After those two weeks, I was allowed to relax out in the gardens, to admire flowers and tread lightly on stone walkways, or to embroider in the drawing room with Adrianne. She was finally able to visit and managed to sweet-talk Mother into letting her stay at my house. The school barred me from re-entry, focusing their efforts on my little brother and the rest of my education was managed by Mother, Father and a few select tutors.

I have to be honest, Father was far more captivating than any dull teacher that school could throw at me and the time I spent away from Marcus had lulled my mind into a peaceful daze. I was still bittered by the ordeal, but what had he done?

Was it really so bad? He got tricked by his friend and I just happened to get caught up in it. I should not judge him so harshly. It’s not as if he killed anyone; maybe I might play a small prank.

In any case, if I were to employ a scheme, it would not be a large one. Perhaps I will modify his report card, just once; that would certainly rile Mother up, knowing her.

I spent my time inviting Adrianne into my room and painting while she embroidered as we talked about everything and nothing at all from morning to afternoon, to evening, to twilight.

Adrianne Elizabeth Von Devienne was an unusually bright person, cheery and slightly whimsical for her age, with golden hair and stark brown eyes to match. She was older than me by about a year and everywhere she walked, it appeared as if the sun deigned to light her steps. As far as people go, she was one of the few who gave a gentle, humble grace as trouble followed her footsteps.

She often found herself in various forms of mischief and come to think of it, I believe it was almost as frequent as my falling into Marcus' schemes. Our mothers were well acquainted, often hosting tea parties together, or visiting their respective gardens for lunch and Father trusted Adrianne’s father, Duke Xandros Asphodel Von Devienne, as much as Lady Helena Zephone Von Devienne. In all, our families were a close-knit bunch and during the hunting festival, the two dukes never strayed far from each other's sights.

That one particular day, as I recall, was quite rainy, muted and dull. We were reclining in my drawing area by the windows, unenthused by the climate and Adrianne was laying on my bed, an abandoned embroidery hoop by her side, watching me through dazed eyes as I attempted to paint the surface of water on a canvas.

"Why do you stay cooped up in this room, Liz? It's always such a bore here and there is nothing to do save stab at this stupid cloth. I should think you'd be more into outdoor activities than that."

That bleak day reminds me of all those other lifeless school days I had managed to escape. I was, admittedly, quite impressed by Marcus, albeit more bitter still; I had attended and gained quite the amount of favour from the teachers for a few years before Marcus and never once do I recall an incident where I had gotten myself into trouble. I marvelled at how easily my dear little brother had changed my fate with his simple disposition and a single scheme to boot. I must admit, both Adri and I found him to be absolutely charming, thus I cannot blame the Headmaster for trusting him as I did, though I hated his very soul with a terrifying rage.

I turned from my canvas to the window, gazing as the raindrops hit the clear glass and listening to the quiet pitter-patter as I answered her.

"I am not doing this for whatever reason you imagine, Adri. How disappointing; if I so much as breathed outside this room, the maids would be ecstatic. They would run to my mother like conniving little snakes, tripping over their feet in their eagerness to please the old Harpy, to tell her I was up to some form of trouble and there lies the danger."

Adrianne sat upright, perplexed. The rustle of the cloth brought me back to the room and I returned my attention to the canvas.

I continued on, not wanting to explain, "It's obvious she would kick up a fuss in a heartbeat and then I believe I would not be able to stand again for another couple days," I paused, grinning, before glancing at her with a mischievous smile, "unlike you, I don't quite like being in pain all that often."

Her eyes widened and she chagrined at her mistake, rushing to slap her hand over my mouth.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"You would not dare say that! You know it's not like that!" She said, pleading.

"Of course, of course. I am aware of that, silly fool. I was merely teasing." A giggle left my mouth as I knocked her hand away.

Adri had a very particular knack for getting herself into all sorts of trouble, but it was always the kind where she gained a peculiar injury from it: pin pricks from embroidery needles, or bruises from fallen books; more recently, she would knock her shin into furniture, or gain spider bites from climbing up to the roof and myriads more from Heaven knows where.

Her mother Helena had tried her utmost to get her treated, or prevent another accident, but somehow a new injury always manifested elsewhere, despite her best efforts. In truth, I still smile fondly at those times; I distinctly recall bandaging her wounds since we were no more than toddlers and I had gotten fairly good at that. I suppose this was yet another blessing in disguise; I have much need of that skill now.

For all her protests, no one ever believed Adrianne, or considered her plight when she was nothing more than a clumsy child; her noble appearance did not match her behaviour whatsoever and that disconnect was often met with ridicule. I was constantly taxed by keeping her safe and her habits often meant she was bullied and picked on by the others despite her grace, but I managed to shoo them away with a glare.

"Either way," I continued, "it is raining right now. It's not like we can leave anytime soon and I say it will keep going for another two or three more days - the clouds have not let up yet one bit."

She sighed heavily, "What a bore. Is there not one single thing we can do?"

I grinned, "I suppose we could sneak into the kitchen again," I paused, "but I would much rather not be pulling the knives out of you again. It was a pain last time and I was scolded much longer than you because of it."

It is amusing to me that for all her complaining, Adri never quite grew out of her troublesome habits. She would drag me into her various misdeeds and though I protested frequently, I somehow always went along with it. It might have been our amicable sentiments towards each other, yet I would call it something closer to a blood-friendship, or kinship, than anything else. For all I cared, she was as dear to me as a twin, far more so than Marcus could ever dream of being.

During that conversation, my painting was coming together nicely; the ripples of the water were lovely, but the colours were too blotchy, dry and opaque and it irritated me immensely. I ran my brush over the thick paint with water, hoping to soothe them together.

"Should we try the gallery, then?"

"That is on the third floor of the West Wing. We would have to climb a set of stairs to the landing and then another two to get to the gallery. You'd sooner fall down on the third step than get even halfway and take me down with you to boot."

A jerk in my hand left blue dots in the middle of the purple. I switched to a smaller brush.

How cumbersome.

"Well then, what about the roof? We could cloud-gaze."

Adri was laying back on my bed with her feet in the air, staring at me upside-down, her hair dangling on the floor.

I gave up.

"Adrianne Elizabeth Von Devienne, you would sooner crack your head," I huffed, smoothing the gradient between deep blue and deep purple, "honestly, what is it with you and not sitting still? Stop doing that! You'll fall off my bed."

"It is boring here, Eliza! I want to do something, anything, but there's nothing in here to do." She walked up to me, nicking the paintbrush from my hand.

"Ah!" I was startled by her at that point - I did not notice her ever drawing near at all. Her footsteps were as silent as a cat and she had long since mastered controlling her breath, masking it underneath the soft breeze outside.

Moments like that reminded me that, for all her clumsiness, Adrianne was born as the daughter of the Captain of the Royal Guard; with a skill like that, she was able to sneak into any forbidden space unnoticed - if she managed to focus enough to stand on solid ground, that is. It was a useful skill and one I learned to emulate after years of her careful observation and guidance, but it was the one that I most required, especially where I am currently.

As the rain kept pitter-pattering away on the glass panes, I watched her comb over the imperfection on my painting, lost in my mind, before I was abruptly struck with an idea. A good one.

This will be fun.

Looking back on that day, it was quite a devilish and mischievous idea and one I would most certainly get in trouble for, but for all Adrianne's whining, it would prove sufficient entertainment for her and if I was lucky, revenge for myself.

"Adri," I sidled up to her, tugging her arm.

She turned to me, finally perfecting the piece, "What?"

With the painting complete, there was now officially nothing else to do.

Oh, this will be fun.

"What say you we sneak into Father's study? I'm sure there's something in there we can play with."

A cheeky grin tugged at her lips and the devilish smile spread across her face, lighting her countenance.

"Eliza, you are a genius."