"I do take comfort in that," she admitted. "Knowing that I'm not all alone." Even if she was, Nina thought she could make a go of it. It would be lonely, but she was strong - stronger than she think most people gave her credit for. But being underestimated was fine with her.

"Sometimes I barely remember my own mother," she said as she picked up her tea again and cradled the mug. "I spent so much of my life in the Little Palace, it's hard to remember a life before that. I was raised by teachers and older students."