Natasha A week passed by in a hurry. I entered my room one night, hoping to get some rest before the dinner party which was scheduled to start in a few hours’ time. It was dark outside and dusk had settled, ushering the cold wind flowing from the southern coast. The moonlight was as bright as day and the crickets and otherworldly animals made different sounds, harmoniously playing nature’s music. I heard the sounds of laughter, prompting me to look out the window of my room. I saw a few guys laughing downstairs as they arranged some stuff that we’d be using for the party. The school was going to be having a dinner party with our rival school, Dam Academy. And like Sir Aaron had told me, it was an annual tradition. I sighed and quickly went into the bathroom to freshen up, which made me relax a little. Nothing felt better than warm water splashing on your skin in the slightly cold weather. Once I finished, I donned my pajamas and was about to take my sleeping draught out of hab
Natasha The ballroom was like yin and yang, but with a color theme of black and beige. I walked in nervous, unsure of what to expect, as the warning from my principal lingered in my head. Students of the Dark Realm Royal Academy were dressed in black, while our rivals wore beige, giving the hall a striking aesthetic. I settled into a quiet spot, looking around, aware that this spot was part of the party ground but not where everyone wanted to be. Barely anybody could see me, but I could see everyone. Nobody really wanted to see me anyways, as the party was more like a crowd of strangers waiting for the arrival of their bus at the bus stop. They barely smiled at each other, and when they passed by each other, it was either a sudden COVID-safe distance practice or a shove by the shoulder to start trouble. It started to seem like there was unity when the principal of the rival academy walked in. All heads started to turn towards the same direction. Barely interested in the speech, I s
Kai Fury burned in my eyes as I glared at Tristan, my fist clenched and ready to strike. But just as I was about to pounce, Natasha stepped in between us, her emerald eyes blazing with a fire I hadn't seen before. “Don’t even think about it,” she said. “Or you'll have me to contend with.” My anger faltered, my mind racing with the complexities of our rivalry. How could she not see? Tristan was playing her, weaving a web of charm to mask his true intentions. But explaining the history between us, the depth of our rivalry, felt impossible in this charged moment. My brother, on the other hand, seemed to revel in the tension. Natasha's words stung. How could the princess of a kingdom be so naive? Was she so easily swayed by a stranger's charm that she dismissed my actions out of hand? “It is my duty to take care of new students. Don't think much into this.”I countered, frustration edging into my voice. “You have no idea who this guy is, Natasha.” “Then tell me who the fuck he i
Thirty minutes ago. Natasha My feet pounded against the polished floor, the thud echoing in the empty hallway. Every muscle in my body tensed with the memory of Kai's unnecessarily angry face and his infuriating secrecy. The way he'd tried to control me, just like back then… Worse still, I hadn't even forgiven him for the underground room’s incident. The measly fire he'd conjured. It was a fear tied to the darkness of the past, the memory of a thousand tiny tortures that still made my blood run hot. I couldn't believe I had ever trusted him. The fear I felt during the punishment wasn't just because of the flames. It was more complicated than that. Lost in my rage, I didn't see the hulking figure stagger out from the shadows until it was almost too late. It towered over me, its eyes burning with a malevolent fire. My breath caught in my throat. Consumed by anger, I was ready to take on anyone or anything. I posed for a fight, my fists clenched and my heart
Kai Anger coursed through my blood. I felt all my muscles tense up while observing Natasha angrily leave the room, her rebellion feeling like a direct insult. My eyes quickly shifted to Xavier then back to her. I felt frustrated as I trailed behind her along the hallway. Every bend and curve she navigated ignited the flame in my belly. What was preventing her from simply hearing? Watching her forcefully close the dormitory door caused a new surge of annoyance to wash over me. Without hesitation, I stormed in, causing the doorknob to rattle in protest. She stood in the middle of the room, showing defiance and anger. Her eyes reflected my rage, although for completely different purposes. “What do you believe you are doing?” She hissed, her voice dripping with spite. I didn't answer her question, walking confidently towards her until we were just a few inches away. For a brief moment, her act of resistance weakened, as a hint of fear appeared in her eyes, leaving me unable to inte
Natasha Days passed by quickly. I was gradually easing into the environment despite the weirdness of certain things. Sir Aaron was my new buddy if I were to give our friendship a tag. He was one of the very few people that hanging around felt natural. He was easy to talk to and be around and despite how subtle our friendship was, we didn't escape the claws and grips of girls who went out of their ways to craft lies and spread dirty rumors about what the both of us did together. “Pay them no heed,” He had said one morning and patted my head in a manner he must have thought endearing but it only ruined my hair even further. I wanted to ignore them, or at least tried to ignore the rumors for as long as possible until the one that actually broke the camel's back sprung forth. They went as far as saying I was dating Sir Aaron and possibly getting down ‘on my knees’ to maintain his attention. The fuck-? It wasn't until the stupid rumor was forcefully toned down, did I have the coura
Xavier The Court was filled with students as far as my eyes could see. I stood in front of them all, with my hands behind my back in a stance. I watched them spar, as they used their hands to make swords and spears, all of them casting one spell or the other, and filling the air with groans. I was slightly impressed but still skeptical. They were talented, but it seemed that was all they were. They lacked control. The character. Strength of will. The duel was oncoming and not that long away. And I needed to make sure the students were ready. I needed to refine their edges and smoothen their reckless nature. They were all over the place and that wasn't a good thing. I needed them balanced… “Halt!” I suddenly yelled. All the students halted whatever they were initially doing. All the spells they had conjured suddenly dissipated into thin air. At least, they had discipline. Good. They weren't totally stupid. “You all have wild spirits,” I boomed. “Spirits that need to be t
Natasha I was angry and I stormed off all the way to the dormitory. I didn't like the Academy’s training, and now, I really disliked Xavier. He was always too disconcerting and condescending. Couldn't he give corrections without condemning? Who the fuck did he think he was? At that moment, I just wanted to get away. I truly needed some sleep, one which I knew I wasn't going to get. The insomnia was becoming worse. And so were the voices in my head. At the rate things were moving, I might really go mad. I needed to get my hands on my draught. It had been on my mind for so long now, but I didn't know where I would get it from. I couldn't ask anyone, for the fear that it might be used against me. I went to the training today because I thought it would be different. But I was so wrong. Damned Xavier. I doubled my pace. I'd just lock myself in my room, lay on my bed, while I counted another failed attempt at trying to get some rest. I reached my quarters and did just that. But I