Chapter 11

“Water blade!”

A violent gust of wind impacted my attack, turning it into harmless droplets. I gritted my teeth as I ducked behind a dirt wall, barely dodging the invisible counter-attack that chipped the corner of my cover. Wind magic really is annoying… but now wasn’t the time to complain. Feeling a swell of mana above me, I hurried to create a water barrier, this time focusing on its density. The water flexed against the rush of air coming at me from above, and I lowered the end of it to create a slope to reduce the strain. A thick cloud of dust resulted from the redirected attack, and I quickly dove into it, hoping it was enough to obscure my opponent's vision. I kept a thin layer of water over my eyes and nose, using it to filter the dirt out of the air as I ran through the flying debris. Sliding into a thin dirt tunnel, I finally had a chance to catch my breath. I can’t stay here. I shuffled out of the tunnel, only to be greeted by a twister that quickly swept my feet out from under me. I flailed in the air a bit before releasing a massive amount of mana and dropping a cube of near-solid water onto myself. The twister’s air currents were disrupted, and it dispersed, and I allowed the cube to fall to the ground. I couldn’t maintain the large amount of water, so most of it dissipated quickly. As soon as I was exposed, I was blasted with a concentrated mass of air that knocked me flat on my back and emptied my lungs.

“That’s the match!” Mr. Tressum called out, and Leah quickly landed beside me. The dirt structures surrounding us quickly melted into the ground. The whole course had been courtesy of Mr. Tressum's magic.

“I’m so sorry, Audrey!” she gently pushed some air back into my lungs, which helped get my breathing back under control. “I didn’t mean to hit you that hard.” I shook my head. It wasn’t her fault I couldn’t take a simple attack.

It was now Thursday, and four days had passed since my practical magic practice started, which included sparing, yet I’ve yet to win a single bout. I sat up, sighing in frustration.

“It’s alright, Audrey. It’s only natural.” Lydia must’ve gathered how upset I was with my progress from my expression. “Most nobles start training when they enter the academy. Some knight and magic-oriented houses even start training before then…” Even Leah, who has the least combat training, can wipe the floor with me in our matches. I traced a finger through the dirt, sullenly listening to my friends.

“I started training when I was eight… It only takes time and dedicated practice. You’ll get there.” Lucia joined in. The other girls nodded, and Mr. Tressum sent a thin smile my way.

“Impatience will only leave you with regrets and can cost you your life in the worst-case scenario,” he said. “But you should be proud of the progress you’ve made already. I can only imagine how quickly you’ll grow when your swordsmanship instructor finally arrives.” Perking up at the mention of my sword lessons, I finally stood up and shook away the disappointment.

“Do you know when they’ll finally get here?!” Excitement laced my voice. I love magic, and my lessons on it, but magic alone isn’t enough to win a fight or defend the people I care about. Physical ability still plays a significant part, and while I’m certainly in better condition than I used to be, I still only have the body of an average sixteen-year-old girl. It just couldn’t keep up with the others when they’ve been at least participating in occasional sparing since they were kids. Even Lydia’s physical conditioning surprised me, considering she spends most of her time doing administrative work.

“I was told he’d be here by the end of the week… so hopefully tomorrow.” My instructor responded, and I felt the excitement in my chest grow. Magic comes extremely easy to me, likely due to my bond with Aurora. It’s so much fun learning new spells and applications, but I haven’t struggled so far with it, and losing so much in training made me realize something. My eyes wandered unconsciously to Lydia, the princess was discussing the changes to my schedule once my sword instructor arrived with Mr. Tressum. It’s surprising how much I enjoy the challenge, but more than that…

“So, who is my instructor anyway?” I ask, interrupting the two.

“Oh? Did I forget to mention it?” Lydia playfully tilts her head and smiles at me.

***

“Good morning, Lady Audrey.” I stare wide-eyed at the talking mountain in front of me. “My name is Theodore Heingar. I will be your instructor in swordsmanship and other forms of combat.” This guy is massive! His long light brown hair hangs down to his shoulders, and the complete set of facial hair leaves me with only one thought: Is my instructor half-bear?! Lydia sensed my thoughts and hid a small laugh behind her hand.

“Sir Theodore is one of the greatest swordsmen in the kingdom. He is also the captain of the royal guard and has instructed every member of the current royal family.”

“You honor me with your praise, Your Highness.” After everything that’s happened in my life, I can’t even bring myself to be surprised at this point. Yeah. Why not?

“I look forward to our time together then, Sir Theodore,” I said with a slight bow of my head. After straightening again, he gives me a little nod. He’s rather stoic… But that thought is quickly proven wrong as soon as we start talking about training. A wooden sword flies my way from somewhere, and I fumble slightly to catch it. “Um, I’ve never actually held a sword before…”

“I’m well aware. The king has informed me of your circumstances. However, in order to create a regimen suited to your needs, I first need to see exactly what you can do right now.” His eyes, the same caramel color as his hair, shine with expectation. “Only through true hardship can one become a master of the blade, and it’s even more necessary for a divine guardian such as yourself.” My head quickly turns, and my eyes meet Lydia’s. She avoided my gaze, suddenly finding a nearby tree that was really interesting.

It’s fine. This is what I wanted, after all. I’m just a little nervous… I take a deep breath and move into a ready stance. Sir Theodore gives me a little nod to start, and I rush toward him. There is no magic since this was a test of my baseline physical abilities.

Finally arriving in striking distance, I swing my arms down. He doesn’t even raise his own and sidesteps just enough that my blade catches nothing but air. Stumbling a little from the forward momentum, I get my feet underneath me again before swinging my sword in a wide circle as I turn. Again, he just moves himself enough to dodge. This continues on for what only had to be a couple of minutes before I collapse onto the grass in exhaustion. Sir Theodore stands with both hands on the hilt of his practice blade in front of him, totally relaxed. He hadn’t even moved from where he started.

“This is worse than I expected. Even a noble lady without any training would have more stamina. Looks like we’ll have to start slowly from the basics…” Sir Theodore seemed to be muttering mostly to himself, but I could still hear him. He really doesn’t mince his words… The gentle breeze caressed my flushed skin, and I just stared at the clouds before a shadow fell over me.

“You shouldn’t worry too much. I’ll even do some of the training with you; it’s a good opportunity for me as well.” Lydia said with a smile. I smiled back, still a little breathless, and sat up. My arms wrapped around my knees as I brought them to my chest, and she sat down next to me. Leah and Lucia also came over, Leah handing me a towel to wipe myself with and a glass of water. The cool water spread through my body as I drank, and a sigh of relief escaped me.

“I know it’s going to be difficult, but at least I finally understand why the sparring matches were so hard for me,” I said, brushing a stray strand of red hair out of my face. “My control over magic is excellent, but my physical stamina can’t keep up with the intense movement that’s still required in a fight.” I glanced at Leah, whose brown eyes met my gaze. “That’s why I can’t even keep up with you, even though we have similar builds.”

“I may be a lady-in-waiting, but I am still a noble. I still have some combat training, just not as much as my lady or Lucia.” She playfully jabbed. “Of course I wouldn’t lose to you right now.” It totally slipped my mind… another sigh escaped me. Sir Theodore and Mr. Tressum came together to discuss my new class schedule. When they were finished, they gestured for us to join them and filled us in.

My magic lessons will move to mostly classroom work to focus on theory while I get used to my new physical training program. The strain on my body would be too much if I continued the sparing matches and conditioning at the same time, and I nodded in agreement.

It was a little late for lunch, but we broke away from the teachers and headed toward the cafeteria. I didn’t have any more classes for the day, so we spent our time eating a leisurely meal and chatting. My new schedule wouldn’t start until Monday, as the academy only holds extracurricular and elective classes on the weekend. As for what my day-to-day is going to look like moving forward, I would start with light workouts and cardio. It consisted of running laps in the morning while it was cool out, balanced with some stretches and flexibility training. After that, I would take some time for mana control and spell practice before moving indoors for my other classes. Once those were over, I would once again go to the practice field for the heavier exercises, like practice swings and learning the forms and techniques of swordplay.

“I know!” Lydia clapped her hands as we wrapped up our lunch. “We should go out this weekend since you won’t have much free time starting next week.”

“That’s a great idea, my lady!” Leah seemed just as excited. “We should go clothes shopping. Audrey doesn’t have anything other than what we gave to her at the castle and her uniform.”

“Wait, I’m perfectly content with what I have already…” I protested.

“Nonsense! Every girl should have her own wardrobe—one full of clothes that she likes and makes her feel beautiful!” Leah passionately stated, her black hair swaying with every dramatic movement. Lydia voiced her agreement, and I couldn’t say no under the combined pressure.

“Fine… I guess it wouldn’t hurt.” I looked at Lucia, who was keeping quiet and listening on in pity. I actually quite like the way Lucia dresses… it’s more masculine, but I don’t think all the skirts and frills suit me much… My gaze seemed to bring the other two to focus on Lucia as well, and her expression morphed from pity to horror as they started discussing what kind of dresses would fit the lady knight as well. At least we’ll suffer together.

***

We ended up heading into town the day after discussing it at lunch. I was so excited at the idea of dressing up Audrey that I submitted the request form immediately after we had finished eating.

“You can stop here. Please meet us back here at seven.” The driver accepted and pulled the carriage over so we could disembark. The streets of the capital were lively and crowded as usual, and we almost got swept away by the throng of people going about their daily errands. Vendors hawked their wares, and mouth-watering scents assailed our senses from all directions. We had eaten breakfast before leaving the academy grounds, but I could feel my stomach begin to rumble at the prospect.

“What should we do first? We can window shop for a while before lunch or head straight to the clothes boutiques. There might even be some street performers if we head to Central Square.” It was a little before noon, so we had plenty of time to do anything we wanted. I turned to face Audrey for a response but only found her in a daze, seemingly overwhelmed by the city. Oh right. She’s never been to town before. Guess we’ll take it slow.

The buildings mostly consistent of white and grey brick buildings. Some were storefronts, and others were residential houses and complexes. I pulled Audrey along behind me as she marveled at every new thing that came into her view. Her scarlet hair was flipping around like crazy. The cobblestone street was reserved for carriages, so we walked down the sidewalk, filtering through the crowds as we wandered around the block. Leah and Lucia followed behind us, keeping a slight distance but close enough to respond should something happen.

Audrey stopped at every window, enthralled by whatever was inside. Sometimes, it was accessories, sometimes stuffed animals or dresses. It didn’t seem to matter what it was. We even lingered in front of a weapons store that had some knives and shortswords on display. She talked with Lucia about them while Leah and I just watched. I’m surprised she’s so interested in them… I hope she doesn’t become a meathead like Abel. I shuddered at the thought.

After window shopping for a while, the noon bell rang out from the central clock tower, and we decided to stop in at a cutesy cafe for lunch. Sitting on their outdoor terrace, we waited for our food to arrive while enjoying our various drinks. Audrey was watching the crowd go by, a slight smile on her face while she sipped her lemonade.

“You seem to be having fun. I’m glad.” I grinned as she focused on me.

“It’s amazing how many people there are… I can’t believe I never knew. And everything in the stores is so interesting.” Audrey said, mirroring my own expression. We hadn’t bought anything yet, but there were definitely a couple of places we were going to stop at again on the way back to the carriage. Having to carry all that around would have been a pain. I took a sip of my drink as I stared at her blue eyes, they hadn’t stopped shining since we arrived. Even simple things like the lemonade she was enjoying were new to her, and I found myself wanting to share even more experiences with her.

“I don’t know how you drink it like that, Leah…” Lucia’s face was screwed up in disgust as she watched my lady-in-waiting sip her drink. They had both gotten coffee, but Lucia had surprisingly filled hers with cream and sugar, whereas Leah enjoyed hers black.

“Doesn’t it just wake you up? I love the way the bitterness just assaults the tongue.” Leah said with a smirk.

“Maybe if you're a masochist…” Lucia mumbled under her breath and received a swift kick under the table. The four of us broke out in laughter before Audrey tilted her head.

“I’ve never had coffee before… does it really taste that bad?” she asked curiously.

“Would you like to try it?” Leah offered her cup, and I could practically see the devil whispering in her ear. Audrey reached out for the cup, but Lucia interjected.

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“Hold on, Audrey. You should try mine first before Leah ruins your perception of coffee.” Leah only frowned and shrugged, a little sad that her prank had been thwarted. Audrey sipped at Lucia’s coffee, before handing it back.

“It’s pretty good! Though that one might be a little too sweet for me…” she said. Lucia looked shocked.

“I didn’t even put that much sugar in!” Uh, you dumped the whole pot in…

“Okay, now try mine!” Leah handed her drink over, and Audrey took another tentative sip before freezing mid-swallow. There was a soft thunk as she set the cup down and slowly pushed it back to Leah. Her eyes glistened with tears, and her face puckered slightly. The whole image was a sneak attack on my heart. Cute overload!

After swallowing with great difficulty, she looked accusingly at Leah.

“That was terrible! Is that even healthy for you?!” She swished some water in her mouth from the pitcher on the table. “I’m glad I tried Lucia’s first…” Leah shrugged again but struggled to contain her laughter. Audrey pouted, then turned to me. “Can I try yours, Lydia?” I had gotten a strawberry lemonade, and it seemed to have piqued her interest.

“Hm? Yeah, go for it.” I pushed it over to her and watched as she took a drink. I couldn’t help but focus on her lips as they enveloped the rim. Ah… isn’t this… Audrey pushed the cup back over, licking her lips.

“Wow, I think I really like lemonade! Mine is great, but the strawberry really balances the flavor!”

The waiter arrived with our food before I could respond, and I found myself staring at my cup in hesitation. I-Isn’t this an indirect kiss… The childish thought embarrassed me, but I couldn’t help it. My cheeks flushed, but Audrey brought me out of my reverie.

“Are you alright, Lydia?”

“Y-Yes! I am!”

Leah and Lucia snickered at my panicked response, and I hastily drained the rest of my drink in defiance. Luckily, the waiter was still around and offered to get me a refill, which I gratefully accepted. After that, the lunch went by smoothly, with us just enjoying each other’s company and talking about nothing in particular. No princess, no attendants. We were just friends having a bit of girl talk, and it was refreshing.

Once we finished our meal, we made our way to the boutique, stopping in the central square to watch an impressive juggling act taking place in front of the ornate fountain. The performer was using wind magic to alter the trajectory of his stick-shaped props, allowing for some truly impressive tricks. I threw some money into his collection bowl, and we continued on our way.

When we finally arrived at the store, we were welcomed by the staff, who were lined up in rows on either side of the door inside.

“Welcome, Your Highness!” They exclaimed in unison with practiced ease. The royal family frequented this shop incognito, so they were accustomed to us dropping in.

A thin older man stepped forward, the manager of the place. “What can we do for you today?”

“We are just browsing for now, but we’ll probably end up buying some things. We’ll call someone over if we need help.” I said, leading the other girls further into the store.

“Of course, Your Highness. I hope you enjoy your time with us today,” he said with a curt bow before retreating into a back office.

We walked through the clothes aisles, ranging from day dresses to work clothes. This place caters to the nobility and richer commoners, often being contracted for employee uniforms of various companies, so the selection was quite varied. Audrey and Lucia stood awkwardly, following Leah and me around like lost ducklings as we picked out various outfits and pieces to mix and match. When the two of us were satisfied, we took them to the changing rooms in the back.

“First up is Lucia! Change into this, and no arguing! This is an order from your princess, after all.” I said giddily. I really wanted to see Audrey, but Leah and I decided to save her for last. Audrey seemed relieved and gave Lucia a pitying glance before joining us. Lucia stood stock still, staring at the casual dress in her hands before her shoulders slumped in defeat, and she disappeared behind the curtain.

A few minutes passed, and all we heard was some faint rustling. “Do I really have to show you…?” Lucia’s weak voice came from the changing room, and all three of us nodded, even though she couldn’t see us. Even Audrey’s getting into it now! Even better for when it’s her turn.

“Of course you do. Now open up if you’re ready!” I said. Another beat passed before the curtain slowly drew back, revealing an embarrassed Lucia, her face flushed crimson as she held down the skirt of the dress. It’s not even that short; why is she holding it like that? The sky-blue dress was just a shade darker than her hair. The skirt went below her knees, and the waist had a light brown belt wrapped around it with a gold buckle. The ensemble made her brown eyes pop and, combined with her current state of embarrassment, made her seem like any other girl. The other knights would have an aneurysm if they ever saw her like this… My eyes drifted down, however, looking at the obvious surprise, and when I looked at Leah and Audrey, I knew that were having the same thought. I never realized she was so blessed. I was aware that Lucia normally wore a binder, even when in the academy uniform, but…

The dress we picked out for her didn’t even have a deep neckline, yet her cleavage was incredible. Yeah… no. Nobody else should ever see this but us. Lucia seemed to notice where our gazes were focused and defensively covered her chest. She was starting to tear up now, and that only amplified the effect. All three of us guiltily averted our eyes.

“Y-You can change now! Don’t worry. The other clothes we picked out should fit better!” I said, handing her a set of clothes that were more along the lines of her usual style. She only nodded meekly before closing the curtain again. While she was changing, I leaned over to Leah. “H-Hey, we should put the other dresses back…” Leah only nodded solemnly and left to return some of the more… risque choices we had pulled. This outfit would take longer to put on, so Leah arrived back in time.

“It’s a miracle she hasn’t been married off yet…” I muttered, only for Audrey and Leah to agree emphatically. Then, the curtain opened again, this time showing us Lucia dressed as a butler. She wore a sleek black suit and a white dress shirt. A black necktie fell neatly down her (now re-bound) chest, and slim black dress pants and black dress shoes shined to perfection to complete the look. Lucia almost always had her hair in a ponytail, which multiplied the look even more.

She seemed a lot more comfortable wearing this than the dress but was still slightly embarrassed about the whole thing.

“Oh my… I think this one is a winner, my lady.” Leah praised. I completely agreed with her. But when would she wear it?

“Is there any chance you’d want to become my butler instead?” I asked jokingly, and Lucia quickly shook her head.

“I appreciate the offer, but being a knight is my true calling. I wouldn’t give it up for the world.” Her eyes burned passionately, and I only smiled. We had her try on a couple more outfits, but nothing compared to the first two. I gave Leah secret instructions to buy the first dress and the butler outfit. You never know when they might come in handy… Lucia herself then chose a couple of casual outfits, even some day dresses, much to the surprise of the rest of us.

“Now… time for the main star of the show!” I pushed a dress into Audrey’s arms and rushed her into the changing room. She didn’t even have time to say anything, and that was because I refused to give her an opportunity to worm out of it—not that she could, with all three of us here… She gave an exaggerated sigh from behind the curtain and changed into her assigned outfit.

When the curtain finally opened, Audrey stood there in a dark blue dress with an outer layer of thin black lace decorating it in various patterns. The sleeves went down to her wrists, and the skirt was pleated vertically while shifting into black near the bottom. Her scarlet hair stood out against it, and her blue eyes stood out against the fabric. The whole thing was breathtaking, and I could only think of one thing to make it better.

“Leah, I need you to put her hair up.”

“In what style, my lady?” She didn’t even question me. What a good attendant I have.

“A half-braid.”

“It will be done.” Leah moved into the changing room, closing the curtain behind her. A glimpse of Audrey’s face showed nothing but confusion when the conversation moved so fast without her, but she didn’t protest. Audrey was wearing her hair down today, and I could only imagine how great she was about to look. Seriously, this girl could be a princess just as much as I am… After Leah finished with her hair, I could only gasp as the curtain opened again, and my heartbeat filled my ears.

Audrey stood there in the same dress, but the hairstyle alone changed the whole image. Her hair no longer covered her collarbone, and her bangs had been pulled out of her face. She had her hands folded in nervousness in front of her but smiled bashfully at me.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were foreign royalty…” The words just slipped out of my mouth, and they set her face aflame. Leah and Lucia voiced their opinions, all positive. The onslaught of praise caused Audrey to draw the curtain closed, leaving only her face peeking out.

“Can I just have the next one, please?” Her pleading voice was adorable, and I couldn’t help the dumb smile on my face as I handed her another dress. This one was a simple white sundress with a big straw hat—a classic. We even made her do a little twirl, and it was once again met with critical acclaim. At this point, everyone was having a blast, and we took turns trying on various clothes. Leah in a lavender dress? Check. Myself in a red ball gown? Check. Lucia in a noblemens getup? Check, also, incredibly attractive. Audrey in a simple plaid dress? Absolutely adorable.

The time passed quickly, and we all walked out with at least two new outfits, laughing and giggling as we reminisced about the more ridiculous ones we had all put on. We grabbed some street food on the way back to the carriage, filling our stomachs with the flavors of the capital before loading everything and heading back to the dorms. At some point, Audrey requested that I go on ahead, and before I could object, Leah pulled me until I lost sight of Audrey. Lucia had stayed behind with her, so I wasn't worried something would happen, but If she wanted to buy something, she could have just said so... They arrived a couple of minutes after we did, and no matter how many times I asked on the way back to the dorm, she wouldn't tell me what she got.

The rest of the night passed quickly, with Audrey crashing in bed before the sun even fully set. I thought back to her throughout the day and grinned at her sleeping face from my pillow. It’s no wonder she’s so tired. She was so excited about everything, just like a little kid… I’m sure she wore herself out. The pleasant warmth in my chest from our day of fun lulled me into an easy sleep as I thought about her. Ah. There’s no use trying to deny it anymore… I am head-over-heels for this girl.

***

The warmth from the previous night had all but washed away as I sipped gracefully from my teacup. The room was suffocated with an awkward silence, nothing to be heard but the quiet tinking of our teacups. Leah stood behind me, watching attentively for any refills that may be needed. Audrey was conspicuously absent for the first time since classes began, and Lucia was with her. They were out in the private practice field doing some self-directed exercises. It was most likely for the best, considering my current company.

“How have you been adjusting to academy life so far?” my question broke the silence, and the other girl stopped mid-drink to set her cup down.

“It’s been wonderful. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming. Your Highness included.” Sasha Rose responded dryly. She did an amazing job pretending she wanted to be here, but she’s much too young to fool me. The tea party we had agreed upon during the opening party had been set for the day after our outing to town. I had wanted to ask Audrey for her thoughts on the matter, but she clams up whenever the topic of her sister is brought up, so I didn’t push it.

Lucky for me, we had agreed to meet in a private foyer the academy allows its students to use for such occasions. Audrey knows I’m busy with other matters, so there is no problem, even if they return to the room early.

“I’m relieved to hear that. If there is anything you need, please do let me know.”

“I’ll gratefully take you up on that then, should the need arise.” My eyebrows twitched as the stifling atmosphere returned in full force. Seriously… is she really only twelve? She stonewalls better than some grown nobles I know… She didn’t seem like the type to enjoy idle gossip or discussions on the latest fashion trends. I may be able to see through her mask, but that doesn’t mean I know how to get her out of it.

Another sip of tea later, I brought up the real reason I wanted to meet with her.

“As you know, I’m the current student council president. I’m currently recruiting new members, as most of the previous council has graduated.” She sat up straighter, wary of the topic.

“I am aware. Are you saying you would like me to join?”

I nodded, glad she cut right to the heart of the issue. “That is correct. I believe you would make a great representative for the first years.”

“What could you possibly be basing that off of? My status?” The last words were laced with so much venom that it briefly killed my train of thought. I cleared my throat before continuing.

“That is a part of it. You are the daughter of Duke Rose, after all.” Her mask slipped, only for a split second, revealing a storm of emotions before she composed herself. “But you should know as well as I that status holds no weight here. I’m mostly judging this from how well you’ve performed in your first week of classes. And I must say that I am quite impressed.” This part wasn’t a lie, either. I have been keeping tabs on her, and she has consistently performed above and beyond her peers in both practical magic and classroom education. Even though she is only a week into the academy, it’s evident she has potential. That, and I’d like to keep her close for Audrey’s sake.

“Nor do I believe you are someone that would attempt abusing their station. I also think you are capable of keeping the other first-years in check, seeing how they are more prone to falling into a hierarchy initially.” This seemed to calm her down, and we sat in silence while she contemplated the offer.

“What would the job entail, if I may ask?”

“Of course. You would work with the other representatives and members of the council to ensure a safe learning environment for the students, which includes creating and voting on policies that you feel may be beneficial. You’d have an active role in school events, such as assemblies, dances, and tournaments, as well as working to resolve any disputes that may occur between students.” She stared at me as I listed her potential responsibilities. Her green eyes, much lighter than my own, widened in surprise.

“A first-year would have so much input?” Her surprise was perplexing.

“Why wouldn’t they? They are students just as much as the sixth-years.” This caused her to fall silent again, but this time it didn’t feel weird. She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again and nodding, causing her soft brown hair to bounce with the motion.

“I accept.”

I smiled widely at her. “Wonderful! You won’t be the only new member this year. I have a couple of others to scout from the other years, so you shouldn’t feel alone while learning the job.” For the first time since we met, I thought I could see past her facade a little. We made small talk while we finished the pot of tea, and the atmosphere was much more relaxed than before.

“Ah. I also heard the sad news recently.” This caused her to freeze up.

“What do you mean?” I sensed I was treading on perilous ground, so I chose my words carefully.

“The Duke mentioned your older sister’s passing last we spoke. I just wanted to give my condolences.” Again, her face flashed with emotion. She struggled this time to control it, but it only lasted a couple of seconds before morphing into melancholy.

“Yes… That is true.” Our meeting time was coming to an end, so I decided to push a little more.

“Were you two close?” At this, she only nodded, staring at her hands in her lap.

“We were… She taught me a lot. I miss her every day…” I could see the tears pricking at the edges of her eyes. Seems like Audrey was a huge weak point for her. Guilt welled up in me, and I handed her a handkerchief.

“My apologies. It was rude of me to bring it up so suddenly.”

“It is alright, Your Highness. If I may, I’d like to take my leave now.” I gave her permission and watched her move to the door. Before stepping out, Sasha turned around with a slight curtsy and said. “I look forward to working with you.” Before she and her maid left the room, moments passed before I leaned back and melted into the chair with a sigh. Leah only smiled and poured me another cup.

“Sasha Rose… She’s definitely the Duke’s daughter.”

“That is true, but I sensed no deceit when she talked about Audrey… She truly does love her.” Leah said.

“That means we have a way to win her over…” I felt bad thinking about politics at a time like this, but I am still a princess, and any way to win over House Rose is one I have to explore.

“We’ll have to continue to monitor her; it would be even better if we could get some inside information on the traditionalist faction,” I groaned. The situation really was complicated. “But before all of that, she is Audrey’s sister. I will not do anything to hurt her.”

“Do you think we should get them to meet up?” Leah asked.

‘No.” I shook my head. “Not yet, at least. Audrey is struggling with something, even if she won’t voice it. If we force a reunion, it will only end in disaster.” I thought back a few nights when Audrey had refused to open up. I know she trusts me, but it still stung a little. But if it’s something she can’t bring herself to speak about, even with me, then it’s better to give her time.

Leah and I left the foyer and made our way to the practice field where Lucia and Audrey were training. The wind was a little strong today, so I held my blonde hair down with one hand while watching them train. Audrey noticed me at some point and gave me a giant smile and wave, which I returned before she resumed her stretches. Why does everything have to be so complicated…