Quoted By:
Chin up, Anya, you told yourself as Van Halm dropped you off at the train station at eleven hours and thirty minutes time. Boyfriend’s here in half an hour. Focus up. Drink water, chomp on a mint tablet. Put the glasses on. Being in a dress was suddenly harder than being in a uniform all of a sudden…people stared at you loitering, confused, and you scowled back at them until they turned and walked off. It wasn’t the kind of look you were used to, with young men gawking and women turning their noses up at your bared middle. It wasn’t like you cared what <span class="mu-i">they</span> thought either way, but what about the one guy coming who you <span class="mu-i">did</span> care about?
You could just hope that Van Halm hadn’t planned to prank you twice today, as you ran your fingers through your hair, thinking if it was actually best off loose, or this long. Not much more time that you <span class="mu-i">could</span> distract yourself with silly shit like this before it was time to do or die.
What are you waiting for, young lady? Who are you all gussied up for? Oh, my boyfriend. Coming back from against Plisseau, for Almizea and the Archduchy? No, Netilland, actually. Why was he away, then?
You had this imaginary conversation with yourself while you watched the minutes tick away on the clock at the center of the concourse, where each platform linked and all travelers passed to and fro. Nobody was asking and you knew all the answers- except one. That last question. Why Magnus had left you after that night on the bridge, insisting to you on finishing business left undone after you’d <span class="mu-i">directly</span>, if drunkenly, confessed your feelings. You’d understood <span class="mu-i">why</span> it was more important. Most of it.
One thing bothered you though. The business with the person he’d called Yuliana. He hadn’t talked about her in any of his letters, even when you asked in writing back. You’d never met her, never seen her, didn’t know anything about her besides that she and Magnus were close somehow. And you didn’t like that. If she was close to him, then you should have seen her while you were fighting alongside Magnus…
The clock struck twelve. Bells rang, announcing the coming of noon to all not watching. The whistle of an oncoming train gave its shrill reply to the welcome, and there was no doubt in your mind of who else had come.
What would you talk about? What would you even do? This day had felt distant enough you hadn’t even thought about it. Yet here you were. Sitting on a bench. Gift wrapped parcel at your side. A fancy double-edged dagger, with a wide pommel and guard to make it reminiscent of a miniature knight’s sword. Around its handle was wrapped a hair ribbon. Blue to match his tastes. <span class="mu-i">You</span> were gift wrapped too, even had…friggin’ <span class="mu-i">ribbons</span>. Except his birthday had been last month. Happy Belated, come and open your present, dickhead.
