Chapter 6
"You look worried," Kaname said as the two of them waited in Cross' main office in his residence manor.
"It's been a month since my mum died," Perse sighed as she leaned back into one of the plush chairs. "I've moved continents, I'm across the world in a society I've never been in and I'm attending school with Vampires. And that isn't even the bad bit."
"What is?" He asked, standing with his hands clasping the back of the chair next to her. He would rather have his hands on the back of her chair to try and ease her anxiety, but he knew she wasn't in the mood for comforts. She was strung high and still angry from before, a dangerous combo because she was a move away from breaking something or breaking down.
From the little time he had known her, she was more inclined to breaking something before going back to her room to crash into bed. He disapproved of the classes she missed because she didn't want to attend, though Takuma had to advise him to leave her alone about it because Kaname was the cause of her anger.
Though it was amusing to see her anger and frustration, Kaname knew he wasn't safe from any retaliation. She wasn't under him in social standing, being the only Witch helped that fact. The others couldn't tell her what to do just like he couldn't, Kaname could only advise and request before watching her consider it or bin the idea entirely.
Unlike the other females around him who were inclined to be quieter but just as dangerous, Perse was loud and just wanted to have fun. She saw no point in hiding her personality, even if she was quieter in the first few days. She didn't allow anything to hinder her, not even the disapproving looks of the lower Nobels which watched on in jealousy as she interacted with Kaname and his friends.
She complimented Hanabusa's loudness and his confidence, matching his arrogance stride for stride as they chatted about the attention of the Day Class. Ruka's cold demeanor matched Perse's when the Witch wasn't happy or just didn't want to bother with people. Akatsuki had his calming effect on all of them, preventing Perse and Hanabusa from getting into too much trouble.
Ever since the little incident in the nurse's office, she tested him. While Hanabusa could be stopped by a single glare from Kaname Kuran, it just made Perse see how far she could get before she got a decent reaction from him. The main way she did it was by wearing the uniform wrong, though he couldn't tell her off because Akatsuki did the same thing, or eating at inappropriate times such as class, though he couldn't tell her to stop then either because they were allowed their blood tablets.
Food kept the beast at bay with her, he realised. As long as she was fed, she wasn't a menace to the class learning or to her own attention span in class.
"It's raining," Kaname said, nodding to the window as he got her attention back again. Perse grinned at the rain, making Kaname realise that she was the cause of it.
"I love a good storm. It's always refreshing and calming," She sighed, leaning into the chair before almost jumping onto her feet and strutting to the window. "They're here."
"Who are?" Kaname walked over to the window to stand next to her, peering out into the gloomy weather as he saw five people walking towards the building along with Yuki and Zero. "Who's who?"
"The two with pentagram star brooches are the Crowns," Perse pointed out as those two were walking in the middle of the group with a man between them. "The two behind them are guards, I'd bet."
"And the man between them?"
Perse let a soft, adoring smile onto her lips. "That's my dad."
"I presumed he was out of the picture." Kaname admitted, watching her shrug.
"Kinda is, kinda isn't," She said. "He's there when I need him. My mum primarily looked after me but he took me during the holidays and weekends."
"Were they not together?"
"No. The Clans don't approve of him." Perse muttered, only continuing when Kaname gave her an expectant look. "He's a Chimera, he absorbed his twin in the womb. Everyone thinks he's cursed because of it."
He raised an eyebrow, watching the group as they walked closer to the building. "He is still a Pureblood."
"Not of the royal Clans. His family is more of a wandering type, they don't like to settle nor do they like to get into politics."
"And yet he married your mother?"
"Nope, did the deed with my mum and I came out nine months later. Marriage isn't a thing with Witches, Bonding is what we do."
"Bonding?"
"Of souls."
He hummed. "That's an interesting concept. So do—"
Headmaster Cross quickly poked his head into his office, nodding for them to follow him. After a second's hesitation, they promptly got up and followed him. It took less than a minute before they got to a small room where they would have the meeting.
Perse took a second to centre herself, letting a single breath before relaxing completely. She had no time for emotions, they could be manipulating and she needed to be the manipulator. Hurt egos could be so easily bruised, and the Order was already black and blue with them.
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There was yelling coming in from there already.
Perse and Kaname weren't even in there. She gave Yuki and Zero a sympathetic look before her eyes trailed to the guards next to them, eyes turning cold as an equally harsh grin appeared.
One of the guards opened the door as the two neared it, letting them in without allowing a single emotion pass their face but Perse knew. She knew that they didn't want to be here, they would rather be at home with their families. They truly didn't care this turn of events that caused them to be across the world.
The best thing was that both of the guards were from the Greylight Clan. Her Clan was always in abundance with people wanting to protect and serve, working with the British military more often than not.
"You've got no right to ask her anything!" Her father sneered, eyes glowing with electric blue as he glared at the two Crowns. His arms crossed aggressively as he shook his head.
The guard closed the door as soon the two of them were inside, silencing the room so only those from inside could hear anything.
Her father's brash behaviour brought a smile to her lips.
"Hi Dad," Perse sighed with relief.
"Hey kid,"
Jupiter glared at the two next to him before he turned to her, waving her over. When they were within a foot of each other, they both placed a hand on the other's neck and pulled their foreheads together as they closed their eyes. It was their way of showing affection.
"Japan is doing good for you, kid," He grinned a lopsided smile, the same one she acquired from him.
She fixed the collar of his leather jacket, shaking her head. "You couldn't be bothered to get properly dressed, could you?"
"I don't go anywhere without this jacket. It's my—"
"Lucky jacket, I know." She stepped back, letting Kaname come closer. "This is Kaname Kuran, head of the Night Class and a friend. Kaname, this is my dad."
"Jupiter Dunner, none of the title shit that comes with being royal," He stuck out a hand for him to shake.
Kaname did as required. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr Dunner."
"Solid handshake, I approve," He sent his daughter a raised eyebrow and grin, making her roll her eyes at him, before turning back to the Vampire in front of him. "Call me Jupiter."
Jupiter Dunner was a tall man with unruly dark hair and stubble. He wore a pair of dark slacks with a grey linen shirt and a black waistcoat, hiding that under a leather jacket which groaned as he waved his hands angrily at the two other adult Witches in the room. He didn't bother with dress shoes, going for black leather boots to match the jacket.
Oh, she hated the absolute sight of the Crowns.
Blackwood was a tanned woman with her hair curled into an updo to show off the cool blonde that was usually hidden by her brown hair. Black trousers accented the navy blue of her loose blouse, showing off the dainty gold necklace she had around her neck.
Whitestone was a middle aged blonde man with a slight pink hue of an undercut and a permanent scowl. His shirt was baby blue and his trousers were a dark navy. He didn't even bother to put on a tie or a jacket.
Both had a brooch pinned to their left breast, the metal was a shiny silver in the shape of a star with a coloured stone in the middle. Whitestone had a blue gem while Blackwood had a red gem.
"Blackwood, Whitestone," She greeted stiffly. "This is Lord Kaname Kuran, Dorm President of the Night Class and the highest ranked Vampire at the school. Kaname, they are Crown Blackwood, and Crown Whitestone, respectively. He will be in the meeting with me."
"Persephone, this is a Witch matter," Blackwood said, her arms crossed loosely. "He has no—"
"I'll stop you there." Perse raised a hand to silence her. "You do not get to call me by my name like we are friends. It is Crown Greylight, or Princess, if you have to. I will be addressed by the title that fits my status."
"Fine. This is a Witches' matter, Princess Greylight," She almost spat out before turning her dark brown eyes to Kaname. "You have no business here, Vampire."
"And you have no business telling me what to do, Witch," Kaname said back, his tone as cold as usual. "I was asked by Persephone Greylight to attend, not by you. You are only allowed this meeting because Cross advised me to allow you entrance to meet her here. I control the Night Class and who attends and who doesn't. She is under my protection at this school."
Jupiter nodded, gesturing vaguely to the table. "Let's just sit down before one of us bursts a lightbulb."
The table had six seats, two on each side across from each other while another two were sitting at the ends.
The Crown took two of the seats next to each other, letting Perse and Kaname sit across from them. Jupiter took one of the head seats while Headmaster Cross appeared and took the last.
After a moment of silence, Cross broke it.
"Crown Blackwood, Crown Whitestone," He said respectfully. "Why don't you start with why you asked for this meeting?"
Whitestone scoffed. "We didn't ask for a meeting, we wanted one of our own at the school but you refused and this was the next best thing."
"Why did you want one of yours positioned at the school?" Cross asked, raising an eyebrow in question as if he was insulted yet curious about the answer. "Cross Academy has plenty of teachers that are certainly qualified to teach at a high level. We don't need anymore, nor are there any positions open for them to take."
"The Order wants to make sure that Princess Greylight is safe while she attends school with Vampires,"
Perse reframed from rolling her eyes, "I'm perfectly safe."
"You live in a dorm with Vampires, a single papercut and they could attack," Blackwood tried to counter.
"You speak of my kind like we are savages," Kaname didn't look impressed. "I assure you, all of those who attend the Night Class have taken a vow that makes them abstain from Human blood. We rely on blood tablets that curb our thirst."
"A few weeks ago, I cut my hand by accident in class and nothing happened. I was promptly escorted to the nurse's office and I fixed my hand." She said, refusing the urge to look back and give Kaname a dirty look. "Nothing happened. No one attacked me. No one even tried to get near me."
"Witch blood is sacred. Even the miniscule chance of it ending up in Vampire hands is dangerous, you know this, Princess Greylight,"
"And you know that blood taken from a Greylight is suicide to for Vampires," Jupiter said, one hand laying on the table as he gestured with it. "And adding in Dunner blood, it's almost like adding acid to the wound already filled with salt. Even if Perse was attacked, the attacker wouldn't have time to comprehend the fact that acid has replaced their own blood before they wither in pain for hours."
"Blood is Magic and Magic is sacred." Whitestone spat at him, suddenly looking back at Perse. "You're under eighteen, so a minor, and because of that, you need guardianship of some sort. You can't be running amok in a different country like you're doing now."
Perse placed her elbows on the table, leaning forward. "Who would be my guardian then? Would I be allowed to choose who looks after me or would you appoint someone? I wouldn't be surprised if it was someone under your thumb."
"Your father would be your guardian."
Perse made a sound of disagreement, a low and short hum at the back of her throat. "He signed away his parental rights when I was born. He has no legal obligation to look after me nor does he have any right to tell me what to do, in our society and in the Human."
"He is your father," Blackwood said. "He is your biological parent and you don't want him to be your guardian?"
"Look," Jupiter sat up straighter, a scowl on his face. "If Perse wanted me to be her guardian, she would have asked. I signed my rights away when she was born but I was there to help if Dementer asked. You have no right to tell her what she has to do. She is emancipated by our laws as well as the Human laws."
"She isn't eighteen yet. She hasn't come into her powers and cannot access it fully."
Jupiter scoffed, rubbing a hand down the side of his jaw. "Two centuries ago, the Blackwood family had a fifteen year old as Crown and there was no problem. They didn't even have a regent for them. I don't see a problem with Perse taking the Crown title already, she's been raised and brought up to be the Crown. She is Clan Greylight."
"That was then and this is now,"
She shook her head. "You don't want me to rule, that is it, isn't it? What difference will nine months makes? It certainly won't make me more appropriate to rule. I've spent all of my life training to be Crown and you want me to be taught more? What more can I learn?"
"You have no control over your Magic and you think you can rule?" Blackwood spat. "You caused a storm twice in as many months."
"The first storm was because I was in mourning!" Perse wanted to scream but instead she slammed her first against the table, letting sparks of purple electricity escape her skin. "My mother is dead because you Challenged her ruling! You are the reason she died. She wasn't going to do what you wanted and so you Challenged her because you knew you couldn't take her. You were going to do the ritual that would have transferred her Magic."
"You tried to do a transference ritual?" Jupiter said, turning his angry gaze to them slowly. The electric blue was glowing deeply as the Crowns' eyes also glowed a strange shade of green.
"What is a transference ritual, if I may ask?" Cross asked.
Perse gritted her teeth, keeping an eye on her father's temper. "It helps transfer the Magic from one person to another, usually done between the Crown and Heir when the Crown dies. But if the Crown is alive, the Magic has to be willingly given or it won't leave the owner."
"Your mother decided she didn't want to give up her Magic, as was the Challenge's consequence if she lost and she did. She died because she didn't want to give up her Magic,"
"No, she didn't want to give her Magic to you," Perse shifted her feet until she hooked her ankles behind two legs of her chair, it helped her settle herself and her Magic as anger hummed through her blood. "The Challenge, with the terms you wanted to place, would have given her Magic to you. Magic that was never supposed to go to anyone but a Greylight."
"There is no such thing as Greylight only Magic, just like there isn't Blackwood or Whitestone Magic," Blackwood continued. "You need to stop being irresponsible and come home, you've wasted enough time and there are a lot of preparations that need to be done before your Magic inheritance."
Perse just laughed at that, a condescending sound that vibrated in her chest as she grinned with a look that stated she knew something they didn't.
She had already gone into her inheritance after her mother died. Actually she gained it a single moment before her mother sent her a sad smile and dropped onto her knees, dead on the ground. Perse had screamed, though most people thought it was out of grief and emotional pain when it was actually out of physical pain.
The scar still tingled when she remembered the moment she was struck with lightning, transfering Magic from mother to daughter, from Crown to Princess.
Sliding the chair back a few inches, Perse shrugged off her blazer and placed it across her lap. Perse crossed her arms very loosely, looking at her nails with a bored expression.
Kaname and Cross weren't quite sure what was going on, but Kaname knew it had to do with the scar on her shoulder and back. It stood a shade or two darker but this time there was a silver sheen to it, letting the light bounce off as if it was a lightning bolt.
The Crowns stiffened, displeasure and a great deal of disbelief crossing their faces as Jupiter leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smile on his lips as he rubbed at his chin with a shake of the head at her.
"Preparations before my inheritance of Magic, what preparations would they be?" Perse hummed, caressing the beginning of the scar as it sat near the collarbone and joint. "I'm fine with not having the Crown title until I am eighteen, I have no problem with that. But I do have a problem with you thinking you have any right to tell me what to do or what I should do. There are no laws that prevent me from taking the Crown at the age I am."
"Yes, there are."
"No, there aren't. You tried to pass one not even an hour after my mother's death, you tried to pass it and I voted against it, as was my right as heir."
"Which you had no right to do,"
"Didn't I?" Perse ran her tongue against her teeth. "I am the Greylight Clan. I have come into my Magical inheritance and I have been raised to be the Crown of my Clan. The only thing stopping me from taking my rightful place on the Order is you."
"You're a child," They scoffed. "You know nothing of the Magic in your veins. You have no goals and ambitions to aim for. You don't even have a Clan anymore."
Perse took a breath to calm herself. "The guards you brought with you, they are from the Greylight community. Why do you think the best guards are from my Clan? We value loyalty, trust, and family. My ambitions were to go to university, study, have fun, fall in love before I have to take the Crown title. You decided my mother and her goals weren't fit to rule so you got rid of her, you won't be able to get rid of me."
"You have no right to rule your Clan,"
"I have no right to rule my Clan? You have no right to tell me what to do with my Clan. It is my birthright by Magic and by blood," Perse's eyes glowed with silver anger, clenching her hand on the table as the table rattled in place. "While you are part of the Order of Witches, you have no authority to tell another Crown what to do. You can Challenge me, if you want."
Their lips curled up dangerously as the elder Crowns looked at each other before glaring back at the young Witch. "Blackwood and Whitestone Crowns Challenge Princess Persephone Greylight for her worthiness and right to use Magic and rule her Clan and Witches."
Perse grinned but it was more of a baring of teeth than a pleasant smile. "That's settled then. By our laws, I have until the next solstice to prepare."
"We will see you in the summer then,"
"Wrong. Any Challenge issued and accepted occurs on the next solstice. But the law states that the Challenged has to be eighteen." Perse stood from the table, placing her blazer over her arm. "I don't want to see or hear of hide nor hair of either of you or your Clans until the Challenge. Any political issues or laws to be modified or made will have to go through me also, until the Challenge. I will act as Crown until the Challenge, regardless of what you want. Unlike you, I won't be petty and I will actually try to consider my Clan's opinions."
"That isn't one of the conditions."
"Telling me to do something is like telling lightning to strike," She turned around and began to leave the room, all of the lightbulbs shattering as she turned her head back to look at the Crowns. "We will take it into consideration but we will do what we want and leave whatever we touch destroyed. I want you out of the country by the nightfall."
Everyone but Jupiter stood up, the Dunner Witch staying in his seat as he sighed.
"You expect us to treat you like you are one of us?"
"I expect you to treat me like any other Clan leader." Perse turned on her heels, standing promptly on them with her shoulders back and with confidence that was beyond her years. "By law, I am allowed to see to any legal or Witch matter that the Crown cannot attend to. As heir, and not Crown as you state, I can and will attend to the duties of a leader because there is no Crown at the moment."
"I will have the guardians escort you out," Cross said to the adult Witches as they all stood. He nodded for Kaname to follow Perse's lead and leave.
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Perse and Kaname waited in Cross' office, needing to speak to the headmaster before they left. Kaname sat in one of the chairs with a book in hand, shifting his gaze from the pages to Perse's tense form before the window. The Witch looked out the window and into the storming weather, watching the Crowns and her father leave.
Her father knew they didn't need a goodbye. The only time they would ever say that if there was a chance they would never meet again. She would see him again in December, almost ten months time.
"Next time you go behind my back about my Clan and matters," Perse warned, not moving from the window. "I will hurt someone you love."
He turned the page, "There is not someone I love."
She hummed, "Brown hair, doe eyes, little Day Class girl who I know you have certain affections for." Perse turned her blank eyes to him, a certain flair of knowing grace in them. "I can see the emotions in blood, after all, they're just hormones."
Kaname snapped the book closed, looking up as his eyes glowed red and fangs dropped into a cold curl of a snarl. "You hurt her and I will end you."
"Then don't mess with something you don't know about," Perse walked to the other chair, promptly sitting down with grace as she crossed her legs at the knee and leaned back. "Don't mess with politics you don't know about. You had no right to to agree with a meeting between them and I without telling me and letting me approve."
"Would you have gone to the meeting if I told you beforehand?"
"I wouldn't have agreed,"
"Exactly." He said. "This tiff between you and your elders would have affected the school and I could not allow that to happen. There is a reputation to uphold at Cross Academy."
She laughed, a sound without amusement or humour coming out of her with a sudden sneer on her lips. "Do you realise that I more or less signed my own fucking death warrent?"
He froze. "What do you mean?"
"The Challenge," She rubbed her hands together before clasping them together. "Only a third of Witches survive it. And only a seventh of those who survive, keep their Magic. I have a four percent chance of surviving and keeping my Magic. The Challenge isn't about who is worthy and who is not, it's about strength and connection with Magic with the other Clans. A connection which I do not have!"
Kaname seemed to hesitate at that, wanting to do one thing while he knew she would not welcome his touch of comfort. He thought for a moment. "What kind of connection does it have to be?"
"What?"
"Is there a specific type of connection you need to have with the other Clans, emotional, physical?"
She blinked. "Umm. It's more that the Magic which connects us needs to be solid, than an actual connection."
"Then do what a new ruler must do, rule," He said. "Take the power you have and start shifting things into your favour by getting into the good graces of the Clans. Start with your own and work outwards, good word of mouth is always strongest when several people talk."
Perse paused, letting her thoughts collect and figure into a plan before she stood. She got up from the chair, leaving the blazer there as she soon stepped in front of Kaname. The male sat up, placing the book next to his blood tablet glass on the table as he warily watched her.
She clasped both of her hands on his jaw, letting her eyes flutter to half lids as Magic heated her palms. He knew she wasn't going to hurt him, there was something that told him this.
"I knew you would have some uses!" She set a soft kiss to the side of his jaw, more of a chaste peck than anything before she jumped back. Perse grabbed her phone from the blazer before hanging the blazer on the crook of her arm before strutting out of the room with a springiness to her steps.
He touched the check she had pecked, a warmth spreading from there. The ache in his gums seemed to dull along with the thirst. Her Magic had influenced his body's need for blood for the time being, a nice relief from the agony all Vampires were in all of the time.
Kaname was surprised by this show of affection from her. He had held her by the injured wrist a few weeks ago and yet she wasn't scared of him. He had shown anger and she had no fear. She had the audacity and gale to touch him, something very few imagine, let alone had the courage to even attempt.
There was a freshness about her cautiousness that was more about uncertainty than what she knew of him and Purebloods. It wasn't the Magic in her that made her courageous, it was the fact she wasn't scared of much. Besides spiders, as the Moon Dorm found out one morning when a larger than average spider had wandered into the living room and she blasted the thing to oblivion.
They couldn't blame her. Eight eyes and legs were still too much for some of them too.
Unlike Yuki who would look at him with pure adoration and happiness of meeting an idol, Perse looked at him like her equal.
He hated the way people acted around him, making him seem better than he actually was. It couldn't be helped that he was a Pureblood and of the Kuran family. It didn't make him a god like most of them believed him to be.
Being perceived as an equal was nice, and having one was even better.
"I saw that Perse left," Cross said as he came in and closed the door. He looked to Kaname, smiling cheekily. "You have a little something on your cheek."
Kaname simply wiped at it and didn't comment or let any expressions pass through his face. He took his glass and sipped at it.
The sneaky little Witch had exchanged his fake blood for real AB+, his favourite.
It was also her blood type.