Lady of The Knight

Chapter V : We Shall Not be Drowned in River Styx

"It was a beautiful piece, though." Mrs. Laveau compliments, "maybe one day, I'll ask you to play in one of our festivals."

Love raises her brows, "oh.. That would be.. Great?"

"It would," Mrs. Laveau smiles, "come, Ms. Phoenix, you shall not be wandering all by yourself in the castle when there is a wonderful festival outside. Have you tried the Brute's Made?"

Gently, Love slips the coins into her pocket, where the switchblade also lies inside. "I haven't, actually." She shakes her head, chuckling shakily, "is it alcoholic?"

Mrs. Laveau laughs, "why, yes it is. I wouldn't want my students leave the ground all out of sorts, would I?"

"All right, then. Count me in."

Love follows Mrs. Laveau out of the music room, she closes the door behind them and locks them carefully with just a flick of her wrist. It's an empty hallway. No one really knows what is behind each of these walls, and why weeping sounds can be heard vividly at night. Or were they just the winds?

Still trying to take her mind off of the deep, gruff voice in her head before. Love decides to avert her attention to the dean of the school herself. "So, do you like festivals?" She asks.

"I surprisingly do, Ms. Phoenix." Mrs. Laveau chuckles. There are only the sound of their footsteps echoing down this hallway, also noises from the party downstairs. "The days after summer are always the most beautiful. You can smell autumn approaching in the air. Also, seeing new students' happy and curious faces as they stumbled beyond the front door of the castle."

Love nods, agreeing. "I hope I get to see the winter. My sister said the snow could be as tall as me." Love grabs on to the pillar by the long, long staircase.

"Yes, yes. Yule. We usually celebrate by a big feast, followed by a Masquerade Ball the next day." Mrs. Laveau explains calmly, "it's a big celebration. The royal family will also most likely attend."

"Can we speak to them?"

"No, you cannot."

"Why not?"

"They are the royals, Ms. Phoenix. They're only spoken to when it's extremely necessarily or when met with the head of a community."

"So, you can speak to them?"

"Yes, I can."

"How unfair." Love skips the last step and jumps down carefully, "and lonely for them to only speak to important people. Do they not have friends?"

"They do, of course. But only for political purposes."

Love can't help but sigh, "like I said, lonely."

"True. But for their own good."

Probably to avoid spilling too much secrets, Love thought to herself. The question that she longs to ask suddenly pops in her head. Just to ease the curiosity itself, she stops from walking.

"Mrs. Laveau? Could I ask you something?" Love asks, rubbing her hands together.

"If I said no, would you still ask anyway?"

"Yes."

"Well, well, ask away."

Love smiles, "do you feel it, too? As if something is in the air?" She asks, "I had to cleanse my bedroom twice this morning to get rid of the-negative aura. It felt disturbing."

For once, Mrs. Laveau finally frowns confusely. "For how long have you felt that way?"

"Ever since I arrived."