Mana: Before The Rise

As everyone is clear, "That went well," Ezaatha says, snatching her hand away from the king when we reach the residence floors. He doesn't seem to mind in the least. "Take the girls to their rooms." she then says. She doesn't direct her command at anyone in particular, but four guards break off from the group. Their eyes glitter behind their black masks.

"I can do it," Ray and Davlan say in unison. They glance at each other, startled.

The Queen raises one perfect eyebrow. "That would be inappropriate." She says

I'll escort Ventora, Dav can take Tamwalyn," Ray offers quickly,

The then king shrugs. "Let them, Ezaatha. The girls need a good night of sleep, and the Guards would give any lady bad dreams." He chuckles, tossing a playful nod at the guards.

After a moment of tense silence, the queen turns on her heel. "Very well." Like any wife, she hates her husband for challenging her, and like any queen, she hates the power the king holds over her. A bad combination.

Once the King and Queen left the room bidding their goodbyes.

"My room is where, exactly?" Tamwalyn asks, glaring at Davlan. The blushing queen-to-be is gone, replaced by the sharp she-devil she is.

He gulps at the sight of her. "Uh, this way, miss—ma'am—my lady." He holds out an arm to her, but she breezes right by him. "Good night, Raymphon, Ventora," Davlan sighs, making a point of looking at me, wishing he was the one escorting her.

Gaze watched as they disappear leaving both her and Ray in the room alone. "You picked a real winner," she said, making the Prince's smile drop.

"I didn't pick anything. Everyone knows that."

"At least you knew this was coming. I woke up this morning and didn't even have a boyfriend much less a lover." Ray winces at her words, "And, you know, there's the 'you're going to be king' thing. That must be a boost."

She must not be thinking straight isn't she in the same position. Not longer after he usher her in to her room. Leaving her alone in the darkness, Gaze immediately touches the warm walls in the room. The only solstice she has is the Temple itself. That speck to her in such sort hums.

The next day

Gaze inwardly groans as she sits face to face with Nicht outside her door.

"Are you going to babysit me every day or just until I learn my way around?"

"What do you think?"

"Here's to a long and happy friendship, Officer Nicht."

"Likewise, my lady."

"Don't call me that."

"Whatever you say, my lady."

"Please lead me to my lessons, I don't feel like eating with the Snake and Serpent today." Gaze says simple, as she follow Nicht to some ugly does, and processed to learn from some Hag-raven with glasses.

Lesson where boring and filled with nothing special, she learned to quickly much to the hag-Ravens surprise. And then she had Ugly One, Ugly two, the Fat one and then one who does not talk. They all had names that she clearly didn't care to remember.

When she was finally free she sat down on the bench of the garden, contemplating the meaning life.

"Are you done for the day?" Davlan familiar voice says as he approaches his face clearing to reveal an eager smile. "I could show you around if you want." He was in more casual clothes and his face was really bright. He took her hand in his, Gaze saw that she didn't hate it. But, his hand was now warm compared to his cold one form last night.

"No." Gaze sighs, "I still have lesson with more people I have yet to meet, and probably won't remember."

"Then I won't bother you" He says lightly but his gaze was filled with fresh happiness that buds with spring love.

"…." Gaze also couldn't say anything as she watched him leave, she suddenly missed his hand. Nicht appears outaa nowhere. He gives her a moment to collect myself before noting, "You know, we'd get there much faster if you actually moved."

"Shut up, Nicht."

Her Next lesson was in a library, her instructor was a bald dude with glasses who didn't care to speak to her, and just sat their reading his books. After about ten minutes, Gaze decided she was going to read to.

How can she not, in a place with books unknown to her she started with the closest shelf and began to read, at a speed that didn't seem normal.

An hour had passed and she was on her way to her next lesson, she ended her day with two more instructor, another bold guy and some weird buffy lady. That didn't know how to hold back.

'God help us all' Gaze thought.