It's one of those strange facts of life, that Lavinia and Leonora Loriel did not meet for the first time, until the Day of Orientation. How could that be so strange you might ask?
They were both lucky enough to gain entry to the most prestigious, and famous school of magic, in the whole of the vast continent that is the Empire. Is it really so strange that they are meeting for the first time?
After all, to go to this school, not only do you have to have a high magic potential, but you also have to be from a good family, and of course you have to be very, very rich!!
How many people do you really think meet those requirements every year?! In the huge population of the Empire, out of hundreds of thousands of people, the number that meets those requirements... is less than one hundred!!
Actually the figure was closer to seventy five that year, and due to the high requirements on talent, after five years of rigorous training and testing, the number that will actually graduate... That figure will be more like fifty!!
No, the strange thing is that they are about to meet for the first time, even though they are actually cousins... Well, it's a bit more complicated, more like second or third cousins, twice removed, or something like that, but they are definitely blood related!!
As I said before, Lavinia and Leonora are about to meet for the very first time, and it looks like they're going to share a room together. Since they have very different personalities, their interactions could have been a complete failure. But, as you will see, they managed to find some common ground, which eventually led to a lifelong friendship.
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"Quiet please, everyone... My name is Madam Organza. I am a Deacon of the Lord of Light, and a Master Healer of the nature element. It is my responsibility to look after your health and wellbeing whilst you attend this Academy."
"However, you have all already reached Journeyman status of your primary element, otherwise you would not even be here today. Therefore, I do not expect to be treating minor injuries caused by basic errors in training."
"Please do not come to my door for simple injuries. You may purchase healing potions, and general remedies from our Apocorathy. Also, students with healing talents, will be required to staff both the Apocorathy, and the Healer Hall, to accrue credits towards their training."
"Dormatory rooms are shared, and although we do our best to match students with similar interests, room changes will not be made. If disagreements occur, you will be expected to solve them yourselves. After all you are at an age where you are almost considered adults. Mediation is available, but only if absolutely necessary."
"Whilst we are on the subject, male and female dorms are separate, and it is forbidden for the opposite gender to enter. If you wish to frattenise, you may do so in the common areas."
"These areas, as well as all restricted areas, are marked on the map of the Academy grounds, which can be found in your orientation pack. Your dorm room number, and personalised timetable, can also be found in your pack. Please read all the documents, as they contain important information, which may involve your personal safety."
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Leonora checked the number of her dorm room again, she was late getting there, as she had been delayed by her parents. They had been their usual overprotective selves, and been fretting about leaving her on her own at the academy.
As for her, Leonora had breathed a sigh of relief... Finally, she would be able to do all sorts of fun things, that she would never be allowed to do at home. Either because they were considered dangerous, or just too inappropriate for a decent young lady.
The orientation pack had said that her roommate was Lavinia Loriel, who happened to be Leonora's distant cousin. Though Lavinia was part of the main house, at the centre of the Western Capital; and Leonora was just part of a branch house, all the way on the other side of the continent, not even on the outskirts of the Eastern Capital.
Leonora could only hope that her cousin wouldn't be stuck up, and tattle on her to her parents. After all, they had to spend the next five years sharing a room, it was better to get along if possible.
Leonora knocked first, then used the key included in the orientation pack, and opened the door slowly, "Hello, I'm Leonora." A person who could only be Lavinia nodded, and replied "Lavinia," but then immediately went back to reading her book. Okay, not the most brilliant start, but not the worst either, at least she'd replied.
"I see that my luggage has arrived." Lavinia looked up again, "Yes, I thought it would be best if the porters left it at the end of your bed." There was a pause, "Since you weren't here when I arrived, I went ahead and chose the bed on the right side."
Brilliant, this time she'd replied with more than one word, ice broken, they were now having a conversation! "That's okay, I would have done the same." Ah, maybe that hadn't been the best thing to say, Lavinia was from a higher caste, first choice should have been her's anyway. "Everything is the same, whichever side you chose."
Lavinia looked pensive, and after a long pause replied, "Actually, I chose this side as you can see the lake from here." Leonora moved over to the right side of the room, and looked out of the window. "I can't see a lake from here?"
Surprisingly, Lavinia put her book down and got up, grabbed Leonora's hand, and pulled her after her as she got up on the bed. "If you lean over, right into the corner, you can see the glimmer of water through the trees."
Leonora leaned over as instructed, but she lost her balance on the soft mattress, and as Lavinia was still holding her hand, they both ended up sprawled on their backs looking at the ceiling. The sudden change of position knocked the wind out of the two girls, and it took them a moment to catch their breath.
Lavinia was the one who broke the silence, "The ceilings aren't very interesting in this place, are they?" Leonora sat up, and gave her cousin a strange look. However, Lavinia just stared placidly back, and then raised an eyebrow as if to say, 'well'. Leonora couldn't take any more, and she roared with laughter... This girl had the straightest face she'd ever seen.
"Maybe we can put up some mobiles, or wind catchers... My element is wind, so I can make them tinkle prettily." Lavinia gave a slow smile, "I like sun catchers, they scatter light like drops of water, and if you use prisms... You get rainbows!"
The smile made Lavinia look very young, "I bet your element is water." Lavinia giggled, " I'm not so hard to figure out." Leonora actually thought completely the opposite, with that straight face of hers, Lavinia was actually quite difficult to figure out.
"How old you, Lavinia?" Leonora had thought that Lavinia was the same age as she was when they had first met, but now... "I've just turned fifteen." Leonora was correct, Lavinia was actually younger than she thought, right on the lower end of the age range that you could enroll in the academy. Leonora was the opposite, she was at the upper end of the range, as she was already seventeen.
"You must be very good, to enter the academy so young, most people are at least sixteen when they arrive here." Lavinia grimiced, "My parents got me special dispensation, I took the exam when I was only fourteen."
Leonora's eyebrows shot up, "They gave you a Genius Pass?!" Lavinia's expression got even darker, and she gave a sharp bark of laughter. "Ha... I don't know anything about a genius, more like more trouble than I'm worth!"
"According to them, if it's chaos and destruction, I'm all that and more! You have no control, Lavinia... You're too showy, Lavinia... Look how much better your younger brother is... I have so much more power... more than he could ever dream of!"
Leonora realised at that moment, that far worse than overprotective parents, were those who considered their child to be a shameful burden, when most people would be in awe of their power. No wonder Lavinia was so straight faced, she had probably been more concerned that Leonora would tattle to her parents than she was.
Leonora decided then, that she would be Lavinia's greatest support, and provide all the love and respect, that seemed to be lacking in her relationship with her parents. It was time for Leonora to step up and be the adult, and if she ended up being as overprotective as her own parents, so be it!