Summary: The story so far: Akko has moved in to Diana's dorm while Lotte and Sucy are in hospital recovering from an accident. Diana has begun acting on new impulses and acceptencing her sexuality following a conversation with Ursula.
Chapter TextDiana Cavendish had always been Diana Cavendish's best friend. Her early years saw few children her own age visit the family's isolated estate. The nearest to play-mates were her cousins, who reveled in mocking her precociousness or conversely found gleeful amusement at her immaturity. Then a month before her third birthday, sat on her father's knee, she complained that he was too slow reading his broadsheet newspaper and she was bored of translating it while she waited. This had been the final persuasion her parents needed to hire a private governess who would enable their daughter's development unhindered by slower classmates. The years of intense focus on magic had meant the attempts to encourage her to mix with other children at social gatherings were largely futile. Even in her dorm-room she had created a little enclave for herself. Diana was solitary, but far from inclined to a hermit's life; although even in her leisure the inclination were for the solo pastimes of swimming, horse riding and finally running - a pursuit she was about to undertake on the third morning of Akko's stay.
Sharing a bed had taught her two things about Akko; firstly that she was very warm, secondly that she was a very sound sleeper, it was therefore easy enough to slip out of bed without disturbing her. As Diana approached the rear of the school, she was unaware that Ursula had already made her way to the same spot and was there stretching when Diana arrived. It was the first time they had met before a run, Ursula's habits having less of a clockwork precision that Diana's strict schedule.
"Good morning Miss" Diana greeted as Ursula bent over straight legged and griped her ankles.
"Good morning Diana," came the reply as her supple body unfurled and reached into a high armed stretch, "so we finally synchronized" Ursula said with a little laugh.
"Yes, are you going far Miss?"
"Not really, about six miles. You?"
"About the same, I need to get back to wake the girls up"
Ursula chuckled at this, "I didn't realise your responsibilities extended to cockerel duties. Why don't we go together?"
Diana replied with her usual logic and politeness "Thank you Miss, I think I'd struggle to keep pace with you."
"I'll make you a deal, you can set the pace if you call me Ursula while we're running buddies. Deal?"
The deal was sealed and the runners set off. Diana had previously only seen Ursula running from a distance and while indeed she was the quicker of the two the gap was not as great as it appeared, their strides sitting comfortably together. Soon the pair were on a winding woodland track that snaked without interruption for some distance. They were both dressed in shorts and t-shirts, Hannah and Barbara insisted that their friend wear the brands most in fashion. Ursula devoid of such advice wore items that were several seasons out of date, if indeed they had every had the fortune to be on trend.
Ursula started the conversation when they were some way into the woods, "I've thought about the advice you gave me the other day. About getting back out in the world and trying to find somebody," Diana nodded and hid her recollection of the exchange being more of a fumbled attempt to compliment than advice, "I know this is coming a bit out the blue and of course feel free to say no..."
In a weightless wonderful moment Diana imagined it was her who Ursula wanted to be that somebody.
Ursula continued, "You always dress so well and have such good sense with fashion I was hoping you'd join me on a shopping trip this Saturday?" Ursula laughed nervously, "A new wardrobe is a new you!"
It was only when the sentence was complete that self-opprobrium at the fleeting happiness flooded in and Diana's mind rushed to the relative safety of the actual question. The obvious problem was Hannah and Barbara had all the knowledge and judgement in that area, she was little more than a clothes horse. It was decided, she would have to politely explain the misunderstanding and offer to send her friends with Ursula.
"Yes of course I would love to join you, thank you for asking" Diana said, or perhaps more accurately her mouth did without due authorisation. The rendezvous being arranged the run and conversation continued on comfortable ground.
The following morning Diana woke not to an Akko panicking to get to the toilet or happily sleeping. That morning Akko was awake and looked at her with those elastic eyes so ready to advertise her mood. Akko's face was the most honest she had ever encountered and it seemed no emotion in her heart did not also reside there as well. Today it kept a secret, not through artifice, the secret was because Diana had never seen the expression and could not read it. The last tethers of sleep slipped away from Diana and they lay peacefully contemplating each other.
"I can see the real you while you sleep" Akko's voice was low, as a quiet smile formed on her lips. A fragile hand rested on Diana's. Akko's eyelids met and she returned to her dreams. Diana continued to watch every twitch and movement. Morning grew around her, seemingly conjured by the girl that sparked amazement there was such beauty in the world.
From such a happy start the following few hours were like a cardiac arrest. Akko announced she had imposed long enough and returned to her own room, explaining Amanda had offered to take Sucy's bed to keep her company. This seemed entirely reasonable to Diana and there was no logical argument why Akko should stay with her any longer - no logical argument at all. Possessions were duly moved back to the lonely little room, leaving Diana with the old familiar sting of abandonment and a new feeling that hurt in an entirely new way.
Jealousy was an emotion that due to her generous nature and natural gifts Diana had only encountered weakly before. That is not to say she had never been envious of other people, indeed she had confessed as much to Akko several months prior; however raw jealousy of a person was new and now felt with unnerving intensity. Through the day a spectre kept casting itself into her thoughts, it showed Amanda close to Akko and them alone, alone like they had been. The touch of her hand, the feel of her hair, the promise of her lips now within another's reach.
As evening drew on Diana starred blankly at a book on the history of a special family heirloom she had brought to school for safekeeping, The centuries old text was not sufficient to distract from the looming presence of the week's events. As her reason tried to unwrap the strange interlopers into her consciousness, she jumped at the realisation she was no longer alone.
"Oh Barbara, I'm sorry I was miles away"
"You missing Akko too?" Barbara said as she perched on the edge of the desk.
"A little yes, among my usual cavalcade of demands" Diana said as evasive as ever.
"You want to talk about it Blondie?" Barbara said with a playful flick of the eponymous hair.
Diana laughed at one of Barbara's pet names for her, normally reserved for cheering up purposes. Talking did sound like a good idea and she had no friend closer than Barbara. No closer friend, however there was someone at the school who would understand her problem better than anyone. Who's company made her feel at ease. Who could be her guide.
And so Diana made her excuses to Barbara and a little later found herself knocking on Ursula's door.