Dear Family,

  Julia here. I miss you guys so much. Today is two weeks! Halfway until we can see each other again. Things have been interesting. A lot of things suck, but a lot of things are super amazing. Like the food. Oh gosh. Each meal is so amazing. Whenever I think I found the best thing ever, they make something twice as good.

  I wish I could tell you more details, but you know. I promised. How is Roger doing? Oh! I am sending cookies. They are uh, how would you guys understand? Snacks! Be sure to give Roger some-

  “Julia,” Elise said. “We are sending chocolate chip cookies. Roger is a dog, right? Dogs shouldn’t eat chocolate.”

  “Oh. I didn’t know that. But I want to send Roger something.”

  “I’ll send some peanut butter, I hear dogs love it, but they need plenty of water after,” she added.

  Be sure to give Roger some, but not the cookies. I am sending peanut butter too, but make sure he gets plenty of water after. How is writing and reading going for you guys? I can write my own name. And I know most of the letters. I can even write all of your names too. Baronness Elise is helping me write this now, but I am gonna write the sign-off.

  Love, Julia

  Elise let me stamp it with wax before I walked it over to Adam. I presented the letter to him, my head held high this time. “Right, here we are. Once you have the package, be sure to get it to my family.”

  He took the letter and knelt down. “It shall be done, Maiden of Wind.”

  I still cringed at just not being Julia, but I was better at holding my face still. “You have my thanks.”

  Elise began clapping. “Good. Good. Much better than last time.”

  After Adam walked away, I let out my breath and relaxed my shoulders a bit. “I still don’t understand how your body handles all that tenseness.”

  Emilia came in with a lady behind her. I hadn’t seen her before. She was much older, about a grandmother's age. Her hair was mostly grey, but I saw a few black strands here and there.

  “Lady Evelyn has arrived from the royal capital,” she said.

  Elise tilted her head down slightly. Got it, so polite status, but not overly polite. What was my introduction again? “It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Evelyn.”

  I could feel tension in the air as I heard a tiny yelp come out of Elise. Had I messed up?

  “Are you a boy in drag? Is that what I am to assume by such a greeting?” she asked.

  “I am afraid I don’t understand,” I replied.

  “Oh, and now feminine speech. Well, which is it? I am waiting,” Evelyn added.

  “She just-”

  “Baronness Elise, please do not interfere. This is the Maiden of Wind, yes? The King was very keen that I take her measure properly. Or perhaps his measure? I am still waiting for clarification.”

  “I’m a girl,” I said. Okay, so I understood. I messed up the greeting. Jeez, did she have to be so mean about it!

  “Then, shall you greet me properly?” she asked.

  What was the female one again? It used more words, I think. Like… I… can’t remember. It is hard to believe with her staring at me like that. It is like she is trying to drill into my head. “It is, uhm, I am ever-”

  “Enough. Josh, I weep at the thought of what you were like before my arrival, if they hadn’t even taught you this much. But allow me to demonstrate,” she paused and gave a curtsy that practically knocked me out of my dress. It was like she was moving with magic, a fluidity that I couldn’t describe otherwise. “I am ever so pleased to meet you, Maiden of Wind.”

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Christopher and the three children entered. Thank the gods, a distraction. Christopher tilted his head, and the children did their own introductions, with only the youngest messing up.

  Evelyn returned their gesture with another curtsy and another greeting. “I am ever so pleased to meet you, Malatise family. I am so glad to see that you are developing so nicely.”

  Elise’s Daughter seemed to have stars in her eyes as she smiled at that comment. Gosh, I didn’t think she could show kindness like that. She had always teased me. And now the teacher is teasing me. I took a deep breath.

  It seemed Evelyn noticed my inhale and looked at me. “Something to say, Wind Maiden?”

  Jerk! “Just that I hope that I can live up to your expectations.”

  “Well, that’s a laudable goal, but perhaps for today we should settle for simply not being outdone by children,” she said.

  I just smiled. I felt like any attempt to talk was going to result in my saying something back.

  “Permission to speak,” the young lady said as she went to one knee.

  “You may,” Evelyn replied.

  “I heard from a pen pal of mine in the capital that you have trained two generations of Princesses. Is that true?”

  Evelyn nodded. “It is. The current King’s Daughters, as well as his sisters.”

  “If I may be so forward. I would be ever so grateful if I could learn anything from you during your stay here!”

  “Alexandra!” Christopher shouted. He turned to look at Evelyn. “I apologize for such a sudden outburst.”

  Ha! Alexandra. Nine letters! Ha! So that was her name! I can write it next time we do writing practice.

  Evelyn giggled. “It is a natural request. One I would not wish to refuse so simply, but I am here for the Wind Maiden exclusively.”

  “It’s not fair! The Wind Maiden isn’t even that good! Why is she the one passing our rank!” Alexadra said, pouting. “She can’t even beat me yet!”

  Evelyn squatted down. “That… was disappointing. You are a noble young Alexandra. You should be an example to others. That is what it means to be a leader.”

  Huh. I wasn’t sure what I expected, but it wasn’t that.

  “It is that logic I am following,” the young lady said with tears. “I am acting just as the Wind Maiden does. She complains a lot when she thinks no one of importance can hear.”

  Evelyn grabbed Alexandra by the chin and looked her in the eyes. “Are you really about to tell me that is logic?”

  Alexandra mumbled a simple no, and Evelyne smiled as she let her go.

  “There is hope for you yet, but,” she turned to Elise. “I recommend having the young lady retire to her room for the rest of her night.”

  “Very well. Say goodnight, my daughter.”

  Alexandra gave a weaker than normal curtsy. “I shall bid you all goodnight. I ever so look forward to our next meeting.”

  “Wait,” I said. “The night? But we haven’t had dinner yet? You want her to eat alone?”

  “Oh my,” Evelyne said. “You misunderstood entirely. Elise, explain what it means for a child to retire early, please.”

  “It means sending a child to bed without dinner,” she said, looking down.

  “But… she didn’t even do anything. What kind of-”

  “Did children not get punished in Hatula?” Evelyn asked.

  I gripped my fingers. “Of course they did, but for like serious stuff. Not being ten. I mean, if we were judging people fairly, you and I would also both be out of dinner. Or do nobles normally act as if Maidens are men because of a simple mistake!”

  “Spicy. I like it,” Evelyn said. “Okay. All three of us will retire then. Would that make you feel better?”

  I mean, I was looking to help Alexandra get dinner, but that clearly wasn’t happening. “Fine. Why not. Noble food was at risk of making me fat anyhow.”

  Evelyn smiled as she brushed her hair to the side. “Baron and Baronness, it would seem that I too, need to retire early tonight. Please show me to my room, oh, and as the Maiden of Wind is at the level of a child. I imagine she won’t mind taking a child’s version of this punishment.”

  “Isn’t that a bit-”

  Evelyn waved her hand. “I am not yet faulting what you did during your time with her, but it is clear you were, at the very least, soft. Warranted or not, I wish to judge. So, I insist. Given your swimming reputation, I can’t imagine it's much worse than Hatula village. Or am I wrong?”

  “You’re not wrong,” Christopher said. “Okay. Emilia, take them together.”

  “What exactly are all of you talking about?” I asked.

  “Ignore that, unless the Maiden is so terrified of the unknown. Hmm, wait, how about this? Three days. Alexandra shall serve three days. And you shall face the adult version instead. Would that be preferable? Or are you still willing to go with her?”

  Alexandra looked terrified at the mere mention of three days. “No deal. I put up with plenty. I can handle one night of whatever this is.”

  She simply waved her hand. “Goodnight then, Wind Maiden.”

  Grrr. I followed Emilia and Alexandra and instantly noticed we were walking in a direction different from that of the stairs leading up.