CHAPTER 36 - ELISE AINDREA P10
~36.10~
*****
She curtsied as she introduced herself. “I am Helena Rosenfeld.”
I glanced at Maya. She nodded and stepped out. “Rosenfeld and Rosenwald are neighboring duchies. Our names correspond to the landscape. Rosenwald is a forested region with a lot of roses while Rosenfeld is a plains region with a lot of roses. To my knowledge, both houses were once a single house long ago, but somewhere along the line they split off and began governing neighboring lands.”
“That’s pretty well identical to my knowledge,” Helena said. She smiled as she gripped the hilt of her sword, still sheathed. “Shall we?”
“Enjoy yourselves!” Maya said as she stepped back behind the barrier.
I gave Maya a quick wink, then faced Helena. We drew our swords and waited for the instructor to give us the signal to start. The instructor raised his hand, then quickly lowered it. “Begin!”
*****
A few minutes later, the instructor stopped us. “That’s enough. You two are quite skilled.”
We bowed and sheathed our blades. “Lady Elise, that was quite exhilarating. I was right. That was an interesting match. Thank you.”
I smiled. “Of course. Anytime we’re both free, I’m open to a match.” I snapped my finger and dispelled the soundproof barrier. I regretted that instantly and immediately reapplied it with a separate section for myself and Maya to stand in. Helena didn’t enjoy the noisy bunch either and joined us.
We stood then waiting for the instructor to continue calling names, but instead he stepped into our section of the barrier. He paused for a moment, hesitating to say anything, but after a moment went ahead and said it. “You are skilled enough that I’m not even sure what I can teach you in this class of first-years. Honestly, you could show up once in my class a week on Mondays in any period you have free and get the test dates, then just show up on test dates. Let’s talk more about this after at the end of class.”
““Yes, sir.”” He stepped back out of the barrier and continued testing our classmates.
“That was quite a match,” Maya said. She curtsied and introduced herself to Helena. “It’s nice to formally meet you. I am Maya Rosenwald.”
“Likewise.” Helena smiled, but I could tell she was trying to hide that she was displeased with something. “I have visited the Rosenwald estate many times on business with my father, but this is our first time meeting, excluding the interschool faire last year. I only even caught a glimpse of you there.”
“Strange. If you visited a lot, we should have met before now. I did go to school in the capital, though, so perhaps I was away during your visits.”
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“Yes, perhaps.” Her smiled shifted. Her attempt to hide her displeasure faded, replaced by a real smile. “In any case. It’s nice to meet you, formally.” She glanced at me. “And you as well, Lady Elise. Your swordplay is incredible. You are from here, yes?”
“Yes,” I said with a nod. “Aindrea is a county to the southeast, near the border to Wavecrest Kingdom.”
“That’s quite far. Further than Welt.”
Welt is the capital city of Weltwald. That’s where Maya went to school. Actually Helena is right. I’m further from home than they are, even though we’re in my country.
“I hadn’t thought about it. You’re right, though. Aindrea is quite far from Aristide.”
“Maya Rosenwald,” the instructor called.
“My turn. Be right back!”
*****
After class, we parted ways and went to our dorms to get ready for the tea party. Just before we separated, a messenger from Eglantine arrived and updated us. Helena was also invited, as were a handful of other girls. As it was now a formal event, I made sure to dress up.
Dresses weren’t really my thing, but I did have to admit I looked good in them. I wore a purple and black dress. It was my personal preference with two straps, low cut, and form fitting. It showed off my cleavage and curves quite nicely. The hem of my dress reached my ankles. As for my shoes, I chose something without heels. I despised heels and not even my mother could get me to wear them.
She did get me to wear a corset and plainer dress a few years ago to a party in Aindrea. That was a disaster. I was so glad corset and plainer dresses were out of style. I dreaded and refused ever putting on one of those monstrosities again. If I favored any dress, it was the slim, form-fitting sort that I was wearing.
My family wasn’t rich like ducal and royal houses, but what we lacked in money, we made up for in skill. My dress would cost a noble lady more than most families could afford... if we had bought it. The countess and her employees are some of the best tailors around. The only reason we aren’t making a ton of money from our tailoring... well the truth is we are, but most of the proceeds go into raising quality of life for Aindrea, especially the poor. No mouth goes unfed in our county.
Heads turned when I arrived at the tea party. It was a gathering exclusively of noble ladies, but I stood out even among the ducal and royal girls.
“My word. Elise, you are so beautiful!” Maya said as I approached her and Eglantine. “In school you are quite pretty, but I dared not imagine you were hiding such beauty underneath your uniform!”
“Thank y-”
“Look, she’s already hitting on her new friend.”
Exasperation took over all three of our faces.
“I apologize,” Eglantine said. “I didn’t think such comments would-”
“No matter,” I said. “Don’t apologize for someone else's words.” I glanced at the girl who commented on Maya’s compliment, snapped my finger, and raised my voice. It just so happened to be the same pair from this morning plus one more. “If all you’re going to spew are ugly words, keep them to yourself in that soundproof barrier lest you contaminate the rest of us with your foulness.”
The second girl from this morning said nothing, but the third, upset at my comment, defended her friend. “To think Maya finally has a girl willing to defend her. Who knows, maybe she’ll finally get a date.”
I smirked and walked over to the girl, my eyes glowing rainbow, rather than the usual silver. “I can see right through you, Lady Sherry. You haven’t had a date in your life. Who are you to make a comment on somebody else ‘finally getting a date’. You say that like she would be the lucky one. She’s a ducal daughter. If we dated, I’d be the one matching up. At the very least, she could date virtually any man she wanted. But she chooses not to. She’s not interested. You on the other hand, can’t get a date from either man or woman.”
*****
Revision: 2025-2-7