"My apologies." The man's voice was deep but had a hint of kindness. He didn't seem as friendly as the queen, but I wouldn't discount the fact that he could have a kind heart.
Unlike his son...
I only assumed this was the king because of his crown, attire, commanding presence, and how closely he resembled Prince Xavier.
It suddenly got easier to breathe, and I let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank you." Camilla bowed her head slightly with the response, but kept my hand in hers. "You must be the king?"
"Yes," he replied and moved away from his desk to approach us. "King Rose. You've already met the queen. Has she informed you that I am the headmaster of Fae Rose Academy?"
"Headmaster...of Fae Rose Academy..." I repeated to myself.
"I hadn't reached the details," the queen declared, walking over to stand next to the king. "Yes. My husband, the King of Rose Kingdom, is also the headmaster of Fae Rose Academy. He'll make the professors know of your arrival and enrollment, Rosadette."
"Enrollment...wait." I lifted my head up to look between the two of them. "What about the whole incident of me punching your son? Aren't I going to be punished for what I did?"
"Nonsense." The queen laughed. "In fact, my son should apologize for his inappropriate handling of a lady. Xavier? Isn't that why you're standing outside the door?"
There was a long silence before the door opened, and there he was - Prince Xavier with a swollen black eye. I cringed at the sight and was hiding behind Camilla before I registered it. She shook her head, but I already saw the gleaming smile on her lips which told me she was probably doing somersaults in her mind at this new development.
Xavier strolled into the room, the doors closing behind him. He was in casual clothes, which were still of the highest designer brands, the kind you'd see all the rich kids use for activewear instead of fancy formal clothing.
His hair was tousled to one side, and he wore a long-sleeved black shirt and black pants. The only thing that was out of the ordinary for him was his slippers. I stared at them far too long, because he cleared his throat to draw my attention.
"What?"
"Ducky slippers?" I couldn't hold my tongue with this one, dying to ask the question of the day. It was totally off-topic, but again, I truly couldn't help it.
"This is my house," he noted.
"Right..." I replied with a small nod. "Are those the only ones you have?"
Camilla snickered and squeezed my hand. "Sorry. Rosadette is fascinated by cute fuzzy things."
I blushed and looked away. "My apologies, Prince Xavier."
He didn't say anything until his mother coughed. I looked back at Xavier to see the scowl on his face. Even though he was angry, he still was good-looking, which was a tad irritating to admit.
His skin was smooth without a pimple in sight, and his jawline and clean-shaven face would make the girls squeal and want to lick him up.
No fighting off the imaginary girls, Rosadette. He ain't worth it, nor is that a part of your morals.
He looked right at me before he muttered, "I apologize for my behavior earlier. I could have handled things a lot better than resorting to kidnapping."
"And…" Camilla stressed, raising an eyebrow in his direction.
"And threatening to put your friend in a year-long coma."
"Best friend," I couldn't help but add the not-so-minor detail.
"Best friend," he dryly replied. "That's not the way of our people and it was an act of misjudgment. I apologize." He bowed his head slightly in what must have been the best version of repentance he could muster.
Camilla looked over at me, and I gave a slight nod of my head.
"We accept your apology," I replied. "As long as we get ducky slippers."
Everyone looked my way before the queen burst into laughter, red rose petals raining down on us out of nowhere.
"Ask and you shall receive. I will make sure the maids get ducky slippers." She grinned and looked to the king. "Shall we carry on with the explanation, or is Xavier revealing the details?"
"The details?" I questioned and looked at Xavier as he lifted his head and looked to his parents. "So I'm the bearer of bad news."
"It's not bad," the queen said with a giggle.
"Sounds bad," Camilla noted. "Especially when he says it."
"Hey," Xavier seethed.
"Prince Xavier would happily tell you of the fine details of what needs to be done. I shall go and get things prepared and let the others on the administrative council know of your enrollment, Rosadette," the king declared.
"But...you don't know if I'm going to agree," I noted.
"You will." He smiled. "I'm sure you'd like to know the answers to the piles of questions you've had about your birth and family origin, correct?"
My mouth opened, but I had no other words to say.
"Exactly." The king smirked and headed towards the doors. "I'll see you again, Rosadette. Nice to meet you, Chamomile Goldstone."
We waited until he left before Camilla whispered to me, "I...didn't tell him that."
"I know," I replied.
"Our castle walls love to listen and deliver the king information. Important facts and such. I'm sure it's important to know the names of our guests in our own castle," the queen answered. "Which reminds me. Rosadette, feel free to call me Alicia. I'll be mentoring you."
"What?!" I shrieked. "M-Mentoring? As in teaching? Wait. Mentoring what?"
Prince Xavier sighed. "Mother. Maybe I should explain the whole school thing first?"
"Right, right." His mother giggled. "Explain away. I shall sit and listen." She took a seat at the desk. Vines that carried various types of red flowers crowded around her.
We turned our attention to Prince Xavier, and he crossed his arms.
"My name is Prince Xavier. I'm sure you've already connected the dots with who my parents are and my status in this world. You are here in the Rose Kingdom, and the reason for your summoning is to inform you that you, Rosadette Campbell, are a fae."
"So another Campbell," I suggested.
His deep frown told me I wasn't getting out of this one. He carried on like I hadn't interrupted him.
"You are of fae blood. The type of fae is yet to be determined, but seeing as your chosen school was automatically Fae Rose, I can assume you are of the light."
"Light fae. So, does that mean anyone who goes to Fae Rose is of the light?" I inquired.
"Not necessarily." He avoided my gaze then, more intrigued with the red carpet beneath us then giving me a bored glare. "Both schools have a mixture of both, but the majority of Fae Rose are light fae while Shadow Fae Academy harbors most of the dark fae. The mix is due to certain abilities and traits one carries that makes them a potential to switch over to the opposite, and thus why they are taught at the opposing school. If they reach graduation, they then choose what side they want to be if they are still demonstrating both traits, but the majority of students will choose one or the other."
"Okay..." I trailed off and looked to Camilla. "Then is Camilla attending with me?"
"No," he replied. "She's attending Shadow Fae Academy,"
"I could have answered that on my own." Camilla looked unimpressed with the release of information, but my heart dropped, and I gave her a worried look.
Camilla patted my shoulder. "Relax. The schools are connected. It's not like I'm going to be worlds away from you. Plus, I heard the dorms are shared with both schools. We can try and get the same room."
"The chances of that happening are slim, seeing as Goldstone has already had her dorm assign-"
"If Rosadette wants to share a dorm with Chamomile for her first year, she most certainly can," Alicia interrupted, looking up from her nails. Her eyes were now a vivid gold compared to their once blue appearance. "If that is what you want, Rosadette, say it now so those arrangements can be made."
"I want to dorm with Chamomile Goldstone, please," I immediately responded. I must have sounded d
esperate as I squeezed Camilla's hand tightly, but I wasn't going to attend some new fae school and be stuck with a bunch of girls I knew nothing about.
My gut was telling me this wasn't going to be the average rich versus poor type of environment. The people I'd encounter here knew their heritage and the magic they carried unlike me, the human novice of a light fae.
Camilla was the only one I currently trusted with my life and sharing a dorm would at least ensure I got back from classes safely.
I hope so...
"Excellent. I'll get that worked on." Alicia snapped her fingers. It must have cued something in because the doors opened, and a maid came out, nodded in understanding, and walked right out the room - the doors closing behind her.
"Um...can I ask a question?"
Everyone's attention turned to me and I gulped, feeling a little fearful of what I had to ask.
"Are you sure what you're saying is true? I don't have magic. Nor do I look like any of you. I mean...I'm nowhere near as pretty as Camilla, let alone Your Majesty. I don't have flawless skin and I wasn’t born into richness or even middle class. I'm an orphan. I have no knowledge of my parents or anything. I'm a commoner compared to all of you. Why would it suddenly change when I've done nothing to prove myself?"
Alicia smiled, her head now resting on her hands as her elbows rested against the wooden desk.
"Rosadette. You will soon come to realize how different you are from your fellow fae. We can guarantee that you are fae. Your punch alone carried the same amount of magic as a third-year light fae student, all in three seconds."
"My punch carried magic?"
"It was why you were able to knock the prince out," Camilla answered.
Xavier gave her the death stare but didn't comment.
"Once we get you both situated, you can take a look at the school and dorms, and get a feel of what will be expected of you, Rosadette. Chamomile can come as well, seeing as the two schools are on the same property. That all comes down to whether you want to attend or not. Chamomile was already scheduled to attend Shadow Fae Academy this year. She's two years late in terms of attendance, but it's not a problem."
"Two years?" I looked to Camilla and noticed her cheeks begin to burn red. "I...received my invitation two years ago when you were sixteen. I knew if I left during that time, it would have been devastating, so I requested to hold off a year. Last year wasn't great either, so I asked for one more year, but I couldn't get any more extensions after that."
"You...did that me for me." I was moved by how much she cared for me.
"I'd destroy the world if I had to if it meant you'd be safe," Camilla whispered.
"Isn't this a lovely romance," Xavier muttered sarcastically.
We both glared at him in return, taking him off guard. He flinched and immediately composed himself. "Anyways. We need to know your answer, so we can make plans. I'm assuming you don't have any valuables in the lower world."
"Lower world?" I inquired.
"The human lands," he elaborated.
"Right," I mumbled. "Yes, I do want to go down and grab a few things. I don't have china teacups or fancy jewelry, but I have items of value that I want to bring here."
It's not like anyone else is going to miss me. Camilla's parents will know where she is and no one else in the village really cares if I just poof.
"Very well. We'll get that done now. School starts on Monday, which is two days from now. Once we gather your valuables, I'll escort you both to the dorms and you can get situated. Sunday is always considered a rest day for all the fae. I suggest you take advantage and rest, for Monday will start right at dawn."
A part of me wanted to snap back at his emphasis on valuables, but Camilla squeezed my hand - a sign for me to hush up for now.
"Fine," Camilla agreed.
Alicia clapped her hands to get our attention and rose up in one smooth movement.
"Delightful. The prime question then is: Rosadette Campbell, will you accept your invitation to attend Fae Rose Academy?"
My eyes locked onto hers, searching them to see if there was a hint of deception in her now-red eyes. She appeared as loving and kind as she did all those years ago. My instincts told me she wanted the best for me, and with whatever mentorship she'd offer me, it could potentially change my life forever.
She'll help me find my destiny.
"I, Rosadette Campbell, accept your invitation to attend Fae Rose Academy, Your Majesty."
A Ruler Needs No Respect For The Weak And A Speck Of Light
~XAVIER~
* * *
"HOW LONG?!"
I forced an eye open, my tolerance reaching its limit with this woman. Was I speaking another language? Surely, she had to know the basics of our world.
I could already hear Mother lecturing me on how my apparent destined mate had no clue about this world and what was true.
It was now my duty to aid in her transition from the human world to the world of the fae, and I was already dreading it.
To believe my dear, powerful parents were putting hope in this weak woman was leaving me in a state of worry about whether they had lost their minds in their ever-flowing love for one another. They surely couldn't wait for me to take over the throne, so they could vacation to the various universes and leave the leadership and rest of the kingdom's problems to me.
"You're literally joking right now. No, you're pulling my leg," she carried on and shook what she was currently holding: a pair of white undies.
"You have no pride, do you?" I asked, my eyes still on the cotton piece. She followed my gaze, her cheeks burning red in seconds before those flushed cheeks ballooned out and she exhibited a pout that had my heart skipping a beat.
"Hush! I...didn’t know I was holding it." She quickly hid the piece in the single carrier bag she was currently packing her valuables in. No way would I confess that she was actually cute for two seconds.
Silly females and their emotions, I thought while rolling my eyes.
My eyes lowered to the carrying piece, the poor thing so old and used that I was positive that the various lines and stitches were replaced more than once. It looked to be something handed down a few generations or used far too often. The cloth material looked like it would give out at any moment.
I wouldn't admit it, but a part of me felt sympathy for her. How could she be satisfied with this lifestyle? I'd acknowledge that she didn't have much of a choice in the matter, but was there no way out of these circumstances?
From the moment when we arrived at the little hut she called home, I’d been impressed that it didn't reek like the common stench in the town. It was difficult to remain in my disguise because most of the individuals smelled of manure, dirt, or days of alcohol.
It was hard to call upon the bits of nature within the land because of all the filth. They were doing a decent job with the crops and fields, but I'd discovered all those were owned by the rich, who paid pennies for these individuals to work all day and into the late hours of the night to weed and ensure the crops and plants grew.
My observations of this place were only adding to the primary question regarding this Rosadette girl. How did she survive living in these lands when she was fae?
Fae relied on nature to thrive. Human basics like breathing was an obvious priority, but she should have been sick all the time in these poor conditions.
We needed exposure to the sun for long periods of time within the year or we'd become unwell and feel extreme fatigue. Men weren't as reliant on the sun as women were, but we all gained our strength by grounding our feet in a few inches of soil.
Inhaling deeply and retrieving energy from nature itself helped us gain the strength and stability to tackle the day. We also trained daily to ensure that our bodies were at their peak for any type of endurance.
From the outer appearance, Rosadette looked fit enough to withstand an average sprint. She was a bit on the curvy side with her hips, but her slim waist balanced it out. If she was bathed and
dressed in proper clothing, she’d clean up rather nicely.
I once again couldn't fathom the kind of work she did to keep her fit, or how she kept her figure with the lack of food and general nutrients this place had. From the word I gathered in my disguise, most people ate once a day, unless they worked in restaurants and there were leftovers throughout the day.
It didn't look like she worked in a restaurant, but how would she sustain her figure on one little meal? The universe surely had her back if she'd survived to this point without getting gravely ill.
From the looks of her physical appearance, she may last this year's preliminaries.
But her lack of knowledge is going to embarrass her before she starts class.
"You didn't know that?" I finally answered her.
"That one day in your fairy tale world is a WEEK here?! I swear we left for what, four hours, and a whole day has passed! I didn't even celebrate my birthday."
The mention of her birthday and the flicker of disappointment in her purple eyes nudged at my guilt. I may not like her as a candidate for the position of queen, but there were certain things fae treasured the most – and celebrating one's day of birth was one of them.
"We'll be back before your birthday ends," I concluded.
She looked back at me with defiance but held her tongue. Instead, she closed the top drawer of the ancient-looking dresser to open the bottom one. She knelt down and placed her sack bag to her right side.
From where I stood, I was positive the drawer was practically empty. There wasn't enough for her to settle herself on her knees like she'd be packing for another ten minutes.
She pulled out a picture frame containing the image of two kids with beaming smiles. I could tell one of them was Rosadette due to her uniquely colored eyes, the striking purple being just as prominent in the picture from this distance. The other girl had silver eyes, which made me think of the fae witch.
My eyes caught the smile that formed on Rosadette's lips before she took one of the two t-shirts she'd packed and wrapped the frame of the picture before placing it into her bag.
She then pulled out a red book, and I immediately shivered at the sight of it.
Fae Rose Academy: Year One (For The Purely Divine Book 1) Page 9