Consequences

Hours later, I leaned back in my dorm room chair, Lacy by my side.

Everything had exploded into one big explosive mess after Olivia’s withdrawal. Everyone rushed out like termites to a flame. More than one person nearly got trampled on, though here that was more an intended consequence.

“Something, something on the battlefield…” I muttered. Any of the professors would have taken that and transformed it into some elegant speech praising the glory of warfare.

Sadly, even that was a talent far above my grasp.

Lacy had her face buried in some pink frilly romance novel, leaving me to let electricity run along my palm.

Unlike Olivia, or most students, I could barely manage a few sparks. Fire? Water? Forget it. My magic couldn’t create anything but a few bolts of lightning and the occasional breeze.

Forget anything remotely complex either. I’d seen magicians sway people's minds with a wave of their hand, create intricate buildings, make rain fall after a season long drought, even obliterate entire armies with a single flash of light. All of that might have been a foreign language to me.

My thoughts wandered to Mai. After her last minute appearance she’d disappeared before I could even get a word in.

As far as I could tell, that was the first time someone had approached her like that face to face. Strangers yelling while she was in a carriage was one thing, the royal princess of Mikin was a whole different fight.

But Mai was strong, way stronger than I could hope to be. She’d be fine.

“Still,” I got myself up. “Doesn’t hurt to check.” She was right next door. What kind of friend would I be if I couldn't at least do the bare minimum?

Outside, clouds dashed any hope of this being a sunny day. There was a sticky feeling in the air. Yet, even with everything pointing towards rain there wasn’t a drop to be found.

“Hey, Mai? Are you there?” I gently knocked on her door, letting the solid wood creak open.

“Wait…” A feeble voice called back. “Don’t come in.”

“Too late.” Inside, I found her curled up against her bed frame. Mai’s ears laid flat, tail not moving an inch as it curled up against her legs.

Her eyes blankly stared down towards the bed, red and puffy. “Cunt. I told you not to come in.”

“I’ve never been the best at following directions,” I said, taking a seat at the end of her bed. “Always been a thorn in my family’s eyes because of that.”

“Clearly,” she sniffled a laugh, still not looking up.

“Olivia’s the rule follower of the family, and you’ve seen how she turned out. If anything, it's self-preservation.”

“You mentioned your family, but damn is your sister a bitch.” Mai said, lips lifted in a slight smile.

“Tell me about it,” I collapsed onto the bed, staring up towards the wooden ceiling. “Ever since we were kids she’s been like this. The rest of us were exposed to propaganda; she went out and made her own.”

“What about the rest of your family? Are they all like her?” Mai asked.

“Mostly. Felix means well, but remove him and they’re all the same. Olivia’s the talented golden child, and the racism is a nice cherry on top to my father.”

“Wow, I’m such a lucky fucking girl.” Mai sighed, curling into a ball. “You know, despite it all both my parents are still confident that we’ll never go to war. They think that with the student exchange as a stepping stone, it’ll be possible to avoid any conflict. We give you a tiny bit of territory and you go away.”

“You don’t agree I presume?”

“I don’t know what to fucking believe,” Mai said. “You gave me hope, and despite the odd looks I got there wasn’t anyone brazen enough to say shit. But, if the second princess of Mikin is willing to make such remarks, well, that confidence doesn’t come from nowhere. Not to mention, now that she’s given everyone permission…”

I kept my mouth shut. Mai was right, completely and utterly. Olivia’s influence head the school in a vice-like grip. Yet people still flowed back and forth through the gaps. Just, how to show Mai?

“Do you have any plans for today?”

“Funny,” Mai mumbled.

“Come to Progan with me. There's some people I want you to meet.”

For the first time, Mai glanced up in surprise.“Progan? I don’t know… At least here people know how to restrain themselves. You saw what happened while I rode through the city Rio!”

“That’s exactly why I want you to go Mai! Mikin Academy is a bastion of nobles under my father’s thumb. Outside, people care way more about getting off work early than foreign policy.” I grasped her hand, feeling her warmth spreading through my fingertips. “There are those who thrive on their hatred of Arhonians, but even in Progan there are so many nice, good people who care about who you are as a person. What kind of ears you have doesn’t mean anything to them.”

“Maybe…”

“Also, it’s a chance for you to escape campus for a bit! We could go shopping, try some actually decent Mikin food, and breathe some fresh air.”

“You had me at food,” Mai cracked a grin. “Now go scurry off somewhere for thirty minutes; a princess needs time to get ready.”

“Wow, so demanding.”

“I’ll show you what demanding looks like if you continue that line of thought.”

I rolled my eyes, forcing myself off her soft bed. ”Fine, fine, if you insist.”

As I walked towards the door, I could see her quietly reaching for a small silver mirror lazily tossed on her bedside table. “Remember to close your door this time. It would be such a shame if I heard you compliment me over the mirror again.”

Mai tried her best to hide it, but her signature blushed cheeks gave the game away. “Don’t you have a schedule to prepare cunt?”

“Making it right now! Just you wait! I’ll show you Mikin hospitality so great you’ll never want to leave.