1.7 - Empathy

When Calia woke, she found Sylphia to be missing from her bed. Piper lay sprawled over her, suffocating her with her belly, Calia pushed the girl off her face, rolled over, she sat up. Her limbs strained and her head groggy. 

She wasn't butt naked anymore. 

Her clothes were properly refitted, it could only have been Sylphia, she must have recloth her body after what happened the previous night. 

Her cheeks flushed slightly red, whilst Sylphia wasn't her first in the bed, being given assisted masturbation by a tall elf was a very novel and strange experience. Her nipples were slightly sore, how long was she suckling on her? 

At any rate, she should keep it private, Yana most certainly wouldn't approve.

Did Yana even notice? There was no fallout that woke her. So she guessed everything was fine. 

Piper, who was still in deep sleep, lay in undisturbable comfort. Her oversized t-shirt nearly went past her loose shorts. To Calia she looked like a cute, bubbly pet she'd just adopted. She had a strange urge to start nibbling her cute face. But she refrained. 

Shaking her, stretching, she walked away from the bedroom. The other two were completely absent. 

It wouldn't be appropriate. 

A sense of satisfactory pleasure washed over Calia, despite being laggy and feeling lazy, she felt relieved. Her body felt strangely in tune, by now the pressure in her crotch would start building again, and yet it didn't there was no sensual irradiation plaguing her. 

She brushed her finger below her clothes, stimulating the area around her clitoris. 

Nothing, not even irritation, she felt perfectly at ease... Definitely, the elves work, she'd inquire later as to what exactly she did. 

She opened the bathroom door, it was quite spacious and generous, with one big bathtub and two showers. One of the shower curtains was lifted, and a girl's petite feet stuck out as the water fell from the shower apparatus. 

Sylphia resided in the large bathtub, the foamy and soapy water, covered her bare breasts. She smiled at Calia but said nothing. As if pretending nothing had happened the night before. Calia didn't dare ask her. That was enough curiosity for the moment. 

Calia knew the elf knew more than she let on, if she did indeed hold a secret to taming her [Lilith's kiss] she needed to spill. 

She undresses herself, throwing her clothing into a little basket at the edge of the room. 

As Calia undressed, she saw Yana's face peek out of the shower, briefly ogling at her, then blushing. She hid her face again. 

"Don't you have any manners, Calia? The bathroom is preoccupied. At least cover your breasts before you get in the tub or the shower." Yana scolded her. 

"We're all girls here aren't we," Calia asked. "What's the problem."

Yana scoffed. "The problem is I'm not comfortable with it. Sylphia understand my boundaries why can't you."

This girl was ridiculous. 

"It's a communal bathroom, you should totally get used to it by tomorrow. You're a noble aren't you, so a servant has never dressed you before?"

Yana scoffed. "I'm fully capable of dressing myself, my heritage is irrelevant Ms. Argentum, some of us, grow up differently."

"But Yana's completely naked in the tub. Do you shy your eyes from her?"

"I did before, now shut up or I'll smite you!" she screeched. 

Calia flinched, slowly getting to the shower. Playing with the valves. 

Sylphia giggled behind her. "Don't slip and fall"

It may have been a jest, but Sylphia couldn't help but feel ominous at the statement. 

"I...I won't," Calia answered.

****

Piper bounced like a wild hare as she dragged Calia out of the dormitory. 

"Come on Calia, we need to get breakfast together. You can't say no!"

Calia sighed but didn't protest. Yana and Sylphia had already left for class an hour early, barring her from pressing Yana for any answers about the strange devilry she might have performed last night. She'd been receptive, and caring. Not asking for anything in return bar fondling her nipples with her mouth. 

That did feel good

Inside the cafeteria, a handful of students were present for the morning rush– silverware clinked against porcelain, and cups were stirred. The air smelled like freshly baked bread and expensive chicory. 

Food was practically free, of course, if you didn't go over a certain limit. The educational fees were quite expensive if you were a commoner. Calia had hoped for something simple and nutritious. Bacon hard crisped, and boiled eggs, with a large cup of sweetened green tea to quench her morning thirst. She was never particularly hungry mornings. 

Piper being Piper, had gone way overboard. Her tray was piled with dozens of creamy croissants drizzling next to syrup drench pancakes. A mountain of cream on the side. 

Piper was ready to spend what little she had on it. But Calia stepped in knowing it was an illiterate financial decision. 

"You're paying again? Are you sure? Piper had asked cautiously. 

"Sure, but…you owe me, remember that." Piper displayed her puppy-dog eyes. 

"You mean it, you'd do that for me."

"Sure but say it." Calia leaned in with a smirk. "You owe me."

"You owe me," Piper said cheeky.

Callia rolled her eyes. "No, you owe me."

"You owe me?" she repeated, now a bit confused. "Wait–"

Calia stopped her from speaking. The girl followed her to sit, tilting her head behind. Her airheadedness can be contagious sometimes, she supposed that's what she found loveable about her. 

They sat near a quiet table near the window in the corner of the chamber. Sunlight strode in, reflecting off kitchenware. Her tea was left untouched. She looked outside, a murder of bloody crows was patrolling the academy, ever watching. She wondered how she was going to approach this year. 

Her quiet thoughts were interrupted when Piper's cheery voice broke through. She barely had time to protest. "Say aaah!"

Calia hesitated. "What are you–"

"Open up silly." Piper buzzed. 

She let her mouth open. "Aaahh…"

Piper stuck it passed her lip, and Calia bit down, it was sugary and sweet. Good, too good in fact for her stomach. 

Piper returned to her plate attacking the pancakes with ferocious tenacity, it was a sight to behold. How her little frame was able to consume so much. 

Piper was adorable, no questions about it. Her bubbly energy brightened Calia's in every way possible. But Calia was not so innocent as her friend– the girl's affection sparked something in her–something she desired.

Cuddly comfort, Hilda had been there for her when she needed to but they were a ways off, by a few years. 

Something lured Piper to her and she didn't want that trail of fate to disappear. She had the selfish desire, to mold Piper into something more naughty, like Hilda had done the previous year for her.. She didn't know if Piper even liked women, it was a matter of desire.

Whether it was a result of her upbringing she could only wonder, Hilda had been subservient to Arabella, and when no one was looking, she had been submissive to Hilda. 

Oh, Hilda. She wouldn't be touched by her anytime soon. She missed her. Calia veered her mind away from that sorrow.

"So, Piper" Calia asked, taking a sip out of her cup. "Why are you here? Why not follow in your father's footsteps—or even walk the path of a templar?"

In their nation, it's expected for a child to follow in the footsteps of a parent.

Piper paused and then pouted. 'I told you before. I was sent here for punishment, sort of I guess." she frowned and looked down, licking the syrup off her thumb. "People in my village thought I was a nuisance, or a devil even. They really don't like magic–got scared of it. My father insisted I come here. Said it would be good for me. Like penal school but with spells."

"Penal school?"

Piper looked uncomfortable. She didn't answer.

Calia put her cup down, watching Piper. "And your mother. What's her opinion?"

Her cheerful demeanor disappeared entirely, and Calia was so scared that seh opened a ticking bomb, she regretted asking. "She's dead. Died when I was born. My father always said I have her energy, whatever that means." 

"I'm sorry," Calia said quietly. "I didn't know." 

Then she opened up herself, adding. "I never knew my mother, either. My birth mother, I mean. Legally speaking, Arabella is my mother, but... she's never treated me like one."

Piper's eyes went wide. "Wait–so you're not a noble at all. You're adopted?"

"Well, actually I kind of am, just not from the Argentum family, I don't remember much about those days, but our estate was burned down. I can't really recall it clearly, everything is so hazy. I was a wild orphan for a while, until the Argentum adopted me, bar one condition."

Piper listened attentively. 

"When I become of age, I'm supposed to marry one of her sons. "

Piper jerked. Scrunching her nose in disgust. "That's kinda…gross." 

Calia laughed bitterly. "It's an old custom, and that was last year, the only reason I'm not betrothed to a fat slob of a son of hers is because the law sent me here. Nineteen, mandatory magical education and conscription thanks to the National Defense Act. "

Her mouth fell open, "Wait…does that mean when you're done here?"

"Yeah, I have to marry Piggy," she said flatly and distastefully.

"That's so messed up!" she exclaimed. Stabbing the last of her pancakes, like it committed a crime. Piper was left speechless. "Then just marry someone else." 

Calia giggled, amazed by how naive and earnest Piper was. "It's not that simple," she said voice tight. ""I...I can't do that. I would be breaking noble custom. 

"So run away," Piper suggested, eyes vulnerable.

"That's just the thing," she said. "My good friend–Hilda–suggested I use this place to do just that."

The table fell silent and Calia was tense, she'd never shared such a thing with anyone but Hilda.

"Okay. We'll get you out of it, somehow…" her eyes blazed with determination. 

"Don't be ridiculous," she said her voice cracking. If only there was a flicker of hope.

"I'm not" she shot back. "I'll write a letter to my father, and he'll tell the king. And then the king will make the argentums back off!"

Calia dropped a sweat, dumbfounded. Piper's simplicity and innocence felt like a dream, the type you'd smoke out of a pipe.

She let out a soft humorless laugh. Piper might just be mad enough to actually write the letter. "That's nice but no."

Piper crossed her arms, her expression stubborn. "You'll see," she said confidently. 

Calia sank her shoulders, she had more pressing things to worry about, such as why her magical libido was completely suppressed.