Rise of the Bullied Luna Queen

Confronting the crown prince

~Ruby~

"He killed the boy," I repeated, breaking the uneasy silence that hung heavy in the air. No one responded; instead, they exchanged murmurs and cast incredulous stares my way, as though I'd grown an extra head. Undeterred, I stepped closer to the boy. "How could you watch him fall to his death?" I directed the question at him, but the crowd remained silent, and even the blaring ambulance sirens ceased. It felt as though an unspoken directive had been passed among them, urging silence.

"Why won't anyone say something? The teachers need to know what he did!" I pointed an accusatory finger at the blue-eyed boy. "He's the one who killed that boy."

Still met with silence, not a single person daring to meet my eyes or speak up. Their bowed heads only fueled my curiosity about the boy and his power over everyone present.

"Did you just point at me with those filthy fingers?" His voice sliced through the tension, unexpected in its tone—deep, harsh, and dripping with condescension. I instinctively moved back as he advanced, only to collide with another student, the impact nearly sending me stumbling.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in the Royal Academy?" he demanded, his scrutinizing gaze sweeping over me before landing on my luggage. His expression twisted with disdain. "How did a nobody like you find your way into this school? Do they admit idiots now?" With each word, he closed the gap between us, dwarfing my stature.

I gulped visibly, meeting his towering gaze. He seemed a giant compared to my 5’5 stature, a daunting contrast that left me feeling insignificant.

"How dare you, a nobody, try to stop me?" His words cut sharply. I struggled to maintain eye contact in a room where everyone else remained frozen, realizing too late the trouble I'd invited upon myself.

"Because..." I began, unaware of the brewing storm, "You killed that boy!"

"And who said he's dead?" His voice darkened. "You should have minded your own business, charity case. Turn a blind eye like everyone else."

Turn a blind eye? I never expected him to utter such words. "I...you..."

"Don’t you dare say another word!" His command cut through the air, his voice deepening. "I will show you mercy because I'm in a good mood right now, but if you ever try to stop me again, you'll regret it. Understand why you should always mind your own business!" He turned to walk away, but I couldn't let him escape without a confrontation.

I screamed and rushed to stand in front of him, arms outstretched, determined to halt his departure. A gasp rippled through the crowd as someone caught sight of my bold move. Ignoring his warning, I became an obstacle in his path.

He shifted into the crowd, grabbing an unfortunate bystander and shoving them to the ground. "How dare you make a sound in my presence!" he yelled, placing his boot on the person's head. "I've warned idiots like you countless times not to defy me, yet you break my rules!"

My eyes widened as I witnessed the brutality, triggering memories of my stepmother's past cruelty. The injustice unfolding before me stirred my heart, but no one dared intervene. Even when I had accused the strange boy of being responsible for the rooftop incident, the onlookers remained silent, as if deliberately ignoring my words.

Who was this boy who instilled such fear, rendering people mute and motionless? The atmosphere reeked of fear, and everyone seemed paralyzed by it.

"You are hurting him," I muttered, unable to contain my distress. "Just like you killed that boy!"

The strange boy laughed callously, continuing to stomp on the defenseless person's head like it was a bag of potatoes. "What is your problem with that?" he asked, eyes locked onto mine.

"I hate to see others suffer when they've done nothing wrong!" I retorted. "This boy didn't do anything, and..."

"Is he complaining?" he interrupted, his gaze piercing mine. "If you care about him so much, offer your head while I stomp on it," he suggested cruelly.

His heartless suggestion shocked me. How could he even entertain the idea? I hadn't expected such cruelty at the Royal Academy. No one intervened, just as my father always turned a blind eye to my suffering.

"Please, let him go," I pleaded.

The strange boy chuckled but showed no sign of stopping. "I don't take orders from charity cases."

I gritted my teeth, ignoring the derogatory remark, focusing solely on the boy in pain. My fists clenched as I witnessed his silent suffering, reminiscent of my past. Unable to bear it any longer, I screamed and lunged at the cruel stranger.

Caught off guard, he toppled to the ground with me on top of him. "Stop!" I demanded.

Laughter echoed from the crowd, and for a moment, it seemed like someone had finally spoken out. However, my hopes were dashed as the strange boy swiftly pushed me away, regaining his feet.

"How dare you attack the Aldorin!" Another voice pierced the air from behind me, a soft, high-pitched tone that cut through the tension like a blade.

Everything came crashing to a halt. Shock gripped me, leaving me frozen and breathless. Aldorin? The crown prince? The realization struck me like a thunderbolt. I had spoken, confronted, and dared to challenge the crown prince himself. My pulse quickened; a sense of impending doom loomed over me. My dreams of attending the royal academy, all owed to his father's assistance, now seemed on the brink of shattering.

"Ruby Peters! The voice shouted. "on your first day, you attacked the crown prince!"

The weight of my actions hit me hard. I glanced toward him, our eyes locking, and a sly smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. Dread settled in the pit of my stomach.

"Ruby," he uttered my name, each syllable dripping with a foreboding tone, then leveled a finger in my direction. "You're the charity case my father extended help to. I must say, you're warmly welcome to your impending downfall." he declared.