An older woman stood in front of her class. It was a small class, in a little school house. She stood tall with her arms crossed. "Nira!" Her voice was sharp.
A girl with stood up to respond to her teacher. Her blonde hair was only a bit longer than her shoulders. Her side bangs were braided and tied into a bun with a white bow. She was wearing a lace dress like all the other girl's in the school house. Unlike the others, her dress was more like a gown then the scummy dresses the commoners had. She had pale skin with eyes that were blue like the Earth sky. Under her eyes were vine like markings which were the same perfect shade of blue. On her chest was a white crystal, just like everyone in the school house.
"Madam Evangeline." Nira's eyes gleamed at the woman.
"Did you not hear the question I asked you?" Her voice was cold as stone.
Nira just stared at her teacher. She didn't know what to say. The woman was right, she didn't hear her question. "I beg you to repeat" She said at last as she put her hands to to her side. She
tried her best to ignore that the bow of the white ribbon on her right wrist was untied.
The madam sighed, debating whether or not to repeat herself. "Name the savor of the kind, all of them."
That? That all she asked? Easy! Nira thought. "Sunra,
Electress, Winden, and Windiste." She could hear the laughter of her fellow students behind her. The blonde girl wanted to look back at them. But she didn't. It rude for a lady to look back. She reminded herself.
Nira's teacher smirked, "See! This is what The State has to stand for! This clueless girl will one day rule us? This wrong! We shall not let the bloodline of Sunra control us anymore! Sunra gone, She not live on in Silhouette!"
This outraged Nira. Madam Evangeline wasn't only mocking her, but the Great Empress and the entire State. This was something Nira could not stand for.
Children are to respect those older than them. But after this? I shall not stay silent. I have never liked this madam, nor have she liked me. Nira thought.
"That wrong! You are not to question the reign of the Great Empress! The bloodline of Sunra has been set by Sunra herself to lead!" She protested with pride. Her blue gaze fixed on her madam.
Nira could hear the objections of her peers behind her. They all agreed with Madam Evangeline. She realized that there was one voice that she couldn't hear. Lydia. Lydia silent.
Lydia was the name of the only student who liked Nira in the class. The other kids would try to push her into the pond, ruin her dress, mock her, and pull her hair. All because she was a Child of the State. With so many riots, a rebellion was soon to come. That was what Nira feared most. She hated the kids, all of them. She couldn't stand them mocking her for being older than ღ 2
them.
Nira started school late because her sister Claudia had the royal illness.
"Nira!" The madam shouted, "Come here now!" By the sound of her voice, Nira could tell Madame Evangeline was not too pleased. The voice was freezing with anger. It's coldness reminded Nira of the horrid Sunran winters. The thought made her shiver.
Nira felt uneasy as she walked toward her teacher. The voices of her classmates just worried her more.
"What will her punishment be this time?" Nira heard one of the kids whisper. "Surely worse than the last!" The joyful tone of the voice made Nira feel more uncomfortable.
