Lanterns: The School For Good And Evil

Chapter Five: Princes

Each school had its own entrance to the Theatre of Tales, which was split into two halves. The west doors opened into the side for the good students, decorated with pink and blue pews, crystal friezes, and glittering bouquets of glass flowers. The east doors opened into the side for Evil students, with warped wooden benches, carvings of murder and torture, and deadly stalactites dangling from the burnt ceiling. As students herded into their halves for the Welcoming, fairies and wolves guarded the silver marble aisle between them.

The three out of the four girls had found a seat at the front of the good bench. Agatha had volunteered to go and grab Sophie and tell her about the plan. All Agatha had to do was convince Sophie to come to her senses and meet the group at on the bridge. Elena however had a deep-rooted fear that something would go terribly wrong.

"I should go help her." Elena said standing up and Maisie pulled her down.

"Agatha will be fine. She has been dealing with Sophie for ages. This isn't going to be any different." Delilah said comforting her friend.

"Besides you will miss the demonstration?" Maisie said trying to calm herself down.

"What demonstration Maisie?" Elena asked still nervously glancing over to where Agatha was.

"Just watch and wait my dear."

Elena shook her head. She didn't exactly like surprises and she didn't like the sound of this one at all. Looking back over to where Agatha was Elena found comfort in letting the sunlight that was coming down from the window dance around her fingers. Then the golden light changed,to a soft pink and purple glow that she was extremely familiar with. She had never been able to that before , she had always needed her wand. Maybe it was different at the school. She went back to playing with the light but then she heard sounds. Sounds that made every Good girl bolt upright. Sounds they had waited their whole lives to hear. From the hall, the stomp of boots, the clash of steel- The west doors flew open to sixty gorgeous boys in swordfight. Sun-kissed skin peeked through each of their outfits. A pair of beige pants and a white shirt each with a different coloured with a golden letter on the back. As the boys playfully crossed blades, their shirts came untucked from tight beige breeches, revealing slender waists and flashes of muscle. Sweat glistened on glowing faces as they thrust down the aisle, boots cracking on marble, until swiftly the swordfight climaxed, boys pinning boys against pews.

In a last chorus of movement, they drew roses from their shirts and with a shout of "Milady!" threw them to the girls who most caught their eye. Delilah looked at all of this with disgust and handed all the roses she had caught to Maisie who had caught the eye of a prince with sparkling green eyes. Elena had been thrown a few herself and bundled them up to give to Agatha.

In the decayed pews, the villains booed the princes, brandishing banners with "NEVERS RULE!" and "EVERS STINK!" (Except for a weasel face boy named Hort who crossed his arms sulkily and mumbled, "Why do they get their own entrance?") With a bow, the princes blew kisses to villains and prepared to take their seats when the west doors suddenly slammed open again- And one more walked in. Hair a halo of celestial gold, eyes blue as a cloudless sky, skin the colour of hot desert sand, he glistened with a noble sheen, as if his blood ran purer than the rest. The stranger took one look at the frowning, sword-armed boys, pulled his own sword . . . and grinned. The boys came at him at once, but he disarmed each with lightning speed. The swords of his classmates piled up beneath his feet as he flicked them away without inflicting a scratch. Elena didn't once blink as she watched as the boy dismissed each new challenge as quickly as it came, the embroidered T on his blue tie glinting with each dance of his blade. And when the last had been left swordless and dumbstruck, he sheathed his own sword and shrugged, as if to say he meant nothing by it at all. But the boys of Good knew what it meant. The princes now had a king. (Even the villains couldn't find reason to boo.)
Meanwhile, the Good girls had long learned that every true princess finds a prince, so no need to fight each other. But they forgot all this when the golden boy pulled a rose from his shirt. All of them jumped up, waving kerchiefs, jostling like geese at a feeding. Elena continued to watch in awe boy smiled and lofted his rose high in the air- and saw Sophie move too late. Agatha ran after her, but Sophie dashed into the aisle, leapt over the array of colourful dresses , lunged for the rose-and caught a wolf instead. As it dragged Sophie back to her side, she locked eyes with the boy, who took in her fair face, then her horrid black robes and cocked his head, baffled. As he did the rose dropped right on the floor in front of Elena , it was light pink and matched the colour of her dress and she looked up at him and smiled. As all of this went on Agatha was pulled down next to Maisie who was watching the interaction with deep interest. At the same time a wolf escorted Sophie back to the evil side and Delilah smacked Beatrix's hand as she reached out of the boy to pull him into next to her.