Well you need new clothes for some unknown reason

You stretch and run a finger along your recently opened flesh as you walk back to your room. That was the first time you'd ever been wounded like that, it might actually be the first time you'd ever bleed in this world. The red edging of the fabric around the wounds left you a little disconcerted. You'd only ever seriously reinforced your limbs with magic in fights, you'd left the rest of your body only lightly coated. That was a mistake. Asune carved you up and you didn't see her putting much effort into it, you don't even know how she did it.

That was a good point. How had she done that, you didn't feel any magical attacks coming at you and she hadn't used her sword to slash you. Stephanie had never made any remark about it which but you'd only seen the spar with swords. Maybe you should ask her about it. If nothing else you know there are seventeen other potentials out there if Asune has a way to hurt you maybe she can teach you. A mental image of you slashing open someone chest left you a little nauseous. Both Clare's seemed happy with idea of not killing the other potentials so hopefully there would never be a need to used Asune's skill but you should still learn it just in case.

You walked into the foyer and caught your eyes looking for Wilfred at the attendant office. You didn't really know him, or Clare the Second or whatever, but you had gotten used to seeing him or her. Guess you'll have to get used to not having your actual personal attendant in future.

You get to your room and open the door gentle in case Edin is asleep. You can feel he is awake so open the door fully. He is sitting in the bed with two pillow stacked behind him reading a book. He looks concentrated. Slightly wrinkled brow, eyes moving line by line without blinking, he even had his tongue sticking out a little. You felt a smile at his cuteness and your attention pulled his eyes. He looks shocked and sits up a little more. "What happened?"

"Asune and I fought for kinda real." You look down at you tattered clothes. "She won."

"Are you ok?" Edin asked putting his book down on the bed and getting up.

"I'm fine," you shake your head dismissively, "only real damage was to my clothes." You had a grin on your face unable to hide your happiness about that fact.

"I see." Edin said still looking concerned but a little settled. His eyes were however focused on the bloody cross of fabric.

You pull the clothes off and look for something better to wear. Unfortunately the only thing you want to wear is the blue outfit and you did wear that yesterday ... well that was an odd thought. You grab the blue outfit and get dressed.

"Didn't you wear that yesterday?" Edin asked.

"If Anastasia wanted to me wear something other than this one she shouldn't thrown out all of my other clothes." You answer walking over to Edin and wrapping him in a hug. "Morning."

Edin sighs happily in your arms and hugs back. "Morning. But you should wear something else."

"Ok." You say throwing off the clothes and jumping into bed next to Edin. He giggles at your move but rests against you. You have until lunch before anyone expects you and you aren't feeling like breakfast and if Edin is, well him might not be able to live on it but you don't mind giving him a filling.

"What were you reading?" You ask as you wrap an arm around Edin and he rests against you.

"A treatises on the effect magic has a living being exposed to it over long period of time." Edin answer sighing as you picked up the book. "Anastasia is moving her library over to the estate and I borrowed this." He said opening it up.

"Can I read it?" You ask and you feel a warmth from Edin's aura.

"Could you read it out loud?" He asked shyly. You looked at him but he didn't look back. You smiled and squeezed his side taking the book with your free arm.

"Sure but I have a, date with Asune at lunch." Edin's aura raised in concern, not surprising since she had opened you up a few minutes ago. "Chapter one, the foundation of magical exposure." You begin to read as Edin's concern was soothed form him. He sighed happily and snuggling into your side.

You spend the next few hours in bed with Edin reading the book to him. It is actually pretty fascinating though the entire book's thesis is simply that magic wants to be used and thus anything when exposed for long enough will become capable of using magic. A thesis the existence of Elves proves without the need for a few hundred pages. Sentient trees seem pretty solid proof of concept.

But you do like reading it. It is interesting, if a bit repetitive and, rather amusingly, posits the existence of great beings who have existing in magic since magic existed, being that some may consider Gods. You wonder if the Clare's had been in this world, or reality for that long or if they just pop proverbially in for their game.

As you reach the midway point Edin's snuggling gets more relaxed and you feel him beginning to doze off. "Hey." You nudge him with your shoulder.

"Hmm?" He asks sleepily.

"Am I boring you?"

"Just feel safe." He mumbles and snuggles deeper into you pulling the sheets up. You feel a warmth in your chest and hug him to you. You want to stay but by your guess Asune is probably about ready for lunch and you don't think she'll accept a no as gracefully as she accepted a rescheduling that was supposed to be a canceling.

You try to leave but Edin grabs you in his sleep. You kiss his forehead and lay him down. He mumbles unhappily but lets you go. Shame Blue isn't here he seems really comfortable around her, more than you in some aspects. And that thought brought up all the stuff about Blue, her mother, the **** Contact and the suggestion they could kill you with enough surprise and firepower. And that reminds you of Asune opening up your chest a few hours ago.

You need a vacation from your brain, or at least from the capital this place is really stressful. Edin mews in his sleep, though it has it's benefits. You walk over to wardrobe and look for something to wear. As much as you don't want to admit it Edin had a point about the outfit. You look through a few options before settling on a forest green coloured outfit that slightly ruffled at the sleeve and pant cuffs. You didn't like it at all, it was tight, clinging to your frame in a way you weren't used to. And the ruffles felt stupid. But it was the best of bad option, style in the capital or not why did everything have to look so, exaggerated, this world was one bad day away from shoulder pads you just know it.

Dressed you waited for Asune who arrived swiftly. You open the door to her curt knocking. She looks you up and down. "This is better than what you had worn." She says then offers her hand. "I look forward to spending this time with you," she took a little breath, "as your suitor." A faint smile curled her lips in enjoyment of the phrase.

"I'm sure it will be interesting." You answer taking her hand. The two of you left and you hoped this wasn't going to be a full day thing you have, well a few other things to do, including the Church. Oh shit the church, the sisters hadn't come to collect you so maybe it wasn't happening, or they just listened to you about not doing things for you. You really hope you hadn't just fucking things up with Clare the Second because you spent some time with Edin.

Maybe you should try to divert Asune to the Church so you can spend a bit of time there. Or maybe you can try summoning her on your own, you know the ritual and Asune must have some gold laying around. You doubt Clare the Second will be really focused on the specifics so long as you try to talk to her.

You left the front door of the Dorm and were greeted by a carriage. You mental spiral had distracted you from the trip and as Asune climbs into the carriage and you follow her you really consider asking to make a detour.