Chapter 20 - Nicholas

After an arduous journey, and enough muscle aches to last me a week, we had finally arrived. This was to be our new home for the next few years. I was excited but, at the same time, afraid. Had I grown enough to be able to look after myself? Would I be able to survive the next few years until I graduate? Unaware of my inner turmoil, Elina was excitedly pulling at my hands to drag me out. As we stepped off the carriage I was immediately intimated by the numerous large buildings surrounding me, I felt that one day they would swallow me whole. The buildings were all a similar colour, light beige. And when the sun shone on it, as it was doing currently, they were so blindingly bright that it felt painful. The details on each building were breathtaking but it was hard to focus on that and not on the feel of anxiety clawing at my chest. I stamp out the feelings just enough to not cause anyone to be concerned.

Walking from one building to another between lessons would like be enough to keep me physically fit. It was an unreasonably large area I could already feel myself getting lost in. Before having the chance to look around to grasp how truly large this academy is, we were guided to our dormitory to drop off our luggage. Elina and I were only two doors down from one another which made things much easier, I wouldn't need to walk a marathon to find her. Each student was given a private ensuite room however, the dining and common rooms were shared among all student. As we were given a brief tour we were also told that the common room and dining room were a middle ground between the boys' residence and ours. It was hard to have any complaints about the residence. Everything had been planned meticulously to allow students as much space and comfort as needed. Once the tour had finished with me missing most of it, busy with staring in awe at everything, Elina and I walked towards the main gates to meet up with Adelphos and Helios.

The moment I saw my brother waiting for us, I couldn't stop myself from running towards him. Here he was, in all his glory, my brother who would always be there for me. As I ran, I clung to him with a tight hug, refusing to let go.

"I've missed you." I speak into his jacket, my words coming out muffled. But he understood me, as he always does.

"I've missed you too Seph". He was gentle in both his speech and actions as he gently soothed me by rubbing my back with one hand, and steadying me with the other.

Behind me, I could hear Elina and Helios speaking to one another, but that was none of my concern. Right now, I was preoccupied with catching up on all the time I had spent away from Adelphos. I move my face back just enough to be able to look at him.

"You seem to have grown every time I see you." I brush his hair back so that his eyes are in plain sight. "One day I might not be able to recognise you anymore."

"You've grown too. Anyway, you're here now. You'll be able to see my change with your own eyes, that way you'll always be able to recognise me."

"Is that so?" Unsure of why I responded like that, I change the topic while finally letting go of him. "Are you going to show us around the area?"

"Who else would do it, if not us?"

It was finally time to greet Helios. "Hello, Your Highness. How have you been?" Long gone were the days where I felt comfortable calling him by his name. Now our conversations were polite and formal, nothing more and nothing less.

"Hello. I have been well, and you?"

"I've been doing well too, thank you for asking."

Adelphos was the first to break the awkward silence following our conversation. "Well... Let's get going now, I'll treat you all to a meal."

"Okay!" I yell out of enthusiasm, trying to catch up to Adelphos who began walking before he even finished his sentence.

The walk was relatively short as the academy seemed to be near the centre of the city, thus there were many places within a short distance of the gates. As we walked, we stayed in pairs, siblings together. That way, we would be able to catch up to our heart's content. Of course, I was grateful that I didn't need to communicate with Helios more than necessary, but I also felt guilt for getting in between my brother and Elina. What if he had wanted some time alone with her? At present, the only time he would speak to her was when we would pass by a place he recommends, and even then he would be speaking to both of us. Just as I was about to sacrifice my comfort for my brother, I heard someone call out my name.

"Persephone Gabris?" asked an unfamiliar voice from behind me.

As I turn to find the source of the voice, I'm faced with a stranger. His faced looked familiar but it was difficult to put a name to it. "Yes?"

"Hello. I'm Nicholas, Nicholas Slater. I was wondering whether I would be able to speak to you?" Although he looked entirely different, something about the softness in his eyes reminded me of Elina. "Oh... if it's a bad time, I can come back another day?" he asks, scratching back of his neck in awkwardness he couldn't hide.

"It's not a bad time, let's have a chat." I quickly respond with a smile to ease his discomfort.

I turn back to face my brother. "You can all go sit down and begin ordering. I'll join you once I'm finished speaking to Nicholas. Is that alright?"

"...Okay. Don't be too long."

"I won't, don't worry." After my conversation with my brother was over I give my full attention to the half-stranger in front of me. We both take a seat on a bench nearby. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Well... you previously stated that you want to get to know me better. What would you like to know?" He asks. His face half serious, half anxious. I couldn't stop the laugh from escaping my mouth. He reminded me too much of my own awkwardness when getting to know Anna.

"That's hardly any way to get to know someone. Had I wanted specific questions answered, I would've sent you a questionnaire." I wipe the tears of laughter from my eyes. "What about you? Is there anything you would like to know about me?"

"What do you want from a fiancé?" He asks the question so quickly that I suspect he had been planning it for a while.

"It depends. It all depends on the person and the situation, but I guess you're asking about what I would expect from you at the moment? In which case, I don't necessarily care for a fiancé at the moment. I would rather have someone who felt the same, and was willing to just be friends who also acted as shields when it came to proposals and marriage." I answered with complete honestly, but I was quickly growing worried that I had upset him. "I-I'm sorry if that's not the answer you wanted. I'm just not yet ready to be thinking about anything like that."

Contrary to my expectations, his face lit up with glee. Although I was glad that he wasn't upset, a part of me was also irritated by his overly enthusiastic reaction. Was it so off-putting to be engaged to me? If so, why didn't he just decline it himself?

"I'm so glad we're on the same page!", he started. "I also don't feel ready but I'm constantly being told to find someone soon. I was hoping that perhaps you would reject me but this is even better! If you want someone for a half-assed engagement, choose me! Don't worry, I don't expect anything except for you to be able to put on a good show in front of others. You can even date, as long as no one finds out."

He was babbling and it was hard to keep track of all of the words coming at me. "Hang on." He was quick to stop talking as soon as I had said that. "Are you being serious right now? How long do you need it to last? Is it fine if we end the engagement as soon as one of us wants to? Do we need any rules?"

"That's entirely fine with me. You're free to end it whenever you want. We can also come up with any rules together."

Everything he was saying seemed too good to be true. Here he was, someone I'd never spoken to me before, offering me exactly what I was looking for. I could only hope it wasn't a scam. Deciding to take a risk and trust my gut instinct, I respond.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah, let's do it. I'll let my family know that I'm fine with the engagement and you can do the same. Although the order is all wrong... I hope we can be good friends to one another." I extend my hand with a friendly smile.

"I look forward to seeing our friendship grow", he responds by shaking my hand and returning a toothy smile.

Elated would be an understatement. Anyone who could see the two of us now would have thought we had won the lottery. At long last! I no longer had to worry about marriage and could just live my life as I have been doing this whole time. Even better, it wasn't Theodore, but instead someone who understands the concept of manners and reciprocity. What better news was there for me who was on the edge of my seat, concerned about having to deal with an arrogant child. Nicholas' proposal was music to my ears and so, with a face glowing from happiness, I skipped my way to Elina and our brothers.

"Hello~", I call out in a sing-song manner, hugging Elina from behind before taking my seat between her and my brother.

"You seem excited...", she pointed out questioningly.

"Hmm ~ is that so?" I take a sip of the drink they had ordered for me, my smile still refusing to drop by even one millimetre.

"What did you two talk about?" Adelphos was blunt in his question, his face devoid of any emotions.

"We decided to get engaged ~ I'm just so excited! At first I didn't think I would like him all that much, that's why I said I'd meet him and then decide. But he's perfect, everything I was looking for in a fiancé. We're practically the same people! Would you believe that there was someone like that and he was only one letter away? We're going to send letters home today to let our parents know about the decision so that the engagement party can be arranged. Isn't it all just so exciting ~"

I was rambling in happiness that things had finally started coming my way, unaware of the silence surrounding the rest of the table. Once I realised that no one had made a sound, I look around and see shock painting their faces. I dare say they looked slightly appalled, though I struggle to see why.

"You're getting engaged?" asks Helios, his face straight.

"Yes?"

"To the guy we saw earlier?" asks Elina, following up from her brother in the same manner.

"Yes?"

"The person you hadn't spoken to until today?" asks Adelphos who apparently decided to join in.

"Yes?"

There was a silence I couldn't understand for the entirety of the meal.