Disclaimer: I do not own Treasure Planet

Settling In

For Shining Petals

A short, pudgy woman with a country accent led Cassandra down the corridors to her room. When she was first introduced to her by an equally rude, harsh sounding teacher Cassandra gave her a sweet, reassuring smile as if to tell her that she wasn't nearly as snotty as the other teachers and possibly other students here. She reminded Cassandra of Gina. She had the same no nonsense attitude which made her smile and was likely to chide her for having ink on her fingertips. She hoped that she and this woman would be good friends. She could imagine herself as sitting in the kitchens helping her with any chores she had been given while she told her about her life. There were girls of all ages running past her, arm in arm with other girls. Some of them looked close to Victoria's age and she sighed. She knew Fredrick would send her as soon as he could. She would protect her from all of this if she could and she hoped she could keep her sister away when she could become an independent woman. Some glanced at her with some interest knowing that she had not been seen here before. Doubtless that her arrival had been announced before she was even told that she was going there. She hated gossip and she knew that for as long as she would be here she would have to put up with it.

She turned to the maid who was looking at her for a moment with sympathy clouding her eyes. Everyone could see from her dress that she was in mourning. She had done so for her mother and she was certainly going to signify the death of her father by this simple act of loyalty and remembrance. She must've known why she was in mourning. She looked at her hesitantly and introduced herself. In return this maid introduced herself as Nell. She had golden brown ringlets threatening to escape from her cap and bounced whenever she shouted at someone for running too fast or as she walked down the corridor. She looked a good deal older than Cassandra but still nowhere near the age Cassandra could consider her an aunt or Grandmother. Then again Gina wasn't that much older than Cassandra. Cassandra almost struggled keeping up with her in her shoes despite the fact that Nell was much shorter than she was. Cassandra almost felt awkward with her sudden tall-ness. There was a particular girl with pale blonde, wavy hair and clear, pale skin eyeing her from a distance. She smirked at her maliciously and whispered to her red-haired friend who then gave her a look of disapproval. She sighed knowing that she was making enemies already due to being the slaves to gossip.

"Here you are, Miss. The porters brought up your luggage as well. So you're not to worry."

"Thank you. You've been very kind." She replied.

Nell touched her by the arm in sudden affection and walked away. Cassandra turned back to the empty room and sighed at the state of her surroundings. There were two windows which loomed over two beds, one which had her luggage placed by it. There was a wash basin on a set of draws at the end of her bed and a single bedside table which separated the two bed with a single oil lamp set on top. Those were the only surfaces that they had in the room. She had no idea how she were going to send her sisters and brother letter. She certainly wasn't going to make it a chore of sending Fredrick letters. She would only go to great lengths for Helen, George and Victoria. The wall was a plain, cream colour which made her feel even more depressed that she was in the room with Miss Henderson. There was hardly any light shining through the window despite the curtains being drawn. She threw herself onto it and sighed. Piano practice. Archery. Celesti. Karan. Yjai. Literature. Elocution. Dancing. This is going to be fun. She hated it here before even attending lessons. Why did her brother have to be so cruel to her and make her go through this door burst open and a young woman about the same age as she rushed into the room. She had strawberry blonde, curly hair and bright blue eyes which reminded her of sapphires. She was a little taller than Cassandra and was skinnier.

"I'm so sorry. I had to leave my lessons early so that I could be here before you arrived! I'm so sorry I left you here waiting!" She cried frantically.

Cassandra gave this girl a sympathetic look and shook her head. "There is no need to worry I haven't been here long. I'm Cassandra Richardson." She greeted holding out her hand.

The girl hesitated and eventually shook her hand. It seemed evident that shaking hands was an alien concept here also.

"Diana Firestone. It's an absolute pleasure to meet you."

Cassandra had heard a little about the Firestone family. She wasn't sure where, her father probably met the head of the family at a ball or social gathering of some sort of talked to him for a while. He was likely to be some who was reasonable pleasant. The current head she could only presume was Diana's father was a member of the government and a rather unconventional man from what she had heard. Some other people had talked about him, like her brother for instance, now she remembered why she recalled him. It was her brother babbling on about the high in society daughters who were attending the school. He was likely to be hinting at the people he wanted her to be associated with. When she heard her brother speak like this she began to question what on earth happened in the gene pool. Neither their mother or father behaved in such a manner. It was probably boarding school's bad influence. She turned away from these thoughts and tried to recall what she had been told about the Firestone family and whether she should avoid or become close friends with Diana. The family apparently had hares, cats, dogs, birds of every kind for pets and loitering about the house. Some even just came in and out of the home and back into the wild. It sounded like quite a bizarre but interesting upbringing. Cassandra was far from being able to lie about that with concerns to her upbringing.

"Thank you it's also a pleasure to meet you also. You're the second welcoming person I've met here today."

"Oh no surely everyone has been friendly and warm here today."

"Well if you call looking in your direction suspiciously while whispering into another's ear being welcoming there have been a few people doing that."

"Oh my! I have no idea why! Well except...for the death of your father. We were told that your father had passed away and then it was found out why he came to pass and I suppose this was why."

"I see. Well-" Then a tall, black haired girl burst into the room.

She had a white, very tight fitting dress on with floral patterns which made her look skeletal it was so tight. She had her dark hair piled up on the top of her head like a huge bush of curls.

"Diana! You'll never guess what-" Then she stopped when she found a new face standing in her friends dormitory. "Er- Are you the new student who's arrived?"

Cassandra stepped forward. "Yes. I'm Cassandra Richardson. A pleasure to meet you." She shook her hand, seeing that this girl seemed more confident with shaking hands she supposed it was Diana's shy demeanour which caused her to behave the way she did.

"Sophia Caliber. I'm sure you've heard of my father Captain Caliber, considering that both our fathers followed in the same profession."

"What was your father's first name?" She inquired.

"Lord Michael Caliber." She replied.

"Ah Yes. My father mentioned him during the Celestial Wars. He told me your father was a good fighter but a terrible navigator."

Sophia laughed heartily. "It's sounds like you have the right man in mind. Bless him. Oh he would be so glad to meet Captain Richardson's daughter. You must meet him on-" Then she stopped and looked away with a guilty expression on her face.

"What is it?"

"Well there is a...Visiting day. Or visiting days throughout the year for parents and family to visit and well since both your mother and father are gone..."

"No. No. There are still my brothers to come visit. However its likely that only my brother George will visit. If he can."

"Oh but you must spend time with our families." Sophia cried desperately, clinging onto her shoulders. Cassandra leaned back slightly.

You've only just met me and you're already acting like a clingy, over-protective friend. What are you going to be like after I've known you for a few weeks? She thought worriedly.

"Very well." She replied trying to ease herself out of Sophia's grip which proved to be rather difficult.

She saw that these were the girls she was likely to be willing to become associated with at the school. Diana came across as a quiet but considerate woman, someone who reminded her very much of her mother only her mother was more confident. Diana came across as being rather timid. Whereas Sophia was anything but and Cassandra always admired a little bit of spirit in a woman. From what she had seen on the way to her room she knew that it was going to be difficult in trying to fit in with the social norms in terms of interests and topics of conversation. At least these two young women came across as having interests other than Miss Templeton's new hat or whether Lady Anne had run off with the butler. She couldn't abide gossip, talk of dresses and fashion were best kept to questions which only required one word answers and conversations about romance bored her. She could see that being friends with Diana and Sophia was going to be much easier as the occurrences of these topics of conversation might be more unlikely in comparison to being friends with other people in the school. Diana seemed to be sweet, gentle character who didn't let her social standing intimidate anyone. Her shy disposition took care of that. Then there was Sophia she came across as a confident young woman who was in the same position as Cassandra. She didn't deserve to be in a finishing school. Neither of them did.

She could imagine Sophia Caliber taking in charge of a ship single-handedly. She was tall enough, she looked like she was around five foot nine and had a blunt, straight-forward personality. At least Cassandra wouldn't have to feel like a complete bean pole anymore. She still had some growing to so, (according to Gina her mother was a very tall woman and so was her father which didn't seem to bode well for having a small, tiny like posture which men seemed to favour in women). Also she could imagine her being able to scare off any band of pirates with her booming voice and intimidating manner. Cassandra wasn't intimidated much but standing next to Sophia made her feel a little bit threatened as well as being in awe of her. And it had nothing to do with her height. She seemed quite maternal also, well the way that she behaved towards Cassandra's situation on visiting days was enough proof for that. She wrapped her arms around Diana's thin shoulders and rested her head against hers which made Cassandra smile at their sisterly relationship.

"Ah this must be Miss Cassandra Richardson." Said a silky voice from the doorway.

All eyes turned to find the blonde haired girl from the corridor. She set her eyes maliciously on the newcomer and walked towards her followed by her red-haired friend.

"I'm Aurelia Felnela. Perhaps you've heard of my father. Lord and Captain Felnela."

Cassandra pretended to ponder on this name and shook her head. "No. I don't seem to recall the name at all and my father told me so many stories about his travels and experiences so it is unlikely they have met."

"Oh they met. During the Celestial Wars apparently."

"The Celestial Wars." Cassandra murmured with a frown on her face. "Are you sure? My father told me about this experiences in great detail during that time. Although, he may have been referring him by another name. You see, there were some soldiers he had to work alongside he cared little for and he may have been one of them. Even the one who may have been the sole reason for losing the Battle of Scorpio."

Aurelia gave her a even look before she left. "Perhaps...you could be thinking of someone else." She curtsied and left the room.

Sophia wrapped an arm around her and laughed. "I have never seen Aurelia Felnela be spoken to so before. I can see great things for you Miss Richardson."

"Well hopefully not confined within these walls Miss Caliber. I have much higher hopes, believe me."

"Is it true what you said? That he father was responsible for the defeat?"

"Ah yes he was. Captain Felnela sent too many men in when it was doing them no good." There was a sad expression shadowed over her face as she thought of her father. "It was quite tragic actually."