by RA. Gil
“So, Valeriana . . .” Tamara started with a smile. “How was it?”
“Yeah, we're curious.” Aneeka added. “Care to tell what happened?”
She couldn't exactly tell them what she told the king about Corvan since the first-ranker would surely be angry about it. She didn't consider it as an option and decided to tell them about the humiliating experience instead.
“Well . . .” She started, shoving a spoonful of egg into her mouth. “For starters, I completely embarrassed myself in front of everyone.”
“What did I tell you?” Corvan remarked mockingly.
They chuckled.
“And yeah, I met a realllllyyyy amazing person.” She added, somewhat irked by his sudden statement. This was a good opportunity to piss the first-ranker off.
“What?” Genevieve squealed. “The prince?”
“Unfortunately, no.” She said. “But there’s Lord Gavin.”
Corvan's attention immediately snapped towards Valeriana, his eyes going wide from her recent remark. He was chewing but paused when he heard the girl. How exactly did he forget, anyway? Gavin was a member of the king's council of advisors, it would be no wonder for him to be present.
“Lord Gavin?”
“Corvan's cousin.” She smirked tauntingly at the first-ranker as he looked away in irritation and resumed chewing his food.
“Are they anything alike?” Genevieve curiously inquired.
“Nope. Aside from the looks and everything, they're total opposites.” She emphasized the last word and grinned even wider at the current expression the young lord had on his face.
“How was he like?”
“Everything Corvan isn't.”
“Now, I'm curious.” Tamara chortled. “Do you like him, Valeriana?”
She blushed, but decided to play along. “Well, he passes my standards.”
They all broke into a fit of laughter, Corvan being the only one who didn't have the same reaction as the rest.
“Like anyone would even like you.” He huffed.
“I don't think so.” Tamara wagged a finger at Corvan and winked. “Zion's after her.”
But the first-ranker wasn't finished yet. “They're utter fools. That Zion is no exception.”
Valeriana puffed out her cheeks in aggravation, muttering, “Bastard.”
“Then,” Brindon bluntly started. “Are you a fool?”
The young lord narrowed his eyes at the twelfth-ranker, not liking where his question was going. “Why would you think that?” He almost snarled.
“Denial's not a river in Egypt.” Zevlin and Genevieve chorused at the same time.
“Don't even try to get Corvan to admit anything. It's impossible.” Aneeka quipped.
“What are you guys getting at?” Valeriana glared at him. “He's the last person on Earth I’ll get along with.”
“On Earth.” Tamara chuckled. “But what about in Valemnia?” She teased.
Valeriana rolled her eyes. “Shut up. You know what I mean. If you want, you can replace it with every existing world.”
“Have you ever heard, though?” She winked. “Opposites attract.”
“Will you stop it already?!” Valeriana and Corvan said in unison. “Why do you always do that?!”
The two looked at each other and seethed. “Are you trying to copy me?” They said at the same time once more.
“So I'm copying you?” They replied together.
They both growled and stood up from their seats. “How dare you?!”
Everyone chuckled.
“Just remembered.” Brindon said. “Valeriana.” He told her.
Valeriana, still frowning, looked at Brindon. “What is it?”
“Courtney's back.” He said. “Today.”
She gasped. “What?”
Chapter Forty-Four ♣ Zion's Comfort
To think that Courtney von Whatever de la Something was coming back today of all days sent a chill down Valeriana's spine. She left hating Valeriana and there was a big chance she would come back hating Valeriana even more.
Did she really have to face her so soon?
“Whatever. Haters gonna hate.” She muttered, quoting a Taylor Swift song.
She felt worried.
Valeriana knew that this was coming sooner or later, but she wasn't ready. She wasn't ready to face Courtney and her wrath. Just thinking about what could happen made her want to shiver in fear and just cower on a corner somewhere.
But, of course, she wouldn't let this get to her.
Was she overreacting?
She started chewing on her bottom lip. Courtney couldn't be that bad, right?
Still, she never felt so nervous before. As she sank into her usual seat in History class, she thought of the possibilities upon Courtney's return. She knew it was useless to just sit there and worry. She should be preparing herself instead.
“Valeriana!” A joyful voice cut through the air, but the girl remained dazed. “A flower for you!”
It was Zion. He waved a freshly plucked daisy in front of Valeriana's face and she accepted it without a word, still staring into space.
“Hm?” Zion brushed a blue lock that obstructed his vision. “How odd. You're not kicking me? I thought for sure I'll meet your fist.”
She didn't answer.
“Valeriana?” He questioned.
Silence.
He breathed heavily. “Does that mean you accept me? Finally?” He said in excitement before smashing the girl into an embrace.
Shocked, Valeriana snapped out of her reverie and found herself caged inside the arms of her former enemy. Realizing it was Zion from the flash of blue she caught from the corner of her eyes, she gritted her teeth. She pulled back her arm, curling her hand into a fist before shoving it straight to Zion's side.
The blue-haired lad grunted and pulled away. “Ow. You broke my ribs.” He wheezed out, before a small smile cracked on his lips. “There we go. That's more like it.”
“What the hell are you doing?” She growled.
“Well . . .” He grimaced in pain as he hopped away. “I thought . . .” He trailed off.
“Thought what?” She growled.
He blew out a sigh and patted the part where she hit him. He made himself comfortable on the seat right next to Valeriana, which Chavi usually took—but she was nowhere to be seen at the moment. He looked at her knowingly, a gaze which she mirrored with eyes of sheer irritation.
“You seemed to be not your usual self a while ago. Were you thinking about anything?” He asked.
She looked away and rested her head on her table. “None of your business.” She muttered.
“Please don't treat me so coldly.” He told her.
She ignored him.
“Right.” He muttered. “I know that my actions might've come as a shock to you.” He started. “And it might not have been that believable, but trust that I'm serious about everything I say. Believe me, I am not the type to lie about what I feel. I say what comes to mind and that's it.”
“Please, Zion.” She forced the urge to throw him out this world. “Now's not the time for that kind of talk.”
“Are you worried about something?” He queried. “Like Courtney's return? She's coming today right?”
At those words, she stiffened.
“You really don't have to worry about someone like her. You defeated her right? That means she's no more than an insect.”
“No.” She faced him. “That insect almost managed to slice me in half.”
“You shouldn't really let these things get to you, Valeriana. Courtney can never best you.”
“Don't say things that aren't true just because you think they'll please. They don't help at all.” She snapped at him.
“Do you think I'll say these just to please you?” He laughed. “See here, Valeriana. I may be trying to win you over but that doesn't mean I won't be frank. If you're ugly, you're ugly. If you're fat, you're fat. I won't lie. Do you need me to say that you look like you did
n't comb your hair this morning?”
With that statement, she reached up to her head and patted the apparently messy hair she was supposed to have. He didn't lie, that's for sure. Her hair was standing up in all directions. She blushed in embarrassment at this.
“And I hope you don't mind me saying that you look adorable as well.” He added, the seriousness fading.
Valeriana had to roll her eyes. “Whatever.”
“Now, listen to me.” He leaned forward and smiled at her. Unlike the other smiles he gave her before, this one seemed genuine and comforting at the same time. “You are not like that girl from before when you just entered the academy. You're the Valeriana Kerrigan now. Fifth-ranking member of the Twelve, hailed as the Roaring Tiger after defeating me. And trust me. No one can easily defeat me in a real battle.”
“But—”
He held up a finger and wagged it. “I'm still talking. Courtney may have had possessed the position as fifth-ranker, but now it's yours. You took it from her from a real battle.”
She waved her hand at him dismissively. “It was just luck.”
“There's no luck when it comes to skills and natural talent, Valeriana. You have those yet you deny you do. You're a great swordswoman. The battles you win are a proof of the fact that you are. So stop denying it and be proud. Human or not, you're still the fifth-ranker. You have it because you earned it. Don't let just anyone take that away.”
She paused and mulled over his words.
“Think about it. A lot of people are expecting so much from you.” He stated. “You're here for their trust and respect. How can you get other people to believe in you when you can't believe in yourself? So accept it already and be confident about it.” He grinned at her encouragingly. “There are people who placed their faith in you. Don't let them down. Don't let Courtney drag you down. She's just a small obstacle to your happy ending.”
“You believe in happy endings?”
“I didn’t.” He said, a smile on his lips. “But I do now.”
Her hands flew to her chest. She felt the metal between her breasts under her clothes warmed by her skin clinking against the other necklace she wore around her neck. Aside from the bracelet, she wore two necklaces.
One was the key to the tomb of King Friedel—given to her as a symbol of her official inauguration as the fifth-ranking member of the Celestial Circle. She earned it after her near-to-death experience with Zion—through her own blood and sweat. The other was the protection she had so that she could adjust to Valemnia's power pressure.
“You won't let everything you worked hard for go to waste because of one girl, right?”
She shook her head. “No.” She then smiled. “Thank you, Zion.”
“You can pay me back with a date.” He winked.
Her smile faltered and she frowned. “I take it back.”
He grimaced. “When are you going to give me a chance?”
“I can’t bear to be distracted, Zion.” She told him. “I’m not looking for love life.”
“Why so stingy?”
Seraphina walked in through the doors, causing everyone to scramble. Zion dashed to his seat, afraid to be scolded by the lady knight. Valeriana smiled at his reaction and shook her head lightly, chuckling under her breath.
“Oh, Mr. Brunhild.” Seraphina raised a brow. “It's a miracle to see you in class this often.”
“Well, it’s a good miracle.” he looked knowingly at Valeriana's direction. The girl merely rolled her eyes as a reply.
The lady knight curiously glanced between the two. “Anyhow, I'm glad you'll be joining us for today. But that doesn't change the fact that you missed the first three weeks of my class, so a punishment is in order.”
“What?”
“You’re on cleaning duty for just as long as you’ve missed my class.” She looked about the classroom and eyed her snickering students. Zion didn't look pleased at all. “That also applies to everyone in this room.”
Everyone stopped and stared at their instructor in shock.
Chapter Forty-Five ♣ Lunch Break
Last night, Edeltraud informed Laedin that Valeriana accidentally ran into Bertram on her way to the restroom. Maybe it was against his better decisions to let the girl wander alone. After all, the palace resembled an unfathomable maze that one could easily get lost into if weren't familiar with.
Valeriana seemed clueless and apologetic when she got back to the dining room. Her previously wet dress was dried, leading the king to conclude it must've been his son's doing. The girl didn't look like she saw anything unusual, letting him heave a sigh of relief.
The next afternoon, Seraphina requested an audience with the king regarding her secret assignment to report on her progress. Having over an hour and a half of recess for the time being, the woman decided to make use of the time and meet the monarch.
Both of them sat by the window of a dimly lit room—a lobby specifically prepared for confidential negotiations such as this. Seraphina had made herself comfortable in an armchair situated in front of an ornate, mahogany table with the king sitting opposite of her.
“I hope you forgive me, Your Majesty.” Seraphina apologized. “The investigation seemed to be moving rather slowly.”
“It is no wonder, Lady Seraphina. Please do not apologize. I know you're doing all you can.” He smiled, though inside he worried.
“You may be pleased to hear, though.” The woman told him. “I have found something rather interesting that may be the key to the prince's current situation.”
“What have you got?”
“A journal.” She answered, placing a book down on the surface of the table and pushing it forward towards the king. “Of Degenhard Veralidaine.”
“Degenhard Veralidaine?” The king's brows furrowed. “One of the first Celestial Knights?”
“That's right.” She said. “Degenhard made an account for a demon's transformation. I just came to know that a child can be turned to a demon while still in the womb of its mother?”
He hesitated at her words. “What? What do you mean?”
“In this book says that there's a way upon which an unborn child can be turned into a demon.” She said. “Demons found a way to turn their children into a demon before it's even born. But, the consequences were horrible. Those infants died before they even had the chance to see the world.”
“Even as king, there are a lot of things I do not know.” He sighed. “Do you mind leaving that book behind so I can study it?”
“Of course, Your Majesty.” She nodded. “I'll continue searching for more answers regarding Prince Bertram's condition.”
“I have a very strong feeling that those black streaks are somehow connected to demons.” The king said. “Was it not said about how a transformation progresses?”
“Whatever is in this book is not for my eyes, Your Majesty.” Seraphina replied. “I am but your mere servant. Without proper permission, I cannot know more than I already do.”
“You are part of my family, Seraphina.” Said Laedin. “Before your liege, I am your uncle. As a part of this clan, you have every right to know what's in this book.”
“Perhaps that I forget every now and then.” She said. “I am not actually used to being called a part of this family.”
“Listen not to what other people say. You are bothered by what they tell you, aren't you?”
“It matters not.” Seraphina told the king with a smile, knowing all too well that what he said was true. “But I've been meaning to ask you, Your Majesty.”
“What is it, Seraphina?”
“I heard you met Valeriana.” She smiled. “I feel particularly fond of that child. How did meeting her go? I hope nothing horrible happened.”
“Oh, everything went well, do not worry.” He reassured her. “Valeriana is a very energetic young lady and she is a very refreshing companion to have. Although, it took me aback. She resembled Ayslia quite a lot.”
“Yes, she did . . . quite resemble
the late queen to a great extent.”
The king gave her a worried gaze. “Was her appearance the reason why you did what you did?”
“Yes . . . I suppose so.” Seraphina nodded. “I felt something towards her I wasn't quite able to discern at that time. Her eyes reminded me so much of the queen.”
“I won't blame you.” He whispered. “If there was anyone you were specifically attached to in this household . . . it was my wife.”
“It wasn't only that.” The woman told her. “There's something . . . about Valeriana I can't quite put my finger on. In fact, I seem to be missing something important . . . but I can't remember what.”
“What exactly do you mean?”
Seraphina looked at the king unsurely. “I feel like . . . it has something to do with Celeste Vermont.”
“What?” The confusion riddled his expression. “But . . . what is his connection to Valeriana?”
“I don't know.” Seraphina's brows knitted together as she placed her hand on her forehead. A sudden headache came over her. “But I have this strong feeling . . .”
“It's alright.” King Laedin said. “Please do not force yourself any further. I perfectly understand what you mean.”
“But it's not that, Your Majesty.” Seraphina grunted and looked away from her uncle, frustrated she couldn't quite express herself that clearly. There was something that nagged her so . . . a feeling deep in her guts. She was forgetting something important that her brain refused to recall.
“Setting that matter aside, I wanted to know if you would be willing to become my Candidate, should the need ever arise.”
“Your Candidate for the Selection, Your Majesty?” She raised her brows.
The answer she was given confirmed her thoughts.
“But I do not believe I am worthy at all.” She shook her head. “I do not feel the need to compete with Lord Corvan and the other heirs of the Continental Lords and Ladies.”
“Do not say that. Someone has to represent the Rosellevienne family, and I do not trust your father to do that.”
She found herself silently agreeing to his words.