The morning sun hit Yuriko’s eyes the moment she opened them. She winced at the glare, snuggled into her blankets and dislodged Hunter Kitty from his nest between her legs. His claws punctured through the cloth and caught on her pyjamas, his distressed yowls waking her up completely.

“Good morning, silly kitty...” she muttered as she unhooked his claws out of the fabric. Yawning widely, she got up to do her morning ablutions. They had class for today, after more than a week’s break. For her, well, it was Firstday so it was Guidance class, Arithmetic, then

Communication.

She paused when she was in front of her bathroom mirror, recalling the events of the night. She had expected Damien in the Dreamscape and she wasn’t mistaken. However, he was barely coherent, with most of his words slurring or pure gibberish.

One thing he did say that she hoped meant what she thought it did was “Close.”

Excitement shot through her long past the time her Animus ran out and she was returned to reality. She fidgeted, tossed, and turned on her bed for a good long while. She didn’t have enough Animus to begin a training cycle and it was getting late. Yet restlessness and excitement didn’t let her sleep until close to midnight.

She woke up past her usual hour and she didn’t have enough time to do her morning training routine. She just hurriedly dressed for the Academy and ran down the hallway to the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat. Her waist felt odd without her side-blade but the new one she ordered from the school armoury should arrive by the end of the week.

The cafeteria wasn’t as crowded as it usually was, so in a couple of minutes, she had a sandwich to go and a bottle of milk. She ate as she walked, catching sight of Krystal and the other girls once she was outside the Willow.

“Hiya!” she yelled.

“Oh, Yuri! You haven’t eaten yet?” Krystal asked as she slowed to wait.

“Woke up late.”

“That’s highly unusual. Did the sun rise in the west today?” Millie snarked.

“Shush you!” Yuriko rolled her eyes. “Just had trouble sleeping.”

“Oh, why?”

“I think I’m close to advancing.”

“Are you sure?”

Yuriko shrugged, “I hope so.”

“Well, here’s where we part ways,” Millie waved goodbye when they reached the Academic Roundabout. Krystal and Danika went through the Central Reserve and Yuriko, Maryn, and Ishika headed right.

Master Alfein wasn’t at class today though. The board up front only had ‘Self Study’ written on it, so Yuriko started distilling Chaos during class. It took nearly a third of her whole reserve to generate a single mote now but she persevered until she had a couple of motes floating in her Anima by the end of class.

As soon as she opened her eyes after her meditation, she was startled to find Tatsuhiko Esras sitting just across from her desk, staring at her face. His cousin, Diya was beside him. Ella-Mai must have left a few minutes earlier--the seat beside her was empty.

“Miss Davar,” Tatsuhiko began after clearing his throat, “may I invite you for a spot of afternoon tea?”

Yuriko blinked. “To what purpose?”

“Nothing sinister or sordid,” he chuckled. “I merely wish to get to know my classmates better. I’ve known the others in this class for years now, well, except for Miss Finley, but I’ve already met her socially a few times. So you’re the only one still full of mystery.”

He smiled at her, with his pearly white teeth gleaming.

“Oh, alright, I suppose.” Yuriko shrugged. “After the last class of the day.”

“That’s all I ask.”

He stood and gave her a short bow. Diya left with him, throwing her a sidelong glance. Her eyes were flat and expressionless.

The next class was after lunch and she just suffered through it. Arithmetic was never an easy subject for her. Communication class wasn’t that bad. They started on common flag signals used within the Empire and the similarities in other nations.

Most people in Imperial Rumiga spoke Verdanian or a variant close enough that the meanings were decipherable through context clues. Haveena and the City States down south spoke the variant as well as another language called Wojin. The class eventually wandered into common sayings and their differences between the true Verdanian language and the variants used by the south.

The barbarians of the northern territories spoke Ikash, a tonal language where a word changed meaning when different tones were used, causing a word to mean its opposite or something completely unrelated.

Their instructor said that midterm exams would be upon them soon and the contents would include the flag signals, shorthand writing, and formal letter composition.

“More tests. Wonderful.” Yuriko muttered as she packed up her books. Tatsuhiko and Diya were waiting for her just outside the classroom and she followed them to the Strip, and to a place called the Whispering Treat Tearoom.

The place was lavishly decorated with deep blue curtains with silver sunbursts, sparkling silverware, and ornate hanging lanterns. The servers were attired with ruffled white aprons, dark blue dresses just a shade lighter than the decor, and white shoes.

“The House Blend Special, please, for the three of us,” Tatsuhiko ordered.

The server returned with a three-tiered cake stand filled with tarts and pastries, a pot of aromatic tea, three cups, cream, and rock sugar so pure it was practically transparent. Yuriko couldn’t help but stare at the confection.

Tatsuhiko poured politely for the two girls. He added a single piece of sugar on his drink, no cream, and stirred slowly with the spoon. Yuriko added a couple of blocks, a dash of cream, then stirred while Diya took hers black.

Once they all had a sip, along with a tea sandwich, Yuriko cleared her throat.

“So, how may I enlighten you?”

Diya snorted a laugh. “Oh, don’t be so uptight. Well, Tatty here just wanted to know if you’ve accepted an escort for the Refraction Cotillon?”

“Tatty?”

“Ehem, please stop calling me that, Diya. It’s…uncouth,” Tatsuhiko protested.

“Oh, you had no trouble calling yourself that when you were younger, “ Diya sniffed. “Anyway, Tatty here is too shy to ask.”

“Oh, uh, no I haven’t decided.” Yuriko answered.

“Well, will you do him the honour?”

“I’m afraid his isn’t the only invitation I’ve received.”

“Oh, you mean those other kids from your hometown?”

“Well, technically only Heron is from Faron’s Crossing.”

“Heron Muryh was it?” Diya delicately cut a bite-sized piece from her scone and popped it into her mouth. “The Muryh family is a small offshoot, if I recall properly, Knight Balliol Muryh being the only one of such rank. Their original clan is the Leoid Family, one of Duke Esras’ vassals.” Diya eyed Yuri over her fork. “You’d do better with Tatsuhiko here, he’s of the main Esras line.”

Yuriko stared at her, puzzled. “Why would that matter to me, Miss Esras?”

Her words must have startled both of them so much so that Tatsuhiko choked on his tea and had to grab a kerchief before he coughed crumbs all over the table. Diya’s eyes goggled at her.

“Why should it matter? Why shouldn’t it?” Diya gasped.

“No, really, I’m confused, why the focus on bloodline?”

“You’re serious?”

“Yes.”

Diya sighed. “Oh what did your parents teach you? Or, what do you learn at the frontier?”

“Well, mostly how to protect ourselves. Wyldlings invade through the Tidelands all the time and danger lurks around every corner.”

“Ah, yes. The Tidelands. Wyldlings! So dreadful.” Diya shuddered delicately, “Well, we’re in Sharom and after we graduate, we would be far from danger. Anyway, let me get back to the topic at hand. You do realize that the bedrock of the Empire are the powerful Heritages that are passed down through lineages, right? Your lineage is particularly enticing to those of us at the upper tier of Imperial society. And, well, a union would be most desirable.”

“Your…what?” Yuriko asked faintly. “A union? Do you…uh, do you mean marriage and all that?”

“Yes, of course, but that is not the immediate goal,” Diya said quickly. “We’re far too young for that yet, and of course, it is mostly decided by our clan elders. Anyway, what do you think the Academy is? It’s the chance for people like us to meet, mingle, form connections, alliances, and maybe unions.”

“I…I always thought of the Academies as necessary to enter the Legions. That’s my dream and goal.”

“Ah, of course.”

The three of them sipped the rest of their tea quietly. Tatsuhiko’s face was slightly red at Diya’s words but he didn’t volunteer much information about himself. As for Yuriko, the idea of forming a…a marriage union while she was still thirteen years old was so ridiculous that her mind simply refused to process it.

Oh don’t be a prude. I’ve had relations when I was your age.

Yuriko gasped at the words that whispered in her mind.

‘Damien?’ She thought furiously, but after a few moments of silence, Damien hadn’t replied. ‘Talk to me, please!’ Still silence.

“Miss Davar? You seem distracted,” Tatsuhiko asked.

“Oh, no, sorry. Just strange thoughts.”

“I see. Well, it has been a pleasure to have afternoon tea with you. The flower of your beauty is such a pleasure to behold.”

“Oh, ah, well, thank you.” Yuriko stammered. “Thank you, it’s been a lovely afternoon. But I’m afraid I have to return to my quarters and continue my training.”

“I see. You’re close to advancement?”

“Yes, quite. I could feel it coming soon.”

“Well, we won’t keep you. Please, do consider my invitation.”

“Thank you, I will.”

Yuriko made a motion to pay for the meal, but Tatsuhiko firmly grasped the bill. They parted ways at the entrance with both of them heading to the campus main gate.

She ambled back to the Willow in a daze, with her thoughts in the clouds. Was that why there were so many boys in the Willow’s lounge? Looking for a girl with just the right lineage to court? Da had never mentioned anything like that to her, and neither had her elder brothers.

Although...Marron was still single, maybe he didn’t know. As for Kato, he’s together with a fellow Faronner so he must not have done the same thing. Speaking of Kato, maybe she should look for him and talk to him about this.

Well, Da hadn’t mentioned anything about it but neither had her Mum. She was pretty sure that Mum didn’t force her into Sharom to find a suitor. Then again, her letter stated that she wanted to bring Yuriko to Realmheart. What was the duty that she must perform for the clan?

For that matter, what was the Mishala Clan? Her Da and even Mum were silent on it. What was the Mishala Clan? What duties? Her imagination ran wild. Was she to be one of the daughters married out to form an alliance with an important power? No! She would not be someone else’s bargaining chip!

Yuriko suddenly realised that she had been frozen stiff in the middle of the road for a few minutes now. She shook her head and walked over to the sidewalk, seeking a bench to rest on. She sat down and stared up at the clouds.

Everything relied on power, she thought. If she was strong enough, no one would force her to do anything she didn’t want. She certainly didn’t want to marry anyone just because her clan said so. Where was Da? He would know what to do.

But then, why was Mum away? Why was she never at home with the rest of her family? Was she a victim of a political marriage too?

Well, for that matter, Yuriko didn’t want to get married anytime soon. She didn’t really even know what that entailed. Oh sure, it was to make babies and pass on the Heritage. She wasn’t at the proper level yet either.

So…if she grew stronger, she would become that much more desirable as a marriage tool, but if she didn’t progress, then she wouldn’t have the power to determine her own destiny. A quandary.

Well, she decided, it was better to have power than none.

That’s the right attitude! Grow immensely powerful and only you can determine your fate. You can have as many husbands, wives, and lovers when you’re powerful. Hie hie hie.

‘Oh, shut up!’ Yuriko thought, ‘you’re not helping.’

She shook her head. These thoughts were an unnecessary distraction. She needed to grow strong. Strong enough that she could venture in the Chaos alone and look for Da. Strong enough that nobody, not even her parents, could force her to do what she didn’t want her to do.

Having formed her resolve, Yuriko stood up and marched to the dorm. She needed to continue training, and to break through to a new level.