Bitter Honey

HOW SILVA AND LILI MET

Saul Silva knew he wanted to meet her the moment he saw her. It was during training, and all the young specialists turned their attention to the first year fairy. Ignoring them, she found her way to the head specialist. They spoke in muffled voices, clear anger in both.

Andreas had leaned into his friend, both of their eyes planted on the girl, "who is that?"

He didn't answer. Instead, his eyes followed the fairy as she took a step away from the head specialist, ignoring their warnings as she climbed up onto the sparring platform.

No words were needed, instead, she stood with curled fists and searched the crowd of specialists. As if it were an instinct, he jumped to his feet and made his way towards her.

As he got a closer look, he saw that she had long, stubbornly straightened air that reached below her shoulders. Her eyes were a glaring green, an unspoken challenge clear within them. A smile curled on her lips, and a smooth accented tone filled his ears, "thank you." She whispered, and dropped to the ground, pulling his feet out from under him.

She was standing when he looked up, laughter coming from her lips. She covered her mouth, cheeks bright pink.

With a groan, he stood, and kicked out. She blocked it easily, and threw a punch to his torso. While he was bent over, she aimed a knee at his nose, shattering it. He fell to his back, holding his nose protectively.

He heard Andreas cheering the girl on behind him.

Her defensive stance relaxed, and she slowly took several steps towards him, crouching, "I'm sorry. I was trying to make a point, are you okay?"

Clear care and worrisome proved in her features, besides the fact that she broke his nose and bruised his stomach. He took a long look at her, and swung his body around, wrapping his legs around her and planting her to the floor. He tightened them for a quick second, then dropped the pose, letting her breath. Quietly, he replied, "I'm fine."

~~~~

They were both sent to Headmistress Rosalinds office, where they were put at a distance from each other. The headmistress did not seem bothered, though. Instead she smirked as they sat down, a relaxed position taken in her chair.

She turned to the girl, "Liliana Diaval, is it? I've been told that you've been quite a trouble in your first few weeks at Alfea."

An unknown connection seemed to lay between the headmistress and the girl - Liliana -, but Silva didn't even want to know what it was.

"Have I?" Liliana asked, intertwining her fingers, "I think you've been informed wrongly. I've just been... adventuring annoyances."

A scoff escaped the headmistress, and she turned to Saul, "and you? Mr. Silva, we've had zero problems from you at this school. So why is it I hear that you agreed to fight Ms. Diaval?"

"Well, we didn't exactly have a conversation over- not that I wouldn't want to have a conversation with her, of course I would-"

"I just want a simple answer, Mr. Silva."

He groaned slightly, looking at Liliana in his peripheral. She smirked, leaning forward slightly as if to hear his answer better. He focused back onto the headmistress, and quietly said, "she needed a partner."

"What was that?"

"She needed a partner."

The headmistress nodded, and didn't speak for some time. The silence seemed to kill Liliana, who stood suddenly and said, "so am I good to go, or what?"

"Fine, Liliana. Go. You too, Mr. Silva. Any more nonsense I hear of you two will result in a detention, alright?"

Saul nodded, and thanked her before following Liliana out. She moved quickly, distancing herself from the office.

"Wait," he called, and she spun on her heel. She raised an eyebrow, motioning for him to continue, "I'm Saul."

"Lili. You still have a broken nose, Saul."

He touched his nose, wincing at the tenderness. He could taste the dried blood lumped up above his lips, but could feel no anger towards the girl.

He gave a weak smile, and took a step forward, "I've lost a lot of blood."

"Yes, you have."

"You kneed me."

"I did."

"Blood loss is supposed to result in dizziness."

She looked at him like he was crazy, and shrugged her shoulders, "where are you going with this?"

"Well, I've lost a lot of blood and it is all due to you. I don't know if I'll be able to make it to the nurses on my own, because of the blood loss from your knee. So I think, you know, you should kind of chaperone me to the nurses. So I don't like, pass out and die, you know?"

She chuckled, "well, it certainly would be horrible if that happened."

"It would."

"And I guess since there is no one else around, and we don't want you dying or anything, the only way to save you was if I... chaperoned you."

"It is."

"And I did cause that injury to your nose."

"With a very nice, strong knee, if I might add."

"Thank you."

They stood around for a couple of moments, staring at each other. Lili shook her head, a dazed smirk on her lips, "come on, Romeo. All that blood loss is going to your head."

Saul felt his confidence increase, and took a long pause, "if I don't die, can I maybe get a date?"

"Sure. We can throw knives or play strip poker."