The Rise of Imani Firyali *NOW OFFICIALLY PUBLISHED!!*

SIX

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"Amia is a monarchy, but the rankings are simple to understanding class and power. You know where trainees are ranked; below everyone else, equal to the citizens. Commanders are in charge of their own specific sector of soldiers during war, but in times of peace or preparation they are responsible for being teachers to new trainees. Commanders are thus ordered by the higher ranked generals, who dictate a group of commanders and can issue orders to anyone below them."

I watched Soren intently, my mentor sitting in the chair opposite of me with a book in his hands. It was the same day we had run into Valerie and we had gone on to the academy's grand library for me to get more history lessons on Amia. I wasn't quite sure why I needed to know all of this, and it felt slightly embarrassing that no one else had to do this during their training.

Soren's dark eyes moved over the pages steadily as he continued. "The twelve senators are the highest ranked authorities in Amia, and act both as war and political counselors that the queen of the time consults before making any major decisions. They are all of noble birth, and are wealthy enough and famous enough for other countries to know about them, as they are normally in charge of a major branch of the government."

"No wonder Valerie's self-pride overpowers her sense of knowledge..." I mumbled, unable to help myself.

The corner of Soren's mouth twitched. "Senators are in position from their late thirties throughout most of their senior years, and it takes a long period of time for anyone to be considered up for the role of a senator. If one dies or resigns, the queen in rule must vote amongst herself, her significant other, and the rest of the senators to appoint a new member."

"Who was the youngest member ever to be appointed as a senator?" I asked.

Soren flicked his eyes up to me. "Senator Chayton."

I remembered the man I had met four days ago and resisted the urge to shudder. "How?"

"When he was a general, Senator Chayton created a dynamic ambush maneuver that drastically raised our odds in the local war thirty years ago."

I nodded, regretfully impressed though not surprised. I remembered that there was a lust for war in his eyes I hadn't initially noticed in the moment.

Soren closed the book in his lap, sighing. "I think that's enough for now."

I hesitated, having been braiding my hair to keep it out of my face. "What? That was short."

"You enjoy this?" Soren asked, genuinely surprised.

I shrugged, looking at the books surrounding us. "Each book has a piece of knowledge, and I used to want to know it all as a small child. Maybe a little bit of that child's love for it is still left within me."

"You like to read?"

I felt embarrassment fill me. "I cannot fully read Amian yet. I never got official teachings."

"You speak so well," Soren began, drawing my eyes to him, "I figured you had been taught. How did you learn it so accurately?"

I remembered the endless nights and days of silence, both from my voice and in my thoughts. "I learned it by listening to citizens as I travelled. I would practice by myself, and I eventually picked up on it. It took me years."