Suggested Listening

A number of offered gifts later, and the young heroines were beginning to find themselves growing comfortable with how best to redirect gift-giving into charitable assistance, between enjoying the drinks and watching the dancers perform.

"We'll come back to visit you later," Lady Juna said. "You are the centerpiece of this ball, but by no means the only concern." She knelt down to Elruin's height in order to speak to her directly. "And I promise I'll see you again, soon. I want to see how much stronger you've become."

Elruin clasped her hands together and nodded. "Be well."

They watched the pair leave before Lemia turned to face Elruin so that nobody else could see what she was saying. "Why didn't you tell me Lord Garit was so handsome? And his eyes! I thought I was going to die every time he looked at me!"

"He is?" Elruin tilted her head to look at Garit. "You were?"

"Oh, right, you're twelve," Lemia said. "Forget I asked. In fact, forget I said anything. And don't tell anyone else I said anything."

Elruin didn't get what was going on, but it didn't seem important, and they had other things to worry about. "Okay."

Soon, a young girl approached, as had happened a few times throughout the proceedings. Unlike most of those relying on the child ploy, this girl was older than Elruin, and the man she represented followed close behind. "Greetings. I am Runa." She clasped her hands and bowed. "My uncle heard you are students of the Order of High Thaumaturgy?"

"We are," Elruin said.

"She is," Lemia corrected. "I... may have burned some bridges before I left. I'll have to find a different line of work."

Runa looked back at her uncle, who smiled and nodded. She then turned her attention back to the pair. "My uncle is one of their alumni. He has lots of friends in the school, and knows all the teachers, if you need help. He also wants you to know he's helping the recovery effort by donating two healing runes, one to Arila and another to Danul."

Lemia almost swallowed her own tongue. "Two healing runes? How did he get two?" As a concept, runic magic was not difficult, a skill expected of all Archmages, but it was expensive due to the years it took to build self-charging magic artifacts that were stable and could generate a complex spell without human guidance. It was a labor requiring years from a master of the craft, but not as many years as it took to turn a human baby into a proper mage.

"Uncle makes them." Runa puffed up with pride. "Might you take them back to Arila when you go, it would ensure they get to their destination safely, and faster than we could make arrangements."

"I see." Lemia looked at the older gentleman with a more critical eye. He had the look of a scholar, a man who spent most of his life indoors with little natural light or exercise yet possessing of wealth and privilege. "It would be an honor and privilege to guard such works."

The scholar smiled, then tapped his niece's elbow. "We are glad they will help. We hope you accept our personal offer as well. I'm told the professors can be persuaded to look away from some transgressions, if one asks the right way."

Ain't that the truth. Lemia bit her tongue. "If someone knows the right way to ask Dean Meris not to have me arrested for running off with his prized magic sword, it would be appreciated."

"And access to the upper class labs?" Elruin asked. "It's hard to do important studies with all of the new students." That she was one of the new students was lost to nobody.

"I believe that can be arranged." Runa looked back for her uncle to give a confirming nod. She then clasped her hands together to show gratitude. "I'm glad we were able to help you as you've helped Engeval."

Elruin clasped her hands together in response. "As we walk."

Soon, another woman approached them. This one was unusual for being near Lemia's age, if perhaps a little younger. Too old to head a noble family, too young to be an adorable proxy for her elders. She was an attractive girl, with the telltale blue-toned hair of the upper class, though hers was a dark navy blue. "Greetings. I'm Prilla. I apologize for bothering you, I'm not here as a representative of a major house, but we heard you were a scholar?"

Lemia relaxed and smiled. "I wouldn't call myself a scholar yet, but perhaps some day."

Prilla smiled back, though still nervous. "I thought so. My brother, Orsol, was hoping to speak to you. As a potential suitor. He will understand if you refuse, we can hardly compete with some of the other houses, but if you value a partner who values knowledge, there is no finer in the kingdom."

Lemia looked in the crowd, and didn't take long to spot the young man who must be Orsol. He had the same deep blue hair as his sister, and when she looked his direction he hurried to look away. He didn't quite measure up to Lord Garit, but he was attractive, as all nobles seemed to be. The advantages of good breeding, easy living, and healing magic on demand, showed for everyone in the room. If he was the scholarly type, she could see herself enjoying his company. Until he learned anything at all about her past.

Elruin had other concerns to voice. "What about our research?" The nature of what their work would be focused on with Taint, Void, and an ancient map artifact. All of which held complex and dangerous secrets they couldn't afford to share with others, for reasons which varied from greedy treasure-hunters to zealous heretic-burners.

It was enough to push Lemia into a decision. She took a slow breath. "I'm sorry, Prilla, you're operating on a misunderstanding."

"It's fine, we knew it was unlikely you'd be interested." Priscilla began to turn away.

"No, that's not the problem. You're fine, and I'm sure your brother is as well, which is why you shouldn't waste your time on me. I'm nothing special. It was Elruin, Esra, and Ketak who did the fighting, while I was bookkeeping and finding useful herbs. I come from peasant stock, with a bloodline to match. I can't even claim virtue, I sold that to pay my way into school. A fact I'm sure it won't take long for the gossips to uncover. Better to keep your family name out of my history."

Prilla considered the implications of her statements. If true, it was best to deny ever having spoken to this woman for purposes outside polite expectation. "Your candor is appreciated." She raised her voice so the nearest people could hear her. "I'll make certain our family helps the recovery effort." Prilla then hurried to her waiting brother, no doubt to share the news that he asked out a prostitute.

Elruin watched the interplay, with no understanding of the subtext or what it had to do with donations. Donations were good, they're why she came to help in the court so why did Lemia seem so sad? "Are you hurt?"

"Nothing I hadn't expected," she said. "But for a second there, I thought I could pretend things were different, and I was different."

"Why would you want to be different? If you weren't you, what would you be?" Elruin squeezed Lemia's arm with her hand, the closest thing she could risk to a hug while wearing her fragile dress. "You're smart, and nice, and have lots of friends to help you."

Lemia smiled at the child who managed to be optimistic despite a laundry list of horrible events in her past. "You're right, no sense in worrying about it. If I hadn't made the choices I made, I would be in the slums, and if I met you at all, it would just be a glance in the distance."

As the evening wore on, gift offers gave way to preemptive promises to contribute to the recovery efforts to spare themselves the rejection. Such was the nature of the game, sometimes, that those who played their hands last had the advantage of learning from the failures of those who came before. In the end, only two of dozens had won specific favor, but only Lady Aster had been outright rebuked.

When the ball began to draw to a close, it was Queen Amiris who made the final move of the evening. Her outfit was purple and gold, with her husband next to her wearing silver and red in an opulent imitation of a military uniform. Everyone grew silent the moment they realized the situation.

"Esteemed colleagues, honored guests." Queen Amiris projected her voice well, and made no indication of which label applied to which attendee. "Today we celebrate victory, but with heavy hearts, for the loss of many good men and women. Friends, family, and strangers."

In the pause, the crowd responded. "They will be remembered."

"And we look into an uncertain future, knowing we face a time of rebuilding and healing both ourselves and our kingdom. In the name of that goal, I propose we acknowledge the heroes who stopped the pretender, by granting them titles befitting heroes."

"So say us both," her husband stated the moment she went silent. Even, perhaps especially, the queen had to follow social protocol about appearing to command the men in the audience. By giving his voice, it was now acceptable for her to continue.

"We shall grant them lordship, with all the prestige that comes with it. Do any here object?"

None did, for this was standard protocol. Many of them had witnessed these mud heroes be granted the title, to see them marry into a larger house in time. A lordship without a grant of property meant nothing, save the right to be known as Ladies. Their personal holdings were not at stake, for even the royal family could not grant property they did not own the rights to. Lady Aster might have tried, but she was not of a house in high enough standing.

Juna stepped up next to the pair, knowing the song and dance far better than the newcomers could. "I'd suggest you take the titles," she whispered. "Thank Queen Amiris. No need to kneel, not now."

Lemia took a breath, then stepped forward knowing everyone was watching her. "Thank you, your majesty. I... don't know what to say."

A polite series of nods were made throughout the hall, including by the queen.

"Now if you like, I can give that useless title some meaning," Juna said. "Still more token than value, but a place to start, and a House to call your own."

"Can you?" Elruin asked. As she understood it, a house title would require a claim of land ownership. A piece of property would be a great place to put their equipment, a private library and alchemy lab, and a home for her dollies. "I'd like that."

As if waiting for the signal, Garit spoke from the side of the room. "I believe my mother, Duchess Hida na Arila, has an announcement to make." He then leaned down, and began the process of aiding an older woman to her feet.

Duchess Hida was not an elderly woman, but she bore the stress of health problems which was beyond mortal magic to cure. The act of rising to her feet taxed her strength, and it was all she could do to ignore the pain in her abdomen. "I have instructed my son to make the announcement for me. Thank you." That was all she could do, before sitting down again.

Garit waited for his mother to be comfortable again before he delivered her message. "In honor of her service to Arila, in slaying the pretender, as a healer who aided the poor, and saving lives during the occupation of Arila, House Arila has chosen to bequeath a portion of its land, the section known locally as 'The Shelter', to Lady Elruin. And with it, the right to claim the status of Minor House."

Elruin looked wide eyed at Juna. "What do I do?"

"Well, you'll be expected to look after the Shelter. As the only ranking noblewoman with a connection to Lyra's new caretaker, you'll be expected to maintain positive relations with her. And within certain limits, it's up to you to determine how the Shelter is run from now on. In truth, it's a symbolic act, since the land has no taxable value and nobody expects Lyra or her priestess to hurt the city."

"What do I call my House?"

"Anything you want," Juna said. "Most name the house after a founding member, a favored line of a religious text, or an ideal to strive for. As long as you don't pick an existing House name, you can do almost anything. You needn't decide now, some Houses have existed for decades without choosing an official name."

Elruin didn't need time to decide. "House Cali."

"A fine ideal to live up to," Juna said. "I know she would have been proud to know you'd carry her name forward in such a noble manner, as I am proud to be the first to acknowledge Lady Elruin na Cali."

It was all Lemia could do to not break out into laughter.