IGNORANTIA (Dark Academia!Wesper AU)

vijftien

As much as I hated the Winter Gala, I can admit that the first half was pleasant. The food was good, the live music was exciting, and there were several places to hide. All the care and elegance put into that event has been trashed completely with the design of this dinner. It's being held at the Geweldig Huis — the Great House. It's the oldest building on campus; older than most buildings in Ketterdam, in fact. It's where all staff meetings and club banquets for the university are held. But for as tidy as it is, it still feels like a refurbishment is long overdue. The rooms are small and stuffy, and the gardens always dead by fall. It looks the way this event already feels: hopeless.

A batch of Stadwatch line the perimeter of the Huis, their guns already out and in hand. I'm not surprised, especially after everything that happened last time. They check our student ID's at the front door before letting us in, and check our bodies for weapons in the hall. It feels more like we're walking into a trap rather than a banquet.

It doesn't take long for us to find the dining hall. It's the only room on the first floor that's lit up, its warm golden glow pouring past its walls in a fervent hue. Dorian looks at me, and I at him. He looks sickly, really, the usual warmth of his olive skin now a dull gray. I lean towards his ear and whisper, "We can still ship you off to Fjerda if you want."

"It's too cold there this time of year," he says with a sniff. He looks just like his father in this light. He pushes forward towards the open double doors, and I follow him inside.

The room is big, though not nearly as massive as the dining hall from last time. Big glass windows line the white-papered walls, a Stadwatch guarding each one carefully. Inside the room is a large, decadent table of some rich red wood; on the sides are tiny engravings that shine in the light. They look like chicken scrawl at first, but soon the markings begin to swim in my vision the closer I get to it. It's words, then. Why the hell would someone engrave writing into an antique table?

Though Dorian and I weren't very late in our arrival, it appears like we're still the last ones to arrive. They all sit up and glance at us as we walk in — five pairs of students, and all twelve councilmen. It feels wrong to be with the chemistry group again after abandoning them so long ago. But instead of resentment in their eyes, I just see grief. Laina stands up from her chair and runs to me with open arms. I receive the hug happily, breathing in her sweet perfume.

Her mouth is so close to my ear that I almost expect her to kiss it. Instead, she whispers, "You shouldn't be here."

She pulls away just enough that I can see the pure terror in her eyes. But I can see the other Councilmen, too. They're looking at us like vultures waiting for their prey to cross the street. So I put on my brightest smile and squeeze her shoulders.

"Of course I'd be here! I wouldn't miss it for the world!" I say just loud enough for the Councilmen to hear. Then I brush a lock of hair behind her ear, and lean forward to whisper, "Tell me everything later?"

She nods, a tear running down her face. I pretend it's nothing as I wipe it away and find my spot at the table. They all look worse for wear — much worse than they had the last time I saw them. The twins have gotten thin, Patton and Griggory (bless them) have gone gray in their twenties. Even Kuwei looks notably worse. His face has gone gaunt and dark rings line his eyes. Their plus-ones notice none of this. They speak excitedly to each other and the Councilmen as if everything is fine. One of them is even laughing — laughing as if this meant nothing to them.

It's the fellow sitting beside Kuwei, his bejeweled hand intertwined with Kuwei's. I hate him for laughing, but then our eyes meet — gray against blue, like the storm rising to meet the sky. The joy falls off of his face like rain as Jesper fumbles to speak. Kuwei looks up at him, his lips pursed worriedly.