White parchment paper with black ink printed words stamped onto it, practically harmless on their own, but the words that were printed onto them were not harmless. No they were not they could hurt even the most hardened human in the world, really they could, they judged, the condemned they unleashed they helped, they did so much for the world and so little at the same time.

Sadly enough for her those white parchment sheets with the small black ink printed letters were condemning her and another, it was for the greater good though, it would bring peace to the two families, it would make one's ruined reputation get back its rightful glory.

Annabelle sighed as she read over the blank words sadly, she had thought that after spending two years in St. Trinians and two whole summers with her Aunt Camilla that the old Annabelle Fritton had been booted out and the new Annabelle Fritton had gotten rid of all the nice and sweetness, especially when it came to sexist, pompous men such as the one that was sitting beside her drumming his finger tips impatiently against the wood of the desk before them. Shakily she took a deep breath as she reached over for the pen on her aunts desk, she didn't have to do this, in all honesty she could have just out right refused, she was legally and adult who had graduated school and got an internship to be her aunts assistant, to learn how to become the next Miss. Fritton head mistress of St. Trinians school for young ladies. Not to mention her father had made an agreement with another family sometime after she was born, she'd never meet her betrothed, but they had written letters to one another since they were children, even bought each other gifts, she still had the charm bracelet he'd sent to her for Christmas some years ago secured safely in her jewelry box back at home … her aunts home. All she knew of that boy though was that he attended an all boys academy not too far from St. Trinians and was head boy last year just as she had been head girl and had gotten and internship at his father's office just as she got an internship at her aunt's school.

Alas life didn't work out the way it should have.

"Will you stop that?" Annabelle finally cracked as she turned away angrily from the papers and looked over at Piers Pomfrey. He lifted a brow and stared at her irately.

"Forgive me but you are taking too long, I could have had my tailor make a new suite for me by now." He replied.

She heaved in a breathe furiously as she turned back to the papers, she couldn't believe she'd agreed to this, she could still back out, really she could, her aunt would understand, her girls would understand, any dignified woman would understand. Looking away from the papers again she looked up at her aunt across from her and found that she smiled softly at her telling her that mentally whatever she choose she would stand behind her and support her a hundred percent of the way.

Then there was that fact that with the arrangement came money, lots of money, and she could use it however she wanted, and she would use it to fund St. Trinians, get some scholarship programs going and recruit more girls, maybe even a foreign exchange program, there were so many girls out there that deserved to go to and learn to be a real girl, a real woman. There was also the fact that it would make her family and her school look good, not that finding a stolen painting and a lost play, uncovering the truth about Shakespeare's true gender and blowing the top off a sexist secret society didn't already make them look good, it would just make them look even better.

With that in mind she quickly read through the writing and flipped through the pages signing them quickly and swiftly as not to second guess her decision, because if she thought it through then she really, really wouldn't have signed the parchment.

She slid the papers and the pen over to Piers Pomfrey and looked back at her aunt who was still smiling at her, but Annabelle could see that it was not her usual cheery smile, no this smile if looked at closely had a tinge of sadness in it. Since the stolen picture incident and her father being put into prison for being caught with a forged painting she had been handed over to her aunt, and over the summer and the school year they had bonded. She could only hope that she could continue her internship with the school even though she was probably going to be engaged to Pomfrey, school started in two weeks she really wanted to be working in that internship.

Turning to Pomfrey she watched as he scanned through the print and just as quickly signed the papers, from there it was all slow motion as he slid the papers over to her aunt. There was no turning back, no not anymore, it was official as her aunt signed as the witness.

"Just to make sure you women aren't cheating me out Fritton, she isn't a hammy down is she?" Pier's asked as he nodded his head at her.

Annabelle gaped at him, she knew he was rude, but that was just pushing it, and the fact that he had the audacity to ask such a private question and believing her have just given away such a precious thing to the first person she crushed on was just asking for a slap in the face; he truly was a pig of a man.

Turning to her aunt she found that her aunt was just as angry as she. "My girls may be rowdy Pomfrey, but they are not skanks." Camilla said sharply.

Pomfrey sighed as he spoke again. "Is she or isn't she?" He asked.

"I am not." Annabelle spoke up as she grabbed her purse and stood up from her chair, she quickly pushed passed the lawyers and the assistant as she made her way to the door and out of the room, slamming it shut she leaned against it and breathed deeply.

"Well looks like I missed most of it." A husky voice said.

Snapping her head up she smiled and ran into the embracing arms of Kelly Jones, the older girl smiled as she stepped back out of the embrace and held her at arm's length. "I take it that the sexist pig was being a sexist pig." She said.

"He's awful and now it's official that he's my betrothed." Annabelle said.

Kelly smiled softly at her. "Come on let's go take a walk, maybe the nurse can cook you something up to relax you." She said as she swung her arm around her shoulder and walked her up the stairs.

"Honestly Fritton, could she be a little ruder?" Pier's asked as he heard the door slam shut.

"Could you?" Camilla asked.

"I was just making sure that when our relationship is announced there won't be any problems or revelations occurring." Pier's replied smoothly with a handsome smile.

It was that smile that made Camilla Fritton break and she hit the desk hard with her fist causing Pomfrey to twitch in his seat. "Annabelle is a good woman, and when the press looks into her history they will find that she is nothing more than a sweetheart with a horrible father that is locked away. She didn't have to agree to this, but she did, and she did it for me, and for St. Trinians. You want us to help you restore your reputation to it's squeaky clean state then you will have to start with her, because if she comes to me ever saying that you treated her wrongly in any way, I will make sure that the press will get a hold of the things we found in your precious AD1's headquarters." Camilla threatened.

"Yes … I want a copy of that contract." Pomfrey said quickly changing the subject.

"Fine." Camilla replied.

"So exactly how will you break this to the press?" Pomfrey asked and turned his head slightly to watch as his betrothed and another young woman, with snow white skin and ink black hair and black clothes walked into the room.

Annabelle took a seat in the chair next to him while the other walked behind the headmistress and grabbed the contract reading it through. "Cooled down a bit love?" Pier's asked Annabelle and he watched delightedly as she shuddered and turned to him, her smoky eyes narrowed at him and she replied softly. "Of course I did."

"As I was saying Pomfrey, if they hear that you're engaged to my niece right away, they will believe that this is an arranged marriage. What I believe is the best way to do this, is to wait a bit to announce the engagement by making it seem as though you are courting each other and taking time to get to know one another. Lots of public outings, and lots of interviews will do the trick, and the press will be looking for a source so make sure your people give them the proper information. Like right now since you've come out of hiding the press has been following you around like a bunch of hunting dogs and are outside the gates and surrounding the school watching and waiting for something to happen. The idea is to make it look real and not planned and choreographed."

"That means you need to place your mask back on for the camera's darling." Annabelle added.

Pier's glared as he straightened himself out. "How long will I have to do this for?" he asked.

"Not long a few months, six, seven give or take how well the press are." Camilla said.

"As well as however long it takes for the press to believe that it isn't arranged." Kelly added.

"So where shall we send the copy to your home or to you yacht?" Camilla asked smugly as she watched Pomfrey standup from his seat. "Doesn't matter where, I want it by Monday though." Pomfrey said as he and his lawyers walked out of the office. Camilla, Kelly and Annabelle watched silently.

"Auntie, I really, really just want to get the marriage part over, do we really need to stretch it out so long?" Annabelle asked.

"Don't worry Annabelle the moths will go by quickly for you, for Pomfrey though it will be an eternity that will pass before it happens. Just be calm." Camilla soothed.

"We have to go out there and bid them a good day." Kelly said in that forlorn tone Annabelle had never taken to, it was a depressing sound that made her wish the bad parts just knocked on her door so she could get it all over with, but then they would just wait and push her till she laid beneath her bed and hid from them never knowing when it would end. Sucking in a deep breath Annabelle stood up and straightened out her clothing, her aunt right by her at every second.

"Will the press really be watching us from now on?" Annabelle asked worriedly.

Camilla sighed softly as they walked out of the office. "They will after your courtship has been announced, until then they will be watching him only, and when they do start to watch us, we'll hold a press conference asking for them to not disturb the school grounds. It wouldn't be good publicity if they found out that the girls here aren't what they thought they were." Kelly replied.

"Until then we carry on as usual." Camilla said as they walked out into the bright afternoon sun, all three of them placing smiles on their faces quickly as they walked down the steps.

Pomfrey was waiting at the car talking on his cell, he turned and smiled at them, and winking at Annabelle before he turned back away from them. They could hear the clicking of the cameras and the shuffling of the bushes and see the movements of the paparazzi, it was sad that the only thing they were interested in at the moment was a Knight that was a sexist, it disgusted them that they didn't pay any attention to more important matters.

"Forgive me; my phone has been going off all morning since I arrived back in England." Pier's said as he put his phone away and took a few steps towards them.

"Yes well Pomfrey you have been in hiding for a good year now, I'm sure everyone is dying to know where you've been." Camilla said with a soft chuckle.

She was acting, making it seem like they were on good terms for the camera's but all of them knew it was only an act. "Yes, well it's unfortunate but I must be on my way, work calls." Pier's said as he shook hands with Camilla, and Annabelle could see the scowl forming just as Pier's did and he pulled his hand away quickly as he spoke. "It was good talking." He said quickly before he moved onto Annabelle and took her hand in his, bending down and kissing her hand gently. Annabelle held back from barfing, and forced herself to blush as he lifted his head up. "You'll be hearing from me soon little Fritton." Pier's said before he nodded at Kelly and turned away from them.

"Do you think one of the Emo's could come up with an undetectable poison for me?" Annabelle asked quietly as she turned to look her aunt who smiled back at her as she replied. "We'll have to ask them when they get back, but I'm sure they will be delighted." Camilla said as they spun around and walked back into the school.

"So what do we do now?" Annabelle asked.

"No we go through the books, make sure all the funds are where they are suppose to be, help settle any new teachers in, prepare for new students, prepare for school to start and be a St. Trinian." Camilla replied as the door shut behind them.

None of them cared to think about the car that had been surrounded by a horde of reporters and cameramen, and paparazzi taking whatever picture they could of the person inside the car.

"Sir Panorama called and I scheduled you for an interview at eight thirty, and don't forget you have one and eight with Tonight and another interview with Newsnight at eleven twenty." Peters said as they waited for the paparazzi to move out of the way.

"Anything else Peters?" Pier's asked as he grabbed the champagne and a glass from the side bar.

"No Sir, but shall I be planning any outings for you and Miss Annabelle Fritton?" Peters asked.

"No I'll be planning our public outings, besides it's too soon to be going out together." Piers replied.

Peters nodded his head as he poured himself a glass of champagne as well. "Peter's you're lucky, the public never looks at the assistant, their eyes are always primarily focused on the boss, right now I wouldn't mind much switching places with you." Pier said as he sipped at his champagne.

"I wouldn't mind either Sir, especially now." Peters replied.

Piers stared at his assistant questionably as he wondered why anyone would want to be in his position at the moment, he'd been outsmarted by a group of anarchical school girls, as well as humiliated by them and they'd blown his secret. Now he was at the mercy of said school girls anarchical head mistress, he'd gone to Camilla Fritton on his hands and knees literally begging for her help, he'd gotten the help as well as blackmail on them as well, but he'd also had gotten blackmailed in return. Why on earth would Peters want to be in his position?

"I don't understand Peters unlike my situation yours is good, nobody has it out for you why would you wish to switch places with me?" Piers asked.

"Sir, you're rich, good looking, of high class and now if I may say, you've got quite a beautiful fiancé as well." Peters simply explained.

Leaning into the cushioned seat Piers sipped at his champagne some more as he thought over what Peters had said. He was right, despite what the public thought of him and how humiliated St. Trinians may have made him feel, other than the respect and his reputation he hadn't truly lost anything. He did still have his wealth, he did still have his good looks, he was still in a high social class, and now to top matters off he had a young a attractive fiancé; the situation hadn't changed much, the girls may have had leverage on him, but he had leverage on them as well, it was still a win-win situation.

Smirking he slouched further into his seat and took another drink of the champagne, life was still good.