The Path of an Elite

Roman watched her as she went waiting till she was out of sight to open his door. When he did he heard a thump on the other side.

"Ow." Qwuarin was rubbing the side of his head.

"What are you doing?" Roman quickly closed the door.

"Boy, Roman you are a mess..." He laughed.

"Were you listening the whole time?" Roman moved passed his friend to sit on his bed.

"Not all of it..." He sounded suspicious and Roman knew he was lying. "...okay yeah I knew she was there waiting for you so..."

"You decided to listen to my awful blabbering to the girl I like..." Roman sighed. "It was bad wasn't it?"

"It wasn't, I promise." Qwuarin sat down next to his friend. "But you have it bad..."

"I know! I don't know what's wrong with me. Usually I'm so calm talking to girls but there is something about Arlet that makes my heart beat extra hard." Roman placed his head in between his hands.

"Well at least she likes you back." Qwuarin nudged Roman playfully. Roman winced in pain because even though it wasn’t hard his muscles ached from his drills. Qwuarin caught on and stopped. "You were training with Bell again, weren't you?"

"It's not like I have a choice Qwuarin. He is my guardian."

"Yeah a great ‘guardian’ he is. Always putting you through all these intense drills and training you like a dog. No I believe he would treat a dog better than he does you. When are you going to tell him to back off? You can't be perfect like he wants you to be." Qwuarin hissed.

Qwuarin might be the goofy guy that everyone goes to for a laugh but to Roman he is someone who can level with him and tell Roman what is what. If it weren't for Qwuarin, he might not endure this place as well as he does.

"Thanks but I think I can handle him until we graduate from this place, maybe then he will understand." Roman was already in a better mood by talking to his best friend. "Right now...I need to sleep."

"Alright but think about what I said. I definitely think you should say something to him, don't put it off just because he is your guardian. If you think he is being too much of a dick for one day...say it to his face."

Roman did think about saying something to Bell almost every day but he knows who raised him. He didn't want to ruin what relationship he did have with him. For now he will endure it...

Across the path on the second floor, down the right corridor Arlet banged her head on the wall for the fifth time and would have gone again if Ever didn’t place her hand in-between them.

“Yeah you have it bad girl.” She leaned on the wall next to Arlet folding her arms across her chest.

“Sneaking off without me for a late night chat? How devilish are you?” She wiggled her eyebrows.

“It might have been sexy if it wasn’t me! Why am I such a dork? Why can’t I ever just, just- UGH!” She banged her head again.

“Hey some of us are trying to sleep in here!” Someone shouted from the other side of the wall. Arlet quietly apologized while Ever banged on the wall with her fist. They started for their room before the whiner got out of bed.

“First off, everyone – and I mean everyone – is awkward on their first time flirting. Take me for example, the first guy I flirted with I mentioned how large my boobs were. Yeah surprisingly it wasn’t as big of a turn on as you’d think and I’ve got a good rack. The second guy I flirted with I farted in front of him because I was so nervous.” She nodded her head when Arlet let out a no of disbelief. “We all fumbled a trip we just have to meet the guy that thinks it’s sexy and cute.”

“But what if Roman doesn’t think I’m sexy or cute?” Arlet asked as they closed the door to their room. Anora was fast asleep on the top bunk with Bren drifting in dreamland under her.

“If that boy doesn’t find you as cute as I do then he’s a walking vagina on her period.”

“Whoa that was graphic.”

“Sorry I had to go there. I mean seriously! If I was a guy I’d tap all of you, no joke.” She climbed into her bed and pulled the covers up. “You are the cutest thing ever Arlet don’t ever doubt that my little flamingo.”

Arlet blushed at her compliments. “Thank you Ever, that really helps.”

“Anytime sweetie, goodnight.”

“Night.”

Two days passed before Arlet summoned the courage to ask Roman to teach her. She caught him as he exited the gym after his drills. She knew he was exhausted but there was no other time to spend together. Roman always seemed happy to teach her even when he couldn’t lift his arms. She could tell how weak and exhausted he was after his lessons but after two weeks of training Arlet was confident that she could last the first dance without stumbling, sadly that was the only dance they were able to make it through. She had no luck with the bonfire quartet dance where there were four squares full of six dancer each and you traded partner on and off with the other squares in a unique and intricate pattern. She would stick with the folkdance opening.

“So the festival is this weekend.” Roman said as he sat down next to her on the grass. The moon was almost full in the sky. It was predicted to be a full moon the night of the festival; perfect conditions for such a joyous occasion.

“Yeah Bren and Ever have been working on my dress, Anora is doing the head piece I hear. I really wish they would focus on themselves though.

“Bren is even helping? How odd, I thought she had that boyfriend to take up all her time.”

“They broke up last week. She says she wants to spend more girl time with us now.” Arlet shrugged.

“As long as she’s happy everything is okay right?” She glanced over at Roman. He was studying her face intently in the moonlight.

“The Snow Queen title should go to you. You look breathtaking basking in the moonlight.” He grabbed a strand of her hair. Their eyes locked. They leaned in and Arlet could feel the heat off his lips. There was a snap from the bushes behind them and they pulled apart abruptly. Roman was on his feet when Ever popped up hands in the air.

“I’d rather turn myself in than have you come after me.” She stepped over the bush and grabbed Arlet’s arm. “I know it was getting good and all but I need her now.”
She dragged Arlet away practically jumping out of her skin. They made it back to the dorms leaving Roman on the hill all alone and confused. “Damn girl! The first school year ain’t even over yet and you are work’n it!”

She shoved her into their room where the other two awaited them. They held a white snowflake dress out to Arlet. The bodice was a heart that swept over her breasts to comfortably cover and expose just enough to keep the other party wondering. The high waist line was covered by a snowflake cross-stitched band that tucked in just under the breasts’. Along the skirt were delicate stitching’s of snowflakes the size of the twinkle in an eye. The gown came down past her knees up front but the back came down to her heels which would wear scarlet red high heels. Her hair was styled into a neat array of curls that dropped to one side of her partially shaved head, where a bouquet of dainty little flowers would trail down the other side. She wore a choker to match the heels and Ever and Bren gave her eyes a wispy smokey look like they would flee at any second. Her lips were dyed red and her nails painted red with a snowflake on each thumb.

The girls stepped back to appreciate their work and with high fives all around they called it a success.

“What do I look like?” Arlet asked as she went to towards the bathroom were the full length mirror was. She stopped as soon as she saw herself, standing there like a snow fairy wrapped in delicate white and bloody red. She looked…sexy. “Is…is that me?” She asked breathless.

“If Roman doesn’t die on sight we failed my ladies.” Ever came and stood next to her, pride full in her eyes. She was going to make Arlet the most astounding girl at the dance.

Arlet grew teary eyed and turned to her friend. She wanted to say something, anything, to thank them but she couldn’t find the proper worlds to express her gratitude and so she cried instead. She cried on all of them that night and two days later she was back in her dress looking like a snow siren again. She would entrance every male she came into contact with.

Roman showed up early to her room to escort her to the dance. He had gotten instructions from Ever to wear a black tux with hints of red. His tie was red, as well as the rose on his lapel. He smoothed his hair back once more before knocking on the door. Other students were rushing around eager to get to the festival outside. When Ever opened the door in her jade dress with white sweater collar that hung off her shoulder, shoes and a curving figure Roman was taken aback. She looked stunning in jaded green.

Anora came out next with her mass of curls bunched up on the side of her head draping down like a curling brown waterfall. She wore a white dress with a flower collar that connected to her choker in fractils of threading patterns. Her shoes had little white flowers in their tops. Bren came out next with a smirk across her face. She was dressed in a gown of minty blue that reflected the snow like a mirror. Her brown hair was the perfect shade to compliment the icy winter blue dress. Teardrop earrings and a sapphire necklace pulled the whole outfit together in a frozen way.

Roman was anxious to see Arlet, he greeted the girls as nicely as he could but was growing impatient to see her. What could she wear to beat these three gorgeous women standing before him? He glanced back at Ever. She had a smug look on her face as she stared straight at him. He was slightly intimidated by her eyes and then he heard a footstep. His eyes darted back to the open doorway.
Stepping shyly out to meet him was Arlet. He guessed it was her but he wasn’t too sure. This woman was dressed in a gown of white with a bloody choker across her throat that enhanced the red highlights in her curling hair. Her eyes slowly glanced up before capturing him in an intense gaze of amber. He heart stopped when they connected. Her red lips, full and inviting, slightly opened out of concern when he stumbled back. Her dress swept back but revealed long slim legs that were slightly tanned from being out in the sun. She looked like a queen; a queen that could get anything and anyone.

“You’re beautiful.” Roman whispered completely breathless.

“That’s an understatement.” The girls scoffed all together.

Ever signaled the girls to head out but she stopped in front of Roman to whisper, “She’s a walking death trap in those heels. Keep her close.” She smiled in that way she does when she knew what was going to happen and left.

Roman composed himself and held his arm out with a bow. “If I could have the honor?” She reached for his arm and together they left the dorms. Every student turned to look at them as Arlet swept past them in calm fake grace. Her hand clutched tighter on Roman’s bicep.

He patted her fingers soothingly. They made it to the festival without injury. Usually the girls had dance cards for the males to sign for each dance but Roman had confiscated it and tucked it into his suit. He was never going to let he get close to another male when she looked so captivating in her dress. She was indeed a fairy or siren; every male couldn’t help but stare at her. A few even stumbled over their dance partners when they saw her in the distance.

Bell stood off to the side seething at Roman but was hard pressed to make such a scene tonight. He had warned Roman to not attend these past two weeks but Roman had listened to all of his instructions and followed all the rules. He was going to enjoy tonight even if Zircon Bell wasn’t.
A new song started up and Roman pulled Arlet onto the dance floor. A giant bonfire was placed in the middle of the paths leaded from the stables, the dorms, and the main entryway. The students could see over the hills around them, the dorms and stable below them and the gateway in the distance. Snow began to fall as they started to dance. A few flakes drifted to nestle in Arlet’s hair.

“I told you that you would win the Snow Queen contest.”

“I don’t even think I was entered.” Arlet replied.

“Ever will stop at nothing to show you off tonight.”

Arlet chuckled because she knew it was true. The girls had given up all their free time for her, and she didn’t even know why. They weren’t in debt to her in any way but for some reason they did this outrageous favor for her. She was going to have to pay them all back someday, especially Ever.
Arlet tripped on a turn and Roman smoothed her into a dip.

“Just watch me and you’ll be fine.” He spoke in a smooth voice, calming her nerves. His voice did unnatural things to her body and when he lifted her up from the dip she slammed into his body.

“I’d rather be too close to watch.” She smiled at him.

He knew that he as at his breaking point, he could feel it everywhere mainly between his legs. The song started to slow then drew to a close. They stayed on the floor for the next song to pick up. A male student walked over but quickly retreated when he saw Roman glare at him over Arlet’s shoulder.

“Hey horsemeat let’s dance.” A girl in a stretched skin tight dress of jade pulled him away. She had straight blonde hair and amber eyes that provided a startling contrast against the rest of her outfit. The man practically drooled when she rubbed against him.

A few Zircon came to the bonfire as midnight approached. The moon hung full in the sky now, it vampiric glow washed the world in silver. The surrounding fir trees were not laced in a white blanket. “Tonight is the night that the Snow Queen drove the snow trolls out of this land and brought back peace over a thousand years ago. We still celebrate today in honor of her bravery and love. She killed the trolls at the cost of her own life, her and her king now guard our land from the netherworld.”
Another Zircon took over. “To show our respects to them we choose a new King and Queen every year to throw the bones of snow trolls into the bonfire. And this year we have a large selection of Queens and Kings.”

A new Zircon again. “I will call out your name for the Queens first. Please come and stand by the fire to my left.” She ran off a list of names when finally towards the bottom Arlet was called. Roman walked her to the line where he took a few steps back to guard her. He knew she would win, he was just angry that he hadn’t signed up to be her King.

“And now for the Kings. Roman Kiseliv, Mannuel Iggreshf…” Roman was shocked for a moment till he remember that Ever had probably set the whole thing up. He was going to have to kiss that woman later to thank her.

With all the boys and all the girls lined up it was up to the other students to vote on who was the most gorgeous Queen and who was the most handsome King. Arlet and Roman won by a landslide. They were handed the bag of troll bones and they each pulled out one to throw into the fire. Roman grabbed her hand and tossed the bone away. Arlet did the same. She watched the bones disappear into the crackling hungry flame before turning to Roman. She smiled at him when he suddenly grabbed her jaw and kissed her deeply.