Eamon sat at his study desk, staring out of the window. The faint murmur of castle life surrounded him, but his mind was elsewhere. Since his recovery from the strange illness, he had been restless. His lessons with his mentors challenged him, but something still felt incomplete. The secret tutoring sessions with his sisters had been fruitful, but now they were craving more knowledge—knowledge they weren’t supposed to have.

He glanced at Liora, who stood quietly by the door, ever-present yet ever-distant. Their recent conversations had opened his eyes to how little he knew about her desires and dreams. He knew she had grown bolder since their last talk, but he also saw hesitation and fear in her eyes, as if she was holding back.

"Liora," Eamon called softly, breaking the silence. She looked up, surprised by the sudden sound of her name.

"Yes, Your Highness?" she replied, her voice a quiet whisper.

He gestured for her to come closer. "Sit with me," he said, motioning to the chair beside him. Hesitantly, Liora approached, sitting down gracefully. "I've been thinking," Eamon began, choosing his words carefully. "About our recent conversations... about what you want for your future."

Liora's cheeks flushed slightly, and she glanced down, fidgeting with the hem of her dress. "I... I don't know if I can dream of such things," she said hesitantly. "But... lately, something has been troubling me."

Eamon raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" he asked gently, his gaze encouraging her to continue.

Liora took a deep breath. "A few days ago, I went to the market to gather supplies. I noticed something that disturbed me. The way some merchants treated their customers... those who were less educated were easily taken advantage of. They paid more for things they could have gotten for much less if they had known better. It was like... like there was this invisible barrier separating the wealthy and the poor, a barrier made of knowledge."

Eamon leaned forward, his interest piqued. "A barrier made of knowledge," he repeated thoughtfully. "That's an astute observation, Liora."

She nodded, her eyes still cast downward. "I... I couldn't stop thinking about it. It made me realize how much suffering comes from not knowing things that others take for granted. It made me feel... angry and powerless. And it made me think about what I want to do."

Eamon waited, sensing she was on the verge of revealing something important.

"I want to teach," Liora said suddenly, the words spilling out in a rush. "I want to help people learn, to bridge that gap. I want to be the kind of person who can give others the knowledge they need to make their own choices, to protect themselves from being exploited."

Eamon felt a swell of pride and admiration for her. He had expected her to express a desire for something small, something within the confines of her station. But this—this was bold, ambitious. It was a vision of a future where Liora would be more than just a maid, more than just someone in the background.

"That's a noble goal, Liora," he said sincerely. "But it's also a difficult one. Teaching is a form of power, and not everyone will want to give up their control by allowing others to learn."

"I know," Liora admitted, her eyes meeting his for the first time. There was a fire in them that Eamon had not seen before. "But isn't that what we're doing here? Isn't that why you're teaching your sisters in secret? Because knowledge is the key to breaking free from the roles we're forced into?"

Stolen story; please report.

Eamon nodded slowly. "You're right. But how do you see yourself doing this? The path to becoming a teacher is not something our world allows easily, especially not for someone of your station."

Liora's expression softened slightly. "I don't know yet," she admitted. "But I do know that it starts with me learning more. With me becoming someone who has something valuable to teach. Maybe one day, if the circumstances change, I can create a place where anyone can learn—rich or poor, noble or commoner."

Eamon leaned back, contemplating her words. "A place of learning for everyone," he mused. "A school of sorts. That’s a radical idea, Liora."

"Maybe," she said, her voice gaining strength. "But I believe it's necessary. I've seen the way knowledge is hoarded by the wealthy and the powerful. It's what keeps people in their places. If we can change that... if we can give people the tools to think for themselves, we can change the world."

Eamon felt a surge of excitement at her words. Her vision was aligned with his, but she had approached it from a different angle, one he hadn't fully considered before. "You've given me a lot to think about," he said. "We need to find a way to make this happen. But for now, let's focus on your education. If you want to teach, you need to know more than just what I can offer. We need to find you the right books, the right lessons."

Liora nodded, her eyes shining with determination. "I want to learn everything I can," she said, her voice steady. "Not just for me, but for everyone who doesn't have the chance."

That evening, Eamon gathered his sisters in the hidden room behind the library. Isolde, Morwen, Elspeth, and Ailsa sat in their usual spots, their faces lighting up with curiosity as they noticed Liora sitting beside Eamon.

"What's this about?" Morwen asked, her eyes flicking between Eamon and Liora.

"I want to talk about the future," Eamon began. "Not just ours, but the future of this kingdom. We've been learning in secret, growing our knowledge. But Liora has brought something to my attention—something important."

Liora shifted nervously, but Eamon gave her a reassuring nod. Taking a deep breath, she spoke. "I've been thinking about how knowledge is used to control people. How the lack of it keeps many in poverty and ignorance. I want to change that. I want to help bridge that gap."

The sisters exchanged glances, their expressions varying from curiosity to deep contemplation.

"How do you plan to do that?" Isolde asked, leaning forward, her strategist's mind already at work.

"I don't know exactly," Liora admitted. "But I want to learn more myself, to become someone who can teach others. Eamon suggested we find more books, expand our lessons, and maybe... maybe find a way to create a place where anyone can learn, regardless of their status."

Ailsa's eyes widened. "You mean like a school?" she asked. "For everyone?"

"Yes," Liora confirmed. "But we have to start small. First, I need to become someone worth listening to, someone who can teach."

Elspeth nodded thoughtfully. "We could gather knowledge discreetly," she suggested. "I know there are books in the castle library that are rarely touched, tomes that could contain valuable information."

Morwen smirked. "And if anyone can find the hidden texts, it's me," she added confidently. "I'll get us what we need."

Isolde looked at Liora with newfound respect. "This is ambitious, Liora," she said. "But it aligns with what we are trying to achieve—freedom from the constraints of ignorance and tradition."

Eamon looked at his sisters, feeling a swell of pride for their acceptance of Liora's vision. "Then it's settled," he said. "We will expand our lessons to include what Liora needs to become a teacher. We'll learn everything we can, and in time, we'll find a way to make this vision a reality."

The room filled with a sense of purpose as they began to plan their next steps. They discussed how to discreetly gather more books, how to secure a steady flow of knowledge into their hidden room. Morwen would use her network to locate texts, Isolde would strategize how to keep their activities hidden, and Elspeth would explore medicinal texts that could serve multiple purposes.

Liora, now more involved than ever, sat beside Eamon, her mind buzzing with ideas and possibilities. For the first time, she felt a sense of direction, a purpose that went beyond serving. And as they plotted and planned, the secret classroom became more than just a place of learning; it became a crucible for change.

In the quiet, dimly lit room, they laid the foundations for a future where knowledge would no longer be a privilege of the few. And Liora, with Eamon and his sisters by her side, took her first steps towards becoming more than she ever thought possible.