Chapter 3

A few days passed and now Layna found herself crossing a pristine sea-blue breezeway that served as a glass passageway to the Honor tower; a tower mainly dominated by Ever boys.

During afternoons, she occupied her time by roaming the Purity and Charity towers, familiarizing herself with the glistening pink corridors designed for future fairytale maidens. From sweet pumpkin candy doors to jeweled walls filled with romantic murals of princes and princesses, the pristine pink towers exceptionally embodied a young girl's dreams of the perfect Ever After. During evenings, Layna would return to her room and study to pass the time (she was especially interested in reading a book entitled Animal Speech 1: Barks, Neighs, & Chirps), and when she was about to sleep, she wondered where she would find 'Chris' in this massive school.

Today, she was about to do just that.

As she passed through the breezeway, she caught sight of a Roman-inspired amphitheater just between the towers of Valor and Honor. Built entirely from white marble, three rings of symmetrical doric, ionic, and corinthian-styled columns layered upon each flight to partially cover three floors of the amphitheater. On the fourth layer, a circular frieze of square windows and weapons was meticulously sculpted upon the pale-shaded stone. On the last layer were statues of fighting gladiators as their sharp swords and iron shields glinted majestically from beams of golden light of the morning sun, successfully evoking an obvious sense of power and grandeur in the dangerous art of combat.

Layna marveled at the sight.

This must be the Amphitheater of War.

Reminded of a certain boy, the girl's moist lips curved into a soft smile from the pleasant memory.

She stood for a few moments longer before she had to take her eyes away from the splendid architecture. Then, she proceeded to the fourth flight of the Honor tower, where the Library of Virtue exclusive to only Ever students was located. When she finally encountered a tall pair of intricately designed doors made of gold, she pushed it gently to reveal a coliseum of books, two stories high and impeccably kept by a leathery tortoise that occupied a titanic library log who was kept busy by writing on parchments with a feathered pen. Light filtered within the golden room from the ceiling-high windows, illuminating the library with a tranquil type of resplendence.

"Subject of interest," he croaked.

"History of student records, please," Layna responded with a subconsciously lowered voice that due to the quietude of the place, was still audibly heard. The girl figured that instead of thinking about where to find 'Chris,' learning about who they were first is more important. It was unfortunate that her father was unable to give her even the most minor detail of who this individual was as she believed that even the smallest information was a step in guiding her toward her future savior.

"Denied. Violation of student confidentiality. " the tortoise replied shortly before he went back to writing, his words bringing a slightly disappointed frown upon her lips. She has already expected this, however. Since the girl had no other choice, she would have to take the more time-consuming path.

"I understand." She returned her practiced smile. "Do you have a section for Fairy Tales, perhaps?"

The tortoise then nodded to a direction of bookcases with gold ornaments before he turned his attention back to the parchment paper. Layna walked towards the towering bookcases and gazed at the wide selection of books that were meticulously arranged; The Ugly Duckling, Little Snow White, The Snow Queen, Cinderella, The Princess and the Pea, - every Fairy Tale that ever existed all cramped into the golden shelves, housing a few hundreds of stories each case.

Layna sighed.

It seems as if she has a lot of work to do.

Later in the afternoon, while she was carefully reading The Twelve Dancing Princesses in search of any character that was possibly named Chris, the girl was disturbed by a faint noise. At first, she did not pay heed to it, but when the noise grew louder, she looked up from her book and observed her surroundings.

No one.

She returned to the pages and tried to read, but the moment she did, the noise grew noticeably louder until she couldn't disregard it any longer. Sighing, the girl stood up from the couch that was pushed against the corner of the library, leaving the neatly piled books that she planned on reading for the rest of the day. As she walked towards the tortoise, the noise now growing evidently louder, she saw the reptile shake his head while grumbling in annoyance. The girl suspected hearing the tortoise mutter "Espada's mouth is as loud as an elephant's flatus," but she might have been wrong.

It was only when she walked towards the ceiling-high windows that she realized where the source of the noises came from.

Overlooking the glass windows was the Amphitheater of War. Since the Library of Virtue was significantly elevated compared to the open architecture, one has a perfect view of the arena, where a class of Ever boys was present. Their bodies were kissed by the afternoon sun, skin glistening with sweat as a familiar man with a long mustache kept a sharp eye on each individual. Although she could see Professor Espada's lips move (the girl could not help but laugh softly when his mustache quivered with every syllable), the glass windows muffled his words. However, his voice was so distinct that even she could easily discern the man's voice when he spoke, much less shouted.

She watched silently as the boys ran in along the circumference of the wide arena. Most were able to keep up with the pace of their peers while others had difficulty, lagging behind. However, the most eye-catching students were the two boys who led the entire flock of breathless boys, both at the same pace but with different facial expressions; one appeared to be having difficulty while the other seemed as if he was doing an afternoon jog.

It's him.

Layna blinked slowly, the pair of butterfly lashes gently fluttering from the movement as her pale jade eyes focused on the familiar individual.

She stayed for a few more moments before leaving, returning to the other side of the library where a pile of books waited to be read. If the busy tortoise had paid any attention to the girl, he would have seen how her gaze lingered before walking away.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Tedros once wondered if Professor Espada's voice could get any louder. Today, his question was answered.

"Endurance is one of the principal companions of strength! Power accompanied by lasting fortitude makes a formidable adversary!" the middle-aged man shouted as a class of puffing Ever boys ran laps along the arena. Some who had trained their bodies when they were younger were able to maintain a steady pace, while those who had no experience at all were the first to lead but also the first to withdraw from the activity due to the early onset of fatigue. The very first boy who stopped running looked down in disappointment when a golden cloud and a rusted "60" hovered above his head, indicating that he was the lowest-ranked student in the activity.

"Using explosive power at the beginning of a combat will lead to an explosive defeat." The professor said, "Remember to spend your energy wisely!"

And so the activity lasted until late afternoon when most of the exhausted boys rested upon the seats of the spacious amphitheater. Some lay down due to extreme enervation, while those who had rested for some time watched and cheered loudly for the two boys competing for the ranking of number one. Half of the class chanted "Tedros," while the other half cheered "Chaddick." As the two boys were neck and neck, no one was sure who was going to come out victorious from the day-long challenge.

Chaddick looked at the boy beside him in annoyance.

"You know you can quit anytime now, right?"

Tedros gave an amused laugh, his voice breathless from the growing exhaustion. "Why? 'Cause you know I'm about to win?"

"Not a chance." the other boy grunted. After a while, Chaddick cursed silently when he felt his legs starting to cave to fatigue and soon, the boy finally gave up and admitted his stubbornness.

The class erupted into resounding cheer as an ethereal cloud along with a golden "1" hovered proudly above Tedros' head, perfectly matching his prideful smirk. Professor Espada clapped his gloved hands and nodded at the boy, lips curving into a pleased smile, his mustache lifting slightly as he did.

"Endurance in the face of an adversary's enmity, perseverance in the face of opposition! A trait executed by our victors and a lesson that must be learned by aspiring princes!" Professor Espada boomed as he observed every student, ignoring those who were lying on the ground from exhaustion, perhaps from pity. "As a reward for your performance, the top five students are granted access to the Groom Rooms!"

Another round of cheers from the class followed before Professor Espada declared the class dismissed. When some of the students began to walk out of the arena, Tedros, who was drinking water, was disturbed when his back was patted by a certain brunette.

"Did a good job earlier, mate. Makes me wonder if you're even human sometimes." Chaddick said, making Tedros chuckle from the comment.

"Thanks, man. You did good out there too. Didn't expect you to keep up with me, but you did. I respect that."

Chaddick grinned. "Still working on beating you after you kicked my ass during sparring. Gonna need some tips on snatching that number one."

And so a friendship that grew from rivalry was built as they walked towards the pristine Charity tower glimmering enchantingly from the setting sun. Along the way, Tedros could not help but overhear a group of boys teasing a red-headed boy.

"But it's true!" Tristan exclaimed. "I was just minding my own business, but when I looked up, I saw a ghost! That's why I tripped!"

"And you say this ghost was in the library?"

"That's what I've been trying to say!"

"Yeah, sure. A ghost made you lose. That's wild."

"Can't blame him." A boy shrugged. "He said the ghost was a girl."

"Maybe it's the Ever girl from before?"

"Nah, I bet he's just craving for girls." One boy added, making Tristan's face match his hair.

"That was one time!"

And soon, they went. Tedros snickered at the memory of a very conscious Tristan learning how to kiss with a pillow.

He too believed the poor boy was, indeed, desperate beyond imagination.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

It was only when Layna yawned, unable to fully comprehend the words of the book, that she realized it was evening. She closed the book entitled Princess Rosette and released a tired sigh as she neatly compiled the books and returned each to their respective arrangement. Finding Chris couldn't be so easy, she figured. However, being met with disappointment led her to leave the library in a dampened mood, passing a sleeping tortoise along the way.

Whenever she was in low spirits, the girl would take long walks to clear herself of her disheartened state. Tonight, she planned on doing just that.

As she crossed the sea-blue breezeway of Honor that led to the Charity tower, she looked at the amphitheater that was now silent, blending perfectly still amongst the darkness of the night. The young girl was observing the architecture quietly when she felt something bite the ends of her fingertips, making her yelp in surprise.

"Oh!" she gasped when she caught sight of a boy fairy nibbling on her slender finger. She waited for him to stop biting her, giving the small creature the benefit of the doubt. After a few seconds, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she wondered why he hadn't separated himself as of yet. "What are you doing?"

The fairy continued to stare at her, unresponsive.

"I would appreciate it if you stopped biting me."

His fangs were still latched on her skin.

She frowned and tried to pull the fairy off of her when the small creature bit her other finger wordlessly. This time, the fairy was more gentle, but the girl was still puzzled about the motive behind his actions.

"Thank you for being more careful this time, but I'd like it if you let go."

Still, he did not.

Layna recalled Dean Dovey mentioning that the fairies patrol the School for Good to maintain order. Perhaps she broke a rule and she didn't know about it, after all, what should and should not be done was still not discussed with the girl. The possibility of her violating rules made her flush in embarrassment. Princess Layna of Maidenvale breaking order? It was an unthinkable and shameful notion.

"I must be out of my room too late. Please excuse my behavior." She apologized, making the fairy's sharp gaze soften. 

Suddenly, she felt her finger tugged toward the Charity tower's direction. Believing that the small creature wished for her to return to her room, she allowed him to pull her through the pink corridors with his sharp fangs still embedded into her skin. However, when the fairy led her to a different corridor, she became puzzled by his intentions.

"U-Uhm, where are we going?"

Only the chimes of fluttering wings were heard in the silent hallway.

The girl was doubtful of the small creature's motives, however, choosing to believe that he wouldn't hurt her overruled her rising nervousness.

After a while, the fairy finally stopped. Layna looked at the pair of rose-gold doors carved with intricate details of peonies and vines. A mirrored arch hovered above that read "Groom Room," and when she read it, she looked quizzically at the small creature that motioned for her expectantly to enter the room.

"I don't believe I should be -"

All of a sudden, the fairy straightened his posture and looked around, his pointy ears moving as if he heard something she hadn't. Then, before the girl could ask him what it was, she watched him fly higher, putting his feet together into a straight line while gathering his momentum before swinging straight down and kicking her through the doors. Layna, who was stupefied by the small creature's actions, could only crash down the marbled ground with a loud thud.

"That hurt..!"

Resentment filled her gaze as she glared at the mysteriously panicked creature who motioned hurriedly for her to enter yet another set of doors - one pink and the other blue. Before she could say anything else, her finger was once again bitten, making her yelp from the sudden pressure as she was dragged into the pink door.

She never knew how much power fairies had until now.

When she was finally in the room, the fairy blew a loud sigh as he wiped his forehead, almost as if he had just escaped a life-threatening situation. Layna crossed her arm, her moist lips curving into an angry frown, as she tapped her heels on the ground while glaring at the small creature. The fairy, who was now finished from resting, opened his eyes to see a furious pair of eyes glaring into his own.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself?" she questioned, making the fairy give a nervous chuckle in response as he scratched a finger upon his cheek. The girl opened her mouth, intending to teach him a thing or two about proper manners when the fairy fluttered his wings and flew behind her. She turned around in annoyance, and after seeing the scene behind her, Layna's lips closed as her eyes widened in amazement.

The Groom Room resembled a medieval spa carved from pale pink marble, with three aromatic bath pools ("Hot," "Cold," and "Just Right"), a Little Match Girl sauna, a Cinderella-themed pedicure corner with glass decorations, and a waterfall shower built into an ethereal Little Mermaid lagoon. Each section seemed as if it came directly out of a fairy tale, presenting the perfect depiction of every princess's dream room, including Layna's.

The girl looked at the fairy who had his lips curved into a proud smile. She could have sworn that if the small creature knew how to speak, he would be saying 'Isn't it great?' to which she would have agreed to. Her vivid imagination made her laugh softly, the wonderful surprise making her forget her dampened mood and her self-chastisement.

"It is pretty, indeed. But you still hurt me." She murmured while massaging her sore hip before sighing. It seems as if her behind liked to make acquaintances with the harsh ground these days. The fairy's eyes turned apologetic as he fluttered his wings about the girl as if checking her well-being. Layna, who had somewhat already forgiven the small creature, smiled.

"It's okay, though. I appreciate your gesture." she giggled softly as she poked the fairy's head. "As long as you won't be careless with your actions again, little savage," to which the fairy nodded while patting his chest.

However, it seems as if the fairy does not understand the concept of keeping one's word.

The small creature once again straightened, his pointed ears moving about as his eyes focused in one direction. Layna, who sensed an upcoming deja vu, stepped back just in time when the fairy finally swerved in her direction. She gave a startled cry and ran, the small creature following behind almost as panicked as she was before the pair of pink doors opened to reveal a woman who wore a sparkly blue dress paired with an eye-catching feathered scarf. Upon the woman's chest was a glittering crest of a silver swan - the exact same emblem that Professor Espada wore. The girl's eyes trained upon the unexpected visitor when her foot met not a hard ground but with water, to which she soon fell in.

"Dear Storian!" The woman exclaimed as Layna swam back up, heat creeping up to her face despite falling into the "Cold" aromatic bath pool. "What is a student doing here without permission?"

Layna's eyes searched for the fairy who was nowhere to be found.

She was never going to trust fairies again.

"I-I was led here by a fairy, madam! I didn't mean to go here on my own!"

The woman raised a perfectly done eyebrow as she looked suspiciously at the nervous girl, who was now trembling from both the cold and the rising anxiety.

"A fairy, you say? And where is this fairy you speak of, child?"

Layna looked around once more trying to search for the fairy who disappeared from thin air. When she saw no signs of the small creature, her complexion paled as dread started to pool within her insides, her chest tightening from suffocation.

What if she was seen as a liar?

"Do you have no intention to speak?"

The silence stretched for a while, the girl unable to answer while the woman waited, although not patiently. Just as Layna was about to apologize for causing trouble, a twinkling sound was heard. Both individuals turned to see a small fairy revealing itself from within the Little Match Girl sauna, eyes fixed upon the marbled floors, as he flew slowly towards the glamorous woman.

"So it's you." The woman said as she stared at the guilty creature. Her gaze went to the shivering girl inside the cold pool and sighed. "Well, seeing as you've already taken a bath, best carry on." Layna nodded obediently to the woman's words, who was about to turn around and walk away when she suddenly stopped and looked back at the quiet girl.

"I heard Dovey told you to study in advance." she smiled before winking playfully. "I'll see this as a student following instructions. Beautification is quite challenging, after all." she said before strutting away from the room as the sound of heels clicking slowly disappeared, leaving the two individuals alone in the silent room.

Layna turned her eyes to the fairy, who scratched the back of his head. She exhaled deeply before smiling coldly at the small creature.

"I believe the least you could do is to bring me some clothes?"

And so the fairy flew with haste, unable to meet the girl's icy gaze.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Layna has never felt so refreshed in her entire life.

She first made use of the "Hot" aromatic bath to warm herself up before using the Little Match Girl sauna. It seemed as if all of her problems were steamed away within the small room; her deathly curse, the whereabouts of 'Chris,' and the fears that came along by being time-traveled a month too early vanished into thin air. After relaxing in the sauna, she dipped inside the "Just Right" pool before drying herself with a soft towel and a comfortable white nightgown, courtesy of the small fairy who rushed in and out of the room. She could have sworn the fairy's ears tinged with a slight pink when she was bathing in the pool, but she preferred to pay it no mind.

She looked at the mirror in front of her as her head tilted slightly at the sight.

The floor-length white dress covered her figure, yet her milky shoulders and clavicles were completely bare. The girl looked around if there was anything that she could cover it with to no avail. Maybe the fairy was hurrying to the point where he forgot to bring her a cover-up?

Since it seemed as if the fairy wouldn't be returning any time soon, Layna settled for covering the bare portions with her wavy chocolate locks, however, she still shivered slightly from the cold. She decided to go back to her room, where she could rest within the comforts of a warm blanket.

When Layna walked out of the Groom Rooms and through the pink corridor, she thought about her plans for tomorrow.

She will have to do some light reading on Princess with a Purpose in the morning - she's been studying animal speech too much recently.

Without warning, just when she was in the middle of the hall, the sound of deep, boisterous laughs of a group of boys was heard from a nearby distance, making Layna go still. After a few more moments, it seemed as if her heart almost stopped.

They were coming her way.

The girl looked down at her clothes and paled. Educated with Princess Etiquette as a young child, she believed that she was in no way properly dressed to meet anyone, especially those who were of the opposite sex!

She looked back and planned to return to the Groom Rooms to hide. After all, the distance was still short. She believed she could make it there in time!

However, it didn't take long for her to realize that the group of boys was heading towards the very same room she was planning to hide in. As she was in a corridor, she only had two choices - go back to the nearby Groom Rooms, where she would be inevitably found in an inappropriate attire, or through the long corridor that would lead to her room.

Layna chose the latter.

She dashed through the glass-pink hallways, the murals and jeweled walls seemingly passing by in a blur. The girl sincerely wished that her speed would be enough to reach the next corridor, where the group of boys would have no chance of seeing even the slightest bit of her figure. When she finally reached the next turn, her heart leaped inside her chest from the adrenaline as their exuberant voices almost reached the corridor she was just in. After finally disappearing to the next corridor, Layna released a small sigh of relief when her petite form came roughly in contact with a towering body that had a strong, masculine build.

Just before apologizing, her gaze traveled from the boy's warm, muscular chest up his celestial gold strands that clung to his skin glistening with sweat. Then, her pale jade orbs met a surprised pair of light blue eyes that reminded her of the cloudless sky.

"Milady?" a familiar voice asked, making her turn her sight.

Right next to the boy she crashed into was the boy who never left her mind.

Chaddick.