“Entry 34: Princess Lucinia Gaius Trax
Noteworthy Traits: Spoiled, defensive, easily manipulable. Fascination and disdain of outside culture. Easily pleased, easily entertained, unreasonable, flawed ambitions.
Other notes: Unreliable leader and unlikely to succeed the crown or earn any duchies. Mark as marriage candidate for alliances”
- Unknown Imperial Ledger, Royal Palace of Trax
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“I’m surprised you thin-distinguished inventors are not walking out. This would surely tarnish your dynasty’s name, would it not?” Lucinia scoffed at the Calnodel siblings.
The two elves reacted with their usual candor, uncaring of the opinions of those unrelated to them.
“Indeed. Though unless we have to, we have no intention of coordinating anything that would require our public appearance.” Thalnor answered.
“Quite so, there is a lot of help we can provide without exposing ourselves, as Ary might know.” Maylesa shot the redhead a wink.
Ary bobbed her head enthusiastically, though remain steadfastly clutched against Sophie’s arm.
“Still, why are you so willing to help this bunch out?” Lucinia spoke without so much as a glance at ‘this bunch’.
“They are our friends.” Maylesa answered honestly, “We enjoy their company.”
“They also have many strange requests and ideas about things we could try making. The challenge is equally enjoyable.” Thalnor agreed.
“Tsk, elves.” Lucinia muttered under her breath before shaking her head, “Tinkerers.” She corrected herself.
“Don’t mind her, she’s just a little narrow minded.” Lady Olivia teased.
“You-!” Lucinia looked ready to square up.
There was a strange comfort for Sophie seeing the princess return to her more casual if outwardly arrogant and derisive demeanor. A certain recognizability that allowed Sophie to understand her unlike minutes before. When she possessed the air of a stranger, a more malicious, vindictive sounding lady, a little too gleeful about the potential chaos that the situation could cause. Worse, there was something else hidden behind her words that made Sophie shudder. The same sort of dark joy she felt at wielding the power to decide life and death, reflected in the princess. It was as if she glimpsed something that she shouldn’t have.
Only with Olivia’s continued attempts to tease did the princess return more to normal. Her cocksure attitude and irritating personality somehow more bearable than Sophie had expected. She had, however, unfortunately examined a little too throughouly and she felt the princess’s gaze on the back of her neck the moment she turned away. Unlike how she usually felt towards her, mild annoyance at the arrogant Traxian, she felt a slight shiver creep through her.
“Ugh, whatever.” Lucinia held up her hands in defeat.
“And why are you so hellbent on assisting us in this? Is it really because of the debt you own them?” Eva spoke up.
Lucinia frowned, the noble squaring up against one of her peers. Eva didn’t flinch, having finally gotten a grasp on the ever escalating situation. The two girls simply stared at each other, a discussion taking place within their eyes as everyone else was simply left by the wayside. As the room waited, it was Olivia that finally broke the silence.
“No, it isn’t just the debt for her.” The lady calmly stated.
Lucinia immediately spun around to glare at her, but calmed soon enough with a heavy sigh as she rubbed her forehead in frustration.
“The debt plays a big part. Don’t get me wrong. I do not intend to owe anything to elves… half elves any longer than I have to. However…” She paused, sighing once more and shaking her head almost like she was dispelling something, “Livy is right. That is not all.”
“And?” Eva pressed.
“I believe that the attempt on my life was because someone, Traxian or otherwise, did not want to see a successful peaceful dialogue. Whether they are connected to my father or not, remains to be seen. However, it is undeniable that his letter to me indicates his intentions to disinherit me for doing the horrifying thing of speaking my mind.” Lucinia ranted.
“Ah, and this is….”
Luncinia nodded, “Whatever plans are happening are clearly related to the assassin. They both involve the Braveskulls, Traxians and the city. Whoever they are, my father or not, I intend to find a way to thoroughly ruin their day. And you lot.” She looked over the room, “Are currently my best chance at that.”
“I see.”
“Mmhmm. Just like you, little exile.” Lucinia grunted at Eva, “Little familial rebel.” She snickered, “At least you get to go back at some point.”
Lucinia tutted and walked herself to the window, staring out with a wistful expression, her body language telling the others to not bother her.
“Goddess above, what a day.” Mila swore, “You told me this would be quick but… ugh, we just got back and I’m already getting a headache.”
A soft chuckle spread through the room, tinged with a no small amount of nervousness and discomfort. The ideas of treason and potentially being expelled from the Academy finally given time to ruminate properly within their minds.
“Bah, weaklings.” Lucinia huffed, “Olivia, we are going.”
“Huh? That’s it?” Sophie asked.
Lucinia pursed her lips, a small, more friendly grin on her face, “Your church friend is right. You’ve just returned after all. For the rest of us, we’d barely had all of a day or so to digest everything. Mayhaps we all need a little bit of a break.”
“What? Why?”
“Because nothing’s going to change this soon anyways, kni-Sophie.” Eva chimed in, earning the exiled noble a begrudging nod from the princess, “She figures we might as well rest up and decide if we’re really doing this. Heat of the moment and all that.”
Beside Sophie, her twin’s scowl gained voice, letting out a dissatisfied growl but not outright disagreeing with Eva’s words.
“Just so.” Lucinia affirmed, “I shall return next Morus, precisely a week from now. Though, a little earlier. By then, have your decisions made. You three I’m not questioning, or your bodyguard.” She glanced wearily at Raylani, “Though you,” She gestured at Sophie and her siblings before sticking a finger just above Ary’s nose, “You are the one who should stay out of all this the most.”
Ary pouted and let out a soft whine, clutching a little tighter onto Sophie.
“Same goes for you elves, the idiot, and the church kid.” Lucinia casually motioned towards the rest of the room, “You all stand to cause the most harm to the people around you. These three, er, four. Their damage is mostly limited to people here. But the rest of you. Your communities, families, dynasties, and whatever pious group you serve will feel the blowbacks should there be any… errors, in whatever actions we may have to undertake.”
There was a seriousness in the princess’s tone that made Sophie shift in her seat. Looking around, she too began to realize that there was a level of tiredness present. With a sigh of her own, she stood up to offer her agreement.
“Shall we all call it a day here, then? The princess is right, I… I definitely could use some rest.” She announced.
Ary squeezed her hand tenderly, Sophie smiled and squeezed back.
Lucinia stopped at the doorway with Lady Olivia, hesitating for a brief moment as if readying herself to say something. She then shook her head and reached for the handle.
“Have a good night, everyone. Enjoy the peace while it lasts.”
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A good night was perhaps the last thing on everyone’s minds. Each person caught up in their own web of worries and concerns. Sophie thankfully, had Ary by her side, the redhead offering a warmth that she desperately missed in her time at Oakbeach. Her own mind however, was focused on Sophia, unsure about how the girl was feeling after everything, especially since she closed off her mind once more.
But as night turned to day and the morrow came. That sense of unease that plagued them was replaced by the normality of classes. It was a colder morning than usual but not one unlike any other. They went to their classes and studied as they always had. Sophie even tried to catch Princess Lucinia’s eye to simply check on her opinions but the princess had almost flipped completely, becoming the ever arrogant and snobby noble that she had always been, flippantly ignoring the half elf’s attempt to catch her attention. Save for one simple instruction.
“Aster. Six o clock.” Lucinia casually said.
It was a summons, as direct as can be. Yet, that just made Sophie more anxious. For it gave her an uncomfortable amount of time after her last class before their meeting.
Sophie sighed and leaned against her chair, her mind drifting absently into nothingness.
“Sophie.”
“Bweh.” She let out a startled squeak just to find Ary poking her cheek, the redhead’s mouth halfway to a frown.
“Sophie.” Ary pouted.
“Ah-Ary?” Sophie stammered out.
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“You’re late.”
“Ah-eh? For what? Didn’t classes finish?”
“Hah-nah-be.” Ary pronounced each syllable with a haughty tone before forcefully turning Sophie’s head and pulling her in for a kiss.
“Mmpfh?! Mmm.” Sophie surrendered with a contented breath, ahh, Ary…
But before her own arms could rise to pull Ary closer, she was met with a firm bop on the nose. “Uwah.”
“Hanabi came to find me after class. Told me to bring you to her. Said it was about an important girl-friend of yours.” Ary jokingly or at least, hopefully jokingly growled.
“Eh? Ah! After yesterday it just completely slipped my mind!”
Ary mockingly snorted before standing up and pulling Sophie with her. She then locked her arm through Sophie’s and pulled the half elf close. Sophie felt a small explosion of joy at the intimacy. Though she was keenly aware that Ary was not exactly worried, neither was she completely at ease.
“She told me to make sure you showed up, so… if you don’t have anything planned right now, let’s go.” Ary commanded.
“Ah-” Sophie tried to speak.
“Mwah.” Ary kissed her again, “Come.”
Sophie smiled, suppressing a happy little sigh. Though she enjoyed the little moans and noises that Ary made whenever she was the forceful one. She also liked that Ary had grown more comfortable being insistent as of late. Perhaps the one downside was that it likely stemmed from their increasingly busy schedules. All the more reason to do my best to protect her.
Sophie’s smile died a little. Yana too, had been acting a little different than usual. Despite the quips and continuous rhymes, the faerie carried herself with far less carefreeness than before. Adopting instead, an air of seriousness, more focused on some esoteric goal that she certainly saw no need to share with Sophie.
Ignoring her worries, she gave her full attention to the one beside her. She felt her heart swelling with emotions simply glancing at her partner. Ary appeared as she always had, yet at the same time, she was already leagues apart from when they had first met. Though she was easily worried about a lot of things, in Sophie’s eyes, the redhead had learned to deal with life in her own way and walked with a certainty that wasn’t there before.
Before long, they found themselves in front of Cherrywood hall, the dormitory directly next to their own Rosewood. Ary glanced over and arched her eyebrow, a small smirk sneaking its way onto her face.
“What? Never knew where Hanabi lived?” She chuckled.
“I… no, not really. I just thought she’d be in Fidelis’s Rest like the other saints.” Sophie admitted.
“Hmpf.” Ary upturned her nose jokingly.
Sophie played with her by giving the redhead a few teasing kisses on her neck. Ary shivered and playfully batted her away, the motion stirring the restful fae from her pocket.
Yana fluttered up and hovered over the two, the fae’s lips curling in displeasure upon seeing Sophie. Without missing a beat, she sleepily bopped Sophie on the forehead before settling down atop Ary’s head.
“H-hey!”
“Mmm. There is another trace on you, something-mmm, another elemental surrounded you with its hue.” Yana groaned. Ah, the mermaid.
“Elemental?” Ary asked.
“You’ll see. Lead the way.” Sophie sighed. Right, Hanabi. I wonder...
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Knock, knock.
“Coming.” A familiar voice rang out from within.
Cherrywood hall felt a little less homey than Rosewood though in contrast, it was decorated with a few more paintings and ornaments. The students here, at least, were similar to those in Rosewood. They looked at Sophie with wariness. Their questioning gazes tracing the same question, ‘what was an elf doing here?’.
Click
“Hey, hey.” A far more relaxed looking Hanabi greeted the two. The outlander dressed with a sleeveless shirt and pants, her arms looking a little more moist than usual.
“Hanabi!” Sophie and Ary answered.
“Come in, come in. Watch the floor, a little slippery. Careful now, Aryana. Sophie’s girlfriend’s a little anxious.” Hanabi chuckled.
“Hanabi!” Sophie balked.
“Pfft.” Ary sniggered, though Sophie could tell that the redhead was a little alarmed no matter how she tried to hide it.
Giving her a squeeze, Sophie led her into Hanabi’s room.
“What the…” Ary gasped.
Sophie smirked a little, delighted by the surprise that had overtaken the redhead’s face.
Awaiting them, a barely covered mermaid was busy prodding a spoon at a stew when it shot upwards, jumping out of her seat at the sudden arrivals. After a moment of confusion, the mermaid trilled a little before clicking its tongue happily at recognizing Sophie’s presence.
“H-oh, oh woah.” Sophie’s cheekiness disappeared as she took in the creature’s visage. Though a few scaly bits still covered her waist, Sophie found that where the mermaid’s tail was, there was now a very human looking pair of legs.
The mermaid’s gaze however, did not linger on the arrivals, travelling instead upwards towards the faerie that had shot up from Ary’s head.
“A creature of the sea?! How could this be? Has the silly Sophie bewitched she? Is that why you can’t flee?” Yana spluttered out.
The mermaid, spurred on by how everyone in the room was looking at her, clicked something in response. Yana waited expectantly, then frowned.
“She can’t speak. Not words anyways.” Hanabi answered the fae’s question.
“Ah, that’s a shame. I wish it's na- huh?! This human can hear me?” Yana squeaked, completely bewildered as the fae circled the crowd warily.
“Yeah? Is that weird?” Hanabi glanced at the others.
“A little. But Hanabi’s an outlander.”
“Outlander, ah, outworlder. I see, I see. How peculiar, yet another outlander in your circle.”
“Another? Ah, Eva?” Hanabi rubbed her chin.
Sophie nodded.
“Argh, no matter. What’s with this daughter of the sea? Why is she residing here with thee?”
The mermaid looked almost just as confused and turned to Sophie and Hanabi for guidance.
“This is Yana, she’s a fae attached to Aryana here.” Sophie patted the girl’s head.
“This is…” Ary whispered.
Sophie and Hanabi traded glances. What is she actually called?
“This is…” Sophie shuffled awkwardly, raising a hand to point at the mermaid only for her to be grabbed by it.
The curious creature however, tried once more to wrap its tail around Sophie. Only its tail had been replaced by legs, and thus it promptly collapsed, almost hitting the ground before both Sophie and Hanabi sprung into action to keep it steady.
“You do not know its name, do you?” Yana paused to assess their sheepish reactions, “You would object if that statement wasn’t true.”
“Ehhh…”
The mermaid tittered mirthfully, merely enjoying the presence of its newfound friends and freedom. It flopped about listlessly, still trying to get used to feet instead of tail. Though it ignored the trio, it set its sights upon Aryana, who tensed up a little at the sight of, to her, what was ostensibly just a really pretty human that the others had filched from their most recent commission. She broke free from the other two who were debating with the fae about how to get an unspeaking mermaid’s name.
In what Sophie might describe as, ‘a dangerous habit’, the mermaid launched herself at Ary in the same way it now liked to greet the others. The redhead could only gawk and partially brace as the mermaid jumped at her with a flying hug, sending the two tumbling to the ground.
“Ow!” Ary squeaked.
The mermaid let out a low whine.
Ary was unsure what to do and tried to gently pry it off her, but then the mermaid started sniffing her, its face practically rubbing up against hers as it tried to identify her scent. With the situation devolving against her, she could only look pleading at both a mortified Sophie and Hanabi as well as an increasingly irate Yana.
“H-hey! Someone help me?”
The others just stared until the mermaid abruptly turned towards Sophie. Then she turned back to Ary to take another sniff, then looked back at Sophie, her eyes narrowing.
Without warning, it smothered Ary with a proper hug, once more trying to coil the nonexistent tail around her. Instead, it practically mounted Ary, much to the girl’s dismay and rubbed its cheeks against her, letting out a melodic coo.
“Guys?” Ary pleaded, only earning herself a small smile from Sophie.
“I guess she figured out how close you two are.” Hanabi teased.
“Pfft.” Sophie chuckled before smiling at Ary, “She’s just saying hi. Don’t worry, Ary. That’s a mermaid.”
“A mermaid? What? What’s that?” Ary managed to ask amidst the all encompassing hug.
Aghast, the two adventurers shared a glance only to be interrupted by the more aggravated member of the trio.
“What have you done? Of all the things under the sun! This is a daughter of the sea! How can this be?” Yana rambled.
That comment made the mermaid bristle, releasing her hold on Ary to glare at the fae.
“She can understand us just fine. She just can’t speak, as Hanabi said.” Sophie tried to explain.
“Bah.” Yana huffed, doing a small spin in dissatisfaction.
“So, as you can see. She’s settling in.” Hanabi gestured at the mermaid that now pestered Ary.
It was a cute sight, Sophie smiled. And that’s why it must be protected. These two.
“Ary. Yana.” Sophie called out.
Her voice stopped both the redhead and the mermaid, two sets of eyes turning towards her. The fae fluttered indifferently above her.
“She guarded a shrine. Long story short, a lot of trouble. But she saved me and helped the others. I think…” Sophie chuckled, “I think Sigrid is a good name for someone like you. Means victory and beauty in Carradorian. Like you.” She looked at the mermaid.
The mermaid looked at her oddly before trying to click the sounds of her name in her mouth. Succeeding or failing, Sophie could not tell. But the sparkle in its eye was enough as it trilled delightfully at the new moniker.
Ary spent a moment staring up at the mermaid, buoyed by its joy, “Thank you. For helping them.”
Touched, the mermaid pulled her into an even tighter embrace.
“Ack.” Ary wheezed.
Watching them continue their weird greeting ceremony. Sophie made her decision. She tapped her companion on the shoulder, getting the outlander’s attention.
“Hanabi.” She whispered.
“Yeah? What is it?”
“The rest of us. That is, Mila and some others.” She paused and shook her head, “The Chamber of Arteria voted to commute the sentences of the Braveskull company. They’re reinstating the company and its orc militia. The rest of us are planning something dangerous. Potentially… something that might see us arrested and even expelled. Or worse.” Sophie informed her.
A flash of determination flickered across the outlander’s face before she followed Sophie’s gaze to the rest of the room. The determination gave way to a somber understanding and Hanabi let out a deep sigh.
“I see.”
“Mhmm.”
“Stay out of it and keep these two safe?” Hanabi asked.
“They deserve all the opportunities they can get.”
“Hmm.” Hanabi grit her teeth, side eyeing Sophie as dozens of thoughts ran across both their minds.
Eventually, Hanabi yielded, a soft, if understanding noise escaping from her mouth. Quiet, but accepting that this was something that was predetermined.
“Fine.” Hanabi agreed, “I’ll keep them out of it.”
Sophie reached out her hand and clasped Hanabi’s, relief escaping her whole body as she let herself slouch in gratitude, “Thank you.”
“Someone’s gotta take care of the mermaid, sorry, Sigrid and your girlfriend, right?” Hanabi winked.
Sophie felt her face flush a little, her cheeks getting a little heated at the outlander’s straightforwardness.
“But the lot of you better make it back.” Hanabi’s jovial attitude faded, “I ain’t planning on playing babysitter forever.”