The Forest Heart

Rosila Part 1

The next few days played out mostly the same, though they didn't return to the heart of the kingdom. Raven sat hiding away in the library waiting for class to start. Clair had needed to make her rounds earlier than usual and Raven had helped carry the herb bundles up to the market.

Raven sniffed her school uniform, frowning when she smelled of mint and garlic. She would have to sit near the back of the classroom to avoid listening to her peer's whine about the smell.

Raven glanced at the wooden clock on the far wall and sighed. Tucking the book under her arm, she waved to the Librarian and left, turning to go up the stair at the side of the building. The school sat just above the library, wedged between the two thicker off shoots from the supporting tree. It wasn't large and only housed the older group of kids ages sixteen to eighteen.

Raven opened the door slowly glancing inside at the mob of kids near the front window, pinning over the castle in the distance. Raven slipped in soundlessly, gliding over to her desk and taking a seat unnoticed. She hesitated when she locked eyes with Rosila, the most popular girl in class. Boys tripped over themselves to flirt with her and the girls tried to earn her favor by doing daunting tasks, that would eventually land them a seat next to their coveted queen bee.

Rosila simply flicked her warm brown curls over one shoulder, turning away from her. Her warm brown eyes were evenly set in her soft round face, gazing out the window as if Raven bored her. Raven frowned at the sudden rejection as if bulling her wasn't worth her time.

Normally Rosila would be waltzing over, making some snide remark about Ravens appearance. She never did any physical harm, but the emotional harm was still there. Raven had tried hard to make friends in the beginning. Once she almost had a few, but Rosila took them away quickly, spreading hurtful lies that even some of the adults believed.

The teacher, Mrs. Basil, stood up from her desk, signaling the start of class. Pausing when she noticed Raven sitting in the corner and Rosila paying her no mind. Even the teacher noticed something was amiss. Raven quickly decided to play it off, opening the book she had borrowed from the library.

It was another myth on the creation of the kingdom making Raven sigh as she turned the pages without reading the words. She had read this book enough times she could probably recite it from heart. So instead, she listened to kids in class gossip as the teacher went over the lesson from the book Raven had finished last week.

The stuff wasn't anything new. It was mostly on the jobs Trayson had to offer making Raven sigh disappointed with her limited options. Who would ever think to hire her? The outcast. She was bound to be living off her parents until the end of time. Raven growled softly at the thought, tapping the book with her fingers. She hadn't noticed someone standing beside her until they spoke.

"Is the book that bad?" A sweet voice asked, making Raven jump. Raven turned to glance at the beautiful woman beside her. Her red hair was pulled back away from her face, letting her deep green eyes shine freely. Her lips were deep shade of red, standing out against her pale complexion.

Raven frowned as she looked at her, causing the woman to smile. Raven had known Ivy to be beautiful from the descriptions Hank told her, though seeing her in person was a whole other story.

"Raven! The Princess asked you a question!" The teacher hissed as Raven hesitated blinking stupidly.

"I'm sorry? I was distracted thinking about the lesson. I wasn't really reading the book." Raven mumbled hurriedly when she caught Rosila and the other girls glaring at her.

"Oh? Then it's the lesson you didn't like?" Princess Ivy asked as she watched the young girl blush nervously. Ivy's appearance was different from most other druids because her mother had been of both druid and elven decent, giving her green eyes and pale skin. Her red hair, Ivy was sure, came more from her mother. Though she never met another elf with red hair. They were all mostly blonde.