Leor's pov
'Today's lecture was... interesting to say the least. Johan looked oddly giddy the entire time. Maybe he's into this sort of thing. Not that it matters much.' I was waiting for Vane and Alya to show up. The classroom was too crowded, making it hard to keep track of anyone, though I thought I saw Alya earlier. They're not the type to miss a class anyway.
'Finally, they arrived.'
Like me and Vane, Alya is around 19, though she carries herself with an air that makes her seem older in a good way—or maybe just harder to ignore. Her piercing blue eyes are as deep as the ocean, sharp and clear, with a weight that makes you think twice before holding her gaze. Her pale light skin was dusted with faint freckles, subtle but noticeable enough to add a touch of charm. Her midnight-black hair, streaked with subtle streaks of violet, fell down her back, messy enough to give her a disheveled elegance. A few stray strands fell across her face, framing her features in a way that made it seem like she didn't care.
She carried herself with a natural grace, her figure subtly accentuated by a neatly tailored, flowy black pencil skirt that struck the perfect balance—neither ostentatious nor overly modest. The fabric skimmed her curves with understated allure, hinting at the fullness of her hips and the gentle taper of her waist, a silhouette both captivating and effortlessly elegant. Complementing the skirt, she wore a perfectly tailored black peplum jacket, its structured fit adding a touch of sophistication. Draped over her shoulders, a midnight-black overcoat shielded her from the chill, its weighty folds enhancing the quiet elegance of her look.
My gaze lingered on her for a while, but I still couldn't ignore the tall man beside her. Vane stands out with a sharp, captivating aura. He had a lean figure. Dark black eyes, which had an unusual sharpness to them, like they were calculating everything in their way, his jawline sharp, with handsome facial features. His hair, though unruly, but in a way that suits him, It's short, just enough to fall over his forehead, with no parting. Giving him a wild but formal look.
His attire exudes sophistication, a cotton white shirt, crisp and immaculately tailored, paired with sleek black pants, that all emphasize a muscular silhouette. Over his shirt, he dons a luxurious black waistcoat adorned with subtle grey streaks, adding a touch of understated elegance and refinement. The fabric glimmers faintly under the light, hinting at its high-quality craftsmanship. Around his neck, he wears a striking locket, its hues a mesmerizing yellow-orange, reminiscent of a setting sun, adding a warm and personal touch to his otherwise formal look.
They were both bickering loudly about something while walking out, all the heads were turning to look at them at least once. Hearing my shout, they stopped to look at the source.
"It's messed up Leor! I think we will need to become terrorists." Vane yelled something bizarre, Making every student, and teacher in the hallway freeze, everyone turning to look at us with their mouth agape, probably contemplating reporting us to the police or army. 'Amazing, How bad a day could get?'
I ran through the stone floor towards the Lauriston garden in the academy as fast as I could. 'I don't know them.' Johan also immediately joined me in the run keeping up with my pace, following me quietly. I looked back and saw Both Alya and Vane were also chasing us as if chasing a burglar, Alya was running while picking her dress up with her fingers from the corners to not get it dirty or slip on the fabric, which made her a bit slow but she was still keeping up with us. while Vane was chasing us like a madman, leaning forward, with his back straight and his arms moving rhythmically with every step, abusing his muscular physique to the limits.
Haa! The cool breeze hit us, beautiful long trees and Jasmine flowers filling our vision. I paused to take a breath, making Johan stop as well. We finally made it outside. Both Alya and Vane also caught up with us.
Ha! Ha! Ha! Alya whipping the sweat from her forehead, and fixing her peplum jacket was breathing heavily. She yelled in a high-pitched voice throughout the deep breaths "Why did you… run?"
"Today was wild enough, I don't think I wanna become a terrorist!" I stared at Vane with a sharp gaze making him flinch. I introduced Johan as Johan Von Adlerhof, hiding the situation for now, Since there is clearly a much bigger problem going on for them.
"Anyway, what's with becoming a terrorist? Are you finally giving up on being a Viscount and running away to the outskirts?" I asked Vane with a half-serious half joking tone.
"No no, We wouldn't need to become terrorists for that! It's that King Edwards…"
"He's trying to force my father to marry me to his son!" after catching her breath, Alya cut off Vane, explaining the root of the problem herself in a heavy voice.
Her solemn tone made my fists clench, and My jaw tighten. 'It was the first time I had heard her sound so hopeless…' After taking a few deep breaths, and calming myself down, I asked in a sharp tone "How could he even dare to force Andrei Dmitrievich Ruriks? Shouldn't he be begging for his support? He just got the throne…The audacity, even for a King, He can't just ignore the Great Royal families.
Johan flinched looking at me, as he knew nothing about the political situation.
"That's exactly what I was thinking, but she didn't answer me then, that's why we were fighting before." after a momentary pause of hesitation, he continued "And…I also tried to talk to my Father about it…But he just said "This isn't our family's problem. It's just a marriage anyway…Ruriks are also benefiting from the relationship a lot, It would be a good decision to use her as a bridge for a relationship to start between the great Royal families and the King. Only if the daughter was still there, I could've married you to her…" I tried to argue with him, but he kept defusing it." Vane added, making our frown deepen.
"But…Alya, your father wouldn't agree to something like this, right" I asked her with high hopes again. It was known throughout the whole Empire, How much the wealthiest man liked to pamper his only daughter.
She shook her head, making me completely speechless. "No, I wouldn't think that way, I learned from Vane's sources…that he's giving him a position as a military General, and control over five hundred thousand soldiers. He will probably hire a puppet General to do the work while nurturing the army as a personal army. He always wanted an army, but even with all the money in the world, Nobles can't raise their own armies of that caliber."
"Then…He will probably treat this as a political marriage…Most Noble women are destined to have one…" Vane added in a thoughtful tone.
I was shaking visibly, my breath trembling. My body felt heavy, unbearably heavy. I felt a sharp pain in my heart like I'd never felt before. 'This is officially the worst day of my life…'
To be continued
Author's Note: A question, Did you like the vivid descriptions of Vane and Alya? Or was it too long? Do tell me. Next chapter will be a special, important one. I loved writing it.
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Additional time: Alya Dmitrievich ruriks is known for being the most beautiful young lady in the entire Kingdom. There's a line popular about her "She was a canvas upon which the Gods had painted every dream, every wish, every desire, and every need for beauty. She is getting thousands of marriage proposals from royals all over the world, giving anything to marry her from when she was fourteen. Of course, everyone was promptly rejected.