"If Ophelia joined us we would have enough." Anton thought out loud as he walked with Jolon and Santh back to the dorms.
Jolon smirked at the idea. "Ophelia doesn't take arms classes. Do you think she can defeat her opponent with innocence and adorableness?"
"Does all five have to participate?"
"Yes." Santh answered. "There are five events and each person is assigned to one."
Jolon pushed a branch that had grown into the pathway out of his way, but Santh who walked behind him snapped it and tossed the offending branch into the woods.
"Why won't Remus participate?" Anton asked Santh when they arrived at the dirt court of their dorm. "Does he just fail his arms class every year?"
Santh looked down at the two men before him. "He does well enough, but Remus has always preferred to be a spectator in the lives of others."
"Could you convince him?" Jolon sat down on the stairs and rested his elbows on his legs.
The large man shook his head. "There is no convincing him to pick up a weapon and put himself in harm's way. There is a reason that while he works for the Fox, he never actually gets his hands dirty with the tasks that are given to him."
Anton sat down on the raise platform and leaned his head against the wooden pillar. "If only we could get Lenore to accept."
"She's right." Santh announced.
"Did you just say Lenore is right?" Jolon was the one to ask but they both held the same shocked expression.
"I have the ability to hear truth and agree with it." He pressed his lips together and crossed his arms, annoyed by his dorm mates and their unspoken accusation. "Ever since the Prince arrived, the Royal Dorms have not lost a single tournament. Even when they were close, the other opposing dorms always had a mysterious injury or suddenly their best fighter can barely hold a sword. No one wishes to win against the Prince."
Anton threw up his hands briefly. "That's why we need Lenore to agree. She could..."
"You heard everything she said. The Prince would harass our dorm if we won against him." Jolon sucked on his bottom lip before inhaling deeply. "That dream was short lived."
"It would be best if you two spent at least a year in arms class before entering the tournament. You would simply injure yourself and make the others look down upon you further." Santh walked passed Jolon on the stairs. He entered into his room without another word to them.
"I wonder what kind of prizes one would receive for winning." Anton sighed as he continued to rest his head on the pillar.
Jolon leaned back, propping himself up on his arms as he looked up at the blue sky. "If it is good enough for the Royal Dorms then it must be of worth."
Lenore sat in front of her brother's desk as she looked over prospects for the house mother of the girls' dorm. It was being run by some very harsh Mondue females at the moment, but they were simply volunteers. A more permanent solution was required.
Krius sat near the fireplace and glared over at her from time to time, but luckily for her nerves she had her back to him. He had been informed of the Prince's plans with Authin and had not been pleased with the idea. For a brief moment, he even thought of warning the Princess, but knew that he could never betray his Prince.
"They all seem worthwhile." Lenore set the scroll on the table. "You would know more about stern women then I would, take your pick, Les."
Lesatan, who was sitting at his desk, gave a nod. "I will."
Standing up, Lenore looked down at her brother. "I will take my leave if there is nothing else." It killed every ounce of pride she had to ask him for permission to even leave a room, but she had promised to be polite. She would do so even if it ate up the remainder of her soul.
He motioned that she was free to go, and she made her way out of the room as quickly as possible. Nothing rattled her more then seeing Krius in a room and knowing that he could reach out to touch her at anytime.
As she walked down the hall, she rounded a corner only to connect with another form. She stumbled back and looked at the person she had collided with. A man about her age stood in shock. His blonde locks tied back in a perfect pony tail, and his face soft almost angelic. He began to smile once he began to understand what had just occurred.
"Forgive me." He bowed his head.
"Nothing to forgive, it's these blind corners that are at fault. You would think they would have put up mirrors at every corner." Lenore had no idea what she was talking about, but she found herself slightly anxious in front of the attractive man.
Authin chuckled, taken a back by her comment. Most girl's would have simply accepted his apology with a giggle. "I do not believe we have met before. Authin Nele of Gronda."
"Lenore." She didn't bother with her last name or any title. "Gronda is run by an Earl, is it not?" Again, she questioned why she was even bothering to speak to the man.
"Oh yes, my father. I didn't hear where you were from."
"That's because I did not say." In the distance she could hear the dinner bells ringing. "Excuse me, but I must get to the dinning hall." It would take a while to get from these dorms to the main court.
As she tried to walk passed him, Authin gently grabbed her hand. "Are you not a member of the Royal Dorms?"
Lenore brought her eyebrows together. "No, now if you'll excuse me."
He didn't want to push the issue. Authin knew that appearing in a woman's life time and time again would eventually put him in her heart. He would appear for some time then disappear just long enough for her to wonder where he had gone to, and if he had given up. Of course, that only needed to be done for the hard to get ladies. Which it was apparent the little Princess would be.
Walking down the hall, Authin entered the Prince's study. He sat down in the chair and threw his feet on the desk. "The seeds have been sowed."
Lesatan was studying a book and looked up at the man. "Good, do not fail and get your feet off my desk."
After dinner, Lenore had gone for a walk, but she decided that she wouldn't be running errands that evening. She told Remus that she needed a break for a couple days due to fatigue. There was only so many days in a row, she could sneak around the hamlet and then get drunk to cover her activities.
Approaching the dorm, Lenore raised an eyebrow as she watched several students enter into the pathway and a couple others leaving. Heading down the pathway, she reached the dirt court more curious then ever over what was occurring that would make even the Mondue's sneak into the unmentionable's dorm. It wasn't curfew just yet, but the time was ticking near and anyone not present for roll call would lose a point.
Her jaw nearly dropped when she found a line of nearly thirty students in the court. They were lined up at the stairs and circled around. Jolon and Anton were writing down their orders and then handing them the small pieces of ripped up paper to hand to Ophelia who would go into the back room to get the items ordered. As soon as one left the court, it seemed two more would appear.
"One danish and one bottle of mead." Ophelia held out the items to the a Souchan freshmen.
"Please, everyone needs to keep their voices down, so we can hear those of you giving orders. The more we have to ask you to repeat yourself the longer this will take!" Jolon shouted to the group of students, and they all seemed to fall into a hush.
Lenore shook her head slowly. "Remus." She sighed under her breath and made her way to the stairs.
"Lenore! Look, I've started my own business." Ophelia clasped her hands together and gave a large smile to her room mate. Her eyes grew large like saucers in her happiness.
"That's great." Lenore walked down the hallway and into her room only to find Santh and Routine taking refuge on the bunk bed. She didn't even have to ask why they were in the room, Routine already knew she would ask.
"The sound level is far above normal in our rooms." He explained and then returned to studying the book on his lap.
With a sigh, Lenore took off her tabard and looked up at Santh who was laying on his back on the top bunk. He seemed to be just staring at the ceiling without any consideration that she might be undressing. Next to him was a bottle of mead, which Lenore quickly grabbed. He didn't even make a motion to protect it.
"It's empty." Santh told her with a grin. Then pulled another bottle from the other side of his body and held it out to her.
Lenore was slightly shocked by his willingness to share, but decided she wouldn't question it. She grabbed the bottle and took two large swigs before handing it back to him. "I take it this was Remus' idea?" She asked as she sat down on her bed.
"He will always capitalize on other's fortune." Routine closed his book. "Roll call will occur in less then an hour. I do not see how they can clear those students from the court in that time."
Lenore laid on her back on her bed. "There is most likely a closing time that is strictly adhered to." Shooting up from the bed, she walked to the door and stuck her head out. The court was packed with students at this point. "I am going down to the stream to wash my hair." She informed the two men in her room. "When I return I want you both out. This is a lady's room."
"Will you stand with us at roll call?" Routine asked, but she ignored him and quickly left the room.
"I assume that means no." Santh grunted.
They day had been a long one. Classes seemed to drag on for hours longer then they were meant to. Santh just didn't feel like he was completely present in his life that day. Walking toward the dorm, all he could think of was how he wanted to take a nap before dinner. His mind revolved only around that hard bed that had given him splinters more than once.
"Santh!" Ophelia grabbed his arm and smiled up at him. "Going back to the dorms?" She watched him nod. "We will walk with you."
The word "we" caused him to look at who was accompanying his tiny dorm mate. Lenore was walking slightly behind them even though Ophelia was holding tightly to her hand.
"We had a nice day today, did you?" When he barely made a motion to answer her, she continued. "Lenore and I have been learning about polite debating techniques, but also learned that a lady should never really debate any of her husband's acquaintances." She continued to speak when no one else felt like adding anything. "My favorite time of year is about to arrive. The balls after the tournaments. The boys and girls mingle and dance. My favorite is the dance classes with the boys. They have to hang up their swords for the day, and then the girls get to dress up." She pulled Lenore further up and the tired Princess didn't object. Little Ophelia was not a force that could be argued with. "I've never seen you at the balls, Lenore. I bet you get asked a lot being the Princess and..."
"Lenore." A voice came from a distance when they entered the garden court right before they were about to enter the dead pathway. All three persons looked to see who the unfamiliar voice was.
"Pretty." Ophelia mumbled under her breath as the angelic boy moved through the crowd of other students with ease and approached them.
"Good day. How do you fair?" Authin asked as he came to stand in front of her.
Santh was the only one not mesmerized. He looked between the two girls. Lenore who seemed flustered and Ophelia who had dropped his arm and just continued to stare at the man's face.
"I'm well. Nothing out of the ordinary. Your name was Authin, correct? Authin Nele from Gronda?" Lenore had moments where Santh was almost certain she would stutter.
"I am. It is a great honor that you would remember so much about me after only meeting for a short time." He turned his attention to her companions. "Are these your friends?"
"Dorm mates." Lenore corrected.
"Ophelia Romanus." She whispered her name. "Souchan Party."
Authin reached out for her hand and kissed it gently. "A pleasure, Lady Romanus."
She giggled.
"And you my good man?"
Santh rolled his eyes and grunted.
"He is Santh." Ophelia informed him.
"Does Santh have a last name?" Authin asked the larger man.
"Aquilar." Lenore responded with a similarly enchanted look on her face. "He is from the Mondue party."
"Aquilar? From Dralas?"
Santh brought his eyebrows together. "My Aunt lives there, but she does not use her maiden name."
Authin chuckled. "I do not suppose you remember me. My father and your Aunt's husband are close friends. I remember trying to befriend you when we were younger, but you were far too broody for any type of friendship back then. Good to see some things never change."
Santh didn't remember the man, but he wasn't exactly in the mood for racking his mind for the memories. Not only was he tired, but the man had hypnotized his two dorm mates. Something about the fact that Lenore seemed to only know how to bat her eyelids at him and Ophelia was practically drooling over his presence made him want to punch the man and shake both the women.
"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you all." He bowed gently, then turned to the Princess. "I saw you from across the way and I just wanted to give you my greetings. It was a true pleasure to meet you. You are quite the character." With that he wandered back into the crowd.
"He likes you." Ophelia spoke out loud.
Lenore seemed to pop out of her reverie and shrugged her shoulders before heading down the pathway.
"Do you know what I would give to be with a man that beautiful? His eyes were like emeralds and his hair like golden silk." Ophelia clapped her hands briefly. "My goodness, I will not be able to sleep without him invading my dreams at night."
"Are you quite through writing your perverted love story?" Santh snapped.
"What's wrong, Santh? Do you want her for yourself?" Lenore looked over at him, but before he could respond insulted, she put the back of her hand to her forehead. "I thought we would be, but you love another?"
He frowned. "I do not... Enough of the two of you." Santh stormed off into the dorm leaving the two girls in the dirt court.
"Do you think he could really like me?" Ophelia asked with hope in her voice.
"It's hard to tell what Santh likes."
It was the day before their next rest day, and as promised by their older dorm mates every rest day was accompanied by a chore. Sometimes it was washing the large pots, other times it was gardening, and the most embarrassing was scrubbing parts of the campus for the other students to see. It seemed no one had the courage to say anything to Lenore about how she was affecting their rest days. While she did whatever she wanted, they were stuck spending the majority of their rest day working.
Jolon and Anton had yet to investigate the hamlet, which it seemed Lenore enjoyed on almost a daily basis. While every one seemed to ignore the wrongs that Lenore was doing to them on most days, the day before rest day brought annoyance to every one's heart. It amplified the fact that she wasn't at meals or roll call, and when the Mondue handed them their chore it brought to mind all the wasted hours that it would take. The day before rest day was the day to hate Lenore the most.
Lenore was waiting at breakfast after missing roll call, she was already eating her meal once again before the words of wisdom. Everyone glared at her as they waited for the professors to finish. Even Ophelia was becoming exhausted by the lack of a true rest day.
Remus could tell that the new characters in the dorm were bringing this to a head. Normally, it was only Santh who would complain and he was rather vague in doing so. However, he wondered how much longer it would take before Lenore got what was coming to her.
Finishing her meal, she stood up with her plates and left the dining hall. Anton looked the most heated in the group, and Remus' question was soon answered. The boy jumped from his seat and followed the Princess out. This caused everyone else to follow him uncertain what was about to happen. The rest of the dining hall watched the unmentionables all leave without touching their meals.
"You know I have only been at school for six weeks, and already I am tired of your inability to follow the rules!" Anton snapped as the others stood behind him.
Lenore who was walking toward the gates, stopped and turned to look at him. "A newer, younger version of Santh, are you?"
"We haven't had a single rest day to ourselves because you can't be bothered to attend meals or roll call!"
Her brows were brought together and she turned her eyes to Remus. The man quickly looked up into the sky to avoid eye contact with her.
"Every rest day, you go play in the hamlet and we are stuck washing pots or scrubbing path ways. You play to your heart's content, and then ignore the suffering of the people who call you a friend!" Anton pointed at her.
Lenore sucked on her bottom lip briefly, and then walked over to the boy. Her hands on her hips. "Watch your tone, commoner." She growled under her breath.
That seemed to calm Anton down slightly, and he took a step back.
"First and foremost, we are not friends. We are dorm mates. In a few short years, I return to the capital and you return to your wasteland. Do you think we will stay in touch with each other?" She watched him shake his head. "Therefore by definition we can not be friends. Secondly, I know that I allow a casual relationship between all of us. I don't ask to be called milady or Princess. I don't mind a cordial way of speaking, but you should always remember that I am Princess Lenore of Ronea."
Every one stood in silence over her words. It was Ophelia who first looked down and began to walk away, she was followed by Jolon and Routine.
Santh snorted. "Come along." He placed his hand on Anton's shoulder. "Our Princess is right. She is above us and she'll never care for the suffering of those so far beneath her notice."
The two walked away leaving Remus behind. "Quite harsh, Lenore."
"Do not speak to me, Remus, of manners. Why was I not informed that they were being made to do chores while I ran errands for you? Obviously, you would be forced to do them as well."
He swallowed. "Lenore, I..." He stopped himself from speaking as she turned to walk away. "Are you still going to do the tasks I assigned?" He shouted as she grew further away.
Lenore didn't bother to respond.
After their customers were gone and roll call had been taken once again without Lenore, Ophelia, Anton, and Jolon all went into the storage room. Ophelia hadn't been her usual peppy self that day. Her smiles were rare and when they did appear they seemed forced.
"Are you still upset over what Lenore said?" Jolon asked as he opened a bottle of mead.
"She said we aren't friends." Ophelia mumbled and took a swig when the bottle was passed to her. "I thought... she seemed nicer." She held back her tears.
Santh entered the room and sat down in the circle that the others had found themselves in.
"With as adamant as she was about not being called the Princess, I guess I thought she didn't really see herself as one. I never realized that we were just pawns to her." Anton rested his chin on his knee with a deep frown on his face.
"Looks like you were always right about her, Santh." Jolon handed him the bottle.
Santh nodded. He didn't look particularly excited that he was correct about their Princess. "Always nice to know that no matter how much someone seems like they have changed, they are still the same person on the inside. Spoiled to the core of her soul."
A hush fell around the room.
"Routine seemed to take what she said the hardest." Ophelia looked out to the hallway. "Maybe we should bring him something to drink."
During their meals that day, all of which Lenore had skipped, Routine hadn't spoken at all. When he returned to the dorm, he began studying even while the loud customers chatted right outside his door. When Anton purposely offered an incorrect fact to the group, Routine had not bothered to correct him.
"They seemed really close." Santh spoke softly. "He doesn't make friends easily. Most people can barely stand to be around him longer then meals or roll call. Lenore would talk to him in his room for hours at a time. Usually they were debating politics or the economy."
"Maybe she was just mad." Ophelia wanted to find any excuse so that she didn't feel a stranger in her own room. "I mean people say horrible things when they are upset. Anton was yelling at her, and she might have felt threatened."
Jolon chuckled. "The Princess feeling threatened? I hear she is a good combatant and a Princess. Who would scare her?"
"No, Ophelia could be onto something." Anton didn't know if he really agreed but he wanted to give the friendly girl a ray of hope. "I was yelling at her in public, even if everyone was in the dining hall. I could have hurt her pride, and all of you were standing behind me as if you were there to support me. Maybe she just wanted to hurt us back."
Santh shook his head. "If there is one thing the Princess is good at, it's taking public humiliation. She constantly creates scandals with her brother, she..." The group hushed down when they heard footsteps coming from the stream.
A drunk Lenore appeared and went into her dorm room. She didn't say anything to the group, not even her usual jabs at Santh.
"Well, I suppose I should get to bed as well." Ophelia sighed and felt Anton pat her hand as she stood up. "Sleep well."
Morning broke and Lenore awoke earlier then the rest of the dorm as usual. She dressed herself and pulled up her hair, before rubbing lotion all over her exposed skin. Heading out into the hall, she noticed a form sitting down the hallway on the stairs that led to the court. She could tell by the short black hair pulled back onto the base of his neck that it was Routine.
Walking down the hall, she sat next to him. "Morning. What could possibly break the great Byron's schedule?" When he didn't respond, she added. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"
Looking at her through his spectacles, the emotion on his face left no doubt that he was angry. "Are you attempting to engage me in some sort of emotional game?"
"I do not understand."
"Just yesterday you renounced our friendship. I assumed you would dissociate yourself from the others in this dorm, but..." He cut himself off when Lenore wrapped her arms around his arm and put her head on his shoulder.
"We are friends, Byron. I apologize if it seemed as if I was directing those thoughts toward you." She felt him release some tension from his body. "You're my greatest friend. The only one who has ever taken care of me in my entire life. I would never call you a mere acquaintance."
"Very well, apology accepted."
Lenore looked up at him and rested her chin on his shoulder with a grin. "Did you lose sleep over what I said?" She grinned wider when he just looked away from her. Readjusting her head, she pressed her cheek against his shoulder. "How did the others take it?"
"I believe Ophelia was aggrieved. Her irritating habits and ebullient demeanor have all but vanished. Though I doubt she is capable of remaining in this agreeable mood for long."
Lenore chuckled. "She can be a bit much."
"I do not believe that Anton and Jolon were gratified by your words, either. Even Santh took time to take pity of those you have antagonized."
She took a deep sigh. "My words were not those that were meant to offend, but shed light on the truth. They will never be able to be my friends. Only you hold a high enough position that it would be seen as appropriate for us to remain in contact." She lifted her head up. "As much as I loathe being the Princess and the future that has been set before me, I have no other choice. One day, I will return to the castle and I will be forced to be an adviser to my brother. This is simply reality. The relationships that I create here especially amongst this group will be short lived."
Routine looked down at her though she was staring off into the distance. "From what I comprehend of these close relationships such as dorm mates, it does not matter the extent of the stay, but rather the quality that makes these relationships worth having. Perhaps, it would not cause you harm to consider taking on more friendships even if they will not remain forever in your grasp. As much as I am aggrieved to admit it, we can learn much from others even if their positions are beneath our own."
"Are you suggesting that these people are your friends?" She turned her attention to him and raised an eyebrow.
He gave a slight shrug. "I would not be crude enough to call them simple acquaintances."
"Having a last jab at me, are we?" She released his arm and leaned back on her hands. "Why didn't you tell me that you were being forced to do chores as punishment for my lack of concern over the rules?"
"Remus informed me that you would not appreciate someone of my stature attempting to control your schedule."
She pressed her lips together and sighed audibly. "Remus." Smiling, she turned to him. "I have an idea, and I need your help."
"Will you stand at roll call?"
"Not this morning, come with me." She stood up in front of him and grabbed his hands to pull him up.
As the group made their way to the basement with their buckets and scrubbing pads, they were surprised to find that several of the pots had already been cleaned and that some were boiling water to loosen to burnt on food. There were more pots in the room then they had to deal with the last time they were assigned this chore. Those that were clean were barely a dent in the entire mess of pots. They looked between each other briefly, all but Routine, as they tried to understand the situation.
"Were we assigned the wrong chore?" Ophelia asked.
Her voice caused a commotion in a pot nearby, and Lenore crawled out of it. There was grease in her hair and on her face and clothes. She wiped her cheek briefly with the back of her hand as she stood up. "Morning."
"What are you doing?" Jolon looked around the room.
Lenore smiled. "No one ever informed me that my habits were causing everyone to lose their rest day. So, from now on..." She looked at Remus, "I will attend all meals and roll calls. I apologize that I was unaware, and I will take care of this task by myself while you enjoy your rest day."
The group didn't seem to know what to do and looked to each other for answers.
"This is a trap." Santh snapped. "As soon as we leave, so will she and then we will lose points for not completing our task."
The Princess rolled her eyes. "Fine, I can understand why none of you would trust me, but if I am too change then you must give me a chance to prove it. Wouldn't you agree?"
Ophelia's frown seemed to be losing to her smile. She grabbed her bucket and went to get some water for herself. "I'll help."
Lenore grabbed the bucket. "No, go enjoy your day. I have enjoyed mine for many years now, while everyone else slaved away."
"But you're a Princess, do you even know how to clean them properly?" Anton asked shocked by this whole experience. He had a hard time believe that Lenore had never heard of what they had gone through, but she seemed so willing to make up for it.
She giggled out loud. "Oh, I think I can manage it. There has been a lot more to my life then playing with dolls and being pandered to."
It was strange to see Lenore in such a good mood, especially with such an enormous task before her. When no one moved, she turned her eyes toward Routine.
"Byron, make them leave so I can return to my work."
Routine looked at the others, "Shall we disobey direct orders from the Princess?"
That seemed to be enough to get Santh and Remus, who has been uncharacteristically silent, to leave. Jolon still seemed unsure, but began to move up the stairs when Ophelia walked passed him. She didn't seem like she wanted to leave, yet she appeared to have an apparition pushing her out.
Anton frowned as he stood next to Routine. "When I told you about this, I never expected you to take this on all by yourself."
She waved for him to go and then looked at Routine once everyone was gone. "Enjoy your rest day, Byron."
With that she crawled back into the large pot that she had previously been cleaning.
"I feel a certain discomfort to leaving you to this task alone."
Her voice echoed when she spoke. "Go away, Byron."
The two freshmen didn't find the hamlet around the university to be too awe inspiring, yet it had a certain charm. There seemed to be two living quarters for the residents, a poorer section of town simply called the Slums. It seemed most of the servants lived in that area, and a richer part called the Gilded Section. The merchants and other well to do citizens called that area home.
Just as there were two living quarters, the East and West quarters of town held very different shops. The East section had a cheap drinking den called the Enchantress and other cheaper shops for selling cloth and food. While the West section held the finer things in life that were for sale, and a Inn for drinking called The Angel's Hall.
Jolon and Anton found themselves more comfortable looking around the eastern part of town. They weren't sent much money from their parents for monthly expenses, but since neither had really been outside the university in the six weeks they had been there, they both had two months worth of allowance saved.
"I wonder what alcohol is considered illegal to bring on the university grounds." Anton asked aloud as he stood in a store that held several bottles of wine on wooden shelves, and bottled meads and ales elsewhere.
Jolon brought his brows together. "Ophelia is sent mead from her mother, so I assume that is acceptable."
"No alcohol on university grounds." The storekeeper told them after he dealt with a customer. "If your friend is getting alcohol from her parents then she is breaking the rules." The old man with missing front teeth and a milky eye walked over to them. "But if you want it badly enough, there are people that can get it to you."
Jolon shook his head. "No, we have plenty, my appreciation for the offer."
He licked his lips and walked back over to the box he kept his money in. With that Jolon and Anton left the store both slightly unnerved by the creepy old man.
As they turned a corner, Santh was heading into The Enchantress and they followed him inside. The place was rather small with a bar to the left and several small circular tables that filled the rest of the room. It smelled of old wood and vomit. The boys made their way over to their dorm mate and sat down next to him at the bar.
Santh looked over at them but didn't seem to mind that they were with him.
"Brought friends to carry you home? Tired of the Princess doing it for you?" Elsa asked as she placed a tankard in front of him.
"The Princess?"
Elsa chuckled. "She dragged your pathetic excuse for a drunkard ass home a few weeks back. You couldn't stop talking about how much you loathed her, and yet there she was taking care of you. I'd have left you to rot and be thrown in the street. The way you were talking about our little Princess like that. Sweetest gal you ever did lay eyes on." Elsa turned to the freshmen. "Will you be having the same?" She pointed to Santh's tankard and they both nodded.
"Lenore brought me home? I don't recall..." Santh drowned out his own voice as he took a large drink.
The boys were silent as they drank together, but the more ale they poured down their throats, the more talkative they became.
"I want to be in the tournament." Anton announced.
Santh snorted. "You would be killed."
"So, at least, we are in it. Can't win, if we don't play." Jolon backed up his friend. "You could train us every day and we would work really hard." He waited for a response but received none. "Don't you want to be in the tournaments? I overheard that you used to fight in them when you were at the Mondue dorms."
Anton raised his eyebrows, "Where'd you hear that?"
"In class."
The large man placed his head on the bar. "Even if I did, we are still one man short. Lenore made it clear that she wouldn't be involved, and Remus would never agree."
"What about the archery part? Couldn't he just shoot a bow at a target, and be happy with that?" Anton had to push Jolon back in order to see his other friend.
Santh pressed his lips together. "I'll talk to him, but I doubt he'll join in."
Anton and Jolon clanked their tankards together and downed their ale. Santh jumped down from his stool, "Let's head back to the dorm. We don't want to be so drunk that we miss roll call." He grabbed his money pouch from his hip. The other boys did the same, but he waved them away. Paying their tab he quickly headed out of the drinking den with the two freshmen following closely behind him.
Lenore didn't appear for roll call as they had been promised. Santh, Remus and Jolon laid on their beds as Anton and Ophelia sat on the ground drinking some of the mead stock. Everyone had been silent once they arrived back and didn't find Lenore in the dorms. The silence turned to disappointment when roll call came and went.
"What did you do today, Ophelia?" Anton asked right before he took a swig of the mead.
"I am sewing my dress for the ball. My mother wanted to do it for me, but since I am not there to pick out what I want, I thought I would do it myself." She explained. "I was going to offer to make Lenore a dress too, but I guess a Princess like her doesn't need someone like me making her a dirty old dress."
Santh frowned. He remembered how when they had left the basement that morning, Ophelia had skipped back to the dorms and informed everyone that she knew the Princess was nice. She swore that everyone just misunderstood her. He had in some ways hoped she was right, not only for the sake of the dorm but for the bubbly girl most of all.
"She can't even make the first roll call after a promise like that?" Jolon snapped.
"We should probably go check to make sure Santh wasn't right about her abandoning the chore!" Anton smacked his leg.
"Must we always speak of Lenore?" Remus asked. "Surely, there are other topics of importance in our lives."
Santh laughed. "The one thing this group has in common is how poorly treated it is by Lenore. We would all be better served instead of her cleaning pots if she moved back to the Royal dorms."
Remus sat up and looked at everyone in the room. "I'm sure she had her reasons."
"What are you the new Routine? Going to protect her all the time?" Santh seethed.
The dorm door across the hall opened, and Routine stuck his head out. "My name is Byron not Routine, and Lenore's day and evening has been spent in the basement."
There was a moment of silence between them.
"I investigated on her activities before returning. She is still drudging on down there. I believe she has accomplished a meager fifty percent."
Ophelia shot up immediately and ran out into the hallway.
"Where are you going?" Anton yelled the question.
"To help Lenore!" She screamed as she headed down the pathway.
Anton stood up quickly and poked his head out of the room. "It's passed curfew, you'll get into trouble!"
She didn't respond to his warning, and Anton and Routine stared at each other for a moment, before they both followed in the girl's footsteps.
Jolon soon made it onto his feet and looked at the two others. "She'll be in there all night if we don't help."
Remus sighed as he stood up. "Very well."
"Psh, I have earned my rest day, and perhaps she needs to slave away in order to earn our trust." Santh rolled over on his bed so his back was pointing toward the two of them. All he could hear was their footsteps slowly disappearing.
Rolling onto his back, he folded his arms. His eyes wandered around the empty room that just moments before had people who finally saw how truly evil Lenore was, and now those same people were going to save her.
He thought of how greasy and sweaty she had been that morning. How he had simply left her there without a second thought to how long it takes the six of them to complete that one task. They had left her to do it all on her own.
Shaking his head, he spoke out loud to him. "She deserves what she is getting!" He turned over and punched his pillow, but immediately stood up to punch the air. "Damn it." He mumbled underneath his breath before heading out into the hall and down the pathway.
Jolon smirked at the idea. "Ophelia doesn't take arms classes. Do you think she can defeat her opponent with innocence and adorableness?"
"Does all five have to participate?"
"Yes." Santh answered. "There are five events and each person is assigned to one."
Jolon pushed a branch that had grown into the pathway out of his way, but Santh who walked behind him snapped it and tossed the offending branch into the woods.
"Why won't Remus participate?" Anton asked Santh when they arrived at the dirt court of their dorm. "Does he just fail his arms class every year?"
Santh looked down at the two men before him. "He does well enough, but Remus has always preferred to be a spectator in the lives of others."
"Could you convince him?" Jolon sat down on the stairs and rested his elbows on his legs.
The large man shook his head. "There is no convincing him to pick up a weapon and put himself in harm's way. There is a reason that while he works for the Fox, he never actually gets his hands dirty with the tasks that are given to him."
Anton sat down on the raise platform and leaned his head against the wooden pillar. "If only we could get Lenore to accept."
"She's right." Santh announced.
"Did you just say Lenore is right?" Jolon was the one to ask but they both held the same shocked expression.
"I have the ability to hear truth and agree with it." He pressed his lips together and crossed his arms, annoyed by his dorm mates and their unspoken accusation. "Ever since the Prince arrived, the Royal Dorms have not lost a single tournament. Even when they were close, the other opposing dorms always had a mysterious injury or suddenly their best fighter can barely hold a sword. No one wishes to win against the Prince."
Anton threw up his hands briefly. "That's why we need Lenore to agree. She could..."
"You heard everything she said. The Prince would harass our dorm if we won against him." Jolon sucked on his bottom lip before inhaling deeply. "That dream was short lived."
"It would be best if you two spent at least a year in arms class before entering the tournament. You would simply injure yourself and make the others look down upon you further." Santh walked passed Jolon on the stairs. He entered into his room without another word to them.
"I wonder what kind of prizes one would receive for winning." Anton sighed as he continued to rest his head on the pillar.
Jolon leaned back, propping himself up on his arms as he looked up at the blue sky. "If it is good enough for the Royal Dorms then it must be of worth."
---***---
Lenore sat in front of her brother's desk as she looked over prospects for the house mother of the girls' dorm. It was being run by some very harsh Mondue females at the moment, but they were simply volunteers. A more permanent solution was required.
Krius sat near the fireplace and glared over at her from time to time, but luckily for her nerves she had her back to him. He had been informed of the Prince's plans with Authin and had not been pleased with the idea. For a brief moment, he even thought of warning the Princess, but knew that he could never betray his Prince.
"They all seem worthwhile." Lenore set the scroll on the table. "You would know more about stern women then I would, take your pick, Les."
Lesatan, who was sitting at his desk, gave a nod. "I will."
Standing up, Lenore looked down at her brother. "I will take my leave if there is nothing else." It killed every ounce of pride she had to ask him for permission to even leave a room, but she had promised to be polite. She would do so even if it ate up the remainder of her soul.
He motioned that she was free to go, and she made her way out of the room as quickly as possible. Nothing rattled her more then seeing Krius in a room and knowing that he could reach out to touch her at anytime.
As she walked down the hall, she rounded a corner only to connect with another form. She stumbled back and looked at the person she had collided with. A man about her age stood in shock. His blonde locks tied back in a perfect pony tail, and his face soft almost angelic. He began to smile once he began to understand what had just occurred.
"Forgive me." He bowed his head.
"Nothing to forgive, it's these blind corners that are at fault. You would think they would have put up mirrors at every corner." Lenore had no idea what she was talking about, but she found herself slightly anxious in front of the attractive man.
Authin chuckled, taken a back by her comment. Most girl's would have simply accepted his apology with a giggle. "I do not believe we have met before. Authin Nele of Gronda."
"Lenore." She didn't bother with her last name or any title. "Gronda is run by an Earl, is it not?" Again, she questioned why she was even bothering to speak to the man.
"Oh yes, my father. I didn't hear where you were from."
"That's because I did not say." In the distance she could hear the dinner bells ringing. "Excuse me, but I must get to the dinning hall." It would take a while to get from these dorms to the main court.
As she tried to walk passed him, Authin gently grabbed her hand. "Are you not a member of the Royal Dorms?"
Lenore brought her eyebrows together. "No, now if you'll excuse me."
He didn't want to push the issue. Authin knew that appearing in a woman's life time and time again would eventually put him in her heart. He would appear for some time then disappear just long enough for her to wonder where he had gone to, and if he had given up. Of course, that only needed to be done for the hard to get ladies. Which it was apparent the little Princess would be.
Walking down the hall, Authin entered the Prince's study. He sat down in the chair and threw his feet on the desk. "The seeds have been sowed."
Lesatan was studying a book and looked up at the man. "Good, do not fail and get your feet off my desk."
---***---
After dinner, Lenore had gone for a walk, but she decided that she wouldn't be running errands that evening. She told Remus that she needed a break for a couple days due to fatigue. There was only so many days in a row, she could sneak around the hamlet and then get drunk to cover her activities.
Approaching the dorm, Lenore raised an eyebrow as she watched several students enter into the pathway and a couple others leaving. Heading down the pathway, she reached the dirt court more curious then ever over what was occurring that would make even the Mondue's sneak into the unmentionable's dorm. It wasn't curfew just yet, but the time was ticking near and anyone not present for roll call would lose a point.
Her jaw nearly dropped when she found a line of nearly thirty students in the court. They were lined up at the stairs and circled around. Jolon and Anton were writing down their orders and then handing them the small pieces of ripped up paper to hand to Ophelia who would go into the back room to get the items ordered. As soon as one left the court, it seemed two more would appear.
"One danish and one bottle of mead." Ophelia held out the items to the a Souchan freshmen.
"Please, everyone needs to keep their voices down, so we can hear those of you giving orders. The more we have to ask you to repeat yourself the longer this will take!" Jolon shouted to the group of students, and they all seemed to fall into a hush.
Lenore shook her head slowly. "Remus." She sighed under her breath and made her way to the stairs.
"Lenore! Look, I've started my own business." Ophelia clasped her hands together and gave a large smile to her room mate. Her eyes grew large like saucers in her happiness.
"That's great." Lenore walked down the hallway and into her room only to find Santh and Routine taking refuge on the bunk bed. She didn't even have to ask why they were in the room, Routine already knew she would ask.
"The sound level is far above normal in our rooms." He explained and then returned to studying the book on his lap.
With a sigh, Lenore took off her tabard and looked up at Santh who was laying on his back on the top bunk. He seemed to be just staring at the ceiling without any consideration that she might be undressing. Next to him was a bottle of mead, which Lenore quickly grabbed. He didn't even make a motion to protect it.
"It's empty." Santh told her with a grin. Then pulled another bottle from the other side of his body and held it out to her.
Lenore was slightly shocked by his willingness to share, but decided she wouldn't question it. She grabbed the bottle and took two large swigs before handing it back to him. "I take it this was Remus' idea?" She asked as she sat down on her bed.
"He will always capitalize on other's fortune." Routine closed his book. "Roll call will occur in less then an hour. I do not see how they can clear those students from the court in that time."
Lenore laid on her back on her bed. "There is most likely a closing time that is strictly adhered to." Shooting up from the bed, she walked to the door and stuck her head out. The court was packed with students at this point. "I am going down to the stream to wash my hair." She informed the two men in her room. "When I return I want you both out. This is a lady's room."
"Will you stand with us at roll call?" Routine asked, but she ignored him and quickly left the room.
"I assume that means no." Santh grunted.
---***---
They day had been a long one. Classes seemed to drag on for hours longer then they were meant to. Santh just didn't feel like he was completely present in his life that day. Walking toward the dorm, all he could think of was how he wanted to take a nap before dinner. His mind revolved only around that hard bed that had given him splinters more than once.
"Santh!" Ophelia grabbed his arm and smiled up at him. "Going back to the dorms?" She watched him nod. "We will walk with you."
The word "we" caused him to look at who was accompanying his tiny dorm mate. Lenore was walking slightly behind them even though Ophelia was holding tightly to her hand.
"We had a nice day today, did you?" When he barely made a motion to answer her, she continued. "Lenore and I have been learning about polite debating techniques, but also learned that a lady should never really debate any of her husband's acquaintances." She continued to speak when no one else felt like adding anything. "My favorite time of year is about to arrive. The balls after the tournaments. The boys and girls mingle and dance. My favorite is the dance classes with the boys. They have to hang up their swords for the day, and then the girls get to dress up." She pulled Lenore further up and the tired Princess didn't object. Little Ophelia was not a force that could be argued with. "I've never seen you at the balls, Lenore. I bet you get asked a lot being the Princess and..."
"Lenore." A voice came from a distance when they entered the garden court right before they were about to enter the dead pathway. All three persons looked to see who the unfamiliar voice was.
"Pretty." Ophelia mumbled under her breath as the angelic boy moved through the crowd of other students with ease and approached them.
"Good day. How do you fair?" Authin asked as he came to stand in front of her.
Santh was the only one not mesmerized. He looked between the two girls. Lenore who seemed flustered and Ophelia who had dropped his arm and just continued to stare at the man's face.
"I'm well. Nothing out of the ordinary. Your name was Authin, correct? Authin Nele from Gronda?" Lenore had moments where Santh was almost certain she would stutter.
"I am. It is a great honor that you would remember so much about me after only meeting for a short time." He turned his attention to her companions. "Are these your friends?"
"Dorm mates." Lenore corrected.
"Ophelia Romanus." She whispered her name. "Souchan Party."
Authin reached out for her hand and kissed it gently. "A pleasure, Lady Romanus."
She giggled.
"And you my good man?"
Santh rolled his eyes and grunted.
"He is Santh." Ophelia informed him.
"Does Santh have a last name?" Authin asked the larger man.
"Aquilar." Lenore responded with a similarly enchanted look on her face. "He is from the Mondue party."
"Aquilar? From Dralas?"
Santh brought his eyebrows together. "My Aunt lives there, but she does not use her maiden name."
Authin chuckled. "I do not suppose you remember me. My father and your Aunt's husband are close friends. I remember trying to befriend you when we were younger, but you were far too broody for any type of friendship back then. Good to see some things never change."
Santh didn't remember the man, but he wasn't exactly in the mood for racking his mind for the memories. Not only was he tired, but the man had hypnotized his two dorm mates. Something about the fact that Lenore seemed to only know how to bat her eyelids at him and Ophelia was practically drooling over his presence made him want to punch the man and shake both the women.
"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you all." He bowed gently, then turned to the Princess. "I saw you from across the way and I just wanted to give you my greetings. It was a true pleasure to meet you. You are quite the character." With that he wandered back into the crowd.
"He likes you." Ophelia spoke out loud.
Lenore seemed to pop out of her reverie and shrugged her shoulders before heading down the pathway.
"Do you know what I would give to be with a man that beautiful? His eyes were like emeralds and his hair like golden silk." Ophelia clapped her hands briefly. "My goodness, I will not be able to sleep without him invading my dreams at night."
"Are you quite through writing your perverted love story?" Santh snapped.
"What's wrong, Santh? Do you want her for yourself?" Lenore looked over at him, but before he could respond insulted, she put the back of her hand to her forehead. "I thought we would be, but you love another?"
He frowned. "I do not... Enough of the two of you." Santh stormed off into the dorm leaving the two girls in the dirt court.
"Do you think he could really like me?" Ophelia asked with hope in her voice.
"It's hard to tell what Santh likes."
---***---
It was the day before their next rest day, and as promised by their older dorm mates every rest day was accompanied by a chore. Sometimes it was washing the large pots, other times it was gardening, and the most embarrassing was scrubbing parts of the campus for the other students to see. It seemed no one had the courage to say anything to Lenore about how she was affecting their rest days. While she did whatever she wanted, they were stuck spending the majority of their rest day working.
Jolon and Anton had yet to investigate the hamlet, which it seemed Lenore enjoyed on almost a daily basis. While every one seemed to ignore the wrongs that Lenore was doing to them on most days, the day before rest day brought annoyance to every one's heart. It amplified the fact that she wasn't at meals or roll call, and when the Mondue handed them their chore it brought to mind all the wasted hours that it would take. The day before rest day was the day to hate Lenore the most.
Lenore was waiting at breakfast after missing roll call, she was already eating her meal once again before the words of wisdom. Everyone glared at her as they waited for the professors to finish. Even Ophelia was becoming exhausted by the lack of a true rest day.
Remus could tell that the new characters in the dorm were bringing this to a head. Normally, it was only Santh who would complain and he was rather vague in doing so. However, he wondered how much longer it would take before Lenore got what was coming to her.
Finishing her meal, she stood up with her plates and left the dining hall. Anton looked the most heated in the group, and Remus' question was soon answered. The boy jumped from his seat and followed the Princess out. This caused everyone else to follow him uncertain what was about to happen. The rest of the dining hall watched the unmentionables all leave without touching their meals.
"You know I have only been at school for six weeks, and already I am tired of your inability to follow the rules!" Anton snapped as the others stood behind him.
Lenore who was walking toward the gates, stopped and turned to look at him. "A newer, younger version of Santh, are you?"
"We haven't had a single rest day to ourselves because you can't be bothered to attend meals or roll call!"
Her brows were brought together and she turned her eyes to Remus. The man quickly looked up into the sky to avoid eye contact with her.
"Every rest day, you go play in the hamlet and we are stuck washing pots or scrubbing path ways. You play to your heart's content, and then ignore the suffering of the people who call you a friend!" Anton pointed at her.
Lenore sucked on her bottom lip briefly, and then walked over to the boy. Her hands on her hips. "Watch your tone, commoner." She growled under her breath.
That seemed to calm Anton down slightly, and he took a step back.
"First and foremost, we are not friends. We are dorm mates. In a few short years, I return to the capital and you return to your wasteland. Do you think we will stay in touch with each other?" She watched him shake his head. "Therefore by definition we can not be friends. Secondly, I know that I allow a casual relationship between all of us. I don't ask to be called milady or Princess. I don't mind a cordial way of speaking, but you should always remember that I am Princess Lenore of Ronea."
Every one stood in silence over her words. It was Ophelia who first looked down and began to walk away, she was followed by Jolon and Routine.
Santh snorted. "Come along." He placed his hand on Anton's shoulder. "Our Princess is right. She is above us and she'll never care for the suffering of those so far beneath her notice."
The two walked away leaving Remus behind. "Quite harsh, Lenore."
"Do not speak to me, Remus, of manners. Why was I not informed that they were being made to do chores while I ran errands for you? Obviously, you would be forced to do them as well."
He swallowed. "Lenore, I..." He stopped himself from speaking as she turned to walk away. "Are you still going to do the tasks I assigned?" He shouted as she grew further away.
Lenore didn't bother to respond.
---***---
After their customers were gone and roll call had been taken once again without Lenore, Ophelia, Anton, and Jolon all went into the storage room. Ophelia hadn't been her usual peppy self that day. Her smiles were rare and when they did appear they seemed forced.
"Are you still upset over what Lenore said?" Jolon asked as he opened a bottle of mead.
"She said we aren't friends." Ophelia mumbled and took a swig when the bottle was passed to her. "I thought... she seemed nicer." She held back her tears.
Santh entered the room and sat down in the circle that the others had found themselves in.
"With as adamant as she was about not being called the Princess, I guess I thought she didn't really see herself as one. I never realized that we were just pawns to her." Anton rested his chin on his knee with a deep frown on his face.
"Looks like you were always right about her, Santh." Jolon handed him the bottle.
Santh nodded. He didn't look particularly excited that he was correct about their Princess. "Always nice to know that no matter how much someone seems like they have changed, they are still the same person on the inside. Spoiled to the core of her soul."
A hush fell around the room.
"Routine seemed to take what she said the hardest." Ophelia looked out to the hallway. "Maybe we should bring him something to drink."
During their meals that day, all of which Lenore had skipped, Routine hadn't spoken at all. When he returned to the dorm, he began studying even while the loud customers chatted right outside his door. When Anton purposely offered an incorrect fact to the group, Routine had not bothered to correct him.
"They seemed really close." Santh spoke softly. "He doesn't make friends easily. Most people can barely stand to be around him longer then meals or roll call. Lenore would talk to him in his room for hours at a time. Usually they were debating politics or the economy."
"Maybe she was just mad." Ophelia wanted to find any excuse so that she didn't feel a stranger in her own room. "I mean people say horrible things when they are upset. Anton was yelling at her, and she might have felt threatened."
Jolon chuckled. "The Princess feeling threatened? I hear she is a good combatant and a Princess. Who would scare her?"
"No, Ophelia could be onto something." Anton didn't know if he really agreed but he wanted to give the friendly girl a ray of hope. "I was yelling at her in public, even if everyone was in the dining hall. I could have hurt her pride, and all of you were standing behind me as if you were there to support me. Maybe she just wanted to hurt us back."
Santh shook his head. "If there is one thing the Princess is good at, it's taking public humiliation. She constantly creates scandals with her brother, she..." The group hushed down when they heard footsteps coming from the stream.
A drunk Lenore appeared and went into her dorm room. She didn't say anything to the group, not even her usual jabs at Santh.
"Well, I suppose I should get to bed as well." Ophelia sighed and felt Anton pat her hand as she stood up. "Sleep well."
---***---
Morning broke and Lenore awoke earlier then the rest of the dorm as usual. She dressed herself and pulled up her hair, before rubbing lotion all over her exposed skin. Heading out into the hall, she noticed a form sitting down the hallway on the stairs that led to the court. She could tell by the short black hair pulled back onto the base of his neck that it was Routine.
Walking down the hall, she sat next to him. "Morning. What could possibly break the great Byron's schedule?" When he didn't respond, she added. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"
Looking at her through his spectacles, the emotion on his face left no doubt that he was angry. "Are you attempting to engage me in some sort of emotional game?"
"I do not understand."
"Just yesterday you renounced our friendship. I assumed you would dissociate yourself from the others in this dorm, but..." He cut himself off when Lenore wrapped her arms around his arm and put her head on his shoulder.
"We are friends, Byron. I apologize if it seemed as if I was directing those thoughts toward you." She felt him release some tension from his body. "You're my greatest friend. The only one who has ever taken care of me in my entire life. I would never call you a mere acquaintance."
"Very well, apology accepted."
Lenore looked up at him and rested her chin on his shoulder with a grin. "Did you lose sleep over what I said?" She grinned wider when he just looked away from her. Readjusting her head, she pressed her cheek against his shoulder. "How did the others take it?"
"I believe Ophelia was aggrieved. Her irritating habits and ebullient demeanor have all but vanished. Though I doubt she is capable of remaining in this agreeable mood for long."
Lenore chuckled. "She can be a bit much."
"I do not believe that Anton and Jolon were gratified by your words, either. Even Santh took time to take pity of those you have antagonized."
She took a deep sigh. "My words were not those that were meant to offend, but shed light on the truth. They will never be able to be my friends. Only you hold a high enough position that it would be seen as appropriate for us to remain in contact." She lifted her head up. "As much as I loathe being the Princess and the future that has been set before me, I have no other choice. One day, I will return to the castle and I will be forced to be an adviser to my brother. This is simply reality. The relationships that I create here especially amongst this group will be short lived."
Routine looked down at her though she was staring off into the distance. "From what I comprehend of these close relationships such as dorm mates, it does not matter the extent of the stay, but rather the quality that makes these relationships worth having. Perhaps, it would not cause you harm to consider taking on more friendships even if they will not remain forever in your grasp. As much as I am aggrieved to admit it, we can learn much from others even if their positions are beneath our own."
"Are you suggesting that these people are your friends?" She turned her attention to him and raised an eyebrow.
He gave a slight shrug. "I would not be crude enough to call them simple acquaintances."
"Having a last jab at me, are we?" She released his arm and leaned back on her hands. "Why didn't you tell me that you were being forced to do chores as punishment for my lack of concern over the rules?"
"Remus informed me that you would not appreciate someone of my stature attempting to control your schedule."
She pressed her lips together and sighed audibly. "Remus." Smiling, she turned to him. "I have an idea, and I need your help."
"Will you stand at roll call?"
"Not this morning, come with me." She stood up in front of him and grabbed his hands to pull him up.
---***---
As the group made their way to the basement with their buckets and scrubbing pads, they were surprised to find that several of the pots had already been cleaned and that some were boiling water to loosen to burnt on food. There were more pots in the room then they had to deal with the last time they were assigned this chore. Those that were clean were barely a dent in the entire mess of pots. They looked between each other briefly, all but Routine, as they tried to understand the situation.
"Were we assigned the wrong chore?" Ophelia asked.
Her voice caused a commotion in a pot nearby, and Lenore crawled out of it. There was grease in her hair and on her face and clothes. She wiped her cheek briefly with the back of her hand as she stood up. "Morning."
"What are you doing?" Jolon looked around the room.
Lenore smiled. "No one ever informed me that my habits were causing everyone to lose their rest day. So, from now on..." She looked at Remus, "I will attend all meals and roll calls. I apologize that I was unaware, and I will take care of this task by myself while you enjoy your rest day."
The group didn't seem to know what to do and looked to each other for answers.
"This is a trap." Santh snapped. "As soon as we leave, so will she and then we will lose points for not completing our task."
The Princess rolled her eyes. "Fine, I can understand why none of you would trust me, but if I am too change then you must give me a chance to prove it. Wouldn't you agree?"
Ophelia's frown seemed to be losing to her smile. She grabbed her bucket and went to get some water for herself. "I'll help."
Lenore grabbed the bucket. "No, go enjoy your day. I have enjoyed mine for many years now, while everyone else slaved away."
"But you're a Princess, do you even know how to clean them properly?" Anton asked shocked by this whole experience. He had a hard time believe that Lenore had never heard of what they had gone through, but she seemed so willing to make up for it.
She giggled out loud. "Oh, I think I can manage it. There has been a lot more to my life then playing with dolls and being pandered to."
It was strange to see Lenore in such a good mood, especially with such an enormous task before her. When no one moved, she turned her eyes toward Routine.
"Byron, make them leave so I can return to my work."
Routine looked at the others, "Shall we disobey direct orders from the Princess?"
That seemed to be enough to get Santh and Remus, who has been uncharacteristically silent, to leave. Jolon still seemed unsure, but began to move up the stairs when Ophelia walked passed him. She didn't seem like she wanted to leave, yet she appeared to have an apparition pushing her out.
Anton frowned as he stood next to Routine. "When I told you about this, I never expected you to take this on all by yourself."
She waved for him to go and then looked at Routine once everyone was gone. "Enjoy your rest day, Byron."
With that she crawled back into the large pot that she had previously been cleaning.
"I feel a certain discomfort to leaving you to this task alone."
Her voice echoed when she spoke. "Go away, Byron."
---***---
The two freshmen didn't find the hamlet around the university to be too awe inspiring, yet it had a certain charm. There seemed to be two living quarters for the residents, a poorer section of town simply called the Slums. It seemed most of the servants lived in that area, and a richer part called the Gilded Section. The merchants and other well to do citizens called that area home.
Just as there were two living quarters, the East and West quarters of town held very different shops. The East section had a cheap drinking den called the Enchantress and other cheaper shops for selling cloth and food. While the West section held the finer things in life that were for sale, and a Inn for drinking called The Angel's Hall.
Jolon and Anton found themselves more comfortable looking around the eastern part of town. They weren't sent much money from their parents for monthly expenses, but since neither had really been outside the university in the six weeks they had been there, they both had two months worth of allowance saved.
"I wonder what alcohol is considered illegal to bring on the university grounds." Anton asked aloud as he stood in a store that held several bottles of wine on wooden shelves, and bottled meads and ales elsewhere.
Jolon brought his brows together. "Ophelia is sent mead from her mother, so I assume that is acceptable."
"No alcohol on university grounds." The storekeeper told them after he dealt with a customer. "If your friend is getting alcohol from her parents then she is breaking the rules." The old man with missing front teeth and a milky eye walked over to them. "But if you want it badly enough, there are people that can get it to you."
Jolon shook his head. "No, we have plenty, my appreciation for the offer."
He licked his lips and walked back over to the box he kept his money in. With that Jolon and Anton left the store both slightly unnerved by the creepy old man.
As they turned a corner, Santh was heading into The Enchantress and they followed him inside. The place was rather small with a bar to the left and several small circular tables that filled the rest of the room. It smelled of old wood and vomit. The boys made their way over to their dorm mate and sat down next to him at the bar.
Santh looked over at them but didn't seem to mind that they were with him.
"Brought friends to carry you home? Tired of the Princess doing it for you?" Elsa asked as she placed a tankard in front of him.
"The Princess?"
Elsa chuckled. "She dragged your pathetic excuse for a drunkard ass home a few weeks back. You couldn't stop talking about how much you loathed her, and yet there she was taking care of you. I'd have left you to rot and be thrown in the street. The way you were talking about our little Princess like that. Sweetest gal you ever did lay eyes on." Elsa turned to the freshmen. "Will you be having the same?" She pointed to Santh's tankard and they both nodded.
"Lenore brought me home? I don't recall..." Santh drowned out his own voice as he took a large drink.
The boys were silent as they drank together, but the more ale they poured down their throats, the more talkative they became.
"I want to be in the tournament." Anton announced.
Santh snorted. "You would be killed."
"So, at least, we are in it. Can't win, if we don't play." Jolon backed up his friend. "You could train us every day and we would work really hard." He waited for a response but received none. "Don't you want to be in the tournaments? I overheard that you used to fight in them when you were at the Mondue dorms."
Anton raised his eyebrows, "Where'd you hear that?"
"In class."
The large man placed his head on the bar. "Even if I did, we are still one man short. Lenore made it clear that she wouldn't be involved, and Remus would never agree."
"What about the archery part? Couldn't he just shoot a bow at a target, and be happy with that?" Anton had to push Jolon back in order to see his other friend.
Santh pressed his lips together. "I'll talk to him, but I doubt he'll join in."
Anton and Jolon clanked their tankards together and downed their ale. Santh jumped down from his stool, "Let's head back to the dorm. We don't want to be so drunk that we miss roll call." He grabbed his money pouch from his hip. The other boys did the same, but he waved them away. Paying their tab he quickly headed out of the drinking den with the two freshmen following closely behind him.
---***---
Lenore didn't appear for roll call as they had been promised. Santh, Remus and Jolon laid on their beds as Anton and Ophelia sat on the ground drinking some of the mead stock. Everyone had been silent once they arrived back and didn't find Lenore in the dorms. The silence turned to disappointment when roll call came and went.
"What did you do today, Ophelia?" Anton asked right before he took a swig of the mead.
"I am sewing my dress for the ball. My mother wanted to do it for me, but since I am not there to pick out what I want, I thought I would do it myself." She explained. "I was going to offer to make Lenore a dress too, but I guess a Princess like her doesn't need someone like me making her a dirty old dress."
Santh frowned. He remembered how when they had left the basement that morning, Ophelia had skipped back to the dorms and informed everyone that she knew the Princess was nice. She swore that everyone just misunderstood her. He had in some ways hoped she was right, not only for the sake of the dorm but for the bubbly girl most of all.
"She can't even make the first roll call after a promise like that?" Jolon snapped.
"We should probably go check to make sure Santh wasn't right about her abandoning the chore!" Anton smacked his leg.
"Must we always speak of Lenore?" Remus asked. "Surely, there are other topics of importance in our lives."
Santh laughed. "The one thing this group has in common is how poorly treated it is by Lenore. We would all be better served instead of her cleaning pots if she moved back to the Royal dorms."
Remus sat up and looked at everyone in the room. "I'm sure she had her reasons."
"What are you the new Routine? Going to protect her all the time?" Santh seethed.
The dorm door across the hall opened, and Routine stuck his head out. "My name is Byron not Routine, and Lenore's day and evening has been spent in the basement."
There was a moment of silence between them.
"I investigated on her activities before returning. She is still drudging on down there. I believe she has accomplished a meager fifty percent."
Ophelia shot up immediately and ran out into the hallway.
"Where are you going?" Anton yelled the question.
"To help Lenore!" She screamed as she headed down the pathway.
Anton stood up quickly and poked his head out of the room. "It's passed curfew, you'll get into trouble!"
She didn't respond to his warning, and Anton and Routine stared at each other for a moment, before they both followed in the girl's footsteps.
Jolon soon made it onto his feet and looked at the two others. "She'll be in there all night if we don't help."
Remus sighed as he stood up. "Very well."
"Psh, I have earned my rest day, and perhaps she needs to slave away in order to earn our trust." Santh rolled over on his bed so his back was pointing toward the two of them. All he could hear was their footsteps slowly disappearing.
Rolling onto his back, he folded his arms. His eyes wandered around the empty room that just moments before had people who finally saw how truly evil Lenore was, and now those same people were going to save her.
He thought of how greasy and sweaty she had been that morning. How he had simply left her there without a second thought to how long it takes the six of them to complete that one task. They had left her to do it all on her own.
Shaking his head, he spoke out loud to him. "She deserves what she is getting!" He turned over and punched his pillow, but immediately stood up to punch the air. "Damn it." He mumbled underneath his breath before heading out into the hall and down the pathway.