THE FORTUNIST

Leurayssa

"Dian's Teardrop is the cryfix of House Dian."

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There is a thin brick paved path in the middle from which one can access the arenas and dueling grounds. Each spanning a decent distance of a one hundred yards. Zephyr had told Leurayssa to enter the last arena on the right.

Walking through, Leurayssa cannot help but realise that she is as unremarkable as Zephyr if not more. She does not need to try too hard to escape notice. The grounds are occupied with people sparring, training and wielding all forms of cryfix magic. Nobody is sparing her a first glance talk less of a second one. She gulps when her destination draws near. Her throat is scratchy and dry, wondering what she would find on the last arena on the right. Zephyr had used the pronoun 'her' to describe the head of non academic staff. Leurayssa might have been too grateful then that she forgot to ask for a more detailed description.

There is no one in the ground when she arrives which is a welcome surprise considering that all the other arenas including the one directly opposite this one are crowded with laughing, squabbling people of all ages.

"This is an exclusive yard."

Startled, Leurayssa turns to see who is addressing her. It is a middle aged masculine woman with fierce green eyes that stare Leurayssa down. The woman is holding a sparring sword over her right shoulder. Her gaze darts over to Leurayssa's luggage.

"Are you lost?"

Leurayssa straightens. "No."

"It looks like it."

"I'm... I'm looking for employment."

"An obscure training yard is the most uncanny place to find employment."

"I was told to come here if I wanted employment."

"By who?"

"No one."

"Well, there is no one here who can give you employment."

"There's you."

"Is that your presumption of me?"

"You look at me like I'm someone who doesn't belong. It'll be because you know what it means to belong."

"Hmmn. Interviews ended three days ago."

"I've been around three days long. Nobody would tell me where to go."

The woman shifts closer, an amused gleam in her eyes. She towers over Leurayssa by much but Leurayssa clearly hears the mocking whispered word 'Liar' that flits above her head.

"I'm not lying," she adamantly denies in a bid to also deny the panic she feels rising from the lowest pit of her belly.

The woman moves out of Leurayssa's personal space. "Albenarum does not admit liars. Good thing you didn't waste my time coming for the interview. You can go now."

"Why do you think I'm lying?"

"Your question should be how do I know you're lying."

Leurayssa hesitates, "Nobody is willing to help around here. It'd take at least a week to get a straight answer about anything."

"If you had come anytime before three days ago, commoners and nobles alike would have helped you because they would all know why you are here. Now, the basis of why you are here no longer exists so why would they bother?"

"I am here to find employment and I am not leaving without it."

"You are not leaving with it either."

"Ha, are we playing on words now?"

"Your accent."

"What's wrong with my accent?"

"It is very heavy, have you been in Dian all your life?"

Leurayssa is nearly disoriented at this point. She was only trying to follow Zephyr's advice by ditching her Cailis accent. Anarella knew all the variations of Albenian. She even used to boast that she had read a few pieces of Anviem Script before they were all burnt by King Meghren whose wife is now queen and whose sons are set to rule the country anytime soon. Leurayssa had picked up this particular accent from her sister without knowing its entailments.

"I... I guess?"

"Dian has ten trading cities. How is it that your ridiculous accent was not diluted?"

"It... it um happens sometimes?"

The woman bursts into laughter and Leurayssa knows she has said something wrong. She is not bold enough to ask what it is. The woman suddenly stops. She wears a grave look. "Your accent is from Zia's House dear. It died five generations ago during the reign of King Albet the Third. They call his reign 'The Diluted' because he discouraged regionalism and all the houses had more interactions to develop what we know today as the Common Tongue. Do you even know that?" Leurayssa remains silent. "I told you Albenarum is no place for liars yet, you continue to lie. It's not like you're even good at lying."

If Anarella was here, she would grab a bowl of peanuts and laugh her ass out. She always used to say Leurayssa was a bad liar and here now was an equally brash person making a similar observation.

"You and my sister would've gotten along."

"Is that the first truthful thing you've said all day?"

"Why don't you think I'm lying? My sister could be my brother."

"I'm generally harsh to women. You think I'd be gentler to men?"

"That is something my sister could've said. But even my thoughts could be lies."

The woman gives a dismissive scoff. "In a place like this, you'd do well to hide your thoughts."