Queen vs. Awkward Morning-After

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Eydis blinked awake, assaulted by the cheerful audacity of sunlight dancing frantically along the seam of her eyelids, courtesy of the rustle of (very much deceased) leaves outside her window.

“Alright, alright, message received,” she grumbled, not quite sure if she was addressing the sun, her throbbing head, or the overly enthusiastic foliage.

Propping herself up, she surveyed the empty dorm room. Well, not entirely empty. There was a teacup—a relic of a conversation that was, unfortunately, inconveniently, not a hallucination. And a glass of water.

A thoughtful touch.

Eydis downed the entire contents in one gulp, the cool liquid briefly soothing her parched throat. But even the water couldn't silence the percussion section practising inside her skull.

And to make matters worse, each pounding beat brought back a vivid snapshot of last night: a silk robe, now hers, its front parting in a way that was... ‘downright indecent.’ Heat flooded her cheeks, and this time, it had nothing to do with being ill. No matter how much she tried to deny it.

"Well, this is mortifying," Eydis muttered, pulling the robe tighter around her as if it could somehow rewind time. But the soft satin clung to her skin, a luxurious reminder of the decidedly un-luxurious decisions she'd made while wearing it.

Astra wouldn't miss a robe or two, would she? Her collection of delicate underthings could rival a lingerie shop. For a supposed warrior, the Ice Princess certainly had impeccable taste. A taste that Eydis, admittedly, felt a twinge of envy towards.

‘It's not en—‘ She mentally silenced Envy's insinuation before it could fully form. Who gave this sinuous snoop permission to chime in? Now that the fever had retreated, along with what felt like 90% of her dignity, it was time to regain control of her internal monologue.

Sitting up, she hugged her knees to her chest, wincing as her gaze fell upon the wound on her right palm. "Please tell me Astra didn't see that," she pleaded with the empty room. Vulnerability was not a look she was accustomed to sporting.

Apparently, a near-death experience and the loss of most of her powers could do that to a person. Who knew?

And then there was the embrace. The involuntary snuggling. The shameless warmth-seeking. A shudder ran through her as she remembered the way she had practically melted into Astra's... neck? Please, oh deities of awkward mornings-after, let it be her neck!

Surely there had to be a shred of dignity left to salvage from this wreckage. If not, she could always fake amnesia, again. But then, the lingering softness against her cheek screamed otherwise. Ugh. She flopped back onto the bed, burying her face in the pillow.

Which, of course, was a catastrophic error in judgement. Astra's shampoo lingered, a fragrant taunt, a reminder that it hadn't been a fever dream. Worse, how did she instinctively know it was Astra's shampoo? Had she become a connoisseur of hair products in her weakened state?

Exquisitely inconvenient.

How was she supposed to face the Ice Princess now, armed with only sarcasm and a rapidly depleting arsenal of witty comebacks? An arsenal that seemed to bounce harmlessly off Astra’s stoic exterior like pebbles off a glacier.

Teenage Eydis's unsolicited kiss had sent the Ice Princess shooting literal ice daggers with her glares. Now that those glares had softened to tolerable annoyance (for reasons unknown, perhaps Eydis was just that charming), she couldn't bear to face the awkwardness again. After all, nuzzling into Astra's neck all night was far more mortifying than a mere kiss in her book.

The library suddenly seemed like a viable escape plan. Permanent residency, perhaps.

But even the thought of moving caused a fresh wave of pain to wash over her. "Right," she sighed, "time to work on that revitalising sigil. At least Cerberus's back to help."

Eydis pushed herself off the bed with a wince, pointedly ignoring the lingering scent of sandalwood clinging to her. She gathered her toiletries, mentally mapping out her day.

Judging from the glaring sun streaming through the window, she was already late for class. A quick stop at the infirmary for a sick note, then straight to the library staff room, where she could hide from prying eyes and awkward questions.

Today's mission: avoid Astra like the plague, and maybe invest in some industrial-strength perfume to mask any lingering evidence of their... encounter.

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Eydis, fresh from the shower and smelling gloriously of lavender (a far cry from that other distinct scent that was so very, very Astra), made a beeline for the infirmary. Her plan was simple: ditch the glasses, channel her inner puppy-dog eyes, and convince the nurse she was one sneeze away from the afterlife. (Seriously, where was a real fever when she needed one?).

Judging by the rosy cheeks she passed in the halls, half the academy seemed to be suffering from the same mysterious ailment. Was there something in the water supply? Blush-inducing pheromones, perhaps? Or maybe a rogue Cupid had taken up residence in the school's ventilation system.

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Eydis paused, a thoughtful finger tapping her chin. Cupid, you say? Hmm, anyway…

Plan executed, victory secured. Eydis clutched the nurse's note with a self-satisfied smirk. Turns out those blushing cheeks weren't just a student epidemic – even the adults were susceptible. Who knew? She slipped her glasses back on, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous glint.

Back at the library, off-duty and with a precious few hours before the students swarmed in, she headed straight to the Arcane section. Surprise! It wasn't deserted.

"Skipping class, Mr. Vice President?" Eydis quipped, leaning against a bookshelf. "Or do the rules not apply to those with a fancy title and a penchant for rule-bending?"

Theo glanced up from his book, his nose wrinkling involuntarily as a wave of cloying perfume assaulted his senses. (Eydis might have overdone it with the industrial-strength perfume.) He quickly composed himself and replied with a faint smile.

"Good morning to you too, Eydis. Lost in thought, that's all. Contemplating my limitations, to be precise. And please, call me Theo."

"And you think cracking open a dusty old tome is going to solve that? Can you even decipher those ancient glyphs?"

"Not all of them," Theo admitted. "But I find solace in books. It's... an escape." He gripped the book tighter, his eyes scanning a page about expanding one's mana core.

Eydis's eyes narrowed. That was precisely the book she was looking for. Considering he was only a few pages in, it was likely he would borrow that book home for further reading, and there went Eydis's chance to get her hands on it. Now, how to pry it from his grasp without resorting to... well, her usual methods?

She tapped a finger against her cheek. "Didn't realise you were such a bookworm, Theo."

‘The type who prefers smashing things to reading about them,’ she added silently, recalling his rather... enthusiastic approach to combat.

The Vice President blinked, taken aback by her candidness. "Making assumptions, Eydis?"

"Assumptions are simply shortcuts to understanding," Eydis countered with a sly smile. "They streamline the thought process, save time. And besides, isn't it exhilarating to have your expectations challenged now and then?"

Theo chuckled, caught off guard by her response. "You know, Eydis, I wouldn't have expected that philosophy from you. Most people would be a tad… insulted."

"And yet, here I am, subverting your expectations."

Theo held her gaze for a moment. "Perhaps."

"In that case," Eydis continued, leaning in slightly, "a word of advice: that book you're clutching might not be the answer you're seeking."

"And why is that?" Theo’s voice dropped to a near whisper.

"I've seen you fight, Theo," Eydis said, her eyes piercing into his. "You're disconnected from your power."

"A reckless decision," Theo retorted, his jaw tightening. "Is that another assumption, Eydis?"

"An observation," she corrected. "You devour books of all kinds, yet you haven't applied that open-mindedness to your magic. Why?"

The Vice President fell silent, his eyes widening slightly as he absorbed her words.

"Whatever you're struggling with, I can't pretend to know. But raw power isn't everything, is it?" Eydis paused, gauging his reaction. "You see, ever since I found out Natalia was a Gifted student, I've been going through the texts, trying to understand how I could help her," she lied smoothly, "and you know, it occurred to me that arcane is a bit like those horseless carriages you seem so fond of."

Theo's brow furrowed in confusion. "Horseless... carriages?"

"Yes, those contraptions that move without horses," she clarified, “or dragons, obviously. They use... something called batteries, if I'm not mistaken?"

"You mean electric cars?" Theo supplied, his lips twitched.

Ignoring his poorly concealed smirk, she continued, "Now, the battery is like your mana essence, correct? It fuels and powers the car. But a battery alone doesn't make a car move, does it?"

Theo's confusion deepened. "Well... they're self-driving now, so..."

Drat. So much for her brilliant analogy. This realm’s technology, as always, was conspiring against her.

"Ah, yes, of course," Eydis smoothly recovered. "But even the most advanced contraptions can malfunction, can't they? One software glitch and you're a smear on the asphalt, splattered like a bug on a windshield."

Theo's face paled, his imagination conjuring up a far too vivid scene. "I wouldn't say splattered," he countered with a chuckle. “But yes, considering those glitches I've read about, I'd still prefer to keep my hands on the wheel. Those cyber attacks do make one a bit paranoid."

"Precisely," Eydis drawled, her amber eyes glittering in the sunlight. "Letting a car drive itself is like handing the reins of your soul to a temperamental evil. Perhaps, as you so aptly put it, one must always remind themselves to keep their hands on the wheel. For power can be a paradox of its own."

Theo's expression turned thoughtful. "I... hadn't considered it from that perspective," he admitted. "I've been taught to focus on the fundamentals, on cultivating my mana essence. To respect the living power within, the gift bestowed by a benevolent force. But you're suggesting... we should be actively shaping it? Even the divine gifts we've been given?"

Divine. The word made Eydis's lip curl in distaste. "Why so serious, Mr. Vice President?" she said. "Isn't our job as students to challenge the teachers, even if they're right? A little healthy scepticism never hurt anyone."

"I didn't take you for the rebellious type. But then again," he added with a wry smile, "I suppose you're full of surprises."

Eydis shrugged. "Creativity and audacity are essential for breaking boundaries. And magic, like any art form, requires both. Power, as you implied, is a living force."

She paused, her voice growing serious as she noticed Theo's subtle intake of breath. "And trusting such a force to always act in our best interest would be like riding a wild stallion blindfolded, hoping it won't suddenly throw you off. Or worse."

She reached out and gently closed the book, her fingers accidentally brushing against his. “It's not just your life at stake, is it?"

Theo's gaze flickered from the book to her hand, a mixture of surprise and something else swirling in his silver eyes. Eydis's words had clearly struck a nerve, a calculated arrow aimed at the heart of his heroic instincts.

She had seen it in the dining hall, a boy who naively believed he could save everyone. If she had wished to end his life then, she would have succeeded, despite her weakened state. His split-second hesitation, his distraction by her mere presence, had almost been his undoing.

A tense moment passed as he seemed to weigh her words, then a subtle smile touched his lips. With a newfound lightness, he returned the book to the shelf, as if releasing a burden.

"Are you saying," Theo murmured, "it's not about getting stronger... but about connecting to your power on a deeper level? To... shape it as your own?"

"You're asking a non-Gifted student for magical advice? For all you know, I could be making this up as I go along. Maybe I'm just a really good storyteller."

Theo smiled, a genuine warmth in his eyes. "I'll take your words to heart, Eydis. Thank you.”

The bell's shrill cry signalled the end of their impromptu lesson. Theo, with a final, lingering glance at Eydis, made his way towards the exit.

Eydis smirked triumphantly before turning and walking away, the coveted book tucked discreetly under her arm. However, a spark of curiosity ignited in her mind.

Where on earth was Theo rushing off to in the middle of lunch hour? As a librarian, Eydis had practically witnessed him setting up a cot among the bookshelves, even during meal times.

With a silent command, Envy materialised as a wisp of shadow, slithering like a stealthy spy along the edges of the room, ready to follow the Vice President's trail.