“Closer and closer, Jenn...” Gregory murmured happily.
Jenn shifted at his words and blinked slowly, looking up at him. “Hmm? Is it time to wake up?”
“Should be,” Gregory whispered back. “Look at your medallion.”
Brow furrowing at his words, she did before looking back up with a big smile. “I’ve caught up to you again.”
“As it should be,” Yukiko said from Gregory’s other side. She pushed up, leaning over him to smile down at Jenn. “I’m glad you’re matching us. Darkness said you’d be in sync with us in the next rank?”
“Yes,” Jenn smiled broadly, leveraging herself up to kiss Yukiko softly.
Gregory let them kiss for a second before he cleared his throat. “You know that’s a little bit of torture for me, right?”
Yukiko giggled as she broke the kiss with Jenn and, with a sudden shift, kissed him. Jenn snickered as she slid up closer to him. The moment Yukiko leaned away from Gregory, Jenn kissed him. Gregory let out a stifled groan when that kiss ended.
“And that’s another form of torture,” he said as the third bell began to chime.
Yukiko sighed. “I’d hoped for a few minutes to make it up to you. I promise to do so tonight, dear one.”
“We both will,” Jenn agreed as she slipped out of bed.
“As if you both don’t cover me with love every night, as it is,” Gregory said with a smile.
“Just as you do for us,” Yukiko smiled back.
~*~*~
Dia and Bishop were chatting when the three of them entered the dining area. Dia looked over when they walked in, and happiness bloomed on her face. “Congratulations, Jenn.”
“Thank you, Dia,” Jenn replied.
“Oh? The fourth rank, all three of you,” Bishop smiled. “That is highly unusual… it’s almost as if Aether himself is helping guide you.”
“I feel like he is beside me all the time,” Yukiko replied with a grin.
“Ever since I joined the clan, I’ve felt like he’s been there to help me,” Jenn agreed.
“Having faith is part of the clan,” Gregory added a little lamely.
“It’s the most important part of the clan,” Bishop said. “I know Dia is firmly considering inviting your novice friends. I wonder... do they believe in Aether as strongly as you three?”
“Yes,” Yukiko said firmly. “I have no doubts that Daciana and Nessa do, and I get the feeling that Victoria is growing to harbor the same feelings.”
“She had many questions regarding Aether when we traveled here,” Bishop nodded. “I was going to suggest her to Dia even before she joined your friends.”
“That will be good. Two years of believers bode well for the clan,” Dia smiled.
“Breakfast will be ready shortly,” Zenim told them. “I figured you’d all be down at your usual time and started yours when I started theirs.”
“Thank you,” Gregory grinned. “That gives us a little extra time to study.”
“How has your studying been going?” Dia asked as they sat.
“Slowly, but steadily,” Jenn said. “The books for apprentices can be a bit harder to parse through.”
“Oh, yes,” Bishop nodded. “Some of them are over a thousand years old. Language changes in that much time.”
“But we’re progressing,” Yukiko said. “We’ve finished two different books each, and we discuss the ones we’ve read to pass along that knowledge, and to see if one of us wants to read it.”
“What have you been reading?” Dia asked.
“My last book was on the customs of Limaz. I’d gone over their laws before, but not their customs,” Gregory said.
“I did Buldoun,” Jenn added.
“While I studied Krogga,” Yukiko finished for them.
“Covering all eventualities in case you are stationed there?” Dia asked.
“Partially, but also to see the differences,” Gregory said. “I’m going to be reading on Buldoun today while they change up.”
“We’ve all done the laws already,” Yukiko smiled. “We might be the most prepared in our class for posts along the borders.”
“I would say that is likely true,” Dia nodded. “Did you know that those are also the posts most likely for multiple adepts and magus to be posted to?”
“Yes,” Yukiko said. “I’d asked Rafiq at the archive.”
“Hmm... those posts are also fought over,” Bishop said.
“Because they control the flow of trade,” Yukiko said. “They are contested, but not as hard as the ambassador posts. Then again, no magi under full magus rank has been given those posts. They normally go to master tier or higher magi.”
“That is true,” Dia nodded. “The merchant clans normally have a stranglehold on those posts. There are other options for postings, but as yours is still well over a year away, it isn’t time to worry about it now.”
“Yes, Dia,” they said together, bowing their heads to her.
“Breakfast,” Zenim announced, cutting off any more conversation.
~*~*~
“Already here,” Daciana said as she hurried over to where Gregory and his wives sat. “We have news.”
“About your day off?” Jenn asked as she finished making the large Magi Squares.
“No,” Daciana grinned as she fished out her medallion. “Ness and I are rank four, and Vicky is rank three.”
“That is good news,” Yukiko smiled. “Jenn hit rank four today, as well.”
Daciana grinned. “We all grow in power.”
“I hope to catch them, in time,” Victoria said, joining them, as Daciana had raced ahead of her and Nessa.
“You can,” Jenn said. “I’m still catching up to them. I hope the next rank will match us up.”
Victoria bowed her head. “I will hope and pray to Aether that he may hear me and bless me to be equal to my friends.”
“Do you pray to him often?” Yukiko asked.
“I’ve prayed to him and the Traveler for years,” Victoria said, taking her seat. “I always wanted to see different places, and being a magi was the easiest way for a small-town girl like myself to leave.”
“Yeah, it would be,” Gregory nodded.
“I never really hoped I’d be a magi until… last year,” she trailed off, then finished lamely.
“How was your day off?” Yukiko asked. “Did you see your families?”
“Dad and Mom were at Stabled Hunger,” Daciana smiled.
“Mother fussed and made us a wonderful meal,” Nessa said.
“They were very kind,” Victoria said. “Both of your parents are, as well, Daciana.”
“Are you ready for more sparring?” Gregory asked.
“Yes,” Daciana said, then looked around once she’d realized she was being louder than she should have been. “Sorry...” she said, seeing one of the archivists giving her a light glare.
“I think so,” Nessa said.
“They pair off with me, switching back and forth every day, to help me learn and to keep the others from thrashing me too badly,” Victoria said. “They’re both nearly the top in the class, as it is. It’s upset a few people with narrow minds.”
“Speaking of learning,” Gregory said, “on your days off, you need to go to the Watashi residence. Indara, Inda’s sister, will be there. You are to be there no later than midday. It would be eighth bell, but we told her you’ll visit your family.”
“Really?” Daciana asked, leaning forward, her tail wagging fast.
Gregory looked away. Her kimono had opened slightly at the top, giving him an unobstructed view. “Yes.”
“We can go there at eight,” Nessa said. “My parents would understand.”
“Three things you need to know,” Yukiko said. “The residence has seven children helping maintain it, and they will be treated with respect. Another is that they will do the Peaceful Fist meditation with you and might also start on unarmed training. Lastly, this doesn’t get told to anyone, not even your family.�
�
“Oh...” Nessa said before she nodded. “I’ll just tell them we have a tutor for training. That will be okay, right?”
“Yes, but not who or where,” Yukiko said. “This is treading a thin line.”
“We understand,” Daciana said.
Victoria glanced at Gregory before looking back at Yukiko. “We’ll keep it secret.”
“Good. Now, we have Magi Squares to do and books to study,” Yukiko said.
~*~*~
Arriving early to the tactics classroom, the three settled in.
“They were very excited,” Jenn grinned. “Especially Daciana.”
“Yes. She got a little exuberant,” Yukiko snickered. “Before we went upstairs, I did inform her to tighten her obi.”
Gregory’s cheeks heated slightly, as Yukiko’s words brought back the image of Daciana leaning forward. “Yeah... that could’ve been bad if it had happened with someone else.”
“She did say she hoped you were okay,” Yukiko added.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Gregory said, pushing the thought from his mind.
“It’s okay to look, remember, dear one,” Yukiko said softly, touching his leg.
“I didn’t mean to, and it isn’t if she’s not okay with it,” he said.
“That is a valid point,” Jenn agreed with him.
“Fair enough,” Yukiko conceded. “I don’t think she minded because it was you, but she was worried that you would be disgusted or upset with her.”
Gregory’s brow furrowed. “Why would I be?”
“You are unique, dear one,” Yukiko said, patting his knee.
“Because she’s even more eurtik than Yuki is, and you know how people view them,” Jenn said. “Not how you view them, but how they’re seen in general.”
“Oh... Yeah, no.” He shook his head. “I’m neither upset nor disgusted with her. I’m a little embarrassed for her, actually. I mean, I’ve messed up dressing before, and I would’ve been mortified if something similar had happened to me.”
Jenn nodded in agreement.
“Oh good, they’re here already,” Clover said, coming into the room with Ling behind her. “Can I ask you about the last game?”
Yukiko gave the fast-speaking woman a grin. “Of course, Clover. What did you want to know?”
“Why did you opt for the archers, and not two or even three conscripts?” Clover asked, going over to the other side of the room to get her things ready for class.
“Do you recall the board at the time?”
Ling spoke up. “Jenn had her army pulled up and ready for the attack, but they were mostly conscripts. The terrain was grasslands, and she had you outnumbered almost two to one.”
“Yes. Besides the magi guard unit, she had all conscripts,” Yukiko nodded.
“Should have taken the light cavalry,” Jenn sighed, “but I was going for overwhelming numbers.”
“Archers against conscripts are like a scythe to wheat,” Yukiko said. “The range against and the damage to conscripts who are at most lightly armored is impressive. On an open field, I knew I could cut her forces down to be an even match, and had set mine to defend the archers, giving them even more time to work.”
Clover nodded slowly. “So instead of trying to match her numbers, you hoped she didn’t have a counter to the archers.”
“Yes. If she had a light cavalry in reserve, hiding from my scouts, I would’ve gotten butchered.”
“I knew it was going to be a loss,” Jenn said. “I kept the attack going to prove the point that it isn’t numbers, but correctly applied force in the right places that can win the battle.”
“And you did it correctly,” Paul said, entering the room. “Today, we will have Clover playing against Chucky. Gregory, you will advise Clover, and Jenn will advise Chucky.”
“Excuse me, sir?” a rough voice asked from behind Paul. “I come from dormitory Keeper Clau. Apprentice Smitty is sick today. He’s being seen to, but will not be here for today’s lesson.”
“Jenn, you will advise Ling,” Paul said. “Thank the keeper for me,” he told the man at the door. “Let Chucky know that he missed his first game and that we will see him tomorrow.”
“Yes, Magus,” the man bowed before slipping away.
Paul shut the door to the room. “I want to see what you’ve learned today, Apprentices. I also want to see if the more advanced apprentices can teach those under them. Set the board; empire, land type is light forest. Clover gets earth magi, and Ling gets water magi.”
“Yes, sir,” everyone said, moving to get things ready.
Chapter Thirty-four
Another week came and went. They stuck to their routine and felt like they were making progress with their training.
“They should be here shortly,” Gregory said, looking toward the front of the archive.
“I wonder how Victoria did with Indara,” Yukiko said questioningly.
Daciana was a few paces ahead of the others as they came into view of the table. She had a large grin on her face and was bounding their way. “Thank you!” she said, bending down to hug Jenn from behind.
Jenn blinked, caught by surprise. She didn’t have time to object or even say anything before Daciana let her go, went around the foot of the table, and hugged Yukiko. Yukiko chuckled as she patted Daciana’s arms.
“Glad to hear you had a good day off,” Yukiko said.
Daciana went from Yukiko to Gregory. She hesitated for a moment before giving him a very brief hug. Her cheeks were tinged with color when she let go of him. “We did.”
“We did, indeed,” Nessa said as she got to the table with Victoria beside her. “Thank you from us, as well.”
Jenn shifted in place so she could see them. “You’re welcome.”
Victoria glanced from Daciana to Jenn. “Are hugs acceptable?”
Jenn shrugged. “I don’t mind, though I do prefer to know I’m getting a hug before it happens.”
Daciana’s cheeks heated more. “Sorry, Jenn.”
“It’s fine,” Jenn said as she gave Nessa, then Victoria, brief hugs, “but you should always make sure it’s okay before grabbing someone.”
“I understand,” Daciana nodded, going to sit beside Jenn. “I’ll do better.”
“Good.”
Nessa and Victoria went around the table to give Yukiko hugs, then approached Gregory. When they hesitated to hug him, he gave them an awkward smile.
“You don’t have to,” Gregory said. “It’s fine.”
Nessa swallowed, but she gave him a quick hug before she moved to sit beside Yukiko. “I just wasn’t sure you were okay with it,” Nessa said, her cheeks red.
“I’m fine,” Gregory told her.
Victoria hugged him— not as briefly as the other two did, but equal to how she’d hugged Jenn and Yukiko. “It was a difficult day, but it was good. Thank you, Greg, and you both, as well, Jenn, Yuki.” When she let him go, she went to sit at the other end of the table, wearing a smile on her lips as her cheeks lightly dusted with color.
Gregory was surprised by her more forceful hug after the two quick ones, but he wrote it off as her being more comfortable with him, since they were both from the fringe. “Tell us how it went.”
“We had an early lunch with our parents and told them about our chance to have personal training,” Nessa began. “They were sad that we’d miss seeing them so much during our days off, but they accepted that it would help us.”
“Dad was being difficult until Mom stopped him,” Daciana said stiffly. “Kept asking who and where. After I repeated for the third time that I couldn’t tell him, she slapped him down for me.” Seeing their expressions, she waved a hand. “It’s okay, he always does that. He’ll leave it alone now that Mom told him to.”
“Which is good,” Nessa said. “We were greeted by Elsa,” Nessa smiled softly. “She was very formal and gracious in accepting us.”
“The other children are precious, too,” Victoria added. “They were happy to have
us there to practice with.”
“Indara led us through the Peaceful Fist. The children were doing it, too,” Nessa went on. “When the meditation came to an end, she made the children step back and had us show her what we could do.”
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