During a Friday fight lessons in the middle of December, I had my first victory against Damon and he looked as surprised as I did for a moment. Then he laughed and congratulated me.
"So unlaydy-like. Almost like seeing a wild beast attacking a student. Are girls supposed to be that strong?" Rhys asked rhetoric.
Dammit, both girls and boys' combat ability were seen with good eyes, so his comment was just to hurt my pride.
"Are you afraid, maybe?" I asked him and he just laughed at me.
"Afraid of a little girl and her little sword?" He mocked.
"Then show me that I'm really no match for a strong person like yourself. That is, if you even consider yourself strong." I pressed him and threw Damon's sword at him. He caught it smoothly and seemed a little annoyed.
"I accept your challenge!" He said solemnly.
"Not a good idea!" warned Damon, but I ignored him.
I took a defensive position and moved with little steps to him, while Rhys just stood there, glaring at me. Maybe he waited for me to panic, but I wasn't going to get in his trap.
"Waiting only? It seems that you can only use your mouth, not the sword." I mocked.
Rhys was just smiling slightly. My feet moved me closer to him and when the distance between us was close enough, my sword swung at him. He dodged it gracefully, made a piruet like a dancer and hit me with his sword in the arm. Even if the swords were of wood, it still hurt a lot. My arm will surely have a bluemark later. This time I waited for his attack.
"Scared?" He said, while I changed my mind and swung my sword again at him. He blocked it. Again and again. And doing it so effortlessly, while my lungs were going to explode from the effort. In the end, as if he became bored with this little game, he blocked my attack and pushed me to the ground.
"My victory I presume! Maybe next time you'll act more gracefully and don't provoke others. A gluttonous wild beast is an awful sight to see at such a prestigious school." He turned laughing, while others were smirking around him.
"This fight is not over yet!" My blood was boiling and my hands trembling. How was he so much stronger? I'll beat him, make him take all his words back!
Channelling my magic was easy for me now, so in not even a second, Rhys was on his back, pushed by my air magic. He blinked surprised and then a fury covered his features. His eyes were staring while he got up. I attacked again, but it didn't affect him this time. It seemed that all the strong winds I produced were absorbed by his extended hand. I concentrated even more so that the winds blew harder and it made a scratch on his arm, diving in his skin. His eyes grew bigger for a second, and I thought that it was my win.
But it fired back. While I thought victory was mine, he channelled his own air magic and it was my turn to hit the ground. Before doing so, my ears could catch two different voices calling my name. The first one was Damon who hurried towards me and lifted me up. The second one was the teacher's.
"Fighting with magic is not allowed at your level! Principal office, now! Follow me, the show is over!" He barked at me while turning around to head outside the gym.
"He used magic as well!" Damon protested.
"I saw what happened and it was clearly self defense. Let's go now!" The teachers repeated. I let go of Damon's helping hand and followed him defeated. Before exiting the room, my eyes made contact with Rhys's again. But the look on his face perplexed me. I imagined he would be happy, proud of himself that he taught me a lesson, but instead, he looked concerned and as if he was regretting his actions. What's with that?
The principal lectured me for a while and my hands thightin in anger as well as my chest when he mentioned my parents. But he didn't write to them. It was the first time I broke a rule so he let it pass. My lungs released a long sight that the principal noticed.
"Just this once! You should not forget what is expected of you," he added and paused for a second. "Although I won't write to your parents, that doesn't mean there won't be a punishment." I froze. "Don't look so scared, it's just something most people love to do. You will help with the New Year's party preparations," he concluded.
"But then I will be spending all my free time on this for the next two weeks." I complained and he looked kindly at me with a smile.
"Isn't that what most young students would love to do? Only a few were chosen to be responsible for the party, although many have written their names down for it. I heard there were a few third years who were heartbroken that they weren't chosen," he said.
"That might be so, but not all want to be a part of the preparations. Maybe there are some who just want to enjoy the party." I pleaded.
"So you seem to be in the latter category. Well, for the better. This is a punishment and next time you might consider not using magic on other students." his eyes turned serious this time and I nodded silently. "There is a meeting this evening, I think you have time to change your clothes and go to the student council room."
"Student council room? Are they involved in this also?" My mind flew to the president of the student council, the first prince whom I wanted to avoid at all costs.
"Is there a problem?" he asked and I was quick to deny it. After I was dismissed, I dragged my feet, as well as my hurting body through the corridor. Before leaving the main building I had to straighten my body, remembering how my mother would be displeased learning that her daughter resembled a defeated scarecrow.
As misfortune never comes alone, Rhys and his company passed by me on my way to the dorm. They started smirking when they saw me, while Rhys seemed just delighted to see my defeated figure. I assumed a pose which I thought was proud enough to transmit that I won't lower myself to their level, but my earlier action had shown something different.
"It seems our fight had some benefits." I heard Rhys saying to his friends, or maybe to me. I just ignored him, afraid of another punishment and continued to the dorms.
"A fight? Why would you get in a fight with some stupid boy?" I heard Noriko scold me as soon as I opened the door, but she ceased when she saw my dark face. "Did the headmaster write to your parents?" she asked instead.
"No, but I received a punishment." I whined and continued. "I must help with the preparations for the New Year party."
When she heard about my punishment the worried look on her face disappeared and she started laughing.
" I guess only you would be this mad about such a punishment. I would be delighted, of course to be chosen." She mocked me.
"You can take my place." I suggested and began changing. "Why didn't you apply?"
"I thought about it." She started playing with her hair. I already knew she was shy, but I hoped that after meeting so many people during the summer parties that would go away. How come she's not shy enough to scold me like that?
"Maybe you can accompany me. Actually, it's a splendid idea." I suggested, glad that there would be someone I knew and trusted with me.
"Not allowed. It wouldn't be fair to those who applied and weren't chosen." she explained. "Don't worry," she added when she saw my face drop "everything will be alright with the first prince." she winked at me. Was she reading my mind?
"I have to get ready and go to the meeting." I sighed and resumed changing my clothes.
After getting ready, I went outside again and passed through the garden, pleased to see that Rhys and his gang weren't there again. I didn't think I could ignore any more of their mocking. When I arrived at the student council room, I knocked before opening the door. The one who met me was none other than the person I wanted to avoid.
"Good evening, Fredrika!" Prince Aillard greeted me with a beautiful smile. He was alone, gathering some paper into a folder when he turned to meet my eyes."What a lovely surprise! Do you have some business with the student council?"
"Good evening to you too, prince! I am here to help with the preparations for the upcoming party." I smiled back at him, but his face became more serious and a little sad.
"Your punishment, I presume." He added and I nodded, irritated that the news of my fight traveled so fast. "You know-" he began softly "- you should take more care of yourself. It would pain me to see you hurt." He made a step towards me, but seemed to change his mind and returned to his documents. My eyes widened with shock when the door opened abruptly behind me and a group of six students came in.
"Hi Fredrika," said a girl from my class named Lycoris when she met my eyes. "We were just informed that you will join us for the preparations."
"Hello Lycoris, Tudor!" I greeted them, Tudor being the boy in our year who was chosen for this task. For each junior year, two students were chosen, a boy and a girl. This party was for the whole school. Both the junior and senior sections, but the senior section didn't participate in the preparations, but only enjoyed the party. It was considered a way to show respect to them.
"I have to take my leave now that you are here. Good luck with the project!" wished the first prince before leaving the room. It seemed that the student council was just lenting the room for the group.
"I should introduce you to the rest of our group, " Lycoris suggested."From the second year we have Tarsa and Pontus." she presented a taller, dignified girl with blond, shoulder length hair and hazel eyes. She greeted me with a kind smile. The boy on the other hand had dark brown hair and deep blue eyes on a face that was already mocking me. He was one of Rhys' friends. He greeted me a little too politely.
"And from the third year Mary and Nakoa." The girl was shorter than me, although two years older and very sweet looking, while the boy was much taller and had darker skin and light brown hair.
"Nice to meet you and welcome!" Mary said with a soft voice. "I heard that this is a punishment for starting a fight with someone else. It's nice to have more hands to work. I just hope you won't start any fights here as well." She then proceeded to take a seat at a nearby table and invited me to do as well.
"Last time we were discussing what food we should have," Tarsa began "we must decide this during the weekend and leave a list to the cafeteria first thing on Monday morning."
"Are we having meetings during the weekend as well?" I asked shocked. I thought that there were just three or four meetings left, and it seems I was wrong.
"Yes." Mary answered. "And every weekday after school as well." she added and my face fell down. So wrong.
"It's just for another two weeks." tried Tudor to cheer me up as he knew that I'm not interested in this kind of stuff at all.
"They will pass by quickly. And we will have fun together," Lycoris assured me with a bright smile. I couldn't help but give her a smile as well, but inside my heart was crying. My lessons with my friends will have to suffer.