Vieva poked her head into her room. It was very plain in comparison to her grand bedroom back home in Belza. She didn't mind, it had a bed, it had a closet and a beautiful window that over-looked the palace gardens. She looked back at the closet wondering how they had fit any of her clothes in there. She remembered having brought at least five bundles. Vieva marched forwards, tugging the closet open. Her eyes bulged. Half her clothes were gone. All that was left was her practice clothes, breeches, armor, gloves, battle-garb and seven dresses! She turned to look down and find all her boots. She sighed in relief she couldn't much live without her boots. She felt naked though, looking down at the dress she currently adorned. She loved the intricacies of the gowns that she could ruin after a party. She supposed Lord Wyldon wouldn't be interested in the many gowns she had enjoyed.

Vieva sighed. She had to make sacrifices. At least she didn't have to hide her sexuality as the Lioness, Alanna had. She also didn't need to cut her hair short as Lady Keladry of Mindelan had. However, she had to fight as well as them to be able to stay here.

"So you're the girl this time around," a tall blonde lazily quipped, leaning against her doorframe. Vieva turned to look at the page whom she would come to know as Thomas.

She nodded, "Yes. And you are?"

An arm slunk over Thomas's shoulder, smirking at her, "Royal blood. They're really trying to make sure you don't kicked out, ey?"

The academy was also well-known for having those who were a lot friendlier then others. Vieva frowned slightly before bowing to both of them, "May I please ask you both your names."

"Polite one, isn't she?" The blond responded, smiling at her.

The other couldn't help his snickering, "Kind of like a beanpole with fat hanging on the sides-"

Vieva's eyes widened, looking down at her breeches, she growled. "Never mind! If I am to take insults from commoners-"

"Aha," Thomas responded, grinning, "We're but humble nobles in your midst milady."

"In a few years, I shall be Sir Alexander the Younger-"

"You're Gareth's younger brother?" Vieva almost yelled in disbelief. She had remembered Gareth of Naxen to be much nicer and more polite then this imbecile was.

Alexander smirked, "Bad blood runs in every family, poor old Gareth."

Vieva turned to look at the blonde, "I hope you can give your family hope, then?"

Thomas chuckled. He looked almost like an angel. He stood only about five-foot one, but he had the most beautiful wolf-like blue eyes. They were piercing, but he had wrinkles on the sides of his eyes which meant he must've laughed a lot. "Thomas of Vervelos, first born, no old blood mingling around here."

Vieva huffed, "Alright, good to meet you. Zenevieva of Belza-"

"Belza?" Another head poked into her room. Vieva's irritation was growing. First she wanted to hunt for her missing clothes, secondly she wanted to check on her horses and thirdly, she wanted to take a bath. He looked much like the people in her country though, Vieva suddenly stared at him curiously. He grinned, "Howard of Galla."

He wasn't a neighbor after all, she nodded, bowing once more and introduced herself.

"Ah yes, my father and I were at Belza two years ago, it's a very lovely country. It's a little small and filled with horses- yes, horses, you're very famous for horses, are you not?"

Vieva's curiosity fell. She was about ready now to shoo all the pages out when she saw a maid-servant trying to squeeze between them to get in. "Now who in Mithros are you?"

"No need to swear now miss," the grumpy girl responded, shaking her head. "Just been assigned to you is all-" she looked at the boys, "Shoo! You always causing trouble Alexander, shoo!"

Vieva noted this one was a bit high strung, "But Lord Lenato-"

"You want Lord Lenato fixing your breeches and handin' you your soap there miss?"

"Princess, now, Ophelia," Alexander tutted, winking at the annoyed maid before he and the rest of the boys made their way out.

Thomas chuckled, "See you later Belza."

Was everyone so rude in this palace? Vieva wondered. She felt a loud tutting noise much like the one Alexander made as the maid tugged at her breeches. She blinked. Oh they were rude alright, "What are you doing?"

"These are quite pretty, you're royal blood then, ey?"

Obviously, she wanted to scream. She kept the thought to herself. The help was very happy around her, Vieva wasn't known for being spoiled in the sense of being mean. She didn't mind the help calling her by her nickname, she didn't mind them scolding her – but a complete stranger? A maid nonetheless? One who wasn't even from her home? "Yes," she tried moving away from her, "Must you always be in my room?"

Ophelia made a face, "None of the like. Didn't you bring a maid of your own?"

"I think maybe I should have," Vieva muttered, she nodded instead. "I'll go tell Lord Lenato to fetch Gloris-"

"You have names like Gloris?" Again, openly the maid made a face. "You know, every since they upped the rights to us commoners in the palace, I would've hoped they would allow us better names, ya know-"

A knock on her open door pulled Vieva from her thoughts of killing the maid. She turned to look and almost fell over, an older page smiled at her. He had brown hair and dark lashes, "Justice of Leandry, just wanting to make your acquaintance, Princess Zenevieva."

He walked away as soon as she blinked. He jaw dropped before the loud tutting of her maid interrupted her once again.

"Watch that one, he knows you've got gold in your pocket-"She was holding the newly changed linens in her arms. "Word of advice miss, remember you are a girl but always remember you have just given yourself to the rule of a man's world. No one's going to be fair. No one wants to be beaten by the likes of us," Ophelia grinned, showing her somewhat gapped teeth, "But we got smarts, oh yes miss, that we do!" She walked off babbling about why women were more dominant.

Vieva slammed her door, her nose wrinkling in annoyance. She looked at her clothes and wondered as she pulled out a beautifully embroidered tunic, why was she complaining if she was allowed to be in breeches every day of her life?

She grinned then, suddenly realizing she was going to be left mostly on her own. Pulling on her tunic, Vieva practically skipped towards what she hoped was the correct direction towards mess-hall.