Cassandra checked on her new room, and was happy to find that all of her things had in fact been moved already. What was more, the room was basically identical to the one she'd stayed in the first two days, and everything seemed to be in exactly the same place as she had left it. Come to think of it, that was a little creepy. She didn't own that many things, but still.
Her phone startled her with a buzz, and she flipped it open to read the text, and send a reply.
> sonds gud lemme know when and where She hesitated a moment, then sent another.
> u busy 2nite? > this morning > w/e
She went back out into the living room and picked up her cup of tea.
"Hey," she said to Amaris, "I'm going to sit on the porch, I'll probably be out until after sunrise. I might go out for a little bit, but call me if you need me."
Cassandra, who had never been able to go out on her own without using a window, felt a little strange just announcing her departure so boldly. But she was determined to hold Amaris to her word, and act like an equal. It's what she had wanted out of the academy, so she was going to enjoy getting used to it.
She took her tea out onto the front porch with her, and sat on the stairs with it next to her. She was hoping Lilie would text her back, but she thought she might catch a bus into town anyway, just because she could.
It rang a bell alright; but between the crushing existential dread of existence, trying to memorize his syllabi, and catching up on the 100+ years of common vampire knowledge he was missing, Joryldin didn't exactly have time to think about the potentially insidious secret club of people with common decency. He frantically tapped away at his phone's keyboard, trying to convey this to Evalyn. After spamming her with at least five separate messages of explaining instead of sending it all at once like a reasonable person, the fledgling vampire let out a sigh and took off down the road at top speed.
"I'm OMW as fast as I can. Tell the Class Pres I'm sorry and I had a lot on my mind, which I'd rather keep there so I don't fail my first semester before it's even started."
Salem took note of his surroundings as soon as he entered the room, eyeing the ruler as well as the rod that lay there and knowing full well how things could go. Spare the rod, spoil the child after all. He gave the man a half bow while introducing himself. ”Salem Spellman, its a pleasure to meet you. I wanted to apologize for taking time out of your no doubt busy schedule in order to have to teach a student like myself.” He wasn’t exactly certain what he thought was going to happen during these classes. Perhaps he imagined a frail female teacher with a porcelain tea set and white gloves, teach him the proper way to make a cucumber sandwich. Or maybe some well spoken man with a penchant for long drawn out speeches about the importance of cutlery and the order in which to use them. This however was much stricter than anything he had in mind, two instruments for which to help break a student of bad habits, and a Noila mage at that. No doubt it was teachings such as these which made Aaron such a suitable lap dog for the ‘higher races’ thus putting the two at ends in some discussions.
Salem stood there, half bow still as he awaited for his instructor to tell him otherwise. He didn’t dare to take a seat without being told, nor did he dare to attempt to move without so much as direction from the teacher. The more complicit that he remained the easier that these proceedings would go and the faster that they could find these classes a waste of time as well as choosing to end them. Perhaps they would chalk it all up to him being such an amazing and astute teacher, being able to whip even the most rowdy of children into shape in a matter of days. Salem cared not for who got the credit so long as it made this period as quick and painless as possible. Then again, even the iron rod against his knuckles might make for a more pleasurable time than to be locked in a dorm with a hound from hell.
Stepping out of the tattoo parlor, Aaron’s right hand was already exploring the new addition to his body, ever-so-gently prodding and pulling at his earring. The sensation of pulling on something embedded in his skin was bizarre to say the least, but he couldn’t stop himself. He was acutely aware of the earring as he started walking down the street, as it swung and swayed with every step. Probably by design, he mused bitterly; not only did the earring tell everyone else who he belonged to, it wouldn’t even let Aaron himself forget.
‘Dedication’ indeed.
The next door down the street - the one that other mage had ducked into, Aaron realized - belonged to what looked like an art store, if the shelves lined with paint, brushes and other tools were any indication. From the window he could also see a section filled with some of the strangest furniture he’d ever seen in his life; from this angle he couldn’t see much, but he swore there was a lamp covered in little red sailboats. It was garish beyond all reason and Aaron had no idea what sort of person would own such a thing, but it was also strangely endearing, or at least in the way that a stumbling newborn colt was endearing.
The store’s walls bore artwork in various styles, all with little placards indicating they were for sale. Aaron couldn’t see the prices at this distance, and truth be told, he had no idea how much they’d sell for anyway. Some of them surely couldn’t fetch much, but there was one or two he could see that might be worth… something. He was staring quizzically at one depiction of stones in a river when a figure passed behind the glass, a woman in an embroidered apron poring over a clipboard. She must have noticed him through the window, because she turned and gave him a friendly smile and a wave, getting a much more bashful one in return before Aaron hurried out of the window and farther on down the street.
The next building was the alchemist’s shop he’d noticed earlier; its windows were packed with various potted plants on hanging shelves, as well as small bottles of things Aaron didn’t recognize, powders and liquids in all sorts of colours. Through the plants Aaron could see a sign advertising “Modern Medicines”. As if on cue, his headache from the arena twinged, not having gone away on its own like Aaron hoped it would.
The alchemist’s shop was the last on this side of the street before the town gave way back to the forest, so Aaron crossed the street, not particularly concerned with the apothecary for the moment. Directly across from it was a bookstore with a display centred around a fashion book, and next to it was something Aaron swore was ripped straight out of an old movie.
It was a diner, in the purest sense of the word, with a colourful retro exterior and benches bearing mages and turned alike, eating ice cream and chatting amicably. One looked up as Aaron approached the entrance, eyeing his outfit, but paid him little mind and returned to her conversation with little more than a glance. The interior was just as retro as the exterior, walls lined with booths and a bar at the centre, edges and barstools trimmed in stainless steel. A few customers sat on the stools with either food or coffee in front of them and a lone employee stood behind the bar, back turned with a messy knot in his apron strings on display as he refilled the grounds in a heavy-duty coffee machine. Aaron stepped in curiously, simultaneously surprised and charmed by the little bell on the door that announced his arrival, but realized as soon as he entered that he had no idea what to do.
Luckily, he wasn’t at a loss for long. The employee behind the bar, a staggeringly tall, thin mage with messy black hair and tired green eyes, turned around at the sound of the bell, offering Aaron a muted smile. “Evenin’. What can I get for you?”
Aaron approached the bar, earning an odd look from the employee toward his scabbard. He had only intended to look around, but wasn’t it rude to decline an offer? “Oh, just water please,” he replied politely, doing his best to pretend he wasn’t totally caught off guard. He figured he could at least take his painkillers. He usually didn’t like taking medication, but he was pretty sure they’d be out of his system by the time Varis fed tomorrow evening, so it was probably fine.
The employee nodded and turned back around, although as soon as he did, Aaron realized the flaw in his plan. “Oh, wait, I’m sorry, I don’t have any money with me,” he hurried out, leaving out the part where he didn’t have any money anywhere else either.
The employee raised a suspicious eyebrow as he turned back, placing a full glass on the bar in front of Aaron. “No problem, it’s just water.”
“Oh,” Aaron raised his own eyebrows, accepting the glass. “Thank you.”
The employee eyed Aaron as he fished out his painkillers and swallowed them, barely containing a smirk. “You’re new to this, aren’t you?”
Aaron shrugged. “Yeah, it’s my first year at the Academy.”
“Not the Academy,” the employee corrected, gesturing around at the diner. “To all of this.”
Aaron’s ears turned red, and he gave the left one a bashful tug. “Is it that obvious?”
The employee chuckled, gesturing at Aaron’s scabbard. “It’s not the hardest guess, no.”
Aaron followed his gaze, tapping his pommel. Somehow he hadn’t expected it to draw so much attention; it wasn’t rare at home for mages to be armed, after all. Then again, it also wasn’t rare to bow and be respectful either, but apparently that was a foreign concept to a lot of the people here as well. “Ah, sorry.”
The employee shrugged, taking Aaron’s empty glass and depositing it on a washing rack. “No worries,” he assured the blond, moving some things around that Aaron couldn’t see. “I’m subbing for someone else tonight. As far as I’m concerned, you’re just a regular I’ve never met.”
Aaron smiled and thanked the employee as he left, earning a grin and a wink in return. As soon as he stepped back out onto the sidewalk, his phone and watch buzzed in tandem, displaying a message from Lilie.
> You'll never guess who's here!
When he opened the message on his phone, he was greeted with a picture of a mildly amused looking Princess Ryner, William and Sariel in tow, and Aaron grinned. She must have been making her rounds around campus; even though this was his first time attending, Ryner’s concern for her students was well known, and it was common knowledge that she liked to interact with them face-to-face rather than running everything behind a wall of administrative staff. Smiling, he walked slowly back in the direction of the bus stop, tapping out his reply.
> Haha, yeah! I’ve heard she likes to talk to students. Did you talk to her?
> What no > I can't do that
> What? Why?
> I could get arrested > I could get sent to the mines > I could get my head taken off for daring to take a picture of the princess > TT^TT
Aaron couldn’t help but laugh, and luckily there was no one on the sidewalk in front of the general store to notice. Royalty probably was intimidating to someone who wasn’t familiar (and hell, he still got a little nervous around the Queen) but he just knew Princess Ryner’s gentle demeanour so well it was hard to imagine her looking scary.
> Hahaha, you’re fine! As long as you got her good side!
He laughed some more at his own stupid joke, but figured that might be a little mean, and amended it.
> Relax, she’s harmless. She just likes to be able to talk to her students, that’s all. I’m jealous, I’m still in town!
> shes a mega vampire, extra important extra beautiful extra intimidating > I was going to say hi to Sariel but then I saw her and now she saw me taking a picture and this is it this is how I die > I knew a vampire would kill me someday!!!!!
Lilie’s apparent panic brought another laugh out of Aaron, though he did feel bad for being so amused at her expense. At least her fears were unfounded, though it seemed like she’d need some convincing.
> You’re not going to die! > Princess Ryner is lovely! I should know, I grew up around her :D > Nothing to be scared of, just go up and say hi. Probably don’t even need to worry about protocol since she’d know that you’re not from those circles.
> I wish you were here >__< > this is hard
Something about Lilie wanting him with her made Aaron’s heart flutter, and he could feel a blush burning his ears. How could he say no to that?
> Well the bus back to campus just pulled up, if you want I can come introduce you!
> okay > Ill try to buy you some time > but if I get eaten its gonna be all your fault!!
> Noted! XD
Aaron smiled as he tucked his phone away, breaking into a jog to make sure he didn’t miss the bus. Luckily he caught it with a little time to spare, tucking himself in a window seat near the front and feeling considerably lighter than when he’d gotten off.
Lilie jumped in place as her phone chimed at her, nervous hands fumbling as she nearly dropped her phone. Her clumsy grip resulted in opening a message, and once she properly had a grip on herself she saw it was Cassandra's text. Oh, she wanted to hang out! But the way her heart beat against her chest, her aching back and shoulder protested. She did have a lot of excitement for one night, but she would feel bad turning her down.
I'll run it by everyone and let you know! I'm a little tired tonight, but I'd love to hang out tomorrow!
Tomorrow or maybe during the day? She'd probably be up when the sun was still around.
And by tomorrow I mean after I get some sleep! We can hang out during the day like normal people :D I'll text you when I get up!
Satisfied, Lilie finished in time to receive a response. Aaron texted back pretty quickly! Boy, were they different, he wanted her to go say hi?
> What no > I can't do that
> What? Why?
> I could get arrested > I could get sent to the mines > I could get my head taken off for daring to take a picture of the princess > TT^TT
> Hahaha, you’re fine! As long as you got her good side!
Lilie almost laughed, barely containing a smile. So Aaron wasn't as formal as she thought!
> Relax, she’s harmless. She just likes to be able to talk to her students, that’s all. I’m jealous, I’m still in town!
If Ryner was anything like Nox, Lilie sincerely doubted that.
> shes a mega vampire, extra important extra beautiful extra intimidating > I was going to say hi to Sariel but then I saw her and now she saw me taking a picture and this is it this is how I die > I knew a vampire would kill me someday!!!!!
> You’re not going to die! > Princess Ryner is lovely! I should know, I grew up around her :D > Nothing to be scared of, just go up and say hi. Probably don’t even need to worry about protocol since she’d know that you’re not from those circles.
How could he be so clueless? It was because she was literally the farthest thing from royalty or nobility or whatever that she thought this was a bad idea. Ryner probably didn't even pick her, she was probably handed off to fulfill a quota or something. She hated the feeling that thought gave her, the uneasiness starting to creep up on her again. She wished she wasn't alone, she'd feel a million times better if someone, anyone was around. But Salem went to class, she didn't know where Cassandra was, and Aaron was...somewhere, too.
Before she realized what she was doing, her fingers typed out her response.
> I wish you were here >__< > this is hard
She regretted sending it almost immediately. Was she that desperate to not feel so alone that she'd cling onto the first friend she made? He probably thought she was pathetic. What was wrong with her?
> Well the bus back to campus just pulled up, if you want I can come introduce you!
Her unease deflated as she let out a genuine laugh, shaking her head. She looked up at Ryner briefly before looking back down at her phone. If Aaron was from the castle, he'd probably be happy to see a familiar face. Lilie knew she'd give anything to see anyone from home, but she knew that was not only impossible but aside from her family, no one from her hometown would want to see her. The thought normally would have depressed her, but she felt that she reached the quota on depressing thoughts for the week. She needed to be more positive, and what better way than to help a friend and not focus on her own inner melodrama for once?
> okay > Ill try to buy you some time > but if I get eaten its gonna be all your fault!!
> Noted! XD
Taking in a deep breath, Lilie begged her nerves to calm somewhat. Okay, if she could master the silent saute and float like a swan, she could just talk to a vampire without running away. Even if the vampire was royalty and could snap her in half for daring to talk to her since she was just a commoner and--no, no, no need to panic. Not yet, anyway. Lilie took in several deep breaths, stuffing her phone in her pocket. She could do this. She had to do this.
"No magic studying for a week if you don't do this," She scolded herself, her legs finally moving. Even as her walk became timid she kept going, pausing a little before the trio. She forbade herself from staring at the princess for too long, no matter how beautiful she was. Swallowing hard, she clasped her hands in front of her as she made some attempt to look formal despite feeling the redness in her cheeks building already. "Um...he-hello," She announced her presence, forcing herself to give something resembling a pleasant smile and not a look of terror.
The employee, a girl a little older than Max, gapped for a few moments at the people in the store before registering what Max asked for. She nodded mutely, still clearly star struck at the fact a movie star―and Eris Samael at that!―graced her shift. Suddenly picking up that extra shift for her coworker didn’t seem so awful.
“Right bracelets, of course.”She stumbled over her words as she brought him to the focus section, mostly a collection of wands, stones, and the odd staff. A smaller portion was locked inside a glass case on the wall, a few broaches, amulets, and bracelets hanging inside. The bracelets seemed mostly like charm bracelets, thin and weak looking but pretty nonetheless, but three were made of thicker metal, one a dull grey and the other two gold. The girl fiddled with the keys as she pointed them out, clearly wanting to say something.
“Eris Samael is your partner?” She gushed excitedly. “That must be amazing! You’re practically set for life! And he’s gorgeous! You must be the luckiest person in the school! Tell me all about him! Is he as amazing as all the magazines say? They say people line up for him to feed from. Is it mind blowing? Tell me everything!”
“You are the absolute worst.” Varis commented amusedly as he watched Eris feed his poor mage to the wolves. The boy deserved it anyways. It was amusing once in a while but Varis grew bored of such theatrics quickly. “Is there any other business that requires your immediate attention?”
Meanwhile…
Running back to campus was uneventful but a bus load of students heading into town gave the vampire a few odd looks. The bus stop approached quickly however and Evalyn was waiting impatiently by it, Hannah from the night before reading a book. Relief washed over Evalyn’s face as she caught sight of Jory and Hannah looked up with a chuckle.
“Oh thank the Queen.” Evalyn sighed, quickly typing into her phone and stashing it away.. “Come on. We’ve got the keys to one of these human abuser’s dorms. We’re gonna go fuck up their shit. Ready to set some creepy crap on fire?” Evalyin grinned as she lead the three of them back towards the dorm.
The silence stretched for longer than just a while before a slow, steady clickclickclick broke it as the vampire took his time approaching Salem, evaluating Salem, and ultimately finding him lacking. He stopped next to Salem, turning sharply, and clicking his tongue in disappointment. Salem would feel a tug on his shirt and then he was stumbling, slamming against the door as Count Julian threw the mage back by his shirt. The Count’s impassive face didn’t change as he returned to his spot.
“If you are summoned, you may assume an introduction is unnecessary. Mages should be seen, not heard until addressed at which time they should speak succinctly. Anything else is both disrespectful and rude.” He folded his hands neatly behind him as he stared Salem down. “You will address me as Count Noila for the time being. We will work on additional terms of address later. Your success, and your release from this class, are entirely dependant on my evaluation on your mastery of these skills. Failure to perform appropriately will result in disciplinary action. I expect you to present your hands any time you fail. Light injuries and pain will not be permitted treatment form a Life Mage or any medicinal concoctions unless otherwise permitted by me.” He picked up the ruler from the desk, speaking to the room rather than Salem directly as he did so.
”When entering a room with a vampire, you will always knock three times on the knuckle and announce your presence. You do not open the door until you receive permission to do so. If you are expected and do not receive a response, you wait ten seconds before repeating. If you are not, you will not enter the room unless you have permission previously.” The Count strode to the center of the room. Once you have permission to enter, you take three steps into the room and you give a bow from the waist at 45 degrees to whoever summoned you. This will change as we introduce additional vampires to the room but we will build the foundation before we attempt anything too complex. Now try.”
As Lilie approached, Sariel and William both looked up at the mage. William turned his attention away to other students wandering near the Princess but Sariel sent her a wink and a smile before she too turned her attention away. The pair were dressed in formal clothes, both in Noila color suits with little embellishment. Sariel’s staff leaned lazily on her shoulder, just a hint of a slouch breaking her otherwise formal appearance, and a far away look dominated her eyes. William was stoic and his eyes never seemed to stop, darting from one place to another and back again. His hand rested on a blade at his hip, a plain but sturdy weapon that he kept for simple escorts like this. As Lilie got closer, she could feel the air shifting slightly against the normal breeze.
“Good morning, Lilie. I hope your first night has found you well.”The Princess responded softly with a pleasant smile, chuckling at the water mage’s shock. “My apologies, perhaps I was too forward. I often forget most don’t expect me to remember my students’ names. Would Ms. Dionne make you more comfortable?”
Eris couldn't quite tell if his act had annoyed Maxwell or not, but if his antics didn't, then the poor employee's gushing probably would. Either way the vampire was satisfied, watching the pair for a second before turning to the counter and putting the small dog on it. Maxie's tail wagged nonchalantly, just having a good time and not completely understanding anything going on around her. She sat on the counter as Eris leaned against it, taking another look at the FitBit. He was certain the dorm was prepared by now and everything he had instructed Antigone to deliver was all set and done.
The blond perked up as he was addressed, flashing another grin at Varis. With this, he was free at last of any obligation. Well, not exactly, but anything else could wait. All that was left to do was have a little one to one with his new mage. The thought should have excited him, but from his little comment and general attitude, Eris felt like the kid was going to be a pain in the ass. What he wanted now was to have some actual fun, the constant rebuffs doing little to discourage him as he pushed himself off the counter and approached the redhead.
After a quick look around to make sure there were no prying eyes, Eris closed the gap between the two, trapping Varis between him and the wall behind him. "No, there's no other business, but maybe you can help me with this ache of mine," Eris' voice was low once again, chartreuse eyes completely enamored as he spoke. His left hand reached down and brought Varis' up to his lips, placing a tender kiss on his knuckles. "An ache that only you can cure, mon beau." He murmured.
Cassandra sighed at her phone, dropping it back into her lap. So much had happened over the last couple of days and nights that the lack of activity felt a little strange. She supposed many would tell her she should enjoy it while it lasted, but those people didn't know Cassandra very well.
She hopped up off the porch, and placed her tea cup on the top step, all the way to the left so it wasn't in the way. Promising herself that she would pick it up on her way back in later, Cassandra walked down the drive, heading toward the Acadmy's bus stop. In town, she could stock up on some kitchen essentials, like energy drinks and poptarts. Though later she would likely have to rely on Amaris's funds, for now Cassandra had a small stipend from her father.
Head down and hands in the pockets of her joggers, Cassandra approached the stop silently. Her mind was on what flavor pastries she would buy, and she didn't immediately register the older students already standing by.
“Come on. We’ve got the keys to one of these human abuser’s dorms. We’re gonna go fuck up their shit. Ready to set some creepy crap on fire?”
The girl turned to head back toward dorms, and came face to face with Cassandra.
Max followed the employee silently, barely even taking notice of her beyond the vague recognition that she was there. The focus selection was more engaging, though not by much. Most of the section looked like it was catering to starry-eyed morons who valued superficial mysticism over practicality. Every aspiring wizard needs a ridiculous staff to wave around like a poorly-written character from a box office flop, obviously. Maybe that's why Eris brought him here; the leech had no doubt been in tons of such films.
The mage's attention shifted to the jewelry case as the girl pointed it out. Still too gaudy. Most of the items looked like some kind of flimsy-looking friendship bracelet crap that he doubted would survive any rigorous spellcasting. That left him with limited choices. He'd have to order something online sometime. In the meantime, he could probably make do with one of the thicker bracelets; although they only had one in a color that wasn't obnoxious. Almost looked like a shackle. How corny and poetic.
The girl was still playing with the keys next to him when Max turned to tell her his selection. Was she nervous or just new? The leeches weren't even around anymore, what did she even have to be nervous abo-
“Eris Samael is your partner?”
Oh. Of course.
“That must be amazing! You’re practically set for life! And he’s gorgeous! You must be the luckiest person in the school! Tell me all about him! Is he as amazing as all the magazines say? They say people line up for him to feed from. Is it mind blowing? Tell me everything!”
Oh, sure. Eris Samael is flawless. His hair's insured for ten thousand dollars and he does car commercials overseas. He met the Queen on a plane once and Her Majesty told him he was pretty. He even punched Max in the face one time, it was great!
Max outright rolled his eyes at the girl. How was he supposed to respond to that? Well, he could be honest, but knowing how these vapid fans are, she might just take that as a list of positive traits.
"He's certainly... something," Max deflected lazily, pointing to the dull-colored bracelet, "Can I try that one on?" If she didn't take the hint he could just pretend he was sworn to secrecy or something. Or better yet, feign ignorance. It was perfectly reasonable for Max to know literally nothing about a vampire he'd just met a few hours ago. That act wouldn't last for long, though, and he'd need a solid excuse if this was going to become a regular occurance. Maybe if he threw a chair at the paparazzi he'd get painted as enough of a loose cannon by tabloids to get fans to leave him alone.
The silence in the room lingered for longer than Salem cared for. Anxiety began to well up inside of him wondering if he had done something wrong already, his mind was stuck between two ideologies that contradicted themselves. One had told him to remain silent and not speak until spoken to, as is what Aaron had told him previously with Lucan. The other told him it was impolite not to introduce oneself, and he fought himself hard earlier before having said a word. The vampires heels clicked on the floor as he walked toward the plant mage, dread still filling up within him, it would seem he would have his answer soon. Salem felt a slight tug on his shirt and immediately knew he had messed up, ok so he may be one of those- The thought was cut off as Salem was flung into the air and on his back, his head hitting the wall behind him. He slowly and silently got himself up and into a kneeling position, silently listening and observing his instructor as he spoke to the room.
When finished, Salem said nothing, fighting back the urge to even acknowledge what had been said to him for after all, Count Noila never permissed him to speak nor did he request an answer. He merely asked him to try again. Salem clenched his fist, his knuckles now white from the tension. He quickly fought in his head on if he should present his hands for his failure, but the Count had already walked away amidst the chaos of him being tossed. He stood up and walked out of the classroom and just outside the front door, closing it behind him. His hands trembled with anger as he choked back words and reluctantly knocked on the wood with his middle knuckle. Knock knock knock Just three times and then silence, awaiting permission to enter the room once more. Salem would either be punished for not asking for punishment or for poor performance once more in potentially not understanding the meaning of try again.
Although Varis was technically watching Eris through this horrific performance, he was in fact staring into the void and regretting every interaction with this vampire he’d ever had. He didn’t particularly care about the lack of personal space—Varis had long ago resigned himself to the fact that the actor would invade that if he intended to keep him around—nor did he care he’d be caught unaware against a wall. Varis had no doubt he could reduce anyone to tears if he so needed to establish his position in a situation. No, what caught him was the abhorrent display of affection. A kiss on the knuckles? Some D-list line? If Eris wanted to make advances, he should have brought something useful, something Varis could use to further his own and his House’s interests. The Count couldn’t help rolling his eyes and letting a long, irritable sigh escape him.
Varis shouldn't have played along outside.
“Would you like to try something not from a d-list film?” Varis commented, snatching his hand back out of Eris’s hold. “Where did you even pick that up, some third rate mortal written plot line? Or was it one of those pornographic films the lower classes indulge in so much?” Varis had fully intended sending Eris’s rat and waif off for the evening and spending it much like they usually did after a few years apart but this whole situation made Varis reconsider his options. He could retire early instead, enjoying a bath and a book until it was time to correct the boy later tonight. The Count had instructed him to have his first apology letter fully prepared for review. Varis opted not to remind him, fully expecting him to fail and have to beg for an extension. Maybe threatening a punishment and watching him struggle over it would be enough for Varis to forget this.
But no. Varis wouldn’t deny himself something that could handle the stress he had nor would he threaten the influence he could exert through the actor. Able to shift attention away from his other issues in the media that both vampires and mortals enjoyed made his life so much easier but he wondered whether the cost was worth the reward sometimes. Of course, he would ultimately indulge Eris. He did more often than he cared for, letting out another sigh at the admittance. But the actor would have to work for it. Varis crossed his arms, leveling Eris with an unimpressed stare.
“You have two new pets this evening. How are you going to handle them if you’re busy with me?” The Count demanded, an eyebrow raised in challenge. There was only one correct answer to this and he fully expected Eris to sweat a little bit. The first night was always important with any new mage but they would not be stepping foot into his dorm. The actor would have to choose between him and the pair and he would be severely disappointed if he didn’t choose correctly.
“Uh, attractive? No, never.” Damien back pedalled on that comment as the tips of his ears burned pink. Curse him and his lack of filter sometimes. Words just bounced around in his head and sometimes they bounced around fast enough until the rocket out his mouth before he could catch them. ““You said buses? I think I remember a bus stop on my five second tour as I was holding on for dear life. The vampire drives like a damn mad man.” Damien grumbled as he directed them where he remembered a the bus stop to be.
He didn’t in fact remember where they were but they managed to find there ways there anyways, the mage apologizing with a sheepish smile. As the pair approached the bus stop, it was far more crowded than one expected, excited students clamouring about Eris Samael being in town and complaining that the bus couldn’t move fast enough. A few were showing pictures of the back of Eris’s head over his seat. A few others were discussing his seeming friendship with the vampiric nobility that more than a few had noticed in Treaty Law. The line for the bus was quite long but Dakota would be able to pick out Joryldin off to the side of the group, talking with a vampire and two mage girls. One mage looked bored and the other concerned while the vampire looked relieved as she spoke with Joryldin.
The fact that Princess Ryner not only knew exactly who she was but addressed her directly had completely blown Lilie away. Being shocked was the least of it, she actually had no idea how she was supposed to respond. Casual? Formal? Laugh it off? Beg for forgiveness? She was momentarily stunned, blinking slowly as her head tried to process what was currently happening without panicking. Okay, the correct thing to do was to offer a greeting back. Mercifully the two mages were either giving her some space or pretending not to notice the stuttering girl, but either way she was grateful.
Brushing her bangs off her forehead, she threw on what she thought was a more approachable smile, although she wasn't entirely sure it came across that way. "Oh, Lilie is fine, I was just, um, surprised--you just said that," She inwardly cursed her apparent inability to properly introduce herself, clearing her throat as she made an attempt to recover.
"The first night was--" She briefly paused as the day's events ran through her head, letting out a slightly choked laugh. "--eventful. But um...I didn't really know what to expect…" She trailed off with a small shrug.
“Between a sudden change of lifestyle and the revolving door of partners, it must all be a touch overwhelming. For that I sincerely apologize. The Eve household’s instability seems to be leaking into the Academy’s affairs as much as I dislike it.” The Princess apologized. “If anything should become too much, please don’t hesitate to find me. Even if its only to lend an ear to your troubles, there is little I would not do to make the transition into your new life as smooth as possible.” The edge of her smile dipped down for a brief second as an almost regretful look crossed her face but it disappeared as soon as it appeared, genuine happiness replacing it.
“Tell me about your first day! What have you done? What questions do you have? I always love having a new perspective!” Ryner asked eagerly. “I want mages to worry for naught so they can focus on learning anything they wish without distraction.”
Oh wow, the princess knew about all that? Lilie's surprise was more subdued, though the mention of the Eve house did strike her as odd. So the revolving door of vampires was because something was going on that she didn't know about. It didn't clarify anything, but it was better than nothing. Her followup humbled Lilie greatly, the pale girl's face blushing a bit. Did the princess really care? It was a nice thought, though now she felt bad for her previous line of thinking. She managed to catch the regretful expression, Lilie's eyes widening for a second. But she moved on quickly before she could properly inquire and her enthusiasm was infectious.
"Um, I've mostly been hanging out with mages. Making friends and stuff," Lilie said, gently rocking on her heels. "But I know I'm here to learn, and I can't wait to dive into magic. I'm excited to learn everything I can from class and I'm sure I'll be spending my spare time in the library."
She gave Ryner a small, earnest smile. "I'm not sure there's enough hours in the day--night to ask everything," She admitted sheepishly, shaking her head for a moment. Although if she was serious, maybe she would get the chance to ask after all. "I mean, I do have a good friend to help, too, so I wouldn't want to waste your time when I'm sure he can answer almost everything."
“My students can never be a waste of my time. I’d much rather be here to help guide you than be away attending to my other duties but as you say, there are never enough hours in the night.” Ryner objected with a matching shake of her head. “And if I may, you are not here to learn. I brought you here to grow and while your scholastic aspirations are certainly important, it may not always be the path you need then. Make sure to leave time to relax and make friends, to have fun and find a passion. If I find you in the library too often, I’ll put you on mandatory break.” Ryner threatened with a chuckled.
“If I recall properly, you were on track to become quite a figure in the fencing circuit. Do you plan to work with your partner to continue your fencing career?” Ryner asked.
Lilie was a little confused by Ryner's words. Wasn't learning and growing the same thing? If she didn't study, how else was she going to learn spells and improve her magic? She'd just have to take her word for it, nodding slowly in understanding. That was a joke, hopefully, or so she hoped as Lilie's weaker laugh accompanied Ryner's. Her jaw dropped a bit when the princess mentioned her fencing, though her immediate thought was last night's duel, blushing slightly in embarrassment. Oh, she knew about that too? But she felt like she hadn't really gotten that far yet, or at least her previous plans were halted by having to go to the Academy. She was pretty sure that the princess knew more about her fencing than her own partner did, too.
"Well, I would, but, um, I don't think Mari--Countess Mariette knows about that," Should she admit she hasn't seen her partner at all today? Tonight, whatever. Lilie wasn't exactly sure how to say it, deciding that there was no better way than to just admit it. "After I ran away from Princess Nox last night, we haven't really spoken since then. I think I'm in trouble but I'm not sure because she hasn't said anything to me."
“She hasn’t had a moment to speak with you about your life previous to this?” Ryner’s brow furrowed in concern, clearly displeased with this information. “Most vampires do so immediately, if even only to ensure you are taking care of yourself appropriately. That is highly unusual.” She made a humming noise as she mulled it over but eventually the furrow fade and she smiled at Lilie again.
“I’m sure you’ll handle it soon enough. And if not, come to me and we can smooth this misunderstanding out together. A healthy partnership is essential to both a vampire and mage’s success here and outside of this Academy.” Ryner sighed with a slight shake of her head. “And I’m sure you have nothing to worry about with your unfortunate meeting with my sister. According to her report, she requested the Nobles and their mages return to their dorms. She can’t reasonably fault you for following a Royal’s orders; her word is law in these situations after all. My sister isn’t particularly known for tolerating those who cross her and cared even less for the political implications of her actions.” It was faint but just a hint of exasperation made its way into her tone as she spoke about her sister.
Lilie nodded again, unsure how to respond. Now that she thought about it, she felt like it was her fault that they weren't getting along. Maybe she needed to listen to Salem and the Astorio vampire after all. At the very least she wouldn't be getting in trouble for running, so that was a massive relief. There was something greatly amusing about hearing the princess be exasperating, humanizing her in the girl's eyes.
"It sounds like even royalty has to deal with stubborn siblings! Sometimes I feel like I'm the older sibling and my brother's the younger one, he always has to have things his way just because instead of making things easy," Lilie was more openly exasperated as she spoke about her brother, teasing the princess slightly. "But that's family for you. What would we do without them, right?"
“Yes, whatever would we do without them.” A rueful smile replaced her pleasant one, a far away look in her eyes. Her shoulders fell slightly as whichever memory playing in her mind’s eye weighed heavily on her. For a moment, Ryner’s façade cracked and the elegant creature disappeared, only a woman dragging centuries of regrets, of disappointment, of failure. But within the blink of an eye, it was gone and an almost lively warmth replaced it with an outright grin. The ghost of a mischievous smirk hid behind the expression, like a muscle memory that stubbornly resisted change.
“Tell me more about your family. I’m afraid I know little more than that you have one.” Ryner took a seat on a nearby bench, gesturing for Lilie to do the same. “It’s nice to hear you have more than a passing relationship with them. Good family will always be your most fervent supporters after all.”
Despite the pleasantness of the conversation, the princess was making Lilie feel like she was walking a tightrope, the look on Ryner's face a little concerning. She was really good at snapping back to normal and continuing like nothing happened, though. Lilie was a little jealous; she had a hard time keeping her own expressiveness under wraps. She obediently followed Ryner, hoping her nerves wouldn't get the best of her as she sat down. Her heart was racing again as she realized she was sitting down with the princess! But she wasn't going to panic. Well, she was already panicking a little, but she couldn't help herself. As she took in a deep breath to calm herself down, she took advantage of the moment to admire the vampire. Their supernatural beauty was universal, and maybe it was because she wasn't completely afraid of her, but now that she was actually looking at her, the princess was stunning even compared to other vampires.
She snapped out of her staring once the princess spoke again, tucking a stray hair behind her ear as she sat up properly. "Well, I have my parents and my brother. I'm pretty close to my aunt, too, we spent a lot of time together when I was growing up," Lilie told her, fishing her phone out of her pocket and scrolling through her Instagram for a second before showing it to Princess Ryner. The photo showed a short haired woman grabbing a grumpy looking young man who looked none too pleased, an older man behind him with sparkling blue eyes laughing with Lilie herself in the front, the angle showing that she was the one that had taken the picture. All three of them bore slightly darker blue eyes and shades of brown hair, contrasting Lilie's white hair. "We have a bakery that my papa's family has had for generations, he's been a baker all his life. My mom helps him out, but she used to be an instructor at the Lorelai Institute--she's the reason I got into fencing--and my brother's in college studying information technology."
Lilie looked down at the picture fondly before putting her phone away. As she looked up, she spotted a familiar face, doing a double take to make sure she had the right guy. Looks like he had time to go back to the dorm and change before whatever it was that he was doing. At least he didn't look so nervous anymore. Mission accomplished! She talked to the princess and only had a few minor panic attacks and Aaron made it in time.
"Oh, there's my new best friend Aaron," Lilie joked, waving him over. "There you are! You ran away so fast after class!"
Eris visibly deflated at Varis' remark, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Must they always have their little dance before the inevitable? He should have been annoyed, but the familiarity was somewhat endearing. Annoying, but endearing. He supposed he was the bigger fool for constantly jumping through the hoops presented for him, but it was usually worth it. Besides, this was the longest they had been apart, there was no way this was one sided. But as always, romance alone didn't interest the redhead. Eris had to work for what he wanted, and as exasperating as it was, he sincerely hoped the noble didn't assume he came without preparation.
"Balk all you want, that line got me into Duchess Katrina's abode last week," He informed Varis as-a-matter-of-factly, pulling out a letter before waving it around. "She has some very chatty vassals and even chattier mages. And it was a B-list movie the Ghanie family provided effects for. I thought it was cute."
Fortunately for him, his suspicions were confirmed, although he was presented with a dilemma. His initial reaction was to tease Varis on the fact that he wanted them to spend time together, but unfortunately, he had a point. Maxie wasn't a concern, she would take time to adjust to her new surroundings, sure, but the other mutt was a little more complicated. The many faults needed to be addressed, he still had to inspect the dorm, there was a high probability that the kid's wardrobe needed to be burnt entirely which meant he needed to get on the phone to haggle with Feliks again, and they needed to discuss everything wrong with him, which would take more than a night to fix. Ugh.
But there was really only one option here.
"That's why there's two of them. He watches her and she watches him," Eris replied casually, focusing more on trying to get in Varis' good grace. He didn't bother going for his hand again, albeit he did move a touch closer as he stroked his cheek. "You know I'm at your every beck and call, mon beau. All you have to do is say the word and I'm yours." His tone was more sincere as he spoke, almost pleading if one knew what to look for.
The bus ride didn’t take long, and walking up from the bus stop toward the middle of campus, it wasn’t hard for Aaron to spot Princess Ryner’s entourage, largely due to the small collection of students gathered around and chatting with William, Sariel, and each other. He was pleasantly surprised, however, to spot the Princess on a bench a short ways away, sitting with Lilie! He nearly laughed then and there; she was so mortified to even be noticed by the Princess in her texts, and now they were sitting and chatting like equals. He was glad Lilie had warmed up so quickly, and even more pleased when she waved him over. Waving back, he jogged over to meet her, new earring bouncing rudely all the way.
Unconsciously he took a second to stop the thing from swaying before bowing properly to the Princess, and straightened up with a smile. “Good morning, Your Royal Highness,” he greeted warmly, addressing her first as was customary. Lilie’s comment, however, made his ears begin to burn. He had run off abruptly, likely even a little rudely, (and now Lilie was bringing it up in front of the Princess, to his considerable chagrin) but while he wasn’t proud of it, he hadn’t had much choice.
His smile turned sheepish and he folded his hands behind his back, not wanting to get too fidgety in front of the Princess. “Yes, sorry about that,” he replied smoothly, a bit of that well-practiced court manner coming out as he looked toward Lilie, subtly hiding his right ear from Ryner’s view. “I was called away, but that’s been taken care of now.”
"That's twice you've ditched me, you know," Lilie teased him, grinning. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were scared of me! You have to make it up to me, okay?"
Ryner watched with interest and, more realistically, amusement as the pair went back and forth. The Princess hadn’t expected the Aaron Lilie called over to be the little boy she watched grow up all but locked away from the world. Between Varis and adjusting to life outside his normal world, Ryner had hoped she’d have more time before he bonded with someone. She smiled fondly at him when he greeted her and regret ran hot through her stomach. Aaron deserved so much more than his lot, the entire family did, but it didn’t matter. Her hands were tied.
“What a pleasant surprise! Lilie mentioned an Aaron as her new best friend but it hadn’t crossed my mind it would be my favorite Starag. But don’t tell your Aunt that or your mother will never hear the end of it.” Ryner joked before leaning into Lilie, whispering just loud enough for Aaron to hear. “Aaron grew up in the castle his whole life until now. You wouldn’t tell but he was quite the child, always running right up to the line and pushing it as far as he could. Just let me know if he gets out of line. I have a few stories tucked away that might help.” Ryner chuckled.
“How did you two end up meeting then? Do you share a class?” The Princess asked.
Aaron’s heart did jump at the thought of Lilie describing him so fondly so soon, but it was Princess Ryner’s teasing that brought another blush to his ears, this time far more welcome. He chuckled along with her, remembering some of his poorer decisions from childhood, and figured he knew which stories she was thinking of.
He smiled wide at Ryner’s question, standing a little straighter, although he was still careful to angle his right ear a little away. Maybe it was foolish, but somewhere in the back of his mind he was worried his new “adornment” might offend her. “We do share some classes, but we actually met at the opening ceremony,” he explained fondly. “We sparred on orientation night as well; Lilie is quite a capable fencer.”
Lilie bit her lip as she tried not to grin too wide, nodding enthusiastically at the princess's offer. Okay, yeah, she was a little too attached to him despite them only meeting a little while ago, but she couldn't help it. The princess spoke so kindly of Aaron and it was so cute how he seemed so comfortable with her, even if he was still formal. She assumed that's how people should have been, but it was too late for her to go back. Instead Lilie nodded again as Aaron confirmed how they met, straightening up slightly as she still felt like she was in a teasing mood. Honestly, she couldn't help it; the expression on his face was priceless.
"He kinda kicked my butt, though," Lilie recalled, the tiniest hint of exasperation in her voice coming before she continued. "But that first night wasn't good until I ran into him. I thought I hurt him because he seemed stunned before he introduced himself. And then I latched on and haven't let him go since," She looked at Aaron, raising her eyebrows.
"Hopefully he won't get tired of me, I have no idea what I'm doing with nobles and I'm pretty sure it's only a matter of time before I mess up," She was a little more nervous when she spoke, her hands slightly tugging on the hem of her skirt.
Ryner’s eyebrow cocked at the pair’s interaction as she tried to put a finger on what she was watching. The centuries had apparently taken their toll on her empathy apparently, the banter seeming just a tad strange. On the surface, it was normal and playful but something about it seemed….
Oh dear.
“If anyone can teach you, Aaron can. He knows how to deal with the worst of us and still come out ahead. And I doubt Aaron will be leaving you anytime soon.” The Princess sent Aaron an amused looked with a fond shake of the head. It was cute to watch but also saddening. Aaron hadn’t had a chance to date inside the castle, always expecting the decision to be made for him. How cruel was it that he finally gets to experience this at the cost of a Sinnenodel. Hopefully, Aaron would find such pockets of happiness long enough to bolster him until this trial ended. She would have to tell his mother. The woman was keeping her head down for now but clearly she was worried for her son. And rightfully so.
“Have you had a chance to contact your mother, Aaron?” Ryner asked, following that train of thought rather than the one feeding her guilt as she watched the pair.
As thrilled as he always was to get any praise from royalty, Aaron had to hold in a dark chuckle at Ryner’s compliment. He used to take pride in his mastery of etiquette, but “he knows how to deal with the worst of us and still come out ahead” seemed a little debatable now, when he felt like it was all he could do not to trip over his own feet under his new master.
The question was unexpected, and Aaron raised his eyebrows, spinning his ring behind his back. “I spoke to her about half an hour ago, in fact,” he replied cheerfully, though another little pang of dread struck him as he remembered that he had left much to be explained. He still needed to figure out how to break the news… not to mention a few other things. “I hadn’t gotten the chance until then, although I’m hoping I can speak a little longer with her this morning.” A bit of concern found its way into his expression. “Was she worried, Your Highness?”
“Of course she is. This is her first time without her son around.” Ryner’s expression turned sympathetic. “But if you’re having difficulties contacting her, tell me when you have a free moment or two during your night and I’ll ensure any of her duties are taken care of so you won’t have any interruptions on our side. But for now, I’ll have Sariel send her a message about your new friend at least. She’ll feel better knowing you’re adjusting well.”
Aaron nodded in understanding, giving the Princess a grateful smile. “Thank you, Your Highness. The last thing I want is to trouble her.”
A somber look crossed his face at a memory dredged up, but as quickly as it came it was gone again, Aaron clearing his throat and brightening up as he looked to Lilie. “And speaking of friends, do you know when Salem will be done for the morning? I think he mentioned wanting to get the three of us together sometime tonight.”
Comforted by Princess Ryner's kind words, Lilie had been content to stay quiet and let the conversation continue. She did smile when she was assured Aaron wouldn't leave, though she wondered if the pair would miss having conversations like this daily. Or maybe they only got to speak once in a while? She wasn't entirely sure, but when Aaron's mother was brought up, she frowned inwardly. She hadn't gotten in touch with her own mother, either. That needed to be fixed.
Snapping to attention once she was addressed again, Lilie perked up at the mention of Salem. "Oh, yes! He's in class now, but he did mention that," She confirmed, visibly frowning. "He was a little shaken since he found out he isn't with Mr. Bordeleaux anymore, though. He's one of our neighbors now, with the Astorio count that he got into an argument with in Treaty Law!" She suddenly spoke with urgency and worry. "I felt so bad for him! I mean, you have a guy that was willing to throw someone and...well, you know," She caught herself much too late as she remembered whose presence she was in, unsure if she was supposed to have brought any of that up at all as she gave Ryner a quick glance.
Ryner’s composure hadn’t changed besides the slight rise of the brow. She hadn’t heard of anything happening but she was sure a report would be sitting on her desk when she returned to her home office. Roping the Marivaldi girl into her plans had taken most of the break period so she hadn’t had a chance to see what had come across her desk just yet.
“I doubt Salem will have too many problems moving forward. It will take a bit of adjusting to an Astorio after the leniency of his family’s vampires but I don’t doubt he’ll change much; he’ll only learn to hide it better.” Ryner responded easily but her brow furrowed. “What was this talk of people being thrown?”
"People? No, just me," Lilie replied in earnest.
“Flung across the stone arena like a ragdoll by the Astorio Count under the guise of ‘penance’,” Aaron corrected her, for once making no attempt to hide his indignance. “And done to a mage belonging to another noble House, no less. It’s pure luck she wasn’t more injured, Your Highness.”
Amusement and irritation bubbled up in Ryner in equal measures. Whenever the name Astorio came up in conversation, Ryner frankly wished the sun would consume her on the spot but now hearing how this one behaved made her wish it would take them instead. It was no secret the Princess didn’t care for them and frankly, she’d rather do away with the whole family all together. If only they’d listened to her and used the damn war to kill off the line.
But Aaron. She couldn’t hold back the chuckle that escaped her at his indignation. He looked absolutely adorable, his feathers all ruffled up in defense of his new friend. She wished she knew how to use a phone camera―everything moved so quickly that sometimes it took her a few years to wrap her head around it only to find out something new was on its way!―so she could send a picture to his mother. He’d never hear the end of it.
“That is certainly distressing. I’m sure I’ll have an incident report on my desk before I return.” Ryner said, the fondness in her eyes not fading despite the concern in her face. “Count Astorio will be dealt with in an appropriate manner. I don’t enjoy hearing my students being put in unnecessary danger.”
Lilie tried not to react too much to what either one said, her hand scratching the back of her neck. Aaron was so silly, Aine had healed her up nicely already. She felt a little bad about bringing it up in front of the princess, especially since her own vampire didn’t so much as ask if she was okay, but at this point she felt like she was beating a dead horse.
“I’m sorry,” She found herself apologizing for the inconvenience, albeit she perked up again. “I didn’t handle it nearly as well as Aaron did, but I’ll get even once I have some magic under my belt.” She nearly bounced in her seat as she spoke, clearly ecstatic. “I can’t wait, I’ve always seen it on TV but getting the chance to use it--it’s the best thing about being here!”
“I’m glad you’re enthusiastic.” Ryner chuckled, standing up and smoothing out her skirt. “Now, I’ll have to take my leave. I don’t have much more time before my royal duties call me back. Remember, you can always come find me or make an appointment if you need anything. Both of you.” She gave them both a serious look before the smile returned.
Aaron’s annoyance left as quickly as it came when the Princess gave her answer; he didn’t think for a second that she would tolerate such grossly inappropriate behaviour, even from a Count, but he was glad to hear it firsthand nonetheless. He wanted to tell Lilie that there was no need to apologize, but she moved on so quickly he opted not to dredge up the subject.
He straightened as Ryner stood, pleasant smile returning, although a twinge of guilt twisted his gut; one he wanted to address sooner rather than later. “Your Royal Highness,” he halted her politely, “may I have a word with you quickly before you go?”
“Of course, Aaron. Anything you need.” Ryner replied. “Is this something that needs to be discussed in private?”
“Preferably, if it’s convenient for you,” Aaron nodded gratefully. “I won’t take up more than a minute of your time.”
Ryner nodded and signaled to William and Sariel, who immediately started clearing the area. She guided him a little ways away from Lilie, with a “I’ll return him in just a moment!”, and paused on the grass. Sariel made a short gesture and the wind picked up around them, making just an extra bit of noise to help cover their conversation. Ryner gave Aaron a concerned look as she waited for him to speak.
Aaron followed Ryner of to the side, grateful for the indulgence but still embarrassed. He answered her concerned look with a tight smile and spared a single cautious glance back to Lilie before he gave the Princess his full attention.
“Thank you,” he began, voice a little lower than before. He straightened up a little more than usual and cleared his throat, familiarity giving way to solemn formality. “Your Royal Highness, I would like to humbly apologize for my conduct at dinner last night. I acted foolishly and caused a good deal of chaos as a result, and for that I beg your forgiveness. I assure you I have learned my lesson, and it will not happen again.” He completed his apology with a formal bow, as he’d been taught, his new earring swaying with the movement.
Ryner was silent through the apology, eyes catching the flicker of light coming off the earring he bowed. She wouldn't say she was surprised at the addition. If anything, she was surprised he didn't mark his claim the first night but it brought her no joy to see a mark hanging off Aaron's ear. She itched to reach out and pluck it off, to feel the metal bend and fold between her fingers until it was the size of a pebble, and return it to the Count. Preferably between the eyes. Slowly.
"You have nothing to apologize for. Varis and I thought we were prepared to handle anything. We didn't expect that trick." Her expression clearing before Aaron would see it, instead sympathetic and apologetic. The guilt hit home as she lied through her teeth. It never got easier. How many seconds each year did a practiced half truth roll off her tongue and it still never got easier. "Anyone would have done the same. If it had been my mother or sister, I would have broken protocol too."
Even after all his years of training and the many many apologies he’d issued throughout his life, Aaron found that they never made him any less nervous. It wasn’t as if he expected Princess Ryner to have him flensed, but still the few seconds between his apology and her response were agonizing. Her response, luckily, came as a great relief; he hadn’t insulted her, and that reassurance did wonders to put him more at ease.
Though while her consolation did loosen the tightness in his chest, and relief did flood out most of his guilt, Aaron still couldn’t absolve himself of all responsibility. He believed the Princess sincere, and knowing he hadn’t offended her was a great comfort, but that didn’t make his recklessness any more acceptable in his new master’s eyes, he was sure of it. And now, well, that was what mattered.
“Still, I’ll endeavour to do better in the future,” he assured the Princess, offering her a curt nod and what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “Thank you for your time, Your Highness. It was a pleasure as always.”
“Anytime Aaron.” She smiled and tousled his hair like she used to when he was little before she waved goodbye to Lilie, making her way further into campus as the wind around them stilled. Sariel waved at Aaron and Lilie while William sent Aaron a curt nod before they followed the Princess away.
Aaron couldn't resist a grin at the hair tousling, and returned Sariel's wave and William's nod in turn before returning to Lilie, fixing his hair. "Sorry about that," he said, checking his watch. "Do you know when Salem is going to be done?"
And then Jack turned to Yusei and whispered, “Come over here and kick my engines into overdrive.”
“Oh, yeah of course.” She fumbled with the keys for a bit, opening the case and pulling out the iron bracelet. It was rather heavy but had a far more secure clasp that the lighter charm bracelets. “So… can you tell me a little about him?All my friends would be super jealous knowing I’d gotten to talk to Eris’ mage!” The girl pleaded, trying her best puppy dog eyes.
“Enter.” Despite the heavy door, his voice rang through completely unimpeded.
As the Princess walked away, drawing other students in to walk with her, a small crowd congregated around her. There was a clear tension in the set of William’s shoulders but Sariel chatted almost as animatedly as the Princess did. A few mages scuttled out of her way nervously however, sporting a variety of mismatched color patches that they were still trying to dispel with varying degrees of success.
Elsewhere, Evalyn whirled around on Cassandra, her face horrified that she’d spoken loud enough to be overheard. Hannah however looked amused as she slid over to Cassandra, slinging her arm around the fire mage’s shoulders and drawing her in closer to the trio.
“Shhh, not so loud. Just because Evalyn is an idiot doesn’t mean we all have to be.” The words echoed directly into the three’s minds. “Yep, got one of those stuck up vampires dragging around a mage on a leash in our sights today. It’s going to be all sorts for fun. Wanna join?”
“You can’t just casually invite people.” Evalyn hissed, minding her volume. “This is not a more the merrier situation Hannah!”
“I can and I will. If we need to, the Hive will be more than happy to fix that. We’re all so disappointed we didn’t get to rattle his head.” Hannah chuckled outwardly. “Abigail and Devon are in town and they were two seconds away from inviting everyone in. Would have made for one hell of a party. So what do you say? Want to join in on the fireworks?”
Amaris hadn’t moved much by the time Cassandra had returned, her focus remaining on the slithering creature while the mage checked in on her belongings.
“I’m going to sit on the porch, I’ll probably be out until after sunrise. I might go out for a little bit, but call me if you need me.” The countess looked up with a soft smile and an understanding nod.
“Of course, enjoy the morning.” She responded, standing from her chair to see the mage out the door before returning her gaze to Getsuga. The reptile had snaked his way around her wrist in an embrace of sorts that she was unlikely to break free of before he was ready.
“Come on you little troublemaker. I have a surprise for you.” Amaris grabbed her bag before retreating back to her room, shutting and locking the bedroom door behind her. Approaching the vanity, which she had repurposed into a desk of sorts, Amaris sat and awaited Getsuga’s relocation to around her shoulders. Once her hand was free from the reptile, she reached into the bag and pulled the book she had retrieved from Princess Ryner.
Despite her earlier conviction, Amaris found herself hesitating now that she was alone with the item. It somehow felt heavier than before, as if just knowing what manner of secrets it held added physical weights. The countess carefully placed the book on the flat surface before her, holding an unnecessary breath as she gingerly flipped the cover over.
Amaris found herself somewhat relieved by what she saw before her. At some point she must have gotten it into her head that the entirety of the piece would feature gruesome rituals and barbaric practices of old. It wasn’t much of a leap considering how much fear surrounded the item, not to mention the effort the princess of all people went through to keep it safe. However, instead of finding magic circles or incantations, the pages before her contained details of ownership. Whatever entity that had written the book had clear thoughts on who should be allowed to possess the knowledge within.
“If I’m reading this correctly, the contents of this book were meant only for the main branch of the family, specifically those belonging to the same line as Nalth ‘the first of his name’. Makes sense as to why Her Majesty had to draw blood from me in order to clear things up.”
This is the Marivaldi’s magic, not a mage’s, and I don’t know if your blood has the power to break it. Ryner’s voice rang through Amaris mind, the line on her cheek where a knife had been pressed stinging as if to emphasize the point.
“She didn’t sound sure that it would work, meaning the direct bloodline might be coming to an end. I wonder what that will mean for the future of these pages.” Her voice grew softer as she read on, wondering if there would come a time the book could never be unsealed. Intrigued, Amaris turned the page to reveal what looked to be a log of somesort; a list of names, a few of which were complete strangers to her. Nalth sat at the top, his handwriting like a crown sat upon the names of all the others the book had fallen into the possession of.
Violet eyes softened as they read the final name in the list, fingertips brushing across the red font spelling out the name ‘Ralmevik’. She could picture the man sitting just like she was now, eyes glued to a piece of family and cultural history. Surely the circumstances of his introduction to such a book differed from her own, but she couldn’t help but to wonder at what point he had accepted the responsibility of caring for such information. Was she ready to take on the same responsibility? … Was she even capable of it?
The feeling of Getusga shifting around her shoulders interrupted her chain of thoughts, the youth realizing she had been staring at the names for quite some time now.
“You’re right m’dear. By accepting this book I made a promise to Lady Ryner and father. I will not allow the contents of this book to vanish from this world without knowing what it was about it that drove father to his grave. I might very well be one of the last of line capable of unlocking its secrets, perhaps it’s fitting I should be the one to decide its fate.” The moment the words escaped her lips, a sudden feeling of being pricked graced the countess’ fingertip. She quickly withdrew her hand from the book, her blood once again dripping onto the pages before her.
Amaris watched with curiosity as the crimson droplets moved of their own accord, flowing lightly beneath her father’s name to spell out her own. The letters seemed to glow brighter for a brief moment before settling to the same shade as the others; a quick swipe of the finger revealing a certain permanence to the word. Both hands immediate drew as far away from the book as they could, folding themselves neatly together in front of her chest.
She had no words to describe what she was feeling. There was a great deal of surprise and immense awe, however, the autonomy the book seemed to possess was beyond anything she had been prepared for. At least when the first spell had been broken, Ryner had cut her face manually. Amaris was quite certain this time around there had been nothing to prick herself on, and she certainly had not written her name with her own hand despite the resemblance to her actual handwriting.
Get a hold of yourself. You aren’t going to learn a bloody thing if you keep freaking out like some newborn whelp. It was just a name, there is nothing to fear about that. Shaking her head, Amaris reached out to flip the page once more but found herself stopping short. Exhaling slowly, the countess closed the book before pulling it close.
“What am I doing? Ryner wasn’t even sure I could unlock the book in the first place and now I’ve gone and done something that doesn’t appear to be reversible. Tell me dad, am I in over my head this time?” She asked to no one in particular. A small, cold nose nudged her cheek gently in response. Amaris laughed a bit as she reached up and patted the king snake’s head.
“You always know just what to say. How about we take a break and get you fed, how does that sound? We’ll see what’s next after I’ve had a moment to calm my nerves.” Placing the book back down on the vanity, Amaris pushed herself to a standing position and retreated to the other side of the room where Getsuga’s habitat still stood.
Varis didn’t move away from Eris’s touch, instead reaching out to take the letter from the actor’s hand and slipped it into his jacket pocket. This was why he could tolerate Eris more than others. He always knew what Varis wanted before he had to ask for it. He understood there was a give and take and Varis didn’t have to soothe hurt feelings to make sure he understood that. The amount of times he’s had to placate some snotty duke or duchess because he needed a foothold in their territory annoyed him to no end and while he would normally take the time out of his schedule to ensure hey remember their transgression, the Count has far too many other things on his plate these days.
Varis offered Eris a pleased smirk at his words, very much looking like a cat who got the cream. The confident Eris that thought he could back him against the wall was nice and all but the Eris pleading with him was much more his style. It suited the actor much better in the Count’s opinion. He could offer the actor a brief reprieve but… He wasn’t feeling particularly generous today. The actor would have tomorrow to play catch up. He didn’t need most of these lessons after all.
“I suppose you do deserve something after suffering through such an ordeal.” Varis humored the mage, cross his arms and relaxing against the wall. They’d be riding home soon enough so Varis could afford to relax for a few moments. Eris always picked out decently sheltered spots. He couldn’t have someone think him slacking off. He nodded in Max’s general direction. “Finish your mage’s errands and we can be on our way. We’ll stop by your dorm and pick up whatever you may need for the day.”
“So… can you tell me a little about him? All my friends would be super jealous knowing I’d gotten to talk to Eris’ mage!”
Max made a show of toying with the bracelet a little before he bothered responding. This girl was so needy. He clasped the bracelet around his wrist, moved his arm a bit to see how the weight felt, lifted his leg up and loosely estimated how well it would fit around his ankle if he felt like hiding it under his pants; all the while pointedly avoiding looking at the employee. She was too eager; if he gave her an inch, she'd ask for a mile next.
"I don't really know much about him yet, we just met a few hours ago and haven't had a chance to properly talk," Max finally answered, if a bit tersely. Might as well exploit this excuse while he could. "And even if I did know, Eris is very careful about his public image, and I'd hate to accidentally jeopardize that with an offhanded comment."
Hopefully she'd take the hint and not tell all her friends to come bother him on campus later. Either way, he needed to change the subject. The bracelet worked as a focus for now, and he didn't think he'd find anything better on short notice. "Anyway, this is fine." He set the bracelet down on the counter, lest he be accused of trying to steal it. "Lemme go find Eris. He forgot to leave me any money." And like hell was he going to pay for it himself after having to sit through tonight.
The mage didn't wait for a response before walking off, looking around the store for whatever sordid corner Eris and Cinnamon slunk off to.
If Eris breathed naturally, he would have exhaled in relief. Fortunately he didn't have to deal with that inconvenience and was able to play it cool, although he couldn't help his own small smile. He really couldn't help himself around Varis, all too pleased that the redhead wouldn't make him plead too much. Not that he minded at this point in time, it wouldn't be any fun if he was just given what he wanted. The challenge was fun, although he swore he could have possibly developed the first vampire headache in history with just how mouthy the mages had been in this case.
As much as Eris appreciated Varis' offer, however, he would have to adjust it. If he went back to the dorm now, he'd take way too much time trying to inspect every corner and go through his luggage to ensure everything had arrived. His only actual concern was the small pup that had laid down on the counter, curled up in a small ball snoozing away. He was sure even the grumpy kid could manage to not kill the little thing in one day. Hopefully. Otherwise he'd have to start all over.
Backing away from the redhead, Eris looked around for Maxwell. He'd probably want to rid himself of the fangirl sooner than later, so he expected him to come up any moment now. "Better yet, let's relieve ourselves of the headache sooner than later," He replied cheerfully, carefully scooping Maxie up. "I'll be just a moment."
Fortunately for him, it didn't take long to sense the air of irritation, with Maxwell's grumpy looking mug revealing itself sooner than later. Putting on a brilliant and way-too-happy smile, the actor wouldn't bother saying anything, instead simply bringing up Maxwell's hand and pressing Maxie onto it. "All set? Let's take care of you, then," He stated as he strolled to the counter, throwing a wink at the cashier as he rummaged through his briefcase for a second. He looked down at the simple bracelet that had been chosen. Plain, boring, and predictable. Ugh, he was going to have to add 'fashion sense' to the list.
Swiping his black card once prompted, he sincerely thanked the cashier before turning back to Maxwell and Maxie, whose tail was wagging. "Right, then. You're free to do as you please so long as you watch my little Maxie," He said as he grabbed his bag. "She needs to be taken out every four to five hours, will need to eat at least one more time before she goes to bed, and has to be brushed at least once so that she gets used to the sensation. Everything you need will be in a red bag sitting on the kitchen counter--and she'll be very anxious so make sure she stays with you and sleeps in your room whenever you call it a night." He gave Max a wink and walked off without giving the mage a chance to refuse or offer any rebuttal, his smile a mile wide.
Returning to the redhead's side, Eris flashed him a grin. "After you," He told Varis.
Cassandra's eyes widened as words she didn't think erupted into her mind.
Mind mages. Or, at least one. What were you supposed to do to prevent your mind being read? Reciting nursury rhymes was a good basic defense, but it didn't allow you to keep actually thinking. She supposed there must be people like this around here, anyway. And it's not like she had any secrets.
The events when the other princess had stormed the noble dorms flitted into her mind, followed by those few times she and Dominique had been alone together. Now if she could go burn his stuff, that'd be something.
"Yeah," she said finally, quietly. "Alright, I'm pretty good at fire. But how do we keep them from taking it out on their mages?"
