"A nature preserve..?" Elyon smiled, as she felt Prince Phobos' breath on the back of her neck. She'd never been interested much by nature; she'd always be the one dropping the bottle beside the trash can to prove a point, but there was something about the world outside the castle she didn't like.. And how Phobos' eyes had glimmered when she'd said it - now he stood behind her to gaze as she drew out a forest: some unnaturally blissful place, that belonged only in a fairy tale.. She supposed this was hers, though in only her luck would the handsome prince take such a.. Forbidden role.. "What a wonderful idea.. Cedric!"
"My Prince." Elyon didn't like them together, not when Lord Cedric was not allowed to remain closer than a distant servant, and when Phobos slid away his hand to attend to his generous server. She wished they weren't friends. She wish they didn't like each other so much, because she sometimes thought they forgot she was here.. And she'd been about to ask Phobos about the yelling nights ago.. Perhaps the foggy echos of pain had only been a dream.. But they had all screamed 'Phobos!', and she couldn't quite forget them.
"My sister wishes to designate some land, near the castle, to remain undisturbed forever.." My sister. Elyon didn't care who was out there, and what was happening; even Lord Cedric's smile faltered momentarily, though she supposed it would be for other reasons.. Lord Cedric didn't seem the type to even like blood, nevermind the raging famines and rebellious wars outside. Caleb had struck again, yesterday. No one ever said, but she'd seen him herself; spied him in the gardens as Lord Cedric directed guards in his direction, while she remained tucked away in her room. And Miranda wasn't interested, and Prince Phobos would only brush it away.. Caleb was only a child, after all.. And he'd stolen nothing, but she'd heard Phobos earlier.. 'Escaped spies..' Someone had been attacking the castle from the inside out, and Elyon was losing any interest on what was going on outside. She'd like for everyone to shut her away, with only Lord Cedric and Phobos and.. Elyon didn't really want Miranda there either.. "For the benefit of Meridian's wild creatures!"
"A moment.. My Lord." Elyon gazed over to blue, but blushed and looked away when Cedric met her eyeline.. Phobos and Cedric always said they were close, but Phobos needn't look a servant in the eye.
And Elyon's eyes instead followed Phobos, as he began out of the room.. "Is something wrong?"
"Y-your friends.." Lord Cedric stuttered; bowed, and Elyon felt a pinch of guilt at what she'd done.. He only gave her a proper answer when she did it - her voice would be cutting; her posture conservative and cold.. A mimic, she supposed, of the young Prince Phobos.. But she liked the way he'd smiled when she'd first attempted the technique: almost a smirk, and certainly wry. "They continue to persue you.."
An image flashed then, of Will Vandom in the gardens - Elyon could only recall that her first thought was of how young Will looked; dressed in chunky denim dungarees, that only accentuated her small size, along with the fact that she couldn't pass for twelve at the best of times.. And Phobos had let her go, and Elyon hadn't been able to hear, but Phobos had spoken to her for long minutes, before finally letting her go. Even the thought brought an itching annoyance, though she knew Phobos didn't like to hurt people. And he looked tired, every day, and Elyon wondered if it was the 'guardians' that made him feel that way. "I suppose I'll have to get rid of them, once and for all..."
"No!" The word was spoken faster than the entire thought had processed, but all she did was for him now.. And even if it meant banishment from Cornelia.. Elyon would rather never see red again. "Please.. They'll never come here again.. I promise."
...
"Guess what guys!" Cornelia closed her locker, to find Irma and Hay Lin breathing heavily and grinning.. They hadn't stopped, she didn't think, until Caleb had gone away.. Though Cornelia knew Irma was still resentful; that Hay Lin had got a goodbye.. But he hadn't told anyone, and it was Will that seemed the worst.. Not upset like the others.. But she hadn't said a word about his leaving. And it hadn't really seemed fair; what he'd done. Because it'd been a long time; they'd spent months together.. And Hay Lin had had to be the one to tell them - bursting into tears because he'd just.. Gone. Clothes folded and bedsheets in the wash. He hadn't taken his books though, probably because they'd get wet. And it was nice, for Hay Lin, who'd hugged them and said she was keeping them, as soon as Cornelia suggested Will take them. And Will hadn't said anything.. Not a word. She was probably glad he was gone anyway.. "We just signed up for the EXTREME sports tournament!"
"Cool!" Cornelia grinned, and she was glad that Hay Lin was too excited to see through her fascade, and she was glad that Irma was keeping her busy.. And she was glad that Will had told Irma off when the girl had originally been sulky with Hay Lin.. But Irma had already told Cornelia.. It hadn't been particularly rivetting, and Irma was mostly obliging out of pity for Will.. Because without Caleb, Will didn't really have all that much power against four. "What are we talking about?"
"You know!" Irma practically tackled her to the ground, and Cornelia found herself using Will's nonchalant figure as a weight to hold herself and the brunette off the ground.. But the locker clicked and Cornelia ended up falling to the ground anyway, as Will lost her suddenly desperate grip on the locker door.. 'Luckily', Irma seemed unfazed by their journey to the floor, "Downhill street-lining! Luging!"
"Wearing cute spandex outfits!" ..That was another thing.. If it was possible, Hay Lin had become more.. 'Eccentric'.. And Cornelia didn't have the heart to turn her away.
"Ohh.. I look especially fast in fuschia!" Irma snorted at that, but Cornelia only pushed the girl away and smiled as Will pulled her up with probably more force than intended.. But Will didn't really look so good.. "Taranee?"
"Yeah!" Cornelia raised her eyebrows as Irma bounced off the floor.. Wondering if Irma had caught some sort of caffeine-parasite, or if she really was excited.. "You're a good in-liner, wanna join our extreme team?"
Irma waggled her eyebrows expressively, and Cornelia grinned and rolled her eyes as Taranee feigned timid, taking a pair of skates that Irma had practically thrown at her. But Cornelia's smile softened when Hay Lin looked expectantly at Will's back; considering the girl had once again hidden in her locker, and silence dawned for long seconds before Hay Lin bothered to push it at all, "Will, you with us?"
"Mrs Rudolph wants to meet me." Cornelia swore her entire forhead raised, as Will slammed the locker forcefully; brandishing her newest faze of the 'pout', that had become most generally worn with a frown, if Will wasn't busy looking paled. "At her house later.. Do teachers often.."
There was a long silence then, as no one was sure whether to shake their head or just smile, but Will seemed to pull a note from her pocket; naturally scrunched almost beyond reading, and Hay Lin was first to grab for it. "MRS RUDOLPH WANTS YOU IN HER HOUSE..? WHAT DID YOU DO?"
"I didn't do anything!" Cornelia frowned, because Will had been.. Touchy.. She almost looked like she might cry when she snatched the note back and it tore.. Her entire body just.. Sank. "I thought I was gatting better, and I even got a C, and I.."