It had been a month since the dorm fell, and the Mondues who visited for roll call seemed more amused by their situation then interested in reporting it. The group had set up blankets in the trees to protect them from the light rain, but something else would have to be done once winter came. Ophelia had said the court looked as if they were drying laundry over beds and that depicted the image well enough.
Lenore made her way around the dorm and stopped in the court when she noticed Krine standing in front of Santh's bed. He was laying on his back with his legs hanging over the edge as if he had fainted the moment the woman had appeared. Krine was relentless when it came to her pursuit of the large male, of course that was the Mondue way. However, Santh didn't assist the matter by entertaining her. Lenore wondered if all his complaining about the woman was honest or if he truly enjoyed her company. It didn't matter, it was his life to toy with in whatever manner he pleased.
"Lenore!" Krine made her way over to the Princess. Her tall frame hovering powerfully above the higher positioned woman. "I came to invite Santh into town, I have much to buy, but he tells me that he has no interest. Would you join me?"
The Mondue female had been nice enough to Lenore, and she had no real issues with the woman besides her constant presence on their rest days. "Certainly, I was about to leave."
Santh had sat up when Krine posed the question, and looked worried about what Lenore's response would be.
"I prefer to shop on the East side." Lenore informed the woman, who merely nodded in agreement. "Allow me to collect my list and basket."
Krine watched her disappear back behind the dorm and then turned around to face Santh. "I have never been to the east portion of town, is it truly as bad as they say?"
"Worse." Santh responded and prayed that anyone would return to the dorms to ease his burden with this woman.
She partially smirked, "It does not truly matter. I am about to partake in a shopping expedition with the Princess herself in a very unsavory part of town. This will be a story that I am certain to tell our children in the future."
"We have children in this future of yours?" He spoke with an exhausted tone and then quickly tossed himself back down on the bed.
"Of course. Why wouldn't we?"
Santh turned his head to look at the woman, "You would have to convince me to sleep with you, and to do so would truly be a miracle."
She smiled, "Your attempts to turn my feelings are becoming more cruel, but honestly I just view them as you becoming more comfortable with me. I see how you speak with Lenore and the more you feel like you can say as you please to me, the more I feel like the walls are crashing down."
He opened his mouth to speak, but Lenore appeared and interrupted their conversation.
"Shall we?" Lenore walked toward the dirt path.
Krine picked up her own basket that she had placed next to Santh's bed, and hurried over to the woman. "I shall see you tomorrow, Santh."
He pressed his lips together and watched as the two women made their way out of sight. Santh had thought that Krine would give up her intention after a couple weeks, but she was more determined then ever. It was as if she was incapable of accepting failure on her part, which made him respect in her some manner. He had wanted to call her pathetic, but the Mondue in him knew that trait was well sought after in a mate. He kept telling himself that the woman was annoying, but he wondered if that was simply the part of him that had become the Santh that his dorm mates knew and not the true Mondue within.
Perhaps that is why he tolerated her as much as he did, she made him remember what it was like to be part of the Mondue community, after all he had been much more a part of the commoner community growing up. It was intriguing to be one's self again.
Ophelia had been assisting the two commoners in petitioning the council to repair their dorm, but after four weeks and arriving at least three times a week they had been turned away every time. The council was always overbooked or one of the members wasn't feeling well, and if it wasn't one of the members then their petition was returned due to poor spelling or for reasons such as the wording wasn't clear enough. They had figured out the truth long before and knew that the council just didn't wish to see them or hear them out.
The group sat on a bench in the market square near Ophelia's shop and pulled apart some pastries as they watched the busy center. People purchasing and selling wares, and children playing or crying after their mothers who had told them they couldn't have something.
Ophelia put a large chunk of apple pastry in her mouth as she watched a child stomp his feet as he followed his mother. "They will never speak with us." She said with her mouth full of the cooked dough.
"Have you spoken to Remus?" Anton asked, "I have tried to ask for him to assist, but I feel like it would be taking advantage of a friend."
"Why?" Jolon took a large bite of his pastry. "He lives there too."
"It doesn't matter. Remus says that it's not his place and we have to make due if the commoners can not get the council to listen." Ophelia swallowed down a large portion of the dough before she spoke.
"It doesn't make any sense why Lenore and he are so resistant to helping us. They both have high standing, and I doubt the council would tell them the lies that we have been offered." Jolon voice held annoyance. "I feel as if this is a game to them and they are enjoying watching us fail."
"Don't be ridiculous." Ophelia snapped. "Remus and Lenore are our friends and they would never..."
"No, they might be your friends, but they couldn't care less about Anton and me." He stood up and tossed the rest of his pastry on the ground. "I am sick of this. I am sick of this school. I am sick of everything!"
Anton sat calmly and finished his pastry before he spoke, "Speak for yourself. Routine and Lenore have tutored us and we are keeping high marks because of them. Remus has hired us on multiple occasions to help us earn extra coins. They have never treated us as if we were toys and have always treated us as if we were part of their dorm."
Ophelia agreed with a nod, "Before you two came along, only Lenore was friends with Routine, and Remus and Santh were friends with only each other. Now, look at what has happened. We are all friends, and all because you two came to this school."
"What does that have to do with what we are discussing?" Jolon barked.
She shrugged her shoulders sheepishly. "I was just pointing out that if they thought of you as mere commoners, you two would never have been able to bring us all together."
Anton raised an eyebrow and looked toward Jolon, "Perhaps that is what they are trying to teach us. We can't let ourselves be seen as just commoners. We are members of this school and have every right to be heard by the very council that governs us."
"I do not have time to be taught a lesson by those that believe themselves to be my better. If they want to help then they should just put a roof back over our heads." With that Jolon turned around and stormed away, no doubt heading back to the very dorm he was complaining about.
Ophelia sighed, "He is frustrated and looking for someone to blame."
"He should blame the council then, not our dorm mates." Anton looked down at the pastry that Jolon had tossed onto the ground. "For a commoner, he can be very wasteful."
She looked down at the ground and giggled, "My mother would be having a fit right now if she could see that."
Anton smiled and pat her on the back, "Let's follow behind him. We should tell the others that we were turned away once more." When she agreed with a nod, he stood up and offered his hand out for her to stand, before they both made their way to the dorm.
Remus had been summoned once more by the Prince. He had initially thought that these meetings were over, or at least hoped this did not have anything to do with Lenore. He had informed Lenore of her brother's intentions the last time, but he wondered how often he could betray the Prince's confidence. Eventually, Lesatan would realize that he was feeding information to his sister.
Entering the study, Krius, who had led him down the hall, moved toward the fireplace to be with the other advisers. Lesatan was sitting behind his desk working on a scroll that no doubt contained school work of some sort. He seemed to be concentrating with some difficulty and hadn't noticed that Remus was standing before his desk.
After a moment, Lesatan briefly looked up at him, "Sit, Remus." He ordered and Remus immediately noticed the lack of any faux courtesy. There was a serious overtone to this meeting and the merchant knew he needed to be on his best behavior.
Doing as his Prince demanded, Remus took a seat in the chair in front of the desk and watched as the Prince continued his work.
"My sister never seems to have any trouble with her school work, does she?" Lesatan mumbled and Remus didn't know if that was a question he was meant to answer or not.
"She and Byron Nicoletti host tutoring sessions every day, so we all teach each other, milord." Remus folded his hands gently on his lap and looked over at Krius leaning against the wall next to the fireplace while Armand and Enoch sat quietly in their chairs. The latter of the two also seemed to be working on scrolls.
Lesatan looked up from his work, "She tutors the younger students and has the older students assist her?"
"We tutor each other in the strengths of our knowledge. Byron Nicoletti believes that teaching is the best way to learn, and we often spend time doing just that." He didn't know if he was causing distress for Lenore in the future, and he had no idea why he had informed Lesatan of this. The quietness and the serious nature of this meeting had thrown him off edge.
Lesatan turned his attention to his advisers, "We should hold such study sessions in the dorm library, and encourage the other dorms to do the same."
Enoch and the other advisers had placed their full attention on the Prince when he spoke. "A brilliant idea, my Prince." Enoch told him.
The Prince grinned for a moment and then frowned, "It was Lenore's idea, not mine. Go forward with it, nevertheless."
Remus didn't know exactly what he had just done, but it seemed like all was well. "Your Grace, I do not mean to rush you, but I too have a great deal of work to finish before the morning."
He nodded his head and placed his quill back in the ink, before leaning back in his chair and staring at Remus for a brief moment. "The commoner that my sister was sneaking out to see, has that ended?"
"She no longer visits him during meals or roll call, but she does exit the school and go into town every night like before." He leaned forward, placing his hand on the desk. "There has been murmurs that she is engaged and the King, himself, has accepted the pairing."
Krius stood up straight and wanted to begin questioning the man, but knew that Lesatan would not appreciate it.
"Pray tell from whom did you learn such a rumor?" Lesatan looked even less pleased then when he had arrived.
"The Fox never reveals his sources, but if I brought this to you then you can be assured that it has been verified to some degree or another."
The Prince sat deathly quiet for a moment, before he spoke. "Leave my presence, merchant."
Bowing his head, Remus moved quickly but with grace out the door as to not seem like he wanted nothing more than to leave.
Once Remus closed the door behind him, Lesatan grabbed the scroll off his desk and chucked it across the room. When that didn't make a satisfying crashing noise, he grabbed several books and tossed them as well.
Lenore and Krine had passed Jolon on their way to the market. When the Princess called out to him, he ignored her completely as continued to stomp off toward the dorm. Anton and Ophelia weren't far behind and they were calling out to him without noticing that Lenore was nearby.
Deciding that she would discover what all that was about later, Krine and Lenore continued to the market where Lenore purchased some soap and some cloth as Ophelia had promised to make her a couple more uniforms.
Krine looked uneasy in this environment with the hard working members of the society moving around her. Many of the children had dirt crusting their mouths and nose, and the women while clean were wearing below par dresses made from cheaply created cloth. Krine may not have been a member of the high society in the Mondues, but she could certainly turn her nose up as if she were one.
Sniffing the bars of soap, Krine looked as if it might cause her disease. "What are those chunks in there? Bugs?" She held up a piece of soap for Lenore to see.
"Flower petals." Lenore informed her and then smiled at the young girl who was sitting behind the display of soaps and lotions. "They are all crafted by Tiana's mother and father. The best soaps one could buy in all of Apisarn."
The little blonde girl smiled as Lenore paid for her bars of soap.
"Normally, Ophelia's mother sends us soap, but I have missed these. It makes your body feel refreshed." Lenore watched Krine set the bar down and she quickly picked it up. "Buy one and use it, you will be pleasantly surprised."
"My skin is very sensitive." Krine rubbed her forearm as if that would somehow show the Princess her condition.
"Aw, does the baby girl Mondue fear a rash from handmade soaps?" She taunted. "Here I thought Mondues were made from stronger material than that."
Krine raised an eyebrow as she couldn't believe that Lenore was actually teasing her. "What are you suggesting?"
"I am stating outright that you are afraid of soap that a Royal Princess uses. Is your constitution weaker than my own?"
The female Mondue snatched the bar of soap from her before placing it in her basket then paying the little girl for it.
Lenore chuckled as she wandered off with Krine in tow. They stopped at a food cart and Lenore ordered skewered goat meat that was cooked over an open flame nearby. She handed one stick to Krine and kept one for herself as they continued to walk around the market.
Krine seemed uncertain of the food but as she watched Lenore quickly eat her meal, she knew she had to prove she was just as tough as the Princess. She gagged on the first bite but after chewing for a couple moments, she decided that the food tasted rather delicious. When Lenore looked over her shoulder at her to check on her progress, Krine held up the half eaten skewer and smiled.
Stopping at the market square they sat down on the bench that had been occupied not long ago but Lenore's dorm mates. "May I ask a question of you?"
Krine nodded.
"Are all Mondue females as stubborn as you are?" Lenore asked the question with a smirk on her lips and Krine knew she was being teased again.
"It is one of our greatest traits." She told her proudly. "I assume we are speaking on my attempts to win over Santh's heart?" She watched the Princess give a single nod. "He is perfect for my family's future and personally I find him quite pleasant to look upon. Of course, I hear that you have an interest in the larger men."
"Are you speaking of Krius?" Lenore stared down at her feet, but knew that Krine had nodded. "Yes, his family came from the Mondues and they continue the tradition of marrying Mondue females into their bloodline."
Krine chuckled, "Krius and Santh are considered the premier Mondue males."
"Truly? Even though Santh has nothing to his name?"
She seemed shocked to hear the Princess ask such a question. "Of course, Santh's father was Varden Aguilar. He was a living legend in his time. To this day, Mondues especially warriors hold service on his death day. It was a collective heartbreak when he returned to the earth, unfortunately Santh has yet to prove he will follow in his father's footsteps."
"I highly doubt he will. He seems rather embittered by the government and no doubt blames the King for his father's death." Lenore stood up. "Come, we shouldn't linger here for long. I still have work to finish before class tomorrow."
Piera entered the Prince's study as she had been doing almost every day for lunch. Her friends had asked where she was going and more importantly why she wasn't getting points docked for missing her meals. However, she felt it was important to keep this information from every one. After all, if the situation went her way then she would never be married to Lesatan and this would be a funny story she could tell every one that no one would believe.
A small table had been brought into the room as had been the norm the last couple of weeks. Lesatan stood from his desk when she entered and his eyes went to his advisers who all shuffled out. As she walked over to the table, she noticed an ink spot on the bear skin rug. She enjoyed wondering how it was that the ink got there, since it was a good distance away from the desk.
Lesatan pulled out her chair for her and allowed her to sit before walking around the table to take his own seat. He unfolded his napkin and placed it on his lap before he lifted the lid off his plate. "Mutton. I do so enjoy this meal. My mother had the cooks at the castle send the recipe here just so I wouldn't become too home sick."
Piera lifted her own lid and stared at the meat and boiled carrots and green beans. Every item on the plate was a nemesis to her very senses, but she had learned to eat the food nevertheless. When she didn't eat, Lesatan would become upset and yell at the servants for not bringing something to her liking. Of course, this was his favorite meal and part of her wondered if not enjoying mutton would make Lesatan decide she was not the woman he wanted by his side.
His temper was too terrifying and she decided to eat the meal while pretending to enjoy it. There couldn't be many more of these meals, as she wasn't a very gracious guest.
"I have not heard any rumors of our seeing each other." Lesatan spoke between bites, "Are you not informing your fellows of our meetings?"
Piera had a small piece of mutton in her mouth and chewed it up as best she could before swallowing it to answer. "No, milord. I felt that since I am not the only candidate it would be unfair to compete with the others in public or to place hopes on my friends and family."
Lesatan took a sip from his goblet of a liquid that Piera had yet to discover, so she lifted her glass and sniffed. It smelled to be some sort of juice but she couldn't identify what it was exactly.
"You are free to inform whomever you like." Lesatan told her as he set the glass back down. "I am not currently in progression of wooing any other women."
Those words made Piera's heart stick in her throat and she tried to swallow it down with a piece of boiled carrot. "Your Grace, I was under the impression that I was just one of many and that you would make your choice in the future."
He continued to eat and answered her by waving his fork at her while shaking his head. Once he finished his bite, he spoke. "There were others at first, but I feel our pairing would be the best for the country. Speaking of which, I have asked to see your parents at the next tournament to discuss our intentions, then afterwards you will move into the Royal Dorm." He sat back in his chair, "Now that I think about this plan, it is best that you haven't told anyone yet. I wouldn't wish to offend your parents by having to move you into this dorm before they have agreed to our pairing."
"Milord, why must I move here?"
Lesatan looked amused by her question, "For your protection, of course. The future queen can not very well gallivant around without guards or sleep in a dorm that lacks the properly trained knights."
"Oh, I see." Piera just didn't understand this man in the least. They never seemed to enjoy their time together and she had never shown she was of any use as a queen, but the man still insisted that she remain at his side. She wanted to tell her brother and perhaps with the Princess' help this would be brought to an end, but she feared upsetting the Prince.
"You do not look pleased." Lesatan noted. "You have been chosen to be the future queen. One would expect a more grateful response."
"I apologize, milord." She briefly bowed her head. "I never imagined that you would consider me, and I certainly didn't believe that I would be chosen."
"Of course. This is a foreign experience to you, and I shall grant you all the time you need to adjust."
"Thank you, Your Highness, you are truly gracious."
Remus entered into the dirt court only to be reminded that he no longer had a private room and a roof over his head. He was losing patience with both children of the King, and was growing weary of being part of their games. In truth, he had no idea what Lenore was planning. He thought that she was attempting to take the throne from her brother initially, but that no longer made any sense as he had seen her assist him several times over.
Moving over to his bed, he sat down which caused a creaking noise that made Santh sit up from his own bed. "Are you partaking in a nap before dinner, Santh? How childlike."
The larger man frowned, "I was not napping. I merely laid down while I thought over recent events."
"Recent events?" Remus perked up and hurried to Anton's bed next to him to sit closer to his friend. "Are these particularly delectable events? Perhaps involving your Mondue female... or the Princess?"
Santh frowned, "I am certain I know not of what you speak."
"I've always wondered what it would feel like to ride such an untamed mare. Assuredly it would be an unforgettable experience." He spoke with a large grin upon his face.
"Which one of the two are you referring?"
The merchant shrugged his shoulders, "Either will do. Though, if it were the Princess, it would rather put a dark overtone to our personal and professional relationship." He clasped his hands together and thought for a moment, "Yet, I can imagine it would be worth every coin lost as it would all be to satisfy my curiosity. I do enjoy feeding that more than my own stomach."
"I did nothing of the sort with either woman." Santh grumble as he wanted to bring Remus out of his reverie and return to his issue at hand. "Krine has told me that she plans to befriend Lenore in hopes of keeping her..." He cut himself off when he realized what he was about to say.
Remus didn't need the rest of the sentence to understand. "I see. That is unfortunate. It seems if that is a worry to you then perhaps Krine has not arrived in your life at an appropriate time. I did ask you to be confident that you were ready before you broke her heart."
Mixed feelings welled up in the Mondue's mind. He was grateful that his friend understood him without him having to place it into awkward words, but was also annoyed that his friend found him to be so transparent. "I must rid myself of her, but she seems to be determined. An admirable trait to my people, but frustrating when it is unwanted."
Remus realized that the man before him was looking to him for suggestions. "What do you expect from me? You are the Mondue male, surely you are aware of the way to remove an undesired female from your life."
"Yes, you ask another female to battle for you and then marry the second female. I doubt bringing a second Mondue female into this predicament will solve anything." He laid back down on his bed.
"Ah, yes, I had forgotten that custom. I have been chased by many a Mondue woman, but they seemed eager to rid themselves of me in the end." Remus pressed his lips together.
"You are no Mondue male, and you never played into our ceremonious courting rituals." Santh informed him before sitting back up to look at him. "Perhaps, I should do the same with Krine. If I stop acting as a Mondue then she might be turned away."
"I do not fully understand, my friend. Krine seems to be the perfect female for you, as you speak to her more than you do most, but she wishes to befriend Lenore and suddenly you wish her absent from your life."
Santh wondered if his friend had actually understood him at all earlier, or if he was simply trying to get him to admit something to him. "I believe you have already won and heard your answer to this, so I wonder why you must fish further."
Remus shrugged, "I enjoy when things are made clear to me, but I wonder if they are clear to you."
Santh began to speak but in a mumbled breath so no one could hear if they approached the dorm. "If Krine befriends Lenore then all will be lost."
"All will be lost?"
He could no longer look his friend in the eyes, "I am well aware that it shall never be, but I prefer knowing there is a small chance then having it ripped away without my permission."
Remus nodded, "You were the one who asked for Krine to enter your life. This is a problem of your own creation, and you should come to terms with whatever position you plan to play. Neither will sit around unwanted until you are ready to be a realist or an idealist."
Dalton stood in the flower court near the dirt path. The court was empty that day as most students were out in the hamlet, but he felt as if he had walked through a crowd to arrive at this point. Every time he took a step toward the path, he felt an unexplained power yanking him back. In truth, it was a completely explained power and it's name was pride.
The last two weeks, he had been told by almost every professor that he should contact his parents and inform them that he will not be welcomed back in the next year. He had asked if he could increase his marks if he would be, and though they said he would be, the professors didn't look hopeful that he would be able to do so.
There was only one person in this entire school that would be seen with him, and he wondered if she would even speak to him. Of course, he could imagine lowering himself down to beg for her help only to have the Princess laugh at him. This was a far more humiliating fate then not being spoken to at all.
He shook his head and decided he would leave, but as he turned Lenore stood before him. It was too late, he told himself as a large Mondue female appeared beside her.
"Dalton, have you come to see me?" Lenore asked.
He was surprised that she held no venom in her voice. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small scroll and offered it out to her. He felt it was better to just show her then to actually lower himself to explaining and begging.
Lenore unfolded the scroll after she placed her basket on the ground. "Oh, Dalton, these are terrible."
He swallowed, "I know we have never been friends, and that you loathe my very existence. After all, if I wasn't born then the duke might have thought you were his only chance at having a child. I can not be unborn and I am the heir to the..."
"Enough, Dalton. Spare me the prepared speech." Her raised voice silenced him and she offered the scroll back to him. "Mother already asked me to assist you, and while I told her no, the mere fact that you came to ask yourself makes me believe there is hope still for you."
"Then you will assist me?"
She gave a nod. "However, it comes at a price."
He swallowed, "What price?'
"In the future, you shall owe me a favor."
Dalton thought briefly for a moment, "Very well, but nothing too ridiculous, agreed?" He watched her nod once more. "Wonderful, then shall we meet at the library after classes every day?"
Lenore chuckled and shook her head, "Oh, I am afraid that simply won't do. You see, I also tutor my dorm mates. If you wish to add yourself to our group then you will come to our dorm."
"That place is certainly beneath both of us. If I must be lowered to being taught next to commoners, then they can very well come to the library." He stood up straight to show that he was serious about this statement.
"If being near commoners is so very offensive, wouldn't you rather do so in a place that others will not see. Also, you will feel more comfortable there as there are less judging eyes to be cast upon you due to your last name." With that Lenore picked up her basket. "Tomorrow after classes at my dorm or not at all."
She rushed passed him and down the dirt path with Krine following behind her. The large Mondue had been perfectly silent as she knew her place was not in that conversation. Though she had questions about who the man was, she knew it wasn't her place to ask either.
Anton put his pants back on while Piera tried to make her own uniform look as if they hadn't been ripped off and put back on without any care. Anton had left the dorm without telling anyone where he was going, but Jolon had done the same. Piera had passed him a note the day before asking to meet with him and the location of where they would be comfortable. It had been over a month since they had last seen each other in that alley in the hamlet.
He had wondered what it was that she could possibly want as she had made it quite clear that their rendezvous was only capable for that one evening. It had taken him a couple hours to fall asleep the night before not only due to the bitter cold of being out in the open, but because he kept wondering if she was going to tell him that she was with child. In order to calm himself, he realized that Piera would never admit that he was the child's father as it would ruin her family and perhaps even lower her station.
However, this worry was soon gone the moment Piera laid eyes on him. He could tell just from a single look exactly what the Souchan had summoned him out into the woods for.
"Lost in thought?" Piera asked as she stood from the leaf covered ground and made her way over to the tree that he was leaning on.
"Unfamiliar territory." He smirked, "I didn't expect to meet with you..."
She pressed her lips against his own, but didn't receive the response she expected. "What is it?" She asked as he stood up straight to stare down at her.
"I thought last time would be the only time."
Piera chuckled, "Was it so bad that you were praying that it would never happen again?"
"No! No, of course not. I just do not like relationships to be unclear." He watched as she leaned against the tree that he had once claimed.
She crossed her arms, "Then let's define this one. We meet, we do wicked things to one another, and then we pretend that we hardly know each other."
"You are suggesting that this will be on-going?"
She briefly raised an eyebrow, "Unless you wish for this to be the final time."
"No, I accept, but I must return to the dorm." He kissed her forehead.
She grinned, "Then I shall be off. We should meet again very soon." She told him before turning around and hurrying off to her own dorm.
Anton watched her for a moment, before he turned around and stopped in his tracts. Ophelia stood nearby with a bucket in her hand.
"I... I... Santh was bathing in the stream. I had to come up stream to get some water." Her voice proved her nervousness and Anton was aware that she had seen enough of him and Piera.
Walking over to her, he took the bucket from her hand and moved to the stream to collect some water for her. "Why do you need water?"
"We were going to drink tonight and I wanted water nearby." Ophelia looked toward the area that Piera had disappeared through.
Standing up after collecting the water, Anton came to stand directly in front of her. "How much did you see?"
Her cheeks quickly turned red, "It... it wasn't as if I was watching on purpose. I... I froze. I thought if I left you would hear me or if I... I don't know."
Anton released a loud sigh as he tried not to blush himself. "Ophelia, I know this will be very hard for you, but you can not tell anyone about this. Routine can never know or he will kill me, understand? Lenore can never know, because I will never hear the end of how badly this will become, and Santh can never know because... well, I don't want his judging eyes."
"What about Remus and Jolon?"
He sighed once more in exhaustion, "Remus will find a way to use it against me, and Jolon will, well, he won't do much except tease me but nevertheless he can not know."
"And I shouldn't know because I am a gossip." Ophelia sucked on her bottom lip.
Using his free hand, Anton put his hand on top of her head. "Please, Ophelia. Pretend you never saw anything."
"I never saw anything."
Lenore walked around the dorm and found Santh sitting on her bed with his hair wet and no shirt covering his chest. The man often walked around the dorm without any clothing on his upper body, but she had never seen him sit on her bed while doing so. Of course, her bed had never been outside, sitting on the very path that lead to the stream before. A thousand naughty jokes came to mind, but she was in no mood to deal with a temper tantrum from the man.
In his hands was a small towel that he was using to dry his hair. She rarely saw Santh with his hair down as it was normally pulled back, and when it was down he was usually laying in his room and she would only get a peek from the hallway. He had always had longer hair, even though most Mondue males kept their hair short.
"What are you doing in my room?" She asked as she walked over to her bed and took a seat beside him and placed her basket at her feet. She half expected him to jump from his spot and glare down at her for ruining the peaceful sanctuary he had created.
"Where is Krine?" He asked ignoring her question completely and keeping his head down as he slowly dried his hair.
"She had to return to her dorm." She told him and waited for a follow up question, but received none. She decided that she would simply tell him what she was certain he wanted to know about their time together. "We had a nice day. She is a little uptight like you are sometimes, but overall she is pleasant enough. We ate skewers and bought home made soaps." She dug through the basket and held out a bar of soap. "This is the kind you like, isn't it?"
Santh looked down at the cloth wrapped soap, "Ophelia's mother sends plenty, we have no need to buy more."
"It is good to change your soap from time to time." She put the soap back in the basket. "It's there if you want it." She looked at his wet hair that when dried was a dark brown but when wet looked nearly pitch black. Reaching into another basket next to her bed, she pulled out a brush and offered it to him.
Santh looked at the wooden brush for a couple seconds and Lenore knew that look. He was about to become embarrassed that she had done something nice and soon he would be yelling at her over something that had nothing to do with her gesture.
He surprised her when he accepted the brush and began to quickly run it through his hair. "Do you like her?"
"Krine? As I said, she is pleasant. I wouldn't say she is my greatest friend in all the world just yet." She leaned back on her arms and let her feet dangle off the floor. "What is more important is that you like her."
He was quiet as he finished brushing his hair and tossed the brush back into the basket before pulling his hair back with the leather strap.
"I see. I believe that Mondue females are relentless in their pursuit of a man. Isn't it also true that you will only send her away by having another Mondue female fight for you?" Lenore had a slight smirk upon her lips almost as if she was enjoying watching him flail with this woman.
Santh could see the humor in her face and he chuckled briefly, "I won't be doing such a thing. I had forgotten how terrifying they could truly be."
"Mondue females are not the only terrifying women." She winked.
"You do not have to inform me of that." Santh teased. "I can do nothing but wait for her to grow weary."
"Oh, the do nothing approach, how very passive of you."
He slowly shrugged his shoulders, "It shall have to do until I can think of another plan."
Ophelia and Anton appeared within those moments with Anton carrying the water bucket. Ophelia looked at the two of them sitting on the bed, which caused Santh to stand immediately up. "We are going to drink together in the court, come join us." She told both of them before she hurried around the dorm.
Lenore stood up, "Put a shirt on and meet us up front."
Everyone sat on the beds in the court as they finished up the mead that Remus had set aside for them from Odelia's last shipment. Ophelia and Lenore shared a bed though Lenore laid down while the younger girl barely got any room at the feet.
Jolon had arrived from his unexplained hiatus and began to drink on Anton's bed with him, as the girls had procured his bed. There wasn't much conversation being had though the nearby dorm was on their minds. Several times they had considered taking their chances and moving back into the three available rooms, but Jolon warned that the risk would be high.
"I suspect that the three of you have been unable to stand before the council." Remus asked as he tried to hide the exhaustion that he felt. He didn't blame them but was annoyed by the quantity of time he had spent sleeping outdoors.
Every one watched as they shook their heads.
"They continue to make up ridiculous excuses for why they won't see us." Anton informed them with some venom in his voice.
"We have no power and they are aware of it. I know Lenore said that none of you can assist us since you don't belong, but can you not at the very least get us in to see them?" Jolon asked and when they all shook their heads, his anger began to rise. "This is ridiculous! Aren't you all tired of sleeping out here? Or is this all one giant game for the rich brats?"
Ophelia covered her mouth at his last comment.
"Jolon, that's enough!" Anton snapped.
"No! I am sick of being seen as nothing." He stood from the bed and came to hover over Lenore who hadn't said anything as of yet. She continued to drink her mead and pick at her pastry. "You are the Princess of this entire country, and you can't get some commoners before a student council? Does that sound right to you?"
Lenore took a sip of her mead and then another bite of her pastry, and didn't seem willing to engage in this conversation at all.
Jolon slapped the pastry from her hand and seemed like he was either going to grab her mead or her arm, but a larger pair of arms wrapped around his chest and tossed him into the dirt court. He landed with a thud and then looked up at the large Mondue towering above him.
"Since when have you become her personal guard, Santh?" Jolon whimpered as he looked at the scratched marks on his elbows that were beginning to bleed.
"It's not her that I am protecting." Santh growled.
Everyone had stood up except for Lenore. Remus looked as if he wanted to retreat from this conversation, while Routine glared at Jolon though he had said nothing either.
After a moment, Lenore stood up and walked next to Santh. She looked down at Jolon who didn't dare to stand. "Do you expect someone of greater power to always be there for you? Eventually, you will need things to be done that those above you will not do, and you will have to find a way to get them completed." She held out her hand and helped Jolon to stand.
He initially wanted to smack her hand away, but took the offer after considering that she was the Princess.
"Very well. I will show you how to do this properly. My brother loathes the idea of women staying here for more than two years, therefore I will stand against him in this argument. He is more powerful and has far more sway then I could ever dream of, but I will show you how to be heard even when the world wishes for your silent."
With that Lenore stood tall and walked gracefully behind the dorm without another word said. Everyone standing in that court knew that for a brief moment, they had seen the real Princess inside Lenore. Ophelia didn't remain long and hurried to catch up with her friend, she wanted to hear this plan of hers.
Lenore made her way around the dorm and stopped in the court when she noticed Krine standing in front of Santh's bed. He was laying on his back with his legs hanging over the edge as if he had fainted the moment the woman had appeared. Krine was relentless when it came to her pursuit of the large male, of course that was the Mondue way. However, Santh didn't assist the matter by entertaining her. Lenore wondered if all his complaining about the woman was honest or if he truly enjoyed her company. It didn't matter, it was his life to toy with in whatever manner he pleased.
"Lenore!" Krine made her way over to the Princess. Her tall frame hovering powerfully above the higher positioned woman. "I came to invite Santh into town, I have much to buy, but he tells me that he has no interest. Would you join me?"
The Mondue female had been nice enough to Lenore, and she had no real issues with the woman besides her constant presence on their rest days. "Certainly, I was about to leave."
Santh had sat up when Krine posed the question, and looked worried about what Lenore's response would be.
"I prefer to shop on the East side." Lenore informed the woman, who merely nodded in agreement. "Allow me to collect my list and basket."
Krine watched her disappear back behind the dorm and then turned around to face Santh. "I have never been to the east portion of town, is it truly as bad as they say?"
"Worse." Santh responded and prayed that anyone would return to the dorms to ease his burden with this woman.
She partially smirked, "It does not truly matter. I am about to partake in a shopping expedition with the Princess herself in a very unsavory part of town. This will be a story that I am certain to tell our children in the future."
"We have children in this future of yours?" He spoke with an exhausted tone and then quickly tossed himself back down on the bed.
"Of course. Why wouldn't we?"
Santh turned his head to look at the woman, "You would have to convince me to sleep with you, and to do so would truly be a miracle."
She smiled, "Your attempts to turn my feelings are becoming more cruel, but honestly I just view them as you becoming more comfortable with me. I see how you speak with Lenore and the more you feel like you can say as you please to me, the more I feel like the walls are crashing down."
He opened his mouth to speak, but Lenore appeared and interrupted their conversation.
"Shall we?" Lenore walked toward the dirt path.
Krine picked up her own basket that she had placed next to Santh's bed, and hurried over to the woman. "I shall see you tomorrow, Santh."
He pressed his lips together and watched as the two women made their way out of sight. Santh had thought that Krine would give up her intention after a couple weeks, but she was more determined then ever. It was as if she was incapable of accepting failure on her part, which made him respect in her some manner. He had wanted to call her pathetic, but the Mondue in him knew that trait was well sought after in a mate. He kept telling himself that the woman was annoying, but he wondered if that was simply the part of him that had become the Santh that his dorm mates knew and not the true Mondue within.
Perhaps that is why he tolerated her as much as he did, she made him remember what it was like to be part of the Mondue community, after all he had been much more a part of the commoner community growing up. It was intriguing to be one's self again.
---***---
Ophelia had been assisting the two commoners in petitioning the council to repair their dorm, but after four weeks and arriving at least three times a week they had been turned away every time. The council was always overbooked or one of the members wasn't feeling well, and if it wasn't one of the members then their petition was returned due to poor spelling or for reasons such as the wording wasn't clear enough. They had figured out the truth long before and knew that the council just didn't wish to see them or hear them out.
The group sat on a bench in the market square near Ophelia's shop and pulled apart some pastries as they watched the busy center. People purchasing and selling wares, and children playing or crying after their mothers who had told them they couldn't have something.
Ophelia put a large chunk of apple pastry in her mouth as she watched a child stomp his feet as he followed his mother. "They will never speak with us." She said with her mouth full of the cooked dough.
"Have you spoken to Remus?" Anton asked, "I have tried to ask for him to assist, but I feel like it would be taking advantage of a friend."
"Why?" Jolon took a large bite of his pastry. "He lives there too."
"It doesn't matter. Remus says that it's not his place and we have to make due if the commoners can not get the council to listen." Ophelia swallowed down a large portion of the dough before she spoke.
"It doesn't make any sense why Lenore and he are so resistant to helping us. They both have high standing, and I doubt the council would tell them the lies that we have been offered." Jolon voice held annoyance. "I feel as if this is a game to them and they are enjoying watching us fail."
"Don't be ridiculous." Ophelia snapped. "Remus and Lenore are our friends and they would never..."
"No, they might be your friends, but they couldn't care less about Anton and me." He stood up and tossed the rest of his pastry on the ground. "I am sick of this. I am sick of this school. I am sick of everything!"
Anton sat calmly and finished his pastry before he spoke, "Speak for yourself. Routine and Lenore have tutored us and we are keeping high marks because of them. Remus has hired us on multiple occasions to help us earn extra coins. They have never treated us as if we were toys and have always treated us as if we were part of their dorm."
Ophelia agreed with a nod, "Before you two came along, only Lenore was friends with Routine, and Remus and Santh were friends with only each other. Now, look at what has happened. We are all friends, and all because you two came to this school."
"What does that have to do with what we are discussing?" Jolon barked.
She shrugged her shoulders sheepishly. "I was just pointing out that if they thought of you as mere commoners, you two would never have been able to bring us all together."
Anton raised an eyebrow and looked toward Jolon, "Perhaps that is what they are trying to teach us. We can't let ourselves be seen as just commoners. We are members of this school and have every right to be heard by the very council that governs us."
"I do not have time to be taught a lesson by those that believe themselves to be my better. If they want to help then they should just put a roof back over our heads." With that Jolon turned around and stormed away, no doubt heading back to the very dorm he was complaining about.
Ophelia sighed, "He is frustrated and looking for someone to blame."
"He should blame the council then, not our dorm mates." Anton looked down at the pastry that Jolon had tossed onto the ground. "For a commoner, he can be very wasteful."
She looked down at the ground and giggled, "My mother would be having a fit right now if she could see that."
Anton smiled and pat her on the back, "Let's follow behind him. We should tell the others that we were turned away once more." When she agreed with a nod, he stood up and offered his hand out for her to stand, before they both made their way to the dorm.
---***---
Remus had been summoned once more by the Prince. He had initially thought that these meetings were over, or at least hoped this did not have anything to do with Lenore. He had informed Lenore of her brother's intentions the last time, but he wondered how often he could betray the Prince's confidence. Eventually, Lesatan would realize that he was feeding information to his sister.
Entering the study, Krius, who had led him down the hall, moved toward the fireplace to be with the other advisers. Lesatan was sitting behind his desk working on a scroll that no doubt contained school work of some sort. He seemed to be concentrating with some difficulty and hadn't noticed that Remus was standing before his desk.
After a moment, Lesatan briefly looked up at him, "Sit, Remus." He ordered and Remus immediately noticed the lack of any faux courtesy. There was a serious overtone to this meeting and the merchant knew he needed to be on his best behavior.
Doing as his Prince demanded, Remus took a seat in the chair in front of the desk and watched as the Prince continued his work.
"My sister never seems to have any trouble with her school work, does she?" Lesatan mumbled and Remus didn't know if that was a question he was meant to answer or not.
"She and Byron Nicoletti host tutoring sessions every day, so we all teach each other, milord." Remus folded his hands gently on his lap and looked over at Krius leaning against the wall next to the fireplace while Armand and Enoch sat quietly in their chairs. The latter of the two also seemed to be working on scrolls.
Lesatan looked up from his work, "She tutors the younger students and has the older students assist her?"
"We tutor each other in the strengths of our knowledge. Byron Nicoletti believes that teaching is the best way to learn, and we often spend time doing just that." He didn't know if he was causing distress for Lenore in the future, and he had no idea why he had informed Lesatan of this. The quietness and the serious nature of this meeting had thrown him off edge.
Lesatan turned his attention to his advisers, "We should hold such study sessions in the dorm library, and encourage the other dorms to do the same."
Enoch and the other advisers had placed their full attention on the Prince when he spoke. "A brilliant idea, my Prince." Enoch told him.
The Prince grinned for a moment and then frowned, "It was Lenore's idea, not mine. Go forward with it, nevertheless."
Remus didn't know exactly what he had just done, but it seemed like all was well. "Your Grace, I do not mean to rush you, but I too have a great deal of work to finish before the morning."
He nodded his head and placed his quill back in the ink, before leaning back in his chair and staring at Remus for a brief moment. "The commoner that my sister was sneaking out to see, has that ended?"
"She no longer visits him during meals or roll call, but she does exit the school and go into town every night like before." He leaned forward, placing his hand on the desk. "There has been murmurs that she is engaged and the King, himself, has accepted the pairing."
Krius stood up straight and wanted to begin questioning the man, but knew that Lesatan would not appreciate it.
"Pray tell from whom did you learn such a rumor?" Lesatan looked even less pleased then when he had arrived.
"The Fox never reveals his sources, but if I brought this to you then you can be assured that it has been verified to some degree or another."
The Prince sat deathly quiet for a moment, before he spoke. "Leave my presence, merchant."
Bowing his head, Remus moved quickly but with grace out the door as to not seem like he wanted nothing more than to leave.
Once Remus closed the door behind him, Lesatan grabbed the scroll off his desk and chucked it across the room. When that didn't make a satisfying crashing noise, he grabbed several books and tossed them as well.
---***---
Lenore and Krine had passed Jolon on their way to the market. When the Princess called out to him, he ignored her completely as continued to stomp off toward the dorm. Anton and Ophelia weren't far behind and they were calling out to him without noticing that Lenore was nearby.
Deciding that she would discover what all that was about later, Krine and Lenore continued to the market where Lenore purchased some soap and some cloth as Ophelia had promised to make her a couple more uniforms.
Krine looked uneasy in this environment with the hard working members of the society moving around her. Many of the children had dirt crusting their mouths and nose, and the women while clean were wearing below par dresses made from cheaply created cloth. Krine may not have been a member of the high society in the Mondues, but she could certainly turn her nose up as if she were one.
Sniffing the bars of soap, Krine looked as if it might cause her disease. "What are those chunks in there? Bugs?" She held up a piece of soap for Lenore to see.
"Flower petals." Lenore informed her and then smiled at the young girl who was sitting behind the display of soaps and lotions. "They are all crafted by Tiana's mother and father. The best soaps one could buy in all of Apisarn."
The little blonde girl smiled as Lenore paid for her bars of soap.
"Normally, Ophelia's mother sends us soap, but I have missed these. It makes your body feel refreshed." Lenore watched Krine set the bar down and she quickly picked it up. "Buy one and use it, you will be pleasantly surprised."
"My skin is very sensitive." Krine rubbed her forearm as if that would somehow show the Princess her condition.
"Aw, does the baby girl Mondue fear a rash from handmade soaps?" She taunted. "Here I thought Mondues were made from stronger material than that."
Krine raised an eyebrow as she couldn't believe that Lenore was actually teasing her. "What are you suggesting?"
"I am stating outright that you are afraid of soap that a Royal Princess uses. Is your constitution weaker than my own?"
The female Mondue snatched the bar of soap from her before placing it in her basket then paying the little girl for it.
Lenore chuckled as she wandered off with Krine in tow. They stopped at a food cart and Lenore ordered skewered goat meat that was cooked over an open flame nearby. She handed one stick to Krine and kept one for herself as they continued to walk around the market.
Krine seemed uncertain of the food but as she watched Lenore quickly eat her meal, she knew she had to prove she was just as tough as the Princess. She gagged on the first bite but after chewing for a couple moments, she decided that the food tasted rather delicious. When Lenore looked over her shoulder at her to check on her progress, Krine held up the half eaten skewer and smiled.
Stopping at the market square they sat down on the bench that had been occupied not long ago but Lenore's dorm mates. "May I ask a question of you?"
Krine nodded.
"Are all Mondue females as stubborn as you are?" Lenore asked the question with a smirk on her lips and Krine knew she was being teased again.
"It is one of our greatest traits." She told her proudly. "I assume we are speaking on my attempts to win over Santh's heart?" She watched the Princess give a single nod. "He is perfect for my family's future and personally I find him quite pleasant to look upon. Of course, I hear that you have an interest in the larger men."
"Are you speaking of Krius?" Lenore stared down at her feet, but knew that Krine had nodded. "Yes, his family came from the Mondues and they continue the tradition of marrying Mondue females into their bloodline."
Krine chuckled, "Krius and Santh are considered the premier Mondue males."
"Truly? Even though Santh has nothing to his name?"
She seemed shocked to hear the Princess ask such a question. "Of course, Santh's father was Varden Aguilar. He was a living legend in his time. To this day, Mondues especially warriors hold service on his death day. It was a collective heartbreak when he returned to the earth, unfortunately Santh has yet to prove he will follow in his father's footsteps."
"I highly doubt he will. He seems rather embittered by the government and no doubt blames the King for his father's death." Lenore stood up. "Come, we shouldn't linger here for long. I still have work to finish before class tomorrow."
---***---
Piera entered the Prince's study as she had been doing almost every day for lunch. Her friends had asked where she was going and more importantly why she wasn't getting points docked for missing her meals. However, she felt it was important to keep this information from every one. After all, if the situation went her way then she would never be married to Lesatan and this would be a funny story she could tell every one that no one would believe.
A small table had been brought into the room as had been the norm the last couple of weeks. Lesatan stood from his desk when she entered and his eyes went to his advisers who all shuffled out. As she walked over to the table, she noticed an ink spot on the bear skin rug. She enjoyed wondering how it was that the ink got there, since it was a good distance away from the desk.
Lesatan pulled out her chair for her and allowed her to sit before walking around the table to take his own seat. He unfolded his napkin and placed it on his lap before he lifted the lid off his plate. "Mutton. I do so enjoy this meal. My mother had the cooks at the castle send the recipe here just so I wouldn't become too home sick."
Piera lifted her own lid and stared at the meat and boiled carrots and green beans. Every item on the plate was a nemesis to her very senses, but she had learned to eat the food nevertheless. When she didn't eat, Lesatan would become upset and yell at the servants for not bringing something to her liking. Of course, this was his favorite meal and part of her wondered if not enjoying mutton would make Lesatan decide she was not the woman he wanted by his side.
His temper was too terrifying and she decided to eat the meal while pretending to enjoy it. There couldn't be many more of these meals, as she wasn't a very gracious guest.
"I have not heard any rumors of our seeing each other." Lesatan spoke between bites, "Are you not informing your fellows of our meetings?"
Piera had a small piece of mutton in her mouth and chewed it up as best she could before swallowing it to answer. "No, milord. I felt that since I am not the only candidate it would be unfair to compete with the others in public or to place hopes on my friends and family."
Lesatan took a sip from his goblet of a liquid that Piera had yet to discover, so she lifted her glass and sniffed. It smelled to be some sort of juice but she couldn't identify what it was exactly.
"You are free to inform whomever you like." Lesatan told her as he set the glass back down. "I am not currently in progression of wooing any other women."
Those words made Piera's heart stick in her throat and she tried to swallow it down with a piece of boiled carrot. "Your Grace, I was under the impression that I was just one of many and that you would make your choice in the future."
He continued to eat and answered her by waving his fork at her while shaking his head. Once he finished his bite, he spoke. "There were others at first, but I feel our pairing would be the best for the country. Speaking of which, I have asked to see your parents at the next tournament to discuss our intentions, then afterwards you will move into the Royal Dorm." He sat back in his chair, "Now that I think about this plan, it is best that you haven't told anyone yet. I wouldn't wish to offend your parents by having to move you into this dorm before they have agreed to our pairing."
"Milord, why must I move here?"
Lesatan looked amused by her question, "For your protection, of course. The future queen can not very well gallivant around without guards or sleep in a dorm that lacks the properly trained knights."
"Oh, I see." Piera just didn't understand this man in the least. They never seemed to enjoy their time together and she had never shown she was of any use as a queen, but the man still insisted that she remain at his side. She wanted to tell her brother and perhaps with the Princess' help this would be brought to an end, but she feared upsetting the Prince.
"You do not look pleased." Lesatan noted. "You have been chosen to be the future queen. One would expect a more grateful response."
"I apologize, milord." She briefly bowed her head. "I never imagined that you would consider me, and I certainly didn't believe that I would be chosen."
"Of course. This is a foreign experience to you, and I shall grant you all the time you need to adjust."
"Thank you, Your Highness, you are truly gracious."
---***---
Remus entered into the dirt court only to be reminded that he no longer had a private room and a roof over his head. He was losing patience with both children of the King, and was growing weary of being part of their games. In truth, he had no idea what Lenore was planning. He thought that she was attempting to take the throne from her brother initially, but that no longer made any sense as he had seen her assist him several times over.
Moving over to his bed, he sat down which caused a creaking noise that made Santh sit up from his own bed. "Are you partaking in a nap before dinner, Santh? How childlike."
The larger man frowned, "I was not napping. I merely laid down while I thought over recent events."
"Recent events?" Remus perked up and hurried to Anton's bed next to him to sit closer to his friend. "Are these particularly delectable events? Perhaps involving your Mondue female... or the Princess?"
Santh frowned, "I am certain I know not of what you speak."
"I've always wondered what it would feel like to ride such an untamed mare. Assuredly it would be an unforgettable experience." He spoke with a large grin upon his face.
"Which one of the two are you referring?"
The merchant shrugged his shoulders, "Either will do. Though, if it were the Princess, it would rather put a dark overtone to our personal and professional relationship." He clasped his hands together and thought for a moment, "Yet, I can imagine it would be worth every coin lost as it would all be to satisfy my curiosity. I do enjoy feeding that more than my own stomach."
"I did nothing of the sort with either woman." Santh grumble as he wanted to bring Remus out of his reverie and return to his issue at hand. "Krine has told me that she plans to befriend Lenore in hopes of keeping her..." He cut himself off when he realized what he was about to say.
Remus didn't need the rest of the sentence to understand. "I see. That is unfortunate. It seems if that is a worry to you then perhaps Krine has not arrived in your life at an appropriate time. I did ask you to be confident that you were ready before you broke her heart."
Mixed feelings welled up in the Mondue's mind. He was grateful that his friend understood him without him having to place it into awkward words, but was also annoyed that his friend found him to be so transparent. "I must rid myself of her, but she seems to be determined. An admirable trait to my people, but frustrating when it is unwanted."
Remus realized that the man before him was looking to him for suggestions. "What do you expect from me? You are the Mondue male, surely you are aware of the way to remove an undesired female from your life."
"Yes, you ask another female to battle for you and then marry the second female. I doubt bringing a second Mondue female into this predicament will solve anything." He laid back down on his bed.
"Ah, yes, I had forgotten that custom. I have been chased by many a Mondue woman, but they seemed eager to rid themselves of me in the end." Remus pressed his lips together.
"You are no Mondue male, and you never played into our ceremonious courting rituals." Santh informed him before sitting back up to look at him. "Perhaps, I should do the same with Krine. If I stop acting as a Mondue then she might be turned away."
"I do not fully understand, my friend. Krine seems to be the perfect female for you, as you speak to her more than you do most, but she wishes to befriend Lenore and suddenly you wish her absent from your life."
Santh wondered if his friend had actually understood him at all earlier, or if he was simply trying to get him to admit something to him. "I believe you have already won and heard your answer to this, so I wonder why you must fish further."
Remus shrugged, "I enjoy when things are made clear to me, but I wonder if they are clear to you."
Santh began to speak but in a mumbled breath so no one could hear if they approached the dorm. "If Krine befriends Lenore then all will be lost."
"All will be lost?"
He could no longer look his friend in the eyes, "I am well aware that it shall never be, but I prefer knowing there is a small chance then having it ripped away without my permission."
Remus nodded, "You were the one who asked for Krine to enter your life. This is a problem of your own creation, and you should come to terms with whatever position you plan to play. Neither will sit around unwanted until you are ready to be a realist or an idealist."
---***---
Dalton stood in the flower court near the dirt path. The court was empty that day as most students were out in the hamlet, but he felt as if he had walked through a crowd to arrive at this point. Every time he took a step toward the path, he felt an unexplained power yanking him back. In truth, it was a completely explained power and it's name was pride.
The last two weeks, he had been told by almost every professor that he should contact his parents and inform them that he will not be welcomed back in the next year. He had asked if he could increase his marks if he would be, and though they said he would be, the professors didn't look hopeful that he would be able to do so.
There was only one person in this entire school that would be seen with him, and he wondered if she would even speak to him. Of course, he could imagine lowering himself down to beg for her help only to have the Princess laugh at him. This was a far more humiliating fate then not being spoken to at all.
He shook his head and decided he would leave, but as he turned Lenore stood before him. It was too late, he told himself as a large Mondue female appeared beside her.
"Dalton, have you come to see me?" Lenore asked.
He was surprised that she held no venom in her voice. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small scroll and offered it out to her. He felt it was better to just show her then to actually lower himself to explaining and begging.
Lenore unfolded the scroll after she placed her basket on the ground. "Oh, Dalton, these are terrible."
He swallowed, "I know we have never been friends, and that you loathe my very existence. After all, if I wasn't born then the duke might have thought you were his only chance at having a child. I can not be unborn and I am the heir to the..."
"Enough, Dalton. Spare me the prepared speech." Her raised voice silenced him and she offered the scroll back to him. "Mother already asked me to assist you, and while I told her no, the mere fact that you came to ask yourself makes me believe there is hope still for you."
"Then you will assist me?"
She gave a nod. "However, it comes at a price."
He swallowed, "What price?'
"In the future, you shall owe me a favor."
Dalton thought briefly for a moment, "Very well, but nothing too ridiculous, agreed?" He watched her nod once more. "Wonderful, then shall we meet at the library after classes every day?"
Lenore chuckled and shook her head, "Oh, I am afraid that simply won't do. You see, I also tutor my dorm mates. If you wish to add yourself to our group then you will come to our dorm."
"That place is certainly beneath both of us. If I must be lowered to being taught next to commoners, then they can very well come to the library." He stood up straight to show that he was serious about this statement.
"If being near commoners is so very offensive, wouldn't you rather do so in a place that others will not see. Also, you will feel more comfortable there as there are less judging eyes to be cast upon you due to your last name." With that Lenore picked up her basket. "Tomorrow after classes at my dorm or not at all."
She rushed passed him and down the dirt path with Krine following behind her. The large Mondue had been perfectly silent as she knew her place was not in that conversation. Though she had questions about who the man was, she knew it wasn't her place to ask either.
---***---
Anton put his pants back on while Piera tried to make her own uniform look as if they hadn't been ripped off and put back on without any care. Anton had left the dorm without telling anyone where he was going, but Jolon had done the same. Piera had passed him a note the day before asking to meet with him and the location of where they would be comfortable. It had been over a month since they had last seen each other in that alley in the hamlet.
He had wondered what it was that she could possibly want as she had made it quite clear that their rendezvous was only capable for that one evening. It had taken him a couple hours to fall asleep the night before not only due to the bitter cold of being out in the open, but because he kept wondering if she was going to tell him that she was with child. In order to calm himself, he realized that Piera would never admit that he was the child's father as it would ruin her family and perhaps even lower her station.
However, this worry was soon gone the moment Piera laid eyes on him. He could tell just from a single look exactly what the Souchan had summoned him out into the woods for.
"Lost in thought?" Piera asked as she stood from the leaf covered ground and made her way over to the tree that he was leaning on.
"Unfamiliar territory." He smirked, "I didn't expect to meet with you..."
She pressed her lips against his own, but didn't receive the response she expected. "What is it?" She asked as he stood up straight to stare down at her.
"I thought last time would be the only time."
Piera chuckled, "Was it so bad that you were praying that it would never happen again?"
"No! No, of course not. I just do not like relationships to be unclear." He watched as she leaned against the tree that he had once claimed.
She crossed her arms, "Then let's define this one. We meet, we do wicked things to one another, and then we pretend that we hardly know each other."
"You are suggesting that this will be on-going?"
She briefly raised an eyebrow, "Unless you wish for this to be the final time."
"No, I accept, but I must return to the dorm." He kissed her forehead.
She grinned, "Then I shall be off. We should meet again very soon." She told him before turning around and hurrying off to her own dorm.
Anton watched her for a moment, before he turned around and stopped in his tracts. Ophelia stood nearby with a bucket in her hand.
"I... I... Santh was bathing in the stream. I had to come up stream to get some water." Her voice proved her nervousness and Anton was aware that she had seen enough of him and Piera.
Walking over to her, he took the bucket from her hand and moved to the stream to collect some water for her. "Why do you need water?"
"We were going to drink tonight and I wanted water nearby." Ophelia looked toward the area that Piera had disappeared through.
Standing up after collecting the water, Anton came to stand directly in front of her. "How much did you see?"
Her cheeks quickly turned red, "It... it wasn't as if I was watching on purpose. I... I froze. I thought if I left you would hear me or if I... I don't know."
Anton released a loud sigh as he tried not to blush himself. "Ophelia, I know this will be very hard for you, but you can not tell anyone about this. Routine can never know or he will kill me, understand? Lenore can never know, because I will never hear the end of how badly this will become, and Santh can never know because... well, I don't want his judging eyes."
"What about Remus and Jolon?"
He sighed once more in exhaustion, "Remus will find a way to use it against me, and Jolon will, well, he won't do much except tease me but nevertheless he can not know."
"And I shouldn't know because I am a gossip." Ophelia sucked on her bottom lip.
Using his free hand, Anton put his hand on top of her head. "Please, Ophelia. Pretend you never saw anything."
"I never saw anything."
---***---
Lenore walked around the dorm and found Santh sitting on her bed with his hair wet and no shirt covering his chest. The man often walked around the dorm without any clothing on his upper body, but she had never seen him sit on her bed while doing so. Of course, her bed had never been outside, sitting on the very path that lead to the stream before. A thousand naughty jokes came to mind, but she was in no mood to deal with a temper tantrum from the man.
In his hands was a small towel that he was using to dry his hair. She rarely saw Santh with his hair down as it was normally pulled back, and when it was down he was usually laying in his room and she would only get a peek from the hallway. He had always had longer hair, even though most Mondue males kept their hair short.
"What are you doing in my room?" She asked as she walked over to her bed and took a seat beside him and placed her basket at her feet. She half expected him to jump from his spot and glare down at her for ruining the peaceful sanctuary he had created.
"Where is Krine?" He asked ignoring her question completely and keeping his head down as he slowly dried his hair.
"She had to return to her dorm." She told him and waited for a follow up question, but received none. She decided that she would simply tell him what she was certain he wanted to know about their time together. "We had a nice day. She is a little uptight like you are sometimes, but overall she is pleasant enough. We ate skewers and bought home made soaps." She dug through the basket and held out a bar of soap. "This is the kind you like, isn't it?"
Santh looked down at the cloth wrapped soap, "Ophelia's mother sends plenty, we have no need to buy more."
"It is good to change your soap from time to time." She put the soap back in the basket. "It's there if you want it." She looked at his wet hair that when dried was a dark brown but when wet looked nearly pitch black. Reaching into another basket next to her bed, she pulled out a brush and offered it to him.
Santh looked at the wooden brush for a couple seconds and Lenore knew that look. He was about to become embarrassed that she had done something nice and soon he would be yelling at her over something that had nothing to do with her gesture.
He surprised her when he accepted the brush and began to quickly run it through his hair. "Do you like her?"
"Krine? As I said, she is pleasant. I wouldn't say she is my greatest friend in all the world just yet." She leaned back on her arms and let her feet dangle off the floor. "What is more important is that you like her."
He was quiet as he finished brushing his hair and tossed the brush back into the basket before pulling his hair back with the leather strap.
"I see. I believe that Mondue females are relentless in their pursuit of a man. Isn't it also true that you will only send her away by having another Mondue female fight for you?" Lenore had a slight smirk upon her lips almost as if she was enjoying watching him flail with this woman.
Santh could see the humor in her face and he chuckled briefly, "I won't be doing such a thing. I had forgotten how terrifying they could truly be."
"Mondue females are not the only terrifying women." She winked.
"You do not have to inform me of that." Santh teased. "I can do nothing but wait for her to grow weary."
"Oh, the do nothing approach, how very passive of you."
He slowly shrugged his shoulders, "It shall have to do until I can think of another plan."
Ophelia and Anton appeared within those moments with Anton carrying the water bucket. Ophelia looked at the two of them sitting on the bed, which caused Santh to stand immediately up. "We are going to drink together in the court, come join us." She told both of them before she hurried around the dorm.
Lenore stood up, "Put a shirt on and meet us up front."
---***---
Everyone sat on the beds in the court as they finished up the mead that Remus had set aside for them from Odelia's last shipment. Ophelia and Lenore shared a bed though Lenore laid down while the younger girl barely got any room at the feet.
Jolon had arrived from his unexplained hiatus and began to drink on Anton's bed with him, as the girls had procured his bed. There wasn't much conversation being had though the nearby dorm was on their minds. Several times they had considered taking their chances and moving back into the three available rooms, but Jolon warned that the risk would be high.
"I suspect that the three of you have been unable to stand before the council." Remus asked as he tried to hide the exhaustion that he felt. He didn't blame them but was annoyed by the quantity of time he had spent sleeping outdoors.
Every one watched as they shook their heads.
"They continue to make up ridiculous excuses for why they won't see us." Anton informed them with some venom in his voice.
"We have no power and they are aware of it. I know Lenore said that none of you can assist us since you don't belong, but can you not at the very least get us in to see them?" Jolon asked and when they all shook their heads, his anger began to rise. "This is ridiculous! Aren't you all tired of sleeping out here? Or is this all one giant game for the rich brats?"
Ophelia covered her mouth at his last comment.
"Jolon, that's enough!" Anton snapped.
"No! I am sick of being seen as nothing." He stood from the bed and came to hover over Lenore who hadn't said anything as of yet. She continued to drink her mead and pick at her pastry. "You are the Princess of this entire country, and you can't get some commoners before a student council? Does that sound right to you?"
Lenore took a sip of her mead and then another bite of her pastry, and didn't seem willing to engage in this conversation at all.
Jolon slapped the pastry from her hand and seemed like he was either going to grab her mead or her arm, but a larger pair of arms wrapped around his chest and tossed him into the dirt court. He landed with a thud and then looked up at the large Mondue towering above him.
"Since when have you become her personal guard, Santh?" Jolon whimpered as he looked at the scratched marks on his elbows that were beginning to bleed.
"It's not her that I am protecting." Santh growled.
Everyone had stood up except for Lenore. Remus looked as if he wanted to retreat from this conversation, while Routine glared at Jolon though he had said nothing either.
After a moment, Lenore stood up and walked next to Santh. She looked down at Jolon who didn't dare to stand. "Do you expect someone of greater power to always be there for you? Eventually, you will need things to be done that those above you will not do, and you will have to find a way to get them completed." She held out her hand and helped Jolon to stand.
He initially wanted to smack her hand away, but took the offer after considering that she was the Princess.
"Very well. I will show you how to do this properly. My brother loathes the idea of women staying here for more than two years, therefore I will stand against him in this argument. He is more powerful and has far more sway then I could ever dream of, but I will show you how to be heard even when the world wishes for your silent."
With that Lenore stood tall and walked gracefully behind the dorm without another word said. Everyone standing in that court knew that for a brief moment, they had seen the real Princess inside Lenore. Ophelia didn't remain long and hurried to catch up with her friend, she wanted to hear this plan of hers.