White Thorn | On Hold

Detention in the Library

"I suppose we'll sneak off to the history section when we get the chance." Jake said, staring at the gigantic double doors in front of them, gently running his fingers over the tree carvings sticking out on the reddish wood.

"Um... How do we even get in?" Arya stared at the enormous doors, wondering how the hell they were expected to open them.

A smaller door swung open, a familiar messy mop of brown hair materialising, the bright blue streak telling them exactly who had come to greet them. "Through here." Blu smirked. "I thought I could hear you three coming..."

Arya's eyes narrowed. "Where's Blaine?"

"Unfortunately, something came up, so he asked the two of us to- where the hell do you think you're going?" He scowled, catching up to her in a few strides as she stormed away. Two fingers curled under the collar of the coat she wore, yanking her back with ease. "You aren't getting out of this."

"That git is avoiding me, and I wanna know why!"

Blu scowled. "Then you can go and find that out after detention."

"Two of you...?" Lydia's eyes narrowed. "Don't tell me Ryker tagged along for the ride."

"Of course he did. Blaine could hardly ask Flynn with this one coming along." Blu tugged on Arya's coat, pulling her into library. "Now, pick a desk and get comfortable."

"Actually, we were thinking of giving Arya a crash course in Fae history." Jake smiled innocently, pulling her free from his grasp. "She kinda needs it."

Lydia tugged on her arm, pulling her towards the aisles of bookshelves. "Come on."

"I didn't say-"

"Go with them Blu." Ryker sighed, appearing at his partner's side. "Make sure they don't get into any trouble."

"You're letting them – two Underground Kings-"

"I'm a Queen, technically." Lydia grumbled.

"Do whatever they want?" He finished, ignoring the blonde's outburst. "Are you feeling OK, Ry?"

"Arya Cross needs to learn about our history." Ryker said, running a hand through his inky black locks. "If two of our little nemeses are going to do that, it saves us the trouble."

"What is it with everyone and saying my full name?" Arya's shoulders slumped.

"Come on, shorty." Lydia said, grabbing her by the hand before she could complain. "We need to teach you some history."

"Boring."

"Not everything involves punching people, Ari." Jake smiled, running his finger along the thick book spines as they ventured further into the library.

"Shame."

Blu rolled his eyes, silently following behind the trio. "Bloody troublemaker..."

"Some of the tales are actually really interesting." Lydia protested, plucking a small silvery book from the shelf. "How the Immortals were created, for instance... Did you know that one of them was made from a thorn branch?"

Arya blinked, silently wondering how that was possible. "Nope." She mumbled. "I did not, shockingly enough."

"Vasilith is a God. He can do stuff like that." Jake shrugged, loading a few more books into his arms. "Blu," he turned, staring innocently at the Commander of the esteemed Disciplinary Committee, "could you give me a hand?"

"No."

"But they're for Arya." He stared intently at his fellow student. "You want to help her, don't you...?" A sly smile twitched at his lips. "I mean, you are a Disciplinary Committee member..."

"You sneaky little-"

"Minion." Lydia slammed a book into his chest before he could finish his insult. "Try to keep up, would you?"

His eye twitched, his mind silently cursing Ryker over and over as more books ended up in his hands.

"That table looks big enough." Jake said, having finished throwing all the books at the irate Commander, carrying his own stack of tomes over to the old oak table. "Now, what should we throw at her first?"

"The Immortals? They're always fun." Lydia smiled, waving about the silvery book she'd picked up earlier.

"That's too confusing." Blu sighed, shaking his head slowly. "Start at the place where it all began." He searched through the horrifyingly large stacks of books, soon finding the old battered book he was looking for. "Before the Immortals fell." He said, placing the gigantic book down in front of the seated girl with an audible thud.

"You want to tell her what we're really up against, then?" One eyebrow arched. "Are you trying to terrify the girl right off the bat, stud muffin?"

Jake grumbled under his breath. "Again with the lame food-related insults... and why is he a stud?!"

"Yeah..." The blue-streaked brunette mumbled, looking oddly off-put for once. "Why am I?"

Arya snickered, ignoring the disturbed Commander. "Jealous much?"

Jake shuddered. "Like I'd want to be called a stud muffin by that creature over there..."

"Can we get back to the topic at hand, gentlemen?" Lydia asked, giving her fellow blonde a pointed look which clearly said, 'I'll deal with you later'.

"Just tell her about them." Blu said, backing away from them. "I'm going to get a coffee, because I'm fairly sure I'll need one to deal with you three." He wandered back the way they came, freezing as he felt three calculating stares boring into his back. "If I come back and find you missing, make no mistake – I will hunt you down and drag you back."

"I'm terrified."

"Shut it, little miss snarky." He scowled. "There's only one exit and Ryker's guarding that."

"We get the message." Lydia grumbled, ignoring him in favour of Arya. "Jake, if you please..."

"Do you remember that time I asked you about the Curse of Vasilith?" He asked, staring at her with an intensity which made her stiffen.

"Yep."

"Now, here's to the big question..." A grim smile formed on his face, staring down at the dusty tome on the table. "Do you know what we're fighting up north in Grisha?"

Arya swallowed audibly, remembering what the Head of Riverdale's hospital had said to her.

"Who are we even fighting up north?" She asked, staring out the window, trying to ignore the uncomfortable tugging sensation. "I've heard Grisha is an inhospitable wasteland where nothing can survive..."

"Some things can survive up there."

"Things?" She mumbled, staring at Rian curiously. "So the people up there aren't even called humans anymore...?"

She gritted her teeth, a sinking feeling in her stomach as she wiped away the thick layer of dust covering the aged book.

"Alright, alright!" Jake grumbled, looking remarkably at ease as they sat in the cell. "What do you know about the Curse of Vasilith?"

"You mean the one which resulted in 'monsters' being created?" She stared sceptically at him. "That one?"

"You've got to be kidding..."