The sun was already sinking behind the horizon, its last orange light stretching across the room, yet Andrew continued lecturing without pause. Once again, he was going over the history of the Founding Emperor of Arktalia. It was an interesting story... the first few times. But this year alone, I had heard it so often I could probably recite it myself.
My gaze drifted past Andrew as my mind wandered.
The Empire treated the Founding Emperor like a legend. The day he created the nation was a holiday; the day he died was still honored with mourning, even after two thousand years. Yes, yes, I understood he was great. Could we please talk about something else already?
"Erin! ERIN!" Andrew suddenly barked.
I snapped back to attention.
"Yes, teacher Andrew. Sorry - I was just thinking."
"And what thoughts are so important they distract you from this lesson?"
I scrambled for a believable answer.
"I was thinking about how remarkable the Founding Emperor must have been. It made me want to follow his example."
That did the trick. Andrew gave a satisfied nod.
"Good. That will be all for today. You may leave."
Stepping out into the hallway, I let out a long breath. Now what? Even though the sky was getting dark, I didn't hesitate.
A bit more training wouldn't hurt.
The training grounds were nearly empty. Most guards were finishing up for the day, and the mage-lamps glowed faintly along the fence. The evening breeze was cool and refreshing after the stuffy classroom. I took a wooden sword from the rack, walked to the center, and set my stance.
"One thousand thrusts... done," I whispered.
My arms trembled, my shoulders burned, and my breathing was uneven - but there was a quiet pride deep inside.
Let me try repeating Kars's movements...
I closed my eyes, replaying everything he had shown me: the way he shifted his weight, how he angled his shoulder before a strike, his footwork - sharp and purposeful. When I opened my eyes, I moved without thinking.
Step - thrust.
Again.
Turn - shoulder slash.
Another thrust.
A finishing kick, just like Kars.
"Heeeh... again."
And again.
And again.
I pushed myself until my body refused to move properly. By then, the sky had grown completely dark - it was already dinner time. I put the sword back and headed inside to wash up.
I never noticed the figure watching me from the shadows near the trees. Cars stood there in silence, expression unreadable.
By the time I reached the dining hall, most of my family had already finished eating. Father didn't say a word - he simply motioned for me to sit. He knew I trained more than required and never tried to stop me.
After dinner, I walked down the corridor - when something small and dark suddenly crashed into me. Looking down, I saw Tessalia sitting on the floor, staring up at me with her bright golden eyes.
"Tessalia? What are you doing running around at this hour?"
"I... I..." she mumbled, flustered. "I wanted brother Erin to play with me... Mama is busy... Agatha is packing for the academy... and brother Richard too..."
I crouched down.
"Then you're staying with me tonight. We'll sneak into the kitchen, grab some hot cocoa, and I'll tell you a few stories."
"Yes!" she squealed, her excitement impossible to resist.
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Meanwhile, Aksinya had been searching for her daughter for nearly twenty minutes. She checked the garden, the dining hall, the hallways - nothing. Her calm expression was beginning to crack.
Lina noticed and hurried over.
"Lady Aksinya, is something wrong? You look troubled."
"Lina, have you seen Tessalia anywhere?" Aksinya asked, trying to keep her worry out of her voice.
"As a matter of fact, yes. About half an hour ago. She was with young master Erin."
"With Erin?" Aksinya repeated, raising a brow.
Lina nodded lightly.
"Yes. They... may have stolen hot cocoa from the kitchen. They thought no one saw them. After that, they went to Erin's room."
"Hot cocoa?" Aksinya echoed, relief softening her tone.
"Yes, my lady."
"Thank you, Lina. I'll check on them."
Aksinya walked to Erin's room and pushed the door open just a little. The room was dim, lit by a single mage-lamp. Two empty cups of cocoa were on the floor – one knocked over.
On the bed, both kids were out cold. Tessalia was curled up in a ball, smiling in her sleep. Erin lay next to her, turned slightly in her direction.
Aksinya let out a small, tired sigh. She reached for a blanket, covered them both, and shook her head.
"Alright… as long as you're safe," she whispered.
She switched off the lamp and quietly closed the door.