“Just look at how he walks,” Jilia said, eying the boy almost suspiciously, disgusted. “Acts like he’s everything, that’s for sure. And I bet he’s no good at anything, like most of those cocky boys.”
“Oh! See his fists? They’re all balled up, like…like he’s about to punch something,” Kelessa said, giggling, watching the form rounding the castle corner.
“It’s not funny!” Jilia said sourly. “This boy is going to be our brother, for pity sakes! He has a horrible attitude. He didn't even respond to Mother when she said 'hello' to him! And the whole time at the breakfast table, this morning, he looked like he was about to blow up! All those disgusting, disgusting, manners...I don’t think I’ll be able to deal with him any longer. Mother only tolerates him for Lien. Lien has to go.”
“Well, at least you’ll be sent off to Fighting School,” Anneliese whispered, grinning. “You’ll probably be sent off with Astianna, since Mother said that you’re good enough to skip a whole year! I'll be stuck with them all for four more years.” Kelessa nodded.
“Yes, yes, you’ll skip one whole year! And the entrance tests start very soon, I think…I think they’re in…” Kelessa paused.
“There’s no particular date for the tests,” A voice said.
The girls turned around. “Astianna. What are you doing here?”
“Going…somewhere.”
Asti was wearing dark brown pants, tucked into leather boots, and a plain white long sleeve on top. Her brown hair was pulled back in a sloppy ponytail that was hanging precariously on the top right part of her head.
“Is Asti going to swordfight?” Anneliese’s eyes widened. “Asti, make sure to not hurt yourself.”
Kelessa and Jilia just stared at her, gawking. Something was obviously going on. Or, their older sister had gone completely crazy.
“Sisters, please don’t stare at me like that,” Asti said, hiding her knapsack carrying her scrolls and robe behind her back. “Can’t I get some more practice? I don’t want to have a horrible time in Fighting School, do I?” She smiled.
“Cheery today, aren’t you?” Jilia pretended to glance at a watch on her wrist. “Isn’t it time for you to be yelling at us? And I didn't think you'd be so cheery after how that nice conversation with your-brother-to-be last night.”
They're always listening. Asti sighed. She had seen the kid again that morning, trying to avoid breakfast, still with that same cold demeanor. “Mr. Moody? Admit it, you don't like him either. Anyways, that is no matter, and he won't wreck my day! I have things to do.” She laughed.
“Hm. Well, have fun, sister!” Kelessa said. “Remember to always keep your sword in your hand. It doesn’t work if it’s on the ground.” She glanced at Jilia and Anneliese to see if her joke was a success. It wasn’t. She frowned.
“Haha. Yeah, whatever.” Asti rolled her eyes, scuffing her feet on the dirt path. She gazed up at the cloudy sky, then at the steel gray castle, its sword-fighting stadium, then at the body of water beyond it, the Jerome River. Jerr should be over there. I’ll take the slower route through the stadium, then I’ll go through the castle and come out on the eastern side, by the river. Ugh, why do my sisters always get in the way?
She turned, leaving, a skip in her step. Jilia’s eyes narrowed at the knapsack dangling in Asti’s right hand, snorting. “Where are you going with that knapsack? What do you have in it?”
Gulp.
Jilia walked over to her sister, whose back was still facing her. Asti clutched the knapsack to her chest protectively, body rigid.
“You don’t want to get in trouble, sister. Are you stealing? Do I have to get one of the castle guards to check?”
“Me? STEALING?” Incredulous.
Nod. “You look very mischievous, sister.”
Blink.
Blink.
Shuffle-shuffle.
Jilia grabbed the sack.
“NO!” Asti squealed. “This isn’t fair! What have I ever done to you? Can you not give me any privacy?”
“If you had a sword in this sack, or something like that, you wouldn’t be so protective,” Jilia snapped. “I know that. You stole something, and you’re trying to get away with it. You didn’t deny me.”
“I’m denying you NOW.” Asti yelled, frantically tugging on the end of the knapsack. More shrieks of laughter and excitement erupted from the other younger two, who were clapping their hands, cheering. GET IT! GET IT! GET IT! “I did NOT steal ANYTHING!” She’s so much stronger than me. I need to do something. What about magic? YES. What spells…any spells…I need Jerr…If she gets the sack, if she gets the sack, everyone will know, and, and I’ll be DOOMED…
And Jilia snatched the sack away from her hands, ignoring the laughter. “Look inside, Jilia! Hurry!”
...NO!
A ball of light shot out of Astianna’s hands.
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“Astianna.” His voice was harsh. Rough. Cold. “Don’t you have better common sense? You could have told them something, like-”
“Jerr, they were just my instincts, and I…I…” Asti muttered. “I didn’t think.”
“I will not be happy to lie like that for you on a regular basis,” Jerr said. “And I will not be around much longer, I am afraid. I am only staying here presently for the…wedding. But, all the same, I shall be extremely busy.”
“Aren’t there any mind-erase spells or something?” Asti said, dipping her feet into the cool river water.
He ruffled her hair lovingly. “No. Magic can’t do everything, obviously. And why do you ask; are you borrowing trouble, little sister?”
“No,” she grunted, straightening out her hair, then frowned. “What if they really don’t believe you? What if they don’t believe that it wasn’t really me who did it and that it was you, or whatever you said?”
“No, I think they believe me. They trust me.” Regret settled on his face. “Sadly, I am, even if they don’t know, I am breaking their trust. So I am not willing to lie for you anymore. They are my sisters also, and I love them too.”
“Hmph.” How could you love people like them? Her arms curled around her legs, head perched, tilted, on her knees, eyes staring at the reflection on the water. The time would come for her to go to a School. Not a School of her choice. Her mother would pick, and her mother would get what she wanted. I’ll be stuck in Fighting School for the rest of my life. I’ll never pass any of the tests, I’ll fail every course, and I’ll have a horrible life there. The girls will probably tease me even more than my sisters do. But...what can I do? If it's fate, it's fate. And there's no changing it, especially when the Queen is involved.
Right now I'm in more of the mood to review work.