Maiden of Moonlight | Tedros Pendragon

Chapter 1.13

" She was all he had and he shielded her like a flame in a storm back against the wind."

Atticus

_______________________________________

Students had gathered in the Theatre of Tales after a hearty breakfast to be more knowledgeable on the Trial by Tale. Marya sat between Agatha and Kiko, fiddling with the locket around her neck as Castor and Pollux spoke.

" To win a Trial by Tale is one of the greatest honours at the School for Good & Evil." Pollux looked down at the adolescents from the stage. " Once a year, we send our best Evers and Nevers into the Blue Forest for a night to see who lasts until morning. To win, a student must survive both the School Master's death traps and the other side's attacks. The last Ever and Never standing at dawn is declared the winner and given five additional first-place ranks." He raised his nose snootily. " As you know, Good has won the past two-hundred Trials-"

Evers burst into chant, but Castor rapidly shut it down with his usual booming voice that terrified the majority of students.

" Now, a week from today, each Forest Group will send its top Ever and Never into the Trial. But before we announce the competitors, let us briefly review the rules."

The assembly seemed to go on forever in Marya's opinion before the naming of the top students from Surviving Fairytales. Her eyes widened when Tedros and Sophie were called to represent their forest group.

Everyone soon left through their respective doors, and as the brunette was about to leave the theater, she spotted Agatha sitting alone on the pews. Marya began heading towards her when Sophie appeared.

" I told you I belong here, darling." The blonde sighed happily. " You just wouldn't listen."

Agatha said nothing.

" Maybe the School Master will let you go home alone." Sophie said.

Agatha didn't flinch.

" You need to make new friends, Agatha." She said with a soft smile. " I have a prince now."

Agatha just stared into her eyes.

Sophie's smile dropped, and her gaze hardened, " I have a prince."

She slammed the Nevers door behind her as she strutted out of the room. Marya frowned and made her presence known to the ravenette who was still sitting in the pink pews.

" Let's go make some hot cocoa. The nymphs in the kitchen love me, I'm sure I can get us some whipped cream as well." The brunette told her, and Agatha peered up at her roommate, not showing any emotion on the outside yet on the inside, she was relieved that the girl hadn't brought up the conversation with Sophie.

The ravenette slowly nodded, making Marya smile and gently take her hand in hers, guiding the way to the kitchen as she babbled on about the most trivial things to distract her friend from her own mind. Agatha couldn't be more grateful for Marya than in that very moment.

♕

Sitting together in the crinkly leaves of the Clearing, Kiko wrapped her pink shawl tighter and nibbled on her spiced corn cob as Marya listened to her drone on about Tristan alongside Agatha while completing some needle-point for Princess Etiquette.