Just like the Prince

"About time you showed up" Elaine said as Anberine stared at her blankly. Seeing this Elaine narrowed her eyes. "Think you're so special? You're nothing but a nobody and yet the prince keeps wasting his time on you"

"Elaine, I don't want to keep going through this with you. You know he hates me" Anberine said with a frown only to flinch from the slap a brown haired sea blue eyed girl to Elaine's left had inflicted.

"Did we say you could talk?" the girl sneered "learn your place you dirty rat" hearing this made Anberine's jaw clench but refrained from responding, seeing this the girl released a mocking laugh.

"It's funny that she's all this when she has a cluster of disgusting traitors with her, knowing that they'll react if they see her being 'bullied' and yet when she's alone she's weak... worthless wretch" she jeered but Anberine remained silent, gripping her bag she tried to walk past only to be pushed backwards causing her to stagger slightly.

"Did we say you could leave?" spat a girl to Elaine's right, she had strawberry blond hair and green eyes.

"I don't even want to cause trouble, so can I please go?" Elaine laughed from Anberine's words, the annoyed noble then grabbed the top of Anberine's hair causing Anberine to yelp in pain and try to get the hand off her.

"You're nothing but an insect, the fact that you even captured the prince's attention is unacceptable. I have no idea as to why he keeps wasting his time on you" Elaine said darkly before pulling a distressed Anberine close so she could speak in her ear "but I do love a good show" Anberine's eyes went wide before she was sent to the floor.

As she placed her hand to her cheek laugher from the girls filled her ears.

Pain immediately flared up on Anberine's left cheek thanks to the punch Elaine inflicted, hot fire seared Anberine's cheek knowing that the noble had used magic to cause more damage which meant the injured girl would be sore for days.

Feeling like it could have been ice due to how cold the hand was that connected to Anberine, she winced only to feel as if air left her lungs thanks to the kick that not only hit her free hand that rested on her stomach causing two sets of pain to bloom.

"So weak and pathetic, no wonder others take advantage of her" one of the girls mocked as they turned to look at the other.

"Let's just go, just being near her makes me feel as if I'll get infected with poverty disease" one jeered darkly.

"She's just an orphan" another said coldly.

"Makes me wonder if her parents offed themselves on purpose or not" hearing this Anberine bit her lip, despite trying to push the pain away just hearing the cold words of her peers left her wanting to cry.

It hurt that they would just see her as something they could amuse themselves with; she wasn't even a person in their eyes.

Just a pathetic waste of life that they could easily damage without a second thought.

'Just like the prince...' Anberine muttered bitterly only to wince as one kicked her other cheek.

"Tarna leave her, she's just a nobody" one said dryly as the voice was at a distance, looking up at the attacker Anberine saw the blond-haired girl smirking at her before making a startling movement that made Anberine flinch.

Seeing this the girl laughed at the injured Anberine who had once again had to endure a set of torment from the nobles. Getting up once she gathered her bearings, Anberine staggered against a wall and gripped it as tightly as she could.

Looking at the windowless stone hallway she spotted the prince speaking to Morgana, a sigh left the injured girl's lips knowing that this was for the best.

Fatigue at that moment seemed appealing but shook off it's lulling charms knowing that if she didn't move she would be in worst shape than she was already in.

~

"Prince Skye, could I have a moment of your time?" Morgana asked with a sweet smile, her kind words caught the prince's attention enough to make him look at her. Recognising her as one of Anberine's friends he released a small smile surprising the Dark Dweller before she regained her composure.

"What is it? Did you need something?" the prince asked almost pausing from speaking due to how awkward he was feeling.

'Did I say it right?' Prince Skye pondered as he saw her stare at him for a bit which left him unnerved but didn't let it show.

"I made some candy apples, I was going to present it to class but I don't know how they taste. Would you be so kind to let me know how it tastes?" Morgana asked with a shy smile, curious Prince Skye eyed the apple she revealed from her box.

His mind then went back to the last time she gave him something sweet which had been... a cake? Curious yet slightly weary he took the apple, Skye examined the apple for anything odd only to see it looked normal despite the shiny texture it was giving off.

"Thank you... my lady" Prince Skye said with a brief nod of his head, startled Morgana quickly smiled politely as she watched him take a bite of the apple.

To his confusion despite the fact that it tasted sweet, it had tasted... odd. Almost as if he was eating an unripe apple, which was something that left him completely baffled.

"This is... ripe right?" Skye asked causing her to blink from the reply.

"Of course Prince Skye, I would never give a rotten apple to anyone" Morgana said with a sincere look, even if she hated the prince she would never stoop that low.

This was for her friend and she would gladly make the prince look at her instead of Anberine.