Down With The Throne

07 - Atelophobia

Atelophobia (Noun)- an obsessive fear of imperfection

-

The following morning Azura is forced awake by the early sun bleaching the dark oak walls.

Once her eyes have time to re-adjust, she looks around the dorm taking in the in-depth detail of the dormitory she had missed last night. It was the same blue theme as the common room, the silky bedsheets, the roofing, even the canopy bed frame contained the same royal blue with golden accents.

The window beamed to her right with the red curtains still tied up. Azura then realises she had forgotten to close them the night prior.

She got up out of bed and freshened up in the bathroom before retrieving the uniform from her closet.

The academy required them to wear a white dress shirt, sheer black tights, a maroon and emerald plaid skirt with a matching tie, and a black blazer with three golden buttons down the front.

The skirt fell mid-thigh, and the blouse fit perfectly. Since the uniform does not specify school shoes, Azura slips on some basic black heels and puts on her blazer.

Her hair is then pulled back into a braided bun at the back of her head. Since she was prohibited from leaving her house for 16 years, she had picked up a few skills on her own. One of them being able to completely braid twenty-two inches of curly black hair in under twenty minutes.

About ready to leave for breakfast, she hears an oddly loud knock on her dormitory door.

It had to be Ryker, no one else knew Azura was here yet. So without hesitation, she opens the door ready to greet her beloved twin brother.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here Azura?" He storms in.

Instead, she received a rude shock. "Xander? what are you doi-"

"It's not safe for you here, and when father finds out you're here he'll kill us all!" He yelled running his hand through his hair.

How had he already made this about himself? "Fathers the one who sent me here you imbecile!"

He looks up at her confused, "why would he do that? If he needed something done, he would have asked me. Why would he ask you?"

"Because I'm faster, smarter, better looking, deadlier, would you like me to continue?"

He shook his head and started looking around the room.

"How did you even know I was here?" she questioned, breaking the silence.

"Don't be ridiculous Azura, I know everything." Once a Starling heir turned 12, they were forced to participate in a ceremony. Giving them extremely rare abilities unique to the individual. Xander was right, she should've known he already knew she was coming. His gift was omniscience, the ability to know everything about anything.

"Right, well then if everything is sorted can you get out?" She nudges him away.

"Whatever, your room sucks anyway."

"OUT!" Azura yells having had enough of his cockiness.

He puts his hands up in surrender and walks to the door. Although before he walks all the way through, he stops,

"Azura, if you truly are planning to stay here, you must be careful. You cannot trust anyone, even if they're your closest companion. No one is who they seem." Then shuts the door behind him leaving her standing in her dorm, alone.

'You can't trust anyone.' What's that supposed to mean? Azura's worries were fogging over her mind again. He knew that this would happen, he did it on purpose to scare her out of staying here.

She didn't quite understand why he was so specific about trust though, Xander knew she already knew better. The number one thing you learn as a Dekai, trust is for the vulnerable.

-

Azura walks to Ryker's dorm to meet him so they can walk to breakfast together as he told her to do yesterday.

"RYKER!" she yells, knocking rapidly on his door.

He opened the door in his uniform. "Took you long enough, are you ready to leave?"

"Yes, I'm starving"

The twins then walked down the stairway and through the common room. He opened the door for her, and that was when Azura saw the engraving again.

"What does it mean?" She thought aloud.

He notices her gaze has shifted to the door. Sighing, he turned to stride down a hallway. "There are five common rooms at the academy. All named after the enchanted 5. Désir after Miniya, Courageu after Andreo, Connaissance after Julietter, Colère after Kasim, and Bonne after Zuri." He explained.

"What common room are Xander and Anakin in?"

"Uhhhh" Ryker scratches the back of his neck, "Oh yeah, Xan is in Colère and Ani's in Bonne."

"Fitting" Azura mumbles low enough, so he doesn't hear.

They reach the dining hall and the guards open the doors to a room packed with hundreds of kids. Azura instantly feels all eyes on her, but not in the way she's used to.

Back at home, once she walked into a room she would either be praised for her breathtaking beauty, or she would watch others shy away from her in fear.

But here, she feels burning eyes on her back and overhears cruel mumbles from other students as she walks by.

Ryker could tell his peers were making his twin anxious. He himself had been dealing with it since his first year. He knew what it was like to be the newest Starling at the academy.

'Another mystery uncovered' some would say.

"Ignore it Azura, they're just dumb Scarletts." Ryker comforted her, "Come, my friends are over here." He pulls her arm leading her over to his friend group.

-

Translated dialogue 

"There are five common rooms at the academy. All names after the enchanted 5. Desire after Miniya, Brave after Andreo, Knowledge after Juliette, Anger after Kasim, and Kind after Zuri." He explained.