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The banquet was drawing to a close. The highlight was Rosalind Hale's final speech, which emotionally stirred even the most bored guests. Stella's interrupted monologue weathered out of everyone's heads, putting the Solarian princess in an awkward position in front of a bunch of devouring stares. It might have seemed that way to many. However, Stella had a 'trump card' of her own and it would be worth taking advantage of in the next ten minutes.
Rosalind, so confident of her students' downfall, and totally unaware of the catch, was the best time to deliver that very humiliating blow.
The plan was for Hale to be fully immersed in her triumph, and the failure of the Solarian princess only encouraged the headmistress to boast of her grandiose success in front of everyone. Stella had let her friends know beforehand that something big was going to happen, but she omitted the details, mentioning only the mass of positive consequences for all of Alfea. The girls had guessed one recently rescued 'trump card', but had no idea how they could win this game.
- With your permission, Headmistress Hale, I would like to make an official and important announcement.
- Haven't you had enough shame lately, dear Princess Stella? - Rosalind asked with carefully concealed contempt. - But I don't mind if you do.
The radiant fairy, even in her restraint, did not cease to exude light. In spite of her recent failure, she kept up her regal dignity. With confident gait Stella climbed the few steps, keeping her gaze fixed on the cold eyes of Headmistress Hale. As she approached her, feeling the tension wafting among those present, the princess lifted her chin slightly; she glanced intently around each table and began her speech in a clear, loud tone:
- 'As everyone knows, I am the sole and rightful heir to the kingdom of Solaria. My mother," followed a short pause, "Queen Luna, was not long ago formally convicted of her many crimes and is now in custody awaiting her final sentence. And now, I must take the reins of our kingdom.
The room grew so quiet that Stella could hear Rosalind standing next to her, nervously swallowing her saliva.
- But," the princess went on, noting the shocked interest in the guests' eyes, "in view of my intention to continue my studies at Alfea and become a worthy queen for my people, the council has decided to appoint a regent until my studies are completed and I personally decide to take control of the kingdom. I would like to point out that I will be involved in absolutely all matters concerning my people and the kingdom as a whole.
- And who will be our new interim queen, Princess? - Rosalind interjected, her voice trembling with tension. - Don't keep us in suspense.
- The Royal Council, with me at the helm, has decided on the appointment of Miss Farah Dowling as my regent," a wave of whispers and gasps of surprise broke out across the hall, "the former headmistress of the Alfea School, hitherto listed as 'missing' and 'fugitive from the law'. It turned out that her disappearance was due to reasons beyond her control and so, after a series of hearings, absolutely all charges against Miss Dowling were dropped, for lack of worthwhile evidence. Farah Dowling takes her rights as of today. All documents have already been signed.
Rosalind retreated a couple of steps, dramatically losing her composure as the door to the hall swung open and the one who had been rotting in her grave for months before appeared on the threshold.
Before she took a confident step forward, Farah looked around the hall with an attentive eye, catching ambivalent but extremely intrigued glances.
When her eyes themselves caught the confused, hiding behind the feigned determination of Rosalind, Farah felt a pleasant warm feeling of superiority spill over into her chest, coupled with a slight dusting of schadenfreude. At last everyone would see Rosalind Hale's true face, and her credibility would be lost forever.
No one was going to turn the banquet into a celebration of the new queen. The coronation would take place in a few days at Solaria Palace, once all the preparations were complete.
Farah felt an exorbitant responsibility on her shoulders as soon as the offer of regency came off the lips of the Solarian princess. Dowling had not expected such a turn of events, since she had participated in the testimony against Queen Luna, and it was safe to say that Farah's words had played a decisive role in the former queen's future fate. Despite this, Stella was convinced of her choice, but did not insist, giving time to weigh everything up. And that was just one of the few admirable differences between the heiress and her mother. Farah respected Stella's decision to continue her studies in Alfea, but thought to herself that she was more than willing to take over the running of Solaria.
Either way, Farah now stood in the headmaster's office, ready to decide the fate of the woman who had unknowingly contributed to her becoming queen. There was probably no one in Rosalind's life right now that she despised so much.
The doorknob fluttered open and Rosalind stepped slowly but surely into the dimly lit study. Sneaking a glance at Farah, who was standing at a distance by the desk. With both hands resting on the smooth surface behind her, she looked steadily at the former mentor whose face was expressionless, but whose nervous movements betrayed her true intent.
- Your Royal Highness, what an honour," a strained grin flashed across Hale's face. - Come to personally kick me out of school? Don't bother, I'll pack my own things.
Behind the flattering greeting was a slippery and clammy fear. Farah smiled at the corner of her lips, crossing her arms over her chest.
- On the contrary, I want you to stay," she paused deliberately. - In fact, I insist on it. So much so, in fact, that I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that you never, under any circumstances, leave this school before you die. I hope it will be for natural causes.
This was said without gloating. Dowling really sincerely believed it. After all, few people were capable of pitying Rosalind now.
The headmistress, on the other hand, listened to Farah in silence, trying her best to hold on to her brand of confidence and ease, but inside, she felt cornered for the first time in a long time. A wave of annoying anger pelted her from head to toe. Hale took a couple of steps towards her, stopping exactly in the middle of the room. The slight creaking of the floorboards broke the silence, sounding deafeningly loud to Rosalind.
- Look at you! - Dowling thought she heard a note of admiration in the voice of the grief-stricken tutor. - You have reached such heights! I should have buried you underground a little earlier so you could open your eyes to the world and your true nature would finally wake up.
Farah cocked her head, pushing away the memory of the damp earth swallowing her whole into darkness. The kind of fear of death that corroded every cell of her body was hard to even imagine, and the perpetrator of these unpleasant events, reasoning it out as something commonplace and perfectly acceptable.
Dowling squinted, mentally plowing through the former mentor's mind, but found no hint of regret or remorse there. Rosalind continued to believe piously that Farah's sacrifice had been made in the name of something greater. But what, if ironically, was it not Rosalind's greatness that was brought about by this murder?
- You wanted so much to make your protégés look like you; to make them see all people as liars and hypocrites. Trusted no one, loved no one, and you would use them, pretending not to notice how you were destroying them from within. And later, when you realised you were wrong about each of them, they would die. Even if accidentally, in battles, it doesn't change the fact. Except I got to the end of your game and won every game, even though I had to sacrifice a lot," Rosalind's lips quivered, Farah noticed. - You were sure and secretly hoped that I would die much sooner, for you didn't really need any protégé. They were convenient in hiding your true intentions, and they were all just a way to carry them out. And as for me, all you've achieved by trying to turn me into your copy is nothing but hatred for you, Rosalind.
The headmistress listened to Farah in silence, trying her best to keep a mark of confidence and ease, but inside, she felt cornered for the first time in a long time. A wave of annoying anger pelted her from head to toe. Hale took a couple of steps towards her, stopping exactly in the middle of the room. The slight creaking of the floorboards broke the silence, sounding deafeningly loud to Rosalind.
- Look at you! - Dowling thought she heard a note of admiration in the voice of the grief-stricken tutor. - You have reached such heights! I should have buried you underground a little sooner, so you could open your eyes to the world and your true nature could finally wake up.
Farah cocked her head, pushing away the memory of the damp earth swallowing her whole into darkness. The kind of fear of death that corroded every cell of her body was hard to even imagine, and the perpetrator of these unpleasant events, reasoning it out as something commonplace and perfectly acceptable.
Dowling squinted, mentally plowing through the former mentor's mind, but found no hint of regret or remorse there. Rosalind continued to believe piously that Farah's sacrifice had been made in the name of something greater. But what, if ironically, was it not Rosalind's greatness that was brought about by this murder?
- You wanted so much to make your protégés look like you; to make them see all people as liars and hypocrites. Trusted no one, loved no one, and you would use them, pretending not to notice how you were destroying them from within. And later, when you realised you were wrong about each of them, they would die. Even if accidentally, in battles, it doesn't change the fact. Except I got to the end of your game and won every game, even though I had to sacrifice a lot," Rosalind's lips quivered, Farah noticed. - You were sure and secretly hoped that I would die much sooner, for you didn't really need any protégé. They were convenient in hiding your true intentions, and they were all just a way to carry them out. And as for me, all you've achieved by trying to turn me into your copy is nothing but hatred for you, Rosalind.
Dowling stepped away from the table, slipped her hands into the pockets of her black trousers and with stretched steps reached the middle of the room, standing across from Hale. In the dim light she seemed far more sinister than in the bright daylight.
- So," Farah carefully traced her gaze across the Headmistress' face, "you're a murderer and your teaching methods have caused more maiming of students than results. So Saul Silva will be in charge of this school, as soon as he's released and reinstated," Hale let out a short chuckle - it was so predictable for her. - You'll be his assistant, and you'll teach the subjects I'll assign you to personally. One more thing...
Farah pulled a small, familiar box from the pocket of her black jacket. Rosalind's eyes widened.
- Take off your shirt," Farah ordered nonchalantly. - I wouldn't want to do it for you.
Rosalind swallowed and obediently undid a few buttons before slipping her shirt off her shoulders, keeping her gaze on her former student. Farah could feel her helplessness, hatred and a remote desire for revenge. For a moment Dowling noticed a flicker of consternation in the headmistress' gaze.
Hale expected tearing pain, mentally swearing to herself not to scream. But before Farah planted the limiter of magic on the woman's back, her fingertips touched the skin at her shoulder blades, anaesthetising her.
- How merciful, Your Majesty," Rosalind hissed, shuddering faintly from the tingling chill.
- You'd be shouting and I don't want to put you in an even more humiliating position in front of the school. You still get to teach here, despite the fact that many strongly disagree.
The merciful gesture was a kind of reassurance to Farah herself and an opportunity to forgive herself for her overly naïve trust in Rosalind; to let go of what had already happened in the past and never return to it again. Even if it came back to her sometimes, she wouldn't let it get the better of her again.
- Do you want me to be torn alive here?
- Not all people are like you, Rosalind.
In fact, Dowling was well aware of the possible risks regarding Hale's life, no matter how confident she was in her students. And yet, only the woman standing in front of her seemed capable of such cruelty.
- I'll put guards on you," Farah said nonchalantly, watching the restrainer move and sink tightly into her skin. - They will watch your every move. Your powers are limited now and you won't be able to leave the confines of the school.
Dowling proceeded to the table and picked up a pair of dry wipes. Turning back to Rosalind, frozen in place, she blotted the blood dripping near the restrainer's clingy paws.
- Remember, you're under my control here and in plain sight. Everyone, if they don't hate you yet, certainly despises you. Though you," she paused for a moment, searching for the right word, "don't give a shit about other people's attitudes or opinions, as you always said, but I'm one of the few people who knows that's far from true. It's not for nothing that you tried to make a good impression of yourself every time, so that you could stab them all in the back later. But as you see, all your knives have come back and it's time for them to slowly and painfully tear you apart.
Dowling was right, and the proof was the first laceration on Rosalind's shoulder blade, and the agony would catch her later. Nothing terrified Rosalind more than the feeling of her own helplessness, and Farah guessed it.
- What would happen to Andreas?
The question puzzled Farah so much that her hand froze a few millimeters from Rosalind's damaged skin.
- He will not be touched," Dowling replied calmly. - He will remain in Alfea.
Farah was suddenly tempted to consider the headmistress' emotions, but she immediately stopped herself. Rosalind indirectly shared her weakness, knowing full well that Farah would not take advantage of it. Still, the revelation struck Farah to the core, though she did not show it.
- If you're worried about what's wrong with him...
- That's all I wanted to hear," Rosalind retorted in a harsh tone, pulling away and draping her shirt over her shoulders, clenching her teeth against the slowly rising pain. A few drops of blood were imprinted on the light fabric, though.
- Power drags you down and makes you look like you're on top," Hale said in an otherworldly voice, not turning around.
Hale did not look back, though she felt as if she were the last survivor of a sinking ship that was about to send her into a deep abyss, though an imaginary chance for rescue loomed on the horizon.
- And as long as your present royal ass doesn't regret that decision herself.
- So be it," the steel in Farah's voice was steadier than a sharp sword, "but it is my decision.
On Coronation Day, everyone who came, whether friend or foe, fairy or specialist, knelt before the new Queen of Solaria, sworn to protect her people even if it cost her own life again.