On the third day, the storm that had ravaged finally settled, and the Prince and Master Ravnsund left the manor.

  In their wake was a shaken manor, where a new girl had been added to the already messy wallflower group that Katharina found herself in.

  And a rippling rumor that two girls had been allowed to have this breakfast with the Master himself.

  The woman named Sabuh turned out to be a beauty with thorns; within mere days, she had split their wallflower right down the middle.

  Lian kept her quiet command over one half, with Katharina and Letessa falling in behind her as naturally as breathing. Letessa remained perfect in every exercise yet oddly fragile in conversation, while Katharina found herself catching up with surprising speed. When she focused her aura just right, she could charm her way through lessons, nudging the air around her so subtly that instructors seemed more inclined to praise than correct.

  Sabuh claimed the other half with a softness that never quite hid its teeth. Her sweetness in lessons was precise and deliberate, never overdone, never cloying. Even Furrowed Brow, who rarely softened for anyone, began greeting her with a gentler look. Princess Nose all but tripped over herself to prove her loyalty, her pride melting into eager smiles. While Grunty and Crooked Bangs drifted into Sabuh's orbit more slowly, as they had the fragile bond of having joined the group simultaneously, keeping them together. Yet they were pulled by the strange gravity Sabuh carried.

  Katharina had once believed Madam R?fna favored her, if even in the smallest of capacities. Those private aura lessons, the stern corrections followed by rare, quiet nods, the moments R?fna lingered just long enough to make it seem like she saw something promising in her. But after Sabuh arrived, that illusion began to crumble. Sabuh seemed to win approval wherever she stepped, her voice sweet as honey, her manners flawless, her every word sliding neatly into the expectations of each instructor.

  Only the music instructor remained unmoved. Lian stayed after class with her now and then, speaking in low tones Katharina could never fully catch, and Sabuh's attempts to join were met with polite, immovable dismissal. It was the one space Sabuh could not enter, and the only reminder that not all doors opened for her.

  Katharina watched all of this quietly, feeling something tighten in her chest. She was not jealous. Not exactly. Just disoriented, as though the ground beneath her had shifted while she wasn't looking.

  The shift in routine had brought with it a new set of nightmares. Now it was the loss of her family, her old world, and Runa, but instead of the usual harrowing emptiness that would haunt her nights, now a looming presence like an unseen monster in a horror just about to be revealed seemed to linger right past her field of view.

  But one night, Katharina found herself deep in a nightmareless slumber. It had been a long time since a pleasant dream had replaced the otherwise haunting visions that plagued her night.

  Maybe it was the snowy winter outside, but the dream was of a Christmas. She was there with her mom and dad, even her boyfriend, there were other people as well, but their faces were blurred in the way they sometimes are in dreams, not quite someone you know, but important in the dreamverse.

  It was nothing special, just bliss and comfort. However, just as they were getting to her favorite part, dancing around the tree and singing, the fact that this was nothing but a figment of her slumbering brain's imagination became apparent.

  A knock sounded on the door to their living room, or was it the living room? The knock got louder and firmer. It sounded as though it came from everywhere, and the happy faces started to fade. Soon, only the lights on the tree were left, and even sooner, nothing. She was awake.

  Her shoulder tugged sharply, the brand calling, but not in its usual cold, clawing way. This time it felt warm, almost... inviting. Was it the comfort of the dream that hadn't quite left, or was this truly the brand? Katharina wasn't sure at first.

  It was pitch-black in their little room, and the knocking sounded again. Lian was already getting into her dress.

  "Is-e it morning?" Katharina asked in groggy confusion?

  "No," There was a pleasant chuckle in Lian's voice as though Katharina was asking a silly question. "It is night, but it is Lysies' night."

  Katharina couldn't see it in the darkness, but she knew exactly the kind of playful expression that had formed on Lian's lips as she said that.

  "Hurry up, Katharina."

  Lian threw Katharina's dress at her while closing the last few buttons on her own, and stood at the door before Katharina could scramble to get her own on. Another, more insistent knock came, and Lian didn't wait any longer.

  Up flew the door with Katharina still only half dressed. In the hallway, waited the only person in the manor with such a firm knock, Madam R?fna.

  She stood there, taking up the entirety of their doorframe, bent a little forward to fit under the low ceiling. In one hand, she held a golden candlestick; in the other, a bag of more candles.

  The candlelight danced against her normally harsh, long features, but tonight she looked surprisingly motherly, waiting in the hallway just for them.

  Without any explanation, Lian took a candle from the bag and lit it on the flame of Madam R?fna's candle. Katharina hurriedly did the same, still buttoning her dress, and completely forgetting about the green bodice.

  In the hallway, a long line of girls was already formed behind Madam R?fna, and Lian was on her way to the back. Every single one of them held a candle, and together they filled the hallway in a dancing light, casting lively shadows of their silhouettes on the walls and ceiling.

  As they fell in, the line before them started to move, inviting the next set of girls from their room to join them.

  The hallway filled with the soft sound of bare feet against cold floorboards, a rustling of whatever clothes they had managed to throw on, and the gentle tremble of candle flames swaying as the long procession found its rhythm. The shadows cast by their candles stretched in uneven shapes along the walls, growing and shrinking as the line advanced.

  A hush settled as Madam R?fna began to sing.

  Her deep voice echoed off the walls, steady and warm, carrying a melody that felt older than the manor itself. Soon, the girls closest to her joined in with thin, delicate voices. The sound travelled backward through the procession like a ripple.

  Katharina leaned forward to catch the words, and slowly the pattern in them became familiar. It was one of the seasonal poems R?fna had recited in those dreadful private lessons Katharina had been forced through in preparation for Master Ravnsund's judgment of her fate.

  Sung like this, the poem became a hymn praising nature. The thematic center of the lyrics, though still not entirely understood by Katharina, was the cool of winter and the promise of spring to come. It made her acutely aware of how the frosty night air stung her skin that had just moments ago been comfortably swathed in her bedcovers. In her mind, she let the images and feelings of her warm bed solidify to the point she could channel her aura to form a thin, warming layer surrounding her, keeping the cold at bay.

  Before long, the procession had made its way to the other end of the hallway, and a number of boys had joined, supplying the hymn with a low drone to the already pretty melody.

  Katharina felt compelled either by the beauty of the moment or the brand to join in. At first, her voice was a hesitant whisper that barely left her throat. She listened closely to the girls around her, letting their voices carry hers. Each time she stumbled on a vowel or rolled a consonant wrong, she swallowed it back and slipped into silence until she caught the melody again. No one seemed to mind. The hallway was full of so many voices that any imperfections dissolved into the warmth of the hymn.

  They went down the stairs away from the slaves' corridor.

  Down to the extravagant foyers and back deeper into the manor. Here they passed long rows of training rooms, their doors were shadowed and still.

  Every time they reached a closed door, Madam R?fna struck it firmly with the heel of her hand. A moment later, more barely woken individuals joined the procession, rubbing the sleep from their eyes as they took a candle from the bag and lit it on the nearest flame. The line grew and grew, a river of flickering gold weaving its way through the manor.

  At some point, their wandering had brought them back to the corridor leading to the mess hall, and as though in anticipation of something Katharina was yet to know, the song grew louder. The younger girls sang shyly, the older ones with practiced clarity. Even Furrowed Brow had joined in somewhere up front, his raspy voice surprisingly melodic when softened by candlelight.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  Katharina lifted her candle a little higher to avoid dripping wax on her fingers. For the first time in a long while, she felt part of something. Maybe it was the singing, or the sight of so many small flames moving as one, or the strange comfort of being surrounded by people who, for this one night, were not competing or scrambling to survive.

  The procession turned the final corner.

  They had passed through every corridor, waking every last girl, boy, man, and woman, pulling each one into the soft current of song. Not a single person was left behind in sleep. The procession finally arrived at their destination.

  R?fna opened the door to the mess hall and stepped aside, paving the way for them to enter, while still proudly singing.

  As Katharina stepped through, she saw the hall had been transformed. Any lamps that usually lit up the room were put out, and candles were gathered in bunches on large trays, catching the flowing wax.

  At the end of the room where they would be dished, the ever-gray mush stood a buffet. It booned with breads, meats, and dishes Katharina barely recognised.

  A frightening sensation washed over Katharina. She was happy. Excited even. And most of all nostalgic, like the dream she had had was coming to life.

  What frightened her about her sudden joy was the strength with which it manifested, as she realised how foreign such a feeling had become to her. Anything she had known for months now was either the sheething anger she felt toward her situation that loomed right beneath the surface, or the dreary mundanity of her repetitive routine. Really, on most days, the only thing she felt on the inside was the burning of the brand.

  But now here she stood, among friends, feeling almost like a version of herself that was almost forgotten. A version of herself she had feared had been left behind in her old world.

  She felt a sting in her core, a slow stabbing, a sorrow slowly warping the joy into despair as the certainty of how this short delusion of freedom would be gone by tomorrow.

  Lian pulled Katharina back to the moment and away from the bitterness by sticking her expressionless face in front of Katharina.

  "We should get going if we don't want a whooping."

  A small smile formed on her lips as she shot a glance toward the buffet, letting Katharina know exactly where they were supposed to go. Lian's endless pragmatism and ability to ensure minimal punishment in any situation had certainly become a cornerstone of comfort in Katharina's life, and she was relieved to have met this slightly enigmatic girl that one cool morning in the stables.

  They went and plated their share of the buffet. It was good food, though nothing compared to the breakfast they had shared with the Master and His Highness.

  As they walked back through the hall, looking for a place to sit, Sabuh unexpectedly waved them over with a honey-sweet smile, which Katharina found rather ominous.

  They begrudgingly sat at Sabuh's table, the brand pushing them forward, where Letessa already sat among Sabuh and her lackeys, looking even more subdued than usual.

  A moment later, Deliah joined them. She remained stoic as ever and dug straight into her plate.

  The table was stiff at first. Lian attempted a little small talk with Letessa, but to no great avail.

  Sabuh cut through the awkwardness with a cheerful lilt. “Why all those droopy beaks?” She tapped her own smiling lips, as though demonstrating the correct expression.

  "This is a joyous eve." She continued. "We should celebrate the day that aura was taught to the people."

  Katharina couldn't help but turn her head a little at the new information she was hearing.

  Sabuh, impossible to sneak anything by as always, caught on to Katharina's surprise like a viper snatching mice.

  "You look confused, are you not educated in the tales of the first people?"

  Deliah finally looked up from her bowl, an exasperated expression staring down at Sabuh.

  "You know, not everyone can be as lucky as you; some of us had to fight our way to where we are today. And there isn't really much time for storytelling when blood is flying."

  Though the remark was meant to excuse why Katharina might not have heard whatever tale they were referring to, it was much too telling of the type of life Deliah had lived.

  "Oh, heart reaper, I did not mean for it to be an insult." Her voice was honey sweet, but Katharina could smell the venom underneath. "I just thought it was too sad if the poor girl did not know why this night is special."

  If this had been a cartoon, Katharina was sure lightning would have been forming sparks between Deliah and Sabuh; those were the type of stares they were sending each other.

  Luckily for everyone, Letessa was quick to solve an uncomfortable situation.

  "If you are so familiar with the legends, Sabuh, why not share the tale with us?" Her voice was gentle and mediating. "I'm sure there are others who would love to hear it."

  Silence settled over the table while Sabuh contemplated her answer. Katharina wasn't too fond of the idea of having to listen to more of Sabuh's fake politeness, but something about gaining more insight into the inner workings of her reality was too enticing to pass up this opportunity.

  Finally, Sabuh answered. "Sure, I can tell the tale."

  She leaned in and motioned for everyone to gather around. Slowly, she filled the air around her with an aura that tempted everyone to hush and listen.

  "The legends say that long before the Empire, before any nations or kingdoms ever existed, when the first people came to Auropia from the old world, they fled."

  Sabuh paused, letting the words settle.

  "In those ancient times, these lands were much different from how they are today.

  There were no roads and no cities; it was a harsh and barren land. And the winters were much crueler, swallowing whole generations each time they covered the continent in frost.

  The First People wandered together, looking for a place to settle, but no matter where they went, the soil never bore fruit." Sabuh continued. "They were bound by blood and need, led by the strongest. Until the eternal winter.

  There had always been an end to winter, but this winter ran longer than any other, and it claimed the lives of most of the first people. Before long, it had even claimed the lives of all the elders, leaving only one strong-willed, proud young woman to lead the people. She became the most beloved leader.

  But even her bright smile and warm embrace could not melt the frozen ground. They had searched far and wide, but the winter only got harsher, forcing them to hide away in caves in the mountains while the storms raged on outside.

  The woman knew she had to do something to save her people, and so she climbed into the white peaks alone, searching for shelter or warmth or anything the mountains might give.

  But the storm swallowed her whole, and she did not return."

  Everyone in the hall was listening intently to Sabuh's soothing voice, and as the tale grew somber, the feast hall grew quiet.

  "As though sated by her sacrifice, the storm settled, and for the first time in months, the first people were blessed by a day of sunshine. For twelve days and eleven nights, her people mourned," Sabuh said softly.

  "But though the storm had stopped, winter was still waiting to claim the rest of the people, and they prepared to follow their beloved leader into oblivion.

  But on the twelfth night... a glow appeared on the mountainside."

  The intonation in the words turned hopeful, and from Sabuh's outstretched hand, she conjured small particles of light that shimmered warmer and brighter than any candle in the hall.

  "It was their beloved leader.

  Her hair had turned the color of dawn, shining with an aura.

  And behind her trailed a long ribbon of shimmering light, a path of warmth she carried back to her people.

  In the wake of the glowing trail, the snow melted and spring emerged from the ground, vitalised by the flowing aura.

  The first people gathered around their leader," Sabuh said, "and she showed them what she had learned in the heart of the mountains,

  how to feel the life-force in the air,

  how to warm themselves with it,

  how to wield nature's most precious gift, aura.”

  Sabuh has now stretched out both hands, and above them, images formed in light danced. Katharina had only ever seen light like that conjured by Deliah in her fierce spears. There was a mesmerizing quality to it, in the spears, their fightingly deadly power, in these images, it was their liveliness.

  They showed scenes og people frolicking, making the land bloom, and performing fantastical feats with what could only be a depiction of aura.

  "That night, the First People awakened.

  And the young woman who had been their leader became known as Lysies the Bringer of Light."

  Sabuh's voice had become soft and solemn.

  The final image lingered, fading slowly; it was a woman smiling softly, her golden locks flowing in waves of pulsing light.

  "That is why, on the darkest night of winter, we walk with candles.

  One woman carries the flame of Lysies,

  and the rest follow, lighting theirs from hers, bringing spring and warmth once again..."

  Her tone softened even further, turning almost tender.

  "...just as the trail of light that Lysies brought back from the mountains."

  The hall held its breath for a moment longer while the story settled. No one spoke.

  Even the clinking of cutlery had stilled.

  Then the final light above Sabuh's hands faded, breaking into a soft glitter before disappearing into the ordinary candle glow of the hall. The spell broke with it. A few girls let out little sighs, someone hummed approvingly, and the scraping of benches and bowls slowly resumed.

  "That was beautiful," Letessa whispered, cheeks flushed. "I did not know you could do that, Sabuh."

  Sabuh's smile curved, sweet and modest, but with a calculating glint in her eye. "It is only a small thing. I am sure someone like Heart Reaper could make it grander." Her gaze slid first to Deliah, then to Katharina. "You listened so closely. One would almost think you were unfamiliar with the tale... Oh, and your pronunciation of the old verses was not all bad, you know."

  Katharina blinked. She had not realised Sabuh had noticed her stumbling along with the song earlier.

  "Thank you," she said, accepting the insult graciously.

  Sabuh leaned in, close enough that Katharina could feel the heat of the aura still lingering on her. "It suits you," she murmured. "Stories of people who survive what they should not."

  Across the hall, Madam R?fna stood in the corner, arms loosely folded, eyes sharp despite the softness of the evening. Sabuh's attention flicked to her, just for a heartbeat, before she turned back to joyously chatter with Princess Nose about the food.

  Later, when the candles had burned low and their stomachs were warm and heavy, they were sent back to their rooms led by the brand, reminding Katharina once again that this evening was special and she was not.

  Lian fell asleep almost the moment her head touched the pillow.

  Katharina did not.

  She lay on her back, staring into the dimness, the afterimage of Lysies' golden hair still burned behind her eyes. Sabuh's smile, R?fna's watchful silence, the girls' awed faces at the story, the brand that had lingered through it all... it all tangled together until she could no longer tell what in this place was kindness, what was performance, and what was something in between.

  She turned onto her side, pulling the blanket up to her chin.

  For one night, they had all pretended to be people again.

  It was by pure chance that this chapter coincided with first week of january, but I kind of think it's really fitting as Lysies' Night, is the equivilent holiday in Auropia.