Long live the Villainess

#8-Nymeria of Esmeray

"Mother!" screams a delighted Kallias.

I hear his little footsteps climbing the stairs, and the ruffling of the oversized cloak still attached to him.

"Kallias!"

Weeps and words of welcome fuse from the small crowd. As for the first division and me, we stay facing towards the ground.

"Commander Aldraril," calls gently the silky voice of the Queen of Esmeray, "Please rise."

I hear the metallic clicking noise of armor—surely Eiran rising from the ground.

"Thank you, you saved and brought back unharmed my son."

"There is no need to thank me," responds solemnly my mentor, "I failed my duty the moment the young Prince was kidnapped."

"Please, do not underestimate yourself Lord Aldraril," answers an unknown voice.

The Crown Prince? Or is it the second one? Impossible to know when the only thing I can observe are the multiple cracks on the floor. Breathing becomes more and more unpleasant since Lord Zenon is still holding me by the collar.

"There is someone I must introduce to your Majesties," says suddenly Eiran.

'Oh no please don't,' I pray internally.

Wait, but this actually might be a good idea! After all, I must become a well-known apprentice in order to be sent to Svenja.

"Raven," calls Lord Aldraril, "Come here."

I take a deep breath and take a second to compose a neutral but respectful face. I get up gracefully, making sure to not look up the stairs and walk at the correct measure towards Eiran.

I place myself at his left a little behind—putting yourself at the right of someone means you have a strong relationship, but putting yourself at the left means you have a lower status than the one in front, it is a mark of respect.

'I know that no one would have reprimanded me if I didn't do what I just did, but everything is good to create a lasting impression.'

"I present to you Raven Mhyrr, my new student," introduces me Eiran.

I bow respectfully, with one hand on my heart and the other against my back, "I, Raven Mhyrr, greet the four suns of Esmeray."

I can read the surprise in the grey eyes of Lord Eiran, but he simply nods satisfied before continuing my presentation.

"Raven was a mercenary apprentice," he says, ignoring the shocked faces and cries of the crowd. "I was able to witness her skills myself and after a long period of reflection, I decided that I couldn't let such a rare potential rot in a mercenary village."

'It didn't take you that long to decide,' I think.

But seeing the reaction of the crowd, I realize that he chose those crude words to clean up my image.

I remember Marianna's words, "The other apprentices and knights will give you a rough time before accepting you, just because you come from a mercenary family."

By speaking like this, he makes it sound like I am rejecting my roots and fully converting myself to the desire to be part of the knighthood.

Clever, but it irritates me.

"Raven saved me from the evil mercenaries," comments Kallias. "She killed them all except for one."

'Yes, because it was my friend.'

"Then Eiran came, and they started to beat each other up."

I swallow a smile and keep my head tilted towards the end of the stairs.