(E) 06/11/22 Original A/N- Here Chapter 9! This chapter was kind of a drag to write, hence the later upload. Hopefully you guys aren't too disappointed that Four isn't in this chapter, but I promise he will be the main star in the next lol. And I have a good surprise for the next chapter that I think you all will enjoy! Thank you all again for the reviews, I was wondering if those of you who review would like me to reply back to the review on your actual review? Tbh I've been reading ff since 2014 and had no clue you could do that until like 2 chapters ago lol. Anyway, let me know! Enjoy!x
Chapter 9
Waking up in an unfamiliar room is never all that pleasant, especially when you don't want to be there. Erudite's housing is bare, taking minimalism to the maximum. My hotel room consists of a small double bed and a computer on a desk. There's a small bathroom attached to the room, and a smaller wardrobe next to it. Leaning away from the blue hues, the room is painted a stark white, the whole place making me feel like I'm about to partake in a science experiment.
My items litter the floor, bringing life to the deathly space. Sifting through my dress option, I picked out a sleeved deep red gown. Amity is in the northern regions of Tosken, meaning that it will be a couple of degrees cooler than down south. Andrew told me last night where we will be going next, letting me prepare slightly this morning. Being his usual standoffish self, he dipped in and out quickly, not leaving any room for chatter. I've never felt the need to want someone to talk to me as bad as I seem to want Andrew to. His reluctance to be near me pushes me even further for his acceptance.
I found that the Erudite don't have any mirrors in their rooms, seeming to think their reasoning behind it is more logical than the Abnegation. I feel like the two factions are like two sisters who are too much alike, clashing with one another.
Erudites reasoning for having no mirrors in their housing is that vanity can be a distraction, that the only distraction in life should be knowledge.
I leave the room, a guard following behind me. Moments like this, in an unfamiliar place, makes me wish I hadn't told Edward to cut down his hours.
I decided to take the stairs, wanting some more time to think to myself. My mind wanders over to Andrew and his wife. When he had given me the low down for the day, he had said that he needed to leave. He had vaguely said that his wife had become sick. He didn't go into any more detail and before I could ask if I was able to do anything, he was gone. For some reason he keeps crossing my mind, not knowing what's happening with his wife is eating away at me. It's a confusing feeling. I know I shouldn't be reacting like this about strangers.
I get to the lobby and try to clear my mind. I'll be saying my farewells to all the important people of Erudite, including Prince Arthur. I need to be able to think straight. Coming into contact with the Prince makes my skin crawl, and knowing I'll be expected to act pleasant is just the icing on the cake.
Jeanine is also someone I would rather leave without a farewell. She knows she holds power over the men running this faction, and it doesn't sit well with me. If anything, in her own special way, she gives off worse energy than the older Prince.
The stairwell ends, leading into the corridor that goes into the lobby. The maze of the building, like my room, is clinically white. The artificial light of the stairwell reflects off the walls. The door is already open to the corridor on the ground floor, and finally, daylight seeps in.
The lobby is buzzing with activity. A few news reporters have been pushed to the corner, guards surrounding them. They argue with the men, but the guards are statues, completely unresponsive.
I recognise a couple people from the meeting room, Cara, Fernando and Matthew amongst them. I remember them leaving me in that room alone yesterday and bitterness flushes through me.
I try to push the ugly feeling down, knowing I wouldn't confront them in public so there's no point feeling anything towards them. In reality, the only two people I really need to say my goodbyes to are the two Princes, so I ignore the rest. I make my way over to the two. They stand next to each other, both mirroring the other. Their feet are spaced apart and arms crossed across their chests. My eyes shift past them, landing unluckily on Jeanine Mathews. A smile plasters itself on my lips as I face her. I raise a brow, waiting for her to bend her knees in respect. I'm not usually bothered about all the curtsying and bowing, but there's something about seeing her, specifically, bowing to me that brings my crooked little heart pleasure.
She takes a few seconds before going down in a curtsy. She looks uncomfortable in the gesture, as if she's not used to doing it often. Her blue suit is stiff, adding to the awkwardness.
After I'm satisfied with the advisor, I reluctantly turned to Prince Arthur. I deliberately chose not to address him first, knowing that it would get under his pompous skin.
He looks at my bare wrist, raising his brows. "Not wearing my gift?"
My hand goes to my arm, feeling nothing but soft skin. "I'm not going to parade an illegal stone throughout the factions." He looks unbothered, twisting his ring around his finger absentmindedly.
"I think my brothers would be more than impressed with how I was able to get my hands on a sapphire." He smirks down at me, looking all too sure of himself."
"Tell yourself what you like; I'm not going to model it for you." I walk past him before I can see his reaction. I make eye contact with Eric as I pass and see him follow me out the door. I stand next to the car, waiting for him to catch up.
"That was inappropriate." Eric says, staring me down.
I look at him, surprised. "And you don't think leaving me with your weird uncle yesterday wasn't inappropriate?" His mouth opens but I cut him off. "You know, Four told me that you know what your uncle's like. Is being Jeanine's lackey more important than your future Queen's safety?"
"Four doesn't know what he's on about, Tris." His response infuriates me. "Our uncle isn't like that. If he was, I wouldn't have left." Realisation hits me and my anger subsides slightly.
"They're getting in your head, Eric. Grooming you into becoming their puppet." He shakes his head, unable to look at me.
"It's not like that. You don't know any of us." He's expressionless. I know he's shutting me out- not like he ever really let me in.
"A stranger looking in from the outside sometimes sees more than you do from the inside. Your vision blurs, Eric."
He takes a step back. "Enjoy the rest of your trip, Your Highness."
Spinning on his feet, he briskly walks back into the building. The wind slams the door behind him.
Feeling useless, I get in the car and slam my door back.
...
"Tris?" Robert's hand waves in front of my face. I snap out of my thoughts, focusing back on the Prince. "You okay? You've been zoned out for a while." He looks concerned, his eyebrows furrowed.
I nod at him, rubbing my face with my hands. "Yeah, sorry. It's just been a long day."
He laughs, "It's only 1 o'clock." My eyes shift to the clock in the quaint pub we're sitting in, and realise he's right. "Erudite does that to people. You go in with your head on straight, then come out and have had 10 years taken off of your life." He grins cheekily, leaning back in his chair. I crack a smile back, still imprisoned by my thought of my time in Erudite yesterday.
We're interrupted by a server bringing our food to the table. He smiles politely, bows, then leaves us to it. Robert said the best way to be introduced to a new place is to go where the locals go. So here we are. The one downside is that the place is empty, quelling the supposed vibe.
We eat quickly, our schedule packed for the rest of the day. Leaving the pub, I can see we've attracted a lot more attention than we had when going into the building. Barriers have been positioned to keep us separate from the mass public. Robert and I walk down the street, interacting with the people of Amity. Their bright, warm clothes add to the vibrant city. Amity looks as if it's been paused in time. Thatched houses line the pedestrian roads, shops popping up here and there. Cobblestones fill the roads, making it a slightly more precarious walk down the street. But I don't complain. Compared to Erudite, Amity actually feels lived in, bringing personality to the place.
We walk for around 15 minutes, stopping once in a while to speak to excited passers by. We finally come to a stop before a large, circular greenhouse. Inside I can see a huge oak tree, with seats surrounding it. "This is where the decisions are made." Robert says, impressively, standing next to me. I chuckle at his exaggerated tone, making my way into the glass dome. To say it's captivating is an understatement. The glass looks as if it's been carved as one whole piece, the supports so small they're hardly visible. Grass lines the floor, leading up to the tree. Wildflowers pop up throughout the grass carpet, adding life to the already green space. There's a buzzing coming from all directions, butterflies and bees flying around in the air. Most of Amity looks like this greenhouse, but I haven't seen anything so concentrated before. It's wonderful.
I finish looking around, seeing that the room is mostly empty of people, except for a small group at the front under the oak, having a discussion. They look tiny compared to the size of the tree, its branches dwarf them. The greenhouse seems bare, despite the abundance of wildlife. The seats being empty make the room feel half alive. I'm slightly disappointed to not be witnessing the place in full session.
We make our way to them, Robert giving me a squeeze on the shoulders when we come to a stop. They finish speaking, turning their attention to us. A soft wind blows in from behind the group, ruffling skirts and shirts. The dark skinned woman at the front of the group's hair blows in front of her face, covering it slightly. Smiling, she greets me. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness." She goes down into a curtsy without a second thought. The rest follow. She comes back up, turning to Robert. "It's good to have you back, Robert." She smiles warmly, which Robert returns.
"It's good to be back!" He replies. He turns to me. "Tris, this is Johanna. Johanna is the voice of Amity. She comes to me with all the worries and suggestions that are brought up in our monthly assemblies." Johanna nods along with the Prince.
"It's customary for someone in Amity to speak on behalf of the public's voice. I'm honoured to have been chosen." I smile at her, her sincerity obvious. The wind subsides, giving her hair a rest. It falls back, revealing her pretty face. A jagged scar runs from her left cheek over to her right. It's deep, looking as if it didn't heal very well. It's odd to see a person from Amity to have such a brutal injury.
I don't mean to stare for so long, but I catch her eye when I come back out of my head. I give her a small smile, hoping she doesn't take it the wrong way. I seem to fall into my thoughts a lot these past few days, ending up resting my eyes in the wrong places.
In true Amity fashion, she smiles genuinely back, seeming unfazed by my lack of social skills.
One of the people behind her whispers something into her ear and Johanna's face lights up. "Oh, yes! Bring him in!" She turns back, excited.
I look at her, then up at Robert, confused. Robert shrugs his shoulders, not knowing what's going on either. I rack my mind for someone from Amity that would want to surprise me, but come up with nothing. My eyes fall on a table with some utensils on and a few loaves of bread. Maybe Peter will come out behind the tree and stab me with a butter knife. I can actually see that happening.
The crowd shifts, making way for the man at the back to walk forward. I don't recognise him, so I don't think he's the person I'm waiting for. I look behind him, a small part of me hoping Four will pop out of somewhere. I quickly push the thought away, knowing this is the last place I'd find the Dauntless Prince. Coming to the conclusion that no one else is coming down the now closed up aisle, I look back at the man. He's holding something quite big wrapped in a blanket. It looks kind of heavy. He smiles, uncovering the package.
A furry head pops out. I gasp, realising he's holding a puppy. It looks to be some sort of retriever, with big golden floppy ears and a sweet face. The man says, "A gift from Amity to our future Queen."
"This is-" I don't even know. We never had pet dogs back at home. We had working dogs, but they were normally too busy doing their jobs to be petted or played with. I've always had a big place in my heart for animals, but there was always some reason why we couldn't have any in the Palace.
I can see the man's arms look as if they're about to give out, so I gesture to him to pass the puppy over. The blanket falls in the process, revealing his small but compact body. I heft him up in my arms, already feeling the ache. His little face looks up at me, big brown eyes staring into mine. I shift him to one arm with some effort, smoothing his soft head.
"He's 8 weeks." Johanna says. I see her smiling, looking down at the dog. "His mother was brought into the shelter from Candor. They say she was found scavenging around the train tracks. A few weeks later she had a litter of pups."
Nodding along, I ask, "What's happening to the mum?"
Johanna reaches over and scratches the puppy's head. "I was fostering them all and have decided to keep the mum."
Warmth blooms in my heart as I look at Johanna. The Amity never ceased to amaze me with their kindness.
"That's very kind of you, Johanna. I'm sure she's overjoyed to finally have a safe place to call home."
Johanna brushes it off, "Oh it's nothing! She'll fit right in with the rest of the pack." It doesn't surprise me that Johanna's house is probably filled to the brim with shelter dogs. Looks like the fostering is going well. "He still needs a name, but I'm sure you will come up with something." I look down at him, coming up blank. I see the small crowd is looking at me, expectantly.
"I might need a few more days." I reply to the onlookers.
"Of course." Johanna replies.
Robert leans across, taking the dog from my arms. I look at him gratefully, my arms finally able to relax. The Prince smiles down at me, then goes and starts talking to the golden like he's talking to a baby.
A conversation starts up behind me, and when I look I can see a group of people making their way into the greenhouse. Johanna claps her hands once, getting everyone's attention. "It looks as if the crafting session for today is beginning. We better leave so they can get set up. Unless, of course, you'd both like to join."
Robert smiles, looking around. "We would have loved to, but we have a few other places that are on our schedule today." We walk out of the conservatory saying farewell to Johanna and her crew. Robert goes in for a hug, dog still in hand, giving each person his attention. I shift uncomfortably, unable to bring myself to hug each stranger.
Johanna steps towards me, her arms welcoming. Pushing down my reluctance, I let her pull me in. If I have to hug one, Johanna would obviously be my first choice. I hear her whisper in my ear, "You'll take care of him, right? He's a sweet boy." I pull back, nodding at her, looking a bit confused.
"Your puppy is safe with me, Johanna, you don't have to worry."
She laughs softly, shaking her head. "Oh, I know he'll be in wonderful hands. I meant our Prince."
I turn around, looking for Robert. I find him showing an Amity boy, around his age, the dog. They seem to be talking with ease. He looks more relaxed than I've ever seen him.
"Of course." I say, meaning it completely. Robert is a pure soul, it would be hard not to look after him. I'm not sure why it's necessary, but she seems worried.
Smiling warily, I leave Johanna to it, walking over to Robert and his friend. I poke the Prince on his shoulder, knowing he hasn't realised I'm behind him yet. He spins, finally looking down at me. "Tris!" He says, handing me back the dog. The puppy licks my cheek which is very cute. I wipe my arm across my now wet cheek trying to get his slobber off.
"Hey, who's this?" I ask, smiling politely at the boy in front of me. Robert smiles shyly, introducing us. "This is Kai. He's one of my advisors." The young advisor has a friendly face, fitting for a person from Amity. His jet black hair shines in the sun, the light brings out a tint of blue. His monolid eyes shine when he looks over to Robert, his tan skin radiating.
"Robert says you're not a huge fan of hugging." Kai says with a grin.
"Robert would be right." I reply, grinning back. "Please hold yourself back." He chuckles, his eyes filtering back to Robert's like a magnet.
The two seem to zone out for a few seconds. I look around, wondering when we'll have to leave for the next engagement. "What's the time, Robert?"
He resurfaces and looks down at his watch, sighing. "It's nearly three. We better get going."
Looking disappointed, Kai bows and I say goodbye. I leave Robert alone whilst he says his goodbyes, getting the hint that they want some privacy. Standing next to the car, I smooth the puppy, trying not to look like I'm eavesdropping.
"When will you be back?" Kai asks the Prince.
Robert's mood seems to plummet, "It'll be next week, I'm afraid. We're all needed at the castle when the Princess returns home."
The advisor nods, bowing at the waist. "Well, I'll wait for your return, Your Highness." He's smiling again, looking as if he's poking fun at the prince.
Robert does an uncustomary eye roll before squeezing him on the arm. He turns back to me and I avert my eyes, hoping he didn't catch me staring. I really need to work on that. "Ready to go?" I nod, waving back at Kai. He halfheartedly waves, then turns and walks towards the greenhouse.
...
Our day flew by fast and before I knew it, I was standing in the Merciless Mart in the centre of Candor. My companion was a no show, so now I'm being chauffeured around by some judge's assistant. Candor is, well, a lot. I'm used to one person telling me the truth without a filter, not thousands. I got out of the car and was verbally harassed by a bunch of reporters, wanting to know every detail of my time so far spent at the palace, who my top choices are for the king positions and if I've hit it off with any of the boys. I ignored the invasive question, unable to bring myself to make any snarky remarks. The embarrassment of Peter not showing had fully brought down my mood. How insulting of him to leave me to show myself around his beloved faction.
I've zoned out the chatty boy in front of me, daydreaming about the beach back at the Palace. My thoughts then drift to the new puppy, unable to quell my disappointment. He obviously couldn't finish the tour with me, but the thought of missing such integral days in his bonding is a bit upsetting.
To bring my mood down even further, Jack Kang introduced himself to me when I first arrived in the centre. He's a handsome man, with short dark hair and slanted, warm eyes. His eyes are slightly deceiving as he isn't nearly as warm. He said he was an interrogator, working with the young prince. He then let me know that Peter's uncle, Charlie, was on a month long retreat. Seemed like odd timing, but I won't make a fuss about not meeting the older Prince's, not since Erudite. Kang didn't last long, disappearing after talking with a colleague.
Candor was a slight drag, the black and white aesthetic of the faction got old, fast. I found the thought behind the clothes pretentious, and a lot of the people fell into that box as well.
Talking about pretentious people, the boy giving me the tour of the merciless mart has stopped and is looking at me expectantly.
"Huh?"
He huffs impatiently, "I asked if you wanted to have dinner in the public dining hall or back in your suit." Is that even a question?
"I'll take it back in the suit, please." He nods, not looking too interested in my answer. He motions to the few Candor guards trailing behind us to take me backup to my room. He said that he himself was needed for more important matters than babysitting me. Pretentious or rude? Undoubtedly both.
I spend the rest of the night reading a book, not having much else to do in the room I'm staying in. I get through a hundred pages or so before the thought of my now fixed phone jumps to the front of my mind. I drop my book and sit up suddenly, staring at my bag at the end of my bed. I've been so busy these past few days I'd completely forgotten that Four had it fixed.
I anxiously move closer, opening my bag and reaching in to pull out the turned off device. I go back and forth about turning it on, knowing there will be an influx of messages screaming at me. The thought of leaving it until tomorrow sounds more than appealing, but I know I'll just keep pushing it off. It's not that I don't want to speak to my family back home- it's just knowing all I'll have to explain and the questions that are overwhelming me.
I hold down the lock button until the screen lights up, tuning on. I brace myself. The phone starts to violently vibrate in my hand and messages begin to pop up. When they do, it doesn't disappoint. I'm unable to count the texts coming through, every so often I'll catch a timestamp. Some messages are from last week to some from this morning. There's a plethora of missed calls and a variety of messages from messaging apps, all from the same group of people. I can see that Xav's name pops up the most, making me think of the last time he heard from me. It was when I accidentally called him on the ship.
I decided against reading any of the messages, not able to bring myself to do it. Instead, I message the family chat.
'My phone's been broken for the week. I'm okay. I'm going to be busy for the next few days but when I have time I'll give you all a call. Love you x'
Pressing send lifts a small weight off of my shoulders. I know at some point I'll have to read all of their old messages, but for now it gives my mind some rest.
Xav's name pops up straight away with a reply. Mum and Dads not long after.
'Why does it take over a week to get a phone fixed? What age are Toskens living in?' I can sense Xav's passive aggressiveness through his text. I know he's angry at me for not being in contact with him, even though I know he knows it wasn't really in my control.
Mum's message was more relief than anger, thankfully, 'It's wonderful to finally hear from you, my girl. Please take more care of your belongings.' I think I'll keep what happened to her necklace to myself.
Dad's text was predictable. 'You drop it on your forehead again?' I subconsciously reach up, rubbing the small scar on my forehead. Surprisingly enough, that has happened twice before.
I assume the rest of the boys have already gone to bed. Xav has never been able to sleep very well and Mum and Dad have always been more night owls.
My reply is quick, getting tired myself. 'No, Xav. Tosken isn't living in prehistoric times. And me dropping my phone was a reaction to my surroundings, thank you very much.' I turn it on silent, facing it on its screen on the bedside table.
I shut my eyes finally and sleep comes faster than usual.