Magi: The Goddess of Hope [DISCONTINUED]

💮 Scene Twelve: Eye of the Tiger

Capricia brushed her wavy golden tresses gently, and softly put away the hairbrush after the two hundredth stroke. The Noble House of Giada would have a fit when they caught wind that she, a scion of their house, had unwittingly provoked a commoner.

But most distressingly, Capricia knew that her parents would not take kindly to the fact that a commoner of low blood like Sister Maka had managed to land a blow upon her face. In high society, attacking a lady's face with a glove was considered a challenge to a duel-- a faux pas as it were.

Capricia winced at the covered bruise on her left eye. 

Somewhere inside, a niggling feeling in her head worried for Sister Maka's safety. She was headstrong. It was not necessarily a bad trait to have: in fact, with grudging respect, Capricia found her tenacity admirable.

But that sharp tongue and reckless imprudence of hers would certainly get her into plenty of troubles one day. No matter how brave or fearless a person was, there would always be someone higher in position than them--and it would not do to anger them at all.

Gently prodding the blooming bruise at the corner of her eye, Capricia winced. The strength and grace of a Fanalis, indeed. Despite having been treated earlier, it still held a slight sting to it.

A huff left her lips. It matters not. A face is merely a face. It will not gain you power nor prestige.

With those words in mind, Capricia stood and made way for her clothes case, and double-checked to make sure everything was in order.

Clothes, check. Linen, check. Pins and hair-binds, check. Money and other necessities, check. Letter...

Oh no.

Capricia rummaged through her pack, opening up each and every closed flap. Still nothing.

A sound outside her room made her turn. Capricia flounced over to the door, wresting it open. One eyebrow raised in slow anger at the person before her. "And just what do you think you're doing with my letter, Sister Maka?"

Maka stared, first in fear, then in defiance as she slowly rose up and stood before the taller girl. "I'm borrowing this."

"For what? To plagiarize your own letter? To pass yourself off as I?" Capricia scoffed as she took the edge of the envelope from Maka. "There are enchantments on the envelopes and the ink on the letters. And everybody knows a scion of House Giada by their blond hair and gray eyes. Now stop being a child and give it--"

Capricia yelped as Maka snatched the letter and bolted, her teal hair flying loose behind her. "You--get back here, scoundrel!"

Giving chase, Capricia snarled as she slowly gained on Maka. Reaching out a pale hand and snatching the latter's teal hair, the blonde noblewoman tugged and let the impertinent girl fall to the hard stone floor with a loud thud.

Snatching away the letter with a quick, practiced swipe, Capricia glared down imperiously at the cowed form of her fellow Scholar. "Just what on earth are you on about?" Capricia hissed at Maka. "Why in Pernadius' name are you so desperate to leave Leam? To prove yourself? For fame?"

Silence.

Capricia tugged on the strands of teal in her hands gently. "Tell me, child. Or Solomon help me when I decide to turn you into the Mater for petty thievery."

Maka stiffened in reaction, and relaxed. "...You wouldn't understand. You wouldn't."

Resignation. Capricia turned up her nose. That was such an infuriating emotion. "How in the nine hells am I supposed to understand when you won't tell, you foolish child?"

Despite herself, Capricia felt her lips quirk up into a small smile. "You are headstrong. You have the drive to accomplish your goals. The problem is you go about completing them in completely erroneous ways."

Maka looked up at the older girl with glimmering red eyes.

"...You don't have to tell me this now," Capricia replied softly. "I know that you distrust me at the moment."

Releasing the strands of teal caught in her grip, Capricia stepped back with her letter in hand, her face smoothing out to its usual impassiveness. "Come with me, we're going to the Mater."

Ignoring the fear that spilled out from red irises, and the cries and hands that frantically clawed at her wrist while hysterically screaming no, no, no, you don't understand, I don't want to leave, no, no, please just no--

Opening the door to the Mater's office, Capricia Giada put forth the trembling frame of Maka before the elderly lady. "Madame, I have here Sister Maka who has attempted to purloin my invitation letter from me."

Leaving aside the image of Maka shaking and crying before the Mater, Capricia held her head up high and mentally begun arranging her argument. "Sister Maka has shown great stealth and ability to conceal herself from prying eyes. Although her emotion-fueled reactions and impertinent attitude make it hard to cultivate such abilities, I have a favor to ask you, Madame, in light of Sister Maka's talents."

The elder woman raised an eyebrow. "And what would...that argument be?"

Capricia smiled. "I would like to teach Sister Maka the ways of espionage, and have her be stated within Balbadd as my handmaiden. Isla is far too flighty for my tastes as a companion."

Silence.

Maka stared at Capricia with teary red eyes in question and disbelief. The Mater's eyes had widened and her quill-pen had dropped on her parchment.

The blonde girl smiled inwardly. It was always a good feeling, being able to generate shock and awe at the mere words of a Giada.

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A/N:um hi
This is extremely late lmaoo like ONE YEAR?? College is killing me. Anyway, thank you SO MUCH for not abandoning this trashy fanfic. Means a lot to me.

Also more Capricia. Headcannon is that in the Leam Empire, there are noble Houses that are ranked by the length of their association with the Pernadius Line and the Magi. The Giadas are a very old family who have gone name changes over the years. Their ancestor was a legit companion of Scheherazade's King Vessel, Pernadius Alexius.

Capricia's not bad, just really honor-driven, and very, very sarcastic. 

🌜💮🌛

Edited, 12.05.20.