Crystal Rose

1

[01/10/2020 - 18/10/2020 - British date]

🔥 Amélie 🗡

Calling it a school was an understatement, just as it was to call the magnificent building anything but a castle.

The towering stone walls, veiled in ivy looked like something from a movie. Atop Mount. Ruža in the far east of Mezu (which translates to 'half' in the common tongue).

Half? Yeah, I know, it's strange but it has meaning. The surface or the world we live on inhabits both magical beings and humans, hence why it's named 'half'.

A raucous sound brought me from my reverie. One of the newcomers, I sighed. The man lugged his suitcase across the courtyard and disappeared through the front entrance.

"Excuse me?" A woman tapped her pen impatiently on her desk. My eyes snapped to hers, narrowing at her tone of voice.

I raised an eyebrow. "Yes?" The woman, whose name tag read Soren, grumbled something incoherent under her breath.

"Name?" It was the same bored tone as before. "Hélène." I replied smoothly, scanning the documents laid before her; a list of names, timetables and skill abilities.

"Amélie?" My first name was strange, even to my own ears, I hadn't used it in years. "Yes."

Soren clicked her tongue and handed me two sheets of paper. "Next!" I rolled my eyes and continued past the front gates and into the courtyard.

Stunning. The only word I could think of as I scanned the castle grounds. Students poured through the main entrance in a wave of limbs and bags.

A mop of brown hair snagged my vision. He was a boy, no older than the age of 8. And as he brushed past me, I grabbed his arm, my wallet splayed between his fingers.

"Don't you know that it's rude to pickpocket your allies, little owl?" His terracotta eyes flashed an apology.

I let him go, but not before slipping my wallet back into one of the many pockets of my coat. The boy disappeared into the crowd. It was becoming more packed by the second.

I weaved through the tide of people and into a nook in the wall, just under the stairs.

My hand fished the slip of paper I'd been given by Soren from my pocket.

Dormitory: 1005
Floor: 10
Roommates: Maris, Lucinda

Roommates?! My jaw clenched. This was going to be a harder task than I anticipated.

🔥 🗡

The tenth floor was one of the highest floors. Looking to the far wall, I fought glimpse of the outside world, the view from the window was phenomenal, it almost compensated for the gruelling climb up the stairs.

Key word being almost. 1001, 1002, 1003; I skimmed the gold number-plated doors until I reached mine. 1005.

Before I could reach out and turn the knob myself, the door swung open. We stared at each other for a moment.

The girl was very tall with frizzy hair and dark grey eyes. My roommate. I extended my hand, "Hel- Amélie."

She looked down at my hand before sending me a questioning look. Realisation dawned on her. "Oh, you- uhh- want me to shake your hand?"

The girl clumsily grasped my hand in hers. Firm but not dominating, an artist, perhaps? "Maris." She smiled. "Come in!"

It was spacious, white walls and minimal decor. The only 'nice' decoration was the large clock that hung on the opposing wall.