Thank you so much for the questions! I really love getting ones like these!! :D
7. Does your character have recurring themes in their nightmares?
His most common nightmare is being trapped somewhere pitch black, with no other senses available. He’s had the dream since he was seven years old, and every time it ends with the feeling of falling. After reading a book about dream analysis, his best guess it that it reflects his fear of lack of knowledge.
13. Is your character bothered by the sight of blood? If so, in what way?
Yes. Blood makes him feel sick to his stomach, especially when there’s a lot of it. He’s more bothered by injuries on himself than other people, possibly because his knowledge of biology gives him a sickeningly clear picture of how he’s been damaged when getting hurt.
20. In what ways does your character compare themselves to others? Do they do this for the sake of self-validation, or self-criticism?
Bren is very aware that he’s not normal, and tends to wonder if the reason he’s so excluded is because he’s different. Realistically, he knows it’s true, but a part of him wishes that the reason behind his bullying was something he could change. He often compares people’s levels of normalcy, with himself somewhere near the bottom of the list.
21. If something tragic or negative happens to your character, do they believe they may have caused or deserved it, or are they quick to blame others?
Bren would be most likely to realize that bad things happen to everyone, and the reason behind his was nothing more than random chance. If anything, he’d blame himself, thinking that he should have done something better or smarter to avoid the problem, but generally, he believes that this misfortune was nothing more than a random happening, unrelated to anything that he or anyone else did that could have caused it
45. What does your character believe will happen to them after they die? Does this belief scare them?
Dreitan is not a particularly religious state, and the general belief of people in the country in that life is all there is. As a scientific minded boy, Bren is inclined to feel much the same, and believes that death is simply the end of existence. The idea scares him a bit, but he knows that it’s just a part of life.
((In record time, it’s chapter 3! I finished this in two days, writing nearly six pages a day, and oh boy I am exhausted! I really hope I can keep up this pace, though! :D))
About a week later, the boys were once again spending time together after class. Homework had started to be assigned more regularly, and all three were having trouble keeping up, albeit for very different reasons.
Felix, while sharp, continued to pay very little attention in class. His mind was always somewhere else, usually thinking about their next break or when he’d be able to go outside, and, although he knew better than to voice it, thoughts of the mysteries of the school were pressing on his mind more often than ever. He was perpetually spacey, always more focused on how badly he wanted to go play, and neglecting his studies in favor of this.
Abbey just seemed to be average. No matter what he did, no matter how much he studied, he never improved his scores. It was like he was doomed to be a bit below average in intelligence and scores, and, although his performance was never terrible, he never seemed to do any better. He worked hard, though, dutifully filling out every question on his homework and paying attention in class even if he knew he would never do much better than he already was.
Kiel was by far the strangest of the bunch. Despite being nearly thirteen years old, he only barely knew how to read, was mostly illiterate, and lacked knowledge of things that the other two had learned before they were six. He didn’t seem stupid in the slightest, and picked up on things rather quickly, but was simply years behind the other two in knowledge. He got more questions wrong than he ever did right, and seemed oddly unbothered by the fact that he was only barely getting by in every class.
Due to the fact that everyone in the little group had some kind of problem with the work, the three had started studying together in the evenings, splitting up homework questions and trying to get Felix to actually pay attention. None of them were exactly the best teachers, but trying to explain things to each other was the best they could do to learn.
“Felix, this is how you solve this one. Not. . . whatever it is you just tried to do,” Abbey said, scratching out the correct order of steps on Felix’s paper. He was probably just as wrong, but at least he knew better than whatever Felix was attempting.
“Oh. . . okay! So like this?” Felix chirped, trying to follow the same order of steps Abbey had showed him. It really wasn’t fair that mathematics were so complicated.
“I think you’re still doing it wrong,” Abbey muttered, trying to make sense of Felix’s messy handwriting. “Do you pay any attention in class? The teacher’s been over this part nearly five times.”
“Of course I do! I’m just not very good at it.” Felix was still smiling, completely missing the bitterness in his friend’s words.
“That sounds about right. . . Kiel? How are you holding up?” Abbey turned his attention towards Kiel, who was currently running some basic multiplication tables in the attempt to memorize what should have been learned years ago.
Kiel looked up from his paper, looking more confused than confident. “I think I’ve gotten the threes sorted out. Three times seven is twenty one, correct?”
Abbey nodded. “Yep, that’s right. Have you gotten any further than that?”
“I have not.” Kiel said, with a finalizing tone. He always managed to be dead serious, even when discussing something as trivial as multiplication.
“Good job Kiel!” Felix squeaked, scooting over to pat his friend on the shoulder, “You’re really getting better!”
Abbey sighed. Basic understanding of lower multiplication tables was not something a twelve year old should have to be proud of. He’d learned the same things from a tutor years ago, and Felix had somehow picked them up from his town’s school. It wasn’t necessary for children to attend school before age twelve, but everyone did. It just wasn’t normal for someone to get such a late start compared to his peers.
“Felix, don’t be so happy about that. It’s good, but he’s still way behind. We’re working on multiplying three digit numbers, remember? And this guy can barely keep track of his two times table. That’s not a good thing, so don’t get ahead of yourself.”
“But he’s doing his best! And it’s a lot better than when we started.” Kiel didn’t say anything, allowing the other two to talk over him like he wasn’t even there.
“True, but this isn’t the time to be happy about it. You still need to make some progress too. We have a test tomorrow, and you don’t remember anything we’ve learned all week. Get back to work before we run out of time.”
Sometimes, Abbey felt like the only smart one here. It was unusual, to go from below average to having the best scores in his little group, but considering who his friends were, it didn’t really surprise him. Somehow, he’d wound up with the weirdest couple of boys in probably the whole school. At least they didn’t try to pick on him, Abbey thought bitterly.
A while later, when the sky outside had finally turned black, Felix flopped back against Abbey’s bed. “Hey Abbey, can we spend the night here? I don’t wanna go back to my room so late.”
“No way. I have a roommate, for one, and I don’t think he’d be too happy about it. And two, that’s not even allowed. If we got caught, all three of us would be in trouble for being outside of our rooms after lights out. You don’t want that, do you?” Abbey replied.
“I guess not. . . Kiel, would you at least walk back with me? If I wake Alexei up, he’s not going to be happy.”
“Yes. That won’t interfere with any of my duties,” Kiel said, as stiffly as ever, even when speaking to his friends.
“Yay! Thank you so much, Kiel!” Felix practically launched himself forward, hugging Kiel tightly and latching onto his arm. “Come on, friend! Let’s get packed up and go back to our rooms. I’ve had enough of studying for one night.”
“We’re going to be doing it again tomorrow,” Abbey called from the other side of the room, where he’d moved to put his things away. “Neither of you are anywhere near caught up yet.”
Eventually, all three boys had packed up their things. Waving goodbye to Abbey, Felix pulled Kiel with him down the long hallway, where he’d finally started to remember the way back to his room. Felix was honestly extremely pleased with himself that he didn’t get lost going to class and back anymore, and especially that he could be trusted to get Kiel back to his room without incident.
The two walked slowly through the series of hallways that house the dorms, taking in the crisp night air from the occasional cracked window, listening to the sounds of boys in their rooms getting ready for bed behind wooden doors, and hearing their own footsteps echo off the stone walls.
By the time they made it back to Felix’s room, night had completely fallen, the hallways lit only by the few dim lanterns hanging far above the boy’s heads.
As Felix cracked his door open, wood creaking as it moved, he saw that Alexei was already in bed, and hissed a quick shushing noise to Kiel. Alexei got angry if Felix woke him up, so it was essential that the two of them be quiet until Felix was inside.
Shutting the door behind him, Felix waved a quick goodbye to Kiel, who simply turned to make the trek back to his own room, perfectly content to be alone in the darkness of the sleeping school.
The next day, after a disastrous math test in which all three boys earned disbelieving looks from the teacher at the sheer amount of wrong they managed, Felix, Kiel, and Abbey were making their way to lunch. Felix seemed as unaffected as ever by the incident, smiling broadly and making his usual small talk. Kiel was blank faced and gave away little, and Abbey, thinking himself to be the only sensible person there, was downtrodden.
“You do know we were supposed to get better grades than that, right? Especially after we studied so much.” Abbey muttered, looking dejected.
“It’s okay! We have lots more tests to take, so one mistake won’t mean much in the scheme of things!” Felix smiled. “And besides, I have way more important news than some silly math test.”
“What is it this time? It better not be about that tower again; I’m sick of hearing about it. We-We’ll get in trouble if we keep it up with that thing,” Abbey replied, making a face like he felt sick.
“Nope! I talked to the third years a couple days ago when we were on break, and one of them agreed to talk to us about the school– and not the tower! He’s going to tell us about some of the rumors that have been floating around the school since previous years. Isn’t that cool? He’s going to meet up with us in the library today between classes!”
“Wait, what do you mean ‘us’? I don’t remember signing up for this!” Abbey squeaked.
“It will be a good chance for gathering information,” Kiel said, nodding. “It would be wise to join us, even if it wasn’t your idea.”
“Exactly!” Felix chirped. “We’re going to be living here for the next four years, so it’s smart to pick up whatever we can. Now come on, Bren said he’d be waiting in the library today whenever we could stop by.”
With that, Felix grabbed Abbey by the arm and pulled, practically dragging the smaller boy down the hallway in his excitement to get to the library. He wasn’t going to mention this to the other two, but this whole thing really was about the tower again, at least, in a way.
Felix had figured that the best place to start was learning about the school itself, and what kind of strange things kids that had come before them knew. If he started there, maybe something would click into place with what the three of them knew about the tower itself.
The library, when Felix finally got there, was a massive, quiet room, so silent that the skidding of his shoes on the wooden floor echoed around the room. The high ceiling stretched up a good two floors, and every wall was covered with massive rows of book shelves, practically bursting with texts. The smell of wood and old paper hung thick in the air, and the air itself sparkled with particles of hanging dust.
There seemed to be no one there, at least until Felix caught sight of a tall, skinny boy perched on a high ladder near one of the larger shelves, flipping through a textbook so large it looked ready to unbalance him.
“Hello, Bren!” Felix all but yelled, voice echoing through the room and causing the boy to nearly drop his textbook in fright.
“This is a library, so please be quiet!” Bren hissed. “Don’t make so much noise here; people are trying to read!”
Bren slowly eased himself down from his ladder, putting the textbook back on the shelf and sliding down the rickety wooden structure. He was even taller up close, a good couple inches taller than Felix, and towering over the petite Abbey, who was practically cowering behind Felix. His hair was dark, falling over one warm, brown eye, and his lanky body looked nothing short of awkward trying to slide down the ladder.
“Sorry, sorry,” Felix said with a smile, voice something close to a whisper. “Are you still going to tell us about the stuff?”
“I said I would, didn’t I? Just sit down over here,” Bren said, leading the way over to a circle of chairs hidden in between bookshelves. He plopped down in one, and it creaked in protest, cushion letting out a miserable hiss.
After they all had sat down, Bren took in the three, eyes eventually landing on Kiel, who was sitting so stiffly it seemed as if there was a pole holding him up. “You look familiar. Let me guess, you’re a soldier?”
“Correct,” Kiel said with a stiff nod.
“Great, so there’s two of you. . .” Before Kiel could respond, Bren turned to Felix, seemingly missing the flow of the conversation entirely. “So you wanted to hear about rumors here?”
“Mhmm! The more you know the better!” Felix replied, looking pleased.
“B-But! Um, please don’t tell me anything too scary,” Abbey whimpered from where he was all but glued to Felix’s side.
“Hmmm. . . let’s see. . .” Bren stared off into space for a good minute, paying no attention to the boys sitting in front of him, eagerly waiting for him to finally speak. “Oh yeah, there’s the one about the library here. You see how tall the shelves are? There’s a rumor that a second year hung himself off of one, and comes back at night as a ghost to push people who stay late off the ladders. I’ve never experienced that one, though, and I’ve spent nights here, so I don’t think it’s true.”
Abbey let out a miserable squeak. “Th-that’s a scary one! Don’t you have any rumors that are a little more tame?” He was now eyeing the bookshelves warily, as if a specter would appear at any moment.
“That was a good one, Bren!” Felix laughed, leaning forward, “What else do you know?”
“Well, there are some fourth years who say that the school is run by the military. As in, not just the government. They say that the school is part of some military branch, and the kids that come from here are hand picked to join some secret project. Honestly, that one’s even more ridiculous. Do you know how hard it would be to hide something like that? I’ve read all about government, and ours would only do something like that if they were really desperate. That’s definitely something those Ageniens would do, not us, you know? It just wouldn’t make any sense.
“And then there’s the rumor about the government keeping weaponry on the grounds, in case the fighting ever makes it this close to the major cities. That one actually makes some sense, if you ask me, but since no one’s ever found any trace of weapons, I’d say it’s fake. Some of the fourth years will swear up and down that the government really is using this place as some kind of base, though, so it’s up to you if you want to take that seriously. Oh, and there’s the one about. . .”
Bren kept rambling for a good ten minutes, spouting off every rumor he’d heard in his time at the school. He talked quickly, with no room for anyone to get a word in edgewise, and the three were forced to wait until he finally got through his exhaustive list of school stories.
“And that’s the last of them, I think. Is there anything else you want to know?” Bren looked completely unaware that he’d been talking over everyone else for so long.
“Um, I don’t think so, but those were really cool!” Felix was leaning forward in his chair, staring at Bren with fascination.
“In that case,” Bren said, standing up, “I’m going to get back to my reading.” He then wandered off into the bookshelves without so much as a goodbye, completely absorbed in what book to pick out next.
“Wasn’t that cool, guys?” Felix said, eyes wide and voice starting to get loud again.
“Very informative,” Kiel said, looking completely unbothered by the string of terrifying rumors.
“No, that was awful,” Abbey whined, still shaking in his chair. He had the feeling he wasn’t going to be able to sleep for weeks.
“Um, I did notice something, though,” Felix said, face suddenly switching to a more worried expression. “Did you guys notice how most of the rumors are about the military? I mean, I know that the government runs all the schools like this, but do you think any of that was true? Like that the school is some secret military branch, or they’re storing weapons here?”
“Unlikely,” Kiel replied. “If there was some kind of military operation going on, it would most likely have the sense to conceal itself better. Meaning, we would have no idea that it even exists. Those rumors are almost certainly mere stories.”
“Y-You sure about that?” Abbey asked, with an absolutely miserable expression.
“Positive. As a soldier, I have at least a basic understand of how confidential military matters are handled. We should be safe.”
Before the conversation could continue, the school bell rang, signalling that the day’s break was over and the boys had best return to their classes. Felix wound up once again practically dragging Abbey in his hurry to get back to class, Kiel walking behind them at a moderate pace. Felix kept talking the whole way back, too preoccupied with the rumors he’d heard to possibly stay quiet.
Later that night, Abbey was back in his room studying. It wasn’t easy for him to keep up with classes even when he studied, so working every night to memorize everything they’d been over in the day was essential for him. He’d always been a bit slow, never as sharp as his father’s tutors wanted him to be, and, embarrassing as it was, there was little he could do about it.
The room itself was the typical dorm, small and plain, with two beds, a long desk, a large chest for storage of personal items and single dim, flickering lantern hanging from one wall. It was a bit messy from two young boys living in, and the clutter of their meager possessions cast sharp shadows in the dim light. It was late at night, not the best time for studying, and the room had a cloudy darkness hovering thick in the air.
On the other side of the room, Abbey’s roommate sat on his bed, flipping through a book on animal biology he’d borrowed from the library nearly a week ago.
The boy, Johann, was a gentle, rather sharp sort. He was curious about nearly everything they studied, and did his level best to understand everything that the teachers went over, his natural desire to learn making it easy for him to keep up with every day’s classes. As much as it made Abbey feel inferior to be around someone who got such good marks, he was honestly just glad he hadn’t been roomed with a bully of some kind. Johann could be a bit annoying, but he kept to himself and wasn’t the sort to fight or get angry.
“Hey, Abbey,” Johann suddenly said, breaking the quiet of the room. “You’re close to that Felix boy, right? The one who can’t sit still for five seconds, even when the teacher is giving a lesson.”
“Um, y-yeah. Why do you ask?” Abbey replied, afraid that Johann was going to get mad at him for associating with someone he didn’t like.
“He’s a little strange, isn’t he? I mean really kind of odd. Are you sure there’s not, you know, something wrong with him?” Johann was sitting up now, eyes gleaming in the lantern light as he looked at Abbey.
“Oh. Uh, not exactly? He’s just kind of energetic, I think. ‘Cause it’s not like he’s stupid, he just can’t ever stay still for long. He was raised in the country; one of those kids who’re randomly assigned here, so I think it’s just that he comes from a different place. Maybe it’s normal to be so wild where he’s from?” Abbey was rambling a bit, still nervous that Johann was going to be angry.
“Oh, so it’s true that he’s from the sticks? There are a couple rumors going around our class about him, you know. That he’s from the middle of nowhere, that he’s here because his last school got sick of him, that the teachers are planning to throw him out.” Despite the serious tone of the rumors, Johann was smiling, as it if didn’t matter that he talked about Abbey’s closest friend like he was nothing more than the subject of gossip.
Abbey swallowed heavily. He didn’t like the idea of being associated with someone who was the subject of such rumors, especially when he was attracting so much attention.
“It’s n-not that bad. He’s just a little strange,” Abbey said, trying to derail the conversation somewhat.
“Yeah, but doesn’t he even talk to the third years or something? That’s just plain weird, that he wants to associate with the older years. All they ever want to do is bully us.” Johann was leaning forward now, seemingly ready to pick up any new gossip he could. “A boy in my class says he even saw you with one of them. Don’t you think that’s dangerous?”
Abbey squeaked. “I w-wasn’t. . . I wasn’t doing anything like that! Felix just drug me along ‘cause he had questions. It wasn’t my idea at all!”
“And isn’t that kind of the problem? He’s dangerous. You get picked on anyway, don’t you? Why is some weirdo dragging you into contact with the older years a good idea?” Johann was smiling now, like he thought he was winning some kind of argument. Abbey was starting to feel sick to his stomach.
“He’s just, he’s just kind of excitable. Bren wasn’t dangerous at all; all he did was tell us stories. It’s not like Felix would do something on purpose to g-get us in trouble. He’s not st-stupid.”
“Aren’t you kind of siding with him? Isn’t that weird that you’re just going along with what the odd kid wants? If you get bullied as it is, why make it worse by associating with him?”
“I don’t want t-to talk about this anymore.” Abbey turned back to his books, hoping Johann wouldn’t press.
Fortunately, Johann didn’t say anything either. He merely turned away with a satisfied smile, as if he’d won the argument. In his mind, he was obviously right, and Abbey would be better off listening to him on the matter. That Felix kid was just too weird to have around.
Abbey felt sick. He’d kind of made friends with Felix on accident, but the other boy had been nothing but nice to him, and definitely didn’t deserve people talking about him like this. Abbey knew first hand how mean kids could be, and didn’t at all like the idea of someone as happy as Felix getting caught up in the wrong side of things. Hopefully, the rumors about him would soon die off, and Felix would be left alone.
Somehow, though, Abbey had a feeling that that wouldn’t be the case. The bullies he’d known were rarely kind enough to let things drop, and even if Felix changed overnight, it would be unlikely that the rumors would cease.
And worst of all, if Felix started to become a target, anyone associated with him would be one as well. Abbey had had plenty of being picked on already in his short life, and had been hoping to avoid it all now that he was finally at school. A part of him wanted to drop Felix and get away now, before he could be permanently associated with the other boy.
Abbey sighed. It wasn’t like he could just abandon his friend, no matter how dangerous things got.
Meanwhile, in Kiel’s room, he and Felix were sitting on the cold, wooden floor, going over math drills together. Felix already knew all of what they were going over, and didn’t have much point in it for himself, but Kiel direly needed the help, and Feli was happy to provide. Of course, neither of them seemed to think of the fact that Felix should be spending time studying what he had problems with.
The room was almost completely dark, lantern dimmed so that it could be “spooky”, and Felix was somehow managing to enjoy himself even while doing little more than reading off basic math problems. Kiel, although he didn’t show it, was rather pleased that Felix was spending the time with him to help.
“Four times four?” Felix asked, expecting the best from his friend.
Kiel took a long moment to reply, running the numbers over in his head. He was still struggling with his three times tables, and fours were something he hadn’t started on fully yet.
“Sixteen?” he asked, hesitantly, after a minute had passed.
“Yes! That’s right! Good job, Kiel!” Felix leaned forward to pat Kiel on the back, smiling widely in the darkness of the room. It was too dark to really tell, and Kiel was sitting as stiffly as a statue, but Felix had the feeling he was happy too.
“Next one,” Kiel said, not budging from his position.
“Four times five!”
This back and forth continued for a while, Felix as happy as ever, and Kiel slowly, subtly growing less tense. After repeating the numbers close to three time each, Kiel was starting to get his answers right, memorizing the answers instead of having to count them up every time. Honestly, Kiel would have never expected to be sitting in his own room, going over something as mundane as multiplication tables, but the expectations for his behavior had changed drastically since arriving at this school.
Felix especially was quite the strange occurrence. Soldiers weren’t supposed to have friends, and if the other boy hadn’t reached out to him, Kiel couldn’t imagine being anything but alone. It’s not like he would have gone out of his way to make friends with anyone else.
“Four times eight!” Felix happily said for the third time that night. Kiel couldn’t understand how a normal person could be happy doing the same simple thing over and over for the sake of someone else, but he didn’t dare complain.
“Thirty-two,” Kiel said on reflex, numbers coming to him more easily now that he’d practiced for so long. He wasn’t used to these kinds of things, but remembering simple equations was getting easier the longer he tried.
Felix, leaning against Kiel’s bed in the near pitch blackness of the room, was nothing but happy. In his mind, helping out a friend was the best thing he could spend his night doing. It didn’t even occur to him that his time could be better spent working on something that would benefit him personally.
Eventually, though, Felix started to yawn. He had no idea about what time it was, other than that it was long after lights out, and long after he should have been in his own room, asleep. If a teacher caught him out this late, he’d be in trouble, but being found in Kiel’s room would be just as bad.
Kiel was one of the few boys in the school who didn’t have a roommate, and that was really the only thing that allowed Felix to spend so much time in his room. If they got caught staying up this late, the both of them would be in trouble.
“Alright, Kiel. I’m getting tired. I think it’s about time for me to go back to my room,” Felix said, starting to slur his words a little from how tired he was. His eyelids were starting to feel heavy, and he couldn’t stop yawning.
“Do I need to assist you in getting back?” Kiel was no stranger to being up in the school at night, and he was excellent at not getting caught.
“Nah, I’m fine,” Felix paused to yawn. “It’s late anyway, so you should be getting some rest. I’ll be okay.”
Waving goodbye to Kiel, Felix slipped out the door, closing it slowly behind him to prevent any creaks. As soon as the heavy wood slid shut, he was left alone in the hallway, the corridor stretching on seemingly endlessly on both sides of him.
The school was dead quiet at night, even the sounds of boys in their rooms long gone this late at night. Felix had stayed late in Kiel and Abbey’s rooms before, but never quite this late, and it was suddenly a bit scary to be up on his own, in the middle of what felt like abandoned building.
Every window was closed by this time of year, and yet Felix still felt like he could feel a breeze. Curtains drifted lazily in some unseen draft, the air even inside the school chilly and crisp. The high ceiling was almost completely obscured in darkness, the walls blurry and visible only in shades of grey. The only sounds Felix could make out were his own footsteps on the lightly creaking wood, and he prayed he wouldn’t get lost again.
Padding lightly through the halls, something drew Felix a bit off track. He knew it was late, but a certain stop was right on his way, and Felix couldn’t help but draw a little closer. It couldn’t possibly hurt to take one more minute to get back to his room, and it wasn’t like there was anyone around to get mad at him at this time of night.
He pulled into the hallway that led to the tower and stopped, standing perfectly still and staring as if he could see beyond the curtain that blocked the stairs. Listening closely, Felix started to shiver. He could hear something.
Only barely audible, Felix could make out the faint sound of someone crying. High, soft sobs, so quiet they had to be far away. . . and there was only one place they could be coming from.
Felix’s head snapped up, towards where the top of the tower would be. There was no mistaking it. There was someone up there. What he was hearing was definitely the sound of someone crying, and there was only one option for what it was, this late and night and this far from any dorm room doors.
Just as he was about to take a few steps closer, to hopefully make out the sound a little clearer, a heavy hand closed down on Felix’s neck.
Squeaking, he whirled around, coming face to face with his mathematics teacher, looking so angry a vein was about to pop from his face. The man’s hand was latched firmly on Felix’s collar, and all the boy’s struggling got him were a few inches of movement.
“Boy, what are you doing here,” the teacher hissed, face so close to Felix’s that he could feel a few stray drops of spittle.
“I-I’m sorry!” Felix yelped. “I had to use the bathroom and it was so dark I got lost! I didn’t mean to come this way, promise!”
The teacher shoved Felix away from the stairs, finally letting go of his collar to smack him in the head. “Don’t be stupid, boy. Get back to your room and don’t leave it again. If you’re too dumb not to know the way back, you can hold it until morning.”
Felix was just about to scurry away, not wanting to be in any more trouble than he already was, when he heard the teacher hiss one more, near frantic thing, almost as if he wasn’t speaking to Felix at all.
“And if you know what’s good for you, you won’t go near that tower again.”
Felix gulped, practically running back to his room, no longer caring if his footsteps were audible. He’d already gotten in trouble once tonight, and he wanted to get back to safety before any more teachers caught him where he shouldn’t be.
Finally slipping back through his door Felix stayed as quiet as he could, sliding into bed without waking Alexei, who was fortunately a rather heavy sleeper. He curled up without so much as bothering to change out of his school clothes, toeing off his shoes and pulling himself into a little ball underneath the thin blankets.
He’d made a horrible mistake. Whoever was up there, whoever had been crying, the teachers clearly didn’t want him to know who it was. The man he’d encountered had seemed angry enough to choke him, and Felix had to struggle to keep his breathing still.
He didn’t know what he was going to now, especially because he felt only more curious than ever.
((CHAPTER 2 IS FINALLY HERE. School and writing block are absolutely killing me, but I’ll finish this thing for sure eventually! :D Thank ya’ll for being patient while waiting for me to get this chapter out, and I hope chapter 3 will be here a lot faster.))
The next day started much the same as the one before it, with Felix getting up to the sound of a bell ringing across the school, sitting with Kiel at breakfast (and once again pestering the other boy with questions), and slipping into class at the last minute after getting lost again.
He apparently hadn’t been paying much attention to the tour of the school, because, as soon as Alexei or Kiel wasn’t there to guide him, he got lost almost immediately in the twisting series of hallways and empty rooms. It really wasn’t his fault that everything looked alike, all heavy, dark wood, stone walls and rich carpeting.
But eventually, Felix made it to class, slipping into his seat just before the teacher entered the room. It still felt strange not to go outside and play first thing in the morning, and Felix was left fidgeting in his seat, squirming around with unspent energy left over from being forced to stay still and pay attention for so many days in a row. It really wasn’t fair; surely, even school kids deserved to get out and do something once in awhile.
Class was every bit as boring as the day before, with no chances to ask questions or involve himself in the lesson, and once again, Felix felt himself drifting off, paying more attention to the rigid figure of Kiel beside him than what the teacher was saying.
It occurred to Felix, as he was staring at his friend, that Kiel looked downright strange. The other boy was almost unnaturally pale, skin so light Felix could see faint blue veins through the surface of his skin. He was absolutely covered in freckles, dark marks dotting the near white surface over nearly every inch of skin Felix could see, most thickly covering his cheeks and nose. Kiel’s hair, in contrast, was so dark a brown it was almost black, lying in tight, thick curls that almost seemed to have a mind of their own, sticking up and out at odd directions. His features, too were just slightly off, some set to them that didn’t look like anyone Felix had seen before.
In short, he didn’t look a thing like the Dreitish children Felix had seen before, just off enough that it made Felix think something was strange. Felix wondered if Kiel might be from a different part of the country, somewhere that he’d never seen the people of before.
Maybe that’s why Kiel got picked on so badly. Felix had heard of people being mean to others just because of the way they looked, so maybe it was Kiel’s appearance that made him a target. Felix thought that it was stupid to treat some badly because of something they couldn’t help (actually, it was stupid to be bad to people at all), but if that was the reason, then Kiel might be in trouble. It wasn’t like he could change how he looked, after all.
So, Felix thought, the best way to help his friend not get picked on anymore was obviously to be nice to him. If Felix showed that Kiel was a good person, that he was safe to be around and be friends with even if he looked a little strange, maybe the other kids would agree.
This incredibly hopeful line of thought was soon broken up by the teacher’s voice, snapping at a boy in the back row who had been whispering to his neighbor. Felix winced, very aware of how easily it could have been him who got in trouble for not paying attention.
The boy was called to the front of the room to receive his punishment, and Felix watched in something like horror as the teacher took out a heavy, wooden ruler and ordered the boy to place his fingers up on the desk.
Ten quick whacks later, each accompanied by a pained yelp from the boy standing at the desk, and the punishment was over, the boy scurrying back to his seat as soon as he was allowed. It was a cruel, brutal thing to do in Felix’s eyes, and suddenly, he was very glad that it wasn’t him who’d been caught paying less than perfect attention.
The lesson continued, but Felix, despite swearing himself to pay better attention this time, soon found his focus drifting once again, this time to a boy sitting to the far right of the room.
This boy was petite and plain looking, with bowl-cut, greyish brown hair, wide blue eyes, and a beauty mark under one eye. He had a nervous expression on his face, and a vaguely sad look that made Felix want to reach out and do something to make him smile. He seemed the pitiable sort, honestly, and Felix wondered if he got picked on to. The boys here seemed as mean as barn cats, and such a gentle looking boy would surely be a target too.
Of course, Felix wanted to be helpful. He’d already tried so hard to reach out to Kiel and give him a friend, and he’d be happy to do the same for anyone else he could find who was alone. If this boy didn’t have any friends, than Felix would just have to step in.
But, first came figuring out if he was lonely at all, as well as making the first move to talk to him. Lunch time, when the boys were allowed to talk freely among each other, would probably be the best time, and as much as it pained him to leave Kiel alone for even that long, Felix was already feeling determined.
He’d just have to promise Kiel to share extra food with him for dinner, to make up for missing lunch together.
So, after class, when the teacher had finally allowed them all to stand up and leave their cramped seats, Felix waved a quick excuse to Kiel.
“Sorry! I’ll be right back, I promise!” he reassured, completely missing Kiel’s blank expression at his news of missing lunch with him in the first place.
Felix slipped through the small crowd of boys, looking for his new target. It was a shame that he’d be skipping lunch with Kiel today, but the other boy had insisted that he’d be fine on his own. Felix hoped that no one would take Kiel’s food today, because, without him there to share part of his own meal, the other boy would surely go hungry on his own. It wasn’t like there was anyone else around to keep an eye on Kiel.
But Felix pushed those thoughts aside for now. He was on another mission, and Kiel would be fine on his own for one lunch period. If his food got taken, Felix would just have to share extra at dinner.
Eventually, after scanning most of the crowd for the boy he’d seen in class, Felix found him near the back of the crowd, cornered by the same group of boys who’d been picking on Kiel.
The boy, when standing up, was even shorter than Felix had estimated, a good head smaller than the bullies surrounding him. He looked absolutely petrified of the bigger boys standing in a tight circle around him, and was practically shaking as he looked up at them all.
One of the bigger boys, after saying something harsh enough to make Felix’s new friend flinch, ripped the tray out of his hands, holding it high enough above his head that the smaller boy would have had to jump to reach. It was a horribly unfair move, and as one of the other boys jumped in to shove the boy backwards, leaving him stumbling and struggling to keep his balance, Felix felt himself get angry.
“Hey! Back off! Why are you being so mean to him?” Felix cried, forcing himself in between the two boys.
“What the– What do you think you’re doing?” the bigger boy asked, glaring down at Felix from a good couple inches above him.
“I’m telling you not to be mean! Don’t pick on people! Especially not people who don’t want to fight back!” Felix glared back just as viciously, determined to do something to break this up before the smaller boy got hurt.
Instead, he was shoved too, the third boy getting at him from behind and giving his shoulder a hefty push. Felix stumbled, but didn’t fall, too used to playing with the local farmer’s much more powerful cows to trip from a shove that light.
“I said knock it off!” he yelled, pulling himself up to his full height and looking the bully dead in the eye.
Somewhere behind him, the smaller boy was cowering, obviously not wanting to be involved any further.
Going into this, Felix had hoped that he’d be able to do something to stop the bullying from happening, something to protect the smaller boy from being picked on just like Kiel was.
Instead, all he got was a sudden punch to the mouth, the bully getting fed up with some scrawny kid interfering with his target.
Felix stumbled backwards from the hit, entirely unused to being outright attacked. While he was pretty used to heavy work, strong from play and labor, a genuine attempt to hurt him was something very new, and, as blood trickled down from his now split lip, it was all he could do to stare in shock.
“Come on, guys. He’s not gonna be getting in our way again.” The biggest of the bullies said, taking his friends and Abbey’s food and walking away, perfectly calm, even after attacking another student.
It took Felix a few minutes to fully recover, still reeling from the first real injury he’d taken in years. His lip stung horribly, and he could feel hot blood dripping down his chin. He slowly rose a hand to feel the wound, and when his fingers came away red, he let out a nervous laugh.
“Guess that was kinda a mistake, huh?” he said to the other boy, trying to force a smile. His lip hurt horribly, but that was no excuse to be sullen.
The other boy looked fairly horrified, wide, blue eyes taking in the scene with something resembling terror. He was shaking a bit, Felix realized, and probably not just from the fright of being picked on. How unfair it was that children here were allowed to pick on each other like this. If only one of the teacher’s would have noticed, neither of them would have had to suffer.
Pulling himself to his feet, Felix offered his non-bloody hand to the boy, flashing the happiest smile he could muster.
“Hello there. I’m Felix, what’s your name?” he asked, trying his best to be friendly despite the throbbing pain in his split lip.
It took the other boy a minute to answer, and when he did, his voice was weak and shaky. “A-Abbey. And, um, y-you didn’t have to get involved.”
“Yes I did. They were being mean to you. If I just stood there and let it happen, I’d be as bad as the people hurting you.” Stubborn as always, Felix left little room for argument, entirely determined that he’d done the right thing.
“Y-yeah, but you got hurt because of me. Is it really okay that you’re going to have to suffer now?”
“I’ll be fine! A little cut like this is nothing if it means helping a friend!” Felix smiled, despite the lingering pain in his lip.
“Wait, friend? Are you sure you really want to get hurt over someone you just met? I’m telling you, you really didn’t have to do that.”
“Well, I wanted to. It’s not fair how people get picked on here, and I wanted to do something about it. Maybe they would have done something really bad to you if I hadn’t gotten involved. I was just trying to help.”
Abbey sighed, looking entirely fed up with the strange boy who wouldn’t admit that maybe, getting in the way of an angry bully wasn’t the smartest idea. Abbey himself had had enough trouble with bullies, he couldn’t imagine someone willingly putting themself in the way of of one, much less for no reason other than helping someone they didn’t even know.
“Okay, just. . . please don’t do that again. You don’t need to get hurt because of me, okay?”
“If you say so!” Felix rubbed at his split lip, still smiling. “But is it okay if I eat lunch with you? I can share my food.”
“Oh, um, I guess? If you really want to, I-I wouldn’t mind.”
“Great! I’ll go get my food!” Felix grinned, quickly hurrying over to get his meal for the day, completely unaware of the stares his bloodied appearance was attracting.
“So, where are you from?” Felix asked eagerly, mouth still half full of food. “I’m from way out in the country, kinda to the south of here. It was a long ride to get here, so my home must have been pretty far away.”
“Oh, um, I’m from a city kinda near here. My family’s kinda rich, so we get to live right in the middle of town,” Abbey replied, looking rather nervous.
“Wow, so you’re one of the rich people here. Seems like there are a lot of em. How come you get picked on so bad if you’re as rich as they are?”
“Well, I’m kinda shy and quiet, and, um, I don’t think people like that very well. Even dad always said that I’m supposed to be braver. I think it’s cause I’m just. . . kind of an easy target.”
“Well that’s not very fair,” Felix said, looking slightly angry. “There’s no need to be mean to someone just for being different. Kiel gets that all the time too, so maybe you two would get along! People try to take his food every day too, and no one seems to like him very well. He’s really nice though! I’m super good friends with him, and he’s for sure a good person. Do you wanna meet him later?” Felix asked, grinning despite the lingering pain in his mouth.
“Kiel? You mean that one kid who acts like he’s from the military? I’d really rather not.” Abbey gulped. “He seems pretty scary to me.”
“He’s not, though! I’ve been friends with Kiel since school started, and he hasn’t done a single scary thing yet. Honestly, he’s just kinda quiet and strange. He hasn’t been anything but nice to me, though,” Felix replied, trying to assure the other boy that his friend was safe.
“I dunno. Someone who calls himself a soldier probably isn’t too safe to be around.”
The rest of lunch passed a similar way, with felix trying to argue Kiel’s good points, and Abbey being nothing but reluctant and afraid. Felix had soon forgotten about the pain in his lip, too excited by the prospect of a new friend to think about much else, and Abbey was mostly mystified as to why a complete stranger would do so much to help and reach out to him.
After lunch and a brief afternoon class, where Felix once again sat beside Kiel, bored out of his mind and trying his absolute best to focus, a teacher announced that they’d be going outside for an exercise period.
Felix’s heart nearly jumped at the news. It had been close to five days since he’d been able to go outside and play, and the very idea of being able to run around and explore again had him fidgeting anxiously in his seat, too elated to sit still. He spend the last few minutes of class not paying attention in the slightest, thinking instead about what he was going to do once he got out to play.
As soon as class was over, the boys were led through a series of corridors to a side exit; a pair of heavy wooden doors latched by three metal deadbolts. The teacher had to pull out a rather impressive ring of keys to unlock them all, a sight which Felix observed with wonder. He was very curious as to exactly what most of those other keys unlocked, especially a large, black metal one hanging near the center of the ring.
Outside, the grass was a near perfect shade of green, neatly clipped and smooth. The land seemed to be rather even, with no obvious potholes or hills in sight, and Felix immediately thought of how perfect that kind of ground would be to run around on.
Felix could see a sectioned off area to one side of the land, and what appeared to be storage buildings in the other direction, both of which he had a feeling that none of them would be allowed near. The whole yard was fenced in by a high, dark wooden fence, but the area itself was plenty large enough for a group of boys that size. The weather was near perfect, too, just chilly enough to have a bit of bite, but with clear skies and a warm breeze that offset the chill perfectly. All in all, it was a wonderful day to be outside, and Felix immediately took in a long, deep breath, delighted to be in his element once again.
“Alright, class. In this period you’re free to do as you please, save for a few races that we’ll be having to see where everyone’s at. If you don’t do well, don’t worry, they’re just to judge what kind of ability you have. I know that there are some nobles here, and that not all of you might be used to this kind of thing.” A teacher, a rather plain, stout man said.
After taking a small group of boys aside, he allowed the rest of them to run free, and almost before the words to do as they pleased were out of his mouth, Felix was taking off across the grass, bolting all the way to the far end and back without pausing for an instant.
With the wind whipping through his hair and pounding in his ears, and grass crunching under his feet, Felix was happier than he’d been in days. True, there wasn’t much space to explore, but this was still better than being stuck inside.
He noticed, though, that instead of running around like he was, most of the other boys were grouping up in small clumps and sitting down in the grass to talk amongst each other. It was very strange to Felix that someone wouldn’t take the chance to run around and play, but when he saw Kiel sitting by himself in one corner of the yard, Felix immediately abandoned his jog in favor of running over to his friend.
“Kiel! What are you up to? Is it okay if I sit with you?” Felix sat down next to the other boy before receiving an answer, plopping down in the grass and directing an expectant look towards his friend.
“Just waiting for my turn,” Kiel said, nodding towards the area where the teacher had a group of five boys running races. “Since that’s my duty, it’s all I need to do right now.”
“But don’t you want to play while we’re out here? Or is that not a thing soldiers do? Ooh do you wanna wait with me so we can run together?” Felix’s eyes were wide, filled with excitement over being outside.
Eventually, the two of them were called over in another group, and although Feli didn’t realize it, Kiel looked rather pleased to be getting away from the constant questions.
The five boys were lined up at a starting line made out of a string laid in the grass while the teacher stood at an equally makeshift finish line, holding a notebook with notes on the boys’ performance. Lining up, Felix couldn’t stop shifting around, unable to contain his excitement any longer, while Kiel stood stone still beside him.
When the teacher shouted for them to go, Felix took off with everything he had. He was fully expecting to be among that fastest, used to winning races back at home with ease, but before he knew it, someone was overtaking him.
Kiel burst ahead before any of the other boys had time to react, running ahead with such speed that he cleared the finish line a good twenty feet before any of the others, even Felix, who maintained an easy second place.
When Felix skidded to stop at the finish line, he noticed that Kiel wasn’t even breathing heavily, merely standing perfectly still once again and gazing at the teacher for instructions.
After jotting down the times, the teacher shooed the group away, calling over the next set of boys and leaving Felix to stare in awe at his friend. He’d never expected to be outdone so easily in athletics, and especially not by someone so quiet and unassuming. Somehow, Felix had never really pictured Kiel as the athletic sort, even if his claims of being a soldier would need something to back them up.
“Wow, Kiel! That was amazing!” Felix said, jogging over to where Kiel was waiting, having plopped down in the grass mere steps away from where the teacher had dismissed them.
Kiel made a quiet noise in affirmation, eye still fixated on the teach for instructions.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were so great at this? I would have tried harder for sure!” Felix was excited to have some real competition for once, and wishing he’d done a bit more to win– or at least keep up with his friend.
“Pay attention. We have to judge where the others are at too; we might have competition.” Kiel said, pointing towards where the next race was about to begin.
“Got it!” Felix immediately set his eyes on the next group, determined to pay attention and do as his friend wanted.
The next couple groups ran without incident, none of them getting anywhere close to the time Kiel had set. Among the first years, Kiel was most definitely the fastest, and Felix wondered if his friend’s athletic skill would extend to other things as well. Would he have the same kind of endurance Felix had built up from years of running around town? Was he as strong as he was fast? The other boy’s slight, wiry build didn’t seem to suggest that he was very athletic, but by now, Felix knew better. Kiel was for sure at least on the same level he was.
Finally, in the third group the two of them watched, Felix saw a familiar face. Abbey, the boy he’d made friends with before, was lined up to run, looking every bit as nervous as Felix remembered him. Did that kid ever calm down?
When the teacher yelled for the boys to start, Abbey was behind from the very beginning, even starting out at a pace notably slower than his peers. He wound up dead last, lagging behind the others by a good twenty feet, and looking like even that little bit of running was about to do him in. By the time he skidded to a stop at the finish line, he was breathing heavily, doubled over and clutching his knees, looking nothing short of miserable.
His performance in the race had been genuinely pathetic, and Felix winced in sympathy. In their culture, a lot of value was placed on boys’ athletic ability, and Abbey’s little display had probably just cemented him as among the least popular of the year, unable to muster the strength to be a proper soldier in the future.
After Abbey flopped down in the grass nearby, still looking exhausted, Felix ran over to his side, waving a quick “wait here” to Kiel. He was excited to talk to his new friend again, and hopefully get both Kiel and Abbey to finally meet.
“Abbey! Nice to see you again!” Felix slid down into the grass beside his friend, leaving stains in his socks as he landed. He leaned in over his friend, who was laying flat on his back, and smiled widely. “How d’ya think you did in the race?”
Abbey grimaced. “Horrible. I know I was dead last, and you don’t have to point it out.”
“Really? You might have been last in this race, but I bet it’s only because the others were really fast! You probably would’ve done better with another group.” Felix didn’t like the sour look on his friend’s face. They were outside and supposed to be having fun, not getting all sad over the races.
“Yeah, I don’t think so. I know I’m slow. Not very strong, either. . .” Abbey mumbled, rolling over as to not have to face Felix.
“Well, putting that aside, do you wanna meet Kiel? He’s right over there waiting for me!” Felix waved at his friend, ignoring the lack of response he got back. “I bet he’d love to have a new friend!”
Audibly gulping, Abbey sat up to look at Felix. “I told you, he’s scary. I don’t wanna have to get too close. He calls himself a soldier, you know? Isn’t that kind of weird?” He was fidgeting, looking remarkably uncomfortable with even the idea of meeting the other boy.
“Oh, he’s not that bad. I’ve been sticking to him this whole time, and he hasn’t done anything bad yet!” Felix smiled, trying to look reassuring. “Come on! I’ll prove it!”
With that, Felix grabbed Abbey’s arm and pulled the other boy to his feet, dragging him in Kiel’s direction, all while completely ignoring Abbey’s panicked struggling and yells of complaint.
He sat down in the grass, still pulling the other boy beside him, and looked over at Kiel with other joy. Kiel had been so alone since he got here; this would be an excellent chance for the other boy to get a second friend. Felix dearly hoped that all three of them could get along, and he was already happily imagining how nice it would be to have two new friends so soon.
“Kiel, this is Abbey! He’s another friend of mine, so I wanted you two to meet,” Felix smiled, still missing how petrified Abbey looked.
“Hello. I’m Kiel. Nice to meet you, Abbey,” Kiel said stiffly, looking nowhere near friendly.
Abbey squeaked, fighting the urge to run away. He’d known that this person was extremely scary just from hearing about him, but up close, he really did seem like some kind of soldier.
“See, I told you he was nice!” Felix, not noticing even a bit of the tension between the two, was elated. From what he could see, his two best friends were getting along, which meant that, maybe, all three of them could be friends. It made sense, considering that both of them had been so nice to him so far. Nice people would obviously get along with each other.
The three spent the rest of their break in tension, Felix dominating the conversation with assorted small talk and questions, Kiel giving short, blunt answers, and Abbey stuttering out the occasional response.
Despite the uncomfortable atmosphere, though, Abbey slowly started to relax. Felix’s cheerful attitude was infectious, and, although he was horribly strange, Kiel didn’t do anything particularly scary.
Perhaps, Abbey thought, the two weren’t so bad after all.
Later in the week, the situation between the three had eventually improved. Felix had continued to insist on everyone meeting up whenever possible, and through continuous, forced interaction with the two other boys, Abbey was starting to relax. It wasn’t like had much of a choice, anyway, and getting used to Kiel’s near silence and Felix’s boundless exuberance seemed like something that was destined to happen eventually. Kiel, meanwhile, was as quiet as ever, seemingly unaffected by both Felix’s constant joy and Abbey’s perpetual terror.
Felix had insisted on meeting up almost every day, and by now, all three were getting used to such a routine. So, one day, when the three were gather over lunch, it didn’t come as a surprise that Felix had lots to talk about.
“So, today I heard something really neat!” Felix chattered, in the middle of some long tirade about what he’d done that day.
“Really,” Abbey said plainly. “Even more neat than the ‘really neat’ thing from yesterday? And the day before that?” It seemed that Abbey really had gotten used to the other boys.
Kiel said nothing, merely taking another bite of the food he shared with Felix (Thanks to someone stealing his lunch nearly every day).
“Come on, Abbey! This time it’s something amazing!” Felix laughed, completely missing the sarcasm in the other’s voice. “It’s about that big tower to the north end of the school.”
Abbey choked on his food, suddenly, falling forward and coughing. Kiel immediately took action, firmly patting the other boy’s back until his coughs slowed down.
“A little. . . easier next time. . . please.” Abbey whimpered. Kiel’s hits were powerful, even when he was trying to be nice. “And anyway, we aren’t supposed to go anywhere near that tower! How are you sure talking about it won’t get us in trouble? I don’t want a teacher mad at me just because you can’t keep your mouth shut once you hear about something exciting.”
“We can’t get in trouble just for talking about it” Felix laughed. “And besides, this is so neat it’ll definitely be worth hearing about. Are you interested, Kiel?”
“I have no preference,” Kiel said.
“See, even Kiel wants to know!”
Abbey glanced over at Kiel, wondering how in the world Felix had come to that conclusion.
“So, what I heard was that there are people up in that tower! Like, the school is keeping weapons up there to hide them from the public, and this whole school is just a cover for what they’re keeping up there. The guy I heard it from even said that the whole reason we’re not allowed up there is to make sure that no one finds out about what’s up there. Isn’t that something!” Felix “whispered” the whole thing, almost as loudly as his normal speaking voice.
“First of all, be a little quieter, and second, of course that’s not true,” Abbey hissed. “There’s no way they’re keeping weapons in a school.”
“Yeah,” Felix said, finally lowering his voice, “but what if it is true. Wouldn’t it be something if there really was some special thing up there? Even if it’s not weapons or anything.”
“No, it would be dangerous.” Abbey took another nervous bite of his food, unhappy to be talking about something so potentially hazardous.
“I agree,” Kiel finally added in. “It’s unwise to go against the wishes of authority. We shouldn’t look into the matter any more than we have to. Our superiors wouldn’t like it if they knew that we were discussing an off limits area.”
“See. Even the soldier thinks it’s dangerous. Now can we drop it, please?” Abbey was getting nervous, as if they could be overheard at any second.
“Okay, okay. So, what are you guys looking forward to in class today?” Felix finally change the subject.
From there, the conversation was much more normal, Felix pestering the other with countless questions about school and home life. However, the topic of the tower wasn’t leaving anyone’s mind, and it was clear that the group was still focused on one thing.
Lunch eventually passed, and as class started up again, the rumor moved further and further from everyone’s mind, but, unfortunately, none of the boys could entirely forget. There was a sense of foreboding hanging in the air, ever since Felix had said the word “weapons”, and even though Felix himself had been nothing but enthused about the rumor, the other two felt much differently.
Abbey was more worried than anything, afraid of drawing attention to himself or getting in trouble for discussing something that he shouldn’t have. He was still rather convinced that Felix was off in the head, and didn’t like what kind of trouble the other boy was dragging him into.
Kiel, meanwhile, was worried in his own way. As a soldier, the last thing he wanted was to against his superiors, and since the school now was his authority, he didn’t want to do anything to displease them. He was better than that, and determined to remain obedient.
The next class, mathematics, started up plainly, beginning with the boys going over the homework problems from the previous night.
As usual, Abbey’s work just barely passed average. He was decent at academics, yes, but missed just enough problems that he couldn’t be called good. Stuttering out his answers to the teacher, no one missed the ensuing giggles from the class at every question he had wrong.
Felix was just as bad, but more from inattention than anything. His problems were rushed, and the majority of his incorrect answers were due to nothing more than reading too quickly. When the other boys laughed at his mistakes, Felix laughed with them, seeing the whole thing as something to be happy about. In his mind, as long as people were smiling, nothing could possibly be wrong.
Kiel did the worst of the group, getting almost everything wrong. It was unclear why such a bright, dedicated boy would do so poorly, but the teacher merely sighed and moved on, not willing to devote any time time figuring it out. This time, the snickers of the other boys were much quieter, inhibited by the blank, empty look in the boy’s eyes.
Felix once again passed class in a fidgety daze, barely paying attention to what the teacher said. A week in, he still wasn’t used to sitting still for so long at once, and was still having a hard time paying attention for more than a few minutes at a time. He did his best, though, even if that wasn’t saying a whole lot.
Before Felix knew it, class was over. After this period was an outdoor break with the second years, and he was eager to run around while he had the chance. Jogging over to Kiel and Abbey, who had gotten used to grouping together whenever they had time to spare, Felix caught sight of someone new.
A small, mean looking boy with hair cut in a short bob hovered over the two, arms crossed and posture domineering. He was petite and sharp, and the angles of his face, as Felix got closer, looked angry and tense.
Before Felix could make it over to the three, the small boy yelled something, grabbing Abbey by the collar of his shirt and hoisting him up to eye level. His tiny fist was bony and white knuckled, and within seconds, as Abbey tried to stutter something in response, he was reeling back his other hand like he intended to throw a punch.
“Wait, what are you doing!?” Felix yelled, latching onto the smaller boy’s arm and trying to pull him off of Abbey.
“And who the hell are you?” the boy, snapped, abruptly dropping Abbey and turning to face the new challenger hanging off of his arm.
“I asked you first!” Felix squeaked, not used to standing up to people like this, but equally hoping to distract the boy from Abbey. He’d seen enough bullying in the past week or so to understand that bullies only quit when they got bored.
“I’m teaching a runt a lesson. That’s what happens, when they mix us up; it’s us seconds’ job to show the first years what the hierarchy is like around here. And I’m one of the ones in charge.” The smaller boy seemed to entirely miss the irony of calling Abbey, a boy not too far from his own height, a runt. He seemed dead serious, too, and Felix was hit with the sense that this conflict was nothing like the ones he’d faced from members of his own class.
“But, um, who are you?” Felix asked, still trying to distract the other boy from picking on Abbey, who was slowly scooting away on the grass below them.
That, at least, seemed to flick a switch, and the boy immediately puffed out his chest with a response.
“I’m Sullivan Engel, a second year, and the son of a noble household. That’s why I have the authority to do things like this, you see, because no one wants to cross my power.” Sullivan looked ridiculously proud of himself, especially over the last part. Felix, as little experience as he had with these things, had a feeling he knew what kind of person this boy was already; a ridiculously arrogant one.
“So, um, we wouldn’t be worth picking on then!” Felix blurted out all at once. “We’re not important at all! Not from any fancy families or anything, so it’s not like you’d get anywhere by being mean to us. It’d probably be better to, um, find somebody from a family like yours! So people will respect you more for beating him up instead of a bunch of nobodies.”
All of the words spilled out before Felix really knew what he way saying, vague guesses at what might get Sulivan to leave them alone.
Sullivan actually froze, looking like he was considering what Felix said. Abbey, by now, was a good ten feet away, still slowly scooting backwards, and Kiel hadn’t budged from his spot in the grass, staring blankly up at the conflict above him.
“Hmph. I suppose you peasants have a point,” Sullivan said, looking away from the three. “I could definitely find someone more worth my time.” With one last kick at Kiel, grazing the other boy’s arm with the hard part of his shoe, Sullivan turned away, walking away with his nose in the air. He headed back towards a group of other second years, one of whom Felix didn’t see giving him a very interested stare.
“Kiel, Abbey! Are you two okay?” Felix called, torn between running over to check on Abbey and making sure that Kiel hadn’t been kicked too badly. He was running on something tense and panicky, more afraid of Sullivan and his cold, determined glare than he’d been by any of the first year bullies so far.
“Operational,” Kiel said, “I’ve merely sustained a graze. It won’t interfere with my duties.”
“Y-Yeah. I didn’t get hit or anything,” Abbey whispered, crawling back over from where he’d made it in his attempt to get away. “Um, thanks for getting involved. You actually really helped this time.” Abbey gave Felix a small, shaky smile, looking still half afraid.
“I really tried. . .” Felix sighed, feeling ready to collapse. That had been much more stressful than he’d expected, especially because of what he’d had to say to get out of it.
Towards the end of the outside break, when all three boys had calmed down from their experience with Sullivan, Felix noticed something. From where they were sitting, the tower was in clear view, looming over the school and casting a dark shadow over the outside yard. Its brick surface looked more intimidating than ever today, especially in the wake of such a tense incident.
“Hey, guys? Why do you think they built that thing?” Felix asked, eyes still fixated on the towering structure.
“How should we know? And how do we know that we even want to know?” Abbey replied. “What if there’s some awful reason behind it all, and they have to kill us if we ever find out? I read that in a book once, and I don’t want to be murdered just cause I found out the reason behind some stupid tower.” Abbey shuddered, feeling like the teachers would know what he was talking about even from here.
“It could be a military secret,” Kiel said, blankly. “Then they really would have to kill us for stepping out of line.”
“Stop that. . . it’s creepy,” Felix whined, not wanting to hear such awful things about the place he has such curiosity for. “I just wonder why their so determined to keep us out? What could the school want to keep in such an obvious place, and then not let anyone even near?”
“Don’t even wanna know,” Abbey muttered.
Felix stayed quiet after that, still gazing up at the tower. The longer he spent in this school, the more curious he was becoming about its mysteries, especially the tower that no one was allowed near. It was probably stupid to be so interested in something so off limits, but Felix couldn’t help it. If this had been home, he would have learned what was up there no matter what kind of punishment he had to face.
Could you tell us more about the History of your countries please? It sounds VERY interesting
(｡･o･｡)ﾉ
-Dreitan is based loosely off of early 1900′s Germany. It’s a very strict sort of a place, with a long history of a strong military and war victories. The culture praises physical skill and a desire for victory in combat, and encourages children to want to grow up to fight for their country. The country is ruled by an elected government instead of a royal family. Dreitan claims that the war with Agene was initiated by invasions into their soil, but there is some evidence that suggests otherwise. . .
-Agene is based loosely off of early 1900′s Russia. It’s a poor country with a massive gap between royalty and commoners, and focuses much more havily on loyalty to the crown that military victories. They’ve historically kept to themselves, but have been known to commit human rights violations towards their own people. They insist that Dreitan started the war between the two countries, and despite fighting a seemingly losing battle against the much more militarized nation, are determined to stand their ground.
I just finished reading part 1 and I?? Love Quiel and Felix??? They're such good boys. Your writing is very pleasant to read and the story is very interesting so far, can't wait to see the way things unfold :D
ヾ(＾∇＾) Thank you so much!!! I’m aiming to have chapter 2 out in a day or two, so I hope you look forward to it!!!
Okay so you've told us who your faves are, but who do you think YOU would get along best with?
ヾ(°∇°*) I would probably get along best with Felix!! He’s the friendly sort who genuinely likes nearly everyone he meets, and it’s actually harder to get him to not like you than it is to make friends. He’s a good kid, and I bet we’d get along great.
(((*・∀・)ノ゛ A bit early, chapter 1 is here!! I got too excited and couldn’t wait to write. . . but at least I have a good head start now!!))
Felix was elated. After years spent living in the countryside, hauling wood and running errands for his father, he was going somewhere. He was finally twelve years old, finally old enough to go to school for real, not just under village tutors.
The school that the government had assigned him to– at least, according to what his Ma said, was a fancy, well off one in the northern countryside, surrounded by woodlands and typically attended by the kinds of rich sorts he would have never met otherwise. It all sounded horribly exciting, and Felix had been almost beside himself with anticipation to get there.
He’d spent the past few weeks in a state of distracted elation, spacing out horribly with his mind nowhere but the school. But yesterday, finally, he’d packed up his bags, loaded his meager things into a fancy looking carriage sent by the school for new recruits with no way of making it there, and spent the next day on his way to a new adventure.
The carriage ride itself had been rather boring, save for the ever-changing scenery along the way, and Felix and his cramped legs had been very glad that they were almost to their destination.
When the carriage had finally pulled up to a massive, brick building surrounded on all sides by thick dark trees, Felix had felt his heart nearly beating out of his chest. It was the most excitement he’d had since visiting the city in his childhood, and the very thought of how many new friends he’d be able to make in a place like this had him squirming in his seat.
The next few hours had been something of a blur, and the time spent being led to his room by an older man in a rich looking suit and left to his own devices to unpack were fuzzy in his head. Felix knew that he was supposed to head downstairs for a homeroom, introductory class soon, and that he was one of the latest boys to arrive (which made sense, considering that his roommate’s things were already strewn about their shared room), but he had very little memory of where exactly he was supposed to go.
So, after wandering around for a surely unbecoming amount of time, through endless dark hallways and empty rooms, finally finding somewhere with people was a very welcome surprise.
The place that Felix had stumbled upon seemed to be some kind of classroom. It was near packed with boys his age, all dressed in the same uniform that had arrived in the post last week. They were spread out around the room, sitting in wooden desks arranged in neat rows from front to back of the room.
Spotting an empty seat, Felix slipped in, head still buzzing, hoping dearly that he was in the right place. He’d heard from the old man that the school was separated by year, and as long as he stayed on the ground floor, he couldn’t get mixed up with the other classes.
Well, as long as there were people here, he’d figure out where he was supposed to be soon. If everyone hadn’t been so busy talking to each other, he would have asked if this was the right place, but currently, it didn’t seem like butting in would do anything but make people annoyed. So Felix stayed in his new seat and took in the room around him.
The room was larger than anywhere he’d been before, and packed from front to back with ten rows of wooden desks. A chalkboard hung on the front wall next to the biggest desk, sitting by itself in a row seperate from the rest, and a few small piles of supplies were strewn about its surface, one pencil close to rolling off onto the floor.
The very materials of the room felt different from home, the wood of the desk much harder and heavier than anything he’d worked with with his Pa. The whole building was clearly a place for the rich, and Felix felt nothing but excitement. He wasn’t intimidated by the wealthy atmosphere in the slightest, rather, he was delighted at the chance to do something new, go somewhere special, make friends with so many new and interesting people.
When the door finally opened again, a tall, thin man stepping in, Felix snapped to attention. He was thoroughly determined to pay attention this time.
“Welcome, students,” the man began, voice low and smooth. “You are all in the first year group, correct? New to the school and proper education as a whole?” The boys nodded almost in unison, nearly all of them bobbing their heads in affirmation.
The man continued into a long, boring speech about the history and purpose of the school, the arrangement of buildings there, and basic rules that the boys would be expected to follow. Felix, unfortunately, started to space out again very quickly.
It wasn’t his fault that he was bored! This was already the longest he’d spent inside at once without being able to get up and move around, and he’d that long carriage ride on top of it all. He couldn’t help it if he was feeling a little impatient.
The speech seemed to drone on and on, and Felix soon found himself looking around the room again. There was a boy near him who was sitting ruler straight, eyes completely focused on the teacher as if his speech was the most interesting thing he’d heard all week. The boy was rather tall from what Felix could see of him, pale, with dark, curly hair the complete opposite of Felix’s own strawberry blonde curls. The boy had a rather serious expression on his face, and seemed unusually tense for a mere student.
Such a somber expression made Felix want to talk to the boy, hopefully bring a smile to that grouchy looking face. No one in such an amazing school should look so sad, and Felix already felt determined to see the other boy looking less stern. He was here to make friends, after all, and this was as good a place to start as any.
Silently making plans to talk to the sullen boy after class, Felix tried his best to keep paying attention. He had a feeling that the other boy wouldn’t appreciate someone who could barely tune in to a thirty minute speech.
Soon enough, the teacher’s speech came to an end. The last thing Felix really remembered hearing was a rule about no fighting between the students, but unfortunately, he’d spaced out for a lot of it. The teacher was now allowing time for questions, and hoping that nothing important had been said, he was just about to start spacing out again when the boy he’d had his eye on raised his hand.
“Yes, Bahr?” the teacher asked, looking perfectly serene for being in front of a class of impatient boys sick of sitting still.
“Sir, I require clarification on the fourteenth article you discussed. Relating to disciplinary measures on campus, I request further explanation on exactly what measures the administration will go to. If a rule is broken, exactly what consequences will follow? And is the discipline assigned different based on rank or status, sir?“ the boy suddenly spoke, every word as stiff and formal as could be.
Felix’s first thought was that the boy sounded like some kind of soldier. He’d heard radio programs before, at a friend’s house, and the way this boy talked was almost exactly like the military characters from the show.
The teacher looked startled, as if he had no idea how to respond to the boy’s sudden formality, and even the rest of the class seemed shocked, all eyes on the boy who was now standing perfectly still, awaiting an answer.
“Well, we’ll only take the minimum of physical measures, as we prefer to teach our students through consequences and morals. However, if one breaks the rules, we will not hesitate to make sure than their lesson is well learned.”
“Sir, yes, sir. Understood.” After the teacher answered his question, the boy sat back down, back still perfectly straight and aligned with his chair, hands still clasped in front of him as if he had no idea how he was being watched.
The boys watching him seemed almost predatory, and Felix wondered for a moment about the rumors he’d heard of bullying in schools like this. He’d been so sure that those were just myths, that kids at such fancy schools would know better than to be cruel to each other, but somehow, this was making him feel otherwise. Some of the other boys, including a tall, dark haired boy in one back corner of the room, were eyeing the boy like he was a field mouse and they were farm cats, and Felix didn’t like it one bit.
Before long, the boys were herded out of the room for lunch. Everyone’s questions had been answered, and Felix, despite spacing out for a lot of the speeches, felt like he understood this sort of school better. He’d wound up in the right place, at least, and as he followed behind the other boys in line, he felt like he at least had a pretty good idea of the layout of the first floor.
While he’d been wandering around, he’d even come across a sectioned off staircase towards the northernmost end of the school. It had looked rather interesting, with stone steps in a loosely circling spiral just beyond a barrier of desks, and Felix thought to himself that he’d have to go back there to explore, soon.
The lunchroom that they all were taken to was wide and open, with tall windows on either side. The boys were allowed to group up and sit in whatever order they pleased after getting their food, and Felix immediately started looking around for the boy from before. Eventually, he spotted him in a corner of the room, with a group of tall, strong looking boys walking away from him.
“Hello there!” Felix called, jogging across the room to the boy. “Is it okay if I sit with you?”
The boy looked up, eyes blank and expression neutral. “That would be acceptable.”
“I’m Felix, what’s your name?” Felix asked with a smile, then caught sight of the boy’s empty plate. “And why don’t you have any food?”
“Kiel Bahr. And those boy over there took it. They said that their rations were short, and that they needed mine to make up for the loss.” Oh, well that sounded like some kind of dirty trick. Felix didn’t like the sound of other kids taking his new friend’s food at all.
“Here, you can share mine.” Felix immediately tore off half of his bread roll and passed it to Kiel. The food that they’d been given wasn’t much; just a medium sized bread roll, a pile of boiled vegetables, and a slab of unidentifiable meat product, but Felix was happy to share. If it meant that the other boy didn’t have to go hungry, he could easily wait for dinner.
“Thank you,” Kiel said, stiffly, looking like he didn’t quite know what to do with himself. “You don’t have to share with me. I’m used to going hungry.”
“Well that doesn’t mean you should.” Felix replied, frowning a bit. “If I can share with you, why shouldn’t I? It’s just being nice.”
“Why do you need to do that? I’ll be fine on my own. You don’t need to worry about me.” Kiel sounded almost defensive, as if the idea of someone offering kindness was strange and bad.
“‘Cause I’d like to be friends with you. Isn’t it normal for friends to be nice to each other?”
“I don’t need friends,” Kiel replied. “I’m a soldier. I don’t need anything but my orders.” Well, that was a strange answer.
“Well, I say even soldiers can have friends. It’s not like I’m going to interfere with your ‘orders’ or whatever, so it’s fine, right? We can be friends as long as I don’t get in your way.”
Kiel looked startled, like that answer was the last thing he was expecting from a weirdly friendly kid. “I. . . I guess. But don’t get in the way, got it?”
“Mmhmm! I promise I’ll only be a helpful kind of friend!” Felix chirped, delighted that he’d gotten his way.
Kiel seemed to take that answer as sufficient, and didn’t bother to reply. The two spent their lunch in relative silence after that, broken only by Felix’s pestering small talk. The food tasted about as bland as it looked, and Felix, despite still feeling rather hungry after finishing his portion, was glad that he’d shared with his new friend. Kiel ate like he’d never see food again, and Felix could only imagine how miserable the other boy would be with nothing in his stomach.
However, Felix distinctly did not like that the other boys had tricked Kiel into handing over his food. Bullying was something that Felix had never expected from a real school, despite all he’d heard about it, and having his hopes of friendship crushed so quickly was a bit disheartening.
Lunch ended soon enough, and the boys were lined up once again. Apparently, they were to go back to their rooms for the rest of the day and get situated, as well as use the time to get to know their new roommates. The boy that Felix was to be rooming with was a petite, redheaded boy named Alexei, and on their way back to their room, Felix was already starting up a friendly chat.
“So, where are you from? I’m from way out in the countryside, so far from here they had to send a carriage!”
“I’m from a small town in the east,” Alexei replied, looking more than a bit unnerved by the sudden friendliness.
“Really? That’s so neat! I’ve never been anywhere but my little town and the city, once. I bet the east has all kinds of fun things! Ooh, what trade did you learn? Is what people do different where you’re from? I learned woodworking from my Pa, but there are probably all kinds of trades out there that I don’t even know about yet!” Felix, unknowingly, was bombarding the poor boy with questions, too excited to have someone new to talk to to even think about going easy on him.
To his credit, Alexei answered fairly well, doing his best to keep up with the rapid fire interrogation, but it wasn’t easy. Felix had as much energy as a particularly excitable hummingbird, flitting from place to place without pausing for an instant, and it was usually difficult for others to match his pace.
On the way back, they passed the staircase that Felix had seen earlier, and Felix instantly remembered his plans to explore.
“Go on without me,” he said, “I need to go check something out!”
So Felix scurried off towards the staircase, brimming with excitement as to what he might discover, feet tapping on the wooden floor.
The area near the staircase was dark, with no windows in sight. The wooden floor soon changed to thick carpet that muffled even the sounds of his footsteps, and, in the few feet where the hallway changed to an open chamber, the walls were painted a deep, near black shade of violet. A pile of wooden desks neatly stacked in front of the doorless opening, covered only by a barely pulled curtain blocked the way up, but there were gaps underneath the stack just big enough for a child to crawl through.
The steps themselves lay beyond a thick, dark rose colored curtain, and so far, all Felix could make out of them was that they were made of cracked, grey stone. There had been no mention of a tower on the premises that Felix had heard, and all in all, it was a very strange place to find in a school, and Felix was horribly curious.
Just as he was about to crawl under the desks and see what waited for him up the tower, though, Felix heard a voice calling after him.
“You! Boy! Don’t go through there!” It was the teacher from before, jogging after him and looking surprisingly worried.
Felix paused in his crawling under the desks, carpeted floor hard against his knees, long enough to peer back out towards the teacher. He was a bit annoyed that his exploration had been interrupted, considering that adults were usually the types to try to stop him from going places.
“Why? I’m just gonna explore a little and come right back?” Felix replied, some of his annoyance shining through.
“You are not allowed to go up there. The tower is off limits to all students. Cease at once and come out here!” The teacher sounded genuinely disturbed, and Felix couldn’t help but wonder why a mere tower was such a big deal. It wasn’t like he was going to hurt anything.
Reluctantly, Felix crawled back out from under the desks, dusting himself off and standing up to face the teacher. The man’s thin, pinched face looked almost frightened, lines of worry cutting through his skin, and there was an unhealthy pallor to the man’s skin that made Felix feel a bit worried. Maybe it was better that he didn’t do anything further to upset the man.
“I didn’t know we weren’t allowed up there. I promise I wasn’t going to do anything bad! I just wanted to looked around.”
“That doesn’t matter,” the teacher replied. “Students are absolutely not allowed anywhere near the tower. It is used for business only, and no one except the instructors are allowed up there. Return to your room immediately, and this time I won’t call for any disciplinary action to be used.”
Wow, that was a grouchy response. Felix definitely wasn’t expecting the teacher to snap at him like that. While he didn’t want to cause a scene, it wasn’t fair that he get yelled at just for being curious.
“Yes, sir. I’ll go back to my room right away.” It was probably better to just agree. Felix’s parents had been rather loose with discipline, but he knew that professional places were nowhere near as kind to kids.
So Felix scurried away, back in the direction he remembered following earlier in the day, wandering much more slowly now that his dreams of exploration had been crushed.
Unfortunately, he was more curious than ever as to what was in the tower. Now that he’d been denied once, his natural curiosity felt twice as strong. Had this been at home, he definitely would have found some way to sneak up there and find out exactly what the teacher had been so upset about, but here at school, even he knew that going against the instructors was unwise.
The hallways on the way back to his room seemed darker than before, in a way that couldn’t be placed entirely on the slowly darkening sky. Looking out the window at the towering structure, Felix felt a sudden pang of foreboding. The empty, windowless stone stretched up at least ten stories, and there wasn’t an opening in sight, just endless, featureless brick, interrupted only by a peaked roof, painted a darkened shade of red.
There was something about that place he didn’t like, and maybe it had been a good thing that he’d been stopped from going any higher.
But Felix didn’t have the time to worry about strange towers that he wasn’t allowed to go up in the first place, and the mystery was soon forgotten as he made it back to his room and fell into another one sided conversation with Alexei. He wasn’t the type to sit around worrying, and it wasn’t hard for such a boy to forget about one small inconvenience in the adventure that his day had been.
The next morning was to be filled with introductions, as well as showing the boys around the school to make sure that no one would get lost once class started up. Felix woke up bright and early to the sound of a bell ringing, the echoes of it spreading through the school and waking all the boys.
After getting dressed and washing up, Felix followed Alexei out of the dorm area (he still didn’t remember exactly where he was supposed to go), chatting all the while. He’d woken up in a fantastic mood, delighted to be in a new place with new things to do, and was happily carrying on a half-way one sided conversation with his roommate. He’d forgotten all about the tower incident from yesterday, and had little on his mind but what kind of fun things he was going to do that day.
The boys met up in the same classroom as yesterday, but instead of taking their seats at the desks again, they were told to remain standing until their names were called.
A teacher soon directed the boys into groups, to make it easier to show small groups around instead of leading one large crowd. Felix scrambled to make it into the same group as his friend Kiel, and made it into line just barely as his name was called.
“Kiel! Good morning! Did you sleep well?” Felix chattered, slipping into line beside his new friend with his usual cheer.
Kiel, instead of responding, merely looked shocked, as if he’d never expected the unusually happy boy to find him again.
“Where do you think we’re gonna go today? I haven’t seen around the school yet at all, so I’m really excited! I wonder if there’s anywhere outside for us to play? What do you think, Kiel?” Completely unaware of the other boy’s reluctance, Felix kept talking, too excited to possibly stay quiet.
“We’re just going to be instructed on the school ground. And I doubt that there’s much need for recreation at a place of learning.” Kiel’s voice was monotone, if a bit confused.
“You think so? Gee, I really hope they have somewhere for us to play. Ooh, speaking of which, what do you do for fun? Is it different where you’re from? Or do soldiers not get to have fun at all?” The boys were moving now, lead out of the room towards what the teacher announced would be a tour of the classrooms.
“Soldiers only have duty. There’s no time for play at war.” Kiel, despite carrying on a conversation, had his attention directed elsewhere. He was paying full attention to every word the teacher said.
“Really? That doesn’t sound very good. I’ll have to show you how to have fun, then! We can do all kinds of stuff together when we’re on break!”
“Bahr, Hegener, pay attention!” Before Kiel could respond, the teacher chided them, rather angry that his lecture wasn’t being properly listened to.
“Sorry!” Felix called, whispering a quick “I’ll talk to you later,” to Kiel.
The rest of the tour passed slowly, the boys being taken around the school room by room to learn where everything was. It was slow, boring going for Felix, and by the time they’d made it through the first floor classrooms alone, he was itching to do something more fun.
Felix as used to living in the countryside, where he could run and play as he pleased, when he pleased, and as pretty as the wooden floors, thick curtains, and stone walls were, he was getting horribly bored by slowly wandering around. If he’d been at home, he would have been able to go outside and explore the fields around his home, maybe catch a bird or discover a strange bug, and the sheer difference between that kind of freedom and being trapped inside, in a crowd of other boys, listening to a teacher drone on and on about what literally every room in the school was for was getting to him.
Fortunately, Felix knew better to do anything more disruptive than squirm, and after being snapped at the first time, he even managed not to try to talk to Kiel.
The other boy was standing stiff as a rod beside him, looking for all the world like the soldier he claimed to be, hanging intently on the teacher’s every word. Honestly, Felix wasn’t sure that believed that the boy really was a soldier. It seemed strange to think that someone who had been trained for war was in a school, much less that they’d be as odd and easily picked on as Kiel.
Kiel was a strange sort, that was for sure, and for all that Felix wanted to be friends with the boy, he had to admit that he was extremely odd. There was something very off about how stiff he was, how formally he treated the teachers, and Felix’s natural curiosity was spiking all over again. He did already have answer in the form of Kiel’s blunt assertions of his military past, but was that really the truth?
Soon, though, Felix was distracted from those thoughts. His attention span didn’t last long enough to contemplate such things for long, and in a few minutes, he was busy sneaking glances out windows and trying to see what was around the school, completely content to walk side by side with his new friend, without knowing a thing about his true origins.
Eventually, the long morning came to a close. Felix, despite paying only dubious attention to the whole tour, had a good feeling that he knew where most things on the first floor were, and was very glad that he’d managed to calm down long enough to concentrate on the lecture even a little bit.
Already, school was very different from the small education he’d already received in his home town. Back then, things were as simple as attending class a couple times a week, then taking the work home with him to work on whenever he had a spare moment. Felix wasn’t at all used to spending all day in one place, and honestly, couldn’t remember the last time he hadn’t had to spend a day exploring or helping his Pa with work.
It seemed strange to just sit around without working, and Felix was starting to wonder if school was really all it was rumored to be. He’d thought he’d be learning new things here, doing something special and new, but so far, all any of the boys had done was listen to adults talk.
Next, the boys were taken back the lunch room from before, where Felix once again managed to slip into line near Kiel, and they were once again handed their food. Lunch today consisted of a bowl of lukewarm lentil soup, filled with mystery vegetables, another bread roll, and a cup of equally room temperature milk that, to Felix, tasted vaguely spoiled. He was hungry nonetheless from the long morning, and dug into his bread roll even before the two had found their seats.
Unfortunately, on the way over to where they were supposed to sit, the boys from before emerged, forming a circled around the two and standing tall, intimidating.
“Hey, soldier boy, are you going to share your rations with us again?” the biggest of them said, voice teasing.
Kiel said nothing, staring blankly at the boys surrounding them while Felix squirmed, stuffing as much of his roll in his mouth as he could. He’d never been picked on before, and had no idea what to do now that it was actually happening.
One of the other boys ripped the tray out of Kiel’s hands, spilling a bit of the soup down the front of his uniform, and Kiel did nothing to stop him, standing perfectly still and showing little reaction.
Fortunately, the boys didn’t seem to notice him, and Felix’s lunch was left alone. He decided immediately that he’d share with Kiel again, much preferring to go hungry than know that there was something he could have done to keep his friend well.
“Here, Kiel. You can have part of mine again.” Felix smiled, nudging the bowl of soup towards his friend. Kiel looked hesitant, face blank, but took the food anyway, murmuring a brief thanks.
After the brief lunch, the boys were split into the same groups and taken into one of the classrooms from before. Each desk in this room had a small chalkboard in the surface of it, and another teacher, this time a stout, balding older man, told the boys that this would be their first real class of the year.
Felix squirmed in his seat, twirling the piece of chalk at his desk between his fingers.
He was incredibly excited to be getting to the real learning, and hopefully not have to sit through any more boring lectures. If this was anything like home, the teacher would have a big book to read from, and then everyone would get to answer questions and ask what they wanted to know. Felix was glad that he’d finally get to be doing something, although he did hope that they’d all be able to do something physical soon.
“Alright, class, today we’ll be discussing the most important even in modern history for our country; the war between our home country, Dreitan, and the invading Agene,” the teacher began.
Felix, listening eagerly in the hopes of picking up some new information, barely noticed the way Kiel stiffened in his seat beside him.
“Our country, Dreitan, is run by a fair and elected government where every man does his job to make sure that all is well for the citizens. We have an elected group of officials who rule Dreitan fairly and well, and are removed when they no longer do their job to satisfy the people. Agene, however, is a brutal monarchy run by one royal family, who are neither elected by the people nor able to be removed. This family does at it pleases, with no concern for the cost it may have on the citizens.
“Agene, despite the proof in our nation’s vast prosperity and success, believes that every country should be run like theirs. Eight years ago, they decided that our country should be forced to be ruled in the same way, and launched an invasion at our Eastern border. We were forced to retaliate, and the war has slowly escalated from there. You all can see how we were forced to take arms against Agene, and how, if only they’d kept their way of ruling to themselves, this whole war could have been avoided. Now–”
“Ooh! I have a question!” Felix called, raising his hand just like he’d been taught back in his town.
“Hegener, sit down! There will be time for questions after the lesson, so do not interrupt me again. I’ll warn you this time, but speak out of line again and you’ll be getting the ruler,” the teacher snapped, glaring viciously at the boy who’d interrupted him.
Felix’s mouth snapped shut, and he very quietly returned to his seat, wide eyed in shock. Weren’t kids supposed to ask questions in class?
Beside him, Kiel was staring perfectly ahead, hardly blinking as he took in the man’s lecture. He seemed somehow. . . disturbed, though, some set to his features that gave Felix the impression that he wasn’t feeling very well. Felix wondered if the lunch from before might not be agreeing with him.
The lecture continued slowly, and by the time the teacher finally let them out for break, Felix was rather miserable. He still hadn’t gotten a chance to run around, and it had been nearly four days since he was able to play outside. He had the feeling he wasn’t going to like school very much.
There were three more classes to get through that afternoon, and by the time dinner rolled around, Felix was thoroughly bored. He’d been sitting still for the entire afternoon, doing his absolute best to listen and pay attention, but he wasn’t doing so well.
The lectures were horribly boring, and the way the teachers droned on and on was starting to make his head hurt. There hadn’t even been a chance for the kids to ask questions yet, so Felix, after his first time being reprimanded, had stayed quiet for the rest of the day.
Dinner was bland and the portions were small, but fortunately, no one came to bother Kiel this time, leaving the other boy with a full meal for once. Felix, despite not having to share his food, was in a rather miserable mood. He wasn’t at all happy with how school had been going so far, and, bored and sick of staying quiet, he just wanted to get out and do something. It was almost unbearable to stay inside for so long at once, and considering how badly he’d been spacing out in class, Felix had a feeling that future lessons weren’t going to go so well.
“Hey, Kiel? Was there anything good about today?” Felix asked, trying to find some happy point to focus on.
Kiel, whose mouth was rather full of food, merely mumbled something back.
“I thought school was going to be more fun, but I’m bored and I want to go outside and this isn’t anything like going to school was supposed to be. I can’t even ask any questions or I’ll get in trouble. How are you taking it so well?”
“School is a lot like the army,” Kiel responded, swallowing his latest bite. “Do what authority says, stay out of the way except when you’re needed, and don’t ask unnecessary questions.”
“That doesn’t sound like much fun. . .” Felix muttered, burying his head in his arms.
After picking up their dishes and passing them back to the kitchen, the boys were told to go back to their rooms. Felix was a bit excited to talk to Alexei (who had been assigned into a different class), again, but feared that for once, he might not be the most fun person to talk to. He was so sick of being stuck inside that he was honestly contemplating sneaking out to play, and that kind of rebellious behavior coming from him was a sign that his boredom was reaching terminal levels.
“So how are you doing, Alexei? Is school boring for you too?” Felix asked, when back in his room, laying face down on his rather lumpy bed.
“What? I think it’s fine. It’s not much different than having a tutor, except there are more people who are there to learn too,” the other boy responded, still flipping through one of the textbooks they’d been given.
Felix sighed, rolling over instead of launching another question. For once, he didn’t feel much like talking. Felix was used to being the happy sort, always seeing the best in things, but this situation was starting to get to him. Everything was so different than he was used to, and it was extremely hard to adjust. He missed his family, he missed playing outside, and he missed having friends everywhere he turned. It was incredibly strange to be in a place where he was more likely to be bullied than accepted, and Felix’s mind was honestly still catching up to it all.
So far, he thought, he didn’t like real school. Being at home with his small little school house that Ma paid a yearly fee to for him to attend was much better than being stuck in this huge place with nothing to do but stay quiet and listen.
But Felix knew he had little choice. He was here for four years, whether he liked it or not, so somehow, he’d just have to find a way to do exactly that. Surely, there was something to be happy about in this situation.
He had new friends, a new place to explore, and the chance to learn new things every day. Just because he wasn’t used to how city-folk did things yet didn’t mean he wouldn’t adjust, and Felix told himself that he was only feeling bad because he wasn’t used to things yet. Surely, he’d be able to find some way to have fun during his years at school.
What gets your inspiration running? How do you get in The Mood? Also do you have any favorites so far among your characters? I'm guessing you love them all but in my experience there's always at least ONE we writers favor B)
∩(´∀｀∩)
Inspiration wise, I have a board on Pinterest that I go to for ideas, a playlist on Youtube full of songs with the proper atmosphere, and of course, there’s always Googling the time period for ideas! I keep a checklist of what I need to do, too, so I’m always on track with what I need to be writing and when it needs to be done.
My favorite character is Vida, and Gilbert and William are close seconds! I like Vida because of how unique he is, as well as how tragic a character he is. Gilbert appeals to me because of his sly, know it all nature and interesting personality, and William is another really heartbreaking type that I except will be fun to write.
What are the different religions in your story (if that isn't too sensitive a topic for you)? What's the level of technology of that world?
(ﾟ∀ﾟ ) I am not comfortable writing about religious topics, and rarely include them in my stories.
The world is based off the early 1900′s, time period wise, and for the most part, the technology is on the same level. There are a few exceptions (caused by it simply being a different reality), but generally, the technology level is relatively low.
Race: Dreitish. From the country of Dreitan, currently in a bitter war with Agene.
Setting: A feminine pretty boy with a bad temperament. From a minor noble family, and used to getting his way. A third year student at the Academy, and rather feared by his peers. A bit of a delinquent, and makes everyone around him uncomfortable.
Affiliation: A citizen of Dreitan, a student of the Boys’ Academy of Prepared Youth, and the son of a minor wealthy family.
Occupation: A student at the Boys’ Academy of Prepared Youth. A third year student, unpopular and rather feared. A loner, who keeps to himself and only interacts with others to bully them.
Gender: Male.
Age: 15
Birth date: February 21
Height: 5’3
Weight: 102 lbs.
Build: Slender, bony, and almost feminine, with long legs, a graceful build, and very little padding.
Skin tone: Petal pale and peachy. Perfectly smooth.
Hair: Upper back length and medium brown, usually pulled back into a low ponytail with carefully combed bangs.
Eyes: Hazel green, narrowed, and sharp at the corners. Long, thick lashes, and perpetually with a bit of a squint.
Distinguishing Features: Sharp, heart shaped face, long lashes, feminine build, pretty boy looks, ponytail.
Dress: The typical uniform of his school, which consists of a white dress shirt, grey vest, grey shorts, and a red bow. When choosing his own outfits, Roderick likes stylish, fashionable clothes, bright colors, and luxurious fabrics. He’s very fond of fashion, and tries to keep up with the latest trends, choosing his outfits more for looks than function. His personal style is rather feminine, and he tends to choose almost girly clothes.
Proficiencies: Roderick, like all Dreitish children, studied under his father for six years in his childhood. The trade he learned was map making, and aside from that, he’s had the very typical education of a few hired tutors. He’s particularly good at fencing and swordfighting, and is fond of athletics in general. He’s very strong for his size, thanks to years of personal training and exercise.
Special Abilities/Strengths: Roderick is determined, quick thinking, and strong willed. He’s an aggressive sort of person who’s willing to go after what he wants, and is extremely difficult to pick on or push around. He’s a natural problem solver, and very good at getting his way.
Weaknesses: Roderick is quick tempered and easily angered. He’s prone to violence and lashing out, and tends to pick on anyone who can’t stand up to him. Despite his feminine looks, he’s strong for his age, and more than willing to use that strength to force other kids to do what he wants. While, generally, he’s a solitary sort of person, when he does interact with others, it rarely ends well. He’s not particularly book smart, and has a rather bad memory when it comes to facts.
History: The only son of a minorly wealthy family, Roderick had a relatively normal upbringing. His childhood was mostly impacted by the death of his mother when he was young, although growing up with three sisters did something to lessen that blow. While learning his father’s trade, he soon picked up the hobby of fencing, developing a love for the outdoors and training his body. His father was a strict, yet loving man, who may have spoiled his son’s interests a little more than was entirely necessary.
Home: A large, fancy manor in the outskirts of the city, where he lives with his father and three sisters. Currently lives in a dorm at the Academy with another boy.
Personality: Roderick is a hot tempered, strong willed boy with a passion for the outdoors. He’s something of a bully, mostly because of how easy it is for him to pick on the weak. He’s passionate and quick to anger, with a violent temper and severe anger issues. He’s prone to lashing out at students and adults alike, with a heated sort of violence that fades as quickly as it comes. He’s a bit dim, with a blunt personality, little tact, and even less concern for the feelings of others.
Interests: Roderick likes exercise, being outside, and looking his best. He dislikes bad hair days, long school hours, and bad weather. His hobbies are fencing and cross country running.
Miscellaneous: He’s the oldest of four. All three of his siblings are girls. His favorite food is mixed fruit. He takes great pride in his appearance, and works hard to train his body. He enjoys looking feminine, and is careful to maintain his hair and good looks. He’s been in numerous fist fights. The only people he’s kind to are his younger sisters.
Connotative description: An aggressive pretty boy with a bad personality and a short temper.
I sent a few asks and I'm not sure if you got them so I'm gonna send again, if you did get them please ignore this. Could you tell us more about the different races in your story? How did you get the inspiration to write the story and how long have you been working on it?
(●´ω｀●)ゞ I don’t have any unposted asks right now, so if yours haven’t shown up, Tumblr ate them. Please resend.
The Two countries in the story are Dreitan and Agene. Dreitan is a militaristic country that prioritizes government over the individual, and is filled with strict laws and organization. Agene is a much more loosely ruled country with a massive gap between rich and poor and numerous human rights violations. A bitter war between the two has been going on for years, and the much more powerful Dreitan has been distinctly winning, causing Agene to resort to even more abhorrent measures in their desperation.
The inspiration to write the story came from a picture of two young boys in school uniforms that I saw on Pinterest. For some reason, the picture gave me an image of a couple characters and scenes from what would later become Four Years. I’ve been working on the story for a couple months now, but currently, I’m putting about two hours (or more) a day into working out the details so I can write.
Race: Dreitish. From the country of Dreitan, currently in a bitter war with Agene.
Setting: An intelligent and reserved boy from a wealthy home in the countryside. Rather plain, but extremely bright, with a taste for absorbing as much information as possible. Easily picked on, and frequently a target of more physical boy in his year.
Affiliation: A citizen of Dreitan, a student of the Boys’ Academy of Prepared Youth, and a son of a wealthy family from the countryside.
Occupation: A student at the Boys’ Academy of Prepared Youth. A third year student, easily picked on and with few friends.
Gender: Male
Age: 14
Birth date: August 18
Height: 5’3
Weight: 105 lbs
Build: Tall and slender, with little muscle or body fat to speak of. Long limbed and a bit gangly.
Skin tone: A rather grey pale, light from spending too much time in darkened indoor rooms.
Hair: Sleek and black, parted to his right and covering one eye. Unkempt and frequently left uncombed.
Eyes: Medium brown, sloping up at the corners and rather dull. Frequently pink around the edges.
Distinguishing Features: Tall figure, long limbs, unusually light skin, hair covering eye, scar on his midsection from an accident when he was little, large, long fingered hands.
Dress: The typical uniform of his school, which consists of a white dress shirt, grey vest, grey shorts, and a red bow. On his own, Bren is a rather sloppy dressed, paying little attention to the state of his attire. He prefers plain, functional outfits, and gravitates towards neutral colors and comfortable fabrics. He pays little attention to fashion, and usually dresses like someone of much lower status than he really is.
Proficiencies: Bren is an extremely intelligent boy. He’s had a constant stream of tutors from a young age, and is well educated in every subject from astronomy to geology. He does very well in school, and always exceeds in his classes. Like all Dreitish children, he’s trained in his father’s profession, which in his case is bookkeeping, and spent six years studying it.
Special Abilities/Strengths: Bren is book smart and very good at retaining information. He can study on his own easily, and would have little need for teacher or organized classes. He’s a reclusive, independent sort, and is very good at keeping himself occupied.
Weaknesses: Bren is, in most other respects, a disaster. He’s socially awkward, unsure of himself, weak-willed, and easy to bully. He frequently forgets to take care of himself properly, and can go days without eating more than snacks if left on his own. He’s absolutely terrible at standing up for himself, and is easily pushed around by anyone stronger. He’s bad at keeping himself properly groomed, even, and go ages without so much as remembering to change his clothes.
History: The son of a wealthy family, Bren had a rather unusual childhood. His father was fond of the idea of children learning, and so, long before he would ever have to attend proper schooling, Bren had a long supply of tutors, and full access to a vast library. From a young age, he had a passion for learning and absorbing information, and spent long days holed up in his family’s library, taking in whatever knowledge he could find. Unfortunately, Bren’s social education suffered horribly as a result, and he grew up reclusive and shy, unwilling to go out and make friends.
Home: A large manor in the countryside, with a massive library at his disposal. Currently lives in the Academy, in a plain room with another boy.
Personality: Bren is reclusive and plain, disliking social interaction and preferring to spend time on his own. He’s interested only in learning, and will neglect even self care in favor of long hours spent reading. He’s socially awkward and easy to bully, weak willed and easily pushed around. He’s unremarkable in everything except intelligence and height, and exists in a self created bubble of reading and isolation. He’s a bit spacey, and prone to losing track of time. He’s particularly attached to his childhood home, and despises the idea of being forced away to fight a war.
Interests: Bren likes reading, libraries, and time to himself. He dislikes physical activity, bullies, and tight schedules. His hobbies are reading and taking in information.
Miscellaneous: He had an accident when he was little that required stitches along his midsection. He has the scars to this day. His favorite food is crackers and milk. He’s very prone to papercuts. He’s fallen asleep in his library more times than he can count. He hit a massive growth spurt at age nine, and has been taller than his peers ever since. He’s slightly afraid of the outdoors and leaving home.
Connotative description: A book smart and socially awkward boy with a weak personality and a penchant for sticking to what’s safe.
Is this going to be like a comic or a novel or something? :0
(｀▽´) A novel!!! Since it’s a NaNoWriMo project and all. But instead of the usual word count goal, I’m going to be trying to finish at least half of the book, and I’ll hopefully be able to publish something by the end of this!!
Race: Dreitish. From the country of Dreitan, currently in a bitter war with Agene.
Setting: A rich boy from a prolific family, sent to a rural school with a good reputation for his mandatory education. A 2nd year student at the academy, and extremely popular with his peers. The pinnacle of what a Dreitish boy is supposed to be and act like, if a bit spoiled.
Affiliation: A citizen of Dreitan, a student of the Boys’ Academy of Prepared Youth, and a son of a rather wealthy family.
Occupation: A student at the Boys’ Academy of Prepared Youth. A second year student, greatly looking forward to his future time in the military. Loved by his peers and highly popular.
Gender: Male
Age: 13
Birth date: November 13
Height: 4’11
Weight: 98 lbs.
Build: Small and soft, with a bit of baby fat left and few sharp edges. Petite and still rather childish.
Skin tone: Soft peachy pink, with ruddy cheeks.
Hair: Tawny dark blonde, cut short along the sides and with the middle styled up in a whirl. Soft and thick, with a natural curl.
Eyes: Dark, greyish brown. Wide, and narrowed at the corners. Naturally slightly turned up, with thick lashes.
Distinguishing Features: Small for his age, upturned nose, overly styled hair, smug grin.
Dress: The typical uniform of his school, which consists of a white dress shirt, grey vest, grey shorts, and a red bow. When it comes to the outfits he chooses for himself, Xander prefers expensive fabrics, designer brands, and rich colors. He dresses like the nobility he is, and takes great pride in his appearance and dress.
Proficiencies: As is typical of a Dreitish child his age, Xander is skilled in his family’s trade, which in his case, is business. He studied under his father for six years as a child, and knows the basics of managing his family’s profession. As a student, he’s being trained in everything from fencing to world history, and is relatively well rounded for a boy his age.
Special Abilities/Strengths: Xander is naturally charismatic and easy to get along with. Despite being rather arrogant, he draws people to him and commands a sort of obedience from his peers. He’s a classically popular child, and has the self confidence to scarcely falter, even in the worst of situations.
Weaknesses: Xander is small for his age and rather physically weak. He’s a bit full of himself, and extremely overconfident, with a self assured attitude that isolates him from any close friends. He may be popular, but few people feel close to him, and he’s dense enough to not understand the difference between the two. He’s spoiled, and expects things to always go his way, even from people who have no reason to cater to him.
History: Xander is a Dreitish noble born to a wealthy family. He’s from a family of businessmen, and was spoiled excessively from early childhood, doted on by parents and servants. He grew up learning his father’s trade and being trained to take on the family business. A spoiled, cruel child who sees little worth in other people, or anything that doesn’t directly satisfy him. Currently, as is normal for a Dreitish boy, he’s serving his four years of mandatory secondary education at the Boys’ Academy of Prepared youth. He’s a second year student, and one of the most popular boys around.
Home: Xander’s home is his family mansion, which has been passed down from generation to generation for years. He fully expects to inherit the place, and considers his small, yet still rather lavish, home at the Academy to be merely a temporary place of living.
Personality: Xander is childish and spoiled, used to getting whatever he wants when he wants it. He’s prejudiced, particularly against poor people and Ageneiens, and a bit of a bully when it comes to those he can easily look down on. He’s extremely naive, and has absolutely no knowledge as to how the real world works. He’s selfish and a bit cruel, and honestly only thinks of his own needs and wants. He has a naturally charismatic personality, and tends to draw other children in just by being himself. His confidence is infectious, and most people find it hard to dislike him.
Interests: Xander likes swordfighting, horseback riding, and hunting, all hobbies typical of Dreitish nobility, and dislikes mathematics, commoners, being told what to do, and things not going his way.
Miscellaneous: His favorite food is mince pie. He likes the autumn season because of hunting, good food, and the fashion. He has a pet hunting dog at home that he treasures. His father is his idol, both for being an excellent businessman, and the most impressive person he knows. He’s never had a best friend. He spends a ridiculous amount of time styling his hair.
Connotative Description: A spoiled yet popular rich boy with a bad attitude and a tendency to bully. A rather antagonistic character who still manages to be sympathetic and childishly cute.
Oh wow I've just skimmed through most of the bios and these seem like interesting, well thought out characters. I'm a little curious about this Boys’ Academy of Prepared Youth, it's not a normal school is it?
(ノ*゜▽゜*) Thank you so much!!! I’ve really put a lot of thought into them, so that means a lot!!
The Academy at least seems pretty normal for the setting it’s in. In this country, formal schools are government run, and for the years that kids are required to attend, they all go away to places like this. Other than being outside of any major city and kind of in the middle of nowhere, the Boy’s Academy of Prepared Youth is a pretty normal school.
. . . or at least that’s what the teachers want you to think~ o(○｀ω´○)9
