The Handmaid’s Tale

1

image [https://i.ibb.co/9gP5RS6/toppng-com-line-dividers-png-1000x200.png]

Natalia felt her lungs burning as she sprinted after Eydis. "Wait up! Slow down!" she called. "Since when did you become a star athlete?"

Eydis flashed a grin that could rival the midday sun.

"Change can be exhilarating, wouldn't you agree? Besides," she said, slowing down but not stopping completely, "who knew lugging those history tomes around was such a workout?"

"But... you're moving… inhumanly fast."

Eydis stopped abruptly. Momentum carrying Natalia forward, nearly collided with the taller girl. With quick reflexes, Eydis shot out a hand, steadying Natalia by the waist, her touch surprisingly firm. The contact sent a jolt through Natalia. It must be the exertion, she thought, swallowing hard.

Amber eyes twinkled as they locked into Natalia's. "Perhaps you just need a little more practice, Nat.”

Natalia's heart hammered in her chest. She couldn't help but stare, mesmerised by the way Eydis's hair, now pulled back in a sleek ponytail, shimmered in the sunlight. The old Eydis would have buried herself in a book under a shady tree.

But this new Eydis? She was a captivating mystery.

As they settled under the shade of an old oak tree, Eydis swiped Natalia's water bottle, taking a long swig.

Crimson eyes lingered on Eydis's throat. “Don't think I forgot your aversion to sunshine, too," Natalia managed.

The brunette's smile softened. “Sunlight... I actually don’t remember ever disliking it. In fact, I craved it,” she murmured, a hint of longing in her voice. Then, her gaze sharpened with a touch of mischief. “Speaking of, your complexion suggests you could use some fresh air too.”

Natalia scoffed, snatching her water bottle back. “Fire magic is way more efficient than push-ups, any day. Besides, who needs muscles when you can just throw fireballs at your problems?”

"Fireballs are all well and good, but what happens when your magic decides to take a vacation? Though, speaking of exercise, what exactly is this 'sexercise' I keep seeing on these enthralling tweets?"

Natalia choked on a mouthful of water, sputtering. "Tweeter is not a news source, Eydis! And the censorship is atrocious these days."

"How else am I supposed to stay updated on that giant, pulsating eye in the sky?” Eydis gestured upwards with an unreadable expression. “Weren't you the one who said Tweeter was a goldmine for gossip?"

Eydis's sudden fascination with social media, something she once disdained, was another puzzle piece in this new persona.

"Is that the culprit behind your recent eyebags?" Natalia teased, trying to regain some control of the conversation. "Up all night lost in Tweeterverse?"

Instead of a defensive retort, Eydis offered a cryptic smile. "Let's just say something rather captivating has stolen my sleep lately." Eydis removed her glasses to wipe away the condensation, revealing a gaze that sent a blush creeping up Natalia's neck.

Cliché, Natalia acknowledged. Countless novels relied on the trope of glasses removal transforming a girl into a vision. A question burned on her tongue.

"What... what has you so captivated?" Natalia forced out, the word 'Astra' remained unspoken.

Eydis leaned closer, her breath warm against her ear. "Feeling overwhelmed, Natalia? Maybe you should head back."

Natalia's pulse quickened. A strange feeling—like maybe she was mad at Eydis? — washed over her, making her see red for a second.

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

"Overwhelmed? By what?"

The thought hit her like a lightning bolt — was she jealous? No way! It couldn't be!

The brunette pulled back. "This whole... exercise business. Speaking of which, are there ways to see without these... inconveniences?" she tapped her glasses with a frown. "They keep fogging up."

Natalia sighed in relief, but an unexpected disappointment followed. "Contact lenses, definitely. Though, with your vocabulary lately, I half expect you to start demanding a royal carriage instead."

Eydis didn't reply, but a mysterious smile played on her lips. Unsure what to say, Natalia simply followed Eydis in silence.

"Let me check what Tweeter has to say about contact lenses," Eydis called over her shoulder.

Natalia had to giggle. Her friend was full of surprises these days—boring? Never! But as they walked back to their dorm, a nagging discomfort tickled the back of her mind.

Why did her heart race each time Eydis got close or even glanced her way? They were just friends!

Shoving that thought aside, Natalia distracted herself with the autumn garden, hoping the fresh, earthy scent would calm her troubled heart. Everything was normal. And that’s how she wanted it to stay.

But that feeling of peace shattered easily, like a soap bubble.

As usual, the pre-lunch hour marked her training session in the Sanctuary. Reaching for her pin, a badge of honour worn openly by most Gifted students. Unlike them, she only donned it during mandatory training.

Swiping her keycard, she braced herself for the usual pre-duel chatters. Instead, an unsettling hush greeted her as the hidden door groaned open.

Her classmates huddled together in confusion. As Natalia approached, the whispers erupted.

"She's back? How?"

"I thought she was expelled!"

"Since when is she Gifted?"

In the center of the group stood none other than Tiffany Blackwood, a smug grin stretched across her face as she surveyed the Gifted students. A surge of anger, hot enough to char the very air, flared in Natalia's gut.

"Tiffany?" Natalia growled in disbelief. "What are you doing here? I thought you were—”

Tiffany laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "Expelled? Please. Don't you know who I am? But you," she tilted her head, her blue eyes gleaming with malicious amusement, "that's the real surprise. Who knew you were Gifted?"

Natalia bristled. "A fact I didn't advertise like a designer bag”. Just what was happening? Since when was Tiffany a Gifted student?

Tiffany playfully pulsed her lips, followed by a wide, unsettling grin. Leaning in close, she assaulted Natalia's nose with the intense scent of expensive perfume.

"Natalia," she announced in a voice intentionally grating on everyone's nerves, "I challenge you to a duel."

A collective gasp rippled through the Gifted students. A formal duel was a serious matter.

"What game are you playing at, Tiffany?" A husky and dangerous voice cut through the stand-off.

It was Astra, her silver hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, her forehead glistening with sweat from training. Natalia was taken aback by the unexpected concern in Astra’s crimson eyes.

"Oh, ‘Your Highness’," the blonde said with mocked sweetness, "gracing us with your presence. I thought you were too royal to mingle with the likes of us... the un-Gifted."

"Just you, in particular," Astra retorted. "Your transparent attempts at intimidation are as tiresome as they are predictable."

"This is between me and Natalia," Tiffany snarled. "Don't think I haven't been studying the rules."

Natalia's patience snapped. "This is between us, but a formal duel? Really? That feels a bit excessive, don’t you think?"

“Maybe. But the rules are the rules. Win against you, and I jump to C-Class. Who knows, maybe even higher with the right opponent."Tiffany's gaze flickered to Astra.

Natalia's stomach clenched. Losing meant dropping back to D-Class, Tiffany's current level. The embarrassment was bad enough, but losing access to advanced fire magic training? Absolutely not!

Here, power meant respect. A-Class students ruled the halls, their silver pins glinting proudly. S-Class? That was a mythical legend, a dream Natalia never dared to imagine.

"Fine," Natalia gritted out. "Let's do this. But you mess with Eydis, and you'll be sorry."

Tiffany’s laughter promised violence, her eyes glowing with an unsettling shade of violet.

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Theo watched, his jaw clenched, as Mr. Grant wove a shimmering barrier around the duelling platform. Settling into the plush seat beside Athena, his fiancée, their elegant attire felt like a costume in this tense atmosphere.

"Another round of Tiffany's games, isn't it?" Theo murmured, frustration lacing his voice.

Athena sighed. "The Blackwoods are a major patron of this academy. With her newfound abilities, Dean Saito's hands were tied."

"Not only the Blackwoods controlling the government, they want this academy too? Thena, you have a plan?"

Athena, usually averse to such prying, offered a grim smile. "Perhaps a peek into Tiffany's twisted mind will reveal her true motives."

"But you disliked doing that, didn't you?" Theo asked, surprised.

"I crossed a line with Eydis. There was this unsettling aura... it compelled me to intrude."

Theo shot her a curious look. "What did you see?"

A shiver ran down Athena's spine as she recalled the experience. "My power lets me see people's deepest thoughts, their darkest secrets. But with Eydis, it was like a wall. Only surface thoughts, and then... a black void. It almost sucked me in."

"Intriguing," Theo murmured, staring at the duelists. "What about Tiffany? What do you sense now?"

Athena’s expression troubled. "Something I fear my brother should be aware of," she sighed again.

Theo's hands tightened around the armrests. "Can't we stop this? What if—”

"It's alright, Theo. Natalia accepted the challenge. Intervening now wouldn't be wise, would it? Besides, I have a feeling she sensed it too," Athena said, her eyes shifting to Astra standing rigid near the duel platform. Despite the icy mask on Astra's face, the white-knuckled grip on her wooden sword spoke volumes.