PURIFYING TOUCH...

Chapter 4.

Without arguing I got up, said a quick good-bye to Ricci and followed the warrior. He led me to the main Admin building, through the winding corridors, and into Lady De Rosa’s office. I had been in here a couple of times for what teachers call “misbehaviour” but I call it “stating my opinion”. Her office was huge and very old fashioned, though that made sense seeming as though she’s like 200 years old, literally. I’ve always thought that her office must have once been an old throne room because that was what it was styled like, a very old, classical Italian throne room. Everything was painted red and gold. The old woman sat at her desk on the other side of the room, leaving me and the warriors to do the long walk of shame all the way to her desk. Well, it wasn’t really a walk of shame for the warriors, they were just escorting me in a typical “one-in-front-one behind-and-one-either-side-formation”. We finally reached the desk and Lady De Rosa got up and moved around the desk to us. The warrior in front of me (the god-like one) stepped aside so I could see my headmistress. She was wearing a green, floor-length gown with gold trimming and embroidery. She had her dark, waist length hair lose, with a few braids. I must say, she looked pretty damn elegant and I felt under-dressed in my shorts and band shirt. I looked like a frickin groupie next to her. For her age she looked pretty good, not a day over 50; the other 150 years have been kind to her.

            “Miss Marcello, I’m sure you are aware of the death of one of our own Della Luna last day?” she stood about a metre in front of me, staring me down with those big green eyes.

            “Yes Lady De Rosa.” I don’t particularly like her but I know I have to at least be respectful because I don’t know what I did but it must be bad because why else would she have sent 4 Ibrido warriors to come and escort me here? She obviously didn’t think one was enough.

            “Then I’m sure you know why it is that you are here.” Um, what the hell was she on about? “Actually I don’t my lady.” Again, trying my hardest to be as respectful as I can.

            “Well my young one, it seems other students saw you and Miss Verrona arguing at a party last day and now believe that you are the one who killed her.” Oh my god! Oh my god! People weren’t staring at me because I was with Ricci, THEY WERE STARING BECAUSE THEY ALL THOUGH I KILLED DANIELLA! This can’t be happening, I have an alibi, surely once further investigation is done, my name will be cleared and this will all just be a misunderstanding.

            “Lady De Rosa, is that what you believe? Because you MUST know that I had nothing to do with it!” I was fighting back tears. This could completely ruin my life, if this is taken to court, whether I’m found innocent or not, my name will be tarnished forever.

            “Well child, I would like not to believe it, but I have spoken to your trainer and your teachers and they all say what a short temper you have and your trainer has also told me how skilled you are in combat.” Wow, so because I get pissed off and because I can fight that must mean I’m a born killer. Great.

            “Please, you have to believe that I had nothing to do with this. I have an alibi and I’m an Ibrido, of course I can fight. It’s what I was born for!” I was so angry I was at the point of fighting back tears.

            “Yes child, I can see your point, but you see it does all look very suspicious, you ever seen about to hit the girl just yesternight in the school corridors before school had even ended. Then it all continued at a party just a couple of hours later,” she held my shoulder. “Darling, I have no reason to believe that you are capable of such a thing as murdering someone of a race that you are sworn to protect. But I am not the only one who you must convince. Almost your entire student body and teachers believe that you are guilty and I am afraid that once the High Council hears about last day, they are going to have you as their lead suspect.”