After the first night the queen, Siena, and Raia went to the furniture shop to buy some furniture. When they entered a shop assistant noticed them and asked "Do you by any chance need any help ma'ams" "Yes please we would like to furnish a nursery for this little girl and a bedroom for her" answered the queen pointing to Siena, she was relieved that the saleswoman did not recognize her if not there would have been all sorts of trouble between the shop not accepting money, sending in a manager who most likely would have tried to make connection and other such shenanigans.
Right after the girl who was accompanying them showed them some cribs mostly white or pink painted wood that were mostly base models "Could you please show us some models with an integrated noise alarm" asked to the girl queen Laura "Yes ma'am right this way" she replied trying to remain professional and not seem exited even if she was doing a really poor job with it probably cause it was her first time selling something so expensive.
When they arrived at the designated aisle she showed them some other more refined cribs definitely intended for nobles, one in particular stuck with Siena it was a cream-painted wooden crib with some light pink veils on the sides "Your ma" "Laura I told you to call me Laura Siena" "Yes L-Laura I really like this one" "Then we will go with this one... how should I call you lady?" "Crea will do ma'am and perfect this crib will be.
Should we go select some wardrobes ma'ams? " "Yes thanks Crea" Queen Laura responded the shopping lasted another two hours or so where they selected a non-painted dark wood wardrobe for Siena a lighter one for Raia a sing sized bed and some carpets, armchairs, and sofas for both rooms.
"The total amount is 4300 Igres ma'ams," igres were the highest form of currency, (1 Igres is about 1 Euro), and one-hundredth of an Igres is one Gres,(about 1 cent), "F-4300 that is too much Laura" "Don't worry Siena that is even less than what I was expecting" "Less how much were you expecting" "About 10000 that is how much we spent on our kids rooms" "10000! Huhuhu I'm not feeling very well" "Does she need a doctor ma'am?" Said alarmed Crea "Don't worry Crea she just don't know what being rich mean and now she is experiencing the shock of someone spending near ten times her salary on two three year old kids rooms," "Don't say it like it's a normal thing Laura" said Siena now calming down a bit "Actually that is pretty normal for nobles around here ma'am" confirmed Crea "Ok I understand now can we get it over with I really feel like my legs are going to give out and with Raia in my hands that is not the best idea" said Siena looking at the baby in her hands "Okay okay Crea can I have a credit contract?" said the queen "Yes ma'am just one minute," and with that she had gone to the counter to take the credit contract leaving the queen and Siena alone.
"Laura let me pay, you and your hausband are alredy doing more than enough for me and Raia by giving us a home to live confortably in. I have some savings I will find somewere to work and manege somehow I don't want to be indebited to you more than this when you are alredy in a tough position, cause if anyone came to know that you are helping the disowned daugther of Kray the royal family would be laughed at for helping someone usless, giving us two rooms is more than enogh," said Siena, hoping to convince queen Laura.
"Nope absolutely not you are not going to pay a penny that has to be saved for the academy cause, I doubt Kray will pay for it. We will give you a job as a maid and every maid has the right to a room for her and her family," rebutted the queen, adamant to pay for her friend.
"Please Laura I beg you more so if you are going to give me a job, I will have a steady and assured income in the next ten years I will make more than enough to pay for Raia tituition," continued Siena, hoping to end the argument.
"Siena please hear me out, yes in ten years you will be able to afford the tituition but you will haver to starve. Those money will get you the food you need for the next three years or so, than you will menage to pay at least the first half and apply for an extension because you have 90% of the next tituiton ready and enough income to cover the next half in a year, you know you have to do as I say if you do the math."
"Wait the tituition is 140000 for nobles 1300 a month 10 month a year 130000 plus 10000 in my savings, about 13000 for ten year worth of food and some doctor trips hopfully not many, leave 128000 so 68000 after the first half 90% is 63000 that will leave 5000 to spare, if I pay now 700 that is not enough in case of unexpected events,do I really need to rely on you?" admitted frustrated Siena, "Yes you do, and i'm realy happy to do it, you helped me a lot when we were in school and I want to be of help to you and Raia."
Right at that moment Crea returned with the contract and Laura the queen went to pay with her, getting a lot of compliments for her sublime service and her first big purchase that later on will help her rise positions in the company.
And like that, nearly 5 years passed, till we were the day before Raia's birthday the day when she would have received her spirit.
A day of joy for everyone but not for us as she will never be able to use it, our only hope is that she will at least have low amounts of mana so that she would not have been able to live off being a magician anyway, but that is only a wishful dream.
With her father being who he is, and magic being more likely than not to be passed on to one's children...
"Ahhh" yawned Raia, "Wait what day is today?" she aked herself, "I have to ask Siena quickly, now where am I," Raia said, searching the chair at the right of the bed so she would know where she is in the bed, as it would not be the first time she slept sideways.
"OK found the chair," she said, while she started to carefully get off the bed "Now clothes," she had to go five steps straight to reach the wardrobe that she opened and reached for the first available piece of clothing with the matching outfit carefully prepared by Siena, so that Raia wouldn't have clothes of all different colours and wouldn't be made fun of by people that did not know her passing for whatever reason by that aisle of the castle.
When she was done dressing up she exited the room excitedly in the direction of Siena's room, when she arrived she loudly yelled "Mom are you inside?" while also banging on the door, when she didn't receive a reply for about a minute she assumed she was already at work and being that she didn't remember what day it was she just went to the twins rooms so that she could ask them where her mom was.
On her way there she recognised the sound of the queen steps so she bowed and said, "Good morning your majesty the queen," cause she heard some other footsteps she didn't recognise and assumed they were of some noble lady the queen was entertaining a conversation with, "Good morning Raia, relax she know you already. You just probably didn't met her enough to recognise her steps, more so you and her never talked," said the queen, noticing her stiff and detached attitude trowars her own aunt, a thing that made her a bit sad because she already told her a thousand times that she could call her aunt anyway and she would deal with whatever the person she was with had to say about it, but no matter what she said she continued to act like she had no relationship with her at all, "So she is Kray and Sara's daughter Laura?" the lady asked.
"NO, I'm Siena's daughter they abandoned me because I am blind and told everyone that I am like this to make my life hell, I will never recognise them as my parents," Raia said, almost yelling, a moment later recognising that she just yelled at a noble she instantly apologised, "I'm really sorry I was out of line I shouldn't have talked," Raia said, while bowing, "No I was the insensitive one, I should have imagined that you hated them for abandoning you I'm really sorry.
Stolen novel; please report.
Oh and I didn't introduce myself I'm Annie one of Laura's and probably even your mom's classmates," said the lady, with an int of pity for the girl and her condition, "Yes Annie the Senia she's talking about is our old classmate," confirmed queen Laura, "Thanks for your kind and comprehensive words lady Annie," said Raia, really thankful to the lady for her words.
"Aunt Laura have you seen my mother she was not in her room?" asked Raia, making the queen happy cause she called her aunt, "I'm sorry Raia I haven't seen her today as for why she wasn't in her room it's nearly 10 o'clock in the morning she is already at work," replied the queen, "Is there any chance that Marcus or Lilia may know where she is," asked Raia, almost in a hurry, thing that didn't go unnoticed by her aunt that then asked, "Raia are you searching your mother to ask her if tomorrow is your birthday am I right?" "Yes I wanted to be sure I had counted right," answered Raia, as her cheeks reddened, a little embarrassed that she had been raeded like an open book.
"Yes Raia tomorrow is your 5th birthday," answered Aunt Laura, seeming sad at her niece excitement "So mum will be free this afternoon right?" asked Raia almost instantly, "Yes Raia your mother will be free to tell you what will happen tomorrow," the queen said, and Raia lit up with exitement, "I will go play with Marcus and Lilia while I wait," Raia said alredy exited to tell her cousins about the news, "Raia they are training right now you can't go alone and I can't accomopany you, can you wait till dinner to tell them?" said queen Laura.
"Okey i'll wait," said Raia, slightly sad, "Is mister Olaf free, it shold be his day off even if I would have prefered it being tomorrow," asked Raia to her aunt that responded, "Yes he should be free I think, you can find him in the cafeteria of the barracks."
After that Raia went trowards the barracks and when Annie was sure she was far enough so that she could not hear her she said, "Two things first you liked that she called you aunt am I right Laura, second thing with mister Olaf she mean the capitan of the guards rigth? How does she know him," asked Annie, shocked that the girl knew someone so difficult to see.
"To respond to your firs question, yes I liked she called me aunt am I wrong tho she is always so stiff when there is someone she doesn't, know trying to not let them figure out she is blind, I just want her to always call me aunt," queen laura responded pouting, "For your second question she got lost last year, she was still to young to remenber the palace structure perfectly and playing hide and seek with Marcus and Lilia she lost track of where she was, and sarted crying while randomely roaming around the castle, capitan Olaf found her and brought her to Marcus and Lilia's rooms so now every once in a while when capitan Olaf is free she spend some time with him and the guards," said queen Laura, "Whow what a lucky girl, NO I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that," Annie, a young looking ladywhith red hairs and green eyes, instantly apologised correcting herself.
"Don't worry Annie, I know what you meant and even if she was here she wouldn't have cared she is at peace with her situation and is even exited for something she know she will not be able to use, and is the very reason her parents abandoned her so don't worry, now do you want some tea?" "Yes, I would love to".
At the barrarcks gate, Raia arrived and the guard instantly recognised her, "Hi Raia are you here to see the capitan?" said the guard, "Yes, I heard that he should be on his day off am I right?" replyed Raia, "Yes he is in the cafeteria, I will call someone to accompany you, as we are in the middle of training and it could be dangerous," replied the guard.
"Raia how are you," "Capitan Olaf," replied in unison both the guard saluting the capitan and Raia who whaved her hand in his direction, "Rest Grace, and you Raia what are you doing around here?" after that was said Grace returned to her duties and Raia said, "I came to tell you that tomorrow is my fifth birthday," at that both him and Grace looked at her shocked "it's alredy time," continued Olaf, "Yes I can't wiat, I am a little sad that your day off is today but it is what it is," Raia exitedly annouced, "I am on my day off," said Grace, "Would you come if I invited you Grace?" asked Raia, "Absolutely it would be my pleasure," said Grace, lighting up a smile on Raia's face.
After that she spent a little over an hour talking to Capitan Olaf about what she had been doing for the past month or so, when it was about to touch up noon Olaf went with her to the dining room where she would meet her mother soon "Thanks captain for the wonderful morning" thanked Raia "No problem it was wonderful talking to you Raia" and with that captain, Olaf returned towards the barracks to spend the rest of the day with his comrades.
When her mother arrived she instantly jumped in her arms screaming loudly and excitedly "Mom tomorrow is my birthday" "Yes it is darling it's your time finally, you are really excited I see" said Siena "But first this day has to pass and right now we have to eat" continued Raia's mom "Yes mom what is there to eat today" asked Raia "Nothing fancy just some fried eggs and toasted bread" responded her mom.
After eating they went inside Raia's room where her mom would give her as for tradition a small explanation of what would happen the day after and she started like this "I know you are excited about tomorrow but first I need to give you one recommendation: you can't gauge someone age by their voice because they are a lot older than what it seems from the sound so don't be fooled".
(Author Note: in this world, time is different first and foremost there are ten months in a year, every month is 40 days and there are no leap years also people's body age differently from our world in this one their body age three times quicker than us till they acquire magic then their body age four times slower, so if a person from our perspective look about 30 they are in the sixties range example Raia is 5 but her body is that of a 15-year-old girl here on Earth her father Kray look 30 but in reality is 65)
"Now on to the main explanation tomorrow mornig we will go to the church with aunt Laura, Uncle Klaus, Marcus and Lilia so I will come to wake you up early and I will prepare a suiting outfit, before you ask yes it could be a little unconfourtable but bear with it, at the church the Priest will do a speech than he will call every kid name, when yours is called you will have to get up and go to the priest alone, I can't go with you that is why we did those trial rounds the other day ok?" said Siena, with this she meant that some days before, she and Raia went to the church when there were no celebrations and she helped her creating a mental image of the church, and the path she would have to do.
"Ok mom I memorized the distance so there should be no problems," Raia responded, "Before you say that remember that every noble will know who you are when they call you, so they will probably start whispering, don't pay them any attention and just go on, when you arrive in front of the priest kneel, the priest will do the chant then he will ask you to show him the back of your dominant hand, show it to him and he will read out loud your magic ponit number your attribute and spirit animal then and only then you will be allowed to talk just say the phrase we practised, after that the Priest will give you permission to return to your seat so get up and with the same demanor reurn to our seats, anithing that isn't clear?" asked Siena, to her daughter.
"No mom but I would like to ask something, how many people can sit in the bench that is assigned to us?" asked Raia, leaving Siena a little confused, but still she responded wanting to see what her daugther meant with that question, "Confortably around ten why do you ask?" "Cause I may or may not have invited Grace the gate guard at the soldier barracks, when this morning I went there to talk to capitn Olaf who was on his free day I mentioned it when he came to pick me up at the gate, and I also said that I was sad that he couldn't attend at that moment Grace said she is on her free day tomorrow and I asked if she would like to attend and she responded yes, is there a problem?" Raia said, awaiting her mother's answer, "No my dear tomorrow is YOUR special day you can invite whoever you want but don't force anyone ok, I know how you can be sometimes," answered Siena, happy that her daughter had someone who wanted to come to her special day.
Later that day at dinner Raia announced that the day after would have been her 5th birthday at that the king and the twins congratulated all of them were a little sad for her, being so excited over something that would give her the only pain in her life.