Latrice Richardson
Walking through the corridor felt so peaceful...An unsettling guttural croak replaced the ravens' usual cacophony. It was as though they were delivering a message...a warning, which felt eerily weird...No- my hands clamped together, moisturising each other. It seemed off. The Ravens usually stared at students and pecked the violent student who would pass by through the corridor. It was why students typically steered clear of Raven Hallway. The name originated from the seniors who had experienced the wrath of the Ravens. Rumours claimed these were Mrs Silvers' personal ravens, fed and cared for by her. They'd apparently learned her moods and now took it upon themselves to violently peck any student who seemed likely to cause her trouble. Due to these rumours, there weren't many students around here, except for the commoners and the shy and quiet nobles who were referred to as "Raven's Crows"
This was Aegis Academy, the pride and joy of the Aegis Empire. It amazes me how the founders could not come up with a better name than Aegis. Having had centuries to find a better name, they still chose to keep the academy's name. It made it feel as if the academy was only meant to teach students about the Aegis Empire and not about other Empires such as Areta, Ulrika, Meraki or even our closest neighbouring empire, Elips. It was as if there were secrets that were being...
"Latie!" a voice called out to me, snapping me back to reality.
I turned around to see my best friend, Marissa, rushing towards me. Her cheeks were cherry tomato red, and her eyes glimmered, telling me that something good had happened to her. Her hands were stretched out as she panted, trying to stabilise her breathing. 'At least one of us is having a good day,' I thought.
My smile tightened as my eyes widened. My hands were tightly forming fists as I stared at Marissa. Why did I think that? Why did those words stride into my head so confidently? Why was I feeling jea-
Ah...The memory finally waltzed back into my mind as I remembered.
***
Earlier in the day, in class...
"Miss Latrice, I will be seeing you in the detention centre this afternoon after your classes have ended," the foreign language teacher, Mr Wanderer, said through gritted teeth as he forced an awful smile.
His face flushed red in anger as he glared at me. Veins bulged from the corners of his temples as he gritted his teeth. His fists were clenched beneath he table as he stared at me. He hated me with a passion. I knew he hated me, who wouldn't hate the young genius who had embarrassed him when she was only a child. His ego was really badly bruised back then, when I achieved a feat he couldn't, the essay that he had to outdo if he wanted to graduate.
Free speech had suddenly become a problem now. No- it was suddenly a crime. I cannot believe he felt so offended by the truth that was merely in a foreign language book. A book that he had insisted we read and understand. A book he'd assigned to us to read and analyse. He was upset that a student actually read and studied the book. No- He was upset that a student had asked him valid questions about the book he had assigned to us because he had never truly read or analysed the book that he had assigned to us.
"Sir! You can't be doing this," I let out, annoyed and frustrated as I slapped my hand down on the table, and I glared at him.
"A week's worth of detention," he informed me.
I glared him down, piercing his face with daggers. He stared at me, surprised, a smirk forming on the corners of his lips.
"Let's make it a month," He said cheerfully before he dismissed the class.
I watched him walk out, and a part of me wanted to use magic on him.
"Sli-" my mouth was covered before I could finish the spell.
***
The sudden touch of cold hands touching mine brought me back to reality. I looked down at the hands on mine, and I realised that I was not alone.
Marissa had touched my hands when she saw how pale my knuckles were. I hadn't noticed that I was clawing my nails deep into my palms, which led to my knuckles turning white.
Our eyes met, and she smiled at me warmly as a warm light radiated from her. My shoulders slouched, feeling more relaxed as I smiled back at her.
What am I even thinking? I should be listening and focusing on my excited best friend, not on a teacher with a childish mindset. I shook my head, and I erased everything from today out of my head as I smiled at my happy best friend. Her cheeks were flushed, rosy red, and she was still out of breath, panting as she tried to stabilise her breathing.
"What happened?" I asked, genuinely curious, as I intertwined my fingers with hers.
She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath, and with a shaky, excited voice, she let out, "I...I...I heard something crazy," Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she tried not to bounce on her feet.
"What did you hear?" I asked as I leaned forward excitedly.
The sparkle in her eyes piqued my curiosity, and I was genuinely excited to know what made her excited.
"I am-"
"Miss Latrice!" a voice yelled out, interrupting Marissa from completing her sentence. We both turned our heads to see a maid from my family home in Xenia, rushing towards us, dishevelled and distraught. Looking closer, we realised that it was Mariam. She looked distraught- her eyes were red-rimmed, and unsurety painted all over her face.
She kept faltering in her steps as if she were contemplating whether she should approach us or not. Her eyes darted towards her hands as she stopped in her tracks, and for a second, I saw her soul leaving her body. Her hands shook as she clung to the envelope in her hands. Her eyes met mine, and pity was all I could see from her. I felt my heart stop as I watched her stand for a few minutes. She looked down and paced towards us with gentle, calculated steps.
"I apologise for interrupting, but Marquess Richardson has ordered me to give you this letter as soon as I find you," she said, her voice shaking as she bowed, handing me the letter.
I took the letter from her, and my heart started pounding like a sledgehammer. The Ravens suddenly cawed violently and started flying in circles, and in this moment, I felt my heart start sinking as the gravity of the situation anchored down on me.
I walked away from them towards a bench to sit down. I needed to sit down. I stared at the black suede envelope that was in my quivering hands. From the looks of the envelope, I knew it was filled with the scent of home- jasmine flowers and vanilla cookies. It was one of the few distinct scents I could identify. My hands quivered as I opened the envelope. The violent caws of the ravens faded away as I pulled out the letter.
My lovely daughter, Latrice
How are you, sweetheart? We are well at home, we just really miss our sweet daughter.
Your mother misses you so much. I miss you so much.
My lovely daughter, there's something very important that is going to happen.
You are to be wedded to the Grand Duke Osiris, the summer that will be coming soon.
Do not ponder too much on the news, as we will discuss it upon your return during the school holidays.
Again, your mother and I truly miss you.
Marquess Richardson
I stared at the letter that I was gripping so tightly. My hands shook as the words danced- No, as the words taunted me as I stared at them. The paper crumbled as my hands shook violently. The scent of vanilla cookies engulfed me in a menacing waft as my heart pounded. The more I reread the letter, the more the words became blurry. The menacing scent of vanilla suddenly strangled me, and my body felt unfamiliar as I tried to breathe. My eyes widened as I tried to grasp for air. No- No! NO! I...I- This cannot be happening. Where did it all go wrong? Where did I go wrong? What the hell happened? What the actual Hell happened?! Why? How? I did everything right!
NO! My hands moved deliberately as I violently shredded the piece of paper I held. The piercing sound of Ravens cawing rang through my ears as I screamed, "No!" Tears ran down my cheeks as sobs left me. I clung to my chest as an unbearable pain pierced through me. Bile rushed up my throat as I gagged through sobs. 'Should I just die?'
"Latie?" Marissa called out to me in a concerned, gentle voice. Her voice was soft and sweet. I stared at her through tear-stricken eyes. Her face was blurry as I watched her walk towards me.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice becoming louder yet still gentle. Her voice snapped me back to reality as she moved close to me. I turned my head away from her as I got up from the bench, my knees giving up on stumbling me into the wet grass beneath me. Marissa rushed towards me and pulled my face towards hers, and all I saw was a mosaic of her. It pulled me close, and Marissa wrapped her arms around me, "Don't cry," she spoke, caressing my back and my throat, dried up, filled with bile, my body shuddered as I wailed, clinging tightly onto Marissa. My face burned as tears rushed down my cheeks.
What was I trying to escape? Why did I try so hard to escape death? Why did that follow me like a red string? Why? WHY!? This cannot- No! It shouldn't repeat! I can't die like that again.
Marissa held me tightly as I cried. She didn't speak, nor did she press for me to stop crying. She continued caressing me as I cried. She let me cry and sob all I wanted. We were crouched on the wet grass, me in her arms, tears staining her pristine uniform. The cawing sounds of the ravens snapped me out of my thoughts, and my sobbing slowly faded as I started thinking. The piercing pain in my chest faded as I tried to ease myself and calm myself down.
'There is still time' Yes, there must still be time, a way I can escape this mess.
A while passed, and I wiped my tears, and all I could think of was how to avoid this fate.
***
Seventeen Years Ago, on the day Latrice was born.
I opened my eyes, and the sun's rays kissed me violently. I squinted my eyes as I tried to stretch my bo- wait-
'Why am I a baby?' This was the question I asked myself as I raised my hands and realised that they were small. I glanced around and saw a beautiful lady smiling at me. Her midnight blue curly hair made her look like a star on a beautiful night. Her features made her look so gentle and frail, like a porcelain doll. I stared at the beautiful lady as she kept smiling at me. Wait- Why is she smiling at me like that?
"Honey, is she not lovely?" She asked as she looked across her.
My eyes followed ger face, and there he stood. A handsome man, he had shiny, slick black hair that was different compared to the beautiful woman's curly hair.
"She looks just like you," he told her as he leaned in to kiss her.
The woman giggled, her cheeks flushing red as she hid her face. Her voice was soothing and warm.
"Let's name her Latrice, Latrice ***** Richardson," He said as he kissed her one last time.
Latrice? Latrice? Why does that name sound familiar? Latrice? Latrice? I looked at their faces again, and then it struck me. These people... These people are characters from a book. I read about them in my previous li- AH! I remember now. I remember it clearly now. I died a pathetic death. I died drunk? Why did I die drunk? Why did I die like that?!?
My lips quivered, and I burst out in tears. I was the future wife of the villain!
My wailing rang through my tears as I remembered everything that would follow.
My new mother picked me up from my cradle, and she cooed as she said, "Our Latie is crying,"
"What's wrong, sweetie? Are you hungry?" She asked me as I wailed.
"No! I'm crying because this handsome father of mine is going to make a horrible investment! To which I'm going to have to be sold off to a crazy villain, Grand Duke Osiris Evans! Who is ultimately going to lead me to death! For What? Just because of his crazy jealousy of wanting to own Grand Duke Aubrey Allen's Duchy. I am going to die because of my father's dumb decisions and that bastard!" I wailed as I made baby sounds; I sounded like a baby, only crying.
No! I will change my fate, and I will live a happy married life to a Marquess or even a Count, but I will NOT get married to the Grand Duke Osiris. I refuse to!
***
The memory of that first, furious vow echoed in my skull, drowning out the last of my sobs. My baby-self's refusal was the only truth that mattered now.
"Mariam, prepare a carriage, I am going to see my father," I ordered as I broke from my hug with Marissa.
"But-" She tried to interject, but I glared her down.
"Yes, Miss Latrice," She answered, scurrying away.
I watched as she rushed off, and when I saw her disappear around the corner of Ravens Hallway, I looked at Marissa with pleading eyes.
"Marissa, Sweetie, could you please cover for me?" I asked her as I held on to her hands.
"I-" I interrupted her, knowing what she would ask.
"Just tell them that I am sick and my maid is tending, please and thank you," I added as I hugged her.
Marissa nodded her head, and I walked away towards the back entrance of the academy. Most students would sneak away using the back entrance, as there was no one there. It was where you would always find at least two rebels avoiding classes, and today was no exception. There were 4 boys playing with fire magic when I came rushing there. They froze when they saw me. Fear flushed across their faces when they saw me. After all, I was a part of the discipline committee and having me catch you was like the devil taking your soul.
"We are sorry, please don't say anything," they immediately started begging. The back entrance of the school was considered a place where illegitimate children did all sorts of horrible things, and having me catch them meant they would either get expelled or be disowned by their fathers.
"We're sorry!" they continued as they begged on their knees.
If I weren't in a rush and dilemma, I would have tortured them.
"Ah, I forgot about you guys," I said.
"We can pretend that I never saw you guys if you all pretend that you never saw me," I stated as I walked passed them.
There was an open space that was covered with broken chairs and tables. that the school disposed of. I manoeuvred through them to reach the hole that had been made in the gate, and I crawled through it.
The carriage arrived as soon as I emerged from the hole, and I ran towards it.
My mind was racing as I thought about everything. My father has so much explaining to do, like how he got involved with the Grand Duke Osiris of the Northern Aegis Duchy?
Mariam came out of the carriage and helped me in.
"Thank you, Mariam, please go to my dorm room and keep cover for me," I asked her as she closed the carriage door.
"I will do so, Miss Latrice, Please return safe," She replied before rushing away.
I watched her disappear as the carriage drove away. It will be a while before we arrive in Xenia.
Xenia is where I am from, but because of unfortunate events, Xenia had been divided into two places. The Aegis Xenian territory and the Ulrika Xenian territory. There was a war that took place during the year 403 that led to Xenia being colonised and referred to as territories instead of a country. Ever since then, it had been divided into two territories that rich men Faught for all the time.
I am from the Aegis Xenian territories, and I'm going to the place where most of my cherished memories resided, the home I grew up in. The memories I cherished and treas-
What am I even thinking? Those will just become hollow memories if get married to that man. They will just become sad and pathetic reminders.
'Just how?' The thought kept spinning in my head.
I leaned against the window of the carriage and then the green fields caught my eyes, pulling me away from my dreadful thoughts.
The trees seemed like background characters in the field's story. The colourful flowers that were scattered across the field looked beautiful.
It was breathtaking. It felt so- peaceful.
The chirping melody of the birds humming lingered in the air as we drove by. The laughter of children harmonized with the chirping of birds felt different from the gurgling crows of the ravens. It was a different type of peace that embraced me. It made me forget that there were unanswered questions that I did not have answers to. It made me forget that my fa-
"We have arrived, Lady Latrice," my knight, Jack, informed me, snapping me out of my thoughts.
It was only after he opened the door that I realised that I was back at home. I sprang out of the carriage and sprinted towards the house. The warmth surrounding the house lingered everywhere. It was home. I knew it was. The scent of Vanilla Cookies and Jasmine tea filled my nostrils. No, the smothered me as I ran into the house.