Once Turn of the Year was over, the remaining Arclovens and Nagan returned to their northern villa. Sitting at the foot of a mountain, there it remained cold well into the spring much to Nagan's dismay. But he wouldn't complain about it. It was, after all, the safest place they could be. The farthest from the southern borders they could be. Far from the Kinsmen of the Dark.

You could imagine their shock when their magic barrier warned them of an unexpected arrival.

Both Nagan and Az froze where they sat in their shared room. They heard a maid hurriedly usher Florine back to her room, all while trying to keep her calm.

After a glance and a nod, they stood and slowly crept out of their room. Madam Arcloven's clicking heels echoed down the hall as she approached the door. The boys watched from the second floor, just peeking out from around the corner. The door was out of their line of sight, but they could see the edges of Madam Arcloven's dress as she opened the door.

There was a moment of silence.

"Master Dagmire?"

Nagan's eyes widened when he heard the name and leaned a little farther out. Az wasn't far behind as he gripped onto Nagan's shoulders trying to see over him. They both watched in curiosity as Madam Arcloven stepped aside to let Master Dagmire through. He looked...tired. As if the weight of the world was resting on his shoulders.

"I apologize for coming unannounced, but I'm afraid this will not be a normal visit," Master Dagmire said almost sheepishly while letting a maid take his coat.

"You being here is already abnormal," she said with a raised brow before waving to the maid. "Prepare tea. This will be a long conversation."

The boys gave each other a confused glance. What did she mean by that? That was when they caught Madam Arcloven's sharp gaze and instinctively retreated back a step, only to trip over each other. With a hard thump, they found themselves on the ground in varying degrees of pain. Az more so as Nagan landed on top of him.

"Boys," they heard Madam Arcloven say, "Wait in your room until you are called."

The sound of a minor struggle and retreating footsteps were the only indications of the boys' leave. Madam Arcloven then turned the parlor, trusting Master Dagmire wasn't far behind.

"How...do they fair?" Master Dagmire asked as they sat across from each other.

"Well enough," she replied curtly. "Both are progressing nicely in their studies. Icarion has started sensing his affinity, which I suspect will be either nature or light, and Nagan has begun performing silent incantations."

Master Dagmire blinked at that. "So soon? They both haven't taken magic efficiency or advanced incantations."

"They prove to be quite brilliant when pushed hard enough," she hummed.

He didn't want to know what she meant by that, but he could agree they were both brilliant mages in their age group...

Which was why he was here in the first place.

After the maid came in and poured the tea, Master Dagmire cleared his throat and tried not to twitch under Madam Arcloven's scrutinizing gaze. They had gone to Carvolier together, her being a few years behind him, yet she had always made him feel nervous while being caught in her line of sight. How her and Master Arcloven came to be, he would never know. But at least they were happy together.

"It was the Council who requested me to come here," he said, deciding to get straight to business.

She set down her cup and scowled. "I thought as much. What are they planning this time?"

There was a long silence as Madam Arcloven looked at Master Dagmire expectantly. He tried not to gulp audibly, knowing how she'll react, as he said carefully, "They wish to bring students back to Carvolier. Those who exceed above the rest."

He drew in a long breath before finishing his explanation. "The Council of Thirds wish to train an emergency army."

The way Madam Arcloven set her jaw was his only warning. "They take my husband. They try to separate me from my children. And now they wish to take my son and his best friend into war?"

She stood from her seat and snarled. "Do they wish for them to be killed?"

Hastily Master Dagmire stood and kept his hands out in front of him in a calming gesture. "Cilara--"

"You do not call me that when you bring news like this!" she snapped. "And you are in favor of this?"

Now it was his turn to set his jaw. "It is not ideal."

"It is far from ideal!"

"Yet this may be the best way to keep them safe for what lies ahead."

She laughed humorlessly and took her seat once again, gesturing for Master Dagmire to do the same. "Enlighten me. And do not waste my time, or you are welcome to leave."

He remained standing for a moment, thinking of what he should say, before taking a seat and leaning forward. His hands folded in front of him.

"Even though they are called an emergency army, all they will be expected to do is guard smaller towns and act more like an extra set of eyes rather than active soldiers. Perhaps they will be sent as scouts, but all for the sake of lightening the load. Back near Sa'aremak, the situation worsens by the day, and we need all the help we can get.

"If you let them return to Carvolier, there they will receive training and gain the necessary skills to survive. Nagan already has a fair amount of combative training, but it is nowhere near complete, while Icarion has little to none. Once the Kinsmen of the Dark reaches us, which they will, what will you do then?"

He watched as Madam Arcloven glared hard at her cup, yet he could see her considering the argument. It was all in the matter of one small push.

"Will you keep them here to cower or send them prepared to fight?"

She said nothing, but there was no need for words.

"As Icarion's mother, you may keep him here," he continued, "yet Nagan's situation is tricky. He is the last of his line. The Elvars refuse to accept him as theirs. He is not a confirmed orphan since we are unsure if Nageth is really dead. His name is too prominent to be discarded, as was the same reason why your husband had to take your name instead of you taking his. Under those principles, he has no guardian to decide for him nor can he be adopted into another family. Thus, he will have to make his own choice."

"Such are the deplorable laws of Tarkon," Madam Arcloven said ruefully.

He couldn't help but silently agree. Even the laws prevented Nagan from living a normal life.

"You and I already know what Nagan will decide, so I wish for you to consider letting Icarion accompany Nagan back to Carvolier." He hurried on before Madam Arcloven could release another torrent of her wrath. "They trust each other, work well together, and above all, have already been caught in the crossfire from the very beginning. Nagan more so than Icarion, but even he has seen and heard his fair share of this."

His posture slackened, and he felt much older than he should be. He felt so tired. "Let them learn how to protect themselves, Cilara. It may be the only thing that saves them in the end."

"...Vina," Madam Arcloven called to the maid after a long moment of silence. "Bring the boys here."

•____________________________•

Well. This felt like a more emotionally driven scene. Which is something I lack in XD (emotional writing that is)

So I hope it's ok XD

Also word of advice!

DO NOT WRITE TO YOUR FAVORITE OST. IT WILL RESULT IN HEAVY FEELS AND UGLY SOBBING WHILE TRYING TO FOCUS BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU CAN'T STOP LISTENING.

Thank you for listening to my TED talk and good night XD