“Potomian naval forces remain on high alert after an incident in neighbouring Gratia has led to the sinking of multiple ships and the sacking of a town. Gratian officials from both the Republic and Kingdom have issued statements that everything was under control, and that it was an attack by unnamed terrorists. Potomian observers predict that this was a high casualty event, and that it could be likely that hostilities between the Gratian factions have resumed in earnest. ”

- Forward Pont! Exclusive News From Pontus - Section Securitie, “Trouble on the Trannoire”

Sopihe rubbed her cheeks against Aryana’s, hoping to leech off some of the redhead’s brainpower. While not stupid by in any academic sense, Sophie had found herself stressed over the volume of coursework she had before break. Worse still, she had tests in almost every single class she was taking, all of which she felt woefully underprepared for despite the reassurances of her classmates. The one outlier was an assessment requested by the Arterian Trinite instructor who had caught a glimpse of her deranged training the other week. The two had barely interacted in class and now, Sophie could definitely feel the instructor avoiding her. They had, however, only conversed once since then, in which he told her in no uncertain terms that she would take the assessment and move onto a more advanced class, his only acknowledgement of what had happened.

“I get that the two of you are close, but we don’t need such displays here.” Miraevie tutted from opposite her.

“But, I need her brain juice.” Sophie protested, eliciting a small giggle from Alodie.

Miraevie frowned and rolled her eyes, “You’re not dumber than a brick, yet. I sincerely doubt you need more ‘brain juice’. Ugh, such a vulgar term.” The elf spat the last words out with visible distaste.

Aryana meanwhile, was fast asleep. Having gotten bored of studying, the redhead took a quick exit to dreamland. She didn’t need to be here, on the contrary, Sophie had even suggested for her to go enjoy herself, but the girl refused to leave her side, ‘for the next weekends, at least’ Aryana had said. Sophie didn’t mind, but it did prove awkward whenever she had to go to study sessions, sheepishly having to ask if people minded a tag along. Thankfully no one did, and anyone who did have concerns were quickly won over by Aryana’s pleasant and adorable demeanour. She is quite the cute one, gah, focus.

It had been two weeks since her date, with Sophie now regretting her choice of simply putting life on hold during the Saclian expedition. Now, she had not just a lot to catch up on, but also a lot to learn in order to be prepared for the exams.

So it was that on this Caeus, she had agreed to review the exam materials for history class as well as to take some time to prepare herself for a presentation on the history of Carrador’s rise. With reluctance, Miraevie had agreed to a study session, with Alodie being the one who suggested the idea. They had invited Dominic as well, but the Gratian was busy with his own plans for the day, saying that ‘he’d join after a while, if you guys aren’t finished early’. Judging by Miraevie’s slightly disappointed pout at the news, Sophie was relatively certain that those two were at least intertwined on a more intimate level. Heh.

For the most part, the study session was an attempt to just remember what information they could. History wasn’t hard for any of them, it just proved to be really dense, at least in Sophie’s opinion. Gah, I still have to investigate that stupid griffin feather. It’s a lead, but someone has a crow watching me, and gave me that. So what exactly are they after? She sighed from frustration.

“Sophie?” Alodie queried, surprised by the sigh.

“Hmm? Ahh, nothing. Just a bit sluggish is all.” Sophie replied, wiping the expression off her face.

“You need to get proper rest, okay? Like her.” Alodie gave Aryana’s cheek a soft poke.

Sophie felt a pang of something flash in her chest. She’s mine, she wanted to pout, but held back. She was dismayed at how quickly she had fallen into the same feelings as when she was with Eva, the desire to always be around or matter to them. She knew that the situation was different and that the two shared a different kind of bond. But she never learned what dating someone actually entailed. She’d seen it happen, but here, they were already spending a significant portion of time with each other. So what’s different? She posed the question before immediately blushing at the feeling of how they kissed appeared in her mind, well… I mean… but still.

“Ahem.” Miraevie coughed, startling Sophie from her thoughts. “Maybe you do need the brainpower if you keep spacing out like that. Do you even remember what we were talking about a minute ago?”

Sophie’s ears drooped in disappointment, shit, she’s right. I need to focus. “C-Carrador?” Sophie scrunched her brows as she tried to remember.

“Tch, nice guess.” Miraevie sighed, “Next time, when you want to take a break, just say it.”

“Sorry.”

“Alodie, break time?” The elf asked.

“Break sounds good.” Alodie bobbed her head.

Miraevie simply arched a questioning eyebrow at Sophie.

“Uh… yeah, sounds good.” Sophie agreed with an embarrassed nod.

The elf rolled her eyes and sighed, “Alright then. Let’s meet back here in about half an hour?”

Alodie nodded, so Sophie also nodded.

“Good.” Miraevie clapped her hands together before puffing out her chest and stretching, “Cause my back’s getting sore.”

Seeing none of the others move, the elf snapped her fingers in annoyance.

“C’mon. Half an hour means half an hour, starting now. Get a move on then.” Miraevie urged the two.

Without so much as a huff or goodbye, the elf collected her things and marched out of the library. Alodie and Sophie shared bewildered looks, both feeling as if they had been dressed down by someone with far more authority than them. Alodie was the first to break and nodded to herself before at Sophie.

“Well… I suppose that is our dismissal for now. I will see you in a bit.” She smiled, “Also, umm, the two of you look good together, yes.” She sheepishly added, throwing a quick glance at Aryana.

Sophie burst into a furious blush and the tips of her ears turned red, “Ahhh, t-thank you.” She giggled slightly, “See you in a bit!”

With Alodie heading out as well, that left Sophie alone with the sleeping Aryana. She wondered what they should do, a walk or a snack perhaps. Yet, she also found her companion’s sleeping face too adorable and settled for gently poking it, enjoying the little bounce she got in return. Aryana finally started stirring after twenty six pokes, the girl sticking her tongue out in a futile attempt to lick whatever was bothering her cheek. Cute.

A droplet of drool was what finally roused her from her slumber. Aryana shot up at once, wiping her mouth in a panic as she looked around, only to find no one else but Sophie. Her eyes crinkled with worry and Sophie leaned in with a giggle, planting a soft kiss on her lips. Aryana’s worries immediately turned to confusion as her eyes widened, her brain still trying to process everything when Sophie spoke.

“We’re taking a half hour break.” Sophie explained.

Understanding suddenly flooded into Aryana’s eyes alongside relief and she nodded.

“I was thinking we should either go to a food hall for a snack or take a walk. I definitely need to stretch a bit.”

“A snack… sounds good.” Ary tiredly said before she broke out into a yawn.

Sophie yawned in turn and the two shared a small giggle.

“So what’d you think of the study material?” Sophie teased.

“Errr…”

“I’m kidding. You have a cute sleeping face, you know?”

“Sophie!”

Before Aryana could look more indignant, Sophie snuck in a second kiss. Aryana’s face looked positively delighted for a moment before dropping into an exaggerated pout.

“Sophie.” Ary whined.

“Fine, fine. Less teasing in public. Now, snacks?”

“Grrr… fine, snacks. Better let me get extra though. To make up for the teasing.”

“Hahah, fine, deal.” Sophie grinned.

“So how’d you two meet anyway? You’re roommates right?” Miraevie asked after everyone reconvened. Having all returned just under half an hour.

“Err… well…” Ary looked with uncertainty at Sophie who also looked slightly worried, “Well… we just sort of… ran into each other while traveling” Aww, she doesn’t know if she should tell them everything, that’s so cute.

“Huh?” Miraevie paused, the elf putting down her pen to look up, “Just… met on the road? Can you be a bit more specific? If you don’t mind.”

“Mirae, don’t pressure the girl like that.” Dominic quipped, the man having arrived alongside Miraevie.

“What? I’m legitimately curious.”

Sophie looked over to find Alodie chewing on a few biscuits looking just as interested despite remaining quiet.

“I was running away from home and she found me.” Aryana had blurted out before anyone else could speak, “We’ve been traveling together since then.”

“Pardon?” Miraevie spoke, her face aghast.

“Err…”

“Isn’t that just a kidnapping?” The elf rounded on Sophie. Didn’t expect that.

“No! It was a… rough situation the two of us were thrown into.” Sophie quickly justified.

“Yes! Very rough! The druids wanted to- ah oops.” Ary quickly shut her mouth.

Well so much for deciding whether or not to keep her home a secret. Sophie watched as everyone else’s eyes also lit up with interest.

“Druids? Where exactly are you from?” Dominic asked.

“Errr… I…” Ary stammered.

“Are druids the ones who commune with nature?” Alodie asked

“Yeah, well…”

“So it was a kidnapping?” Miraevie prodded.

“No?!” Ary let out a strangled cry, turning to Sophie for assistance.

“She’s from a tribe up in the Frostwind Mountains in the north. They had some weird ritual to take her powers or something. Ended up being her protector.” Sophie winked at Ary, who goofily beamed a smile in return.

“That why you keep rubbing her cheeks? Same ritual to get her ‘brain juice’ powers?” Miraevie snorted.

Sophie was mortified as everyone also shared a laugh. Aryana meanwhile, regarded her with an inscrutable expression on her face.

“It’s cause you’re really smart.” Sophie pleaded.

Aryana raised her eyebrows, expecting more.

“And really… cute.” Sophie sheepishly added.

Satisfied by the praise, Aryana dropped her expression and rubbed her cheek against Sophie’s, much to everyone’s amusement.

“Bold. Of that, I’m certain.” Miraevie quipped.

Aryana nodded, “Mine.” She declared proudly.

Sophie felt her heart flutter at the reassurance that she still mattered. Even though she knew that Aryana cared, it was another thing to have it be said so boldly. Though, am I… I hope I don’t become a bother that weighs her down. Another round of smiles was passed between the group before Dominic spoke up.

“Should-urk!” He tried to speak only to be elbowed by the elf.

“Keep that thought to yourself.” Miraevie growled.

“Alright, alright.”

Sophie chuckled at the sight, giving Aryana a small squeeze.

“Let’s just say that the two of us have gone through quite a bit together.” Sophie interrupted, taking the focus off Aryana.

“Adventures?” Alodie finally chimed in.

“Yeah, you could say that.” Sophie affirmed.

“And? You can’t just leave us at that. I will freely admit that I am most… intrigued... about your history, half elf.” Miraevie tutted, the expectation filling her eyes and the others as well.

“Well…” Sophie sighed, massaging the tips of her ears before tapping her ponytail, her mind clearing up. “I guess someone did tell me it’d be nice to talk about things to people.”

Aryana feigned ignorance but received a scritch behind the ears as punishment.

“Nyeh.” Ary fought off a giggle before settling down.

“Anyway. I guess… if you guys don’t mind, I suppose I have a little bit a tale to tell about Carrador. Nothing more, nothing less The rest… I would prefer to keep to myself.”

At her slightly more somber tone, the mood turned a little more serious as the jovial attitudes vanished. Now everyone looked as if they were ready to listen to a lecture by a professor, their eyes trained attentively on Sophie. It made her equal parts nervous and excited. Catching onto her body language, Aryana squeezed her hand under the table, the small gesture bringing a relieving warmth to Sophie’s pounding heart.

She had recounted this tale a handful of times already, mostly to people in a position of power or who were dear to her like Eva. To so casually speak to an audience of the completely unaffiliated was an interesting if nerve wracking prospect. But with Aryana’s support, Sophie sucked in a deep breath.

“It all started on a night when I… injured my leg. I used to… still work as a maid, you see…”

“And then… well, then it was off to Melton I suppose.” Sophie ended her tale, a distinctively more despondent feeling curdling within her.

Judging by the almost ashen expressions of the people around her, she suspected the others found the conclusion of her Carradorian travels a little less than heartwarming too. Aryana’s face was a mixture of compassion and sorrow, her own eyes betraying her thoughts at the similarities of the suffering that befell Melisgrad. They had both been harrowing experiences and Sophie understood what she felt. A part of her saw herself reflected in Aryana, the awkward outcast who didn’t come into their own until they were freed from their surroundings. But then… I wonder would I ever feel normal just… working at the estate again? She glanced at her hands and tightened them, but she’s also different, she’s not a monster, not a murderer. Despair momentarily snuck in, Sophie’s mind clouded in a sea of grey. Stars above, everything is such a mess… but I've said enough.

“Fuck.” Dominic let out a small sigh, “That’s… that’s pretty intense. And you’ve been… shot by an arrow and stabbed? Like, physically, shot and stabbed?”

Sophie almost chuckled at his comment, the absurdity of his question breaking some of the tension that shackled her mind. “Yeah. Wasn’t enjoyable.”

“And that’s just…”

“The first part of my journey, yes. But the rest… maybe one day.”

“Fair enough.” Dominic grunted.

“So that’s why you’re so strange.” Miraevie stated bluntly, pick up after Dominic.

“Mirae! That’s…”

“Ugh, fine. Don’t need to be so picky. Sorry, I meant, so that is why your behavior seems so odd to me.” Miraevie looked at Sophie.

“By the stars, Mirae, that’s-” Dominic began just as Sophie interrupted.

“It’s fine, I get what she means.” Sophie chuckled, “I guess you could say that. Though I’ve always been pretty strange if you ever get the chance to ask Eva.”

“Strange.” Ary cooed affectionately from the side.

Everyone shared a small snicker at Aryana’s comment and Sophie too, felt her mood lift slightly, the clouds now dissipating. She ruffled Aryana’s hair, the girl scrunching up her face in mock disapproval. Man… if only the world was at peace, then… we could do this all the time.

“You know…” Alodie spoke up, “You sound like you could use some rest.”

The others just nodded in turn, making Sophie feel a little awkward.

“Well…”

“There is truth to that.” Miraevie interjected, “Your soul needs nourishment too. Perhaps after our exams, you could go on a vacation.”

“Huh, yeah. That’d be a pretty good idea, After all, Mirae and-urk.” Dominic grimaced as he got rapped over the head.

“That’s enough of that.” The elf scowled.

“Aright, alright. But Mirae’s right, it’d do you some good to just relax.”

“But isn’t this good enough?” Sophie asked.

“What do you mean? Like here at the Academy?”

Sophie nodded, “No danger, no… suffering. It’s a nice change of pace.”

That evidently made the other two grimace, and she watched as the elf and human shared a heavy glance with each other.

“Well… I suppose… but… you know, a proper, responsibility free vacation is what we’re talking about. Dominic clarified, “After all, we still have tests and assignments here, don’t we? I mean, this is a study session after all.”

“Oohh, if you don’t know where, you could always come to visit.” Alodie excitedly chirped, taking everyone by surprise. The girl seemed caught up in the moment and took a few seconds before she noticed the sudden influx of attention, “Ahh, umm, what I meant was. Ostia is a good place for a vacation. Err, yeah.”

“Hahaha.” Sophie burst out laughing, “I might just take you up on that offer.” She smiled.

Someone prodded her from the side and she found Aryana pouting.

“Sorry, I meant, we might just do that.” Sophie smirked, much to Aryana’s chagrin.

Alodie beamed in approval, “I did say you two looked good together.”

The group shared a few more chuckles before Miraevie seemed to realize she was laughing too, the elf immediately shaking herself back to seriousness as her expressions shifted. She tapped her pen on the table to get everyone’s attention.

“Vacations to Ostia aside, I believe we still have about four chapters to cover.” Miraevie pointed to the textbooks.

A collective groan came from the others and the elf only raised an eyebrow.

“Well? Let’s get to it.”

I guess a vacation might do some good after all. And Ostia, huh? I wonder what it’s like? Would Eva know? Would Ary enjoy it? Who am I kidding, she'd probably be delighted seeing something new. Heh. It'd certainly be nice to spend some more time alone with her, yeah, that does sound nice.