The Library at night is a peaceful place. The Aesthetic System dims the lights, softens sounds, and shifts the views out the many arched windows from sweeping landscapes to the vast beauty of starry skies. Given the hour, Noelle should be asleep. However, King Bryann made an unexpected late-night appearance to check on his son, and there's no way she's coming out until he leaves.
Recall pulls up a screen showing visual data of a furious Queen Maryn towering over Noelle's cot in the basement holding cell. The queen showed up a couple hours after Aidyn woke up the first time, and let's just say, it did NOT go well. When Aidyn asked Noelle what happened to make her ignore the signs and push into Overload, his mother is what happened.
Noelle frowns at the Recall screen and hurriedly changes the data from its basic visual format into a text format on a sheet of paper. She then folds the page into an aerodynamic shape and sends it flying high up in the air. Noelle smirks as she watches the page loop in and out of the various data streams circulating near the vaulted ceilings.
Tangibility is one of her favorite parts about using three-dimensional systems to manage her data instead of flat ones that exist just in her field of vision. Getting to walk around in her data instead of only seeing it makes her at least feel like she has more control. If magic insists on being so pushy, at least in The Library she's able to push back.
Another great thing about mental constructs is they make great hideouts. Tucked away at her desk in the center of The Library, with Recall playing her favorite music in the background, Noelle can almost ignore the conversation taking place in her and Aidyn's hospital room.
Almost. But not quite.
Registration is definitely one of the pushy aspects of her magic Noelle could go without. Part of the passive nature of Memorization means her magic constantly collects data from her surroundings whether she's actively paying attention or not. Registration acts as a type of heightened awareness that captures a version of everything within range whether she wants to or not. Closing her eyes and plugging her ears doesn't mean her magic stops cataloging what happens around her. Even being in The Library, which is in the magical realm, doesn't stop her Registration System from doing its thing in the physical realm, because her body is still partially connected to the physical world as well. As a result, Noelle doesn't have to physically listen to or see the king and Aidyn for her magic to still catalog what they say and do. Registration continues to record everything and translate it for her like a transcription, providing visual, auditory, and emotional cues as needed.
Is Noelle still working? King Bryann's voice registers as Curious as he takes a seat next to Aidyn's bed. I haven't had a chance to officially say hello to her yet.
No, she's not working, Aidyn answers. She's hiding from you.
Noelle inhales sharply. Dang it, Aidyn! How dare he throw her under the carriage like that?
As expected, King Bryann winces at Aidyn's remark.
Great. Now she's offended both of Embermoore's monarchs.
Yeah, it's a problem, Aidyn-The-Snitch continues. Noelle doesn't hear him sigh, but her magic registers it as Frustrated. Something happened between her and Mother the first day we were here, and now she flees the physical realm whenever either of you show up. She won't tell me what happened though.
Good thing she hasn't, since Aidyn apparently has no problem blabbing her secrets!
The king shakes his head Ruefully. While I have been worried about your mother's reactions lately, the face I just made was on your behalf, not Noelle's. He gives a chuckle that catalogs as Sympathetic. You realize she heard everything you just said, right? Or the Memorizer equivalent?
What? Aidyn's eyes widen in Alarm. How? She's not in the room. She's in The Library!
King Bryann, who must have worked closely with a Memorizer at some point, does a great job explaining the concept of Registration to a very Embarrassed Aidyn.
Sorry, Noelle, Aidyn says, covering his face with his hands. If you're Registering everything we're saying anyway, could you just come join us? It would be less confusing.
Noelle would really rather not.
Let her be, King Bryann says in a voice that registers as Kind. Nothing I have to say requires an immediate answer, but I do have some news, as well as something for the two of you to consider.
Aidyn removes his hands from his face. That feels ominous.
Noelle agrees.
Some of it's good, the king says. As of this afternoon, Mages Taryon, Brehanna, Emmett, and Ellyse have been formally cleared of all charges and are back on active-duty. They will be released from the Stronghold tomorrow, and their access to the networks has been restored.
That's great! But what about Noelle?
The king gives a Sorrowful sigh. Unfortunately, the charges against Noelle still stand. Parliament is demanding a trial to address both the charges against her and to determine if she's fit to be your Love Bond partner. They've set the date for three weeks from Monday.
Noelle's heart sinks. Trials are categorically Public Affairs, full of reporters and spectators.
Aidyn doesn't seem thrilled with this news either. What are they going to do, disapprove of our bond?It's already formed. A trial won't change that.
I know. It's a power move. They feel slighted, so now they want to re-establish a sense of balance.
Balance? Aidyn clenches his blanket in his fists. They don't want balance. They want to come out on top, and since they can't touch me in this situation, they'll drag Noelle through the mud to do it!
As things currently stand, yes, King Bryann admits. But not if she becomes a Lady.
Noelle gasps. Become a LADY?! Heck no. There's no way she's giving up her Mage title. She's worked too hard and has too many of her own plans for that.
Dad, I can tell you right now, Noelle isn't going to want to join the Royal Court. That's an entirely different career path.
Aidyn is 100% correct.
With the exception of royalty, titles in Embermoore are not passed down through family lines like in other kingdoms. While there are still certain social implications with each type, Embermoorian titles are tied to professions and earned through merit-based systems. Merits are awarded based on things like educational degrees, apprenticeships/work experiences, and professional or social commendations.
Recall pulls up the steps for receiving an Embermoorian title:
1. Earn the required amount of merits
2. Submit a Title Petition
3. Acquire the signatures of three sponsors with the same title to back your petition
4. Move up in prestige/rank by earning more merits
If you want to work as a government official or ambassador, you pursue a title of nobility as a Lord or Lady. If you want to work with magic, you pursue the title of Mage. There are a handful of other specialized titles for unique or overlapping professions, but most fall under the general title "Master."
There are things besides occupation that separate titles as well. Being a Lady involves a whole different set of social rules and expectations than being a Mage, including an entirely different wardrobe.
Noelle likes her mage uniforms. Wearing the same thing every day keeps at least one thing in life blessedly simply. Plus, mage cloaks are cool! They have deep pockets and billow epically whenever mages move with determination. Mages are generally very determined individuals, so billowing cloaks are kind of their trademark.
Most importantly, she loves using her magic professionally. It takes so much work in general to just exist as a Memorizer, getting to use it beyond just basic survival makes it much more meaningful and enjoyable. It gives her a greater sense of purpose.
The point is, Noelle likes being Mage Allendale. She does NOT want to be Lady Noelle.
King Bryann raises his hands in Supplication to Aidyn's objections. I'm simply here to offer Noelle a sponsorship from The Crown if she wants it.
Recall tells her that securing sponsorship tends to be the hardest part of earning titles of nobility. Her data also confirms that The Crown can sponsor any person for any title. Additionally, a sponsorship from The Crown counts as all three of the sponsors needed to approve a petition, since it is signed by the Queen, King, and Captain of the Royal Guard.
If The Crown backs Noelle's petition, the king continues, we can easily and quickly bypass the merit requirements she lacks. It also lets your mother and I visibly show our support for your new bond. The trial, as well as Noelle's transition into a life by your side, will go more smoothly as a result. Since royal spouses are traditionally supposed to be members of nobility, the Royal Court and the public will also be more accepting of the situation if Noelle has the traditionally appropriate title.
Noelle and Aidyn fill two different realms with spectacular sputterings over the implications of marriage.
Aidyn launches himself out of bed and starts pacing. Spouses?! I didn't think we had to get officially married! He freezes when he turns and sees her bed. Not that I'm saying you aren't marriage material, Noelle!
Feeling both relieved and offended at the same time, Noelle materializes a couch next to her desk in The Library and throws herself onto it.
A Weary sigh that barely registers escapes the king before he stands and gently redirects Aidyn back into bed. No, you don't have to get married. I just meant your Love Bond goes against a lot of traditions, which makes a lot of people grumpy and nervous. Doing something to realign with tradition now will go a long way in reassuring insecure parties. Just think about it.
With that, King Bryann tucks his thirty-two year old son into bed and proceeds to hold his hand until he falls asleep.
Noelle finds the whole scene rather endearing, which confuses her more than anything. Her collection of data about the king is turning out to be in direct opposition of her collection about the queen.
Noelle, King Bryann whispers when he stands to leave, I don't know exactly what Maryn said to you, but I imagine it was unkind.
From her cozy couch in The Library, Noelle scoffs. "Unkind" is a "kind" way of putting it.
I'm sorry, he continues. For all her strengths, fear hardens Maryn into someone I don't always recognize. I hoped she'd let the past stay in the past, but as you well know, that's easier said than done.
As guards open the hospital room door, he looks back over his shoulder towards Aidyn. Thank you for saving him.
Before he exits, the king makes the hand gestures that register as one of the Army's specialized salutes—the Salute of the Strong—and follows it up with the traditional saying that goes with it.
May what's strong, never break.
After the door closes and her magic registers a GuardMage named Gynger turning off the lamp, Noelle silently shifts back into the physical realm. When she finally falls asleep, she dreams of Aidyn's face staring back at her with two different eyes—one with his father's affectionate warmth, and the other with his mother's icy disapproval.