On the day of September 17th, Yasha greeted the morning by rolling out of his bed one limb at a time. On a Saturday, he was more inclined to sleep in, but he had already been awake for an hour before the sun rose, just lazing around in bed, so he figured he might as well get up. The laying around had gotten boring and maybe he could find some early mischief to get up to instead.

He rolled underneath his covers until one foot was on the ground, and then the other, and then continued to roll until his whole body was outside of his bed. As he sluggishly stood up, he pulled a black shirt over his head and black pants on. Popping his head through his shirt, he heard a distinct rapping on his dorm room window.

As no one else seemed in a hurry to wake up and see what it was, Yasha smoothed his dark bangs over his right eye and walked over to the window. The crisp September air rushed in and revealed the Volkov's eurasian eagle owl perched on a thick branch just outside of the window. It gave a soft OOOO-oo as Yasha stepped aside to let it inside. Apparently it was his visitor to welcome anyway.

"Good morning, Filin. What have you brought me from Papa?" He asked, sweeping out his arm to guide his guest to his bed as the owl swooped in, dropped the letter it was carrying on said sleeping machine, and perched on the railing at the end of it. Yasha walked over with a small smile and handed the bird a treat before it took off again out the still open window. "Never a bird to wait around for anyone." Yasha muttered as he picked the letter up from the bed and opened it.

Filin was his father's bird and only carried his father's letters, which were always urgent. Well, according to his father. Filin also was just generally not the kind of bird to wait around until Yasha found his way to the Izba (Main Hall) and it was officially 'mail time'. Filin wanted to drop his package and leave. Half the time, the bird wouldn't even wait around for a reply, making Yasha use a school or Dacha owl instead depending on where he was.

The letter read:

Yasha,

News of the Hexiwizard tournament has finally come around to the parents of Koldovstoretz, as has the news that there will be accompanying activities for students that are not participating in the games. I imagine that they have already told you that there will be a formal ball on October 8th that you will be attending. I know that you already understand that you will be attending and we expect the best of your behavior.

I have spoken to my old friend Vasiliev and we have agreed that the best course of action and reputation is for you to take his daughter, Oksana, to the ball. You will remember the Vasilievs from some of the more formal events that you have attended with your mother and I. You will ask her to go to the ball with you in a gentlemanly manner befitting a Volkov and you will treat her well throughout the night.

I expect nothing but the best from you. Do have a good time.

Olexei Volkov

Yasha frowned. He had known that he would have to attend the ball for appearances sake, but he hadn't known that his father would arrange a date for him. He had expected to go alone. It wasn't like he was surprised though. Papa had brought up Oksana before and she was a decent enough girl to get along with. Why had he even fathomed that Papa would let him go alone? Going alone to a ball looked weak and the Volkovs never looked weak.

Well, it was far too early in the morning to go ask her now and he would have to acquire some kind of gift anyway. Never ask a lady for anything without a gift. He walked over to the window and closed it before changing into a more presentable outfit. It was still a black shirt and black pants but a nicer shirt and pants. As he dressed, he wracked his brain and vaguely remembered a party where she had told him that she liked white crocuses. So there was his mission for the morning. Mischief would have to wait, unless Oksana was up for some.

He had seen her around the grounds, but because she was older and in a different group, he hadn't had much reason to really interact with her until now. As he had thought before, she had always been a reasonable enough to get along with, but he knew that she had been playing the same perfect-pure-blood child game that he was at formal functions. Get along with everyone. Don't be embarrassing. Maybe she was more fun than all of that.

Anyway, maybe this would be fun, he thought as he quietly exited his dorm room.

~~~~

Several hours later, Yasha entered the Izba with his prized flowers, hoping to either find Oksana or at least someone who knew where she was. Thankfully, he found her quickly walked over and bowed low, holding out the flowers.

"Hello, Oksana." He said with a charming smile, standing up to his full height. "May I talk with you outside?"