I step into the hall to find every one gatehered there. Clusters of people move about the place, finding spots to cacoon and have their meals. A man walks up to me, its him. The large bag man. "This way." He smiles, I follow him up a number of steps.
The gallery welcomes me with familiar faces. Nicole and Sanriach sit at different tables with people forcing conversations. When they notice me, they pretend not to. I make my way past them to a table I am led to. One seat is prepared at it, I presume it's mine so I take it. No one else is led to this table for the remaining of the time people arrive.
When we all settle in, different types of food are brought to the tables. Cuisines I can and cannot recognize adorn the table, stirring up an excitement among the students. It takes nearly five minutes before they quiet down and dig in. I watch my surroundings, everyone else digs in and relishes the company of those at their tables.
"Digusting." A grumble attracts my attention. In front of me, unlike earlier, is a boy. He sits elegantly opposite me, napkin tucked in shirt and cutlery properly assigned. "What?" His rouge eyes set ablaze when looks up at me. I stare back at him unmoved and pick up my cutlery. I gesture for help dishing out the food and I am immediately taken care of.
"Thank you." I lower my head when the staff leave the table. The boy digs in without word. The sound of clinking softly accompanies our meal, only stopping when he reaches for his drink. His ringed fingers curl around the glass and I catch a symbol marked on one. A complicated yet neat script of the letter V. I pull out my notebook from beneath the table and glimpse at a page. The same V is mimicked there, one of the founding Vampire clans, VINCENTIA.
"What?" He looks back at me. I didn't realize I had said out loud enough for him to pick on. I flip to the list of names and there it is, in black. I slip the book back into my coat and ignore the glow of his eyes. He thumps the table and distables my drink, it tips over but the staff behind me mutters a spell which prevents it. He smacks the saved drink off the table and the glass shatters on the wall of the gallery edge. The shards scatter but once again the stuff reverses the state back to its untouched self on the table. Everyone else continues with their meals like nothing happened.
When he attempts to make another mess, I pay him attention. "Baccala alla vicentina, not a delicacy I would usually go for_" I take a sip of my drink, which is untouched thanks to the staff. "_but pair it with a glass of dessert wine and I could have it anytime." I glance over at his plate. "Lasagne, now that's perfect with some Lohikeitto and a glass of pinot n_"
"I am not in the mood, okay sweetheart?" He takes a swig of his drink_ "Disgusting."_then the clinking of cutlery resumes. I set aside my food and gesture for my side to be cleared. No one moves. He scoffs. "I am not done." In the moment, I look around and notice that no one who has finished has left.
They sit still waiting for their colleagues to finish.
"Well." I pull out my notebook to read it but one of the staff gestures for me to put it away. The boy before me laughs.
"Did you not read the rules?" He gestures for his glass to be refilled. "Or did you think being royal excluded you from them? Mommy and daddy must be pulling the str_" In the moment, I notice Nicole, Sanriach, Reina and a few others twitch towards our table. I reach for his glass and it cracks in my hand, I take a sip of the drink. Its not Pinot noir. One of the staff snatches the glass out of my hand. When our faces meet, I recognize her. It's the crow lady, the maid or whatever she is. Play the rules. Remember.
The moment the words leave her mouth, her face is no more. It's a regular staff member. I force a laugh and mutter a spell to fix the cracks in the glass. "Apologies, I forget myself. Of course I need follow the rules. What is. Wrong with me!" With a smile, I return the glass and sit back. Everyone else returns to their seats, no one continues to eat. The staff quietly clear the tables while I hold my smile. Trying my best to lighten the atmosphere, hearts beat faster with every movement I make.
Reina approaches first. "It'okay, I am_"
"I will escort you back to your chambers either way." She, like a gentleman which she is not, helps me up from my seat and gestures for me to go first. Before I take a step, the Vincentia cuts in front of me with the loudest scoff. He matches ahead and unexpectedly, it gives me the motivation to move too. I follow his tracks, picking up on the berry like notes that trail his path. Despite his childishness, I sense a suppressed maturity. The lightness of his steps, the eloquence in his movements_
He lingers. His head dips to the side and once again his matching resumes. I follow his path and stop where he did, dipping my head in mimicry.
"What do you think you're_" Reina stutters in embarrassment. I ignore her and lift my face in the direction the Vincentia had not so discreetly looked. I gasp.
With the same expression, except far more intentional, is him. The Vincentia. He is dressed similarly as before, just different undertones. Different accessories, different aura. Reina gently nudges me to move on, everyone stares in my direction.
Envy,disgust, determination, admiration..hate. Vile, intoxicating hate. I drag my eyes away from the crowd, stealing one last glance at the Vincentia.
We make it out the dinning hall and Reina finally leads the way. I tail her, the sound of her boots accompanying the temporary solitude. Before I realize it, she stops. The entrance to the labyrinth welcomes my sight, its darkness as stoic as before. I turn to watch Reina's back retreating the place. The urge to roll my eyes at the lack of etiquette. I step into the labyrinth and when I step out, I am not at the hall ways to the rooms. The breath of the night graces my face, streaming through my hair. The moon casts a dull yolky glow over the compound, highlighting the edges of its life with an enthusiastic gloom.
The green of the grass glitters with the moonlight, beckoning me over. I step away from the comforts of the what appears to be the castle I left. The coolness of the breeze turns colder and wet. The ends of my coat soaks up from the breeze, its ethereal. My curls stick to my face. Yet, nothing falls from the sky_
"_they call it the tears of Althzora." A voice shoots over the silence. I stumble over the shock. "Whoa, careful.." His hands reach over, steadying me. A comforting warmth radiates off his body, embracing the cool of me. Despite our closeness, I only sense a respectful intent. He steps away from me, his hair starting to stick onto his face. His lilac eyes contrast the dull environment, excuding a controlled energy. His eyes blend in with every passing second, their sharpness adjusting to the situation.
"Uhmm.. are you okay?" He chuckles at my silence. Only then do I realize that I was rudely staring.
I turn away from him and focus my mind on the compound, the trees only line the sides of the walkways. "Staying out here isn't good for pure bloods, it weakens the senses_" No wonder I didn't notice him coming. "You wouldn't have noticed me anyway. That is unless I allow it."
I pay him attention once more. His blonde hair is tuck onto his face more than before. "I wouldn't be so cocky if I were you." I walk past him to the doors and stop. "I am not the common pure blood you're used to." He joins me and helps me open the door. I walk past him.
"Alright then, I look forward to seeing what you can do for me." I still in my tracks.
Despite what he says, its how he says it. It is genuine, respectful. The door closes before I can say anything and I am then in the hallway that leads to my room. I make my way to it_
"No way." Kisa laughs. Instead of her room, she and Zoya have decided to grace mine with their presence. I walk in, not making my presence known. "I thought last time was the last?"
"It was!" Zoya defends over Kisa's unending cackles. "He is serious this time¬_" Kisa laughs even louder, Zoya's anger gets more pungent that I can smell it. "You should have seen him_"
"Uh-huh."
The back and forth continues until another voice cuts over the noise. "Shall I get rid of them, mistress?" I raise my eyes to meet the maid. Her voice seems to stop the noise because Kisa and Zoya come in immediately. I need to know her name.
"Uh.. who are you?" Kisa walks up, folding her hands over her chest. Dressed straight out a Scooby doo movie, she raises her brow out of emphasis. The maid remains put, not paying them any attention.
"She called you mistress." Zoya points out, her caramel eyes dazzle out of curiosity. Kisa doesn't find the situation interesting one bit.
"What should I call you?" The maid lowers her head at my question.
"Anything you'd like_" Her eyes capture my eyes for the first time since we met, a foggy hazel like blend melts within them. Her eyes are warm unlike her cold stature. "_I haven't be granted one."
"Granted one?" Kisa scoffs. The maid shoots her a look which shuts her up.
"Okay then, I will call you Marcelli."
"No, that sounds close to my name, Marcelina_" Kisa interrupts, clearly bothered by the choice.
"Too bad, I have decided_" I dismiss her demands. Her complaints fade behind me only resurfacing when Zoya vocalizes her support for the name. Marcelli approaches me and echoes her question. "No, getting rid of them will only bring more work."
"Excuse me?" Zoya hiccups over her increasing heart rate. Her actions mask it though. "How did you get her into the academy? There's a no special treatment policy_"
Marcelli disappears into my palm and though she does so swiftly,Zoya catches on. "Is that a spell? Teach me.." With every sentence, her fear subsides. I don't like it.
"Goodnight, Zoy." Kisa guides her to the door, displeasure evident on her face. After Zoya is gone, she brushes past me without a word. I smile at her disappearing back and finally settle at my dressing table. Marcelli comes back. She helps me get ready for bed without instruction and disappears to where she goes in my palm.
***
"_and what else do I need to know?" I sit still at the table watching Marcelli work my hair to a bushy amount of braids. She holds it down with pins, taming it's volume. It's an elvish look but on me darker. Could be because of my vampiric features.
" You will have three classes within the day, with a few classes on language in between. Human calculus, familiar and spell nomenclature at the Pavillion of Malachi." I nod as she flips through the notebook and displays a page with a small map to the place. I am amused at how much information she added. Does she think me a child?
"Then after a break, you'll proceed to Anorphe, the oldest auditorium, for Human and familiar historical, political, social and magical studies. Lastly a stamina based class, where you must not be outclassed. Resource and energy revitalization at the Courtyard of Arion."
"So, a pavilion, an auditorium and a courtyard?" I turn to her, she nods. She guides me to the bed where my clothes are laid out_ "What is this? " I stare at the unidentified pieces of fabric.
She stifles a laugh. "It's a uniform, mistress."
I stare at her for a moment, its an odd sound coming from one who is closely associated with me. Sullivan and Mr. Creed laugh at anything..same goes for his son. I am not a funny person_ "Fine. Help me then." She hands me a what appears to be a cream spaghetti strap tank top and a burgundy short fitting cream skirt. The fabric feels soft yet firm on my skin. With it I add what seems to be a cream turtleneck tailcoat. The Hazraq serpentine crest is glossly embedded at the left of my chest and into the cream of its buttons.
Marcelli passes me my black knees boots, she and both know it's not a great idea but I wear them. "Did I forget anything?" I inspect the room while she gets my things for me. I reach out for my phone which I realize I haven't touched since I arrived.
"No phones are allowed in class or on class grounds." She says sternly. I hand her the phone and make way to the door. "You still have about two hours before class."
"A girl is allowed to have some curiosities reserved." I step out the room. In the hallway, I am welcomed by another early bird. She freezes when she sees me, I walk past her and head for the door to the labyrinth. She follows quietly. Apart from the appearance of our hair, she look the same. Her uniform is a perfect fit, exposing her best feature which I assume are her legs. Long and slender. I push the door open and when both step out the shadows of the labyrinth¬_
"Josephine?" The loud voice startles her. The brittleness of this character soothes her rather than what it would do to me. I make my way further from the union. "You look amazing_"
Around the corner, I come to terms that the morning is busier than I had expected. Groups of students in uniforms of different Houses gather and move about, their excitement glowing over their faces. The different undertones and outfits blend smoothly despite their appearances. If it were one, the uniformity would have been broken. A dozen and more would start to make it normal…
Each House has a uniqueness to its uniform. Cyaphra's theme colour is olive green. Its uniform coupled the olive with brown. Rybben's coupled its black with a navy blue while Xerc's red was matched with white. The most majestic of all happened to be the donkeys of the system, our familiars… though we hadn't yet been assigned. These belonged to the Edyhell House, it's uniform a match of gold and grey. If it hadn't been a constant through the academy's history, it'd have been a problem.
Now everyone chats and makes friends like every other child on the first day of class_
"Oops!" A body attempts to run me down, stumbling to a halt when I step aside. A bunch of books from the pile she effortlessly cradles tumble over. Before they fall any further, a girl approaches, swirling a spell that keeps them suspended in the air. Her wedged heels collide with the ground in a hypnotic way, the way she takes her steps is calculative. Feline.
"Careful there darling." A note lingers in the air, a lilt. She effortlessly moves her finger and the books stack up. Her amber eyes peer behind the pile of books in attempt to see the carrier. Her red pleated skirt sways with her hip movement. She approaches. "Ohh, hi.. Michele."
The girl behind the books gasps with newfound happiness, her previous embrassment in completely subsided.
"Margaret!" The two squeal for what feels like hours before they proceed to a quieter reunion. Everyone watches them with unhidden disturb. They show off their uniforms, blocking my path with every step I take. "Oh my goodness.. I am sorry I didn't see you over there." The chubby belle who I now know is Michele steps up to me. She spots a table and rushes to temporarily set the books aside.
Margaret watches me with a frown on her meanwhile. I look right back at her, keeping my face as blank as possible. "I didn't mean to crash into you_"
"_you didn't." Her friend points out, squinting her eyes at me. I say nothing to encourage the interaction. When I step forward she blocks my path, fodling her arms over her chest. "Well?"
Despite how discreet she plays it off, I can smell her hormones raise when everyone pays her attention. She drops her arms to the side and the Xerc House crest glistens on the side of her white trench coat. It all makes sense. It's a display of hierarchy. Xerc is believed to hold ground over the rest of the Houses.. or should I say us.
From the corner of my eye I spot Sanriach and Nicole join the hall way, they look around before Nicole approaches a boy dressed in a similar black and navy combination like her. "What's happening?"
"Looks like the first display of hierarchy." He nods in my direction.
"Ooh la la, I watch." Nicole smiles but cusses when she notices me at the centre of it. She attempts to approach us_
"Who the fck thought it wise to gather in the way?" A voice rumbles over the mumbling. A boy and girl make their way and everyone steps aside for them. The one who yelled scoffs at the site of the current enrolls. "This year is just as disgusting as the previous."
The girl rolls her eyes but doesn't say a word. She just accompanies him, maintaining a controlled aura. The lower of her hair is dyed purple, falling to one side of her face. The other side is cut to a blend. "What's going on here?" They approach us, the boy pulls out his hands from the pockets of his hooded coat. He proceeds to lower his hood. "Well?"
Margaret steps up. "Just helping my friend¬_"
I sigh and use the opportunity to excuse myself. "Hey?" The girl approaches, her freckles catch the light from the sun that begins to slip through the windows. "You're in Hazraq?" She repeats the statement as if to believe it more. The boy cuts his conversation and joins us.
"Hazraq?" He gives me a once over then whispers to his acquaintance. "I thought they never took any girls." The girl hushes him and tags at his sleeve. "Okay, off to your respective classes.. And I don't want to hear any drama yet, its not worth the first days of the semester."
Everyone scatters, burying the loudness of his voice under their movements. It doesn't stop him though, he proceeds to shout warnings and encouragements even when we are farther off. I pull out my notebook from my coat. The Pavilion.