"Sorrel, hurry up!" Camilla demanded. She glared up the stairs. "You're going to make her late."

He poked his head around the corner.

"How? We still have a half-hour before classes start," Sorrel grumbled. "I haven't even taken my medicine yet."

Camilla scowled as her hands fell to her hips. "Just hurry up!"

Shaking his head, Sorrel disappeared once again. As Camilla began tapping her foot, anxiety taking root in her mind, another figure appeared atop the stairs. For a moment, the mage could only stare, taking in a sight she couldn't have imagined when the young girl arrived only a year ago.

Elysia's wrists no longer looked as if they might snap with the wrong touch. Her pale skin was smooth with the faintest edge of pink--far from the sallow shade she remembered. Healthy, fiery locks tumbled freely over her shoulders, brushing the sleeves of the new, dark colored dress Camilla had bought her for this specific moment. Her hands played with the split sides of the material, revealing the dark, clinging fabric of the pants Elysia wore beneath. A familiar, beaten-looking leather pouch laid strapped around her lower thigh, just barely within reach of the girl's fingers. Familiar, because Camilla could remember wrapping the same pouch around Sorrel's leg so many years ago.

Most importantly, however, was the throat-clogging sight of the curved sword she'd clumsily secured to her back. The thin, double-edged blade had been a handcrafted gift from Rhom. Elysia hadn't shown a large reaction at the time, but it was obvious now that she'd been pleased. No one had suggested she bring it with her--yet, she'd attempted to don it by herself.

"Dear," Camilla began, deciding to leave the issue of the sword alone for the moment. "You did brush your hair, didn't you?"

Elysia paused. Her fingers carded through her hair, catching on multiple tangles within the second. Panic took her expression as she dropped her hand with a swift shake of her head. Camilla chuckled, before moving to join her at the top of the stairs.

"Don't worry. We have time. I'll fix it for you."

Sorrel's face reappeared, his hair still cast every which way around his head. "That's not fair! You got mad at me."

Camilla pursed her lips, shooting him a look. He winced.

"You're not the important one today. Finish getting ready," she retorted. "And take your medicine!"

Grumbling, Sorrel disappeared once again. Satisfied, Camilla turned her attention to Elysia. After a second's hesitation, she offered her hand. The girl studied it for a moment, before taking it and trailing behind her as Camilla led her into the bathroom. She pulled a stool from the wall and gestured for Elysia to sit. The moment she was settled, Camilla dropped her hand and located a hairbrush to start running through the crimson locks.

As the seconds ticked by and she slowly cleared away the knots a certain warmth bloomed in Camilla's chest. Alongside it settled a sense of satisfaction that could only stem in these quiet moments. She had always enjoyed caring for Sorrel's hair when he had been young enough to allow her and Elysia was proving to be no different.

Once she'd finished, Camilla twisted the strands into a simple braid. Class would likely be easier for her if her hair wasn't getting in the way.

By the time she had finished and led Elysia into the hall, Sorrel had reached the top of the stairs. Camilla only sighed at the fact that her son's way of fixing his hair was to brush it once, then shove a headband over the mess. From the wary expression he donned as their gazes met, she held no doubt he knew that she'd prefer something nicer. His eyes darted away from her, however, the moment that Elysia stepped around her legs. With a good-natured sigh, he gestured her closer, before motioning for her to spin around. Camilla almost laughed when the girl joined him at the stairs, but only frowned at the rest of his instructions.

He sighed--again and with a touch more drama than the first time--but stepped around her without further argument.

"Your sword," he explained as he quickly adjusted it. "You'd look silly heading into the academy with it hanging as it was."

Elysia nodded her understanding and, together, the group headed out of the house. The trek from their home to the tower was an easy one that left them with more than enough time to find her classes. Or, would have if Elysia hadn't tugged on Camilla's hand once they reached the base, her attention seemingly drawn by a familiar blond child standing a few dozen feet off to the side.

"But I don't want to stay!"

His complaint drew a wince from Camilla and nearly caused her to push Elysia toward the door. The tone was familiar--the sound of a young child on the edge of a melt down.

"I want to be with Sari!" he complained.

His mother only seemed to grow more exasperated as he attempted to skirt around her. Her hand caught him by the back of his collar.

"Your sister will be fine without you. As I said, your aunt is going to watch her while we're in Wisteria. It will only take a month. Just get inside, Idris. You didn't have this problem last year."

"But...but...Mom!" he continued while struggling to get free. "That's not fair. I didn't have to live here last year. Why can't I just stay at home? Sari doesn't like anyone but you, me, and Dad! What if she cries?"

She used the hand that wasn't holding him to pinch the bridge of her nose. "All the more reason for her to be watched by someone else. She's going to have to get used to being around other people. And you know why we can't stay. It will be fine. Auntie Nic said she's going to bring Theo. Sari doesn't have anything against Theo, now does she? Those two get along quite well."

Idris finally managed to jerk away from his mother's grip--expression mutinous.

"Not as much as she gets along with me!"

Feeling awkward--as she doubted Amyra intended on the scene being witnessed--Camilla opened her mouth to suggest they continued inside. Before she could say a word, Elysia pulled her hand away and slipped between them to approach the duo. Sorrel cursed and stepped forward, only pausing as Camilla caught his sleeve.

"Don't."

The kid would be her classmate after all. If Elysia wanted to approach him on her own, Camilla wouldn't stop her. Her surprise only grew as Elysia didn't seem to hesitate, before tapping the younger boy's shoulder.

"Idris."

He spun to face her, confusion taking the place of his indignant expression. His mother regarded her with bafflement as well, before a small smile took its place.

"How cute. Are you one of Idris' classmates?" she asked. "I hope he isn't too much of a bother."

"Mom," he complained immediately. "That's not fair! I have loads of friends. Plus, she's not my classmate. I don't know her!"

"Really?" his mother asked, surprised.

She furrowed her brow a second later, questions in her eyes as they skimmed over Elysia. Camilla took it as her sign to step forward. The woman's confusion only made sense. Most mage families allowed their kids to take basic education courses at the tower prior to being accepted as an applicant. Only first generation mages tended to join late--and an elemental would never be a first generation mage.

"Amyra," Camilla interjected, her tone warm. The woman's attention flicked to her. "Let me introduce my youngest. Elysia applied this year. Took her test shortly after Idris, actually."

Amyra blinked, then smiled as recognition flickered through her eyes. "Mage Camilla. I didn't know you had another child."

"I..." Camilla began, then shook her head. As much as she wanted to, she doubted Elysia had reached the stage of accepting being claimed any stronger than she had already done. "I'm watching her for now. She's a special case."

The other woman furrowed her brow, eyes dropping to Elysia once again. Camilla, able to read the questions simmering in her gaze, continued after only a second's pause.

"Your son, Idris, he's heading into class now, isn't he? Perhaps he would like to show Elysia around before classes begin?" Her attention shifted to the boy in question, mind flicking to the problem they'd interrupted. Perhaps her attempt at distraction could be useful, despite how reluctant she was to place the girl in anyone else's care. "You could keep an eye on her for me. Amyra has told me all about how well you care for your little sister, so the job suits you."

Idris furrowed his brow, before opening his mouth with a clear intention to argue.

"He would love to," Amyra cut in.

"Mom!"

"Wouldn't you, Idris?"

He pursed his lips, shooting Elysia a glare. She simply tilted her head in return. Camilla smiled. She wished desperately on occasion to know what was going on that girl's head--and this moment was no different. The fight seemed to fade out of Idris at Elysia's blank reaction. He sighed, before shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Fine," he groaned. "But I'm coming home this weekend like you promised. Sari only likes me!"

The second the words were finished, the boy spun on a heel and started walking towards the tower door.

"Elysia, right?" he demanded, not bothering to glance back. "Are you coming or not?"

She nodded and ran after him. Amyra sighed, giving Camilla and Sorrel an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry about all this. He can be difficult when the mood strikes him. His grandfather calls it the whims of genius, but I call it being spoiled," she explained, before her lips tipped up in amusement. "Don't worry, though. For all his attitude, he'll watch over her like you asked. He's a good kid at heart. He's just upset we left Sari back at the estate."

Camilla nodded thoughtfully, pulling up what little she knew about their family into her thoughts. It wasn't until that moment that she realized her information was sorely lacking. She nearly grimaced. Falling out of touch with the lives of the nobility never did a mage any favors.

"Sari is...two, now, isn't she?" she questioned.

"Almost three," the woman agreed. "And still refuses to interact with anyone outside of our family."

"What does Lord Kazin think of it?"

"Oh, well, he..."

꧁༺ ༻꧂

True to the request, Idris led Elysia into the tower, before beginning to explain the layout with grumbled ease. She couldn't help but wonder how he had become so familiar with it all. The classes they spoke of--the kind untested children were allowed to attend--were always held on the first floor from what Sorrel had told her, so how did Idris know about the levels that non-mages weren't allowed to enter?

Regardless of the reason, she nodded along whenever he would pause and glance over his shoulder, obviously expecting a response. Each time he would knit his brow, before rolling his eyes and moving on. It wasn't until they reached the floor he declared to contain the first-year classrooms that he seemed to reach his limit.

"Hey, how come you aren't talking?"

Elysia clasped her hands behind her back as he turned to face her. The expression he wore wasn't accusatory or rude, simply curious. Somehow, it was that detail that soothed her anxiety, allowing her to keep a blank expression as she shrugged.

"Well, that's no fun," Idris continued, before clasping his hands behind his head much like how she held her own. "I don't like just talking to myself, you know. That's boring. Do you have something against it or whatever?"

She studied him curiously as he waited, seemingly expectant. Idris--she realized--was the first person to ask her why she was silent. Everyone had simply let her be.

It was odd, but not unpleasant. Just like the boy himself.

Despite her assumption Idris was younger than her, his straight, confident posture drew their heights to equal measures. His hair fell in shaggy, light blond locks around his face in a manner that left it framing his deep, dark blue eyes. Countless unasked questions glimmered in his gaze. More interesting, however, were the thin, white scars that littered his skin. Despite the soft look Idris had, his body seemed more marred than her own.

When he seemed to realize what she was doing, Idris laughed.

"Hey, how old are you?" he asked. "You're too little to be bigger, right? I'm eight." He paused, giving her a chance to answer.

She didn't.

"Oh, and I guess I didn't introduce myself, either, did I? Idris Kazin, from the Kazin family."

Elysia simply stared, the information meaning very little to her. She vaguely remembered something being mentioned in her lessons, but the details skipped her mind. When he didn't get a reaction, Idris sighed--loudly, and with clear annoyance.

"Just you wait. Everyone's gonna know my name one day," he promised. "My family isn't disappearing, so don't listen to what everyone else says, okay?"

Once again uncertain about the meaning behind his words, Elysia nodded. Seemingly satisfied, Idris gestured over his shoulder with his thumb.

"Well, nevermind all that for now. This is my class. Your mom didn't say where you were supposed to go, so I'm gonna go ask the professor about it, okay?"

Elysia wrinkled her nose at his choice of words, but didn't argue. He spun around, before flinging open the door. Without pausing to see if she followed, he strode inside, his attention seeming to focus on an older, gray-haired mage.

"Professor!"

The man in question spun away from the blackboard he'd been facing, expression settling somewhere between a scowl and amusement.

"So you decided to show up, did you?" he questioned. "You better have a reason for being late."

"Of course!" Idris retorted, grin forming. "I always have good reasons."

Elysia stepped forward and tugged on his sleeve. The trick seemed to work, drawing Idris' attention back to the matter at hand.

"Right! Professor, meet my reason. Do you know which class she's supposed to be in?" he asked, before stepping aside so she was no longer concealed behind him.

When all the eyes in the room seemed to shift to her, smoke began to curl around her frame. The professor blinked, seemingly surprised, before recognition flickered across his face. Elysia quickly concealed herself behind Idris once again. Despite knowing very little about him, she still felt more comfortable at his back than she did in front of a room of eyes.

"Is that Elysia?"

The professor walked over, obviously attempting to get a better look at her. Idris sighed, moving out of the way once again.

"I think she's really shy,' he complained. "She won't even talk to me. Mom asked me to show her to her room and I don't know where to go."

The man's smile faltered, before he nodded. "Ah, yes, I was told our newest applicant didn't speak."

Idris stiffened.

"You brought her to the right place," the professor continued, before extending his hand. "She's with us. Come, Elysia, I'd like to introduce you to everyone."

Uneasiness crept through her as she stared at his palm. The idea of laying her fingers against his rubbed her wrong. There was nothing wrong with the man. No aura of the circle, no threat in his gaze, but that didn't matter. Not when the idea of touching someone unfamiliar sunk ants into her skin.

Idris turned a bit to face her, and she saw him frown. Then, suddenly, he pushed himself between her and the professor, grabbing the man's hand himself.

"Her mom asked me to watch her, so I gotta stay with her," he decided. "Lead the way, Professor!"

The smoke cleared as Idris' back blocked her view of the room. Something unfamiliar gripped her chest alongside relief. Camilla trusted him, so she would, too. Plus, his mana felt warm. Like the flickering of the sun. It's what drew her to him in the first place.

The professor seemed to hesitate, before smiling in approval.

"Very well. If that's what Elysia wants, I've no reason to protest. I'll leave helping her settle in, in your hands, hm, Idris?"

He dropped his hand, before stepping into the center of the room with a gesture for them to follow. Idris tugged her along. This time, however, when she tucked herself behind him he stood tall, crossing his arms over his chest. And, as the professor rattled off her name to the class, she heard none of it. More importantly was the soft whisper of Idris' sunlit voice.

"I've decided. From today on, I'm your big brother, too. Big brother Ris, okay? Only you and Sari have permission to call me that."

Elysia tugged on his sleeve, her own way of agreeing. She could have argued that she was likely older, making his declaration pointless, but if he said that's how it was going to be, she'd allow it. Going against instructions had never been something she made a habit of.

"Ris."