CHAPTER SEVEN

"Blargh...cough...cough"

"I am so sorry you had to see that Louloudi.” Audrey worriedly pats Louloudi's back.

"It's okay, it’s not your-- retch--"

Louloudi did not react when they saw the body instead, after they walked a few paces, she turned bent her body, and started throwing up.

Louloudi wanted to cry but had no tears. Who would be unfaced after witnessing such a sight? She never thought that after eating so much for breakfast it would end up on the floor.

‘I ate so much for breakfast so I won't starve to death before lunch but it's clearly still morning....’ Louloudi was crying bitterly inside her heart.

Seeing how somber Louloudi looked, Audrey thought she must be feeling uncomfortable and suggested taking her to the school’s hospital.

Louloudi immediately shook her head "There is no need for that Audrey, I’m good” She let out a smile “Thank You”.

Classes resumed and everything was back to normal, it was as if the incident that happened earlier that day was just her imagination, making Louloudi doubt whether what she saw this morning happened.

The whole school was as lively as when she resumed in the morning. No mourning, no despondent air or whatsoever.

"It seems what happened this morning left a deep impression on you"

"Huh," Louloudi was brought out of her reverie and answered Audrey absentmindedly.

Louloudi was at a loss for words, any normal person after witnessing something like that would react in one way or the other, but seeing Audrey's composition and the rest of the student’s indifference she didn't know what to think.

"Why is everybody so unresponsive? There is a clan mark on her wrist which means she belongs to the main family of a great clan. What will the school do if her clan comes for an explanation?"

Audrey gave Louloudi a complicated look, she leaned in and then whispered in a voice only the both of them could hear "That was Lilibet Fedore of the Fedore clan"

"Fedore clan?" Louloudi could not hide her confusion. Xander has introduced every clan there is to her and this is the first time she is hearing about the Fedore clan.

"You don't know about the Fedore clan?"

Audrey tilted her head and then gave Louloudi complex looks as if saying, ‘Isn't she Clan head Doyle’s little sister? how come she doesn't know this?’. Every clan needs to educate its members about the history, structure, and workings of each clan before they come of age. So, it is quite surprising that there is a clan Louloudi hasn’t even heard of.

Sensing her doubts, Louloudi nudged Audrey’s arm playfully “Have you forgotten what the principal said? I grew up outside the country and I just returned last month, so it is not shocking that I don’t know much about the clans of the country”.

“Oh yeah, that’s true” Audrey nodded her head in agreement.

The Fedore clan tragedy started as such. Some years back, the Fedore clan worked their way into becoming a great clan, taking the fifth position amongst the four great clans. From generation to generation, only four clans have been in that position and it has been unchanged since. These four clans might be peaceful towards each other on the surface but turbulent inside, they have never gotten along, it is more like an unspoken secret that everybody knows.

Two kings cannot exist in one jungle talk less of four. Each one of the four great clans has been searching for ways to put the others down to emerge as the supreme, the Fedore clan just had to make waves at this critical time by becoming the fifth greatest clan, turning what was originally ‘The Four Greatest’ to ‘The Five Greatest’. This did not sit well with some people.

The Fedore clan was pushed down by the joint hands of the four great clans. The clan head Lilith's father Philip Fedore committed suicide, the main family’s branch which consisted of Lilibet, her older sister Jasmine, her mom, and two older brothers were wiped clean leaving just her and her older sister who chose to leave the country after the tragedy. The other clan members either got exiled or chose to join other clans.

The former clan head of the Adelio clan and Lilibet's Father were friends. There was also a rumor that there was a marriage alignment between the Easton and the Fedore clan. But at the end of the day, both clans joined hands with the other two to suppress the Fedore family.

This made Louloudi question the friendship between Elites. It would seem their so-called friendship is only for beneficial purposes, so flimsy that with a little poke, it is wrecked.

Lilibet's character was very problematic. She was very proud and often bullied students of lower status. Everybody had expected what happened this morning, a person who was placed very high and was used to being respected and feared suddenly got kicked down, she obviously won’t be able to bear the insults and ridicule. A lot of people were secretly gloating.

After all this, Louloudi still couldn’t tell what Lilibet or her family’s crime was.

************

Melany replayed the voice note over and over again, her expression unchanging. One was unable to tell what she was thinking. She had been in a meeting a few minutes ago with the employees of the company when her backup phone chimed. Louloudi being the only contact on that phone and today being just her first day of school, Melany had a premonition that something must have happened.

Melany dispersed the meeting and then waited for the last person to close the door before she played the voice message.

Melany had her hand on her chin as she listened to the voice message play, over and over again.

This was the sight that greeted Harry when he opened the door. He paused at the entrance of the door after hearing the voice coming out from the phone speakers, but it was just a little pause. He entered and chose a seat close to Melany without a change in his expression.

Harry was not surprised hearing the voice message and Melany did not make any move to stop it. He figured this would be the case when he saw Louloudi in school earlier today. Harry watched Melany closely, trying to pick a hint of remorse or guilt in her expression but failed. Melany had the same expressionless everyday face.

Back when Melany’s parents were still alive, her parents were friends with the Fedore clan head and his wife. Jasmine and Melany were the closest amongst their generation, even if they did not want to admit it. They were childhood friends that grew up together. When the other clans came to the Adelio clan for assistance to ‘clean’ out the Fedore clan, Melany was already the clan head.

This was why it came as a surprise when the tragedy befalls the Fedore clan. At that time, Jasmine and her little sister Lilibet, would always make a scene in front of the Adelio clan entrance, Melany was also dragged by the media.

Harry remembers vividly, an occurrence that left a deep impression on him.

It was the inaugural ceremony of Melany Adelio. All clan heads and members of the main branch were invited, Harry had come with his parents. The entire ceremony was somber because of the death of Melany’s parents. The atmosphere was stifling, Harry saw many familiar faces but could not smile or exchange small talk with them. Each family was seated with its clan head and each clan was arranged far from the other.

Harry heard his uncle speak at this point “Why aren’t they coming yet? Do they feel they can keep us waiting just because their clan is number one? With this new leader let’s see for how long they can keep this stinking attitude up humph!” Harry couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

His uncle Darwin Tennyson is his father’s older brother, he is a jealous braggart who does not know how to mask his feelings.

Harry’s father Noah Tennyson side-eyed him and cautioned in a flat tone “Don’t be rude”.

Darwin Tennyson let out an ingratiating smile, his haughty attitude gone, “Yes, yes, I didn’t mean to be rude, I was just saying”. A textbook example of an ass-licking, fawning fool. Harry decided he’d had enough and then brought out his phone to pass time.

The whispers and buzzes from around him alerted Harry of Melany’s arrival. She was escorted by all her clan members to their sitting area and then the ceremony officially started. Harry sneaked a look at Melany and was surprised at how ‘different’ she looked. There was not a single smile on her face, she looked like a puppet. At that moment, Harry had thought in his head, ‘Her parent’s demise must have really shocked her’.

Melany’s eyes trailed in his direction and then their eyes met catching him off-guard. They maintained eye contact for a while before Harry started getting uncomfortable, there hadn’t been any change in her expression from the moment she stepped into the hall till now.

Harry thought it would be rude to just look away considering how they were childhood friends. He gave a small wave and then smiled at her, Melany wanted to reciprocate this gesture but it was too difficult for her to smile, after a while she gave up and just waved back at him. Just then a commotion came from the entrance of the hall diverting their attention.

Hordes of reporters were trying to get into the hall, there were flashes of cameras and notes of scattered questions thrown at Melany.

The ceremony was invite-only. This is so, because of the nature and uniqueness of this particular one--- funeral and inauguration. As a result of this, there were not many guards at the entrance, the reporters were able to force their way in.