The Skyhome Academy

Wearing a fancy blue dress and without her customary ponytail, Rose found herself standing listlessly near the edge of the mess hall. Most of the tables and chairs had been removed from the round room, which was dimly lit and decorated in blue and white. There were also numerous ice sculptures. As the nexus crystals emitted ballroom music, numerous couples waltzed. The evening’s gently falling snowflakes caused the arcane shields in the windows to flicker with light.

Save the castle servants seeing to the refreshments, there were few serfs present—they could only attend the formal if invited by a noble or citizen. One of those so fortunate was Emma, who Rose could see awkwardly dancing with Simon. As upset as the noble was, she could not deny that he looked handsome in his tuxedo. For her part Emma wore her nicest dress, though it was not nearly posh enough for the occasion. She had at least recently gotten her hair cut, and her new side-swept bangs were more flattering to her features.

Amid the twirling dancers, Rose recognized others. Prince Robert, dashing in his dress uniform, was paired with Princess Mei. The Eastern royal had the gall to look bored.

Rose also noticed the Professors Ramos, who were stealing a dance despite their role as chaperons. Mage Isabel was floating more easily than she had at the start of the semester—but then, practicing her telekinetics all day long was bound to have a positive effect. Rose’s father was also a chaperon, and his presence made her even more embarrassed not to have a date.

Alice and Margas were also participating in the festivities, though Rose paid them no mind. The same could not be said of Avice, whose longing gaze frequently found them. Both Rose and Avice stood near one of the refreshment tables with a small crowd of unescorted noble girls. Some distance away was a group of noble boys who were similarly unattached—unfortunately, most of them did not have the nerve to come over and ask for a dance.

One finally approached Avice and held out a hand. “Would you care to dance, My Lady?”

“I would.” Both nobles joined the mass of dancers.

Finally, another cadet gradually made his way toward Rose. She thought she recognized him from some of her classes, but she could not recall his name. If he saves me from this nightmare, he’ll be my hero.

Before her potential savior arrived, Margas led Alice toward the refreshment table. The high noble’s nexus crystal glowed on his belt, and his words were transmitted throughout the mess hall. “Lady Alice, did you hear that Lady Rose asked a peasant to the formal…and that he turned her down in favor of her own handmaiden? How mortifying.” While Rose stood frozen in horror, Margas flashed her a wolfish smile. The dancing came to a halt.

“My Lord,” Alice whispered to him, “you accidentally turned on your crystal. Everyone can hear us!”

“My mistake.” His crystal dimmed once more.

Nearly everyone in the mess hall was staring at Rose. The boy who had likely intended to ask her for a dance veered off toward the refreshments. He had the expression of someone who had narrowly averted an unexpected and horrific death.

When Rose noticed her father walking in her direction, she hurried toward the nearest of the three stairwell doors. He of course meant well, but any attempt he made to comfort her would only embarrass her further—if such a thing was possible!

She retreated up the stairs as fast as she could in heels. After passing the kitchen level she exited the stairwell and walked over to the nearest window. As she stared out at the falling snow, she began sobbing.

Eventually, Rose heard approaching footsteps. She looked up to see that Emma and Simon had joined her. “My Lady…I’m so sorry,” the handmaiden said tearfully. “This wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for me. A serf doesn’t have any business going to an event like that.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Rose reassured her.

“She’s right,” Simon added, putting an arm around her shoulder. Emma nodded.

The peasants joined Rose in gazing out the window before Simon spoke again. “That Margas is creative at finding new ways to prove what an incredible prick he is.” Both girls laughed before he continued. “Sorry he ruined the formal for you, My Lady.”

“It’s fine.” Rose had stopped crying, though she was still a little shaken. “Hopefully he’ll get detention for abusing the crystals like that.”

“If only that would make any difference,” Emma said, her tone revealing a rare hint of genuine annoyance. She then smiled at her companions. “Anyway, why don’t I get us all some fruit punch?”

“You don’t have to⁠—” Rose began.

“It’s no trouble at all, My Lady.” Emma hurried off and disappeared into the stairwell.

“Looks like she wants us alone again,” Simon noted.

“She was pretty obvious about it this time. I think this is the part where I’m supposed to apologize to you. …⁠And I was a real jerk yesterday. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pressured you to fight that traitor either.”

“It’s okay. I’m sorry I lost my temper. …⁠But I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.” He sighed. “Look, I don’t want to come down on you after Margas went all Phoenix Maw on your social life. But Emma works so hard to make you happy. …⁠I think it’s killing her inside, even if she’d never admit it. And the very first time in her life that she had a chance to be in the spotlight, you tried to take it away from her. Because it was an inconvenience.”

Rose had avoided thinking about what Simon had said to her the day before because it had made her so uncomfortable. But this time his words painfully struck home. “…⁠You’re right. Why didn’t I see it? …⁠Yesterday, when I told her about our argument, she offered to skip the formal. And the only reason I didn’t go along was that you would have assumed I’d put her up to it.” The noble felt new tears welling up. “I’m awful.”

Simon shook his head. “You’re not awful. You just didn’t understand because you were raised as a noble. The powerful don’t understand the powerless—not without a little kick in the behind,” he teased.

Rose gave a slight laugh. “Thanks for the kick. It was the best thing that happened to me today.” She shook her head wistfully. “…⁠The day of the great Winter Formal. I had this fantasy before I came to the academy, of how I would be courted by this perfect gentleman. I’d immediately know he was right for me. And the formal would be this magical time—like it was some cosmic reward for how damn amazing I was,” she said bitterly. “I guess romance is a lot more complicated than that.”

“Definitely. Sometimes I wish I was still a kid—then I could just pull a girl’s hair or throw something to show I liked her.” He reached over and gently tugged on a strand of her hair.

Rose giggled, and he withdrew his hand. But then she felt guilty—she did not want to come across as flirtatious when she was not his date. “…⁠This might be kind of a strange question, but…do you like Emma?”

“It’s a little early to tell if I like like her, if that’s what you mean. We were having a good time until that acid-obsessed freak spoiled the party.”

Rose nodded to him. It was horrible, but she still wanted Simon to like her better—even after she had been so callous toward her two closest friends, and even though she still longed for Prince Robert. I’m such a mess.

The pair heard approaching footsteps, and Emma soon arrived with two glasses of punch in her hands. “It looks like you two made up. Here.” She held out the drinks. “I’m a bit tired, so I think I’ll call it a night. Why don’t you both⁠—”

“You don’t have to do that anymore,” Rose interrupted. She took both glasses and placed them on the window sill.

“My Lady?”

“Please don’t make your life about me. I didn’t understand before, but now I know how cruel I’ve been. In a way, I’m even worse than the other nobles—if I’d been cold to you all along, you would have disliked me. Instead I tossed you little scraps of kindness, and that pushed you to sacrifice too much.

“From now on, things will be different—no more errands, no more giving up your happiness for mine, no more ‘My Lady.’”

Emma’s confusion was obvious by her expression. “But I’d get in trouble if I didn’t address you properly.”

“That’s true,” Rose admitted. “But you never have to call me that in private. You too, Simon.” He nodded.

“Is that really okay?” Emma asked. “I’m your handmaiden. Your parents took me into their home and gave me decent work. They even let me have lessons with you, and sent me here so I could learn to be a healer. I owe your family so much.”

Rose shook her head. “Now that I think about, I can’t see any good reason why I only had to worry about my education growing up, while you had to work. And my parents only let you come to the academy because the cost of tuition is less than what the Crown will pay us to free you.”

“She’s right,” Simon added. “It isn’t fair that you were denied a decent childhood by an accident of birth.”

Rose gave Emma a reassuring smile. “My father told me that you couldn’t be both my servant and my friend, and he was right. I want us to be friends…or maybe that isn’t even the right word. We grew up together, and we’ve shared so much. You’re family.” Rose stepped forward and gave her a fierce hug. “I love you, Sis.”

“I love you too,” Emma said, her voice heavy with emotion. The noble found her to be crying when they finally stepped apart. “Thank you, Rose.”

Rose took the glasses of punch and handed one to each of her companions. “You two have a formal to get back to,” she said with forced enthusiasm. It hurt to push Simon away, but she knew it was the right thing to do. “I’m going to turn in. Goodnight!”

“Goodnight,” Emma said, and then Simon echoed her. They both sounded concerned—maybe they felt sorry for her. But Rose knew she had no one to blame for her predicament but herself. She walked away.