The Skyhome Academy

Rose’s room was a large space, though it felt overcrowded given all the furnishings—two bunk beds, four small desks with chairs, a refrigerator, a bookshelf, a full-length mirror, and a couple cabinets. Besides the exit, there was a second door which led into a closet.

The clutter was made worse by the number of occupants. Emma helped Rose with her make-up, while Alice’s handmaidens adjusted her elaborate dress and styled her hair. Avice wore less fanciful noble garb as she lay down on her bed reading. As she scowled at her book, her handmaidens waited nervously in one corner of the room.

Though the room was quiet, Rose was engaged in a telepathic conversation. “Oh, I forgot to tell you,” Emma sent. “Alice’s handmaidens said that she’s not coming back to the academy next year.”

“Poor thing. At least she still seems happy—Avice might as well as have a storm cloud over her head.”

“It’s unfortunate that she can’t get over Lord Jame.”

“I hate to say this of someone I considered a friend, but I can hardly stand being around her anymore.”

“You’ve both changed this year.”

“That’s true. …⁠So, any plans for tonight?”

“Mei and I will get some use out of my birthday chess set. Thanks again.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“I’ve finished, My Lady,” Emma announced before putting away the make-up kit. “You look so pretty.”

“Thank you.”

Avice sat up and glared at Rose. “Are you really going to the formal in your dress uniform? Don’t you care at all what Lord Jame will think?”

“Nope.”

“…⁠Maybe she’s trying to start a new fashion trend?” Alice offered.

“You idiot!” Avice cried. “What curse from the Gods could have compelled Jame to choose you over me?!”

“Why can’t you just be happy for me? It’s not as if I wanted to hurt you.”

Avice stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind her. Rose approached Alice. “I’m sure that someday she’ll stop treating you so badly.”

“Thank you, Rose. I wish my sister could learn to accept her misfortune as you have.”

“‘Misfortune?’”

“I know how difficult it must be to hide your suffering over Lord Jame’s disapproval. But you shouldn’t worry—he has a good heart, and someday he’ll accept your tragic inability to understand a woman’s place in society.”

Rose stared incredulously at her friend. “…⁠Thanks?”

“Don’t mention it!” Alice said cheerfully before turning to her handmaidens. “Back to work, Girls!”

“I almost envy her ability to see goodness in someone like Lord Jame,” Emma sent.

“You don’t want to pay the price she does for her perspective. Just imagine the crippling loneliness of her brain cell.”

The healer covered her mouth and suppressed a laugh. As Alice’s handmaidens applied her cosmetics, Avice’s whispered to each other. Rose went to the mirror to look herself over, and before long heard a knock at the door.

As she walked over to answer, she stopped to look back at Alice. “Oh, I heard that you’re dropping out of the academy. I’m sorry your classes didn’t go well.”

The other noble laughed. “Oh, Rose. You thought I was here to learn magic instead of find a husband? You’re such a character!”

“…⁠I guess I am. See you at the formal.” Alice waved to her. Rose then exited the room to find Simon waiting.

Emma followed and shut the door behind her. “You look so cute together! I hope you have a wonderful night.”

“Thank you for helping with my make-up,” Rose told her. “It never looks as good when I do it by myself. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Simon repeated. Emma nodded before departing for the elevator.

Now alone with Simon, Rose found herself at a loss for words. He was especially striking in his tuxedo—there was an elegant simplicity to the outfit compared to the more elaborate styles favored by the nobility. Even though she had seen him so often in the last year, she now felt as if she might lose herself in his eyes.

He also hesitated as he looked longingly to her, but he was the first to recover. “You are so beautiful. Every girl at the formal is going to be jealous.”

Rose blushed. “Thanks. But if they’re jealous, it will only be because I’m with such a handsome young man.”

“The tux does most of the heavy lifting to make me presentable.” Simon pretended to straighten his bow tie, and she gave a slight laugh. He then indicated toward the elevator. “Shall we?”

“Actually, I’d rather take the stairs. …⁠I’m worried that if I wear a skirt in the elevator, someone might look up it.”

“That didn’t even occur to me.” He turned away from the elevator and took her hand. “Now shall we?”

“We shall,” Rose said with a smile. They walked down the hallway, passing doors and occasional paintings. “I suppose you must be too good-natured to think to look up girls’ dresses?” she asked teasingly.

“Well, I’m not enough of a creep to actually do that. But I’m not going to pretend the idea would never occur to me.”

“That’s fine—I’d rather you be honest than pretend to be perfect.”

Simon nodded. “Of course, I do have to at least behave as a perfect gentleman—your father made it clear that he’d be extremely upset otherwise.”

“He went to see you?” Rose asked in embarrassment.

“Don’t worry, he wasn’t too scary. I was kind of impressed by how concerned he is for you.”

“Aren’t all fathers like that?”

“Definitely not all of them.” Simon’s expression darkened for just a moment.

“…⁠Do you want to talk about it?”

“I guess I do—but not tonight. I’d rather we just enjoyed ourselves.”

“Okay.” Rose gave his hand a comforting squeeze.

Soon they reached the stairs and proceeded down into the mess hall. In contrast to the blue and white of the winter formal, green decorations now dominated. An impressive number of flowers were evident, with some of them gathered into vases. Most of the tables had been removed, save a few that bore refreshments.

The formal was just beginning, with only a few dozen cadets dancing. Rose thought that the orchestral music sounded more cheerful than it had at the winter event, but that might have been due to the brighter lighting or her better mood.

“Would you care to dance, My Lady?” Simon asked.

“I’d love to.”

The pair joined the other dancers near the center of the room, and were soon entwined and twirling together. As time passed, more cadets arrived and the waltzing crowd grew ever larger. Rose had rarely felt so joyful as she did sharing this experience with Simon.

Eventually they left the dancers behind and went to one of the refreshment tables. Simon poured Rose and himself some fruit punch, and they sat together in two of the many chairs that lined the edge of the circular area.

“I’m having a wonderful time,” Rose said shyly.

“I am too. I keep worrying that this is a dream.”

“I know what you mean. Maybe it’s a little paranoid, but I’m also afraid Margas might try to humiliate me again.”

“What could he do?”

“All sorts of things. He could have a telepath turn my dancing into a fit.”

“Or he might have replaced your uniform with one that melts off when exposed to water,” Simon teased. “Then he spills punch on you.”

“Ooh, he could use lightning magic to make all my hair stand on end.”

“Four words: trebuchet full of manure.”

Rose pretended to survey the dance carefully. “I don’t see any siege engines…yet.” They both laughed.

“Speak of a devil,” Simon said. The noble saw Margas and Alice twirling by in the crowd of dancers.

“He could be a murderous lunatic, but at least he makes Alice happy—though a bell on a string for her to paw at would do the same.” Simon chuckled at this.

As she finished her punch, Rose also noted Robert and Lady Susanna among the dancers. The latter was plain as the prince had said—not that that justified cheating. Rose hoped he would not go through with it.

“Would you like to go for a walk outside?” Simon asked.

“That sounds nice.” The pair stood, left their used glasses with some others on a nearby table, and made their way to the gate. The doors slid apart as they approached.

Outside, sunset was approaching and the courtyard’s lamps had come on. Due to the formal there were not many people to be seen. Hand in hand, the two cadets began wandering the stone paths.

“Did you see the class rank listing?” Simon asked.

“Yeah. Mei wasn’t happy about losing the top spot to Emma. And I was kind of amazed we both made the honor roll. …⁠I mean that in a good way,” she added with a laugh.

“I felt the same. …⁠You know, it’s hard to believe the school year is over.”

“It hasn’t been what I expected. Hopefully next year I don’t make any mistakes as bad as the ones I’ve made so far.”

“Don’t feel too badly—at least you didn’t cheat at a practice duel.”

“We never did talk about that.”

“What is there to say? I couldn’t stand the thought of losing to Prince Robert in front of you—I’m sorry I was such a jealous idiot.”

“I guess you went a little too far, but I didn’t help you by always pining him. I realize now how cruel that was…but I wasn’t even sure whether or not you liked me until you asked me to the Winter Formal.”

“Maybe we both need to work on our communication skills,” Simon teased. Rose could not help but smile. “Anyway, I won’t blame you for how you felt about the prince—even I’ll admit that he looks better on paper.”

“Still, I should have seen that charm doesn’t compare to genuine respect and decency. Not that you aren’t charming.”

“It’s nice of you to say so.”

“No, really.” By this time, their walking had taken the pair to the front of the elements building. The main entrance to the structure was flanked by matching fountains—one with water and the other with dancing, magical white flames.

Rose stopped and stood before Simon next to the fire fountain. He took her other hand, so that both her hands were now linked with his.

“You’re charming because you know how to make me laugh,” she said softly. “And how to be supportive. Even when I caused that fight about you going to the formal with Emma, you still wanted to comfort me when I was crying.”

Rose looked down a moment before meeting his gaze again. “…⁠That reminds me of something I’ve wanted to ask. But I’ve been afraid to. Did you decide to go on this date with me because Emma wasn’t interested?”

Simon shook his head. “She’s sweet, but I know now that I don’t feel the same way about her that I do about you. What I admire most about you is how much you want to fight for a better world.” Rose blushed at this. “The truth is…one of the reasons I asked her to the last formal is that I thought I didn’t have any chance with you. I sort of eavesdropped on your conversation with your father after Stonebrook. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t think I can take the moral high ground against you after starting a conspiracy to spy on someone,” she said lightly.

“Thanks. …⁠Rose, I want you to know that whatever doubts I may have had about us are long gone. There is nowhere I would rather be than here with you now. …⁠I hope that after tonight, you’ll allow me to court you.”

“Nothing could make me happier,” she answered softly. Simon leaned in, and they shared a gentle kiss.