Thankfully, the word of Alexandra's attempt at Watson's murder didn't reach Master George. He arrived as impressively as any other day in the training ground, the next day, and dispersed them all off to the library.
'Everyone, gather up!' He had started.
'Sir we have gathere-' Hans had begun, but he had stopped midway upon receiving a smoldering glance from Master George.
'A very important part of being involved in National Service is - knowing the laws. And keeping yourself up to date with the changes that happen almost every week. I want all of you to spend as much time as possible in reading up the laws. There are fifty copies of Idgarian Laws: A Neutral Study in the library. You must read, understand the application of and remember each law. The books are updated every day. Yes, everyday. So you better check for updates, for the rest of your lives. Now run along Agents-in-making!' He had concluded. Alexandra had known this "learning the law" would be a boring business. She just had a dull feeling about it.
But they did run along and start their read of the laws. It was monotonous work. Alexandra dozed off three times in an hour. The book was a fat one and had thin, soft, yellowing pages which made a very comfortable pillow. The librarian walked around, with a cane in his hand. Whenever anybody dozed off, he brought the cane down on their shoulders. Alexandra received the stinging cane attack twice.
'OW!' She had screamed, the first time.
'Shh!' The dangerous, black-haired man had warned, in reply. 'Raise your volume once again, and I will personally kick you out!' He had informed.
'S - sorry!' Alexandra had squeaked, shrilly.
'Volume down!' He had repeated, menacingly brandishing the cane.
'Sorry?' She had then whispered.
'That's right.' He had approved, moving away.
When Alexandra was broken awake for the third time, with the cane attack, she knew this was futile. 'I need someone to teach me!' She exclaimed - to the library at large. The librarian gave her a red-eyed glare and she grinned sheepishly in reply. 'I - I meant - the library's so beautiful!' She told him, staring around impressively. When he finally looked away, she breathed a sigh of relief.
But Alexandra did need a teacher. And she knew whom she'd go to -
'Brother! I Need help!' Alexandra shouted ten minutes later, as she stood waving across the Lake. But Fannel was busy with some Third Years. Goodness alone knew why he wasn't taking a break.
'Busy, Mabel!' He shouted across, 'go to Kane!'
'Where's he at?!'
'In the Weaponry!'
'Fine!'
'Welcome!'
'I didn't thank you, brother!'
'You should have, sister!'
Alexandra laughed. She took to the weaponry, right next to the Party Hall. It was a big and scary place. There was always a dim red glow from all the copper shields and blades hanging around. Iron was scarce as it was too difficult to clean its rust. Alexandra made her way through all the maze of weapons lying around. Finally, she spotted Kane. He was crouching low and polishing blades. The room was so unbearably hot, Alexandra wondered how he stayed in here.
'Hello.' She ventured. Kane didn't jump or look surprised.
'Hello Mabel,' he noted, without even looking back.
'How do you know it's me?' Alexandra asked, frowning. Was he a fly, with eyes at the back of this head?
'How many girls do we have around?' He simply asked back.
'Oh.' Alexandra grinned at her own stupidity. 'What - what are you doing? Meaning,' she quickly continued, scared Kane would answer, "Polishing weapons" and then go quiet again. 'Why are you doing this?'
'Detention,' He informed, as if it was something he got everyday. 'I set Master George's beard on fire.'
'WHAT?! When?!' Alexandra demanded, her face breaking into a disbelieving smile as she went closer and folded her arms. Suddenly, she was so interested that she forgot about the stout law-book in her hand.
'Three years ago.' Kane replied, like he was a war veteran and those were the days he had made blood-curdling sacrifices in. 'Since then I've got this permanent detention - it is the closest thing to Hell. You say, have you got it too...?' He ventured, then stopped the work and turned, fixing Alexandra with his reserved blue eyes.
'No, no, I mean - could you help me?' She asked. It sounded a little selfish. Here a man was dying with polishing weapons and all she was bothered about were her own problems. But Kane didn't look irked as his eyes travelled to the black book. His face broke into a grin and Alexandra was surprised at how much difference they made to his eyes - all of a sudden they looked full of life and emotions. Nothing like the previous closed up, reserved pair.
'Law?' He asked, standing up and slightly towering over Alexandra.
'Yes ... you can?' She questioned.
He laughed a bit. 'Of course. Still, I would charge for it,'
'Cha-arge?' Alexandra repeated. 'What sort of charge?'
'I have the whole weaponry to polish-' He began.
'Got it, you have me.' Alexandra declared. Polishing weapons with Kane was way better than dozing off in the library with her year-mates and a mad librarian.
* * *
'Why are there SO MANY laws?!' Alexandra demanded, throwing off the book to the side in frustration. Then she rolled her eyes and put her head down on her palms.
They had finished polishing weapons. It was perhaps eleven at night when she sat with Kane - still in the weaponry - trying to commit those laws to her memory. But it was very difficult.
Kane was the perfectly calm and clever person who never lost his temper. And Alexandra was sub-consciously taking advantage of that. She wouldn't have dared thrown a library book to the side of the room with any other senior.
He got up patiently and brought the book back. 'It is difficult because you are trying to memorize them, Mabel. Memorizing laws is impossible. And it's useless.'
'Then what do I do?' She demanded. It was depressing enough without having a blonde man telling her that she was doing something "useless". But Alexandra kept that idea to herself: even the calmest of people wouldn't laugh off being called depressing.
Maybe Liam would.
Liam!
He was behind all these dirty laws. The countless things they had to memorize. The next time they met, she was going to give him a piece of her mind. Making laws indiscriminately had to be a crime: the topmost one of them all.
Kane meanwhile turned the book towards her, the heading in bold letter read MURDER AND ITS ATTEMPT. 'Say, today you murder Watson-' Kane began, then he stopped midway as Alexandra looked at him in a don't touch that wound, it's still fresh way. 'Just suppose,' He pressed. 'Suppose you murder him. What will happen?'
'I'll be arrested.' Alexandra relented. Why would he even ask. Was he suggesting they go and murder him?
'That's layman's language, Mabel.' Kane pressed. 'Tell me professionally. What will happen?'
'Life Imprisonment - thirty five years ... or execution by decapitation.' Alexandra recounted, surprised at how easily it came to her. Even breaking into half an amused grin.
'That's right, what if now, you only tried to murder him?'
'Attempt to murder - exile. Or Imprisonment - eleven years.' She replied, now getting the hang of it, silently closing the book from between them.
'Very good, and what if I help you murder him?' He then asked, his brilliant blue eyes shining with encouragement.
'Assistance in crime - you will get ten years if it's not successful and maybe if it is - the same as murder charges.' Alexandra replied. She knew she couldn't disappoint the light in his eyes. Kane was polished, and reserved, but he had a childish glow too. Maybe the same childish spirit had overtook him and made him set a particular person's beard on fire.
'You're getting it. What if you murder him and I try to derail the investigation?' He then asked.
'Attempt to derail investigation - you will be treated like Assistant in Crime.'
Ten more minutes of that and, the final question. 'What if Watson planned his own death and made us do it?' Kane questioned, now grinning. The idea was really stupid, Watson planning his death, and that too - with Alexandra. He would have to be utterly demented to do that.
'Assistants in crime for Attempt to Murder, since murder isn't considered here. Then they will see the reason for it. If it was a huge plan, they could decide with execution. But for the most part, if he is still alive - he might get a life term. Six or eleven or seventeen years for us both, depending upon the gravity of it.'
Kane handed the book back to her. 'We're done with it.' He concluded.
'I love murdering Watson.' Alexandra smirked, reclining back. 'When do you have these detentions?'
'Every week, one day - I can choose when. And I'll keep you informed because you are invited.'
'Thank you? But no, wait, not thank you. I'm paying for it.' Alexandra remembered, with a nod, as she got up to leave. The Law Book didn't seem so heavy now. Alexandra knew she had found a way to enjoy learning those tedious pages full of small, minuscule writing.