Chapter 18: Vent Sesh
I sit across from Saria, my wooden lunchbox resting untouched on the table between us. Steam rises in lazy spirals from Saria's teacup, the delicate floral pattern on the fine china catching the light.
Saria's emerald eyes study me intently, a slight furrow creasing her brow. Her silken hair cascades over her shoulders like a waterfall of spun gold, catching the warm glow of the cafe's ambient lighting. She takes a sip of her tea, the motion graceful and practiced, before setting the cup down with a soft clink.
"Uhh, Elwin," she begins, her voice tinged with a mixture of concern and curiosity, "why do you keep inviting me to meet you here?"
I feel a wave of melancholy wash over me, the weight of recent events pressing down on my shoulders like a physical burden.
"What?" I respond, my voice sounding hollow and distant even to my own ears.
Saria's eyes flick to my lunchbox, her brow furrowing deeper. "You haven't even touched your spaghetti."
I let out a long sigh, the sound seeming to carry all the weariness and confusion of the past few days. "I broke up with Rolo," I admit the words tasting bitter on my tongue.
Saria's emerald eyes widen, her delicate eyebrows arching in surprise.
"Oh dear," she breathes.
I lean forward, my elbows resting on the polished wood of the table.
"Saria," I begin, my voice low and earnest, "I don't know what it is about you, but I feel like I can trust you."
A delicate blush blooms across Saria's cheeks, spreading down her neck and disappearing beneath the high collar of her uniform.
"We hardly know each other," she murmurs.
I lean back in my chair, the wood creaking softly under my weight. A wry smile tugs at the corners of my lips. "You've let me trauma dump on you, though," I point out, my tone a mixture of gratitude and self-deprecation. "That was kind of you."
Saria's emerald eyes flick back to mine. "I guess."
I take a deep breath, the scent of coffee and cinnamon filling my lungs. "Well, regardless," I say, my voice taking on a note of determination, "may I do it again?"
"Wouldn't it be better to talk to your sisters like this?" she asks, her voice soft but carrying a hint of concern. Her emerald eyes search mine as if trying to peer into the depths of my soul.
I lean back in my chair, running a hand through my hair with a rueful chuckle. "If I told my sisters this, it would become an issue of national security for all the countries involved."
Saria's emerald eyes widen, her delicate features contorting with a flicker of nervousness. The teacup in her hands trembles slightly, causing ripples to dance across the surface of the amber liquid within. She sets it down hastily, the porcelain clinking against the saucer with a sharp, discordant note that seems to echo the sudden tension in the air.
"Maybe…. If you're just trying to vent, I am the best option."
Saria's gaze darts around the cafe as if suddenly aware of the other patrons surrounding us.
"In the future, though, you need to be careful not to tell secrets to princesses of other nations. They may want to blackmail you."
"Sure."
Saria's emerald eyes soften. She leans forward slightly.
"So," she begins, her voice gentle and encouraging, "you want to talk about the breakup?"
I shake my head. "Not really."
"The stranger found me again last night," I say suddenly, the words tumbling out before I can stop them. "As I was drinking at the duck pond."
Saria's brow furrows, confusion clouding her emerald eyes. "Duck pond?" she echoes, her voice laced with bewilderment.
I nod, a rueful smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. "I was feeding them bread."
Saria sets her cup down with a sharp clink, her eyes widening in disbelief. "What do you mean?" she asks, her voice rising slightly in pitch. "Why would a prince do that?"
I shrug, the motion causing my uniform to rustle softly. "I don't know. It seemed like a nice idea."
Saria leans forward, her voice dropping to an urgent whisper. "Were you alone?" she asks, her eyes darting around the cafe as if checking for eavesdroppers.
"Yeah?" I reply, the word coming out more like a question than a statement. The confusion in Saria's eyes is mirrored in my own, a sense of disconnect growing between us.
Saria's emerald eyes widen further, a mix of concern and disbelief swirling in their depths.
"Elwin," she begins, her voice low and urgent, "do you not realize how dangerous that was? A prince, drunk, alone at night, vulnerable..."
"Whatever," I interject, waving a hand dismissively. "So, the stranger found me. And she was sad that I was dating Rolo."
Saria blinks, momentarily taken aback by my sudden change of topic. Her brow furrows slightly as she processes this new information, her fingers absently tracing the delicate floral pattern on her teacup.
"I see," she says slowly, her voice measured and careful. "And what happened then?"
I lean back in my chair, the wood creaking softly under my weight. "She asked me to break up with Rolo," I continue, my gaze drifting to the window where the autumn leaves continue their graceful dance on the breeze. "I basically said I would if she told me who she was."
"Oh, so she revealed herself to you?"
I shake my head. "No," I reply, my voice tinged with a mixture of frustration and disappointment.
"She refused," I continue, turning back to Saria. "Multiple times, in fact."
"Then why did you break up with Rolo?" she asks, her voice soft but probing.
"I'm mad at the stranger," I admit, my fingers idly tracing patterns on the polished wood of the table. "But Rolo... Rolo is innocent in all this. I can't just string her along."
I pause, swallowing hard against the lump forming in my throat. "So I told her the truth."
For a moment, Saria is silent, her gaze distant as if lost in thought.
Finally, she lets out a gentle sigh, her shoulders sagging slightly. "In this case," she says, her voice tinged with a mixture of sympathy and resignation, "that might not have been a good choice."
"She deserved to know," I say, my voice firm despite the turmoil churning inside me. "It was the right thing to do."
"Can I be honest with you, Elwin?"
I nod. "That's what I'm here for," I manage to croak out, my voice sounding strained even to my own ears.
"I think," Saria begins, her words measured and careful, "this mysterious stranger of yours is either dating someone else or betrothed to someone."
A wave of nausea washes over me, my stomach churning with a sickening mix of betrayal and disgust.
"So," I say, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart, "you think she used me to cheat on their partner?"
Saria nods slowly, her eyes never leaving mine. "That's what I think," she confirms, her voice gentle but firm.
The pity in her gaze is almost unbearable. It's as if she can see right through me. The weight of her words settles on my shoulders like a physical burden, threatening to crush me under its weight.
Anger begins to bubble up inside me, hot and fierce. It burns away the shock and hurt, leaving only a seething rage in its wake. My hands clench into fists on the table, knuckles turning white with the force of my grip.
"I hate cheaters," I spit out, the words tasting like bile on my tongue.
Saria reaches out, her cool hand covering mine. The touch is gentle, grounding, a stark contrast to the storm of emotions raging within me. Her emerald eyes are filled with a deep, sorrowful understanding.
She says, "Then I would stay far away from that girl."
I nod. A groan follows, low and guttural, rising from the depths of my being like a creature awakening from a long slumber.
Saria's emerald eyes study me intently.
"Are you going to take a break from your love quest then?" Saria asks, her voice gentle but probing.
For a moment, I'm tempted to give in to the weariness that's been dogging my steps these past few days. The thought of retreating, of licking my wounds in solitude, is alluring in its simplicity.
'Yeah fucking right!'
Like a flame rekindling from dying embers, I feel something stir within me. A spark of determination, of stubborn hope, flares to life. My lips curve into a smile, it's not quite genuine, more a mask slipped on out of habit, but it's a start.
"No," I reply, my voice stronger than I expected. "Heartbreak is but one stepping stone on the trail of love."
Saria's eyebrows rise slightly, a flicker of surprise passing across her delicate features. "At least you're still eager," she says, a note of admiration creeping into her voice.
I nod, feeling the weight on my shoulders lighten ever so slightly.
"Rolo wasn't really a good match for me. And as for the stranger..." I trail off.
"If she's willing to cheat," I continue, turning back to Saria, "then she's a hard no, too."
Saria's emerald eyes soften, a gentle smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"Do you have someone else in mind?"
"No," I admit, my fingers absently tracing the intricate grain of the wooden table. "But I've been thinking..."
I pause, my gaze meeting Saria's. Her emerald eyes are fixed on me, patient and attentive.
"Do you know any domineering women?" I ask, genuinely curious.
The effect is immediate and startling. Saria's eyes widen, a flash of something, surprise? Interest? passing through them like lightning across a stormy sky. A deep blush blooms across her cheeks.
"I'm... I'm not sure," she stammers.
"Well," I say, my voice light and casual, "if you do, set me up with them, okay?"
"Yes," Saria says, her voice soft but filled with a newfound resolve. "I'll keep an eye out for someone like that for you, Elwin."
"Thanks, Saria," I say, my voice filled with gratitude. "You're a real friend."
With a newfound enthusiasm, I reach for my lunchbox. I speak with excitement. "Spaghett about it."
"What?"
*****
[Saria's POV]
The door of my private dormitory creaks open, the sound echoing in the empty hallway behind me. I step inside, my feet sinking into the plush carpet. The familiar scent of old books envelops me, usually a comfort, but today, it does little to ease the emotional exhaustion weighing on my shoulders.
As I close the door behind me, my eyes land on a figure standing by the window. The Head Mistress cuts an imposing silhouette against the fading daylight, her tall frame rigid with an authority that seems to fill the entire room. As she turns to face me, her sharp grey eyes seem to pierce right through me, reading every thought and emotion I've been trying so desperately to hide.
"How did it go?" she asks, her voice clipped and businesslike. There's no preamble, no greeting, just the question hanging in the air between us like a physical thing.
I swallow hard, my throat suddenly dry. "It went well, Master. Despite me making no effort at all he completely trusts me." I reply, the words feeling hollow and rehearsed on my tongue. I force my hands to remain still at my sides, resisting the urge to fidget under her intense scrutiny.
The Head Mistress takes a step closer. "Did he show any interest in you?" she presses, her eyes never leaving my face.
The question sends a jolt of guilt through me, sharp and unexpected. I think back to Elwin's face in the cafe, his warm brown eyes filled with trust as he confided in me, the way his lips curved into a genuine smile when he called me a friend. The memory of his request echoes in my mind: "Do you know any domineering women?"
I feel my cheeks heat up again. The Head Mistress's eyebrow arches slightly at my reaction, and I hurry to compose myself.
"He... he asked if I knew any domineering women," I admit, the words tumbling out in a rush. "I told him I'd keep an eye out for someone like that."
The Head Mistress's eyes narrow slightly, her gaze sharpening like a blade. For a moment, the room seems to hold its breath, the tension palpable in the air between us. Then, to my surprise, her stern expression softens ever so slightly. A small sigh escapes her lips, the sound barely audible in the quiet room.
"As long as he doesn't end up with Octavia," she says, her voice tinged with a mixture of resignation and relief, "it doesn't matter."
The unexpected response catches me off guard. I blink rapidly, trying to process this sudden shift in her demeanor.
She moves towards the door with measured steps. As she reaches for the doorknob, she pauses, her hand hovering in mid-air. Without turning back to face me, she speaks again, her voice carrying an unexpected note of thoughtfulness.
"Maybe you could find him to be a suitable partner after all."
She turns her head slightly. A knowing smile plays at the corners of her lips.
"You were quite the little sadist when I met you as a child, weren't you?" she continues, her voice carrying a hint of amusement.
"Perhaps," I say, wondering if Elwin would be a good match for me.
"Just consider it. That's all I'm asking."