PRISTINE
The Wisteria Royals were having the second meeting now. The venue was The Great Bell Tower again.
"You better have made some advancement, Benjamin." Shanon warned as all of us gathered around the table. "If I were confident enough to handle everything myself, why would I have even bothered to seek your help?" Benjamin snapped.
"I think it is a magical object." Princess Pauline suddenly spoke up which made heads swivel in her direction.
"Whatever is draining the magic from the school is certainly some thing that itself possesses some magical qualities." Pauline repeated.
"Ofcourse it is a magical object. How can a non-bewitched thing do something like this?" Benjamin snapped.
"The real question is, what the thing is…" Kristian commented.
"The library is enormous. Though we made an attempt, it is impossible to find something there. Besides, the students are not allowed to use every book there." Benjamin said.
"What if the older students are learning about it? You know, what if it is added in the curriculum?" Isabelle suspected.
"Oh, I am acquainted with seniors from all the years. They think of me as their little brother. If you want, I can consult them abo-" Benjamin was boasting but Aprialla nonchalantly cut him. "Would not it be best if we consult the seniormost students as they have gone through the curriculums of each year?"
"Oh, indeed. I have a rapport with many of the seniors from fifth-year. I even know Prince Uchtred- indeed, the head boy- Prince Rhodes, Princess Bernice, Prince-" But Aprialla interjected him.
"Pristine, your brother is in his last year, isn't he?" Aprialla turned to me.
I nodded.
"Just ask him about it. It would be the least suspicious option. You can just lie that we have received a homework regarding this." Aprialla nonchalantly said.
"O-oh, yes…" I said.
"Indeed. I too think it would be fatuous to ask around a topic like this." Shanon agreed.
"It works too." Benjamin shrugged, pretending it did not bother him to lose the chance to brag about his connections.
"You will be able to ask your brother about it, won't you, Pristine?" Kristian asked.
I nodded tepidly. "I will."
I lied.
I cannot do it! No after the tussle I had with my family back when I went back to Dynstown for Christmas. My mind immediately flooded with Christmas' memory.
The Christmas holidays start two days prior to the Christmas. Hence, we are allowed to leave for our respective kingdoms on 23rd December. Therefore, I left on 23rd December for Dynstown in the morning.
It takes a day to reach there with the carriage that has been bewitched to run faster.
Henceforth, we reached home in the morning of 24th December.
I won't conclude the time with my family as the most ideal time or the most jovial one but it was normal.
It was New Year's Eve.
My father, my mother, Philodemus and I were having the Christmas Dinner together. Mother was mostly engrossed in flooding Philodemus with questions regarding his studies and love life while Father was intently listening to their conversation.
As this situation where my brother hogs the spotlight was not anything new to me, I was silently eating my food.
"Excluding the gifts you would be receiving in the morning, we have prepared something for you, son." My mother announced.
Voicelessly, I lifted my head.
"What is it, Mother?" Philodemus curiously asked. My eyes fell on the little crest on the table beside my mother's plate of food only when she pushed it towards Philodemus.
"Mother…" Philodemus' voice conveyed profound sentiment.
Mother just smiled at him in return.
Philodemus opened the little crest and I tried to catch a sight of the contents. Philodemus eased the task by withdrawing the content into his hand.
Is it-
"We presume it is high time we pass on the family heirloom to you, son." Mother said gently.
Father just nodded.
My eyes watched Philodemus' glinting eyes staring intently at the brooch pin in his hand that he was holding with utmost solicitude.
It was a golden and pink brooch pin with the royal emblem of Dynstown which includes a butterfly engraved onto it with a crown over its head. It was so elegant and exquisite.
"Wear it during your Graduation Ceremony." Mother recommended.
With watering eyes, Philodemus nodded.
Suddenly, he lifted his eyes to meet mine. I was staring intently at the brooch pin. Did it make him uncomfortable?
Philodemus suddenly smiled and pushed the empty crest towards me.
With a quizzed expression, I turned to the box.
Is he taunting me? But her never-
"There is something for you in there as well." He must have understood that I was puzzled.
Sceptically, I reached out for the crest but Mother snatched it away before I could lay my hand on it. "I-it is not for her." She explained. My brother wore a perplexed expression. "But isn't the comb supposed to be-"
"It is for you as well." Mother stated.
My head was now jerking between Mother and Philodemus. "But the comb is supposed to be-" Philodemus retorted.
"It is for your bride." Mother said.
My brother was supposed to say something but I slowly understood the situation. "The brooch is supposed to go to the son, the prince and the comb-" I spoke for the first time that evening.
Mother interrupted me. "Is supposed to go to the daughter-in-law. The bride."
"Only if there is no princess. If there is no daughter. It should be mine." I calmly said.
"Indeed." Philodemus supported.
"The king and I have decided that both of them will go to Philodemus and his bride." Mother sternly said. Father was apologetically staring at me.
Usually, I would have given in.
"But… why? I am alive. It should go to the daughter-in-law if there was no daughter. But you have a daughter, me! Grandmother wanted me to have it! She expressed it in her death-bed!" I argued.
"Because he is the crown-prince, Pristine. He is in his last year of Wisteria and will be coronated not after long. You will be marrying off somewhere. We want the heirloom to stay in Dynstown." Mother debated.
"Rubbish!" I leapt to my feet.
"Pristine!" Father and Philodemus chorused ominously at my outburst.
"What if he is the crown-prince?! I am the princess of Dynstown as well. I am your daughter as well! Maybe not as much as the crown-prince, but don't you think I deserved some moderate recognition?!" It was as if all my anger that has been pent up throughout the years was finally being expressed.
"We do recogni-" My mother tried to defend herself but I cut her words.
"When? You never did! Just because brother is a male, all the attention and adoration are bestowed upon me. I am neglected all the time. I have always attempted to be considerate regarding the situation owing to the fact that he is the crown-prince, but I cannot pretend anymore! I am a human too!"
"Pristine, sit down-" Father attempted to intrude.
"Mother, I am your child too! When will you recognise me as one?! Father, why do you never raise your voice when mother clearly treats me like dirt?!" I was shaking in exasperation.
"Pristine, behave like a princess and sit down." Mother calmly said.
"Oh yes, how can I forget?! Since I am the princess, I must behave with decorum. While Philodemus is the crown prince and yet no one bats an eye when he just hangs around delinquently or when he pursues the lowest possible grade in his tests! And yet I am the one that must demonstrate propriety though I am treated like a rag in return of it."
"Pristine, this is the last time-" I cut my mother's words again.
"I am done being the second option, Mother. If my presence means nothing to you, then why did you even bother to bring me into this world?! At home, all you do is dote on Philodemus and I am just a second child that can grow up on its own. At school, everyone is just enamoured by Irene and I am just labelled as 'Irene's friend'. Her sidekick!" I collapsed onto my seat.
There was a piercing silence in the air for quite some moments. I presumed it would be broken by Brother.
But…
"It is not our fault you are inconspicuous at school. We are not to be blamed that Princess Irene is such a compliant child. Or if you could attain the grades achieved by Princess Shano-" Mother was too nonchalant regarding the situation.
"Oh, for God's sake, Mother! Princess Irene is a damn bully. People are infatuated by her just because she has a pretty face and Princess Shanon starts wailing in front of the teachers so they do not deduct her marks!" I yelled.
Looking at all of them just once more, I jumped to my feet.
"I am going back to Wisteria. You can enjoy your Christmas with your favourite child." Not bothering to receive any response from them, I went straight to Madame Medora, our sorceress.
It will take me one day to reach Wisteria with the bewitched carriage.
Travelling with magic would be a much faster option.
I needed to extricate myself from here as soon as possible.
"…. but it would be possible if only we knew the exact cause of the deaths. Pauline, is your family not divulging it to you?" Angus question to Pauline had dragged me back to the present.
She abruptly shifted her gaze away from his. "N-no. I asked once but Father asserts I am too young to be enlightened."
"And you did not ask again?" Shanon asked.
Pauline shook her head.
"Such deference. If Delphinia's king tells Pauline to shove her head into the sand for an hour. She would oblige without any queries." Irene rolled her eyes while scowling.
Benjamin snorted.
"Why would Father tell me to shove my head in the sand?" Pauline naively said.
An awkward silence fell as all the heads were turned to Pauline with a look of disdain. "W-what?" She stammered. "Irene was making fun of you, Pauline." Aprialla informed her.
"Oh…" That was all Pauline responded with.
Sometimes I worry how she is going to survive as the future queen. But maybe the crown will be passed on to her husband instead.
"No luck on your side either? Benjamin? Professor Benedict still refuses to disclose anything?" Kristian asked.
"I have left no method untried. Yet, Father believes that it is too sombre of a matter to be disclosed to kids like us. All I am aware of is that the school and Delphinia both have taken the subject to inquiry." Benjamin replied.
"Why does everyone think we are too young for this?!" Aprialla had an outburst.
"But we are young. I am just seventeen." Samirah pouted.
"All of us are seventeen, Samirah." Shanon corrected.
Scarlette cleared her throat. "I am eighteen." She reminded. Indeed. She was the oldest among us. Her birthday had passed over a month ago on 9th of January.
"And Irene is sixteen." Aprialla pointed out.
"Well, I apologise I could not accompany dear Princess Scarlette on her vigil of watching dinosaurs turn into fossils by taking birth a little early." Irene sarcastically said.
"Whatever it is…" Benjamin took in a breath.
"I declare the end of today's meeting. The Wisteria Fest is starting from the day after tomorrow. Let us hold the next meeting after it. In the meantime, we should try to educe some information from our parents if we can. Through letters. The Assembly must know something." Benjamin announced.
Everyone nodded.
"If The Assembly has any clue regarding the cause of the situation, consider the clue falling into our hands. There is no way my father would deny me about anything." Irene smirked as she started for the door.
It was not news that Irene was the apple of her father's eyes. He cherished her to the point that she is widely renowned for being spoilt.
I envy her sometimes.
Benjamin's eyes glinted when he heard Irene's statement. He tried to catch up to her while muttering something. "What is in it for me?" I could hear Irene respond before both of them vanished out of the door.
The others were leaving as well.
"Will you be participating in any sports?" Samirah approached me with a smile. She was probably curious if she will have a rival during the sports and games that will be held the following week of Wisteria Fest.