Twins

17. Lukas

Ever since the ceremony and show, Father had clearly been swarmed. So much so that there is a seperate bin just for the amount of letters and requests. Luka and I took a visit to Father's office one day to find him rifling through them with a dark look on his father.

Luka sauntered her way up to the desk then slipped on the scribbled note of all those she wouldn't allow us to become friends with. She even scribbled down their crests as if Father would forget. I think it cheered him up slightly.

She's spent quite a long time on it. Most of the time when I dragged her into the library, she would end up taking a nap for bordem. She specifically asked for pen and paper this time, determined to tell our father. She's taking the selection for friendship very seriously, as if slipping up would cause problems.

Most of the names on that list were higher nobles who had a few less brain cells and a lot of the gossipy lower nobility. It eliminated a lot of connections for us in the future, although I doubt she had really looked into that. I fear how she may react if some of them come up to us for connections. 

It's likely she'll pull out her 'claws'.

I would rather not make any friends at all. Luka has so far disagreed with me. I don't ask her why for it' most likely something silly.

When Father picked up the paper, he paused for a very long time to stare at Luka. Luka stared back as if it was only natural. "This is?"

"The bad people."

He sighed. "You realize that some of these people you will have to come into contact with."

Luka shrugged, crossing her arms and turning her head. "Doesn't matter. Meeting them doesn't mean I have to be friends with them."

Father was probably not built for this kind of conversation.

Eventually we were ushered outside by one of Father's incoming guests, another knight from the nearby barracks. It's come as no surprise to me that any young knight would want a worthy lord to serve. Our powers plus the overbearing might of our family name adds up to quite a lord.

I am unsure if any female knights will be looking to serve under Luka or if male knights are even allowed near her. I suppose he could choose an older, married man who had no interest, but he'll likely worry about what schemes an older man could concoct. 

I've heard that the Princes had championships to choose their knight. They simply chose the most powerful one, which I believe to be utterly ridiculous. If everything was based on power, then the delicate balance between dukes would have been over thrown long before we were born.

I'd prefer to pick my own knight, which I have stated to Father plenty of times at dinner. Luka wants to share one. That caused us to go into a long conversation about why there were personal knights in the first place and the jobs they would have to do at our side, as well as the time consumption that serving only one lord could provide.

I can't say I don't understand. It'd still be nice to share things like we used to.

After this party, we will be attending seperate classes that divide themselves on gender. 

Luka has said she wanted to attend my classes as well. The only difference between us in our eyes, at least if you only look at the surface level, but much keener eyes will be able to tell each other apart just from the look in our eyes. It's not likely would could switch classes or attend each other's classes.

Our teachers were some of the most elite people in this kingdom. If they were not smart enough to tell us apart, it would definitely be worrying. I don't mind going into classes like etiquette and such but there are two entirely different sets of lessons we need to learn.

That sort of immaturity would get us torn apart.

Luckily, Luka does what she's told. She doesn't have much opinions on classes, from what I can tell. She doesn't particularly enjoy or despise them. I suppose she's just too lazy.

My etquiette teachers are fairly kind, if a bit sexist when it comes to my sister. Despite magic being a power all genders can hold, this world is still divided by sex. I don't dare study more into this troubling mentality as I fear the depressing tale it would tell about society as a whole. Not that I don't realize the horrors of the people we live with.

Even now I wish I could drive out these pesky servants. They keep whispering about our mother and father.  I've long since learned of her escapades, but really, do you need to tell her children that fact that she can't control her low end. I think some of these servants are spiteful to the class system.

Those who are unsettled with their place in life will likely never be content to just stay silent. They're trying to impart bitterness on us.  Most of those servants are those who I've tried to replace.  As I grow older, the more power I can hold when it comes to this house hold. That unfortunately means more responsibility.

As long as I am safe, I doubt I will really care.

|  +  |

One day, we were taken out on a carriage towards the barracks, dressed in formal, shining attire. It wasn't pure white like we wear when attending balls. We'd opted to wear muted greys and blues that allude to a more resilient white then the purity we display in public. Anyway, if we went out in pure white, it's likely they'd get beyond messy.

Washing clothes in this day and age is almost impossible. Wearing white like we do attests to the amount of many we can spend on keeping it clean.

Luka also insisted that since we are going to show off our strength, we should wear dark colors. I've tried to look into her logic but I've only found something about hunting and such. It's a logic I won't try to understand. Some things about Luka completely allude me.

We arrived in a vast grassy field wear a rock platform had been raised for us to sit. As we arrived, as if to show off, earth magicians raised forth three equal chairs for us to sit in and a table. Servants immediately scuttled forth, setting pillows and refreshments. In front of their platform, more then 35 men stood steady with  children of varying ages at their feet, a little more awkward in front of their parents.

No female was within their ranks. We'd been told that both of us would get a personal knight, so I believe that it's most likely Luka will get a male knight as well. Sigh. I'd kill him if he touched her anyway. Maybe it's best I point out some feminine ones to her. We can just dress him up as a girl and destroy any sort of pride he might have in front of her.

Wait, then what if he comes back to touch he as revenge-

"Lukas, you said you wanted to pick by your own terms. Go ahead." Father said quietly, placing a gentle hand on my back to urge me forward. I looked back and realized I'd been spacing out.

Oops. I coughed awkwardly before stepping to the edge of the platform. I don't want just brawn, so I thought I would give them a simple test. However, most of these people don't have the time to study. It would be unfair as only the higher grade knights with access to more wealth would get anywhere close.

So, perhaps a riddle?

{ Author's Note }

I forgot to note, any magician can write a rune. Only a select few have talent in it. A shield user or someone with shield magician ancestry has a higher chance of being able to write runes. They are applied with ritual and infusion of raw magical waves into a chosen material. Runes are usually hidden within building walls for protection. Some are given to wealth children as they go out in case they get separated from their knight. It's a back up.

Also, I've made the knights of Eddigton rather sexist. You don't mind, right? I feel like in most magical society, they've tried their best to say that females can to stand up to males just as any other. However, being a knight is not the same a magician. They might have magical power, but they also need raw strength.  Some of these knight might have 'body' as a magical ability as well but that's likely the limit they would show for honor.

Shrug. Do you have any opinions on the way I've presented the Knights?

Unedited. 1400 words.