It was sometime in the afternoon when Rime stood in front of Cyra's closet going through her things so he could find something for his now six year old sister wear. He flicked through her things looking at all the clothes she had worn throughout their school days and realized that none of them would suit the occasion that was today. So he stepped back from her closet and went to their bedroom door twisting the door open and instead of walking out into the hall he walked into a large bedroom.

The woman was sitting on a chair in on her balcony and went inside when she heard her door open and was met with the sight of Rime walking in her room with a puzzled look on his face. She braced on the wall and asked him what was it that he wanted "I need to take Cyra in town today, I just went through our stuff and realized that we don't really have anything nice and I would feel bad having her wear the same clothes today."

The woman nodded "so you want to go and buy something for the two of you to wear today, but I think it would be better if you just made her something. Otherwise she might end up in something similar to what one of the students little sister will be wearing and it won't be so special after all." As she spoke she made her way over to him and folded her arms over her chest so she could watch him as he thought it over.

Rime nodded giving a yes to the idea causing the woman to smile, he watched as she looked up and stroked her chin, before her smile seemed to widen and she looked back at him. "It seems I've just come up with the perfect idea, you can go and get you and Cyra ready and I'll bring down your clothes when you're finished." Rime gave her a skeptic look, she rolled her eyes, took him by the shoulders and turned him around opening the door and shoving him into his room.

Rime sighed because he wasn't too sure what the woman was thinking but then he remembered the way she would dress and carry herself and figured that they were in good hands. He looked over to his bed where Cyra was cuddled up in his sheet with her arms tightly wrapped around his pillow. He smiled at the sight and walked over taking a seat on the bed so he could pat her arm to make her wake up, but Cyra didn't give him a reaction as she slept on.

Rime sighed and tried to wake her again but again he received no response so he got up, went into the bathroom, got a cup of cold water and returned to the room pouring it on her. Cyra jumped up with a start and her eyes flashed around the room until they landed on Rime and she pouted making him roll his eyes "Don't give me that look, I let you sleep all morning but now we have to prepare, today's a big day and it won't do for us to be late."

Cyra took a few more minutes stretching and yawning before she stretched her hands out in a gesture for Rime to pick her up and he did. He carried her to the bathroom and stripped them both down and placing her in a large tub that was already filled with warm water and got in behind her. He took a soap liquid and poured it on her head after telling her to close her eyes, he scrubbed it into her hair that had grown just below the middle of her back.

He scrubbed it until it was foaming and then ran a comb through it when he was done , he rinsed it out and did the same to his own hair that was just an inch shorter than hers before he scrubbed the both of them down and brushed their teeth. He got out and put the tub to drain leading him and Cyra under the fountain like thing that shot water out and rinsed them down. He got them dressed in their underwear after drying them down paying extra attention to their hair.

When they walked in the room the woman was standing there with a smile on her face as she stared down at Rime's bed where their outfits were. Rime saw his first the closer he got and realized that it was a simple black suit, with a black silk shirt and a red tie with a black chain. He nodded liking how simple it was and then his eyes caught Cyra's outfit and all he could do was smile on as he watched his little sister go crazy over it.

Her dress was the same shade of black and red as his suit and tie, the top was made of black lace with a black under layer, long sleeves and a high neck. While the bottom was a high-waisted red satin skirt, the front of the skirt stopped just above her knees and got longer as it went around the back until if was hanging just behind her ankles and along with it there was a black gem jewelry set. Rime watched as the woman began to dress Cyra and decided to do the same for himself.

When they were finished dressing the woman set Cyra on the bed and quickly oiled her hair running a brush through it, she brushed all of her hair over her left shoulder and then took a comb and separated the top layer from the bottom before she put the top in a pull through braid and let it hang along the hair. She helped Cyra put on her jewelry and then made her way to the closet where she pulled out her ankle leather sole platform boots and brought it for her to put on quickly. When she was done she got her down from the bed and put her to spin around clapping at how beautiful Cyra looked.

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She told Cyra to go sit in a chair and then called Rime to sit where she oiled and brushed his hair, she gave him a side part and brushed his hair again. Then on the left side where there was less hair she plated three braids and let it hang down before she attached gold rings to each. When she was finished she went to his closet and pulled out pointed ankle dress shoes and he slipped them on before getting off the bed and turning for her.

She clapped her hands and made him stand next to Cyra before she clicked her fingers a few times, she went over and pulled them into a hug. "Have a good time and don't stay out too late... not that you would."

They smiled at her and she took their hands, with one step they were standing in front of the black metal doors that lead out of the castle. It was two months ago that they had left the castle to sit their exams and hadn't left since their return because they found that they had more fun in the castle than when they were out of it. Rime turned to the woman who gave him a questioning gaze "aren't you coming with us, I mean it is partially your fault that we're standing here right now."

She smiled and shook her head "no I will not be coming with you but don't worry for I will be watching and protecting you from the shadows, not that you need much protection."

She patted their backs and the doors opened just as their cloaks appeared on their shoulder and a sack appeared in Rimes hand with the woman telling him to spend wisely, then they were out the door. Rime held Cyra's hand as they headed down the stairs and onto the open field looking back to see the castle vanish before they turned and headed on their way. They walked down the long path going past the school buildings.

As they passed each one they were able to see people as they came into view, teachers students and their family were all lined off, some family's stood to the side as they watched their children talk to their friends. Rime and Cyra were soon among the crowd and as soon as they were everyone's eyes had gravitated to them. Rime pulled Cyra closer to him and his eyes roamed over the crowd watching everyone in warning to stay away from them.

Everyone except for one person seemed to repel from his look as the person grew closer and closer to them, Idina was standing tall in a beautiful black gown that had a train running behind it. Her hair was pulled back in an elegant bun and she was adorned with gold jewelry and a gold hair piece. "well don't the two of your look absolutely gorgeous, I never knew you had this much taste Tagon so I'm quite impressed, but what do you think." she asked turning slowly, she looked to Rime when she came to a stop and got no reaction from him making her shrug.

"Why even bother asking him how you look when you know you're not going to get an answer?" A deep voice came from behind Rime and he glanced back to see Burne approaching them. He wasn't decked out in all gold like Rime was expecting instead he was dressed in a black tux with a white shirt and gold vest and tie. Idina shrugged at his question just as he came around to stand next to her placing his hand on her back.

Rime arched his brow at the action and Burne gave a bright smile "she's my fiance, it was decided last fall when our parents met up so soon after graduation we're going to be getting married." Rime looked at Idina who shrugged but had a small blush tinting her cheeks. Rime shook his head at the sight and moved to walk around them taking Cyra with him who happily went along even speeding up her steps.

Rime was hoping that his actions would deter them from wanting to talk to him and Cyra but he knew he was wrong when he heard them following behind them. It's not that Rime and Cyra hated them it was just that they had spent most of their time either with each other or the adults that looked after them. So every time they were around the other students it just felt a tad overwhelming and they would need a way to get out, so in the end they just decided to avoid socializing all together.

Rime and Cyra made their way into the auditorium where the graduation ceremony would be kept, everything had already been set up some time ago and had just been waiting to be used. They went along the seats looking for their names until they ended up on the front line and could see other students names but theirs weren't showing up. Rime was starting to get worried that maybe the school would have forgotten that he and Cyra did go here, until he saw their names sitting on the two chairs that were on the end of the row.

Rime's name was on the very end followed by Cyra then Idina and then Burne, so he lead Cyra to the end and placed her to sit down before taking his seat. He looked up to see Idina and Burne frowning but moved to take their seats nonetheless only to be stopped by the sound of a loud shriek that echoed through the auditorium. All of them snapped their heads to the side to see a woman that was decked out in gold from head to toe.

And a sense of dread hit Rime as he realized that was the woman he had had an issue with on his first day at the academy.