"The only thing the Union councillors ever agreed on unanimously is to disagree." - Prevalent saying in the Union of Free Nations

"As I said, it's a long story." Giselle sighed as she started to lay down her tale. "First I should inform you of the past of my family for some context. We were not from Levain originally. My grandfather moved his family here when my father was still my age. Originally, we came from Iznuguod."

"I feel there's more behind what you said so far." Cal commented.

"Indeed. We were from a branch of the royal family." Admitted Giselle plainly. "The king at the time - Cousin to grandpa - had just married a new consort, and things have gone downhill since. Grandpa did not want to be part of the madness and chose to leave everything but his family behind."

"So your troubles are related to these specters of your past I assume?"

"They started two years ago… when I enrolled to the Institute." Answered the young girl with a sigh. "The current crown prince of Iznuguod was in his third year at the time, and he recognized me, somehow."

"Most of our customers had been driven away by harassment from thugs since." Her mother explained. "So did the assaults on Giselle, and why nobody had dared to befriend her… we only managed to make do since some of our older customers had status that deterred thugs from harassing them. Even when I went out to shop, I had to request one of the guards to keep me company."

"The guards were sympathetic to our plight, but even when they arrested some thugs like today, the trail always went cold. It likely was no coincidence that this started happening after the prince demanded we return and contribute to Iznuguod and we said no to his face, but we never found anything to link this to him." Added Giselle in a dejected tone. "The guards stationed across the street helped us a lot, but they were shackled by laws and procedures and can do little more."

"Wait wait, by prince, you mean that asshat Legault in fifth year? The one with the fancy frills and hat?" Interjected Leila from the side. "The one who 'won' the tourney last year?"

"The same one. You might remember that he left me badly burned during the preliminations." Confirmed Giselle with a shudder. "They claimed it was an accident, but were I not a blood mage I'd have likely walked out of there a cripple."

"What do you mean by that, Leila?" Cal asked with some curiosity. The way her grand-niece said the word clued her in on some suspected foul play.

"Well, we have this tournament in the Institute, held every semester before the holidays. Last year said guy just walked in and won the title. For some reason nearly half his opponents forfeited or did not even show up." Leila explained to Cal. "They all had valid excuses in the end, it was said, but still… Taking a bribe and keeping mum would be a valid excuse too, y'know?"

"Baudoin, the defending champion, actually confessed to me personally." Vark added. "He was offered enough money for his sick sister's treatment if he were to abstain from showing up at the finals. He took it since he was already in his final years anyway. His sister's well-being was worth far more to him than some title."

"Before you ask, no, he will not stand to testify on the matter. He only confided in me privately because we had a good relationship, and I will not force him either on this matter." He added after a pause. "To be honest, I would have probably done the same in his stead. I would like to ask everyone here that we keep his secret unsaid."

"Understandable." Commented Cal "That leaves few avenues to pursue however… other than a rather obvious one."

"What do you mean, teach?" Asked Willa from the side, a pastry still being chewed in her mouth.

"Simple. If Giselle were to sign up for the tournament this summer's end, chances are you'd find yourself standing against him again, correct?"

"I suspected he probably arranged that, so it is quite likely."

"We will intensify your training in the near future." Cal said to Ognar's heartfelt groan. "When that time comes, I intend for you to be strong enough to wipe the floor with his face."

"Is that even possible? He's three years my senior, and I-" Giselle halted her words as Cal raised a hand to stem off her question.

"I will need to arrange some things first, and you will end up with busy weekends, but it is very doable." Cal stated firmly. "Where I'm from, we believe in exacting vengeance with our own hands when possible. I believe you would not like to be denied the opportunity, no?"

The grim, determined look on the young girl's face answered her question very clearly.

*****************************

That very evening, Cal made the trip back to Paradise. The students already went back to their dormitories with Vark as an escort, and they would be safe there for the weekend. She headed straight for the smithy run by an unliving dwarf where she had her weapons enchanted, and placed a large order for her students there without a second thought. She also purchased three storage rings, ones with particularly dull, unremarkable designs, each as large as a wardrobe inside, for their use.

She had dined with Aideen that night and casually related the story of what happened, when the unliving woman suddenly laughed when she heard her mention Iznuguod.

"What's so funny?" Cal asked with some puzzlement.

"You didn't follow up on what happened after you left Ezram did you?" Answered the unliving woman as she chuckled.

"Heard that an open rebellion broke out, and that's about it. Why?"

"Iznuguod threw their support to the rebels openly." Explained Aideen. "In their words, because Ezram had unlawfully and unjustly arrested, injured, and humiliated a retired member of their royalty."

"Did they?" Cal asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Technically… you did." Aideen said as she fell back into a bout of laughter. "Lemme get that picture one moment… aha! Look at her, familiar face, is it not?"

The sketched drawing Aideen unfurled depicted an aged human woman in courtly dress, clearly of high stature. Yet it was the face Cal recognized immediately: that of the old crone she fought in Barzum.

"She was Iznuguod royalty?" She asked, somewhat baffled.

"The dowager queen to be precise. Step-Mother to the current king." Replied the unliving woman. "For what it's worth, the rest of the union seems intent on staying away from this matter. So it's just them alone kicking a fuss over this."

"Did Ezram let her go?" Cal asked. She would have been quite annoyed were that to be the case.

"Most of Ezram's higher-ups are corrupt, bloated bastards with a stick up their asses, but they're not idiots… yet." Said Aideen. "They're not stupid enough to return a War Archmagus to an enemy they're at war with."

"Think my students' matters might be related then?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Hard to say. That kid must be good at covering his tracks. Garth hates this sort of shit with a passion."

"Why am I not surprised that you know the Dean of the Institute on a first name basis?"

"He used to handle the merchants for us till he moved to Levain. "Creusens used to be his student, even."

"Should have guessed." Cal said as she forked another piece of her roasted fowl and brought it to her mouth. "Anyway, I'm thinking of bringing those kids over here on the weekends, for some more specialized training. Got any suggestions on possible teachers I can bug for that? I'm paying of course."

"From how you describe them… I'm pretty sure I got some in mind. You check them out first next weekend, then we talk about compensation." Aideen said. "You must be pretty fond of them to go this far."

"To be honest, this is the first time I've had students." Admitted Cal as she polished off her mug of mead. "They're honest kids, with good potential. I feel like I'd be failing them as a teacher if I just left them at the first sign of adversity."

"They tickle your soft spot the way a cute kid does, don't they?"

"Yes… yes they do indeed."

****************************

The next day, Cal was somewhat surprised when Aideen came along to Levain with her, and she led the Unliving woman to the Institute, where they were ushered to the Dean's office with haste. Cal watched as the old dean welcomed Aideen with a friendly hug, before he offered them seats.

A quick query revealed that Garth was aware of the situation - one reason he had made an emphasis to punish any who made trouble in the dorms strictly -, but much like the guards, his hands were tied due to the lack of evidence.

"The Aldenvars are nice folks." He said. "I wished I could help them more than just keep their business running with my patronage."

Cal saw as a mischievous grin formed on Aideen's face when she heard Garth say those words.