IGNORANTIA (Dark Academia!Wesper AU)

epiloog

There is a road that connects all of Ketterdam University together. It's a gray cobblestone path that winds through soft green grass in the summer and blindingly white snow in the winter. The road is three feet wide and fifty feet long, going from one brick building to the next starting from its wrought-iron gate entrance to Smit Hall where the galas and black-tie fundraisers are held. I used to go to these same galas with my father. I thought he was the richest man in the world, and thus the most powerful, too. For the first seven years of my life, he was my world. After he gave up on me, my world become my mother, then her music.

And then my world was Jesper. Kind, funny, wonderful Jesper. I would have done anything to protect him, and I did. I defied Death itself to keep him safe.

Three years have passed since his resurrection, and I'm still wandering that gray cobblestone path on campus. This time, I'm not holding mother's hand or blindly following my father. I have no Jesper to urge me to take risks, or Dorian telling me to keep my head low. Instead, I follow the cobblestone path because I want to. And I no longer go to Smit Hall, as illustrious as I once thought it was. Instead, I spend my time at the Vanderbilt Theater, the very place I am at right now.

Dollie cuts off the rest of the orchestra, and signals for me to begin my solo. Quarter note, eighth note, eighth note, full note. This piece is called Ignorantia: my senior project that not only got me the perfect grade, but an instant admission into the graduate program, too. Unfortunately I had to decline the offer, at least for now. My bags have already been packed for Ravka, and I'm not planning on coming back until next spring. It'll be the longest holiday I've ever taken, but certainly a well-deserved one.

Quarter note, quarter note, half note, full note. My fingers flicker along the familiar pattern that so many people have praised me for. But it's not just this solo that makes the piece what it is. Sure, it is quite flute- and woodwind-heavy, but it's the entire orchestra altogether that makes it so brilliant. It's a team effort to create such a full and lively sound; it took me years to really learn this, but it was worth it for this moment.

The audience applauds as I finish my part, and soon the strings and brass chime along. Dollie, our conductor, motions for the woodwinds to add along, and winks at me as people continue to applaud. From somewhere near the front, someone lets out a loud wolf-whistle that's entirely inappropriate for a concert like this. When we see his father for dinner tonight, I'll have to berate him for raising a child with no manners.

Six minutes later, the piece ends and we all stand to take a bow. The audience practically comes alive, rising out of their seats to applaud, and cheer, and throw flowers at their favorite performers. From the middle aisle, a woman in dazzling red throws a bouquet of roses at me. I wave at her, beaming, and watch as the curtain falls.

—

I meet my group outside of the Vanderbilt. The sun had set hours ago, but there's a nice summer breeze that pleasantly waltzes through the air. I hold my instrument case in my left hand, and Nina's flowers in my right as I watch them exit the building. My science team is among them, dressed plainly compared to Nina, Jesper, and Inej's vibrant outfits, but smiling with a familiar warmth I've been lucky to get to know. Even after three years, Laina refuses to wear anything but black as she mourns the loss of her sister, but she smiles nonetheless as she waves at me. The now-married Patton and Griggory chat idly to each other about the show as Dorian shakes my hand in both of his.

"Fantastic performance as always," he says. "I knew you'd be doing great things one day."

My mother is the next person to greet me, gently nudging Dorian away so I can get a hug from her. After we had saved Jesper, she was my next big priority. It was difficult to track her down with my father's papers (and house) burned down, but back then I had felt nearly invincible. With Inej's help, we went from hospice to hospice, asking doctors for her by name and then asking for the locations of other hospitals or facilities to check. But after five weeks of searching, we found her, and using the money my father's will miraculously gave me (all thanks to Kaz), we bought a small apartment near the university and have been living there happily ever since.