“Why do you want to walk so badly?” askes Helorie.
“So people will take me seriously.” replies Anya.
Helorie raises an eyebrow. “So appearances are the only reason?”
“Appearances are everything. Who you are isn’t as important as who you seem to be. Who people know you as. People used to know me as Ekaterina’s sad crippled sister. Then they knew me as the girl who blew up a school. Now they’ll know me as someone else.”
“So people will take me seriously.” replies Anya.
Helorie raises an eyebrow. “So appearances are the only reason?”
“Appearances are everything. Who you are isn’t as important as who you seem to be. Who people know you as. People used to know me as Ekaterina’s sad crippled sister. Then they knew me as the girl who blew up a school. Now they’ll know me as someone else.”
Anya reached out her hand to her mother, who stood above her bed. “Mama, mama, ‘terina is telling lies about me again! Make her stop!” the girl said. But her mother’s face was controlled, emotionless.
“No.”
Anya looked curiously at her mother. “But mama, it’s not fair. Why won’t you make her stop?”
“Anya, you cannot control what other people say about you. It is your responsibility to make them say what you want. Your image is in your hands alone. If Ekaterina manipulates your image, it is your own responsibility to take control of it back.”
A lesson perhaps suitable for a teenager, but not the young girl who sits now sobbing in the bed, just wanting her mother to take away the pain. “But mama! ‘terina’s being bad! You need to punish her, she’s not being good!”
“Good and evil are lies told by people who cannot comprehend the true nature of reality. They are factions that make incredibly powerful sky people fight. Your sister is attempting to achieve her own goals. Do not condemn her for that.”
“But mama, you’re always punishing me when I’m bad or ‘terina says I have been!”
“Consider this, child- I too have an image to maintain.”
“No.”
Anya looked curiously at her mother. “But mama, it’s not fair. Why won’t you make her stop?”
“Anya, you cannot control what other people say about you. It is your responsibility to make them say what you want. Your image is in your hands alone. If Ekaterina manipulates your image, it is your own responsibility to take control of it back.”
A lesson perhaps suitable for a teenager, but not the young girl who sits now sobbing in the bed, just wanting her mother to take away the pain. “But mama! ‘terina’s being bad! You need to punish her, she’s not being good!”
“Good and evil are lies told by people who cannot comprehend the true nature of reality. They are factions that make incredibly powerful sky people fight. Your sister is attempting to achieve her own goals. Do not condemn her for that.”
“But mama, you’re always punishing me when I’m bad or ‘terina says I have been!”
“Consider this, child- I too have an image to maintain.”
Anya stands in front of a mirror, Helorie waiting on a bench beside it. “Alright, Helorie, which one do you think looks better? This dress….” Anya twirls around, the aurora-colored skirts of her dress spinning, “Or this one!” Anya snaps her fingers, summoning a dark grey dress with dramatic violet sleeves, billowing out.
“I like the first one looks better.” says Helorie, “But it’s your birthday.”
Anya snaps her fingers and the first dress appears again, and Anya admires herself in it happily. She is proud of the way her looks have changed over the past two years. Anya used to consider herself quite plain, even ugly, but now she knows she is beautiful. Admittedly, she spends a lot more time on her appearance, an hour each morning doing her hair, makeup, picking out her wardrobe, putting on the still-painful prosthetics that allow her to walk independently. Anya loves and hates her prosthetics. She hates that she has to wear them for people to take her seriously. She hates the pain that they bring her, every step stabbing into the bottoms of her real leg, how tired the appendages get. But she loves that people do take her seriously now. People finally pay Anya compliments, boys finally look her way. People are willing to listen to her. It is a terrible thing that the world is like this, but Anya considers that the only thing to do is to adapt to it, which she must.
Anya is finally satisfied, and Helorie stands up. She takes the lich’s arm. “Vizier Helorie, will you escort me to my party?” she asks jokingly, and Helorie bows slightly.
“I will, madam, it would be my honor.”
“Thank you, sir.” And then she laughs, and Helorie, after a moment, kind of does so too.
“I like the first one looks better.” says Helorie, “But it’s your birthday.”
Anya snaps her fingers and the first dress appears again, and Anya admires herself in it happily. She is proud of the way her looks have changed over the past two years. Anya used to consider herself quite plain, even ugly, but now she knows she is beautiful. Admittedly, she spends a lot more time on her appearance, an hour each morning doing her hair, makeup, picking out her wardrobe, putting on the still-painful prosthetics that allow her to walk independently. Anya loves and hates her prosthetics. She hates that she has to wear them for people to take her seriously. She hates the pain that they bring her, every step stabbing into the bottoms of her real leg, how tired the appendages get. But she loves that people do take her seriously now. People finally pay Anya compliments, boys finally look her way. People are willing to listen to her. It is a terrible thing that the world is like this, but Anya considers that the only thing to do is to adapt to it, which she must.
Anya is finally satisfied, and Helorie stands up. She takes the lich’s arm. “Vizier Helorie, will you escort me to my party?” she asks jokingly, and Helorie bows slightly.
“I will, madam, it would be my honor.”
“Thank you, sir.” And then she laughs, and Helorie, after a moment, kind of does so too.
“Look at my sister. Look at my poor, sad sister.” Anya looked up from her book to see Ekaterina outside of her room, courtiers surrounding her. She was not particularly sad before, she was simply reading a children’s biography of her grandfather, Tsar Dmitri the Great. She was actually on a pretty exciting chapter, where he bludgeons the previous Tsar to death with his own scepter. “Look at her, trapped in her bed or in that chair of hers. Isn’t she the saddest thing you’ve ever seen?”
A courtier wipes a tear from her eye with a hankerchief. “Oh, dear princess, your sister is rather pitiful.” Pitiful!? Who were these rude adults, and why were they judging her? “I am so glad she has a kind-hearted younger sister to care for her, you are truly a blessing, little Ekaterina.” Hmph. Anya wouldn’t call Ekaterina kind-hearted, even if she was being dangled over a big firey pit by Emperor Xander and he said he would only release her if she said those exact words.
“You know what’s so sad? The ball is coming up, and she needs a new dress, but you know our mother won’t buy either of us anything. I know she’s teaching us to be frugal, not spoiled, but wouldn’t it be nice for her to have something nice for once?”
The courtiers nod, and the woman who spoke before seems to be struck by a wave of emotion. “Oh, dear little one, do not worry! Your sister will have a brand new dress, and she will simply weep for joy upon seeing it! Why, she’ll be the prettiest princess at the ball. Well, I suppose, second prettiest.”
“Yes, for true beauty comes from the inside.” added another courtier. Anya wanted to barf. Was it required for literally all of the courtiers to be complete suck-ups? Having a new dress was okay, she supposed. Hopefully her dad would be there, and she wouldn’t have to be escorted around by Great-Uncle Helorie again. That would be the worst.
A courtier wipes a tear from her eye with a hankerchief. “Oh, dear princess, your sister is rather pitiful.” Pitiful!? Who were these rude adults, and why were they judging her? “I am so glad she has a kind-hearted younger sister to care for her, you are truly a blessing, little Ekaterina.” Hmph. Anya wouldn’t call Ekaterina kind-hearted, even if she was being dangled over a big firey pit by Emperor Xander and he said he would only release her if she said those exact words.
“You know what’s so sad? The ball is coming up, and she needs a new dress, but you know our mother won’t buy either of us anything. I know she’s teaching us to be frugal, not spoiled, but wouldn’t it be nice for her to have something nice for once?”
The courtiers nod, and the woman who spoke before seems to be struck by a wave of emotion. “Oh, dear little one, do not worry! Your sister will have a brand new dress, and she will simply weep for joy upon seeing it! Why, she’ll be the prettiest princess at the ball. Well, I suppose, second prettiest.”
“Yes, for true beauty comes from the inside.” added another courtier. Anya wanted to barf. Was it required for literally all of the courtiers to be complete suck-ups? Having a new dress was okay, she supposed. Hopefully her dad would be there, and she wouldn’t have to be escorted around by Great-Uncle Helorie again. That would be the worst.
“Her Imperial Highness, Tsarevna Anya Alkavov, and Vizier Helorie Alkavov!” The trumpets sounds and Anya emerges onto the balcony, looking down at the people assembled. Both of her parents are down below, Esfir looking at her daughter with calculating eyes, and Itzicatl simply smiling, happy to see his daughter all grown up. Ekaterina is there too, with her current girlfriend. Anya attempts to ignore her.
The trumpets stop sounding and Anya makes her way down the staircase, Helorie still by her side. Then, new music begins to play, and Anya looks to Helorie. “Helorie, may I have this dance?”
“Er, yes.”
Helorie dances mechanically like a fancy golem or a clockwork doll, twisting around on the dance floor as Anya tries her best to salvage their collective dancing ability. He leads, which she supposes had to be instinctive for him, a dancing remnant of an older time, while her mother glares at her for not leading the dance like she is, sending Anya’s father into even more dizzying twirls. Well, Helorie may not be the world’s greatest dancer, but at least he tries. The dance ends, and Helorie lets go. “That was very nice. Anya, you are a very good dancer. Your prosthetics are even more precise than we thought they’d be.”
Anya had hardly thought of the pain while she was dancing. As she opens her mouth to reply, a well-dressed young man approaches the pair. “Tsarevna. I am Baron Ilos, we have met before. I do say, I have attended many of these gatherings, but I had not remembered you being so beautiful.”
Anya looks away in a way that makes it look like she was embarrassed or pleased by the flirtation, but which is really just her trying to disguse her non-interest in whoever this guy was. “Oh! Thank you so much! I’m sorry, I never quite remembered you.”
“It is fine. Then we shall meet again tonight. How romantic it must be, to meet your future lover on your eighteenth birthday.”
Who the hell is this guy again? Gods, does he have to be so bold? Anya tries her best to simply smile. “Well, Baron Ilos, we will have to see about that.”
The music begins up again, and the Baron offers his hand. “Your Majesty, may I have this dance?”
Anya accepts his hand, and the waltzing starts again. Anya mentally sighs. She knows her mother loves the waltz- loves it probably more than anything else besides her sword and being a terrible parent intentionally (also Uldok?)- but can’t she switch it up a bit? Ilos is a strong, forceful lead, just like Anya’s mother. Anya muses she is going to have to find a guy at some point who will willingly dance the follow parts. This many twirls is simply making her sick.
“So, your majesty, what plans do you have in the future, now that you are a woman? Ready to start looking for a man? Er, or possibly another woman, don’t want to limit your options, am I right?”
Anya shakes her head. “I am headed off to the University of Kirov when the winter semester begins. I’m hoping to get a degree in political science and magical theory. Depending on how I like it there, I may continue my studies, I love studying magical theory and believe I could become a magical theorist like my uncle Kir.” Actually, Anya is still planning to be the Tsaritsa, but that could be a long game and magical power would be needed to play it, as well as a solid understanding of modern politics, which her Great-Uncle somewhat lacks. He knows how they worked, hypothetically, but being a lich his mind is set into certain ways, and it is time for her to have multiple teachers in these subjects, to expand her education.
“Really? Seems like a waste of time. I predict that magic will be obsolete in the next hundred years. Technology will be able to do all things that magic now does.”
Anya resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Who did this guy think he was? Magic was the reason the gods had fought the primordials, it wasn’t going to become useless anytime soon. She wishes this guy would shut his ignorant mouth. “Hm. Well, I doubt there are things that technology can reproduce. I-” Anya is interrupted by Ekaterina’s girlfriend shrieking, jumping on a table, and pouring the entire punch bowl over the floor. “Er, I’m sorry, family emergency, you understand!”
“My princess!” called out Ilos as Anya runs towards the punch bowl, holding up her dress so she doesn’t trip.
“This is what I think about your mom! And this is what I think about your whole family! And this is what I think about Uldok!” yells the girl, jumping on the spilled punch. “Down with the Imperials! Down with Esfir!”
Two guards swiftly cross the room and grab the girlfriend, swiftly teleporting away. Anya looks to Ekaterina. “Wow, thanks for ruining my party, that’s great.”
“This isn’t my fault!” says Ekaterina. “I- Lana- I-”
Anya frowns. “Yeah, fat chance of that.”
The trumpets stop sounding and Anya makes her way down the staircase, Helorie still by her side. Then, new music begins to play, and Anya looks to Helorie. “Helorie, may I have this dance?”
“Er, yes.”
Helorie dances mechanically like a fancy golem or a clockwork doll, twisting around on the dance floor as Anya tries her best to salvage their collective dancing ability. He leads, which she supposes had to be instinctive for him, a dancing remnant of an older time, while her mother glares at her for not leading the dance like she is, sending Anya’s father into even more dizzying twirls. Well, Helorie may not be the world’s greatest dancer, but at least he tries. The dance ends, and Helorie lets go. “That was very nice. Anya, you are a very good dancer. Your prosthetics are even more precise than we thought they’d be.”
Anya had hardly thought of the pain while she was dancing. As she opens her mouth to reply, a well-dressed young man approaches the pair. “Tsarevna. I am Baron Ilos, we have met before. I do say, I have attended many of these gatherings, but I had not remembered you being so beautiful.”
Anya looks away in a way that makes it look like she was embarrassed or pleased by the flirtation, but which is really just her trying to disguse her non-interest in whoever this guy was. “Oh! Thank you so much! I’m sorry, I never quite remembered you.”
“It is fine. Then we shall meet again tonight. How romantic it must be, to meet your future lover on your eighteenth birthday.”
Who the hell is this guy again? Gods, does he have to be so bold? Anya tries her best to simply smile. “Well, Baron Ilos, we will have to see about that.”
The music begins up again, and the Baron offers his hand. “Your Majesty, may I have this dance?”
Anya accepts his hand, and the waltzing starts again. Anya mentally sighs. She knows her mother loves the waltz- loves it probably more than anything else besides her sword and being a terrible parent intentionally (also Uldok?)- but can’t she switch it up a bit? Ilos is a strong, forceful lead, just like Anya’s mother. Anya muses she is going to have to find a guy at some point who will willingly dance the follow parts. This many twirls is simply making her sick.
“So, your majesty, what plans do you have in the future, now that you are a woman? Ready to start looking for a man? Er, or possibly another woman, don’t want to limit your options, am I right?”
Anya shakes her head. “I am headed off to the University of Kirov when the winter semester begins. I’m hoping to get a degree in political science and magical theory. Depending on how I like it there, I may continue my studies, I love studying magical theory and believe I could become a magical theorist like my uncle Kir.” Actually, Anya is still planning to be the Tsaritsa, but that could be a long game and magical power would be needed to play it, as well as a solid understanding of modern politics, which her Great-Uncle somewhat lacks. He knows how they worked, hypothetically, but being a lich his mind is set into certain ways, and it is time for her to have multiple teachers in these subjects, to expand her education.
“Really? Seems like a waste of time. I predict that magic will be obsolete in the next hundred years. Technology will be able to do all things that magic now does.”
Anya resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Who did this guy think he was? Magic was the reason the gods had fought the primordials, it wasn’t going to become useless anytime soon. She wishes this guy would shut his ignorant mouth. “Hm. Well, I doubt there are things that technology can reproduce. I-” Anya is interrupted by Ekaterina’s girlfriend shrieking, jumping on a table, and pouring the entire punch bowl over the floor. “Er, I’m sorry, family emergency, you understand!”
“My princess!” called out Ilos as Anya runs towards the punch bowl, holding up her dress so she doesn’t trip.
“This is what I think about your mom! And this is what I think about your whole family! And this is what I think about Uldok!” yells the girl, jumping on the spilled punch. “Down with the Imperials! Down with Esfir!”
Two guards swiftly cross the room and grab the girlfriend, swiftly teleporting away. Anya looks to Ekaterina. “Wow, thanks for ruining my party, that’s great.”
“This isn’t my fault!” says Ekaterina. “I- Lana- I-”
Anya frowns. “Yeah, fat chance of that.”
Anya glared at the swarm of courtiers and Ekaterina who had gathered in front of her bed. Ekaterina had her best “perfect pretty princess” face on, smiling insipidly at Anya as one of the courtiers rustled a dress in a bag directly in front of Anya’s face. “Anya, here is a special surprise for you from your sister. She told us how you are going to the ball and you do not have a nice new dress for you to wear. So we bought you one? Isn’t that nice of her?”
“It is rather nice. Thank you, Ekaterina.” replied Anya.
One of the courtiers sniffed. “Rude, aren’t you? Can’t think of a nicer thank you than that?”
“I’m sorry, I’ve said everything I was thinking. Was I supposed to say more? I like the dress. It’s very nice. Thank you, Ekaterina, and thank you, people who bought the dress.”
The dress was hung up on the door, and the courtiers leave. It is a nice dress. Ekaterina has done a nice thing for Anya, and she appreciates it. But when everyone is gone, Ekaterina comes back. “Oh, Hello, Ekaterina. I really do want to thank you for the dress.”
“Don’t be stupid.” says Ekaterina. “I didn’t do this to be nice to you.” And then, with her nails, she rips into the dress, scratching it, huge holes in the fabric forming. And then Ekaterina begins to shriek and wail just as Anya does, but Ekaterina runs with out of the room, and Anya is left pondering what exactly happened.
Anya gets the full story later, in a lecture from her mother with Ekaterina, sobbing as she stands by her side. Apparently she grew angry at Ekaterina, attacked the dress, and Ekaterina tried to save that pooor dress. The people who had brought it almost cried, seeing it ripped up like that, but when Ekaterina offered to wear it anyways, saying that someone should wear such a pretty dress, they offered to magically repair it and resize it for the girl.
None of that really happened- well, not really the parts with Anya, at least- but people think it happened, and that’s nearly the same thing.
“It is rather nice. Thank you, Ekaterina.” replied Anya.
One of the courtiers sniffed. “Rude, aren’t you? Can’t think of a nicer thank you than that?”
“I’m sorry, I’ve said everything I was thinking. Was I supposed to say more? I like the dress. It’s very nice. Thank you, Ekaterina, and thank you, people who bought the dress.”
The dress was hung up on the door, and the courtiers leave. It is a nice dress. Ekaterina has done a nice thing for Anya, and she appreciates it. But when everyone is gone, Ekaterina comes back. “Oh, Hello, Ekaterina. I really do want to thank you for the dress.”
“Don’t be stupid.” says Ekaterina. “I didn’t do this to be nice to you.” And then, with her nails, she rips into the dress, scratching it, huge holes in the fabric forming. And then Ekaterina begins to shriek and wail just as Anya does, but Ekaterina runs with out of the room, and Anya is left pondering what exactly happened.
Anya gets the full story later, in a lecture from her mother with Ekaterina, sobbing as she stands by her side. Apparently she grew angry at Ekaterina, attacked the dress, and Ekaterina tried to save that pooor dress. The people who had brought it almost cried, seeing it ripped up like that, but when Ekaterina offered to wear it anyways, saying that someone should wear such a pretty dress, they offered to magically repair it and resize it for the girl.
None of that really happened- well, not really the parts with Anya, at least- but people think it happened, and that’s nearly the same thing.
Anya transfers yet another box into the dorm room. The last one. Anya goes to lie on her bed, but sees a black-haired young woman walking into the room, key in hand, looking confused. “Oh. Hey, new roomie. You must be Anya. I’m Mehtap. The person who already lives here.”
“Hi, nice to meet you, Mehtap.” Mehtap really isn’t what Anya was expecting from a roommate. From her third eye to the stork tucked under an arm, glaring at Anya, she certainly is unusual. “You were in a single before?”
“Naw, my roomie dropped out of school. I was only alone for a few weeks. So, anyway, it’s finally nice to meet you. When I saw the name ‘Anya Alkavov’ on the new roommate card, I was like ‘what? is this a joke? the tsarevna?’ but here you are in person, and you’re really the princess.”
“I hope you can just treat me like any other student.” says Anya with a smile. She’s here to learn, just like any other student. Mehtap grins even further, ear to ear, exposing a mouth full of pointed teeth.
“Oh, believe me, I sure will. Anyway, that’s your side of the room, here’s mine. I’ll tell storky to respect the boundaries, but I don’t think he’ll obey instantly. Birds, you know. You must like storks, being a royal and all. Our national bird. Wanna pet him?”
“Sure.” Anya strokes Storky, who allows himself to be pet. “I do rather like storks myself. Nice bird. Anyway, what’s your major?”
“Thaumaturgy, with a focus in Magical Theory.” proudly proclaims Mehtap. “What about you?”
“The same, plus a double major in poltical science. I guess that’s why they made us roommates.”
“Yeah, I guess!” says Mehtap. “Well, if we’re in the same classes, we should totally study together and stuff. Gotta work together to survive U o K, am I right?”
Anya nods, though she doesn’t think that she’ll really be doing much surviving here. “Right!”
Suddenly a dark-skinned young man with white hair and white freckles appears in the door. “Mehtap! Hey, they’ve got an ice cream social in the library backyard, you wanna come?”
“Um, sure, Forfax. Hey, Anya, you should come along, meet my friends. You’ll have fun!”
Anya knows she should really start unpacking, but nods instead. “Sure! Why not! I love ice cream.”
“Cool, let’s go!”
“Hi, nice to meet you, Mehtap.” Mehtap really isn’t what Anya was expecting from a roommate. From her third eye to the stork tucked under an arm, glaring at Anya, she certainly is unusual. “You were in a single before?”
“Naw, my roomie dropped out of school. I was only alone for a few weeks. So, anyway, it’s finally nice to meet you. When I saw the name ‘Anya Alkavov’ on the new roommate card, I was like ‘what? is this a joke? the tsarevna?’ but here you are in person, and you’re really the princess.”
“I hope you can just treat me like any other student.” says Anya with a smile. She’s here to learn, just like any other student. Mehtap grins even further, ear to ear, exposing a mouth full of pointed teeth.
“Oh, believe me, I sure will. Anyway, that’s your side of the room, here’s mine. I’ll tell storky to respect the boundaries, but I don’t think he’ll obey instantly. Birds, you know. You must like storks, being a royal and all. Our national bird. Wanna pet him?”
“Sure.” Anya strokes Storky, who allows himself to be pet. “I do rather like storks myself. Nice bird. Anyway, what’s your major?”
“Thaumaturgy, with a focus in Magical Theory.” proudly proclaims Mehtap. “What about you?”
“The same, plus a double major in poltical science. I guess that’s why they made us roommates.”
“Yeah, I guess!” says Mehtap. “Well, if we’re in the same classes, we should totally study together and stuff. Gotta work together to survive U o K, am I right?”
Anya nods, though she doesn’t think that she’ll really be doing much surviving here. “Right!”
Suddenly a dark-skinned young man with white hair and white freckles appears in the door. “Mehtap! Hey, they’ve got an ice cream social in the library backyard, you wanna come?”
“Um, sure, Forfax. Hey, Anya, you should come along, meet my friends. You’ll have fun!”
Anya knows she should really start unpacking, but nods instead. “Sure! Why not! I love ice cream.”
“Cool, let’s go!”
Anya had finally unpacked and finished her daily meditations, and she bowed her head slightly to the three statues of Setelli she’d placed on her new room’s altar. Two of the statues, the dragon statue and the half-dragon statue had been damaged during transit, but the third, a gift from Itzicatl, where Setelli was completely a humanoid woman, was uninjured. Her father’s gift had always been Anya’s favorite statue of Setelli anyways.
Anya twirled her wheelchair around and opened the door telekinetically, using the ring that her mother had given her. She still couldn’t invoke any magic of her own, but the ring didn’t require that its user be magically gifted. The door opened, and Anya saw two girls chatting in a corner of the room. One was a short, plump, wind-swept looking girl in desert-looking robes, and the other a tall black human girl. They looked like they were having a pleasant chat, so Anya wasn’t going to disturb them. But still, Anya thought as she moved across the room, it was rude for them not to introduce themselves to their new roommate in the hexad.
Anya then opened the door to the hallway outside of the common room, slamming it in the face of a girl who was waiting outside, an olive-skinned elf with a stack of books in her arms. “Oh my goodness! I’m so ultra sorry!” said the elf girl.
“Why are you appologizing?” asked Anya. “I just slammed a door into your face.”
“Oh, it’s instinct. Are you Anastasia or Evengy?”
“I’m Anastasia. Evengy is my sister, she’s younger than me by two years, darker skin-”
“Oh, I might have seen a girl like that. I’m Eve, by the way. Janice, Amilla, come say hello to the new girl!”
The other two came over like this was the first time they’d seen Anya. “Oh, hey.” said the shorter girl. “Amilla. Nice to meet you. Yeah, we met your sister. Hey, is she single?”
Anya had never really thought of Ekaterina being into girls, but as she thought about it she realized there was no real indication she was into boys, or really anyone else for that matter. Anya realized that she herself had never really thought about this question in depth, either. What people her age were there for she to have a crush on? Nobody decent, that’s who. “Um, yeah, I think she is, but she’s like, thirteen.”
Amilla shrugged. “Yeah, okay. I’m twenty, that’s pretty close in dragon years?”
Anya was not a dragon expert so she supposed that Amilla was probably telling the truth. “I’m Janice.” said Janice. “It’s nice to meet you, Anastasia. Where were you going?”
“Just to look around.” said Anya. “I like to know where I can go.”
“Do you need anyone to help you?” asked Janice. Anya shook her head quickly.
“No, no thank you! I can handle myself.” Anya quickly wheeled away, and Eve waved goodbye.
“Goodbye, Anastasia! Good luck!”
Anya twirled her wheelchair around and opened the door telekinetically, using the ring that her mother had given her. She still couldn’t invoke any magic of her own, but the ring didn’t require that its user be magically gifted. The door opened, and Anya saw two girls chatting in a corner of the room. One was a short, plump, wind-swept looking girl in desert-looking robes, and the other a tall black human girl. They looked like they were having a pleasant chat, so Anya wasn’t going to disturb them. But still, Anya thought as she moved across the room, it was rude for them not to introduce themselves to their new roommate in the hexad.
Anya then opened the door to the hallway outside of the common room, slamming it in the face of a girl who was waiting outside, an olive-skinned elf with a stack of books in her arms. “Oh my goodness! I’m so ultra sorry!” said the elf girl.
“Why are you appologizing?” asked Anya. “I just slammed a door into your face.”
“Oh, it’s instinct. Are you Anastasia or Evengy?”
“I’m Anastasia. Evengy is my sister, she’s younger than me by two years, darker skin-”
“Oh, I might have seen a girl like that. I’m Eve, by the way. Janice, Amilla, come say hello to the new girl!”
The other two came over like this was the first time they’d seen Anya. “Oh, hey.” said the shorter girl. “Amilla. Nice to meet you. Yeah, we met your sister. Hey, is she single?”
Anya had never really thought of Ekaterina being into girls, but as she thought about it she realized there was no real indication she was into boys, or really anyone else for that matter. Anya realized that she herself had never really thought about this question in depth, either. What people her age were there for she to have a crush on? Nobody decent, that’s who. “Um, yeah, I think she is, but she’s like, thirteen.”
Amilla shrugged. “Yeah, okay. I’m twenty, that’s pretty close in dragon years?”
Anya was not a dragon expert so she supposed that Amilla was probably telling the truth. “I’m Janice.” said Janice. “It’s nice to meet you, Anastasia. Where were you going?”
“Just to look around.” said Anya. “I like to know where I can go.”
“Do you need anyone to help you?” asked Janice. Anya shook her head quickly.
“No, no thank you! I can handle myself.” Anya quickly wheeled away, and Eve waved goodbye.
“Goodbye, Anastasia! Good luck!”
“I swear to Melkar that this arcanodynamics exam is gonna kill me.” says Mehtap, slumping into her copy of “Energy Equivilences and Unquivilences”, a heavily marked-up, annotated book. Anya’s copy, on the other hand, is pristine, notes carefully written into a notebook with different colors of ink. Anya looks over her notes again, still baffled. If she could just remember the potential energy laws, she’d be fine. Alright, the energy equivalent of ten ebbs of potential energy in known ebbs was… one. Twenty ebbs of potential energy was… three. Thirty ebbs was…. five. Six ebbs of potential energy was the same as ten ebbs of potential energy was equal to-
Mehtap lets out a groan. “We need to get coffee, Anya. The mortal brain is not designed to work on water alone.”
“We’re not sleeping until after the exam, are we?” asks Anya.
“Ha ha, nope.”
As Anya and Mehtap resume their studying in a small, 24/hour cafe, Mehtap circles a diagram in red ink. “Potental flow decreases based on its departure from original source. When channeling a three ebb spell, you need to divide your range by the inner energy times the focus rank squared?”
“I think it’s cubed?” says Anya. “Ugh, I hope we don’t fail. We haven’t even written any real spells yet.”
“I know, right? We’ve just got to last until next semester, then we will learn real thaumaturgy!”
Mehtap lets out a groan. “We need to get coffee, Anya. The mortal brain is not designed to work on water alone.”
“We’re not sleeping until after the exam, are we?” asks Anya.
“Ha ha, nope.”
As Anya and Mehtap resume their studying in a small, 24/hour cafe, Mehtap circles a diagram in red ink. “Potental flow decreases based on its departure from original source. When channeling a three ebb spell, you need to divide your range by the inner energy times the focus rank squared?”
“I think it’s cubed?” says Anya. “Ugh, I hope we don’t fail. We haven’t even written any real spells yet.”
“I know, right? We’ve just got to last until next semester, then we will learn real thaumaturgy!”
Anya, sitting in the academy’s library, looked over her books. Despite not being a mage, she had enrolled in the school’s magical theory classes. Even if she had no power of her own, she could write spells, study magic. She could be of some use in this dynasty.
“Hey, Anastasia, look out!” Anya instinctively sighed as her books were flung across the room, and tried to catch some of them telepathically. It was Lelela, one of the students who was always giving her trouble. A prodigy of a young wizard, Lelela was everything Anya wished she could be. Er, at least in the magical compartment. Actually really only in the magical department. Lelela picked up one of Anya’s books. “Hey, why are you studying for our Transmutation Theory class? Everyone knows you’re going to fail it.”
“I don’t know why people would think that.” replied Anya, grabbing that book telekinetically and putting it in a pile with all her others. “I’ve gotten perfect marks on all the assignments and exams so far.”
“Yeah, but Madam Libs is going to make the final exam a practical! And you know that if you fail the final, you’ll fail the class.”
“Then she’ll make an accommodation for me, like she always has.” replied Anya, pressing up her glasses on her nose. “She makes accommodations for me in all my classes with her. I can’t help that I’m not a mage. I simply do my best to become one.”
“Accomodations. Hey, it isn’t fair for you to get advantages and we don’t. How come I can’t have accomodations.”
“It’s not an advantage, I’m simply being put on the same playing field as you.”
“Oh yeah, I’m sure you’re used to being accommodated.”
Anya really wasn’t. Besides her magically moving wheelchair and her ring, which was admittedly pretty helpful, everyone had always treated her worse because of her disability. She knew the anger that waited in her mother’s eyes and the gentle disappointment her father had for her. Anya had always felt less important than Ekaterina. While her sister got the greatest wizards to tutor her in magical topics, make her a mage, Anya was ignored, never once getting any sort of special attention. Anya felt a spiral coming on, a mood that would drag her down even deeper if she dwelled on such thoughts, and tried to think of what was good and happening right now in her life. She was enjoying her studies. She had done well her first year. She hadn’t wanted to be dead any time she was at school, her only suicide attempt in the last two years was during a particularly unpleasant Orredmas break. Things were going fine in her life right now, and it wasn’t time to think about anything right now! Okay!
“Hey, Anastasia, look out!” Anya instinctively sighed as her books were flung across the room, and tried to catch some of them telepathically. It was Lelela, one of the students who was always giving her trouble. A prodigy of a young wizard, Lelela was everything Anya wished she could be. Er, at least in the magical compartment. Actually really only in the magical department. Lelela picked up one of Anya’s books. “Hey, why are you studying for our Transmutation Theory class? Everyone knows you’re going to fail it.”
“I don’t know why people would think that.” replied Anya, grabbing that book telekinetically and putting it in a pile with all her others. “I’ve gotten perfect marks on all the assignments and exams so far.”
“Yeah, but Madam Libs is going to make the final exam a practical! And you know that if you fail the final, you’ll fail the class.”
“Then she’ll make an accommodation for me, like she always has.” replied Anya, pressing up her glasses on her nose. “She makes accommodations for me in all my classes with her. I can’t help that I’m not a mage. I simply do my best to become one.”
“Accomodations. Hey, it isn’t fair for you to get advantages and we don’t. How come I can’t have accomodations.”
“It’s not an advantage, I’m simply being put on the same playing field as you.”
“Oh yeah, I’m sure you’re used to being accommodated.”
Anya really wasn’t. Besides her magically moving wheelchair and her ring, which was admittedly pretty helpful, everyone had always treated her worse because of her disability. She knew the anger that waited in her mother’s eyes and the gentle disappointment her father had for her. Anya had always felt less important than Ekaterina. While her sister got the greatest wizards to tutor her in magical topics, make her a mage, Anya was ignored, never once getting any sort of special attention. Anya felt a spiral coming on, a mood that would drag her down even deeper if she dwelled on such thoughts, and tried to think of what was good and happening right now in her life. She was enjoying her studies. She had done well her first year. She hadn’t wanted to be dead any time she was at school, her only suicide attempt in the last two years was during a particularly unpleasant Orredmas break. Things were going fine in her life right now, and it wasn’t time to think about anything right now! Okay!
It is a beautiful early summer day when the grades finally come out. Mehtap looks at her 37 A appreciatively. “I don’t know why professors make their finals such hell if they’re just going to give people good grades anyway. Make finals less hell. I’m ready for that. If I was ever a professor, it’s what I’d do.”
Anya nods, yawning in the sunlight. Her 38, A+ has been tucked into her bag for bragging about to Helorie later. “I guess they just do it to make us feel agony during the final. Make us appreciate the grades more.”
“I guess. Anyway, where’s your folks? I hope their transport comes soon.”
Mehtap will be storing her boxes in the palace for the summer while she and Forfax return to Lut. She and Anya will be roommates again next semester as well, why would they need anyone else?
“My mother’s person will probably be coming in about- Helorie?” Anya runs across the quad, ignoring the pain as she wraps her mentor up in a hug. “Oh, Helorie, I’ve missed you so much.”
“Wow, it’s almost like I’ve been hundreds of miles away rather than a short trip across the city. Amazing.” Helorie pats Anya on the back. “And you must be Mehtap.”
“Yup, I’m Mehtap. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Same.” says Helorie. “Anya, if you wished to see me more often, you should have visited more.”
Anya sticks out her tongue. “What, and have to see my mother and Ekaterina all the time? I think not.”
“Fair enough.” replies Helorie. “Perhaps I’ll visit you more next year?”
“I’d like that.” says Anya. “Anyway, are you here to take our things back?”
“I am.”
Anya and Mehtap take Helorie to their dorm room. Helorie waves his hands over the room, vanishing all the boxes and looks around. “Are you two having fun in school?” asks Helorie. “Never drop out. That’s your advice from a dropout.”
Mehtap shrugs. “I dunno, before Anya showed up I kind of was considering it.” Anya internally gasps. Mehtap, dropping out? “But I can’t imagine leaving here now that she’s here. We’ve gotta stay together.”
Anya corners Helorie after the boxes are in the palace archives. “Right? Isn’t she what I was telling you about? Probably the avatar of Setelli?”
But Helorie shakes his head slowly, watching Mehtap (who is across the very large room). “Not her. But someone else. Er, Anya, have you ever considered that Mehtap could be the witch of magic?”
“You mean my grandfather?”
And Helorie nods. “Yes. Because I’m 99% sure she’s Dmitri.”
Anya nods, yawning in the sunlight. Her 38, A+ has been tucked into her bag for bragging about to Helorie later. “I guess they just do it to make us feel agony during the final. Make us appreciate the grades more.”
“I guess. Anyway, where’s your folks? I hope their transport comes soon.”
Mehtap will be storing her boxes in the palace for the summer while she and Forfax return to Lut. She and Anya will be roommates again next semester as well, why would they need anyone else?
“My mother’s person will probably be coming in about- Helorie?” Anya runs across the quad, ignoring the pain as she wraps her mentor up in a hug. “Oh, Helorie, I’ve missed you so much.”
“Wow, it’s almost like I’ve been hundreds of miles away rather than a short trip across the city. Amazing.” Helorie pats Anya on the back. “And you must be Mehtap.”
“Yup, I’m Mehtap. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Same.” says Helorie. “Anya, if you wished to see me more often, you should have visited more.”
Anya sticks out her tongue. “What, and have to see my mother and Ekaterina all the time? I think not.”
“Fair enough.” replies Helorie. “Perhaps I’ll visit you more next year?”
“I’d like that.” says Anya. “Anyway, are you here to take our things back?”
“I am.”
Anya and Mehtap take Helorie to their dorm room. Helorie waves his hands over the room, vanishing all the boxes and looks around. “Are you two having fun in school?” asks Helorie. “Never drop out. That’s your advice from a dropout.”
Mehtap shrugs. “I dunno, before Anya showed up I kind of was considering it.” Anya internally gasps. Mehtap, dropping out? “But I can’t imagine leaving here now that she’s here. We’ve gotta stay together.”
Anya corners Helorie after the boxes are in the palace archives. “Right? Isn’t she what I was telling you about? Probably the avatar of Setelli?”
But Helorie shakes his head slowly, watching Mehtap (who is across the very large room). “Not her. But someone else. Er, Anya, have you ever considered that Mehtap could be the witch of magic?”
“You mean my grandfather?”
And Helorie nods. “Yes. Because I’m 99% sure she’s Dmitri.”
Anya wheeled into her desk, pencils sharpened and pens ready for the final. She’s studied for Setelli knows how many hours for this final, and is completely ready for whatever question that’s thrown at her, whatever answer format- short answer, fill in the blank, essay, matching. Madam Libs appears in the front of the room majestically, ploofing from nowhere. “Students, your final exam is simple.” An apple and a piece of paper appear on the desk of each student. “Change the apple through transmutation magic, and describe in an essay how you did it, and the mechanics behind the change. Alright students, you have two hours to work!”
The students begin to work, concentrating on the apples, while Anya raises her hand. “Miss Anastasia.”
“How should I do my essay, Madam Libs?” asked Anya.
“Just like all the other students.” said the professor with a sigh. “Change the apple through transmutation magic, and describe in an essay how you did it, and the mechanics behind the change.”
“But I can’t do magic, Professor… you alway have alternate exams for me.”
“Well, no more. Change the apple through transmutation magic, and describe in an essay how you did it and the mechanics behind the change, or I believe you will get a very poor grade in the class. ”
Anya panicked. She stared at the apple, willing something- anything- to happen. She prayed. She waved her hands around, she rubbed the apple in her hands. She looked around the room at the students, already starting on their essays, Lelela smirking happily at the mouse that danced around her desk as her pencil flowed.
Twenty minutes into the exam, Anya was focusing only on the apple.
Fourty minutes into the exam, Anya was trying not to have a complete breakdown.
An hour into the exam, Anya was praying, hoping Setelli would respond for once.
An hour and twenty minutes into the exam, Anya was trying not to cry.
An hour and fourty minutes into the exam, Anya was a sobbing mess.
Two hours into the exam, Madam Libs took the apple off of the desk of a hysterical Anya.
The students begin to work, concentrating on the apples, while Anya raises her hand. “Miss Anastasia.”
“How should I do my essay, Madam Libs?” asked Anya.
“Just like all the other students.” said the professor with a sigh. “Change the apple through transmutation magic, and describe in an essay how you did it, and the mechanics behind the change.”
“But I can’t do magic, Professor… you alway have alternate exams for me.”
“Well, no more. Change the apple through transmutation magic, and describe in an essay how you did it and the mechanics behind the change, or I believe you will get a very poor grade in the class. ”
Anya panicked. She stared at the apple, willing something- anything- to happen. She prayed. She waved her hands around, she rubbed the apple in her hands. She looked around the room at the students, already starting on their essays, Lelela smirking happily at the mouse that danced around her desk as her pencil flowed.
Twenty minutes into the exam, Anya was focusing only on the apple.
Fourty minutes into the exam, Anya was trying not to have a complete breakdown.
An hour into the exam, Anya was praying, hoping Setelli would respond for once.
An hour and twenty minutes into the exam, Anya was trying not to cry.
An hour and fourty minutes into the exam, Anya was a sobbing mess.
Two hours into the exam, Madam Libs took the apple off of the desk of a hysterical Anya.
“Alright, smile girls!” says Itzicatl, recording an illusion of Anya and Mehtap in their graduation outfits, standing in front of the graduation stage. Both of the young women have received the highest honors during their graduation from the University of Kirov. Mehtap is off to graduate school, ready to get another degree, while Anya will be returning to the palace, ready to study in private, join the political arena, and potentially gain the throne. It’s not really a solid job plan, but if Anya plays her cards right she’ll have the most powerful job in the entire nation.
She’ll have everything she ever wanted. Except for one thing.
“Alright, Anya, you’ve done more than I’ve ever done, graduating from school. Good on you. You toughed out all four years. And you’re not coming back for more.” said Helorie.
“You’ve done way more than me, great-uncle.” said Anya, hugging him. “I never overthrew a country or built a giant adamantine colossus.”
“All colossi are giant, Anya.” replies Helorie. “It’s a requirement.”
“You know what I mean!”
Anya thinks about what’s happening right now, and what’s going to happen, and how her life has changed, and she feels good. Yes, the future is bright. Nothing but good things ahead.
She’ll have everything she ever wanted. Except for one thing.
“Alright, Anya, you’ve done more than I’ve ever done, graduating from school. Good on you. You toughed out all four years. And you’re not coming back for more.” said Helorie.
“You’ve done way more than me, great-uncle.” said Anya, hugging him. “I never overthrew a country or built a giant adamantine colossus.”
“All colossi are giant, Anya.” replies Helorie. “It’s a requirement.”
“You know what I mean!”
Anya thinks about what’s happening right now, and what’s going to happen, and how her life has changed, and she feels good. Yes, the future is bright. Nothing but good things ahead.
Anya sat at the Headmistress’s desk, stomach churned up into knots. No, not churrned up- Anya’s stomach was a monstrous sea where worry formed a hurricane, ravaging her stomach. “And so, Miss- oh, Miss Alkavov, I’m afraid I will have to ask you not to return to Seden Academy next year. With three failed classes and poor grades in others, it’s simply not the sort of academic history we expect from any young lady of our academy, especially one of your lineage.”
“I was supposed to have my accomodations. I’m always supposed to have them.”
The headmistress sighed. “It seems you’re always in my office, complaining about something that’s never your fault. Perhaps it’s time for you to accept your own personal failings? Too much time spent with friends, perhaps? Oh, or I remember, you don’t have any friends.” The Headmistress rolled her eyes. “Look into yourself, then you’ll find your flaws. Anyway, I’ll wheel you out.”
“I can leave myself.” replied Anya, trying not to scream, trying not to vomit. She left the room, and tried not to- tried not to anything. Ekaterina was waiting for her outside and Anya wheeled herself past her sister as she got off of the chair.
“So? Anya? What happened?”
“I’ve been expelled.”
Ekaterina’s eyes went wide in shock. “You’ve been what?”
“Somehow my curriculum was changed! I didn’t receive the accommodations I needed! I take my magical theory classes on a theoretical basis, that’s how it’s always been!”
“You mean mom didn’t tell you?”
Anya, now outside of the administrations, on the porch, twirled around. “Didn’t tell me what?”
“She was really angry to hear that you had accommodations… I don’t know why, she just was. She told me she was going to have them removed immediately. Nobody told you?”
“No! Nobody told me!” screamed Anya.
“I can’t believe you, Anya! You claim to study so much, train so much, but you can’t even do things when the pressure’s on you? And now you’re expelled?” replied Ekaterina, bouncing up and down as she often did when deeply upset, deeply nervous. What was she feeling bad about? Anya was the one getting expelled here!
“What, so Anastasia failed after all her pointless studying?” laughed Lelela, who had appeared out of literally nowhere for this. “We all knew it, Anya, we all knew you would be a failure!”
“Lelela, don’t.” said Ekaterina, but the girl continued laughing.
“Hey, everyone look, Anastasia was a failure, just like everyone thought she would be! Kicked out of school! No magic now, no magic ever! You’ll just be a failure your entire life, won’t you? You’ll probably be shoved into a closet in that huge palace of yours, abandoned. Who needs you.”
“Lelela, stop!” said Ekaterina, but Anya glared at her sister. Why was she defending her?!
“I don’t need you to pretend that you don’t hate me!!”
“I don’t hate you!” said Ekaterina. “Anya, Anastasia, I-”
“Oh, give it up. You two’s identity is the worst kept secret at this school. How does it know to feel that you’re the descendant of the most powerful mage of all time and you can’t cast a single spell?!”
Anya tried to spin around to confront Lelela, forgetting she was at the top of the stairs, and the wheelchair bounced down them, the spells protecting Anya from pain but not from the wheelchair toppling over, landing at the bottom on her back. Everyone laughed, even Ekaterina, though she was trying hard not to. Anya’s upset stomach could take no more, and she finally threw up. For the third time that day Anya began to sob, but these were tears of anger, tears of frustration. Why had Setelli abandoned her? Why had she even been born? Now, at the bottom of these stairs, Anya wanted to scream at the universe that had spawned her, the parents who wanted to have her and then threw her aside when she wasn’t what they wanted. “You’re SO pathetic!” laughed Lelela. “Can you even get up by yourself?! Or will you just be there, lying in your own vomit, until someone takes pity on you!?”
Ekaterina hurried to the bottom of the stairs, reaching for Anya’s wheelchair, but Anya lashed out at her, thrusting her arm at Ekaterina. “God, your parents must be so disappointed in you. Everyone must be so disappointed in you. Good for nothing, worthless, useless-”
“SHUT UP!” screamed Anya at the top of her lungs, and once she had screamed once she realized she could not stop screaming, she could never stop screaming, and the anger was the only thing that was in her. Rage completely consumed her. She wanted to not exist. She wanted nothing to exist. Her vision literally turned red as something flowed through her, and Anya let it flow, let it leave her like the screams, let her body completely channel her emotions.
Anya woke up in the middle of a burning field, nothing recognizable to be seen. Her mother effortlessly moved through the flames, walked to where Anya was lying and Ekaterina was cowering, and flipped Anya’s wheelchair up with one fluid motion. “So. You blew up the school.”
“I was supposed to have my accomodations. I’m always supposed to have them.”
The headmistress sighed. “It seems you’re always in my office, complaining about something that’s never your fault. Perhaps it’s time for you to accept your own personal failings? Too much time spent with friends, perhaps? Oh, or I remember, you don’t have any friends.” The Headmistress rolled her eyes. “Look into yourself, then you’ll find your flaws. Anyway, I’ll wheel you out.”
“I can leave myself.” replied Anya, trying not to scream, trying not to vomit. She left the room, and tried not to- tried not to anything. Ekaterina was waiting for her outside and Anya wheeled herself past her sister as she got off of the chair.
“So? Anya? What happened?”
“I’ve been expelled.”
Ekaterina’s eyes went wide in shock. “You’ve been what?”
“Somehow my curriculum was changed! I didn’t receive the accommodations I needed! I take my magical theory classes on a theoretical basis, that’s how it’s always been!”
“You mean mom didn’t tell you?”
Anya, now outside of the administrations, on the porch, twirled around. “Didn’t tell me what?”
“She was really angry to hear that you had accommodations… I don’t know why, she just was. She told me she was going to have them removed immediately. Nobody told you?”
“No! Nobody told me!” screamed Anya.
“I can’t believe you, Anya! You claim to study so much, train so much, but you can’t even do things when the pressure’s on you? And now you’re expelled?” replied Ekaterina, bouncing up and down as she often did when deeply upset, deeply nervous. What was she feeling bad about? Anya was the one getting expelled here!
“What, so Anastasia failed after all her pointless studying?” laughed Lelela, who had appeared out of literally nowhere for this. “We all knew it, Anya, we all knew you would be a failure!”
“Lelela, don’t.” said Ekaterina, but the girl continued laughing.
“Hey, everyone look, Anastasia was a failure, just like everyone thought she would be! Kicked out of school! No magic now, no magic ever! You’ll just be a failure your entire life, won’t you? You’ll probably be shoved into a closet in that huge palace of yours, abandoned. Who needs you.”
“Lelela, stop!” said Ekaterina, but Anya glared at her sister. Why was she defending her?!
“I don’t need you to pretend that you don’t hate me!!”
“I don’t hate you!” said Ekaterina. “Anya, Anastasia, I-”
“Oh, give it up. You two’s identity is the worst kept secret at this school. How does it know to feel that you’re the descendant of the most powerful mage of all time and you can’t cast a single spell?!”
Anya tried to spin around to confront Lelela, forgetting she was at the top of the stairs, and the wheelchair bounced down them, the spells protecting Anya from pain but not from the wheelchair toppling over, landing at the bottom on her back. Everyone laughed, even Ekaterina, though she was trying hard not to. Anya’s upset stomach could take no more, and she finally threw up. For the third time that day Anya began to sob, but these were tears of anger, tears of frustration. Why had Setelli abandoned her? Why had she even been born? Now, at the bottom of these stairs, Anya wanted to scream at the universe that had spawned her, the parents who wanted to have her and then threw her aside when she wasn’t what they wanted. “You’re SO pathetic!” laughed Lelela. “Can you even get up by yourself?! Or will you just be there, lying in your own vomit, until someone takes pity on you!?”
Ekaterina hurried to the bottom of the stairs, reaching for Anya’s wheelchair, but Anya lashed out at her, thrusting her arm at Ekaterina. “God, your parents must be so disappointed in you. Everyone must be so disappointed in you. Good for nothing, worthless, useless-”
“SHUT UP!” screamed Anya at the top of her lungs, and once she had screamed once she realized she could not stop screaming, she could never stop screaming, and the anger was the only thing that was in her. Rage completely consumed her. She wanted to not exist. She wanted nothing to exist. Her vision literally turned red as something flowed through her, and Anya let it flow, let it leave her like the screams, let her body completely channel her emotions.
Anya woke up in the middle of a burning field, nothing recognizable to be seen. Her mother effortlessly moved through the flames, walked to where Anya was lying and Ekaterina was cowering, and flipped Anya’s wheelchair up with one fluid motion. “So. You blew up the school.”
Author's Note. Since I talked a bit about the origin of Novae and the problems with Novae and the era of long-term sniplets in the last one, let's talk about what version of Novae this in this one. This is the unedited version and I think it will remain so on this site. I will release the edited version when I publish Novae, if I do so.
So then let's talk about suicide in this story. I read part of this story to my Dad and Barbara (actually the first part) and they were horrified I would even mention suicide in a story. Barbara told me that it would only make young people want to kill themselves, my dad said that it would never sell.
I don't think that a story where the suicidal character gets help from an older mentor who becomes her dearest friend and eventual husband and where she becomes one of the most talented people in the world at magic and the Tsaritsa and all that is promoting suicide at all?
Anya overcomes her feelings, and Sebastian overcomes his feelings, and Messel overcomes his feelings, and hopefully Lucien will in Jiro Story?
Word Count: 5584
Date: June 22nd, 2015
Date: June 22nd, 2015
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