"What's that?" I asked. It sounded like more of a demand, the tone of my voice enough to have Rosadette gaze over her shoulder to answer me.
"An empty book," she casually replied, not caring about the urgency in my voice.
"Empty?" I huffed. "That book is not empty."
"Look for yourself." She seemed unbothered. "Though, I don't think you'll be able to touch it."
"Why not?" I was up for the challenge as I took the three steps forward to be standing at her right side. My fingers couldn't even reach an inch from the bound red book before my whole body jumped like I'd just been shocked by electricity. "What the-"
"Told you," she replied calmly and opened the book to reveal the empty white pages. "Empty, and only I can touch it. Camilla has already tried."
"Where'd you get that?"
"An old lady I used to take care of as a kid gave it to me before she passed away. Said I'd have good use for it once I was older. I've kept it because the woman was one of the very few to never judge me and when she could, she always would make me extra food for the winter days when I got hungrier. It kind of made me feel special when I was younger, and seeing as it had sentimental value, I figured I'd keep it."
She placed it within the bag. "Plus, it’s water and fireproof."
"How do you know it’s fireproof?" I rolled my eyes at her. Waterproof I understood, but fireproof books were extremely difficult to create because they demanded a surplus of magic from the holder of the bound pages. If this old woman had given her the book, it could only be kept in the utmost condition by the new owner.
It was clear this book contained magic from the jolt I'd felt, but with Rosadette’s lack of magic, unless she was trying to kill me, the book should have decomposed or something along those lines.
"This is the...fifteenth time I've had to rebuild this home," she announced. My grumpy expression faded as I lowered my gaze to look at her.
"What?"
"The rich kids think it’s fun to go around this village and burn stuff. Sometimes if we're lucky they just dump water or garbage on people's homes, but I'm usually the center of attention. They pour gasoline and light it up. I've come back even during the winter to the place in a pile of ashes. The only two valuable things are that book and the frame of me and Chamomile. The picture frame only survived because Camilla's parents bought it from one of those ancient fae stores, and it protects whatever picture it hosts from all catastrophes. I knew the book was fireproof when they kept burning down my home and it survived."
I should have answered, but there was nothing I could say. The common person would show sympathy or at least apologize for bringing it up, but all I could think of was coming home to a place during the cold winter, only to find that your home of refuge was burned to the ground.
She smiled, leaving me baffled as she carried on, "It's not a big deal. During the winters, I'd walk around or stay near the bars and try to find a warm corner. It really depended on the day since weekends were a little dangerous with all the drunk adults at the bar, so I'd sleep in the forest. They did it a couple of times and got bored. It's the only reason why I only have two sets of clothes now. What's the point of being given nice things from Camilla, only for them to be burned to ashes?"
"The clothes in your bag are all you own?"
My voice was low and emotionless. I was angry that she'd dealt with that. The fae were beautiful creatures on the outside, but you never knew what they were like as people.
I knew that I was a jerk half the time and that I carried a level of intelligence and knowledge others of my age didn't reach, but I could admit it, even with the type of fae I was. Others, whether of light or darkness, either lived to the element of good or evil or deceived the world by playing one part but being the other.
"Yup." She worked on the malfunctioning zipper of the bag until the metal part came off. The two of us were silent before she gave me a sheepish smile and nervously giggled. "This thing is a tad old."
She closed the drawer and rose up, hanging the bag on her shoulder and looking around the room.
"Hopefully you'll be standing when I come back." She spoke out loud, like the building was alive. "Thank you for protecting me."
Her respect for this building made me speak out of ignorance, "Are you not afraid of appearing like a weakling?"
She slowly turned to face me, her expression calm like I hadn't technically insulted her.
"What makes me weak?" she questioned back. "Aside from the fact that I'm human, have no magic, and lived as scum in the lower lands."
I held back at repeating exactly what she'd stated.
"Why do you have no respect for the weak?" she asked.
"Why should I?" I countered. "The weak can do nothing for a ruler. They can't fight in battles or advise me in leadership. Weaklings are merely burdens and slow us, the strong individuals, down."
I looked to the door and slipped my hands in my pockets.
"One who rules does not need a weak queen by his side. Nor does he need a weak advisor or army. Being weak is nothing but a curse, and my only worry at this point is that you'll fall right into the trap set for you by the very people you've been excluded from."
"What do you mean by trap?"
With a heavy sigh, I looked back at her, deciding to give her some advice.
"You're weak, Rosadette. I won't bother wasting my time boring you with all the flaws you carry. Your outlook, your upbringing, but most importantly, the lack or absence of magic is what will make you fall so fast at Fae Rose Academy, you'll wish you never left this hut of a home."
"You don't think I can last?"
"Last? The fae do not babysit, Rosadette. You may have been blessed with a fae witch best friend who put up with your human tendencies, but true fae in an academy environment do not have the time for that. The moment you walk onto the grounds, they will work together to isolate you. Maybe in your mind, you believe that this will be the break you're looking for and you'll enter a world where they all want good for you. Be warned, that's not the case. These individuals will despise you. They'll believe that you skipped a few steps to be able to enter Fae Rose Academy, versus the long, hard years they spent to even get an invitation. They will strike you down at your lowest, and trust me, they will laugh. They will rejoice in your failures, and you will be left alone to mourn your lost pride. When that happens, there's no rising up from it, so I might as well warn you before you leave the safety of your home."
I made my way to the door. "Fae Rose Academy isn't a few minutes away. It's universes away. We make it seem easy by opening a portal that takes you there in seconds. Once you start class, there is no snapping your fingers and coming back to this lifestyle. This is your chance to accept a new path or remain in what you are comfortable with."
Pulling my hands out of my pockets, I ruffled my hair and took a long breath.
"I can at least give you that much. Don't say I didn't warn you."
"As a future ruler, you should change your mindset."
Her stern response caught my interest, and I looked back to see her fixed expression. She didn't seem mad, but I wasn't sure how to read her expression.
"The reason why some people become strong is that they were so weak at some point in their lives and they vowed to gain strength. They worked towards getting better at what they lacked, and in return, those efforts awarded them the strength they needed to become strong. Humans may be on the bottom of the race train for many of you fae, but if we were so useless, I'm sure the universe would have gotten rid of us by now. We coexist because we all have a purpose, including me, the weakling who has two sets of outfits to her name."
She walked closer until we were facing one another, and I looked into her stunning purple eyes, noticing the slight glow of silver in them as she whispered, "I heed your warning and I'll tackle it when the time comes. However, one thing you'll learn rather quickly about me is that I'm stubborn and I hate giving up. Push me to the ground. Spit on me and mock my
efforts. Steal or burn everything I own or shatter my pride and motivation. I've dealt with a lot in my short, boring life, but one thing I'll never be is a quitter. I'll fall. I'll struggle to get on my feet, and I will shed tears of frustration, but I will always rise back up, and no matter my struggles, the universe has always had my back. To you I am weak, but I know within myself that I will prove to you and anyone else that I am strong. It may be a different type of strength than your common analysis of magic and status, but I'll make sure the world sees me rise and acknowledges the newfound strength they do their best to overlook and belittle."
There was a knock on the door, and we both moved our heads in that direction to see Camilla with a silver and red suitcase.
"Ready to go?"
"Yup!" Rosadette was back to her cheerful self and skipped over to Camilla, who gave me a long look. She then returned her silver eyes to Rosadette and grinned in approval.
"Got all your sentimental objects?"
"Frame. Check. Zapping book. Check!"
"Ugh. Get that book away from me. Last time it made my hair remain frizzy for hours."
"You still looked hot though." Rosadette winked.
"Thankfully," Camilla sighed. "Let's go outside."
The two of them left me where I was, and I viewed the tiny home one more time as Mother's words came to my head.
"A queen does not need to place her emotions to the side to rule. This is your chance to claim someone who has no knowledge of our world. She may have heard the rumors or read the legends, but she is new to our kind. When she saw you in that drunken state of misery, she did not discard you. She could have dismissed you like the low scum of those around her had. She could have mocked you with her words or insulted you for being incoherent and intoxicated. She warned you to watch for the elders, not knowing you'd already encountered them and dealt with their ridicule. If you are going to be a fool and not acknowledge why she clearly passed the test, then do not shed tears when you lose the opportunity to find another like her."
I walked further into the room until I stood next to the folded blanket that was on the floor.
"She sleeps on the floor, barely has clothes to wear, is treated poorly by those who she thought were her own kind, and she still carries strength with her words..."
It angered me, just how strong this woman was. It upset me because, for a brief moment, I had to admit that she had potential in some way and she didn't need to use a single spell to prove herself.
Closing my eyes, I pushed away from the memories that tried to resurface - the laughter of my fellow peers and the loneliness I felt in the walls of the castle.
"A ruler. Respect for the weak...hmph."
Will she be the light our kingdom needs?
~ROSADETTE~
* * *
"Chamomile Goldstone. This is NOT a dorm. This is a damn mansion!" I shrieked and didn't dare touch a single thing in sight.
Camilla, on the other hand, was making herself right at home - already unpacking her bags on her side of the massive room.
"Dorm. Mansion. Same thing. At least we get to share a room."
"This is an entire floor," I emphasized.
"That's a room for rich people." She winked. I gawked at her before I looked around once more to the place I was going to be staying in for the next four fae years. I wasn't going to calculate how many years that would be in human years.
Thinking about it made me realize that whenever I went back to the human world, most of the adults I knew in our village would have passed on. The thought made me a little emotional, even though those same people treated me horribly most of the time.
At least they sheltered and fed me when they could.
I always had to make things positive, and this wasn't any different.
The dorm room we'd been escorted to upon our arrival was massive. It was a four-story house with a garden, swimming pool, theatre house, and a bunch of other things I'd never known existed.
One of the rooms that stood out was a training room that led to a variety of rooms, depending on your magic needs. It was used to help fae work on their weaknesses first versus what they were already good at.
I'm sure it was something I'd have to use, seeing as I knew nothing about the depth of this world until yesterday - or a week ago in human time.
We were stationed on the fourth floor, which included a large balcony with tea tables, seats, and our own fine china sets. It was amazing to see all that was being given to students.
We each had envelopes that were proof of our official invitations, and we'd be provided school bags that could be proofed to any element.
That only made me wonder why they needed to be proofed. I'd never really experienced what a typical school was like, but I'm sure there were bits of bullying and competition. It could have been that very reason, but until I experienced it myself, I wouldn't know.
What I truly worried about was not reaching their standards. I wasn't the prettiest, nor did I have the magic usually needed for a school like this, but I wanted to prove myself so bad.
To show Xavier and all those who doubted my perseverance that maybe deep down there was something powerful inside of me.
A raw source of specialness that could ignite with the proper training and consistency.
"If you're blown away by this, my friend, you're going to be stunned when you venture deeper into this world." Camilla smiled. "I'm gonna go check out if we have a sauna. A bonus would be a nice hot spring. Outdoor and indoor. The options."
I watched her waltz right out, clearly in her own world of happiness. She was blending in so well, and her excitement had me wondering if I should be just as thrilled to be here.
Currently, I was trying to grasp everything that was going on, not to mention how I got here, to begin with.
At least Xavier isn't necessarily angry with me.
Or maybe he was and was hiding it with his usual scowling expression.
Peering at the special blank book, I reached for it and stared at the beautifully designed cover.
"Should keep this in my bag. No one can touch it, but that theory has so far only applied to two people. Who knows if someone else can hold it like I can," I mumbled to myself.
After carefully placing it into the bag, I unpacked the few belongings I had and stared at their wretched appearance against the magnificent, rich fabric of my new bed.
This isn't going to do...
The thought of going in these rags to start this new life was giving me anxiety. I should have embraced my background and the hardships that came with it, but these clothes would make me a laughing stock for the entire four years of school.
I wasn't yet sure if we'd be given uniforms of some kind, and I couldn't hope for that easy outcome.
I can't keep borrowing from Camilla, either. I don't have money to buy anything here. I'm sure they don't go by the standard dollar bills or even gold currency. What am I going to do?
A heavy sigh left my lips as I picked up the pile of my clothes and headed to the closet.
Walk-in closet.
Opening it easily, I searched for the lights.
"There has to be a switch like the one Camilla's mother has. Or maybe it's voice command like Camilla's," I voiced before whispering, "Lights on?"
The lights gradually turned on, going from a warm dim glow to a fluorescent white. My eyes widened as I took in the massive room.
It wasn't its gorgeous interior design of cabinets, crystal clear hangers, or the beautiful chandelier that hung down in the middle of the hallway that took my breath away.
What left me speechless was how full it was.
Various clothes including pajamas, athletic wear, and various uniforms hung along the walls, all of it in color coordination. There was even a drawer of lingerie, sectioned by material and style.
I hadn't realized my six pieces of folded clothes had dropped to the floor, and I'd walked halfway into the masterpiece so I could take in the fine details of everyt
hing.
A single card laid on the mini island below the chandelier, the single word, Rosadette, written in the finest handwriting in black ink.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I reached for it with trembling hands and pulled out the birthday card hidden within the red, shiny, paper envelope.
Opening it up, I read the handwritten words.
"Rosadette. Welcome to Fae Rose Academy. Though we've clearly started off on the wrong foot, and I truly hate your lack of magic and class..." I trailed off, feeling a little annoyed with the beginning of this apparent letter.
Shaking it off, I carried on, "I also must apologize for my actions. If my parents see potential in you, I'll have to go along with their wishes. However...the day of one's birth is taken very seriously in these lands, and you should always celebrate the day you were given life. I know nothing of your circumstances, but I would be a foolish man to not give you something of value after you've quietly come to our world to find the truth of what you are - if you are more than just a human. Clothes are essential in this world and seeing as you were given no opportunity to purchase some of your own, I have taken the liberty to get a few items that will hopefully fit your taste. Rest and best wishes as you start school. Don't annoy me. Xavier Rose."
A droplet of water hit the paper, right below Xavier's name. Another fell, followed by another, until I was quietly sobbing and hugging the envelope like it meant the world to me.
We may have started off on the wrong foot, and I'm sure he still hated my guts like he clearly stated in the letter, but the action of gifting me with a filled walk-in closet of clothing that could last me the entire four years here was too much.
I was in awe of the effort he took to pen a letter when he was still recovering from my knockout punch. He didn't need to do any of this.
Yet I was so thankful that he did.
"Thank you, Xavier," I whispered, hoping that in some way, my gratefulness would drift through the air and reach his years. "Thank you so much."
Entering this land was a scary experience, and I wasn't sure where I'd end up. However, this proved that there was a bit of light shining through my dark world.
Fae Rose Academy: Year One (For The Purely Divine Book 1) Page 10