Argh, I lied. Here;s another chapter but the next one won't be up until Christmas Eve/Day, since I have an essay to write for English Language.

Please enjoy!

Chapter 7-of princes and roses

The sun shone on Kinkan academy, melting some of the snow that had fallen the previous day, leaving traces of ice on the pavements and delicate frost patterns on the dormitory windows. As the students made their way to morning classes, bundled up in coats, eyes seemed to travel over to a certain pair of guys as they walked over the bridge. Fakir and Ahiru were talking and laughing, discussing the spring production. Fakir, to the shock and glee of the students, grabbed Ahiru in a one-sided hug, wrapping his arm around the smaller boys shoulder. The fangirls were satisfied to no end with them, but the rest of the academy wondered what magic Ahiru had pulled on the Knight to make him smile at, laugh with, and now hug a person so fondly. While the students finally turned their heads from this strange occurrence, none of them noticed the purple haired guy atop a bull, rose petals falling gracefully around him. The young man looked extremely crestfallen at the lack of attention he was gaining, especially from the female populace of the academy. The boy sighed, dramatically, and made his way across the bridge also.

"I shall find you my little duck, I swear on my honour as a prince."

Fakir P.O.V

As Mr Cat droned on about the first prima ballerina assoluta, Pierina Legnani [1], I couldn't seem to focus on anything but Ahiru. She was scribbling furiously on her piece of parchment that I had to stop myself from chuckling. I felt a smile twitch at my lips. How had I been so fortunate to chance upon her at the ball, I'll never know. She was a mystery to me, yet an open book at the same time, sharing things about her life at the palace and her love of ballet with me. But she never told me the other reason that she had decide to cross dress when she came to the academy. I had tried to get her to tell me last night before I left her room to retire to my own room.

FLASHBACK

"Ahiru, why cross dress to get into the academy? I mean, I know that people may recognise you as the princess eventually, but is there another reason to hide under such a guise?"

Ahiru turned to me. The look in her eyes begged me not to pry in to her reasons, but I couldn't help myself. I wanted, no, needed to know her other reasons. Was she in trouble? Could someone be after her? She is the princess after all.

"Fakir, please don't ask me. I… I can't tell you. It upsets me and reminds me of my fate as a princess."

I didn't understand what she meant by that, but I did understand that her reasons must be rather troublesome for her not to divulge me with the information. I sighed and brought her in to my arms. She relaxed in to my chest and I could feel her heartbeat again me. I was sure she could feel mine too. I placed my hand on her cheek, caressing it with the pad of my thumb before tilting her chin up to meet my face. I kissed her, softly, trying to erase the tears that had been threatening to spill from her eyes, and that of her troublesome thoughts. I kissed her closed eyes and her nose, cupping her face in my hands.

"I won't pry in to your reasons, but please, tell me if they are bothering you. I said I'd protect you, didn't I?"

She smiled that smile, making my stomach turn and my heartbeat quicken.

"I will Fakir, and thank you."

FLASHBACK END

After that, I'd left her room and dreamt of that smile and those lips. I just couldn't get enough of them, of her. I heard someone giggle near me and I snapped myself from my thought. I knew a slight blush had to be lighting my face, for Ahiru was waving at me, giggling as she did. She tore a piece of parchment from her book and quickly wrote something down on it, all the while continuing to giggle. She tossed the parchment at me. I unfolded it and read her note, absolutely sure that my blush must have spread further across my face. The note had said: You looked so cute staring dreamily in to space. Was that possibly my fault?

I my head towards Ahiru and tried to growl at her. She only continued to giggle, but she couldn't contain her laughter and burst in to a fit of giggles. I wanted to frown at her while the rest of the class (and a confused and annoyed Mr Cat) turned to face her, but I couldn't. I truly couldn't. Instead, I started to laugh as well. Once our laughter had finally subsided, I noticed that the whole class was eyeing me with horror written on their faces. I swivelled in my seat to face Mytho and Rue, but they too held expression of shock, although Rue held more mirth in her eyes.

"Mr Fakir, Mr Ahiru, I do believe that you shall both be attending de-"

Mr Cat didn't finish his sentence, which no doubt was going to place both me and Ahiru in after class detention, as the door to our classroom swung open. In walked Miss Goatette, a sheet of parchment in her between her hooves and a twinkle in her eyes as she trotted up to Mr Cat. I could hear Pike and Lillie trying to hide their laughter behind their hands as I smirked at Mr Cat's obvious discomfort. Miss Goatette dropped the parchment on to the desk positioned at the front of the class, sent a wink towards Mr Cat and proceeded to trot out of the room.

"I….. erm….. well then."

Mr Cat read the parchment and did the most unexpected thing. He purred. I stared at him in bewilderment. Why was he purring? The last time he did that he announced that Ahiru was joining our class. Wait…. it couldn't be, could it. Not another one. Two transfer students joining the academy a term late in a week would be too much for the gossip mills to handle. I tapped Ahiru on the shoulder, calling her attention to me. She gave me a smile as she turned to face me, and I momentarily forgot my question. I blink, shook my head and leant closer to her.

"Is your brother enrolling in the academy too?"

She looked confused, then surprised.

"No, he doesn't even know where I am. At least I don't think he does."

She eyes turned to a look of shock. I cast my eyes towards the door, expecting someone to come through it any minute now.

"Please, may everyone calm down now? Let us welcome our new transfer student-"

"But we already know about Ahiru, Mr Cat. He's sat next to Fakir and everything."

I chuckled at Lillie's comment, as did Pike and Autor.

"I know that, Miss Lillie, but we have a new new transfer student joining our class today."

I knew it! I had been right on the mark with my observations. I mentally high-fived myself for that one.

"Now class, let us al welcome our new transfer student, Prince Femio of the kingdom of Rosario."

I heard Ahiru gasp beside me. I turned to just in time to see her hide her head under arms on the desk. I raised my eyebrows at that. Wait…..could this prince what's-his-face be one of the reasons for her cross dressing? Did she know he may follow and try to find her?

Ahiru P.O.V

No, no, no, no, no!

Why did he have to come to the academy? How on earth had he been able to find me? I never imagined that Femio would be able to figure out that I had left the palace, let alone enrolled in the Kinkan Academy. Everything would crumble around me now. He was sure to recognise me, even if I am dressed like a guy, considering the amount of time we have spent in each others company at our palaces and royal balls. I shuddered at the thought of him calling me his "little duck", for I am most certainly not.

What if Fakir found out? What would he think, what would he do, what would he say? Oh, my head is hurting from all of this.

I heard the door click open and a whirl of rose petals slowly drift in to the classroom.

"Oh goodness, here he is."

Femio stepped in to the classroom, his ever faithful butler tagging along behind him with his customary basket of red rose petals. His wavy purple hair was perfect, not a hair out of place as always. He stopped at Mr Cat's desk and turned, facing the class.

"Now, Prince Femio, would you do us this great honour and introduce yourself to you new classmates."

"Why certainly." Femio produced a red rose from his inner blazer pocket, standing in a dramatic pose.

"Mademoiselles, it gives me great pleasure to gaze upon your soulful eyes. Good day to you too, gentlemen."

His butler continued to throw rose petals over him. I could already see a few girls planning to start up a fan club for him.

"I guess he'll never change wherever he is."

I rolled my eyes at his dramatic antics, for I believe I was the only girl (unbeknownst the all bar Fakir) that wasn't in the slightest affected by his gestures. A vaguely listened as Mr Cat told Femio to take a seat next to Lillie, or that auditions for the spring production would be next Thursday.

Classes went by quickly for the students, as talk of yet another transfer student who just happened to be no less than a real life, boner fide prince, started to circulate around the academy. At lunch, Ahiru walked with her new friends towards the food hall, chatting to Rue and of their shared love of the English prima ballerina Darcey Brussel. As they reached the doors, the smell of rose caught the group's attention. Femio stood by the window on the right wall next to the doors.

"Hello mademoiselles and gentlemen." Femio's eyes glanced over the group, focusing mainly on Rue, pike and Lillie before his gaze was captured by that light orange hair and cowlick. His eyes widened as his eyes came to rest of Ahiru's slightly worried face. He couldn't believe it. How could such a person look so much like his little duck, his dear Princess Ahiru. Stepping forward, he grasped Ahiru's hands.

"Please, come with me a moment, I shan't keep you from your friend long." This last part was said loud enough for Fakir and the others to hear clearly. Femio walked away from them, taking Ahiru along with him, until he came across an empty ballet room. Opening the door, he brought Ahiru along inside with him, shutting the door firmly behind him. He turned to face Ahiru, who looked awfully worried and a little scared as she bit her bottom lip.

"Only she does that when she's scared."

He took a step forward towards Ahiru, who took a stepped backwards, and so this went on until Ahiru's back bumped in to the ballet bar by the window. Femio grabbed hold of Ahiru's arm and stared in to her blue eyes.

"You are Ahiru, aren't you." he said, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Yes, Ahiru Arima."

"No, no, I mean….. you're Princess Ahiru, right, my little duck."

Ahiru tried to run from him, to get out of is grasp, but he caught her arm again. He pulled out a yellow rose from his blazer pocket.

"Why did you run, my little duck?"

Ahiru stopped struggling and froze. She stared at this flamboyant prince who she had known all her life. She took and a deep breathe and brought Femio's disillusions down with four words.

Fakir P.O.V

Prince Femio, or whatever that royal diva's name was, had been gone quite some time with Ahiru and I was starting to get a little anxious. I walked through the corridors searching for the two of them. I sat on one of the courtyard benches after a good half an hour of trying to locate them. I was about to make my way to the dormitories to search there when I saw a flash of orange. I could see Ahiru in one of the ballet rooms, her back to the bar and windows. Femio seemed to be talking to her, but I could see she was shaking slightly. I shot up from the bench as a watched her try to run from him. That made my blood boil. I sprinted to the room, trying to guess which one it was from the windows. I finally made it to the door of the room and could her muffled voices coming from the room. I opened the door to hear Femio asking why Ahiru had run from him. He even called his "little duck". Ahiru was not his, she was my duckling, my duck like angel, and only because she chose to be by my side.

Her voice infiltrated my thoughts as she answered Femio's question with four words.

"Because I love another!"

I stepped in to the room, my shoe heels echoing through it. Ahiru and Femio looked in the direction of the noise I was creating. Ahiru looked very much relieved, sending me a smile before turning back to Femio.

"Him. I love him, Femio."

Ahiru pointed at me and I felt my heart light up. I smiled at her, trying to convey the joy I felt at her words.

"But, how can you love him? How can you not love me. We are betrothed Ahiru!"

Femio's words wiped my smile clean off my face.

"This lovely dovey is weird-zura."

"Yes, my dear, it appears that a love triangle has occurred between our royals and a 'knight'. Oh, how marvellous!"

Drosselmeyer laughed at the scene presented to him in his looking glass cog.

"That garden of mine had truly made way for an excellent tale, an excellent tragedy indeed."

How as that then? Finally femio, our rose prince, has entered the foreground.

Oh, and just some infor here, [1] = prima donna assolutes is a title given to the top ballerinas in the U.K, Europe and the East. The USA has their own version, but it's not an officially recognised title. So far, there are only 11 prima donna assolutes, and the first one ever - Pierina Legnani - was given the title in 1894.

Thanks for reading and please review

love from Franny

by the way, my real name is Frances (how posh and British do I sound!)