THE DAY WENT awfully peaceful for the first years of the Knight Department… well, it is peaceful in its own way, and at the very least, it didn't annoy Hades as much as before. Their classes weren't boring, it was enjoyable for Hades. They had fascinating subjects to learn about, and about a two-third of their weekdays are spent listening to lessons, and that remaining time is spent on their training grounds.
Yes, they train during the afternoon, not in the morning. Their seniors simply like spending their early mornings drenched in sweat, and drained as if they'd die the very day. Knight Department Professors are just as strict and merciless as Yahto when it comes to training. However, that's just how it is for GCA students… they're hungry for growth and success that it makes them feral at some point.
It's nothing unnatural if a pack of pups are raised by adult wolves.
Anyway, at the current time and in their training hall, Hades and his classmates are just about finished with their training. Their seniors were present as well, however they remained busy with what they're doing, it is training session at this time of the day. Although, that itself is very respectful, as seniors usually bully their juniors to an extent that they'd be scarred for it. However, it's not to an extent that one would commit suicide, it's not that extreme… it's just an exact amount of suffering.
As they were stretching by the side, William caught a red headed figure at the corner of his eyes. When he turned to take a good look, he saw the imperial princess, Ecru, all by herself, and walking to their direction. William whistles as he soon faced the two men that could possibly be the reason for her visit.
"Silver, Hades! Your precious lady is here~" he called for them.
The called men were having a chat with Rufus. While Hades glanced around to look for who William was talking about, Silver didn't bother to do so as he stood straight, and walked to her directly. To him, it was strange to see his sister waltzing here in their training hall. It would be either that she needs something from him, someone or something is bothering her, or if she simply wanted to talk about something important.
"Are you okay with giving me a portion of your time?" Ecru asks. She was bewildered on why he separated with them so easily when he's been stuck with them for the past days, he rarely visits her now.
Silver simply nodded, and said, "We were just about done anyway, let's head to a more private space." They both walked away to the far corner where no one was, that gave away the fact that they were about to talk about something grave. Hence, the twelve didn't bother to walk closer just to greet the imperial princess.
"Is something wrong?" Silver asks as she was quiet for a hot two minutes. Ecru sighs as she looked up to him. 'He'll be shock about how I've been contemplating about this for the past few days', she thought and parted her lips to speak.
"It's about your suggestion, Brother… I won't do it," she went straight to the point, and Silver had a clue on what she was talking about. This is the first time she had shown so much hesitation about executing a plan, and it perplexed him.
"Why not?" he asks.
"He is not someone I can control," she answers almost immediately. Silver was taken aback by the honesty her voice contained. She has always been confident about something, and he never thought he'd see the day that she would not take proper actions that could help her greatly.
"How could you, a Grimes, say that? I don't understand how such a minor reason would make you hesitate so much," he voiced out. It's not that he couldn't understand what she was trying to say, he simply knows well that Hades would be on his knees if she asked for him to. He's a commoner, and he's gravely aware of that. And if Ecru would make an effort to win him over, then he'd do everything that she wanted him to do.
When Ecru couldn't say anything, Silver sighs once again, "Isn't this what you want?" His words her hand clench into a fist. "I have said it before, Hades is interested in you, and I am certain of that. I found someone who you can completely use, yet why are you rejecting?" This time, Ecru sighs sharply at his argument.
"It's because I simply know that I wouldn't be able to control him. He's not someone to be won over by beauty or small acts! You should know that as someone who has spent days with him," Ecru nearly lost her composure as she exclaimed. However, Silver calmly looks back at her golden eyes.
"I'm suggesting this because I know something you don't. He's worth the effort, Ecru, because if you have him, you're already guaranteed to win… or are you going to wait for 'them' to take him instead?"
Ecru completely froze in her place, she felt her patience thinned. She felt as if she could explode any moment now. Her heart was beating too fast, and she began to have this rising urge to throw a tantrum. She then tilts her head down, her small hands and her crimson locks covers her face, and eyes. She shuts her eyes close in addition to help her calm down.
Silver took the situation calmly, and quietly waited for her to regain composure. What she did just now was an act she would usually do if she's angry or even slightly annoyed, and just before she could do anything out of such negative emotions. As mention, the Grimes Imperial Family has tyrannical tendencies, and it completely applies in their blood. They were born predators… like aggressive hawks.
And darkness can make hawks calm down.
When Silver felt that her breathing was more stable now, he decided to ask again, "You saw how he was yesterday, yet why are you still unsure? Nobles will come crawling for him, and 'they' will be no different."
'I know', she thought to herself as she pulls her face away from her palms. 'I know that well, but I don't know why I still hesitate, something is simply telling me that I shouldn't get involved with him.'
If he was similar to her, then he would understand her in a way, however, she knows as well that there was no way he'd let himself be used by someone like her. Like her brother had said, she saw how powerful he was, how strong he was compared to Silver… how much of an untamed beast he was.
Her eyes widened in realization, but somehow, it made her smile.
'Ah… of course, that time I saw how he was yesterday… I was terrified.'
She realized that she didn't want to die in his arms, she doesn't even know why she felt that way. Perhaps, she was afraid that he'd betray her if she were to use him.
She looks up, as she combs her soft red hair back with her slender fingers. Silver became puzzled at the look in her face.
"Fine, I understand. I'll do as you suggest, but it might take a while," she surrenders completely to his argument, but that made Silver smile. 'At the very least, she's back to her confident and calm self', he thought and turned his back from her.
"Let's take that first step then," he suggests, walking away. Ecru could only smile in hopelessness because of her brother's persistence. She herself doesn't know what he sees in Hades that she doesn't. The fact that Silver has come to like Hades makes her suspicion grow more, but it doesn't matter anymore.
To her, he's a mere beast that she will need to tame and keep.
When they arrived back to the others, Silver opened his mouth to speak. "Professor Hazel called me to their tower, and I need to be there as soon as possible. Will one of you escort my sister to her dorm? I can't leave her by herself," he lied swiftly. And all eleven of them glanced to Hades as if it was natural that he'd be the one to do it.
Hades beamed a fake smile. 'What an absurd excuse', he thought. He glances towards the imperial princess, who had a calm expression. 'She seemed to have expected this', he thought again, and simply surrenders.
"Would you be okay with me, Your Highness? I haven't even changed into my proper clothes yet," he asks as he walks towards her, but she smiles back at him.
"I have no other choice, my brother wants you to," she blatantly exposed her own brother's intentions, which made Hades chuckle.
"Perhaps it's over protectiveness, he simply wants you to be safe. Even if your dorm isn't a kilometer away from here," Hades says, and Ecru giggles.
"Oh, I wonder about that. It seems he just wants me to be with you," she states, with a charming smile. Hades gestures his hand for here to walk first. "Are you sure you have time to escort me back?" Ecru asks again, but Hades smiles at her with assurance.
"I'm more concerned of how I look right now," he stated truthfully. Ecru's eyes traveled down, checking if there was something wrong. 'Hmmm, he'd still look pretty in a sack, I don't see what he's so worried about, or is he being sarcastic?' she thought to herself.
"Do you prefer to change first then?" she asks, and he nodded, which somehow made her smile. He's a simple guy when I think about it, she thought again, and turned to walk away. "Let's get you changed then," she says, and the smiling Hades followed without another word.
The classmates were in complete disbelief as they saw the two interact for a hot minute. It felt so natural for them to interact as if they didn't have a wide gap in their social standing. Even Silver was taken aback by how casual they exchanged words, he did sense that they were similar in a way, however, he did not expect that it would flow this smoothly.
"… now, I get where Silver was coming from before. They match each other well," Hollis comments.
"… too well," Rufus joins.
"… I used to believe that opposites attract, but I guess, those who are similar could be a greater pair," Jarrett comments like a proud father, and the others agreed to him.