Little Nora Grows Up

Aiden, Aimie, and I sat on my bed, commiserating over my punishment. “Franceska is just rotten, I’m so sorry Nora.” Aiden patted my leg.

“You don’t have to talk about your sister like that, Aiden, just for my sake.” I rubbed my cheeks with both hands, glad that they’d stopped burning from embarrassment. “It’s really that boy’s fault. If I see him again…”

“Yeah, who was that guy?” Aiden mused.

“My father sent him. Most likely to punish me for my insubordination and drag me back to my prison.”

Aimie put both hands on my other leg. “We won’t let anyone do that to you.” Her eyes were sincere and determined. “This is your home now.”

“I’m having so much trouble fitting in as it is, and now this. I knew this plan of mine would not be a simple task, but I could not fathom how difficult it would be.”

“What’s the end result of your plan that you’re hoping for?” Aiden asked. “All you ever say is that you want the school, which I’ll admit sounds rather ominous.”

“I want this school to be mine. Not just where I gain a proper education. I want it to belong to me. I know that I’ll have to learn much before I’m worthy of this wonderful building, hence why I enrolled.”

Aimie’s eyes clouded over with worry. “Are you saying you want to take over the school?”

I gave her a reassuring pat. “Not the way you’re thinking. I don’t want to upset the balance here, or hurt anyone. Still I wonder what the quickest way there is for me to control the entire school.”

“You mean, like be Headmistress and own the building?” Aiden asked.

“That would work. I suppose.”

“Easy, just marry Kieran and kill off Ms. Brun. You’d inherit the school.”

“Aiden, that’s horrible!” Aimie exclaimed.

I felt my cheeks go red. “Marry Kieran?!”

“That’s what you object to?”

The three of us looked at each other and started laughing. Aiden wiped a tear from her eye. “I wish I could talk sense into Franceska. I wish I could talk sense into all of them.”

“I understand why it’s so hard for them,” Aimie said. “Everyone here lost someone they loved to a papillon. They see them as monsters that are all bad. I thought the same thing before you came here, Nora. Then I saw how those friends of yours fought to save our school. I saw that a human and a papillon could stand side by side. You’re just like humans, some are bad and some are not. You may drink blood, but I don’t think that by itself is evil. People eat animals all the time, even really smart ones like dolphins.” She was starting to ramble and slowed down. She looked down at the blanket. “When a papillon killed my grandfather I was very sad. I wondered for a long time why they didn’t kill me as well. I realize now that they were just hungry, and wasn’t just killing to kill. If grandpa had been killed by a burglar, I wouldn’t hate all human beings.” She bowed her head.

I reached over and patted her shoulder comfortingly. “I understand that it’s a difficult situation and I thank you for giving me the chance to be your friend. I will try my best to be a good friend to you.”

Aiden looked up and lifted her arms. “Then you must give hugs.”

I embraced her gladly. She buried her face into my shoulder and I could feel wetness soaking into my shirt.

“If you want, we could help you with your detention,” Aiden offered. “Cleaning the entire front hall is going to be tough, even for a papillon.”

I pulled away from Aimie and shook my head. “Franceska will be there with me and I do not wish to cause a rift between the two of you. Besides, I must learn to deal with this type of situation on my own.”

XXXXXXXXX

Later on, Franceska and I were waxing the banisters of the tremendous double staircase that dominated the front hall. It wasn’t particularly back breaking for me, but Ms. Brun was strict in our attention to detail, so progress was slow. Under her hawk-like gaze, we were also quiet as church mice.

The arduous labor was interrupted by Kieran. He jogged into the hall from a side door that led to the Headmistress’ office. “Mum, there’s a call for you.” He glanced at us and lowered his voice. “I think you should take it.”

She glowered at us, then turned away. “Watch them.” Her voice was like ice. She marched out of the hall.

“I’m sorry I missed our guest,” Kieran said cheerfully when she was gone. I scowled at my rag. “So, who hit whom? Mother doesn’t have the stairs waxed unless violence is involved.”

“I did,” Franceska said without looking up from her work.

“Well then, have you learned your lesson?”

“Yes,” she said, but her tone of voice didn’t make me believe it.

“Hmm, maybe another hour of duty will change that tone of yours. Come on, I want to see my face in that carving.”

“I miss Ms. Brun...” Franceska said under her breath.

I suppressed a giggle, but not well enough. Franceska shot me a glare that squelched it much better. “Kieran, I really am sorry about what happened today,” I said. “I didn’t realize father would send someone from outside the family to retrieve me, and I did not mean for anyone to get hurt. How are the girls that he knocked down?”

“Just a couple of scratches and bruised egos,” Kieran assured me. “Until we’re sure that he won’t be coming back, I’ll be staying here to help keep guard.”

“Thank you. Everyone will feel much safer now, I think.” Kieran smiled and I focused back on my work, feeling my cheeks flush.

“Mum’s probably going to be busy for a while. I don’t want to wait here that long and I’m sure you two feel the same.” Franceska and I looked up hopefully. “I’ll let you guys go early, if you promise to go straight to bed.” We both nodded, not caring that we were in sync. “Also, I want the two of you to shake hands.”

I turned to Franceska and immediately held out my hand. She hesitated, giving me a disdainful look. “Look,” I said. “Our beds are waiting for us, and I’m sure yours is just as comfortable as mine.”

She took my hand and shook it grimly. It was a quick shake, then we abandoned that stairs, handing our rags to Keiran as we passed him. “Remember, right to bed, and no more fighting.” His voice was stern. We nodded at the same time again. “Go up the side stairs, so you don’t ruin the polish.” He waved us away.

The side stairs were through the doorway that Ms. Brun had gone though. We crept through quickly, staying close together due to necessity. We approached an open doorway and I could hear a the headmistress talking. I grabbed Franceska’s shoulder, putting a finger to my lips. We stopped and I strained my ears to pick up the conversation.

“Well, yes, it IS quite a lot of money. But, I don’t think-”

“What’s going on?” Franceska whispered. I put my finger to my lips again, this time with more urgency.

“You do realize what kind of school this is, yes?” There was a pause. “I do not respond to threats, sir.” There was the sound of the receiver being put into place quite sharply. I grabbed Franceska’s shoulder and pulled her past the doorway before Ms. Brun could spot us.

Once we were at the stairs Franceska yanked herself out of my grasp. “What was that all about?” she asked indignantly. She kept her voice low, just in case anyone was nearby.

“I think someone wants to buy the school from Ms. Brun,” I said.

Franceska gave me an incredulous look. “What are you talking about? What did you hear?” I quickly related the scraps of conversation I had heard. She looked alarmed, but at least it wasn’t about me this time. “That’s impossible. She would never sell the school.”

“Maybe, but it sounds like someone is interested in it.” I clenched my fists. “Blast it, this is MY school. She can’t sell it!”

“Are you deranged?” Franceska asked me.

“Nevermind. Let’s just go to our rooms. I need to think.” My brain was reeling. Was someone really interested in buying the school? I couldn’t think of any other reason someone would offer Ms. Brun a lot of money. She wouldn’t actually sell it though, would she? How well WAS the school doing financially? I would need more information.