At breakfast the next morning, Gregory glanced at Dia and Bishop, who were talking softly. “Dia, how long have you two known each other?”
“Decades,” Dia replied.
“Then why did Bishop ask for your name as if she didn’t know you when I was brought into the dormitory?”
Bishop chuckled. “So you wouldn’t think she might give you preferential treatment.”
Dia shook her head. “She was observing the fact that keepers have no clan as well.”
“Well, yes, there is that,” Bishop smiled. “Today is your last day of freedom. What do you three have planned?”
“Visiting our friends, and then training,” Yukiko said. “Would you be willing to spar with me before dinner?”
“Didn’t have enough last night?” Bishop asked.
“I learn best through doing,” Yukiko replied. “I want to find a way to stop you from pulling free so easily.”
“Your control over the shadows was surprising. Not many apprentices have such strength and control,” Bishop said. “Honestly, though, it’s a matter of power. Even toning down my aether, my channels are so well-developed that it’s hard to dampen my power down that far. I believe that if you keep training, few would have the ability to break free of your bonds right now. Jenn would be able to, but it would tax you both if she struggled in such a way.”
“We did in the last tournament,” Jenn grinned.
“You didn’t say yes or no,” Yukiko pointed out.
Bishop chuckled. “I will give you a match.”
“And me!” Jenn was quick to add.
“And you,” Bishop agreed. She looked at Gregory. “Not you?”
“I don’t want my ribs broken again,” Gregory said wryly.
Bishop’s eyebrow went up. “That’s fair, but don’t you want to test yourself again?”
“I would like to, yes,” Gregory replied.
“Very well. Two hours before dinner,” Bishop said.
“Breakfast is ready,” Velma said, bringing over their food.
~*~*~
“Good morning, Apprentices,” Simon greeted them. “Welcome back to the archive.”
“Thank you, Simon,” they replied.
“Your scrolls and books are waiting for you.”
“Thank you again, Simon,” Gregory replied.
Making it over to the table, they had paper and charcoal pencils out in no time. They were just finishing making a pair of Magi Squares each when the novices joined them.
“Morning,” Nessa greeted them as she sat beside Yukiko. “Are you all leaving the academy again today?”
“Yes,” Yukiko replied. “We found out we won’t be getting set days off like you three will. We’ll end up with a week off at a time, a total of five of them for the year.”
“The worst part is that they might not all be at the same time for us,” Jenn said.
“That’s dumb,” Daciana said. “Why wouldn’t they give them to all members of a clan together?”
“They might,” Gregory said. “It’ll be up to the instructor. It’s not just our days off, though. Even our normal days will be variable.” He took a moment to explain what they’d been told.
“That’ll make it difficult to train together,” Victoria said. “We’re going to do as you did during your novice year. We’ll spend the morning here before class, miss history to study here again, and then do more training after physical conditioning.”
“You might find it hard for a few weeks,” Gregory said. “The first few weeks, I was wiped out after physical conditioning. We barely ate before passing out.”
“It was difficult,” Yukiko agreed.
“I can understand that. It’s been tough the last few days, and that was with me just learning how to fall,” Victoria sighed.
“I told you we’ll start teaching you the basics today,” Daciana chuckled. “You’ll wish you were still falling by the end of it.”
Gregory laughed softly. “Yeah, the falling was easier to learn, but the rest is more interesting.”
“We might not be here to study with you in the mornings,” Jenn said. “It’ll all depend on our class. Even then, there are things we want to study that can only be read on the next floor.”
“We can’t go up there, can we?” Nessa asked.
“It’s for apprentices and above only,” Gregory said. “If all three of us are together, we’ll be here with you. If one or more of us isn’t, though, we’ll likely be up there.”
“Understood,” Daciana said, clearly unhappy about it.
“We’ll make you proud, and be ready for the clan to invite us in,” Nessa said.
“Why is the second Magi Squares different from the first?” Victoria asked, having been looking at the two in front of Gregory across the table from her.
“This is the level above the ones you’re doing. We’re starting them today,” Gregory told her. Seeing the other two novices also interested, he pushed the paper to the middle of the table. “The five-by-five grid goes from one to twenty-five, instead of the three-by-three grid that goes one to nine. The extra complexity will help us train more.”
“We need to wait on doing those,” Nessa said, staring at the more difficult puzzle. “The number of variables is a bit too much right now.”
“But we’ll get there,” Daciana growled softly.
“We expect you to,” Jenn said, softly patting Daciana on the shoulder, “next year, just as we’re only just getting to them. There is striving, and then there is being foolish.”
Daciana nodded. “I hear you, and will wait.”
“Let’s begin,” Yukiko said. “Pass the pages to the right.”
~*~*~
“Daciana sure does push for doing more,” Gregory said as they walked to Gin’s.
“She’s intent on getting where she thinks she needs to be,” Yukiko said.
“Though she was quick to back down when Jenn talked to her,” Gregory added.
Yukiko and Jenn exchanged a glance before Yukiko cleared her throat. “That’s because Daciana takes after her father’s line.”
Gregory’s brow furrowed. “Her eurtik blood?”
“Wolf eurtik follow a pack ideal,” Yukiko said. “She holds to that.”
“Because she wants to be in the clan, and Jenn is clearly higher in it than she is,” Gregory nodded. “That makes sense.”
“Yes,” Yukiko agreed, giving Jenn another look.
“Does she want to join the clan herself, or is she just doing what her father wants her to do?” Gregory asked.
“Oh, she wants to join the clan herself,” Jenn said. “She has her own reasons for doing so.”
“That’s good, at least,” Gregory said. “She does seem to lead that group.”
“For now,” Jenn said. “I think Nessa will take that spot before the first tournament is over.”
“In a fight, I’d take Daciana,” Yukiko said. “She’s going to be ferocious. For planning, Nessa is the better of the two. I don’t know where Victoria will fit in, yet.”
“I think she’ll fit in with them… she may be between them in temperament,” Jenn commented. “It’s possible she’ll be the one to lead them by the end of the novice year, if she stays with them.”
“True. She might decide to go to another clan by then,” Gregory said.
Yukiko looked thoughtful but didn’t gainsay him.
“They’ll be upset that we won’t be by every week,” Jenn said as they got closer to Gin’s.
“Elsa will keep them moving,” Yukiko said, putting aside her other thoughts. “Having a week off at a time, though… we could ask Dia and Gin if we can stay at his home during those periods.”
“That would be good, except we might need to catch up on our other training during those weeks,” Gregory said. “We should still ask, just in case.”
“We should,” Jenn agreed. “Let’s not tell Elsa and the others, in case we can’t.”
“Yes,” Gregory nodded.
“Agreed,” Yukiko added.
Gregory knocked on the door when they arrived.
“Welcome to the Watashi residence, magi. Would you care to come inside?” Elsa asked as she gave them a smile.
“Why thank you. We would love to,” Gregory greeted her back.
“I will make sure that the children assemble in the yard,” Elsa said, shutting the door behind them. “Is there anything else you require before that?”
“No, that will do,” Yukiko said.
“Very well,” Elsa replied, giving them a low curtsy before she left at a slightly hurried pace.
“She did much better that time,” Baylyss commented as they were putting on slippers.
“She does seem to learn quickly,” Yukiko said.
“Very quickly,” Baylyss agreed. “How are you today?”
“Good,” Gregory smiled. “Were they well-behaved once we left?”
“Very. They talked about your gifts after you left,” Baylyss smiled. “A few of them traded figures to have a better-matched set, though none were as matched as the two you gave Elsa. Those two, when facing each other, appear to be halves of a whole.”
“It was why we chose them for her,” Jenn grinned.
“Yes, it did seem that way,” Baylyss replied. “The others were random?”
“Yes,” Gregory replied, a hint of worry in his tone.
“They didn’t notice,” Baylyss told him, “besides Elsa, that is. Once she saw how well-matched hers were, she stayed quiet. She didn’t want them to be upset that hers were more special.”
“Smart girl,” Jenn said softly. “She’s a good leader for them.”
“I agree,” Baylyss smiled. “Let me show you to the courtyard. They should have had time to get there.”
“Thank you, Baylyss,” Yukiko said. “Is there anything we can do for you?”
“Nothing. I am well cared for. Thank you for asking. Please, follow me.”
~*~*~
With the training over, the children were tired, but happy.
“We have some bad news,” Gregory said. “Our apprentice year will be different from our novice year. We won’t be getting a day off every week.”
The kids all looked sad and upset, but they stood there, staring at him and waiting to hear if there was more to be said.
“We’re supposed to get a week off here or there, but we don’t know if they will be with each other, or spread out separately,” Yukiko said. “We will come by when we can, but we want you to know why we aren’t showing up as often.”
“We understand,” Elsa said, her voice firm. “You must do as you are required to do, as we will. When you are able to return here, you will find that we have continued to do our best.”
A chorus of agreement came from the others, who stood up a little straighter.
“You should know,” Baylyss said, coming into view from the door, “that they will be leaving next year. Initiates go to join their guards and train with them. Adepts then get posted to various places in the empire. This year might be the last you see them for some time.”
All of the children, even Elsa, looked upset at that news.
Elsa took a deep breath and looked at the three apprentices, who looked saddened, as well. Taking a deep breath, she turned to the other children. “That will not stop us, will it? We won’t fail just because they aren’t here to check on us, will we? We will do as they have taught us and continue to grow. That way, when our time comes, we can enter the academy.”
The children wiped at their eyes and straightened up. “We will do our best,” they said in a rough echo.
Elsa turned back to the trio. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears, but she stood straight. “We will be waiting for your return. Until we see you again, we will continue to follow the path you have shown us.”
“We’ll be back as often as we can,” Gregory said. “We would like to spend time training with you, too, but that’s not what the academy will allow. Magi are even more constrained than others on when and how we can do things.”
“Baylyss, will you please keep us informed?” Jenn asked.
“Of course. My charges are as important to me as they are to you. I will tell you of the good and bad.”
“If everything is good, then maybe special gifts can be arranged,” Yukiko said. “They won’t happen often, but hard work should be celebrated. Do your best, and we’ll send word in return to all of you.”
“Children, it is time,” Baylyss said. “Go on with your work. I will see them out.”
The children bowed to the three magi before they left. Elsa was the only one who stayed.
“Baylyss, may I show them out?” Elsa asked.
“Yes. Find me when they are gone,” Baylyss told her.
“I will.”
With Baylyss gone, Elsa sighed. “I knew it would happen. I’d heard Cal and the others talk about it when you weren’t here. I had secretly hoped they were wrong, though…” Swallowing, she met their eyes. “I will do my best to keep them moving forward. We will make you proud.”
“You already do,” Gregory said. “Look at how much you’ve already done for those you care for. That above everything else is something to treasure.”
Elsa’s lips trembled, and she bowed her head. “Thank you… all of you… for giving me and them a chance to be more than our families were willing to let us be.” She sniffled and looked up, and this time, no more tears were welling up. “Let me show you out.”
“We will follow,” Yukiko said softly.
