Shattered Sanity

(House Argent Common Room, The Imperial Academy)

For several seconds after Cedric finished speaking, none of the ten First Years moved, as the warning regarding the cost of betraying Argent terrified them all.

Mary especially swallowed hard, as she understood that all her future dreams could end before they even started if she betrayed Argent, and so she stopped even dreaming about it.

Eventually, however, Gwen began distributing the recruitment sheets amongst them, while Marcus pulled several additional reports from the table and reminded everyone that the forty-eight-hour trade window had already begun, as that changed the atmosphere immediately.

For the nine First Years surrounding Riven, this represented their first opportunity to prove themselves useful and leave a positive first impression on the seniors, and so, they immediately scrambled to try to be successful.

One after another, they thanked Cedric for the instructions before walking through the enormous common room doors, some already discussing strategies while others appeared considerably more nervous about approaching rival House seniors for negotiations.

Within several minutes, only one First Year remained seated.

Riven Dawnriver.

He had barely moved since receiving his recruitment sheet.

The parchment remained within his right hand, although unlike everyone else, Riven had made no attempt to memorize the names written across it or ask which House he should approach first.

Instead, he remained comfortably seated with one leg positioned slightly forward, watching quietly as the others departed.

Mary was among the final students to leave.

For the briefest moment, her eyes moved towards Riven when she noticed that he had made no attempt to follow them, although she quickly looked away before disappearing through the doorway herself.

Gwen closed the doors behind her.

Silence returned to the common room.

Cedric initially ignored Riven.

He gathered several reports from the table while Marcus began discussing which of the high-priority targets they should personally approach first, apparently assuming that Riven merely needed another moment to study his assignment.

Thirty seconds passed.

Then another.

Riven still did not move.

Eventually, Gwen noticed.

Her eyes moved towards the recruitment sheet still resting loosely between his fingers before shifting towards Cedric.

Marcus noticed shortly afterwards.

The conversation between the three Second Years gradually disappeared.

Riven remained seated.

Cedric finally leaned backwards against the table and folded his arms.

"Dawnriver."

He called.

Riven raised his eyes.

"House Lord?"

"Why are you still sitting here?"

Cedric asked, as his gaze briefly moved towards the closed doors.

"The other nine understood the assignment. The trade window has already begun, and considering half the Academy is currently attempting to negotiate with everyone else, I’d rather we didn’t waste the first hour."

Riven remained silent for several seconds.

Then he slowly looked down towards the recruitment sheet within his hand.

"I understand."

He replied calmly.

"Then what’s the problem?"

Cedric asked.

Riven inhaled quietly before placing the parchment upon the table.

That small action immediately caused Marcus’s eyebrows to narrow.

Riven rose from his chair.

"I was waiting because I wished to discuss precisely that matter with you privately, House Lord."

Riven began, as he straightened his clothing before looking directly towards Cedric.

"I say what I’m about to say with the utmost respect towards your authority as House Lord, as well as towards Senior Gwen, Senior Marcus and every Second Year who has worked to place Argent in the position it currently occupies."

Neither Cedric nor Marcus interrupted.

"I am grateful that House Argent selected me."

Riven continued.

"And while I remain beneath its silver banner, I fully intend to contribute towards its victory. I have no intention of becoming someone who accepts the privileges associated with this House while refusing to carry responsibilities when Argent requires something from me."

His eyes remained steadily upon Cedric.

"However, I also believe that every individual should understand what responsibilities are appropriate for their position, what they are capable of contributing better than others and, equally importantly, which responsibilities diminish the station they are expected to represent."

Marcus’s expression changed slightly.

Cedric merely watched.

Riven pushed the recruitment sheet several inches forward.

"I am Riven Dawnriver."

He said calmly.

"I am the heir to the East, the son of Duke Drew Dawnriver and the individual expected to one day govern everything currently governed by my father."

There was no hesitation within his voice.

"I was raised to become a fighter and a ruler, House Lord. I was not raised to spend my time running between dormitories, haggling over food rations and attempting to convince another House to release some Round Eighty recruit because we believe they might eventually earn us several additional House Points."

Marcus’s eyebrows rose.

Gwen’s expression remained considerably harder to read.

"If House Argent requires someone to stand at the front during Black Week, send me."

Riven continued.

"If another House challenges Argent and you require someone capable of answering that challenge, send me. If there are House Points available through combat and you require someone to defeat whoever stands between this House and those points, I will volunteer before you finish asking."

His finger pressed against the recruitment sheet.

"If somebody insults Argent publicly and an answer must be delivered, I will deliver it."

Riven’s eyes sharpened.

"If someone needs to be defeated, intimidated or dragged back here by their collar, then you will find very few people more willing to perform that responsibility than me."

Marcus slowly unfolded his arms.

"But I will not spend the next forty-eight hours running around this Academy like some common House diplomat, begging another House to give us their leftovers."

Riven finished.

"That is not the role I intend to occupy within House Argent, and it certainly isn’t how I intend to represent the Dawnriver name."

Silence followed.

Riven inclined his head slightly towards Cedric.

"So, with the greatest respect towards your authority as my House Lord, my answer is no."

His voice remained completely calm.

"I will not participate in these negotiations."

For several seconds, nobody responded.

Cedric stared towards Riven.

Gwen stared towards Cedric

While Marcus simply blinked in confusion.

Of all the reactions Cedric had expected after entrusting the ten highest-priority First Years with their first responsibility, having the house’s most important selection calmly remain behind and inform him that the assignment was beneath his station had certainly not been one of them.

"You can’t be serious."

Marcus eventually said.

"I am completely serious."

Riven replied.

Marcus stared at him for another moment before slowly stepping away from the table.

"You understand that diplomacy is part of the Imperial Academy curriculum, don’t you?"

He asked.

"Of course."

Riven replied.

"And you understand that the heir to a Duchy will probably spend more time negotiating throughout his life than swinging a sword?"

"Naturally."

"Then explain something to me."

Marcus said, as his tone became noticeably firmer.

"How exactly do you reconcile those two things with standing there and telling your House leadership that negotiating is beneath you?"

Riven’s answer came immediately.

"I never said negotiating was beneath me."

Marcus’s expression tightened.

"You practically just did."

"No."

Riven replied calmly.

"I said this negotiation is beneath me."

The room fell quiet again.

Riven gestured towards the abandoned recruitment sheet.

"If tomorrow House Argent requires me to negotiate an alliance capable of determining the outcome of Black Week, I will sit at that table for as many hours as necessary."

He said.

"If you require the Dawnriver name during negotiations with another noble family, I will use it. If you require me to represent Argent before the Academy leadership, another House or somebody whose cooperation genuinely matters, I will gladly do so."

His gaze returned towards Marcus.

"But that is not what you are asking me to do."

Riven tapped the parchment.

"You are asking me to approach another House and haggle over the transfer price of students selected after Round Seventy."

His expression remained composed.

"I have no interest in doing that."

Marcus stared at him incredulously.

"So you’re deciding which House responsibilities deserve your attention?"

"Yes."

The bluntness of the response momentarily silenced him.

Riven did not look remotely ashamed.

"I don’t believe obedience requires abandoning judgment, Senior Marcus."

He continued.

"House Argent selected me because of what I bring to this House. My strength, my potential, my affinity, my name and whatever else convinced all of you that I deserved your first selection."

Riven straightened slightly.

"So use me accordingly."

Marcus’s jaw tightened.

"You’ve been inside this House for less than an hour."

"I am aware."

"And you’re already telling us how you should be used?"

"Yes."

Riven replied.

"Because I know myself considerably better than you do."

Cedric finally raised one hand before Marcus could respond.

"Enough."

He said.

Marcus reluctantly stepped backwards.

Cedric’s attention returned towards Riven.

"You realize how arrogant you sound?"

He asked.

"Yes."

Riven replied without hesitation.

"And that doesn’t bother you?"

"No."

For the first time, Cedric’s expression shifted slightly.

Riven continued before he could respond.

"False humility would be considerably more insulting."

He said.

"I know the station I occupy. I know the expectations attached to my surname, and I know what I am capable of offering this House."

His voice remained respectful despite the absolute confidence behind every word.

"I am not refusing to serve Argent."

Riven continued.

"I am telling you exactly how I am willing to serve it."

Gwen, who had remained silent throughout most of the exchange, finally stepped away from the doorway.

"So this isn’t actually about avoiding responsibility."

She said.

Riven turned towards her.

"No, Senior Gwen."

"It’s about refusing responsibilities you believe are inconsistent with your position."

"Precisely."

Riven replied.

Gwen glanced towards the recruitment sheet.

"Even though every other First Year we selected accepted the same assignment without complaint?"

"What the others choose to do is their concern."

Riven answered.

"I don’t consider myself responsible for determining what other nobles believe is appropriate for them."

His gaze returned towards Gwen.

"But I know what is appropriate for me."

Riven paused briefly.

"Give me responsibility befitting my station and I will accept it."

He said.

"Give me danger and I will accept that too. Put Argent’s reputation upon my shoulders and tell me failure will humiliate every person wearing silver, and I will carry that burden willingly."

His expression hardened.

"But don’t give me busywork simply because everyone else is willing to perform it."

Marcus released a slow breath through his nose.

"This isn’t busywork."

He said.

"Those fifteen students could contribute more than a hundred House Points throughout the year."

"Then recruit them."

Riven replied.

"I never said the strategy was poor."

That answer caused Cedric’s eyebrows to rise.

"In fact, I believe your strategy makes sense."

Riven continued.

"We possess surplus resources, other Houses possess students they value less than we potentially do, and converting excess food into additional House Point production is reasonable."

He gestured towards Cedric.

"I have no objection whatsoever to what you’re attempting."

Then towards himself.

"I object only to my participation in this particular part of it."

That distinction left Marcus momentarily without an immediate response.

Riven was not challenging Cedric’s authority as House Lord.

He had not mocked Argent’s strategy, insulted the seniors responsible for creating it or attempted to convince the other First Years that the assignment was beneath them.

He had waited until every other junior departed before raising his objection privately.

Arrogant as his reasoning undoubtedly was, there was a strange amount of respect contained within the manner in which he had delivered it.

Cedric exchanged a glance with Gwen.

Gwen looked towards Marcus.

Marcus clearly disliked the entire situation, although even he appeared to understand that forcing the first selection to spend forty-eight hours performing an assignment he openly resented would accomplish very little.

Cedric looked back towards Riven.

"Let me make certain I understand your position correctly."

He said.

Riven nodded.

"If acquiring one of these students required you to fight for them, would you participate?"

"Immediately."

Riven replied.

Cedric’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Even someone selected in Round Ninety?"

"Their draft position would be irrelevant."

Riven answered.

"If House Argent determines that student is valuable enough to fight for, tell me who I need to defeat."

His voice remained perfectly steady.

"I will fight."

Cedric slowly nodded.

"So if, hypothetically, Viridian possessed someone we wanted and their House Lord proposed that ownership of that student be determined through a duel between representatives..."

"Tell me where and when."

Riven replied.

"And if the opponent happened to be stronger than you?"

"Then I would defeat someone stronger than me."

Marcus almost scoffed, although Cedric raised his hand again.

"What if we required you to fight three times?"

"Then I would fight three times."

"Ten?"

"Ten."

Cedric studied him.

"And if you lost?"

"Then I would accept responsibility for losing."

Riven replied unflinchingly as Cedric nodded in understanding.

"I will hold you to those words, Dawnriver.

You are dismissed for now, but I will call on you if needed.

Feel free to join the others in finding a dormitory you fancy."

Cedric declared as his mind instantly began to come up with a strategy where he could use Riven to earn some merit seals for the house.

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