Xilanada - Unforsakable Birthright/Part 5

The 9th Day of Ascending Wood, 766 in the Year of Our Empress.

If an observer were to look at Tepet Ajalat Seya, they would see a young woman barely 20 years of age skimming page after page of text, perhaps preparing for some presentation or dissertation on an academic matter. Or maybe she might be mistaken for a businessman's daughter, helping keep the books in order.

The truth, as was often the case in Creation, was somewhat different than appearances.

Seya was some 100 years of age, despite her youthful look. The strength of the Dragons ran in her veins, the Terrestrial Exaltation having granted her vitality beyond her years. She could conceivably live for another two or three centuries before age claimed her, and not until the end would she show any sign of the years. It did mean that she was experienced, worldly and wise beyond her looks.

Accordingly, her thoughts were somewhat beyond bookkeeping or doing a presentation but were instead bent on grading the papers of her students.

Tepet Seya might be the daughter of Tepet Ajalat Malias, the well-respected sorcerer. But when you looked past her reputation and title as Headmistress of the School of Six Poses of Lightning, all of that reduced and distilled to their barest essence; she was a schoolteacher.

Not that she minded it, much. Seya rather enjoyed teaching, much more than she had thought she would when her father had brought their household to Nexus. Founding a school of magic was his idea and she had supported it as a loyal daughter. She liked the students and she liked the experience of training up sorcerers who would come into their own in the next century.

Still, it was not quite what she had expected when graduating from the Heptagram, the greatest school of sorcery in the Realm. Of course, her brother Sen had her background as well and he seemed to find ample distraction. It just seemed a bit of a waste, for two of the Realm's potential paragons of sorcery to be relegated to teaching duties out here in the Scavenger Lands, this far east in Nexus.

"Headmistress?"

"Yes, please come in," Seya said absently, not bothering to see who had spoken through her partially opened door. She managed to finish the paragraph before her attention was required for the girl who had come in.

"Headmistress, I'm most sorry for interrupting your studies."

"Think nothing of it, Verrana, what can I do for you?" Seya managed a smile, something she had plenty of practice with. Making sure the students felt their teachers were always interested in every facet of their lives was part of what made the School of Six Poses of Lightning successful. Not only was the education solid, but those who graduated were among the most socially well-adjusted sorcerers wherever they went. If they could not teach in the Realm, at least they could teach with Dynastic quality.

"I was early for Professor Rainblown Joybringer's class, you know, on Faerie wards. And I saw one of the servants changing one of Professor Joybringer's equations on the board. I told the Professor about it and he told me to talk to you if I thought it was a problem."

The girl halted, looking uncomfortable. Seya gave her an encouraging nod and widened her smile. Verrana was one of the older students, nearly 20 years of age herself, and a gifted ward-maker. But she was Southern, and as reserved and respectful as any of them. It made her uncomfortable around authority figures who didn't neatly fit into her caste system.

"I feel a little silly talking to the Headmistress about a problem my Professor didn't see a problem with...but I come from the Varang City-States. And where I come from, people don't step out of their caste, you know? It doesn't seem seemly that a servant would be tampering with a Professor's work. I would like it very much if you were to at least talk to the servant and make sure she doesn't do it anymore."

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Verrana. I'll talk to your Professor and look into it. You're always welcome to come to me with anything that bothers you. Speaking of...how did things go with Endius?"

The student grinned suddenly and Seya remembered why she didn't mind teaching. It wasn't easy to do her best for the students of the school, and it wasn't research. But it was rewarding and it mattered.

"Really well, Headmistress. His family accepted the second third of my family's proposal. All we have is one more...and then we'll actually be engaged!"

"I'm so happy for you, Verrana. Most people spend years trying to fall in love with the one they're married to. It's amazing that you and Endius managed to turn your love into a financially profitable alliance between your two families. You keep your families happy, and you two get what you both want; each other."

"I know! Headmistress..." Verrana expression turned momentarily serious before lightening into a big smile again. "I know that you wrote a letter to both our families. I just wanted to say thank you for...what you said. It made a difference."

"You're an excellent student, Verrana. And you'll be a warder of renown someday. I have every confidence in that. But professional success is only part of being successful. The sorcerer with their life in place is the one who does the most good and experiences the most good. And I want the best for you, Verrana."

"Thank you, Headmistress," Verrana said, smiling genuinely. "I must be off to my next class. Thank you again!" She bowed and exited, pleased excitement evident in the way she bounced as she walked.

Seya smiled to herself. She had managed to redirect the girl's attention away from her complaint and put her in a positive frame of mind for her next class. Now, to deal with the source of that complaint.

As much as she was inclined to simply dismiss it, allowing Joybringer to handle his class in his own way, a servant altering a Professor's work made the matter her business. The School of Six Poses of Lightning was the finest school of magic in Nexus. It had that reputation for a reason. Magic was an exacting art, and they couldn't afford to have any risk at all of a servant complicating a student's education, perhaps even putting one in danger.

Pursing her lips in thought, Seya walked out of her office, pulling on a light over-robe as she left. Despite her Exaltation, even a Dragon-Blooded could feel chilled now and then and it seemed a cool enough day.

The halls were pleasantly quiet, as those students moving between classes had already settled in for the hour. Seya enjoyed these moments. The buildings of the School were hers, and through them moved the future of the world. It was times like this that made her glad her father had moved their family here.

If only he hadn't retreated into near isolation some time ago. A couple of years ago, his hair started to gray a little and his face began to get a few lines. Signs of aging on a Dragon-Blooded always meant that death was not too many years distant. Most used the time to finish up incomplete projects or do things they always wanted to.

But her father, Tepet Ajalat Malias, instead had become more secretive. He spent increasing amounts of time in his private library and laboratory. Like most Dynasts from the Realm, she and her brother Sen were raised to be very independent, so it wasn't that his absence was a problem. Just troubling.

No need to borrow troubles, though. She had one to deal with right now, and at least this was something she could resolve.

Rainblown Joybringer did not have any classes during the next hour so speaking to him about the matter was easy. She went to his office and knocked politely.

"Please, Headmistress, come in."

Seya grimaced a little, always unsettled that he seemed to know who it was that came to his door. She had spent no little time trying to figure out exactly which occult method he used and so far had found nothing.

"Hello, Rainblown," she said, stepping into his office. "I hope I'm not disturbing you too much?"

"'In disruption, clarity. In reflection, wisdom. In change, opportunity.'" Rainblown smiled serenely at her.

Rainblown Joybringer was a God-Blooded. Unlike an Exalt, one who was bestowed Exaltation by one of the great Powers of Heaven and Earth, a God-Blooded was the direct offspring of one of the lesser Gods. Though not imbued with the strength of one of the Celestines, as the direct descendent of a God they wielded a different kind of power.

Generally, Dragon-Blooded still ended up stronger than God-Blooded. But just as some individuals were stronger than others, so some God-Blooded could be as strong or stronger than a Terrestrial Exalt. Rainblown Joybringer was such a God-Blooded and while Seya had never tested herself against him (nor would she, given their professional relationship) she sometimes wondered which of them commanded the superior mastery of Essence.

She also sometimes wondered if he was entirely sane. Or at least in this world.

"I wish to talk to you about a student's concern. Apparently a servant was seen changing a formula upon the board. I do not mean to step on your authority, Rainblown. But a servant stepping out of bounds in that way...well, that goes beyond individual discretion. I'll need her name, please."

"Tell me, Headmistress, do you intend to dismiss her?" Rainblown asked casually, his tone indifferent. At least he was looking at her. He often didn't bother to make eye contact at all and there were some who had never seen his eyes when speaking to him.

"That depends. On her attitude, her reasons, really a whole host of factors. How many people saw her do this. And how well she performs her duties." Seya didn't mean to sound quite so harsh, and yet she knew her own duties. She had the responsibility to this school to see to the smooth operation of the teaching staff and the student body. She couldn't afford to allow a servant to step out of place. Not in a disruptive manner like this.

"I see. And would it make a difference if she wasn't changing a formula...but correcting it?"

"Correcting it?" Seya said incredulously.

"Correcting it," he replied with a nod. "I made a 4th Tier error in the Iron-Invoking Sigil. She saw it...and corrected it."

"I'm sorry if I have some trouble...believing this. But how would a servant even know what a 4th Tier error was?"

"How does a butterfly know to stretch its wings and fly when it has known nothing but the branch?" Rainblown answered. And then he shrugged again. "You will ask her, I have no doubt. Where she came by her knowledge is immaterial to my class, and to the progression of Creation. Only the flow of knowledge, from me to my students. She facilitated that. As far as I'm concerned, the matter is closed."

"Who is this servant?" Seya pressed. "I must know. You understand."

"Of course. I believe her name is Xilanada."

Seya frowned.

"Xy'lan'na'da? That sounds...Old Realm."

"It's close. And I suspect that her name is being poorly pronounced. If it is Xilanada, and pronounced Xy'la'na'da, that would imply certain things about her. I'm hardly an expert on the Old Realm. As you're aware, that is the one vacancy still to be filled on our staff since Me'orui died. But I believe her name means something like...Font of Inscribed Wisdom."

"Xilanada. Is that her only name?"

"That I know of," he said. "She was taken in by that old woman, you know...the one who cleans the Classroom Wing. Which is of course why she was here."

"The old woman who cleans? That would be Passion Blue Stirred," Seya said, nodding slowly as she remembered the servant. "One of our better servants, despite her age. That's right, I remember seeing her now. The new hire of a few weeks ago. A pretty little blonde thing, yes?"

"I suppose so," Rainblown said indifferently. Seya smiled in amusement. Rainblown Joybringer, the chief instructor of wards, was possessed of an almost unearthly beauty such that it made every female student who came to the School suffer from a crush for him, almost without fail. So naturally, he loved men.

"Yes, Passion mentioned that she needed some help and had found it herself. I looked over the girl and she looked to be suitable enough. A little sickly, but I've noticed no problems with her performance. She's the one?"

"Yes, Headmistress," Rainblown said, clearly distracted now and losing interest.

"Thank you, Rainblown. I'll let you return to your studies now."

"Thank you, Headmistress."

Seya sighed a little ruefully as she turned to the door. Because of his brilliance, and his good looks, Rainblown Joybringer remained a popular instructor at the School of the Six Poses of Lightning. And yet he was among the more difficult teachers to work with.

"And Headmistress?" he said as she was about to close the door.

"Yes?" Seya replied, peeking back in.

"I don't believe it was a fluke." He looked directly at her for a moment, meaningfully. And then he fully turned his attention back to a book.