An unremarkable man in the royal uniform stepped forward and banged a stick on the floor. It reverberated oddly, designed to catch people’s attention. Ranvir surreptitiously glanced around, noticing most of the nobles not paying him much attention.

A small pocket gathered around Grev’s brother, who was all quiet and watching him. There were a few tethered among the crowd who were clumsily scanning him as well. The vast majority, however, didn’t care one whit that Ranvir stepped forth.

He’d folded his wings against his back in the most comfortable position. The nobles didn’t seem to realize it was anything more than a strange fashion decision.

Once the oscillation of the staff’s noise quieted down, the herald nodded to Ranvir. “Petitioner! Step forth and make your request of her Great Majesty, the Queen Minul II of Elusria!”

Ranvir exchanged a glance with Pashar, who gestured for him to continue. Ranvir strode forward until he stood before the stairs to the throne and cleared his throat.

“I wish to open another school,” he said. Pashar audibly sighed behind him and more than a few nobles gasped as he performed some sort of notable blunder. Twisting at the waist, he turned to look at the watching crowd. Most outraged mutterings filled the crowd as everyone was watching him.

“Your attention is to be on her majesty the Queen when you’re peti—“ the herald said, red-faced and scowling. The Queen cut him off with a wave of her fingers.

“It is fine, Herald,” she said. Her words echoed in the suddenly silent hall. “I would’ve expected no less from this man. He is ignorance is not unknown to me.”

Ranvir raised an eyebrow at her. She clearly hadn’t forgotten their last encounter, and she wasn’t happy about it.

“What is the purpose of opening this new school?”

Ranvir cleared his throat and glanced at Pashar, who’d crept to stand behind him to his right. Murmurs were disseminating through the crowd. Ranvir felt each like a chill against his neck. Agitated off-white feelers wormed through him, discomfort radiating powerfully as every set of eyes bore into his back.

He opened his mouth, but his words choked off unexpectedly. Was there a glint of humor in the eyes of the people surrounding the Queen’s throne? He coughed to clear his throat. “To understand the tether and what that connection means.”

Minul didn’t immediately answer. She leaned back, narrowing her eyes at him. The murmurs behind him grew stronger before fading to an almost silent hush. His wing flexed as he shifted and rolled his neck. One hand rested on the arm of her chair, thumb toying with a silver ring on her index finger. The other was raised in an idle pose of consideration.

The crowd's continued attention seemed not to bother her at all, yet he felt every murmur like a whispered conversation in his ear. Every slight shift or observation noticeable to him. Why was she taking so long?

“And presumably you want this school to sit on new land, with new staff, and new infrastructure?”

Ranvir frowned. He couldn’t admit that he hadn’t considered it much, could he? Definitely not. Honestly, if he could make sure his friends and family were alright while maintaining his Sentinel work, then he wouldn’t even be considering this.

But it would be difficult to ensure that Dovar and Ayvir weren’t backsliding if he had to spend three out of five days running all over Korfyi. He couldn’t make sure Grev wouldn’t get caught in another assassination attempt if he was away.

If he had an easier way to communicate between the worlds, then… He frowned and looked up at the Queen who was impatiently waiting his answer.

“I would not need a large staff,” Ranvir said. “In the beginning, I would run with a small class, maybe a dozen students.” Two of which he’d already picked out. Laila and Vasso. “Therefore, I would not need an estate like the Royal School or War Academy.”

“That is… reasonable for an early iteration,” Minul acquiesced with a bow of her head, though when she looked up her frown had returned. “However, I am not sure what exactly it is you mean to accomplish. Your purpose is to understand the tether, but what does that mean for the students? What will it look like for them?”

Ranvir opened his mouth to speak, but Minul cut him off before he could even begin. “You would take tethered from the pool of the other schools. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’re at war.”

Ranvir bit his mouth shut and glared at her. He felt the thinnest thread of warp draw out from the sleeve of her robe. Even his sharpened Perception barely noticed the slight shift from the rainbow light.

Does she not want me tied to the country any longer? Ranvir wondered, gazing at her. It took focus to ignore the off-white touch of the crowd’s attention, but he had to think clearly. If that was true, something would have had to change. Something dramatic. So she still wants a connection. Assuming that’s not the case, what is she trying to achieve? Is it just that she can’t be seen to flatly agree? She surely can’t think a dozen tethered removed from the academy would have any large effect on their total military force.

He opened his mouth to refute the idea that she was low on combat power. She had three Triplet Masters in the room with her, alongside the old woman who was a Twin Master.

Then snapped his jaw shut. What would it imply if he flat out told her she was wrong? If he claimed she was lying. If she was truly worried, surely, she wouldn’t restrict such a vast amount of power to remain around her.

Was it better to just stay on topic? Ignore her question? He was taking too long, and the crowd was getting louder, more excited.

“I intend to educate my students on the tether. What they choose to do with that knowledge afterwards is none of my business.”

Queen hummed as she considered his words, still fidgeting with her ring. To Ranvir’s eyes, she seemed far more contained during this audience than the private one. Far more in control of herself.

“Very well then,” Minul said, her words suddenly jarring Ranvir out of his thoughts. “We shall provide you with a dozen of Our top students from the Royal Academy of War. As for teachers, We will also supply you with a skilled Master from each of our esteemed institutions.”

Ranvir stared at her for a moment, feeling completely wrong-footed as she turned the tables on him. He’d been expecting to fight her over it. Fighting tooth and nail for even minor concessions.

“With all due respect, Your Gracious Majesty,” Pashar said, stepping up next to Ranvir and taking a knee. “You are far too kind and charitable. I have already volunteered to become a teacher at Ranvir’s new school, and I know he’s filled out the rest of the spots as well. You are much too kind, and generosity will not be forgotten.”

Ranvir looked down at her. The creeping discomfort blanked out by white astonishment. He had not asked her to become a teacher at his school. He hadn’t even asked anyone. Sure, Kirs and Es were likely to join, and he had a few others in mind, but Pashar was far overstating how developed his plans were.

“As you so eloquently said yourself,” Pashar continued speaking. “We’re at war and we do not want to take any from the country that it cannot spare. Your offer of students is far too kind. Beyond our meager abilities to reciprocate. We would take only four students, as to avoid even the possibility of straining your great country.”

Minul smiled at Pashar’s bowed head, but her jaw worked overtime as she considered the spy. Finally, she breathed in deeply and glanced to her side. Saif, the Triplet Master, met her gaze with his orange eyes, a faint light glowing in their depths. The bearded Ankirian then drove a dark glare at Pashar. The man’s tether-sense seeped from him as well. It felt like a thick smog, making it hard to interpret to Ranvir’s senses.

That didn’t stop him from blocking it, though.

Saif’s eyes widened as his sense hit a brick-wall of intent, stopping it cold. Minul and Pashar saw it too, their gazes turning to Ranvir.

Again, Ranvir heard the crowds spin up further chatter. They were slower this time, as only a few of them were tethered. But information was still spreading through the audience chamber rapidly.

“Very well,” Minul said loudly. Her voice rang out in the chamber, the chatter falling away instantly. “You are more self-sufficient than I’d feared. Do you have a location in mind as well?”

Ranvir opened his mouth.

“No, Your Majesty. At this moment, we are without location for the school.”

Ranvir snapped his mouth shut and turned to Pashar in confusion. She ignored him, looking instead at the Queen. They had a location. Dovar had a full estate that was barely being used. There would be plenty of space to house both students and faculty.

Minul’s eyes lingered on him. She’d clearly seen his reaction. He could tell something was going on, that Pashar and she were clashing. He kept his mouth shut. If this ended badly, he would take it out on the smoke tethered woman beside him.

“We will see what we can do. Your appeal has been approved,” Minul said. She turned to one of the assistants standing to the side and nodded. The small woman nodded demurely and wrote it down. “You may leave.”

Ranvir nodded and turned around. If the eyes of the crowd felt like arrows digging into his back, then the gaze of the Triplet Masters felt like great swords.

Together, he and Pashar left the enormous throne room. Ranvir made his way directly out of the palace, cutting a straight path away from the Queen and her Masters. In a hurried walk, they reached the steps leading down from the palace-gates.

“What was that?” Ranvir asked.

“You have a lot to learn about politics,” Pashar said.

“I don’t want to learn.”

“Then you shouldn’t have grown so powerful.”

“Can you just explain yourself?”

“Privacy first.”

Ranvir nodded, wrapping them in a spatial pocket. Couldn’t get more private than that.