Ike Penworthy

Chapter |~ 9

I slept well considering the confinement of my room. Even in the cavern I never felt locked up, but in that little room, it was stifling. I missed Jax and Cloud too. There was no comfort from anyone last night, no shared warmth. Just loneliness.

I should have known Dutch wouldn't take the schedule seriously. And I know she's had plenty of sleep, so it's not that she's tired. I pace outside her door, the stone floors echoing under my boots. I'm supposed to have a key, but they hadn't realized that she was having a bodyguard this year after her last one died, so the key is being made. Which means for a few days I'll be stuck banging on her door until she decides to listen.

I'm hungry and after five months of actually being fed, one day without food has made me grumpy.

I continue pacing, not knocking but letting my insistent heels do the job for me. She's an Elf, she'll hear it and eventually become so annoyed she'll listen.

Barely five minutes later, the door is being unlocked and a fully dressed, looking very much rested, Dutch walks out. Her glare is extreme, but since I know she's been awake for an hour, I feel no pity.

"Are you always going to be this way?" She demands, shutting the door.

"Until I have a key I will pace. Until you open the door, I will continue to pace. I think you will find that I take my job seriously and am as stubborn as a mule."

Dutch snorts and mumbles, "You said it."

After a moment of watching each other, she shakes her head with a scoff. I take my place behind her as she walks away and into the first day of Rider Academy.

The dining room is already filled with boys and girls. Tree trunk tables spread out in every-which-way, each one covered in food. Sadly though, I will not be able to eat until she is in her first class, which is in another hour. My place in this room is along the wall with all the other guardians. They're all male, but with my pulled hood and broad shoulders, it'll take a while before they realize I'm not.

I watch Dutch the entire time, ignoring everyone else but the ones she's put around herself. I learn their names through read-lips and watch their expressions, judging quickly that Dutch's society of friends are all brats.

I should have known Crest would give me a charge too high to tie her own shoelaces. Which reminds me; before I can eat I need to talk to Dutch's maid, who arrived this morning with all the luggage. I contain a sigh and ignore the emptiness of my stomach.

I'll survive an hour and a half, but if Dutch makes too many snarky comments, she might not.

<–––––<<<

Dutch in class, the maid – Livery – talked to, I can finally eat. The food is cold and the fruit already browning, but it still fills my empty organ. I stand, one foot against the wall, across from Dutch's classroom, munching on a fresh apple a passing servant handed me while taking my empty platter. Apparently it hadn't been ripe enough. Rich people, honestly. You're going to regret ever being so picky when someone steals your name and locks you in a cage.

Although that might just be me.

"Ready for tonight?" One of the guards nearby asks another.

He shakes his head. "I'm never ready."

"Me neither. Girls are hard enough to keep up with, it doesn't help to put them all in one room and dressed in white."

The other chuckles. "Parties make every girl hard to keep up with, dressed in white or not."