Rime ran his hand through Cyra’s hair as she lay in his lap fast asleep, he smiled at the sight of her puffed cheeks and pouting lips, after everything that had been going on it was nice to see her like this. She actually looked like she was a four year old and not some really short scholar that was studying o solve some disease that was ravaging all of mankind.

He wanted to see her like this all the time; he wanted her to be able to have a carefree life like any other child her age. At the age of four she wasn’t supposed to be focused on the Light magic, she wasn’t supposed to be focused on combat or herbalism or anything that he was doing. She was supposed to be out playing in the mud, eating as much as she wanted, dancing in the rain, sleeping as late as she wanted and playing with children that were her own age, but she wasn’t able to do that and Rime couldn’t help but think that it was his fault.

May things would have been better for her if he had left her in the village to live with one of his neighbors who had always seemed fond of her or if he had left her in the children’s home. Things might not have been comfortable for her but she would have been able to live as the child she was and enjoy life the way she should have been.

He sighed and leaned down placing a kiss on her head, the things that lead to her being here with him and being the person she was had already passed and as much as he wanted he couldn’t go back and change them so he and his sister would have to live through it. He felt good knowing that in just two years he could free his sister and she would go back to being a child while he worked to look after her.

He sighed and glanced around the room, he was feeling tired, they had been studying since early in the morning, attending lesson after lesson and writing till their fingers hurt and then to have to switch to magic display and then martial training, it was just too much and he was tired of it, if he could he would pick Cyra up and go, but there was no where he could go and he was sure everyone would hunt them down.

+

Rime had no idea when he had fallen asleep but he was awoken by the shake of his shoulder. He looked up to see the Grand Mage looking at him, the man had passed a hundred and looked as if he was in his early thirties and Rime wondered just how that was possible, he’d seen a lot of Mages that were young but looked old because of them stress their work caused.

He slowly sat up and looked at the man as he went to the table and grabbed up their things, he came back and helped him to stand as he held onto Cyra. With a snap of his fingers their cloaks were on them with the hoods drawn up and the Grand Mage smirked at him before they appeared in front of the Dean’s residence where they were staying.

The mage nodded to him and he quickly entered the home going straight up to their room, the Mage seemed curious as he went around the room, taking a look at everything particularly the bookshelf, even mumbling that he had the fifth Volume for a book set that Rime had been collecting. He arched his brow as he wondered how the man’s attitude could change just like that.

He shook it from his head and placed Cyra down on her bed, he took her cloak and shoes off and decided to just let her sleep in everything else as he tucked her in. He turned to face the mage that was staring out the window before he turned to face Rime “the two of you have been working hard lately and today you were forced to take in a lot of information at once, but since you were able to get through it I decided that the two of you can have the rest of the day off to do what you want, but tomorrow it’s business as usual, anyways I’ll be taking my leave, see you again.” Rime watched as the older male vanished before letting out a sigh as he dropped down his bed and he was out in a few seconds.

++

It was Saturday and as usual Rime rose early but he felt more rested than usual, he couldn’t believe he had actually slept through the afternoon and night without waking once. Rime stretched all of his muscles even going so far as to crack his back and neck. When he was finished he looked over to where Cyra was still fast asleep, hugging her pillow as she sucked her tongue, he almost cooed at hoe cute she was.

He went over and ran his hand through her tangled locks and pushed them out of her face, he slowly shook her and she huffed turning over as she mumbled something, he tried to shake her again but she kicked out and scrambled closer to the wall taking her blanket and pillow with her, he watched as the tiny thing curled herself into a ball and her body slowly started to relax back into slumber.

“Unbelievable, Cyra it’s time to wake up.” He said as he moved onto the bed and started to shaking her “I know you don’t want to get up but you have too and I don’t even understand why I woke up earlier than you because you’ve been asleep the longest.” She swatted his hands away and made a whining sound before trying to curl in on herself.

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Rime smirked as he slid back off the bed and quickly went to the bathroom and back, she was probably going to be pouty after he did what he had planned but he knew he could just cheer her up with some sweets and the Mage did give them some chocolate that she didn’t know about so that would so just fine.

He watched as she slept for a second before tossing a bowl of cold water in her face. Within a second she had shot up as if lightning had bit her ass and Rime couldn’t stop laughing at the dumb look on her face. She looked at him and then she started crying, Rime choked back a chuckle and moved to pull her into a hug, rocking her as he rubbed her back.

When she had finally calmed down, Rime left her on the bed to wake up a bit more as he quickly went through their draws, he decided that since it was a Saturday they could wear something simple and if anything they could just pull their cloaks shut. He pulled out black fitted pants and a blue tunic with follower designs on it for Cyra and the same outfit for him but his tunic was black and had red designs on it.

He grabbed a blue cloak for Cyra and a Red for him setting it on his bed and turned around to see Cyra running a brush through her hair as she yawned; he went over and quickly helped her frowning because her hair was more than half her height. He watched as she winced every time he passed the brush through it and sighed “We have some time before the lesson begins how about we go see if we can get that haircut we were talking about.” Cyra nodded and he smiled “we’ll tidy up first though.”

They got all their things and made it to the bath, Rime sat down behind Cyra and soaked her hair before running a comb through it; it didn’t seem to hurt as much as before, she was even falling to sleep as she stood. When he was finished he scrubbed both of them down and washed their hair and the rinsed off before helping Cyra to brush her teeth and then did his own.

He dried them down and then they were dressed, he returned their dirty clothes to their room and went down to the kitchen where the Chef was hard at work preparing what looked like pudding and other meals. The man turned around and smiled at them coming over “I know you children don’t have to go early today so I decided a more elaborate breakfast was in order and also because I was given the heads up that you two would be practicing your magic today, so you need plenty to eat.”

They smiled up at him as he moved and set down a large bowl of Baozi, two bowls of rice, a plate of stewed vegetables, large grilled cuts of beef, chicken broth, juice and tea and of course meat and sweet buns, the man smiled “be sure to eat everything while I pack your lunches, let’s see on the menu for lunch we have chicken fried rice, two more grill beef each, of course we have your favorite dumplings, shallot soup and fresh berry juice and water.

And for your treat a crate of fresh cherry plums arrived this morning so you both will have a few, yesterday I had roasted some caramel nuts for a study snack for you but you were out cold and didn’t even wake when I doused you in cold water.” He laughed as the two of them gawked at him “so you’ll have that, we have mango sauce it was made extra sweet for little Cyra and finally I have pudding that will be ready soon and Someone called Professor Harlan had sent two large boxes of white elf chocolate so I guess you can carry that.” Cyra literally jumped for joy and almost fell off her stool at the sound of chocolate.

Rime smiled as they ate, it had been years since they heard from their old professor who had saved his life, they were told that after the incident and then the meeting with the two people professor Harlan had returned home to work with The Elven Royal Academy. He honestly never thought he would hear from him again but every time his dark magic teacher got the chance she would tell him how the man was doing and asked how he was on behalf of Professor Harlan, he was happy the man wasn’t a hard ass like he had thought.

Soon they were finished eating and their lunch had been packed away the Chef setting it one the counter before collecting their empty dishes “you know I never thought my work here was appreciated because the people that hired me never really sat to eat a meal I cooked but since the two of you came I can rest easy that my talent hasn’t gone to waste, now if only the two of you would get plum I’d have some physical proof.” They broke out into laugher.

Rime smiled “well we’d probably be dead by now with anyone else so thank you.” The older man nodded “oh and Cyra and I want to get our hair cut before we head off to classes do you know anyone that can do it?” the Chef nodded and went to the door that lead out the kitchen, he smirked at them before yelling someone’s name really loudly causing them to cover their ears.

It wasn’t long before a woman in a white tunic dress, black socks and boots walked into the room, her white hair pulled up into a stylish bun that had a few clips sticking out of it “you know old man the next time you call my bloody name for the whole realm to here I drown you in a pot of your famous chili soup.” Rime and Cyra’s eyes widened and the man laughed shaking his head “what can I do for you?”

The Chef gestured to Rime and Cyra and she turned to them with a smile “we were looking to get our hair cut.”

The woman seemed to beam “really you mean it?” Rime nodded and she smiled running over to hug him “I thought my shears were going to go dull in this freaking house, come lets go to my room and we can discuss the latest styles.”

“Sara the children have to be out to classes soon, don’t dilly dally.” Sara stuck her tongue out at the chef before taking both of their hands and leading them out the kitchen.