Writing Samples

"My what scandal such a dour face could cause," the scowl on Miranda's face softened as she looked up from fidgeting with her desk into the eyes of her childhood friend Clifton. Before she had much of a chance to respond, Cliff took her hand and swept her onto the dance floor, using the forced proximity of dance to speak with her privately in the only way they were able to at this event. "At nine bells be in the Astronomy Tower, I've arranged an escape route for the night."

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She looked up at him in slight confusion but allowed him to continue knowing how he hated being interrupted. "I'll cover for you with your parents and meet you at the tavern. No one would suspect the Dean of Students' son to be facilitating your shenanigans." He grinned and twirled her about before pulling her close, in an embrace that was sure to awaken the rumor mills of the Academy's more gossipy students. "I know how important this is for you. Making a good impression with the right people is crucial. Doesn't matter if you're rubbing elbows with the high council or trying to get in good with a band of natural mages."

Miranda found herself laughing resting her head on Clifton's chest as they danced. "I should have known better than to try and hide anything from you Cliff...Thank you."

With a plan in place, Miranda felt the butterflies in her stomach fluttering back to life, the same anxious feeling she'd felt when she had first seen the flier advertising the Sisters Russo, Union City's first mage punk band performing at the Freelancer's Guild. The boldness of these women; openly broadcasting their status as natural mages filled her with a hope she hadn't felt since her sorcerer's powers started developing. Perhaps among the wizard elite, where families proudly traced their bloodlines back to the mages of the Cataclysm, natural magic was looked down upon, but if these women could exist--nay thrive in the world as Song Sorceresses. Perhaps there was a chance for Miranda to exist simply as she was.

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This concert was more to her than just a show she wanted to catch; it was an opportunity. If she could get just a moment with the band, tell them her story, and show them what she was capable of, perhaps they could sponsor her application to the Freelancer's Guild. Maybe this was the key to the golden cage she'd been kept in her entire life.

The sudden dead silence of the room broke her from her thoughts as the bodies on the dance floor stopped moving and all turned to the levitating central platform. There in his glorious deep blue suit, adorned with crystals shining in every color that did and did not exist stood, the man of the evening Preston Greene at his side was Evelyn having changed out of her ballgown into a matching ostentatious show gown matching her husband's suit.

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"I would like to thank you all for coming tonight to this little inaugural gala," his voice boomed out clear and crisp, enhanced with magic to reverberate through the room and be heard in every attendee's native language. "Long has the Greene family supported the growth and prosperity of both this Academy and the community of talented wizards around it. It is to that end that after many months of discussion, we have decided to further tie or line to the future of these hallowed halls."

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The pause hung pregnant in the air; not even the busiest of bodies was whispering as the room awaited the grand announcement. "It is with great pleasure that we announce the formal tying of the Greene and Tyler bloodlines with the betrothal of our daughter Miranda and Dean Yuliya Tyler and Professor Creighton Tyler's son Clifton."

Spotlights bright and warm and plentiful focused on the young pair, both frozen in shock, as the room erupted in cheers. The crowd parted before the two teenagers opening a direct path up to the stage as Clifton's parents made their way down from the balcony to join Mr and Mrs. Greene-O'Brien. When neither youth moved a sharp glance from Preston, his angular features particularly harsh ignited an instinct in them to comply; feet slowly carrying them towards the central stage.