Audrey stumbled into her room feeling an unusual heaviness within her chest as she struggled to breathe, her eyes darted up at Bella who was talking to Charlie and Nora about what had just happened with Kane at the Luna Lavinrac. Bella was red in the face as Nora spoke softly to her, Audrey felt as if time had slowed down as her hand felt around behind her for the door handle ready to leave swiftly from the scene in front of her. She twisted the door handle and was about to turn around until Charlie placed his hand on her shoulder and she met his eyes, she stared into his pine coloured irises and barely even processed what he asked her.
"Audrey, hello?" Charlie spoke before Audrey gently moved his hand off her, she walked towards her bed and sat at the edge of it looking at Bella and Nora in front of her.
"Hey, where'd you go? Should've joined me in beating that disgusting smirk off Kane's face" Bella chuckled, she looked flustered as anger lingered underneath her voice.
"You looked like you were doing pretty well actually" Audrey replied back with a small laugh as Bella rolled her eyes and leaned her back up against the wall.
"My brother...he's complicated and yes he can but cruel, but don't judge him too quickly please" Nora spoke, her voice unwavering but gentle, as Audrey's eyes inspected every detail of her. The navy blue sweater that was oversized but complimented her slim features, the faded brown freckles that went over the bridge of her nose, her small wrists and the one that wore a silver shiny bracelet, her wide eyes that reflected Kane's but with small fluorescent pale blue speckles within the irises, and at last the small blue hair pin in her dark hair that Charlie had just bought for her.
Audrey tried to smile, to stop herself from frowning, as she looked away when Nora glanced at her before standing up. Audrey's muscles tried to not stiffen when Nora stepped towards her and sat beside her on the bed, she couldn't help but feel every bit intimated by the strange girl's presence.
"We haven't met yet," the girl began, "I'm Nora Kane". She smiled at Audrey who awkwardly gave a small but weak smile back, Nora could sense Audrey's discomfort and stood up off the bed gently walking towards the door.
"Charlie has told me a lot about you Audrey," Nora spoke as she turned to face Audrey with a smile still beaming on her face, "how about tomorrow we catch up? After classes around four?" She continued.
Audrey's heart dropped to her stomach as she stuttered a frail response, "Sure, four is fine".
Nora gave an excited smile and small nod with her eyes fixed on Audrey. She glanced over to Charlie before saying, "Well we better go, before the Solis Hall locks us in and we have to deal with Professor Hilks".
Audrey knitted her brows gently and gave Bella a confused look.
"Oh, the curfew here is midnight because that's when all the house halls are basically locked for our protection, You probably haven't noticed for the past week because we aren't night rats. What happens is, a teacher from each house guards the lounge outside the boys and girls sleeping quarters and the entrances along with the exits for around twenty minutes before curfew." Bella responded as she brushed her hair with a wooden paddled hairbrush.
"And let's just say Professor Hilks is not the nicest teacher in Dostira" Nora added chuckling as she gave Charlie a small nudge.
"Yea old Haroldin Hilks is one of the worst, hopefully you don't have Curative Brewery with him." Charlie said as he chuckled looking at Nora who held back a laugh.
"Charlie Binko and Miss Kane, does that look like Jolophin venom to you because it does not to me!" Charlie continued, he spoke in a high pitched posh voice with his eyes squinting as he looked at Nora who covered her mouth with both hands and laughed heartily.
Audrey kept a straight face as she watched them smile at one another before Nora waved Bella and her a quick goodbye, as Nora walked towards the door Charlie stood in place staring at Audrey. His eyes studied her face, trying to figure out why she seemed hurt and angry with him. His brows furrowed and he took a step towards her, his hands aching for her touch as his eyes grew desperate to see her smile at him, but he didn't make it far before Nora grabbed his arm.
Audrey felt the tension between her and Charlie sever with Nora's quick pull of his arm, she shifted her glance to the floor and began taking off her shoes as Bella's eyes awkwardly watched the strange exchange between them both. Nora yanked gently at Charlie as a small chuckle left his lips when she did, soon they both left leaving the room overflowing with emotions Audrey didn't know how to explain.
Bella slowly parted her lips, about to speak, until Audrey stood up and walked over to the bathroom. However this didn't shut down her eagerness to talk about what had just happened and so she blurted out, "That was weird huh?".
"What was?" Audrey replied from the bathroom, her hands on the sink looking into the mirror before she began to undo her tight bun.
"Nora and Charlie...and you" Bella said, her voice wavering with uncertainty as she waited for Audrey to reappear.
Audrey left the bathroom with her hand in her hair, massaging her scalp, as she sat on the edge of her bed only to shortly after rummage around in her suitcase to find her night wear.
"You really don't like her do you?" Bella said, she giggled slightly but held it back as she bit her lip and looked at Audrey eagerly.
Audrey simply lifted her head and looked up, she rolled her eyes as silence hung in the air for a few moments before, "Uh how is it that I hate the way she says his name!" Audrey groaned as she went back to looking through her suitcase.
Bella let out a laugh as she said, "I knew it!" In between chuckles.
Audrey laughed as she walked towards the bathroom, but her smile slowly began to fade as she stared at herself in the mirror wondering why she felt so uncomfortable around Nora. She thought that, besides him being close with her, perhaps it was because Charlie was so himself around her. Audrey felt somewhat saddened by her thoughts as she realised that she couldn't be and wasn't the only one who really knew the honest but strange side of Charlie Binko.
⤜⤛
Audrey awoke the next morning, she turned her head to see Bella still fast asleep and comfortably wrapped up in her bed sheets. Audrey still felt a sting of sorrow at what happened with Charlie last night, but she fought it off as she threw one of her pillows at Bella's sleeping head. Bella jumped awake and, with weary tired eyes, looked around to see Audrey pressing her lips together to stop herself from smiling. She frowned and threw the pillow back at Audrey as it hit her straight on in the face, Bella lay back down in bed and laughed hard as she spoke, "You deserved that!".
Audrey looked around for her uniform, she put on the charcoal skirt and white collard long sleeve along with her red tie that matched the jumper she had been given previously. She looked around in her suitcase for her charcoal sweater embroidered with the school logo, as she pulled the sweater out the shimmering silver pendant she had found the night before dropped onto the floor in front of her feet. She picked it up with careful hands, but before she could inspect it further Bella exited the bathroom in uniform asking if they were ready to leave; and so Audrey unzipped the small pocket in within her skirt and placed it inside.
Audrey and Bella began to leave the Solis Hall to walk towards the Refectory for breakfast when a voice called out after them, they turned to see a boy with caramel skin and dark curly hair as they stopped to watch him jog towards them.
"You guys heading out for breakfast?" The boy spoke, his voice low, warm and inviting but his face somehow familiar to Audrey.
"Yea we are Zach, wanna join us?" Bella said in a playful tone as she gestured for him to walk beside Audrey before continuing ahead.
"Oh I'm Zachary Tarvins, you must be the Nuper...Audrey Larson right?" He said as she walked beside her.
Audrey took notice to his last name as she quickly responded, "Yea I am, um are you Ms Tarvins son?"
Zach laughed and Audrey admired his smile as he chuckled while saying, "Mother? God no, unfortunately she's my sister". Audrey felt her cheeks blush from embarrassment as she looked away at the stone walls they walked past.
"Zach's in our level, he's a solis prodigy and I think he's in our Telum Training classes" Bella said as they turned the corner and the refectory lay ahead.
"What are Telum Training classes?" Audrey asked as Bella licked her lips eager to start the day off with a nice tasty breakfast and some tea.
As Zach explained how Telum Training was all about prodigies learning how to use weaponry in defence instead of their powers along with the school's history of being involved in numerous battles, Audrey couldn't keep her eyes off him. His sister seemed so frightening and suspicious when she met her last night, but Zach was friendly and charming.
Bella led them to a table where Charlie and Nora were all ready sitting, Charlie was anxiously bouncing his knee under the table as his eyes were locked on Audrey's movements towards him. Charlie's gaze shifted as he saw her smiling with Zach by his side, he tried to not frown but failed as he continued to watch them walk towards the table and sit down. Nora gave Charlie a small nudge in an effort for him to realise that he was quite obviously frowning at Zach and Audrey's interaction, as she did his brows relaxed and he looked down at his glass that was filled with orange juice.
"Good morning, Zach is joining us and I am starving!" Bella said before leaping up to walk towards the glass display were food lay out under heaters with coloured drinks held in glass dispensers to the far left.
Zach gave a beaming smile to Nora and Charlie before he turned his head to continue talking to Audrey, but he was cut off by Charlie's voice that almost shouted her name.
"Um," Charlie adjusted his voice before continuing, "Let me show you the food and stuff"
Audrey awkwardly stood up, glancing over to Nora who sipped her tea, as she walked with Charlie towards the food.
As Bella held a plate in her hands filled with all sorts of fruits and foods, she looked over to see Mr Harkness leaning against the wall of the entrance to the refectory as he gestured for her to come talk to him. She groaned as she hurried to the table and placed the plate down next to Nora, "Make sure no one touches my food" she said before walking off.
Bella followed Mr Harkness out of the refectory where he stopped and waited for her to stand by his side, "I heard of your little outburst against Mr Kane last night." He spoke in his usual low yet amused tone as he slowly walked with her away from the one place Bella really wanted to be.
"Yes sir, look in all honesty he deserved what he got he..." Bella began until she was cut off by Kane appearing from around the corner as he walked towards them.
"I'll trust this time you won't attack him again, a formal apology from both of you seems necessary." Mr Harkness said before he walked off with his cane lightly tapping the floor, they both stood in silence facing each other until the clicking sound faded.
"I'm waiting for your apology B" Kane said as he looked Bella in the eyes and a small smirk grew on his face.
"We all know you're basically Harkness' son, but are you really that weak you had to get him to make me apologise for something you deserved?" Bella spat, she glared her eyes at him and crossed her arms.
"Why are you so protective of her huh? You barely even know her" Kane said as she stepped towards Bella, expecting her to slowly move away.
Instead Bella stood her ground and lifted her head to meet Kane's gaze before speaking, "Well it says a lot about you doesn't it Will?" She said.
"What do you mean?" Kane asked as he tilted his head to the side slowly, his gaze still locked on Bella's as his smirk remained like a stamp on his face.
"I've known you for almost three years but I prefer this Nuper to you. It's her over you any day and I think besides those idiots you call friends, Elios and Siddle, the rest of the school would say the same." Bella hissed.
Kane's smirk slowly faded off his face as his positioned his body upright and looked down on Bella's small but defiant figure as she began to smile, she could sense the anger building within him and silently revelled in it.
She chuckled before her lips pouted and she said in a cruel teasing voice, "Oh I'm sorry Kane."
Kane was furious, as he watched her turn away from him and walk back to the refectory. His breathing quickened and with a few blinks his eyes shifted to a slit pupil surrounded by bright green irises with luminous red speckles, he twisted his neck and shut his eyes tight attempting to calm himself down. Bella seemed to be the only who could actually hurt him, who could get under his skin, she was the only student in the school besides his sister that had an opinion he deeply cared about. She challenged him and he was too proud to ever admit to her that she was the one that helped him learn how to suppress his powers properly and control his anger, his eyes slowly opened and returned to normal as his smirk returned and he walked towards the refectory.
Meanwhile Charlie was introducing Audrey to the new foods that were on display for breakfast, he began suggesting which ones she should try and which ones she should steer clear of. He was desperate for her attention and wanted to re-connect with her because for some strange reason he felt torn from her, he felt distant and seeing Zach with her only made this feeling worse.
"So you're telling me this tastes like toast, but it's actually made from something called tritigo...which is a kind of wheat I'm guessing?" Audrey asked as she watched the toaster anxiously with her fingers tapping on the edge of the bench.
Charlie couldn't help but smile as he watched her eagerly stare at the toaster, he could read her thoughts like they were printed on her face, as her right hand would twitch ever so slightly contemplating whether or not to manually take the toast out.
"Audrey, it won't burn" He said gently.
"Oh yea?" Audrey began, "I bet you a hair pin you're wrong!"
As the words left Audrey's mouth her heart quickened at the realisation of what she had just said, she looked at Charlie's confused face and watched a smile slowly grow into a chuckle. She looked away and turned her back to him, pretending to admire the refectory and it's walls, but muttering to herself, "Shit! You idiot!".
Charlie's mind was racing as he looked over to Nora who was talking to Zach as Bella approached the table with a smile on her face, the sound of the toaster springing up shifted both his and Audrey's attention back to each other's as they stood there facing one another in silence for a moment.
Audrey placed her hand in her pocket and fiddled around with the pendant, the uneasy feeling heightened when she did so and worsened her ability to ease the tension between the two of them.
"I...I didn't mean to say...what I was trying to say was..." Audrey stuttered, stumbling over her words as she found it hard to breathe.
Charlie watched entertained with seeing Audrey at a loss for words, the eloquent young girl who always had something to say was struggling to speak to him. The initial fascination quickly faded as he noticed Audrey was not only struggling to speak, but her eyes began to gloss over with tears as she gently wheezed trying to take a deep breath. Charlie's eyes darted all over Audrey's face and looked at every movement when he noticed her hand in her pocket, he reached out and held it in his only to feel a prick of shooting pain as he did. He inspected her hand and saw it tightly grasping onto something, he stroked it with his thumb as her hand that was in a tight fist slowly let something small but shiny go from her hand into his. As it fell from one hand to another, Audrey felt a sense of relief as she blinked her tears away and took a deep breath.
"Is this what's been troubling you?" Charlie asked, the pendant aching in his hand as he held onto it.
Audrey didn't know what to say, the answer was an easy yes but a complicated no, how could she tell someone that she had known for her whole life as just a friend that she was jealous of his connection to his best friend. She didn't know how to explain how he made her feel without it coming off as eagerly romantic and uncomfortably strange, and so she just nodded with relief but guilt circling like a tornado of wind and fire inside of her.
"It's okay, I'll take it off you and try see Alex today about it...uh I mean Mr Harkness" Charlie said as he placed the pendant in his pocket and with his other hand began to rub Audrey's shoulder gently.
Audrey smiled and looked over at the toast, it was slightly blackened as she reached over to it and gave a small laugh while holding it up in front of Charlie.
"I think you just have bad luck around toaster's" Charlie laughed, as he placed another slice of the peculiar bread in the toaster.
⤜⤛
Audrey spent the day feeling refreshed but dreading what she had to do later that day, before she knew it her final class of the day was only a few minutes away and so that meant it was only an hour until four o'clock. Bella walked with Audrey throughout the stone castle until they reached a grass field with a low stone fence surrounding it, around twenty students were there dressed strangely in armour and holding weapons of all sorts as they were in their little groups talking until class would begin.
"Hey, you two!" A voice said, Audrey and Bella turned around to see a tall muscular man with short blonde hair and tan honey skin. He had a scar that began under his eyebrow, went over his right eye, and ended just below his cheekbone. Audrey and Bella stood up straight up frozen in position as the menacing man walked towards them, holding a small dagger in his hand.
"Hurry up and get changed, class begins in five!" The man began, "Oh and Bella, you're working with me this week so I can inspect you because no one wants to get slashed in the arm like Wossold did last year!"
His voice sounded like thunder as he stared at Bella with an ominous expression, as the man walked away Bella muttered, "That one was time, and the annoying prick deserved it!"
Audrey snorted as the two quickly ran off to a changing room nearby, there Audrey placed on a charcoal coloured long sleeve shirt, black cargo pants along with black boots that took a while to put on as Audrey struggled to figure out which lace went where. Once they were ready, they ran back onto the field where Bella led Audrey to a large silver rack that held different sorts of armour. The armour was heavy and the ones Bella told Audrey to assemble and place on had the crest of a Phoenix marked onto the silver, she felt tired placing the armour on but her wearied expression quickly shifted to confusion when she saw a group of students wearing only silver gauntlets that gripped onto a shield.
"Don't even get me stared" Bella said as she noticed Audrey looking over at them, "They're ignis prodigies so they have dragon skin and we all know that no blade can pierce them...well unless you stab them in the throat or poison them".
Audrey watched captivated by their fearlessness and how they played around with the large swords as if they were made of plastic, her thoughts were interrupted by the booming voice of the teacher as he asked for all the students to gather around another but larger silver rack that he stood in front of.
"Good afternoon everyone, I am Mr Miles but call me Miles only. I am your Telum Trainer, behind me there are a range of weapons that you will learn how to use but by the end of semester you will have mastered just one. The ignis prodigies have been given their longswords, as they are encouraged to learn these, the solis prodigies are encouraged to learn with calor rapiers...any one want to answer as to why?" He asked, his voice was what Audrey imagined stone giants were to sound like in stories as he looked among the students waiting for an answer.
A young girl shot her hand up, she was an ignis prodigy and spoke with a calm but stern voice as she responded, "the calor rapiers, the thin swords, have been modified to absorb the heat signature of a solis prodigy and therefore can be used a double weapon. One to pierce and slice, another to burn more intense than any simple fire."
"Very good Lilly, and that leaves the daggers for caeli prodigies. Well, everyone partner up and get to practicing!" Miles said as he walked away from the rack and the students carefully took hold of their respective weapons.
Before Audrey could even walk towards the silver rack she felt a large presence towering over her, she looked up to see Miles standing close to her with an intimidating gaze.
"Nuper, you'll need a seperate trainer so come with me" He started as he gestured for her to follow, "Bella unfortunately I'll be back to deal with you" he said before walking with Audrey to a secluded area of the stone fenced grass field.
There Audrey was met with Zach and Nora, she felt her muscles stiffen at the sight of Nora who held a bow in her hand with arrows to her side. Zach held a large silver box in his hands gave Audrey a small smile as she walked towards them, Miles gave Nora a small wink before walking away back to the rest of the students.
Forty minutes had passed and Nora was sure that she was horrible at Telum Training as the calor rapier slipped out of Audrey's hands multiple times, despite Zach trying to show her how to hold onto it properly. She couldn't fight at all with it in her hands, each jab Zach took with his against hers made her step backwards almost running away from him and when the blades would collide Audrey's would clumsily slip out of her hands from the weight and thrust of Zach's blade. Audrey felt worse with Nora watching intently, feeling like she was being inspected on her miserable failure and judged; Audrey was sure that in any moment Nora would soon hold up a plaque with a number rating on it.
"Enough" Nora voice said, quiet but commanding as she dropped her bow and arrow.
"I would recommend a bow and arrow, but that wouldn't sit well with Miles and the Dostira officials, so Zach hand her three throwing blades" Nora spoke, as she circled Audrey and placed a hand under her chin looking at Audrey with interest but hope.
"Are you sure Nora, blades are only for caeli and..." Zach began as he placed his sword down.
"Don't question me, just do it." Nora commanded, she looked at Zach with her head held high and her eyes almost glaring at him.
Zach shrugged and rolled his eyes as he walked over to the silver back and lifted out three small but sharp blades, they had wings stamped onto the silver that was at the head of the blades. Zach placed them in Audrey's hands gently as Nora fixed up a thick board in the shape of a human and pushed the bottom of it into the dirt until it stuck, she touched the board and hit it gently to make sure it wouldn't fall over.
"Now Audrey, just throw them at the circles right here in the middle or the head. Just try." Nora said softly before walking to stand on the side next to Zach was looked nervous as he sighed.
Audrey threw one and watched it bounce off the target onto the ground, Zach flinched and stepped back until Nora pulled him by the arm shoving him forward and back next to her side. She gave Audrey a gentle smile and gestured for her to keep going as Audrey gave her a confused look, she was unsure as to why Nora would suggest her using weapons that weren't recommend for her kind and what she meant about the Dostira officials not approving of her using a bow and arrow.
"If she cuts herself using those, or if she..." Zach began to whisper to Nora, his voice wavering as his eyes were glued onto Audrey's movements.
"I've got a good feeling about this, now would you relax" Nora cut him off, her voice quiet but slightly aggressive.
Audrey took a deep breath and shut her eyes for a moment before throwing the next blade, she took a step back and threw the blade with as much thrust and momentum as she could. She watched the blade fly from her fingers and stab itself into the target with a loud thudding sound, she sighed and then began to smile looking over at Nora and Zach. Nora gestured for Audrey to stop and not move as she walked towards the target, as she looked at the blade and pulled it out of the board she saw the mark was a fingernail away from hitting the circle straight on.
Nora walked over to Audrey holding the blade and returned it to her with a smile slowly growing on her face. Audrey felt, for the first time, that she could trust Nora as the uncomfortable and uneasy feelings slipped away the moment Nora placed the blade back in her hand. Nora gave Audrey an impressed grin before saying, "Now do it again".