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[center][sub]Dates: October 8th - November 4th[/sub]

[sub][color=red][i]If you read nothing else of mine, read these ones for plot![/i][/color][/sub][/center]

[hider=10/8: Aaron & Mr. Deshane]
[center]Deliberation[/center]
Aaron had never been good at sitting still. 

And that was at the best of times. But now, waiting for his appointment with his guidance counselor to roll around, he was even more fidgety than normal. He had his elbows perched on his knees, his whole body shaking with the feverish rhythm his leg jumped of its own accord. He fiddled mercilessly with his ring, moving it from finger to finger and spinning it madly. Now and then he’d pause to blow a stray lock of hair out of his eyes, too wrapped up in his own thoughts to realize he’d have better luck if he just braided it up out of the way. 

Ever since the school had given notice that arcane majors were to be declared by the end of the term, fierce indecision had been clouding his every thought. Sure, it probably wasn’t an uncommon sentiment - after all, everyone was probably feeling a little intimidated about choosing the arcane path they’d be taking - but what probably set him apart was that he wasn’t struggling to choose between this or that arcane school, but rather deliberating over just one. 

He’d been prowling the library for weeks, reading up as much as he could about his prospective choice. He’d found a lot of good information, though none of it was particularly comforting; what was more, any books about its actual [i]practice[/i] were locked away in the library ceiling, barred from consumption by the general populace. He’d be lying if he said the secrecy didn’t intrigue him, but there was more than enough disturbing information he [i]could[/i] access to make him think twice. Before he’d come to the Academy, he probably never would have considered it, but after that night with Lady Sinnenodel and realizing he’d probably have similar experiences every time he dealt with her for the rest of his life, his potential path had seemed more and more like a necessity. 

At long last, the door to the counselor’s office opened, and Aaron was beckoned in. Grateful for the chance to move, he stood and made his way inside, sitting where the counselor gestured and doing his best to put his thoughts in order. 

Aaron's guidance counselor sat behind his desk, thick eyebrows shot up in surprise. The older man was heavy set and papers were scattered everywhere across the desk. Two computer monitors beeped quietly at him and he turned them off, sitting forward with his hands steepled. The man considered Aaron a moment before speaking 

[color=978370]“Mr. Starag himself in my office. Never thought I'd see the day.”[/color] The man laughed, his voice rumbling from his chest. His eyes twinkled. [color=978370]“A surprise but a pleasant one at that. What can we do for you today my boy?”[/color]

Aaron answered the counselor’s laugh with an obligatory chuckle, offering the man a smile before looking back down more pensively at his shoes. He’d gotten that sort of reaction from a few other staff members so far; he still wasn’t sure what the big deal was, but it was important to handle it graciously nonetheless. 

After a moment of spinning his ring, he collected his thoughts enough to sit up properly, schooling his features into something more cordial that didn’t reflect the turmoil he’d been going through in recent weeks. Best to get right to it. 

[color=f0d705]“Well,”[/color] he began, looking around the office before forcing himself to pick one thing to look at and focus on it, [color=f0d705]“You’ve probably been hearing a lot of this, but I was hoping for some advice on choosing an arcane major.”[/color]

[color=978370]“Of course my boy!”[/color] The man, whose name tag said Mr. Deshane, pulled out a binder for every arcane school. [color=978370]“Did you have any thoughts on where you'd like to start or would you like to go over all of them?”[/color]

Aaron almost grimaced, but stayed pleasant. [color=f0d705]“That’s just the problem,”[/color] he admitted, tugging on his ear, [color=f0d705]“I… really only have one idea.”[/color]

He paused a second more to gather his thoughts before sighing, leaning back a little and deciding to just come out with it. [color=f0d705]“I’ve been looking into Mental magic.”[/color]

Mr. Deshane blinked for a few moments after Aaron's confession and he shuffled his binders around, putting the purple Mental Magic binder in front. He flipped it open with a thud and looked back up at Aaron.

[color=978370]“I take it that your indecision comes from the potential risks.”[/color] Mr. Deshane spoke seriously. [color=978370]“The risk of losing your affinity is very real and there are several prerequisites before applying. You'll need a written recommendation from one of your affinity instructors and there will be a full psychological evaluation before you are approved. What makes you want to take this route?”[/color]

Aaron nodded along with Mr. Deshane, playing with his ring again. He’d hit the nail on the head; the risk of losing his affinity was probably the only thing stopping Aaron from making his choice, the possibility so daunting it kept managing to overshadow the reasons he wanted to go down this path in the first place. But those reasons were hefty on their own, hence the indecision. He’d been beating his head against the wall on the issue for weeks for specifically that reason. 

[color=f0d705]“I suppose I had a bad experience,”[/color] Aaron admitted, careful not to get into too much detail, [color=f0d705]“And even though the risks are… well, terrifying, I can’t shake the feeling that it’s something I [i]need[/i] to do.”[/color] He leaned an elbow on the arm of his chair, looking to the counselor. [color=f0d705]“Does that make any sense?”[/color]

[color=978370]“I'm afraid not but if you're determined, I won't try and talk you out of it. Let's go over our prerequisites then.”[/color] The man sighed and unclipped a page from. The binder, handing it over to Aaron. It had a long list of courses. [color=978370]“These are all the education you need before the Academy even considers your application. Four additional affinity courses and three advanced spell theory classes, including one dedicated to protection. With such a high risk of affinity loss, these classes are meant to help strengthen your connection. You'll sacrifice a lot of freedom on the academic side of your courses until you've cleared these unfortunately. Are you okay with that?”[/color]

Now it was Aaron’s turn to raise his eyebrows, tossing Mr. Deshane a look of surprise before he turned his attention to the list he’d been given. Was he really not going to try and talk him out of it? Aaron had almost been hoping he would, thinking that this meeting would knock some sense into him after having so seriously considered such a dangerous school. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that, turning his thoughts instead to the list. 

[color=f0d705]“...Yes, that’s fine,”[/color] Aaron replied, a tad preoccupied by the list. He’d been wanting to do more affinity courses anyway, and as for the rest of them… well, freedom was a relative concept, and to be honest, none of the other arcane schools had piqued his interest once he’d realized that mental magic was an option anyway. But that possibility of affinity loss was a considerable hurdle to jump to make his choice.

[color=f0d705]“How high is the risk, exactly?”[/color] Aaron asked, handing the list back to the counselor. [color=f0d705]“I’ve done as much research as I could into the subject, but I never could find a number.”[/color]

[color=978370]“Our last count was…”[/color] He rifled through the binder again. [color=978370]“53%. Just over half those enrolling in the course lose their affinity. Of course, these numbers aren’t the greatest since we don’t have a stable control group. Some years we only have 1 applicant and others we have a full twelve. We haven’t lost anyone in the past two years thankfully.”[/color] He looked at Aaron, concern clearly showing in his eyes.

[color=978370]“If you choose this path, you have to be sure your connection to your affinity is strong. We do our best to encourage its growth but only you can really tell.”[/color] He leaned back and tapped a pen on his desk. [color=978370]“Do you have regular activities to destress and relax? This branch has the second most difficult spells to control and the process is incredibly stressful and violating until you can control the magic.”[/color]

Aaron almost groaned. 53%? That was terrible. Any self-respecting gambler would never go in on such shoddy odds if anything of value was on the line. And something of value [i]was[/i] on the line.

So why was he still considering it?

He took a moment to think, leaning back in his chair. His connection to his affinity was strong, or at least, he thought it was. The more he learned about it, the more he used it, treating it like a reflex. He barely even thought about it; to him, it was an extension of his body, as much a part of him as his arms and legs. And what was more, he [i]loved[/i] it. Practicing affinity mastery was probably the best part of his day, aside from sitting next to Lilie in Spell Theory. 

Remembering the counselor’s question, Aaron played with his ring again, mentally cataloguing his habits. [color=f0d705]“I train to relax,”[/color] he stated simply, though he did smirk. [color=f0d705]“‘Gets me out of my head’, so to speak. I’ve always found it hard to be stressed while exhausted.”[/color] 

Thinking another second, he added, [color=f0d705]“I keep journals as well, and playing my cello also helps calm me down. Anything that lets me work on muscle memory, I suppose.”[/color] He left out the occasional daytime trips to the woods. Those were probably better kept private. 

[color=978370]“You’ll need to figure out a solid routine that lets you rest both your body and mind so training is out of the question.”[/color] Mr. Deshane typed into his computer to wake it up and typed for few a few moments while talking. [color=978370]“You need a regular, restful, routine. It should last about an hour of nothing that requires too much exertion, mentally or physically, and helps ground you emotionally. Perhaps you should ask..”[/color] he trailed off as he read the screen, clicking his tongue thoughtfully. [color=978370]“Maybe not. Though it is a requirement that you have something so even Count Sinnenodel couldn’t deny you that.”[/color]

[color=978370]“The cello wouldn’t be a bad idea but I imagine that an hour of that daily in addition to whatever practice you manage may be boring. The official suggestion is spending a few hours with your partner to develop a plan and then test it for a few weeks but in this case, I would recommend finding someone else you trust or know to have some empathy to make that plan and then present it to him.”[/color] Mr. Deshane turned away from his computer again. [color=978370]“I can schedule a meeting with a student currently in the program if that would help. She is Athena Lexitori’s mage, the acting president of the Arena Guild. She is quite accomplished in the art and might be able to provide some better insight into the difficulties you’ll face.”[/color]

Aaron listened intently, pulling out his phone to jot down everything the counselor mentioned. He smirked knowingly at the little jab at Count Varis, though it was only there for a second before he schooled his features into something more polite. He wasn’t thrilled that training wouldn’t work, though. Ever since he’d started when he was ten, training had been one of his only outlets. A new method would take some getting used to if he did decide to go this route. 

He perked up, however, at the mention of someone he could speak to. [color=f0d705]“That would be excellent, thank you,”[/color] he told the counselor, [color=f0d705]“did she manage to hold on to her affinity?”[/color]

[color=978370]“So far, yes. With her control over the mental disciplines, our instructors are surprised she has but as of yet, we’ve seen no signs of affinity regression.”[/color] He replied, the pride and relief evident on his face. [color=978370]“When I reviewed her psychological evaluation while I was on the committee, I had my doubts but she managed to surpass all of our expectations so far.”[/color]

Aaron nodded, pensive. Maybe if someone ‘unexpected’ like her could do so well, there was some hope for him. But he still wanted to know what he was dealing with.

[color=f0d705]“What more can you tell me about the risks?”[/color] He asked, almost a little scared to hear the answer. [color=f0d705]“For example, affinity loss. Is it something that just happens at random, or is it possible to recognize before it’s permanent? Is there any way to consciously work against it?”[/color] He leaned forward on his elbows, morbidly curious.

[color=978370]“We have no way of measuring affinity loss without the mage’s communication. From what we understand, the process happens rather naturally. They don’t notice losing it until it happens.”[/color] He leaned back again, resuming tapping. [color=978370]“Affinity magic is the result of everything we are and how we perceive that. Mental magic expands the mind, making it do things no regular mage is capable of, and sometimes things change in the process. The mind is a tricky machine and one that doesn’t take lightly to unnatural alterations. There are some warning signs but none of them are consistent across all mages. It’s why we focus on affinity classes all through the program.”[/color]

[color=978370]“We believe maintaining a close connection with familiar comforts, friends, family, spouses, and hobbies, help maintain a healthy balance between affinity magic and the arcane arts. You’ll undergo regular psychological evaluations throughout the process as well so we can try and refocus your activities to help avoid that loss.”[/color] 

Aaron nodded along, somewhat somber as he listened. It astonished him that someone could somehow not notice losing their affinity. Even as early on in his education as he was, the very idea sounded as absurd as not noticing the loss of your arm. Did those who lost their affinity have a weak connection to start with? Or was mental magic so intense that he simply couldn’t fathom its effects? What was he in for?

That line of thinking led him down a dark path, and finally, he had to mention something. [color=f0d705]“This information is very helpful, thank you.”[/color] he began, [color=f0d705]“but to be honest, I thought I’d come in here and you’d try to talk me out of it.”[/color]

Tugging his ear, he finally had to ask. [color=f0d705]“I realize you’re probably not supposed to give an opinion, but if I may ask anyway, what would you recommend I do? Am I an idiot for pursuing this?”[/color]

[color=978370]“Personally, I believe this school of magic should be banned as well. I do not recommend anyone go into it.”[/color] Mr.Deshane admitted after a long pause. [color=978370]“But the branch has amazing potential. It’s just so incredibly risky. I technically can’t tell you not to enter if you want to but I would highly recommend you talk to a few others on it. Maybe even your partner if you can convince him to talk to you like a person rather than a resource.”[/color] The man made a face at that statement.

[color=978370]“Whatever you chose, the Academy will do its best to make sure you succeed safely. The Princess has made sure of that.”[/color] Mr. Deshane smiled comfortingly at Aaron. [color=978370]“Speaking of which, did you want me to schedule an appointment with that student?”[/color]

Aaron suppressed a groan at Mr. Deshane’s statement; he'd found more than a little speculation in his research as to why mind magic hadn't been banned. He almost wished it had, too; if so, the event that threw him into this whole mess would never have happened. 

It took a second for Aaron to realize Mr. Deshane had finished speaking, and when he did, he cleared his throat and straightened up, a little embarrassed at having gotten lost in thought. [color=f0d705]“Yes, please, I’d appreciate it,”[/color] he replied, standing and holding out a hand. [color=f0d705]“Thank you, you've been very helpful.”[/color]
[/hider]
[hider=10/14: Aaron & Hannah Harbuckle]
[center]Hannah Harbuckle[/center]
Mr. Deshane sent a letter to the Sinnenodel dorm confirming the details of the meeting with Hannah. She agreed to meet at 5am in study room 2 in the library. The library itself was a bit louder than usual as students scoured the bookshelves for research material and texts and tomes flew every which way. The study rooms were only on the ground floor, a single door set next to the entrance. Entering required a key that a librarian supplied when the reservation time approached and each set of keys would take students to a specific room despite the shared door. 

The study rooms, in addition to being private and quiet, were themed for students who needed a relaxing space to work. Study room 2 in particular sat on an empty stretch of beach. A round table sat in the middle of a large pagoda, cushioned benches in the place of chairs. A projector on a mini fridge sat across from a drop down screen. Gulls cried in the distance and crystal blue waves rolled over golden sand, shimmering in the warm sunlight. 

Hannah sat underneath the shade, sipping quietly at an iced coffee. She wore simple clothes, a bright t-shirt and jeans accompanied with a pair of garish flip flops. Her hair was tied back in a messy bun and a pair of silver framed glasses sat on tired eyes. She watched the gulls in the distance, seeming distracted. 

When Aaron retrieved the study room key from one of the librarians, he’d been expecting to step into a small room with tables and chairs, not unlike the practice room back home. What he walked into was a shock to say the least; he wasn’t bothered by the sudden brightness of sunlight, eyes adjusting immediately, but rather by the jarring change. He had thought the magic in the rest of the library was extraordinary enough, with its warping of space and gravity, but this was above and beyond what he could have expected. 

He took a moment to stare around at the beach and the ocean, stunned, before he found another figure in a nearby pagoda. He made his way over carefully, awkwardly stepping through the sand before gratefully reaching the pagoda, shaking sand off of his shoes before he turned his attention to the girl on the bench. Noticing she seemed distracted, he followed her gaze, finding nothing but birds in the distance. Good lord, did the room really extend out that far, or was it just an illusion? 

In any case, they had something more important to do. Turning back to the girl, Aaron cleared his throat and offered a smile and a hand. [color=f0d705]“Hannah? I’m Aaron, it’s nice to meet you.”[/color] 

[color=steelblue]“Oh, you're here!”[/color] Hannah startled from whatever she was thinking, a smile crossing her face as she shook his hand. [color=steelblue]“Sorry, it's so quiet I kinda spaced. So, what's up? Mr. Deshane said you wanted to talk about the program? Oh and I brought some coffee in the fridge if you drink it.”[/color] Hannah gestured to the mini fridge. She watched him intently however and he could feel just the slightest brush against his mind before she blinked and it disappeared. 

[color=steelblue]“Oops, sorry sorry. Habit and all that.”[/color] She laughed. [color=steelblue]“Once you're used to getting in people's heads, it's just instinct.”[/color]

Aaron shook her hand politely, though he recoiled a bit when he felt a sensation he couldn’t quite describe in his head. Luckily, it was gone as quickly as it came, with Hannah apologizing. That had been her? Aaron couldn’t say he was fond of it, but it was definitely more pleasant than what Lady Sinnenodel’s mages had done. 

[color=f0d705]“Uh, no worries,”[/color] he replied a little uneasily, settling onto the bench a bit away from Hannah. Forcing a bit of a nervous laugh, he asked, [color=f0d705]“See anything?”[/color]

[color=steelblue]“Nerves and concern. I didn't delve deep enough.”[/color] She kicked off her sandals and put her feet up on the table, leaning back. [color=steelblue]“Relax. I don't bite. Though I get it. This magic is pretty intense. Took me almost a year to stop randomly jumping into these weirdos’ heads. Gotta say, don't miss that phase. People think weird shit.”[/color] She laughed, gagging at a memory. [color=steelblue]“So, talk to me. What's going on?”[/color]

Nerves and concern? Sounded about right. That could have been an apt description of almost his entire Academy experience so far, Aaron mused. He laughed along with Hannah, mostly just to save face, before becoming a bit more businesslike. 

[color=f0d705]“Well, you’re right, I was interested to hear from someone in the program,”[/color] he told her, shifting a little in his seat so that he could look at her face-on. [color=f0d705]“Against my better judgement, I’m considering going into the mental program myself. I suppose I’m wondering what you could tell me about what I can expect.”[/color]

[color=steelblue]“Well, I hope you don’t like secrets because after this you won’t have any. The first thing they work on is closing your mind off. And by closing it off, they repeatedly invade and violate all sense of personal boundaries until you learn to shut them out! It’s a horrifying ordeal but effective.”[/color] Hannah explained jovially as she counted ticks on her fingers. [color=steelblue]“Then there is telepathy at the same time and that's a trip because you just start broadcasting and picking up thoughts willy nilly. Started more than one fight that way. Good thing my vampire knows how to fight!”[/color] She sipped a bit more at the coffee and snapped her fingers.

[color=steelblue]“Next step is trapping invaders and reversing the connection. Then telekinesis and man that’ll trigger all on its own too. I personally recommend tying everything to your body. Backpack, pencils, phone... If you want to keep it nearby, tie it down.”[/color] She finished counting and flashed him a thumbs up. [color=steelblue]“And that’s all year one and two! They might mix it up here and there but they’ll work you like a dog at the beginning. And don’t worry, your instructor is legally bound to silence by the princess herself. Even if you were personally planning a rebellion against the Queen, they couldn’t say anything!”[/color] She leaned in really close and whispered, [color=steelblue]“I hear the instructors are bound by dark magic. And when I say hear, I mean I saw.”[/color] She winked. 

Aaron listened intently, doing his best not to recoil in his seat. Good lord, he was used to learning things the hard way, but that sounded like an [i]ordeal.[/i] No wonder this poor girl looked so tired. Nonetheless, it was morbidly fascinating, especially hearing that ‘closing off’ the mind was the first thing they taught. Horrifying as it sounded, was oddly comforting. After all, that was most of the reason he wanted to go into this school. 

He eyed Hannah warily when she scooted closer, leaning a little away when he heard what she had to say. Alright, silence, great, but the rest sounded like something secret he definitely didn't want or need to know. She [i]did[/i] say secrets wouldn't be a luxury of his anymore, but good lord, he didn't need to be learning about possible dark magic in Princess Ryner’s ranks today. 

Yet, despite the nightmarish contents of her speech, Hannah didn't seem the least disturbed. Eventually his curiosity got the better of him. [color=f0d705]“You seem… Awfully cheerful about all that,”[/color] he stated, forcing a bit of a laugh, [color=f0d705]“How did you handle it?”[/color]

[color=steelblue]“I could tell you. Or I could…”[/color] She pointed a finger at Aaron and spoke, [color=steelblue]“Relvelo Bombardum.”[/color] Images flashed flashed through Aaron’s head almost faster than he could comprehend them. Her sobbing in front of her instructor, her doubled over with her hands over her ears, her scratching at a wall as everything went black. Aaron felt despair and hopelessness and most of all, pain. Her most sacred place being violated over and over and over again. People laughing at her thoughts and kicking her around. People disturbed as she responded instinctively to their thoughts, slowly losing the ability to discern the difference between spoken word and thoughts. A phone flickered and died, untouched and unconnected as friends stopped contacting her.

The pain eased and vanished as a hand, pale and powerful, picked him up in every memory. The lingering feeling of a kiss on the temple when everything was too [i]loud[/i]. A strong presence when everyone else was [i]scared[/i]. Athena beamed and the heart beat faster. Determination and pride gradually replaced the fear and the loss. Friends returned and the voices quieted. Athena danced across the arena, looking more alive than any human, and the magic in the air sang with purpose. With determination. With strength. Hannah dropped her finger and Aaron snapped back to his senses.

[color=steelblue]“A purpose.”[/color] Hannah continued sipping at her coffee. [color=steelblue]“I went in at first only wanting power. The risks intrigued me and the benefits outweighed the results at first. They warn you plenty about losing your affinity and how it could affect your life and all that. But no one warns you about the responsibility, about the loss, about the creep factor in the early days.”[/color] She laughed, but it was far from joyous. [color=steelblue]“They don’t warn you how exhausting it is to know everyone better than they know themselves. White lies are truly a blessing, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”[/color]

[color=steelblue]“It nearly ruined me. I wanted to die by the end of the first year but Athena wouldn’t let that happen. She picked me up over and over and over. She stood with me when no one else would. And so I decided she was why I wanted to learn. To help her for what little time I have in comparison. I wouldn’t have this power if she wasn’t here so it only seems fair to repay that.”[/color] She chuckled, this time much more nicely. She put her empty cup down on the table and let her head fall back. [color=steelblue]“So find a purpose, an anchor, anything or anybody that’ll stick with you regardless of what happens. It’ll be miserable but at least you can justify it.”[/color] 

Aaron hadn't realized how hard he'd been gripping the edge of the bench cushion until he released it, the visions fading away. His first reaction was to bristle a bit at the intrusion; good lord, were all telepaths so obnoxious? Is that how he'd behave when he became one? 

But he forced himself to relax, resisting the urge to glare at the girl as she spoke. Apparently it was something he’d have to get used to, and at least now it wouldn't be Lady Sinnenodel doing the digging. He gave himself pause, though, when he realized he'd been thinking of everything in certain terms: [i]when[/i] he became a telepath, he [i]would[/i] have to get used to it. As if the decision was made. He'd thought he was still deliberating, collecting all the advice he could before making a choice, but more and more he felt that despite every frightening thing he learned about the school of mental magic, he couldn't see himself doing anything else. 

Still, he took Hannah's advice to heart. Find an anchor. Of course, his first thought was Lucan, but a hint of doubt crept in: Aaron had been elated that Lucan would be joining him at the Academy, but the vampire he considered a brother had all but disappeared without a trace on some assignment, and he had no idea when to expect a return. So who could he turn to? Hannah had her partner, but in Aaron's circumstances the very idea of such a thing seemed like a joke. He'd have to put more thought into it later. 

Realizing he'd been quiet for a moment, Aaron nodded absently, eyes fixed on the table. [color=f0d705]“Do you think that's what helped you hold on to your affinity?”[/color] he asked. [color=f0d705]“Was there ever a time when you thought you'd lose it?”[/color]

[color=steelblue]“I don't know honestly. I know my grades were slipping in most classes because of the stress but I couldn't say any of my issues were because of that.”[/color] She said apologetically. [color=steelblue]“But I do honestly believe that it's because I have a purpose that I still have it. Some of the previous classes always mention feeling lost but since my decision, I've never felt that. I've never felt like I'm just going through the motions for the sake of it.”[/color]

Aaron hummed some affirmative response, looking down at his hands. He rotated his ring on his finger, watching for a moment how the light bounced off the many facets on its surface. There she was, talking about purpose again. What was his? Protecting the people close to him? That was why he’d considered mind magic in the first place, to make sure that his loved ones couldn’t be leveraged by Lady Sinnenodel. Or maybe it was to spite her; he could only imagine how satisfying it would feel to block her out, to be able to stray from Varis’ side without fear. But that seemed pretty weak for a driving force to hedge his affinity on. What else did he have?

[color=f0d705]“You’re lucky,”[/color] he murmured, almost by accident. He looked up from his ring, blinking as he turned back to her. [color=f0d705]“I mean, that’s great, that you have someone to excel for.”[/color] 

Hannah gestured lazily at Aaron with a muttered [color=steelblue]“Ivderanus.”[/color] Nothing seemed to happen for a moment but she flicked absently, her eyes unfocused and distant. A warm presence, full of happy feelings and good intentions, slipped into the boy's mind.

[color=steelblue]“Wow, your life sucks doesn't it.”[/color] Disappointment underscored her words as she continued to flick. It was like she was flipping pages in a book and sometimes circled something here and there. [color=steelblue]“Jeez, who’s that? You just played with that poor girl. Too busy looking at those legs hm?”[/color] Hannah cackled but suddenly she coughed, flicked the page, and coughed again, clutching at her throat. Her eyes grew wider and wider as she struggled against something and a dark bruise started forming around her neck. The presence vanished and she gasped, suddenly able to breathe again. Hannah slowly climbed back into her seat, winded, and stared at Aaron wide eyed.

[color=steelblue]“Who the fuck has been in your head?”[/color] She wheezed, still trembling. She made a shaky gesture and the mini fridge flew open, a bottle of water soaring into her outstretched hand. [color=steelblue]“I've never even seen our instructors able to pull something like that off.”[/color]

Hannah’s incantation rubbed Aaron the wrong way, figuring she was delving into his head again. But soon he felt more comfortable with it, satisfied in the knowledge that she meant him no harm as he watched her, somewhat fascinated. 

Her comments didn’t bother him, though panic overcame his calm when Aaron saw her clutching at some invisible presence around her throat, jumping up when that bruise started forming, though he didn’t know what to do. He considered running and getting help, but he was hesitant to leave her. 

Mercifully, Hannah’s fit was over almost as quickly as it came, though it did little to calm Aaron as he watched her recover, wide-eyed. Only when she spoke again did he finally take his seat, feeling behind him for the bench with eyes locked on Hannah, heart still jumping in his throat. 

[color=f0d705]“Are you okay?”[/color] He asked urgently, ignoring her question, [color=f0d705]“What the hell was that!?”[/color]

[color=steelblue]“A very violent block in your head.”[/color] She groaned, rubbing her throat. [color=steelblue]“Advanced mind magic can put wards against intrusions in your head, normally keyed to specific memories. They can cause psychic feedback, sometimes strong enough to knock out whoever is rooting around, but I've never even heard of one that can physically hurt someone.”[/color] A note of awe crept into her voice as she spoke. She eyed Aaron again but an excited glint replaced the panic from earlier. 

[color=steelblue]“So, who was in your head? All I could get was some music, maybe a piano?”[/color] She leaned forward, practically vibrating with excitement. [color=steelblue]“It was beautiful though. I've never encountered magic with that degree of sophistication. We have to go back in. We have to see what it is. Come on, I can take both of us.”[/color]

For a moment, Aaron could only stare, looking at the girl like she had two heads. What the hell was she going on about? A piano? Lady Sinnenodel had dragged him kicking and screaming through his own memories, but nothing involving a piano. Although…

[color=f0d705]“Lady Sinnenodel was in my head,”[/color] Aaron replied, a little breathless in his lingering shock. [color=f0d705]“Why on earth would you want to [i]repeat[/i] that?”[/color] 

[color=steelblue][i]“Lady Sinn—”[/i][/color] The woman launched herself at Aaron, hitting her knees and clinging to his. [color=steelblue]“I got lost in someone's head for three days just to find a spell they couldn't remember. Something like this? It's a once in a lifetime experience. I’m begging you. I think it's the most beautiful thing I've seen since I started this. I've read most of the illegal material on mind magic.”[/color] Hannah's eyes were wide, in a comical attempt at puppy dog eyes. [color=steelblue]“And I think it might actually kill me without your permission so [i]please?![/i]”[/color]

Aaron shifted in his seat, shying a little away from Hannah as she dropped before him. Immediately he took her shoulders, gently guiding her back up to the bench with a muttered, [color=f0d705]“Please don’t do that.”[/color]

He watched her incredulously as she continued, practically manic at the thought of diving headfirst into what he was fairly sure would be a nightmare for all involved. But as he watched her, her excitement began reminding him of when he’d first started practicing his affinity, wanting to get his hands on techniques far beyond his skill level. Besides, if this was the world he was going into, he supposed he should start getting used to it now. 

He searched Hannah’s face a moment longer, hoping he would think of something to change his mind, but nothing came. [color=f0d705]“...Fine,”[/color] he conceded, inwardly groaning. [color=f0d705]“Just... please be careful.”[/color] 

[color=steelblue]“Yeeees. I'll be as careful as can be!”[/color] Hannah promised cheerily. She placed her hand on Aaron's chest and pushed gently. The scene around them vanished, wisps of color fading into darkness and the forest outside Ryner's home appeared. Varis smoothed out Aaron's tie and stormed off into the darkness. 

[color=steelblue]“What an asshole.”[/color] Hannah snorted. [color=steelblue]“You should deck him one day. Bet he wouldn't even see it coming! Oh but this is as far as I got before something choked me out. Mind walking us down and we'll see what happens!”[/color] Hannah clapped her hands together eagerly, watching Aaron expectantly. 

Aaron blinked around at the darkness when the scene changed, surprised nothing else seemed all that different. He was standing in his same clothes, and still next to Hannah, several steps down the path from… Aaron. 

He peered through the darkness at the pair down the path, watching from an outside perspective as Varis fixed his tie after having grabbed it, right after he’d given his warning. He might have rolled his eyes at Hannah’s comment had he not been so transfixed on the bizarre view of watching himself hurry into the woods at Varis’ heel. 

Looking suspiciously to Hannah, he began to lead them down the path after… himself. [color=f0d705]“I could have just told you what happens next,”[/color] he informed her, a hint of sarcasm sneaking into his voice as some of the same nervousness from that night began to grip him anew. 

They followed close enough behind to keep his other self and Varis in view, though that meant they couldn’t stray too far, lest the darkness swallow them. In fact, the trees on either side of the path were shrouded in it, an inky, featureless blackness that clashed with the slightly more illuminated path. Every now and then, though, a small patch of the forest to one side or another was a little more detailed; after watching his other self for a moment, Aaron realized that those detailed parts only appeared where he saw himself glancing. Apparently he hadn’t looked at the rest, having been wrapped up in his own nerves, so their features were missing from the memory. 

Soon enough, the forest lightened and Aaron could see Ryner’s gate up ahead, the path of her drive extending beyond it. 

As the pair approached the houses, Hannah gripped her head for a moment and Aaron could feel something tighten on his chest, the faintest outline of a hand gripping his shirt visible against the darkness. The familiar scene of the manor vanished and instead sunlight poured through the trees onto a manor covered artfully in vines and rose bushes. The fountain still ran, looking brand new, and the driveway was only partially completed. The faint sound of a piano playing caught their ear, seeming to echo across the scene, but no one could be seen. 

[color=steelblue]“Wow.”[/color] Hannah's words seemed breathless as she reached her hand out. She plucked at the air and a thin golden line appeared in her fingers, humming along with the piano. It sparked and vanished. [color=steelblue]“A crash course on memory blocks and improvised memories: Like cloth, fake memories are made of “threads”, bits and pieces of magic woven with emotions and sensory images and put together to make an image. Threads take on different colors based on how real a memory is. Real measures how much true memory is woven into it rather than magic or fragments. Our books say gold is impossible because it's pure magic, there is no part of real memory woven into it, and so it falls apart. But this,”[/color] Hannah spread her arms and laughed. [color=steelblue]“This makes me think we don't know [i]anything[/i]. Well, let's go see what this is all about! Have you ever seen this building?”[/color]

Aaron was staring wide-eyed at the scene before them until Hannah started to speak, explaining the origin of what he was about to say; that this was not his memory. However, rather than being as terrified as he should have been that a false memory was in his head, what Hannah said about real memories and impossible threads, sounding giddy all the while, made him feel more inquisitive than afraid. 

At her question, he turned back to the manor, examining it closely. [color=f0d705]“It looks like… Princess Ryner’s manor…”[/color] He spoke slowly, combing through his memory. He remembered from his schooling that the manor was built ages ago, almost a millennium, and the rose bushes creeping along the outside confirmed for him that it was indeed hers. But the fountain was new…

[color=f0d705]“Wow,”[/color] he breathed, eyes widening as he let his shoulders fall. [color=f0d705]“This is her manor right after the Treaty was signed.”[/color] He looked to Hannah, and this time, it was his turn to get excited. He pointed to the fountain. [color=f0d705]“That was installed at my grandfather’s recommendation, it’s a defense measure. She had a few water mages with her at the time.”[/color] 

Looking back at the manor, it was hard to tear his eyes away. [color=f0d705]“This happened within my grandfather’s lifetime,”[/color] he remarked, a little stunned. He ran a hand through his hair, gaping at the sight. 

[color=steelblue]“Well, that shouldn't be right. Golden threads mean nothing should be based in reality.”[/color] Hannah walked forward, periodically plucking at a thread and [i]tsk[/i]ing at the gold colors, until she raised her hand and pounded against the memory. Threads rippled for a just a moment, gold rushing off into the distance, but a pattern was clearly visible. The threads wove together in interlocking diamonds and in each one, a black eye hovered. Hannah watched, her excitement shifting into caution.

[color=steelblue]“Black normally only shows up in those suffering enthrallment.”[/color] She muttered. [color=steelblue]“But you don't have any of the other hallmarks. So why are there black threads in gold threads where neither mean what they should? This is…”[/color]

Hannah stopped suddenly as man rounded the corner, arguing with himself as he tossed a ball of fire between his hands. A younger Landar Starag, looking no older than Aaron, approached the pair and sat on the edge of the fountain. The piano in the background flowed from one song to the next. Landar's fire went out and he looked up abruptly, eyes fixed on Hannah. He stood, scowling, and suddenly his skin cracked and shattered like porcelain. It shifted and changed, moving around until the man looked older, wiser, with no hint of a smile and he lunged at Hannah and wrapped his hands around her throat once more.

Aaron all but jumped back from the lattice of black and gold, moved to deep unrest that something so disturbing was lurking in his mind. [i]His mind.[/i] But none of it, [i]none[/i] of it lingered in his thoughts for long when he spotted a man rounding the corner. A young, blond, blue-eyed man, playing with fire. 

Aaron actually gasped, one hand coming up to his mouth as he looked on, transfixed. That was him. That was [i]him.[/i] He was younger than he should have been, but it was unmistakably him. The man Aaron had spent his life looking up to in portraits, right there. 

Crackling into pieces, and lunging at Hannah. 

Coming to his senses with the sudden attack, Aaron reacted, lunging forward himself. He almost hesitated, confronted with the face that hung all over the walls of his home, but not for long. It wasn’t real, it was a false memory, but he knew the danger to Hannah wasn’t. 

Wedging himself between the two, Aaron tried to wrench Landar’s arms away, but the second he touched the man, he exploded into— ravens?

Aaron threw his arms up instinctively as a raven flew at him, a few others flying out from where Landar had been. On the ground, several snakes slithered off of a pile of apples, over their feet and away into the grass. 

Aaron could only stare at the apples for a second, breathing heavily. A rushing sound caught his attention, and he looked up to see the fountain running, spouting sand instead of water. He gaped for a second, before looking back to Hannah. 

[color=f0d705]“What the hell is this?”[/color] he pressed darkly. 

[color=steelblue]“Confirmation.”[/color] She wheezed but reverence seeped through as she fell to her knees. [color=steelblue]“The original vampires and their close descendants had power magic only dreamed of. I read in one of the restricted books that mind magic was created to counter one of the originals’ power but they didn't have a source. But the threads, the lattice, the literal noble seals— This is a—”[/color] Hannah's face went slack and she vanished, turning into wisps of dark smoke. Aaron felt something lift off his chest as she did but the scene around him remained unchanged.

[color=11F2E9]“Just like Landar.”[/color] A voice, deep and smooth, rolled out of the mouth of a snake nearby. [color=11F2E9]“Always getting in trouble without me watching. You're early, boy. And I bothered to give you my protection. Tsk, tsk, tsk.”[/color] As it spoke, the voice climbed an octave slowly. It stirred something in Aaron's head but the feeling wouldn't click. [color=11F2E9]“Since this will fade once you leave, you may as well take advantage child. Ask one question before the sand engulfs you.”[/color] Sand rapidly poured over the edge of the fountain but the music started up again, this tune bringing back the image of a strange place with blank sarcophagi.

On instinct, Aaron grasped at the smoke where Hannah had vanished, panic rising in his chest when the memory didn’t disappear with her. But before he could wonder if this had all been a very long fever dream after the Revel or something, a voice turned his head, a snake as its source. An adder.

There was no time to be confused over its words or the strange pitch of its voice before the scene changed again, piano music filling his ears and sand flooding the floor between rows of sarcophagi. Fourteen, to be exact. But he hadn’t counted. 

It was more than deja vu that struck Aaron as sand pooled around his legs; no, he knew he’d been here before, and he knew exactly when. But this had taken him out of a nightmare last time, not played a part in it. So what was so different now? 

There was certainly more than one question swirling in his head, but Aaron was biting down panic as the sand reached his waist, trying and failing to move his legs. There was no time. So he did all he could do, grasping at the question which had been gnawing at him since they entered the false memory. 

[color=f0d705]“That was just going to be a normal memory,”[/color] he snapped at the snake, eyes burning as the sand approached his chest. [color=f0d705]“So what the hell was in there that’s so important it needs to be protected like this?”[/color]

With his question, the sand shimmered before exploding into thousands of glowing butterflies against a dark room. Muffled shouts of celebration rang from beneath the floorboards and the smell of stale ale and sweat permeated the air. A candle lit, followed by the rest, and the room glowed orange. Only a mirror sat in the middle, covered with a dusty cloth. 

[color=11F2E9]“There lies your answer. Look if you dare.”[/color] The voice whispered in his ear. A gloved hand hung off Aaron's right shoulder and a sudden weight along hung back suggested an arm may be there as well.

[color=11F2E9]“I do love mindscapes. I can be tall in them.”[/color] The voice sighed dreamily. [color=11F2E9]“Being short was always a pain. You're lucky you know.”[/color]

Aaron peered around through the dim light, eyes landing on the mirror in the centre of the room. He started a bit, shifting instinctively, when he felt a weight across his shoulders, that eerily familiar voice in his left ear.

Rather than make a beeline for the mirror, Aaron stepped out from under the arm, turning to face the owner of the voice. He was confronted with a figure about his height, but bulkier; upon closer inspection, it was clad in leather armour, candlelight bouncing off the familiar dark slick of blood. Under a mop of unruly red hair was a face—no, a mask—that Aaron recognized. One of Lucan’s distant relatives, she’d died in battle defending Princess Nox. 

Narrowing his eyes at the figure, Aaron spoke more coolly than he might have expected from himself. [color=f0d705]“Greta Bordeleaux wore obsidian plate, not leather,”[/color] he stated, examining the figure. 

[color=11F2E9]“All work and no play makes Aaron a dull boy.”[/color] The figure sang with a laugh. [color=11F2E9]“Very well, very well. Maybe you'll like something a bit more masculine.”[/color] The mask contorted and shifted, Greta's face melting off like wax. A new face pushed out of the blank space; Donovan Astorio sneered down at Aaron. The vampire was executed for nearly throwing the realm into civil war three hundred years ago. [color=11F2E9]“Are we going to stand here all day and play games to amuse you or would you like your prize? After all, the longer you stay in here, the more worried your little friend gets.”[/color]

[color=steelblue]“Aaron? Aaron? Wake up!”[/color] Hannah's voice, desperate and frantic, rang through the room before more celebratory noise replaced it. The figure slipped over to the mirror and grabbed the cloth, ready for a dramatic unveiling.

[color=11F2E9]“Of course if you're scared, that door behind you will wake you up just the same. But how disappointed would your dear grandpappy Landar be?”[/color] The figure taunted Aaron.

Aaron lifted his head at the sound of Hannah’s voice, though despite her frantic tone, he held firm, an eerie calm setting in. [color=f0d705]“She’ll be fine,”[/color] he replied coldly, eyeing the figure as it moved to the mirror. [color=f0d705]“This is all in my [i]head,[/i] after all.”[/color]

His gaze didn’t waver as the figure mocked him, his eyes trained on the mask of Donovan Astorio. Its offer was tempting, but something in the back of his mind was still gnawing at him as he approached, stopping him from reaching out. 

[color=f0d705]“You seem awfully fond of the dead,”[/color] he remarked, crossing his arms and coming to a halt in front of the covered mirror. [color=f0d705]“Is that why you like to taunt the living?”[/color] 

[color=11F2E9]“Dead? They never lived.”[/color] The figure chuckled. [color=11F2E9]“Better yet, they never [i]existed[/i]. They were only roles written in a game far older than civilization as you know it. And there are many more where they came from, surrounding you and your kind. Far too many for my liking.”[/color]

[color=11F2E9]“But,”[/color] the figure sighed as he leaned against the mirror, [color=11F2E9]“I do envy you. Enjoying the breeze on your skin, the moonlight on the water, the touch of a lover. All things I am destined to be without for far too long. But we do crazy things for vengeance don't we.”[/color] The room dimmed, the edges fuzzing. [color=11F2E9]“Seems like you've nearly ruined your memory of me. Quickly, make your choice or you may not get back at all.”[/color]

Aaron stared at the figure, listening not to his words, but to his voice. His words were mostly gibberish to Aaron anyway; it was the [i]voice[/i] he’d been trying to hear. The pitch, the cadence, it was all so [i]familiar[/i] but for the tone. But Aaron had achieved his goal, it seemed, and gotten the figure talking long enough for it to [i]finally[/i] click in his brain who it was. 

Except it was Varis.

A familiar spike of fear shot up through Aaron, and he stepped back at the realization, mind buzzing. The room was growing dim, and he was growing panicked, his former calm having burned away. He was done with this. He had to get out. But he’d come in for a reason, and like hell he’d be leaving without his answer. Urgently, he grabbed the cloth and tore it from the mirror, casting it aside. 

He got barely a glimpse of himself in the mirror, Dawn shining at his side, before everything went dark. 

[color=f0d705][i]“Ah!”[/i][/color]

Aaron shot upright, inadvertently banging his head into something before he even managed to open his eyes. When he did, he was greeted by sunlight, golden sand, and Hannah, who had apparently been sitting too close and whose head had been the victim of his collision. Leaning forward, he squeezed his eyes shut, groaning quietly and massaging the sore spot on his forehead. 

Hannah recoiled when they collided, her back hitting the table with a loud thud. She groaned as she rubbed her forehead and stumbled into her seat. It took her a moment to collect herself.

[color=steelblue]“What a reaction to a little mind reading.”[/color] She grumbled. [color=steelblue]“If you want to make it through mind classes, you'll have to get over this passing out defense mechanism. I know we're all a little squeamish at first but wow, you are extra aren't you?”[/color]

Aaron glared sideways at Hannah, not sure whether to be angry or confused. [color=f0d705]“What are you [i]talking[/i] about?”[/color] He demanded, justifiably a little curt. [color=f0d705]“You [i]saw[/i] that, didn’t you?”[/color]

[color=steelblue]“Saw what, a life of boring imprisonment and letting a fight go on so you could ogle a girl for the first time? Yes, I did.”[/color] Hannah looked confused and concerned. [color=steelblue]“Look, I'm sorry I did that without permission but you gotta get used to it or get real good at making excuses. The hive is gonna want to connect or Dennis is going to cry and you'll make us all angry and it's just going to be a bad time.”[/color]

Aaron stared at Hannah with that same combination of confusion and irritation, slowly straightening as she spoke. He didn't know what to address first: that little jab at his upbringing, whatever the ‘hive’ was, whoever Dennis was or why Hannah was acting like they hadn't just stumbled on something terrifying and incredible in his head. 

[color=f0d705]“I [i]gave[/i] you permission,”[/color] Aaron began, moving up to the bench without breaking his gaze, [color=f0d705]“We [i]both[/i] went in, remember? We— I— Hannah, you were strangled [i]twice!”[/i][/color] Aaron took out his phone and held it out so that Hannah could see her reflection in the screen, his own eyes locked on the dark bruise around her neck, a confirmation that [i]he[/i] wasn't the crazy one. 

[color=steelblue]“That's from a nasty evocation spell gone wrong, Aaron.”[/color] Hannah spoke carefully, taking a few steps backwards. [color=steelblue]“I never asked your permission to enter you mind. I was just trying to help you find some sort of purpose and then next thing I know you passed out. If you'd been under any longer, I was going to call for help.”[/color] She eyed him like a feral animal, keeping her distance. 

[color=steelblue]“Are you sure you're okay. Maybe you should pick a different arcane major? You seem a little… unprepared,”[/color] Hannah suggested. Her hand lingered on the table as she sat back on a bench.

Aaron resisted the urge to throw up his hands and look to the sky for answers, instead pocketing his phone. [color=f0d705]“Well, ‘okay’ is a relative term but yes, I think I'm okay,”[/color] he conceded with a slight huff. He looked at Hannah suspiciously. 

[color=f0d705]“Just to be clear,”[/color] he asked, [color=f0d705]“gold threads, black eyes, an apparently impossible false memory; none of that is ringing any bells?”[/color]

[color=steelblue]“I mean, minus the black eyes yeah? I'm glad you've done some reading ahead but you don't need to know that for at least a semester.”[/color] Hannah sounded genuinely confused. [color=steelblue]“What are these black eyes?”[/color]

[color=f0d705]“‘Signs of enthrallment’?”[/color] Aaron replied indignantly, [color=f0d705]“Except I'm not enthralled? Nothing?”[/color]

[color=steelblue]“I wish I knew another language so I could tell you ‘no’ in that one too. Is this some weird way of asking me to get in your head because I'm not sure that's such a great idea right now. You know, with the hallucinating and shit.”[/color] The woman snapped, crossing her arms. [color=steelblue]“Maybe you should get evaluated before joining. You've obviously got some shit going on in there.”[/color]

[color=f0d705]“Well I'm [i]obviously[/i] going to get evaluated, it's required,”[/color] Aaron snapped back, before exhaling heavily and leaning back, rubbing his eyes. Why was he bothering? Something obviously happened in there to wipe her memory, or… something. 

[color=f0d705]“Sorry, I guess I respond poorly to mind reading,”[/color] he sighed, figuring it was best not to anger the girl who could be helping him and resolving to look into it on his own. [color=f0d705]“Anyway, what's the hive? Who’s Dennis?”[/color]

[color=steelblue]“Okay then.”[/color] Hannah settled down, drinking her water. She still seemed unconvinced. [color=steelblue]“The hive is just all the students in the program. Once we've controlled our telepathy, we all just sort of link up. It's incredibly useful, cheating is ridiculously easy but you lose most of your privacy to the hive.”[/color] She shrugged at the mention. [color=steelblue]“I remember Dennis tried to ask this girl out and half of us were whispering pick up lines and the other half of us were trying to shut them up. He did not get the date let's just say.”[/color] Hannah chuckled fondly. [color=steelblue]“Dennis is a junior in the program. He's a bit insecure and cries really easy so he's the baby of the group and the hive is incredibly protective of him. If someone upsets him, we all flood the person's mind with nightmares for months. No one hurts Dennis.”[/color]

Aaron quirked a brow, examining Hannah questioningly. Truth be told, that all sounded like a nightmare, not to mention it seemed like they were awfully mean to this ‘Dennis’ despite apparently wanting to protect him. But he supposed that was none of his business; not until they wanted him to wire into the ‘hive’, anyway. 

[color=f0d705]“Ah,”[/color] was his reply as he finally tore his eyes away, staring down at the table as he prodded gingerly at the lump forming on his forehead. He was quiet for a second, wanting to interrogate Hannah further, but he was fairly sure he wouldn't get anything out of her. It really seemed like she forgot everything, all they'd seen having been pasted over somehow with mundane excuses. 

[color=f0d705]“Is there anything else you think I should know?”[/color] He finally asked, looking over. [color=f0d705]“Anything you wish you knew before you started all this?”[/color]

[color=steelblue]“Hm, yes actually. Always bring a box of tissues to defensive practices. And new contacts if you wear them. And lots and lots of water. You're going to be bawling through every lesson for the first year.”[/color] Hannah cringed. [color=steelblue]“Other than that, make sure you have a direction and meaning for going into this. It isn't for the faint of heart and it'll chew you up and spit you out.”[/color]

[color=f0d705]“I’ll keep that in mind,”[/color] Aaron replied absently and nodded, standing and holding out a hand. [color=f0d705]“You’ve been very helpful, thank you. Would it be alright if I contacted you again?”[/color]

[color=steelblue]“Of course! Here, give me your phone so I can put my number in it.”[/color] Hannah held her hand out.

Aaron nodded, pulling up a blank contact on his phone before handing it over. [color=f0d705]“Thanks, I'm sure I'll be using it.”[/color]

She typed out her contact, chuckling at something, and tossed it back to him. Her own phone lit up, Janelle Moane's “Screwed” blasting at full volume. [color=steelblue]“Wow where did the time go? I have to jet, sorry. Athena's got a match soon and I hate missing them. Send me a text so I have your number!”[/color] She waved and bolted towards the door, leaving a wake of swear words behind her.

[color=11F2E9]“She's funny.”[/color] The figure's voice, though distant and weak, tickled Aaron’s ear. [color=11F2E9]“I wonder why she hid her mouth though.”[/color] And, like a veil being torn away, Aaron's memory shifted. Every image of Hannah changed and two of her overlapped perfectly. Neither image made sound even though her voice was clearly heard but only the top image's mouth moved.

Aaron whipped around at the voice, though all he saw was Hannah, seeing double, but not quite the same. Any former caution or composure was long gone, the man practically snarling at the voice and the vision. 

[color=f0d705]“What is this!?”[/color] Aaron shouted, trying to back away from the images. [color=f0d705]“Who [i]are[/i] you!?”[/color]

But of course, there was no answer. Instead, the voice went silent and the visions faded away, leaving him alone. Aaron simply stood there for a moment, breathing heavily and wanting to scream. Soon, though, the room felt cold and unsafe, the sunny warmth and gentle crashing of waves doing nothing to comfort him. So he simply stalked away, looking over his shoulder and lost in his head. 
[/hider]
[hider=10/21: Aaron & Princess Ryner]
[center]Ryner's Opinion[/center]
Making an appointment with Princess Ryner normally involved struggling to find an opening in the royal figure’s schedule and then getting rescheduled for important matters of state only to be pulled from a class during the night as Ryner forced her schedule open when she found out someone pushed aside a precious student. In recent years, Ryner created a special office hour period. This hour and a half block was dedicated to only students immediately after dawn, a time most sane vampires would be sleeping and unable to call on the Princess for anything less than the most dire circumstances. 

The walk to Ryner’s manor was much more peaceful than the last time. Early light drizzled through the forest canopy, catching the morning dew. Bird calls and the chitter of insects permeated the air, a slight breeze whispered through the leaves, and a few deer grazed in the distance. Even still, Aaron was cautious, the memory of his ordeal with Hannah still fresh in his mind. Oddly enough, though he normally appreciated a chance to be out after sunrise, the sunlight on Ryner’s manor as he approached made him ill at ease, reminding him of the false memory he’d been replaying in his mind ever since that meeting. He even went so far as to keep his hand on Dawn’s handle as he approached, though his worries were unfounded, the walk to the manor altogether uneventful but for his own nerves.

Ryner’s manor practically glowed in the morning sun, light glittering off the quiet fountain and the dew on the roses around the building. The door opened to a young man bowing as the light mage approached, silently taking him through the manor to Ryner’s study. Two sharp knocks and a bow to him later, the man disappeared down the hall as Ryner called out, [color=bc8dbf]“Enter!”[/color]

Aaron did his best to swallow the flicker of jealousy he felt at the sight of the servant, his gaze lingering on the man a touch longer than necessary as he took his leave. Before he opened the door, he took a breath to clear his head, unnecessarily straightening his tie. Thinking like that was ungrateful and unproductive, and in any case, it would only serve to drive him crazy. 

Ryner sat on her desk, still dressed in her riding outfit and her hair tied up tightly in a bun. A glass of blood swirled slowly in her hand and she read from a book titled “Ancient Beliefs: Religion and Death.” Two comfortable leather chairs faced her and a colorful rug covered the hardwood floor. Bookshelves lined the walls, holding both books and artifacts in glass casings. A painting of the sunrise over a foggy lake hung over her desk. She looked up as Aaron entered and a fond smile spread across her face, placing down both the book and the glass in favor of walking to him and wrapping him up in a warm hug.

[color=bc8dbf]“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes? Even if you were just at the castle for the break, I swear you grow a little more each time. I’m surprised you didn’t put on more weight while you were at the castle by what your mother said she planned to feed you!”[/color] She exclaimed, beaming as she kept hold of his shoulders and checked him over. [color=bc8dbf]“Enough of my worrying, sit down. It’s well past your time to turn in. You must be tired.”[/color] She returned to her chair behind her desk, taking another sip of blood in the process. [color=bc8dbf]“Now, what can I do for my favorite light mage this morning?”[/color]

Aaron barely had the chance to get his customary bow out of the way before Ryner approached him, though her hug and her kind words did manage to earn her a bashful smile, however bittersweet. Ever since he was a child, she’d been a calming presence, some of his tension relaxing even now. He shrugged off her comment about the hour, hoping that it would be excuse enough for the circles under his eyes that he wouldn’t have to admit he hadn’t had a full day’s sleep since his meeting with Hannah. 

Taking Ryner’s cue to sit, Aaron pulled a little at his sleeves, taking a second to anchor himself and put his thoughts in order. It [i]was[/i] reassuring to have been able to dress properly this time; while his suit and tie - one of the few in his new wardrobe - were a different style than he was used to, they were still more of a familiar feature than the more casual clothes Varis insisted on putting him in. The silver earring swinging from his right ear he could probably have done without, but at least his disdain for the thing had mostly faded. 

Not wanting to waste any more of the Princess’ time than was necessary, Aaron forced himself to speak, neatly shelving his growing self-consciousness about the meeting behind his practiced court smile. [color=f0d705]“Well, Your Highness, to put it briefly, I’ve all but decided to go into Mind magic as an arcane focus, and my guidance counselor told me I had to submit a plan for… coping.”[/color] He did his best to act nonchalantly, but the nature of his request was gnawing at him, making him a little hesitant. [color=f0d705]“He recommended I find someone I could trust to help me make one, and with Sir Bordeleaux occupied, I thought of you.”[/color] 

Though he maintained his outward calm, on the inside Aaron practically groaned. Good lord, he felt ridiculous even just [i]saying[/i] it. Taking up the Princess’ valuable time for a personal matter felt distinctly improper (not to mention that this was the [i]second[/i] time he’d done it), Aaron being sure that she had far better things to do. It just killed him that what he said was true; with Lucan away on assignment (and apparently with hands full enough that he couldn’t even answer a letter), he really didn’t have anyone else to turn to, and he’d never be accepted into the program if he didn’t make a plan. 

[color=bc8dbf]“Aaron, I’ve known you since you were a babe. I’m more than happy to help you but I’ll need more than your pleasant smile.”[/color] Ryner sent him an amused look. [color=bc8dbf]“Part of what you’ll have to learn on this path is emotional honesty. You’ll be exploring the deepest recesses of your mind and while I have no doubt you are capable of such a venture, hiding or ignoring how you’re feeling behind your court manner will only hold you back at best. You’re safe in here, with me. Anything you say or do stays with me.”[/color]

[color=bc8dbf]“Now, what have you considered so far? Activities similar to your sessions with Sir Bordeleaux should be avoided. As calming as exhaustion is, it is bad for a struggling mind.”[/color] Ryner sipped more at her glass as she relaxed into her chair. She watched Aaron for a moment, seeming lost in thought. [color=bc8dbf]“Music is always a good outlet. Have you kept up with your practice? Playing some simpler pieces with a friend or two can be one option.”[/color]

Aaron nodded, ears beginning to burn at the Princess’ gentle reprimand. She saw right through him; he should have expected it, but he’d always found ‘emotional honesty’ to be a challenge. It was much easier to shelve things away to be more or less dealt with later than to wear his struggles on his sleeve. But she was right, he needed to learn and he might as well start now. A little reluctantly, he finally let his mask fall away to reveal an exhausted and embarrassed young man, uncertain and seeking guidance. 

Sighing, he shifted in his seat, running a hand over his jaw at the mention of training. [color=f0d705]“My counselor said the same thing, though I can’t say I’m very happy about it,”[/color] he replied, running his fingers thoughtfully over the scar on his ear. [color=f0d705]“In the past, when I couldn’t train, I didn’t really know what to do with myself.”[/color] 

At the mention of music, Aaron nodded again, remembering something. [color=f0d705]“Of course. I did mention that to my counselor, but I’m not sure if that will be enough.”[/color] He dropped his hand, letting it fall on the arm of the chair as his expression grew somber, eyes unfocused and aimed somewhere on Ryner’s desk. 

[color=f0d705]“When Sir Bordeleaux found out that Mom was sick, he had me doing a lot more music than training, but I was still going a little crazy worrying,”[/color] he admitted, fingers finding their way back to his ring. There was a brief pause before he took a breath, perking himself up a little. [color=f0d705]“I’d still like to at least incorporate music, though I don’t really know anyone here who plays. I suppose I’ll have to find some new ensemble partners.”[/color] Moon only knew how he’d go about that; most of the campus gave him a wide berth already. 

As Aaron spoke, something flickered behind Ryner’s eyes and she grinned, throwing open drawer after drawer, rummaging through them, and giving a quiet huff as she couldn’t find what she was looking for. She moved to the bookshelves, pulling out a few of the glass cases and huffing again when she didn’t find it. 

[color=bc8dbf]“You always were an active child.”[/color] Ryner laughed as she continued to look for whatever it was. [color=bc8dbf]“Always a fidgety little thing. It was absolutely adorable honestly but it would be remiss of us not to consider that for this. So instead of beating yourself half to death and scurrying away to a life mage we can always…”[/color] She pulled a case of the opposite shelf with a quiet [color=bc8dbf]“Aha!”[/color] and pulled out an old MP3 player. 

[color=bc8dbf]“I knew I kept it stashed around here.”[/color] Ryner beamed as she returned to the desk and pulled out an old mp3 dock. [color=bc8dbf]“I haven’t quite had the time to update my things. I’m afraid they’ll confuse me as much as phones confuse my mother so I stick with the old technology.”[/color] She fiddled with it for a while and finally got everything plugged in properly. She tapped a few buttons on the player and music played softly, a familiar cello standing out against the rest of the ensemble. 

[color=bc8dbf]“I remember when you played this at court. Just after your awakening, you were so relieved I just had to have it recorded.”[/color] Ryner reminisced with a fond smile. She held her hand out to him from the middle of the room. [color=bc8dbf]“Come, dance with me. A simple waltz always helps me clear my head after a rough day at Council.”[/color]

Aaron watched curiously as Ryner searched around her office, eyebrows shooting up when she produced a sort of MP3 player he hadn’t seen since he was a child and started playing a familiar tune. It took a second for him to recognize it, but it clicked in his head what it was from just before Ryner herself mentioned it. He had to take a breath to steady himself as emotion welled up in him, both from the memory of that night and how ecstatic he’d been and from the encouraging, humbling thought that the Princess had thought that moment important enough to record. 

[color=f0d705]“I remember,”[/color] Aaron stated absently, rising from his chair at Ryner’s request. He took her hand, placing his other one appropriately on her waist as he moved effortlessly into a start position. [color=f0d705]“I didn’t know anyone had recorded it,”[/color] he remarked, listening carefully and stepping into a waltz when the music was right. 

He’d played the piece almost exactly three years ago, but he was astounded by how clearly he remembered it. He could pick out his part with no trouble, mentally going through the motions of that particular piece, remembering the positions of the notes on the page and where he’d marked in his cues and corrections. He didn’t usually record himself, so hearing his own music played back was strange; he could predict which notes would be emphasized, stretched or condensed because it was [i]him[/i] playing, his style immediately apparent to his own practiced ear. It wasn’t just the music he remembered, either; he also remembered the hall he’d been playing in, the other people in the ensemble, even the way the light glinted off a scratch on his stand. He remembered getting a little giddy every time he saw it, still riding the high from his Awakening. He’d been grateful for the relative simplicity of the piece, because his mind had been elsewhere, hands working on muscle memory as his mind raced with excitement. Even now, he couldn’t help but crack a smile. 

[color=bc8dbf]“There he is! I knew I’d find you eventually.”[/color] Ryner chuckled as she followed Aaron’s lead. [color=bc8dbf]“Of course I recorded it. I have all of your performances recorded. I’ve saved as many of you and your family’s moments as I could get away with. Your mother has most of them. Duty too often gets in the way of your moments so I keep them just in case.”[/color] The little bit of tension set in her faded away as she flowed into the familiar steps and hummed along with the music. She closed her eyes, fully comfortable with Aaron’s lead. 

[color=bc8dbf]“Mental magic, hm?”[/color] Ryner mused. She spoke softly, just loud enough for Aaron to hear but without speaking over the music. [color=bc8dbf]“That is quite the choice. I’m not sure anyone in your family has attempted to learn it. With how giddy you were after your Awakening, I’m surprised you’re willing to take the risk. I take it you’ve done your research? Talk me through your process.”[/color]

Aaron was touched by the thought of Princess Ryner holding on to moments from his and his family’s lives, his smile warming even as Ryner closed her eyes. But it faltered a touch when she asked about his decision, and he was tempted to put his walls up again, the topic bringing with it a spark of now-familiar anxiety. But he had taken the Princess’ advice to heart, and he figured he owed it to her to be honest, so he would do his best. 

[color=f0d705]“Truthfully, I never thought it was something I would pursue,”[/color] he explained, paying almost no mind to the steps of the waltz as he navigated the pair of them away from Ryner’s desk. [color=f0d705]“I’d be devastated to lose my affinity, and I’ve been trying to talk myself out of it for weeks, but I can’t shake this feeling that it’s something I [i]have[/i] to do.”[/color] 

[color=bc8dbf]“Does this have anything to do with the dinner?”[/color] Guilt crept into her voice at the mention of it. [color=bc8dbf]“I know I apologized over the break but I’m sure I can’t apologize enough. I should have known the Lady would have taken advantage of your aunt. In case you haven't managed contact with her yet, she made a full recovery from that night despite a shaky month.”[/color] Ryner sighed, the days spent pacing outside the woman’s bedroom after the event still clear in her mind. [color=bc8dbf]“Is that why you plan to enter the program? Defending yourself?”[/color]

Aaron nodded, taking a breath to try and stretch out the growing tension in his chest. [color=f0d705]“All I did was step away and she got into my head and saw [i]everything.[/i] I know I shouldn’t have moved, but with Aunt Dora screaming like that, I didn’t even [i]think.”[/i][/color] He looked off to the side with a slight huff, clearly irritated with himself, before returning his attention to the Princess. [color=f0d705]“And now anyone I’ve ever met could be under her microscope. I know it's too late for me but if I can help it, I'd like to keep the people I care about far out of her reach.”[/color] 

It felt strange to talk so freely about his Lady, especially considering that he was fairly sure saying the same to anyone else would probably have disastrous consequences. But despite the worry nagging at the back of his mind, it felt good to get it off of his chest. [color=f0d705]“Trust me, if it were just myself at stake I probably wouldn't risk it, but with Master’s position I can only assume I'll be seeing more of her, and I can't justify putting other people at risk just because [i]I’m[/i] afraid.”[/color]

[color=bc8dbf]“Under a microscope? Who thinks Lady… Varis.”[/color] Ryner opened her eyes long enough to roll them. [color=bc8dbf]“I assure you, the world's second most premier drama king drastically threw this out of proportion. Lady Sinnenodel has more pressing concerns than evaluating a single mage's life. However, taking the risk for your loved ones is commendable. It's one of the many things that make you shine.”[/color] Ryner's grip on him tightened and she brought their dance to a halt. 

[color=bc8dbf]“But never forget that you, your feelings and your instincts, matter. You cannot sacrifice what's important to you for other people. You are strong, so so strong Aaron, but you will not come out the same if you walk into this with only that.”[/color] Ryner's eyes were full of care and warmth and concern as she kept eye contact with Aaron. [color=bc8dbf]“You need more to make it through this, Aaron. I would be devastated if anything happened to you. I should set up a meeting between you and one of our current students to help give you some direction on that.”[/color]

That was exactly what Aaron had been thinking, that Lady Sinnenodel wouldn't possibly care enough to bother with anything she found in his head, but he still couldn't shake his worry. Besides, he'd be lying if he said his reasoning was entirely altruistic. He was [i]not[/i] a fan of her or anyone picking his mind apart. The irony was not lost on him, of course, being that he'd have his mind combed through repeatedly throughout his training, but the idea that he could protect himself by the end of it was tempting nonetheless. 

He stopped when Ryner halted him, heart swelling at her words. Again he had to take a breath to quell the emotion rising in him; it was amazing how profoundly her kindness affected him. In the back of his mind, he realized he'd been almost craving it, the Princess giving him the sort of guidance and understanding he'd been pining for ever since he joined Varis.  

He was grateful for the change of topic when it came, rapidly blinking a few times and clearing his throat. [color=f0d705]“Actually, I’ve already met with someone. Her name was Hannah, I think she was in second year. Do you know her?”[/color] 

[color=bc8dbf]“Yes, I do. She has quite the appetite for magic.”[/color] Ryner said thoughtfully, starting the waltz again as the music looped. [color=bc8dbf]“She came to me personally for access to our restricted texts on the subject matter. How did your discussion go?”[/color]

Aaron picked back up when Ryner did, though he looked away when he spoke. [color=f0d705]“It was… definitely productive,”[/color] he replied, a little uneasy. For a moment that was all he offered, dancing a little stiffly as he wrestled with himself. But he realized he’d put up his walls again, and resolved to open back up, making himself relax with a long breath as he closed his eyes. 

[color=f0d705]“I suppose there’s more than one reason I want to go into this school,”[/color] he admitted, keeping one ear on the music to ground himself and opting to explain from the beginning. [color=f0d705]“Hannah and I spoke for a little while, and she was very helpful, explained what I would go through during each stage of my training and how she coped. She said I needed a ‘purpose’, something or someone to do it all for when I couldn’t do it for myself. She has her partner, but I can’t help but think that may not work in my case.”[/color] He gave a ghost of a knowing smirk before growing serious again. 

[color=f0d705]“Anyway, she tried rifling through my memories to help me find mine, but when she did, something… stopped her.”[/color] He stopped then too, drawing back a bit. One hand found its way to his throat, absently rubbing it as he collected himself. [color=f0d705]“I don’t know what she did to me, but when Lady Sinnenodel went into my mind… I think she might have left something behind.”[/color]

Ryner paused at the comment but continued dancing, concern evident on her face. [color=bc8dbf]“First and foremost, are you okay? Did it hurt you? Do I need to call a medic?”[/color]

Aaron shook his head, returning his hand to Ryner’s waist and continuing the dance. [color=f0d705]“No, it didn’t hurt [i]me,”[/i][/color] he corrected, [color=f0d705]“I don’t think it did anyway. But it hurt [i]her.”[/i][/color] A certain urgency crept into his voice, and he looked Ryner in the eye, something he would never otherwise do, to convey the gravity of the matter. [color=f0d705]“When she got to a certain point in my memories, something started to [i]strangle[/i] her. I saw it, I watched her choke, I saw the bruise it left. It wasn’t just in her head or mine, it was [i]physical.[/i] She said it was some kind of memory block, like she’d never even heard of before, and insisted I let her investigate.”[/color] He tore his eyes away, heaving a sigh. [color=f0d705]“I don’t know, maybe I should have refused, or gone to one of the instructors for help instead of letting her do it, but I [i]did[/i] let her do it, and I do [i]not[/i] like what we found.”[/color] 

[color=bc8dbf]“Something in your memory choked her in the physical world?”[/color] Ryner stopped them, disengaging from the dance entirely, and stopped the music. [color=bc8dbf]“And you think Lady Sinnenodel put it there? Tell me exactly what happened from start to finish.”[/color] Ryner sat behind her desk, a pad and pen quickly in front of her.

[color=f0d705]“Yes!”[/color] Aaron exclaimed, admittedly surprised that Ryner believed him. After Hannah seemed to forget everything, he’d been growing more and more concerned that he was just crazy. He followed her to the desk, sitting in his former chair and perching his elbows on his knees. [color=f0d705]“Hannah was actually [i]excited[/i] about it. She practically begged me to let her go back in, and she only even asked my permission because she thought whatever it was might kill her if she went in without my consent. So I agreed, and she did… something, and suddenly we were at the edge of the forest on the night of the dinner, watching Master and [i]me[/i] from a few steps behind.”[/color]

He told her the story in the order it happened, giving her as much detail as he could remember; which was quite a bit, considering he’d been running over the events of their ordeal over and over ever since it happened. The words practically fell out of his mouth, Aaron surprising himself at how eagerly he told the story; apparently it had been swirling around in his head so much he’d been dying to get it all out. He told her about the false memory, the threads and the eyes, seeing his grandfather and her manor from hundreds of years back, and everything else, all the way through his encounter with that strange figure and the mirror, to when he finally woke up. 

[color=f0d705]“... but Hannah insisted that I’d passed out from a routine mind-reading, and that the bruise around her neck was from an evocation spell gone wrong. No matter what I said, she just looked at me like I had two heads and essentially told me I was crazy.”[/color] He leaned back in his seat, his exhaustion apparent as he slumped into the leather, leaning his temple on his hand. [color=f0d705]“Then when she left, that voice - Master’s voice, I swear it - came back, saying…”[/color] he paused a second to remember the exact words, looking up at the ceiling, [color=f0d705]“... ‘She’s funny, I wonder why she hid her mouth though’.”[/color] 

He rubbed his temple, closing his eyes. [color=f0d705]“But I don’t know what that [i]means.[/i] And suddenly all my memories of her were replaced, or altered, or something, by this odd… overlap? Of two of her? Like seeing double, but not quite. Only one of her moved her mouth, but it was like her voice was coming from somewhere else.”[/color]

He let his head fall back on the chair, rubbing his face and heaving a sigh. [color=f0d705]“I was very stressed by this point so I yelled at it, asking what this was and who it was, but it was gone.”[/color] He lifted his head back up to look at Ryner, the circles under his eyes evident. [color=f0d705]“I don’t think I’ve had a day’s sleep since, I just keep going over and over it all in my mind. It feels like there’s something foreign and malevolent hiding in my head, and honestly, it's really disturbing.”[/color]

Ryner wrote as fast as Aaron spoke, pages flipping rapidly and another note pad slipping out from her desk. The longer he spoke, the more anger replaced the concern on her face. When he finished, she sat back and her face went blank as she thought. It was silent for a long while as she flipped back through the notepads.

[color=bc8dbf]“Thank you for bringing this to me.”[/color] Ryner broke the silence, her face softening once again. [color=bc8dbf]“I can only imagine how unsettling that experience must have been. That being said, I don't believe this… event will occur again. Given the identities it chose and the scene with Landar, I believe I know what happened and if that is the case, you are in no danger. If you are feeling up to it, I would like our instructors to confirm my suspicions and then compare it to Hannah's memory of your time together. I would rather know you are no longer in danger before we start a full investigation these events."[/color]

Aaron nodded eagerly. [color=f0d705]“Yes, anything that will help, I'll do it,”[/color] he insisted, relief crashing over him. What happened to him was real, he wasn't blowing it out of proportion, whatever it was was real and not just an overreaction on his part. [color=f0d705]“I'm honestly just glad to hear I'm not just crazy. I was beginning to worry.”[/color]

He was quiet for a moment, considering whether his next question was valid, but decided to come out with it. Ryner wanted honesty, and he would be remiss if he wasted his chance to speak openly. [color=f0d705]“May I ask the purpose of an investigation? Whatever happened to me, is it a crime? Are you at liberty to tell me any more about what it was?”[/color]

[color=bc8dbf]“It is not what happened but rather [i]who[/i] happened.”[/color] Ryner spoke carefully. [color=bc8dbf]“Somehow someone discovered information restricted to the royal family and passed it into you undetected, or that was an impression of the man responsible for all those events. Either option is a grave security threat to the realm and we must move quickly before whoever is behind this realizes their impression has been triggered. As such, the evaluation will occur as quickly as our mages can arrive.”[/color] Ryner pulled out a flip phone and made a quick call, orders phrased politely but with a firmness that demanded immediate action. Once she hung up, she relaxed a little and fondness filled her face as she looked at Aaron.

[color=bc8dbf]“You did nothing wrong and my first priority is making sure you are safe so don't worry about this. I expect your part in this to end before you return to your dorm this morning.”[/color] Ryner changed the track on the mp3 player, a piano and a cello playing softly through the speaker. 

Aaron nodded slowly, a little surprised that he was being evaluated so soon, but understanding the urgency. But ultimately, Ryner’s explanation provided more questions than answers. 

[color=f0d705]“So you don’t think my Lady is to blame for this?”[/color] he asked, knowing it was possible he wouldn’t get an answer. [color=f0d705]“Or did she put something in there and then someone else blocked it off? Or something else entirely?”[/color] Confusion was evident in his voice, as well as a prick of apprehension. He wasn’t a fan of where his reasoning was headed. [color=f0d705]“Is it possible for someone to have invaded my mind without my knowledge? With my Lady and Hannah, it was at least noticeable...”[/color] He trailed off, sinking into thought, eyes unfocused and searching. 

[color=f0d705]“Wait,”[/color] he added suddenly, snapping back to focus. [color=f0d705]“Your Highness, you said I’m [i]no longer[/i] in danger. Was I in danger before?”[/color]

[color=bc8dbf]“Anyone in the general vicinity of that person is in danger but yes, you were. If my suspicions are correct, the entity in your mind would have grown over time and eventually been fully capable of seizing full control, manipulating your memories, and even your senses in real time.”[/color] Ryner explained gravely. [color=bc8dbf]“However, it seems at this age it only had enough power to manifest that particular mechanism once without damaging the structure of the block. Going in and triggering it a second time must have collapsed it.”[/color] Ryner looked at Aaron for a few long moments.

[color=bc8dbf]“The short of it is yes, you were in danger and assuming I am correct, yes they can stroll into your head at almost any time. Technically, eye contact is required but this vampire is old enough that altering memories is as easy and quick as tearing a single sheet of paper. If he didn’t want to be seen, he wasn’t.”[/color] Ryner smiled reassuringly. [color=bc8dbf]“I do not believe Lady Sinnenodel responsible for this. This ability isn’t learned; its an ancient and innate power of the original vampires and their children. The originals and the children slaughtered each other mostly and those remaining actively and aggressively opposed the Treaty. They were culled for the sake of peace with humanity. But if the Children are back…”[/color] Ryner trailed off, thoughts whirling in her mind, but she shook it off. [color=bc8dbf]“But hopefully it was an elaborate prank or a simple ruse.”[/color]

Aaron listened intently, growing visibly more troubled as Ryner went on. He was reeling, all this talk of the originals and how vulnerable he really was quickly becoming overwhelming. Eventually he couldn't sit still any longer and stood from his seat, pacing slowly and spinning his ring. He had so many questions, confusion and concern flooding his mind, though even beyond how on earth any [i]vampire[/i] could possess [i]magic[/i], one stuck out from the rest. 

[color=f0d705]“A ruse?”[/color] He asked finally, though he didn't stop his fidgeting, moving his ring from finger to finger.  [color=f0d705]“But why would someone with that kind of power ever bother with [i]me?”[/i][/color]

[color=bc8dbf]“Your bloodline is a glowing testament to the Treaty. Imagine if you spoke against it.”[/color] Ryner responded. [color=bc8dbf]“It would throw our order into chaos. Rebel factions would feel emboldened and all out war may actually break out. As much as I agree change is necessary, destroying everything in the process is radical and dangerous to the greater human population. A single document is all that stands between the old ways and now. A Starag speaking out against it would obliterate it.”[/color]

[color=f0d705]“I would never speak against the Treaty,”[/color] Aaron replied automatically, though he was entirely sincere. He remembered what he'd told Salem that night after dinner (and what felt like every night after that), how despite its flaws, the order prescribed by the Treaty was the way things had to be to maintain peace. The very [i]thought[/i] of someone trying to upend it was disturbing enough, and now what, someone was actually trying to [i]do[/i] it?

[color=f0d705]“All those things Master said about the Red Hand…”[/color] Aaron stopped his pacing, eyes falling somewhere on the rug. [color=f0d705]“Truth be told, I didn't believe him. Not about Salem, anyway. Though I did see the Marivaldi house boarded up afterward…”[/color] 

He looked back over to Ryner, head snapping up. [color=f0d705]“Do you think there's any chance they're behind this? What if they try again? Your Highness, if that's what's going on then I really may have no choice but to pursue mind magic; if someone is trying to manipulate me to undercut the Treaty, I have to do everything in my power to protect myself.”[/color]

[color=bc8dbf]“If that is what you believe, if that makes you feel safe, then do it. You always have a choice Aaron. As difficult as those around you may make it, you always have a choice.”[/color] Ryner said. [color=bc8dbf]“But no. The Red Hand isn’t behind this.”[/color] Ryner tapped absently on the desk. [color=bc8dbf]“But it does mean someone is hiding something.”[/color] At that moment, Ryner glanced up and the door swung open. Three mages in long robes swept in, bowing to the Princess. 

[color=bc8dbf]“Visar, Allison, Dominick, this is Aaron. Based on recent events that he brought me, I believe Hannah has lost her affinity and is using a restricted technique to hide it. Allison, Dominick, find her and subdue her. She is not to be harmed under any circumstances but we cannot have her using what she has learned.”[/color] The pair of mages bowed and swept back out. Visar instead let his gaze fall on Aaron, sizing the boy up. The man matched height with Aaron and circled him slowly. 

[color=F2118B]“This is the boy, your highness? This is my first time seeing a Starag in person. I must say, I’m-”[/color] Ryner silenced the man with a look and shook her head. Visar bowed his head.

[color=bc8dbf]“Sit down please Aaron. We can continue our discussion once we are done.”[/color] Ryner said, nodding at the chair he left vacant.

Aaron looked to the door when the mages arrived, though at the mention of Hannah, Ryner had his full attention. [color=f0d705]“What?”[/color] He all but blurted out, forgetting himself in his shock. Hannah lost her affinity? So what, did that mean everything she told him was useless, or did she just not have a strong enough connection after all? Or did their ordeal have something to do with it? It would torment him to think he had a hand in her affinity loss, but he truly had no idea. 

He barely glanced at the one she called Visar, suddenly straightening when he realized his rudeness. Clearing his throat, he sat where Ryner indicated, speaking much more calmly. His court manner came back in the blink of an eye, neatly shelving his shock and concern behind a polite, if curt, mask now that he and the Princess were no longer alone. [color=f0d705]“Yes, forgive me, this is all a lot to take in.”[/color] 

[color=F2118B]“I'm sure.”[/color] Visar said sympathetically as he took his place in front of Aaron. He leaned in and placed his hands on the mage's temples. [color=F2118B]“Relax into my magic when you feel it. You'll feel drowsy and you may fall asleep. It is perfectly normal.”[/color] As Visar spoke, Aaron could feel him coaxing at the edge of his mind, pulling up the sleepless hours he’d spent fretting and washing the pure exhaustion over him. The worry and anxiety faded away and his body felt light and sluggish all at once. Visar's magic felt like soft pillows and cool sheets and his mother's touch, refreshing and relaxing and familiar as he sifted through Aaron's memories. 

[color=F2118B]“There are no foreign entities in his mind any longer, your highness.”[/color] Visar's voice was distant and far away as light touches and warm caresses coaxed Aaron further and further into his own mind. Visar murmured a few more words and Aaron slumped, fast asleep. 

[center]~ /// ~[/center]
[color=bc8dbf]“Aaron.”[/color] Ryner murmured as she ran her hand through his hair, putting just enough pressure to make her presence known. Visar had given his report almost half an hour ago and his spell would be wearing off soon. [color=bc8dbf]“Aaron, it’s time to wake up.”[/color]

A sensation in his hair began to coax Aaron from sleep, a voice, somewhat distant, bringing him back to the surface. His eyelids were still heavy when he opened his eyes, blinking slowly as he registered his surroundings. When he realized where he was, though, his eyes flew open with a sharp gasp and he practically jumped out of the chair, stumbling a bit and catching himself on the arm of the chair as he rose faster than his balance could adjust. 

[color=f0d705]“I’m sorry!”[/color] he exclaimed, almost like a reflex as he blinked around at the office, waiting for the last fog of sleep to dissipate from his mind. 

[color=bc8dbf]“Aaron, you walked into my office with dark circles. I'm not going to deny you a little much-needed sleep.”[/color] Ryner soothed, though the twinkle in her eyes betrayed her amusement. [color=bc8dbf]“However, I have to ask. Is it only the stress of debating your major that is causing this or have you had another dream? Life mages can ease your way through stress but those are an entirely different matter.”[/color]

Not entirely hearing her at first, Aaron searched the rug as he tried to figure out how he'd managed to fall asleep in a meeting with the freaking Princess. It took him a little longer than expected, grogginess clinging on more insistently than normal, but he remembered that they had been dancing, and then sat back down, talking more about finding his “purpose”. He must have nodded off in the chair, perhaps soothed by the music. Though Ryner was understanding, he still mentally kicked himself for behaving so irreverently. Maybe opening up and unloading his anxieties about the program had relieved enough of his tension for the exhaustion he'd been building on the past few weeks to come upon him all at once, but he still cursed his own foolishness. 

Shaking his head as the last tendrils of sleep faded away, Aaron finally registered what had been said to him. Shaking his head, he allowed himself to settle back into his chair. Of course, Princess Ryner saw right through him. Not altogether surprising; the stress had been rolling off of him since he got here, and he knew after so long sleeping poorly his eyes looked more dead than alive. Frankly, he was surprised she hadn’t asked sooner. 

[color=f0d705]“Your Highness, your intuition is uncanny,”[/color] he half-joked, although there wasn’t much energy left to keep up the facade as familiar anxieties crept back in. [color=f0d705]“It returned the last day I spent at home, though this one only lasted a week.”[/color] He got right to it. [color=f0d705]“I’ll admit that this one is more pleasant—if you could call cryptic dreams [i]pleasant[/i]—but I’m sure you understand why I’m not exactly comforted by the thought.”[/color]

Ryner frowned when he explained the situation and she stood, returning to her desk and pulling out a new legal pad and a quill. [color=bc8dbf]“That is concerning. Why don’t you explain this dream to me and we’ll see what we can make of it. Hopefully, piecing it together will ease some stress off your shoulders and maybe give us a clue why you’re having them.”[/color]

Aaron nodded, taking a moment to put his thoughts in order. [color=f0d705]“At the very least, this one is less eventful,”[/color] he began. [color=f0d705]“The entire thing takes place in what I assume is Ellmare’s new home. She thinks it’s in the sky—presumably a tower—with a garden, and she’s been able to make herself at home. In the dream, she’s on a balcony, basking in the sunlight.”[/color]


He rubbed his temple, closing his eyes. [color=f0d705]“She thinks about the sun, and about Yvaine and others whom I assume are her associates—people Ellmare thinks of as the moon and stars, respectively. She feels safe and happy there with them, but just as her lingering doubts return, ‘her moon’ makes her presence known, sending a blue butterfly to call for her. Ellmare treats Yvaine like a mother, and Yvaine treats her as a daughter in turn.”[/color] His brow furrowed. [color=f0d705]“She seems to call upon something resembling plant magic, but more than that; she creates vines and flowers and stars to comfort Ellmare, and they’re effective. Ellmare drifts back to sleep and then…”[/color] 

Aaron opened his eyes once more, shrugging defeatedly. He was starting to notice a pattern. [color=f0d705]“Then I wake up.”[/color] 

Ryner had been writing for most of it, her quill moving as quickly as she jotted down notes and questions alike, but it had come to a halt at the mention of stars and flowers. She tapped a few times and underlined something before she looked back at Aaron. There was no expression on her face. [color=bc8dbf]“Starting from the beginning, you said it might be a tower and she was basking in the sunlight? Were you able to see anything beyond the tower or anything in the garden? Any details that might give us an idea where she is in your dream?”[/color]

[color=bc8dbf]“If not,”[/color] Ryner flipped the page and wrote some more. Her lack of expression didn’t change as she spoke, an unusual occurrence in front of any of the Starags. [color=bc8dbf]“Did she mention anything about Yvaine and her associates? Any specific details would be perfect. Did you see any of them?”[/color]

A stone of familiar dread settled in Aaron’s stomach as he watched the Princess disappear behind a mask of her own. Still, he took a moment to think, eager to provide as much information as he could. [color=f0d705]“It seemed to be warm in the daytime and cold at night, if that helps at all. Whatever home she was living in had a library, and apparently the garden was a [i]maze[/i] garden. She seemed to think it stretched out beyond the horizon…”[/color] 

It was like he was back in the dream for a moment, the images surrounding him as they had so many times before. It was vivid, and enchanting, but alas, there wasn’t anything more he could discern. [color=f0d705]“And that’s all, I’m afraid.”[/color] 

As for the people, Aaron paused again to count them all. [color=f0d705]“There was… a funny little man who would bring Ellmare toys, and told her that silence was actually conversation—maybe a Divination instructor?”[/color] He sounded unsure, but counted off on his fingers anyway. [color=f0d705]“Then there was a woman who behaved like a leader among the others, but also taught Ellmare jokes and pranks she could play on Yvaine.”[/color] He almost smiled, feeling the familiarity from the dream. But as soon as he noticed it, he pushed it away, the thought of carrying [i]anything[/i] out of those dreams disturbing him. [color=f0d705]“And then two more men. One I think was the man who accompanied Yvaine in the first dream, with an axe and a distaste for staying put, and the other was stern but warm, who Ellmare thought of as a father. It seems he took care of her anytime Yvaine wasn’t there.”[/color] 

He looked back up at the Princess, letting his hands fall on the armrests. [color=f0d705]“I didn’t personally see any of them, but Ellmare was very familiar with all of them. There were servants present in the household too, but not mentioned except in passing. Does that help?”[/color]

There was a brief glimmer of relief in her eyes, gone in almost a blink, before a thoughtful frown replaced the expressionless mask. [color=bc8dbf]“Not immediately. I’ll do some research into it. Yvaine is still a central figure so it’s likely these are the other Children? Or perhaps embraced of her own? There is still so much to consider. A new dream before I could barely put a scratch on the other. At least there is more to go on. Hopefully it’ll help accelerate my research. Though I’m curious if we’ll see another dream in a similar time frame. If you do, I hope it’s as pleasant as this one. If you must be bothered by something, the least it could do is be nice.”[/color] She put down her quill, worrying at her lower lip as she considered her notes.

[color=bc8dbf]“Did Salem experience this dream at the same time?”[/color] Ryner asked. [color=bc8dbf]“And did your family find out you were having them while you were home?”[/color]

Nodding, Aaron refrained from admitting that he didn’t just hope the next dream was a pleasant one: he hoped it never came. Unfortunately, he feared he might not be so lucky. 

[color=f0d705]“He did, yes,”[/color] he answered Ryner’s question. [color=f0d705]“To my knowledge, no one else knows. Salem tried to talk about it while we were still there, but I was quick to put an end to that.”[/color] 

He ran a hand down his face, bringing it back up to massage his temple. [color=f0d705]“You know as well as I do that the walls at home have ears, and confidential details aside, I don’t need rumours flying around the servants’ quarters that I’m sharing dreams with a suspected rebel.”[/color] 

[color=bc8dbf]“Don’t worry about the investigation. It’s little more than a facade to cover my mother’s pride. Though, Salem does seem to lack a certain survival instinct.”[/color] Ryner chuckled with a shake of her head. [color=bc8dbf]“Good job containing it. It would be a disaster if more of your family got involved. I’m glad I can count on you. With all this information in your head, I suppose it’s best you focus on mental magic as a major as difficult and risky as it is.”[/color] 

Aaron couldn’t help but chuckle, relieved to see that he wasn’t the only one who thought Salem seemed to struggle with the idea that jumping off a cliff would not make him fly. But the humour was short-lived, an air of solemnity falling over Aaron once again. [color=f0d705]“My thoughts exactly,”[/color] he agreed. [color=f0d705]“It’s like you said before, Your Highness: Now that I have confidential information in my head, I have even more responsibility to protect myself.”[/color]

His smile did return for a moment as he recalled something. [color=f0d705][i]“Through force, duplicity, or any other means necessary,[/i] I think is how you phrased it.”[/color] 

He shook his head, serious once more. [color=f0d705]“The difficulty doesn’t bother me, and the risk… well, I think it’s worth it. I think I can overcome it. If I can follow Hannah’s advice, anyway. It seems to have worked well for her.”[/color] He absently spun his ring as he spoke, but at that moment he stopped, recalling something pertinent from their meeting. 

[color=f0d705]“Oh, but speaking of confidential information, is there anything you can tell me about ‘the Hive’? Hannah made it sound like a party line of mental mages; they all hook their minds together and… talk, or share consciousness, or something. Apparently you lose your privacy to it.”[/color] Aaron wrinkled his nose in distaste, despite himself. [color=f0d705]“She made it sound like there would be pressure to join, but I’m sure you can understand why I’d rather keep as much privacy as I can.”[/color] 

He shuddered just to think of it. It wasn’t just Council secrets and nightmares he had hidden in his mind; the floor plan of the entire Noila castle, schedules of the servants and guards, and a highly secret and illegal mausoleum tucked away on castle grounds made up just [i]some[/i] of the privileged information he had access to. He didn’t even want to [i]think[/i] of the consequences he’d incur if anyone not bound by vows of confidentiality were to be literally picking through his brain. 

[color=bc8dbf]“The Hive? There shouldn’t be any pressure to join. It’s entirely optional.”[/color] Ryner assured Aaron. [color=bc8dbf]“The Hive is just a place where the mental students can find support in each other because other students tend to ostracize them. We strongly encourage that they continue to interact with their peers outside the program as well. The more people know about them, the less likely they are to avoid and fear them. Privacy shouldn’t be an issue either. The keystone that holds the base spell that created and stabilizes the mental link will eject you and protect you from the rest of the students in the event you feel uncomfortable. Its process is entirely automatic and is far too advanced for any student to override it. Plus, an instructor regularly refreshes the enchantments on it. You should have nothing to fear from them.”[/color] Ryner tapped her fingers on her desk.

[color=bc8dbf]“However, I will speak with my team about it. Just in case, I’ll have them run interference and remind students about the privacy clauses of our school. And if that doesn’t work and they’re still pestering you,”[/color] Ryner leaned forward, a wicked glint in her eye. [color=bc8dbf]“You have quite the weapon in your pocket. I highly doubt someone as secretive as your Count would care to know his mage is being infiltrated. Twist your words right and maybe you can earn a little favor with him. I technically can only interfere so far but Varis has far more right to defend you than I. And as long as he doesn’t kill or harm them well,”[/color] Ryner sat back with a shrug, [color=bc8dbf]“What can I do about it?”[/color]

Aaron smirked at the Princess’ mischief. He had to admit, despite their… [i]strained[/i] relationship, the idea that he could rely on his Count was a reassuring one. That was how things were meant to be, at least in Aaron’s ideal world; a mage serves his master faithfully and from it gains a stalwart ally. Granted, this was not an ideal world, but while he was pretty sure Varis would throw him under the bus for any number of reasons, the Count at least had a vested interest in the security of his mage’s mind. Despite the connotation, the thought was strangely comforting.

The Princess’ information was likewise a welcome relief, although a shadow of doubt still poked at the back of Aaron’s mind. [color=f0d705]“That is reassuring, thank you. Though, if it’s all the same to you Your Highness, I’d like to relay what Hannah told me about the Hive to one of your team just in case.”[/color] 

[color=bc8dbf]“Of course. Would you like to commit it to paper and I can send it to them or would you like me to set up a meeting with them tomorrow?”[/color] Ryner asked. [color=bc8dbf]“I’m happy to oblige either way.”[/color]

[color=f0d705]“Paper should be fine. All things considered, there isn’t much to tell.”[/color] Aaron replied, the Princess handing him a pad and pen. He wrote quickly in elegant script - turns out all those lines were good for something after all, as his handwriting no longer looked so much like it was photocopied from a cursive instructional - and signed the bottom for authenticity. Folding it in half, he handed it back to the Princess with his thanks. 

Ryner read over the paper, surprise written over her face. [color=bc8dbf]“Hannah said all this? If even half of this is true, this is incredibly concerning. We’ll absolutely look into this. For your safety and the safety of future students.”[/color] Ryner’s eyes narrowed. [color=bc8dbf]“Did your handwriting change, Aaron? Forgive me but it’s not quite as stiff as it used… Ah.”[/color] Ryner laid it on the side of her desk and glanced at the clock. 

[color=bc8dbf]“Oh goodness. It’s probably about time we both find our way to bed.”[/color] Ryner chuckled as she stood and made her way around, taking Aaron’s hand. [color=bc8dbf]“Now, I need you to remember. My doors are always open to your Aaron, no matter where you are and no matter who you serve. There is always a place for you here. Whenever you need me, I’ll be there, okay?”[/color] 

Aaron’s ears flushed bashfully at the Princess’ words, though he couldn’t help but cast his eyes down as that little creature of doubt Varis had planted before the break started gnawing at the back of his head once again. He wanted to believe her, he really did; she sounded sincere, and she’d been so much help to him despite her many responsibilities, but did he really have a place in front of her, or was this just a showing of remorse for other deeds? She talked about his assignment to Varis as if it wasn’t her doing, as if she hadn’t personally plucked him from his life in her household and thrown him to the snakes. She didn’t seem to think him worth keeping around in any official capacity - was this just her way of softening the blow?

As much as the doubt rent him in two, previous weeks had taken too much of a toll on Aaron for him to continue down that miserable road at the moment. He took a deep breath, giving the Princess’ hand an appreciative squeeze. [color=f0d705]“I’ll remember,”[/color] he promised. He had to take a moment to collect himself before he spoke again; despite his lingering uncertainty, Ryner’s kindness and the relief of getting all of his concerns off his chest crashed over him like a wave, and with his exhaustion on top of it all, he felt like he was moments away from just unraveling at the seams. A lump grew in his throat from the intensity of it all, but he swallowed it with a deep breath before finally meeting the Princess’ gaze. [color=f0d705]“Thank you, Your Highness. This has helped me more than you know.”[/color]

Clearing his throat, Aaron stood, looking - and feeling - much more like himself. [color=f0d705]“So, I can get those recordings from my mother?”[/color] He asked, getting ready to leave. 

[color=bc8dbf]“Yes, you can. Or if you have something connected to a cloud, I believe I can get someone to send it to you through my cloud?”[/color] Ryner frowned a little. [color=bc8dbf]“I’m not quite sure what these clouds are but we can figure out a way to send them directly to you if you want them quicker. Now, don’t be a stranger or don’t think I won’t pull you out of class just to hear about your nights.”[/color] Ryner joked but pulled him into a tight hug before letting him leave. 

Aaron couldn't help but laugh a little, returning the Princess’ hug somewhat more gently. [color=f0d705]“I’m sure we can figure something out,”[/color] he assured her, stepping toward the door. [color=f0d705]“I might write home and have a few more things sent in anyway, and I'll see Mr. Deshane about that application. I think I've made up my mind.”[/color] He gave her a smile and a customary bow, taking his leave. [color=f0d705]“Thank you again, Your Highness. Good day.”[/color]

Ryner’s smile lasted all of 30 seconds after Aaron left. She tapped on her desk as she thought, the wheels turning quickly in her head. She didn’t like this situation at all. Things were becoming messier than she’d like between his choice of major, Varis’ apparent inability to put more than a few dents in him, and he’s dreaming of [i]her[/i]. Ryner had her suspicions at first but with this dream, there was absolutely no doubt. It hurt. 

Ryner blinked away the tears threatening to fall and whipped out her phone, hitting the button Ella told her was Varis’ number. She’d thought it odd that one button was an entire cellular phone number but her mage assured her it worked. Something called ‘speed dial’. Ryner didn’t know what that meant but if it got her in contact with the annoying Count then it didn’t really matter. She waited impatiently until a groggily muttered demand snapped into her ear.

[color=bc8dbf]“Yes. I know what time it is, Varis. No, I don’t give a damn if you need sleep. You should be thankful that I’m telling you this now.”[/color] Ryner snapped right back. [color=bc8dbf]“Stop acting like a fledgling and grow up. Your part of the bargain just walked out of my doors and things are deteriorating in a way I do not like. I need this done last century, do you hear me? The sooner I have him back under my control the better so [i]hurry up[/i].”[/color] Ryner waited a moment and hung up right in the middle of his retort. That was sure to aggravate him to no ends and hopefully, that frustration would provide plenty of inspiration to twist the knife in Aaron. 

She knew what she was doing was horrific. Willingly sending one of her Starags to Varis of all vampires with these intentions was horribly manipulative. She felt like her father for a moment but she shoved the thought away. She hadn’t worked all these years for a little guilt to trip her up now. The murder had put her plan in jeopardy with Nox shoving herself into the investigations but she’d smooth it over. She could handle a bump or two.

Ryner collapsed into the sitting chair Aaron vacated. Everything was so much. Aaron was just born at the wrong time, in the wrong family, and now she had to turn the pressure up as these dreams kept going. She couldn’t erase his memories for every issue, every time. She only hoped she’d figure out a way to stop them before he saw too much. Everything weighed in on her and she couldn’t stop the sob. The tears came after that and she shook silently as the blood stained her clothes. Pranks on Yvaine? How delightfully awful. 
[/hider]
[hider=10/27: Aaron & Varis]
[center]Judgement[/center]
Varis let out another long sigh as he circled another section on this blithering baboon's paper. Seven corrections earlier, Varis left a very polite “See me during my next office hours” on the top, in big swooping letters and underlined only twice instead of the ten times he really wanted. Somehow, every date was off by exactly a century and at one point the student rambled about land acquisition instead of the medical improvement the Magical Medicare expansion of 1862 could have brought and why it failed. 

[color=f7976a]“How do mages manage to live this long?”[/color] Varis muttered as he finished the paper, adding a few more petty corrections out of spite. It took more than he realized not to leave a scathing review of the paper, remembering his own grade apparently rested on his students’ review of him, and instead wrote it on the scrap paper filled with insults and jabs from previous papers he'd graded. Why some of these idiots wanted freedom baffled him. They clearly couldn't survive without someone holding their hand their whole lives.

Aaron, on the other hand, was counting down a list of numbers, his ledger on his lap and laptop lying nearby on the bed with several tabs open. He peered carefully between the screen and the ledger, marking down figures, scrawling the occasional simple equation in a scrap notebook nearby. He hadn’t meant to get so swallowed up in his betting history, but he’d been killing time after having finished his regular duties, waiting for Varis to finish his grading. It was a welcome distraction, though; so far in the racing season he’d more than doubled what he started with, though the series of small bets that made it happen had the consequence of being extremely time-consuming to calculate. It didn’t bother him much, though. Took his mind off what he was waiting to do, at least. 

But all good things must come to an end, and soon enough Aaron had himself all squared up, with nothing more to balance, and nothing more to do. He hadn’t heard any movement from the study, though a glance at the clock on his laptop made him think Varis should have been done by now. Aaron mused that he might have fallen asleep again, finally sliding off his bed and deciding now was as good a time as any to get this whole affair out of the way. It wasn’t like he could wait much longer, anyway; his complete application to the Mind program was due in a few nights, and he’d be loath to push it any further lest he run into any setbacks. Everything had gone smoothly so far, but he was confident Varis would be able to find [i]something[/i] that needed fixing before he could get everything submitted. 

If for no other reason than to give himself a few extra seconds, Aaron stretched and pulled a folder labelled “Application” out of a drawer on his vanity, giving the pages within a final flip through before he crossed the hall. He paused outside the study door, taking a second to ground himself (as he’d become accustomed to doing before dealing with Varis) before he knocked. 

[color=f7976a]“Enter.”[/color] Varis barked as he slammed his grading folder shut, looking up at the noise. Good. The boy would bring some insignificant detail to his attention and Varis would completely shred any opinion the mage had on it. Excellent timing.

Aaron entered, holding his hands and his folder behind his back after closing the door and bowing, and eyeing Varis’ grading folder curiously. [color=f0d705]“Oh, pardon me Master, I didn’t think you’d still be at it,”[/color] he apologized. [color=f0d705]“Do you have a moment?”[/color] 

[color=f7976a]“Digging your eyes out with a dull spoon is slow going.”[/color] Varis commented dryly. [color=f7976a]“And if I didn't have a moment, I wouldn't have bothered allowing you in. Get to your point.”[/color]

Aaron nodded, producing his folder and holding it out for Varis to take if he so desired. [color=f0d705]“All I need is an appraisal of my arcane major application,”[/color] he stated simply. [color=f0d705]“It needs your approval before I can submit it, and it’s due at the start of the month.”[/color] 

Varis took the folder, an eyebrow raised in pre-disapproval. Approval? Did Aaron just require approval for everything he did? Varis flipped the folder open and skimmed the first part quickly and his other eyebrow shot up. This boy must have some death wish. Did he forget his Lady liked collecting mental mages? Not to mention all the other risks involved in the school.

[color=f7976a]“I don't approve. What I've seen of your aptitude doesn't suggest you'd survive the program intact.”[/color] Varis continued reading, this time paying careful attention to each section. [color=f7976a]“I will not risk my newest show mage on a half baked magic school. Do you understand the risks involved? Do you want to end up like Vanessa because you will.”[/color] Varis snapped the folder shut and threw it on his desk. 

[color=f7976a]“However, I will entertain you since you've obviously put some amount of effort into something for once. Explain yourself.”[/color] Varis demanded as he leaned back in the chair, legs crossed and one hand tapping irritably on the desktop.

[color=f0d705]“I’ve been deliberating over my reasons for some time but in short, I’d like to prevent a repeat of what happened at the beginning of the term, of [i]any[/i] kind,”[/color] Aaron explained, fighting down the chill that slithered up his spine at the mere mention of Vanessa. Hopefully Varis was bluffing. [color=f0d705]“I understand the risks. You’ll find that both the psychological evaluator and my Affinity Mastery professor have approved me for the program, I’ve met or exceeded all the requirements, and I’ve spoken to multiple people at length regarding this decision. Including Her Highness,”[/color] he added the last part a touch more insistently, remembering that she and Varis seemed to have some measure of a friendly relationship. 

Varis flipped open the folder again to confirm Aaron's claims, stiffening at the mention of Ryner. That would explain the call at that horrific hour. If she expressed her support despite the boy [i]possibly losing his affinity, a major point to their plan,[/i] she must have an idea how to twist this. He pursed his lips irritably and clicked his tongue. He did not appreciate her changing the plan with such little notice. The last time brought the two vampires they weren't ready to handle yet. How could this change screw things over?

[color=f7976a]“You went above my head before consulting me.”[/color] Varis's tone turned downright deadly. [color=f7976a]“These petty officials can be forgiven, even commended as an act of responsibility, but you blatantly disrespect me by going to the Princess herself. Despite my relationship with her, denying you now would be equivalent to publicly disagreeing with her. You've effectively tied my hands in the matter.”[/color] Varis looked at the boy, cold fury written across his face and his eyes darkening. In reality, he didn't care, but his irritation at these students coupled with Ryner's recklessness quickly angered him. He snapped at the ground by his feet. 

[color=f7976a]“If you don't want me to embroil your [i]precious princess,”[/i][/color] Varis practically spat, [color=f7976a]“in a horrifying public scandal, you will look me in the eye and [i]beg[/i] for the opportunity.”[/color]

That spike of fear, like an old friend at this point, shot through Aaron at the Count’s sudden change in demeanour; he very nearly flinched at the tone, and he could practically [i]see[/i] the scorn rolling off the vampire. He wanted to elaborate, explain that the Princess had done nothing except offer him the resources to cope with the mental program should he choose it, that he’d only gone to Ryner specifically because he [i]hadn’t[/i] made his choice and didn’t want to waste Varis’ time on indecision, but it was clear that now was not the time. 

Varis’ command brought with it a combination of reactions, part of Aaron wanting to strangle the bastard for his flagrant disrespect and the other, more sensible part of him wanting to do something like dissipate into the air and be blown with the wind far, far away. Unfortunately, both options were equally ridiculous—after all, strangling a vampire wouldn’t even [i]do[/i] anything—and whatever anger was there melted into humiliated defeat, Aaron hanging his head. Maybe he’d been foolish to think he could cling to some shred of dignity, but regardless, he was no less determined to have his request granted. In any case, like so many things, it didn’t seem like he had a choice. 

Swallowing his mounting nausea, Aaron did as he was told, falling to his knees before the Count. It took a few seconds and a deep breath to work up the courage to lift his head and look the vampire in the eye, Aaron having to consciously fight down the reflex to look away. 

[color=f0d705]“Master, please,”[/color] he began quietly, ears already starting to burn, [color=f0d705]“I beg you, please grant me this opportunity to learn to protect myself, and become some measure more useful to you than I am.”[/color] 

Varis let him sit, silently reveling in the boy's embarrassment. The boy really had perfect timing. It made him feel marginally better but he would have [i]words[/i] with Ryner today. Tearing the rug out from under people was his job. He leaned down and gripped the mage's chin tightly so he couldn't look away.

[color=f7976a]“That is barely enough but I guess I'll allow it. You'll have my signature.”[/color] Varis sneered. [color=f7976a]“But you'll have to be punished for this infraction. Imagine if the Princess wanted to discuss your decision before you told me. What a fool I'd seem with no idea of your plans. So I have to take something from you for now. Something valuable enough that its absence will teach you a lesson for the next month. What do you think I should take, boy?”[/color]

For a moment, Aaron wished he were a water mage; perhaps then he could melt into a puddle and drip down through the floorboards. If only life were so fair. Good lord, he [i]hated[/i] when Varis made him weigh in. It reminded him of when he was a child and his teacher would tell him to fetch a switch to be beaten with, only somehow worse. At least the pain from the switches faded after a few days; with Varis, nothing was ever over so quickly. 

Fighting the urge to tear his chin out of Varis’ hand—he thought he’d get used to it, but it seemed he just hated the sensation that much more every time it happened—Aaron did a quick mental inventory. Goodness, he didn’t have much apart from necessities, did he? And as much as the childish part of him wanted to suggest something more inconsequential, he knew that wasn’t an option. Even back home, trying to cheat by bringing over a lighter switch than was necessary always resulted in getting caned that much more harshly. In any case, he doubted Varis would actually take his suggestion into consideration. Aaron had learned quickly that many of Varis’ tactics were just exercises in humiliation. 

[color=f0d705]“If you’re willing to accept a month-long lapse in my training, then I suppose the obvious choice would be Dawn,”[/color] he stated flatly, both groaning on the inside and hoping suggesting something harsh might appease the Count a touch. 

[color=f7976a]“Lapse in training? There are plenty of weapons to choose from at the arena.”[/color] Varis sat back, replacing his hand with his shoe under the mage's chin. [color=f7976a]“That is an excellent suggestion. I would have reduced your punishment by a week but this attitude is unacceptable. Do not speak to me like that again or I'll take it away for longer.”[/color] Varis snapped his fingers at the door. [color=f7976a]“Fetch and return in this exact position.”[/color]

The shoe made Aaron bristle, but the equivalent of a long line of question marks burst through his head at Varis’ reprimand. Attitude? [i]What[/i] attitude? He was groveling on his knees, having been carefully training a facade of neutrality and a habit of perfect obedience for his entire damn life, but apparently [i]Varis[/i] considered anything short of fawning sycophancy to be [i]attitude.[/i] 

Keeping his mouth [i]shut[/i] this time, Aaron rose obediently and all but bolted to his room, pulling Dawn from its spot in the closet with a measure more reluctance. He forced himself not to hesitate too long, only pulling it out of the scabbard a few inches to check the blade as he walked back. He would have liked the chance to oil it before Varis stored it away, but he was on thin enough ice as it was. He could only hope rust wouldn’t set in before he got it back. He snapped the blade back into the scabbard before returning to the study, settling into the same position as before, as instructed. 

Varis waited until he felt the slight push of Aaron's chin to look up from his application folder. He'd picked it up while the boy took his time fetching his weapon but Varis couldn't fault him. He was only human after all.

[color=f7976a]“Drop it.”[/color] Varis ordered as he continued to read. [color=f7976a]“Walk me through this relaxation plan or whatever you have in here.”[/color]

It was lucky Aaron had a talented poker face, because that meant he was able to fight down the snarl that threatened on his face. Gently, he [i]placed[/i] Dawn on the floor at Varis’ feet, forcing himself to calm down. Irritation still pricked at him from Varis’ [i]attitude[/i] comment, but now was not the time. 

[color=f0d705]“It’s a mandatory component of the program,”[/color] he explained, no small amount annoyed at the resistance of Varis’ shoe under his chin as he spoke. [color=f0d705]“For an hour after each mental training session, I have to do something to relieve stress. I’ve been told that my usual method of exhausting myself won’t work, so I’ve replaced training with simple dances like waltzes, accompanied by recordings of my past cello performances.”[/color] 

He finally let out the breath he’d been holding, his anger fading and leaving only mild exhaustion in its wake. [color=f0d705]“As well, once my application goes through I planned to send away for some things from home. Old pictures, journals, things of that nature. I’ve been told repeatedly that keeping in touch with my past will help lower the risk of affinity loss.”[/color] He shifted a little on his knees, putting his hands in his lap. [color=f0d705]“There’s a draft for a month’s worth of this plan in the folder, though it’s flexible enough to change depending on how the program affects me.”[/color]

Varis read through it with half hearted interest until he mentioned waltzes. Dancing suggested he would need a partner, someone he felt comfortable with if he was supposed to relieve stress. That would put a damper on his plans if the boy had a reliable source to calm him down. He tapped his other foot as he thought. He did not like this one bit but [i]Ryner[/i] stole that choice from him. Another thing to yell at her about.

[color=f7976a]“Very well.”[/color] He set the folder down and pulled out a pen, his hand stilling just before he signed. [color=f7976a]“However, you will introduce me to whoever you waltz with. We'll have a formal dinner with them and their vampire. I will not tolerate you mingling with anyone beneath your station, is that understood?”[/color] Varis would ensure he could force some distance between them. He couldn't control the boy's family items anymore thanks to this mess so he'd have to dip his fingers further into his social life.

Aaron nodded; at least, as much as he could against Varis’ shoe. He’d been considering including Lilie in his waltzing plan, but something about Varis getting involved with her rubbed him the wrong way. After having spent a few months with the Count, Aaron had figured it best to keep people he cared about more or less out of the situation. He had a few other ideas, luckily, though he’d have to think on it more later. For the moment, he simply replied, [color=f0d705]“Understood, Master.”[/color]

[color=f7976a]“You're dismissed.”[/color] Varis signed the page and dropped the folder on the floor next to the mage. He moved the foot under Aaron's chin and settled it on top of Dawn's sheath, watching Aaron closely as he did.

Aaron watched Varis place his foot down, but had to force himself to tear his eyes away when he stepped on Dawn, another flash of anger striking him. Instead he focused on collecting his folder and standing, giving Varis a bow and a curt, [color=f0d705]“Thank you, Master,”[/color] before taking his leave as quickly as could be done politely, eyes glued to the folder. When he got back to his room, Varis might have heard the [i]thump[/i] of his vanity drawer closing just a [i]little[/i] harder than necessary. 
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