Fiery orange hair glimmered as a face leaned out onto his arms out his window overlooking the gates to the Širdkryp-Gardinōs. A letter sat open beside him, Vienna was doing well. She told of the Elem that had arrived at the estate, how the debut ball had gone, and he knew she didn’t tell everything that happened. He had other letters to prove otherwise.

She had a confrontation with Lady Adeena Nesrin and her entourage.

“You are late, how unusual.”

“A Naming ceremony went on longer than expected.” The king’s voice sounded tired. “How goes the Starlight Soul?”

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“Hello to you too, old friend.” Atlas chuckled, no longer were the tales of Naming ceremonies painful to hear of. No longer was he among the Nameless, nor was he without family in this world. Now he had a sister. Atlas shook his head a smile on his lips as he thought about it. “She’s confident about joining the Academy. Okren land studies will be her specialty. She will need allies though. She may be stronger than she once was but she doesn’t have the social allies that others have.”

“Others?”

“A Lady Adeena Nesrin seems intent on giving Vienna trouble.”

“I see.” And it did seem as though the king understood the situation, his voice grave and hardened. “She will need someone to look after her at the Academy then.”

Atlas glanced at the Pōrteacaleum mirror, “I would love to be there for her, but you know very well where my responsibilities lie.”

The tapping of the king’s fingers against his desk could be heard.

Atlas sighed, “I will look into a couple of things on my end.”

The king’s voice was gruff, “It’s not enough. If you can’t enter the Academy then I’ll find someone who can.”

Atlas sensed that it would not be as simple as that, but when his old friend put his mind to something nothing could get in his way.