Just as the mantilla was finished, the main body of the imperial court filled the palace to bursting.

  I had missed all the signs because I was closeted in my tiny room except for mandatory toddle garden and workouts with Sir Amelia.

  I put my finished work in a work basket and sent Lara, my day maid, to Aunt Glory with a note.

  I expected a summons. I got a visit.

  Aunt Glory and my mother both appeared.

  I had Amelia and Lara hold the large lace open.

  “No.” Mother said. “You are not turning my lady daughter into a craft hall drudge. She’s not even four yet.”

  “I know, I know, I just want her to teach the craft to some drudge types.” Aunt Glory dismissed.

  “She will teach me and I will teach them.” Mother said firmly. “We will say I taught her to do the flowers.”

  “I can make a book.” I said mildly. “Create a standard notation.” I already had a standard notation. I could easily make some block prints for the pictures too.

  Mother sighed heavily. “Fine. But I want her kept in the crèche while the court is here.”

  “You don’t want her to see me dressed in this gorgeous-“

  “About that gorgeous veil, your highness,” Mother said snidely. “What are you compensating her with for that?”

  Aunt Glory looked taken aback. “Uh… Shit.” She gestured at my maids. “Give us the room, leave the girl.”

  Mother rolled her eyes once we three were alone.

  “What do you want for her?”

  “I want her engagement annulled. I want her away from court, even disinherited if you think it’s necessary.” Mother said fervently. “I will stay by you wherever you go. You know that, but I don’t want my babies dragged into imperial feuds.”

  “What do you know that I don’t.” Aunt Glory looked pale.

  “He's worse than reported.” Mother said as quietly as possible. “The ‘slight black tinge’ on his nails is a deep dusky blackness that ends in the center of his palm on one side and at his wrist on the other side. He is not long for this world. Poison maybe, or a soul deviation. Possibly even a dark magic hex.”

  Aunt Glory closed her eyes and sat heavily on my bed. She seemed to be thinking over all her options, all her pitfalls.

  “The veil is exactly the wrong message.” Her highness said eventually.

  “You could save it away for a better time.” I said. “You will get married eventually.”

  Aunt Glory smiled wistfully. “Right. There are a lot of things I could do for her, but this might be the most impactful.” She reached up into her own nose and pulled out a tiny multi metal nose ring. “It’s my contingency for a sudden change of situation. Don’t worry. I have a second one in my pocket.” She motioned me over. “Miranda, do you know what a spatial storage item is?”

  I nodded, eyes wide.

  “Great. That’s what this is.” She handed it to my mother. “Wash it.”

  Mother went into the washroom and I heard water swishing gently.

  “Do you want to keep your name? I’m going to send you to a convent school. They will take care of you until you’re grown. Once the dust settles in a year or two your parents can come get you.”

  “I… is my name politically unfortunate?”

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  She smiled. “It is impossible to believe you’re not just a short adult. The answer is maybe. It depends on which of my brothers manages to secure the most support.”

  Mother returned. She held the ring out.

  “Here you go. Supplies fit for a princess on the run. Bindable but currently unbound.”

  “Does that mean I bleed on it and suddenly I can use it?”

  They both nodded. “And it will return to you when lost or stolen.” Aunt Glory said. “And you don’t have to pierce your nose like I did, because a bound ring cannot hurt it’s bound owner.”

  I didn’t hesitate a moment to prick my finger. I bled on the ring and then put it up my nose. It pierced my septum, but it didn’t hurt. I turned it until the open ring was inside my nose, not hanging out for all the world to see.

  “There should be room.” Aunt Glory said. “Go around and store all your things. Take everything. Krissy, call the maids back in.”

  I packed quickly. Only a brief touch and anything I wanted disappeared from the world and ended up in my inventory. All my yarn, tools, books, journals, clothes and more.

  I left both shawls on my bed.

  “Close the door.” Her highness said gruffly. She pulled the student desk to her side and produced a piece of letter paper from nowhere. She produced a quill the same way. She paused.

  “You go get a set of plain downstairs servant clothes from stores. If anyone stops you say it’s for the princess, don’t say which princess. Sir Amelia, go down the servant stairs, outfit yourself for a six day ride. Say you’re going to deliver a parcel, the other… is it Sara?”

  “Lara, your highness.” Sir Amelia corrected.

  “Sorry. Lara will bring the child to you in the stables.” Aunt Glory handed my bodyguard a small bag that clinked like coins. “Use a saddle bag until you’re out of the city. I know we have ones that fit her, my mother made me do emergency drills when I was her age. Krissy? You’re sure?”

  Mother nodded. Sir Amelia left.

  “I will move Johanus to Arnault, and change his name to remove mine. The treasury will be safe enough.”

  “I will write Arnault a letter calling him to audit a town far from the conflict. He could take both children-“

  “No. She has been noticed as a favorite of yours. He is still nobody. He’s even in the lower crèche using his father’s position. He is his father’s heir, after all.”

  “I will send her to a convent school under a commoner name. Mira Lacer. She knows enough lace work at four years old to make the name believable.”

  Her Highness sat on my bed, writing letters for long enough for my maids to return. I put on the tunic and trousers- the first time I had worn pants in two years. I put my clothes in my ring.

  Mother got an official court document with ribbon and seal.

  “That is the annulment. Not the best move for me to make at this time, but you’re right, it doesn’t make sense.”

  Her highness handed a letter to Lara. “Take the child to the stables and then Take this to Viktel Arnault d’Yarin. Then join whichever downstairs work makes the most sense to you. She handed another letter to me. “The outer sheet is your instructions. Do not open it until you’re out of the city. The second sheet is for Sir Amelia. The inner is for the abbess and contains two gold coins for the your upkeep.”

  I nodded and stored the letter.

  “Start using your pockets.” Mother chided. “A child dressed like you should not have a storage ring.”

  I nodded.

  “If my father lives and this all blows over you will stay in the convent until you are five and then you will join the Imperial Lower School, but not here, a different branch as Miranda d’Yarin. If it doesn’t blow over, you will stay at the convent school until your system awakens. After that… well… who knows what the right move will be after that.”

  Sir Amelia was waiting for us in the stables. It was the first time I had seen her in armor. She wore chain mail over leather and under a generic imperial messenger tabard.

  Her horse had two large saddle bags that looked more like apple baskets than proper saddle bags. Lara lifted me into the open side. There were blankets, cushions and a small bag of hard candies.

  I stored the hard candies and pulled out the letter. Then I put the letter away again, inside my tunic this time. Later.

  The horse began moving, very slowly at first, then a little faster. Then a swift and jostling pace.

  It was still light out when she stopped.

  “This is far enough.” Sir Amelia opened the basket. We were in a thick grove of trees. “Do you know where we’re going?”

  I pulled out the letter, peeled off the outer two layers and handed Sir Amelia her instructions.

  Dear Mira, I am asking Amelia to stay at the Tretya convent with you. Please stay there unless your mother or father come for you. While talented at the lady arts, your martial side has always been strong. I believe you will do better at a military order than one of the gentler convents.

  Aunt Glory.

  A copy of my engagement annulment was folded in my letter, ribbon and all.

  When I looked up, Sir Amelia handed me her letter and gestured for me to give her mine.

  Mia, you know what I’m asking you to do. Tretya’s. Stay with her. These convent schools always need teachers. G

  “Would you like to sit in front of me or stay in the basket.”

  “Basket. If the little princess is sent away, I will be another decoy and they will have to guess where we are.”

  “That could put you at more risk.”

  “She is my friend.”

  “As you wish. I will be going fast. You’re sure you’re alright?”

  I nodded and she closed me into the basket again.

  I had read about Tretya, the local goddess of love and war. (More like female lust and war)

  I had read about convent schools too. This one was this worlds equivalent to an elementary school for future warriors.

  There were worse places for me.