It had rained overnight, and with the morning sun came a thick mist that hung in the air, plunging the city into a foggy haze.

For their last morning the two elves helped Rosalind prepare the morning meal in amicable silence, the smell of boiling grains wafting through the cool room and warming their bodies. The trio were appreciating the time spent together before their inevitable separation.

Only when they had an array of steaming bowls laying on the table before them, was the silence finally broken.

“I expect a visit at least once a week,” The matron demanded.

“Mum, we’ve been through this already, of course we will.” Sophia placated, wrapping up the older woman in a hug which was swiftly returned.

“And try not to let Axia or Arne to get you into any more idiotic situations.” Their mother fussed. “Also don’t try to start fights at school.”

Ursula rolled her eyes and joined in on the hug, “Mum it’s okay. After the incident at the enchanting store, we’re training even harder.”

All three of them froze.

“What happened at the store the other day young lady?” Rosalind asked with a steel like edge to her voice.

“…Nothing.” Ursula eked out.

“Sophia?” Their mother prodded expectantly.

The blonde in question loudly gulped, squeezing her arms ever so slightly tighter in the hope of restraining the awakening volcanic fury of their mother’s anger, “Come on Mum. Just a little misunderstanding.”

“Sophia.” There was no misunderstanding her tone which demanded answers.

“Look it was all sorted out by the headmaster and we’ve got in income now from the sale of our enchantment.  We’re even planning on giving some to the orphanage.” Sophia desperately blurted out, hoping to distract her mother.

Rosalind sighed, “I worry about you two. But I believe you two should hold onto the money and use it for yourselves. Any kind of advantage may be crucial.”

Both elves smiled warmly at the generous gesture.

“I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree.” The blacksmith muttered.

They stayed in the hug for a few minutes before the matron gave them one last big squeeze. She separated enough to lay a kiss on both Ursula and Sophia’s foreheads.

“I love you both so much. Stay safe.” Rosalind gave them both a tearful smile as her voice hitched.

They both felt a hot prickle of tears build in the corner of their eyes, but they blinked it away.

“We love you as well Mum.” The teens answered in chorus.

With that, Rosalind turned away and rang the morning bell summoning forth a cascade of hungry children from the rooms above. In minutes the table was bereft of food and the laughter of children began to sound out from outside as they dashed through the mist.

The matron was scrambling to sort out the small problems of missing items or general malady, but she did afford the reincarnated duo a proud nod and a smile as they left for school.

 

<-{|}->

 

Sophia and Ursula sat down in their magic classroom with shivering with anticipation and trepidation.

“This’ll be the first time we really show our magic,” Sophia whispered excitedly.

Ursula nodded with a shark like grin, “Yesterday’s theory was on flame magic so I guess I’ll have some time to shine then.”

The rest of the students gradually filtered in, their eyes flicking to the grinning duo at the back with a small amount of confusion growing on their faces.

When Professor Virding walked through the doorframe he glanced at the pair sitting in the back and paused. He exhaled loudly and shook his head.

“We can begin with your homework,” the teacher began in his Germanic accent, “Which was to practice conjuring a flame. You can begin by showing the class your progress with bonus marks for duration and strength. We will begin with-” He trailed off looking at the front row and sighed trying to ignore the hand waving in front of his face, “Mr. Anders, please come forward.”

As usual Aaron strutted forward maintaining eye contact with the teen noblewoman Abi sitting on the other side of the room. Naturally, she ignored him completely – continuing to focus solely on the teacher in front of her.

The teen noble stood still, hand held out, with a look of constipated concentration on his face. After ten seconds a small flame began to merrily dance across his hand crackling every so often reminiscent of the sound of a campfire.  

Soon sweat was beginning to bead across his forehead and with a groan he let the flame extinguish. He trudged back to his seat and slumped into it, an exhausted but smug smile on his face. He took a moment to glance around the room trying to make eye contact, but everyone pointedly looked away.

There were a few students that went after him that were able to conjure small fires, but everyone held their breath when Abi glided up towards the front.

An orange and red flame concentrated on her palm appeared after only a few seconds, the students in the front row leaning back in the seats to try and escape the heat.

The flames then abruptly ended, the elegantly dressed girl letting a smile tug at the corner of her lips before she gracefully sat down with a relieved sigh.

The rest of the class went up after with only one student coming slightly close to Aaron’s example, the noble giving the boy the stink eye as he went to sit back down. Finally, it was Ursula’s turn, with each step she took the grin on her face only grew more vicious. But before she could begin, she heard the heavily accented voice of her teacher speak into her ear.

“Are you sure?” He asked, his voice laced with melancholy.

Ursula straightened her posture and snapped her fingers and only a second later a conflagration burst into existence, singeing the eyebrows of the first two rows before she contained its fiery nature. The fire surged upwards nearly reaching the roof and continued to burn fiercely.

As she let the fire burn, Ursula glanced around the room relishing in the glare she was receiving from Aaron and the light frown on Abi’s pouty lips. Satisfied with her show she let the flames die out, shot the class a cheeky grin and sat back down.

“The headmaster’s teachings are already starting to pay off,” Sophia stage whispered to her smug friend, making sure everyone heard her using sound magic.

Sophia then headed to the front and with a small wave of her hand red flames began to grow in her palm, ever so slowly crawling up into the sky. When it was about the size of a pineapple the fire was flooded with oxygen turning the fire blue and flooding the room with the roaring sound of a forge fire. The blonde elf then decided to go a step further and cool the nearby surroundings eventually causing everyone’s breath to fog up while the stone roofing above her began to glow red hot.

“That’s quite enough,” The professor interjected, “You’ve shown your competency. I will need to speak with you both after class.”

Sophia pouted at him and returned to her desk under the incredulous eyes of the classroom, smirking devilishly at them as she dropped into her partner’s lap.

“Ahem,” The teacher coughed, drawing the classes attention back onto him, “Earth is the next element we will be examining in close detail…”

The teacher droned on for the next couple hours before the bell rang allowing the class to filter out – leaving Sophia and Ursula with the teacher.

“I hope you two know what you’re doing.” He said solemnly.

“We’re hoping that because we’ve been flying under the radar until now, everyone is only going to focus on us now. We’ll rely on the headmaster’s influence and completely distance ourselves from the orphanage.” Sophia concluded.

The teacher shook his head, “For your sake and your fellow orphans I pray you’re correct. You’re dismissed.” He said frostily.

The moment the pair stepped outside the room they were waylaid by their classmates.

“Can you teach us how to do it?” A smaller male teen pleaded.

Another man scoffed, “They’ll want something you can’t give them – a good dicking.”

“Please, like you can do anything with what you have. Especially after a minute.” A girl interjected with affronted frown, causing the guy to sputter.

As the crowd was arguing Sophia and Ursula slipped through, letting out a loud sigh of relief as they turned the corner.

“Greetings, my name is Saul. My lady wishes to meet with you both.” A small unassuming man greeted them.

Ursula’s temper flared, “Well we don’t want to meet with her! She can meet us like a normal fucking person, not to mention the class we have to get to.”

The man’s expression didn’t flinch in the slightest, “Very well. I will notify her of your… preferences.”

With a half bow, he left.

“Oh, he’s gone. I honestly wasn’t expecting that,” Ursula blurted out, befuddled.

“What if Adam was an outlier?” Sophia proposed, her face creasing with worry. The noble they had met previously was a complete idiot and his actions had varied completely from what they were experiencing right now.

“Well…” Ursula began but no plans came to mind, “We just have to take it as it goes – and try not to make too many enemies.” She concluded guiltily.

“Ursy you can’t blame yourself for reacting like that.” Sophia said soothingly, rubbing her partner’s strong back, “And while it could have been a touch more… diplomatic. We need to establish that we aren’t at everyone’s beck and call.”

The smith let out a long hard breath and nodded, squeezing Sophia’s hand and dragging he along to maths class.

After maths the pair visited the library, hoping to avoid the envious gazes of their fellow students that had suddenly picked up.

They savoured each other’s company behind the stacks as Sophia idly flipped through a book as calloused hands ran through her silky golden tresses.

“Greetings,” A monotone voice called out to them, her voice softer than a falling snowflake.

They turned to see the impeccably dressed Abi standing before them, her snow-white voluminous dress has small crystals stitched into a shape of a snowflake.

“We’ve not yet been introduced my name is Abi Harvard. I trust the day has been well for you both?” She asked, primly sitting down next to them smoothing out a few wrinkles that had appeared on her clothes.

“It has… Uh, my name is Ursula Lifthrasir and my girlfriend is Sophia Lifthrasir. I hope it’s the same for you?” Ursula tentatively replied, unsure if her slight earlier had already made an enemy of the frosty woman.

“It has been informative. I must admit I find myself curious as to the nature of the spell you used earlier Sophia, however, that is not what needs to be discussed. As you say I have ‘come to you like a normal fucking person’ and I wish to make a trade – Information for information.” The woman explained with a cold countenance.

Ursula’s eyebrows narrowed in concentration, “And what bargain do you wish to make?”

Abi began to leisurely glance over her fingernails, “Your obvious ploy has certainly established yourselves under the protection of the headmaster. Subsequently, your display of your magical prowess after such tame displays prior to our previous lesson leads me to ask the question – why did you reveal yourself and why now? It is impossible to gain the finesse you two have in one week therefore-”

“-I’m going to have to stop you there and ask you to get to the point.” Ursula bluntly interrupted.

Her lips pursed slightly before she replied, “Very well.” She took her ice-blue eyes off her fingernails and stared up into Urusla’s brown ones, “Teach me how to do the cold flame and I will endeavour to protect your past at the orphanage against those with more nefarious intent. You are free to disagree, however, I believe I am making a fair offer.”

“Why are you being so accommodating?” Ursula asked sceptically, leaning back in her chair and hugging the teen in her lap a little harder.

The white dressed teen lightly sighed, “I see you have acquainted yourself with a few of my fellow nobles.  Ultimately, attempting to use your background as leverage would disassociate you further from all nobles. They may gain a momentary power over you, but such an action would seed resentment. The resentment, when given the room to grow by the headmaster, would flower into two dangerous opponents. I merely wish to stay on the right side.”

“Why didn’t you ask Sophia – she is the one who cast the spell.”

The icy-blue eyed girl tilted her head, “She is reading, and I would hate to interrupt her. Additionally, if I am dealing with one then I am dealing with both. You are married afterall.”

Stunned silence.

“We’re not married yet.” Sophia interjected, sputtering.

“We have the same last name because of a ritual.” Ursula eventually answered.

The noble merely nodded, “I expected you had, and I am familiar with the ritual of Naming. However, whoever told you it was purely for granting a name was lying or misinformed. It engraves the name in your very being but baring your soul in the presence of another is…” For the first time she showed more than a shadow of an emotion as a small smile crept onto her lips, “Simply magical. All who have conducted the ritual together and are not of the same blood have married, without fail.”

They both remained stationary for a few minutes, eventually Ursula’s arms crept around her lap’s occupant.

“We both know it was going to happen one day.” She said lovingly.

Sophia massaged the back of one of the hands holding her with a content smile.

The delicate sound of a throat being cleared distracted the pair from their romantic musings.

“Do you wish to make the trade?” The noble girl offered quietly.

“The information behind this spell is special to our family. Do we have your word it will not go beyond you?” Ursula asked formally, her tone heavy.

“You do.” The woman nodded.

“Good.” Sophia said as she set her book down and with a click of her fingers a very well-formed sound isolation bubble surrounded them. “The spell is in two parts. I will try to use terms you will understand, please interrupt me if you do not. The flame itself is a highly oxygenat- highly fuelled with well circulated air.”

The noble’s face narrowed, “Fire doesn’t need air to burn.”

Sophia smile placatingly, “And yet what happens if you cover it?”

The frosty girl thought for a moment and then nodded for Sophia to continue.

“I also used a typical energy reflection barrier to funnel the flames heat into the roof, focusing its power but also protecting us. And then finally, I used a simple cooling spell to complete the effect.” Sophia finished with a shrug of her slim shoulders.

“I profess myself slightly disappointed that it was not a cold flame. However, the intricacies behind it greatly interest me.” She straightened up and looked them both in the eye, “You have kept your word and I will do the same.”

Out from around her neck she pulled a small golden bell. She rang it three times and moments after the third ring Saul appeared with a puff of shadows. He opened his mouth, but no sound reached their ears.

“Whoops. Let me get that for you.” Sophia blurted out, clicking her fingers, and dispelling the sound barrier.

“My lady what do you wish of me?” Saul asked, bowing at the waist.

“They have fulfilled their part of the trade. Go modify their records and be thorough. I believe we have forged an amicable relationship for the future, and I do not wish to jeopardise it.” The cool woman explained.

“Yes, my lady.” Saul said.

He nodded at the pair and then shadows coiled up his body, enveloping his limbs, and then with a small puff of magic he disappeared.

“A lot of what you said today was to make yourself more favourable in our eyes wasn’t it?” Sophia said pointedly.

The well-dressed woman didn’t hesitate, “Of course. But it does not change the fact I wish to foster a cordial relationship. But for the moment we must part ways, if you wish to make a deal notify me and we will speak.”

With that parting statement she stood and walked out of sight, the pair now noticing she was leaving a small trail of frost where she was walking.

“What that just happened.” Sophia commented dryly, still a little dazed.

“Yup.”

The bell rung and the pair were forced to their next class, history. Their minds still reeling from their meeting.

 

<-{|}->

 

By afternoon the mist had dissipated, and the pair were free to head straight for Empirio’s Enchanting. They spotted Ellie sitting at the front desk looking bored and made a beeline for her.

“Hello and welc-” She looked up, and sighed, “Oh it’s you two. Here for your money?”

They nodded frantically and watched with bated breath as the woman pulled out a small sack that clinked as it hit the desk. They both tried not to slump when the sound didn’t seem loud enough.

“You expected more, didn’t you?” Ellie asked stabbing a finger at them, “Well since your little stunt sales have fallen off, especially for your enchantment as everyone still thinks we stole it from you.”

Ursula thought for a moment, “How about we come here for a couple of hours on the weekends and do some enchanting and smithing out in the open for you? People should come to realise everything’s okay after that right?”

Ellie considered the offer, “Okay – but we’re not paying you anything other than your royalties.”

“If you sell more, we get more,” The blacksmith answered as she swiped the bag off the table, “See you then.”

 With a round of nods the teens left heading straight towards the markets.

Although it was late afternoon the place was still thronging with people of all kinds. Sophia was content in remaining leaned up against her lover, but something caught her eye.

“Hey that’s the guy that was jerking off the first time we came here.” The blonde pointed out.

“I wonder what he does for a living?” Ursula queried.

The man suddenly sped up his actions and came all over the ground, making it look like it has spontaneously snowed in that specific area. With a wave of his hand the white fluid alongside a few pieces of garbage and refuse lining the pathway lifted up off the ground and disappeared. He held out his hand to the shopkeeper nearby and was begrudgingly given a silver talent. Whistling a jaunty tune, he headed off deeper into the endless lines of stalls.

“Well, that was a question that I really didn’t want answered.” Ursula said, her lip curled in disgust.

“Come on Ursy, we still need to get some food.” Sophia pushed the taller teen along.

The brown-eyed elf rolled her eyes, “Heaven’s forbid you don’t get fed.”

Using the money from the enchanting store the pair were able to get a few simple ingredients which were promptly put into the space bag they had pilfered from Axia.

“You know I think that went rather well,” The enchanter said with a smile, as they were walking back, “We only got asked out twice which must be a record.”

Unconsciously, Ursula started to head back towards the orphanage, but Sophia held her back.

“What are you- Oh. Right. Let’s get going then.” Ursula muttered as she squared her shoulders. “To our new home.”

Sophia looked forlornly towards where she knew the orphanage lay, “Yes – lets.”