"Lady Ravenshield," a voice called to Ravina as she was leaving for the day. Even though the sun was still high in the sky, many students were leaving school early since today was more of an introduction to their education than anything else. Ravina turned to face the speaker and found a charming young gentleman with round spectacles and a smile that could only be described as endearing. By his uniform, he was evidently another student of the academy, and the insignia on his collar indicated he was a second-year student.

"I believe you have me at a disadvantage," Ravina remarked with a courteous smile.

The young man returned her smile and replied, "Indeed, I do." With those words, the initial charm of the young man seemed to dissipate rather quickly.

Ravina's smile faded. "For what reason did you call upon me?" she inquired, her tone now more guarded.

The young man gestured towards the library and said, "I believe this conversation would be better suited to a more private setting."

Ravina scoffed at the suggestion. "You refuse to introduce yourself and yet demand a private meeting. Surely, there can be no one so presumptuous." With that, she turned to leave.

As she walked away, the young man called after her, "If you decline, you shall regret it later." She paid him no heed and continued on her way, while he muttered, "Your loss," as he turned away.

Ravina rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure I'm going to look back on my life and find this meeting the one I most regret," she chuckled to herself, pondering the peculiar behavior of the people here. Nobility often carried an air of self-importance, and while they might have cause to hold their noise high they still valued manors. Yet these young members of the aristocracy appeared to lack them entirely.

Once again Ravina visited the market, seeking solace in its lively atmosphere. This time she found a few flowers that she could plant in the garden and purchase them, instructing the stores to deliver them to her manor. Continuing her shopping spree, she indulged in window shopping until she stumbled upon a rather poorly crafted dagger. Even with her untrained eyes, she could tell the blade was sharp and durable yet fit comfortably in her hand. So she decided to buy it as well.

Her day was going great until she once again ran into the charming Lady Eloise. The young lady was carrying a box and appeared surprised to find Ravina taking the same path. Though she smiled, she still could not maintain eye contact.

Ravina sighed and turned to leave. This girl was dangerous, and there were too many people around her who were very self-absorbed. The girl called out to her, and Ravina turned around, shaking her head. "I apologize, my lady, but either you have something to say to me, or you do not. Our previous encounters have led to misunderstandings with your companions, so I suggest we avoid further interactions."

Ravina bowed and turned to leave, hearing a soft "sorry" from behind her. She felt a pang of guilt but reminded herself that it was not her problem. Quickening her step, she felt the need to get out of there quickly before something stupid happened again.

But of course, whatever god was watching this world wouldn't let her escape so easily. She nearly collided with another gentleman, an older man who, although not clad in the academy's uniform, bore its insignia on his lapel. Recognizing him as an instructor, Ravina bowed respectfully and said, "Pardon me," attempting to pass him.

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However, he halted her and inquired, "What are you doing alone with Eloise?” His demand annoyed her.

Are you kidding me? Ravina thought. Is this actually happening? This can't be real. I'm on Punk'd, aren't I? I'm being punked. She looked around for a camera, something she hadn't seen in years and knew didn't exist in this day and age. Yet, there was no other explanation for what was going on here.

There was nothing there, and she was forced to face reality as she looked at this instructor. He was a handsome enough man, whose age refined him better than his counterparts, like a fine wine that grew in value with age. He had dark brown eyes that seemed black in the light and soft, fluffy brown hair tastefully pulled back as it cascaded down to his shoulders. He was a man who would be many girls' first love, given both his looks and his position. And yet Ravina found him severely lacking.

"It appears no one at this academy has any manners," Ravina noted. Looking him in the eye, she asked, "To what displeasure do I owe this meeting?" She left the question open, waiting for him to respond with his name.

However, he only shook his head. "Lady Ravina Ravenshield, it seems your nose is being held quite in the air despite your humble origins."

Ravina knew everyone whispered about how she came to be. While none of them knew the actual truth, it never deterred the fact that everyone knew the young daughter of Count Ravenshield had been kidnapped as a child and raised as a commoner in a poor village. However, this didn't bother her, as it was the truth in its own little way. The count's daughter had been kidnapped, and she did grow up in a village; anything else was moot.

"You would excuse me if I do not wish to remain here and listen to your ill-mannered language," Ravina said, again trying to move past him. But this time, he caught her by the arm. "Remove your hand at once," Ravina said calmly.

"Don't act high and mighty," the man replied. "You may be the daughter of a count, but this is the royals' playground."

"And yet," Ravina retorted, "this matter appears to concern not the royal family, but rather the petty grievances of an educator who has overstepped his bounds."

"You are the one who fails to recognize her place," he said with a soft chuckle. "It seems you have an inflated sense of your own importance. I advise you to abandon this futile notion and accept that here, you are nothing. You would do well to keep to yourself and cease troubling those who are cherished."

"Cherished?" Ravina repeated with a soft laugh, but before she could say more, the man continued.

"Yes, unlike the unloved child of House Ravenshield, Lady Eloise is esteemed by more than one noble family. I suggest you bear that in mind." With this, he pushed her away and began walking towards Lady Eloise, who was trembling and taking a step back from his approach. Yet, she did not stop him from placing a hand on her shoulder and saying, "I regret you had to endure that. All will be well now that I am here." He spoke with such affection, yet the girl continued to shiver under his touch.

Ravina felt bad, but at the same time, she understood that any of her actions would only make things worse for both her and the girl. She played with the handle of the dagger she had recently acquired. It would be so easy. Even as he eyed her with disdain, she knew he was nothing more than a pompous man without any real talent for combat. Life within the walls had made people soft, but Ravina was no murderer. A few seconds more, and perhaps she would have stabbed him. It would be simple to claim self-defense; after all, he had laid hands upon a high-ranking noble lady without any regard. Yet, things would likely not turn out in her favor, as the other men in Eloise's life would undoubtedly take offense to her mere existence.

So she turned on her heel and left. All she could do was hope that Lady Eloise would fare well.