Wellstone

She actually dreamed of coming to live here when she graduated from Wellstone, despite her father's wishes. The whole reason he almost bankrupt himself getting her into Wellstone was so she could marry better than her station. The past two years he had been pestering her to try and find someone. There was one boy who she found attractive, but her father might well disown her if she pursued it, as he was one of the soldiers who trained the students in the Arena.

His name was Josepe, and he was a small wiry man, who moved like a cat. He had bright blue eyes and a shock of black hair that was usually messy. She adored him, but he didn't know she even existed.

Thinking about it, she was truly her namesake here at this school, small and scurrying, hiding from everyone. She was a mouse. She flushed, but could not banish the thought. She touched the mantle on the fireplace, then turned to leave, vowing to return the next day and dust.

Ander stood in the doorway, his large arms crossed, leaning on the doorframe, looking at her. She stopped and stared up at him, frightened. They had gotten her alone before, but never in a place this secluded. Worse than that, they had found her secret place, her haven, where she was supposed to be safe. She wanted to scream.

"So this is where you disappeared to on the free days," he said looking around the room. His eyes came back to her. His eyes were brown, and intense, and his golden locks were just long enough to frame them. She realized suddenly that he was alone. There was no one waiting outside to troop in and hurt her. Ander had only ever hit her that once, every other time he left it to his toadies. She considered turning and running out the back door, though the kitchen, but she knew he would catch her with ease, so she didn't bother.

She sighed, resignation washing over her. She would not let her pride get her into deeper trouble. "Poppy." he said softly, still staring down at her. "That name suits you. Small, but elegant, beautiful." He may as well have slapped her for the shock that rang though here to her toes. She managed to close her mouth when he smiled, and alarm bells went off in her head. They were trying to lull her. They were planning something truly savage, and they wanted to give her a false sense of security. It could be the only explanation.

"Look," She managed in little more than a whisper, "just leave me alone. I swear I will back down, just leave me alone. I will never speak a disdainful word to you or your friends again. Just give me peace."

Ander stared down at her, and he looked... sad. Very sad. "We were children then Poppy, selfish and full of ourselves. I am sorry we hurt you."

"It doesn't matter. Please, just leave me alone. I swear I will forget everything."

"Why did you keep returning?" he asked sadly. "I hadn't known you were broken so utterly. Why did you keep returning? We meant to drive you away, but you always came back, until our fourth year. I thought you had left for good until news reached the school of the fire. I thought you were so strong. But all this time... why? Why would you come back when we so obviously broke you?"

"I am not broken," she said hoarsely, screaming to herself that pride was going to be her ruin. "And I had no choice. My father made me come regardless of my wishes."

"Your father. So. He expects a fine reward for his efforts getting you in here does he?" She felt her face heat again and she stared down at the scrap of carpet on the floor. "I am sure he is very aware of the laws that say a noble can marry any graduate of Wellstone, even if they have only the barest scrap of noble blood in them themselves. Is that what he was hoping, Poppy? That you would catch a fine husband? Is he blind? Does he not see what a frightened little mouse you are? Does he truly think your looks alone will catch you a husband? They may well do so Poppy, but beware the man who wishes such a frightened little thing for a wife."

"I am not frightened!" she said angrily. "I am weary of the games and the insults. I am weary of avoiding you and your brutes! Weary of needing this place to hide in. That is all. And I am not a mouse! You don't know me at all."

"You are a mouse, small and frightened, hiding here. You walk unnoticed wherever you go, avoiding contact with everyone. What are you if not a mouse?"

"You are wrong."

"Prove me wrong Poppy. Walk proudly, just once. Offer a smile instead of a scowl, just once. Prove me wrong." He stood there a moment as she stared at the floor in embarrassment. He was right. He turned quietly and left, and she stood there and wept silently, hating herself.

The next morning, classes started, and she told herself she would prove him wrong. She wore he best dress, and Deirdra helped her style her hair, and she forced herself to walk with her head up to her first class. Ander was there, she didn't look at him, but she could hear his voice as he talked to his friends. Even though she held her head high, she couldn't manage to take her eyes off the floor, and she could feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

No one teased her, or made fun of her. All day, she expected it, but no one said anything at all to her. By the last class, she still hadn't managed to look anyone in the eye, and she knew Ander would win if she did not, so she forced herself to the Arena, to watch the first practice of the year. She stood close to the fence and watched the horsemen do stunts, and the swordsmen practice. There were other girls round the fence too, dozens of them, so she went largely unnoticed, but Ander saw her and smiled. A smile she did not see as she watched the boys being taught swordsmanship by one of the veterans.

He dismounted and motioned to Natya and Evylin, signaling for them to go stand near her. Natya complied with a sour look, buy Evylin, like always, was more than happy to do his bidding.

Poppy was watching Josepe. She was trying to be circumspect, but she would realize suddenly that her gaze had lingered on him long enough that someone might notice and she would quickly look down, embarrassed. She was looking down when Natya and Evylin came and stood next to her. She cut her eyes at them, then followed their gaze to Ander. He smiled at her when she looked up and she shot her eyes back down, then immediately cursed herself. He was winning! She wouldn't let him be right!

He moved up close to the fence and she swallowed hard. "Good afternoon ladies," he said mockingly, and Natya and Evylin returned his greeting. She stood there a moment, trying to rally her courage and look up at him, but he spoke before she could. "Nothing to say, mouse?"

She looked up at him, her teeth clenched, ready to say something to put him in his place, but all insults were forgotten when she looked up. Josepe was walking towards her. She almost swallowed her heart when she saw him. "Ander," he said in his rough voice, "your group is next. You'll have time to woo the ladies when practice is over." Ander turned to him, grinning, and Josepe's eyes scanned the girls quickly as he started to turn away with Ander. His eyes stopped on Poppy and she felt her hands go cold as he smiled at her. "Who's this then? Another lovely admirer?"

"Oh no," Ander said with a laugh. "Not that one. She is no one really," he said looking back at her, and she could see it in his eyes. 'Mouse' they said.

She looked back at Josepe, who was still looking at her, and she managed a halfhearted smile. His grin made him beautiful, and she blushed with the thought, her eyes going immediately to the ground.

"No one you say?" he asked Ander as they walked to the practice area, but Ander was scowling back at her. "Well, she's a very pretty no one."

"I suppose," he said noncommittally.

"You suppose? Are you blind?"

Ander shrugged uncomfortably. He liked Josepe, but he found himself resenting him, all for one little smile and that look. Her eyes said it all. For that reason alone, Josepe ceased to be someone he liked, and that made him angry that he could be so possessive over something that wasn't even his. "We call her mouse. She's this horrid, sour little thing with a foul temper."

"She didn't look horrid, and that smile was more shy than foul."

"Trust me Josepe, just stay away from her."

"Ah my friend, so that is how it is then?"

Ander looked away from his friend, the man who had taught him all he knew about the sword, and nodded. That Josepe understood his petty jealousy only made him angrier. He looked back over his shoulder at her, and his heart almost broke. She was watching Josepe, her eyes wistful. She smiled again, then turned and hurried away, and Ander turned to see Josepe watching her too. That smile had been his. He yanked up a practice lathe angrily and stalked away while Josepe watched her go.

Poppy was sitting alone in the gardens reading that evening, when Josepe walked by. He saw her, and he paused for a moment and watched her. She looked so serious, and immersed as she sat there. Two girls walked out of the door near her and she looked up at them, and then looked around. Her eyes met his and he watched her blush. He smiled as he crossed the garden to her and she stood up hurriedly. "Hello," he said brightly, and she answered him in a whisper so soft that he couldn't hear. "I am Josepe, the Master Arms trainer here at Wellstone."

"Poppy," she answered, turning a darker shade of red. "I am Poppy De'Voet."

"Poppy, that's a lovely name. Where are you from?"

"A village," she answered dismissively, waving her hand vaguely.

"I am from a village," he said with another bright smile. "A very small village. My dad was a farmer. I went off when I was eleven with a merchant train, trained with the guards.

She looked up at him shyly and smiled slightly, and he knew that he should leave, make his goodbyes, but he felt drawn to her. He didn't want to leave. He also didn't want to stay, where any of Anders friends or Ander himself might see him talking to her.

"Will you walk with me?" he asked, and knew he was being to foreword. "Tomorrow? After training? If you aren't busy?"

She smiled and nodded, blushing beautifully. He smiled down at her and bowed, watching her blush even more fiercely. "Till then, little lady fair."

Poppy could not stop smiling as she stood and went inside to her room. He had spoken to her! And asked her to walk! Her heart was thumping in her chest and she felt giddy. When she looked up, Evylin was standing near her door waiting. Poppy paused, but approached with caution.

"Hello!" the girl said brightly. "A few of us were going to meet in the gardens for cards and drinks. There will be cakes as well."

Poppy was well aware of the daily evening ritual of the older, wealthier students meeting in the garden, usually in the large gazebo, to play cards and have refreshments served to them. It was a badge of high regard to be invited by one of the 'elites'.

"I am aware of your tradition. Excuse me please, I need into my room."

"Oh, perhaps you misunderstood. I am inviting you."

"No thank you, I wish to finish my book and go to bed early. I have plans tomorrow I wish to be refreshed for."

"Oh? What plans?"

Poppy thought for a moment. Should she say? If Evylin went back to Ander and told him she was walking out with someone, he would know she was not a mouse anymore. But she also didn't want him to give her grief over it. She decided she would rather he knew she was not who he thought she was.

"I intend to get up early and dress nicely to walk out in the evening with a young man."

"You are? Well that is lovely!" Evylin said, entirely too happy to hear it. "Who is the lucky boy?"

"Josepe."

"The... arms trainer? Not a student?"

"Yes, the arms trainer. We are walking out after training."

"I see. Well he is handsome enough, isn't he? For a short and small man? I suppose he suits you though, small as you are. I am happy for you, truly!" Evylin smiled.

Poppy couldn't help herself. "Why? Since when do you care?"

"I am sorry about the past, truly. I wanted us to be friends this year. I want to make up for how badly I treated you. You are such a sweet and lovely little thing, it would be a shame for you to leave here thinking the worst of all of us. We were such awful brats. Please forgive me? Forgive all of us?"

"I will think on it," Poppy lied. "Excuse me please."

"Of course! Good night and I hope you have fun tomorrow!"

Poppy's good mood was gone. What had that been about? Why was the girl so happy that she was stepping out with Josepe? She supposed it didn't matter. She dressed for bed and curled up with her book, trying to forget about the girl and all that she represented.

She was excited in the morning, putting extra effort into how she looked, arranging her hair perfectly and even letting her friend add some of her powders to her cheeks and her eyelashes. She hurried down to the dining hall, and to her horror, Ander was down the walk, talking to Josepe. He looked angry and Josepe looked furious, but he was quiet as Ander gestured and spoke with obvious heat. She felt a little sick to her stomach. Was Ander interfering? Was it another way to torture her, keeping her from any happiness?

Ander spun away from Josepe who grimaced and turned and went the other way. Ander marched towards the dining hall militantly, then stopped dead when he saw her standing down the walk. His jaw took a stubborn set as he looked her up and down, then his nostrils flared slightly before he went into the dining hall.

Poppy hesitated, but she went in and sat with her friend at their table.

Evylin was suddenly there. "Hey Pop! We wanted you to come sit with us this morning!"

"Why?" Poppy demanded. "I am sitting with Deirdra."

"Oh, she can come too? We have enough room at our table. Like I said, we want to make the first couple years up to you. All of us."

"Perhaps another day," she lied.

Evylin pursed her lips, but nodded in acceptance and left.

"What was that?" Deirdra whispered.

"I don't know. I think they are planning something truly horrible," Poppy answered, her appetite gone.

"Or maybe they truly are sorry? Maybe you should see? It can't hurt. If they are going to do something wicked, they will do it whether you play along or not. If you snub them, maybe they will go back to what they were like before. It stands to reason you should accept their friendship."

"I have not been rude, I am just not accepting their advances. I don't want to talk about them anymore. Where do you think josepe will walk me to this evening? Should I allow him to walk where we cannot be seen? What should I do if he tries to kiss me?"

They whispered about it all the way to their first class. The elites were already there and Poppy noticed right away that the room was oddly full, everyone was there early and they were all sitting.

"Miss De'Voet, Miss Lancaster, I am assigning seats this year," their instructor said quickly.

For some reason, Poppy was not surprised at all when she was placed in the middle of all of the elites, right in front of Ander. Why was he pressing this so hard? Didn't he know how obvious he was with trying to get her to become complacent? She would not fall victim to whatever they had planned!

Not twenty minutes into the first lecture, she felt fingertips on the back of her neck, toying with the wisps of her hair that had escaped. She jerked forward, shrugging her shoulders, then sat hunched over her desk. Ander moved his entire desk forward. the instructor ignored it as if he hadn't stood and picked up his desk and moved it right up against the back of hers.

His fingers returned and she hunched down and whispered slightly. "Sit up," he whispered, but it was a demanding whisper.

She swallowed hard, but sat up. She looked up at the instructor pleadingly, but he ignored her utterly. Ander slid his fingers into her hair and began pulling pins out, ruining all of her hard work.

"I like it better down," he whispered. "You have lovely hair, you should show it off."

Once he had all the pins out, he stroked and petted her hair, combing it back with his fingers. She just knew he was going to yank on it any moment and she sat tensely waiting for it. She waited for the entire class, but it never happened.

As soon as they were dismissed, she jumped up to hurry to the door, but he caught her arm. "Let me walk you to your next class," he said gently, brushing her hair behind her ear.

"I... I need to go to the ladies room," she said quickly, tugging out of his grip and fleeing.

She should not have been surprised when the next class brought more assigned seats but she was. How far were they going to take this? Ander moved his desk up against hers before class even started.

Ander moved her long hair and draped it over her shoulder, exposing her neck. He played his fingers over her skin, tracing her neckline making her shiver involuntarily and raising goosebumps on her arms. She tried to shrug him off again, but he didn't stop. He toyed with her hair, stroked her neck and even traced her jaw until she turned away.

When class was dismissed, he caught her arm before she could even stand. "I will walk you to lunch," he said confidently, brooking no argument.

Poppy looked up at him, tears brimming in her eyes. "Please!" she whispered. "Please! I will leave you all alone, I will be nice, I swear. Please stop. Whatever it is you are planning... haven't you tortured me enough? Stop touching me, stop toying with me!"

"Poppy," he said gently, pulling her back to the corner and motioning everyone else to leave. "I am not toying with you. None of us are. We are honestly sorry for being so horrible to you. We were children and mean and cruel. I cannot excuse our actions, I can only ask forgiveness and make it up to you."

"You are forgiven! Now please, leave me alone! I want no part of you or your friends!"

"Walk out with me. Tomorrow after practice."

"No! No! I will not!" she cried, horrified. "Never, Ander! EVER!"

He blanched, then scowled down at her, but still did not release her. "You scorn me so readily? I am a different person now Poppy."

"I am not. I remember every single cruel little thing you had your toadies do to me! I still have SCARS! It took years for my hair to grow back! I was sick for weeks and still can't smell pepper without wanting to vomit. You are a petty, evil person and you have not changed at all! You are only toying with me and planning something truly terrible!"

"Pop!" he cried, exasperated. "Children grow up. We grew up. All of us."

"If you are being truthful, then let me go! Let me have my last year here in peace."

He sighed, but let her go and stepped back so she could go. She left at a sprint, not stopping until she was safely sitting with Deirdra in the dining hall. She looked around her a little wild eyed, but the elites didn't seem to be looking in her direction. Ander, however, did when he came strolling in. He gave her a neutral look as he walked through the room.

"What's going on?" Deirdra whispered.

"I don't know! I feel sick about it though. Maybe you shouldn't stay close to me? I don't want you to get hurt too?"

"Don't be ridiculous! Of course I will stay close to you. I will help you keep an eye on them! If they are up to something. Maybe they really are sorry Pop? We talked about this."

"Deirdra, you don't know them! They have spent years torturing me and making me miserable. I will be nice and I won't make waves, but I am NOT going to fall into their trap. I refuse."

Poppy considered skipping the next class, she was still sick to her stomach. She left lunch early and went to the nurses office. The nurse let her lay down and sip a ginger tea for the entire class. Poppy wanted to skip the next class as well, but if she did, she would have to go back to her room and lay down which meant she couldn't take a walk with Josepe.