Taraquin

Chapter 2

In Chora Province, at the Coral Coast Island Academy, Baschera and Dekker walk across the school's large courtyard as they head to their first class of the morning. Baschera is a tall and muscular young man of twenty, with yellow hair and bright blue eyes. Dekker is average height with a slender build, and has brown hair and eyes. They grew up together like brothers. Though Dekker's father, Lord Caddius, is not of noble birth. He gained title as an Elite Guardsman and was assigned to protect the House of Aukland, while working together with Baschera's father, Prince Tercius to rule Aukland Province. 

"Can you believe the way she talked to me? I mean, who does she think she is? I am Lord Baschera, Earl of the house of Aukland, and she is beneath me. Lady Mary may be a professor at this school, but she doesn't have the right to talk to me like that!" moans Baschera as he wipes the sweat off his brow. 

"So you expect her to bow down to you like everyone else?" questions Dekker with a grin. "Maybe you should be a little more discreet when you attempt to get a peek through the open window of the girl's bath."

"Regardless of what Lady Mary caught me doing, she could at least show me some respect," argues Baschera.

"Just face it, your father may have been brother to the King, but you're not Prince Tercius or Prince Asher. Your cousin Asher is the only one who's going to get any respect around here, and that's only because they know that he'll be King before long," explains Dekker.

"Well, when Asher does become King, who do you think will be his two right hand men? I'll probably take over as Chancellor of the Military when Lord Crispin retires and if you could ever learn to use your powers then you could take over as Chancellor of the Elite Guard when Lord Ademar retires," retorts Baschera.

"I do know how to use my powers!" snaps Dekker. "You're just jealous that you don't have any."

"Well if I had been born with powers, I'd be better at using them than you," counters Baschera.

"All hail the great and powerful Lord Baschera," mocks Dekker as he bows with exaggeration. "The only reason you're the best swordsman in the land is because Lord Hagen isn't alive anymore to put you in your place!"

"That may be true, but I'm still the best alive," declares Baschera with a grin.

"I'd be willing to wager coin that Asher could take you in a fight if he really wanted to," insists Dekker. 

"You would lose that bet. Just because he's the Prince doesn't mean I'll go easy on him. Besides, I've been making him look like a little girl in armor since we were kids," declares Baschera.

"That will change once he becomes King," admits Dekker.

"How so?" questions Baschera.

"How will you beat him when you'll be busy kneeling at his feet?" asks Dekker with a laugh.

"Ha, touché," laughs Baschera. "Speaking of Asher, where is he anyway?"

"He's probably still in bed, or stalking whichever girl he hasn't the balls to talk to. I'm pretty sure that he's got a major thing for someone, but he still won't say who."

"Well, let's just hope that it isn't one of the girls I've already been with," announces Baschera with a sly grin.

"Yeah, that might be an awkward conversation at the wedding," admits Dekker.

"Speaking of women, have you seen Lady Fallon around lately?"

"No, why?" questions Dekker.

"Well, I was thinking of asking her to the masquerade ball, but every time I try to talk to her I get interrupted. Either one of her friends that I slept with rudely interrupts me, or Lady Isabel walks up and starts flirting with me. Don't get me wrong, Lady Isabel is gorgeous, but she seems entirely too clingy for my taste."

"That's because you'd rather they give you what you want and then leave you alone. Lady Fallon is more intelligent than that. She probably won't even talk to you since you slept with two of her friends and have ignored them ever since. She probably thinks that you will try to do the same to her and will never give you a chance." 

"Don't be ridiculous Dekker. What girl wouldn't want to be with me?" admits Baschera while showing his large ego.

"I only hope I'm there to see your face when she shoots you down," insists Dekker with a laugh.

"Anyone who looks as good as I do, doesn't get turned down," retorts Baschera as he grins slyly.

"Well, one day you will find out that you're wrong. Probably sooner than later, since I doubt Fallon will see past what you did," explains Dekker. 

"This kind of talk is starting to bore me," insists Baschera. "Either way, I don't need to settle for one woman. I can settle for them all. You would be a lot better off if you didn't weigh yourself down with one woman as well."

"You're an idiot," retorts Dekker with a laugh. "All of your indiscretions are going to catch up to you, and you're going to end up all alone because of it."

"My dear Dekker, you have so much to learn," insists Baschera. "That's why I'll continue to sleep with however many peasant women I want, for as long as I want, and if I decide to settle down, then I'll find a woman of nobility. Noble women don't associate with peasant women, so my indiscretions will go unnoticed."  

"Oh, I must have forgotten how much of an arrogant womanizing little prick you are, but I'm willing to bet there's more behind your decision to ask Fallon to the ball," insinuates Dekker.

"You always were a hopeless romantic, just like a woman," announces Baschera with a laugh.

"How about I pull down your trousers and show the whole school what a woman looks like?" insists Dekker.

"As if you could. Besides, they would be impressed. You would actually be doing me a favor. I'd have my pick of the lot after that. But you go ahead and settle down. You will eventually tie yourself down to a woman who turns into an old hag, while I on the other hand, will be sleeping with beautiful young peasant women for the rest of my life," declares Baschera with a smile.

"Right?" questions Dekker sarcastically. "You will probably be the first of us to settle down. You talk big, but the first time a woman with noble blood shows true interest, you're going to turn into a whipped little girl, or you'll end up alone."

"I won't end up alone, but sadly you will, because all the girls around here think you're creepy anyway," reveals Baschera shrewdly. 

"Whatever! Nobody thinks I'm creepy," shouts Dekker loudly, causing everyone in the courtyard to turn and look at him. His face instantly turns red with embarrassment as he attempts to hide himself.  

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