Lenore finished packing her bag and decided she would send a servant for the rest of her items. This bag would allow her to live comfortably for the next couple of days. As she turned to the door, she found all her friends standing in the hallway watching her with mouths agape.
"Lenore?" Ophelia was barely able to squeak out the name.
"I have grown bored with all this nonsense." She motioned around the room and spoke with snark in her voice. "It was a fun little experiment while it lasted, but I would prefer to have my servants and real friends now." When she finished speaking, she pushed passed the group and headed down to the court. She tried to take deep breaths in order to prevent herself from showing any emotion other than disdain for this place and the people.
There were plenty of witnesses to watch whatever would happen next, and Lenore hoped that her friends would just allow her to leave with those words. She would not get this wish and her heart sunk when she heard the next voice call out to her.
"Wait!" Santh yelled as the others followed behind him and he ran down from the dorm platform to her as she stopped with her back to him. Grabbing her arm, he turned her around. "What are you saying?"
The group of friends was all huddled together with Santh and Ophelia at the front. Their eyes were wide as if they couldn't believe what was occurring before them.
"Are we still friends?" Ophelia asked before the Princess could answer him though Lenore was not very quick in trying to explain herself.
Lenore snorted, "Friends? Do you believe that a princess such as myself would befriend such low birthed rats as yourself?" She chuckled, "You are the daughter of the traitor. Do you truly believe that I ever wanted your friendship?"
Ophelia couldn't decide between disbelief and devastation, but the choice was soon made for her. She swallowed down her tears as Remus placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.
Lenore continued, "Not one, not two, but three commoners congesting the halls of this dorm with their filth certainly could not be on my level. The only two people worthy of any of my attention are Byron and Remus, and Remus, I merely used to earn money since my brother was withholding my funds."
"I... I don't believe you." Ophelia seemed the only one in the group able to call upon her voice. "What happened when you left here?"
Lenore rolled her eyes, "That is my personal business, someone of your level could never understand the world in which I live. I chose to come here for a time to pretend to be something other than one of the most powerful people in this country, but what was once a fresh and fun adventure has become boring and familiar."
Ophelia opened her mouth the speak, but Lenore wouldn't allow her.
"I grow weary of such low births being overly familiar with me, and having to deal with your insignificant problems day in and day out. I rebuilt this dorm for you and you should be grateful for that. I now have a legacy to stand the test of time here and you were all part of it, though you will not be mentioned when I tell the tale." She tried to ignore the other female students who were now watching this unfold. "I am the people's princess and I have earned that title as I walked with you, but now I must return to where I belong and you all return to the miserable lives you had before I shielded you."
Santh could barely believe what he was hearing and seemed to be at a loss for words. He watched as Lenore walked away from the group and headed down the dirt path. Shaking his head, he rushed away from the group and after Lenore, he would not let this end this way.
The rest of the students stood silently. None one made a sound or any movement until Ophelia could no longer contain herself anymore and began to cry. Remus pulled her into his arms and held her tightly while the others came to pat her back and comfort her as best they could.
Lesatan sat in his bedroom and stared at the window as he had a better view of the gate from there. His office's view was blinded by a tree freshly budding its leaves. The smell of cinnamon soaked pine cones filled the air of the room, and reminded him of times when he and his sister were younger. His mother would toss them into the fire while the two of them played with little wooden dolls together.
He remembered there was once a time when his mother seemed to want Lenore as her daughter, but it changed suddenly without warning. Lenore used to be carried around by the Queen whenever she visited and he could still feel the tinge of jealousy. However, that jealousy became loneliness when his mother began fearing Lenore instead of loving her.
He knew that his mother was the reason Lenore had to hide away for so many years, but it was strange how close she became to the little girl the first visit. He always wondered what caused the change, but was never brave enough to ask his mother.
A knock came to the door, and it slowly opened as Piera stuck her head in and saw him staring out the window. "Lesatan?" She said his name softly as she stepped into the room. The pungent scent of cinnamon was overwhelming. She coughed slightly as she moved to stand near him after closing the door behind her. "Are you well?"
Lesatan heard her questions, but he didn't know how to answer. He had asked Piera to be honest with him, however in this pact he made with Damek, he could never tell anyone the truth. "I am fine."
"You can not feel that treating your sister in this manner is acceptable? Truly, this will have far reaching consequences." Piera waited for an answer and received none. "You are forcing her to give away her friends and destroy the very life she created here. She will want revenge someday." She reached out her hand to touch his shoulder, but was shocked away by his words.
"Friends?" He snorted. "That group is not nor will they ever be her friends. Her only true friends live in this dorm, and if she can't be made to see that than she will be forced."
Piera swallowed as she continued to stare at the back of Lesatan's head. She played nervously with her fingers for a moment, before taking a deep breath. "I do not understand, Lesatan. Before the break, you two seemed to be coming to some sort of agreement, and now..."
"Lenore belongs here!" Lesatan stood up to glare at her with his finger pointing to the floor beneath him. "If she cannot be bought or charmed then she will be made to submit! I grow weary of how obstinate she has become, and will tolerate it no longer!"
Piera lowered her eyes and did not reply as Lesatan turned back to the window to watch for his sister. She wanted to tell him how evil this plan was and that even his mother did not feel this was the path to walk. However, there was something about the way he spoke and the way he was acting that did not seem like a man that was enjoying this act.
She had promised to trust him and his decisions, and she thought perhaps that he knew more than she did. She would prefer if he shared this information, but she could not be the one to demand it from him.
"I shall take my leave then." Piera waited for him to ask her to stay, but instead he waved his hand to dismiss her.
As she walked to the door, she looked over her shoulder and watched as he folded his hands behind his back. His eyes ever waiting for his sister to keep her word and return to the dorm... or perhaps, finally return to him. She wondered if he missed her or if he wanted to punish her. Piera had no idea what had caused this decision, but a darkness loomed over the future. That was the only certainty that Piera had in that moment.
Lenore would not stand idly by and allow herself to be used in this manner forever, which meant that perhaps what the Queen had told her would come to pass. Piera wondered if she would be caught in the path of the dragon's rage and it caused a shiver down her spine.
Lenore heard her name being called as she nearly ran down the dirt path, but when she entered the flowered court a hand grabbed her upper arm. She turned to face Santh as she tried her best not to show any sadness. Every ounce of her will power forced her not to cry in front of this man.
There were many students walking around them, and she didn't want them to overhear any of her conversation. Santh, on the other hand, didn't care if the king himself heard his clear voice as he wanted his explanation.
"Why are you doing this? We were happy only this morning." Santh asked in a voice that demanded answers, but his face looked more like a puppy begging its owner not to leave.
Lenore laughed bitterly as making herself further into the villain was the only way she could prevent herself from telling him the truth. "I think I have perfectly explained myself. I am done playing in the dirt with Mondue peasants who think they are better than they are because of their fathers."
There was no pain in his eyes as his brows came together. "Lenore, why are you acting so cruel? What are you doing? Tell me, and I will help you."
"How thick is that skull of yours?" Lenore finally yanked her arm from his grasp. "Did you fall in love with me?" She snorted, "Of course, you would be that arrogant to think someone of my standing could actually love you."
His head cocked to the side, "What are you saying? Your words are as if you are designing them to cause a rift between you and your friends."
She didn't know what else to say and she knew Lesatan was waiting for her. "You are a toy, Santh. Something to be played with and tossed aside when it grows dull. Nothing more. I weaved you into a web and you fought against it. However, now that I have you, I no longer want you."
As the students passed by them, the two stared into each other's eyes for several moments. Angry and resentment filled her eyes while a curious sadness filled his own. Finally, Santh stepped back and stared down at the woman in front of him.
"I see." He spoke the words softly. "All this time, we have been just a game to you then? I was right about who you were from the very beginning."
"Of course."
He nodded his head, "Do not do this, Lenore. Do not become this person. We only have so much time and..."
"I have always been this person." Lenore hissed. "I am bored of you and those surrounding you. I have no more need to play in the muck and the dirt with your kind. I am a princess and those I truly care for have need for me now. I am done."
Santh watched Lenore turn her back to him and begin to walk away. His heart dropped as he thought of her words that confused and angered him. The wave of students slowly began to wash over Lenore until she was out of his sights. Though the students had to walk around him, Santh stood stoically in the center of the court and watched the skyline before him. He hoped Lenore would return to him and apologize. He wanted her to tell him that everything she had just said was a lie, but there would be nothing yet still he remained and waited.
Lenore, who was returning to the dorm, had wanted to tell him the truth, but she feared he would attempt to help her solve this dilemma. Any help from him would only anger Lesatan and cause the dorm to be destroyed.
As she walked back to the dorm, she place her hand over her mouth and lowered her head to prevent anyone from seeing her tears or hearing her cries. In her mind, she thought, "I have to go to the castle now and ignore you. Remember you said that you would smile."
She hoped that she left everyone in enough doubt that they feared approaching her, but were still curious enough of why she had really left them. That doubt would be the only comfort to them for what she would have to do in the future.
There would be no friendly acknowledgments and no more conversations. They were going to lose her as much as she was losing them, but the doubt of her story would remain. She chose not to destroy all of their faith in her or at least she hoped she hadn't.
As she walked through the gates, her eyes went up to a window and she saw a figure hurry away. She knew her brother had been waiting for her return and a darkness settled in her heart. She would punish him somehow for what he had just made her do.
Damek grinned as he sat behind his desk with his hands folded nicely on the wood. A young Souchan girl was whispering in his ear about the scene that unfolded between Lenore and Lesatan. She then followed Lenore and explained what the Princess had done when she returned to the dorm. When she finished her story, Damek waved her hand to command her to leave. Which she did with haste and a small bow to the two men in the room.
Standing in the darkness of the corner, Marius Decoste raised an eyebrow when the girl shut the door. The grin that grew on Damek's lips was almost frightening.
"Plans are moving quickly now. I had almost given up hope that I would accomplish such a feat." Damek stood from the desk and walked over to a small side table that held glasses and a bottle of brown alcohol.
He set the small glasses on the desk and poured a little for each of them before putting the clear bottle on his desk. When he returned to his seat, he motioned for Marius to sit in the chair before his desk.
Following the orders, Marius sat down in the nearly empty room. His study had no decorations, no rugs, just hard wooden chairs and a desk. There was a certain eeriness about a man that was going through his eighth year at this school and never bothered to decorate his room or even order for its decoration.
"You will not be here next year, am I to fulfill your plans during that time?" Marius asked as he picked up the glass and took a sip of the acid liquid. He tried not to show his pain as it ripped its way down his throat.
Damek nodded after he gulped down the entire glass. "It will not take long to implement my plans, you will not be in control for very long."
"Do you believe this will destroy their alliance?" Marius took another sip and part of him wished to find a place he could pour the drink out, and had even looked around the room but he knew better then to reject a gift from Damek.
"Their 'alliance' was weak as it stood. It is important that Lenore and Lesatan grow to loathe one another. The more Lesatan fears Lenore's reaction to his movements and the more Lenore become antagonized the more open the rip becomes and soon there will be no stopping Lenore from this revolution." He poured himself another drink. "By the end of the year, she will seethe at his very presence and I will have all but given Lenore the throne. She will finally see me as a man worthy of her time and her heart."
That word brought a curious tinge to his heart and he asked his question as he slowly placed his glass on the desk. He hoped that it would simply look as if he had forgotten that it was even there. "Her heart, milord?"
Damek seemed to realize that he had given a piece of himself away and quickly dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "Never you mind. What matters is removing Lesatan's crown. Next year, I will be safely away from the university and therefore be given doubt in what part I have played. You will keep to yourself and keep the wheels I have spinning in motion."
"What of this year, milord?"
He poured himself another drink and quickly drank it before putting the glass down. "This year, we pit the Prince and Princess against one another. Though, I think Lesatan has already played his best hand. Lenore's anger for his actions today will begin to boil. We will just need to toss in some seasoning from time to time. To know what and when will be answered in time."
Damek poured another glass of the brown alcohol and then added some more to Marius' glass, before holding it up into the air. "Here is to our oncoming victory!"
Marius picked up the glass with disgust and clanked it against Damek's, before he drank the entire contents of the glass down.
Armand met Lenore as she entered the dorm, she knew that her brother had sent him along to ensure she went directly to her room. He said nothing to her as the two walked up the stairs towards the room that she had been locked away in during one of the tournaments last school year. The purple room designed by the Queen herself for Lenore was untouched except for the maids that cleaned the rooms.
When Armand opened the door, a soft scent of lavender filled the air and Lenore stared at her canopy bed with a frown. Closing the door behind him, Armand waited behind her as she tossed her bag onto the bed before opening the wardrobe to find the dresses that had been chosen for her by the Queen every year.
"Did you know of Lesatan's plans?" Lenore finally spoke to him as she touched the fabric of one of the purple dresses.
"He informed the advisers two days ago." Armand admitted without hesitation as he knew there was no use in lying to Lenore as she seemed more than capable of digging up the truth if she truly wanted to know.
Shutting the wardrobe doors, she turned to face him. "Why wasn't I warned? I could have planned a strategy against him."
"Which is why you were not told." He watched her brows come together and knew she needed more information before she grew angry. "If any of us informed you, he would have become suspicious of us all. Not to mention that I think you would have needed to do something so outrageous that it might have harmed you more than helped you. Certainly, you would still be at the dorm, but Lesatan and the Queen tire of this act. They were very active and secretive during the break and had you returned home you would have been able to see it for yourself."
"I had better things to do then prance around the castle and worry about what plots might be afoot." She walked over to her bed and sat down on the end of it as she looked around the room. "Damn purples. I wonder if I could change the colors. How long before I expect to hear talks of another engagement? I know how much the Queen wants to wed me off."
He shrugged as he watched her look around the room, but continue to sit still on the bed with her hands folded in her lap. "I would guess it would be any time now."
"Do you want to marry me, Armand? Save me the time of having to deal with someone new and I'll keep your secrets as well." She said in a tease, but he could see that his friend was trying to hide her tears.
Armand sighed somewhat in frustration but also in helplessness as he could do nothing for Lenore in these moments. "I do not know what you have been up to these past couple of years, but I think this is the perfect place to stop. In a few years, you and Lesatan will leave this place and you'll be able to tell your friends the truth about today."
Lenore glared up at him and slowly stood on her feet. "How do you know anything of what happened with my friends?"
"Do you think that Lesatan would not have you followed? That he would not ensure that you did as you were told while away from him?" Armand crossed his arms as Lenore walked up to stand in front of him, but as he talked she turned her eyes away from him.
"I see. I suppose I should grow used to being followed then." She took a deep breath and walked over to a table that has a vase with a single purple flower. She plucked the flower from the vase and began to pull the petals off one by one as she spoke before letting them fall to the floor at her feet. "As for telling my friends, I am afraid that will be a secret I take to the grave. I gave them the only gift I could to comfort them and that was some doubt that I am not a completely horrid human being. However, I will not be some martyr or damsel in distress in need of rescuing. After all, by the time it comes that I can say anything, I will be living at the castle not some prison cell."
"No matter how beautiful the cage is; it still keeps a bird from flying where it wishes." Armand took the steam of the flower from her and placed it back into the vase, before he left the room.
Authin walked down the dirt path and the closer he came to the dorm, the more he realized that the voices coming from his new home were not idle chatter. There was an argument occurring and with a deep sigh, he headed into what he knew would be yet another issue that his so-called friends were having. In his mind, he mumbled that he was already paying for a servant to come to this school, and he didn't need to help fix any more issues.
As the newly flowered court opened before him, he could see some of the female students slowly making their way into the dorm to hide from the arguing group. Santh, Anton, and Jolon were talking over each other making it impossible to understand what was being said. During this, Remus, Ophelia, and Routine tried to interrupt but were too polite to talk over anyone and would simply close their mouths when they realized they were not being heard. Harona and Saena had disappeared into the dorm with the rest of the females.
Walking over to the bench, Authin spoke as loudly as he could. "What is the meaning of this?" He yelled and caused everyone to turn their attention to him.
"Lenore left the dorm." Ophelia explained calmly though her eyes looked like they had shed many tears.
"Left the dorm? Is that what you call what she did?" Jolon asked with fury in his voice before he looked at Authin. "She insulted us all, then informed us that we were nothing more than toys that she has become bored with."
"Something is happening! We can't take what she did at face value." Ophelia argued, "Right, Santh? What did she say when you went after her?"
Santh looked upset for a moment, before a look of anger shown across his face. "Jolon and Anton are correct, I warned all of you, countless times, that Lenore is nothing more than a spoiled brat who wanted something to play with."
Authin didn't understand what had occurred and neither did he want to get involved. He decided that he would discover the truth the next time he spoke to Armand, but for now there was nothing he could add to the conversation. As he had been around Lesatan, he knew fully that Lenore was not playing a game with the commoners. What she was doing had everything to do with her brother and nothing to do with this dorm.
After what Santh had said, Routine was the next to leave without saying a word to Authin. He returned to his dorm with a look of annoyance upon his face.
"She is not a spoiled brat! Look what she has done for us all!" Ophelia barked. "We must help her!"
Santh snorted, "You are delusional, Ophelia. She is a monster and you will just have to start accepting that."
Authin watched Santh stormed off and afterward Remus put his hands on Ophelia's shoulders. "Come, lets eat our meal and calm down. We have classes in two days and we must prepare ourselves." He began to move her toward the table.
Authin watched Jolon and Anton stomp away into the dorm, and he moved to leave the area as well. He wanted to leave Remus to deal with the upset Ophelia.
As he walked around the dorm, he heard something akin to punching coming from the woods. Stepping lightly through the leaves, he found Santh punching a tree before he leaned his forehead against it.
All Authin could see was the large man's back, but from the small hiccups of his chest, he thought the Mondue might be crying. He decided to leave him to his pain as he hurried back to the dorm. There didn't seem to be any place he could hide from the mess Lenore had left behind, so he decided to leave the dorm for a few more hours until it was time to sleep.
Sitting at the bench, Ophelia slowly ate the soup that they had bought in the market. The creamy broth soothed her throat while the chunks of chicken and vegetables filled her stomach. Remus sat beside her as they both stared at the table with filled bowls and no one to eat the meal with them.
"I don't understand." Ophelia mumbled under her breath in between spoonfuls of her soup and bites of the bread she was dipping into it.
Remus swallowed, "Perhaps, it is just as Santh said. We were all fooled by her and she truly is a spoiled brat that used us as play things to quench her boredom."
The dark haired girl shook her head slowly as she scooped another spoonful of soup into her mouth. After she finished chewing she spoke again. "I know Lenore. She was my dorm mate for an entire year. We had heart to heart conversations that were emotional and true to who we were as persons. I remember how upset she was when Santh rejected her. That was no act, Remus." She turned her eyes toward him. "She was truly heartbroken."
He didn't know what else to tell her and so he began to eat his soup as quickly as he could. However, Ophelia merely stared at him as if she was waiting for him to speak. After a couple moments, he swallowed down the last of his bowl and looked into the eyes of the woman who was now glaring at him. "Ophelia, I do not know what is going on here. I do not know why Lenore did this or whether she is a monster as Santh said or not. All I know is that a piece of my heart always wondered what Lenore was doing at this dorm. Why she was acting as our friend? The only answer that made any sense to me was Santh's explanation that we were all here to entertain the little princess."
She pressed her lips together. "I do not believe that."
Remus sighed and squeezed her shoulder. "We need to drink tonight. I'll head into town and grab something for us. Finish your dinner."
Ophelia sighed as she watched Remus leave and returned to her soup. After a couple minutes, a shadow appeared over her and sat down across the table from her. She didn't even have to look up to know it was Routine as that was where he always sat.
Eating his now cold soup, he was quiet for some time until Ophelia had finished her meal and shoved the bowl toward the center of the table.
"You knew her better than anyone. Are they right? Is she a spoiled child that used us for entertainment?" Ophelia asked with worry and hope in her voice.
After a couple seconds of chewing, Routine looked up from his bowl of soup and the woman in front of him. "They are wrong." No long explanation or over dramatic words, he spoke purely and with conviction.
Ophelia felt her heart lift and a grin came to her lips. "Truly? You believe that?"
"There is obviously a plot afoot." Routine told her before taking another bite of his meal. "Lenore had a desire that needed to be filled by her brother, and to act as she did today means that her plot has been shattered. If she is doing this than it must mean we are involved therefore we must trust there is a good reason. She left wanting us to loathe her, and she ensured most of us did."
"If that is true, she is our friend, she should have asked us for help." Ophelia took another piece of bread from the basket on the table and started to tear it into little pieces before putting it in her mouth. "We should investigate and discover the truth."
"No." He spoke sternly. "Lenore wishes to carry this burden alone, and when alone she is at her strongest. Let her protect us from the true monsters."
Ophelia lowered her eyes to the bread in her hand. "What if she needs us?"
"As your future husband, you should gain confidence in my judgment." He only finished half of his bowl before he pushed it toward the center of the table.
He said no more as he stood from the table and returned to the dorm. After a few moments, other female students began to filter out in search of their dinner that was now cold.
Remus had gotten to the front gates when he realized that he had left his coin purse in the dorm room. With a heavy sigh, he decided to cut through the woods and enter through the back entrance of the dorm in order to avoid Ophelia. He needed a moment to himself after what had happened that evening as he was slowly digesting everything that happened, and trying to decide where his emotions settled.
As he made his way through the woods, he could hear a loud banging noise and as he got closer to the dorm, it grew louder. Of course, this made his curiosity grow and he began to move towards the noise.
When Santh came into view, Remus sighed when he realized the noise had been his friend punching the nearby trees. His knuckles were bleeding and the white barked trees had spots stained with blood.
"You bitch! I fucking knew it!" He could barely speak between his clenched jaw as he punched the tree again and again.
Remus felt for his friend, but in truth did not want to have this conversation at this time. He couldn't deal with his own thoughts and emotions on what had just happened with Lenore, and therefore was no use to anyone else. However, it was too late as Santh noticed him out of the corner of his eye, and Remus knew he couldn't just walk away.
Leaning his sweating forehead against the tree, Santh exhaled. "I am in no mood, Remus. I already know you warned me that it would never worked out between her and me. So, just leave."
Remus frowned upon hearing his friends words and realizing that Santh thought he was here to rub his nose in the truth. "I never thought she would betray us all and that we would all be nothing more than toys to her, Santh. That is not what I meant when I said that."
Santh continued to lean against the tree with his forehead, and Remus noticed blood dripping down his fingers into the leaves beneath him.
"Classes will begin soon, and the cycle of this dorm's life will begin anew. At the very least, Lenore gave us that. Even if it was to fulfill some sense of greatness in her." Remus almost felt as if he was trying to convince himself.
"Classes. I have classes with her." He began to look deflated. "Every day of the week, I will see her twice a day."
"Well, except one."
Santh glared at him out of the corner of his eyes.
"I apologize, but it is the truth. She won't be in the dining hall, so you won't have to worry about seeing her during meals."
Standing up, Santh looked exhausted. "She fooled me, Remus. No, I allowed myself to be fooled by her when I knew her true nature. Why did she have to be the horrible creature that I warned everyone about?"
Remus had no answer for his friend and could only stand idly by while his friend hurt. The best thing he could do was just sit in the pain with him, or perhaps it was the only thing he could do. After a moment, he decided to speak. "I have no idea why this happened. I am still attempting to understand it myself. She was my friend... or at least until today I thought she was my friend."
Santh chuckled bitter as he looked at his bloody knuckles. "I was starting to consider that at the end of our school term that I might speak to her father about my father's lands and title. That if she and I were on good terms and wanted to remain together that I might give up my pride."
"You were considering marriage?" Remus asked almost in a whisper.
Santh swallowed and seemed to be holding back tears. "I was."
Remus took a deep breath, "Come, lets get your hands wrapped up and I'll head into town and buy mead and snacks for everyone. We should all get drunk tonight and forget about all this mess. Leave it for our future selves to understand."
Santh nodded in agreement before turning around and heading back to the dorm.
A gentle, almost shy knock echoed throughout the purple room as Lenore sat on the edge of her bed with a scroll in her hands. She was trying to study but her mind would simply wander to the people she had left at that dorm. She wondered how upset they were or if she had fooled them at all.
"Who is it?" Lenore asked after she was startled by the sudden noise.
"It is Piera, may I come in?" It was almost as if the woman was trying to speak through the crack of the door as she could see her shadow, which gave Lenore a moment to grin before her sadness washed over her once more.
"Enter." Lenore rolled up the scroll and stood up as the other woman entered the room nervously. Walking over to the tray on the table, she poured herself a glass of tea. "Would you like some?"
"No, thank you. You were not at dinner tonight, and I wanted to ensure that you were well." Piera wanted to do this more for Lenore than because of the Queen's request. However, there was a part of her that worried over what the Queen had said.
"I would hardly call myself well, Piera." Lenore set the cup down and turned to face her. "Today, I attempted to destroy the part of my friends' hearts that held any love for me. All I wanted to do was tell them the truth about what I was doing, but I knew they would try to save me."
Piera lowered her eyes and folded her hands in front of her. She didn't know what to say to this woman. In truth, part of her was a little thrilled to have a friend in the dorm with her and not be surrounded by Lesatan and his other men all the time. There were other females in the dorm, but all seemed to fear her in some manner.
"I feel like my heart has been ripped apart." Lenore's voice cracked briefly. "Promise me that you will never tell the others about why I did what I did, not even your brother."
She nodded, "Lesatan already made me promise, but I extend my word towards you as well. I shall not tell them."
They both stood in silence for several long moments. Piera did not know what to say in order to calm her friend's heart, and Lenore did not know what she could share with this woman. Was she friend or foe? Only time would tell.
"I can not believe Lesatan would do this." Piera finally spoke. "You two were getting along well towards the end of the last school year. Why plot against you now?"
Lenore snorted, "No doubt this was the Queen's planning. He leaves me to return to her, and she plants seeds in his mind. She has always done that. Her paranoia runs deep, and whom ever is around me is given doubt on my intentions."
Piera couldn't deny that, after all the Queen had planted enough doubt in her own mind. "I do not think it was the Queen this time."
Lenore raised an eyebrow, "And what makes you say that?"
"She heard of Lesatan's plans and came to visit me. She is worried that this aggressive move on Lesatan's part might make you... do something rash."
The Princess continued to stare at her for a moment. "Why would she visit you about this? What did she ask of you?"
"She asked me to placate you." Piera did not wish to lie to Lenore as she had a feeling that this woman would eventually discover the truth. "Of course, I am telling you this because it is not my intention to do as she asks, I consider you a friend and I worry for you."
"I see." Lenore picked up her floral tea cup and took a sip. "You are either ignorantly truthful or incredibly cunning to tell me the truth."
Piera frowned, "Cunning is not a word I would use to describe myself." Taking a deep breath, she turned to leave. "I shall leave you to your studies. Goodnight, Princess."
"Goodnight." Lenore watched the door shut behind her and a darkness stirred in her heart as she began to question where Piera truly stood in this matter. At the very least, she was a pawn in the Queen's game.
Ophelia had a couple drinks before she decided that she didn't want to be around the large group any longer. She made her way to her dorm room only to be reminded that Lenore was not there anymore. Her closet was open and many of her clothes were gone, and other items were scattered over the ground.
A small jar of her butter cream lotion was sitting next to the bottom bed of the bunk beds. Ophelia thought how it would be strange not to awake to that smell anymore. She also wondered who would yell at the girls who were too loud during the night, or who would take control when everything fell apart.
The more she thought about Lenore, the more questions she began to have of how this new life without her would even be possible. She had to remind herself that Lenore was not dead, just merely beyond her reach. Though she hoped that whatever had happened would someday end and she could finally have her friend back again.
Classes would begin in a couple days, and she wondered how Lenore would act when they saw her during that time. Would she acknowledge them? Would she act towards her like those cruel girls did? Would she ignore them completely? Ophelia couldn't tell herself which would be worse, because even if she acknowledged her it wouldn't be in a friendly manner, not after the way she had left that evening.
A knock came to the door and Ophelia who was sitting in the middle of the floor looked up at it. "It's Saena." The voice said before the door opened. "I saw you leave and wanted to ensure you were well."
She sighed, "I just do not have any desire to drink and be merry right now. I know Remus was trying to be helpful, but I just wanted to mourn my friendship." Ophelia had tried not to cry in front of anyone as she didn't want to be seen as someone in need of coddling. However, part of her did want the attention as it would help ease her pain.
Saena stepped into the room and sat down on the edge of Lenore's bed. "Should you start sleeping in Harona and my room? You won't be alone in there."
She slowly shook her head, "No, I want to stay here. Lenore might not be gone for long. She might come back, right?"
The servant girl said nothing and averted her eyes when Ophelia looked to her for confirmation as she didn't know what to say.
"You believe she is the person that Santh says she is?" Ophelia took a deep breath. "I can not believe that. I know Lenore too well, and he should too. He shouldn't be acting as if he wasn't in love with her and that she made him happy for the first time since I met him. He should still be holding on and instead he made her into a monster immediately."
"Did you see his knuckles?" Saena asked. "He is hurting too. He is probably saying such things in order to build a protection around his heart, so that he won't have to feel abandoned. Imagine if Remus did that to you. Someone you cared for in such a deep manner. You and Lenore were close friends, and your pain is palatable. Think of what his must feel like."
Ophelia inhaled deeply, "I do not have the energy right now to care about his feelings. I only care that he cuts me deeper with his words."
Saena stood from the bed and patted Ophelia on the head briefly. "I will tell Remus that you are alright. I think he is intimidated by your emotions right now." She told her as she walked to the door and opened it, but before she leaved she turned to look at Ophelia. "I can not believe for a moment that the woman who forced a student professor to give a servant girl a fair chance at this school is anything like the woman she tried to portray today. So, I choose not to believe it, no matter how angry the others are right now."
Ophelia looked up from the floor and grinned slightly. "Thank you, Saena."
"Lenore?" Ophelia was barely able to squeak out the name.
"I have grown bored with all this nonsense." She motioned around the room and spoke with snark in her voice. "It was a fun little experiment while it lasted, but I would prefer to have my servants and real friends now." When she finished speaking, she pushed passed the group and headed down to the court. She tried to take deep breaths in order to prevent herself from showing any emotion other than disdain for this place and the people.
There were plenty of witnesses to watch whatever would happen next, and Lenore hoped that her friends would just allow her to leave with those words. She would not get this wish and her heart sunk when she heard the next voice call out to her.
"Wait!" Santh yelled as the others followed behind him and he ran down from the dorm platform to her as she stopped with her back to him. Grabbing her arm, he turned her around. "What are you saying?"
The group of friends was all huddled together with Santh and Ophelia at the front. Their eyes were wide as if they couldn't believe what was occurring before them.
"Are we still friends?" Ophelia asked before the Princess could answer him though Lenore was not very quick in trying to explain herself.
Lenore snorted, "Friends? Do you believe that a princess such as myself would befriend such low birthed rats as yourself?" She chuckled, "You are the daughter of the traitor. Do you truly believe that I ever wanted your friendship?"
Ophelia couldn't decide between disbelief and devastation, but the choice was soon made for her. She swallowed down her tears as Remus placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.
Lenore continued, "Not one, not two, but three commoners congesting the halls of this dorm with their filth certainly could not be on my level. The only two people worthy of any of my attention are Byron and Remus, and Remus, I merely used to earn money since my brother was withholding my funds."
"I... I don't believe you." Ophelia seemed the only one in the group able to call upon her voice. "What happened when you left here?"
Lenore rolled her eyes, "That is my personal business, someone of your level could never understand the world in which I live. I chose to come here for a time to pretend to be something other than one of the most powerful people in this country, but what was once a fresh and fun adventure has become boring and familiar."
Ophelia opened her mouth the speak, but Lenore wouldn't allow her.
"I grow weary of such low births being overly familiar with me, and having to deal with your insignificant problems day in and day out. I rebuilt this dorm for you and you should be grateful for that. I now have a legacy to stand the test of time here and you were all part of it, though you will not be mentioned when I tell the tale." She tried to ignore the other female students who were now watching this unfold. "I am the people's princess and I have earned that title as I walked with you, but now I must return to where I belong and you all return to the miserable lives you had before I shielded you."
Santh could barely believe what he was hearing and seemed to be at a loss for words. He watched as Lenore walked away from the group and headed down the dirt path. Shaking his head, he rushed away from the group and after Lenore, he would not let this end this way.
The rest of the students stood silently. None one made a sound or any movement until Ophelia could no longer contain herself anymore and began to cry. Remus pulled her into his arms and held her tightly while the others came to pat her back and comfort her as best they could.
---***---
Lesatan sat in his bedroom and stared at the window as he had a better view of the gate from there. His office's view was blinded by a tree freshly budding its leaves. The smell of cinnamon soaked pine cones filled the air of the room, and reminded him of times when he and his sister were younger. His mother would toss them into the fire while the two of them played with little wooden dolls together.
He remembered there was once a time when his mother seemed to want Lenore as her daughter, but it changed suddenly without warning. Lenore used to be carried around by the Queen whenever she visited and he could still feel the tinge of jealousy. However, that jealousy became loneliness when his mother began fearing Lenore instead of loving her.
He knew that his mother was the reason Lenore had to hide away for so many years, but it was strange how close she became to the little girl the first visit. He always wondered what caused the change, but was never brave enough to ask his mother.
A knock came to the door, and it slowly opened as Piera stuck her head in and saw him staring out the window. "Lesatan?" She said his name softly as she stepped into the room. The pungent scent of cinnamon was overwhelming. She coughed slightly as she moved to stand near him after closing the door behind her. "Are you well?"
Lesatan heard her questions, but he didn't know how to answer. He had asked Piera to be honest with him, however in this pact he made with Damek, he could never tell anyone the truth. "I am fine."
"You can not feel that treating your sister in this manner is acceptable? Truly, this will have far reaching consequences." Piera waited for an answer and received none. "You are forcing her to give away her friends and destroy the very life she created here. She will want revenge someday." She reached out her hand to touch his shoulder, but was shocked away by his words.
"Friends?" He snorted. "That group is not nor will they ever be her friends. Her only true friends live in this dorm, and if she can't be made to see that than she will be forced."
Piera swallowed as she continued to stare at the back of Lesatan's head. She played nervously with her fingers for a moment, before taking a deep breath. "I do not understand, Lesatan. Before the break, you two seemed to be coming to some sort of agreement, and now..."
"Lenore belongs here!" Lesatan stood up to glare at her with his finger pointing to the floor beneath him. "If she cannot be bought or charmed then she will be made to submit! I grow weary of how obstinate she has become, and will tolerate it no longer!"
Piera lowered her eyes and did not reply as Lesatan turned back to the window to watch for his sister. She wanted to tell him how evil this plan was and that even his mother did not feel this was the path to walk. However, there was something about the way he spoke and the way he was acting that did not seem like a man that was enjoying this act.
She had promised to trust him and his decisions, and she thought perhaps that he knew more than she did. She would prefer if he shared this information, but she could not be the one to demand it from him.
"I shall take my leave then." Piera waited for him to ask her to stay, but instead he waved his hand to dismiss her.
As she walked to the door, she looked over her shoulder and watched as he folded his hands behind his back. His eyes ever waiting for his sister to keep her word and return to the dorm... or perhaps, finally return to him. She wondered if he missed her or if he wanted to punish her. Piera had no idea what had caused this decision, but a darkness loomed over the future. That was the only certainty that Piera had in that moment.
Lenore would not stand idly by and allow herself to be used in this manner forever, which meant that perhaps what the Queen had told her would come to pass. Piera wondered if she would be caught in the path of the dragon's rage and it caused a shiver down her spine.
---***---
Lenore heard her name being called as she nearly ran down the dirt path, but when she entered the flowered court a hand grabbed her upper arm. She turned to face Santh as she tried her best not to show any sadness. Every ounce of her will power forced her not to cry in front of this man.
There were many students walking around them, and she didn't want them to overhear any of her conversation. Santh, on the other hand, didn't care if the king himself heard his clear voice as he wanted his explanation.
"Why are you doing this? We were happy only this morning." Santh asked in a voice that demanded answers, but his face looked more like a puppy begging its owner not to leave.
Lenore laughed bitterly as making herself further into the villain was the only way she could prevent herself from telling him the truth. "I think I have perfectly explained myself. I am done playing in the dirt with Mondue peasants who think they are better than they are because of their fathers."
There was no pain in his eyes as his brows came together. "Lenore, why are you acting so cruel? What are you doing? Tell me, and I will help you."
"How thick is that skull of yours?" Lenore finally yanked her arm from his grasp. "Did you fall in love with me?" She snorted, "Of course, you would be that arrogant to think someone of my standing could actually love you."
His head cocked to the side, "What are you saying? Your words are as if you are designing them to cause a rift between you and your friends."
She didn't know what else to say and she knew Lesatan was waiting for her. "You are a toy, Santh. Something to be played with and tossed aside when it grows dull. Nothing more. I weaved you into a web and you fought against it. However, now that I have you, I no longer want you."
As the students passed by them, the two stared into each other's eyes for several moments. Angry and resentment filled her eyes while a curious sadness filled his own. Finally, Santh stepped back and stared down at the woman in front of him.
"I see." He spoke the words softly. "All this time, we have been just a game to you then? I was right about who you were from the very beginning."
"Of course."
He nodded his head, "Do not do this, Lenore. Do not become this person. We only have so much time and..."
"I have always been this person." Lenore hissed. "I am bored of you and those surrounding you. I have no more need to play in the muck and the dirt with your kind. I am a princess and those I truly care for have need for me now. I am done."
Santh watched Lenore turn her back to him and begin to walk away. His heart dropped as he thought of her words that confused and angered him. The wave of students slowly began to wash over Lenore until she was out of his sights. Though the students had to walk around him, Santh stood stoically in the center of the court and watched the skyline before him. He hoped Lenore would return to him and apologize. He wanted her to tell him that everything she had just said was a lie, but there would be nothing yet still he remained and waited.
Lenore, who was returning to the dorm, had wanted to tell him the truth, but she feared he would attempt to help her solve this dilemma. Any help from him would only anger Lesatan and cause the dorm to be destroyed.
As she walked back to the dorm, she place her hand over her mouth and lowered her head to prevent anyone from seeing her tears or hearing her cries. In her mind, she thought, "I have to go to the castle now and ignore you. Remember you said that you would smile."
She hoped that she left everyone in enough doubt that they feared approaching her, but were still curious enough of why she had really left them. That doubt would be the only comfort to them for what she would have to do in the future.
There would be no friendly acknowledgments and no more conversations. They were going to lose her as much as she was losing them, but the doubt of her story would remain. She chose not to destroy all of their faith in her or at least she hoped she hadn't.
As she walked through the gates, her eyes went up to a window and she saw a figure hurry away. She knew her brother had been waiting for her return and a darkness settled in her heart. She would punish him somehow for what he had just made her do.
---***---
Damek grinned as he sat behind his desk with his hands folded nicely on the wood. A young Souchan girl was whispering in his ear about the scene that unfolded between Lenore and Lesatan. She then followed Lenore and explained what the Princess had done when she returned to the dorm. When she finished her story, Damek waved her hand to command her to leave. Which she did with haste and a small bow to the two men in the room.
Standing in the darkness of the corner, Marius Decoste raised an eyebrow when the girl shut the door. The grin that grew on Damek's lips was almost frightening.
"Plans are moving quickly now. I had almost given up hope that I would accomplish such a feat." Damek stood from the desk and walked over to a small side table that held glasses and a bottle of brown alcohol.
He set the small glasses on the desk and poured a little for each of them before putting the clear bottle on his desk. When he returned to his seat, he motioned for Marius to sit in the chair before his desk.
Following the orders, Marius sat down in the nearly empty room. His study had no decorations, no rugs, just hard wooden chairs and a desk. There was a certain eeriness about a man that was going through his eighth year at this school and never bothered to decorate his room or even order for its decoration.
"You will not be here next year, am I to fulfill your plans during that time?" Marius asked as he picked up the glass and took a sip of the acid liquid. He tried not to show his pain as it ripped its way down his throat.
Damek nodded after he gulped down the entire glass. "It will not take long to implement my plans, you will not be in control for very long."
"Do you believe this will destroy their alliance?" Marius took another sip and part of him wished to find a place he could pour the drink out, and had even looked around the room but he knew better then to reject a gift from Damek.
"Their 'alliance' was weak as it stood. It is important that Lenore and Lesatan grow to loathe one another. The more Lesatan fears Lenore's reaction to his movements and the more Lenore become antagonized the more open the rip becomes and soon there will be no stopping Lenore from this revolution." He poured himself another drink. "By the end of the year, she will seethe at his very presence and I will have all but given Lenore the throne. She will finally see me as a man worthy of her time and her heart."
That word brought a curious tinge to his heart and he asked his question as he slowly placed his glass on the desk. He hoped that it would simply look as if he had forgotten that it was even there. "Her heart, milord?"
Damek seemed to realize that he had given a piece of himself away and quickly dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "Never you mind. What matters is removing Lesatan's crown. Next year, I will be safely away from the university and therefore be given doubt in what part I have played. You will keep to yourself and keep the wheels I have spinning in motion."
"What of this year, milord?"
He poured himself another drink and quickly drank it before putting the glass down. "This year, we pit the Prince and Princess against one another. Though, I think Lesatan has already played his best hand. Lenore's anger for his actions today will begin to boil. We will just need to toss in some seasoning from time to time. To know what and when will be answered in time."
Damek poured another glass of the brown alcohol and then added some more to Marius' glass, before holding it up into the air. "Here is to our oncoming victory!"
Marius picked up the glass with disgust and clanked it against Damek's, before he drank the entire contents of the glass down.
---***---
Armand met Lenore as she entered the dorm, she knew that her brother had sent him along to ensure she went directly to her room. He said nothing to her as the two walked up the stairs towards the room that she had been locked away in during one of the tournaments last school year. The purple room designed by the Queen herself for Lenore was untouched except for the maids that cleaned the rooms.
When Armand opened the door, a soft scent of lavender filled the air and Lenore stared at her canopy bed with a frown. Closing the door behind him, Armand waited behind her as she tossed her bag onto the bed before opening the wardrobe to find the dresses that had been chosen for her by the Queen every year.
"Did you know of Lesatan's plans?" Lenore finally spoke to him as she touched the fabric of one of the purple dresses.
"He informed the advisers two days ago." Armand admitted without hesitation as he knew there was no use in lying to Lenore as she seemed more than capable of digging up the truth if she truly wanted to know.
Shutting the wardrobe doors, she turned to face him. "Why wasn't I warned? I could have planned a strategy against him."
"Which is why you were not told." He watched her brows come together and knew she needed more information before she grew angry. "If any of us informed you, he would have become suspicious of us all. Not to mention that I think you would have needed to do something so outrageous that it might have harmed you more than helped you. Certainly, you would still be at the dorm, but Lesatan and the Queen tire of this act. They were very active and secretive during the break and had you returned home you would have been able to see it for yourself."
"I had better things to do then prance around the castle and worry about what plots might be afoot." She walked over to her bed and sat down on the end of it as she looked around the room. "Damn purples. I wonder if I could change the colors. How long before I expect to hear talks of another engagement? I know how much the Queen wants to wed me off."
He shrugged as he watched her look around the room, but continue to sit still on the bed with her hands folded in her lap. "I would guess it would be any time now."
"Do you want to marry me, Armand? Save me the time of having to deal with someone new and I'll keep your secrets as well." She said in a tease, but he could see that his friend was trying to hide her tears.
Armand sighed somewhat in frustration but also in helplessness as he could do nothing for Lenore in these moments. "I do not know what you have been up to these past couple of years, but I think this is the perfect place to stop. In a few years, you and Lesatan will leave this place and you'll be able to tell your friends the truth about today."
Lenore glared up at him and slowly stood on her feet. "How do you know anything of what happened with my friends?"
"Do you think that Lesatan would not have you followed? That he would not ensure that you did as you were told while away from him?" Armand crossed his arms as Lenore walked up to stand in front of him, but as he talked she turned her eyes away from him.
"I see. I suppose I should grow used to being followed then." She took a deep breath and walked over to a table that has a vase with a single purple flower. She plucked the flower from the vase and began to pull the petals off one by one as she spoke before letting them fall to the floor at her feet. "As for telling my friends, I am afraid that will be a secret I take to the grave. I gave them the only gift I could to comfort them and that was some doubt that I am not a completely horrid human being. However, I will not be some martyr or damsel in distress in need of rescuing. After all, by the time it comes that I can say anything, I will be living at the castle not some prison cell."
"No matter how beautiful the cage is; it still keeps a bird from flying where it wishes." Armand took the steam of the flower from her and placed it back into the vase, before he left the room.
---***---
Authin walked down the dirt path and the closer he came to the dorm, the more he realized that the voices coming from his new home were not idle chatter. There was an argument occurring and with a deep sigh, he headed into what he knew would be yet another issue that his so-called friends were having. In his mind, he mumbled that he was already paying for a servant to come to this school, and he didn't need to help fix any more issues.
As the newly flowered court opened before him, he could see some of the female students slowly making their way into the dorm to hide from the arguing group. Santh, Anton, and Jolon were talking over each other making it impossible to understand what was being said. During this, Remus, Ophelia, and Routine tried to interrupt but were too polite to talk over anyone and would simply close their mouths when they realized they were not being heard. Harona and Saena had disappeared into the dorm with the rest of the females.
Walking over to the bench, Authin spoke as loudly as he could. "What is the meaning of this?" He yelled and caused everyone to turn their attention to him.
"Lenore left the dorm." Ophelia explained calmly though her eyes looked like they had shed many tears.
"Left the dorm? Is that what you call what she did?" Jolon asked with fury in his voice before he looked at Authin. "She insulted us all, then informed us that we were nothing more than toys that she has become bored with."
"Something is happening! We can't take what she did at face value." Ophelia argued, "Right, Santh? What did she say when you went after her?"
Santh looked upset for a moment, before a look of anger shown across his face. "Jolon and Anton are correct, I warned all of you, countless times, that Lenore is nothing more than a spoiled brat who wanted something to play with."
Authin didn't understand what had occurred and neither did he want to get involved. He decided that he would discover the truth the next time he spoke to Armand, but for now there was nothing he could add to the conversation. As he had been around Lesatan, he knew fully that Lenore was not playing a game with the commoners. What she was doing had everything to do with her brother and nothing to do with this dorm.
After what Santh had said, Routine was the next to leave without saying a word to Authin. He returned to his dorm with a look of annoyance upon his face.
"She is not a spoiled brat! Look what she has done for us all!" Ophelia barked. "We must help her!"
Santh snorted, "You are delusional, Ophelia. She is a monster and you will just have to start accepting that."
Authin watched Santh stormed off and afterward Remus put his hands on Ophelia's shoulders. "Come, lets eat our meal and calm down. We have classes in two days and we must prepare ourselves." He began to move her toward the table.
Authin watched Jolon and Anton stomp away into the dorm, and he moved to leave the area as well. He wanted to leave Remus to deal with the upset Ophelia.
As he walked around the dorm, he heard something akin to punching coming from the woods. Stepping lightly through the leaves, he found Santh punching a tree before he leaned his forehead against it.
All Authin could see was the large man's back, but from the small hiccups of his chest, he thought the Mondue might be crying. He decided to leave him to his pain as he hurried back to the dorm. There didn't seem to be any place he could hide from the mess Lenore had left behind, so he decided to leave the dorm for a few more hours until it was time to sleep.
---***---
Sitting at the bench, Ophelia slowly ate the soup that they had bought in the market. The creamy broth soothed her throat while the chunks of chicken and vegetables filled her stomach. Remus sat beside her as they both stared at the table with filled bowls and no one to eat the meal with them.
"I don't understand." Ophelia mumbled under her breath in between spoonfuls of her soup and bites of the bread she was dipping into it.
Remus swallowed, "Perhaps, it is just as Santh said. We were all fooled by her and she truly is a spoiled brat that used us as play things to quench her boredom."
The dark haired girl shook her head slowly as she scooped another spoonful of soup into her mouth. After she finished chewing she spoke again. "I know Lenore. She was my dorm mate for an entire year. We had heart to heart conversations that were emotional and true to who we were as persons. I remember how upset she was when Santh rejected her. That was no act, Remus." She turned her eyes toward him. "She was truly heartbroken."
He didn't know what else to tell her and so he began to eat his soup as quickly as he could. However, Ophelia merely stared at him as if she was waiting for him to speak. After a couple moments, he swallowed down the last of his bowl and looked into the eyes of the woman who was now glaring at him. "Ophelia, I do not know what is going on here. I do not know why Lenore did this or whether she is a monster as Santh said or not. All I know is that a piece of my heart always wondered what Lenore was doing at this dorm. Why she was acting as our friend? The only answer that made any sense to me was Santh's explanation that we were all here to entertain the little princess."
She pressed her lips together. "I do not believe that."
Remus sighed and squeezed her shoulder. "We need to drink tonight. I'll head into town and grab something for us. Finish your dinner."
Ophelia sighed as she watched Remus leave and returned to her soup. After a couple minutes, a shadow appeared over her and sat down across the table from her. She didn't even have to look up to know it was Routine as that was where he always sat.
Eating his now cold soup, he was quiet for some time until Ophelia had finished her meal and shoved the bowl toward the center of the table.
"You knew her better than anyone. Are they right? Is she a spoiled child that used us for entertainment?" Ophelia asked with worry and hope in her voice.
After a couple seconds of chewing, Routine looked up from his bowl of soup and the woman in front of him. "They are wrong." No long explanation or over dramatic words, he spoke purely and with conviction.
Ophelia felt her heart lift and a grin came to her lips. "Truly? You believe that?"
"There is obviously a plot afoot." Routine told her before taking another bite of his meal. "Lenore had a desire that needed to be filled by her brother, and to act as she did today means that her plot has been shattered. If she is doing this than it must mean we are involved therefore we must trust there is a good reason. She left wanting us to loathe her, and she ensured most of us did."
"If that is true, she is our friend, she should have asked us for help." Ophelia took another piece of bread from the basket on the table and started to tear it into little pieces before putting it in her mouth. "We should investigate and discover the truth."
"No." He spoke sternly. "Lenore wishes to carry this burden alone, and when alone she is at her strongest. Let her protect us from the true monsters."
Ophelia lowered her eyes to the bread in her hand. "What if she needs us?"
"As your future husband, you should gain confidence in my judgment." He only finished half of his bowl before he pushed it toward the center of the table.
He said no more as he stood from the table and returned to the dorm. After a few moments, other female students began to filter out in search of their dinner that was now cold.
---***---
Remus had gotten to the front gates when he realized that he had left his coin purse in the dorm room. With a heavy sigh, he decided to cut through the woods and enter through the back entrance of the dorm in order to avoid Ophelia. He needed a moment to himself after what had happened that evening as he was slowly digesting everything that happened, and trying to decide where his emotions settled.
As he made his way through the woods, he could hear a loud banging noise and as he got closer to the dorm, it grew louder. Of course, this made his curiosity grow and he began to move towards the noise.
When Santh came into view, Remus sighed when he realized the noise had been his friend punching the nearby trees. His knuckles were bleeding and the white barked trees had spots stained with blood.
"You bitch! I fucking knew it!" He could barely speak between his clenched jaw as he punched the tree again and again.
Remus felt for his friend, but in truth did not want to have this conversation at this time. He couldn't deal with his own thoughts and emotions on what had just happened with Lenore, and therefore was no use to anyone else. However, it was too late as Santh noticed him out of the corner of his eye, and Remus knew he couldn't just walk away.
Leaning his sweating forehead against the tree, Santh exhaled. "I am in no mood, Remus. I already know you warned me that it would never worked out between her and me. So, just leave."
Remus frowned upon hearing his friends words and realizing that Santh thought he was here to rub his nose in the truth. "I never thought she would betray us all and that we would all be nothing more than toys to her, Santh. That is not what I meant when I said that."
Santh continued to lean against the tree with his forehead, and Remus noticed blood dripping down his fingers into the leaves beneath him.
"Classes will begin soon, and the cycle of this dorm's life will begin anew. At the very least, Lenore gave us that. Even if it was to fulfill some sense of greatness in her." Remus almost felt as if he was trying to convince himself.
"Classes. I have classes with her." He began to look deflated. "Every day of the week, I will see her twice a day."
"Well, except one."
Santh glared at him out of the corner of his eyes.
"I apologize, but it is the truth. She won't be in the dining hall, so you won't have to worry about seeing her during meals."
Standing up, Santh looked exhausted. "She fooled me, Remus. No, I allowed myself to be fooled by her when I knew her true nature. Why did she have to be the horrible creature that I warned everyone about?"
Remus had no answer for his friend and could only stand idly by while his friend hurt. The best thing he could do was just sit in the pain with him, or perhaps it was the only thing he could do. After a moment, he decided to speak. "I have no idea why this happened. I am still attempting to understand it myself. She was my friend... or at least until today I thought she was my friend."
Santh chuckled bitter as he looked at his bloody knuckles. "I was starting to consider that at the end of our school term that I might speak to her father about my father's lands and title. That if she and I were on good terms and wanted to remain together that I might give up my pride."
"You were considering marriage?" Remus asked almost in a whisper.
Santh swallowed and seemed to be holding back tears. "I was."
Remus took a deep breath, "Come, lets get your hands wrapped up and I'll head into town and buy mead and snacks for everyone. We should all get drunk tonight and forget about all this mess. Leave it for our future selves to understand."
Santh nodded in agreement before turning around and heading back to the dorm.
---***---
A gentle, almost shy knock echoed throughout the purple room as Lenore sat on the edge of her bed with a scroll in her hands. She was trying to study but her mind would simply wander to the people she had left at that dorm. She wondered how upset they were or if she had fooled them at all.
"Who is it?" Lenore asked after she was startled by the sudden noise.
"It is Piera, may I come in?" It was almost as if the woman was trying to speak through the crack of the door as she could see her shadow, which gave Lenore a moment to grin before her sadness washed over her once more.
"Enter." Lenore rolled up the scroll and stood up as the other woman entered the room nervously. Walking over to the tray on the table, she poured herself a glass of tea. "Would you like some?"
"No, thank you. You were not at dinner tonight, and I wanted to ensure that you were well." Piera wanted to do this more for Lenore than because of the Queen's request. However, there was a part of her that worried over what the Queen had said.
"I would hardly call myself well, Piera." Lenore set the cup down and turned to face her. "Today, I attempted to destroy the part of my friends' hearts that held any love for me. All I wanted to do was tell them the truth about what I was doing, but I knew they would try to save me."
Piera lowered her eyes and folded her hands in front of her. She didn't know what to say to this woman. In truth, part of her was a little thrilled to have a friend in the dorm with her and not be surrounded by Lesatan and his other men all the time. There were other females in the dorm, but all seemed to fear her in some manner.
"I feel like my heart has been ripped apart." Lenore's voice cracked briefly. "Promise me that you will never tell the others about why I did what I did, not even your brother."
She nodded, "Lesatan already made me promise, but I extend my word towards you as well. I shall not tell them."
They both stood in silence for several long moments. Piera did not know what to say in order to calm her friend's heart, and Lenore did not know what she could share with this woman. Was she friend or foe? Only time would tell.
"I can not believe Lesatan would do this." Piera finally spoke. "You two were getting along well towards the end of the last school year. Why plot against you now?"
Lenore snorted, "No doubt this was the Queen's planning. He leaves me to return to her, and she plants seeds in his mind. She has always done that. Her paranoia runs deep, and whom ever is around me is given doubt on my intentions."
Piera couldn't deny that, after all the Queen had planted enough doubt in her own mind. "I do not think it was the Queen this time."
Lenore raised an eyebrow, "And what makes you say that?"
"She heard of Lesatan's plans and came to visit me. She is worried that this aggressive move on Lesatan's part might make you... do something rash."
The Princess continued to stare at her for a moment. "Why would she visit you about this? What did she ask of you?"
"She asked me to placate you." Piera did not wish to lie to Lenore as she had a feeling that this woman would eventually discover the truth. "Of course, I am telling you this because it is not my intention to do as she asks, I consider you a friend and I worry for you."
"I see." Lenore picked up her floral tea cup and took a sip. "You are either ignorantly truthful or incredibly cunning to tell me the truth."
Piera frowned, "Cunning is not a word I would use to describe myself." Taking a deep breath, she turned to leave. "I shall leave you to your studies. Goodnight, Princess."
"Goodnight." Lenore watched the door shut behind her and a darkness stirred in her heart as she began to question where Piera truly stood in this matter. At the very least, she was a pawn in the Queen's game.
---***---
Ophelia had a couple drinks before she decided that she didn't want to be around the large group any longer. She made her way to her dorm room only to be reminded that Lenore was not there anymore. Her closet was open and many of her clothes were gone, and other items were scattered over the ground.
A small jar of her butter cream lotion was sitting next to the bottom bed of the bunk beds. Ophelia thought how it would be strange not to awake to that smell anymore. She also wondered who would yell at the girls who were too loud during the night, or who would take control when everything fell apart.
The more she thought about Lenore, the more questions she began to have of how this new life without her would even be possible. She had to remind herself that Lenore was not dead, just merely beyond her reach. Though she hoped that whatever had happened would someday end and she could finally have her friend back again.
Classes would begin in a couple days, and she wondered how Lenore would act when they saw her during that time. Would she acknowledge them? Would she act towards her like those cruel girls did? Would she ignore them completely? Ophelia couldn't tell herself which would be worse, because even if she acknowledged her it wouldn't be in a friendly manner, not after the way she had left that evening.
A knock came to the door and Ophelia who was sitting in the middle of the floor looked up at it. "It's Saena." The voice said before the door opened. "I saw you leave and wanted to ensure you were well."
She sighed, "I just do not have any desire to drink and be merry right now. I know Remus was trying to be helpful, but I just wanted to mourn my friendship." Ophelia had tried not to cry in front of anyone as she didn't want to be seen as someone in need of coddling. However, part of her did want the attention as it would help ease her pain.
Saena stepped into the room and sat down on the edge of Lenore's bed. "Should you start sleeping in Harona and my room? You won't be alone in there."
She slowly shook her head, "No, I want to stay here. Lenore might not be gone for long. She might come back, right?"
The servant girl said nothing and averted her eyes when Ophelia looked to her for confirmation as she didn't know what to say.
"You believe she is the person that Santh says she is?" Ophelia took a deep breath. "I can not believe that. I know Lenore too well, and he should too. He shouldn't be acting as if he wasn't in love with her and that she made him happy for the first time since I met him. He should still be holding on and instead he made her into a monster immediately."
"Did you see his knuckles?" Saena asked. "He is hurting too. He is probably saying such things in order to build a protection around his heart, so that he won't have to feel abandoned. Imagine if Remus did that to you. Someone you cared for in such a deep manner. You and Lenore were close friends, and your pain is palatable. Think of what his must feel like."
Ophelia inhaled deeply, "I do not have the energy right now to care about his feelings. I only care that he cuts me deeper with his words."
Saena stood from the bed and patted Ophelia on the head briefly. "I will tell Remus that you are alright. I think he is intimidated by your emotions right now." She told her as she walked to the door and opened it, but before she leaved she turned to look at Ophelia. "I can not believe for a moment that the woman who forced a student professor to give a servant girl a fair chance at this school is anything like the woman she tried to portray today. So, I choose not to believe it, no matter how angry the others are right now."
Ophelia looked up from the floor and grinned slightly. "Thank you, Saena."