Aleeza-the Star Summoner

Court Demonstration

This is a long chapter y'all-enjoy.

Genya yanked the covers off of Aleeza. "Hey!" Aleeza complained. "Come on Genya I literally arrived here in the middle of the night."

"Don't care," Genya said as she continued waking Aleeza up.

"Ugg," Aleeza said as she finally got out of bed. "You better have a great reason for waking me up."

"First of all, I don't need to have a reason, and second I actually do."

"Well?" Aleeza asked, urging her to continue as she yawned.

Genya pressed her lips together. "You're to be presented to the King and Queen."

"What! Why?"

"Word travels fast of your... accomplishments."

Aleeza didn't want to believe this was happening. The royals probably hated her, especially The Queen. First, she pretended she was otkazat'sya and then a Fabricator. And now she was actually... what was she...a star summoner? Light and shadows bender?

"Did you know?" Genya asked.

"That I have to be presented to the royals-no I didn't."

"Not that..."

"No Genya. Of course, I didn't know. I would have told someone, you at very least."

Genya nodded. They could both feel the unspoken tension in the room. "All right, let's get you ready."

Luckily their friendship seemed to revert to normal while Genya was doing Aleeza's hair. Genya told Aleeza of the new rumors around the Little Palace and Grand Palace. And Aleeza briefly explained what happened to her. She didn't go into details about... someone. She still didn't think she could handle talking about it.

However, they were in a hurry, especially since they made a stop for breakfast. It involved a little finesse-to steal the breakfast from the Grand Palace. But it was so worth it. Aleeza was glad it wasn't waffles since she knew they would only force her mind to bring up Mat- no one.

"Genya, what's that?" Aleeza said, motioning to the dress.

"A dress," she let out a sigh." The Queen expects you to be a part of the nobility, and The King doesn't know what he expects. Putting you in a Kefta would make them think the general was hiding you from them."

Aleeza nodded, realizing how complex a political issue they came on. Aleeza already knew The Queen, and sort of The King; she had attended the birthday banquet. There was no decent explanation of how they weren't aware of her power or why Aleeza was even at the Fold. The royals might assume treason.

Aleeza prayed The Darkling had it sorted out-she certainly didn't. The only idea she came up with was to dazzle The Queen with small science forcing her to forget about everything else. She knew it probably would work; The Queen always loved to be impressed. However, she knew less about The King. He wasn't the smartest guy in the world, so Aleeza heard, but he wasn't totally helpless either. If he was convinced treason was involved, very little could be done to change his mind.

"You look great," Genya said, looking at her work in the mirror. She was a little-a lot jealous of Aleeza. First, she got a glorious mission to Ketterdam, and now she became the most important Grisha ever. Just one look at her room was enough to shock her; Aleeza was given a room clearly intended for a sun summoner. The legend all Grisha were waiting on to finally come and banish the Fold. However, Aleeza couldn't do that, could she? Genya thought. She always found comfort that Aleeza was struggling like she was, a useless nobody unable to use her powers. Sure Genya could use her powers, and they were equally unique. However, her powers weren't so much a blessing as a curse.