Emery sat on the edge of a fountain in one of the many small open crossroads in Lyra watching as the zeros shuffled slowly down into the underground bunkers. The fact that they did this a two or three times a year had made it so they understood what to do, making it move with relative speed and efficiency. But nevertheless…

  A baby cried out her discontent at the world from the arms of a haggard looking woman another small child clutched at her skirt also had tears in his eyes as well and looked like he was about to join the baby in letting everyone in the area know that this was, in fact, not acceptable to be walking into a strange tunnel and not eating dinner at the moment.

  Emery sighed, “That’s just really too much. Children are the worst.” Reaching out and concentrating her aura on the three, Emery tried to use as much subtly as she could so that her touch would go unnoticed. She pushed down on the exhaustion and stress, those weren’t needed right now. The children were much trickier, ruled by their emotions as they were, she very slowly pushed down on the unhappiness in both, while pulling on their feelings of curiosity and sleepiness.

  A grin spread across Emery’s face as the mother stood up taller, the baby yawned as if trying to inhale the whole world, before closing its eyes and growing quiet, the toddler rubbed his eyes, then nose, then picked his nose, then pulled on the mother's skirts and asked a questions Emery couldn’t hear.

  Shuddering at how gross kids were, Emery leaned back and closed her eyes, feeling all of the passing people purely through her aura. A party of Users ran by, no doubt headed to the guild staging area for their assignment. Most of them had already been sent to neighboring cities because the army was here in force, but a few had been out on contract or simply chosen to stay. They didn’t need that anxiety or trepidation, but… yes, nobility, determination, those were good.

  “This is an opportunity for each of us to grow, for each of us to act, I know we’re tired, but this is what we train for. We’ve got this!” came the eager, energetic voice of what must have been the leader of their little group. The others all shouted in affirmation before continuing on, while Emery just scoffed.

  It was much more difficult to affect someone at the same rank, and almost impossible to influence those of a higher rank, so the fact she was able to push and pull on the whole group of them as they passed, even if only a little, told her they weren’t exactly the cream of the crop. But still, that interaction alone let her improve her abilities measurably, she could feel she was close to her next threshold, so close…

  As another user walked by, Emery concentrated on them, “let’s see…” she thought, “same as the others, some anxiety and trepidation, but also… hmm, quite a bit of excitement and eagerness. Another simple-minded brute gearing up for tonight. Well, let's just take care of-”

  “I’ve told you a hundred times I don’t like it when you read my emotions like that, Emy.”

  Emery’s eyes snapped open, before she grinned and embraced the taller woman in a hug, “Am’s! I thought you were off to Cetus with my fool of a fiance, what are you doing back here so soon?”

  There it was, Emery knew it without having to take a peek at her emotions. Every time, every time Emery brought up her fiance, Amy grew… nervous? Anxious? Uneasy at the very least. She hadn’t yet confronted her on it, but she knew as clear as day that something was happening there.

  “I’ve also definitely told you ‘Amelia’ or ‘Amy’, not ‘Am’s’, but whatever. Yes, well, I spoke to the instructor and he said I could simply fight for the city here rather than there. He has someone watching me, though I don’t know who… wanna try and spot him for me?”

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  “I’m sure you reasonably explained everything, yes, not at all hurt by the fact that your last name is Evergold, that likely didn’t even come up, hm?” Emery said with a grin, before closing her eyes and searching for the observer. They’d likely be a weaker 2-Star or on the verge of it, so to her it would be a dead spot somewhere nearby… but before she could really search in earnest, Emery’s eyes opened as she heard a scraping right next to her. Amelia had sat down on the ground, back against the wall of the fountain. Though she really tried not to… Emery couldn’t help but pick up on the waves of hesitance that battered against her sister.

  Tentatively, Emery placed a hand on her shoulder and said “Oh, come on now… chin up, and all that, uh…” Her mind raced as she thought about what she should do to comfort her sister. She’d never had to do this before, usually she would just… pull on the emotions she wanted in a person. Unsure what else to do, Emery scooted closer, unwilling to sit on the dirty ground, and gently draped her arm around her younger sister.

  “I- I have needed to talk to you for some time, Emy… It’s about…” Her sister took a deep breath, then pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. “It’s about your wedding.”

  Taken aback, Emery blinked three times in a row, before grinning and scoffing lightly, “Oh, Amelia, is that all? I know you’ve never been the biggest fan of arranged marriages, but you’ve met him, he’s young, handsome, it could be much worse. Besides, his family are minor nobility out of Koril, with, admittedly, rather small holdings compared to ours in Lyra, but they have a lucrative trade business and are very wealthy so…” Emery trailed off as she noticed that Amelia was still sitting there, now looking up with shimmering eyes, tears beginning to fall.

  “Emy, it’s- I know, I know he’s a great guy and I know he’ll treat you well, that’s not the issue… Look, I-” She took another shuddering breath, before dabbing at her eyes with her sleeve and starting once more “Emy, Tylan and I are-”

  “There they are! Augusta darling, I told you they were at this crossing and not the one by the park! I don’t want to say I’m always right or anything, I just simply can’t remember a time I was wrong.”

  A powerful, oppressive wave of raw serenity and subservience settled over the entire square like a stormcloud. The people quickly bowed or curtsied, before continuing on into the staircase, heads down and mouths closed.

  “Yes dear, I admit you were right this one time, however remember what you said about the servants? I was right to fire them all when none came forward about using our name to get some quests approved last week, even you must admit that.”

  At once the two girls stood and curtsied, before staring at the ground, hands clasped in front of them. In unison they said, “Hello mother, hello father.”

  “Oh, dear Amelia, what are you wearing, and why are you all covered in dirt? This is simply unacceptable young lady.” Her tone was soft and gentle, and colder than ice. “Bory, come here this instant.” she commanded.

  Appearing as if from nowhere, Emery’s master servant was suddenly there next to the girls, kneeling with his head bowed in his customary dark gold suit and stark white sash. “Yes My lady, how may I be of service?”

  “Amelia is covered in dirt, hair a mess, makeup running, this won’t do, won’t do at all. Take her back to the house at once and get her… presentable. We are a beacon for this entire region, it would not do to present anything less than perfection, would it?”

  Emery could hear Amelia swallow hard past the lump in her throat before saying quietly “No, ma’am.”

  “Good. Off you go then. And Emery, your control is still lacking, dear. I was able to overpower you in an instant and aside from that, there were people talking and what have I always told you?”

  “A crowd that can talk is a crowd that can think. And if they can think, then you’ve already lost them.”

  “Precisely. I know you like to play your little games with them, but the alignment will start in less than an hour, and we simply do not have time for this. Get them all to safety and meet us at the western gate for your next lesson in battlefield control.”

  Turning on her heel, Lady Evergold gracefully walked away, arm in arm with Lord Evergold, waving and smiling to the people as they walked to the guildhall. As they went further and further, the overwhelming air of calm slowly faded until Emery alone was enforcing her will on the crowd of people.

  “Amelia, I…” She started to say, but as she finally looked up and over, saw her her sister and Bory had already gone, and she was once more alone

  “I will talk to you… tomorrow… Good luck tonight, dear sister. Fight well.”