Chapter Text
The schoolyard was filled with children. Boys were grouped on the left side while girls were on the right. Most of them were about my age, 6. A few looked 7, some even 5.
I made my way towards the girls' group with my father. Combined, all of us couldn't have been more than 50. I mean, how many nobles live in Carthya? Not that many.
I did not see any faces of people I know, all of them strangers in an unfamiliar place. I clung to my father. He knew I always got nervous when meeting new persons and making friends. My words fail to come out when someone I do not know talks to me or even asks a simple question.
I felt a hand stroke my hair. Father's gestures often calm me down whenever I start to panic and cling to him. He spoke cheerfully, "Teri, it's going be alright. No one's going to hurt you. Many people would like to be friends with you!"
"But what if I can't speak up when they talk to me?" I whispered in fear. Talking louder than a whisper feels too much, and I usually end up crying when I try to force myself to talk.
"They will understand. They have to. You're a shy girl, yes, but you are talented, smart, and mischevious even sometimes." Father pinched my nose lightly and I laughed. He kissed my forehead and waved goodbye, leaving the brightly coloured gates and rode off back to the castle on my favourite horse, Danila.
I breathed deeply and faced the front to pay attention to the teacher, who was speaking with a loud voice. I shook my head. I will never be confident to talk as loud as her.
"Alright, now children," the teacher had a soft but firm voice. It also sounded sweet. I guessed she must have all ears on her when she sang. Then, she continued, "we will have to line ourselves in an orderly manner. Everyone line up by your height, the shortest ones in front and tallest ones at the back."
I flushed a bright red. Out of all the girls here, I must have been easily the shortest. I could not see the teacher from where I stood to begin with, so I just made my way forward with my head down. Everyone shuffled around me, giggling as they all compared their height and pointing out who was taller and who was shorter. The teacher said she will be back in a while and left to get something in the building to my right.
Later, a girl somewhere behind me pointed out how small I was. Every one of them, even the boys, laughed in mockery. I hugged myself as I thought of how I so badly wanted for Miss Bellona, the teacher, to come back. Tears silently began to crawl down my cheeks, my mouth barely holding back a sob.
A hand suddenly pressed my cheek and wiped the tears away. It was a boy-but he wasn't laughing like the others. It could be because he wasn't that much taller than me anyway. He had brown tousled hair, a slim face, fair skin, and a pair of vibrant green eyes that twinkled with something my father told me he and I had in common.
Trouble.
Though despite the look, he seemed concerned. I tried to smile in an effort to thank him and say that I was alright, but only choked on another sob that nearly escaped. He hugged me, and I stood still.
"Don't worry, they're just being meanies." He said when he pulled back. Then he looked everyone dead in the eye when he said, "If any of you hurt her, you won't like what will happen next."
The boy turned back to me and grinned cheekily. The other students bustled around, breaking the lines while we waited for Miss Bellona to arrive. I squinted and tried to point out why he looked vaguely familiar. Suddenly, I gasped when he introduced himself to me.
"Almost forgot, my name's Jaron!" He said like it was no big deal, but he was, in fact, the second prince. My eyes were wide as saucers.
"My big brother Darius said that I should make some friends here. So far, you're the only person that seems to be good. The others are mean." Jaron scowled. Then he held out his hand and the friendly smile returned. "What's your name by the way?"
I hesitated for a moment.
"Don't be afraid. You can paint me in trust or just a little bit. But either way, I'll never do anything to hurt you. I'll be the one, your best friend!" He said, but I only stared at his hand, still unsure.
"Come on, this day just can't end without us becoming friends. I can be quite a persistent person. I'll keep your secrets, you'll keep mine, we'll be two halves of a whole soul." His grin widened until it reached his green eyes. Mischief lingered in those swirling emerald irises, and my mind raced back to a distant memory - what my father had so proudly said when I managed to successfully steal his ring once before.
"My beautiful baby girl! The hint of knavery really proves how much of a copy she is of me!"
Then, my mother's words echoed in me as well. I was too scared to ride a horse, in fear of it not liking me and tossing me off its back. But my mother saddled me in and whispered,
"You should never be afraid to trust someone if you have no reason to disbelieve. And if you do confide in that person, do it with your entire heart. We're all only so human, imperfect, and it's not wrong to make mistakes-it is completely normal. Don't be afraid to love."
After a few moments, I laughed, and finally took Jaron's hand and shook it.
"I'm Teri. Teri Kerwyn."
Jaron's face seemed to glow even more when he realized my last name was a quite a famous surname as well. "Wait, your father is friends with my father!" In that moment, I stopped.
Really? They were?
"The king? Friends with my father? Why have I never seen them together before?" I inquired, quite quietly. But then, it struck me that I have never even seen Jaron in person, just a few portraits, so how much more the king?
Besides, when you spend the most of your day in the library or in your room, which was in an entirely different part of the castle, you never really meet anyone else besides the occasional servants.
"I haven't seen you in the castle before either." Jaron said. "Where do you live? I always see Lord Kerwyn and the Captain, but I do not see you."
I laugh softly. "Well, you do not explore enough then. I live in the small set of towers in the east." I said. "I usually go to the library with my mother, or I just stay at home." I shrugged my shoulders.
Jaron opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the clearing of a throat and a clap. We both turned to see that Miss Bellona has returned and we shuffled back to our lines. I laughed when I saw that Jaron was, in fact, the shortest boy, but he did not really mind. He even sent me two thumbs up with a grin.
"Come children, it's time for our lesson! Find your partner, who is directly beside you in line."
I beamed. Jaron was the shortest and I was as well, therefore we were both partners. We stood beside eachother as the others did too, watching the snake-like lines move together like a zipper being closed.
Once we were all partnered up, the teacher led us away into the building ahead of us.
Jaron's arm was linked with mine and I couldn't help but think of how much it fit so nicely. With a smile on both our faces, I knew it was going to be okay. He said would help me in speaking, and just keep me intact throughout our classes. I've actually made a friend.
I feel like it'll be a great day, just as my father said.