Early Years, Part 2

Mother had an entire library dedicated to maps and geographical details about various areas both in the empire and outside it. The information it contained formed an important part of any successful military campaign, so learning how to interpret it had naturally been part of your curriculum. All those months spent in that room did not prepare you for the sheer size of the empire as you journeyed to its heart and for the first time left the steppe lands of al Rhiren-Alician.

Nor the variety of the climates. The caravan leaving your home traveled to temperate heartlands, and then further to the tropical coast and the island capital on boat. All the while making stops on the way as other children were picked up for much the same reason you had. On the way teasing out enough to learn the Empress feared the growing murmurs of rebellion, that this was her response to rein in the outer nobility and what awaited once you reached her court.

Talking with your fellow prisoners earned you a few new friends. Though any talk quickly quieted once you passed through the sea gate and the capital spread out before you in all its glory, everyone stunned into silence. It was far too easy to draw comparisons to cities like New York or Tokyo. The parade of new sights, sounds and smells were disorienting as you were escorted through the streets to welcoming cheers, the ceremonial procession disguising the true nature of your presence here. At the end of that day's events, you were handed over to your new family and would stay there until the debutante ball.

Orianna's lessons had barely prepared you and you felt humbled by your own inadequate efforts as you stumbled through the introduction to the duchess and her seven consorts, two of them ****-wives, and their four children, one your age. Their greetings had been so precise, every movement gracefully flowing seamlessly into the next. It had been easier to impress the children, curiosity breaking the ice between you even as your relationship with their parents were more distant but not without a lack of warmth or care. Never having had sisters before, you took full advantage to pamper the younger ones together with Ionna.

Leona had always been one for functionality - though in an anime trope-based world you had learned that word was somewhat skewed - in her clothes, while Clawdia barely bothered, which had translated down to your own wardrobe. Whereas you'd felt a growing interest in Orianna's billowing dresses, there hadn't been an opportunity to ask for one so spending days picking out fabrics and designs and having every centimeter of your body lavished with praise as over eager tailors took your measurements had been a new experience. It had been like you were shedding your tomboy cocoon and what emerged was a pretty, girly princess.

Of course, behind close doors came lessons in learning how to project elegance while wearing them, often as hard and bone-tiring tiring as the swordsmanship lessons under Leona. Though you found you didn't care much for the formalized duels they insisted on teaching and had replaced the no holds barred melee she taught. There, you excelled at least and was a salve for your bruised ego. You also learned how utterly average your old self had been with tutors that could easily match your level of Earth education. Although not quite the quality of your adoptive sisters, as the daughter of a Marcher Lord it still afforded you certain privileges and, more importantly, protections.

Life carried on a different pace and behind the splendor were the schemes and games you barely remembered the goddess telling you about. You had been brought here as a pawn to control mother and her allies, others sought to use you curry her favor through you making sweeping promises for seemingly small acts in return. For a time it was hard not to submit to paranoia and questioning your friendship with everyone around you, only saved by the fact they still treated you as a child before you learned to better navigate the twisted corridors of nobility. Being closer to imperial power - even if your ranks were close to equal - your sisters had it worse, letting you fade a little into the background by simply being near them.

It had been 8 years, close to half your current life before you were reunited with your family again. Orianna wept openly as took your first dance with Leona at the ball to celebrate your entrance into adulthood, she had always hoped you'd grow up into a fine lady and compared to your club-footed mother you were a fairy floating across the ballroom. To the side was Clawdia, she couldn't participate but you made sure to express how you missed her and fill her and the others in on everything you hadn't mention in the letters you exchanged.

Whatever the empress had feared when she took you away hadn't come to pass, but you did notice new scars on Leona and there was a tenseness hanging in the air as you returned home for a few months before preparing to leave again.

Moving on to Lily Academy next chapter and slowing things down a little.