Banned

"So what's your progress?" Lyserg asked Ren during lunch break.

The prince read out a few sentences from his scribbles and slammed his notebook shut afterwards. He started slicing his steak vigorously in frustration.

"After four hours of discussion, that's all you got from her?" Chocolove asked in disbelief. He was almost finished with his food as he had literally run into the dining hall the minute the bell rang.

"Well, I'm trying to be nice but she's trying to be difficult."

"Did you repay her deed by not telling something about your kingdom, too?" his green-haired friend teased him.

"No, I spent the whole time attempting to squeeze out information from her that there was no time left for me to give her mine. She said she'll just look it up in the references about Kaminari."

"Well, I guess you should do the same. We could go to the library after our War Tactics class and fencing training," Lyserg suggested.

"Personally, I don't understand why you have to bring the conflict in your land here in school," Chocolove rested his chin on his palm and peered at Ren. "Just imagine how things would go during the friendship ball if you finally meet the other royals of Kouri and Kasai."

"I'm sure we can manage not to kill each other," the Tao heir said a matter-of-factly.

"That was really friendly of you, Renny. Hey Lyserg, I heard Pirika had an older brother who previously attended here. If he comes to the ball, it would be the right time to ask---"

The green-haired boy shoved a banana into his mouth.

"I suggest you stop saying stupid things, Choco," Lyserg's left eye twitched.

"You're so cruel! This banana isn't peeled yet!" The enraged boy took the fruit out and began eating it.

"What's the big deal with Pirika and her older brother anyway?" Ren raised an eyebrow.

"You're so oblivious, Renny. Don't you know that our Lyserg here is---"

Another banana shot straight into the black boy's mouth.

"Okay, okay. I get it. I'll shut up!" Chocolove took out the new banana and started eating it also.

"Maybe it's a good thing Pirika's brother dropped out of the academy before you came, Ren," Lyserg tried to vanquish the Kaminari prince's curiousity. "Otherwise, it would have been a more awkward situation for you."

"Why did he drop out by the way? He was already gone when I enrolled here," Chocolove wondered out loud.

"Well, we were told by the headmaster that he would just be taking a short vacation. After all, an important friend of his died."

"Woah! Death in the academy? This topic is getting interesting!" screamed Chocolove. "What's the cause of death? Is he sick?"

"It was a she. We were just informed that she died during the night because of a heart problem but we didn't get to see her because the corpse was already transported to their kingdom. Come to think of it, the academy had only imposed the strict rules after her death. The Kouri prince did not return to school so I'm guessing he was tremendously affected by it. The next school term, Pirika came to the academy."

Prince Ren quietly stood up and gathered his things, "I'm going ahead. I'll meet you later in class."

His two friends watched him leave feeling a bit guilty.

"Maybe we should stop talking about dead girls, Lyserg."

At the Royal Patch Academy library...

How convenient. Ren snickered as he took down notes from a dusty volume about the kingdom of Kouri. The school day had ended and they were spending the remaining afternoon in the library researching on their Society of Royals homework.

His two friends notice his glee as he copied information from the book. However, the delight from his face was replaced with bewilderment when a light-blue-haired girl marched towards their place and slammed a book against the wooden table. The Patch librarian rewarded them with a glare from across the room.

"This is unfair! There is nothing of value written in this book," Pirika said in a hushed tone. They were in the repository after all.

Ren took the thin brown volume and skimmed through the pages. He would have laughed out to his heart's content had the librarian not shot them a stern look for the second time. The book only contained short paragraphs about the topics they were suppose to research and majority of the subsections had either the one-liner "Due to the request of the royal family, this information is withheld" or the single word "unknown" printed under them.

"So you need me after all," the Tao monarch smirked at her.

"Argh! Stop being annoying and self-conceited!"

"I'm just telling the truth princess."

"If it's not for this assignment, I would have not talked with you!"

"And you Princess Pirika," the librarian appeared behind her with his arms folded, "should not have talked loudly here. You are banned from the library for a week."

Ren sneered at her.

"What?! But Master Kalim---"

"You may take the prince of Kaminari with you outside. He is also banned from using this place for a week."

The Tao heir's jaws dropped. "She started it!"

Pirika stuck out her tongue at Ren.

"Talk again and your punishment will be extended for another week."

Ren angrily gathered his things. "See you at dinner…" he told his two friends before following the Kouri princess outside.

"This is all your fault Kaminari prince!" Pirika snarled as they marched upstairs towards their dormitories.

"Mine?! You're the one who rushed to my place and disturbed my peace, Kouri princess" Ren retorted. "If you did not act so difficult this morning then we could have been through with the homework!"

"Hmph! I don't feel like doing this assignment now. I'm going to my room! Let's see tomorrow if I'm in a good mood" the girl stomped away from him.

"You're the only one who's going to fail this subject Princess!" Ren screamed at her.

They separated ways at the top of the stairs which led to the east and west wings of the academy where the male and female dorms were located respectively.

Ren slammed the door shut and laid down on his bed. Lyserg and Chocolove would just knock when it's time for dinner. After all, their rooms were just next to his. Right now, he didn't want to be troubled by anyone. He took out the necklace with the rose pendant from his pant's left pocket and raised it over his face. It swung like a pendulum of a grandfather clock as if telling him that he was running out of time.

"I'm sure you'll scold me for doing this but I'll find you Anna even if I have to befriend the enemy."