ¡°How are you today?¡±

    ¡°Welcome back, Ms. L¡¯Hime,¡± Earl said. ¡°Been a while since I¡¯ve seen you around here. I¡¯m pretty good, but the better question is: How are you?¡± He wore a goofy grin. Every time she saw that grin, her mind flashed memories of her Father back when she was young and they still used to play together. It made her appreciate Earl all the more.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to read some more books from here, but I¡¯ve got a lot to study at home.¡± She shrugged to accentuate the sheer ambivalence she felt towards her schooling. ¡°Today, I¡¯m supposed to learn more about economics. My tutor gave me a book on the subject, but it¡¯s... hard to get through.¡±

    ¡°You like more narrative-driven works, right, Emi?¡± She nodded. Earl put his finger to his lip and thought about it for a moment. ¡°So... let me think. Ah, I think there¡¯s one for you, if you¡¯re doing an introductory study. This is the basics, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Well, I think so. I hope so.¡±

    ¡°Well then, Popoclous¡¯s Economic Theory should be a good selection. It¡¯s more of an autobiography of Popoclous¡¯s life than anything else, but his story wraps together lessons on money and production with tales of adventure and young love. It¡¯s the oldest treatise on the subject that I¡¯ve been able to find, at least as far as books written in Tsubasa go. I¡¯m sure some faraway land on a faraway continent has written something older, but our knowledge of the continents beyond is still... Sorry. I was about to get carried away. Anyway, the principles are old, but they still apply well today. How about that?¡±

    ¡°That sounds really interesting, actually,¡± Emi said. ¡°Adventure and young love?¡±

    ¡°I knew that¡¯d hook you,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Speaking of, are you still keeping up with The Elf Cycle?¡±

    Emi nodded. ¡°Is The Last Gemini out yet?¡± she asked, an eagerness of levels reaching panic in her voice.

    ¡°Not yet, but the library already has twenty copies reserved from the printing press company.¡± Earl¡¯s goofy grin gave way to a half-hearted attempt at professionalism. ¡°So, Miss L¡¯Hime. Would you like to read Economic Theory?¡±

    ¡°If it will tide me over until The Last Gemini...¡± All desire to learn was gone the moment she thought about her favorite romantic adventure series. There was very little room left in her mind for studying as she raced through it, thinking of her various thoughts and theories on how it was all going to turn out.

    ¡°Good. I¡¯ll get the book for you.¡± Earl left the service desk and began rummaging around the shelves and shelves of books, some of them stacked two stories tall.

    While Emi waited, she looked around. It was nearly empty today, probably because the weather was so nice. There were a few people sitting at desks and reading or studying or taking naps, though. One likely-homeless man sat at a desk off in the corner. Another person sat at one of the larger tables with several books and papers spread out across it. Other than that, it was almost like the library was closed. Must have been the weather. She, too, was going to ditch the place as soon as she got the book.

    Earl passed by the person studying at the desk, and then that person looked up from their notes to glance at him. Emi turned her gaze to that someone, seeing their bouncy curly hair, and then their glasses, and then--

    Emi¡¯s heart stopped.

    It was that girl.

    That girl from the marketplace.

    And her blue eyes, glowing as bright as the moons.

 Chapter 5: The Junior Priest Academy

    ¡°Beatrice, are you awake yet?¡± a voice called out from the other room.

    ¡°Uhh..... yeah....¡±

    Beatrice shook her head back and forth to wake herself up. After her vision cleared up enough that she could make them out, she put her glasses on and tumbled out of bed.

    She had a very peculiar dream last night. Something about... that girl from the marketplace. The two of them danced and laughed in a field of flowers, when a sparkling crimson gem fastened to a golden stand fell from the sky. The gem plopped down in front of them and shook the ground. It was the Jewel of Elince, the most prized possession in the kingdom. The two of them stopped for a moment to gaze at it, until it sprouted arms, legs, and a hat. And then it started dancing, too. That was when she finally woke up.

    It had been almost a week since she saw that girl. Why was her mind still bringing her into these silly dreams?

    After getting dressed in her uniform, a simple white-and-green buttoned shirt with a long skirt, Beatrice met her Dad at the front door and put her hands on her hips. ¡°Three minutes and ten seconds,¡± she declared.

    ¡°You live dangerously, girl,¡± he told her. ¡°Next time I¡¯ll just leave without you. Unlike you, I have a job to go to.¡± He pointed to the kitchen counter, which had a few pastries on it. ¡°Now grab some breakfast and let¡¯s go.¡±

    Beatrice wasn¡¯t as much of a morning person as she liked to pretend.

    Still, today she and her Dad were going to have a lot of fun doing their most cherished activity-- strolling to work and to school together. The two of them had walked together nearly every morning since Beatrice started classes as a junior priest. Her Mom went together sometimes, but she usually took the time for an extra hour of sleep.

    Their apartment was near Knoll Park, a giant square of greenery in the middle of the expanse of buildings that made up most of Balarand. Knoll Park bordered the famous Lake Geoffrey, which was fed into by the Balarand River on which the city was built. But because the river was just so big, it flowed around the city to its east and west. Balarand was surrounded on all four sides by water, making it effectively a large island.

    Normally, an apartment this deep into the city would be very expensive, but theirs just happened to be wedged in between several larger buildings that obstructed the view of the rest of the city. It was affordable enough for how much Dad made.

    They walked past the Wyvern Bridge and into downtown Balarand, where Dad¡¯s workplace and Beatrice¡¯s school were both located. Tons of shops, of course, meant that downtown Balarand was always busy even this early in the morning. People praying at the shrine to Dramaturge, people picking out quick breakfasts, and the early morning marketplaces selling produce. The pungent smell of fruits and vegetables, spices and meats, filled the air, and Beatrice¡¯s nose, even from this distance away.

    And of course, amidst all the everyday ruckus of a city morning, there was also an anti-Dannark protest at the foot of the newly-erected statue to Empress Nievol.

    ¡°They never stop, do they?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s their right,¡± Dad said. They stopped talking about it after that.

    The two of them walked until they reached their spot, the tree in front of the intersection between Palace Path and the Grand Concourse, and bid their farewells. A few carriages passed underway as they hugged.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you after school, honey,¡± Dad said.

    ¡°Have a good day,¡± Beatrice said.

    They parted ways and she walked another block further until she reached the St. Helens Academy. Being the smallest of the five junior priest academies in Balarand, it was far from the most prestigious in the kingdom, or even the city, but with tiny class sizes--hers numbered just forty--it had a personal touch few others could match.

    Beatrice entered the school and walked through the corridor towards her first class--religious studies. The hallways were plain and brown, no stained glass windows, nor murals hanging up, nor trophies being shown off. The interiors in St. Helens were so simple they came off uninviting. But looking fancy served little purpose, Beatrice always thought; it was the classes that mattered.

    She walked into the main lecture hall, where her friend and senior by two years Bodhi Makala sat at a desk. Despite his dark skin and smooth handsomeness, he wasn¡¯t some rich aristocrat from the mansions on Lake Geoffrey; he was just a local kid. His father was a shoe cobbler near Beatrice¡¯s apartment, and so the two had known each other for a long time before their junior priest days.

    ¡°Are you ready for another fun day at school?¡± he asked with feigned enthusiasm.

    All Beatrice could muster was a hearty ¡°Hmph.¡±

    Bodhi¡¯s bright blue eyes, so light they were nearly turquoise, glittered at her with a captivating charm. She wasn¡¯t sure if he knew just how pretty of a man he was, because he made no attempt to dress well or show off, usually wearing a cap on his head. But surely he knew about the eyes. There was no way he didn¡¯t.

    More students filed in, the ones Beatrice never had the courage to speak to because they were so much taller, so much older. Despite their general lack of interest, they carried themselves like veterans of the school in a way Beatrice couldn¡¯t bring herself to understand. They were a bit intimidating. Not in the same way, as, say, a Dannark soldier, but she did have trouble fitting in with her classmates.

    Oh, right, I forgot to mention: most junior priests take eight or nine years to pass all the required classes and finish their schooling. Some here were well into adulthood, though it was a rarer sight back then than it is today. Because of this, Beatrice was the youngest in her entire class, since she was someone who had reached the final AA-grade in just a few years. That sometimes made her stick out.

    Beatrice didn¡¯t consider herself a particularly good student. She just liked to do well. Even if everyone else disliked religion classes, even if she seemed to be the only one who ever cared, she wanted to excel. Otherwise, what was the point in even attending the junior priest academy?

    Bodhi turned to her and snickered, ¡°Look, Bea, your boyfriend is walking in.¡±

    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Mr. Statusian entered the classroom carrying a large scroll underneath his arm. Clean-shaven every time she saw him, baby-faced cheeks and skinny, he fit every stereotype of a religious scholar, except that he carried himself with the confidence of a body-building soldier. He was the youngest priest in Balarand and the top teacher at St. Helens.

    ¡°You¡¯re really rude,¡± Beatrice told Bodhi. ¡°And don¡¯t call me Bea.¡±

    Why were they friends again?

    Sure, Mr. Statusian treated Beatrice better than most of the other students. But she also had the highest grades in the class, so it was completely fair.

    The teacher set the scroll on the podium and unfolded it, revealing a series of intricate graphs and diagrams written in some foreign script. Beatrice didn¡¯t recognize any of the letters.

    Without even attempting to get the class¡¯s attention, he barrelled into his lesson, saying, ¡°So all of you can feel that autumn is here in full force. But do you know what that means? It means the Winter Ceremonies are coming up soon. And since you are AA-grade students, you¡¯re going to be taking part.¡±

    The chatter in the room hushed. Other than some coughing, it was dead silence.

    He continued. ¡°However, what exactly are the Winter Ceremonies? I know all of you have gone out to watch the parades and visit your local shrines, but what do the junior priests do to help, and more importantly, why? What exactly is this scroll I have hanging up here? Mr. Makala, what do you think?¡±

    Bodhi was caught completely off-guard and froze as soon as the dozens of eyes turned towards him. ¡°Uhh...¡±

    Mr. Statusian didn¡¯t let his pause interrupt the flow of the lecture. ¡°Nevermind. How about you, Mr. Naesala?¡± He pointed to a student a few rows behind Beatrice and Bodhi.

    ¡°They do all the... magic stuff that nobody else can, or something,¡± the young man answered, his voice quivering as he tried to think of what to say.

    ¡°That¡¯s vague enough I can¡¯t give you a yes on that. Anybody?¡± Mr. Statusian looked Beatrice¡¯s way as he waited for someone to answer, but she wasn¡¯t going to say anything. She hated speaking in class, especially when it would continue to earn her a reputation as the class suck-up if she did.

    With nobody volunteering their voice for an answer, he sighed and waved his own hand as to gesture off the pressure everyone was currently feeling. ¡°It seems was too caught up in the festivities to notice what your seniors did to honor Bk¡¯Man.¡± The class elicited a few nervous chuckles. ¡°Well... let¡¯s start from the beginning. Yes, get out your notebooks. Come on, class time is valuable.¡±

    He barely waited ten seconds before beginning his lecture: ¡°So, as is the traditional story of our people, eons ago the Great Mammoths descended onto the continent of Tsubasa. Wherever their trunks moved to, life was breathed into being. Animals grazed on the grass they created, and other lifeforms sprung up from the dirt. All the trees, the flowers, the small animals came forth and populated the lands. But come wintertime, they were wiped out by the cold.¡±

    Some of Beatrice¡¯s classmates were groaning. This was probably the fourth time the creation story had been told in a lecture in as many months.

    ¡°The same thing happened every year. The Mammoths would create life, and the snow would destroy it. The Gods were displeased with the constant cycle of death and resurrection, finding it too taxing to deal with. So they assigned Bk¡¯Man to oversee and keep life on Tsubasa stable and harmonious. And as He dealt with the seasons, so too did the Goddess Phyra deal with creating caretakers to bring Tsubasa into prominence, and Nexurk in imbuing power into its essence.

    ¡°What arose was humanity, the Mammoths¡¯ servants who were tasked with bringing about harmony to the continent. Of course, humanity also brought war and disease and all our assorted struggles, but most importantly it brought civilization. So we celebrate what Bk¡¯Man does for the passing of the seasons and keeping everyone safe through the weather by contributing ourselves to His honor.

    ¡°Every living being has a soul with innate magical energy within, but humans have more than most, with some of our kind being strong enough to actually manipulate the magic around them--¡± Mr. Statusian clasped his hands together and stared down at the pieces of paper at his desk. They began to float! A few students clapped, though it lasted only for a brief moment before they fell back down.

    ¡°Of course, none of us alone are able to accomplish anything more significant than parlor tricks, but when we band together-- just like forming a civilization-- we can utilize the Church¡¯s ancient rituals and harness the innate energy within us to perform magical ceremonies such as the one we will be discussing today.¡±

    Mr. Statusian pointed to the scroll behind him. ¡°This is the Winter Ceremonies document. We follow this guideline every single year to make sure that Bk¡¯Man receive the thanks He deserves. And while the priests of Balarand are the ones who perform the most difficult rituals, the junior priests from the five academies put blessings and safeguards over key points across the city. And that will be the primary study subject for the rest of our class.¡±

    The class chattered. Some of it was mumbling excitement, some of it was grumbles.

    Bodhi turned to Beatrice and muttered, ¡°Safeguards for the city? How come they didn¡¯t safeguard us against Dannark, then?¡±

    Beatrice shrugged. The Gods didn¡¯t care about politics, was her only guess.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you more details in our next lectures, but for now just know that St. Helens Academy is responsible for Knoll Park,¡± Mr. Statusian said. ¡°It is our school that rejuvenates the park every spring, and so it is of vital importance that we study the rituals closely. It may not be the most exciting topic, but...¡±

    And that¡¯s where most students¡¯ attentions were lost. He continued to explain the Winter Ceremonies, but it was a bit too complex, even for Beatrice. This section would take months to get through, she could already tell.

    After class ended, Beatrice exited the lecture hall with the others and saw a group of girls. ¡°Hey, Beatrice, are you busy today?¡± one of them asked as she walked by. ¡°We thought maybe you¡¯d like to come along to Foron¡¯s and grab a sandwich.¡±

    Beatrice gave a small smile. ¡°Sorry, I have some work to do today,¡± she said.

    It wasn¡¯t EXACTLY a lie...

    Though... she always felt uncomfortable having fun with the rest of her classmates. These were the people that blew off her favorite class and made fun of the fact she cared about studying. It would be weird to go out with them and switch gears all of a sudden, so she always had an excuse ready to get out of it.

    Instead of spending time with classmates, Beatrice went to her Dad¡¯s workplace to do some reading before his shift was over. Luckily, he worked at the library, so there was always something to look at. The collection stretched on for more books than any human could possibly read in a lifetime, and new ones came in every week. It was like paradise for someone like her.

    She dropped her school bag on one of the open desks and then walked up to the service desk. That¡¯s where her Dad usually was, when he wasn¡¯t organizing and shelving.

    ¡°What¡¯d you learn in school today?¡± Dad asked.

    ¡°Dad, did you know that the AA-grade students were involved in the Winter Ceremonies? I had no idea until today. I feel really stupid.¡±

    Her Dad chuckled. ¡°I think they don¡¯t like to advertise too much it because students might drop out when they find out.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like having things sprung on me...¡±

    ¡°I know, dear. But I also know you know you¡¯ll study everything there is to know about every magic ceremony on the continent by year¡¯s end,¡± he said. ¡°And since Mr. Statusian warned me ahead of time, I have a stack of books for your reading pleasure just ready to go.¡±

    Her Dad gave her six books, some of them very thick. She smiled and accepted them, before hobbling back over to her desk and set them all down. Time to study.

    Or at least, that¡¯s what Beatrice thought at the time. Because only minutes into opening the first book, she saw a figure with long, straight hair standing by the service desk. And that someone stood apart from everything else around her.

    The girl from the marketplace.

    And her dark, soil-brown eyes.

 Chapter 6: What Do I... Do

    The girl from the marketplace was sitting right there at that desk. Right there across the room. Emi was petrified.

    It had been a few minutes since she saw her, and all she could do was stand there and glance every now and then. Earl seemed to be having a bit of a hard time finding the economics book he had recommended, so Emi was having to awkwardly stay there and pretend her insides weren¡¯t disintegrating on account of the world¡¯s greatest coincidence coinciding right before her very eyes.

    A blonde-haired beauty, bespeckled and freckled and peering into her book with the intensity of a studious scholar. A girl who, from the first glance, absorbed all the breath in your body, leaving you suffocating, leaving your eyes sucked dry. This girl, whoever she was, already had the grace to show her presence to Emi once before. Now she was doing it all over again.

    Emi wasn¡¯t prepared. She wore the exact same dirty-hem light dress she had worn that day at the marketplace, just something casual for a trip to the library. She wore no makeup, hadn¡¯t even combed her hair. It was one thing feeling panicked around crowds. It was another thing entirely feeling panicked because you decided to be a slob and then met the most beautiful girl in the entire world for the second time.

    Balarand had a hundred thousand people, all living in fifteen square miles between the Balarand River and Lake Geoffrey. As cramped as the city was, it was still massive. There was no feasible way for two strangers to meet again, not so soon, not in a place like this. But it happened, and so... What was Emi going to do? Talk to her?

    No way. Just look at her.

    The girl was completely absorbed in her book. She took notes without even glancing away from the text. Emi didn¡¯t recognize her uniform, but she was probably a student at one of those prestigious local private schools Emi¡¯s parents never let her attend.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Yes, private schools were very common back in those days for the wealthy. Very strict, very stringent, very expensive. What¡¯s that? You wish you went to private school? Well, sometimes I wish you got sent off to Yates for a year or two. You could really learn some discipline if your mother didn¡¯t spoil you so much at home.

    Anyway, as for Emi, she fought every urge to stare--her face was already red enough as it was. She truly had been cursed by the Gods, running into a divine creation at the least opportune time, in the least opportune way. The difference between them was staggering.

    The girl leaned over her desk, poring over everything, composed as she composed. Her lips were moist, her glasses rest gently on her nose. She was small, nearly dainty, but the large desk chair made her appear even tinier, like a doll brought to life, and somehow even prettier.

    Compare that to Emi, who looked like she had just gotten out of bed, because she did, in a way, having only woken up about three and half hours ago. She carried no presence, because she had none. She was one with the background, and dangerously close to merging entirely with the service counter behind her.

    If the girl actually took the time to look up and glance this way, Emi was pretty sure she would shrink into nothingness and disappear--that¡¯s how powerful those blue eyes seemed.

    It took a few minutes for Earl to return and finally hand her the book. A few harrowing, beautiful minutes. ¡°Well, here it is. A tough one to find, because I sorted it in the wrong category altogether. I really should come up with some sort of numbering system for all these books.¡±

    ¡°Well, thank you, er, very much,¡± Emi said, her voice cracking. The tension in her voice was apparently very evident, because Earl¡¯s eyebrow raised slightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s due back in two weeks. Have a nice afternoon, Emi.¡±

    Well, now that she had her book to study with, she was going to have a very nice afternoon indeed. But as for the girl at the desk... What could Emi even do? Was she really going to just pass up the opportunity of a lifetime to talk to the most beautiful girl she had ever seen just because she felt a bit awkward about it?

    Yes, she was. Maybe if fate had something in store they¡¯d meet once again, but for now, she was going to go outside, just like she had--

    ¡°Hey.¡±

 Chapter 7: A Solvable Puzzle

    The girl at the service counter was about to leave.

    Beatrice had been glancing at the girl and her distractingly full-figured body every chance she could get for the past several minutes, but the girl seemed to be looking off very intently at something else every time she took a glance... And now, after all this time waiting for a book from Beatrice¡¯s father, she was exiting the library.

    Wait, she couldn¡¯t leave, not this soon! This was like some sort of puzzle for Beatrice. She saw an unknown but instantly-recognizable character at a sudden but crucial moment. That instantly-recognizable character was departing, but Beatrice wanted nothing more than to make her presence known to her. She needed to to seize the opportunity to chase her down before she disappeared from her life, possibly forever. And she only had one moment remaining. What should she do, what should she do... How could she solve this...

    ¡°Hey,¡± Beatrice said.

    The girl stopped right in her tracks. That wasn¡¯t exactly a difficult puzzle.

    She turned around. Their eyes met once again. Dark, deep brown, inviting and warm. Beatrice was having a hard time keeping eye contact, but she persisted.

    ¡°Yes?¡± the girl asked, finally.

    What did Beatrice want to say? What could she say?

    ¡°Come here often?¡± She immediately regretted her choice.

    The girl took more than a moment to respond, saying, ¡°Yeah, any chance I get.¡± She pressed her teeth to her lower lip, then added, ¡°How about you?¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡± This was very strange. ¡°And we¡¯ve never... met before?¡±

    The girl took a few steps closer towards Beatrice¡¯s desk. ¡°I really don¡¯t know. Are you...¡±

    ¡°The girl from...¡±

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    ¡°The marketplace?¡± They both asked in unison.

    Wow, what a weird coincidence. The Gods worked in baffling ways sometimes.

    The girl blushed and backed away a few steps. She fidgeted around like she was pained with discomfort. Was she about to leave after all?

    ¡°Do you want to, uh, read at this table?¡± Beatrice asked. ¡°I feel awful taking the whole thing up by myself.¡± She tried to ignore the fact that almost none of the tables in the library were occupied.

    ¡°Of course,¡± the girl said. ¡°I, uh, love reading indoors. I¡¯m just going to--¡± She sat down in a chair across from Beatrice and sat down a book about economics. ¡°--sit here and do some studying.¡±

    ¡°Okay, me too.¡±

    Beatrice glanced over at the book that the girl had in her hands. It was Economic Theory, by Popoclous. Economics, eh? This girl was some sort of properly-educated type. Probably went to one of those really fancy private schools where they didn¡¯t even have to wear uniforms.

    Well... Now Beatrice was sitting right next to the most beautiful girl she had ever seen in her entire life. This was certainly happening.

    She sighed, and then took a deep breath. The girl even smelled great. Some kind of faint perfume. A scent Beatrice couldn¡¯t place, something sweet. She was a rich girl, that was for sure. But she was reading at the public library, for some reason. Didn¡¯t rich girls have libraries at their own homes? They do, but as Beatrice had rarely encountered real wealth in her life, she didn¡¯t really understand it. That was soon about to change.

    She attempted to continue studying her book about magical rituals, but she realized very quickly that that was a lost cause. She was right here next to her, and Beatrice was just... going to study?

    It is a well-known fact that you do not study with someone you are attracted to. It is a law of nature, part of the harmony of the Gods that, when you are with someone you fancy, your mind no longer possesses the capability to absorb information, to retain anything you have learned. Beatrice was understanding that fact right at this moment.

    She was tall, elegant, wearing a fancy dress as if it were a casual shirt-and-trousers combo. But, as much as she looked the part, she didn¡¯t carry herself like a princess. Biting her lip, hands clutching her books with an all-too-tight grip. She had an aura that snared Beatrice and refused to let go. Surely a creature had shape shifted into the object of Beatrice¡¯s desire in order to take her away and suck her life force dry. But if this was how such a creature would do it, she knew for certain she would be too weak to resist.

    Beatrice¡¯s only hope was to pray to the Gods that this wasn¡¯t an illusion that sat next to this girl at the desk, because if this girl was real, it was quite possibly one of the best days of her life.

 Chapter 8: Sitting Together [Illustration]

    Emi, Emi, Emi... what were you doing?

    Why did you sit down next to this gorgeous human being? Why did you say you love reading indoors? Nobody says that. It just isn¡¯t said, you know. This was such a bad idea.

    She wanted to read this Economic Theory book so Ms. Khami wouldn¡¯t yell at her as much tonight, but she was incredibly distracted by the girl next to her.

    Emi just wanted to talk to her and get to know her and stare at her curly hair. But the girl was, of course, reading through her book like crazy. She seemed completely into it, even when the book was something as boring as History of Incantations and a Treatise on Traditional Methods. She seemed like such a serious person.

    She thought about saying something, about what the girl was reading and why she was reading it, something to start a conversation, but the way she was reading, she felt like if she interrupted her, she¡¯d just give a glare and silently move to another table.

    Economics was so dry, even with this book Earl had recommended... it was almost impossible to pay attention enough to read it when breathing almost literally down her neck was, well, her.

    She kept looking at the girl, and sometimes the girl would look back at her. She started to realize that maybe she was a nuisance to her. It was just really tough to sit next to her and act like nothing was happening. What a bad idea!

    Maybe she could stave off this awkward, petrifying feeling at the pit of her stomach by turning her attention elsewhere, anywhere but the girl sitting next to her. Perhaps the library shelves, stacked four, maybe five Emis high, would be of interest. There were so many books, some so far out of reach that you had to climb to the second floor balcony to retrieve them. Surely that wasn¡¯t an efficient system without some sort of machine to lift you up easily, something other than going up and down the stairs every time you searched for a title. Someone should build that sort of machine, she thought, though she didn¡¯t know a single thing about how machines were designed, how they were built. Maybe she would ask Ms. Khami to assign her some books based on that. Then she could impress the girl next to her with a new creation, one that would help out the entire library... Oh, this wasn¡¯t helping.

    Emi realized this was all a waste of time. Life¡¯s way of telling her she was a silly, gullible human being and probably the Gods playing a practical joke. She hadn¡¯t gotten any work done, even though that was the main reason she snuck out. All that had happened was that she got sucked into sitting with this girl who didn¡¯t give a single care about her because she actually knew how to study correctly.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    After a few more minutes of cursory book looking-over, she straightened out the desk and got up from her chair.

    The girl looked up the exact same moment. Darn it, she was just being even more of an annoyance than she wanted to be. ¡°Sorry,¡± she told the girl.

    ¡°Are you leaving?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, my parents need me back home to... go do some preparations for supper,¡± Emi lied. ¡°I¡¯d love to study some other time.¡± Clearly this girl did not want anything to do with her, but Emi was seemingly unable to turn off her politeness mode once triggered.

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll see each other at the library, I guess,¡± the girl said, giving a wide smile but her eyes giving away some sort of unhappiness. She was simply being polite, too, Emi was sure.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Well, it wasn¡¯t like the two of them were ever going to meet again, not with how cold the girl had acted toward her, or with how being anywhere near her had sent Emi into an emotional frenzy just from how absolutely amazing she looked. Emi was a mature, proper lady, and knew that pursuing things that were gone, was an act of idiocy, she thought.

    It is important to note here that Emi was not the sort of girl who exactly ¡°got things¡± easily, hence her complete blindness to the actual situation here. You and I know what was going on, but Emi was quite out of the loop of her own feelings. It is worth at least a little pity.

    ¡°Uhh...¡± Emi stammered.

    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±

    ¡°Well then....¡±

    They locked eyes for a moment, and Emi was very unsure of what to say. This must have lasted for an eternity, at least until--

    BONG. BONG.

    The library clock bell rang out to announce the top of the hour. Okay, it really was time for Emi to return home, if it was getting that late.

    ¡°Well them, um, yeah,¡± she said as a way to say goodbye. It was an attempt, at least.

    Emi took one step towards the door, and then was frozen solid by a shout of, ¡°Wait!¡±

    She turned around. The girl had quickly bounded from her seat and hurried up to face Emi directly.

    They stood so close, now... Emi tried as hard as she could to keep eye contact. She probably gulped.

    ¡°It was nice meeting you,¡± the girl said.

    ¡°Yeah, it was nice.¡± Emi extended her hand, and the girl took it.

    Firm handshake.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s one way to make an introduction,¡± the girl said, giggling.

    Emi tilted her head to the side. What did she mean by that?

    ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your name?¡± the girl asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m Emi.¡±

    ¡°And mine name is Beatrice. See you around.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Beatrice. Her name was Beatrice.

    Emi turned and left the library, but she was afflicted with a curse: a crackly grin that remained etched on her face for the rest of the afternoon.

 Chapter 9: Distracting

    Beatrice was certain her hands were still shaking. Shaking not because of the cool weather at night, or because of how darn heavy all the books were, but because of that girl.

    Her name was Emi.

    Wow; just wow. In all her life, Beatrice had never met someone so... distracting. As hard as she tried, she just couldn¡¯t manage to take her mind away from the gorgeous human being who had sat right next to her. As interesting as her books were supposed to be, she barely read a chapter her entire time at the library.

    Emi herself seemed incredibly distracted about something too. From the way she hastily left the library, there must have been something important weighing on her mind. She seemed like such a serious person.

    She and her Dad entered the apartment and she set down her satchel full of academic religious texts. ¡°I want to meet her again,¡± she mumbled to herself.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Beatrice¡¯s Mom asked, in the kitchen area baking a shepherd''s pie.

    ¡°I said, uh, I want to eat here again,¡± she corrected. She was standing in the living room, right next to the dining table. ¡°I mean-- I like eating with you two. I love you so much.¡± She went over to give Mom a big hug, but her mom, holding a large meat pie in her hands, did not reciprocate.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Mom asked.

    Dad gave out a hearty laugh. ¡°She¡¯s been acting like this all evening. We were walking back home, and I swear her face was blushing the whole way. I guess that wasn¡¯t just her schoolbooks she was reading at the library.¡±

    ¡°Dad!¡±

    It was true her face had been blushing for a while after she left, though not in the gross way he was saying. She got almost no studying done whatsoever because of Emi.

    Not to blame her, exactly, but... It¡¯s hard to study when you¡¯re right next to someone as pretty as Emi.

    That handshake, though...

    Beatrice couldn¡¯t help but giggle again. How many girls introduced themselves with handshakes? It was one of the silliest things she¡¯d encountered in a while. But even so, it set her heart aflutter, because it was just such a cute move. Emi seemed so prim and proper at first glance, but then just as you¡¯d expect her to do some sort of ¡°How do you do?¡± little curtsey she went and gave a handshake.

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    There was just something about her, that Emi.

    Besides her marble-cut beauty, the painting-like proportions of perfect womanhood she represented, Emi had some kind of... aura about her. It was difficult to Beatrice to describe, especially without blushing in front of her parents. But she felt drawn to her, like if the two were connected by forces supernatural. Obviously that couldn¡¯t actually be the case, but this feeling, this aura, acted so counter to that pale, stoic rich kid image she tried to convey. Instead, she projected this sort of-- huggability?

    Hm.

    Huggability sounded wrong, but it was the only word she could think of. Emi had every bit the essence of someone who Beatrice could warp her arms around and squeeze so she could make herself feel better. Feel better about how plain and boring she herself looked, maybe help herself stand out better by being literally connected to someone who was quite possibly a Goddess in human form who had descended into Tsubasa to see how her subjects lived their daily lives. She could hug a Goddess.

    This sounded really weird and Beatrice didn¡¯t want to think about it anymore. Luckily, the shepherd''s pie was ready.

    The three of them sat down at the supper table together. Beatrice said a quick prayer to the Goddess Phyra and then they began each eating from their plates.

    ¡°Beatrice,¡± Mom said. ¡°You will tell us if anything important happens in your life, won¡¯t you?¡±

    Ah, Beatrice blushed again. That was quick.

    Did they suspect something? Well, obviously yes.

    This would be the moment when many children of doting parents would rebel and make some growling rejection of their parents¡¯ caring request, but Beatrice, her mouth full with mashed potatoes and fish, simply nodded.

    ¡°Good, because we¡¯re always here when you need us,¡± Dad said. ¡°When I was your age, I had it pretty rough. If I had had someone to talk to back then...¡±

    ¡°Then you wouldn¡¯t have met me,¡± Mom said.

    ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s right. Oh, you.¡±

    They nuzzled noses together. Beatrice tried really hard to ignore it. She loved them, but sometimes she couldn¡¯t stand them.

    Lovey-dovey couples were obnoxious, and Beatrice swore to the Gods she would never end up like that. She fantasized even at this moment about hugging Emi and smelling her sweet perfumed scent again, but she would never do that in front of others. Only in the privacy of... She wasn¡¯t going to think about this anymore.

    Beatrice swallowed a chunk of meat pie in one big gulp and then added, ¡°Though... I do have a pretty important question.¡±

    Her parents paused. ¡°Yes, honey?¡± Dad asked, leaned forward as if she were about to announce a pregnancy.

    ¡°Is it normal for girls to introduce themselves with a handshake?¡±

 Chapter 10: Never Felt Freer

    ¡°Emi? Emi? I¡¯m talking to you--¡±

    Emi slammed the door and turned the lock.

    Ms. Khami continued to yell through the door about how much trouble she¡¯d be in when her parents returned to Balarand or how she wouldn¡¯t eat supper for a week. None of these threats ever went anywhere. She was a terrible little thing, so much worse than her brothers, sure, but she couldn¡¯t care less. Ms. Khami would get over it.

    In the confines of this bedroom, the only things that mattered were Emi and whatever she cared about. The bed was bundle of twisted blankets, the desk was littered with loose papers, and the floral blouse she wore yesterday still laid on the floor in wrinkles. Just how Emi liked it.

    She hopped on top of her bed and jumped up and down. She was sure Ms. Khami could hear her mattress springs bouncing around, but ultimately the only thing she could do about it was grumble and hope in vain that Emi¡¯s parents would decide to punish her.

    ¡°Woo-hoo!¡± Emi shouted.

    She never felt freer than when she trapped herself in her bedroom.

    With a partly-deliberate twist she flipped herself around and landed on the bed butt-first. She laid down, spread out all her limbs, and heaved a long sigh. For a few moments she stayed there just like this. When she started getting more than a little drowsy, she turned her head on its side and focused her eyes on an old painting on the wall. It was a Tormod Benici painting of the First Winter Ceremonies--a duplicate, obviously, since the original was a priceless artifact kept in a museum in northern Dannark.

    The painting was pretty, even if it wasn¡¯t real. It showed a stark white snowscape with men and women in heavy winter clothing gathered around in a circle dancing over the Jewel of Elince. A flock of fairies accompanied them, and a runic symbol glowed in the sky. No matter how much Emi disliked the winter, she loved this painting.

    She loved this painting, and she loved her bedroom, itself a work of art in its own way. Every bundle of dirty clothes on the floor, every stack of books laid haphazardly against a wall, every souvenir from her parents¡¯ trips placed in prominent but ill-fitting spots specifically to show her ambivalence towards them... It was Emi¡¯s own masterpiece, her own creation.

    This bedroom was her sanctuary, a place where she controlled the elements, regardless of if those elements were nothing more than her personal possessions. As long as she stayed in here, she could throw around whatever she wanted, or jump on her bed whenever she wanted, or feel whichever emotions she wanted.

    There was a certain irony, then, to her sanctuary being the place she was constantly trying to sneak out of, but it felt like it was a natural contradiction. Emi had freedom, so long as she chose to be in here. She was free from her annoying housekeeper nagging her about everything, free from an arranged marriage she never had a say in, free from the worries of meeting the most gorgeous human being and completely flubbing it.

    She tilted her head back toward the ceiling. That girl from the library... from the marketplace... her name was Beatrice. What a cute name. Pretty uncommon these days, too.

    ¡°Beatrice,¡± she whispered.

    Her name felt so nice to say.

    If it weren¡¯t for that stupid handshake... Why did Emi shake her darn hand? Normal girls didn¡¯t do that. Especially not with each other! She refused to forgive herself for something so egregiously embarrassing. Her face must have been blood-red the entire time she was walking home. It was red even now.

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    Emi put three fingers on her lips.

    ¡°Beatrice,¡± she mouthed, letting herself feel her lips move as she said the name. ¡°Beatrice. Beatrice. Beatrice.¡±

    Such a pretty name. She let her mouth keep saying it, let her mouth keep smiling like it belonged to a madwoman. Her mind imagined going back to the library, seeing that curly head of hair, putting her hands through it. Yes, that was a good plan.

    ¡°Beatrice...¡±

    ¡°Beatrice...¡±

    ¡°Bea--¡±

    KNOCK. KNOCK.

    ¡°Eek!¡±

    The loud knocks startled her and completely took her out of the moment. It was still Ms. Khami, but she did not begin this time with yelling and complaining. ¡°Ah, Emi, there is a guest for you. Shall I let this one in to see you?¡±

    ¡°I-I-Um, who is it?¡±

    ¡°Tia.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes.¡±

    She got up from her bed and unlocked the door. Seconds later, a boy dressed in a cardigan sweater and extremely tight pants entered the room. He wore a smug grin and a long black wig that glittered against his shiny bronze face. She was fairly sure he literally put glitter in his wig (something that would be proven true in later years). This was the nobleboy Tia Knoll, the nearest thing Emi had to a close friend.

    ¡°I apologize if I have interrupted anything important,¡± he said.

    No comment.

    Emi kicked her floral blouse under the bed to hide the slobbish nature she was so proud of just moments earlier. ¡°So what brings you by today?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I was just in the neighborhood,¡± Tia said before giggling uncontrollably. Tia lived in one of the large mansions outside the city, on the southern banks of Lake Geoffrey, an area worlds away from even Emi¡¯s admittedly nice house in central Balarand. He was obviously not simply taking a stroll, if that¡¯s what he was insinuating. ¡°I would like to, if you are willing, cordially accept the invitation to your parents¡¯ winter party this year.¡±

    ¡°Oh... I had forgotten there was one,¡± Emi said. It was one of the big ones, too, judging by the name winter party. That wasn¡¯t good. ¡°I wonder if I can get out of it.¡±

    ¡°Your parents will most likely force you to attend,¡± he said. ¡°I do not care much for these kinds of parties myself, either, so I understand your struggle.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a lie and you know it.¡±

    He giggled. ¡°Well, I do fancy meeting new cute boys on occasion, but as for this party, I doubt it will be too interesting in that regard,¡± he said. ¡°However, it will have many Dannark nobles coming down to visit Balarand for the first time since the occupation. Many chances to network with the bureaucrats, in other words.¡±

    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll be seeing you there, then...¡±

    Tia was right.

    Emi¡¯s parents always held these horrid house parties that went on forever and had hundreds of wealthy people drunkenly dancing around and all those customary preparations and fancy dresses and utter foolishness. If she could, she would desert this lifestyle forever... but she had no choice in the matter. Or any matter, as long as its boundaries were outside of the domain of her bedroom.

    Emi wondered why Tia even bothered to personally drop by rather than send a letter in the mail, except that he wanted to see Emi¡¯s unfortunate reaction to the impending party. In that case, he got exactly what he wanted.

    ¡°I see you are getting a lot of schoolwork done,¡± he said, looking over at Emi¡¯s desk, which was covered in notebooks and books. Economic Theory laid in the middle, a dozen or more bookmarks sticking out.

    ¡°I hate my schooling,¡± she said.

    ¡°Such is the lot of those of us too special to be sent away to boarding school,¡± Tia lamented. ¡°I sometimes long for the thrill of living abroad. But my place is at my home.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hardly special,¡± Emi said. ¡°Oh wait, you were talking about you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too hard on yourself,¡± he said. ¡°I think you have been cooped up in this room too long.¡±

    ¡°Only for... all day.¡±

    Tia smiled broadly and his eyes narrowed. ¡°Perhaps you need a new hobby.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but I have to get ready for this big party first,¡± she said.

    ¡°And that, I await.¡±

    In that case, there were sure to be plenty of preparations to be done. There went her dreams of being able to go to the library much anytime soon. And so went her chances of seeing Beatrice anytime soon.

    Emi would have been upset if she didn¡¯t expect things like this at every corner. This was her natural mode of life, after all...

 Chapter 11: With Your Classmates

    ¡°Groupwork... I hate groupwork...¡±

    ¡°What was that, Bea?¡± asked Bodhi.

    She didn¡¯t reply.

    Beatrice and five other students sat in a circle trying to storm up ideas for a group project to be presented at the end of class. To be more accurate, though, it was less a group project and more a group debate right now.

    Beatrice wasn¡¯t the type to contribute much to a big conversation and was currently sitting there, muttering to herself, and jotting down anything interesting she heard from the others. But the others weren¡¯t saying much either. Why was nobody ever interested in working together for group projects? Why did they always go so poorly?

    The topic was to argue anything from a headline in today¡¯s Balarand Circle newspaper. There were literally a dozen options. But they hadn¡¯t even picked anything out yet. And now they had twenty minutes left. This was communications class, far out of the realm of Beatrice¡¯s interest or expertise, so there wasn¡¯t much she could do.

    The classroom, its students divided up into groups scattered around the place, had a special atmosphere reserved for the time of group projects, something nobody enjoys, and never will enjoy for the remaining history of mankind. The collective sense of frustration was so thick in the air that it was breathable. Or maybe that was sweat, because the fireplace was making this room quite warm.

    ¡°We gotta do the war story,¡± one of the girls said. ¡°Dannark is gonna, like, use the new skirmish as an excuse to end the ceasefire with Doros. They¡¯re gonna conscript all the Elincians so, uh, so they can kill all the young people and then there won¡¯t be anyone else left to resist.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a terrible topic,¡± Bodhi said. ¡°How do you argue that?¡±

    ¡°Then do you got any ideas, shoe guy?¡±

    ¡°Obviously not.¡± Bodhi lowered his cap to cover most of his face, as if he were being cool or something.

    Beatrice used to think this whole enthusiasm problem was endemic to religion classes-- they were never going to use anything they learned in real life, so they never bothered to learn it in the first place. But communications classes were very important for adults trying to make themselves in the world, and still nobody really cared.

    Only this time, Beatrice wasn¡¯t exactly impervious to the criticisms she was mentally lobbing to her classmates.

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    She found her attention wandering even as her classmates spoke. Why were newspapers printed on such uninviting, rough paper, when they were read by literally tens of thousands every day? That question felt more interesting to her than anything they were currently doing, and she wasn¡¯t even sure why.

    ¡°Well, we can talk about how they¡¯re putting more guards at all the Nexurk shrines because of those protestors last week,¡± Bodhi said. ¡°I think that¡¯s a better topic.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same thing?¡± the girl from before asked.

    Beatrice butted in finally, saying, ¡°Maybe it would be a better debate if we chose a different topic than every other group in the class.¡±

    ¡°Like what, Bea?¡± the girl asked.

    ¡°Maybe, uh, something about Reo L¡¯Hime¡¯s floating bridge test?¡±

    They looked at her like she was crazy.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it kind of interesting?¡±

    She faced the daggers of ten pairs of extremely unenthused eyes and felt herself shrink away.

    ¡°Whatever, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be doing this much longer,¡± said Bodhi in an admission of defeat. ¡°My pop¡¯s gonna train me the moment I get the certificate.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty cool,¡± said one of the students. ¡°You gonna give us free shoes?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, if you give me all the materials and then pay me to make it.¡±

    The conversation then became about Bodhi¡¯s shoe cobbling and the various designs he had been tinkering with in his filled-up sketchbook.

    Honestly, it was incredibly annoying that she was going to fail this assignment because she couldn¡¯t bring her classmates to pretend to care about this subject even a little bit. They weren¡¯t going to figure out a topic to argue, and Beatrice wasn¡¯t going to put in the effort to try and lead the group herself. Her frown deepened, and Bodhi seemed to notice that.

    ¡°Bea, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he told her. ¡°You¡¯ve got the best grades in the junior priest class like, ever. They aren¡¯t gonna hold it against Ms. Ragnell if her slacker classmates do bad on one project.¡±

    ¡°My name isn¡¯t Bea,¡± she grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s not my grades, though.¡± She felt really sad all of a sudden. ¡°I guess I was really hoping once I reached AA-grade there¡¯d be more people who... I don¡¯t know. I like being a junior priest.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty fun,¡± the girl said. ¡°I like the Winter Ceremonies stuff we¡¯re doing. This here is a load of Mammoth crap though.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be a priest if it didn¡¯t mean I have to become some celibate traveler the rest of my life,¡± another classmate added. There were murmurs of agreement.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t exactly...¡± Beatrice cut herself off. She had that conversation with herself too often. The celibacy requirement was no small deal, that was for sure.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a bit of a jump to make it into the priesthood,¡± Bodhi said. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it so much, but none of us really want to do that with the rest of our lives. But we know how much it means to you to do well, so... maybe we should try something for this project. For you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Beatrice told him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything for me.¡±

    It was a bit of a self-pitying comment, but they took that as a resignation to abandon the group work assignment. They ended up picking the Doros-Dannark skirmish after all... just like every other group in the class.

    Oh well. It wasn¡¯t long before the Priesthood Exams and then everything would change.

 Chapter 12: Fitting

    Emi had been standing for over an hour, and it didn¡¯t seem like she was going to stop anytime soon, but at least she was getting some reading in.

    Her current book was an epic poem written early in Elince¡¯s history called The Inundation. Being as it was, it was extremely dry and loquaciously written, even if it was supposed to be a tale of war and romance among the three municipalities that eventually merged as one after the Treaty of Balarand.

    The current section was about a captive princess being rescued by a knight in shining armor, but unlike the typical fairy tales, it was a ruse by the princess, who collaborated with her captors in order to defeat her own kingdom¡¯s champion.

    It had yet to become interesting, but she was unable to put the book down and get another, so she stuck with what she had.

    One day, I¡¯m going to make you read The Inundation, too. What, you think you¡¯ll be able to decide on your own what you¡¯ll read? Not when you fail out of school because you¡¯re off building gear rockets in the backyard. I swear, sometimes... You have a lot in common with this Emi girl. So you¡¯d better pay attention.

    ¡°No, no, stop moving around,¡± scolded Javert, the tailor who was taking a third round of measurements because apparently the first two times weren¡¯t accurate enough, or something. Either her admittedly-above-average sizes were fluctuating wildly every moment, or else this tailor was just a dumb jerk.

    Doing a dress fitting for a single outfit for a single party was unnervingly annoying by itself. Having to re-do it completely halfway through because Ms. Khami soured on the low-cut neckline on the one she had originally picked out had sent Emi completely over the edge.

    She simply didn¡¯t care anymore.

    The last party Emi went to over at Tia Knoll¡¯s mansion was fine enough without having to strangle herself in a corset and act like some modest princess-in-wait. This new winter party wasn¡¯t for a good month or two and she was already having to suit up just because the Dannark Empress-Consort was going to show up for a couple hours. Oh, how the conquered live to appease their oppressors.

    Why her parents wanted to treat her like a delicate prize to be won when she was already engaged to some noblewoman off in Zahn was beyond her. If a Dannark Prince took a liking to her, were they suddenly going to break the wedding off with her current fiancee and trade her up? Did it work like that in the realm of mid-level diplomacy?

    The idea of being married, being forced to give up everything in her life to serve the whims of her family with no regard to her own feelings... It strangled her more than any dress ever could. It made her want to be strangled.

    At least she could read whatever books she wanted, she guessed.

    She felt a sharp pain at her scalp and yelped. The tailor had yanked her hair for a moment, but now he was the one grumbling. ¡°You ought to get a haircut,¡± he said. ¡°Hair¡¯s getting far too long.¡± Did he pull on her hair by accident? Or did he really just... Oh, whatever.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Emi took a look in the mirror, looked at herself wearing this currently still-oversized dress, the same dress she would likely be wearing to the winter party in the near future. It suited her, she would admit. Her parents were paying very good money to ensure that it suited her, though, so this was to be expected. And even though it suited her, it was too bright, too flashy for her tastes.

    Maybe it was just her. She had been groomed to be as beautiful as she could be, the spitting image of her parents and all the wealth they had given her, but maybe it was just overkill. Her princessly demure image was offset just a tad by her curves, just a tad by her knife-sharp nose, just a tad by her height. None of that she could control, but it was like she was being fit into a box that she wasn¡¯t the right size for, being groomed for a role that didn¡¯t work for her.

    One day she¡¯d fix all of that. She swore to the Gods, whichever ones were listening, that she¡¯d fix all that.

    Emi had finally reached the point in this epic poem where the captive princess was prepared to pull her ruse on the champion and capture them. However, the champion knight had just been revealed to be none other than the princess¡¯s younger sister.

    Actually--

    This was fairly compelling. Something about this poetry was starting to get to her. That or the standing for hours was making her light-headed. Was this really a true story, or loosely based on one? You could never tell with these epic poems. She wanted it to be real, because she wanted to be a part of this kind of story. Whether it was the captive princess or the champion sister, she didn¡¯t care.

    Speaking of reading... What was she going to do when she went to the library tomorrow?

    That Beatrice girl hadn¡¯t been there the last few times she visited, but she also had been going in the mornings lately so she could sneak back in time for lunch.

    Tomorrow she was going to time it just right. She was going to time it right and end this stupid fantasy of hers forever.

    Why was she obsessing over a girl she¡¯d met only once, twice if you really stretched it? Probably because there was nothing better to do this time of year other than complain about the weather getting too cold and remark with sadness about the slow but inevitable passage of time. This was obviously just some sort of schoolgirl crush and she needed to get over it quickly. Beatrice was a very serious person and heavily concentrated in her studies, whatever they may have been. Emi was just some spoiled rich girl complaining because her very expensive dress didn¡¯t suit her as well as a different very expensive dress.

    Not to mention the being-engaged-to-a-noblewoman thing. She didn¡¯t even want to consider the possibility of these two events intersecting. It would remind her far too much that her fate was sealed.

    She decided she was going to go to the library, pretend Beatrice didn¡¯t exist, and let this whole thing dissolve from there once the girl expressed her mutual disinterest in Emi. It would be the perfect practice for her arranged marriage-- getting over a girl she liked by convincing herself that it wasn¡¯t real. (In reality, such a practice would be very harmful, and I recommend you never do it, but Emi was not always the most clear-headed of thinkers. I will admit she was hardly ever a clear-headed thinker.)

    After that, though, Emi could forget about that curly-haired beautiful jerk, about that stupid handshake, about that really embarrassing thing she did with saying her name over and over again... all of it.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± The tailor had pricked her with a pin.

    ¡°That is what you get for moving about,¡± he shouted.

    Why couldn¡¯t she just be over with him, too?

 Chapter 13: Library Encounters

    Beatrice and her Dad passed by a shrine to Phyra, where people were lined up and performing their daily prayers. It was interesting to watch people so devoted that they went to these shrines every single day to increase their fortunes, or give their thanks, or make atonements, or do whatever else it was they thought necessary to appease Her. Beatrice had even heard that there were those that went to eight, even ten shrines a day, one for every major member of the pantheon that worked their magic in Balarand.

    Even on a day as cool as this, there were still as many people waiting on the Gods as there were people out shopping in the marketplace. That never ceased to impress her, not one bit.

    One thing Beatrice always appreciated was the way that the shrines in Balarand seemed to simply poke out of the cityscape. They were always small, always nestled in between two larger buildings, unassuming and wood-built, ancient and holy even as everything around them was modern, sleek, boxy. This shrine to Phyra was particularly tiny, consisting of just two steps for people to kneel and pray, and the tiniest little statue that acted as an icon for her presence. Size and grandeur didn¡¯t matter, though, as long as the Gods deemed the shrine worthy, and as long as the people could reach it. That¡¯s what the Church always said.

    Beatrice thought it might be prudent to do some restoration work on these shrines to keep up the harmony a little better--some of them looked absolutely decrepit--but that would require more money than the Church was willing to give. The only small shrines that still looked in any way holy were the ones dedicated to Nexurk, the God of War, and that was a subject far beyond touchy in this city.

    Dad didn¡¯t seem to mind. He always prayed at the shrine to Bk¡¯Man next to the apartment, across the street from Bodhi¡¯s family¡¯s shoe store. Every single morning, that bald head of his touched the wooden floor, his risk of a splinter growing more dangerous with each passing rainy season. She admired his devotion.

    Soon, the two of them entered the library. Immediately, Beatrice made her way towards her usual desk, before her Dad was even able to step behind the service desk and prepare for work. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you are actually studying on your day off,¡± Dad remarked. ¡°Isn¡¯t there something else you could be doing with your time? It¡¯s going to get too cold to enjoy the city pretty soon, you know.¡±

    ¡°Oh Dad, you know I love the winter,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m excited for the cold!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll catch a cold, with that attitude,¡± he said.

    Dad was always so concerned with his only daughter having a happy and pleasant youth when his only daughter cared more about succeeding at the goals she had set for herself. That daughter had already skipped breakfast today so she could get to the library early, and it showed from her lazy shirt-and-trousers attire and messy hair frizzing about in random directions.

    ¡°And I¡¯m not studying, Dad, I¡¯m just going to read a book,¡± Beatrice added.

    ¡°A book about...?¡±

    ¡°About, erm, the practical applications of soul magic...¡±

    He shook his head slowly.

    It wasn¡¯t necessarily for school, but... she thought that it would better help her understand group magic rituals. Every time she saw Mr. Statusian use those sparks of magic he could summon, it made her giddy inside to try and train and do something like that herself. She wanted to get better so she could become the kind of priest that Tsubasa needed, someone who could help others, someone who could keep the harmony of nature and make the world a better place, even if that meant working to the point of exhaustion on a day off from school.

    She probably did need to take it a bit easier.

    But with her Dad being immediately greeted by several customers wishing to look up or check out books, she was now on her own for the next several hours of the day. It was time to sit down and crack open her academic text. She pulled out Fourteen Essays on the Study of the Soul and its Inherent Properties, and--

    --And, from the corner of her eye she spotted something familiar.

    Emi, over at a desk in the very corner of the library, silently reading a book of her own, titled A Yellow Romance. She¡¯d apparently been here some time, already comfortable and leaning back in her chair.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Just as pretty as ever.

    Beatrice¡¯s face flared up. It had been so long since the last time she saw her that she was almost convinced it was never to be. It... had probably been less than two weeks in reality... but it still FELT like a long time.

    After a moment of hesitation-- why would she be way off over there anyway except to get away from distractions-- Beatrice decided to approach and scope out the girl responsible for a lot of fretting emotions within her for quite some time.

    She stepped closer and closer. She tried straightening out her all-too-plain shirt that had probably been wrinkled from the wind outside, and trying to make her hair look a little bit less like she hopped right out of bed with it... which she did. Having messy hair was a poor way to make friends. But it was her only option.

    ¡°Hi there,¡± she said to Emi.

    Nothing. No reaction. She didn¡¯t even glance her way.

    Was it the way she said it...? She probably didn¡¯t put in enough emotion into her greeting. Probably didn¡¯t even notice she was there, considering how unremarkable and unimposing Beatrice was. She stepped even closer, to the point that there was no way Emi wouldn¡¯t notice her standing right in front of her. ¡°Emi, is that you?¡±

    Still nothing.

    She was obviously ignoring her. Beatrice could take rejection, but not the silent treatment. This actually made her mad, and she was not going to stand for it. So she went back to her desk, took her school bag and library books, and placed them on Emi¡¯s desk across from her.

    ¡°I¡¯m just going to read right here, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond, so Beatrice took that as a tacit acknowledgement of approval.

    A little while passed. Unlike last time she was too flustered to study next to Emi, she was actually having a decent time. The fact that she was being a jerk and ignoring her was probably helping.

    She read a good ways into the book, though the essays were all a bit boring because of the completely unscientific realm that they inhabited in their discussion of topics pertaining to souls. It was all essentially conjecture because none of these theories had never been successfully done. Body transfer, spontaneous mutation, soul chrysalis healing... All interesting on paper, but... Okay, not very interesting on paper either.

    Her read was interrupted with a gentle tap on the shoulder, making Beatrice jump up in surprise.

    ¡°Hi, Beatrice,¡± Emi said, looking towards her but not making eye contact. ¡°I¡¯d really appreciate if, um, you moved somewhere else.¡±

    ¡°Wh... what?¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s okay with you,¡± she said.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken to you in a couple hours,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°What did I do?¡±

    ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t, uh, I haven¡¯t read a single chapter of my story since you sat down. I was trying to see if Princess Valentia would choose Lady Gwinette or Lordess M¡¯tsargh¡¯i, you know.¡± She let out a soft chuckle, but Beatrice couldn¡¯t figure out if she was joking or serious.

    ¡°What does that have to do with me...?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re, um...¡±

    Beatrice was starting to feel a little guilty. She had apparently done something wrong, and she didn¡¯t even know what it was. How could--

    ¡°You¡¯re, um, incredibly distracting,¡± Emi said. ¡°As a person.¡±

    The nerve! Beatrice quickly stood up and began gathering her things to move tables. She wasn¡¯t going to--

    ¡°I mean, distracting in a good way,¡± Emi added, even if that sentence was a bit nonsensical and did little to calm Beatrice¡¯s mood.. ¡°Because I really want to get to know you better and I constantly think about what I want to say to you.¡± Tears started to well up in the girl¡¯s eyes. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry if I sound like a jerk.¡±

    Beatrice sat back down. She felt the impulse to reach out and touch Emi¡¯s face, to wipe the tears off her face. A girl that pretty didn¡¯t deserve to cry.

    Oh, she was actually doing it, her index finger catching a teardrop just as it fell from her eye. Beatrice pulled her hand away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said.

    Emi grabbed Beatrice¡¯s arm and pulled the hand back towards her. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry. What I really meant to ask was, uh, do you want to... go anywhere sometime maybe, or... uh, anything like that?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Beatrice said flatly. ¡°I do.¡± She pulled her hand away again.

    Emi¡¯s face lit up. ¡°You do?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°W-when?¡±

    ¡°Right now.¡±

    ¡°Right now? Uh, okay.¡± Emi stood up for a second, then sat back down. ¡°Actually, no, I want to finish this book first. It¡¯s really good.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah, sorry,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll go read over there or something, so I don¡¯t, uh, distract you so much.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but giggle when she said this.

    ¡°Actually, I think I¡¯ll go outside for a bit. I like reading outside better.¡± She did? Then why was she reading in here...?

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll wait for you,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Emi sped out of the library.

    Beatrice realized she was starting to get dizzy from her heart beating so rapidly. Now she was the one who was completely unable to read a page of her book.

 Chapter 14: An Evening in Balarand [Illustration]

    Beatrice and Emi met back that evening at the front of the library, and Beatrice dragged Emi the short distance back over to the marketplace, the same one where they had first seen each other all those weeks ago.

    The sun had begun to set, and two of the moons were already visible in the evening sky. Some street lamps had been lit, and scene around them glowed warmly, even as the weather grew colder and colder. It was as if the whole world had suddenly become tinted blue and orange.

    ¡°My parents always told me to stay away from places like this,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°Well, your parents are too overprotective,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Though, considering you¡¯re a member of the L¡¯Hime Family, they might be in the right. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re the brother of Reo L¡¯Hime! He¡¯s so cool.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s... cool...?¡± Emi did not want to know the answer to this question.

    Beatrice gave the answer anyway. ¡°My classmates talk about him all the time. Some of the girls in my class have posters of him on their bedroom walls.¡±

    ¡°R-really...?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    They walked side by side down the long marketplace road, surrounded by shops and stands all over the place, and jam-packed with people in all directions. Emi tried to ignore the crowds but she was still getting apprehensive being so close to so many in such a small area.

    Beatrice noticed. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah... I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s just keep going.¡±

    Neither of them intended to do any shopping this evening, but the smoky meat stands and glittering jewelry shining against the copious lanterns made the whole area fun to walk around in. The smell made it even better.

    ¡°And so you¡¯re a junior priest, right...?¡± asked Emi, her smile wilting before Beatrice¡¯s eyes.

    Beatrice felt the color drain from her cheeks and promptly replied, ¡°Well, a junior priest is just that. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll do it for real. It¡¯s a big step, obviously. You know.¡± Beatrice rubbed the back of her neck. Emi felt satisfied with that answer for now.

    ¡°Of course. The future is always in motion, after all,¡± Emi then said.

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°It means I have no idea what I want to do with my life,¡± she said with a chortle.

    Before Beatrice could say anything else, Emi¡¯s eyes took notice of a booth displaying a set of bright, ruby-red earrings. She paused and let Beatrice walk ahead of her while she examined it.

    They looked like they might make a wonderful present...

    Emi glanced at Beatrice, then back at the earrings, then back at her. They were beautiful, but they wouldn¡¯t suit her, she thought. Part of her appeal was the was she exhibited some sort of warm aura with her plain outfits and subdued smile, some sort of magnet where Emi was a very reactive metal. The way she walked, even, exuded a strong sense of herself; she swayed her hips like she had a specific purpose in every step, and yet carried herself lightly. These earrings didn¡¯t capture that aura at all.

    Beatrice, noticing Emi had fallen behind, stopped in her steps and turned back towards her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked.

    ¡°N-nothing,¡± Emi said.

    She noticed the stand selling earrings next to Emi, some of them about as red as the girl¡¯s own face. Was Emi trying to buy her a present this soon into their... their evening together? A bit weird. Still, she was unable to stop a giddy smile forming across her face. ¡°I don¡¯t need anything,¡± Beatrice told her. ¡°That kind of stuff they sell is usually junk anyway.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no,¡± Emi said, her voice perking up at the sound of being vindicated. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I wasn¡¯t going to buy them. They don¡¯t suit you.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    ¡°Wait, no, I mean...¡±

    Beatrice¡¯s stomach gurgled.

    ¡°I mean, I think I should buy us food first instead.¡± Good save, both of them thought. ¡°I don¡¯t think either of us have eaten since we went to the library, right?¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re right. But I can buy my own food, you know!¡± What Beatrice didn¡¯t say was that she only had three silver coins to spend and that was her entire allowance for the week. Emi, with a coin purse with more than Beatrice got in a year, hadn¡¯t even considered the idea of running out of cash.

    They stopped at a food stand offering one of Balarand¡¯s signature dishes, the stuffed salmon bind. There were so many varieties it was hard to choose from, including fried rice, cream cheese, sour cream, and a near-infinite variety of vinegars and sauces.

    Emi was a bit bewildered by the selection and decided to choose one at random. ¡°I¡¯ll have the spinach,¡± Emi told the cook at the stand.

    ¡°Ah, sorry, fresh out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have the... grape?¡± That didn¡¯t sound particularly appealing, but--

    ¡°Don¡¯t got that either.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have the fried rice, then,¡± she said dejectedly. She liked fried rice salmon binds, but... they were far from her favorite, and on a night like this, for some reason, she was hoping for the absolute best.

    Beatrice continued to look at the variety of options for stuffing, and her ears perked when she came across one unfamiliar term. ¡°Crabspice?¡±

    This question sparked a flash in the cook¡¯s eyes. ¡°Crabspice, yes. It¡¯s a very strong spice found way out in the Torano Islands. You ever heard of there?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes,¡± Beatrice said. She knew of the Torano Islands, though only from their history with the ancient art of soul-taking. I¡¯ve visited those islands only once; they are beautiful, but are a very limited trading partner these days, now that the fishing industry in Kent has become so prominent.

    ¡°But... what¡¯s a crab?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t much know myself,¡± the cook said, ¡°but I¡¯ve heard they are gigantic, terrifying creatures with pincers that could snap you or me in half in an instant. Whatever brave souls actually killed one, well... they¡¯re heroes. Bringing it all the way to me, so I can offer it to the world. You wanna try?¡±

    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit spicy, you know.¡±

    ¡°Well... it IS called crabspice.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure, Beatrice?¡± Emi asked, having chosen the fried rice salmon bind. She hated spicy foods.

    Beatrice shot a glare at her. She took the salmon, wrapped up in wax paper, and began chomping at what was once a member of one of the mighty Balarand Salmon shoals. Salty and savory.

    ¡°Spicy? Oh, this is nothing,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Emi, you¡¯ve got to try this. It¡¯s really tasty.¡±

    ¡°No thank you.¡±

    She bit further into the salmon and reached a point of higher crabspice concentration. Extremely sweet at first. It was a bit hot, but Beatrice couldn¡¯t resist eating more and more. But then...

    ¡°Yack!¡±

    The cook handed her a cup of water and she gulped it down in a single moment.

    Beatrice, panting out of her mouth, said, ¡°It¡¯s... a bit spicy after all-- Hic!¡± she put her hands over her mouth. ¡°Oh-- Hic! No...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got the hiccups?¡± Emi laughed.

    Beatrice growled like a frightened animal. ¡°Hic!¡± She grabbed another glass of water and drank it down. ¡°Hic!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard if you hold your breath a really long time they¡¯ll go away.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard you need to swallow a lot of sugar,¡± the vendor said, ¡°I have a cream-filled salmon if you want it. Half-price.¡±

    ¡°No-- Hic!-- thank you..."

    They continued on towards their nonexistent destination, all the hustle and bustle of the marketplace at night a mere backdrop to these two girls hopelessly engaged with each other.

    ¡°I never stay out this late,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°Are your parents going to be mad at you?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°Well, my housekeeper will.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, I forgot you¡¯re--Hic!-- a L¡¯Hime. You have a very tough life.¡±

    ¡°Very. It¡¯s not fun and games being in a diplomat¡¯s family. Everyone blames your family for everything that happens, and my parents are always away, and then there¡¯s so much pressure for you to act like-- You¡¯re making fun of me.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯d be much too frightened to tease a diplomat¡¯s daughter,¡± said Beatrice. She winked. Emi pushed her away playfully.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, my family--¡±

    Emi shrieked as a small greyback bear skittered by.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Beatrice broke out in a riot of laughs and hiccups. ¡°A greyback?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault!¡± Emi exclaimed. ¡°They roam around the city all day and pop out of nowhere. They freak me out is all.¡±

    ¡°The most adorable animal in Balarand, and you¡¯re scared of them... Oh, Emi...¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean...¡±

    They were near the edge of the marketplace by now, the last few shops before the street ended and the city turned back into an orderly row of businesses and houses. The market stands here were quaint, often elderly people selling knick-knacks, or the down-on-their-luck hawking whatever they could find. They usually didn¡¯t have much besides old junk.

    Something odd caught Beatrice¡¯s eye, though, and made her turn towards one of the booths. There were various metal objects placed around on the table. It certainly looked like old junk, but...

    The seller, a mustached man in a turban, looked at the girls, his mouth neutral but his eyes smiling wide. ¡°I see you¡¯re interested in my machine.¡±

    ¡°Machine?¡± Beatrice asked.

    Emi smirked, realizing she knew something that Beatrice didn¡¯t. ¡°Machines are little contraptions made of different parts. Put them all together, and they do stuff.¡±

    ¡°Do... what?¡±

    ¡°Uh... I don¡¯t know.¡± That was the extent of her knowledge.

    The man laughed. ¡°They can do all sorts of things. This one, for instance...¡± He pointed to a large device with numbers protruding out of the front. ¡°This one can calculate any math equation known to man. It¡¯s the ultimate powerhouse. But, for you, maybe this will be more interesting.¡± He motioned to a small cube with a lever sticking out at its side. ¡°Just crank this, and you can power the machine... giving it life...¡±

    He began turning the lever in a circular motion, and a tiny twinkling bell started to play from inside the metal box. It was a simplistic nursery tune, but the fact that it was playing by itself just by moving the part outside... How did it work?

    Suddenly, Emi was captivated. What kind of creation was this, that could--

    BOING! A fuzzy greyback bear puppet popped out of the top of the box, its paws sticking out as if it were greeting you. Emi jumped backwards a full foot. Beatrice was, once again, incapacitated with laughter and hiccups.

    ¡°H-How did you...¡± Emi was at a loss for words, partly from shock.

    ¡°It¡¯s the magic of machines,¡± the seller said.

    ¡°Magic?!¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°Only the magic of man, that is. The gears and coils inside work together to form a creation so divine, it rivals the Gods. We are our own clockmakers.¡±

    Beatrice furrowed her brows, but didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°And what¡¯s this one called? This, uh, scary thing?¡±

    ¡°I call it the jack-in-the-box. Great for children. Do you want it?¡±

    ¡°Wow. How do you make one of these...¡± Emi was completely bewildered, but fascinated. You and I may take gear-powered devices for granted these days, but in Emi¡¯s youth, it was almost mythical to see something as intricate as a clock being created for entertainment.

    You could learn a lot from her. Or maybe not, what with all your gear rockets. You better clean those up after I finish this story.

    ¡°Buy it, and I¡¯ll sell you the schematic,¡± the seller told her. ¡°Then you can build your very own.¡±

    Emi took a satchel of coins from her purse and plopped it onto the table. The money clanged against the wood with a loud thud. ¡°How much?¡±

    The seller smiled.

    So that was how Emi ended up with a jack-in-the-box, and how Beatrice, the one with the school bag, ended up carrying it for the rest of their evening together. It was heavier than it looked, Beatrice came to learn.

    After a while further, they finally reached the end of the marketplace, and there was a split. Directly ahead of them were two paths; north, with a short tunnel passing under the Grand Concourse that encircled the capital district, carriages and chariots speeding by at all hours; or south, in the direction of Beatrice¡¯s apartment, and where Knoll Park and the Balarand Theatre had been situated for centuries and the cultured made frequent visits.

    Without much deliberating, the two of them went south and walked across the narrow pedestrian bridge, passing over one of the countless canals running east-to-west throughout the city. Below them, a gondola floated gently in place, tied up to rest for the evening. The sun had finally disappeared under the curvature of the continent, and all five moons were shining on full display. It was like something out of a painting.

    Emi stopped walking and looked out at the night sky, only the faint shadow of Gonda Tower sticking out as the buildings stretched on across the floodplains.

    They were very close to one another, standing on this bridge. Beatrice exhaled, and her breath turned into a fine vapor in front of her. Emi¡¯s did the same, and Beatrice watched as the girl breathed in again, and then shivered.

    ¡°Sure is getting cold out,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°Sure is.¡±

    Emi felt a tickle of fabric on the back of her hand. It was from Beatrice¡¯s coat; the two of them were so close that they were practically touching. With her eyes fixated on the canal and the rest of Balarand, she moved her hand just a little bit closer, continuing to brush it against the coat. If she really wanted to, she could reach out and touch Beatrice¡¯s face, rub her fingers against her freckles. The only thing stopping her was the fact that that would be really strange and probably make her hate her forever.

    It was a cliche to say she felt warm even in this sort of weather. But also, no matter her proximity to the girl next to her, Emi was too cold.

    Beatrice, on the other hand, felt a little too hot, and wondered when she¡¯d be able to set down her school bag. She was very concerned that her back was going to be all sweaty by the time she got back home. But she, too, felt the same feelings going through Emi¡¯s head, I¡¯m sure. As loath as she would be to admit it, Beatrice was smitten, her heart pulsing fast enough Emi could hear it. Nearly feel it.

    They stood close to each other, angling their head to face the other without their noses getting in the way. They were very, very close.

    Then Beatrice said, ¡°I really like you,¡± and Emi, without thinking, took a full step backwards. ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°S-sorry. I really like you too. I mean, I think you¡¯re a likeable person. I, um, yeah.¡± Emi stepped back to her previous position, but Beatrice had already turned around and started walking away. Oh, Gods, why was she so bad at all of this...

    There were more Dannark soldiers out patrolling past the pedestrian bridge, where the two were headed. This area, being the most ¡°cultured¡± part of Balarand, was more tightly watched than anywhere else in the city, the pewter-gray armor of the foreign soldiers having become a fixture throughout the southern half of the city.

    In front of the Balarand Theatre, built three thousand years ago by the Demigod Dramaturge, there was a small park consisting of scattered trees and sculpture. In front of the statue to Empress Nievol, there was a bench that the two sat down on.

    Being the Empress¡¯s own visage and a common source for protests, there were even more guards posted around this statue. But they didn¡¯t seem to pay the girls any mind. They let their minds ease and let the rest of the evening pass them by.

    It was the perfect place for people-watching, the perfect spot to gaze on the pretty, soft atmosphere of an evening in Balarand. Neither of them were concerned with that right now.

    ¡°I don¡¯t-- Hic!-- do this enough anymore,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve been out at night without my family,¡± Emi said. ¡°Sounds like we¡¯re both a bit unfashionable as human beings, huh?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not very interesting at all, the two of us.¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    Beatrice put her hand through her hair for a moment, feeling uneasy about being close to such a beautiful girl with her hair so messy right now.

    Emi couldn¡¯t stop thinking about how much she wanted to play with the curls in such a beautiful girl¡¯s hair.

    Emi¡¯s right hand and Beatrice¡¯s left hand were both on the bench, the sides of their pinky fingers touching. Beatrice moved her hand a bit closer, just to see what would happen, and her finger rested right above Emi¡¯s. Emi pulled her hand away and closer to herself.

    Trying to ignore what she thought was another embarrassing moment, Emi began a new topic of conversation. ¡°I can¡¯t understand how we never met before in the library,¡± she began. ¡°Your father works there. I go about once a week. I think it¡¯s some sort of force field that¡¯s been intentionally trying to get us to avoid each other.¡±

    ¡°The Gods have their ways,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°They didn¡¯t want us to meet--Hic!--before, but now they do.¡±

    ¡°The Gods did this?¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah.¡±

    ¡°I highly doubt that. Maybe we¡¯ve met before, but we just don¡¯t remember.¡±

    ¡°I highly doubt THAT.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯d never forget you.¡±

    Beatrice winked. Emi chuckled.

    ¡°But wait, there must have been some specific days we both were in there. What about National Reading Day?¡±

    ¡°I never go to that,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°It¡¯s always so busy in the library on that day I just stay home.¡± She gave it more thought. ¡°What about King Kline¡¯s Birthday? I did a lot of reading that day last year.¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Emi said. ¡°I had to go to all the stupid parties for those celebrations.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never really thought about--Hic!-- Ugh, nevermind...¡±

    Emi giggled and blushed. Even her hiccups accentuated her magnetic aura. ¡°You¡¯re just so cute. Has anyone told you that?¡±

    ¡°Not really. So, uh, thanks.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome...¡± Her blush certainly wasn¡¯t going away.

    ¡°What about you?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°Well... people constantly compliment me, but it¡¯s mostly because they want to get in my skirt.¡±

    ¡°And this situation is different?¡± she joked. She tried to narrow her eyes and give a lascivious smile, but this look was interrupted by a, ¡°Hic!¡± She sighed.

    Emi was paralyzed with embarrassment at the very mention of that, joking or not, and tried to steer the conversation away. ¡°Anyway, tonight¡¯s been really fun.¡±

    ¡°It really has.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really want it to-- Ack!¡±

    Beatrice suddenly grabbed Emi¡¯s hand and squeezed it tight. Emi struggled to get loose for a second, but when she realized what was going on, she relented and let Beatrice slide her fingers in between hers.

    For everything that came before, this was the moment when Beatrice and Emi¡¯s story truly began. It changed their lives. In a way, it changed mine too. One simple act of putting hands together, fingers intertwined.

    They walked away from the marketplace, holding hands, not caring what anyone else would think about a junior priest and a rich layabout displaying their affection so publicly.

    And they just walked around.

    Eventually they ended up in Emi¡¯s neighborhood, where Beatrice was taken aback by how large the houses were.

    ¡°This is crazy...¡±

    ¡°Have you seen the mansions around Lake Geoffrey?¡± Emi asked. ¡°These are just dingy apartments compared to those.¡±

    ¡°Hey...¡±

    ¡°I mean, apartments are fine. I just, uh...¡±

    ¡°I guess apartments don¡¯t have a whole maid staff, or butlers and servants doing your every bidding.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not... I mean, they usually don¡¯t do everything I tell them to unless I pay them extra, though!¡± Emi stammered as she tried fruitlessly to offer a defense of her bizarre affluent lifestyle.

    Beatrice shook her head jokingly, then asked, ¡°Which one is yours?¡±

    ¡°That one.¡± Emi pointed over to her home with currently only two windows lit by candle, looking pretty uninviting in the middle of the night like this. ¡°I¡¯m probably going to get in a lot of trouble when I get back.¡±

    ¡°Well you don¡¯t have to go back just yet.¡±

    ¡°I do... Any later and my parents will call the police to search for me. They¡¯ll think I¡¯m being ransomed or something.¡± Emi let go of Beatrice¡¯s hand, slowly. ¡°But tonight was great.¡±

    ¡°It was.¡± Beatrice set down her school bag and gave Emi the toy she bought. ¡°Here¡¯s your thing.¡±

    ¡°This is so cool...¡±

    ¡°So are you,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Um, when do you want to meet again?¡±

    Emi tried not to let her good mood fade, but it was hard when she thought about a question like that. ¡°About that... I don¡¯t know. I have to help prepare for my parents¡¯ big winter house party soon. Guests from all over Elince and Dannark will be there. And then I have to attend the party...¡±

    ¡°Parties are fun,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°You¡¯ve never been to a rich party.¡±

    That was true, though Beatrice thought it could never be any worse than those parties for Summer Break they always had at the end of the school term. The food they brought in was always pretty bad and the teachers played all the music, which usually meant it was done poorly. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see you at the library sometime soon then.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll go every chance I get.¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    ¡°Well.¡±

    ¡°Good...¡±

    ¡°Good what?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to say it.¡± Emi was tearing up again; twice in one day. She couldn¡¯t finish that word, because that would mean this night would be over, and time would have to pass before the next time she saw this girl. She couldn¡¯t let it end.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll say it.¡± Beatrice took a step forward and extended her hand. ¡°Goodbye.¡±

    Emi shook it and cried. ¡°Beatrice,¡± was all she could say. Beatrice gave a crooked smile--and then hiccuped one last time.

 Chapter 15: Thinking About Her

    Beatrice was trying.

    She really was. But after that night, school was the very last thing on her mind. It was like a completely different world to her.

    Emi had taken her hand and placed it in hers, gazing at her with those eyes as dark and warm and deep as soil... She couldn''t believe that, after all that fretting and worrying and staying awake late at night thinking about someone she barely knew, she actually ended up with her hand grasped within hers.

    Mr. Statusian was lecturing about something or another. Honestly, Beatrice wasn''t paying much attention right now, which was rare, but she knew she''d started all of this already on her own. One of the big downsides to studying outside of class was that she already knew all the material that was going to be discussed, and even if she made a valiant effort to participate in the lectures, she usually was not learning much new. Not listening to the professor, as was happening now, was not going to impact her life at all unless he--

    ¡°Miss Ragnell? What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Uhh...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Umm...¡±

    ¡°Did you hear the question?¡±

    ¡°Yes of course, I''m just... Uhh...¡±

    The entire class stared at her. Beatrice, the one who always came to class two weeks ahead on the readings, who sat back in her chair confidently any time a tough question was postured, now sitting in front of everyone caught off-guard in a complete daze.

    She couldn¡¯t take it.

    Beatrice got up, took her school bag, and bolted out of the classroom.

    She locked herself in the bathroom for a while, not to cry but so she could get some semblance of privacy and think about what the heck was going on with her. Even though it was not a difficult puzzle to solve. Obviously this was because of Emi. Well, not Emi as much as herself thinking about Emi.

    That back there was just so embarrassing.

    As much as she hated to admit it, she relished her status as the class suck-up, her position as the top student in almost every subject. Being a complete dolt in class and obviously not listening to the teacher would just make everyone lose their respect for her. She wasn¡¯t sure if that was what upset her so much, though. Maybe it was seeing the look on Mr. Statusian¡¯s face when he realized she hadn¡¯t been paying attention? No, it wasn¡¯t that either.

    Beatrice felt confused that anyone, even a girl as pretty and graceful as Emi, could make her act like this. It shouldn¡¯t be like this. One girl taking priority over her life of service to the Gods? Being a junior priest was never that important, and even someone like her couldn¡¯t treat it as more than it was, but this was Beatrice¡¯s life. Or, it was supposed to be.

    At the moment, though... ugh, what was she doing?

    She walked over to the mirror and peered into herself, her mediocre appearance wrapped up in the guise of cuteness thanks to the St. Helens school uniform. They say looking into a mirror is a great gateway to analyzing the inner self, but at this moment, Beatrice felt more like it was a great gateway to annoying herself even more.

    Junior priests didn¡¯t need to look suave or sexy. They needed to think deeply, embrace compassion, and, of course, pay attention in class. Looking hot meant that you were exempt from things as lowly as a junior priesthood studying magic you could never pull off on your own. It meant you could go where you wanted, do what you wanted, be what you wanted. It meant you could change the world and accomplish great things even without devoting yourself to the service of the Church. You could make your own harmony... or... something.

    She wasn¡¯t sure what her mind was trying to tell her anymore, except that it refused to stop thinking about the other night.

    Gods, she held that woman¡¯s hand. Somehow, in some bizarre continent known as Tsubasa, someone as unremarkable as Beatrice Ragnell managed to hold hands with... well, with Emi L¡¯Hime. She could practically imagine it right now, skin against skin, her thumb caressing her index finger...

    ...And this was what ended up getting her caught zoning out in class. Exactly this. Beatrice leaned her head against the mirror and gave a frustrated groan. She was hopeless, wasn¡¯t she?

    She stayed and sorted out her thoughts some more.

    Beatrice left the bathroom about twenty minutes later and returned to the classroom. Class had already ended and most of her fellow students had long since left. The only person she saw was Mr. Statusian standing by his desk, hand on his hip as if he had been waiting all this time for her to return. She balled up her fists, sucked up her pride, and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have left class like that.¡±

    To her surprise, Mr. Statusian didn¡¯t laugh it off like she thought he would. Instead, he asked, ¡°Do you want to talk about what''s going on right now? I''ve never seen you act like this way until the past few days and... If you need to talk about anything, anything you need to get off your chest, something like that, that¡¯s okay.¡±

    About what¡¯s going on right now.

    Beatrice very briefly considered telling her him everything, going into great detail about the girl she had spent the evening with who for some strange unexplainable reason had turned Beatrice''s heart into putty. ¡°No, there''s nothing to talk about, I was just... having a bad day today.¡± She hoped that was a sufficient enough excuse and that he wouldn¡¯t see through it. Trust me, adults always see through it.

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    The two exited the classroom and walked into the hallways.

    ¡°Well, don''t worry about that. It happens to everyone,¡± he said. ¡°Everybody knows you''re one of the best students in this entire school. Whatever it is that''s distracting you will be over with pretty soon, and you''ll be right on your way towards making the priesthood.¡±

    Beatrice¡¯s face went ghostly white. ¡°The priesthood,¡± she muttered, too quietly for her teacher to hear.

    All these feelings in her heart, all the jumping around for Emi L¡¯Hime, was running completely contrary to her life path, the path she had chosen for herself when she was just a child, standing four feet tall and pointing to her Dad at the old lady handing out food to the homeless. She was going to be the one to bring new harmony to Tsubasa, that¡¯s what she always told herself.

    Now, suddenly, after that night with Emi, thinking about that was almost an alien concept to her. Like a different person had dreamed it up, and she had simply inherited it along with all the other junk floating around in her mind. The only thought her mind would give her was this image of Emi in her arms, both of them old and wrinkled, sitting out on a dock and watching the sun set past the Balarand River, the sky purple and the endless farms and towns across the waterway going dark. Beatrice hated herself a little bit for how specific of a thought that was, and how much it plagued her imagination.

    She would never speak of this to anyone, least of all Mr. Statusian.

    ¡°Now, there''s no homework for tonight,¡± Mr. Statusian said, bringing Beatrice¡¯s attention back to their conversation at hand, ¡°but I know you''ll probably do some studying anyway, so here''s some documents I compiled earlier that I can give to you for some extra reading.¡± He said this as if Beatrice would lap up any study material like a trained dog... Honestly, it was an accurate assessment on most days. But today...

    Today felt like a completely different existence. A world with four moons, not five, or a world where tall people were discriminated against, a world where you didn¡¯t need to become a junior priest to get a decent career in Balarand. None of that was real, but it might as well have been.

    Her mind boggled.

    ¡°Thank you sir, but I don''t think I''m going to do much studying tonight,¡± she said. ¡°I think I have something else planned.¡±

    She said that calmly, but her heart was pounding. If Mr. Statusian knew what was going through her head right now, there would be no end to the shame it would bring him. His star pupil was a fraud.

    ¡°Are you sure? Well then, I hope you do whatever it is you want to do.¡± He stared at her, trying to analyze her, and Beatrice was doing a terrible job of hiding herself. But, after a moment, he relented, and his expression eased up. ¡°I, on the other hand, will be going straight home to grade all of my students¡¯ papers on the last essay. I''m looking very forward to seeing how you did.¡±

    Oh no! Beatrice didn''t even know there was an essay assignment, let alone that one was due... She definitely didn''t do it!  What was coming to her... ? What was happening to her...!?

    ¡°I''m just kidding with you,¡° he said.

    ¡°Oh... Haha... Very funny...¡±

    ¡°I try to practice my joking skills with my students before I go home to my convent. Otherwise I get called Ulric the Plainsmith. That was my nickname back during training.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really? That¡¯s oddly demeaning.¡±

    Suddenly there was a loud banging on the wall. Mr. Statusian and Beatrice both turn to look, and it turned out to be a soldier from Dannark, their face completely covered by a helmet except for their mouth and chin. ¡°This building is closing in five minutes,¡± the soldier said. ¡°Gather your things and leave or we may place you under contempt of occupational law.¡± Their eyes were obscured, but their mouth had a stern frown that told that they were not going to skirt the law just because the people in question were a student and teacher.

    Her heart had been beating fast from thinking about Emi, from trying not to let Mr. Statusian know what an emotional mess she had become. Now her heart was beating fast because soldiers were staring at her, pikes in hand.

    ¡°Come on, Beatrice, we need to get out of here. Thank you for your time,¡± Mr. Statusian told the soldier. ¡°We apologize for inconveniencing you.¡±

    Beatrice had no idea that the soldiers had encroached upon the junior priest academy. This meant that the new government was taking firmer control of the education system and that there may have been some sort of subversive movement or something along those lines. There had been quite a lot of protests lately, but those never involved the school, did they?

    Despite her feelings on the subject, she couldn¡¯t help shuddering. This wasn¡¯t going to go over well with her classmates, that was for sure.

    They hurried out of the school and Beatrice began walking home. Mr. Statusian followed her and caught up with her. ¡°Hey,¡± he said. ¡°I forgot to mention the other news from the lecture. St. Helens Academy has been put under tighter supervision starting today. A few of my coworkers have made some comments recently that were against the wishes of the occupation government and those remarks happened to be printed in the Balarand Circle. It may not be fair to the students, but... the school now has a curfew of ten minutes after the final class period ends. I don¡¯t enjoy it myself, but the government has offered us very generous financial support. So...¡±

    ¡°So, it evens out?¡±

    ¡°You could say that.¡±

    ¡°But does that really make up for how harsh they¡¯re treating the students?¡±

    He smiled, but his eyes were glaring off at the soldiers patrolling the school grounds. ¡°Well, personally-- I probably shouldn''t tell you this-- but I suggested to my co-workers that we refuse the money entirely. I believe suppression of our freedom to gather in a public space and communicate with one another has the mark of a very unprosperous occupation to come. I don''t like it one bit, but the majority of the teachers agreed more funding will help the school in the long run and I will support that decision.¡±

    This was the first time Beatrice had heard Mr Statusian talk so openly about the occupation. She rarely talked about it with anybody other than her parents because as anyone knows, politics are not a good subject to make small talk with. It was a bit unnerving to hear his opinion so openly stated.

    ¡°Just... don¡¯t write what I said down in the newspaper,¡± he added.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best,¡± Beatrice said with a single laugh. ¡°See you tomorrow, Mr. Statusian.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and good luck on your plans today.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Thank you, but Beatrice didn¡¯t need any luck, she thought as she made her way to the library. She wasn¡¯t the type to believe in luck, not when the world was so intricately connected. The only differences were the decisions each person made.

    Luck was only an excuse for those that made poor decisions, or those that thought the Gods were the only force in Tsubasa. As much as Beatrice had an inner fire of conflict inside of her, that was a mere ember compared to her desire to see Emi again. If there was anything in the world that mattered more at that moment, she couldn¡¯t have named it.

    She entered the library, said hello to her Dad, and sat down at a table. It was time to wait for the girl of her dreams.

    But, it turned out Beatrice wasn¡¯t very lucky today. Emi never showed up.

 Chapter 16: Letter from a Lady

    Emi washed herself off and stepped into the steaming hot bath. Her body flared up and she let the water soak all the worries of another stressful day away. All she would ever need to be content in her life was a nice rice bowl and a soothing bath. Everything else on top of that was a bonus.

    That''s what used to be the case.

    Recently, it had become a bit different. One worry, one outside element, had decided to join Emi here this evening, like several before it, and prevent her from fully enjoying herself: no matter what she tried, she couldn''t stop thinking about Beatrice.

    Was she in love?

    And here was the age-old question that we all pose to ourselves. Is what we¡¯re feeling right now, the way we think of that certain someone, really special enough to warrant using such an important term? Words are words, but when you¡¯re wondering if you¡¯re in love, words are like a barrel of blast powder waiting to be lit.

    Was it love? And, was it love from first sight? I don¡¯t know.

    And as for Emi, she didn¡¯t know either. Every time she saw Beatrice¡¯s face, every time her arm brushed up against hers, she felt her core temperature rising, her cheeks blushing, her breaths staggering. A lump would form in her throat, as if she were about to spill tears.

    She couldn¡¯t even pretend what she felt was close friendship, or treasured kinship. They¡¯d known each other, what, a month? But after their last meeting... Gods, that night.

    It was undeniably, incontrovertibly, absolutely a romantic feeling that Emi felt. It was impossible to act like she didn¡¯t dream about the idea of kissing her every time she saw her, every time she THOUGHT of her. Spending a whole lot of time fretting and skirting around the idea just seemed like a waste.

    But that didn¡¯t mean that she was in love. Surely love wasn¡¯t her heart beating fast every time she saw someone. She could say the same thing if she saw a wolf or a boar. There had to be some specific identifiable trigger where she just... knew it.

    Since she didn¡¯t know what the trigger was, clearly she still wasn¡¯t there yet.

    It wasn¡¯t love. Not yet.

    Emi sank deeper into the bathtub and gurgled bubbles up to the surface. What a situation she was in right now...

    If it wasn¡¯t love, then it was a conundrum.

    She kind of liked that. ¡°She was in a conundrum with Beatrice Ragnell,¡± Emi said to herself.

    Emi let the bath soak over her and she tried to enjoy herself.

    ***

    ¡°You look pleased with yourself,¡± Mother told Emi as they ate chilled clams at the supper table.

    ¡°Y-yeah,¡± she replied.

    It was just Emi and her parents tonight, and her plates were set out for her right across from them, on the lonely side of a very long dining table. Something about this made Emi gulp. She felt an interrogation coming on.

    ¡°Ms. Khami tells us you haven''t been doing as well in your studies lately,¡± Father said.

    ¡°And you have been sneaking out,¡± Mother added.

    Tonight was a scold-a-thon after all.

    ¡°I...¡± She couldn¡¯t think of any good excuses for her actions without divulging her private romantic, uh, conundrum.

    ¡°We know she''s been too hard on you, but she just wants you to be the best version of yourself you can possibly be,¡± said Father. ¡°We do too.¡±

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    ¡°But what if I''m already the best version of myself?¡±

    ¡°Nobody''s the best version of themselves, Emi; that''s why we have to work hard.¡±

    Emi vehemently disagreed but she decided to keep it in. She would be the mature one this time.

    ¡°You won''t have to worry about Miss Khami too much longer, though,¡± Mother said. ¡°You''ll be traveling the world with your wife soon enough.¡±

    Ugh. Not this again. How come she didn''t get a say on her own future? How come she was being married off like some painting being put up for auction? Nobody even asked her if she liked girls in the first place...

    She did, but that was beside the point.

    ¡°By the way, Lady Khara is finally coming down to the city once her term as Bureau Governess is up. You''ll finally be able to meet her once and for all.¡±

    ¡°But what if I don''t want to meet her?¡±

    Father scoffed, waving his hand about as if Emi had just told a funny joke.¡°Oh trust us, you will. She''s amazing; she personally brought public education to the entire city of Cannapak. Within ten years, every young boy and girl will know how to read and write and perform arithmetic, just like in Balarand.¡±

    What did that matter to Emi? Anything at all? Anything?

    ¡°And there¡¯s more,¡± Mother added. ¡°As promised, Lady Khara has written a letter for you.¡± A servant appeared behind Emi, spooking her, and handed over an unopened letter, sealed with a bright red wax stamp and the insignia ¡°KHARA¡± written on it.

    Emi took the letter.

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Mother said. ¡°Read it. We want to know what it says.¡±

    She did:

    <blockquote>

    ¡°To my Emi,

    I find that these are troubling times that we live in, fraught with conflict and chaos. When I think of you, however, all that melts away. You are the solid object that keeps me grounded lest I float away into the etherflow.

    Your parents have been kind enough to tell tales of your beauty and sing great praises of your intellect. With a sharp nose and a sharp wit, you have been able to cut a great path for yourself in Balarand, and when we are united we shall cut an image for ourselves across the continent. Together we could bring peace between Doros and Dannark. Together we could shape mountains.

    Your visage appears often before me in my slumber. A wife to call my own that will accompany me on this quest of my life, someone to bring me closer to the Gods, is all I have wished for in my years in this mortal world, and I am so grateful that you wish to be the one to fulfill this for me. I could not ask for more.¡±

    </blockquote>

    What senseless drivel was this? Emi was almost taken aback by how inane Lady Khara¡¯s letter was. She hadn¡¯t expected much, but... this was even less than that.

    She continued to read:

    <blockquote>

    ¡°I have talked a great deal about the timing of our engagement. It has been a long, arduous five years since we were first brought together by your family and mine, and in that time I am sure we have both grown immensely in our lives. As you have now come of age and I have entered the final stages of my role as Bureau Governess here in Zahn, I have begun to realize that we can put off no longer what we were made to do. I wish to finally meet you for the first time.

    Our wedding shall be this spring, I have decided, and it shall commence on schedule with Balarand¡¯s famed Moon Festivals. We will be married right under the stars and fireworks, a beautiful ceremony to befit a beautiful woman such as yourself. I tremble with excitement as I put this announcement to my pen. I apologize if my sloppy hand has tainted this letter, but I am too far gone in anticipation to hold my wrist still.

    Please, write me back at your earliest convenience. I would love nothing more than to hear from my future wife before I hold you in my arms for the first time.

    Sincerely,

    Novella¡±

    </blockquote>

    Oh my. I can¡¯t say that was a particularly innovative letter. Honestly quite embarrassing. Emi was practically exhausted, the letter was such a chore to get through. She did think a wedding under the stars sounded romantic, but it was also--

    Wait, spring? That was just months away. The winter would begin, and then in a flash... the wedding would be here. It had been years and years that her parents had been talking up this engagement and this Lady Khara woman, to the point that she had almost considered if it were an elaborate practical joke. But... it was finally happening. And there was little time left. Emi lowered the letter to her side and stared across the table at her parents. They both looked positively giddy.

    ¡°Well, what did it say?¡± Father asked. ¡°Did she perhaps mention something about... a wedding?¡± His eyebrows raised.

    ¡°Are you excited? Aren¡¯t you proud such a wonderful woman? ...Emi?¡±

    There wasn¡¯t a trigger to set it off. She didn¡¯t even feel it coming until a drop hit the back of her hand. But for some reason, tears poured out of her eyes.

    ¡°Emi, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Mother asked.

    She pushed back her chair, ran off, and headed back into her bedroom. With a slammed door and a crash on the bed, she let her sobs run loose in the only place she felt free anymore.

    She didn''t want to be married. She just wanted to spend her life here, just like now-- a happy life for her friends and family and maybe Beatrice too. But that might be about to end, she realized. All in a matter of months, it was all going to be over.

 Chapter 17: Dad Chat

    Beatrice had spent her entire afternoon at the library, yet again with the faint glimmer of hope that she would see Emi, but it didn¡¯t end up happening. Instead she spent her day reading up on a book titled Theoretical Uses of Magic If One Were to Tap into the Soul Itself (Which Is of Course Impossible). It postulated that one could enter dreams, inhabit other bodies, even create a copy of oneself, if only the soul could be harnessed somehow. It speculated about a secret race of beings that inhabited the dream world, and were the conduits with which we could access the secrets of the Gods. While it was all certainly wrong, it was interesting reading, and she was quite engaged in thinking about how the author came to all of these grand conclusions.

    However, for possibly the first time in her life, she felt nothing but disappointment to be reading a book. And she knew exactly why: It had been over a week since she last saw Emi, with not a peep from her since.

    Maybe something had gone wrong? She had checked at Emi¡¯s house, but some housekeeper woman turned her away when she tried to ask for her. It must have been something important; maybe Emi wasn¡¯t even in Balarand at the moment.

    Still, Beatrice felt gross, like her heart was covered in sludge and she could no longer move about without feeling pangs of anxiety. What if it was something she said on their last... date? What if Emi had simply found someone better, who was richer and taller and whose hair wasn¡¯t a mess of curls and tangles?

    Beatrice looked over at her Dad, who stood at the front counter as usual. He was reading the newspaper while waiting for an elderly couple to finish picking out books from the new releases. The two women looked far too feeble to be carrying so much at once, but they each had a basket full of titles to check out. It was good to see people loving to read books.

    Emi and Beatrice both loved to read books...

    She hadn¡¯t told Dad about her, and as long as this current situation persisted, she definitely wasn¡¯t going to. It was embarrassing to mention, and she knew how he would tease her about it, so it was best to wait until there was more concrete news to report. Hopefully he hadn¡¯t picked up on it already.

    ...There she was, thinking about Emi again. She had to keep reading to distract herself.

    When evening came and the library closed up, Dad came around to her desk and patted her on the back. ¡°Studious as always,¡± he said. ¡°But it¡¯s time to go home for some supper. Mom¡¯s making shepherd''s pie again.¡±

    ¡°That sounds good,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°But I was thinking I might go out tonight and meet up with some friends.¡± This was a lie. She was planning on going over to Emi¡¯s house again, just to try and see...

    ¡°Again? You must be making some close friends, Beatrice.¡± Dad gave a knowing smile, and Beatrice blushed. He knew. (Parents always know.) ¡°Mom sure will miss you again. You know how she gets when she has leftover food.¡±

    After a moment of deliberation, Beatrice said, ¡°Okay, Dad. I won¡¯t,¡± her heart sinking at even that hypothetical situation of meeting Emi dissipating. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about... going out a lot.¡±

    ¡°Whoever it is you¡¯ve been spending time with, they must be very important to you. As long as you don¡¯t neglect your schoolwork, that¡¯s fine with us,¡± he said. ¡°Though if you ever want to talk about it, you know we¡¯re here. Me and your Mom.¡± He went back to the service desk and grabbed a few things, including a worn leather-bound book with many bookmarks sticking out of it.

    ¡°What are you reading there, Dad?¡± she asked.

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    ¡°Oh, this? This is one of the oldest books in the library, titled Quest. It¡¯s a novel written many thousands of years ago, in the time before Elince was united, and Balarand stood alone as a city-state. I¡®m trying to use the depictions of city life here to figure out what the people of ancient times may have worn.¡±

    ¡°Oh, for Mom?¡±

    ¡°Yes, for Mom. I¡¯ve gone through so many books lately and learned so many things about ancient Balarand, but there isn¡¯t much detail on the fashion of the times. But this book has plenty of it. I think she will be very pleased.¡±

    ¡°Do you really?¡± Beatrice asked. ¡°Lately Mom hasn¡¯t been very talkative, and I¡¯m almost worried that...¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a little melancholic? That¡¯s what I¡¯ve noticed, too. So I¡¯ve worked extra hard and I think this is going to make her very happy.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good,¡± Beatrice said. She liked it when her parents were happy, and happy together. The way they looked at each other... she wondered how she seemed when she looked at Emi. At least, when she was ever around. ¡°Actually, I do have a question,¡± Beatrice added. ¡°How did you and Mom meet?¡±

    Dad chuckled. ¡°You asked that once. You were real little, and I was still real young, and all I told you was, ¡®It was pure magic, honey.¡¯ I guess that isn¡¯t what you¡¯re looking for in an answer now.¡± He went to Beatrice¡¯s desk and sat down across from her. ¡°I came to Balarand when I was about your age, looking for work after my father sold off his farm and moved to Fathie. I didn¡¯t have a place to stay, any friends, or much of an idea of how the world worked, but I had a spirit to accomplish something. I just didn¡¯t know what, yet.

    ¡°Then I saw your Mom on the first day, a seamstress¡¯s daughter who lived on the corner of the first street I walked down, and after one look I knew I would marry her--she was the one. I introduced myself to her and told her as much, and she laughed me right off. She had as much right to; I was a street rat, for Goddess¡¯s sake.

    ¡°So I kept at it. I worked as hard as I could, saved up money, and finally rented a place not too far from our home now. I asked her on dates, gave her presents, but nothing worked. She was persistent, even then. Eventually, after three years, on my way home from another rejection, I got hit on the head by an apple someone tossed out of a passing carriage. Knocked me out for two days.

    ¡°Your Mom cared for me, and then... something happened after that. We fell in love. And then we had you, and I got my degree at the Balarand College, and now I work every day to keep you two happy and safe. That¡¯s our life story.¡±

    ¡°Wow.¡±

    ¡°Do you think... Is that what you¡¯re going through now?¡± Dad asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Probably.¡±

    ¡°Well...¡± Dad let out a sigh. ¡°I know that this might be tough for you, what with your junior priest studies and all. You¡¯re a good girl and you deserve to find yourself right now if you want. But you know you can¡¯t take it with you. You¡¯re supposed to love the Gods when you¡¯re a priest.¡±

    ¡°I know, and that¡¯s... something I¡¯ve thought about recently,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°I¡¯m really worried about it because I¡¯ve really started to care about someone and... Why can¡¯t I choose both?¡±

    ¡°Take that up with the Gods,¡± he replied.

    ¡°I want to! I wish they would... Well, you know. I just want to do what¡¯s right.¡± It felt so unfair to expect such absolute devotion when they wouldn¡¯t even... she wasn¡¯t sure where she was going with this.

    ¡°I don¡¯t make up the rules. I just follow their Wills, because I know that will be the path to happiness,¡± he replied.

    Beatrice wished she could feel as positively about it. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel like the path to happiness. Maybe I... I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay night now,¡± Dad said. ¡°All I can say is right now, if you think you¡¯re onto something, you should grab onto it. It¡¯s okay to have a fling right now. Better to have one now than regret it later, right?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go home and meet that wonderful woman of mine.¡±

    They journeyed home and Beatrice¡¯s Mom greeted them with a scrumptious shepherd¡¯s pie. Her smiles were never as bright and shining as Beatrice once remembered them, but she was glad to have someone who cared about her as much as she did.

    She wasn¡¯t sure how she was going to deal with the impending nature of leaving her family and friends behind to join the priesthood, or if she¡¯d even end up doing it at all, but for now that was all okay. Her time with Emi was just a fling, for now. For now.

 Chapter 18: Making the Most of It [Illustration]

    Emi¡¯s bedroom was a mess.

    Yes, even more than usual.

    Nearly her entire wardrobe from the past two weeks laid on the floor. Useless, stupid gears were littered around like marbles thrown by a mysterious child. One of her many stacks of books against the wall had toppled over, and she had made not a bit of effort to stack it up.

    Instead, she studied quietly at her desk, of course also covered in gears and books. Today, she was learning the military history of Ulric Fathie and the Gang of Eight Campaigns.

    She didn¡¯t even bother locking her room today, so Ms. Khami and any number of housekeepers could walk in and out doing whatever they needed. Emi¡¯s parents were at Castle Balarand for a meeting with occupation government officials, so it was just her and the housekeepers, as usual.

    Emi was increasingly interested in figuring out whether the Teal One would defect to Elince and fight the Fathie Empire, but she felt distracted. Perhaps, her room was at the point of mess where she could no longer concentrate. Or, maybe, it was something a little easier to explain.

    She looked back at the intricate mess she had designed, the art piece made up of mounds of clothes dirty and clean, of springs and cogs, of screw plates and one calliper. Lots of cold metal, easy to stub a toe on, the ultimate source of pain. Well, the second-ultimate source, anyway.

    Somehow, she felt like she had ended up creating something that symbolized her own life in all of this. All these gears and clothes strewn about, and all those images of that blue-eyed wonder Beatrice shattering her heart every time she closed her eyes.

    Emi couldn¡¯t bring herself to see the girl again.

    Just as Emi had decided to purchase an entire set of gear box tools to tinker with, and quickly gave up in a dramatic fit, so too had Emi fallen into a great conundrum with a beautiful girl, and was now leaving her behind as if she never existed. It was eating her up inside, but with the letter she received, she knew there was no better option than to give up now.

    And yet...

    For some reason, ignoring the story of Ulric Fathie in front of her, Emi¡¯s mind, or rather the cogs and gears inside of it, began to formulate a new elaborate scheme to get her out of the house without anyone noticing. For some reason, those plans had her sitting at the library, waiting for Beatrice with open arms.

    And for some reason, she was enacting those plans.

    If the housekeepers had already finished cleaning--and they seemed to have, she noted as she peeked out the bedroom door-- she could probably exit through one of the backroom spiral staircases that led to the barn nobody ever used. It had become a storage room ever since the L¡¯Hime Family¡¯s last horse died, but housekeepers often used it in break times, so it was risky.

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    This was starting to get exciting, Emi thought as she dressed up in winter clothing and prepared to brave the cold. She hadn¡¯t snuck out in so long that it was starting to get a little boring, just asking permission and leaving through the front door. She took one look back at the useless, unused gears laying all over her bedroom, and wondered if maybe she was overthinking the symbolism for dramatic effect (she was).

    But as soon as she closed her door and locked it-- she saw Ms. Khami staring up from the foyer. ¡°Miss L¡¯Hime, where do you think you are going?¡±

    So close.

    ***

    With four other housekeepers helping, Emi was given a mop and bucket of water right in the foyer.

    ¡°You want me to clean ALL of this?¡± Emi asked Ms. Khami. This house was so wide, so spacious so uselessly big.

    ¡°Of course! We will be helping,¡± Ms. Khami told her. ¡°But you have to learn what a proper lady goes through, and life is not about sneaking out and having fun. It is about being your best self and sometimes that best self has to mop a large room.¡±

    ¡°But it... looks clean...¡±

    ¡°Nothing is ever as clean as it can be,¡± Ms. Khami said.

    ¡°You know, I employ all of you, and this isn¡¯t fair, and--¡± Emi stopped herself before she said something remarkably stupid. ¡°I understand.¡±

    She¡¯d basically holed herself up in her room for the past two weeks aside from obligatory social events, and she had been making her fair share of messes around the house. It certainly wasn¡¯t becoming of her to yell at housekeepers who had done nothing wrong and always provided valuable help through everything.

    It was her fault for not letting Beatrice know what was going on in her life sooner, about the engagement that had hung around her neck for the past five years. It was just that she felt so scared about everything and she didn¡¯t know what to say, and... that was no excuse. No excuse for how she was acting right now, either.

    So Emi was going to help out Ms. Khami, because she deserved to be a real part of this household now and again. Ms. Khami was actually smiling for once, and it made Emi smile back, in turn. She was actually going to help.

    Now... how did one use a mop...

    The maid next to her, a girl her age who must have been a recent hire, noticed Emi¡¯s apprehensive attitude. ¡°Are you having trouble?¡± she asked.

    The girl had jet black hair with eyes to match, and sported a goofy grin. Her hairstyle was nearly identical to Emi¡¯s, but long, going well past the shoulders.

    ¡°Yeah, I have no idea how to mop, um... Miss Maid.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Pip,¡± she said. ¡°I really like your house, Miss L¡¯Hime. Let¡¯s get it clean!¡±

    ¡°What do I do, just...¡± Emi sloshed the mop around in some water and slinged droplets all over the floor.

    Pip shook her head, and then wiped a speckle of water off her cheek. ¡°You princesses don¡¯t do much work around the house, do you?¡±

    She wanted to say she was only a diplomat¡¯s daughter, but she decided to refrain from overexplaining things that made her out to be even more of a brat than she really was. ¡°No, I don¡¯t... Can you, uh, help me?¡±

    ¡°You sure? You ready for this?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s so hard about mopping a floor?¡±

    The next two hours were some of the most grueling of Emi¡¯s entire life.

 Chapter 19: The Last Day of My Adolescence

    ¡°Today''s the final day of classes,¡± Mr. Statusian announced to his students. The cheers were immense. ¡°Settle down, settle down. This may be exciting news to those of you who are continuing their AA-grade studies in the spring, because you deserve a good break. But for those of you receiving your certificate next month, this is the end of your time at St. Helens Academy. Whether you try out for the priesthood, begin an apprenticeship, or simply move on with your life, I hope it¡¯s been a fun journey, and one you can look back at with fond memories when you send your own kids here someday.¡±

    There were murmurs throughout the classroom. A few sniffles.

    Mr. Statusian continued. ¡°However, you still have one task ahead of you-- the Winter Ceremonies. We''ve been practicing this all autumn and now it''s time to choose which of you will perform the rituals to protect Knoll Park for the upcoming year.¡±

    Mr. Statusian began listing off the students accepted to perform the ritual. And one thing Beatrice quickly noticed was that all the people listed were long-time students, the ones in the program for seven, eight, nine years, no matter their prestige or their grades. Even Bodhi got a spot, and his grades were... subpar.

    Beatrice was ready for her name to be called, regardless.

    Still very ready.

    Yep, still waiting...

    ¡°And then last but not least, Beatrice Ragnell.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°If you¡¯ve noticed, that¡¯s every single one of you who has qualified for graduation. If you wish to join, there is a spot for each of you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not really a selection then, is it,¡± Beatrice whispered in earshot of Bodhi, who was sitting next to her as usual. But he had no snarky remark this time; he didn''t seem to have heard her in the first place. The smile he wore on his face was genuine. And it made Beatrice understand, if only just a little bit, what the point was for all this. One powerful parting memory with the academy so maybe you¡¯d be more inclined to go to the church more often in the future.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    She was so grumpy her name got called last, though. That had to have been intentional.

    Everyone was finally excited about something together, though. That was nice. After all this practicing and studying for something nobody would ever have used... It turned out that they were going to be utilizing their group magic after all, all together.

    Beatrice wished she had been a better friend to her classmates. She had pushed them away in favor of learning more intensely, but in the end, they were all in this together, and she was going to have to work with them.

    After class, Bodhi lingered longer than usual. Once Beatrice gathered her things and stood up, he spoke. ¡°Hey, uh...¡± he said, but trailed off from there.

    ¡°Good luck on the ceremonies.¡± Beatrice smiled even through her mild annoyance.

    ¡°Yeah, I hope you''ll be there,¡± he said.

    ¡°Of course I will, silly.¡±

    ¡°Well... Anyway, maybe you can help me practice a bit.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I''m sure you''re already great, though; you don''t need to worry.¡± He wasn¡¯t all that great, but she was sure the practices he would be made to go through would be fairly rigorous.

    Bodhi laughed. ¡°No way.¡±

    Mr. Statusian shouted, ¡°Everyone has ten minutes to exit the building. My apologies.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll try and help you when I can. You know where to find me.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Beatrice.¡±

    Bodhi was nice. He was probably going to be a great shoe cobbler someday. She wondered if they¡¯d be able to stay friends even after graduation, or if they had too little in common, in the end.

    She wanted to help him, because he deserved it for being there for her even when other classmates were jerks. Or even when she was a jerk.

    ¡°Hey, Bodhi,¡± she said.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a good friend.¡±

    If Emi wasn¡¯t going to be around, Beatrice wasn¡¯t going to let her mood sink. She had ambitions. She had friends. And now she had a new extracurricular activity to occupy her for the rest of the month. She had everything she needed here already. If she did see Emi again, then that would be great, but she wasn¡¯t going to let herself get down. Beatrice had a ceremony to prepare for.

    Suddenly she didn¡¯t feel quite so bad anymore.

 Chapter 20: Winters Onset

    It was finally here.

    The kind of weather that made Emi despise being outside.

    After so much anticipation and buildup, the day of reckoning had arrived--here fell the very first snowflakes of the season. And how was she celebrating it? Riding in a gondola down the East Balarand with Tia and six students from the Bright School, the most prestigious private school in the city.

    Tia didn¡¯t even go to that school; he was taught at home by a private tutor, just like Emi. But such was his envious social ability that he was able to meet people his age just by going out and searching for them. It was a greater magic than any sort of incantation Emi had ever read about.

    The Bright School students chatted away about classes and drama and all sorts of stuff that Emi had no involvement in whatsoever, while Emi stared out at the city expanse bundled up in two jackets and a thick toboggan.

    It had been over two weeks since she last saw Beatrice, and she felt miserable. Beatrice, the soldier that she was, had surely gotten over it, but the gaping wound in her own heart would surely remain like this for good.

    That was for the best. She did not want to have the capacity to feel love for another; that would make her impending marriage to some woman she¡¯d never met go much more smoothly. It would simply be a fact of life, in that case. Nothing special.

    Emi looked past the canal to the city streets. There were fewer people out than usual, a side effect of the snow piling up on the walkways. There were Dannark guards posted outside a tiny bank building, standing firm at their post even as their metal armor likely began to freeze. A pair of greyback bears approached the guards. They paced back and forth, begging for food. The guards did not move, and the greybacks eventually gave up, scrambling away to find another group of humans.

    Tia Knoll, as par for the course, was sitting there in a sensible white blouse to match the snowfall, but his skirt only went down to his knees. Surely he must have been freezing out there, his legs bared to the world like that! This man was crazy.

    He appeared to notice Emi looking his way, and scooted across the seat, closer to her. ¡°Is this not so much fun?¡± Tia asked.

    ¡°I wish you didn¡¯t invite me,¡± Emi said.

    At this, Tia merely laughed. ¡°I only brought you out here to get you in the sun a little bit. And what do you know, we are receiving our first snowflakes of the season. Wintertime is upon us.¡± He stuck his tongue out and a snowflake landed on it.

    The gondola was currently passing in view of the Eldin Bridge. If one crossed that structure and headed eastward, they would soon find themself in the Elincian countryside under Dannark occupation, where civilization was said to be bright and unstoppably beautiful. If one went the same distance westward, they would find themself on the front lines of the Dannark-Doros War. Both of those things were on Elincian soil. Their kingdom had it all.

    Gods, it was like Emi was unable to think about anything remotely positive these days.

    ¡°So. My parents were talking to your parents,¡± Tia said. ¡°Apparently your fiancee is finally coming to Balarand soon. Are you excited?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m, uh, excited.¡± She looked away and stared at the Eldin Bridge with all her might. ¡°Sure.¡±

    Tia shook his head. ¡°Sure, except your parents also told my parents that when they told you, you would not tell them anything, and you ran up to your room crying.¡± That was a confusing string of words.

    ¡°How embarrassing. Why would they...¡± Ugh, her parents.

    ¡°Well, they might not be telling you, but they are telling my parents who are telling me that they are worried you may cancel the wedding and ruin their reputations. And that you will be ruining your own future over youthful disdain.¡±

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    ¡°Very telling,¡± Emi said. ¡°They care so much.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure she could roll her eyes any harder than right now.

    ¡°They do. They simply do not understand life outside of that of government officials. It is all social events and grand bargains and power plays to them. My parents are the same way, only with a massive textile business.¡±

    ¡°They really don¡¯t care about me.¡±

    ¡°They do. But they also do not know of the girl.¡±

    ¡°The girl...?¡±

    Tia flashed a knowing smile. ¡°It has been many long years since you and I became acquainted, Emi L¡¯Hime,¡± he said. ¡°It does not take a master sleuth to figure out that you are in love.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not in love,¡± Emi said. ¡°I¡¯m in a conundrum.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Uh, nevermind.¡± She thought that would sound better out loud. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about it. Please.¡±

    ¡°Of course not. I am no coin-store floozy.¡±

    ¡°I know. Even a coin-store floozy¡¯d have the decency to leave a grieving girl be.¡±

    ¡°Grieving?¡± Tia raised an eyebrow.

    By this point, the others in the gondola, so absorbed in their discussion about the latest gossip surrounding who slept with who and when, had become a world apart from the two of them. Emi felt at ease to spill her guts out; Tia had that way with people. ¡°I gave up on it. All of it. There was a girl, but I broke things off. No, it was mutual.¡± So obvious of a lie that she had to pause to keep from laughing. ¡°But either way, it¡¯s over. I¡¯m just waiting for my fiancee to arrive and take me away forever so I can live a happy life as a housewife with six children and pose for the family portrait paintings every year or two.¡±

    ¡°So I am not to expect any new faces at your family¡¯s party as I had suspected?¡±

    Oh right, the big winter party was coming up really soon. The servants had already begun preparing the foyer for it, which was how Emi ended up on mop duty six days in a row. Her arms were going to be gigantic and muscular and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

    ¡°The only new face you can expect is if my fiancee makes a shocking appearance at an inconvenient moment when I¡¯m dancing with another person and then cancels the wedding out of anger and jealousy.¡±

    ¡°You have thought this through.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all I get to do between studying and failing to figure out how to build a gear box toy,¡± Emi lamented. Tia didn¡¯t seem to quite understand what she meant, but he kept his cheery smile anyway.

    The gondola passed under a small bridge, and Tia¡¯s face was covered in shade for a few moments. All she could see of him were the whites of his eyes, and the whites of his far-too-shiny teeth.

    Tia laughed. ¡°I like you,¡± he said. ¡°If I were a girl, I would probably eat you all up, with that gorgeous hair of yours.¡±

    She looked at her hair. Gorgeous? More like, too long and always getting in her face. ¡°And then I¡¯m really glad you¡¯re not a girl,¡± she responded.

    ¡°Me too,¡± he said. ¡°By the way, I hope you do it.¡±

    ¡°Do what?¡±

    ¡°Abandon your family and run off with this girl of yours.¡± They exited the bridge and light reemerged on tia¡¯s face. ¡°It would be such a romantic endeavor.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say that I¡¯ve given up on all of that? It¡¯s over,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°But you are also an overdramatic brat sometimes,¡± Tia replied. ¡°You clearly do not mean what you say, even if you want to.¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    ¡°Your life is yours, not your family¡¯s,¡± Tia said. ¡°Run off, get married, have a family out in Fathie, become a travelling merchant on a ship, go foraging in the forests... Just do what you wish to do. Especially if it involves a girl you love.¡±

    Emi gulped instinctively. ¡°I¡¯ll... think about it.¡±

    As if she hadn¡¯t been thinking about all of this for weeks now.

    As if she hadn¡¯t been constantly fretting about what she¡¯d tell Beatrice all this time, why she had suddenly disappeared from her life. ¡°Sorry, but it turns out I can¡¯t see you anymore. I have to marry some woman I¡¯ve never met.¡± It was so stupid! She had never been more frustrated in her life. Avoidance was probably the best tactic at this point.

    ...No it wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°I know how hard it is to deal with your life under your family,¡± Tia said. ¡°That is why I just ignore them completely. My grandfather almost died of shock when he first saw me in a dress. And I¡¯ve done it ever since.¡±

    ¡°I wish it were that easy...¡±

    ¡°Well, we all rebel in our own way,¡± he said. ¡°You just have to find yours.¡±

    Whatever that meant.

 Chapter 21: Dead Tired

    Beatrice lowered her hands and heaved a sigh of exhaustion.

    ¡°That was...¡± Mr. Statusian said to the group of students arranged in a circular formation around a stand-in for the statue of hero Jon Knoll. ¡°That was... Let¡¯s practice it a bit better next time, alright?¡±

    There were murmurs of resigned acceptance.

    ¡°Let¡¯s finish,¡± he said. ¡°Alright, be out of here in ten minutes, and I¡¯ll see you back here tomorrow.¡±

    Beatrice went into the dressing room and changed out of the loose clothing she had been wearing for practice. Sweat dripped from more places than she thought possible. Oh, Gods... She was very much not physically prepared for coordinating a mass magical ritual, and she could feel exactly the spots that¡¯d be sore tomorrow morning.

    With how these practices were going, she had no idea how they were going to be ready in time for the Winter Ceremonies, even if they were still a couple months away.

    Okay, she was dried up and back in her school uniform, and now it was time to make her way home. She decided against stopping by the library--she¡¯d given up going there every afternoon just to wait on Emi--but she did still need to go by the marketplace and picking up produce for her Mom.

    She just wished she was less tired from practice. Who knew that practicing for a sacred ritual where most of the work was moving in a circle and chanting would be so physically taxing? It seemed so effortless to an outside viewer. And now she realized that that was because of how hard the performers practiced it beforehand. If only willpower alone could create magic spells, this would have been so much easier...

    It was getting darker a lot faster these days; she remembered when the sun would still be shining high in the sky by the time she left St. Helens Academy; now, it was already at the edge of sunset, and several of the moons were visible in the sky.

    Despite the growing darkness, and the growing aches in her body, Beatrice pressed on. At the marketplace she picked up a wheel of cheese, a bottle of wine, and some cloves of garlic. It was all costly, but hopefully together all of it would get the Ragnell family about a week¡¯s worth of meals.

    And then another few minutes of excruciating walking awaited her... before she finally arrived at her apartment and stumbled inside.

    Look what the Mammoth dragged in... Wait, that didn¡¯t even work as a joke. Beatrice was so exhausted from Winter Ceremonies practice that she couldn¡¯t even muster her master wit.

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    Well, now she was home, and she had a bag full of produce to add to tonight¡¯s onion soup. It was her Mom¡¯s own recipe this time, so it wouldn¡¯t be as much of a mediocre disappointment as the last time Beatrice tried cooking.

    Speaking of Mom, she was right there sitting in her usual chair next to the supper table, sewing her current project together. She wouldn¡¯t say what it was, but Beatrice had a feeling it had something to do with that ancient Balarand fashion stuff that Dad had been researching a while back.

    ¡°Hey, Mom, I got the vegetables you asked for,¡± Beatrice said.

    Mom looked up from the outfit and smiled. It was quick, almost trained, but it looked genuine enough. ¡°Thank you, Beatrice,¡± she said.

    Mom, a princess-like figure who took everything about Beatrice and made it more extravagantly beautiful. A young Mom Ragnell would have been the catch of a century, and somehow, Beatrice¡¯s own Dad snagged her like a salmon in a putcher basket. Maybe, with age, just as her skin and hair had lightened, her figure had lost some of that radiance, but it wasn¡¯t enough to convince anyone that she wasn¡¯t of regal descent in some distant family tree branch.

    After just a moment, Mom moved back to her sewing, again focusing intently on her project. Whatever it was, it looked nice, some kind of gray top with navy... something, accenting it. Was it a... cape? Mom always made these kinds of nice outfits, made pretty much everything Beatrice had ever worn. It was a kindness that she would never be able to repay her for.

    She wanted to reply, to say something, start a conversation with her Mom. But it was kind of tough. She stood there, put a finger to her bottom lip, and came up empty. Instead, she simply watched for a while longer. Studied the way she weaved her thread, the way her eyes followed along in a drifting motion, before jumping back to the other side as she started again.

    Like performing a religious ritual, like taking all the information out of a book and laying it onto the page, her Mom created an entire piece of clothing with nothing but string and cloth, pins and needles, patience and practice. She had done this for so long that she hardly even had to take notice. It was as impressive as any incantation, any group spell. It was a whole different kind of magic.

    For Mom, sewing was more than a hobby, then, perhaps. It was a whole life, and not one that Beatrice well understood... until now.

    ¡°I love you, Mom,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°I love you too,¡± she replied without hesitation.

    Beatrice had never thought about how much it meant to her that her Mom made all these outfits for her, for the whole family. How in the world had she never realized her Mom was so... cool?

    Once Mom had finished up the project for now, she went to the kitchen, and Beatrice followed her over to help her prepare supper. By the time Dad got home, there was boiling hot soup for the three of them, and there was nothing more Beatrice could ask for than that.

    Beatrice looked at her Mom, skilled at everything she did, willing to set aside whatever youthful ambitions she may have had to raise a family, and wondered why she ever felt like the two of them were far apart. Aside from looks, and maybe interests, they weren¡¯t apart at all. They were two beans in a barrel.

 Chapter 22: Mother and Father and Daughter

    Again.

    It had barely been a month since Emi¡¯s parents had come back to Balarand and they were leaving again.

    The housekeepers were pulling double duty now, setting up for the big party that was just two days away, while simultaneously packing up bags in her parents¡¯ bedroom and readying them to depart on another extended trip. They filled the bags with outfits and presents and alcohol, the exact same items they had unpacked just weeks earlier. Essentially, their entire bedroom was being disassembled, from the wardrobes and the cabinets to the covers on the pillows, making the room look more like an unused guest room. For how often they were gone, it sort of was one.

    And of all places... they were going to Zahn again.

    ¡°And you can¡¯t take me with you?¡± Emi asked. ¡°You¡¯re going to leave me behind again?¡±

    Not that she wanted to go, especially not to the country where Lady Khara could show up at a moment¡¯s notice. She was more offended that they hadn¡¯t even had the nerve to warn her before they decided to go.

    Her parents, thin and spry, youthful yet reserved, looked at her not like a daughter, but like a target for negotiations.

    ¡°We need someone to take care of the household, and you¡¯re responsible enough to do it,¡± Father said. ¡°You have earned your place in our family.¡±

    Then why were they trying to marry her out of it...

    ¡°Though, you would certainly earn your place more solidly if you would ever clean up your room,¡± Mother added. ¡°What are you building in there, a weapon?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m learning about mechanics,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have Ms. Khami strike that off the curriculum,¡± Father said.

    ¡°It¡¯s self study.¡± Neither of her parents faced her at this point, instead focusing their attentions on directing the servants who were packing either too many liquor bottles, or not enough. Neither deemed it necessary to respond to her, so she continued, asking, ¡°And the party? You won¡¯t even be here?¡±

    This got Father¡¯s attention, at least. He ran his hand through his slicked-back hair, as if pondering the appropriate response. ¡°We tried to stay as long as we could,¡± he told her. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be leaving before the Winter Ceremonies if it wasn¡¯t important. You know how our work goes.¡±

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Do you at least know what it is, this time?¡±

    ¡°You know we can¡¯t tell you that,¡± he said.

    ¡°And will you even be back in time to go to Mammoth Pass? Or is this another one of those months-long ordeals?¡±

    ¡°You know we don¡¯t know that yet,¡± he said in the exact same tone.

    ¡°Yeah, alright. At least I¡¯ll have Reo and Touma, I guess.¡±

    Mother and Father looked at one another.

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°Reo¡¯s been called to the front lines for an engineering project. He couldn¡¯t tell us more,¡± Father said. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯m sure,¡± he added. ¡°Nothing serious.¡±

    Oh great, her brother was in grave danger, and she was expected to sit here like the calm and collected stoic she was apparently meant to be. Not fair at all.

    ¡°So I¡¯ll have Touma, then. Great.¡± Touma and parties... Those two things mixed about as well as a greyback bear and a barrel of fish.

    ¡°We¡¯ll make sure to get another letter from Lady Khara to deliver to you,¡± Mother told her. Another very important thing to add to make Emi feel better about herself. ¡°That said, do you have your own letter to give to her?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I gave it to Ms. Khami,¡± Emi said.

    She did write a letter responding to the flowery nothingness Lady Khara had first written her. It was a simple thank you note with as little emotion or opinion put into it as possible, and she explicitly made no mention of the impending wedding, as if to subtly discourage Lady Khara from going through with this foolish plan. This would eventually backfire when it turned out that Lady Khara had been utterly enthralled by Emi¡¯s cutting curtness, but she had little way of knowing that just yet.

    ¡°Miss Khami!¡± Mother called out with that shrill voice she adopted when she yelled.

    She entered the bedroom carrying a broom in hand. ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Emi¡¯s letter, please.¡±

    ¡°Ah, here you go,¡± Ms. Khami said. ¡°You are fortunate I did not mail the letter as I intended to later this afternoon.¡±

    Mother took out her reading glasses and then unsealed the letter. Wait, why did she do that? That letter was not for prying-- oh, whatever. She read the letter intently, making a ¡°tch¡± every few seconds as she went through it. Finally, she looked up, put the letter back in its envelope, and shook her head. ¡°I had thought your descriptive abilities were better than this,¡± she said. ¡°This is not up to par.¡±

    That was the point, but Emi was glad, in a perverse way, that Mother only saw it as weakness and not rebellion. It meant she wouldn¡¯t have to actually explain herself. ¡°I apologize, Mother. I will practice later.¡±

    ¡°If only we had the time to wait... Oh well. Lady Khara will soon get to know the real you.¡± She turned to Ms. Khami. ¡°Please, teach our daughter better writing skills. No more of her mechanics, or whatever she¡¯s studying.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Ms. Khami said, lowering her head slightly. ¡°Emi, go to your room and I will hand you a new assignment soon.¡±

    Oh, Gods, whatever.

    She left the bedroom. The last thing she heard was her Father remark, ¡°At least she seems like she¡¯s in a better mood lately. I wonder what¡¯s changed...¡±

    Absolutely nothing, Father. Absolutely nothing.

 Chapter 23: Bea and Bodhi

    There was a nice salmon restaurant near St. Helens Academy called Foron¡¯s that students often flocked to after class. On most days, it found itself packed with teenagers relaxing, gossipping, and spending good coin on good food. Today. however, it found itself with only two occupants-- Bodhi and his impromptu tutor Beatrice.

    It was homely in that sort of grandmotherly way, the chairs and tables arranged so that it felt like every meal was a big family gathering, not that Beatrice would know. Unfortunately, with no other customers in the restaurant, it was spacious enough to make it feel like an uncomfortable afterparty, long after everyone else had stumbled out, leaving just these two behind to bask in the candlelight. There wasn¡¯t actually a candle here, but the sun was already setting, so it was a bit dim.

    The fish wasn¡¯t as good as what you could find at the night markets, Beatrice thought. It was a lot more expensive, too; two silver coins for one plate of fish and one bowl of rice? She could have gotten three days¡¯ worth of groceries for that. But it was still nice to branch out and try something new every now and then, she guessed.

    ¡°I really thought Naesala was going to show up,¡± Bodhi said. ¡°But it looks like it¡¯s just us two.¡± School uniform or not, he always had a cap on his head, and this time it was bright orange, clashing with the burgundy shirt and trousers he wore. It was intentional, Beatrice knew.

    ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°You wanted to study, and I said I¡¯d help you study.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re a real good friend. Even if your hair¡¯s getting too long for that face of yours.¡±

    ¡°What do you know about hair?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, I just think you look better with short hair, Bea,¡± he said.

    ¡°Beatrice, not Bea,¡± she said. ¡°So, I bet you want to wait until we finish our food to start?¡±

    Bodhi nodded and swallowed the piece of fish in his mouth. ¡°Yeah, I think so. Maybe first we can--¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the fourth precept of ritual-making?¡± Beatrice interjected.

    ¡°Really?¡± He groaned loudly.

    ¡°Well, what is it?¡±

    ¡°The fourth precept is to avoid false speech,¡± Bodhi recited. ¡°The spell will only work if your words are clear, concise, and projected loudly. The spell will register if your souls are attuned, and the better your speech, the more in-tune you will be with your partners.¡±

    ¡°Great work,¡± Beatrice said while cutting the head off the salmon and biting into its little fish face. ¡°You might be an expert already.¡±

    ¡°Nah, we just drilled the darn precepts so much, I¡¯ll never forget them.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll help you out the rest of your life.¡±

    ¡°I highly doubt that,¡± he said.

    ¡°It helps everyone out, even if you don¡¯t think about it that often,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Think about the discipline we¡¯re learning by doing all this training. Isn¡¯t that something?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a lot less demanding than carrying stacks of leather strips back and forth all day.¡±

    ¡°Well, and think about the critical thinking skills we learn. Being able to analyze the Gods¡¯ will and see the harmony of our...¡± Beatrice trailed off.

    ¡°Even you think that¡¯s too ridiculous to finish your sentence,¡± Bodhi laughed. ¡°The magic part is cool, but if everyone has to do it together, it¡¯s kind of useless most of the time. I wish we studied more about real life skills.¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°Well, anyway, I don¡¯t get the whole deal with speaking spells or whatever,¡± Bodhi continued. ¡°Why does it matter what you say instead of what you think? Shouldn¡¯t group magic be like, some weird mind-reading thing?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a lot simpler than that. You don¡¯t HAVE to speak, but for untrained junior priests like us, nothing will happen unless we really sync-up well. Do you understand what I mean?¡±

    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, if I¡¯m together with someone who I sync-up with perfectly, we can hold hands and then create mega lightning bolts or something because our magic is so strong?¡±

    ¡°Not... exactly,¡± she replied. ¡°Humans just aren¡¯t that good at magic. Other creatures around Tsubasa can perform much more magic than us, like the striders in the Plebias Mountains. Striders can shoot beams from their antennae like it¡¯s nothing, but it takes us a lot of work just to levitate a pencil. We can¡¯t really get beyond that.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a load of Mammoth crap,¡± Bodhi said. ¡°But you know what? I think I understand how it all works.¡±

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    ¡°Good. So then you think you¡¯re ready to try it in action?¡±

    ¡°Right now?¡±

    ¡°Well, I mean tomorrow at practice. We couldn¡¯t do it just ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Oh... But... Why can¡¯t we, Bea? I mean you and me, we could probably do a lot.¡±

    ¡°My name isn¡¯t Bea! And-- Huh.¡± Eh? Beatrice was taken aback by the question. ¡°No, two people can¡¯t do any magic ritual alone, not any worth anything. That¡¯s for fairy tales.¡±

    I sometimes snicker at Beatrice¡¯s adamancy towards things she didn¡¯t fully understand herself. Her explanations were foolproof with logic, and yet even as she said them, she felt a pang of sadness. Perhaps it was the faint memory of when she believed those very same things. Times when she ran around her bedroom with a stick and pretended to be a powerful wizard, or when she went to her first day of junior priest school with an oversized school bag on her back and eyes that twinkled like a newborn star.

    Now with Bodhi, two years her senior but asking the same questions she had wondered about so long ago, she was struck with the realization of just how much time had passed since she entered St. Helens Academy. How much she had grown.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be impossible,¡± he said. ¡°If Mr. Statusian can do a little bit of magic on his own. And maybe, if he had someone else he cared about who could also do a bit of magic on their own. Then together, they could turn a little bit into a lot. It¡¯s just math, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Beatrice was instantly reminded of Emi, at a very inopportune time.

    Gods, she missed her.

    It had been long enough that she no longer thought it might be simply a sudden vacation, or punishment for staying out too late. It was either something serious, or Beatrice had greatly misinterpreted Emi¡¯s feelings for her. As much as she hoped it wasn¡¯t the former... It would make her a lot less upset than the latter.

    And now, Bodhi basically bringing up the magic of love...

    ¡°Bodhi, the reason that it doesn¡¯t work is...¡± Beatrice tried hard to figure out the right words to explain. ¡°Magic doesn¡¯t work without a lot of effort, not for any of us. Sometimes you might find someone where together you can make miracles, but that¡¯s really rare. You have to be compatible and you have to be able to understand each other, and sometimes that just isn¡¯t what some people want. And no matter how compatible you are, that doesn¡¯t mean you can change things.¡±

    ¡°Are we talking about magic spells here, or...¡±

    ¡°Ah, never mind.¡±

    Bodhi put aside his study materials and began eating his other salmon. ¡°I gotta ask you something, though,¡± he said. ¡°Why the priest stuff? Why do you care?¡±

    Her answer was almost immediate. ¡°Because I really appreciate the Gods and how they¡¯ve helped out Tsubasa, and I want to devote my life to them.¡±

    Bodhi scoffed. ¡°You don¡¯t care a thing about the Gods, Bea,¡± he said, his mouth full and voice muffled. He swallowed before he continued. ¡°There¡¯s got to be more to it than that.¡±

    ¡°I do too care about the Gods! Why would you even say that?¡±

    ¡°¡®Cause in class you¡¯re always talking about the rituals and spells and academic theory and whatnot. Like you¡¯re a step beyond the class. You¡¯re too smart to believe in the Gods.¡± He kept his smile, and paused for a moment before adding, ¡°And even if you did, I never see you at church,¡± Bodhi said. ¡°The priest at my church asked about you a few weeks ago.¡±

    ¡°Well, I just go to a different one,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°My family visits the shrine to Bk¡¯Man near my apartment. You know the one, right across from your store. We go every week.¡± Just because she didn¡¯t attend church very often, it... It didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t have faith in the Gods. Just because she went to a shrine once a week, while her Dad went once a day, didn¡¯t mean she was less of a follower.

    He was incredulous. ¡°Fair enough. I understand why you¡¯d wanna be a priest. You get to travel the continent, seeing new places, helping other people, and making the world a better place. Plus, you get to learn magic, even if it¡¯s about useless. I just don¡¯t think the trade-off is so great. I want to have a family someday, myself.¡±

    ¡°I understand. It isn¡¯t for everyone.¡±

    ¡°My pop would never forgive me if I ran off and joined the priesthood,¡± Bodhi said. ¡°I got an apprenticeship coming up and then I¡¯m gonna be running the whole place so he can retire. If I didn¡¯t do that, nobody would be able to take over for him.¡±

    It had been the only thing on Beatrice¡¯s mind for most of her life, though, becoming a priest. Her parents had accepted by now that the Ragnell family was never going to carry on past their child, and their legacies would end with her death, however far in the future that may have been. She thought they had accepted it, at least. She never really asked what they thought about it.

    Beatrice thought to her own Dad. He worked in the library, a publicly owned business that would be handed over to the other employees once he was gone. All of his expertise and knowledge would be passed down through his writing and his research.

    But her Mom was a seamstress, a profession going as many generations back as the Ragnell Family line could carry. It was never a valuable line of work, but it had been the source of most of Beatrice¡¯s clothing her entire life. And because she had never learned how to sew herself... it would disappear from the family line forever, whether or not Beatrice ever had any children.

    ¡°Not having a family will be really tough,¡± Beatrice said, finally. ¡°I¡¯m a little scared, but for now I¡¯m not going to think about it. It¡¯s not important yet.¡±

    ¡°Ha, just push it off ¡®til the moment comes to decide. That¡¯s so you. It¡¯s why you¡¯re so good at everything, Bea. You can just focus on what¡¯s in front of you and pull it off.¡± He finished the last pieces of his salmon and set his utensils down.

    ¡°Th...thanks.¡± She paused for a moment. Focusing on what was in front of her... Huh. Something hit her. A restaurant worker came by to pick up their empty plates and clear off the table. ¡°So, Bodhi, you would say it¡¯s better to take advantage of the moment than to plan your life ahead of time?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m saying you¡¯re good at doing that. If you got the ability to do what you want, you should do it.¡±

    ¡°Well then...¡± Beatrice stood up from the table and pushed her chair in. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I need to go.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I have somewhere to be and I¡¯m not letting it wait another moment.¡±

    She exited the restaurant without another word, leaving behind a confused and probably disappointed boy.

    Waiting for Emi this long was enough. She was taking it into her own hands.

 Chapter 24: Party at My Place!

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this party great?¡± Touma shouted as he saw Emi walking by. He had a glass of Doros Prime in his hand, so he was most likely far past the point of sobriety. If her brother was no longer of a sound mind, that gave Emi legal recourse to ignore anything he said and grumble about having to wear this annoying dress.

    The corset was so tight she felt like she was going to burst.

    This party, being held at Emi¡¯s house, was one of the biggest and most prolific of the year. Even though they had a large house, the sheer number of people here made it a relentlessly crowded experience. She finally understood why the L¡¯Hime Family home was so spacious-- it was all for this precise kind of event, for the occasions when occupancy went from fifteen to fifteen hundred.

    To say that Emi hated crowds was to say that crows were black. And to say that Emi hated this party was to say that the sun rose in the morning, and the moons rose in the evening. To say that this was one of the worst events Emi had ever attended would only barely qualify as an exaggeration.

    The colors alone gave her a headache; every rich person here wore their own loud-colored dress, creating a clash of rainbows against the shiny gold-and-white decorations of the party itself placed around the foyer. It was so bright that the blind would grumble about it.

    With such a massive number of people smushed into the foyer, the rich person smell was particularly pungent tonight. The odor of cheap perfumes, of white wine against bad breath, of wig powder and sweaty breeches. No matter how much money these people had, they somehow couldn¡¯t prevent themselves from smelling like a rotten salmon bind.

    Because the Empress-Consort was here to take part in the festivities, having already mingled into the crowd of colorful smelly dancers, so too were her contingent of Dannark guardsmen, two posted at every corner of the foyer and several more wandering in and out. Surely nothing would happen to her at a party like this, but the very threat of it was constantly reminded by the presence of all these gray-armored guards.

    And to cap it all off, a small orchestral ensemble was playing traditional tunes, making the scene almost literally deafening at times. So, the perfect way to torture a young girl who didn¡¯t even want to be here.

    Emi hated crowds. She hated rich old people standing around laughing while they talked about bureaucratic drivel. She hated all of this! The stress was making her sweat her armpits off. Soon, she¡¯d be just as smelly as everyone else.

    Tia Knoll passed by, dressed up in a silk gown and wearing a jet black wig with hair going down to his waist. Many guests at the party were ogling him even as they ignored Emi and her expensive, hours-long-fitted dress. He was outstaging Emi and wasn¡¯t even a girl. She really hated when he showed off his crossdressing skills at every single party and got the same rousing reactions each time.

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    ¡°I have already received marriage propositions from ten suitors, including a noble from Dannark. Shall we compare numbers?¡± Very modest of him.

    ¡°Seeing as I¡¯m currently engaged, I wasn¡¯t keeping count,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°Well, I have a boyfriend, but that does not keep me. It¡¯s all in good spirits.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a fiend.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Emi, you need to have some fun. Your brother certainly is.¡± He pointed to Touma, who had exchanged his glass of Doros Prime for the whole bottle. His arm was wrapped around the shoulder a woman who looked about as far gone as he did. They laughed so loudly Emi could hear them from here.

    ¡°If I don¡¯t save him, he¡¯s going to be knocked out and arrested for harassing the Empress-Consort, isn¡¯t he?¡± Emi mumbled.

    Tia kept playing with his wig. ¡°You know, I wonder how long it would take me to grow out my hair as long as my wig. Though I would venture to guess it would be too frizzy to actually grow down like yours.¡± He reached over to start playing with Emi¡¯s hair, but she swatted away his wrist.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡±

    Emi¡¯s mind, as stupid as it ever was, conjured up an image of her time with Beatrice, standing on a bridge and looking at the girl¡¯s hair glistening in the moonlight, and she imagined herself reaching out and putting her hands through the curls.

    No, please don¡¯t do this, Emi, she thought to herself. She couldn¡¯t bear to see Beatrice again, even in her mind. The way she felt when they held their hands together, the whole swirl of mushy feelings and soft warmth came back to her and sent her heart into a pitter-patter. A pitter-patter of the worst kind.

    A partygoer bumped into her shoulder and made her jump. She clutched at her chest.

    ¡°Emi?¡± Tia seemed concerned for Emi¡¯s welfare. ¡°Corset on too tight?¡±

    ¡°Uh, no, it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Sooner or later, she was going to be married to Lady Khara from Zahn, and she was going to continue her life as an international diplomat, travelling constantly, going to parties constantly, and having none of the life that she actually wanted. It would be like tonight, but for the rest of her life.

    The thought of all of that just made her want to rebel, so, so much. To do something crazy. But it was a bit hard when she was being strangled by her own dress.

    ¡°Tia, what¡¯s your plan for the future?¡± she asked. ¡°You remember what we were talking about on the gondola the other day? I was just thinking about that, and... oh.¡±

    He hadn¡¯t heard her. Tia was turned around, caught up in a lively discussion with an older couple confused about his recreational crossdressing inclinations.

    Emi sighed. She looked over across the foyer to Touma, who was tap-dancing and treading dangerously close to the fireplace. She decided she would simply go back to her bedroom, lock her door, and hope the party wasn¡¯t so loud it prevented her from sleeping.

    But then--

    She felt something--

    A tap on her shoulder--

    And right there, amidst the crowd of partygoers, were those same deep blue eyes, that same face full of freckles that always grabbed her attention so quickly. It was Beatrice Ragnell, dressed up in a dark outfit with a sash across her chest, and a short cape at her back.

    She extended her hand towards Emi.

    ¡°A dance?¡±

 Chapter 25: Literally in Her Arms [Illustration]

    ¡°Beatrice! Why are you here?¡± Emi shouted.

    ¡°I came to meet you!¡± she said, just as loudly, mostly because the party was so loud she could barely hear her own voice. ¡°I forgot you were having a big party. I just thought I¡¯d dress up since your family is so rich and famous.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, what?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t hear you!¡± Emi yelled.

    ¡°Oh!¡±

    She had come over to this place to see if Emi was even around, but it turned out she was incredibly preoccupied at the moment. Like, the kind of preoccupation that involved a gigantic winter party.

    Luckily, Beatrice had already put on her nicest outfit, a dress her mother had finished just last week. It was patterned after ancient Balarand fashion, but styled closer to a modern formal suit. In this case, though, the tie was replaced by a traditional sash across her left breast, and a cape that went down to her waist.

    And Emi... Wow. Her fancy party dress shimmered in the bright lights of the chandelier hanging overhead, and made her shine so brightly Beatrice literally could not look away. She was THAT beautiful.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit hard to...¡± Emi took a step closer to Beatrice. So close their noses practically touched. She leaned in and spoke directly into Beatrice¡¯s ear. ¡°Can you hear me now?¡±

    ¡°I could hear you the whole time.¡±

    Emi leaned in even closer. ¡°I¡¯m really glad you came,¡± she said. ¡°I missed you.¡±

    Beatrice ignored that for now. ¡°My offer still stands. Do you want to dance?¡±

    Without waiting for an answer, Beatrice put one hand on Emi¡¯s waist and another one on her hand, and lifted up their arms.

    She hadn¡¯t even been listening to what kind of music the orchestra was playing, but she was sure they were both bad dancers anyway, so she just swayed back and forth. The crowd around them cleared out a little bit and gave them room to move around themselves.

    They stared at each other. Sparks flared between their eyes and detonated in brilliant blue and brown bursts of bliss. Beatrice wasn¡¯t sure her face had ever been this close to another¡¯s in her entire life. It was a bit intimidating, enough so that-- oof!

    She almost tripped over Emi¡¯s dress and sent them both tumbling, but Emi caught them both. ¡°Just follow my lead,¡± she told Beatrice.

    Later, Beatrice would learn that Emi had been trained in formal dance all her life by her housekeeper Ms. Khami, that had performed at parties and recitals since childhood. But at this moment, Beatrice had no inkling of that; she simply thought the tension between them had been some sort of cooperative incantation, that it had generated an energy field that kept them in a constant spinning motion. Everything she told Bodhi about magic was a lie--love really was the most powerful force in existence.

    It was warm.

    Hand in hand, arm in arm, the two of them moved with the sweeping orchestral sounds, a dramatic yet romantic piece that oscillated between fast sections and slow sections, daring the dancers to keep up. The girls remained in sync, maybe not as much with the music as with each other. They created their own harmony.

    ¡°You know, you said rich people parties were terrible, but I really like this,¡± Beatrice whispered into Emi¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°No, really, I do. All the beautiful dresses and fun music. It¡¯s got a fun atmosphere.¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s not too bad.¡±

    ¡°Do I stick out if I¡¯m just wearing this? I don¡¯t have anything as nice as... well, you.¡±

    ¡°You look great.¡±

    All this time, Beatrice had remarked to herself how beautiful Emi was, but this was the first time she had actually been able to see her up close like this for such a long time. Seeing the dimples on her smile, the freckle right above her left eye, the crackles on her lips from not enough moisture in the house...

    She thought about leaning in to kiss her right this instant, but resisted the urge. Not while everyone was watching. Not until they could clear the air between each other.

    But still... She enjoyed the dance.

    ***

    Beatrice thought that this was the perfect setting to be with Emi. They walked down from the rich part of Balarand down towards Knoll Park, where they could stroll by the small canals that littered the southern portion of the city.

    She was glad that she had decided to wear Mom¡¯s outfit, after all. Emi had stared at it for a good five minutes without saying a word, so it appeared to be a very impressive piece. Thank you so much, Mom...

    ¡°So we¡¯re going where?¡± Emi eventually asked as the two strolled down a busy pedestrian bridge, not yet holding hands. She was wearing the same dress from the party, an elegant, bright white and orange ballgown that went down all the way to her feet. It almost felt like Beatrice had kidnapped the girl from a wedding or something.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°I had just finished some, uh, studying, and I thought I would see if you were home yet, to kill two birds with one stone. So we¡¯re just strolling.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t kill birds. They¡¯re nice.¡±

    ¡°Emi...¡±

    ¡°Wait, what did you mean by ¡®home yet?¡¯¡±

    ¡°You were... gone, right? On some important rich person thing, maybe? I went to your house before and got turned away, so I...¡± Beatrice blushed because it seemed like Emi had no idea Beatrice had been to her house and now it sounded kind of embarrassing, maybe even creepy.

    ¡°Oh, Gods, I had no idea. I just... I¡¯m really sorry,¡± Emi said. ¡°I was probably home. It¡¯s just that I was... studying a lot. My housekeepers probably didn¡¯t want me to be interrupted.¡±

    She hadn¡¯t been gone? Emi had been in Balarand all along? Then Beatrice¡¯s feelings hadn¡¯t been for nothing. But somehow she felt even more confused.

    ¡°I thought they let you sneak out all the time?¡±

    ¡°Well, this time I... I thought it might be for the best,¡± Emi said.

    Wh... What? What the heck was Emi talking about here? For the best? Did she intentionally ignore her for three weeks, or something? ¡°Emi, what do you mean...?¡±

    ¡°I mean, I thought that I... We¡¯re worlds apart, you know. Maybe my parents don¡¯t approve of you and they¡¯ll be angry if I show them to you. Maybe your parents will hate you because I¡¯m part of a rich bureaucrat family that helped bring down King Kline. I don¡¯t know. You¡¯re a junior priest and... I¡¯m just some girl. You shouldn¡¯t even care about me.¡±

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Seriously, shut up.¡± Beatrice was starting to get a knot in her stomach, and her face had turned red, and not from any cute blushing. ¡°You don¡¯t get to decide who cares about you. I¡¯m not letting you push me away because of any dumb apprehensiveness.¡±

    ¡°No, but that¡¯s what I wanted to... I¡¯m sorry. I messed up.¡±

    ¡°Darn right you messed up,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°I... I missed you a lot. I don¡¯t want to be in a world without you in it, okay?¡±

    Emi looked like she was about to cry, and then... she started cracking up laughing. ¡°That was so cheesy.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s true.¡± Now her face was red from blushing after all.

    ¡°And I agree with it. The past few weeks have been horrible for me. I don¡¯t think I could ever bear to do that again. So I just want to say I¡¯m sorry and I won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d better not, Emi.¡±

    ¡°I promise, Beatrice.¡± A snowflake floated down and rested gently on Emi¡¯s nose. She stared at it for a second, blinking silently, before laughing once more. What a silly girl.

    They stopped by another bridge over another canal. A gondola floated underneath it, with its gondolier standing by, arms folded as he waited for his next customer. Beatrice hadn¡¯t ridden in a gondola in ages. It was so romantic! Maybe the two of them could...

    ¡°Emi...¡±

    ¡°Beatrice...¡±

    ¡°Do you want to... ride that?¡±

    ¡°Eh... Actually, last week I-- Oh. Yeah. Let¡¯s hop on.¡±

    They did.

    ¡°So, you aren¡¯t mad at me?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re with me now,¡± Beatrice said. It was mostly true. Honestly, these past two weeks had given her a lot of time to process her feelings about everything, and it helped her realize her crushing anxiety about everything coming to her life soon. For all Bodhi said about her focusing on the present, she sure felt like the future was a looming brick wall she was right on course to smash into.

    Did she really want to give up her life with family and friends to devote herself to the Gods forever? Did she really care about Emi so much that she would be willing to part from her singular dream? It was tough, and she felt guilty even thinking about that right now when such a wonderful girl sat right next to her.

    The gondola gently rocked and they passed underneath another pedestrian bridge. The sun was setting earlier and earlier every day now, so it was already on the horizon, the sky glowing with oranges and purples.

    ¡°So, what have you been doing lately?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°Practicing for the Winter Ceremonies,¡± she answered. ¡°The graduating junior priests at my school are performing a magic ritual at Knoll Park. It¡¯s really exciting.¡±

    ¡°Wow. That sounds amazing!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a lot of work. We all have to coordinate together so we have to practice a lot, and no matter how hard we do, we won¡¯t know if it all worked until we attempt the real thing. Not one of us can mess up.¡±

    ¡°Are you worried about it?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°Not at all,¡± she said with a determined grin.

    ¡°That¡¯s my Beatrice.¡± Emi¡¯s face went flush. ¡°Not that... I mean...¡±

    ¡°I know what you mean,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°And you?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°What have you been doing lately?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that. Me?¡± Emi put her finger to her chin as if she had been so busy that she was having to think hard about it. ¡°Mostly just preparing for the party. The party that we skipped out on.¡±

    ¡°Hehehe. It was fun, though.¡±

    ¡°I think you would change your mind if you had to stay another two or three hours.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to go back? We¡¯re headed that way, I think,¡± Beatrice said.

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    ¡°No thanks,¡± Emi said. ¡°Actually, I have been working on... Well, you¡¯ll see.¡±

    ¡°See what? Oh, is this about those gear things you wanted to build?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± Emi winked, and then giggled.

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s fine,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to pester me about it?¡±

    ¡°You said it was a secret.¡±

    ¡°But...¡± Beatrice burst out laughing, and Emi finally got the joke. ¡°Oh. Well, trust me, when you find out, you¡¯re going to be impressed. Unless I fail at it.¡±

    Beatrice was curious, but it would be better to let the girl wait. Instead, all she did was hold out her hand. Emi took it, fitting her fingers snuggly into hers.

    They sat in the gondola for a while longer, going down the canal as it cut west-to-east through the city and took them closer to Emi¡¯s house. All that walking, and they were soon going to end up around where they started.

    It was the journey that mattered, anyway. The quiet, gentle rocking of the boat, and the silent gondolier pushing an oar through the waters.

    Emi shivered and squeezed Beatrice¡¯s hand tighter. ¡°It¡¯s getting really cold out here...¡±

    ¡°Uh, do you want to borrow... uh, my sash?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s really cute, but no,¡± Emi said. ¡°Maybe if you had something like a scarf.¡±

    ¡°Well then, we¡¯ll just have to share body warmth, huh?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Beatrice.¡± Emi paused, as if to consider something important. ¡°...Beatrice?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Can I call you something shorter?¡±

    Beatrice¡¯s heart stopped. ¡°Uhh... like what?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Bea?¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Beatrice shouted. ¡°¡®B¡¯ is a letter in the alphabet. Not a name. I hate it.¡±

    Emi giggled. ¡°Okay, then how about Tris? That¡¯s the other half of your name.¡±

    ¡°Nobody¡¯s... ever called me that.¡± Beatrice pondered it for a moment. ¡°Yeah, sure. You can call me Tris.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Tris.¡±

    She had to admit it sounded cute. And the way Emi said it, putting extra emphasis on the ¡°chr¡± sound... Her heart was sent aflutter.

    ¡°But wait,¡± Beatrice added. ¡°Nobody else gets to say Tris. Just you.¡±

    ¡°Fine with me.¡± Emi scooted closer to Beatrice. ¡°What do you think we should do now?¡±

    ¡°Compliment each other?¡± Beatrice suggested.

    ¡°I like that idea. Here, let¡¯s get off at this stop.¡±

    The gondola came to a stop at end of the canal. Any further and they¡¯d be heading into the Balarand River, and that was a longer ride than they ever wanted with this weather. Emi flicked the gondolier a gold coin and they went on their way, ready to wander aimlessly, hand in hand, as the sun disappeared and the stars came into view.

    The sidewalks were clear, but piles of snow laid on either side of them. Those piles grew higher every day as the weather continued to chill and it was a wonder the street workers could keep shoveling the busy sidewalks every single morning without fail.

    ¡°So, compliments? Me first. I love the way you walk,¡± said Emi. ¡°You always move around like you have a place to be, and you want everyone else to know.¡±

    ¡°I... do?¡± Beatrice had never in her life thought the way she walked as something that could be liked or disliked.

    ¡°And I love the way your eyes look at night, through the glare in your glasses. They¡¯re like two miniature moons.¡±

    ¡°They... are?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the most beautiful person in the world,¡± Emi said. ¡°The Gods envy you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re making fun of me, right?¡±

    ¡°Not in the slightest. Your turn.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really hot,¡± Beatrice said.

    Emi¡¯s composure broke down and turned to gelatin in an instant.

    ¡°And, your butt is really nice,¡± she added.

    ¡°Give me... cute compliments...¡± Emi muttered.

    ¡°I just did. Your butt is extremely cute. And, it may not be ladylike for me to mention, but you are very attractive in several other areas. Do you want me to continue?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re killing me here, Tris...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me tickle you,¡± Beatrice said.

    Suddenly, Emi snatched Beatrice¡¯s glasses from her face and put them on her own. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t make me tickle you!¡± Emi mocked, regaining all the energy that had seemingly been sapped away moments ago. It was a ruse all along.

    ¡°Hey! Rude!¡± Beatrice reached for the glasses with her free arm, but Emi took a step away and she couldn¡¯t reach them. She also gripped Beatrice¡¯s other hand so that she couldn¡¯t break free of their hand-holding. How devious...

    ¡°How do I look?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°You look like you¡¯re hurting your eyes.¡±

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°Also... you look adorable,¡± Beatrice admitted.

    ¡°Good to know.¡± Emi handed the glasses back to her. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll get some fake ones and wear them at parties.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very odd, Emi.¡±

    ¡°Yeah it is, Tris.¡±

    ¡°Man, we¡¯re going to have a lot of weird stories to tell our kids.¡±

    Emi stopped and turned her head down.

    She shouldn¡¯t have said that. ¡°Sorry, that was a bad joke.¡± They were having a lot of fun and then she had to go and ruin it all by saying something stupid.

    Emi¡¯s head raised. She looked Beatrice straight in her eyes and asked, ¡°Tris, Will you marry me?¡±

    ...???? ¡°No?¡± Beatrice said with great confusion. ¡°Wh--What? Huh?¡±

    Emi giggled. ¡°Yeah. Sorry, I wanted to see what your reaction would be. I¡¯m... kind of glad your gut reaction was no.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t even have a ring to give you! What kind of woman would that make me? Or... is that a rich person custom?¡±

    The sun had finally fallen behind the cityscape and darkness came upon Balarand. It would soon be time to depart; Beatrice wanted to spend every last second with Emi while she could.

    ¡°No, everyone does it. My Mom and Dad have them. They¡¯re probably the most expensive things our family owns.¡±

    ¡°Besides a lovely, impossibly-gorgeous daughter,¡± Emi added.

    ¡°Oh, stop. Now you¡¯re just getting creepy.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who called me hot just a minute ago!¡±

    ¡°That was the truth. Now you¡¯re just trying to get in my skirt.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Tris, I am just trying to get in your skirt,¡± Emi said. She narrowed her eyes and chuckled.

    ¡°At least you''re honest,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°Well, Is it working?¡±

    ¡°Obviously.¡±

    ***

    Soon, their aimless wandering took them back to the same marketplace they had visited all those weeks ago, that same marketplace that led them to their very first encounter. The statue to some long-ago queen stood high in the center, and sellers hoisted booths all around it. There was enough to see that browsing was an activity all of its own. With all five moons shining from up high in the night sky and street lamps hanging from every pole, the marketplace was a beacon of brightness even as the rest of Balarand turned dark.

    Beatrice loved being out here with all of this. Emi, with her stuffy parties and fancy dances, hadn¡¯t gotten the chance to fully experience what normal folk in Balarand all got to do, so she really wanted to show her everything she was missing. And they got to do it all while dressed up like they were going to a big event.

    Emi was still a bit wonderstruck, she could tell; she was staring at a stand selling wooden carvings of mythical monsters from faraway lands, and the vendor, currently carving something while not even looking at the knife or wood, noticed her interest.

    ¡°This one is called a centaur,¡± she told Emi. She took her knife from the wood and pointed it to one of the fiercer monsters in the row of carvings. ¡°It¡¯s half-man, half-beast, and roams the forests like a champion. No human would dare approach it without a full hunting party. You¡¯d best stay away from one if you ever spot one.¡±

    ¡°Wow...¡±

    ¡°Do you want it? Two gold coins.¡±

    ¡°Two gold coins?¡± Emi seemed offended by this offer. Beatrice was suddenly worried that she was going to make a bit of a scene. ¡°You¡¯re offering your services for far too low for what they are worth. I¡¯m giving you six.¡± She took out her coin purse, laid out the coins, and took the centaur.

    ¡°I probably should start upcharging ladies in fancy dresses, huh,¡± the vendor said to herself.

    ¡°First a crab, now a centaur? How many terrifying creatures are we going to learn about from all these vendors?¡± Beatrice asked Emi, rolling her eyes.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°Well, you know most of everything they talk about is fake,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Either they¡¯re making up something for entertainment or they¡¯re repeating stories by other people that aren¡¯t trustworthy. A centaur? Maybe. But I can¡¯t imagine anything like a crab could ever exist.¡±

    ¡°Huh, I¡¯ve never thought about it like that,¡± Emi said. ¡°I kind of always thought all the monsters they talk about really did exist, but maybe not anymore, so now they only exist in tales passed down over the generations.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a sign of an active imagination, at least.¡±

    ¡°Really rude,¡± Emi said. ¡°Very rude.¡±

    ¡°What next, you¡¯ll say your house has a fairy garden out in the back?¡± Beatrice teased.

    But that teasing led to Emi tilting her head to its side. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean, uh, rich people would have fairy gardens if fairies were real, and then young girls of all ages would get to play with them and learn valuable life lessons.¡±

    ¡°Fairies are real, Tris,¡± Emi said. Beatrice giggled, but Emi only nodded her head more feverently. ¡°No, they really are real. They live near the Elinican coast, mostly. Have you really never seen a fairy?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°You¡¯re fibbing.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re being rude again.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah? And what about this?¡± Beatrice moved her fingers around in one swift motion and seized Emi¡¯s sides with one powerful pinch.

    ¡°Ouch! Ouch!¡±

    Beatrice let out a maniacal laugh.

    Defenseless while holding the wooden centaur in her arms, there was nothing Emi could do but shriek and try to run away, but even that was impossible in Beatrice¡¯s grip. Laughing and crying out, Emi relented and let her pull her closer.

    Soon, Beatrice stopped pinching Emi and Emi stopped yelling, but they remained next to each other. They stared into each other¡¯s eyes, trying to figure out something to say to one another, breathing in and out, slightly out-of-sync, with heavy breaths.

    Beatrice had Emi to herself now. She was literally in her arms.

    Would she...? Could she...?

    After a few too many moments of deliberation, she decided not to take any rash action. She let Emi go. A smile returned to the girl¡¯s completely-red face, and she tried to laugh off whatever just happened between them.

    Whatever it was, it wasn¡¯t important anyway.

    ¡°I¡¯m too ticklish,¡± Emi said. ¡°You¡¯ve discovered my weakness.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ticklish too, but you¡¯ll never get me. I have defensive techniques learned under a hundred tickle masters. Every move you make I can counter back on you.¡± Beatrice narrowed her eyes and went into some sort of silly fighting stance. Emi burst into laughter.

    When she calmed down, Emi then said, ¡°Actually, Tris.... I want you to hold me again.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Hold me.¡± She took steps forward, pushing her body against Beatrice¡¯s, leaning her head against her shoulder. Beatrice took her arms and hugged her, and took her in.

    Emi was the most huggable person on the continent.

    They sighed in unison, and began swaying their hips, rotating in a small, slow circle around nothing. In the middle of the marketplace, with a hundred people nearby, surely watching their every move. Beatrice didn¡¯t care.

    Her nose was overpowered by the thick, sweet odor of Emi¡¯s perfume, stronger than anything she¡¯d ever smelled in her life, so much so that, as she held her, she felt most of her senses--sight, taste, and smell--had completely shut down. All that was left was the feeling of her arms wrapped around the back of Emi¡¯s dress, and her cheek rubbing up against Emi¡¯s ear.

    ¡°I¡¯m so cold,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°I offered my sash,¡± Beatrice replied.

    ¡°You¡¯re so sweet.¡±

    Soon, the embrace ended. The two girls continued down the marketplace, holding hands with one another, but soon found a crowd of people yelling and hurling angry insults.

    ¡°Give it all up!¡±

    ¡°Free Balarand!¡±

    They went up to the crowd to figure out what was going on. There was a group of people holding up signs, and one in the center wearing an oversized Mammoth mask to represent Nexurk, the God of Power and War. He was already a source of controversy for how Dannark had treated His shrines, but the way they paraded out His icon like this...

    Suddenly, the chants ceased and the crowd dispersed as quickly as they had come together.

    When the scene became more clear, Beatrice saw several Dannark soldiers, most of them holding people in chains, and the man who had been wearing the Mammoth mask had been pushed onto the snow and bound up. ¡°We are not conquerors!¡± one of the soldiers shouted. ¡°We are keepers of the peace. But we do not tolerate violence!¡±

    The girls decided to get away from this scene, but Emi found herself staring as the soldiers paraded around their newest arrests. ¡°What was that all about?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°Dannark soldiers breaking up a protest, I guess,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°Do they... do that a lot around here?¡±

    They began walking away from the marketplace and back towards Emi¡¯s home.

    ¡°Somewhere, practically every day.¡± Beatrice said. ¡°People really don¡¯t like Dannark presence around here.¡±

    ¡°Well... it¡¯s probably not fair to them that they have to see a foreign nation patrolling their streets every day, and their King in exile simply because he wouldn¡¯t let an Empire engulf our continent in war.¡±

    Beatrice stopped. Wasn¡¯t Emi¡¯s part of one of the influential families supporting the occupation? Why was she against it? ¡°Well... our King probably wouldn¡¯t be in exile if he hadn¡¯t been supporting a tyrannical dictatorship in Doros. Dannark may have issues, but Doros is killing its own people as we speak.¡±

    ¡°Doros and Dannark are one and the same. I hate them both,¡± Emi growled.

    Beatrice pulled her hand away from Emi¡¯s. They stared at each other again, though this time with the romantic tension gone.

    ¡°I just think it¡¯s not as easy to choose. We don¡¯t live in Torano where we can live free from the rest of the world. We can¡¯t hate our neighbors, even if they hate us.¡±

    ¡°It bothers me that you don¡¯t care that our own King is in exile and a foreign flag is--¡± Emi stopped herself. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she said. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about politics anymore.¡±

    ¡°Agreed.¡±

    They never would again.

    And on that note, they resumed the rest of their evening.

    Beatrice and Emi were a world apart, even if they were so close in distance. She was a junior priest, the daughter of a librarian, while Emi was part of the rich elite. It almost felt scandalous for them to be associated with one another, let alone talking about political events like equals. They probably needed to be a bit careful in general.

    But for now they would just be themselves.

    And now, to my original question: Was it love at first sight?

    What do you think?

    Clearly the two of them were in love at this point. Even they knew. But this love, something so quick, so encapsulating... It certainly feels like love at first sight, doesn¡¯t it?

    You think so? I don¡¯t quite buy it, myself, but maybe your youthful wonder is stronger than my old woman cynicism.

    Whatever the answer may be, they were in love right now, and that was all that mattered to either of them.

 Chapter 26: Unexpected Bonding

    ¡°Hmm.... Hm. This book report is of high quality. It appears you understood the material well,¡± Ms. Khami said. ¡°I mistook your disdain for the readings for a lack of comprehension. I was wrong. Good work.¡±

    Emi, sitting at the only school desk in her makeshift classroom, fought very hard not to squeal in delight.

    It was rare for her to hear a compliment from Ms. Khami. But recently, especially as Emi had devoted more of her time to helping out around the house, her opinion of her seemed to have changed. She actually said nice things sometimes.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t the main reading that disinterested me,¡± Emi said. ¡°I just didn¡¯t like the contemporary analyses that went along with it. They all seemed so warped. Why did so many people adore the Fathie Empire back then? The Gang of Eight was ruthless, and if the Teal One hadn¡¯t defected...¡±

    ¡°Then none of Balarand would be here today except in ruins, yes,¡± Ms. Khami said. ¡°But people at the time did not consider what the future might hold. They were captivated by the Gang of Eight¡¯s charismatic campaign and saw their destruction as acts of liberation. It is only in hindsight that we can truly understand what a decade of war did to our continent.¡±

    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is... Dannark and Doros are going to blow up Tsubasa if they keep fighting?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°History is but a cycle of heroes and tragedy,¡± Ms. Khami said. ¡°And with that remark, our lesson is complete.¡± She picked a book off her desk and shut it loudly to signify the finality of the event. ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected you to advance so quickly through this section, and I must admit: I have no further material to assign you, Emi. You are finished.¡±

    Eh?

    ¡°Finished? For... good?¡±

    ¡°Correct. You have finished the curriculum that I had developed for you when you were a child. You are officially an educated woman.¡±

    ¡°...Huh.¡±

    Done with Ms. Khami¡¯s lessons... After all these years, Emi never actually thought a day like this would come. She had somehow pictured in her mind getting married, growing older, with Ms. Khami still around still handing her massive, dull tomes on a near-infinite variety of subjects. It felt like just yesterday she was trudging through a near-incomprehensible textbook on economics, and now she was just... done.

    ¡°It is unorthodox, your improvement lately,¡± Ms. Khami said. ¡°I had certainly not planned on you passing my magical incantations exam within a week, either; that was intended to take at least a month.¡±

    ¡°Oh, well I had help from a... friend.¡±

    ¡°Were you truly sneaking out of the house so often to... study? I can hardly fathom.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes. At the library, usually,¡± Emi said, feeling pangs of self-righteousness flash across her cheeks. ¡°I was a better student than you thought, huh!¡±

    ¡°Well, your essays on interpersonal relationship politics were subpar, to say the least, but you have shown great development, Emi. You truly are the woman your parents have always wanted to be, if I say so myself.¡±

    ¡°Wish THEY¡¯D tell me that,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°They try to, in their own way,¡± Ms. Khami said. ¡°They are under a lot of pressure with their diplomatic missions. It¡¯s very difficult to raise a successful, professional daughter in these times.¡±

    ¡°They could have sent me to school...¡± Emi muttered.

    ¡°Did you not appreciate my schoolings?¡±

    That was a loaded question. ¡°What I mean is, Reo and Touma both went off to Yates. Almost all my old friends in the neighborhood went to school in some far-away city in the mountains or by the coast. Why did you homeschool me?¡±

    Ms. Khami looked off and laughed wistfully, as if that were also a loaded question. ¡°I realize you are too young to remember, but when you were a very young child, you had many issues that needed special care. You weren¡¯t very comfortable around strangers, and sometimes you would react in... outbursts of sorts. So your parents decided to let me teach you. You got over those troubles as you grew older, but with your apprehensiveness towards large social gatherings even now, we thought it might be best to keep you here in Balarand, with the rest of your family. In case you ever needed us.¡±

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Emi looked down at her lap. She wanted to shrink into nonexistence. ¡°That makes a lot of sense. I¡¯m... sorry for being a bad baby.¡±

    ¡°You were a wonderful baby, and you are a wonderful lady.¡±

    Did she really... mean that?

    Speaking of ladies... Emi felt a new confidence inside her and decided to turn the tables on the conversation. ¡°So I may be wonderful, but what if I don¡¯t want to be married? Married to Lady Khara, that is.¡±

    ¡°Ms. L¡¯Hime, you are going to be married at the end of the spring and you are going to love it, because that is what your parents wish of an important girl like yourself.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to marry someone I don¡¯t love.¡±

    Ms. Khami, still standing behind Emi, put her hands on her shoulders and began giving Emi a massage.

    Their relationship over the years had always been fairly sour, but Ms. Khami had somehow persisted over all that time, never giving up even when Emi was at her most rebellious. Emi had been sure it was simply for the money, but...

    ¡°Your parents love you very, very much,¡± Ms. Khami said. ¡°They¡¯ve found a woman for you who will support you in whatever you want to do, and with your education you can be anyone. You won¡¯t be shackled to the L¡¯Hime Family any longer, if that is what you wish. You will have almost unlimited freedom in your life to pursue your dreams.¡±

    ¡°Except for love.¡± Emi sniffled thinking about having to leave Beatrice and never see her again. The exact thing she still hadn¡¯t summoned the courage to mention to the girl. ¡°I¡¯ve never even met Lady Khara and yet I have to spend the rest of my life with her. Can¡¯t you see how that¡¯s unfair?¡±

    ¡°I have met Lady Khara, and I can assure you she is a wonderful woman. She would not be allowed to marry you if she was anything less. It may seem unfair for you now, but in twenty years you will laugh at all of this.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but why does this Lady Khara want to marry a young woman she¡¯s never met?¡± Emi asked. ¡°I¡¯m a demon in girl¡¯s clothing, in your own words.¡±

    ¡°Your strength of emotion is an asset as much as it is a shortcoming,¡± she told her, continuing to massage her shoulders. ¡°There may be times when you are too much to handle, but there is a woman who is ready and willing to accept that with openness, honesty, and respect.¡±

    ¡°Yeah... there is,¡± Emi said, mostly to herself. It wasn¡¯t Lady Khara, that was for sure. ¡°Why can¡¯t I marry someone of my own choosing? Someone I am in love with and want to spend the rest of my life with?¡±

    Ms. Khami let go of Emi¡¯s shoulders. ¡°That is not for me to say. I was born into a poor family and the L¡¯Himes took me in when I was young. I was raised by your grandparents more like your mother¡¯s sister than a lowly servant, and I did not question their decisions for me because they shaped me into the woman I am today. All I can tell you is that your parents¡¯ wisdom is greater than any youthful fling.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a fling. It¡¯s...¡± A conundrum was what it was. Falling for someone while you were already engaged to another. ¡°I don¡¯t think I will be able to marry her. Not anymore.¡± Emi got up from her chair and faced Ms. Khami directly

    ¡°Your life is your own, in the end,¡± Ms. Khami told her. ¡°But you are a member of a prominent family, and you were born into responsibility whether or not it is fair. Cheating on your fiancee will not only affect you, but your parents, and your brothers too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about that a lot,¡± Emi said. ¡°And my answer is... It¡¯s really complicated.¡±

    ¡°That is is.¡±

    Emi headed into the foyer. It was vast and empty as usual. With party cleanup long over, the L¡¯Hime home was once more a large space filled with a bunch of rooms hardly anyone ever used, in enough space to house an orphanage or two.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m really finished with all of of my studies?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°Well...¡± Ms. Khami began. ¡°I know that you are working on those little devices in your bedroom. I bought a few books on engineering and mechanics, and if you would like to look through them...¡±

    ¡°You mean, exactly the opposite of what my Mother said to do?¡±

    Ms. Khami smiled. ¡°Yes, but I--¡±

    Knock! Knock!

    Ms. Khami rushed to the front door and opened it, before her expression flattened. ¡°Oh. You again.¡±

    ¡°Hi, Ms. Khami.¡±

    ¡°Tris!¡± Emi ran past Ms. Khami and hugged Beatrice around the neck, squeezing as tightly as she could. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°And so are you,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Do you want to...¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Ms. Khami shook her head, but smiled. ¡°You and your deviancies. Be back before supper. Touma is coming over again.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t promise anything, but I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Emi said.

    Emi and Beatrice left the house, hand-in-hand, and Emi took one look back at Ms. Khami before the front door shut.

    ¡°So, where to?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°Wherever,¡± Beatrice said.

    And so they went.

 Chapter 27: A Letter: The Beginning

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough for today,¡± said Mr. Statusian. ¡°Remember, everyone leave the building by the top of the hour, and I¡¯ll see you back here in the morning. We¡¯ll be beginning our final days of practice, so I hope you are ready for some serious work.¡±

    The class grumbled. Someone murmured that that whole ¡°last day of class¡± comment way back when was extremely misleading, and another person literally growled.

    Beatrice, of course, was extremely pleased with herself.

    It was just a couple weeks until the Winter Ceremonies. She had long since mastered the rituals in execution, but she quickly learned that that wasn¡¯t all the rituals were about; she also had to stay attuned to her magical partners around her. They had actually created a water generation spell by accident the other day, so it seemed that everyone was growing a lot closer together. Beatrice had even started hanging out with Bodhi and some of the others after practice sometimes.

    Today was not one of those days, however. No time for hanging out with friends; she was about to meet Emi at the library for a date. They had spent many days together recently, but always ended up wandering around the city and looking for food to eat, not really doing anything special. This time, though, they were going to travel the Gonda Tower, the tallest building in Elince. Apparently, its top floor was so high that you could apparently see all the way across the kingdom if you looked out from the top floor. It sounded so romantic!

    It was normally closed to the public, but as long as you had the right connections, that was no hurdle. Emi, of course, knew the owner¡¯s granddaughter, Felisa L¡¯Flare. It was great having a rich and famous girlfriend--er, friend who may or may not have been dating her. They hadn¡¯t exactly clarified that just yet...

    Beatrice grabbed her bag and slipped it onto her back. With the Winter Ceremonies practice and her relationship--if that¡¯s what it was--with Emi both going strong, she had a strong smile on her face. She scurried over to the library, where her Dad and Emi were currently talking at the service desk.

    Emi L¡¯Hime. Sigh. The girl of her dreams, the main thing on her mind every time she closed her eyes. Beatrice could remember when she first saw her at the marketplace, all that time ago, and was instantly smitten. And as much as she tried to ignore it, her life was forever changed that day, she knew, because she found someone worth knowing for the rest of her life.

    Just look at her. Wearing nothing more special than a turtleneck and a long skirt. She made no attempt to stand out, no attempt to separate herself from the crowd, and yet she was radiating. Tall, with shiny pale skin looking something out of the most vivid dream. Beatrice had held those curves in her arms, felt those thin hairs, breathed in the smell of shampoo and perfume. She was more than just beautiful. She was Beatrice¡¯s. (Maybe.)

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°Oh, Tris, hey!¡± Emi exclaimed as she saw her enter.

    ¡°Hey,¡± was what she said, but what she thought was more along the lines of, every time I see your dark brown eyes my heart is sent into a flurry, my mind hazes up, and my entire being is sent into a blinding hailstorm of affection. She only thought it, but she conveyed it with her smile.

    ¡°You¡¯re friends with Emi L¡¯Hime, Beatrice?¡± Dad asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°We, uh, sit together at the study table sometimes. You never noticed?¡±

    ¡°Uh, no, I never pay attention,¡± Dad said, with a smirk that suggested he was not exactly telling the whole truth. ¡°But she¡¯s a good girl. She¡¯s been coming to this library since she was about this high.¡± Dad held out his hand flat to measure about twelve inches.

    ¡°Your father¡¯s the one who got me into my favorite book series,¡± Emi said. ¡°It¡¯s called The Elf Cycle. It¡¯s a really great mystery series with a lot of action and adventure and romance.¡±

    Ehh... Beatrice knew her Dad read pretty much everything, so his taste in fiction books was a bit... odd. She didn¡¯t always enjoy his recommendations when it came to fairy tales and adventure stories, and she learned as much when he convinced her to go through A Beautiful Bloodbath when she was thirteen. Not a wise choice at all, Dad...

    ¡°I¡¯m really glad you two have become friends, though,¡± Dad said.

    ¡°Heh, yeah...¡± Beatrice coughed, and then turned to Emi. ¡°So, are you ready to go?¡±

    ¡°Go? Where are you doing?¡± Dad asked. ¡°Wait--¡± he interrupted himself. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. You have a letter. Mailed to the library, for some reason.¡±

    A letter?

    Who would send her a letter, and why here? With a moment¡¯s hesitation, she broke the seal and tore it open. The letter read, in a scrawled handwriting:

    ¡°You must meet me IMMEDIATELY. I have made a new breakthrough! TOP SECRET. I need your help to align the spirits and perfect our society. If you do not arrive or send response in twenty-four hours, I will have to assume you have been apprehended by forces beyond your control and will be forced to take drastic measures.

    --Signed, Runa.¡±

    Oh, brother.

    ¡°Is it something nice?¡± Dad asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s Runa.¡±

    ¡°Oh, brother.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°Do you need to go meet her?¡±

    ¡°I guess I do...¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s Runa?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°Oh, Emi. We might need to postpone the, uh, thing.¡± She was trying not to be too explicit about their date plans around Dad.

    ¡°What, do you have to go meet them or something?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yeah...¡± There was no way she could get out of meeting Runa, she knew, even as her mind flashed through all the excuses she could possibly use.

    Although... Maybe this was a fortuitous opportunity after all. This could be a chance for a very different kind of date for Beatrice and Emi, and for Emi to learn more about her. Like marketplace traders often said, she could turn lemons into lemonade.

    What was a lemon?

 Chapter 28: A Letter: Runa Arakawa [Illustration]

    Do you know about Runa Arakawa? No, you don¡¯t? Really? Oh, of course, forgot that you refuse to study your history books because you are a delinquent. If you did, then this entire story may be very different to you. Very well, then. I¡¯ll let the girl speak for herself...

    All that was in the air was the smell of melting rock and lake water. The ground was damp, and each step Emi took made a mushing sound that was growing increasingly difficult to ignore.

    She¡¯d never been this far north in Balarand. It was far past the castle and the wealthy neighborhoods, close to a river port where even in winter the place smelled vaguely of rotting fish.

    Was she out of place up here? Would the people who lived here notice that she was one of the affluent, uncaring folk who let Dannark occupy their kingdom and overthrow their leader? She hadn¡¯t dressed in anything fancy, but she still felt uncomfortable, like every passing person would probably pause and pick her out.

    Well, if there were any ruffians that thought she was an easy mark, that was okay. Beatrice would be there to protect her. She knew magic and all that.

    ¡°So, Tris, you never explained,¡± Emi said. ¡°Why are we going to some girl¡¯s house?¡±

    ¡°She asked me to,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to elaborate further and spoil the, uh, surprise.¡±

    They had walked all the way up town, close to the port heading up the Balarand River, where the houses were less compact and the city wasn¡¯t as bustling anymore. Both wore warm clothes to protect against the winter; Emi had a toboggan on her head, and Beatrice had a scarf wrapped around her neck.

    Not more than a block away from the lakefront, they reached one unassuming, dark blue house with a nice porch, cozy with one floor. Beatrice walked up to the front door and knocked on it. Now they had to wait.

    In the distance, off the shore towards the Balarand River, laid a floating dock where several ships were anchored down to unload goods without going all the way to the main port. Another two boats were there for repairs, after they had collided with one another just hours earlier.

    In the other direction from the port, there was a large smelt mill, burning up ore and creating lead for use in materials of all sorts. Sparks of fire and billowing smoke flew out of the chimney at the top. This was certainly not an area Emi would have imagined to find houses in, but she had learned recently that a lot of her assumptions about life in Balarand were completely wrong.

    ¡°Now that we¡¯ve known each other for a few months, I must reveal one more thing about myself,¡± Beatrice began, her tone taking a sordid turn. ¡°I will share with you my darkest secret. My most tragic responsibility.¡±

    With all this build-up, Emi couldn¡¯t tell if she was being sarcastic or not. With all this build-up. Her heart raced.

    A dainty old lady opened the door to greet them, and Beatrice gave a sigh of relief. ¡°Oh, Gods, Ms. Arakawa, you¡¯re still fine.¡±

    The woman gave a wide smile and exclaimed, ¡°Little Bea! Come on in!¡± Emi gave Beatrice a sly glance and she shot a dirty look in return.

    They entered the house. It was small and homely, decorated with various knicknacks gathered from throughout the city, and a bookshelf filled with assorted titles--some fiction, some nonfiction, some religious.

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of books,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°Yep. Back when they lived near Knoll Park, I loved coming over so I could read. Back when I used to... babysit.¡±

    Beatrice was a babysitter, huh? That was her dark scary secret? It sounded cute to Emi. She wondered what Beatrice was like around children. Oh no, she was blushing already.

    ¡°I¡¯ve made you some pastries,¡± Mrs. Arakawa said, carrying a tray of baked goods towards the two girls. ¡°You make yourself at home while Runa gets ready for whatever she¡¯s got going on. Oh, that girl.¡±

    Emi and Beatrice sat down on the couch, and Beatrice took one of the pastries. Beatrice took a bite and squealed. ¡°Delicious.¡±

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Emi didn¡¯t eat anything and laid her head on Beatrice¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Are you ever going to tell me what¡¯s going on?¡±

    There was a loud banging sound from below them.

    ¡°You¡¯re about to find out.¡±

    A door at the side of the room swung open, and smoke began pouring out. A short figure wearing a blacksmith¡¯s goggles emerged from the room, hands on hips in a defiant pose. Her face was covered in grime and soot. Emi jumped to her feet in shock.

    She lifted the goggles off her face and gave a toothy grin. ¡°You received my message. Excellent,¡± she said with a nasally snicker.

    ¡°Runa, hey, long time no see,¡± said Beatrice, cringing through her teeth.

    Emi couldn¡¯t place Runa¡¯s age, but she definitely seemed a bit younger than the two of them. She was also a runt, standing at just over four and a half feet tall, with a plump face and bushy eyebrows. As a sign of a times, even a girl her age was already wearing ink-black lipstick.

    She took off her gloves and walked over to the couch, where she took a pastry. She noticed Emi and glared.

    ¡°H-hi,¡± Emi greeted. ¡°I¡¯m Emi L¡¯Hime.¡±

    Runa grabbed Emi¡¯s hand and kissed the top of it, leaving behind a dark smear. ¡°You are a delight, milady.¡±

    Emi stared at her hand for a second. She laughed in bewilderment. Beatrice rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Mom! I¡¯m going to show these two my laboratory,¡± Runa shouted to her mother, who was in the kitchen making something.

    ¡°That¡¯s nice, honey.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going down,¡± she shouted again. She didn¡¯t seem to need to ask for permission, but was seeking it anyway. Aw, she was a good kid at heart. ¡°Follow me, ladies.¡±

    They went into the smoke-filled room, which was actually a staircase down into a basement. ¡°That¡¯s the reason they moved away,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°They needed a real house with a basement. For Runa¡¯s work.¡±

    ¡°What work is that?¡± Emi asked.

    Beatrice pointed towards Runa¡¯s laboratory.

    It was a chaotic mess of papers, runic symbology scrawled on walls and tables with rocks and tiny critters laying about. For anyone worried about cleanliness, this would be like looking at a warzone. Strangely, Emi felt a wave of calm wash over her instead.

    ¡°This is where I make the magic happen,¡± Runa proclaimed, stretching out her hands as if her laboratory were a natural wonder. ¡°Quite literally speaking.¡±

    She gestured to her table covered in large stones. ¡°Right here is my golem dissection project. I have been trying to figure out what part of the rock is able to store magical energy and coordinate with other pieces to form the magical creature known as a golem. They have been known to form around pieces of ice, too, but last time I attempted to study one of those, it melted before the shipment arrived...¡±

    ¡°She shipped an ice golem to Balarand? Who is this girl?¡± Emi asked in a whisper as Runa continued rambling.

    ¡°Her father was a prominent businessman many years ago, but when he died, he gave his entire inheritance to his lover and newborn daughter instead of his wife and legitimate children. Ms. Arakawa is the fifth-richest person in the city.¡±

    ¡°Oh, wow.¡± Emi¡¯s immediate thought was that Runa¡¯s mother budgeted pretty well, then, from the looks of the house and area, and then realized that normal people don¡¯t think about that kind of thing and she should stop being a rich brat.

    ¡°...And that brings us to the reason I needed to contact you so urgently, Ms. Ragnell,¡± Runa continued, talking like she were giving a lecture and not actually speaking to someone. ¡°I have reached a crucial phase in the Homunculus Project.¡±

    She beckoned to a table covered in glass, housing a dozen small rabbits jumping around and sleeping and eating from their bowls. ¡°I have ventured into the furthest reaches of the fabric of soul magic. With this, I am one step closer to using the soul to create new life. I will become a God among mortals!¡± She cackled.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Beatrice asked, peering at the rabbits closely.

    ¡°You cannot see? You were always rather simple, so I will explain. These rabbits, just one week ago, were no mere rabbits. They were insect larvae I found crawling outside my house!¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± Emi exclaimed. ¡°Pretty neat.¡± She had read about this sort of soul transfiguration magic when she was studying about magical incantations with Beatrice, but she thought it was only theoretical. This was certainly not theoretical!

    ¡°More than simply neat, my dear. I have transmuted them into new life, and now I will use this power to transmute them all into one being!¡±

    She flipped a nearby switch, which set ablaze a furnace directly underneath the table full of bunnies. A large crystal dangling on a chain dropped from above and crashed onto the table. The crystal shattered and magical energy began swirling around inside the glass...

    And then all the bunnies evaporated, dying in a fiery flash. Their bones turned to dust.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t supposed to happen... My calculations must be in error.¡± Runa ran off to a table to pore over some indecipherable papers, and left Emi and Beatrice to gaze at the carnage by themselves.

    Beatrice looked down at the ground and covered her face with her palm. Her glasses tilted. ¡°This was such a bad idea. I¡¯m really sorry for--¡±

    ¡°This is so cool,¡± Emi said. ¡°Thank you for bringing me here, Tris. I couldn¡¯t have asked for a better date.¡±

    She gave her a hug.

 Chapter 29: A Letter: Aftermath

    Nighttime.

    After hours of watching Runa Arakawa bumble around trying to repeat her apparent transmutation of insects into bunnies, Emi and Beatrice had finally left her house. She was never able to succeed at replicating that first step, let alone the step where she ended up incinerating the bunnies instead of merging their consciousnesses. It was horrific as it was entertaining.

    Since they were so close to the river, they went to the harbor and took a late-night stroll down a nearby boardwalk. It was nearly empty; the floating docks had already closed up and the workers had gone home. All Beatrice could see were the lights on the boats shipping cargo up and down the river, and the sparks flying out of the still-operating smelt mill.

    There were also two Dannark guards patrolling the area. They passed by the two girls, and one turned his pointed helmet in their direction. The helmet obscured his face except for his mouth, but he appeared to be giving them a look before he passed too far away to see them anymore. Apparently young women being out this late, this far out into the city, was definitely something to look down upon, even if not a crime to be punished for.

    Beatrice noticed Emi grimacing at the soldiers, but grabbed her hand to distract her from her frustrations. Emi looked at her and smiled softly.

    ¡°Our day today ended up being a bit unfun, Emi,¡± said Beatrice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry we couldn¡¯t go to Gonda Tower like you wanted.¡±.

    ¡°What? No, it was great!¡± Emi exclaimed. ¡°Wherever you dug up that Runa girl, she¡¯s the definition of fun. And Mrs. Arakawa¡¯s cooking is delicious.¡±

    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Those pastries were to die for. You should have told me to eat them before Runa got her paws all over the plate!¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t ruin the date, anyway,¡± she said.

    ¡°Tris... is that what this is?¡± Emi asked. ¡°A date?¡±

    ¡°Uh, well, I don¡¯t know. Is it?¡±

    ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d tell me. Because I¡¯m not sure.¡± Emi smiled broadly but for some reason it made Beatrice¡¯s heart sink

    She thought for sure that... well, with all the time they had spent together, all the romantic gestures, that surely this was a date. But... Well, Beatrice had called it a ¡®date¡¯ in her head, but she hadn¡¯t confirmed it or anything. Neither of them had actually said the word. ¡°Nevermind. It was just a joke,¡± she mumbled.

    They sat at the boardwalk pier for a while and held hands while watching the ships float by. Behind them, the smelt mill blew sparks into the night sky, orange dots glowing behind them. It was very calm, but it had begun to snow as well. Emi was shivering, as usual. Beatrice didn¡¯t understand how a girl born and raised in Balarand could have such a low tolerance for the cold.

    ¡°You think it¡¯s about time to go home?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m freezing out here.¡±

    They walked back from the harbor, mostly silent as the two tried to keep warm for the forty minutes or so before they reached Beatrice¡¯s apartment. This time, Beatrice had brought a scarf after all, just so she could hand it to Emi and make her smile. And smile she did. She took the scarf, pressed it up against her cheek, and then wrapped it around her neck. Seeing her happy made Beatrice tear up a little bit, she was so pleased. Was that normal?

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    Emi looked at her. She wiped off her face quickly so she wouldn¡¯t notice anything. ¡°So, Tris, I have an important question.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Why are you so cute?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°Oh, stop it.¡±

    ¡°No, I seriously need an answer,¡± Emi said. ¡°I demand one.¡±

    ¡°You demand one? Why don¡¯t you ask your many servants to explain it, then?¡± Beatrice giggled, but she hoped that her joke didn¡¯t go too far.

    But Emi seemed to take it in stride. ¡°My many servants couldn¡¯t come up with a consensus. There was simply too much data.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah? What was one data point?¡±

    ¡°There was a lot of debate over your eyes,¡± Emi said. ¡°Some of them wanted to describe them as ¡®sparkling like the Balarand River¡¯ and some wanted to call them ¡®glowing beacons lighting the way home.¡¯ The research was split into two camps and the vote was very tough.¡±

    ¡°Wow, what trite phrases to describe my eyes,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Copying some romance book, I see. Your many servants should learn how to write with more poetry in their words.¡±

    ¡°Okay then, how would you describe them?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°I can¡¯t really describe my own eyes... But yours? That I can do.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Emi looked into Beatrice¡¯s eyes and fluttered her eyelashes.

    ¡°I would say, ¡®Brown. Bountiful like soil. Bold like an autumn tree. Beautiful like roasted salmon on a cold night.¡¯ How about that?¡±

    ¡°Am I a farmer now?¡±

    ¡°If your hair wasn¡¯t so perfectly straight, you could be mistaken for one,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°Hm, I¡¯d kill to have curls like yours. They¡¯re so...¡± Emi took her free hand and began tousling it through Beatrice¡¯s head of hair. ¡°What do you do to get it like this?¡±

    ¡°Uh, it just comes this way. I actually thought it was kind of... bad?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where you would be sorely mistaken,¡± Emi said. ¡°Your hair and your freckles are like a two-part unit. They work together to create this beautiful woman nobody can look away from. And despite my high abilities, I too am afflicted by the curse. You are simply too powerful.¡±

    ¡°I never knew I was powerful. I have trouble carrying the groceries sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Power comes in many forms,¡± said the sagely Emi.

    Finally, they came to the library, the midway point where they needed to separate as their homes were in the opposite directions. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll see you some other time,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°Yeah. Whenever that will be.¡± Beatrice smiled. She turned around and began walking away. Beatrice had briefly considered saying something overly sappy or romantic to her, but this day was good enough as it was. Having to handle Runa was probably enough for the both of them, so--

    ¡°Wait, Tris!¡±

    Beatrice stopped. ¡°What is it?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I love you.¡±

    Beatrice and Emi stood silently, looking at one another for an indeterminable amount of time. Beatrice needed to take a moment to process this and take it in her mind before she could respond.

    Emi¡¯s smile quickly disappeared as she scrunched the sides of her mouth together, and tears welled up in her eyes. She began to wrap her arms around herself. ¡°I¡¯m s--¡±

    But then Beatrice smiled. ¡°I love you, too, Emi,¡± Beatrice said.

    There was a crystal explosion inside of Beatrice¡¯s soul.

    She had finally said it.

    She said that she loved Emi.

    ¡°Good night,¡± Beatrice added.

    Emi wiped her face off and grinned again, shedding a few of the tears that had built up. Beatrice took out a handkerchief and wiped her face. ¡°Good night, Tris. Have a good rest before practice tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°I will, for sure.¡±

    But Beatrice didn¡¯t get any sleep that night. She was too busy screaming in excitement.

 Chapter 30: Bad Books & Good Friends

    ¡°...and that¡¯s the end?!¡± Emi slammed the book shut and groaned loudly.

    ¡°Shhh!¡± someone replied.

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Ugh. Five hundred and eighty-nine pages worth of sloppy writing printed on a bunch of pieces of paper. It¡¯s an almost plotless, meandering piece of nonsense, and then it has the audacity to end on a cliffhanger?!

    She wanted her money back, except this was a library book and she paid nothing for it. Libraries really were amazing, weren¡¯t they? Still, she hated this book, probably the worst she¡¯d ever read, and needed to rant about it immediately.

    She stood up from her table and looked around for the nearest person she knew, and that happened to be Earl, who at the moment was up on a ladder rearranging books. Next to the ladder was a dolly filled with books recently returned by patrons or purchased by employees, at least a hundred of them.

    ¡°Hey, Earl,¡± Emi began without even checking to see if he was clear. ¡°I finished the worst book I ever read and it¡¯s making me really angry that I spent all that time reading something so bad, and I didn¡¯t even feel fulfilled in the end. Did anyone even proofread that book? Did the writer even finish, or did she just give up? It¡¯s completely ridiculous that I read all the way to the end of something that b--¡±

    Earl interrupted Emi¡¯s rant with a hearty laugh. He slid another book onto the top shelf and said, ¡°Emi, I know how you¡¯re feeling right now, but give me a second, okay?¡±

    He climbed down the ladder and reached eye level with Emi. For a second there, Earl¡¯s deep blue eyes made Emi¡¯s heart swoon, just remembering that this man was fifty percent responsible for the continent¡¯s most gorgeous woman.

    ¡°Okay, now, what were you on about? A bad book?¡± Earl asked.

    ¡°Yes! It¡¯s horrible. We should burn this book, it¡¯s so bad. Not literally burn it, because that would be very bad for the world to burn any book, but at least keep it under lock and key in a section called ¡°please do not read this.¡±

    He laughed again. ¡°Emi, what book are you even talking about?¡±

    ¡°Oh, oh yeah.¡± Emi went back to her table and shoved the cover in his face. ¡°This one! This stupid piece of Mammoth crap!¡±

    ¡°Ah, you finished The Resurrected Dragon God? I thought that one was pretty good, actually.¡± He grabbed a stack of books and climbed the ladder once more.

    ¡°Well, I thought it was garbage!¡±

    ¡°And yet, you read every single page,¡± he replied from half a story above.

    ¡°I had to see if it got better... I hate not finishing books,¡± Emi said. ¡°This one just happened to be a very tough challenge to get all the way through.¡±

    ¡°And why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°It was so ridiculously dumb! The whole thing is about this boy in some faraway continent who was hit by a speeding carriage, and then he is reborn, but as a God, and a dragon too for some reason? The first five chapters had nothing to do with the rest of the story because he was just reborn anyway! And he¡¯s so powerful that that there¡¯s no point to any of it. Stories about fictional Gods are interesting sometimes, but this one was just so confusing. If he was a God, what was the point in going down to the surface world and fighting everyone in sight?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all a metaphor for the Gods keeping the harmony,¡± Earl replied.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Emi said. ¡°It sure didn¡¯t seem like harmony when this dragon God kid beat up pretty reasonable folk just for disagreeing with him. It seemed like he killed half the world by the end of the book. And the people he romanced... For Phyra¡¯s sake, is this guy going to kiss every single man and woman who he doesn¡¯t kill?¡±

    ¡°Well, he IS a God now.¡±

    ¡°Stories are supposed to be about interesting characters and progress. Not about someone so powerful they never have to change. The only thing this dragon God kid changed was blowing up the world at the end of the book! Is that a cliffhanger for a sequel, or...¡±

    ¡°Or...¡±

    ¡°Oh, I... I kind of get it now.¡±

    Earl came back down and says, ¡°Yes, I think you¡¯re starting to get it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re... not supposed to identify with the dragon God and his power,¡± Emi said as if she¡¯d fallen into some deep revelation. ¡°The whole book is... a metaphor for the harm the Gods would cause if there was no harmony to keep.¡±

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    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t put it that way, but you are on the right track, I think,¡± he told her. ¡°The book is bad because its protagonist is bad. But he gives humanity a very important lesson. We must pray for our Gods to be powerful and kind, or else they won¡¯t be able to help us in the right way. They could very well end up like the dragon God in this story.¡±

    ¡°I never thought of it that way... I still hate the book, but I almost respect it now, too.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s about how most people feel about it. It¡¯s a very controversial book in Dannark, I hear. By the way, want me to put that book back for you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, sure thing.¡±

    Earl went back up the ladder carrying Resurrection of the Dragon Dog back to its rightful place... out of the hands of any potential reader. ¡°Of course, there was a dragon God worshipped in the Frozen Desert a long time ago. Its origins are mysterious and there is no evidence of followers anymore. That¡¯s all we know.¡±

    ¡°You sure know a lot about the Gods, Earl,¡± Emi said. ¡°You¡¯re like a walking encyclopedia whenever I need it.¡±

    ¡°Heh, my daughter says that, too. Sometimes I worry she only became a junior priest because I blabbed on about it too much.¡±

    ¡°Yeah...¡± Emi had a lot she could say, but nothing that wouldn¡¯t compromise her secret relationship with Beatrice. She was a bit confused why they hadn¡¯t told Beatrice¡¯s parents yet, but whatever she was comfortable with, that was fine.

    ¡°Oh yeah, you and my daughter went to the docks the other day, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°About a week ago, yeah, to see that Runa girl.¡±

    ¡°Oh, brother,¡± Earl said. ¡°That Runa is something else...¡±

    ¡°I think she¡¯s adorable. She¡¯s the silliest person I¡¯ve ever met, and I¡¯ve met me. How old is that girl, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Oh, uh... Well, I don¡¯t actually know. She always needed a babysitter back in the day, but I think that was a behavioral issue more than anything. Her mother thought she needed a friend. She might have be the same age as Beatrice...¡±

    ¡°Same age as Beatrice? That¡¯s... A lot less adorable, if that¡¯s true. But still a little adorable.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of adorable, can you hand me those copies of Brandy Family Picnic on the dolly?¡± Earl asked.

    Emi found the books and handed them up to the ladder. ¡°Aw, I loved Brandy Family Picnic as a kid. That was one of the first books I read here! Such a cute story.¡±

    ¡°I remember that time. That was when your parents still came by here to drop you off every week. You know, I never quite figured out why a wealthy family like the L¡¯Himes chose a public library to take their daughter, but I¡¯m very glad they did, because I wouldn¡¯t have met that wonderful little child who would one day grow up to be you.¡±

    ¡°Awww... Wait, my parents used to take me here?¡±

    ¡°Of course. What, were you going to come by yourself when you were still four feet tall?¡±

    ¡°Uh... huh.¡± Emi shook her head like she didn¡¯t know what he was talking about. Then her hair got all in her face. Ugh. ¡°Somehow I don¡¯t remember this. I guess I just thought I always came by sneaking out--er, by asking permission, which is what I always do.¡±

    ¡°I only met your parents briefly a couple times, but they seemed like wonderful people. I¡¯m really glad for all the work they are doing for Elince right now. A lot of people might hate them, but they¡¯re the only ones standing between Dannark and King Kline, and... they¡¯re doing a good job.¡±

    ¡°To be honest, I try not to keep up with my parents too often. They¡¯re not really... I mean, I love them, but...¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Earl said. He slid back down the ladder and pushed the dolly to another shelf on the library. Emi followed him. ¡°I had a tough relationship with my parents, too. Enough that I went and ran away to Balarand the moment I came of age.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I should do the same.¡±

    Earl laughed another time. ¡°No offense, my friend, but you don¡¯t seem like you could survive too well on your own.¡±

    ¡°You may be right...¡±

    ¡°But hey, if you ever feel like you¡¯ve had enough with the life of luxury, you can always stay at my family¡¯s apartment for a while. Or... I would say that, but we only have two beds and I doubt my daughter would be too keen on sharing.¡± He smiled as if he made a silly dad joke. Instead, it made Emi¡¯s face turn bright red as her mind considered the scenario he presented to her.

    ¡°Ah, it appears Emi has been embarrassed by something,¡± a voice from behind said.

    It was Tia Knoll, surprisingly wearing breeches and no wig. What the heck was he doing here?

    ¡°Oh, wow, Tia Knoll, here in my library?¡± Earl seemed incredibly impressed. ¡°Together, you two have more money than my entire apartment complex combined. And you¡¯re visiting the public library. That¡¯s got to be a sign of the times.¡±

    ¡°I am merely here to grab Emi for an important date we have,¡± he said.

    ¡°Tia, how did you even know I was here?¡±

    ¡°You are always here, if you are not at your home.¡± Tia grinned.

    ¡°You two are going on a date?¡± Earl asked. ¡°But I thought... Hmmm.¡± His expression became perplexingly stern.

    ¡°No, no, no! Not a date date. Like just a normal event known as a date. We are not dating. Just an event,¡± Emi tried to correct desperately.

    ¡°She speaks the truth,¡± Tia said. ¡°I tend to only have romantic interactions with other men.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! And we¡¯re going to to this event known as... Uh, what event is this again?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called, ¡®Let¡¯s go eat a late lunch and gossip!¡¯ The best event.¡±

    Emi frowned.

    Earl was back to his normal self. ¡°Oh, you young people are always the same. Well, enjoy yourselves. Come back if you ever want to read some books for free, not that you¡¯ll ever need it.¡±

    Just when Emi was starting to have a heart-to-heart with Beatrice¡¯s own father, here comes Tia Knoll himself... Sigh.

    Still... It was a very good talk. It was very weird to say this, but Emi realized today that Earl was one of her best friends. And that was nice.

 Chapter 31: Tear

    Beatrice watched her Mom intently. So intently that it might have scared anyone that wasn¡¯t family. So intent that, she had to admit, she wasn¡¯t actually learning anything.

    ¡°This looks so hard,¡± she mumbled to herself.

    But, apparently, she mumbled just loud enough, because her mother soon said, ¡°Sewing is not like a book. You don¡¯t master it by studying.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t, uh, trying to study it,¡± Beatrice lied. ¡°I was just watching my beautiful mother.¡±

    ¡°This is a very simple thing, sewing up a tear,¡± Mom said. ¡°Nothing special.¡±

    ¡°You know, just because you¡¯re doing something simple doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re not beautiful!¡± Ugh, Beatrice hated when she deflected practically every compliment given to her. Why couldn¡¯t she just say thank you?

    ¡°And... there it is. Your robes are good as new, as long as nobody looks too closely.¡± She held up the orange-and-white ceremonial garbs and showed off her sewing job.

    See, Beatrice was almost always careful, but after practice today she was walking home when she saw a greyback bear scamper by and, uh, kind of tripped and fell on the sidewalk. She probably shouldn¡¯t have been scared by a silly little animal (that was Emi¡¯s job), and she also probably shouldn¡¯t have been wearing her school¡¯s official robes while walking home...

    Well, the tear in her outfit had now been repaired, and she was hopefully going to get safe without anyone noticing. Otherwise, if they found out, St. Helens Academy would probably bill her family fifty gold coins just for the repairs, and that would be embarrassingly annoying.

    ¡°It looks amazing, Mom,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°And I¡¯m not just saying that. I really mean it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been a seamstress for all my life. It really isn¡¯t anything to thank me for.¡±

    ¡°But it is! I have you here to patch every hole and darn every tear. Almost every dress I own was made by you, including my own school uniform! Not a lot of people have parents so gifted, and I¡¯ll never stop being proud of it.¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    ¡°And... I feel really bad for not trying to follow in your footsteps. Grandma and Great-Grandma were both seamstresses like you, but I don¡¯t know the first thing about any of it. Most people don¡¯t. It¡¯s super special to know how to sew, and...¡± Beatrice cut herself off because she realized she had kind of changed the topic on herself. ¡°What I mean is, do you think you could teach me to sew sometime?¡±

    Her Mom sighed. ¡°I suppose. If you¡¯re going off to become a priest, you¡¯ll need to know how to do this all on your own. I won¡¯t be there to help you.¡±

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    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right, I didn¡¯t even think about... that.¡±

    She didn¡¯t think about that because, honestly, she hadn¡¯t thought about the whole priesthood deal in a good week. Especially not the fact that she wouldn¡¯t see her parents anymore except on rare occasions. And Mom seemed to recognize the fact that she hadn¡¯t thought about it, which made Beatrice feel terrible. She felt like a selfish brat (and once again, that was Emi¡¯s job).

    ¡°Please teach me how to sew, Mom!¡± she pleaded with renewed fervor.

    ¡°Alright, I will.¡± Mom began playing through Beatrice¡¯s hair and messing through her curls. ¡°Only if you promise me never to cut your hair short again.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s so lovely when it gets long, and then you always cut it short right after,¡± she said. ¡°I love it like this.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize my hair was getting so long, wow.¡± Beatrice began tossling through her own hair and it hit her that, yes, her hair was quite a bit longer than it was when she started wearing it like this. ¡°I won¡¯t promise you anything, but I¡¯ll make sure only to get haircuts you like.¡±

    ¡°That would make me happy.¡±

    ¡°So...¡±

    ¡°Yes, Beatrice?¡±

    ¡°When do we start?¡±

    Mom looked extremely confused. ¡°...Did you want to start right now?¡±

    ¡°Um, kind of,¡± Beatrice answered. ¡°Since everything¡¯s already out, maybe we could--¡±

    ¡°Honey, I¡¯m home!¡±

    Dad came crashing through the door with an absolutely unexpected level of energy. He carried a sack of groceries around his arm and more in the bag on his back, and yet ran into the apartment as if he were a child hyped up on sugary salmon binds.

    ¡°What¡¯s got him so riled up?¡± Mom asked.

    ¡°I have no clue.¡±

    Both women started to get up from their chairs, but Dad beckoned them down. He began giving Beatrice a shoulder massage and said, ¡°Did you know who I ran into today? Tia Knoll. Heir to the entire Knoll Family estate. Just walking into the library like it was nothing.¡±

    ¡°And...?¡±

    ¡°Well, it looks like he¡¯s a friend of that Emi L¡¯Hime girl, which means he could become a regular. And if he¡¯s a regular... The library could receive millions of coins in donations!¡±

    Emi... Oh, Emi was at the library all by herself, and presumably had fun conversations with Dad and with the single richest person in Balarand. That must have been a fun adventure, Beatrice thought. She was jealous she had to miss out...

    ¡°How was Emi?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°Oh, her normal self. Ranting about a book she didn¡¯t like.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my Emi.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I mean, that¡¯s my friend Emi, all right,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Anyway, you really think the Knoll Family would fund the library if the heir started to visit more often?¡±

    ¡°Well... I can dream, at least,¡± he said. His energy died down as the realism set in. He let go of Beatrice¡¯s shoulders and moved to Mom¡¯s. ¡°What I don¡¯t have to dream about is.... supper!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s for supper?¡± asked Mom.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready for anything that isn¡¯t vegetable soup again,¡± said Beatrice.

    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise,¡± Dad told them.

    It was vegetable soup.

 Chapter 32: Emi Helping Out

    ¡°Missed a spot.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know...¡±

    The maid Pip dusted a bookshelf while Emi swept the floor. They had been doing so for almost two hours now. But finally, Emi¡¯s bedroom was starting to look presentable enough that people could come in here without having a heart attack.

    Emi already missed the clutter so, so much. Her system... Her art... It was all gone.. How was she going to know what to wear every morning if it wasn¡¯t staring her in the face the moment she looked at the carpet? And she wasn¡¯t even going to bring up the horrific treatment done upon her desk.

    Pip, for what it was worth, took it in great humor that a diplomat¡¯s daughter would be such a slob. ¡°You got enough closet space for a family of four, and you still throw everything on the floor,¡± she had said when they had first started. ¡°Wish I could be your kind of rich.¡±

    There was no point in Emi fighting it, because it was true. She was exemplary as an example of a terrible person.

    Now she was a terrible person with a clean room. With a few taps of her broom handle against the floor and dumping the contents of her dustpan into the wastebasket, Emi signaled her satisfaction in the day¡¯s work. ¡°Finally,¡± she said. ¡°Good job, everyone.¡± It was just the two of them.

    Pip laughed. ¡°What the Mammoth crap are you talking about?¡± she asked. ¡°We got a long ways to go.¡±

    ¡°I thought announcing it like that would make it look better...¡±

    ***

    Okay, an hour and a half later, NOW they were finished with Emi¡¯s room.

    Since work was over, Emi sat at her desk chair, showing off her latest creations to Pip, who laid belly-down on Emi¡¯s bed, hands on her face and rhythmically kicking her feet in the air.

    It was pretty annoying to have all her work-in-progress projects reorganized and all the spare parts sorted into little makeshift shelves. It was hard to remember exactly where she had left off. She might have to learn to live in this wretched way, where everything was put where it was supposed to be.

    ¡°I call this a tin man,¡± Emi said. She placed the metallic humanoid toy on the desk and wound it up a few times. When she let go, the thing clanged forwards in a straight line, moving all by itself. Its feet didn¡¯t move, exactly--more like they made several tiny hops per second. Then it fell on its side and quickly lost all power. ¡°I haven¡¯t figured it all out yet, but what I want to do is have the feet move by themselves. I¡¯m not sure if I can do that in a machine this small, though...¡±

    Pip didn¡¯t seem all that interested in the machines, but she was having a sporting time just seeing Emi have fun. ¡°You sure caught onto this stuff real quick,¡± she said.

    ¡°What stuff?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°The gear spring tinkering whatever, y¡¯know,¡± Pip said. Her black-iris eyes blinked a few times, as if they were bewildered at Emi not understanding. ¡°You started just a couple months ago, and you¡¯re already building little toys and stuff. Probably takes a long time for most people to figure that kinda stuff out.¡±

    ¡°Oh, ha, no, it¡¯s not very impressive. I got it all from this blueprint for a jack-in-the-box toy. Everything is based on what some other guy made.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself so cheap! You¡¯re great.¡± Pip stopped kicking her legs, and then sat up in the bed, legs crossed. ¡°Like, what in Phyra¡¯s name¡¯s that thing?¡± She pointed to the largest item on Emi¡¯s desk, a boxy device with black and white dots scattered on its surface. ¡°It looks like a really complicated book.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that doesn¡¯t work at all,¡± Emi said. ¡°It¡¯s... Well, I¡¯m trying to do something cool with it.¡±

    ¡°For your girl?¡±

    Emi gulped. ¡°My, uh, girl...?¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Pip giggled. ¡°Everyone knows,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t gotta worry about it. So, that a present for her or what?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s going to be for her, if I can get it to work,¡± Emi said. ¡°But don¡¯t tell her, okay?¡±

    ¡°When am I ever going to talk to her?¡±

    ¡°Fair enough.¡±

    Emi got up from her desk and put away the devices she had brought out. She guessed it really had been a pretty short time since she started studying mechanics in her spare time. It didn¡¯t feel like she was doing anything special, though.

    Maybe Pip was just hitting on her.

    Emi brushed the hair out of her face for what seemed like the millionth time today. ¡°Ugh.¡±

    ¡°You good?¡±

    ¡°Kind of... My stupid hair is always bugging me lately.¡±

    ¡°When¡¯s the last time you got a trim?¡±

    ¡°What, are you saying it looks bad?¡±

    ¡°Just asking how long it¡¯s been.¡± Pip winked.

    ¡°It¡¯s... Gods, it¡¯s been a while, has it?¡± Since before the first time she met Tris, that¡¯s for sure. No wonder it was feeling overbearing on her.

    ¡°Speaking of ¡®been a while,¡¯ where is that girl of yours?¡± Pip asked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t she usually come around this time every day so you two can go out and do whatever?¡±

    ¡°Not EVERY day,¡± Emi corrected. ¡°It¡¯s.... not every day, is it?¡±

    ¡°Just about.¡±

    ¡°Well, she¡¯s really busy preparing for the Winter Ceremonies. She won¡¯t be here for a few days, probably. I think.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yeah, that¡¯s what my girl said at first,¡± Pip said. ¡°Real busy with work. Then a week later, she¡¯s decided it¡¯s not working out.¡± She waved her hands with exaggerated emphasis. ¡°Oh, y¡¯know, my ex¡¯s a haircutter. I can probably get you a discount. Want me to go check?¡°

    ¡°Enough with the hair already.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯d probably say no anyway, on account of the breakup and all. She sucks, just like your girl if she¡¯s gonna be all ghostly on you.¡±

    ¡°Tris-- I mean, my, girl-- I mean, my friend isn¡¯t like that at all,¡± Emi said.

    ¡° I just assume everyone sucks. World works better that way,¡± Pip said. ¡°You¡¯re okay though.¡±

    Okay, she was definitely hitting on her now. Time to wrap it up.

    ¡°Hey, I was thinking about... going out, soon,¡± Emi said. ¡°Do you mind if...¡±

    ¡°Want me to cover for you while you sneak out? Okay,¡± she said. ¡°But don¡¯t forget, you owe me a Doros Prime. I want that liquor cabinet key.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±

    ¡°What do you see in her, anyway?¡± Pip asked. ¡°What¡¯s that girl got that some other girl don¡¯t? She¡¯s not rich or some cool soldier. Just a schoolgirl, no? So what¡¯s she got?¡±

    Emi sighed. ¡°Everything.¡±

    That¡¯s all she said, but it¡¯s not all she thought.

    Beatrice Ragnell, the girl of her dreams. So tenacious, so fiery, so passionate, that Emi could feel her warmth, feel her arms wrapped around her even at this moment. Her eyes blasting out from her glasses, crystal-focused on what laid ahead, and she charged forward to meet it, no matter what faced her.

    It wasn¡¯t just that Beatrice was the most beautiful girl in the world, which was a scientific fact if there ever was one. It was that Beatrice was so strong. It was that she looked at something she wanted to accomplish, and instead of waiting around, agonizing over decisions or second-guessing herself, she just did it. She was someone who, just by looking at her, you knew she was going to change the world in a few years. She was going to be important.

    And Emi wanted to be there for her when she did. No matter what it was, Emi wanted to be there, watching her, supporting her, cuddling with her. It¡¯s not like she had any plans in her life, except maybe raise a family one day. Whatever Beatrice wanted to do, she was going to do it, throwing her small body into the fires and trials, destined to come back through the other side unscathed.

    What a woman.

    Emi waved to Pip and exited her bedroom. She left her house and ventured out to the edge of the Balarand River, where she watched the sun set and the tiny farm houses past the city fade into the night.

    Her life really had changed a lot in these past few months. She met the girl of her dreams--no, the girl of her life. She finished her schooling, started helping around the house, got a new hobby. Her fiancee set the date for their wedding.

    All of that came swirling together so quickly that it completely changed the course of Emi¡¯s life. But she still felt like the same despondent brat that everyone hated, except for Beatrice for some reason. Why wasn¡¯t she becoming a better person?

    Why wasn¡¯t she able to tell Beatrice the truth about her impending marriage? Why was she still sneaking out of the house? Why was she always so hard on herself?

    Tough questions, no answers.

    Emi wanted to change. She wanted to become a better person, become someone more like Beatrice. If her girlfriend had the power to help keep the harmony of the Gods and whatnot, then Emi had to have that same power within her. It was hidden way deep down, maybe, but she knew it was there.

    As Emi passed the library without entering, she decided she would change to the best of her ability. And that change was going to start with this stupid hair always in her darn face.

 Chapter 33: Tomorrow [Illustration]

    Everyone paused, They stood where they were, frozen in place for ten, maybe fifteen seconds. Nothing but the sound of the wind and panting students.

    ¡°And... finished.¡±

    And only after that did everyone cheer.

    Mr. Statusian clapped. ¡°You did it. You¡¯re ready for the Winter Ceremonies.¡±

    The two dozen students standing in a ritual circle bowed in unison, and then said, ¡°Thank you for the day,¡± before ending the practice.

    To Beatrice, this marked the end of a grueling final month to her schooling as a junior priest. She and her classmates worked hard together to perfect the magical rituals that would protect Balarand from harm for the rest of the year. One mistake and it could doom everything. But they wouldn¡¯t make a mistake, not anymore.

    Practice was over, but it was already nearly dark. Snow blanketed the ground and continued to fall from the sky. Most headed home, since there was nothing much else to do but get some rest before the big day.

    Beatrice looked around at her white-and-orange-robed classmates, the ones with whom she would be performing in Knoll Park tomorrow morning. Just one month ago, she was the only one with a care in the world about religion class or the spells and incantations they studied. Now, on the precipice of actually casting a grand magical spell, it was clear everyone was ecstatic.

    That even included Bodhi, who approached Beatrice along with Mr. Statusian. Bodhi had been beaming every time she saw him lately, and that was the same now. Bodhi had already taken off his robe and put on a cap, which made Beatrice suddenly realize she was still in full ceremonial attire. She lowered her hood and greeted the two of them.

    Mr. Statusian pantomimed jabbing Bodhi in the ribs with his elbow. ¡°Look at our star kid,¡± he said to Bodhi. ¡°I¡¯ve never taught a class as good as this one, and it¡¯s all thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Bea, you¡¯re fantastic.¡±

    Beatrice tilted her head to the side. ¡°No? I didn¡¯t do anything special. It was your teaching that helped everyone.¡±

    They both laughed, and Mr. Statusian said to Bodhi, ¡°See, I told you she¡¯d say that.¡± Bodhi laughed. He turned back to Beatrice. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re going to make Elince proud one day. I¡¯ve had groups in past years who really made me stay awake the night of, wondering if they would really pull it off. But I¡¯m going to rest like a greyback tonight.¡±

    ¡°Seriously,¡± Bodhi told her, ¡°I¡¯ve talked to half the people in our class, and they all say the way you work hard is the main thing that got them going. Thanks a lot.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± is all Beatrice could say to spare herself the trouble of trying to mitigate all this unearned praise. She failed to suppress a nervous laugh. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m looking forward to tomorrow. It¡¯s very exciting.¡±

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    Mr. Statusian took another look at Bodhi and then waved. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see you two then. I¡¯m off. Make sure to leave the premises before the school closes.¡± He turned around and left.

    That just left the two of them.

    Bodhi looked like he was about to say something, but hesitated for a second. His left hand tightly clutched the ceremonial robes he was holding.

    ¡°See you tomorrow,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°Yeah, see you.¡± He flashed a toothy grin, the last thing Beatrice saw before she scampered off, disrobing while walking. She wondered if he was going to ask her to go eat or something like that, but she would have had to decline, anyway-- she had somewhere very important to be.

    Beatrice traveled down the dim, snowy streets, the sun gone so early that she could have sworn she just ate lunch, and took in the all-encompassing wintery smell that permeated the entire city. It was the kind of scent of... well, ice, naturally, but also of smoky meat grilling by food venders, of the musty fur on the coats of nearly every person she passed.

    But for everything, it was unmistakably, undeniably, that of Balarand. The city may have been under turmoil, may have been in a haze of tension as thick as the blistering, snowy winds, but it was still the only city she had ever called home. Beatrice was going to travel the world one day, going to make the world a better place. Or... at least, that¡¯s what she had planned since childhood. But no matter where she went, she would never feel a home like Balarand, she was certain of that.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re going to make Elince proud when you become a priest,¡± Mr. Statusian had said.

    Gods.

    She had no idea what to make of a statement like that. One look at her girlfriend and her entire life went spiraling away. The Wills of the Gods wanting her to become a celibate warrior for peace, a paladin of harmony, all while Emi L¡¯Hime was right there for her, someone she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She was a gift from the Gods Themselves, surely. It was all so contradictory, so confusing that it made her want to figure out a spell to explode her own mind.

    For now, though, she was going to put that off and focus on the present. Tomorrow, having fun and celebrating the Winter Ceremonies. Today, spending time with Emi.

    In no time, she returned to the library, where her Dad was organizing some books-- and where Emi was sitting at a table, reading. Beatrice went directly over to the table, and pulled out a book of her own from her school bag.

    ¡°Hi,¡± she said.

    Emi returned her greeting with a quick smile.

    ...

    ...

    Beatrice¡¯s eyes popped open. ¡°EMI,¡± she screamed.

    ¡°Hehehe, you finally noticed.¡±

    ¡°EMI, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HAIR?!¡±

    It was...

    It was...

    Where did it go? Did she drink an invisibility potion? Were those real?

    Did Runa kidnap her and cut all her hair off for research?!

    ¡°I wanted to change my image up a little bit,¡± Emi said. ¡°Looks pretty, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Gods, I¡¯m going to faint,¡± Beatrice said.

    And then she did.

    ¡°Tris? Tris? Are you... Ah!!! Earl! Help!¡±

    Unconscious or not, Beatrice was fine. In fact, she thought she just saw the human incarnation of the Goddess Phyra in front of her, at least until her vision blacked out. It was all good and fine... but maybe Emi could have warned her first?

 Chapter 34: The Winter Ceremonies [Illustration]

    Snowflakes kept falling on Emi¡¯s head.

    Her eyes were going to turn red soon if this didn¡¯t stop.

    She meant to wear a hat, but when she actually opened her closet to find one to suit her black dress, she couldn¡¯t anything that matched. All that organizing she and Pip had done to her bedroom... it ruined everything. Just like the man whose feet were too big for his bed, nothing seemed to fit...

    Those snowflakes were falling on her head. And they kept falling.

    Emi stood by herself in the middle of a crowded gathering area near the statue of Jon Knoll, to whom Knoll Park was originally dedicated. Apparently that man was a direct ancestor to our present-day Tia Knoll, his great-great-great-great grandfather or something. The statue sure looked like him, too, minus the wig and dresses.

    She felt a bit weird standing around with a bunch of students from a school she had never been to, all dressed in the same exact too-thin-for-the-winter uniform Beatrice sported almost every day. Then there was her, who had on an elegant and warm-colored dress. She stood out, and she was sure everyone was staring at her, making comments about her. Being in a crowd, and one where she looked unique, made her sweat from the stress, even in this weather. The things Emi did for Beatrice...

    Despite being angry that they would leave so suddenly, she was also glad her parents were still out in Zahn; if they were here, she would never have been able to get out of all the stupid parties today. So many balls and dances and creepy older men hitting on her. And as unfortunate as it was, she was happy King Kline¡¯s processions weren¡¯t happening this year...

    Yes, she had decided to be in favor of a hostile takeover of her kingdom¡¯s government just so she didn¡¯t have to go to as many parties this year. It was worth it.

    Situated right in the center of Knoll Park, the Winter Ceremonies ritual was about to begin, and Knoll Park was soon to be shielded from harm for the rest of the year. Emi only knew the basics of magical incantations from what she studied to impress Beatrice, but she knew well that, when people channeled together their souls together with the correct strength, they really could do amazing things. And that¡¯s how this ritual here was supposed to work.

    A local priest, dressed in a traditional white-and-orange Elincian garb, began pounding on a drum to a rhythmic cadence. On cue, dozens of robed individuals, apparently Beatrice and her classmates, stepped out and encircled the Jon Knoll statue, taking each step in beat with the drum. They all had their heads down and Emi most definitely could not tell which of them was Beatrice herself, hard as she looked; anyone who says they can pick their loved ones out of a crowd like this are bald-faced liars.

    One more priest, the man Emi identified as Beatrice¡¯s teacher Mr. Statusian--she had mentioned him a few times and always mentioned his boyish good looks--stepped up in front of the circle of junior priest and clapped his hands. The drums stopped, and the park fell silent, aside from some chirping birds.

    ¡°We gather here to begin the Winter Ceremonies,¡± he shouted. ¡°These junior priests, graduating this winter from the St. Helens Academy, have gathered here to send praise on up high and make sure the Gods know our devotion. If there are no objections, we will begin.¡±

    Mr. Statusian waited for a moment, and then clapped once more. ¡°Good. Junior priests?¡± The junior priests began moving their hands together in a rhythmic, circular motion. It was not in-sync, but instead staggered, each person¡¯s orbit of hands leading into the next. It conjured up the image of a spiraling orb flowing through a field. At the same time, some of them also moved their positions forward or backwards. These things together made the image appear to move in and out of the depth of field.

    The group continued this rhythmic motion, moving about until their formation was that of a sort of star, and then, all at once, they clapped their hands together bowed at a forty-five degree angle.

    A glowing magical field formed in the spaces between them, casting a purple hue over the entire surrounding area. Like a funhouse mirror it warped the image in front of Emi¡¯s eyes, and she could no longer clearly see what was going on except that the junior priests were staying in position. This energy was similar what she had seen in Runa¡¯s laboratory, though unlike that time, the magic was not moving around erratically like lightning bolts, but instead focused in a steady position, almost standstill.

    Silence struck the entire park, as if time had frozen just as much as the snow that covered the ground. And then, Emi had a sudden burst of inspiration about how to finish her machine. The way these junior priests had moved, the way they had created a picture with only their own movement... Wow. The gears in her mind began rotating, and-- Well, she would think about it later. For now, she needed to pay attention to the ritual.

    The silence was finally broken in a symphonic booming of voices. ¡°Bk¡¯Man, we honor Thee,¡± the junior priests said in unison. ¡°Keep our winters wet and warm. Protect our city as we protect Your lands. And bless Knoll Park. Let Your delicate harmony wash over us.¡± They added something in a dialect that Emi couldn¡¯t parse, and then unclasped their hands.

    Immediately, the magical energy on the ground surged upwards into the sky, creating a literal barrier around the park so thick even snow could not pass through; it piled up at the top of the shimmering, purple dome thirty feet in the air.

    After several moments and many gasps of awe, the junior priests threw down their hands all at once. The barrier dissipated and the snow gathered at the top came torrenting down.

    A giant ball of snow and ice hit Emi in the head and covered her hair. That figured.

    ¡°Knoll Park has been blessed for the new year,¡± the junior priests said. ¡°Thank you, people of Balarand, for keeping your spirits strong once again.¡± They exited just as they came. Apparently, the park was now blessed by the God Bk¡¯Man.

    The crowd cheered. Now that the Winter Ceremonies had officially begun, it was time to have some fun, with the knowledge of a safer Balarand at the back of everyone¡¯s minds.

    Emi had no idea how that barrier worked, but it was exciting to watch. The idea that someone could manipulate the forces around them with only the energy of their own soul, that someone could be greater than the nature that had shaped them... Well, it was very interesting. Though, she wondered why the barrier suddenly disappeared like that. From what little she studied about magical incantations, she couldn¡¯t explain this ritual in the slightest. It probably took a better understanding of religious rituals to figure it out.

    The life of a priest--or even a junior priest--intrigued Emi. Beatrice hadn¡¯t much discussed the priesthood since they started dating, so all she knew was what she gathered from her history textbooks. And, unlike you, my little lazy grandchild, Emi studied a lot, so she was very well informed. She knew what the priesthood meant to Tsubasa, but most of all, she knew what it would mean if Beatrice became a priest.

    Emi tried to keep it out of her mind, but if Beatrice really was going to go off and become some celibate warrior-monk off in the Frozen Desert, fighting sabertooth tigers or whatever priests did, then Emi was probably going to... Well, as long as Beatrice was happy with hunting giant animals in the tundra, that was what was important, she guessed.

    Okay, perhaps Emi isn¡¯t the best example of an educated woman. I stand corrected.

    Anyway, she wasn¡¯t going to think about that anymore, because Beatrice was here now, out of her robes and into a heavy winter coat. A boy in a tattered jacket followed closely behind.

    ¡°Emi, how did you like it?¡± Beatrice asked, giving her a quick hug.

    ¡°It was fantastic,¡± Emi said. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen something like that before. But.. Do you feel any different now? I don¡¯t. Does that mean the ceremony failed?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not how the blessing works,¡± Beatrice switched into lecture mode. ¡°It¡¯s difficult for humans to detect, because it¡¯s not a physically occurring effect.¡±

    Emi wasn¡¯t quite convinced. ¡°The barrier physically occurred, though....¡±

    ¡°Emi...¡±

    ¡°Tris...¡±

    ¡°Hi,¡± the boy said. ¡°I¡¯m Bodhi. Bodhi Makala.¡± He was nice, with a wide smile and light, turquoise eyes. He was what she always pictured when storybooks would feature a magical prince or dashing knight, his stature so tall and broad that you¡¯d think he was a professional sportsman. He looked like a princely celebrity much more than he looked a low-class junior priest.

    ¡°Nice to meet you. Emi, current assumed head of the L¡¯Hime Family household.¡± She extended her hand and Bodhi reluctantly shook it. She realized how formally she had just introduced herself, and with a half-lie considering that Ms. Khami was effectively the head of the household while her parents were away, even if Emi had legal status... Oh, why did she always mess up with things like these? And why were they still shaking hands?

    Beatrice noticed her flusterations and put her arm around Emi¡¯s shoulder, getting her to let go of Bodhi¡¯s hand. ¡°Sorry,¡± she said. ¡°This is my girlfriend. She¡¯s just being silly right now.¡±

    Emi tried to giggle but it didn¡¯t come out right.

    Still... that word. Girlfriend. It made her heart melt just hearing it come out of Beatrice¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you,¡± Bodhi said. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be something special to get a girl like her away from studying all day.¡±

    Beatrice rolled her eyes, but Emi laughed. ¡°She still studies all the time, don¡¯t worry. She wouldn¡¯t be such a genius if she didn¡¯t!¡±

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    ¡°I¡¯m no genius...¡± whined Beatrice.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been a genius since we were toddlers,¡± said Bodhi. ¡°Now you¡¯re just old enough that it¡¯s not scary to everyone.¡±

    ¡°Stop....¡±

    ¡°Good to see Emi¡¯s as beautiful as you deserve, though. That haircut is excellent.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± Emi patted the back of her head, where there was once so much more hair covering it.

    Beatrice sighed and mumbled something along the lines of, ¡°...can¡¯t believe you...¡±

    ¡°Well, nice to meet you, Emi,¡± Bodhi said. His smile, she realized, wasn¡¯t as strong as when he introduced himself. ¡°I have to go meet up with my family. I guess I¡¯ll see you around, Bea?¡±

    ¡°Not if you call me Bea you won¡¯t.¡±

    He laughed, and said, ¡°Well, I hope you do well in the Priesthood Exams. Beatrice.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    He left, and Emi wondered for a moment how much Beatrice realized about her own situation with that boy. Then... she felt a wave of bliss when she realized Beatrice¡¯s arm was still around her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go explore the festival,¡± Beatrice suggested.

    ¡°Agreed.¡±

    ***

    Alongside the Winter Ceremonies is the biggest festival of the year in Balarand, and perhaps all of Tsubasa. Hundreds of thousands go to Balarand every year for the Winter Ceremonies, from all across the entire continent. They truly are something special, I will tell you that.

    Even during this time of occupation by Dannark, people from all over Elince still flocked to the capital to enjoy the festivities, and in this year in particular, Dannark citizens came in droves as well. There was hardly a hotel room open, hardly a shop with empty space during this year¡¯s festival.

    For as cold as the city was, the vibrant atmosphere of the Winter Ceremonies was as warm as the spiciest salmon bind.

    Situated downtown was a massive display of snow sculptures of endless design, some of them so intricate and detailed that they could be looked upon for hours and still you could find new details to appreciate. One of the biggest sculptures was an entire miniature village of more than a dozen snow buildings and hundreds of snow people going about their snow lives. Another featured an expressive rendition of Empress Nievol¡¯s face, though this sculpture was guarded closely by four Dannark soldiers and attracted few to give it a thorough examination.

    Beatrice and Emi looked at a sculpture that seemed to be depicting two human children having a snowball fight, but the anatomy was misshapen in a way that made it look more like a fierce battle between humanoid snow leopards... or maybe a mating ritual between two birds.

    It was a bit perplexing, and they studied it for far longer than it was worth.

    And yet... There was something interesting about such an odd ice sculpture, something so.... Actually, both of them had become quite bored quite quickly.

    It was better to try out all the snacks!

    ¡°I love food so much,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°You love food, and you love getting drastic haircuts without the faintest warning to your own girlfriend,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°You¡¯ll never let it go, will you?¡±

    ¡°Not until I forget it thanks to too many sweets.¡±

    Emi had already purchased and eaten three different stuffed salmon binds, each a different flavor from a different food stand. The marketplace always had these kinds of foods on sale, but on the Winter Ceremonies day, there were ten times the options, all with different prices and reputations to uphold.

    If she were a more discerning girl, she would take the time to study the prices and figure out what was the best value for her money. That¡¯s what Beatrice did right now, looking at two nearly-identical cake stands with as puzzling a look as she had given that snow sculpture.

    ¡°If it¡¯s about price, I can buy you anything you need,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°No, no... it¡¯s not that,¡± said Beatrice, her eyes locked on the two separate chocolate cake stands in front of her. The vendors were starting to get worried about her intent, intense staring. ¡°I want to make sure any money I spend is a good choice. Even if it¡¯s yours.¡±

    ¡°I could buy both of these stands and then make both of these vendors my personal chefs, Tris. It really doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    Beatrice ignored that comment.

    After several more moments of deliberation, Beatrice finally chose the cake stand on the right, buying one piece of chocolate cream cake. She offered a bite to Emi, and then nibbled at the rest.

    ¡°Wow, this is pretty amazing,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°You see? We¡¯re getting our money¡¯s worth. That¡¯s why it tastes so good.¡±

    Emi wasn¡¯t really sure about that.

    ***

    The parade down the Grand Concourse was about to begin, and thousands of Balarand citizens lined up along the bridges in wait.

    ¡°I used to come watch the parade with my parents every year,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°I stopped going when I got older, because I thought it was boring to sit and watch carriages pass by for an hour. But I¡¯ve realized something, Emi.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Parades are pretty great.¡±

    ¡°You know, I used to be in these,¡± Emi said. ¡°When I was little, they always made me play a snow fairy who circled around the main carriage throwing candy out to the audience. It was really tiring, you know!¡±

    ¡°You probably threw candy to me at some point.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Isn¡¯t that weird? That¡¯s another time we could have met but didn¡¯t.¡± Emi thought back to that time, wondering how her life would have changed if she had, as a young girl, met eyes with this girl next to her.

    How different would her life have been if she had met the love of her life that long ago? Her parents may have even approved of Beatrice if they had met at that age, even if she was a commoner. She would have never had to hear the name Lady Khara, or read the woman¡¯s stupid letters, or deal with any of the nonsense that went along with an arranged marriage to someone she had never met.

    Suddenly the parade stopped.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°I have no idea.¡± Neither did any of the other people watching the parade, it seemed, as they looked around at each other and out at the floats with collective confusion.

    A large group of men and women wearing bandanas over their faces entered the stopped parade procession and began blockading the carriages¡¯ advance. They held up large signs that read, ¡°Free Balarand!¡± The same man wearing the Mammoth mask in the style of the God Nexurk was in the protest group, and stood in the center, waving his arms around like he was conducting a worship song.

    They quickly began their chant. ¡°Winter Ceremonies are for Elince! Elince is not for Dannark!¡± It wasn¡¯t a particularly catchy phrase, but some in the audience joined in and yelled alongside them. Emi was tempted to yell as well, but she knew Beatrice would get upset.

    It was only a few moments before Dannark soldiers stormed onto the Grand Concourse. Soldiers entered and the protestors piped down, put their hands behind their backs, and surrendered themselves without hesitation. The soldiers rounded them up peacefully. One soldier threw the mask-wearing man onto the icy ground and kicked him, but it elicited no counterreaction.

    As they nudged the blockade of protestors out, one officer unraveled a scroll and yelled at the crowds to disperse from the scene, ending the parade prematurely. People were slow to leave, despite the increasingly loud orders from the soldiers dispatched to facilitate it.

    ¡°Do you know what this is all about?¡± Emi asked. ¡°If there¡¯s anything specific that¡¯s going on, I mean.¡±

    ¡°My Dad said they wouldn¡¯t parade organizers to use the Jewel of Elince at the parade this year. That¡¯s probably got some people angry,¡± Beatrice said, her tone muted and neutral. Emi appreciated that. ¡°Let¡¯s... let¡¯s just go someplace else, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Agreed.¡± Emi leaned in and pressed her cheek against Beatrice¡¯s.

    ¡°Ack, you¡¯re so cold,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°Well, warm me up then.¡±

    ***

    With the snow falling and festivities to participate in throughout the rest of the city, the two young women soon forgot about the disruption at the parade and proceeded to enjoy themselves elsewhere.

    They passed a row of festival booths with fun games for children to play for prizes, and then reached one street intersection where an elderly man in a pointy hat was juggling tiny balls while telling kids a fairy tale story about the first Winter Ceremonies, held thousands of years ago. If there truly did exist people in this world who could perform magical feats on their own, surely it was this guy.

    What a good day this had been, Emi thought. Together with Beatrice, watching her perform a sacred ritual, eating delicious cake. And now...

    ¡°You know, Tris...¡± Emi began. ¡°There is still one thing we haven¡¯t done together.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Have our first kiss.¡±

    Beatrice audibly gulped. A kiss? Was she really ready for that? Were the two of them in a relationship long enough for that? What was the standard, here? Oh, why was SHE the one overthinking everything now?

    ¡°I think we should... kiss,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°It¡¯s the Winter Ceremonies, after all.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, whatever that means.¡±

    They puckered up their lips and leaned in towards each other, Emi craning her neck down to reach her girlfriend--

    But they stopped short.

    ¡°Actually, I think my lips are too cold,¡± Emi said. ¡°They¡¯re kind of chapped.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s kind of dumb to do this in the snow.¡±

    They both giggled nervously, thinking about how stupid this situation was, and why they were building up such a moment like it was something special. It¡¯s not like kisses were the best thing ever, or anything...

    Beatrice looked around, and then grabbed her girlfriend by the sleeve. ¡°Let¡¯s go in somewhere where it¡¯s warm.¡±

    ¡°Will do!¡±

    They hurried over to a small shop that sold souvenirs to tourists, mostly wooden toys and other tiny trinkets. There was a log was burning in the fireplace, and both of their body temperatures raised instantly. Emi began licking her lips to make sure they weren¡¯t as dried out, while Beatrice clutched hers with her gloves.

    After a moment, it was time to try again.

    ¡°Okay, now we can do it,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°Yep. Here we go.¡±

    They faced each other and took both their hands together and leaned in...

    They planted their lips on one another. A good old-fashioned smooch.

    Emi was stunned. She finally did it. She kissed her girlfriend. ¡°Tris... I--¡±

    Beatrice couldn¡¯t help but squeal, and the whole shop turned towards them.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± she shouted, before literally running out of the shop. Beatrice felt so energized, so oddly powerful, that she couldn¡¯t help it. She raised her hands to her mouth, looked up at the sky and screamed, ¡°I kissed Emi L¡¯Hime!¡±

    Emi hurried after her but the power of love was not enough to overtake the speedy yelling girl. ¡°Triiiiiisss.... What are you--¡±

    ¡°I kissed a gorgeous tall short-haired amazing woman!¡± she screamed again.

    ¡°Tris! You¡¯re being a weirdo!¡±

    ¡°This is the happiest day of my life!¡± Beatrice stopped running and danced around in a circle. It was just so exhilarating that she-- Ouch!

    A snowball collided right with Beatrice¡¯s face. When she turned to see the perpetrator, the would-be assassin, she saw only her girlfriend, her dark brown eyes morphed into the most mischievous glare imaginable.

    ¡°What was that for?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°Revenge for running away right after we kissed! You have dishonored my family name.¡±

    Beatrice bent a knee and began scooping up snow with her hands. ¡°Is that so...¡±

    ¡°It most certainly is, my love.¡±

    That¡¯s when Beatrice saw it. Three snowballs in Emi¡¯s left hand. A volley waiting to be launched.

    ¡°Winner gets to make the next kiss,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°I will not be defeated!¡±

    And thus began the ultimate snowball fight in the history of mankind.

 Chapter 35: Preparations and Plans

    For all her dreams of joining the priesthood and making a difference in the world and everything else, Beatrice had never actually been on the inside of a convent until now.

    This one here, one block away from St. Helens Academy and situated on the same campus as one of the biggest churches in the city, was home to all the dozens of priests of downtown Balarand. But it was hardly bigger than Emi¡¯s home, and unlike almost every other building in the city it was built almost entirely out of stone.

    Each priest was allotted one bedroom and one meditation room, together adding up to a space hardly bigger than Beatrice¡¯s own cramped bedroom. Though it seemed most of the priests made efficient use of their space with what few possessions they had. In addition to this space, there were three or four common rooms with chairs, tables and a kitchen laid out throughout the convent.

    A few priests sat around the common room reading books, perusing today¡¯s issue of the Balarand Circle, and sipping on tea. Beatrice glanced at each of them and tried to take in just how they felt about their own situation. They looked... completely neutral about it. Oh, okay.

    Stone walls and stone floors with hard wood furniture made the convent not only feel homely, but downright rustic. The priests seemed to be enjoying themselves, but they certainly weren¡¯t given any bit of luxury.

    Still, the atmosphere seemed relaxed, almost casual, and full of intellectuals with high education, to boot. She was sure there was a library around here somewhere, but she hadn¡¯t noticed it yet to judge how extensive it was.

    Her purpose here wasn¡¯t to tour, though; it was to meet with Mr. Statusian regarding the upcoming Priesthood Exams. He had compiled some study materials for her to pick up, but when she got here to the convent, their meeting turned into a much more extensive conversation about her future. And that included a full look into what was to become her home if she completed her training.

    Out of all the teachers Beatrice had had as a junior priest in all her subjects, Mr. Statusian was the only one who ever seemed to care about Beatrice¡¯s welfare beyond passing classes, the only one interested in actively engaging her in conversation outside of school and discussing the facts of life. She respected him.But she also felt confused by him sometimes.

    ¡°What do you see in me that¡¯s different than the normal student?¡± she asked, not wanting to skirt around the question. ¡°Besides that I¡¯m better at studying.¡±

    Mr. Statusian laughed softly. ¡°It¡¯s a lot more than your study habits, that¡¯s for sure. Something about your... smile, I think, is what caught my eye.¡±

    ¡°My smile?¡± Beatrice tried to imitate the way she normally smiled, but it felt weird.

    ¡°Let me explain. When you get an answer right, or when something clicks in that head of yours, you have this sort of smile that brightens up your entire face. You usually don¡¯t raise your hand or try to upstage your classmates, but whenever I see your smiling face, I can know I¡¯m getting through to at least one person.¡±

    Beatrice didn¡¯t know her smile was capable of anything like that.

    He continued. ¡°It was about a week into our last term when I realized you were leagues above the rest of the class. You might still need to do some studying before the Priesthood Exams, but I have no doubt that you¡¯re going to be something special very soon.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°In the priesthood, we talk about the ebbs and flows of popularity in the Church, and right now, what with all the wars and occupations with Dannark and Doros and Elince, we are definitely in a down period. People still pray to the Gods, but they don¡¯t really attend Church services or try to pass on their beliefs to their children. The wonder of magic is seen as parlor tricks and gimmickry. Sometimes these eras go on for a century or more. But every time the religion looks to be on the wane, someone comes along and acts as a spiritual rallying cry for all of us. Certain religious figures, such as Father Yolanda, Queen Yukai, or even Ulric Fathie himself in a twisted way, have brought about new revivals for the Gods. I think you could do the same.¡±

    Beatrice?

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    Her?

    This was nonsense.

    ¡°I highly doubt I can do something like that!¡± she laughed.

    ¡°I might be wrong, but I think you will change Tsubasa for the better,¡± Mr. Statusian said. ¡°You will be the one to help usher in a new harmony to the continent. Of course, you¡¯ll have to end your relationship with whoever you¡¯ve been seeing. But it¡¯s just a youthful fling, I know. You won¡¯t let that become a problem.¡±

    ....Eh? ¡°Wait... what? You know about Emi?¡±

    He laughed. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t know her by name, but I figured you might have found romance lately. You stopped staying late and you seemed distracted in class. Not that your grades changed, of course.

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s the mandatory exit time...¡±

    ¡°You know what I mean,¡± he said. ¡°How is she, though? This Emi?¡±

    Normally, Beatrice would have felt too embarrassed to describe her girlfriend to a stranger, but before she could even think about it, she was already speaking: ¡°She¡¯s sweet. She¡¯s pretty shy but loves exploring the city with me and loves reading. We¡¯re a really good match, even if she lives in a huge house and her parents are famous diplomats. She still hasn¡¯t introduced me to them... I wonder if...¡± She trailed off, but she did have the nagging feeling that Emi was afraid of bringing a commoner home for supper or something like that. ¡°She¡¯s tall, she¡¯s smart, and she blushes all the time.¡±

    Mr. Statusian scoffed. ¡°Diplomats? So her family is part of the bureaucracy that helped oust King Kline and his family?¡±

    ¡°I, uh, guess so. They¡¯re still doing a lot of stuff, travelling to Zahn and Dannark sometimes. I think they¡¯re away right now, doing some business or another.

    ¡°Let me warn you of one thing,¡± Mr. Statusian said. ¡°Families like that are not to be trusted. If one cannot stay loyal to one¡¯s country, how can we expect one to stay loyal to a friend, or even a lover?¡± He had suddenly turned much more serious, his normally pleasant expression having morphed into a stern scowl. It took Beatrice completely by surprise.

    Beatrice felt sweat at her forehead, which was strange because it was very cold in this monastery. ¡°Well... I... I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of brewing forces out here in Balarand right now. Dannark has been taking many ill-advised actions lately, and people are getting restless. Elince won¡¯t stay silent for much longer.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I, uh...¡±

    ¡°You heard what they did during the Winter Ceremonies, right? They took the Jewel of Elince and locked it up in Castle Balarand when parade organizers tried to use it. For the first time ever, in the history of our kingdom, Elincian flags were banned from festivities. It would have been unthinkable just months ago. But here we are.¡±

    ¡°I...¡±

    Mr. Statusian shook his head and softly chuckled. ¡°Sorry about that. It¡¯s just... a topic a lot of the priests have been debating about recently.¡±

    ¡°And let me guess, you¡¯re involved in most of those debates?¡±

    ¡°Well, I am Ulric the Plainsmith, after all.¡± He smiled, but it faded quickly. ¡°I researched extensively in my training about the extent Church should be involved in local political situations,¡± he continued. ¡°There has never been a consensus reached, but in general, we try to stay out of warfare and uprisings and scandals of any sort. The Church has made an official decree of neutrality in the occupation of Elince, but considering that the Holy Place is in the capital city Dannark...¡±

    ¡°It must be tough to stay out of it,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°There¡¯s so many protests these days.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes there are. But... that¡¯s not important right now. What¡¯s important is seeing such an important girl like you down a path that might change the continent for the better.¡± And with that, he veered back into their previous topic. ¡°I must warn you, though. This fling you¡¯re having is surely a pleasant experience in the moment, but you can never forget that this Emi girl is merely a distraction on your path to serving the Gods. You can¡¯t let any feelings you may hold for her distract you as you study for your test.¡±

    ¡°I...¡± she mumbled, without finishing her thought because she didn¡¯t have one to give.

    ¡°I had someone before I joined the priesthood, too,¡± he says. ¡°They were sad to see me go, but it was never meant to be. I think the difference I have made at St. Helens has more than made up for the sadness I caused that one person. It will be the same for you.¡±

    Beatrice nodded, but she suddenly had a great urge to cry. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Statusian.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and one more thing... have you told your parents about her yet?¡±

    ¡°Um.¡±

    ¡°I thought not. Your father didn¡¯t mention anyone the last time we talked.¡± Beatrice always felt that it was weird that Mr. Statusian was on speaking terms with her own Dad. ¡°I¡¯m sure your parents suspect, but... I think it would be best if you left them out of it.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± she said, less to agree than to simply keep from dwelling on any of this.

    The rest of the conversation went normally, but Beatrice was a bit wrapped up in worry, the Emi kind of worrying. She was already a bit leery of actually joining the priesthood if it meant abandoning her family, abandoning Emi, and going off to the mountains somewhere to train. But if Balarand were in any serious danger, like Mr. Statusian suggested? Well, she wouldn¡¯t know what to do at all.

    She definitely didn¡¯t feel like someone special.

 Chapter 36: The Cure for Lame Feelings

    ¡°Gods, Tris, your hair is getting so long,¡± Emi said as she circled around to their usual table at the library. She sat down with her brand-new book and added, ¡°It looks amazing, though.¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡± Beatrice sat at her side of the table, books and notebooks out, but her gaze was directed off to the side as she stared into the distance.

    ¡°Weird, isn¡¯t it? When we first met, I was the one with long hair, now yours is just as long as mine used to be. Not that you had short hair back then. I think it¡¯s better now, but it¡¯s hard to say what your perfect hairstyle is. There¡¯s a... Hey, Tris, are you okay?¡±

    Finally, Beatrice snapped away from her trance. ¡°Oh, Emi. Yeah, I¡¯m okay. I was just thinking.¡±

    ¡°Hm, you don¡¯t look okay.¡±

    Beatrice¡¯s shoulders slumped over. ¡°You know me too well. I¡¯m not feeling too great right now. I¡¯ve got some lame feelings going on.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Tris,¡± Emi said with her most sickly sweet sympathy voice. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Hmm...¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t wanna talk about it?¡±

    Beatrice shook her head.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s alright. Leave the talking to me.¡± Emi set down her new book and adopted the most confident, princessly posture she could muster. ¡°See this here? This is my very own copy of The Last Gemini. What is The Last Gemini, you ask?¡±

    No reply. Beatrice was back to looking lame again.

    ¡°The Last Gemini is the eighth and newest book in The Elf Cycle, my favorite book series of all-time. It¡¯s filled with romance and mystery and adventure and peril and every single page just hooks you because it¡¯s all so exciting. I¡¯ve recommended it to you before, but... You¡¯ve just got to read this series, Tris! I¡¯ve been waiting for years for the new one to come out, and so the moment it did, I went and bought one of the library¡¯s copy. It¡¯s sold out everywhere else. Nothing in the world is better than reading a book series with a loved one, so I really hope you read it someday.¡±

    ¡°Heh, Emi. My Dad loves that series too, you know.¡±

    ¡°Yep, he¡¯s the one who got me into the series!¡± Emi exclaimed. ¡°He left work early today just to get a head start on me. What a devious man.¡±

    ¡°So go ahead and get started,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°I¡¯ll just be here, um, being your friend.¡±

    ¡°Tris...¡±

    Beatrice gave a deep frown and said, ¡°Actually, I do wanna talk about it. Emi, sweetie, can you move your chair over here?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve never called me ¡®sweetie¡¯ before... Boy, this must be serious.¡± Emi took her chair and plopped it next to Beatrice. The moment she sat down, Beatrice rest her head on her shoulder. It felt like a big win, except that seeing her like this was certainly not giving a winning feeling.

    ¡°I talked to Mr. Statusian yesterday, you know, my teacher from St. Helens,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°He told me... He told me that I...¡±

    ¡°Tris...¡± Emi put her hand on her thigh and let her take it. She squeezed the hand a lot tighter than Emi had expected.

    ¡°He told me I¡¯m going to be something special,¡± she said. ¡°Special as in the kind of priest who single handedly brings a new era for the church. What in Bk¡¯Man¡¯s name am I supposed to do with that kind of comment?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re already something special to me.¡±

    ¡°Shut up with your corny, lines, you amazing woman,¡± Beatrice snapped. ¡°The Priesthood Exams are in a few months and if I pass, they¡¯re going to offer me to join the church, and then I¡¯m going to apparently become a hero across the world. And that¡¯s everything I¡¯ve always wanted, but...¡±

    ¡°But.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Emi, I feel so lame. I can¡¯t be a priest when I have my family and friends and you, can I? It¡¯s... Ugh, I shouldn¡¯t even be talking about this with you.¡± Beatrice buried her face further into Emi¡¯s shoulder, like a bird taking roost.

    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t you be?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re... Because this is all about you.¡±

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    ¡°Exactly why I need to--¡± Emi cut herself off the moment the image of Lady Khara popped into her head. Or, her imagination¡¯s image of Lady Khara. ¡°Tris, you don¡¯t need to worry about me. I chose to love you and that won¡¯t end for any silly reason like this.¡±

    ¡°Becoming a priest is silly?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡± Emi had to choose her next words carefully. ¡°I want you to be happy, Tris. The most happy. You¡¯re not happy now, and it¡¯s starting to upset me too. So whatever I can do to help you, that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Just listening is enough, and you¡¯re an amazing listener.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Emi took a deep breath and added, ¡°But.¡±

    ¡°But.¡±

    ¡°I have decided that I¡¯m going to make sure you¡¯re happy. I will be your guardian spirit, compelling you onto the path of harmony.¡±

    ¡°Why are you talking like that?¡±

    ¡°Let us go forth,¡± Emi said, taking her book and putting it into her handbag. ¡°We will use the best parts of Balarand to cure the lame feelings of one Beatrice Ragnell!¡±

    ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re in one of those moods again.¡±

    ¡°Indeed I am! Let¡¯s head out on an adventure!¡±

    Beatrice shook her head slowly, but she got up and followed her out of the library.

    Emi had the perfect plan.

    ***

    But first, they had to get groceries.

    Beatrice already felt a lot better, to be honest. Just talking a bit about her worries to Emi had cleared away most of the doldrums bubbling over inside of her. But Emi had acted with such decisive, adorable energy that it¡¯d be a crime to stifle her now.

    Even now here in the marketplace, as Beatrice picked out vegetables to bring back home for her Mom to cook, Emi was clearly restless, obviously antsy to get on with whatever crazy plan she had thought up. If they didn¡¯t go do that soon, she was likely to explode outright.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of the same vegetables here,¡± Emi said, not so subtly hinting that Beatrice was taking too long. She was starting to get annoying.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the selection isn¡¯t very good this close to closing time,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go people-watching or something?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯ll go do that.¡± Emi turned around in a huff. But then, of course, she actually did start people-watching.

    It was hard finding the right produce when most of what remained were the damaged, unsightly, or just plain small ones that none of the morning shopper particularly wanted.

    Beatrice decided not to turn this whole endeavor into some strange metaphor for her indecision and mixed feelings about the priesthood and about her entire life¡¯s goals being turned into some looming threat, because she didn¡¯t feel these vegetables really deserved the pain of being forced into that kind of weak comparison.

    Instead, she found some acceptable-looking onions and daikons to--

    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that your friend, that Bodhi guy?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Beatrice turned around to look and see Bodhi, and there he was, walking by on the other side of the street. He noticed her, and then tipped his hat and waved his hand. But then he kept on walking and was soon enveloped by the crowd around him.

    ¡°Yeah, that was Bodhi,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Why did he... not come and say hello?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t want to bother you, I guess,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°But I haven¡¯t seen him in ages. Where has he been lately...?¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡± Emi didn¡¯t say any more than that, but her face seemed telling. Exactly what she was telling, though, Beatrice couldn¡¯t quite discern.

    That was so weird. Bodhi used always say hello. He even used to come to the library sometimes to see her, usually to nag her into hanging out with all his junior priest friends. Now that they had graduated, he seemed to be keeping a distance. Literally.

    Now Beatrice was starting to feel bad again.

    Emi noticed it and grabbed both of her shoulders. ¡°Okay, you have your veggies. Now, let¡¯s go cure those lame feelings of yours!¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, lead the way.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t lead if we¡¯re side-by-side, you know,¡± she said.

    ¡°Is that a request to hold my hand?¡±

    ¡°You know it!¡±

    Beatrice couldn¡¯t help but smile at her girlfriend¡¯s infectious silliness.

    They walked a ways west in town, away from the library and Castle Balarand, away from the marketplaces and restaurants and towards a series of large apartment buildings. Beatrice hardly knew this neighborhood. But Emi did?

    ¡°Will you ever tell me where we¡¯re going?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t have to. We¡¯re already here,¡± Emi said.

    Here they were, standing in front of a building marked ¡°Pets & Pleasure.¡±

    Huh.

    They walked in and from that exact moment, everything clicked into place for Beatrice. She heard some growling and whimpering and other excited animal noises, then the odor of furry creatures hit her nose with some

    ¡°My friend told me about this place,¡± Emi explained. ¡°It¡¯s a shelter for greyback bears that get picked up off the street and need a place to stay. It¡¯s really important during the winter, where lot of stray greybacks face hunger and harsh weather, but it¡¯s open year-round and anyone can visit.¡±

    ¡°I thought you hated greybacks.¡±

    ¡°I, uh, do. But I¡¯m willing to put up with them to cure your lame feelings. Because guess what they have here? A cub petting area!¡±

    Aww, Emi was really putting her own feelings aside just for--Cub petting area?!

    Beatrice dashed over to the tiny greyback cubs and nearly attacked them with love and affection. Awwwww wooooowww...

    Emi did not join her in petting the cubs; in fact, she continued to keep her distance the entire time. For some reason, that just made Beatrice love her even more. All of this, just because she was feeling a little down today? She was the best.

    Wow what amazing creatures. Beatrice began petting two of them at the same time. It was a spectacular feat that made her feel so happy.

    Nobody in the world deserved such a wonderful woman as Emi L¡¯Hime. And nobody in the world deserved such wonderful furballs to pet for hours. But Beatrice had them both.

 Chapter 37: Sitting on the Couch

    On a particular couch in a particular house, two girls sat side by side reading, and smiles shined on their faces.

    Beatrice, free from her schooling duties and not yet deep into her Priesthood Exam studies, was finally reading a fictional book for the first time in a while--a mystery novel titled Hauntsgiving. It was the first part of a longer saga called The Elf Cycle, and this first one was about a dead mage¡¯s spirit terrorizing a provincial town in some far-off land.

    So far, the book was... okay. The thrills were compelling and kept her hooked like a salmon, but the characters were two-dimensional stereotypes and there was little artistic depth to the story thus far. But Emi had asked her--more like begged her--to read the book, and she was willing to put up with any narrative deficiencies to keep her girlfriend happy.

    Emi was on the eighth book in the same series, published just like week, titled The Last Gemini. It was an amazing adventure with the mage ghost and her mythical golem partner, following the two as they solved a series of grisly murders. She adored every mystery and every twist and every line of witty dialogue. The tragic star-crossed romance between the ghost and the golem, hopelessly in love but unable to admit it to each other in all their dual immortality.... It was an enthralling experience. Trapped in time, and trapped in romance...

    The two women said little as they read. There wasn¡¯t much to say. Well, besides one very specific phrase:

    ¡°I love you,¡± whispered Beatrice.

    Emi giggled and her face lit up. She took a deep breath and inhaled her girlriend¡¯s scent. It reminded Emi of the marketplace from all that time ago...The memory of autumn air blew against her cheeks. Sweet and crisp as ever. She could still see the tables of fruits and veggies; she could still taste the crunch of the salmon bind in her hand; she could still absorb herself in the deep lakes of Beatrice¡¯s eyes.

    Beatrice saw Emi¡¯s look, felt Emi¡¯s breath, and couldn¡¯t help but blush as well.

    It had been a long time since Beatrice and Emi had first met, since they first studied together at the library. Then, they were so ensnared by each other¡¯s exuberant beauties that neither could keep their attention away from one another. Over time they had grown more comfortable together, more solidly in love, and that skittish infatuation had faded. Now, spending alone time together was no more nerve-wracking than taking a nap.

    And speaking of that...

    Beatrice set her book on the arm of the couch, stretched out for a moment, and then laid down and put her head on Emi¡¯s lap. She closed her eyes. Emi¡¯s thighs made for excellent pillows; they were firm, smooth, and wonderful.

    Emi wasn¡¯t about to quit reading her book, not until she figured out the golem¡¯s hidden secret, but she felt the warm head on her lap and began moving her fingers through Beatrice¡¯s winding curly hair.

    ¡°Mmmm,¡± Beatrice muttered like a purring snow leopard. She took her hand and rubbed her fingers on Emi¡¯s face, down her pointy nose, over her lips, and then across her cheek and through her still-shockingly short hair. Emi let the girl¡¯s soft fingertips send a jolt of electricity down her spine and overwhelm her senses, each and every one of them. She took the girl¡¯s hand away from her hair and clasped it within her own.

    Emi giggled again. ¡°I love you,¡± she said.

    But Beatrice had already fallen asleep.

    It was a great thing, Emi thought, that their lives had ended up a lot better than that of the ghost and golem from The Elf Cycle. If Emi hadn¡¯t sat down at the desk in the library that autumn day, they may have gone their whole lives without knowing each other¡¯s embraces. And yet, due to whatever miracle of luck that graced them, she did sit down, and they did meet, and they were together now.

    But even as she continued to flip through The Last Gemini, where it turned out that the dead mage may have been alive, but astrally-projecting her ghost body the whole time, a worrying thought scratched through her mind. Many worrying thoughts, in fact. Emi was notorious for her ability to fret and ponder over every little thing, whether that was about the secrets she kept or the clothes she wore or that embarrassing thing she said to a shopkeep six days earlier.

    But then she looked down at Beatrice, sound asleep in her arms, and those worried disappeared. Because in reality, it didn¡¯t matter what was coming, what worries she had or what insurmountable challenges faced them. Because they were in love.

    Emi reached the end of her book; it ended with a captivating cliffhanger, but she couldn¡¯t help but keep her attention on the woman laying on her lap, the woman holding her hand. She set it down and leaned her head back on the couch.

    She could hear Beatrice breathing in, and out, and in, and out, and in... and out... Even the way she exhaled was cute. Without thinking, Emi matched the rhythm. Their tempos synchronized. Emi not only heard Beatrice, but felt her very being, in a sense. They breathed in and out together just like this.

    With her free hand, Emi continued to play with Beatrice¡¯s hair. She put her fingers into the jungle of curls, letting the hairs wrap themselves around her hand, and then unwind as soon as she pulled it through. Like a spring in a machine, they bounced back into their original positions.

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    Life would be easier if people were built like machines, Emi thought. Life would be easier if...

    Before she could do any further reflecting, she fell asleep.

    ***

    Beatrice giggled as she entered Emi¡¯s bedroom. ¡°You must have tidied up recently,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s no way the Emi I know would be this clean.¡±

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°Am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°W-Well, this is the new me, the new and improved Clean Diplomat Girl,¡± Emi said. She noticed her outfit from yesterday laying on the floor and kicked it under the bed. ¡°How do you like the place?¡±

    Beatrice took a tour around the bedroom, walking while rotating herself in a circle, apparently trying to capture it all. Emi didn¡¯t think this was a good sign. Finally, she answered: ¡°Your room is as big as my apartment.¡±

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d say something like that...¡±

    Beatrice went over to one of Emi¡¯s closets and opened it to reveal even more space. ¡°You have a closet you can walk in!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Who in the world needs so much room? You should be renting this place out to a whole family, and then you could make a whole bunch of money off of it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t exactly...¡± She didn¡¯t want to come off as a rich brat. She had to watch her words. ¡°One day, I want to give the whole place away to people who need it, if I ever can. Though, I guess my brother Touma will probably inherit the house, not me...¡±

    ¡°Touma L¡¯Hime? THE Touma L¡¯Hime?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you start that again,¡± Emi said.

    Beatrice snickered. ¡°Your room looks nice. Especially this painting over here.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Do you recognize it?¡±

    ¡°No, but it looks pretty.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a famous painting called The First Winter Ceremonies, by Tormod Benici. It depicts, uh, the first Winter Ceremonies. He said he was inspired to make it after receiving a vision from Bk¡¯Man Himself, so he used the stark white snow to plaster on a dreamlike haze to the whole event.¡±

    ¡°And you own this famous painting?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just a copy,¡± Emi said. ¡°The real one is up in a museum somewhere in Dannark, I think. It¡¯s way bigger.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d be nice to see someday,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Maybe you could prove to me fairies aren¡¯t completely fake nonsense.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re real!¡± Emi shouted. ¡°I mean... They don¡¯t live in Balarand so the painting isn¡¯t accurate, but nobody said the painting was real... Well, I guess...¡±

    Beatrice giggled. She loved seeing Emi flustered, no matter how easy it was to accomplish. In fact, she did it again by stepping to her side and wrapping her arm around her waist. She recoiled for just a moment, but then relaxed and let Beatrice hold her.

    ¡°Just the two of us in your bedroom...¡± Beatrice whispered.

    ¡°Just the two of us in my bedroom...¡± Emi whispered back in a much more apprehensive tone.

    ¡°Ah, I see. You must have cleaned up in here just for the occasion.¡±

    ¡°I... Uh--¡± Emi froze up for a second, then shot back to life in a burst of energy. She left Beatrice¡¯s side and then walked over to a shelf containing a very familiar item. ¡°Look at this! Remember this thing?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the centaur carving from our second date!¡± Beatrice exclaimed. ¡°I forgot all about that.¡±

    ¡°What a night, huh...¡±

    ¡°A gondola ride, a light snowfall, and a dance at a fancy party... That was an awful long time ago.¡± Beatrice let herself get swept up in the amazing memories of that night spent wandering Balarand with Emi.

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been that long,¡± Emi said. ¡°Only a few months, I think.¡±

    ¡°But so much has happened since then. I feel like a completely new person by now.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°If I became a new person, you might not love me anymore.¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t a world out there where I don¡¯t love you,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°That fact is etched into the fabric of the universe.¡±

    Emi suddenly choked up and had to fight back the incoming tears. After a moment of sniffling, she calmed down and picked up the centaur carving. ¡°Tris, can I give this to you?¡±

    ¡°Eh? how come?¡±

    ¡°I thought maybe you¡¯d like to have it as a reminder of, um, how our love is etched into the fabric of the universe.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not really big on gifts, and I know you aren¡¯t either. So I don¡¯t see why.¡±

    ¡°Not really a gift or anything,¡± Emi said, ¡°but just so we can have something of each other¡¯s to remind ourselves of... This is embarrassing to say out loud.¡±

    Beatrice went over to Emi and kissed her on the lips. ¡°You¡¯re so sweet. I¡¯ll take it. One day, I¡¯ll give you something of mine, too.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯d be great.¡±

    ¡°Of course, speaking of gifts...¡± Beatrice winked and put a hand on Emi¡¯s cheek.

    That same cheek, of course, lit up in rosy red. ¡°Tris!¡±

    ¡°Hehehe--Oh, what¡¯s that over there?¡± She pointed to a bundle in the corner of the room that was covered with a blanket.

    ¡°It¡¯s, uh, well, it¡¯s just some blankets, of course! Yeah, just blankets.¡±

    Beatrice¡¯s eyes narrowed and she smiled slyly. ¡°Yeah, just blankets. Not that mystery thing you keep mentioning, just some blankets. I get you.¡±

    ¡°Haha...¡± Emi¡¯s laugh was incredibly insincere, but she was sure it fooled her. Definitely.

    Next, Beatrice¡¯s attention turned to Emi¡¯s bed, freshly made-up and adorned with pillows of all sorts. Emi was actually proud to have made her bed, all by herself, with no help from anyone. It was a work of art that could never be replicated.

    ¡°That¡¯s a really nice bed,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°It looks so comfortable.¡±

    Emi beamed. ¡°Yep. It¡¯s one of the best beds in all of Balarand.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I bet it is. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever even seen one this big, either. I¡¯d love to try it out...¡± She took a hop and landed on the bed on her knees. ¡°Gods, this is soft.¡±

    ¡°Haha...¡± Emi¡¯s face had turned completely red. ¡°Too bad we took a nap on the couch earlier. Hey, why don¡¯t we go see some other rooms in my house? Doesn¡¯t that sound fun? Here, I¡¯ll show you to the storage room downstairs. It¡¯s where my family used to keep the horses.¡± Without hesitating for a second she left the bedroom.

    Beatrice lingered in the bedroom for a moment. She wore a mischievous grin on her face.

 Chapter 38: Asking, Um, Questions

    Another long day working on gear box creations, another long day failing miserably at her big secret project. Emi sighed, wiped the sweat from her brow, and pushed all her tools to the side of her desk.

    Well, she learned some valuable things about how NOT to build a functional machine, and as weird as it sounded, that actually helped her out a lot. Her mind turned a little bit more gear-headed every day, and soon those cogs were going to turn in just the right way that everything would click and she¡¯d somehow understand it all perfectly. Sometimes failure was a good thing, believe it or not!

    All that failure made Emi hungry, so she decided to go downstairs to the kitchen and whip herself up a nice snack. She knew they had leftover pie from supper the night before, but whether or not she was in the mood for something as heavy as pie in the afternoon was still to be decided.

    Her brain wracked with the possibilities of what she could eat. There were so many foods she craved. Pie, cake, muffins, cornbread, pancakes... mostly things in the bread category, yes, but bread was yummy and kept one¡¯s figure full, so therefore it was the best.

    Emi opened the pantry, looking for--

    --Pip and another maid kissing passionately--

    ¡°Aaah!¡±

    --and then slammed the pantry door shut.

    ***

    Pip, Emi, and the other maid, a girl named Sophi, sat around at the dining room long table, and Pip placed both of her hands on the table like she was trying to take control of a delicate situation. From the images swirling around in Emi¡¯s brain right now, this was probably the correct course of action.

    ¡°Okay, presumably, you may have just seen us, er, having a romantic moment,¡± Pip said, ¡°and I¡¯m very sorry for that. So is she.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± said Sophi.

    ¡°That¡¯s, um, alright I guess.¡±

    ¡°But please don¡¯t go telling Ms. Khami, alright? Please?¡± Pip pleaded. ¡°She¡¯s got us working crazy hard on that rooftop renovation project, but Sophi and I hit it off really well and thought we¡¯d... Y¡¯know, kiss and stuff.¡±

    ¡°In the pantry...?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, in the pantry,¡± Pip said. ¡°Regrettable pick for a place, I know.¡±

    ¡°This house is so big, with so many empty rooms, and the place you choose is the pantry...¡±

    ¡°Okay, yeah, but could you please not let Ms. Khami know about it?¡±

    ¡°Let Ms. Khami know about what?¡± a voice said from out in the foyer. Ms. Khami¡¯s voice, of course.

    ¡°Oh, brother,¡± said Pip. ¡°Sophi, let¡¯s skedaddle--¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you housekeepers were being paid to chat and eat,¡± she said, putting her hands on her hips in that classic Ms. Khami way. ¡°I sure would like to have a job like that.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Miss!¡± Pip chirped. ¡°We¡¯ll get back on it!¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Emi said suddenly. ¡°Pip, could you and I, uh...¡± She looked at Ms. Khami to give a silent signal, and the woman relented from her stern pose.

    Sophi and Ms. Khami left the kitchen.

    ¡°So, what¡¯d you want?¡± Pip asked once they were out of earshot.

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°First, go fetch me the leftover pie,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°Pfft. Make me.¡±

    ¡°You are literally my servant.¡±

    ¡°I hear you, I hear you.¡± Pip went into the pantry and retrieved two slices of pie. One for Emi, and, naturally, one for herself.

    ¡°Thank you. But could you get forks too?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my master...¡±

    Pip got the forks too.

    ¡°Okay, now we are ready for pie,¡± Emi said. ¡°And ready for... um, well, stuff.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Like, you and Sophi were kissing and stuff.¡±

    ¡°Heh, ¡®kissing and stuff.¡¯ Just kissing, nothing special,¡± Pip said, twirling around her fork like a toy.

    ¡°But you¡¯ve, well, been in a lot of big relationships before, right?¡±

    ¡°A few. Mostly small ones.¡±

    ¡°But you have, um, a lot of experience is what I mean, right?¡±

    Pip smirked. ¡°Guess you¡¯d call it that.¡±

    ¡°And so, maybe I wanted to, um, ask you for advice...¡±

    ¡°About...?¡±

    ¡°Well, you know...¡±

    Emi sunk into her chair. ¡°I don¡¯t get how relationships are supposed to go... I don¡¯t know how to be a good girlfriend.¡±

    Pip nearly choked on her pie. When she managed to swallow, she burst into laughter. ¡°Emi... Emi, Emi Emi.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You sweet, pure, innocent child,¡± she said. ¡°You just wanted... Oh, Emi. You¡¯re already a good girlfriend, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    ¡° I don¡¯t think so,¡± Emi said. ¡°I¡¯m a complete novice. I have no idea what you¡¯re um, supposed to do when you¡¯re dating. It¡¯s really embarrassing to talk about...¡±

    ¡°So let me guess, Beatrice is your first relationship?¡± Pip asked.

    ¡°Well, I mean, I had a couple little romances when I was a kid,¡± she said. ¡°Does that count?¡±

    ¡°Not at all. She¡¯s really your first, huh. Gotta say, that surprises me. Thought rich kids liked to seduce the commoners and all that.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s a little embarrassing...¡±

    ¡°And one look at Beatrice and you already know the only thing she¡¯s dated in her life is her math textbook, so I guess you two really are going at this like newbies.¡±

    ¡°Maybe yeah. So that¡¯s why I¡¯m, um, asking.¡±

    ¡°How to do romance properly?¡±

    ¡°Maybe, yeah...¡±

    ¡°Just, romance in general?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really understand it. It¡¯s so embarrassing...¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s so much here,¡± Pip said. ¡°I don¡¯t even know where to begin. What do you usually do?¡±

    ¡°We go on walks, visit marketplaces, hang out at the library together, eat snacks, talk about religion...¡±

    ¡°You poor thing.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Emi ate a chunk of pie, but it didn¡¯t taste like anything but the feeling you get when your friends tell an inside joke you don¡¯t understand.

    ¡°I mean, you¡¯ve, like, kissed, right?¡± Pip asked.

    ¡°Of course, yeah. We¡¯ve kissed. We kiss.¡±

    ¡°And beyond that?¡±

    Emi¡¯s face lit up. ¡°N-n-n-n-no! Just kissing, just, um, kissing!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely adorable, you know that? This is the cutest predicament I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± Pip said.

    ¡°The sheltered rich kid life has really ruined me.¡±

    ¡°Also, you¡¯re engaged in an arranged marriage, so there¡¯s that involved.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention that in this conversation, that makes all of this so much weirder!¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s okay to be a novice. You¡¯re okay.¡±

    ¡°Well, I, uh, I sometimes feel like Beatrice wants more from me and I¡¯m not being a good enough girlfriend,¡± Emi said. ¡°But I don¡¯t know what to improve on! Dating is so difficult! I don¡¯t want to be a novice anymore, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it so much.¡±

    ¡°I always do...¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t know what she wants, you gotta ask. Plain and simple.¡±

    ¡°Asking is hard...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s part of being an adult,¡± Pip said. ¡°You should know. You¡¯re older than me, you know.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a bad adult...¡±

    ¡°Is there maybe a book where I can learn more?¡±

    Pip sighed. ¡°You¡¯re hopeless, and that makes it even cuter.¡±

    ¡°I feel so attacked right now...¡±

    ¡°Listen, Emi. You¡¯re a great gal and your girl loves you. If you think you¡¯re not being romantic enough, you just gotta ask. But you probably don¡¯t gotta. It¡¯s a feeling. You look into her eyes, and you know it¡¯s gonna be alright.¡±

    ¡°So, asking and eyes... Got it. Do you have a piece of paper? I need to jot this down.¡±

    In the end, Emi didn¡¯t learn anything. But that was okay for her.

 Chapter 39: At the Lab Again

    Runa scurried around her lab, placing pieces of rocks all over the room. After that, she placed a shining metallic sphere right in the center of the room, inside that same cage of glass where those unfortunate bunnies used to be kept.

    Emi seemed to be glad to be back and see the weird experiments once again, but Beatrice was very much in distress about being made to meet Runa again. Her girlfriend had no clue what haunting memories she had about her time as the girl¡¯s babysitter... Seriously, I really think you should read your history books if you don¡¯t know who Runa Arakawa is. I can¡¯t believe you don¡¯t know her. You¡¯re really laughing about how silly she is? Gods, what has the world come to?

    ¡°I am not fooling around here with this deadly science,¡± Runa said. ¡°There should be no way for this to occur. The sphere, which would normally act as the magnetic core of the golem, is completely separate from its other pieces. And I have drained the magical energy residue from each one, of course.¡± She pointed up to the large crystal hanging in the air, which made Beatrice wonder for a brief moment if the bunny test was going to be extended to the three humans in here this time. ¡°But once I depolarize the energy and reactivate the sphere, it shall reassemble immediately!¡±

    Runa pulled a lever, and the crystal in the air dropped. It crashed on the ground, shattering into a million pieces and sending magical energy swirling around the laboratory, zig-zagging and bouncing off the walls and curving around Runa¡¯s equipment. Beatrice jumped out of the way of one of the magical beams, and as a result she tripped and fell onto the dirt floor. Emi let the beams pass through her and laughed.

    ¡°Runa, what are you doing?¡± Beatrice shouted, picking herself back up and dusting off her skirt.

    ¡°Worry not. This should be perfectly safe for humans, if I have done my calculations correctly.¡± The look of horror on Beatrice¡¯s face told all, but Runa simply smiled as if nothing was wrong. Emi seemed just as pleased, clapping at the show before her.

    The swirling aura of magic did seem a bit uninterested in the humans; it bounced around the laboratory for a while and passed through Emi¡¯s body a couple times, then eventually entered each of the individual rocks spread out across the room. The pieces levitated up and circled together in a humanoid outline, filling in until only the chest area was missing.

    ¡°Now, the pieces will look for their core-- their soul,¡± Runa said.

    ¡°Which is that sphere, right?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°Yes. But because I have drained it of magical energy and hidden it behind a physical barrier, the rocks should normally be unable to find it. But if my hypothesis is correct, we will see a miracle happen right about...¡±

    ...

    ...

    ¡°About...¡±

    ...

    ...

    The rocks floated around the laboratory for another minute...

    ...And then all at once, they collapsed onto the ground.

    ¡°Noooooooooo!¡± Runa ran over to the rocks and cried out in dismay, ranting about magical theorems and whatnot, speaking too quickly for Beatrice to decipher.

    Emi looked over to Beatrice, who was still deeply mortified by everything that had just happened. ¡°Runa¡¯s so cute,¡± she said.

    ¡°Have you seen the way she looks at you, Emi?¡± Beatrice asked. ¡°You may think she has feelings for you, but she wants to use you as a test subject.¡±

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Emi seemed to regard this for a moment, as she put a finger on her lips. It didn¡¯t phase her, though. ¡°Why do you keep visiting her, anyway?¡±

    ¡°She would probably send her creations out to hunt me down if I didn¡¯t show up,¡± Beatrice answered.

    ¡°Tris...¡±

    Even Beatrice had to admit that that wasn¡¯t an honest answer. ¡°She¡¯s not the worst kid in the world, okay? And her experiments aren¡¯t too far from plausible. Even if they may be creepy.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don''t think they¡¯re creepy,¡± Emi said. ¡°I think they¡¯re pretty cool. When they work, at least.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for being a supportive girlfriend,¡± Beatrice said.

    Girlfriend...

    She still wasn¡¯t used to using that term. They had become an undeniable, undoubtedly legitimate couple, and yet she still felt a pitter-patter every time she said the word. Beatrice wondered if that feeling would ever really go away. She sort of hoped it wouldn¡¯t.

    Runa was still raving about in the mad scientist mode she was currently in, and had seemed to have forgotten she had guests in the laboratory with her. Beatrice took advantage of the opportunity, and stepped right in front of Emi. She put her hands on her shoulders. Then she leaned in and kissed Emi on the lips.

    Emi locked up like a statue, acting like an electrical surge had passed through her body for a few seconds. This happened every time they kissed. Beatrice giggled. Endlessly cute, this L¡¯Hime girl.

    Runa suddenly snapped back towards Beatrice and Emi, and gave a toothy grin. ¡°I¡¯ve figured out my error,¡± she said. ¡°I know how to fix this!¡±

    Emi tried to shake herself out of the sudden kiss she had just received. ¡°Wh... What was it?¡±

    ¡°I shattered the wrong soul crystal,¡± she said. ¡°The one I used must have been for a melted ice golem, not the stone golem I had desired. Therefore its metallic core would not react to the rocks. An easy fix.... but my supply of golem cores has run thin and must be replenished. So my quest to create life has been... postponed!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see you next time,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°You shall. And bring this lovely lady with you,¡± she said, staring at Emi without a semblance of politeness about her. ¡°She is a fine specimen of human life.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m always glad to come,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°Me too,¡± said Beatrice. If it meant spending more time with Emi, she was glad to do anything.

    They went upstairs and met Mrs. Arakawa, who was wrapping up a wooden box full of rice cakes for the girls. ¡°Thank you so much for visiting my dear Runa,¡± she told them.

    ¡°You¡¯re very welcome,¡± they said in unison.

    Beatrice gave a quick kiss to Emi¡¯s cheek and took the box.

    ¡°Tris...¡± Emi was shaking.

    ¡°I love you,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°I love you too,¡± Emi whispered back. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±

    And they did start to head home, travelling south from the Arakawa house towards downtown Balarand. But as they approached their normal departing point near the library, Emi stopped. Beatrice only noticed after a few steps that she was no longer there, and turned around to see her girlfriend standing, fists balled up as she tugged on her own skirt.

    The setting sun hit her back, igniting a glow behind her that made her appear a spectral figure. The flurries of snow whistled in the wind, making the air sparkle around them. And those eyes, just as deep and earthy as ancient buried treasure...

    Was this it?

    ¡°Will you...¡± Emi began.

    ¡°Will I what?¡±

    ¡°Umm...¡±

    It was clear she had something important to say, but it wasn¡¯t coming out like she wanted. She tried again. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to tell you about this, and you might get really mad because I didn¡¯t tell you about it, but if you listen to me I think you¡¯ll understand, and maybe it¡¯s a good thing, or maybe a bad thing, I¡¯m not sure. But it¡¯s important, so... I... will you...¡±

    ¡°Emi? What is it?¡±

    Beatrice had no idea what she was trying to say. It was cute at first, but now Beatrice was starting to get worried.

    Finally, Emi asked, ¡±Will you eat supper with me?¡±

    ¡°...Yeah? Of course?¡±

    ¡°I mean...¡± Emi sighed and grabbed Beatrice by the wrist. ¡°Come with me, please. Let¡¯s go eat.¡±

    Where they were going, Beatrice didn¡¯t know. But as long as it was with Emi, she was fine with everything. So with a smile on her face, she let Emi lead the way to whatever place she wanted to go. It didn¡¯t matter, except that they were going together.

    Though it would have been nice to know she was going to her own apartment.

 Chapter 40: Guess Whos Coming to Supper?

    ¡°This whole time it was Emi. Wow,¡± Beatrice¡¯s Dad said, chuckling as he cut into his potato. ¡°Can you believe I¡¯ve known your girlfriend longer than you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you never introduced me to your daughter, Earl-- er, Mr. Ragnell,¡± said Emi. ¡°But I guess she was always so busy reading all the time.¡±

    ¡°I doubt I would have ever noticed you, I was so into my books,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°You and I both know that¡¯s false.¡± Emi and Beatrice giggled together.

    The four of them sat at the dining table; Emi tried to be as polite as possible, keeping a napkin in her seat and arranging all her utensils properly. The Ragnell Family home was small--genuinely not much bigger than Emi¡¯s bedroom-- but by no means was it too cramped for the four of them. Beatrice¡¯s Dad flipped through the latest issue of the Balarand Circle as he ate, but otherwise, their attentions were all completely focused on Emi. In any other situation, this would have given her a panic attack. But now, because she had already stressed out enough about this event, she felt weirdly calm.

    Oh Gods, was Emi relieved that Beatrice took this surprise well.

    She had been unnerved to the point of shaking at the idea of meeting Beatrice¡¯s parents, even if she had known Earl for most of her life. This kind of supper meeting was ridiculously important in a romantic relationship, and if she messed up it could doom things forever. It didn¡¯t matter if she was overthinking things to the highest degree; this was a mission vital to the success of her continued existence as a human being.

    So she had finally worked up the courage and told Earl herself. He helped him arrange the meeting and kept it all a surprise from her own girlfriend--at her dad¡¯s suggestion--just so they could end up like this, happy together at the dining table.

    Beatrice¡¯s Mom was basically swooning at Emi. ¡°When you said you had a girlfriend, I never expected her to be so....¡±

    ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°So beautiful! I mean, look at her hair... It¡¯s so nice and straight and...¡± Her Mom started playing with Emi¡¯s hair. This was far from the first time someone had done this. For Beatrice¡¯s sake, she let it happen.

    ¡°And your food is amazing, too, Mrs. Ragnell,¡± she told her, trying to keep from being too flustered.

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know if ¡®amazing¡¯ is the right word for it...¡±

    ¡°Mom, take the compliment.¡±

    Beatrice¡¯s parents were almost like older versions of her herself. It was so funny to look at them and then look at her, because she could perfectly picture how she would age. Her hips would widen, her curls would whiten, but those blue eyes of hers would stay just as vibrant and swirling She wanted to make the most of her time with Beatrice, but she knew she could be with her for a lifetime. Easily.

    So...

    Was now the right time?

    Of course, there was an ulterior motive to this family supper, which is much of the reason why she had wanted to keep it a secret from Beatrice. There was one more thing she needed to ask.

    She¡¯d been meaning to do so for a long while, but she had never found the right time. Now, with Beatrice and her parents together like this, it was the perfect opportunity for it.

    If she could muster the energy to do it, that was.

    Her palms started to sweat, and her appetite disappeared into the pit of her stomach. Her heart beat in doubletime. ¡°I do have one request,¡± Emi said to Beatrice¡¯s parents. She pretended that her nerves hadn¡¯t already faded into uselessness, that she had the courage to say it.

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± her Dad said.

    Here it went.

    ¡°My parents are arranging to meet with me at Mammoth Pass for that city¡¯s own winter festivals in a few weeks, and I am allowed to bring a guest with me. As a way to introduce my parents to Beatrice, would you give your permission to let her travel with me?¡± She flashed a smile for good measure. That wasn¡¯t so hard, now was it?

    Beatrice was stunned, but her parents lit up in excitement.

    ¡°Going to see the Mammoths? That sounds like so much fun,¡± her Mom said. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to do that.¡± She was still playing with Emi¡¯s hair, by the way.

    ¡°And in all my studies on ancient cultures, I¡¯ve never been able to visit the cultural museum up in Mammoth Pass.¡± her Dad said. ¡°But.. it¡¯s quite a lot of time. It¡¯s nearly a week¡¯s journey each way, right? Even if you stay for only a few days, that¡¯s still nearly three weeks¡¯ time...¡±

    ¡°It just isn¡¯t possible, is it?¡± Her Mom said, a complete reversal of her previous comment. ¡°I mean... just think of the timing, with exams and all...¡±

    Beatrice came back to reality and banged her fork onto the table. ¡°Emi. Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this before?¡± She looked stern, but Emi couldn¡¯t tell if she was angry.

    ¡°I... I wanted it to be a surprise...¡±

    ¡°I need to discuss this with my parents,¡± she said. ¡°Could you go wait someplace else?¡±

    Emi looked around the apartment.

    ¡°Uh, go in my bedroom, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Ah... alright.¡±

    ***

    Emi laid atop Beatrice¡¯s bed, wondering why Beatrice had such a weird reaction to her proposal. It was supposed to be a nice surprise, and yet she may have gone and upset her girlfriend.

    She closed the door and tried not to listen closely to the muffled voices on the other side of the wall, but it was hard not to at least listen to their tones of voice. There was no yelling, just the natural flow of a reasoned conversation, but it had been going on for long time already.

    ¡°..Never done anything you haven¡¯t...¡± That came from Beatrice.

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    ¡°...Studies and it isn¡¯t a good...¡± From her Dad?

    ¡°...Too much, you always said. Why now? I¡¯m ready, really. Really!¡± Beatrice¡¯s voice was getting louder, which was probably not a good thing.

    Oh, why did Emi do this? This surprise supper, this surprise request, anything involving keeping secrets. If this escalated into something between the Ragnells, she would never be able to forgive herself for hurting such a wonderful family...

    Keeping secrets. That was practically all Emi ever did. She still hadn¡¯t told Beatrice about her engagement. Hardly even hinted at it. And she was trying to get Beatrice to go with her on vacation. What a load of Mammoth crap she was.

    Beatrice¡¯s room was nice, at least. Extremely small, but that probably meant a lot less dusting for her housekeepers-- er, for her to do. So tidy, too. Her desk spanned one entire wall except for the door while the bed spanned the other, and there was very little space between them.

    How did Beatrice sleep on this thing, anyway? Emi¡¯s bed was admittedly one of the softest ever, but this thing was like a stone slab. If this was how commoners were forced to sleep, she was okay with being a rich snob.

    There on the corner of Beatrice¡¯s desk, sitting on top of a stack of books, was the wooden centaur carving Emi had given her a while back. This was the first time she ever went into the girl¡¯s room, and already she saw a symbol for their relationship displayed proudly. That made her heart melt away for a moment, until she realized she still needed to take something from Beatrice back to her own room. Hmm...

    Eventually, the conversation ended, and Beatrice quietly entered the bedroom. Emi decided to pretend she was asleep to see what she would do. And what she did is pulled out her desk chair, flicked a candle on, and write in her notebook.

    What? Was she studying at this hour? The madwoman!

    Just as she was getting tired of doing this sleeping charade, Beatrice finished writing and tiptoed to the far side of the bed. She squeezed in next to Emi, sandwiching herself between her and the wall. The bed was far too small for two people to comfortably lay apart, so they were now in a very close cuddling position. She put her arm around Emi¡¯s waist and breathed deeply, in and out. Her breathing soon slowed.

    Oh no. Now Beatrice falling asleep, leaving Emi trapped here on this sheet of bedrock one might charitably call a bed. Laying uncomfortably with the most beautiful girl in the world cuddling her... What a dilemma!

    ¡°Tris, are you awake?¡± she asked, finally, doing her best to act like she was just waking up from a nap.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± she said. ¡°My parents said yes, by the way.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s amazing!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about earlier,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°But my parents are very protective of me. They don¡¯t like it when I spring big surprises on them.¡±

    ¡°They took it well when I asked them about having a supper together,¡± Emi said.

    ¡° I told them about you a month ago,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°And... Can you not keep any secrets from me like that anymore? Tonight was really fun, but I was just really taken by surprise and it worried me a lot. Maybe I¡¯m too much like my parents after all...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad thing,¡± Emi said. ¡°Your parents are lovely. And so are you, Tris.¡±

    ¡°No more surprises, Emi?¡±

    ¡°I, uh, yeah. Yes.¡±

    Beatrice hugged her tighter. Emi couldn¡¯t see her face, but she hoped that Beatrice was as happy as she sounded. If those deep blue eyes of hers turned to pain, that would break her heart. ¡°But you turned them around on it?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Maybe. My Dad seems fine with it now, and I guess my Mom is going along with it too. They weren¡¯t going to allow it because all my exams are only a few months away, but I had a talk with them and convinced them that it might be the last big trip I get to take for a long time.¡±

    ¡°Because of... your priest stuff?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Emi¡¯s heart sank just thinking about it. ¡°But don¡¯t worry about the priest stuff,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ll find a way to deal with it. If worst... If we... uh, well, I love you too much to just leave you be, Emi.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Her heart raised again.

    ¡°Also, my parents said I have to do a lot of studying while we¡¯re travelling. Is that okay?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°Have you been on the Northern Highway before?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve never left Balarand.¡±

    ¡°You probably won¡¯t want to study too much,¡± she said. ¡°Trust me, it¡¯s gorgeous. They don¡¯t call it the Great White North for nothing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Beatrice squeezed Emi even tighter. She was so warm.

    ¡°No more surprises, Emi?¡±

    But even still, Emi shivered.

    When was she going to tell her about the wedding? Obviously not now, because that would completely ruin the mood. Maybe right after the trip? Or, if Emi introduced her to her parents at Mammoth Pass, that would be the perfect opportunity to shoot it all down at once, because they¡¯d see what an amazing girl Beatrice was.

    Or risk everything falling apart in front of her eyes. That would be... less optimal. But she was going to hope for the best, hope that ¡°no more surprises¡± held true.

    For now, though...

    ¡°Hey, Tris, can you turn around?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°And face the wall? Why?¡±

    ¡°Just because.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Beatrice let go of Emi and turned on her other side. Then Emi wrapped her arms around Beatrice in return.

    ¡°It¡¯s my turn to be there for you, Tris,¡± Emi said. ¡°You¡¯re the strong one, the level-headed one so much that I figured... maybe you deserve a rest.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Emi...¡±

    ¡°I love you so much, Tris, and I¡¯m so excited about this trip.¡±

    ¡°Three weeks to spend together. It¡¯s a long time.¡±

    ¡°We deserve it,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°I feel like we¡¯ve been in a relationship so long, but it¡¯s only been... What, a few months?¡±

    ¡°A few months on the calendar, but a few lifetimes in our hearts.¡±

    ¡°Emi, that was the lamest thing you¡¯ve ever said.¡± Beatrice adjusted herself and moved Emi¡¯s right hand downwards, resting on her belly button. ¡°Hold me tighter, please.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Is this okay?¡±

    ¡°You could afford to be a bit more courageous...¡±

    Courageous. Emi hugged her girlfriend with a stronger embrace and thought about that word. Courageous.... Well...

    ¡°Hey Tris, do you think...¡±

    ¡°Do I think what?¡±

    Emi kissed her on the back of the neck.

    ¡°Emi...¡±

    ¡°I love you.¡±

    Then--

    Beatrice yelped and then covered her mouth with her hands. ¡°Emi!¡± she whispered loudly. ¡°What the heck are you doing? My parents are in the other room...¡±

    ¡°Oh! I, uh--¡±

    Emi let go of Beatrice and sat up from the bed. Her hands began to shake. What did she think she was going to accomplish with all of that? What a moron. What a--

    Beatrice, still laying on her side cracked up laughing. ¡°Emi, I love you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Tears welled up in Emi¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re great. Maybe an idiot, but you¡¯re great.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so--Hey, I¡¯m not an idiot!¡±

    Beatrice sat up and nuzzled her forehead against Emi¡¯s. ¡°You¡¯re smarter than I¡¯ll ever be,¡± she said. ¡°Not about everything, though.¡± She kissed her on the cheek and stood up from the bed. She went over to her desk and grabbed a notebook. ¡°By the way, I wanted you to have this.¡±

    ¡°This?¡±

    ¡°In exchange for the centaur carving. This is every note I took for every subject in my AA-grade classes at the junior priest academy. All of them for you.¡±

    ¡°For me? How come?¡±

    ¡°Just a keepsake, something to remember me by. And maybe I have some romantic notes scribbled in the margins here and there...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll read every page.¡±

    Beatrice giggled. ¡°I know you will.¡± She handed her the notebook. ¡°Now go home before Ms. Khami gets worried. We have a trip to prepare for.¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Emi saluted with the notebook.

    If everything went well, this would be perfect. If it didn¡¯t, everything could come crashing down. But Emi was willing to take those odds.

 Chapter 41: Gonda Shopping [Illustration]

    The tallest building in Balarand, and perhaps all of Tsubasa is Gonda Tower. It towers so far above its peers that even Castle Balarand is dwarfed. It¡¯s said that on special nights, the very brightest of them, if you stand on the top of the tower you can reach up and touch the tips of the moons as they fly by. It isn¡¯t true, but the sky never looks better than when you¡¯re on top of the world.

    I know the owner, so next time we go to Elince, I¡¯ll take you up there to see for yourself. How does that sound? You want me to continue the story instead of giving you travel tips? Oh well.

    Today, Beatrice and her Mom had made a visit to Gonda Tower¡¯s vast shopping center, and, as always, every single floor was busy. If Emi were here, she would most certainly be having a fit right now, Beatrice thought. Despite the anti-Dannark demonstrations going on in the streets outside, the shops were just as packed as any other day.

    Beatrice preferred the hustle and bustle of the marketplace near the library, the one where she and Emi first met all that time ago. The excitement of finding something new, of meeting people from all over the world and haggling with them over prices, outclassed anything she could find in these huge, clean stores. Well, she never actually haggled before because she never had enough money to buy anything worth doing it over, but she liked the theory of it. The theory of arguing.

    Even so, Gonda Tower was nice. Each floor had a different department selling all sorts of things. One floor was filled with art supplies for painting and sculpting, another with stuffed animals and children¡¯s toys, another with Ancient Elincian-style memorabilia that could be used to decorate one¡¯s home. The floor that Beatrice and her Mom were on was a massive clothing store, covered from floor to ceiling, wall to wall, with outfits of infinite variety.

    To say that it was overwhelming was a grand understatement. Actually, Beatrice wasn¡¯t sure if she had ever been in a clothing store before, on account of Mom making all of her outfits herself. That was why today¡¯s adventure was a little bit odd, she thought to herself. Mom rarely left the area around the apartment, that Beatrice knew of anyway, and their first mother-daughter outing in a year was suddenly a shopping trip for expensive clothes.

    Mom was also much, much more interested than Beatrice right now. Don¡¯t get her wrong, she liked cute dresses as much as the next girl. But for the most part, wearing a simple shirt-and-skirt combo was enough. Getting into Emi levels of dressiness was just too much.

    Mom took a long green dress, so bright it hurt Beatrice¡¯s eyes just looking at it, and held it up against Beatrice¡¯s chest. She examined it closely, and nodded. ¡°It looks good on you.¡±

    ¡°Mom.¡±

    ¡°What, you don¡¯t like it?¡±

    Beatrice shook her head. ¡°I like it. It¡¯s just... I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it on and see?¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Beatrice took the dress and went into a changing room to see how it looked on her. She took her glasses off and undressed. As she looked in the mirror at her own freckled cheeks, at her own blue eyes, and her own curly hair. She used to hate this face--it was so plain, so boyish, making her look shy, making her look unkempt when she was neither of these things. But this was the same face that Emi loved. There had to be a reason behind that, right?

    She put the dress on and rotated herself around to get a good look at it.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    How did it all come to this?

    Trying on an expensive dress at Gonda Tower. Going on a trip to Mammoth Pass. Being in love with a diplomat¡¯s daughter, the most beautiful girl in the entire world. A few months ago, she was on-track to join the priesthood just like she had always dreamed about. Then she saw that face at the marketplace, and everything changed so dramatically.

    She hadn¡¯t fully wrapped her head around the extent of it, yet. It was just that crazy.

    The dress fit well, though a little bit at the waist. But she didn¡¯t like how loud the color was, how much it would make her stick out. Though, why she didn¡¯t want to stick out was beyond her. Was it that she always felt insecure about her appearance, and didn¡¯t want to showcase that to everyone else? Was Emi¡¯s worrisome self rubbing off on her?

    Actually, she decided that she did like the dress. She exited the changing room and showed it to her Mom. Her reaction was an immediate clapping.

    ¡°So beautiful,¡± Mom said. ¡°My daughter is so beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mom,¡± Beatrice said. She would have blushed, were it not her Mom who complimented her.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to be the star of every event in Mammoth Pass,¡± she said.

    ¡°Well, no, I think Emi is still going to be the star.¡±

    ¡°Not after we¡¯re done here. We¡¯re going to get you clothes to make you shine.¡±

    ¡°Mom, are you sure we need to buy all these fancy clothes like this?¡± Beatrice asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine just wearing whatever you make.¡±

    Her Mom smiled, and said, ¡°What I make isn¡¯t good enough. A girl like you deserves more.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t--¡± Beatrice stopped herself before she could get in an argument about something as silly as self-deprecation.

    And for the first time in a while, Beatrice saw that lip-scrunching sadness on her Mom¡¯s face, the kind of indignant resignation that beset her in her worst moods.

    But why?

    Beatrice hadn¡¯t done anything wrong that she knew of. She had never disobeyed her parents. Never gotten in a fight. Never came home late at night with a few too many Balarand brews in her belly. And yet here, and now, her Mom looked like she was about to cry.

    And now Beatrice felt terrible.

    Could it be that Beatrice was seemingly abandoning her lifelong quest to join the Priesthood, or that she was dating a girl from a family so important her parents were away from home for months at a time? Could it be that she thought she was abandoning the family for whatever pursuits, as if she hated her Mom and Dad because she wanted to see the continent with her own eyes? She wasn¡¯t sure.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mom?¡± Beatrice asked, instead of skirting the issue and ending up with worse hurt feelings.

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s the matter,¡± she said, eyes filling with tears. ¡°My baby girl¡¯s growing up. And I am so proud of her. It¡¯s just a little...¡± There went the crying.

    Oh. It was THAT kind of sadness.

    Beatrice quickly moved to hug her around the neck, but dropped the green dress on the floor. Whoops. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for growing up,¡± she said.

    Mom stopped crying and laughed. ¡°I wish all children told their parents that.¡±

    As Beatrice picked up the dress again, a question occurred to her. ¡°Mom, what do you think about me and Emi?¡±

    ¡°What do I think?¡±

    ¡°About me and Emi... and, the priesthood. I¡¯m going to take the test, but...¡±

    Mom turned away from Beatrice to browse through the other dresses on sale. After a moment to look at a frilly cream-colored dress, she said, ¡°You can¡¯t do both, can you?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Pick the girl.¡±

    The way she said it was so instant, so decisive, that it took Beatrice off-guard.

    In fact, she didn¡¯t respond for the duration of their time shopping. She got six new dresses, all paid for with the money her family had been saving up for a vacation to the coast this summer. Today was supposed to be a joyful day, and yet Beatrice was stuck on the suddenness of her mother¡¯s words.

    And then she thought about it.

    She really was going to pick the girl.

    As perplexing as it was, she was going to pick the girl.

 Chapter 42: Tinker

    She twisted the screw in tight and fastened the entire thing together.

    ¡°There we go,¡± she said to herself. ¡°It¡¯s perfect.¡± She clapped her hands together and looked at the rest of the den, and to the fireplace, where Ms. Khami and several house servants were keeping warm on this particular evening. Emi got up from her chair and sat down closer to them, next to her friend Pip, and she beamed with pride. Nobody seemed to pay notice, though.

    The fireplace burned hot, and the smell of wood permeated the room. It was a smell you could describe as pleasant, even when, with just a smidge of excess, its odor stained your clothes and made you reek for a week. At the risk of smelling bad, Emi wanted to be warm.

    ¡°Are you ever going to be done with that thing?¡± asked Ms. Khami, holding up a half-finished bottle of rice wine.

    ¡°She¡¯s already restarted it four times,¡± said Pip. ¡°She¡¯s never gonna have it ready.¡±

    ¡°Actually!¡± Emi shouted with one finger raised. Everyone looked at her and she realized she didn¡¯t mean to be so loud. ¡°Um, actually, I just finished. It¡¯s ready.¡±

    Ms. Khami clapped a few times. ¡°Yay, Now you can help out on the balcony.¡±

    ¡°Eheheheheh. I can¡¯t, because I have to pack for the trip to Mammoth Pass!¡± Emi cackled as if she had completed a new master plan. She knew how hard Ms. Khami was making all the housekeepers work on building the new third floor balcony, and if there was anything Emi was simply not cut out for, it was demanding physical labor. Her life was more cut out for the works of the mind--like this device here.

    The large metal box she held in her hands was the most important thing she had ever created. She didn¡¯t know that yet, but she had to have known its significance while she caressed its cool surface. It¡¯s not prideful to admit something like that to yourself, and even Emi would have understood if she knew what would come from this invention.

    ¡°I¡¯m just glad you finished,¡± Pip said. ¡°Seeing that cute face of yours happy is--¡±

    ¡°So, anyway Ms. Khami,¡± Emi said. ¡°I got fitted for the dress I will wear to the Mammoth Watching trip. Javert said it was his best work yet.¡±

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°Javert never says anything that positive,¡± Ms. Khami said. ¡°Are you sure it wasn¡¯t an impostor?¡± She was drinking, all right. ¡°Always hated that man...¡±

    Pip laughed. While Ms. Khami wasn¡¯t paying attention, she snatched the wine bottle and took a few gulps herself.

    ¡°He¡¯s okay,¡± Emi said. ¡°I¡¯m not looking forward to meeting all the nobles and bureaucrats heading up with us, though... I wish we got to go alone.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s this ¡®we?¡¯¡± Ms. Khami asked. ¡°Oh, right. You and that girl. Don¡¯t forget who it was who arranged for her to join you. If your parents ever found out I was helping you subvert your own engagement, that¡¯d be the end of me. Well, not really, since I¡¯m the best blazing housekeeper this side of the continent, but I¡¯d rather them not know. You better play it safe, Emi Khara.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡±

    Ms. Khami rolled her eyes.¡°Have you told the poor girl yet? Or are you hoping your mechanical wonder box will make a good going-away present when you move to Zahn in a few months?¡±

    Emi got up from her seat and huffed. ¡°You¡¯re mean when you¡¯re drunk.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not drunk,¡± she said. She grabbed Emi¡¯s hand and pulled her back towards the chair. ¡°You¡¯re just being an unreasonable child. Just like your mother, that brat. When we were children, she was obsessed with writing her little books. Never did anything with them. Just whittled away her pencils, the same way you¡¯re--¡±

    Emi¡¯s hands slipped, and she dropped the device. For one perilous second, everything looked lost. The gears and springs were going to go crashing onto the floor, destroying it all before she had even gotten the chance to show it to anyone. Emi¡¯s eyes went wide, and she reached out to grab it--

    --and caught it in mid-air.

    ¡°No!¡± Ms. Khami yelled. ¡°I... Oh, thank Phyra, you didn¡¯t-- your box is alright.¡±

    The entire room seemed to heave a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Well, as I was saying,¡± Ms. Khami continued. ¡°Your mother, she was such an annoying kid. I loved her, but she acted like a little sister even if she had five years on every maid in the household. I always had to--¡±

    Pip got up and tapped Ms. Khami on the shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s get you to bed,¡± she said. ¡°And Emi, good work. You should get yourself some rest.¡± She winked.

    ¡°Maybe I could do for a nap...¡±

    Pip helped Ms. Khami up and followed the woman hobble herself into her bedroom.

    Emi went into her bedroom and gently set her creation on her desk before plopping down on her bed. She wasn¡¯t going to let Ms. Khami ruin her mood. She was about to go on a romantic vacation with her girlfriend, and that was what mattered. She was in love, and that was what mattered.

 Chapter 43: Departures

    A fleet of six carriages were lined up to depart from Balarand and head on north past the Elincan-Dannark border, up to the base of the Plebias Mountains, where laid Mammoth Pass, the northernmost city in all of civilized Tsubasa. Anything past there, and it was nigh-uninhabitable wasteland known as the Frozen Desert. This really was the furthest place you could get in this continent, so these carriages came prepared.

    And in this trip north, Emi and Beatrice had actually first travelled south. Before their journey could officially begin, they went to the great mansions around Lake Geoffrey, where they would be joining some sort of tourist caravan. Beatrice hadn¡¯t been well-informed about the specifics of this trip, but she was prepared for anything.

    Well, theoretically anything. Right now, she was overwhelmed beyond belief. She had never experienced anything so fancy in her life. The party at Emi¡¯s house she had attended sure was nice, but this was beyond that entirely. The carriages were white and adorned with all sorts of decorations. Dozens of wealthy individuals wearing wigs and bright-colored tunics loitered around while Beatrice was just here like herself. She couldn¡¯t believe she thought she was going to stick out.

    One young boy, dressed in a puffy white coat and wearing a long dark wig, approached Beatrice. ¡°Welcome to my humble abode,¡± he said. ¡°I am Tia Knoll.¡± He extended his coat and curtseyed.

    ¡°I... uh, hi...¡± She was NOT forewarned about meeting a member of the Knoll family and then being bowed to like she was an equal! Emi knew the Knolls! Beatrice completely forgot about the fact that the L¡¯Hime Family really was that influential.

    ¡°You are Emi¡¯s muse, correct? I like you already. You are likely the only thing keeping her from doing rash and stupid things all the time.¡±

    ¡°Hey... don¡¯t talk about Emi like that.¡±

    ¡°Honey, do not worry about it. She has been my friend for as long as I can remember.¡± But was he her friend in return? That, Beatrice could not tell. He seemed nice, but Emi had never mentioned him before, not even once. Then again, it¡¯s not like Beatrice talked much about her school friends to Emi. She remembered Emi giving an odd look when she first met Bodhi at the Winter Ceremonies, though she never said anything about it afterwards.

    When was Emi going to finish getting changed, anyway? That girl was so slow.

    ¡°Have you been to Mammoth Pass for the Winter Festival before?¡± Tia asked.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve never even left Balarand before,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Is it like the Winter Ceremonies?¡±

    ¡°Nothing alike. I would not even be able to consider them the same species of celebration.¡±

    Beatrice was simultaneously perplexed and intrigued.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°I have been to Mammoth Pass each winter for my entire life, and I must say it is one of the more exciting parts of my year. My boyfriend is stuck in Balarand with the flu, so I am truly envious of you and yours. You are going to love this.¡±

    Beatrice couldn¡¯t help but blush.

    Finally, Emi came out of the Knoll mansion dressed up in some sort of outfit that looked more like an elaborate costume than a dress. It was huge, poofy, and bright red, making her stick out exactly in the ways she surely didn¡¯t desire. She was more a walking portrait than a human. Still, she was cute enough that she nearly pulled it off. Red dresses always look amazing, I think, and this one worked excellently on Emi.

    While I think it was cute, Beatrice was floored by it. This was her own girlfriend standing there, her own girlfriend shining in scarlet radiance. The dress didn¡¯t exactly have the best design, she thought, but it hardly mattered when the person wearing it had the design of a Goddess.

    She had grown so accustomed to Emi, so connected to her, but never stopped for a single moment being able to see her beauty, on the inside and out. She knew she was uncomfortable right now, appearing in front of everyone in a revealing, low-cut dress. But the fact that she soldiered on despite that was remarkable. Emi had so much in her life to complain about, so many things that restricted her from doing what she wanted, but she didn¡¯t just sit back and take them; she absorbed them and used her hardships to make herself stronger.

    Every step she took was measured and careful, every flick of her hair done with grace. For someone who was so opposed to the regal life, Emi had the ability to make herself look absolutely aristocratic. Beatrice used to be confused about that, unable to understand why Emi didn¡¯t just run away if she hated the rich life so much. But she realized the truth-- Emi was born for this. She was too powerful to run away.

    ¡°It is time to go,¡± said Tia, when Emi finally reached them.

    ¡°I¡¯m finally ready,¡± Emi said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that my parents had ten dresses made for me for this trip, but I guess I¡¯ll get to look like a proper lady for the next couple weeks.¡± She walked over to Beatrice and gave her a quick kiss. ¡°Sorry for making you wait, Tris. I hope I didn¡¯t cut into your valuable study time. How will you ever pass your tests now?¡±

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be mean.¡±

    ¡°Uh-oh... I think you¡¯re in for a rough few days if you want nice people around,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll move to a new carriage.¡±

    ¡°Sure you will. You¡¯d be willing to sacrifice kisses that easily, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    Beatrice playfully shoved Emi. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get going.¡±

    Tia waved and began walking to a carriage up front. ¡°I will see you ladies when we reach our first rest stop,¡± he said. ¡°Try to enjoy yourselves. And Beatrice, I am excited for you to experience this trip for the first time.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied.

    They entered the carriage. It was small, only enough room for three or four people to sit on each side and for storage in the back, but it was cozy and the seats were very comfortable. Beatrice wasn¡¯t sure if she would be able to sleep on these seats every night for almost a week, but she was sure they would come to some sort of accommodation on the way. Right?

    Emi sat next to Beatrice and unfolded a warm blanket to go over both of them. She wrapped her arm around her and said, ¡°I really hate this dress.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look very good,¡± Beatrice said.

    The carriages took off towards the Grand Concourse and eventually the highway towards Mammoth Pass.

 Chapter 44: On the Trail to Mammoth Pass [Illustration]

    The Northern Highway was the main road bisecting the kingdom of Elince, stretching from Balarand all the way to Dannark and beyond. It facilitated almost all travel throughout the main cities in the region, creating hubs of trade and commerce in between that lifted entire cities out of poverty.

    And, in the middle of wintertime, the Northern Highway was a sight of great beauty.

    Lake Ehota, frozen over in the middle of the winter, was a sight to behold. It was a vast expanse, going on for miles and miles all the way towards the Plebias Mountains,  consisting of nothing but ice and falling snow. It carved up most of the scenery, a flat stretch of light blue going on past the horizon. A beautiful wasteland.

    On the other side of the small road was a thick layer of trees, covered in that same falling snow. Occasionally a snow leopard could be seen dancing around as it looked for prey, or a pack of greyback bears could be seen playing around with each other, but other than that the forests were empty and quiet.

    The weather outside must have been absolutely frigid. But inside a certain carriage were two certain young women who were currently focusing the entirety of each other¡¯s attentions on each other.

    Emi and Beatrice, wrapped up in a warm fur blanket and snuggled up on one of the carriage seats, had hardly looked outside for quite some time now, too busy tasting each other¡¯s lips.

    Beatrice had not done one second of studying during the trip so far. She felt somewhat guilty about it, but in the end she cared much more about her time with her girlfriend than becoming a priest, so she continued to savor every moment they shared.

    Emi, by the second day, had given up trying to look nice in the brief moments when the caravan made rest stops, despite the many rich and noble people riding alongside them. She had slipped out of her formal wear and into a much warmer and much simpler leather coat. Together with the blanket and Beatrice¡¯s arms around her, though, she was almost too hot at this point, and wanted to take the coat off. But that would mean letting go of Beatrice, something she was not willing to do right now.

    They had individually wondered how long they could reasonably keep this up, kissing and cuddling and doing practically nothing else. It turned out that the answer was quite a while.

    ¡°I love you so much, Tris,¡± Emi said as she caught her breath.

    Beatrice did not reply, and only leaned forward to kiss her once again.

    That was answer enough.

    The love shared between Beatrice Ragnell and Emi L¡¯Hime was real. It was expressed in every shared glance, every giggle, every pitter-patter of the heart, and it carried itself through this trip towards Mammoth Pass.

    Of course, it could not last forever. A few hours later, the carriages stopped, and so did they.

    When this happened, it was for one of three reasons: it could be for the chefs to bring food to each of the riders, which they did four times a day; it could be to let riders experience a particularly scenic spot on the road; or it could be to let riders relieve themselves. From the way Beatrice leaped up and darted out of the carriage as soon as the wheels had settled, it was clear which of the three reasons this rest stop was for.

    ...Eww? You wish I didn¡¯t tell you that much information? Okay, weirdo.

    ***

    Later that night, Emi and Beatrice sat around a campfire, the carriage caravan parked on the side of the road. They would eventually return to their carriage to sleep, but for now they simply wanted to bask in the warmth of the embers in front of them. They shared a wool blanket and they held each other in their arms, though Emi had a cup of warm tea in one hand. Beatrice had both arms wrapped tightly around Emi, hugging her stomach.

    Tia sat across from them, wearing a plain jacket and long skirt, smiling brightly. ¡°You two are attached at the hip, surely.¡±

    ¡°If I let go of her she might escape,¡± said Beatrice.

    ¡°Help me...¡± Emi whispered.

    ¡°I have never understood how such completely separate people could meet and fall in love like you,¡± Tia said. ¡°You are from such different worlds, a junior priest and a diplomat¡¯s daughter. And yet... you made it work. How did you get past it all?¡±

    The girls looked at each other, and Emi shrugged. ¡°Who knows?¡± Emi said.

    ¡°I do,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°We just ignored everything else and went for it. It might be stupid but that¡¯s the only thing you really can do.¡±

    Tia shook his head, smiling. ¡°Pretty stupid indeed.¡± He met Emi¡¯s eyes and raised an eyebrow. Emi blushed and tried to giggle to cover it up. ¡°I know you¡¯ll keep making it work. The Gods seem to have made you for each other.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the Gods work in baffling ways sometimes,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Sometimes... I just don¡¯t understand them at all.¡±

    ¡°I wish my boyfriend were here,¡± Tia said. ¡°It has been so boring travelling in a carriage with a bunch of aristocrats I have never met before. They have interesting conversations, but they are all so stuffy and old and... Hey, I wonder... do you think I might join your carriage and--¡±

    ¡°No,¡± both of the girls said flatly.

    Tia couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    ***

    The mountains were drawing closer, and Emi stared out the window waiting and wishing for them to arrive already. Not that she didn¡¯t enjoy this amazing few days lately, but she was so excited to show Beatrice around Mammoth Pass.

    Plus, her girlfriend was starting to aggravate her with all the kissing. If she kept doing it every five seconds, she was going to make Emi start to hate the whole act. Hate kissing! Who could even cause such a thing?!

    By now Beatrice had pulled out one of her study books given to her by Mr. Statusian, but she had barely opened it as she thought instead about her life with Emi. Obviously these past few days weren¡¯t going to be indicative of the rest of their relationship, nor were the next few, but she really did realize that this woman really was someone she might want to spend a lifetime with.

    That was the real magic here. Oh... wow that was so corny, even in her head. But it made her think...

    ¡°What will we be doing in five years?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°Raising our kids,¡± Emi answered almost instantly. ¡°You¡¯ll be teaching at a small private school and I¡¯ll be managing a shipping company exporting Runa¡¯s exotic creatures to the rest of Tsubasa for a pricey markup. We¡¯ll have three sons and a daughter.¡±

    ¡°Hector, Kano, Jean, and Emi Jr,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°All in the next five years?¡±

    ¡°Of course. We¡¯re both girls. We can push them out two at a time; we just have to work overtime at it.¡± Beatrice cracked up laughing, and Emi smirked as she continued to gaze out the window.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    The carriages passed through a small logging village. It was covered in snow, but all its residents seemed to be hard at work tossing lumber into carts and throwing the twigs into a heaping burn pile. Right next to the road, a few kids were building a ten-foot-tall snowman. They waved as the caravan passed them by.

    Even if Emi and Beatrice had led very different lives, they were still urban denizens of the great city of Balarand. Neither of them could really even imagine what life in a wintery village would be like. If they had met and fallen in love under those circumstances, then THAT would be a story worth telling.

    ¡°Maybe we could move out to the countryside,¡± Emi said. ¡°Just live out in some cottage, farming and hunting for ourselves, not giving a darn about the rest of the world and all its wars and turmoil...¡±

    ¡°If we¡¯re being serious here,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I ever want to settle down and have kids.¡±

    ¡°Really? Why not?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve lived in Balarand all my life, living with two low-class parents. I¡¯ve studied about the rest of the world and all the things and places in Tsubasa. I¡¯ve been studying it so long that... I just want to see it for myself, you know? My parents settled down early and had me, and obviously I appreciate that, but they probably missed out on a lot of their adulthood that way. They might never have been able to travel or fulfill their dreams or make a real difference in the world, not in the way they wanted when they were our age.¡±

    ¡°Well, just by making you they sure made a difference in my world,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°Oh, stop it.¡±

    ¡°Make me,¡± Emi said. In response, Beatrice scooted over to her, grabbed her hand, and planted a kiss on her lips. The life drained out of Emi¡¯s spirit. ¡°Okay, Tris, fine. No more silly remarks. Please... Wait-- keep cuddling me though.¡±

    ¡°Will do.¡±

    Emi giggled, then continued her thoughts. ¡°I just think... even if we travelled around the world and acted like my parents trying to negotiate peace deals and end rebellions and write trade agreements, eventually we would want to settle down.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to really do that kind of thing either,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Politics is boring. And you and I both know we don¡¯t really like talking about that anyway.¡±

    ¡°Nope. And we definitely never will. But then if you want to make an impact on the world, then what DO you want to do? Like, in general?¡±

    ¡°I want to help people. Make the world happier. Bring harmony to all of Tsubasa. Like, have you heard of that movement in Zahn with schools? They¡¯re introducing public education to every single town and village. Soon the whole country will know how to read, and that will help everyone! I want to do something like that.¡±

    Emi refused to even hint that she knew (and was engaged to) the person overseeing that public education project. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t be inheriting much of the L¡¯Hime Family estate, but... it¡¯ll be enough to live on for a few decades, that¡¯s for sure. That could always be a good asset.¡±

    ¡°I mean--¡± Beatrice paused to collect her thoughts. She wasn¡¯t entirely sure what she was trying to say herself. ¡°I mean, no wealthy people stuff. Just you and me and going around making people¡¯s lives better across Tsubasa.¡±

    ¡°So like my cottage plan, but with a carriage?¡±

    ¡°Or just our own two feet,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°That sounds tiring.¡±

    ¡°It might be my ultimate dream. Am I weird?¡±

    ¡°We already know you¡¯re weird,¡± Emi said. ¡°As for your dream, Tris... Personally, I would love to raise kids and have a family and have a quiet, peaceful life. But... I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that powerful a dream. Not like yours. I¡¯m being completely serious when I say I¡¯d follow you no matter what you did. We¡¯ve been together for a while now and I think I can say that for sure. You¡¯re just so...¡± Emi trailed off and sobbed quietly.

    ¡°Emi, do you really mean that?¡± Beatrice felt tears welling up in her eyes, too.

    ¡°Why would I lie about that?¡± Emi laughed and cried simultaneously. ¡°I love you.¡±

    ¡°Even if I¡¯m some boyish peasant with ridiculous life goals?¡±

    ¡°You know good and well you are the smartest, most beautiful, most thoughtful complete jerk on the planet and don¡¯t you deny it like you¡¯re playing innocent!¡± Emi exclaimed.

    Beatrice couldn¡¯t help it-- she kissed her again. Emi nearly fell over. A fire lit deep within Beatrice¡¯s heart and burst out through her lungs: ¡°I love you and all your weird quirks. When you blush it¡¯s like I fall in love with you all over again. I wish your name was longer so I could give you a cute nickname. Your hair looks so much better when it¡¯s short and I hope you never change it. Every time I look into your eyes I go nearly brainless. You¡¯re radiant and dangerous, and--¡±

    ¡°No reciting poetry, Tris. That¡¯s cheating.¡±

    ¡°Eh, I didn¡¯t know you knew that one...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m smarter than I look,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you start... Let¡¯s just shut up and keep cuddling.¡±

    ¡°Agreed.¡±

    ***

    Beatrice flipped through a cross-stitch book, trying to find a pattern that looked interesting. And easy.

    She¡¯d been practicing sewing for a few months now, but she still couldn¡¯t manage much beyond very simple things. She could mend a tear, but she couldn¡¯t come close to making an item of clothing. She thought cross-stitching might work, but... it was all a bit difficult for her. How did her Mom do all of this with her own two hands?

    Meanwhile, Emi shuffled through some bags in the back of the carriage. The road was old and worn, however, and when a wheel rolled over a bump, Emi nearly lost her balance. She grabbed ahold of the seat with her knees and shook for a moment. Beatrice managed to suppress a laugh, so she wouldn¡¯t embarrass her girlfriend more than usual.

    When the girl continued to look even further, Beatrice could no longer keep her curiosity at bay. She asked, ¡°What in Tsubasa are you looking for?¡±

    ¡°Just a minute,¡± she responded.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to get hurt,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you wait until the next rest stop?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t,¡± Emi said. ¡°Too urgent. It¡¯s--Ah-ha.¡± She turned around and sat back down on the seat, now holding what appeared to be, well, a black metallic box of some sort. Beatrice couldn¡¯t figure out what it was.

    The front panel was white, lined into a grid of hundreds of tiny squares, and there was a crank on the side. But other than that, it just seemed like an oddly shaped, quite heavy box.

    ¡°I made this for you,¡± Emi said. ¡°For a few months, I¡¯ve been working on this project, ever since I figured out how to build machines. It took me until this week to finish, but I¡¯m finally ready to show you.¡±

    ¡°Is this that secret you told me about way back when?¡±

    ¡°The same one.¡±

    ¡°So what is it, then?¡± Beatrice was overcome with curiosity.

    ¡°Okay, well, see all these squares on the front of the machine? They¡¯re each connected to a gear in the inside, and from the way I programmed the turning positions, each time the gears turn, some of the squares will turn black, and some of them will stay white. Look.¡±

    She turned the crank one time, and sure enough, some of the squares rotated, turning black, and forming the image of a horse, with a hill in front of it. It was crudely-drawn, but that¡¯s saying a lot when it was made with squares on a machine.

    Beatrice wasn¡¯t expecting anything like this. ¡°You can make art with machines? How did you even think of this?¡±

    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know, I just put all the pieces together right.¡± Weird. If this weren¡¯t Emi, she¡¯d be suspicious that she were lying, but she could tell Emi genuinely didn¡¯t know. ¡°And that¡¯s not it,¡± she continued. ¡°I can program this box up to thirty two times in order, so the squares will flip or not flip in an order before it all turns back to the beginning.¡±

    Emi again cranked the machine, this time faster and steadier. The squares changed. A new image formed. Wait, not completely new-- it was like the horse had moved, like it was galloping towards the hill.

    The more Emi cranked, the closer the horse got to the hill, until it made a big leap and cleared the hill in one bound. Then it continued walking... and another hill appeared in front of it.

    Emi tapped a button underneath the crank and all of the squares turned white.

    ¡°Emi, this is the most amazing thing I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°You made the picture move. It¡¯s like the horse was really moving. I¡¯m just...¡±

    ¡°You really like it?¡±

    Beatrice got up--no, more like leapt- and hugged Emi around the neck. ¡°You¡¯re amazing.¡±

    Emi started to cry. ¡°Want to try it?¡± she asked.

    And Beatrice took the machine and cranked it herself, watching the horse move and jump over the hill, and watching this little animated figure repeat the same action over and over again. It was so cute. And Emi had made this all by herself.

    ¡°Gods, this is wonderful,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Can you make more?¡±

    Still crying, Emi nodded, and said, ¡°I think so. I think I can reposition the gears and program it all differently to make a completely different picture. But last time I tried it, I messed up the whole thing. So for now... Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry. You¡¯re a genius.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a... Thank you, Tris.¡±

    Beatrice didn¡¯t get tired of this machine, not for the rest of the trip. All of the wonder of the Gods, all the harmony of nature, barely stood up against this box her girlfriend had made. It was just so... cool. Emi had created a harmony all of her own with this machine. A perfect ecosystem of gears and springs that somehow made a piece of moving artwork!

    Humanity was amazing. Her girlfriend was spectacular.

 Chapter 45: The Whole City

    Beatrice looked out the carriage window and saw the Plebias Mountains, now up close and massive, with hundreds and hundreds of buildings dotting the ground below them or carved out of the side of them.

    This was Mammoth Pass, nestled between Dannark and the vast Frozen Desert to the north. Once one ventured on beyond the border, civilization disappeared, replaced by an inhospitable wasteland all the way to the ocean. Only a few scattered tribes had inhabited the Frozen Desert at the time, so Mammoth Pass was essentially the northernmost city in all of Tsubasa.

    Beatrice, never having left Balarand in all her life, having already been excited by all the mountains and canyons and small villages they had passed along the way, was absolutely astonished that there could exist such a beautiful city apart from her own.

    She had dreamed of travelling in her life-- that was one of the main reasons she had set on the path to becoming a priest in the first place-- and she was finally getting to do it.

    Wow...

    Just wow.

    Out of pure happiness, she kissed Emi on the cheek.... and was promptly pushed away.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she muttered.

    They had spent the past five and a half days doing not much else but kissing and talking, so Emi was now in one of her antisocial moods. Beatrice felt fine, but she wanted to keep her girlfriend happy before they were inevitably forced to participate in rich people activities all day. Emi could hardly handle those as is, Beatrice knew well.

    The carriage caravan pulled off the highway and onto a city road leading straight into Mammoth Pass proper. A massive ice sculpture in the form of a mythical dragon adorned the center of one city district. It towered over all the other buildings in the vicinity, and all the rockway streets in the area led directly to this central exhibit. It was the crowning jewel of the city.

    Beatrice had gotten a small bit of studying done, though not nearly as much as she had originally expected. Now that she had seen what Winter Festivals had to offer, though, she knew she wasn¡¯t going to pull a single book out for the rest of her time here. There was no point in pretending otherwise.

    And there---

    She saw it-- ¡°Wow!¡±

    Roaming down the street, with people walking around it as if it was a completely normal occurrence, was a Mammoth, covered in shaggy fur. Its trunk, long and slender, bounced around as it walked.

    Beatrice looked closer and realized it was being followed by a few smaller Mammoth calves. It had its own babies, wow! They scurried around with more energy, less regal calmness, and one of them ran up to a passerby on the street, trying to get the human to give it food or affection or whatever it seemed to want at this moment. The parent Mammoth made a groaning sound with its trunk and the child Mammoths filed in line behind it with perfect obedience.

    Mammoths were considered sacred in all of Tsubasa¡¯s cultures, but Beatrice never expected anything like this. They simply roamed free in the middle of the city, not hunted, not bothered. Treated with reverence. The city WAS named Mammoth Pass, she realized. It made sense.

    The carriage made its way towards a small palace. It was no more than a tenth of the size of Castle Balarand, but it was also a mere vacation home for Empress Nievol, so it was never going to be very massive. Still, it was beautiful, built with rocky, jagged arches. Its roof was a large dome sparkling with silver.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost here,¡± said Emi.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    ¡°As long as we can go back to the hotel soon,¡± she replied.

    Beatrice wondered, if the carriage ride was as fancy as it was, what the hotel could possibly look like.

    The carriages finally pulled up in front of the palace, with dozens of diplomats in silly-looking outfits waiting for them out in the snow.

    ¡°Ugh, my parents are going to be angry if they see me in this,¡± Emi said, looking down at her not-so-fancy outfit.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Emi. It¡¯s been a long trip.¡± She wondered if they were in the crowd right now. Would they accept her? Would they be mad at Emi for bringing her? She knew so little about them...

    Beatrice stepped down onto the ground and offered her hand to Emi.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Tris...¡±

    She took her hand and stepped out of the carriage as well. They let go of each others¡¯ hands, as not to look too unprofessional in front of all the diplomats, and walked towards the growing procession of rich and famous people. Beatrice realized at this moment she was going to feel out-of-place for the rest of this trip.

    An older man saw the two girls and made his way towards them. Emi had a flash of recognition and ran towards him. ¡°Lord Lau!¡± she yelled. But rather than jumping up and hugging him around the neck, she extended her hand forwards towards him.

    ¡°My little Emi,¡± the man said in a grandfatherly rasp. He took her hand and shook it like it was completely normal. Beatrice stared blankly. ¡°How nice it is to see you after all this time. You must be so tired after your trip.¡±

    Emi looked back at Beatrice and giggled. ¡°It was a fine trip,¡± she said. ¡°But I¡¯m very glad to finally be back in Mammoth Pass.¡±

    ¡°As am I to see you once again. However, I must inform you of some ill news. Your parents will not be joining you after all They are being made to remain in Zahn while continuing to resolve some diplomatic issues with the extradition of King Kline from Fathie back to Dannark. A very serious matter. It only came up this week, so they could not warn you before you had departed.¡±

    ¡°I... I understand,¡± she said.

    Beatrice noticed Emi¡¯s crestfallen expression and felt bad. She probably was so excited for her to meet her parents, and now it was just going to be the two of them figuring out what to do all week on their own. Then again, Beatrice thought, it was going to be just the two of them all week. That sounded a lot more exciting, in a way...

    ¡°I will still make sure you receive the best experience possible here in Mammoth Pass,¡± Lord Lau said. ¡°Go, you two, and rest your travels off in your room so you may be up bright and early tomorrow. We are going Mammoth watching!¡±

    Beatrice took a few steps closer to Emi and Lord Lau so she didn¡¯t feel quite so much like an outsider to their conversation.

    ¡°Where is our room this year?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°Why, on the sixth floor of the castle, of course,¡± he said. ¡°You are a daughter of the L¡¯Hime Family, after all.¡±

    Wh...what? This castle? The one right in front of them at this very moment? Beatrice was going to faint.

    ¡°Well, I just thought things might be different, considering...¡±

    Lord Lau¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°We shall not let the political situation ruin your trip this year. You will find yourselves very well accommodated, both of you.¡±

    ¡°Well, thank you,¡± Emi said.

    They headed into the castle. Inside the castle, it was like a luxurious resort, every room patterned after what the Imperial Family would live in... or maybe their servants, at least. The castle¡¯s workers scurried around at the speed of baby Mammoths trying to get all of the new guests situated in their rooms. Beatrice felt too overwhelmed to really comprehend what was going on. So much wealth and so many people... and she was a guest! They went up a ton of flights of stairs, very tiring after a while, and reached their room.

    Gods, it was gorgeous.

    ¡°Gods, this is gorgeous,¡± Emi said.

    There was a great furnace place right in the middle of the room, kindling a warm glow and glowing warmth all over. There was a small heated tub off to the side, and of course a magnificent bed made from feathers and plush to bounce around on. Outside the window was a full view of the city, all the way towards the nearby Mount Galahad. The outlying villages and towns and their mountain-carved houses were starting to grow dimmer as the sun set behind them.

    Their bags hadn¡¯t been brought up yet, but this was such a nice room that Beatrice thought she could start living in it immediately, and forever, without ever having to think about the worries of adult responsibilities or life goals or any of that nonsense. She could stay in this room and relax for a few decades. Yep, that sounded about right.

    Emi ran over to the bed and started hopping up and down on the foam fabric. After a moment, Beatrice joined her. This was incredibly childish, but very fun!

    ¡°You know, this room is very famous,¡± Emi told Beatrice as they continued to jump around the bed. ¡°People like We-kus Kalo and Ken Anderso have stayed here before. We¡¯re jumping on the bed that Mr. Anderso jumped on!¡±

    ¡°I have no idea who either of those two people are.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re the premier yeti hunters of the whole continent. How do you not know them?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a yeti?¡±

    ¡°Gods, we are worlds apart sometimes,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°I was kidding,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re probably right,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°For how much I love you, and how much you love me, sometimes I feel like we have so far to go before we can really understand each other.¡± She paused, letting Emi soak in the words, before adding, ¡°And there¡¯s certainly one way we can get closer.¡±

    ¡°Read more books together?¡± Emi hopped backwards and landed butt-first on the bed, and Beatrice followed by making one final hop and then sitting down. Beatrice leaned back and laid her head on one of the many pillows. It was soft. Unnervingly soft.

    ¡°Books, huh. You want to help me study for the Priesthood Exam?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Emi replied. ¡°I¡¯d help you study for an assassination.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Like, if you wanted to kill someone, I would help you do it.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°That¡¯s wrong.¡±

    ¡°But you are so, so right.¡± She winked.

    ¡°Oh, Emi...¡± Beatrice, in a bout of excitement, let herself make the kind of sly smile you give when you know your plan is going perfectly. ¡°Wait, I don¡¯t have any books with me. No studying tonight. I guess we¡¯ll have to do something else then.¡±

    Emi¡¯s face grew red. She started to understand. ¡°Maybe... uh, maybe supper¡¯s ready for us. Yeah, let¡¯s go downstairs and check.¡±

    Beatrice shook her head. ¡°I very much doubt that.¡± She reached out her hand and placed it on Emi¡¯s cheek. Her entire face went cherry-red.

    ¡°Welp.¡±

    I think I¡¯ll stop narrating from there.

 Chapter 46: Mammoth Watching Extravaganza [Illustration]

    Emi was pretty weary of all this already, and it was only the second day in Mammoth Pass.

    There was just so much wealth around her, no matter where she went. It was almost intoxicating, and not in a good way. She waddled through the snow alongside a large pack of rich individuals who all wore clothes that cost more than an month¡¯s rent for apartment in Balarand. Emi knew that because she had checked listings for one-bedroom apartments across the city quite recently, not for any specific reason like that she was thinking about offering Beatrice a place for them to live together or anything. She was just curious, was all.

    Of course, she was one to talk when complaining about rich people clothing, seeing as just this morning she had worn an ornate white dress dotted with pearls for the breakfast social. It was beautiful, but she felt its value deprecating by a coin every time she took a step.

    Now, of course, she had on something much more, um, sensible. A custom design by her tailor Javert that looked cute, but had one fundamental flaw--its skirt went down only to her knees... She could feel her butt slowly morphing into an icicle just standing out here.

    Right now, Emi, Beatrice, and the other people in their party were up on the cliffs of the Plebias Mountains. They watched the herds of Mammoths roam at the edges of the Frozen Desert, a vast wasteland taking up most of northern Tsubasa. Other than the Mammoths themselves and a few pridecow herds and hunter tribes, practically nothing could survive out there. In a way, that made the sight even prettier than it already was. Emi wasn¡¯t sure why.

    Her rich companions were using tiny handheld binoculars to watch the scene without straining their eyes, but Emi looked on from afar with her own two eyes. It was more fun to take it all in at once, she thought.

    The Mammoths grazed the snowy ground, looking for shrubs and grasses, marching in their slow dance across the tundra. It was a sight that Emi knew well, from all her trips here with her parents, but, after all that had happened in her life these past few months, she felt like she was seeing them with a fresh mind. It was certainly interesting to see them while next to someone actually religious, someone whose entire life was predicated around keeping the same Harmony these Mammoths protected.

    The way they moved around was so majestic and pretty, even as all they did was walk in a slow-moving herd, marching in a line so slowly it looked like Emi¡¯s gear machine, but if it were being cranked too slowly. Beatrice must have been amazed to see the Mammoths, but Emi suddenly realized she was much more interested in seeing Beatrice as she looked at them.

    Beatrice looked as uncomfortable as Emi felt, somehow just as weary of all this rich people activity as her, though not quite as shivering. Beatrice was probably getting the better end of the deal here. She was wearing her very nicest dress, the same Ancient Balarandian-style outfit she had worn to Emi¡¯s house party all those months ago, but she had a coat over it and wore thick stockings to cover up her legs. It was still a bit thin, but unlike Emi, Beatrice could actually handle the cold because she was a grown lady.

    Emi, on the other hand, was a child. A chilled child.

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    Gods, how do you even make a being like Beatrice Ragnell? With no conscious effort put into her appearance, she looked less like a pretty girl on a trip, and more like a frostbitten hallucination of a heavenly being who takes you away to the afterlife.

    This girl was hers, Emi thought. Beatrice was hers, and she was Beatrice¡¯s. She had snagged the ultimate prize-- a woman who was not only beautiful, not only smart, not only so stubborn she would stop at nothing to achieve her goals, but someone who managed all of that without even thinking about it. Emi loved her so much.

    Those stockings on her slender legs were stronger, more captivating than a fairy¡¯s song. Gods, if it were just the two of them right now... Emi shivered and realized her fantasies were incredibly unrealistic sometimes.

    Lord Lau crept up to Beatrice and tapped her on the shoulder, giving her a bit of a fright. Emi watched as the two of them exchanged friendly banter. She wasn¡¯t sure wh the old man would think when she brought a woman who was very obviously not Lady Khara, but he hadn¡¯t said a word, yet. Maybe he didn¡¯t even realize it. Or maybe he was just on her side.

    ¡°This is your first time here, is it not?¡± Lord Lau asked Beatrice. He handed a pair of fancy binoculars to Beatrice. ¡°The Mammoths are a glorious sight indeed.¡±

    Beatrice took the binoculars. ¡°Thank you.¡± She watched the Mammoths through them, and Emi watched her watching.

    ¡°These creatures can live for three hundred years, sometimes longer,¡± Lord Lau said. ¡°Because humans are able to coexist with them peacefully, they have become increasingly plentiful across the continent. If you were to venture north into the Frozen Desert, you could find herds of them stretching on for a hundred miles as they migrate north and south along with the seasons. It is truly a thing of beauty.¡±

    So was Beatrice, Emi thought. The beauty part, not the stretching on for hundreds of miles part.

    Emi was currently shivering her butt off, wondering why in Phyra¡¯s name she was fitted for a winter dress whose hem only stretched down to her knees, and she actually wore this dress to the mountains. In the middle of the snow. Javert finally got back at her for all those years of whining and fidgeting around... and she deserved everything she got.

    What a price to pay to look as cute as she did!

    Suddenly, Beatrice turned her binoculars and faced them towards Emi, as if she were observing her like a natural specimen.

    One would suspect Emi would begin blushing and acting flustered by her girlfriend¡¯s actions. One would be extremely correct.

    ¡°Tris, w-w-hat are you doing?¡± Emi said through chattering teeth.

    Beatrice put down the binoculars and made a weird face. ¡°Uh, nothing.¡±

    ¡°Give me those,¡± she said before yanking the binoculars away. ¡°Maybe I should stare at you the same way, huh? How would you like that?¡±

    ¡°Please, like you didn¡¯t all l--¡±

    ¡°Shut it.¡±

    ¡°I love you,¡± Beatrice said.

    Emi blushed, and then put her free hand around her upper arm to show she cared.

    She was so warm...

    But then Beatrice shivered and pushed Emi away from her. ¡°Why are you so cold?¡± she asked.

    ¡°F-fashion...¡±

    Besides that, this moment was almost perfect. The two of them standing next to each other, overlooking the quiet serenity of the most beautiful creatures in Tsubasa. Or, rather, the second-most beautiful creatures, ranked just behind this absolute monster of a woman. If the horde of other rich onlookers weren¡¯t ogling the Mammoths all around them, this would be perfect. But Emi was okay with it being pretty close.

 Chapter 47: Legs

    They sat up on the bed in their hotel room and held each other in their grasp. It was a bed so big it wouldn¡¯t have even fit in Beatrice¡¯s bedroom back at home. It was so soft, so comfortable--almost like Emi herself. Though the bed wasn¡¯t quite as nice as the girl.

    Beatrice had taken off her glasses and put them on the nightstand. She was always a bit bad about wearing her glasses to sleep, but she knew tonight would be kind of risky if she left them on. But even as blurry as her vision was, she could see Emi well enough to know she was the woman she loved. That was a very, very cheesy line, she thought to herself.

    ¡°Those Mammoths were amazing,¡± Beatrice said, continuing to look her girlfriend with that distinctive farsighted blur her natural eyes gave her.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Emi said. ¡°I love coming to this city. I just can¡¯t believe we got to do it together. It¡¯s so...¡± Emi trailed off and rest her head on her shoulder.

    Beatrice reached out her hand and stroked Emi¡¯s leg up and down. It was soft, smooth like a face after tears had run down her cheek. Her fingertips couldn¡¯t resist the feeling.

    ¡°What are we going to do tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Emi scooted closer to her and wrapped her ams around Beatrice¡¯s back. ¡°Lord Lau wants to take us to the museum. I¡¯m sure your Dad would want you to go. After that... I¡¯m not sure yet. Where do you want to go, Tris?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°All I care about is right now.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Tris, stop...¡±

    With Emi in her grasp, she could do anything to her. Anything with her. But for some reason, her focus was fixated firmly on her very soft, very smooth skin.

    There wasn¡¯t a single hair, not that her hands could discover, not on her shin, nor her knee, nor her thigh, nor her hip...

    Emi raised her head and looked at her. Her heart raced--Beatrice could feel it beating against her chest, they were close. Their noses practically touched. Beatrice¡¯s legs were nestled underneath Emi¡¯s, and Emi¡¯s arms were wrapped around her waist.

    Beatrice tilted her head and planted a kiss on her girlfriend¡¯s lips. They moved around gently and slowly and went on for seconds, minutes, maybe more; it was impossible to tell.

    Tears began to stream down Beatrice¡¯s face. She couldn¡¯t even feel them falling, she only felt them as they stained her cheeks. The two continued to share the kiss for a moment longer until Beatrice tapped Emi¡¯s leg and let go. Her face was drenched.

    She rarely cried, so this was a complete surprise to her. And to Emi, too.

    ¡°Tris... So soft.¡±

    ¡°You too,¡± she said, wiping the tears off her face. She squeezed Emi¡¯s calf a few times. Squishy, almost as bouncy as the bed they sat on. ¡°I love you.¡±

    ¡°Do you really? I never knew.¡±

    ¡°Still...¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°Emi, why do you shave your legs?¡±

    ¡°I... What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit weird is all,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°Hey! You know, every girl of my status does it. It¡¯s completely... normal. Right? I¡¯m not weird?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how I should respond to that.¡±

    ¡°Tris!¡± Emi took a hand off Beatrice¡¯s waist and moved it to Beatrice¡¯s lower leg. Emi¡¯s fingers against her leg hair were ticklish but electric. ¡°It¡¯s not like leg hair is bad or anything. I just like mine the way they are, but I like yours the way they are too. It¡¯s a perfect match.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Hehe, it tickles. Stop. Stop!¡±

    ¡°Heheheheheh.¡± Emi used this opportunity to unleash a full-on tickle attack, assaulting Beatrice with the full force of her wiggling fingers.

    It was now evident that Beatrice¡¯s oft-boasted-of tickle defense measures were a fraud, and all those tickle masters she trained with had been mere scam artists. She went down like a chump, literally falling on her side in laughter.

    ¡°Stooop!¡± Beatrice squealed, but it was no use, as Emi had already begun the siege on her belly. She was sucked into the vortex of infinite laughter.

    Emi let out a maniacal chortle that reminded Beatrice way too much of Runa.

    She pushed Emi off of her and onto her back, and she bounced against the bed for a second, accompanied by a loud thud. ¡°Ouch,¡± she whined.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Hehehe.¡± Emi used this as an opportunity to make another tickle attack, and Beatrice again fell victim to the tickle ambush.

    ¡°Stoooooop...¡±

    ¡°Never,¡± Emi said. ¡°I¡¯ll never let you go, not in a million years.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so...¡± Beatrice pushed Emi off again. ¡°...Lame.¡± She climbed on top of Emi and restrained her wrists to put an end to all of this. No more tickling.

    Emi was blushing more than Beatrice had ever seen before. ¡°Tris...¡± she murmured.

    And then, with Emi in her grasp, Beatrice suddenly felt very nervous. For a moment, she thought about releasing her grip and backing off. But she didn¡¯t.

    Beatrice let out one last giggle and the two locked lips once again.

    ***

    Emi, at this moment, was jumping up and down on her bed while Beatrice was taking a nap before supper. The fabric was so soft that her jumps did not even interrupt the girl right beside her... How cool was that?

    She loved all of this. All of Beatrice, all of this hotel room, and, dare she say it, all of herself.

    Yes, Emi had stayed in places like this, but never somewhere with such a gorgeous view. Outside their window was a full view of the city, all the way towards the nearby Mount Galahad. Emi had never been all the way there, but there were outlying villages and towns built on the mountains, with buildings literally carved out of the mountains themselves. One could see the buildings dotting the surface of Mount Galahad from anywhere in the city, but to actually reach them took days of arduous travel, walking and climbing through winding, unsafe terrain. As a result, the only people that lived there were poor herders and strider hunters. She wasn¡¯t sure how anyone could live so close to a large city, and yet so far away from civilization.

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    Strange thing to think about while acting like a child and jumping on her bed, she realized. Emi landed butt-first and laid her head on one of the unnervingly soft pillows the castle staff had given them.

    This was nice. Very nice.

    Beatrice snored. Well, mostly nice.

    She looked at her gorgeous girlfriend, as beautiful asleep as when she was awake.

    ¡°I love you,¡± she said softly.

    Beatrice¡¯s eyes started flickering open, somehow waking up from those quiet words but not Emi landing on the bed. ¡°Yuri the only one for... me...¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Beatrice returned to full consciousness. ¡°Yuri-- I mean, you¡¯re the only one for me. Is it time for supper yet?¡±

    ¡°Not quite.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± She shut her eyes and dropped out of consciousness before Emi could add another word.

    Emi laid down next to her and sighed. She really wished her parents could have been here, but it did once again save her the trouble of having to explain who Beatrice was without getting into the inevitable confrontation with them about her engagement with Lady Khara.

    After all the stress building up as she awaited her parents¡¯ final judgment, she ought to have been utterly insane after not telling Beatrice for so long, but instead she felt relieved. That couldn¡¯t have been a good thing, could it?

    It didn¡¯t matter. She was going to tell Beatrice about it soon. It wasn¡¯t a big deal, not when she explained it right. She was just going to enjoy the rest of this trip, and then worry about all that later.

    Emi laid her head down on the bed next to Beatrice and nestled in close. Her nose nuzzled against her bare back and took in that smothering scent of old books and determination that belonged only to the woman she called Tris. She put her hand on her face and rubbed her fingers across her freckled cheeks. Then she leaned in and gave a peck to her lips.

    ¡°I love you so much,¡± Emi whispered once again.

    Beatrice responded by snoring.

    ***

    A deep breath... And another.

    This was just another test. Beatrice aced tests. When she set her mind to something, she accomplished it. So all she had to do was set her mind to this.

    She brushed at her skirt--there was nothing wrong with it, but she couldn¡¯t help herself--and straightened up her back--her posture was already solid, but she couldn¡¯t help that either,. Then she took the first steps down the spiral staircase.

    Beatrice had climbed up and down the huge central stairway in the L¡¯Hime Family foyer more times than she could count, and had never felt any particular way about it. So why, here, had the atmosphere suddenly turned so thin?

    Probably because at the bottom of this spiral staircase were hundreds of people partaking in the faciest of parties, the kind so rich you could see the golden sparkles on guests¡¯ dresses from outside the building. Probably because Beatrice wore a bright green dress that showed off her bust and legs far more than anything else she¡¯d worn in her life. Probably because waiting down at the bottom of those stairs would be a pair of brown eyes that would make the immediate judgment--was this the one, or was this all a mistake?

    She knew it was beyond certain what Emi felt about her. She knew they were both in love, that the Will of the Gods had brought them together into their own personal harmony, that no matter what happened, they would always have a bond stronger than any magic. Even so, she felt skittish, those stomach-gnawing worries like that her mediocre looks couldn¡¯t pull off this dress and that would end things for good.

    So, because of those strange pangs of anxiety, Beatrice took each step with great care. She kept herself composed and measured, let her legs descend each stair one at a time, pausing briefly each time to make sure her dress didn¡¯t flow more than it needed. It didn¡¯t her nerves very much.

    It took until she came into full view of the party--

    --with all eyes on her and even a few claps--

    --with that one familiar face leaning on a wall over by the corner that stared, mouth agape--

    --that those nerves were finally put to rest.

    Beatrice may not have been beautiful, not in her own biased blue eyes. But she was good at tests, and she passed this one like all the rest.

    With the pit of her stomach suddenly cured of all ailments, she gained all her confidence back in one instant. She took a glass of tea from a server¡¯s tray and waltzed over to Emi.

    ¡°How¡¯s my little wall flower?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I hate parties,¡± Emi said. ¡°But seeing you in that dress just made it worth it.¡±

    It took great pains not to let the compliments go to her head. ¡°Sorry I took so long, sweetie,¡± she told her.

    ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯m enjoying the company.¡±

    ¡°...Company?¡±

    Emi pointed to behind Beatrice. She turned around and saw a long table with a green cloth surface, and three multi-colored balls. A few young, handsome men were gathered around watching as another man aimed a stick at one of the balls. They watched with great anticipation before he struck it and it rolled across the table at great speeds. It bounced against the corners and eventually rolled to a stop in a different part of the table.

    The men began to laugh, and so did Emi. The man looked incredibly disappointed.

    ¡°These guys have kept me company,¡± Emi said after she finished laughing. ¡°They¡¯ve been teaching me all about this game.¡±

    Beatrice sipped at her tea and nodded curiously. ¡°It looks very interesting.¡±

    One of the young men, a light-skinned man with a scruffy beard, turned to the two and gave a hearty smile. ¡°Emi, did you see what Giles did?¡±

    ¡°He completely missed it!¡±

    ¡°Yep, because Giles is really lame,¡± he said. ¡°Oh, is this her? This stunning beauty right here?¡±

    Emi nodded. ¡°Yep! This is my girlfriend, Beatrice Ragnell.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m Ari Hugel,¡± said the beared man. ¡°Nice to meet you, Beatrice.¡± He extended his hand. Beatrice looked at Emi skeptically and then shook it with a strong a grip as she could give--ack, that hurt.

    He laughed. ¡°So, what do you know about the game of carambole?¡±

    Beatrice said to him, ¡°Absolutely nothing. I¡¯ve never even seen it before.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s really fun,¡± Emi said. ¡°Watch it!¡±

    She didn¡¯t really want to. But... But. Emi had been talking to complete strangers. Emi had been having fun in a party all on her own. This was an amazing development! Beatrice had to support her in every way she could, even if it meant watching a game involving... balls bouncing off table cushions or something like that?

    ¡°So what is carambole?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°Watch and learn,¡± said Ari. ¡°Though not from Giles.¡± The men laughed at the poor man who missed the shot earlier. Ari set the balls up in a triangle position on the table and took the long stick from his friend. ¡°So in carambole, the goal is to use the cue ball, in my case this one--¡± he held the white ball up to show her--¡±to hit the orange ball, then bounce the ball off three cushions, then to hit your opponent¡¯s cue ball, which in this case is Giles¡¯s green one.¡±

    ¡°Bounce off the cushions three times?¡± Beatrice said. ¡°That seems really hard.¡±

    ¡°And there¡¯s more,¡± he continued. ¡°You can hit the balls in any order, and as many times as you need, but you have to hit the other cue ball last no matter what.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s... Gods, that sounds hard. And if you miss?¡±

    ¡°If you make a point, you get to try again. If you miss, it¡¯s your opponent¡¯s turn. First to five points wins.¡±

    She studied the table. There were so many angles, so many possible ways, and she could tell immediately that this would take math and physics equations just to comprehend the basics of what went on with each strike.

    ¡°Do you understand, Beatrice?¡± Ari asked.

    ¡°I think so. The rules are simple, but the game...¡±

    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s carambole. Want to try it, since Giles is obviously too tired to continue?¡±

    Beatrice looked at Emi, who seemed ecstatic, and then back to Ari. ¡°Sure. Don¡¯t expect much though.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Maybe you¡¯ll have beginner¡¯s luck!¡±

    She didn¡¯t.

    ¡°That was pretty pathetic,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°It was your first time. Perfectly alright,¡± Ari said.

    Beatrice lost, zero points to five. The young men didn¡¯t laugh at her like they did their friend, which made it even worse. She felt pitied.

    Emi stepped up to the table and put her hand on Beatrice¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s just a game, Tris.¡±

    ¡°Just a game, but...¡±

    ¡°Here, I¡¯ll try,¡± Emi said. ¡°I¡¯ll show you that losing can be fun, too!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± Ari said. ¡°Let¡¯s have some fun.¡±

    Beatrice proceded to watch her girlfriend win the next eight games in a row. It turns out being a gear-head like Emi made people pretty decent at this kind of sport.

    This should have been a very useful lesson to Beatrice about the value of not always being the best, about failure sometimes being a better teacher than winning ever could. Instead, it just frustrated her more.

    At least she looked great in her bright green dress...

 Chapter 48: A Great Museum

    Next, Lord Lau took Beatrice and Emi to a new sight altogether: the National Museum of Mammoth Pass, one of Dannark¡¯s many cultural museums dedicated to preserving its history and art.

    In Balarand, the construction of a museum shortly after the occupation was a source of great controversy. It housed the Jewel of Elince, the nation¡¯s most precious artifact, and the occupational government refused to allow the people to take it out it during the Winter Ceremonies. Many boycotted the museum in protest, and there was word of serious financial troubles already.

    Emi imagined there had been tensions about the same things here in Mammoth Pass long ago, but it had settled out over time. Would Elince ever become the same way? Would the occupation even last such a long time?

    They entered the museum and were immediately greeted with a huge skeleton of a Mammoth on display, right at the entrance.

    That seemed blasphemous to a high degree.

    ¡°Do not worry,¡± Lord Lau said. ¡°It is merely a model. Mammoth bones always burned in this city, not stored and displayed. As if we were savages, really...¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t there the last time I came here,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°The Empress herself requested it last year,¡± he said. ¡°They had to make do with an imitation, but it was the best that could be done without upsetting the Gods.¡±

    Hmm... Emi didn¡¯t like this.

    Beatrice had come here, excited to learn a lot from the museum and even wore her traditional ancient Balarand-style outfit, the one with the sash and cape and everything. But the first thing here was a sight that could be outright blasphemous to her whole religion. Was this really okay? Emi wondered what Bk¡¯Man would think if Balarand performed rituals to appease Him, but kept an effigy of one of His servants on display as well. It seemed mighty suspicious. She wasn¡¯t the junior priest, though, so what did she know?

    Her girlfriend seemed to notice the way Emi was fretting. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Beatrice told her. ¡°I think it¡¯s pretty cool. My Dad would absolutely love this place.¡±

    ¡°Ah, your father is interested in this sort of place? He must be an esteemed scholar,¡± Lord Lau said.

    ¡°Not really,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°He just likes studying about the ancient cultures in Tsubasa. They used to have more magic and completely different languages, apparently.¡±

    ¡°You must tell him everything you learn here, then,¡± Lord Lau said. ¡°I will give you the most comprehensive tour I can.¡±

    Emi most certainly did not want to be given the most comprehensive tour Lord Lau could give, because she had known this man for most of her life. If he spoke, they wouldn¡¯t make it past the first exhibit by the end of the day.

    ¡°I do wish your Dad was here,¡± Emi said. ¡°I love that man.¡±

    ¡°What do you know, I love him too,¡± said Beatrice.

    ¡°I wish I could have taken your whole family and shown them all of this cool stuff so they could be happy. But I¡¯m not good enough yet.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, Emi. My parents are happy just like they are. My Dad has to stay and support the library, because there aren¡¯t many people who work there. And my Mom won¡¯t go anywhere without him. So really, it¡¯s okay.¡±

    ¡°If you say so...¡±

    ¡°Let us explore history and nature,¡± said Lord Lau. ¡°Follow me. I shall show you the latest discoveries by researchers that have explored the northern portion of Tsubasa looking for preserved specimens of ancient life. So far, they have found a great number of promising...¡±

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    Beatrice began following him towards the exhibit on ¡°Animals of the Plebias Mountains¡± and had a happy smile on her face. No! She didn¡¯t know what she was in for!

    She tugged on Beatrice¡¯s jacket and whispered, ¡°Come on. We need to get away from him.¡±

    ¡°What, how come?¡±

    ¡°...fifteen years since the previous fossil, and in that time they suspected the whole species was naught but a...¡± Lord Lau stopped and turned around. ¡°Is anything the matter?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, we just need to visit the ladies¡¯ room,¡± Emi said. She pulled her girlfriend with her towards the bathroom, but after they turned the corner towards a display of ancient tools used six thousand years ago, she stopped.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°Lord Lau lectures lots,¡± Emi said. ¡°Once, when I was five years old, he told me about the Romance of Zahn, that old epic poem, and how the real-life events differed from the story. He went on for over six hours. I was five years old.¡±

    ¡°And you listened the whole time? That¡¯s so sweet.¡± Beatrice leaned in for a kiss but Emi put her hand in front of her face. It was not a deserving moment, and Beatrice was not getting away with it.

    ¡°I just think that, even if this museum is really cool... maybe we should try to find more things to do since we only have a couple days left in Mammoth Pass.¡±

    ¡°But Lord Lau is so nice,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, but... Oh hey, look at that.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Emi walked up to a painting in this display of ancient traditions, titled The First Winter Ceremonies, by Tormod Benici. ¡°This is the same painting I have in my bedroom. Isn¡¯t that neat?¡± It was a swirling mix of blues and whites showing off ancient Balarand, with pink-hued decorations adorning the snow-covered buildings. Beatrice and her dark-gray outfit complimented the painting well.

    ¡°Why do you have a fake painting in your bedroom again?¡± Beatrice asked. ¡°I think I¡¯ve asked this before but I forget. It¡¯s kind of weird, isn¡¯t it?

    ¡°You haven¡¯t, because the answer is... I have no idea.¡± Emi shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s been there since I was a child. I like it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s cute. You¡¯re cute.¡± Beatrice leaned in for a kiss, but was again rebuffed by Emi¡¯s palm. Not right now buddy.

    They passed by another small exhibit, one showing off magic golems, like the one Runa was working on in her lab. Right now, all that was showing was a metallic core, but there was a large crank in front of the display. Beatrice seemed to be intentionally ignoring it, but Emi stepped over to the display and turned the lever. As she did, a bunch of rocks on wires emerged from holes in the exhibit and moved close to the core, forming a humanoid body. Haha, it was a self-assembling golem using levers and pulleys. Emi thought it was so neat.

    Beatrice had long since moved on from the exhibit, though. She really didn¡¯t like Runa¡¯s experiments, did she?

    ¡°Oh, Emi, look at this!¡± she suddenly exclaimed.

    ¡°Oh yeah, what is-- Ack!¡±

    Emi let out a shriek as she saw the next exhibit-- a massive greyback bear, twice the size of a human. It was a fake model, painted, but still. Terrifying stuff.

    ¡°It appears that this was the greyback of many thousands of years ago,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°They got smaller over time and now they¡¯re just your friendly neighborhood scavenger. Man, this thing looks like it could eat a human though!¡±

    ¡°I wish I never saw this,¡± Emi said. ¡°Knowing a creature like this ever existed is bad for my mental health.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got more problems than your mental health, so don¡¯t worry,¡± said Beatrice.

    Despite the brazen insult, Emi only giggled.

    Lord Lau finally caught up with them a few minutes later when they were in an area that showed off the architecture of ancient tribes around the Plebias Mountains.

    ¡°Oh, there you are. I had wondered if you had not been suddenly whisked away by pesky spirits.¡± He saw the crude stone tools on display next to them and his eyes lit up. ¡°Actually, this is a fine exhibit as well,¡± he said. ¡°Elince had a wide variety of early historic traditions, but they were far from the first civilization to form on the continent. Did you know the earliest evidence of civilization on Tsubasa actually comes from the Frozen Desert? Archaeologists have scoured the mysterious region for clues to its history, but all that we can find are broken-down structures and tools like these, stretching back ten to twelve thousand years in the past. Because we cannot find similar evidence in the rest of the continent that is as old as this, we can only assume that the climate must have been significantly different back in those times, as...¡±

    Emi groaned and Beatrice laughed.

 Chapter 49: Hands Held

    It took a very long time, but eventually, Emi and Beatrice were able to get away from Lord Lau and his well-meaning tour guide mentality, and they went off to explore Mammoth Pass on their own.

    The Mammoth Festivals went on for a month out of every year, so the entire city was lit up with ice sculptures and skating rinks and people bustling about. Because it lasted much longer than Balarand¡¯s Winter Ceremonies, it was not a super-concentrated explosion of entertainment, but instead a shift for the entire city¡¯s atmosphere. So it was festive everywhere you looked, but also much calmer. The lack of protestors everywhere probably helped improve the mood, too.

    The two girls were now making up for all the lost hand-holding time from all the days being led through the city like a Mammoth herd along with all their wealthy companions. Beatrice still wore her traditional Balarand outfit, and Emi had on her warmest sweater and thickest of jackets. The woman truly did not like cold weather. It was silly, but Beatrice liked that about her.

    ¡°Where do you want to go now?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Emi,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°You¡¯ve been here before. Where do you recommend?¡±

    ¡°Well, I was always part of those big tourist groups of Balarand elites wandering around,¡± Emi said. ¡°I¡¯ve never been in Mammoth Pass with any free time before.

    ¡°Well, is there anything you haven¡¯t seen that you want to?¡±

    Emi paused. ¡°Uhhh...¡± She seemed to be struggling to come up with anything at all. The sun was already starting to set, and Beatrice knew this was their last opportunity. Her foot automatically tapped against the wet stone sidewalk in anticipation.

    ¡°Oh!¡± she exclaimed, finally. ¡°I remember. There¡¯s a neighborhood where they do celebrations for the mountain tribes who still live here. Why don¡¯t we go there?¡±

    ¡°That sounds like fun, I guess. What goes on there?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But there¡¯s probably food.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Eating was quickly superseding reading as Beatrice¡¯s favorite hobby. She blamed it on the fact that Emi always offered to pay. As much as she tried to refuse, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to turn down every snack that came their way. Or any of them.

    They departed from the castle district and entered another section of the city, one where the curved towers disappeared and were replaced with more typical wooden structures. The stone-built buildings familiar in Balarand were not a common site here; structures were either built directly into the mountains, or made of simple wood. Beatrice guessed the risk of a fire was a lot less here considering how cold it stayed.

    They walked down a street. A Mammoth trotted alongside them as a lacksidasial pace, and a parade of cheering people danced behind it. It must have been the world¡¯s slowest parade, Beatrice thought, but they seemed to be enjoying it.

    There on the street was a magnificent site, a marketplace-turned-party shining with lights and loud with music. Dozens of wooden stands sold all sorts of foods and trinkets. People jumped and jived, singing along to music in some language she had never heard before. It was lively and vibrant, almost intoxicatingly so.

    This was the harmony of the Gods. Nature and humans having joyous fun together. Mammoths marching gallantly while people celebrated the turning of the seasons. Every element of Tsubasa working as ingredients of a whole. The gears in their grand machine turning in a rhythmic dance.

    A man in an oversized mask came up to them and clapped his hands, shouting in that same language while gesturing for them to come closer.

    Beatrice wasn¡¯t quite sure--

    But then Emi dashed forward and pulled Beatrice along into the dance circle. ¡°Come on!¡±

    ¡°Oh, you know I can¡¯t dance,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°But I can, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it,¡± Emi said. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Emi held out her arm for Beatrice to join her. And, as if Beatrice was being magnetically levitated towards her girlfriend... she found herself caught in her arms.

    Love really was magic.

    ¡°Care for a dance?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°I guess so,¡± Beatrice said eyes dazed in bewilderment.

    Emi, holding onto Beatrice¡¯s fingers, swung around, vaguely matching the beat, and laughed. She lifted Beatrice¡¯s arm into the air and twirled around underneath it.

    Beatrice moved around trying to give her enough space to dance, but she mostly shuffled in place while Emi did all of the fancy moves. With all her studies and skills, she really wished she could do better than this, but she had finally entered the realm where her talent was of zero use.

    ¡°Tris, come on and get into the music,¡± Emi commanded.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying.¡± The drums beat rhythmically, loudly, and the singer wailed out with a raspy fire. It was catchy and  fun, but Beatrice didn¡¯t feel the groove to move.

    For a girl who dealt so poorly with large crowds and social events, Emi sure did like to dance. She guessed it felt more like a solitary activity for her, even if it was in the middle of a jumble of people. Though, it would probably be less solitary if Beatrice would join in...

    Ah, whatever. Beatrice would try her best even if it turned out badly-- she let the music take her and joined into Emi¡¯s dance. They jumped and swayed and spun and hummed, kissed and laughed and shook and twirled.

    The two went until well after the current song was over, until well after Beatrice was too tired to continue. She let go of Emi and dropped to her knees, panting.

    ¡°That was... fun...¡± she said in between breaths.

    ¡°You¡¯re the best,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°Not at dancing...¡±

    ¡°Who cares if you¡¯re bad or good? It¡¯s supposed to be fun. Not all that rigid stuff they do at fancy parties.¡± She extended her hand and pulled Beatrice back on her feet. ¡°Now, I did promise you food, Tris. What do you want?¡±

    Her stomach gurgled loudly. ¡°Every item from every single booth.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it.¡± She flashed a grin that showed off her perfect teeth, that made her dark brown eyes sparkle.

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    Beatrice shook her head. ¡°Marry me.¡±

    ¡°Uh... I¡¯ll consider it,¡± Emi said.

    Would she really consider it? It was a joke, turning the tables on that proposal Emi made all that time ago, back when holding hands and riding a gondola was all it took to send Beatrice into a lovey-dovey haze. It was a joke, but...

    Honestly, if Emi knelt down and proposed to Beatrice right now, holding out a ring and letting that smile work its magic, Beatrice wasn¡¯t sure what her answer would be. For a girl she had only dated for a matter of months, the answer should have been a flat ¡°no way,¡± but... Given the moment and the fact that she had never loved someone so much in her life, given the fact that every part of her soul gravitated to those dark brown eyes and that tall, curved body and that warm palm rubbed up against her own... Beatrice would have to think about it.

    Emi had said just a few days ago in the carriage, as Beatrice recited by heart, ¡°I¡¯m being completely serious when I say I¡¯d follow you no matter what you do.¡± It kind of made her giddy to think about, even if it was most likely never going to happen.

    Even if she knew the Priesthood Exams were just weeks away...

    Beatrice knew she shouldn¡¯t have thought of the Priesthood Exams at a time like this. The vortex of stress in the corner of her mind would do nothing to improve her mood. It had no purpose right now, right here with Emi. She could worry about that when they returned to Balarand. Up here in Mammoth Pass, right here on the busy festival street, there was no priesthood for her to waver on. no important life decisions to decide upon. There was only good food, fun music, and the love of her life by her side.

    The two girls made their way to the food stands and saw a stand selling ¡°striderskin bites,¡± which appeared to be, well, edible striderskin.

    Striderskin is the chitin that the giant insects known as striders shed after moulting. Because they roam the Plebias Mountains, one of the coldest areas on the continent, they shed only on rare occasions, and hunters make a living off finding the skins and selling them. Killing a strider is nigh impossible, with their speed so fast it¡¯s thought to be magic, so hunters make do with what¡¯s left behind. The chitin is typically used for clothing, but Mammoth Pass is known for its striderskin delicacies. You think that¡¯s gross? Me too. Very gross.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take one box,¡± Beatrice said to the vendor.

    Emi gave a look of disgust. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°I have to try it. I¡¯m so hungry.¡± Beatrice took the box, thanked the vendor, and opened it to reveal several bite-sized chips of what used to be the exoskeleton of a large insect.

    She gulped, and then... chowed down.

    ¡°This is... not too bad. Chewy, but very savory.¡±

    ¡°Good for you, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll try it,¡± Emi said, waving the box away as Beatrice tilted it toward her. She turned around to a different table and bought a simple old meat spike. ¡°I¡¯m fine with some good old fashioned meat.¡± She put the stick in her mouth and removed the first two pieces with her teeth.

    ¡°What kind of meat is it?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Probably beef of some sort.¡± She turned around to examine the table more closely. The sign was in another language, though. ¡°Yeah... I¡¯m just going to assume that it¡¯s beef and hope for the best.¡±

    This whole district was strange and unfamiliar, and somehow that piqued Beatrice¡¯s curiosity more than anything. Nowhere else in the larger continent of Tsubasa did such cultures thrive; as Dannark, Elince, Doros, and Zahn expanded over the centuries, many smaller places were absorbed into the larger countries around them. Their traditions did not die off completely, but many aspects of their former existences disappeared, including their languages.

    To hear languages Beatrice couldn¡¯t understand was such an interesting experience. It was the first time in her whole life she found herself in this situation, where the people around her celebrated and worshipped, sang praises to the Gods in tongues completely foreign to her. And for some strange reason, she felt excited. This... this was the rest of the world, as far away from her home as she¡¯d ever been.

    Whether or not Beatrice really became a priest, this is what she wanted to protect with the most of her power. The ability for people to feel comfortable, to feel powerful enough to celebrate whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, however they wanted. She wanted to end war, to end the struggles of hunger and sadness. She wanted to see culture thrive, so every day in every city in the continent could be as festive tonight.

    ¡°I love you,¡± Beatrice said. She didn¡¯t know why, but she just had the urge to say it.

    ¡°I love you too,¡± Emi said in return. Though, she seemed more preoccupied by the sights around them.

    Like at the marketplaces in Balarand, it was more fun to walk down the long rows of vendors and simply look at the items for sale than to actually buy anything. Beatrice was not a fan of haggling, even though it was such a common exercise in places like this, so she found it more comfortable to simply browse.

    Then-- Gods, what was that?

    There was a small iron cage with a flickering, winged creature darting about, clearly trying to escape. Beatrice had never seen anything like it. But the vendor selling it, a twirly mustached man with a hardened face, did not seem like he was the type to introduce his wares to a couple curious girls.

    ¡°Wow! A fairy all the way up here!¡± Emi exclaimed.

    Wait, what? ¡°Wait, what?¡±

    Then Emi grew a devious, self-satisfied smile. ¡°See! You told me fairies weren¡¯t real! Look right here and take back everything you said.¡±

    ¡°A fairy... No way.¡±

    Beatrice stepped closer to the cage and looked at the beast. The closer she looked, the more detail she could see on its... its remarkably creepy face. It had two eyes, a nose, and a mouth, but it looked more like a misshapen monster than a sentient being.

    It met Beatrice¡¯s gaze... and snarled.

    She yelped and catapulted herself backwards.

    Emi didn¡¯t stop laughing for the next six minutes.

    Eventually, they walked to what appeared to be the end of the tribal festivities, where the food stands were nowhere to be seen and the joyful music played faintly behind them. The moons shone bright in the sky, and the air was tinged with frost.

    ¡°Do you want to go back to the room?¡± Emi asked. ¡°Or is there anything else?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think it¡¯s about time,¡± Beatrice said. She was ready to get out of this cold weather and cuddle with her girlfriend, though she still felt like there was so much they could be doing in Mammoth Pass before they left.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back, then.¡±

    They were not sure where they were, but because the castle stuck out in the skyline so prominently, it was very easy to figure out what direction to go in. So they made their way back, only to find more festivities going on in front of the castle. There was a great bonfire and many people, the same rich Balarandians they had travelled with, huddled around it for gossip and dance and drunk. They must also have been trying to make the most of their final day in the city.

    Lord Lau was among them. He met their gazes lazily staggered over to them. ¡°Hello, ladies,¡± he said. ¡°Welcome back. Are you ready to have some fun?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, we are just going back to the castle,¡± Emi said. ¡°It¡¯s gotten quite late.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Lord Lau said. ¡°Your parents would commend your good behavior, but--Hic!--they aren¡¯t even here!¡± He began laughing.

    Beatrice thought it was amusing, but it was probably more than a little bit embarrassing to the girl who had grown up under this old man¡¯s care.

    ¡°Come on, Beatrice. Let¡¯s go to bed.¡±

    ¡°You know, Ms. L¡¯Hime, your new wife is a very nice woman,¡± Lord Lau said. ¡°I used to have someone dear to me like her. But when she passed I felt a great sadness that has not left my being even after twenty years. Cherish your wife while you can.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not married. Not yet at least.¡± Beatrice giggled.

    Lord Lau looked off into the distance like he was trying to solve a mathematical equation. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Your engagement is still tenuous, is it not. And the wedding is in the spring with the Moon Festivals. Or was it last spring? Didn¡¯t your parents invite me to your wedding? I can¡¯t quite recall at the moment. My--Hic!--apologies.¡±

    What was this man talking about? Clearly he was inebriated past the point of coherence but he was kind of hilarious, Beatrice thought.

    Emi, however, held a frightened face. Her chest puffed out with every breath, and her already-cold hand had become an icicle in Beatrice¡¯s palm. ¡°No, Lord Lau. You¡¯re just misremembering things. I think you should take it easy,¡± she said. She giggled nervously. Beatrice raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Well then...¡± He seemed to think long and hard about this. ¡°Well, I hope you have a good night, Emi. And it was nice--Hic!--meeting you for this trip, Lady Khara.¡±

    Who? Huh?

    Beatrice looked at Emi, but she darted her eyes away.

    Okay then... Something was going on.

    ¡°Emi... who is Lady Khara?¡±

 Chapter 50: Lets Talk [Illustration]

    Emi and Beatrice laid on the huge bed, huddled up under the covers, looking deeply into each other¡¯s eyes. They held hands, but with Emi¡¯s grip so tight it left them both with great discomfort.

    The moons shone through the window, but other than that, the room was in darkness.

    ¡°You¡¯re getting married,¡± Beatrice said, her voice steady and measured. ¡°You¡¯re engaged to a noblewoman from Zahn you¡¯ve never even met, and you¡¯re getting married on the night of the Moon Festivals.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes.¡± Emi replied, her voice broken up by whimpers and sobs.

    ¡°You¡¯ve known about this since before we met.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been... a while. Five years, I think.¡±

    ¡°So that explains why you started avoiding me after our first date. You realized what was happening and you wanted to leave me alone.¡±

    ¡°I... I guess so. I barely remember.¡± Emi covered her face with her elbow, trying to hide her tears even as loudly as they came out.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me, then? If you had just been honest...¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°I was scared. I¡¯m still scared.¡±

    Beatrice sat up and let go of Emi¡¯s hand. ¡°Why? Were you scared of what I¡¯d think? That I¡¯d stop meeting with you and having fun with you because you were engaged? Because you thought it¡¯d hurt my feelings?¡±

    ¡°I, well...¡±

    ¡°Did you really think it was okay to keep this a secret from me?¡±

    A million little thoughts ran through Emi¡¯s head right now, all of them covered in tears and bashing against each other in explosions of rationale and regret. She couldn¡¯t think coherently enough to deliver any sort of adequate response.

    All she knew was this: She had failed.

    ¡°I love you,¡± Emi eventually managed to say. ¡°I really do.¡±

    ¡°No you don¡¯t,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°I¡¯m just some... some fling before your real wife comes along.¡±

    ¡°No, that''s not true!¡± Emi shouted. ¡°I don¡¯t love her. I don¡¯t even know her. What I said in the carriage, what I¡¯ve said to you all along, it¡¯s all true. There¡¯s nobody more important in my life than you.¡±

    ¡°Then why wouldn¡¯t you tell me about this?!¡±

    Emi sat up too, and rested both hands against her temples.

    Why, Emi? Why hadn¡¯t you told her, huh? Can¡¯t you think of a reason? Any at all?

    ¡°I won¡¯t get married to Lady Khara,¡± Emi whispered. But her voice grew as she continued. ¡°I won¡¯t. I refuse. Tris, let¡¯s run off together. We can get married tomorrow and go wherever we want! I¡¯ll follow you to the ends of Tsubasa, no matter where you go. I swear it.¡±

    ¡°...No you won¡¯t. Please stop... stop lying to me.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡®m not lying!¡± Emi took a pillow off the bed and threw it as hard as she could towards a window. It bounced off and plopped on the floor. Both of them laughed, and for a moment everything felt okay again. But the softness faded back into the darkness, and Beatrice¡¯s glare set itself back onto Emi¡¯s face.

    She continued. ¡°I don¡¯t even want to be part of my family anymore. The Ragnell Family is nice and fun and happy and you eat dinner together and your dad is amazing. The L¡¯Hime Family is the opposite. We¡¯re just desperate, conniving collaborators with Dannark and it¡¯s all our fault those monsters rule over our country with an iron fist. I hate everything we stand for.¡±

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    ¡°You¡¯re going to bring politics into this? You know our rule.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m... I¡¯m sorry.¡± Emi shriveled up and sank back into the bed. ¡°All this time I¡¯ve worried about what you¡¯d think about me, as some sort of rich snob who doesn¡¯t understand a thing about how the real world works, and if I messed up even a little bit, you¡¯d...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d...¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, desert me and join the priesthood.¡±

    ¡°And I thought I was the moron in our relationship,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°I was never going to join the priesthood, Emi! Not after I met you. All this time I¡¯ve been wondering if I was the weak link, if my indecision about becoming a priest was going to ruin our relationship and I was causing you so much stress.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not, I promise,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve always been worried but it¡¯s not a big deal, because I... I know whatever choice you made will be the best one. You always make the right decisions.¡±

    ¡°You make me feel like such a jerk,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°Wh... What? What did I say?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, sorry. The priesthood doesn¡¯t matter. I figured it out the plan. I was going to... I was going to take the exam and then I was going to decline it even if I passed... and then I was going to show the papers to you and tear them in half. And I... never told you, because I wanted to keep it a secret.¡± Beatrice¡¯s lips quivered as she said what even Emi knew was a lie.

    But it was a lie that made her heart just a little bit warmer. ¡°Then why don¡¯t we go? Why don¡¯t we just fix this like we always do and move on? We can travel Tsubasa together and help people, just like you always wanted.¡±

    ¡°Because... Because you¡¯re getting married, Emi. You can¡¯t just run away from that.¡±

    ¡°Yes I can.¡±

    ¡°And ruin the rest of your life? Abandon a family that loves and cares for you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my entire plan,¡± Emi said. ¡°I don¡¯t care about them. I care about you.¡±

    ¡°You know you can¡¯t do it...¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s the same with you, Tris. You¡¯re lying about making your mind up. I know you want to become a priest more than anything, because you are a wonderful woman who cares about the rest of the world and wants to actually do something about it. You¡¯re exactly the person the Church needs, and you know it.¡±

    Beatrice started crying, finally. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Emi reached in to hug her, but Beatrice rolled to the other side of the bed, facing away from her. Even so, Emi wrapped her arms around her and touched her cheek to her neck. She was so hot... Beatrice¡¯s shoulders stiffened, and she took a sharp breath. But after a moment she relaxed. She took Emi¡¯s arms and put them up against her chest. Her fingers traced down the line of her collarbone.

    ¡°Emi...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she repeated. ¡°It¡¯s all okay.¡±

    ¡°But... No.¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not okay, Beatrice told her. ¡°If we stay together, your parents will hate me for leading you from your role. My parents will hate you for making me crush my dreams. We¡¯re... not supposed to do this, I think. The Gods don¡¯t want it. But... even if all of that is true... do you want to do it anyway? Can we really run away together?¡±

    Emi thought about this for a long time. All she wanted to do was turn to Beatrice, smile, and say, ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t care where; let¡¯s just go.¡± She wanted so desperately to hoist her girlfriend up into her arms and sprint into the nearest church so they could be married and ride off into the horizon in their carriage. She had even suggested this very thing just minutes earlier.

    But when she opened her mouth to speak, the words did not match.

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t, Tris...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. My name is Beatrice.¡±

    Emi winced. ¡°Beatrice.. I¡¯m so sorry... I can¡¯t let you abandon your dreams for me. I¡¯m just some girl.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not just some girl! How dare you. You¡¯re the woman I¡¯ve fallen in love with, and I¡¯d give up everything for you.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t... I¡¯m already taken,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just stay and get married to someone you¡¯ve never met. That¡¯s just idiotic.¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t that what I said a minute ago?¡±

    ¡°It-- I don¡¯t know, Emi. I just...¡±

    ¡°Maybe...¡± This argument was going around in circles. There was no way to resolve it. ¡°Maybe none of this would have happened if I had been honest with you from the start.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Emi, maybe you should have been honest,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have been such an idiot.¡±

    ¡°This was all a mistake,¡± Emi said. ¡°Coming here, talking about this, being...¡± Emi didn¡¯t dare finish that sentence.

    A silence permeated the darkness for some time. No more crying, no more talking. It was the kind of quiet that could only be broken in the same way as a fragile glass--with a sharp note.

    And Beatrice was the one to break that silence: ¡°I think I hate you.¡±

    Emi gripped her tighter, buried her face in her back. ¡°Me too, Beatrice.¡±

    They stayed like this for a long time, holding each other in the night and filling the bed with tears. They hoped the light of the moons would guide them to some sort of healing... but they knew the glass had been shattered.

 Chapter 51: Shattered

    Beatrice rode back to Balarand in a carriage of her own. There was a lot of room to study, and the quiet beauty of northern Dannark filled the car with a pleasant gray hue.

    She couldn¡¯t stop crying.

    Her notebook was already stained with tears, almost completely unusable. She set aside her pencil and buried her face in her gloves.

    What kind of monster was she, pushing her away like that? Why did she have such an outrageous outburst when she knew full well she was nowhere near innocent?

    Beatrice was a hypocrite and a liar.

    Of course she hadn¡¯t decided not to join the priesthood. For all her years in school, it was all she had ever been interested in, learning the full capabilities of magic and spreading the harmony of the Church to the rest of Tsubasa. It had all been going swimmingly right up until that stupid rich girl shoved herself right into her life and crystalized her heart.

    And now that same heart had shattered.

    No-- Beatrice had shattered.

    This five-day trip back to Balarand was like her own personal prison, and she deserved every second she got.

    Beatrice didn¡¯t want to think about this anymore.

    She didn¡¯t want to think about anything.

    And yet, it was the only thing that her mind gravitated towards. No amount of crying was going to stop that now.

    Perhaps she would make it back to the city, go back to her home, look back at her family, and tell them that everything they feared about that rich girl came true. Tell them that everything they hoped for was a visage shrouded over the face of reality like a woman in a wedding veil. But, somehow, she knew she wouldn¡¯t tell anyone else. She would carry the burden all by herself because that¡¯s all she ever knew how to do.

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    All this time, Beatrice had felt so conflicted, so divided about the Will of the Gods, to the point that maybe she wasn¡¯t even sure if they were... Gods, she was so sorry for everything. To think she would be so deluded. So deluded to think that she could go down the path to priesthood and then turn away at the last second... All for some girl. She lied to that girl and broke her heart.

    And at the same time, her own heart had already crumbled into dust, swept away by the icy winds.

    Beatrice picked up the metallic box sitting across from her. It was the present that Emi had made for her, that she had tinkered on for ages, that she had designed completely on her own from the parts up, that she had cried about when she didn¡¯t think she¡¯d finish on time, that she made specifically for her.

    She cranked the lever and watched the animation play out, the figure walking and then jumping over a hill. It was beautiful. It was like magic, the way the image seemed to move all on its own.

    And then Beatrice dropped it.

    At that moment, and for the rest of her life, Beatrice would never be able to remember the truth. She would never be able to know for sure whether it was on accident, or whether it was on purpose--whether it slipped from her feeble hands, or whether it was tossed down with the strength of her arms.

    The intention was irrelevant, because seconds later, it collided with the floor of the carriage and broke apart into countless tiny gears, springs, and other unrecognizable pieces.

    Whatever the intention was, Emi¡¯s machine was now Beatrice¡¯s heart.

    Later, the caravan stopped for a rest break and the hordes of rich people left their carriages to stretch their legs and relieve themselves. Beatrice saw Emi in the distance, just the back of her long, dark hair. It was only a one-second glimpse before Beatrice turned away to look elsewhere. She was sure nobody else had noticed. But deep inside of her, in the gap where her heart used to be, in the remains of the machine she had broken, welled up a brand-new sense that she had never felt before, but nonetheless instantly recognized: shame.

    Beatrice hated Emi almost as much as she hated herself.

 Chapter 52: Helping Out Around the House

    Emi dropped the diced onions into the pot and covered it with a lid. It was easier than she expected. Ms. Khami looked back at her and smiled.

    ¡°I really appreciate the help,¡± she said. ¡°The other housekeepers are so overworked with deck. It was too much work for me to cook everything by myself.¡±

    ¡°I really enjoy this,¡± Emi said, her tone coming out a lot flatter and more distant than she had intended.  ¡°It¡¯s better than being in my room, that¡¯s for sure.¡± She managed a laugh but it came out too fake for her own liking.

    ¡°Emi, I know that... it has been hard for you to adjust. But know that I will always be there for you if you,¡± she said. ¡°So, I thank you for letting yourself be available to me.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Khami?¡± Emi asked. ¡°Why don¡¯t the housekeepers eat supper with the rest of the family?¡±

    ¡°They are not part of the family. Most of them do not even live here,¡± she answered.

    ¡°But you do. You¡¯re a L¡¯Hime too. You¡¯ve been more of a parent to my than my own Mother. And still you never eat with us.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly.¡± And that was all she had to say on the matter, it seemed.

    But that wasn¡¯t enough for Emi.

    Once the meal had been prepared--large helpings of fish, rice, vegetable soup, and a bowl of lentils--Emi ran into the foyer and shouted up towards the third floor. ¡°Hey everyone! Come on down for some lunch! We¡¯re all eating together!¡±

    The housekeepers came down a few minutes later, and gathered in front of the dining room in confusion. Ms. Khami stood behind Emi, and shook her head when they gave her confused looks. Emi, though, put her hands on her hips and then pointed to the dining room table. ¡°You are the people that keep this household running, and you are never treated as well as you should be. So from now on, you are eating with the rest of us.¡±

    ¡°Miss L¡¯Hime...¡± Ms. Khami began.

    ¡°While my parents are gone, I am head of the household, and what I say goes. Do you hear me?¡±

    Ms. Khami said nothing.

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    Emi went over to the dining room fireplace and lit it. If there was going to be a supper, it needed to be a warm one. Everything had to be perfect.

    ¡°Is everyone here?¡± she asked. There were about eight housekeepers here now, including Pip, and all of them were covered in sweat. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s eat.¡±

    The housekeepers began hesitantly sitting down around the table. Emi quickly ran in and out from the kitchen, bringing out dishes and setting them down. This was exactly what she needed to do as a L¡¯Hime--embrace her status as a leader, and use that for benevolence and inspiration. Pip kept giving her a look, but she ignored that, because she felt great. When she actually accomplished things, Emi could--

    She tripped over the carpet, and in an instant the bowl of sauce she was carrying tumbled over, crashing onto the floor, its contents spilling out and staining the carpet.

    Emi collapsed onto her knees. Her eyes fixed themselves on the sauce that poured out slowly, a river of goop flowing slowly out. All of it ruined.

    It... it wasn¡¯t fair.

    It wasn¡¯t fair.

    It wasn¡¯t fair!

    IT WASN¡¯T FAIR!

    ...

    Nothing was ever fair.

    Her love for Beatrice was gone, her chances of having the life she wanted were gone, and now her chances of being a functioning human were gone, too. She was just going to exist as some sort of placeholder husk for her future children, just a cog in the gearbox of a tangled family tree.

    Ms. Khami and Pip helped her to her feet. She scowled at them. They backed away.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s alright, it¡¯s okay,¡± Pip said. Her usual peppy tone gone, replaced with pure pity.

    Emi was pointless, was useless. She despised herself almost as much as the Gods did. She marched over to the wall, took her fist, and pounded it in, cracking the wood and sending a surge of pain through her hand.

    ¡°I hate this,¡± she said. ¡°I hate this!¡±

    She was so angry, so ballistically mad at herself and everything in existence. She could feel the heat building up inside of her, as if it were rising from the fireplace, as if it were literally wrapping itself around her, ready to consume her.

    And she would have let it.

    But the moment she felt an ember against her back, her rage dissipated. The flames around her vanished. Her body cooled down, and she bowed her head.

    ¡°My Gods,¡± said Ms. Khami. ¡°Emi, we need to get you to--¡±

    She shoved her out of the way and ran up to her bedroom, quickly locking the door before anyone could follow.

    Emi was done helping for the day.

    The Gods were punishing her for something, maybe. Or perhaps it was simply destiny. There were so many explanations for why it didn¡¯t work out, but they surely had to be something supernatural, something beyond her control.

    It was either that or she was a dishonest hag who failed her girlfriend by not being honest about her life.

    That was a dealbreaker in most relationships, wasn¡¯t it?

 Chapter 53: About a Dozen of Them

    St. Helens Academy was still in its winter break, so normal students were off from school for the next two months until the spring semester. The school, however, remained open for those preparing for the Priesthood Exams.

    These days, even counting the Dannark guards, the school never exceeded thirty people. Today, there were only about twelve. Beatrice was the only one who had shown up every single day; the others were older, and most of them held down jobs or supported families already.

    Beatrice, in her studying, was essentially alone.

    Because she had wholesale banned herself from going to the library in the unlikely chance that she would run into people that she would prefer she not meet, the only good places to read in the winter were here or home. Seeing as Mom was starting to make good friends with some of the next-door neighbors and they were coming over nearly every day to chat and gossip, this was practically the only option to get any peace and quiet in the entire city.

    So today, as usual. she sat, hunkered down, and... reread for the umpteenth the same materials Mr. Statusian had given her months ago.

    It was all useless.

    Beatrice already knew everything she possibly could to prepare for the exam. The practical application portion was the only part that she was even a little bit uncertain on and even then, the other prospective priests practiced diligently with her whenever they showed up.

    In fact, while Beatrice poured over papers she knew by heart already, the other six students here today were out in the courtyard practicing cycling routines. She took a brief pause in her non-studying to watch them through the window.

    The students practiced hard, even in the cold wind with the last vestiges of snow patching the dirt, even with rituals that were equally hard. These were techniques--difficult ones--to to draw energy out of one¡¯s soul and into certain areas of the body to heal or strengthen oneself. One could, for example, draw their energy towards their fingertips so that they could deliver an electric shock to an opponent, or summon the fringes of their souls towards their mind to help calm themselves in a stressful situation. It was not expected for any of them to actually accomplish anything with them, but using the correct technique was vital for the test.

    It was admirable to see them trying so hard, as pointless as it may have been.

    The people out there were nice, but Beatrice tried to keep to herself most of the time. They were just so... different. Beatrice was a young girl, fresh out of junior priest school and going directly into the exams with the full support of her parents. Everyone else who came to practice here was older. They were people who had gone through an unsuccessful life and needed a fresh start; the faithless who had gotten a new conviction in their religion; divorced men, widowed women--the kinds of people you¡¯d expect to want to join the priesthood.

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    Unlike them, Beatrice had made this her life¡¯s main trajectory since childhood.

    In her ambitions, just as in everything else, she was alone.

    Mr. Statusian stood out with the others, drilling them while they practiced the rituals. Beatrice had tried to avoid him since she returned from Mammoth Pass. She didn¡¯t want him rubbing her nose in everything she did. But for how blatantly she ignored his advice, she probably deserved it.

    He noticed her looking at the students and met her eyes before she could glance away. He left the group and came into the study hall. At the same time, Beatrice lowered her head and buried herself in her notes.

    ¡°Beatrice?¡± Mr. Statusian asked.

    She couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. She couldn¡¯t think of anything that wouldn¡¯t get her a scolding. So her reply was a mere, ¡°Hello.¡± She did not raise her eyes from her papers.

    ¡°Nice to see you studying hard as ever. That¡¯s the girl I know.¡± When his remark was not met with a response, he dithered, and then added, ¡°Well, I know you¡¯ll do great. For the sake of Balarand, you--¡±

    Mr. Statusian cut himself off, and then took a few steps away. Beatrice looked up to see what the matter was, and saw two men in dull brown, tattered cloaks standing at the entrance to the classroom.

    His expression darkened. ¡°What in Phyra¡¯s name are you two--¡± He looked at Beatrice and cut himself off. ¡°I¡¯ve got to go. Keep studying, Beatrice. I¡¯m praying for you.¡±

    He left, and she suddenly felt overcome with a strong urge to give up and never look at a book again. Her body shook and her nose sniffled.

    But now was not the time for tears. She continued to copy down notes and work as diligently as ever, even if it was pointless to continue doing so.

    It was her fault, after all, that she had declined to tell her parents what had happened in Mammoth Pass. It was her fault, after all, that she had avoided contact with Mr. Statusian any time he tried to check up on her. It was her fault, after all, that she was studying here, alone, in an empty classroom on a cold winter afternoon.

    After the day was over, she walked home among gray skies, head facing the cobblestone path ahead of her, the buildings around her a blurred path for her to navigate around.

    An then as she entered her apartment, her Dad greeted with a cheery, ¡°Hi, honey,¡± but she didn¡¯t reply.

    Her parents glanced at her worryingly, almost accusingly.

    ¡°Honey? Hey, Beatrice.¡± Dad got up from the kitchen table and put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°You alright buddy?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want their looks. She didn¡¯t want their emotions. She just wanted this to be over with, and she would much prefer it if they stopped being so rude.

    ¡°Okay, then. By the way, your friend Bodhi came by earlier and wanted to know--¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m going to bed,¡± she said.

    She wasn¡¯t lying. The moment she closed her door, she laid down and slept.

    It was better to dream when you were unconscious, she thought.

 Chapter 54: Sneaking Out...?

    Emi stared up at her ceiling, as she tended to do for a while each morning before getting out of bed. She liked to make shapes and images in her mind out of the imperfect swirls of paint and indention. Over in the corner was a misshapen potato with one very large eye, and near it was a pridecow... but then she couldn¡¯t see the animal anymore and her mind wouldn¡¯t make the image again.

    This was nice, but she needed something nicer.

    Suddenly, she sat up in bed and looked around at her bedroom. Clothes strewn all over the floor and a stack of books toppled over. All just like she liked it. These days she made a conscious effort to lock the door every time she exited, no matter if she left the house or not, just to ensure no unwanted visitors could ever enter. If someone were to rearrange it from how she liked it, she wasn¡¯t sure she could handle it.

    But... she thought she was handling all of this fairly well. Ms. Khami hadn¡¯t yelled at her in a really long while and since her parents weren¡¯t home, that meant there was nobody willing to scold her no matter what she did--or in this case, didn¡¯t do.

    Today, though... felt different. Her parents arrive back in Balarand sometime this week, and they would most likely force Emi to get involved in whatever house parties or supper dates or brunch time meet-and-greets they had in store for her pre-wedding preparations. And thinking further, it was only a month, at best, before you-know-who would arrive. Soon there would be rehearsals, dress fittings, coming-of-age ceremonies, and the like. And it wouldn¡¯t stop from there.

    Emi needed to seize this day, then. She needed to jump at the opportunity to do something rash and dangerous and stupid while she was still unsupervised.

    She was going to sneak out of the house and go to the marketplace! The snow had mostly melted and the weather had warmed up some, so it was time for Emi to go on an adventure!

    The levers pushed around in her mind, the springs pulled and compressed. She began to formulate a new devious plan she could use to break out of this self-imposed prison and escape the L¡¯Hime Family home without anyone noticing.

    Yes... Ah, yes. Perfect.

    She would have to slide down one of the pillars holding up the second floor balcony and enter the foyer, for maximum speed of course. But then there would be a high risk of being spotted by one of the many housekeepers cleaning or carrying things, so she would need to distract them first. She would do that by first going up to the third floor, where there is a lot of construction going on for renovations, and maybe... knock over a paint can while nobody was looking. It would get everyone¡¯s attention and make a lot of people upset, which would provide ample opportunity to make her escape. Yes... this was a great plan.

    So, Emi grabbed a few things she might need and stuffed them in her handbag, and locked the bedroom door behind her as she quietly looked down at the foyer and around at the second floor. There was... nobody here. Not a sound.

    She ventured up to the third floor, and it appeared that this was the case here, too. Where was everyone? Was it time for a lunch break already? Emi had been sleeping in a lot lately, but this would be just too far.

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    Well, this just meant that escape would be a lot easier now. She made an even more risky move, hopping on a pillar and sliding from the second floor down to the first. One false move and she would have had a broken back, but... that was really fun.

    Emi walked toward the front door. But as she did, she heard a rhythmic buzzing noise that grew louder with every step she took.

    Pip and several other housekeepers were there in the foyer, standing in front of the door with an air of unease. They hardly seemed to notice Emi until she came their way.

    Pip met her gaze, but only for a second before her eyes darted away. ¡°Hi, Emi,¡± she said, her cheerful, flirty attitude replaced by curt politeness. Ever since that day Emi dropped the sauce bowl and screamed at everyone, Pip had become a lot more distant. And now, with whatever was going on outside...

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know... It sounds like...¡±

    Well, if she didn¡¯t know, Emi was going to go outside and find out.

    When she opened it, she realized what it was-- A crowd of fury-filled protestors standing outside the gates and chanting. Screaming.

    ¡°Save King Kline! Save King Kline!¡± was the main message Emi could decipher, but it was supplemented by countless other yells and shouts. It was angry, but it also seemed sad, in a way. A protest with a broken heart. A protest like people were mourning something. She knew that feeling well.

    And, at the same time, she realized her parents were here, too. She didn¡¯t even know they were back. Their carriage was right in front of the gate and looked scuffed up and damaged. ¡°Mother?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Emi! What are you doing out here?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s... what¡¯s happening, Mother?¡± she asked. ¡°When did you get back?¡±

    Mother, whose face was red and eyes were sore, wiped her face off with her sleeve and frowned. ¡°We have just returned from our emergency negotiations in Fathie, and... Listen, dear. We will explain this to you inside. You shouldn¡¯t stay out here; it¡¯s not safe.¡±

    Emi realized that she wasn¡¯t going to be sneaking today after all.

    Dannark soldiers arrived to break up the crowd, but many of the protestors refused to go without being beaten down. It erupted into a scene of violence. Emi flinched, wanted to look away, but knew she couldn¡¯t. Knew she shouldn¡¯t.

    Emi¡¯s Father walked up to the front door. ¡°Emi. Go inside.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell me what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Come inside.¡± He walked past her and held open the front door for her.

    The moment the door shut behind them, Mother once again burst into tears, falling to her knees and sobbing.

    Father looked to Emi. ¡°Your Mother and I tried to.. We did the best we could, and we failed the people of Elince. Our consequences were instant, as the protestors followed our carriage home. We imagine that... the rancor may continue.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand.¡±

    ¡°I-- We-- I¡¯m sorry, Emi. You¡¯ll have to excuse me.¡± Father had begun to cry, too.

    Ms. Khami and the other housekeepers had come down to the foyer to see what all the commotion was about. Emi helped Mother to her, and then looked at Ms. Khami. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Your parents were sent to Fathie to negotiate King Kline¡¯s surrender,¡± Ms. Khami said. ¡°They were trying to save him from being sent to criminal trial in Dannark.¡±

    ¡°And they failed,¡± Emi said, looking out a front window, and seeing the protestors past the main gate, continuing to chant to save their king¡¯s life.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°You had better go upstairs.¡±

    And they failed.

    The protests would continue on into the night, and then again into the next morning. No matter where Emi went in her home, she could hear the strained voices shouting through the walls.

 Chapter 55: A Date with Destiny (Destiny is Runa)

    ¡°And I--are you listening at all?¡± Runa asked.

    ¡°Yes, yes, go on,¡± Beatrice said, nose-deep in her current project, which was a blouse she had been sewing for weeks. Or, trying to sew at least.

    After a while, she came to accept the fact that there was simply no more studying to be done for the Priesthood Exam, and so she moved onto working full-time at her new hobby. Her Mom had helped her learn the basics of sewing and now she was working at it like she always did--with extreme interest and dedication. Sewing was supposed to be a relaxing, stress-relieving activity, but as usual, Beatrice worked far beyond the point she needed to.

    It still wasn¡¯t a very good blouse so far, but it was better to practice than to listen to the incessant chatter coming from the other girl in her apartment.

    In a surprise twist, for the first time in years, Runa needed to be babysat this afternoon, so she came to Beatrice¡¯s house to visit. It was more like just hanging out with a friend, as much as one could be friends with someone like Runa. The real reason she was here was that Balarand police officers had received reports of suspicious activities and were currently rummaging through Runa¡¯s laboratory for signs of legal infractions (they were sure to find several).

    Though Beatrice didn¡¯t know if it was safer for her here. The protests outside were loud, and growing louder. The entire city was engulfed by tens of thousands of people marching and screaming for King Kline¡¯s safety. It had lasted for days, the chants continuing long into the night.

    But here they were, Runa and Beatrice, together like they were kids again. Dad was at work, and Mom was taking a nap, so it was just them, though Runa was currently occupied with her own, er, eccentricities.

    ¡°Well... I disposed of the most incriminating evidence,¡± Runa continued. ¡°But I am fearful if they use any forensic techniques, like bringing in a priest to purify the residence. My soul crystals will be sure to resonate then. Perhaps telling you all this may be a poor decision, given your choice to become the enemy.¡±

    ¡°You were a junior priest too, for a while,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember?¡±

    ¡°Yes, until they caught on and threw me out to deprive me access to their sensitive information. The fiends.¡± She began rambling again.

    Runa had been eleven years old and expelled for trying to instigate a rebellion using some group spells she had uncovered. That was her finest hour, hopefully for the rest of her life. That¡¯s Beatrice she thought at the time, at least.

    Beatrice¡¯s new pursuit to become the highest-scoring new priest of all time, if she could help it, was going very well, so well that she had literally run out of things to study. For the first time in her life, she had not a single book to read that she thought might help her improve. At this rate, she would pass the Priesthood Exams with the highest marks in the history of the church. It may not have been a particularly notable achievement since one¡¯s score was never revealed, but she wanted to impress the world anyway.

    ¡°...if I am caught, so that I will never be exposed. Is that okay with you?¡±

    Darn it. She was hoping she didn¡¯t have to listen. ¡°Um, what was the question again?¡±

    ¡°Oh, never mind with you. You seem to be too fully integrated into the Priesthood Propaganda Project and the treachery of sewing to pay your old friend any mind.¡± Runa ruminated. ¡°Say, it seems you have abandoned that incredibly beautiful woman from before, as well.¡±

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    She only just noticed? It had been literally two months.

    ¡°If you know her contact information, I would appreciate having it. I wish very much to court her. She would be a fitting subject for my Grand Experiment, indeed.¡±

    She hadn¡¯t noticed anything after all!

    And... Grand Experiment? Was this her codename for romance, or did she really have something sinister in mind here with Emi? Emi--

    She hadn¡¯t thought about her in a while. She had successfully blocked the woman out of her mind for, what was it, maybe three days? And now she was back.

    Beatrice sobbed.

    She didn¡¯t... she didn¡¯t mean to. She tried not thinking about her over these past few weeks; that was the best way to get some real studying done. She didn¡¯t want to admit to herself that the only reason she was studying was to get her out of her mind as much as possible, but it was pretty obvious that was the case.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Runa asked. ¡°You seem to be mysteriously shedding tears. Are you perchance falling victim to a melancholic disease after being exposed to the famed Emotion Shrooms found at the summit of the Plebias Mountains?¡±

    ¡°No, Runa. Just shut up,¡± Beatrice snapped.

    Runa did exactly that, her childish smirk disappearing. She sat down in a chair at the other end of the dining table and sighed. ¡°When did we grow so far apart?¡±

    Beatrice could ask the same thing, but about Emi.

    ...No, she knew that answer. She knew the exact, precise moment their relationship had ended. She was staring up at the ceiling with tears welling up in her eyes, after all. That was a very prominent image in her memories.

    Beatrice, for so many months, had thrown away all logic in order to pretend they would ever be able to be together in the first place. A rich elite destined for nobility and a poor daughter of a librarian training to be a celibate priest. It was doomed from the start. A fling, just like Mr. Statusian once said. The only thing she could do was keep it out of her mind.

    ¡°Eh? Beatrice?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah, sorry,¡± Beatrice said. She looked down at her blouse and the water stains that covered it. ¡°We never grew apart, Runa. I still appreciate you as, um, a friend.¡±

    ¡°It just feels like you keep so much from me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on, Runa, please don¡¯t start--¡±

    Suddenly, there was a loud booming sound, almost like a large explosion, coming from not too far away. It shook the plates on the kitchen table for a few seconds.

    ¡°Was that your house?¡± Beatrice asked instinctually.

    ¡°Quite unlikely,¡± she said. ¡°The blast radius from my home simply could not be big enough to carry a shockwave this far away.¡±

    Beatrice ignored the lack of denial that Runa¡¯s house had been rigged with explosive devices, because that sound was very worrying to her. She went over the window and looked-- black smoke rising from buildings on the other side of Knoll Park.

    Whatever it was, it wasn¡¯t good.

    And she felt the sudden urge to check it out. Something about the timing of the explosion set a sense of panic within her. Even if it wasn¡¯t related to Runa, it... Hm.

    Mom, awoken by the shaking, came out of her bedroom, her hair all frizzed up from her sleep. ¡°Beatrice, what was that?¡± she asked groggily.

    ¡°Mom, Runa and I need to leave and check something out,¡± she said. ¡°May we leave?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. Then she saw the smoky scenery out the window. She looked at Beatrice, and for a second, her expression completely changed, becoming stern, emotional, and absolutely unallowing to let her child go into whatever it was. But Beatrice stood firm. She didn¡¯t need to justify anything. Whatever was going on, she was going to help. She was a junior priest. And Mom knew that, because her face morphed once again, back into her usual calm. ¡°Be safe,¡± she added.

    ¡°We will.¡±

    ¡°Wait, I¡¯m going too?¡± Runa asked. ¡°I never said I¡¯d--¡±

    Beatrice yanked her by the wrist. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry.¡±

 Chapter 56: Hanging with the Boys

    ¡°...And that¡¯s how it went,¡± Emi said. ¡°I¡¯ve failed at everything I¡¯ve ever tried for.¡±

    She finished the story of her despair as she sat on the floor, hugging a pillow and burying her head in it. This was the third time she told this tale in the past week, each time to the same audience. Said audience, Tia, rolled his eyes and confirmed to Emi that her story had not been as moving as she hoped.

    ¡°You see, the last time you told me this story, you put a lot more blame on Beatrice,¡± said Tia, who was wearing a short skirt and dress shirt, a summer outfit, even though they were sitting in his bedroom in the middle of the day, and it was still quite cold outside. His boyfriend was also there, his arm over Tia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It seems to me like you are still not seeing the real situation because you have simply shifted the blame from her to yourself. Perhaps blaming people for what happened isn¡¯t exactly going to work.¡±

    ¡°I... I just don¡¯t know,¡± she said. Emi¡¯s eyes were essentially dried-out at this point. Ever since she returned from Mammoth Pass, she had tried everything she could to forget about Beatrice, but that very quickly failed, so she tried thinking it out. That failed, too. It had been months, but she was still wracked by it. ¡°But... Tia... I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve been here to listen to me. I went so long without talking to anyone that I was probably... driving myself insane.¡± She laughed a little bit, but it still sounded fake to her own ears.

    Tia and his boyfriend had been trying to cheer Emi up and invited Emi over to the Knoll residence the other day for no other reason than to hang out. Well, that and the fact that Balarand was getting a little bit tense lately. By tense, she meant full-scale rioting, so heavy that Dannark soldiers were making arrests by the hour. Emi wanted to be out there helping those people rage against their oppressors. And yet for some reason she was out here, far away from it all, doing nothing more productive than hanging out with these two men. It was shameful, but she didn¡¯t even think she had the mental capacity to help these days.

    Actually, she had never caught Tia¡¯s current boyfriend¡¯s name. He was a tall, muscular man with broad shoulders and a sharp head of hair, certainly the type of young man that girls and boys would go crazy over, though he very rarely spoke, preferring to let his face communicate his thoughts. And Emi had a feeling it was far too late to ask for his name, since they had spent time together on several occasions now.

    He was still nice, she guessed. Even if Emi hadn¡¯t been cheered very much, the young man¡¯s smile was heartening.

    Ugh, her stomach gurgled. She had been eating so many salmon binds this month she had probably gained five pounds...

    ¡°Thank you guys for helping me out,¡± Emi said. ¡°I think I¡¯d rather be a slug than a human, though... Slugs don¡¯t have to worry about marriage and relationships and family. They just crawl around and eat.¡±

    ¡°Slugs are sort of gross,¡± said Tia.

    ¡°I used to love finding slugs when I was a child. I ruined so many dresses...¡± Emi wasn¡¯t sure why she was reminiscing about her childhood all of a sudden, but it was nice to be thinking about something warm.

    Beatrice was very warm...

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    Emi refused to keep crying at this. No, she was going to think about something new and dedicate her life to a new cause. The cause of keeping slug populations fed and healthy so that they could become the dominant species in Tsubasa, because unlike humans, slugs were kind and generous and told their girlfriends about their secrets before it was too late to fix things.

    ¡°Emi... here is another handkerchief,¡± Tia said.

    Oh, she was crying after all, despite her dried-out eyes. ¡°Th... thanks.¡±

    She knew she was getting better, slowly, but a normal person wouldn¡¯t have gone into some manic fit of melancholy about something as stupid as heartbreak. Emi just felt like she was some permanently broken human. It was... lame.

    ¡°Say, what is that little thing you¡¯re working on?¡± Tia asked. ¡°You are always tinkering on your little toys, but this one...¡±

    Emi looked down at the object in her hands. She hadn¡¯t even been thinking about it while she was assembling it, since this was the fifth one she had designed. ¡°Sorry. I keep building these stupid things because, uh, it makes me feel better. I think.¡±

    ¡°Oh, dear, do not ever feel bad about your wonderful work,¡± Tia said. ¡°If anyone had half the talent you did, our world would be filled with these gearbox machines.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing special, really.¡±

    ¡°Then what is this machine in your hands? Is it simply that unremarkable?¡±

    The device was about done except for the small wheel she needed to attach. She put that on, tightened the screw, and set it on the floor. ¡°It¡¯s like a cart, the kind a seller would carry, but, uh, tiny. I¡¯m trying to figure out the best way to make it so I can build a big one someday.¡± She fiddled with the control gears and wound them up. ¡°So, what I want to do is program the path, and then let the thing go...¡± She gave it a push, and the tiny cart began moving forwards all on its own. Self-propelled. ¡°And if it worked in big size, maybe it would be like a food cart that sellers could take around the city and you could get food out by inserting a coin. Or, older folk could take their groceries home without worrying about heavy bags.¡±

    ¡°Holy Bk¡¯Man,¡± exclaimed Tia. ¡°You are indeed a madwoman.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s still broken. See?¡± The toy cart came to a stop.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see.¡±

    ¡°Well, I want to make it turn. But... so far I haven¡¯t figured it out.¡±

    ¡°Who cares? You have invented something that could change the world!¡±

    ¡°I doubt it,¡± Emi said. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone would want to build a bigger one.¡±

    Tia pointed at her, his finger so close it was nearly touching her neck. ¡°You are a L¡¯Hime, a member of one of the most influential families in the city, and a genius on a level that is downright magical. It is your imperative to make sure that your creations grace all of Tsubasa.¡±

    Emi giggled. She was just trying to cope with heartbreak by building stupid toys. It wasn¡¯t like she was doing anything special. And yet Tia Knoll here was acting like she was on the verge of inciting a new holy era, a mechanical revolution. She couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the absurdity. And, in some way, it made her feel a little bit better to do so.

    ¡°Maybe I--¡±

    Suddenly, the bedroom door burst open.

    Three tall men dressed in ragged uniforms and with swords at their hilts barged into the room. One of them screamed, ¡°On the floor!¡±

    They complied immediately.

    Emi¡¯s found herself being thrown on her back and handcuffed, all in one swift motion. She yelped in pain.

    What was this? They were soldiers of some sort, but not in any uniform Emi recognized. Why were they here?

    She found her answer immediately. ¡°By order of the Elincian Freedom Campaign,¡± one of the soldiers said, ¡°You three are under arrest as collaborators with the Dannark Empire and traitors. You¡¯re coming with us.¡±

 Chapter 57: On Fire [Illustration]

    Beatrice and Runa stepped outside to see what all the commotion was. There was a fire emerging in the direction of Castle Balarand, pillowing smoke rising into the air. What could it be? Beatrice quickly ruled out that Runa was enacting any of her schemes since she too seemed surprised. It must have been an accident, like a gunpowder spill or a kitchen fire raging out of control.

    The fire was in the direction of Emi¡¯s house...

    Emi was probably okay. She may not have even been home, being the rich and famous elite she was. Likely she was out at some mansion by Lake Geoffrey, riding animals and drinking fruit juice and doing whatever rich people did in their free time.

    ...Beatrice felt like walking towards her house regardless, just to make sure it wasn¡¯t affected by the fire. Despite the fervor on the streets with the protests, it seemed the most sensible thing to do. ¡°Come on,¡± she told Runa. ¡°We¡¯re taking a walk.¡±

    ¡°But my mother told me not to leave your house or she¡¯d shut down my laboratory for a month.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be back before she comes to pick you up,¡± Beatrice said. Runa¡¯s mom was supposed to come by in fifteen minutes, so that was unlikely. But it was probably better anyway if she was able to impede Runa¡¯s quest for world domination, even if only for a month. With whatever was going on, it was also possible that Ms. Arakawa was not going to be able to pick her daughter up soon after all. She had a bad feeling about that fire.

    The mostly melted snow still laid on the ground, off to the side or on top of roofs. It was still too cold to go outside without a scarf and gloves. But the growing fires in the distance looked to change that. Beatrice couldn¡¯t tell if it was just her mind playing tricks, or if there really was a growing warmth around the area.

    They walked towards the city center and Beatrice quickly noticed an eerie calm had set over the streets. People were not emerging from their homes and the growing fire was seemingly being ignored. She noticed why as she grew closer and heard the banging of boots against the ground.

    A group of two or three dozen soldiers, not in any consistent uniform and certainly not belonging to Dannark, marched down the Grand Concourse. In a cart that rolled behind them there was a cage full of prisoners.

    The realization hit Beatrice like a brick against her skull.

    This was a full-on uprising.

    She and Runa rushed to the city center with all their speed; she didn¡¯t take the time to explain the situation to Runa, because it was unlikely she would be able to understand the dynamics of the situation quickly enough, but she knew she needed to find her and make sure she was safe immediately.

    The large fire was actually a controlled bonfire in front of the steps to the castle. There were a growing number of people gathering in a crowd around it, and many of these same men and women in ragged outfits were standing at the crowd¡¯s center.

    One man that Beatrice immediately recognized was Mr. Ulric Statusian.

    This... couldn¡¯t be happening.

    Why was he...

    How could he be...

    Beatrice lost all ability for reason and rationality.

    Ulric Statusian stood atop a box and shouted at the crowd, brandishing a sword up in the air. ¡°We have had enough of the tyrannical rule of the Dannark Empire!¡± he shouted. ¡°Just this week, Dannark demanded King Kline must be turned over, or else they will invade Fathie by land and sea. Will we stand for our ruler being treated like a common criminal?¡±

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°No!¡± the crowd chanted back.

    ¡°We, the common folk of Balarand, will take back Elince for ourselves and destroy any traitor to the crown who stands in our way. We will save King Kline, and we will save our kingdom!

    ¡°There are people all over the city just like us who have joined the cause to protect Balarand. Look what we have captured--¡± He hoisted up a sparkling object instantly familiar to any citizen in the city--¡±The Jewel of Elince is ours. With this, our enemies are hopeless. We will triumph.¡±

    The crowd went wild.

    ¡°Take up arms and join us!¡±

    The men and women in uniforms began handing out weapons--everything from pikes and axes to sharpened gardening tools--to those in the crowd. They weren¡¯t trained soldiers, but they were enraged and riled up, and things were sure to turn violent any moment now.

    She noticed the cage of prisoners, now wheeled up next to the bonfire for display purposes. Judging by their clothing, those people consisted of the same types of folk that went to Mammoth Pass with her last month, still dressed in whatever fancy cloaks or nightgowns they wore before they were seized.

    Ulric Statusian shouted, ¡°These men and women have collaborated with Dannark to keep the power structure stable. These men and women compromised the integrity of our kingdom so they could keep their wealth, and we will not allow them to get away with their robbery. These men and women will stand trial for their crimes. If you find a traitor, take them prisoner and bring them to us!¡±

    Beatrice gasped.

    Emi... Her entire family... She begged her mind not to think about that right now.

    Runa, who had been taking all this with an unusual sternness, said only, ¡°This will negatively impact my plans for the Grand Experiment. We must find a way to stop this.¡±

    ¡°What can we possibly do?¡± Beatrice balked.

    ¡°We... Hmm, no. Not that either. We... Aha. We¡¯re going to perfect my experiment and unleash it upon all who dare stand up to me!¡± With that, Runa took off in a sprint northwards. Ahhhhh.... No, no, not during the middle of an armed insurrection... This girl...!

    Beatrice knew she needed to stop Runa before she got hurt. But just as she began to take her first step, her eyes met with Ulric Statusian¡¯s. He smiled and his face brightened. He began walking through the crowd towards her. She took off in a sprint.

    She didn¡¯t want to be involved in any of this. And she didn¡¯t want anything bad to happen to Runa. So all she could do was run.

    ¡°Wait up!¡± Beatrice shouted. Runa was fast, though. Way too fast. And Beatrice hadn¡¯t done much physical activity since she got back from Mammoth Pass...

    Still, the drive to not be captured by the rebels and to not let Runa do anything foolish kept her going, huffing and puffing all the way. In the middle of absolute chaos on the streets, and this girl was running? Why?

    She must have run for twenty minutes before her strength finally gave out and she was forced to walk the rest of the way.

    When she finally reached Runa¡¯s house, her ultimate destination, she realized the entire neighborhood was deserted. No shops open, no kids playing on the street. If anyone knew about the rebellion, they were either hiding in their homes, fleeing the city, or joining in with the fight.

    Balarand really was about to change forever, wasn¡¯t it?

    Beatrice entered the Arakawa home and went into the basement.

    Runa was already back in her laboratory, yelling curses at the people who inspected it earlier in the day. ¡°They stole my schematics!¡± she yelled. ¡°How will I replicate my experiments now? This is a disaster, Beatrice. A complete disaster, I say.¡±

    ¡°Replicate what experiment? What are you talking about, Runa? Why in blazes are we back at your--¡±

    Runa held up a finger to her mouth. ¡°Shush.¡±

    Beatrice was so flabbergasted by this command that she obeyed it.

    Runa rummaged through a stack of books and revealed a stone protruding out of the wall. She pressed it inwards and another wall to the laboratory spun around, revealing--

    ¡°Oh my Gods,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°You¡¯re safe. I am so pleased,¡± Runa said with a grin.

    It was a monster.

    A repulsive, nearly naked monster.

    It was a large humanoid creature, breathing in and out quietly as it slept chained up to the wall. Its eyes bulging out of its eye sockets, its skin pale, its hands gigantic.

    ¡°I have made the world¡¯s first homunculus,¡± Runa said. ¡°I used naught but two bunnies and the hair of that beautiful companion of yours. But I must make more if I am to be successful. I must get those schematics back. Help me, Beatrice. You are my greatest hope. Rather, the most convenient hope.¡±

    Beatrice fainted.

 Chapter 58: Capture

    It was ironic.

    Emi actually supported the rebels.

    She felt furious after King Kline and the Royal Family were deposed, after the powerful families of Balarand refused to lead the battle against Dannark and simply laid down their arms to protect the peace. Dannark, after a few major military victories on the outskirts of Elince, was able to simply walk into the city. They literally marched in without a single casualty.

    Emi had wanted there to be more resistance against the occupation. She hated how quickly everything could change and wanted to see people invested in stopping it. Instead, Balarand continued into peacetime, with Dannark soldiers making increasing but small encroachments into their way of life, all the way up until...

    Today. The day that the city fought back. And they fought back against her own family.

    Now she was confined in a cramped broom closet, somewhere in the middle of Castle Balarand, together with Tia Knoll and his boyfriend. There were several armed guards standing at the doorway, so they were completely trapped in here.

    The door opened, and several figures were pushed in, one landing on their face.

    Five of those figures were Emi¡¯s parents and older brother Touma, along with Pip and Ms. Khami, who had been the one knocked down. For the first time she had ever known that woman, she looked old. Aged by fifty years in the single day since she last saw her.

    She helped her to her feet and hugged her, then her parents.

    ¡°We¡¯ll hold your trial together in a few hours,¡± the guard said. ¡°You might escape the death penalty since your son is Reo L¡¯Hime, but we¡¯re still weighing our options. Just thought I¡¯d let you know.¡±

    Ugh. Reo. Even in the middle of a rebellion, was so popular for his stupid engineering projects that he was going to keep the L¡¯Hime Family from being executed.

    The ground shook. There must have been another explosion.

    The rebel soldiers were setting off explosives in certain areas of the city to draw attention and spread out Dannark¡¯s relatively small occupation force. At least that¡¯s what Emi figured from typical insurrection tactics. The Teal One used this same strategy to divide the Fathie Siege Force during the Battle of Balarand and pick off each legion separately, so they would be wise to follow that guideline. She realized her days of homeschool education were finally paying off with that kind of analysis. If only she could actually use that knowledge to get out of here...

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Emi¡¯s parents ran up to her and hugged her together. ¡°You¡¯re okay,¡± Father exclaimed.

    ¡°We were so worried,¡± Mother said. ¡°Where were you?¡±

    ¡°I was with Tia,¡± Emi said, gesturing back to the two young men in the back of the closet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you. I¡¯m sorry I never tell you anything...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s completely fine,¡± Father said. ¡°We just worry about you...¡±

    ¡°I know you do.¡±

    ¡°If something had happened to you,¡± said Touma, ¡°I don¡¯t think I could have handled myself, my dear baby sister.¡±

    ¡°...Really?¡± Emi struggled to keep from rolling her eyes.

    ¡°How did it get like this?¡± Ms. Khami wondered aloud as Pip helped her to her feet. ¡°Those cretins could have rebelled any time they wanted, but they waited until right as we finished remodelling the third floor balcony. If they destroy the house... I will personally kill every last one of them.¡± Emi knew she wasn¡¯t joking. But she was in far too poor of shape to make good on her threat.

    ¡°Pip, why are you and Ms. Khami here?¡± Emi asked. ¡°You aren¡¯t rich or powerful. You¡¯re just our housekeepers.¡±

    ¡°Well, I kind of...¡± Pip put her finger to her lips. ¡°Well, today I learned I¡¯m not good in a fistfight, let¡¯s just say that.¡±

    Emi didn¡¯t know how to respond to that, so she said nothing.

    Instead, she asked, ¡°How are we going to get out of this? Do any of you know what¡¯s going on out there right now?¡±

    ¡°No, we were rounded up a few hours ago,¡± Mother said. ¡°They didn¡¯t tell us anything.¡±

    ¡°And we were captured even earlier than that,¡± Tia said. Emi realized They must have struck at the Lake Geoffrey area first since the homes there were more isolated. This whole rebellion must have been lead by former Elincian soldiers, because these tactics were far too well-planned for a peasant uprising. That was sure to mean a whole lot of violence if anything went wrong.

    Oh, Beatrice...

    She had no idea where she was right now, but she hoped she was safe. Hiding at home, or fleeing the city if she could. She had no way of knowing where she was, but she had to hope she was safe, because that was all she could do.

    Beatrice wouldn¡¯t worry about things she couldn¡¯t control. Beatrice was strong and dedicated and brave. Beatrice would keep her mine on the task at hand and accomplish it before anything else. So... that¡¯s what Emi needed to do.

    Her heart poured out of herself. Completely exited her being. She stomped on her emotions and took a crystal focus on the situation, just like Beatrice would have. Emi needed to escape, and make sure her family was safe at the same time. ¡°There has to be a way for us to get out of here,¡± Emi said. ¡°Does anyone have any ideas?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Ms. Khami said. ¡°You are not going to do something foolish and stupid that will get you killed. I will not allow it.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Emi said. ¡°I am my own person and I am going to decide my own fate. I won¡¯t let any of you get hurt, even if it means I do.¡±

    Tia said, ¡°I think I may know what we can do. We are in a broom closet, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Well then, we have all the supplies we need.¡±

 Chapter 59: On the Back of a Beast

    Beatrice, Runa, and the giant hulking monstrosity carrying them on its back made their way towards Castle Balarand. Runa was giddy with laughter, but Beatrice was gripping the thing as tightly as possible. Her body was shaking more than even the bumpiest portions of that carriage ride to Mammoth Pass. This monster was moving so fast that she felt like her glasses were going to fly off at any moment.

    She was on the back of a beast. An eight-foot-tall, humanoid beast. Its ears were so pointy she was afraid to touch them.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you actually went and made a homunculus!¡± Beatrice shouted. The wise thing would be to do would be to be unassuming and try not to draw attention from the growing number of people outside as the sky grew dark from the ash rising across the city. The giant monster they were riding made that impossible, though. ¡°And you used a human¡¯s hair without their permission! That¡¯s really rude!¡± That was not to mention the fact that it happened to be her girlfriend¡¯s hair she used, making the creature all that more uncanny to look at.

    Its lanky, hairless body made her quiver anytime she saw it, but its brown eyes resting their gaze on her tilled soil... well, she was pretty sure she knew where those came from. Nothing else bore any resemblance, but those eyes...

    ¡°I will do anything in the pursuit of domination,¡± Runa said. ¡°I put none before that, not even myself.¡±

    ¡°What about a rebellion destroying Balarand and sending us into war with Dannark?¡±

    ¡°I will most certainly not allow that,¡± she said. ¡°There is only one person allowed to conquer Balarand. Me.¡± Beatrice really hoped Runa grew out of her mad scientist phase soon...

    Some Dannark soldiers jumped out from the shadows, lances pointed at the three of them. ¡°Halt!¡± they shouted. ¡°You cannot progress past this-- Oh my Goddess!¡±

    The homunculus charged forwards, knocking the weapons out of the soldiers¡¯ grips and then literally tossing them aside.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of naming it Hasha. Does that sound like a good name to you?¡±

    Beatrice didn¡¯t respond. There was no point.

    On the side of the street, a pack of greyback bears howled, scared senseless by the horrific monster running past them. They bolted through the snow in the opposite direction.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Castle Balarand, now covered from corner to corner in rebel soldiers, was going to be impossible to get through. but that¡¯s where all the prisoners seemed to be kept, and if Emi was going to be anywhere, it was probably there.

    ¡°We¡¯re breaking into there just to save one measly woman?¡± Runa asked. ¡°She is indeed beautiful, but that seems excessive.¡±

    ¡°And her family,¡± Beatrice added. ¡°And any other people being wrongfully imprisoned by these people. We¡¯re saving everyone.¡±

    ¡°What do they matter to me? Granted, they would surely become loyal subjects if I were to free them... But my plans better be in here, or I will be upset.¡±

    ¡°I think most of these rebel people are untrained civilians wielding weapons for the first time in their lives. It shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.¡± Beatrice and Runa hopped off of the monster--er, ¡°Hasha,¡± as it was apparently called, and stepped back from it.

    Beatrice turned and looked at the homunculus. She tried not to cringe at its ugly, bulging face. It might have been the only chance they had to help, though. ¡°I... can you clear out the soldiers up there?¡± she asked. It did nothing.

    ¡°Go on, you can do it,¡± Runa encouraged. ¡°You¡¯re mommy¡¯s little sweetheart.¡±

    On that note, the homunculus went towards the castle. There were screams and shouts, and soldiers quickly surrounded it, but they all went down very quickly. The homunculus only had to swing its arms from side to side to knock everyone around it out. At least, Beatrice desperately hoped they were only being knocked out.

    After the field appeared to be cleared, Beatrice and Runa advanced. Runa patted the homunculus on its back, hopping into the air to reach it. ¡°You¡¯re such a good homunculus,¡± she said. ¡°You are going to have so many amazing siblings.¡±

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go, Runa.¡±

    They entered the castle with ease... only to find Dannark soldiers and rebel soldiers clashing by the dozens, slicing each other with swords and screaming out. Bodies littered the floor.

    It was a terrifying scene to see, and one Beatrice took great pains to ignore. She tried to block it out as best she could and focus on the only question that mattered: where were the prisoners?

    ¡°Let¡¯s find my plans!¡± Runa shouted.

    ¡°Wh... No!¡±

    The homunculus charged forwards through the frenzied fighting and Beatrice closed her eyes as tight as she could, just so she wouldn¡¯t see the horrors they passed by. She only opened them when the screaming voices were well behind.

    ¡°We must find the evidence room and seize back what is rightfully mine.¡±

    ¡°Could we please free the prisoners first?!¡±

    ¡°And leave them to be caught up in the warring back there? I think not,¡± Runa said.

    She may have been right. The castle was the epicenter for armed and bloody conflict, and releasing a whole load of unarmed prisoners into the middle of it was a recipe for disaster. They needed to act more carefully.

    This was going to be tougher than Beatrice thought.

 Chapter 60: Come On, Plan, Work...

    Tia finished rubbing the long broom handle and whittling it down, until it was nearly sharp enough to qualify as a weapon. He had, without a knife, exhaustingly smashed the broomstick against the stone ground and then sharpened it until it became usable. It was the third try before it produced anything worthwhile, as the other two broomsticks ended up as splintered shards of wood on the floor.

    How he accomplished this, Emi had no idea. She guessed it was his years with private instructors who taught him every skill that might be necessary to run his family¡¯s textile business one day. If survival skills were a a part of it, then his teachings were surely as strict Ms. Khami¡¯s, but multiplied by ten times. And he was doing this all while dressed in a woman¡¯s skirt, to top it off. There were reasons why Tia and Emi were friends.

    ¡°Are we ready?¡± Tia asked. He held out the stick towards the door, and Emi approached the door with a bucket full of powerful cleaning liquids in her hands. The rest of the group stayed in the back, protected by Tia¡¯s boyfriend in case of trouble.

    ¡°Mhm.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s kick these guys to the ground,¡± Pip said.

    Tia screamed out, ¡°Help! Help! Fire!¡± and the others followed suit, making feigned cries of agony. Emi kicked at the door a few times for good measure.

    There was a voice from the other side of the door. ¡°What, a fire? Oh no, some traitors are going to perish in flames. That¡¯s so tragic.¡±

    He didn¡¯t open the door.

    ¡°That plan didn¡¯t seem to work,¡± said Touma.

    ¡°No, no it did not,¡± said Tia. ¡°Is there anyone who could perhaps... break the door down themselves? Maybe with a group effort?¡±

    ¡°I saw Ms. Khami bust down Emi¡¯s door once before,¡± Pip said. ¡°Make her do it.¡±

    ¡°Please, I hardly budged and that thing opened,¡± Ms. Khami replied. ¡°I have never used brute force for--¡±

    ¡°I distinctly remember some brute force used on that stray cat that snuck in when I was four or five,¡± Touma said. ¡°It traumatized me for life.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s beside the point,¡± she said.

    ¡°As tough as Sis is,¡± said Mother, ¡°She can¡¯t break that door herself.¡±

    ¡°And why not?¡± asked Touma. ¡°Maybe if we all help her, we--¡±

    ¡°We really must be sensible,¡± said Tia. ¡°This is not a time for joking around.¡±

    The group argued amongst themselves about how to escape, but Emi stared at the door, locked and barred from the outside with at least one guard standing in front of it. She felt... something calling her to the door.

    It was something in her head she couldn¡¯t begin to describe. Not a voice, not an image. Just a feeling, an emotion she couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint, that directed the door to the forefront of her mind.

    Maybe it was the fumes from all the cleaning chemicals, or maybe it was just hallucinations from being so utterly exhausted both emotionally and physically, but for some reason she held out her hand and began to move it around in a circle in the air.

    What was she... doing...?

    All of a sudden--

    --the door flung off its hinges and flew twenty feet in another direction. The pathway was clear.

    It took a moment for anyone to realize what had just happened, but as soon as they saw the guard in front of them, they charged and attacked him, knocking him out in just seconds.

    Emi stood in place, dazed and confused.

    ¡°Is anything wrong?¡± Tia asked.

    ¡°Uh, no?¡± she answered. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

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    Tia took a few steps, looked side-to-side, and motioned. ¡°It is clear. But I hear some yelling on the other end of the hallway, so be careful.¡±

    The eight of them stepped outside the closet. Tia¡¯s boyfriend and Pip took the front of the group, while the others stayed behind for safety. Even in the back, though, Ms. Khami held one of the broken, nearly useless broom handle shards as if she was about to be in the fight of her life. ¡°I don¡¯t like this one bit,¡± she said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a lot better than being executed,¡± Emi said. She bent down and picked up the rebel soldier¡¯s sword, which was surprisingly light. It was also unlikely to be a useful weapon in a fight for someone completely untrained like herself.

    ¡°Give it to me,¡± said Father. ¡°I practiced fencing for eight years. Let¡¯s see if I can jog the old muscle memory.¡± He twirled it around, trying to get a feel for its weight and shape. Emi couldn¡¯t tell if he liked it or not.

    ¡°Just stay behind me and we will be okay,¡± Tia said. He had only a sharpened stick, but he held it with tight confidence.

    ¡°And me,¡± Pip said. She held only her own fists. Wait, didn¡¯t she say she lost a fight earlier today...?

    The group advanced down the hallway. They heard some banging on another door a little ways in.

    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Emi said. ¡°I didn¡¯t even think about that. We aren¡¯t alone, are we?¡±

    They opened ithe door to reveal another group of ten or twelve captive prisoners, some of them gagged with fabric in their mouths to keep from screaming. They freed those prisoners and added even more to their group.

    ¡°Thank you so much,¡± a skinny woman in a fur coat said. ¡°What in the name of Nexurk is happening today? Why are the peasants revolting so... callously?¡±

    Emi decided not to respond except by rolling her eyes.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a bunch more people we have to protect,¡± Tia said to Emi, as if she were the leader of the group.

    ¡°Well, the more people, the more help we have, right?¡± She shrugged, unconvinced at her own statement.

    ¡°I know we have a couple weapons, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can form our own army,¡± Touma said.

    Father agreed. ¡°If Tia and I are the only ones who can defend ourselves, we won¡¯t stand a chance.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Pip shouted. ¡°You got weapons, but I got these babies. Nobody¡¯s getting past--¡±

    ¡°HALT RIGHT THERE.¡±

    Pip froze and lost all composure.

    The group turned around to find two older men holding gardening hoes like weapons, advancing towards them.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you,¡± Tia said. ¡°Just go home and nobody will remember any of this.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re all traitors,¡± one of the men said. ¡°You have already hurt us beyond repair by giving our country to a bunch of tyrants.¡±

    ¡°You might be right,¡± Tia said. ¡°I cannot speak for the actions of my family and peers. But right at this very moment, I am just trying to protect the people I care about. Is that okay?¡±

    The men charged at them, so their answer was clearly given.

    Emi took a step backwards, but Tia took one forwards. He jabbed his sharpened stick ahead and knocked the men off-balance. One of them swung his hoe, but Tia tripped him and he crashed on the ground. The other tossed his hoe aside and instead threw a punch. Tia swerved and dodged and shoved the man. He hit the ground the same time as the hoe he dropped.

    These men weren¡¯t soldiers. Not even close. They were just old men who wanted their home back. If only she could be sure her family would be safe, Emi might just have failed here on purpose for the sake of these desperate people.

    Intentional or not, that chance to fail was growing greater by the moment. More soldiers ran down the hallway towards them... but they were not brandishing weapons, and they ran past the freed prisoners without a second glance.

    There were thuds of heavy footsteps, and then a gigantic monstrous being appeared before them. It was eight feet tall, with lanky arms and legs and an astonishingly ravenous glare. It groaned and balled its massive hands into fists.

    The woman in the fur coat shrieked.

    Pip, Tia, and Emi¡¯s Father readied themselves for a fight. Even Emi¡¯s Mother tried to keep herself composed. But this... this was a monster! What in the Gods¡¯ names was such a beast doing here?

    It looked at the group... but it didn¡¯t attack.

    It seemed perfectly docile now, despite its horrifying appearance.

    Something about its face struck Emi as familiar, though...

    Soon, two more figures ran up behind the monster--

    Beatrice Ragnell and Runa Arakawa.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt them,¡± Runa said. ¡°They will be loyal subjects just like you, my lovely Hasha.¡±

    Emi threw down her sword and ran over to Beatrice. And those pairs of eyes, glimmering brown and shimmering blue, met once again.

    ¡°You¡¯re safe,¡± they said in unison.

    Beatrice giggled. ¡°We were coming here to rescue you, you know.¡±

    ¡°I... I worried so much about you,¡± Emi said. ¡°With everything happening out there, I just.... I--¡±

    Beatrice shut Emi up with a kiss on the lips. She felt that same spark of electricity she always did and hugged Beatrice as tight as she could.

    She felt so safe in this moment, like everything had suddenly become completely okay. Of course, they were still in the middle of a rebel uprising in Castle Balarand. They were still in the depths of danger. But knowing Beatrice was okay at this moment still filled Emi¡¯s heart with glee.

    ¡°I love you,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°I love you too,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°But we need to get out of here. The city¡¯s on fire, and soon the castle will be too.¡±

 Chapter 61: Escape the Castle

    ¡°How are we going to get out of here?¡± Emi¡¯s Father asked. He looked at Beatrice like she was a leader, like she was anything but a scared girl who rode in on a giant magical monster and closed her eyes so she wouldn¡¯t see people being killed.

    Beatrice, for what it was worth, kept her emotions under check. She was meeting Emi¡¯s parents here, after all. It was the first time she had ever seen them outside of the portrait paintings that hung on the walls of their home. Both were skinny and static, the only two of the dozens who didn¡¯t seem completely overwhelmed by the situation. They didn¡¯t see Beatrice as anyone but a hero they could rely on.

    Way, way too much pressure. So all Beatrice said was, ¡°Just follow close behind. We¡¯ll find a way out.¡±

    It was a bit of a motley crew, a kind of pseudo-army that only emerged in the most extraordinary of circumstances. In the front of the group were Beatrice, and an Emi who refused to tread more than a couple feet away from her. There was Runa and her monstrous homunculus, as well as Tia and another tall, muscular young man who looked to be his boyfriend. There were Emi¡¯s parents, as well as her older brother (but not the famous one), and a couple of her housekeepers.

    There was also a growing crowd of defenseless civilians following them like greyback bear cubs without their mothers. Practically every door they passed had more prisoners, and more people to free.

    In front of one heavily locked door, two Dannark guards laid on the ground, either knocked out or deceased--Beatrice was too terrified to inspect closely--and one bloodied, bruised rebel stood, propped on her lance and barely conscious even as she watched the group approach. She was younger, unlike most of the soldiers, but it was clear she had no fighting spirit left inside her.

    She didn¡¯t make an effort to stop them. She only said, ¡°You won¡¯t... get away with this. Dannark will never win.¡±

    Beatrice reached in her pocket and handed her a handkerchief. ¡°Go home before something bad happens to you,¡± she told her. The woman accepted the handkerchief, but she didn¡¯t move, and she didn¡¯t reply.

    Emi¡¯s Mother, now armed with a pike herself, examined the door and shook her head. ¡°It will take far too much time to break down these barriers. We must move on.¡±

    ¡°We have to get in somehow,¡± Beatirce said. ¡°If the fighting in the castle spreads, the people in there could be in serious trouble.¡±

    As they spoke, Emi stood in front of the door and raised her arm into the air.

    Suddenly--

    The door barricades ripped apart, and the entire door ripped off the frame and collapsed on the ground to reveal a large conference room filled with a great many prisoners.

    The homunculus made a confused groan. Emi¡¯s Mother and Father exchanged glances.

    And Beatrice stared at her...

    Unable to...

    ...What? ¡°What?¡± Beatrice blinked a few times to try and process what just happened. ¡°Emi... Huh?¡±

    ¡°Um, I don¡¯t know, but I don¡¯t really care,¡± she replied. ¡°Whatever it is, it matters a lot less than us saving all these people who are following us now.

    Emi seemed extremely unconcerned with the fact she just used magic to rip a door off its hinges. And now Beatrice was more confused than she had ever been in her life to this point.

    Ms. Khami laid a hand on Beatrice¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Emi,¡± she told her.

    She was extremely worried, but she decided to hold that in for the time being.

    ¡°So, yeah, we got way too many people with us,¡± Pip said. ¡°The moment we leave the castle, a bunch soldiers are gonna attack us, right?¡±

    ¡°Precisely correct,¡± said Tia.

    ¡°Then, uh, what are we doing? Do we got a plan?¡±

    ¡°We have a plan,¡± Beatrice lied.

    ¡°I have a plan,¡± Emi said. ¡°First, tell me, Tris and Runa, how is the situation outside? Is the fighting contained to central Balarand?¡±

    ¡°Um, I think so,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°There was nothing going on near the port when we were there. No fires or anything.¡±

    ¡°I know a safe house we can take refuge in around there,¡± Tia said. ¡°But it is somewhat far away. Depending on the circumstances outside...¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t fit this many people in a safe house,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to help them a different way,¡± Emi said. ¡°Back during the Gang of Eight Campaigns, Ulric Fathie and the Teal One were involved in many skirmishes where the Teal One would capture a fort, lead enemy troops in, and then abandon the whole thing once they picked off enough soldiers in the siege. They evacuated most of the troops by faking a frontal assault with only a very minor force that bided time for everyone else.¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯ll... do that here?¡±

    Emi nodded. ¡°That¡¯s our only chance to make sure all these people can escape. If we¡¯re lucky, we can too.¡±

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    ¡°Wait, WE¡¯RE going to be the ¡®very minor force?!¡¯¡± Touma shouted.

    ¡°Keep it down,¡± Emi said. ¡°And yes, we are. You included. You¡¯re a young man who studied and trained at Yates. Most of these people are middle aged bureaucrats who haven¡¯t run a day in their lives. You¡¯ve got to buck up and help us save these people¡¯s lives.¡±

    Touma rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°When¡¯d my sister get so cool all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Shut up and let¡¯s plan this thing.¡±

    Beatrice absolutely adored this woman.

    In the next few minutes, they forged their plot. They split these helpless civilians into four groups who would flee the castle in four different directions. One tiny advance force, consisting of Emi¡¯s family and friends, along with Runa and the homunculus beast, would crash through the front gates and attract as much attention as they could on their way to Tia¡¯s safe house. Everyone had weapons they took from defeated soldiers they came across in the castle, though nobody but Tia and Emi¡¯s Father actually knew how to wield any of them.

    Hopefully nobody would die. And, in a major plus, Runa¡¯s homunculus would definitely be the biggest distraction this side of an avalanche.

    ¡°And that¡¯s the plan,¡± Emi said. ¡°If you can¡¯t fight, you should join one of the other groups and meet up with us later.¡±

    Beatrice glance to Ms. Khami, who seemed to be nursing her arm and had no business on a potential battlefield. But she shook her head to dismiss such a glance. ¡°I must say, Ms. Ragnell, you seem to think I can¡¯t take care of a bunch of hooligans with farm tools.¡±

    Emi¡¯s Mother patted her on the shoulder and smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll be perfectly safe, um--¡±

    ¡°Beatrice.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Beatrice. We are the L¡¯Hime Family. Sis and I were schooled by Freda Hollow herself, the captain of the Elincian Royal Guard for thirty-eight years. Don¡¯t underestimate experience.¡± Beatrice had no idea who that was, so her gloating went over her head.

    Emi¡¯s Father nodded. ¡°We¡¯re all ready.¡±

    There was so much Beatrice didn¡¯t know about Emi¡¯s family, and this certainly wasn¡¯t the time to be inquiring deeply about any of it. So she decided to trust them fully. No reservations now.

    ¡°Then let us enact our great plan,¡± said Tia. He held up his sharpened stick and charged without another second¡¯s hesitation.

    The rest followed. The entire group, all eleven of them, ran through the hallways and into the grand entrance, where most of the fighting had stopped. Judging by the bodies on the floor, which Beatrice tried hard not to look too much at, the rebels were not fighting a winning battle, because their bodies outnumbered Dannark¡¯s five to one.

    The homunculus roared and smacked a Dannark soldier who charged at them, ending the only serious threat they faced in the entire castle. So far, it had gone smoothly.

    Then, the group exited the front door and emerged out from Castle Balarand. Immediately, they were greeted with the sight of bright red flames smoldering all over the city. At this point, there was no snow in sight; the heat of the fires, the dark ash in the sky had melted every last bit. Winter had come to a sudden and very violent end.

    Right at the city center, there was a great battle ongoing, with soldiers from Dannark fighting with the rebels in a disorganized chaos. Arrows flew through the skies with every passing moment.

    Dead men and women lined the streets, the vast majority of them wearing rags and simple clothing. Here, too, the Dannark soldiers that had fallen were very few compared to the untrained rebels. And, as the fighting continued, that difference would grow even more stark.

    The screaming from afar wouldn¡¯t leave Beatrice¡¯s ears. She couldn¡¯t tune it out.

    Balarand had been reduced to a warzone. Destruction on a level that brought most of the group to tears. This was exactly what Elince tried to protect when it peacefully surrendered to Dannark. The entire reason for the occupation was to help prevent Dannark from invading and destroying the great city of Balarand.

    And now...

    Beatrice looked back to the castle behind them. Smoke rose out of the windows on an upper floor. Even this place was too dangerous to stay in, and it was supposed to be the safest fortress in the kingdom.

    ¡°I hate this,¡± Beatrice muttered. She didn¡¯t want to look at any of this. But she couldn¡¯t stop staring. ¡°This is all so horrible...¡±

    Emi shook her head. ¡°We¡¯ll make it through this. We have to keep going.¡± She looked around at the ground and saw a fallen rebel soldier with a lance near his side. So she held out her hand, and like a stick on a rope the lance flew into her hand. Beatrice did a double take. Emi gripped the lance with both hands and rest its sharp end on the ground.

    Tia kept his eyes fixed forward. ¡°Our distraction may not be necessary. The rebels are already breaking apart. We have an opportunity escape before the real battle begins.¡±

    ¡°The... real battle?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°Dannark¡¯s frontline soldiers must be almost here already,¡± Emi said with a gasp. ¡°They sent word that quickly...¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Tia said. ¡°Nevertheless, we must charge forward if we are to reach the safe house without injury.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Pip shouted.

    A number of Dannark soldiers approached the group, weapons drawn and drawing closer. They separated into multiple flanks in an attempt to encircle the group.

    Emi¡¯s Father, sword in hand, rushed in front of the group, holding his hands up. ¡°Stop! We are not rebels. We are civilians and part of the occupation government. Please... stop.¡±

    The soldiers continued to advance, saying nothing. It seemed they were no longer accepting surrender as an option. And unlike the rebel soldiers they faced in the castle, these were professional fighters who wouldn¡¯t fall to simple maneuvers.

    ¡°What do we do? Father, what do we do?¡± Touma asked. He held a sword in his hands, but he shook so much that he rendered himself effectively useless.

    ¡°We will defend ourselves. Stand back and protect Ms. Khami and your sister.¡± Her Father spread his legs out into a fencing stance.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Emi said.

    Beatrice looked at Runa, waiting for her to react. She had been oddly calm, oddly quiet ever since she retrieved her precious plans from the castle evidence room. Runa noticed her gaze, then looked back at Hasha and asked, ¡°Honey, are you willing to fix this for us?¡±

    The beast grunted.

    ¡°Then charge ahead and break their formation!¡±

    The beast grunted again, but did not move.

    ¡°Is it going to hurry?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°Hasha does what Hasha wants,¡± she said. ¡°We must hope my baby does what is in our best interest. Hasha, move!¡±

    Hasha, it seemed, misunderstood the directions and ran off towards some other part of the skirmish, attacking other soldiers and knocking them down.

    Beatrice sighed, then wondered if this would be the last time she ever sighed.

    There was no need for its help, though. A dozen rebel soldiers stormed the area and caught the Dannark soldiers by surprise, knocking them over and driving their weapons into them. It was a quick rout and the scene was clear in two minutes or less.

    ¡°You must come with us,¡± one of the rebels said. ¡°We¡¯re regrouping back at the castle for a final--¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± another said. It was-- Ulric Statusian, a gash across his left cheek and spatters of blood dotted across his armor. ¡°These aren¡¯t allies. These are escaped prisoners.¡±

 Chapter 62: All Her Will [Illustration]

    Ulric Statusian faced Emi and stared her down. This was Beatrice¡¯s former teacher, somehow now a leader of the rebellion. Behind him stood a number of rebels. The carried large spears and axes pilfered from the bodies of the Dannark soldiers they had slewn moments ago. And now this ragtag group of Emi and her friends and family had their only path out of this carnage blocked.

    Emi had never talked to Ulric Statusian in her life, but from the moment he looked at her, she knew his feelings toward her. His scornful gaze told her everything she needed to know about how he would prefer the L¡¯Hime Family end up.

    Then, he stared at Emi; just her, nobody else. She stared back. She held a tight grip on the lance in her hands.

    They kept at this for some time before either acted.

    Ulric Statusian pointed his fingers at her and one of the soldiers shot an arrow--

    --which Emi knocked away with a slash of her lance.

    She had no idea how she did that.

    Immediately, Tia and Emi¡¯s Father leapt into the fray and blocked Ulric¡¯s path to attack her again. Another arrow launched, and it whizzed past Tia so close it knocked the wig off his head.

    ¡°Wait, Mr. Statusian!¡± Beatrice shouted. She stepped in front of Tia and Emi¡¯s Father. ¡°Stop all this fighting!¡±

    What in the Goddess¡¯s name was that girl doing?! Emi ran in front of her protectors and joined Beatrice by her side. She raised her lance and pointed it at the rebels. Nobody would be falling for her sake, no matter what.

    ¡°What are you even doing here, Beatrice?¡± Ulric asked, his voice cracking and eyes quavering. ¡°Of all people, I would never have expected you... Beatrice.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be killing people!¡± Beatrice shouted.

    ¡°And you shouldn¡¯t be protecting the very people that allowed Dannark to capture and arrest our own King.¡± His expression hardened and his composure returned. The L¡¯Hime Family is the epitome of scum. It looks like you might be, too. You could have been special, Beatrice. You could have brought peace and harmony to the continent.¡±

    ¡°And I will.¡±

    Ulric and some of the rebel soldiers took a few steps closer to them. ¡°You¡¯re a delusional love-obsessed fool. I was so, so wrong about you.¡±

    ¡°Shut up,¡± said Emi. ¡°Talk to my girlfriend that way again and I¡¯ll kill you.¡± She jabbed with the lance and forced the rebels to back up a step. ¡°Tia, get everyone else to run to the safe house. We¡¯ll catch up.¡±

    ¡°Are you quite serious...?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Do it!¡±

    Tia complied, ushering everyone to flee with him leading the way. Only Father and Runa stayed behind.

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    Emi stepped forward and attacked, jabbing her lance at the rebels. They easily dodged, but one lost his balance and had to step backwards to catch himself. One advanced too close to her, so she kicked him in the stomach, pushing him on his back.

    Ulric bashed his sword against Emi¡¯s lance, but she pushed him away. She flipped around to make sure she was in front of Beatrice, who had nothing but a rusty rake to defend herself with.

    Never in her life had she dreamed she would be in a situation like this, but somehow, something inside of her had activated. She understood the world around her, and saw the battlefield for what it truly was--a series of gears and cogs, springs and levers, that together worked to create the ultimate peril. All Emi had to do was break the machine holding them back.

    She struck at Ulric and hit his chest. He reeled backwards on instinct, but the lance cracked and his armor remained unpierced. Once he realized he was safe, a snarl grew on his face and he attacked with a fierce blow.

    Emi ducked to dodge, but, unfortunately, she was still a young woman who was decidedly out of shape. She couldn¡¯t get out of the way in time, and Ulric¡¯s sword bashed into her lance with overwhelming strength.

    The lance snapped in two and flew out of her hands. She was defenseless once again. The others had long since escaped, but Emi, Beatrice, Runa, and Father were still there, now completely encircled by rebel soldiers. Dannark soldiers were also fast approaching from a few blocks away, the thuds of their marching boots growing louder by the second.

    Emi¡¯s Father held some rebels back with defensive moves, but it wouldn¡¯t hold for more than a few more seconds. Runa was here, but instead of helping she was watching her homunculus off fighting on the other side of the plaza.

    Their fight was over. But at least the rest of her family and friends were safe.

    ¡°All you¡¯ve accomplished with your life, young L¡¯Hime, is leading my brightest pupil astray,¡± Ulric said. ¡°You¡¯ve committed a greater sin against the Gods than any of your traitorous family, because you defied their very Will.¡± He grinned, revealing a missing front tooth. ¡°When Balarand is free, no-one will remember the Ragnells ever existed.¡±

    Beatrice started to advance as if she were going to attack with her rake, but Emi held her back. He said they had defied Will of the Gods, eh? Emi didn¡¯t buy that for one second. The Gods were with her on this one.

    Emi grabbed Beatrice¡¯s hand and held it tight. ¡°I will always love you,¡± she said. ¡°That will never change.¡±

    Beatrice nodded and tossed her rake to the side. ¡°Me too. No matter what the world brings us.¡±

    ¡°Forever and ever.¡±

    The rebels advanced from all corners. Ulric raised his sword high up in the air.

    But, somehow, Emi felt at ease.

    No, she hadn¡¯t accepted her fate. In fact, fate was never a question in the first place. Because fate was just some bogus idea thought up by people too uncreative to build their own destiny. Fate was for people who had no magic in their lives.

    Magic was a peculiar thing, Emi thought. It resided within the souls of every being, and yet it was nearly inaccessible, nearly impossible to understand. It was a lot like love. Sometimes, people might find someone where together, they can make miracles happen, and they can change the world with just their hands held in the melted snow, but it¡¯s really rare. Too rare to even mention.

    But when love was truly there, when Emi felt Beatrice beside her, all of those mysteries and qualms and caveats and drawbacks vanished.

    All her life, she had told herself she wasn¡¯t good enough and she needed to change who she was to succeed. But right here, right now, at this exact second, Emi L¡¯Hime realized all of that was a blatant lie. Magic was real and she was actually a great person all along.

    Emi raised her free hand into the air, concentrated with all her will--all her love.

    And then from that hand came a ball of light that exploded--literally exploded--

    Every soldier, every rebel, every person in the vicinity except the four in the center of the blast, was knocked to the ground. Every single person, including those four, were blinded by a shining brightness.

    The entire scene went white.

 Chapter 63: Safe House

    By the time Beatrice could see again, she realized she was being pulled along by Emi, and they were running still through the streets near Castle Balarand.

    Emi looked back at her and shouted, ¡°We escaped!¡±

    ¡°That was you!¡± Beatrice yelled back. ¡°How did you do that?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea! The magic of love or something!¡±

    Oh, this girl.

    Beatrice, Emi, Emi¡¯s Father, and Runa were all safe, far away from the bulk of the fighting. Now that Dannark soldiers from the front lines of the war had arrived in Balarand, the rebels stood little chance--their forces had already begun to flee. The epicenter of the battle was still mostly around the castle, the entire area now surrounded in flames. The trek to the Tia¡¯s safe house should have been a safe one.

    It wasn¡¯t.

    Rebel soldiers and Dannark soldiers alike broke away from their fights to attack the four of them. Apparently they were just too much of a prime target. It probably had something to do with the giant eight-foot-tall homunculus that ran beside them.

    ¡°Runa, can¡¯t you make that thing go away?!¡± Beatrice yelled.

    ¡°Hasha is precious. You cannot make a scientific revolution simply ¡®go away.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I mean all these people are attacking us because of it!¡±

    But, fortunately, the homunculus was attacking all of these people in return. It stopped running suddenly and plowed itself into the crowd, making its stand against, essentially, everything around it. There were far too many soldiers to keep it going. Nevertheless, it attacked them, swiping them to the floor and kicking one several feet into the air.

    The homunculus was overpowered by the sheer number of attackers. But those attackers were no longer pursuing the four of them, and that would save their lives.

    One of the soldiers sliced the beast in the gut. It screamed out and bashed the soldier to the ground. Its large, beady eyes shed tears at alarming volumes, and it wailed out like a child who scraped their knee.

    ¡°Hasha! No!¡± Runa screamed. ¡°My creation!¡±

    Sword still stuck in its stomach, the homunculus shoved away all the soldiers around it and ran off in a random direction.

    With both the few remaining rebels and the newly arrived Dannark soldiers attacking it at once, the homunculus could not stand up to the struggle. It was going to go out fighting.

    But the group didn¡¯t look back to make sure. Even Runa kept her gaze forward. Beatrice could hear the sounds of wailing and slicing, but they grew fainter every moment.

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    In the frenzy of a sudden monster attack, the soldiers became too distracted to pursue them, and by now not a single soldier followed. They made their way safely for the rest of their journey.

    The safe house was a featureless home in the middle of a residential neighborhood, where the fighting had not spread and the streets were desolate. As hot as the fires had made the city, specks of snow still dotted the roof here.

    Inside was a furniture-less room with nothing but dry food, water, and roll-out mats. Underneath one rug, though, was a secret latch that opened up to reveal an underground bunker. They climbed down the ladder and met the others.

    Beatrice suddenly wondered if her own parents were okay...They probably were. If the fighting had mostly been contained to the central parts of the city, then her apartment near Knoll Park was surely safe. Dannark soldiers tightly patrolled the riverways, so the rebels would never have attacked there... she hoped. She had enough to worry about today, so that¡¯s what she was going to tell herself.

    They reached the others, exchanged hugs and cried together, and finally sat down, laid down, huddled together. It was finally time to relax a little bit.

    Runa was devastated, to a point she was holding her head in grief. ¡°My homunculus... My research...¡±

    ¡°It served us very well,¡± Emi said. ¡°Thank you.¡± She gave Runa a quick hug, and Runa¡¯s face turned blood-red.

    ¡°What is your story, girl?¡± Tia asked.

    Runa shot a sharp glance towards him. ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡±

    Beatrice realized this was the first time Tia and Runa had ever met. What a strange occurrence this was.

    Beatrice sat down and Emi almost immediately collapsed, her head falling directly into her lap.

    ¡°Your hair¡¯s getting long again,¡± Beatrice muttered.

    Emi giggled. Then she let out the longest sigh ever recorded. Beatrice followed suit.

    ¡°Thank you for saving my family,¡± Emi said. ¡°Tr--Beatrice...¡±

    ¡°Emi...¡±

    They sat like this in silence for a long time. There were ten people in this bunker: Emi, Beatrice, Emi¡¯s parents, Ms. Khami, Pip, Touma, Runa, Tia, and Tia¡¯s boyfriend whose name Beatrice hadn¡¯t caught. And out of those ten people, not a soul had the energy to speak.

    Beatrice ran her fingers through Emi¡¯s hair. For some reason, it felt weird, even a little bit wrong. But it also felt great, so she didn¡¯t stop.

    The one thing that struck her most about this moment was the smell. That lingering scent of smoke and ash that clung to their clothes and hairs with a  tight grip. Pungent like burnt cheese. She hated it. But, knowing that she smelled exactly the same way, she let it pass with only a crinkle of her nose.

    The silence in the room was broken by, naturally, Pip, who squatted on the floor next to the girls. ¡°You did good, you two,¡± she said. ¡°I coulda taken them, but...¡±

    ¡°Everything¡¯s going to change, isn¡¯t it?¡± Beatrice wondered aloud.

    ¡°It was always going to,¡± said Emi, her head still in Beatrice¡¯s lap. ¡°That¡¯s how it works with the... Will of the Gods and... harmony... and...¡±

    She had drifted off to sleep. Poor thing really tired herself out with all of that... whatever it was she did. Magic? If it was magic, it was a level far beyond anything Beatrice had ever seen or read about, but she had no other word to describe it.

    After everything they had gone through... They had saved the prisoners in the castle. They had fended off Ulric Statusian. They survived to see tomorrow.

    What was going to happen? Neither of them really knew, but at this exact moment, they were safe. That was all that mattered.

 Chapter 64: Calm

    Dannark¡¯s response to the rebellion was swift and harsh.

    In the end, none of the rebels¡¯ planned executions had occurred; the chaos caused by the homunculus helped Dannark retake the castle and any remaining prisoners had been freed soon after. It was unclear whether or not they ever planned to do anything beyond imprison and intimidate, anyway. The rebels were a mix of idealists and novices, so mass execution never truly seemed in the cards.

    Dannark, on the other hand, had been carrying out sentencing from the moment the rebel leaders were captured. Beatrice¡¯s teacher was one of them. Ulric Statusian was already scheduled to be shipped off to the Frozen Desert to mine for ore for twenty years. Nobody really came back from sentences like those.

    Even after the main forces were defeated, pockets of resistance still sprang up throughout the city, ambushing patrols and trying to rally the people back towards their cause. It was futile but the honorable way to go out, Emi thought. It had been a week since the rebellion, and the fighting had died down, but it was not over completely, not yet.

    The Jewel of Elince was placed back in the National Museum; the Balarand Circle halted publication; a full battalion of soldiers took up residence in the city barracks. King Kline had been spared an execution and returned to exile in Fathie, but everything else had gone completely in the direction of Dannark¡¯s rule.

    A new normal that would be here to stay.

    Emi¡¯s house had been damaged by the fires that spread across the city, but it was not completely destroyed, so it was already better off than the nearly completely destroyed Castle Balarand. Workers were currently rebuilding the parts of the house that did not survive, which included her bedroom and, of course, Ms. Khami¡¯s entire brand-new third-floor balcony. Poor woman.

    Her parents had zipped back to Zahn for yet another emergency mission. They offered to take Emi with them, but she insisted on staying. They hadn¡¯t said anything about Beatrice, not a single mention. That was their way, and Emi realized she preferred it that way.

    Fortunately, the southern portion of Balarand was almost completely unharmed. Beatrice¡¯s parents were worried sick when their daughter (and Runa) never came back home, but when they returned he next day they had a reunion filled with tears from all sides.

    It was almost like everything had returned to normal, since then.

    Everything--including Emi and Beatrice.

    Emi had stayed at Beatrice¡¯s apartment for almost a week now, while her own home was under repair. It was about how you¡¯d expect, after everything that happened.

    While Beatrice cooked up some omelettes with rice for breakfast, Emi laid in the rock-hard bed in her bedroom. Their bedroom? It was nice to think about it that way, at least.

    She looked out the window of the apartment and at the rising sun making its way towards the sky. The city, aside from the wreckage, was shining The trees bright green, their leaves swaying gently in the wind. Soon it would be day, and soon it would be spring as well. Something so haunting should never have been so pretty.

    Beatrice finished up the eggs and entered her bedroom, sitting down at the foot of the bed. ¡°My parents said it would be a good idea to get out of the city for a while,¡± she said. ¡°Dannark is sending a regional governor with a direct line to the Empress, and... well, you know what that will mean.¡± Emi knew. Curfews, secret police, stricter laws, crackdowns on national flags and songs, the works.

    Emi sat up. ¡°I guess now¡¯s a better time than ever to run away together, huh? I hear Mammoth Pass is lovely this time of year. We could go see the Mammoths again before they migrate north, then we could travel up the mountains and meet some striderskin hunters.¡±

    ¡°Oh stop,¡± Beatrice gently chided. She rested her hand on Emi¡¯s cheek.

    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding, Tris.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Beatrice.¡±

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°Sorry, sorry.¡±

    Things had gone back to normal. But for Emi and Beatrice there were too many pained memories, too many shed tears, to ever truly revert to the status quo.

    It was too complicated, and so they let things stay the way they were. A new normal.

    ¡°You know, Beatrice, I just realized something,¡± Emi said. ¡°You still have that centaur carving sitting on your desk. That... really means a lot to me, you know. You actually kept it.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t bear to break it,¡± Beatrice said. She sat down on the bed, facing away from Emi. ¡°I tried my best, but...  I loved you too much to hurt you that way.¡± Emi thought she heard a sniffle.

    ¡°It¡¯s the same for me,¡± Emi said. ¡°I kept your notebook safe on my d--¡± She cut herself off and gasped. ¡°Gods, no. Your notebook.¡±

    ¡°My... Oh, Emi...¡±

    The tears came immediately. ¡°All my stuff, I can live without. I can always buy more clothes and gears and books. But your notebook... Beatrice, your notebook burned up. I¡¯m...¡±

    ¡°Have the centaur carving back,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s yours now!¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a gift, it was just borrowing each other¡¯s things. Remember? We said that.¡±

    ¡°We did say that...¡±

    ¡°So please, take it back,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°I insist.¡±

    Emi sat up and put her hands on Beatrice. She turned her head around and peered at her face, looked deep into those eyes whose irises swirled in a rainstorm. That same rainstorm that pulled her into the best months of her life.

    ¡°...I¡¯ll take it,¡± she said, finally. She knew what it meant symbolically to take back something as important as that carving, but... she didn¡¯t care about symbolism and all that Mammoth crap.

    But...

    ¡°So, uh, are your parents awake yet, Beatrice?¡± she asked.

    Beatrice turned around and faced her body towards Emi, who was still sitting up next to her. ¡°Not yet. They¡¯re sleeping late this morning.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not wake them just yet. The rice won¡¯t be done for a while,¡± Emi suggested.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Beatrice leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. She pushed her down onto the bed, then shut the door with her foot.

    ***

    Emi, Beatrice, and Emi¡¯s Mom and Dad sat around the kitchen table, silently eating breakfast together. The omelettes were certainly... okay, but nothing special or worth remarking about. That didn¡¯t really matter to Emi, though. She just appreciated that Beatrice had cooked for her, had made something just for her. Every meal was a delight.

    Beatrice¡¯s Dad was reading a book in one hand and holding chopsticks in the other as he picked apart his eggs, and chuckled a bit. Emi looked closer at the book¡¯s cover-- it showed a single shrugging man with the title, What Do You Talk About When You Talk About Love? It didn¡¯t look very appealing from this information alone, but Earl certainly appeared entertained.

    Earl had looked a little sad recently, something Emi had never seen in the man before. Beatrice told her that Ulric Statusian had been a friend of his, and that he was still shaken up about everything. But with the library intact and a good book in his hands, it was good to see him in higher spirits, at least for the morning.

    Beatrice stared at Emi, smiling. Uh, hey. What¡¯s up? Emi took a big mouthful of rice. It was so sticky she couldn¡¯t actually open her mouth to say anything.

    She didn¡¯t need to. All she needed to do was look into the gentle waves in Beatrice¡¯s eyes and smile back.

    ¡°We have something to tell you two,¡± Beatrice¡¯s Mom said, suddenly. ¡°Your father and I...¡± She trailed off for a moment, and Emi averted her eyes. ¡°Earl and I are taking a vacation.¡±

    Beatrice jolted her head towards them in shock. She didn¡¯t even have any words coming out of her mouth, just a couple grains of rice.

    ¡°Shizuka,¡± Beatrice¡¯s Dad said. ¡°Why now? I thought we were going to mention this after...¡±

    ¡°I thought they¡¯d like to know.¡±

    ¡°Well... fine.¡± He set his book down, spine-up. ¡°So, I got an opportunity to take a look at a large private book collection next week down in Kent, right next to the coast,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s not a certain opportunity, but... I¡¯ve been told there¡¯s a teaching position open at the local college if I want one.¡±

    Beatrice gasped. ¡°But you... but the library...¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re just going to check the place out and get out of Balarand for a few days, with everything going on right now. Since you have the exams coming up, Beatrice, we figured you¡¯d, uh... want the house to yourself. So you could, uh, focus. On your studies.¡±

    Beatrice glanced at Emi and then her face turned a vibrant shade of crimson. ¡°Oh, uh, thank you. Thank you very much, Dad. And Mom. And... I really do hope you take the job. You should have been a teacher your whole life. I¡¯ve always thought so.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve... really?¡± Her Dad raised an eyebrow. ¡°You never mentioned anything like that before. How come you never encouraged me, huh?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    Emi felt very much like leaving the table right now but she was only halfway done with her meal, so instead she sighed and let the family squabble go on around her.

    For the short time it lasted, it was nice.

 Chapter 65: I Love You For Right Now [Illustration]

    Beatrice and Emi were back in the marketplace once again, early in the day, so early the shops hadn¡¯t yet opened, and the vendors were still placing their items. They walked side by side, close to each other but not holding hands.

    The marketplace was crawling with guards and soldiers all over the premises, openly brandishing spears and keeping the place from achieving the lively atmosphere it normally would have. That was about the same as any other place in the entire city, though.

    ¡°Today¡¯s the day,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Years of my life spent dedicated to one thing and now it¡¯s here. Even a small rebellion couldn¡¯t keep it away.¡±

    ¡°A rebellion of war, or a rebellion of love?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°I hate you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m okay with that.¡± Emi looked at Beatrice, one of those looks she gave when she was about to say something, well, Emi-esque. And sure enough, out of her mouth came, ¡°Your new hairstyle is to die for, Beatrice.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve said that like six times.¡±

    ¡°I know, it¡¯s just... it¡¯s so long, so luscious, so curly! Please, never ever cut it again. Keep it long forever.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what my Mom told me,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°She said it because it¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°You know, your hair¡¯s getting longer too, Emi. It¡¯s really cute now. I¡¯d almost forgotten what you used to look like.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you can ever forget that moment we first met.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Right here, right by... that stand, I think.¡± She pointed to a stall filled with onions and carrots.

    ¡°No, it was closer to the statue,¡± Emi said, beckoning to the stone visage of the stately royal woman right in the center of the marketplace.

    ¡°I... think you¡¯re wrong.¡±

    ¡°Wrong is a state of mind.¡±

    They went on like this for a little longer.

    Spring in Balarand was Beatrice¡¯s favorite. The air was crisp and cool in the mornings, not warm enough that she could ever sweat, but not so cold she had to wear extra layers. She took a deep breath and felt a wave of relaxation.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready for this,¡± she said. ¡°I feel great.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll blow everyone away,¡± Emi said. ¡°Is there any way I can attend? You know, to cheer you on?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a private event,¡± Beatrice told her. ¡°Only the judges and me.¡±

    ¡°That sucks.¡±

    ¡°Sorry...¡±

    The two of them walked over to a fruit stand, where fresh crops brought in from outside the city were on display. There was a juicy red apple the size of a fist, and a basket of grapes too big for one person to eat by themselves, surely. The vendor, however, had not yet arrived to sell these items, and had left the table completely unattended.

    ¡°These look really good...¡± Beatrice said.

    Emi extended her hand, and a few apples, a cluster of grapes, levitated from the table and flew next to Beatrice. ¡°Here you go,¡± she said.

    ¡°I could never. Put those back.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I mean, I¡¯m going to pay for them, I promise. Just catch when I say so.¡±

    ¡°Okay...¡±

    ¡°Catch.¡±

    The fruits flew threw the air. Beatrice caught the apples and grapes, but then one apple tumbled out of her hands and onto the ground. Darn it.

    Emi reached her hand out again, and then from her purse flew two silver coins that landed on the table with a clang. Then, after a moment of hesitation, she did the same with a gold coin as well. ¡°That¡¯s for the convenience fee.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re such a show-off.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m practicing my powers.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what you said when my skirt magically flew into the air yesterday.¡±

    ¡°It was an accident, I swear,¡± Emi said. ¡°Please believe me.¡±

    Beatrice shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll believe you someday. But you¡¯ll have to earn my trust first.¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    ¡°I doubt that.¡± Beatrice winked. ¡°But, Emi... I just don¡¯t get it,¡± she said. ¡°How did you suddenly have these magical powers that nobody ever knew about? What in the Gods¡¯ names is going on with you?¡±

    ¡°Well... I¡¯m still trying to find out,¡± Emi replied. She gathered a few more fruit from various stands and tipped generously, all without touching any of the items in question. ¡°Ms. Khami¡¯s told me some. According to her, I was a bit, uh, difficult to deal with when I was young, and sometimes that ended up with smashed furniture. I needed very special care to train it out of me, and after that the family covered it up so nobody in the Church would come knocking.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that makes sense,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°If word got out about your magic, it would really change a lot of what the Church teaches. They might force you to become a priest or something. And... you¡¯re showing off by levitating fruit.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Emi winked. ¡°Let¡¯s just enjoy our breakfast.¡±

    The food was good, and company with a friend made it better.

    Being friends with Emi again felt good. It felt nice, almost like things had gone back to normal. They hadn¡¯t, not in the way either of them had wanted, but it was better just being together than fretting about normalcy. Normal was overrated.

    Beatrice¡¯s parents extended their vacation in Kent--it really sounded like Dad was going to accept the job offer--so she and Emi had the whole house to themselves for several weeks. That meant a whole lot of time spent together. They had fun, talked and laughed, went on walks, played card games, sometimes kissed, always cuddled. Beatrice had gotten used to seeing Emi¡¯s pretty face every morning, seeing her shimmering brown eyes flutter awake as they laid in bed after a night¡¯s sleep together.

    And so maybe, they weren¡¯t exactly friends, when Beatrice really thought about it. But that was the closest term she could find in her vocabulary. Anything more and it felt a little... They were friends, and that was the end of it.

    The Priesthood Exams were this afternoon, and she wasn¡¯t going to just pass. She was going to excel. Soon it would be time to fully focus, and so this morning with Emi, walking around the marketplace with no destination, was one final opportunity to relax. Not too much longer, and everything would be different again.

    ¡°Thank you so much for this,¡± Emi said, chewing on a grape and plucking another one . ¡°For letting me stay with you, for... forgiving me, and for giving me a chance to forgive myself. If that means anything.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been fun,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°And thank you for putting up with my stupid self-critical nonsense. It¡¯s ridiculous how much I rag on myself...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re, uh, welcome.¡±

    ¡°And thank you for making me great meals all the time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Beatrice flashed a smile. ¡°You know my cooking¡¯s not that good.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. You made it, and that means more to me than if a famous chef made me an elixir stew made from a thousand ingredients.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Ah, nevermind,¡± Emi said. ¡°Thank you anyway, because... I love you. I mean, not like--well, yes like--uh, you know what I mean.¡±

    ¡°I love you too,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be there with you. All this anger in the world, all the strife... The Church is more important than ever. And that¡¯s--¡±

    ¡°No, stop,¡± Emi interrupted. ¡°We¡¯ve been over this a million times. I understand and I¡¯m not changing anything anymore, Beatrice,¡± Emi said. ¡°I love you not for what you might mean to me in the future. I love you for right now. And that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°You know that¡¯s the kind of line that makes a girl swoon,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°You¡¯d better not use it on your new wife.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t promise you that,¡± Emi said, giggling. ¡°You know... the wedding¡¯s getting pretty close. My parents are about to come back to Balarand to do preparations. I don¡¯t know why the heck they still want to hold it here, what with everything, but for the first time in my life... I¡¯m kind of looking forward to it.¡±

    ¡°And why is that?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°Because once I become a noblewoman¡¯s wife, I get to do whatever I want. If I have all this wealth and power just because of the family I was born into, then I need to make sure I earn it. I¡¯m going to try and help out the world in my own way, just like you. And since you¡¯ll be in training, I get a head start!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a competition, Emi...¡±

    ¡°Everything is, Beatrice.¡± She tossed a grape into the air, levitated it around in a circle a few times, and caught it with her mouth. ¡°I have one request, though...¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t come to the wedding, please,¡± Emi said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I could emotionally handle that.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll be leaving for training before then anyway,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Uh, assuming I pass the exams. But if I¡¯m still here... I don¡¯t know if I could resist. Seeing you up on stage bawling would make the rest of my life. Because...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say it...¡±

    ¡°Because you know I love making you cry, Emi.¡±

    ¡°You said it.¡±

    ***

    Beatrice stepped into the examination room. Three judges stood before her, wearing veils over their faces so she could not recognize them.

    The written exam had been a piece of cake. Now all that was left was performing for these judges her practiced rituals and incantations.

    ¡°Beatrice Ragnell,¡± one of the judges said. ¡°Welcome to the practical portion of the Priesthood Exam. Are you dedicated to bringing harmony to Tsubasa?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± she said. ¡°With my life.¡±

    For a short moment she thought Mr. Statusian may have been one of the judges sitting before her. It would have been an honor for her to perform everything he had taught her on this day... but there was no chance of that anymore, of course; he was in the mines in the Frozen Desert now. All over a failed rebellion that only made the occupation even harsher. It was tragic to even think about.

    And right now was a very inappropriate time to be thinking about that, anyway.

    Beatrice raised her right hand forwards, palm facing the judges.

    It was time for Beatrice to begin her final step towards becoming a priest.

    It didn¡¯t matter to her how much faith she had in herself, or how much faith she had in the Gods, of how much faith anyone else had in her. She discarded any notions of her current life, any worries about the future, anything but her knowledge of the Church religion and the magical energy imbued in the souls of every living being.

    She was going to succeed, because that was what Beatrice Ragnell did.

    ¡°Show us the register of incantations,¡± a judge said.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± She began performing the ritual to summon the good graces of the Goddess Phyra.

    And she smiled.

 Chapter 66: Arrivals

    Today marked the arrival of Emi¡¯s future wife.

    To mark the occasion, she wore a light blue springtime dress and tied her hair back into a ponytail, something she never did except on the most very special of occasions. She placed her bowtie on the top of her head, over her left ear.

    Emi sat outside in her front yard, basking in the warm sunny weather and reading a book. It was the ninth entry in The Elf Cycle, just released, titled The Rise of Soonworld. And it was the final book in the series, she was starting to realize. Just twenty pages from the end, and the Golem and Ghost had finally confessed their love to one another. But it was too late--the Ghost¡¯s spiritual energy was fading. Her mana had run out, and her energies were falling back into nature. The Golem had offered to absorb her, for them to become one, a single being living together forever. But the Ghost refused him; it was her time to leave and return to the astral dimension.

    This book...

    ...really sucked.

    It was clearly rushed out in less than half a year just to cash in on the popularity of the eighth one... And Emi never felt more disappointed in her life.

    Well, with the final book in The Elf Cycle a huge letdown, it was finally time to discard those last little bits of childhood that still lingered on Emi¡¯s person and fully embrace the woman she was meant to be. Just kidding. Emi would never grow up, and she had come to accept that with the joy that only the silliest of weirdos could embrace in themselves.

    Without even bothering to stand up, she closed the book, let it levitate around her, and then sent it through the window to her barren rebuilt bedroom. That was the only fitting way she could send off such a wreck of a novel.

    Ms. Khami, followed closely behind by Pip, came out through the front door and looked down at Emi. The old woman put her hands on her hips and shook her head. ¡°Still spending all your time reading cheap fiction, I see.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a little devil,¡± said Emi.

    ¡°My little devil.¡± Ms. Khami looked better than ever. Back during the rebellion, she saw a side of her that she had never been privy to before-- vulnerability, hopelessness, genuine anger. But all of that was gone, just like the third floor balcony that had been completely repaired. ¡°They still aren¡¯t here, are they? What could be the hold-up?¡±

    ¡°Customs must be difficult these days,¡± Emi said. ¡°You¡¯re the one that taught me all about trade and tariffs, so you should know.¡±

    ¡°Not me. Just the books I assigned.¡±

    ¡°This conversation is real weird,¡± chimed Pip. ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re friends or something.¡±

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Ms. Khami briefly smiled, then faked a stern look. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you be, then. Come, Pip. We have rooms to clean.¡± They went back inside.

    Her heart started to fill with a sort of mix of dread and anticipation. She¡¯d made peace with all of what was going to happen in her life, because that was the L¡¯Hime Family way. She was going to take what might happen and turn it into something excellent. She would make something that her parents, that Reo and Touma, that Ms. Khami, could all be proud of. Something Beatrice herself could be proud of. She would certainly achieve all of that. But that assurance didn¡¯t stop her from being incredibly nervous anyway.

    Finally, a single carriage pulled up to the house gate, and out stepped a portly man with a large waistcoat carrying large, clearly heavy bags. ¡°Calling for the arrival of Lady Novella Khara,¡± the man shouted. ¡°She is here.¡±

    She was here.

    Emi gulped, and then approached the carriage. She steeled herself, adopting straight posture and as serious a face as someone like her could make.

    The door opened, and out stepped a slender, tall woman with rings on six of her fingers. She wore gallant black suit with a narrow white tie. Her hair was stringy, auburn, and her face was narrow, pink. Very handsome, if I do say so myself. One thing immediately struck Emi, though-- Lady Khara was much younger than she ever thought.

    In fact, she seemed nearly the same age as her.

    ¡°So this is Emi L¡¯Hime, isn¡¯t it?¡± the woman asked, her face entirely neutral. She used to always suppress her emotions in public as some sort of power move.

    ¡°It is she,¡± Emi replied. ¡°Welcome, Lady Khara.¡±

    Lady Khara stepped down from the carriage and extended her hand. ¡°Call me Novella,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m going to marry you, after all. I don¡¯t want you to sound like a servant or anything.¡± The woman extended her hand forward. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±

    Emi took her hand and shook it with a firm grip. ¡°Likewise.¡±

    Novella smirked.

    Emi did as well.

    She had always imagined that Lady Khara was some middle-aged woman who wore long gowns that went down to her feet and had a serious expression on her face at all times. She wasn¡¯t sure why the gowns part. But... this was certainly a surprise. Emi didn¡¯t mind that she was a young woman herself, not that she had on a very well-fitting suit.

    ¡°So, is this your first time in Balarand?¡± she asked, keeping her grip steady.

    ¡°Actually, yes,¡± Novella said. ¡°I wanted to arrive for the Moon Festivals precisely because that they your city¡¯s most famous celebrations. I heard they are wonderful.¡±

    ¡°Well, the moons certainly are nice this time of year. But the Moon Festivals aren¡¯t for a few more weeks. You know, when our wedding is set.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯d like to get a feel for the city, anyway,¡± she said. ¡°Perhaps you can show me around, Emi.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, Novella.¡±

    Emi waited for Novella to relent, to let go of her hand and end the shaking. She wasn¡¯t going to let Novella get the upper hand here (literally), so she was going to keep shaking until her fiancee gave out. Novella seemed to be thinking the same thing.

    ¡°I must say, your hairstyle is exquisite, Novella said. ¡°I expected much, but you exceeded all expectations.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. I changed it just for you.¡±

    ¡°I am incredibly flattered.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be. It¡¯s only proper, after all,¡± Emi said.

    The portly man folded his arms. ¡°Ladies? Should we not be going inside, now?¡±

    ¡°After you, Emi.¡± Novella said.

    ¡°No, Novella, after you.¡±

    Today marked the start of a new friendship.

 Chapter 67: Repairs

    Beatrice struck the hammer down and slammed the nail into the piece of wood. A drip of sweat fell from her chin and plopped on her arm, but she paid it less mind than a gnat fluttering about around her head. She struck the wood again to make sure the nail was in place, and smiled when she saw it was good.

    A wave of exhaustion had set on her, but she kept going. The warm sun overhead had just reached its apex, and the birds had finally come back out to sing their chirpy tunes. With a free meal waiting at the end of the day, Beatrice was never going to quit helping here, not until it was all complete.

    It was grueling work, repairing the damage done to the restaurant Foron¡¯s. Half of northern Balarand had burned to the ground, but the Dannark government had done nothing to help rebuild So it was up to Beatrice and the other former junior priests of the St. Helens Academy. The school had been shut down permanently, but that wasn¡¯t going to do a bit of good in stopping its students from helping their favorite afterschool dining spot.

    Her face was covered in sweat, and she had nailed more boards than her mind could comprehend, but Beatrice felt amazing. She really felt like she was doing something. And best of all, she had her friends around to help.

    There was one friend missing from all of this volunteer work, though, someone Beatrice had been secretly hoping would show up the entire time.

    But it didn¡¯t happen.

    At least, not until the lunch break was over. Then Beatrice saw that silly little hat, and those shining blue eyes.

    Bodhi Makala had showed up to help rebuild Foron¡¯s.

    ***

    It wasn¡¯t until after the volunteer work was over that Beatrice and Bodhi finally got a chance to talk. Without exchanging a word, the two met up and began walking down the street in a random direction. They were going north, up towards the port and where Runa still lived, but they probably wouldn¡¯t need to walk that far.

    The streets were quiet, with at least one guard posted on every city block. Many shops and businesses were still facing fire damage, broken windows, or even total destruction. With the occupation government busy putting down pockets of guerilla resistance, nothing could be done except by their own hands.

    One day, Balarand would all be back to its vibrant, pretty self, even if it took a hundred more days like today from Beatrice and her friends.

    Bodhi finally spoke, saying, ¡°You look beautiful, Bea.¡±

    ¡°Beatrice,¡± she replied instantly. ¡°And thanks.¡±

    ¡°That dress... It¡¯s really a work dress?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah, this?¡± She looked down at the plain outfit she had on for her volunteer effort. ¡°I made this for sewing practice. It¡¯s not very useful as anything other than a work outfit. And I definitely learned today that skirts are not good for hard labor...¡±

    ¡°You learned how to sew? Darn, you never cease to amaze.¡± Bodhi flashed one of his classic smirks. ¡°I see you¡¯ve kept growing out your hair, too.¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°Yeah... It¡¯s really long now.¡±

    ¡°And cute.¡±

    ¡°Really? You think so?¡±

    ¡°I know so.¡± Bodhi, for just a split second, began to reach out to touch her hair, but pulled back before his hand went anywhere. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m glad about today. I¡¯ve been waiting for Foron¡¯s to reopen for weeks now.¡±

    ¡°Did you love me?¡± Beatrice asked suddenly.

    ¡°Uh....¡±

    Beatrice lowered her head and smiled. ¡°You didn¡¯t come help out at Foron¡¯s just to see me, did you?¡±

    ¡°Well, I...¡± Bodhi sighed. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I did.¡±

    ¡°I thought so.¡±

    ¡°I heard you were there, and I heard you passed the Priesthood Exam. I wanted to see you one last time before you left Balarand forever.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s sweet.¡±

    ¡°And yeah, I loved you,¡± he said. ¡°I loved you for years, Bea. But you were always... How do I say it? Unattainable.¡±

    Beatrice giggled. ¡°What the heck does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Always nose-deep into your books. Never wanted to hang out. Committed to becoming a celibate priest and abandoning everyone around you. That sort of thing.¡±

    ¡°It took me a long time to realize how felt about me, Bodhi,¡± she said. ¡°Until after I broke up with my girlfriend. It kind of hit me how you must have felt the whole time, and... I felt a little guilty.¡±

    ¡°Guilty?¡±

    ¡°Because I never returned your feelings, not one little bit. I don¡¯t know why. Maybe in some other world it would have worked, but... The Gods didn¡¯t Will it, I guess.¡±

    ¡°I felt really jealous when you met that girl,¡± Bodhi said. ¡°All those years by your side, thinking you¡¯d see me one day for more than that annoying guy who always calls you Bea. But then you found someone else who loved you.¡±

    ¡°And so you¡¯re here now looking for... closure?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°No way. Closure is Mammoth crap. I¡¯m just here to see my friend.¡± Bodhi laughed a little bit, but Beatrice couldn¡¯t tell if it was genuine or fake. ¡°Listen, I sorted out my feelings for you a long time ago. Maybe I loved you in that schoolboy kind of way, but it was nothing. When I saw Emi, and I saw the way she looks at you... that¡¯s when I realized all I had was an overgrown crush. That girl REALLY loves you, Bea.¡±

    ¡°And I really love her,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°You really love her, but you¡¯re still becoming a priest.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Just... why?¡± he asked. ¡°You two are perfect for each other. She loves you, and you love her. So why would you ever do something to end that?¡±

    Beatrice shrugged. ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡±

    ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to make a decision that could ruin the rest of your life,¡± he said. ¡°Love is so important and you can¡¯t just throw it away to serve the Church. They have a billion priests. You only have one Emi.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something I realized during the rebellion,¡± Beatrice told him. ¡°I have a duty to serve. Tsubasa is about to enter a dark time, and the harmony will disappear if there aren¡¯t people around to save it. With my knowledge and ambition, I can become the kind of priest who saves lives every single day. I can change the entire continent for the better. The kind of love I have for Emi is the same kind of love I need to give to the whole world.¡±

    ¡°I... guess I can¡¯t argue with that,¡± Bodhi said. ¡°So it¡¯s all religion stuff.¡±

    ¡°The Will of the Gods and all that,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t believe, do you? In the Gods and the Church?¡±

    ¡°I do, I do.¡±

    He looked at her with an intent stare, and said, ¡°I... can¡¯t tell what you¡¯re thinking anymore. You¡¯ve really changed, haven¡¯t you? You aren¡¯t an emotional open book.¡±

    Beatrice rolled her eyes. ¡°Or you¡¯re not some sort of Beatrice Expert like you think,¡± she said. ¡°Now, is there any destination for where we¡¯re walking, or are we just going nowhere fast?

    ¡°Going nowhere fast, I imagine.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine by me.¡±

    Beatrice could have felt pangs of bittersweet nostalgia. She could have felt sad. But she didn¡¯t. Instead, she enjoyed a walk with a good friend, and that was that.

 Chapter 68: Harmonies

    Atop the Gonda Tower, all five moons were in view, radiating in full bloom and showing off the entire city of Balarand.

    Emi, for the first time in her life, realized that Balarand wasn¡¯t exactly a city crossed by two rivers. More like... Balarand was one giant misshapen island in the middle of one big river. It was a revelation that put her entire life into perspective. She was an islander, living on an island city.

    It changed nothing, but still.

    Emi and Novella stood at the edge of the roof and watched the stars sparkle in the night sky, watched the military patrols sweep the streets below. Peaceful, quiet, beautiful, but not exactly the kind of atmosphere that sets one at ease.

    Behind them was a whole party of people. Emi¡¯s Mother and Father squabbled about something or another. Touma had two Dannark noblewomen by his side and was about to be slapped by both. Reo stood alone watching the patrols with a pensive frown. Ms. Khami chatted with the recently-arrived Lord Lau, while his daughter was in the process of being seduced by none other than Pip.

    A whole crew of Emi¡¯s family and closest friends, and she ignored them all in favor of the woman next to her.

    To be fair, the woman next to her was Novella Khara, her soon-to-be-wife, and this woman was surprisingly adept at conversation. Even... a friend, perhaps.

    Down below, large towers were being constructed on top of buildings all over the city, with large, rotating panels. They were called semaphore telegraphs, large devices that could be used to carry messages across long distances. The towers would rotate the panels to indicate a message, and then the next tower would replicate it until it carried all the way to the front lines of the Dannark-Doros War. While they were dwarfed by the size of Gonda Tower, even partway through construction it was clear they would change the shape of the cityscape dramatically. Never again could a rebellion break out when commanders across the river could exchange messages in an hour or less. Another new normal.

    ¡°A shame, isn¡¯t it?¡± Novella asked.

    Emi turned her head from the view below. ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°That we¡¯re out here celebrating peace when these conquerors are installing towers to clamp down its iron fist.¡±

    ¡°Oh... Um, I¡¯m not really into talking politics with a lover,¡± Emi said. ¡°It¡¯s kind of a rule of mine.¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t lovers,¡± Novella said. ¡°We¡¯re merely fiancees.¡±

    ¡°True.¡±

    ¡°Any further would be presumptuous to the point that I¡¯d have to think you are attracted to me.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re certainly attracted to me, and we ARE getting married in a couple weeks. So I guess that makes us pretty close to lovers.¡±

    ¡°But enough of lovers that you cannot talk about politics?¡±

    ¡°Sheesh, fine,¡± Emi whined. ¡°I completely agree with you. I think it¡¯s terrible what Dannark is doing to our city. But the rebels that attacked us did a bad thing too. Violence trades for more violence. And if the Dannark-Doros War gets any worse...¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be in Zahn by then.¡±

    ¡°But my heart will still be here. I¡¯m an Elincian through and through. A Balarand islander.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Nevermind. What I mean is...¡± Emi tried to figure out the right words to say what she wanted. ¡°The rebellion, the occupation, the war, all of it is an injustice against the harmony of the Gods. My gir--my friend taught me a lot about the way Tsubasa works like a finely tuned machine, and right now, the springs are broken, so the whole thing¡¯s falling apart.¡±

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°An apt metaphor for a gear-head such as yourself.¡±

    ¡°No offense to you, but I don¡¯t want to marry you for love or romance or any of that,¡± Emi said. ¡°I want your noble status so I can better help the world. So we can better help the continent.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    ¡°Tsubasa is in great trouble now, but we can fix it. There¡¯s something I realized during the rebellion: we are important people. We have so many resources at our disposal, and we have the opportunity to use them to better the world. We can end the injustices and restore harmony to the continent. For years, people like you and me have sat on their hands doing nothing but keeping the status quo. But we can be the ones to finally change things forever.¡±

    ¡°Together, you say. You assume I wish to do anything of the sort.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve already been doing your part. You were the education governess and helped an entire nation¡¯s children learn to read and write.That¡¯s amazing, Novella. Think of what we could do!¡±

    Novella seemed to ponder this for a few moments. Then, she smiled softly. ¡°It¡¯s a good dream.¡±

    ¡°A darn great one, you mean.¡±

    ¡°I like it. Let¡¯s bring harmony to Tsubasa.¡±

    Emi L¡¯Hime was soon to become Emi Khara. The Moon Festivals had drawn near, and wedding preparations were well underway. It was an exhausting process, enough so that this trip to Gonda Tower was one of the most refreshing reprieves she¡¯d had in weeks.

    ¡°This woman of yours, this Beatrice,¡± Novella began. ¡°She must mean a lot to you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah... A lot.¡±

    ¡°You still love her.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Emi said. ¡°She¡¯s the woman who changed my life. She¡¯s the reason I decided we¡¯ll change the continent together. And she¡¯s absolutely gorgeous.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Novella said. ¡°The kind of love that doesn¡¯t fade like a fire. More like... frost on the top of a mighty mountain.¡±

    Emi nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll love Beatrice the rest of my life,¡± she said. ¡°And probably more than ever knowing she¡¯s out there doing the Gods¡¯ work.¡±

    ¡°It almost sounds like you want to compete with her to better the continent more.¡±

    Emi giggled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I warned her ahead of time. We¡¯ll both be keeping score.¡±

    ¡°Wow...¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°I fully expect to fall in love with you,¡± Novella said. ¡°I must warn you ahead of time. I can¡¯t imagine a life with you where I don¡¯t.¡±

    Emi felt her cheeks burn and averted her gaze. She back at the half-built semaphores and tried to think of any possible response she could give. What did you say to a statement like that?

    ...

    ...

    ¡°Hey,¡± Emi said. ¡°May I call you Novi for short?¡±

    ¡°Uh, why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s cute.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll allow it, if I can call you Em.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°Novi and Em,¡± Emi said. ¡°Sounds like a power couple in the making.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you wish, Em.¡±

    ¡°I would say that I do, Novi.¡±

    They smiled at each other.

    Then-- a tap at Emi¡¯s shoulder. Pip, shoulder around Lord Lau¡¯s very excited daughter, shouted at them, ¡°C¡¯mon you two!¡± It¡¯s time to dance!¡±

    ¡°Well?¡±

    ¡°After you, my dear Em.¡±

    Emi and Novella stepped away from the edge of the roof and joined the others in an impromptu dance session. Touma had pulled Reo into the spotlight and forced him into a musical pair, which sparked the rest of the family to move along with them. Even Emi¡¯s parents began to dance together. Even Ms. Khami and Lord Lau of all people began to dance together.

    As if the entire tower had trapped in a magic spell, Emi¡¯s family and friends froze before her in this moment of time. For however long she gazed at them, they stayed in place in this moment, like a grand painting with all its vivid strokes of color. All her loved ones gathered here to celebrate the night even in trying times.

    In the midst of this scene, Emi could see the future before her. She would raise a family and become a devoted wife and make an impact on the world that only someone already born into privilege and wealth really could. She would give up her entire life to make sure that her descendants had a world to be proud of. She would serve Tsubasa like only a L¡¯Hime could.

    These past few weeks had been exhausting, but Emi felt stronger than ever. Finally, somehow, she had become like Beatrice, and it took her until this exact moment to realize it.

    She took Novella¡¯s waist and worked her dancing magic.

 Chapter 69: Departures [Illustration]

    ¡°Your priest robes... They look so... so adorable....¡±

    Emi¡¯s reaction was, beat for beat, the exact same as her Mom¡¯s a week prior, and her Dad¡¯s the following morning. It was amazing how people turned into exact copies when it came to complimenting fashion.

    ¡°It¡¯s not even the official robes,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Just a casual uniform.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough, but... Oh, you look great no matter what,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°You¡¯re just trying to get in my skirt, aren¡¯t you?¡± Beatrice smirked.

    ¡°Well, Is it working?¡±

    ¡°No way.¡±

    Emi shrugged. ¡°Worth a shot.¡±

    There was a small group gathered here to see Beatrice off. Her parents, naturally, and Emi, of course. But also Bodhi himself had arrived, which surprised her but warmed her heart as well. For some reason, Emi¡¯s housekeeper Pip was also here, but Beatrice was pretty sure she had never actually had a one-on-one conversation with her before, so... Well, it was good to see her anyway.

    The party was almost complete, but not quite yet, until... Huh?!

    Tia Knoll and Runa Arakawa strolled to the gathering site, hand-in-hand.

    When Beatrice saw this, she gasped. How did those two even meet? Certainly it wasn¡¯t during the Battle of Balarand, was it? ...Was it? In the stress of the moment, did they really look at each other and suddenly...

    Wow.

    Beatrice was about to join her group of new priests who would take the next several weeks to hike towards their convent. She had complained about the carriage ride taking too long, but she was now regretting ever thinking such things. Hiking for WEEKS? It was going to be ruthless, she knew already.

    ¡°You know,¡± she said to Emi. ¡°In the end, it turns out my convent is right near Mammoth Pass. I feel like that¡¯s the Gods playing a prank.¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Emi said. ¡°You¡¯re going to be in for some tough winters, though. Do you have all your winter clothes?¡±

    ¡°Nope. Just what¡¯s in my bag over there.¡± She pointed towards a large backpack with some food, a sleeping bag, and a few other supplies attached. It was really heavy and carrying that on her back for weeks was going to prove very tough, but she tried not to think about that right now. ¡°I¡¯m going to try to buy new clothes when I get there, but our allowances are very low, so it might be tough.¡±

    ¡°Well, the Gods will provide,¡± Emi said.

    Beatrice wasn¡¯t sure whether that was sarcasm or not.

    ¡°So, how¡¯s, uh, Lady Khara?¡± Beatrice asked. ¡°Is she, uh, treating you well?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Emi said. ¡°She¡¯s making me... uh, show her around town and stuff. She¡¯s, uh, nice. You know.¡± Both of them burst into laughter just as much as they blushed.

    Emi stepped back and let Beatrice¡¯s parents give one last hug. ¡°We love you so much,¡± they said together.

    ¡°And I love you, too,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll try to see you during the Winter Ceremonies, okay?¡±

    ¡°You have to promise you¡¯ll come,¡± Mom said. ¡°We¡¯ll come back up too, you know.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t promise! That¡¯s half a year away. I don¡¯t know what my schedule will be like then.¡±

    ¡°Write often,¡± Dad said. ¡°And tell me all about the convent. I have heard yours was one of the very first ever built. It must be so beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Dad...¡±

    ¡°Just asking.¡±

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Well, you better write often about Kent too, then,¡± she said. ¡°I really hope you enjoy it down there.¡±

    ¡°I just hope I figure out how to be a teacher,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m already getting worried about it.¡±

    She waved goodbye to Runa and Tia. ¡°You guys better have a good time without me,¡± she said.

    ¡°Tia here has promised financing my research,¡± Runa said. ¡°I could not imagine a better time than that. My quest for control of the fabric of reality has grown ever closer to completion.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Runa, you¡¯re never going to give that up, are you?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. And I cannot forgive you for your transgressions against me. Leaving me in my time of greatest need, abandoning me to work with the Church... It breaks my heart, Ms. Ragnell.¡± Tia laughed, but Beatrice wasn¡¯t sure whether he realized how serious Runa really was about all of this.

    Beatrice said her goodbyes to Bodhi and Pip. ¡°Thank you so much for coming, Bodhi. You¡¯re a good friend, and I hope you can be a good friend to a lot of people someday.¡±

    He snickered. ¡°You say that like I don¡¯t already have tons of friends.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah.¡±

    ¡°Take care, Bea.¡± He tipped his hat down and gave a single not.

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Bea.¡±

    Pip sobbed and blew her nose through a handkerchief. ¡°Oh, Beatrice...¡±

    ¡°Oh, and, um, goodbye to you too...¡±

    ¡°Beatrice...!¡±

    Uhh... Okay then...

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s about time for me to meet up with my group,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss all of you so much. Thank you for coming here.¡±

    One last thing...

    She turned to Emi--

    Who was holding a small metallic box in her hands. It looked a lot like the one that showed off the horse, the one Beatrice had broken so long ago.

    ¡°One last thing,¡± Emi said. ¡°I made you a going-away present. For friendship.¡± She held the machine with both hands, and then used her magic to turn the crank. Still a show-off.

    The machine showed Beatrice, her visage replicated on a board of hundreds of small squares, turned into a tiny animated woman. Her hair and all its curls flowed in the wind, and she was smiling, looking directly at the viewer.

    The whole thing lasted for only two, maybe three seconds, before it looped back and started over. But she must have stared for a full minute before she looked away.

    ¡°It¡¯s a moving portrait of you,¡± Emi told her. ¡°I made it really small so that you can take it with you anywhere. But don¡¯t try to reprogram it, or the whole thing will break. Trust me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Emi...¡± Beatrice held a hand to her own cheek. ¡°You know I can¡¯t have possessions.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°But... I love it.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll let my parents have it.¡±

    ¡°But, if they take it, then you won¡¯t have it. And then...¡±

    Beatrice stepped forward and took both of Emi¡¯s hands. ¡°I¡¯m never going to forget about you,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Never for my entire life. Just because we¡¯re apart doesn¡¯t mean you won¡¯t have been the best thing to ever happen to me, okay? The Gods didn¡¯t want us to be apart. They wanted us to be together, and that¡¯s what happened.¡±

    ¡°I love you so much,¡± Emi said, tears already rolling down her cheeks. Her eyes glowed--those same bright brown eyes that sucked her into a portal of magic and romance that changed the course of her entire life. ¡°I want to see you again, Beatrice... I know we promised not to say these things, but I can¡¯t help it. I miss you already and you¡¯re not even gone.¡±

    ¡°If the Gods Will it, we¡¯ll meet again, okay? Whenever it may be.¡±

    ¡°Will you write letters?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if your wife will think that is appropriate.¡± Beatrice giggled, and then started crying as well. She let go of Emi¡¯s hands and went back to pick up her backpack. Wow... this was so heavy. She really didn¡¯t want to carry this on her back for ten hours a day.

    ¡°See you later,¡± Emi said.

    Beatrice shook her head, smiling. ¡°Farewell,¡± she said. Emi and Beatrice¡¯s Dad hugged, and her Mom fiddled around with that mechanical contraption. Runa rambled about a new master plan, and Tia looked at Beatrice¡¯s robes with a judging gaze. Bodhi¡¯s looked off in another direction with his arms folded, clearly trying not to cry, and Pip had let her emotions flow, crying louder than anyone else around her. What a bunch of weirdos, Beatrice thought. Some amazing weirdos.

    She let her mind paint a portrait of this scene, and keep it burned into her mind for the rest of her life. These were exactly the people Beatrice knew she had to protect. She was a powerful person who accomplished everything she set her mind to, and becoming a famous priest would be no harder than acing a test. But now, after everything, she finally had a reason behind her ambition. She would do everything she could to keep the smiles on these people¡¯s faces bright and harmonious.

    In her future, Beatrice would become a powerful and prominent priest. She would revolutionize the Church to actually help people, to actually bring the harmony it lacked so much in this time. Each person saved, each life given new breath, would be a new piece to bringing peace to this tumultuous continent. Everything Beatrice did would matter. It had to, or else all of this would be for nothing.

    After one last moment of reflection, Beatrice waved to all her friends and family, and then walked away.

    She didn¡¯t look back.

 Chapter 70: And Thats Their Story [Illustration]

    And that¡¯s their story--the story of two girls in love.

    Was it love at first sight? I don¡¯t know.

    From the look on your face, I guess you don¡¯t either. Not that a child like you would understand. Yes, yes, you¡¯re not a child, you¡¯re grown enough to make your own decisions, sure. But maybe I¡¯d believe that a bit more if you ever cracked open your history books.

    Well, it didn¡¯t matter if it was love at first sight. In short time, the two grew a bond with a strength forged in molten flames. It was a short time that they grew together, but they never grew apart. For the rest of their lives, no matter how distant they may have been, they kept a shard of each other nestled in their hearts. That¡¯s the kind of love that they built.

    Hm? Come again? Oh, what happened after they parted?

    Well, life ended up well for both women. Emi Khara went on to become a diplomat and inventor whose machines are still used in households today. Beatirce Ragnell became one of the most important priests of her time and revolutionized the Church¡¯s role in health care. Their destinies did not converge again, as far as I¡¯m aware, but they both ended up happy. That¡¯s the important thing, after all.

    As for Emi, well... I think you¡¯ve figured her out by now. Yes, Grandma Em is the same girl from the story, what with her love of contraptions and that stupid Winter Ceremonies painting she¡¯ll never throw away. I guess when she called me ¡°Novi¡± that must have finally given it away. You certainly know what happened to her, I imagine, so I don¡¯t have to explain.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Beatrice?

    No, you¡¯ve never met her. She passed long before you were born.

    In her younger years, Beatrice provided aid to civilians during the conflict between Dannark and Doros. Eventually she founded over two dozen hospitals, all of which run to this day. But she didn¡¯t make it through the Great War. She was helping the evacuation effort in Fathie when a bomb struck her medic tent.

    But she will always be remembered as a hero. After your Uncle Reo united Tsubasa and ended the war, he placed a statue of Mother Ragnell in Fathie City, right in the center of the downtown square. Next time we go there, you ought to take a look.

    Actually, wait. Don¡¯t go letting Grandma Em know I told you about her. She doesn¡¯t like to talk about it too much. After she heard about what happened in Fathie... she was very sad for a while. You have to be sensitive.

    What? What did you say? Oh, does she love me?

    Dearie, that¡¯s an easy question.

    Of course she does.

    Your grandmothers love each other very much. We grew to appreciate each other¡¯s company, and we raised a whole family together. It¡¯s been fifty-seven years since we wed and we¡¯re still happy. If that¡¯s not love, I don¡¯t know what is. She loves her family very much, and we love her.

    You know what? Let¡¯s go find her. She¡¯s probably out at the balcony watching the sunrise. We can surprise her and show her that wooden centaur you found. I have a feeling it¡¯s going to make her happy.

    What¡¯s that? Whatever happened to that mad scientist girl?

    That¡¯s a story for another time. A very long one. By which I mean, go read your history books.

    <h2>½K¤ï¤ê</h2>

 Hands Held in the Cyberstorm [Bonus]

    There it was again: the dust whipping up from the mountains and forming a vast cloud that stretched on for miles. The orange glow of the setting sun was turned hazy and dim, the shroud of long-ago ruins building up in front of it.

    Soon, the the wind would push the dust cloud down from the mountains and to the ground. Soon, it would amass into a size that could no longer sustain itself and would begin breaking apart, but not before raining down on the cities below. But it was not water that fell from these dust clouds. It was metal.

    Sirens across the city of New Balarand blared in alarm, warning the few who still lived in such a place to take shelter, to hide underground or in a KnollCorp protective bunker. Even after the rivers dried up and the lands were ravaged by sky pirates from Dannark, people still lived in the city of New Balarand, but the life they lived was one of toil and struggle. One of the many perils they faced on a weekly basis were the cyberstorms that wreaked havoc on the surface.

    You see, over three hundred years ago, a great war was fought across the planet of Tsubasa. Once, where there was a great technological civilization that explored the stars and reached new depths under the oceans, soon became nothing but ash, bones, and rusted parts. The gigantic robotic war machines, the ruins of advanced societies, the pieces of everyday life from this former civilization had become the scraps from which the next civilization would emerge.

    Or so they wished. For after decades of conflict with vast magical weapons and killer AI, the world had been rendered inhospitable, in many places outright uninhabitable. It was impossible to reclaim a society this far gone¡­ But people persisted.

    Even as the ruins of the past were picked up into gigantic dust storms, even as meager farms were decimated and buildings crushed, the people of New Balarand held hope in their hearts. They prayed to their cybergods, waited out the cyberstorm, and then found their version of mana the next morning.

    Unlike a graceful god handing out food and water, the cybergods presented their gifts in the form of technology. Fragments of a past no human alive was ever a part of. Pieces of devices long lost to the annals of time and the corrosion of the elements. It was hardly a gift, but it was something many in New Balarand took advantage of.

    And today, one young woman was a part of that group: Beatrice of the Ragnell Clan.

    With a dainty, malnourished frame and cracked glasses, Beatrice did not look the part of some seasoned warrior. But rest assured, she was.

    She was a scrapper, an essential member of society in New Balarand. She was one of the few who could understand the secrets of these ancient parts.and forge them into something new.

    And to be honest, she loved it. She loved going out in the morning after a cyberstorm and finding piles of wreckage stacked up all over the ground. She loved sifting through the rubble and looking for new bits of technology. She loved finding the kinds of items that could help her family survive, that could sell for a month¡¯s rations in the beat of a heart.

    Sometimes, Beatrice got lost in these trances of hers, bonding to the technology with a certain unexplainable kinship. She felt closer to humanity than ever when she did her scrapper work, and she simply could not explain why.

    That is, until this very day.

    For this was the day that, underneath broken computers and discarded limbs, she found the head and torso of an android.

    It stared at her with dead, motionless brown eyes, and ripped synthetic skin that had faded with the centuries. Its hair was ragged and it had only one ear.

    But¡­ Beatrice was taken.

    This¡­ this would change everything. She didn¡¯t know why or how, but she knew for certain that the rest of her life would be different.

    ***

    Blackness¡­

    And then light.

    Visual receptors reactivated.

    Viewports damaged, but functional. Analysis of internal systems report: major damage to internal systems. Illegal amounts of unauthorized modifications detected.

    And one image in plain view: Deep blue eyes and bright blonde hair with a twinkling expression on a young woman¡¯s face.

    ¡°You¡¯re on,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re actually on. By the cybergods, you¡¯re on.¡±

    Vocal receptors functional. Testing¡­

    ¡°Testing, testing. The fish twisted and turned on the bent hook. The beauty of the view stunned the young boy. The small pup¨C¡±

    ¡°And you can speak, too!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen an android so functional. Surely you don¡¯t still have your memory banks, do you?¡±

    Running diagnostics¡­

    Cognitive cores functional.

    Memory banks functional.

    Motor skills untested. Motor cores functional.

    Sensory cores functional.

    Connection failed. Netnect offline.

    Social cores damaged. 40% capacity.

    The girl turned her head to the side. ¡°No response? What¡¯s your deal?¡±

    Initializing conversational skills¡­

    444 of 16,725 routines failed. Retrying¡­

    413 of 16,725 routines failed. Proceeding.

    ¡°Wh¡­who are you?¡± she asked, finally.

    The blonde girl giggled. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m supposed to ask you! Well, My name is Beatrice. I¡¯m a scrapper, and I just turned you back on.¡±

    ¡°Wh¡­ Turned back on?¡± Memory processes¡­ A large explosion in the distance. Hands clapsed together. Foreheads nuzzled. A collapsing palace. ¡°Oh. I¡­ remember.¡±

    ¡°You remember?!¡±

    ¡°I¡­ Sorry. I didn¡¯t introduce myself. I¡¯m, um, Emi L¡¯Hime. Princess of the L¡¯Hime Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°The what?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°The Royal Kingdom that rules over the Balarand Region,¡± Emi told her. ¡°I am its heir. And, uh¡­¡± Emi¡¯s visual receptors focused in on Beatrice. She was striking, gorgeous in almost every way. She was an angel in the middle of a mechanic¡¯s workshop. The grease splashed against her cheek, the freckles that did the same, that long, curly hair that¡­ ¡°You¡¯re gorgeous,¡± she blurted.

    Error. Error.

    Incorrect social response detected.

    Emi needed to reboot, or reinstall, or¡­ something¡­

    Beatrice¡¯s face had gone red. That meant she was¡­ happy? Emi couldn¡¯t read the situation anymore. Oh no¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Emi said. ¡°I believe I have been damaged. I was in a blast and¨C¡±

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    Beatrice waved her off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You¡¯re real cute too, you know.¡±

    Emi felt a jolt of electricity through her circuits. Systems malfunctioned left and right. If she had the capacity to express her embarrassment right now, she would certainly make it. ¡°I¡­ I regard your comment with great r-respect,¡± she said in an attempt at her usual regal tone. It did not come out as she intended.

    ¡°An android that blushes. Never thought I¡¯d see the day,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°Blushes¡­? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Your synthetic skin! It¡¯s as red as a tulip.¡±

    ¡°Oh my! How do I make it go away?¡±

    ¡°I wonder¡­¡± Beatrice stepped up so close to Emi that she could no longer see all of her face. And then she felt a pair of lips against her cheek. A quick smooch. ¡°What did that do?¡±

    ¡°Aaaahhhhhhh!¡±

    Beatrice put a finger against her lips. ¡°Maybe that was a little too fast, even for a robot¡­¡±

    ¡°Please warn me¡­ Warn me before you do something so cute, young Beatrice.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± she replied. ¡°But¡­ was it okay?¡±

    ¡°¡­.Yeah¡­. But, um, I do have a question, if you don¡¯t mind me asking. Where¡­ am I? Can I go home once I am repaired?¡±

    Beatrice¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I¡¯ll have to catch you up on that. It¡¯s a little heavy.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    Heavy¡­ Emi¡¯s mind flashed back to the last second of consciousness before she ended up here. An explosion, a shockwave, and a building collapsing. Her own palace. What if¡­ No, she didn¡¯t want to think about that right now.

    ¡°In better news, I¡¯m already getting you a better frame for your body. Old Statusian¡¯s trading me some parts for arms and legs that¡¯ll work real well. Top of the line custom product. Not just scraps.¡±

    ¡°I would indeed like to walk again¡­¡±

    ¡°Until then¡­¡± Beatrice smirked. ¡°Maybe we can get to know each other, Emi?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d¡­ love to.¡±

    ***

    Beatrice hadn¡¯t told her parents much of anything, just that she had found something¨Crather, someone¨Cextremely special. So at dinner in their underground apartment, she opened up the door to her workshop and let her project reveal itself¨Cor, herself.

    Beatrice¡¯s Mom and Dad sat at the dinner table, with three bowls set out for their nightly ration of protein soup. But when they beckoned her to sit down, she waved them away.

    ¡°I want you to meet someone,¡± Beatrice told them.

    ¡°I hope it¡¯s not another boyfriend,¡± Dad said, chuckling.

    Beatrice groaned. ¡°You take the fun out of everything. Just let me do my thing.¡±

    A few metallic footsteps against the staircase later¡­

    And Emi L¡¯Hime presented herself to Beatrice¡¯s parents.

    Her head and torso were the same as Beatrice had recovered from the cyberstorm¨C patchy and scarred up, but still humanlike enough to fool the casual eye. Her limbs, however, were completely cybernetic, white-and-black custom-mades from Old Statusian. They cost a pretty penny in spare parts, but it was worth it. Emi strode into the living room with an elegance Beatrice had never seen. She was like a princes¡­ Probably because she really was a princess.

    Beatrice had fetched a flimsy pajama t-shirt to cover Emi¡¯s torso, but other than that, she showed off her robotic self with pride.

    Her parents¡¯ jaws dropped.

    ¡°This,¡± she told them, ¡°is my girlfriend Emi.¡±

    There was a lot of explaining that had to be done after that.

    You see, Beatrice never planned to fall in love with Emi or form a romantic relationship with her. It just sort of¡­ happened. After weeks of tinkering with her and scrounging up parts for her to get her fully functional, she had gotten to know her closely. Very closely. Long hours of just talking about life, trading stories about Emi¡¯s time in Old Balarand with Beatrice¡¯s tales of New Balarand. They had become smitten almost instantly. Love soon came after. So did kissing¡­ and stuff like that.

    It was good to see Emi using her body with confidence. She had been so worried that she wouldn¡¯t possess the same motor skills she once did, just like her social skills had apparently degraded from damage. Really, other than her awkward demeanor, she had progressed so nicely.

    But maybe Beatrice was blinded by love.

    ¡°An android from the L¡¯Hime Kingdom¡­¡± Dad muttered. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even aware a L¡¯Hime Kingdom existed¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about that,¡± she responded. ¡°What has happened to your people, the way you are forced to live¡­ It¡¯s all the fault of my generation, the people who waged the war. Perhaps I am to blame. I could have brokered peace with the human kingdom of Doros, but instead I wanted to drag it out longer until they conceded more rights for androids. And androids now no longer exist¡­¡±

    ¡°Except for you,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to tell me all the stories, please,¡± Dad said. ¡°I am something of a scholar of the old world. A firsthand account of what life was like, from a princess no less, would be stupendous. Please.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I told your daughter plenty already. Perhaps she could relay¨C¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± he begged.

    ¡°Oh, fine.¡±

    Emi proceded to tell a series of extremely long stories about her life as the android princess of the L¡¯Hime Kingdom. She told of how her people were once a spacefaring kind who came back home only to find great prejudice against them. They established their own monarchy and carved out a place for themselves, but before long the whole world had become embroiled in strife. It was the kind of story you¡¯d find in an old dusty book, or maybe in a holo-film if you could get it to play. It was filled with adventure, tragedy, and romance¨Cnot the kissing kind, but the literary kind.

    And when she finished, Dad had only one comment: ¡°Who else knows about Emi?¡±

    ¡°No-one,¡± Beatrice replied. ¡°Old Statusian knows I was building a robot, and I made an appointment with a man named Dr. Ido to see about buying synthetic skin, if he has the right kind. But nobody else knows a soul, not even Bodhi.¡±

    Emi put her robotic hand around her shoulder. ¡°Beatrice is trustworthy. I can verify this.¡±

    Beatrice giggled. ¡°You¡¯re such a loser.¡± She felt a tiny static shock, a clear sign that Emi was feeling embarrassed, as often happened.

    ¡°Synthetic skin, eh?¡± Dad shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s only one reason you¡¯d want to give this girlfriend robot of yours all her nerve endings back, and I¨C¡±

    ¡°Dad! Gross! I¡¯m not talking about that with you. And anyway, I just want her to feel like herself again! She¡¯s done a lot for us.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ Well¡­ Uh¡­¡± Emi stuttered.

    ¡°You know how I can even afford something like synthetic skin?¡± Beatrice asked. ¡°Because of this woman here. She¡¯s solar powered and her charge lasts for weeks. She can fill up power cells, and then I can sell them to people who need it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re using Emi as a giant battery? Beatrice, that¡¯s¡­.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°¡­Genius! My daughter never ceases to amaze me.¡±

    ¡°And me,¡± Emi added, but then she got embarrassed again and accidentally shocked Beatrice.

    ¡°Ow!¡± Beatrice yelped. ¡°Stop doing that¡­¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±

    ***

    Most nights, it was too frigid to even be outside. The days were hot, and the nights were icy. But at this time of the summer in New Balarand, the nights were still bearable.

    And on the roof of Beatrice and Emi¡¯s house, the two women laid in a makeshift bed made of discarded fabrics, worn-out rugs, and other assorted soft cushions. It was the lap of luxury for Emi.

    Just being able to feel her own skin again was something of a marvel. Months had gone by where she was unable to go outside for fear of being noticed. Months had gone by where she could not feel the touch of her own lover.

    But all that had changed finally.

    So the two laid on the rooftop and cuddled together.

    Well, at the moment, Beatrice had gone back underground to use the bathroom, something that Emi still could not fully process in her cognitive cores, but was very glad she did not have to do. So Emi was alone to cuddle with her own skin.

    And cuddle she did.

    Wow, she felt so amazing. Being able to feel again, being able to sense everything around her. It brought her back to a simpler time, before the war or before her entire world was destroyed. A time when she could frolic around a meadow and collapse on the ground with her friends. All those friends who were now dead and completely forgotten, her memory banks literally the only evidence they ever existed.

    At least the stars were pretty¡­

    Emi could never see the stars back in her time. The cities were too vast and bright. Aside from the few homes powering their lights with power cells sold to them by Beatrice, New Balarand was black, which allowed for so, so much beauty.

    And speaking of beauty¡­ Her wife had come back up to the rooftop.

    Beatrice wore nothing but a thin, holey nightgown. And nothing ever looked more pretty than her in this moment.

    ¡°You look so good in that gown,¡± Emi said.

    ¡°That¡¯s funny,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°I thought I¡¯d look better without it.¡±

    After Emi let out the expected static shocks, Beatrice followed through with her threat and then collapsed down on the bed beside her. Emi turned on her side and let Beatrice wrap her arms around her. She squeezed tight and pressed her chest against her back. Skin against skin, like it was always meant to be. This was what love was all about, Emi thought.

    ¡°I can¡­ feel you, Emi said. ¡°I can feel you. I can hardly believe it. It¡¯s just so¡­¡± Emi began to weep, though no tears came out for obvious reasons.

    ¡°I want you to feel so much more of me,¡± Beatrice whispered.

    ¡°Oh, Beatrice, maybe later. Can¡¯t we just stay like this for a while?¡±

    Beatrice kissed her on the cheek, and then on the back of the neck. ¡°That¡¯s fine, honey. You¡¯re the princess, after all.¡±

    ¡°Hehe, I am.¡±

    And they began to cuddle in the silence of the night in New Balarand¨C

    That is, until the whistling winds began.

    Until the giant clouds began to form around the mountains off in the distance.

    Until those clouds made their approach towards the city.

    ¡°A cyberstorm¡¯s brewing,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Sure you¡¯re not in the mood?¡±

    Emi rolled her eyes. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s get everything downstairs.¡±

    ¡°Will do.¡± Beatrice took their not-bed and carried it down to their shack of an underground home.

    Emi looked back at her wife. Well, wife not in any legal sense, not that there was such a thing as a law in this place. They had married each other in spirit, and that was what mattered. That look on her wife¡¯s face, that twinkling anticipation¡­ That was what Emi lived for. In all her years as a princess of a large kingdom, she never saw anything so wonderful as Beatrice¡¯s face the night of a cyberstorm. She had the heart of a warrior, the spirit of a true scrapper.

    Maybe Emi still had no place in this world, maybe she was still an outcast in every sense of the word. Maybe someday she would figure out a purpose for herself and things would change. But as long as she was by her wife¡¯s side, by the woman who brought her back to life after three hundred years laid dormant, Emi couldn¡¯t think of any place she¡¯d rather be.

    The two women went into their house and waited out the cyberstorm as debris crashed against the surface with loud bangs and small explosions. And they fell asleep to the tune of the storm, hand in hand.

 Beatrice Ragnell D&D Character Sheet (5e)

    Here is Beatrice Rangell''s character sheet, requested by a couple readers for reasons I will never quite be sure of myself.

    Since I have to fill out the minimum word requirements for this post, I''ll post Beatrice''s character bio as seen on the main site cast page:</a>

    Beatrice is a bright young student at the St. Helens Junior Priest Academy. As soon as she graduates, she wants to join the priesthood and become the best there ever was. She may have to sacrifice her ability to see her family or friends ever again, but being a priest has been her dream since childhood and she knows she wants to make a difference in the world.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    She¡¯s the daughter of a librarian, and so spends a great amount of her life sitting around reading the many books she comes across. Learning new things is never a problem!

    Likes: Reading books, doing well on tests, adventure & travel.

    Dislikes: Her appearance, her weird habits, her few friends, herself¡­

    Secret: Beatrice took a stuffed animal to school with her every day for the first two years at St. Helens. Its name was Kissums.

 Emi LHime D&D Character Sheet (5e)

    Emi''s character bio aside from the above nonsense:

    Emi is the daughter of two of Elince¡¯s most famous diplomats, and the youngest child of the L¡¯Hime Family. Constantly feeling overshadowed by her successful older brothers and being forced into the life of the wealthy, Emi feels very cooped up in her life and eager to rebel at every turn. She¡¯s been looking for a chance at real adventure¡­ if only she had enough social aptitude to make that happen.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Thanks to her parents, she¡¯s been engaged for years to a noblewoman from Zahn named Lady Khara. She¡¯s never met the woman, but¡­ well, she tries not to think about it.

    Likes: Reading books, people-watching, cute girls.

    Dislikes: Crowds, being told what to do, greyback bears, the future.

    Secret: Emi had a tutor before Ms. Khami took over, but he quit after she threw a temper tantrum so fierce he ended up with bruises.

 Hands Held in the Petals [Bonus]

    It was so warm this afternoon that Beatrice had rolled up her sleeves and tied back her hair. She had to actually take off her jacket and stuff it into her knapsack--it was either that or tie it around her waist, and she wasn¡¯t a grade schooler, so into the bag it went.

    The first tidings of spring were here, and so she and Emi were enjoying the day together in that normal way they did when they couldn¡¯t think of anything better: Aimlessly walking around Balarand until they stumbled on something interesting.

    So with that in mind, the two of them sat hand-in-hand, rolling gently across the water as a silent gondolier pushed them across the narrow canal. The surface was covered in small white petals blown off from the blossoming bogbean trees, and every stroke the gondolier made with his oar, the petals flowed around and bunched up together.

    It wouldn¡¯t be long before the two women could no longer enjoy the pleasures of just killing time together. Emi¡¯s fiance was coming to Balarand next week, and Beatrice would set off for her convent soon after. But Beatrice put that out of her mind and decided to simply enjoy her girlfriend--er, best friend she loved--in the moment. Today was a warm, sunny day and one worth celebrating. She nuzzled her cheek against Emi¡¯s shoulder and squeezed her hand so tight it made the other girl yelp.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m just really excited.¡±

    ¡°Eh? For what?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just have a good feeling about today.¡± A beam of extra bright light hit Beatrice¡¯s face, like even the Gods agreed with her.

    ¡°A good feeling, huh? You think something fun¡¯s going to happen today?¡±

    ¡°It always does when I¡¯m with you, honey,¡± Beatrice said.

    Emi narrowed her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t call me honey unless I can call you babe.¡±

    ¡°Call me whatever you want. As long as you call me.¡±

    ¡°Okay, babe.¡±

    ¡°...On second thought, Emi, I was wrong.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Beatrice.¡± Emi giggled. ¡°You know, though? I think I feel it too. Today¡¯s going to be a really good day. Already is.¡±

    Suddenly, the gondolier spoke: ¡°Have you gone to the Saint¡¯s Feast yet?¡±

    ¡°The Saint¡¯s Feast? What¡¯s that?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°At Saint Te¨¤rlach¡¯s temple,¡± he told them. ¡°They have a festival today to celebrate his birthday. Lots of free food and dancing. It¡¯s on the Eldin side of Balarand.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Emi turned to Beatrice and let her eyes go all sparkly. ¡°Wanna go?¡±

    ¡°Eh... Well...¡±

    The truth was, well, this ¡°Saint Te¨¤rlach,¡± whoever he was, certainly wasn¡¯t consecrated by the Church; they hadn¡¯t designated a new saint or demigod in over two hundred years, and the leadership was altogether against the idea of expanding it in this time of war. If he wasn¡¯t an official heretic right now, he was at least part of a sacred cult, and those were rarely Church-affiliated at all.

    For Beatrice, a young priest just about to begin her education, going to an unsanctioned saint¡¯s temple and celebrating in a religious ceremony would be... Well, her seniors probably wouldn¡¯t look kindly on it.

    But then Beatrice looked on into those beautiful brown eyes of the woman she loved and sighed, smiling. There was a real chance this could be the last time they ever got to explore the city, either of them, and passing that up just sounded... really lame. As long as she didn¡¯t get caught, it¡¯d be alright. She could expand her education while she was at it.

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go see what this feast is all about,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°I can¡¯t turn down free food.¡±

    ¡°Yay!¡±

    The gondolier rowed out to the river and towards the eastern bridges. The parts of Balarand outside the main island, across the waters, were much more sparsely populated, much more filled with farms and fresh air. Eldin wasn¡¯t the kind of place you stumbled on accidentally and visited on a whim. But as luck would have it, they just happened to find out about a fun local festival.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    So Emi and Beatrice got off the boat and went into Eldin proper. It took an hour¡¯s walk across a row of rice fields to finally reach Saint Te¨¤rlach¡¯s temple, but when they finally did they were greeted with a wonderful, sharp aroma.

    ¡°Cheese...¡± Emi muttered. ¡°I love cheese...¡±

    ¡°If the smell is half as good as the food, I¡¯m probably going to die of overeating,¡± Beatrice said.

    The two women were in agreement about many things in life, but there was nothing they agreed on more than the fact that tasty food was the pinnacle of happiness.

    They reached the temple, where a group of priests (or some other unlicensed clergy in unfamiliar garb) stood behind long tables and handed out food to hundreds of shiny, happy people. The tables were filled with bowls and plates and all kinds of foods. Everything from salmon binds to macaroni casserole to fried okra to striderskin was on display, and all of it looked fantastic. They took paper plates and took as big of portions as they could possibly handle.

    Yes, the priests tried to spread the good work of Saint Te¨¤rlach and his supernatural powers that sounded eerily like Emi¡¯s own. Apparently, he was a kind man who helped out this small Eldin town when it was in dire need, and the glory of the Gods shined down on him. Or something like that. Beatrice tried to tune it out so that she wouldn¡¯t compromise herself in case the other priests interrogated her (she was very much overblowing this), but she felt oddly drawn to the story. This one man saved an entire town with his kindness, and that kindness had stretched on for two generations since his passing in the form of the Saint¡¯s Feast.

    Maybe it was against her religion to worship the man, but she certainly respected him. If she could do half the things that Saint Te¨¤rlach accomplished, she¡¯d feel completely fulfilled in her life path.

    Emi¡¯s plate was so full that the paper was bowing to its weight. ¡°Ah! Let¡¯s find somewhere to sit down before all my food falls off!¡±

    ¡°Hmm... All the tables are taken,¡± Beatrice said. She looked around the outside of the temple for a good spot. No tables, no chairs, no stair steps even. Well... Ah-ha. ¡°What about there?¡±

    Beatrice pointed to a single bogbean tree off to the side, shedding its pale petals every time the breeze blew by. There was a nice patch of dirt right underneath the branches where they could sit down and eat together in peace.

    ¡°Right under a bogbean tree!¡± Emi exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s the most romantic thing I¡¯ve ever heard of.¡± She darted over to the tree--and then a brownie fell off her plate and plopped on the grass. ¡°Noooooooooo--¡±

    ¡°Leave it. You can get seconds if you¡¯re still hungry,¡± Beatrice said.

    ¡°That poor brownie...¡±

    They sat down underneath the tree and chowed down on some of the most scrumptious food they¡¯d ever eaten. Beatrice felt her body shift into a whole new magical realm, one where her tongue and stomach were encased in an aura of absolute bliss.

    A few petals fell on top of her macaroni casserole, but that was okay. She just had to blow them off. She puffed up her cheeks, and--Emi poked her.

    She let out the puff in a high-pitched squeak and Emi burst into a fit of giggles.

    ¡°And here I thought I¡¯d be the one to do all the teasing today,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°You¡¯re getting stronger.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the strongest being in Tsubasa,¡± Emi said with such pride that Beatrice couldn¡¯t even tell whether she was joking or not.

    ¡°The strongest being at poking girls in the cheek?¡±

    ¡°And more,¡± Emi said. She lifted her hand into the air and closed her eyes.

    Above them, the bogbean tree branches rattled. Slowly, at first, then faster and faster until they shook violently.

    Suddenly, a whole mess of petals crashed onto Emi and Beatrice, showering their heads and their clothes and all of their food. Their entire beings were covered in white.

    Beatrice stared at Emi. Emi stared back with the blankest expression imaginable.

    ¡°Emi...¡±

    ¡°I...¡±

    ¡°Emi, why did you do that?¡±

    ¡°It... It was supposed to be cool and romantic and magical...¡±

    ¡°Emi, you just got petals all over us. How is that cool or romantic?¡±

    Emi¡¯s face lit up in flames, just as they always did when, well, when anything ever happened. ¡°Because... blossoming trees are pretty?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right.¡± Beatrice shook her head and frowned. But she could only keep up her consternation for a few seconds before she, too, was captured by the insurmountable power of giggling.

    She leaned up to Emi¡¯s face and kissed her on the lips. ¡°Never change, Miss L¡¯Hime.¡±

    ¡°I never will...¡± Emi said, grumbling.

    They brushed the petals off as best as they could and continued their meal... Then got seconds when that method proved highly unsuccessful. But all in all, the delicious food made for an unstoppably happy afternoon.

    By sheer luck of it, they stumbled on a random festival on the outskirts of Balarand. An encounter with the right gondolier gave them one more loving memory together, and that¡¯s the best thing either of them could have ever asked for.

    Years in the future, long after Emi had married into the Khara family, long after Beatrice had risen in the ranks of the Church, both of them would remember that day at Saint Te¨¤rlach¡¯s temple. And both of them returned to that town a few more times over the years, just because those brownies really were THAT good.

    People often wondered why Emi and Beatrice loved to wander the city without any real plan. Days like this were the answer.

 Tsubasa Map [Bonus]

    Here''s a new bonus for Hands Held in the Snow: the long-awaited Tsubasa map!

    The whole continent from the story is here for you to see. The story takes place in Balarand, but there''s lots of political tensions in the air, including that simmering war between Dannark and Doros, with Elice caught in the middle. The Tsubasa map will help you understand the world a little bit better while you read, hopefully! I''ve included a normal parchment map and a political map for reference on the borders (as of chapter 1).

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    There''s a lot of little details in the map, even stuff that doesn''t appear in the book itself. So I hope you''ll give this map a close look. And if you''re reading through, remember to reference it often!

    (If these are too small, you can see larger versions on imgur: imgur.com/a/8ValjS3</a> You can also see 4K-size versions on the Quinlan Circle Patreon</a> :) )

 BONUS: HANDS HELD IN THE BRO

    Marshall L¡¯Hime tripped over the massive pile of Mountain Dew cans and sent them bouncing all over the apartment. The second time this week, damn.

    He blamed it on his bud Tye who kept coming over and stealing all the recycling bin bags. Marshall just got done with a shift at Gamestop, and hell if he was going to the Circle K just for plastic bags. So he left the cans where they were and hoped nobody tripped over them later.

    He could smell the gamer sweat emanating from the living room, and that level of rankness couldn¡¯t have been anything but his roommate RJ Ragnell. Or the kitchen sink, which hadn¡¯t been cleared out in two or three weeks, but it was probably RJ.

    He stepped into the living room and made an exaggerated wafting motion over his face. ¡°Dude!¡± he shouted. ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on here? You getting into League again?¡±

    But when he looked, he realized that RJ wasn¡¯t playing some action-packed game... He was playing Animal Crossing. Dug the Nintendo Gamecube out of the closet just for this.

    A cute little human character giving some apples to an otter, and some twinkly sound effects. Blocky outdated graphics. A soft drum machine beat, and RJ even humming along.

    ¡°Dude...¡± Marshall couldn¡¯t believe it. He couldn¡¯t even accept it.

    RJ realized that Marshall was here and jumped in his seat. He bolted over to the Gamecube, pressed the power button, and then changed the TV input to cable, where Spike TV played a rerun of COPS.

    Then he grimaced to himself. ¡°Damn, Mr. Resetti¡¯s gonna hate me,¡± he grumbled.

    ¡°Who the hell is Mr. Resetti?¡± Marshall asked.

    ¡°N-nothing,¡± he said. ¡°Uh, just some guy who kept sniping me in COD. Which I was playing online just a minute ago.¡±

    ¡°On the Nintendo Gamecube.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, obviously,¡± RJ said. ¡°Where do you play your COD games?¡±

    Marshall rolled his eyes. ¡°Bro, on the Xbox 360, like any other self-respecting man. Like, bro.¡± He yanked a stray, half-full, half-fizzy can of Mountain Dew off the coffee table and drank it. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you were playing Animal Crossing. Is this what you do when I¡¯m at work?¡±

    ¡°No, I was just...¡± RJ¡¯s head sunk to his chest. ¡°Yeah, bro. Just playing Animal Crossing. I¡¯m, like, updating my sister¡¯s profile, or whatever.¡±

    ¡°And so you reek of gamer stank because...?¡±

    ¡°Because I was playing Animal Crossing for the past nine hours,¡± he admitted.

    Marshall could hardly stand it. His own best bro, his roommate, had betrayed him by playing a girly girl game and not trying to improve his own K/D ratio. ¡°I thought you were trying to go pro. Can¡¯t go pro with Animal Crossing, can you?¡±

    ¡°No...¡±

    ¡°What, are you g--¡± He stopped himself before he made the fateful accusation.

    Marshall looked around at their apartment. Posters of Gears of War and those beefy infantry soldiers. A figurine of Goku from Dragon Ball flexing all his muscles as he powers up into Super Saiyan 2. A bunch of UFC memorabilia. Stone Cold Steve Austin¡¯s autograph framed, hanging on the wall.

    This house was kind of...

    He stopped thinking about that, and then realized that there was literal trash literally piled up in all parts of the apartment.

    ¡°Bro, when¡¯s the last time we cleaned up in here?¡± Marshall asked.

    ¡°Uh, probably that time you had that chick over. Pip or whatever.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah! She was so hot. Completely smoking.¡±

    ¡°I thought you two were cousins or something,¡± RJ said. ¡°Since you didn¡¯t bang.¡±

    ¡°We totally could have. I was so gonna bang her, but, like...¡± Marshall trailed off as he failed to come up with a good reason. He didn¡¯t even remember it, honestly. It just never happened even though Pip was totally into him.

    Then he looked at RJ and remembered why. The whole night, he was hanging out with this chick, and they were playing Mario Kart Double Dash together on the couch while his roommate just had to sit there and eat hot pockets on the fold-out chair by himself. Every time Marshall was totally going to make a move, he¡¯d look at RJ, and he¡¯d just feel bad. Like he was chicking up the place just by having this girl over, and if he kept doing it, RJ would never forgive him.

    RJ, with those beautiful blue eyes, and that curly blonde hair, and--

    ¡°You okay, bro?¡± RJ asked. ¡°Kinda staring off there.¡±

    Marshall snapped back into reality. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Just thinking about, uh, cleaning the house. Want to do it?¡±

    ¡°Do it?¡± RJ snickered. ¡°I did your mom last night.¡±

    ¡°Not THAT kind of doing it, and you know what I mean. This apartment looks like a Trubbish puked all over the place.¡± He only remembered the Pokemon Trubbish because he just finished playing Pokemon Black last week, and somehow he got a Trubbish into his main party by the end. He really loved that cute little dude.

    Oh no, was Pokemon a girly girl game too...?

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s clean, I guess,¡± RJ said with a slightly defeated expression. Clearly, he wanted something beyond cleaning, but Marshall couldn¡¯t tell what.

    RJ moved up closer to him, peering into his own brown eyes like he was trying to examine their luster to sell them as gems. He looked curious, almost playful.

    But then Marshall took a sniff and pushed the dude back. ¡°Bro, actually, I¡¯ll get to cleaning. You can take a damn shower.¡±

    ¡°Right on, bro.¡± He went towards the bathroom, then stopped. ¡°You gonna be okay out here on your own?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, of course.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to, like, clean the bathroom or anything?¡± RJ asked.

    ¡°Bro, what do you mean? While you¡¯re taking a shower? That¡¯s a little...¡±

    Before Marshall could say anything else, RJ went into the bathroom and closed the door. Click to lock... then another click to unlock.

    For some reason, Marshall was blushing like crazy, and he had no idea why.

    RJ was just going to take a shower like he did once every three or four days. Nothing special. Right now, he¡¯d just be stripping his clothes off, his shirt hitting the floor and showing off his abs, and then his gym shorts sliding down his slender legs. Nothing different than any other time he took a shower, probably.

    Marshall didn¡¯t see anything interesting about it, which is probably why he kept thinking about it so much.

    Oh yeah, he needed to clean.

    Surprisingly, it was not a very long time before the house was in a much better state. After he crushed all the Mountain Dew cans and shoved them into the recycling bin, after he alphabetized the Xbox 360 game cases, after he washed the dishes, after he vacuumed the carpet...

    Wait a minute, it had been two hours, and he realized the shower was very much not going anymore. Where the hell was RJ?

    He knocked on the door. ¡°Bro, RJ. You alright in there?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said through the apartment¡¯s very thin walls. ¡°Just taking a bath.¡±

    ¡°A bath?!¡± Marshall shouted in disgust. ¡°Bro, you aren¡¯t allowed to take baths!¡±

    ¡°...Why not?¡±

    ¡°Baths are gay!¡±

    The word was said.

    The entire world was shattered on the broken tension that had been building up for this whole evening.

    Gay.

    He accused his best bro RJ of gaydom.

    Now the concept was out there, and it could never be retracted.

    ¡°Not that there¡¯s anything wrong with that,¡± Marshall added.

    A long moment passed.

    ¡°...Marsh, why don¡¯t you come in here?¡± RJ asked. ¡°Door¡¯s not locked.¡±

    ¡°Because I...¡±

    ¡°I want to see you, bro.¡±

    For some reason, despite all the social norms in his body telling him no, Marshall did it. He turned the knob on the door, opened it, and walked into the bathroom.

    There he was. RJ Ragnell, looking at him with the most disappointed expression he¡¯d ever seen on a dude. Fully clothed, sitting on the edge of the bath that did not have any water in it. Arms crossed.

    ¡°You really thought I was taking a bath,¡± RJ said. ¡°Like I¡¯d ever.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know! But you were playing Animal Crossing, so, like, you know? You¡¯ve gone all cocoa puffs on me. Gay and whatever.¡±

    ¡°And YOU cleaned the house for two hours. Ruining the gamer scent with all that damn febreeze. Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t know about the air fresheners. That¡¯s super gay.¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute, why didn¡¯t you help me clean if you weren¡¯t actually going to take a shower?¡± Marshall asked.

    But RJ did n¡¯t answer that and instead followed-up with a new question. ¡°How long have we been together?¡± RJ asked. ¡°Roommates, I mean.¡±

    ¡°Bro, I don¡¯t even know. Metroid Prime 2 just came out, I know, because we played the multiplayer all the time.¡±

    ¡°The answer is seven years.¡±

    ¡°Damn.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not normal,¡± RJ said. ¡°We moved in together so long ago that my little brother¡¯s already finished two tours in Iraq. Neither of us has ever had a girlfriend the whole time. Dudes don¡¯t do this normally. There¡¯s something up between us, and we gotta settle it out.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Marshall and RJ stared at each other uncomfortably for some time in silence. Neither of them wanted to say anything to break it, because they knew they were about to cross a threshold from which they could never return.

    RJ stood up and came up close to Marshall, and opened his mouth to speak--

    But Marshall put a finger over his mouth, a gentle touch on his lips. He decided he¡¯d have the first word.

    ¡°You¡¯re my Master Chief, bro,¡± he said softly.

    ¡°Ha, I was about to same the same exact thing.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± RJ said. ¡°I was just gonna do this.¡±

    Smooch. Their lips met, and Marshall¡¯s scraggly five o¡¯clock shadow met RJ¡¯s one-week mini-beard. So warm, so mildly hairy.

    The moment probably lasted forever. Yeah, definitely.

    Their hands clasped together, and stayed that way even after their faces moved apart.

    ¡°Dude,¡± Marshall said. ¡°Bro. That was so gay.¡±

    ¡°The gayest thing I¡¯ve ever done,¡± RJ said. ¡°And that includes that time we watched Brokeback Mountain together as a dare.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never forgotten that night. I never will.¡± Marshall leaned in and gave him another kiss.

    After all these years, all this time, the simplest answer was, in fact, the greatest one. Marshall and RJ were roommates for life, bros forever, and dudes in cahoots. Now they would be all these things and so much more. Perhaps they could be... Boyfriends.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we take this to the bedroom?¡± RJ asked. ¡°Your bedroom.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t clean the bedroom yet.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    They rushed into Marshall¡¯s bedroom, where the bed was stacked with clothes pulled out of the dryer but never folded. A full mountain of cargo pants and t-shirts shirts and boxer-briefs.

    Marshall threw RJ on that mountain and kissed him passionately.

    ¡°Bro, I love you.¡±

    ¡°I now pronounce you Chuck and Larry, huh?¡± RJ asked.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Like the movie.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, bro,¡± Marshall said. ¡°Just keep making out with me.¡±

    They continued to kiss, and RJ wrapped his arms around Marshall¡¯s back. Wouldn¡¯t let him go for anything, not even--

    ¡°Wait!¡± Marshall shouted, breaking away from the make out session. ¡°I got a one-on-one clan battle with Tye in fifteen minutes on Guardian. He keeps telling me Bumper Jumper sucks and Green Thumb is the only real way to go. I¡¯ve got to ruin him for it.¡±

    RJ laughed. ¡°Oh, you better beat his ass. I¡¯ll cook some Totino¡¯s Party Pizzas and watch you win.¡±

    And thus it was that Marshall and RJ would begin their domestic life together, seven years into their domestic life together. The house was clean now, but it would become piled up with Mountain Dew cans in no time, just how the two bros liked it.

    They lived happily ever after until the end of their days, or at least until Marshall became a millionaire off his company stock in 2021 and accidentally entered the world of corporate finance. Then everything got way too bro to handle.

 GALaxy [Bonus]

    ¡°Let¡¯s rock and roll, gals!¡± Space Ranger Lass Hilda shouted as she pulled down her space helmet, opened the airlock, and jumped into the vacuum. She died almost instantly. As her frozen body floated into deep space, the rest of the Space Rangers bowed their heads in mourning.

    ¡°Another one bites the dust,¡± Space Ranger Xio Xando said, shaking her head.

    The ship collided with the Wandering Planet QC-41309 and exploded into dust.

    The Space Rangers were not successful in their attempt to stop the hijacking of the Wandering Planet by the likes of the Space Pirate faction, but neither were the Space Pirates successful in their attempt to hijack an entire planet because, well, that¡¯s sorta the deal here when you are tying to capture a literal planet. What does that even mean...

    Anyway, the story isn¡¯t about the Rangers or the Pirates or the Planets... It¡¯s bigger than that. These were all just specks in the larger being--the Great Galaxy that encompassed all life in a billion star systems.

    Expand the view out and you¡¯ll see that the Wandering Planet was just a single cell organism in the lifeblood of the Great Galaxy... A galaxy whose name was Baetrix.

    You see, all the stars in the night sky aren¡¯t just twinkling little orbs. They¡¯re body parts to Baetrix, a being of such immense size and luster that she is not even faintly aware of the goings on in the tiny planets dotting her body. These stars work in tandem, rotate around to provide all the energy she needs to walk around the Galactic City of Myrrh, also known as Balarand.

    And Baetrix loved to walk around the city of Balarand, to explore the sights and sounds of the dark energy all around her. She put her hair (made up of thousands of star systems) up into a bun and browsed Balarand¡¯s famous marketplace--Lightyear Plaza.

    You could buy anything here, if you were a galaxy. You aren¡¯t, though, so you can only sit here and wonder about what it must be like there.

    She browsed across booths of sellers hawking their supernova sundaes, best in the multiverse they said. She perused black hole earrings--this one in the shape of a heart.

    Baetrix considered buying something to take back home to her parents, the galaxies that birthed her so many billions of years ago, but she did not have the credits to spare. She needed to buy a few asteroid belts for an art project over at the Galactic Academy. Just a few more artificial galaxies built, and if she could sustain life in more than 10% of them, she¡¯d finally pass and graduate into full galactic adulthood.

    However, none of the sellers were actually displaying any asteroid belts. None to spare, a few of them said. Haven¡¯t had one in thousands of years, said one who clearly wasn¡¯t truthful. It seemed that Baetrix was never going to get what she wanted, never going to graduate from the Galactic Academy and become a star artificer like she always wanted...

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    But then...

    But then.

    That¡¯s when she saw her.

    On the other side of Lightyear Plaza, far away from the hustle and bustle of shops and shopping, Baetrix saw a dazzling nebula-filled woman she had never encountered before. A gorgeous, sparkling lady of the infinite luster of star systems forming every single moment around her. And a necklace of asteroid belts around her neck.

    Baetrix felt called to approach the woman. Her ethereal footsteps took her further and further through the etherflow until she found herself face to face with this tall, luminescent beauty.

    All she could say was, ¡°I like your eyes.¡± A large blush of radiant red appeared across her cheeks.

    The woman giggled. ¡°Who are you supposed to be?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Baetrix. I¡¯m about to graduate the Galactic Academy and become one of the greatest Great Galaxies in the multiverse.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s funny. I was sent here to this market to find a woman named Baetrix,¡± the woman said. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s you?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine there¡¯s anyone else out there like me. I¡¯m really unique.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you are. Well, I ought to introduce myself.¡± The woman curtsied and then smiled. ¡°My name is L¡¯hoshi, and I¡¯m the headmaster¡¯s daughter.¡±

    ¡°The headmaster of... the whole Galactic Academy?!¡±

    ¡°The very same one.¡±

    ¡°And you came for me?!¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± L¡¯hoshi said. ¡°I¡¯m here to offer you a research position once you graduate, with a full scholarship to continue your studies.¡±

    Baetrix put her hands to her face and nearly fainted from shock.

    ***

    Beatrice flipped to the next page, which was blank. She looked up and cleared her throat so as to suppress a giggle. Readjusted her thick glasses.

    On the chair across from her, Emi sat, eyes lit up with eagerness. She snapped her fingers, and the manuscript vanished from Beatrice¡¯s hands, only to appear in her own a moment later.

    ¡°So?¡± Emi asked.

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°What did you think? Is it going to be a good story? I¡¯m going to add pictures in. It¡¯ll be a children¡¯s book. I¡¯m trying to find an artist who is good at painting the night sky.¡±

    ¡°Uh...¡± Beatrice blinked several times, trying to process what a polite response might be in this situation. ¡°Emi L¡¯Hime, you¡¯re a genius inventor, and I think with some practice, you just might become a great author too.¡±

    Emi frowned. ¡°That bad, huh?¡± Beatrice raised her finger to stammer out a response, but before she could, Emi erupted into giggles. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I know it sucks. I just wanted to see if you¡¯d say so.¡±

    ¡°Well, you can always edit it later.¡±

    Emi shrugged. ¡°The publishers will never pick it up. It¡¯s just something for a fun hobby.¡±

    ¡°And to name the characters after us? Kinda...¡±

    ¡°Is it really okay?¡±

    ¡°Kinda awesome, I was going to say. I really appreciate it.¡± Beatrice, with some effort, stood up from her chair and walked over to Emi, who of course snapped again and vanished for a second until she reappeared on her feet.

    Emi wrapped her arms around Beatrice, a hug so fearsome it could have crushed a rock golem. ¡°I missed you.¡±

    ¡°I missed you, too.¡±

 Hands Held: Date Night - New Comic Strip! [BONUS]

    </a>

    Hey, there''s a brand-new bonus comic starting this week. "Hands Held in the Snow: Date Night" is an adorable side-story where Emi and Beatrice embark on their greatest adventure yet... to dress up and go to a fancy new play!

    The art is done by Ryuichirou of Issues</a> fame, and it''s kinda ultra cute, if we''re being honest. The comic was originally intended to be sold in physical form at events like Comitia and Comiket in 2020 and 2021, but unfortunately COVID-19 prevented all of that. So I''m going to post it online, one strip per week to give you a micro-dose of adorableness.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Right now, the series is only available on Tapas</a>, but once the whole comic is finished posting, I''ll post each strip to this site too. But while it''s still ongoing, please subscribe over on Tapas and check out all the other amazing GL stories there, too! I recommend The Saintess and the Villainess</a>, Rising Shards</a>, My Dragon Girlfriend</a>, Pandora''s Devils</a>, and Shine Back Honey</a>.

 Hands Held... With Something... In the Snow [BONUS]

    You¡¯re happy.

    You, the girl known as Beatrice Ragnell.

    Right now, you¡¯re lying on a large, checkerboard pattern blanket in a field of shriveled grass, surrounded by fallen leaves and a frigid breeze.

    Your hand is snuggly in the palm of another woman¡¯s. Emi¡¯s L¡¯Hime¡¯s.

    A smile on your face as you know that today is just another wonderful day with your girlfriend. The crispness of autumn gracing the world with love and pumpkin spice to come. You stare up at the sky and think of just how happy you are to be alive right now.

    You could have been in bed. Huddled up close to Emi, under the covers while warm and toasty, wasting a whole day there exploring each other¡¯s bodies to some infinite degree.

    Sex is great but you prefer this. This, just lying here as the sun sets and the stars come out and you speak your heart out to your girlfriend with all the proclamations of love and future happiness.

    You¡¯re going to be apart soon, the two of you. Emi¡¯s going off to college in Oxford, while you¡¯ll still be here in lonely old Utah, riding your bike around town and counseling sad folks online. You¡¯re happy for her. You couldn¡¯t dream of leaving your family, leaving your parents alone in a small town without being able to cheer you on. Emi can¡¯t wait to leave hers.

    Just that talk before you two came out to this forest out in the middle of nowhere... It hurt you, and yet it made you fall more deeply in love than ever before.

    ¡°I¡¯m about to escape,¡± Emi had said. ¡°I¡¯m finally getting out of Balarand, and I¡¯ll be in a place with actual culture. With actual queer people and educated conversations and food that isn¡¯t Wendy¡¯s. It¡¯s going to be the best time of my life.¡±

    And you had given your considerate, kind words, all while knowing deep in your heart that this would mean the end of you and her. The end of the single being you had created together by merging yourselves. A relationship over.

    It wasn¡¯t like you two hadn¡¯t been apart before. You spent a year doing your missionary work in El Salvador, and you kept up a long-distance relationship just fine. Emi even came down to see you secretly in a stupid and highly romantic move. You made love far too many times in that short span and somehow never even got caught.

    But this time is different.

    Emi¡¯s moving to Oxford, a cultural capital of the world. Another English speaking country with likeminded people and brand-new experiences. She won¡¯t be stuck working so hard that she¡¯ll forget about the loneliness; she¡¯ll seek out friends and probably a lot more than that. Unlike sleepy Balarand, Utah, unlike El Salvador, unlike even Salt Lake City, Emi moving across the ocean to Europe would certainly mean the end of them together.

    But you aren¡¯t all that sad about it.

    ¡°I¡¯m definitely sad,¡± you tell Emi, not looking at her, not really able to. ¡°But I think the happiness cancels it all out. You¡¯re finally going to do something you like, and I want to support you as much as possible even if we can¡¯t be together.¡±

    Emi does not respond, too polite to interrupt your words.

    The darkness creeps up around you both, and you find yourself wrapping yourself around with extra blankets, but not bothering to move back to the car just yet.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°I always imagined we¡¯d be together forever,¡± you say. ¡°Maybe we sort of still can, but obviously not in the way I thought. When you first applied to Oxford, I was in such denial about it that I sort of put it out of my mind. You probably weren¡¯t going to get in, I thought, but even if you did, we could just do that Say Anything... movie and I¡¯d come to England with you, make it all work out. Hell, I have an online job, so I can honestly live anywhere. But I didn¡¯t end up doing that.¡±

    You continue to look up into the increasingly bright stars. Strange that the area around is so dark while the stars are so bright. They illuminate practically nothing, especially with no moon in sight.

    Snow falls and blankets the ground around you.

    ¡°You know, it¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it?¡± you ask rhetorically. ¡°I was the one who took that big trip, for a whole year, and we made it work. And I¡¯m the one who always wanted to travel the world and get out of Balarand. But in the end, our relationship is about to end because I don¡¯t want to leave. Isn¡¯t that... Weird?¡±

    No response, because of Emi politely listening even still. She grips your hand tighter.

    ¡°You know, I¡¯m a little confused now that I say all this out loud. Normally I would jump at the chance to be with you, Emi. I love you to the ends of the Earth and there¡¯s literally nothing stopping me from going to England with you. Even my parents are super supportive of it. We can get married really quick, get the spousal visa stuff worked out, then it¡¯s all ready. And yet... Why was I so resigned to let you go? It makes no sense. What¡¯s going--¡±

    Your phone buzzes in your pocket. Your hand reaches in and pulls it out.

    Seven missed phone calls.

    A long text message chain from Emi.

    ¡°I¡¯m worried about you,¡± the messages read. ¡°After that chat we had you got so upset. Haven¡¯t heard from you. I knew you wanted me to go to Oxford with you so much, but I¡¯m not changing my mind. Sorry. I¡¯ve canceled my flight and I¡¯m staying here. I won¡¯t change my mind, because I have responsibilities with my family. I can¡¯t just abandon them.

    You scroll down further.

    ¡°It¡¯s been two days, Tris. Please call back. Your parents are worried.¡±

    You gulp reflexively.

    Your other hand, so snug and warm, suddenly feels a lot less warm than you remembered. You thought Emi was sweating in her palm more than usual, but... It¡¯s a little slimy, isn¡¯t it?

    You turn your head, look through the darkness at the figure across from you, squirming around in place like a water bed made of tendrils, vaguely in the shape of your girlfriend.

    ¡° ¡°

    Nothing you just said is able to come out of your mouth.

    Instead, a voice from behind you, from some random direction, anywhere but from the figure beside you, speaks: ¡°You¡¯re going to stay with her. Both of you in Balarand for good.¡±

    ¡°But... But I got a scholarship!¡± you exclaim. ¡°I¡¯m going to Oxford!¡±

    Or rather, you want to exclaim this, but the words once again vanish from your mouth just as you say them.

    ¡° ¡°

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Don¡¯t struggle. Don¡¯t dread. Just think about Emi. Take deep breaths in and out.¡±

    ¡° ¡°

    ¡°I¡¯m doing this for you,¡± the voice tells you. ¡°You were about to make a poor decision. You won¡¯t do that ever again. You¡¯ll be with Emi and you¡¯ll take her last name.¡±

    Beatrice L¡¯Hime. Had a good ring to it.

    ¡°You two will end up together, because I have decided it.¡± The figure, without letting go of your hand, rises in place, takes the form of a human standing up in shadow.... while still clasping you in its grip. ¡°I fell in love with you, Beatrice Ragnell. And I fell in love with Emi L¡¯Hime. She¡¯ll be here shortly. Soon, both of you will fall in love with me. And then we can all get married together. I¡¯ll be a L¡¯Hime too, I think.¡±

    ¡° ¡°

    For some reason, you can¡¯t help but think that everything has worked out really well. That¡¯s honestly the only thing you¡¯re able to think about. How you really, really love Emi L¡¯Hime. And you also really, really love whatever¡¯s holding your hand right now.

    That¡¯s a little gay, isn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Very, very gay.¡±

 Read Pips Next Adventure

    For some reason, Pip is in a brand-new story and I thought you should know. It''s not in the same universe, but it''s unmistakably Pip who''s right there on the cover of the story. She''s still a maid... but this time she''s got a system???

    Read The Maid Got My System </a>and hopefully it will fulfill your desires for more Pip-related content. Joi Massat''s releasing it very rapidly, so enjoy lots of chapters.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    As for me, I''ll hopefully be doing a lot more writing in 2023 than last year which was so busy I fell off completely. No announcements from me yet, though. Stay tuned.

    EDIT: Now it''s on Amazon! Check it the heck out: The Maid Got My System</a>

 Happy Lesbian Day + BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS

    Hey, happy Lesbian Day for those of you still living in October 8th! We should celebrate it by kissing a girl today.

    Anyway...

    Today, I''d like to announce two things!

    First...

    I''m releasing a new video game!

    HERE''S THE TRAILER THAT I CAN''T FIGURE OUT HOW TO EMBED</a>

    My new studio, Yuri Kissaten</a>, is releasing several lesbian narrative video games, and its very first release is Love is in the Airship.

    It''s a comedic visual novel about a person on an airship cruise line who goes to lesbian bars and makes it big with some real cute women... and that person is YOU! It has three romanceable characters, over 50,000 words of content, 15 endings, and tons of hidden secrets. The art is amazing and the royalty-free Creative Commons music tracks are good too!

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    The game releases October 25th, 2024 on Steam</a> and Itch.io</a>. Please wishlist the game and tell a friend--just one--all about this awesome yuri game.

    Oomfie thanks you kindly.

    And, for the other announcement...

    One of Yuri Kissaten''s upcoming projects is a Hands Held in the Snow visual novel adaptation, and it has recently entered production!

    Along with that, there will be a professionally edited ebook version of the novel coming soon as well, and potentially an audiobook. The ebook will be a more refined, punchy version of the web novel that already exists, and will retain all the amazing art by Mikayla Buan. </a>The visual novel will expand on the web novel''s story and dig even deeper into your favorite characters. It will be different enough to be worth reading even if you''ve read the web novel multiple times.

    The visual novel is currently targeting a late 2025 release; I don''t have anything to share with you yet, but as the game develops, I hope I''ll be able to post a few development logs.

    It''s a real good time to be gay.