Liliana had hardly stepped foot into the Wind affinity classroom when she had an armful of bubbly white haired princess.
“Lili! Are you excited about the class? How were your other classes? Did you learn anything new?” Marianne rushed out her questions as she pulled back, dragging Liliana to the seats she’d evidently picked out. Thankfully, she seemed to understand that if she chose any seats but the ones in the back Liliana would’ve revolted.
“Mari, calm down.” Liliana sighed as she sat down, fighting down the urge to hunch her shoulders and shrink in her seat.
So many people were looking at them right now and Liliana couldn’t say she enjoyed it. Wind was certainly a popular class and Liliana counted around seventy seats set out, by and far the largest class she’d been in. There were a few familiar faces from class S. Anya had slid into the seat in front of Liliana and Marianne, and she saw Hywel Goldstein several seats away. She thought she recognized a few faces from her other classes, but she wasn’t certain.
“I’ll be happy if I don’t pass out in this class. The other classes were fine. We just went over the basics of the affinities and a bunch of dire warnings for Soul.” Liliana answered Marianne as she set out her materials, rubbing a free hand against her eyes. By the gods, she was exhausted. The bit of manic energy she’d had earlier in the day had faded and now she just wanted to lay her head on her notebooks and go to sleep.
“How did you like your classes?” Liliana asked Marianne when it looked like the princess was going to bombard Liliana with more questions. Marianne was eager to answer her and Liliana let herself zone out a bit, paying enough attention to respond appropriately to what Marianne said. When Marianne wound down, Liliana delicately turned the princess’ attention onto Anya and let the two girls who had far too much energy, in her opinion, carry the conversation with little input from her.
When the bell rang, every seat was filled and if Liliana wasn’t using the small bit of energy she had left to simply stay awake, she would’ve already pulled out a notebook to begin noting down names. But she’d be in a class with these people for the rest of the semester. She had time to gather information when her mind wasn’t begging for sleep.
“Welcome to Wind affinity,” the teacher boomed out as the door crashed open, a rush of wind filling the room and sending pages fluttering. The man looked a bit like a wind sylph himself, all thin limbs, sharp pointed features and platinum blond hair that hung long down his back, blowing in a breeze that seemed to circle around the man like a faithful pet.
“I’m Professor Gideon Barriddle, and I’ll be teaching you the intricacies of mastering the fickle element of Wind.” Professor Barriddle began his introductions, his voice cheery as he crossed his legs and sat, in midair, floating around the front of the room. Liliana could admit it was a neat trick. She wondered idly if she could do that, or perhaps make a wind bed and just fall asleep in the air wherever she wanted.
“Now I can suspect many of your teachers have given you warnings of the dangers of their affinities, the mercurial temperament of flame, the unmoving stubbornness of earth, the graceful yet deadly flow of water. Wind is not like the other base elements, while winds can ravage and destroy with ease the element is not necessarily as inclined towards destruction as fire or even water is. No, the trouble with wind is that the element can be capricious. It’s more inclined towards subtlety, a delicate touch. It can be forced to be something devastating, but to truly master the wind affinity, you need to understand the very nature of wind.” Barriddle began his lecture and Liliana started to note down what he said, blinking when the words swam but pushing on.
Her handwriting only survived her exhaustion through virtue of her general skill, though she thought she detected some nonsense words and repeated phrases in her notes. If she was lucky, it wouldn’t be utter trash when she was awake enough to review it.
The class continued on much as her previous two had, going over the bare basics, an overview of what they’d be focusing on during the semester, and a list of books they’d need to pick up. By the time the class ended, Liliana could hardly keep her eyes open, and she’d felt her head nod a few times. A pounding headache born of lack of sleep had taken up residence right behind her eyes and she gratefully stored her materials as she stood, stumbling for a moment, when the world tilted unexpectedly.
“Lili?” Marianne asked, her hand gripping tightly to Liliana’s arm to steady her.
“I’m fine, just. Tired.” Liliana got out, her voice betrayed the exhaustion her illusions were still hiding from her face.
“Let’s get you back to the dorms, yeah? I can bring you something from the cafeteria to eat.” Marianne coaxed and Liliana was too tired to argue, she nodded and let Marianne lead her out of the room, not even jumping when Anya took her other side, supporting her with a sharp toothed grin.
“Damn it all,” Marianne muttered when they exited the tower, only to see a large group of students circled around something, loud voices heard even over the din of so many students talking. It took Liliana a few moments for her tired brain to connect why Marianne had cursed, because she recognized those voices. She’d rarely ever heard Emyr raise his voice, let alone shout, but she knew his voice.
“Shit.” Liliana murmured, freeing her hand to rub at her eyes and taking a deep breath before her back straightened and she strode forward.
When they reached the ring of students, Liliana paused before she tapped a soul stone. In seconds Lelantos materialized, Liliana set a hand on his fur. Where before the students were packed tightly with a growl from the formidable tiger, a path opened and Liliana kept her head held high as she walked through them, ignoring the whispers and looks as she approached the noise.
“We’re just saying the son of a murderer has no place here.” Words reached her, finally decipherable as something other than just noise.
“Oh, really Coppercolt? Are you trying to tell me that your parents have clean hands? Because I’ve heard some rather interesting rumors,” Emyr’s voice cut through the air, dripping in venom and clear threat.
“At least my mother isn’t sitting in the royal dungeons for life! And I didn’t have to steal the position of heir from the rightful one!” Coppercolt’s angry voice barked back. A harsh laugh filled the air, full of mocking heat.
“Heir? You’re the spare Coppercolt.” Emyr taunted as Liliana finally reached the circle.
She paused for a moment and saw Alistair, his face a hard mask that didn’t disguise the pain in his eyes, standing behind Emyr, a hand gripping tight to his friend’s shoulder. Emyr’s eyes were flashing and his lips were twisted in a sneer as he looked seconds from launching himself at Coppercolt.
Coppercolt wasn’t alone. He stood beside Dunstan, an older student Liliana recognized as Benjamin Runehold from the many social gatherings she’d been to, and another older student, Clarence Blackburn. Neither heirs, Liliana’s exhausted mind slowly supplied. No, none of them were heirs. Heirs would have more sense than this. Heirs were the mouthpiece to their families when the head of the family wasn’t around. No heir would risk angering the heir of the Rosengarde duchy in such a way. Zir’elon was there too, towards the back of the group, arms folded as he watched on, a smirk on his face and eyes dancing with amusement.
Liliana had no illusions of who had started this. She’d expected something like this to happen, eventually. The nobles had barely been polite to Alistair at best, but it was barely their second week here. For them to outright confront her brother, someone had to have pushed them. All of this nonsense because of his damned pride. Liliana should’ve expected he would hold a grudge against her brother too, for beating him in front of the entire class.
“What exactly is going on here?” Liliana asked as she moved towards her brother and friend, Anya and Marianne behind her.
At the sight of reinforcements, or perhaps a large beast with barred teeth, the group of nobles paused. Though Marianne would be little more than moral support, the politics involved in the crown princess disparaging or even attacking children of nobles, even if they weren’t heirs, would be too dangerous for Marianne to dare stepping in further than she had simply by being there.
“We’re making our opinions known. Many of us are uncomfortable sharing classes and a dorm with the son of a murderer.” Dunstan was the one to speak up this time.
Liliana heard a low growl from her side and, to her surprise, it was from Emyr and not Lelantos. Liliana felt her thin patience wearing down. She really was too tired for this shit. It was with a heroic effort that she maintained the strained noble mask she had pasted on her features instead of simply stabbing Dunstan and ending this damned argument once and for all.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
“Say that again Dunstan and I’ll give you something to actually be afraid of,” Emyr bit out, his hands flexing as if he was imaging Dunstan’s throat under them.
“Are you going to threaten us for valid concerns? How are we supposed to know if he’s like his whore of a mother? Should we all start checking our drinks for poison?” Runehold stepped forward, shooting a cruel glare at Alistair.
Liliana felt rage boiling in her chest, breaking through her sleep deprived, weakened defenses, fracturing her weak mask. It flooded through her mind and through her bond. Lelantos let out a roar that had several students scrambling back and someone screamed.
“Keep talking, Runehold, and poison is going to be the least of your concerns.” Liliana’s voice was cold, her anger like frozen fire in her veins as she bared her teeth, pointed canines flashing and making her look half feral as she stood there with a hand on Lelantos, appearing as if her hold on him was the only thing holding the beast back from attacking.
“Why are you defending him? He stole your position! He’s not even a true Rosengarde, his whore of a mother seduced the duke and tricked your father into adopting him before trying to kill you to ensure his succession!” Blackburn regained his courage first, his voice rising as he pointed wildly at Alistair.
“Say one more word and you’ll be going home in pieces, you bastard.” Emyr shouted, his voice rough as he tried to surge forward, only Alistair’s hands on him holding him back. Fire and shadows thrashed wildly around Emyr as he lost control of his temper.
“Stand down before I decide that the satisfaction of letting Lelantos tear you apart is worth the expulsion.” Liliana snapped, her voice still filled with cold rage as she stepped forward, Lelantos prowling beside her until she stopped before Blackburn. He was taller, but she was well used to it and she let her anger, the promise of pain and violence, shine in her eyes as she stared the older boy down.
“And if you say another word about my brother, I promise you’ll regret ever speaking his name.” Liliana hissed, letting her anger fuel [Wind Manipulation] as winds whipped up around them. She held first Blackburn’s eyes before meeting the gaze of every boy who had decided today was the day to test her. Then she turned on her heel and walked back to Alistair, Lelantos snarling at them one last time before following her.
“Such uncouth aggression directed towards those who bring up valid concerns,” a voice spoke out as Liliana reached her friends and she whirled on her heel, eyes flashing.
Zir’elon had stepped forward and unlike the disgust and anger painted on the other boy’s faces, the prince had a calm mask in place, his hands wide as if he was trying to play mediator even as he stoked the fires of tempers higher.
“Is it not the right of every student here to be comfortable? To be allowed to engage in a civil discussion about issues we have?” Zir’elon said, his voice projecting to reach the crowd gathered to watch the spectacle.
“We have simply brought up our very reasonable fears,” Zir’elon continued, his voice almost pleading, but Liliana could see the mockery in his eyes, the smirk on his lips. She felt the last tethers on her temper snapping. Beside her Lelantos crouched, readying a pounce even as Liliana began to summon her weapon, all reason leaving her, only the need to wipe that damned smirk from his lips remaining.
“Then if we’re bringing up reasonable concerns, perhaps I should bring issue to you sharing classes and a dorm with me.” A voice called out as a new form stepped in front of Liliana, stopping what was going to be a charge.
Liliana blinked at the unexpected intervention. Sense came back, beating back the fires of her anger that had almost cost her so much for a few moments of gratification. She belatedly canceled the weapon that had only just started to form in her hand. She reached out and placed a hand on Lelantos, gripping tightly to his fur.
“Koth’talan.” Zir’elon spoke, the word sounding like the most vile of curses as he spat it out, his face twisted into something ugly as he looked at his brother who had stepped in. Liliana looked at the dæmon standing in front of her in confusion. Koth’talan spared a look at her over his shoulder, his eyes holding a warning in their fiery depths.
Shit. This is what Zir’elon wanted. He planned this. He wanted me to snap and attack him to either get me thrown out or to be able to fight me and beat me in front of witnesses to prove his strength. And I would’ve played right into it. Liliana realized, horror drowning out the remnants of the anger that had so recently ran rampant in her.
“Well, brother?” much as Zir’elon had spat his name out, Koth’talan said the word brother as if it was poison on his lips.
“Shall I bring up my many concerns with you, since you’ve chosen this as the place to air out grievances, however unfounded they may be? I can assure you, my concerns are far more solid than the weak ones you and your cronies have presented. Shall I begin?” Koth’talan asked, voice innocent yet holding an undertone of threat that Liliana didn’t doubt Koth’talan would make good on. It seemed Zir’elon realized it too, as he scowled at his brother.
“I believe we should all take some time. It seems tempers have grown out of control and we need to cool our heads.” Zir’elon ground out, stepping back with a glare at his brother. If looks could kill, Koth’talan would be ash on the grass.
“Sounds reasonable,” Koth’talan said amicably, his hands slipping into his pockets and his posture relaxing. Liliana realized he’d been standing in a battle stance until that moment, as if he was ready to go to blows with his brother.
Koth’talan didn’t move as Zir’elon and his posse turned away and walked off, pushing through the crowd of observers who had dispersed when the potential for a fight faded. When it was clear his brother was gone Koth’talan started to walk away and Liliana reached out before she could think, gripping his wrist and almost flinching back when she noted how warm he was, or perhaps she was just that cold that his skin felt like a burning brand under hers.
“Thank you,” Liliana said, when Koth’talan paused and looked at her.
“Didn’t do it for you. I didn’t want to see my brother win.” Koth’talan said with a shrug of his shoulders.
“Still, if you hadn’t stepped in, I would’ve attacked him.” Liliana said, shame raising color to her cheeks, but she refused to drop her gaze as she stared into the unfathomable depths of his eerie, flame colored eyes.
“Like I said, didn’t want him to win. Don’t read into it.” He shrugged again.
“I owe you.” Liliana said with a shake of her head, refusing to let this go. There was no way he had stepped in, blocked her when it was clear she was about to attack, stepped between a giant tiger and his brother, simply out of spite.
“If you want to see it that way, fine.” Koth’talan said and looked down, raising an eyebrow. “Can I go now?” he asked, his lip twitching into a small smile. Liliana jolted, realizing she was still holding onto his wrist, and she yanked her hand back as if she’d been burned.
“See you around Rosengarde.” Koth’talan said with a wave as he walked off. Liliana watched him for a long moment, her mind too tangled and tired to make sense of the enigma that was Koth’talan Kastrioti.
“Liliana Loretta Verity Rosengarde!” a shrill voice called out, and Liliana froze, her eyes going wide.
“Fuck me.” Liliana muttered as she slowly turned around to face a furious Marianne stomping up to her, and even though the princess was shorter than her, Liliana felt suddenly much smaller than her friend.
“Ah, hey Mari.” Liliana said hesitantly, flinching back when Marianne smacked a hand against her arm.
“What the ever loving fuck was that?!” Marianne demanded, and if the situation wasn’t so very dire Liliana would find amusement in Marianne’s vulgarity, she’d heard the princess curse twice today and Marianne never cursed.
“Ah sorry, I lost my temper.” Liliana said sheepishly, and even Lelantos was lying low to the ground, his ears pressed tightly to his head in the face of Marianne’s anger.
“No! I want to know why you didn’t beat that smug, self-centered prick so badly even his mother wouldn’t recognize him!” Marianne yelled at her, fuming as she glared at Liliana, then off in the direction where Zir’elon had retreated.
“I-What?” Liliana asked, flabbergasted. That was not what she thought Marianne was going to say.
“You listen to me Liliana, the next chance you get, I want you to make him hurt. Beat him black and blue and bloody until he runs off with his tail between his legs!” Marianne ordered her and Liliana nodded back dumbly, unsure what else she could say in the face of an incensed princess.
“Don’t worry Marianne. I plan to make them all rue the day they decided to join the Academy.” Emyr said darkly as he walked up, Alistair trailing behind looking like a kicked puppy.
“I’m sorry. This was all my fault. You guys almost started a fight because of me.” Alistair said softly, head bowed and shoulders drooping. For such a large boy, he looked so very young, and small at that moment.
“This wasn’t your fault, Ali,” Liliana said, her heart aching as she looked at her brother, her strong, proud brother brought so low by the vicious words of idiots. She stepped up to him, grabbing his hands in her own and squeezing them until he met her eyes.
“I’d happily fight anyone in this school, in this queendom, who would say such awful things about you. You’re my brother, and I don’t let anyone talk shit about my family.” Liliana said softly.
“You’re my best friend. You’d fight for me if someone said such things about me.” Emyr said with a huff, his eyes still full of silver fire as shadows whipped around him.
“No one gets to insult the friends of the princess of Cista and not suffer consequences.” Marianne growled out and Liliana would feel bad for the boys who had started this if she didn’t think they deserved whatever vengeance Marianne would bring upon them.
“I’m always down for a fight. And you’re a nice guy Alistair, you even loaned me your notes when I fell asleep in Math the other day.” Anya said with a grin, bouncing up to them.
“You always try to protect us Ali, but it’s okay to let us protect you too,” Liliana murmured lowly as she wrapped her brother in a tight hug he desperately needed. He gripped her back hard enough that her spine cracked.
“Thank you,” Alistair murmured into her hair before he let her go and repeated the sentiment to the group.
“Now, if we’re all done being a spectacle, I’d like to go and pass out in my bed, please.“ Liliana said with a tired smile at her friends.