Rosalie Lockridge
At that moment, there seemed to be some sort of commotion coming from one of the hallways leading into the lobby. The three of them looked at each other before quickly scurrying over to find the source. Caroline's face turned into a scowl when she recognized Rosalie's voice before she could even see anything. Whatever was happening, someone made the little Princess angry.
"You lowly rat! Who told you that commoners could walk beside nobility?!" The sound of a loud smack and crash resounded through the room and was followed by a loud thump hitting the floor.
Emily, Gus, and Caroline pushed past the large crowd that had gathered to see Rosalie and her 'friends' towering over Niko who was now groaning in pain. Something told her this wasn't his fault… That noise from before must have been him hitting the wall.
Caroline was about to move to help Niko up when a loud growl was heard from the lobby entrance, making her freeze. A familiar leopard jumped over the crowd, his tails lashing, teeth bared, and fur spiked as he landed. His attention was entirely on the fiery red head. 'Ralnor…' she thought, her mouth gaping open.
Rosalie made a squeaking noise and backed up along with her group, fearful of the mighty feline. The sound of high heels slowly clacking against the lobby floor was a complete contrast to the silence that now hang in the air. Nidrie was making her way through the crowd as everyone was clambering to get away from her. She had the same fierce expression Ralnor possessed on his face. She was pissed.
She looked down at Niko, who now had a bit of blood dripping from a cut on his lip- probably from biting it when he fell to the floor. Purple eyes, both hers and Ralnor's were fixedly looking at Rosalie with quiet anger. Rosalie's prideful attitude even seemed to waver for a moment.
"Nobility of other nations holds no sway here in Asura. Not only have you tried to use authority you do not have, but you also injured a fellow candidate of the scholarship program which is prohibited without a proper dual and good reason. I will report this to the Cardinal Majesty. Until we arrive in the capital, Ralnor will supervise you. Those behind her that call her friend, I give you a choice. Stay with her and be included in the report or join the others. Your choice."
Just like that, Nidrie had destroyed any image Rosalie had left. Everyone in the crowd began whispering to each other as they watched each person from behind Rosalie slip by with their heads bowed. A few looked red with anger but most looked like they just wanted to get away from the situation without tarnishing their own names. Rosalie, however, looked mortified as she watched her 'friends' leave her side.
Ralnor used his tails as somewhat of a cage around Rosalie as Nidrie helped Niko up, "I am sorry for the harm your fellow candidate has caused you. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive her. Here, use this to clean up the blood," she handed him her own handkerchief, "and this for the wound itself." Nidrie handed Niko a small flask filled with a sort of green liquid.
He cleaned up his blood easily enough, but he seemed to hesitate a bit before using the flask. Niko gave Nidrie a worried look, "I-uh. What is this?" Even Caroline was pretty sure she wouldn't want to drink some random flash of dubious green liquid that a stranger gave her.
"Just drink it. It's Asurian medicine." She sounded impatient. Their schedule had already been delayed and she didn't want anymore set backs.
Nervous about drinking it but too scared of a certain leopard not drink it, Niko open it up and downed the flask in a few gulps. To everyone's amazement, especially his, the cut on his lip was gone, as if it had never existed.
"There. Now. Everyone, we will be getting back on the shuttle but this time you will be in the main cabin since we will be leaving the other cabins here for inspection," Nidrie gave everyone a sharp look, "Violence will not be tolerated. I hope that I've made myself clear. Others are less forgiving that I am." As if to back her up, Ralnor gave a toothy growl as he pulled along a mortified Rosalie behind him.
As soon as the crowd dispersed and began to move towards the cabin, Caroline, Emily, and Gus made their way over to Niko, who seemed like he was about to jump out of his skin due to nerves. He didn't seem the type to be used to attention.
"You ok?" Emily asked, her blue eyes looking over him for any sign of discomfort.
"I-I'm fine…" Niko replied. He wasn't very convincing.
Caroline turned to look at Rosalie's back which was disappearing from sight, "Honestly, she deserved that. She keeps acting high and mighty for whatever reason. How'd you cross her path?"
Perhaps thinking he would be attacked for saying, Niko muttered quietly while glancing around, "…I was assigned the room next door to hers and we just happened to walk outside at the same time… Before I knew it, she was yelling at me for just walking to the lobby like we were told to do."
Caroline gritted her teeth. She couldn't stand bullies of any kind, but Rosalie had already been dealt with by Nidrie and Ralnor. Her noble snobiness was so noble anymore.
'I wonder if we will learn what that green stuff was while we are here,' she wondered to herself.
"We've got to go," Gus grunted, gesturing to the shuttle. The man of few words had spoken- and he was right. They needed to join the others. With that, the four of them climbed onto the shuttle, not knowing what was waiting for them in the capital of Asura.