Chapter Text
“Blanny!” Iris shouts her way into their hidden tea room, like the obnoxious sirens of an emergency vehicle. Iris slid across the polished marble floor, screeching to a halt in her four inch heels. Blanca prays for those ankles. “Oh, the joy I felt when I received news of your recovery!”
That emergency vehicle would be very helpful right about now, her poor ears.
It was another day at the academy, the season of winter has come to a close as spring had settled in its place. Blanca sat in her usual seating, enjoying another cup of Claire’s freshly brewed tea, while neglecting the pile of letters on the floor beside her. From classmates, to nobles and even from the empress, she has received all sorts of letters during her coma.
Francis? His letters? Don’t worry—they hold a special place: ashes rotting in her fireplace. Never worth reading.
“Oh, to no longer see you in those dreadful mourning clothes?” Iris exclaimed, wiping a tear from her face dramatically. “I mean, I look fabulous wearing a white bed sheet as a patient gown but with your color palette I thought you turned into a ghost.”
Blanca rolled her eyes. As if she could control what she was wearing when she’s out of commision.
“Of course my parents were absolutely burdened with grief when they heard the news,” A smile curls unnaturally on Iris’s face, almost slitting to her ears. “just so stricken with emotions that they couldn't relay their concerns in person.” And just as it appears her expression quickly reverted back. “The Duchess of Bleuvert had ordered my weak feminine body across the land to send her regards for your well being.”
“Weak and feminine, huh?” Blanca murmured with a smirk. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Anri burying her face in a book, trying to stifle a laugh with a series of coughs. Those were definitely not the words usually used to describe Iris. “Tell your mother I'm honored by her words and will be eagerly waiting for an invitation to her next party.”
Iris waved her hands dismissively, adding along a flirtatious of course anything for you, my beautiful lovely and pale friend. “Anyway during my lovely and peaceful stay at the academy I. Was. So. Desperately. Bored.” Iris exclaims loudly with a pout.
“How upsetting.” Blanca nods in mocked seriousness just as Ameilia pushes her way through the sealed door of the tea room. Amelia was completely out of breath before composing herself, most likely after chasing the overexcited blue flower.
Blanca greeted Amelia with a nod, offering her a cup of tea with a flick of her finger, bringing the tea set to life. She shifted her attention back to Iris, listening with feigned attentiveness as the teapot and cups completed their simple task under her spell.
“…it was a hideous sight. Absolutely horrendous.” Iris exclaims continuing her tales of woe. Blanca was surprised her arm hadn’t fallen off from the over exaggerated movements. “I should be getting paid to look at her dress.”
Amelia rolled her eyes taking a seat at the table. “You should be that last person to critique anyone’s choice of wear.” She shuddered at the thought of a certain incident from months prior.
Anri grimaced as well, recalling the same moment. Blanca couldn't blame her. Whilst they were in the midst of drafting up clothes for their co-operative boutique. Iris had somehow conjured up the most dreadful formal dress. How she managed to get a seamstress to make it a reality is a true mystery.
“If I didn’t stop you that day and forcefully make you change,” Amelia said, crossing her arms, “every witness would have had their eyes melted.”
“That's exactly what I'm saying!” Iris brushed the hair behind her ears. “I saved so many eyeballs, you're welcome.”
Blanca felt a light breeze hit her face followed by a clicking noise of a shut window, Amelia gave a rundown on the happenings of last week, the true retelling and in Iris words ‘boring and unoriginal’. Amelia also suggests experimental ideas for their boutique next season. The performance of their shop means little to Blanca, something fun to pass the time. But she knows it's important to the other girls as it sets the bar for their parent’s expectations.
“Oh yeah unrelated news I just got the portrait of my fiance.” Iris exclaims as she pulls out the golden frame out of thin air.
“What?” Anri choked against her shock. Followed by a strangled cough like a frog got stuck in her throat. Anri quickly waved her hands to see the portrait. Iris tossed it onto the table in an uncaring manner towards the very expensive frame and oil painting. She studied the face of the portrait intently with a concentrated expression. ‘You’ll get wrinkles’, Blanca almost said as she reached over and gently poked the midst of her forehead, an old habit of theirs.
“Yeah, I know. That was my reaction too when I got notified of my not-single status through the pigeon mail.” Iris shrugged. “He is in our class of mage and wizardry hailed from some neighboring country. Rumor has it that he’s a gentleman and quite the charmer. What was his name again? Good morning Vio.” She waved frantically at the lady who was clothed in violet from head to toe, standing in front of the window.
Blanca turns her head and greets. “You know, I've been looking for a more creative way of getting in here” As if, use the freaking door.
Violletta popped open a bottle of her many potions clasped to her belt, churning the content as if a glass of wine. “I don't like pricking my finger just to unseal the door. My blood is quite valuable, I need it for potion making.” She then tilts her head back and drinks her potion in a single swift motion, before stashing the bottle into her magical bag.
“I don't know why you would choose to waste your potions instead, especially when we have to assemble at the auditorium later this afternoon.” Amelia spoke, lifting her neglected tea cup up to her lips for a sip. “The headmaster wishes to relay some wisdom and encouragement before we hit the final strides of the semester.”
Blanca grumbles with an eye roll. “How dull.”
“I hope they had the grading tools fixed.” Violetta hums, briskly walking over to the wall of the bookshelf. Tipping a book by the spine to glance at its cover. “We don't need a repeat of last year.”
“It was tampered with, right?” Anri asked, finally looking up from the portrait of a neighboring prince, who isn't all that bad looking.
“An alumni wanted revenge, and blamed the academy for their poor life choices.” Amelia hums recalling the rumors.
“I was stuck in that testing dimension for two weeks. No food, no mirror, I thought I was gonna die.” Iris exclaims then makes a face. Amelia rolled her eyes as if to say that it wasn't two weeks, but two hours at best. “Wait, how did you know about that incident?”
“The nobles at this academy gossip too much.” Anri flashed a smile, her hands running through the edge of the intricate details of the golden frame.
Iris shrugs. “Is Lily still with the princess at the imperial palace?”
“They’re in the library.” Violetta walked over finally having picked out a book, ‘Ears are for Decoration’, tossing a scroll onto the table. “The princess sent her regards.”
“How wonderful more letters to read.” Blanca dryly claps, catching the scroll with her magic before it has a chance of getting lost in the pile, bringing the extensive paper into her hand unraveling its ribbon and wax seal.
The mandatory assembly later that day was exactly as Blanca had predicted. Boring. Of course she made sure that none of her boredom was shown on her face. She has to keep up appearances.
“I am proud of each and everyone of-“ Blanca couldn’t be bothered listening through the rest of that speech.
“I'm surprised he's sober.” Blanca heard Anri murmurs next to her, almost disrupting her poker face. She must have witnessed him after his infamous break up scandal a few months back. Plus this is a formal assembly of course he’s not going to make a fool of himself.
Oh I need to clap.
“Now a word from our student council.” The Headmaster stepped away from the podium.
Speaking of fools. It goes without saying that Francis’s speeches were written by others. Specifically by Blanca. She had to restrain herself from killing the bastard, when Francis started to blatantly skim through the rest of her speech, word vomiting every other sentence.
“My goodness should I toss a dictionary up there?” Violetta comments.
“I'll toss in a thesaurus.” Anri grumbles, her hands clutching the edge of her chair. “We’ll make it a two for one special.” His grammar must be driving her up the walls.
Yeah just another day of Francis clowning himself, effortlessly.
******
It's so weird how quiet it is.” Iris murmurs. Her heels click with every step as she tosses her favorite pen into the air catching it flawlessly as if a practiced habit. Amelia and Violetta behind them having a heated debate, books opened in their hands. With Anri standing between them as an unbiased judge having gained their respect as they turn to her to mediate their argument. Somehow turning into a threeway battle on how much water to pour into a cauldron to successfully brew three separate potions. And which potion is most efficient in this equation.
“It is a test. Our family reputation is riding in this.” Lily replies nervously. Lifting a finger to her mouth as she chews at her cuticles.
“Chin up lily.” Iris brows scrunched “You are the princess’s private tutor. I however…” she hunched over dramatically “am about to puke here.”
Lily blinked tears away. “I just don't want to mess this up. My father-“
A finger was pressed mere centimeters away from her lips but it was enough to stop Lily’s negative train of thoughts. To everyone's surprise it was Iris that stopped her with a warm smile “I know it’s important.” Iris spoke calmly, taking Lily's fingers away from her mouth. “Don't worry, with how much we've studied as a collective group we won't fail.” The calmness in her voice seems to relieve all the stress in Lily's bones as her tenseness in her shoulders releases.
“Good, I hope your performance matches the sentiment.” Blanca was the first to snap out of the shock, she can feel a bit of magic surrounding Lily, magic that has the distinct signature of Iris.
“Fail the next test and you owe me food.” Blanca threatens with an intimidating smile. “I want a reservation at that new five star cafe. Get the seats with the best view, alright?” She requests as if the outcome has already been decided.
“I'll have the limited edition chiffon cake.” Amelia wastes no time to say her request, not even sparing a glance away from her textbooks, some last minute studying.
“Hm, I've always wanted to know what a tarantula tastes like.” Violetta smirks and flips a page in her book. ‘Imagine failing? Death is the only option left.’
Iris flinched at the request. “That restaurant is nearly impossible to get into without connection. And that cake is no longer available. And don't get me started with your request.” she points at Violetta in spite.
“I believe you can pass the next test,” Lily sheepishly said. “But…”
“Lily!” Iris cries as she hugs her tightly. My faith in humanity has been restored.
“I want one of every food stall at the next festival.” The saintess said out of the blue.
“Humanity is doomed!”