"Mirror Mirror on the wall"
Ouch! I flinched at a particularly strong stomp on my foot.
This brat!
I lifted my right foot and hit my desk-mate with my strongest kick.
I was trying to ignore him at first because he was a noble but no, he had to be annoying and start a game of violent footsie.
This childish game has been going on this whole time, making it difficult for me to focus on Inayat's words. It's almost the end of this lesson and I'm winning by two points since he missed once.
"Ouch," I yelped at a rather strong kick on my shin. That's it, I had enough.
"What is wrong with you? I ask you to stop it or else-", I hissed.
It was an empty threat, of course. What can I do against a noble?
"Or else what? You will go whine to the teacher? You do love to do that, don't you? Can't expect much from a commoner child," he said in a mocking voice accompanied by a fake crying face.
"I do not whine," I said feeling a bit offended; I prided myself for being strong since my mother died. How dare he say I whine?
" Oh really? I do seem to recall someone whining to Dayuu that night', he whispered, again with the fake thoughtful face.
"Well, I do seem to recall someone breaking into my dorm room like a thief. What did you expect? A smiling invitation? A selection of some fine wine, maybe?" I hissed, copying his mock polite voice.
"I do seem to recall almost breaking my nose when you made me trip. And No, I do not need your invitation to come inside. Even if my looks are as perfect as that of an undead, I am not a vampire."
Oh Sol, another Inayat.
"Oh really? I recall you breaking my friend's bracelet which was a gift from her deceased grandmother. And are you sure about the vampire part? Climbing into girls' room at night does sound a lot like those ghoulish blood-drinkers," I glared at him hard remembering how much Dhara had cried.
"That was entirely an unfortunate accident because some chit of a girl kept blocking my escape route. But your actions, my dear, were definitely on purpose," he glared back at me as if all of it was somehow my fault.
"Of course, it was on purpose," I proudly admitted. "Too bad the fall failed to damage your face. Same can't be said for your wits however."
"That's fair, you can't say much on something you don't have," he said with a smile.
This insufferable brat!
Before I could make a scathing comeback, Inayat's voice rang in my ears, "Miss Morozova and Mister Ryuuzaki, care to share the intriguing conversation you two seem to be having?"
I looked around to see the whole class looking at me and Akira.
Were we being that loud?
"OH, give it a rest, Inayat. you already gave me a detention," surprisingly it was Akira who answered first which was, of course accompanied by an extravagant show of eye-roll.
For an authoritive figure, Inayat didn't seem to be offended by Akira's blatant display of disrespect.
"Well, since you two seem to get along finely, why don't you become partners for your first assignment of the year?" he said with a look at me that suggested he probably wouldn't appreciate defiance.
So I nod.
And after a sigh, Mister pompous brat nods too, of course followed by another eye-roll.
"Great now that all the pairs has been decided, you may leave when the bell-" with that the metallic sound announced the end of this lesson.
"You know, all this rudeness is really starting to have an effect on my beauty," Inayat said with a shrug to no one in particular.
"And your wit too, apparently," Mister Ryuuzaki quipped from his spot next to me.
Inayat didn't seem to mind that particular remark as well.
With a chuckle, he went to stand by the door with books a pile of book being lifted by a tiny faerie next to him. He called out names and the person took the book on their way outside.
"Cephas Drivas," a blond-haired boy got up and went. He high-fived Akira on his way.
"Eboni Abdallah," she went too, with a flip of her perfect hair and click of her high-heeled shoes.
"Gunhild Sigmond," the pretty blonde with a metal arm went to get her book.
"Luis Augustine," a dark-skinned boy with white skull-like markings went.
"Naeem Abbas," a brown cocky-looking boy with a snake wrapped around his neck went this time.
"Kishar Hammurabi," a beautiful black haired girl with pretty blue scarf went next.
"Amadeus Aeneas', a boy got up to go and tripped in front of us. Dhara quickly held his hand before he fell. He straightened, then stammered a Thank you out to her before taking the book and running outside.
This went on until Dhara and Arthur were called.
At last, my name was called along with Akira. we both got our books and went in different directions after deciding to meet in the library and glaring at each other.
After my last class, I made my way towards the library. These classes had made me more tired than I was getting used to these days. Thank the Gods, I didn't have to sit with Akira anymore. One lesson was the limit of my toleration.
There was no one around when I walked to the library. My reflection on the mirrors inside the bridge towards the library caught my reflection.
The girl in the mirror looked unfamiliar in nice clothes and shoes. After three full meals and proper rest, I might've even put on some weight seeing how my gangly limbs seemed fuller. My scrawny form was nowhere to be found.
I actually looked pretty to myself. Maybe not drop dead gorgeous like Eboni or that girl, Kishar but it was enough, enough to make me seem pretty in my own eyes and that was all I needed.
"I look nice today, don't I?" I asked my reflection, twirling a little; showing off my new skirt and sweater.
"Stop asking. Mirrors can't talk", someone replied.
I gasped and gaped at the mirror.
Did it just answer me?
But wait, the voice sounds familiar.
I look behind me when I hear the familiar husky chuckle and saw Akira, standing there with his hands hidden in his sleeves and that infamous smirk plastered on his face.
"I said, mirrors can not talk, my dear", he said again, this time accompanied by light laughter.
"Fortunately for you, they can't laugh either," I spit out, mad at him for ruining my moment of self-appreciation.
No Isolde, don't be rude to the noble boy!
"Ouch, you wound me, darling. Wasn't it enough for you to make me fall face-first?" he said not sounding offended or hurt at the least.
"Maybe you should've continued to fall straight into a coma," I said, starting to walk again with Akira tailing behind me.
Alas, my mouth fails me again.
"You should laugh sometimes, you know. It's the best medicine for sadness," he suddenly said, looking at me thoughtfully.
No, it isn't. I tried making mama happy with stupid jokes too. She would laugh but it never reached her eyes because papa left. She was sad until the end.
"If it's really the best medicine, then your face must be curing everyone out there".
"You know for someone who doesn't like my face, you do talk a lot about it," he said, again with that stupid smirk.
"I am actually more jealous of the people who haven't seen that face of yours".
Well, he did have a rather ethereal looking face. He reminds me of Sol for some reason.
So what? His handsome face can't cover that personality.
"Sure, sweetheart, whatever you say. Everyone loves my face, especially, the ladies," he replied fixing his hair in one of the mirrors.
Sol, his ego is higher than the mountains we crossed on our way here.
And why on earth must people refer to me as sweetheart? That's what mama called me.
Do these people not know any other form of endearment?
I am sure after studying under thousand of fancy tutors, noble children do gain an extensive vocabulary.
I wanted to berate him for that for some reason.
Do not call me that, Mister Noble-birth. I might start associating you with fondness and if you're anything like the nobles back home, then you surely don't deserve it.
Instead, all I said was, "How do you make space at home for all that ego?"
"My house is pretty big. Thank you for the concern, sweetheart. "
Of course, it is, fricking beautiful compounds with white gates and fancy fountains!
Why would you even need fountains in the lawn for?
I didn't realize when we reached the library while we were talking.
I walked up the stairs towards the magical races section. The assignment was to write about a certain race and its impact of Azura's history. I quickly got to collecting necessary books from the floating bookshelf.
Hmm, I wonder which one will be better? Lwa or Dwarves?
Maybe the Jotunn?
"Are you going to tell me what we are doing or do you just want me to follow you like a dog?" drawled out a bored voice next to me.
"Will you leave if I throw a stick?" I asked a bit too hopefully.
"Hmm, let me think. I do not quite fancy the idea of chasing after fallen tree branches. So I'd decline the offer, as tempting as it is, sweetheart."
"Well, then run along and find some books on Dragons. I think they were on the third bookshelf from the north side," I said, hoping he would leave before I can't tolerate him anymore.
The noble air around him was all too suffocating for me
"If you want to know about Dragons, you could just ask me, sweetheart. No need to feel ashamed," he tilted his head.
"You really think you know more than these books written by famous scholars?" I scoffed.
"Well, honey, they were written by people who have never seen a Dragon let alone observe one. I, on the other hand, grew up with one in my very backyards," he remarked nonchalantly.
"Oh really now? Who was it? Solebian?" I jested, crossing my hands over my chest, not believing a single word that came out of his mouth.
"Why yes, who else?" he asked looking genuinely confused.
"Oh what next? You are Grandmaster Reika, the tamer of Dragons??"
Seriously how gullible does he think I am!
"Hey, I may look like a complete clone of my father but no need to taunt like that," he said, looking very offended with his arms crossed over his chest.
What? "What did you just say?"
He looked at my confused expression and something dawned on him.
"Sol! You didn't know! That's why you were speaking like this to me! Grandmaster Reika is a Ryuuzaki, specifically, the father dearest of yours one truly," with that he let out a loud amused laugh.
Sol, I messed up, didn't I?
GLOSSARY
*Jotunn: In Norse mythology, the Jotunn are a race contrasted with the Gods. They are very vaguely described in most sources which often associate them with nature or calamities. They live in Jotunnheimr. They are often described to be giants specially in Scandinavian Folklores. In English Folklores, they are called Ettins. Most of the time, they are portrayed in a negative light however their motives or nature are still considered rather ambiguous.
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