The Doll and the Prince | Tedros Pendragon

Chapter 3

A few days passed and now Layna found herself crossing a pristine sea-blue breezeway that served as a glass passageway to the Honor tower; a tower mainly dominated by Ever boys.

During afternoons, she occupied her time by roaming the Purity and Charity towers, familiarizing herself with the glistening pink corridors designed for future fairytale maidens. From sweet pumpkin candy doors to jeweled walls filled with romantic murals of princes and princesses, the pristine pink towers exceptionally embodied a young girl's dreams of the perfect Ever After. During evenings, Layna would return to her room and study to pass the time (she was especially interested in reading a book entitled Animal Speech 1: Barks, Neighs, & Chirps), and when she was about to sleep, she wondered where she would find 'Chris' in this massive school.

Today, she was about to do just that.

As she passed through the breezeway, she caught sight of a Roman-inspired amphitheater just between the towers of Valor and Honor. Built entirely from white marble, three rings of symmetrical doric, ionic, and corinthian-styled columns layered upon each flight to partially cover three floors of the amphitheater. On the fourth layer, a circular frieze of square windows and weapons was meticulously sculpted upon the pale-shaded stone. On the last layer were statues of fighting gladiators as their sharp swords and iron shields glinted majestically from beams of golden light of the morning sun, successfully evoking an obvious sense of power and grandeur in the dangerous art of combat.

Layna marveled at the sight.

This must be the Amphitheater of War.

Reminded of a certain boy, the girl's moist lips curved into a soft smile from the pleasant memory.

She stood for a few moments longer before she had to take her eyes away from the splendid architecture. Then, she proceeded to the fourth flight of the Honor tower, where the Library of Virtue exclusive to only Ever students was located. When she finally encountered a tall pair of intricately designed doors made of gold, she pushed it gently to reveal a coliseum of books, two stories high and impeccably kept by a leathery tortoise that occupied a titanic library log who was kept busy by writing on parchments with a feathered pen. Light filtered within the golden room from the ceiling-high windows, illuminating the library with a tranquil type of resplendence.

"Subject of interest," he croaked.

"History of student records, please," Layna responded with a subconsciously lowered voice that due to the quietude of the place, was still audibly heard. The girl figured that instead of thinking about where to find 'Chris,' learning about who they were first is more important. It was unfortunate that her father was unable to give her even the most minor detail of who this individual was as she believed that even the smallest information was a step in guiding her toward her future savior.

"Denied. Violation of student confidentiality. " the tortoise replied shortly before he went back to writing, his words bringing a slightly disappointed frown upon her lips. She has already expected this, however. Since the girl had no other choice, she would have to take the more time-consuming path.

"I understand." She returned her practiced smile. "Do you have a section for Fairy Tales, perhaps?"

The tortoise then nodded to a direction of bookcases with gold ornaments before he turned his attention back to the parchment paper. Layna walked towards the towering bookcases and gazed at the wide selection of books that were meticulously arranged; The Ugly Duckling, Little Snow White, The Snow Queen, Cinderella, The Princess and the Pea, - every Fairy Tale that ever existed all cramped into the golden shelves, housing a few hundreds of stories each case.

Layna sighed.

It seems as if she has a lot of work to do.

Later in the afternoon, while she was carefully reading The Twelve Dancing Princesses in search of any character that was possibly named Chris, the girl was disturbed by a faint noise. At first, she did not pay heed to it, but when the noise grew louder, she looked up from her book and observed her surroundings.