Broken: Day 8

Word Count: 48,056

Summary of Events:

Emil told Samuil everything about Arina before breakfast and asked Samuil if he knew how the spell on Arina could be broken; Samuil didn't know, but his uncle did, and explained that they would need to magically examine her to determine what must be done. After his uncle left Samuil asked Emil why he wanted to help Arina, prompting Emil to confess that he wanted to marry Arina, which prompted scepticism in Samuil because of Arina's mixed blood . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"You're the one who told me I could very well find my wife here in Lebed of all places," Emil scolded. "Now you don't believe it's possible?"

"It's not that I disbelieve the possibility," Samuil replied. "You've hardly seen her all that much, you don't know her."

"We'll court," Emil said.

"Living with the burden of a secret like that will not be easy," Samuil said.

"So long as it doesn't become public knowledge before we have a son to inherit the throne after me it doesn't matter," Emil said. "Even if we have a daughter to inherit the throne after me. It won't matter."

"It could incite revolt," Samuil cautioned. "Don't forget that there are some who hold us in high contempt because we can heal people without the use of scientific means. They believe our existence continues purely because of the enduring propagation of old wives' tales, not because we are an actual people who have existed from the beginning as much as the lyoodi."

Emil nodded. Many of the rich people in Severnaya believed that the charodei were inferior because they didn't use science, nor could they even explain their abilities with science. It was purely through Father that the charodei were put into the military, with largely beneficial results during the war against the Malenkï.

It was also only because of Matushka's efforts that they'd become more familiar faces in society as well, as if it weren't for the charodei he wouldn't exist, as magic had helped protect Matushka from miscarrying him as she had all of the other children she could possibly have birthed.

Even still, science was considered better than magic by most of the more affluent people in the Imperia, meanwhile magic was considered superior to science by everyone else in the Imperia.

"Do you really think it's wise to marry her?" Samuil asked.

"She has had nothing good in her life to this point," Emil replied. "She's only been ostracised, reviled, resented, and cursed. She needs to have something good in her life. She needs to know that she is loved and not all those who love her will be separated from her by death to leave her vulnerable to any and all sufferings that could be afflicted on her."

Samuil still looked unconvinced.

"If our union isn't to be then our courtship will tell it," Emil said. "But I don't want to think about that. I want to think that I have finally found a woman I believe worthwhile of my lifelong affection and that we will not be separated or troubled."

Samuil nodded, although his countenance was still quite sober. Emil looked away from Samuil. He didn't want to see his friend looking so sceptical. He wanted to have Samuil behind him, willing to help him and to see his dream of making Arina his wife come to be a reality.

Pronunciation:

Lyoodi: leeoodee