This was perfect.
The woman I thought would do nothing but drag me down was now exactly what I needed. It would take some warming up and a few words of praise, but she was actually a good match to be my queen. There would still be many areas to fix, like her attitude and need to talk back, but those were little things. I wouldn't let those stop me from now claiming her, especially with her rose in the depths of our family's chambers.
My frown deepened when she squeezed his hand back, and they began to exchange words before she giggled and hugged him.
The affection they were displaying had me up, but I couldn't do what I was ready to do when Ella came out of nowhere, stomping towards the couple.
Everyone's attention moved to her and her other three groupies that followed, the four of them looking like a complete mess from the wind that messed up their once-perfect hairstyles.
"R-Rosedart! What are you doing here?!" Ella stuttered, pointing her finger accusingly at Rosadette, who simply stared back at her. "L-Look what you did to our hair! Blowing all of us away with your little fancy tricks! Did Prince Rainer help you out back there just to make a grand entrance?"
The other girls nervously giggled, but they shuffled back a bit, clearly afraid. Ella stood her ground, putting her hands on her hips and attempting to hide how shook up she was.
"If you're trying to act like a threat, don't bother. We all know Prince Rainer did all of that. You're just a pathetic human. To think you actually had the guts to come here in our second semester. We were handling everything just fine."
I expected Prince Rainer to jump in and speak on her behalf, but Rosadette took two confident steps forward until she was right in Ella's face.
No one dared to move as Rosadette looked from one side to the other, waiting for someone to interfere before she looked straight into Ella's eyes.
"I'm here because I'm an official student of Fae Rose Academy. As for your hair, I think being alive and breathing is far more important than attempting to look attractive."
Ella gawked at her as her face grew red in anger.
"Y-You can't talk-"
"The next time you question why I'm here, I'll burn every strand on that little head of yours." Rosadette narrowed her eyes in defiance, and as if her magic reacted to her words, sparks of flames burst around her, getting caught on Ella's frizzy strands.
"AH!" Ella screamed, beginning to step back before falling on her ass. She then began to pat her hair to put out the flames, which did nothing but get caught on her clothes.
Start the screaming theatrics.
"I'm on FIRE!" she shrieked, trying to put the flames out. We all just watched, and I noticed Esmeralda smirking in clear amusement as Ella's friends crowded around her.
"Put it out!" Ella screamed.
"Um...what was the spell for water again?" Bella asked.
"I don't know! I forgot to review," Emily tried to reason.
"Just roll!" Monica encouraged.
Esmeralda began to walk forward, drawing Rosadette's attention over to her. With a snap of her fingers, a flood of water dumped on the four girls.
They spluttered and coughed as Esmeralda walked up to Rosadette, stopping in front of her.
I could see the tension oozing off of Prince Rainer, leaving me in a happier mood. I hoped Esmeralda would have a better way of dismissing what had occurred.
"I can tell Prince Rainer wasn't the one who used those flames," she noted. "I did date him, after all."
Rosadette frowned, arching an eyebrow intriguingly back at her but not commenting about it. I might as well rejoice in my head, feeling as though Prince Rainer decided to keep that a secret from her.
Perfect. I still have a chance!
"I know." Rosadette casually shrugged. Her response made my previous happiness sink into oblivion.
What? He told her?!
Esmeralda didn't say anything, but she crossed her arms. When she didn't say anything, I began to make my way to her side, ready to interfere if I needed to.
When I reached her, I wasn't expecting to see Esmeralda's grin.
"Don't let what I'm about to say inflate that human head of yours," she began, her smile growing as she increased the volume of her voice for everyone else to hear. "You didn't have to save me back there. Neither did you have to save any of us in this courtyard. As fae, we've learned to defend ourselves, but as students, we get too caught up in our pride to admit we need assistance."
She side-eyed me, her eyes narrowing at me as she made sure I saw the anger burning in those irises of hers.
"However. Regardless of how many of us rejected you at the beginning of the school year, you came out of nowhere and didn't second guess the desire to protect us. I'm not foolish or petty enough to ignore bravery when it hits me in the face." She returned her eyes to Rosadette and nodded once.
"Rosadette Campbell, was it?"
Rosadette nodded, raising her head slightly in pure confidence.
"Esmeralda Liveria. Thanks for having my back when those I was willing to protect didn't have mine." She said her words loud in clear, side-glancing at me once again before she turned and began to walk away.
I looked back at Rosadette, our eyes locking once more. I masked my expression, not wanting to reveal how upset I was with Esmeralda's behavior. How dare she mock me like that, especially in public like this?
Prince Rainer reached for Rosadette's hand, pulling her attention from my gaze.
"I’ve got a feeling we'll find out what just happened at the assembly. Let's get going," he encouraged, smiling sweetly at her.
She beamed at his expression, a smile resonating on her face and lighting up the aura that danced around her.
It was mind blowing how different she was.
She didn't even look my way as they moved away and began to head towards where Esmeralda had gone. They were stopped by a group of students.
I felt they would come to my aid, at least praise me for trying to aid them in leadership, but they all began to bow down, one by one, until the remaining field was filled with bowing fae.
Esmeralda had paused just at the border of the courtyard, watching in shock at the sight, but as my eyes looked out for her, she grinned in satisfaction at my clear disbelief.
The feeling of betrayal hit me hard, especially at the sight of my people kneeling down for a woman who didn't deserve their obedience.
"Thank you," a male firmly announced, triggering the wave of gratefulness from the other students as they voiced their thanks and praise.
When the courtyard grew silent once more, a soft applause caught our attention, everyone moving their gaze to the source.
"Your Majesty?" a few students gasped, as many bowed their heads to the floor as my mother revealed herself from the shadows, wearing another sparkly red dress from her mass collection. Her hair was up and two female guards were at her side as she approached us.
The other students seemed to move and position themselves so a path led straight to Prince Rainer and Rosadette, and she took advantage of it, walking until she stopped before them.
She looked extremely pleased, glancing around the courtyard and bobbing her head as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"What just occurred was obviously a simple test. You never know when an enemy will rise from the shadows and attack our kingdom or other lands. You can have your differences. You may even hate one another for whatever reason. However, when something as precious as life is at risk, you let go of your differences in power, rank, and status, and strive for the ultimate goal of survival. Not for merely yourself, but your fellow allies who are willing to sacrifice themselves in your stead."
Her gaze turned over to me, and I knew I'd surely be getting a lecture when we had dinner tonight.
"Rosadette and Prince Rainer proved exactly that in this entrance challenge. The courtyard was the last place where I initiated the shadows you fought. Not only did they clear those out with grace and control, but they were also one of
the few who went throughout the school to aid those who were helpless to the attack. Obviously our campus is big, and yet they didn't hesitate to work together with a few other random partners and set out to accompany those whose safety was at risk."
She returned her gaze to the two individuals in question, a smile gracing her lips.
"Congrats, Prince Rainer and Rosadette. You each will receive a special lesson from me and will be gifted a weapon that will aid you through your years at Fae Rose Academy. Thank you for protecting your own and reminding us that regardless of light and darkness, we should all strive to protect our own fae for the greater good of our race."
Many began to cheer, and Prince Rainer gestured to Rosadette, emphasizing her contribution with his hand gestures.
I couldn't stand there and participate in the praise, so I turned around and headed out of the courtyard before I used a spell to teleport back to the castle. I was fuming, feeling my blood boil in anger at falling into another one of Mother's silly traps.
It was like she wasn't on my side at all, and it was as frustrating as the feeling of betrayal that continued to settle into my veins. Heading to the secret room, I waited for the bookshelf to close before heading down the path.
Regardless of what had happened, I wouldn't be deemed a loser just yet. I still had a chance at winning whatever game my parents were playing around with me, and I wasn't going to lose Rosadette to that fake, two-faced prince.
Reaching the steps of the platform, my eyes widened as the first petal fell from the rose I'd been ready to admire. The petal lowered to the solid surface of the platform that held it, and even the glow of the rose seemed weaker.
I'm...losing?
My heart picked up, and I moved closer to peer into the glass.
"I can't lose," I whispered to myself, feeling determined to get what I wanted. "If she's destined to be my queen, then I'll just have to play the hard way of getting her heart. A little acting will be enough. She's still my partner. Prince Rainer won't have her, and when she finds out the rest of the truth, she'll ditch him and return to my side.”
Where she belongs.
This was merely a test, and I wasn't going to cower in fear over a woman. She may have proven herself today with a measly test, but we still had another semester to get through.
Four months would be all I needed to wrap her around my finger like I had the first time and prove my interest in her. Surely the rose would then heal itself, and I'd be blessed with a powerful ally. Power is key, and I'd make sure to obtain what was truly mine.
I won't sit and watch this wilting rose. Rosadette will be mine.
Raging Jealousy Between Light And Dark
~ROSADETTE~
* * *
"Today was awesome!" I squealed, skipping around my room in delight.
"You're extremely happy," Rain declared, sitting on my bed in his set of gold pajamas.
After the major test that happened this morning, the rest of the school day went by like a breeze. The word of what happened, and the praise students were sharing with everyone, swarmed so fast, the whole school knew about it by sundown.
Someone even had the courage to take a picture while holding onto Esmeralda's vines, and now it was circulating through the fae blogs. I still didn't really know how their whole online communication worked since it wasn't something I myself used on earth, but Camilla gave me a quick glance of it on her phone and it was again nothing but praise and admiration.
I'd proven myself and now I could walk with my head up high and not down in shame for being born in a different world.
Or dumped. Who really knows.
I continued to dance around the room in my pajamas, unable to stop myself after an enlightening school day.
Aside from the hype of my arrival and confrontation with the queen's test, the classes were unique and fascinating to me. In terms of most enjoyable, I really liked Floral Manipulation. It was one of the classes the queen herself was teaching, and it did not disappoint.
In the coming weeks, we'd be given a specific flower to study and be taught how to enhance its power through magic.
To a few students, the class seemed more nature magic focused, but the queen emphasized that the techniques she taught could be used to amplify any type of magic, whether elemental or one that uses Mother Nature's essence itself.
I didn't have many expectations or set standards for what would come from each class, and I think it was a good thing because it kept it exciting, like a surprise waiting to happen with each class I attended.
After school, we'd gone to privately talk to the queen, scheduling our weapon-choosing session for the middle of the semester because she wanted us to solely focus on the classes and material being provided.
The second half of the semester would prepare us for our written exams and wouldn't require us to have weapons if we were tested magic-wise.
Regardless, I was embracing this moment to its fullest, like watching the rainbow bless the skies after a thunderous rainstorm.
Who knew the events that left me defeated would prepare me for a comeback like this? Maybe that was why heroes in fairy tales had many backlashes. They may have been kicked down, but they always ended up victorious at the end.
"Sweet Rose." Rain caught my attention as I was midway through shaking my hips. I paused and looked at him innocently.
"Yes?"
He patted the spot next to him on the bed. "Come sit for a second."
"Hmm." I narrowed my eyes at him while pouting my lip. "If this means we have to talk, let's do it tomorrow."
He chuckled, his knowledgeable eyes dancing with amusement. "Nothing serious, I think." His wink and playful grin were enough to encourage me to skip over to the bed and sit down.
"What do you wanna talk about?" I inquired.
My gut had a feeling where this was going, but I didn't want to really talk about it.
"I have a feeling you don't want to talk about it," he hummed quietly, turning his head to the side to meet my gaze.
"Were you ever going to tell me?" I inquired, getting right to the point.
When Esmeralda brought up the fact that she'd previously dated Rain, I'd boldly replied that I already knew, which deep down, I had, due to the whispers of gossip that always seemed to seep into my ears when I'd go and grab a snack of sorts. It didn’t help that the four troublesome girls in our dorm purposely talked louder upon my arrival.
Again and again, for a good two months prior to this day, their emphasis on Esmeralda and Rain's previous relationship was the thorn that kept pricking at my mind, but I'd ignored it altogether because I had bigger worries to focus on.
I never expected for Rain to actually want to court me, and I'd honestly forgotten about Esmeralda until our confrontation today.
Her acknowledgment of my growth was well received, which was maybe why everyone else went along with it and were now giving me the respect I deserved. But it didn't erase the fact Rain hadn't told me himself.
"Yes," he solemnly replied.
We were silent once again, but the emotions swarming around us were intense. He knew I wasn't angry, and deep down, I honestly wasn't. His past relationships weren't really my business, and it wasn't like he showed any interest in her now, but I guess with Esmeralda being in the same year as us, the buzz around the school was a tad annoying.
They didn't even know we were courting yet.
"Were you waiting on timing?" I asked.
"Not necessarily," he voiced and looked away to stare at the ceiling. "At first, I wanted to tell you yesterday, but I didn't want to sour the day. We had a blast and you were already stressed about today. Bringing up Esmeralda would be a little disrespectful. I was going to tell you...well, tonight, seeing as we're going to have to be around our partners starting tomorrow."
"You're with Esmeralda?"
"Sadly." His frown was deep as he looked back at me. "When I asked Alicia for a change, she laughed at me for two minutes straight."
Alicia's humor in our challenges and discomfort was so common to us now after four months of being trained by her, it didn't seem worth asking for her assistance in anything that bothered us.
Her wisdom was beyond us, and we knew she'd set challenges up so we'd learn from them, but it didn't mean it wasn't any less of a pain in the ass.
At least her laughter is somewhat contagious.
"Are you mad?"
I shrugged. "I feel like I should be, but I'm not."
"Sorry." He reached out for my hand, lifting it up so he could press it against his soft lips. "You know I had no intention of hurting you. I just knew the timing wasn't right."
"You're forgiven." I gave him small smile. "She's not a threat to me. Guess I proved myself by stopping that shadow thingy from attacking her when she was trying to protect others."
"That was actually unexpected," Rain noted.
"What do you mean? Me saving her?"
"No." Rain shook his head. "Esmeralda isn't the type to help others. I could see her helping Xavier, but making walls of vines as a grip for students to hang onto when the wind picked up? She's normally not generous like that."
"New leaf?"
"No." Rain was deep in thought. "I felt she did it on purpose."
"She was good on purpose?" I frowned at his statement, trying to see why she wouldn't help out. "What reason would she have to help others if it wasn't out of goodness?"
"She was testing Xavier."
"Huh?" Now I was confused.
"Esmeralda is a tricky character, and I only learned that by dating her." He lifted my hand into his lap, using his other hand to begin massaging my palm while he peered down at the back of my hand. "She doesn't trust easily, so she bounces off different personalities and behavioral patterns to see if you'll notice. I don't blame her for her lack of trust. I kinda screwed that up maybe, but what she did today was to see if Xavier considered her worthy."
"Worthy," I mumbled before recapping what he'd said. "How did you screw up her trust?"
Fae Rose Academy: Year One (For The Purely Divine Book 1) Page 21