"Are you talking about the lottery girl?" Silas questions.
Courtney swings out of her bow and nods her head, "She's underprivileged and unresourceful! How would a tier three resident ever be able to pay a debt so big! Forgive her and punish me instead! Use me as you please, until the debt is cleared! I volunteer as tribute!"
Man…she's good. Blaire thinks.
"…Headgirl," Silas utters, after spending two seconds on trying to remember her name, "This is not the Hunger Games. Additionally, do you not remember Malory's words? The one who makes the mistake should be the one held accountable. Surely, you wouldn't be attempting at hindering royal justice, would you?"
Blaire nods her head while Courtney vehemently shakes it.
"I wouldn't dare to! I was merely stating my friend's case after learning from President Malory's words, yesterday!"
Blaire's lower lip juts out and the slow nods of her head indicate genuine respect for Courtney's bullshitobility. It was on par with her own, Blaire accepts.
"Indeed, you are heard." Silas states.
He looks visibly well rested after gnawing at Blaire's consciousness all night long. His dark hair is styled in a centre-part and under the dusky sun, his cross earrings catch light. His uniform is a plain white shirt paired with a plaid tie, like the girls' skirts, and the badge of his tower. His pants are a deep brown, paired with polished shoes of a similar colour. He has a black bag slung over his right shoulder which seems redundant owing to its thinness.
"Your humble servant would love to be of your help," Courtney states, bowing a whole ninety.
Wow…she's got no restraint! Blaire snorts, internally.
Silas grits his teeth in thought. "Well," he begins after a moment's consideration. "How about you buy breakfast for my class? Don't forget a menu exclusive, today's the Sakura Mochi, I believe. Would you be able to afford it? It's only a thousand per gram! I'd love it so much if you're able to treat everyone…Headgirl."
There's an evil glint in his silver eyes that momentarily captures Blaire's amusement. His character surely upheld the rumours, she muses. Instantly, all joy is washed off her face and darkness overtakes her mind. His character surely upheld the rumours. She would totally have to pay like Courtney! He was so vile for it!!
"Uhh, yes, anything for Your Highness." Courtney mutters, frowning at the words coming out of her own mouth.
"Make haste then, you wouldn't want to be late, now, would you?"
"O-of course Your Highness!" Courtney falls in to a curtsey and leaves hastily, on foot.
"As for you—" Silas begins eyeing a pale Blaire, "Oh you look terrible, what happened?" he sucks in a breath and closes the gap between them.
Blaire's eyes widen as he raises his free hand and the ghost of his touch traces over her right cheek. "Are you okay?" he asks, frowning at the faint red bruise in the making.
Blaire's gut twists and turns as she stutters, "I-I," she takes a step back, "I fell. I was trying to work the taps. I couldn't, well, I had no idea they'd function on sorcery, ha! I was trying to twist them like a normal human being—"
"Taps…twist?" Silas asks, his entire face squirming in confusion.
"Um, yes? All taps twist, the very fancy ones are the ones you can tap but all normal ones twist." Blaire educates, partially confused by the topic at hand.
"How…fascinating." Silas says, nodding. "So, you fell while twisting a tap?"
"Eh, something like that," Blaire shrugs, "I'm learning, I'll learn, soon enough."
"That's the spirit," Silas grins, dimples on show, "I need exactly that spirit for your punishment!"
"What!?" Blaire cries, almost forgetting about the punishment, again. For heaven's sake! Let's get this over with, PLEASE!
"I need you to skip grades, in a week." Silas states, glancing at the morning sky.
"Skip grades? Huh? I'm sorry I don't understand?" Blaire questions, the picture of exasperation.
Silas begins walking and Blaire has no choice but to follow along. He is taller than her and a fast walker, Blaire realises, albeit his elegant gait.
"You're a first year right now. I want you to pass the year-end exam this week, I'll get it scheduled, so that you can be in my class. That's how I can exercise my punishment." Silas explains, leisurely.
"Wait! No, sorry, hold up, um? So, this isn't even the punishment? This is punishment prep?! What?!" Blaire cries out loud, "That makes no sense!"
"Would you rather pay 16 billion?"
"Oh my goodness!" Blaire slaps the back of her tablet over her face, "I don't even know how to work the taps! Do you think I can pass a school year IN A WEEK?!" her voice raises, unbeknownst to her sane mind.
"Are you forgetting the company you're in?" Silas sighs, elegantly strolling with his hands in his pockets.
"At least give me a semester! I don't even like school! I'm here because this is my sister's dream!"
"Well then, do it for your sister." Silas turns, lips pursed in a line. His entertained eyes blink twice before he raises a hand to pat her head, "I know the imagery itself is inspiring!" he repeats in a high-pitched mock tone.
Blaire's world crashes and burns. Sculptures fall, dust clouds rise, the crown prince bleeds, the towers catch fire, the ground splits open in a violent earthquake and the world ceases to exist: in her head.
He's such a petty little vile creature of pure evil ousted straight from the depths of hell!
Silas pockets his hands again and begins strolling.
"I bet you have no friends," Blaire snarls, unprompted.
"Only because they're afraid of me, jealous of me or want to be me." Silas sings.
Yeah because you're an insufferable piece of shit!
"Don't curse me in your head. I'll meet you at lunch. Remember table number 1!" he holds up a finger, "You'd have to suffer monetary consequences if you don't make it!"
Blaire holds up two middle fingers behind his back. They walk in silence for a while, until, her tablet screen flashes 7:51 A.M. in her face. All classes are supposed to commence at 8…why's no one getting out and about?
"Why's no one coming out? Aren't they going to be late?" Blaire asks, catching up to Silas' side.
"This is the pedestrian path, didn't you know? Everyone with a vehicle takes an underground passage to the Class Building."
"…And you don't?" Blaire questions, frowning.
"I prefer walking."
Blaire squints her eyes at the school building glimmering aeons away. There's no way one could walk all the way, in Silas' pace, and make it to class within 9 minutes.
"Are you sure?" Blaire scowls.
"You tend to forget, I am the Crown Prince." Silas deadpans.
"Of course, my apologies, Your Highness." Blaire promptly responds.
"You can run if you want to." Silas proposes.
"I wouldn't dare, Your Highness," Blaire shakes her head.
Silas frowns and turns to face her. "What are you planning in that cunning head of yours?"
"You're so wise, Your Highness. You've caught me red handed!" Blaire raises her hands in surrender, "Since you're so intellectual and benevolent, would you please accompany me to my class? This humble servant is a fool who knows no paths! If only a guiding light like your existence could accompany her! Oh! what a heavenly blessing it would be!" with every word, Blaire's voice kept getting higher in pitch and more dramatic, ending in wispy sobs.
Silas throws his head back, bursting into a fit of laughter.
"Y-you're so ridiculous!" Silas all but sobs between laughs, "Scratch the week. I'll give you a month. But you've got to pass in a month, only then shall I walk you to class everyday."
In desperate measures, Blaire could see an inkling of hazy hope. "You're so benevolent, Your Highness but today would be more than wonderful. I wouldn't inconvenience you like that!"
"What do you mean?" Silas wipes tears off his eyes, "You're supposed to meet me every morning. It makes most sense that I walk you to class."
"Huh?!"
Blaire would rather a lightning bolt claim her body and soul, then and there.
"I must administer the punishment prep first-hand; it is only correct." Silas states as a matter of fact.
"Just sell my organs, why don't you?" Blaire grumbles, barely above a whisper. But the silence of her surrounding would let no secret escape with the wind.
"The royal family would never engage in such lowly trade."
"Wow…you're so noble…" Blaire exhales a dry cheer.
"Your class is on the ground floor, I believe. May I have a look at your schedule?" Silas asks.
"O-oh, yes!" Blaire gaps, unused to sudden politeness. "Um, I, uh don't really know where it is though…" she clicks open her tablet and slides to unlock.
"No password?" Silas questions, surprised beyond measure.
"W-we can do that? For what?"
"I don't know? Someone might steal your assignments? Hack into you account and post something questionable on social media?"
"That's diabolical!" Blaire gasps, a scandal brewing in her eyes, "People do that?!"
"And worse," Silas states, shaking his head. "You've much to learn."
"No, no, like, I thought rich folks wouldn't do that. Like, why would you, right?" Blaire questions, cringing at the thought of Harriet stealing her assignments. Why would she? She's literally a Baroness!
"The more you have, the greedier you become," Silas states, summoning the soul of dying philosopher.
"Yes grandpa, thank you for the life lesson." Blaire shakes her head.
"I am the Crown Prince!" Silas enunciates in her face.
"My apologies, Your Highness!" Blaire bends in a quick bow.
Silas huffs out a laugh and snatches the tablet from her hands. Blaire follows him on her tip-toes, trying to peek over his shoulder. He clicks on the Schedule app icon and a bright pink screen pops up with Blaire's name and Class number.
Through clenched teeth, Silas drags a breath. "This is bad, Lemons, you've got the literal devil for Homeroom and he loathes me in all capacity," Silas lets out an exaggerated laugh while staring at the screen.
"So…if I show up with you…?"
"You're dead," Silas nods.
Blaire blinks at the time. It reads 7:59 A.M.
Then, Blaire sprints like a chicken let loose from a butcher's stall.