Dia was sitting on the porch smoking her pipe when Gregory and Yukiko came out the next morning. They thanked her for having her staff help them the night before.
“You’re welcome,” Dia replied. “You have enough to deal with already. Have you chosen your clan yet?”
“No,” Yukiko replied. “Neither of us has found a clan that seems right yet.”
“Your rooms will be yours for as long as you need them,” Dia smiled. “Or you can switch to different rooms after the tournament ends, if you prefer. I wish you both luck on your bouts today.”
“Thank you, Keeper,” Gregory said, bowing. “Good day. I hope it is calm.”
“It should slow down now that the rush of parents and family has abated. In a couple of days, we’ll see a mass exodus, and then the dormitory will be very quiet for a while until the new novices begin to arrive in a month or two.”
With another bow, they left Dia and started toward the mess hall.
The mess hall was empty, except for the staff. When Gregory and Yukiko walked in, the five eurtiks on duty started clapping and cheering. The two of them smiled at the exuberant greeting, though they were rather embarrassed.
“That’s a bit much isn’t it?” Gregory laughed.
“No,” Ravol grinned. “We won enough betting on you to pay off the servant debts for some of our family. We did as you said, though, and kept a little back to bet on you again.”
“My wife and daughter are no longer indebted,” Zenim added. “We can’t break the rules, but we will do our very best for you both.”
“My sons are all free,” Steva added.
“My husband and parents,” Velma was quick to chime in. “And Quilet has all of his children free of debt now, as well.”
Yukiko waved to the otter who was in the cleaning area, getting a wide smile and wave in return. “We’re glad it worked out the way it did.”
“You have our gratitude, and if it’s okay, our friendship,” Ravol said as he loaded plates for them.
“Friends are good,” Gregory said. “I come from the fringe; we view things differently there. If your family moved to Alturis, I’m sure they would find it friendlier than here.”
“My sons might go,” Steva said. “At least one of them will, just to see the birthplace of the man who helped him be free.”
Gregory did not respond, unsure of what to say.
“Would he be willing to take a letter with him?” Yukiko asked. “Greg was going to write his family after the tournament.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Thank you,” Gregory managed. “I’ll pay the same it would cost me to send it via post.”
“That isn’t—”
“It is,” Yukiko cut the eurtik off. “Accept it, please.”
Bowing his head, Steva replied softly, “I will. I’ll make sure he’s ready after the tournament concludes.”
“We’ll be betting on both of you today,” Velma said as she finished getting their plates organized. “And we hope to do so again tomorrow.”
“That would be nice,” Gregory said. “We’ll do our best.”
“Give your families our best wishes, as well,” Yukiko smiled. “It’s nice to know that we’ve helped others.”
The four eurtik bowed deeply to them as they took their plates. “Our thanks,” they said in near unison.
Gregory and Yukiko bowed back, then went to get tea.
“That was weird,” Gregory whispered as they took seats.
“That they bet on us, or that they’re thanking us?”
“Yes?”
“They explained why before,” Yukiko reminded him. “I didn’t mind the thanks. They’re just grateful that their hope in us wasn’t misplaced. The fact it will help their families is good.”
“Hmm,” Gregory muttered, considering her explanation while he ate.
~*~*~
They ate in silence, with Gregory thinking about the eurtik. He spoke up as they were walking to the archive. “I guess I don’t mind, but I don’t feel like I deserve it either.”
Yukiko smiled warmly at him, “You’re a good man, dear one. I’ve known others who would have asked for part of their winnings or other considerations for having been the key to their good fortune.”
“Huh.”
“Good morning, finalists,” Rafiq greeted them as they entered the archive. “Best wishes for today.”
“Thank you, Rafiq,” they said together, giving him a shallow bow.
“Did your superior enjoy the matches?” Gregory asked.
“Most of them,” Rafiq replied. “Here to study until it is time for your fights?”
“Here for an hour,” Gregory said as fourth bell chimed. “We want to get other training in before they announce the matches.”
“You could stay for two hours today,” Rafiq told them. “They won’t announce the matches at the main arena until the eleventh bell, and they won’t start until the twelfth bell. The time before and after is filled with the apprentice matches.”
“Two hours here, then two in meditation,” Yukiko said. “We’ll still have plenty of time to see my parents before our matches are announced.”
“Sounds like a good plan,” Gregory smiled at her.
“May your training be fruitful,” Rafiq told them. “I wish to thank you. You weren’t aware of it, but a number of us had wagers on you to make it this far.”
“You, too?” Gregory asked with a raised eyebrow. “The cooks we knew about.”
“Those of us who’ve seen your devotion to your training bet on you,” Rafiq replied. “It is hard not to believe in those who strive to better themselves. None of the other novices come more than once a week. You two, though, you are here every day without fail.”
“Who did you all bet against?” Yukiko asked.
“Certain magi who think less of us than they should,” Rafiq said bluntly. “It was nice to see them upset in a way that didn’t reflect badly on us or our superiors.”
“Good,” Gregory nodded. “Going to bet more today?”
“I’ve set aside a part of my winnings to do just that. It seems the losers are hoping to get some of it back,” Rafiq’s grin was wide. “We’re just waiting to see who you’re both matched up against and the odds.”
“Have at it,” Gregory chuckled.
“Can you place a bet for me?” Yukiko asked.
“Certainly,” Rafiq agreed.
Yukiko pulled her coin purse from her bag and counted out two thousand vela in five hundred vela coins. “Half on me and half on Greg, provided we aren’t fighting each other.”
“I will make sure it is handled,” Rafiq said as he took the vela.
“Come on, Yuki,” Gregory said, shaking his head, “we need to get training. Have a good day.”
“Good day,” Rafiq replied to them both.
~*~*~
The ninth bell chimed and the two novices came out of their meditative trances. Both were covered in a light sheen of sweat from the physical side of the training. They shared a smile, pleased that they were growing faster and better than their peers.
“The fire seemed brighter for me today,” Yukiko said as she wiped the sweat off her face.
“And the channels in the stone are larger,” Gregory added.
“It’s odd that we can manage this but others can’t,” Yukiko murmured as she started to gather her things.
“In a way. I was led to believe this takes complete belief that it is possible. I didn’t doubt it.”
“And I didn’t doubt you,” Yukiko smiled softly. “I should have, but I didn’t. It’s like the stars aligned when I met you. Everything has just gone right since that day.”
“My life has been wonderful since that day, as well,” Gregory said, wrapping his arms around her from behind as she stood up.
Yukiko leaned against him, sighing happily. “Dear one, you spoil me with your love.”
“And you do me,” he kissed the side of her neck, eliciting a shiver from her.
“Dear one…” Yukiko exhaled as she leaned into him a bit more, “we need to go.”
“I know,” Gregory sighed as he gently eased her away from him.
Taking a deep breath, Yukiko took a moment to make sure she was steady. She had not expected her legs to get so shaky when he kissed her neck. Once she was sure she was good, she moved toward the door where Gregory was waiting for her.
Gregory and Yukiko headed back to the dormitory, thinking that the most likely place to find Yukiko’s parents or a message from them. They passed a number of visitors, overhearing snippets of conversation from them. Most seemed to center on the remaining eight novices and the merits of each. Both of them hid their smiles as they kept walking.
A hundred yards from the dormitory, one of the eurtik staff came out of a hidden path to meet them. “Greetings. Keeper Dia wished me to inform you that your mother is at the main arena, and that you might wish to remain scarce from the dormitory, unless necessary.”
“Oh, why?” Gregory asked.
“Representatives of the smaller and mid-size clans are waiting to speak with you. The keeper is under the impression that you would rather not deal with them.”
“Thank her for us,” Yukiko said with gratitude, “she is correct. We’ll return later tonight.”
“Best of luck with your bouts,” the eurtik bowed and disappeared back down the hidden path.
“Let’s retreat,” Gregory chuckled as they turned back toward the arenas.
They found Yoo-jin and Lin with the help of an usher. Yoo-jin was seated in a small private box. Lin stood guard, with his back to a wall.
“Where is Father?” Yukiko asked when they entered the box.
“Resting. He is still tired from dealing with Grandmaster Shun at the auction,” Yoo-jin replied. “He’ll join us for dinner. Once the fights are over for today, we will have ample free time since we won’t be attending the auctions again.”
“Did you have plans?” Yukiko asked her.
“I was thinking a visit to a tea house. It will help you unwind from the fights, and it’s one of the things that has to be done before your betrothal is announced.”
“That is lovely. Thank you, Mother.”
“Of course, we’ve always done our best for you.” She smiled at Yukiko, then turned to Gregory. “It seems the apprentices are having a tournament, as well. They are fighting in teams, apparently comprised of their clans.”
“Interesting,” Gregory said, looking on. He wondered why the tournament was different for the next tier of magi, and made a mental note to ask Rafiq about it.
