**Chapter 3A: First Frosts**
The carriage ride passed without incident, the steady clop of hooves and the occasional rattle of wheels over frost-cracked stone the only sounds to break the quiet. Inside, the three siblings sat in their own private silences: Lily gazing out the window at the passing landscape, Albert occasionally glancing between his sisters with a mixture of curiosity and faint wariness, and Rin staring fixedly at the middle distance, her hands resting lightly on her knees as though ready to push herself upright at any moment.
When the great crystal dome of the Royal Arcane Academy finally rose into view, its spires catching the pale winter sun like blades of ice, the carriage slowed. The gates—massive ironwork wrought with interlocking runes of protection—swung open at the approach of the Frost crest. Students and faculty moved through the courtyard in a steady stream, their robes and cloaks in the colors of their houses: indigo for Diamond, green for Clover, crimson for Heart, black for Spade.
The driver brought the carriage to a halt near the main steps. Grooms appeared almost instantly to unload the trunks. Rin and Albert had only one modest chest each—practical clothing, books, a few personal effects. Lily’s belongings filled three large trunks and several smaller cases, all adorned with delicate silver embroidery. She would divide her time between the Academy and the family estate, returning home on weekends and holidays.
Albert stepped out first, offering a hand to Lily, who took it with a small, grateful smile. Rin descended last, her movements economical and self-contained.
Inside the grand atrium, the air hummed with excitement and nervous energy. First-years milled about, clutching registration scrolls, while upperclassmen lounged against pillars or called greetings to friends. A senior instructor in flowing indigo robes stood on the dais, staff in hand, directing students toward the main lecture hall.
“First-year students to the Hall of Echoes,” he called. “All others to your assigned classes. Move quickly.”
The three siblings followed the current of new students. Lily walked close to Albert, her hand brushing his sleeve. Rin trailed a step behind, eyes scanning the crowd, the architecture, the faces—cataloging everything like a map she might need to escape from later.
The Hall of Echoes was vast, its domed ceiling painted with constellations that shifted slowly, as though the stars themselves watched the proceedings. Rows of tiered benches rose in concentric circles around a central platform where several instructors waited. The new students filed in and took seats according to a hastily scribbled seating chart posted at the doors.
By some quirk of fate—or perhaps deliberate arrangement—Rin and Lily found themselves seated in the same row, only two seats apart. Lily offered a hesitant smile when she noticed. Rin returned a small nod, nothing more.
Once the hall was full, the headmistress—Lady Seraphine Vaelor, a tall elf with silver hair and eyes like polished amethyst—ascended the platform. Her voice carried effortlessly, amplified by subtle enchantments.
“Welcome to the Royal Arcane Academy,” she began. “You stand here today not merely as students, but as the future guardians of Eldoria. Magic, steel, scholarship, and shadow—all paths converge here. In the coming days, you will be tested, sorted, and assigned to your houses.”
She gestured, and a long scroll unfurled in the air before her, glowing with golden script.
“Room assignments have been determined based on aptitude, background, and the results of your entrance examinations. Those with special circumstances or extraordinary talent have been placed in Diamond Dormitory. The rest will be divided among Clover, Heart, and Spade.”
Names began to appear on the scroll, scrolling upward like water in a fountain.
Lily’s name appeared first among the first-years: *Lily Frost, Heart Dormitory, Room II-VII*.
She exhaled softly in relief. Heart was the most familiar to her; many noble daughters attended there.
Rin’s name followed a moment later: *Rin, Diamond Dormitory, Room IV-III*.
A ripple of murmurs spread through the hall. Diamond was rare—reserved for those whose talents were too unique, too volatile, or too valuable to be placed in the standard houses. It also carried the heaviest security wards in the Academy, and the fewest rules.
Albert, seated several rows behind, leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Rin. She did not react, her expression as unreadable as ever. But Lily turned to her, brows knitting together.
“Diamond Dormitory,” Lily said, voice barely above a whisper. “That’s… that’s for special admissions. How did you—”
“I showed what was necessary,” Rin cut in quietly, not looking at her. She did not have the mood to explain to her SISTER of how she managed to be in the Diamond.
Lily’s lips parted, then closed. She glanced down at her hands, twisting the edge of her sleeve. “I just thought… since we’re the same age, we might be together. In the same house, at least.” She did not expect they would be separated; she is not sure how to feel glad or sad.