Cassandra

Chapter Seven

Cassandra POV 

“Get up or you will be late”, I moan and turn the other way. 

“Dear, hurry up, everyone is leaving”, this time, I could hear the words perfectly. I feel the coldness under my body and try to cover myself with the blanket. 

“Maria..blanket”, I moan again, someone is tapping on my hand to wake me up. 

“Just ten more minutes”, I could feel my back being sore and one of my hand is numb. 

“Dear, they are about to leave”, this isn’t Maria’s voice. I open my eyes in a panic to see who has broken the security and come into my chambers. I open my eyes and look beside me ready to tackle whoever it is when my eyes fall on a middle-aged woman looking at me tenderly. I sit up immediately to see where I am. 

As I look around I remember that this is academia. I look below and sigh. I have slept on the floor outside my chamber for the whole night. My clothes are dirty and I also smell horrible.

“You would fetch me a glass of water”, I ask the lady. She gives me a confused look. That’s when I realize that I am not a princess here. But still, she quickly goes into the kitchen and brings me some water. 

She hands me the glass and smile. I gulp it down in one go and give it back to her. 

“I appreciate your kindness, you would be rewarded for that”, I put my hand over my mouth. 

What is wrong with me, why am I saying all the wrong things?

“Dear, I don’t give a glass of water to someone who is thirsty for getting a reward”, her smile words struck me. 

“You should get ready soon, they are leaving”, she says and is about to walk away when I grab her hand. 

“Where is the bathing room?”, I ask her, getting up from the floor and stretching my hands and legs. 

She looks at the others who are as surprised as her. There are some whispers around but I couldn’t hear them properly.

“We usually take bath near the Lake, it is just behind the kitchen” I look at her with a blank expression. 

Bath in public? 

It’s as if she understands me what is worrying me that she continues, “Men are not allowed to come there”, she smiles leaving me again.

I haven’t undressed in front of anyone other than Maria, how will I take a bath near the lake. 

I pull up my dress to smile it which I have seen my brothers going often and I am about to throw up. It is stinking with sweat. 

I turn around to see that the chamber looks neater than last night, the smell is still there but it is not as strong as yesterday and the floor looks clean too. The cleaner has removed the webs too and laid down a bed and pillow on the floor. 

Windows are open so there is no need for a candle or lantern for me to see my things. I quickly take out my clothes, a block of clay, sand, pumice, and ashes. I also take out oil and strigil. I am about to leave when I hear noises. 

I don’t have a lot of time.

I take my clothes and rag and rush towards the lake. 

I take off my dirty clothes and quickly put the rag around me. As soon as I step into the water, I almost scream but cover my mouth. It is too cold. 

How will I bath in this cold water?

I could hear the noises getting louder and know that I have no other options than to bathe myself as soon as possible. 

I put one leg than others and take a dip in the water. 

One dip would be enough for today. 

I move out of the water, as quickly as I have entered. And clean my body with the already wet rag. My hair is a mess and also too wet. 

I don’t know what to do

I put on my clothes and dry my hair as much as possible. I gather my things and leave for the ground. 

As I am walking towards the ground, I feel someone’s hand on my shoulder and I freeze. 

Then slowly I feel my hair is tied in a bun. 

“You shouldn’t go there with open hair. The teacher would be angry”, she says and leaves again. 

My heartbeats have increased just by the mention of his name. I know she is right. He might actually get angry by this tardiness. I should be more careful about all this. 

I make my way towards the ground. I am relieved noticing that he is not here yet. I start to look around and see that most of the people gathered here are guys, maybe all of them are. I can’t see a girl present here. 

I have never felt the need of another female companion in my entire life. I could feel myself shivering, I don’t know if it is the cold or the fear. The place is new for me and I thought that a girl could have understood me more. 

I could do this, I could survive here. 

I am relieved that no one has noticed me yet, maybe this is because I am dressed in white blouses and pants with my little sword kept on my belt. My hair is tied in a bun and not lose and most of the guys have long hair too. I don’t stand out. Have I dressed as a princess does, I would have been center of attention. 

I shouldn’t forget why I am here. I start to look around the field, it is mostly empty with only people here. 

Maybe they will bring the training equipment later. 

My eyes fall on a group of guys gathered at the end of the field. I could hear cheers and laughs from them. 

I guess someone is showing some tricks. 

Taking myself over that place, I push some guys sideways to see what all are looking at. 

I am stunned to see what is happening in front of my eyes.

“Why the trainer let looser like you inside?”, a tall, toned guy having long dirty blonde hair is standing near another guy who has fallen down on the ground. He looks quite older than us with a sculpted, little hairy chest and neatly trimmed beard. The guy on the ground is tall and lean with short black hair.  The blonde guy looks like a Prince with his muscular build and manly looks. He doesn’t seem like he would be our age but maybe he is. On the other hand, the guy on the ground looks like he is the son of a servant in the palace. I can’t figure out. 

I put my hand over my mouth when the blonde guys kick on the stomach of the black guy who is lying on the ground. I could see he is in deep pain. His eyes are getting red, he has bent his knees near his stomach and is trying really hard not to cry. 

Before I could think of something, the blonde guy lands another blow on his stomach and this time he starts to cry. 

I look around and I could only see happy faces, there is no one who is going to help him or who thinks that this is wrong. 

I feel pain in my heart and I am about to go to the guy on the floor when someone grabs my hand and pulls me aside. 

I see a pair of green eyes, asking me to not do anything. I jerk my hand off and see who it is. 

A handsome guy with black hair is looking at me. From where I am standing he looks like a Prince Charming, with a good build body and strong defined hands and legs. He gives me a small smile when he notices me staring at him. 

“He needs help”, I say looking in those beautiful green eyes. 

“You shouldn’t get involved”, he says few words which still doesn’t make me understand why he stopped me.

“Why?”, I see looking back at the crowd still cheering, I am about to leave when he holds my hand again.

“Prince Edward is ruthless, you don’t want to be his next target”, he says this time dragging me with him to the other end of the field where apparently our teacher has arrived. 

I am a little happy since I know that Edward would be punished now since the teacher is here. 

“Edward”, he calls with the same shrilling voice he used last noise and I find myself shivering. 

“Enough with the fun, we have to start today’s lesson now”, I am shocked to hear his words 

Fun? That was fun?

“I am almost done”, saying this I see him come forwards and stand in the front row with his chest puffing with pride

I look back to see the other guy still on the ground crying in pain. 

I make a promise to myself this won’t happen again.