By moonlight's shadow

Chapter 7

He saw the shock register on my face before I could hide it. A small smile played on his lips, I guess he gets that a lot. It wasn't what he said though, his words were like vanilla pudding, sweet in their ordinary sort of way, it was the richness of his tones – luxurious and warm. He must be a baritone in church. But Sonata knew that he was not and looked at the Headmaster, still shocked.

“If I am not to be berated or suspended then why am I exactly here?” asked Sonata, when she finally found her voice.

“You must know this for a fact that there is nothing that goes on in this campus which does not come to my attention, not even a single conversation goes past by my ears, and every inch of movement of every one of you is tracked. So did you think that I would not hear what you told Ms. White at the campus grounds? You might show that you are all hardy and resistant but you and I both know the truth. You want to belong,” said Raphael, the annoying smirk still at the corners of his lips.

Sonata did not say anything for a moment.

The Headmaster spoke up again,” You are an exceptional student Sonata, and one of the best poison makers and tasters that the Blood Veil Academy has ever seen since it was established. You might consider yourself to be under-privileged but you are not. Think about what I said.”

“To be very honest Headmaster King, I do not understand cryptic messages very well. The skills I do possess are useless out there in the real world and I would not be able to increase my social status or standing with the skills of archery or poison. What am I good for Headmaster? I am only to bring shame to my family,” said Sonata, profound sadness in her eyes.

“The language is not yours Sonata. You are staying too much in contact with Serena Patrick. She is not good influence on you or rather anyone. Now that the Hunt and then the Calling is near Sonata, you need to choose your Allies very carefully. Choose them well because these Allies are going to achieve what you want in your eternal life. Think about it. You may go now,” said Raphael as she was automatically transported to her own room in the hostel of the Academy.

She had no idea what happened just now and why on earth she had been said such a thing by the Headmaster. Was he aware that she wanted her family to rise in the ranks of aristocracy? He should be, because he said that there was no conversation that went past him without listening to it. She could hear the chords of a violin playing in the room just beside her. She shared her walls with Snow White but until now she had never been aware that Snow White could know how to play an instrument like violin.

She placed her ears on the wall and listened to the music. It was so melancholy, but hauntingly beautiful as well. Sonata recognized the piece of music as Bach. Her Grandfather had named her Sonata in the hopes that she would become a legend in the world of music but that did not happen unfortunately but probably it did not have to happen this way. If Snow knew how to play like this then maybe she could teach her to do the same, if not the same then to some extent like her.

Then suddenly she could hear the sound of the claps as the piece ended. It was a single pair of hands but nonetheless powerful hand.

“Grandma!!!” Snow gasped out loud and Sonata’s eyes went wide like saucers. Parents or guardians were not allowed within the campus grounds except special occasions or situations, let alone be close enough to their rooms but here she could hear with her own ears that the infamous Elizabeth White was in Snow’s room.

There was silence after that for a few moments and then chortling laughter of both the girls.

“I see that your hair is still unruly as ever Snow,” said the older woman who could still turn the heads of men when she walked on the streets although the White family did not do so.

“Even the Headmaster has failed to tame it by anything. He has set up an appointment for me at a parlour in the town a week from now. I can only hope that it is going to bring some change to my hair like Merda,” said Snow as she sat on the armchair in her room looking at emptiness before her.

“Merda? Now where on Earth did you get a notion like that? You are not a Tribal Princess who has to understand the value of family only after destroying it with the help of a witch. Come on you are no Disney Princess,” said the Grandma, who was supposedly there but was actually somewhere which she had no idea about. Snow did not like this deception at all but she could not help but follow the Headmaster’s orders.

“Lies are swirling all around you, you're suffocating, the empty shape in you steals you're breath and now you're dead. But that is not how it is supposed to be at all. People do think that truth does set them free but actually in reality, does it actually happen? You think that I am saying something which is not natural, it is supposed to upset the balance of all the things but is it really so Ms. White? They say that with every lie that you utter a piece of your soul dies. Now I know, now I die, so that perhaps tomorrow I may live. That is how things are in our world. That is how we know that the truth does not set us free. That is how I know that you are going to win over all the students who have been outcast over all these years,” the Headmaster had said.

Snow took in a deep breath and strengthened her resolve. She could not let her family down.

“Then what am I Grandma? Evidently I have been named after a Princess whose mother died at child-birth and she was imprisoned and scorned by her evil step-mother. She is one of the most sought after Disney Princesses just because she was beautiful. I am truly confused, I seriously do not understand what I am supposed to do,” said Snow, talking to herself but she knew the answer which supposed to give. Now a days voice modulation softwares truly worked miracles.

“There is nothing to be confused Snow. You are a miracle, who were conceived after long futile years, and you were considered to be a blessing in the very long lives of your parents and mine even though they could be with you for a short period of time. Your destiny is set in stone Snow. You are to bring change to the world and for that you need to win. You need to hold immense power and authority in your hands in case you really want to do something good in this patriarchal society to which we are forced to belong,” said the voice of Grandma.

Raphael looked at the monitors in his room and he laughed at the marvelous and genius idea and plan that Snow had come up with in order to bring Sonata to her side. This girl was truly something.

As he thought that something flared up inside him. Raphael King was the only one single vampire in the entire history of his family who had not found his mate in these many centuries. He had come down to the Blood Veil Academy and taken up the position of the Headmaster since it’s inception so that he could find some peace but over the years his parents had made him to meet the various women so that he could settle down and assume the royal title but to no avail.

But now things had changed, even if for a bit, everything had shifted. How he did not understand at all but he knew something for sure that the girl with that flaming mass of red hair and beautiful white streaks running through her reams, green eyes and lips like that of a Cupid’s bow was the one who was going to bring his destiny closer to him. She was the one who was supposed to be at his side while he assumed the throne. Never ahead in all these years he had felt this but Fate worked in mysterious ways and after all these years if he did understand anything then it was this that instincts were never supposed to be wrong.

Through perfect teeth comes the truth and the lies, all vibrations in the air, inconsequential to the medium through which they travel. Only I know the difference. So I watch those perfectly aligned slabs of white enamel, taking in his entire being. I see the anger flash, the urge to hide his true feelings. And as we talk I crumple inside, all the while remaining composed. He has hid these feelings for years and never intended to tell, forcing me into a life that wasn't quite right, not quite real. Yet am not a possession but a person, a person with autonomy, entitled to know the truth so that I may self direct and make choices.

He once again looked at the screen and found that Snow had already finished the conversation and then she had put away all the things which might raise suspicion to anyone who might come to her room. And she was absolutely correct in doing that. A few minutes after her Grandmother had supposedly vanished into thin air just like she had arrived Sonata knocked on her door. Snow smiled but she then went back to her stoical face and opened her door.

Sonata was standing outside her room.

“I know your secret,” she said as if announcing something to the whole corridor.

“If it is a secret and I have kept it so Sonata then I am sure that you must also know the reason behind it. In case you are further interested in coming inside and discussing the matter then you can do that. I am no different from you even though I came to the school later than all of you,” said Snow as she stepped aside giving her space.

But just the moment she was entering the door way Snow stopped her with a hand and said,” I need to make a body sweep before you enter in this room. In case you are carrying a bug like earlier. You do understand that these are just protocols right?”

The girl looked thoroughly ashamed of her behavior and nodded her head. It did not even take a minute for Snow to search her for bugs and she found none.

Sonata came inside her room and looked at the décor. Snow had painted her room to her own liking and not allowed anyone to design it for her.

“You have a beautiful place here Merda,” said Sonata with a wink at Snow making her roll her eyes.

“No one is supposed to call me that. It is bad enough that I am named after a Disney princess but now this, it is on another new level completely,” replied Snow.

The Headmaster turned away from the screen. He needed to know more about his destiny and how it was linked to Snow White.