Chapter 83: Meeting
Three days until the Monthly Ranking Test.
Aegis lay on her side, one hand propping up her head, the other draped over her hip. The afternoon light streaming through the window made everything glow gold, including her skin as she tried to look as posh and sexy as possible.
"Go ahead, Lune," she said. "Paint me like one of your French girls."
Lune looked up from her canvas, brush paused mid-stroke.
"What’s French?"
"It’s a—" Aegis stopped. Right. Different world. No France. "Never mind. Just a joke that doesn’t translate."
"Most of your jokes don’t translate." Lune went back to painting. "You sometimes reference things that I do not believe exist."
[Shit. Need to be more careful.]
"Maybe I’m just creative."
"Perhaps you’re just weird."
"Rich coming from the girl who paints people without asking."
"Did you not literally just ask me to paint you?"
"After you’d already started!"
Lune blinked and then shrugged, adding shadows to whatever she was working on. Knowing her, it was probably Aegis but with tentacles growing out of her head meant to represent her growing stress or something equally unsettling.
"Turn your shoulder more," Lune said. "The light’s not quite right."
"Hm? Uh, aren’t you painting from mostly imagination anyway?"
"I paint from observation filtered through imagination."
"That’s just making stuff up with extra steps."
"All art is making stuff up with extra steps."
A knock interrupted their philosophical debate. Not a polite knock either—this was someone trying to punch through wood with their knuckles.
Aegis rolled off the bed exotically and opened the door.
Talia stood there looking like someone had force-fed her lemons while explaining how much she’d be paying in taxes today.
Her black hair was pulled back in a mean bun that made her cheekbones sharper. She wore her formal uniform, the one with all the House Stone crests and unnecessary buttons.
"I need you," she said without preamble.
"Hello to you too," Aegis smirked. "Feeling cock-hungry, are we?"
"I’m serious." Talia pushed past Aegis into the room, saw Lune painting, and ignored her completely. "I have a meeting with Darius Goldspire in twenty minutes and if you don’t come with me, I might actually kill him."
"That seems extreme."
"He sent me flowers."
"The monster."
"Made of magical ice. That sing. About our shared destiny."
Aegis winced.
"Okay, that’s pretty bad."
"They’re still singing. Right now. In my room. I can’t make them stop."
"Have you tried melting them?"
"Melting a gift from another noble may as well be tantamount to declaring war with their house. I’m so fucked." She added that last part in a whisper.
Aegis nodded slowly.
"So you want me there as... what? Backup? Moral support? Murder accomplice?"
"Distraction." Talia grabbed Aegis’s uniform jacket from a chair and threw it at her. "If I’m focused on being annoyed at you and your incessant attempts to get in my pants, I won’t be focused on strangling him with his own intestines."
"Romantic."
"Get dressed."
Aegis pulled on the jacket, not bothering with all the buttons. Talia watched with an expression somewhere between impatience and something else.
"Bye Lune," Aegis called.
"Mm." Lune didn’t look up. "Try not to actually murder anyone."
"No promises."
[... She really is getting more talkative, isn’t she?]
They left the room and made it exactly three steps down the hall before Talia grabbed Aegis’s collar and shoved her against the wall.
"What—"
Talia kissed her.
Not a gentle kiss either. This was Talia trying to crawl inside Aegis’s mouth and set up residence. Her tongue swept across Aegis’s teeth, her lips pressed hard enough to bruise. One hand stayed on Aegis’s collar while the other tangled in her hair, pulling just enough to hurt in the good way.
[Okay then.]
Aegis kissed back, hands finding Talia’s waist and pulling her closer. Their bodies pressed together, Talia’s leg sliding between Aegis’s thighs.
When Talia finally pulled back, they were both breathing hard. A string of saliva connected their mouths for a second before breaking.
"What was that for?" Aegis asked.
"I’m trying to absorb some of your shamelessness." Talia straightened her uniform like she hadn’t just been trying to eat Aegis’s face. "I’m going to need it."
"Did it work?"
"No. Kiss me again."
"We’re in the middle of the hallway."
At that, Talia actually scoffed.
"Since when do you care?"
[... Good point.]
Aegis pulled Talia back in, this time taking control. She spun them so Talia’s back hit the wall, one hand braced beside her head while the other traced the curve of her jaw. This kiss was slower but no less intense, Aegis taking her time exploring Talia’s mouth while the princess made small sounds that definitely weren’t proper.
"Better?" Aegis asked when they separated.
"No. But we’re late now, so that’s something."
They walked through the academy halls, Talia’s lipstick smudged and Aegis’s collar askew. Students stared. Aegis waved. Talia looked ready to commit regicide.
---
The meeting room was in the administrative wing, all dark wood and serious portraits. Darius was already there, lounging in a chair like he owned it. His perfectly styled brown hair and sharp jawline made him look like he’d stepped out of a bad romance novel.
But he wasn’t alone.
"Aegis!" Serilla waved from her seat, pink hair bouncing. "What a lovely surprise."
[Of course she’s here.]
"Serilla." Each individual syllable was laden with disgust. "Why?"
"Darius and I are old friends." Serilla’s smile showed too many teeth. "Didn’t he mention?"
"He failed to."
Darius stood, all calculated charm and practiced movements.
"Princess Stone. You look radiant as always."
It was almost shocking how Aegis could tell Talia was trying to keep herself from gagging.
"Thank you," Talia clearly forced herself to say. "I hope the day has served you well."
"Mine just got even better," Darius replied. He hadn’t even glanced at Aegis yet.
Aegis didn’t mind that too much, though. She was, after all, mostly here as a walking decoration.
He gestured to some chairs. Talia sat as far from him as physically possible. Aegis took the seat between them, which put her directly across from Serilla, who winked in her direction.
[Trying to get in my head too, huh? Well, it won’t work.]
"So," Darius began, pulling out papers covered in elaborate script. "About our engagement—"
"We’re not engaged," Talia interrupted.
"The paperwork suggests otherwise."
"The paperwork was decided upon unilaterally by my mother. I have not signed off on it."
"That seems odd." He smiled the way people smiled when they thought they were being charming. "We could be good together."
"We could also not be together. And I’d like to consider that possibility as well before I commit to anything."
"You don’t hold back, do you?"
Serilla laughed.
"She has a point, Darius. You’re not exactly her type."
"And what would you know about her type?"
"Well, she clearly seems to prefer silver-haired commoners with big—"
"Serilla," Talia’s voice was deadly quiet. "Finish that sentence and I’ll freeze your tongue to the roof of your mouth."
"Promises, promises."
Aegis watched the verbal tennis match, noting how Darius’s jaw tightened every time Serilla spoke. Interesting. There was history here, and not the good kind, despite him having invited her over.
[Wonder what that’s about.]
"The engagement is politically advantageous," Darius continued, ignoring Serilla. "Your mother agrees."
"My mother also thinks wearing the same dress twice is a moral failing."
"House Stone needs alliances."
"Not necessarily an alliance forged through marriage."
"That’s not how politics works."
"Then politics can burn."
Serilla leaned forward, making sure everyone got a view down her shirt.
"You know, there’s an easy solution here."
Everyone looked at her.
"Aegis could just challenge Darius to a duel."
"What?" Aegis and Darius said in unison.
"Ancient law. Anyone can challenge for the right to court a noble." Serilla examined her nails. "Of course, Aegis would probably lose. Darius is quite accomplished with a sword."
"Among other things," Darius added, looking directly at Aegis.
[Did he just—]
"Please," Talia muttered. "The only thing you’re accomplished at is making people wish they were somewhere else."
"Harsh words from my future wife."
"Call me that again and you’ll be my future corpse."
The meeting continued like that for another hour.
Darius would propose something, Talia would verbally destroy it, Serilla would make increasingly inappropriate comments, and Aegis would sit there wondering how this had become her life.
Finally, mercifully, a bell chimed somewhere.
"Oh look," Talia stood immediately. "Time’s up."
"We haven’t resolved anything," Darius protested.
"Sounds like a you problem."
She grabbed Aegis’s hand and practically dragged her from the room. Behind them, Aegis heard Serilla say something that made Darius shout.
They made it around two corners before Talia stopped, leaning against the wall.
"I hate everything."
"He seems to be an expert in getting on your nerves."
"He’s the worst. And Serilla—"
"Is also the worst."
"They deserve each other."
"Probably."
Talia looked at her, yellow eyes unreadable.
"Thank you. For coming."
"You forced me."
"I didn’t force you. I... aggressively encouraged you."
"With your tongue."
"That was separate."
They stood there, close but not quite touching. The hall was empty, paintings of dead people judging them silently.
"Three days until the test," Talia said quietly.
"We’ll be ready."
At that, Talia gave her a proper smirk.
"Of course. What sort of loser do you take me for?" Talia pushed herself off the wall and turned. "I’ll see you later, Aegis. Thanks again."
"No problem."