Waking up to a soft kiss, Gregory smiled. “Morning to you, too.”
“Come on. It’s time to get up and dress,” Yukiko said.
Gregory yawned, then got out of bed. Looking back, he saw Jenn blinking slowly, clearly also just waking up. “Nice to see I’m not the last one up.”
“Not awake that long before me…” Jenn mumbled as she slipped out of bed.
“Are you both okay with it?” Yukiko asked. “I know you said you were last night, but I want to make sure.”
“Yes,” Jenn said as she pulled on her clothing.
“I was surprised at the offer, but if she agrees, then yes,” Gregory said. “I wonder how the others will take it?”
“They might regress some, but they need to accept her not being there,” Yukiko said.
“Do you think Elsa will agree?” Gregory asked.
“I do, dear one. At the moment, she doesn’t know if she’ll be a magi, but if she’s not, she can focus on the other objective she has— being a maid for us. Mother said she’s been nearly perfect in their time together, and Mother doesn’t heap false praise.”
“I just worry about the other kids,” Jenn said. “I know Baylyss will do everything she can for them, but without Elsa…” She trailed off, shaking her head.
“It’ll be difficult for them, but I think they’ll show us they’re determined for themselves, not just because Elsa’s there to push them,” Yukiko said.
“We don’t even get to say goodbye,” Gregory sighed. “I think that’s what hurts the most for me.”
“Who says we won’t get to say goodbye?” Yukiko asked.
“They can’t come inside the walls today, and Elder Lightshield said we need to be here for our new clanmates. I don’t think we’ll be able to leave because of that.”
“They aren’t taking her right now,” Yukiko said. “She’ll be here until our apprentice year ends. Elsa has that long to decide she doesn’t want to be a maid.”
“I must have missed that part…” Gregory said.
“I think Father asked you about foresight at that point,” Yukiko replied. “I didn’t know you hadn’t heard.”
“We get some time and we’ll get to see if the kids are taking to the idea well. Of course, that could still change after she leaves, which is what I worry about,” Jenn said.
“True, and we won’t be here for them, either,” Yukiko agreed. “Nessa and the others will be able to help them through the next year.”
Gregory nodded as he tied his obi closed. “They will be. I’m sorry for being the last one ready.”
“Let’s go have breakfast and see what Dia has to say about today,” Yukiko smiled, giving his cheek a kiss.
Bishop, Dia, and Lightshield were all sitting at the table when they entered the room.
“Good morning to you all,” Gregory said, echoed by his wives.
“Good morning, Apprentices,” Lightshield replied. “I am sad to tell you that your normal routine is going to suffer some today. After breakfast, you will not be able to go to the archive.”
“We understand, Elder,” Yukiko said.
“At sixth bell, everyone is to be on the porch to welcome the new clanmates,” Lightshield said. “From after breakfast until then, your time is your own.”
“Yes, sir,” they replied.
“I have breakfast ready,” Quilet said from the kitchen.
“Please serve us.”
~*~*~
Gregory, Yukiko, and Jenn had retreated to the study to read while waiting for the sixth bell to come. Murium joined them at fifth bell, smiling as she took her usual seat. There was a small chime that caught Gregory’s attention, and he frowned.
Murium ducked her head. “Sorry. It’s a timekeeper. It chimes every quarter-hour for me. This way, I’m never late again.”
Gregory smiled, thinking back to a year ago when Murium missed greeting them on the porch. “Does it always catch your attention?”
“Most of the time,” Murium said. “I’m training myself to hear it. It gets lost under the normal hour chime, so I only hear it three times per hour.”
“Maybe we should head out there to wait,” Jenn said, looking up. “We can meditate.”
“Expanding our resonance,” Yukiko nodded. “It’s only by fractions, but over time, it will add up.”
“We did get a little over an hour of studying in,” Gregory said, closing his book. “We’ll see you outside, Murium.”
“I’ll be there.”
They left the room quietly, as Murium was already back to her reading.
Stepping onto the porch, they saw Dia sitting beside the door, pipe in hand. “Apprentices, eager to see your friends?” Dia asked with a smile.
“Mostly, but also wanting to make sure we aren’t late,” Yukiko replied.
“Ah, that’s good. Do you think I’ll have to reprimand Murium again?”
“I don’t think so, Dia,” Gregory said. “She has a timekeeper to warn her.”
“Yes, I’ve seen it. I also know she only pays attention to it half the time.”
Jenn shook her head. “She thinks she does better than that.”
“I’m sure she does, but I believe she’ll be fine today.”
“Dia, I was curious,” Gregory asked, “what is next year going to be like?”
Dia exhaled another smoke ring. “Different in nearly every way. You will be sent to one of the training areas. Your men will be there already or will join you when you get there. For that year, you will be drilled on how to be a commander to your men. The training areas are always near a town, so you will learn how to rotate your troops out. You will also have a chance to occasionally refresh yourself.”
“Will we be sent to the same area?” Yukiko asked.
Dia’s lips curled up. “I’m sure the elder has made arrangements.”
All three of them looked hopeful at her words.
“Were you going to meditate until your friends arrived?” Dia asked as she took another puff on her pipe.
“Yes. We were going to work on our resonance,” Jenn said.
“A good thing to work on. You’ll be surprised how useful it can be once you nurture it. I’ll make sure you are aware before it is time, so feel free to train.”
Thanking her, the three of them took seats and began steadying their breathing, slipping into a meditative state.
~*~*~
“Apprentices, you should stop for now,” Dia said.
Gregory smiled when he opened his eyes. Yukiko and Jenn were smiling as well when he looked at them. “Progress?”
“Yes,” Yukiko replied.
“Small, but yes,” Jenn agreed.
“Same with me.”
“They will be here shortly,” Lightshield said.
“Yes, sir,” Gregory said as he rose to his feet.
“This marks the day the clan starts its regrowth,” Lightshield said softly. “Hope came with you three, but now, it blooms as more join.” The smile on his aged face was full of joy. “I am happy that I am here to welcome this core group.”
Gregory was about to speak when he saw Daciana come around the hedge. Nessa and Victoria were only a step behind her. All three of the novices were wearing wide smiles and waved to them. A couple of seconds later, Ling and Clover followed them into the yard, just as happy to be there.
Sixth bell began to chime as the five new clan members crossed the yard to stand in front of the porch. Lightshield stood just in front, with Dia and Bishop flanking him a step back. Gregory, Jenn, and Yukiko were on Bishop’s left, but up on the porch, and Gin, Inda, and Indara were on Dia’s right side also up on the porch. The clan staff were standing behind the others, in front of the door.
As the sixth bell faded, Lightshield spoke, “Welcome to Aether’s Guard. We are happy to have all of you joining us. At one time, this clan was one of the three great clans of the empire, but we faded as people lost belief in Aether’s return. But now, with you, we will rise again. All we ask is that you hold to the ideal of the clan— believe that Aether will return. Be ready to be his shield to guard him when he announces himself to the world.”
“I believe, Elder,” Daciana said, bowing formally.
“We believe, Elder,” Nessa and Victoria said in near unison, bowing to him.
“Oh, oh, I believe!” Clover said excitedly, her bow fast but formal.
Ling smiled as she bowed deeply. “I believe and shall be ready, Elder.”
“These pins will mark your clothing with the clan emblem so it is known that you are part of Aether’s Guard,” Lightshield said. Bishop moved forward, handing out the badges. “Just pin them to your kimonos and it will mark them.”
They wasted no time pinning the badges to their kimonos.
“Now, before we progress further, I shall inform you of what today will entail, as it will be your schedule for the rest of the year,” Lightshield said, looking at the novices. “From now until the eighth bell, you have time to settle into your rooms, as this is the time that you would be in economics class.”
“Yes, sir,” the three novices said.
“At eighth bell, all of you,” he paused, looking at Ling and Clover so they knew they were included, “will meet your magic instructors and have your first day of one-on-one magic training. These teachers were handpicked for you.”
All five of them looked shocked.
“When your magic instruction is over, you will have two hours to study or meditate as you wish. A snack will be served after that, taken in the dining room. Following the snack, you will begin physical training with Armsmaster Gin Watashi. He has the final say on this part of your training and, depending on your weapon affinity, there will be others to train you with those.”
Everyone had looked at Gin. He stared back at them levelly, clearly sizing them up.
“Once training is over, you will bathe. The reason why is simple— dinner is served as a clan meal, and cleanliness is mandatory. When dinner is over, the rest of the night is yours.” He turned his attention to Ling and Clover. “For you two, things will be in flux because of tactics. You will have the same schedule as your classmates, but we’ll do our best to keep your training as steady as we can. As for paths, pick the one or ones you wish to follow. We do not dictate that to you, unlike others. Are there any questions?”
No one spoke up, but after a second, Clover raised her hand.
Lightshield gave her a fatherly smile. “Yes?”
“Since the clan is going to be represented in the Buldoun event, are Ling and I going to be able to participate?”
Lightshield’s eyes gleamed for a moment. “Did you want to join them?”
“We can’t do as well as they can, but we’d like to help,” Clover said, Ling nodding in agreement.
“Very well. You may regret that, but we will include you in their training for the fights.”
“Thank you, Elder,” Ling said. “We want to be as helpful to the clan as we can be.”
“I am sure you will be more helpful than you think,” Lightshield replied. “I will be leaving the academy after dinner this evening. Magus Samantha Bishop is the head of the clan inside the walls of the academy while I am not here. If you have any problems, bring them to her. Magus Dia Ursinda is in charge of the clan hall. Are there any other questions?” When no one else spoke up, he nodded. “Very well. Dia, you may take over from here. I shall return for dinner.”
“Yes, sir,” Dia said.
Lightshield walked slowly past the new members, leaning on his cane as he went.
Dia smiled at the five of them. “Welcome to Aether’s Guard. You’ve met everyone here already, and we’ve shown you the clan hall itself. I have only one more thing to add about your days off. Gin has offered his home for you to use during those days. My sister takes care of the building and has several children that assist her.”
Daciana, Nessa, and Victoria smiled, thinking of the kids.
“Novices, considering that you’ve been following in your senior’s footsteps, may I assume you’d wish to continue to do so?”
“Yes, Dia,” they answered quickly.
“Then you will find a few people at Gin’s home that will teach you a variety of gambling and strategy games on your days off. They have been paid for by the clan. Once you have studied the games and show proficiency with them, they will then begin to teach you Empire’s Gambit to prepare you for next year.”
“But I thought the clan didn’t teach them?” Ling said.
Dia gave Ling a nod. “We didn’t. Gregory arranged that all on his own for him, Yukiko, and Jenn. However, we thought it was a good idea, so the elder decided that it will be available for the new novices this year and beyond. You are allowed to use Gin’s residence during your day off, as well. I know that our other apprentices use it for the days we give them off.”
Ling and Clover looked at Gregory and his wives.
“Now, let’s show you to your rooms so you may settle in. Be back here at the eighth bell.”
