With the tournament over, things lapsed back into a routine. The only real change was that during weapons training, the apprentices started to fight as a group of five against the trainers. The novices were pulled over to watch so they could see what next year was going to be for them.
Clover and Ling couldn’t do much, mostly just being extra bodies, which meant that they suffered the most during those moments. Neither complained about it— they just picked themselves back up and tried again.
Tactics class became single class games again, with Paul switching who played against who, and adding various objectives and nations. More than that, he always stopped the game in the afternoon, allowing them to go back to train, then resuming the game the following day.
The last hour of study was given up to magic training after dinner, so the apprentices could get as much training in as possible. During that time period, Dia took the novices to the war room and taught them Empire’s Gambit.
~*~*~
Finding himself in a large, soft bed with lavish decorations all around him and a corner of the room cloaked in deep shadows, Gregory smiled. “Hello, my heart,” he said, turning to face the corner.
Happiness infused the voice that came from the corner, “It is nice to hear you say that to me, dear one.”
“It’s true,” Gregory said. “You’re one of my hearts.”
“And that makes me smile. How I wish you could see it.”
“I can hear it, which is going to have to be enough for now,” Gregory said. “I take it we’ve reached the last rank of apprentice?”
“You have, indeed. All of your friends have ranked up, as well.”
“Good. You’ve been helping Clover and Ling?”
“They are touching all three paths now, my heart,” Darkness murmured. “They have firmed their minds on their goals. Another has started to harbor the same feelings, but is still uncertain.”
“Roshana?” Gregory asked, thinking she was the only other one who’d seemed so intensely interested in Aether.
“Roshana Arnab is not who I was speaking of. She is interested, but she is also worried about being turned away,” Darkness giggled. “But… no, I will let you find that out on your own.”
“Fine. I’ll assume it’s a ‘not wanting to muddy things with foresight’ reason.”
“It is, dear one.”
“When we cross into the initiate tier, will it be enough to see you?” Gregory asked softly after a few seconds of silence.
“No, but you might push back my namesake a bit more, then.”
“Okay,” Gregory sighed. “Darkness, is it going to be okay?”
“Loving your wives and those who come after? Yes. If they are the ones that we agree on, then it will be fine, my heart. Yuki, Jenn, and I will do our best to guard you. The others who join later will also protect you, but the three of us will be your council of wives… unless you object?”
“I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have keeping us all safe,” Gregory smiled.
“You make me happy,” Darkness sighed. “It is time to sleep, though.”
“Not yet,” Gregory said as he shifted in bed.
Darkness let out a happy laugh as Gregory flung himself out of bed and toward her. He was caught by her namesake and stopped from reaching her. As he faded from this space, she brought his unconscious form closer to her, just close enough that she could almost reach him. “Thank you, my love. Please never give up on me…” She trailed off as the body she held faded from her shadows. With a deep sigh, she vanished. The bedroom was left empty before the space itself vanished from where it had been created.
~*~*~
Blinking slowly as he woke up, Gregory smiled at his attempt to reach Darkness. He knew it would never work, but he’d promised her he would keep trying and intended to always do so. Now, though, he had his other two wives to love and care for. Yukiko was on his right, nestled on his shoulder, her breath tickling his neck. Jenn was on his left with her head on his chest, her arm over his waist, and holding Yukiko’s knee where it was hitched up on his body.
No man can be this loved and lucky, Gregory thought as he watched them for a few seconds.
Yukiko suddenly shifted, her leg coming free of Jenn’s grip. That woke Jenn, who kissed Gregory’s chest. She gave him a soft smile before she looked at Yukiko waking up.
“We’re all awake,” Gregory murmured, claiming kisses from each of them. “I’m sure the bell will chime in a moment… We’ve reached the tenth rank. Darkness didn’t speak with me long, but she loves you both.”
“As we love her,” Jenn said as she leaned over and kissed Yukiko, “and each other.”
Yukiko let out a happy sound. “Agreed.”
“She did say that Clover and Ling are walking all three paths now,” Gregory added.
“She approves of them, then,” Yukiko said thoughtfully as she got out of bed. “I had hopes for them, so that’s a good first step.”
“Greg, do you like them?” Jenn asked, looking back at him as she followed Yukiko.
Gregory met her eyes. “As friends, very much. For more, though…” He trailed off and pushed out of the bed, too. “I’ll admit I do find them both attractive. Having been beside them for class and now as a part of the clan, I do find myself thinking they might fit well with us and the others.”
“Behind the novices?” Yukiko asked as she started pulling clothes out of the armoire.
“Yes, but that gap is slowly closing,” Gregory said, then snorted. “This conversation is weird. I’m discussing other women with my wives, talking about which of them is more attractive.”
“But this is our relationship, and I wouldn’t trade it for the crown of Buldoun,” Yukiko said. “Besides, Jenn and I are interested. It’s not like you’re just adding women to our group and telling us to deal with it.”
“I’d never—!” Gregory started to say.
Jenn’s finger cut him off. “We know. You letting us test and vet them… that’s something we’re grateful for, dear one.”
“We are,” Yukiko agreed. “At times, I worry it’s not fair to you.”
Gregory kissed Jenn’s finger, and she withdrew it. “I like it this way. It makes it less likely that there’ll be problems. Besides, I have the final say, don’t I?”
“Yes,” Jenn and Yukiko said together.
“Then, if anything, it might not be fair to both of you,” Gregory said. “If you agree and tell me, and then I say no…”
“I doubt anyone we bring forward will have you disagreeing with the idea,” Yukiko giggled.
“That’s true,” Gregory smiled as he grabbed his outfit and started dressing.
Silence fell between them as they continued to get ready for the day. Gregory recalled first how badly he’d dressed on that first day at the academy, and how Yukiko had to help him. Following that was a snippet of his time at Lagrand’s, where the man assisting him explained his clothing’s different parts and their names. He’d found out that the kimono had many types, as he’d seen with Yukiko, but for school, they had a full outfit with a hakama and haori. He thought that was a good thing— he didn’t want to think about how embarrassing it would have been for the women to fight in the sleeker kimonos Yukiko favored on their days off.
Chuckling as he finished dressing, he saw both Yukiko and Jenn watching him with questioning gazes. “Sorry. I was thinking about trying to put on this outfit on my first day here.”
Yukiko snickered. “Oh… that was funny and sad.”
“Fill me in?” Jenn asked.
“He had his obi over the top of everything, including the haori,” Yukiko told her, “and then his underbelt on over the top of the obi.”
“I’d forgotten that part,” Gregory sighed. “The belt, that is.”
Jenn snickered. “I shouldn’t laugh. I had my belt over my obi the first time, too. Never wore anything like this back home.”
“I grew up with them,” Yukiko said as she led them to the door. “Let’s go see if our friends grew in rank, too.”
“They all did,” Gregory said. “I also think something’s going to happen soon. Darkness didn’t say, as she didn’t want to muck it up.”
“Hmm,” Yukiko said. “We’ll have to keep our eyes open.”
~*~*~
Breakfast and studying at the archive went well. They’d seen the novices off, as it was their day off and they were going over to Gin’s. The apprentices headed for the tactics hall, talking about the game from the day before when Farin had beaten Gregory.
They took seats in their classroom, waiting for Farin and Paul to arrive. When Paul came in without Farin, they were curious if the Iron Hand apprentice was okay.
“There’s been a change,” Paul said after telling them Farin was fine. “Since my clan’s group and yours are both going to the tournament with Buldoun, my clan leader asked for a small change to the groups. Magi-killer agreed, and it took another day to rearrange things.”
“No more Farin?” Clover asked, clearly sad that their friend wasn’t going to be there anymore.
“He joined his peers,” Paul told her. “He was sad to leave the group, but learning with his peers and hopefully teaching them was not to be passed up.”
“If he can help them, then we wish them all well,” Ling said. “Please tell him we understand and are just sad he’s no longer with us? We’ll do our best to beat them if we face each other in the future.”
“I’d thought you’d feel that way,” he said, having seen the others agree with Ling, “but that does mean someone had to fill Farin’s spot. Funnily enough, we had a few people ask to join this class. As only one of them could, Gin had them compete for the right to join. Welcome your new classmate.”
When Paul stepped aside, Roshana stepped into the room. She bowed formally to the group before standing up to meet their eyes. “I will do my best to learn and help you during the next competition. I’ve introduced myself to you before, but let me do so again: I’m Roshana Arnab, a water magi and clanless. Thank you for having me.”
“Roshana,” Yukiko greeted her warmly. “We are happy to have an attentive and eager learner. I’m Yukiko Pettit, a shadow magi of Aether’s Guard.”
They went through a quick formal introduction. Paul shut the door behind Roshana and waited for them to finish. “Roshana, you will play opposite Clover today. This is to show us what you’ve learned while in the other class.”
“I will do my best,” Roshana said.
Well, at least what you didn’t wish to tell me didn’t take long to happen, Darkness… Gregory thought as he helped set the board for the game.
~*~*~
The game was over by the afternoon, and the group paused outside the hall to speak with Roshana.
“I failed to capitalize on the opening,” Roshana sighed. “But I will next time.”
“You didn’t do badly,” Ling said.
“Thank you,” Roshana smiled broadly. “Umm, is your family…?”
“I have ancestors who came from Limaz,” Ling nodded. “Further removed generationally than yours, but they live close to the border.”
“I didn’t mean to offend,” Roshana said.
“I’m not offended,” Ling replied. “I was going to ask about your family. We can talk more later, though.”
“I had a question. Who did you have to play to join the class?” Jenn asked.
“Gabrielle Mavic. She’s clanless, too,” Roshana said.
“She’s in the Han clan class,” Gregory said.
“Oh, yes, I remember her now,” Yukiko said. Her eyes twinkled when she glanced at Gregory.
“Also James Tocks,” Roshana added. “It was a three-way game. I stayed back and let them fight before I swept in to win.”
“Smart,” Clover beamed at her.
“A solid tactic,” Jenn agreed. “Did they not go for you at all?”
“I never attacked them and, when threatened, I retreated, acting weak and scared,” Roshana replied, her hand absently touching one of her rabbit ears. “I think I convinced them I could be dealt with later. I didn’t put more troops on the board until they were well into their own fight.”
“That could have gone badly,” Yukiko said before she grinned, “but it worked, and that’s what matters. Here, take these.” She drew out a couple of books from her obi. “Study as much as you can. They will help you devise new strategies.”
Roshana blinked, accepting the books on reflex before her eyes went wide. “But—!”
“It means Yuki likes you,” Jenn said, cutting Roshana off. “She helps people she thinks can be a friend.”
Roshana swallowed, then bowed deeply with the books clutched to her chest. “I will study them. Thank you.”
Gregory blinked a little, looking away from the earnest young woman. In the kimonos, it was always hard to tell the body outline of anyone, but Roshana had pressed the books to her chest. They hadn’t gone far, hinting that she might have ample flesh hidden under her clothes.
Coughing, Gregory spoke up, “We need to get back to train.”
“Yes, we do,” Jenn said. “We’ll see you next week, Roshana. What path are you on?”
Roshana’s face heated and she looked away. “Spirit.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” Yukiko told her. “Maybe we can meditate together later. Have a good day.”
“Good day,” Roshana replied, bowing deeply to them again as the group headed off at a fast walk.
When she stood back up, her heart was beating fast as she watched them leave. The books shifted against her and she glanced at them. “I’ll do what the first wife requires, Yukiko…” she whispered before going toward the dormitory with quick strides.
