Stepping onto the grounds of Valmore Academy, Lucas felt his heart pounding and the burdens his family expected him of on his shoulders. He felt it ease a little as his thumb traced over the phoenix embellished with a phoenix holding a sword within its claws. Pocketing it he heard the sound of the chain rattle as he began to glance over the other students entering alongside him.
It was the opening ceremony and in the afternoon it was expected to be the combat department’s trial test. The thought of the forest he would be expected to navigate and duel other students in made his stomach churn as he sought a distraction to his thoughts. A glimmering flower with a star-like pattern and a faint glimmer that could be mistaken for a trick of the sun caught his eyes. Moving past the bustling groups of students ignoring his envy of how some students seem to have already made or entered alongside friends he knelt down best he could to not dirty his trousers as he let his hands gently brush the petals. They let off more sparkles affirming it was the actual plant as his own eyes began to shine in wonder.
“A luxia-star?” His eyes scanned over the flower bed spotting even more of them lining it as his breath hitched in amazement. “These take so long to cultivate and maintain. I could only imagine the effort entire flower beds must demand but they do look amazing at night. Like stars buried amongst the grass.” Muttering to himself he began to scour over the other rare fauna that made his heart pound, having to resist the urge to bounce around the flowerbed to inspect each one. Giving himself just a few more moments to enjoy the scent of warm honey the flower gave off he stood up and turned to see the path seemingly emptier than the minutes before. ‘Has everyone else gone into the main hall?’
Panicked he hastily stood up brushing himself off and patting his pocket to double check his watch was there. It filled him with a warmth recalling when he had received it in a plush box from the Duchess herself. It was the first gift he ever got and it made him excited. Even the Duke gave him acknowledgement. Smiling as he felt eager to reach the main hall, he failed to realise he fell back into his own mind again as he was jostled by someone slamming into him. It had not actually done much to him but clearly the red haired girl that collided with him was dazed as she fell over.
“Oh my, I must’ve forgotten to be cautious. Are you okay, miss?” Kneeling down he offered a hand to the dazed girl who blushed embarrassed at bumping into him.
“I-I am alright, I ju-” Her voice died in her throat as she met his eyes, her own eyes were like jewels and not simply in the sense of simply being radiant, they had a pattern akin to a cut gemstone. However his were a hideous orange and serpent like. Helping her up he decided not to comment on her shock as she brushed her skirt off. “I’m sorry about bumping into you I didn’t mean to.”
“That’s alright. First day jitters I suppose? Walking around the path before sitting down is a good way to get rid of some of that anxiety instead of fidgeting in the hall.” He offered a smile recognising her own evident nervousness.
“Ah, yeah it was just jitters. I’m sorry for bumping into you.” She gave a small bow that Lucas found quite cute. He recalled when his own siblings bumped into him it often followed with them punching him in the face for being dumb enough to get in the way. She brushed against his side as he went to walk to the main hall.
‘Ching~’ The sound of the chain rang out being pulled taut as he felt its loop on his pants pull behind him. Looking down he saw the trail of it leading into the closed palm of the red haired girl who’s face lost all of its colour realising she had failed to pickpocket him. His hand shot out with the speed of an arrow as he grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back. The watch fell from her hand and thumped against his leg before he turned to take a handkerchief out and clean it before hastily stuffing it into the safety of his pocket. Turning back he glared at the girl who tried to steal with him as a deep animalistic growl churned out.
“Care to explain why you tried to steal, Miss?” His eyes narrow slits, to have his treasure coveted by others… it felt revolting. “This is a dear gift I was given to me by someone I dearly admire.” Kneeling down his hand dug into her shoulder as she tried getting up. Guiltily as she went to look away his hand grasped her chin and forced her to face him. “Answer me, quickly then.” Leaving no room for patience the girl gulped as her blood ran cold.
‘Covet not the hoard of dragons or the mines of dwarves lest one incur the wrath as grand as the mountains they reside in.’ - Alrond Magrith, Archmagus of Thunder.
“I-I didn’ mean tah. It was so shiny and I saw the design and I couldn’t control mahself from wanting to take it.” She admitted, embarrassed as her eyes were shut, unable to meet his glowing orange ones. “Mah family has dwarf blood in it. Not something I can control all too well.”
His grasp on her face eased a little as he looked at it in a new light. Some people do in fact suffer from trace lineages like he did. Kleptomania was a trait from dwarves. The need for precious jewels and craftsmanship came from a dwarves inherent love forging. However if someone belongs to a poorer family they likely lack the means to pursue becoming a smith or a jeweller leading it to becoming an urge to covet another's possessions. “I see how it is.” As he went to nod in understanding a cold blade was tucked under his chin. Turning his head he was greeted by a boy with azure eyes and hedgehog like brown hair glaring at him.
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“Lucas Alphonse, what the hell are you doing to this girl?” The boy growled out causing Lucas to feel confused.
“Handling an issue? Put your sword away.” Pushing the blade away it stung feeling the edge cut at his palm but he ignored it as he got up. “What gives you the right to interfere? Do you laud yourself as some fairytale knight?” He mocked this idiot’s rapid and impulsive response. Did he seriously think pulling a sword on someone was acceptable?
“Don’t mock me. I saw you throw her to the ground after she bumped into you. What kind of bastard does that?” The boy spat back letting spit hit Lucas’ face.
Disgusted he wiped it away and kept his distance seeing the blade still pointed at him as the girl looked astonished on the floor confused. “I’m handling the issue. Get lost you dolt. What I did was justified!”
“Don’t tell me what’s justified. You assaulted a girl over an accident.” The boy seemed to have his sword aimed just beneath his sternum like he planned on skewering Lucas.
“I didn’t assault anyone, you low born mutt!” Shouting back the boy trembled clearly about to act rashly as Lucas felt the tip of the sort against his abdomen before a bluish projectile hit the blade causing it to clatter to the ground. Startling the red haired girl who barely avoided cutting her.
A silver haired girl was standing there wand poised and evidently the cause of the mana bolt that shot the sword away. “What are you thinking, pulling a sword on another student!” She shouted at the boy grabbing his shirt. Despite being shorter the brown haired boy shrunk back clearly afraid of her and most likely the blue sash she wore signifying a disciplinary committee member.
The boy looking astonished pointed towards Lucas who only seemed even more confused as the other girl stood up trembling and clearly realising being on the floor was a hazard. “He assaulted that girl and threw her to the floor for bumping into her.”
Bile built in Lucas’ throat at the unfair accusation. Yes, he technically had done it but he was being robbed. It was a genuine reaction. “That’s not fair. She tried to steal from me.”
The red haired girl flinched at the accusation knowing it was true and shrunk away trembling even more. Following this the silver haired girl huffed. “I am Talia Dumar and as a committee member I will handle this accordingly. I’ll take accounts from the three of you separately and compare. Is that fair?” As she took out a notepad her violet eyes looking over the three of them. The trio nodded knowing compliance was the best choice.
Taking about fifteen minutes to get the reports from the three of them, Lucas felt uncomfortable with the apologetic look the red haired girl was giving him after she gave her account. Normally he could overhear a conversation considering they were only about ten paces away but Talia seemed to cast some kind of silence ward so each of them could speak only to her without worrying about others hearing. However, unlike the result Lucas expected with the brown haired boy being reprimanded, she picked his sword up and placed it in his hand.
“It seems you were justified in your actions. As according to the accounts of Hal and Amelia they had similar statements. Both being that she had bumped into you and once she went to walk away you tossed her to the floor and assaulted her.” Lucas’ eyes narrowed on the red haired he now knew as Amelia with a look of betrayal. The girl was looking away. But before he could protest she continued. “Just because she is a scholarship student does not mean you have any right to treat her violently because of your family status. This was a disgusting display of behaviour and I will have it recorded as a demerit for inciting violence.”
“That’s not even true. She tried to take my watch from me and I retaliated.” He felt his blood heat up at the ridiculous situation. Stepping forward as he raised his voice he caught as Talia’s hand went straight to her wand causing him to stop. ‘She’s one of those isn’t she?’ He thought in contempt realising she had no intentions of taking him seriously.
“Lucas Alphonse I kindly advise you to stop being aggressive or I will increase the number of demerits incurred. As this is your first day I am willing to overlook this once. Out of respect for who your family is. Am I clear?” Her voice stern but wavering it was clear she feared him.
He chewed the inside of his cheek and nodded to hearing the scoffs of Hal disgusted he got away without actual punishment. Turning away he went to walk from the three feeling furious at baseless accusations, betrayal and discrimination. But it was not so different from home was it? Looking back he saw Talia let out a deep breath as Hal patted her shoulder as she was shivering. His ears pricked as he heard her say one last line.
“Filthy drake-eyes.” It made him see red, a slur used exclusively for people with eyes like his own. Quietly cursing the bitch in his heart as he walked to the main hall. He could only wish the worst kind of violence on someone as shallow as her.