By the time Firstday rolled around, news of the accident had spread around campus; Adrian, Blaise, and Priscilla were all anyone could talk about. Blaise was a hero, and stories of his healing abilities as a Holy Knight blessed by Dretrix, the Mother of Heros, grew as the day progressed. Those martially and Magically inclined were impressed with his ability and quick thinking.

Blaise was always wary of where any conversation with Tristan Henderson was going. He hadn’t shown any open animosity towards Blaise, but he seemed of questionable moral character at best. Since Lady Arsenault had given him the position Tristan once held in the Cobalt Coda training group, he‘d kept an even sharper eye out for him.

Blaise couldn’t engage with that obvious taunt designed to draw him into a fight. He returned to his locker to finish dressing and leave, confident Tristan would go away. They were about the same size and weight, and now that he knew he had more behind him than just a well-trained arm and well-forged sword, it had clearly disrupted the balance of power that already seemed settled.

When school started last year, he wasn’t empowered with any spells. He had trained during the off months when he went with his parents to help those attacked by false heroes or other opportunist threats that cropped up during the year. It wouldn’t have been prudent of him to share information about those missions or how he had gained experience. Not everyone had even gotten to leave school grounds on the off months that alone had bred animosity.

Unfortunately, stories of the accident itself were spreading and morphing equally quickly. It was mostly under control at the Military Acadamy, only talk of disfigurement and hideous scarring, but on the naval campus, It had gone from “Priscilla accidentally dropped the gun” to “Priscilla drunkenly shot him while bandying the gun about.” At some point, Julien Rene asked to talk to her and called Matt to give an account since Adrian hadn’t returned. Priscilla was mortified at that.

Of course, Matt was not happy about the fact all anyone was talking about on his ninth birthday was Adrian being shot. Priscilla barely made it through her classes on Firstday; she was so distraught. The story had already gotten so out of hand by Secondday that it was a nightmare for her, especially after she was called down to give an account to the Headmaster.

This all happened just when things were starting to pick up and get tough, too. Francine couldn’t be there for Priscilla like she needed to. She had agreed to start shooting practice three times a week with Peony and Lara, and she had a test coming up in Eidruian History. She was certain that Azure put her in that class, and she didn’t want to fail the first test.

To be fair, this test was on the 18 Pre-Megantani Dynasties, but that likely wouldn’t save her from Azure’s Ire. At least she was getting help from Harriet, but that was only so good. She still had to get that information onto the test. Francine thought it was some cruel punishment trying to memorize 18 dynasties in one go.

When Priscilla gathered Adrian’s things, she was in a tizzy. People had started a rumor milling around the Performing Arts campus and the Chalice that Adrian had subsequently died of his wounds, and that’s why he still wasn’t back! In reality, after Blaise used basic healing spells to stop the bleeding, Adrian had to be seen by more experienced healers and a surgeon to remove the dozens of bits of shrapnel embedded in his body, a grueling procedure that took hours. The clerics did all they could for him; it was just a matter of his body doing the rest.

Priscilla had gone out to see him Firstday and was returning Thirdday after school, partially out of guilt, and to bring him his coursework. On Firstday, he was sore but healing well. He was in remarkably good spirits. It was Priscilla who needed comfort at that point. She was beside herself, but when the rumor of his death was mentioned on Thirdday, it triggered Adrian’s melancholy to take over, sending him into deep fits of depression.

Priscilla was concerned that she had upset him and tried to backpedal.

Adrian had leaped out of bed. He was wearing only a pair of lounging pants. She could see the scabs, and some spots were already scarring over. It was amazing how fast healing spells could fix even the gravest of wounds, but they didn’t necessarily heal the mental wounds that went along with them.

Adrian sank back to the bed, where Priscilla sat a couple of hand widths apart, just trying to calm him down. He went from angry, fists balled, screaming into his pillow to bawling, suddenly and surprisingly hugging Priscilla. What option did she have but to stay and let him cry? She stroked his head as he cried, laying in her lap, silently apologizing for causing so much turmoil, even if accidentally. When his tears ceased, he fell asleep, and she slipped out. Tear stained and shaken.

Abbie, Amalie, and Harriet all attended Frannie’s practice on Fifthday. She talked up Aromatic Mornings so much that they wanted to try it out — if not for the food, then for the change of scenery and company.

They waved to her, but she just waved back and ran off to the locker room before coming to see them. Amalie, who‘d been talking to the other girls about Ginny taking her and Harlane to see her family and what had happened all week, spotted Ginny and dragged them over to cause trouble, as was her nature.

Amalie laughed, though she quickly moved on since she was the only one.

Amalie hadn’t thought it through that far. Sure, she had expected Ginny to deny it, but the question threw her off, and when Ginny didn’t jump right back in and cut her off, it was even more disconcerting.

Amalie declared weakly. Abbie shook her head, and Harriet shifted nervously from foot to foot.

Ginny was a little surprised to hear Abbie, someone she had barely met, speak to her so candidly. As the only daughter of a wealthy Duke, she assumed Abbie was used to being allowed to speak her mind relatively freely. In fact, it was somewhat refreshing and much more of what she was used to.

Ginny flashed a strained smile at Amalie, who flushed, annoyed this was turning around on her.

Ginny was getting frustrated with her unfounded accusations that did nothing but vilify her.

Amalie started formulating a rebuttal while Ginny was talking, but the words faded from her mind as she went on.

That jogged her from the embarrassed fog she had slipped into.

Ginny disappeared and left Amalie groaning when Frannie returned a few moments later.

CH9~Priscilla's Fifteen Minutes

An Imperial Education

By the time Firstday rolled around, news of the accident had spread around campus; Adrian, Blaise, and Priscilla were all anyone could talk about. Blaise was a hero, and stories of his healing abilities as a Holy Knight blessed by Dretrix, the Mother of Heros, grew as the day progressed. Those martially and Magically inclined were impressed with his ability and quick thinking.



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CH9~Priscilla's Fifteen Minutes

An Imperial Education

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CH9~Priscilla's Fifteen Minutes

An Imperial Education

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