“Abrial! Abrial, what are you doing outside?”

Someone was shaking her gently.

“Mm — uhm?” Abrial mumbled, blinking blearily awake. Drool was pooling uncomfortably in the grass by her right ear. Ah…she’d fallen asleep on the hill.

Hovering over her was a very concerned, heart-shaped face with sharp hazel eyes. Finley was staring down at her, eyes darting over her face like she was looking for a sign of injury or sickness.

“Did you sleepwalk?” Finley asked, pressing a cool hand to Abrial’s forehead.

“Uh…” Abrial groaned, trying to sit up. Ouch! Her back hurt from lying in a weird position all night. “I just came out to see the stars…and I fell asleep…shit, that hurts…”

Finley helped Abrial push to a sitting position. Wincing, Abrial moved to wipe away the drool on the side of her face with her right robe sleeve. Before she could, Finley gently grabbed hold of her wrist and pulled it away, instead wiping her cheek with a pocket cloth. Abrial’s eyes widened. Finley’s face was near her own, her honey brows frowning in concentration. Abrial’s cheeks reddened, remembering last night. She looked away.

At last, Finley pulled away. Abrial heaved a silent sigh of relief. She let Finley help her to her feet.

“Why did you leave the tent last night?” Finley asked. “Did you have a panic attack, by any chance? If so, I can brew you a calming tea to help relieve the symptoms.”

Abrial’s face reddened. She scowled, pulling away from Finley.

“I didn’t have an attack of panic! Okay? I haven’t had one since leaving the house. I don’t have those anymore.”

“Oh?” Finley’s honey eyebrows remained raised. “That is good.” Finley studied Abrial’s face, though Abrial was avoiding her eyes. “The breeze has been cooling lately. Autumn will be here soon. Come change and then come to eat at the dining tent. It is almost past breakfast time.”

Abrial’s stomach rumbled in answer. Hesitantly, she nodded, embarrassed at her own outburst. The two of them turned back in the direction of Finley’s tent, white night robes fluttering together in the breeze.

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Today, Abrial wore her magnificent shadow-black robe from Shin Minyeo. Finley very hesitantly agreed to also wear her rosy-white and golden robe over her pale dress. Walking next to one another between tents, they could be mistaken for two goddesses: one a goddess of shadows, the other a goddess of spring.

They attracted many looks in these majestic robes. Some people made impressed comments to one another, while others shouted directly at Finley and Abrial.

“That’s Finley Fellner and the new magician — Han Abrial, was it? They look like queens!”

“You two look stunning! Young lady, you are a treasure to the eyes in that pink color!”

“Those robes have a high craftsmanship — they must have cost a fortune!”

“Are they former noble ladies? That white robe looks especially fine. The black one is a bit intimidating…”

Abrial noticed Finley starting to behave strangely as the compliments piled. Finley’s shoulders hunched, and she started pursing her lips and clutching the folds of her robes. Most of the comments seem to be directed towards Finley and her goddess-like robe, rather than towards Abrial, which made sense. Abrial’s robe was intimidating up close, with that glittering golden dragon across the back, and shadowy fabric. But overall, it wasn’t too extravagant. And it was pretty in the way that Finley’s robe was, with its golden threads and rosy hues. Abrial caught herself staring at Finley with an unconscious smile. Quickly. she wiped the smile off her face, then gazed at Finley out of the corner of her eye again. Just as she’d imagined, Finley’s honey hair glittered just like the dark golden threads of her robe.

Finley clutched her robe tighter and tiger with each compliment. Her face grew paler and paler. Abrial frowned. What was wrong? Suddenly, when they had almost reached the dining tent, Finley abruptly stopped.

She swept off the robe in one smooth motion, folding it hurriedly into a neat roll and tucking it under her arm.

Abrial stared, bewildered. “What’s wrong? Is it really uncomfortable or something?”

Finley’s face was still pale. It took her a moment to answer, like she was finding her voice again.

“I do not like it when people stare at me,” she said quietly, her voice serious. “I feel like an object on display. I would rather wear this in private or admire its beauty. I will go and get us food now.”

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With that, Finley disappeared into the tent in a flash.

Abrial stood there for a second, bewildered. Finley had looked so beautiful in that robe, like a real goddess. All of those compliments had been deserved. Did Finley not believe them? Did she not like the robe?

Frowning, she entered the tent and sat down at an empty spot along one long table. She thought about what Finley had said.

Finley returned after some time and set down two bowls of steaming thin white noodle soup and two sets of chopsticks. As she did, Abrial propped her chin on a hand and frowned, examining Finley’s face with a baffled expression.

“Did you take the robe off because you thought it made you look bad? You’re beautiful, so why would you think you look bad?”

Finley’s hand jerked. She had been pouring water into a wooden cup for Abrial, and the water spilled over onto the table. After standing there frozen for a second, she pulled out a pocket cloth and began wiping up the spill, ears burning pink.

“...That is not the reason,” Finley explained in a strange voice, sitting back down and picking up the water jug again. She seemed to have mostly composed herself. “Please do not think that I do not like the robe you brought for me. It is just that…” She paused, her face pale. “...I felt…anxious. Also, I felt pretentious. I do not want to feel as if I am showing off wealth or power. I…do not want to flaunt anything.”

Abrial nodded slowly in understanding, pulling a bowl of noodles towards herself. That all made sense. Finley had spent the last ten years as a servant holed up inside Abrial’s parents’ house, talking only to Abrial’s family and the other servants. She must not be used to being around a lot of people or being examined, even in a positive way. And about being pretentious, hadn’t Abrial herself rejected the robe from Shin Minyeo at first because she thought she would look like she was showing off? She’d come to realize since that firstly, she felt powerful wearing it, and she didn’t care much whether others thought she was showing off; and secondly, with the way the robe was made, the shining golden, silver, and scarlet threads were so subtle that the robe itself didn’t look extravagant. Shin Minyeo really had taken everything into consideration. It was a perfect robe for fighting, for comfort, and for any occasion. Unlike Finley’s beautiful robe, which was almost more detailed than a wedding robe.

“I understand,” she said aloud, nodding. “You look good in it, but don’t wear it if you don’t like wearing it. It’s a present for you, anyways, so you can choose how you want to use it. Let’s eat now!”

With that, she lifted her bowl hungrily and slurped down half of the hot white noodles in one gulp.

Finley’s warm hazel eyes curved into smiling crescents that Abrial didn’t see.

“Don’t eat too quickly,” she warned, picking up her chopsticks.

Abrial hummed in agreement, gulping another mouthful.

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Instructor Wei had asked Finley to show Abrial around the Wei camp over the next few days, and to explain what was done daily. So, Finley invited Abrial to attend a class with her after breakfast.

“Leader Bi Gho teaches this class,” she explained on the way. “As this is primarily a camp for magicians, it is important to teach lessons to help people develop and preserve the art of magic. The class is centered on basic magic— the control of water, air, fire, and such. All are invited, from those who do not know how to perform basic magic, to those who simply wish to fine-tune their practices. Leader Bi Gho is a good teacher.”

Abrial’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, and a sprinkle of sulkiness.

“You never taught me how to do those things,” she pouted. “How come you’re letting me learn them so easily now?”

Finley’s lip twitched into a small smile as she set down her chopsticks over her empty bowl. “If I had taught you these things at your parents’ house, you might have given yourself away and performed magic in front of them. I only taught you healing because you are always getting injured. Now that you have escaped, I will not stop you from learning what you want.” After a moment, she added grimly, “Unless it is something harmful, like how to crack open a watermelon with your forehead. Then, I will not let you learn it.”

Abrial, who had started grinning, pouted again.

“But that sounds fun! You can’t stop me from learning things like that, either, you know! I’ll just do them when you’re not around.”

Finley’s expression remained grim. “I cannot always stop you, but I will try my best.”

The two of them brought their dishes to the washing station, then left the tent to head towards Bi Gho’s class. After they’d been walking for a little, Abrial suddenly stopped in her tracks, eyes wide. She snatched Finley’s wrist, pulling her to an abrupt halt as well.

“What is that?” Abrial muttered, her eyes laser-focused on something moving behind the next row of tents over. Anyone who knew her well could see that her obsidian eyes were brimming with excitement. The sound of rapidly clashing blades was floating over the tents from that direction.

“That is the morning blade fighting class, for those who wish to join the active rebel forces,” Finley explained. “There is a little time before Lady Bi Gho’s class. Would you like to watch for a bit?”

“HELL YES! Let’s go!” Abrial dragged Finley forward between the skinny gap between tents that was not meant to be walked through, straight towards the sound of clanking metal.

“Abrial!” Finley cried out, too late. Abrial’s grasp was strong as a vise, pulling Finley forward with the speed of a river. “Careful! We should not go this way—”

Abruptly, the two of them burst out from the space between tents, Abrial still firmly gripping Finley’s wrist. There was a panicked shouting noise, and the sound of metal swishing through the air. Abrial’s dark eyes darted to the left to see a flash of silver swiping towards her neck.

She ducked, violently yanking Finley down with her.

She hadn’t needed to, though. At the last moment, another slender silver blade had appeared from thin air, deflecting the sword slashing towards her neck.

Abrial and Finley both lay crouched awkwardly on the ground, covering their heads.

“I told you…” Finley murmured, her face grim. Her wrist was still clutched tightly in Abrial’s hand. “We should not have come this way…They are in the middle of a sparring lesson.”

“Idiot! Who just runs into a blade fight like that? Fuck, I could’ve killed you!”