“While the Academy of Arteria is certainly the most prestigious and one of the largest on the continent. Many kingdoms and nations have their own universities and academies of their own. Most act as a sort of ‘officers school’ or royal institute to train up the next generation of the nobility. Here, the Academy differs in that it allows for common folk to also participate in the process. Perhaps the only true rival in this respect is the Traxian Royal Academy."

- Dael Olafsson, Arterian Academy Department of History, “Education The Cyndralian Way"

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“I’m staying.” Sophia held firm.

“What? Really? Now?” Sophie let out an incredulous squeak.

“There’s no need for all of us to go.”

“But you’re family, isn’t that what Annalise is expecting? Why back out now?” Mila expressed her own surprise.

“Seeing Sophie and Elaria’s more than enough. Besides, I don’t want to go, alright?” Sophia answered.

“I’ll be here to keep her company.” Hanabi quipped, raising two fingers up in a mock salute. But the smile on her face suggested a genuine support for Sophie's sister.

“It’s not about keeping her company, it’s about changing our plans this close to the deadline.” Mila argued.

Hanabi and Mila bickered a little, while Sophia stared listlessly out the window. Sophie narrowed her eyes, something is bothering her, but what?

Sigrid had curled herself up in a corner of the room, entertained by a trinket that Elaria had pulled out of nowhere. The bard herself mostly uncaring of the proceedings, letting the others sort out their plans amongst themselves. Raylani seemed to be taking a break, the first that Sophie’s ever officially seen while everyone else was still up and active. The dark elf having dozed off on the spare bed in her room.

The only other mystery figure in this whole tale was the one currently with her head in her lap. Looking down, Sophie found Ary snuggling up against her belly. Only when the redhead felt a gaze upon her did she stop to look up at her, a warm smile emerging upon her face. Seeing this brought her immense joy and she beamed back down from ear to ear. The two closed the distance and shared a brief kiss, ignoring the world around them for a moment.

Ary had been stressed lately, but not about the conference. Sophie inferred it was likely related to her people and spirit she apparently carried from a few clues left by Elaira and Yana. The girl remained reluctant to tell her anything and she respected her enough not to push the matter, trusting that Ary would let her know when the time was right.

Still, it worried her because she loved her. And that was perhaps the most aggravating thing even before the conference. Whatever was bothering Ary was eating away at her, and Sophie noticed that the normally bubbly girl had been smiling far less as of late.

Whatever I can do to make her happy. Sophie smiled at the thought and stroked Ary’s hair, the girl resisting the urge to let out a soft purr of satisfaction.

“Besides. If Annalise is truly a princess that regained her station, then I think we have a very much more prominent and potentially more useful person to bring along.” Sophia’s voice pulled Sophie’s attention upwards.

“You can’t be serious.” Mila let out an exasperated sigh.

“She might be… arguably irritating, but she has the most relatable traits to Anna, does she not?”

“That’s not the point. She isn’t even party to our discussions, and we’re to spirit her off to Gratia? In the middle of a war? Last I recall, while we are allies, she isn’t exactly someone we’d trust to handle such things. She’s a princess for goodness sake, not a trained fighter or warrior.”

“But you plan on adding her to your adventuring party, as logistical support or some other nonsense? Isn't this one such trip? Off the books too?”

“Sure. But not like this. This is a different kind of hells.”

That point made Sophia pause reluctantly, if silently, conceding the argument in favor of the inquisitor’s point.

“But I’m still staying.” Sophia whispered.

“I know. We’ll work around that, then. Right, Sophie?”

Sophie absently nodded, only half heartedly paying attention as she fussed over Ary.

“Sophie.” Mila chided like an annoyed parent.

“Sorry, I’m listening. We’re talking about Sophia staying, right?”

“Yes. And the fact that we might replace her presence with a certain disgraced noble.”

“Ah, Lucinina.” Sophie frowned.

She didn’t know what to think of that. On one hand, Lucinia didn’t have much to do besides study now. With her powers stripped, she’d have to rebuild capital and support mostly from scratch. Though she still had Sophie’s group, the Carradorians, and a few others in her camp, the loss of prestige was a bitter blow for her.

“But she needs the field experience. I’m not suggesting we make her fight, just be there. In around the thick of things, not within it.” Sophia argued.

On the other hand, if Lucinia truly wished to help their adventuring group, then she did need to at least understand the manner of tasks that they undertook. But even in this case, Sophie was ready to argue that this was no average commission. They were simply going to meet Annalise, whatever that might lead had little to do with adventuring.

“As long as you know what you’re doing. I’m fine with it.” Sophie quickly remembered to offer her support.

Sophia grunted, an appreciative nod sent from her counterpart.

A tug caught her attention, she pulled away from her thoughts to look down at Ary. The redhead grasped the hem of her shirt and motioned to the others.

“Why don’t you just ask her? Describe what might happen, see if she’ll go?” Ary suggested quietly.

The other two traded glances and shrugged together. The message to Sophie was clear. The decision rested upon her shoulders. She frowned, isn’t something like this a group decision? She searched for the opinion of the one other person Annalise wanted to see for some reason.

Elaria met her gaze and hummed to herself thoughtfully. The bard let out a yawn before glancing at everyone. Her interest piqued, she studied Sophie to gain an idea of what had been discussed in her lapse of attentiveness.

“Whatever happens, I’ll leave it up to you guys.” Elaria chuckled, much to their collective disappointment, “Worse comes to worse, Raylani can watch over her.”

Elaria peered over, finding Raylani asleep. Sophie could tell her sister was debating waking her friend or not but ultimately decided not to. Her movements prompted Sigrid to rouse herself from her corner, the mermaid looking over at everyone.

“We’re talking about who’s going and who’s staying.” Sophie told her.

Sigrid bobbed her head and trilled out her understanding. The mermaid tilting her head and clicking her tongue questioningly.

“Sophia’s staying with you guys.” Sophie gestured to her sister.

Sophia awkwardly waved. Sigrid waved back, letting out an affirming click.

Sophie still couldn’t accurately ascertain Sigrid’s skill or powers. All she knew that she could very well pose a danger and hold her ground against any attackers. Her powers in the cavern feeling like only a brief glimpse into a yet untapped vortex of energy. It was a hopefully unnecessary safeguard, but one that she was happy with.

“Fair enough.” Elaria spoke up, “So what’s the issue?”

There was a pause. Sophia, Mila and Sophie traded looks. In a way, there wasn’t really a problem if Raylani could keep Lucinia in check. I guess it really is down to asking her, huh? Sophie shuddered and sighed, of all the people to join our party. I don’t mind her, but why not Miraevie or one of Ary’s friends. Oh well, as long as she doesn’t outright offend any of the people we meet.

“I suppose there isn’t one anymore.” Mila answered for the befuddled trio.

“Great. Then I suppose the next important matter is what to have for lunch, hmm?” Elaria smirked.

A light chuckle overtook the room. They all knew it would be pointless to disagree here. After all, the one prerequisite had already been stated. They needed to ask Lucinia first before anything.

With a last tousle of the redhead’s hair, Sophie prodded for Ary to get up. The girl let out a tired groan before joining up with everyone.

It had been a week since the conference and scarcely a month and then some until their trip to Gratia. Things had mostly carried on without much interruption, minus the fact that Ary grew a little gloomier. Perhaps the most affected one out of her extended acquaintances was Lady Lucinia herself. The girl was already restrained in class but now, after her exile, even more so. Her relationship with Lady Olivia was now stranger than ever. The two seemed to yearn to talk to each other more but at the same time tried to avoid each other. It was a strange situation overall and in Sophie’s eyes, one that made her a little uncomfortable.

Still, she mused to herself, a trip to Gratia and getting it in thick with us ‘commoners’ might do her some good. Heh. It’d be funny to watch the reactions at least.

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Lucinia glared at her, much to her companions delight. They had left the unenviable task of asking the princess to her. While on the surface, asking one to go on a trip to Gratia was nothing more than a simple ask. To do so without trying to make the girl feel obligated after signing up to be part of the adventuring party was a harder task than she expected.

Beyond that, perhaps, was that the request itself was dangerously ridiculous. For Sophie and the others, trained fighters or spell-slingers, this was a task like any other. Save for the fact that the friend they would visit now ruled a small fiefdom and was locked in a three way struggle for the soul of a country. Not the most fantastical thing Sophie had gotten herself involved with at this point.

For Lucinia however, it was a completely different story. Not only was the girl likely untrained in basic combat. She, judging by the way she now glared at Sophie for the suggestion of sleeping in a forest, also had little to no experience travelling hard on the road or camping in the outdoors. It was also likely to be a drastic change from the comforts of cities and more well developed lands like Arteria, though Mila did mention there were a decent number of inns and small towns along the way.

“Why exactly, are you asking me to go through this again?” Lucinia grumbled.

“We’re meeting our friend Annalise. She’s… a princess?” Sophie turned to Mila.

Though she was confident, being put on the spot made her feel the need to double check everything. Mila nodded, those were the facts so far.

“Just because she’s royalty doesn’t mean we’ll automatically bond or something.” Lucinia exclaimed with an exasperated sigh.

“Well you can bring people together, can’t you? You organized that peace discussion with the other students and the Carradorians. Brought them on board.” Sophie laid out what she thought was a valid point.

With how Lucinia winced at the mention of this. Sophie started to suspect that maybe the former princess hadn’t quite forgiven herself for the trouble she got involved in and had also by extension gotten everyone involved in.

“My brother. Hah, right…” She paused before shaking her head, “My brother is their friend and convinced them on my behalf. He is… kind, unusually so for one of the family. Dotes on me, used to anyway.” Lucinia mused, her pain transforming into a sort of somberness that Sophie often recognized in herself.

“But it was your cause that spoke to something greater. Annalise will be understanding. Heh, after all, she was quite patient with me.” Sophie smiled wistfully.

Lucinia snickered before looking more grim, “Sure. Back then, maybe. But she’s also the one who carved her way back into her castle. Cursed magicks and all that. It’s a… admittedly a little beyond me.”

“Don’t worry, Raylani will keep you safe.” Elaria joined in.

“The knife? Really?” Lucinia gawked.

“Hey.”

“Sorry. Bad habit." She grumbled, "The elf, the dark elf. Really?”

“She’s a gladiatrice back in her home, and an assassin. Probably one of the best up here.”

“You are too kind, mistress.” Raylani mumbled.

Elaria smiled gently at the dark elf before turning back towards the former princess, “Look. I know it’s a bit out of the blue, but Sophie’s dancing around the main point. You need some field experience, not because we want you to fight or anything. Just that, if you’re really going to help by taking charge of logistics and supplies, then you have to have a feel for how much someone might need doing something.”

The former princess offered only a half hearted grunt of protest.

“Cheer up. Sponsored trip and all that. Maybe one day you’ll leave us behind and then all this might come in handy.” Elaria smiled.

In stark contrast, Lucinia’s expression grew more ashen. A sentiment that Sophie partially understood. The former princess was lucky, in a sense, to have found some way of earning what funds she needed to continue her time at the Academy despite the Traxians cutting off support. Perhaps once they graduated, she might walk a different path. And then, likely nothing Sophie or the others could do would help much.

“Right.” Lucinia murmured.

Elaria sighed, walking over and giving the girl a pat on the back that startled her. The former princess’s eyes narrowing with suspicion at the act only to be met by the bard’s radiant smile.

“It’ll be tough. But it’ll be worth it. But if you really don’t want to go, no worries either, alright? I know we’re not exactly… friends. But we’ve worked with you and you didn’t flake. So you’re dependable enough that I trust you to make the best choices.”

Lucinia seemed taken aback by the sudden compliment. Even Sophie was a little surprised. The fact that despite their collective misgivings about fully involving the Traxian, Elaria was still willing to say that she trusted her meant a lot in her eyes.

Sophie knew that Elaria had expected this by the way her sister subtly winked at her. Having decided that she had delivered what words of inspiration that she needed to, Elaria gave the Traxian another encouraging pat and quietly turned to walk away.

Only when Elaria’s footsteps disappeared down the hall with Raylani quickly following did the remaining three glance at each other. Mila appeared curious rather than surprised. Sophie was trying to gauge the Traxian, finding the girl looking flustered.

When their eyes met, Lucina opened her mouth and then closed it again. She had something to say. Sophie didn’t really know how to react beyond imitating her sister in this regard, reaching out her hand to pat the girl on the shoulder. Except unlike Elaria’s motion, Lucinia gently stopped her hand. Rude.

“Thanks but, she caught me off guard.” Lucinia joked.

Sophie just rolled her eyes, “So? What is it?” She dispensed with the pleasantries, a little miffed that her attempt at friendliness was so actively rebuffed.

Lucinia composed herself, the former princess even cracking out a rare, hopeful smile, “Is umm, is what Elaria said really your opinion too?”

Sophie sucked in a small breath. That’s a hard question to properly answer.

To her side, Mila simply leaned in to listen. Traitor, help me out here.

Replicating the way Sigrid often clicked her tongue in thought, Sophie did so before searching herself for an answer.

“Trust?” I don’t know about that.” She began, instantly seeing a twinkle of bitter understanding wash over the Traxian’s eyes, “But you are reliable. So far. Did what you said you would do, helped how you could. Didn’t just sit while we did everything, well, more or less.”

Lucinia grimly chuckled a little. The last part likely irked her as much as it had bothered Sophie during her excursions with the others to seek out their allies and comrades in the city for the conference. Whatever Lucinia might say or have done, she did stay within the Academy for the most part.

“But trust… hmm, I guess if we get the chance to work together I can learn to trust you like I trust the others. Maybe not to the same extent, but trust in a way.” Sophie tried to reassure her.

“Fair enough.” Lucinia answered, her voice softer than usual, lacking the regal bite that it usually carried, “I guess I appreciate this chance even after everything. And I’ll… I’ll consider Gratia, promise. I… Elaria’s not wrong, I’m not exactly cut out for this. But if we’re to work as a team then, you guys have a point.”

Mila snickered a little, interrupting whatever moment of understanding the two shared.

“What is it?” Sophie frowned.

“Trust hmmm, that’s important, yes. But don’t forget that you’re not working as a royal anymore. This will be a nice chance for you to see the world. Be more considerate of others and everything in-between. Helped me too.” Mila added the last part with a whisper.

“I suppose.” Lucinia mumbled her assent.

“Besides, you’re already a little more pleasant than Sophie had originally described you. Less slurs too. Or so she says.” She joked.

Almost instantly, the Traxian turned to glare at Sophie. Who in turn furrowed her brow in protest at the inquisitor. Mila just offered her own smile and shrugged.

“Just repeating the facts.”

Before the situation could get out of hand, Mila’s smile disappeared, the change in mood bringing bringing any conflict to a halt.

“Look, since we're talking about trust, I don't know how much you or Elaria actually trust her, but I've done some thinking." Mila mused.

"Hey." Sophie protested with mock indignation.

Mila dismissed her with barely a grin, "Listen. Lucinia, I don't know how much I trust you either, but I'll trust you enough to tell you how things are. I was against you coming, but to tell you the truth, I don’t know how Lady Annalise is like now. What she did, I couldn’t fathom her doing it. I don’t even know if any of us could reach her. While we joke about your royal connection, I think it still means something. You might be able to reach her in a way that the rest of us can’t.”

The inquisitor fidgeted a little, Sophie getting the sense that this had weighed heavily on her since the very start. And to think I didn’t even notice, she held back her disappointment from showing, what kind of friend am I?

“You’ve both lost your homes, your families in one way or another. She just clawed it back, and as you said, bloodily so. Whatever she is now, I don’t know who she is. She saved my life back in Melton, from what I hear, helped Sophie out too.”

Sophie just nodded, unwilling to interrupt the inquisitor’s moment of contemplation. But she felt her hands absently touch her ponytail, the stress of that Mila’s words brought along with the gravity of it slowly sinking in.

“At the end of the day, I see it as this. It turns out I do want you with us. Why? Because we’ll need to figure out what to do with her, or to do nothing at all. Maybe we just have a happy, nice reunion, chat, and then we leave.” Mila paused, taking the moment to look at both of them, “But she is toying with foul magicks. Arcane spells that bring back the dead and hold up that accursed wall. Hundreds maybe even thousands died on her march to Monte Del Trisse. Sophie and I are indebted to her in our own ways. Elaria will likely defer to Sophie and Raylani to her. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

The inquisitor let the words sink in. Sophie shuddering as she caught a glimpse of who Mila used to be. The cold, calculating warrior determined to stamp out evil. It was almost comical to her to reminisce on the way they had met, the inquisitor abducting her for an interrogation but was now a friend. Yet here we are now, deciding Anna's fate. What a mess.

Her thoughts made the inquisitor's words all the more poignant. She's actually thought about Anna a lot, huh.

“Yeah. I… I think I get it.” Lucinia finally answered.

“This trip’ll be tough if it’s going to be anything like the last time I was there. So I’m with the others in that I don’t want to force you, but…”

“I get it.”

“Mmhmm. It’d just be nice to have a fresh set of eyes. Someone who could get to know her as a bystander. See what she’s like, not as a friend but as a person who understands the power she might wield. And then, should the need arise. You force us to make a choice that we might not be willing to make ourselves.” Mila sighed deeply, relief appearing on her face now that she had spoken the words she wanted to.

“Stars above Mila.” Sophie swore.

“You know as well as I do that this Anna is not the same one we travelled with. Hells, between the two of us I saw her last and she fucking shot me with an arrow. Things are different, how much? I don’t know. But it is, okay?” Mila hissed, her finger practically pushing into Sophie's chest.

“She probably-”

“Enough. Enough. Black hats, elves, you all... whatever. Please don’t fight.” Lucinia interrupted with a bitter plea.

“Sorry.”

The two mumbled under their breaths.

“I get it. I really do. For what it’s worth, I appreciate that you guys went out of your way to talk to me. There’s just a lot of think about. I mean really? Make a decision like that? Me? Stars... so if you don’t mind. Give me a little time to wrap my head around everything, alright?”

Sophie nodded apologetically to Lucinia as the inquisitor did the same.

“Of course.” Sophie anwsered, “We didn’t mean to pressure you.”

“Mmm. Same. Sorry. Didn’t mean to put so much on your shoulders either.” Mila grumbled.

“It’s fine. Please.”

The three shared a collective sigh.

“Well then, I suppose I’ll go see to Ary, heh.” Sophie tried to lighten the mood.

“Mmm. I’ll go meet with Hanabi and the others.” Mila added.

The two turned to Lucinia, the Traxian rolling her eyes.

“I get it. I should talk to Livy-Lady Olivia, just go.” Lucinia let out a tired sigh.

Sophie bobbed her head in apology once more only to be forcefully dragged out by the scruff of her neck by the inquisitor. Mila offering a quick farewell wave as the two left the Traxian to her own devices. But Sophie was mad. Stars, how is this fair to her now? How can she make any other choice? How could you force this burden on her, just like that.