Villainess From the Stars

16. Lady Adeena Nesrin

Vienna had gone to the Capital with her father. Pop suggested she check out the trade school that she would go to after she turned sixteen, while he attended his council meeting. Vienna was escorted through the cobblestone streets of the capital by Ezzie's flame-haired sister. The central area consisted mostly of what looked like old noble structures and palaces that had been converted into community buildings in wonder.

The trade school was very interesting. In the years since its establishment after the war, slowly but surely more and more trades were added and now there were more intriguing areas of study for Vienna than farming and blacksmithing. Now there was a program for artificer apprenticeship, Ôkren stewardship of the land, steelwork, merchants guild calculation courses, apprentice scouts, and even the occasional architectural student. The Capital Academy showed signs of steady growth, year over year, in the way new buildings were slowly spiraling out from the older central institution. Vienna knew that other kingdoms had their own academies - with their own specialties - and it seemed the Capital Academy had future plans to create a collegiate atmosphere with regular visiting professors. It was a worthy goal. Vienna couldn't stop smiling at the work that the Capital was doing to make the day-to-day quality of life the best it could be. Of course, they were also hopeful to put a strong guardrail down so that there wouldn't be a repeat of the Dark Age anytime soon.

It was when Vienna was in one of the newly opened shops by the wharf that she first caught a flash of something golden out of the corner of her eye. A few years ago she might not have shrugged it off; she was no longer as paranoid as she once was. It wasn't until she was looking at a hand-embroidered linen that she noticed the girl that had walked up to her right side. Her fingertips were following the vine-like patterns on an embroidered linen and she had just raised her head to ask the shopkeeper about it. The fabric was heavy enough that it could be made into multiple pieces of clothing as well as some household items. She had been entrusted with a healthy budget that day which she could spend in one of these newer stores. Vienna looked forward to supporting a small business - she remembered her father smiling out over the bustling Capital Square, clearly pleased with the activity.

As she looked up, Vienna's brown eyes suddenly met a set of piercing sky blue framed in golden eyelashes. The girl in front of her also had placed a possessive hand on the linen and scowled intensely as soon as she met Vienna's gaze.

Vienna dropped the cloth and stumbled back, her breath caught in her throat and turned into a gasp when she bumped into someone behind her.

"You stepped on my dress, you silly girl!"

Her tree bark eyes turned and raised tentatively in apology, "Pardon me, Merchant Florinteus."

Vienna's mind was still reeling about the girl she'd seen while the woman who was on the merchant council stared down over her nose at Vienna.

"You are Duke Thorne's child, aren't you?"

Vienna could feel the back of her head itch as she sensed an intense stare she was receiving from behind. She hid her clenched hands in her pockets to stop herself from reaching back and scratching the back of her head.

"Yes." Vienna nodded furtively, "I apologize for bumping into you. If you like I could have your dress cleaned?"

The woman gestured away the notion. "I noticed you admiring the new linen. Fine work isn't it? I was the sponsor for this shop, it's quite promising." The woman looked around the area at several dress forms here and there, her hand caressing an almost silken textured cloth. "I would have allowed your first pick, however, I promised my companion already."