v e r s i o n 1 - b l u e

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Cassia awoke that morning with her hand feeling cooled and refreshed. She took a close look at it. It was the same as ever, but there was a symbol etched in black on her palm, and again on the back of her hand. Feeling a little self conscious, she got up and dressed. As a last touch she hastily pulled on some kid gloves.
What had caused her to do whatever she did? All she could remember was the pain. The princess of the aqua planet grimaced at the forcefulness of the memory. She hurried downstairs hoping to forget.
Her family was already seated at the breakfast table. Cassia had hoped that she might avoid, them but no such luck.
“Cássië, why are you wearing gloves? it’s a beautiful day outside.” Her mother asked cheerfully as she sat down.
“I’m.....making a fashion statement.”
She wasn’t sure why, but she felt quite strongly that she didn’t want her family to know about the mark. She didn’t much like sharing secrets with them, except Emily.
emily had a mark on her hand as well, but she wore it with pride. It was the mark of the heiress. Hers was different, and she knew hers couldn't be an heiress’s mark. After breakfast, she went to Emily’s bedroom.
“Em?” She asked while rapping on the door.
“Ta, jisil di.” She answered.
It was the custom of the Niptani not to always use the common speech. however, the language that the people of Earth called English was becoming more and more popular.
Cassia opened the door. Her sister sat at her desk reading.
“Em, can I see your hand?”
“Yes, sure, but why?” She inquired a little uncertainly as she offered her hand.
Cassia put her right hand next to her sister’s, and then removed the glove. The marks were the same, but Cassia’s was upside down. Emily gasped.
“So you know what it means?” The younger sister asked hopefully.
“Yes.” Was the shaky response. “It means you won’t stay here. it means you will leave forever someday.”
“You mean death?”
“No, it’s not that simple. No one really knows exactly what will happen to them when they get the mark. Mine is the only one with any sort of clear meaning.”
“So you don’t think it’s death?”
“Cássië, everyone dies,” Emily chuckled. “and I’ve seen the death mark. That’s not it.”
“What do you think of it?”
At that moment, the door opened. Both girls jumped, and cassia sat on her hand. It was one of the boys who taught them swordplay.
Swords and the proper use of them was very important in the Neptunian culture. it sprang from a fear that evil would strike sooner or later. Now it was just custom to instruct your children in the art.
“What is it Esekildar?”
“Their majesties require your presence.”
Despite the many times they had told him not to, he still used formalities around them. he was they shyest of their instructors, but certainly not the least skilled.
Emily watched as his blue eyes drifted towards hers, and the the redness that crept onto his face as she smiled at him.
“Thank you very much Esen.”
As they left, he looked wistfully after. What he wouldn’t give to get to know Emily better and win her affections.
------------------
Cassia and Emily hurried to their parents. as they ran, Cassia struggled with her glove. Finally it fit, and her mind became devoted without diversion as to why her parents wanted to see them.
“Children, Raleazar has spoken with us, and he wants you to be instructed by the Dairuë. He has cautioned us not to speak to you very much about it, as you will learn all you need to know while you are there. You are to leave tomorrow morning. We don’t know for how long, but we’ll miss you.”
“The Dairuë?”
“Yes, he feels it is necessary.”
“Whatever for I wonder?”
“You’ll learn all that tomorrow morning. Now, this is a boarding school, so you’re going to have to bring whatever you need for the time. Most likely all your clothing, and all those little trinkets you seem unable to exist without. You only have the rest of the day to pack, so I suggest you start now!”
As she spoke she ushered the girls to their rooms.
Dora was right. It took the twins the rest of the day, and then some to get ready.
Emily sat awake late tha night thinking of all the things and people she would miss. There were all the people in the palace, some of her cousins, and all her friends of ‘other sorts’. she realized she would miss her instructors too. Especially Esen. She remembered the first day they met.
Emily was four, and he was six. His father was teaching her swordplay then, and Esen was another of his students. When his father grew too old, he took up the instruction. The had been very close all their lives, but he was very shy.
Eventually, the older of the twins drifted off to sleep.
In the morning, she got up, dressed, and made herself presentable. She dragged her feet down the hall towards the ever present smell of breakfast, and was greeted by Esekildar. He looked very nervous, and was holding a long leather case. handing it to her with a blushing bow, he stammered
“I’ll miss you....Emili.”
He suddenly became preoccupied with his feet while she opened the gift.
Inside was the most beautiful sword she had ever seen. Vaguely she remembered something about him being a blacksmith as well.
“It’s beautiful Esen!”
Forgetting her place, she wrapped her arms around him in a quick hug.
“Emili, I could be killed for this.”
He looked genuinely worried.
“Nonsense, it’ll be our little secret.”
She winked and smiled at how he blushed beyond all hope of hiding it.
“Well, g-goodbye Emili.”
“Bër Esen!”
She waved and fairly skipped the rest of the way down the stairs, out of the palace, and to where her mother was waiting with two hooded and cloaked women. Cassia had yet to be seen. Soon enough she was bounding down the stairs, gloves and all.
“You sure took your time Cássië.”
“I’m sorry mother. It won’t happen again.”
“Yes, yes child. Let me introduce you to Aenni and Minia. They will be escorting you shortly.”
They waved goodbye to their parents as they slowly lost sight of them. Again they felt the feeling of being as ignorant as children and enjoyed it for the few seconds it lasted.
When sight was granted to them again, they appeared to be in a forest. The two girls had only seen trees on the pages of books. There was a stone fortress in the middle of it. Aenni and Minia guided them to an entrance, and showed them in.
Cassia had always thought that Dairuë and the Etaból lived very separate lives. Now she found her assumption to be very wrong. The staff and students of both genders mingled alike. She caught snippets of conversations that surprised her. They were normal people. She had imagined Dairuë, and especially Etaból to be something a little more than human.
Minia muttered something about having a meeting to go to, so Aenni brought them to a pair of doors. The opening of these doors revealed many of the children from the Neptunian princesses’ birthdays, although Jerome and Phillip were missing. A regal looking man and woman stood in front of the new students.
“You will find, I think, that our method of schooling is strange to you.” The man began to speak in a loud, strong voice.
“We give each of our students an instructor. this is usually someone who has just graduated from the first level - Inóë. They will teach you everything in the Inóë curriculum, and if you pass both practical and written examinations, you will be admitted into the second level. Are there any questions? No?
Second level is instructing someone of first level. If your student passes both examinations, you will be admitted to third level.
Third level is one, sometimes two years of putting your skills into practice by going on ‘errands’ for us among other things. We will evaluate your work, and based on that judgment will or will not allow you into fourth level.
In fourth level you choose one aspect of being a Dairuë, or and Etaból and perfect it. You are educated in the same way as first level, but by someone who is a master in that specific area.
Once you have passed both the practical and written examinations of that level, you will be bound to us. You will be given a mark, and a new name by which we will identify you.
You may not choose to leave us in the middle of your training. You must be dedicated. The initiation ceremony and vow taking is tomorrow. First level students also arrive tomorrow, so the first level quarters are empty. You may go and choose whatever room you please. Aenni will escort you.”
Cassia followed Aenni closely. She had no wish to be lost on her first day. The place also seemed to be maze-like and twisted.
“D’ya want t’know somethin’?” Aenni whispered.
“Sure.” Cassia was eager to devour any scrap of information that might help her adjust to this new place.
“All t’rooms look t’same ... empty, until ye choose one. Once ye make yer choice, it changes itself exactly t’way ye wannit, and t’walls change ta t’way ye wannem. yer belongins’ll appear after as well.”
“This place is amazing.” Cassia breathed.
“Yeah, t’is.”
“So what level are you?”
“I”m third. Downrigh’ scared abou’ it too.”
“I’m sure you’ll do fine.”
“They say there’s war brewin’. I ‘eard tell that’ third level has t’fight if that’ ‘appens.”
“You’ll be ok.” If finally dawned on her that Aenni had an accent. “Where are you from?”
“Tole’a”
“Oh really? I’ve never met a person from Toletta before! Is it a nice place?”
“Well...’s’not t’greatest. Tha’s why I came ‘ere. Ta escape so t’speak.”
“How do you like it here?”
“Well, t’beginnin’ o’ first level is the scariest. They call ye up and sum’un stares in yer eyes an then they tell ya who yer teacher is gonna be. Sum parts are ‘arder than others. I like it ‘ere generally.”
They then came upon a hallway that was nothing but doors. Cassia thanked Aenni for her advice about the rooms, and walked down the hall a bit and picked the one that felt the most natural to walk into.
Aenni hadn’t lied. It was a tiny, bare closet of a room. As soon as she decided she would have it it metamorphasized into the room of her dreams. All her things were neatly unpacked, and the room had grown dramatically in size. Towards the back, there was a balcony in Neptunian style overlooking an ocean. She explored a bit and then went to see how the others were getting along.
“They’re all tiny broom cupboards!” Theodora exclaimed. “I don’t want to live in a closet!”
“Come see mine.” Cassia invited.
“Allright, now how’d you wind up with this one?”
“It does that itself as soon as you choose one.” They both laughed.
As Cassia left her room again, she noticed a stone plaque on her door displaying her name. More correctly, her Abenor , or nickname - ‘Cássië’.
Theodora and Cassia explained to the rest. They spent the remainder of the day exploring their fortress/school, and getting to know the staff and other students. By nightfall they knew the building well enough to wander and not become lost.
Night soon fell, and Cassia lay in a soft bed with lovely down covers, and dreamed of what tomorrow would have in store for her and her friends.

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