Talk to Harper okay?

"Maybe Helen won't. But she is the daughter of the commander-in-chief of the army after all." Jacob said in a small voice.

Aria sighed, "Okay fine. I'll accept this problem of yours. But it won't really emerge untill later, so why are you so worried now?"

Jacob stared at Aria for a long moment before he dropped his gaze, "The third problem, it's....me."

"You?" Aria frowned.

"Yeah me." Jacob said, plucking put grass and playing with it.

Aria put up her hands in defeat, "I don't understand you."

Jacob shook his head, "Yeah. You don't. Anyway, why were you walking around?" He changed the topic.

Aria stared up at the sky as she said, "I needed to think."

"Ohhh." Jacob nodded and the two sunk in silence. After a minute of silence, Aria seemed to decide something.

"Say Jacob, can I ask you for a favour?" She asked.

Jacob was surprised. Aria never asked for favours, she challenged people. "Yeah sure. Anything." He replied instantly.

Aria: "Harper told me she was leaving the academy after this month."

"Huh?" Jacob frowned, "Figures. After what happened to her." he said, thinking about how the four boys had been expelled yesterday.

"Actually..." Aria began, then she thought better and said, "Yeah so, I wanted to ask you to do something for me."

"What?" Jacob tilted her head.

Aria looked straight into Jacob's eyes and said, "Go talk to her. Before she leaves. Please."

Jacob's face turned dark, "You want me to talk to her? Ask her to stay?"

Aria did not look surprised or annoyed. She sighed, still not tearing her eyes away, "No. She's not suited to staying here. And I rather think leaving is the best option. But I think you should talk with her once."

Jacob was still annoyed, "Why? Why should I go and talk to her? Who is she to me?"

Aria: "Why do you think she came to the academy?"

Jacob blushed a little, he looked away, "Some childish crush. Everyone has them."

Aria scoffed, "And how many are willing to leave their families to follow their 'crush' to a place where they are never accepted?"

Jacob: "..." He had nothing to say.

"But she's Harper." This was his last defence.

Aria took a deep breath, "A new Harper. She has changed. A lot has happened in the past few days. Just... talk to her. Okay? Tell her goodbye. End on a nice note?"

"Please? For me?" Aria asked, taking hold of Jacob's hand. She noticed his breath hitch and face grow red. Aria knew it was below the belt, but she really wanted Harper to at least be able to talk with Jacob once properly. She was not fundamentally wrong, just pampered a bit too much.

Jacob sighed as he stared at Aria's hand which still had his in it, "Fine. But you have to answer one of my questions first."

"Sure. Anything." Aria replied, beaming that Jacob had agreed.

"You remember your life from before you washed ashore at the village right?" Jacob asked suddenly.

Aria was taken aback. She pulled out her hand from Jacob's and looked down at the grass, her hair looking like gold in the shining sun.

"Why do you think that?" She asked in a small voice.