K02 ‖ Lords of Time: Temporal Efficiency
"Some girls get lost amongst fairytales and stories of ever after, while others find themselves pressed between pages of Edgar Allen Poe and dreams of nevermore."
―Ann Marie Eleazer, She's Magic & Midnight Lace
𝕽𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕲𝖚𝖎𝖉𝖊:
Italic words — the thoughts of a character / a foreign language is spoken
Bold and italic words — a lie, only when Princess Caitlyn's around
Bold, italic and underlined words — the timeline of memories, past, hallucinations etc.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Year 2039
Ever Realm Academy, Elderbourne Isle
"We have arrived, your highnesses," said the driver.
"Finally!" Maria Blavatsky said and was the first to get out of the car with Princess Han Su Jung following behind her.
"Thank you, sir," Princess Neelam said, handing over the cash before getting out of the car herself.
After the car drove off, the three girls were left standing in front of the Ever Realm administration building. As minutes passed, Maria started to grow weary and uncomfortable while Princess Han was busy checking out her makeup with a compact mirror and Princess Neelam was admiring the scenery. From where they stood, the trio could hear faint shrieks of children's laughter from the grounds.
Princess Neelam wondered if the younger students of Ever Realm Academy (ERA) were having a snowball fight on this glorious Sunday morning. The thought made her smile.
"Are they going to make us wait outside the whole day?" Maria asked indignantly. "Didn't they say someone will greet us at the administration building? Where are they?!"
Just as she finished her last sentence, the entrance of the administration building opened and a dainty girl stepped out dressed in a long black coat with matching high-heeled boots and black French barrette hat on her head. She was flanked with bodyguards on either side of her as she stood on top of the stairs, looking down on the trio.
"Welcome to Ever Realm Academy," she drawled lazily, looking like she would rather be anywhere else but here. "Princess Han of South Korea, Princess Neelam of India and Lady Maria Blavatsky of Russia. I hope the trip here was satisfactory?"
"Of course," Princess Han said, still staring at herself through the compact mirror. "And I see you've done your research about us. It's a pity you couldn't put in the effort to greet us on time."
"Says the one who was an hour late," the girl laughed.
Maria started moving forward, "You—!"
Princess Han closed her compact mirror with a snap while Princess Neelam tried to calm the infuriated Maria, glancing worriedly at the huge bodyguards beside the girl.
"What is your name, girl?" Princess Han asked through gritted teeth, earning a louder laugh from the black clad girl.
"Surely you could recognize a fellow royal?" she said, as the mirthful smirk on her face widened. "That's the basic etiquette of meeting another royalty. Oh, perhaps they don't teach that there in Poposi?"
Princess Han winced, stepping back like she had been slapped across the face, a flush creeping across her fair cheeks. That widening smirk on her hostess's face did nothing to help the pooling dread in her stomach. She opened her mouth but no words came out as the girl tilted her head to the side, waiting for an answer. The South Korean princess was at a disadvantage. She knew no one at ERA and had hoped that they would save her the burden of researching by introducing themselves. After all, she's a guest at ERA.
From the corner of her eyes, she saw Maria struggling against Princess Neelam who held her back from charging at the rude girl. Princess Han straightened her back and held her head up high. No weakness can be shown, especially not from her, the Student Council President of Poposi Academy. She ignored the bitter taste in her mouth.
"Of course we learn basic morals and etiquette in Poposi Academy," she said, staring coldly at the girl. "How dare you suggest otherwise? Besides, the way you dress makes you look less royal than you are supposed to be."
The girl raised an eyebrow, her mouth twisted as she narrowed her eyes. Any young socialite could easily tell that the South Korean princess was avoiding the topic of her host's identity that she does not know, what more a royal princess born and raised by the harsh expectations of the high society.
Seeing the stubbornness of the South Korean princess, the black clad girl decided to play along.
"Do tell me what my dressing style looks like," she said, putting her hands in her pockets. Her midnight blue eyes visibly observed the trio's outfit choice.
Princess Han wore a crop top with a skirt and a matching denim jacket, carrying a Gucci bag and had big flashy earrings on to complete the look. A typical K-fashion style of ensemble.
Maria Blavatsky was in a yellow blouse and blue jeans with a red overcoat, giving an odd combination of color, a mistake a self-proclaimed fashionista like her should not be making. The girl wondered if she even tried at all.
Out of the three, Princess Neelam was the only one dressing according to the occasion and weather, in a long trench coat with a black turtleneck underneath and winter boots as her footwear instead of heels like her two friends.
The girl smirked.
"You dress like you're going to a funeral!" Princess Han exclaimed after moments of struggling to come up with something, giving the girl a disgusted look.
"Why, I was preparing for yours," she smiled back at the South Korean princess.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Naturally, the girl was unscathed due to the intervention of her bodyguards that held back Maria and Princess Han Su Jung from scratching away her eyes. Annoyed and rather humiliated, Maria Blavatsky and Princess Han trailed behind Princess Neelam who silently followed after the black clad girl as they hiked up the slippery stoned path which proved quite a challenge for Princess Han and Lady Maria.
Both girls had to hold onto each other to prevent the other from slipping and breaking their ankles in their stiletto heels.
Meanwhile, Princess Neelam was trying her best to start a civil conversation with their host. "I heard that ERA has a long history, could you tell me about it?"
She received a loud sigh in reply. Princess Neelam winced.
"I just thought that—"
"It's common knowledge that the school was established in the late 19th century, more specifically in 1890," the girl drawled. "The school survived many major events including both world wars and a pandemic. If you don't even know the simplest knowledge of our hallowed institution, why bother visiting at all? Oh right, it was your Secretary who contacted us and arranged the visit. I must say, she's a very capable girl."
Princess Neelam clutched her Birkin bag tighter, her voice stuck in her throat as the girl continued on.
"I'm a little disappointed Miss Jennifer was not part of the visit," the girl sighed sadly.
"Jennifer, she—um, had some business to attend to," stuttered the Indian princess, looking elsewhere than the back of the ravenette's head.
"Unfortunate indeed."
"Are we there yet?" Maria shouted from the back of the group, still struggling to walk on her stilettos. "Or is this another one of your schemes to torture us?!"
"We're here," said the girl in a sing-song voice.
The trio stopped at their tracks and stared up at the magnificent building in front of them. Constructed by Tuckahoe marble with sophisticated Greek Revival architecture, the columns of the building resemble those of the Parthenon and serve as a tribute to the democracy of the Greeks. The domed rotunda above the Main Hall echoes the Pantheon of the ancient gods of Greece and Rome with a marble sculpture of Goddess Themis, the Lady of good counsel, standing tall in the center of the Main Hall.
Speechless by the marvelous sight, they barely noticed the girl walking up the stairs and addressing another taller girl at the top of the stairs.
Maria, being seventeen and the eldest amongst the trio, decided that she had had enough of the ravenette's rude behavior and wanted to seek justice. "You there!" she called out to the taller girl. "Bring us to your President! I wish to have a word with her about her Student Council member's rudeness." She said, ignoring the astounded look on the ravenette's face. She tossed her hair back, feeling victorious.
"My, you're quite fortunate," Maria stared at the taller girl in confusion. "I am the Student Council President of Ever Realm Academy; Princess Marioara of Romania. I trust Princess Caoimhe has given you the old Ever Realm welcome," the Romanian princess smiled, her dark eyes narrowing on her guests.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
1393 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜
a/n: fun? I think so too