"Very good. I think that will do for today, ladies," Marcel commends his pupils just after Christelle disarms Edouard for the fifteenth time that day. Christelle reluctantly sheathes her sword, and Mireille and Monique break out of their impasse to congratulate each other on their achievements in the day's lessons.
"We best be careful, Marcel," Edouard remarks, a hint of mirth sparkling in his eyes. "We keep this up and these ladies will outshine every man in the Vyrunian army."
"Seems like a good goal to shoot for," Christelle replies airily.
"No Khandazarian will expect us," Monique adds, "which is the point."
"I just hope we never have to test it," Mireille mutters. She has been becoming more withdrawn as the Midsummer's Eve Ball approaches, and her friends are worried.
"You do not want to test your skills against an actual opponent?" Christelle inquires.
"I do not want anyone I care about to be in danger, especially not for my sake." She could say more, about the nightmares she has been having since Veena hinted that Mireille's affinity for languages is somehow owed to Agnes's magic, about the unshakeable bad feeling she has about the Midsummer's Eve Ball, but she refrains. She does not want them to worry about her. It might be nothing. Remembering Agnes, and nothing more, she tells herself.
"We've been over this, Mireille. Monique and I do this by choice," Christelle assures her friend.
"If you die trying to protect me, I will never forgive myself," Mireille retorts. "The fact that you have chosen your path does not change that."
"Ladies, please. You are all quite skillful, and perform admirably, better than we ever thought possible," Marcel compliments, trying to defuse what could become an unpleasant dispute. "Your skills, combined with the fact that your adversaries will not be expecting them from you, should be more than enough to protect you. We need not discuss death, certainly."
A courier enters the stable before anyone can say more.
"Duchess of Alsantias, letter for you," the courier greets Christelle, who recognized him immediately.
"Many thanks. Be on your way. I will send for you when I am ready to dispatch a reply," the Duchess smiles as she takes the proffered parchment packet. The courier bows and dashes away.
"Thank you, gentlemen, as always, for your fine instruction. I believe we will all take some repose in my apartments before supper," Mireille suggests in a way that is really more of a command. She and Christelle eagerly lead the way back to the Princess's rooms, using a combination of secret passages and regular corridors. They make a conscientious effort to randomly vary the paths they take between their various destinations, as a means of frustrating the work of whatever Khandazarian spies may yet be in the Palace of Roses. The King and the Royal Ministers have been working very hard to eliminate all persons of questionable trustworthiness from employment in the palace, but one can never be too careful.
Once they reach the Princess's antechamber, Marcel and Edouard go to their private rooms, and Monique goes to Clothilde and the other ladies of Mireille's household to give them a watered-down version of today's combat training. Mireille and Christelle, meanwhile, retreat to their private study, where Christelle eagerly opens the packet and hands Mireille her portion of it.
To Her Royal Highness, Princess Mireille of Vyrunia, with wishes of good health, good spirits, and good company,
I hope that you and your household are doing well, though I know that preparations for the Midsummer's Eve Ball must be nearing a fever pitch there, as they are here. Before I say more, I would like to extend my sympathies to your mother. Has she recovered from the incident with the ambassador? Have you heard any response from Khandazar to the actions that incident necessitated? Additionally, I am most concerned regarding the number of soldiers your father has told us to expect. I thought we were in agreement that every possible measure be taken to ensure absolute security of the event. Do you happen to know what he is planning in that regard?
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Her Rightful Place
الخيال (فانتازيا)All she wants is to live her life in peace. But a series of unfortunate events places her on a whirlwind journey, and she must determine who she is and how much of a difference she can make... Mireille is a young, orphaned seamstress of great skill...
