"Hey Twila," Ro said, letting her tie hang loose around her neck. "Why weren't you mad at me for yesterday? And I didn't see you at all, even though I knew you were there."
Twila stretched leisurely and hopped off the bed. "Because I was busy." Ro gave her a skeptical look. "There was another demon lurking around. I knew all of them were there, but I also knew you needed a chance to prove yourself," the cat said.
"I thought the whole Pont incident proved enough," Ro grumbled. "If you knew, why didn't you tell me? What happened to the sixth demon?"
"I took care of it."
Ro rolled her eyes. "If you were any more vague, I'd have to start calling you Oogway," she muttered. A knock at the door interrupted her questioning. "Come in!"
Alicia poked her head in the door. "Hey, there's someone at the door for you," she said. Ro didn't trust the mischievous glint in her eye. "You better hurry, I don't think he can wait down there much longer."
"I'm coming, just let me tie this," she said.
A moment later, Ro was bounding down the steps to the front door. She cocked an eyebrow at the other rankers 'acting natural' around the living room and entryway. Alicia and Elwood were looking thoughtfully at a book, which she assumed they didn't realize was upside down. Diedra sat in her chair and followed Ro with her eyes while Corvin stood leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. Vida and Thad were busy 'arguing' about what type of blade was better while Byron pointed out facts to hold up both sides. Shooting a suspicious glare at them, she opened the door.
Will stood on the steps with a small bouquet of wildflowers grasped tightly in his hands. He looked shocked that she had opened the door herself. She fought the urge to shut the door in his face. "Oh- um." He cleared his throat and stood a little straighter. "Princess Ro-"
"Just Rosalie," she said, already irritated with this encounter.
"Rosalie. I have come to ask if I may escort you to the Peace Day Ball next Saturday," he said, holding the flowers out to her. She looked at him for a moment, trying not to laugh in case he was being serious.
After another moment of awkward silence, she frowned. He's being serious. By the gods, she thought, obviously conflicted. Ro smiled and straightened up, realizing she still hadn't answered. "I didn't know there would be a ball for Peace Day," she lied.
Deidra scoffed. "Of course you wouldn't know," she said, calling her out. "It's not like you didn't read that book about holidays and noteworthy occasions in this world just last week." Ro blushed in embarrassment, trying to figure out another way to weasel out of it.
She didn't want to just flat out tell him no, but she also wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. Corvin shuffled to her left as if waiting for her answer. Don't make this any harder, she thought, sending a warning glance to him just in case. "Oh, well, I wasn't planning on going to any balls," Ro said.
"All the rankers are required to come!" Alicia sang from the living room.
"And they have to bring someone along," Byron said. "Alicia and I are going together to avoid asking anyone else."
A few confirmations rose up from her friends. Ro sighed in defeat. "Let me think about it?" she asked hopefully. Will's face fell some, but he nodded.
"Of course your- Rosalie. Of course, Rosalie," he said. Moving jerkily, he shoved the flowers in her hand and ran off the front steps. The second they were in her hand, Ro sneezed twice. The door was closed in her purple cast as she glared at her friends.
Vida took the flowers and put them in a vase before Ro could sneeze again. "Thanks for backing me up, guys," Rosalie said sarcastically.
"What are friends for?" Elwood said enthusiastically. "So are you going to go with Will?"
She groaned and leaned on the door. "Gods, no. I'd rather not interact with him at all, to be honest. It's too...awkward," she said, crossing her arms. She shot them another piercing glare. "You all obviously knew what he was going to ask, and yet you failed to warn me about it?" she hissed. "Why didn't you at least give me a minute to make something up?!"
Deidra chuckled. "Because that wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining." The first ranker smiled deviously. "Watching you squirm is highly amusing." The other rankers nodded in agreement.
Ro threw her hands up in the air and turned on Corvin, pointing a finger at him accusingly. "You're going to the ball with me," she said angrily. "There is no way you're leaving me with that oaf, especially at a frick frackin ball."
He raised an amused eyebrow. "'Frick frackin'?" he teased. Corvin pulled her close to his chest and looked down at her grumpy expression. "Don't worry, love. I won't let that big bad oaf steal you away." A cheesy grin split across his face. "Have I mentioned that you look absolutely adorable when you're grumpy like that?"
"You say to the girl who single-handedly slaughtered five demons yesterday," she retorted, her eyebrows raised in a cocky look. Laughter shook his chest.
"Have I mentioned that I love you?" he said.
She shrugged. "I'm not sure, but maybe you should say it again for good measure."
The other rankers groaned at their cheesy display, each one quickly finding an excuse to leave the area. "Love sick dorks," Vida said, her being the last to leave. The couple chuckled at the reaction. Rosalie reached up to give him a quick peck on his cheek.
"Seriously, Corvin," she said. He gave her a charming smirk and looked at her. "Don't. Leave. Me. With. That. Oaf." That made him chuckle, and made her slap him lightly on his chest. "Come on, I really really don't want to go with him, but I don't know how to turn him down."
Corvin shrugged. "Just tell him that you were planning on going with me," he said. "It's really that simple."
She shook her head. "No, it really isn't. I can't just say 'Hey Will! You know how I lied to you twice in a row about my knowledge of the Peace Day Ball? Well, lucky for me, Corvin decided to ask me to go with him two minutes after you left and I said yes.'" She put on a look of faux confusion. "'Will, why are you crying your eyes out? It's not like I harbor feelings for you other than a very short acquaintanceship. I thought everyone in the school knows that I have a boyfriend since all anyone can ever talk about is my private life.'"
She ended her charade with a sarcastic look. Corvin's eyebrows furrowed. "I don't think you should say it like that, but..." he trailed off and shrugged. "You'll figure something out eventually."
Ro groaned and shoved her face into his chest. "The poor kid is infatuated with me," came her muffled response. "I don't want him to come back later in the story for a pointless and unsatisfying revenge arch."
Corvin cocked an eyebrow, but let it go. "I have no idea what nonsense you're spouting now, but okay," he said. Her head lifted to shoot a glare at him.
"You're just agreeing with me because you don't know what else to do."
"Uh, yes?"
She rolled her eyes. "You're absolutely no help at all." A charming grin was thrown her way. He added a wink to seal the deal. "Corvin, if you keep that up, you might have to catch me." Sighing dramatically, she threw her hand to her forehead. "I'm feeling faint from all the charming looks." They both laughed.
"If we don't go soon, we'll be late to class," Corvin said with a sigh, trying to untangle himself from Rosalie's grip. "Ro, I love you, but I can't be late to class again." She grumbled something along the lines of 'fight me' in response, hiding her face in his chest. He grabbed her head to make her look up at him. "You do realize I had a perfect record before you came along?"
"Awwwwwe you gave up your record for me," she teased. "Now I know for sure that you love me. I thought with you being unhelpful with the whole ball thing..."
"It's supposed to be a masquerade, if that helps any," Corvin said. "The headmaster thought it would be fun for people to try and guess who the rankers are, which is why we're required to come. There's a prize for guessing the most correctly, but he never told Deidra what it was." He shrugged. "Or maybe Deidra knows exactly what it is but will enjoy the shock on our faces when we find out."
Ro nodded. "Probably the latter."
"Most definitely the latter. Now let go of me."
After looking thoughtful for a moment, Ro shook her head. "No, I don't think that's the best course of action at this point in time," she said diplomatically.
"And I think that you're enacting revenge for not helping you with Will," Corvin replied.
"Maybe. Or maybe...uh. Insert witty comment?"
"How eloquently said, love."
"The stars are not in position," she insisted.
"The stars say that we're going to be late to class again," he retorted. "Where are the others, anyway? They should've left by now."
They both looked up at the sound of an awkward cough. "You two are blocking the door," Thaddeus said flatly. The couple chuckled, and parted. The other rankers filed past.
"Oh...kay then," Ro muttered. "I don't want to make you any later by walking me to class." Corvin glanced at her, then down at his watch. "I'll be fine, really," she said, reaching up kiss him lightly.
Twila sauntered down the stairs in her natural form and walked out the door. She paused in her stride to look back at the two students. "Rosalie? Are you coming or not?"
Ro had to jog slightly to catch up to the big cat as Corvin went the other direction to his own class after a short farewell. "You never come to class with me," she pointed out. "And you most definitely don't walk around campus in that form."
"Gaius asked that I accompany you to your classes from now on," the cat explained. "He, and the headmaster of course, thought it best that I keep a closer eye on you."
"You already shadow me. Why bring you out into the open like this?"
"Because it just might scare away the weaker demons that are after you," Twila said. Her gaze was steadfast as she walked across the main green space, ignoring the stares they received. "The sight of a protector will send even a high level demon running for the hills," she said smugly. "We are noble and fierce; we are the monsters lurking in shadows that demons tell their young ilk to be cautious of.
"Protector is more than just a title I bear, young one. It's a way of life," she finished. Ro noticed the proud glint in Twila's eyes. They chose to be silent for the rest of the walk, deciding to let the cat's words sink in. She stopped abruptly, making Ro nearly trip over the cat. "I will turn back into my smaller form so we can get through the hallways easier."
After reverting, Ro kneeled down so that Twila could climb on her shoulders, since it wouldn't do well if Twila had gotten lost underfoot. At least I'm not late, Ro thought as they entered her first class. Elwood and Alicia were sitting in their corner, like always. Professor Roman didn't bother looking up, like always. The talking in the room quieted when she walked in, like always.
Except something didn't feel right to her. Everything seemed like normal, but Ro couldn't put her finger on it. It's probably because I have a cat on my shoulders.
"I didn't think we were allowed to have pets here, let alone bring them to class," a girl commented snottily. Oh goody. Here we go again. "Such a mangy cat, too." She leaned over to her friends. "She's royalty, so you'd think she'd pick something a little more, I don't know...royal?"
Ro sighed and tried to move past it, but she could feel Twila tensing up on her shoulders. Twila, she said, connecting their mind link. It's not worth it, Twi. Just let it go.
Twila's tail started flicking into the ranker's face, making her sigh again. That insolent child has the audacity to insult the princess, heir to the throne, and her protector? Surely these infants have heard tales of the protectors before.
I'm not exactly up to date with children's stories, but probably not, Ro replied. The other rankers didn't know you were a protector. Well, except Deidra, but she knows practically everything that goes on in our dorms. She sat down in her seat, but Twila remained on her shoulders. I swear, there's nothing you can get away with in that place, not while Deidra is still breathing. I took some of her chocolate one time and I get threatened at knife point.
Elwood and Alicia glanced at the two, obviously worried, but knew better than to interrupt when they were speaking, even if it was mentally. Twila's tail continued to flick in irritation. Ro rested her hand on the cat's back comfortingly. I am cross, young one, and I don't feel much like being calmed, she said sourly. Professor Roman had finally stood and began droning on about the proper way to report injuries.
Ro rolled her eyes. Now you're just being dramatic. I promise that once I'm queen, I'll make sure the stories of the protectors are accurately recorded and spread. Now, can you stop fuming so I can actually listen to some old guy grumble about paperwork? She could feel Twila's silent laughter ring through her mind.
Alright, young one, but only because you asked so nicely, she replied. I'll have to decide with the others on what and how much to tell you. We do keep our own records, after all.
Letting Twila down from her shoulders, Ro smiled. I'd like that