Cassie tilted her head at the word 'Master,' but if she thought anything of it, she didn't say anything through their shared Memory.
The blind woman stood, holding out her delicate hand. Noble took the cue, standing and looping the lady's palm through the crook of her elbow.
The two women climbed the steps and approached the podium and the man waiting for them there.
Ambrose greeted them with one arm spread out. Then he stepped aside and took the first plaque from an attendant, read the name, and placed it gently into Cassie's free hand.
The second went to Noble. She took it, looking at her engraved name with a strange mix of emotions.
'I can practically feel your frown.' Cassie nudged her with her elbow. 'Don't forget to smile!'
Noble blinked and then grinned at Ambrose and then the crowd. She turned the plaque toward the audience with a gentle nod.
"Lady Cassie and Professor Noble!" Ambrose led the crowd in an enthusiastic round of applause.
"Master Ma'am, look here!" Teddy called over the roar.
She snapped pictures feverishly, unwilling to miss a single moment of the action. Noble smiled down at her. Fort would get his perfect image if it killed her.
Having grown larger even after the event started, the group from the Academy was especially loud. However, Noble was surprised to find that the Fire Keepers were equally enthusiastic. It wasn't often they got to celebrate their fearless leader, so they did so with gusto now.
Even Neph was clapping with a genuine smile on her face. Noble could feel Changing Star's genuine admiration for her friend, and the professor's estimation of the princess rose in that moment.
'Lady Nephis has a depth of emotion unlike anyone else I have seen. Yet, somehow she manages to keep from showing it to the world.'
Having emotions and expressing them were different, of course, but usually there was some connection. It was unusual to see someone who treated them like entirely different entities. At this moment, however, Lady Nephis's body and emotions were in sync. The princess of Valor was proud of her friend, and everyone could see it.
Noble had little time to ruminate over the affectionate display of the audience and their cheers. Soon enough, they died down, and it was Cassie's turn to speak. Noble took the other woman's hand and placed it on the podium.
Cassie nodded at her, and the Professor stepped back to stand beside Ambrose. After setting the award in front of her on the platform, Cassie cleared her throat lightly.
"On behalf of Professor Noble and myself, we would like to thank you for the recognition that this assembly has bestowed. It feels a little strange being in the limelight like this, so you will forgive me if I am not as eloquent as I would like to be. I will be brief. I was happy to work on this project. Giving Awakened every possible advantage will make all of us stronger. Enhancing Memory Utilization has long been a passion of Professor Noble. I am honored that I was able to play even a small part in making her dream a reality."
'Would you like to thank your family and friends?'
Noble was surprised when the question in her mind overlapped with Cassie's audible speech. It seemed most Saints could split their attention when needed.
'If you wouldn't mind.' The professor had known she would not be speaking, and her family and friends were not supposed to be at the event anyway, so the thought had not really crossed her mind. Now that she had fans in the audience, things had changed.
"Professor Noble would like to thank her husband Fort, and children Rain, Brock, and Blaze for their love and encouragement." Cassie's emotions spiked. She took a shallow breath and continued. "She would also like to thank her mother, stepfather, and all of her colleagues at the Academy for their unwavering support. You have been a blessing to her."
'Thank you,' Noble sent the message through The Other's Voice.
'I was offering to let you do it, you know,' Cassie seemed to chuckle.
'It was better that I gave you the words. Less awkward.' Noble had mentally given the Saint the small speech on the fly.
'Maybe less awkward for you!'
Lady Cassia continued her speech without missing a beat. "I would like to thank my parents as well. They have always been there for me and pushed me to be the best version of myself. And of course, Lady Nephis and the Fire Keepers. Lady Nephis has always been a shining light to lead us toward a better tomorrow, and if you didn't hear the Fire Keepers' support when I came up here, then you are more deaf than I am blind."
Laughter rippled through the audience.
"All in all, we hope that this is just the first of many collaborations that will help make all Awakened stronger and better equipped to take on the Nightmare Spell. As Lady Nephis has told me, 'Only with humanity united can we conquer the unconquerable. Together, who dares stop us?' Professor Noble and I, along with all of you, hope to make that goal a reality so we can give the next generation…"
Cassie paused. The folds of her blindfold scrunched together as the lady swayed slightly.
"Cassie?" Noble whispered.
The other Saint regained her composure. Her smile was back in place, but her emotions were erratic.
"...So we can give the next generation a future with promise. Thank you."
The crowd burst into another round of enthusiastic applause. Noble had noted that the last bit of Cassie's speech had been in support of unity. She would certainly know that war was coming, so was she trying to rally support to Valor with her words?
No, she hadn't mentioned Lord Anvil or Clan Valor by name. She had only quoted Nephis. If anything, Cassie had garnered support for the silver-haired princess. While Nephis was a member of Clan Valor, the two were not synonymous.
'Curious…'
What was more curious was the lady's dramatic pause. Had she seen something about the future generations that upset her? Noble hoped not. All seers had found difficulty peeking into the future ever since the close of the Antarctic campaign. If Cassie had seen something definitive, then it could mean the collective curse was broken. That would be a good thing, right?
Not always.
Noble noticed how tightly Cassie was gripping the lectern. If she held it any tighter, the synthetic wooden frame would break.
Noble touched her hand lightly, and Cassie released it to take her guide's arm. Amid the applause, they headed back to their seats. Noble led her unsteady companion and helped her to sit.
Cassie seemed to be having a conversation in her head, though if she was, it wasn't with Noble. When the professor could stand it no longer, she invaded the other girl's thoughts.
'I don't mean to pry, but I felt your emotions spike. Cassie, what happened?'
The girl broke off whatever conversation she was having with herself and turned to Noble as if jolted from a terrible dream.
Cassie gripped Noble's arm tightly.
'Go home. Now!'