Dina awoke among pillows, facing the wall. From behind her, a faint whisper trickled into the room. She kept her eyes closed but started to listen.

"...Has she been asleep all this time?"

"Yes. She kept herself awake while I bathed her, although, she already looked exhausted back then. It's a smart girl, able to hold a conversation."

"Hm. That's a useful trait these days."

"Well, yes. She had eaten, and then just dropped like a sack."

A brief silence followed.

"She seems pretty, at least from afar."

"Oh, Feléna, don't get any ideas. She's going to bolster my team."

"And what makes you so sure of that, my dear friend?"

Dina recognized Gaelin's deep, proudly resonant voice. "She killed the man who tried to molest her! Ahahaha, she sure did!"

Silence returned.

"Did you peek into her mind?"

A low growl. "Eh, no. I wouldn't have succeeded anyway."

"Do you think she told the truth?"

Quiet again. The soft sound of a movement.

"Who knows. You can never really tell, as you well know. But the story she told held together pretty well. Given the state I found her in, it made sense."

"Then I'll see for myself."

Dina's eyes flew open. She was driven by a sense that she should do something, prevent anyone from rummaging through her thoughts, but she had no idea what that might be. She pressed her hands over her ears, picturing herself shouting and shaking her head, though she knew it was probably a poor defence if some kind of mind-influencing magic was at play.

"Do you see anything?"

"Quiet down, Gaelin. She's already awake."

Dina heard quiet footsteps approaching her. She sat up. Gaelin and a tall, slender elven woman were in the room. One of them stood beside her in dark, thick clothing resembling leather armour, while the other took a seat at the end of the bed, dressed in a soft, flowing skirt.

Dina's cautious gaze fell upon the unknown elf woman. She was exceptionally tall and strikingly beautiful, with waves of light purple fabric cascading elegantly on her crossed legs. Over her dress, she wore a lace blouse that reached the floor, its hem trimmed with a thick dark-blue silk material that looked like a stole from afar. The piece served no practical function, only aesthetic, making a clear statement about its wearer. Her hair was half tied-up. Not quite a pureblood elf, but close enough. The faint human lineage in her ancestry perhaps only added to her allure.

"Feléna, as you can see, this is Dina. Last night's harvest, haha." Gaelin crossed her arms and stood beside the elf woman. Both gazed silently at the girl, who swallowed and said, a little awkwardly, "Good morning to you."

Feléna remained silent, never taking her eyes off Dina. A friendly yet slightly mischievous smile played on her lips.

"What do you think, Gaelin, should we show this lovely, red apple where she's landed after breakfast?" she glanced at Gaelin, standing beside her.

Though the camaraderie between the two women was almost tangible, Dina noticed that neither of them truly addressed her.

"Not a bad idea," the other laughed. She hung an olive-green dress on the wardrobe door and tossed a pair of shoes onto the floor without bending her waist.

Feléna rose from the bed with a swift kick and left the room with slow, dignified steps.

"Have some breakfast, then follow us. You can wear the dress; it looks like your size," Gaelin told her, then followed the other woman.

Dina was left alone for a few minutes. It was only now, in the morning light, that she could properly examine the room. Well-furnished, perhaps a bit cluttered, it reflected modest prosperity. The bed and the armchair beside it were woven entirely from wicker, with some reed inlays here and there. A tastefully draped tablecloth, a stout pillar candle in a bowl-like holder, a small mirror, and a wardrobe of dark mahogany colour. Sunlight filtered through the open window, and the sheer, light curtain fluttered in a strong but warm breeze. The woven furniture gave off a pleasant, natural scent.

Dina stood, wearing the simple linen nightgown Gaelin had lent her, and approached the wardrobe, plucking the olive-green dress between her fingers. It had a different texture from her old velvet dress, slightly silky but rough to the touch, so thin that a single layer would have been completely see-through.

She put it on and examined herself in the mirror. It was cut shorter than the old one, just reaching her knees, with an unusual dark belt around the waist. Like the house itself, it wasn't luxurious but was more ornate than average.

She then went downstairs. Gaelin handed her a few bites in a spacious dining room opening off the central hall, then led her outside. "I'll show you the essentials, what you need to keep an eye on."

The meaning was clear, even without words. In the backyard were a few targets, several straw dummies, a training field, and a shed full of both sharp and practice weapons.

"You'd better not touch these until you learn how to use them. None of them are toys! Look at this," Gaelin lifted an elven scimitar, twirling it with an admiring look. "A fine piece, and I tell you, exceptionally effective too! Isn't it amazing?"

Dina didn't feel any particular admiration for the weapons, so she just nodded politely.

"What are we waiting for? Here's your chance, grab a practice weapon and show me what you've got."

Dina shrugged. "Honestly, I've never learned swordsmanship."

"That doesn't mean I can't assess your potential." Gaelin was insistent, shoving a wooden sword into Dina's hands and pulling her onto the training ground. "Come on, defend yourself!"

The woman attacked, baring her teeth, aiming a two-handed strike at Dina's head. Startled, Dina dropped the sword and jumped aside instead.

"Oh, you can do better than that! Fight back!"

Despite the pressure, Dina often failed to block the mock assault or opted for escape over weapon use. Gaelin, visibly disappointed, had no choice but to put the wooden swords back.

"Sorry, but I really don't know how to fight."

"It's not just that you don't know, but you're also weak! After this, I don't see much promise in you." Gaelin made no effort to hide her disdain.

Laughter echoed from a distance. Feléna sat on one of the garden chairs, legs crossed, lounging like a queen, likely watching them the whole time. Whether she was laughing at Dina's clumsiness or her friend's failed plans, it was hard to tell.

That afternoon, Dina saw a small group of women—girls, ladies, matrons—arrive, all dressed like warriors, much like Gaelin. She taught them fencing, archery, and even wrestling. Their faces were stern, their movements strong. One particularly tall, burly woman looked up at the girl standing in the window with a scowl of profound disgust. Dina had no desire to join in.

At dinner, the two allowed her to sit with them at the table.

"What are you staring at?" Gaelin barked at her in her own stern but friendly way. Dina explained that she just felt a bit strange, as sitting at a stranger's table reminded her of her childhood in the village. She didn't speak much about herself, nor too emotionally.

"Hm! I can't say what'll become of you here. It would take decades to turn you into a warrior." Gaelin glanced at Feléna, hoping she might say something, but she just pretended not to notice the hint and continued eating.

Dina tried to engage. "Feléna, what do you do?"

The woman exchanged a sly smile with her friend.

"If I find you worthy, I'll tell you."

The girl looked back down at her plate.

"Tell me, what are your plans?" Gaelin inquired, rubbing her stomach and leaning back.

For now, I just wanted to escape, to stay alive."

"Well, it looks like you are alive. And now?"

"I should go back to Perubia."

Gaelin snapped at her. "Are you mad?! You're a murderer there; the city guards will arrest you and hang you from the first tree they find!"

Dina swallowed, keeping her voice calm. "Even so, I should go back. Someone promised he'd find me, but he doesn't know I'm here. And I'd like to know he's safe too."

"You don't mean Zevran, do you?" Gaelin spat into her napkin.

Dina nodded.

The woman continued to grumble. "Hah... How foolish you are! Trusting in a man... I expected better of you. What did that scoundrel promise you? Love? Prosperity?"

"Actually, neither," Dina countered.

"Even worse! Only silly women fall for men like Zevran! You'd do better to forget him and focus on something meaningful."

Dina didn't want to argue but suddenly had a strange feeling. "Gaelin, do you... know Zevran?"

The woman bristled indignantly and stood up from the table. "Why would I?"

"But if you have heard of him..."

"I'm already regretting bringing you home!" Gaelin shouted at her and left.

Feléna continued eating with an unmoved, almost serene expression, and when Dina looked at her, she only shrugged and popped another bite into her mouth.

*

Later that day, Dina only helped with washing up. By the following evening, Gaelin seemed to have forgotten the argument, so during supper, Dina decided to ask a question. She first cautiously assessed the situation, watching both women's faces, and then...

"Are you... are you wizards?"

The two women exchanged a quick glance. Neither spoke for a moment, and the silence stretched on until finally, Gaelin had to break it.

"Why would you think that? Do we wear robes and baggy trousers, turbans, and have black hair?"

Dina didn't reply. She looked suspiciously at Feléna, who had stopped lifting her spoon to her mouth and was now staring at Dina from the corner of her eye without blinking. The girl raised her hand defensively towards her ear.

"You're trying to look inside my head... aren't you?"

Another meaningful glance passed between the two women.

Again, the silence lasted too long.

Finally, Gaelin sighed, stood up heavily, and slowly but menacingly stepped towards Dina. All the girl could see was the woman's sad expression, and then, from who knows where, she was suddenly holding a dagger in her hand.

"I'm sorry, Dina."

The girl jumped up from her chair, ready to run when Feléna shouted, raising a hand towards them.

"Wait!"

Dina panted, standing just a few steps from Gaelin and the dagger. From the woman's dispassionate face, she could tell that, reluctant as she might be, Gaelin would have killed her without question.

"It's the rule, Feléna, and you know it! If you don't take her in, she has to die!" Gaelin clutched the hilt tightly in anger.

Feléna nodded. "So far, I haven't thought much of her, but just wait. She wouldn't have asked if I could read her mind while she's awake unless she had some inkling about us. She's completely untrained, and yet she figured it out."

Dina, still breathing heavily, endured being talked about as if she weren't present.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that she might not be entirely hopeless."

Feléna first meticulously wiped her mouth, tossed the napkin onto the table, and leaned back, looking at Dina.

"Listen, Dina. Tomorrow, you'll come with me, and we'll see if you meet my standards. If you do, you'll have purpose and a life; if not, you'll die. Oh, and by the way, you could decide to run now, but then certain death awaits you. We'll find you and kill you. If you come with me tomorrow, there might still be a chance for you."

"Where to?"

Feléna laughed. "That's not up for discussion. I've stated the terms." She stood up, and as if nothing had happened, she began clearing the table.

Gaelin grabbed Dina by the arm and, dagger in hand, escorted her upstairs.

"This wasn't our plan," she explained tersely, leading the girl all the way to her room, bringing a key with her. She then began inspecting the window, opening it to check if it was high enough to prevent Dina from escaping.

"You don't have to lock me in," the girl said suddenly, standing in the middle with an icy look in her eyes.

Gaelin stopped.

"I'm not going to run. I'm done with running. Tomorrow, I'll go with Feléna, and I'll be her best student."

Gaelin regarded Dina in silence. "So be it!"

The lock clicked shut.