The handsome middle-aged hot guy stepped towards them.
Thorndyke noticed how her mouth went agape at the sight of the stranger and rolled his eyes before standing up, giving her a hand.
Reluctantly, she accepted it and stood up, wincing due to all the places her muscles hurt.
"Professor Winguard," Thorndyke said, making the Professor nod at him. He turned to Gwen.
"Cadet Evegheden, am I correct?" he asked in a deep voice, and Gwen noticed how she wasn't the only one swooning in the room. All the girls— even Sibby had their tongues on the floor at his sight. "You were lucky that Cadet Thorndyke was easy on you. Otherwise, your moves were rather lethargic."
All her flying fantasies came to an abrupt halt as she looked at him, "Huh?"
"Cadet Thorndyke will be training you in combat starting from today. You will begin training with him an hour before dawn until the call for breakfast— that I was told you didn't attend today," she winced.
Breakfast. Right.
Wait—
"What do you mean that I have to train with him?" she practically shouted, pointing at Thorndyke.
"You assume that you have a choice?" the glare that the Professor gave her was icy, making her shiver slightly. She shook her head. "Great."
He looked at Thorndyke again who was watching the exchange with gritted teeth, "You may continue." He turned, leaving the room as the other girls squealed.
Gwen groaned, not understanding why God had to sculpt such gorgeous faces just to give them to people with an ego the height of Mount Percival.
Thorndyke was leaning against the wall, "You better pick your tongue off the floor," he said with a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Or else you'll attract bugs."
She rolled her eyes in irritation, "None of your business, jerk."
He raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk playing at the edges of his lips.
"Someone's in a feisty mood," he commented. "Feeling overwhelmed by my irresistible charm already, little venom?"
She scowled up at him, not understanding how someone who was so temperamental and cold on one day, could be such a playful irritating smug of a being on another.
He crossed his arms over his chest, his muscles flexing as he looked at her, probably amused, "You know, scowling like that isn't doing wonders for your pretty face," he teased.
Gwen's eyes bulged out at his remark, "What did you just say?" she asked, trying to make her voice sound as steady as possible as Thorndyke's grin widened.
From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed a girl with red hair, "Rose...?" her face brightened as recognition hit her.
Rose seemed at a loss for words for a few seconds before a smile appeared on her face.
"Gwen, hey," she approached and gave her a quick embrace; Gwen was relieved at the sight of her friend.
"Where were you yesterday? You weren't there on the Senior Wing grounds when I came back," she looked at her red-haired friend who let out a sigh.
"I had other... business to attend to," she replied simply. "I would have come to see you sooner, but I have been quite busy this morning."
As she spoke, her eyes darted in the direction of Thorndyke, her gaze lingered for a few moments before returning to Gwen.
Gwen frowned at her, looking between Rose and Thorndyke who still didn't move from his position on the pillar. However, his gaze hardened.
"Anyway, don't worry about me. I'm doing fine," Rose tried to reassure her. "I see you're training with Damian now. How's that going for you?"
"Oh, it's going great," it was Thorndyke who answered in a sarcastic tone. "I just love spending my mornings training ungrateful girls who can barely hold themselves up."
Rose rolled her eyes, shooting him a glance. "Oh, don't be so grumpy, Thorndyke. I'm sure you enjoy the company of a lady now and then."
Rose's eyes gleamed with mischief and Gwen's stomach twisted with a very wrong, stupid emotion that she couldn't believe she was having towards her friend just because of a guy she hated.
"You guys seem to know each other," she tried to sound nonchalant.
"Yes, we know each other rather well," she replied, a sly smirk on her face that made Gwen's stomach drop. Of course, they knew each other.
Rose chuckled softly, "Don't let Thorndyke get to you. It's just banter between us." She leaned in closer to Gwen, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret. "Although he does seem a little grumpier than usual today. Something's got his feathers ruffled." She glanced at Thorndyke, who was still standing nearby, appearing indifferent.
That still didn't ease Gwen's discomfort but she managed a smile, "Nothing much, I just whooped his ass."
Thorndyke pushed himself off the pillar and slowly approached them, a smug expression on his face. "Excuse you, but I didn't know getting your ass handed to you counts as me getting 'whooped'."
Gwen groaned, and rolled her eyes, already tired of arguing with him. Her stomach grumbled as she remembered that she slept through the breakfast. Training be damned, she would starve to death if she didn't eat anything soon.
She turned to leave when another voice chimed in, "Hey, don't go yet! This is so much more interesting than the boring classes I have to endure." Sibby jumped down from the slab she was perched on and pouted at Gwen.
"Come on," she whined, hopping towards Gwen and grabbing her arm, holding her in place. "This is just getting good. I want to see what happens next." she flashed her a wide smile, but there was a spark of something dark in her eyes, something that made Gwen frown a little.
"Let her go," Thorndyke said in a firm voice, taking a step forward towards them while Rose's eyebrows knitted in concern.
"Why should I?" Sibby retorted, a sly smile on her face. "She's not your property, you know."
"Sibby," he hissed, "release her. Now." Gwen frowned at the warning growl in his tone.
"Alright, alright, everyone, let's all calm down," Rose interjected, her voice steady. "Gwen just wants to go get some food. She skipped breakfast after all."
Sibby tightened her grip on Gwen's arm as if stubbornly refusing to release her. Thorndyke clenched his jaw, his hands balling into fists.
"This got awkward real fast," Zyre chimed in her head and Gwen nodded in response. It was getting awkward and tense.
Sibby just stuck her tongue out at Rose, still clinging to Gwen's arm like a stubborn child. "This is so much more entertaining than food, though," she whined, her pout becoming more exaggerated. "Besides, I'm not hungry."
Thorndyke took another step towards them, Gwen sensed the chaotic energy coursing out of him, and it seemed that Sibby noticed it as well as her grin grew wider, more manic.
Gwen didn't like the direction the situation was headed in.
"Someone is being protective," Zyre scoffed in her head, making her stumble out of her thoughts.
"Calm down, both of you," she said firmly, her voice tinged with irritation. "You—" she pointed at Thorndyke who stood there all tense, "—don't invade my business. The last thing I want right now is to be in your shadow completely."
He frowned and gritted his jaw, but she didn't let him continue as she looked at Sibby," And you. You want to come with me so I can have breakfast or not?"
She pouted for a moment, her shoulders slumping but then, a sly smile appeared on her face as a plan formed in her mind.
"I'll come with you, on one condition," she said, her eyes sparkling mischievously.
"What?" Gwen rubbed her temples; she wasn't in the mood for any argument.
Sibby leaned in, whispering in Gwen's ear, her voice low and filled with scheming, "You have to promise to share your food with me."
Gwen sighed, relaxing as she smiled, shaking her head. She didn't understand if this girl was too cunning or just childish. Either way, she was sure that there was something wrong with her, "Alright," she looked at Rose, "You are coming?"
Rose looked at them and chuckled, "Of course, I'm coming with you. Wouldn't miss food time for anything."
They turned to leave but she glimpsed Thorndyke from the corner of her eye. He stood in the same place, his hands now balled into fists at his sides, and his expression hardened. His jaw was clenched so tight, she could see it ripple with tension.
She couldn't understand what was wrong with him. Why the hell was he so fuelled up just because Sibby grabbed her arm?
He was a puzzle she couldn't solve.
Sibby grinned, clearly enjoying the tension between them. "Looks like your babysitter is not amused," she said, her voice filled with mockery.
Gwen rolled her eyes, "He is not my babysitter," she gritted out.
Sibby snickered, a sly smile on her face, "Oh? It sure seems like he's acting like your babysitter. Getting so worked up just because I touched you. It's almost endearing, in a pathetic sort of way." She let out a sigh, a hand over her heart, "Oh, how romantic. The rich son of the Governor acting as a knight in shining armour, protecting the fragile maiden from the big, bad witch."
Rose chuckled, her lips curling into a smirk. "Sounds like a love story straight out of a fairy tale."
Gwen rolled her eyes, finally stepping out of the room, "Cut it out, guys. It's not what you think."
Rose gave her a knowing smile and Sibby continued describing her various versions of 'Romance of The Cruel Knight and The White-Haired Damsel'. Meanwhile, all Gwen wanted was to fill her starving stomach, and try not to think about the heat in Thorndyke's eyes a few moments ago.