Chapter 31: Aveline's Past (2)
"Miss Marguerite, I'd like to request permission to go home tomorrow." I asked.
"For what occasion Miss Elena?"
"I'm feeling homesick," I lied, as I placed a hand on my chest.
"Please, please, please."
"Normally I wouldn't approve of such a sudden and arbitrary leave for a student, but, I think your father would love to have you home." she said.
It took all I had not to barf, my father was worse than my butler.
"I'll send a letter to Duke Zachariah." She smiled.
"Thank you, Headmistress."
"Is there something else you would like to discuss?"
"No." I smiled.
The next day, I waited outside the gates, it was raining: it was snowing. My fancy outfit was soaked through, but I didn't care. The carriage came. I entered and got myself cozy.
"Miss Elena, are you ready to leave?" My butler asked.
"Yes."
"Wonderful." he said.
The carriage rumbled under the weight of the horses. The wheels creaked loudly, and the curtains of the windows fluttered in the breeze. After a few minutes we arrived.
My butler opened the door and helped me down. The air was cold. Snow-capped trees lined the path to my house. The mansion was a two-story building. It was painted white, and it was surrounded by a garden. There were a few rose bushes and lilies growing in the yard. I walked up the steps, and opened the front door.
"Father, I'm home." I called out.
A voice came from the living room.
"Elena?" my father said, "You're home early?"
I heard footsteps as he rushed outside of the living room, lifting me up by my armpits, and swinging me around like I was his real daughter. A tool that thought he was better than the other tools.
"Father please put me down. I want you to do something."
He set me on the ground, and brushed aside a strand of my hair with his gloves.
"What is it? You know that I would give you anything."
"Let's talk in your office." I said as I side-eyed my butler, who had monkey ears.
"Of course dear."
I followed after him, as he led us to his office.
"Please sit." He said.
His desk was made of mahogany wood. It was covered with papers, pens, and books. There were two chairs placed in front of it. One was a wooden chair, and the other was a cushioned one.
"So what do you need?" My father asked, as he leaned forward in his chair.
"Aveline."
"Who's Aveline?"
"The new princess."
"Impossible her majesty hasn't announced it."
"But you do know right?"
"Yes. Yes I do." he sighed.
"What's the matter with Aveline?" he asked.
"She wants to love a human. Not to mention she's pretending to be a commoner. She made friends with barons and acts as if they're superior to her." I replied.
"Well, that's her business," he said, shrugging his shoulders.
"No. Father it's your business." I said, this boot-licker is my father and I hated him. I could hear a small whimper escape his mouth. He was a figurehead to my mother, nothing more.
"Father, you will tell the Empress about this, surely she would understand the gravity of the situation."
"Elena I would do anything for you but this is a dangerous thing that you ask of me."
"You don't have a choice now do you?" I questioned, glaring at the pathetic man who pretended to be my father. I found him on the ground, tears flowing down his face.
"I can't. I'll be executed." he begged.
"Would you rather tell the truth to the Empress or rather I lie to mother?" I said, knowing he fears my mother more than the Empress.
"I'll try but I can't promise anything." he cried.
"Good." I spat.
I was gone before he could say another word.
The next day, we were learning about the history of Floraliths, when the headmistress barged into our classroom, her red eyes locked briefly onto mine, before she faced the entire class.
"I have some important news for all of you," she said.
"Her Majesty has announced the first princess."
Gasps and murmurs spread across the classroom.
"Princess Aveline." She spoke.
Gasps and murmurs became full on uproars and chaos. Aveline's face was unreadable but I knew she was panicking on the inside. Her face went completely pale.
"Everyone will treat Princess Aveline with the same respect as one would treat her majesty." she said, "Anyone who acts differently will be executed."
The students froze in place, their eyes widened. Some were trembling, others were crying, and some were trying to contain their panic.
"That is all."
Marguerite turned around and walked away. Aveline didn't move a single inch. It was like she was petrified. After a moment she raised her arm, as if she were asking a question.
"Come on girls, my mother is just joking. It's not like she'll execute anyone." she nervously chuckled.
"I don't know." a girl whispered.
"Yeah, she's super strict." said another.
"W-what? N-no, s-she can't be." Aveline stumbled over her words.
"That's what I heard." a blonde-haired girl replied.
"Shhh don' talk bad about the Empress." another girl said, as she slammed her palm against the table.
"Alright, that's enough. Let's all calm down." the teacher interjected, her voice trembling.
"I'm still the same person I was before." Aveline reassured the class, ignoring the teacher.
"Right, you're still the same person." a brunette replied, not sounding convinced.
"Really, the same person. Nothing changed." Aveline insisted, her tone increasing in pitch as her voice cracked.
I heard countless whispers but they all had one thing in common: the word 'liar' was in every murmur.
"Class! Class!" the teacher shouted, banging her hand on the desk.
"Take your seats now!"
Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing. Everyone was quiet. No one dared to even whisper.
The teacher breathed a sigh of relief.
"Good, now let's begin." she said, smiling weakly.
A few minutes later, the bell rang for break and everyone was outside again. I was the first one out. I acted on my plan. Walking towards the playground, specifically towards a little birdie, a bird that has outstayed its welcome, his little head peaked at me, his small eyes looked at me curiously, holding his head in my palm, I cracked it. Finally, the problem was eliminated.
"Elena." someone called, my shoulders stiffened at the voice.
"Aveline" I turned.
She squealed as her eyes sparkled.
"I knew you secretly liked Quinn." she said with a wide grin.
"I don't."
"But you just came to visit Quinn?" she tilted her head.
Before I could respond she pushed me out of the way. Approaching Quinn, Aveline reached out to him, gently rubbing his head, lifting him up, his head lifelessly drooped down, her finger lifted his head only for it to fall down again, she turned towards me, tears streaming down her face, her eyes matched the ones Quinn had.
"W-why?"
Warmth spread through my body. A smile blossomed on my face as I finally knocked her down.
"Oops." I said, feigning clumsiness, "I accidentally broke my friend's toy."
"This is a living thing, not a toy."
"As if a bird could compare to a Floralith." I scoffed.
"I thought we were friends?" she said, wiping the tears away.
"You ditched me first." I protested.
"I didn't." she murmured.
"You did. Don't you remember? You and those kids."
"No, I never wanted to abandon you." She insisted, "I can explain."
"Don't bother." I said as I walked past her.
"Wait! Please don't leave me." she begged.
I didn't stop. Instead, I went to the classroom. The bell rang, signifying the end of the break. Aveline came back to the classroom with puffy eyes.
The kids that sat next to her all moved their desks away. There was a circle and she sat alone in the middle. I loved seeing that circle. In the playground, in the classroom and the cafeteria.
My favorite was the fact that she slept alone in the bunk rooms. Every one of her roommates pretended to be sick or left the institute completely. It brought me joy.
I heard a loud noise and the next thing I knew I was out of that dream. I saw the symbols on the walls. It's been 13 years, that these bars have kept me caged in like a wild animal.
Passing all 6 cells before mine, the sound of their footsteps kept growing, their shadows slowly approaching until they stopped in front of me.
I bowed. Who doesn't bow in front of her? I didn't care for the woman standing next to her. In hindsight, I should've.
"Here we go, an Arctic Willow." the Empress said to, "You can still walk away no?" she giggled.
I wanted to scream, I wanted to claw my eyes out, I wanted to smear my brains on the walls but I couldn't inconvenience her. I had to endure her voice.
"I'm not doing this for me." the other woman said.
I finally gave in and looked up. Her blue eyes, and her half-silver and half-brown hair caught my attention. Only one person had that kind of hair. The last thing I remember was a liquid falling on my head. A human killed me.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Synphomia
Synphomia How many half-brown, half-silver haired scientists does Hajime know?
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone