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Yvaine had always dreamed the day she left the priory would be one filled with fanfare. A pivotal chapter that marks the beginning of her journey, just like in her books. In her imaginings, it is dawn and the sun rises alongside her, as excited as she is to begin the day. When she breathes in deeply, scents she'd never known tickle her nose, revealing a world of novelty now within her grasp. The sisters who have welcomed her with open arms, those she has come to know as family, see her off with proud but wistful smiles. Her heart aches with bittersweet joy, but each step forward brings her closer to new beginnings. 

The real thing was a bit... exactly not like that at all. Yvaine was instead whisked away at night, immediately after her daily errands. There was no time to pack what meager belongings she had, nor to speak her farewells. Only the abbess saw her off, although at the time she had been more preoccupied with the generous donation she had just received. As she joined her new guardian in his carriage, she could smell only the strong odor of smoke and alcohol lingering in the air.

At least the sentiments were the same. Kind of. When she stayed up that night, looking at the starlit sky—the same one she has always gazed upon yet a different one all the same—she marveled at its vastness as though she was seeing it for the first time. 

Their trip to Avalice took a week. From what she could glean from the maps she'd memorized longingly all those years ago, they had taken the most direct route, and their only stop was at a small inn to allow her to wash herself before they arrived at the academy. Her guardian explained what was expected of her along the way. Everything was taken care of; her registration, lodgings, belongings. All she had to do was to go to class, learn, and graduate. 

Currently, Yvaine was working on the "go to class" part. Her guardian dropped her off just beyond the academy's gate with only the name of her class and slightly vague encouragement to do her best. It seemed to her that finding the lecture hall was a trivial task, but she would soon realize that she underestimated the scale and splendor of the legendary academy. More than once, Yvaine found herself veering from the correct path to marvel at the new sights before her. The eastern wing of Avalice alone had been twice as big as the priory, and in the short span it took her to roam its cobblestoned paths, she had seen more of the world than she had her whole life.

Yvaine's sightseeing stroll eventually refound its purpose. A small booming directed her attention to a soot-covered hallway, the last remnants of black smoke just clearing away. [color=#fcd17d]Ah![/color] The label above the entrance door greeted her with the words she had been looking for: [i]CLASS CAMELIA[/i].

Her entry to the room was accompanied by what seemed like an ongoing argument? Or perhaps just a very passionate discussion. Yvaine had gone in just as a dark-haired lady, beautiful although anger seemed to contort her face, mentioned something about riddles and philosophy. Another boy spoke out in repsonse afterwards, his words just as impassioned. Hoping not to interrupt their heated debate, Yvaine gently excused herself as she walked in between the two, motioning for them to ignore her and to please continue freely expressing their indignation. She made her way to the front of the room instead, to whom she hoped was the professor.

[color=#fcd17d]"Blessed day, Professor,"[/color] Yvaine smiled and made the sign of the star over her heart, two fingers tracing the symbol starting from the bottom right. [color=#fcd17d]"I am Yvaine, and I beg pardon for my tardiness."[/color]

She leaned over his desk then rising on her tiptoes and whispered, slightly coy and seemingly mindless of the ensuing drama behind her. [color=#fcd17d]"Do you happen to know where I sit?"[/color]