Lasfam 3rd year Royal Academy

I was late. Very late. This was not a promising start to the day. Already late and practically through the academy halls trying to get to the Ehrenfest's gathering spot before the match started. My most esteemed master, Lord Ferdinand had requested I retrieve his newest prototype from Professor Hirschur's lab. In truth, I recognized this ploy for what it was. My lord had been socializing with a lot of upper duchies lately, Dunkelfelger especially. This made him a target. Not just people seeking to use him, but those who were jealous of his rise in favor. I myself along with my fellow retainers had been approached several times. But people were starting to become more forceful with me. Being that I was a mere laynoble serving an archduke candidate I was clearly the weakest link. Thus, my current errand was actually my lord's attempt to protect me while allowing me to serve him as I reverently wished. It brought no small amount of pride to be useful to such a grand master.

Sadly, today was not going as expected. Once I arrived, Professor Hirschur had been called away and hadn't returned by the time I needed to leave. She was supposed to walk with me to ensure I arrived safely as well as take notes on the new prototype. Now I was floundering trying not to be too late, at the very least I did not want to worry my esteemed lord. At least I had been able to find the tool; which was now tucked safely in a hidden pocket, Hirschur had accidently buried it under some of her most recent notes.

I moved as quickly as I could through the halls while retaining noble dignity. It would not do to reflect poorly on Lord Ferdinand even if I was already late. Occasionally I ducked through unused rooms and down lesser used pathways on the slim hope Dregarnuhr would grant me a small blessing. At some point about halfway through the scholar building I felt a tingling at the back of my neck. It was a charm clipped to the back of my cloak; a gift my lord had presented me after job well done. Someone with ill intentions had their sights set on me. A quick check over my shoulder revealed nothing out f the ordinary. Scholars coming and going, a few chatting in the hall as they headed the same way I was. It didn't seem like anyone was paying me in particular attention, but I trusted Lord Ferdinand's charm more than my eyes. My unease was steadily climbing so I picked up my earlier pace.

Just in case I doubled back once, but the charm's subtle warning was all I needed to know I hadn't lost my watcher. The charm's warning never increased nor decreased which just fed into my anxiety. Faster and faster, I walked, the feeling of being a fly caught in a Spinne's web. Only the Spinne in question seemed content to let me stew in my fear. I flung myself around a corner and slammed into another student. There was a brief crash as glass shattered and the faint smell of potions wafted through the air.

"My, my, look at this mess. How ever are you going to fix this, Ehrenfest?" To my mounting horror I had crashed into Werkestock nobles. By their clothes I guessed one to be an archnoble and the other to be a mednoble attendant. Both of them were smiling at me. The boy with Celadon colored hair and cream colored eyes was the one I had bumped into. And by some small miracle didn't manage to get splashed by any of the fallen potions. The same could not be said for me. The second of the two bent to pick up the small vial rack casting a quick waschen to clean the glass and the potion on the floor. Judging by the rack and the amount of glass there had been five potions total. And if the smell was anything to go by, they had been recovery potions. Probably for the match that I was heading to now.

Lord Ferdinand, I thought to myself, I am terribly sorry.

"Now what will you do? Those potions costs time and money to make." The Celadon haired boy sneered. "Can you even pay that back?"

The attendant beside him meekly interjected, "I'm sure there's a solution we could come to, Arnoldt. Perhaps this is Greifec-." I nearly sighed in relief that cooler heads might prevail.

"There you are!"

I nearly jumped at the new voice which had thundered from behind the two Werkestock students. A green haired boy with bright orange eyes was striding up with a woman at either side of him. Blue cloaks clipped to their shoulders were secured by ornate dragon pins. Unlike when I normally saw the young scholar his eyes were practically glowing from how livid he was, even if he kept a perfect noble smile in place.

"Lord Ferdinand will hereabout your laziness." The Dunkelfelger scholar growled.

What? My lip trembled as I endured his wrath.

He brushed past the two Werkestock students without paying them any attention. Then he so close he was filling my personal space causing me to take a few steps back. I wasn't even sure how it happened just that I was suddenly turned around and walking away with Peter at my side. One hand under my elbow leading me away. The two blue caped ladies followed with the knight walking behind me and the attendant to my right. Preventing me from going anywhere that wasn't forward. My fear jumped up a bit when I realized there would be no escape.

"Lord Peter." The Werkestock archnoble called.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Peter's lip curl in disgust, only to vanish immediately behind a serene noble smile.

"My apologies, Lord Arnoldt, but I am in quite the rush. My lady will need my report." Peter turned to the other boy was practically sneering at him.

"I had heard you were deep in the throws of spring for your lady. I see it is true." He chuckled even as he mocked Peter for his devotion to his lady. Something in different circumstances I might have admired. "We do not wish to take anymore of your… Lady's time." Just the way he said lady made me worry Peter would unleash all his fury right then and there. But the emerald haired scholar just kept smiling. "But I am afraid the Ehrenfest scholar broke all of my recovery potions. I will need some form of compensation from him."

"Of course." Peter turned back to me. "Your potions." I felt my heart sink at that. As both a laynoble and one of a lower duchy I couldn't refuse. This would cost me so much, I wasn't even sure I could pass my classes without them. Panic was slowly starting to well up even as my mind spiraled wondered if I would be allowed to continue serving my lord like this. Numbly I reached into my pouch for my potions. "All of it." Peter's voice was a quiet snarl.

I clenched my fist at my side even as Arnoldt seemed to be giggling with glee at my plight. My impotent anger turned to grief as I unclipped the whole pouch from my belt. I took one last look at my family's crest which had been imposed into the stiff leather. A small fortune for my family. I was about to turn to give it to the Werkestock attendant when Peter held out his hand. I clamped down on the tears that were threatening to spill forth and passed the bag to him. Gods curse them all, I thought bitterly.

As Peter took the pouch I watched him pull a nearly identical bag from inside his robes. It was a struggle to hide my confusion. The bag he had removed even had my family's crest, but it was backwards. He then tossed the backwards crest bag to the attendant at my right who did the proper procedure with Werkestock attendant to check for poisons. I noticed the attendant came back with a wicked grin on her face. Why did they have that?

"I would suggest selling those. I doubt they will suit your palettes."

I glanced back at the other two. Arnoldt looked like he wanted to laugh while the attendant had more blank expression. I got the vague sense that this outcome did not satisfy him.

"We might be able to recoup some of our losses with this."

Peter snorted, a sound that I heard only because I was right next to him. "Then Dregarnuhr has woven swiftly this day."

They smiled. "Indeed."

Peter continued to practically drag me away. It was only once we were out of sight that I realized that the charm I had been given by Lord Ferdinand was no longer reacting. After we turned down another hall Peter brought me to an empty class and had the two lady's stand outside. My trepidation stirred again.

"My apologies for the scene and this, I will have to be quick." He pulled a small flat square shaped object from his sleeve. It was made of two equal sized wooden panels that were carved with beautiful flower designs. The pieces connected by a hinge that allowed it to fold open to reveal one half was a small mirror. While the other half had four colored creams. They were an ugly green, a deep red, a muddy purple, and a grayish color. Peter did a quick poison test. "Sorry, this will be uncomfortable, but try not to move. I don't want to poke your eye."

That made me especially uncomfortable. Why would he accidently take out my eye, I wanted to ask. He dabbed a finger into the red first then reached out towards my face with it. I flinched. Peter sighed, "They are going to be suspicious if you come away unscathed. Might even be if this takes to long. It is certainly better than actually hitting you?" As gently as he could he dabbed the cream around my left eye.

"Why do this at all?" My eyes watered terribly as he worked. His expression a mixture of guilt and amusement.

"So they'll stop trying to use you to get to my Lady. Surely you realized you were set up there?"

Yes, something about the situation had seemed off, but I couldn't place it. But then other questions bubbled up. How had Peter known where I was? Why did he have a counterfeit replica of my bag? Had he been working with the Werkestock? My silence seemed to be enough of a confirmation to him.

"Well at least you have good instincts. Trust them."

"What about you?"

Peter looked me in the eye. For a brief moment he let me see his emotions, rage boiled in those eyes and something else, something softer. But it was all sucked up behind his noble façade from one breath to the next. "You should not trust me at all." He stared me down as if making sure his words had sunk in. Then I remembered the vague rumors I had heard about him. "Little Hawk', his lady called him. The time he destroyed flowers meant for his lady from another boy. There were other more risqué rumors too, ones I doubted. Suddenly his words made sense. I was the weak link in my lord's entourage. So, with him spending more time around the upper duchies I would be the first target. Of course as Lady Minerva's scholar he would ensure that I could not inadvertently harm her. Especially since they would be husband and wife if Minerva succeeded in her bride task.

The other boy nodded. "Good. Once you get back to your viewing area you must tell the people that I hit you. Say you offended me. Also; this is imperative, do not let Lord Ferdinand or anyone heal you heal you. Wait until you are safe from prying eyes then use waschen."

"Umm, Lord Peter, What about my potions?" I resisted the urge to ask why he had a replica of mine. That was not likely to be something he will admit to.

"I will give them to Lady Minerva to give to Lord Ferdinand. He will be able to return it to you after the match."

"Pardon my rudeness, could I not, get it back now?"

He shook his head sadly. "No. If you have watchers they will notice and this ploy will be for nothing. You will become a target again if that happens. Even still I would counsel caution. Do not leave the Ehrenfest dorms without your lord or one of your coworkers for a while." At last, he stopped poking around my eye. "Done. Have a look." He turned the mirror to face me . I inhaled a shocked gasp that was very un-noble like. My left eye looked swollen and puffy. Most importantly it looked like I had definitely been struck in the face. I winced at my battered looking reflection, half expecting to feel genuine pain.

"This is incredible." I reached up to touch the spectacular bruise, but Peter caught my hand.

"Don't touch it, it will smear." He closed the square case and put it into my hand. "Give it to Lord Justus. I am sure he will find a use for it." There was now amusement in his expression. I blinked surprised by the gift. But before I could say anything Peter continued, "I will leave first. Give it a moment or two before you leave. Try to act stunned and hurt. Lady Catherine and Lady Evelina will ensure you get to your viewing area unhampered." Then he turned to go.

"You have my thanks, Lord Peter."

He stopped mid step. "Do not thank me. I don't deserve it." Then left leaving me to wonder at his words. But I did as he asked and waited just a few moments. I was impatient to make it to my lord's side. He needed to know everything that happened here. When I stepped out Lady Catherine's eyes widened in shock while Lady Evelina seemed to have a more appraising look. So the former was not aware of the process while the latter seemed to be checking Peter's handiwork. After the attendant nodded, the knight apprentice seemed to remember herself.

"Come on., if we hurry we should be able to see at least half of the match." The two of them fell into step beside me leading me as swiftly as Steiferise out of the building. WE mounted our high beasts and flew to Ehrenfest gathering spot with little to no trouble. As soon as my feet touched the viewing area the two Dunkelfelger students were flying off.

I trudged up the steps wearily. It had already been such a long day, and it was not even half over. One of my cousins, a fellow laynoble, by the name of Felix saw my arrival and rushed over to me.

"Lasfam, what happened?" When I looked up at him, I saw the brief shock and horror wash across his face. "You look terrible." I nearly chuckled. Felix had never been had Grammalatur's blessing. "Did you get into a fight on the way here, is that why you're late?"

"It seems I insulted Lord Peter of Dunkelfelger. I gestured to my eye. "A gift from him." It was amazing how stating the truth without embellishment could twist that very same truth so easily. It left a sour taste in my mouth.

"Do you need me to heal it?"

"No, but I appreciate the offer. Should you be avoiding me anyway. Your father would not be pleased if he thought I was corrupting you against Lady Veronica."

He sighed clearly want to refute the statement, but knew it was the inescapable truth of our situation. "Well, Schutzaria watch over you cousin."

I sighed to myself and picked a seat away from everyone else to watch the match which had already begun. Lord Ferdinand had moved off into the trees long before I had even arrived here. I regretted not being able to see him off with and being unable to give him the magic circle. Hopefully I hadn't worried my lord too much.

The match finished by the chime of the next bell. Our treasure had been slain fairly quickly as if people wanted to make sure Ehrenfest didn't take first place again. But I waited faithfully for my lord even after almost everyone else had left to returned to the dorm. Shortly after came out of the trees in all knightly glory. His armor was still pristine, but his eyes were set in a flat expression as he scanned the mostly empty seats. Then I met his gold gaze. His expression did not once change, but I knew I had worried him. Clenched in one of his gauntleted fists was my bag. So, Peter had kept his word.

Lord Ferdinand flanked by both Eckhart and Justus approached me. "You were late Lasfam."

I knelt crossing my arms. "My humblest apologies my Lord. It seems I offended Lord Peter on my way here."

Lord Ferdinand's expression remained flat, but I was certain he was silently raging. "We will discuss your failure when we return." Beside him, my coworkers also looked incredibly displeased.

Once we returned to the dorms my Lord got a meeting room and had all of his loyal attendants meet him. After anti-eavesdropping tools were passed out Heidemarie practically exploded.

"What reason could that cad have for hitting you?"

I quickly waschened the cream off and recounted the events that had happened after we had parted ways. I made sure to repeat everyone's word verbatim; though I did not have my lord's memory, as well as retraced my path exactly. Every detail was important, and I knew from experience that Lord Ferdinand was exceptionally good at parsing through even the most innocuous details to find hidden truths. He listened quietly as I finished speaking. Then once it was clear I was done he started tapping two fingers against his temple. I resisted the urge to smile at the little habit that he had picked up from his mentor, Professor Hirschur.

After a long silence he spoke, "So you let Peter put an unknown substance on your face after only a brief poison test." It was a reprimand one I accepted completely knowing it was because I had been foolish and worried him.

"My apologies, my lord, I was careless. It will not happen again." I put the gift that Peter had given on the table. Justus gleefully took it and began much more thorough examination. Our Lord gave him a look that was a reprimand for his excessive glee.

With a sigh he turned back to me. "So, Peter believes others are going to use you to try to get to Lady Minerva."

At the time I had definitely agreed, but now I wasn't so sure. It wasn't like I thought the first answer was wrong, it just felt like we were missing something. When I said as much my esteemed lord became very thoughtful.

"Justus, search Lasfam."

Justus didn't even blink at the order. Nor did I. At the very least there was something on me that would trace my movements. After a few minutes one was found on me. Heidemarie left the room shortly after then came back a few minutes later. There was a storm in her eyes and a small object clutched in her hand. Eckhart was checked next. There were three different ones on him. Heidemarie's annoyance was eased a little at that, but our Lord look furious. He had Justus check him three separate times, but there was nothing. Either do to the fact my lord was especially cautious or the fact that bugging him was not necessary after all of us but Justus had been bugged.

Our Lord gave us the order to search though our things and check for more. He was going to speak with Lady Minerva. Judging by the bright smile on his face it was likely a conversation that neither he nor the Dunkelfelger princess would enjoy.

In the days that followed the academy was a flurry of activity. Justus came back to the dorm one night chuckling. When asked he explained Lord Arnoldt had earned the ire of Klassenberg. Apparently, he sold potions that the corks had a small infestation of pest feyinsects. They eat plants, cloth, leather, and; most distressingly for Klassenberg, canvas. When the young man had tried to blame it on Ehrenfest, his supposed proof was no where to be found, as his hidden room had a convenient infestation of its own. The two duchies archduke candidates were now in tress discussions.

While in the coming weeks Lord Ferdinand received several things from Dunkelfelger as an 'apology' for Peter's behavior. One item of note was a thick book on various types of feybeasts.