VARA

I couldn’t help but reminisce over the past few days while I waited outside the office mother was using while she was here. Professor Schmidt had offered up the office as a temporary measure since she was spending her time making sure the gym and practice yard were up to her demanding standards. I sat on the bench outside the door and thought again about seeing Magnus for the first time in eight years. It was somewhat embarrassing how quickly my emotions caught up with me, but he was my oldest friend. Honestly he was one of the few people at the castle that hadn’t treated me like a princess. Even Marion, for all her iron handed discipline, always remembered my station. Magnus was as likely to call me princess as he was to hide a prank in the closet. It was refreshing and I had missed it over the past few years more than I had expected.

That first sight had been a shock, he looked very much like his mother had. Tall and straight backed, with an inquisitiveness that unequivocally came from his grandfather, but moving with a grace that showed he knew where each part of his body was going to end up. I would wager my sword that his grandfather had taught him the same style of unarmed combat his mother had practiced and started to teach me. The pixie had been a surprise, as he never had much of a talent for beast binding, it had been one of the few things that caused friction between us as kids. I let my hand trace one of the crystals on my belt and a small smile came to my lips. That Blink Mouse had been a shock when I had returned to my room that day. The little beast was terrified, hungry, and not sure where it was or how to get out. I had managed to calm it down enough to take food and water, and rest in the little bed I had made in the cage he had left it in. It had taken a solid two hours, and distracted me from him being gone thoroughly. She was my first beast binding, and half the nobles in the court were scandalized that I would pick such a skittish creature for my initial bond. Oh how they would be shocked if they saw her now. Kitsu had evolved in an unexpected way and was now in a unique category of aetherical creatures. Morgan had explained it to me in the letters I had mother send after the first evolution. A bound beast that takes the binding of its own free will can evolve based on the binder. Her first evolution had increased her size, and let her balance on two legs easily, and it was amusing to watch her try to copy my unarmed combat training. Her second evolution a year ago had been such a shock that I had been tempted to run off to the mountain and drag answers out of that old hermit by force if I needed to. Mother managed to convince me it wasn’t needed as Vulmar had found records of similar occurrences elsewhere during his information gathering for the academy. Kitsu had begun to actually speak telepathically to me, it was still rudimentary like a child learning what words were, but she could speak. She had also grown to five feet tall, and regularly moved on two legs now. In addition she formed aetherical blades from her paws that could cut through just about anything. Combined with her natural teleportation ability it made for a swift silent protector.

My musings were interrupted by the door opening and my mother’s voice calling, “Come in Vara.”

I stood and went into the office. It was very plain, with a simple wooden desk, two chairs in front of it, and a small window overlooking the training field. A book shelf with a pair of filing cabinets sat against the wall behind the desk. My mother, looking worn, sat in a simple chair behind the desk, a stack of papers to one side and a fountain pen tucked behind one ear.

Professor Stormleaf took up space in one of the chairs so I moved towards the other, and at a nod from my mother sat down. It was the professor who started the conversation though, “About a quarter of the students have already submitted requests for specific programs, even though the details of them have not been shared beyond the brief overview we had in the assembly earlier today.”

I waited, the best conversation tactic according to my mother when you didn’t have something specific to add, and he continued, “Of those students, five have chosen the Support program, three have decided on the Engineering program including your new friend Richard, and two have chosen the Operative program. Can you guess who those two are?”

“One of them is me,” I said, keeping it short and simple.

I knew damn well who the other was, I had seen his face when Stormleaf had described the purpose of the program. His gaze had shifted to the one his grandfather wore when he was determined. It was a cold, calculating gaze that pierced through all obstacles and saw the result he would make reality and the gods could help or get out of the way.

My mother spoke up, “Yes, you are one of the two that chose the Operative program. Which has caused my most recent headache. Why are you choosing this course of study? You know the goal for these operatives after they graduate.”

“Inter-kingdom law enforcement, like the professor said earlier,” I said.

I thought I saw a small smile on the old man’s face as he said, “Yes, but that doesn’t answer the question of why.”

“The nations need people that can go between them easily. I already have a high degree of training in the subjects that were mentioned just from my upbringing. I have been tutored in law, military leadership, ethics, and trade extensively as your heir,” I said.

“My heir, yes you are that. Which is part of the problem. You will be seen as acting in Nilavs interests rather than the alliance as a whole, which negates the neutrality that the post needs,” mother responded.

I thought for a second; she could outright refuse my decision, but hadn’t. Arya had taught me to always think through a debate before offering a counter-argument. It didn’t take me long to think of one that should work, “About half of the students here are from noble families, or high influence merchant families. The time to practice their binding that brought them to your attention is hard to accomplish in the day to day of standard living. Many of them wouldn’t be considered neutral for similar reasons. Also, if you stop nobles from studying in that program you run the risk of some of the more old fashioned ones feeling they can ignore the operatives if they have to make a decision on their land.”

“Well said, young lady,” Professor Stormleaf said.

“Yes, that was well reasoned, except for one part. It doesn’t negate the fact that you are my heir, which would put the succession at risk if someone targeted you after graduation,” my mother said.

“Oh, please!” I said exasperated, “As if the entire palace didn’t know how you and Prince Stefan are trying so hard for more children. I can hear it from my chambers some nights.”

The professor actually laughed as my mother blushed, and I drove home the point, “In fact unless something were to happen to you, I wouldn’t be needed as an heir for at least a decade. That assumes that grandfather, who is as hale and stubborn as an old bull, decided to step down before the traditional time. The only time I’ve seen him leave the capital without a company of troops around him was when he went to visit Morgan on the mountain just to get away from the craziness of the courts the month after you were married. I still think it's so he didn’t gut my step-father for having impure thoughts about you.”

The blush grew even deeper, and as she started to gather breath to retort I spoke up once more to drive my point home, “The best point for me becoming an operative is that it will give me first hand experience in dealing with the other nations of the alliance in a ground level view. It's like Captain Uaine says: an officer can give orders, but it’s the soldier that decides how to accomplish those orders. This would put me in the best position to do your job when it’s my time.”

My mother closed her open mouth and I could see her thinking over my argument. Redleaf stepped into the silence and said, “She’s right Princess. Nilavs has laws in place for if there isn’t a direct successor, assuming that ever comes up, and she can learn a great deal in the program as it stands. It could also raise the prestige of the academy and the job if one of the founding nations for the school sent their heir.”

She looked over at the professor and asked, “Am I being overprotective John. You were my father’s Shadow before your injury forced retirement. I trust you to be objective about this.”

My thoughts bounced between an adamant yes at the overprotectiveness, and the realization that the professor had been a Shadow. Retirement was an almost legendary concept to the calling, as many died in the protection of their charge rather than step away and let another take their place. Though come to think of it grandfather’s Shadow was closer to my mother’s age, which means he couldn’t have been the Shadow when grandfather was only the heir-apparent.

Stormleaf nodded, “A touch overprotective yes. She is your only child so it is to be expected, but you can’t let that blind you. If something were to happen and she became Crown Princess she could be recalled from active duty as an operative to take up the role. It is the same protocols we have in place for any heir of nobility. In fact it is actually better for the alliance to see that all operatives are held to the same standard, regardless of birthright. This assumes, of course, she is able to graduate.

I glared at the old man, and he just smiled and rubbed the stubble on his chin, as my mother said, “You’re right John. Very well Vara, you will be registered in the Operative program with my reluctant blessing.”

I smiled at her and stood saying, “Thank you, mother.”