Week 2 Day 1 Alontil - 1

When Sky walked into the classroom on Alontil, the first day of the following week, she received a shock. Dain sat just to the right of where she usually did along the wall below the windows. His captivating silver eyes were downcast, and a slight blush stained his cheeks. With his body wrapped around his legs which were pulled into his chest as hers usually were, he looked as though he'd rather be anywhere else.

Sky stomped over to him. "What do you think you're doing, Dain?" she demanded. He looked up at her with alarm on his face.

"They told me I couldn't sit on the furniture. I'm not in your spot. Am I?" He frowned. "Do- Do you want me to move?"

"Yes, go sit at your arrangement where you usually do. You are a creature. You do not have to sit on the floor," she said. Dain's face fell, and he returned his gaze to the floor.

"No, I'm going to sit here," he said with a stubborn pout. Sky let out an exasperated breath and sat beside him.

"Why are you listening to them anyway?" she asked quietly after a few minutes.

"I don't want to hurt anyone," Dain mumbled. Sky looked at him in surprise.

She was about to ask him what he meant when the door to the classroom opened. She saw Char walk in. Immediately when Sky saw him, she once more thought how handsome he was with his tousled, golden blond hair, dark eyes, and lithe build. Dang, she thought. His eyes fell on her and Dain, and his expression conveyed confusion.

"Char," Vael called. "What happened yesterday?" Sky looked at him where he sat in an arrangement with Rage, Nix, and Alyssa. Vael was more beautiful than handsome with a heart shaped, pointed jaw, wide cat-like violet eyes, prominent cheekbones, and dark red, bow shaped lips that contrasted sharply with his nearly white skin. His build was slim but still fit. He looked built for speed rather than strength.

"Are they suspending you for the year? That would be such a pity," Rage added. His reddish gold, shoulder length hair was half pulled back in a ponytail today. Sometimes he wore it all down, sometimes he wore it like this, and sometimes he pulled it all back. He was tall, with a big, muscular frame. His eyes were a hot, bright blue with vertical slit pupils. He reminded Sky of the heart of a fire. His half smiling mouth revealed the sarcasm of his last statement. Sky didn't like him. The entitled bastard, she thought. He never studied at all and always had something sarcastic, conceited, or arrogant to say.

Alyssa lightly swatted his arm and said, "that would be an actual pity, Rage. Imagine having to be in class next year with those plebeians who think they're nobles." Her red colored lips pouted as she said this, but her milk chocolate eyes said she could care less as well. She was, like most females at Regis, looking for the strongest, most powerful mate she could get. Apparently, Char was one of the better mates she could get, and Alyssa had not yet despaired of making him fall for her. At the same time, however, she worked on Vael and Rage.

"We have told you before, Alyssa, that you're too pretty to do something so silly as have opinions," Vael said. Alyssa blushed and squirmed like the entire sentence was a compliment. Sky grimaced and rolled her eyes.

Char smiled coolly at all of them. After sneakily watching them all interact for the past few days, Sky had come to realize that Char did not really like anyone at that arrangement besides Vael. He talked as a little as he possibly could to the others and was always perfectly polite to them. She thought he might actually like Vael because he would occasionally make a joke with him.

"Nothing is happening. I explained the situation to the Chancellor, and he said he understood. My father just has to pay for the summoning room to be rebuilt," Char said and walked to the arrangement next to theirs, the one with Uriel and the two elves, and sat. "Morning Uriel." He nodded at the elves. They were not part of the group with Uriel and his friends, but it appeared that that group might be breaking apart anyway. They couldn't all sit together at one arrangement. Since there were too many of them, Char sat with the elves at first. Then, Uriel had joined him on Nephil, the fourth day of the week. This was likely to continue since the golden elf, Lorien, was one of the three students in the class to get rank 5, Eas. Uriel and Rage were the other two.

"Well, Glace did say that the Chancellor would be lenient," Uriel commented. Lorien leaned forward in his armchair, interested.

"And what about the body they found?" he asked in a rich, musical voice. Char shrugged again.

"Chancellor Draekon said there was no proof that the unbound familiar did anything. It could have been a Lesser, so I'm not being held responsible," Char said.

"Lenient, indeed," Lorien replied, leaning back in the chair. His question had been answered so his interest was over. His eyes found Sky's, and he gave her a warm smile that seemed to shower golden radiance upon her. Sky looked away immediately. Uriel continued to talk amiably with Char.

Sky was about to ask Dain about the body when West stomped over. He towered over them not softened in the least by Sky's smile.

"Dain, for the gods' sake, get up!" He ordered.

"But I'm supposed to sit on the floor," Dain protested in a small voice.

"You do not take orders from them. If they have a problem with you sitting at our arrangement, they can challenge me. I'll beat them all if I have to."

"But I-I want to sit here," Dain replied softly. Sky looked at him in surprise. He wanted to sit on the hard floor? She didn't. He quickly glanced at her, and his blush deepened. Then, his eyes returned to his brother. West briefly turned a cold gaze on Sky before looking back at Dain.

"What would Grandfather say?" he asked with a pleading tone in his voice. Dain grimaced. West ran his hand through his short, blond hair. "Look, I have already sent him a letter about what's been going on. I was able to schedule an appointment to talk to him about it, but until we hear what he has to say, you need to let this go. Now come on!" Dain frowned at the floor, sighed, and stood as the ringing of the crystals broke the air. West dragged him to their usual arrangement and made him sit. Then, he sat. Sky saw Dain's discomfort. The other students watched them with hard eyes and tight expressions. West ignored them.