The white knight and his black roses

Chapter 10

A few weeks passed since I had that alliance with the second prince and there is no sign of the hooded figure from the Catalog. According to his letter, his initials are C. R., and due to my many encounters with him, I and sure that it's a male. I flip through my journal that morning making notes of the suspects they could be the guy when I look at the time. "Crap, I'm going to be late," I grumble before tucking my journal into my bag, putting on my calf-high boots, and heading out the door. I have gotten a little used to sprinting to my homeroom class, I can't help to think that as I enter the room just the morning clock tower bell rings. "Damn Crosshelm, just shaved it." I hear Cam say as I take my seat between both twins. "Yeah, I need to keep track of time better..." I say as our year supervisor counts our heads.

After ten minutes, as usual, we are dismissed for our first class of the day, and I, that would be world history. As it turns out, Ryven's class is across the hall from mine, and he has started to wait lingering until my class ends. I step into the classroom noting that my teacher, Mr. Anchertin, is not very fond of people with the blight. His glare towards me made that very apparent but at the very least, he isn't allowed to drop grades out of prejudice. If that was possible every person in this room with the blight would already be failing. I take my seat next to the window pull out my history book and turn to a chapter that piques my interest. This particular chapter is about the Ironwood war between the Arc empire and the kingdom of Camore. As I skim through the chapter, I see that it says the war started with a trade offer gone bad.

The kingdom of Camore had a high tax they had to pay for wood and iron from the Arc kingdom at the time. Instead of negotiating, the Camore kingdom attacked three of the Arc kingdom's main mines and claimed them. The Arc kingdom retaliated with the move to ride in on beast mounts and re-claimed their mines and the towns nearby. The Arc kingdom started to squeeze the resources out of the Camores before they surrendered. During the peace negotiations, the Arc kingdom declared themselves an empire and returned the lands that they took from the Camore kingdom. They even lowered the iron and wood taxes as long as Camore never tried to oppose them again.

Before I knew it the class was well underway while I was reading and what caught my attention was my teacher calling my name. "Miss Crosshelm, why was the Arc Empire assault on the Camores so decisive?" Mr. Anchertin said with a glare that made me rather nervous. I took a minute to think about what I knew; the Arc Empire had many issues with these battles, but they still won. How? I look back at the book as I reread that section of the book when it hits me, "They used Beast mounts." My instructor looked rather puzzled at that response, "They already used beast mounts..." "The Arc empire had never used beast mounts the same way; they must have used flying mounts because all the mines were in the plains. It was a surprise attack." I say with confidence, the things thing I know well are monsters and history. Begrudgingly my teacher closed his book and looked at me instead of my general direction like usual, "You would be correct..." Our eyes met and I knew that he was assessing me. Before he could say anything else, the clock struck nine signaling the end of the allotted class time. I packed my bag quickly and left the room swiftly, that man made me so uncomfortable.

As I shiver, I spot Ryven leaning against the wall waiting for me. "You're eating lunch with me," he said suddenly as he looked over at me. "No," I say making him look at me again as if doing a double take. "No?" He parrots raising his eyebrows. "You can't just order me around, try asking me," I say crossing my arms as I look at him pointedly. He rolled his eyes and in a sarcastic tone he spoke, "Well you, Marrow Crosshelm, accompany me to eat food later?" I can't help but chuckle at his tone before answering, "Sure." I say before realizing that the hall is almost empty. With a nod toward me, Ryven walks past me and we both head to our classes.

After my major and minor beast course, I checked my schedule and realized that I have a mixed strategy class. Why would I have a class like that? I can't help but question the slip of paper when a familiar voice calls out to me. I turn to see that it's Cirus. "Where are you going right now?" my sister says quickly as she stands in front of me. "Mixed strategy...?" I say slowly as I watch her face change into an annoyed expression before grabbing my hand. She starts dragging me off into the direction of said class with a stern look and I dare not say a word. Once we arrive, my sister flings the door open before glaring at the teacher, "Why is my first-year younger sister in mixed Strat?" The teacher, who I recognize as the four-armed Fay from Mavis Hall, just looks at my sister with a bored expression. "Firstly, your little sister killed a Cockatrice single-handedly and secondly this was not my decision to make. The headmistress wanted her here." My sister lets me go as she tries to calm herself, "This is a class for second and third years, she hasn't even taken the Bara exam." My sister told me before that after your first year you take a two-part test, half written and half active, that determines whether or not you pass or have to repeat the year. I step back from my sister as she argues with the instructor of the class before someone with familiar red hair comes in. It's Ryven and Adam and they seem just as shocked to see me as I am to see them. "Hello Marrow," Adam says with his usual kind smile as my sister looks between the two of us.

Before my sister could say anything, the bell chimed that class was to start. Montford gestured over to me and pulled out a seat for me between him and Ryven while my sister sat arow above us. I can't help but feel her eyes on me before the class starts. Our teacher stood in front of us and placed his coffee cup on the desk before addressing our class. "I'm sure you are aware of the new student in this class, we will be having a quick review to catch everyone up." Sir Clearen said calmly before telling them to open their books. My eyes flared wide when I realized what was going on, I was placed in a class meant to teach us to fight monsters.

After the class ended, I walked out with a pounding headache that I assume is from the sudden onslaught of new information that I just received. I didn't get too far down the hall before Ryven called out to me. "Are you just planning to walk to the dining hall without me AFTER I asked you so politely to eat with me?" The ginger prince nagged as caught up to me with Adam close behind him. "No, I just wanted to get out of there before my headache got worse," I say pinching the bridge of my nose to try and convince my headache to go away. Adam looked like he was about to suggest something but just before he could speak, my sister came storming out of the classroom. "Marrow, how do you know them?" Cirus said with a particular disdain in her tone. "I bumped into R-Adam on the first day and I met Ryven during dinner that night." I can't forget that they switched identities while they were here, and my sister most likely does not know that. My elder sister gave me a silent glance before turning to Adam and bowing to him, "I apologize if my sister caused you trouble but please do not parade her around like a pet." Firstly, seeing Adam get bowed to is kind of strange because he's not a real prince but that also confirms that my sister doesn't know that. "Cirus, your sister did not cause us any trouble and why would you assume we would keep her as a pet?" Adam said in a rather regal manner. "Because she thinks our country is in league with Belacia," Ryven says flatly as he answers my sister.

I make a choice not to involve myself in this conversation further because my headache keeps getting worse. "Marrow, do not panic." The voice from all my dreams fills my ears along with a painful ringing. "Do not speak, this is natural." The sound of my sister arguing with the boys starts to be drowned out by the splitting pain in my head. I start to make my way around the corner just to get to a quieter and soon standing is nearly impossible. Suddenly my legs give out beneath me and as my body hurtling towards the floor, I feel someone catch me. As I struggle to remain conscious, I force my eyes open, and a hazy figure holding me before I pass out.