mumbled something. The stone glowed and shot out a green light at Kaelen’s uniform which instantly turned into a violently pink dress, complete with petticoats and a corset that cut into his ribs. “Oh, that’s not quite what I wanted. Oh well.”
The two witches were about to leave when Calista said, “Althea, we do have to also deal with Lucian for leaving class early.”
“Shall we dismiss Kaelen?” she asked. “I don’t believe he needs to be a part of this any longer.”
“Of course. Kaelen, please go wait in my office. I shall be there momentarily to discuss your new schedule.”
Kaelen, humiliated and seething, left the room, slamming the door behind him. There had to be a way to change this. Maybe it was an illusion. He reached up to his hair. No, this wasn’t an illusion. His normally short hair had been replaced by long, curly tresses. The pink monstrosity swished about dainty ankles that certainly didn’t belong to him. He sat down in Calista’s office feeling mutinous and unfairly judged.
As he left, Althea turned her attention once more to Lucian. She remembered the little seed Maeve had shown her. Her tiara glowed as she chanted, “No thorn nor bramble shall bar his way and beauty shall be wherever he stays.” The glow streamed from the crown’s white jewel and around Lucian like a white ribbon.
“An excellent gift, Sister,” Maeve said as Lucian began stirring.
He woke up in his wheelchair and looked about the room blearily. Where was he? A stinging pain went through his arm as he tried to get out of the chair. Slowly, his memory came back. Kaelen. That stupid, no-good, evil…
“Welcome back, Lucian,” Calista’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay,” Lucian replied, trying again to get out of the chair.
A pair of hands pushed him back. “Oh no you don’t,” Tallia said.
“Lucian, we need to discuss your behavior,” Calista began.
“I know, and I was going to go apologize to Diana and Phillipa once class got out but Kaelen attacked me. I tried not to fight back, I was just trying to defend myself.”
“We know, Lucian,” she said. “Kaelen has been dealt with. However, your behavior was still inappropriate. Althea will set your punishment. But you’ll have to excuse me. I have an important meeting to attend.”
When they were alone, Althea said, “It is a small crime and so a small punishment will be sufficient. Bound by time for a week you’ll be, never early nor late will you be.” The tiara glowed and a white light bound his ankles then faded.
“What does that mean?” he asked.
“It means, Lucian, that you cannot go anywhere any earlier or later than you should. Your feet are bound by time. On the bright side, you won’t be late to class. Come, Maeve, our work is done.”
“Very well. He’s very handsome too, our little gardener,” she said as the pair left the room.
“Gardener?” Lucian wondered aloud.
“Come on, it’s back to the infirmary with you,” Tallia said, turning his chair.
“Can’t I walk? I haven’t lost my legs.”
“No. You are my patient and will follow my instructions.”
Lucian sighed, but did not argue as Tallia pushed him down the hallway.
Year 1 Chapter 4
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In Calista’s office, there was mass chaos as all the fairies stood about Kaelen. “Please settle down,” Calista said in that voice that was quiet, yet piercing. When the chatter dissolved, she continued, “Now, obviously he must continue to attend classes, but there will need to be modifications made. Let’s start at the beginning of the schedule and work our way down. On Monday we have language arts followed by mathematics, there’s no reason to modify those classes. History, hunting, botany and foreign language are next. The only class that should need modification is hunting.”
“Actually Calista,” Russett interrupted, “young ladies would not deal with the plants I’ll be working with. I’ll have to modify Kaelen’s assignments. I’m sure I can teach him to dry flowers, pick the perfect bouquet; it will be fine. You’ll see.”
“Very well, Russett. That leaves us with hunting. Diana, what can Kaelen do during your class?” Calista asked.
“Nothing. Young ladies don’t hunt.”
“You’re a lady,” Kaelen pointed out.
“I am a fairy and the daughter of a renowned hunter. It is expected that I also have that ability. That is the exception, but for you I will make no exceptions. The most I can offer is working with his hound,” she continued, turning her attention back to Calista. “Other than that, he’s going to have to sit out. There’s no reason for him to be placed elsewhere.”
Kaelen scowled, but Calista ignored him. “Next up are physical education, etiquette, orientation, horsemanship and fencing. Achilles, is there anything Kaelen can participate in?”
Achilles, a fairy with black hair and mothlike black wings, stood and said, “I’ve got nothing for him, her.” He looked confused. “He, she couldn’t be in the gym. She’d be too distracting. You’ll have to find someplace else for her, him.” Thoroughly lost, Achilles resumed his seat and began rubbing his ankle thoughtfully.
“That may prove difficult,” Calista frowned.
“Oh no it won’t,” Gelasia countered. “He can have double etiquette with me. We’ll do some needlepoint and calligraphy. Don’t forget, I taught at Fair Damsel’s for a number of years.” Gelasia was the oldest fairy in the school. In fact, no one remembered her ever looking young, not even her son, Achilles. Her hair was snowy-white and her eyes the palest blue. She was wrinkled everywhere and the pointy tips of her ears were beginning to droop. Yet despite her comic appearance, she still seemed elegantly beautiful.
“Very well,” Calista replied. She waved at the piece of chalk and it sprang into action, writing Kaelen’s schedule where it had left off. “Let’s see, orientation should be fine, horsemanship?”
“I still have a sidesaddle; he can use that in my class,” Phillipa said.
Calista didn’t even have a chance to reply before Raphael interjected, “I will not have a girl in my classroom. Most unnatural and entirely out of the question.”
“I suppose we can find something; perhaps sewing. Gelasia, would you have time?” Calista asked.
“It is during my fourth-year class, but I’ll squeeze him in. He will need more than one dress.”
“I’m not going to wear a dress,” Kaelen interrupted. “And not this hideous pink thing either.”
“Well, you can’t very well go about in your skin alone,” Gelasia countered sweetly.
Kaelen started to argue again, but Calista stopped him saying, “You’ve already caused yourself enough trouble, don’t you think?”
“Just wait until my father hears of this.”
“I’ve already sent word to him. It should arrive early tomorrow morning.”
He gaped at her. He hadn’t actually intended on telling his father anything. He just wanted to scare the fairies into changing him back. He now realized that for the first time in his life, he was not the person in control.
“Shall we continue?” Calista asked. “Friday’s schedule is language arts, art, music, alchemy and astronomy. Concerns anyone?”
“I’m afraid he’ll have to sit out in art. We don’t want to dirty a young lady’s hands with charcoal. However, our class could use a model, so he doesn’t have to leave the room,” said a tall, broad-shouldered fairy with midnight blue hair and wings that were dark blue streaked with white.
“Thank you, Stefanos.”
A fairy with golden hair and eyes said, “Kaelen will be my assistant in alchemy. Generally, young ladies are taught to spin gold, but I haven’t the equipment to do that. I’ll need to contact Alantria at Fair Damsels to see if she has anything spare I could use.”
“Good, are there any other concerns?” When no one answered, Calista continued, “Well then, Kaelen, this is your new schedule. You will be expected to perform a
t your best. You have quite a bit of humility to gain from this. Don’t waste the lesson. Go ahead to supper now.”
Kaelen knew this wasn’t a request but a command. Head up at a defiant angle, Kaelen stood to leave. Gelasia’s frail hands were suddenly on his back. “Stand up straight, Kaelen. Fold your hands like this. There, now float as a lady should.” As he walked to the door, teeth grit, he heard Gelasia sigh, “I suppose we’ll work on that.”
As soon as Kaelen was sure none of the fairies could see him, he began sprinting down the hall. It was awkward in a dress, but he kept running. If he went fast enough, he could get to his dormitory before the boys arrived from supper. He would just stay in his room and not come out until he was a boy again. No one would ever know.
“Hey, you!” a voice called. “What are you doing here? Aren’t you in the wrong school?”
Kaelen turned to see an older boy peering down at him. “No, I belong here,” he snapped, noticing his girlish voice.
“You don’t look much like a prince, little girl. Maybe a damsel in distress.”
“I’m not a damsel.”
“A wench then.”
“If you don’t shut that big mouth of yours, I’ll shut it for you,” Kaelen warned, holding up dainty fists which didn’t belong to him and ignoring the fingernails poking his palms.
“Oh, I’m terrified, Thumbelina.”
Kaelen was spared further banter by Calista’s arrival. “Xavier, that is no way to treat a lady and certainly no way to treat a classmate. Prince Kaelen is where he ought to be.”
A wicked