"There is no death. The stars go down to rise upon some other shore: and bright in the heaven's jewelled crown. They shine forever more."
-Anonymous Tombstone

The car was cold as they drove up along the drive to a large castle hidden away in the forest, winter was coming and coming fast; the first hint of frost settling on the leaves of oak trees reminding everyone that not even nature was immune. James' heart tried to pump blood around his young body but is was too broken, the pain he felt for the loss of his mother was more than he could take. He and his father had never been close but since her death they had stopped talking altogether, James didn't much mind, they never had much to say to one another and James couldn't bring himself to talk about her. Trees whistled in the breeze as though welcoming them to Bond's latest boarding school. Fantastic, he thought as he stepped out the car only to be abandoned by his father, the car speeding off and out of sight. He nearly didn't get his trunk out of the back seat. James made his way into the foyer, the walls where painted a hideous taupe color and lined with portraits, probably of past headmasters. Opposite the door was an enormous staircase that split off into two to the rest of the school, he stood in silence with his navy blue trunk until a door that he'd not noticed swung open with a creak.

"Mr. James Bond?" The boy was only a little older than himself, maybe seventeen. James nodded slowly at the young brunette boy.

"I'm Villiers, head boy. Follow me please."

Villiers turned and walked back to the door. The other side revealed the room to be the Head Mistress' office. James swallowed hard clearing the lump in his throat. Villiers disappeared back out the door leaving just him and an older woman he assumed was the Head Mistress alone.

"Good afternoon, Mr Bond. I am the Head Mistress of Royale Meadows Academy, the students call me 'M'." She shuffled in her high backed chair and opened a file marked 'BOND. J', he gulped again. "Mr Bond we normally don't take new students after the year has begun, yet you have been accepted to this school and so I expect you to catch up and to treat this school with respect."

"I will." Said James. M gave a short sharp nod and shut the file, she leaned back on her chair and looked him in the eye. James tried to be brave but to be honest she scared him. They stayed like that for what felt like a whole year, then she simply leaned down buzzed the intercom. A few moments later Villiers re-entered the room. "Mr Bond this school is somewhat...full now, and so you will have to share with a student that, well he doesn't like people much and his room is meant to be private." James sighed. Wonderful, I have to share with a bully who thinks I am invading his personal space. As if I didn't get enough of that at my last school. "Mr Villiers, please escort Mr Bond to the fifth floor and into Mr Le Chiffre's room."

XXXX

He was glad to reach his room, James' things where heavier than he originally thought and had left his arms aching. Villiers opened the door and motioned for James to follow him inside, which he did. The room was lavish, filled with books and most noticeably a large glass chess set. Maybe Mr Le Chiffre isn't as bad as I thought. Le Chiffre's things took up the left of the room and so James dragged his trunk over to the right hand sides bed. Between the two beds stood another door leading to the bathroom. Bond had never had an attached bathroom at a boarding school before, Mr Le Chiffre must have had a very rich family.

"Mr Bond, I suggest you avoid Le Chiffre. He's dangerous." With that Villiers vanished leaving James alone with his new worries. Great!

Bond tried to calm his mind by unpacking, he had a very precise way to unpack his things; shirts, pants, socks, underwear all in that order. James went to the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet, there he found Le Chiffre's tooth paste, toothbrush and a silver inhaler. Rich, dangerous and asthmatic then. If Le Chiffre was allergic to Anthemis nobilis he could just throw a box of Chamomile tea at him and suffocate him; then again not everyone with asthma was allergic to it, most found it to be a helpful thing. He finished moving in and finding it had gone dark, sat on his bed and began to go through his school schedule.

"Who are you?" Le Chiffre stood in the doorway hand still on the door handle. It took a moment for James to build up the courage to answer the man's question and then a little longer to stop looking at his clouded eye.

"Bond James Bond. I am your new roommate."

"I do not have 'roommates'. I do not share." His voice was accented and James found himself wanting to hear it again.

"M said that I had to stay here, apparently the school is em...full." Le Chiffre let out a deep annoyed sigh, shut the door and sat down on his own bed.

"God, does anyone really run this school?"

The strange teenager was a curiosity to James , Le Chiffre had one beautiful maroon eye and one that was a clouded blue with a small scar. His hair was black and combed back making him look older than he was. James had never been attracted to men, he was more of a ladies man but he had to admit Le Chiffre was very handsome. Trying to break the silence James said.

"You're Le Chiffre right?" He knew it was stupid but he needed something to say. Le Chiffre raised an eyebrow that seemed to say, oh God he's a talker. Le Chiffre remained silent and went to the bathroom.

When he returned Le Chiffre fell down onto his bed but that wasn't what Bond saw it was the blood in Le Chiffre's clouded left eye. Why are you crying blood? He wanted to ask but knew far better, it was clear that his roommate didn't like him, James could do without being hated. Le Chiffre binned the reddened tissue and turned the lights off before he climbed back into bed, Bond was plunged into darkness.

"Do. Not. Snore."

Le Chiffre's voice was angry and dominating then he let out a sigh before turning over ruffling the covers. James knew Le Chiffre didn't want him there he was quite obvious about that, but hell, he didn't want to be there either. He wanted to be back in London with his mother, yet that would never happen. His mother was gone. James didn't dare flip the light switch on his way to the bathroom and he was thankful that Le Chiffre didn't seem to wake when he stood. The room had grown dark since night fell, he wished he'd put socks on. Bond found himself thinking as he brushed his teeth, well I am off to a lovely start aren't I? My father didn't even say 'Goodbye', I have done something to my back carrying my God damn case up those stairs and now my roommate is some kind of rich, violent, blind-in-one eye Mafia boss' handsome son who already hates me. I know he didn't expect to find me in his room but he didn't need to be rude. I don't take up much room, he didn't even fight about it he just went to sleep. Oh, and I do NOT snore! I hope none of my classes are with him. James finished in the bathroom and tiptoed out into the dark room, he settled down in his bed and tried to sleep. Bond was uncomfortable, he had never been able to sleep in a new place at first. After what seemed like hours James shut his eyes and drifted off to the sounds of Le Chiffre's soft breathing.