Ever since moving to the town surrounding the Noila Academy, Cassandra's mother had been prone to melancholy.  She was in one of her "episodes" tonight, and Cassandra was glad she had gone to bed early.  Her father at least tried to feign excitement and pride.  He stayed up with her, braided her hair and helped her with her beauty routine.  Makeup was garbage, when you could change the color of your skin with the application of heat.  True, all she could do with that was black and gray, but she leaned into it, doing a winged eyeliner and blackening her lips.  She looked grim, but that seemed appropriate.  

Her father wouldn't accompany her all night, sadly.  Her vampire tutor and his mage picked her up, inspecting her garb before allowing her into his car.  She had not been allowed to choose her attire for this evening, but Master Valius [i]had[/i] consented to let her pick from a short list of outfits.  She picked one of the more "exotic" choices, rather than a traditional dress.  Silk harem pants, and a top that showed her midriff, but covered her neck with a high collar.  She thought Valius had actually included this option knowing she would pick it.  He was always doing things like that, maintaining strict control, while occasionally allowing her to find loopholes.  He was okay, better than his mage, Edward Bell.  All of that was over with now.  Valius and Edward were leaving her life for good, to be replaced with new tutors, and a new companion.  She had high hopes.  

Their car pulled up to the gates at precisely the time listed on the invitation.  

"It's every bit as rude," Valius said, "To be early, as to be late.  A host [i]should[/i] be ready in advance, but you must give them the opportunity to pretend everything went smoothly, in case it doesn't.  If you ignore glaring issues, you look patronizing.  Better to orchestrate not to see them at all."

"Yes sir," Cassandra said, looking through the window for a moment before opening the car door.  That was the last instruction he would give her, and it was the first time it had ever been relevant.  She had never been to anything that might be called an event before.  She looked back at her tutors as she closed the door behind her, not sure what to feel.  She turned away silently, and entered the courtyard.  

She listened to the princess's speech hungrily.  Yes, that is why she was here.  No more "yes sir" just because someone drank blood.  She would be a partner, an equal to the person in this envelope.  She was staring at it as the speech ended, waiting for the moment the spell was released, and then ripped it open.  

Cassandra didn't know what to expect, really.  It felt strange to see her partner, even in photograph, after years of knowing she would be paired.  He must have known too, had he waited for the day?  What was he thinking as he looked at her picture?  She would find out soon enough. 

The photograph showed a young man, tired looking, she hoped he would be more lively.  But who [i]isn't[/i] more lively in real life than a photo?  Dominique Astorio.  A noble, that was prestigious.  That annoyed her.  She would have preferred a nobody, so she could raise them both up, and say it was because of their own skill and intelligence, not because of his blood.  It was to be expected of this academy, though, wasn't it?  

Cassandra ignored the refreshment that began circulating.  She had a monster in her pocket(precisely why she had chosen these pants) and would open it when she started to feel tired.  There was no sense drinking before that.

Instead, she stood on her tiptoes, having trouble looking over the crowd.  It didn't matter in the end, though.  Dominique towered over many, she never would have guessed at how tall he was from the picture.  Just looking at shoulders and up made him look slight.  She started toward him immediately, pushing when she had to(nobody had introduced her to anyone, manners were out the window now).