The second group was much worse than the last. To no one's surprise, they all got slapped by the princess in the end.
Azul started off strong. He offered Eliza bouquet of flowers and sang her a song of love. His demise were his untruthful words amidst his compliments.
Cater was too flirtatious for the princess' taste. Deuce could not even get one word out of his mouth because of his extreme nerves.
Lilia got slapped as soon as he greeted the princess simply because he was adorable and not handsome.
As she was going through the lot, I noticed one of her guards remained unusually close by her side. A sparkle was visible in his eyes and his lips began to curve up into a smile each time he and the princess made eye contact. Whenever the princess frowned, so did he. Whenever Eliza glided in front of him, his hands nearly reached out for her only to be pulled back at his sides.
"Why does every man in this world have to be so disgraceful, violent and rude?!" Eliza groaned.
"These guys are just a bunch of useless men who have no clue how to treat you properly," the guard said.
"Of course they don't!" Eliza said with a bright smile, "None of them could compare to my Idia! He truly is my ideal prince!"
"How could we lose to that introvert?" Leona snarled, "He can't even sing."
"Idia is different from you all. I know he could sing for me, he's just a little shy at the moment. Now, we must hurry," Eliza urged, "There are still many preparations to make for the ceremony."
"Princess, maybe you should rest," the guard suggested, "It must be so exhausting dealing with these humans and planning your wedding."
"You're worried about me?" she placed a hand on her chest, "You're too kind, Alexander!"
"I've known you ever since we were kids. You always tend to push past your limits."
"You truly are the greatest friend someone could ask for!" the princess hugged him before she floated out of the cafeteria.
My eyes focused again on Alexander, whose head now hung low and in a hushed tone said, "Yes....friend....."
Ortho's screen then went black.
The only ones remaining were Ace, Riddle, Kalim, Epel, Rook, and Ortho.
I tried to see if any other students could help, but I did not have much success.
Jamil refused to leave Scarabia unattended and would not permit Kalim to participate in the mission. I found Silver, but he would not abandon his post as Malleus' bodyguard. Malleus provided the same argument as Lilia, that if he got involved, there could be major diplomatic issues in the Valley of Thorns. Ruggie would not take part unless he was paid.
Considering the results we received from the first two groups, I wondered if a third group being sent would make any difference at all.
If Eliza would not listen to a man, maybe she would to a woman.
"You're coming with me," I linked my arm with Rook's and began to head towards my dorm's direction.
"Oh? A little rendezvous, mademoiselle?" he teased.
"Sort of. I have an idea, but I need your help."
"Cassie? What're you planning?" Ace asked.
While continuing to walk with Rook, I glanced over my shoulder, "If I'm going to crash a wedding, I need to do it properly."
---------------
From afar, it looked like an ordinary crimson, off-shoulder gown decorated with lace flowers. Once the skirt was opened from the front, it would be revealed to be a jumpsuit. While I walked, the skirt would flare by my sides and the back.
I received this outfit as a present from Vil as a belated birthday gift, but I never found a reason to wear it.
Why not tonight?
For comfortable, yet fashionable footwear, I chose a pair of black T-strap heels. To better coordinate my necklace to my outfit, I used a simple glamour spell on my crystal so its shades of black, violet, teal, and green would fade out, leaving behind a clear stone.
"Now," Rook motioned for me to sit on my bed, "Once your hair and makeup are done, you'll be ready to go."
While Rook was curling my hair, a thought occurred to me. I tried to maintain my level of composure, but some quiet giggles escaped out of me. I tightly pressed my lips together to prevent any further amount of laughter from coming out.
Rook paused his work and looked at me with worry, "Is everything alright?"
"I was just thinking...you're my fairy godmother."
"Oh?" he picked up another strand of hair and twirled it around the curling iron, "Do tell."
"There's a story about a girl who wanted to go to a ball. However, she had nothing to wear besides her rags. Her fairy godmother came and transformed her clothes into a beautiful gown. So, in a way....I would think of you as my fairy godmother for tonight."
"In that case, Vil would be my fairy godmother."
"How so?"
He chuckled, "Would you believe me if I told you I wasn't in Pomefiore in the beginning?"
"You weren't?!" I managed to keep my entire body still from the shock. "What dorm were you in then?"
"During my freshman year, the Dark Mirror assigned me to Savanaclaw. After a few weeks, I transferred to Pomefiore because I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of beauty."
Strangely enough, I could imagine the Pomefiore Vice-Housewarden in one of Savanaclaw's uniforms.
He continued, "My hair used to be longer and my skin was prone to sun-burns. I wore clothes which were comfortable and easy to move in, but they were often tattered. Vil taught me about wearing the proper attire and self care."
Rook began to tell me his stories from his freshman year, while he was in Savanaclaw and after he transferred to Pomefiore. His past self sounded like a completely different individual. Even the manner in which he first interacted with Vil seemed completely out of character for the hunter.
After he finished his work, I took one last glance in the mirror.
The lipstick perfectly matched the shade of my dress. Rook used a shimmering bronze eyeshadow and black eyeliner, which enhanced the golden tones in my eyes and made them appear larger in size. My hair was now in large, loose ringlets and it was parted to one side by a silver clip shaped like a heart pierced by a dagger.
He truly was my fairy godmother.
"Thank you for helping me get ready, Rook."
He took off his hat and bowed, "It's always a pleasure, Reine de Sorciere."
"I just realized...you've called me that since we first met and I never asked you what it means."
He chuckled, "It means 'Queen of the Witches.'"
"I'm not royalty though."
"Mademoiselle, be a queen is to know the power you possess and how to use it. To listen to others' worries, find solutions, and encourage them to do their best. To fuel your actions with compassion and kindness. Most importantly, to be a queen is to be a warrior and a protector. You need no title, throne, or crown."
"You...truly see me like that?"
"Of course. Truth be told, I was nervous when I first met you."
My brows rose in surprise, "You? Nervous?! I don't believe that for a second."
"It's true."
I still recalled the day he and I first met. I was sketching some of the scenery in Pomefiore from one of its trees. Rook climbed on the branch beside mine. After he politely asked to keep me company, he casually struck up a conversation. He complimented me on my drawings and then proceeded to give me a grand tour of the entire dorm. He seemed like a reliable and genuine individual. I never got a hint of nerves.
Did I give any of my other friends the jitters? Am I that intimidating of a person?
Rook handed me the bottle of concealer for me to apply to my tattoo. I had mastered glamour spells on small objects, like my crystal, but I had not had practice on people. If the ghosts did warn the princess about me, I had to hide any obvious signs that I was a witch.
"I don't know if Vil will be pleased or mortified I chose this outfit."
"Nonsense! It's absolutely magnifique!" Rook assured me.
I looked at myself in the mirror, admiring the ensemble from all sides, "Red truly does make a statement."
"Now," Rook placed his hands on my shoulders from behind, "Make them remember you."