A Fairytale In The Making

16: THE WOLF AND THE GIRL

A week later:

Isolde's POV

The awful smell invades my senses and I try not to vomit. Maybe because it wouldn't be a very good idea considering I was standing a few feet away from the stage where Eboni was standing, covered in what I'm assuming, is horse crap.

The stunned silence in the auditorium was broken by one barely concealed chuckle which rolled the stone for the booming sound of laughter. I vaguely noticed Akira and the other noble kids break in a run to reach Eboni as fast as they can.

Akira reaches first and quickly takes of his robes to cover the still stunned girl; baring his broad back for the world to see.

The other kids form a barrier around her to shield her from the cruel sounds that almost perfectly echo their own from that day when they laughed at Esmeralda. The only difference today was that instead of Esmeralda, Eboni was the target of the mockery.

My trance is broken by a hiss, "It was you, you commoner bitch!", from the boy with pet snake which to my surprise was aimed at me.

I did not understand what I had done to deserve those accusing glares from the nobles. Then again, hasn't it always been like this between nobles and peasants? 

Noble hands, like a compass, always point at peasants.

Just as I was going to try explaining myself, my eyes fell on the curtain ropes in my hand that I was supposed to pull as soon as Eboni's speech was over. And I did just that but instead of the curtains, that horrible stench-inducing liquid fell on her.

My blood ran cold as I realized, they were right to accuse me. Now what do I do, mama?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everything was actually fine this morning when I woke up.

When I was putting on my clothes for the day, I even got some fashion advice from Eboni.

Yes, Eboni! The very same girl who didn't even bother talking to us, commoners. 

But I guess horrible fashion sense is lower than talking to peasants on list of things she can't stand.

"Fashion, sweetheart, is everyone's but style is only yours," she said while forcefully tying a yellow scarf to my neck, which I must admit, quite nicely matched my white dress. She then proceeded to take my hair out of my bun and drop them onto my shoulders.

"There you go! Hmm, you're actually very pretty. No wonder.... never mind," her words were just as weird as her sudden change of behavior.

I guess, nobles here in Azura truly were different. 

When I reached my Magical Base class, the noble kids were already there. As I made my way towards my seat, I saw Akira sitting there, facing the window. He looked at my approaching form and for a second I thought I saw his cheeks flush pink.

It was probably a trick of lighting.

We continued with our usual barbs hidden under false pretense of civility which was I must admit have gotten rather enjoyable. 

Akira might be the most cocky brat I know but he did have a humorous wit. 

Despite telling myself to be cautious, I found myself looking forward to his company in the quite library. I didn't even realize when I reverted back to my old ways with my rather scathing replies. 

He even managed to make me chuckle once or twice which I do admit was due to him tripping on a pile of books rather than his wits.

It might sound ambitious but I think we were becoming friends.

The day went as normal as ever. Until, well, I met Esmeralda, on my way to meet Akira.

I'll be honest, I wanted to ignore her at first. But my conscience didn't let me take not even half a step ahead when I heard her low crying.

She looked quite pathetic with her swollen eyes and mascara dripping from them. She actually looked like one of my childhood nightmares.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" I asked trying not to sound too pushy.

"I am just fine. I don't need your sympathy" was the scathing reply I got.

"If you don't want to share, it's okay but if you want to tell, it's okay too. Hurt is a very weird burden you know, it grows stronger with silence but heals with sharing"

Her big doe eyes looked towards me in their swollen glory. She really was a beautiful girl, even when she looked like she was dressed as Jack the Ripper.

"It's those bloody nobles. I work myself to death to become the dorm representative and those noble wenches just waltz in and decide they suddenly want it. What have they even done?? Nothing, I tell you. They just want it to show me my place in the food chain," she spits her words with suddenly gained fury and quickly burst into another round of sobs.

I patted her back. She had a point. Eboni never looked interested in taking any of the dorm responsibilities from Dayuu. She never even helped a student with direction, let alone try to solve their problems. 

Why did she even want Esme's position? Was it really to just show that she can take whatever she wants?

At that thought, a memory, long forgotten suddenly arises from the grave.

I was 7, perhaps 8, too young to have understood just where I stood in the food chain. Mama had brought me a new doll, the one I wanted. We saved up money for months, waiting eagerly for the day to come when a poor tailor would be able to afford her daughter a simple doll.

I held it tight to my chest when I got it from the county market, scared someone might eye my newest treasure. And they did! But it wasn't other peasant children like I had hoped. No, it was the youngest grandson of the count surrounded by his guards. He snatched the doll like it belonged to him. My cries that day had fallen into deaf ears. 

Just like Esmeralda's will fall today. Because who would help the commoner girl against a noble spawn?

To this day, I don't understand why he had to take what was mine, a cheap doll from a poor little girl. Was it just to show how he was superior? To show me my place?

"Well, she hasn't become the dorm representative yet. And I'm sure you'll give her a tough time if she wants to take your place. Sometimes these nobles are just too unfair. I hate them too. They fight dirty but I guess you have to get your hands dirty too," I said feeling the burning anger at the unfairness of this world.

There was only so much a girl could tolerate. 

And oh, what a mistake that was! I didn't realize Esme would fight back dirty...literally!!!

I should've realized something was wrong when Esme looked a bit too enthusiastic to host a new dorm representative election. She tried to look unfazed but I could see the scheming clearly now in her eyes.

All the candidates went to deliver their speeches on stage when suddenly a second year, Miya came to me in a hurry and told me to hold the curtain ropes for her until she comes back from the ladies' room. I didn't have to do anything but stand there and pull the rope when Eboni finished her speech.

Ha! Stupid, stupid Izzy, obviously this was a trap for you to take the blame!

And take the blame I did which brings us to my present situation where I'm being stared down by 8 noble kids and one pet snake.

Great, just great. So much for staying under the radar.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope you liked this chapter. Please remember to vote and comment.