Richard nodded and said "I understand that, but to be honest. There is no other real choice than William." he explained "He's kind, he's caring, and he will put his life on the line for you. I can't think of anyone better." he sighed "And if I must confess further, I...don't want to make the same mistake I made with Eric."

"So like, is obligatory or will we be freaks if we don't do it? What are the societal school rules here?" Delphi asked from the front row as she raised her hand. Suzanne looked bored by the question.

"Delphi, do I really look like someone who can give you advice on societal expectations?" Suzanne asked in turn.

"I'd say that the probability of you knowing the answer to that question is high, given by the fact that you've mentioned it in a class about studying at Arcana, but it's nowhere on your otherwise extensive syllabus, meaning that you mentioned it to us because it's significant to our social lives here at Arcana but the Deans who made this class didn't deem it curriculum worthy. So, you know its implications," Delphi fired back. Suzanne's eyebrows rose, as she smiled a bit.

"Very well," She said, nodding to the young human girl as she sat back down in her seat. "It's not obligatory, there are a few every year who don't do it, but I will say that it is a topic of conversation every time you meet someone at Arcana or from Arcana, so it's a question that will haunt your life: 'Well, how many steps did you manage?' at every party and every function and if your answer happens to be, 'I didn't try the stairs' you will then become a far bigger center of attention than ever taking thirty seconds to try some stairs," she explained. "To my shy or nervous students, I would advise you to try it. You might find some confidence you didn't know you, but you certainly will avoid far more of the attention you don't want by doing this once."

"What?" Amelia asked, looking up at him. Her ears were ringing. What was going on? Betrothed....already?

So it was essentially mandatory for him, then. Camus considered this very good information, and was glad Delphi caught it for the class.

Richard patted her back a bit as he said "I know this is a lot to take in. You can't fool me" He smiled a little "Tell you what, i won't leave your side right now. Forget me being your king, I'm your father, and I love you"

"I love you too. I ...appreciate it Dad, but I really just want to go back to my room if that's alright?" Amelia asked quietly.

Suzanne waited quietly for everyone to leave, leaning against her desk as the room began to clean itself with the wave of her wand. The eraser scrubbed at the board, as trash put itself in the bin, and chairs pushed themselves in. Camus's own chair nudged at his legs, trying to push beneath the desk, but he was in the way. Suzanne was quietly taking notes, not paying any attention, and likely thought everyone had left already.

"Eager to rush me out the door, teach?" Camus called over with an amused tone to his voice as he finally got out of the chair's way, his bags packed. "And here I was going to invite you to watch me injure myself on the stairs."

Richard paused by that and said "Oh...so it is. It felt longer somehow"

"A dinner would be fine," Amelia said quietly. No it wasn't. Why was she saying that? None of this was. But...what could she say against it. "If the decision has been made, there is no reason to wait."

"I'll commend you on your pertinacity, but I am intrigued to see how hard headed you really are," Suzanne said as she walked out and kept walking without waiting for him. "Fancy an experiment? We could test the durability against a book. Or four." She glanced back at him expectantly.

"I do love experimenting." Camus considered jokingly as he followed along. "What kind of books are we talking? I could handle a couple of spell books, I bet."

"If you insist Amelia" Richard sighed respecting his daughter's wishes. "Just do one thing for me please? Don't tell Kira the real reason why I accepted her so easily? It would break her heart for her to think that she was just some kind of trophy. She's grown far past that now."

"I wouldn't seek to hurt her on purpose, I won't," Amelia said.

"Pah, if you make it to the top you'll have your pick of the draw," Suzanne said, rolling her eyes. "Arcana would lay the world at your feet." She was quiet for a moment, debating saying more. She was never so forthwith with her students, why was she suddenly drawn to be now? "If you feel you could, I'd strongly consider whether you'd want the repercussions of doing so or not." The way she said it, was as though she spoke from experience, and not just a consideration of the idea. From where they walked beside her, and the angle Camus had looking down at her, he could see a large, dark coven mark covering the expanse of the inside of Suzanne's left forearm, but scratched and deeply scarred, as though it had been dug at with a knife. He was also at the vantage point to see directly down her shirt. 

Camus looked to Suzanne, then to the mark, then to her cleavage, returning to her face again with similar swiftness between each change. Whatever was going on with that tattoo, seeing it felt as taboo as anything else he got to see from the height differences he often had with women. "You sound like someone who isn't a fan of the whole process." He leaned forward slightly as he walked, to give her a more coy look. "There's more to your enjoyment of watching people fail at the stairs than just seeing some youth hurt themselves, isn't there? It's definitely not jealousy, I don't think you were mad you didn't make it all the way up the stairs. I'd even say..." Camus straightened himself up again. "Well, no point in guessing, you'll deny whatever I guess regardless."