Elya sank into the couch with a relieved sigh, kicking off her boots and curling deeper into the plush velvet. It took a few swipes from a dust cloth to clear her favourite spot in the library, but it was worth it. The great Suzdal library was essentially a separate building almost as big as the manor. One of the few holdovers from the Illyri reign of Neva. There were few places within the Empire holding as much knowledge, and none save the Imperial Library in the Capital opened its doors to the public like the Suzdals. Whenever she breathed the faint scent of aged parchment and paper, she recalled her ancestor"s arrival in Neva. One of the earliest conquests after the Reclamation, the first Grand Duke Suzdal ensured the library"s survival, leading his own guard to protect the ancient texts after they breached the tunnels, even as battle raged across the town. It was his decision to claim the town as their headquarters and open the library, rejecting the Emperor"s offer of lush lands near the newly built Capital. The other Houses scoffed at his choice, but scholars rejoiced, flocking to the city in the thousands. Within a decade Neva was filled with academies, becoming a centre of learning far surpa.s.sing the Capital and providing a steady stream of learned officials taking up positions in the civil and military branches of the Imperial government.
Officials who owed the Suzdals.
It was little wonder why the Suzdals were ostracised by the other Houses with such influence at their disposal.
Elya ran her fingers across the railing and leaned over to observe the hive of activity on the main floor. Even though a library was meant to be silent, with so many scholars and citizens scurrying through the ancient stone shelves a soft whisper flowed through the air, carrying the crinkle of turning pages and hushed conversations. A few librarians glanced up at her, smiling and waving cheerfully. She waved back, comforted by the recognition. Few Suzdal"s today followed the first Grand Duke"s example; striving for both knowledge and martial prowess, but Elya was a well-known and respected figure amongst the academic circles of Neva.
[Nikolai would love this place.] She smiled at the thought of her exuberant fiancée. She could almost imagine him pacing through the aisles with his new cane twirling at his side, plucking books from the shelves and recounting some obscure historical reference or Magical anecdote. While she had a greater breadth of knowledge, Nikolai seemed to have delved into some of the strangest crevices of history, digging out astonishing facts. If you asked him how the Sons of Severance rebelled a hundred years ago he"d stare blankly, but he could narrate the tale of an insane Illyri prince who millennia ago launched an expedition to search for immortality.
Chuckling softly under her breath, she returned to the books she"d asked a librarian to find. Time pa.s.sed unnoticed, even the dim sounds of the library fading away as she became absorbed. A melodious voice broke Elya from her contemplation of the tome resting on her knees. "I knew I"d find you here El. Papa still has a lot to learn."
Elya dropped the book onto the table and jumped from her seat to hug her elder sister. "Lidia!? I thought you were in the Capital?"
"How could I miss your arrival? With a husband no less!" Lidia"s segreen eyes sparkled, and she pinched Elya"s nose like she used to in their childhood.
"Fiancee." Elya corrected, nose twitching at the nostalgic sensation. "Speaking of husband, did Georg accompany you? The children?"
"No. The Ministry is inundated with reports at this time of year, so both of us couldn"t leave. Since the school is closed, I took a leave of absence and brought the children on a short holiday."
"Tax season."
"No need to growl young lady. Everyone pays; from the humblest farmer to the most powerful House. Taxes pay for a lot, your salary included." Lidia hopped onto the couch and patted the seat beside her, continuing once Elya was seated. "But I"m not here to talk about work. Why aren"t you with him?"
"After the Cleansing he was rushed away by some of our cousins for some other ritual." She shrugged. "Men only they said."
"That was yesterday." Lidia pulled the clip out of her hair, shaking her head to relax. The tight bun she kept was bound to be stressful.
"Well, papa dragged me around while Nikolai was gone and I spent time with him playing chess. We met for dinner but there were so many people we didn"t get a chance to really talk. He seemed really subdued and refused to explain what happened with our cousins. When I went to find him this morning he mumbled something about "gifts" and "lessons" before dashing off with Jarek." Elya shrugged. Whenever Nikolai was obsessed with something it was impossible to get any information out of him. She"d learned it was better to let him lose interest first.
"You don"t seem bothered by the lack of attention." Lidia poked her cheek and Elya stuck her tongue out reflexively. Old habits.
"We spent the last few weeks joined at the hip. It"s good to have some time for myself."
"And the full truth? I doubt you"d be sitting here and studying the legalities of a Tribune"s election just because you"ve been together for a while."
Guilty, Elya closed the book and slid it behind her. Of course Lidia would know she wasn"t explaining everything, but it was better for her to believe her interest in the election was a means of distraction. Her knowing smirk far too familiar from the few times Lidia ran to their parents to rat her out for some mistake. She wanted to be prepared before raising the idea of influencing the election and a misplaced comment from her sister could be disastrous. "Until he comes to terms with his place here, he"ll be acting out. I think papa is testing him and Niki hates to lose."
"Just like papa." Lidia loosened her dusty cape. She must have arrived a short while ago.
"Exactly. Well, minus the expressionless face."
"Soooo. Niki huh?" Lidia was leering, lips twisting in a way that made Elya want to punch her. "You"re awfully close after a few weeks."
"There"s nothing unwholesome about a nickname." She blushed nonetheless, recalling their growing intimacy over the last few days.
"Riigght."
"Enough about me." She pushed Lidia playfully and smiled. "I didn"t expect to see any of you here except Sofiya, but papa told me she would only be back tonight."
"It caught all of us by surprise." Lidia sighed dramatically, placing a hand on her forehead. "Our sister, engaged and bringing back a husband…"
"Fiancée." Lidia glared at Elya for the interruption.
"… Fiancée. All of a sudden I get a letter and I rushed home to pack. Misha wanted to come, but she has to wait for a.s.signment now that the exams are over. So on behalf of all my lovely sisters I pulled my cute babies from school…"
"You said the school was closed."
"And joined the first convoy to Neva." Lidia continued with teary eyes. "I arrived in the dead of night but made sure to check on my sweet little El, but you have no care for the effort it took."
"Satisfied?" Elya asked once Lidia trailed off, unable to control the smile on her face. "You never change Lidia. You should have been an actress."
"And pander to some puffed up n.o.bles? I think not. My skills are reserved to please family." They giggled at the sentence, lost in memories of their childhood. Still smiling, Lidia hugged her tightly, voice dropping to a whisper. "Are you happy?"
Elya tensed at the question, remembering the last time Lidia hugged her like this. "He"s not like Vladik."
Lidia leaned back squeezing her shoulders and staring deep into her eyes. "That"s not what I asked El."
"I know." She thought back on the last few weeks, from the moment she met Nikolai, the nightmarish combat with Demons in Konstanz, the sunset outside Galicia and his painful recovery. "And I think I am. Happy I mean."
Lidia took a deep breath, squeezing so hard Elya was sure her arms would bruise. Blinking quickly she stood up and beckoned. "Then all is well. Come, we have a lot to do before Sofiya arrives, it"s been a long time since we siblings have been together and you have to introduce me to your Nikolai in the meantime."
"I think you"ll get along just fine." Recalling Nikolai"s mischievous smile she considered her sister and mumbled under her breath as they left the library. "Maybe too well." She made sure to carry the books with her, ensuring the volumes on Tribune elections were interspersed with a host of Imperial histories.