Lady Jemany watched her daughter and Annan draw close on the dance floor. It was like seeing her younger self dancing in his arms, and she unconsciously pressed her legs together beneath her skirt.
"You have no idea. Right now, you're practically the prince every girl in the Empire dreams of," Sienna said, looking so delighted she couldn't hide what was on her mind.
She had already planned how she would show off to the sisters in the Academy's Sisterhood tomorrow. Annan spoke so gently, his hands were so soft, his body was so warm...
Annan focused on something else. "Wouldn't that make me a generation younger than the emperor?"
"You really met the emperor?"
"Mm."
"Wow. I haven't even met him. My mother only caught a glimpse of him from afar when she was young, back when he was still a prince."
"He's not that impressive, really. One nose, two nostrils. No horns or wings, either."
Sienna wanted to laugh but didn't dare, so she lowered her head and stifled a string of giggles.
After they talked for a while, Sienna suddenly grew wistful. "My sister graduated a few months ago, then went somewhere far away. She still hasn't come back."
"I'll be graduating soon too. Then I'll go somewhere far, far away like her, and I'll only get to see you in the newspapers..."
"Don't worry. You're not as talented as your sister. Once you graduate, you'll probably just stay with your mother," Annan said comfortingly.
Sienna feigned indignation. "Is that how you comfort a girl?"
"Then why doesn't your family move to Free City?"
Annan could never have too many wealthy people or talented people, and Sienna's family had both. "My Free City is big and comfortable."
"Huh? But, well..."
Sienna stumbled over her words. She couldn't